Caterpillar has partnered with TORC Robotics to develop the next generation of remote-control construction equipment. The new skid steers, compact track and multiterrain loaders use autonomous vehicle technology, offering the operator more stability and control. "It responds immediately. The feel and response mirrors the operator controls of the machine itself," said Bob Shoop, Caterpillar product demonstrator/instructor. TotalLandscapeCare.net

Referring to real-world experiences, the National Safety Council's Campbell Institute has issued a report on best practices for contractor management, with a focus on safety and collaboration. The recommendations pertain to all five steps in the contractor life cycle, drawing on various companies' experiences to "help other employers establish safe contract relationships that run the gamut, from delivering mail to major construction projects," said Deborah Hersman, president of the National Safety Council. EHS Today

It's important for contractors to pick their risk allocation battles wisely when negotiating contracts, writes John Kofron. "Savvy owners tend to want risk allocated to the person best able to prevent it," writes Kofron. "They can consider the limit of liability clause a deal breaker. Focus on dealing only with risks that are not caused by the construction company and therefore cannot be managed by the company." The Construction Executive Blog

Everyone related to the construction process has incentive to get the project done faster and at a lower cost – from the project owners who want to see tangible results for their investment to the contractors and designers who want to do their job well and move on to the next project. Lean Construction is based on the holistic pursuit of continuous improvements aimed at minimizing costs and maximizing value on a construction project: planning, design, construction, activation, operations, maintenance, salvaging, and recycling.

Everyone related to the construction process has incentive to get the project done faster and at a lower cost – from the project owners who want to see tangible results for their investment to the contractors and designers who want to do their job well and move on to the next project. Lean Construction is based on the holistic pursuit of continuous improvements aimed at minimizing costs and maximizing value on a construction project: planning, design, construction, activation, operations, maintenance, salvaging, and recycling.

AGCA has revamped our social media accounts adding a new student chapter Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AGCAStudentChapters/ and twitter account at @AGCA_Students. Please make sure you like, follow and share to spread the word! We hope you utilize these tools to see and share the amazing community service, projects and experiences that students are gaining from being a part of the AGC community!

The Business Development Forum Steering Committee continues to bring more BD resources and best practices to the AGC membership. A new section has been added to the Business Development Forum webpage titled Business Development Best Practices. The goal is to continue to develop this section of the website so it is your one stop for information regarding all things Business Development.

Health insurance costs continue to increase. Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance efforts are heating up. As you begin planning for your company’s 2016 health insurance renewal and want to explore ways to save money and give employees more flexibility, control and value, now is the time to explore options for building a better, more cost-effective employee benefits package that meets the compliance requirements of the ACA.

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET) | Tues., February 23, 2016 Are you struggling to implement Lean on your projects? Have you had planning sessions that were not as productive as they could be? Do your teams just not "get it"? Join this webinar to learn from the experience Lean Construction coach, Dave MacNeel who has not only delivered numerous projects using Lean, but also has coached Owners, GCs, CMs, designers, and subcontractors to successfully implement Lean thinking and Lean tools. Register here.

As has been the case a few times already this year, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dipped in November. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending.