ConstructionAdvisorToday

Should Design Professionals Be Liable When Construction Cost Exceeds Budget?

Project owners must work within a budget based on available funding. The project design must accommodate that budget. Yet construction cost cannot be determined until binding responsive bids are received from responsible bidders. And those bid prices are the product of ever-changing market conditions. When the low bid exceeds the available funding, what is the responsibility of the design professional?

Intelligent Software Planned for the ‘Greenest Building’ in the Federal Government

Engineers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, Calif., are planning to install intelligent system software in a new structure that is expected to become the greenest, highest-peforming building in the federal government. Collaborating with Ames is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

Double-Digit Growth Rate Expected in AEC Software and Services Market

Expect a double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the global architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) software and services market over the 2010-2014 period, according to a report that TechNavio has released.

Pricing Changed Work: When and How?

Alteration of the contractual scope of work can result from a variety of factors. Unanticipated physical conditions at the site may necessitate changes. The original design may include shortcomings or oversights. The project owner may simply decide to expand or otherwise alter the definition of the work.

Agriculture Secretary Urges U.S. Builders to Prioritize Wood in Green Buildings

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has urged U.S. builders to prioritize wood in green buildings. He made the recommendation after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service concluded in a new report that using wood in building products yields fewer greenhouse gases than using common materials. The report and certain statements made in the wake of its release have not eluded criticism, as evidenced during an interview that Green Building Insider (GBI) conducted earlier this week with the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC) president.

‘10 Truths’ about Building Information Modeling Released

For building information modeling (BIM) to reach its full potential around the world, governments will need to play a significant role in promoting the technology, according to WSP Group Plc. This conclusion is included in a new report that the global engineering design consultancy commissioned, entitled “10 Truths about BIM.”

Pay-If-Paid Clauses in Subcontracts

Pay-if-paid clauses in subcontracts are controversial. The clauses purport to shift the risk of owner nonpayment from the prime contractor to the sub. The prime is obligated to pay the subcontractor only if the prime receives payment from the project owner for the sub’s work. The subcontractor, who contracted only with the prime, is at the mercy of the owner’s solvency and creditworthiness.

Most Americans Support Federal Investment in Green Schools: Survey

The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Center for Green Schools has released new polling data suggesting that most Americans support federal investment in green schools. Approximately 75 percent of survey respondents indicated that they favor federal investment in school building improvements that focus on creating healthier learning environments, saving tax dollars, or lowering carbon emissions. About one in six respondents believe that U.S. schools are in excellent shape.

Number of Projects Using 3D-BIM Expected to Increase Slowly

The number of projects using three-dimensional building information modeling (3D-BIM) will increase slowly, Design Master Software Inc. recently concluded after surveying engineers and designers in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) industry about their use of the technology.

Must Contractors Warn Owners of Design Shortcomings?

A project owner is in the best position to gain familiarity with the physical conditions at the project site. The owner has ample opportunity to investigate those conditions, including expert evaluation. The owner then hires professionals to prepare design documents which reflect and accommodate those conditions.