In Texas, we are closing out a unique institutional project. This former skating rink has been made over to become an educational facility designed and built for LEED certification. Many progressive techniques and products were utilized in the construction. Perhaps one of the more interesting is the Alerton Building Automation System, which controls and monitors …
Charles Portis penned the novel True Grit in 1968. It was subsequently made into a movie in 1969 and a remake was released in 2010. The story is of a 16-year-old girl, an aging U.S. Marshall and a Texas Ranger. The trio overcame an endless succession of challenges to the avenge the murder of the …
We are about to start a project that has been in the pre-construction stages for two years. We’ve used of a couple of relatively new tools during this planning period: BIM (building information modeling) and IPD (integrated project delivery). It seems both initiatives are slowly working their way into real estate, design, and construction in one way …
Recently, I participated in a working panel concerning urban growth and development. Led by Roger Millar of Smart Growth America, it highlighted the Portland Streetcar Initiative, with the idea of bringing something similar to our city. The smart growth concept is intended to combat the idea of suburban sprawl “building urban or suburban and rural communities …
In this economy, reusing, repurposing and recycling construction material can make the difference in meeting a budget. Additionally, our experience shows that a portion of customers, whether they be landlords or tenants, are placing an increased value on green label buildings. In the right applications, repurposing materials makes economic sense . This article by Bill …
You might build the best mousetraps. You might even deliver the best service. But if in the process your communication style misses the mark, you can negatively affect the way customers feel about your company. In my experience, this happens now more than ever. We are in a time of unprecedented communication means and methods. …
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 …