AGC July 6 responded to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expand the Agency's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (RRP) requirements to cover work performed in commercial and public buildings.The ANPR includes no proposed language.  Rather, the public was invited to respond to over 100 detailed questions and data requests.  Currently there are no limits on the potential scope of regulated commercial and public buildings. Other unresolved questions include: What renovation and repair work should be covered? What activities create the most risk? Should exposure pathways be broadened to include nearby properties?  AGC invited members to help shape the future lead paint rule and solicited input on a variety of important industry-specific issues currently under consideration at EPA.AGC CommentsAs part of a coalition with 15 other organizations, AGC filed comments [insert PDF file] with EPA maintaining that the Agency lacks the legal authority to adopt requirements for Lead RRP activities in public and commercial buildings.  In the comments, the coalition pointed out that the statute under which EPA would issue the rule grants it the authority to issue guidelines for work practice standards, but not the authority to promulgate such regulations for RRP in public and commercial buildings.For more detail on AGC's comments on the EPA's ANPR and background on the Lead Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program, please click here.

AGC of America, together with the National Association of State Facilities Administrators, Construction Owners Association of America, The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers and the American Institute of Architects, just released Integrated Project Delivery For Public and Private Owners. This publication is available for free at www.agc.org/projectdelivery.

December 15-17, 2010 | The Palace Hotel | San Francisco, Calif.The 25th Annual Construction SuperConference will bring to the forefront new insights into the legal, business and economic challenges and opportunities in today's construction industry.  The agenda features panel discussions comprised of some of the top legal, consulting and construction experts who will delve deep into some of the most challenging issues with sharp insight and practical solutions.  All participants will walk away with invaluable information and resources that will assist them in meeting today's challenges.AGC Members receive a 15% discount.  Early Bird registration ends September 10.  Use Code- A2G3C3 at https://secure2.rhq.com/vendome/csc10/attreg/index.cgi?source=AGC.For more information or questions, please contact Carrie Ciliberto at cilibertoc@agc.org or 703-837-5367.

According to Reuters, the commercial real estate market may have avoided the crash that was expected of it. Credit still remains tight, but an influx of foreclosed commercial properties and bankruptcies is unlikely.  Because banks have been able to extend, restructure and modify loans, the commercial market has been given a chance to breathe and values have slightly risen.  If special servicers and lenders continue to handle distressed loans as such, prices are likely to avoid a rock-bottom.This news is supported by data from the Moody's/REAL All Property Type Aggregate Index and Reed Construction Data.  According to the Moody's/REAL All Property Type Aggregate Index, commercial property values rose for the first time in two months during the month of April, though values are still far from their October 2007 high.  Reed Construction Data also reported an increase in building permits in April, particularly in the non-residential sector.For more on the Moody's/REAL All Property Type Aggregate Index from Reuters, please click here. The Reed Construction Data article on building permits can be found here.More from Reuters' article on the commercial real estate market can be found here.

According to a Building Owners and Managers Asoociation International study, the commercial real estate market has a profound impact on the nation's economy.  The study, titled The Contribution of Office Building Operating Outlays on the U.S. and States' Economies in 2009, focused on office building construction and analyzed total outlays, total output, new personnel earnings, and number of jobs created in major metropolitan areas across the United States.  In 2009 alone, a total of $40.5 billion was spent on five billion square feet of commercial office space.  According to the study, this outlay also greatly supported surrounding business activity and employment.For more information, please visit: http://www.boma.org/Advocacy/RealeState/Pages/FullerStudy.aspx.

OSHA is now enforcing the Severe Violators Enforcement Program that it announced in April. The program focuses enforcement efforts on employers who willfully and repeatedly endanger workers by exposing them to serious hazards. The directive establishes procedures and enforcement actions for the severe violator program, including increased inspections, such as mandatory follow-up inspections of a workplace found in violation and inspections of other worksites of the same company where similar hazards or deficiencies may be present.AGC is concerned that the administration's efforts to emphasize fines and penalties over collaboration and results will undermine successful partnerships between industry and government that helped cut the construction fatality rate in half between 1998 and 2008.For more information, contact Kevin Cannon at (703) 837-5410 or cannonk@agc.org.

According to a Reuters article many contractors find construction financing difficult to come by.  The Construction Industry Confidence Index, published by Engineering News-Record magazine, found that 39 percent of contractors and engineering companies say project financing is harder to obtain than in the first quarter of 2010, whereas only 13 percent found financing easier to obtain. Despite these credit woes, half of all industry firms surveyed believe the market will improve in the next twelve to eighteen months.  The Confidence Index increased by seven points overall in the second quarter, but is still below its indicator for an expanding market.  The Architecture Billings Index is also below its indicator for expansion, according to Reuters.  The Index fell two points in May, also citing tight credit problems as a reason why the Index has not yet stabilized.  According to the AIA's Chief Economist Kermit Baker, this dip comes as a surprise and is likely attributable to an "unusual caution on the part of lending institutions," echoing the concern found in the McGraw-Hill survey.  Though both indeces are below their indicators for market growth, it is important to note that both the Billings Index and the Confidence Index have been following upward trends since the beginning of the year.

TODAY | 2:00 pm-3:30 pm ETThere are still a few spots left for this FREE informative webinar.  ConsensusDOCS has dozens of administrative forms to help you whether your project is large or small.  Discover the advantages of using ConsensusDOCS forms to help you manage the day-to-day administration of your construction projects. Using the ConsensusDOCS 700 Series as a baseline for examples, you will learn how to use these administrative documents to manage your projects more efficiently starting with the ConsensusDOCS 705 Invitation to Bid/Sub-Bid Proposal all the way through to the 782 Certificate of Final Completion.  Documents to be reviewed include:RFI's, Bidding and Qualifications StatementsBond FormsMaterials StorageChange OrdersPurchase and Payment FormsCertificates of CompletionRegister Today - FREE.For more information, contact Megan McGarvey at (703) 837-5369 or mcgarveym@agc.org.

Integrated Project Delivery for Public and Private Owners explores the varying degrees of collaboration found in IPD, defining it as a philosophy and as a delivery method.  The publication explores why owners should consider adopting IPD principles, how IPD fits in to related industry trends, such as BIM and Lean, and offers suggestions on how to integrate IPD principles into construction projects.

AGC of America, together with the National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA), Construction Owners Association of America (COAA), APPA: The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA), just released Integrated Project Delivery for Public and Private Owners.Integrated Project Delivery for Public and Private Owners explores the varying degrees of collaboration found in IPD, defining it as a philosophy and as a delivery method.  The publication explores why owners should consider adopting IPD principles, how IPD fits in to related industry trends, such as BIM and Lean, and offers suggestions on how to integrate IPD principles into construction projects.  Owners, general contractors and all project stakeholders will find Integrated Project Delivery for Public and Private Owners to be a useful resource regarding IPD. This publication is available for free at www.agc.org/projectdelivery or by clicking here.