November 29, 2007

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

Retirement Marks the End of an Era at GAI

After over 30 years in post, the Director of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) has announced his retirement. Peter Spill, who has served the GAI since 1974 will leave the position at the end of 2007. "Peter has been a remarkably loyal servant to the GAI," comments current GAI President Wayne Harris. "He has seen the industry go through some considerable changes and been instrumental in making the GAI’s education program the highly regarded scheme it is today. His energy, experience and enthusiasm will be greatly missed."

The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers represents the majority of architectural ironmongers in the UK as well as the leading manufacturers of architectural ironmongery. The Guild also administers the benchmark qualifications for professional architectural ironmongers and is dedicated to raising standards and encouraging best practice in all aspects of the sector. For information contact: info@gai.org.uk

Click here for more Industry Access news including recent new hires, merger & acquisition activity and who's offering new products.

* DHI Members may submit news releases to be considered for inclusion in DHI's IndustryWatch. Send to: jmadden@dhi.org.

BUSINESS UPDATE

After consecutive months of declining conditions, the October Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has rebounded and is up just over two points compared to its previous mark. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the October ABI rating was 53.2, up from 51.1 in September (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings), and inquiries for new projects was 58.1. Full Story

DC Velocity provides a wrap up of this year's Annual Conference of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals including streaming video interviews with key speakers from the event. Full Story

A newly incorporated entity, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), has been established with the support of the U.S. Green Building Council to administer credentialing programs related to green building practice and standards. GBCI was created to develop and administer credentialing programs, such as the LEED Accredited Professional program, aimed at improving green building practice, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story

Since 2003 the number of cities with green building programs has risen from 22 to 92 for an increase of 418%. In an effort to examine the eco-friendly initiatives of U.S. cities, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) commissioned a study of communities with populations of greater than 50,000 to spotlight the growth and effectiveness of green building policies. Full Story

The International Organization for Standards (ISO) has issued a new standard designed to ensure the environmental friendliness of building construction materials. ISO 21930:2007, Sustainability in Building Construction — Environmental Declaration of Building Products, aims to help designers of buildings, manufacturers of building products, users and owners of buildings, managers, and others active in the building and construction sector who increasingly demand information that enables them to address environmental impacts of buildings and other construction works. Full Story

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

The year-to-date value of construction starts through October 2007, excluding residential contracts, totaled $254.840 billion, 13.4% higher than in 2006, according to Reed Construction Data. However, the individual month of October was down 9.7% from September. October starts were 5% above the average month in the first quarter of this year, when starts dipped briefly before rebounding to record-high levels during the summer. Full Story

Home construction starts were up 3% in October, the biggest monthly gain in eight months, but building permits were down 6.6% to a level not seen in 14 years, according to a report from the Commerce Department. Full Story

In a GreenSource article, architect Thom Mayne discusses what's wrong with LEED. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

Colorado TV station KWGN takes a look at biometric locks for the home. Full Story

Hearings to change the 2006 edition of the International Code Council (ICC) are scheduled to be held Feb. 18 to March 1 in Palm Springs, CA, ICC has announced. ICC has received nearly 1,900 proposals to modify its 13 code documents. During the hearings, code development committees for each of the ICC codes hears testimony and then either recommends the change for approval, approval with modifications, or disapproval, reported FacilitiesNet. Full Story

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

After weeks of little evident movement in Congress to reconcile differing House and Senate energy bills, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there has been "significant progress" and said she hopes that congressional negotiators can reach a deal the week of Dec. 3, reported Engineering News-Record. Full Story

After touring rural schools with rotting roofs and moldy floors, a group of Colorado state leaders is proposing a nearly $1 billion plan to bail out districts that can't afford to replace decrepit and unsafe buildings, reported The Denver Post. Full Story

DHI NEWS

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