Donna Laquidara-Carr

Related Links: Legal Worries Raised By IPD Alternative Project Delivery on the Rise A recent study by Dodge Data & Analytics provides insights into the impact that delivery systems have on projects from the perspectives of owners, architects and contractors. The research, published in the "Project Delivery Systems SmartMarket Report," primarily focused on three delivery systems: design-bid-build, design-build and construction management at-risk (CM at-risk). The findings reveal that there is no single, well-established delivery system most likely to improve project results across the board.For example, most owners reported strong performance on budget and schedule for each system, with only minor

Related Links: LEED Green Building System Shows Strong Growth http://enr.construction.com/business_management/project_delivery/2013/1021-Early-Involvement-Improves-Contractor-Understanding-of-Green-Priorities.aspEarly Involvement Improves Contractor Understanding of Green Priorities Reducing energy use in buildings has long been the target of green contractors and owners alike. The U.S. Dept. of Energy reports that buildings account for 40% of U.S. energy consumption and building owners spend $40 billion annually on energy. Despite this expenditure, building occupants are often uncomfortable in their work spaces.Now a study by McGraw Hill Construction (MHC) suggests that high-performance building system technologies already on the market can offer substantial savings in energy use over traditional systems. Working in partnership with

Related Links: Turner Stops Work Companywide to Talk Lean Construction Southland Industries Angles Toward More Project Diversity The construction industry has always been marked by struggles with low margins and high risk. Lean construction offers one possible solution to these issues, but as a project delivery approach, it still remains largely untapped in the industry.A new study from McGraw Hill Construction (MHC) and Dassault Systèmes, published in the "Lean Construction: Leveraging Collaboration and Advanced Practices to Increase Project Efficiency SmartMarket Report," demonstrates that too few contractors are familiar with lean practices and the benefits they offer. In particular, the study

Related Links: Report Shows Green Building Growing Around the World Contractors See Growth in Green Schools Market Green building is becoming an increasingly important aspect of construction in the retail and hotel sectors, says a recent study from McGraw Hill Construction—like ENR, a unit of McGraw Hill Financial. Fifty-two percent of retail and restaurant owners say that, within the next two years, more than half their projects will be green, up from a current 38%, and 64% of hotel owners report the same, up from 48%. The study was published this summer in McGraw Hill Construction's "Green Retail and Hospitality

Related Links: EPA Offers Cities More Flexible Paths to Fund Water Projects Whiate House Revises Water-Project Standards Asset management strategies have been generating interest in the water infrastructure sector for the last decade. A recent study from McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC) in collaboration with engineering consultant CH2M Hill, Denver, published in the "Water Infrastructure Asset Management SmartMarket Report," demonstrates that asset management practices have begun to take hold at water utilities, and more growth in those practices is expected in the next five years.For wet-infrastructure contractors, this shift to using asset management will have implications for future business opportunities. Asset management

Related Links: Green-Infused Modular Classroom Targets 'Grid-Neutral' Status in School Construction ENR: Green Schoolhouses Research recently conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction among contractors working on school projects demonstrates strong growth in green education projects. To qualify for the study, contractors had to have completed new construction or major renovation or improvement projects at K–12 schools or higher-education institutions.The Green-School Market Of the more than 100 contractors that qualified for the study, 83% have done new or major-renovation green-school projects in the last three years, and 79% have done some green retrofits and operational improvements. During this period, the contractors performed a