CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION Construction Association Launches New Nationwide Program To Expand The Diversity Of The Industry By Making Job Sites More Inclusive

Associated General Contractors of America’s New “Culture of CARE” Program is Designed to Help Firms Create More Welcoming Workplace Environments

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

The Associated General Contrac- tors of America is launching a new, nationwide program de- signed to help expand the diversity of the industry by making job sites more inclu- sive. The new program, called Culture of CARE (commit, attract, retain and empower), is designed to help firms create more welcoming workplace environments for staff, particularly those from diverse demograph- ic back- grounds.

“We are asking com- panies to take bold and visible steps toward creating a more di- verse, safe, w elcoming and inclusive construction industry,” said Stephen E. Sand- herr, the associa- tion’s chief execu- tive officer. This new program will help firms attract the kind of diverse staff that research shows help construc- tion firms become more innovative, safe, effective and profitable.

The new Culture of CARE program calls on construction firms to sign a pledge to create more welcoming and inclusive workplace cultures. After firms sign the pledge, the association will work with them to provide training and sug- gested human resources practices de- signed to help them put action behind their pledge and establish more inclu- sive workplaces. There are also broader educational materials available from the Culture of CARE program, including sample HR policies, toolbox talks, job site posters and hardhat stickers.

Sandherr noted that the national Cul- ture of CARE program is based on a program first launched by the associa- tion’s AGC of Washington chapter in the Pacific Northwest. The national asso- ciation’s Diversity & Inclusion Council evaluated the Washington state program and determined that it was a powerful tool to support the industry’s efforts to become more diverse and inclusive.

The association unveiled the new C u l t u r e of CAR E p r o g r a m in March during its annual con- vention in Las Vegas. Associa- tion officials added that it was part of a broader strategy to make the con- struction indus- try more diverse and inclusive. In addition to the new program, the association has already re- leased its Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry, which provides the economic, safety and productivity rationale for expanding construction diversity. “Culture of CARE has the potential to support a broad expansion of the diversity of the construction industry,” said Rita Brown, the chair of the asso- ciation’s Diversity & Inclusion Council. “We want to provide the tools firms need to recruit, retain and support people of all backgrounds.”

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CONSTRUCTION Contractors challenged by lack of labor, jobsite tension and delays

By Subcontractors USA force and the main reason is that they’re all afraid.” While impacts like these are hard to quantify, his rule of thumb is to News Provider The No. 1 thing construction add 10 to 25 days to any job that firms can do to employ a steady has been shut down. To determine E ven though the U.S. unemployment rate is at a level not seen since the flow of workers and subs is to communicate their safety precautions and take immediate action when a how the pandemic has affected a site, compare productivity levels from earlier this year to current levels, he said. Great Depression, the construction COVID-19 case — or just a rumor “I can almost guarantee there will industry's labor woes aren't close to of a case — occurs, he said. be a drop in those numbers,” he ending, according to panelists at a “Once you get rumors flying added. recent Associated General Contracaround the jobsite that creates a tors of America webinar. In most jurisdictions, projects are coming back on line, and construction managers are struggling to fill jobs. There are several factors suppressing skilled labor across the country, according to panelist Bob Majerus, vice real sense of fear, and two days later your plumbers aren’t showing up anymore,” he said. “You’ve got to tamp down rumors that someone has COVID and be transparent about how you’re handling suspected cases.” Tensions arise On some jobs, conflict is brewing with owners, said panelist Bryan Kelley, vice president-legal at Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, who said legal issues will soon follow. “People are starting to get into president and their camps begeneral councause there’s a sel for Hensel limited amount Phelps. of money” to

First of all, the finish jobs amid enhanced unemdelays and shutployment benefit downs, Kelley provided by the said. federal CARES For the most Act is keeping part, projects many workers that were in proon the sidelines. gress before the The legislation, outbreak hit are passed in March, being completed s u p p l e m e nt s but new work in state coverage many parts of with an addithe country is tional $600 a being delayed, week, more than double the weekly max“If you get the order to go back to he added. Going forward, genimum unemployment work right now and even if you eral contractors should benefits in most states. This extra money, intended to keep workers have the manpower and material to do that you are not going to be cautious about the projects they consider and work to ensure that afloat until businesses start at 100% on day one — there the financial backing is reopen, has provided a significant disincentive will be a ramp up,” he said. “Plus, in place before joining any project, said Kelley. for construction workthere are new safety regulations, new “Try to identify highers to return to work, said Majerus. “We’re hearing from PPE and new safety orientations so conditions will be different.” risk clients,” the panelist said. “It might be dependent on the type of some workers ‘When industry they’re in such my unemployment as retail or the commermoney runs out I’ll be cial office sector dependhappy to come back to work, but not until then,'” he said. “They’re New realities ing on who the tenant is.” Construction managers are also getting extra money every month In addition to labor issues, condealing with enhanced OSHA so they prefer to stay at home.” struction leaders need to realize that compliance complaints and an up

A $3 trillion federal coronavirus jobs will take much longer than tick in internal human resources aid package recently approved by the before the pandemic, Majerus said. disputes, something Majerus atHouse of Representatives expands For instance, a project that lost three tributed to the fact that “there is the unemployment supplement weeks due to government shutdowns tension everywhere these days, in through the end of January. In a will require much more than three our workforce, with our crafts and recent letter to Congress, the AGC weeks to catch up. with our subcontractors.” told elected leaders that this will “If you get the order to go back “There are a lot of unknowns make it challenging to rehire workto work right now and even if you right now about whether our ers as demand for work rebounds. have the manpower and material to economy will recover and family

The second factor keeping workers do that you are not going to start concerns about loved ones going away from jobsites is fear of conat 100% on day one — there will to work as well as concerns over tracting the virus, Majerus said. be a ramp up,” he said. “Plus, there whether people will have a job to “We’re seeing it mostly with our are new safety regulations, new PPE go back to,” he said. trade partners,” he said. “Our subs and new safety orientations so conare telling us they can’t keep a workditions will be different.” Source: Construction Dive

ENERGY The City is Estimated to See a $9.3 Million Reduction in its Annual Electricity Bill and an Estimated Total Savings of $65 Million Over Seven Years

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced today that the City of Houston has committed to purchasing 100% renewable energy through a renewed partnership with NRG Energy as the City’s retail electric provider.

As part of the contract renewal, the City will power all municipal operations with renewable energy and realize $65 million in savings over the seven-year contract. Through the NRG Renewable Select plan, the City will receive 1,034,399 MWh of renewable electricity annually from a new, third-party utility-scale solar facility in Texas that is dedicated to City operations.

“This announcement is a shining example of how the Houston Climate Action Plan is already in motion. Expanding our renewable energy investment through our partnership with NRG helps us build a more sustainable city and save over $9 million per year on our electric bill. Together, we are leading by example and showing how to reduce emissions in the Energy Capital of the World,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Today’s announcement is the City’s first step to implement the recently-released Houston Climate Action Plan, a science-based, community-driven strategy for Houston to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and lead the global energy transition.

The plan identified growing Houston’s investment in renewable energy as a central goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and called for the City to power municipal operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025. Houston is already the top municipal user of renewable energy in the country, according to the US EPA, and has a 50MW power purchase agreement for a solar facility in Alpine, TX.

“We are proud to support the City of Houston with renewable power. Our sustainable and more resilient future depends on collaborative action and partnerships like this, and the city is making a meaningful impact. Houstonians can take pride in the city’s transition to more efficient sources of energy and we look forward to offering our support, now and into the future.” said Mauricio Gutierrez, President & CEO, NRG Energy.

As part of the City’s renewed partnership with NRG, the City will begin purchasing 100% renewable energy starting July 1, 2020, through a five-year contract with two one-year renewal options.

NRG will also support the Houston Climate Action Plan implementation through sustainability consulting support, energy efficiency funding, and an affinity program to help City employees purchase discounted renewable energy.

For more information visit www.greenhoustontx.gov or www.nrg.com.

IT & TECHNOLOGY Social distancing Social distancing

IT & TECHNOLOGY Plus One Robotics Continues To Innovate At Port New Technology Allows Humans To Supervise And Remotely Assist Robots Anywhere In The World

and site monitoring tech rapidly rolling out to US construction sites

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

The coronavirus pandemic has shocked U.S. construction into needing to adopt new technologies to maintain social distancing and monitor jobsites remotely. Those adaptations, some construction leaders say, should have been adopted in the first place, before the pandemic forced contractors to implement them.

The outbreak has also forced more connection between the site and office, as most office workers have been relegated to working from home. Shared data and digital connectivity is becoming the norm, said Scott Crozier, general manager of civil engineering and construction for software company Trimble, as engineers, architects, site supervisors and other stakeholders need up-to-date information no matter the construction environment.

Not only has tech within companies been lacking, as often one worker with a single USB is in charge of distributing data on some sites, Crozier said, but government inspections requiring in-person, scheduled visits may mean project delays.

Crozier noted that inspectors are beginning to allow the use of technology for virtual inspections. In Europe, he said, often a contractor doing a specific job, such as laying pipe, will fully document the work and have it reviewed by remote inspectors, which speeds up the process immensely, because no one needs to physically visit the site.

A main reason why the U.S. construction industry is behind in tech adoption, Crozier said, is lower costs of labor. Cheaper labor, despite there being a lack of skilled workers, means less demand for tech. In Europe and Australia, he said, the higher cost of labor means contractors need to innovate, and rapidly. That combination often attracts young Americans with construction and tech backgrounds to those countries as well, as opposed to keeping these innovators in the U.S.

Recent implementations Recent implementations

As construction was deemed essential and allowed to continue in nearly all 50 states, contractors were required to follow CDC guidelines to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. In response, tech firms and safety app developers introduced or expanded a variety of applications that some construction leaders say will become the norm.

Some applications use image data or wearables to track workers, ensure they maintain social distancing, or at the very least, reduce social density on jobsites. Other apps provide questionnaires for workers prior to allowing them onsite to ensure they were as low risk as possible for having and spreading COVID-19. Plus, others allow for virtual walkthroughs so stakeholders in their homes can have up-to-date imagery of work in progress.

“That’s what COVID and social distancing brought us, but that’s actually the right practice,” said Jon Fingland, general manager of collaborative solutions at Trimble.

Likewise, internet of things-based devices that track workers’ locations and allow the scheduling of specified work on certain days for more accurate measuring of productivity will be tomorrow’s “right lean practice,” Fingland told Construction Dive, meaning the best route to minimizing waste of materials, time and effort to maximize productivity and value.

Reducing the number of workers in a space can help protect them and reduce the spread of COVID-19, but, he said, that practice is essentially the same as scheduling workers for one section of a job at a time. For example, ensuring there are only 10 drywall workers on one day then five painters the following day allows for better monitoring of productivity.

No more status quo No more status quo

New technologies being introduced are moving down from top management. During a webinar from the Society for Construction Solutions New York Chapter, Anita Woolley Nelson, chief strategy officer of Skanska USA Building, said several executives at the company are taking base training for tech practices to prepare for the future.

“While I believe contractors will continue to use scheduling technology in the future, the landscape will be different,” said Matt Abeles, vice president of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). ”Using site monitoring technology will become more prevalent, so stakeholders not physically on the jobsite can have a transparent view on progress.”

Having stakeholders working remotely will aid in speeding up projects, Abeles said.

Perhaps the most basic integrations are the most unexpected, Abeles said. “One of the biggest surprises of all of this is the necessary adoption of collaborative technologies such as videoconferencing, which contractors are embracing more than ever in response to COVID-19,” he told Construction Dive.

Nelson also didn’t seem to think that things would return to the status quo when the pandemic ends. “People always say you can’t take a jobsite home with you, [but] maybe you can,” she said.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

Plus One Robotics, a leader in developing artificial intelligence (AI) and sensor technology that allows industrial robots to learn and adapt in fast-paced dynamic environments, has helped change the world since first establishing its operations on the Port campus in 2018.

Plus One is now undertaking a new initiative that will further streamline operations for its clients: the Yonder Project, which enables robots to be human-assisted from anywhere in the world via cameras and the cloud. "We make the eyes for the robots to be able to work in those environments," said Plus One Robotics Founder and CEO Erik Nieves. "They do the same thing over and over again, and that works when you're going to build cars. It doesn't work when you have to move packages or fulfill orders."

Robots are able to call for assistance from locally-based crew chiefs if adjustments are necessary.

Demand for Plus One's technology has accelerated significantly to satisfy the increase of online purchasing during the COVID-19 crisis. "These robots don't need to do social distancing and don't need to wear the masks," says Plus One Robotics Developer Zachary Keeton. "San Antonio is ushering in a new era of remote labor."