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The goal of the 91����Ƶ Building Division is to keep you informed about the most up-to-date industry news and trends that impact your business.  Social media is an outlet that allows us to share information quickly and allows you to react immediately, creating a valuable industry dialogue.

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), a leading indicator of the U.S. construction activity nine to 12 months into the future, had a score 52.0 in the month of December.  Any reading above 50 is said to indicate expansion, while any reading below 50 is said to indicate a decline in the demand for design services.

If you are performing construction work for pay in a home, apartment, or child-occupied facility built before 1978, you MUST be certified and use lead safe work practices unless you prove through testing that the job will not disturb lead paint. These and other requirements are part of a federal regulatory program called the “Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (LRRP)” rule. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that far too many firms are not complying with the LRRP requirements; a violation could cost you $37,500 per day. EPA recently mailed out “warning postcards” to companies it believes to be operating in violation of LRRP rule’s certification provisions. Click here for 91����Ƶ’s Fact Sheet on what the LRRP rule requires.

Looking ahead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has committed to an aggressive regulatory agenda and is poised to take action in all program areas—taking up issues like stormwater runoff, fly ash reuse, and the disturbance of lead paint in buildings.  The rulemaking pipeline is full, and the construction and real estate industries are positioned to feel the brunt over the next four years.  Fortunately, 91����Ƶ is working year round to keep EPA in check and remains closely engaged with the Agency on nearly a dozen pending rules, all projected to have significant impacts on construction jobs and the economy.  91����Ƶ will continue to push for sound, fact‐based decision‐making at all levels of government.

The construction industry is facing a shortage of employable workers in several states including Florida, Texas, Iowa and Arizona and is expected to impact other states as the construction industry continues to strengthen.

In this issue of the Observer, 91����Ƶ’s Environmental Forum Steering Committee Chairman Connie Determan provides construction companies with a resource for developing an environmental program that supports environmental compliance and achievement of company objectives.  “The Contractor Guide to Developing an Environmental Program” was developed through the collaborative effort of construction companies located in the United States for the purpose of supporting the environmental performance of the projects they perform.

The Architecture Billing index, a leading indicator of the U.S. construction activity nine to 12 months into the future, demonstrated its strongest growth pace since December 2010.  In the month of October the ABI score was 52.8, up from the mark of 51.6 in September.  Any reading above 50 is said to indicate expansion, while any reading below 50 is said to indicate a decline in the demand for design services. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized its reinterpretation of the Agency’s policy regarding Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) contaminated building materials.  The “PCB Bulk Product Waste Reinterpretation” addresses the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requirements governing the disposal of building debris that has been in contact with non-liquid PCBs such as PCB-containing caulk and paint.

The newly revised ConsensusDocs standard subcontract (ConsensusDocs 752 for Federal Work) will make it easier for general contractors and subcontractors to perform federal work. The updated ConsensusDocs 752 Federal Subcontract Agreement is designed to address recent changes in federal contracting such as requirements for certifying small business entities and new reporting of executive compensation requirements.

Unit 3: Lean Workstructuring, in 91����Ƶ’s Lean Construction Education Program is now available!