2/6/22
Hey Everyone!
The AGC weekly newsletter is back!
Want to learn more about construction? UMass Amherst’s Associated General Contractors Chapter is NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED! Miss out on our events last semester? No problem! We are planning site tours, speakers, and other fun events during the Spring semester, and you can still get involved!
AGC Updates:
AGC First Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, February 9 at 5:30pm in Olver Design Building (room TBD)
Come to get the first look at our semester events! We will also have a fun social activity planned.
The Trials and Tribulations of Road Upkeep
New blog post by Sam is up on our website! Check it out!
Weekly Word/Acronym: IAQ
IAQ stands for the term indoor air quality and is an important topic of consideration in construction. This is an important factor that affects both occupant comfort and health and poor IAQ can lead to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and even certain types of cancers.
Weekly Joke:
Why did the construction worker shy away from making construction jokes? Because the joke still needed some work!
This Week in Construction:
Recently, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced dredging projects coming to Massachusetts!
Nationwide, the Corps of Engineers announced $14 billion in funding for projects aimed to “strengthen port and waterway supply chains and bolster climate resilience”.
About $20.8 million is coming to Massachusetts, some coastal areas are to receive,
~$2.95 million for Salem Harbor
~$9.3 million for Wareham Harbor/Essex River
~$2.5 million Newburyport Harbor
And more for other areas of the state.
These allocations remind us of the importance of port/harbor maintenance due to the natural sedimentation occurring in our waterways.
Dredging removes sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors, and other bodies of water.
As sand and silt wash downstream, over time, this build-up will decrease the depth of waterways.
The depth of waterways is super important for the safety of smaller private boats and the accommodation of larger ships- vital to our economy.
Large container ships that transport our cargo and oil need a certain depth of water to float and not touch the bottom.
Want to read more? Check out this article
Boston gets largest cargo ship to date!
DredgingToday.com
MassLive
Photo: Dredging equipment next to a worker for size comparison 
Photo: Dredging operation in Boston harbor, some time ago…
Photo: Dredging being done by Tobin Bridge in Boston
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
2/13/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
Mark your calendars – our semester events are up on our website! Check out the full list here!
03.02.22 Guest Lecture: Scott Michalak, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
5:30pm-6:30pm, Olver Design Building 162
Other Construction Related Events:
02.12.22 Habitat for Humanity Build
02.28.22 BCT Lecture: Acoustics & Vibrations in Mass Timber
See our website for more details.
Weekly Word/Acronym: VE
VE stands for value engineering, an important effort in the construction process that allows for the final product to achieve its purpose with proper performance, reliability, and quality at the lowest cost. Value engineering not only solves issues related to the construction process but also cuts unnecessary costs.
Weekly Joke:
I didn’t believe it when they told me my brother was a construction site thief. But when I got home, the signs were there.
This Week in Construction:
This week we’re thinking about the construction of urban bike lanes. How quickly they’ve come about, and how they will continue to increase in numbers.
Commuting via bike in downtown Boston used to be a challenge. Major corridors of the city seemed accessible only to experienced cyclists.
When the pandemic came about, the initial shutdown got city leaders to expedite plans to build bike lanes and additional infrastructure (such as delineators) across the city.
The growing political will to have them since the onset of the pandemic continues and communities are accepting them.
This welcomed addition offered commuters and leisure riders alike a safer ride through the empty streets. By the end of 2021, Boston was notably more bike-friendly.
Many communities were ecstatic about this as it aligned with the city’s long-term goal for sustainable development and environmentally friendly transportation options.
Now, as the city’s offices and commercial areas are well into boom once again, many are voicing their opinions for the rather abrupt change to the city landscape.
Still in a positive light from the Boston Globe article,
“In a survey conducted by MassINC Polling Group of 670 registered voters in the Boston area last May, 75 percent said they support constructing separated bike lanes even if it means less space for driving and parking cars. Separated bike lanes are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical structure (flex posts, parked cars, curbs).”
The only problem seems to be about bike lane connectivity. Currently, many bike lanes aren’t connected, providing safety for only a few blocks before bikers are lurched, sometimes unexpectedly, into unprotected car traffic. This makes commuting into the city from surrounding communities still hard to do. The implication is to continue constructing lanes on major corridors running in and out of the downtown area.
We hope cyclists and motorists will coexist in Boston, and that the future will bring along safer modes of transportation for all.
Check this link for a map of all bike lanes in the immediate vicinity of Boston!
Image: Diagram displaying varying types of bike lanes across Boston, from boston.gov
Now only if we could get bike lanes for roads in and around the UMass Amherst campus??
That’s a whole other issue, for another day :)
Source articles:
boston.gov
Boston Globe
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
2/20/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
03.02.22 Guest Lecture: Scott Michalak, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
5:30pm-6:30pm, Olver Design Building 162
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Events:
02.28.22 BCT Lecture: Acoustics & Vibrations in Mass Timber
See our website for more details.
Weekly Word/Acronym: ANSI
ANSI stands for American National Standards Institute. Its relation to the construction industry is significant since the organization provides proper standards for construction equipment, materials, and safety requirements.
Weekly Joke:
Construction worker discharged after accusation of murder. There was no concrete evidence.
This Week in Construction:
Have you ever heard of a stolen bridge? A bridge just disappearing overnight…
We typically don’t think of infrastructure being stolen since doing so is impossible for most.
However, if you go the lengths, the impossible can become possible
A bridge is a steal-able object, just like a car or anything else you can imagine.
It takes coordination and a cunning plan, but thats what happened in Ohio recently, 
\
Image: Stolen bridge sections
Check the story out,
Washington Post
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
2/27/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
03.02.22 Guest Lecture: Scott Michalak, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
5:30pm-6:30pm, Olver Design Building 162
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Events:
02.28.22 BCT Lecture: Acoustics & Vibrations in Mass Timber
See our website for more details.
Weekly Word/Acronym: D-B
D-B stands for design-build, which is a project delivery method where both the designer and constructor work under a single contract for the owner. This method of project delivery has been noted for significant advantages like having projects being completed faster and more efficiently.
Weekly Joke:
How do construction workers party? They raise the roof.
This Week in Construction:
Moon Building Technology: NASA grants $6M for research geared toward building on the moon!
NASA has recently renewed its research and development of lunar infrastructure with grants to three universities with funding via the LuSTR (Lunar Surface Technology Research) opportunities, a part of NASA’s Artemis program. With the goal of creating space-capable technology for eventral construction, it’s interesting to consider the criteria required to build in space. The technologies developed will have to endure extreme temperature changes, a lack of atmosphere, and lunar regolith (moon dust), which pose a threat to electronics.
A break down of research areas at the selected universities,
- Autonomous construction: Researchers at the Colorado School of Mines will develop tech that will make construction by robots on the moon’s surface possible.
- Extracting resources: Missouri University of Science & Technology will use magnetic and electrostatic technology to separate aluminum- and calcium- containing material from moon dust to better extract resources.
- Extremely cold electronics: Auburn University will develop technology that can resist the extreme cold temperatures of the moon, which can drop far below zero on the dark side of its surface.
On a broader scale, the construction industry as a whole will have to tackle the challenges of space infrastructure and the unique challenges it poses. The advancement of technology via research today will better prepare the world for space exploration and inhabitation.
The attached png image gives a nice visual of construction in space, definitely check it out!
Source articles:
Construction Dive
NASA
Space Construction
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
3/6/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
04.02.22 AGC: Explore a City
On Saturday, April 2, AGC will take a field trip to New York City, NY to explore the city and look at cool projects. Look out for more details in the future!
04.04.22 Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center
Mark your calendars for April 4th at 3:30pm! We will be touring the new Newman Catholic Center on campus, right next to the Olver Design Building.
Nate’s blog post on Sustainable Building Materials is up, check it out!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Events:
03.28.22 BCT Lecture: Miami Pedestrian Bridge Collapse
See our website for more details.
Weekly Word/Acronym: AFF
AFF stands for above finish floor, a term that is commonly included in construction plans and is an indication for the positioning on various items above the finish floor elevation. This is used to reference final locations for equipment such as speakers or screens.
Weekly Joke:
I just received “Employee of the Month” at my furniture construction company.
However, some people call me counterproductive.
This Week in Construction:
LaGuardia Airport: Recently renovated with the help of construction technology!
Over the last couple of years, LaGuardia has gone under major renovations to increase operational efficiency, mediate environmental improvements, and all over energy efficiency while creating a better passenger experience- worthy of the empire state. Two noteworthy highlights to the Terminal B building are the additions of pedestrian sky bridges which span over active taxiways on the airport tarmac. The sky bridges span 430 feet across, at 97 feet above the taxiway. The whole renovation project used in the range of 40,000 tons of steel.
The Terminal B renovation is valued at $5.1 billion, including $4 billion in construction costs, and the project overall had a price of $8 billion. A Skanska-Walsh joint venture led design-build work, while the firms’ HOK and WPS were responsible for architecture and engineering.
Photo: Skybridge under construction 
Photo: Skybridge opening with airplane taxiing underneath
All this complex construction being done onsite with the constraints of an operational airport, meant technological advances in construction were vital to the success and efficiency at which designers and contractors were able to work.
From Construction Dive:
“But for the Skanska USA team tasked with bringing to fruition one of the firm’s most complex projects ever, the devil was in thousands of details. To get this modern feat of engineering off the ground, Skanska — the lead partner of the Skanska-Walsh joint venture responsible for the overall construction and design of the project — turned to tried-and-true as well as emerging construction technology.
That technology ranged from aerial photogrammetry to a 4D scheduling model, multiple 360-degree cameras that created more than 15,000 “over capture” photos in a single building and detailed laser scanning to ensure the as-built environment lined up with the project’s original 3D model.”
Photos: From Skanska, images of 4D renderings used for the project.
From beginning to end, this project highlights the use of technology in construction and engineering to be able to tackle increasingly complex and large infrastructure projects such as New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Sources:
Airport World
Construction Dive Article
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
3/20/22
Hey Everyone!
Important updates below, read thoroughly!
AGC Updates:
April 4, 2022 from 3:30pm-4:30pm
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center
Mark your calendars! We will be touring the new Newman Catholic Center on campus, right next to the Olver Design Building.
See flyer and sign up here!
April 23, 2022
AGC: Explore a City
On Saturday, April 23, AGC will take a field trip to New York City, NY to explore the city and look at cool projects. This event was formerly planned for 4/2/22 but has been moved to 4/23/22.
OSHA Training is now available! See the flyer for details on how to sign up! Payments are due Friday, April 1st at midnight.
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
March 28, 2022
BCT Lecture: Miami Pedestrian Bridge Collapse
April 13, 2022
EERI Visiting Professional – John Hooper of MKA
McMillen Jacobs Associates Internship
See flyer and job description. Contact Prof. Scott Civjan for more details or apply directly.
See our website for more event details.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Shop Drawings
The weekly word of the week is the term shop drawings. These are sets of drawings provided to the contractor which offer detailed drawings of how specific components are to be installed.
Weekly Joke:
Marble is a valuable building material and should not be taken for granite.
Thanks!
The AGC E-Board
3/27/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
April 1, 2022
OSHA-10 Training Payments are due at midnight
Get your OSHA training for only $15! See the flyer for details on how to sign up. If you prefer a different payment method, please let us know.
April 4, 2022 from 3:30pm-4:30pm
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center
Mark your calendars! We will be touring the new Newman Catholic Center on campus, right next to the Olver Design Building.
See flyer and sign up here!
April 23, 2022
AGC: Explore a City
On Saturday, April 23, AGC will take a field trip to New York City, NY to explore the city and look at cool projects. If you are interested in attending, please fill out this form.
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
March 28, 2022
BCT Lecture: Miami Pedestrian Bridge Collapse
April 13, 2022
EERI Visiting Professional – John Hooper of MKA
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Formwork
Formwork is a temporary structure that is erected in which concrete is poured into, forming the desired form after a curing period.
Weekly Joke:
What construction work would dogs do? They would usually work on woofs!
This Week in Construction:
This coming week a few members of our E-Board will be attending the AGC Convention in Texas. The AGC Convention provides engineers and contractors the opportunity to gain business-critical insights into the issues affecting operations. AGC brings together experts from across the industry to share their knowledge and prepare the industry for the challenges of today (and tomorrow). We hope to learn and get insight into construction and engineering at the various levels of industry strata. Additionally, we will be meeting other student chapters from various universities and colleges across the country. It will be cool to meet our counterparts and see what they do with their student chapters! We will be sharing our experience at the convention in the coming weeks!
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
4/3/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
April 4, 2022 from 3:30pm-4:30pm
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center
For those who signed up, we’ll see you there! Look for an email from us soon with details.
AGC: Explore a City
Due to scheduling and interest, we have decided to postpone this event to a later date.
Implementing Zero-Waste Strategies in Construction Planning and Execution
New blog post by Eric is up on our website!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
April 6, 2022 from 12:30pm-1:30pm
Verizon Drone Flying!
Take a mini field trip up to OHill (special bus provided) to watch a Verizon FAA drone pilot perform an aerial drone inspection of their tower antennas located up on Orchard Hill. Spots are limited; see the flyer to sign up.
April 11, 2022 from 4:00pm-5:15pm
BCT Lecture: Miami Pedestrian Bridge Collapse
Olver Design Building Room 170
April 13, 2022
EERI Visiting Professional – John Hooper of MKA
Come learn about Earthquake Engineering with an EERI Professional!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Critical Path
The critical path refers to a set of construction activities on a project’s schedule that must be completed on time for the project completion date to be met.
Weekly Joke:
How does a mechanical engineer react if a hammer is thrown towards him? He ducts!
This Week in Construction:
We had a great few days at the AGC Convention and Expo in Dallas last week.
We met a local construction heavyweight— Robert “Bob” Lanham Jr.— current president of AGC and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. based in Houston, Texas. 
Image: Nate, Kitty, Bob, Kevin, and Sam
Bob started as Project Engineer with Williams Brothers in 1985. Over the next 35 years, he worked in virtually every aspect of the business ranging from project management, estimating and contract administration. In January 2013, Bob was named President.
A hallmark project that Bob oversaw while at Williams Brothers was the Katy Freeway Reconstruction. It is one of the largest and most successful programs ever performed by TxDOT. Construction began in 2003 and resulted in the complete reconstruction of twenty-five miles of one of Houston’s busiest freeways and more than $300 million in utility relocations. The completed project provided for four to eight continuous through lanes in each direction, three continuous frontage road lanes with additional lanes for turning movements at key intersections, improved drainage and flood control throughout the corridor, improved direct connections to IH 610 and the Sam Houston Tollway as well as the incorporation of Managed Lanes in the center of IH 10. Substantial completion was achieved in October 2008, more than two months ahead of the fast-track schedule.
Fun fact:
The Katy Freeway is known to be the widest section of highway in the United States
Image: Katy Freeway experiencing traffic congestion
Sources:
https://wbctx.com
https://www.agc.org
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
4/10/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
April 20, 2022
Construction Site Tour: UMass Apartment Buildings on Mass Ave
We are still confirming this tour, so look out for an update soon.
April 27, 2022
AGC Club Bonding Hike
We will carpool to a hike nearby and maybe catch a sunset!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
April 11, 2022 from 4:00pm-5:15pm
BCT Lecture: Miami Pedestrian Bridge Collapse
Olver Design Building Room 170
April 13, 2022
EERI Visiting Professional – John Hooper of MKA
Come learn about Earthquake Engineering with an EERI Professional!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Section
Sections are a type of view on drawings that show the building as if it were along a vertical plane.
Weekly Joke:
What did the idle carpenter say to his manager? “I am very board, it wood be best to give me some work.’
This Week in Construction:
This week we took a site tour of the Newman Center under construction on campus!
We were given a tour of the grounds by the superintendent Mark Haradon and were able to ask various construction and industry questions. Here are some pictures of the tour,
Picture 1: Introduction to scope of project standing beside the building
Picture 2: Further commentary on construction while in the main nave
Picture 3: Mark Haradon speaks about his experience in the contracting business 
Picture 4: Group picture!
Stay on the lookout for other site touring opportunities coming your way!
Thank you for coming!
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
4/`17/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
April 27, 2022
AGC Club Bonding Hike
Sign-ups coming soon. We will carpool to a hike nearby and maybe catch a sunset!
May 2, 2022
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center #2!
3:30pm-4:30pm. Come see the progress made from last time; sign up here.
The tour scheduled for April 20th is canceled; the project coordinator is unavailable.
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
April 23, 2022
Habitat for Humanity Build from 9:00 am-4:00 pm.
Sign up here. Contact HFH for more details on forms. No construction experience necessary!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Mitigation
Mitigation in construction management is the act of eliminating or reducing risks by lowering the impact and probability of occurrence.
Weekly Joke:
What did the old log of wood say to the new wood which was currently being sawed? He said, “You are just a chip off the old block”.
This Week in Construction:
We have all been conscious of the situation unfolding in Ukraine over the last few months. While Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, marking an escalation in the conflict beginning with the annexation of Crimea Britannica in 2014, since the onset of this conflict there has been extensive damage to the infrastructure in Ukraine.
This is an interesting article from Construction Dive – Ukraine that goes over the calculated losses of the war so far in regards to infrastructure. They estimate around $63 billion in damage. The UN has estimated a larger figure at $100 billion. This conflict is still ongoing but we do know that rebuilding Ukraine will cost a lot of money. Perhaps the variance in these estimates can be the result of the procurement of materials and the supply chain infrastructure required to rebuild at such a mass scale, but whatever the actual reason, we know that this will be a monumental effort for the Ukrainian people. Sláva Ukrayíni!
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
4/24/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
April 27, 2022 from 6:15pm-7:45pm
AGC SUNSET HIKE at Bare Mountain!
Meet us there or sign up here to carpool. All levels of hiking expertise are welcome!
See flyer.
May 2, 2022
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center #2!
3:30pm-4:30pm. Come see the progress made from last time; sign up here.
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
None!
Weekly Word/Acronym: Scope Creeep
Scope creep refers to the continuous changes made to a project or when the work grows uncontrollably out of the original scope.
Weekly Joke:
What was the most groundbreaking invention? It had to be the jackhammer.
This Week in Construction:
Have you wondered why modular construction has not clicked in commercial construction?
Modular construction is a process in which a building is constructed off-site, under controlled plant conditions, using the same materials and designed to the same codes and standards as conventionally built facilities – but in about half the time. Buildings are produced in “modules” that when put together on-site, reflect the identical design intent and specifications of the most sophisticated site-built facility – without compromise.
Modular construction can offer many benefits like cost savings, environmental benefits, and quicker return on investment. However, contractors are still running into roadblocks using modular construction. Many face a steep learning curve, and there can be snafus with design, manufacturing, transportation, and assembly.
Another challenge is the fact that the initial savings can often be wiped out by design, manufacturing, or execution errors on site. That could range from issues with the kits of parts assembly, shipping, and handling from the factory, or proper installation techniques not being followed. Modular’s pre-assembled components also undercut some subcontractors, notably highly skilled trades like plumbers, electricians and steelworkers. 
Figure: Modular construction bar graph reproduced from Sebastian Obando/Construction Dive, data from the Modular Building Institute
Modular construction has many pros and cons. Time will tell if the industry wholeheartedly embraces it or not.
Check the article out,
Construction Dive
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board
5/1/22
Hey Everyone!
Here’s the weekly AGC News:
AGC Updates:
TOMORROW May 2, 2022
Construction Site Tour: Newman Catholic Center #2!
3:30pm-4:30pm. Come see the progress made from last time; sign up here.
The 2022 AGC Annual Convention – blog post written by Kevin, Kitty, Sam and Nate is up on our blog! Check it out for some photos from the convention!
See our website for a complete list of our semester events.
Other Construction Related Updates:
May 4, 2022
LEED Platinum Building Tour: SWCA at 4pm
Come see a LEED Platinum building! With rain gardens, porous asphalt, a rooftop solar array, and more…
Register on Handshake.
June 30, 2022
AGC MA Scholarship Due
For all construction and civil engineering majors: we encourage you to apply to the AGC MA scholarship. More details can be found here.
Weekly Word/Acronym: Shoring
Shoring refers to the use of metal or wood props to support a structure while it is being constructed.
Weekly Joke:
What did I do when my wife said that she loved heavy metal music? I simply took her to visit a construction site!
This Week in Construction:
UMass Amherst campus area infrastructure and construction highlights!
We share with you some recent developments and plans for improving the infrastructure and safety around the UMass Amherst Campus. These recent developments will offer housing and other opportunities for the accommodation of an increasing student population. These efforts involve the community and towns surrounding UMass; these projects are set to break ground or enter final development stages in the next few years to come!
See how Amherst plans on adding sidewalks to Pleasant St.
Amherst Bulletin
Amherst Center traffic calming and roadway redesign,
Amherst Indy
UMass Housing expansion project,
Gazette
Lincoln Apartments Demo and Repurpose
Daily Collegian
UMass Current Construction Page
We hope you keep an eye out for all this soon to be bustling construction, all as the warmer months roll in.
Hope to see you soon,
The AGC E-Board