Construction Sector Adds 26,000 Workers In September But Nonresidential Jobs Stall As Many Commercial Firms Experience Project Cancellations

Construction Sector Adds 26,000 Workers In September But Nonresidential Jobs Stall As Many Commercial Firms Experience Project Cancellations

Pandemic Prompts Strong Demand for Housing, But Undermines Demand for Most Types of Nonresidential Projects as Retail and Office Suffer and State and Local Governments Cut Construction Budgets By Subcontractors USA News Provider Construction employment increased by 26,000 jobs in September to a total of 7,245,000, but the gains were concentrated in housing, while employment…

#BidAlerts and Social Media: Increasing Bid Submissions With A Hashtag

#BidAlerts and Social Media: Increasing Bid Submissions With A Hashtag

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Dept. is always looking for innovative and creative ways to increase our outreach and get more business owners to bid on County contracts or register as a supplier. One of these tools that have been effective is our social media channels and our hashtag campaign,…

Temperature Screenings Strengthen COVID-19 Safety Procedures for the Construction Industry

Temperature Screenings Strengthen COVID-19 Safety Procedures for the Construction Industry

By Subcontractors USA News Provider A recent report by the CDC identified over 600,000 COVID-19 cases in Texas and more than six million confirmed cases nationwide.  Therefore, measures to mitigate disease transmission remain critical to slow the spread.  In construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, and other related industries, there are special and unique measures necessary…

DART Rail Generates $10.27 Billion Near Rail Stations

DART Rail Generates $10.27 Billion Near Rail Stations

A new study looking at construction near Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail stations shows just how productive and important it is to the overall North Texas economy, generating billions of dollars in revenue, taxes and jobs. Researchers from the Economics Research Group at the University of North Texas (UNT), led by Michael Carroll,…

VIA Board Takes Action to Address Opportunity Gap Caused by Underfunding

VIA Board Takes Action to Address Opportunity Gap Caused by Underfunding

The VIA Board of Trustees took action Tuesday to create a path toward addressing VIA’s history of underfunding and redesign the regional transit system for a post-COVID-19 future. Advanced Transportation District Board members, who also serve as the VIA Board, agreed to table the notice to the City of San Antonio and Bexar County of…

8 Steps to Follow When Completed Construction and Failed to Pull a Building Permit

Three years ago, one of the most devastating storms to hit the Texas Gulf Coast caused over $125 billion in damage and made a horrendous impact in the Houston area.  Today, the PermitUsNow continues to receive phone calls from Contractors, Architects, and property owners with pleas for assistance in obtaining building permits to restore and…

RRC Commissioners Take Major Step to Help Address Oil and Gas Flaring

Railroad Commission of Texas commissioners today voted to approve draft changes to the Application for Exception to Statewide Rule 32. The changes play a large role in ongoing efforts at the Commission to reduce the amount of flaring in the oil and gas industry in the state. At today’s Conference, Railroad Commission staff also discussed a…

City of Houston Partners with bp to Advance Climate Action Plan Goals

City of Houston Partners with bp to Advance Climate Action Plan Goals

Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City of Houston’s Office of Sustainability today announced a new partnership with bp that will help advance major goals in the City’s recently launched Houston Climate Action Plan (CAP). Visit www.greenhoustontx.gov for more information on the CAP. Under the agreement, bp will serve as the City’s strategic planning and technical partner on…

Prime Black Contractors WIN with City of Fort Worth

Prime Black Contractors WIN with City of Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth made history this month with their Professional Engineering Design and Consultant Services RFQ. The objective of the RFQ was to identify the most competent and qualified firms from which the City may negotiate contracts for professional design services that will be necessary to complete various TPW Capital Delivery Division (CDD)…

3 key reasons to continue construction training even amid the pandemic

3 key reasons to continue construction training even amid the pandemic

Historically, companies will do two things when times get tough: They will curtail their training departments and sales departments.  The world was not prepared for the coronavirus, and there is no denying companies are facing hard decisions. Some companies have been required to do reduction in workforce because projects have been delayed.  Although halting training…

Senate Republicans’ Coronavirus Relief Measure Includes Provisions That Will Help Hard-hit Construction Firms Recover

Senate Republicans’ Coronavirus Relief Measure Includes Provisions That Will Help Hard-hit Construction Firms Recover

The HEALS Act Includes Essential Liability, Workforce, Financial & Unemployment Reforms, But Association Will Work to Get Needed Infrastructure Investments Included in Final Relief Measure The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the release today of Senate Republican’s latest coronavirus relief…

Holding ourselves accountable

Holding ourselves accountable

Since affirming AIA’s commitment to contributing to solutions that foster equity and justice in the built environment, the Board of Directors has met regularly to identify next steps for translating our ideals into meaningful action and progress.

TLC’s High-Tech Solution to Combat COVID-19: UV-C Light Disinfection – August, 2020

TLC’s High-Tech Solution to Combat COVID-19: UV-C Light Disinfection – August, 2020

TLC Engineering, Inc. has provided exponential aid in every presidentially declared disaster to hit the City of Houston since Hurricane Ike in 2008. As a City of Houston-certified Minority, Small, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and state of Texas registered Historically Underutilized Business, they specialize in customized services in the areas of engineering, environmental services, construction management…

Environmental Impact Statement Advances Texas High-Speed Train Project

Environmental Impact Statement Advances Texas High-Speed Train Project

On May 29, 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Texas High-Speed Train project, a regulatory milestone that ensures the state-of-the-art system will be built in a way that minimizes impacts to landowners and the environment along the 240-mile alignment. The release of this more than 10,000-page…

Port Houston Successfully Managing through Pandemic – Keeping People First

Port Houston Successfully Managing through Pandemic – Keeping People First

Standing for Social Justice, Economic Equality, Community Partnerships The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met in virtual session Tuesday for its regular monthly meeting. Port Chairman Ric Campo opened his remarks by declaring that events surrounding the pandemic and social injustice were a “wake up call,” and committed Port Houston to “double…

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Availability of $11.5 Million In Worker Safety and Health Training Grants

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Availability of $11.5 Million In Worker Safety and Health Training Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced the availability of $11.5 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants for nonprofit organizations, including community and faith-based organizations, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, Indian tribes, and colleges and universities. The Harwood Training Grant program supports in-person, hands-on training for workers and employers…

Which face coverings are best for preventing jobsite coronavirus spread?

Which face coverings are best for preventing jobsite coronavirus spread?

While any face covering will help contain the usual droplets that come from coughing, sneezing and even speaking, there are things to look for in a face covering to maximize jobsite safety from the coronavirus.  Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, using flow visualization testing in a laboratory equipped with…

The Top Ten Mistakes Contractors Often Make When Submitting Online for Permit

The past few months have thrown many Contractors into a frenzy figuring out how to submit plan electronically.  While some contractors plowed on through and wasted time figuring out how to submit, others attempted to go the jurisdiction only to be told to submit online, and then, there were those contractors so frustrated, they proceeded…