In a victory for merit shop contractors, two more states, Michigan and Maine, banned the use of government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on state-funded construction projects this month.

Sunscreen? Check. Bug spray? Check. Sunglasses? Check. But what about another essential accessory, earplugs. Earplugs? Yes, if your hard-hat job exposes you to a cacophony of racket for long periods, you work in a noisy office environment or enjoy high decibel music festivals, then don’t forget to bring your ear plugs.

The construction industry is filled with difficult and dangerous jobs requiring the skill of specially-trained workers. Each worker at a job site has a specific role that others count on to complete the project in a timely cost-efficient manner. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for construction accidents to happen, and when they do, the injuries can be quite serious - even fatal.

During the 12 month period between April 2010 and March 2011 the total number of construction workers killed rose to 50, compared to the previous year when 41 people died.

In a small sign of good news for the nation’s builders, prices for construction materials slipped 0.1 percent in June, according to the July 14 Producer Price Index report by the U.S. Labor Department. However, construction materials prices increased 2.3 percent over the last quarter, and jumped 8.3 percent over the last twelve months.

We recently wrote about Glasgow’s controversial and expensive road expansion—an elevated six-lane highway to complete Glasgow’s ring of motorways that will cost more than $200 million per mile. But despite the hefty price tag, the road is only the second most expensive project in the United Kingdom. This month the U.K. will witness a 1.2-mile tunnel project, the A3, in Surrey, a county in southeast England. The estimated cost of the project: $402 million per mile.

When it came time to renovate New York City Hall—a 100-year-old historic landmark that houses the mayor’s office and the New York City Council—the high-profile project required careful planning and meticulous execution. Therefore, the construction company in charge of this reconstruction project turned to technology to make sure the entire process was smooth.

Two engineering graduate students at the University of Washington have found a way to make bricks out of recycled glass that they say are stronger, lighter and better insulators than conventional building blocks. Renuka Prabhakar and Grant Marchelli claim their “VitroBricks” require 80 percent less energy to produce because they’re fired at a much lower temperature for a shorter time.

A recent congressional hearing held before the House Education and Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections highlighted systemic failures in the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) administration of the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates prevailing wages for employees of contractors and subcontractors performing work on federally financed construction projects.

Like alchemists with an especially grubby laboratory, researchers at the Alaska University Transportation Center have spent the past four years working to transform powder into rock.

Who says construction isn't cool? Given all the buzz about EVs (electric vehicles) these days, such as the Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt, one innovative contractor has decided to embrace the EV movement in a whole new way: electric forklifts.

Construction spending declined 0.6% in May and the first reported 0.4% gain in April was revised to a 0.6% fall. Small May improvements in power, sewer and public safety are unlikely to persist since these markets are in a declining phase. This is consistent with the generally much weaker growth in the overall economy early in the spring.

Apartment development is a cyclical business, and right now it's on a big upswing in the Seattle area. More new apartments will come on the market in King and Snohomish counties in 2013 than in any year since 1991, one researcher projects.

U.S. jobs growth ground to a near halt in June as employers hired the fewest workers in nine months, frustrating hopes the economy would bounce back quickly from a slowdown in the first half of the year.

Given all the talk today around new and innovative technology solutions that automate all aspects of the construction business, it's always good to see standard systems stay on the leading edge as well. Core systems such as estimating continue to endure enhancements that take a traditional process in construction much further than ever before.

For more than a year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has moved forward with an agenda that is stifling job creation and economic growth. The NLRB’s decisions, proposed rules, invitations for briefs and enforcement policies demonstrate that the agency has abandoned its role as a neutral enforcer and arbiter of labor law in order to promote the special interests of politically powerful unions.

Thanks to new apartment projects and restarting old ones, Seattle is seeing a jump in permit applications. Mayor Mike McGinn posted on his blog Tuesday that 47 master use permit applications were submitted in June.

In 2008 interest in building information modeling (BIM) was rampant throughout the design and construction industry. Now, just three short years later, the industry has seen its first BIM-related litigation case, showing the importance of constant communication on such projects for everyone involved, including contract glaziers.

Construction spending dropped again in May 2011, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce announced that construction spending during May was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $753.5 billion, 0.6 percent below the revised April estimate of $757.9 billion.

Once again, there is discussion in the U.S. Green Building Council (“USGBC”) to allow other wood certifying organizations to have a place within the LEED guidelines for green construction. The new Pilot Credit 43 [PDF] for certified products would allow several wood certifications — e.g., Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, American Tree Farm — to contribute to a point under the trial credit.

With hundreds of information requests and changes needing approval from several layers of officials, Miron Construction Co. turned to technology to expedite the construction of a new Salvation Army community center in Green Bay.

Some trucks that have never needed a federal Transportation Department number - trucks that are used in landscaping, construction and other businesses - will have a year to acquire one under a new requirement.

The Commerce Department says construction spending declined 0.6% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $757.9 billion. It is barely above an 11-year low hit in February and roughly half the $1.5 trillion pace considered healthy by most economists. Analysts say it could be another four years before construction returns to healthier levels.

obsite123 is proud to offer BizApps™ - A simple, yet powerful mobile marketing solution for the construction industry. BizApps™ enables any business to capitalize on the latest mobile technology to attract new customers and keep your old customers coming back.

Habitat for Humanity of Broward announced it has become the first builder in the county to be awarded the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification – the second highest level of the certification.

Today is a huge day for those who think free enterprise and open competition should determine how taxpayer-funded construction contracts are awarded in America.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently launched a new interactive web tool, OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor, to help users determine whether injuries and illnesses are work-related and recordable under the OSHA recordkeeping rules.

While sunshine and warm weather have been absent for much of the state this spring, summer begins today and the state Department of Labor & Industries wants to remind both workers and employers to be careful of this season’s particular hazards.

Washington employers who provide temporary work that allows an injured worker to "Stay at Work" while recovering from an injury will be eligible to be reimbursed for half of the worker's wages.

Monthly multifamily permit activity has been gyrating like a teenage pop singer of late--rising 17% one month, only to fall 8% the next. Clearer patterns emerge from an analysis of year-long, 2010 permit data. That analysis shows where 2011 development activity is likely to be concentrated.

No one would argue that workplace productivity depends heavily on employee performance; what remains an ongoing topic of discussion is how best to generate that performance. While I believe there are many ways to optimize employee engagement and performance, there is a highly effective tool that's often overlooked: corporate wellness incentive programs.

n the hierarchy of journalistic mistakes, there's pretty much none more morbid than the premature obituary. Just ask Steve Jobs. One that's more common, but probably no less startling to the subjects, is the premature career obituary. The newest recipient of such: JPMorgan Chase commercial bank chief Todd Maclin, who has been with the bank for 32 years.

A revamped Hogue Technology Building at Central Washington University will serve as a living lab for the construction management program on the Ellensburg campus.

A Longview man who lost his arm in a workplace accident more than a decade ago will be the guest of a national bottling company this week, thanks to his work as a safety advocate with the Department of Labor & Industries.

Washington employers who provide temporary work that allows an injured worker to “Stay at Work” while recovering from an injury will be eligible to be reimbursed for half of the worker’s wages. This new program is part of the historic workers’ compensation reform bill signed by Governor Chris Gregoire today.

The “sticker shock” for going green is becoming less terrifying as the years pass, according to some in the hotel trade. However, not everyone agrees. The costs for the materials and construction have dropped, but the cost of hiring a consultant to meet LEED certification standards is still high. Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/11/06/1168920/go-green-go-broke#ixzz1PTPOlgb9

The dramatic slowdown in commercial real estate development in recent years due to the deep recession and its lingering effects has prevented a supply glut, but wiped out thousands of construction jobs in the process. At mid-year 2011, builders who have managed to stay in business are now finding their profits squeezed by rapidly rising costs.

Inspect2GO, a mobile application development company, is offering an innovative technology for conducting regulatory compliance and safety inspections for OSHA, USDA, FDA, FEMA, EPA, DOT, MIL, ISO, NFPA, DOE, CFR and more. The mobile apps are ideal for reporting on safety conditions and code violations, performing regulatory audits and maintaining quality standards.

A lawsuit challenges the claims of the nation’s foremost green building effort — the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED certification) program.

he same reasons that most Americans believe our anemic economy is still in recession have locked the construction industry in a desperate spot, according to economists gathered for the Associated Builders and Constructors' inaugural Mid-Year Construction Forecast. Their outlook for the remainder of 2011 offers scant encouragement.

The Post-Tensioning Institute would like to offer ABC Western Washington Members, PTI's member rate ($70 Value) for the upcoming Level 1 & 2 Unbonded PT Field Inspector certification workshop, July 15-17 in Seattle, WA.

The Western Washington Chapter of ABC has received the “Gold” level Grassroots Award, the highest level awarded. Western Washington is one of only three chapters to receive that designation.

Please join the Sustainable Development Committee for an informative roundtable discussion exploring the opportunities and risks involved in realizing a return on investment for sustainable commercial and residential development projects.

National Fit Testing Services (NFTS) announced today an expanded in-service training program to help first responders and other effected health care workers meet OSHA respiratory protection standards. Any medical facility dealing with air borne infectious disease can benefit from this comprehensive on-site training program.

Many economists downplayed Friday's disappointing jobs report, calling it a blip in a moderate recovery and blaming high gas prices and Japanese supply disruptions. But construction, a key sector that has lagged the overall job market, is likely to continue to do so even when job growth picks up again.

Know someone who saved a life this past year? The Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Advisory Board would like to know. The board is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Governor’s Lifesaving awards, presented to Washington state residents who saved a life these past 12 months.

Driving a forklift may look easy, but driving one safely requires the right training and experience. Beginning next week, professional forklift drivers across the state will begin competing in a series of contests leading to a final competition at the 60th Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference to determine the best forklift driver in the state.

Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction has completed 1 million work hours without a job-related illness or injury. The Bellevue-based regional office hasn't had an injury all year.

The city of Lakewood on June 16 is sponsoring its first-ever military contracting workshop for vendors and contractors wishing to do business with Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

In testimony May 26 before the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions hearing on "Corporate Campaigns and NLRB: The Impact of Union Pressure on Job Creation,” ABC member Chet Karnas, president and owner of Lone Sun Builders, Inc., Albuquerque, N.M., told committee members that, “unions have launched several corporate campaigns against us over the years, during which they have engaged in many unethical practices, including attempts to smear our name through bannering.

Builders likely began work on more office buildings and other projects in April, pushing up construction spending for the second straight month. The increases however are from very low levels and the construction sector remains weak.

FMI, the largest provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry, has released its Nonresidential Construction Index (NRCI) report for the second quarter of 2011.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the forthcoming release of a final rule that streamlines and simplifies standards while reducing employer burdens. The rule, which soon will be published in the Federal Register, will help keep OSHA standards up-to-date and better enable employers to comply with their regulatory obligations.

To battle the urban heat island effect, city officials in Phoenix have approved the installation of a 90,000-square-foot temporary parking lot made from “cool pavement” in the city’s downtown area.

Organized labor is filing trumped-up charges with the national labor board and intimidating employers into capitulating to unionizing efforts, executives and lawyers told a U.S. House committee. Unions are displaying large inflatable rats in front of companies, staging mock funerals, running smear campaigns and filing frivolous charges with the National Labor Relations Board, employers and lawyers said today at a hearing of a House Education and the Workforce Committee panel.

OSHA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration encourage businesses to keep employees safe in extreme heat. Drinking water often, taking breaks, and limiting time in the heat are the main recommendations to prevent heat illness.

The LOTT Clean Water Alliance is seeking bids to construct a 1.7-acre public plaza designed to be the center of a new, urban district in Olympia. Construction is estimated to cost about $3.8 million.

The political chatter in Seattle remains focused on the multi-billion-dollar car-only tunnel the state wants to build beneath the downtown waterfront, but away from the tunnel saga the city is quietly becoming a leader in squeezing energy waste out of its building stock.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

April housing market reports were mixed. New home sales were up nearly 8% and were 8% above the trailing 12 month average. But permits and starts declined to slightly below the 12 month average. New home prices ticked up in April but appear to still be in a mild declining trend. Inventories of new homes for sale continue to shrink from already record low levels. This has reduced the months’ supply of new homes for sale to 6.5 which is the lowest reading since late 2006 except for several months during the homebuyer tax credit period.

Increased competition, tight margins and less available work has forced contractors to make tough decisions, several of which revolve around the need for cash flow. Contractors already face cash flow issues based on the nature of the business.

Associated Builders and Contractors’ Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) for the first quarter of 2011 averaged 7.3 months—a 4 percent increase from 7.1 months during the fourth quarter of 2010, and up from 6.1 months, or an increase of 21 percent, from one year ago. CBI is a forward-looking indicator that measures the amount of construction work under contract to be completed in the future.

Leading state lawmakers are struggling to find a compromise that would alter Washington's workers' compensation program and help seal a budget agreement.

Don't let your estimate become your weakest link. Perhaps the most important piece associated with any job is the estimate, and in most cases that fine-tuning process needs to occur before the job is even bid.

The last time Sound Transit tunneled under Seattle, things did not go so well. A construction worker, Michael Merryman, died in a 2007 accident in the Beacon Hill tunnel. Soft, sandy soils drove up the cost of designing the nearly mile-long twin tunnels fourfold.

The keys to success in construction today are not the same as they were in the past. Society is going mobile; and so should construction firms. For those looking for devices and technology solutions to mobilize their construction business, there are plenty of options. From tablets to PDAs to smartphones, the ability to communicate among team members—whether they are in the field, at the office, or somewhere in between—is becoming imperative.

On May 17 ABC joined 88 other organizations in urging President Obama not to sign an executive order that would require companies to disclose their political spending, including that of the officers and directors, as a condition for bidding on federal contracts.

Six months after the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration began enforcing its crane and derrick standard, which mandates higher levels of safety precautions for hoisting operations on construction sites, employers and regulators say implementation of the landmark workplace-safety rule has been no easy task.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration tomorrow will reopen the public record on a proposed rule to revise the Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements regulation. Notice of the reopening will be published May 17 in the Federal Register.

The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has created an easy way for insurance companies to create, cancel and reinstate general liability insurance certificates online for contractors registered in Washington state. In Washington, all contractors must carry liability insurance and a bond. They also must be registered with L&I. Any change in their insurance status, such as a cancelation, will automatically suspend a contractor’s L&I registration, making it illegal for them to work.

In what appears to be an ongoing trend, the cost of construction materials prices increased by 1.4 percent in April, according to the May 12 Department of Labor’s Producer Price Index (PPI) report. Prices are now 7.1 percent higher from the same time last year.

Advances in building materials and building fabrication technologies will be explored at a free program on May 19 and 20 at Gould Hall and Architecture Hall 147 on the University of Washington campus in Seattle.

In a month when the private sector added the most jobs in five years, the construction industry experienced modest gains, adding 5,000 jobs in April according to the May 6 employment report by the Labor Department. Still, the construction industry has lost 42,000 jobs, or 0.8 percent compared to one year ago, and the unemployment rate for April now stands at 17.8 percent, down from 20 percent in March and down from 21.8 percent the same time last year.

Recent legislation requires Washington State taxpayers who file business excise taxes quarterly to electronically file and pay taxes due after July 22, 2011. (Engrossed House Bill 1357).

Due to revenue shortfalls and staff reductions in recent years, the Seattle Department of Planning and Development is taking longer to review medium-size construction projects. DPD says its goal is to review most medium-sized projects within two weeks.

With more construction companies embracing new technologies to eliminate redundant data entry, streamline workflows and improve business operations, Construction Executive asked construction technology leaders to share their insights on how the latest solutions are positively impacting contractors’ bottom lines.

About five years ago, Rick Leal, president of Florida-based Vila & Son Landscaping, discovered it was time to take business to the next level. At the time, the firm was successful in concentrating almost entirely on commercial construction installations, offering landscape and irrigation services through its nine offices statewide.

Starting May 16, the state Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct corridor will be reduced from three to two lanes in both directions between the West Seattle Bridge and Seattle's sports stadiums.

The nation’s unnerving descent into debt began a decade ago with a choice, not a crisis. In January 2001, with the budget balanced and clear sailing ahead, the Congressional Budget Office forecast ever-larger annual surpluses indefinitely. The outlook was so rosy, the CBO said, that Washington would have enough money by the end of the decade to pay off everything it owed.

The Business Roundtable, a group of chief executives officers from companies such as General Electric Co. (GE) and Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), urged the Obama administration to abandon efforts to regulate greenhouse gases from industrial polluters.

The role of BIM (building information modeling) means many things to many different people in construction. In some respects that is precisely the challenge with BIM—no clear definition on the process or the ways in which technology fits in at different parts of that process.

Ten years ago, researchers at the Kansas Polymer Research Center (KPRC) at Pittsburg State University developed a sustainable form of concrete that is based on soybean oil, a renewable source with a big economic imprint on the agriculture of the region. When the Tyler Research Center was built in 2007, they even used it to make tiles for an entryway to help demonstrate a practical use for the new material.

With the governors of Oregon and Washington announcing Monday they decided on a deck truss bridge design as the replacement of the aging Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River, attention is now turning to the project's final environmental impact statement.

A significant part of the recent spike in construction materials costs — up 6.8% in the last twelve months — is due to the 7-8% rise in truck freight rates over the past year through March. Freight costs accumulate from the commodity source through processing and manufacturing, distribution and finally delivery to the job site.

It was the kind of problem that could quickly turn a construction project into a nightmare. A drainage pipe for a new research center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester was in the wrong place. Left there, it could require that a large hole be drilled through the $400 million building’s foundation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) April 15 announced revisions to its Outreach Training Program. Under the new changes, the “program guidelines” have become “requirements” and must be met by all Outreach Training Programs. The new requirements include:

The latest diesel engine emission laws in Europe and the US are bringing some new features and an awful lot of cost to the compressor and generator market. Chris Sleight looks at how the industry is reacting.

The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment released its top ten green projects of the last year, praising designers trying out new ideas during a rough economy.

Worksite safety for home renovation crews and the hazards of confined spaces are among the topics to be covered at the fourth annual Construction Safety Day on Wednesday, May 4.

Crews have started salvage operations at the McGuire high-rise apartment building at 210 Wall St. in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. Initial work involves removing finishes and items such as stoves, sinks, tubs, refrigerators, washers and dryers.

The average college graduate enters the real world with no job, not much relevant work experience and a pile of debt. For high school graduates who don’t pursue a degree, the options in today’s economy can be even more limited. The construction industry offers an alternative.

ABC aspires to lead the industry in safety. As part of that effort, chapters and members have a new resource at their fingertips to share best practices: safety.abc.org.

This policy is designed to provide general information in regard to the current opinions of the Department of Labor & Industries on the subject matter covered. This policy is intended as a guide in the interpretation and application of the relevant statutes, regulations, and policies, and may not be applicable to all situations.

In the past four years, the construction industry has taken a hit when it comes to construction employment. However, as the job situation begins to stabilize, the industry devises a plan to increase construction activity.

Big jumps in diesel and other energy based products plus gypsum, aluminum and steel products and smaller rises in concrete products caused a 2% rise in the construction materials price index in March from February. The Index is up 4.0% in the last three months and 6.8% over the last year. The March gain brought the index above the previous peak level in September 2008.

Each year, hundreds of workplace hazards across the state are left uncorrected, exposing many workers to potential dangers while a business owner appeals a citation issued by the Department of Labor & Industries. Today, Governor Chris Gregoire signed a bill into law that changes this.

Yesterday, the Seattle City Council's Committee on the Built Environment voted to allow taller buildings in Pioneer Square. This was one of the last issues to be tackled in the city's proposal to update land use and zoning rules for South Downtown.

Officials from Benaroya Co. say the South Hill North Data Center in Puyallup is LEED gold certified, one of only a handful of data centers to earn this certification.

As previously reported, expansion of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) presents significant opportunities for construction contractors. In addition, the Tacoma News Tribune reports that the Army is adding a new helicopter and combat aviation brigade to JBLM.

Mar-Flex Building Solutions recently unveiled its new “green initiative,” which commits the company to making only building products that contain 25- to 100-percent recycled material. Current building industry standards say 10 percent recycled content qualifies a product as “green,” but Mar-Flex CEO Brett Oakley said that’s not enough.

If you're near the coastline and a major earthquake strikes, the advice as always is to scramble for higher ground. But sometimes, high ground is far away -- for example, if you're in downtown Seaside, Oregon or Ocean Shores, Washington.

Neri Oxman is an architect and professor who is studying the possibility of constructing buildings using three-dimensional printing technology. If feasible, this could revolutionize the manufacture of prefabricated construction materials of the future. As 3-D printers evolve, it's possible to create layered structures from plastic and metal.

Historic Seattle announced the winners of its 2011 Preservation Awards, which acknowledge excellence in preserving and protecting historic buildings and sites.

General contractors are turning to cloud computing to improve operations by integrating processes into a single solution, while minimizing IT investment and maximizing security. Since the speed and complexity of owning a construction company has not slowed down just because the economy has, an integrated workflow solution can mean the difference between surviving and thriving.

As home remodeling projects kick off this spring, the Department of Labor & Industries is launching an ad campaign encouraging consumers to ensure their contractor is registered, bonded and insured before hiring them for any home improvement project. Research revealed about half of Washington homeowners don’t check to see if their contractor is registered before hiring them. You can help L&I promote the importance of hiring professionals by adding the attached website widget to your own website, promoting yourself as a registered contractor and encouraging your customers to check your registration status with L&I.

The rebound of construction activity from the deep recession is very uneven across the US. Construction jobs have increased over the last twelve months through February in only seventeen states. Total job gains have been far larger than construction job gains in each of these states. Twenty-seven states have had an increase in total jobs while construction jobs continued to decline. Six states had a decline in both total and construction jobs.

In January, Canada’s “real” (i.e., inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.5% month-to-month, according to Statistics Canada, the same rate of gain as in December. The back-to-back 0.5% gains in December and January brought the three-month moving average increase to 0.47%, a level only rarely bested over the longer-term history of the series.

The unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March, capping the strongest two months of hiring since before the recession began. The economy added 216,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday. Factories, retailers, the education and health care sectors, and professional and financial services all expanded payrolls. Those job gains offset layoffs by local governments.

The construction industry remains mired in recession as sector employment and spending continued to shrink even as the overall economy is showing increased strength, according to an analysis of new federal employment and construction spending data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cited the reports as further evidence of the need for measures to boost private and public construction demand to support broader economic growth.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its 2010 list of top ten states for LEED – or green – buildings. The DC-based, 501 c3 organization used an interesting formula for the list, including people in the equation. USGBC VP, Scot Horst, explained that, “Using per capita, versus the more traditional numbers of projects, or pure square footage, is a reminder to all of us that the people who live and work, learn and play in buildings should be what we care about most.”

Despite the loss of 1,000 jobs in March, the nation’s construction industry unemployment rate edged down to 20 percent for the month, according to the April 1 employment report by the Labor Department. Year-over-year, construction employment is down by 36,000 jobs, or 0.6 percent. Today’s rate is lower from 21.8 percent in February and 24.9 percent posted in March 2010.

Four cities in Texas, three in North Carolina and two in South Carolina are nine of the seventeen housing markets where permits over the last year are double or more the national average of permits per population. El Paso continues to have the most intense housing development at 3.8 times the national average of permits per population.

Accompanying this report is a table based on RSMeans’ measures of dollar-per-square-foot construction costs. The results for 25 major cities are shown for four public sector building types – three law enforcement structures and a post office.

A new vehicle procurement directive by President Obama could start changing the makeup of the nation’s automobile and truck fleet in the second half of this decade. The president ordered agencies to buy only non-petroleum fueled vehicles by 2015.

The Internal Revenue Service today issued interim guidance to employers on informational reporting on each employee's annual Form W-2 of the cost of the health insurance coverage they sponsor for employees. The IRS is also requesting comments on this interim guidance. The IRS emphasized that this new reporting to employees is for their information only, to inform them of the cost of their health coverage, and does not cause excludable employer-provided health coverage to become taxable; employer-provided health coverage continues to be excludable from an employee's income, and is not taxable.

The Department of Revenue is warning business owners about a telephone scam currently making a comeback in the state. The automated phone calls state that officials have been trying to reach the business regarding its tax account, and to call 1.800.631.4228. When callers dial that number, they are instructed to call another number – 10-15-15-8000. Calling the second number results in a $7 charge. "This is just a scam to mislead callers into paying a phone charge," said Tremaine Smith, deputy director for the Department of Revenue.

Due to performance advantages and aesthetics, as well as appealing environmental attributes, composite decking has become the fastest growing segment in the decking market. Its weather resistance, versatility and long lifespan make it ideal for commercial d

The 2011 Regional Contracting Forum will have representatives from King County, the city of Seattle, the University of Washington and other Puget Sound-area agencies to share information to help small businesses.

he last couple of retail sales reports from Statistics Canada have turned down the excitement meter. As international oil prices continue to climb, on account of the military action in Libya, there is a danger the consumer side of the economy will become more unsettled.

Citing the recent Japanese earthquake, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn (D) called for elected officials to reevaluate their decision to leave the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct (State Route 99) intact until 2016 as part of the deep-bore tunnel program schedule.

It isn’t often that construction workers are greeted in the early morning hours by a Native American in full traditional dress. But that’s exactly how members of Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Western Washington Chapter began a day of volunteering at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Seattle.

The economic outlook remains clouded with a great deal of uncertainty. Recent geopolitical developments have cast yet another shadow over the economic recovery.

Builders broke ground last month on the fewest homes in nearly two years and cut their requests for permits to start new projects to a five-decade low. The decline in construction activity is the latest evidence that the housing industry is years away from a recovery.

Architecture, engineering and construction firms get rid of or at least scale back their marketing departments in an economic downturn. “What I am seeing is there's a lot of firms that have no marketing or just one marketeer,” said Carla Thompson, director of marketing & business development for MulvannyG2 Architecture. "Wrong move," she said.

In testimony delivered March 16 on Capitol Hill, ABC General Counsel Maurice Baskin, a partner with Venable, L.L.P., stated that recent administration efforts to make project labor agreements (PLAs) part of the federal procurement process are “threatening to violate the longstanding Congressional mandate of full and open competition in federal procurement—at taxpayers’ expense.”

You’ve seen the images and you’ve heard the stories about the heartbreaking earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In response, ABC National is encouraging its members to donate what they can to the charity of their choice. The organizations listed below are already contributing to the relief effort and could use our support.

In its latest effort to help struggling taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service announced a series of new steps to help people get a fresh start with their tax liabilities. The goal is to help individuals and small businesses meet their tax obligations, without adding unnecessary burden to taxpayers. Specifically, the IRS is announcing new policies and programs to help taxpayers pay back taxes and avoid tax liens.

In 2010, “infrastructure” was easily the construction industry’s word of the year. As states began to distribute funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and move full steam ahead on other locally funded projects, contractors specializing in the transportation, water and public works sectors clamored to compete for work, while the nation hoped these projects would provide a desperately needed boost to the economy.

Every contractor wants to build a project on time and within budget. To meet this goal, a contractor must have not only a complete understanding of the construction process, but also effective scheduling and project management.

It appears that the private sector has pushed the public sector out of the driver’s seat in terms of growth of capital spending. According to Statistics Canada’s initial Survey of Public and Private Investment Intentions, growth of private sector investment (3.8%) is projected to outpace public sector spending ( 1.6%) for the first time since 2006.

Economist Jim Haughey says two clouds hang over the construction industry: overseas turmoil and taxpayers' revolts against public spending. Haughey is with Reed Construction Data. His comments were part of a construction outlook webinar last week with Ken Simonson of the Associated General Contractors of America and Kermit Baker of the American Institute of Architects.

Most housing market drivers are now either positive or neutral but mortgage rates and mortgage applications, both new and refinance, have recently turned negative. As a result, what looked like the beginning of a sustained recovery a few months ago has stalled. The multi family market may be in a sustained recovery but the single family market has weakened in the last two months. The latest single family data is a small dip in pending home sales in January and a small downward revision for December.

The global construction market will swell 70% by 2020, driven by China, India and the U.S., according to a report by Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics. The market is expected to grow by $4.8 trillion. China -- which last year became the world's largest construction market, overtaking the U.S. -- will account for 21% of the global total in 2020, the report says.

According to RSMeans’ Construction Cost Index (CCI), which is based on an average of 30 major American cities, the expense of building in January 2011 increased 2.3% versus January 2010. The composite index gain was comprised of materials at 1.8% and labor at 2.9%.

For the first time in six months, the nation’s construction industry added jobs in February. According to the March 4 employment report by the U.S. Labor Department, 33,000 jobs were created.

Notwithstanding the recent election results, the Obama administration appears to be undaunted in its efforts to promote organized labor’s agenda at the expense of free enterprise in the construction industry.

Builders began work on fewer offices, shopping centers and other commercial projects in January, pushing construction spending down to near a decade low. Builders trimmed their activity 0.7 percent in January following a revised 1.6 percent decline in December, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

A number of tall industrial structures at the former Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Eastern Washington will come down in a spectacular fashion tomorrow, courtesy of federal stimulus funding.

Three back to back to back presentations on regional MEGA transportation projects. ACI is creating and extending their mutual network resources for your concrete industry design and construction professionals.

Many national retail and restaurant chains have upped their growth plans, according to a new report by Atlanta-based ChainLinks Retail Advisors.

ABC Feb. 22 sent a comment letter to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) criticizing a proposal that would require employers to post a notice in their workplaces containing an incomplete and biased list of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). More than 100 ABC members also sent letters voicing their own concerns about the proposal in response to an action alert issued in February by ABC.

A new agreement signed by the Washington State Department of Transportation, BNSF Railway and Amtrak clears the way to spend $590 million of a federal grant to upgrade freight tracks for expanded passenger service.

Thirty-six American states lost construction jobs in 2010, as the industry shrank by 93,000 employees nationally, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported.

Exactly 10 years to the day after the Nisqually earthquake exposed the vulnerability of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the Seattle City Council voted 8-1 Monday to override Mayor Mike McGinn's veto and go forward with agreements for a replacement tunnel.

The Department of Labor & Industries has cited a Puyallup asbestos abatement company for several willful violations and fined the firm more than $400,000. The action deals with two abatement projects the company undertook last year at the former Lynnwood High School and a building in Olympia used by the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

Those independent contractors you hired for your small business last year — they really were independent contractors, right? Or were they employees? Many owners may not worry about the distinction, but they should. If the IRS decides that a company should have treated its independent contractors as employees, an owner could be liable for back taxes, interest and penalties.

City officials yesterday said Seattle received $11 million in federal New Market Tax Credits. The credits will be invested in commercial and mixed-use projects in areas where the economic need is greatest, as determined by the federal government.

These days the small to medium-sized contractor has all the means necessary to compete with their larger counterparts in the marketplace--at least from an IT perspective.

On March 3, 2011 at 2p.m. (EST), expert economists from Reed Construction Data, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America (www.agc.org/) and the American Institute of Architects (www.aia.org/) join forces to host “Construction: Time to Spring Forward?” – a webcast focused on examining the current market conditions and detail of the U.S. construction outlook for 2011

This is a reminder that the Department of Labor & Industries will be upgrading the Prevailing Wage Intents and Affidavits (PWIA) system the evening of March 1, 2011.

Jennifer Clark is the Small Business Administration’s Regional Advocate for Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. It is her job to make sure the voice of small business from the Pacific Northwest is heard back in Washington, DC.

Workplace deaths in Washington state climbed in 2010, with 86 men and women killed due to job-related trauma, according to a report on work-related fatalities the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) released today.The deaths are the most reported since 2006 and a steep climb from the 65 fatalities reported in 2009.

In a sign that inflation may have arrived, prices for construction materials rose by 0.9 percent in January – the fourth straight monthly increase. This, according to the February 16 Producer Price Index (PPI) report by the Department of Labor.

Grant Thornton's Construction group says the flurry of recent tax legislation and lingering effects of the economic downturn make this tax planning environment one of the most challenging in recent memory.

“In today’s tough economy, many contractors are losing money or going out of business, but they don’t have to, says construction guru Stan Uhlig in Principles of Federal Construction Contracting.

The state of California faces a problem shared by many green builders. It is charged with constructing the greenest buildings possible to save energy and water, but it is struggling to determine which green features will generate the biggest reductions in cost.

NAIOP's Research Foundation forecasts the demand for industrial space will grow at an annual rate of 1.7 percent, based on first quarter data.

The Bertschi School on north Capitol Hill today is opening one of the world's most sustainable buildings. The school's new science wing is the first completed project in Washington designed to meet the Living Building Challenge, which requires a building to create all the energy it needs, treat its own water and waste, and be a model for teaching others.

As part of the payment process, most construction contracts require contractors to submit some form of lien waiver and affidavit when requesting a progress payment. However, many contractors do not give much thought to what a standard lien waiver form actually says. Instead, they presume that, as the document’s title indicates, they are waiving claims for nonpayment and attesting to payment of lower-tier subcontractors in exchange for the payment being requested.

Stormwater regulations continue to tighten, third-party lawsuits continue to be an enforcement threat, and for property owners and managers, the economics of compliance matter more than ever. This conference addresses these challenges and presents practical answers for companies and service providers in Washington and Oregon.

In today’s economy, positive past performance evaluations are essential for contractors pursuing federal government construction work. A poor evaluation can effectively destroy the possibility of being awarded future work for the federal government.

Notwithstanding the recent election results, the Obama administration appears to be undaunted in its efforts to promote organized labor’s agenda at the expense of free enterprise in the construction industry. After a number of delays in 2009 and 2010, the administration is in many ways just getting started, and so is the opposition to its aggressive pro-labor agenda.

This free webinar is for tax professionals, attorneys, payroll professionals and small businesses.

Despite a slight decrease in the national unemployment rate, job losses continue to mount in the construction industry as the unemployment rate rose to 22.5 percent in January, according to the Feb. 4 employment report by the U.S. Labor Department.

The White House has launched a package of proposals--including a new tax credit and grant competition among states and cities--that aim to make commercial buildings 20% more energy efficient over 10 years.

ABC Jan. 26 sent a letter in support of job creation to Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), ranking member on the committee.

TUMWATER – Registration is now open for the 7th Annual Agriculture Safety Day, which will be held on March 2, 2011 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

ABC members can now submit applications for the Workforce Development Awards, which are sponsored by Trimmer Education Foundation and honor the professionals who further the merit shop philosophy.

Earlier-than-expected changes to ConsensusDOCS, the three-and-a-half-year-old library of model contracts for building design and construction, have been welcomed by lawyers who say the update not only enhances the original documents but demonstrates a development process responsive to industry changes.

Blame it in part on the bad weather, total nonresidential construction spending – which includes both privately and publicly financed construction – dipped 1.6 percent in December 2010, and is down 6.4 percent from December 2009.

"Unfortunately, real estate, residential and nonresidential construction have been the last segments of the economy to rebound. " —ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.

The Seattle City Council is reviewing a proposal to change land use and zoning regulations in South Downtown. Nothing is final, but development standards, height and density bonuses, and parking requirements may change.

Did you know that 85 percent of the construction industry chooses not to belong to a construction union? Well if you didn’t, Mike Uremovich is going to change that.

TUMWATER – The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) today announced a final decision to increase workers’ compensation premium rates by an average 12 percent or 6.5 cents per hour for 2011.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Jan. 25 announced that it is temporarily withdrawing its proposed rule to revise the Form 300 to include an additional reporting column for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Jan. 18 released a final rule that replaces the methodology for establishing wage rates for H-2B temporary workers with a system emphasizing Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations.

According to an analysis of the report released Jan. 21 by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), union membership in the U.S. private construction workforce reached its lowest point since BLS started tracking union data in 1973.

ABC Jan. 18 announced it has received a $90,000 grant from the Turner Foundation, Inc., Atlanta, founded by Ted Turner. This is the second consecutive year that ABC received a grant from the Turner Foundation, and will be used to support ABC’s green building initiatives with a focus on expanding its green certification and training programs.

ABC Jan. 26 reacted to President Obama’s proposal, contained in his Jan. 25 State of the Union address, to review and repair government regulations that place an unnecessary burden on businesses by stating that the construction industry is prepared to make sure he keeps his promise.

One niche often ignored is bonded work. It is obvious and, therefore, not "cool." Contractors who are bonded enjoy statistical and business advantages over those who are not.

The United States has enjoyed one of the highest workforce productivity increases compared with all other nations. With less than 4.5 percent of the world population, the United States controls more than 40 percent of the world wealth.

Understanding and implementing LEED practices is not just for architects and engineers. Contractors also contribute significantly to a building becoming LEED-certified. Under the current LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction, a contractor directly manages and is responsible for 13 LEED points, with an additional four possible points for Innovation in Design (ID) credits.

Workers’ compensation claims are an inevitable part of doing business. Even the safest company in the world will eventually have an employee get injured on the job.

Until recently, most business owners with small to mid-size commercial buildings had few options for implementing energy management systems (EMS) on any notable scale, even though a large portion of this building segment uses more energy per square foot than other commercial properties. HVAC equipment is often the leading culprit of energy waste.

U.S. housing prices should fall 5 percent this year and start to stabilize in 2012, according to John McIlwain, an Urban Land Institute senior fellow who studies housing trends. McIlwain Massive foreclosures will keep pressure on prices, as will high unemployment and an oversupply of homes that is partly due to fewer households being formed post-recession.

Washington, D.C. – In an appeal to ease regulations hampering community banks from lending to small business construction contractors, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) January 20 sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate urging them to support policies that promote small-business lending and job creation.

How is your company documenting and keeping records in the field? If you are still using paper, you might want to consider an alternative. Writing job information down on paper is not only time consuming, it runs the risk of getting lost—which could add up to big costs if your company ever faces litigation.

About 25,000 Xantrex grid tie solar inverters are being recalled by Schneider Electric because of a safety issue. The parts were made in China by Xantrex Technology, which is a subsidiary of Livermore, Calif.-based Schneider.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Jan. 14 sent letters to the attorneys general of Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah demanding that they halt enforcement of their recent state constitutional amendments guaranteeing the right to a secret-ballot election in union organizing campaigns or risk a federal lawsuit.

ABC Jan. 18 offered support for H.R. 2, Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, and H. Res. 9, “Instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law,” both of which stay true to the Republican’s promise to repeal and replace the job-crushing Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Jan. 19 announced that it is withdrawing a proposal to expand the official interpretation of the term “feasible” in relation to occupational noise exposure standards. OSHA intended to reinterpret the word “feasible” to mean “capable of being done,” meaning that the agency would be able to cite a company for not implementing administrative controls unless the company can demonstrate that implementing such controls would put them out of business or threaten the viability of their business.

The Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Jan. 11 released a revised M-274, a handbook for employers explaining and facilitating the Form I-9 process. The handbook is available on the USCIS web site.

TUMWATER — The fight against fraud by the Department of Labor & Industries’ Fraud Prevention and Compliance Program brought in $137.4 million in 2010. The total, detailed in L&I’s annual report to the legislature, Targeting Fraud and Abuse, includes payments from employers for delinquent or falsely reported premiums. It also includes recovered payments to injured workers or health care providers made on fraudulent claims.

The cost of construction materials continued to rise in 2010, closing up 0.9 percent in December, according to the January 13 producer price index (PPI) report by the U.S. Labor Department. Overall, producer prices last month were 5.4 percent above December 2009 levels.

The Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) in December released regulatory agendas that include items addressing independent contractors and affirmative action in construction, among other topics.

ABC Jan. 7 sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) outlining the most egregious existing, proposed and upcoming federal regulatory activity that is detrimental to ABC members and the construction industry.

Despite a slight drop in the nation’s unemployment rate, the construction industry ended 2010 with a jobless rate of 20.7 percent, according to the January 7 report by the U.S. Labor Department.

In an effort to move quickly on what Republicans felt helped fuel their rise to the majority in the 112th Congress, the House will have a vote to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA also known by some as Obamacare) before the president delivers his State of the Union address on January 25.

An Olympia company is selling and leasing a system it said lifts materials and equipment into multi-floor building projects at less cost than using a man and materials hoist. Off-loading is done inside a building rather than from a deck on the outside.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced another victory in its fight against government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects. As a result of a bid protest filed Oct. 18 with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a PLA mandate has been removed from the bidding process for the construction of a $50 million U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Research Office Building in Pittsburgh.

The Department of Labor (DOL) in December released its Fall 2010 Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, which outlined actions and timetables for 2011 and included agendas for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Employment and Training Administration (ETA).

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Dec. 22 issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which would require employers subject to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to post a notice in the workplace informing employees of their rights under the NLRA.

ABC members should get ready for education, technology and competition that will be offered during four days at the 2011 EdCon & Expo, April 12-15 in San Antonio. The program has expanded in 2011 to include interactive education sessions plus new events in a powerful Expo—uniting everything construction under one roof.

ABC members can now submit applications for the Workforce Development Awards, which are sponsored by Trimmer Education Foundation and honor the professionals who further the merit shop philosophy. The awards honor exceptional ABC chapters, members, students and trainees who are pursuing careers in construction or who have made significant contributions to encourage emerging construction professionals.

ABC Jan. 5 announced the 2011 schedule for the Electrical and Mechanical Project Management Institutes, held in conjunction with Purdue University.

WASHINGTON ? The Internal Revenue Service has released instructions to help employers implement the 2011 cut in payroll taxes, along with new income-tax withholding tables that employers will use during 2011.

Despite increased spending on federal projects and residential construction, private nonresidential construction spending fell 0.1 percent in November, according to the January 3 report by the U.S. Census Bureau.