Washington D.C.– The Â鶹´«Ã½ of America (Â鶹´«Ã½) will hold its 89th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., from March 10–14, 2008 in conjunction with CONEXPO–CON/AGG, one of the largest construction–related trade shows in the country. The Convention will feature unprecedented training for contractors, including the debut of a LEED® program; insights from Â鶹´«Ã½'s Chief Economist Ken Simonson on the outlook for construction markets for 2008; the introduction of a new document in the ConsensusDOCS package; and the winners of the Aon Build America Awards, Willis Safety Awards and Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Awards.
| Who: | Â鶹´«Ã½ of America |
| What: | 89th Annual Convention and Expo |
| When: | Monday, March 10, 2008–Friday, March 14, 2008 |
| Where: | The Bellagio Hotel |
| Details: | Media interested in attending Convention sessions should contact Monica Cardenas at (703) 837–5364 or cardenasm@agc.org for complimentary registration. |
Convention Highlights |
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| Sunday, March 9 | ||
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
Â鶹´«Ã½ Workshop on the Contractor's Role on a LEED® Projectt Â鶹´«Ã½ will debut a full–day course on "Building to LEED®—NC: Overview and the Impact on Construction Practices" that identifies the contractor's role on a project seeking certification under the LEED®. The new course is aimed at helping contractors remain competitive in an increasingly "green" market. |
Monet 2 |
| Monday, March 10 | ||
| 8:45 AM | Equipment of the 21st Century Summit Equipment design is continually enhancing the operator's experience, with new ergonomics, environmental controls and hydraulics geared toward making operators more productive while keeping workers and others out of harm's way. This summit will feature the industry's premier heavy–iron contractors and manufacturers. |
Raphael |
| 11:30 AM | Economic Issues Forum featuring Â鶹´«Ã½'s Chief Economist Nonresidential construction was one of the hottest sectors in 2007, despite housing, credit and materials woes. Can contractors keep up the rate in '08, or do they face a grimmer fate? Â鶹´«Ã½ Chief Economist Ken Simonson and Jim Haughey, chief economist of Reed Construction Data will provide the lowdown on key segments, regions and materials. Simonson will release the 6th Construction Inflation Alert, which will look at the trends in construction and what to expect in 2008 and beyond. |
Tower Ballroom 4 & 5 |
| Tuesday, March 11 | ||
| 7 AM | Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Awards Breakfast The Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Awards honor the construction teams that best epitomize the principles of partnering, encourage teambuilding, improve communication, resolve conflict and deliver quality to the jobsite. The breakfast will also feature a special presentation by political pollster Frank Luntz. |
Grand Ballroom 5 |
| 8:30 AM | Highway and Transportation Issues Forum JJack Schenendorf, vice chair of the congressionally–chartered Commission on Transportation Policy and Revenue, will address Highway and Transportation Contractors regarding the Commission's recommendations for reauthorization of the Federal SAFETEA–LU transportation legislation. Contractors also will discuss creating grassroots support for transportation infrastructure investment. |
Bellagio Ballroom 1 |
| 8:30 AM | Incorporating BIM into Your Contracts Learn to fully utilize the benefits of BIM from Rick Lowe, vice–chair of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Contract Documents Committee. Gain a sneak peek at the industry's first standard document to address the legal ramifications of BIM. |
Grand Ballroom 4 |
| 11:30 AM | National Student Competition The 9th annual Associated Schools of Construction (ASC)–Â鶹´«Ã½ National Student Competition enables Â鶹´«Ã½ and ASC–affiliated undergraduate construction students to participate in bidding scenarios that simulate the real–world process. Student teams present in the categories of Commercial Building, Heavy–Civil and Design–Build. |
Raphael 1, 2 & 3 |
| Wednesday, March 12 | ||
| 7:00 AM | Willis Safety Awards Breakfast The Construction Safety Excellence Awards recognize the Â鶹´«Ã½ member companies with outstanding commitments to safety and health standards. Winners execute programs of corporate commitment, worker training, active participation and safety innovation. |
Grand Ballroom 5 |
| 8:30 AM | BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling See an overview of BIM's use on selected projects, a demonstration of its capabilities and an outline of how it alters normal business practice, as well as the next steps to get started using BIM. |
Da Vinci 1 |
| 10 AM | Press Conference with Â鶹´«Ã½ Economist Simonson and PCA Economist Sullivan imonson and Sullivan will provide an economic analysis of the construction industry at a press conference at CONEXPO–CON/AGG 2008 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N 252. Simonson will provide his forecast – and reasons – for the construction segments and materials prices that will rise or fall in 2008, along with comments about economic stimulus, housing and labor markets. Sullivan will present an economic forecast regarding cement, concrete and construction for 2008. |
Las Vegas Convention Center |
| Thursday, March 13 | ||
| 10 AM | Highway and Transportation Contractors Division Session Pete Rahn, Director of Missouri Department of Transportation and AASHTO President will present, "Meeting the Transportation Needs of a Nation on the Move." Over the last year, AASHTO developed a plan for the future of investment in the national transportation system and issued a series of reports documenting needs, future trends and investment recommendations. Rahn will describe these recommendations to attendees. |
Bellagio Ballroom 6 |
| 7 PM | Aon Build America Awards Dinner The Aon Build America Awards showcase the construction industry's top projects and are the highest honor bestowed on construction projects. Recognized for their state–of–the–art advancements, project management, client services, community contributions and environmental sensitivities, these awards truly define the way Â鶹´«Ã½ members are building America's Quality of Life. Entertainment will showcase Michael Cavanaugh, who stared in the Broadway musical Movin' Out. |
Grand Ballroom 4–9 |
Â鶹´«Ã½ of America (Â鶹´«Ã½) is the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States. Â鶹´«Ã½ represents 33,000 firms, including 7,500 of America's leading general contractors and 12,500 specialty–contracting firms. More than 13,000 service providers and suppliers are associated with Â鶹´«Ã½ through a nationwide network of chapters. Visit the Â鶹´«Ã½ Web site at www.agc.org. Â鶹´«Ã½ members are "Building Your Quality of Life."
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