Value engineering allows you to cut costs without compromising quality.
By Paul Ruig
Particularly in construction projects with tight budgets or in softening markets, being as cost-efficient as possible is critical. One of the best ways construction managers can accomplish this is through cutting costs out of the line-of-sight, where it won’t be noticed by the end user.
Transparency may be the future for construction.
By Hogi Kurniawan
Transparency might be the future for the construction industry, whether developers and contractors want it or not. In order to comply with a new update from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), more information will have to be shared through additional disclosures, more judgment involved and possibly more oversight will have to be implemented.
It might be time for you to consider using remanufactured parts.
By Jamie Sullivan
If you’re like most construction equipment owners, you probably have a few older machines that still work great, but finding replacement parts for them may not be so easy. You also may have machines that are out of warranty but on occasion still require costly repairs. Plus, if you’re like most construction equipment owners, you don’t have any time for a downed machine. So, if you haven’t considered remanufactured parts before, then you’ve been missing out on one of the most efficient and affordable sources of quality replacement parts for your construction equipment – from older model equipment to machines that have yet to be produced.
Ready or not, mobile work is coming to the construction industry.
By Stewart Carroll
It’s 5 a.m. Monday, and Jeff Ratcliff, director of preconstruction, wakes up to a ringing phone. It’s Chad Schieber, the business development director at his construction firm, who received an email late last night from the client with the $100 million mixed-use project. Surprise: The budget review meeting planned for Wednesday has to happen this morning. Scrapping plans for breakfast with the kids, Jeff rushes through his morning routine and jumps into his car. His laptop is back at the office, and he’ll need it for the meeting at the client’s office.
By John Sparling
Commercial construction can be an epic undertaking, especially in a densely populated area like New York City. Even with the most experienced construction partners, best practices and safety measures in place, accidents happen. When managing risk in a construction site accident, the importance of an immediate and thorough investigation cannot be overstated.
Whether or not an accident causes personal injury or property damage, securing the scene, documenting the cause and preserving the evidence is critical. Developers, owners or tenants, general contractors or construction managers, subcontractors and even insurance brokers or carriers have a significant financial stake in the aftermath of a construction accident.
By Ann Matheis
For several years now, the rental market has been booming. New apartment complexes and mixed-use facilities seem to be under construction on every corner, while owners of existing properties have been raising rents by double digits annually in major metropolitan areas. Demand has been outstripping supply because of a number of factors. The foreclosure crisis left many people unwilling or unable to purchase a home, and a growing number of college graduates are already carrying the equivalent of a mortgage in student loans.
By Ross Altman
The design and construction of a project is a high-risk proposition. Selecting a project delivery system that is suited for the primary objectives and needs of the project, however, offers an opportunity to manage that risk. Not one single project delivery system is the best option for all projects; all methodologies have trade-offs that require evaluation before deciding on a project delivery approach. That is one reason why so many different project delivery systems and permutations exist.
The challenges presented by some large and complex projects, and the opportunities provided by new technologies, are not always a good fit for project delivery systems that have been most commonly used to date. As a result, new methodologies are emerging.
Builders need to take a close look at sustainable project requirements.
By George D. Carry
Since 2000, commentators in the design and construction industries have questioned whether the green building movement would become mainstream or would fade away. More than 15 years later, it is clear that efficient, sustainable, and “green” project development is here to stay. The federal government and the majority of state and local governments have adopted programs and legislation that encourage or require energy efficient and resource-friendly building through green building codes and tax credits.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is the recognized leader in commercial green building certification. In addition, other green product certifications and building rating programs have emerged over the past decade including the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes program, Energy Star building certification and the International Green Construction Code.
Commercial construction projects are inherently risky with potential for delays, defective work and cost overruns. Owners and builders need to be aware that “going green” adds to these inherent risks. Green-related construction disputes and legal claims arise generally fall into two categories: loss of tax benefits because of the failure to achieve the target rating, and the failure of “green” materials and techniques to produce the desired results.
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