Joining with other leaders in the building industry, Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) is a signatory to a statement released March 31, 2021, calling for transparency in reporting of antimicrobial chemicals, with the intent of supporting the public in making informed product selection decisions.
Read MoreFollowing a tumultuous 2020, all industries are seeking insight and assurances as 2021 gets into full swing. To keep interior design practitioners and professionals on the cusp of these relevant changes as related to global trends, economic indicators, and beyond, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has released its annual Outlook and State of Interior Design Report.
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RDC has unveiled its interior design for the Portland, Oregon offices of construction company Skanska USA Building Inc. The interiors at the historic 1922 building – 1010 NW Flanders St., in the Pearl District – combine comprehensive COVID-resilient features with a themed use of materials that echo both Skanska’s company culture and its Portland surroundings.
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Total construction starts rose 12% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $787.9 billon. While sizeable, the increase does not erase September’s substantial pullback in starts. All three major categories moved higher over the month, nonbuilding starts rose 25%, nonresidential buildings increased 19%, while residential activity gained 2%. “October’s gain was welcome news following the large step back in starts during the previous month,” stated Richard Branch, Chief Economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “The month’s increase, however, does not mean all is well with the economy and construction sector. The economy lost traction as the stimulus provided by the CARES Act ended. With the next wave of COVID-19 infections looming, the economy will continue to lose steam until more fiscal stimulus is provided and a vaccine has been widely adopted. Until that has occurred, the construction sector will continue to be volatile.”
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The new McDonnell Genome Institute – Genome Technology Access Center (GTAC@MGI) space, completed in July 2020, is located on the 4th Floor of the 4444 Forest Parkway Building. KWK’s team worked within the university’s design and planning standards to implement the efficient use of space within an existing building envelope, providing the university with tremendous value by avoiding new out-of-ground construction costs.
Read MoreCorning Incorporated announced on Tuesday a new breakthrough in glass-ceramic technology, Corning® Guardiant®. Under test methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paint and coatings containing Corning Guardiant were shown to kill more than 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Corning is working alongside PPG as it seeks EPA registration for its paint product formulated with Corning Guardiant.
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Dodge Data & Analytics yesterday released its 2021 Dodge Construction Outlook. “The COVID-19 pandemic and recession has had a profound impact on the U.S. economy, leading to a deep drop off in construction starts in the first half of 2020,” stated Richard Branch, Chief Economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “While the recovery is underway, the road to full recovery will be long and fraught with potential potholes. After losing an estimated 14% in 2020 to $738 billion, total construction starts will regain just 4% in 2021.”
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The International Code Council has begun its 2024 code development process and confirmed its Committee Action Hearings will leverage a virtual model for participants. Taking place April 11 through May 5, 2021, all interested parties are encouraged to participate as modern and innovative building codes and standards affect the safety and sustainability of all our buildings and communities.
Read MoreThe Portland Cement Association (PCA) released its annual Fall Forecast which predicts a modest decrease in cement consumption during 2020 and 2021. PCA Market Intelligence expects cement consumption, based on the weighted average of three different economic scenarios, will lessen by 1.5% for the remainder of 2020 and 0.9% in 2021.
Read MoreJoin the International Code Council at 1:00 p.m. ET on October 20, 2020, for a live virtual event about digital transformation in the building safety industry. The Code Council will introduce new digital solutions to help building safety professionals innovate, collaborate efficiently and become more effective in the workplace.
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