Norman F. Anderson is CEO of CG/LA, a private consultant devoted mainly to infrastructure investment and development. CG/LA is hosting the 2nd North American Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Washington, D.C. (www.cg-la.com) Photo: CG/LA Anderson believes North American infrastructure investment is crucial for jobs What is the theme of this year’s CG/LA conference? We’re focused on the top 100 projects in North America. The idea is to focus on projects that will generate economic competitiveness. We need to focus on tripling the level of infrastructure in North America. It was 3% of the GDP in 1980. Now
People expect more transparent, timely and useful information, especially from government. Make no mistake that if government doesn’t provide it, the public will find it somewhere else. That’s why it’s so important the construction industry understands it has the ability to engage the public using the latest non-traditional media tools. Already, many of the largest federal and state agencies are creating their own newsrooms; they are not only pushing out information but engaging in what is being called the Open Government Movement or Government 2.0. COLE In addition to offering traditional outreach via meetings, handouts and newsletters, public-relations professionals for
Almost every article or discussion dealing with the legal aspects of integrated-project-delivery contracts raises the notion that IPD contracts have not been tested in court and that this untested status elevates the legal risk to the IPD participants. While it is true that, as of this date, there is little, if any, case authority dealing with the legal merits of IPD contracts, that does not tell the whole story. HILGER The first challenge to this idea is determining whether IPD contracts really are new. Those of us who were around in the early 1980s will remember the “partnering” agreements that,
When delays are alleged in a construction dispute, those charged with resolving the dispute must look for the most credible way to identify and quantify the delays. As an industry, little has been done to formally define appropriate schedule analysis methodology. However, that is changing. MANGINELLI In 2007, the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineers International (AACEI) attempted to change the landscape with the publication of its Recommended Practice No. 29R-03, Forensic Schedule Analysis (FSA). While the FSA’s intent may have been noble, it has caused quite a stir among schedule analysts and the attorneys and clients who hire
It is no secret that the design and construction industry is one of the most inefficient on the planet. A number of books have identified and documented the declining productivity of every hour and dollar invested in the building process. Architects, engineers, contractors and developers have been struggling for years in an environment so fragmented, no single player can have significant influence or initiate meaningful change. Architects are marginalized and commoditized, and contractors struggle with the same labor and process risk they have carried for centuries. Critical design information is withheld until the submittal process. No viable and practical risk
Maybe it’s a sign of the times, but I often am asked what I want to see come out of Washington, D.C. I have a simple answer to that question: Please do not make life any harder for me and my company. This is not whining. This is not a tone-deaf CEO asking for his life back. SIEGEL I love my job and my company and gladly put in every hour I work. However, whether well meaning or not, Washington impacts our lives and my company daily. This impact can be neutral, or it can make it harder or easier
In my mind, the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico—like other technological disasters, such as those involving the Three Mile Island nuclear powerplant and the space shuttle Challenger—represents a management failure, more so than an engineering failure. Anything implying that the engineering profession as a whole somehow bears the blame for these regrettable events puzzles me, including ENR’s editorial on the subject in its June 7, 2010, issue. To understand why, it is worth noting what some others have said about the nature of engineering practice and its place in our culture. Related Links: EDITORIAL: The Gulf Oil-Spill
Electric cars and trucks are the signature of the green movement, but they may also become a symbol of economic recovery for the construction industry. Even if the recently reported disappointments with electric cars are true, such as maximum distances between recharges of only 100 miles and top driving speeds of only 60 to 70 mph, imagine theneed for the infrastructure to support our electric cars and the stimulating effects of creating it. SHORT Imagine just one part of our interstate highway system: Interstate 80, from New York to San Francisco (via Omaha, my hometown), is about 2,900 miles. A
For many years, insurers have promoted the benefits of mediation as a means of resolving disputes between a design firm and its clients. We recently surveyed senior professionals at 250 design firms and found that no fewer than 40% of respondents who had used mediation to resolve a dispute considered the outcome unsuccessful. Is our confidence in mediation misplaced? Have we oversold its benefits? I don’t believe so. Having seen thousands of design professionals looking down the barrel of professional liability claims, I can attest that the vast majority of disputants who go to mediation ultimately achieve a settlement. The
The federal government is re-drawing floodplain maps under a deadline that should be pushed back to allow local governments time to evaluate and fix levees. The haste is undue, and the cost of going too fast could be high. Let me explain why. Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA Nearly one-third of the nation is at risk for flooding, says the National Weather Service. More than 100,000 miles of levees crisscross our country, ranging from sophisticated systems of concrete floodwalls to simple piles of dirt and sand. Each year, millions of homeowners and businesses rely on this under-resourced daisy chain to protect against
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