The last time we checked in on the sinking, tilting Millennium Tower in San Francisco, engineers believed they had developed a stop to the buildings settling, but that came with a hefty estimated price tag between $200 million and $500 million. The fix called for installing around 300 micro piles, made of concrete and steel, driven to bedrock. A new plan has reduced that overall cost to remedy and will have much less impact on residents.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #14 Alaska
Alaska is a very interesting state, because it really doesn’t follow the typical rules when it comes to wages or cost of living. Although the country’s biggest state by area and the least dense in population, it’s cost of living is still 30% higher than the national average. Unlike Hawaii, though, Alaska is more than able to make up for that cost of living with higher average wages.
Read moreUSGBC Announces LEED Zero Certification for Net Zero Projects
After being informally announced at the Global Climate Action Summit earlier this year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has officially launched LEED Zero to address net zero operations in buildings.
LEED Zero will be open to all LEED projects that are certified under the BD+C, ID+C, or O+M rating systems, as well as projects that are registered to pursue LEED O+M certification. In order to achieve LEED Zero, the project must meet one of the following characteristics:
Net zero carbon emissions
Net zero energy use
Net zero water use
Net zero waste
In addition to meeting one or more of the characteristics above, 12 months of performance data also has to be submitted for verification. By definition, “net zero” means to produce at least as much as you use. Examples of net zero include producing renewable energy using solar panels, harvesting rainwater, or keeping waste out of landfills.
“Net zero is a powerful target that will move the entire industry forward,” said Melissa Baker, senior vice president of technical core at USGBC, in a press relase. “For years, LEED projects around the world have aspired to net zero milestones. We are recognizing the leadership of these projects—and formalizing our commitment to focusing on carbon and net zero across the entire LEED community. These new certification programs will encourage a holistic approach for buildings and places to contribute to a regenerative future and enhance the health and wellbeing for not only building occupants, but all of humanity.”
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The Top States to Work in Construction: #15 Nevada
Nevada, the home to seemingly every construction related conference in existence, lands at #15 on our list. Although it’s a fairly large state by geographical size, nearly 75% of all of its residents reside in Clark County, which is home to Las Vegas and surrounding suburbs. Perhaps because of that, in addition to their large tourism traffic, Nevada’s cost of living is around 5.4% higher than the national average, which dropped its ranking slightly.
Read moreThe 10 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Violations in 2018
At the National Safety Council Congress & Expo on October 23, 2018, OSHA’s deputy director of Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Patrick Kapust, announced their 10 most frequesntly cited safety violations for their fiscal year 2018.
Read moreNTSB Released 2nd Investigative Update on Collapsed Pedestrian Bridge in Florida
On March 15, 2018, 6 people were killed and 8 others were injured when an under construction pedestrian bridge collapsed in Florida. Several months later, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released their preliminary report while conducting an official investigation. The NTSB later issued an “Investigative Update” to their preliminary report in August. In Mid-November, the NTSB released a 2nd investigative update, narrowing their root cause theories.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #16 Delaware
Despite being located in the Northeast, the state of Delware is a relatively affordable place to live. According to MERIC data, the cost of living in Delaware is only 2.2% higher than the national average and is the lowest in the Northeast.
Read moreOSHA Issues Yet Another Final Rule on Crane Operator Certification Requirements, Effective 2018
The long delayed rule for crane operator certification has new life as OSHA has issued yet another final rule, after making alterations and clarifications. OSHA originally planned to require all crane operators to obtain certifications in 2010, but it has been delayed several times since then. A different final rule was proposed in 2017, but it was announced in May of 2018 that the administration intended to alter the rule.
Read moreThe Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guide 2018
Another year is about ready to wrap up as the holiday season is upon us. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be stressful for those in your life that are hard to buy for, especially those in the construction ideas. Our goal is to make that process easier for you or your loved one with our top picks for gifts every year!
For more gift ideas, be sure to check out our Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guides from 2015, 2016, and 2017 or our past Father's Day Gift Guides from 2016 and 2017.
Read moreAutodesk Acquires PlanGrid for $875 Million
In regards to technology, the construction industry is going through a very exciting time. While maybe on a smaller scale, it’s my belief that we’re in the middle of our very own Microsoft vs Apple battle circa the 80s and 90s. Several leading software companies are vying for that top spot in our industry right now and it’s becoming more and more clear who will come out on top by the day.
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Like most of the other electric machines that have been announced previously, Volvo promises that this midsized, 14 metric ton excavator will have the same performance as a similarly sized diesel version. The X03 is currently in the concept stage, so Volvo does not have immediate plans to bring it to market, but it shows the possibilities that electronics on heavy machinery can allow for.