Everyone who grinds it out day after day in the construction trenches, has at least one story of “stupidity unbecoming a human.” Some stories have tragic endings, while others generate belly laughs for years to come.

In May 2000 some of the features and benefits of building with steel were discussed in an AID article co-written with my old pal Bill entitled “Life After Wood: Steel Studs on the Rise.” Like anything else, along with the benefits there are challenges.

Milwaukee Tool has once again expanded its presence in the United States with the opening of its newest manufacturing facility, which is located in Grenada County, Mississippi.

Over the past 20-plus years, I have met with hundreds of business owners around the country consulting on a variety of topics including tax, business valuation, exit planning, and risk management.

The Rainscreen Association in North America announced the launch of the RAiNA Awards, an annual program celebrating outstanding achievements in rainscreen design, innovation and construction. The awards aim to recognize projects that exemplify the highest standards of excellence, technical performance, sustainability and aesthetic design in rainscreen systems across North America.

The ACI Foundation announced new Trustees and the re-election of an existing Trustee to its Board. The Trustees re-elected Keith Kesner and elected new Trustee David Lange. New ACI Vice President Scott Anderson also joins the Trustees as part of his new role.

The American Concrete Institute announced the formation of a new committee whose mission is to develop and report information on concrete made with brackish, saline, brine water and sea aggregates.

The Refractories Institute announced the 2024 recipients of college scholarships for students pursuing an education related to refractory science. TRI, which is comprised of approximately 50 member-companies that operate in the refractory industry, awards scholarships annually.

Big changes are coming to adhered masonry veneer codes with the 2022 updates to TMS 402 and 602, soon to be adopted in the 2024 building codes. The revisions introduce two design approaches — prescriptive and engineered — giving more flexibility to architects and engineers.

Insulation is one of the best ways to reduce home energy costs, with a national opportunity to save 15 to 45 percent on costs, according to ICF’s Insulation Opportunity Study. With the unprecedented heat making energy costs increasingly unaffordable for all Americans, but particularly low-income Americans, this cannot be overstated.

Imagine training employees with a virtual reality, audio-visual headset that puts them on the job, inside a realistic house, with saws buzzing, hammers tapping and birds chirping. That is the concept behind an industry-leading virtual reality training program sponsored by Owens Corning.

On Oct. 8, Holcim Group announced the acquisition of OX Engineered Products, a leader in residential wall insulation and sheathing. The acquisition further strengthens Holcim’s commitment to expanding its comprehensive building envelope solutions beyond roofing, providing customers with a broader range of high-performance materials for residential and commercial construction.

Every day in the United States, more than 10,000 workers are injured on the job with 14 of those injuries resulting in death. While the sheer number of those injuries is staggering, the financial impact to employers is crippling.

CertainTeed, a leading North American manufacturer of building materials, today announced the launch of Terminus Transitions and Terminus Glazing Channels as new product extensions to the company’s Terminus Perimeter Trim line. The Terminus Perimeter Trim line is a premier suspension system accessory that allows for easy installation of suspended ceilings with exposed edges, including clouds, peninsulas and islands.

Dimitris Spiliadis’ great-grandfather once owned a hotel in Constantinople, which was lost when the Turks invaded the magnificent and historic city (now known as Istanbul).

For 73 years, KHS Architects has encouraged a culture “that reveres both invention and customer focus.”

Acoustical panels are a basic necessity in many architectural applications, but St. Louis-based G&S Acoustics has elevated the simple panel to an art form, using cutting edge technology and design creativity.

Many are applauding the new and improved LEED v4 (v4) as raising the sustainable building bar and continuing to drive market transformation.

Founded in 1965, LPA Inc., is known as one of the largest integrated design firms in California. With extensive experience in public and private architecture, LPA designs a diversity of facilities that span from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, to civic, corporate, religious and retail establishments.

Meet Travis Lucy, an Associate at McKinney York Architects.

Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Ghafari Associates, Inc. is one of the fastest growing architectural and engineering firms in the Midwest.

 For 73 years, HKS Architects has encouraged a culture “that reveres both invention and customer focus.”  

New for fall ’24, KEEN Utility’s Overton is a versatile, throwback-inspired work shoe that is safe, comfortable and unexpected.

From comfort, fit and dexterity to protection and durability features for harsh job site conditions, each high-performance glove from Makita meets the needs of the most demanding professional.

Simpson Strong-Tie has introduced Quik Drive Project Pro, a screw-driving tool that installs on nearly any cordless drill or driver and provides the speed and convenience of auto-feed fastening for a variety of projects without the larger investment of a full-service tool.

Milwaukee Tool continues its commitment to disruptive innovation, expanding its PACKOUT Modular Storage System with eight new PACKOUT Toolbox Attachments. These new solutions securely lock onto the PACKOUT system’s metal-reinforced corners, allowing professionals to carry more and quickly access tools, parts and materials, enhancing job site productivity.

Centring missions, creating space for discussion and continuing to test and learn will help every charity tailor their approach to online spaces

Strategic communications is by no means a ‘silver bullet’, but it is a vital part of addressing the challenges we face

ClarkDietrich is adding two new components to its E-Screen entangled-mesh rainscreen rolls, providing a complete exterior cladding moisture management system that is compliant with ASTM performance criteria.

The plastering industry of the past had a knowledgeable and highly skilled plastering workforce.

It’s No Secret That Global Temperature Has Been Increasing And Increasing, And Eifs And Stucco Claddings Are Inherent To Solving This Problem. 

These are testing times for trustees, but do we expect too much of them?

Clic Sargent and the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity have a mutually beneficial arrangement to scrutinise each other's safeguarding arrangements

The signs of a failing board can be evident long before a crisis hits. Liam Kay looks at the common problems and the action charities can take

Yet another fraud against a charity shows why trustees need to brush up on their basic maths and grasp of finances

There is a lot to be said for radical change, but opting for evolution instead can have greater benefits

There have been calls for charities to pay board members to improve both diversity and professionalism in the sector. Liam Kay reports

The QuickSpan Locking Drywall Grid System from Certainteed Gypsum is an innovative ceiling grid system that provides the industry’s longest unsupported spans for flat drywall. It’s engineered and designed for quick, easy installation of spans for drywall ceilings in hallways and corridors.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, since 2020, CertainTeed and Susan G. Komen have partnered to fight off the disease, which impacts millions of lives.

Washington – A consolidated lawsuit against OSHA’s respirable crystalline silica final rule is “close to a resolution,” Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta said Nov. 15 during his first appearance before the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

Washington — OSHA is requesting input on potential revisions to Table 1 of its respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, according to a Request for Information slated for publication in the Aug. 15 Federal Register.

Washington — NIOSH and the Mine Safety and Health Administration are looking for presenters for a virtual workshop on silica exposure and lung disease in the mining industry, scheduled for Oct. 22-23.

Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has scheduled public meetings on its recently published proposed rule on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Washington — A new OSHA initiative is aimed at protecting workers in the engineered stone fabrication and installation industries from silica exposure.

The Gloucestershire road includes 22 residential homes and two mixed-use buildings

Amerjit Chohan will take up the top job at Helpforce in the new year

Funding models must also include provisions for inflation-based adjustments, the report says

The SMACNA Board of Directors welcomed Tom Martin, president of Cleveland-based T.H. Martin, Inc., as its 2024-2025 president. Martin took the reins from current SMACNA president Carol Duncan of General Sheet Metal.