NEWSLETTER

 
Enter your email:

Construction Topics

GENERAL TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

SITE WORK

CONCRETE

MASONRY

METAL

CARPENTRY & WOOD

THERMAL & MOISTURE

DOORS & WINDOWS

FINISHES

SPECIALTIES

EQUIPMENT

FURNISHINGS

SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION

CONVEYING SYSTEMS

MECHANICAL

ELECTRICAL

PEOPLE SKILLS

JOBSITE MANAGEMENT

ADS

Become a FB fan


Construction Network


Trades Hub

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

July 4, 2011

Last Road Trip Post
Filed under: Ned Weirdness — Tags: — nedpelger

I’ll post some of my favorite shots from the Road Trip West. America is an amazing country and seeing it by car totally rocks. Since the folks that lived here for tens of thousands of years before Europeans had some time to get things right, I always study whatever Native culture I can find. Tipis particularly fascinate me. Perhaps some day I’ll build one of those in the backyard (I’ve been gathering old EPDM for the covering).

Most of us also love tools. In an outdoors shop in Boulder, CO, a climbing tool display caught my eye. I liked how they displayed the various implements of construction.

South Dakota remains one of my favorite states. Touring Deadwood always amuses, Rushmore inspires, Custer State Park amazes and The Badlands are just plain awesome. I loved this barbed wire graphic found in a hotel in Custer, SD.

In honor of our nation’s B-Day, Clay and I scampered up the rocks to the foot of Mt. Rushmore. I told him the story below about the first time our family visited Mt Rushmore, when our kids were 9 to 14.

Walking up the stairs at Mt. Rushmore I decied to head over to the restroom (a normal move for me.) As I stood outside the restroom I had a great view of Mt. Rushmore and decided to stand their and slowly say the Pledge of Alliegence. I was surprised at how moved I was by this action. I got Debby and the kids to come to this same spot and told them I wanted them to do something with me. I said “I know this may sound odd, but I want us all to stand here and say the pledge of alliegence.” We did.

After we finished and were walking away, Lex said “Dad, maybe that special feeling was just something you had cause it was just stupid for the rest of us.” I was undaunted and continued chattering on to Debby about these great men and how their lives helped form our country. Debby looked at me and said “I don’t even know who those 4 guys are.” At which point we all cracked up.

Hey Debby, it’s George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.

Finally, we spent a day in Chicago on our drive home. Millenium Park and Stage dazzled me. I particularly enjoy the reflective structure that just seems to pull people into it. My grandsons felt the pull.

If you have a chance to drive around a portion of America, do it. You’ll be inspired and amazed. We mostly all speak the same language the cost of fuel won’t kill you. I know I came back tired but recharged, ready to fight the new battles and embark on the new adventures that lay out before me. Hope you’re the same.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

July 3, 2011

A Genius Inspired
Filed under: Cool Projects,Design — Tags: — nedpelger

By 1902, Frank Lloyd Wright had dropped out of high school, dropped out of college, worked as a draftsman for a structural engineer, began working as an architect under Louis Sullivan at Adler and Sullivan, and then started his own firm. At 35, he began his move into the Prairie style buildings that would make him famous.

On our road trip, we stopped last Wednesday for a day in Chicago. I’ve wanted to visit Oak Park for years, to see more of Wright’s work. As I strolled from the hotel early one morning while the others slept, I came across a stunning house that I knew Wright must have designed. The Heurtley House, near Wright’s Oak Park Home and Studio, enchanted me. I later learned the house was one of his first fully developed Prairie style designs.

The fundamental characteristic of Prairie style are all present in the 1902 Heurtley House. Wright raised the major spaces  above the surrounding grounds, ceilings are tight to roof rafters (eliminating attics because Wright hated junk storage) and the fireplaces are in the center of the house. The exterior features overhanging eaves, a large central chimney, horizontally grouped windows and terraces and balconies.

My photos don’t really do this beautiful house justice, but at least give you a sense of what stunned me.

FLW was a unique individual. He was in court many times, either from his creditors or his extra-marital affairs. During one of these appearances, the judge asked him to state his name and occupation. He replied, “Frank Lloyd Wright, World’s Greatest Architect.”

The judge commented that this seemed an extravagant claim, to which Wright replied, “Remember Judge, I’m under oath.”

Here’s one of my favorite FLW quotes:

Early in my career I was a very arrogant yound man.. I was so sure of my ground and my star that I had to choose between an honest arrogance and a hypercritical humility… and I deliberately choose an honest arrogance, and I’ve never been sorry.

I don’t promote arrogance (probably because I’m so far from being a genius), but I love to see when a person has a good idea and the gumption to see it through. I think I’m working on one now that I’ll share with you next week.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

July 2, 2011

The Magic of Pervious Concrete
Filed under: Concrete — Tags: — nedpelger

The video below shows 1500 gallons of water soaking into pervious concrete in 5 minutes. That’s the equivalent of about 43 inches of rainfall seeping into the concrete with no run-off.

Just watch the water flowing for a few seconds and you get a serene feeling, somehow, all is good with the world when pervious concrete can absorb that much water. I love seeing all the spectators and the audio woman. Truly, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScsQYHMfabU&feature=player_embedded#at=49

I’ve used pervious asphalt paving several times, but haven’t yet tried pervious concrete. Now I want to.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

July 1, 2011

Cool Badlands Detail
Filed under: Cool Projects — Tags: — nedpelger

Driving through the Badlands Loop in South Dakota, some of the prettiest landscape charms you. Here’s a photo from the park website.

I was impressed with the shelters built by the National Park Services. The stucco and steel frames just fit into the park. I particularly liked the bent corner plate that provided lateral stability as well as a look of strength.

Creativity and beauty often come in the most surprising places. As you work and live, strive for both.

Here’s a home video from the Badlands that I made a few days ago. It just makes me happy to watch.

httpv://www.youtube.com/user/nedpelger#p/u/2/D7-lvzBF_GI

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 24, 2011

Cool Colorado Buildings
Filed under: Cool Projects — nedpelger

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, we’re roadtripping in a 95 Dodge Van through the American northwest. Just to make it interesting, we decided to take six people, including 14 month old grandson #2, and to camp along the way. YeeHaw.

Actually we’re having a wonderful time, the kids are great and the adults all appreciate the beauty of this amazing country. We stopped at a wonderful Indian store along Rt 70 in Missouri and I picked up a video about Native Americans titled More than Bows and Arrows. A clip is shown below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLUTmrU7oBU

One of the interesting ideas in the movie concerned the strong Indian design influence on Western building design. As I looked around, I saw it everywhere. Here are a few photos.

Can you pick out the various Native American design elements? This new flex-space building below (near Denver) illustrates several of the elements. The horizontal parapets, the squares for decoration, the starburst entrance header and the natural colors all derive from the Indian designs.

Seeing this pad next door to the completed building reminds me of the things I think about during building design: where does the sprinkler riser go and how is it installed, where does the sanitary sewer and the electrical come in, how are the walls coming through the slabs? The folks building these spaces seem to have a good handle on the efficiency, which translates into successful projects in the present and the future.

Since we were staying near Red Rocks State Park, I wanted to visit to re-experience a profound impression from my youth. When I was a roadie on the 1978 Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town tour, we played the Red Rocks Amphitheater. I was overwhelmed by the beauty, even as we struggled to get the sound right. I remember the high frequencies refracted (remember high school physics class when waves from two sources sometimes doubled up and gained tremendous amplitude?) and sounded way too piercing some spots and dead a few feet over. We played around with speaker directions and got it better, but it was a tough place to be a sound puke.

I laughed as I watched the video with rock stars saying the place had magical acoustics…the best in the world. Note from Ned: never believe celebrities, they rarely involve themselves in the details that get to the truth. The beauty of the place still moved me, though.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KWhu72L07g

I’ll give more updates as I can.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 13, 2011

What to Do with an Extra Sheet of Plywood (and some time)
Filed under: Cool Projects — Tags: — nedpelger

Many times on the jobsite, an extra sheet of plywood gets tossed in the dumpster. It’s just not worth paying employees to deal with these strays. Here’s a few home project ideas for that free (remember to ask, first) plywood sheet. I love this self-standing stair from a single sheet of plywood. Though the lateral stability looks a bit suspect, so remember to stand in the middle if you don’t want to learn a hard gravity lesson.

Here’s a site with lots of other furniture that can be built from one sheet of plywood.

The plans for these designs are available at the PlayaTech site for whatever you wish to donate. The site grew from The Burning Man movement. Thanks to Lex for shooting it to me.

Use those building skills youi’ve developed over the years to work with family and friends to create some cool projects. Relationships and projects: two of my favorite things in life.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 11, 2011

Be the Trend: Android Apps for Construction
Filed under: Productivity — Tags: — nedpelger

I was pleased to receive an email from Derek Singleton last night stating that several of our ConstructionKnowledge phone apps had been selected for his list of Best Andorid Apps for Construction Management. The apps have been selling well and getting good reviews, so it’s nice to see more affirmation. Check out his list and see which apps may help you become more productive.

As I read more posts from their Software Advice site, I started thinking about the likely trend of tablet computers becoming the tool of choice for construction PMs and supervisors.  Here’s a great little video that gives a sense of the coming productivity improvements.

We’re currently building a bunch of apartment buildings for a brilliant 70 year old Mennonite customer who sends me quick decisions and updates from his iPad. I need to sit down with him and have him show  me how he uses this tool. Then I need to start researching how tablet computers could help us build better. I’ll be sure to share what I learn with you. If you have any input, please leave a comment below.

This trend for tablet computers on the jobsite will be huge. Remember: great advantages come from being at the right point on the trend line. Think about where you want to be.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 9, 2011

Plan Carefully and Be Prepared for Contingencies
Filed under: Ned Weirdness — Tags: — nedpelger

I’ve got lots of projects going right now. I’m planning and scheduling my little heart out. The short video below will help you remember the value of careful planning and being aware of contingencies.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXdhxb4ZhjE

Life really is just too, too good. Do your best today and remember, per the above video, plan carefully.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 6, 2011

New Economy Job Growth Goes to the Creative Class
Filed under: General Technical Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

An excellent series of short articles in Wired Magazine titled The Economic Rebound: It Isn’t What You Think makes the case that a new type of job seems to be growing the economy. Not really white collar or blue collar, many of the new jobs could be called creative class jobs.

A 20% to 30% per year job growth has occurred in:

  1. Wireless
  2. Internet
  3. Computer and Network Security
  4. Online Publishing

While Renewable Energy and the Environment jobs have grown at almost 57% per year.

Those in the 10% to 20% growth range are:

  1. Nanotechnology
  2. Professional Training
  3. Computer Networking
  4. Biotechnology
  5. Medical Device Manufacturing
  6. E-Learning
  7. Computer Games

So what does this have to do with you and construction? Am I giving you subtle clues that it’s time to jump into another line of work?

As TBW will attest, I’m rarely subtle. I’ve found that saying it, then saying it again standing a little closer, then saying it one more time with a step back tends to make communication actually happen. So let me say clearly what this trend means to me:  the job growth above just makes me see more opportunities in construction. There are loads of opportunities for folks willing to use their brains and take some risk.

In every trade, in every type of building project, the method of getting things done will change. You have the opportunity to lead that change, follow the leaders or get left behind (complaining about immigrants or merit shops or globalization or whatever else you want to blame).

It doesn’t matter what job you do in this wonderful construction industry, the list above should give you some clues to how your work will be changing. For example, HVAC installers will be getting more focused on internet controllers and building operational security. Project superintendents need to speak the digital language fluently or be much less valuable. Even concrete finishers will be working with different materials (that will work in ways unlike the old materials) due to the oncoming inflation . The changes coming will be explosive compared to the recent changes we’ve endured.

Embrace the change. Put effort into learning (on your own time) and make yourself more valuable. If your present employer doesn’t seem to care, find one that does and get paid accordingly.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 3, 2011

Andre Agassi Funds Charter School Construction
Filed under: Industry outlook — Tags: — nedpelger

Andre Agassi, tennis great, does good and does well. Agassi operates an award winning charter school in a poor section of Las Vegas and believes in the power of the charter school concept. Since privately owned schools lack the public bond funding mechanism available to public schools, school facilities tend to be a limiting factor for proposed charter schools.

To help fill that void, Agassi and Canyon Capital Realty Advisors teamed to create the $750M Canyon-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund. Low income urban areas will have access to the fund for new construction or remodeling projects.

Finding a place to put a school is typically the hardest and most expensive hurdle charter startups face.

“It is very prohibitive for many charters that have great programs,” said Vielka McFarlane, founder of Celerity Educational Group, which operates four charters in low-income areas of Los Angeles and is opening three new ones in the fall. “It’s the biggest challenge.”

So if you’re involved with school construction, here’s another way projects may trickle in.

20 years ago, I ran a company Privatization Services, Inc. that focused on privately building and owning public school facilities (not operating them). We could deliver fantastic cost savings, but couldn’t get past the political inertia to get change initiated. In these more fiscally challenging times, that privatization concept deserves dusting off as well. I doubt I have the passion to jump back on that horse, but hope someone does. It’s a strong idea for these times.

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »