Book Reviews: 03/17/2010 Building for Boomers: Guide to Design and Construction 286 pages, $60 (McGraw-Hill, 2010) Just as baby boomers already have reshaped America’s cultural and political landscape, the generation of Americans born after World War II is now setting off major changes in the housing market. This book addresses boomers’ psychological needs and preferences. These two forces will shape expectations, both for the kinds of homes they are buying today and for those they may be purchasing in the future. Schriener, a former Engineering News-Record editor, and Kephart, an architect, look at the big picture as well as the details.
When the staff at my firm talks with prospective clients, two things we focus on are what you get for your insurance premium and what you get for the commission you pay your insurance agent or broker. The construction industry hasn’t evolved very much in the 30-plus years I’ve been practicing. It’s still an industry in which a company pays a premium to an insurer, and then an insurer pays a commission to the agent or broker who placed that business. It’s rare that a contractor looks at those numbers and says, “What am I getting for that money?” PHELAN
To five-year-olds and many parents, learning math and science or studying engineering isn’t a very kid-friendly option. But a colorful new storybook for children by a couple of Texas engineers wants to change that. The authors say the book, which they have self-published and promoted, is the first written by licensed engineers to relate the engineering field to the world as kids see it. Photo: Alane Rivera Engineers Raymundo and Alane Rivera + Image Photo: Phillip Sada Engineers Raymundo and Alane Rivera are now preparing to go nationwide with their self-published book about engineering careers aimed at young children. “Rocks,
Book Reviews: 03/03/2010 Reflections on Affirmative Action in Construction By Paul King271 pages; $25.99 Forty years ago, construction sites in Chicago were 98% white. Today, the number of blacks and minorities in the trades is well over 20%. Contracts set aside for minority participation are now commonplace, yet few minority professionals own businesses large enough to compete with old-line construction firms run largely by white men. This greatly troubles Paul King, a former painting contractor who, in 1969, helped lead the affirmative action movement in construction. With the support of Chicago street gangs (who look like Boy Scouts compared to modern
There was a time not long ago when the prevailing wisdom said going through Hong Kong was the best way to enter the Chinese market. Hong Kong, although geographically a part of China, is a modern, developed international city-state, a Special Administrative Region of China whose business people speak English, understand Western laws, processes and customs, and can act as an interpreter for any Western organization that wants to work in mainland China. Photo: Claudiozacc-Fotolia.com DOHERTY In addition, currency transfer from China’s renminbi (formally called yuan) into Hong Kong dollars is easier than any other foreign-currency exchange. The obvious decision
Back in November, an eminent construction executive made a presentation at an insurance conference on survival strategies for contractors. Part of his presentation was advice about making layoffs, which was timely. If you look at what U.S. businesses have done in the first phase of the current recession, they have propped up their financial results by cutting personnel. The executive outlined the choices employers face, using a medical term—amputation—for cutting whole departments or units, and a term from 16th-Century warfare—decimation—for cutting a portion of each department. Related Links: Post-Recession Strategy for Firms Is the New Turning Point However, there are
Fundamental shifts in airline services have pressured airports to adopt new strategies in order to survive and thrive. Already we are seeing the first signs of a new kind of airport that will replace the dated facilities operating in most cities. For decades, airline operations were a model of stability. What caused the industry to turn topsy-turvy? One major force was the appearance of a new breed of low-cost carriers, such as Southwest Airlines. Their innovative way of doing business, coupled with the advent of smaller-capacity regional jets, made airports hustle to accommodate the increased volume of passengers and rapid
If I objectively analyze the foundation of my construction career, I find that my CEO title probably can be credited to several guys in jeans and dirty boots. It was not a professor but a contractor-entrepreneur who most encouraged and inspired me by serving as my first mentor and guide. He was spare with praise but long on wisdom; he found ways to put me in the front row for life lessons. Jobsites, negotiations and even a beer at the bar all became mentor’s tools to connect me, an ambitious and raw rookie, with my potential. Simply put, he saw
Cultivate Safety Culture, Not Personal Records For more than 10 years, the injury, illness and fatality rates for construction workers have declined dramatically. According to the latest federal data, construction’s injury and illness rate has been cut by more than half in 2008 from what it was 10 years earlier. The fatality rate was down 47% over the same period and hit an all-time low in 2008. Ask any contractor: The plan is to bring the rate down to zero. Credit for improved jobsite safety can be attributed to construction contractors that have committed to ensuring their workers go home
Efforts to prepare for natural disaster in the Caribbean in Haiti, in particular, have been under way for several years. Disaster reduction conferences have resulted in action plans. Model building codes for seismic and wind engineering have been updated and disseminated. But in Haiti, the combined “disasters” of historic poverty and political instability clearly undermined all the good intentions of the reformers, led by the Association of Caribbean States. Photo: BFP Engineers Inc, By Eduardo Fierro Tragedies such as the one in Haiti have played out time and again across the planet. But this one is different in the eyes
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