I just returned from a week in the mountains. Cell phone service was spotty. We had good Wi-Fi in the cabin and when we ventured into town, but otherwise I was mostly off the grid. It was great.
Those of you who have been reading this newsletter for a while know that I push very hard for everyone to take a vacation where they don't check emails. Aside from solo practitioners, you likely work on a team with other talented and responsible people. They should be able to handle the job for one or two weeks.
If you are a Partner, you should let the next generation of leaders demonstrate their ability to keep the projects on the right track. At the same time, you should set an example for the rest of your firm so that everyone feels comfortable taking time off without the need to check in.
Our profession is known to burn people out. We are also very passionate about our work and don't want to leave projects hanging. However, you need to recharge on occasion and that means completely checking out for a short period of time.
Take care of yourself and your family. Please find some time this summer to get away and leave the work at work. Rest is critical.
Material Prices Fall in May
The AIA Billings report comes out later this week, so we'll report on that in two weeks. However, the Associated Builders and Contractors issued their materials pricing report for May and it showed a decrease in input prices of 0.9% month-over-month. This is the first decrease since December. We'll have to wait and see whether the trend continues, which could help push owners to start building.
Construction Materials Prices Decrease in May for the First Time Since December
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Co-CEOs is the New Trend
Among America's large firms, appointing co-CEOs is becoming the new norm. From my experience, smaller firms tend to operate this way with two or three partners who run the firm. However, this is seemingly new for larger firms that operate like large corporations.
The article doesn't go into detail about why this makes sense, but I think it is something worth considering.
What's Different About Gensler, the Largest Global Architect?
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US Department of Energy Defines Zero Emission Building
I have long found the term Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) to be odd. It has zero emissions, or it doesn't. Now the US Department of Energy has developed a definition for Zero Emissions Buildings:
a building that is highly energy efficient, does not emit greenhouse gases directly from energy use, and is powered solely by clean energy.
This is still kind of vague in my mind, but the implementation guide PDF goes into more detail about what each of those terms means.
National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building
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Toward Green Cement
We've known for a long time that cement is a major contributor to carbon emissions. In fact, 7.5% of all CO2 emissions comes from the production of cement, which is a key ingredient in concrete, mortar, grout, and other building materials.
The University of Cambridge is developing a new process to reactivate reclaimed cement.
Sustainable Practice: Is Construction on the Cusp of a Green Cement Revolution?
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It Is Award Season
Two weeks ago, we mentioned best firm awards from The Architectural Record and The Architect's Newspaper's annual awards for Best Practice. Here are a few more.
Architizer's A+List: The 220 Best Architecture and Design Firms Worldwide in 2024
