The ACE Mentor Program of Houston invites you to join in The Third Annual Build It Forward Event. This event brings together students involved in the ACE Mentor Program and industry-wide professionals. For more information and to learn how you can get involved, please click here.

Register today for the 96th Annual AGC Convention on March 18-20, 2015, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AGC Houston is proud that Chuck Greco, Chairman, Linbeck Group, LLC., will become President of AGC of America. This prestigious honor marks only the second time an AGC Houston Leader has led the organization to such a level since Warren S. Bellows in 1946. At the same time that Chuck will take his new position, Jerry Nevlud, President/CEO of AGC Houston will become Chairman of the Executive Leadership Council with the AGC of America’s organization of CEOs.

Completion of this course meets the requirements of OSHA Paragraph 1926.50, and participants will receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid and CPR/AED wallet card valid for two years upon course completion.

AGC Houston-Frontline Leadership is a six-session training program designed to equip new, current or aspiring supervisors with the tools they need to effectively manage and develop their people and projects. The format consists of six, half-day modules that can be taken as stand-alone courses or as part of the series.

BIM Process, Adoption, and Integration is a full-day (8-hour) course that provides a foundation for participants to establish and execute the BIM process, facilitate its adoption, and achieve integration on a single project and at a company level to execute multiple BIM projects simultaneously.

Learn the difference between leading and managing, and understand the importance of communication in effective leadership. Develop techniques for motivating and negotiating solutions, as well as effectively managing change. Broaden your awareness of ethical standards and professional responsibilities.

For AEC professionals, the AGC Certificate in Management Building Information Modeling (CM-BIM) is an assessment-based certificate credential that denotes knowledge and understanding of concepts related to BIM adoption, practice and process transformation outlined in the AGC BIM Education Program.

Don't miss the last OSHA 10-hour safety course of the year. This construction course covers the safety requirements as contained in 29 CFR 1926. This course is designed to provide an entry-level construction workers general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site. Students benefit from an in-class learning environment.

This trainer course is designed for individuals interested in teaching the OSHA 10- or 30-hour General Industry safety and health Outreach training program to their employees and other interested groups.

This course is designed to give environment, safety and health professionals the tools they need to ensure their workplace is in compliance with environmental regulations and reduce environmental risks. The course will cover the basics of environmental regulations and demonstrate how to identify pertinent regulations to your operations.

The AGC Alternative, is a private insurance exchange that operates like an online store, making it easy for your employees to shop for health insurance and other benefits on their own or through the help of our dedicated employee hotline. 

Benefit from financial strength and a superior loss-control program. It is managed by a board comprised of CompGroup AGC members—general contractors and subcontractors from all parts of Texas are represented. It is a TDI-approved Workers' Compensation Purchasing Group. Learn more about membership benefits in the CompGroup AGC, Inc. today or click here for more information! Contact your insurance agent or call Program Administrator Roberts & Crow at 800-406-9614 - ask for Julie Schatz.

We're excited to announce new AGC Houston emblem stickers available to all members! Show your AGC pride. Contact AGC Houston today at (713) 843-3700 and get hard hat stickers while they last. They're free for members!

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released its final rule implementing Executive Order 13658 (EO), which establishes a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour for direct federal prime contractors and subcontractors at all tiers. That $10.10 minimum wage must be adjusted annually for inflation. The new minimum wage will take effect on direct federal agency contracts entered into on or after Jan. 1, 2015.

AGC Houston and other AGC Texas chapters have joined forces to help promote careers in the commercial construction industry by launching Texasconstructioncareers.com. More than just a website that allows employers to post jobs and job seekers their resumes, the site offers a plethora of information on craft training and professional education resources, career opportunities for military veterans reentering the workforce and job fairs throughout Texas. Click here for more information. 

Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have spent the past five years conducting molecular analyses of the limestone-to-silica ratios of cement to determine the most efficient combination. As the world’s favored construction material and a significant contributor to greenhouse gases—with estimates at about 5-10 percent of industrial emissions—any reduction in pollution that doesn’t compromise final quality is a sure advantage. What the team unearthed is that the standard ratio of calcium to silica is about 1.7, with an acceptable range from 1.2 to 2.2 But their database of various combinations indicates that 1.5 not only reduces CO2 emissions by as much as 60 percent, the concrete is made stronger at that ratio.

The increased coverage around Obamacare and the state’s strong economy has led to more people being covered under employer insurance, which has played a role in bringing the number of uninsured down. However, due to Texas' lack of a comprehensive Medicaid program, the state has seen a much larger drop in the percentage of uninsured. This will begin to affect employers, especially those who hire low-income, uninsured workers. Employer penalties for uninsured employees will start in 2015.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants to overhaul its approach to reducing workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals—and the agency is asking for your help. For the next six months, OSHA will accept comments on the best ways to protect workers from illnesses caused by exposure to hazardous substances. It’s specifically asking stakeholders, including businesses, for suggestions on how to streamline risk assessment and develop alternatives to updating permissible exposure limits (PELs) for chemicals.

Recently, Charles Vento, CFPS, Harris County Fire Marshal's Office contacted AGC Houston to inform our members about Waller County's Fire Code. Stated Vento, "Many of the contractors, developers, and design professionals who work on projects in Waller County come from the Houston area and so we are hoping that you will help us with this initiative to get the word out. Please see the Web address and attached press release for information related to relevant codes, plan submittal, and fees."