New Construction Technology

GPS

• Can do all earthwork using GPS attached to bulldozer blades, excavators, scrapers, etc– Cost: GPS equipment including receivers and base

stations, digital mapping of project– Benefit: faster, more accurate, less surveying– Can be done with less experienced operators• BUT you need good operators for non-GPS jobs

Modular housing

• Factory built house– Can be completed faster than a stick built house– Need excellent quality control on foundation• Must be square and level

– Estimating and scheduling are a large part of the modular home industry

– Workers work piece work– Need to move houses so many stations a day

Modular housing

• No change orders – lowers cost• Each house has individual set of plans• Limitations on size of house – 16’ wide

sections

New waves in home building

• Sustainability– Using renewable resources• OSB, Wooden I beams, trusses, finger jointed products• Use less wood, use smaller size trees• Building with load transfer in mind• Building smaller, more efficient houses• Bamboo• Blue jeans insulation

Energy Star

• Costs: more insulation, high efficiency heat and water heater, high e windows and doors

• Benefits: supposed to use less energy• Problems: Architects and contractors not clear

on the concept– Counts bulbs, efficiency of furnace, insulation,

windows,– http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_ho

mes.nh_features

LEED certification

• Looks at whole project– Impact on environment• Waste, carbon footprint, recycling

– Energy usage– Water/Storm water

• http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=220

Teaming & Leadership

CTC-470

Peer Review

• When does Peer Review start?– College Projects– Your boss asked for your opinion of a fellow

worker– Your Annual Review – your boss wants you to

succeed– You become the boss

Peer Review

• Should not be confrontational• Need to be able to give honest critique– Feedback is essential to a good project– A good project depends on people doing their

job -> how do you help others?– Words to avoid• Stupid• Idiotic• 3 year old could do better

Peer Review

• How do you get to the point where people know that your opinion is valid?– Honesty– Ethics– Knowledge base– Reputation

Peer Review

• How do you move up in Company– Based on ability– Based on interaction with others– Based on peer review– Based on ability to work and lead a team

Peer Review

• 2 career paths– Senior Engineer – can’t communicate, works well

alone, very competent– Management – can communicate ideas to others,

works well with others, team player, competent

• Which do you want to be?– Your peers will review you and put you in a

niche based on competency and need

Team Leading

• What makes a person a good leader?• Give some examples

Team Leading

• How do you get people to follow your lead?– Have a plan

• Everyone has input (ownership)

– Have milestones– Work harder than everyone else– Be fair– Celebrate project completion

Team Leading

• Get people to want to work for you– Give praise for good work

• Thank You Cards

– Take all the hits• Recognize personality types– You need to know how to react to people and why

they are reacting to you

Meetings

• Can be huge time sink– Ex: Weekly meetings for company

• How often?– Depends on project

• Keeps coordination between people at meeting• Lets everyone know what is happening• More complicated -> more meetings

– Only when necessary• How do you know?• Must have information to present or pass

Meetings

– Only for those who need to be there• Everyone at meeting is costing Company $• Efficiency = (Billable hours)/(Total hours)

• Meetings are a good place to chat– People have coffee, a seat, and other people

around table– Can formalize meetings• No coffee urn• No chairs

Calling Meetings

• Who needs to be there• How long is it going to take– No more than 1.5 hours without a break

• What is going to be discussed• Give people as much notice as possible so that

they can be productive and participate in meeting

Leading Meetings

• Keep on time – use the agenda• Keep on track – don’t let side discussions into

meeting – You can always schedule a meeting

• End on time• You want people to come to your meetings– Run a meeting that you would want to attend

Agenda

• Most important part of meeting– Tells participants• What will be discussed• How long a topic will be discussed• What they should bring to meeting• When it will end

• Don’t try to crowd items– Have 2 meetings or increase time

Agenda

• Send out preliminary agenda– What do you think is important

• Get feedback– Do some items need to be discussed– Do some items need their own meeting

• Finalize agenda

Agenda

• Are meetings a place where people catch up on other people’s lives?– Schedule time in meeting to do that• Call it announcements, old business• But stick to schedule• Takes away from productive meeting time