The U.S. Department of Energy recently released the first federal blueprint to decarbonize the building sector, which accounts for over a third of the nation’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. This plan, developed by...more
Throughout the past few years, the construction industry has been plagued with myriad issues, including supply chain constraints, labor shortages and material procurement problems, among others. Although some issues subsided...more
Although there is a recent trend of employees returning to the office on a more regular basis, continued reliance on and demand for data centers that help support remote and hybrid work only appear to be increasing. For...more
7/25/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Automation Systems ,
Cloud Computing ,
Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) ,
Construction Project ,
Data Centers ,
Information Technology ,
Internet ,
Maintenance ,
Sustainability ,
Technology
If you think that there is a lot of talk about new factory construction in the United States in recent months, you are correct. Ryan Beene, a writer for Bloomberg News, noted last year that some in financial circles had...more
In an effort to remain one of the leading major U.S. cities in environmental conservation, the City of Chicago passed the 2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, which amends the previous 2019 code. The amended code expands...more
The United Nations recently described climate change as “the defining crisis of our time.” Further, a flagship UN report on climate change declared that the world is on a fast track to disaster because of rising carbon...more
Gould & Ratner presents the next installment of our Construction Interview Series. As a continued effort to keep our clients informed of new building techniques and processes, we will continue to periodically sit down with...more
In the iconic scene from the classic movie Cool Hand Luke, the role played by character actor Strother Martin famously complains to the character played by Paul Newman: “What we’ve got here, is failure to communicate.” Just...more
Despite rising inflation, escalating material and construction costs, supply chain delays and general market uncertainty, the high-end residential construction market continues to experience record growth. According to recent...more
With the COVID pandemic seemingly winding down, and with much of the world starting to reopen to pre-pandemic levels, owners and contractors are eager, now more than ever, to complete their current projects and start new...more
The Need for Owners to React in Real Time to Project Changes Caused by Supply Chain Interruptions, Skyrocketing Material Increases and Labor Shortages -
A construction project is a marathon and not a sprint. Rushing...more
As we discussed in a previous article, the renewable energy industry is experiencing record growth. President Biden’s current initiatives are also expected to provide an additional boost to accelerate future growth in clean...more
7/26/2021
/ Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Investment Tax Credits ,
IRS ,
Production Tax Credit ,
Renewable Energy ,
Safe Harbors ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Planning ,
Tax Relief
With society’s increased reliance on working remotely, vis a vis through “the cloud” and need for unfettered amounts of storage and processing power, data centers seem to be popping up almost everywhere you turn. In fact,...more
Due to reduced production during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased housing demand and climate events such as the Texas freeze and subsequent utility crisis, construction material costs have increased dramatically over the past...more
For a variety of reasons, the solar industry has experienced, and will continue to experience, record growth. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, a global energy and chemical research...more
...Construction industry forecasts are difficult in a “normal year” (remember those?), let alone a year following a global pandemic. The fact that the pandemic is not yet in the rearview mirror coupled with: (1) the election...more
2/2/2021
/ Best Practices ,
Biden Administration ,
Collaboration ,
Construction Contracts ,
Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Contractors ,
Green Buildings ,
Infrastructure ,
Risk Management ,
Sustainability
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, owners and developers find themselves facing the prospect of continued project disruptions. While almost every governmental shutdown order has allowed construction activities to continue as...more
7/15/2020
/ Business Interruption ,
Collaboration ,
Construction Contracts ,
Construction Industry ,
Contract Drafting ,
Contract Termination ,
Contract Terms ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Force Majeure Clause ,
Notice Requirements ,
Project Modification ,
Supply Chain ,
Suspensions ,
Workplace Safety