ASHRAE Appoints First DOE Building Energy Codes Fellow

ATLANTA, Ga. – The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers has appointed its first Building Energy Codes ASHRAE Fellow in partnership with the Department of Energy. The new Fellow, Mike Erbesfeld, will assist the DOE in assessing the impact of updating state energy codes to meet the 2010 version of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1. “The fellowship is valuable in that I get to bring my industry perspective to the federal government, where I can illustrate the obstacles and pitfalls on the path to net-zero-energy buildings, says Erbesfeld. “At the same time, this collaboration will hopefully ease the communication among … Read more

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OSHA, Whiting-Turner Join to Enhance Safety During Hartford, Conn., Retail Construction Project

Hartford, CT. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed a site safety partnership with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. to reduce hazards and enhance worker safety during construction of the Front Street District Project retail center in Hartford. “Knowledge and training are key tools in evaluating, identifying and eliminating work-related hazards before they injure or sicken workers,” said C. William Freeman III, OSHA’s area director in Hartford. “This partnership takes a proactive and systematic approach to safety and health that will pay dividends in reduced human and financial costs, and increased morale and productivity.” … Read more

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AGC Economist Predicts Nonresidential Construction Spending Will Continue To Dip Before Recovery

May 4 — Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America issued the following analysis of today's Census Bureau data on nonresidential construction spending: “The increase in nonresidential construction spending for March reported today by the Census Bureau is a reminder that construction is often a lagging indicator of economic activity. Increases in manufacturing construction are being propelled by huge refinery and steel-mill projects that were begun well-before the economic downturn. These large projects are eclipsing broader negative trends. However, as they are completed or scaled back in the coming months, we will get a fuller picture … Read more

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JE Dunn Appoints Vice President of Preconstruction for Southwest Division

Irvine, CA— April 30, 2009 — JE Dunn Construction Company announced today the appointment of Curt Campbell as Vice President of Preconstruction for its Southwest Division, including California and Arizona. Mr. Campbell’s appointment is part of the continued expansion of JE Dunn Construction’s growth in California, where it has recently opened offices in Irvine and San Diego. The company’s Arizona office is in Phoenix. Mike Castillo, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Southwest Division said Campbell brings three decades of experience in preconstruction services and project management to his new post. “Curt Campbell has strong estimating skills … Read more

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Construction Industry Accounts for Less Than One Percent of Annual Green House Gas Emissions

Despite Low Emissions, Construction Association Urges Companies to Follow Simple Steps Being Used to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Save Fuel Arlington, VA — The construction industry accounts for less than one percent of all U.S. green house gas emissions according to a new analysis of federal environmental data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Associated General Contractors of America found that all equipment used by the construction industry contributed less than 0.95 percent of all U.S. manmade greenhouse gas emissions in 2007. The newly released data shows the relative efficiency of a construction industry that currently accounts for … Read more

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