Robots, machinery and software promise to aid with the skilled labor shortage, or at the very least free up managers’ and other workers’ time so they can focus on more important tasks. In the next three decades, as many as 2.7 million construction jobs could become automated, according to a report from the Midwest Economic Policy…
Why are so many digital transformation efforts stalling? Because leaders remain fixated on technology, at the expense of humanity. The pressure to radically reshape organizations is only accelerating: industries keep converging, new competitors appearing, and societal and stakeholder expectations rising. Yet digital transformation efforts at many organizations are stalling. The reason? Transforming in a way…
In 2017, the world used 562 quadrillion BTUs of energy in the form of oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear and renewables. But most of us don’t understand how this statistic is reflected in what we do each day. That staggering number – 562,000,000,000,000,000 – represents the countless decisions made by the individuals, companies and communities…
Greater Houston Partnership 2020 Board Chair Bobby Tudor outlined how the organization will work to ensure Houston plays a key role in the global energy transition at the Partnership’s annual meeting on January 22. Maintaining Houston’s place as the Energy Capital of the World requires that the region’s business and civic leaders address the dual…
The AIA 2030 Commitment provides a considerable challenge for any firm willing to sign on. This is especially true for larger firms, which must find ways to reduce predicted energy use across a wide spectrum of clients, building types and climate zones. LPA was an early supporter of the 2030 Commitment, but energy efficient design…
In January 2020, Jonathan Moody, AIA, officially became CEO of Moody Nolan. They were big shoes to fill. His father, Curtis Moody, FAIA, was awarded the Whitney M. Young Jr. award in 1992 and AIA Ohio’s highest honor, the Gold Medal, in 2007 — among other honors. Today, Moody Nolan is the largest African American-owned…
Mayor Turner and City Council approved historic nomination HOUSTON – Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston City Council voted yesterday to approve the nomination of Cheryl Creuzot to serve as a member of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. Creuzot, a highly respected business and civic leader, will be the first…
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport is marking the start of the new year with a couple of big announcements. Earlier this week, Allegiant announced it added Houston as one of a few cities it’ll begin serving in 2020. According to its press release, the new seasonal nonstop routes from Hobby Airport include Knoxville, TN, Asheville, NC, Savannah,…
OSHA issued a letter of interpretation in response to an employers question regarding the use of headphones to listen to music on construction sites. The employer stated that some headphones are advertised as “OSHA approved” and asked whether OSHA had any specific regulation that prohibits the use of headphones to listen to music on a construction site….
Each year, Federal civilian employees sustain work-related injuries and illnesses. In 2018, Federal workers filed almost 107,000 new claims and received approximately $3 billion in workers’ compensation payments. Many of these work-related injuries and illnesses are preventable, and executive departments and agencies can and should do more to improve workplace safety and health, improve efficiencies,…
We receive a lot of phone calls from desperate project owners and often some contractors wave at us or knock on the window of our wrapped trucks at a particular jurisdiction. Conversations vary on types of projects and the kinds of problems being experienced. So, when a contractor approached me a few weeks ago in…
Billions in oil and gas taxes and royalties directly support Texas schools, teachers, roads, infrastructure and healthcare facilities Texas ISDs received $1.54 Billion, Counties received $398.7 Million in oil and gas property taxes According to just-released data from the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), the Texas oil and natural gas industry paid more than…
ConsensusDocs announced the publication of a new industry standard public-private partnership (P3) agreement. The ConsensusDocs 900 Standard P3 Agreement and General Conditions is a pioneering document from ConsensusDocs that represents a vast improvement of P3 agreements. Consistent with the ConsensusDocs philosophy, the document provides a fair and balanced standard for a P3 project to design,…
In the construction industry, the contract between parties is the principle source for determining the parties’ respective obligations. Project managers, superintendents, and other project-related personnel are routinely trained to review and understand contracts and administer projects in accordance with an industry understanding of the Contract. When juggling multiple projects, contractors are required to properly manage…
5G technology has been touted as the next leap forward in the digital technology arena, and Houston is one of the first cities to roll out the new tech, but what does this mean for Houston’s economy? Well, it could mean a lot. 5G networks need smaller and more closely deployed antennae that can attach…
The City of Dallas Office of Economic Development has won Business Facilities’ 2019 Deal of the Year Bronze Award for Uber Technologies’ U.S. Administrative Hub. Uber’s new hub, based at The Epic in Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood, will create 3,000 new jobs and more than $75 million in capital investment. Uber will provide a new…
Construction employment increased by 1,000 jobs in November and by 146,000, or 2.0 percent, over the past 12 months, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said recent modest monthly increases in industry employment likely reflect the difficulty contractors are having in finding workers rather…
The City of Dallas unveiled the Big Tex tunnel-boring machine (TBM) at the Mill Creek Drainage Relief Tunnel. The 38-ft by 230 ft long machine is the largest hard rock water tunnel boring in the world at the time tunneling begins. Big Tex will be used to dig a tunnel designed to provide flood protection for east…
Family-owned businesses are the heart of the construction industry. Literally. It is the most frequently encountered ownership model in the world and impacts the global economy significantly. The generational leadership of a family business is credited for developing entrepreneurial talent, a sense of loyalty to business success, long-term strategic commitment, and corporate independence. According…
What can architects do to prepare for financially turbulent times? The last several years have seen a major boom in the architecture business, but now a period of slower growth indicated by the Architecture Billings Index is pointing toward an impending downturn. In preparation, three firm leaders—Tim Dufault, FAIA, president and CEO at Cuningham Group; Carole Wedge, FAIA,…
