Oh what a time we’re going through this fall! As you read this, the country has a new president, the markets have reacted, with few knowing exactly where they will go after the roller-coaster month of October. But in such a time, design-build continues to push on. It’s a time where design-build needs some sure footing as we move into a new administration and soon a new year.
Perhaps most fittingly, we’re exploring new opportunities this month as well, with a look at concrete construction and design-build.
Aaron Chusid presents a piece about reusable concrete wall panels in “Solid Versatility.” The piece reveals how the Idaho National Guard has utilized wall panels produced by Ecolite Concrete USA Inc., and also outlines their flexibility and usage that stretches from jobsite fencing to security barriers and traffic control.
Craig R. Shutt, from the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, offers up a comprehensive piece in “Reinforced Adaptability,” outlining the benefits of concrete construction and how design-build brings more flexibility, speed and economics together to concrete construction projects.
Closing out our concrete focus is “United Front,” a piece produced by Gregory Luth, Clifford Bourland and Michael Gustafson, that outlines the future of concrete construction, illustrating how Building Information Modeling, design-build and the cast-in-place construction industry can realize great strides when these three elements are brought together. The article illustrates projects produced by Tekla Structures, Urban Design Group, Gregory P. Luth & Associates, along with Hathaway Dinwiddie and many others.
The November DATELINE isn’t finished, however. We spotlight two healthcare facilities that illustrate design-build’s efforts in this competitive and always varietal building and construction segment.
Finally, we help you make the most of your DBIA membership, clear a path to DBIA certification and give you the most up-to-date material — from textbooks to contract documents and our essential “Manual of Practice” — with our Publications Catalog.
Covering more than 40 pages, this easily perusable catalog offers our best sellers, new titles and hundreds of category titles that can help you on your next design-build project. As a bonus, phone and fax orders will receive free shipping through Dec. 31, 2008.
From concrete to publication content, we hope this issue puts you on a firm foundation and establishes your success in design-build throughout the years to come.
Christopher Prawdzik
Editor, Design-Build DATELINE