OSHA adds six weeks to comment period for proposed crystalline silica exposure limit

Sources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; CP staff

The public comment period for OSHA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica continues through January 27, following the agency’s decision to extend an original December 11 deadline.

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Dodge Outlook Report: Housing leads industry to moderate 2014 growth

Source: McGraw Hill Construction, New York

A mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning, the Dodge Construction Outlook predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2014 will rise 9 percent, to $555.3 billion—higher than the 5 percent increase to $508 billion estimated for 2013. The projection was made at McGraw Hill Construction’s 75th annual Outlook Executive Conference in Washington, D.C.

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Coalition content with feds’ nod to Green Globes standard, alongside LEED

Source: American High-Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC), Washington, D.C.

Chemical and building materials interests issued a statement responding to the U.S. General Services Administration’s recommendation of the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes 2010 and U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009 as third party certification systems:

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MIT energy monitors, best sustainability practices accompany precast Habitat home

Sources: Lafarge North America, Chicago; CP staff

Alberta’s weather extremes will test the efficiency and thermal mass properties of the Net Zero Precast Concrete Home, a duplex to which Lafarge and Habitat for Humanity Edmonton turned over the keys in a mid-October ceremony. The two families will build equity in their new homes through an interest-free Habitat mortgage, capped at 25 percent of income.

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