Preconstruction Services: Project management is your key to success

Any successful commercial or residential construction project requires a road map, and a schedule with a detailed plan to track expenses and budgets. For construction projects a detailed pre-construction plan led by a pre-construction manager is the best way to provide owners or facilities managers with a standardized methodology that includes preliminary costing,  planning and engineering review to define the project scope of work, identify potential conflicts, prepare timing and analyze project material, equipment and labor costs. Preconstruction […]

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Consulting and Project Planning: asking all those difficult questions

With the pandemic going on, construction firms and competitors we are talking to are often wondering about the strength of their pipeline.  When this problem has been solved (we have very successful competitors, creating a healthy business activity), another question comes quickly in mind: will the project remain on budget despite social distancing, covid related protocols, personnel safety requirements, etc.  The ability to position an operational team for success (and safety!) should be our common, highest priority as […]

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A Blueprint for Green Buildings Struggles to Catch On

A Blueprint for Green Buildings Struggles to Catch On Article from WSJ.com 12/25/2020. Excellent article describing the current state of the industry. The American Institute of Architects has for years challenged its members to design buildings to combat climate change, setting a goal to hit “net zero” edifices by 2030. The architects have a ways to go. Last year, 27 of the 19,000 building-design firms owned by AIA members reported meeting their annual mark. That figure was […]

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Winter is coming back!

We keep repeating ourselves year after year, but remember, building owners, that you should keep an eye on the following components of your building: Windows Windows include multiple parts working together: frame, stool, sash, sill, pane, seal, cross member, track and apron. Various window types include: slider, double hung, picture, garden, casement, bay, skylight, and awning. Common window problems include: rotten sills, moisture and water damages, broken seals. When windows start falling apart, repairs can be almost […]

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Remodels for Retail Space, Corporate Office or Residential

Commercial remodels or build-outs are typically fast-paced projects, as occupying the space is directly linked with the owners’ ability to create revenue. The sooner you can move in, the sooner you can start generating revenue. A commercial remodel can be an extensive project that many businesses choose to take on instead of building a new facility. A business that doesn’t have the property to expand may choose a remodel to increase the efficiency of the space they […]

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Building a Safer Industry

How safety helps overcome challenges and improve every project. McCarthy published a good Op Ed on our industry\’s safety and practices. See the original post here – and a copy/paste of a report by their Kevin Maitland, VP of Safety. below. What McCarthy is doing as an organization must be regarded as thought leadership and embraced by all. A CALL TO ACTIONEach year, more than 70 construction companies across the country and around the world join together […]

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Open space offices, the new normal?

Given the new \’normal\’ we have to live in, we need to focus relatively less on cleaning surfaces and more on fresh air. We need clean air, more air, fresh air. We ought to move everything we possibly can outdoors. We opened all our windows. We now need to open your offices

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Data for Disasters

The U.S. Department of Energy and Microsoft are developing 10 to 30 artificial-intelligence tools aimed at helping first-responders better react to fast-changing natural events, such as floods and wildfires.

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Portable charger onboards the 2021 Ford F150

Ford\’s 2021 edition of their F150 is having a very handy new feature for technicians on the road. As reported by TheDrive, our next truck will be a generator itself. This is brilliant, we love it! Ford\’s Pro Power Onboard system is everything we needed to haul track toys, like, yesterday. Instead of having to bring a separate generator to power the lights and power tools you\’ll want to use when said track car inevitably breaks, your […]

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Temperatures reached by the roof structure of Notre-Dame de Paris in the fire of April 15th 2019

OK, today we are inspired to share a story where science and fundamental research meets construction. Very old construction. When the 13th century Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral burnt in 2019, the roof structure (made of oak frame) was almost completely destroyed. Journalists claimed soaring temperatures of 2000C / 3600F were reached during the fire. This didn\’t seem coherent when a forest fire typically reaches 1000-1200C / 1800-2000F. Why are we covering this today? Because scientific research around […]

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2020 Sanitation guidelines for your facility

The general sanitization of our facilities is related to the distribution and use of products that are used to maintain personal cleanliness, workspace sanitization and to safeguard one from the contagious diseases. The factors that were fueling the growth of the market before pandemic of COVID-19 include the recent improvement in standards of living coupled with the growth in public attention towards overall health globally. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 since January 2020, the demand for hygiene […]

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