May/June 2010

Must–Have Tools for Digital Workflows
    The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry is quickly adopting PDF technology to reduce printing and shipping costs and promote a green philosophy in project communication. However as good as this may be, firms are still struggling with wasted time searching for and managing project files.
    “Forget what you know about PDF and what it can do for your projects. With Bluebeam PDF Revu 8 your life will never be the same,” said Richard Lee, President and CEO of Bluebeam Software, Inc. Bluebeam PDF Revu® 8, is the newest version for the AEC industry. Revu 8 is a turnkey solution for integrating best-in-class PDF creation, markup and editing into digital workflows with new features for customization and improved access to files. Among the new features are integration into Microsoft® SharePoint® and Bentley® ProjectWise®, a file management tab and a revamped, customizable interface.
Revue Archive |  Read more

Resinous Floor System For Green Concrete
Hybrid System Can Be Installed Over 5 - 7 Day Old Concrete
    Dur-A-Flex’s Hybri-Flex™ Series systems offer the benefits of two resinous floor systems in one. Its unique base coat features a built-in moisture mitigation system that tolerates up to 12 lbs. of moisture vapor transmission, making it ideal for installation on recently poured concrete. The added high-performance topcoats of each system can provide additional features such as a decorative appearance, UV and stain resistance and quick curing. A complete floor system can be installed in as little as two days.
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DCD InSights
You Want How Much for That Change Order?!
    Today’s hyper-competitive construction market has some owners giddy with below-budget bids, and others anxious about what happens to that pricing after the project is awarded, not to mention quality of the end product. Change Orders and less than stellar performance can render that low bid a poor overall value. Public owners who take advantage of Job Order Contracting (JOC) have greater cost control of the project, both before and after award, while maintaining quality, schedule, and collaboration.
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KEY TO PROJECT SUCCESS - PROJECT PARTNERING
    BECK, Long & Associates Architects/Engineers, and Hillsborough County Public Schools worked successfully on this award-winning educational facility to meet the project’s challenges head on while meeting the delivery date for opening day for the 2009/2010 school year.
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Preliminary Cost Estimating Online
    Where do you turn when you need to answer, “How much will this cost?” quickly and with confidence. As a subscriber to Design Cost Data™ magazine you have access to the DCD Archives, a powerful 1,300+ project database to use as your resource to answer what a new project will cost.
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Continued Upward Trend in Architecture Billings Index
    On the heels of a more than two point gain in February, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was up again in March. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the March ABI rating was 46.1, up from a reading of 44.8 the previous month. Though this score reflects a continued decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings), it is the highest score since August 2008.
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DCD Cost Trends
Construction Cost Trends for 2010
    The housing slump continues but it may be bottoming out.  We’ll see later on this year.  The commercial sector is in the midst of a slowdown. Occupancy rates which were shrinking by as much as 10% in some markets are now down 15%.  We will have to see how the effects of a downturn in this sector affect local commercial banks and hope it’s not a replay of the housing bubble burst.  Public construction, which was strong a year ago, has slowed down significantly and has flattened out compared to last year.  Unemployment in construction now hovers above 20% and shows no signs of a strong rebound.  This all leads to a 10 to 15% decrease in construction spending as a whole.
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DCD Cost Guides
The DCD Building Square Foot Cost Guide
    Design Cost Data™ magazine includes a Building Sq. Ft. Cost Guide in each issue. These square foot cost guides have been assembled from projects in our database, the DCD Archives™ online at DCD.COM. These guides are provided to the industry by DCD as a benchmark for future building costs.
    DCD is based on the philosophy that actual buildings, when coupled with up-to-date cost indices, are the most reliable basis for future building costs. The buildings appearing in this guide reflect square foot costs that have been escalated to April 2010 and targeted to a historical location factor of 1 (escalate these projects and more online at www.d4cost.net/dcd/login).
    After publication these cost guides reside at DCD.COM. Please visit DCD.COM for other sq. ft. building cost guides for LEED®, Medical, Commercial and more.
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