Industry news, analysis and trends: Week in review
The latest construction industry news covering building and fire safety, resiliency, mitigation, energy efficiency, design, building science and technology and more that we’re reading, following and covering for the week of September 30.
Determining which boiler system to design
Consulting-Specifying Engineer
There are many different configurations of boilers; learn about the three primary types used for environmental and process systems. READ MORE
AIA announces climate action initiative
Architect Magazine
Approved by the American Institute of Architects’ board of directors, the resolution seeks to engage the architecture profession in actions against climate change. READ MORE
Affordable housing needs to be built to withstand natural disasters
Morning Consult
The devastation Hurricane Dorian caused in the Caribbean and the harm it provoked across the United States’ eastern seaboard is a somber reminder of the damage we now expect during hurricane season (which, unfortunately, is just halfway over). READ MORE
Commercial Construction Index shows record optimism
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
According to a press release from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, half of contractors expect revenue increases over the next 12 months. READ MORE
Radiant hydronic heating workbook
Journal of Light Construction
How well do you know radiant hydronic heating? This isn’t a test of everything there is to know, but it will give you (or your manager) an idea of how well you know some of the key facts underlying skills. READ MORE
How the world’s largest modular hotel came together
Building Forward
The project is an example of why more cities and designers might embrace modular techniques in the future. READ MORE
Builder’s guide to working with steel
Journal of Light Construction
How to get the right piece of steel for the right purpose. READ MORE
20 to watch: Women in HVAC
Engineered Systems Magazine
Liz Haggerty explains that she always had an interest in science and math, and that even as a young girl she wanted to know how things worked and wanted to fix things when they were broken. READ MORE
Builders code to combat construction site bullying launched
Prince George Matters
The free training will help employers in the construction industry end worksite harassment. READ MORE
Crucial conversations for women in the mechanical industry
Contractor Magazine
“We always say we’re the best-kept secret. Nobody knows about the opportunities in construction, what’s available to them.” READ MORE
VIDEO: The ugly truth of no building codes
YouTube – Pure Living for Life
Everyone thinks they want to live in a place where there are no building codes. Many think this means that literally they can do or build whatever the heck they want. Truth of the matter is, “no building codes” isn’t as glamorous as it may sound. WATCH VIDEO
Would you buy a house built by robots?
Washingtonian Newsletter
A pair of minimalist houses on Foxhall Road stand a bit taller and appear more modern than their more traditional neighbors. Otherwise, they resemble any other home. You’d never know they were built by robots. READ MORE
Using codes and standards to build resilient communities
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Stuart Tom, a member of the board of the International Code Council, provided an overview of why we have building codes, how they work, and how codes have a central role in increasing community resilience to disaster and safety in general in a PrepTalks video. READ MORE
Why design teams should think about security upfront
Building Forward
Learn why in a world with threats ranging from terrorism to cybercrime, including a security consultant early avoids delays and costly changes later. READ MORE
The Home Depot Foundation partners to expand high school trades training
Home Builders Institute
As part of its effort to fill the growing skilled labor gap in the United States, the Home Depot Foundation announced it is partnering with the Home Builders Institute to launch a youth trades training program. The effort is part of the foundation’s $50 million commitment to train 20,000 skilled tradespeople. READ MORE
Tall timber: Move over, glass-and-steel skyscrapers
Governing
As concerns over climate change give new life to wooden building design, cross-laminated timber is touted as an environmentally sustainable alternative to concrete and steel, which generate large quantities of greenhouse gases in their production. READ MORE
Avoiding fire and sprinkler code violations
New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board
Staying compliant with local fire codes is paramount to business and property owners. Even the smallest uncorrected violations could mean fees or — at the very worst — promises liability suits. READ MORE
Meet the new wave of female builders
The Washington Post
How women in construction are responding to sexism and isolation by creating a community — and a future — for themselves. READ MORE
How to specify rigid insulation
Architect Magazine
A quick primer on the basics and best applications of EPS, XPS, and PIR on buildings. READ MORE
The technology that’s remaking construction
City & State New York
Construction may be one of the last industries to begin incorporating technology into day-to-day operations, but now that construction’s digital revolution is upon us, developers are angling to legalize drone use. READ MORE
How technology is disrupting the construction industry
Visual Capitalist
The rate of digital disruption is escalating in almost every industry. However, despite being one of the fastest-growing industries globally—construction has been one of the last to get hit. READ MORE
Inside innovation: Long road ahead for full AV in construction
Daily Commercial News
Potential productivity gains, a solution to the shortage of new entrants to the skilled labor force, and a desire to improve safety conditions for site workers make robotic vehicles an attractive, efficient alternative to manual operation of earth-moving equipment and vehicles. READ MORE
Enhancing design through robotic fabrication
Architect Magazine
Participating in the development of a fabrication tool enables architects to introduce a more generative and integrative design process than ever before. READ MORE
Zero-emissions, zero-energy building
Architect Magazine
Luke Leung, director of the MEP + Sustainable Engineering Studio at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, presents trends, codes, and policies that are influencing new, more sustainable, and more efficient designs. READ MORE
Weathering the storm: How engineering firms can leverage government incentives for resiliency research
Architect Magazine
The Research and Development Tax Credit, which saves U.S. businesses $10 billion every year, has helped American engineering firms become more agile, and could ultimately make them stronger in the face of disaster. READ MORE
Home inspections play a pivotal role in new home construction
Ris Media
Clients often ask if a real estate professional is needed when building a new home. The answer is “yes,” because the real estate professional will look out for the client’s interests before and during the building process. READ MORE
How building permit data can help you avoid buying a problem home
Move Smartly
When you’re out looking to find a home you love (and can afford), you rarely give a thought to its building permit history. READ MORE
Cold storage: a hot construction niche
Construction Dive
Demand on several fronts is driving both new construction and renovation of cold storage facilities, which take longer to build than standard warehouses. READ MORE
OSHA gets new construction director
Construction Dive
The new head of the Directorate of Construction, Scott Ketcham, will help shape OSHA policy, according to an industry expert. READ MORE
Climate change demands a shift in responsibility
Building Forward
Architecture, construction and engineering professionals must educate and collaborate with peers on sustainability issues. READ MORE
Ontario plans to modernize building codes for quicker development
Toronto Storeys
The provincial government plans to modernize its Building Code services to help speed up the construction of new development projects. READ MORE
U.S. Senate introduces School Safety Clearinghouse Act
American Institute of Architects
The proposed legislation would give officials access to information on making schools safer through design. READ MORE
New virtual way to teach employees about construction hazards
Occupational Health & Safety
Haskell and Kennesaw State University partnered to develop a virtual reality training aid to reinforce employee safety. Now, employees can train and practice construction safety using simulated programs. READ MORE
Can recycled materials create tomorrow’s building blocks?
Building Forward
Learn why blocks made with recycled construction waste face challenges with labor—and industry inertia. READ MORE
Carbon Leadership Forum launches calculator to measure carbon footprint
Carbon Leadership Forum
The organization is offering the open-source tool to architects, engineers, materials suppliers and more to help them measure and reduce emissions from the building industry. READ MORE
How to specify impact-resistant curtainwalls
Architect Magazine
When designing a building at risk of becoming a target of terrorism, architects must be particularly attentive in detailing its envelope. READ MORE
The future impact of 3D printing
Architect Magazine
Additive manufacturing is redefining the future, removing complexities and changing the role of architects. READ MORE
New tools will help construction industry understand its carbon footprint
Propmodo
While a global climate change discussion (or perhaps, argument) is occurring in cities around the world, one of the practical hurdles to limiting carbon emissions is in the field of construction. READ MORE
690-pound lint ball set ablaze to raise awareness for fire safety
C&G News
A new Guinness World Record for the largest ball of lint was made in Farmington Hills, and then set on fire, to raise awareness of the dangers of dryer fires. READ MORE
EPA announces Water Workforce Initiative
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The initiative will help to recruit and prepare the next generation of clean water professionals in communities across the country that are facing critical staffing shortages for the operation and maintenance of essential drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. READ MORE
About the Author
Tara Lukasik is an editor for the International Code Council, working out of its Western Regional Office in Southern California. Starting with the International Conference of Building Officials as the managing editor of its Building Standards Magazine, she has more than 25 years of experience in writing and editing feature content and advancing digital newsletters and magazines from conception to completion. She is currently putting her experience to good use managing the Code Council's Building Safety Journal and its BSJ Weekly newsletter, which connects construction professionals with the Code Council community and the latest industry news and resources. A California native, she enjoys volunteering in her local community and exploring the Golden State with her husband and three spoiled dachshunds. Follow her on Twitter @ICCTLukasik and Linkedin at linkedin.com/in/taralukasik.
