In the construction industry, the most threatening risks are the ones that go undetected for too long — design flaws that are spotted well into construction, bad habits that could get a craft worker hurt or a hazard that escapes a manager’s attention. Underlying most contractors’ safety programs is a group effort at vigilance on…
The truth is pulling a residential building permit when required is the right thing to do for your customer and it minimizes your liability as a contractor. It is exciting to see trucks rolling, hammers swinging, and a lot of contractors participating in the estimated $450 billion home remodeling market in the U.S. And while…
ExxonMobil said today it will invest up to $100 million over 10 years to research and develop advanced lower-emissions technologies with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Energy Technology Laboratory. ExxonMobil to invest up to $100 million on lower-emissions R&D with U.S. National Labs Ten-year agreement with National Renewable Energy…
The renewable energy sector is entering a new phase of subsidy-free growth across the world, according to the 53rd EY Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI). Mainland China and the US remain at first and second positions respectively on the top 40 ranking, while France moves up two positions to third from fifth, led by a new focus…
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…
For nearly the past 100 years, Houston has been proud to be a world leader in the oil and gas industry. However, despite the recent fracking boom, there seems to be a growing sense among its entrepreneurial and political elite that this economic model is going to fail at some point, or at the very…
The first full mass timber structure in the nation to use southern yellow pine cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels is set for completion in September 2019. Designed by Gensler’s Dallas office, the First United Bank in Fredericksburg has the distinction of being the first full mass timber construction project to be completed in Texas as well…
As the Texas high-speed train moves closer to construction, demand is accelerating at high speeds, according to a recent comprehensive study of the entire alignment – the most comprehensive review ever conducted of the travel market between Houston and North Texas. As an investor-owned project, decisions are based on data, and Texas Central engaged one…
The Houston Airport System’s two international airports will undergo major infrastructure and equipment upgrades and much-needed renovations through a design and construction management agreement with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a member of The Texas A&M University System. The projects at William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport will reduce the…
Keeps Greater Interests of Houston Ship Channel at Forefront The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met in special session Monday and moved to accelerate widening of the Houston Ship Channel, the nation’s busiest waterway. “The Houston Ship Channel is open for business for all and will continue to be,” said Chairman Ric…
A Volvo Construction Equipment survey of 205 U.S. and U.K. construction workers found that 31% of respondents were fearful that artificial intelligence and robotics would replace them on jobsites. While that is a common conception about the technology, an even larger chunk, 46%, was concerned about perceived safety risks involved with that kind of machinery….
Many home repairs do not require a permit, yet like clockwork, this time of year in late Spring, our phones start ringing with questions about when a permit is needed. From contractors to home owners and even house flippers, here are a few questions that we have answered. “We are widening our bathroom doors and…
ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) today announced a $1 million contribution to the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) to help meet growing demand for data science education. This donation marks the first of several planned contributions by ConocoPhillips to support data science curriculum at multiple universities. The contribution to the University of…
Strong U.S. natural gas and oil production is revitalizing communities in state after state. It’s well-known that increased energy production has cut costs for families – at the pump and in-home utility bills. But leading the world in production has also given U.S. businesses a leg up, generating a manufacturing resurgence. To list just a…
Here we are at the final stage. You covered your bases during the pre-application process, decided to extend credit to the consumer, took steps to reduce your risk while the credit relationship was still good, followed the proper protocol when it came time to collect the debt, and won a judgment following a successful lawsuit….
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence’s Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) office has issued a draft grant offer for the development of a system that can detect construction activity worldwide. The announcement is part of the agency’s Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) program. The new machine learning technology must have broad-area search functionality…
As the workforce is augmented by AI, CEOs will need to prepare their organization for new ways of working. Over the coming decades, the whole experience of what it means to ‘work’ is likely to change dramatically, impacting our relationships with our colleagues, our employers and even ourselves. At the same time, the idea of…
For me, overcoming professional barriers is all in a day’s – or life’s – work. I began my career in 1976 as the first woman with advanced degrees to work at ExxonMobil’s renowned research lab in Edison, New Jersey. Fast-forward to today, a few years after my retirement, and I am the first woman from…
Windmills. Electric cars. Solar panels. When the cost and performance of emerging technologies improves, incumbents get nervous. Eventually the oil age will end, and it won’t be because we’ve run out of oil. Something better will come along. Something cheaper. It’s inevitable, and the question is how the oil and gas companies of today become…
