business – Page 2 – AEC Forensics

December 5, 2014December 30, 2015

7 Ways a Chief Innovation Officer can improve your company’s opportunities for growth

The Chief Innovation Officer (CIO, though not to be confused with “Chief Information Officer”) is a relatively new position in the marketplace created with the express goal of fostering innovation within a company. Innovation, though, rarely happens through shear force of will and poor management is often the greatest obstacle to institutionalizing the kind of … Continue reading 7 Ways a Chief Innovation Officer can improve your company’s opportunities for growth

October 14, 2014January 15, 2017

Two different approaches to achieving Passive House certification

I have had my eye on the passive house concept for the better part of a decade now. Essentially, builders are able to achieve unprecedented energy savings and occupant comfort using extremely tight building envelopes combined with high levels of insulation. Continue reading “Two different approaches to achieving Passive House certification”

August 29, 2014January 15, 2017

Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote talk on the future of A/E/C business development at PCBC 2014

I’m a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and have been following his work for the better part of a decade. If you’re like most people, you might be thinking to yourself, “Who is Gary Vaynerchuk?” The short version: Gary took his family’s liquor store from $3M per year to over $60M per year by leveraging social media to establish himself as a leading expert in his field. Continue reading “Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote talk on the future of A/E/C business development at PCBC 2014”

August 27, 2014January 5, 2016

Alan Nevin on San Diego builder’s move from for-sale to rentals in Carmel Valley

One of my great pleasures working for Xpera Group is being surrounded by some amazing industry thought leaders. Economist and real estate guru Alan Nevin is one of those individuals that constantly inspires as well as informs. A regular fixture in the media, Alan was asked for his take on a somewhat unorthodox move by a local builder.

Real estate, construction, and even the litigation that often follows, generally follow some fairly predictable cycles. One such cycle is the conversion by real estate developers of apartments to for-sale condominium units. Often, converters simply spruce up the finishes and appliances, create an HOA, hold a sales blitz targeted primarily at first-time buyers, and then rush to the bank to cash out the LLC before the first claim is filed. Continue reading “Alan Nevin on San Diego builder’s move from for-sale to rentals in Carmel Valley”

June 13, 2014

Non-Residential Construction Outlook: The Industry Needs More Innovation and Better Quality

Duane Craig, writing for his own Construction Informer, brings some nice insight to FMI’s quarterly non-residential report for the second quarter of 2014. While the report indicates a slight increase in optimism among construction company executives, not all seems so rosy. Craig writes: Lack of innovation, according to the report’s authors, is troubling, given respondents … Continue reading Non-Residential Construction Outlook: The Industry Needs More Innovation and Better Quality

June 9, 2014January 15, 2017

West Coast Casualty’s Construction Defect Seminar for 2014 (WCCCDS 2014): Overview

Another year, another conference at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA with about 1,500 of my colleagues who work in the construction defect litigation industry. Once again, Dave and Coral Stern put on an outstanding event that was jam-packed with information on how construction claims are being handled, as well as new approaches to resolving … Continue reading West Coast Casualty’s Construction Defect Seminar for 2014 (WCCCDS 2014): Overview

March 6, 2014January 15, 2017

Net Positive is the new black – but what is the return on investment?

Ralph DiNola works for the nonprofit New Buildings Institute “working to improve the energy performance of commercial buildings.” He recently presented at a conference focused on Net Positive Energy + Water in San Fransisco. During the conference, one of the major themes was cost and value associated with such high performing buildings. What does this … Continue reading Net Positive is the new black – but what is the return on investment?

March 5, 2014January 15, 2017

Make sure to cast your vote for Best Construction Blog at Construction Marketing Ideas

No, this is not a shameless plug to get people to vote for me, as I opted to not enter my blog in this year’s competition. With a binding arbitration fast approaching, I knew that I wouldn’t have enough time to post here regularly, so I decided to hold off. But in 2015, hopefully I’ll … Continue reading Make sure to cast your vote for Best Construction Blog at Construction Marketing Ideas

January 13, 2014January 15, 2017

What is the value of independent third-party owner representation?

My father, Steve Hill, has been working in the construction industry for over 40 years. Some of my earliest memories as a child involve sitting in his lap on a Ditch Witch digging trenches for foundations, or the sweet intoxicating smell of lacquer (might explain a lot about me…) wafting in from our garage temporarily … Continue reading What is the value of independent third-party owner representation?