Six Essential Factors to Consider Before Buying Construction Equipment

Six Essential Factors to Consider Before Buying Construction Equipment

There is an increase in infrastructure projects, which is a good reason for construction businesses to have equipment that will help them finish the projects on time, without compromising the integrity of the built structure. If the equipment is no longer helping you achieve that goal, it is time to replace it. However, this is…

Seven ways small firms can help change the world

According to the US Energy Information Administration, buildings account for 44.6 percent of United States CO2emissions. As the architects who design those buildings, how can we continue to protect the world we care about? And what can architecture firms do to help? Thomas Jacobs, AIA, has been working on those very questions. As the past chair…

Innovative ventures highlight opportunities and pitfalls for newer firms that can be mitigated with help from the AIA Trust.

Innovative ventures highlight opportunities and pitfalls for newer firms that can be mitigated with help from the AIA Trust.

Last fall, AIA held a two-day summit called the Practice Innovation Lab (PIL). Hosted by the Young Architects Forum, emerging professionals from around the country met to develop new models for architectural practice in intensive team-based charrettes that yielded surprising results. Chief among the conclusions was that the next generation of architects will not be content to settle for…

Building Tomorrow: Turner Construction and University of Houston’s Groundbreaking Partnership

Building Tomorrow: Turner Construction and University of Houston’s Groundbreaking Partnership

Turner Construction and the University of Houston, specifically the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) department, recently partnered together for the renovation of the newly renamed Fertitta Center as well as for the Turner Advanced School of Construction Management program. The HUB program at the University of Houston was established to assists HUBs in the bid process…

Texas Airports Receive $222 Million in Infrastructure Grants from FAA

Twenty-two Texas airports were recently awarded grants for infrastructure improvements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP), totaling more than $222 million dollars. Read the full listing of states and projects awarded with AIP grants here. These airport investments will create jobs in local communities, increase economic competitiveness, and improve the traveling public’s quality of life.  According…

METRO CEO Accepts National Transportation Award

METRO CEO Accepts National Transportation Award

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) formally recognized METRO President & CEO Tom Lambert as the 2018 Outstanding Public Transportation Manager today. Lambert accepted the award during a luncheon at the organization’s national convention in Nashville, Tennessee. “It is a tremendous honor to receive this award from my peers. Through innovation and collaboration, our team works each day to improve…

New Regulations for the City of Houston Effective September 1

New Regulations for the City of Houston Effective September 1

In an attempt to take action following Hurricane Harvey, the City of Houston has taken an aggressive, accelerated and largely emotional response by adopting onerous building and drainage regulation changes that went into effect on September 1. In April, city council passed revisions to Chapter 19, the City’s Floodplain Ordinance, which dramatically increase regulations on…

FIVE SIMPLE TIPS DRIVE HIGHWAY TO PERMITTING SUCCESS

By: Helen Callier I’ve met a few people this year that have struggled in one way or another in obtaining the necessary permits on highway construction projects.  From forgetting to fully assess site conditions for Rock Quarry to having modular trailers that lacked State seal of approval to getting started later than planned with environmental…

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY PLAN GUIDE

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY PLAN GUIDE

What Is an OSHA Safety Plan? An OSHA Safety Plan is a written document that describes the process for identifying the physical and health hazards that could harm workers, procedures to prevent accidents, and steps to take when accidents occur. The written safety plan is your blueprint for keeping workers safe. Many organizations compile their…

A passion for empowering women

A passion for empowering women

The empowerment of women in business is a passion that Brenda Erickson has carried throughout a career that has spanned more than three decades. That passion recently earned her recognition as one of the Top 30 Influential Women in Houston. Brenda has mentored more than 100 colleagues through their careers at ConocoPhillips. Additionally, she has…

The Digital Divide Has Minorities Searching for App of Inclusion in Jobs and Contracting

The Digital Divide Has Minorities Searching for App of Inclusion in Jobs and Contracting

At a recent Congressional hearing, Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) brought to light a very serious issue that the National Association of Minority Contractors has been echoing for some time now. There is a digital divide between minorities as tech consumers versus minorities as entrepreneurs or employees. These differences cannot be ignored. On one hand, the…

Issues Facing Construction

Issues Facing Construction

Several industry surveys and reports forecast continued growth in the construction industry. Albeit, the growth shows a modest 4.8% increase, different from the double-digit growth in previous years. Regardless, there is still a general sense of optimism. With continued growth and positive outlook in the construction industry, what can possible be keeping construction executives up at night? Below, I touch on the top issues facing the construction industry in 2018. Unpaid work Of course, finances are one of the major issues that keep construction executives up at night. With a responsibility to ensure the livelihood of their employees and their families, it is…

Rios Clementi Hale Studios Selected to Redesign Houston’s Jones Plaza

Rios Clementi Hale Studios Selected to Redesign Houston’s Jones Plaza

Houston First Corporation has selected Rios Clementi Hale (RCH) Studios to redesign downtown Houston’s Jones Plaza, unveiling one of the first specific transformations proposed by the 2015 Theater District Master Plan. The Los Angeles-based RCH Studios prevailed in a two-stage selection process, beating out a group of finalists that included Hood Studio (Oakland, California); Office…

Dallas Center for Architecture Moves Downtown and Rebrands as “AD EX”

Dallas Center for Architecture Moves Downtown and Rebrands as “AD EX”

In 2009, the newly established Dallas Center for Architecture was featured in Architectural Record. The article, by former TA editor Stephen Sharpe, Hon. AIA, discussed the challenge of attracting people to the space. The solution was a faceted glass wall facing the storefront and lit by an “enigmatic sequence of intense colored light.” The center…

TURNAROUND HOUSTON READINESS FAIR

TURNAROUND HOUSTON READINESS FAIR

TURNAROUND HOUSTON READINESS FAIR | Access to On-Site Employers, 2nd Chance & Re-Entry Programs and MORE! | Thu., September 27 from 9am – 1pm