The U.S. Department of Labor released its 812-page pre-publication version of the final rule to modernize Davis-Bacon prevailing wage that SWACCA has been engaged on dating back to the Biden presidential transition. The final rule represents the most sweeping overhaul of Davis-Bacon regulations since the Reagan Administration.

Aug. 8’s announcement makes some improvements but critically misses an opportunity to improve the wage determination process and further burdens overregulated construction contractors building and upgrading the nation’s infrastructure.

Dupont recently partnered with “Military Makeover,” an award-winning home improvement show hosted by Montel Williams that aims to transform the homes and lives of military families across the country.

This marks half a century (yes, 50 years) of the SPF industry being served by a trade association. It all started in 1973 with the Urethane Foam Contractors Association. Through the years, that association has taken on new names but in 2003, SPFA, as we currently know it, was named.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Enacted in December 2022, the PWFA requires covered entities to provide reasonable accommodations to a worker’s known limitation related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer undue hardship.

The results are in on the first-ever U.S. Collegiate Design-Build Passive House Ice Box Challenge with the Pratt Institute School of Architecture. 

Construction employment increased in 221, or 62 percent, of 358 metro areas between June 2022 and 2023, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data.

The ACI Foundation’s Concrete Innovation Council will host its next Technology Forum on Aug. 29-31 in Portland, Oregon.

The Metal Construction Association has announced that industry veteran Ken McLauchlan has been appointed as a director on the board. McLauchlan, who is vice president of architectural sales at Metal Forming, LLC in Peachtree, Georgia, was appointed to fill a vacancy.

Simpson Strong-Tie announced May 11 the successful completion of a series of seismic tests on the tallest building yet subjected to earthquake simulations.