Find out more membership benefits and how to get the most from AGC Houston. Attend the New Member Orientation on Thursday, January 29, 2015, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and gain valuable insight from benefits representatives, AGC Houston members and staff. All members are welcome to this free event! Contact Catherine Bezman today for details.

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.

AGC Houston is accepting entries for TBB's Outstanding Construction Awards, which honor projects completed in 2014. Categories include commercial buildings, residential multi-family, residential single family, design build, healthcare, industrial/warehouse, interior finish-out, specialty construction and historical renovation.

4:30-6:00 p.m.

Fire up those pits! It's time to start planning for the 24th annual AGC Houston Barbecue Cook-off March 27 and 28 at the Sam Houston Race Park. Thousands of people are expected to converge on the Sam Houston Race Park  as cook teams will man their barbecue pits around the clock for two days. Don't miss out on the Houston commercial construction industry's most popular event.There are plenty of ways to get your company name in front of industry professionals through sponsorships!

Register today for the AGC of America 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.

Get all the information you need electronically! The 2015 AGC Houston Resource & Membership Directory is available in digital format.

AGC Georgia invites members from across the country to join in for for the quarterly Construction Technology Forum. This free webinar will be featuring contractors  who will share best practices regarding their experiences with many of the featured topics, and representatives from highlighted products/services will be available to provide news about exciting advances in technology for our industry. For registration and questions, please contact Alyson Abercrombie at 678-298-4106.

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 of 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. Successful candidates will carry the CM-BIM designation.

This class develops professional estimating skills, including: an understanding of the different types of estimates; the importance of documentation and formatting; and the link between design, estimating and project costs.

BIM Technology explores the major applications and classes of BIM tools across all project phases; how BIM processes for QTO, shop drawing and fabrication, and construction scheduling can improve projects; and the impact models have for improving estimating, scheduling, and coordinating.

Recognizing AGC Contractor Members for Safety Excellence since 1991, the National AGC Safety Awards (NASA) program has been an ongoing effort to offer AGC members an opportunity to evaluate their safety record. NASA compares a member's safety record with other AGC members according to the member size and construction type. Additionally, NASA provides a great opportunity for contractor members to compete for nationally recognized awards that have excellent safety records.

The AGC Houston Safety Committee will be kicking off 2015 with their first meeting on Friday, January 30, 2015, at 7 a.m. in the AGC Houston office. The Safety Committee is open to all those interested in promoting the safety and education of the construction industry. Contact Safety Director Kim Mason for more details.

This course covers OSHA Electrical Standards and the hazards associated with electrical installations and equipment. Course topics include single- and three-phase systems, cord- and plug-connected and fixed equipment, grounding, ground fault circuit interrupters, and safety-related work practices.

This trainer course will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to educate employers and employees on the hazards associated with H2S (hydrogen sulfide).

Alliance Solutions Group, LLC

The AGC Texas Building Branch has launched their new weekly newsletter, Capitol Roundup, designed to keep you informed of  the latest advocacy efforts in Austin. This tool will be used to keep you up to date on the progress of relevant legislation and to help you become more involved with our process.

A new report finds building costs are rising faster than they have in the past six years. The report from the construction consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall said that the company’s index of construction costs in the United States increased 1.66 percent between July and October, which is the biggest three-month increase since the beginning of 2008. Perhaps more importantly, the report found that construction starts in 2015 will rise about 10 percent—almost double the estimated growth rate in 2014. "General optimism with the construction sector has continued to rise," the report said. 

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a request for further comment on a proposed regulatory program that would make every construction company’s stormwater permit records, inspection results and compliance history accessible to the public.

Have you checked when your U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) program certifications are up for renewal? It is time to start thinking about renewing certifications that expire in 2015. The re-certification process may take several months to complete. The EPA has up to 90 days after receiving a complete application for firm certification to approve or disapprove the application. In addition, renovators must follow the established timeline to complete "refresher" training. Don’t delay getting started with your firm or individual re-certifications.

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. 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.

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.

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 résumés, the site offers a plethora of information on craft training and professional education resources and job fairs throughout Texas. Click here for more information.

A large crowd gathered December 9, 2014 for the groundbreaking of an indoor live entertainment and performing arts venue in Sugar Land that is designed to establish the city as a destination location for culture and entertainment. The venue, which has temporarily been dubbed the ACE Center of Sugar Land, will be designed to host a broad range of performances, such as music and comedy acts and theatrical stage productions. The Linbeck Group, LLC is the general contractor and the Kauffman Company will provide the fire sprinkler protection for the $84 million project. With two great companies working together, the ACE center is sure to be a great success when it opens in Fall 2016!

Contact Catherine Bezman or Jaclyn Lee with your information and photos.

Nearly 300 people gathered at the Omni Hotel on Thursday, January 22, 2015, for the AGC Annual Business Meeting. AGC members and company had the opportunity to hear from guest speakers Ken Simonson, Chief Economist, AGC of America and Jeffrey Robinson, PAS, Inc. on several topics including construction spending forecast, construction employment changes, how the national economy has affected our construction industry and much more.

The Houston Airport System wants to train more construction workers to help with the numerous projects planned for the city's airports in coming years. The Houston City Council is poised to vote Wednesday on a proposal that would cost about $7.1 million to create a training center at Bush Intercontinental to "enhance the skill set" of employees working on airport construction projects. There are multiple projects on tap at Bush Intercontinental, Hobby and Ellington airports, including a new international terminal at Bush.

Following the completion of the 19-story expansion project Texas Children's Hospital announced in November, Texas Children's Hospital will begin renovations on its Emergency Center as well as other areas in the hospital's West Tower, according to a statement. The 19-story addition to the building base next to the Texas Children's Pavilion for Women will add 640,000 square feet and 130 intensive-care beds to the hospital. 

A building boom is underway in Houston, but rather than focus on current projects, the Houston Chronicle prepared a photo gallery of major construction projects from the past 50 years. Sixty-six photos are included, and the projects range from stadiums to freeways to theaters.

The ACE Mentor Program is currently recruiting for new committee members for 2015! The ACE Program has recently increased by over 100 students and has moved to a bigger, better location. ACE needs help in the following committee areas: communications, fundraising, accounting, grant writing, and event judging, If you're interested in becoming a part of ACE, please contact Angela Cotie, Gilbane Building Company,Chairman of the Board, for more information.