Beyond the Build - Page 39 of 63

Lowering the Carbon Footprint of Grocery Refrigeration

Recently, we’ve been working on new construction for Sprouts Farmer’s Market, a specialty grocery concentrated on healthy living. Their management team places a focus on lowering carbon footprint, and we’ve been a part of those efforts in regards to refrigeration. The old standard HFC refrigerant has a number of environmental concerns and regulatory pressures have added economic …

Construction Trends

We Cannot Change the Wind, But We Can Adjust the Sails

I just returned from the ICSC ReCON conference in Las Vegas, which some refer to as “the Super Bowl of real estate.” About 40,000 from the industry attended, and I found a sense of resilience and optimism. Now more than ever, bricks and mortar businesses are competing with pure Internet sales to create the ultimate …

Construction Trends

Maximizing RFID

RFID (radio-frequency identification devices) have been around for about 10 years. These microchips with antennas transmit data wirelessly and are about the size of the head of a match, up to the size of a business card. They were initially used for pallet and case control at the distribution level, but we’re seeing them do so …

Construction Trends

Labor Pains Are Growing

In the cycles we live in, nothing is ever in balance. Five years ago, there was plenty of labor available, but a minimum of projects. Now we’re seeing an ever increasing list of opportunities out there. I see the shortage of skilled labor increasing, along with skilled subcontractors, architects and building contractors. A substantial amount …

Customer Relationships

How Much Do You Wax The Floors?

I remember meeting with one of our retail clients a while back when an interesting question came up: “How much do you wax the floors?” Wax them too much and it’s a waste of money. Neglect waxing, and customers consciously or unconsciously stay away from a store that isn’t properly maintained. The key is finding a sweet …

Construction Trends

Are Drones the Next Step In Site Documentation?

For us, monitoring and documenting jobsite progress is important for a number of reasons. Being able to see a job’s development is a value-add for the customer, giving them peace of mind when it’s not easy to visit the site. Our project managers have an easier time overseeing jobs in a wide geographic area when …

Leadership

A Trip to Augusta

This year, I was fortunate to attend The Masters, hosted at Augusta National Golf Club, as the guest of a friend who is the son of a former Masters champion. After my time of 4 days there, I got to thinking about the means and methods of being successful on course vs in business: Stay after it. When a …

Management

Finding Balance in the Cash Flow Cycle

As we emerge from the largest financial crisis we’ve seen in 8 decades, companies have a unique opportunity for expansion. But growth presents a new set of challenges, so it’s also a good idea to plan cautiously for the future. We all need a cushion, and the art is finding the sweet spot of just …

Management

5 Tips for Getting It Right with Highly Specialized Subcontractors

In commercial construction, we have found it’s easy to get in a rut. Sure, we build different types of structures, but we are often dealing with a similar set of trade contractors—structural steel, MEP, masons, paint, etc. After years of working in the industry, most of us have a list of folks we trust. We …

Management

Worth your Salt: A Few Thoughts to Consider Beyond Financial Benefits

These days, salt gets a bad rap. The USDA tells us that sprinkling too much on food can result in high blood pressure. We’re encouraged to steer clear. But in ancient times, salt represented a lifeline. It’s main role was as a preservative. In the absence of refrigeration, that was exceptionally important. So important, that Roman …

Leadership

An Evening with Apple’s Tim Cook

Tim Cook leads one of the largest global corporations, with sales approaching $200 billion, but you’d never know it. I had the opportunity to visit with Steve Jobs’ Apple successor recently at the Auburn University Lifetime Achievement Awards, and found him to be engaging, insightful and most of all, humble. Cook came from modest beginnings in rural …

Community Service

Making a Difference, One Storefront at a Time

Impressive things are happening in the “Black Belt” town of Greensboro, Alabama. The area was named for its rich topsoil when cotton was king, and is now facing a variety of challenges. For the last few years, a grassroots group of folks from around the nation have focused their efforts down South, inciting change in …

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Lowering the Carbon Footprint of Grocery Refrigeration

We Cannot Change the Wind, But We Can Adjust the Sails

Maximizing RFID

Labor Pains Are Growing

How Much Do You Wax The Floors?

Are Drones the Next Step In Site Documentation?

A Trip to Augusta

Finding Balance in the Cash Flow Cycle

5 Tips for Getting It Right with Highly Specialized Subcontractors

Worth your Salt: A Few Thoughts to Consider Beyond Financial Benefits

An Evening with Apple’s Tim Cook

Making a Difference, One Storefront at a Time