ConstructionAdvisorToday

Subcontractor Liability for Safety Hazards Caused by Others

A subcontractor is rarely the party assigned overall responsibility for job site safety. The subcontract itself usually requires the sub to avoid creating safety hazards while performing its own scope of work. But that is it. Consequently, it was surprising when a subcontractor was sued by injured employees of the prime contractor for a hazard the sub did not create.

Fullmer Construction's Global Access Lot 1 Receives LEED Gold Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Fullmer Construction's Global Access Lot 1 in Victorville, Calif., Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.

Lot 1 is a one-million-square-foot speculative industrial distribution facility. The LEED Gold certification qualifies the facility as the largest speculative green industry facility in the world and the first LEED-certified project in southern California's High Desert region, according to Fullmer.

Autodesk Unveils Guide to Sustainable Design for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction

Autodesk Inc. recently announced the availability of updates for the Autodesk Guide to Sustainable Design for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction. The online guide is designed to help architecture, engineering, and construction professionals make better informed decisions to achieve building performance goals.

Shouldn't Back Charges Be Supported By Actual Cost Data?

Under the terms of virtually every construction contract ever drafted, the contractor’s acceptance of final payment operates as a waiver and release of any existing claims. A Texas contractor recently tried to have it both ways. The contractor submitted an invoice for the contract balance. But, the transmittal letter said the contractor reserved its rights under an existing, unresolved differing site condition claim.

Steel Projects Develops Interface with Tekla Structures BIM, Winsteel, Winser PLM, Steel Fabrication Machinery

Steel Projects, a French company specializing in integrated steel fabrication systems, has developed an interface between Tekla Structures BIM (building information modeling) software, WinSTEEL and WinSER PLM (product lifecycle management) software, and Ficep's steel fabrication machinery. The new interface supports the overall BIM workflow. "Since the management of project-related information is very challenging, the functionality to

China's Green Building Materials Market Expected to Continue Growing

The market for green building materials in China has surpassed RMB 100 billion (US $15 billion) and is expected to continue growing, according to a study that GCiS China Strategic Research recently conducted.  Growth is expected to remain in double digits for much of the next decade as the torrent of construction spreads to China's interior. Greener building standards and rising energy costs are the market's primary propellants, GCiS stated.

Can A Contractor Reserve A Claim While Accepting Final Payment?

Under the terms of virtually every construction contract ever drafted, the contractor’s acceptance of final payment operates as a waiver and release of any existing claims. A Texas contractor recently tried to have it both ways. The contractor submitted an invoice for the contract balance. But, the transmittal letter said the contractor reserved its rights under an existing,

LATISTA Field Automation Software integrates Navisworks Project Design, Synchronized BIM Modeling Capabilities

Latista Technologies has announced that its Field automation software has integrated Autodesk Navisworks project design and synchronized building information modeling (BIM) modeling capabilities. Autodesk is a provider of computer aided drawing and BIM software.

Should Subcontract Retainage Be Held Hostage In A Dispute?

When a subcontractor completes its work on a project, the prime contractor typically holds a significant portion of the subcontract amount. There is the accumulated retainage from each progress payment, as well as the unpaid requisition for the last performance period. At the same time, it is not unusual for subcontractor claims for additional compensation to remain unresolved. This raises some interesting questions.

Bluebeam Releases White Paper on Greener Communication Practices

Bluebeam Software has announced the immediate availability of a white paper that is expected to help design and construction firms develop greener communication practices based on PDF. "Paperless Construction Projects: Implementing New Technologies to Digitize Project Communication" outlines how project teams can implement PDF editing technology such as Bluebeam PDF Revu along with mobile and pen-input hardware solutions to create more efficient, electronic workflows.