Industry Watch

• $6.5M hospital building in Boston challenges construction firm
  Suffolk Construction, based in Boston, faced a variety of challenges in building a 2,600-square-foot building and installing sophisticated treatment equipment at the city's Brigham & Women's Hospital. The $6.5 million project included installing a 22-ton cyclotron and relocating a 13,800-volt underground power line. Associated Construction Publications (12/10)

• Building inspector strike halts work on San Jose projects
  Building inspectors in San Jose, Calif., have joined a strike of city workers, prompting work on two development projects in the city to stop. Projects affected by the strike include an expansion of eBay Inc.'s north campus. American City Business Journals (12/7)

• Vancouver plans to go after illegal construction parking
  Officials in Vancouver, B.C., want to hire new staff to crack down on the problem of illegal parking by construction crews. Valuable parking spaces set aside in front of projects in already congested city streets are often taken up by the construction workers, meaning equipment is parked illegally, causing more traffic problems. The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia) (12/7)

• Green projects could be put on permit fast track in Jacksonville
  Builders applying for permits in Jacksonville, Fla., could see their applications put on the fast track if the projects are green. The City's Environmental Protection Board has put together an ordinance designed to encourage green building, and the measure would include adding a "green champion" to help shepherd green projects through the building permit process. The Daily Record (Jacksonville, Fla.) (12/7)

• Retail design evolves to suit shifting demographics
  Retail design is shifting to meet the needs of new demographics and lifestyle preferences. Mixed-use projects are increasingly gaining appeal in urban settings, and projects are being better integrated into other activities with outdoor seating and wider sidewalks. Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (12/7)

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Market Update

• Markets expecting Fed rate cut this week
  Analysts are expecting at least a quarter-point interest-rate cut when the Federal Reserve meets this week, and some peg the cut as high as a half point. Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and other Fed officials have signaled that a rate cut is forthcoming, even as the threat of higher inflation looms. TIME/Associated Press (12/9)

Product Innovation & Technology

• Tennessee development requires moving 3.6 million tons of dirt
  Sevierville, Tenn.-based Blalock and Sons is working on a massive project for developer Kodak Land Partners to move 3.6 million yards of dirt and rock. The job effectively involves moving a mountain to make way for a multi-use development along Interstate 40 in Tennessee. Associated Construction Publications (12/17)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AGC SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Troops evacuate Oregon town after flooding (ClipSyndicate)

• Pervious concrete lets the water flow (Reed/ACP Construction Data)

• Fallout from Minneapolis bridge collapse is far-reaching (Los Angeles Times)

• Corporate earnings enter recession; economy could follow (Bloomberg)

• Contractors drill 1,000-foot bore in North Carolina (Reed/ACP Construction Data)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

News From Washington

• OSHA to help ensure safety of builders of X-ray machine plant
  Builders and state officials are working with OSHA to ensure the safety of workers building a $165 million digital X-ray factory in North Greenbush, N.Y. More than 300 people will be involved in building the 150,000-square-foot GE Healthcare facility. American City Business Journals (12/7)

• Big employers enter health care debate as costs rise
  With medical costs on the rise, many top executives are speaking out on health care reform and calling for a national approach to fix the system. While some support a complete shift to government-directed medicine, most want broad changes in the employer-subsidized health system. NYTimes.com (4/6)

• Solo 401(k) plans provide options for self-employed
  Solo 401(k) plans aren't just for the self-employed, Elizabeth Brokamp writes in a Motley Fool column. The plans are also options for traditional workers who operate side businesses. Participants can currently set aside up to $15,500 in contributions plus 25% of their yearly business revenue if they're incorporated, or 20% for sole proprietors. The Motley Fool (12/8)

Association News

• AGC Audio Conference: Third annual economic forecast
  On Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2-3:30 p.m. ET, AGC offers a glimpse at the "bigger picture" of the economy's direction in 2008. Naturally, what happens in the economy will have a direct impact on what may happen to your company. Find out what factors may impact your bottom line during this annual favorite audio conference. Can the industry keep up the pace in 2008? Will it be dragged down by a slowing economy? What segments and regions are most vulnerable? Join Ken Simonson, Dana Delano and John Cross -- all experts on the economy and construction materials -- as they assess the industry's prospects and take questions from listeners. For more information on the Audio Conference, please visit www.agc.org/EconForecast. For a complete listing of upcoming Audio Conferences and information on previous Audio Conferences, please visit www.agc.org/audioconferences

• AGC offers insight into ethics and professionalism -- on disc
  This DVD emphasizes the importance of ethical conduct by both the individual and the firm. The accompanying handbook takes viewers to the next step by providing sample cases and scenarios by which discussions on company and personal ethics can be conducted. Get your copy today and raise your organization's professionalism tomorrow! Visit www.AGC.org/e-STORE or call 800-AGC-1767 and select item No. 2615D (or VHS item No. 2615).

SmartQuote

Compassion is the basis of all morality." --Arnold Schopenhauer, German philosopher