A recent Engineering News-Record article examines how firms have reacted to the recession, and what steps they are taking to adjust and survive.  The current economic recession is offering firms numerous challenges to re-think their strategies to keep their heads above water and to continue to do so in the post-recession economy. While the stimulus has greatly benefitted some firms, other have not been affected by it at all.  Firms are recognizing the importance of creating new ways to keep employees, maintain morale, and remain flexible towards the current market challenges. For the complete article from Engineering News-Record, please click here (ENR subscription required).

AGC, along with other associations in the construction and real estate industry sent a letter to Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking to urge the Committee to explore reforms to the commercial real estate sector that support the market's recovery.  Click here to read the letter.

AGC, along with other associations in the construction and real estate industry sent a letter to Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), the Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking to urge the Committee to explore reforms to the commercial real estate sector that support the market's recovery.  Click here to read the letter.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 | 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET Building Information Modeling (BIM) provides owners the information needed to make impactful decisions that improve construction project performance and speed project completion. BIM combines the latest in design and collaboration technologies to provide owners with real-time information on all elements of a project, through all the phases of construction.The joint Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) webinar - BIM 101 for Owners - will provide owners a condensed 90-minute version of AGC's BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling course, part of AGC's BIM Education Program.The webinar will cover essential BIM terminology, concepts and use cases, designed specifically to provide owners with practical information on how BIM can be used. Following the webinar, attendees will have the ability to:Recognize the importance of BIMDefine common BIM terminologyDiscuss how BIM can be used as a communication and collaboration toolExplain the benefits of BIMCompare examples of successful BIM usageDiscuss issues associated with starting BIMRegistration for this program includes a free copy of AGC's BIM 101 Participant's Manual.Facilitated by: Michael Tardif, Grunley Construction, Assoc. AIA, CSI, Hon. SDA, LEED®APRegistration: $150 for AGC and COAA membersPlease visit www.agc.org/BIMforOwners to register. For questions on registration please contact meetings@agc.org. For content-related questions please contact curriculum@agc.org.Attendees of this program are eligible for 0.2 IACET Continuing Education Units and 1.5 AIA CES Learning Units.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 | 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET Top construction attorneys will discuss many of the difference between ConsensusDOCS and AIA standard form construction contract documents.  While using real-world examples, the experts will discuss key issues, including:Dispute Resolution                                              IndemnificationOwner Financial Information                           Substantial CompletionMeans and Methods                            Order of PrecedenceSubmittal Schedule                                               InsuranceChange Orders                                    Roles and ResponsibilitiesRetainage                                              Liquidated DamagesDuration:  90 minutes (including live Q & A)AGC Members:  $20Non-members:  $49Click here to register today.  Sponsored by AGC of America and HinckleyAllenSnyder LLP.

Members of the AIA-AGC Joint Committee met February 5-6, 2010 in Washington, DC to discuss several important industry issues and explore ways for the organizations and its members to collaborate.  Topics included the current economic climate, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Building Information Modeling (BIM), sustainability, and federal procurement.  This long-standing joint committee meets in person twice each year.

April 26-29, 2010 | The Mayflower Hotel | Washington, DC The 2010 AGC Federal Contractors Conference will be held April 26-29, 2010, at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. This meeting is the only national event where contractors and federal agency personnel can meet in a collaborative forum to review federal construction contracting issues and trends from around the United States. These insightful and highly productive exchanges have solidified the need for both federal construction contractors and the federal construction agencies to share information on a wide variety of issues, foster better communication, and create real solutions.This year, the AGC Federal Contractors Conference will boost its content with a special new conference format. The inclusion of separate concurrent tracks will highlight each of the unique federal and federally-assisted markets. The first track highlights water infrastructure, and includes meetings with agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works Directorate. The second track focuses on federal facilities construction, which includes meetings with the General Services Administration and the Military Construction agencies of the Department of Defense. Highway and transportation rounds out the final track, which includes meetings with the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the transit and rail agencies.To learn more about the conference, download the conference brochure and register, visit www.agc.org/fedcon.

Unveiled at the recent Building Contractors Conference, the AGC Lean Construction Forum is an inclusive and collaborative community that is open to anyone with an interest in lean construction processes.  The Forum is focused on facilitating dialogue and information sharing through its Web site (www.agcleanforum.org) and developing a curriculum and learning opportunities on the use of Lean principles in the construction industry.  Anyone with an interest in Lean Construction can "join" the Forum at www.agcleanforum.org.  AGC members with a Username and Password for www.agc.org can use that same information to log-in to the Forum Web site.  If you do not have that information you can simply create a profile and join the Forum.  This is a brand new Web site and improvements are still being made.  Please share any comments or questions about the Forum and/or the Web site at starkm@agc.org.The Forum will hold a two hour session at the AGC Annual Convention on March 17, which will provide a brief overview of Lean Construction and highlight AGC of America's current and future efforts related to this exciting topic.  The Forum will also meet at the AGC Building Contractors Conference in Midway, Utah, on June 10, 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering whether or not to expand and strengthen requirements of the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule to cover renovations of both the exteriors and the interiors of all public and commercial buildings.  EPA's anticipated action is required by a legal settlement it reached in August 2009 with environmental and health advocacy groups that had challenged the RRP rule.  The current RRP requirements, which will take full effect on April 22, 2010, require paid contractors and maintenance professionals to be trained and certified on certain mandated lead-safe work practices before renovating or repairing housing and facilities for children built before 1978.EPA is considering extending the lead RRP requirements to all commercial buildings.  This action results from a legally-binding "agreement" EPA reached with environmental groups to settle a lawsuit that Sierra Club and others filed in the Federal Court of Appeals against the Agency concerning its RRP rule.  Under the settlement agreement, EPA is required to reconsider certain provisions of the RRP regulations and issue a series of rulemakings.  Specifically, EPA has agreed to the following:By April 22, 2010, EPA will issue an ANPR (advance notice of proposed rulemaking) discussing its intention to propose work practice requirements for renovations on the EXTERIORS of public and commercial buildings other than child-occupied facilities (schools and child care centers already covered by the final RRP rule); and to evaluate whether renovations in the INTERIORS of these buildings create lead-based paint hazards, and, if so, propose work practice requirements for those renovations.By December 15, 2011, EPA will issue a proposed rule to establish work practice requirements for renovations on the EXTERIOR of public and commercial buildings other than child-occupied facilities. EPA must take final action on the EXTERIOR proposal by July 15, 2013.By September 30, 2011, EPA will consult with the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) on a risk assessment methodology to evaluate the hazards posed by renovations in the INTERIOR of public and commercial buildings not covered by the final RRP rule. Eighteen months after receiving the SAB report, EPA must either issue a proposed rule to establish work practice requirements for INTERIOR renovations in public and commercial buildings or conclude that they do not create lead-based paint hazards. The proposal must include, if necessary, new hazard standards for these buildings. EPA must take final action on the proposed rule within 18 months of publication.All future EPA rulemakings will be available for public comment.First Round of Proposed Changes to RRPBack in October 2009, EPA proposed a first set of revisions to the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule that would eliminate what EPA refers to as the "opt-out" provision.That provision allows renovators to opt out, or be exempted from, the training and work requirements of the rule. (Firms can be exempted if they obtained a certification from the owner that no child under 6 and no pregnant woman resided in the residence.)  The Agency also is proposing to increase recordkeeping requirements and changes affecting training.  EPA also would require renovation firms to provide the owner and occupant with records documenting compliance with the rule. 74 Fed. Reg. 55506, Oct. 28, 2009.In related news, EPA is also currently working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to modify the definition of lead-based paint in its regulations.For more information, please contact Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org or (703) 837-5332.

A February 11 Mississippi Supreme Court ruling found that contractors are covered under their general liability policies for subcontractor work later to be found defective.  AGC's Mike Kennedy says "[The decision] has implications for the rest of the country because policies being written and enforced throughout the U.S. are identical to the policies the Mississippi court has addressed."For the entire article, please click here (ENR subscription required).