Articles

  • Contractors pledge to combat racial inequality

    Construction firms across the country are responding to recent protests against police brutality and racial injustice with statements calling for an end to inequity and with programs to attract and retain diverse team members. Turner Construction has posted messages of support on its websites and on social media. “Recent events are a stark and painful reminder of…

  • Port Houston Achieves Security Management System ISO 28000 Recertification Continuing Long Commitment to Security

    Port Houston, the largest port on the U.S. Gulf Coast, recently obtained its ISO 28000 recertification for its Security Management System (SMS) for the fifth time. This exceptional achievement was accomplished without any non-conformances. Port Houston in 2008 became the first port authority in the world to receive this international security designation, which outlines stringent…

  • Layle McKelvey joins Manhattan’s Houston office as Director of Industry Relations

    Manhattan Construction Company, a top nationally-ranked construction firm, has appointed Layle McKelvey as director of community relations and inclusion in Houston. McKelvey will foster key relationships within city, county, and state government, lead Manhattan’s diversity and inclusion efforts, and drive engagement with local partners to enrich Manhattan’s overall benefit to our clients and community. While…

  • Greater Houston Partnership Cautions on Reopening of Office Spaces

    The Greater Houston Partnership today released a statement on behalf of its president and CEO, Bob Harvey regarding confusion surrounding Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Texas Executive Order GA-18 and whether it calls for the return of office workers to the workplace. “We are suggesting to Houston companies that they delay the return of office workers to the…

  • 11 TIPS TO PREPARE TO PULL A BUILDING PERMIT DURING HURRICANE SEASON

    Hurricane season officially kicked off along the Texas Gulf Coast area on June 1,2020 and runs through November 2020.  And while this region has experienced many thunderstorms, major floods and hurricanes over the years that wreaked havoc, Hurricane Harvey, and its aftermath in 2017, was a wake-up call still fresh in our memory that created…

  • Railroad Commission Launches Drone Program to Enhance Emergency Response

    Taking advantage of 21st century technology, the Railroad Commission of Texas launched a statewide drone inspection team last month. Drones will help inspectors to quickly respond and inspect sites that are unsafe or inaccessible during emergencies such as fires, flooding and other natural disasters. Drones can also assist in situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic,…

  • Employment in Texas’ Upstream Oil and Natural Gas Activities Impacted by Pandemic

    Data from the Workforce Commission indicates that employment in Texas’ upstream oil and natural gas activities fell significantly in April. Compared to March 2020 levels, April upstream employment was down by 25,800 jobs.  Compared to the same month in 2019, April 2020 jobs were down 47,200, or 20%.  At a total of 192,600 jobs, this…

  • ConocoPhillips focuses on its core job and values during COVID-19

    ConocoPhillips is taking steps to support and sustain its global workforce, communities and health care professionals during the coronavirus pandemic. With thousands of its people working from home and thousands more practicing social distancing in the field, the company is focused on its core job: to safely find and deliver energy to the world. “Throughout…

  • Alternative Funding Options for Houston’s Small Businesses

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses of all sizes in nearly every sector are facing financial hardship brought on by the crisis.  As the economy gradually reopens, local and state orders with restrictions on business operations have presented challenges for business continuity, especially for small to medium sized-enterprises. While legislators have made record emergency funds available through federally-backed…

  • PLUS ONE ROBOTICS CONTINUES TO INNOVATE AT PORT

    NEW TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS HUMANS TO SUPERVISE AND REMOTELY ASSIST ROBOTS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD  Plus One Robotics, a leader in developing artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technology that allows industrial robots to learn and adapt in fast-paced dynamic environments, has helped change the world since first establishing its operations on the Port campus in 2018….

  • Social distancing and site monitoring tech rapidly rolling out to US construction sites

    The coronavirus pandemic has shocked U.S. construction into needing to adopt new technologies to maintain social distancing and monitor jobsites remotely. Those adaptations, some construction leaders say, should have been adopted in the first place, before the pandemic forced contractors to implement them. The outbreak has also forced more connection between the site and office, as most…

  • The City is Estimated to See a $9.3 Million Reduction in its Annual Electricity Bill and an Estimated Total Savings of $65 Million Over Seven Years

    Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today that the City of Houston has committed to purchasing 100% renewable energy through a renewed partnership with NRG Energy as the City’s retail electric provider. As part of the contract renewal, the City will power all municipal operations with renewable energy and realize $65 million in savings over the seven-year…

  • Contractors challenged by lack of labor, jobsite tension and delays

    Even though the U.S. unemployment rate is at a level not seen since the Great Depression, the construction industry’s labor woes aren’t close to ending, according to panelists at a recent Associated General Contractors of America webinar. In most jurisdictions, projects are coming back on line, and construction managers are struggling to fill jobs. There…

  • Construction Association Launches New Nationwide Program To Expand The Diversity Of The Industry By Making Job Sites More Inclusive

    Associated General Contractors of America’s New “Culture of CARE” Program is Designed to Help Firms Create More Welcoming Workplace Environments   The Associated General Contractors of America is launching a new, nationwide program designed to help expand the diversity of the industry by making job sites more inclusive. The new program, called Culture of CARE (commit, attract, retain and empower), is designed to…