Photo by Dan Sellers Leite talks with University of Texas grad students about a design coordination research project using building information models. Related Links: Main Feature: Industry Women Weigh In on the New Normal Fernanda Leite's UT Web page Fernanda Leite has a passion for teaching and technology. A tenure-track assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, she clearly delights in the research her graduate students are doing. Third-year Ph.D. student Li Wang, for example, is capturing decisions made by experts while resolving clashes detected in building information models to help train novice designers in the future."We developed

Reporter-videographer Tom Sawyer traveled by boat to the Inner Harbor Navigation Channel surge barrier wall to see the work of Traylor Bros. Project Manager Wayne Jones.

Nearly three weeks after Superstorm Sandy hit the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut coastline with an unprecedented combination of wind and storm surge, public-private teams have largely dealt with power outages and flood emergencies and now are turning their attention to damage in infrastructure and to longer-term restoration, debris cleanup, structural assessments and housing for the thousands who were displaced.

Related Links: Construction Industry Institute CII Highlights Safety Studies,Broadens Outreach Efforts After analyzing the performance of 975 light and heavy industrial projects in its benchmarking database, the Construction Industry Institute found that only 5.4% met "best in class" predictability in terms of cost and schedule. While it is no surprise that over-budget and behind-schedule jobs pose problems for owners, the report also concludes that projects under budget and ahead of schedule create a missed opportunity for owners because money set aside for such projects cannot be invested in other ways.  DORANThis report is a way of showing the value of

Photo courtesy of Alistair Gibb Alistair Gibb, professor of complex project management at Loughborough University in England, talked about safety at the London Olympics at a Construction Industry Institute meeting in Baltimore. Photo courtesy of Alistair Gibb The mission statement of the London Olympics construction program included a commitment to safety. Related Links: London Olympic Committee Holds the Line on Costs 2012 Games Are Stepping Stones in Grand Scheme As the Olympic torch arrived to light the cauldron at Olympic Stadium on July 27, it was greeted by an honor guard of 500 hardhat-wearing construction workers, many of whom had

ENR interviewed California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Jeff Morales in his Sacramento office after the state Legislature approved the project. Highlights from the interview follow.

Related Links: The Tomorrow Project from Intel FutureTech CIOs: Are You Paving Over a Cow Path? As computing chips become ubiquitous and smaller, imagination may be the only limiting factor in how they can be used, says Brian David Johnson, Intel's futurist, and that could have significant implications for the future of construction. Johnson talked about the future of work to more than 300 construction professionals attending ENR's FutureTech conference in San Francisco on July 10.  JOHNSONBecause Intel needs to envision how its chips will be used, it is of "vital business importance" for the company to imagine how people

Related Links: 2010 Study: Wage-Gap Issues Remain Sponsorship, particularly the support of men in positions of influence who are willing to advocate on behalf of female colleagues, is critical to propel high-potential women up the corporate ladder, according to a study presented at the Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference, held in New York City on May 7.Ann Waeger, board member of the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network, said the group's benchmark study, "Women in Commercial Real Estate 2010," found that women expressed far more dissatisfaction with their careers than men. "To better understand the difference in men's and women's

How did a company like FedEx Corp. set its strategic direction for sustainability? That was the task given to D. Mitchell Jackson, FedEx staff vice president for environmental affairs and sustainability, when he took the post in 2007.Staff members suggested reducing fuel usage. Jackson responded, “That's a tactic, not a strategy.” He found the answer in what FedEx does every day. “We deliver eight million packages, but more than that, we connect the world, allowing customers to do business in 220 countries and territories.” Its sustainability strategy, therefore, was to “connect the world responsibly and resourcefully.”Jackson, a mechanical engineer by