Search

The article announces personnel changes in the U.S. construction sector including Jacqueline Hinman, named chief executive officer (CEO) of CH2M Hill, John Schwab, appointed senior project and program manager for the transportation business group of HDR, and Kitty Yuen, named associate principal at Burkett Design.

The article reports that bulk freight haulers have been upgrading their capacity in response to fracking operations in North Dakota and other U.S. areas in 2013. U.S. Class I railroads originated almost 234,000 carloads of crude oil in 2012, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Bakken Field in North Dakota and Montana is one of the fracking hotspots in the U.S. Specialized rail contractors such as Railworks have received a boost from this trend.

The article discusses how investments in people and infrastructure have made specialty contractor ACCO Engineered Systems a key player on big team projects. The company has been known throughout the construction industry in California as a top choice for design-build projects. The region's most-active general contractors favor the mechanical, piping and controls expertise of ACCO.

A calendar of events for the U.S. construction industry from October to December 2013 is presented, which includes the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Southern California Chapter's 37th Annual Golf Classic, the U.S. Green Building Council Northern California Chapter's Super Heroes Awards Gala, and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) California Chapter's annual meeting.

The article discusses the highlights of a survey conducted by Engineering News-Record (ENR) California-McGaw Hill Dodge Analytics which examined the financial performance of specialty contractors in California in 2012. Findings show that the combined revenue of California's top specialty contractors has increased by 42 percent during the year. Electrical contractors did particularly well in 2012, but not all trade contractors experienced the same level of success.

The article discusses the project labor agreement (PLA) between contractor Turner Construction and Sacramento-Sierra Building & Construction Trades Council to build a million dollar California sports arena. It explores the bill passes by the California Legislature that prevents possible litigation about environmental issues in relation to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). It also explains how the PLA increases construction skills training and minimize labor strikes.

The article reports that the opening date for the San Francisco-Oakland East Bay Bridge has been moved back to the original date of September 3, 2013. It states that the bridge opening has been originally postponed until December 2013 to allow time for contractor American Bridge/Flour Joint Venture to install permanent saddle brace to replace the lost clamping force. Also mentioned is the estimated 23 million U.S. dollar cost for the temporary and permanent fixes.

The article reports that California state officials are investigating what went wrong during the explosive demolition of a power plant in Bakersfield owned by the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in August 2013, noting that flying shrapnel from the blast had caused grave injuries among several onlookers. It adds that the Bakersfield incident and the resulting investigation may prompt increased efforts by both state and Federal governments to dissuade people from viewing on-site building demolitions

The article discusses the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) and a multi-million dollar project which involves the installation and testing of a complex train monitoring system which is designed to prevent deadly train collisions and accidents such as a July 2013 crash which killed 79 people in Spain. Positive train control (PTC) is mentioned, along with the Parsons construction company and its installation of PTC on three commuter-rail networks in the U.S.

The article reports that companies named as "Engineering News-Record" top contractors in California showed increased revenues for 2012, noting rising demand in health care, housing, and industrial construction. Contractors profiled include McCarthy Building Cos., R.D. Olson Development, and Panattoni Construction. Other topics include hiring forecasts for 2013, the trend towards diversification, and risk allocation in project management and contracting.

The article presents a profile of the construction industry in Sacramento, California. Information is offered about local construction firm Kiewit Corp., including location, number of employees, and work on the auxiliary spillway project at the Folsom Dam. Comments from Sundt Construction executive Teri L. Jones note increasing demand for construction in the health care, education, and infrastructure sectors. A chart is also included for total construction starts in Sacramento from 2009-2012.

The article discusses the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC's) proposed fines against utilities company PG&E's shareholders for a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, California. The casualties from the explosion, safety upgrades required by state regulators, and California regulatory risk ratings for utilities companies from the research firm Standard & Poor's (S&P's) Ratings Direct are also mentioned.

The article discusses a reported delay in the opening of the San Francisco Bay Bridge in California due to an ongoing effort to fix several broken shear bolt rods as of July 2013. It states that the multi-billion dollar bridge, which was scheduled to open on Labor Day 2013, will most likely not be finished until December 10, 2013 at the earliest. The American Bridge/Fluor Joint Venture firm is mentioned, along with California State Senator Mark DeSaulnier.

The article discusses the construction industry in New Mexico as of July 2013, focusing on employment growth, the HB Construction firm's elementary school project in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a chart which depicts the total construction revenues for projects involving hotels and bridges.

The article discusses a project to remove Monterey County, California's San Clemente Dam, in which crews with Granite Construction will divert the Carmel River and the San Clemente Creek tributary above the dam to avoid having to dispose of built up sediment.

The article discusses supply chains and the impact of globalization on the construction industry as of June 2013, focusing on various issues that construction firms face in regards to currency, expatriate costs, and corruption risks. The Global Construction Summit, which was held on June 6-7, 2013 in New York, New York, is addressed in relation to the global expansion of the construction industry. Construction firm CH2M Hill Cos. and its chairman Lee A. McIntire are also mentioned.

The article discusses the impacts of innovation and diversity on the employee-owned design firm Arup as of June 2013, focusing on the company's use of teamwork and employee development to successfully manage construction projects. The replacement of a bridge in Long Beach, California is addressed, along with the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Central Medical Center sustainable hospital project. Arup's profits and the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) rating system are examined.

The article presents several construction-related charts which address topics such as the top design firms in California in 2012, as well as rankings of architecture firms such as Langdon Wilson International, and water supply companies such as Carollo Engineers Inc..

The article discusses the reported optimism of various design firms in California in regards to the construction industry, business revenues, and billings for commercial construction projects as of June 2013. It states that multifamily design work is up 89 percent over 2012 according to an annual California survey. A U.S. recession's impacts on public agencies, staffing budgets, and outsourcing are addressed. The design firm AECOM's infrastructure repair work in California is examined.

The article announces winners of the 2013 Global Best Projects competition by the journal "Engineering News Record," with information on the engineering and design teams given the Best Small Project award for the construction of an early childhood development center in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The article announces the 2013 Global Best Projects competition by the journal "Engineering News Record," with information on the criteria evaluated by judges and industry experts for the safety design of building projects, innovations in construction, and overall quality of construction design.

The article discusses the California firm Bigge Crane and Rigging and its role as the supplier of heavy equipment such as a Demag-manufactured AC-500 hydraulic truck crane for a construction project which will reportedly connect the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system with an airport in Oakland, California. A Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association conference, which was held in Scottsdale, Arizona in April 2013, is mentioned.

An obituary for architect and designer Paolo Soleri is presented.

The article discusses a March 23 to 26 meeting of the National Demolition Association in San Diego, California that focused on improving disaster preparedness and recovery with lessons learned from a 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Topics include the potential role of contractors in preparing for emergencies, efforts to rebuild Christchurch, and demolition planning.

The article presents a chart of the top construction starts in California for 2012, including the New Santa Clara Stadium project by the joint venture Design HNTB Corp., a water quality control plant expansion in Riverside by PCL Construction Inc., and the Santa Ana Freeway reconstruction by Security Paving.

The article offers an overview of construction project starts in California in 2012. The construction industry showed growth in sectors including multifamily apartment and condominium residences, transportation rail and highway construction, and hospital construction. Construction markets experiencing declines include solar energy facilities.

A chart is presented of the largest construction projects that began in 2012 in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.

The article looks at the construction projects scheduled for 2013 in Arizona and Nevada. Information is provided on the construction of hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as projects in the warehouse and industrial sectors of both states. Particular attention is also given to the economic aspects of health care facility construction.

A caption is presented to a photograph of iron workers constructing an observation wheel at LINQ, a retail store complex being constructed in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The article discusses the FutureTech Conference, a conference on technological innovations in the construction industry sponsored by the publication held on March 14, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Remarks made on intelligent buildings by keynote speaker David B. Bartlett of high technology industries firm International Business Machines (IBM) are considered. A video recording on a building-scale three-dimension printer exhibited at the event is discussed.

The article announces that James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury, Maryland, built by Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., has been selected as the winner of the publication's 2012 award for best construction project in the K-12 Education category.

The article reports that the California High-Speed Rail Authority hired joint venture Wong-Harris, comprised of engineering firms PGH Wong Engineering and Harris & Associates, to act as project manager in 2013 to build part of the high-speed rail track between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The article discusses the renovation and design of Florida's Jacksonville Humane Society Community Animal Hospital, which won the Small Projects Award of Merit and was designed by the Bacon Group design firm with Elkins Constructors as the contractor.

The article evaluates the architectural and landscape design of a military personnel memorial space called the Fort Benning Gateway in Columbus, Georgia, a project that includes statues and fountains and was designed by the Gullatte Associates architectural firm.

The article reports that the upgrading of wastewater treatment plants in Gwinnett County, Georgia has been awarded the publication's 2012 award for Best Civil Construction Project.

The article announces that the conservation and restoration of a dam in Blue Ridge, Georgia has been presented with the publication's Award of Merit for public works and infrastructure construction.

The article presents personnel news for the architecture, engineering, and construction industries in the southwestern region of the U.S. as of September 17, 2012. Topics include the hiring of Pat Maciulla as director of operations of Lang Wyatt Construction, the promotion of Nancy Kelley to assistant controller at Kitchell, and the hiring of Blake Hyte by Rider Levett Bucknall's Phoenix, Arizona office.

The article presents a profile of specialty contractor J.B. Henderson of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company specializes in mechanical, piping, and security project subcontracting at microelectronics and nuclear facilities, such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Other topics include the emphasis on hazardous chemical and radiation safety training for employees, the effect of the U.S. recession on the company, and philanthropic activities of the company and its employees.

The article looks at the economic performance of specialty subcontractors in the Southwest region of the U.S. in 2012. Some contractors were able to compensate for waning revenues from New Mexico and Nevada by focusing on Arizona projects or expanding into niche markets and specialties such as solar photovoltaics, fire protection, and health care. Contractors discussed include MasTec Inc., Helix Electric, and KEAR Civil Corp. Also noted is the use of tablet computers and smartphones in projects.

The article presents an overview of the construction industry in the region of Reno and Sparks, Nevada as of September 2012. Topics include comments from Norman L. Dianda, president of Q&D Construction Co., a profile of construction firm Fisher Industries, and a chart of the construction starts and forecasts in Reno/Sparks which includes the commercial, hotel, and public works sectors.

The article discusses the removal of nitrogen from the effluent of the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Dept. (RWRD) of Pima County, Arizona, and improvements to the county's Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) that will be finished in 2014. Work on the improvement project, called the Regional Optimization Plan (ROMP), is being carried out by construction companies such as CH2M Hill, MWH Constructors Inc., and Archer Western. Anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic nitrogen removal methods are mentioned.

Announcements about the employment of people in the U.S. construction industry for 2012 are presented, such as Christian Allred being hired at the firm Dewberry, Barry Kauhl joining The Korte Co., and RJM Construction hiring Boe Bergeson and Chris Benoit.

The article discusses the 2012 construction of the Sky Train people mover at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. The train was designed by Gannett Fleming Inc., and the article describes ways that construction workers avoid causing delays by building in phases. The construction companies involved are McCarthy Building Cos. and Kiewit Corp. Worker background checks and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainable design certification are mentioned.

A list is presented of the top construction companies in the Southwestern U.S. based on revenue earned in 2011, including companies such as Chanen Construction Co. Inc., Sundt Construction Inc., and Tutor Perini Building Corp.

The article discusses the U.S. construction industry in the Southwestern states, and describes the effects of the 2009 economic recession on construction companies. The financial condition of companies such as Sundt Construction in Arizona, Tutor Perini Building Corp. in Nevada, and Brycon Corp. in New Mexico are described. The companies' growth and building projects in 2011 and 2012 are mentioned, as well as the economic aspects of the U.S. transportation industry.

The article offers information on Best Projects 2012 Awards by the "Engineering News-Record" which is seeking entries of projects in the U.S. The projects are divided to categories which include civil, infrastructure and office buildings to landscapes and sustainability. It has also introduced the Best Projects safety award to recognize the it demonstrates the best overall safety record taking into consideration the challenges each project team have faced and the size and scope of the project.

A photograph is presented of a highway reconstruction project in Reno, Nevada that took place at the same time as the Great Reno Balloon Race event.

A chart is presented of the top 70 general building design companies in the Southwestern region which includes Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, including data for market sector and revenues.