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March 2020 | Advertising for Certified Women, Veteran & Minority-Owned Subcontractors | 48th Edition

“The Roofing Lady”

is Building Her Own History Chyna “The Roofing Lady” Gragg Founder/Owner

16-17

INSIDE

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The Top 7 Mistakes Small Contractors Make While Visiting the Permitting Center

08

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Beaumont 2020 EXPO

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First African-American woman appointed to Port of Houston Authority board

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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 Chyna “The Roofing Lady” Gragg, founder and owner of Roofing Designs, LLC. Now in its fourth year of business, Roofing Designs has expanded from just residential

Port of Houston

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

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04 ARCHITECTURE 04 How America’s largest African American-owned firm is planning for the future 04 Five tips for meeting the 2030 Commitment 04

08 IN THE SUBCONTRACTORS USA COMMUNITY...

08 Beaumont 2020 EXPO

10 ENERGY 10 Houston's Role in Global Energy Transition a Major Focus of Greater Houston Partnership Annual Meeting 10 What An Energy-Efficient World Looks Like 12 IT & TECHNOLOGY 12 Embrace the Human Enterprise 14 Autonomous technologies can help alleviate the labor shortage 16-17 COVER STORY 16-17 “The Roofing Lady” is Building Her Own History 18 LEGAL 18 Daily Reports: The Swiss Army Knife of Project Documentation

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER & CEO Keith J. Davis, Sr. COO & MANAGING EDITOR Kimberly Floyd

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.

In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."

Metro

BEHIND THE JOURNAL

roofing services to commercial roofing, specialty metal work, multi-family renovation services, HVAC services and general contracting. Gragg has made history of her own by breaking down barriers and blazing a trail through a notoriously male-dominated industry.

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.

16-17

20 OIL AND GAS 20 Todd Staples Delivers Texas Oil and Natural Gas Update to North Dallas Chamber of Commerce Annual Energy Forum 22 PERMITS

22 The Top 7 Mistakes Small Contractors Make While Visiting the

ADVERTISING | MARKETING MEDIA | COMMUNICATION GRAPHIC DESIGN • Logos • Flyers • Ads • Folders • Brochures • Door Hangers PRINTING • Business Cards • Flyers • Folders • Pull-up Banners • Step and Repeat Banners • Brochures • Door Hangers • Letterhead • Envelopes PHOTOGRAPHY • Headshots • Event Photography

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24 SAFETY 24 Jobsites' most universal hazard: personal cellphones

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26 TRANSPORTATION 26 Houston Airports and United Airlines Unveil $200M Technical Operations Center at Bush Airport 26 Standing Room Only as Hundreds Gather to Begin Journey to Transformative Travel Improvements 26 First African-American woman appointed to Port of Houston Authority board 30 MILESTONE: First Look at the interior layout of the Texas High-Speed Train

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

Five tips for meeting the 2030 Commitment

How America’s largest African Americanowned firm is planning for the future

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

I

n January 2020, Jonathan Moody, AIA, officially became CEO of Moody Nolan. They were big shoes to fill. His father, Curtis Moody, FAIA, was awarded the Whitney M. Young Jr. award in 1992 and AIA Ohio’s highest honor, the Gold Medal, in 2007 -- among other honors. Today, Moody Nolan is the largest African American-owned and managed design firm in the United States.

But Jonathan wasn’t worried. He and his father had been planning this move for decades, determined to keep the firm within the family and alter an architecture-wide belief that leadership changes mean trouble.

“Looking around the industry, we were very aware that there weren’t many examples within families, especially within African American families, of transitions occurring,” Curtis said. But he was ready to step down, and Jonathan was ready to step up. And the younger Moody is now spreading that forward-facing mindset throughout his firm.

“I’ve challenged all our firm leaders, in every studio and office, to identify who will be the next ‘you’ in 20 years,” Jonathan said.

The new CEO admits that, roughly a decade ago, he started to realize that his father might directly pass the torch down to him.

But beyond just keeping the legacy inhouse, Curtis recognized the need for a leader who understood the challenges a minority-owned firm can face.

“As much as we don’t like this to be the case, it’s the reality; we go after projects and the client says, ‘We actually had issues with the last minority-owned firm we dealt with.’ Well, they’re a whole different firm,” he said. “You would not hear, ‘The last white-owned firm we dealt with gave us some problems.’”

The problems of perception are common to not only Curtis and Jonathan but minority-owned firms everywhere. Though Moody Nolan now has 12 offices and more than 200 employees, that wasn’t always the case. For years, they – and firms like them – were easily dismissed by clients for not fitting arbitrary, predetermined standards.

“They assume that, if you have a smaller staff, you can’t handle big projects,” Curtis said. “Or that your small staff is not very experienced and therefore you can’t measure up. On top of that, they believe you’re sheltered under some sort of MBE (minority business enterprise) program and so you don’t need to pursue certain projects. So much of that is untrue, especially when it comes to size and talent.”

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To tackle this issue head-on, Moody Nolan has emphasized project partnerships based on specific reasons like location or skill gaps. Though the assumption is often that the minority-owned firm takes on a percentage of the work while a more mainstream firm takes the lead, Curtis and Jonathan recognize the need to set a standard and stress their stature and expertise as well as their background.

“We are skilled and very good at being a partner,” Curtis said, “and by the way, in most markets, we also meet the minority criteria that might be driving a project.”

It’s a delicate balance: embracing being a minorityowned firm while also letting your work and accomplishments speak for themselves. The Moodys seem very aware of both sides of this coin; they want to be architects and businesspeople first and foremost but also recognize that, as African Americans who run a large firm, they’re a rarity.

Jonathan saw this firsthand at his initial meeting of AIA’s Large Firm Round Table (LFRT), which happened to be attended by the heads of architecture schools from the top historically black colleges and universities. “Robert Easter, the chair of the architecture school at Hampton University, did something on purpose. He asked every member of the LFRT who represents a minority-owned firm to stand up. And I was the only one standing.”

He’s not fully pessimistic, however; he senses a real desire for change, largely fueled by younger architects and clients with more progressive ideas about how to do business. He also knows that there’s currently a lot of work to do and not enough architects to do it, but more than anything he’d like to see all this conversation turn into action.

“Whitney Young came to the AIA convention in 1968 and criticized the diversity of our profession,” he said, “and now it’s 2020 and we’re in essentially the same spot.”

For now, what the Moodys can control is their own firm, and they’re committed to making it an even more diverse place to work. They want to tackle new project types that take them out of their comfort zone; they want to take the lead on ambitious endeavors and become better known on the national scene. And they want to reinforce that, whether it’s Curtis or Jonathan at the helm, Moody Nolan can be a leader in the architectural community in every sense of the word.

“There can be firms like ours that stand the test of time,” Curtis said, “that continue on and thrive and don’t just disappear.”

he AIA 2030 Commitment provides a considerable challenge for any firm willing to sign on. This is especially true for larger firms, which must find ways to reduce predicted energy use across a wide spectrum of clients, building types and climate zones.

LPA was an early supporter of the 2030 Commitment, but energy efficient design is not a new concept for us. We first established firm wide energy performance targets in 2004. The AIA 2030 Commitment has given us additional framework and tools to increase the rigor of our design process. Over the years, we’ve learned valuable lessons about how to improve the energy performance of our project portfolio. In 2019 we were excited to be recognized as the largest firm to achieve the 2030 Commitment target of a 70 percent reduction across our 2018 design portfolio, which totaled over 5 million square feet.

While our firm has met an interim goal, we also realize that our designers must continue to improve and refine our design process to meet the future targets, which rises to an 80 percent reduction for projects designed in 2020. As we regularly examine our practice, we would like to offer these five points for consideration.

1. Connect performance to design excellence. Any evaluation of a project should make it clear that performance is a component of the criteria by which design excellence will be measured. There isn’t a distinction between design excellence and performance. We celebrate project design awards, but we also highlight predicted EUI. As a firm, leadership must instill a culture that makes it clear you can’t achieve outstanding design without outstanding environmental performance.

2. Empower project teams. Firm leadership must make energy and environmental performance a top priority and set clear firm goals. At the same time, it is essential to create systems and tools within your practice to set targets, share information, and measure progress. Sustainability experts and “green teams” can be valuable resources, but they can’t be responsible to bring sustainability to every project. The buy-in, structure and measurable goals must be in place across every team, on every project.

3. Invest in people. Dedicate the time and resources to educate staff about energy performance issues. Everyone needs to learn from current efforts and strive to improve their own projects. Give people the assets and knowledge to keep up with emerging technology, strategies, and building systems. Provide the access to tools that allow them to innovate on their projects and be successful.

4. Support an integrated design process. We have been evolving into an integrated practice since our inception, in large part to better address performance and sustainability issues. We added engineering to our firm in 2007, which improved our ability to address sustainability in a more holistic way. It is essential to bring all the disciplines together early in the process and to foster dialogue between design professionals with diverse expertise and perspectives.

Encourage pin-ups sessions and multi-discipline charrettes.

Clients are critical to the dialogue; engage them by providing data and options for informed design decisions.

5. Promote transparency. It’s important to recognize achievement. As a firm, you want to set targets, track progress and share results. Projects that fall short of stated goals can illuminate paths around potential pitfalls for others. Always share success, acknowledge innovation and provide inspiration. All projects provide valuable lessons.

Learn from the experiences and use the lessons as building blocks for continued growth and improvement.

Source: AIA

Source: AIA

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In the Subcontractors USA Community...

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Beaumont 2020 EXPO 2020 Statewide Historically Underutilized Business EXPO & Spot Bid Fair

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ENERGY

Houston's Role in Global Energy Transition a Major Focus of Greater Houston Partnership Annual Meeting

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

G

reater Houston Partnership 2020 Board Chair Bobby Tudor outlined how the organization will work to ensure Houston plays a key role in the global energy transition at the Partnership’s annual meeting on January 22.

Maintaining Houston’s place as the Energy Capital of the World requires that the region’s business and civic leaders address the dual challenge of meeting expanding global energy demand while lowering the world’s carbon footprint, said Tudor, Chairman of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. LLC, an energy investment and advisory firm.

“The economic vitality and growth of our region’s economy is inextricably tied to the energy industry,” Tudor said, adding that the Partnership and its members “should use our convening power to rally our companies, political leaders and fellow citizens to position Houston as the city that will lead this energy transition.”

The Partnership will launch a new initiative aimed at accelerating Houston’s activity around energy transition, while existing committees will continue efforts to bring energy tech and renewable energy companies to Houston; explore the policy dimensions of carbon capture, use, and storage; and advocate for legislation that helps ensure the Texas Gulf Coast is positioned as a leader in that technology.

Houston business leaders have a responsibility to lead the transition to a cleaner, more efficient and more sustainable, lower carbon world, Tudor said.

“We need to be the driver, not the passenger.”

Highlighting some of the changes and milestones reached in Houston over the last decade*, Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey said that while the last 10 years were transformational for Houston, the next decade may be to be even more critical to the region’s long-term success. “I believe the decisions we make and the work we do together in the next few years will determine the trajectory of Houston for the next several decades and beyond,” Harvey said.

2019Key KeyAccomplishments Accomplishments 2019 The Partnership’s 2019 Board Chair, Scott McClelland, said he was pleased with the organization’s successful efforts on major initiatives last year. Through its public policy committees, the Partnership influenced key bills during the 86th Texas Legislative Session, including House Bill 3 that brought $5 billion in new state funding into the public education system and Senate Bill 7 that resulted in $2 billion in state funding for statewide recovery and future flood mitigation.

“If there’s one big thing I learned over the last year, it’s that the key to making this city better for everyone is having a lot of Houstonians involved in the effort,” said McClelland, president of H-E-B. “There’s power in numbers. It’s a force multiplier.”

Harvey also pointed to Houston’s recent success in bolstering its innovation ecosystem—a move critical to

the region’s ability to compete with other global cities.

Last summer, Rice University broke ground on The Ion, a 270,000-square-foot innovation center that will anchor the broader 16-acre South Main Innovation District. Other startup incubators and accelerators have opened their doors throughout the city in recent months, including MassChallenge, The Cannon, Gener8tor, Plug and Play and more. The Partnership also played a role in fintech company Bill.com opening its first office outside of Silicon Valley here in Houston in September.

In January 2019, the Partnership launched a new strategic initiative, Houston Next, and a complementary $50 million capital campaign to support the effort.

Designed to advance Houston’s position as a great global city, the plan focuses on three core areas: creating a strong, diverse 21st-century economy, ensuring a great quality of life and supporting opportunity for all.

Houston Next aims to empower local business leaders to accelerate the region’s progress at the intersection of those three areas of impact and ensure Houston’s continued success. Harvey said the Partnership is well underway toward meeting its Houston Next objectives and reported that the campaign has raised $25 million, half of its goal.

See Seethe thePartnership’s Partnership’sfull full2019 2019Annual Annual Reportfor foradditional additionalfacts factsand andfigures. figures.

Report *The last decade was one of the most transformative in Houston’s history. Consider: • The region added more than 1.1 million residents over the last 10 years an increase of more than 18 percent.

• Houston became the most diverse city in the nation, now led by its Hispanic population and the fastest growing Asian population in America.

• The Houston region added $64 billion to its GDP, a 17 percent increase in real terms.

• Foreign trade expanded by nearly $24 billion, making Houston the most trade focused metropolitan area in the nation.

• Houston added 615,000 net new jobs over the last decade.

Source: Greater Houston Partnership

ENERGY

What An EnergyEfficient World Looks Like

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

I

n 2017, the world used 562 quadrillion BTUs of energy in the form of oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear and renewables. But most of us don’t understand how this statistic is reflected in what we do each day.

That staggering number – 562,000,000,000,000,000 – represents the countless decisions made by the individuals, companies and communities that require energy.

These decisions include the refrigerators we buy, the fuel we use in our tanks and even the large-scale energy consumption in power plants and factories.

And more amazing is that energy consumption would be so much larger if not for the advancement of energy efficiency. Fortunately, as the years roll on, our energy use gets more and more efficient.

Efficiency lets us do more with less, such as driving longer distances on better fuels and refrigerating food with less electricity. That also means fewer emissions from those same activities. Technology advances and new, lighter materials help reduce energy intensity – a measurement of the amount of energy used for an activity – and results in fewer emissions.

Without the efficiency improvements, as described in ExxonMobil’s “2019 Energy Outlook,” the world would need almost 60% more energy in 2040 than what is currently projected by the company and other experts such as the International Energy Agency.

But thanks to those efficiencies, the world will need just 20% more energy, even as the global middle class nearly doubles and seeks more goods and services that improve quality of life.

That’s good news for the economy and the environment.

Meanwhile, the United States will consume 1 quadrillion fewer total BTUs of energy in 2040 than in 2017, a feat made possible in part by efficiency gains during a time when the population is expected to grow by 15% and the economy jumps 65%.The lion’s share of the world’s energy demand growth in the coming decades is expected mainly in Asia, driven largely by population and economic growth in China and India.

But because of new technologies and increased efficiency, both countries will use significantly less energy than otherwise required to fuel their rapid economic expansions.

That’s a lot of energy savings – not to mention emission reductions – all thanks to new technologies and better energy choices.

Source: ExxonMobil

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IT & TECHNOLOGY

Embrace the

HUMAN ENTERPRISE • is like well-designed furniture — ubiquitous, essential, unobtrusive, intuitive and supportive • not only automates mundane, repetitive tasks, but acts as a tool to unlock greater creativity and collaboration • enables and empowers change and innovation, but isn’t the focal point of transformation efforts

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hy are so many digital transformation efforts stalling? Because leaders remain fixated on technology, at the expense of humanity.

The pressure to radically reshape organizations is only accelerating: industries keep converging, new competitors appearing, and societal 2. Purpose and values-driven foundation and stakeholder expectations rising. Yet digital Recognize value means more than financial transformation efforts at many organizations are metrics. A Human Enterprise defines its stalling. The reason? Transforming in a way that purpose and creates an ecosystem of longdrives significant business value and has meanterm value, including the well-being of human ingful impact on the way organizations generate stakeholders. That means it embraces value for stakeholders requires applying a new, technology as an instrument to realize human-centered framework. It requires organizaits purpose. tions escape the historical definition of “work” to become what we call a “Human Enterprise”.

3. Collaborative, “open architecture” culture The Human Enterprise reframes our relationship A Human Enterprise has an ‘open architecture’ with technology to enable new ways of working culture, removing friction and encouraging and unlock new paths to value. It’s about makexperimentation to build the ecosystem required ing enterprises more human, applying a human to address increasingly complex challenges. dimension to both deploying technology at speed Cultivate an ‘open architecture’ culture, and innovation at scale. But it’s also about the encouraging experimentation and collaboration enterprise of being human. Today’s emerging across an ecosystem of value to solve the technologies provide a historically unique opporincreasingly complex problems it faces. A Human tunity to free us from work we shouldn’t be doing Enterprise uses technology to: and empower us to undertake work we should.

• enhance the organization’s culture and It’s in this way that we are really engaged not build trust, not replace it in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but the First • save time, freeing employees to Human Revolution — using the power of technolotake advantage of opportunities for gies such as artificial intelligence to proactively human engagement change the way we work and, in turn, the very • enable communication and collaboration nature of the organization.

BuildingaaHuman HumanEnterprise Enterprise Building There’s a reason technology-led advantage is increasingly short-lived. First, if everyone is transforming, no one is — transformation is today the new normal. Second, technology alone isn’t the solution — it’s a tool, and its effectiveness depends on how it empowers what we do. We’re at an inflection point where we can drive how technology shapes our world, rather than being driven by it. The Human Enterprise sits at the heart of this transformation. So how do you build one?

By following six principles: 1. Human-first, not digital first Always ask, “What are the human implications of this decision?” Empathy is the driving principle when designing solutions in a Human Enterprise, ensuring technology:

5. Agile operating models and systems Today’s structure-driven operating models promote standardization. A Human Enterprise is organized around issues, not processes, and values agility over hierarchy, focusing on relationships and fluid teams to encourage creative thinking. In this approach, technology: • adapts to the needs and enhances the abilities of employees and customers, rather than holding them back • is implemented with a technology at speed ethos, which resolves the constraints of legacy technology environments to deploy new functionality at the pace required by rapidly changing customer experience expectations 6. Technology as an enabler for humans At a fundamental level, a Human Enterprise becomes a platform using technology as a tool to support organizational agility. It removes the constraints of legacy technology, allowing new capabilities to be plugged in as needed, and amplifies the human element through improved communication, collaboration, and creative freedom. In short, it creates something vastly more than the sum of its parts.

4. Diversity and learning-driven innovation Diversity is not only the right thing to do for a Human Enterprise, but a business imperative: Boosting creativity and innovation, improving employee morale and retention, and aiding financial performance. Technology: • supports employee learning and development, instead of being another thing they need to learn • reduces human biases by, for example, adding a layer of machine-driven data analysis to inform decisions • becomes an equalizer to help spread and encourage ideas and knowledge, rather than something that leaves behind employees whose roles and skillsets are not suited to technological advances

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Source: EY

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AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGIES IT & TECHNOLOGY

can help alleviate the labor shortage

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

R

obots, machinery and software promise to aid with the skilled labor shortage, or at the very least free up managers’ and other workers’ time so they can focus on more important tasks.

In the next three decades, as many as 2.7 million construction jobs could become automated, according to a report from the Midwest Economic Policy Institute.

That could result in $30 billion in reduced labor costs in 2020 dollars, the report says.

Here are some tasks that automation is promising to aid.

Robots take on jobsite tasks Most autonomous innovations are for simple, but time-consuming tasks on the jobsite, namely image capture and laser scanning that provide imagery of a project’s progress.

Boston Dynamics is continuing to market its autonomous tech to contractors.

Its Spot the robot dog patrols jobsites autonomously, following along preplanned routes to take image captures.

A human may only get to this task a few times a week but the robo dog can walk the site any time. Also, the technology allows construction site managers and others to continue working on other assignments or tasks.

Hensel Phelps sicced Spot on a site for tests, trying out HoloBuilder’s SpotWalk app, which allows the robotic dog to perform reality capture of jobsites regularly.

Boston-based Windover Construction created a solution with software developer RCML to implement a solution on an existing robot. The two-tracked robot is able to move around jobsites to perform laser scans and make drawings of a site with precise accuracy — both jobs that would require a lot of time and effort if done by a person.

In terms of jobsite security, Brit-

ish robot developer Casta Spes Technologies has developed the Ziva robot — a two-wheeled robot that can patrol construction sites and use facial recognition technology to recognize people who should and shouldn’t be on jobsites. Though not yet marketed in the U.S., Casta Spes’ CEO Selby Cary told Construction Dive it will sell it in the Americas in the future.

Other tasks for robots Automated machines filling jobs means not just supplementing the construction process, but performing physical tasks on site.

Built Robotics announced last month the unveiling of 100% autonomous software for construction excavators and bulldozers. Built outfits existing construction machinery with its software and trains managers to ensure they operate the equipment properly, using GPS guidance systems. With this technology, a manager can look over multiple excavators or bulldozers at once.

Other automation options are more niche, such as a robot designed to tie rebar, usually for work on bridges. The Tybot must be set up and placed on the jobsite, but is then able to tie rebar autonomously.

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Source: Construction Dive

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Daily Reports

SUBCONTRACTORS USA

LEGAL

The Swiss Army Knife of Project Documentation number of laborers, the amount of material installed, the quality of work, inspection results, and any impacts other contractors had on your work.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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roject “Daily Reports” are some of the most important, yet overlooked aspects of a construction project. These reports serve many beneficial roles such as holding parties accountable to their obligations, providing the basis for an as-built schedule, recording manpower, documenting site conditions, and recording any other important and relevant information that happened on the job site that day. Daily reports can also provide information to help with claims or disputes that may arise in the future, such as noting weather delays, providing backup for future delay claims, and providing information to dispute claims made against your company. Finally, daily reports also serve as a useful communication tool during the project and a source of real time information for parties that want to know how the work is commencing on a day to day basis. Because daily reports are the “Swiss army knife” of project documentation, it is extremely important that a contractor puts for its best effort when creating them.

It is no secret that a construction project can become more chaotic as the schedule progresses. Unfortunately, when that is the case, the effort put into creating these reports drops off and sometimes the responsibility of creating such reports is thrown aside altogether. I can speak from experience.

Prior to entering the practice of law, I was a project engineer for a general contractor in Atlanta. As an engineer in the field, one of my many responsibilities was to enter the daily reports. Based off this experience, below are some thoughts on how to prepare useful daily reports.

1. Check the contract.

The contract you entered may set forth specific requirements for the daily reports, such as where to file them, the required format, and specific information that

must be included. Complying with contractual requirements is necessary for a successful project. One word of caution for subcontractors, a subcontract will often incorporate the prime contract.

If that is the case, be sure to check the prime contract for any specific language relating to daily reports.

2. Do the daily reports daily. This may seem like a no-brainer, but when work is hectic it is all too tempting to push the reports aside and tell yourself you will get to them tomorrow. The problem is this often creates a snowball effect, and the next thing you know is you are a week behind on your daily reports. When that is the case, then you are forced to rely on your memory to recall what happened a few weeks ago. It will be difficult to make the reports accurate and, as a result, the reports may not be quite as reliable as preferred, if they are later needed as evidence at trial.

3. Be clear and concise while simultaneously including as much information as possible. Daily reports are not the appropriate medium for practicing to be the next Charles Dickens. Steer clear of stylistic embellishments and flourishes.

A person reviewing the reports needs to be able to quickly and easily understand them. Record only what you have and do not leave the reader guessing what you meant. Additionally, be sure to cover topics such as weather, equipment on site, material delivered, the

4. Keep your audience in mind. When creating daily reports, it’s easy to forget who may be reading them in the future. As a result, people sometimes draft them using phrasing or short hand that only they will understand. This is not a good habit to get into. I like to tell people that when writing reports, do not write them so that you understand what happened yesterday or that a member of the project team can understand what happened on site a few months ago, but write them so that a person you never met, and who was not directly involved in the project, can read them and know exactly what happened on the project site years later (e.g. a lawyer or arbitrator).

5. Do not be emotional. When dollars are on the line, emotions tend to run high.

If something important happened that day, you should record it, but do not use the daily reports as your opportunity to unload on the project manager or contractor that negatively impacted your work.

6. It is a team effort. Daily reports can certainly be one of the more mundane activities a construction professional will do during his or her career. As a result, the responsibility of writing them often falls on the project engineer or manager that is lower on the totem pole.

Because daily reports serve such a valuable role, it is important that everyone involved with the project is experienced in writing the reports. With that being said, placing the entire responsibility solely on a recently hired project engineer fresh out of school may not lead to the greatest product. While it is good practice for an engineer to draft the majority of the reports, everyone involved in the project, from the project executive, to a superintendent, to a foreman should provide information for the reports.

7. What is not included is sometimes more important than what is included. This is especially true for daily reports that are extremely detailed. For example, if your report includes such details as the weather, the manpower, and the amount of materials used, but fails to mention any delays that potentially impacted the progress of the construction, then that will undermine any future delay claims.

Daily reports are an important aspect of any project—a true Swiss army knife. Following these steps can help you create solid and usable daily reports, which very well may prove useful somewhere down the line.

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of ConsensusDocs. Readers should not take or refrain from taking any action based on any information without first seeking legal advice.

Source: Associated General Contractors

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OIL AND GAS

Todd Staples Delivers Texas Oil and Natural Gas Update to North Dallas Chamber of Commerce Annual Energy Forum

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

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exas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA) President Todd Staples delivered an update on the state of the Texas oil and natural gas industry today at the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Energy Forum.

Staples discussed the role the industry plays in powering the economies of North Texas and the entire state, as well as the future role of the industry with regard to the economy and society.

“From production, to pipelines, to processing, and ports, Texas oil and natural gas has not only made America less dependent on other nations for our energy needs, but is also improving lives by making available clean, reliable energy for people at home and across the globe,” Staples said. “Continued oil and natural gas production in Texas will play an important role in creating local jobs and investment and providing billions of dollars in revenues for state and local budgets, as well as anchoring our state’s position as a global energy leader.”

“The Chamber is privileged to have partnered with Todd Staples and TXOGA to present this forum,” said Jeff Kitner, Chief Operating Officer of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. “Texas has a significant role in energy production in the United States and throughout the world, and we’re pleased to have played a role in the discussion on this important topic.”

Staples highlighted the many ways the industry rema ins a strong force in Texas by creating jobs, bolstering local and state economies, funding public education, building roads, and supporting essential and emergency services, all while strengthening the

global energy market and helping enhance America’s national security interests. He also discussed the future role of the industry and the factors that will impact the industry’s ability to continue to be an important part of Texas’ strength.

“Consistent policies that will allow for continued investment in energy infrastructure, a recognition of the industry’s unmatched commitment to technology, innovation and research, and an open and fact-based conversation about all energy sources will ensure that our state and our nation can continue to lead the world in energy production, economic strength and environmental progress,” Staples continued.

Earlier this month, TXOGA announced that the industry paid over $16 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties in 2019, setting a new record for the industry.

TXOGA’s report detailed how oil and natural gas tax and royalty revenue is used to support education, transportation, healthcare and infrastructure through the State Highway Fund, the Economic Stabilization Fund (commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund), the Permanent School Fund and the Permanent University Fund.

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Source: Texas Oil and Gas Association

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PERMITS

The Top 7 MISTAKES Small Contractors Make While Visiting the Permitting Center

By Helen Callier Contributing Writer

G

oing to the Permitting Center sucks time from small contractors’ busy days that are often filled with worries about construction tasks and budgets. Many contractors will call us voicing their frustrations about delays in permitting and the challenge of going back and forth talking with Plan Reviewers that seem not to hear what they are saying. Many will leave wondering what they could have done differently to have obtained final approval and a building permit.

We get it. Small contractors primary focus is on budgeting, buying materials, reviewing construction documents, getting quotes from trades and outlining the job schedule with pulling the building permit taking a backseat because of past experiences. And then in a “have to” get a permit moment, small contractors head to the Permitting Center and march in on a mission to succeed in getting final approvals. Instead of having a big smile upon leaving with permit in-hand, we have found that the following are the top seven mistakes small contactors make while visiting the Permitting Center without approval of plans.

• Not prepared for meeting with Plan Reviewer – Have not thoroughly reviewed rejection comments prior to meeting or missing documents requested for clarification

• Arriving minutes before Jurisdiction closes – Plan Reviewer and Permitting Staff push hard during working hours and most are mentally tired at the end of the day. Arriving minutes before closing presents a high risk of being able to see Plan Reviewer unless scheduled an appointment and being able to convey your position at the end of the day.

• Have open violations from previous projects – Jurisdictions dictate building codes to make sure structures are building safe for use. When violations are unaddressed, the jurisdiction can and many AHJ’s do withhold issuing a building permit on new work.

This is especially the case if violation is at same site.

• Not aware of open permits on prior completed jobs – This is a showstopper and at some point, the jurisdiction will deny releasing a permit until permits

are closed out on prior completed jobs.

• Assumed a defensive posture when speaking with Plan Reviewers and just about any staff approached at jurisdiction – Realize that people and people and Plan Reviewers are there to do a job that is safety focused. Having a defensive attitude quickly turns off another person and can yield the opposite of what you were wanting i.e. approval and a building permit.

• Compared project scope to another project in another jurisdiction – realize that that jurisdictions have different zoning laws and work in accordance to different building codes which make comparisons null and void.

• Demeaned Plan Reviewer and asked to speak with Manager

Conclusion InInConclusion While going into jurisdictions with a tough stance may be your preferred way to pursue final approvals.

We have found plus have shared with small contractors that operating with an attitude of respect, preparing for meetings at jurisdiction, checking on any open permits and violations are a few steps they can use to move the needle forward in obtaining a building permit in a timely manner. If you have suggestions on obtaining permits without frustrations and time delays, please let me know. You can reach me on Linkedin or by calling 1.844.PERMIT.4 #BuildSafe

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24 | March 2020

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SAFETY

Jobsites' most universal hazard:

personal cellphones

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he use of mobile phones for wireless streaming of music, podcasts or other entertainment is everywhere. Walk down any street in the country and you’ll often see more people wearing headphones than those that aren’t. Some of these listening devices even come equipped with sound-canceling features that completely block off noises from the outside world.

The growing use of headphones, especially among young Americans, has left some construction companies scrambling to formulate policies for their use on the jobsite.

At orientations and safety meetings on Miller & Long Concrete Construction jobsites in the Washington, D.C. area, managers let employees know that earpods and headphones are not acceptable, said Frank Trujillo, vice president of the Bethesda, Maryland-based contracting company.

It's a never-ending battle, he said, because the use of listening devices is so prevalent that sometimes workers don’t even realize they have them in their ears when they enter the site.

“People are just used to it, so that headphones and earpods are like a part of their body, so it's nothing for someone to come in off the Metro or from the parking area wearing them and walk onto the job, clock in, put on their protective gear and continue on to work with them in their ears."

manager'sdiscretion discretion AAmanager's While there is no specific federal regulation that prohibits the use of headphones on a construction site, OSHA issued a letter of interpretation in September providing clarification on the matter. It said that headphone entertainment on a construction site is permissible at managerial discretion “unless such use creates or augments other hazards apart from noise."

These hazards occur when the music masks environmental sounds that need to be heard, "especially on active construction sites where attention to moving equipment, heavy machinery, vehicle traffic, and safety warning signals may be compromised,” the agency said.

Despite the lack of formal OSHA regulation, no cellphone use of any kind should be allowed on active construction sites, Associated Builders and Contractors Vice President of Workforce Development Safety Health and Environmental Greg Sizemore told Construction Dive. Listening to music via personal headphones puts the employee and other workers in danger.

“That employee over there jamming to Mötley Crüe can’t hear his coworker shouting to him for help,” Sizemore said. “It’s just not wise to allow something like this into an environment where it can create the condition for you or someone else to be injured.”

He urges his members to train their employees on the appropriate use of technology in and around the jobsite. Workers might argue that they use music to help drown out extra loud construction noises, but an OSHA spokesperson said that is a bad idea. The goal for construction-site ear protection is to minimize sound, not to eliminate it.

OSHA standards require employers to protect employees’ ears over certain sound levels with ear protective devices, which does not include personal headphones or earbuds, according to an agency spokesperson.

“A portable music player is not a substitute for hearing protection,” the agency said in its recent letter.

Additionally, the agency noted, some manufacturers may claim that their products are “OSHA approved” or “100% OSHA compliant.” OSHA does not register, certify, approve, or otherwise endorse commercial or private sector entities, products, or services. Therefore, any such claims by a manufacturer are misleading, the spokesperson said.

AAdangerous dangerousdistraction distraction The need to remind workers to unplug from their phones “is a daily effort,” Trujillo said, and extends far beyond just listening to music. He often has situations where employees tell him they are waiting from a call from a sick relative or daycare provider and “there’s an expectation that you should be able to address those concerns in real-time,” he said.

While the company has not had an accident stemming from cellphone use, Trujillo said there have been situations where employees were observed being exposed to hazards unnecessarily because they were distracted.

“I’ve seen people on their phone, standing there flipping through it, scrolling, while a load flies overhead,” he said. “Or standing in an area where they shouldn’t be standing just to get away and take a call.”

Although supervisors provide reminders, managers have never confiscated an employee's headphones or phone, Trujillo said, adding that trying to figure out all the management of cellphone use “a minefield."

“It’s not out of the realm of possibilities for employees and even supervisors to walk around on the jobsite and be on Facebook or be texting or looking at the news,” he said. “There’s just so many ways to distract yourself and the question is how do you manage that?”

Socialmedia mediamatters matters Social The use of phones for photography also raises a red flag for Trujillo. His company has many clients like the U.S. Navy that require that no photos be taken on the jobsite.

Cellphones have been used to document sensitive incidents or accidents by would-be whistleblowers or disgruntled employees. In a recent case, Trujillo said workers on his site received video footage of a fatal injury on a nearby project, even before the victim’s family was informed.

“This deceased person had their image all over the internet,” he said. “It was a terrible situation for the GC on that project, I had to call them and tell them what was going on as they weren’t even aware of it.”

He said if an employee is concerned about safety on the jobsite there are better ways to get the word out.

“To me there’s plenty of mechanisms out there for an employee to report a concern to the authorities in the event they recognize something unsafe,” he said. For this reason, Miller & Long managers preface any talk about video recording on the jobsite with information about the company’s reporting system.

Miller & Long safety leaders are still developing a formal policy but for now, managers tell employees that if they absolutely need to check their phones or take a call they must exit the jobsite, clock out and "come back when they're ready to work," Trujillo said.

“If you’re in construction you need to pay attention to what you’re doing," he said.

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Source: Construction Dive

March 2020 | 25

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MORE THAN BRICKS AND MORTAR

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.

w w w. t u r n e rc o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m

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TRANSPORTATION

Houston Airports and United Airlines Unveil $200M Technical Operations Center at Bush Airport

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

T

he facility spans nearly six football fields and is a part of United Airlines’ $1B investment at Bush Airport since 2013 Houston Airports and United Airlines pulled back the curtain on a Texas-sized United Technical Operations Center (UTOC) at Bush Airport that spans nearly six football fields under one roof. The new operations center is a part of United Airlines’ $1B investment at Bush Airport since 2013.

The nearly $200 million, 375,000-square-foot facility includes additional hangar capacity for maintaining widebody aircraft, a new warehouse distribution center, a technical service building and administrative offices.

“This facility is proof of what happens when partnerships go beyond just coming together and staying together,” Houston Airport Director Mario Diaz said.

“This is what happens when we work together, especially in a city that’s growing fast.”

Diaz was joined by U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and United Airlines Vice Presidents Rodney Cox, Don Wright and John Wiitala for the grand-opening celebration. The new operation center will add hundreds of new jobs to Houston.

“Quality jobs are critical for our Houstonians,”

Mayor Turner said. “Make no mistake, the work performed here is extremely important. Your team will give millions of passengers a greater sense of comfort and reliability the next time they fly. As Mayor of Houston, I have a profound appreciation for that.”

With flights from Houston going to destinations around the globe, the facility provides critical support to United’s worldwide operations. More than three years in the making, it allows United to consolidate its Houston maintenance facilities. Engineers can now work in the hangars adjacent to technicians and aircraft.

UTOC is one of many investments United Airlines continues to make at Bush Airport. In 2017, United opened a new Terminal – C North- at IAH, and will soon break ground on its new multi-million dollar baggage handling system project-- an integral part of the ongoing IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP).

“These big investments are signals to the nation and world that Houston is only getting stronger,” Diaz said. “Our airport's connectivity is expanding, and our economy is growing. And so, our partnership with United is that much more important. We will lead the way forward as we plan to meet the growing demand for domestic and international travel in the years to come.

We are putting the infrastructure in place now so that we are ahead. We are true partners who are united.”

United is the largest airline operating at Bush Airport, with more than 500 daily flights from Houston to more than 180 destinations around the world.

Source: Houston Airport System

TRANSPORTATION

Standing Room Only as Hundreds Gather to Begin Journey to Transformative Travel Improvements

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

H

undreds pack room at METRONext Business Now. Business and community leaders learned today how they can help move forward 500 miles of travel improvements in the $7.5 billion METRONext Moving Forward Plan. METRONext's Business Now event attracted a wide range of vendors. Board members and staff provided an overview of future projects and explained how to do business with the Authority.

"With your expertise and commitment to this community, we can begin to provide improved accessibility for the disabled and seniors, better bus service, an upgraded regional express network with two-way HOV lanes, new Park & Rides and transit centers, 75 miles of METRORapid service that operates like light rail and much more," said METRO Board Chair Carrin Patman.

Voters approved the $3.5 billion METRONext bond referendum in November 2019. Executing the transformative travel plan with more than 40 projects will require the skills of a broad range of industry experts.

"Just as we needed the support of the community to get the METRONext plan approved, we need your support to execute that plan," said METRO President & CEO Tom Lambert.

The METRONext projects are expected to generate more than 100 prime contracting opportunities along with hundreds of additional opportunities for smaller business providers.

"What we hope to accomplish today is to begin building a team including METRO staff and the business community to fulfill the promises of METRONext. It's going to take that team working together to help us deliver capital projects, improve operations and implement system enhancements," said METRO Board Member Sanjay Ramabhadran.

Details on future opportunities for projects shared at METRONext Business Now are available at METRONext. org under the presentations archive tab. METRO's Small Business University offers regular programming to help engage small businesses. A list of upcoming training events can be found here.

Source:METRO

TRANSPORTATION

First African-American woman appointed to Port of Houston Authority board: Mayor Turner and City Council approved historic nomination

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

H

OUSTON - Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston City Council voted yesterday to approve the nomination of Cheryl Creuzot to serve as a member of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority.

Creuzot, a highly respected business and civic leader, will be the first AfricanAmerican female port commissioner in

the nearly 116 year history once she is sworn in.

"I am confident Cheryl Creuzot will be outstanding as Port Commissioner and that she will be a uniter for the community," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "She brings a breadth of experience to her new role and I'm pleased to be a part of this historic moment."

"I look forward to working diligently.

I am not only proud, but understand the immense responsibility of this appointment and I will work very hard with the seated commissioners to enable the port to accomplish its strategic goals," said Cheryl Creuzot, Port of Houston Authority Port Commissioner. "Going into a new position, I will first continue listening and learning, and then rolling up my sleeves to get to work along with the other commissioners and staff to make our port a global leader."

Creuzot, a 36-year industry veteran, is currently President Emeritus of Wealth

Development Strategies, LLC, since steppi n g down as President and Chief Executive O f f i c e r, a position she Cheryl Creuzot held since 2000.

She serves as Vice Chair of the University of Houston Foundation. Creuzot serves on the Board of Visitors of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as the Vice Chair of the Board of The Frenchy’s Companies, a 50-year-old family owned restaurant and food processing organization. Creuzot is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, The Texas State Bar Association and The Fi-

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nancial Planning Association.

In addition to extensive civic service, Creuzot has received several political appointments. Most notably, in 1993, she was appointed by the Governor to a sixyear term on the Texas Public Finance Authority Board, a politic and corporate body created to provide financing for state agency facilities. She served as Vice Chairman of the Authority from 1995 to 1997.

She is a proud University of Houston alum holding four degrees from the University: the University of Houston Bauer College (M.B.A. with honors, December 2012), LL.M. (Taxation, 1999), the University of Houston Law Center J.D. (1992) and the University of Houston (B.A. with honors, 1981).

A native of Washington, D.C., Creuzot has called Houston home since entering the University of Houston as an undergraduate freshman. She is married to Percy Creuzot and they have three children.

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TRANSPORTATION

MILESTONE: First Look at the interior layout of the Texas High-Speed Train

As a result of these design elements that keep accessibility in mind, you make the ridership experience better for everyone.

By Subcontractors USA News Provider

ACCOMMODATINGSERVICE SERVICEANIMALS ANIMALS ACCOMMODATING

T

imes are changing for travelers moving between Texas’ two largest regions, Houston and North Texas. What was once either a tireless slog or a hurry-up-to-slow-down frisking is being replaced by the best travel experience the world has to offer.

In short, nothing that exists today in the United States can come close to matching the transportation excellence embodied by the Texas High-Speed Train:

THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO, WE WANT TO HELP The Texas high-speed train will be welcoming and accommodating to passengers with service animals.

Requirements are being reviewed closely to understand what is needed for the best accommodation for both the service animals and riders of the train.

On the train, the leg room provided for most seats will allow those with service animals to select a variety of seating, not just in a bulkhead row. Texas Central recognizes the importance of having service animals accompany persons with disabilities, and we look forward to being your choice to travel.

SAFETY.SPEED. SPEED.RELIABILITY. RELIABILITY.COMFORT. COMFORT. SAFETY. Today, to kick off Engineering Week, we’re going to focus on ENGINEERING COMFORT. Texas Central has just unveiled the interior layout of your high-speed train cars – and it’s a game changer.

As you can see, Texas High-Speed Train cars feature 2×2 and 2×1 seating only with NO MIDDLE SEAT EVER. This design gives passengers nearly a foot more legroom than most coach airlines seats ensuring the MOST COMFORTABLE ride possible for all riders.

So, no more waking up your neighbor just to get up and use the restroom. Other important features include wider aisles, improved lighting, and audio and visual signals for train arrivals and departures.

First-Class comfort, with even more space: • WIDE aisles: 32” (wider than an airplane) • Ample space: 32” of legroom and 41” seat pitch (nearly a foot of total added space compared to flying first-class) • All seats recline, optimized to offer best recline without disturbing the passenger in rear • And, no seatbelts!

Another next level feature of the Texas high-speed train interior is the large, wide windows that allow for breathtaking views of the beautiful Texas countryside.

Twice the width of airplane windows (20X20.5”) with an additional 6-inches of height make for a great visual experience for everyone on board. Windows are also equipped with individual blinds and double-glazed UV safety glass.

In these luxurious Texas-sized seats, you’ll have the world at your fingertips with instant access to blazingfast onboard WIFI as you zoom through the beautiful landscapes of Texas. So, no more turning electronics on and off for take-off and landing. Your phone is always on TRAIN MODE.

FULLACCESS ACCESSFOR FORALL ALL FULL SAFE — PREDICTABLE — ENJOYABLE & ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERY TEXAN For many Texans with disabilities, traveling between North Texas and Houston can be a nightmare – either

MAAS

you have to travel by road which can take anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 hours and be incredibly uncomfortable, or by plane where you are subjected to invasive security searches, skinny aisles, small seats and an inherent amount of unpredictability.

Texas Central is building your Texas high-speed train for ALL TEXANS, which means it will be fully accessible and meet or exceed all ADA specifications. Inside the trains, in addition to conveniently located areas for wheelchairs and attendant seating, passengers in wheelchairs will be able to move throughout the entire train in their chair. Aisle widths on board the train will enable passengers in wheel or powerchairs to easily move up and down aisles and between train cars, providing a more comfortable ride for passengers using mobility devices. This design will allow riders in wheelchairs the freedom to decide whether they want to remain in their chair or move to an assigned seat. This freedom of movement often leads to other choices including whether they want an attendant to join them on the journey.

In addition, platforms in the train stations will have a no-step entry to the train floors so that passengers in wheelchairs can board safely and easily, with a smooth and level transition onto the train and along the entire interior aisle of the train.

The restrooms will also be ADA accessible, convenient, and allow for contiguous and smooth access from adjoining cars during the less than 90-minute travel time.

“MOBILITY AS A SERVICE” IS ALREADY TAKING TEXANS OUT OF CARS While we’re on the topic of rider experience, let’s discuss the idea of “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS) which is a driving force behind the push for more and better transportation options like high-speed trains. MaaS is driven by today’s technology-enabled world; it’s smart, integrated, on-demand mobility at your fingertips that puts you in charge of your journey. Think rideshare, bikeshare, scooters and other on-demand transit solutions. Your device enables you to create your journey on your schedule.

Unlike any other option available in the US today, our goal is to connect your entire journey from couch to couch or desk to desk using innovative technology rather than a station-to-station approach. And, as Texans continue to embrace transportation technologies beyond airplanes and cars, more alternatives will have to be offered –the high-speed train will be leading the way.

TEXANS DESERVE BETTER High-speed trains provide a BETTER WAY to travel the Lone Star State by removing the many pain points of driving and flying. From flexible booking options and seamless interchanges to frictionless security, wide aisles, comfortable seating, fast WIFI and food and beverage service, high-speed trains provide an anxiety-free travel experience for families, business travelers, students, tourists and anyone else traveling between North Texas, the Brazos Valley and Houston.

SAFE. RELIABLE. COMFORTABLE. It’s a BETTER way to travel Texas.

Source: Texas Central

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