These safety certifications are not only for yourself and making sure you stay safe and know how to avoid certain dangerous situations, but to also act as a benefit for the company you work with. It is a way for them to know who is qualified enough to do certain tasks on the job site.

Safety is always a recurring issue within the industry, because some individuals may not be trained properly for tasks they are assigned. Or perhaps they have had all the proper training, but they don’t follow the rules and tips they were taught. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of 2018, there were 150,000 injuries and over 1,000 deaths reported. 

Now, how do you know which certifications to get based on your trade? Well, most companies will send you to the proper training once you are hired before you step foot on any job site. However, if you are wanting to get the training on your own and be prepared for your first day on the job, here is a break down of the different certifications that you may need. Note: Some of these may be mandatory and some may not be, You may also be required to take extra training and certifications based on your company’s standards and the tasks you are assigned daily. 

OSHA 10 

This is the first step for most certifications, because it covers the basics of construction and workplace safety. Just about everyone in the industry will take this certification no matter their job title or a daily job. Some of the topics that OSHA 10 covers are slip and fall protection, ladder safety, fire prevention, electrical hazards, PPE (personal protective equipment), dangers of equipment, and the hazards of chemicals. With the course, you typically get exposed to real life situations in which you have to choose the right procedures, as well as an instructor to ask questions and a study guide, ending with a final exam. Once you pass, you are given a card that states the OSHA level you completed and your name. 

OSHA 30 

OSHA 30 is a 20-hour OSHA class, but you take the OSHA 10 first which then gets you to OSHA 30. This level of OSHA is more geared towards supervisors, and foremen. This level dives deeper into fall procedures with major falls, caught in between and struck-by hazards for all situations. They also touch on crane hazards, steel structure hazards, confined spaces, choosing the correct PPE, fire hazards, and MSD and RMD injuries. You’re probably wondering what MSD and RMD stand for. Well, MSD is Muscular Skeleton Disorders and RMD stands for Rhythmic Movement Disorder. With this level of OSHA, you are also trained on bloodborne pathogens and hazardous materials, as far as medical. Just like with OSHA 10, you are given case studies from real life events and workshops to help you better learn the materials. 

HAZWOPER 

Now we move onto the highest level of OSHA training that is offered with HAZWOPER. This level is broken down into three different sections: 8 hours, 24 hours, and 40 hours. 

8 Hour

This OSHA class is a refresher that allows construction workers who have previously done the training refresh their minds with the tips, tricks, and rules of OSHA. The topics include decontamination, toxicology, levels of protection, hazardous materials, respirators, site safety, and hazardous waste/communication. All the necessities of OSHA refreshed in an 8-hour course. 

24 hour

This level is for managers and workers that are exposed to job sites where they are dealing with hazardous materials. This level touches on fall protection, emergencies on the site, decontamination, hazardous materials, and regulations within the industry. 

40 hour 

This is the big whopper with OSHA and contains everything that you need to know as a worker in the industry no matter what your role may be. There are two different sections of this level for general site workers, as well as management and supervisors. With this being the highest level of an OSHA cert available, it covers everything from an introduction to OSHA, agency regulations, fall protection, excavations, fire prevention, electrocution, PPE, drums and containers, ergonomics, and so on. 

If you want more information on the different levels of OSHA and what they entail, visit www.oshaeducationcenter.com.

The Training Process 

Typically, you are sent to your specific training once you hired on with a company. Sometimes they will pay for it and sometimes they won’t. Other times you may receive the training in your vocational school if they offer it with your tuition. Either way, the process usually starts with you being sent to all your required certification and training before you step foot onto your job site. Once you are on the job working and received your training, the only thing you have to worry about with OSHA is a refresher every 5-10 years depending on the requirements of your company and the certifications you have. 

We are all for safety, and believe that it is very important with any job, especially in the construction trades. Without the proper training and knowledge, you may be put into a situation that you don’t know how to handle which can cause injury to you and those around you. Make sure you are properly educated and are comfortable in your daily job. If you are in anyway unsure, speak to a supervisor so they can get you the proper training to keep yourself and your coworkers safe.

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TimberTech AZEK

This line of decking is very neutral while still staying away from traditional boring deck styles. AZEK includes narrow boards and the standard decking shape while offering a variety of 6 different color combinations that all mock the color and the look of natural wood coloring. With this line of decking, you will be able to implement a very natural but vibrant deck design.

This line of decking also provides homeowners with the same Polymer Capped decking as regular decking. Each board is wrapped in polymer making them extremely durable and sustainable. This also allows them to be slip-resistant, which is important for rainy climates. Not to mention this line from TimberTech comes with a 50 year warranty.

AZEK is just the first step in TimberTech’s lines of decking. Each line has a very specific vibe dependent on the color options, and the dimensions of the boards. Each brand is affordable and specific to the client’s needs and wants.

TimberTech Four-Sided Composite

This line of decking is capped with polymer on all four sides, which allows it to have extreme durability and strength. TimberTech Pros line has authentic wood styles when it comes to the grain on the actual board and the color options available. The texture is hand-scraped to give it a 100% natural look, while still being as durable as composite. The surface of these boards is built and engineered to withstand damage such as spills, scratches, dents, and normal traffic. This line from TimberTech comes with a 30 year product warranty as well as a 30 year fade and stain warranty.

TimberTech Three-Sided Composite

TimberTechs three-sided polymer capped decking is wrapped around three sides of the board, which allows the grooves in the board to be protected against all the elements Mother Nature can bring. There is no wood in the cap which makes it stronger and more durable than the other lines, even though it is only coated on three sides. This line is TimberTech Edge, it is the perfect line for a homeowner who does not want to spend a ton of hours and a lot of money on repairs and rebuilds down the road. This line, just like the rest, comes with a warranty of 25 years.

Shop TimberTech, We Promise You Won’t Regret It

TimberTech is the place to shop if you are in the market for high quality and sustainable decking that won’t break the bank. They also have a large selection of decking materials and accents to enhance the overall look of your deck once it is installed such as railings, lighting, pavers, and much more. They offer dozens of different color options to choose from within all of the different lines, which means you are guaranteed to find the perfect color to match your style and your home. With their wide variety and their 25, 30, and 50 year warranties, TimberTech doesn’t just help build decks. They create an outdoor space for homeowners to enjoy with their friends and family to make memories. They take the stress away from backyard renovations and replace it with fun and excitement in choosing colors, dimensions, and enhancements with accents and fixtures. They create a space that you can relax, unwind, and spend quality time with the people you love.

If you enjoyed this Building Empires article and want to keep hearing about other quality building products, make sure to follow our Top Product Picks page!

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 #5: Durability and Workability

Wood is a material that is often used for so many different things because it is very sustainable and durable. Certain species can be dense and some that are soft, which allows you to choose the best type of wood for your project. It is also affordable. Of course, just like with most things, there are cheaper species and then there are more expensive species with a middle ground in-between. Typically, no species of wood is so expensive that an average homeowner would turn it away. You must pick the species of wood that best suits the job you are completing. Some woods are softer than others which makes them more prone to denting, scratching, and chipping. Other than this precaution, the species of wood you choose doesn’t matter. Choose what will work best for your given application.

#6: Safety and Weight

 Any foundation on any build is bound to shift the longer it sits and ages. Wood allows for a slight bend in its physics, which means if the foundation shifts every so slightly you are less likely to notice since wood can bend in the slightest. Whereas if you use bricks or concrete, you would start to notice cracks as the foundation continues to shift.  Back to the affordability aspect of wood, if you are in a situation where you are having to replace a piece or rebuild completely, wood is much cheaper to rebuild than brick for instance. Having to rebuild can be stressful anyways so why would you add on more stress with the cost of materials?

 #7: Resistance

 Most wood is resistant to water, rot, termites, and daily wear and tear. Water is a significant concern when building. Think about if you have a concrete foundation and a water pipe bursts or your roof leaks. The water would pool in the foundation and sit their growing mold and mildew, whereas with some woods water is absorbed and eventually dried out. As far as a wooden exterior build to protect a home against rain, many types of wood are water-resistant and are great for protecting the exterior or even interior of a home.

 #8: Naturality

 Wood is a very natural product, not letting off chemicals or harsh fumes into a home-like concrete and steel can do from time to time. Wood is a healthy building material that allows for a pure atmosphere throughout your entire home. If a room is finished with natural uncoated wood, the humidity would be regulated and the air kept pure. When it comes to using a material that is pure and natural, wood is a prime candidate compared to steel, concrete, or plastic building materials.

 #9: Acoustics

 Wood may not be a good soundproofing agent, but it is a prime contestant for concert halls due to the fact this helps dampen sounds and develops the perfect tone when absorbing sound waves.

 #10: Rust No More

 One of the last and final benefits of using timber is the ability to eliminate rust altogether. As wood ages, it rarely shows wear and tears, unlike metals that rust and show damages. By eliminating rust, you are not only creating a cleaner look, but you are reducing the need to repair or rebuild.

 Mass timber building is a building opportunity that is loved by some and hated by others. There are pros and cons just like everything but the pros, in this case, outweigh the cons by far. What do you think? Do you think mass timber building will create a more clean, sustainable, and pure environment and air for us to breath? Or do you think the mass timber building promotes deforestation and is not worth the benefits? There are many unanswered questions, but as of now, this trend is being set to high standards by architects and designers around the globe.

The post Benefits of Timber Builds | Part Two appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

The Mass Timber Reform

Mass timber is when the structure of a building is built of strict timber. For a build to be considered ‘mass timber’, the timber must be the main source of stability. For example, wooden framed housing would not be considered mass timber. When building mass timber structures, builders can use a variety of different types of wood which in turn can provide a longer lifespan and durability to certain builds.

To prevent an increase in deforestation, mass timber builds can come from smaller and sickly trees that are already dying and cleared as a method of preventing wildfires. Even though this is an issue that is of high concern, the forests today are highly managed, and deforestation is beyond many people’s worries.

As we have mentioned, the main reason mass timber building is a strategy that is being researched is due to the number of carbon emissions. By replacing steel and concrete building materials with timber, the number of carbon emissions would go down resulting in a cleaner and more functional environment.

In addition to being able to lower carbon emissions, there are many other benefits of using wood in builds. Wood paneling is much lighter than steel and/or concrete as well as being much stronger. Some studies have shown that it may be more resistant to fire than other building materials. The pricing of heat could potentially decrease as wood paneling warms itself naturally, therefore the need to heat your home would be less. As this trend is growing more rapidly, the wood interior is highly sought after amongst architects and designers due to its functionality and aesthetics.

Consider a steel building that has an emissions profile of 2,000 metric tons of CO2. By replacing this specific build with a timber, you instantly diminish the high amount of CO2, and that’s just one job. Don’t stop there.

An Architect Andrew Ruff stated:

“Instead of adding to climate change, you are mitigating climate change. That’s the goal.”

Aside from the aesthetics and the chance to reduce carbon emissions, the construction process for building with timber is much easier and less time-consuming. This leads to happy workers and happy neighbors to the building site.

Russ Vaagen, a fourth-generation lumberman, stated:

“Mass timber is the future. It has a lighter carbon footprint; is at least 25 percent faster to build with and requires 75 percent fewer workers on the active deck; comes from forests that are renewable and that, in many cases, need thinning to reduce the danger of wildfire and disease; holds promise as affordable housing; and even, increases homeowners health and wellbeing, according to several studies of woods biophilic attributes.”

Not everyone is completely sold on this trend. There are a lot of components that have yet to be discussed and questions are left unanswered. As the trend continues to get out into the world and mentioned, the more it will be talked and thought of. Until then, we are all left wondering is this worth it? Will the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to building?

John Talberth has formed his own opinion as the president of The Center for Sustainable Economy in Portland with this statement:

“We want to debunk the myth that mass timber is in any way, the shape or form related to some kind of environmental benefit.”

Do you think his statement is right or wrong?

As projects are underway and studies are done to further research the impact that mass timber building has on the environment and its benefits, the citizens are left quiet with the unknowns. Here at Building Empires, we believe that anything to improve the sustainability of the environment is worth looking into. Although, will wood paneling and timber be as durable and last as long as steel and concrete in regards to building materials?

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#1: Saving Energy

 Building materials such as steel can become weak when they are heated, which can result in the structure being weakened and eventually collapsing. Wood holds up in heat, which decreases the need to heat a building whether it is a home or office. This reduces the energy costs and allows for the building to stay stable and over time, harden. Here are some comparisons:

• Glass conducts heat 23 times faster than wood
• Marble is 90 times faster
• Steel is 1650 times faster
• Aluminum is 7000 times faster

 By eliminating these possibilities, your home will instantly have less energy being leaked out. Wood is a great alternative from brick, concrete, steel, glass, and aluminum because it is self-sustainable. It holds in heat and cold when needed and is very economical.

#2: Saving Money

 Wood is a very easy building material to work with. It is affordable and easy to maneuver when it comes to cutting and securing in place.

 As Albert Einstein once said:

 “People love chopping wood, in this activity one immediately sees results.”

 Wood is so easy to work with that if used during major builds, the completion time can be cut in half if not more.

Homes that are framed with wood allow for easy modifications and repairs during and after the building process is complete. Because of wood’s affordability, versatility, and ease when maneuvered- it is becoming a very sought-after building material.

#3: Environmentally Friendly

 Back to where we started in discussing the effects on the environment, using wood as a building material creates for a much cleaner environment for us to live in. The amount of pollution is getting worse by the day, so any possible ideas we can implement to eliminate more damage is an instant yes. Carbon emissions will decrease substantially with the use of wood instead of steel and concrete. Housing that is made from trees is sustainable, renewable, and friendly on the Earth by not adding more unnatural materials that could potentially be left on Earth forever.

 Currently, reforestation is occurring to restore forests that were once burned or deforested. By taking the mature trees which absorb less carbon and leaving the young trees whilst planting new ones, we will reduce the carbon even more. The younger trees will absorb more carbon, and can eliminate unnatural materials in a building.

#4: Aesthetics

Wood is a naturally beautiful building material, which means you not only get the sustainability of the wood- but the beauty as well. There are over 5000 different types of wood to choose from, all having unique colors, patterns, wood grains, and densities. Each species of wood is different, and each piece of wood has the attributes that make it one of a kind. The great thing about using wood in a design element is that if you want to leave it bare and natural you can, or you can get creative and use paint or stain to create a motif that is specific to you. Wood is so versatile that your design options are endless.

 In the words of Albert Einstein:

 “Imagination is more important than knowledge, imagination is everything. It is a preview of life’s coming attractions.”

 Follow his footsteps and use your imagination to create something incredible!

Continue to Part 2 of Benefits to Timber Builds

The post Benefits of Timber Builds | Part One appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

Within the past couple years, the cost of rebuilding has increased drastically and continues to increase due to the shortage of labor in the construction industry. When it comes to what insurance covers, the amount the insurance company will offer for rebuilding should increase as they costs increase, shouldn’t they? If insurance companies aren’t factoring this into what their plans cover, then homeowners are going to be left with a huge responsibility under their belt should something like this ever happen to them. The thought of losing your home and all of your belongings in a natural disaster is terrifying and, unfortunately very real. Many people each year have to overcome this obstacle, many of which are left with nothing- making it very difficult to fund a rebuild when not covered under their insurance plan. What is the point of having one if it doesn’t cover you 100%? 

Just within the year of 2018, 14 natural disasters occurred including wildfires and hurricanes. All of which cost over $91 billion dollars according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The year of 2018 marked 8 years in a row where natural disasters cause damage in the billion dollar range. 

The year of 2018 was also set as the year of highest temperature. This not only acts as a risk for drought but also fires, stronger hurricanes, and more snowfall in the winter months.  All of this research and actual events have insurance companies running around recalculating the coverage on homes that may be at loss during disasters that occur. Based on the location and region of your home, the costs of rebuilding may be increased which means insurance companies may be more stingy on the coverage they offer. 

Amy Gromowski, senior leader of analytics at CoreLogic stated, “Underinsurance issues can cause financial devastation for property owners, artificially low coverage limits for insurance carriers, and increased loan delinquencies.” 

One-time claim problems are expected to be seen as issues, because if building and labor costs are not carefully monitored, insurance coverage and claims may be inaccurate according to your plan. This leave many homeowners with the thought of, what would happen if I was in this situation? 

Just within California alone, the cost of labor and materials has increased so much that 110,000 properties were identified as at risk for wildfire with a rebuild cost of $400,000. Costs are significantly higher and who is to say their insurance is properly covering them? 

Let’s say that if 1% of homes that were at risk were lost in a wildfire. With an increase of 5.6%, that would cost $25 million if insurance did not cover the damage. That is an unbelievable amount of money, all due to insurance companies underinsured homeowners. 

“Homeowners who experience natural hazard events, such as California wildfires, are often struck by personal and financial devastation and many aren’t able to rebuild their homes, which prolongs the regions recovery and often causes homeowners to default on their mortgages” Amy Gromowski also stated. This could not only cause issues in region recovery, but in the housing market if people are becoming delinquent on home loans. 

Dependent on where your home is located, go over your insurance plan and what it covers with your agent and clarify that your home is properly insured. Whether you live in tornado alley, in a place at high risk for fires, or on the coastline in route of hurricanes- make sure you and your home will be protected no matter what. We build our homes as our safe place and to be our safety blanket to any and all things that can happen in life, shouldn’t your home be a place you feel protected and safe even in the path of a natural disaster?

The post Natural Disasters Causing Homeowners to be Uninsured appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

Artificial intelligence is among these new pieces of technology and is one that we use almost every day but don’t always pay attention to it. Artificial intelligence is the technical ability to enable computers and machines to copy human intelligence. These pieces of tech can make decisions, remember images and things they saw, recognize things such as speech and translate the language. With AI being developed, more machines are learning how to remember algorithms, input data, recognize patterns and make decisions without having to be managed by a human.

Artificial Intelligence in Construction

On a construction site, some of the common duties you see are generating projects, conducting daily data reports, plans for the job, estimate job costs, budget management, and controlling progress photos of the job. These are just a few of the many jobs that are contracted for construction sites. Do you think Artificial Intelligence would be useful on a construction site? Do you think it would help enhance productivity and organization?

After conducting research and examining how Artificial Intelligence can operate, there are a few reasons why it is thought that AI would be useful on construction job sites. The first one, which is a major priority for job site managers, is a safe construction site. It is vital that the site itself is safe as well as having employees that are trained and aware of the dangers that can occur and how to manage and prevent them. Within the past years, there hasn’t been much improvement in safety on job sites, although there are certain pieces of tech such as drones, smartwatches, two-way radios, and site sensors that are being implemented more into job sites in hopes of promoting safety.

Artificial Intelligence is among these and is bringing hope to the construction industry in both areas of productivity and safety. VINNIE, which is an AI developed engine, was created to identify construction workers in photos and videos to determine if they are wearing the proper personal protective equipment based on the job. If VINNIE doesn’t see hardhats, safety vests, gloves, or safety glasses, for example, it will alert a superior. VINNIE which stands for “Very Intelligent Neural Network for Insight and Evaluation” would be a great addition to any construction site, as it could potentially increase job productivity as well as keep the workers safe.

We have seen the elevation of self-driving and self-managing cars from Tesla and there is not a piece of tech being created that will be able to manage itself and be completely autonomous. These machines are being created to use 3D maps, sensors, cameras, and GPS to provide real-time data without the need for human management. On construction job sites, especially with the bigger more in-depth commercial jobs, there are times where changes on the terrain and the outline of the job itself change. This machine can easily pull data and compare it with pictures to determine the best way to manage the change. All of this can promote job productivity as well as the overall job completion time.

Other Uses for Artificial Intelligence in Construction

Finally, a very important component in construction is planning and scheduling. Usually, on a site, there is a planned outline of when each part of the job needs to be completed and which worker is working on each part. AI can outline the job and its deadlines to create a manageable and flexible schedule for everyone on the site. This can include something as simple as the hours of each construction worker and which piece of the job they are responsible for. This can also help with the actual layout of the job itself to match a certain completion date.

Technology will continue to evolve through trial and error. The hopes for these pieces of tech is that it will enhance job productivity, job development, and management of the site and its workers. What do you think? Do you think it will help to improve the construction industry?

The post Artificial Intelligence in Construction, Will It Benefit the Industry? appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

Amazon’s New Build

Amazon bought a plot of land for $195 million earlier this year in the Seattle suburbs in Bellevue, Washington. The building hosts a 1 million square feet space that stands 43 stories high.

The layout of the high rise is planned to consist of 885,000 square feet of office space, with 14,000 square feet being retail. This is in addition to areas full of amenities and meeting spaces for employees and visitors. The building is being created to house the company’s headquarters and is on track to be completed by 2024.

As of right now, Amazon has not made any statements in regards to making a major shift in Seattle. In 2017, Amazon leased a building in Rainer Square that consists of 722,000 square feet. They are planning to sublease the building with the new building in the works.

Why The Big Move?

Amazon planned to make the move to Seattle once the city decided to start a $275 annual head tax per employee for companies who make around $20 million or more each year in revenue. The money was originally supposed to go to homeless individuals, but has increased with the economy. Amazon is working to add several different locations to their current army of locations. They chose a location in Long Island and New York City to be their next two multi-million dollar locations.

Currently, the tallest building in Seattle were Amazons Bellevue Towers, until the build of the new Amazon building is completed in the year 2024.

In April of this year, the company Geek Wire stated that Amazon was planning to make the move of their Worldwide Operations Teams which consists of thousands of employees and handles the majority of the company’s delivery and logistics team. Amazon’s main goal at all of their locations is to improve the overall productivity in operations, so they can get customers’ packages at their doors in a timely manner. Amazon has over 175 fulfillment centers across the world and a delivery team that manages trucks, trailers, and airplanes. With the new location of Amazon’s operations team, they are looking to implement new logistics when it comes to delivery.

This move particularly is allowing Amazon to continue getting more involved with the regions of Seattle and the community.

The Mayor of Seattle John Chelminiak stated, “We’re excited by today’s announcement that Amazon plans to expand its presence in Bellevue” as of April 2019.

“As a community, we have worked hard to anticipate this type of positive growth downtown, and Amazon is a natural fit. It is also critical that these types of jobs stay in the region. Bellevue values our business community and we look forward to working with the company as their transition progresses. Welcome Home Amazon!”

Amazon got a lot of push-back from the City of New York when they decided to ‘abandon’ their location their and continue their building elsewhere. As of now, Amazon is very pleased with their decision to build in Seattle as they now house over 45,000 employees in the Seattle alone. They also currently have about 11,000 jobs that are currently unfilled.

Are you looking forward to the completion of Amazon’s new build? What changes do you think they will make to their operations and delivery with the amount of space they now have access to?

In the words of the Mayor of Seattle, Welcome Home Amazon!

If you liked this article and want to keep up to date with similar industry news updates, be sure to follow us here at Building Empires Media Group!

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#5: Don’t stay in the shadows

If you own or manage a construction business, you want to get your business out into the community and talked about with word of mouth. This is especially true if you are a brand-new business. The quality of work and management of your team and site is also important because customers will talk about their experiences with their friends, families, and colleagues. Any bad talk or reviews can severely impact your company’s reputation, which could be detrimental in profit and future job opportunities.

#6: Use Your Strengths

Use your business’ strengths to your benefit by taking on jobs that you know are within your team’s skill sets. For example, if your team is specifically amazing on hotel jobs then accept and recruit more hotel jobs. Use your strengths to build up your reputation.

#7: Networking Is Key

Networking and marketing are key components to building your business. Use every strategy that is available to you. Social media is a perfect way to showcase your work and get it out into the community. Add pictures of the jobs you have completed, as well as moments on the job site that would be amusing or interesting to people. Build a website for your company that provides all the necessary information to your clients. With a website and social media, you can generate leads of these platforms along with many more. Getting involved in the community through events and giving back are also ways to get your name out there.

#8: Quality

Make sure your team is producing a product or building that is high quality and at your competitor’s level. If your builds themselves are slacking quality or your team lacks endurance, your rates will go down along with your leads. People are also less likely to refer you to other people if their jobs weren’t done well and equal to if not higher than other construction companies.

#9: Change Here and There

Change is good for your reputation. If you stay the same all the time with no changes, your clients and workers may get bored and move on to something new. Change your practices, pricing, and offers just in the slightest to create new attention. As for your workers, change up little things within the job site and incentives to keep them on their toes.

#10: Customer Service ie. The King

Your customer service, no matter what trade or business you are running, is extremely vital. Customer service is what makes a company great or what makes them bad compared to others. If you are not friendly, easy-going, or have good communication skills then your clients will instantly be turned away from your business and find a contractor elsewhere.

#11: Be Proactive

You can’t expect jobs to fall from thin air. You must be proactive with your advertising and marketing. Without doing this, your leads will decline and eventually you will lose whatever flow of work you had. By being proactive and working for your leads, you can sometimes generate an insane amount of leads and keep your business growing for years down the road.

#12: Be Smart

Always make smart decisions and keep yourself and your employees safe. Whether it’s a decision on the corporate end or on the job site, your decisions affect your entire team. Make sure your choices such as picking which job to take on, new tools, or new technology keep your team efficient and safe.

 These are our top 12 tips and tricks to maintaining and growing in the construction industry. If you keep these in mind and implement some of them in your daily practices your business will be destined for success and growth soon.

The post Part Two | Maintaining and Growth in Construction appeared first on Building Empires Media Group.

The New Architecture Project

The Canadian Firm has been enlisted by Westbank to transform a shopping mall into a 4.5 million square foot community. This community will be known by the name of Oakridge and will consist of 10 towers dedicated to residential spaces– one of which will be affordable housing. Other areas of the community there will be offices and retail spaces. The structure will cover over nine acres of land and will have several bike lanes, designated parks, and walkways.

According to the lead architect Gregory Henriquez:

 “This is not another traditional shopping Centre incorporating residential towers, it’s a place you may never have to leave.”

When it comes to the interiors of these homes, offices, and retail spaces, Westbank has picked multiple different designers to oversee the interiors of the nine residential towers. Piero Lissoni, an Italian designer, was chosen to conquer the tallest of the buildings. This building was also known as Building Four and is a curved design that tapers off towards the top.

Lissoni stated:

“Westbank’s Oakridge project was incredibly appealing to me because of the scope of its size and ambitions to transform the city and urban life in Vancouver.”

This building encompasses every aspect of a person’s daily life with space for residential, offices, shopping, a workspace, and communal walking areas and parks to enjoy your life each day. This concept could potentially eliminate the need to leave these 9 acres of land.

This New Architecture Project, and the Effect on the Environment

Here at Building Empires Media Group, we find this project both intriguing and likely environmentally friendly. If this concept of having a residential community where residents work, live and play on the same grounds takes hold, then they never have to leave. This could cut the amount of pollution from cars, trains, taxis, and busses substantially if taken seriously.

Once this idea was off the ground and in the works, Westbank released a sneak peek of Lissoni’s design in hopes of enticing buyers and building their interest to learn more. Lissoni’s project consists of residential cabins located on floors 28 through 41, the main lobby, amenities, and a rooftop garden.

The Composition of the Westbank Buildings

Currently, the aesthetics of each residential cabin have been chosen to follow a very modern and clean look with a mix of wooden and white cabinetry, white pillars to give off a vintage vibe, white walls, and flooring with the herringbone pattern. All of the furniture from each unit are from places such as B&B Italia, Boffi, and Miele and are all in the colors of woods, white, and dark tones.

As for the lobbies of the buildings, they are set to feature a more mood-based décor with a mix of Italian furniture and motif. A custom-built Fazioli grand piano, along with an area dedicated to a concierge area, fill in space with a shallow pool of water as a base.

The rest of the interior is luxurious and simple with dark metal cladding over the elevator banks and pale stone contrasting the metal.  

Amenities that are included in the design of this residential tower will all be on the seventh floor and will consist of a cinema, a private dining area, a kitchen, a lounge, and a study room with a music room not too far away, along with a gym and wellness center.

The other buildings in this community are not yet designed, but are set for completion in the year 2027. There will be three more mid-rise buildings that will stand for commercial and office use, a civic center, a performing arts academy, a live music venue, a library, as well as a senior and children care facility, and lastly a mall.

Oakridge will be heated and cooled by using energy systems that will capture the wasted heat and match it with natural energy. This will reduce the number of greenhouse gases that are in the air, as well as reduce the cost of heating and cooling.

“This is a project yet to be built anywhere, that on completion will form a fully integrated vessel of culture, within the city of Vancouver,” said Henriquez.

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