Thursday, June 30, 2011
Be it ever so not humble: Billionaires' mansions
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg may have recently shelled out $7 million for a Palo Alto home, but when it comes to billionaire real estate, that purchase is downright thrifty.
Progress Energy pension returns up 14%
Two of three Triangle companies reporting on the investment returns of their internal employee savings and retirement plans say they experienced positive growth in net assets in 2010.
Construction News Headlines for June 30, 2011
AGC Offers Webinar on Construction Costs
The Associated General Contractors has assembled three forecasters to talk about where they think construction materials prices are headed, what to watch for, and why. They’ll also take your questions during this August 3 webinar. (More at ForConstructionPros.com . . . )
MSHA Approves New Cummins Ram Pickup in Underground Mines
Cummins received certification by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for the use of the Cummins 6.7L
CRD to take a microscope to controversial Central Saanich projects
Rå Build solid wall aircrete masonry shell selected for Stondonfield social housing development
Being social housing, all the homes in the Stondonfield social housing development in Essex had to be built to level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. This meant thermal and air tightness qualities of the build method would have to be excellent and speed of build was also key.A R Build, thin-jointed solid wall aircrete masonry shell was the most cost effective solution for the Stondonfield social housing development. Principle
Miller Construction commences works on Galashiels Campus site
Once completed, the Galashiels Campus project at Heriot-Watt University will provide a 218-bed student residence - part of the Universitys wider 26 million development project which also includes new residencies at its Edinburgh Campus.last month, Miller Construction welcomed the Principal of Heriot-Watt University to mark the commencement of works on site of the new 12 million student accommodation project at its Scottish
Shaw Awarded Contract for New 550-Megawatt Combined Cycle Electric Generating Plant by Entergy
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Problems With New Good Faith Estimate Forms
Winter: A Great Time to Inspect Your Home's Foundation
Draw Your Home's Footprint. Make a basic sketch of the outline of your home using a computer drawing program, graph paper or plain paper. Be sure to indicate doors and windows.
Inspect Your Doors and Windows. Whenever an opening is cut or created in a wall, such as a door or window, it becomes the weakest point in the wall. Because of this, doors and windows often display the first signs of settlement. Three common observations to look for include: 1) gaps between the frame and door or window, 2) cracks extending from the corners of doors or windows, and 3) the separation of a door or window from the framing or exterior finish. You can also check for misalignment by opening and shutting doors and windows to see that they are operating properly and that they lock or latch properly too. Note any of these signs on your sketch.
Check Your Floor. Walk through your home and note any abrupt changes in the floor such as cracks, sudden drop offs or rises. You may even notice the floors dropping and separating from walls, forming a gap between the floor and the wall.
Another way to check if your floors are sloping is to take a gas or laser level and set it on the floor of the main level pointing toward the walls. Measure the difference between the laser line and the floor on one side of the room and compare it to the distance between the laser line and the floor on the opposite side of the room. Make a note of any differences on your sketch.
Check Your Walls and Ceilings for Cracks. Cracks in drywall throughout the house are a good indicator of settlement and may be more obvious in the uppermost levels of your house. Look for these common signs and note them on your drawing: 1) drywall cracks extending from the corners of doors and windows 2) cracks that follow drywall seams 3) drywall tape buckling, pulling or ripping. Note on your sketch the direction, width and severity of the cracks.
Check Your Interior Foundation Walls. In this step, look for cracks on the interior of your crawlspace foundation walls or basement walls. On basement and foundation walls built of concrete block, horizontal cracks and cracks that form stair-step like patterns along the mortar lines are common and a sign of settlement; however, for basement walls constructed of poured concrete, vertical cracks are more common.
Inspect the Exterior of Your Home. Finally, walk around the outside of your home and visually look for any shifting, sinking or other movement, especially around chimneys and patios. Since most chimneys are built on a foundation not connected to the house, they are at a greater risk for settlement and will separate away from the home.
In brick homes, stair step cracking along the mortar lines is a common sign of foundation settlement. As the home settles further, vertical cracks may widen, indicating that the wall is rotating outward.
If after your inspection you notice any of the following: 1) cracks that grow and shrink in size over time, 2) foundation walls that are visibly bowed, or 3) leaning or sloping floors, then it is probably time to contact a professional contractor that specializes in structural repairs. Jesse Waltz, Professional Engineer and President of JES, a local company that specializes in foundation repair and has worked on thousands of homes, cautions against ignoring these signs. "Foundation settlement problems do not go away on their own, and in many cases, they actually get worse," says Waltz.
Fortunately, a home experiencing foundation settlement issues can be permanently stabilized. According to Waltz, "JES uses engineered solutions that transfer the weight of the home from the unstable soils to competent load-bearing soil. When left untreated, not only does the structure become more and more unstable and unsafe, but the value of the home declines too."
New-home sales fall for first time in months
Fewer people bought new homes last month, the latest sign that the struggling housing market won't rebound this year.
Construction News Headlines for June 29, 2011
AED: Administration Advances Pro-Union Rules
Last week, the NLRB issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in an effort to alter existing unionization regulations. The proposed rule will reduce the amount of time employees and employers may communicate prior to the election and limit the opportunity for full hearings on issues such as voter eligibility, appropriateness of the unit, and election misconduct. Most union elections take place within two months of a filed petition. This
SGS perform Non-Destructive Testing on steel structured building in Taiwan
SGS Industrial Services have announced they have been awarded a contract to provide comprehensive inspection and testing services for the construction of a thirty-eight storey steel structured building, located at Chin Shan South Road in Taipei City, Taiwan, on April 28, 2011.Throughout the entire contract, scheduled for construction from July 2011 to March 2012, SGS Industrial Services will perform Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
Autodesk's 3D CAD River-Analysis Extension Floated as Free Trial
Zynga IPO could raise $2B, file Wednesday: source
Bradley honored as Realtor Rookie of the Year
Realtor Lisa Bradley of Coldwell Banker, in Shrewsbury was awarded the 2011 Rookie of the Year Award at the Worcester Regional Association of Realtors 2011 Awards Ceremony recently at Cyprian Keyes, Boylston.
Hunt/Moss: Florida Marlins Stadium
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Fit for Kings: Third+Bond Is Brooklyn’s Second LEED Platinum Building
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Last week, Brooklyn’s Third+Bond condominium development in Gowanus earned Kings County’s second LEED Platinum rating from USGBC. (You may recall the first: Park Slope’s Silhouette condominiums, a 5500-square-foot development that we’ve written about previously here at gbNYC.)
Located just a block from the Gowanus Canal on – you guessed it – Third and Bond Streets, the project was designed by Tribeca-based
Ensure Unhindered Power Supply With Solar Power Products
And one such eco friendly products range includes the solar power gadgets that are in great demands today. These have completely changed the entire scene of power generation. The Boost to the eco friendly product market has also come from the rising concerns for global hazards and environmental warming. Each day you can read out the news for the changing global environment issues and multinational conferences being held around the globe. All these things have given the necessary boost required for the eco friendly products. And solar energy being available and present at all sources has got the advantageous position and significantly promoted the use of solar power products.
The job that just began with the cooking, heating and electric generation has now entered each and every source of life. There may be hardly any area where these solar products aren't finding their utility. From the smaller range products to the larger areas solar powered gadgets are everywhere. Solar energy is driving cars and now even planes and is used in furnaces for high temperature smelting and melting operations. You can have the solar panels installed in your homes that will certainly supply unhindered power to your place. Solar power generators can supply electricity over a large scale. Solar lighting, solar power gate openers, solar RV Panels, solar Marine panels and many more, there are so many solar gadgets that you can use in your daily life. These solar products are very clean and affordable source of power.
With the solar chargers you can charge your car batteries, laptops, mobile phones etc. These solar power products use nothing but the power of the sun and emit no fumes or unwanted elements. With the use of these solar products nothing harmful is emitted that spoils our environment. So leading global brands are today manufacturing these solar gadgets and there are so many online stores from where you can make a purchase for these green and energy efficient solar products. If you are looking for an online solar product store from where you can have the wide variety of solar gadgets and at very affordable and discounted prices then you can feel lucky to find one here. All the solar products by leading global brands can be found at: http://www.everythingsolar.net
Christchurch rebuild on hold until shaking stops, says Fletcher CEO
A strong rise in forecast earnings is dependent on Christchurch reconstruction work getting underway, says Fletcher Building chief executive Jonathan Ling Photo / Natalie Slade The actual physical rebuild of Christchurch won't be complex but will remain frustratingly on hold until the aftershocks tormenting the city come to an end, says Fletcher ...
Scientific Conservation snatching up Servidyne in $13M buy
San Francisco-based Scientific Conservation, which makes energy-management analytics software aimed at energy efficiency for the commercial building market, will pay $3.50 a share in an all-cash transaction for Servidyne .
Fla. Dealer to Pay $54.4 Million in Chinese Drywall Settlement
Private-Sector Dollars Sought for Transit, High-Speed Rail
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) fleshed out a plan to draw private-sector money to upgrade passenger rail service from Washington, D.C., to Boston to high-speed levels.The plan would remove from Amtrak's
Job outlook for electricians bright
Even though the job market and the economy remain unstable, job prospects for electricians are still good, industry locals said.
As Lenders Hold Homes in Foreclosure, Sales Are Hurt
FNC: U.S. home prices continue to improve
U.S. home prices continue to show notable improvement in April. This is according to a report from FNC Inc.
Builders' Confidence Sinks into Summer Depression
Monday, June 27, 2011
The men behind the 'magic'
It was a dark and stormy night, suddenly becoming darker when the power went out.
Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois
Into the Bustle of China's Boom
I'M an architect in the Seattle office of NBBJ, an international design firm. In the fall of 2007, the partners asked me to transfer to our office in Shanghai for two years.
Quartix 12-month vehicle tracking contract – with no set-up charges – sees strong demand
Quartix has announced it is equipping more than 2,000 vehicles a month with its real-time tracking system. Quartix is experiencing especially strong demand for its 12-month vehicle tracking contract from owners of HGV and light-commercial fleets.We believe we are continuing to outperform all our competitors in the UK, which means we remain in a class of our own, said Andy Kirk, sales and marketing director.With prices starting at
Construction News Headlines for June 27, 2011
Loan Program Extension could Help More Small Businesses
The Small Business Administration (SBA) officially lifted the December 31, 2012, date limit on 504 loans, making the refinancing of distressed mortgages accessible to more small businesses. The 504 loan program enacted under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 temporarily allows small businesses facing maturing commercial real estate mortgages or balloon payments to refinance eligible fixed assets through the SBA. Eliminating the
Renters are next victims of housing market
Apartment dwellers, long happy to sidestep the drama homeowners have suffered in the housing market, are now facing their own downside in the form of sharply rising rents.
Greenbriar sets the standard for active-adult living
For more than 40 years, buyers from throughout the state and beyond have traveled to central and southern New Jersey to experience active-adult living in a Greenbriar community.
Berkowitz Wins Battle for St. Joe Board, CEO Steps Down
Can you help me find wood floors that meet my green "wish list"?
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McCormick Place private contractors gain more clout over prices
Trade associations and exhibitors likely will pay more for electrical services under agreements that keep McCormick Place electricians on the job but allow two private contractors to mark up the cost of the electricians' work, Crain's has learned.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Beazer's Ian McCarthy Resigns as CEO
U.S. Subcontractor Group Loses National President
Right Verdict is Acquittal for Deutsche Bank Fire Defendants
State Supreme Court Judge Rena Uviller and a jury in Manhattan now are deciding whether to convict
NRC Finds Deficiencies at U.S. Nuclear Powerplants
Officials from a NRC task force said in a June 14 public meeting that some U.S. powerplants are not ready to cope with an extended loss of power from both the electrical grid and emergency generators, which occurred at the
Stephenson&Turner: New Zealand Government Building
PacifiCorp's reliance on coal plants brings utility to expensive juncture
Published: Saturday, June 25, 2011, 9:00 AM Updated: Saturday, June 25, 2011, 11:11 AM Tim Kupsick / Casper Star-Tribune PacifiCorp's largest-capacity coal plant, the Jim Bridger Plant near Rock Springs, Wyo.
Consultant presents master plan for Port Clinton
The city's consultant has presented the master plan for the Waterworks Park, downtown and surrounding areas.
Ensure Unhindered Power Supply With Solar Power Products
And one such eco friendly products range includes the solar power gadgets that are in great demands today. These have completely changed the entire scene of power generation. The Boost to the eco friendly product market has also come from the rising concerns for global hazards and environmental warming. Each day you can read out the news for the changing global environment issues and multinational conferences being held around the globe. All these things have given the necessary boost required for the eco friendly products. And solar energy being available and present at all sources has got the advantageous position and significantly promoted the use of solar power products.
The job that just began with the cooking, heating and electric generation has now entered each and every source of life. There may be hardly any area where these solar products aren't finding their utility. From the smaller range products to the larger areas solar powered gadgets are everywhere. Solar energy is driving cars and now even planes and is used in furnaces for high temperature smelting and melting operations. You can have the solar panels installed in your homes that will certainly supply unhindered power to your place. Solar power generators can supply electricity over a large scale. Solar lighting, solar power gate openers, solar RV Panels, solar Marine panels and many more, there are so many solar gadgets that you can use in your daily life. These solar products are very clean and affordable source of power.
With the solar chargers you can charge your car batteries, laptops, mobile phones etc. These solar power products use nothing but the power of the sun and emit no fumes or unwanted elements. With the use of these solar products nothing harmful is emitted that spoils our environment. So leading global brands are today manufacturing these solar gadgets and there are so many online stores from where you can make a purchase for these green and energy efficient solar products. If you are looking for an online solar product store from where you can have the wide variety of solar gadgets and at very affordable and discounted prices then you can feel lucky to find one here. All the solar products by leading global brands can be found at: http://www.everythingsolar.net
Tenants Benefiting From Downtown Miami Building
Two new office buildings are up and a third is on its way despite a high vacancy rate and a 12 percent unemployment rate.
URS Corp. wins contract for environmental report on proposed quarry
County supervisors Tuesday awarded URS Corp. the contract to assess the impact of a quarry proposed east of Santa Margarita.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
MERS? It May Have Swallowed Your Loan
Earning Scan: CAG, DFS, LEN, ORCL, ACN (iStock Analysis)
| 
| Lybia Protests News, Industry - Construction News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.Nanjing Fights to Save Its London Plane ?Supertrees?
This spring, outraged by plans to uproot hundreds of trees to make way for a new subway line, thousands of Nanjing residents mobilized to oppose the action.
Shaw Announces Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2011 Earnings Conference Call and Live Webcast
Player of the soundtrack to a misspent youth
Shaw Named Administrator for Wisconsin?s Focus on Energy Program
Keenooshayo students deliver anti-vandalism message
Record's New Editor in Chief
Friday, June 24, 2011
Home sales pick up in California
Houses seen from a hillside above Mountain Laurel Way in Azusa in this Jan. 24, 2005, file photo.
Walden C.O. 'Water-Jobs' Bill Gets House Hearing
Rep. Greg Walden's Central Oregon Water and Jobs Security Act received a legislative hearing Thursday, an important step in the process of advancing the bill in the House.
PHOTO: Benzene Cleanup
ConocoPhillips employees and workers from URS Corp. man a vacuum truck Monday at the fence line of the refinery where it meets Chaffer Avenue and East Fourth Street in Roxana.
RIVERSIDE: Utility workers tentatively agree to pension changes
Riverside has reached a tentative agreement with its public utility workers that would save money on pension costs, but other details of the contract still must be worked out.
Construction News Headlines for June 24, 2011
Construction Jobs that Ended Great Depression No Longer Exist
Infrastructure projects create jobs. But the number of jobs created or saved by $25 billion in Recovery Act spending on roads was a mere 150,000 over a two-year period. That isn’t a trivial number, but it’s hardly a game changer for an economy that needs to create five million jobs each year just to keep the unemployment rate constant. (More at ForConstructionPros.com . . . )
Federal Reserve Cuts its US Economic Growth
Universal Forest Products CEO Michael Glenn resigns, citing health
Universal Forest Products Inc. this morning announced it had accepted the resignation of CEO Michael Glenn, citing unspecified health reasons.
BioWayste reactors are generating biogas at the Bruichladdich distillery
Two high-rate 60m3 BioWayste reactors are generating biogas and achieving over 95% COD removal at the Bruichladdich distillery on the Hebredian island of Islay.In a first for the whisky industry, the biogas and treated wastewater sets the distillery apart from other whisky producers in an industry that has long been one of the highest energy users and biggest waste producers.In just a few weeks, said Bruichladdichs Managing
HRS manages access control and workforce reporting at Carillion's BSF projects in Wolverhampton
Carillion's building schools for the future (BSF) projects at Coppice, Wednesfield and Bilston, required an accurate and efficient way of managing site access and reporting against site incidents. Carillion has selected Human Recognition Systems (HRS) to manage access control and workforce management reporting across three of their most high profile BSF projects in Wolverhampton. Each of the locations had a different deployment
Budget talks suspended as Cantor bolts over taxes
Efforts to blend huge budget cuts with an increase in how much the government can borrow have entered a new phase after Republican negotiators pulled out of talks led by Vice President Joe Biden.
Despite ideal housing market, first-time homebuyers still find challenges
Published: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 9:20 AM Updated: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 9:26 AM Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger Jeff and Kelley Joss, with baby Luisa, are renting an apartment in Chatham and do not plan to buy a house, even though it's an ideal time with inventory high and prices low.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
ETS Election April 26 - May 1
Thursday's ETF with Unusual Volume: ITB
A Biblical Blueprint Meets the Fire Code and the Neighbors
A Dutch man?s vision of a modern-day ark may be more in tune with global warming and tourism than great floods, but it meets Noah?s specifications.
Follet, Caterpillar unit will move their operations to Aurora
Follett Corp., a textbook retailer, and a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. have announced new leases to move their operations to west suburban Aurora.
Can you help me find nontoxic shades for my baby's room?
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A Cool New Pavement
That’s cool as in the temperature. Some studies say dark pavement surfaces can be a contributing factor to the formation of urban heat because the dark surface absorbs and stores heat. The EPA uses the term “Cool Pavement” to describe a surface coating that reduces the pavement’s surface heat. One such cool pavement is the newly introduced Solar Reflective Cool Pavement from manufacturer Emerald Cities.
According to Emerald Cities’ website, this cool concrete is a
Construction News Headlines for June 23, 2011
Hyundai’s Equipment Arm Set for Move to Norcross
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas is moving its headquarters from Chicagoland to Norcross, Ga. Operations will include a warehouse and office space for the company’s finance, sales and service, and includes 100 jobs. About 100 more jobs will be created over the next five years. (More at ForConstructionPros.com . . . )
BidSync Quadruples Government Bid Notifications Available to Subscribers
BidSync – a provider of
Burns & McDonnell hosts sustainability summit
Businesses looking to go green should go "Dumpster diving," a senior engineering associate at Clorox Co.
Insituform shares plunge on reduced 2011 guidance
Burns & McDonnell hosts sustainability summit
Businesses looking to go green should go "Dumpster diving," a senior engineering associate at Clorox Co.
Stocks rally as Juncker says Greek solution will be found
Despite continued European concerns stock prices were able to post solid gains Monday.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Home sales hit 6-month low, prices decline
Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell to a six-month low in May and prices dropped 4.6 percent from a year ago, pointing to a housing market still struggling to regain its footing.
Despite ideal housing market, first-time homebuyers still find challenges
Published: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 9:20 AM Updated: Wednesday, June 22, 2011, 9:26 AM Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger Jeff and Kelley Joss, with baby Luisa, are renting an apartment in Chatham and do not plan to buy a house, even though it's an ideal time with inventory high and prices low.
Israel to Allow Building Cargo to Enter Gaza
Westfield Group: Global Retail Property
Crate & Barrel: Improving the Design and Build Process with Autodesk Revit
Construction News Headlines for June 22, 2011
June Builder Confidence Declines, First Time in Six Months
After holding at a low but steady level for six months, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes declined three points in June to a reading of 13 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The last time the index was this low was in September of 2010. (More at ForConstructionPros.com . . . )
OSHA Fines OH Contractor $158,000 for Willful, Repeat Violations in
Tractor Supply turns to private labels
This fall, Brentwood-based retailer Tractor Supply Co. Tractor Supply Co. Follow this company is expected to roll out a new group of private-label products to boost sales.
Precision Placement 'In the Blind' With GPS
Owlett-Jaton's Ulti-Mate II woodscrew is designed for speed and high performance
Owlett-Jaton's Ulti-Mate II screw is a precision engineered and technologically superior Trade Quality woodscrew, designed for speed and high performance. An advancement of the Ulti-Mate screw, Ulti-Mate II boasts many features, including an improved Quick Start point, slotted shank for reduced splitting, self countersinking PoziSquare recessed head and ACR (Anti-Camout Ribs).Ulti-Mate II was officially launched at the 2011 NMBS
Quick read
Stocks rally as Juncker says Greek solution will be found
Despite continued European concerns stock prices were able to post solid gains Monday.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
IBEW reaches tentative agreement with SaskPower
REGINA The province's power company has reached a tentative deal with its largest union.
Ashtead slides despite rise in operating result (Financial Times)
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