A touching story out of Tennessee. A school bus mechanic named Thomas Mitchell was helping out his district by serving as a substitute school bus driver. In that role, he saw the daily struggle of Verna DeSpain as she labored to lift her wheelchair-bound daughter out of the home and across a set of stone steps to the bus each morning and afternoon.

Not wanting to watch this struggle continue, Thomas went to his local Lowes Hardware, told them of the Mother’s need, and the Manager of the local store was more than happy to donate the necessary lumber and materials. Material now in hand, Thomas called Verna and asked if it was ok for him and his friends to build her an accessibility ramp. Verna tearfully and happily accepted.

What followed was a construction project of compassion and community. In the video below, you’ll see more detail of this touching story. When stories like this arise, it reminds us of our critical ties to the community we live in and serve. We should all look for opportunities to contribute to our communities in similar ways.

Every three years, The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is updated. This update happens through a process involving code officials, builders, efficiency advocates, and other relevant stakeholders. Proposals are presented and then reviewed by this diverse constituency. Once approved, the code then falls under the jurisdiction of state and local officials to adopt and enforce. The IECC is currently in use  by more than 40 states. The finalization and publication of the 2018 IECC is expected in late 2017.

Throughout the review process, information on these proposals is shared. These proposals indicate the potential for marginal change, updates, and modifications rather than wholesale revision.

On the residential construction side of things, the Department of Energy recently reported that making the energy code 4% to 5% more stringent would save American homeowners $126 billion over the next thirty years.

As is true within our industry, more stringent code typically means changes to materials and applications and increases in cost. With that understanding, it is critical for those of us within the industry to know what future codes require so that we can forecast cost, train our workforce, update our suppliers, and maintain profitability.

Here are some of the proposed changes:

For Residential Construction:

• Clarification will be brought to the Energy Rating Index (ERI) to ensure consistency.
• The updated ERI will require a minimum level of efficiency for homes that utilize renewable energy.
• A requirement for more efficient windows in most climate zones.
• A proposal to require heated concrete slabs be insulated.
• A new type of fan to be added to the mechanical ventilation system table.
• Log homes/cabins will be exempt from residential thermal envelope requirements.
• Units within multifamily buildings of less than four stories can be tested for compliance in batches rather than individually – provided the units in each batch have identical construction.

For Commercial Construction:

• More efficient showerheads will most likely be required (maximum flow rate of 2 gallons per minute).
• More efficient faucets.

As we near the approval and publication of the 2018 IECC, we will keep you up-to-date on any new proposals.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that more than two million 2016 construction jobs were dedicated to energy-related projects.

With efficiency continuing to influence construction, it is no coincidence that the energy sector saw 31% of the construction workforce dedicated to it.

Here is a video of a panel discussion at Columbia University on the future of renewable energy and how that impacts construction jobs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Source: Courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Continued Economic Recovery with Help From Millenials and High Profile Professions

ConstructConnect’s report on where the Construction Industry is headed in 2017 is wide-reaching and insightful. In this post, we introduce facets of the report that pertain to the categories of construction we serve. For the full article, please click the link below.

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Hotels and Motels

Investments in new and renovated hotel and motel facilities is almost always highly cyclical. Recent spending by owners in the lodging sector has been on the steep upward ascent of the curve.

ConstructConnect’s hotel/motel starts were up by half in 2015 versus 2014 and the BEA’s put-in-place numbers will be ahead by almost one-quarter in 2016. Improved prosperity within the U.S. is an incentive for both business and tourism travel.

The extraordinary strength in value of the U.S. dollar relative to almost all other international currencies is one counterweight to the optimism for this sector. For foreigners contemplating a visit to the U.S., the exchange rate effect on bottom line expenses has become a discouragement…”(continued at link below)

 

The full article can be found here: click here

Per the National Association of Homebuilders*, 200,000 unfilled construction jobs exist within the United States. This number is the result of several factors:

• The housing market crash (this forced skilled workers to find new trades/retrain)
• Volatility of employment (construction remains a high turnover industry)
• Younger generations not choosing to work in the trades (public education attempts to put all students on a direct path away from vocational training) &
• Poor communication about job availability

Overcoming the applicant gap can be seen as a multi-tiered strategy:

• As the market continues to stabilize, consumer confidence grows, and workers will feel confident to return to their original trade(s)
• Construction remains a high turnover industry for a variety of reasons but employers can reduce turnover by providing a productive, safe, and comfortable work environment
• Reaching out to local school districts, vocational training programs, and apprentice opportunities can help ensure access to a well of young talent
• Utilizing social media to publish job availability. Make sure to also post images and video of what it’s like to work for the company. Millenials are almost as interested in company culture as they are in their pay rate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Source: http://www.nahb.org