Career Development » Industrial Skills

World’s Tallest Prefab Building to Be Finished in 2013

seo.team — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:47:15 +0000

As the prefab building industry comes into its own this year, the construction of world’s tallest prefab building, nicknamed the B2, has been officially tabbed for early 2012, with completion sometime in 2013. The SHoP-designed, Arup-engineered 32-story building, the first in a cluster called the Atlantic Yards, is a residential complex that when completed would surround the planned site of the new Barclays Center in New York.

The project has an 18-month timeline and its completion will probably keynote the arrival of prefab construction in a green-oriented, sustainability-conscious construction industry. It will be another boon to professional contractors who have already finished their continuing education contractor (or contractor CE) and have been eagerly awaiting the start of another construction revival.

Prefab and tall buildings traditionally don’t make a happy couple because of major engineering concerns related to cross-bracing, a support system that allows a tall building to withstand high winds and high vertical loads. In B2, engineers will solve the problem by deploying 900 steel chassis modules on a system of steel frames, with.

Because B2 is prefab, construction managers estimate that costs will be up to 20 percent less, will generate 90 percent less waste, and will be almost 70 percent more energy efficient than a traditional residential tower. Most significantly, the project will need just 190 workers, not the thousands that a nonprefab building project would have required.

IndustrialInstitute.com offers the continuing education contractor and contractor CE programs that contractors in New York will need to fully take advantage of their state’s incoming construction projects

Green-Building Movement Spurs Prefab Housing Industry

seo.team — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:45:30 +0000

The green-building movement not only has helped keep construction going through the recession, but it has also given life to a handful of marginal and overlooked markets. The most important of which is the prefabricated housing industry. Hamstrung for years by an undeserved and unwarranted image of humdrumness and crudeness, prefabricated homes are making a strong comeback today – thanks to the less-is-more call to arms of eco-friendly builders and architects (including big-name designers).

Chic is coming to prefab fast, and costs are coming down. The mix, according to industry observers, might very well usher in a prefab golden age—just the kind of news that professional contractors who have already finished their continuing education contractor (or contractor CE) have been waiting for.

The allure of prefab rests on three things: first, it dramatically cuts construction costs because everything is standardized and construction efforts are pooled; second, it significantly reduces material waste (in tract housing, close to 30 percent of stick-built home material is wasted); third, building times are far lower than in regular construction because weather- and material-related delays are avoided altogether.

Constructiondigital.com reported that the projection for prefab housing now stands at 750,000 units by 2015, and that many new companies are coming up to supply the demand. “We’re seeing huge demand on the East Coast…particularly in North and South Carolina. It’s amazing. I never would have predicted it. That’s a market that has surprised us…and we’ll have to figure out how to serve it,” said Jonathon Davis, founder of pieceHomes, a Los Angeles-based prefab construction outfit.

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, provides the continuing education contractor and contractor CE programs that contractors from New York to California will need for their state’s incoming construction projects.

Rules Stretched as Green Cards Go to Investors

seo.team — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:09:50 +0000

Foreign investors are taking advantage in a big way of an innovative federal immigration program that lets them acquire a green card in exchange for bankrolling construction projects in the United States. The New York Times reported that, in fact, the program has become the chief source of financing for projects in such states as Texas, New York, and California.

Most contractors, of course, are looking for solid gains in such economic bellwethers as employment and homebuyer confidence in the market, but the federal immigration program still is good news for contractors in these areas, especially for those who have already finished their continuing education contractor (or electrical continuing education, as the case may be), which is a requirement for contractor license renewal.

According to the paper, despite a stipulation that each foreign applicant must invest a minimum of $500,000 in a project, their numbers have increased to over 3,800 in 2011, almost four times the number in 2009. The Obama administration is working to streamline the application process to cope with the rapid increase in demand.

The program, however, has its critics, who consider the program as an inappropriate use of the immigration system to kick-start local economies. Further fueling their criticism are developers and state officials in New York who are overstepping the rules—by gerrymandering development zones—to qualify projects for the foreign financing.

Alejandro Mayorkas, a senior federal immigration official, has acknowledged that the program might need a second look.

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, provides the electrical training courses and continuing education contractor programs that contractors from New York to California will need for their state’s incoming construction projects.

Construction Bad News, Good News

seo.team — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:05:11 +0000

One moment there’s good news, the next, same old bad news for the construction sector. This was the case recently when the Federal Reserve released the Beige Book, its latest report on regional economies in the country. The report, according to the Los Angeles Times, showed gains by almost every sector—except housing.

The report pointed to growth in manufacturing, in energy, and in the technology sectors, but it also noted the anemic levels turned in by the residential markets across the country. It is not the news that contractors, especially those who have already finished their continuing education contractor (or electrical continuing education, as the case may be), have been waiting for.

The analysis results only affirm what the construction industry already knows, that building permits for single-family residential housing are still languishing at record-low levels. In the meantime, as foreclosures increase and family budgets shrink, prospective buyers are choosing apartment living instead, fueling a boom in multiunit housing.

Still, the housing market remains saturated—and the banks fearful of a price crash if they release any substantial volume of properties. Some analysts caution though that any reintroduction into the market should be done with great care, lest it trigger another housing crash. Many institutions, meanwhile, are turning to alternatives (rentals, for instance) to the foreclosure process.

The report concluded that although many sectors are undergoing rehabilitation now from the economic recession, the housing industry being the root cause of the financial crisis is one of the last sectors to see recovery. But figures are still not robust enough for the construction industry.

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, provides the electrical training courses and continuing education contractor programs that contractors will need when construction projects start to come in late this year, but most likely in 2013.

Subcontractors Liked Texas

seo.team — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:10:04 +0000

Entering 2012, Texas sports a new star: the most-improved public policy environment for construction subcontractors in 2011, according to the American Subcontractors Association (ASA).

To bag the distinction, the Lone Star State climbed 19 places, from 29th all the way to 10th overall among all 50 states. The state now certainly has the full attention of a lot of contractors, including those who have just finished their continuing education contractor (or electrical training courses, as the case may be), which is a requirement for contractor license renewal.

“Texas succeeded in driving legislative reforms in five major areas—electronic reverse auctions, payment bonds on public-private partnerships, risk allocation, lien claims for retainage, and statutory lien forms,” reported ASA president Kerrick Whisenant. “In 2012, subcontractors across the country should build on these victories.”

Among the criteria ASA used in the evaluation were mechanics’ liens, states treatment of prompt pay, risk transfer, and bid-shopping. New Mexico topped the 2011 evaluation. New York and California tied for third place. ASA highlighted the key contributions of six Texas laws, all signed by Gov. Rick Perry, that turned the tide for the state. Texas, however, failed in the policy environment criterion. Out of a 100, with a passing grade of 60, Texas only managed a 52 in 2011, ASA said.

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, provides the electrical training courses and continuing education contractor programs that Texas contractors will need for the state’s incoming construction projects.

Construction in Washington Does OK in 2011

seo.team — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:08:09 +0000

The past year for commercial construction in the Washington area, as in most markets, was tame, though a slight rise was registered over the previous years. Multifamily development was active, as it is this early in 2012, with about 11,000 market-rate units underway.

Though hardly the kind of news that most contractors are hoping for, the update is still good news for contractors in the Washington area, especially for those who have already finished their continuing education contractor (or electrical continuing education, as the case may be), which is a requirement for contractor license renewal.

As high levels of vacancy and low rental rates continue to prevail and pull down speculative office developments across the U.S., two major projects nevertheless broke ground in the Washington area. Elsewhere, an artificial stability is taking hold of construction levels as the major market players await to get their bearings from the direction the postelection economy will take.

In summary, Washington remained in favor with investors in 2011 with commercial sales volume (all property types) improving by 20 percent over last year. Multifamily properties brought in over $4.7 billion in transactions in 2011, a full 35 percent over the prior years. Industry observers, however, are worried—sales volume dipped for most property types, including multifamily, in the last quarter of 2011.

Regardless of the direction the economy will take after the 2012 election, IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, will provide contractors the necessary electrical continuing education and contractor continuing education programs they will need to ride a construction boom—or ride out a bust.

SAM Pro Enterprise to Streamline Backroom for HVACR Contractors

seo.team — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:55:49 +0000

A new app is on the market to freeze out the grind of daily business and let contractors concentrate on building and constructing. It’s called SAM Pro Enterprise from the good folks at Data-Basics Inc and it’s specifically designed for HVACR contractors involved in service work, construction, and facilities management. It can, of course, be also used by those still finishing their contractor continuing education (or electrical continuing education), which is a major requisite for contractor license renewal.

Because it’s an integrated modular-based Windows software solution—it has 19 modules divided into four categories—it performs proactively to manage daily business operations, end to end. Its four categories are: field service management, CRM, finance and accounting, and sales and procurement. Depending on the modules used, SAM Pro handles back-office components, and performs workflow and service management, reporting and notification, and Web-based field-service and dispatch tasks.

At SAM Pro’s core is a rules-based management engine that employs a predetermined set of rules to automate workflow and to automatically accomplish many critical day-to-day functions, including those in the field (wirelessly and via the Web).

Among its modules are: the back office finance and accounting modules, the field service management modules, the PM Master Scheduler module, the inventory module, the purchase orders module, and the optional CRM modules.

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, continually updates contractors through its electrical continuing education and continuing education contractor programs.

Modest Gain for Construction This 2012

seo.team — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:54:54 +0000

While other industries, insurance and real estate for instance, are going to attempt a rally this New Year, the construction sector is being more conservative. Construction industry consultant FMI Corp., Raleigh, N.C., is forecasting just a 6-percent increase in 2012 for construction, or with inflation factored in just 3-percent increase in 2006 dollars. Nevertheless, given last year’s thin portfolio, the forecast is good news for contractors across America and a clear signal for the others to finish their contractor continuing education (or electrical continuing education, as the case may be), which is an important requirement for contractor license renewal.

“Our forecast calls for a 12-percent increase in residential construction for 2012,” FMI said. “While that appears to be a strong recovery, consider housing is just starting to move off the bottom. The total represents stronger multifamily construction and home improvements as well as single-family housing. In constant 2006 dollars, the gain is more like 9 percent for 2012.”

There is good news, too, for the commercial side, based on FMI data. FMI noted that CII market sectors will increase in 2012.

The EMCOR Group, for its part, expected a slight gain in 2012. “Absent our acquisitions, our backlog is up 30 percent,” said Anthony J. Guzzi, EMCOR president and CEO. “But it had fallen in half from the peak to trough. So going back up is a good sign, although it’s not a broad-based recovery in commercial, and residential has to eventually come up.”

IndustrialInstitute.com, a portal of leading e-learning hub 360training.com, continually updates contractors through its electrical continuing education and continuing education contractor programs.

For Electrical Contractors, the Next Big Thing

seo.team — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:54:54 +0000

The electronics sector has long made the jump into the future. Now, says Edward Brown in his article “The Next Big Thing” for ecmag.com, the electrical contractor sector is making the leap, too—thanks to inroads made by advanced consumer electronics. The future in this case is integrated systems, the likely bread and butter of the next generation of electrical contractors who are now finishing their electrical training courses or electrician online courses.

Brown says the market for home automation is all systems go for takeoff. Integrated systems are already a part of some homes and are increasingly getting to be a regular item in the electrical contractor’s schedule of services, usually under installation or maintenance work. And because integrated control and communication systems constantly evolve, their installation and maintenance will be a constant revenue stream for contractors who can evolve with them (by taking up electrical continuing education) as electrical/integrated systems contractors.

Brown points out that among the functionalities of the integrated system of the very near future will be video, audio, and gaming systems seamlessly connected with each other and the Internet, with each system communicating wirelessly or by wire (Ethernet) to a computer, a TV screen, a touchscreen, or a mobile device.

IndustrialInstitute.com, one of the leading providers of online electrical training courses and online electrician education, is ready for the next big thing for electrical contractors.

Home Remodeling Slow Through the First Half of 2012

seo.team — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:53:53 +0000

Home improvement, as well as home-improvement spending, won’t be looking at much improvement through the first half of 2012, no thanks to a doddering economy and an overly cautious housing market. Thus spoke the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The remodeling market, according to the Joint Center, is expected to remain soft with the latest Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) indicating a slight dip in annual homeowner improvement spending through at least the next several quarters.

It is discouraging news to the contractors community—not the least to contractors already in the process of renewing their licenses via electrical continuing education or contractor continuing education—but it is not totally bad news.

“After pulling through the worst of the downturn in home improvement spending, we appear to be entering another period of softening,” observed Joint Center managing director Eric S. Belsky. But it does show a trend that tends to be cyclical. How quickly the next phase, the upswing, will arrive depends in large measure on homeowner confidence in the economy.

“Homeowners are continuing to undertake smaller jobs, but are still nervous about larger discretionary projects,”said Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center.

While awaiting the market to power up, electrical contractors and electricians best take advantage of the lull to improve their competencies via IndustrialInstitute.com, one of the leading providers of online electrical training courses and electrician online courses.