Modular construction is known for shaving time from construction schedules and reducing project budgets. But in the case of the $10 billion ExxonMobil-SABIC ethane steam cracker and plastics plant in Corpus Christi, Texas, it looks like it is also going to do away with some jobs as well. After the two energy giants announced the project a…
Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that the Fluor-led joint venture company composed of Fluor and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., was selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to design and construct the I-635 LBJ East Project in Dallas. The Fluor team’s scope of work includes the widening and full reconstruction of about 11 miles…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approvedconstruction of a fourth liquefaction train at Freeport LNG’s $14 billionLNG export terminal in Freeport, Texas. Freeport LNG filed its FERC application in June 2017. The liquefaction unit, which is expected to become operational in 2023, will be similar to three others in various stages of completion at the Freeport site,…
The Texas DOT has unveiled an $8 billion plan this week that would revamp Interstate 35 through Austin and alleviate traffic congestion through the capital city, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The project would see the addition of two sections of managed lanes in each direction on I-35 — one 12 miles and the other…
Selling your company’s services to prospective clients is challenging. While there’s a strong market for construction work and plenty of jobs to be won, competition is fierce and it can seem like owners are fixated on price. It’s understandably hard to balance your commitment to quality and your desire to innovate in an industry built on bidding wars….
Precourt Sports Ventures, the primary investor and operator of the new Major League Soccer franchise Austin FC, has chosen general contractor Austin Commercial as construction manager for the club’s new $240 million stadium in Austin, Texas. Gensler has signed on as lead architect and CAA Icon will be the project manager and Precourt’s representative. Crews will break…
Hiring Rebounds from Losses in February, Suggesting Demand for Construction Remains Strong; Association Calls for Career Training Funding and Immigration Reform to Continue Growth Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in March and by 246,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, over the past year, according to an analysis of new government data today by the Associated…
The Texas A&M University System Office of HUB and Procurement Programs recently collaborated with the Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction, SSC and general contractors to host a Construction Vendor Expo in an effort to ensure that HUB subcontractors are aware of upcoming opportunities and ways to do business with the A&M System. The Office…
Forty-four states added construction jobs between January 2018 and January 2019, while 33 states added construction jobs between December and January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials cautioned that the employment gains may not last without an increase in the number of…
The construction industry is dynamic — ever changing and evolving through technology. The way contractors work today is clearly much different than 50 years ago — or 20 years — or even five years ago. The big difference is due to advances in technology in the machines and tools that enable greater productivity, reduce time…
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. It consists of 11 universities and seven state agencies, each with its own mission, history and goals. Each entity of the System abides by policies and regulations established by The A&M System Board of Regents, and although they…
Commissioners in San Patricio County, Texas, took the first step last week in securing a $1.8 billion Steel Dynamics mill for the Corpus Christi area by voting unanimously to create a reinvestment zone that includes the approximately 2,500-acre piece of land on which the company would build the plant, according to The Corpus Christi Caller…
The Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas, has started a search for a private partner to help develop, build and operate a new hotel and convention center. The city issued a request for statements of interest on Jan. 18. The project will include a full-service hotel with 350 rooms, a convention center of up to…
Shop class is making a comeback in Texas, where immigration enforcement has left the construction industry with a lack of skilled workers, Dallas News reported. The Dallas-Fort Worth area alone is short about 20,000 to 30,000 construction workers. Once cut from the curriculum in many high schools and community colleges, shop is back, with a focus on skills…
The Houston metropolitan area, according to an analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America, created 25,600 construction jobs — the largest number recorded out of 358 U.S. metros and a 12% increase — from October 2017 through October 2018. The construction industries in the Phoenix (16,700 jobs; 14%), Dallas (13,200; 9%) and…
Turner Construction Company and the University of Houston’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) department hosted their first collaborative Turner Advanced School of Construction Management program on October 23-25. The three-day course was based on the foundation of the Project Management Professionals Certification tailored specifically to construction. The course was hosted by James A. Brownrigg from Turner…
As Business Development Leaders we are responsible for identifying and vetting opportunities that are good for our business. How we move and the steps we take after can be the difference between winning and losing. So where do you start? You start with who and what you know. Tapping the employees within your organization and…
The tech boom has influenced more than cell phones and ride sharing. Big tech brands are bringing out the best in construction companies with their desire for bigger, cooler and technologically advanced buildings. As innovative structures push the construction industry forward, contractors show how creative they can be. The latest example of structural innovation can…
New hardware that integrates with smartphones or tablets is becoming invaluable for measurement and quality control on jobsites. With a focus on MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) system energy performance, I have found several new tools that are indispensable additions to anyone’s field kit. Beyond MEP, these gadgets can assist with a range of construction…
The construction industry is lagging behind others when it comes to digital transformation. Some construction firms “are still using paper-based processes that can only be described as archaic,” according to a 2016 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s Strategy&.1 The industry’s old-school ways mean contractors waste time and money mailing revisions to blueprints, tracking paper receipts and…
