Hard Hat and a Hammer: Impacts of the Infrastructure Bill

    By Richard Branch, Chief Economist On Friday, November 5, the House of Representatives passed the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, following months of uncertainty. Over the life of the funding, the programs will inject nearly $550 billion in new spending across a multitude of programs such as roads and bridges, water and sewer, broadband internet, rail, and enhancements to the electric grid. Additionally, the vote also approved a long-overdue five-year authorization for surface transportation (replacing the FAST Act) as well… Read More »Hard Hat and a Hammer: Impacts of the Infrastructure Bill

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      The Impact of Technology and Digital Processes on Safety in Construction

      By Stephen Jones, Senior Director, Industry Insights Research The Industry Insights Research team at Dodge conducts dozens of quantitative surveys every year on key trends in the global AEC industry and publishes the findings in free reports. Regardless of the topic, we always try to determine its impact it on construction safety, ranging from jobsite processes and performance tracking to culture and technology. That last element is particularly important because often technology tools focus primarily on productivity and efficiency. We… Read More »The Impact of Technology and Digital Processes on Safety in Construction

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        Environmental Design Trends and Research 2021: Healthy Home Rising Demand

        The health of our families depends on the health of the home, since most Americans spend about 90 percent of every day indoors and about 35 million homes in U.S. metropolitan areas have one or more health hazards, according to the National Center for Healthy Housing. While the interest in healthy homes had been steadily on the rise, a 2021 survey from YORK found that indoor air quality is the home improvement priority for 81 percent of homeowners. The essential… Read More »Environmental Design Trends and Research 2021: Healthy Home Rising Demand

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          Redefined Priorities: Environmental Design Trends and Research 2021

          The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the way Americans use their homes. According to the National Association of Home Builders study, 25 percent of home buyers say that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their housing preferences. As work-from-home and virtual school attendance numbers grew, and as opportunities for in-person leisure activities vanished, many were forced to spend much more time at home than usual. Household demands changed and the priorities for homeowners and home buyers also changed. They began to rethink how… Read More »Redefined Priorities: Environmental Design Trends and Research 2021

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            An Mixed-Use Energy Retrofit in a Hot Climate

            The Franco Center Apartments building is a five-story senior living facility in Stockton, CA, with retail spaces, community rooms for the residents, and office space for staff on the ground floor. The residential spaces occupy the second through fifth floors. Constructed in 1967 and renovated in 2007, it is built of concrete masonry. Thirty-five “smart” ceiling fans were installed in the common areas of the building. On-board sensors detect occupancy, temperature, and relative humidity, helping reduce energy usage and increase… Read More »An Mixed-Use Energy Retrofit in a Hot Climate

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              The Benefits of Fans in Schools

              Four case studies demonstrate how fans can help reduce energy costs and create greener, more comfortable schools. Research shows that student attendance and performance improve when schools go green. In schools that rely on traditional HVAC systems and natural ventilation, fans can be used to give HVAC systems a break and keep both students and teachers comfortable. In the summer, air movement created by fans makes people feel up to 10°F cooler, which means the thermostat can be set higher… Read More »The Benefits of Fans in Schools

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                A Sustainable Landmark Incorporates Ceiling Fans

                The Bullitt Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropic organization with a focus on the environment, worked with local real estate firm Point32 to deliver a building at the cutting-edge of sustainable architecture. The building was the vision of CEO Denis Hayes to create “the greenest urban office building in the world” and received the Sustainable Building of the Year award from World Architecture News in 2013. To help meet the low energy targets, ceiling fans were combined with automated windows for passive… Read More »A Sustainable Landmark Incorporates Ceiling Fans

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                  A Research Building That Relies on Fans and Natural Ventilation

                  The Coastal Biology Building in Santa Cruz, Calif., brings together faculty and staff to support research and teaching on ecology and evolutionary biology. The LEED Gold Certified building is set on a 97-acre site with easy access to wetlands and other important natural habitats for field- based learning. The client, the University of California, Santa Cruz worked with architect EHDD to deliver world-class facilities for marine and ocean health research located near the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The HVAC… Read More »A Research Building That Relies on Fans and Natural Ventilation

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                    Can You Find Certainty in an Uncertain World?

                    By Richard Branch, Chief Economist Personally, 2021 has gone way too fast. It seemed like just a few months ago the flowers were peeking through the dirt, the grass was growing, and we were looking forward to a summer of travel, seeing friends, and taking part in other activities that were curtailed by the pandemic. But here we are in the fourth quarter, with less than 90 days left in the year, and in the Northeast, the leaves are falling,… Read More »Can You Find Certainty in an Uncertain World?

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                      Minds of Steel: How Dave Eckmann Transforms Creative Visions into Innovative Solutions

                      When it comes to steel, Dave Eckmann wrote the guide. Literally. Eckmann, Managing Principal for Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) in Chicago, co-authored “Designing With Structural Steel: A Guide for Architects,” the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC’s) handbook for architects using structural steel in their designs. That kind of cross-disciplinary project—an engineer helping architects better understand how to use materials—is one example of how innovation comes with every one of Eckmann’s projects. Due to his deep, versatile knowledge of steel,… Read More »Minds of Steel: How Dave Eckmann Transforms Creative Visions into Innovative Solutions

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