Get Started At Least 90 Days Before Your Current Approval Expires! It is time to start thinking about renewing your U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) program certifications. Any construction firm – or you/your employees – are subject to this rule if you perform work for compensation that disturbs lead-based paint in homes, child-care facilities or schools (with kids six years or younger) built before 1978. Remember that renovation firm and renovator certifications both expire every five years. EPA is encouraging contractors to show that they are an “EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm” by displaying the agency’s new logo. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA may file an enforcement action against violators of the LRRP rule seeking penalties of up to $37,500 per violation, per day.

Most construction firms report they are having trouble finding qualified craft workers to fill key spots as the industry recovers from its years-long downturn, according to the results of an industry-wide survey released today by AGC of America. Association officials called for new career and technical school programs, as well as other workforce measures to offset the labor shortages.

For decades, the building construction industry provided good paying jobs and trained craft workers.  Recently, that trend has started to change - with an uptick in building permits and work, there are signs that a skilled labor shortage in the country may threaten projected growth and the ongoing recovery. Many construction industry executives expect the situation to worsen over the coming years.

On the heels of consecutive months of decreasing demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has returned to positive territory. 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.

New government data today show the uneven nature of the construction industry's recovery, as the sector added 22,000 jobs in July, but suffered a pullback in spending in June, according to an analysis by AGC of America.

The application deadline for the 2014 AGC Outstanding Student Chapter has been extended to Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. AGC Leadership recognizes what a busy time of year May is for students and in order to best accommodate our students the deadline has been extended. The award was designed to recognize and reward AGC Student Chapters for their dedication to community and public service projects.

AGC of America is now accepting proposals for a limited number of speaking opportunities at AGC's 96th Annual Convention, March 18-20, 2015 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Proposals are due by Friday, July 25, 2014.

In an effort to recruit the next generation of construction employees, AGC’s Industry Recruiting Task Force has been working with members and AGC chapters to provide resources and best practices to fulfill gaps in the construction industry. The AGC Construction Industry Recruiting LinkedIn group will be used to provide information about different programs, schools, and tools that exist to recruit individuals to the construction industry from elementary through post-college. Please join the group to get more information about industry recruiting efforts.

AIA just released 7 new design-build standard contract documents. In 2004, some commentators pointed out that they thought there was a mistake in the AIA A141, which provides a complete warranty for the Work to include both the design and construction of a project. Unfortunately for design-builders, this risk warranty DOES NOT flow down to the design professional that is likely stamping the design documents (see AIA B143, Section 2.2). Therefore, the design-builder appears to be left with all of the risk of giving a warranty that is both elevated beyond the standard of care and uninsurable. In contrast, the architect is protected with the ordinary and lower professional standard of care.  Considering that a core value of publishing standard construction contract documents is to provide predictability and consistency, this inconsistent treatment of risk is quite surprising.

The Associated General Contractors of America announced today that it is joining the national Hiring Our Heroes program as part of the construction industry’s effort to add 100,000 veterans over the next five years.  The new partnership will make it easier for construction contractors to find, recruit and hire veterans, association officials added.