Friday5 - July 7, 2023 - MillerClapperton

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07-07-2023 info@millerclapperton.com tel: 770-941-8281

IN THIS WEEK’S FRIDAY5

According to the latest global cost index by U.K. professional services consultant Turner & Townsend, the U.S. is considered the most expensive country for construction with six American cities ranked among the list’s top 10. “More construction activity is driving up competition and bidding conditions, and now more than half of the top 10 most expensive cities to build are in the States,” says John Robbins, USA managing director and North America head of real estate at Turner & Townsend. New York City ranks highest on the list, followed by San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle.

“Labor shortages and supply chain issues continue to drive prices up as well. “The competition for skills to deliver a pipeline of contending programs across sectors and state boundaries is compounding the escalation of labor costs,” Robbins says. “Another component in rising prices is the trend to de-risk supply chains with a near-shoring of material procurement. While reducing disruption on one hand, we’ve seen a knock-on impact on costs and availability due to capacity constraints in the chain.”

Location: Hartselle, AL
Product: Reynobond FR (MCM)
General Contractor: Woodward Construction
Architect: Leonard Design PC

A renovated former Wells Fargo Bank building has become the new home of the city of Hartselle’s municipal building. The three-story, 21,000-square-foot building was renovated to include a reception area, auditorium/courtroom, offices with separate meeting spaces, records vault, and public restrooms. MillerClapperton fabricated 2,300 square feet of Metal Composite Material for the project.

“For the second consecutive year, Vienna is the world’s most liveable city according to The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) 2023 Global Liveability Index. Topping the ranking for the fourth time in five years, Vienna has excelled in stability, culture and entertainment, and reliable infrastructure. Copenhagen in Denmark maintained its second position while Melbourne and Sydney came in third and fourth position, rising to the top 5 where they previously had a consistent presence among the leading positions, before the pandemic. Ranking living conditions in 173 cities based on stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure, the survey suggests that nowadays, “life in cities is a bit better than at any time in the past 15 years.”

“Calling all art and design lovers: This summer is ripe with exhibitions highlighting your favorite things. This season’s offering include new shows at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., New York’s Center for Architecture, the Design Museum in Helsinki and more. Get started exploring everything from standout education projects to Navajo textiles at the American Museum of Natural History to LEGO-based recreations of iconic buildings, which celebrate both the world’s greatest feats of architecture and the creative power of LEGOs. Below you’ll find a list of 10 shows at home and overseas that truly showcase creativity at its finest.” Make it a point to visit at least one or a couple of these special exhibits this summer. Museum day, anyone?

Recommendation: Chat GPT and The Potential for Construction
Produced By: Document Crunch

In a panel discussion hosted by Atlanta-based Document Crunch, three self-described “technological evangelists” discussed the early stages of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and what potential it has for the construction industry. While the technology is still in its early stages, it’s possible that a large language model or LLM such as Chat GPT can be “trained with construction data or be used to break down complicated contracts.” Keep reading to learn how these AI models work and how companies can use them in a responsible way for future construction industry applications.

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