DECEMBER 2010
IN THIS ISSUE:
VOL. 31 • NO. 11 • $4.00 ?
“VOICE OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY”
Working on the BIM Frontier
DEMOLITION Organized Demolition in a Disaster Site The “Green” Aspects of Demolition
CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK 2011 Forecasting the Michigan Construction Market Examination of Non-Residential Construction Work
FREE Get a iption scr ! e-Sub agazine MM to CA k Here to Clic Now! p U n Sig
Large Scale Building Information Modeling
PLUS: UPSM – A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT IN ADVANCED BUILDING SCIENCES
Nurturing The Relationship Between Affluence & Environmental Conscience
1175 West Long Lake Rd., Suite 200, Troy, MI 48098 248-828-3377 • Fax 248-828-4290 Bonding • 248-828-3741 Insurance www.vtcins.com
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BIM IN CONSTRUCTION
“VOIC E OF TH E CONSTR UCTION I N DUSTRY”®
FEATURES ON THE JOBSITE
21 Working on the BIM Frontier Building Information Modeling Gets Constructive
MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK 2011 28 Projecting the Construction Future of Michigan 32 Non-Residential Construction Struggles CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHT
12 DMC Growing in Detroit Groundbreaking at Children’s Hospital
DEMOLITION
38 UPSM: A Successful Experiment in Advanced Building Sciences Detroit Science Center Inspires Inquiring Minds
14 Picking Up the Pieces Tornado Devastates Lake School District
18 Greenprint for the Future How ‘Green’ is Demolition?
DEPARTMENTS 8 8 42 46 50 50 50
Industry News Safety Tool Kit Product Showcase People in Construction CAM Welcomes New Members Construction Calendar Advertisers Index ABOUT THE COVER: Photography by Steve Maylone
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CAM MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 2010
“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
PUBLISHER EDITOR
Kevin N. Koehler Amanda M. Tackett
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Mary E. Kremposky David R. Miller
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGN DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Matthew J. Austermann Marci L. Christian Gregg A. Montowski Cathy A. Jones
DIRECTORS OFFICERS Chairman
R. Andrew Martin, FH Martin Constructors
Vice Chairman
Brian D. Kiley, Edgewood Electric, Inc.
Vice Chairman
John O’Neil, Sr., W.J. O’Neil Company
Treasurer
James C. Capo,
President
Kevin N. Koehler
DeMattia Group
Gregory Andrzejewski,
DIRECTORS
PPG Industries
Stephen J. Auger, Stephen Auger + Associates Architects
M. James Brennan, Broadcast Design & Construction, Inc.
Kevin French, Poncraft Door Company
Frank G. Nehr, Jr., Davis Iron Works
Donald J. Purdie, Jr., Detroit Elevator Company
Kurt F. Von Koss, Beaver Tile & Stone
Jacqueline LaDuke Walters, LaDuke Roofing & Sheet Metal
2006 GRAPHIC DESIGN USA MARCOM International Creative Awards
AMERICAN INHOUSE DESIGN AWARD
Gallery of Fine Printing 2002 Bronze Award
2005 Gold Award
Michigan Society of Association Executives 2002, 2004, 2005 & 2007 Diamond Award 2003, 2006 Honorable Mention
The Communicator International Print Media Competition Overall Association Magazine Magazine Writing
CAM Magazine (ISSN08837880) is published monthly by the Construction Association of Michigan, 43636 Woodward Ave., P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204 (248) 972-1000. $24.00 of annual membership dues is allocated to a subscription to CAM Magazine. Additional subscriptions $40.00 annually. Periodical postage paid at Bloomfield Hills, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: CAM MAGAZINE, 43636 WOODWARD AVE., BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302-3204. For editorial comment or more information: magazine@cam-online.com. For reprints or to sell CAM Magazine: 248-972-1000. Copyright © 2008 Construction Association of Michigan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. CAM Magazine is a registered trademark of the Construction Association of Michigan.
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DECEMBER 2010
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CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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INDUSTRY
NEWS Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters Backs Apprenticeship Program at Detroit Public Schools
DeMaria Building Company Builds LEED Silver Certified Building The Consumers Energy Livingston County Service Center received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Center, located at 1000 Grand Oaks in Genoa Township, is DeMaria’s first LEED Certified building. The 21,000-square-foot building opened early this year and includes office space, a maintenance garage, and a cold storage building. DeMaria utilized regional materials as part of its effort to achieve LEED Silver certification. Other sustainable design and construction approaches included protecting the existing habitat and limiting development space, providing a highly reflective roofing system, limiting artificial interior lighting, increasing natural daylight in the building, reducing water use, and increasing mechanical comfort and electrical system efficiency.
The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights (MRCC) has joined other local trade unions to create a unique apprenticeship program for high school students in partnership with Detroit Public Schools (DPS). “It’s an excellent program,” said Mark Carter, executive director for the DPS Bond Program. “It’s a good way for kids to get some experience and get a leg up. Not everyone’s meant to go to college and the trades are a good way to make a living.” THERE ARE SEVERAL FACETS TO THE PROGRAM: • Apprenticeships: The MRCC has stepped up as the first union to offer apprenticeships to eight recent graduates of Detroit’s Randolph Career and Technical Center. They began Oct. 1, and are working side-by-side with MRCC members on DPS bond projects, getting paid scale wages. “They were graduates from the district, live in the district, and now they’re going through the apprenticeship program and working in the district,” Mark Carter said. • Pre-Apprenticeships: While still in high school, students will get specialized training in their chosen trade by union apprenticeship teachers. Upon graduation, if they’ve completed
SAFETY TOOL KIT Demolition Dust By Debra Hinson, HR & Safety Coordinator, Debra Hinson
Posen Construction, Shelby Township
emolition can create more than just nuisance dust. It can create respirable silica dust, when if inhaled can be the source of pneumoconiosis, or specifically silicosis. While many companies are prepared to deal with this type of hazard, some still have their head in the clouds forgetting that silica is a dangerous source of lung disease with irreversible damages, up to and including death. (NIOSH Publication No. 97-101)
D
Silicosis is a restrictive lung disease, meaning that the body’s ability to effectively take deep breaths and pass oxygen from the lung to the bloodstream has been altered due to scar tissue formed in the lungs. The time and concentration of the crystalline silica dust inhaled correlates with how greatly this disease can affect a worker. (Plog, Quinlin 2002) There are three types of silicosis. The most common type is chronic silicosis and can be
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evident after 10 or more years of exposure to low levels of crystalline silica. Accelerated silicosis occurs after as little as five years of exposure to higher levels. And acute silicosis can happen within only weeks or months from extremely high levels of exposure. Death can occur rapidly with acute silicosis. There may not be any early symptoms of this silicosis; however, some symptoms that indicate decreasing lung function may include shortness of breath, coughing, fatigue, chest pain, or other respiratory problems. (www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-108/) Safety and health hazards are often overlooked because of a company’s rush to get the job done without the necessary preplanning. Often, this means overlooking prevention of hazards and exposures. Controlling exposures can be done by using a hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment. (www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/engcontrols/)
While all may not be feasible with demolition, some options are not only feasible but are extremely effective. Engineering out hazards such as using the wet method, or using administrative controls like training and medical surveillance programs should be used. Personal protective equipment, such as respirators, should also be used if the exposure cannot be controlled with other methods. Managing a demolition project requires knowledge of the risks, the symptoms, and the prevention of silicosis. A manager must be meticulous about scheduling and preplanning. Hopefully, OSHA and contractors alike will be proactive and acknowledge the safety and health hazards of demolition dust, rather than focusing on the financial penalties or penny pinching practices. After all, getting the employee home healthy and safely at the end of the shift should be the goal and IS the reward. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
program requirements, they’ll be guaranteed a coveted spot in an apprenticeship program — and a job. According to Carter, 1,100 students applied for the pre-apprenticeship program during a recent job fair. Representatives for various unions, including the MRCC, are sifting through applicants.
GunnLevine Bankrupt, Resendes Design Group Emerges GunnLevine Architects filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on October 13, 2010 as a result of uncollected account receivables. Resendes Design Group, LLC (RDG) will provide professional design services as the
next generation of GunnLevine Architects. Emerging under new leadership, RDG will take on new work and serve current clients from the same location of 726 Lothrop, Detroit, MI, 48202. GunnLevine Architect’s origin as a healthcare firm has diversified into education, commercial and historic preservation. RDG was formed to reflect these
• Summer Internships: The MRCC also helped set up a program where 75 students worked in the trades over the summer. Students rotated through three jobs for three weeks each, including a stint in construction management overseen by the MRCC. For their work, students were paid $10 an hour with a $900 bonus upon completion. Carter said the DPS hopes to expand the program to 200 students next year. According to MRCC President Rich Davis, the program is a win-win situation for the union and the kids. Training apprentices in the Detroit schools was one of the demands DPS Financial Manager Robert Bobb was adamant about when it came to the bond program’s Project Labor Agreement. The apprenticeship program helps the MRCC meet the quota for Detroit residents on the job, which demands that 65 percent of journeymen and 75 percent of apprentices live in Detroit. “We have more than 700 laid off apprentices and journeymen who live in Detroit currently,” said Davis. “We’re excited about having the ability to put our members back to work.” Davis also said the program would help bring younger people into the union. “In the construction trades the average worker is about 45 years old. This will help us bring the average age down a little bit,” Davis said. The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights (MRCC) represent over 18,000 journeypersons and apprentice carpenters across the State of Michigan. The MRCC offers ongoing training and administers health care and pension benefits to its membership. The MRCC’s leaders and members are known throughout Michigan for their community involvement, playing an active role in the rebuilding of Michigan, and donating their time, skills and financial support to community and charity organizations.
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CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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INDUSTRY
NEWS
new sectors of work and regenerate a fresh image for the company. Principals of the new entity include Edward D. Francis, FAIA; Mark Kwiatkowski, AIA; and Francis Resendes. Other key individuals are designers Donald Vanderworp and Chief Operating Officer DeAnna Belger. Education, historic preservation, and healthcare work continue to grow as a result of our portfolio of successful projects for repeat clientele. The architectural profession is expanding beyond the traditional perceived role of an architect. While fewer projects are being constructed due to the economy, RDG’s role has expanded to provide full design services from the beginning to end of each project.
Klochko Equipment and Wacker Neuson Join Forces in Southeast Michigan Klochko Equipment Rental Company, Inc., held an Open House on October 15th to introduce their new line of Wacker Neuson Compact Equipment. Held for current and potential customers, the event included equipment demonstrations, raffles and a barbecue. A great time was had by all in attendance. Klochko’s new line-up of compact equipment includes Mini Excavators, Loaders and an exciting new All-Wheel Dumper line. Klochko is pleased to add these product lines to their existing fleet of construction and industrial/aerial equipment. These new units, along with Klochko’s current fleet, are available for rental and sales. Klochko can also supply parts and service for all of their equipment. Klochko is pleased to have served southeast Michigan since 1951 in the construction and industrial markets from the company’s home office in Melvindale. Wacker Neuson has been in business since 1848; the company’s U.S. headquarters is located in Milwaukee, WI. Please view Klochko’s new line-up of Wacker Neuson equipment at www.klochko.com or www.wacker-neuson.com, or call Klochko Equipment at (800) 783-RENT (7368).
software has – for the seventh time – earned the title as one of Northeast Ohio’s best places to work. The firm was presented the NorthCoast 99 award. In addition to receiving this prestigious award, Foundation Software was also individually acknowledged for their innovative approaches to soliciting feedback and ideas from their most valuable asset - their employees. Fred Ode, founder, chairman and CEO of Foundation Software, said being recognized as a great workplace is something he has always dreamed of accomplishing as a businessperson. “After 25 years, I am beginning to transition our company into the next phase of leadership,” said Ode. “I’ve watched many of my employees begin their careers with us fresh out of school, marry, start families and build their lives around the business. Their commitment to Foundation is genuine and I take this very seriously. If there were one item of advice I could pass onto future leaders it would be to take care of your employees. Treat them with kindness and respect. Empower them to take ownership. Forgive mistakes. And provide them with the tools and encouragement they need to make things happen.” Presented by the Employers Resource Council (ERC), NorthCoast 99 has been recognizing workplaces that excel in the attraction, retention, and motivation of top performing employees since 1999. Foundation Software employees Denise East and Terri Vidmar represented the company during the annual award banquet held in mid-September at LaCentre Conference Facility in Westlake, OH.
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Foundation for Windows Earns Two Prestigious Accolades Company Selected as Best Place to Work for 7th Time and Given a Perfect Rating by CPA Technology Advisor for its Construction Accounting Software Systems Foundation Software, developer of FOUNDATION® for Windows® construction accounting, project management and scheduling
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Foundation Software also recently received a 5-star rating in The CPA Technology Advisor’s 2010 review of construction accounting programs. FOUNDATION was the only system to receive the top ranking of 5-stars in every category reviewed. About Foundation Software, Inc.® – Since 1985, Foundation Software has assisted thousands of labor-intensive contractors with their accounting and job costing. Foundation® for Windows® is a construction accounting software that uses Microsoft® SQL and suits a wide range of construction trades. For more information, visit Foundation online at www.foundationsoft.com or call (800) 246-0800. About The CPA Technology Advisor – The CPA Technology Advisor is the definitive resource for information to tax and accounting professionals in public practice across the United States. For further information about the publication, please visit their website at http://www.cpatechnologyadvisor.com.
Correction
CAM Wins Two Honorable Mentions at MSAE Diamond Awards CAM achieved two honorable mention awards from the Michigan Society of Association Executives (MSAE) at their ninth annual Diamond Awards ceremony. The event took place at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham on the evening of Wednesday, September 22nd. Several Michigan Associations were in attendance. CAM won two honors during the evening: Silver Honorable Mention for Excellence in Magazine Publishing (CAM Magazine) and a Gold Honorable Mention for Excellence in E-Newsletters. CAM strives to be the number one source in Michigan for all commercial construction. Visit the CAM website at www.cam-online.com.
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In the CAM Magazine October 2010 Special Issue, the photo credit for Hemlock Semiconductor should have been: "Photography by Gene Meadows." CAM Magazine regrets this error.
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CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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A $500 Million Commitment for New and Renovated Facilities – But the First Official Dig was Just for Them By David R. Miller, Associate Editor ovember 1 marked the first groundbreaking for the Detroit Medical Center’s (DMC) $500 million building campaign. Projects ranging from $3 million to $170 million in value, representing the largest private investment in Detroit’s history, will be funded out of a $1.5 billion commitment from Vanguard Health Systems for the purchase of the DMC, but the 105,550-square-foot Children’s Hospital of Michigan Specialty Center on the DMC campus is the first project to commence. By agreeing to fund the first $1 million of the project on a 50/50 basis before the closing date on the historic agreement between the entities,
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Photos Courtesy of the Detroit Medical Center Vanguard and DMC prevented significant delays that would have occurred if work began after the onset of winter conditions. Key project team members include construction manager L.S. Brinker/Barton Malow, joint venture, Detroit, and architect Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott, Boston, MA. “The groundbreaking is today, but we start moving dirt tomorrow,” said Larry Brinker, Sr., CEO of Brinker Group. “This was not a groundbreaking where we won’t start building until spring after the weather clears.” After the dust settles, the five-story structure will expand Michigan’s “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
first and only hospital dedicated exclusively to the treatment of children all the way from its current Beaubien Street location to I-75. The Children’s Hospital of Michigan Specialty Center will house a new general pediatrics clinic, adolescent medicine, outpatient rehabilitation, specialty clinics, and 200 physician office suites. Surface-level parking is also planned for the site. The grand opening of the facility is anticipated in January 2012, but it is one of many projects that will transform the face of the DMC. Although the DMC provides state-of-the-art medical care, facilities on the hospital group’s main Detroit campus have been largely unchanged. “This is the first expansion of the Detroit Medical Center in 30 years,” said Mike Duggan, DMC president and CEO. Other major elements being planned for DMC include a new patient tower at Children’s Hospital, a cardiovascular institute and outpatient specialty building at Harper University Hospital, a new 1,700-car parking deck at the corner of Mack and Beaubien, and expansion of the emergency department at Sinai-Grace Hospital, along with many smaller renovation and new facility projects. Many projects will occur simultaneously. Brinker frankly admitted that his biggest challenges might involve competing with other projects for quality workers while meeting accelerated schedules. Still, Brinker sees the influx of work as a windfall for Michigan contractors who have been hungry for opportunities, and he believes that cooperation from unions and the local labor force will allow for successful completion of all projects for the DMC. “Everyone [speaking at the groundbreaking] has said that it is a great day for Detroit, and it truly is,” said Brinker. “I have been employing people in the City of Detroit for the past 21 years, and this is one of the biggest infusions of private investment that I have seen in the city at one time. All of this will mean jobs and training programs for the citizens of Detroit.”
The new facility will expand Children’s Hospital of Michigan all the way from its current location to I-75.
Herman Gray, MD, president of Children’s Hospital of Michigan, spoke to guests at the groundbreaking, including Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow.
Speakers and guests at the groundbreaking included (left to right): John Levy, Vice Chair, DMC Board of Trustees; Mike Duggan, president & Chief Executive Officer, DMC; Keith Pitts, Vice Chairman, Vanguard Health Systems; Senator Debbie Stabenow; Steve D’Arcy, Chair, DMC Board of Trustees; David Page, Children’s Hospital of Michigan Board Member; Trip Pilgrim, Chief Development Officer and senior vice president, Vanguard Health Systems; Alan Schwartz, Member, DMC Board of Trustees; and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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DEMOLITION
Picking uP the Pieces BY DAVID R. MILLER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUDOLPH/LIBBE, INC.
ontractors occasionally step in when others fail to complete a job, but few inherit a mess as big as Rudolph/Libbe, Inc., Walbridge, OH, did when the firm accepted a contract to complete demolition work at Lake High School in Millbury, OH. Instead of stepping onto an orderly jobsite, Rudolph/Libbe literally waded into a disaster area, as the demolition process was not initiated by another contractor, but rather by a massive tornado that roared through the area on June 5. The storm left a seven-mile trail of destruction that tore through the campus shared by three Lake School District buildings. The high school would ultimately be deemed a total loss, while the attached middle school and nearby elementary school both sustained significant damage. Rudolph/Libbe was already working on another project on the site, so construction professionals were available to lend their
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ASSESSING THE DAMAGE Lake High School was built in 1953, with significant additions that were built during the 1970s and ‘80s. The structure of original building with its cast-in-place concrete decks and reinforced block walls was largely intact after the storm, but the steel beam, joist and deck construction of the additions sustained heavy damage. The middle and elementary schools were in better shape, but both would require new roofs and rooftop mechanical equipment before school could start. Joe Vancena, special accounts field operations manager, was one of the first Rudolph/Libbe employees on site. His first attempts to survey the damage came on the evening the storms hit, but they were stymied by darkness and his visit was cut short by a ruptured gas line. Vancena returned at 3:30 the next morning to find that the gas had been shut off and temporary lighting was in place, but he was unable to fully grasp what had happened until the sun came up. “That’s when I got my first real visual of what the damage was,” he said. “You don’t see something like that very often. It was amazing.” Although Vancena assisted with the emergency response effort in Florida following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, nothing could have fully prepared him for what he saw on the morning of June 6. Hundreds of birds that had been effectively skinned by the violent winds littered the site. A brick was found lodged in one of the school’s brick walls. Vancena is not sure exactly where the brick came from, but it does not match any brick on the school campus and the nearest building where it could have come from was half-a-mile away. Vehicles, including school busses, were overturned around the site and some had blown up against surviving portions of the building. Media representatives soon swarmed the site “like ants” according to Vancena, so determining which areas of the site could be deemed safe was an important early task. After walking through the building with a structural engineer from Poggemeyer Design Group, Bowling Green, OH, the Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
Building materials that were once a part of Lake High School were scattered up to 400 feet away from the building (top). Vehicles, including school busses, were overturned (bottom). Determining which areas of the site could be deemed safe was an important early task.
Interior Demolition SpecialistS
expertise just hours after the disaster struck. Initially their work consisted of securing a safe environment on the campus and assisting with damage assessment. After these tasks were complete, Rudolph/Libbe took charge of demolition at the high school and helped to create a facilities plan from which the district could begin to move forward.
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DEMOLITION
Rudolph/Libbe team developed an access plan for the building and a fencing contractor was onsite within a few days to keep people out of harm’s way. Early forays into the high school yielded an eerie mix of seemingly untouched items amid the catastrophic destruction. Randy Akenberger, foreman for Rudolph/Libbe, made an amazing discovery when he went looking for diplomas that were to be given out at the graduation ceremony scheduled to take place a mere 12 hours after the tornado hit. He found the undisturbed diplomas sitting neatly in a box inside a room that had been devastated by the storm. The diploma on the very top of the stack belonged to his daughter, Riley. Not everything left behind by the storm was so neat and tidy. Once the site was deemed safe, a massive clean-up operation began. GETTING THE JOB DONE Clean-up is a part of any demolition effort, but the debris is usually contained within a small area. Building materials that were once a part of Lake High School were scattered up to 400 feet away from the building, and Vancena estimates that crews collected nearly 1,000 tons of material outside the building footprint. Conditions were not much better inside surviving portions of the structure. Glass doors that served as the school’s main entry were shattered, creating a debris path deep into the structure. Although the high school only totaled 120,000 square feet, the clean up effort involved almost one million square feet. Approximately 40 percent of the high school structure was slated for immediate demolition, while work on the remaining portion was postponed pending decisions about how much, if any, of the structure could be saved. Engineers identified separation points where Rudolph/Libbe crews could make relief cuts to begin demolition while preserving other portions of the building. Expansion joints often served as pre-existing break points for this purpose. Crews would eventually tear down the entire structure, but this selective demolition method provided additional time in which to make the best decisions regarding the structure. Work at the high school kept crews busy, but there was also plenty to do at the middle and elementary schools. By moving swiftly, Rudolph/Libbe was able to prevent additional damage to these buildings. “When we met with the district officials and we started to assess their needs, we
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quickly focused on getting the middle and elementary schools back in order,” said Vancena. “You want to protect damaged roofs right away to prevent any more water intrusion.” New roofs totaling approximately 110,000 square feet were needed to protect both buildings from the elements. Some selective demolition was necessary at both buildings, with substantial interior damage to the elementary school requiring the removal of several classroom ceilings and floors. In spite of this, both schools were ready to greet incoming students on schedule as classes began in Fall 2010. The storm also leveled a number of structures that served multiple buildings on the site, including the stadium, cafeteria and a boiler room. Replacements for all of these are either up and running or are nearing completion. Life is rapidly returning to normal for elementary and middle school students in the Lake School District. High school students have been relocated to a nearby community college, but demolition of the remaining portions of the high school building began in September and a new building could be completed as early as 2012.
Many items, including the bookshelves seen here, were seemingly untouched amid the destruction. Diplomas, for a scheduled graduation ceremony, were also found sitting neatly inside a room that had been devastated by the storm. Note the single brick, which traveled at least half-a-mile before becoming lodged in the school’s brick wall.
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CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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DEMOLITION
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HOW “GREEN” IS DEMOLITION? By Michael R. Taylor, CAE
lthough the demolition industry has been environmentally responsible for many years, only recently with the intense interest in all things “green,” has attention focused on how demolition can sustain the environment. If recycling is among the highest ideals of the green movement, then demolition could be considered the ultimate pursuit. After all, demolition professionals recycle our most precious resource – our land – for re-use, whether for a new school, a housing development, or a new public park. In its strategic plan, the National Demolition Association, the leading trade organization representing the global demolition industry, has identified environmental stewardship as one of its top priorities. This encompasses practices such as demolition debris recycling, environmental remediation, and architectural salvaging. These activities have become an increasingly important part of many demolition contractors’ businesses. For some Association members, recycling represents 20 to 50 percent of their annual revenue. Not only are they maximizing the use of re-useable and re-saleable materials, they are reducing landfill usage and resultant waste disposal costs. With increasingly stringent local, state, and federal regulations that require the clean-up of facilities, soil, and groundwater before a demolition can be completed, many companies have expanded their services to all aspects of remediation, including the removal and disposal of asbestos, lead, mold, PCBs, above-ground and underground tanks, etc. Many firms are now staffed with technical managers, engineers, and an experienced HAZMAT labor force to support the effort.
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Some contractors may perform demolition at no cost, or even pay the property owner to claim the rights to all recycleable materials. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
Under LEED Credit MR2, projects can earn one point for diverting 50 percent of waste, two points for diverting 75 percent of waste, and an additional point under Innovation in Design for diverting 95 percent of waste.
While the most well-known green building rating system known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has no direct rating system for the demolition process, it does address the issue of brownfield redevelopment, which is a growing area for many demolition professionals. The intent is to rehabitate damaged sites where development is complicated by environmental contamination. By re-using this land, it reduces the pressure to build on undeveloped land. The LEED system also addresses the issue of construction and demolition waste management. Under LEED Credit MR2, projects can earn one point for diverting 50 percent of waste, two points for diverting 75 percent of waste, and an additional point under Innovation in Design for Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
diverting 95 percent of waste. Many National Demolition Association members routinely have recycling rates of 75 percent, while some recycle up to 100 percent of debris generated during a recycling project. There are, of course, economic realities that can affect how much debris can be recycled. Site owners must deal with tight timelines, stringent financing schedules, and difficult security issues. There is also the challenge of finding a viable after-market for certain materials. A number of factors are impacting how and when landfills can be used for debris. Besides being incentivized by the sting of fines for not recycling an adequate amount of demolition debris and the need to comply with local ordinances, professionals have other reasons for avoiding landfills whenever possible. These include the
increasing costs of landfill use, the benefit of tax credits such as those for LEED practices, new mobile recycling technology that makes on-site recycling possible, and heightened awareness about promoting a green and sustainable environment. AFTER-MARKETS DICTATE RECOVERY Demolition contractors always factor investment recovery into their calculations of what a demolition project will cost. For instance, manufacturing equipment that is obsolete in the United States may be valuable in less developed countries. The after-market for steel and certain types of lumber have also spurred re-use and recycling. Materials at the top of the list of recycled demolition debris are concrete, asphalt pavement, metals, bricks/blocks, and wood, nearly all of which is separated CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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out for transport or processed at the job site. Some projects promise to yield such a high amount of valuable recyclables, such as those with steel construction, that contractors may perform the demolition at no cost or many even pay the property owner to claim the rights to all recyclable materials. On the other hand, some materials may present more challenges to a demolition professional contemplating their recycling. Drywall, for instance, can be recycled, but a number of issues involving things such as the age of the drywall (it may contain asbestos) and whether it was painted (it may have been painted with lead paint) negatively impacts its use. However, new recycling technology is always being developed and refined to handle the materials that are landfilled at this time. In addition, the salvage industry has grown right along with the demolition industry. Usually, contractors are instrumental in achieving the goals of preservationists. The façade and many
important architectural artifacts, woodwork, lighting, and plumbing fixtures are either removed for re-sale or preserved in a building when its interior is gutted and renovated to incorporate modern conveniences and energy-efficient equipment. With approximately 1,000 member companies, the National Demolition Association is broadening its scope to include all professionals involved in the demolition process, including general contractors, civil engineering firms, and recycling, landfill, and salvage operations. The Association has dedicated itself to keeping members and regulators well informed about environmental issues so that the industry can continue to work in an environmentally responsible manner, while contributing to the health and growth of the economy. The Association is doing this not only because it is there is a financial incentive to its members, but also for a more simple reason – it’s the right thing to do.
Michael R. Taylor, CAE, is executive director of the National Demolition Association. For more information, go to www.demolitionassociation.com or call 800-541-2412.
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DECEMBER 2010
“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
PHOTO BY STEVE MAYLONE
BIM IN CONSTRUCTION
BIM was a vital tool in the design and construction of the East Ambulatory Care Center and of all the buildings in the recent expansion of Troy Beaumont Hospital.
Working on the BIM Frontier By Mary E. Kremposky, Associate Editor traddling the border of Troy and Sterling Heights, Beaumont Hospital’s recent $270 million dollar expansion offers the Detroit metropolitan area 780,000 square feet of healthcare space. A bridge arcs over Dequindre Road, seamlessly linking Beaumont’s Troy campus and its medical center in Sterling Heights. Another type of “bridge” aided the design and construction of this cluster of facilities. This cyber “bridge” joined all members of Harley Ellis Devereaux’s design team into a level of Building Information Modeling (BIM) that comes very close to the design industry’s Holy Grail of working in a single model on a large commercial project. Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield, is a national pioneer in BIM, working in-house and with software developers to customize software and to create the ability to work in
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the model in real time across all design disciplines even on large projects such as the Troy Beaumont expansion. In a technology-enabled group mind meld, design changes register almost instantly on the files of the entire design team. “The key is they reference each other in real time,” said Sharon Crispin, PE, LEED® AP, project manager, Barton Malow Company, the Southfield-based firm that joint ventured with Skanska USA Building Inc., also of Southfield, on the project. “For example, architectural didn’t just get an update only once a week or every other week. If the electrical engineer is making a change, other disciplines can see it immediately.” Real time capability is ideal for design, a fluid process with a wealth of alterations as the building takes shape in the conceptual and schematic stages and ultimately gels in
the design documents phase. In the design of Troy Beaumont, “there was no stale data,” said Timothy B. Reamer, PE, HED electrical engineer. Today, this BIM approach, originally created for the Troy Beaumont expansion designed in 2006, has been embraced and is being used by about 40 percent of full-service architectural firms, said Shaun I. Rihacek, LEED AP, HED associate, project architect. The design disciplines worked in their own separate files or model, but the use of a common network and the same Revit software platform enabled the entire design team to work in real time. Because the technology doesn’t yet exist to apply the same approach to highly detailed installation drawings used for actual construction, Barton Malow/Skanska downloaded separate files of each MEP contractor to Navisworks, a software capable of reading all files and creating a composite for clash detection between different building systems. Weekly updates would be issued to coordinate and resolve issues but work in real time was not possible. “The way technology is you can’t get everybody into one platform at the fabrication level at this point in time,” said Rihacek. Despite this particular technology lag, BIM is rapidly becoming an efficient instrument in a contractor’s cyber tool belt. “The Beaumont project wasn’t finished that long ago (fall 2009) and already the industry is advancing very rapidly,” said Crispin. “In other projects, we have used BIM for scheduling, procurement, and Field BIM in which we track materials and even use it for commissioning and owner maintenance of facilities.” DESIGNING IN REAL TIME For the Troy Beaumont project, BIM in action was shown in all its glory at a typical “bullpen coordination” session in HED’s main conference room. “All the design disciplines were in the room with their own computer and one main screen,” said James Corsiglia, PE, HED structural engineer. “We changed items instantaneously at our different work stations but discussed and worked together to coordinate different aspects of the design and clash detect on the main screen. It was all live, and when we walked out at the end of the day, it was done. It wasn’t the traditional way of coordinating by marking up drawings and giving them to someone else to input and redo. It was done at once and we moved forward to the next quadrant of the building.” CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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RENDERING AND PHOTO COURTESY OF HARLEY ELLIS DEVEREAUX
BIM IN CONSTRUCTION
As a byproduct of 3D BIM, life-like renderings offer numerous advantages, including reducing change orders by offering owners an easily grasped visual image. On the left is a rendering of the second floor of the West Atrium; on the right is a photo of the first level of the actual West Atrium.
Crispin describes the benefit of this mode of operation. “By making a change instantaneously in a group you can follow the results and repercussions of that change ‘down river’ or throughout other facets of the building. You can see what other systems and aspects of the building you may have affected that might warrant further discussion.” Reamer summarizes how this group brainstorm is accomplished. “Each discipline was working in separate files that were ‘linked’ to each other’s file for coordination. In order for revisions to be seen by each other, the revised file would need to be ‘saved’ and the other person would need to re-open their file or reload links if they were in their active file. Overall, this process would take only a few seconds. There was no need to export to a new format or upload to a FTP or similar site, which can take hours.” Outside the conference room, HED implemented an instant messaging communication package to allow the team to communicate. “This worked quite well to alert others of relevant updates,” said Reamer. HED is one of the first design teams to use this approach on such a large-scale project. While it is not working in one model – a feat no one has accomplished – this approach comes closest to the ideal of pure BIM. “At that time, there was nobody else that came that close to a full discipline BIM,” said Rihacek. CYBER WIZARDRY In blazing a new trail, keeping an open mind and taking a calculated risk comes with the territory. “Initially, it was
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recommended to work in one model,” said Rihacek. “As the project progressed, we determined the one-model approach was not appropriate at that time.” Flexible, openminded, and undeterred, Harley Ellis Devereaux then devised a new approach to working in real time. “We reassessed, making everyone their own individual models and referencing back and forth in real time by using the same software platform,” said Reamer. Harley Ellis Devereaux blazed a new trail for the design industry in other ways. “The MEP software package was actually the youngest of all the software packages,” said Brett C. Gatti, Harley Ellis Devereaux’s BIM coordinator/manager for corporate office. “Those packages came in three to five years behind the other packages, such as architectural and structural.” As a remedy, Harley Ellis worked with Avatech, an Autodesk reseller, in customizing and tweaking the mechanical and electrical software packages for the Troy Beaumont project. “At the time, there were certain capabilities that didn’t exist in the mechanical and electrical suites,” said Corsiglia. “We had to tweak certain things so that we could make the system work. We created different processes that Autodesk uses today going forward.” FABRICATING STEEL WITH A MOUSE The structural steel discipline has always been in the forefront of BIM technology as shown on the Troy Beaumont campus, itself. “Our first structural BIM project was on this same campus 10 years ago,” said Corsiglia. “At that time, structural was the only discipline capable of technology transfer.
Everything else was just static 3D objects. Now we have new tools and we have a full BIM environment for all parties.” At Beaumont, the entire structural steel package from design development to installation drawings that show every weld and bolt is a wonderful example of integrated project delivery, accomplished seamlessly and with a click of a mouse at virtually every successive stage. On this project, there is no paper trail, for the steel fabricator creates an installation model directly from the design document model. Corsiglia explains the overall process: “We interviewed the steel fabricators in the area that could share a model back and forth, essentially doing everything paperless. Douglas Steel, Lansing, was ultimately selected for the project. We built our Revit model to ‘talk’ back and forth with our 3D analytical model, which are our software programs we use to actually design the steel. The two communicated instantly with the push of a computer key. “We then gave our Revit model to Douglas Steel to start their fabrication model. It is a complete integrated project delivery approach structurally. We do all of our work model to model. In turn, the fabricator gives us their model back for electronic review. We click on every beam, clicking either approved or not approved.” (Because the BIM model has embedded intelligence, clicking on a steel beam will reveal information about the load and connections.) At the time, BIM technology could not convert electrical and mechanical design from design development into fabrication drawings. This ability recently became available. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
BEYOND CLASH DETECTION Back in the construction trailer, Barton Malow/Skanska used the steel fabrication model as the basis for MEP coordination drawings. “Because the steel was already detailed, we coordinated the mechanical and electrical packages around steel,” said Crispin. “The individual contractors still worked in their own individual software platforms. They would then export into a common DWG file and we would then put all their individual models into Navisworks. Navisworks would start layering all the information together, so we could obtain a composite and then we would run a clash report. We would see how many clashes there are between the systems, and then we would sit in weekly coordination meetings with electrical, plumbing, HVAC and fire protection contractors to resolve the clashes.” Beyond the Beaumont project, more trades are coming under the BIM umbrella to provide an even more coordinated project. “In my opinion, MEP is now standard, but we are now doing projects where we are coordinating with exterior skin, roofing, and millwork trades in some cases,” said Crispin. “More trades on board create a more complete process. That is clear, because at Troy Beaumont, the area where we did have some conflict involved a trade that was not coordinated in BIM.” BIM currently allows modeling of future maintenance issues for the owner. The modeler can insert what is termed a “space claim.” The space claim doesn’t represent a physical object but rather a programmed block of space to ensure the owner has clear access to an area or piece of equipment for maintenance. “The space claim is not a physical object, but the model recognizes it as a physical object and will flag it as a clash, ensuring access to the equipment,” said Crispin. “So now we are using the model to some degree to start addressing owner issues and concerns that they might have after turnover.” This innovative BIM capacity definitely saves costs. “Sometimes, money would have to be spent rerouting items to offer the owner access to a piece of equipment, but now we can plan ahead for this access,” said John F. Pesavento, AIA, HED associate, construction administration, field representative. Barton Malow has been continually sharpening its cyber tools as BIM infiltrates more deeply into the construction arena. “We did 3D BIM coordination at Troy Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
Beaumont, but on some other projects we’ve done 4D and 5D BIM,” said Crispin. In 4D BIM Scheduling, the model is linked to the schedule. “When an adjustment is made to the schedule or a change in the model, it changes your schedule throughout the job,” said Crispin. “We are starting to see applications of 5D BIM Estimating.
For example, a contractor can do a rough take of how many electrical outlets are in the model. Applying cost to that, the contractor can do quick estimate checks against the model.” In Field BIM, Barton Malow can track materials via the use of tablet PCs equipped with bar code scanners. “After the model is
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used for installation, we will actually start tracking equipment, pieces of precast, and other materials tagged with bar codes,” said Crispin. “Our superintendents walk up to the equipment with their tablet, scan the bar code, and information pops up such as when the equipment was received, who received it, and other information.”
This system can be an invaluable commissioning aid. “We can also use the model as a visual tool to see where we are at in different stages of commissioning,” continued Crispin. “For example, we tag VAV boxes, pull up the model and color code the VAV boxes in three different colors. Yellow might mean the boxes are not
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commissioned, green might mean the box has gone through the commissioning process but open issues remain, and blue might mean the VAV boxes have been completely commissioned and accepted. This is only one example of how to use the model differently and innovatively.” Vela software packages have a module that works with different maintenance programs typically used by owners. Called “Asset Tagging,” “the user can go into the model, click on an air handling unit, for example, and be able to retrieve data,” said Crispin. The tablet is given to the owner at the end of the project with the full complement of information ranging from when the unit was last serviced to what size and type of filters work with the unit. Alfred Naami, Skanska project manager, said Skanska USA Building Inc. uses BIM for intelligent 3D modeling, marketing visualizations, clash detection, 4D Scheduling, quantity take-off and costing, life cycle cost and life cycle assessment analyses, supply chain management, procurement, safety planning, facilities management, and various energy simulations. “Each of these BIM applications contributes to information management in its own way,” said Naami. “BIM is not just one tool, but rather a way of thinking that contributes to easier, faster and more transparent information management throughout the whole construction process. BIM utilization brings benefits to all project participants from developer and designer to construction workers on site, as well as to end users of construction.” Beyond the huge possibilities for developing greater productivity and work efficiency both in design and production, Naami said, “BIM contributes to Skanska’s aims, such as zero accidents and zero defects, by promoting good quality and illustrative design. Additionally, it offers tools for managing environmental information and supports Skanska’s green construction goals.” A NEW POINT OF VIEW Harley Ellis Devereaux is also continuing to push the envelope with BIM and sustainable design. At Wayne State University’s chemistry building expansion, the firm is linking the Revit model with LEED®. “The data in the model produces verification and compliance for LEED,” said Reamer. “Plus, we are pursuing energy consumption predictions through the “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
BIM BENEFITS BIM is not merely amazing tricks of software wizardry. Today’s BIM capacities save time and money in design studios and construction sites across the country. For example, owners can easily grasp the visual images produced as a byproduct of 3D BIM. This capacity translates into fewer change orders. “If it is a small enough project, you can actually makes changes to the model in front of the owner immediately, get the results they are looking for, and move on with the project,” said Rihacek. As another owner benefit, “the owner now has an incredible set of as-built drawings,” said Pesavento. For the contractor in the field, there are less clashes, less field issues and less rework. “Ultimately, the end result for the owner is less change orders and less cost,” said Crispin. Installation is swifter and of higher quality. “For example, a piping contractor can look at the model and see they have 20 clear feet before they need to jog to the left,” said Crispin. “What we are seeing in the field is runs of pipe coming out in longer lengths that are prefabricated with elbows and T’s already welded to the pipe. We are literally seeing ductwork come out to the field and basically being hung right up in the air. Installation is faster and of better quality, because it is being produced in the shop.” The BIM process also significantly reduces the number of RFIs and eases the entire construction process. For example, light fixtures could not fit below the catwalk in Troy Beaumont’s east ambulatory care center. Because of working in the 3D BIM model, the need for smaller fixtures was identified very early in the project. “This was a change from the owner during construction,” said Rihacek. “Due to the digital communication process, it was possible to accommodate it rapidly.” Added Crispin, “We were able to order new light fixtures without even having ordered the original fixtures. We didn’t have to pay any restocking fees. Because it was discovered early, we could wait the 12 weeks for the new fixtures without having any impact whatsoever to the schedule.” Clearly, building a virtual building is an invaluable problemsolving tool for common design and construction dilemmas. This pioneering approach promises to infiltrate more deeply and alter the industry more dramatically both now and in the years to come.
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PHOTO BY STEVE MAYLONE
model, and we are setting up our standards so that ASHRAE 90.1 calculations are a derivative of our model.” An emerging technology is on the brink of assisting expansion and renovation projects. “We are looking at 3D scanning of existing objects to create what is called point clouds that are easily transferred into model information,” said Rihacek. “This is a way to rapidly move the real environment into the virtual environment. You are going to see renovation work start happening in this way.” Adds Crispin, “We also are looking into how to capture existing spaces with point clouds, which basically set up an image of the space and translate that into workable 3D information.” 3D scanning can reveal inaccuracies in an existing space, such as an uneven floor, that cannot even be field verified unless you are a surveyor. The remedy for a new addition, placed next to an existing structure off by two inches from one end of the building to the other, can be costly, said Pesavento. 3D scanning would have accurately pinpointed this anomaly early in the process.
BIM capabilities aided in the design and construction of the entire expansion, including this dining facility for the hospital’s Sterling Pizza Café.
BIM at Troy Beaumont he joint venture of Barton Malow/Skanska employed BIM in several ways at the recent Troy Beaumont Hospital expansion. Alfred Naami, Skanska project manager, Skanska USA Building Inc., Southfield, details how BIM was used in the various stages of the project. Overall Design and Construction: The 3D view of the design provided project participants a fast and easy way to become familiar with the project, whereas combined models, including the design solutions of different disciplines, helped to plan the work and installation sequence. Construction Project Management: Simulations of the installation schedule of building parts at macro and micro levels facilitated better project management. Automated property listing of desired building parts reduced the need to manually check quantities, dimensions or other properties from drawings. In the Field: Utilization of BIM on site enhanced communication between different parties. Plans were viewed by construction workers in weekly meetings or used when new workers were given a site orientation. Also, work planned for execution during the coming week was presented in 3D for the workers. Working with MEP Contractors: The MEP contractors also updated current status of the project in the web model. This was available for all the project participants, including clients and developers. Additionally, fabrication and shipping status of the prefabricated building parts shown in a 3D model was compared with the installation schedule. Plus, clashes or problems between different schedules were highlighted automatically. “When modeling was utilized, information was transferred in electronic format into prefabricators systems,” said Naami. “Electronic information transfer remarkably reduced the need for manual labor and decreased the risk of erroneous information due to human error in information transfer from drawings into actual systems. Prefabrication utilized model information, for example, in machine tooling of steel parts, assembly of concrete element framework and optimization of shipping and storing.”
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Media Release CONTACT: TEL: FAX:
BAUERFINANCIAL, Inc. 1.800.388.6686 1.800.230.9569 www.bauerfinancial.com customerservice@bauerfinancial.com
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5-Star Construction Federal Credit Union One of the Nation’s Strongest Credit Unions October 2010: Construction Federal Credit Union, Southfield, Michigan has once again earned the highest rating for strength and stability from BAUERFINANCIAL, Inc., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation’s credit union rating firm. Earning Bauer’s coveted 5-Star Superior rating indicates that Construction Federal Credit Union is one of the strongest credit unions in the country excelling in such areas as capital adequacy, delinquent loan levels and profitability. In fact, Construction Federal Credit Union has earned this top rating for the past 55 consecutive quarters. Having earned a 5-Star rating for more than ten years running, Construction Federal Credit Union has earned itself the added distinction of being an Exceptional Performance Credit Union. “There has been a lot of debate recently about how much capital financial institutions should have on hand,” explains Karen L. Dorway, president of BAUERFINANCIAL. “That has never been a question here at Bauer. A sizeable capital cushion, like Construction Federal Credit Union has, can make all the difference in an economic crisis. With twenty-seven years to back us up, Bauer has always worked on the premise that capital is king. I am sure Construction Federal Credit Union’s members will agree.” Established in 1974, Construction Federal Credit Union has been proudly serving members for 36 years. It operates through several conveniently located offices in Michigan and can also be found on the internet at www.cfcuonline.com. Construction Federal Credit Union: “Banking Made Better.” BAUERFINANCIAL, INC., Coral Gables, Florida, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating and research firm, has been reporting on and analyzing the performance of U.S. banks and credit unions since 1983. No institution pays BauerFinancial to rate it, nor can any choose to be excluded. Consumers may obtain star-ratings by visiting www.bauerfinancial.com. ### BAUERFINANCIAL, INC. P.O. Box 143520, Coral Gables, FL 33114.
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MICHIGAN
CONSTRUCTION
OUTLOOK
Michigan’s 2011
Construction Outlook By Jim Baird, Plante & Moran, PLLC
f clarity is the goal for any forecaster, uncertainty is the bane of his or her existence. The more numerous the sources of uncertainty – and the greater the magnitude of the potential range of outcomes – the more challenging it becomes to provide a high degree of confidence in any forecast. So it is today in terms of the overall outlook for the U.S. economy. While the economy has rapidly decelerated from its blistering pace of growth in the final quarter of 2009, one vexing question remains
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unanswered today. Is the U.S. at the precipice of a double-dip recession or merely in a soft patch that will become apparent as the pace of growth stabilizes? The answer to that question should become more apparent in the months ahead. It will also undoubtedly be a critical consideration when evaluating the direction of the economy in the State of Michigan broadly, and more specifically its construction industry, in the quarters ahead. As Ben Bernanke noted in an oft-quoted excerpt from a speech to the Senate Banking
Committee on July 21, the current outlook for the economy remains “unusually uncertain.” It has become increasingly clear that the economy has slowed in recent months to a degree greater than many economists and even the Federal Reserve had anticipated. From a broader perspective, current consensus forecasts for growth are also lower than was the case early this year. Moreover, a growing number of credible economists in recent months have assigned a probability to a double-dip recession that is uncomfortably high. As I “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
write this, most still put the odds at less than 50 percent, although these estimates are clearly subject to revision and could still change meaningfully as a result of additional incoming data or policy decisions from the federal government or the nation’s central bank. Regardless, the risk of further slippage in the pace of growth should not be ignored. At this point, we believe it is still premature to conclude on whether a double-dip recession will be avoided, although recent data have again turned more positive and support glimmers of comparative optimism. From a historical perspective, the economy remains weak. The nation’s unemployment rate remains stubbornly elevated, and is likely to move higher still in the months ahead as discouraged workers re-enter the workforce at a pace faster than jobs are being created. Consumer spending remains contained, as the lingering effects of the “Great Recession” have crimped the availability of credit, pushed asset prices lower, and created a renewed need for households to reduce debt and increase savings. While improved from historical lows during the depths of the crisis, consumer confidence remains shaky. Most measures of the economy in the State of Michigan remain weak, but are gradually improving. The state’s jobless rate remains well above the national average at 13.1 percent, but has improved from the 14.5 percent cyclical peak last December. Aggregate personal income for the state improved nominally over prior year during the first half of 2010, but remains below its 2008 level. In short, both at the state and national level, the economy appears to be gradually healing, but the lingering effects of the “Great Recession” – particularly on employment – will be felt for years.
residential real estate market, but many indicators suggest that the bottoming process may be well underway. The federal Home Buyer Tax Credit likely helped at the margins, although a large number of beneficiaries under the credit undoubtedly would have made a purchase even without the tax break. The sharp decline in transactions after June 30 suggests that buyers
understandably accelerated their decisionmaking to take advantage of the credit. While sales recovered somewhat in August, on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, sales volume was still over 15 percent lower than its poor showing in 2008. Housing affordability is attractive and mortgage interest rates remain very low, although tighter credit terms will be an impediment for many
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION Businesses have felt the impact of this sea change in consumer habits to a variety of degrees. The construction industry has generally been hit hard during cyclical downturns, but has been particularly impacted by the most recent contraction. Although the broad economy is slowly growing, a double-dip in housing may already be underway. While sales of existing and new homes may be in a bottoming process nationally, another downward leg in prices is possible, as foreclosure rates are still rising and the “shadow inventory” of foreclosed homes not yet listed for sale gradually comes to the market. The bursting of the housing bubble continues to weigh heavily on the Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
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Subdued consumer potential buyers. confidence and renewed household austerity are significant headwinds to demand. Finally, we anticipate that unemployment will remain high and consumer confidence and spending will remain constrained for an extended period. Even if future indicators ultimately confirm a near-term bottom in
OUTLOOK
the housing market, we anticipate that the ongoing macroeconomic concerns associated with a low-growth recovery will result in a lackluster pace of new home construction into 2011. COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION From a cyclical perspective, commercial real estate tends to be slow to recover and
generally comes after the pace of job creation gathers momentum. That relationship alone is troubling given the lofty rate of joblessness in Michigan, the excess capacity that already exists, and the pervasive skepticism about the durability of the economic recovery. Federal stimulus funds did drive increased activity in the public sector, but the impact of that spending is now winding down. Moreover, the mid-term elections have the potential to shift the balance of power in Washington. What that means for a continuation or expansion of the recent pace of government spending for public projects remains to be seen; with bubbling voter angst over the bloated deficit, the potential for passage of another round of stimulus is far from a slam dunk. While the construction sector was amongst the hardest hit as a result of the recession and bursting of the housing bubble, the outlook is in many ways similar to that for the broad economy. The potential for the slowdown to result in further deterioration in growth certainly exists, even if the probability is under 50 percent. We cannot be certain that the absolute bottom has been reached, and the potential for a continued downturn in the economy would likely have a disproportionately adverse effect on the construction industry. Should that feared double-dip be avoided, we would expect that slow growth will be the watchword in the coming year.
Jim Baird is a partner and the Chief Investment Strategist with Plante Moran Financial Advisors, and serves as a member of the firm’s Research and Investment Committees. He provides commentary to the press on a regular basis related to investment consulting, the U.S. economy, capital markets and issues relevant to wealth management. He is also a Certified Investment Management Analyst by the Investment Management Consultants Association, which involved coursework and an examination taken at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Jim is one of only approximately 6,200 individuals to hold this prestigious designation. In 2008, Jim was recognized as one of ten Emerging Thought Leaders in West Michigan by West Michigan Business Review.
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“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
2011
MICHIGAN
CONSTRUCTION
he two major non-financial determinants of non-residential space for which general contractors and their specialty trades sub-contractors are hired to provide, are: 1) The number of employees and/or the volume of business for which space is required to conduct operations; and 2) The availability of existing space to accommodate such activity. As the size of an organization’s or an industry’s employment or volume changes, or a need is identified to operate more efficiently in order to compete and survive, a requirement usually arises to construct new building space or make renovations to existing space. While there is no publicly available data on the level of occupancy in various types of buildings across the state, the trend of occupancy in southeastern Michigan’s major type of buildings, where over seventy percent of statewide non-residential property investment is centered, is illustrated in Chart #1, entitled Southeastern Michigan Non-Residential Building Occupancy. And Chart #2, entitled Southeastern Michigan Employment by Sector, outlines the level of employment
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OUTLOOK
Chart #1
“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
Chart #2
Chart #3
Chart #4
in six major building types: industrial, office, retail, institutional, healthcare and hotel/motel. The healthcare market appears to currently be the strongest segment of southeastern Michigan’s non-residential construction industry. According to an article in Crain’s Detroit Business (August 9, 2010), “In the last nine months, southeastern Michigan’s seven major healthcare systems have announced, or have begun, about $2.4 Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
billion in hospital construction projects.” The activities of service providers in hospitals, out-patient ambulatory centers, nursing and residential care facilities, and social assistance agencies, as measured by the Healthcare Services Activity Index, are compared with the volume of construction work in healthcare facilities, as tracked by the Healthcare Construction Projects Index, and displayed in Chart # 3, entitled Southeastern Michigan Healthcare Market Activity/Construction Projects. The Services Index of 119.6 (2000=100) in 2008 is advanced by two years and compared with the Construction Projects Index reading of 622 (2000=100) in 2010. This is necessary because about two years typically pass between the realizations of the need for additional space or to renovate existing space, and a change in the volume of business activity or determination of a requirement to deliver services more efficiently that initiates the complex planning, design, financing and performance of the work installing space. After 2008, the Services Activity Index, declined to 117.2 in 2009 and an estimated 115 in 2010. About 84 percent of the healthcare space segment of the commercial building market was occupied in 2010, while hospital bed utilization was about 61 percent in 2009 per the latest reports filed with the Michigan Department of Community Health. The operations of manufacturing, mining, wholesaling, construction, trucking, railroading and utilities are the principal occupants of industrial facilities in southeastern Michigan, with manufacturing being the dominant economic sector and motor vehicles and parts production the primary industry. Chart # 4, entitled Southeastern Michigan Industrial Market Activity/Construction Projects, compares the volume both new and renovated industrial construction with overall manufacturing and motor vehicle production activity (advanced two years) as their operations were restructured with the spread of more globalization in the region and in the auto industry. Since the region’s manufacturing activity last peaked out in 2006, the Detroit automakers North American market share has declined nearly 10 percent, reducing car and truck output by 58 percent and shrinking manufacturing activity 28 percent through 2009, before turning upward by about 16 percent in 2010. Accompanying the restructuring and downsizing in manufacturing and its effects on factory channels of supply and other industrial sectors, the level of industrial construction project activity plunged to 14.5 in 2010 (2000=100) from 41.8 in 2006. Besides the effect of the downsizing of operations in many industries on the volume of industrial project work, occupancy of these types of buildings fell to 86 percent in 2009 from 88 percent in 2006, and then dropped to about 84 percent in 2010. Employment levels at year’s end in office buildings (primarily comprised of banking, credit unions, insurance, real estate, accounting, architecture, engineering, advertising, legal, computer, scientific, personnel, corporate and administrative functions advanced two years), is compared with current year office construction activity, as measured by the Office Construction Projects Index in Chart # 5, entitled Southeastern Michigan Office Market Employment/Construction Projects. The Index had moved to a level of 63.9 in 2005 (2000=100) when employment last reached a peak of 732,900 jobs. Since then, the Index has continued to decline primarily with the impact that the housing bust and the subsequent credit crunch has had on loss of jobs in the bank credit union, insurance, real estate and legal sectors, and the secondary effect the lower volume of business has had in other labor markets. The Construction Projects Index dropped to a level of 19.2 (2000=100) in 2009, and then fell to an estimated level of 11 in 2010. Declining office sector occupancy, at 76 percent in 2009, down from CAM MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010
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Chart #5
Chart #6
Chart #7
80 percent in 2005 and at an estimated 75 percent in 2010, was another factor suppressing building activity in the office market. Retail sales, measured on an index basis, are compared with construction of retail outlet space in Chart # 6, entitled Southeastern Michigan Retail Sales/Construction Activity. Retail revenues of durable and non-durable goods outlets (adjusted for inflation and advanced one year), measured on a basis of year-toyear change, were in close correlation with construction activity from 1997 through 2004 when retail sales reached their last peak. With retail sales in decline since then and an upturn in construction
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OUTLOOK
activity in 2005 to 2007 (with 21 percent of construction volume generated by space renovation) building work, as tracked by the Retail Construction Projects Index, has been in decline. The Index dropped to a level of 39.9 in 2009 (2000=100) from 101.4 in 2007, and the fell again to an estimate level of 30 in 2010. Retail facility occupancy was at 87 percent in 2009, down slightly from 87.5 percent in 2007, and is estimated to have remained at about 87 percent in 2010 further dampening propensities to undertake retail construction projects. Retail sales, a significant portion of which are generated by products for the home, decelerated in 2005 following the peak in southeastern Michigan home sales and new housing starts in 2004. Another factor contributing to the downturn in sales was the decline in home prices which reduced homeowners’ equity, a source of funds many households used to buttress their purchasing power from 1997 through 2007. Employment in institutional buildings is primarily concerned with the implementation of the administrative, legislative and judicial functions of federal, state and local government, school districts, colleges and universities and membership affiliated groups such as religious and fraternal organizations. Chart # 7, entitled Southeastern Michigan Institutional Market Employment/Construction Activity, compares year-end employment in the above listed sectors with construction of new institutional building space and renovation of existing structures as measured by the Institutional Construction Projects Index. Since work rolls in institutional facilities peaked in 2003, work rolls have been shrinking due to the need to bring employment more in line with declining enrollment, especially in K-12 schools, and in public administration through the retirements and lay-offs necessary to bring costs more in line with declining tax and fee revenues. In response to waning enrollment and employment the volume of institutional project work dropped to a level of 91.2 in 2009 (2000=100), down its previous high 116.2 in 2007 and then fell again to an estimated 83 in 2010. No data is publicly available which reflects the rate of the occupancy levels in institutional buildings. Chart # 8, entitled Southeastern Michigan Hotel/Motel Market Activity/Construction Projects compares an index of lodging industry occupancy with construction activity in the hotel/motel market segment of southeastern Michigan’s construction industry. Room occupancy during recent years, as portrayed by the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Index, weakened in recent years with a slackening in business association meetings planned for the region, high fuel prices, a tightening in the budgets of travel managers, and increased use of the technology that facilitates meetings through video conferencing. The Occupancy Index is advanced two years for comparison the construction activity in a specific year, as tracked by the Hotel/Motel Construction Projects Index, as two years are typically required to plan and implement such complex building projects. The Construction Projects Index moved to a level of 41.5 in 2007 (2000=100) at the last peak of the Occupancy Index, then fell to 14.5 in 2009 before recovering to an estimated level of 26 in 2010. An estimated 55 percent of hotel and motel rooms were occupied in 2010. Chart #9, entitled Southeastern Michigan Employment & NonResidential Spending Plans/Construction Projects, presents a review and outlook for all southeastern Michigan non-residential construction projects comprised of specific market segments addressed in Charts # 3 - 8, plus other miscellaneous types, compared with a composite indicator of the level of need for such space in terms overall year end employment advanced two years. Based on previously previewed indicators of industry activities in specific markets during 2009 and 2010 and value of building investment “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
plans authorized, it is expected non-residential construction work, as tracked by the Non-residential Construction Projects Index, will decline to level of 30 in 2011 (2000=100) and 27 in 2012 from 35 in 2010. In 2009, the projects index was forecast to decline to a level of 36.9 in 2010 using the year 2000 as an index base equal to 100. Besides the decline in employment and investment plans during the two preceding two years, there are other factors that indicate activity in southeastern Michigan’s non-residential building industry will likely remain subdued during 2011 and 2012. Declining occupancy rates in all major building sectors means there is excessive vacant space for lease. As a result, credit markets are very reluctant to lend to landlords. As local non-residential building occupancies keep rising and rental income keeps falling, credit standards for development and construction financing and for commercial mortgages remain tight, much of it due to high default rates. According to call reports of banks and other lenders with loans secured by Michigan income-producing real estate, delinquency rates were about 16 percent for commercial mortgage backed securities in the Detroit metropolitan area at mid-year 2010, and 15 percent for those types of commercial mortgages statewide, according to Realpoint, LLC, a Horsham, PA-based real estate research firm.
Chart #8
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OUTLOOK The wariness of the business sector is another factor. The Real Estate Roundtable reported in early August that its quarterly survey of more than 110 commercial real estate executives - encompassing office buildings, shopping malls, warehouses, hotels, and apartment buildings - found “uncertainty” reigns. Whether it is job creation, unstable capital markets, or a volatile mix of current policy and the midterm elections, investors and businesses are skittish, causing the nation’s commercial real estate outlook to be flat. The good news is that the second quarter’s view that commercial real estate markets (across the nation) have stopped falling has been confirmed in this quarter, and values for high quality assets show strength. “But the overall sentiment is that the industry is in for a long slow recovery characterized by extreme caution” said Roundtable President and CEO, Jeffrey DeBoer. Don Wilson is a consulting economist based in Hartland, Michigan. He has specialized in working for trade associations, banks, chambers of commerce and municipalities since 1982.
Chart #9
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UPSM: A Successful Experiment in Advanced Building Sciences By Mary E. Kremposky, Associate Editor Photography by Curt Clayton, Clayton Studio
t the University Preparatory Science & Math School (UPSM), the line blurs between classroom, science center and construction site. This amazing new middle school and new Detroit Science Center (DSC) lobby is directly linked to the existing DSC, an interactive facility that brings the pages of a textbook to life in the form of a stroll through a 12-foot-tall replica of a human heart or a stunning IMAX movie on Hubble’s space voyage. DeMaria Building Company, Detroit, constructed this $12.6 million dollar building that brings the wonders of science and technology to the very doorstep of this innovative urban schoolhouse. Students of this new public charter school even had a glimpse
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of the challenges of construction. At one point, windows in a temporary wall essentially turned the jobsite into an exhibit by allowing UPSM students and Science Center visitors a view of construction in progress. The completed building itself is a teaching tool in perfect sync with the school’s mission to excite students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “The building interior is supposed to be visually educational in the sense that the technology of the building is expressed through its exposed systems and steel,” said Francis Resendes, principal of Resendes Design Group, LLC, the next generation of GunnLevine Associates, Inc., whose quality design and construction is a
perfect fit with the existing DSC and with all of the Cultural Center’s remarkable buildings. A PERFECT SOLUTION Technology is all about problem solving, and this new hub dedicated to all things scientific, technical and mathematical offered creative solutions to the core problems of two institutions. UPSM was looking for a permanent home after launching its first year of classes in the Compuware Building in downtown Detroit. The DSC needed a much larger lobby or receiving area to house the ticket counter and queuing areas for the growing numbers of school children and members of the general public visiting this “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
popular attraction. Building this expansive new reception zone, plus a dining area on the lower level, created more room for exhibit space in the existing Center. The two institutions are a perfect match. “The Science Center’s mission is to excite and energize students about science and math, and our mission, of course, is to educate students in those areas,” said Margaret Trimer-Hartley, UPSM superintendent. “It really is a match made in heaven.” The two institutions inhabit independent spaces but share a common entry with Science Center visitors entering the new lobby, or welcoming area, through a set of doors to the right; another set of doors lead to the school’s central stairway, controlled access elevators, and a glass-enclosed main office. SOLVING A STORY PROBLEM In designing this cutting-edge facility, Resendes Design Group (then GunnLevine) solved a difficult problem of its own: How to place a 77,000-square-foot building on less than half-an-acre of land? This half- acre was once the Science Center parking lot, meaning Resendes was tasked with preserving as many parking spaces as possible and maintaining a drop-off zone. The design solution turned mission impossible into a phenomenal building. According to Resendes, the design “shoehorned” the three-story building with a lower level into this tight site by suspending the upper two floors from the roof trusses and cantilevering the floors a full 24 to 26 feet. The cantilevered second and third floors house all the classroom space, while the lower level contains the gymnasium. Dominating the building’s west and north sides, these great cantilevers are divided into three boxes with their faces clad in metal composite panels but their edges and divisions composed of tinted glass. By skewing or rotating the cantilevered boxes 16 degrees to the northwest, the metal panels block the glare of the western sun while the glass draws in sunlight from the south. The angle, the cantilevers, and the glass create wonderful sightlines through the school interior and of Detroit’s Cultural Center. This is no ordinary schoolhouse. The divisions between the boxes become locker alcoves or cul de sacs with grand views lining up with the grid of city streets below. One alcove turns the gaze straight down Farnsworth Avenue with the Detroit Institute of Arts on one side and the Rackham Building on the other. The cantilevered boxes – each composed of three suites containing two classrooms and a lab – bring other beautiful vistas into this amazing schoolhouse, including the elegant masonry of the Scarab Club and the DIA’s marble walls and tile roof. Sight lines also penetrate from one angled classroom, across Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
the gap between boxes, and into the classroom beyond. A third-floor classroom offers a sight line through the entire upper level. A gymnasium in the lower level is another unconventional placement driven by space constraints. Typically, a gymnasium is a big-box structure attached to the main school. At UPSM, inspired architectural and structural steel design drew this gym with a lower-level gym with a clear span able to bear the point loads of the columns above. CLEARING THE FIELD Of course, problem solving did not stop at the design phase. DeMaria had to solve two technical issues of its own before launching actual construction. “The main power feed for the Science Center and the emergency exit and stair were both located within the new building’s footprint,” said Darren Murray, DeMaria vice president, Commercial & Industrial Groups. Relocating and re-tapping the duct bank – the original one ran directly across the site – was one of the first tasks of this demanding job. Part of the effort involved working a 12-hour shift at night to finish the relocation and reconnection while temporarily shutting down service to the Science Center, said Ken Kersanty, DeMaria senior project superintendent. Building a new emergency exit and stair and demolishing the old all had to be accomplished before the building’s intricate steel frame could rise from the 12-foot-high concrete foundation walls. The complexity of the steel is worthy of being showcased as a museum exhibit itself. There was nothing
cookie-cutter about the steel fabrication, installation, detailing or site logistics. A STEEL JIGSAW PUZZLE Casadei Steel’s work was a tour de force, having fabricated 1,173 steel members all of which are basically custom pieces. “There was no repetition,” said Bruno Casadei, president of Casadei Steel, Inc., Sterling Heights. “Almost every piece was different in one way, shape or form. The detailing was a challenge, because there were very few connections that were at a right angle. This created the necessity of coming up with a lot of creative details to make the connections work with the sizes of the steel.” Even the columns were atypical, being onepiece columns of about 65-feet in length. “That was a real feat in and of itself, because most of the time two columns are spliced together as the building rises, but these are single columns,” said Resendes. Despite the complexity of the steel, the work was delivered on schedule. “Casadei bought the steel from seven different mills to get it here on time,” said Kersanty. Steel installation was equally rigorous. Beyond installing temporary shoring to accommodate the cantilevers, the steel pieces had to be assembled in a very specific sequence because of the intricacy of the frame with its tapered cantilevers, floors suspended from the roof trusses, and the general angle of the building. “It was like a jigsaw puzzle,” said Casadei. “We also had to make sure we were shipping the right sequences at the right time because it was such a tight site.” Commented Resendes, “For a complicated
The new Detroit Science Center lobby has ample space to accommodate the growing numbers of people visiting this popular Cultural Center attraction.
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structural system, it was amazingly seamless. Casadei and SDI, the structural engineer, did an amazing job. I believe they shared digital files and used the latest and greatest in shop drawing creation and reviews.” The steel team’s modeling program also aided in coordinating the ductwork and other exposed building systems, added Kersanty. DELIVERING THE GOODS With limited area for material lay down or even a place to station a large crane in a single spot, DeMaria had to carefully coordinate site logistics during steel installation and throughout the project. Safety was also paramount, because the Science Center was operational throughout construction. “We had to time deliveries for early in the morning and make sure the appropriate areas were secured,” said Murray. Despite the building’s complexity and the bustling construction site and its surroundings, DeMaria delivered the job in time for the school doors to open in September 2009. “We had to adopt a ‘no Plan B’ mentality,” said Kersanty. “We had to get it done, no matter what the winter was like.” DeMaria poured the concrete decks in 13-degree weather and brought in snow blowers to clear the floors while the crew framed the exterior walls. “The north end of the building was left open temporarily in order to feed the job,” said Murray. Added Kersanty, “We pulled up on boom trucks to the second floor and boomed all of our drywall inside the building before we built the curtain wall system.” DeMaria also carved a large opening between the new lobby, or welcoming and ticket area, and the existing Science Center. “It involved some creative construction,” said Kersanty. DeMaria temporarily shored up the opening, removed a column, and installed a massive beam to create a seamless transition between the old and new buildings. A twohour firewall was also installed between the new lobby and the existing Science Center, along with a second firewall separating the school and lobby. Now finished, a grand stair links the twolevel lobby with a dining area on the lower level whose large shutters open to create a grand space for the Science Center’s annual fundraising gala. The Science Center now enjoys an expansive queuing area whose glass curtain wall reveals the African American Museum and other surrounding buildings. “Before the queuing area was only a quarter of the size of the new space,” said Resendes.
masonry units in a rich, cobalt blue mark the location of the gymnasium; a composite rain screen metal panel system on the west façade represents the classroom cubes. The silver panels, glazed masonry and the green-tinted glass of the new Science Center lobby unify the two buildings into a cohesive whole. The new building is a perfect neighbor to the surrounding Cultural Center. The building is embedded within this vital part of Detroit with the African American Museum to the east, the DIA on the West, and the Scarab Club and College of Creative Studies due north. “There is no back to the building,” said Resendes. “I think the best feedback that we have gotten on the project is that we respected the neighboring buildings. At the end of the day, people think the building has always been here.” The school interior has three main stairways, each painted in a bold primary color. Vibrant color, exposed building systems, and whitepainted structural steel dominate the interior.
“DeMaria did an amazing job of coordinating an interior of all exposed construction,” said Resendes. “A ton of coordination was needed to place all the data and technology in a way that has both aesthetic value and educational value for the students.” If a UPSM student ever wonders how a building is put together, he or she only needs to look at the exposed steel trusses on the third floor – each weighing 18,985 pounds - or the pieces of steel converging at all angles in the corridors and classrooms of this unique perched school. In lieu of a traditional corridor, the school’s contemporary core has exterior studio spaces for group activities and several freestanding modular offices called “lanterns.” The core is the junction where the angled cantilevered cubes of the west and north meet the conventional rectangle of the school’s east side. “The east side has more discreet, isolated classrooms,” said Resendes, as opposed to the
With classrooms housed in cantilevered cubes set on an angle and edged in glass, students enjoy views of the surrounding Cultural Center and even glimpses of the adjacent rooms.
Three cantilevered cubes offer the perfect design solution for a tight site and create a stunning building in Detroit.
A PLAYFUL MIX The completed building is a “playful mix of geometry and color that expands on the vocabulary of the original Science Center and articulates the spaces within the new building,” said Resendes. Cavity wall glazed
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classroom and lab suites. The eastside’s more traditional corridor wall is broken up by a playful pattern of lit vertical bars that expresses the school’s high-tech bent.
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A BALANCED EQUATION Funded by the Thompson Educational Foundation, student selection is based on a lottery system and not financial ability. “The whole goal is to encourage attendance from every socio-economic group,” said Resendes. Students obtain free membership to the Detroit Science Center and even function as junior docents who gain an in-depth knowledge of the exhibits. “The Science Center has great exhibits that tie right into the middle school curriculum,” said Trimer-Hartley. “The students receive a great deal of exposure to the exhibits, attending with chaperones or supervisors.” The DSC staff engineers and volunteers even judge the school’s science fair projects to tweak and improve the submissions for competition in larger venues. “In turn, the Science Center uses our classrooms for summer camp and the gymnasium for some evening events,” said Hartley. This wonderful school in the heart of Detroit’s Cultural Center is sure to inspire students to embrace rewarding careers in science, engineering, technology and math – all disciplines that built this high-tech schoolhouse at John R and Farnsworth Avenues. Add DeMaria’s management skills, the craftsmanship of trade contractors, and Resendes’ inspired design to the equation and the end result is one of the most striking and exciting schools in Detroit.
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Subcontractors and professional consultants listed in this feature are identified by the general contractor, architect or owner.
UPSM SUBCONTRACTOR LIST Architectural Photographer – Clayton Studio, Detroit ● Mechanical – Macomb Mechanical, Inc., Sterling Heights ● Misc. Metals – Taft Steel, New Hudson ● Electrical – Conti Electric, Inc., Sterling Heights ● Structural Steel – Casadei Steel, Inc., Sterling Heights ● Manufactured Wall panels – Exterior Metals, Inc., Burton ● Wet/CO2 Fire Protection – Lincoln Fire Protection, South Rockwood ● Surveying & Layout – Kem-Tec & Associates, Eastpointe ● Pour Footing/Foundation – DSP Constructors, Novi ● Pour Int. SOG – Broadcast Design, Mt. Clemens ● Wood Lagging – JC Holly Contracting, Inc., Romulus ● Selective Demolition – Precision Demolition Services, Inc., Brighton ● Temporary Fencing – Keystone Fence & Supply Co., Redford Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
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SHOWCASE
General Equipment Releases New TCT Series Augers for Tough Drilling Projects General Equipment Company has introduced its line of TCT Series augers for heavy duty drilling projects. These new augers work with General Equipment’s full line of DIG-R-TACH® hydraulic earth auger attachments as well as competitive models. When given adequate torque and down force, they excel in tough ground. Engineered to withstand high stress, the TCT Series is well suited for drilling in soft sandstone or limestone formations, caliche, hardpan and other tough materials. To penetrate rock and compacted soil, the augers feature boring heads cast from alloy steel, and the bits are manufactured of conical tungsten carbide. Furthermore, they incorporate high-strength sectional flighting designed to minimize material fallback. The TCT Series comes in 36-, 48- and 60-inch digging depths and 6- to 36-inch diameters. For maximum compatibility all models are available with 2-inch-round, 2 9/16-inch-round, and 2-inchhexagonal auger drive connections. This allows them to attach to popular models of skid loaders, mini excavators and tractor/loader/backhoes. For more information, contact General Equipment Co., 620 Alexander Drive S.W., Owatonna, MN 55060; call 507-451-5510 or 800-533-0524; fax 507-451-5511 or 877-344-4375(DIGGER5); or visit the website at www.generalequip.com.
maximum of ten clients can simultaneously access live video plus record video directly onto a PC hard-drive or NVR. Additionally, the camera features a Micro SD card slot for local storage in the event of connection failure or tampering. Toshiba also offers a non-wireless version of the IK-WB16A-W equipped with PoE to allow it to be mounted in locations not adjacent to a power outlet. Its product number is IK-WB16A. Key to both camera's image clarity is an advanced 1/3.2" CMOS progressive scan sensor that delivers flicker-free, ultra-sharp color video up to 30 frames-per-second without picture blur. Userselectable resolutions range from megapixel 1600 x 1200 to cell-phone size 176 x 144 pixels. There is also a 4X digital zoom to take advantage of higher resolution settings. Both the IK-WB16A-W and IK-WB16A ship fully assembled ready to install and are backed by a three-year warranty. Optional mounts and housings allow the cameras to be safely installed outdoors. For more information, visit www.toshibasecurity.com. Or call 1-877-855-1349.
Lincoln Electric Enhances Two Wires in its Metalshield® Line with H4 Diffusible Hydrogen Levels Lincoln Electric has updated its Metalshield line of metal-cored wires with H4 diffusible hydrogen MC-6 and MC-706. The products now feature less than 4mL of diffusible hydrogen per 100g of weld
IK-WB16A-W is Toshiba's First Wireless 2MP IP Video Surveillance Camera Toshiba Surveillance & IP Video has unveiled its first wireless twomegapixel IP camera, the IK-WB16A-W. Equipped with IEEE 802.11n wireless connectivity and a versatile Pan, Tilt, and digital Zoom, the camera gives installers freedom to mount wherever detailed video surveillance is required, including areas not wired with coaxial or CAT cabling. Once installed, the camera's live video can be viewed and camera movements controlled by either a network linked PC, notebook or viewed via Internet-ready cell phone. The IK-WB16A-W supports simultaneous quad streaming of MPEG4 and MJPEG video in a variety of resolutions to provide both higher quality and optimal bandwidth efficient compression formats. A
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“Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
metal to reduce the risk of porosity and hydrogen-induced cracking in weld deposits. In addition, Metalshield MC-706 has been tested and approved for American Welding Society (AWS) D1.8 seismic welding applications. Both are designed for arc welding applications and offer low spatter levels, deoxidizing arc action and high travel speeds. Metalshield MC-6 (E70C-6M H4) is a mild steel, metal-cored wire for all position welding that provides optimal performance in fast-follow, high travel speed applications. The wire tolerates moderate amounts of surface contaminants and features optimal wetting action, even at low voltages. MC-6’s low spatter levels minimize post-weld cleaning, especially when used with RapidArc® Waveform Control Technology® found in Power Wave® equipment. Metalshield MC-706 (E70C-6M H4) is a mild steel, metal-cored wire for all position welding that is designed for high deposition, high travel speed applications. Metalshield MC-706 offers enhanced silicon island management to minimize slag and cleanup time. The wire tolerates higher amounts of surface contaminants and produces welds with Charpy V-notch toughness down to -40 degrees F (-40 C). Another added feature of Metalshield MC706 is AWS D1.8 seismic welding approval. Two diameters are tested to meet lot waiver requirements and test results are available online. To view of download the AWS D1.8 Certificate of Conformance, visit www.lincolnelectric.com/D1.8. These products are available to purchase in three different diameters and have several packaging options to choose from. Contact your local distributor or Lincoln Electric sales representative. For more information on these new Metalshield wires, visit www.lincolnelectric.com to obtain Bulletin C3.11.1 and C3.11.2.
New Leica PowerDigger Lite Guidance System Increases Machine Productivity for Backhoes and Mini Excavators Leica Geosystems releases Leica PowerDigger Lite, its new entry-level single- slope guidance system for all types of excavators. PowerDigger Lite is easy to use, economical, and answers the Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
needs of contractors looking for an entrylevel machine control system. Designed with single slope applications in mind, PowerDigger Lite is well suited for mini excavators and backhoes. It increases machine productivity by eliminating stakes over-excavations. PowerDigger Lite offers the flexibility to work from different references including the existing surface, hub, stringline, or laser reference, and the reference surface can be offset. The system, based on the PowerDigger hardware platform, is targeted at single slope applications such as trenching, grading and pipe-laying, and can be mounted on any excavator. The PowerDigger Lite is 100% waterproof, so no special sensors or cables are needed for underwater use. Quickly installed, PowerDigger Lite’s heart is the rugged control panel with a full-color 3.5-inch graphical display, enabling accurate single slope and depth control. The simple menu structure provides an intuitive user interface for quick learning and increased productivity. All functions are logically placed for straight forward operation. To start work, operators simply choose a height reference and enter the desired slope; both are presented on the graphical display. Final grade and the offset from the bucket edge are also displayed onscreen. Leica PowerDigger Lite offers basic functions for single slope standard applications. It can be used for foundations, embankments, pipe trenches, grading, and even for underwater work, as the user can always see the bucket position relative to target grade on your display. By eliminating over-excavation and working faster, contractors will save time, money, fuel and materials costs. Leica PowerDigger Lite also removes the need for grade checking increasing safety on busy construction sites. Additionally, when
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(586) 826-8811 6250 Sims Sterling Heights, MI 48313
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working in potentially dangerous areas such as under bridges and power lines or inside buildings, the operator can preset a maximum working height or depth and be warned when the excavator arm or bucket reaches the critical height. Leica PowerDigger Lite also features the unique integrated buried service detection warning. An EZiDIG cable detection sensor can be interfaced directly to the PowerDigger CAN connection. The operator will be alerted of buried services while digging by an audio alarm and a multi-level bar on the PowerDigger Lite display. Leica PowerDigger Lite is available now through all authorized Leica Geosystems’ Machine Control Dealers. For more information, go to www.leica-geosystems.us/machinecontrol.
Metabo's New Angle Grinder Features NonLocking Paddle Switch for Added Safety Metabo Corporation has introduced the new WP8-115 Quick 41/2" angle grinder with a non-locking paddle switch for added safety. Metabo's new angle grinder is well suited for the most rugged applications including cutting and grinding metal or concrete. The WP8-115 Quick features a long lasting 8.0 A motor with 800 watts of power, 19.5 inch-lbs. of torque and a no-load speed of 10,000 rpm. The WP8-115 Quick has an effective dust protection system that includes an encapsulated on/off switch and auto-stop carbon brushes, double-lipped labyrinth sealed bearings, Metabo's unique dust-deflecting winding protection grid and epoxy coated field coil windings. Weighing just 5.3 lbs., this new lightweight, ergonomic grinder features a secure 'racket' grip and dual grip zones for comfortable handling. The tool's anti-vibration side handle absorbs up to 60% of the vibration, allowing the operator to hold the tool longer and resulting in less user fatigue. The WP8-115 Quick's toolless wheel change system saves time and energy when replacing wheels, making the operator more efficient. Other tool safety features consist of a toolless locking wheel guard with seven positions, spindle lock and the Metabo "S-Automatic" safety slip clutch to help protect the operator from kickback by absorbing the torque created should the wheel bind or snag. Optional equipment for the WP8-115 Quick includes a Type 1 Cut-
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off Wheel Guard and Metabo's Dust Director Tuck Pointing Guard as well as a wide variety of abrasives, sanding discs and wire wheels. For more information, please visit our website http://www.metabo.us/NEW-Paddle-Switch-Grinders.31989.0.html or contact Terry Tuerk, Metabo Corporation, 1231 Wilson Drive, West Chester, PA 19380; 800-638-2264; fax: 800-638-2261; e-mail: ttuerk@metabousa.com; or visit www.metabousa.com.
Henry® Company’s BES Sealant is Now Available in Sausages In addition to 10.3-fluid ounce cartridges, Henry Company HE925 BES Sealant for Building Envelope Systems® is now available packaged in 20-fluid ounce sausages, providing installers with greater economy and convenience. Developed as a fully compatible sealant for other Building Envelope Systems components, HE925 BES Sealant is used as a termination sealant for Blueskin® barrier membranes; as an external joint sealant for Henry/Bakor air barrier, waterproofing and roofing systems; and as an alternative to silicone and moisture-cure urethanes in the aforementioned construction applications that include aluminum, galvanized metal, glass, wood, stone, concrete and masonry, stucco, exterior gypsum board, and exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFS). It also seals wall and window penetrations. Henry Company HE925 BES Sealant is a premium, moisture-cure, medium-modulus sealant for construction joints up to one inch (25mm) wide that are subject to dynamic joint movement. Made with silyl-terminated polyether (STPe) polymer, it is flexible, resistant to weathering, free of solvents and environmentally sustainable, and offers low odor and very low volatile organic compounds (VOC), as well as being compliant with ASTM C 719, plus/minus 25 percent. Available in black, grey, white and limestone, Henry Company HE925 BES Sealant cures to a nonyellowing seal that can be painted with latex-based paints. There are 12 sausages to each case. For additional information regarding Henry products or services, please contact Henry Customer Service at 1-800-486-1278.
Lamar Lighting Now Offers Occu-smart® Motion Sensor Controlled Bi-Level Lighting With Green Light Savers Lamar Lighting now offers its Occu-smart series of motion sensor controlled bi-level lighting with Green Light Savers self-illuminating phosphorescent device factory installed. Occu-smart is suitable for use in stairwells and other seldom occupied areas to provide energy savings with improved safety during occupied periods. With the addition of these engineered glow-in-the-dark modules, made with strontium oxide, Occu-smart “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
luminaires can provide up to several hours of supplemental egress guidance in the event of a power outage. Although not intended to replace emergency lighting which is also available in most Occu-smart models, these modules can aid in occupants finding their way to safety. Visit www.occusmart.com for more information on the complete line of motion sensor controlled lighting or contact the Sales Department at Lamar Lighting Co. Inc., 485 Smith Street, Farmingdale, NY 11735, USA. Phone: 800-724-7743 (631-777-7700 within NY and Internationally); fax: 631-7777705; E-mail: sales@lamarlighting.com.
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Robert L. O’Boyle, FASLA, founder of the Kalamazoo-based landscape architecture firm O’Boyle, Cowell, Blalock & Associates, Inc. (OCBA) was recognized by the Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for his professional contributions O’Boyle in over more than 50 years of practice as a landscape architect. Several distinguished architects and landscape architects spoke about their interactions with O’Boyle over the course of his career, from which he retired at the end of 2009. O’Boyle was instrumental in the development of many well-known projects throughout Michigan.
Clark Construction, a construction management firm headquartered in Lansing, recently announced that their vice president of operations, Gerald Boerner, was named chairman of the Research & Development Committee for the Lean Construction Institute (LCI), Michigan Chapter. The Lean Construction Institute (LCI), a non-profit research organization, develops and disseminates new Boerner knowledge regarding the management of work in design, engineering and construction for capital facilities. Boerner has 25 years of experience in commercial, retail, and institutional projects.
The Mason Contractors Association (MCA) recently honored Ray Baker, founder of Baker Construction Company Inc., Whitmore Lake, with its Lifetime Achievement Award. It is only the third Lifetime Achievement Award the MCA has given out in the past 100 years. Ray Baker started Baker Construction Company in 1952; it has now grown into a third generation company.
Michigan Super Lawyers magazine recently named 34 associates at the law firm Plunkett Cooney, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, as “Super Lawyers.” The designation is based on statewide balloting by Michigan attorneys, research conducted by Thomson Reuters, which publishes Michigan Super Lawyers magazine, and a peer review process that encompasses 60 different practice areas. The Plunkett Cooney attorneys receiving this designation are: Michael P. Ashcraft, Jr.; Douglas C. Bernstein; William D. Booth; Charles W. Browning; Henry B. Cooney; Dennis G. Cowan; Jerome A. Galante; Jeffrey C. Gerish; Michael J. Hagerty; Robert G. Kamenec; Theresa Smith Lloyd; Stanley C. Moore, III; Scott H. Sirich; Leslie J. Stein; D. Jerry Watters; Michael D. Weaver; Loretta M. Ames; Ernest R. Bazzana; James R. Geroux; Kenneth C. Newa; Christine D. Oldani; Stanley A. Prokop; Mary Catherine Rentz; Mary Massaron Ross; James C. Thomas; Anita B. Folino; David K. Otis; Audrey J. Forbush; H. William Reising; Mark H. Verwys; Michael S. Bogren; D. Jennifer Andreou; Lawrence R. Donaldson; and Steven L. Barney.
Plunkett Cooney, a law firm headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, recently announced that seven of its attorneys have been named as “Rising Stars” in the 2010 issue of Michigan Super Lawyers magazine. They include: Paul J. Dwaihy; Gary W. Francis; Jeffrey S. Hengeveld; Chiara Mattieson; Megan P. McKnight; George A. Netschke, IV; and Nicole E. Wilinski. TowerPinkster, an architecture and engineering firm with offices in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, recently announced the appointment of Jason Novotny, AIA, LEED AP as director of design.
Novotny
Sachse Construction, Birmingham, recently announced that Ben Ealy, project superintendent, and Noah Wolfson, director of business development, have earned credentials as LEED Green Associates. The designations were awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.
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Stephen T. Welly, president of RLWest Properties, a regional real estate development and property management firm located in Toledo, OH, recently announced the appointment of two senior managers. Timothy Grohnke Grohnke has been appointed chief operating officer, and Barry K. Rigby has been
appointed executive vice president. Welly and Rigby will focus on expanding RLWest Properties’ office in Charlotte, NC and Grohnke will oversee day-to-day operations at RLWest Properties in OH.
C O R P O R AT E
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CAM Member, Capital Letters, an Ann Arbor-based marketing company, has developed and implemented a new website for the W.J. O’Neil Company (WJO), Livonia. Strategic partner, Creativibe, added the design expertise and the website follows the direction set by the strategic marketing road map that Capital Letters developed for WJO. The road map includes press releases, tradeshow materials, and brochures for each division (currently in development). Capital Letters was selected as the marketing agency shortly after WJO won contracts to build a new automotive plant for Volkswagen of America in Chattanooga, TN. The mechanical contractor has installed piping and HVAC systems in auto plants throughout Michigan. They also completed large installations at Comerica Park and Ford Field. Their new website can be found at www.WJO.com. Features include a password-protected planroom for clients and subcontractors, as well photos and details of featured projects and case studies. Clark Construction Company, Lansing, has been named as construction manager for Ingham County’s new 911 emergency dispatch center. The new 911 center will combine the Lansing and East Lansing centers into one facility. The Ingham County 911 center will meet all of the new homeland security requirements and will be occupied 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Scheduled to start in March/April of 2011, the anticipated completion is early fall 2011. Clark Construction Company also announced that it has been selected as the construction manager for the North Central Michigan College Health Education and Science Center Building in Petoskey. The project includes construction of a brand new 28,000-square-foot Science Center Building in addition to a 16,400-square-foot renovation of two existing Science Buildings. Construction is expected to begin in April 2011. “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
Are You Connected? G2 Consulting Group of Troy recently completed geotechnical investigations of a site adjacent to Kalamazoo College’s campus for a proposed athletic complex that will include a new field house, press box/concessions building, restroom building and outdoor synthetic turf athletic fields for baseball, football, soccer and softball. Kirco/Manix of Troy is the project’s construction manager. Construction began in fall 2010. Also, G2 is providing geotechnical engineering and design services for two Michigan interstate highway construction projects in Warren and Lansing. In Warren, G2 is providing geotechnical engineering and foundation design services for the widening of the two existing turn-around bridges located east and west of the Hoover Road bridge over I696. Construction began in fall 2010. In Lansing, G2 is providing geotechnical recommendations for design and construction of roadways, bridge widening, ramps, retaining walls, signs and signals related to the rehabilitation of seven miles of I-96 and intersecting roads from south of Saginaw Highway to west of Wacousta Road. D.J. McQuestion & Sons Company of LeRoy is the prime contractor for the design/build team, and Alfred Benesch & Company of Lansing is the prime engineering firm on the team. The Christman Company, headquartered in Lansing, has announced the following: the company recently broke ground for the construction of a new Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Response Facility on the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, VA. They will be working with design partner, Lord, Aeck & Sargent on the $13.1 million project for the U.S. Department of Defense. The 28,000-square-foot two-story facility will house emergency response equipment and staff for various biological threat events, relocating these operations from their current leased warehouse facility. It will include Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory space along with support offices and space to house emergency response equipment. Also, The Christman Company is constructing the new 160,000-square-foot, five-story Human Health Building at Oakland University in Rochester. The new building, designed to be a showcase for innovative green building technologies, is designed by SmithGroup, Detroit, and will integrate the School of Nursing and the School of Health Sciences for Oakland Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com
University under one roof.
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RLWest Properties, Toledo, OH, a regional real estate development and property management company, recently announced the creation of RLW Appraisal and Consulting, a commercial appraisal and consulting company. The firm serves real estate brokers, lenders, bankers, real estate attorneys and the real estate investment community.
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Oakland Metal Sales, Inc. Distributor of:
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GEM Inc., a specialty contractor headquartered near Toledo, OH, has earned an Energy Star® rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. GEM Inc. has reduced its electric energy consumption by more than 23 percent, reducing its carbon footprint by more than 88 metric tons of emissions per year. Synergy Group, Inc., Bloomfield Hills, announced today that it has been contracted to construct a ‘soft business landing’ center expansion at Automation Alley’s Troy headquarters. Automation Alley is Michigan’s largest technology business association with more than 1,000 members. Synergy was selected to build the office building expansion on a design-build basis. Construction will take place during the winter months and the project is scheduled for completion in spring 2011. Synergy Group specializes in fast-track build outs to bring projects to completion faster at less cost to owners. Hobbs+Black Associates, Inc., an architectural firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, has been commissioned by Cosma International, manufacturer of body and chassis systems, to design a new plant in the Sao Paulo area of Brazil. The 390,000-square-foot new facility will produce stamped and welded assemblies for global automakers. The launch of the plant is scheduled for early 2011. This is Cosma International’s first development in Brazil, and is expected to be the model facility for all of South America.
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Demolition Land Remediation Dismantling Decontamination Asbestos Removal Asset Recovery Industrial Cleaning Interior/Selective Demolition Plant Decomissioning www.homrichinc.com jeffr@homrichinc.com 734.654.9800
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NEW MEMBERS – CONSTRUCTION CALENDAR – ADVERTISERS INDEX
& A-1 Specialty Services, Hazel Park Automated Electric, Oakland Billy White Roofing, LLC, Jackson Capital Letters, Ann Arbor Capital Wallcoverings, LLC, Williamston Carlo Construction, Inc., Clinton Twp. Corrosion Fluid Products Corp., Farmington Hills CSM Group, Kalamazoo Fortis Payment Systems, Inc., Novi Hamilton Outdoor Services, Brighton Horger Flooring Corp., Oakland Insulex Panel Systems, Inc., Cadillac J & E Crane & Rigging, LLC, Livonia J & J Repairs, Lanse
Lead Renovator Training, LLC, White Lake LPL Financial, Okemos McCrosky Marketing Communications, Kalamazoo MEC Electric Co., Inc., Westland Medical Laboratories of Marquette, P.C., Marquette Midwest Geothermal, LLC, Grand Rapids Mont Granite, Inc., Wixom Newell Agency, Inc., Decatur Parkline Great Lakes, Inc., Clarkston Performance Plumbing and Mechanical, Inc., Allen Park Precision Vinyl Corporation, New Hudson Rainbow Hi Tech Signs, Detroit
CONSTRUCTION CALENDAR
Dec
Please submit all calendar items no less than six weeks prior to the event to: Calendar Editor, CAM Magazine, P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204.
Industry Events Dec. 8 – Educational Webinar – The National Elevator Industry, Inc. (NEII) has announced an educational webinar focusing on the requirements and components of recently published ASME A17.6 Standard for Elevator Suspension, Compensation and Governing systems. For more information, visit www.neii.org. Dec. 15-16 - NeoCon® East – The eighth annual NeoCon East will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD. This design exhibition for commercial interiors will focus on the federal government and will attract industry professionals who are responsible for the repair, retrofit and green building modernization of city, state and federal buildings. For more information about NeoCon East, visit www.neoconeast.com or call 800-6776278 (MART).
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Jan. 31 – 34th Annual SOURCE Awards Entries Due – Entries for SOURCE Awards must be postmarked on or before January 31, 2010. The competition is open to all lighting designers, architects, engineers, professional designers, and consultants who use Cooper Lighting fixtures in an interior or exterior design project. Winners will be announced in May 2011. To download a complete list of rules, visit the company website at www.cooperlighting.com or e-mail TalkToUs@CooperIndustries.com. Feb. 2 – Michigan Construction & Design Trade Show – CAM is pleased to announce that their tradeshow this year will be held at Motor City Casino-Hotel in Detroit. Along with numerous exhibits for construction products and services, the one-day event will include CAMTEC educational programs; the CAM Magazine Special Issue / Green Building of the Year Awards; the 125th CAM Annual Meeting; and much more! Visit www.cam-online.com for more information, or call (248) 972-1000.
W E L C O M E NEW MEMBERS Schiller Electric, Inc., Hart Sealant Sales WBE, Livonia Sensible Business Career and Training Institute, Westland Servpro of Berrien County, Benton Harbor Stanley Steemer Great Lakes, Inc., Byron Center Three Phase Electric & Technologies, LLC, Commerce Twp. Tillman Electrical Services, Inc., Plymouth Voice Data Systems, LLC, Farmington Hills
Aluminum Supply Company /Marshall Sales............................................................6 Aoun & Company, P.C.....................................................7 Blue Star, Inc. ..................................................................20 CAM Affinity..................................................................IBC CAM Membership ........................................................47 CAM Online Planroom ................................................30 CAMTEC ..........................................................................49 CAM Tradeshow ............................................................31 CAM Workers’ Comp. ..................................................35 C.F.C.U. ......................................................................26, 27 Connelly Crane Rental Corp. ....................................17 D & R Earthmoving ......................................................36 Deppmann, R.L.................................................................7 Detroit Dismantling ....................................................15 Detroit Terrazzo Contractors Association ..............7 Doeren Mayhew............................................................45 Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. ................36 G2 Consulting Group ..................................................35 Hartland Insurance Group, Inc. ..................................9 Homrich ..........................................................................49 KVM Door ........................................................................37 Kem-Tec ..........................................................................41 Liquid Calcium Chloride Sales, Inc. ........................45 MasonPro, Inc.................................................................24 Navigant Consulting....................................................20 Next Generation Services Group ............................16 Nicholson Construction Company..........................45 North American Dismantling Corp.........................BC Oakland Companies ....................................................11 Oakland Metal Sales, Inc.............................................48 Operating Engineers Local 324- JATF ......................5 Plante & Moran, PLLC ..................................................29 Plunkett Cooney ..........................................................23 SMRCA..............................................................................37 Spartan Specialties, Inc. ..............................................43 TEMP-AIR ........................................................................37 Trend Group..................................................................IFC Valenti Trobec Chandler Inc.........................................3 Zervos Group ................................................................17 “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®
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