The AGC Building Contractors Conference was held Sept. 12-15, 2012, in Charleston, S.C. with more than 150 participants.  Building construction contractors, construction project owners, design professionals, attorneys, suppliers and service suppliers came together to hear from an excellent line-up of industry experts focused on the Conference theme: “Make Your Firm a Top Performer: Learn the Industry’s Best Practices for Success.”

This month, the AGC Environmental Forum and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) held a virtual town hall to discuss some of the proposed changes to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, with specific focus on how the changes may impact construction practices.  USGBC is expected to open its fifth comment period on the new version of LEED on Oct. 2 and accept public input through Dec. 10.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA has completely revamped its timeline and approach to regulating lead paint dust in commercial and public buildings.  The Agency recently signed a revised litigation settlement with environmental groups that gives EPA four more years—until December 31, 2016—to take final action.  AGC will continue to call for greater transparency, accountability and oversight in the development of national rules covering Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) activities.

This Thursday, Sept. 20, at 2:00 p.m. EST, leading practitioners of Lean Workstructuring will provide their perspectives on how their organizations use Lean Practices – specifically related to Workstructuring – to improve the delivery of projects. The unique perspectives of the three panelists will provide a depth of understanding how these practices can be applied to other organizations. Workstructuring seeks to eliminate waste on the jobsite or in offices by improving productivity through the elimination (or at least reduction) of workers waiting on work or work waiting on workers. 

According to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in construction will be one of the best-paying jobs through 2020, along with health care and social assistance, scientific and technical services, waste management, and transportation. The report projects that approximately 1.8 million jobs will be created by a construction boom across the country.

AGC will be sponsoring the Big Build at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 22, 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  The event is designed for children ages 5-13 and includes fun construction-related activities, including dry wall finishing, woodworking and nail driving, as well as the opportunity to meet and talk with plumbers, architects and landscape designers. The event is free and open to the public.  A $5 donation is suggested.

Guest Article by Tom Kelleher, Jr., Senior Partner, Smith, Currie & Hancock LLP Introduction – Green Is Now Green construction is not the “Wave of the Future” in federal government construction contracts, it is here now.  Whether building a new facility at a military base in Georgia or renovating a federal courthouse in the Pacific Northwest, the federal government is placing a strong emphasis on environmentally conscious (“green”) construction.  Motivations for adoption of green construction vary from a desire to conserve resources and avoid adverse impacts to the environment to reducing the cost of operating and maintaining a facility, which can easily have a life span of several decades.  Fortunately, environmental considerations and economics do not need to conflict as the long-term operating and maintenance cost of a facility can easily offset the incremental additional cost of designing and building a facility to achieve a specified requirement, standard, or code.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International released a study that details the impact of commercial office space on the national and local economies. The June 25 report, titled Where America Goes to Work: The Contribution of Office Building Operations to the Economy, 2012, shows that the short- and long-term expenditures that sustain office building operations—management, maintenance, repairs, building services and utilities—generate significant, continuous and growing expenditures that support local businesses, create job demand and contribute significantly to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

Lean is a philosophy and tool set that is as important to trade partners as it is for general contractors.  This webinar looks at the Lean journey for TDIndustries over the past 17 years.  Reflecting on how TD's vision for Lean has changed, the presentation will explore Lean as it is applied in a pre-fab shop and at the project site.  This includes the 5 areas of focus: 5S, Pull Planning, Constraint Analysis, 6 Week Planning, and Essential Conversations. 

On Sept. 12-15, 2012, in Charleston, S.C., the 2012 AGC Building Contractors Conference will bring together high-level leaders throughout the construction industry to discuss issues that are essential to their firm’s future success. This year’s theme is: “Make Your Firm a Top Performer: Learn the Industry’s Best Practices for Success.” How can you ensure that you and your firm are top performers? How can your firm be successful and stay that way? This Conference will explore a wide range of issues focused on different aspects of the construction industry and your business.