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White Papers

  • Justifying Your Facilities Budget

    Imagine your CFO asking you to submit an optimized five-year budget for maintenance, repair and replacement of your facility components (boiler motors, chiller compressors, roof flashings, etc.) Knowing your annual compensation depends on the measurable return on investment (ROI) you deliver, how and when will you recommend spending the companys financial resources? How will you demonstrate ROI?

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  • Trends in Green Building

    "Green Building" is a broad term that is used to describe the design and construction of sustainable and environmentally conscious buildings. The driving force behind this is to lower our negative impact on the environment and, at the same time, make the buildings we live and work in healthier for us.

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  • Planning for Construction Cost Escalations

    Construction costs are rising. Materials are in short supply. Projects are seemingly always under–funded. Nationally, and here locally, owners are dealing with cost escalation issues that seem poised to only get worse.

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  • Planning Your Construction Project in the Mountains: A Window of Opportunity

    Nowadays, it seems as if every new construction project is "fast–track." With materials costs rising and construction windows tighter, a project schedule is of utmost importance. No where is this more true than in the mountains.

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  • Regional Viewpoint: Construction in Northern Colorado

    Whether one enjoys the city or county, plains or mountains, Colorado offers a place for everyone. But, one place in Colorado was recently named the Best Place to Live by Money Magazine. That place was Fort Collins, located right in Northern Colorado. With this type of national attention, a lower than average cost of living, and low unemployment rate it is no wonder why the population, and construction market, of Northern Colorado is growing.

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  • Working as a Team to Solve Budget Issues of Educational Projects

    Project budgets are rarely an easy issue. Rarely is a project over–funded. And, getting a K-12 project within budget can be more challenging than other types of projects. The bonds that are used to fund school projects are many times passed two or more years before construction actually begins. The inflation that is experienced between the time when a bond is passed and when a contractor actually procures materials can be significant. Often, the budgets set in bonds don't properly anticipate inflation rate increases, and therefore are under-funded from the start.

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  • Shrinkage... A Special Consideration in Multi-Story Wood-Frame Construction

    The cost escalation of construction materials in recent years has forced many developers to consider alternative options when planning new buildings. One material that has become more favorable to developers in certain markets is wood. Because wood is an economical alternative to higher priced structural components like steel or concrete, many new facilities are designed as wood-framed structures.

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    View entire Shrinkage in Wood Frame Construction article