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Now, as “they” say, “the greenest building is the one that has yet to be built.”  What a nice thought, although slightly unrealistic.  Construction in the United States has slowed in response to the economic recession.  However, China, where despite the economic crisis, engineers are completing four more tower blocks every day – almost all fitted with air conditioning, heating, lighting and lifts that will run on coal-powered electricity.

As opposed to the United States, China is in the middle of the greatest building boom in human history. Six of the world's ten tallest buildings completed last year were in China.  Each new building that is erected imposes a negative effect on the environment which is why incorporating Green Building Practices into these structures is the only way to alleviate some of the irreparable damage.

The Pearl River Tower, now being built in Guangzhou, China is being promoted as the most energy efficient skyscraper ever built.  With four wind turbines, solar panels, ­sun-shields, smart lighting, water-cooled ceilings and state-of-the-art insulation, the tower is designed to use half the energy of most buildings of its size and set a new global benchmark for self-sufficiency among the planet's high rises.

Engineers say the tower could even be enhanced to create surplus electricity, with micro-turbines that could sell electricity back to the grid at night.   Unfortunately, the local power firm opposed this proposal as a caution to protect its monopoly over energy generation.  With this approach to the construction of new structures, cities all over the world can lessen the impact they have on the environment.  The new buildings can be utilized as an energy source, as oppose to the leader in energy consumption.

Although the incorporation of Green Building Practices costs more upfront, it will take approximately five years to earn back the cost and thus begin saving on energy consumption.  The future of buildings seemed bleak, but now with Green Building Practices and examples around the world of successful implementation, maybe there is hope after all.
 

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The Alaskan Way Viaduct completed on April 4, 1953, is an elevated section of state route 99 that runs along the  waterfront connecting Seattle's Industrial District (home to Wolfe Law Group) and downtown Seattle. It is the smaller of the two major north-south traffic corridors through Seattle, carrying up to 110,000 vehicles per day.

For those of you residing in Seattle or neighboring areas, the topic of the deconstruction of the Alaskan Way Viaduct has been on-going. However, the time is now.  The Seattle Post Intelligencer states,

The Alaskan Way Viaduct's days are now officially numbered.

Simple, strong and to the point.  So what does this means for the infrastructure of Seattle?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009, marked the signing ceremony for state legislation to replace the elevated highway with a deep-bored tunnel.  Although the Governor of Washington is confident in the timely completion of the tunnel, locals remain skeptical. 

As someone who utilizes the Alaskan Way Viaduct on a daily basis, it is hard to imagine, not only the inevitable rush  hour traffic during the "transition period" but a commute without Seattle's skyline, mountain ranges (on a clear day) and Elliot Bay. 

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With a weak economy, no jobs in sight and an incessant media frenzy, the White House has gone GREEN! Wouldn’t that make it a Green House? President Obama’s stimulus package aims to put about 20 billion dollars into greening the economy.

“Greening the economy” sounds like the US government is trimming hedges, planting bulbs and whacking weeds.  In all seriousness, the focus is on improving the current economic situation while simultaneously reversing the damage done to the environment. Genius! Obama’s goal is to create 2.5 million new jobs in the green sector of the economy by 2011.

Obama’s green stimulus package will also likely include tax breaks for clean tech projects like solar panels, wind farms, biofuels, and carbon capture and sequestration.  Therefore employment opportunities that are categorized as “green- collard jobs” such as green building, LEED certified construction professionals, wind turbine mechanics and jobs pertaining to energy efficiency and production will be in high demand.

All over the world from London to Hong Kong, governments are coming to the realization that “going green” is a necessity for creating jobs and saving the economy. You can read more about the world wide efforts to “go green” at the UN News Centre.

Right here in the the United States of America, states are adopting laws that provide individuals and developers with tax incentives to incorporate Green Building standards into their homes and/or commercial properties. The more emphasis placed on Green Building in the near future, construction professionals with knowledge and certification in Green Building will find themselves at the forefront of an upturned economy.

There are many opportunities for former construction workers in the green sector. In fact, the number of jobs in “renewable or energy efficient” industries is climbing at a fast rate and government support is only going to boost the speed!  Going green on a construction job encompasses using both renewable resources and energy efficient methods. Wolfe Law Group published a series of blog articles relating to Green Building for contractors. To read the Green Building article series click here.


 

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Currently, there are two bills awaiting a decision by the Washington State Legislature that would prevent employers from holding meetings to discuss issues “directly related to” labor unions.  The initial response from the public is that the bill sounds like another vague, loosely defined bill that aims to reduce the rights of one party (the employer) while advocating for another party (the union).

This particular bill was introduced by Representative Mike Sells, a democrat from Everett as House Bill 1528 and by Senator Margarita Prentice, a democrat from Renton, as Senate Bill 5446. 

To give you more clarity on what is going on, we would like to discuss the practical effect of the bill.

* What Does the Bill Do?

If this bill is passed, it gives employees the right not to attend a meeting called by their employer, if the employees have reasonable belief that it is about religious or political matters.

* Is That the Real Reason Behind the Bill?

Well, not exactly. On the one hand, that sounds completely valid, as religion and politics in the United States of America are viewed as very private matters. However, this bill defines “political matters”  as topics including and related to labor unions.  Scratch below the surface and the bill serves to undermine meetings that employers can potentially call when they are in a fight with a union.

* How Are Employers Affected?

Employers have the right to present factual materials to their employees during a dispute with a union. Those individual employees are entitled to vote based on the information they receive and their personal opinions. The bill is an attempt by organized unions, through legislators, to stop employers from discussing their position during union organizing efforts.  The unions want to limit the right of employers to present facts that might sway someone from voting the union in.

* Does This Affect the Construction Industry Too?

Well, of course. The construction industry is familiar with unions. Union strength arose in response to the inconsistency in project availability, the extended lengths of projects and under-regulated monetary compensation for individual workers. 

Last month, President Obama issued an executive order encouraging federal agencies to use project labor agreements on large-scale construction projects. This order requires contractors to enter in a collective bargaining agreement with a labor union that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for the specific construction project.  The motivation behind this executive decision? The answer: purported timely completion of large projects.

With a Democrat-controlled Congress and Democratic leadership right here in Washington State, employers should expect an increase in legislative decision favorable to unions and in employer regulations relating to union disputes.
 

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The Washington Supreme Court decided yesterday to add to the already growing worries of contractors in the State of Washington, and perhaps across state lines. The High Court decided to apply an open-ended statute of limitations to claims brought against a contractor who built Safeco Field, the Seattle Mariners' home ballpark. The opinion controverts the previous belief that the construction claim would be limited by a 6 year limitation period on such claims. (RCW 4.16.040)

Due to the Court's findings, contractors must now be aware that work that they provide on a publicly-funded stadium will be subject to the open-ended statute, as opposed to the normal 6 year period for other constructions.

Washington Construction Law, a blog by Davis, Wright and Tremaine LLP, has reported that the Seattle Mariners and the State MLB Public Facilities District stand to recover more than $3 Million in damages for faulty construction completed by Hunt Construction Group and Kiewit Construction Group, which was substantially completed back in 1999.

The opinon, which can be found at Washington Construction Law's website, illustrates that the Court was unwilling to apply RCW 4.16.040 which provides a 6 years limitation period for contract claims. Instead, the Court applied RCW 4.16.160 saying:

We hold that the construction of Safeco Field by the PFD involves the exercise of sovereign powers traceable to delegated sovereign powers of the State, and claims based on its construction fall within the “for the benefit of the state” statute of limitations exemption in RCW 4.16.160.

Washington Construction Law states that the opinion is the first of its kind in the United States. Regardless, it certainly sets the tone for further litigation across the states.

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