Issue 46
January 2020
THE STATE OF THE PORT: PEOPLE MAKE IT POSSIBLE
Port Houston Commission Chairman Ric Campo delivered the 2019 State of the Port Address at the Greater Houston Partnership’s annual event November 21. He reported solid revenues and tonnage numbers, and expectations for continued growth. He also emphasized that the success of the port is made possible by the people who work in the Port…
Houston Set to Lead the Way in Space Economy
As the first word spoken by Apollo 11 astronauts from the surface of the moon in the summer of 1969, Houston has long been synonymous with space exploration. Thousands of aerospace industry experts, entrepreneurs and government leaders gathered in Houston last week to address strategic issues impacting the commercial space industry at SpaceCom, the international Commercial Space…
AECOM weighs in on long distance Texas hyperloop construction
In a presentation to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (CAMPO) Transportation Policy Board in Austin, Texas, AECOM’s Steven Duong updated the regional planning agency on high-speed transportation options between the Texas cities of Forth Worth and Laredo, with several stops along the Interstate 35 corridor. Scoring the highest in its evaluation was a hyperloop…
Sleep deprivation among U.S. workers a growing problem, study finds
More than 1 out of 3 U.S. working adults aren’t getting enough sleep, and the prevalence of sleep deprivation has increased significantly since 2010, according to researchers from Ball State University. The researchers analyzed 2010-2018 data from more than 150,000 working adults who participated in the National Health Interview Survey to determine the frequency of short sleep…
OSHA Enforcement and Compliance Increases in 2019 To Keep America’s Workforce Safe
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fiscal year (FY) 2019 final statistics show a significant increase in the number of inspections and a record amount of compliance assistance to further the mission of ensuring that employers provide workplaces free of hazards. OSHA’s enforcement activities reflect the Department’s continued focus on…
Good vibes: Research finds benefits of wearable tech device that vibrates to warn of hazards
New wearable technology could help prevent struck-by and caught-between injuries and incidents, found a study from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas released last month by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR). The study outfitted workers with waist belts with vibrating motors to detect possible nearby hazards. The tactile system, designed to notify workers through…
YOU CAN LAUGH AT PERMITTING WORRIES IF YOU FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE 7 TIPS
When the most gifted artist ever – Kanye West – is denied a building permit in Wyoming, do you toss up your hands and say, “if it happens to Kanye, how can I get my permit”. Or do you shake your head from side-to-side and give up? Or do you complain that jurisdictions are getting…
Technology and Innovation in Oil and Natural Gas Revolutionized Modern Life
Few industries can match the rapid rise of technology and innovation of the Texas oil and natural gas industry. From the state’s first gushers to modern day hydraulic fracturing, a relentlessly pioneering spirit has been the driving force for the industry that has defined Texas. Over the decades, as technology evolved, game-changing innovations gleaned from…
State Legislators, Academics and Energy Executives Discuss Importance of Oil & Gas Midstream Sector at Kickoff Symposium for Lamar University’s Newly Created Center for Midstream Management & Science
The importance of the midstream sector of the Texas oil and natural gas industry and its role in connecting record production of oil and natural gas to the downstream advances in refining and liquefaction technologies was examined today at the kickoff symposium for the newly created Lamar University Center for Midstream Management & Science. The…
Study finds maternity benefits for construction tradeswomen financially feasible
At a 2016 conference for women in construction, iron worker Bridget Booker stood up and recounted how, as a second-year apprentice, she miscarried after a very heavy day on the job. Booker told the audience she felt she had had no option but to continue to work when she became pregnant. Without work, she would…
New Master Subcontract Agreement by ConsensusDocs
The ConsensusDocs Coalition just published the new Standard Master Subcontract Agreement Between Constructor and Subcontractor and the Standard Project Work Order. The master agreement (ConsensusDocs 755) provides the general terms and conditions between a Constructor (general contractor, design builder, construction manager) and a Subcontractor. The 755 addresses terms and conditions such as indemnification, notice requirements,…
DOD will start requiring contractors to meet cybersecurity standards next month
The Department of Defense (DOD) will roll out its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) in January 2020 so that it can ensure contractors on government projects have the necessary cybersecurity practices in place to protect the controlled unclassified information (CUI) to which they are privy. The type of information the DOD is trying to protect includes data…
ExxonMobil, FuelCell Energy expand agreement for carbon capture technology
Agreement to optimize carbonate fuel cell technology for large-scale carbon capture ExxonMobil exploring opportunities to deploy technology within its operations The agreement, worth up to $60 million, will focus efforts on optimizing the core technology, overall process integration and large-scale deployment of carbon capture solutions. ExxonMobil is exploring options to conduct a pilot test of…
Showing the Who and How of Diversity and Inclusion: Q&A with James Harris, H-E-B’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity
H-E-B recently opened its much anticipated MacGregor Market in the South Houston area. Not only did this store bring a much needed option for fresh groceries, it also brought jobs and other business opporunities to the community. Subcontractors USA met with H-E-B’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity, James Harris to discuss the…
$810M phase of Texas Rangers sports, entertainment district construction approved by Arlington council
The Arlington, Texas, city council voted to continue its partnership with the MLB’s Texas Rangers, Loews Hotels & Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corp., and The Cordish Cos., and is moving forward with an $810 million expansion of Arlington’s Entertainment District. The city extended the term of the district’s Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which will help fund improvements…
2020 could see construction growth throttled by costs, labor and bearish owners
Next year could be a pivotal one for commercial construction, according to two of the industry’s top economists. The question is, though, which way will it pivot? While there are several bright spots in the U.S. economy, including low interest rates, high consumer confidence and a pickup in residential construction, some indicators are pointing to…
Statement of Intent
The rapid development and increasing population of Austin have created a polarity within the city. While some are eager to accept changes to the urban fabric, many are hesitant about what growth may bring: traffic, overcrowding, perhaps gross and thoughtless real estate development? Regardless, the city is expanding at an unprecedented rate and expected to…
Issue 45
December 2019
SMALL BUSINESS GRADUATES HONORED BY INTERAGENCY MENTOR PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM
Port Houston’s small business and education outreach department recently hosted a graduation reception for the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program 2019 class on the M/V Sam Houston. With the guidance of local agencies, twenty-one protégés are now on the path to discovering new resources and taking their companies to new heights after completing the program. The…