New York City rail project costs balloon to $11.2B
New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that the East Side Access project, which will connect the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal, will cost $1 billion more than a 2014 estimate, reported The New York Times and others.
The opioid crisis: The construction industry's simmering threat
Despite the industry's reluctance to talk openly about it, opioid abuse is costing firms money and threatening lives. Opening the conversation could be the first step to combating the problem
Archer Western Team Wins Fight for $800M Miami Bridge Job
A roughly year-long legal battle over the Florida Dept. of Transportation’s selection of a contractor for an $800-million Miami bridge project is over, with a Fluor-led team officially rejected in favor of an Archer Western-led joint venture.
Industry Reacts to Steel Tariff Pushback
Steel and aluminum tariffs remain a hot topic in the construction industry, even as the Trump administration delays them until June 1 for Canada, Mexico and the European Union. Permanent exemptions were granted for Argentina, Australia and Brazil.
Amid the uncertainty, the industry is seeking stability, says Charlie J. Carter, president of the American Institute of Steel Construction.
Graphene reinforced concrete improves construction industry
Graphene reinforced concrete could reduce the carbon footprint of construction. The University of Exeter in England has released an article in the most recent issue of the journal Advanced Functional Materials detailing an innovative solution to reducing construction’s carbon footprint. Graphene reinforced concrete that meets British and European standards for construction could help the industry control its effect on global emissions—of which concrete in its current form is responsible for five percent.
How Blockchain Innovation Can Help Cost-Efficiency in the Construction Industry
Construction may not be the first industry that comes to mind when you think of areas ripe for disruption by blockchain technology. The construction industry is not where digital innovation has traditionally made many inroads, and it can be hard to imagine how distributed ledgers might help people whose jobs are to pour foundations or sheath roofs.
Women lag in participation in the booming construction industry
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, women represent only 9 percent of the total labor force in the construction industry, traditionally viewed as a male dominated field. Women working in the industry are concentrated mainly in the sales and office sector with fewer occupying the professional and management sector. Representation of women on the construction trades side is also low.