ISSUE 77
August 2022
Tellepsen Announces Partnership With Texas Southern University
Providing a Pathway for Minorities to Succeed in the Construction Industry According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, Non-Hispanic Blacks held 5.1% of construction jobs, compared with their 11.8-percent share of total employment. Recent information from Zippia highlights that 6.2% of all construction workers are women, while 93.8% are men. The most…
Funding for VIA’s Advanced Rapid Transit Recommended in President’s Budget
Plans for San Antonio’s first Advanced Rapid Transit corridor are progressing with a recommendation for $158 million from the federal government, marking a historic funding opportunity for the region and a step forward for the project that’s part of VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan. VIA’s Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) project is the only Texas project…
Houston Ship Channel Billion Dollar Expansion Starts
Port Houston, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, held an event recently, officially kicking off the $1 billion expansion of the Houston Ship Channel. Described as a “generation-defining project,” these improvements to the nation’s busiest waterway – more safely and efficiently welcoming import and export container ships and other vessels – will…
METRONext Moving Forward Plan
Our region’s population is projected to exceed 10 million people by 2040. That’s why Houston METRO worked closely with the community to develop a plan that addresses the growing demand for expansion of public transit. Approved by voters in November 2019, it includes 500 miles of travel improvements to help ease traffic congestion and give…
A Message From OSHA: Heat Illness Prevention
Several heat-related illnesses can affect workers. Some of the symptoms are non-specific. This means that when a worker is performing physical labor in a warm environment, any unusual symptom can be a sign of overheating. Heat-Related Illness Symptoms and Signs Heat stroke ConfusionSlurred speechUnconsciousnessSeizuresHeavy sweating or hot, dry skinVery high body temperatureRapid heart rate Heat…
Recognize Safe + Sound Week 2022: August 15-21, 2022
Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America’s workers safe. Why Participate? Successful safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability…
No One Will Tell You About the Permitting “Have You Thought About” Questions Relayed During the Subcontractors’ USA 2022 Industry Awards Luncheon
By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer “What does attending the recent Subcontractors’ USA Top 25 Subcontractors Awards Luncheon have to do with building permitting?” Aside from the fact that there was a super networking environment, tasty food, and a great jazz musician adding to the ambiance, there were anchor institutions like Dallas Independent School District (DISD…
Back to Work: US O&G Employment To Recover in 2022, Reaching Pre-Pandemic Levels in Five Years
Employment in the US oil and gas industry is set to rebound in the coming years and surpass pre-Covid levels, with almost 1.1 million projected workers by the end of 2027, according to Rystad Energy research. The sector shed nearly 200,000 jobs during the pandemic – a whopping 20% of the total workforce. However, on…
Hilti Opens Up Its ON!Track Tool Tracking App To Help Enable Contractors To Manage More Than Jobsite Assets
Hilti North America, an innovator of tools, technology, software, and services to the commercial construction industry is leading a fundamental shift in how customers run their businesses with the launch of ON!Track Unite, a new open Application Programming Interface (API) for software integration. The platform transforms what is often complex and manual-based into a seamless…
New Processors Make Edge AI More Accessible While Cutting Power Consumption in Half
Expanding on its history of delivering highly integrated processors, Texas Instruments (TI) recently introduced new Sitara™ AM62 processors that help expand edge artificial intelligence (AI) processing into next-generation applications. The low-power design of the new processors enables support for dual-screen displays and small-size human-machine interface (HMI) applications. The next generation of HMI will bring new…
New Bluetooth® LE Wireless MCUs Make High-Quality RF and Power Performance More Affordable
Texas Instruments (TI) recently expanded its connectivity portfolio with a new family of wireless microcontrollers (MCU) that enable high-quality Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) at half the price of competing devices. Featuring best-in-class standby current and radio-frequency (RF) performance, the SimpleLink™ Bluetooth LE CC2340 family is built on the foundation of TI’s decades of wireless connectivity…
Shell invests in the Jackdaw gas field in the UK North Sea
Jul 25, 2022 BG International Limited, an affiliate of Shell U.K. Limited, has taken the final investment decision (FID) to develop the Jackdaw gas field in the UK North Sea, following regulatory approval earlier this year. Jackdaw will comprise a wellhead platform that is not permanently attended, along with subsea infrastructure which will tie back…
When It Comes to New Construction, Texas Is One of the Fastest-growing States, Home to Four of the Top 10 US Equipment Rental Markets
Quipli, a leading equipment rental software company that caters to independent rental companies throughout the US, recently conducted a research study to find out where the hottest locations are in the US for equipment rentals. Using keyword search data, Quipli pinpointed the regions with the most local Google searches looking to rent construction equipment –…
Doing Business With NRG
NRG has a passion for innovation, is deeply committed to its customers, and is setting the standard for energy providers across the nation. Living up to this commitment requires a diverse network of partners so that they can share in continued success. Potential suppliers are invited to register in NRG’s Supplier Portal, view their Supplier…
CPS Energy Partnership Leads to 10 Years of Solar Power Growth Plus Benefits
You don’t need to be an expert in energy to know that solar power is here to stay. A major signifier of that happens to be right here in San Antonio—a top solar city in the nation. OCI Solar Power, one of the largest solar energy developers in Texas, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in…
Construction Input Costs Jump 1.1 Percent From May to June, Adding to Pressure on Contractors Despite Recent Decline in Some Materials Prices
The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction jumped 1.1 percent last month, outpacing the rise in contractors’ bid prices, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials warned that rising materials prices were having an adverse impact on a growing number of…
Construction Employment in June Continues To Lag Pre-Pandemic Level in 18 States as Lack of Qualified Workers Holds Down Hiring
Construction employment in June continued to trail pre-pandemic levels in more than one-third of the states despite record job openings, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America recently. Association officials called on government officials to allow employers to sponsor more foreign-born workers and support more…
Architecture Jobs Outlook: Here’s What To Expect In Coming Years
What is the job outlook for an architect? Through the year 2029, the architecture jobs’ outlook and that of related fields is mixed. Some jobs are expected to grow, while others will likely contract. The improvement of technology for specific tasks has reduced the number of employees required for those aspects of the design and…
How To Work Smarter, Not Harder, as an Architect 
If there is one thing that architects often lack, it’s time. Whether they are students or accomplished professionals, there never seems to be enough time to do what needs to be done. So, one of the most important skills an aspiring architect needs is efficient time management. With this in mind, here are a couple…