51·çÁ÷

51·çÁ÷ testified at a U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) public hearing on June 26, 2013, regarding EPA’s ongoing evaluation into whether and how to regulate renovation, repair and painting (RRP) activities in all public and commercial buildings that purportedly have lead-based paint. 

On July 2, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the results of the member ballot for the newest version of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for green buildings.  With 67 percent of the overall vote needed to pass the changes, LEEDv4 received 86 percent if the membership’s vote.  USGBC will launch LEED v4 this fall at its annual conference, Greenbuild, in November 2013.

Green Globes®, used for the environmental assessment and certification of commercial buildings, has recently undergone revisions.  The Green Building Initiative (GBI), the administrator of the program in the U.S., announced the availability of an updated version of Green Globes for New Construction (NC), which is also used for major renovations. The recent changes to Green Globes NC are based on an ANSI standard, ANSI/GBI 01-2010: Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings. GBI intends this update to improve technical rigor and enhance ease of use.

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is the leading economic indicator of construction activity, with approximately a nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.  The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the April ABI score was 48.6, down from a mark of 51.9 in March.  After eight straight monthly gains in design activity, revenue at architecture firms fell in April.

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been challenging for many employers. To offer assistance to construction employers, 51·çÁ÷ has dedicated a page on its website to providing compliance resources on the ACA. The members-only page includes links to white papers, a webinar and government resources. 51·çÁ÷ will update the page routinely as new and relevant information becomes available.

This 51·çÁ÷ Project Delivery Resources document was created to serve as a quick reference of construction industry resources related to construction project delivery. The chart encompasses all of the resources that 51·çÁ÷ offers including white papers, online resources, and webinars and textbooks available in the 51·çÁ÷ Store.

Construction employment increased by 7,000 in May, helping to push the industry’s unemployment rate down to the lowest May level in five years, according to an analysis of new government data by 51·çÁ÷ of America. Association officials said the relatively positive jobs report for the sector underscores the need to address potential shortages of skilled workers.

In the May/June 2013 issue of 51·çÁ÷’s Constructor Magazine, there is an article, Strategies for Success – Paving Your Way to Better Fortunes, that highlights the findings from the 51·çÁ÷-FMI 2012 Business Development survey.  In this article, the author of the 51·çÁ÷-FMI survey and current 51·çÁ÷ Construction Marketing Forum chair, Cynthia Paul (FMI Corp.), and other 51·çÁ÷ Construction Marketing Forum members share business development strategies that have made their businesses successful and align with the findings of the survey.  Successful business development strategies that are highlighted throughout the article include planning, cultivating repeat business, networking to build contacts and implementing strategies. Click here to read the article in its entirety.

The Architecture Billings Index is a leading indicator of the U.S. construction activity nine to 12 months into the future.  In the month of November, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported a 0.4 increase in the ABI from 52.8 in October to 53.2.  Any reading above 50 is said to indicate expansion, while any reading below 50 is said to indicate a decline in the demand for design services.   This score reflects an increased demand for design services.

Public and Commercial Buildings are Target for Future Rules The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the details for an upcoming public meeting - set for June 26, 2013 - on the subject of EPA’s ongoing evaluation into whether to and how to regulate renovation, repair and painting (RRP) activities in all public and commercial buildings that purportedly have lead-based paint.  EPA provided advanced notice of this meeting earlier in the year, when it solicited comment from stakeholders who manage or perform RRP work on the exterior or interior of such buildings.  51·çÁ÷ has already submitted detailed comments questioning the lack of lead-paint data for public and commercial buildings. 51·çÁ÷ is also preparing to testify at the upcoming public meeting.