Architecture
Historic Black Social Club Starts Renovation, Seeks Black Architects to Restore Charlotte Landmark
The new owners of the historic Excelsior Club announced this week they are seeking distinguished Black architects from around the nation to participate in the redevelopment and revival of the club, a longtime epicenter of African-American politics and culture in North Carolina. The Excelsior Club opened in 1944 as a fashionable nightclub that attracted Black professionals and politicians…
AIA Releases Strategies and Illustrations for Reducing Risk of COVID-19 in Senior Living Communities
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is releasing strategies and illustrations today that can help senior living communities mitigate risk of COVID-19. These resources were developed by a team of architects, AIA’s Design for Aging knowledge community, public health experts, and engineers, to assist with pivoting communities toward a more sustainable set of strategies that can reduce…
AIA Expresses Support for Moving Forward Act
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is pledging support for the vertical infrastructure investments in the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), which is expected to receive a vote from the House of Representatives next week. As part of the proposed $1.5 trillion investment, the Moving Forward Act prioritizes $100 billion for facility upgrades at high-poverty schools,…
Contracting
Nonresidential Construction Spending Falls Slightly in June, Says ABC
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2020 — National nonresidential construction spending declined 0.2% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, spending totaled $812.9 billion for the month. Among the 16 subcategories, six were down compared to May 2020 data. Private…
Updated NEPA Regulations Will Eliminate Unnecessary Delays, Reduce Costs for Construction Sector
WASHINGTON, DC – July 22, 2020 – On July 15, the Council on Environmental Quality issued a final rule on updating and modernizing its National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Following the issuance of the NEPA final rule, ABC’s Vice President of Legislative & Political Affairs Kristen Swearingen issued the following statement: “The modernization of these critical regulations…
AGC Warns Construction Job Losses Will Resume without Federal Funding
July 17, 2020 – Construction employment increased from May to June in 31 states and the District of Columbia, but the gains may have stalled, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today and a compilation(link is external) of weekly jobsite hours by construction technology firm Procore. Association officials urged…
Energy
Duke Energy Awards $3.2 million to Innovative Education Programs
Duke Energy announcedit is awarding $3.2 million in grants to support 131 innovative K-12 education programs across the communities served by the company. “Bright futures begin in the classroom, and every child deserves a fair chance at academic success,” said Cari Boyce, president of the Duke Energy Foundation. “The grants we are making today are…
USGBC Launches LEED Zero Certification for Net-Zero Buildings
USGBC’s new certification program encourages net-zero operations for carbon emissions, water and energy use, and waste management. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched LEED Zero, a new program that will address net zero operations and resources in buildings. “Net zero is a powerful target that will move the entire industry forward,” said Melissa Baker,…
Dominion Energy Seeks Solar and Onshore Wind Generation Proposals
Dominion Energy is seeking bids for up to 500 megawatts of solar and onshore wind generation as part of a plan to develop 3,000 megawatts of additional solar and wind power under Virginia’s new Grid Transformation & Security Act (GTSA). The GTSA, which became law on July 1, 2018, paves the way for the largest…
Engineering
JDSfaulkner Adds Land Surveying Services, Welcomes Billy DiGiacomo as Partner and Director
RALEIGH, N.C. – JDSfaulkner, a leading engineering, design and consulting firm, has expanded its service offerings to include land surveying for residential, commercial and industrial projects. To lead this new service area, the firm recently welcomed William “Billy” DiGiacomo as partner and director of surveying services. DiGiacomo, a professional land surveyor and certified floodplain surveyor, brings…
Thomas & Hutton Wins 2020 Public Works Project of Year Award for Shem Creek Pedestrian Bridge
Thomas & Hutton (T&H) was awarded the 2020 Public Works Project of the Year Award by the South Carolina Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the Town of Mount Pleasant, S.C.’s Shem Creek Pedestrian Bridge. The state-level awards recognize excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by collaborative efforts…
Davis & Floyd Project Spotlight: Charleston-US 17 Spring/Fishburne Drainage Improvements
Septima P. Clark Expressway (US 17) is a critical transportation corridor across the Charleston peninsula that experiences chronic flooding during heavy rainfall events. The City of Charleston enlisted Davis & Floyd to recommend and design improvements for flood resiliency, highway accessibility, traffic efficiency, and vehicular/pedestrian safety. Davis & Floyd provided the following solutions to the…
Equipment
Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry Confidence Up for Third Consecutive Month in January
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) releases the January 2020 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $900 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in…
Williams Scotsman to Acquire Acton Mobile
WillScot Corporation (NASDAQ:WSC) (“Williams Scotsman”) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement whereby Williams Scotsman International, Inc. will acquire the entity that owns Acton Mobile (ActonMobile.com) from Prophet Equity for a cash purchase price of $235 million, subject to customary adjustments. Brad Soultz, president and chief executive officer of Williams Scotsman, commented,…
EquipmentWatch Establishes New Standard for Standby and Idling Cost Calculation
EquipmentWatch, a leader in data, software, and insights for the heavy equipment industry, has expanded its Cost Recovery product to include hourly cost rates for standby and idling equipment. These new rates are a welcome addition to the standard Rental Rate Blue Book active use rates specified by the Federal Highway Administration, most state DOTs,…
Facilities
Eight Reasons Why You Need to Have Annual Plumbing Checks
Running a business can be a daunting feat. New problems will catch you off-guard and sometimes all you can really do is take the bull by the horns, and hope that everything will return to normal. Even a short business interruption can mean losing thousands of dollars! A business owner keeps an eye on the…
Five Electrical Safety Tips for Commercial Buildings
To some, a workplace may feel like a second home. It’s a place where employees form bonds and battle hardships together. Whether you’re a company CEO, a higher-up, or the owner of a commercial building, keeping your establishment a safe place for everyone will increase their productivity and give you peace of mind as well….
8 Reasons Why You Need to Have Annual Plumbing Checks
Running a business can be a daunting feat. New problems will catch you off-guard and sometimes all you can really do is take the bull by the horns, and hope that everything will return to normal. Even a short business interruption can mean losing thousands of dollars! A business owner keeps an eye on the…
Maintenance
Culvert Rehabilitation Project Features InfraSteel
The InfraSteel culvert rehabilitation solution is chosen by the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina for its Booker Creek Culvert at Elliot Road Rehabilitation Project. The InfraSteel slip-liner will preserve the existing failing bridge structure and avoid a road closure. According to InfraSteel executive Cullom Walker, “Elliot Road is busy and intersects heavily traveled US…
Products
Clemson’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute Celebrates Five Years Promoting “Wood is Good”
CLEMSON – Trees have provided a viable building material for centuries, and although steel and concrete have taken center stage in contemporary construction, lumber is making a comeback. Building with wood has a number of advantages. For the past five years, Clemson University’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+D) has been educating individuals in the Southeast about…
NC State Researchers Develop Technique to Characterize Strength and Failure of Cement
Researchers from North Carolina State University have, for the first time, used a “micropillar compression” technique to characterize the micro-scale strength of cement, allowing for the development of cement with desirable strength properties for civil engineering applications. “The information collected using this technique can be used to better understand the behavior of concrete when it…
Lumber Tariff to Impact Construction Costs
As construction material price are rising, the US Commerce Department took action that will contribute to an additional rise in the prices of a key building material. Wilber Ross, US Commerce Secretary has announced a new 20% tariff on imports of Canadian softwood lumber. The US currently imports about $5.66 billion worth of softwood lumber…
Suppliers
SkillsUSA Instructors Recognized by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Teaching Excellence Program
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools has awarded $650,000 in teaching excellence awards to 12 SkillsUSA instructors from across the country in the 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The prize, launched in 2017, is open to skilled trades teachers who are faculty members at U.S. public high schools. Eligible applicants are…
Metromont Corporation to Acquire Shockey Precast Group
Metromont Corporation, a manufacturer of precast concrete materials, announces its plan to acquire Shockey Precast Group of Winchester, Va. “The Shockey Precast Group has an outstanding reputation. Don Shockey has built a quality operation and organization. Our culture and business models are very similar which will make for a smooth transition that’s beneficial to both…
Carolina Comfort Air Recognized as the #3 Top Volume Trane Dealer in the Nation
With a 4000% growth since 2007, Carolina Comfort Air was recently recognized among Trane’s top volume performers in the country. The award is based on purchase volume of Trane equipment in residential, light commercial, and new construction. Winners are selected based on their ability to implement Trane’s technical and business acumen, and they are required…
Sustainability
Duke Energy Reaffirms Capital Investments in Renewables and Grid Projects to Deliver Cleaner Energy, Economic Growth
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) today said that the company will continue advancing its ambitious clean energy goals without the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) by investing in renewables, battery storage, energy efficiency programs and grid projects. Duke Energy’s $56 billion capital investment plan will deliver significant customer benefits and create jobs at a time when policymakers at all…
Bank of America Taps Duke Energy To Expand Renewable Energy Commitment
Bank of America announced today it is partnering with Duke Energy to further expand its renewable energy commitment by powering its headquarters and other Charlotte operations with solar energy. Through a renewable energy sleeved-power purchase agreement (PPA), the company is participating in Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program. The bank is the first company and financial…
Alpha Omega Construction Group to Offer GAF Energy’s Innovative Solar Roof Systems
Alpha Omega Construction Group Inc., the leading roofing contractor in the Southeast and one of the most respected in the industry, is the first roofing company in North Carolina to offer GAF Energy’s roof-integrated solar systems for homeowners. Alpha Omega customers can now install an energy-generating solar roof and decrease their reliance on utility power. Solar roofing…
More Operations
JDSfaulkner Adds Land Surveying Services, Welcomes Billy DiGiacomo as Partner and Director
RALEIGH, N.C. – JDSfaulkner, a leading engineering, design and consulting firm, has expanded its service offerings to include land surveying for residential, commercial and industrial projects. To lead this new service area, the firm recently welcomed William “Billy” DiGiacomo as partner and director of surveying services. DiGiacomo, a professional land surveyor and certified floodplain surveyor, brings…
Nonresidential Construction Spending Falls Slightly in June, Says ABC
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2020 — National nonresidential construction spending declined 0.2% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, spending totaled $812.9 billion for the month. Among the 16 subcategories, six were down compared to May 2020 data. Private…
Updated NEPA Regulations Will Eliminate Unnecessary Delays, Reduce Costs for Construction Sector
WASHINGTON, DC – July 22, 2020 – On July 15, the Council on Environmental Quality issued a final rule on updating and modernizing its National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Following the issuance of the NEPA final rule, ABC’s Vice President of Legislative & Political Affairs Kristen Swearingen issued the following statement: “The modernization of these critical regulations…
AGC Warns Construction Job Losses Will Resume without Federal Funding
July 17, 2020 – Construction employment increased from May to June in 31 states and the District of Columbia, but the gains may have stalled, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today and a compilation(link is external) of weekly jobsite hours by construction technology firm Procore. Association officials urged…
