ConstructionTech 2011
On November 2, 2011, John Osborn moderated the
Greater New York Construction User Council's "ConstructionTech2011",
a special technology seminar program for public, private and
institutional real estate owners at New York University.
The program examined issues relevant to public, private and
institutional real estate owners, facility mangers, corporate and
institutional tenants as well as subcontractors and other
construction and design professionals. Participants learned about critical
cost-saving, efficiency innovations and productivity strategies for
your upcoming projects.
Panel discussions included:
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Facilities Management (FM) for
Subs-Creating Value for Owners: Data Ready Facilities and Asset
Management (AM). This panel provided an overview of BIM
for Facilities Management (FM) and Asset Management (AM) which
demonstrates how models are created, stored and used to run a
building through its entire lifecycle.
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Validations in BIM-Design Intent,
Means and Methods & 5D Contracting. This panel
described the dRofus software, an architectural planning tool
utilized in the beginning of the BIM process. Speakers also discussed Statsbygg's (the "GSA" of Norway) use of dRofus
and other software tools to complete a hospital project in
Norway.
Getting Ready to Weather the Weather: Protecting NYC's
Critical Commercial Real Estate and Infrastructure from Catastrophic Weather
Events
On October 19th, John Osborn moderated a very successful Building
Owners and Managers Association of New York (BOMA/NY)'s conference
that included a keynote by New York City Council Speaker Christine
C. Quinn. "Getting Ready to Weather the Weather: Protecting NYC's
Critical Commercial Real Estate and Infrastructure from Catastrophic
Weather Events" feature a practical, hands-on look at how advanced
planning can prevent loss of life and diminish billions of dollars
worth of damage to critical infrastructure. The distinguished panel
included Mike Smith of WeatherData, an AccuWeather company, Gary
Mancini of Thornton Tomasetti, Michael Alacha from the NYC
Department of Buildings, and Hani Salama of Monday Properties.
Emergency Preparedness plays an important role in mitigating
costly damage to buildings, especially in the case of
weather-related disasters. A building owner or manager who
understands the legal, insurance, and structural consequences of
catastrophic weather events is in a better position to avoid
devastating losses. The prestigious panelists shared first-hand
knowledge of the issues and provided attendees with best practices
for protecting personnel, commercial real estate, and critical
infrastructure.
Fire Department Hot Topics for Hotels: Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan
Updates
On July 28th, John E. Osborn moderated a panel for the
Hotel Engineers Association of New York.
The program examined how hotels can continue to remain updated on changes to
fire code requirements. In addition, the program will highlight the benefits of
developing and maintaining good communications with the FDNY in order to avoid
costly mistakes and violations that could have been avoided by being better
educated on code requirements. Understanding New York Fire Codes and complying
with its standards are essential to running a hotel smoothly and ensuring the
health and safety of its employees, guests, and visitors. Because the New York
Fire Code is constantly being revised, keeping abreast of current requirements
is a challenge for every category of buildings, especially hotels.
Don't Get Dragged Through the Dirt! How
to Manage Contaminants in Soils and Debris
John E. Osborn PC recently presented a seminar
entitled, "Don't Get Dragged Through the Dirt! How to Manage
Contaminants in Soils and Debris. The program explained how to avoid delays and cost overruns in
handling excavated soil and construction debris, such as
contaminated soils and debris that can cause costly complications in
construction projects. The program also examined how
construction project managers can avoid surprises through careful
due diligence, site preparation, and a clear definition of roles and
procedures.