Smarter Projects

Wind turbines whip up concerns from regents

noreply@blogger.com (TurnKeyMasters) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:13:20 PDT

Friday, August 20, 2010

By Candace Carlisle / Staff Writer

FORT WORTH — Wind turbines could possibly be placed on the University of North Texas campus, according to university officials at the regents’ quarterly board meeting Thursday.

A feasibility study is being conducted on placing three wind turbines next to the new football stadium, which is being constructed near Bonnie Brae Street, or somewhere else on campus.

The study would measure the possible effects on water, air quality and soil, among other environmental effects, and is being funded by a $200,000 grant awarded in mid-June by the Texas Comptroller’s State Energy Conservation Office, said Todd Spinks, director of the UNT Office of Sustainability.

The turbines, which are about 125 feet tall with a blade length of 30 feet, could be paid for by an additional $1.8 million grant from the state’s conservation office, he said.

But that grant won’t be awarded until after the feasibility study is completed and state officials view the results, he said.

“Right now, we’re primarily in the development stage and we are conducting a feasibility study to determine the impact [of the turbines],” Spinks said. “This was an opportunity for us to bring this to the board’s attention … to begin the dialogue.”

The turbines could provide 80 percent to 85 percent of the new stadium’s power needs and save an estimated $100,000 a year in electricity, he said.

While the idea could make environmental and fiscal sense, several regents voiced concerns about some negative effects the wind turbines could have, including the possibility of noise interfering with athletic programs, the aesthetics of the turbines and the effects on the nearby neighborhood.

Regent Brint Ryan, a UNT alumnus, said he’s excited about renewable energy, but not excited about the aesthetics of wind turbines. He said he couldn’t picture wind turbines on the UNT campus anytime soon.

C. Dan Smith, chairman of the board, said he thought wind turbines could be a good idea, but he’d like more information from the completed study.

He added that he’d like to see the study focus on possible locations at UNT other than near the stadium, which already has several facilities in operation.

“We might have other locations, such as the research park, which would tie into the research school,” Smith said. “I think the research park would make more sense, but I’d need more facts.”

UNT officials said they’d be meeting with residents of nearby neighborhoods to discuss the possibility of wind turbines on campus, but no dates on those meetings were given.

Also approved during the meeting were several facility-related projects, including increasing the budget for the park’s clean room from $3 million to $4 million to add 1,200 square feet of space to the laboratory.

Vish Prasad, vice president for research and economic development, said the additional investment will help the research park attract private companies to use the university’s research space.

“Now Discovery Park becomes a real discovery park, with more economic development — that is the key,” Prasad said.

CANDACE CARLISLE can be reached at 940-566-6889. Her email address is ccarlisle@dentonrc.com

Construction Equipment Ideas during a Trying Economy

noreply@blogger.com (TurnKeyMasters) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:17:45 PDT

21.07.2010 | Author: sibleyhaley

Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, there has been a great need for equipment to help with manpower and supplies moving. One thing has changed since those days, and that is the need to elevate man and other forms of lift workers and tools to high levels, sometimes, full stories above the ground. When a human touch is needed, people can be lifted with the right equipment. Construction equipment rental is a great way to use equipment without having to invest in the purchase of equipment which will likely require additional maintenance costs and depreciation.

Construction equipment rental is ideal when the budget is tight and a company does not want to spend money on buying a computer, or deals with accounting for maintenance, inspection and other associated costs. Rents are a convenient way to have a computer at hand while necessary, because then the company can simply return when the project is finished, without having to pay full price otherwise involved in a purchase.

Taking into account speed equipment such as elevators and lifts man of the pen, you can depreciate once they have been acquired, a decision is especially advisable to opt for rental to consider the pros and cons of a possible takeover. In addition, construction equipment rental is a great way to ensure that the team needs is inspected and repaired. It is essential that equipment and vehicles involved in the construction and storage are kept in optimal working conditions because they are often used to lift heavy loads, which can be dangerous if handled improperly, or if the team does not manipulate .

Some construction equipment lift heavy loads to great heights, making safe and proper maintenance man lift and forklift hire essential as an accident with heavy weight and long falls often disastrous. When considering the construction equipment rental, it is best for a company to consider the nature of the project for which equipment is needed.

For example, firms regularly used vehicles commonly used for reservoir construction, but the team is a part of everyday work in a warehouse, which means a long lease term, or even a purchase, can be more sensitive to their needs. For the relatively short construction or renovation, the procedures for lifts and man lifts car will make more sense, because the company does not have to maintain the equipment after it is no longer in use.

About the Author: -

Dee Salazar has worked in the industry of construction equipment rental for several years, and fully recommends that companies looking to find a good quality equipment such as elevators and lifts man of the pen for a special project, consider renting. Rental equipment can help companies avoid the headaches associated with the purchase accounting, and are a great way to help a company with its construction and storage requirements, while balancing the benefits and costs to hire a purchase. Dee also emphasizes that choose to elevate man and forklift rental is ideal for maintaining the equipment properly maintained.

Business feasibility workshop set for May 18

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 05 May 2010 09:42:22 PDT

HAMMOND | The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center is presenting its Business Feasibility Workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. May 18 at the Hammond INnovation Center, 5209 Hohman Ave.
The workshop is designed to help would-be entrepreneurs determine their preparedness and ability to launch a business by examining the opportunities, responsibilities and challenges involved in business ownership.
Cost is $25 and registration and payment are required in advance. To register, call (219) 644-3513 or visit http://www.nwisbdc.org.

Published by: nwi.com

RFP: TCERA Investment Consulting

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:08:17 PDT

TCERA is inviting proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive investment consulting, monitoring and advice services for the $924 million defined benefit public pension plan. Extensive experience in evaluating, selecting and monitoring investment managers across a broad spectrum of asset classes, along with providing education and advice to the Board of Trustees and staff is required. Responses must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on June 25, 2010.

More information at: TCERA website

Feasibility Study for Hotel Development in Kenya

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:26:37 PDT

May 4th, 2010

From Nairobi CBD
Project: Hotel Development in Kenya, Nairobi-CBD-South East Commercial Park.
Client: Mr. J M
Location: Nairobi CBD South East Commercial Park.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is a project proposal for the construction of a middle class Hotel on a parcel of land situated at Nairobi CBD South East Commercial Park.
The project has been conceived, designed and will be implemented by www.a4architect.com for Mr. J. M

The estimated development cost for the project is KES 355,500,000[USD 4,443,750].

The project completion period shall take 12 months from ground breaking to hand over.

Return on Investment shall be in a period of 1 year.Total gross anticipated income per annum including food and beverage sales =388,800,000.00[4,860,000.00]

Read more about this project at: A4Architect.Com

Herger seeks new study on postal decision

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 04 May 2010 05:47:49 PDT

By LARRY MITCHELL - Staff Writer
Posted: 05/04/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

CHICO — Two local congressmen want the U.S. Postal Service to do a new feasibility study on its plan to close the Marysville mail-processing facility, according to Fran Peace, district director for Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico.
Herger and Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Granite Bay, wrote to Postmaster General John Potter last week, asking to meet with him on the issue.

Peace, in a phone interview, said the two congressmen think a new study is warranted for a number of reasons. For one, they think the Postal Service didn't solicit public input from a wide enough area.

The Postal Service has decided to close the Marysville facility by October. Mail sent from Butte County and seven other counties, which is now processed in Marysville, would be processed in West Sacramento instead.

Many Yuba County officials are upset by the proposed change, partly because of the jobs that would be lost. Some postal workers employed at the Marysville facility are unhappy, too.

The letter from Herger and McClintock states that the only public meeting on the proposed closure was held in Yuba County and that there were no meetings in the other seven counties whose mail would be affected.

The letter also notes that where agricultural inspectors examine all mailed plants, fruit and vegetables at the Marysville facility, that wouldn't be done at the West Sacramento operation. This poses a potential threat to agriculture, and the issue needs to be considered in the feasibility study, the letter notes.

Another issue is possible delays in mail delivery. It could happen that absentee ballots mailed in by some voters might not arrive in time to be counted, the congressmen's letter states. It says this actually happened in 2005, when the Marysville facility was closed and mail was sent to West Sacramento for a time. Ultimately, the Marysville facility was reopened.

Augustine Ruiz, a spokesman for the Postal Service, said his agency did seek public input from an adequate area.

Also, he said there would be no delays in mail delivery because of closing the Marysville facility. There were delays in 2005, he said, but in those days there was much more mail being sent. With less mail today, he said, the volume could be handled smoothly and on time.

The Postal Service wants to close the Marysville facility to save money. The move has become necessary because of declining volumes of mail, Ruiz said.

Peace said Herger wants to see that all concerns of his constituents are adequately addressed.

If they are sufficiently addressed and closing the Marysville facility still turns out to make the most economic sense, Herger would support the move, she said.

Staff writer Larry Mitchell can be reached at 896-7759 or lmitchell@chicoer.com.

Published by: Chicoer

Fjords, Caves and Mines: The New Tools for Building Data Centers

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 06:16:24 PDT

MARK BOSLET: APRIL 28, 2010

Local Host has created a cooling system for data-centers that siphons icy water from 984 feet below the surface of Norway's Nordfjord.

Now the startup wants to build the world's largest green data center in an abandoned mine.

Local Host CEO Sindre Kvalheim says his goal is to build "the world's largest, high-security green data center." There are reasons to think he might succeed. The central coast Sogn og Fjordane region of Norway has an abundance of cheap hydro-electric and wind power to run racks of energy-hungry servers. The company already attracted the attention of IBM and Tandberg. Now it plans to reach out to Google and Microsoft for the $100 million it needs to complete the project.

It also has an endless supply of freezing water in the 66-mile-long fjord nearby, Norway's sixth longest. "We can cool a data center more efficiently that any where else in the world," said Kvalheim, who disclosed details of the project for the first time outside of Norway at the Nordic Green II conference taking place in Menlo Park this week (see more coverage here). "We know it's not only doable, it's feasible."

The company has been testing its cooling system for two years at a small, 20-rack data center it runs in Maloy, Norway. "We have reduced our power costs by 50 percent" by eliminating the need for an electric chiller to cool the servers, says Kvalheim. The salt water brought from the depths of the fjord is 45 degrees and cools less corrosive fresh water, which circulates among the computers. The fjord water remains pressurized and requires little energy to pump.

Local Host began studying the underground site in October and expects to complete a feasibility study in June. Kvalheim is convinced the findings will be encouraging.

Both Norway and Iceland hope to take advantage of their often-frigid weather to eliminate one of the more vexing problems facing IT managers: air conditioning. Cooling can consume half of the power used in data centers. Although many companies have been able to reduce their air conditioning bills with passive cooling and better data center design, air conditioners remain standard equipment in data centers. When it comes to passive cooling, Iceland and Norway are ideal. Even in summer, the temperature often hovers in the 50s. Iceland has a few projects coming on line this year. (The ample supplies of hydroelectric and geothermal power also make both countries green power centers. 98 percent of Norway's power comes from renewable power -- it exports the vast majority of its natural gas.)

Ireland is already capitalizing on its coastal breezes and cold temperatures to woo data center owners. Microsoft recently planted a green data center there.

But the challenges facing the Norwegian project are significant. IBM has funded 10 percent of the feasibility study and the Norwegian government kicked in 50 percent. However, finding $100 million in construction costs are beyond the means of the tiny company. That has Kvalheim eager to approach Internet giants Google and Microsoft.

He says the 1.4 million-square-foot center will have six stories with tunnels and roads for customers to haul in trailer-truck-sized portable data centers. The abandoned olivine mine could fit between 2,000 and 3,000 of the portable units, which Kvalheim says he will build, even though vendors such as Hewlett-Packard and Sun offer commercial models.

Construction could start in 2011, with the demand for data-intensive Internet services only expected to increase in the years to follow. As the world learns to cope with the need for greater energy efficiency, green centers are likely to draw increasing interest from the online titans of the coming decade. In Kvalheim's view, that means harnessing the frigid water of a Norwegian fjord.

Published by: GreenTechMedia.Com

Report recommends smaller CMP project

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:42:03 PDT

BY THE MAINEBIZ NEWS STAFF
Today

A Maine Public Utilities Commission advisory panel has recommended scrapping parts of Central Maine Power Co.'s proposed $1.5 billion Maine Power Reliability Project.

The examiner's report, released April 23, backed most of CMP's plan to upgrade or add to its high-voltage transmission backbone in the northern and western portions of Maine, but recommended denying or deferring parts of the project in other regions.

The report supported a plan for additional 345 kilovolt transmission lines from Orrington to Albion and in the Buxton/South Gorham areas, as well as other various upgrades to improve reliability. But the report said additional 345 kV and 115 kV lines from South Gorham to the Maine/New Hampshire border and in central Maine, as well as several new substations, "would not be needed within a reasonable planning horizon."

In making its recommendations, the staff disagreed with ISO-New England's reliability analysis, and found ISO-NE's electricity load forecasts "unreasonable" and did not meet the organization's "own requirements that the stressed conditions...have a reasonable probability of actually occurring."

The staff attributed the state's high electricity rates in part to "the over-stringent assumptions used by ISO-NE" and urged for greater transparency in transmission projects. The staff's report would bring the project's total cost down to $1 billion.

The report also said that other non-transmission projects, like the massive solar installations proposed by Portland-based GridSolar, be further considered as alternatives.

The PUC plans to deliberate on the case May 25, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Published by: MaineBiz.Biz

Feasibility study of high-speed corridors taken up - Official

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 06:18:53 PDT

By Team Mangalorean

Mysore, Apr 26: The Indian railway authorities have taken up a feasibility study of the proposed high speed corridors in six places in the country, said the railway board Chairman S S Khurana here today.

Speaking to newspersons after laying foundations stone for the Multi Functional Complex (MFC) at the Railway Station premises, he said the Board has take up high speed corridor feasibility study between Chennai-Bangalore, New Delhi-Amritsar via Chandigarh, Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune, Chennai-Hyderabad and New Delhi-Patna.

This feasibility study would be taken on cost sharing basis with concerned state governments, he said.

On fright corridors, he said the works had already begun in Western and Eastern railway areas.

Referring to recruitment in the railways, he said the railway board had decided to conduct all India level examinations on the same day across the country for the recruitment in the railways. This system would avoid the students to attend the tests at their own places instead of going to other states. The examinations would also be conducted in regional languages in order to help the local students he added.

Track doubling:

Mr Khurana said that the doubling of railway line between Bangalore-Mysore is expected to take another two years and 50 per cent of works was completed so far and new works taken up between Ramanagaram and Chennapatna. He said the track doubling works were taken up on priority basis.

However, there was problem in some places where the land acquisition remained. It would be overcome soon by consultation with the state government, he said. Referring to increase in passengers between Mysore and Bangalore, he said the Railways was aware of it and trying to complete the doubling work as early as possible.

The state government should also cooperate in this connection with early clearance of land acquisition process. He said the Shimoga-Talaguppa Gauge Conversion Works was already completed and operations expected to commence by this year end. Nearly 1,450 km of new lines were sanctioned by the Railways for Karnataka in the 2010-11 Budget and works had already commenced.

Those sanctioned were Hospet-Bellary, Hopset-Londa, Bagalakot-Kudatchi and Bidar-Gulbarga, besides Whitefiled-Kolar, Tumkur-Davangere, Shimoga-Harihara and Dharward-Belgum. He said the upgradation of the Mysore Station had already been taken up with additional facilities to passengers including an escalator.

Additional parking facilities would also be provided soon, he added.

Published by: Mangalorean.Com

Healthcare: NuHealth issues $1 billion RFP

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:00:12 PDT

by David Winzelberg for Long Island Business News

The NuHealth System is putting out requests for proposals for the $1 billion redevelopment of its East Meadow and Uniondale campuses.

Ohio-based Health Care REIT will act as NuHealth’s master developer and is entertaining project ideas from qualified builders to redevelop the two properties, which together total about 85 acres.

In a statement, NuHeath said Nassau County’s largest redevelopment project will create thousands of jobs, meet housing needs of seniors and medical residents, provide medical offices and improve health care of county residents.

The project includes remaking the 50-acre A. Holly Patterson nursing home in Uniondale into a senior village, as well as expanding and renovating the 35-acre Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow.

The plan for the Uniondale property includes a new 320-bed nursing home, a 150-bed assisted living facility, a community health center, a 29-station dialysis center, 388 units of senior housing, 100,000 square feet of retail/office space, a community center, athletic field, and about four acres of open space and walking trails.

NuHealth will continue to own and operate the new nursing home, community health center and dialysis center. The Town of Hempstead would need to rezone the property to allow the redevelopment.

In East Meadow, NuHealth wants to build medical office buildings for private physicians, an ambulatory surgery center, medical research, a wellness center, community and open space, and new housing for hospital residents and medical students.

Published by: BlackSwanZine.Com

Novagold announces Pre-Feasibility study at Galore Creek project

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:28:21 PDT

NovaGold Resources Inc. (TSX:NG)(NYSE Amex:NG) today announced that a pre-feasibility study is underway for its Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project located in northern British Columbia. Galore Creek is owned equally by NovaGold and Teck Resources and managed by the Galore Creek Mining Corporation ("GCMC").

NovaGold will host its quarterly conference call and webcast
Wednesday, April 21 at 1 pm PST (4 pm EST)
Toll-free 1-866-223-7781 or webcast at www.novagold.net

GCMC has been reviewing a number of optimization scenarios for the Galore Creek project with the objective of expanding throughput, relocating the project facilities to allow for easier construction and future expansion, and reducing the risks associated with construction and operations. Based on these studies, GCMC has identified a preferred project design and initiated a pre-feasibility study for the project, with completion targeted for the first half of 2011.

The pre-feasibility study will provide capital cost estimates using higher copper and gold prices than used in previous studies, as well as permitting, construction and production timelines.

Primary changes to the project include:

Relocation of the tailings facility allowing for construction of a conventional tailings dam
Relocation of the processing facilities allowing for future expansion
Realignment of the tunnel and access road
Potential increase of daily throughput to 90,000 tonnes per day
Current plans envision the ore being crushed in the valley and then conveyed through the tunnel and along the access road to the processing plant. From there, concentrate would be piped along the remainder of the access road to Hwy 37. A trade off study will identify the best alternative for transport of concentrate to market.

The project would use primarily electric power, with a powerline built along the access road to tie into the 287 kV transmission line that the British Columbia and Canadian governments have pledged to build. On April 15 the governments announced that the powerline project has entered the public review process for its Environmental Assessment Certificate.

Some components of the revised plan, such as the mill and tailings location, would require new permits or amendments to existing permits. The majority of permits required for road construction remain in good standing, however, with road work during 2008 and 2009 yielding access to Km 40.

GCMC may continue with road and bridge work as the project moves through the feasibility stage, with the objective of shortening the construction timeline and largely eliminating the need for helicopter support.

Kevin Francis, P.Geo., Vice President Technical Services of NovaGold and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and accepts responsibility for the technical information contained within this press release.

Read more about Novagold and the Galore Creek project

FLSmidth to deliver the world’s largest pipe conveyor for coal handling

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:57:07 PDT

Posted on April 22nd, 2010

FLSmidth has been awarded its second coal handling order from NTPC this year. The contract from M/s. NTPC - Tamil Nadu Energy Co Ltd (a joint venture company between National Thermal Power Corp Ltd and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board) has a value of some $20.4 million and covers engineering, supply and installation of an external coal handling system at the Vallur Thermal power plant. The plant is located at Ennore, approximately 20 km from the city of Chennai in southern India.

Major equipment included in the coal handling system is a 4.4 km long pipe conveyor with a capacity of 4,000 t/h - making it the world’s largest pipe conveyor, the company says. The coal handling system will convey coal from the adjoining port to the internal coal handling stockpile.

This external coal handling package is part of an expansion of the 1,500 MW mega power project. In view of the Indian Government’s ‘Power for All’ policy, NTPC has formed joint ventures with state owned electricity boards to produce power to meet the local demand.

The coal handling system is based on a well-proven system as FLSmidth has previously delivered the world’s longest pipe conveyor, which is 8.2 km long and operating in Peru as well as the highest capacity coal pipe conveyor with a capacity of 2,000 t/h, operating in Colombia.

The pipe conveyor is a spillage free conveying system, installed with a dust control system at end transfer stations, ensuring an environmentally friendly material handling system.

“This order for the world’s largest pipe conveyor will further qualify FLSmidth for future material handling projects and supply of long distance conveyors, especially for coal. The development of our material handling activities is supported by our various acquisitions, increasing our ability to serve as a single-source supplier to both the cement and minerals industries,” Group CEO Rasmussen comments.

Published by: im-mining.com

Road projects to go out to bid in May

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:53:29 PDT

Thursday, April 22, 2010
BY KIMBERLY REDMOND
COMMUNITY LIFE

The Pascack Valley Cooperative Pricing Consortium is gearing up for its third year of jointly bidding the annual road resurfacing projects of the co-op's ten participating municipalities. Since 2008, the co-op, made up of area administrators, has worked to identify cost-cutting measures that include implementing shared service agreements or jointly purchasing equipment.

The annual road resurfacing project is perhaps the most well-known endeavor of the Consortium, according to Westwood Borough Administrator Bob Hoffmann, due cost savings involved.

One of the benefits of banding together for the project, explained Hoffmann, is that Woodcliff Lake Borough Administrator Ed Sandve, a civil engineer, completes the design work at no cost to the participating municipalities. Sandve's work wound up saving the municipalities $139,471 in 2009 and $98,884 in 2008.

Similar to the last two years, Westwood will serve as the lead agency for the project, Hoffmann said, therefore the Westwood Mayor and Council must pass a resolution to award the entire project to the lowest responsible bidder. For the past two years, D&L Paving has been awarded the project.

Last year, the work in the nine participating municipalities was estimated at $2,393,448, said Sandve, but by jointly bidding, the actual work cost $1,728,898. In 2008, the first year the municipalities collaborated, the project was estimated at $1,790,084, but wound up costing $1,343,105.

Sandve has again set to work upon preparing a request for proposals for engineering services, bid specifications and construction management services for the 2010 round of municipal road resurfacing projects. According to Hoffmann, he and Sandve are in the process of reviewing the roads submitting by each municipality, as well as ensuring that the funding is in place to move forward.

Hoffmann said he anticipates going out to bid by May and, hopefully, awarding the project in June. Roads to be included in the project should be released next week.

E-mail: redmondk@northjersey.com

Published by:

Venezuela reports bids for oil project

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:06:10 PDT

Thursday, April 22, 2010Reuters

Venezuela has received three offers for the Carabobo 2 Project, the last major untaken venture in the Orinoco heavy-crude belt, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said Wednesday.

"We are evaluating them," Ramirez said, without naming the firms.

The Carabobo 2 project failed to attract a high enough offer during a round of public bidding earlier this year for three projects in the area. Consortia took the other two.

"I don't think there will be another process of public offer for Carabobo because the Orinoco-belt projects are now complete," he said. "That's why these companies are betting on the last area that remains."

Published by: The Edmonton Journal

Webinar on Calculating and Analyzing Construction Damages

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:50:26 PDT

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) April 20, 2010 -- WPL Publishing later this month will sponsor a webinar that will examine effective approaches for calculating and analyzing damages resulting from delay, disruption, and wrongful termination in construction projects.

The 90-minute webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at 1:00 (EDT), will feature Sage Construction Consulting's Bill Schwartzkopf, author of the treatises "Calculating Construction Damages" and "Calculating Lost Labor Productivity in Construction Claims." He will discuss the importance of a detailed analysis that uses actual cost records and provide various examples to illustrate the calculation of damages.

The interactive event is suited for owners, construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, engineers, and legal professionals. To register, visit http://tinyurl.com/y65a6pa.

Webinar participants are expected to learn how to analyze overruns and underruns in actual costs over budgeted costs as well as how to determine whether variances are consistent with the asserted causes of a contractor's damages.

Schwartzkopf additionally will address a wide range of methods for calculating damages. These methods involve actual costs, total costs, modified total costs, estimated costs, measured mile, and earned value. He also will advise on how to properly calculate extended field and home office overhead, labor and equipment escalation costs, actual productivity costs, acceleration costs, and damages due to loss of bonding capacity.

Schwartzkopf heads the national construction litigation practice at Denver-based Sage, a national consulting firm specializing in construction claims and contract surety defaults. He has appeared in various state and federal courts throughout the United States and in front of several arbitration panels and disputes review boards.

In addition, a 10-to-15 minute period has been reserved at the end of the presentation for an interactive question-and-answer session so that participants can discuss specific issues or gain additional knowledge about the topics discussed.

Webinar tuition is based on location, not number of participants, so each registration site can have multiple participants for one low price. To register, visit http://tinyurl.com/y65a6pa.

Published by: PRWeb

The Basics of Smart Grid Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:18:49 PDT

Written by: Nadine Davis
Tue, 20 Apr 2010

It seems like a new plan or scheme for saving the planet is developed every single day. Anything that strives to help improve the health of the planet is a good thing, but not all ideas actually work. One hotly debated topic right now is smart grid technology; learn more about it below.

What Is Smart Grid Technology?

Although it's being discussed more and more, many people are completely unaware about what smart grid technology is. Basically, the technology refers to two-way digital technology that is used to allow consumers to communicate directly with energy suppliers in order to reduce waste, increase efficiency and save money. Through this direct connection, specialised appliances will be able to function more efficiently and less energy will be wasted in the long run.

How Australia Is Getting In On The Action:

Recently, the Australian government invested $100 million to help and develop a smart grid demonstration project. This is how the Government will discover more of what there is to know regarding the technology, and be able to make a decision on whether or not it is a possible option for the future. The government's interest in the technology has undoubtedly stirred up more interest in it among everyday people, especially those who already use things like solar panel Brisbane products. As the government conducts its research, many people are hopeful that smart grid technology will eventually become a reality in this country.

The Benefits of Smart Grid Technology:

One of the most highly publicised points about this technology is that the grid will have the ability to talk directly with smart appliances. Those appliances will be able to operate during off-peak hours, which will reduce strain and help cut back on waste. For instance, a clothes washer might run during the middle of the night; a load of dirty dishes might be cleaned by a dishwasher while the homeowner sleeps. Top-notch digital technology will be behind these features, and proponents believe that it will make a significant dent in the amount of energy that is used and wasted every day.

The Potential Downside of Smart Grid Technology:

As with anything else, some people have raised objections and concerns about smart grid technology. The most common point that individuals are worried about is a loss of privacy as a result of the direct connection between households and energy supply companies. Some people are afraid that their personal information will be compromised, and that their privacy will be invaded. Without a doubt, these concerns are being taken into consideration as the technology is being developed; safeguards will certainly be put into place in order to protect everyone's privacy. Even so, it's unclear whether smart grid technology will ever really become a reality.

Published by: DirectoryArticle

County goes to bid on Mound House road reconstruction project

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:33:37 PDT

April 21, 2010

Lyon County is currently accepting bids for a total reconstruction project of Affonso Drive, which leads to the industrial area in Mound House.

The engineer’s estimate is $1.45 million for this project, which will be funded by Lyon County Regional Transportation Commission funds.

The bids will be accepted until the deadline of 9 a.m. on Friday, April 23, at the Lyon County Clerk-Treasurer’s Office in Yerington.

The project includes removing the existing pavement on Affonso Drive for a stretch of about .6 mile from U.S. 50 to Brown Drive, including removing 20 inches of base, and replacing with it with new six inches of asphalt paving. Being bid as an alternate is the same work on a portion of Brown Drive.

Lyon County Road Manager Gary Fried said Affonso’s pavement “looks like the back of an alligator.”

He said the geotechnical report found problems with the base, which resulted in the need to remove 20 inches overall of the existing roadway and base, especially with the heavy trucks that use the road heading to the industrial area, which also caused the thicker asphalt requirement.

Fried said they hope to receive a lot of bids and that the bids will come in below the estimate of $1.45 million, as many are looking for work, although he said the price of materials is what is resulting in high costs more than labor costs.

Published by: RGJ.Com

NovaGold, Teck begin pre-feasibility study on Galore

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:34:40 PDT

Reuters
Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2010

NovaGold Resources Inc. and Teck Resources Limited have begun a pre-feasibility study on their Galore Creek gold-copper joint venture in British Columbia, NovaGold said Tuesday.

Development of the project was put on hold in late 2007, when construction cost estimates more than doubled to about $5-billion.

In a statement, NovaGold said the study will be released in the first half of 2011 and will include capital-cost estimates using updated metals prices and a new construction timeline. Novagold said changes to the project will include relocation of the milling and tailings facilities and a potential increase of daily through put to 90,000 tonnes a day. Additionally, the project will use mainly electric power, with a power line built along an access road to tie into a larger transmission line.

The companies -- each owns half of Galore -- have since been looking for ways to cut costs on the project.

Published by: FinancialPost.Com

DMRC to Study Feasibility of Bhopal Metro

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:07:36 PDT

April 21, 2010 Visionmp.com news service

Bhopal – The Urban Administration and Development Department has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to study the feasibility of launching the metro rail service in the state capital.

According to the terms of the document, signed by PS UADD, Raghav Chandra and DMRC Director, Mangulal, the corporation will conduct relevant surveys and submit a feasibility report to the state government in six months time.

The DMRC report will identify suitable routes, standards and specifications for the metro project in the state capital.
Urban Administration Minister Babulal Gaur said that a metro rail service, on the lines of the one already operating in the national capital, would be introduced in Bhopal in the next seven years.

Published by: VisionMP.Com

Peel Plaza project goes to tenders

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:47:02 PDT

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 20, 2010
CBC News

The city of Saint John will issue tenders for construction of the Peel Plaza project, common council decided Monday during a special meeting to discuss whether the controversial project should proceed.

But the multi-million dollar complex has been scaled back from the original proposal six years ago.

And council won't give the final go ahead until it knows how much it will cost.

Four separate tender calls will be issued — for the police station, parking garage, surrounding plaza and required infrastructure, said city manager Pat Woods.

Dividing the uptown project into four pieces will allow smaller companies to bid and should bring in better prices, he said.

"It will be accessible to local bidders and it will also attract a number of competitive bids so the taxpayers will ultimately gain any competitive advantage from that competitive tension."

Once the bids come back in about five to six weeks, council will meet again to discuss whether to go ahead with construction.

"We will have a better sense of what interest rates are at the time," said Woods. "We'll know dollar accurate costs, not what somebody thinks they might be, we'll know what the tender prices are."

Smaller garage, less ambitious park

It is estimated the scaled back project will cost about $42 million — $3 million to $8 million less than the original city estimate six years ago.

Council accepted a staff recommendation to reduce the size of the parking garage to 460 spaces instead of 560, and the park won't have a pond or as many fountains.

The police headquarters will also be less environmentally friendly than originally planned to help cut costs. It will be built to a LEED silver standard instead of gold.

Woods expects the project will have a "marginal impact" on the city's tax rate.

The headquarters and garage would be financed over 25 years, while money borrowed for the park and infrastructure would be paid back over 15 years.

The city will have to keep its annual borrowing costs down for other big projects, said Woods.

And council will have to stick to a plan to keep the police, fire and Saint John Transit budget increases to one per cent in 2011 and 2012, which may not be possible without cuts.

West side resident Don Darling, who attended the meeting, said he's glad council put off making a final decision.

"You know, I thought tonight that we were going to have a final vote and I would have had a lot of questions unanswered, so pleased to see that there was a process that's been laid out and we'll see here in five or six weeks what happens."

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase and two councillors, Bill Farren and Patty Higgins, voted against the motion to issue tenders.

Meanwhlie, the adjacent provincial justice building is currently under construction at the site of the former YM-YWCA on Hazen Avenue. It's expected to have 13 courtrooms, along with offices for judges, Crown prosecutors, sheriffs and other staff and be connected to the proposed police headquarters.

Published by: CBC.Ca

Project Manager - Agricultural Construction, USA

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:11:21 PDT

JobsOffBorders Ltd. - Minneapolis, MN

Project Manager experienced in Agricultural, Industrial, or Renewable construction projects is required for management of overall projects.

Requirements:
• Good communication, people and organization skills.
• Minimum of 2 years secondary education.
• Minimum 5 years construction or management experience.
• Has a valid driver's license.
• Computer software required:
• Microsoft Office Suites
• Viewpoint PM Software
• Microsoft Project

Experience in one or more of the following industries:

• Renewable (Ethanol, Biodiesel, Cellulosic, Wind, Anaerobic Digestion, Fractionization, Solid Waste, etc.)

• Agricultural (Feedmills, Soybean, Grain Elevators, Grain Storage, Fertilizer, Livestock, Seed, Flour, Sugar Beats, etc.)

• Industrial (Bakery, Cement, Food/Beverage, Pneumatics, Solid Waste, Mining, Plastics, Coal, Barge Loading/Unloading, Malting, Rendering, Ingredient Mfg, Paper Mill, Power Plants, Pre-Engineered Buildings, etc.)

Responsibilities:
• Overall responsibility of projects
• Actively pursue new projects.
• Perform site visit's, meet with clients, document data and information throughout the project.
• Prepare construction schedules, sub-contracts, purchase orders, RFI, RFQ, transmittals, meeting minutes, daily logs and CTC.
• Present and obtain Change Orders from client for items outside the scope of work prior to doing the work.
• Procurement of materials and deliveries for projects.
• Review/Redline of all construction and equipment approval drawings for the project.
• Daily communication with Superintendent/Forman regarding work schedule, scope of work, materials and equipment and any problems.
• Rent equipment either owned or 3rd party and associated costs.
• Communicate with owner, site representative and plant supervisor.
• Communicate and coordinate with subcontractors.
• Coordinate information about your projects with management when asked.
• Be aware of employee schedules (via Superintendent or Foreman) and how that may affect progress of the project.
• Review contracts and specifications.
• Be aware of safety issues on the job and enforce that we are in compliance.
• Recognize areas of opportunity for cost savings while maintaining safety and quality.
• Promote growth, education, safety and expanding the talents of our workforce.
• Willingness to work overtime if required to accomplish a task.

Location: Minneapolis MN Area
Relocation: Yes, US Citizens
Type: Permanent
Start Date: ASAP
Ref: FJ-ST-PMAC
From Find Jobz - 7 days ago

View and Apply

Did Apple's iPad Come Just in Time?

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:16:37 PDT

Published April 19, 2010 | A A A
ON THE STREET by Will Swarts

FEW COMPANIES ENJOY the kind of media attention Apple (AAPL: 247.07, -0.33, -0.13%) does when it releases a new product. Like the iPhone and iPod before it, the iPad has been on the cover of news magazines, among the most searched keywords of gadget blogs and held aloft on national television by daytime talk show hosts.

The hype has benefited Apple. The company’s stock has risen roughly 17% for the year to date and is now trading just off its record high of $251 a share.

Still, although the spotlight can offer any company or product some cultural significance and a bump in investor confidence, Apple investors should be more focused on two basic questions: How much money is the company bringing in now, and how much could it bring in later?

As for the first question, investors will get the latest data point Tuesday after the markets close, when Apple is scheduled to release its second-quarter results. (The results do not include iPad sales or presales.)

Wall Street expects the Cupertino, Calif.-based company to report earnings of $2.43 a share, which would represent an 83% increase from a year ago, when the recession weighed more heavily on consumer spending.

Analysts predict several factors will have helped lift Apple’s bottom line during the last quarter. First, personal computers remain a core part of the business. Thomas Weisel Partners analyst Doug Reid said in a note that the success of the Mac brand was part of the reason he lifted his second-quarter revenue estimates from $11.76 billion to $12.06 billion. Reid now projects the Mac computer segment will account for nearly a third of that revenue ($3.9 billion, up 31% from the year-ago period).

Analysts also say a savvy pricing strategy helped the company control margins during the recession but positioned it to widen their profits as the economy improved.

"They are playing chess," says Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, an independent industry research firm based in Hampton, N.H. He says Apple was able to keep its personal computer business robust by keeping its lower-end MacBook laptop priced at $999, but stuffing the next level MacBook Pro with attractive features and packaging it in an appealing clamshell case. At $1,199, he says consumers were willing to spend more money to get what they considered a much better value.

"They made it pretty easy to go up to $1,200," at a time when people weren't spending much money, Gottheil says. Now that the economy is showing signs of life, Apple's earlier decision to put Intel (INTC: 24.00, +0.08, +0.33%) processors only in higher-priced machines could encourage buyers to spend more for the chip.

Although some analysts say Apple’s second-quarter earnings report should be largely positive, others say it could also obviate the need for a fresh product.

Analysts expect a quarterly decrease in iPhone sales, though some say the dip is seasonal, reflecting an upswing in holiday sales last year. (Reid predicts first-quarter sales of 6.91 million units, a bit below Wall Street consensus estimates of 7.12 million.)

The seasonal effect has muddled the debate over how much growth the iPhone can provide in quarters to come. Some analysts say the device still has potential.

Kevin Hunt, an analyst with Hapoalim Securities, says the iPhone could continue to be a revenue driver. In an April 12 preview note, he wrote that Wall Street is underestimating the growth potential for smartphones and Apple's ability to retain and increase market share. "Thus, the iPhone is likely to be a source of upside surprise for Apple over the next year,” he wrote.

Other observers say Apple's dominance of the smartphone market could be waning and that the company needed a shot in the arm.

The timing of the iPad release “saved Apple big-time," says Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdry. "They were starting to lose market share on the iPhone," as competitors like Google (GOOG: 550.10, -0.04, 0.00%) began to release similar mobile phones with comparable functionality. "Had Apple delayed the iPad by a year, the stock could have gone to $90," he adds.

The iPad, which retails for a starting price of $499, became available to consumers on April 3. Two days later, Apple said it had sold more than 300,000 units (including presale orders) within the first 24 hours of its availability. By the end of the first week, sales had reached a half million, causing the company to delay the international launch of the product by a month to meet expected demand.

The company’s ability to maintain that demand is critical for investors because analysts say the iPad will eventually account for a substantial percentage of the company’s revenue stream. Market research firm iSuppli projects sales of about 10 million units annually by 2012.

In the long term, Apple's most enduring asset may not be any one of its products, per se, but the processes the company has in place that enable it to replicate patterns of success, Chowdry says. In addition to engineering highly successful product launches, he says the company is especially adept at guiding the market to what it wants next. “[Investors] are buying the ability of Apple to innovate and create new products that are attractive across generations and borders," he says.

Published by: Smart Money

Tips when buying industrial construction equipment

noreply@blogger.com (TurnKeyMasters) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:33:10 PDT

Are you buying industrial equipment?

Believe it or not, buying machinery, especially industrial construction equipment, is a lot like buying a car. You can buy a relatively new car in ready-to-go condition or you can purchase a “fixer upper” if you have the staff to do the maintenance or adjustments required. It is about the same with industrial construction equipment.

When buying industrial machinery from surplus capacity they normally can be found: used (from 1 month to 10 years old), New (or “as new”) from canceled, advance or advanced orders, refurbished/overhauled or “as-is, where-is”(at the purchaser risk) mainly high houred or damaged equipment. And just like cars, new and low houred equipment will be more expensive than high houred, older units.

Likewise, when thinking about the kind of vehicle you need, some factors are key drivers for choosing between a car and a truck. The same happens with construction equipment.

Critical factors such as availability and rapid delivery are principal advantages when considering used industrial machinery, but there are other additional advantages such as low cost and general knowledge about the equipment performance.

Many times, industrial construction equipment can be purchased with 6 month warranties at a very good price and in ready-to-go condition. However, it is usually a good idea to go with a trusted manufacturer. For example on diesel units it may be Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Kohler, Wartsila, or Deutzand and a few others.

Warranties and pre-evaluation:

If you are purchasing pre-owned equipment, you may not be able to get much in the way of a long-term warranty. However, depending on the equipment you can many times get a guarantee or limited warranty for a short term period. Most sellers who are true professionals that properly test and maintain the equipment will provide a 30-90 day guarantee. In addition, overhauled or zero houred equipment can be provided with a 1 year warranty.

Many times the equipment is available in a “as-is where-is” basis (at the purchaser risk) so in these cases it’s strongly advisable the purchaser to take its own staff or hire a professional evaluator to deploy a technical evaluation of the plant and review and set realistic target prices on the available equipment.

How to find industrial machinery:

The best places to start with are the many directories available on the web with update information about equipment availability. For example, the website industrial-construction-equipment.com offers a customized search engine, which integrates many different directories so users can find equipment suppliers and auctions from different places at the same time.

These are only some tips that could help you the next time you decide to purchase industrial construction equipment either new or used. For more tips and other materials, please visit our website.

Good luck.

Michael Craige is a project developer with the engineering firm TurnKeyMasters and a collaborator with the Industrial Construction Equipment Directory.

Management guru C K Prahalad passes away

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:37:00 PDT

ET Bureau, Apr 17, 2010, 04.38pm IST

CHENNAI: Dr C K Prahalad, an eminent thought leader, renowned management thinker and a distinguished professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, passed away on Saturday morning in San Diego, US after a brief illness.

He was 68. He is survived by his wife, Mrs Gayathri Prahalad, son, Murali Prahalad, daughter, Dheepa Prahalad and grand children.

Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad, born in the texcity on August 8, 1941, studied physics in Madras University. He worked as a manager in a branch of the Union Carbide before continuing his education in the US and earning PhD from Harvard.

Prof Prahalad had advised the top management of many of the world’s foremost companies. He served on the board of NCR Corporation, Hindustan Lever. TVS Capital Funds and the World resources institute. He was also the chairman and founder of The Next Practice.

He had championed India’s causes in many world fora. He had a high level of commitment to India and its economic development. His strong belief in good corporate governance and ethical standards was well known. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour for his contribution in the field of literature and education.

He will always be remembered for leading global thinking in bottom of the pyramid markets. He has authored many powerful books combining practical and academic insights. He was the winner of ET award ( Global Indian) for the year 2004.

TVS Capital Funds CMD, Gopal Srinivasan said," Prof Prahalad was on the board from its inception and guided the company in many of its initiatives and thoughts. His significant contribution to shaping up TVS Shriram Growth Fund will always be remembered. In his passing away TVS Capital Funds has lost a great well wisher and supporter".

Published by: TimesOfIndia.Com

Six local companies make their bids for $22M Norwich project

noreply@blogger.com (Project Developers 2.0) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:29:18 PDT

By Claire Bessette
The Day - 04/15/2010

Norwich — Project managers for the $22 million regional transportation center opened 19 construction bids for the project in four major categories Wednesday with more than two dozen bidders and local and state officials present.

The project, which calls for a three-story parking garage and a main terminal for Southeast Area Transit, was advertised for bid in four major categories - site work, mechanical work, general trades and precast elements. Most of the bidders were Connecticut companies, with one each from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Six local firms submitted bids for various portions of the project.

Michael MacDonald, project executive for the Downes Group, which is overseeing the project, said the bids appear to be within the $22 million project budget. Low bidders will be contacted within the next few days, and project officials hope to award bids by the end of May, with construction starting by June 1 on the long-planned project.

"These appear to be good, competitive bids," MacDonald said after the hour-long bid opening process.

NCDC received 12 bids for site work, with base bids ranging from $4.8 million to $6.8 million.

Only three bids were submitted for the precast masonry work, with base bids of $3.2 million, $3.7 million and $4 million, with three each firm submitting three alternate bids for work project officials hope to include if the budget allows.

The most complicated category is general trades. The advertisement required base bids along with nine prices for alternate features. Two companies submitted bids for only some of the alternates, which could make bid reviews difficult, MacDonald said, if those items are to be included in the project.

General trade base bids ranged from $762,000 submitted by Grey Wolf Construction of Preston, to
$1 million. G. Schnip Construction of Norwich submitted a bid of $859,900, and G Donovan of Franklin, $917,000.

Seven firms submitted mechanical/electrical bids, including three local firms. Bids ranged from a low of $731,900 to the high bid of $894,962 submitted by Prime Electric of Norwich. Bonner Electric of Montville submitted a bid of $860,039 and P&D Mechanical of Colchester, $870,590.

Peter Polubiatko, project manager for NCDC, said agency officials would work with the Downes Group to create spread sheets to evaluate the base and alternate bids.

All winning bids must be approved by the state Department of Transportation, NCDC and the city of Norwich before being awarded, MacDonald said. Another factor is a state requirement that 10 percent of the site work and 3 percent of other work must be done by state-defined Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. Those could be minority-owned or woman-owned businesses or companies located within distressed communities. Winning bidders must meet the percentages with their suppliers and subcontract work by the end of the project, MacDonald said, or the project could be penalized.

c.bessette@theday.com

Published by: TheDay.Com