We recently we had a project where very tight tolerances for the floor finishes were important. I thought I would share what this measuring system is all about, and give a quick summary on how to get there. Until the 1980s, concrete flatness was measured as “in 1/8th inch in ten feet,” the gold standard …
I think few would argue against the idea that America is a country obsessed with winning. As Robert Redford said, The slogan I was given as a kid playing sports was, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.’ That was a lie. Everything matters in this country. What …
Where would we be without helicopters? This week we used a Sikorksy S-58t helicopter to set 17 RTUs on a new project scheduled for completion next year. It’s amazing how fast the process moved. From pick up to the roof , set time was less than 1 hour. While we have been using helicopters on …
It may be a matter of time before we see cold in-place recycling (CIPR) in commercial parking areas. As an eco-friendly pavement process, CIPR rehabs old asphalt without using heat. In this process, existing asphalt is removed and then pulverized to the desired aggregate size, mixing in a rejuvenating asphalt emulsion. Almost 100% of the recycled …
Roller compacted concrete (RCC) traditionally has a wide scope of use, from airport runways, to roadways and parking areas. We had the opportunity to use this technique on a project last winter. Our customer needed to move into their building, but the asphalt plants were shut down. We installed RCC in the parking lot, striped …
There is a new structure in our campus garden. Like most things around here, it has a story. Green beans need a little guidance to grow properly. You’ve heard of “pole beans?” They got their name from their supports. When our beans started to get gangly, our gardener Sam suggested we call his friend Lily …
We’ve found that these days, our customers want real. Not promises or polish; but honesty. It seems that research agrees with what we are seeing, and the search for real transcends industry lines. Online, people identify more with iPhone videos than heavily edited commercials. At grocery stores, consumers are asking where their produce comes from, …
On the eve of D day, President Roosevelt led our nation in prayer. Every word was powerful, but the end particularly resonates with me: Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies…let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Regardless of which God you maybe …
Structured parking decks sometimes get a bad rap. We tend to think of these structures as utilitarian, cold and cavernous. They have long been functional eye sores, but times are changing. Even thought the economy has put additional focus on costs and revenues, we’re more attune to environmental concerns. Good urban design is continuing to …
Recently, I was talking with one of our project managers about the integration of good management and strategic leadership with solid customer relationship skills. There’s no doubt this is an awesome (and hard to find) combination. While I do think good leaders need to have a little DNA for this trait in the beginning, in …
As our communities in-fill and become more dense, more multi-level structures will be introduced. Post-tensioned slabs are becoming a larger part of the design and construction mix here. We’re seeing these systems become a more economical and viable option. Is Post-tensioning right for your job? When dealing with multilevel structures–whether residential, parking, office or …
I often hear coworkers referred to as your “work family” and it’s true. We spend a lot of time with our team. Just like family, we may have a few disagreements–where to go for lunch that day, or whose turn it is to empty the community dishwasher–but when it comes to supporting the arts, I’m …