| December 16, 2014
|
In This Issue |
Events
|
|
Education/
Training
|
|
Safety
|
|
New Members
|
|
AGC News
|
|
Member News
|
|
News You Can Use
|
|
 Quick Links |
|
 |
Events |
Need to know AGC's scheduled holiday closures? Click here to download a calendar of the office closure dates. On behalf of AGC leadership and staff, we wish you a happy and safe holiday season!
|
With 2015 right around the corner and a busy year surely ahead for the construction industry, there's no better time to begin registering for AGC Houston's upcoming education and safety classes. From leadership seminars to the most current OSHA classes, we're committed to keeping workers safe and educated. Click here to view the 2015 calendar and to register for classes.
|
Do you know anyone who could use money for higher education? Hurry and apply today for the Patrick J. Kiley Excellence In Leadership Scholarships. Deadline is January 31, 2015. AGC Houston will award scholarships to deserving students majoring in a construction-related discipline or an employee or dependent of an AGC Houston member firm.
|
Do you know a deserving recipient? The AGC Houston Standard of Excellence Award is presented annually and gives special recognition to a construction industry employee who most exemplifies the highest standards of excellence: commitment to quality, customer service, cooperation, teamwork and professionalism.
All construction industry employees are eligible – employees of general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, service companies, architects and engineers. Nominate a deserving individual today. Deadline for application is January 31, 2015.
|
Please join us for our premier chapter business meeting of the year. We welcome
back Ken Simonson, Chief Economist, AGC of America and Jeff Robinson, PAS.
NEW LOCATION! Omni Houston, Four Riverway, Houston, Texas 77056. For sponsorship and registration details, click on the link below.
|
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.
|
 |
Education/Training |
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.
|
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.
|
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.
|
BIM 101 is designed specifically for construction professionals eager to learn the essential concepts of BIM.
|
 |
Safety |
OSHA's new, reporting requirements take effect on January 1, 2015.Employers will have to report any inpatient hospitalizations, amputations or losses of an eye affecting any one employee within 24 hours.
|
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.
|
This course is the update required every four years for all OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainers for the Construction Industry. It provides timely information on OSHA Construction Industry standards, policies and regulations.
|
This course covers the various types of common machinery, machine safeguards, and related OSHA regulations and procedures.
|
Course topics include practical soil mechanics and its relationship to the stability of shored and unshored slopes and walls of excavations, introduction of various types of shoring (wood timbers and hydraulic), soil classification, and use of protective systems.
|
This course will provide an overview of the risk management and insurance profession from the health and safety program perspective. Topics include recognition, avoidance, abatement and prevention of safety and health hazards found in the workplace.
|
This course is the update required every four years for all OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainers for General Industry. It provides timely information on OSHA General Industry standards, policies and regulations.
|
 |
New Members |
Please consider using the following companies for your business needs:
1414 FM 1960
Houston, Texas 77073
800-733-2231
4500 Blalock Road
Houston, Texas 77041
281-870-1600
|
 |
AGC News |
Non-farm payrolls were up 321,000 in November, according to Friday's data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was far above economists' expectations of around 230,000. The construction sector added 20,000 jobs, while architectural and engineering services added 5,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.8%. The number of jobs added in September and October was revised upward by 44,000 as well.
|
AGC of America has submitted an amicus brief with the National Labor Relations Board in a case involving common-situs picketing. The case, IBEW Local 357 (Desert Sun Enterprises), presents an opportunity for the Board to reconsider its long-standing requirement that when a union notifies a neutral employer of its intent to picket a primary employer (the employer with which it has a direct dispute) at a site where both employers are located, the union must include assurances that it will conduct the picketing in accordance with set standards for lawful picketing.
|
Benefit from financial strength and a superior loss-control program. It is managed by a board composed 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.
|
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.
|
AGC Houston members are now eligible for even more discounts thanks to our new membership with National Purchasing Partners! AGC Members Enroll Today! Visit the Membership Discounts page on the AGC.org for more information. Sign up today with NPP to access some of these great savings opportunities:
Did you know?
- AGC
Members collectively saved more than $4,941,000 last year off the purchase
or lease of new GM, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ford vehicles.
- AGC
Members collectively saved more than $2,217,232 last year off shipping and
freight through AGC’s shipping programs.
- iSqFt - A decade ago,ISqFt forged a strategic partnership with AGC providing members with online plan room services and leads.
- Verizon - Access the nation's largest and most reliable 4G LTE network. Members receive 22% off of corporate calling plans. Contact the National Purchasing Partners at 800-810-3909 for more information.
- Reliant Energy: Discounted prices, one-stop-shop service to install temporary meters and more.
- LegalZoom: Personalized, affordable legal protection.
- Ram Commercial Trucks: AGC members can receive up to $500 cash allowance toward the purchase or lease of many of the most popular vehicles in our lineup.
|
Did you know one of the many benefits of being an AGC Member is access to our résumé service? As a service to our members, we compile résumés of job-seeking professionals in the construction industry. To access this service, simply log in to the Members' Only section at agchouston.org to view the most current list.
Interested in posting a résumé on our website? Contact Jaclyn Lee to have yours posted today.
|
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 resumés, the site offers a plethora of information on craft training and professional education resources and job fairs throughout Texas. Click here for more information.
|
 |
Member News |
Gilbane Building Co. helped transform Moody Gardens into one of the coolest holiday destinations in the Southwest with the opening of its new attraction, ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures with SpongeBob SquarePants. Gilbane spent more than a year on the construction of the tent that houses the ice sculptures. The finished product was an impressive 28,000-square-foot tent that towers 40 feet into the air.
"With the amazing work of Gilbane Building Company, the VYA Ice Carving Team, and the Moody Gardens staff, it's been so much fun watching this come to life," said Moody Gardens President and CEO John Zendt. Learn more about the ice sculptures and the Festival of Lights here.
|
W.S. Bellows Construction Corp. recently began construction at the St John's School campus by expanding the campus with the new campus center building. This new building will replace the 40-plus-year-old Winston Hall and serve as the hub of academic and social activity for the school. The 70,000-square-foot undertaking is scheduled to open for use in Fall 2015.
Headmaster, Mark Desjardins, summarizes the importance of this latest project: "In short, this expansion project will connect an invigorated student body with the broader St. John’s community, meeting a need that we have experienced for many years."
|
Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproofing is proud to announce the promotion of three vice presidents in the Houston market. Lyle Coston has been promoted to Vice President & General Manager of Houston’s Waterproofing and Caulking Department after 14 years with Chamberlin. Joining Coston is Bill Lawson, who has moved up the career ladder and advanced to Vice President of Roofing Operations for all Chamberlin markets. Also joining them is TR Mayfield, previously a Roofing Estimating Manager, is now Vice President of Roof Estimating services for all Chamberlin markets.
"Each of these team members have contributed significantly toward the success of Chamberlin on our journey," said President/CEO, John Kafka. Congratulations on this exciting time and we wish you continued success in 2015!
 |
News You Can Use |
Houston's construction industry is expected to grow almost 2.5 percent in the next five years, according to an industry observer. With education and healthcare leading the way in construction, 2015 is looking bright. Voters in the Katy, Fort Bend and Lamar independent school districts passed school bond initiatives last month, ushering in more than $1 billion in new school construction in the coming years. President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act has changed the medical landscape, focusing on a "hub and spoke" health care delivery system. This new focus has shifted the medical construction sector from traditional $300 million hospitals to community clinics.
|
More than 8 in 10 construction firms have reported finding it difficult to hire craft labor according to a survey by the Associated General Contractors of America. "So many projects requiring the same skill set have been announced or planned that there are sure to be delays, either in fabricating and delivering components, or in erecting them," said AGC's chief economist Ken Simonson.
|
Riverside Resources is building a 39-story condominium tower in Austin, Texas, and a joint venture with Gilbane Building Co. and Rogers-O'Brien Construction has been named the general contractor. When completed in 2017, the Fifth & West tower will be one of the largest buildings in the city.
|
Only a handful of Class B office buildings in Houston are LEED certified. While 28 percent of Houston's 296 Class A properties have LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, just 2 percent of Houston's 571 Class B buildings can say the same, according to CBRE Group Inc. (NYSE: CBG). A recent CoreNet Global meeting focused on how Houston could help Class B commercial property owners understand the benefits—and financial payoffs—of going green. These improvements can boost the value of Class B buildings, which helps when it comes time to refinance or sell, said Dougal Cameron, Cameron Management's president and CEO. Improvements, like LEED certification, can lower the capitalization rate, which real estate investors use to compare commercial properties.
|
A statewide coalition of Associated General Contractors (AGC) building chapters has taken the effort to address statewide
labor shortages and craft training needs to the Internet.
According to Doug McMurry, Executive Vice President of AGC San Antonio, many owners are willing to help address the skilled labor shortage. "In Houston, some owners are willing to pay more for construction services, if contractors are working ‘to positively address the issues facing the craft worker," citing the Construction Career Collaborative (C3). "By working together, owners and industry leaders can achieve greater results."
|
President Barack Obama's executive order is expected to stay the deportations of about five million immigrants and grant them temporary work permits, giving them the same legal protections on wages, health and safety that U.S. workers take for granted. In Texas, which has the greatest number of people living here illegally after California, an estimated 743,000 immigrants of about 1.5 million could receive permits. They'll qualify either as parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents or through Obama's expansion of the so-called dreamer program for young adults.
"A lot of our workforce doesn't have the proper work papers," said AGC Houston President, Jerry Nevlud. "Now they'd be able to stay on payrolls, and companies can invest in training and development. That stability will encourage workers to consider construction as a career, not just a short-term job. The bottom line for the industry is that it's a good thing."
|
Many in the construction industry are finding that drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can play a vital role in their work. Whether they’re used for surveying, to show clients and potential clients an aerial overview of completed projects, to monitor jobsites to ensure safe practices or to inspect bridges and other structures, drones have the potential to become as important a tool to the industry as any piece of yellow iron. The Federal Aviation Agency has said that it plans to allow commercial UAS use once it has drawn up proper regulations for the aircraft. The deadline for those regulations is some time in 2015.
|
Dodge Data & Analytics released its Construction Outlook report, which shows a five percent increase in construction activity this year and forecasts a nine percent increase next year. The report notes construction financing is becoming easier to obtain and more construction bonds are being passed. Office, institutional, single- and multi-family housing, and public works sectors will see largest gains in spending, according to the report.
|
The of Houston Technology Alumni Association will be holding a clay shoot competition on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at the American Shooting Centers. To learn more about sponsorship and to register for the event, click here.
|
|
| |
|
