Preview: ConstructionCast from McGraw-Hill Construction
 ConstructionCast from McGraw-Hill ConstructionWe talk with industry leaders and experts in the areas of architecture, engineering and construction, from the editors of Engineering News-Record, Architectural Record, McGraw-Hill Construction Regional Publications and Construction.com.Published: Wed, 07 Sep 2005 19:11:23 GMT Last Build Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:35:38 GMT Copyright: The McGraw-Hill Companies 2007
Robert A. Bisson: Megawatershed Discoverer Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:10:41 GMT Robert A. Bisson is the President of EarthWaterGlobal, LLC, New York City. Join his discussion on megawatersheds and their potential to deliver potable drinking water to all regions of the globe.
Paul G. Carr: Why He Doesn't Believe The Conclusions of the Recently Published Study on College Design Fees Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:07:01 GMT Paul G. Carr, assistant adjunct engineering professor at Cornell University, reviewed the recently published paper on higher-education design fees. That paper specifically criticized his paper on the cause of lagging design fees, published in the same American Society of Civil Engineers journal, three years ago. His response to the new paper can best be described as measured dismay.
Scott M. Tierney: Managing the Worksite of the Future Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:37:44 GMT Snowed in at his home near Albany, N.Y., and unable to fly to Las Vegas in time to participate in ENR's "Equipment of the 21st Century" summit and panel discussion on March 10, Scott Tierney, a construction manager for Cianbro Corp., talks over the phone about his vision for the worksite of the future and his role at the innovative Destiny USA project in Syracuse, and what will be on his mind when he comes to Las Vegas later in the week for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008.
Tom Warne: No Time For "Tinkering Around the Edges" Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:40:06 GMT Tom Warne, former Utah Dept. of Transportation chief and now president of Tom Warne & Associates, discusses the controversial National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission report released Jan. 15.
Van Hampton and Illia: 2008 World of Concrete with Tony Illia Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:35:25 GMT Tudor Van Hampton and reporter Tony Illia recap the 2008 World of Concrete Trade Show from the Las Vegas Convention Center floor.
Jon Khachaturian: Removing the unknown from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:14:17 GMT Jon Khachaturian, president and founder of Houston-based Versabar, discusses what led him to develop the Bottom Feeder, a piece of equipment capable of lifting oil and gas platform topsides from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in about an hour.
Lars Herbst: Oil and Gas Cleanup In the Gulf of Mexico Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:13:34 GMT Lars Herbst, regional director of the Gulf of Mexico region for the Minerals Management Service talks about how much work has been done to clean up the 118 oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that were destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, how much more work has yet to be done and what challenges await oilfield operators.
CONEXPO Asia: Big Iron Takes the Silk Road Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:11:09 GMT Robert G. Isaman, president of Terex Construction, a unit of Westport, Conn,-based Terex Corp., and Heinz Dickens, president of Terex Construction's China business, talk about construction equipment at CONEXPO Asia on Dec. 5 in Guangzhou.
Babs Abubakari: Quality-Base Selection Success at Georgia DOT Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:45:09 GMT Babs Abubakari, State Consultant Design & Program Delivery Engineer for the Georgia Dept. of Transportation, talks about the award-winning QBS program.
John Murphy: Flexible Airport Designs Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:55:06 GMT John Murphy, a principal with Corgan Associates, Inc., talks about trends in airport design.
John Gonsalves: Building Homes For America's Heroes Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:24:55 GMT John Gonsalves, a 2005 ENR Newsmaker, gives an update on progress at Homes For Our Troops, a non-profit organization that provides disabled veterans with specially equipped homes.
Joseph Toole: Training "Roads" Scholars for the Transportation Industry Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:18:30 GMT Joseph Toole talks about transportation workforce shortages, the Federal Highway Administration’s training programs and global partnerships.
Jack Schenendorf: Creating a Vibrant U.S. Transportation System Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:24:00 GMT Jack L. Schenendorf presents some ideas for improving the nation's transportation system, including performance-based projects and designated high-density corridors.
Linda Figg: A Bridge of Reflection Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:23:15 GMT Linda Figg describes the impetus for the design of the recently unveiled I-35W replacement bridge in Minnesota, which will undergo a design charette process this month in which the community will choose between two options for pier design and other aesthetic features.
Jack Finn: Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Program Thu, 04 Oct 2007 19:23:20 GMT Jack Finn talks about the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration initiative and the commencement of design and testing of technologies for "smart" cars.
Steven B. Cornell: Alternative Contracting for Airport Construction Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:23:25 GMT Steve Cornell talks about the use of alternative project delivery methods for San Diego airport's $700-million master plan through 2015, with work on a 10-gate second terminal to begin in 2008.
Bovis Lend Lease Testifies on Deutsche Bank Fire Implications Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:20:52 GMT D emolition project's managers speak publicly for the first time at community hearing on future of troubled job. ENR's Debra K. Rubin attended the Aug. 29 hearing and filed this report.
Ronaldo "Nick" Nicholson: VDOT's $7-Billion Man Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:18:42 GMT Aileen Cho met Ronaldo "Nick" Nicholson two years ago while touring the Virginia side of the $2.5-billion Wilson Bridge project. Despite tough life situations, his discipline and talent has led him to become VDOT's first-ever manager of megaprojects.
Rob Jones: Foundation Driller Project Superintendent Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:14:15 GMT Rob Jones is a former Marine, so slogging through swampy soil and confined spaces comes naturally. ENR's Chicago bureau chief Tudor Van Hampton spent the day with Jones on the jobsite of one of the tighest jobsites in the Windy City: the Aqua, a $475-million, 81-story mixed-use tower on Lakeshore Drive designed by local architect Jeanne Gang.
Ginger Evans: D.C. Light Rail Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:14:04 GMT Ginger Evans speaks about the $5-billion light rail project that will connect Tyson's Corner with Dulles International Airport.
Jack Lemley: Big Dig Report Reaction Thu, 12 Jul 2007 21:21:11 GMT Jack Lemley discusses the July 10, 2007, National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the fatal I-90 tunnel plenum collapse in Boston. Lemley feels the NTSB did a thorough job, but that it should also have addressed the issue of organizational failure that may have contributed to the problem.
Stephanie Kopelousos: FDOT Secretary Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:35:20 GMT Stephanie Kopelousos is the new Secretary of Transportation for the state of Florida. Recently appointed by new Gov. Charlie Crist, Kopelousos is both the first female secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, but also the youngest person to ever hold this position.
Jim Croson: Giving Retirement the Rub Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:13:21 GMT Nearly 50 years since he first started his company, Jim Croson still serves as chairman of the board of J.A. Croson Co., a Sorrento, Fla.-based plumbing firm that's one of the largest in Florida. He's also the namesake of a landmark Supreme Court case, Richmond v. Croson, that had a major impact on the nation's construction industry. Here, he looks back on his life in the industry and his accomplishments along the way.
Lt. Gen. Robert S. Van Antwerp: Chief, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:18:53 GMT On his way back from a tour of work in Iraq on July 10, Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, the new chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, stopped by Engineering News-Record's New York City offices for a briefing. Van Antwerp told Editor-in-Chief Janice Tuchman that people see your priorities by how you spend your time. Since he was confirmed on May 18, he also has made three trips to New Orleans. His visit to ENR was also a curtain raiser for the Corps' Hurricane Protection Decision Chronology Report—set to be released at midnight that day. The report will detail the chain of decisions made that eventually led to the post-Katrina catastrophe.
Sanya M. Johnson: Engineer at Burgess & Niple Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:18:31 GMT On a windy day at Milwaukee’s Miller Park, Sanya M. Johnson, engineer with Burgess & Niple, talks about how she found her dream job with the firm’s climbing inspection team.
Michael Seal: Team Leader at Burgess & Niple Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:18:52 GMT Michael Seal talks on a recent windy day about Burgess & Niple recent contract to inspect the moveable roof of Miller Park Stadium, and his duties as team leader.
Yan Wang: Transportation Planning is Big Business in Beijing Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:18:56 GMT ENR Editor-in-Chief Jan Tuchman took advantage of attending a McGraw-Hill Construction event in Beijing to add some international flair to the theme issue A Day in the World of Construction. She shadowed Yan Wang, manager of urban and transportation planning in the Beijing office of Parsons Brinckerhoff China. On a drive across the city in Beijings notorious traffic, they took advantage of the time to record this podcast about her groups most exciting projects (such as traffic and pedestrian studies for the 2008 Olympics) and its future.
Joseph R. Byrne: Major League Construction Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:44:20 GMT Joseph R. Byrne, 41, grew up in the Bronx dreaming of someday playing at Yankee Stadium. Today he's living that dream as project executive for Turner Construction co., the lead contractor for the new stadium the Yankees are building across the street from the House that Ruth Built. Andrew Wright spent a day with Bryne in June of 2007, 10 months into the job. Byrne talks about the challenges of the biggest job in Turner's New York City portfolio, dealing with the Yankees and the residents of the South Bronx neighborhood.
Thomas C. Leppert: Trading Construction for Politics Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:54:55 GMT Thomas C. Leppert, 53, retired as chairman and CEO of Turner Corp. just six months ago. But Leppert's plans did not include sitting on the porch in a rocking chair.
John M. Dionisio and Richard G. Newman: AECOM's Successful IPO Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:19:02 GMT CEO John M. Dionisio and Chairman Richard G. Newman helped pilot AECOM Technology Corp. through a successful IPO completed on May 10. They recently visited ENR's midtown Manhattan office and talked to ENR.com Senior Business Editor Richard Korman about why the company went public, what happened last time AECOM considered an IPO and the company's plans for acquisitions.
George P. Vittas: Vice President of Aviaton Development, AECOM Thu, 31 May 2007 19:34:23 GMT George Vittas, senior vice president of aviation development for AECOM, says fly ash and other industrial byproducts can be used in runways to cut costs and carbon footprints.
Architect Philip G. Freelon: Early Influences and African American Cultural Centers Thu, 03 May 2007 17:30:30 GMT Architect Philip G. Freelon dropped by the New York City offices of ENR.com and talked about his practice (which includes interior and furniture design), his early interests in design and science, the influence of Charles Eames and the Smithsonian's planned National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Ed Link: Research Engineer Thu, 03 May 2007 14:59:40 GMT Ed Link directed the massive, fast-track effort to translate the destruction in New Orleans into lessons learned for the engineers and contractors struggling to rebuild the flood defenses before another hurricane season began.
Lou Coletti: Build New Strategies to Manage Growth Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:45:02 GMT The president of the Building Trades Employers' Association of New York City says professional development, safety, and PLAs are the keys to handling an expected construction boom in the region.
Sam McCurdy: Eyes On Ireland Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:20:58 GMT Samuel McCurdy is the regional director for Halcrow's Dublin-based office. He works closely with Halcrow's joint venture partner, J.B. Barry, on numerous projects throughout Ireland.
Peter Davoren: New Horizons at Turner Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:25:30 GMT The chairman and CEO of Turner Corp. says the industry is facing both big opportunities and big questions.
George Heery: Building Contractual Bridges Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:35:21 GMT In Engineering News-Record's March 5, 2007, Progressive Project Delivery issue, George T. Heery's Technical Viewpoint explains a new hybrid delivery system he calls Bridging/CM. The project delivery method combines bridging with construction manager at-risk, thus enabling owners to lock in an early enforceable price. In an online conversation with ENR New England Bureau Chief William Angelo, Heery discusses the hybrid system's benefits.
Sustainable Transportation: Port of Seattle Strategic Planning Director Talks about What Airports and Seaports Can Do to Address Climate Change Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:48:43 GMT Burr Stewart made attendees of the Transportation Research Board laugh and wince as he talked about the need to "be agitated" about the impending effects of carbon emissions and rising sea levels on transportation facilities. He tells ENR Transportation Editor Aileen Cho about a specific strategic plan for incorporating climate change issues into the operational structure of agencies running ports and airports.
Tom Kasmer:Hybrid Hero Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:47:42 GMT Tom Kasmer is the Binghamton, N.Y.-based inventor of the "hydristor," a new type of hybrid powertrain for just about anything that moves—cars, trucks, heavy equipment elevators—and much more. Kasmer's patented invention harnesses the power of hydraulic fluid to store energy, lower fuel consumption and slash greenhouse gas emissions.
Gearing Up for Bauma: A Talk with David C.A. Phillips, Managing Director of Off-Highway Research Wed, 28 Feb 2007 19:46:36 GMT Flights to Munich are booking up for the Bauma equipment show in April, with more than 500,000 equipment buyers expected to attend the triennial extravaganza. International market analyst David Phillips talks about why construction equipment is selling out like hotel rooms in Munich, and offers key insights into the huge growth of manufacturers from China that will be exhibiting at the show. He also answers our question: Is Chinese equipment for real, or is it all for show?
Drivers of Change: A discussion with Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight & Innovation, Arup Group, London Wed, 07 Feb 2007 16:50:17 GMT ENR's Editor-in-Chief Janice Tuchman recently interviewed one of the industry's visionaries, Chris Luebkeman, director of the foresight and innovation group at Arup Group Ltd., a leading international engineering consultant based in London but with offices around the world. Arup engineers became convinced of the global threat of human-motivated climate change because its environmental physics team did a detailed review of the science and its validity. They say climate change will potentially affect everything the firm does. In a "drivers of change" project, Luebkeman embarked on 30 months of global workshops involving thousands of people in and out of the firm. One result was a boxed card set giving facts and figures on social, technical and economic issues. Arup has sold thousands of the sets in 15 countries for about $40 each.
Embracing Change at Caltrans: A Discussion with Will Kempton, director of the California Dept. of Transportation Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:55:58 GMT Caltrans has had a reputation among contractors as a difficult agency to work for, with lack of communication and efficiency. Kempton talks with ENR Transportation Editor Aileen Cho about his efforts to far to change the agency's climate and his ambitious goals moving forward. Design-build, innovative public-private partnerships and streamlined efficiency will be vital in helping the department deliver a slew of new projects, flush with almost $20 billion in bonds.
Green Talk: Sustainable Building Center Co-Director Discusses LEED, Green Guide for Health Care Wed, 31 Jan 2007 23:06:56 GMT Gail Vittori, of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, was the sustainability consultant to the architects of the new Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas project in Austin, scheduled for completion this spring. The $200-million medical center on 32 acres of the former Austin airport site is a likely candidate to be the nation's first hospital to achieve platinum LEED certification.
Charles Maikish: Get Ready for the Big Push Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:09:39 GMT The executive director of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center says it's time to finish planning and kick the construction effort into high gear. There is around $10 billion worth of construction taking place or about to start in the relatively compact area of Lower Manhattan, and we discussed how the command center will tackle its tall order.
The Road Ahead: Mike Walton Shares His Vision as New Director of ARTBA Fri, 05 Jan 2007 21:04:45 GMT Dr. C. Michael Walton, recently elected chair of ARTBA and the first resident Texas to be in this role, talks with Texas Construction editor Eileen Schwartz about the future of funding for transportation in Texas and the country, managing a balanced transportation system that incorporates public transport and the movement of freight, and, of course, bold new visions in Texas that are gaining traction across the country.
Beyond Housing : A discussion with Robert Murray, chief economist, McGraw-Hill Construction Thu, 04 Jan 2007 21:05:35 GMT With so much talk of a slump in housing, the rest of the construction picture was getting obscured. ENR.com’s Senior Business Editor, Richard Korman, and McGraw-Hill Construction Chief Economist Robert Murray talk about the nuances of the housing decline, what consumer trends are driving retail development, why demand still is high despite inflation, why offices still are vibrant although not as high as historic peaks, hot cities, the sharp upswing in power-related construction and how the Democrat-controlled Congress affects the picture in transportation.
A Conversation with Wolf D. Prix of COOP Himmelb(l)au Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:46:32 GMT Move over Rubber City…Soap Box Derby…World Series of Golf. Akron, Ohio, is working on a trendier image by using an international starchitect for its art museum expansion. The project is the first public building in the U.S. by the Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au. The museum carries a signature design element, a “roof cloud,” which the architectural theorists and practitioners use “to help buildings escape from their sense of weightiness and gravity,” says museum director Mitchell D. Kahan. The 300-ft-long roof armature unites the new glass-enclosed entry pavilion, called the “crystal,” and the box-shaped new galleries with the 19th Century existing building.
Charlotte Revs Up: A Conversation with Mecklenburg County Commissioner Parks Helms Tue, 24 Oct 2006 21:09:19 GMT Parks Helms, current and five-time chairman of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, provides his insights on one of Charlotte's biggest building booms.
Planes, Pains and Payments: The Roundtable Discussion Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:23:39 GMT ENR and Aviation Week co-sponsored Planes, Pains and Payments, an aviation roundtable, on Oct. 6. Almost 30 aviation officials representing federal agencies, airports, vendors, consultants and contractors discussed the crucial challenges facing them now and in the future. Shrinking budgets coupled with increasing infrastructure needs to handle security and traffic demands are requiring all sectors to look for ways to increase revenue and build better, smarter and cheaper. New developments loom on the taxiway that will affect all American airports. From the FAAs Next Generation Airport Transportation Systems program to microjets, from alternative project delivery solutions to privatization, all involved with operating and expanding airports must be prepared. In-line baggage screening systems, new runways and common-use facilities present ongoing challenges. Branding of airports, concessions planning and parking all present possibilities for revenue. Many called for a change in the policy on passenger facility charges, a crucial factor in current funding of capital programs.
Planes, Pains and Payments: A Roundtable Discussion on Rescreening Canadian Transfer Bags in the U.S. Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:21:20 GMT The Oct. 6 aviation roundtable sponsored by ENR and Aviation Week highlighted some of the key issues facing airport builders and planners today. Security continues to be a top concern; securing airports costs money. How will airport managers upgrade their screening systems while also handling ongoing capital improvement needs and dealing with an ever-evolving airline industry? This PodCast represents a nearly four minute excerpt from that round table. This discussion focuses on the rescreening of Canadian Transfer Bags in the U.S. as a major efficiency loss in the airport security system and the unlikelihood that Congress will do anything about it.
Planes, Pains and Payments: An Interview with David Z. Plavin, Airport Consultant Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:20:22 GMT The Oct. 6 aviation roundtable sponsored by ENR and Aviation Week highlighted some of the key issues facing airport builders and planners today. Security continues to be a top concern; securing airports costs money. How will airport managers upgrade their screening systems while also handling ongoing capital improvement needs and dealing with an ever-evolving airline industry? David Plavin, the former president of ACI/NA, focused on the likelihood that airports and airlines need to increase their costs somewhat in order to create a system that can maintain a sense of quality for passengers.
Planes, Pains and Payments: An Interview with Sam Sleiman, PE, Director of Capital Programs & Environmental Affairs Massachusetts Port Authority Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:19:00 GMT The Oct. 6 aviation roundtable sponsored by ENR and Aviation Week highlighted some of the key issues facing airport builders and planners today. Security continues to be a top concern; securing airports costs money. How will airport managers upgrade their screening systems while also handling ongoing capital improvement needs and dealing with an ever-evolving airline industry? Sam Sleiman, says that safety & security at airports is a paramount concern. While checked luggage surveillance systems are effective,, he says both passengers screening and cargo screen need improvement.
Planes, Pains and Payments: An Interview with Robert J. Cammaroto, Manager, Commercial Airports Policy Transportation Security Administration Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:17:30 GMT The Oct. 6 aviation roundtable sponsored by ENR and Aviation Week highlighted some of the key issues facing airport builders and planners today. Security continues to be a top concern; securing airports costs money. How will airport managers upgrade their screening systems while also handling ongoing capital improvement needs and dealing with an ever-evolving airline industry? Bob Cammaroto talks about the current mind set at TSA as it relates to another aviation-focused terrorist event inside the United States. He also talks about the security system of the future which will borrow directly for the Defense Department's work in Network Centric Operations.
Planes, Pains and Payments: An Interview with Bill Fife, Corporate Vice President of DMJM+Harris Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:15:48 GMT The Oct. 6 aviation roundtable sponsored by ENR and Aviation Week highlighted some of the key issues facing airport builders and planners today. Security continues to be a top concern; securing airports costs money. How will airport managers upgrade their screening systems while also handling ongoing capital improvement needs and dealing with an ever-evolving airline industry? William Fife served as primary moderator for the ERN/Aviation Week Airports Round Table held Friday October 6, 2006 at the McGraw Hill Companies Corporate Headquarters in New York City. In this Podcast, Bill talks about the takeaways from the event which focused a lot on cost control and innovative revenue streams.
Bechtel Talks: Lessons Learned in Iraq, Part 5 of 5 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:11:18 GMT On the last day of October, Bechtel Corp.¹s three-year, $3.2-billion contract to reconstruct critical infrastructure in Iraq expires. With that deadline looming, and as the company finished close-out operations and pulled its people out of the embattled land, a handful of executives who have played key roles in Bechtel¹s Iraq Reconstruction Project, sat down with ENR editors in New York to break the their self-imposed silence on projects, explain Bechtel¹s performance and share critical lessons learned.
Bechtel Talks: Lessons Learned in Iraq, Part 4 of 5 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:10:11 GMT On the last day of October, Bechtel Corp.¹s three-year, $3.2-billion contract to reconstruct critical infrastructure in Iraq expires. With that deadline looming, and as the company finished close-out operations and pulled its people out of the embattled land, a handful of executives who have played key roles in Bechtel¹s Iraq Reconstruction Project, sat down with ENR editors in New York to break the their self-imposed silence on projects, explain Bechtel¹s performance and share critical lessons learned.
Bechtel Talks: Lessons Learned in Iraq, Part 3 of 5 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:09:05 GMT On the last day of October, Bechtel Corp.¹s three-year, $3.2-billion contract to reconstruct critical infrastructure in Iraq expires. With that deadline looming, and as the company finished close-out operations and pulled its people out of the embattled land, a handful of executives who have played key roles in Bechtel¹s Iraq Reconstruction Project, sat down with ENR editors in New York to break the their self-imposed silence on projects, explain Bechtel¹s performance and share critical lessons learned.
Bechtel Talks: Lessons Learned in Iraq, Part 2 of 5 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:36:53 GMT On the last day of October, Bechtel Corp.¹s three-year, $3.2-billion contract to reconstruct critical infrastructure in Iraq expires. With that deadline looming, and as the company finished close-out operations and pulled its people out of the embattled land, a handful of executives who have played key roles in Bechtel¹s Iraq Reconstruction Project, sat down with ENR editors in New York to break the their self-imposed silence on projects, explain Bechtel¹s performance and share critical lessons learned.
Bechtel Talks: Lessons Learned in Iraq, Part 1 of 5 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:06:43 GMT On the last day of October, Bechtel Corp.¹s three-year, $3.2-billion contract to reconstruct critical infrastructure in Iraq expires. With that deadline looming, and as the company finished close-out operations and pulled its people out of the embattled land, a handful of executives who have played key roles in Bechtel¹s Iraq Reconstruction Project, sat down with ENR editors in New York to break the their self-imposed silence on projects, explain Bechtel¹s performance and share critical lessons learned.
On the Hiring Line: How PCL Tests New Recruits for 'Attitude' Fri, 07 Jul 2006 23:36:04 GMT To execute all the work in its burgeoning backlog, Edmonton, Canada-based PCL Construction Group, has had to go on a hiring spree. The multi-market prime contractor had $3.33 billion in 2005 revenue, up 27% from 2004, and sailed into 2006 with a $4.19-billion backlog, up from $2.2 billion in 2002. Last year, PCL picked up 552 new hires, which represents 26.7% of its total salaried staff. In 2002, PCL only hired 182 people, which accounted for 11.2% of its staff at the time. In 2006, PCL expects to take on at least as many people as it did in 2005. While PCL occasionally has sought to increase its market share through acquisitionspicking up an industrial and a power-market contractor in recent years, its preferred path to growth is to hire new staff, says Peter Greene, PCLs vice president of professional development. The companys favorite targets are recent graduates. They learn the PCL culture more quickly and are less likely to carry ingrained bad habits, such as adversarial attitudes toward clients, says Greene.
The Future of the Interstate: An Interview with Gene McCormick: The Future of the Interstate Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:25:04 GMT Addressing topics such as the future of the gas tax and the issue of "earmarked" projects, Gene McCormick, chairman of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, talks about the future of the Interstate Highway System.
Today's Infrastructure Challenges: An Interview with General Barry R. McCaffrey: Today's Infrastructure Challenges Thu, 15 Jun 2006 21:31:11 GMT How do we fix our ailing infrastructure and keep it secure? How should we go about modernizing highways, ports and airports? What about reconstruction efforts in New Orleans and immigration policies? Find out what this leading expert has to say.
Planning Visions, Post-Katrina: After the Hurricane's Devastation, Hard-Hit Areas Face Tough Questions Mon, 10 Oct 2005 23:13:47 GMT Planners envisioning ways to rebuild in areas hit hard by Hurricane Katrina agree it is critical to plan carefully at the local level, with early involvement of all stakeholders. Yet sources also stress the importance of gathering input from outsiders with a particular expertise, such as disaster mitigation or recovery. Listen to planning experts discuss important issues on how to rebuild safer, better communities.
New Orleans Area Flood Protection After Katrina: Looking Ahead Thu, 20 Oct 2005 23:13:01 GMT A group of engineering professionals and scientists sat down with ENR and Architectural Record editors to discuss the expanding need for protection from floods and hurricanes in southern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. What could be a foundation for a comprehensive regional flood control program, a proposal called Coast 2050, is now being considered by Congress as part of a new water resources bill. Listen to the debate about how the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina could accelerate long-stalled flood control projects and even change longstanding national policy.
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