Closing the Ranks: Merging Old-School Superintendent Ways With New-School Methods for Jobsite Cohesiveness

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By: Ken Cornell, general superintendent Consider this anecdote: The general superintendent’s computer chimes, signaling the arrival of a batch of new emails. One is correspondence from a young associate in the office right next door. The superintendent is astounded at the sender’s decision to compose an electronic message rather than pop in for a chat—or, alternatively, to simply bang on the wall and shout. Here’s another scenario: A trade partner is taken aback when a seasoned superintendent scoffs and yells and, ultimately, becomes overheated in dismissing the subcontractor’s attempt to offer a professional recommendation. Superintendents of all ages will recognize … Read more

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Deepening Labor Struggle Driving Future of Construction

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The construction labor shortage continues to deepen nationally, evident by a historically low unemployment rate of 4.5 percent. There has been minimal growth in the workforce over the last nine months, with no sign of an increase. Because of this, industry professionals can expect project timelines to be extended, wages to increase at a faster rate and all eyes focused on construction technology to offset these challenges. Despite this, the industry continued to hit a mature stage of economic expansion in the third quarter, according to a new report from JLL that tracks national construction trends. Construction spending was up … Read more

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Evolutions of the Connected Jobsite: The Future of Compact Equipment

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The road to the Connected Jobsite was the focus of a recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG Tech Talk, part of the show’s new 75,000-square-foot Tech Experience featuring future-looking innovations that shape manufacturing. Hosted by Joel Honeyman, vice president of innovation at Bobcat and Doosan Company, the presentation looked at three evolutions to take place in construction in the next 10 years – connected awareness, connected performance and connected control – and how adapting to each allows for coordinated, safe, efficient and precise operation. Connected awareness Construction professionals must be connected to each of their jobsites in order to know what’s happening at any … Read more

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Latest Study Reveals New Arsenal of Tools to Help Increase Construction Safety

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A new study from Dodge Data & Analytics reveals the engagement with and impact of two critical trends for improving construction safety—technologies used on jobsites, and the practice of Prevention through Design. The study, conducted in partnership with the Center for Construction Research and Training and United Rentals and published in the Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2017 SmartMarket Report, is the third in a series of studies that demonstrate the financial and project benefits that contractors reap from their safety investments. It also shows the impact that new technologies being deployed onsite, from Building Information Modeling to drones … Read more

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Elecosoft Offers No-Cost Academic Licenses for Asta Powerproject

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DENVER, Colo. — When construction management students at Colorado State University students return to campus this semester, they’ll be preparing for a future in a competitive and ever-changing industry. Assistant professor Mary Nobe explains that today’s construction “training is ultimately about preparing students for a workforce that increasingly demands management track employees understand not just construction but also technology and its role in making informed decisions.” Nobe co-teaches a Construction Project Scheduling and Cost Control class (CON 461) that uses the same Asta Powerproject software used by more than 100,000 schedulers. The software evolved with the construction industry over the … Read more

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