Researchers reported results of two key studies—one on using real-time technology to reduce the danger of working around construction equipment and another on the impact of project-site leadership on safety—to the Construction Industry Institute’s annual conference held Aug. 4-5 in Orlando, Fla. Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology Warning device worn by a worker (below) approaching a danger zone emits a signal picked up by a device in the equipment’s cab (above). Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology MCKINNEY Several safety-related topics were discussed at the event, including technology-based safety, which members and academics are researching in an
Our annual survey of subcontractors in the Southwest shows revenue totals plummeting in 2009. Last year, we ranked 160 companies totaling $6.13 billion based on their 2008 revenue. This year, the responses fell to 113 firms with revenue totaling just $3.58 billion in 2009. Photo Courtesy Carollo Engineers Crews pour concrete for a clarifier floor during construction on the third phase of the $60-million Casa Grande Water Reclamation Facility. Related Links: Top 113 Specialty Contractors State/Worldwide Market Sectors Safest Subcontractors Even with the drop in participation, the largest firms remain fairly consistent year to year. All but five of last
It�s no secret: 2009 was another bad year for many contractors working in the four-state Southeast region. Numerous firms closed their doors for good. Others sold out to bigger, more prosperous contractors. Nationally, unemployment in the construction industry topped 22% at one point in 2009, only to escalate further in 2010. And unless a contractor was able to snag some stimulus work, opportunities remained relatively sparse. In that regard, being recognized as the �Contractor of the Year� for accomplishments in 2009 could be viewed as akin to winning an award for making the best of a bad situation. And by
Despite Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s (I) authorization this month of as much as $200 million for a long-term effort to provide upgraded sewer systems for the Florida Keys, the prospects are poor for funding in total the estimated $937-million project. The governor’s action—which also extended the project deadline to 2015 from July 2010—does not provide a timeline for delivery of the Everglades Restoration bonds; it only authorizes the Florida Legislature to initiate the $200 million in bonding sometime in the future. Liz Wood, Monroe County’s senior administrator for sewer projects, says the nine municipalities and utilities that will build the
Despite Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s (I) authorization this month of as much as $200 million for a long-term effort to provide upgraded sewer systems for the Florida Keys, the prospects are poor for funding in total the estimated $937-million project. The governor’s action—which also extended the project deadline to 2015 from July 2010—does not provide a timeline for delivery of the Everglades Restoration bonds; it only authorizes the Florida Legislature to initiate the $200 million in bonding sometime in the future. Liz Wood, Monroe County’s senior administrator for sewer projects, says the nine municipalities and utilities that will build the
Mid-Atlantic Construction magazine�s publisher, McGraw-Hill Construction, regularly reports on the pace of new construction contract activity for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and numerous metropolitan areas. Here, Mid-Atlantic Construction presents its first quarterly report on the pace of new contracts within the region of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Eastern Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. (For the purposes of consistency, the numbers presented here will include the entire state of Pennsylvania.) Delaware Through the first three months of 2010, Delaware�s construction contract activity has been wildly up or down compared to the same period of a year ago. For instance, January�s
Hundreds of Florida transportation contractors descended upon Tallahassee last week to rally against a pending $160-million raid of the State Transportation Trust Fund and to encourage Gov. Charlie Crist to use his veto power to stop it. It�s the last hope to stop the transfer of funds, says Robert G. Burleson, president of the Florida Transportation Builders Association of Tallahassee. Photo courtesy FTBA Members of the Florida Transportation Builders Association made the choice clear to state legislators poised to cut approximately $160 million from the state's transportation fund. Photo courtesy FTBA This "road sign" conveyed FTBA's stance on raiding road
The Orlando Magic weren�t able to top Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in last year�s Finals of the National Basketball Association playoffs. Image courtesy the Orlando Magic This rendering of the new Amway Arena showcases the "entry beacon" that will serve as the building's focal point. Photo courtesy the City of Orlando A recent aerial photo of the Amway Arena project. The city-owned project is scheduled for completion by October. But when it comes to the $480-million, 875,000-sq-ft Amway Center, the Magic and their partners with the city of Orlando are pretty confident they’re going to the top
Editor’s Note: Portions of this article originally appeared on ENR.com. The warning shot came in a federal court in Louisiana, and it may signal the beginning of the end of one of the more costly aspects of the homebuilding boom of 2004-2007. Federal Judge Eldon Fallon in New Orleans ordered Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd. to pay seven Virginia families a total of $2.6 million to remediate defective Chinese-made drywall in their homes. The case is the first of several class-action lawsuits filed against manufacturers of material that has proven to be a veritable nightmare—and source of odors—for thousands of homeowners.