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What does the future of housing look like?
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building MaterialsLarry Haines, the founder of Sunconomy, a company that produces 3-D-printed homes, and Dr. Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, discussed the future of housing on Aug. 8 at the 2019 Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. While giving separate presentations, both Haines and Dietz agreed that we are currently looking at a housing affordability crisis in the U.S.
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Vanilla Ice is back with a brand-new invention
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building MaterialsVanilla Ice built a legacy as an iconic hip-hop music artist. Now he’s building dreams. World-famous rapper, actor and TV reality show personality Robert Van Winkle — professionally known as Vanilla Ice — served as the opening keynote speaker Aug. 7 for the 2019 Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. Best known for his No. 1 hit song, "Ice Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice has become a successful real-estate entrepreneur and remodeling expert with more than 15 years of hands-on home improvement experience.
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How technology manufacturing fuels the US-China trade war
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingIt’s official: the trade war with China is heating up. On Aug. 5, after President Trump announced increased tariffs on Chinese imports, China devalued the yuan. The New York Times said it was the "worst day of the year" for Wall Street, with the S&P 500 closing down nearly 3%. There’s no consensus on what's happening here. China’s plan to move from cheap to high-value tech goods manufacturing plays a major role in President Trump’s tariff increase on Chinese imports and the no-deal climate between the countries.
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Green buildings can make employees more productive
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThere are a lot of things that you can do to increase employee productivity, but there’s one thing you probably haven’t considered: the physical workplace. According to a new report, creating a "green" environment isn’t just good for the environment; it’s good for your company’s bottom line. The World Green Building Council's (WorldGBC) report, "Doing Right by Planet and People," demonstrates the additional benefits that green buildings can offer besides decreased energy use.
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Smaller and new are the prevailing trends in luxury homes
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsChanging customer lifestyles and preferences are realigning the market for luxury homes. Sales are declining in some areas long considered to be havens for the wealthy and are rising in desirable suburbs and city centers. As younger, affluent buyers and relocating baby boomers opt for simplicity and convenience over opulence, the demand for smaller and new, move-in-ready homes is growing.
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How Milan’s airports are handling the temporary closure of Linate
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveClosing one of a country's busiest airports for three months in the summer period might sound like a recipe for disaster, but that's exactly what's happening in Milan as Linate Airport has ceased flights to undertake essential upgrades. Linate closed on July 27 following the final departure to Palermo late the previous evening. Work has now commenced on a string of upgrades to the airport — the most notable of which is the complete resurfacing of main runway 18/36. It is expected to reopen on Oct. 27.
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US economy adds 164,000 new hires; unemployment rate stays at 3.7%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn July, U.S. payrolls added 164,000 workers versus job gains of 224,000 in June, as the unemployment rate stayed at 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 6.1 million unemployed workers in July, close to the same number as June. The number of long-term unemployed persons decreased 248,000 in July from June. The employment-to-population ratio rate stayed nearly the same in July versus June, the BLS reported.
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How to role model good choices for your employees
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementI am not advocating parenting your employees. But some of your employees may not have had the best role models in their life, so they have undeveloped critical judgment skills and poor decision-making with an inability to predict the consequences of their behavior. I worked with a young lady once who had barely been on the job for one week before asking for a day off to go shopping with her mother. That judgment is bad enough, but she confided to me that her mother had advised her to simply call in sick and not risk asking for the day off!
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Flex time for interior designers
Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesIn years gone by, clients hired an interior designer to execute an entire project. With some exceptions, it was generally understood that the designer would conceive, design, furnish and manage the project from start to finish — in consultation with the clients, of course. Today, that is no longer the norm. On the contrary, clients today have embraced the term "menu of services” quite literally, ordering a la carte and when they wish. This trend has been building for some time.
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Are we witnessing the death of Main Street, or its rebirth?
Lucy Wallwork RetailThe decline of America’s downtown "Main Streets" is nothing new. First, the rise of the automobile meant they were displaced as the nexus of community and commercial life by out-of-town malls. More recently, even the malls have fallen victim to the rise of online shopping, with 1 in 4 expected to be closed by 2022. The outlook for Main Street doesn’t look good, as the headlines tracking empty frontages keep telling us. But are we giving in to nostalgia too much? Perhaps the rebirth of Main Street might not look to the past at all, but to the future.
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