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May 2019 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 38th Edition

INDUSTRIAL WELDING ACADEMY'S

STUDENT CERTIFICATION DAY:

Building Stronger Minds and Better People Left to right: Fred Pena, Cameron Tanju, Andre Horn, Dan Jones and a high school welding instructor

18-19

INSIDE

16

Debt Collection, Part 3: Post-Judgment Remedies

30

Port Houston Takes Action to Accelerate Widening of Houston Ship Channel

06-07 Access 2019 Business Expo: Connect. Engage. Achieve.

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PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

Keith J. Davis, Sr. CERTIFIED:

HMSDC

The Subcontractors USA Texas Journal highlights opportunities and news relevant to the construction, energy, architecture, manufacturing, education, engineering, oil and gas, transportation and IT industries we serve. We hope you find this issue not only informative, but inspiring and educational as well.

This month’s issue highlights the Industrial Welding Academy’s annual Student Certification Day held in Houston and Beaumont.

This event provides an opportunity for high school and postsecondary students to become

Port of Houston

COO & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Tiffany Brown STAFF WRITER Carly Hammack PROJECT COORDINATOR Lindsey Ford PHOTOGRAPHY Grady Carter L.C. Poullard ART DIRECTOR Angel Rosa GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kendra Wiseman DISTRIBUTION Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Helen Callier Karalynn Cromeens Subcontractors USA News Provider

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BEHIND THE JOURNAL PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

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06-07 IN THE SUBCONTRACTORS USA COMMUNITY...

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08 08 CONSTRUCTION 08 Construction Employment Rises 08 Austin Commercial to manage construction of $240M soccer stadium in Austin, Texas 09 How a better project experience will win you more jobs 12 ENERGY 12 How is big oil is transitioning to power the future?

12 Women In The Workforce Margaret Wu: Breaking Barriers 14 IT & TECHNOLOGY 14 Five predictions for what ‘human capital’ will mean for CEOs in the future workforce 14 US intelligence wants to develop tools to detect construction projects around the world 16 LEGAL 16 Debt Collection, Part 3: Post-Judgment Remedies

18-19

HUB

VBE

DBE

OUR SERVICES

CONTENTS 04 ARCHITECTURE 04 House Bill 4342 Moves Ahead

certified welders and increase their chances of becoming employed in the industry. Like their welding academy, founders Andre and Miranda Horn aim to shape and improve the whole person, not just their welding skills.

IWA is changing the community by helping underserved kids and giving them a chance to be successful.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Subcontractors USA Texas Journal. When you support us, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work.

Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

18-19 COVER STORY 18-19 IWA Certification

22 OIL AND GAS 22 Offshore Exploration Promises Jobs, Affordable Energy 22 ConocoPhillips Donates $1 Million to Support Data Science at the University of Houston 24 PERMITS 24 When Is A Permit Required On A Residential Project?

26 SAFETY 26 AI, robotics safety a bigger concern to construction industry than job security

32 30 TRANSPORTATION 30 Port Houston Takes Action to Accelerate Widening of Houston Ship Channel 32 Texas A&M System partners with City of Houston to implement capital improvement and energy efficiency upgrades at Hobby and Bush Airports 32 STUDY: Texans want to ride the high-speed train!

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ARCHITECTURE

House Bill 4342 Moves Ahead

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

F

ollowing an April 16 hearing, House Bill 4342 was approved by the House Public Education Committee the next day. HB 4342 now advances with the committee’s full support.

HB 4342 would add a licensed architect to the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) Board of Directors. TxSSC is the official, university-supported research center at Texas State whose mission is to serve schools and communities in creating safe, secure and healthy learning environments.

At Tuesday’s hearing Laura Sachtleben, AIA, a nationally recognized education-design architect and 2019 chair of the School Safety Work Group, testified on behalf of the Texas Society of Architects (TxA) about the architect’s important role in designing for health, safety and welfare without sacrificing educational opportunity.

One of the most significant challenges Texans face is determining the needs of existing schools to bring them to an acceptable level of safety and security, including the costs associated with those improvements.

Given the size of Texas and its incredible environmental variables, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The TxA School Safety Work Group has said, “We cannot stress enough the importance of engaging all stakeholders at each campus to understand not just the physical condition of the facility but also its geographic location, operational plan, and required

threat-response procedures to meet the concerns raised by faculty and staff, local law enforcement and first responders, parents and students.”

TxA believes bringing an architect to the table will help foster a more holistic approach to educational design. No single solution can guarantee a tragedy won’t occur, but with architects designing in response to the perspectives of all school stakeholders the best possible solution for each campus and every district can be achieved.

HB 4342 now moves to the Calendars Committees where a date will be set for consideration by the full House. The Government Relations team said they “would like to thank Representative Clardy for authoring the bill and effectively championing the issue.”

Once out of the House, the bill will go to the Senate for similar review and consideration, and then to the Governor for his signature.

Source: Texas Architect

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Access 2019 Business Expo: Connect. Engage. Achieve.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council held their Access 2019 Business Expo recently at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas. This expo was an opportunity for small and Historically Underutilized Businesses to network with state agencies and institutions of higher education as well as compete for bid awards at the Doing Business Texas Style Spot Bid Fair. The expo also included several breakout session and workshops, a luncheon sponsored by Themesoft, Inc. and a closing ceremony complete with food, drinks and prizes.

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CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION

Austin Commercial to manage construction of $240M soccer stadium in Austin, Texas

• Precourt Sports Ventures, the primary investor and

Construction Employment Rises By 16,000 In March And 246,000 For The Year As Weekly Hours Hit New High And Unemployment A New Low For March

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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iring Rebounds from Losses in February, Suggesting Demand for Construction Remains Strong; Association Calls for Career Training Funding and Immigration Reform to Continue Growth Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in March and by 246,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, over the past year, according to an analysis of new government data today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials called on federal officials to double funding for career and technical training programs and facilitate immigration for workers with construction skills before a worker shortage stalls future infrastructure projects.

“Construction employment rebounded in March, indicating that the dip in February was probably related to extreme weather conditions and not the beginning of a slump,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist.

“In fact, the construction industry has added jobs at twice the rate of the overall economy in the past year.”

Construction employment totaled 7,447,000 in March, an increase of 246,000, or 3.4 percent, since March 2018. The growth rate was double the 1.7 percent gain in total nonfarm payroll employment, the economist noted. Average hourly earnings in construction – a measure of all wages and salaries – increased 3.3 percent over the year to $30.45. That figure was nearly 10 percent higher than the privatesector average of $27.70.

“The average workweek in construction is at a record high for March and the number of unemployed jobseekers with construction experience is at all-time lows,” Simonson added. “These data suggest that contractors are having a hard time finding qualified workers even though the industry pays better than the private sector as a whole.”

All construction industry employees averaged 39.9

hours of work per week in March, the highest March rate in the 14-year history of the series, Simonson observed. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed jobseekers whose last job was in construction totaled 490,000 in March, a steep decline from the 696,000 such workers in March 2018 and the lowest March total since the series began in 2000. The unemployment rate for those jobseekers amounted to just 5.2 percent, down sharply from the 7.4 percent rate a year earlier. The economist said the lack of experienced workers to hire results in longer-than-usual hours for short-handed construction crews.

In a survey the association released in January, more contractors reported they expect the dollar volume of projects available to bid on to expand than to shrink in 2019 in each of 13 project categories. In addition, 79 percent of respondents reported that they expect to add employees in 2019.

However, nearly as many—78 percent— reported they were having trouble filling some positions and 68 percent said they expected that hiring would remain difficult or become harder.

Association officials said that growth in the construction industry was dependent on finding qualified construction workers and that a lack of skilled workers would hold back businesses and infrastructure projects. They called on federal officials to double investments in career and technical education programs to expose more high school students to construction opportunities and to allow a contractor to bring in foreign workers for specific projects when the firm can demonstrate it was unable to hire U.S. workers.

“Our member firms continue to worry about finding enough workers to fulfill the demand for construction.” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “The only way to ensure that the construction industry continues to grow is to develop more skilled domestic workers that contractors need and to allow construction firms to seek qualified workers from outside the United States.”

operator of the new Major League Soccer franchise Austin FC, has chosen general contractor Austin Commercial as construction manager for the club’s new $240 million stadium in Austin, Texas.

Gensler has signed on as lead architect and CAA Icon will be the project manager and Precourt’s representative.

• Crews will break ground on the 20,500-seat, openair, multipurpose venue and accompanying soccer park in September, with completion scheduled in time for the team to start its 2021 season there.

Precourt estimated that its total investment, which also includes a training facility and public amenities around the stadium, will be over $475 million. Officials said construction will create more than 1,500 jobs in Travis County and contribute $163 million to the local economy.

• Precourt is working with a local consultant to ensure minority- and woman-owned business participation. As part of a community benefits commitment, the firm will also build and refurbish youth soccer fields in Austin’s underserved areas and help address issues of affordable housing, equity, youth health and wellness.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

rue soccer-specific stadiums are a sports construction niche, as they have many unique features not present in other professional sports venues: standing-area-only sections for supporters and their signs; a seating bowl that is extra close to the field; aluminum seating that lets fans feel the noise from the crowd; and cantilevered roof overhangs to capture and amplify that noise.

The Austin FC stadium is likely to have modern tech amenities like Wi-Fi and distributed antenna system (DAS) capabilities as well. Professional sports teams welcome fans and their smartphones — targets for advertising during and after the game — and this technology allows attendees to maintain an internet connection while inside the venue and to access the services of multiple cellphone carriers. Teams also get extra exposure when fans share their game-day experiences via social media.

There are a few other U.S. soccer stadiums in the works, including a proposed $230 million venue in Columbus, Ohio. The new arena is part of a plan to keep the local MLS franchise in Columbus and includes an ancillary mixed-use development and training facility. All in all, city and county officials have estimated that the project would result in direct spending of more than $1 billion.

But not everyone is in love with the idea of a soccer stadium in their neighborhood. Developer Sterling Bay had to remove a planned soccer arena and an entertainment district from its $6 billion Lincoln Yards development proposal after Chicago residents protested its inclusion.

Opponents of Sterling Bay’s original plan said it would add to the congestion and noise in the area.

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CONSTRUCTION

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experience will win you more jobs with a reputation for reliability. Using digital tools to offer clients full visibility DO LET’S into project deadlines and progress conveys your confidence in your team’s ability elling your company’s services to deliver work on time.BUSINESS If something isn’t to prospective clients is chal- completed as planned, these tools also

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Why D/FW While lenging.

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there’s a strong make it easy to provide an explanation market for construction work and plenty and an update to the project plan. of jobs to be won, competition is fierce and it can seem like owners are fixated on price. It’s understandably hard to balance Measurable Progress Naturally, this amounts to nothing if your commitment to quality and your desire to innovate in an industry built the work you deliver doesn’t match or exceed expectations. By holding your teams on bidding wars.

But as projects become more complex accountable through instant, real-time insight into and the inyour produstry shifts ject, you to digital can identools, it’s t i f y a ny increasingly p ot e nt i a l possible to issues while compete on there’s still more than 506 time to cor47,926 $14.6 just your 750 Buying jobs Billion MBE Certified bid numEntity rect them. created or Revenues MBEs Members retained As you hone Reported bers. The your team’s use of the project delatest conlivery and st r uc t ion experiment technolwith process ogy and techoptimization, niques offers your projects a winning will run more competitive s m o o t h l y, advantage if enabling you you’re willto complete ing to invest Increase MBE Build MBE Build Access Improve Advance Business Capacity To Quality Organizational Diversity them on or in acquiring Opportunities Through Tiered (Capable) Infrastructure Programs of new skills.

Programming Minority Focused On a h e a d Suppliers Minority schedule.

Inclusion Keep in mind that the purpose isn’t Tech-Enabled Collaboration simply to meet an efficiency goal and then As the popularity of alternative project plateau. The goal is continuous improvedelivery methods like integrated project ment, meaning that if you put in the time delivery, design-build, or construction- and commit to getting the most out of manager-at-risk grows, more clients are new technologies and processes, you’ll prioritizing their need for transparency, continue to see improvements through accountability, and efficiency. Demon- cross-project learning and access to data strating a commitment to process opti- you wouldn’t otherwise have had. As more mization is attractive to owners that are of your projects finish ahead, you’ll be able looking to run their projects smoothly and to take on more work than you previously with less conflict than in the past. Taking could have, boosting profits. this commitment one step further, the Remember that finishing on time or use of digital collaboration tools enables early doesn’t only benefit contractors; time owners to have the same visibility into is money for owners, too. The sooner their project information as the project team. projects are completed, the better it is for When owners can see how the project is their business. If you save them money progressing in full detail, they’re more on one project, chances are they’ll award likely to voice concerns early if they see you future work. that something isn’t aligning with their expectations, minimizing rework down The End of Underbidding the road.

This enhanced collaboration and visDifferentiating your company from ibility improves the working relationship the competition shouldn’t require you to by increasing trust, as well as the chance drastically lower your prices or spend a that the owner will view the overall pro- fortune on marketing and trade shows. ject as a positive experience. If an owner With a strategic investment in processes knows that projects you undertake offer and technology to drive efficiency and them more transparency compared to reduce risk for your business and your your competition, they’re likely to feel clients, you’ll more than stand out from more comfortable working with you. the competition.

In addition to greater transparency, owners will gravitate toward contractors Source: Construction Dive

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As one of the nation’s largest commercial builders, Turner is dedicated to providing avenues of opportunity for Minority- and Woman-Owned Businesses in Houston to achieve entrepreneurial success.

Our commitment to social responsibility and fair play is not just on paper; it is ingrained in our corporate culture. We are devoted to making sure the contributions that strengthen the local economy reflect the demographics of the community at large.

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ENERGY

HOW IS BIG OIL TRANSITIONING TO

POWER THE

FUTURE?

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

W

indmills. Electric cars. Solar panels. When the cost and performance of emerging technologies improves, incumbents get nervous.

Eventually the oil age will end, and it won’t be because we’ve run out of oil. Something better will come along.

Something cheaper. It’s inevitable, and the question is how the oil and gas companies of today become the energy companies of tomorrow.

This question is urgent because we’re living in a world where there are predictions that peak oil demand will be reached in years rather than decades, stubbornly low oil prices and investor demands for more climate-related disclosures. It’s a good bet the answer to the question about the future of energy will have something to do with electricity.

Electrification has always been a catalyst for the broadening and deepening use of energy. In 2000, Neil Armstrong, speaking for the National Academy of Engineers, called electrification the greatest engineering achievement of the 20th century, ahead of the automobile, airplane and television.

Power generation is the single largest use of energy in the United States. In 2016, 39% of all energy used (37.8 quadrillion BTUs) flowed through the electric power grid.

[1] The question has never really been whether electricity would eventually dominate the way that energy is delivered, but rather how the electricity system would be fueled. A bet on the answer to that question (natural gas vs. renewables, solar vs. wind) is a bet on the future of the energy industry, including oil and gas companies.

Oil companies have ventured into the power sector before, but those investments were focused on creating markets for natural gas and creating optionality for gas marketing and trading operations.

Can big oil become big green power?

Renewables have had a small place in the portfolios of the majors for many years, but investment in these businesses has ebbed and flowed and has never become material or profitable.

We looked at investments in low-carbon or renewable sources of energy and clean technologies by 10 international oil companies since the beginning of 2014.

Collectively, these companies have invested more than US$16b (out of total capital expenditures of more than US$350b) in future energy solutions, either independently or with partners.

The actual level of investment by these companies could be closer to US$20b because the value of some deals was not disclosed. Half of the total investment, some US$7.9b, has centered on renewable power generation projects. Forty percent of the total investment has been directed to wind energy and 9% to solar power.

Several integrated oil and gas companies are beginning to invest heavily in various renewable technologies such as advanced battery technologies and offshore wind power.

The research showed the companies are all placing their bets on one energy source or technology rather than building portfolios of diversified low-carbon solutions to spread risk. Some are betting on wind, others solar, while some stick closer to their core business with biofuels. This suggests a wealth of options but no obvious way forward that works for the industry and the world as a whole.

The question that must be asked is whether an oil

company’s core skills and culture can be translated to the renewable energy business. What is it that makes an oil company successful, and does it lead to success in the renewable power business?

In many ways renewables would seem to play to some key oil and gas sector strengths. The industry has capital to invest, investment-grade credit ratings, technology know-how, large-scale energy project management capabilities and years of community engagement experience.

If those things were all that mattered, oil companies could have built and owned nuclear power plants. Who thinks that would work out?

So far, success in the renewable power space has been built on relationships with regulated power distribution companies and regulators (not a core strength of big oil). In the here and now, renewable power doesn’t always compete on efficiency or economics (a core strength of big oil).

Isn’t a natural gas producer actually a power company?

In Europe and the US, concerns about greenhouse gas regulations will make it difficult to find capital to maintain coal operations as a power source for electricity.

Commitments to control climate change will continue to make coal-fired plants unsustainable globally. The emergence of hydraulic fracturing techniques has made gas plentiful and secure. The substitution of gas-fired for coal-fired electricity (with new renewables just about covering demand growth) has been the trend.

What does the future look like? Renewables will grow, too, but not enough to keep cheap gas from also growing.

If we look at it objectively, the oil companies’ natural and probably most profitable investment in the power sector is in a business they are already in — natural gas.

Source: EY

ENERGY

Women In The Workforce Margaret Wu: Breaking Barriers

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

F

or me, overcoming professional barriers is all in a day’s – or life’s – work.

I began my career in 1976 as the first woman with advanced degrees to work at ExxonMobil’s renowned research lab in Edison, New Jersey. Fast-forward to today, a few years after my retirement, and I am the first woman from ExxonMobil to be inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, a top honor for any scientist.

I’m very proud to have those bookends to my career.

Over my 40 years at the company, I pioneered and collaborated with many talented scientists on several innovations that led to my authorship of more than 100 U.S. patents. Among these breakthroughs was the creation of a new class of synthetic lubricant that offered greater energy efficiency and protection.

That product, which took my team and me decades to develop, is still

used in Mobil 1 formulations.

As I pushed forward synthetic lubricant research throughout the years, I also witnessed firsthand a shift in the makeup of my workplace. Frankly, in the 1970s, there were few woman scientists or engineers in the lab. But that has changed.

Over the years, I have been heartened to see the growing number of women joining and taking leadership roles in research at

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ExxonMobil.

In 2016, I fully retired after working for several years as emeritus senior science advisor, the highest-ranking technical position in the company. I am proud of what I was able to accomplish with my team and am excited to pass the baton on to other women scientists.

If my work taught me anything, it’s that there’s always something new to discover.

I look forward to watching the next generation of scientists and engineers create an even more energy-efficient future.

Source: ExxonMobil

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

Five predictions for what ‘human capital’ will mean for CEOs in the FUTURE WORKFORCE

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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s the workforce is augmented by AI, CEOs will need to prepare their organization for new ways of working.

Over the coming decades, the whole experience of what it means to ‘work’ is likely to change dramatically, impacting our relationships with our colleagues, our employers and even ourselves.

At the same time, the idea of ‘human capital’ will be completely elevated and transformed as CEOs seek out ways to capitalize on, and preserve, the unique value that people bring to a workplace that is increasingly enabled by machines.

SO, WHAT SHOULD CEOS EXPECT FROM THE FUTURE? HERE ARE MY PREDICTIONS: 1. CEOS WILL MANAGE A WORKFORCE THAT CONSISTS OF BOTH PEOPLE AND MACHINES. TODAY FEW OF US SEE OURSELVES AS MANAGERS OF MACHINES. Yet, in future, when we are working alongside cobots (robots designed to physically work alongside humans), machine management is likely to take up a considerable amount of our time. While cobots might be able to relieve us of our most mundane tasks, enabling us to add value to our organization in other ways, we will need to take responsibility for the ethical implications of leveraging this technology. The C-suite will inevitably have the greatest level of responsibility when it comes to putting the right controls and governance in place to ensure that the AI and respective algorithms are executing as envisioned (for example, without bias in decision-making or without compromising privacy, safety or security). They will also need to set clear parameters around how people interact with machines: where does technological intelligence end and human judgment begin?

2. MORE AND MORE OF US WILL BE GIG WORKERS. Today we are already transitioning to a gig economy, according to the World Bank’s latest World Development Report. More and more people are becoming entrepreneurs and earning their living from working on a series of short-term projects for different organizations rather than from a full-time role with a single employer. As this trend intensifies, it will massively impact the way that the C-suite communicates its vision and sense of purpose, attracts and retains people, provides development opportunities and engages with workers on an ongoing basis. It also presents great opportunities to really diversify in terms of competencies, as well as logistical challenges in terms of how workers are quickly and effectively onboarded onto projects.

Platforms will play a key role. Already, gig workers are increasingly finding projects through online platforms, such as GigNow, the global talent marketplace created by EY. 3. WE WILL WEAR MICROCHIPS. It’s an ethical minefield, but human microchipping is already being trialed in countries such as Sweden, Norway and the US. Setting aside the Big Brother connotations, microchips could be hugely convenient for workers, removing the need for them to carry ID passes, keys, credit cards and train tickets. They may also allow us to log into our work computer systems without having to remember a password. While the prospect of being microchipped for work might

sound unappealing today, we will probably be far more accepting of the concept once we start to see the benefits. For example, when we’re using the chips to monitor our health, or even as replacements for our smartphones. For CEOs, however, the microchipping of people presents significant ethical issues. They will need to ensure that chipping is not used as a way to abuse or exploit staff, treated as a means of enforcing ‘ownership’, or employed for purposes for which it was not originally intended. They will also need to consider how workers’ privacy will be protected – who will be able to access the information on the chips and why?

4. WORK WILL BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH EDUCATION. I firmly believe that the reskilling and upskilling of people needs to be top of CEOs’ agendas. The world is changing so fast that any organization that lacks a strategy for continually developing the skills of its people has no future. If companies are to prosper, STEM needs to become even more deeply embedded in our education systems than it is today. Also, as our 2018 Global Alumni Survey shows, CEOs need to not only nurture technical skills but also our human capabilities, such as critical thinking, the ability to collaborate, a commitment to ethics, and feeling comfortable with ambiguity and change.

5. THE DAYS IN THE OFFICE WILL DISAPPEAR. Will we even need to work in physical offices when we can effectively reconstruct the office environment using virtual and augmented reality?

CEOs must consider how they will create a workplace that people conjure up by simply putting on a headset, rather than actually having to travel anywhere. Will we build convincing virtual workplace experiences that allow people to duck in and out of meetings, talk to colleagues at the next desk, and eat their lunch in the communal environment of the canteen as though we were actually there? How will we maintain our human connection in an increasingly digital world? What should we preserve in terms of physical meetings to foster those personal connections?

IT & TECHNOLOGY

US INTELLIGENCE

wants to develop tools to detect construction projects around the world

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he U.S. Director of National Intelligence’s Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) office has issued a draft grant offer for the development of a system that can detect construction activity worldwide. The announcement is part of the agency's Space-based Machine Automated Recognition Technique (SMART) program.

The new machine learning technology must have broadarea search functionality that will allow for the monitoring of large, global construction projects. The system, according to an analysis of the draft request

by Nextgov, must also be able to merge photos from U.S., foreign and commercial satellites and reconcile them with archived data, weather patterns and environmental factors.

The tech must also be able to process images from drones and other aircraft.

The purpose of the system will be to develop “easy-toimplement” tools to help the agency’s overtasked human staff "efficiently analyze, assess and utilize big data.” IARPA officials will be taking suggestions and questions about the grant project until May 10 and then will issue a formal funding offer. Once a developer is identified, the project should take four years to complete.

Dive Insight: Aerial images play a big role in IARPA’s plans, as they do in the management of construction projects. Contractors and project managers have always used photographs to record the progress of a job and to memorialize aspects of the structure as part of a project's official documentation or simply for posterity’s sake. Technology, however, has made it easier to do that and has given construction companies more options for using those images.

Last month, construction image company TrueLook announced that it had integrated its live camera capabilities with Autodesk's construction management platform, BIM 360. Users can now add a TrueLook camera view to their BIM 360 dashboards and see live and historical images via time-lapse and high-definition security recordings. This allows managers to view current and past conditions on their projects at any time and also gives those unfamiliar with modeling images a chance to see the project in a way they can better understand.

But sometimes all that data stresses standard computing systems and requires an innovative solution to keep information flowing according to the shorter timelines that contractors expect.

Engineering and environmental consulting firm Dudek offers mapping, inspection and construction project monitoring and has a relatively new in-house drone division that provides imagery services to contractors. However, processing an increasing volume of data for its largest customers could take up to five days. The company turned to the Workspot Workstation Cloud on Microsoft Azure, which allowed Dudek to use the cloud to achieve higher processing speeds of just a few hours without having to invest thousands of dollars in new hardware.

Source: XXXXXXXXXXX

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Source: Construction Dive

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LEGAL

Debt Collection, Part 3

Post-Judgment Remedies

By Karalynn Cromeens Contributing Writer

H

ere we are at the final stage.

You covered your bases during the pre-application process, decided to extend credit to the consumer, took steps to reduce your risk while the credit relationship was still good, followed the proper protocol when it came time to collect the debt, and won a judgment following a successful lawsuit.

Now you can collect the money, right?

In the final part of this three-part series, we will discuss what you can do once a judgment has been rendered in your favor.

Grab the popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the show. Here’s where you get paid.

FreezeTheir TheirFunds Funds Freeze Okay, okay, a writ of garnishment, on the surface, looks like another lawsuit, but this one is filed against the bank where the debtor does business, effectively freezing their accounts.

Account numbers? We don’t need no stinkin’ account numbers for a writ of garnishment! All you need to know is the name and location of the bank to file the writ.

FindersKeepers Keepers Finders After winning the judgment, you’re now able to collect on the debt by way of a post-judgment discovery. A postjudgment discovery will allow you to locate the debtor’s assets and retain them as payment for the money you are owed.

It’s pretty simple. You or your attorney will pose questions to the debtor as to the whereabouts of his or her assets.

If the debtor refuses to respond and reveal the location of their assets, they can be held in contempt of court and face jail time.

Abstract Abstractof ofJudgment Judgment An abstract of judgment allows you to effectively put a halt to the selling of or purchasing of property by the debtor until they have paid their debt in full.

The abstract of judgment is filed with the clerk in every county where the debtor owns property.

Putting a stop to the purchasing and selling of property may work against some debtors, but what if property really isn’t their thing? There are other options; namely, hit them in their wallet.

ExecutionisisEverything Everything Execution When all else fails, it’s time to involve the local law enforcement by having the court clerk issue a writ of execution. Surely the flash of a badge will result in full payment.

Once the court clerk issues the writ of execution, the sheriff or constable where the debtor resides will exercise his authority to collect any non-exempt property. This is most useful for operating companies because they don’t have any exempt property.

However, individuals have a lot of exemptions that would not be available to satisfy a judgment.

And here’s the best part: a writ of execution allows you to take any real property not considered a homestead, such as campers, weekend race cars, ATVs, etc.

A writ of execution can also be used to sell real property owned by a company.

When it comes down to it, relief comes in many shapes and sizes for the collection of a debt post-judgment. Your best bet is to contact The Cromeens Law Firm for expert legal advice from Texans who have years of experience in navigating debt collection law.

The Cromeens Law Firm provides clients with expert advice concerning Texas law in regard to debt collection. Speak with one of our experienced attorneys today by calling 713-489-5792 or contact us online to discuss your options.

This article is intended as a general educational overview of the subject matter and is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of recent jurisprudence, nor a substitute for legal advice for a specific legal matter. If you have a legal issue, please consult an attorney.

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REACHING OUT AND GIV SUBCONTRACTORS USA

Inside IWA’s Annual Student Ce

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

exas has one of the greatest demands for skilled welders, but there is a major gap in available, properly trained workers, leading to a decline in the quality of welding work. The American Welding Association stated there is a need for more than 216,000 newly trained workers in the welding industry to be able to fill welding jobs by 2020. To put that into perspective, one analyst stated that if the entire population of Lake Charles, Louisiana, ages 5 to 85, was trained to be welders, there still would not be enough people to fill the gap in talent and work demand.

Andre Horn, Founder and CEO

We are building stronger minds and better people,” Horn said. “A perspective I like to consider is thinking about the 500 kids that come to the student certification day, and then imagining those same young faces in prison. That is not an option.”

However, Andre and Miranda Horn are working to change that. The Horns are the owners and operators of the Industrial Welding Academy, a welding education and training school founded nearly 12 years ago that offers a variety of welding courses and programs to its students. In collaboration with the American Welding Society, the organization through which all United States welding is governed, the Industrial Welding Academy holds a Student Certification Day every year in the Greater Houston Area and Golden Triangle Area.

This is a day in which high school and post-secondary students have the opportunity to participate in professional welding certification and increase their chances of employment in the industry.

“We decided to start the student certification day as a way to assist some of the youth not amenable to going to college, but are good at working with their hands, and use this as their first step to getting employed in the welding industry,” Andre Horn said.

At the actual event, students from various high schools throughout the area are paired with proctors and taken to several welding stations and instructed on things such as safety, quality and productivity before being given their welding performance test.

The test is based on the information they should be

learning in their school welding courses and is equivalent to the test they must take to become a professionally employed welder.

“This certification testing is free for all students,” Horn said. “And once completed, this will assist students in becoming employed, as this welding performance qualification is industry standard,

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and it will ga lot of compan When this ago, they wer ticipants. Now attending the

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IVING BACK SUBCONTRACTORS USA

ertification Day

“

This certification testing is free for all students,” Horn said.

“And once completed, this will assist students in becoming employed, as this welding performance qualification is industry standard, and it will gain the students recognition from a lot of companies.”

ain the students recognition from a nies.” program first began about 12 years re lucky to have 30-45 student parw, the Horns have over 800 students certification day every year as well as

several community sponsors and volunteers helping at the event.

The Horns have a passion for reaching out and giving back to their community. This passion is the reason they started the Industrial Welding Academy and the Student Certification Day in the first place. They saw a need to help those in

the young adult community who, based on their circumstances, were more susceptible to fall into a life of crime. And living in a refinery community with a great need for skilled workers, they saw that starting the welding academy and the certification opportunity was the right move.

“This is the community in which we raised our kids and lived in for over 20 years,” Horn said. “We’ve seen a dramatic change ever since the economy shifted years ago, and if kids are not exposed to a four-year college, but are great with working with their hands, they are likely to get a white-collar job. We want to help them get employed and be successful, while also improving our community.”

Despite the enormous growth they have seen in the Student Certification Day, they still have plans to continue growing and adding to the program. One of Horn’s hopes for the future of the certification day is having the opportunity to further educate high school instructors in addition to the students.

“Not only do we do student certification,” Horn said. “We do instructor certification as well. We bring in instructors from high schools and teach them the correct industry standards and practices. We found that in high schools, instructors are just like coaches. They’ve passed the state requirements, but that does not mean they have ‘coaching credentials.’”

Horn also hopes that the high school

welding programs can evolve into a system similar to the sports programs, where various industry-standard welding competitions are held throughout the year. This will allow students to have certification testing experience before attending the actual Industrial Welding Academy Student Certification Day. “They can have competitions in the steel trade, just like they do in anything else,” he said. “By the time the students come to our facility we would hope they have competed in ten or more before coming to our certification.”

As they do with the welding academy, the Horns hope is that this student certification tests more than just their welding skills. The goal for their programs is to shape and train the whole person, in all aspects of their lives.

This is another tool they use as a preventative method to keep underserved kids away from prison and into a system that builds on their skills sets and successful futures.

“We are building stronger minds and better people,” Horn said. “A perspective I like to consider is thinking about the 500 kids that come to the student certification day, and then imagining those same young faces in prison. That is not an option.”

For more information, please visit www.iwatraining.com or call 713-6729353

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OIL AND GAS

OIL AND GAS

ConocoPhillips

OP-ED

Donates $1 Million to Support Data Science at the University of Houston

Offshore Exploration Promises Jobs, Affordable Energy

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

S

trong U.S. natural gas and oil production is revitalizing communities in state after state. It’s well-known that increased energy production has cut costs for families – at the pump and in-home utility bills. But leading the world in production has also given U.S. businesses a leg up, generating a manufacturing resurgence.

To list just a few examples, affordable energy has brought a Louisiana steel plant back from overseas, where it employs 150 workers at twice the local median salary. It’s spurred the development of a new manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania – supporting 6,000 jobs during construction and 600 permanent jobs. In Texas, a steel company cited“access to natural gas at extremely economical prices” as a chief factor behind its $500 million expansion.

Communities don’t have to be located in energy-producing regions to benefit from the U.S. energy revolution.

But it helps. That’s why coastal states have so much to gain from the Interior Department’s upcoming offshore energy plan. And that’s why organizations like mine are speaking out in support of offshore natural gas and oil exploration.

The government’s next five-year energy leasing plan could open additional areas in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to energy development. Offshore reserves represent one of the greatest untapped sources of domestic natural gas and oil – and jobs. Government estimates indicate 90 billion barrels of oil and 327 trillion cubic feet of natural gas could be awaiting discovery offshore. For context, Americans consume about 20 million barrels of oil and 82 billion cubic feet of natural gas day.

So, we’re talking about decades’ worth of energy security. But first we need to update government policy that keeps 94 percent of federal offshore acreage closed to energy development. Offshore energy in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico could generate hundreds of thousands of jobs – in coastal states and nationwide, in the energy industry and beyond.

America’s natural gas and oil industry supports 10.3

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C

million U.S. jobs overall — and opportunities are constantly expanding. A recent report projects the industry could create almost 1.9 million job opportunities by 2035, of which hundreds of thousands are projected to be filled by African American and Hispanic workers. Expanding offshore energy development could steer some of those jobs to Southeastern states that need them.

Jobs in the offshore exploration and development field average $113,000 annually, significantly higher than the U.S. national average. That’s a statistic that represents lifechanging opportunities for families and communities.

Job opportunities aren’t limited to the energy industry.

Energy development generates economic activity that supports jobs at all educational levels in multiple sectors – from engineering firms to equipment companies to restaurants.

Energy development is also a major revenue generator. In the Gulf of Mexico alone, expanding offshore exploration could contribute $4.9 billionin funding to support schools, roads, bridges and other state needs.

My organization, Reaching America, is focused on reducing energy poverty and expanding opportunity in African American communities. The facts show major economic growth goes hand-in-hand with offshore energy development – making a compelling case that it’s a smart move.

But is it safe? Technological advances and strict regulations make it safer than ever. More than 100 safety standards have been created or strengthened since 2010 — a comprehensive, joint effort by government regulators and the natural gas and oil industry.

The Center for Offshore Safety was also established to ensure the continuous improvement and enhancement of industry’s safety and environmental performance.

The Center promotes the highest level of safety and engages global industry leaders to take on unique offshore challenges while relying on independent auditing and review by third-party certifiers.

Decades of experience confirm offshore energy development can safely coexist with crucial existing industries like tourism and fishing. The Gulf of Mexico has produced more than 1 million barrels of oil per day since 1996, while also supporting a Gulf tourism industry valued at more than $200 billion a year.

Global energy demand is growing, and that means growing economic opportunities. We should seize those opportunities by opening additional offshore areas to safe natural gas and oil development.

onocoPhillips today announced a $1 million contribution to the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) to help meet growing demand for data science education. This donation marks the first of several planned contributions by ConocoPhillips to support data science curriculum at multiple universities.

The contribution to the University of Houston will fund new faculty positions in the computer science and mathematics departments, along with fellowships for graduate students with strong data science skills.

“The oil and natural gas industry is evolving in ways that increasingly require ConocoPhillips employees to utilize leading-edge data analytic skills,” said Greg Leveille, chief technology officer of ConocoPhillips and a member of the advisory board for NSM Dean Dan Wells.

“The University of Houston is an important source of talent for us, so we’re pleased to provide a gift that will enable the university to further strengthen its ability to teach these skills to students.”

Demand for expertise in data science is growing at a rapid pace: from students who want to learn the field; researchers who produce, interpret or otherwise work with reams of data; and industry, which needs a data science-savvy workforce to harness data for solutions to specific problems.

“Data science is important in many fields, from business to engineering to health care,” said Jaspal Subhlok, chairman of the University of Houston Department of Computer Science. “Everybody needs the expertise, a pathway to get enough skills to use in their own fields.”

The contribution will specifically fund:

• ConocoPhillips Fellows of Data Science • ConocoPhillips Professor of Practice in Data Science in the Department of Computer Science • ConocoPhillips Data Science Instructional Faculty in the Department of Mathematics • ConocoPhillips Data Science tenure-track faculty in the Department of Mathematics

In addition to supporting the university’s data science programs, ConocoPhillips provides ongoing annual support for scholarships, programs, faculty and facilities across the University of Houston system.

Source: Newswire

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PERMITS

When Is A Permit Required On A Residential Project?

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

M

any home repairs do not require a permit, yet like clockwork, this time of year in late Spring, our phones start ringing with questions about when a permit is needed. From contractors to home owners and even house flippers, here are a few questions that we have answered.

• “We are widening our bathroom doors and upgrading our shower so my father’s wheelchair can pass through, do we need a building permit?”

• “Is a permit required for changing floors to hard wood and marble?”

• “After the last flood, we cut our sheetrock 4ft high, do we need a permit to install new sheetrock?”

• “Is a permit required to move the location of the entrance door to our apartment garage?”

• “I’m a veteran and senior citizen, do I have to pay for a building permit?”

R e mo d e l s , major repairs, renov at ion s , additions and other types of projec t s a re big bu siness across the U.S. in the residen-

t i a l m a rket. Most contractors are primarily focused on starting a project, doing great work a nd having the opportunity to grow their business. The thought of going to the permitting center is frustrating, and when at the jurisdiction, the experience is draining and exhaustive for many contractors.

To assist residential contractors as well as homeowners in making sure projects are safe and permitted if needed, below is a general guide to use.

• Structural changes involving moving load-bearing walls • Creating new and altering doors • Altering the footprint of house • Changes to the roof structure • Install new electrical wiring • Adding new window openings including replacing windows where structure is altered • Major bathroom upgrades involving moving plumbing, widening doors and ADA related changes

There are many more home repair and renovation projects that can be highlighted and visiting the correct jurisdiction’s web site for additional information is wise. Information obtained can insure you are on

the right track with permitting.

When do you typically not require a building permit for residential project? The list below shows as a general rule-of-thumb.

• Replacing sheetrock and base boards • Installing new floors • Installing new windows • Changing out countertops • Refreshing house i.e. painting, fixing holes in walls, replacing bricks on inside chimney • Changing out faucets, toilets and sinks

As a contractor, it is your professional responsibility to let your customer – the home owner – know you have pulled the proper permits required for a specific scope of work. Doing so helps make sure construction is being done in a safe manner and in accordance to jurisdictional building code requirements. This also minimizes liability on your end and added costs for the home owner.

Conclusion InInConclusion The residential market in North Carolina, Texas, Florida and other severe storm impacted states will continue to create opportunities for growth for contractors. This along with heading into the regular home repair and maintenance season – late Spring and Summer months – creates a busy work environment where pulling permits can add more stress. When reviewing the scopes of work, consider the when to permit points above and visit the appropriate jurisdiction web site. If you have any questions on residential permits, call the PermitUsNow team at 1.844.PERMIT.4. #BuildSafe.

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SAFETY

AI, ROBOTICS SAFETY a bigger concern to construction industry than job security

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

Volvo Construction Equipment survey of 205 U.S. and U.K. construction workers found that 31% of respondents were fearful that artificial intelligence and robotics would replace them on jobsites. While that is a common conception about the technology, an even larger chunk, 46%, was concerned about perceived safety risks involved with that kind of machinery.

The possible negative impacts of AI and robotics on the social aspects of their jobs worried 26% of respondents, and not knowing who to blame when something goes wrong concerned 17%. About half of the machine operator respondents (48%) believed that they were at risk of losing their jobs to technologies, and as well as engineers (21%), bricklayers (17%) and construction managers (16%).

On a positive note, 54% of participants responded that advanced technology will make construction sites more productive, 48% said it would increase the pace of work, and 30% said safety would be improved. Respondents between the ages of 25 and 44 were more likely than their older counterparts to see AI and robotics as a benefit to the jobsite. The construction survey is part of a larger survey of more than 2,000 people conducted earlier this year in association with consulting firm Censuswide.

DiveInsight: Insight: Dive As contractors face tighter schedules and a shrinking pool of qualified workers, they are turning to technology to ensure that they can produce at a level necessary to keep their customers happy and take on more projects.

In fact, McKinsey & Co., in an April 2018 report said the technology could be particularly helpful in the areas of quality control, management of contractor claims, staffing logistics, project tracking and risk management.

In another report, the company said that machine learning, 3D printing, modular construction, drones, laser scanning, virtual learning and robotics were among the technologies gaining the most popularity.

For some companies, embracing new technology might be as simple as incorporating exoskeletons, which let

jobsite employees work longer but with fewer injuries and less fatigue. In the U.K., for example, a utility contractor is testing the EksoVest, which is a spring-loaded exoskeleton that supports workers' arms as they lift objects at chest level or higher.

Or, for a more technologically advanced boost in productivity, collective robotic construction could be the answer. According to a study from Science Robotics, collective robotics allows contractors to integrate design and construction through the use of several robotic systems that share the same environment and communicate with each other. These autonomous robots could aid in large-scale construction, site prep, demolition, scaffold assembly and breakdown, as well as other activities through the lifecycle of a project.

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TRANSPORTATION

PORT HOUSTON TAKES ACTION

to Accelerate Widening of Houston Ship Channel

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met in special session Monday and moved to accelerate widening of the Houston Ship Channel, the nation’s busiest waterway. “The Houston Ship Channel is open for business for all and will continue to be,” said Chairman Ric Campo.

The Port Authority is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other representatives of the federal government, as well as Port of Houston and Houston Ship Channel stakeholders, to obtain authorization, and accelerated funding and completion, of a deepened and widened ship channel. This project will be the eleventh significant widening and deepening of the channel since its conception.

The commission was briefed on measures to make sure widening of the entire Galveston Bay reach of the ship channel is part of the next Houston Ship Channel dredging project. The commission also directed staff to bring it proposals for Port Authority and industry funding to support this accelerated effort.

In addition, after careful consideration of interim measures to address growing traffic, the commission adopted a resolution to further maximize current twoway traffic transiting the Houston Ship Channel.

The Houston Ship Channel is experiencing tremendous growth. Houston, the country’s No. 1 export city, is home to the largest petrochemical manufacturing complex in the Americas. Energy production and the export of crude oil, and the increasing global demand for chemic a ls produced in the region, are major drivers of this success.

Expansion

of the Panama Canal, the growth of vessel sizes, and the region’s population growth have also resulted in record container demand, both for imported consumer goods and exported manufactured products, further driving the need for improvements to the channel.

In order to ensure continued safe, unimpeded traffic of neo-panamax container vessels and other ships, under the terms of this new business rule, only one vessel that imposes “one-way traffic” on all deep-water ships transiting the Houston Ship Channel within Galveston

Bay to call facilities within the Port of Houston may call on a Port Authority terminal in a given week, an interim solution intended to ensure unencumbered access to upper channel reaches.

The commission also budgeted $500,000 to support a traffic efficiency group for the channel.

This newly-formed advisory committee representing multiple channel stakeholders will meet regularly and work in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Houston Area Vessel Traffic Service, the Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee, the Houston Pilots, and others. The goal of the group will be to share data and insights and help optimize traffic flow on the channel, in response to continued requests for larger vessels to serve the fast-growing demand of containerized consumer imports, resin and agriculture exports, and the needs of the energy industry. Since being named Chairman in February, Campo has met with numerous industry stakeholders including shippers, and on March 8 testified on channel matters before the Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports.

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TRANSPORTATION

TEXAS A&M SYSTEM PARTNERS with City of Houston to implement capital improvement and energy efficiency upgrades at Hobby and Bush Airports

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he Houston Airport System’s two international airports will undergo major infrastructure and equipment upgrades and much-needed renovations through a design and construction management agreement with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a member of The Texas A&M University System.

The projects at William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport will reduce the airports’ utility costs and improve air quality for Houston residents.

“Collaboration among the city, our universities and our centers of commerce, leveraging technology for sound business practices and a better world, is a great boost for our growing city,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “I applaud this partnership and look forward to realizing its benefits.”

“In Texas A&M we’ve found a partner with the right expertise that, paired with our airport industry knowhow, will advance the science of operating this large-scale enterprise more efficiently and cost effectively from an energy standpoint,” said Mario Diaz, City of Houston Aviation Director.

“This project, which could be in excess of $30 million and is led by the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, will allow our Ph.D. students to perform a great service for the City of Houston, with results in saving both energy and public dollars,” said Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp.

The main objective for these projects is to replace outdated equipment, controls, baggage handling system and lighting at the airports. The projects include installing four new chillers as part of a new utility plant, improving building operations and installation of a solar array on new shading canopies. The implemented projects will reduce the annual energy consumption by more than 24 million kilowatt-hours, while reducing the utility costs by more than $1.3 million annually. This will also help the Houston Airport System to reach its “net-zero” energy goal for George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

As part of this agreement, the TEES Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) will manage the project design and construction. The ESL will implement this project with the majority of funding from the LoanSTAR Program, administered by the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) of the Texas Comptroller’s Office. The benefits of this project for all users of each airport, as well as the community at large, will be capital improvements and

upgrades and increased efficiency of operating systems and processes, all of which will be paid back mostly by the stream of utility cost savings made possible as soon as the individual projects are implemented. Another major benefit will be the improved air quality in Houston and providing emissions reduction credits as part of Houston’s commitment in reducing nitrogen oxides as required by the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP).

The projects will also provide Ph.D. students within the Texas A&M System with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate best practices in energy efficiency and gain valuable hands-on experience in construction management. Collaborating with industry representatives and drawing on individual researchers’ varying backgrounds also promotes a productive learning climate for students while supplying them with professional workforce development and transferrable skills ideal for careers in both academia and industry.

In 2001, the state legislature enacted laws directing TEES to fill an important role in the implementation of state energy standards for new construction and calculating emissions reduction benefits from energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, which are part of TERP. The ESL has worked with the Houston Airport System on various energy-efficiency projects for more than five years. This new project is the culmination of previous studies and will be one of the most comprehensive undertaking for both the ESL and the Houston Airport System.

The project is expected to begin in April 2019 and conclude within a year.

Source: Houston Airport System

TRANSPORTATION

STUDY: Texans want to ride the high-speed train!

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

A

s the Texas high-speed train moves closer to construction, demand is accelerating at high speeds, according to a recent comprehensive study of the entire alignment – the most comprehensive review ever conducted of the travel market between Houston and North Texas.

As an investor-owned project, decisions are based on data, and Texas Central engaged one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, L.E.K. Consulting, to drive the data analytics element for the project. L.E.K. brings more than 35 years of deep industry experience to review the market and has conducted the most robust ridership analysis of this region to date by using the most technologicallyadvanced data collection methods. Their modeling techniques meet or exceed the best practices outlined by the US Department of Transportation and the research was informed by traveling Texans more than 3 billion calculations.

Some of the highlights of the study: • Forecasts more than 6 million passengers would ride the train annually by 2029 and more than 13 million by 2050 • Train will save 60 to 90 minutes per trip between Houston and North Texas • The Houston-North Texas super economy is expected to grow by 1.5 percent per year to 2050, almost twice the U.S. national average.

• An overwhelming majority of Texans (85 percent of those surveyed) who have traveled between Greater Houston and North Texas over the last 12 months say they would use the train in the right circumstances Texas Central has performed multiple studies to ensure the business plan accurately reflects the market demand, and incorporates changes in demographics, consumer trends and ridership projections. This is critical in an area of the country that continues to outpace the rest of the country in economic and population growth. Other study highlights include: • Texas’ growth drives increase in ridership estimates: Texas’ strong economy and population boom will help drive the success of the Texas high-speed train. In 2015, approximately 14 million people traveled annually between Houston and North Texas – a figure which has increased to 16 million in 2017.

• More people are moving to the urban regions causing congestion and delays, and growing the market for alternative travel solutions: The Houston-North Texas corridor is expected to grow by 1.5 percent per year to 2050, almost twice the U.S. national average. This is expected to add an additional 10 million residents to the area by 2050 most of which will likely reside in the urbanized

areas of Greater Houston and North Texas. Aggregate Houstonto-North Texas trips are estimated to balloon to approximately 40 million by then.

• High-speed train riders will arrive on schedule and save more time while traveling between North Texas and Houston: The Texas high-speed train is expected to save 60 to 90 minutes per trip made between these major metro areas. Further, passenger stations will be located within 60 minutes’ drive for 80 percent of area residents, enabling easy access to each region’s excellent highways and expansive public transit networks.

• Texans want to ride the high-speed train: An overwhelming majority of Texans (85 percent of those surveyed) who have traveled between Greater Houston and North Texas over the last 12 months say they would use the Texas high-speed train in the right circumstances, according to a survey of travelers. As many as 72 percent say they definitely or probably would use the service now if it were available.

• Texans will ride the train as an alternative to driving, and rideshare technology adoption rates are proving it: The ride hailing surveys conducted show that between 2016 and 2018, the proportion of travelers using ride hailing services to travel to and from airports in DFW and Houston has more than doubled in two years. Nearly 80 percent of those travelers surveyed say that they would travel by high-speed train in the future.

As Texans learn more about the high-speed train, their excitement continues to grow. Travel is incredibly personal, and this train connects families, friends and business colleagues in a safe, reliable and more productive way.

Source: Texas Central

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HUB OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

For more information about how to do business with the University of Houston, bid opportunities or to be kept abreast of events, workshops and seminars, visit www.uh.edu/hub or email us at hubevent@uh.edu

THE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS (HUB) Program at the University of Houston was established to identify and encourage HUBs to participate in the competitive bid process with the objective of increasing the number of contracts and subcontracts awarded to HUB vendors.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HUB PROGRAM is committed to expanding business opportunities available in order to promote the successful development of growing businesses, to have a positive impact on improving our local economy and to give back to our community.

We encourage solicitations from HUB vendors in an effort to award more contracts to those businesses.

WWW.UH.EDU/HUB