via Youtube
Why do the athletes get to have all of the fun during the Olympics? We construction workers deserve a little bit of the action, too! In order for American swimmers to be chosen to represent Team USA in the Olympics, they must first qualify at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which were held in Omaha, Nebraska this year.
Read moreVia Youtube
With the introduction of 3D printers on construction job sites, many are worried that robots will begin taking over the jobs of hardworking tradesmen. It’s more likely, however, that workers will be working WITH robots long before we’re completely replaced. For example, one company that makes exoskeletons to help paraplegics walk is also developing an exoskeleton specifically for constructions workers that will allow them to lift 50 pound pieces of equipment with one finger. Now, a former NASA and General Motors (GM) partnership has turned into an expedition into the blue collar fields.
Read morePhoto by 401(K) 2012, CC BY-SA 2.0
Recently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a list of job salaries of 19 construction jobs that only required a high school diploma or equivalent. It was interesting to see the wide range of median pay within that group ($78,620 for elevator Installers and repairmen vs. $30,190 for a general construction laborer and helper), but many of the construction trades were left off of the list. Now, the NCCER has released the results of a 2015 survey, which lists the average salaries of 31 construction trades.
Read moreImage courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox
Do you remember the days when you built the tallest building in the world it would hold the record for longer than one month? Well it seems in this new "Global Economy" that every country needs a super tall statement. Japan has joined the conversation with the newly proposed mile-high skyscraper that is set to reach a height of 5,577ft (read: one mile). If you are new to the super tall skyscraper game, you may not know that the announced height of 5,577 feet is like a "ASPR" (the Architects Suggested Project Height) kind of like an MSRP for the consumer industry, because there are always multiple projects in the works to be the tallest. These final heights are a closely guarded secret that is often not reviled until the final months of the project.
Read moreIn the past, we’ve mentioned several good reason why you should use a thermal imaging camera on your jobsites. It’s been understandable why they haven’t been used much in the past, it’s a very expensive piece of equipment with a very specific use and they weren’t easy at all to carry around safely. FLIR took huge steps forward with thermal imaging price and mobility with their FLIR One smart phone thermal imaging attachment last year. Now, CAT has teamed with FLIR to release the first phone ever with integrated thermal imaging capabilities.
Read morePhoto by Katy Warner, CC BY SA 2.0
Compact Fluorescent (CFL) lightbulbs had a good run in our new-ish energy saving world, but one gigantic company is going to stop making them, in favor of LEDs. In a series of breakup letters written to CFLs and love letters to LED bulbs, GE announced that it would stop making CFLs in 2016. CFL bulbs are notorious for taking a while to brighten up a room and their signature ice cream cone swirl shape isn’t great for aesthetics. They’re also filled with mercury, which make them tricky to get rid of.
Read morePhoto by Keith, CC BY SA 2.0
Humans tend to take plumbing for granted, that is until something goes wrong. Major plumbing issues typically aren’t easy to fix either, since most of the piping is buried behind walls and under concrete, so it’s important to make sure it’s done right before it’s covered up.
Read moreThermal imaging cameras are handheld instruments that measure the heat differential of objects in the view of the camera. Like most technology, capabilities are getting better and better, as well as more affordable than ever, like the pocket sized smart phone attachment, the FLIR One, which we wrote about recently. Thermal imagers have many great applications in the construction industry, which not only help you determine the quality of your build, but also can greatly assist in preventative maintenance.
Read moreCordless power tools, revered for their mobility, are getting more powerful and useful in commercial settings every day, due to advancing technology. The gap is quickly closing with regards to power and useful life between corded tools and their cordless counterparts. Cordless tools also come with the added benefit of reducing trip and falls, as there’s no electrical cord laying on the job site.
Read morePhoto Courtesy of UTS Research Team
If given a choice between being on a roof in the summer or in the middle of a dessert, I’m not sure which one I would choose. Find out what a team of Australian researches have come up with to keep roofs cooler than the hot summer air around them...
Read more
