Related Links: EPA Offers Cities More Flexible Paths to Fund Water Projects Whiate House Revises Water-Project Standards Asset management strategies have been generating interest in the water infrastructure sector for the last decade. A recent study from McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC) in collaboration with engineering consultant CH2M Hill, Denver, published in the "Water Infrastructure Asset Management SmartMarket Report," demonstrates that asset management practices have begun to take hold at water utilities, and more growth in those practices is expected in the next five years.For wet-infrastructure contractors, this shift to using asset management will have implications for future business opportunities. Asset management
A clear trend around the world is a shift to doing green building out of business, rather than environmental and social, motives (above). In 2012, 89% of the survey's respondents had installed or specified green buildings products (below). Related Links: For more data and intelligence on green building around the world, download the full World Green Building Trends SmartMarket Report. The picture on green building is getting clearer: Green building is growing around the world and quickly becoming an industry standard. A new research study conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction on global green building trends demonstrates that green building is well
Related Links: Green-Infused Modular Classroom Targets 'Grid-Neutral' Status in School Construction ENR: Green Schoolhouses Research recently conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction among contractors working on school projects demonstrates strong growth in green education projects. To qualify for the study, contractors had to have completed new construction or major renovation or improvement projects at K–12 schools or higher-education institutions.The Green-School Market Of the more than 100 contractors that qualified for the study, 83% have done new or major-renovation green-school projects in the last three years, and 79% have done some green retrofits and operational improvements. During this period, the contractors performed a
Related Links: ENR Mountain States: BIM Use ENR Mountain States: Optioneering Use of building information modeling has grown from 28% to 71% in the construction industry in the last six years, and the profile of BIM users has also seen a major shift in the last three years, according to a recent McGraw-Hill Construction survey. In the first and second BIM SmartMarket Report research studies, published by McGraw-Hill Construction in 2006 and 2009, architects led the industry in BIM use by a substantial margin. In the most recent study conducted this fall, not only has the gap between players in
Related Links: ENR: Nullifying Water Damage to Mobile Devices ENR: Surge in New Mobile Apps for the Industry Mobile technology and tools are becoming an increasingly ubiquitous part of society, extending beyond personal convenience to important business uses. Construction is no exception, with mobile tools serving as a critical link between jobsites and the main office.The important research reviewed below demonstrates a prolific application of mobile tools today, with 93% of a representative sample of general contractors and subcontractors using some sort of mobile device on their construction sites. The industry is already reporting productivity benefits from these tools, including
Related Links: http://enr.construction.com/business_management/workforce/2011/1024-usingsocialmediatocutthetimeanduncertaintyinjobhuntingandrecruiting.asp Social Media Reshape Job Hunting http://analyticsstore.construction.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/39570/s/smartmarket-report-construction-industry-workforce-shortages-2012/category/1488/ SmartMarket Report: Construction Workforce Shortages For many firms, future work force strategies may not be top-of-mind. After all, construction unemployment in May dragged along at 14.2%—almost double the national average—according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, a recent survey on work force issues shows that more than 70% of general contractors expect work force shortages in design and construction by 2014. Nearly half (45%) expect shortages in the trades, with the top three being carpentry/millwork, electrical and concrete finishers/cement masons.A firm's location and number of employees influence its executives'
