Articulon News and Announcements

Brady Supports Community College Intern Programs

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Brady LogoBrady, a company that provides energy systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina, announces today that five interns will join the company. Kyle Gentry, Sandy Fulk, Chris Vogts, Daniel Stanley and Ward Christman will intern across the respective offices as part oftheir pursuit of an HVAC degree from their local community college.

Gentry and Fulk will work in Greensboro and are both students at Guilford Technical Community College pursuing an associate degree. Gentry will be working as a boiler technician intern and Fulk as a service technician intern.

Vogts is enrolled in the HVAC diploma program at Alamance Community College. He will serve as a service technician assistant in Winston-Salem.

Stanley and Christman will be working as service technician interns in the RTP area. Both are students at Wake Technical Community College pursuing their associate degree in air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology.

Brady has a long-standing relationship with community colleges dating back to 1962. In addition to internship opportunities and hiring graduates, Brady has made significant donations in the form of scholarships and equipment to the HVAC degree programs. 

About Brady:
Brady is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina with locations in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte. Founded in 1962 by Chairman Don Brady, the company remains a family owned enterprise, today employing 357 associates. The company works with building owners, facility managers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors providing sustainable, comprehensive building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. Brady provides customers with a diverse range of HVAC and building solutions including building automation, energy conservation, green design, performance contracts, access controls, security, mechanical systems, parts and supplies, as well as world-class technical support. For more information, visit www.bradyservices.com or call (800) 849-1915.

Chambers USA Lists Dan McLamb as a Top Litigator in North Carolina

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Yates, McLamb & Weyher, ymw_logoL.L.P., a Raleigh, North Carolina-based litigation firm, announces today that founding partner Dan McLamb continues his Band 1 ranking by Chambers and Partners U.S.A. for 2013. McLamb first earned this honor in 2007.

McLamb received Band 1 recognition in the Litigation: Healthcare and Medical Malpractice category for North Carolina. In addition to representing healthcare professionals and organizations throughout the state in claims of malpractice, McLamb handles business disputes and complex litigation including professional liability defense, catastrophic damages claims and commercial liability disputes.

Since 1990, Chambers and Partners has published a series of geographic-based guides to the legal profession. To create the guides, more than 130 full-time researchers conduct interviews with lawyers and their clients to identify and rank the world’s best lawyers based on technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery and the value for the money. The lawyers are then ranked in bands from 1-6, with Band 1 being the best. The qualities on which ranking is assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.

Dan McLamb

In addition to Band 1 recognition by Chambers and Partners U.S.A, McLamb has been recognized by North Carolina Super Lawyers since 2007, attaining status as the top point recipient of all North Carolina attorneys in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2013. He has been included in the Best Lawyers In America ranking since 1995, earning Lawyer of the Year recognition in 2010, 2012 and 2013. McLamb was also inducted into the Legal Elite “Hall of Fame” in 2007, after being recognized as a Legal Elite litigator by Business North Carolina magazine every year since 2001.

About Yates, McLamb & Weyher, L.L.P.:
Formed in 1983, the firm’s attorneys are characterized by excellence and integrity, tenacity in defense of their clients’ interests, as well as civility and professionalism in the practice of law. With 30 attorneys on staff, the firm represents businesses, professionals and insurance companies in lawsuits with a focus on:

  • Commercial disputes
  • Debtor and creditor representation
  • Healthcare litigation
  • General and professional liability
  • Medical and professional malpractice
  • Construction litigation
  • Product liability
  • Insurance coverage
  • Trucking and automobile negligence

For more information, visit www.ymwlaw.com.

Smarter Buildings Require Smarter Building

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View article online at North Carolina Construction News

More than 190 commercial architects, engineers, building owners and facility managers from across North Carolina spent the day at the Brady Earthwise Expos in late April. Focusing on where the commercial construction industry is heading, attendees explored more than 30 booths featuring the latest in building technologies for improved energy efficiency.

Driven primarily by new code requirements to reduce energy consumption, software, systems integration and dashboard discussions were as prevalent as talk about construction materials and mechanical equipment. John Roberts, senior mechanical engineer at Dewberry and North Carolina Energy Ad Hoc Committee member presented an analysis of the 2012 energy conservation code governing new construction in the Tarheel state. The code is designed to save energy, reduce pollution and decrease energy costs by requiring new buildings to be 30 percent more efficient that those built under the 2009 code. Along with reducing lighting wattage and increasing insulation, the code is requiring buildings to be smarter with occupancy sensors and demand controls.

Although the new requirements can save the building owner money in utility costs over the life of the building, it is adding expense lines to the construction budget that did not exist five years ago. To help manage the new requirements with tight budgets for new construction, many, including the Wake County Public School System are turning to technology for solution.

“Growing school systems, like Wake County, are facing a heightened challenge with the 2012 Energy Conservation Code,” says Jim Brady, president, Brady, a company that provides energy systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. “Finding the right balance of where to invest in best-in-class building components and where to cut costs with lower-priced options will increase reliance on building information modeling (BIM) software. This means the school system will need to make a choice between purchasing the technology, keeping it up to date and training staff, or paying for the assistance of private-sector construction and engineering experts that provide BIM services.”

WCPSS is just starting to look at how to maximize the application value of BIM according to Greg Clark, senior director of maintenance and operations for WCPSS. “We are beginning to discuss how construction managers are using BIM on WCPSS projects and what portions of the intellectual property generated by these systems is owned by the school system,” says Clark. “Beyond the direct benefit of managing construction costs, I see a future where BIM will be able to integrate with our asset management system. This could eliminate manually populating each building’s parts and components inventory, which would save hundreds of labor hours. It could also expedite the competitive-product comparison process when buildings need repairs.” Clark sees a future where BIM and the transfer of the systems IP will be an important consideration in awarding construction contracts.

Dr. Michael Walden, N.C. State economist notes, “The fiscal situation in North Carolina is improving.” This combined with commercial building vacancy rates on the decline and the need for additional classrooms means the construction industry is poised for an influx of new projects. However, budgets are still tight. Therefore, the A/E/C firms that will be the most successful in winning new business will be the ones that are tech savvy, both in how they build and in how the building will operate in use for many years to come. Whether by architects, engineers or contractors, it all comes down to smarter buildings requiring smarter building.

For more information, check out some of the great videos from the 2013 Earthwise Expo

DocuSource Honored for Printing Excellence

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DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC, a full-service, technology based, digital print provider, announced today that it received seven 2013 PICA Awards from the Printing Industry of the Carolinas. This was the tenth consecutive year that DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC was recognized for printing excellence throughout North and South Carolina.

Docusource_FeaturedDocuSource of North Carolina, LLC won three Best of Category Awards and three Awards of Excellence. Only one Best of Category may be given in each category. In addition, DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC was also recognized for its work by winning the Hewlett Packard Indigo Award for Best Digital Printing.

“It was a tremendous honor to once again be recognized by our peers,” said Michael Chorba, president of DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC. “DocuSource strives to bring value to each client project, and this could not be possible without loyal clients and sustained efforts from our team members.”

This year, the PICA Awards attracted more than 643 entries from 58 printing companies, along with more than 300 entries from 17 graphic arts high schools and six college graphic arts programs from across the Carolinas. A panel of out of state judges with extensive experience in printing and print production was brought in to examine the work. Each entry was judged on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included: registration, crossovers, clarity and neatness, sharpness of halftones and line drawings, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, finishing, bindery, and overall visual impact.

The PICA Awards have been a symbol of printing excellence in North and South Carolina since 1966. More than 300 printing professionals were in attendance as DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC was honored at the award celebration in Concord, N.C. on April 27.

2013 marks the 12-year anniversary of DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC. Employing over 35 individuals, the company has made the Inc. 5000 list, and is one of only 70 printers across North Carolina to be certified green by the Forest Stewardship Council.

About DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC: 
DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC, a full-service resource for printing and communication materials, has built its success on providing businesses that most important element visual impression. From customized marketing, training and technical documents, to life-size graphics, to an online document management system; DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC delivers communication relevant to each client’s success. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC is a woman-owned and FSC-certified green printer with a complete fulfillment and distribution operation. The customer care experts at DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC offer a customized approach to maximize their clients’ printing needs adding value and saving time. Using state-of-the-art resources, the DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC printing experts create tailored solutions including personalized booklets, binders, DVDs, large format color graphics and much more. From start-ups to Fortune 1000 brands, DocuSource of North Carolina, LLC has proven relationships with servicing industries such as health and pharmaceutical, contract research, education and software development. Visit www.docusourceofnc.com or call (919) 459-5900.

About The Printing Industry of the Carolinas:
Since 1931, The Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc. (PICA) has been dedicated to advancing the success of the Carolinas’ printing and imaging industry. Working together with Printing Industries of America, the world’s largest graphic arts trade association, PICA provides training, resources, and a voice of advocacy on both a state and national level. PICA is a trade association representing the graphic communications industry in North and South Carolina.  North Carolina ranks as the 18th largest state print market in the United States with $3.7 billion in sales, 1,410 total printing establishments and 22,111 employees.  South Carolina ranks 29th in the nation, with $1.4 billion in sales, 553 establishments, and 8,522 employees. PICA is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. For more information, visit www.picanet.org.

FMI Releases Q1-2013 Construction Outlook Report

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FMI, the largest provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry released today its Q1-2013 Construction Outlook. Although the strength of individual markets is shifting, the forecast for total construction-put-in-place for 2013 continues to show an increase of 8% over 2012 levels. The $918,897 million estimate is a solid improvement, but FMI does not expect to return to the days of annual construction above the trillion-dollar mark until 2015.

The star of the show is residential buildings with a 23% rise in single-family buildings. While much of business sector is still in wait-and-see mode, some industries are breaking the mold and planning for growth. Commercial, lodging and office construction are starting to pick up.

The rich shale regions of the country are seeing a lot of construction activity. With oil and gas exploration booming, these regions are in need of housing, as well as the construction of roads, rail and pipelines to move the product from the fields to refining and distribution sites.

In addition, the potential for greater energy independence and lower energy prices is helping to make the U.S. more competitive in the global market and enticing more manufacturing to relocate in the U.S.

Residential Construction Single-family housing put in place grew 19% in 2012, and FMI expects another 23% growth to reach $161 billion by the end of 2013. Multifamily construction improved a whopping 47% in 2012, with FMI looking for another 31% in 2013.

Nonresidential Construction Trends and Forecasts by Sector:

Lodging — After three years of steep declines, the market for lodging construction came back a strong 25% in 2012 and FMI expects another 10% growth in con­struction put in place for 2013.

Office — Office construction is finally showing a solid but slow turnaround with 5% growth in 2012 and another 5% increase expected in 2013.

Commercial — Commercial construction is the third largest nonresidential construction market behind education construction and manufacturing construction. That is why it is good to see that it continues into its third year of good growth, moving up 8% in 2012 and looking for another 7% to reach $50.3 billion in 2013.

Health care — Health care construction was moderate in 2012, growing only 3%, but FMI expects it to pick up in 2013 to 8% to $44.2 billion construction put in place for the year.

Manufacturing — Manufacturing construction increased 17% in 2012. It will continue with another 6% increase for 2013 through 2014.

Power-related — Construction for the power market grew 9% in 2012 and will continue to grow between 8% and 9% through 2017.

To download a copy of the full report, click here. For reprint permission or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Sarah Avallone at 919.785.9221 or savallone@fminet.com.

About FMI:
FMI is the largest provider of management consulting, investment banking and research to the engineering and construction industry. We work in all segments of the industry providing clients with value-added business solutions, including:

  • Strategic Advisory
  • Market Research and Business Development
  • Leadership and Talent Development
  • Project and Process Improvement
  • Mergers, Acquisitions and Financial Consulting*
  • Compensation Benchmarking and Consulting
  • Risk Management Consulting

Founded by Dr. Emol A. Fails in 1953, FMI has professionals in offices across the U.S. FMI delivers innovative, customized solutions to contractors; construction materials producers, manufacturers and suppliers of building materials and equipment, owners and developers, engineers and architects, utilities, and construction industry trade associations. FMI is an advisor you can count on to build and maintain a successful business, from your leadership to your site managers. For more information, visit www.fminet.com.

*Investment banking services provided by FMI Capital Advisors, Inc., a registered broker-dealer and wholly owned subsidiary of FMI.