Sunday, November 28, 2010

Why the ABI may matter

After reading last week’s ABI (Architectural Billings Index) I had a nagging feeling that I needed to see how accurate that whole process is/was. So during the holiday weekend I decided to go back into the archives of Glass Magazine to investigate. What I found was somewhat telling, a 4 part series (great job by Katy Devlin) from late 2007 that predicted the slow down to come. Back then you could see some signs on the horizon, but most of the world was blind (or better yet fat and happy), but yet the ABI started to decrease and the warning signs went up. Now there is no doubt the ABI is not perfect and they had plenty of stops and starts in the past, but they did probably do the most accurate accounting of the commercial side, so the numbers that come out from them in next few months should be taken seriously and hopefully they are better than in the past.

Elsewhere…

-- Hope everyone had a great holiday… I am still full…

-- Now before we blink its Hanukah, then Christmas and New Years… man time is flying.

-- More good news from the area of glass industry and technological advancements… The folks at Soladigm just picked up a tremendous honor and award from GE. Soladigm was chosen to be a part of GE’s 200 million dollar ecomagination challenge. GE picked 12 companies total to be a part of this incredible opportunity. More info is HERE. End of the day this yet ANOTHER great announcement of news showing that our industry is advanced, we are creating cutting edge materials and we are not the stick in the mud that some like to make us out to be. Congrats to the gang at Soladigm on this great news!

-- Speaking of great news, I am sure the folks at Viracon are still pretty pumped over their acquisition of Glasstec in Brazil. While so many in the industry thought Viracon would expand domestically, if you listened to the quarterly calls, the focus always has been on growing internationally and this was a great first step. Now how long before Dr. Don McCann is as big of a legend in Brazil as Ronaldo, Kaka, and Ronaldinho?

-- How about the article on the Harmon Hotel in Vegas possibly being imploded? My gosh that would just add to one of the wildest construction stories ever. Seriously some great writer needs to jump on the entire story of CityCenter… from the birth and concept to the crazy construction stories to the “death rays” to this. It seriously could be an epic read.

-- I am bummed Boise State lost. Then again the only Idaho football team I root for is Idaho State since I know a hall of famer from that institution.

-- One last note from Greenbuild 2010… next year that show is in Toronto and it will be very interesting to see how that effects the attendance. I think it will actually do more than 30,000 but the breakdown will be severely weighted down from the northeast and Canada overall. If I do that show though I will go to Montreal first and get clothing advice from the Walker guys because otherwise my Midwest duds will not play.

-- Last, if you want to see a brainless, gory, but actually somewhat enjoyable movie go check out “Faster” staring “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson. It won’t win any awards but for 90 minutes you surely forgot about ABI’s and certifications and China and so on, and to me that is worth it.

LINKS of the WEEK

-- Cracking me up here…. the conundrum of the “green” parking garage.

-- As a big time dog lover, I dig this idea… a restaurant for dogs…

-- Headshaker story of the week… guy gets arrested for DWI three times… IN ONE WEEK!! This is surely a case of a guy that should never be allowed anything with motor again.

VIDEO of the WEEK

Sorry this one has to be a fake or a fix. A cat staring down 2 alligators while people just stand casually by? Too bizarre but worth the watch…

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