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Five Things To Do / Know This Week:
1.) Our next Online Plan Room demo is Thursday, February 15. Join us for a live demonstration of our platform, ask questions, and learn.
2.) We want your projects! Share a recent project your firm has recently completed and it could featured inside the 2024 Buyers Guide & Membership Directory.
3.) A handful of lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of workforce goals in federal contracts could make it harder for underrepresented groups to qualify for these lucrative jobs in 2024.
4.) Wednesday (1/31) is National Backwards Day. Celebrate by hosting a safety workshop or training session where potential hazards are showcased in reverse order. Start with the end result (the accident) and work backward through the unsafe actions or conditions that led to it.
5.) Test Your Knowledge:
How many development dollars were spent in Minneapolis on new construction in 2023, according to Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials?
A.) $9.3 million
B.) $1.5 billion
C.) $1.9 billion
D.) $2.3 billion
See the Answer
We don't often play cards; we're afraid of dealing with too many shingles.
IN BRIEF:
• Last Chance: Reserve ad space in the next MBEX Blueprint by 1/31
• Generative AI: How the AI trend will continue in 2024
• Tips & Tricks: Issues logging in? Try clearing your browser's cache and cookies
• Warning Ahead: AIA advises contractors to prepare for weaker conditions
• Minority Notices: Morcon Construction seeks TGB Subcontractors and Suppliers
• January Industry Report, Construction Technology Outlook for 2024, and Utilizing eDiscovery in Litigation: Five construction headlines, and a redevelopment plan for a Shakopee gravel pit and adjacent properties
• Member Benefits: Save on work uniforms and cleaning
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LAST CALL: Reserve your Ad Space in the Next MBEX Blueprint
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Our newest publication, MBEX Blueprint, is more than just a publication; it connects MBEX members with an exclusive audience of decision-makers that includes general contractors, trade contractors, architects, and government and school administrators.
As public money starts to flow into Minnesota, now is the time to establish your business' presence.
Reserve your ad space by January 31st!
Why advertising in MBEX's magazine is a game-changer for your business:
1.) Targeted Audience
MBEX Blueprint reaches a highly targeted audience of construction professionals and trade partners who matter most to your business. By advertising within our next issue, you're directly connecting with potential clients and collaborators who can drive your business forward.
2.) Credibility and Trust
MBEX has a 136-year reputation for excellence in the industry. When you advertise with us, you're boosting your brand's reputation in the eyes of your peers and clients.
3.) Visibility and Exposure
Your ad in MBEX Blueprint will ensure maximum visibility and exposure in showcasing your products and services to key players who have the power to make significant decisions.
4.) Expert Assistance
We've partnered with Innovative Publishing to provide you with seamless ad placement and design services. Their team of experts will work with you to create a tailored and innovative solution that represents your business at its best, whether it's in print, digitally, or both.
The deadline to reserve ad space is Wednesday, January 31; don't wait!
Contact Innovative Publishing at (844) 423-7272 or advertising@innovativepublishing.com, and let their team assist you in crafting an ad that will make a lasting impression.
Thank you for your continued support of the Minnesota Builders Exchange, and we can't wait to share this next issue of 'MBEX Blueprint' with you.
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Generative AI Tools Transforming Construction | |
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"Hey ChatGPT, finish this building..." trumpeted a huge billboard on the side of a construction site on the famous Keyserlei shopping street in Antwerp in Belgium last summer.
The advertisement, for Belgian construction recruitment agency Impact, quickly went viral with Impact's social media channels.
"AI can do a lot. But it can't finish this building on the Keyserlei in Antwerp. AI can't fix a leak or install a heating system neither," said Isabelle Dumortier, the company's director of marketing. "Crafts(wo)men are here to stay, and they deserve to be recognized. Their skills are simply irreplaceable."
Generative AI is a trend set to continue in 2024 as companies outside the technology sector adopt generative AI in earnest, using the technology to perform tasks like writing the first drafts of documents or summarizing recordings of meetings.
For the construction industry in particular, a series of new generative AI tools aim to make work quicker, more efficient, and safer.
Hundreds of generative AI tools have been developed for a range of construction-related applications across the world, helping construction professionals log construction progress, check for discrepancies, keep up to date with schedules, and ensure better site safety.
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TIPS & TRICKS: Clear your Browser's Cache and Cookies | |
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Yes, we included this Online Plan Room tip last week, but it seems to be a common issue for our members, so we're sharing the quick-fix again.
If you've tried logging in to the Online Plan Room (and are 100% sure you're using the correct user ID and password) only to be shown an error message or remain on the log-in screen, you probably need to clear your internet browser's cache and cookies.
This happens from time to time, and fortunately, the fix is a simple one:
How do I clear my cache and cookies?
The process of clearing your browser's cache and cookies may differ slightly depending on the browser being used, such as Chrome (recommended by MBEX), Firefox, Safari, or Edge. Generally, the steps are similar.
To clear your cache and cookies on a Windows PC:
1.) Open your browser and click the menu icon (typically three dots or lines) in the top right corner.
2.) Select "Settings" or "Options" from the drop-down menu, then find the section labeled "Privacy and Security" or "History".
3.) Click on "Clear Browsing Data," "Clear History," or "Manage Data" and choose the desired time range like "Last Hour," "Last Day," "Last Week," or "All Time."
4.) Finally, check the boxes for "Cached Images and Files" and "Cookies and Other Site Data" before clicking "Clear Data," "Clear Now," or "Delete."
Learn more about caches and browser cookies here.
If you continue to run into issues, please give us a call so we can help troubleshoot the problem: (612) 381-2620.
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AIA: Contractors Should Brace for Weaker Conditions | |
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The American Institute of Architects warned that spending on nonresidential buildings will slow in 2024 and 2025.
Spending on these types of buildings will see a 4% increase in 2024, much lower than last year's 20% rise, and gains will slow to just over 1% in 2025, according to the AIA's latest Consensus Construction Forecast.
The report blamed tighter credit, higher input prices, commercial property value declines and structural changes in construction demand for the predicted dip, and said that the slowdown is already underway.
The forecast preceded another depressed reading from the Architecture Billings Index, which uses the organization's data to predict nonresidential construction activity between nine to 12 months down the road. The index currently sits at 45.4, below the median mark of 50 --- anything below that means slowing activity.
According to the report, spending on commercial facilities will be flat this year and next.
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Did you know...a valuable benefit of membership with MBEX automatically makes every employee of a member company a member, meaning you are welcome to attend any and all MBEX events.
February 15 - MBEX Online Plan Room Demo
From navigating the Deskpad, setting up filters, understanding project information, and bidders lists, this free, one-hour session is a great introduction to our Online Plan Room. There will be time at the end for questions and answers. Register Here
February 20 - Introduction to Upcoming Bluebeam Courses
With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software. We have partnered with Troy DeGroot with UChapter 2 to provide the best quality Bluebeam training in the industry. Don't miss this opportunity to see an introduction to each upcoming course and learning objectives. Get your questions answered to assure you're in the appropriate courses for your skillset and workflow. Register Here
February 27-29 - MBEX Member Road Show
MBEX is headed to Mankato, St. Cloud and Fargo to meet and mingle with members in a casual setting over apps and drinks. More details coming soon!
March 3-9 - Women in Construction Week
Women in Construction (WIC) Week celebrates and promotes the role of women throughout the construction industry. Learn More
March 5 - Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics
Whether opening Bluebeam Revu for the first time or you've used it for years, this class will ensure a higher baseline knowledge. Register Here
March 6 - Baseline 2: Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Basic)
With Revu's intuitive measurement tools and customizable interface, turn your highlighters into data-rich takeoff tools. Register Here
March 6 & 7 - MBEX Member Road Show
MBEX is headed north to Duluth and the Iron Range to meet and mingle with members in a casual setting over apps and drinks. More details coming soon!
March 7 - Bluebeam 3: Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Advanced)
After finishing the Bluebeam 2 course, students will move into creating custom columns, embedding formulas, and information organization. Register Here
March 8 - Bluebeam 4: Document Management & Best Practices
This course will not only improve consistency and accuracy in document management, but it will eliminate all the time wasted navigating through drawing sets and wondering who has the latest drawings. Register Here
March 12 - Bluebeam 5: Collecting Field Data
Learn to create and place custom punch symbols, quickly embed images or videos, and create summary reports. Register Here
March 13 - Bluebeam 6: Administrative Professionals
Administrative teams have unique document workflows that demand a different set of tools compared to design and construction teams. Register Here
March 14 - Bluebeam 7: Civil Workflows
Yes, there are tools in Bluebeam Revu for Civil Designers and Engineers! Not only will students learn navigation and markups, but also work flows like Calibrating Plan & Profile drawings with different X-Y scales, ideas for Cut & Fill calculations, combining several PDFs into one large area map, and adding images. Register Here
March 20 & 21 - Reading Construction Documents
Designed to quickly familiarize students with the basics of reading and understanding construction documents, this two-part online program is perfect for apprentices, entry-level tradespersons, project coordinators, assistant project managers, new project managers, estimators, specialty sales representatives, entry-level architectural or engineering designers, or anyone in career transition looking for a refresher. Register Here
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Morcon Construction Co. will be submitting bids on the following projects and invites TGB Subcontractors and Suppliers to submit their quotations for consideration:
1.) MAC 2024 Safety & Security Center P2 (Contract # 106-3-664)
Bids close on Tuesday, February 13 at 2:00pm CST - View Full Project Notice
2.) MAC 2024 Storage Facility (Contract # 106-3-584)
Bids close on Wednesday, February 14 at 2:00pm CST - View Full Project Notice
3.) MAC 2024 Liquid Deicer Storage Facility (Contract # 106-3-669)
Bids close on Thursday, February 15 at 2:00pm CST - View Full Project Notice
Bids for all projects can be emailed to bids@morcon.com.
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Morcon Construction
5151 Industrial Blvd NE
Fridley, MN 55421
PH: (763) 546-6066
FAX: (763) 546-3129
www.morcon.com
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
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For information regarding any of Morcon Construction's current projects, please contact their main office or visit their plan room.
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ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
📊 Industry Report: January 2024
Most design and construction indicators improved in December 2023 as compared to November 2023. (Constructible - Trimble)
Producer Price Index: 0.6% change
Down 0.6% from November 2023 | Up 1.2% from December 2022
Construction Backlog Indicator: 8.6 Months
Up 1% from November 2023 | Down 6.5% from December 2022
Architecture Billings Index
Billings increased to 45.3 | Design Contracts increased to 48.1
Construction Confidence Index
Staffing increased to 61.6 | Sales increased to 58.9 | Profits increased to 54.2
Construction Starts: $927 Billion
Down 11% from October 2023 | Down 4% from November 2022
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
👩💻 Construction Technology 2024 Outlook
While uncertainty around labor, supply chains, and economic conditions persist, the global construction industry continues to work its way through economic instability --- and the outlook for 2024 remains mostly optimistic. Spending should improve, in large part due to the realization of federal programs such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). As we look ahead for the year, six key areas have been identified as those that will help shape the construction industry, both for 2024 and into the future. (Modern Contractor Solutions)
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
🔋 Utilizing eDiscovery in Construction Litigation
Construction-related litigation cases tend to involve several stakeholders, including contractors, subcontractors, project managers, consultants, suppliers, and more, with each audience having its own specific needs to be considered. Due to the number of varied stakeholders involved, legal professionals working on construction disputes must also sift through massive data sets, where it can be harder to navigate and identify the most important facts and details on a matter. As a result of having so many sources, the data review and management process becomes more costly and time-consuming, as lawyers need to comb through and recognize relevant data points in a specific case. (For Construction Pros)
HEALTH + WELL-BEING
💊 How the Opioid Crisis Impacts the Construction Industry
A CDC report released on August 23, 2023, confirmed the construction and extraction industries have been hit hard by the opioid crisis, with the highest rate of overdose deaths in 2020. A major contributing factor for opioids in construction stems from the high frequency of musculoskeletal injuries affecting workers. The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) highlights approximately 34% of construction workers have at least one musculoskeletal disorder --- which can lead to opioid prescriptions. (Construction Business Owner)
SUSTAINABILITY + GREEN CONSTRUCTION
♻️ Sustainability From the Ground Up: Designing Eco-Friendly Buildings with AI
In today's age of heightened climate awareness and accelerated innovation, it's fair to ask, "What is systemically hindering the transition to efficient buildings and green construction?" While a lack of eco-friendly materials or management buy-in might have been a constraint a decade ago, the root cause lies upstream in an ineffective building design process that has not changed in over 40 years. For most projects, it is infeasible for teams of humans (even those using computer-aided design) to derive tested, verified, performance-optimized plans before construction starts. (Forbes)
🦺 PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Developer Pitches 140-Acre Development at Shakopee Gravel Pit
Rachel Development is proposing an approximately 14-acre master development on a Shakopee gravel pit and its adjacent properties that would include single-family homes, townhomes, multifamily uses as well as office, retail, restaurant and grocery uses. The plan would also feature a signature park with a water aspect, according to city documents. The site is located at the southwest quadrant of Mystic Lake Drive and County Road 16, at and around where Shakopee Gravel Inc's gravel mine operates. (Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal)
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The proposal site is located at the southwest quadrant of Mystic Lake
Drive and County Road 16, and around Shakopee Gravel Inc's gravel pit.
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The Art of Bidding and Estimating - 201 Bid Preparation
Presented by MnDOT's DBE Business Academy
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DATE: Friday, February 2
TIME: 8:30am - 12:30pm
LOCATION: Online - link provided when you register
COST: Free!
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In this intermediate-level class, attendees will cover all bid documents, bidding strategies, and the effects of economic factors when preparing a bid for MnDOT work.
Instructors will also dive into the differences between bidding on horizontal and vertical construction.
Questions: sbaker@imoconsulting.com
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The Art of Bidding and Estimating - 301 Responding to a Request for Proposal | Presented by MnDOT's DBE Business Academy | |
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DATE: Tuesday, February 6
TIME: 8:30am - 12:30pm
LOCATION: Online - link provided when you register
COST: Free!
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Learn how to successfully respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) and the importance of reviewing all material. Special emphasis is placed on organizing the response around a clearly identified theme to create a standout brand.
Discussion will also be held about the importance of brevity, focus, and framing your own credentials in terms of benefits to the client.
Questions: sbaker@imoconsulting.com
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OSHA Construction Safety Outreach: 10-Hour Course
Presented by The Builders Group (TBG)
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DATES: Tuesday, February 27 & Wednesday, February 28
TIMES: Tuesday - 7:00am- 3:30pm with lunch provided | Wednesday - 7:00am-11:00am
LOCATION: The Builders Group (Eagan, Minn.)
COST:
$125 - TBG Members
$150 - Association Members
$275 - Non-Member of TBG
$0 - Starting in 2022 as a benefit of the TBG Safety Service Association, all members will have two free OSHA-10 registrations per year. Once those two free registrations are used, the cost to participate is then $125 per member.
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This class will provide an in-depth look at compliance and safety issues related to the OSHA training curriculum set forth for the OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety class.
Topics to include Fall Protection, Electrical Safety, Hand / Power Tools, and several more topics necessary to complete the course objectives.
Please contact Emily with questions.
Attendance is required for Day One & Day Two to complete the 10-hour requirement.
*Please note registration is only required for Day One.
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Benefits of the Week: Ariat Crew, Cintas & UniFirst | |
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Did you know National Purchasing Partners offers three uniform solutions for your business? As an NPP member, MBEX can offer one, two, or all solutions.
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Outfit your crew in durable work apparel and footwear from Ariat. NPP members get access to discount pricing, custom embroidery services, and free ground shipping on every order. Start saving today with NPP | |
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New Cintas contracts can save up to 65% off uniforms, safety and facility services. Plus, get a free one-time UltraClean service and free installation of hygiene dispensers. Enroll today and save on Cintas | |
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More than 300,000 businesses and employees nationwide use NPP Member benefits to lower the cost of doing business. Join via MBEX today!
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NPP (National Purchasing Partners) is a member benefit provider of the Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX), offering savings on products and services that businesses and employees use every day.
Start saving by enrolling your business with NPP for free to activate this offer (and others like it) here: https://mynpp.com/association/mbex/. Restrictions many apply.
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PROJECT INFORMATION + UPDATES | |
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• Total Projects Received at MBEX from 1/22/2024 - 1/26/2024: 106
• Total Active Projects Received/Reported on at MBEX as of 1/30/2024: 486
• Total Projects in the Online Plan Room as of 1/30/2024: 462
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Click the button above to view the most recent project data from 1/24/2023-1/30/2024.
For information about the Bulletin's content, technical issues, or to place an ad (such as a Minority
Notice, Job Posting, or Event Notice), contact Ashlee, Membership + Communications Manager.
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UPCOMING MBEX EVENTS
• February 15 - Online Plan Room Demo
• February 20 - Bluebeam Course Introduction with UChapter2
• February 27-29 - Member Road Show: Mankato, St. Cloud, and Fargo
• March 5 - Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics
• March 6 - Bluebeam 2: Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Basic)
• March 6 & 7 - Member Road Show: Duluth and the Iron Range
• March 7 - Bluebeam 3: Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Advanced)
• March 8 - Bluebeam 4: Document Management & Best Practices
• March 20 & 21 - Reading Construction Documents online course with UChapter2
• March 21 - Online Plan Room Demo
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Connect with the Builders Exchange: | |
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Information within the MBEX Weekly Bulletin are obtained from sources deemed reliable. The Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX) does not assume responsibility for its completeness or accuracy. You are urged to check your own sources in addition to the information contained in this publication. This issue contains plans and other bidding information received prior to and including the date noted above. The project data within this newsletter is intended for member company's and their employees use only.
2024 BOARD OFFICERS: President - Mike Carlson, Max Gray Construction; Vice President - Heidi Sedlacek, Bituminous Roadways; Treasurer - Brian Kalla, St. Cloud Acoustics; Past President - Greg Grazzini, Grazzini Brothers | 2024 DIRECTORS: Allie Brady, Veit; Kevin Bohrer, Donlar Construction; David Brandt, Schadegg Mechanical; Jason DuVal, Tenet; Chuck Geisler, American Engineering Testing; Chris Niemand, Frattalone Companies; Sean Ochis, Northern Industrial Insulation; Jason Rentmeester, Kraus-Anderson Construction; and Nate Sapik, Benson Electric Company | STAFF: David Siegel - Executive Director; Julie Miller - Executive Assistant/Project Coordinator/Accounting; Jeff Boelter - Project Acquisition & IT; Ashlee Hartwig - Membership & Communications Manager; Don O'Connor - Duluth Branch Manager; Shauna Baska, Peggy Esboldt, Janet Margheim, Michelle Siegel & Ka Yang - Project Reporters
You are receiving this email because you are employed by a current member company in good standing or have indicated you wanted to receive MBEX's Weekly Bulletin. Unsubscribe from the Weekly Bulletin
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