Starting a business or becoming a CEO without immediately thinking about succession is like "skydiving without a will," writes Steve McKee, co-founder of McKee Wallwork + Co. "Beginning formal planning seven or more years in advance of your anticipated exit is ideal, because it provides the most flexibility and opportunity to ensure that your succession plan -- and the company itself -- fires on all cylinders at the correct time," McKee writes.

The HVAC industry is playing a key role in helping companies meet their environmental sustainability goals, Ted Craig writes. While HVAC manufacturers are designing equipment that helps reduce energy consumption and emissions, installers and technicians ensure proper indoor air quality to keep companies' employees healthy, safe and comfortable.

More than 600 major and thousands of lesser updates form part of newly passed City Council improvements for New York City's Construction Codes. The latest in a series of periodic changes apply the most demanding international standards as well as strict regulations unique to New York.

An ASTM standard published late last year could lead to more robust testing methods for mechanically attached polymeric underlayments in steep-slope roofing applications. The standard, which could make its way into the 2024 I-Codes and the 2023 Florida Building Code, accounts for liquid water transmission, accelerated weathering and thermal cycling.

Oregon is considering requiring homes in certain areas to be built with fire-resistant materials such as concrete siding, following similar legislation in California. In 2019, the state approved fire mitigation codes, but stopped short of making the codes mandatory.

As many as 10 grants at $25,000 apiece will be available, as well as technical support for early-stage planning of mass timber projects in Boston. The Mass Timber Accelerator from the Boston Planning and Development Agency and Boston Society for Architecture is designed to promote such construction as "a critical step to reaching zero net carbon building and zoning standards," the BPDA says.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a 3D-printed concrete wall with pipes that transport chilled water embedded in the wall. "Future modeling analysis will include increasing the wall's cooling capacity and analyzing savings potential in different climate zones," said researcher Piljae Im.

A Gartner survey finds 25% of US companies have implemented COVID-19 vaccination requirements, up from 16% in August, in light of upcoming rules under which companies with more than 100 employees will have to require vaccinations or weekly testing. An additional 13% of companies expect to adopt vaccine requirements, and respondents say they think such policies will result in the loss of 2% to 8% of their workers, according to the survey.

With iron and steel prices up 95.2% from last year and aluminum prices up 63%, experts are divided on whether the price bubble will burst soon or if higher prices will stick around for a while. "This feels like a case of demand running up faster than supply, which is a widespread issue right now," said Ryan Severino, chief economist for JLL.

The Master Subcontract agreement provides the general terms and conditions between a Constructor (AKA general contractor, design-builder, construction manager) and a Subcontractor. This subcontract document coordinates with the ConsensusDocs 756 ConsensusDocs Standard Project Work Order Agreement. Get a sample of the 755 agreement and 756 work order today.

Price escalation, price spikes and supply shortages threaten builders' financial viability in today's construction market. ConsensusDocs, the leader in standard construction contracts, has created the Price Escalation Resource Center, with sample copies of the ConsensusDocs 200.1 Material Price Escalation Amendment. More information is available online at the ConsensusDocs Price Escalation Resource Center.