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Volume 15
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Number 9
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SEPTEMBER 2016
Carved in stone
Professional plumbing
Bobby and Stacie Simpson are celebrating 20 years in business as Quality Stone Company.
Doug BerryAnn makes sure his company and employees take professionalism in plumbing to new heights.
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t’s been 20 years that Quality Stone Company, located just north of Austin in Florence, has been providing quality stone products to the residents of Texas and beyond. Opened in 1996 by Bobby and Stacie Simpson, there have been some changes in the interim. For one, Kirk Coyne became an investor in 2005 and the company has also added a thin veneer stone to its list of products. “A thin veneer saw cuts a thinner version of our chopped limestone,” Stacie says. “Cutting the stone thinner helps with some jobs that do not have a footing and don’t have the footing for the heavier stone. It is also good for interior type applications, such as fireplaces and
interior kitchens.” When the Simpsons started the company, they had one employee – now the team is up to 16, consisting of a mechanic, truck driver and pit crew. Bobby, quarry manager, has been in the stone business since he was a child, when he worked at his father’s company as a laborer and then a truck driver. Stacie, office manager, says the company’s goal to get it right the first time is what keeps customers happy and coming back. “Our philosophy has always been to do it right the first time,” she says. “We want our customers to leave our office with the confidence that the stone will be continued on Page 17
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oug BerryAnn was born in upstate New York, but a stint in the U.S. Navy led to a job in the semiconductor business. As part of that job, he was sent to Austin for six months to train people and he just never left Texas. “I lived in Austin for a long time, but once we had our first child, we wanted more space so we moved to the Bastrop/ Smithville area 11 years ago,” BerryAnn says. “I actually hated my job in the semiconductor business – I was sitting at a desk wearing a shirt and tie.” His neighbor happened to be a plumber and that grabbed his attention. He lined up nine interviews and found out he loved it so much he spent the years from 1998-2003 working his way
from apprentice to getting his master’s license. “I worked as much overtime as possible and went to school at night,” BerryAnn says. After starting one company in 2007 in Bastrop, BerryAnn closed it down after a failed merger and opened Doug’s Plumbing in Smithville in 2014. His philosophy towards his customers is simple – exceed their expectations. “I want to be the ‘Hyatt’ of plumbing,” he says. “When they call, they generally have an emergency. We go out at no charge and give them a price with no obligation. That way, they are not on the hook.” continued on Page 17
On the menu today: TacoDeli expansion and reno
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hen Austin’s Robert Espinoza couldn’t find Mexican food in the Austin area that contained the special flavors and tastes he had become accustomed to while living in Mexico City and the Rio Grande Valley, he decided to open his own restaurant. In 1999, Espinoza opened TacoDeli on Spyglass Drive and Barton Skyway. He was soon joined by partner Eric Wilkerson and the two have since opened four additional locations in Austin, one in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and have plans for more. TacoDeli #1 on Spyglass opened as a 750-sf specialty Mexican food restaurant that quickly became a hit with residents, as well as visitors to the famous Barton Creek Greenbelt –which is directly across the street. It was remodeled and expanded in 2007 and went up to 950 sf, Wilkerson says. Now, in its third expansion, the res-
taurant is going up to 1,500 sf and the general contractor for the project – as well as almost all of the other stores, is J. Grace Inc. J. Grace Inc. owner and founder Larry Guthrie says the three-month, $450,000 project was completed in July. According to Guthrie, the project includes the expansion, as well as building on the restaurant’s rustic theme that gives a nod to the green space across the street. A decorative I-beam, exposed black iron steel and other touches are part of the project, as well as drywall, masonry and tile. Guthrie, as well as designer Mike McCann, have worked together on many of the TacoDeli projects and say this particular project had a couple of challenges. “One of the challenges was the weather – the rain we received delayed TacoDeli #1 in Austin has received a brand new look and remodel.
continued on Page 17
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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Texas size solar
Industry FOLKS Mack Ellis Senior Project Manager and Vice President Braun & Butler Construction
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ack Ellis, senior project manager and vice president at Braun & Butler Construction, started working in the construction field straight out of high school in Llano, his hometown. The company was a small one and when his boss left to work for another company, Ellis followed him. He started at the new company as a field engineer and was a superintendent by the time he left eight years later. In 1989, Ellis moved to the Austin area where he found work with another construction company and stayed there until 2002 when the company closed its doors. Now, he is celebrating 14 years at Braun & Butler. “I like the company atmosphere and the people at Braun & Butler,” he says. “I like what I do here.” A typical day for Ellis – if there’s any such thing in the construction industry – involves checking up on current job sites (he generally has three going at a time); answering emails and taking care of ever-present paperwork; and site meetings with owners and architects. “I try to make it to at least one job site a day,” he says. “I like to interact with the superintendents. It’s interesting to see how different superintendents handle different situations that arise.” He describes his management style as trying to give his employees
empowerment. “I try not to micromanage,” he says. “Once a superintendent has identified a problem, I see how they plan to take care of it. I will offer suggestions, but I like to let the guys run their jobs. “If there’s an issue with a subcontractor that is problematic, I step in to resolve the issue in a timely manner. Some of the notable jobs Ellis has been involved with while at Braun & Butler include the Frank Fickett Scout Center, Caldwell County Justice Center, Bluebonnet Trails Community Services - Seguin, numerous churches, fire stations and a ton of schools. He is currently working on renovations to Mason ISD and additions and renovations to Brushy Creek MUD Recreation Center. “I am always proud to put my name on any project that Mack built,” says Kenton Heinze, president. “Thank you for making us a better company!” Ellis has been married to his high school sweetheart, Lynn, for 34 years. The couple has a daughter, 27, son, 22, and a granddaughter, 6. When not working, Ellis says he likes to hunt, spend time at the lake fishing, and occasionally, ride his motorcycle. –cw
Construction News JOB SIGHT
Freedom Solar Power recently installed the largest rooftop solar installation in Central Texas.
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tarted in 2007 in Austin by founder Adrian Buck, Freedom Solar Power has made some big – really big – strides in the Austin market. The company also has a San Antonio location, opened in 2012. Managing director is Bret Biggart, Recently, Freedom Solar Power inaugurated the largest rooftop solar installation in Central Texas at the Strictly Pediatrics Surgery Center in Mueller at a festive celebration on Jun. 18. Comprised of nearly 2,500 solar panels, the 812-kilowatt system includes two solar canopy structures on the parking garage, a roof-mounted solar array on the building, and an in-lobby monitoring system that shows the energy savings in real time. Because medical centers operate 24 hours per day every day and much of their equipment runs on electrical power, they are some of the largest users of electricity in their communities. The solar installation is expected to offset 50 percent of Strictly Pediatrics’ energy needs
and generate more than 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year— all without noise, pollution, or radiation. Over the life of the system, the solar array will offset 21,466 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. This is comparable to 6,812 tons of waste being recycled instead of going to a landfill, or 171 acres of forest being preserved, says Kyle Frazier, Freedom Solar Power’s director of sales. “In addition to saving lives, now Strictly Pediatrics will also save a ton of money on its operating costs,” says Frazier. “The solar project will pay for itself in less than seven years and save Strictly Pediatrics more than $3 million over the next 25 years, the guaranteed lifetime of the system.” In addition to the new solar installation at Strictly Pediatrics, Freedom Solar has completed a 47-kilowatt solar array at The Thinkery, the new Austin Children’s Museum in Mueller, and numerous residential solar projects. –cw
In the shade
Correction In the August 2016 Austin Construction News, in a front page article about Flynn Construction, we incorrectly identified the eagle awards the company has won over the years. The awards are given by the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Central Texas Chapter. Construction News regrets the error. –cw
The crew at Austin Underground try to stay cool in the summer heat as they dig a trench. –cw
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
We also try to instill those values into our employees. We offer a 401K program that we match to a certain level and we have a profit sharing plan. Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have one sister. She lives in Corpus Christi and has three sons and one grandchild.
Rex Webb, co-owner Patriot Erectors Inc.
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he 38-acre facility where Rex Webb and Parley Dixon own Patriot Erectors in Dripping Springs started life as a therapeutic horse riding facility. After that, it was home to the Boy Scouts and then became an entertainment venue that featured concerts and rodeos. Meanwhile, Webb and Dixon were fast outgrowing their 8-acre facility in Kyle and needed to find bigger digs. Webb was friends with one of the partners of the entertainment group – a friendship that proved very valuable when the two companies essentially agreed to swap locations. Founded in 1991, Patriot Erectors celebrated 25 years in August. Starting with a truck and a welding machine, the beautiful facility off U.S. 290 now boasts a fleet of trucks, several hundred welders, cranes and a state-of-the-art fabricating facility. Where did you grow up Rex? I was born and raised in Houston. I attended Robert E. Lee High School. What were you interested in while in high school? I was very involved in music in high school and college. I played in the jazz band, the all-city orchestra. I played bass guitar and trombone. I was also a member of an eightpiece band that played rock music all over the city – at proms, high school dances, frat parties. We played music like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. I almost majored in music, but I realized that being a professional musician was not a lifestyle that was conducive to raising a family. Now, I just play at church where we accompany the congregation. Tell me about your parents. My father, Dale Webb, was in the insurance business, in commercial lines, bonds etc. for general contractors. Every summer he had a job lined up for me in the construction industry. I started working for an apartment framer in junior high school. I ended up working in heavy highway work in high school and college during summers and spring break. My mom, Bettie, was a school teacher. What did your parents teach you? My dad taught me my work ethic. He made sure I was employed every summer. I learned a lot from him. If he didn’t know how to do something, he bought a book and learned how to do it and would then do whatever it was quite well. I’m more likely to find a mentor when I need to learn something new rather than reading a book like my dad. I’m more likely to find a mentor when I need to learn something new. My mom was frugal. She instilled in me a desire to live within a budget and save for the future. When they retired, they were able to realize their dream and move just west of Kerrville. This is how we run this business – within budget and saving for a rainy day.
Where did you go to college? Baylor University. I had a double major in business administration with a major in finance, as well as a major in management. I did some graduate work in Baylor’s, then brand new entrepreneurship department. I graduated in 1977 and immediately was hired by a highway construction company as controller. Since you already had a background in construction that seems like a natural step. Yes, I had a tenant finish out business in Houston and did everything from carpentry, electrical, drywall, HVAC and anything in betwee. Amazingly, the least amount of background I have is in steel! What happened next? Faulkner Construction Company hired me away in 1983 from the first company after college, so that’s when I moved to the Austin area. After that, I was hired away by a fabricator. That’s when I noticed the void in steel erection entities. In 1991, I went into business with a partner and started Patriot Erectors. In 2000, Parley and I bought the company. How did you come up with the name Patriot? We started the company during the first Gulf War and we were just so impressed with the Patriot surface-to-air missiles. Plus, we love our country and we are patriots! Give me some history of Patriot Erectors. At first, it was just steel erection and later, limited fabrication of steel. When Parley and I bought it we really ramped up our fabrication and quickly outgrew our Kyle facility. I’d known about this facility for years. After it was an equestrian center, the Boy Scouts bought it and I would come out here and go camping with my two boys. What makes Patriot Erectors different? We fabricate most of our work. We turned a horse arena into a top-notch fabricating shop. Fabricating and erecting gives us an edge as we are able to better control the construction schedule and also limits finger pointing if something is not delivered timely. When we send something out, it’s ready to hang and it’s safer as we will fabricate components to a fuller extent which minimizes the field involvement. The more we are minimizing the unknown, the more we can minimize the probability of accidents and problems.
Patriot used their 220-ton crawler crane to hang the COTA Observation Tower.
Rex Webb stands in front of Patriot Erector’s state-of-the-art fabrication shop that used to be a horse arena.
Patriot Erectors is one of very few Texas entities that is AISC certified in both erection and fabrication. That is something we’re pretty proud of because it means we’re part of an exclusive group that has taken the extra effort to ensure that we provide our customers with the highest quality steel fabrication and erection possible. This is a big company with lots of skilled employees. How do you manage it all? It’s a unique business. The fabrication shop is non-union and the field personnel are in the Iron Workers Union. I’m a trustee on the pension plan for the Texas Ironworkers Union. I want to make sure they invest the funds wisely. We want to be known for our service. We strive to service our clients in a superior manner to what they would expect from anybody else. We want to be viewed as extremely safety conscious. We have three dedicated safety engineers, including Jason Puckett, our chief safety director. What is the company policy on safety and training? Every project gets analyzed carefully before we even begin. Every day, a job hazard analysis is turned in for that day’s activities. We have weekly toolbox meetings and project wide safety meetings. Any incidents are communicated company wide so that everybody can learn from them. We also have quarterly foreman meetings. Everybody receives mandated OSHA and other training and gets certificates, etc. We also use the STOP Program which the company refers to as the “Raise the Bar” program. Every employee has the ability to stop a project if he or she spots something dangerous. They all have award cards that they can fill out and turn in for infractions or atta-boys. They are also welcome to submit ideas and we give out awards for good ideas or for correcting an unsafe condition. How many employees are there and what is the company culture? We have roughly 170-200 employees and they are scattered all over the place. We are currently working on the San Antonio Convention Center expansion, the Del Monte canning facility expansion in Crystal City, and the new University of Texas Engineering Education and Research Center in Austin as well as projects in the Houston and Dallas area. We’ve been on power plant jobs in Wyoming and Hawaii. We have performed work also in Las Vegas, such as Caesars Palace, Paris Hotel and the Venetian. We like to promote from within – even from the shop floor to admin. Jason is a good example – he came from the field to become a recognized and awarded safety engineer in this industry.
Do you do things with the employees after work hours? We just had our very first family fun day and barbecue. We closed at 2pm and it was really great to see all the employees and their families out here under the trees having fun and eating barbecue. We have an annual Christmas party and occasionally, we’ll break out the grill and cook something for the guys. In October, we will do something company-wide to celebrate our 25th anniversary. What do you look for in an employee? We look for integrity, honesty, a willingness to work hard and stay motivated. Having a construction industry background of some sort helps. They need to have a good grasp of their job. Tell me about your family. I met my wife, Michele, in church when we were growing up. We dated off and on in high school and she also went to Baylor, so we dated then, as well. She received an Education degree with teaching fields in journalism and English. She also received her Masters in Education Administration from Texas A&M University. We got married in 1978 and have three children. Evan is 31 and was a finance major at Baylor. He is now the controller for Patriot. He has four children. Emily is 26 and lives near Fort Lewis in Washington where her husband is in the Army. They have one child. Brandon lives in Dallas and is an HR manager for Santander and his wife is an attorney with Gray Reed & McGraw law firm. So, five grandchildren! What fun! Yes. The oldest one is 4. Well, besides playing with grandchildren, what do you and Michele like to do when you aren’t working? We share ownership of a ranch in the Hill Country with Parley. I’m actually more likely to do family fun things with him there than here these days! I like to go out there and work – clearing cedar and filling deer feeders. It’s a great place to take the grandkids. I’ve been hunting and fishing since I was 8 years old and I still love to do that. Michele likes to take groups of friends up to the ranch. She was just up there with the hand bell choir she directs at church. We both like to read. I like to grill and Michele is a very talented cook. We like to entertain and we are involved with our church, Sunset Canyon Baptist Church. If you could buy a soda for anyone, who would it be? Thomas Jefferson. He was an architect, a musician, and the brilliant writer of the Declaration of Independence. He was a true Patriot and somebody I would have enjoyed knowing. –cw
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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It’s great to be 58!
Surveyors take to the sea
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he Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS) held its 11th annual Hook, Line & Surveyor Scholarship Fishing Tournament Jul. 16 at Redfish Boat House in Aransas Pass. With 17 teams and approximately 68 participants, the event raised more than $5,000 for the association’s scholarship fund. –mh Guided 1st: Bow Movements – Stanger Surveying, Tyler 2nd: 2 Buoys & 2 Gills – Unintech Consulting Engineers, San Antonio 3rd: Kuehlem Surveying, San Antonio.
Unguided 1st: Cowboy Welding & Fabrication, La Vernia 2nd: G4 Spatial Technologies, Austin/San Antonio 3rd: Team 410 Largest Hardhead: Weekend Hookers Largest Redfish: Team 410 Largest Trout: Cowboy Welding & Fabrication Most Spots: SAW Dawgs
These are nine of the 14 winners of ECAT’s 2016 Skeet & Trap Shoot held at Alpine Range Supply near Fort Worth during the association’s 58th annual meeting in Duncanville. Since the score sheets were “misplaced mysteriously,” all 14 were awarded champion blue ribbons and all still claim they were the winner.
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his year’s annual meeting of the Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas (ECAT) celebrated its 58th year, because contractors from around the San Antonio area first organized the group in 1958, meeting and organizing the association with the help of HOLT CAT of San Antonio. “Since then the organization has been through three name changes,” notes Carl Englerth, ECAT executive secretary. “They first started out as the Conservation Contractors Association of Texas and evolved into a national organization known as the Texas Chapter of the Land Improvement Contractors of America and went on to become the Earthmoving Contractors of Texas.” The celebration of the 58th year was held Jul. 15-16 at the Hilton Garden in Duncanville. Members enjoyed a skeet and trap shoot, a tour of the Cummins South Plains engine plant, educational programs from Texas 811 and Westward
Environmental among others, and networking sessions. Winners in the 2016 ECAT Scholarship Program were Bradley Cornell, Claude; Margaret Downing, Beeville; Natalie Irving, Canyon Lake; Katyln Hester, Giddings; and Toye Walter, Giddings. 2016-17 officers elected were John Frerich, Rowena – president, Joe Ed Jenschke, Kerrville – vice president, and Trooper Irving, Canyon Lake – secretary. District directors elected were Clint Cornell, Claude, Dist. 1; Marty Caston, Robert Lee, Dist. 2; Eddie Leatherwood, Dublin, Dist. 3; Bobby Watts, Decatur, Dist. 4; Ed Smith, Fairfield, Dist. 5; J.D. Godby, Clifton, Dist. 6; Galen Weber, Uvalde, Dist. 7; Tommy Watson, Cuero, Dist. 8; Clint Krause, New Braunfels, Dist. 9; Edwin Eckhardt, Fredericksburg, Dist. 10; John Puckett, Coleman, Dist. 11; Dennis Foerster, Giddings, Dist. 12; Chad Ottmers, Fredericksburg, Director-at-Large; and Dave Sund, San Antonio, Associate Director. –mh
L-R: Galen Weber, Uvalde, Weber Construction, received the Membership Award from John Frerich. He has won this award several times over the past several years, pursuing contractors to join using his knowledge of the earthmoving business as well as equipment used in earthmoving.
L-R: John Frerich, ECAT president, presented Eddie Leatherwood, Dublin, C.E.L. Contractors, with an award recognizing him as one of the longest serving members as an ECAT officer and director. He joined ECAT in 1976 and has been an active member for 40 years.
1st Place – Guided
1st Place – Unguided
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Facts about distracted driving
Lease accounting changes Jill Sterling, Assurance Associate Fisher, Herbst & Kimble PC San Antonio, TX
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oes your company lease office space, construction equipment, vehicles or other physical assets with terms longer than 12 months? Then this new leasing standard, ASU 2016-02 (Topic 842), released by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in 2016 could have some major financial reporting impacts for you. A list of practical tips to help implement the new standard are listed below. Background – The old standard was highly criticized for not providing a faithful representation of leasing transactions. Therefore, the purpose of the new leasing standard is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring lease assets and lease liabilities be recognized on the balance sheet. The new standard also provides for increased disclosure of key information regarding leasing arrangements. The new leasing standard is effective in 2019 (for public entities) or 2020 (for private entities) using a modified retrospective approach. However, early adoption of the new standard is permitted and encouraged. Additionally, the new standard is limited to physical assets only. As such, leases of intangible assets, inventory, assets under construction leases, leases of mineral rights and the exploration for or use of minerals, oils, and natural gas, and leases of biological assets will continue to be accounted for under their original FASB topics. For Lessee – The new leasing standard will primarily affect the accounting of leases for lessees. According to the new standard, lessees will now be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet. At inception, lessees must classify all leases as either finance or operating. Balance sheet recognition of finance and operating leases is similar, but the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement will differ depending on the lease classification. Finance Leases – Lessee effectively obtains control of the underlying asset at the end of the lease term or through a bargain purchase, lessee use is for most of asset’s economic life, or lease payments made cover majority of the asset’s fair value. Basically, the following will be required: • Balance Sheet: Recognize right-ofuse (ROU) asset and lease liability • Income Statement: Recognize interest on the lease liability separately from amortization of the ROU asset • Cash Flows: Classify repayments of the principal within financing activities
Wes Pitts, Senior Vice President USI Southwest - Austin Austin, TX
and payments of interest within operating activities Operating Leases – Lessee does not effectively obtain control of the underlying asset. Basically, the following will be required: • Balance Sheet: Recognize right-ofuse asset and lease liability • Income Statement: Recognize a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term, generally on a straight-line basis • Cash Flows: Classify all cash payments within operating activities For Lessor – Lessor accounting for leases will mostly remain unchanged and you should continue to follow existing accounting principles if you are a lessor. However, some changes were made to align lessor accounting guidance and lessee accounting guidance especially related to glossary terms and Topic 606 Revenue Recognition. Tips for Implementing the New Leasing Standard 1. Start preparing now! The best advice is to not wait until you are required to comply with the new standard to begin assessing the impacts to your business. Begin having discussions with your teams now for how you are going to comply and implement the new standard. 2. Begin to analyze your current leasing contracts and determine the financial accounting effects of the new standard on your existing contracts especially in relation to your lending covenants currently in place. 3. Draft new policies or update existing policies for your business such as your lease classification policy. 4. Consider the tax implications and assess your internal controls over lease accounting. 5. Contact a professional for help if you need assistance in determining the impacts to your business or for a plan to comply with the new standard. If you have any questions or would like to talk about the effect of the new leasing standard on your business, please contact us. We can assist you with implementing the new standard or providing you with the appropriate resources to start preparing for the upcoming changes. Jill Sterling is an assurance associate for FHK. Contact her at 210-477-2718 or at jsterling@fhkcpa.com
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ccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), 3,179 people were killed on U.S. roadways in 2014 as a result of distracted driving. An estimated additional 431,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving, such as texting; using a cell phone or smartphone; eating and drinking; talking to passengers; grooming or changing clothes; reading, including maps; using a navigation system; watching a video; and adjusting a radio, or other audio device. There are several facts about distracted driving that all drivers should know: • Ten percent of fatal crashes, 18 percent of injury crashes, and 16 percent of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2014 were reported as distraction-affected crashes. • The number one source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Virginia Tech/NHTSA). • Drivers who use cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). • Ten percent of all drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the crashes. • Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent (Carnegie Mellon). • Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver’s reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent (University of Utah). • Drowsy driving causes an estimated 1,550 deaths a year and 40,000 injuries (Centers for Disease Control [CDC] Report). • Forty-one percent of drivers admitted they have “fallen asleep or nodded off” while driving at least once; 11 percent said they had done so within the past year, and four percent said they had fallen asleep behind the wheel in the previous month (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Survey). • Brain power used while driving decreases by 40% when a driver listens to conversation or music (Center for Cogni-
tive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University Study). • More than 80% of drivers admit to blatantly hazardous behavior: changing clothes, steering with a foot, painting nails and shaving (Nationwide Mutual Insurance Survey). Employers should develop a policy that ensures employee safety while using motor vehicles. The policy should be practical, legal, and reflective of the organization’s risk tolerance for activities that might distract employees while they are driving. The policy should state that the primary function of the driver is to drive the vehicle, and that if additional tasks that may inhibit the safe operation of the vehicle are necessary, they should be handled by a passenger/co-worker or when the vehicle is stopped in a safe place. The policy may state that employees who are charged with traffic violations resulting from distracted behavior while driving will be responsible for all penalties that result from such actions, and outline the company disciplinary action that also may result. Once a policy has been developed, employers should ensure that drivers understand the reason for the policy, including the increased odds of an accident, the potential liability for the company, and the possibility of personal injuries or fatalities. Outline the ways in which distractions increase these risks so drivers will understand how to reduce their odds of an accident. It is important to reinforce the policy by providing all new hires with a copy and reviewing it in detail during their orientation; covering safe motor vehicle operations in all driver-training programs; and providing periodic reminders, such as in an employee newsletter. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a sample policy on its website at http://www.distraction.gov/take-action/ employers.html Wes Pitts is a Sr. Vice President and Southwest Regional Construction Practice Leader for USI Southwest - Austin, TX, USA. Wes can be contacted at 512-651-4107, or Wesley.pitts@usi.com.
Submitted to Construction News
On their way In additional to the national scholarship fund offered by NFSF, Austin NAWIC offers local scholarship opportunities to students pursuing a career in construction. Annual scholarship opportunities are distributed to students from Crockett High School Construction Technology Program, Lanier High School Construction Academy, Austin Community College, UT School of Engineering, Texas State University, and Texas A&M University. –cw
L-R: Toni Osberry, AGC, and chapter vice president, Jose Leyva, scholarship recipient, Lucy Saucedo, scholarship recipient and Chaundra Callaway, Equipment Depot, and chapter president.
Lucy Roberts, Austin Lumber, a 30year NAWIC member and past chapter and national president, gives words of inspiration about team work.
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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When is a deal really a deal? Bethany F. Thompson, Shareholder Gardner Law San Antonio, TX
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onstruction contracts are notoriously complicated documents, often made even more complicated as a result of numerous exchanges between the parties as to the scope of work, pricing, timeline, and other important factors. The process typically begins with the submission of a proposal or bid, but from there, a variety of things can happen. At times, a contractor will sign and return the proposal; other times, they’ll simply instruct the subcontractor to get started. Finally, and perhaps most frequently, the contractor will submit a lengthy subcontract document to the subcontractor for them to review and sign. It is not uncommon, however, for performance on the job to be underway prior to execution of a final, signed document. If a dispute arises during this purgatory period where performance has begun but terms are still being negotiated, what are the governing terms? This legal issue is typically referred to as the “Battle of the Forms.” A few important considerations for those in the construction industry are below: If you marked up the contract and returned it, that’s a counteroffer Under the applicable common law, if your response or “acceptance” of a contract contains terms that differ from the original document, it is a counteroffer. The legal effect of a counteroffer is that it constitutes a rejection of your customer’s terms and a new offer with your modified terms. If this takes place and the other party accepts your modified terms, you are now bound by those modified terms and there is no further negotiation. You can have acceptance by performance `If you are going back and forth with your customer about contract terms, but at some point that stops and performance of the work begins, some courts will find that you have accepted the terms of the most recent version “by performance.” This is especially common in the construction industry because despite the fact that contracts can be lengthy and take time to negotiate, the project schedule typically must move forward as planned. If you need to begin performing a contract for scheduling reasons but you do not want to accept the contract terms
as they currently stand, it is recommended you clearly communicate, in writing, to your customer that you do not accept the terms, are performing solely to meet the schedule, and expect them to further negotiate with you in good faith. If it is a bad contract and you haven’t signed it yet, do not sign it after a dispute arises If you have rejected contract terms, either through an outright rejection or a counteroffer, or if the contract terms are still in negotiations with no clear acceptance, do not sign a contract after a dispute has arisen. This is especially true for downstream parties such as subcontractors and suppliers. Frequently, upstream parties will tell downstream parties that they do not have a right to payment if they have not signed the contract. This is not true. With or without a contract, the applicable Prompt Payment Act will govern payment procedures. Generally, contracts provide certainty by restricting the parties to certain rules, and if you are in a dispute, most parties will benefit from additional options, not less. Bethany F. Thompson is a Shareholder with Gardner Law in San Antonio and her practice focuses on construction litigation. In a time when many cases settle before trial, she has first chair state court jury trial experience, arbitration experience, and bench trial experience in federal court. Ms. Thompson represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers on a variety of issues including contract drafting and negotiation, lien and bond payment claims, delay and defect claims, and contract default and terminations. She has presented seminars for a variety of organizations throughout the state, guest lectured on construction contracts at Texas A&M, and is active in both her local chapter of the American Subcontractors Association and the Attorney Council for the national level of ASA. Contact: bthompson@gardnertx.com.
OSHA raises penalties August 1, 2016 Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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n November 2015, Congress enacted legislation requiring federal agencies to adjust their civil penalties to account for inflation. The Department of Labor is adjusting penalties for its agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA’s maximum penalties, which were last adjusted in 1990, will increase by 78%. Going forward, the agency will continue to adjust its penalties for inflation each year based on the Consumer Price Index. Under the 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act, OMB will issue guidance on or before December 15 of each year directing agencies to adjust their penalties for inflation before January 15 of the subsequent year, in line with the statutory formula. The new penalties will take effect after August 1, 2016. Any citations issued by OSHA on or after that date will be subject to the new penalties if the related violations occurred after November 2, 2015. The maximum OSHA penalty for an other-than-serious, serious or posting violation will increase to $12,471 per violation, the penalty for a willful violation or repeated violation will increase to $124,709 per violation, and a failure to abate will increase to $12,471 per day beyond the abatement date. To provide guidance to field staff on the implementation of the new penalties, OSHA will issue revisions to its Field Operations Manual by August 1. To address the impact of these penalty increases on smaller businesses, OSHA will continue to provide penalty reductions based on the size of the employer and other factors.
The new OSHA Field Operations Manual can be accessed at https://www.osha. gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_02-00160.pdf Penalty adjustments will vary depending upon the employer’s “size” (maximum number of employees), “good faith,” and “history of previous violations.” A 10 percent reduction may be given to employers that have not been previously inspected. A maximum of 25 percent reduction is permitted for good faith which is based on the extent of the employer’s written safety programs. A maximum of 70 percent reduction is permitted for employer size, with employers with ten or fewer employees receiving the maximum reduction. Since these reduction factors are based on the general character of an employer’s safety and health performance, they shall be calculated once for each employer. A complete list of the penalty reductions allowed is located in Chapter 6 of the OSHA Field Operations Manual (link above.) For additional information on the change to OSHA penalties, visit https:// www.osha.gov/penalties natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Submitted to Construction News
Sneak peek
Submitted to Construction News
Hot time in the shade The Construction Leadership Council (CLC), an arm of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) Austin Chapter, toured the Fairmont Hotel job site on Jul. 28 and then met up afterwards at Icenhauer’s for a happy hour. –cw
The Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS) attended this year’s Ray Wisdom Auction & Dinner on Aug. 5 at Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park in Burnet. Approximately 75 people were in attendance and enjoyed a wonderful fiesta dinner and lively camaraderie. The auction raised money for the TSFI Scholarship. With dinner sponsors, chapter donations and auction bids, more than $9,300 was raised. –cw
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Five years and Oklahoma expansion
L-R: Dean Koleada, Chad Kimbell, Gabe Bruehl, Jennifer Garcia and Brian Estes.
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hile celebrating its five-year anniversary, KBGE, a civil engineering, surveying and landdevelopment company based in Austin, has also recently announced its expansion into Oklahoma City with a new office there. To lead the new office, Oklahoma native and long-time friend and colleague of the firm Dean Koleada has been hired as partner, joining founding partners Gabe Bruehl, Chad Kimbell, Jennifer Garcia and Brian Estes. “Opening a second KBGE office in Oklahoma is a huge milestone for the firm, and I’m really proud of the work that got us to this point,” said Bruehl. “It’s incredibly satisfying to reflect on the past few years and the growth we’ve experienced. Not only are we opening an additional office, but we’re taking on new projects, expanding services and growing our team.” Kimbell and Bruehl established the
firm in the spring of 2011. Shortly after, Garcia and Estes joined them. Today, KBGE has 28 employees and was recently recognized as a Fast 50 company by the Austin Business Journal, the publication’s annual award that ranks companies based on performance and revenue generated during the past three years. KBGE projects include multi-family, mixed-use, master-planned, public works, single-family, industrial, retail and office development projects. Prominent clients include Transwestern, NLand Surf Park, Cielo Property Group, GroundFloor Development, Ryan Companies, LD&C Development & Construction, Natural Vitality, Rooms To Go, LCS Development and Advance Auto Parts. Being active philanthropically in the community is important at KBGE. The firm supports many organizations, such as Waller Creek Conservancy, Urban Land Institute and Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. –cw
Future leaders
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he Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Association (ACEA) recently made five high school seniors very happy with its annual scholarship program. Four general scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each were awarded to Andrew Wong, Pflugerville High School; Ashley Udelhofen, Cedar Ridge HS; Justin Campbell, Leander HS; and Kate Stankienicz, Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) HS. The ACEA James “Jim” Brewer Memorial Scholarship, for $5,000 in the first year of school, $3,000 in the second year with a caveat of GPA standards, and an additional $3,000 in the third and fourth years if the student joins the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and remains in the Corp, was awarded to Cole Rickerson, Georgetown HS. Congrats!
(Awards presented by ACEA Board President Walter Hoysa P.E.) –cw
Andrew Wong
Ashley Udelhofen
Kate Stankienicz
Justin Campbell
Cole Rickerson
Submitted to Construction News
All flowers and butterflies
Toni Osberry, AGC director of membership services and incoming NAWIC Austin Chapter president, shows off her creation.
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Austin Chapter had a great time at Green Devil Glass Studios for a glass blowing class. The event was the President’s Choice event and Chaundra Callaway, Equipment Depot, picked this memorable get-together where the ladies learned how to make butterflies and flowers. –cw
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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Choosing the right fishing guide by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products, MirrOlure, and Columbia Sportswear.
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he best reference for a fishing guide is a referral from someone who has fished with them or a referral from another well-known fishing guide. If you don’t have that, you can get a good idea of the kind of guide you’d be dealing with by spending a few hours online. Pick your species, pick your location, and then digitally pick apart the area’s outfitters. Here are some good tips on how to choose a good guide without getting bunted. One of the first things you should be aware of is a guide claiming they fish anywhere you want to fish. If you want to fish the Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay complex, you should look into a guide who spends most of his time in those waters. If someone calls me and asks to fish in Rockport or Copano Bay, I tell them they should try and find a guide who fishes those waters. I will even make some calls to help assist them to a repeatable guide for that area. These days, a guide’s social media pages are more critical marketing tools than his website, as they often give better insight into his business. Facebook allows a
The best thing you can do with an unfamiliar guide is asking tons of questions. E-mail is a good way to communicate, but the phone is better. You’re potentially putting up a lot of money, which gives you the right to talk through every step of the program. No matter how small or detailed a query, it should be answered thoroughly and courteously. If it seems like you’re bothering the guy when you ask how old his boat is, what kind of tackle he uses, or what you should bring along on your outing, then maybe he doesn’t want—or deserve—your business. Fall fishing dates are still available. Don’t wait until the last minute to book your dates. To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call or text at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail. com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
BB Lopez of Austin TX. caught the Texas Trio last week while fishing with Capt. Steve Schultz along the Kennedy Ranch Shoreline.
guide to post up-to-the-minute or daily reports. This kind of consistency gives you an idea of how often a guide is on the water. The more he’s booked, the more likely it is he’s popular and reputable. Scroll back through a guide’s feed and make some mental notes. If there were big gaps between posts during prime time, take warning. Also beware of pictures that have been posted in the past then reposted at later dates. While many guides rely solely on social media to book trips, smart guides and outfitters still maintain websites. If you click on one and it looks like it was built in 1995 with pictures of buddies and family members in multiple boats, take caution. Look for clean, modern web designs that are easy to navigate with information that doesn’t appear to have been written by a third grader. Bios of the guide’s background and personnel accomplishments will give you a good idea of what you’re getting.
Submitted to Construction News
Just taking a stroll
Amanda Shanks, Halff Associates Inc. in Austin spends time with Rufus Porter and Rigby Danger at a local park. –cw
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country, You can hear Ken on the radio as follows: The Great Outdoors: 5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors: 5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio
Seasonal confusion!
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ugust 9, 2016 at 4 pm, it was 102 degrees for the I-lost-count-howmany-days, so dry your spit evaporates before it hits the ground. August 16, 2016 at 4pm was it 78 degrees and I was worried about getting stuck in the mud! What a strange and wondrous miracle Texas weather can be! It had been so hot and dry that our fishermen who usually try to get in one more fishing trip before school starts finally just decided to find cooler places for a last hurrah. That was ok because I think given a chance, the fish would have left the old hot lake and joined them! I know I didn’t want to set foot out of the house at mid-afternoon. Did you ever see that old 50’s sci-fi movie where if you went outside you just turned into a black smudge on the ground? Like that! Who would have imagined that we would get this nice cool reprieve from the end of summer scorch? I know we still have some hot days to go before fall but I sure don’t miss this cool stretch instead of what are usually the hottest days of the year. I went to the pasture yesterday to check on feeders and what a change! Last time I was scared my truck would spark a brush fire and, except for tracks under the feeders, you would not know there were any deer left in the country. This time I was crossing wet weather creeks that had risen and there were plenty of deer to be seen. If you haven’t been out to your deer lease to square your feeders and blinds away for deer season, you’d better get cracking. The sooner you get those feeders spinning out the groceries and telling the deer where to find food the better. As for positioning blinds and putting deer camp together you need to get it
done ASAP so there will be several weeks for things to be quiet in the pasture again before opening day. I don’t think shooting a few doves messes with the deer as much as moving around feeders and blinds do. When you hunt and go home things are ok in the woods again. If you are cutting shooting lanes and roads and moving stuff around, that can make the deer uneasy for a while. The best reason to get the lease work over with is FISHING! This little cool, wet spell should get the fish into a good fall pattern sooner than usual and that will give us a longer fall fishing season. All the lakes that have recovered from low drought water levels have had several months to spawn lots of bait fish for the sportfish to thrive on and we are looking forward to an unbelievable fall fishing season! We were already starting to see the stripers and hybrids come out of the summer slump and this nicer weather should turn them back on hard. Get your work done, let the deer lease chill and come get in on the best fall fishing we have seen in years! See you out there!
Neihi Glass, Inc., Pflugerville, 7-27-16 “Carolyn’s Crew” won the company fishing competition!
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com Priess family trip, August 16
Have an Outdoor Story or Photo? Send to: AustinEditor@ ConstructionNews.net or call Cyndi at 210-308-5800
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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arlos Cuellar, owner of Fenix Post Tension, felt bad for his 11-year-old daughter who wanted to run in an Austin half marathon, but knew she wasn’t going to be able to keep up with her more athletically-inclined mother and two brothers. “I asked who she was going to run with and she told me she would run by herself,” Cuellar remembers. “I was sad and worried that she was going to run by herself.” Deciding that it wouldn’t do, Cuellar and his daughter started training together – with just six weeks before the event. “I couldn’t run a block without stopping,” Cuellar remembers. “I was over-
Carlos Cuellar with his wife Arsenia, before he started training.
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hen Tony Tye, owner of Texas South Concrete Pumping, and his son-in-law, Charles Schreiber, recently set out on a hunt in Africa, he returned with a cautionary tale, and he wants every hunter to take heed. Arriving in Windhoek, Namibia after an 11-hour flight from Frankfurt, Germany, Tye and Schreiber rented a vehicle and drove six hours to Tambuti Wilderness, their hunting destination, where they met with owner, Larry Bussby. They settled in at the nice lodge with seven separate cabins, feeling very safe and secure, about 40 miles from Otavi, a very small town, and about five miles inside a remote private property. They made a short run through the farm to get oriented, arriving back at camp around 5:30pm. Since it’s winter in Africa, it was getting dark, and the two men gathered around a campfire on the patio, with the five other people in camp, including a writer for a bow hunting magazine, a cooking lady, her helper, Larry and a couple of guys who worked on the farm. “We were enjoying our first beer and waiting for dinner to be served,” Tye recalls. “It was Father’s Day and now dark with a beautiful, full African moon. We had just opened our second beer when the camp was attacked by five armed gunmen.” This caught everyone by such surprise that the owner thought some of his workers were playing a joke. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and as typical, “no guns at camp,” they were defenseless and at the mercy of the men with all the guns. “Everyone was grabbed and searched, [the gunmen] taking money, phones, jewelry, knives and anything else they could find,” he recounts. “The owner was grabbed from behind. Bolt cutters
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Wired for iron weight. It was very painful, especially in my knees.” But they showed up for the race and made it through by walking and running, even though by the end his daughter, who had stomach flu, ended up being sent to the hospital by ambulance. “She didn’t complain, but as soon as we crossed the finish line, she collapsed,” he says. But something had been born inside Cuellar, as he pushed through the pain while training with his daughter and he kept on running. He soon found out about triathlon events happening in the area and decided in 2012 to give it a try. “I started out with seven or eight small events and moved on to increasingly difficult ones,” he says. He found it to be so gratifying that before the year was out, he entered and raced in a half Ironman Triathlon (swimming, biking and running for 70.3 miles). By 2013, he was ready to jump into the full Ironman event, which consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2-mile run (140.6 miles). “I love the feeling, the people and the community,” Cuellar says. “The race is so overwhelming with joy and a sense of accomplishment that I can’t get anywhere else.” By 2015, Cuellar was running for the Ironman Foundation, established in 2003 with a mission to leave the Ironman legacy through philanthropy, volunteerism and grants at communities where Ironman events take place. Athletes in the foundation raise money through spon-
Riding in an Ironman event.
sorships, which is then spent in the communities. More than $46 million has been given back since the foundation’s inception. In May 2016, Ironman Texas was in The Woodlands and Cuellar along with other teammates took part in the foundation’s work, with some of them helping the flood victims by helping to rebuild homes, while he visited kids at the Montgomery Youth Center “They loved it and we could see that we can make a difference,” Cuellar says. He has raced in Texas, Cozumel, Col-
Carlos Cuellar crosses the finish man at an Ironman event.
orado, Tennessee and Florida and hopes to make it to the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii through the Legacy Program, which allows participants who complete 12 events the possibility of getting drafted. He has four more events scheduled for 2016 in order to complete his 12. “I don’t race for myself anymore, I race for a cause,” Cuellar says. “I just want to tell kids and people that anything is possible, if you apply yourself.” –cw
Hunters beware!
Tony Tye sits outside the main house on a hunting farm in Namibia, Africa. This is where he and his son-in-law were sitting, along with five others, when armed robbers invaded the camp on Father’s Day.
Tye harvested this Oryx, a Gemsbok, at Tambuti Wilderness while on a hunting trip in Africa that went very differently than expected.
were put around his neck and [he was] choked until he said he would give them money. “We were all taken inside the lodge,
forced to lay stomach down on the floor with our hands tied around our backs and locked in a room. The owner was taken to his cabin where he was beaten
and forced to open his safe. He was then tied up and left on the floor. “I really thought that they would come back and execute all of us. After about 30 minutes, we couldn’t hear any noises and were able to find my knife and cut ourselves loose. We found some guns and ammo, armed ourselves and broke the door down. Now, we were ready for a gunfight. However, the thugs had left, stealing the camp vehicle. The owner had also gotten free. “Camp was in total chaos. A phone was found and neighbors were called for help. All hunting lodges within 100km were notified and roadblocks were set up to capture the gunmen.” Tye says that the gunmen were located about 50km away. Three of them ran and were not found. The local community that set up the roadblocks caught the driver and used force to make him provide names of the gunmen. One, Tye notes, was wanted for murder. The next day, the authorities interviewed Tye and the other survivors of this ordeal, who told the story over and over all day. From that point on, they were armed at all times, and though they stayed the rest of the week, the trip was never as expected. “I am not blaming the outfitter or anyone else other than the thugs,” states Tye. “We were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Thank the good Lord no one got killed or hurt too badly. The money and items stolen totaled about $15,000 U.S. dollars. To this day, Charles and I have not recovered anything. “We got back and Texas sure looked good. The moral of the story is don’t think it can’t happen to you. The stories you hear are true. Protect your gun rights. Be aware of where you are and who you are with and be careful in your travels. Don’t be scared; be safe.” –mh
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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The steel deal
The MacLeod family in front of the U.S. Embassy in London on the day they were granted VISAs to the U.S.
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agdalena and Colin MacLeod took the long way to Texas – and it wasn’t exactly the easy way ei-
ther. The two met in France when Colin was on vacation from his native Scotland and Magdalena was on vacation with the family she worked for as a nanny. “It was summer love that never died,” Magdalena says. After starting and running several successful businesses across Europe, Colin, an engineer, and Magdalena, began working on their goal to move to Texas. In order to get VISAs, the couple would need to have enough money to start their business. They bought a Metal Supermarkets franchise in North Austin, bought the machinery and stock and rented a home sight unseen in Dripping Springs before they – and their two children – successfully acquired their VISAs and made the move two years ago in September.
It’s the same month the store had its official opening. “If you know what you want, you have to go for it!” Magdalena says. The company’s customers are wide and varied – from contractors who focus on remodels, to residential, to welding students who just need pieces of steel to practice on. “There is no minimum order, so if they just need 3-ft, we will cut that for them,” Magdalena says. “We work with a lot of landscaping companies.” One of the company’s strong points is its fast turn-around time and free delivery. “We usually have orders ready in an hour or two and they can pick it up and put it together like Legos,” Magdalena says. The family had a sailboat back in England and are hoping to grow the business enough to buy another one to enjoy the water around Austin. –cw
Paving that’s amazing
Transtec employees like to spend time together outside of work, as in this before picture of a recent Tough Mudder event they participated in.
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fter 15 years in business and more than 700 projects worth more than $20 billion, The Transtec Group, an Austin-based pavement engineering firm, will now join Connect 202 Partners, a consortium selected by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to design, construct, and maintain the South Mountain Freeway PublicPrivate Partnership (P3) Project. The firm, started in 2001 by owners Dan Rozycki, president, and Robert Rasmussen, vice president and chief engineer, also has offices in Atlanta and Pennsylvania. “Our pavement engineering is far more detailed and thorough than most engineers who design pavements, and that helps us find ways to build public highways that last longer for less money,” says project manager Todd Hanke, PE. “Last year, we saved the American public $53 million in highway construction costs. On SR 202 alone, our team’s bid was $100 million less than the second
What is a favorite childhood memory?
Turn up the heat!
One of mine was getting to go to the Burnet Drive-In Movie Theatre on a Friday night. Mom would pop some old fashion popcorn and we'd enjoy the show under the stars. That's a long time ago when 2222 was almost the edge of town and considered Far North Austin! Bob Henry, Central Texas Equipment, Pflugerville
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he Texas Statewide Construction Credit Group members have not been spending their summer idly. In April, they had a hula party in Galveston, above, and in July, they celebrated the heat with a fiesta, below, in San Antonio! –cw
place bidder, and more than $60 million of that public savings is because Transtec’s pavement engineers innovated a much more cost-effective way to build and maintain the highway for 30 years.” Transtec’s culture comes from the belief that everyone’s job should be fulfilling, fun, and financially rewarding, Hanke says. “People want to do something meaningful with their time, and have fun doing it, and be well paid for it,” he says. “Transtec has fairly flat hierarchy, which keeps everyone in close contact with clients and with each other, and also gives coworkers more autonomy. Transtec’s culture also comes from its five company values: quality, efficiency, creativity, caring beyond the job role, and teambuilding. Transtec engineers help each other excel at all five values, and that leads to better camaraderie, which leads to higher quality work, which leads to a more profitable operation.” –cw
The excitement of Christmas and all the new toys! David Matula, 360 Electrical Contractors, Austin When I was 11, my dad (Earl Kanetzky) and brother (Steve Kanetzky) and I were riding a raft down barton creek when my dad was abducted by aliens; fortunately they returned him. Mike Kanetzky, Elk Electric, Austin One of my favorite memories of childhood is going with my dad to work at Brook Army Medical Center on Ft. Sam Houston. This was the old BAMC, not the state-of-the-art one they use today. It was fun to hang out with dad and color with the nurses. Cyndi Wright, Austin Construction News editor
I would have to say that one of my most favorite memories as a child growing up would be our trips to the coast as a family. And when I say family, I’m talking my parents, brother and sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, the whole crew! My grandfather had a house in Rockport, TX and we used to drive down in huge caravan of cars for the weekend, or holidays (4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day). The house was right on the water and us kids would fish and swim right there at the house and drive our parents crazy and bug them to take us to the beach! All the men would head out and go fishing in gramp’s boat, and the rest of us would stay behind and spend the day at the beach or whatever. We were all together. We had so much fun down there that we hated to come back home, and always looked forward to going back! That is why today, with five kids between my wife and I, we make it a point to do something as a family every year, together….the way it should be! Jason Smith, ICON Plumbing, Heating & Air LTD I grew up in Iowa. Although it was freezing in the winters, I have fond memories of lots of snow (I’m talking about feet, not inches!) and the activities like sledding, tobogganing, building snowmen and snow forts. I always loved “snow days” when we were out of school and could play outside until we were practically frost bitten! I love the way new snow covers everything and then getting to put the first footprints in it! Sue Johnson, Construction News
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Flotilla - ing
Putting on a big show
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he Mechanical Contractors Association of Texas (MCAT) held its annual Conference and Products Show Jul. 20-24 at La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa in Montgomery, TX. Attendees represented 22 contractors and 34 vendors and sponsors from across Texas. The four-day program included the opening reception, casino night, golf tournament, annual meeting, educational seminars, board meeting, and project manager and service manager training. –mh
Johnson Controls
2016-2016 Board of Directors President: Rick Gopffarth, Dynamic Systems, Dallas Vice President/President-Elect: John Gargotta, Service Mechanical Group, San Antonio Treasurer: Randy Bradshaw, MIINC, Dallas Past President: Brent Watts, Dynamic Systems, Houston
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ore than 40 tubes filled with families from the Halff Associates Inc. Central Texas offices (Georgetown, Austin and San Antonio) tubed the San Marcos River and had lunch at Rio Vista Park Aug. 13. According to reports, only one tube overturned! Not bad! –cw
Directors John Anthony, Anthony Mechanical, Lubbock; Ron Dauzat, CFI Mechanical, Houston; Roger Ford, Dynamic Systems, San Antonio; Bobby Grimes, A & G Piping, Fort Worth; Jeff Henkener, Dynamic Systems, Austin; Chad James, Harold James, Fort Worth; Jim Letsos, The Letsos Company, Houston; Aaron Richards, The Porter Company, Austin
Ferguson
HTS
Aloha spirit
For a very good reason
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or the first annual National Professional Engineers Day on Aug. 3, Freese & Nichols Inc. celebrated throughout the company by inviting its licensed P.E.’s to submit a photo or video to explain why they became an engineer and why they love being an engineer. From the Austin office, Jessica Vassar, water/wastewater planner; Sean Barry, transportation engineer; Tina Stanard, water resources engineer; and Will Huff, stormwater engineer, participated. –cw
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Tina Stanard
Sean Barry
The best party ever was how some members described the event.
ndependent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Centex Chapter let loose on Aug. 16 with an “Aloha”-themed party to celebrate its 20th anniversary at the Oasis on Lake Travis. There were 125 people in attendance, who enjoyed impressive food and dancers from Hawaiian Kona Isle. A few of the more uninhibited contractors/instructors, including Matt Tolbert, Alan Anders and Jym Damico, got up and shook their stuff with the dancers. As a highlight of the event, the association roasted four of its longest running contractors, who were also original founders of CenTex IEC, with a “Membership Achievement Award” for 20-years and having no lapse in membership. Congratulations to Randall Electric, Oasis Electric, Global Electric and Colvin Electric! Everyone agreed it was an incredibly successful event being touted as the best Meet & Greet of all time for CenTex IEC! –cw
Some members got up and did some dancing.
Will Huff Jessica Vassar
Four companies received special awards at the party.
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
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Green Building Green building on its way to mainstream Lovleen Gill Aulakh, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Pre-Construction & Sustainability G2 Builders Corporation Austin, TX
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ow would you describe the current state of the green building industry? I would say the green building industry is gradually becoming mainstream. There is rising public awareness and demand for green buildings. This has led to progressive transformation in construction industry where now green techniques and materials are becoming more readily available at more competitive prices. This momentum is supported by various government incentives, rebates, grants and tax credits as well as more stringent energy codes and adoption of green codes by various cities all over US. Interestingly, the City of Austin is credited with adopting the very first green building program in the U.S. way back in 1990. And, since then, it has inspired many such programs including LEED, acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Have you seen an increase in your green building construction? Austin is seeing unprecedented growth right now and the construction industry is booming. On one hand, green buildings are becoming kind of a norm in public and institutional building sectors: for example, all City of Austin’s municipal buildings and all new buildings at UTAustin are required to be certified as LEED silver; on the other hand, green buildings are taking the commercial sector by storm – the number of green-rated commercial and multi-family buildings in downtown Austin and other large-scale developments is steadily increasing. With the advancement of City of Austin’s green codes, standards and incentives, green buildings are becoming more and more desirable and profitable. We are also seeing a gradual increase in
green projects that come our way. What are the ‘hot button” issues? I would have to say “Green Washing” has been a “hot button” issue in the green building industry for a long time. One aspect of “Green Washing” has been the trend of just scoring well on green scorecards to win tax breaks and grants by any means necessary. For example, targeting the cheapest and easiest green points like adding bike racks or electric charging stations which might never get used. What are the major changes in recent years? In recent years we have seen a lot of new green building materials and construction technologies coming to the market and gaining a lot of acceptance. For example, Low-E glass, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances and water sense labeled fixtures, Low VOC paint, recycled content carpet, bamboo flooring etc. have now become standard practices and are easily available at local stores. We are also seeing better construction waste management practices and op-
Putting a LID on design Tony Recine, Senior Engineer SPACECO Inc. San Antonio, TX
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s low-impact development (LID) gains momentum, civil engineering firms have gained the opportunity to incorporate LID components and educate clients as to the benefits of implementing LID in their projects.
“These incentives for low-impact development are relatively new,” says Tony Recine, a senior engineer with SPACECO Inc., who notes that the San Antonio City Council’s vote in February has incentivized the use of LID features, and this has led him to educate himself more about LID options and their benefits. “I am familiarizing myself to become more competent in the design and recommendation in these types of strategies to my clients, developers, and how that can impact how they utilize the site.” Though he notes that the environmental benefits are clear, Recine believes it will be more challenging to make the benefits of incorporating LID features clear due to the possible additional costs of trying to comply with the LID initiatives. He points out that a lot of these features are natural best management practices, such as bioswales, landscape elements designed to remove pollutants from surface water runoff, and pervious pavers, which allow rainwater runoff infiltration through the pavement surface.
“[These features] would seem initially like they’re less costly to install, and that may be true,” he explains. “However, it also calls for a reduction in the buildable space of the property, and of course, developers are looking to get as many residential dwelling units, or if it’s commercial, [as much] square-footage as they can lease out. So, you’re asking them to reduce the possible density of the property. “There could be zoning changes that can be made to give them higher density, and where they could make that up is in going vertical, but again, a vertical structure, as opposed to spread out, is more costly. There has to be a change in the way they think of developing the site. And by having these low-impact best management practices, these are also ongoing maintenance issues, in order for them to function effectively at improving air and water quality. So, there are at least tradeoffs and initial costs involved, and that’s why the city offers incentives.” On his first experience with LID on a
20% above average and have 12% more resale value than a conventional building.
tions. All our waste haulers have good systems in place to process co-mingled or mixed waste and send the least minimum to landfill. In addition, the City of Austin has also been providing some great incentives for commercial recycling programs. In fact, at G2 Builders we try to accomplish five green goals with all our design build and fast-track projects: water conservation, energy conservation, indoor air quality, waste management and green material selection. One of the acknowledged disadvantages of green building has been the additional cost. Is this statement still true? How are the additional costs balanced against energy, water, or material cost? I feel with the new LEED V4 guidelines and emphasis given on passive solar design, deeper green strategies and holistic sustainable design this statement will soon become obsolete. We did a cost analysis for one of our recent design build projects – a 5,000-sf office building – it showed that an initial investment of 1-4% for incorporating green strategies like cutting edge HVAC system, solar PVs, efficient light and water fixtures, insulated building envelop etc. can pay for itself in just 5-7 years. In general, we don’t shy away from paying extra for better commodities and services. In the green building industry, even a 1% extra initial investment can provide a much superior product, which is good for environment, good for all the occupants and good for saving money in the long run in energy bills, operating costs and health benefits. In fact, if we consider the life-cycle cost of green buildings instead of upfront cost, we’ll find that green buildings are a total win-win. On an average LEED certified project, green buildings use 25% less electricity, have 19% lower operating costs, lease for
What makes G2 Builders green? We operate our company sustainably - just working with us means you are making a difference. We try to accomplish the five green goals I mentioned before. G2 also promotes LEED to all new design-build project owners by providing complimentary LEED scorecard analysis and, on request, we provide LEED cost analysis. We use PROCORE, a cloud-based software for our construction documentation that gives our employees flexibility to work from anywhere. It also saves paper as everything is archived digitally. All of our construction sites implement basic green strategies. We use solar powered construction cameras on our jobsites and promote teleconferencing to reduces the number of trips to the job sites. Earlier this year G2 Builders Corporation was recognized as an Austin Green business leader for our green initiatives. –cw
project, which he notes was simply the widening of a road with more than 5,000sf of impervious cover, the client specifically requested a design that would reduce stormwater runoff. After incorporating a bioswale feature using engineered soils and native plants to catch runoff from the roadway surface infiltrating to a special stormdrain design, the client had him redesign it to eliminate the LID feature because it turned out to be too costly and put the project over budget. Recine believes it will come down to the developer’s vision of the project. He feels that some developers will see the inherent value in spending more to incorporate these features, recouping that investment by drawing the kind of tenants they want to the site. LID components can add a natural and very nice aesthetic to the environment, and mixed-use development can reduce impact as well, since the property encourages walking or cycling. He cites the Pearl Brewery area as an example that incorporates many LID features. Some developers may also be interested in taking advantage of the incentives the city offers, perhaps giving them a break on compliance with other parts of their development’s codes, such as parking or other issues. Some features can be incorporated with a much smaller impact on initial costs and none to the developable space. For example, in a parking area that normally might have islands for trees and green space to reduce the heat sink of large amounts of pavement, those islands can be turned into bioretention
cells that can treat stormwater runoff. This doesn’t require any additional space and might not cost much more to build, but the plant life and infiltration has to be maintained so it functions as it needs to throughout its service life. As Recine notes that the city is incentivizing LID to help reestablish the hydraulic cycle closer to pre-development conditions to recharge ground waters and improve water quality among other impacts, he adds that the burden is on him to learn as much as he can about different LID techniques and land-use strategies. One of the educational tools he is using, available through the San Antonio River Authority (SARA), is the San Antonio River Basin Low-Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual. He describes it as comprehensive, covering best management techniques of rain gardens, planter box filters, permeable pavements and other ways to minimize pollutant loads. “It’s a change of culture that I think is going to take some getting used to – at least from my end,” he says of the LID practices becoming more common and incentivized. “I’ve been doing land development consulting for almost 20 years, and [LID] is something that I have to start thinking of and better understanding.” SPACECO provides civil engineering and surveying services in the residential, commercial and industrial markets. After being stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio as a military engineer from 1994 to 1998, Tony Recine has been working in land development consulting and civil engineering since 1999. –mh
Is the green market becoming more competitive? Please explain. Unlike a decade ago, when the green building industry was a niche market; it is now driven by consumers. Public acceptance, desirability and profitability of green buildings has resulted in the green market becoming more competitive. Newer and better sustainable products and services are launched every day by both industry giants and entrepreneurs. But that’s a good thing, because as they get more mainstream, prices drop and they become reachable to more and more people. For example, we now install solar powered cameras on our job sites and guess what! They are at least 40% more economical than the regular site cameras we used before.
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Green Building LEED: Meeting the triple bottom line for Texas Gail Vittori, LEED Fellow, co-director Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems Board member Green Business Certification Inc. Washington, D.C.
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exas is a pioneer in the sustainability movement, stepping forward to find new and exciting ways to advance resource efficient buildings and create a healthier environment where we live, learn, work and play. Through the pursuit of LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the world’s premier green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Texans are taking advantage of the benefits of the triple bottom line - people, planet and profit. Buildings account for an enormous amount of global energy use and nearly 40 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. LEED certification positions new and existing buildings across all building types to achieve electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions and high performance in key areas of human and environmental health. In fact, be-
tween 2015-2018, LEED-certified buildings in the United States are estimated to result in $1.2 billion in energy savings – the equivalent of 23.5 billion kilowatt hours – $149.5 million in water savings, $715.2 million in maintenance savings and $54.2 million in waste savings. This trend is not just sweeping the nation. Worldwide, there are more than 79,600 LEED commercial projects, comprising 15.3 billion square feet of space, more than 161 countries and territories. And in Texas, there are currently more than 1,700 LEED-certified projects totaling more than 333 million gross square feet – the equivalent to 305 Empire State Buildings – across each space type and sector. Texas also ranked eighth in the 2015 Top 10 States for LEED, an annual ranking of states in terms of square feet of LEED space per state resident, which showcases a commitment throughout
Advancements in sustainable building David MacLean, Houston Operations Manager |N|V|5 Sebesta Houston, TX What do you consider is the current state of the local construction industry? Houston is a national leader with respect to number of LEED certified buildings and total square footage of LEED certified projects. Registration of new LEED registered projects has actually increased slightly, for both new and existing buildings, in anticipation of the updated Version 4 (V4) Rating System implementation this Fall. |N|V|5 Sebesta sees continued growth in higher education and specialty laboratory. New office space has slowed. What sparked your interest to get involved in your industry? My father was a general contractor so I have been involved in construction for as long as I can remember. My passion for sustainable design has grown from an understanding that our buildings consume a large amount of energy and thereby contribute significantly to pollution. I realized many years ago that I was able to make a positive impact by advocating for better design practices, technical innovation and user training. What trends do you see in green building in recent years? Many green strategies/products
have become more mainstream/expected with project outlines. The industry has also progressed from commonly starting with energy and water efficiency measures in mind to a more holistic approach that incorporates more outcome based strategies. We are moving beyond energy and water and toward human health and environmental equity. How do you define green building? I think that "Sustainable Building" is a more accurate description – but "Green Building" has better name recognition and a greater share of public consciousness - and refers to building / construction practices that are environmentally responsible and make use of materials and resources efficiently. This should also include the construction practices/worksite conditions and transition into a building’s operation and maintenance and eventual demolition - the whole life-cycle of the project. In your opinion, what is the most sig-
the state to a sustainable built environment. In Austin, the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, the first LEED Platinum certified hospital in the world, exemplifies the many benefits of LEED certification. The 32-acre campus used native, drought-resistant landscaping that saves an estimated 1.4 million gallons of water a year with an additional 1.7 million gallons in annual savings thanks to low-flow bathroom fixtures. The energy savings from high efficiency lighting and air conditioning is enough to power, heat and cool 300 averaged sized homes a day. Acknowledged as an industry leader in high performance healing environments, Dell Children’s Medical Center’s investment in healing gardens, healthy and high performance materials, natural light and energy efficient mechanical systems result in measurable environmental and health benefits to patients, staff and the broader community. Programs likes the Texas Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing (PACE) initiative are also making building energy and water efficiency more attractive and affordable for property owners throughout the state. First implemented in Texas in 2013, PACE finances 100 percent of the upfront costs for energy efficiency upgrades for industrial, commercial, and some residential properties, eliminating barriers like elevated initial costs and access to capital. PACE upgrades, like energy management and wastewater recov-
ery and reuse systems, are designed to reduce energy and water consumption, lower utility costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions, while also contributing to the local economy through technology investment job creation for our local workforce. Emerging as a major economic driver in the United States, green building construction is rapidly outpacing overall construction nationwide, according to the 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study from USGBC. Between 2015 and 2018, green construction will account for more than 3.3 million U.S. jobs – more than one-third of the entire U.S. construction sector – generate $190.3 billion in labor earnings and contribute $303.5 billion to the gross domestic product. In Texas alone, green construction will contribute 1,259,000 jobs, $71.79 billion in labor earnings and $107.13 billion to the state’s GDP. Of those metrics, LEED-certified projects will account for 244,00 jobs, $14,41 billion in labor income and $21.39 billion to the state GDP. To learn more about LEED, USGBC and the green building community as a whole, join us for the 2016 Greenbuild in Los Angeles, Oct. 5-7. Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building and features three groundbreaking days of inspiring speakers, invaluable networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED workshops and tours of Los Angeles’ green buildings.
nificant challenge the green building industry faces? The perception that building healthy, sustainable and high-performing buildings is cost prohibitive. While some green strategies/technologies do have a cost premium, there is a definite ROI for these upgrades. Commercial office buildings are built to a high level of high performance because the market demands it. This is not true for all school systems or residential homebuilders. We need to do a better job of educating these consumers about the opportunities available to them from green buildings.
Green industry. I see a number of critical things happening here that are very exciting. a.) LEED Version 4 (V4) takes full effect this fall. It will raise the bar on minimum expectations and allow for better accounting of both the embodied energy of a product and the chemical risk involved in placing that product in your breathing zone. b.) The adoption of a Texas wide increase in the energy code takes place shortly. Everyone will need to up their offerings. c.) The City of Houston has recently approved an energy and water efficiency program called PACE, that will immediately remove most barriers to the implementation of upgrades to older commercial and industrial buildings. d.) There is growing interest in the WELL Building Standard that focuses squarely on the health opportunity inside a building. e.) USGBC Texas Gulf Coast is working hard with stake holder to better understand how we can provide better buildings to historically under represented developers, school systems, communities and individuals. f.) Recent flooding has highlighted the need for better design solutions. USGBC’s Neighborhood Development Rating System offers some proven pathways to success in this area. We are working to understand how we might help. g.) This is Houston. We like to lead, not follow! –ab |N|V|5 Sebesta is a provider of full-service engineering, energy performance, commissioning and sustainability services. –ab
How has green building advanced over the years? The industry had gotten better at leveraging systems thinking over employing individual strategies. “Return on Green Investment” is a standard mantra for most advanced developers, designers and contractors. Manufacturers have continued to roll out products that differentiate themselves from their completion and attract Green designers and consumers. Any good designer should be able to create a building that is 20 percent more energy efficient and uses 25 percent less water than current code, without a cost premium or very short ROI. What is on the horizon for the green building industry in Houston? Houston is already a leader in advanced design and construction. We have some of the best practitioners right here. It is an exciting time to be in the
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Page 17
Round-Up
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Round-Up
Zachary Ryan recently joined LJA’s Austin Public Infrastructure Division as project manager. He brings over 11 years of experience working in the transportation industry, providing roadway and highway design for TxDOT, as well as county and city municipalities throughout the state. Ryan is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, and is a Certified Floodplain Manager. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and is a member of the Texas Floodplain Management Association.
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STG Design Austin announced the promotion of Jim Stephenson to Principal. Since his start with STG Design, he has worked on a variety of projects, including the recent Dell Fine Arts Center at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. Stephenson has been with the firm since 2003 and a licensed architect since 2009.
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net
continued from Page 1 — Carved in stone exactly what they ordered. Since the outside of the house is the first thing people see when they come home we want them to have that ‘AH–HA’ moment not an ‘Uggg’ moment. We always want them to love it and be proud they came to Quality Stone.” Stacie says the company services all types of jobs. “We sell to the wholesaler (rock yard), homeowner, mason, builder, architect, designer, landscaper, pool companies and more,” she says. “We do a good
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number of each type of customer.” The business works to retain employees by giving employees paid time off for major holidays, as well as paid training days. The company mainly quarries limestone and produces a variety of stone and specialty cuts. When not working, Bobby and Stacie enjoy spending time with their two daughters and new son-in-law at the lake and on their ATV’s. –cw
continued from Page 1 — On the menu today: TacoDeli expansion and reno
Michelle and Chris Hinojosa man the shop at Dripping Springs Rental Center in Dripping Springs. –cw
continued from Page 1 — Professional plumbing Professionalism is also important to BerryAnn. All the employees wear uniforms that BerryAnn has spent extra money on to make sure the employees look good. The uniforms consist of nice polo shirts, instead of T-shirts, with matching hats. They always wear shoe covers, as well, and BerryAnn says even though it cost a little more, he actually found shoe covers that match the shirts. “We want to make sure our customers feel appreciated,” he says. “We always give them a courtesy call within 24 hours. We never act like it’s just another day on the job.” BerryAnn has nine employees in the company that does approximately 30 percent commercial and 70 percent residential work. He values his employees. “No one has ever quit,” he says. “I take really good care of them. They are the highest paid in the county – their pay is comparable to Austin.” The company offers a matching re-
tirement plan and BerryAnn doesn’t believe in playing the part of the rich owner. “I promise them that it’s a team effort with me right there with them,” he says. “The employees will take care of the customers if you take care of them.” This summer, BerryAnn is taking his employees to a rental house in Port Aransas for a weekend of relaxation. He also plans crawfish boils with live music and other events to show his appreciation. He says he understands the importance of work-life balance and just asks his employees to let him know ahead of time when they need a day off, rather than calling in sick. “I don’t tell them no if they request time off in advance,” he says. For BerryAnn, the old image of the dirty, sweaty plumber showing up with saggy pants is not an option. “I’m really committed to being professional and changing the image of plumbing,” he says. –cw
What is one place you’d love to see? The Grand Canyon. My wife and I really enjoy going to parks and outdoor natural spaces. Ben Roberts, TimberTown Austin Antarctica. I could do one of those trips where they have a bunk on an ice breaking ship. Until you get there, you can’t imagine it. Steve Anthony, TimberTown Austin
Inside, there is much more space for customers in the popular eatery on the Austin Greenbelt.
the project a little,” Guthrie said. Locating the water line proved even more daunting, McCann said. “It was not where it was supposed to be,” he says. “We never did find it. We ended up running a new line.” Wilkerson says working with Guthrie is great. “Larry’s one of the family,” Wilkerson says. “I wish everyone had the same level of ethics, dedication and professionalism.” “He’s a walking encyclopedia of Austin knowledge and he’s humble, hardworking and nice.” Daniel Cid, TacoDeli’s director for development, says the TacoDeli team, as well as Guthrie and McCann work together like a well-oiled machine. “We all have a good rapport,” he said. “We all work well together and have good communication.”
McCann, McCann & Associates, has been in Austin for 23 years and known Guthrie for 30 years. “Our projects are good because the owner, the contractor and the designer are all working towards the same goal and we’re all on board from the beginning,” he says. “It puts everybody on the same side.” Subcontractors on the project included: RG Commerical Services; Charle McDuffie, structural steel and architectural storefront; Alamo Glass; ResFloor; Indus Plumbing; Madco Mechanical (HVAC); JDE Electric; Centeno Tile; Jesten Stanley Welding and Jose Ruiz Paint Company. J. Grace Inc. is a commercial construction management company in Austin, specializing in industrial, retail, office and restaurant construction in Austin and the surrounding areas. –cw
Thailand because they have good fishing and beaches Lei Lavea, G & S Mechanical, Hutto Alaska. The scenery and the fishing Jackie Gotsche, G & S Mechanical, Hutto
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Women of the world
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Central Texas
NAWIC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Oct. 5: Excellence in Construction Awards Banquet, JW Marriott, 5:30-10:30pm
Sep. 7: Chapter meeting at McCormick & Schmidt’s in the Domain, 5:30-8pm. Installation of 2016-17 board of directors. Sep. 15: Board meeting, open to the all members Sep. 13: Annual golf tournament at The Golf Club at Star Ranch in Hutto. Check in at 11am with a barbecue dinner immediately after the tournament. Sep. 25: NAWIC Austin team will take part in the Susan G. Komen Austin Race for the Cure
ACEA Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.
Sep. 29: Annual Fish Fry Fundraiser, 5-7pm, at Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane. For more information, contact Michele Yule at 512-836-3140.
AGC NAWIC’s South Central Region represented seven chapters in Texas, four in Louisiana, and ones in Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee at this year’s AMEC.
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pproximately 400 women from across 127 international chapters of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) attended the organization’s 61st annual Meeting and Education Conference (AMEC) Aug. 17-20 at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio. More than 100 attendees were attending the four-day conference for the first time. The NAWIC Founders and Scholarship Foundation (NFSF) awarded more
than $65,000 in 51 scholarships to students attending trades and colleges. Also, the executive vice president, Dede Hughes, announced her retirement as of Dec. 31 after 20 years serving in her appointment. The conference also included the NAWIC Officers Workshop, open to chapter members, as well as the gala and passing of the gavel. –mh Photos by Jacqueline Associates
Associated General Contractors
Sep. 8: AGC/CLC Sporting Clays Tournament, Capitol City Skeet and Trap Club, 8707 Lindell Lane, Austin, 11am Sep. 19: Project Leadership Course at AGC Oct. 6: Fish Fry at Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch For more information, call Toni Osberry at 512-442-7887 x 331
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers
Sep. 9-11: Younger Members Statewide Camping Trip Sep. 13: Webinar: Dr. Stephen Morse, Texas Tech University Sep. 21-23: Texas Civil Engineering Conference in San Marcos, Texas. www.TexasCECON.org Sep. 28 – Oct.1: 2016 Convention in Portland, Oregon www.asce.org For more information on these events, call 512-472-8905
CTMCA Central Tx Masonry Contractors Assn. The Austin Chapter NAWIC ladies had a great time at the national event.
Sep. 22: General meeting at Pappacitos Cantina, 6pm
ECAT Submitted to Construction News
Helping heroes
Earthmoving Contractors Assn. of Tx.
Sep. 9: Land Stewardship Workshop for Contractors; Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria; topics: water resource protection, wildlife management and invasive species, pipeline safety, and financial incentive programs available to landowners that implement conservation practices; field tour on local ranch; $10 registration includes lunch and refreshments; for more info, please contact Clinton Faas at cfaas@texas-wildlife.org or 210-826-2904
IEC Independent Electrical Contractors
COPPERA LLC received a 2016 Nominee Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, based on its track record of hiring and training military professionals for the plumbing trade. L-R: Major General John Nichols, Adjutant General of Texas; Staff Sergeant Naaman Tatroe, nominator, U.S. National Guard; Sam Dowdy Jr., general manager, COPPERA; and Eddy Spurgin, chairman, Texas Committee for ESGR. –cw
Sep. 24 and Oct. 22: 4-hour CETX-2016 Code Update, Safety, Law & Rules. Call (512) 832-1333 to register for this class. Oct. 4: Professional Electricians Code Training (PECT), 5-9pm at CenTex IEC, 8868 Research Blvd., Austin. Course is one time per week (every Tuesday) for 9-months, ending Jun. 13, 2017. Call the IEC office to register for this class. 512-832-1333.
NARI
PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
SFPE - Austin/San Antonio Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Sep. 21: IBC/IFC Compartmentation Requirements – Designing and Enforcing Fire and Smoke Separations and Opening Protection, San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins, 8:45am-3:30pm. Register at http://sfpe-asa.org/event-2251049/ Registration
TACA Texas Aggregate & Concrete Association
Meetings are open to members and guests. Sep. 27: Safety/Transportation Committee Meeting; Gumbos Restaurant, Georgetown; 10am. Education Committee Meeting, 1pm Sep. 28: Specification Committee Meeting; Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc., Conference Room, Austin; 10am. Environmental/Sustainability Committee Meeting, 1pm Sep. 29: Industry Promotion & Marketing Committee Meeting, Austin area, 10am For more info on these events, email Andrea Tilley at atilley@tx-taca.org or visit http://www.tx-taca.org/news-events/
TSPS Texas Society of Professional Surveyors
Sep. 16-17: El Paso Annual Seminar, Camino Real Hotel - El Paso, TX. Contact Brenda Null at 512-327-7871 or BrendaN@ tsps.org for more information or visit: http://www.tsps.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=831742&group= Sep. 22-24: Locating Original Corners Seminar, Neal’s Lodges and Annandale Ranch - Concan, TX. Contact Brenda Null at 512-327-7871 or BrendaN@tsps.org for more information or visit: http://www. tsps.org/events/EventDetails. aspx?id=818244&group
TSCCG Tx. Statewide Construction Credit Group
Sep. 18-20: Quarterly meeting coincides with NACM’s 2016 All South Conference at the Stockyards in Ft Worth. Contact lorid@lonestarmaterials.com for more information or visit nacm-all-south. com
Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Sep. 20: Premier party for the Tour of Remodeled Homes, 6-9pm, $40 or two for $75. BMC Design Center Sep. 24-25: Tour of Remodeled Homes Contact Kayvon at 512-375-2601 for more information.
Past issues of Construction News can be downloaded at www.ConstructionNews.net
Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
Page 19
Showcasing their best
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ull Supply Co. has been hosting the Hull Showcase in Austin annually for 21 years – and the event has gotten so big that this year, on Jul. 21, it was moved to the Palmer Events Center. The company, owned by Rick Hull, is celebrating its 31st year in business in Austin and Hull says it’s all about building relationships. “Hull Supply is built on relationships and this event is a great way to build relationships and network,” he said. The showcase hosted 470 registered attendees, who all received lunch and had the opportunity to attend AIA-accredited classes, as well as watch demos and installations. Twenty-four exhibitors that manufacture the doors, frames and hardware that Hull sells were also there to “showcase” their wares. –cw
The real green grocer
Lake|Flato Architects and H-E-B were both winners in the 2016 Top Ten Green Projects in America.
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he American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its committee on the environment has selected H-E-B at Mueller in Austin as one of the top 10 examples of sustainable architecture and ecological design projects that protect and enhance the environment. H-E-B is the first grocer to be named a Top Ten Green Project in America. The 2016 Top Ten projects were honored at a ceremony on May 19 during the 2016 AIA Convention in Philadelphia. “Following two years of collaboration with Lake|Flato Architects, Selser Schaefer Architects, and other stakeholders, we were able to deliver a store that reimagines what is possible for energy, water, and overall efficiency with an innovative approach that meets the needs of the community it serves,” said Bill Triplett, H-E-B senior vice president of Strategic Design. “We are beyond delighted that the greenest store H-E-B has
ever designed, built and operated is included on this prestigious list and is recognized with this distinct honor.” Founding partners David Lake, FAIA, and Ted Flato, FAIA, started Lake|Flato Architects in 1984. It began in San Antonio as an office of three and has grown to over 90 employees. "Lake|Flato’s office has been in San Antonio for 32 years and we have completed various project types in Austin for that same amount of time,” Lake says. "This year, we just recently announced the official opening of our Austin office focusing on sustainable urban development. It has been a pleasure for our office to work on Austin projects through our San Antonio office for the past several years, and we look forward to furthering our contributions to Austin’s urban development through our new Austin studio.” –cw
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Austin Construction News • Sep 2016
30 years of sculpting sand
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rchitects, designers, engineers and contractors headed to East Beach in Galveston for the 30th annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Sandcastle Competition Aug. 20. More than 60 teams had their eyes and shovels set on winning the Golden Bucket Award. The judging of the sandcastles was rated on originality of concept, artistic execution of the concept, technical difficulty, carving technique and utilization of the site. –ab
1st Place Gold Bucket and Best Team T-shirt Award and Kidtastic! - Disney Edition Award: Finding Gory - Kirksey and Metzger Construction
2nd Place Silver Shovel & Best Cinematic Award and Tallest Standing Structure Award: Curse You Sand Baron! DowChemical
3rd Place Bronze Shovel and Best Traditional Castle Award: The Junk Yard -Gensler and Harvey
4th Place Honorable Mention and Best Costume Award: Game of Bones - Ziegler Cooper Architects
6th Place Honorable Mention: The Jungle Book Brown & Gay Engineers and Hoar Construction
Best Architectural Icon Award: FKP Architects and AEI
5th Place Honorable Mention: Slay the Dragon Page and Bartlett Cocke
The Sydney LeNoir Public Favorite Award: Little Shop of Horrors - HDR & HPCC