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In observance of Labor Day, the AGC Houston office will close at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 29 and reopen Tuesday, September 2 at 8:00 a.m. We wish you all a safe holiday weekend!
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Omni Austin Hotel Downtown Austin, Texas Registration for the 2014 AGC Building Contractors Conference is open! Taking place in Austin, this year's conference focuses on bringing together high-level leaders in the building construction industry to share, learn and discuss the issues essential to them and their business. Guest speakers will include Ken Simonson, AGC of America Chief Economist; Ryan Abbott, Sundt Construction, and more. Don't miss the chance to network with others in the industry and discuss relevant topics essential to the construction industry.
Visit http://meetings.agc.org/austinbcc to view the full article online. |
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281420&issueID=40127 to view the full article online.
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InterContinental Dallas Hotel Dallas, TexasFollowing the April BIMForum, this conference will focus on optimizing construction using aspects of BIM. Speakers from around the nation will be presenting on how they are using BIM proactively and effectively to have a measurable impact on the construction process. Topics will include BIM Execution Planning, Collocation Management, What Does BIM Mean For Insurance?, and more. Register today!
Visit http://meetings.bimforum.org/2014/ to view the full article online. |
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Sheraton Downtown Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona AGC's Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference provides two days of education and networking for HR, training and workforce development professionals in the construction industry. Educational sessions cover the most cutting-edge techniques in training and development currently in use and envisioned for the future in the industry.
Visit http://www.agc.org/cs/events/conferences/training_education_conference to view the full article online. |
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281541&issueID=40127 to view the full article online.
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San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk
San Antonio, Texas Registration for the CLC Leadership Development Conference, formerly known as Fall Working Weekend, is now open. This year’s event is co-hosted with the San Antonio Chapter of AGC and will take place October 23-25, 2014, at the San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk. Highlights of the program include keynote speaker George "The Iceman" Gervin, former San Antonio Spurs player; Chuck Greco, Linbeck Group, LLC, and Senior Vice President of AGC of America; and a roundtable session that will allow attendees to learn best practices from CLC groups from across the country. Visit http://meetings.agc.org/ldc14/ to view the full article online. |
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Caesar's Palace
Las Vegas, Nevada The Construction Financial Management Conference was developed in response to a need for programs and workshops designed specifically for financial professionals in the construction industry. The three-day conference will feature lectures and workshops on topics such as construction taxes, change order and claims management, federal acquisition regulations and more. Register by September 5 for the early bird discount!
Visit http://meetings.agc.org/agc_cfma/ to view the full article online. |
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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.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1838 to view the full article online. |
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This course is designed specifically for superintendents, project managers, property managers , property owners, or anyone responsible for storm water jobsite compliance.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1433 to view the full article online. |
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BIM Unit 1 is designed specifically for construction professionals eager to learn the essential concepts of BIM. The full-day (8-hour) course explains the benefits of improved visualization on a construction project through the use of 3D, 4D, and 5D models, establishes a knowledge base of BIM terminology and outlines case studies showing successful BIM implementation.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1406 to view the full article online. |
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Understand how basic contracts are structured, how different types of contracts are used, and how project documentation relates to effective contracting. Learn how different project delivery methods use different contracting strategies, and gain insight into contract law and language in relation to project risk.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1427 to view the full article online. |
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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.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1400 to view the full article online. |
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Learn how to comply with contractual obligations concerning insurance and to assure compliance of other involved parties. Everything you need to know about insurance certificates will be covered.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1393 to view the full article online. |
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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.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1677 to view the full article online. |
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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.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1678 to view the full article online. |
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This course covers the factors of an air quality management program which includes identify the parties involved, goal setting, control techniques, risk assessment, air monitoring and regulations/enforcement.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1794 to view the full article online. |
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AGC will be bringing together industry safety specialists for a free discussion on what to expect in a standard OSHA inspection. The panel will be featuring OSHA directors David Doucet and Mark Briggs, and Compliance Assistant Specialist, Jim Shelton. Attorneys Tony Stergio and Keith Coulter, as well as Safety Consultant Homer Peterson, will be answering questions regarding employee statements, documentation during inspections, and much more. Space is limited, so register today!
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1848 to view the full article online. |
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This course covers the OSHA standards, policies, and procedures in general industry. Topics include scope and application of the OSHA General Industry Standards, general industry principles and special emphasis on those areas in general industry which are most hazardous.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1751 to view the full article online. |
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This construction 10-hour safety 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.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1639 to view the full article online. |
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The Globally Harmonized System for Hazard Communication is an international standard for informing workers about health, physical, and environmental hazards in the workplace. This course will cover the regulatory requirements for container labeling, the nine pictograms and their meanings, the Safety Data Sheet format and content requirements. For the Spanish session, click here.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1823 to view the full article online. |
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This course focuses on how to prepare for and conduct assessments, identifying issues, and the disposition of those issues. Classroom lecture and experiential exercises are utilized to provide students the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills presented.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1752 to view the full article online. |
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This course is designed for healthcare professionals who want to plan and present safety and health content to their employees/colleagues.The program covers topics specific to making safety and health training engaging, relevant, and impactful for all healthcare workers. In addition to the content, the participants will receive a Trainer's Tool Kit with a variety of resources and training material
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1771 to view the full article online. |
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This course is designed to provide Spanish-speaking entry-level construction workers with a general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on the jobsite. Participants will learn about the safety requirements contained in 29 CFR 1926, review specific OSHA requirements and gain tips on how to keep a construction jobsite safe.
Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1825 to view the full article online. |
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Architect-engineer-contractor (AEC) professional liability insurance policies typically cover negligent wrongful acts, errors and/or omissions as long as the AEC is actually found negligent by a court of law for the wrongful or erroneous service provided to the client. However, it is yet to be fully determined if some forms of negligence related to green construction are actually covered under typical professional liability insurance policies.
Visit http://www.constructormagazine.com/manage-the-environmental-construction-risks-of-today/#.U_YrMPldUWI to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281442&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281443&issueID=40127 to view the full article online.
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For decades, the building construction industry provided good paying jobs and trained craft workers. Recently, that trend has started to change—with an uptick in building permits and work, there are signs that a skilled labor shortage in the country may threaten projected growth and the ongoing recovery. Many construction industry executives expect the situation to worsen in the coming years. How can our industry face this challenge and meet the demands of the marketplace?
Find out by registering today for the 2014 Building Contractors Conference. We invite you to join us for our exclusive Luncheon Keynote Address, Workforce Concerns? Construction Career Collaborative (C3) – A Workforce Solution from Texas construction leaders Chuck Gremillion and Jim Stevenson, who started the program. C3 is an alliance of socially responsible owners, contractors, and specialty contractors, who positively affect the issues facing the craft worker for the commercial construction industry. Click here for more information on registering for this event.
Visit http://meetings.agc.org/AustinBCC/ to view the full article online. |
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On August 8, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if implemented, will require covered federal contractors and subcontractors to submit an annual Equal Pay Report on employee compensation. On an annual basis, contractors would have to submit on the new Equal Pay Report summary employee compensation data by sex, race, ethnicity, and specified job categories, as well as other relevant data points that would include hours worked and number of employees. Visit http://news.agc.org/2014/08/12/ofccp-proposes-rule-for-new-equal-pay-report-2/ to view the full article online. |
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It is a legal requirement to have a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) on nearly every active construction project, including detailed records of site inspections and corrective actions. Companies that fail to adequately document and retain the results of their self-inspections and follow-up measures may face enforcement actions and devastating penalties of up to $37,500.00 per day, per violation. The Stormwater Inspection Reports for Contractors mobile app was developed as an electronic documentation tool for construction operators to quickly and easily prepare their stormwater inspection and corrective action reports right from their iPad.
Visit https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stormwater/id884095701?ls=1&mt=8 to view the full article online. |
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On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, the president signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act into law. The
bill easily passed both the House and Senate in recent weeks. The legislation will reform the workforce development system, giving states greater flexibility and strengthening employer engagement. Visit http://news.agc.org/2014/07/25/president-signs-agc-supported-legislation-reforming-workforce-development-system-into-law/ to view the full article online. |
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AGC of America offers a wide array of training videos—from the Affirmative Action Manual for Construction to the OSHA Standards for Construction—there's an informative video for every business need. AGC members receive 20 percent off and free shipping on all purchases through the end of August.
Visit http://store.agc.org/DVDs to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281450&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281451&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281452&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281453&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
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Brown Auditorium: The Museum of Fine Arts
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Like many cities across the United States, Houston is challenged to develop strategies to rein in the problems associated with sprawling growth. This two-part civic forum will address the problems, strategies, and aspirations Houston has as it continues to reshape its built environment to increase walkability, accessibility, and greater overall mobility. Topics will include transportation/mobility, development obstacles, cross-agency/public-private partnerships, and planning in relation to the implementation of design.
Visit http://ricedesignalliance.org/event/rice-design-alliance-2014-civic-forum-walk-houston/2014-08-27/ to view the full article online. |
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The demographics of the state are changing in ways that impact the workforce head on. According to State Comptroller, Susan Combs, "unskilled" jobs are becoming a thing of the past, and the workers of today need to be adaptable to the point that they are lifelong learners. She argues that lawmakers need to tackle several issues including increased funding for adult education programs, multimedia information campaigns to promote industry-based certification, and economic incentives for companies to create apprenticeship programs. She also urges the state to make more money available for programs in order to streamline the process to reduce waiting lists for training programs.
Visit http://www.constructioncitizen.com/blog/texas-comptroller-pushes-more-job-training-programs/1408191 to view the full article online. |
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After a slow start to the year, the economy is finally beginning to perk up. As of July, U.S. architecture firms have produced three straight months of accelerating gains in design billings. With solid monthly scores for new design contracts (at 54.9 this month) and new project inquiries (66.0), all signs indicate strong momentum building in design activity, which is expected to produce solids gains in construction later this year and into 2015. Firms in the South continue to report healthy business conditions, as they have every month for two straight years.
Visit http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB104451 to view the full article online. |
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Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=281454&issueID=40127 to view the full article online. |
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LEED certification is quickly becoming more common in Houston’s new office buildings, whereby developers can charge higher sale prices and rents. In the Houston Metro area, LEED-certified buildings have a higher gross rent-per-square-foot at $39.16, compared to non-LEED buildings, which average $30.31 per square foot, According to Julie Hendricks, director of EcoServices for Kirksey, "Green buildings are generally more efficient, more marketable and less expensive to operate. LEED-certified lease spaces typically have higher rents and occupancy rates." Overall, "green building" emphasizes healthy interiors with access to daylight and views. Additionally, employees in green buildings tend to be more productive, are absent less, and have greater job satisfaction.
Visit http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/08/new-leed-certification-requires-more-but-can-pay.html to view the full article online. |
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The newest version of LEED v4, which will be the standard for any certification starting June 2015, includes a new location and transportation category that takes into account factors such as a building’s walkability to area amenities as well as its proximity to public transportation. Building in areas such as downtown and the Galleria area, as well as within mixed-use projects where tenants can walk to amenities and housing rather than getting into their cars, will have a leg up on their counterparts in suburban locations where walkability is a challenge and development is not as dense.
Visit http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/08/new-leed-certification-favors-downtown-mixed-use.html to view the full article online. |
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration will extend the comment period on the proposed rule to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses to Oct. 14, 2014. The proposal, published on Nov. 8, 2013, would amend the agency’s recordkeeping regulation to add requirements for the electronic submission of injury and illness information that employers are already required to keep. Individuals interested in submitting comments may do so electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Comments may also be submitted via mail or facsimile. See the Federal Register notice for details.
Visit http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=OSHA-2013-0023-0001 to view the full article online. |
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The average total cost of risk for companies rose two percent last year, from $10.90 per $1,000 of revenue, compared with $10.70 in 2012, according to the RIMS Benchmark Survey. This measure of how much companies spend on property, casualty and workers' compensation insurance and risk management has been rising steadily for the past few years, reflecting hardening insurance conditions.
Visit http://ww2.cfo.com/risk-management/2014/07/risk-management-costs-slightly/ to view the full article online. |