Volume 4 - Number 3

  March 2009

Who Is Responsible for the Weather?
Who should pay for delays caused by
adverse weather conditions?
By Arthur F. O'Leary, FAIA, MRIAI

   This article is based on construction contracts that include the AIA General Conditions of the Contract, AIA Document A201-2007.
   Some construction contracts allow time extension for any and all weather delays whereas others allow only for abnormal weather or adverse weather conditions not reasonably anticipatable.
   The AIA General Conditions, A201-2007 provides, in Clause 15.1.5.2, that
   "If adverse weather conditions are the basis for a Claim for additional time, such Claim shall be documented by data substantiating that weather conditions were abnormal for the period of time, could not have been reasonably anticipated and had an adverse effect on the scheduled construction".
   In every day practice, this provision could cause as many disputes as it was intended to resolve. Moreover, it creates administrative headaches for architects and contractors alike. It would be difficult for a contractor to obtain convincing documentation substantiating that weather conditions were abnormal for the period of time.
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Attention DCD Subscribers
New Enhanced Online Functionality With All DCD Subscriptions

    Design Cost Data™ magazine and D4COST™ Software are well known in the building industry as tools to reliably predict the price of future construction using the cost of actual buildings as a benchmark. As publishers of DCD we have gathered, analyzed and archived thousands of buildings since 1958; and in the early 1990s we developed D4COST, the first square foot cost modeling software for the industry based on our massive database. Our subscribers and software users access this data daily to answer, “how much is this going to cost?” when posed by their clients.
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Red Goes Green
Sustainable Design Becomes Part of Triage
for Fire and Rescue Stations
By Lynn Murray 

    When it comes to green building initiatives, most fire and rescue stations have not been first responders. But as larger municipalities across the country begin to see their investments pay off in long-term cost savings, more cities are putting green on the radar.
   It is no surprise that green building for fire stations (and municipal facilities in general) has been a slow process. While public structures traditionally strive to set an example for their communities, the government building process is often slow, mired in political red tape, and restricted in budget. And while few would dispute that sustainable design and green building practice are good ideas, changing established protocol to accommodate these ideas simply wasn’t an emergency.
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FAU Fort Lauderdale Installs City’s First
Large-Scale Solar Roof Project on
Higher Education Complex Building

    Also known as the building skin, building envelope systems were first pioneered by Henry® Company in the early 1970’s as a way to improve management over a building’s internal environment and to inhibit the deterioration of the building materials used in construction.
   Air barriers are a central component of any building envelope system, and its primary vocation is to address air flow between a building and the outside environment. Air diffuses through surfaces like concrete block and channels through imperfections between building materials, but easy to install Henry air barrier products redirect the air flow back and can significantly reduce a building’s energy consumption.
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The Up Side of A Slow Economy & How It Can Improve Your Estimating Department
By Ed Walsh
Posted with the permission of the
American Society of Professional Estimators

   First question most of you will likely ask is “what upside is there to a slow economy”? I’ll admit there can be a challenge to finding it. The truth is most construction companies have been running so flat out for the last four to five years they have not had time for much housekeeping, and often lack of good housekeeping can cause long term problems.
   When we talk about housekeeping we aren’t referring to cleaning windows obviously, we’re talking about training staff, hiring better qualified personnel and upgrading technology to get work done better and faster.
If a piece of equipment on a job site gets broken, chances are its fixed immediately or replaced because it causes too much down time and inefficient use of field labor. On the other hand when a company runs flat out they may limp along with lower skilled workers in middle management, less skilled estimators and estimating software that has limited capacity. I’ve heard from many employers who echo that scenario.
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Architecture Billings Index
Remains at Historically Low Levels
Commercial sector continues to be hardest hit by economic downturn

     Following consecutive months with record low scores, with the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) moved up only very modestly, signifying that the design industry remains mired in a steep downturn. 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 December ABI rating was 36.4, up from the 34.7 mark in November (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The inquiries for new projects score was 37.7.
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EXCEPTIONAL® Metals Announces New Reference Manual

   EXCEPTIONAL® Metals Reference ManualEXCEPTIONAL Metals, a division of Duro-Last® Roofing, Inc., announced the availability of a new reference manual at its recent National Sales Seminar in Daytona Beach, Florida.
   The new piece showcases the products, edge details, and accessories available from EXCEPTIONAL Metals along with CAD drawings of these products, technical data, and a metal color chart. The new product reference manual is available online via the Duro-Last and EXCEPTIONAL Metals web sites.
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New Horton ICU Door System Adds Self-Closing Function Without Electrical Installation

    Profiler® ICU Door SystemEasily substituted for standard operating ICU door packages, the newest Profiler® ICU door system from Horton Automatics adds the convenience of a self-closing function without requiring electrical installation in healthcare facilities.
   Horton's new self-closing, single slide door system utilizes a built-in spring that is fully concealed in a slim 4 x 6 header. In use, the sliding panel opens manually like a regular ICU door, and then closes touch-free. The door system has a hold open feature with full breakout capability for wider openings, ideal for moving patient beds and equipment.
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New Study Reveals Shake-up in the Most Promising Markets for 2009

    ZweigWhite's just-released 2009 AEC Industry Outlook: Strategy and Insight for Design & Construction Firms reveals a shake-up in the markets that firm leaders in the architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting industries expect to be most promising. While health care still holds the top spot, despite the impact that financial markets have had on project funding, three of last year's top five ranked markets (higher education, K-12 schools, and the office market) did not even make the list in 2009. Instead, industry leaders have tapped the municipal government, transportation, energy/power and green building markets to round out the top five most promising markets in 2009.
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