ENR

June 1, 2020

In an unprecedented collaboration, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Salesforce, and floor-covering supplier Interface are showing their collective commitment to embodied carbon reduction by joining the board of Building Transparency.

Tech Giants Team Up to Develop 'Building Transparency'

Nonprofit is created to scale up the impact of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator

Nadine M. Post

May 26, 2020

One Comment

In an unprecedented collaboration, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Salesforce, along with floor covering supplier Interface are showing their collective commitment to embodied carbon reduction by joining the board of Building Transparency—a nonprofit formed recently to further develop a free-to-use digital tool for estimating embodied carbon in building construction, called the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator.

Water

Federal Regulator Cited Failed Michigan Dam Multiple Times

Owner Said Odds of Failure Were Five to 10 in 1 Million

Jeff Yoders

May 20, 2020

2 Comments

10,000 Midland County, Mich., residents were forced to leave their homes when heavy rains May 19 and 20 swelled the Titabawassee River to a record high and caused the Edenville and Sanford dams to fail.

Environment

Court Challenge to Trump Endangered-Species Rules Advances

Tom Ichniowski

May 20, 2020

No Comments

Federal judge denies Justice Dept. motion to dismiss lawsuit brought by 20 states.

COVID-19 and Construction

Associated Builders and Contractors Files Suit Against Michigan Governor's Orders

Michigan ABC Lawsuit Alleges Reopening Opens Contractors Up to Fines, Prison Without Due Process

Jeff Yoders

May 26, 2020

One Comment

ABC of Greater Michigan lawsuit alleges that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's (D) construction opening executive orders eliminate due process and increase penalties for contractors without new laws being passed to do so.

Seattle-Area Wet Weather Treatment Station Passes Halfway Point

Tim Newcomb

May 20, 2020

No Comments

A $262 million project near Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood will treat up to 70 million gallons of polluted stormwater that currently flows into the Duwamish River during severe rainstorms.

NY-NJ Transport Chief Amplifies Pitch for $3B to Fill COVID-19 Revenue Hit

Debra K. Rubin

May 21, 2020

No Comments

The virus impact on aviation, port, rail, bus and bridge traffic puts $20 billion of planned capital spend at risk, said Rick Cotton, regional Port Authority executive director at NJ airport briefing.

Government

EPA's Rollback of Rules Faces Senate Committee Scrutiny

Pam McFarland

May 21, 2020

No Comments

Agency chief Andrew Wheeler was asked about the relaxation of reporting requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NJ Engineering School Powers Through Battery Problems for Hospital PPE

Stephanie Loder

May 21, 2020

No Comments

With lithium batteries now in short supply, two engineering professors helped doctors improvise to keep respirators operating.

Architect Billings Hit Record Low in April, Says AIA

Alisa Zevin

May 21, 2020

No Comments

Economic impacts of COVID-19 have caused industry-wide decline.

Massive Nigeria Port Moves Forward with Chinese EPC Contractor Funds

Shem Oirere

May 22, 2020

No Comments

The $1.675 billion Lekki port, set to be complete in 2022, will be the deepest in sub-Saharan Africa.

Federal Projects

$1.3B Border Wall Contract Controversy Is Just the Latest for Fisher Sand & Gravel

May 24, 2020

Scrutiny of two big Corps of Engineers awards follows N.D. contractor's long push for market share, which included lawsuits and other efforts to gain attention.

Before COVID-19, ASCE Project Envisioned Post-Pandemic Future

ASCE's Gerald Buckwalter Details Research Project's Conclusions About a Pandemic's Impact

Scott Judy

May 22, 2020

No Comments

Future World Vision project, unveiled in 2019, factored in the impacts of a global pandemic upon future infrastructure systems.

Federal Contracts

What The New NASA Launch Could Mean For Jacobs and Other Contractors

A successful mission could keep contracts flowing out of agency’s ambitious programs

Richard Korman

May 27, 2020

No Comments

The space agency awards billions of dollars worth of contracts each year.

Modular ICU Units Placed Into Service in Maryland

A Second ICU Site is Being Completed

Bruce Buckley

May 26, 2020

No Comments

A new 7,000-sq-ft, 16-unit critical care facility was built from modular units designed by HGA and preassembled by The Boldt Co. at its Appleton, Wis., facility.