Risk in Construction Estimating
By definition, an estimate is an approximate calculation. This inherently infers that there is a certain amount of risk involved with any estimate. The risk will vary depending on the quality and the detail of the estimate and on the detail of the design information available at the time the estimate is prepared.
The quality and detail of an estimate is usually defined in the requested scope of services. An estimate can be an opinion of cost or a detailed estimate. The opinion of cost is an estimate prepared based on a professional’s best approximation of what a project will cost.
The Role of a Construction Claim Consultant
Construction claim consultants provide a crucial role when it comes to standard of care in construction. These specialized experts know every in and out of construction and civil engineering, and can help with project management and legal advice. Because these consultants know the industry well, they can help prevent legal troubles before they start.
Installing a Solar Power System on a Residential House
In the article "Pennsylvania Solar Energy Rebate on Hold: How Consumers Can Still Save Energy" published in the February 2009 edition of the MDC Advisor®, the steps that homeowners can take in order to reduce their energy consumption were outlined. This article...
What Is A Premortem
A premortem is a project management strategy in which a project team imagines that a project has failed, and then works backward to determine what potentially could lead to that failure. The technique breaks group-think by facilitating a positive discussion on...
The Top Ten Documents Your Expert Will Request and Why
Hiring an engineering expert shouldn’t be an arduous task, although sometimes the process may seem overwhelming. Usually the claim is at the point where you want answers yesterday but because of resourcing, workloads, or budgets you are in a time crunch to find them. Even if you are not initially intending to use the services of an expert, gaining access to certain portions of data during discovery is a proactive way to ease trouble or scrambling down the road. Whether it’s for a third party opinion, an independent design, a mediation statement, or a testifying expert, the engineer you hire will likely need information from the sources discussed below.
Beware of the Gray to be Green
As companies strive to improve energy consumption, promote environmental responsibility and improve the use of sustainable fuel sources to either generate revenues or improve their bottom lines the risks are not always in the determination of capital budgets, project scheduling or execution but in the gaps between technology unit operations. Renewable energy facilities can have a dozen or more process unit operations, each with proven technologies yet at the unit interfaces the process can break down leading to reduced efficiencies, higher than expected start-up costs and lost profits.
How Forensic Engineers Help with Building Diagnostics
Whether you’re looking at residential or commercial constructions, thorough analysis is always needed to assess damages and understand underlying faults within the structure.
Meet the Experts: Michelle Delehanty, PE, PMP
Ms. Delehanty is a newcomer to the MDC Systems® team, bringing with her over a decade of experience in construction management, engineering, and operations across a variety of industries, primarily healthcare and energy. Michelle has practical knowledge in the areas...
Comparative Solar System Performance Analysis
Preliminary Analysis of an Industrial Photovoltaic System and Comparison of Its Performance with a Wind Energy System and a Fuel Cell Power System The purpose of this article is to test the feasibility of installing a Photovoltaic (PV) System on an industrial facility...
No Damage For Delay
A no-damage-for-delay clause attempts to contractually bar recovery by a contractor or subcontractor in the event project delays result in damages or extra costs.