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Government Officials Are Launching Large Initiatives Related to Cultural Assets

Government Officials Are Launching Large Initiatives Related to Cultural Assets Cities with vibrant cultural assets attract tourists, retail establishments, hotels, real estate developers, and appreciation from local citizens. Cultural facilities also boost a region’s economic engine. The 2002 redevelopment of Millennium Park in Chicago, for example, spurred $1.6 billion in revitalization nearby. Libraries, museums, multipurpose theaters, recreational venues, and civic centers also are key components in establishing a regional identity. Some cities are developing destination art hubs or arts corridors in downtown areas, with a signature performing arts center. Other cities are linking various cultural sites with landscaping and innovative pathways to other public spaces. Opportunities abound in every region of the U.S. for all sizes and types of cultural facilities. The activity is creating a marketplace to watch. City officials in San Francisco recently unveiled designs for
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Current and Emergent Technologies Give Contractors a Competitive Edge

Current and Emergent Technologies Give Contractors a Competitive Edge Contractors are increasingly adopting new technologies to give themselves an edge over the competition. According to a recent study from USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,  74% of contractors  expect to adopt advanced technology within the next three years. The majority of them are doing so to increase labor productivity. What kinds of technologies are these contractors adopting? Here are some of the most common current and emerging trends, whether construction firms are looking to embrace tried-and-true efficiency boosters or explore the cutting edge of construction technology. Current Technologies Some of the most common current technologies include: Building Information Modeling Using the  building information modeling (BIM)  process can help contractors on larger construction projects more efficiently plan their projects and keep them organized. The BIM process uses 3D modeling to help gath

The 5 Best Tech Opportunities for Construction Companies

The 5 Best Tech Opportunities for Construction Companies Construction has been one of the slowest industries to adopt technology. That’s partly cultural—folks in the industry like to solve problems with their own ingenuity. Many firms are still family owned, and there’s still a lot of reverence for tradition. Finally, this is an industry with thin margins, where the first funding priorities are equipment and personnel. But, it’s also partly because there hasn’t been a lot of technology built to meet the needs of the industry. Before smart phones, it was hard to bring technology to the field. Even then, you had to have a good Wi-Fi connection, which wasn’t consistently available or an expensive data plan. And, a lot of early field capture technology was based on someone having to manually input data into a device. That was a non-starter; having superintendents manually entering data didn’t really provide much in the way of productivity gains, and made for a lot of unhappy superint

Can Construction Firms Meet the Demands of New Law Enforcement Projects?

Can Construction Firms Meet the Demands of New Law Enforcement Projects? Upcoming public sector opportunities can be found in almost every area of the public sector marketplace. But, at the moment, the sheer number of upcoming opportunities related to law enforcement facilities is enough to make one ponder. Has every incarceration facility become obsolete all at once? Have local and state officials all decided to upgrade jails, prisons, and justice centers at the same time for some reason? Are there enough experienced construction firms ready to meet the demand? Although most would think of law enforcement projects as being small, that’s not necessarily the case. Not only are hundreds of individual projects extremely large, but many upcoming projects also are being designed to consolidate law enforcement, fire, and emergency personnel. Those projects will definitely be large, and many are significant enough to catch the interest of private sector investors. Officials in New Yor

5 Ways to Keep Your Crew Safe During Roadway Projects

5 Ways to Keep Your Crew Safe During Roadway Projects Safety is always the number one priority in any construction project. Anyone that tells you differently hasn't been in the business long enough. In construction, a safe site is a happy and productive one. At the end of the day, ensuring everyone's safety will keep employee morale up, costs down, and ensure deadlines are met efficiently. It's best to think of safety as the umbrella that every other component of a job falls under. The principles of safety can be complex when you break them down, but there are ways to simplify the goal of a safe and friendly job site. Create a Pervasive Culture of Safety Safety isn't just a checkbox to tick off of a checklist tucked away in a Manager's office. It should be an ingrained component to your construction company's culture and ethos. The first step to ensuring safe working conditions is to create a company culture that puts safety first at all times and never

5 Best Practices for Communicating During Construction Emergencies

5 Best Practices for Communicating During Construction Emergencies When it comes to high-risk work like construction and manufacturing, crises are bound to arise. Employees can find themselves in hazardous situations with no easy means of communicating their peril to other workers. In warehouses or large jobsites, this can be especially dangerous as some workers might find themselves facing an emergency situation without a nearby point-of-contact. That’s why it’s essential construction managers implement an effective safety communication protocol. Ensuring a streamlined communication protocol is in place during emergencies can make sure all employees stay informed and prepared for when disaster strikes – be it an injury, natural disaster, or other unexpected event. Equip Employees With Radios Most construction managers equip their employees with some sort of portable mobile device. Often, this device is a cellphone. While cellphones are effective for standard communication,

The Behr 2020 Color Trends Palettes are Here

The Behr 2020 Color Trends Palettes are Here The 3 collections of 15 colors offer enough variety to work with all design styles from modern to traditional. Unlike other paint color companies, the palettes were created for use in both home and work spaces. According to Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr, “2020 marks the start of a new decade, and with that comes a desire for balance—both at home and at work,” she said. “The new collection of 15 trending hues encompasses themes of wellness and wellbeing, connected experiences, inviting environments, and deliberate color stories.”