Building & Design Blog

Operating a commercial building firm isn't easy these days. Layoffs are still prevalent, contracts are getting canceled from lack of funding, and investments in new or rehabilitative construction are at an all time low. As my general contractor dad might tell you, it's times like these that separate the "men from the boys." That is, those construction outfits who have prepared themselves to weather long lasting recessions from those who haven't.

But what if you haven't prepared your firm for such a stubborn recession? What can you do now to save the sinking ship? According to one "hard hat" construction expert, George Hedley, CSP, there are 10 steps an owner and/or business manager can take right now to avoid disaster.

1. Set realistic goals for growth and profit.
2. Cut operating costs.
3. Save your cash.
4. Get rid of poor performers.
5. Visit your top customers.
6. Look for new customers and check out new emerging markets.
7. Seize profitable opportunities.
8. Increase your marketing efforts.
9. Up your tech spending.
10. Seek out failing companies you might want to buy out.

While some of these improvements might seem oversimplified, such as setting goals, I can tell you from experience that one of the things that has allowed my 74 year old dad to weather several major recessions is setting personal monthly goals, both in terms of job performance and cash savings. And that means scrutinizing everything that comes across his desk, from billings to project schedules; from payroll to gas receipts.

How are you managing to keep your head above water during this stubborn recession? Are you setting realistic goals? Do you see new markets and opportunities emerging despite the recession or even as a result of it, such as green design?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Building & Design, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Building & Design today.

Are we beginning to see signs of economic recovery?

Many indicators point to the fact that housing prices are steadily on the increase, inflation is in check and some people (emphasis on "some") are going back to work. But…and this is a big BUT…the world is not out of the woods yet. Like nirvana, the road to recovery is as sharp and painful as the razor's edge. Which means much belt-tightening must still be done.

In answer to the need for completing commercial and industrial construction projects not only on time, but under budget, many architects, engineers and contractors are turning to the design-build delivery method. Simply put, design-build is a process by which construction is performed while the project is still in the design stages. Its benefit over that of traditional general construction is not only its obvious time saving element, but it allows owners to value engineer their projects as they see fit, which in the end can result in considerable project savings.

Word on the street is that Design-Build is becoming the preferred choice for many waste water treatment projects occurring in the US. Dan McCarthy, president of the Black & Veatch's Global Water Business, reports that more owners and clients are now requesting design-build. "We're also seeing variations of design-build," he says from his Kansas office, "such as construction management at-risk and other ways to delivery projects innovatively."

The American Recover and Reinvestment Act also places a high value on design-build projects and is encouraging more "shovel ready" delivery methods.

As an architect, engineer, or contractor, do you prefer the design-build method over the more traditional general contracting method or construction management? If so, why?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Building & Design, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Building & Design today.

When I was a little boy, I used to wake up while my dad was getting ready for work at his general construction outfit. Knowing how busy he was, I always found it funny that he would wake up extra early in order to run a few miles, followed by calisthenics like push-ups and sit-ups. Back then, I didn't know of any other dad who exercised like my dad did. Much later on in life, after adopting my own serious exercise regimen, did I realize that my father was not just keeping himself healthy, but he was also adopting what nowadays would be referred to as a sustainable human body.

Today's sustainable and green movement is not only about creating energy efficient structures, it is also about maintaining a healthy body or "temple" if you will, of ones own. During the recent Green Airports Conference which took place in Chicago, the importance of keeping a fit body mimicked almost precisely the philosophy of the modern green airport.

Says one commercial contractor, "Contractors…may be green without even knowing it. Why? Because their bottom line is to produce as good a product as efficiently as possible."

The same can be said of keeping the body fit. Today my dad is 74, runs and lifts weights on a daily basis and still puts in a 60 hour week. His construction operation is also one of the most efficiently run in New York's Capital District.

Have you recently decided to take on an exercise program? If so, has your professional career improved because of it? Do you see a direct correlation between maintaining a sound, sustainable body and designing and/or building a sustainable building?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Building & Design, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Building & Design today.

Ask my commercial General Contractor dad what the future of building and design is and the last thing he will tell you is "the living building." Yet many architects and engineers feel that the true living building will be attainable in the near future.

What's a living building, you ask?

According to one Green website, a living building must accomplish seven goals:

1. Water and energy needs must be harvested on site.
2. The building must be "adapted specifically to site and climate."
3. It's got to operate pollution free and all waste materials must be of some beneficial future use.
4. The place has got to promote the health of its inhabitants and/or workers.
5. "Integrated systems" must be employed for "maximum efficiency and comfort."
6. The place will improve the "health and diversity of an ecosystem."
7. A living building must be beautiful enough to inspire our dreams.

I get the part about making our own water and energy, but I'm not relating much to the pie-in-the-green-sky "inspire our dreams" bit. And what about not generating pollution? Office buildings, mills, refineries, factories all generate waste whether they're manufacturing iPods or steel. You just can't get around it. And "integrated systems" like HVAC, while becoming more energy efficient every year, are constructed of materials that generate waste. Paradoxically, they also require significant amounts of energy in order to run efficiently—-more than present day wind turbines and solar-powered panels are capable of producing.

What I propose is this: perhaps we should all live and work inside caves, just like our ancestors did. Caves that house underground streams provide their own water; caves are adapted to their own climate; they generate zero pollution; they protect us from the environment; they're naturally ventilated; they improve the health of the ecosystem since they house a lot bats and spiders. But are they beautiful? Do they inspire our dreams? That's a question best left up to you.

Do you foresee a future in which a true living building is attainable?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Building & Design, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Building & Design today.

Some of the world's auto manufacturers are slowly but surely (and in some cases, rapidly) acquiescing to the inevitable Green future by phasing out the gas guzzling engine for a non-oil electric vehicle. But did you know that there is a direct connection between these electric cars of the future and the need for commercial/industrial buildings that also require little or no petroleum-based products for their construction and maintenance?

According to one Green energy professional: "to prepare for a future of electrical vehicles, the first step involves making buildings more energy efficient…Then, going forward with a partially decentralized solution, start generating green energy on these efficient buildings to make them net zero energy or resource positive."

Much of the world's ambivalence towards electric cars is that they don't offer the power that a combustion engine is so famous for producing. But all that has changed with the introduction of automobiles like the Tesla Roadster which can hit 0 to 60 in an amazing 4 seconds. You can also run your Roadster on one oil-free charge for up to four months.

Imagine then, constructing a commercial building that not only doesn't require combustible fuel for its energy needs, but that sustains itself from clean renewable energy sources. Taken a step further, imagine that building producing more positive energy than it requires so that it actually makes you money.

As an engineer and/ or contractor, have you made up your mind to trade in the gas guzzler for an electrical automobile or at least, a hybrid? Have you considered the purchase of hybrid heavy construction equipment? Are you anticipating a switch from traditional carbon producing energy sources for your facility to a sustainable system that utilizes solar and wind for its energy output?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Building & Construction, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Building & Construction today.