Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, which opened last month in Meridian, Idaho, has earned two Green Globes® from the Green Building Initiative based on its innovative sustainable design. Green Globes is a revolutionary green building guidance and assessment program that offers an effective, practical and affordable way to advance the environmental performance and sustainability of commercial buildings. Located in The Portico at Meridian (a Gardner Ahlquist development), Ling & Louie’s is a collaboration between Boise’s CSHQA, architects and engineers; Jeff Balzarini of interior design firm Studio 32; and well-known Boise restaurateur Rex Chandler. With locations in Colorado and
Construction employment patterns diverged across the country in April as 19 states plus the District of Columbia added jobs over the past year, even as losses deepened in others, the Associated General Contractors of America reported last week in an analysis of state employment data released by the Labor Department. Association officials said the figures reflect an uneven and unsteady construction industry recovery that could be undermined by looming cost increases and public sector funding cuts. “It is good to see more states adding construction jobs for the year in April than at any point since February 2008,” said Ken
Associated Builders and Contractors recognized 16 member companies and two individuals for their outstanding safety efforts at the ABC Safety and Scholarship Awards Banquet held in Denver on May 19. “ABC congratulates our safety award winners for their outstanding safety records and proven dedication to construction work place safety,” said Mark Latimer, president and CEO of ABC Rocky Mountain. “Creating safe work environments is a top priority for ABC, and we are proud to recognize companies who strive to maintain outstanding safety programs, policies and procedures.” Most Improved Safety Program Gracon Corp., Loveland Outstanding Safety Program for General Contractors Less
The Colorado Chapter of Society for Marketing Professional Services hosted the annual Marketing Excellence Awards in Denver on May 19. The event highlighted the industry�s best-of-the-best marketing pieces and individuals. The following members were recipients of individual awards. • Leonardo Award: Karen Gilbert, Fentress Architects, for achievement at the highest level in A/E/C marketing and business development. Gilbert is director of marketing for Fentress Architects. • Member of the Year: Kim Robertson, Norris Design, who currently serves on the Communications and Marketing Excellence Awards committees. Her activities have included spearheading the graphics and themes for the annual Marketing Excellence Awards
New construction starts in April were reported at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $400.2 billion, basically the same amount as March, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Cos. Nonresidential building slipped back after its elevated March pace, while nonbuilding construction (public works and electric utilities) continued to retreat. In contrast, residential building in April registered a moderate gain, helped by upward movement for multifamily housing. During the first four months of 2011, total construction on an unadjusted basis came in at $122.1 billion, down 9% from the same period of 2010. The April data produced a
The new 353,000-sq-ft Portneuf Medical Center, located in Pocatello, Idaho, and being lauded by some as �the jewel of the Gem State,� celebrated its grand opening at the end of April. A hospital official said that close to 14,000 people celebrated the opening by taking tours of the new medical center. The project involved a complete campus expansion to the existing Portneuf Medical Center, essentially creating a new hospital that brings the highest level of health-care services to Pocatello, paralleling the growth of the area and keeping pace with advances in health-care technologies. The new medical center includes a six-story
Boise�s Mulvaney Medical Office Building recently earned a LEED-Gold certification based on the LEED for Core & Shell™ rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council. The three-story, 70,000-sq-ft building, owned by Cameron Investments and located on the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center Campus, uses multiple sustainable strategies, including high-performance glazing, energy-efficient building envelope and lighting systems, water-efficient fixtures, durable and low-maintenance building materials, and non-toxic finishes and carpet. It was designed by Boise-based architectural firm CSHQA. A 2,500-sq-ft vegetative roof garden is filled with drought-tolerant native and adapted plants, grasses, wildflowers, ground covers and trees. Translucent skylights on the
Long gone are the days when a handshake was all that was needed to get a contractor to build a building and for him to be assured he would be paid. Today�s construction contracts, like most other contracts, are lengthy documents intending to address all possible issues that may arise during contract performance. But they frequently fail, or they provide unexpected consequences. For example, the often-used AIA contract for construction AIA Document A-102 - 2007 cost-plus with a guaranteed maximum price contract is 13 pages long. It is usually combined with the associated AIA General Conditions, which is another 11
With the onset of the summer construction season in the Rocky Mountains, contractors should be mindful of some unique issues with mountain projects that can become contentious between property owners and contractors. Owners and contractors should thoroughly discuss their expectations before starting work to maximize the chances of a successful project and minimize the risks of a dispute. Those issues include: 1. Site Access. Portions of the Rockies received near-record snowfall last winter. Delays in obtaining access to the work site can hinder contractors’ and consultants’ ability to investigate soil and other conditions that may be concealed by the snow.