The value of new construction starts retreated 6% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $423.4 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Cos. The decline came as the result of a pullback for nonresidential building after a strong December, combined with a loss of momentum for residential building. At the same time, the nonbuilding construction sector showed further growth in January on top of its elevated December pace, aided by several large public works projects. On an unadjusted basis, total construction starts in January were reported at $28.4 billion, down 4% from the same
JOHANSEN BROWN Lance Brown, EIT, LEED AP BD+C, mechanical engineer of Spectrum Engineers, Salt Lake City, has earned his LEED AP certification. Brown’s experience includes complex health-care projects in government, office, higher education and other areas. He joined Spectrum as an intern in April 2008. Peter Johansen, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, principal electrical engineer, Spectrum Engineers, Salt Lake City, has also earned his LEED AP. He focuses on K-12 education and complex health-care projects. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Brigham Young University and an MBA from San Jose State. SWERDFEGER Keith Swerdfeger , chairman of the
The triennial CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibition is thought to be the largest construction event of the year and the largest trade show in the Western Hemisphere. This year’s show, scheduled for March 22-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, already is booking up its 2.2 million square feet. Last time the big show came to Vegas, in 2008, the industry and economy were in a much different place. Then, manufacturers couldn’t crank out the machines fast enough. The show set all-time records for attendance and exhibits, with more than 144,000 people perusing nearly 2.3 million sq ft. Soon after, investment bank Lehman
Article toolbar Modernization of the 1960s-era Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Denver is putting new chilled-beam technology to work to help reduce energy use in the building’s office tower by almost 70%. Work on the 18-story, 494,000-sq-ft building, home to 11 federal agencies, includes upgrades to structural elements and all major building systems, including mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Built in 1965, the tower’s inefficient and inflexible mechanical system will be removed and replaced with a chilled-beam system. Chilled-beam technology has been used extensively in Europe but is just making its way to the U.S., says
Article toolbar When the Jackson Hole Airport decided three years ago to expand and renovate the terminal, the design was driven by location, location, location. Nestled within Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the airport is the only U.S. commercial facility to operate within a national park. It must comply with FAA regulations and operate within rules set by the National Park Service. Beyond a concern for parklands and wildlife, the $31-million expansion had to meet strict boundary limitations and an 18.6-ft height restriction to ensure unobstructed views of the Tetons. The tight parameters meant challenges for the design team,
Article toolbar With the rebirth and expansion of light-rail service in the Salt Lake Valley, a warehouse that once housed fur coats for high-end retailers has been converted into a maintenance and storage barn for new trains. The 300,000-sq-ft building, which will include office space as well as a 120,000-sq-ft maintenance facility, sits on 24 acres west of Interstate 15 adjacent to the Jordan River. The current TRAX light-rail system services downtown Salt Lake City and reaches south to the city of Sandy as well as east to the University of Utah and west to the Salt Lake City Intermodal
SnapShot February 28, 2011 Architect Pierre Langue, Axis Architects, Salt Lake City Architect Pierre Langue, Axis Architects, Salt Lake City, designed this strikingly modern residence, located high in Salt Lake City’s East Bench neighborhood. Living spaces are oriented around expansive western views, with large overhanging shades shielding the residence from the sun while providing a distinctive exterior. The sections of the house follow the slope of the terrain, helping to integrate it with the environment. Photographer: Paul Richer/Richer Images LLC Submitted By: Pierre Langue, principal, Axis Architects, Salt Lake City
On The Scene February 28, 2011 Our editors are everywhere�at all the industry events that matter most. When They're not speaking on panels, they're busy taking notes�and snapping photos�so they can inform their readers about what was said and who was there. U.S. General Services Administration�s Federal Center Redevelopment Lisa Wild, a project manager with the U.S. General Services Administration�s Federal Center Redevelopment team, told guests at a Society for Marketing Professional Services luncheon in Denver in mid- January about key elements of the center�s plan to green its operations and create mixed-use opportunities. Those include transit-oriented development near the
The Southern Nevada Water Authority�s largest single contract to date just got a little pricier. Photo: Tony Illia for ENR Southwest Drier days Workers in 2010 in staging vault that later flooded twice. Photo: Tony Illia for ENR Southwest Tunnel-boring machine head will drill for three miles. A starter tunnel for a third raw water intake at Lake Mead flooded three times in six months last year, prompting its contractor, Vegas Tunnel Constructors LLC �a joint venture of S.A. Healy Co., Lombard, Ill., and Impreglio S.p.A., Sesto San Giovanni, Italy�to drill in a drier direction. Costs for the design-build project,
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