What industry issues will have the most effect on your 2019 planning?

Construction industry experts weigh in on industry issues that will have the most effect on their 2019 planning.

Workforce Development

It seems that every board meeting I attend these days has “workforce development” as a topic on the agenda. In most areas, the economy is humming in high gear, and record low unemployment is a driver for sure. Beyond this, to “lift all boats” is just the right thing to do. Training usually includes learning the basics of an industry or craft, and I would also add personal finance be taught at the high school level. Many coming out of high school do not understand the relationship between “save first, spend later” and living within your means.

In the past, we have tried teaching young people the industry, and I’ll be the first to admit that for several reason, we have not always had success. Next week, we try again with a new intern, but this time with The Birmingham Education Foundation as our coach. “Ed,” as it’s called for short, has matched us with a city high school student, and we are keeping our fingers crossed for success. Our intern will be with us through June, and our intent will be to start another one in the fall. Hopefully our experience will be mutually beneficial. There is potential for lots of wins.

As a side note, “Ed” is led by my friend JW Carpenter, and if you do not have an “Ed” equivalent in your city or town, you might reach out to him for advice, as he is a seasoned pro in this arena. Who knows–You may find yourself with an outstanding long-term employee.

 

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5 Ways to Eliminate Waste with a Constructible Process

Waste is all too common on construction projects today. That waste is not only bad for the environment, it also cuts into budgets and diminishes a project’s overall return.

5 Business Books You Need to Read

You may have a handle on how to run the jobsite, but advice and resources to handling all the other aspects of running a construction business can often be difficult to find. The CBO team is always on the hunt for business articles and books that provide answers to the questions that plague business owners like you every day. We asked our editorial advisory board to tell us their go-to books for business knowledge. See their answers below.  

The Drivers Behind Adaptive Reuse

Our hometown is one of those cities that came of age during an industrial boom. Because of this, there is plenty of historical space in the CBD that is full of architectural details and prime for adaptive reuse. We’ve been a part of several of these projects. So the question I asked myself is, “Why has this initiative become a driver in the redevelopment of our core cities?”  A few thoughts:

Obviously, federal, state and local tax incentives have helped tremendously.

Another thought might be that these places remind occupants of the origins of their cities, a connect with the past?

Every existing building is unique and the design has to adapt to this existing shape, so maybe it’s the uniqueness appealing to our individuality that also might be a draw.

Or maybe people are drawn to the raw and exposed elements of the interiors in many of these buildings.

The answer is probably a mix of these elements. At any rate, it’s becoming clear that exposed brick, tall ceilings, polished concrete floors and large windows aren’t just for adaptive reuse anymore. The new multifamily units we are involved with incorporate many of these features. And while ground up construction may lack the tax incentives, it does bypass existing conditions, giving designers complete control over the finished product.

Designers are saying “Industrial Chic” style has the staying power of many of the classic building styles we see re-imagined time and time again. Via traditional adaptive reuse or new design, it seems that the trend of uniting industrial components with warmer design elements will stand the test of time.

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Improve Projects & Productivity with Collaborative, Customizable Technologies

How to create beter communicatinon, efficiency and productivity with construction softwares by expert Jason Barner from Assignar. 

Improve Equipment Maintenance & Life Span With Telematics

3 Ways to Improve Equipment Maintenance & Life Span With Telematics.