| May 8, 2012 | News for contractors and the construction industry |
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New pipelines, upgrades needed for natural gas, oil production: About 2,000 miles of pipeline for natural gas and oil needs to be built in the U.S. in the next 25 years to help handle increased production. Currently, there are about 300,000 miles of "gathering and delivery pipeline." Concern over safety is prompting calls for improvement of existing lines. "The retrofitting of our gas gathering and transmission system is big business, and there is and will continue to be a tremendous amount of activity in terms of improvements," said Craig Martin of Jacobs Engineering. Engineering News-Record
(5/7)
    
| Infrastructure & Project Focus | | |
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- $975M Vikings stadium a step closer to getting built
The Minnesota House voted 73-58 to approve an overhauled Minnesota Vikings stadium bill that will require the team to spend an additional $105 million to get the planned $975 million stadium built. A competing bill is expected to be voted on in the Senate today, which means the bill could get into final negotiations soon. Those discussions could reduce the amount the Vikings would need to contribute. SeattlePI.com
(5/7), Google/The Associated Press
(5/8) 
- Fla. water utility shelves reservoir expansion plans
A $42 million plan by Florida's Tampa Bay Water agency to expand a reservoir has been canceled, although a $121 million renovation of it may go ahead -- eventually. The change is due to sinkhole activity in the area and fear that an expanded reservoir could add too much load. Omaha-based Kiewit Infrastructure Group and Pennsylvania-based Gannett Fleming were awarded a design-build contract for the renovation last year. Engineering News-Record/Southeast
(5/4)
- Push is on for increased worker safety
Updated worker injury and fatality reports, including the AFL-CIO's "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect" report, indicate that the construction industry continues to have the highest number of workplace casualties, with falls as the primary cause of deaths and injuries. The Center for Construction Research has an interactive, online map on its website that pinpoints the different locations of fatal construction accidents -- most in the eastern half of the U.S. -- as an adjunct of the "Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction." EHS Today
(5/2), EHS Today
(5/4)
| Economic Update | | |
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- Expanded business credit lines could lead to more lending
Businesses typically open up or increase lines of credit ahead of taking new loans, meaning recent data bode well for continued growth in business lending. Banks with more than $20 billion in assets had unused business credit lines increase 17% in the fourth quarter compared with Q4 of 2010, according to SNL Financial. The trend appeared to continue in the first quarter. The Wall Street Journal
(5/6)
| Innovation & Green Building | | |
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- Roof tiles seek to reduce air pollution
Boral Roofing says its "Smog-Eating Tiles" reduce air pollution by breaking down nitrogen oxides that produce smog, according to this article. The roofing material is coated with titanium dioxide, which converts nitrogen oxide into calcium nitrate when it comes into contact with natural light. "Calcium nitrate ... washes off your roof with normal precipitation and is a regular garden fertilizer," said John Renowden, Boral Roofing's vice president of technology. CNN
(5/8)
- Boston transit center: A model for net-zero sustainability
The John W. Olver Transit Center in Boston was designed by U.S.-based Charles Rose Architects and built by U.K.-based Arup Group as a showcase for energy efficiency. Boasting real-time energy monitoring systems, the structure has 22 geothermal wells; is cooled by "an active chilled beam system;" has ground-mounted solar arrays; and uses low-flow water accessories that slash its water consumption by 35%. World Interior Design Network (U.K.)
(5/7)
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Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Parts 1, 5 & 6
This publication is a must-have for contractors involved in highway construction. The Federal Highway Administration has revised the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Parts 1, 5 and 6 Temporary Traffic Control, and you are required to know about and meet these specifications. This manual will help you meet those requirements. Purchase copies by visiting the AGC store or here.
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AGC members: Save on ConsensusDocs
ConsensusDocs are the only standard contracts written by a coalition of 35 leading construction industry organizations, including AGC. AGC members receive a 20% discount on all ConsensusDosc’ products. Simply use Partner Code "AGC" and Promotion Code "100" when prompted during the checkout process at
www.ConsensusDocs.org.
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