Get it in Writing: Best Way to Mitigate Risk in Commercial Construction Projects
It happens all the time – a contractor is walking a jobsite with the client and the client decides something needs to be changed. It could be anything from a paint color change to a multi-million dollar scope addition, but all changes have one thing in common – they cost money to implement. The price…
2023 GroundBreaker: John Hildreth, PhD, Western Carolina University
GroundBreak Carolinas is honored to spotlight John Hildreth, PhD, Kimmel Distinguished Professor at Western Carolina University (WCU), who is a member of the Class of 2023 GroundBreakers — an exclusive group of individuals who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for the construction community in the Carolinas. Dr. Hildreth is known as…
Mastering Building Automation Systems (BAS): Your Path to Success as a User
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, companies are accomplishing more tasks with fewer personnel. Many organizations are now assigning dual roles to their HR or IT personnel, requiring them to become Energy Managers and operate Building Automation Systems (BAS). As a result, we are witnessing a surge in first-time users from diverse backgrounds seeking assistance. Becoming…
Decision-Making: The Virtues of Pessimism for an Optimist
Pessimists tend to get a bad rap. Pessimists are stereotyped as taking the fun out of every situation, always focusing on the negative, assuming failure is imminent, and believing hope is futile. Think Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh. As with most entrepreneurs, my inclination is to be an eternal optimist. I attempt to find the…
2023 “GroundBreakers” Recognized Positively Impacting the Carolinas Construction Industry
GroundBreak Carolinas has announced the results of the 2023 GroundBreaker Awards, an annual awards program that recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for the construction community in the Carolinas. Selected from a well-rounded group of nominees from North Carolina and South Carolina, members of the 2023 Class of GroundBreakers represent both states. This…
She Built This City’s Summer Camps: A World of Creativity and Learning in Skilled Trades
She Built This City, a non-profit based in Charlotte, has had a blast this summer partnering with Mecklenburg Parks and Rec, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and Urban Promise for our exciting summer camps. Kids of all ages have been loving the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and dive into the world of construction. She Built…
From Vision to Reality: How Harper’s Construction Technology Drove Client Satisfaction at Greenville Technical College
Greenville Technical College works to transform lives through education while driving economic development by building a strong workforce. To further that focus, Greenville Tech selected our team at Harper General Contractors to lead construction of the state-of-the-art Prisma Health Center for Health and Life Sciences building that would provide a unique learning environment to strengthen…
Building the Future: The Transformative Role of AI in Building Automation Systems
Artificial intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly the fastest-rising technology in the world today. Whenever someone mentions AI, whimsical images of my toaster plotting world domination come to mind. Naturally, I couldn’t resist delving into the topic and conducting some research. Here’s what I discovered during a quick 2-minute Q&A with ChatGPT: ME: What do I look…
Let’s Talk Leadership: Sitdown with Karen Barefoot, Guest Speaker at ABCC Summer Construction Convention: Part 2
This is the 2nd in a two-part series featuring Karen Barefoot. After a long and successful career as a basketball player and coach, Karen Barefoot began a new career leading organizational development for a construction company, Industrial Reliability and Repair (IRR). Karen will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming ABC Carolinas’ Construction Convention in…
Specialty Contractor in the Spotlight: H&W Electrical Corp.
H&W Electrical Corp. is a South Carolina-based electrical contracting firm that focuses on industrial, commercial, and plant maintenance projects with an emphasis on design-build construction projects in the Southeast. GroundBreak Carolinas recently caught up with H&W’s President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Alan Holcombe, to learn more about him and what the future holds for…
