CISCA Monday Newsletter
 
Industry News
The CISCA Ceilings Systems Handbook, the authoritative guide to ceiling installation, safety and tools for modern ceiling installation, has been fully updated and revised for 2019. This is an excellent resource for those new to the industry, as well as educators, contractors or anyone needing a detailed overview of proper, safe procedures for installing ceilings. Purchase and download today!
 
Just over a decade ago, the United States experienced the Great Recession—an economic downturn that stalled the construction industry, hammered the middle- and working-class and caused many contractors to go out of business. Today, although the economy is healthier, economists are seeing history repeat itself and contractors are once again at risk. Unfortunately, many contractors are falling into the same traps and making decisions which are likely to have a negative effect on insurance costs in upcoming years.
 
Construction remains one of the least digitized industries - with many projects taking 20% longer to finish and going up to 80% over budget. Amidst these losses, you’d think that modernizing resource planning and infrastructure would be a no-brainer; but many companies are struggling to identify exactly what the tools for modernization are.
 
Associated Builders and Contractors' (ABC) Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) fell to 8.5 months in July 2019, down 0.3 months or 2.9% from June 2019, when CBI stood at 8.8 months. While the Northeast and south experienced slight declines, the West and Middle States saw more significant dropoffs, ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu said. 
 
9Wood
There are countless examples of why investing in training - whether it be training in safety, equipment, technology or something else - is the best and cost conscious solution for your business. But there are many arguments (or possibly excuses) as to why contractors haven't or aren't investing in training. Could online safety training opportunities be a solution for construction contractors who claim they don't have time or resources to train?
 
There are many ways to identify upcoming contracting opportunities in the public sector marketplace, but one of the most reliable ways is to track feasibility studies. Environmental impact statements also are precursors to the launch of large projects. This list includes some efforts that should be of high interest to government contractors.
 
Without input from others, making decisions based solely on what you know and your experiences are no guarantees you’ll choose the right path. Your chances of succeeding are less than 50% - not good odds when your company’s future is at stake.
 
Last month, AECOM and Google Cloud co-sponsored a three-day hackathon event at Google's Playa Vista, California, campus. Attendees were charged with using the Google Cloud platform to work out tech-based solutions relevant to AECOM's infrastructure division. Cloud computing involves delivering and storing computer services solely using the internet rather than local hardware.
 
Contract surety bonds are a crucial part of many construction projects. They provide important protection for project owners, general contractors who procure bonds from subcontractors and suppliers, and even lenders in some cases. At their core, contract-related bonds secure both project performance and payment of project-related costs. They are also generally mandatory for publicly-funded projects. 
 
KB Home shares reached a 52-week high on Wednesday after U.S. housing starts, an indicator monitoring new homes that begin construction each month, hit a 12-year high in August. But even with the positive housing data and the Federal Reserve cutting its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday - both of which are generally bullish for homebuilders - experts aren’t signing off on chasing the group.
 
Acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process
Focal Point Lights

Focal Point, one of the newest members of CISCA is an industry leader that designs and manufactures integrated lighting and acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process while delivering a unified look with their Acoustic Solutions. Their in-house specialists can help you achieve your desired design.  

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The Marcum Commercial Construction Index for the second quarter of 2019 reports construction spending slowing as the economy signals confusion and indecisiveness. Nonresidential construction spending declined 1.8% on a monthly basis in June but is up 2.3% year-over-year. Total nonresidential spending in June was $773.8 billion on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, as compared to $756.4 billion in June 2018.
 
The global construction industry is on the verge of a substantial digital shift but there is still a long way to go before it can claim construction is data-driven. At the moment, construction is the least digitized sector in Europe and one of the least digitized in the world. Considering that there are industries, such as hunting and agriculture, that rank higher than construction, it becomes easily clear that the issue of digital maturity in the sector is real.
 
The conventional method of design-build has quickly become a popular delivery method for projects of all types. The most commonly used design-build method is called “Best Value Selection” (BVS). Using this method, owners manage only one single source design-build entity contract as opposed to the multiple contracts used in traditional design-bid-build project delivery.
 
Member News
Join Caliper for a free webinar on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at noon EST on Hiring and Development Made Easy: How to Maximize Your Caliper Investment. You'll learn about practical tools that you can implement today to help you hire the best people for your open roles, seamlessly create a more robust onboarding and employee development process and ensure that your employees have a plan for success at your organization.
 
 

 

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