Sunday, November 26, 2017

Almost Done with 2017

We’re now entering the home stretch of 2017.  For many people the year is over.  The amount of work that gets done between now and new years is usually on the low side.  So productivity is not a positive right now.  Still work needs to be done, and weather is cooperating in the traditional winter weather spots of the US.  That could change pretty quickly but nasty, job-slowing precipitation has not been a factor yet.  This year though has absolutely flown right by…

Elsewhere…

--  The latest Architectural Billings Index (ABI) came in with a return to the positive.  The key with tracking the ABI is that it doesn’t touch our world for at least 9 months, so these consistent upbeat reports, along with healthy backlogs really are momentum builders for 2018.  There’s obviously the daily worry that some geo political nightmare that bursts from a twitter post could bring all of this to a halt, but so far so good metric wise.

--  A while back I wrote briefly on the “fake marketing” that is happening in our industry.  Sadly that trend keeps continuing with companies attaching their names to projects online and leaving the reader to incorrectly assume that said company supplied the entire noted product on the building.  It’s a lazy and weak approach and quite frankly distasteful to try and take credit for something you don’t deserve.  As you can see it makes me somewhat crazy- mostly because companies can and should be better than that.

--  Congrats to my friends at Walker Glass for completing the HPD/EPD process for several of their products.  That is not an easy or inexpensive process but it is meaningful in the big picture of transparency with regards to sustainable building.  Well done gang!

--  The home of the 2018 edition of GlassBuild America, the Las Vegas Convention Center is getting some serious upgrades and additions.  860 million will be spent to make the center the 2nd largest in the US right behind Chicago’s McCormick.  My guess is Vegas saw how GlassBuild is growing and with the merger of GANA and NGA, they needed to add more space to take care of us glass folk!

--  Does anyone out there watch the new ABC show “The Good Doctor” – if you do you see an amazing looking hospital featuring tons of glass.  I’m curious is that a real structure (or Hollywood magic) and if it is real, where is it and who did the glass and glazing… because it is sharp!

--  Are you a Top Glass Fabricator?  If so submissions are now open for Glass Magazine’s Top Fabricator list.  Get your details in and you can also nominate so great glaziers along the way too! 

--  I think “Black Friday” may be the biggest day of the year for promotional e-mails.  I was floored by the amount that I received to start the day and how they just kept on coming in.  I think every list I have ever been on from a retail outlet reached out to me as well as many others that I have no idea how they found me.

--  Last this week, before the Thanksgiving holiday in the US I posted a handful of things I am thankful for within our industry.  If you are interested you can find that posthere…

LINKS of the WEEK

This story shows a sad part of our society- people confusing Charles Manson with music star Marilyn Manson

Part 2 of society frustrations… how people can be mad at a professor for telling the simple truth

Deep and long story on the last of the Iron Lungs in operation.  I honestly had no idea this was still out there.

VIDEO of the WEEK

Fun video- guy does one of those typical contests during an NBA game and wins food for entire crowd… backstory they don’t mention, the shooter recently survived cancer.  Very cool.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm still getting Black Friday and Cyber Monday emails!

On the fake marketing, I've been a victim in the past. A well known fire rated supplier took credit and the Green Building Award for the exterior of a SF tower even though they only supplied the interior glass doors and walls.