Construction-related conferences for 2021 and beyond

Construction-related conferences for 2021 and beyond

Trade shows and conferences provide contractors with an effective means of learning about new technologies and ways of doing business. Last year, however, many events were forced entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, with vaccinations being rolled out across the U.S. and case numbers decreasing, conferences are returning to their in-person roots. Whether virtual or in-person, these events provide access to hands-on demonstrations, educational sessions, networking opportunities and products and services promoted by exhibitors.

Read more
6 multifamily building failures and the changes they produced
6 multifamily building failures and the changes they produced
6 multifamily building failures and the changes they produced

6 multifamily building failures and the changes they produced

As rescuers sift through the debris of the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida, officials are focused on finding survivors but in the days and weeks to come, they will turn their attention to how and why the condominium building collapsed. As of Wednesday morning, 12 people were confirmed dead, while another 149 were still unaccounted for in the rubble of the 12-story building (shown above), and officials have cautioned that it is too soon to determine an exact cause of the tragedy.

Read more
Construction industry resilient despite high prices, pandemic

Construction industry resilient despite high prices, pandemic

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, high materials prices and a skilled labor shortage, the construction industry is coming back with a vengeance, according to a noted construction economist. “I find it remarkable that so much normalcy has returned to the construction industry,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. Basu’s remarks came during the ABC’s Q2 Construction Economic Update and Forecast webinar last week, where he delved into factors surrounding the money flowing in and out of the construction industry, along with the broader economy as a whole. While the pandemic still rages globally, and cases surge in unvaccinated areas of the United States, the broader construction industry is on the path to normalcy, according to Basu.

Read more
Project manager’s advice to young women in construction: ‘Just do it’

Project manager’s advice to young women in construction: ‘Just do it’

As a project manager at Portland, Oregon-based R&H Construction, 29-year-old Sarah Jimenez has worked on multiple project teams and now is running a new $19 million ground-up addiction treatment center in Southeast Portland. Jimenez, who holds a construction management degree from California Polytechnic State University, began working as a project manager at R&H in 2018.

Read more