In the Know: Week of Jan. 14-18

The A/E/C industry is ever-changing because of technology, improved processes, strategies, project delivery methods, the workforce and much more. And we love content that is educational, thought-provoking and inspiring.

So we thought we’d share. Here are five Insights that caught our eye this week to help keep you in the know.

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1. WINTER WATER WOES? HERE IS SOME USEFUL INFORMATION

Winter is upon us, and it’s always a good idea to be more cognizant of the potential for freezing pipes. America’s infrastructure is aging and always under stress, so taking steps to protect it is critical. What can you do to prevent pipes from freezing? This article from Water Online addresses that and other winter-weather issues. Bundle up.

2. STUDY: MAINTAINING ROADS IS ALSO GOOD FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT

We know that timely road maintenance saves money and energy relative to allowing pavement to deteriorate to a point in which reconstruction is necessary. A Rutgers University study says preventive maintenance makes a noticeable difference for the environment as well by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Related: Asset management and pavement assessment

3. DFW METROPLEX RICH IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex experienced a fruitful 2018 in commercial real estate. What has the Metroplex poised to be one of North America’s leading cities this century? A Bisnow slideshow examines 10 trends that explain the incredible momentum.

4. DESIGNING AND BUILDING TO CODE PROTECTS LIVES AND PROPERTY

Extreme weather risks are real, and the costs to recover from a catastrophic weather event continue to climb. This underscores the importance of designing a built environment that is resilient. A recent National Institute of Building Sciences report illustrates how adopting updated building codes produces significant hazard mitigation benefits.

Related: Resilient building design

5. CONSTRUCTION GETS A DOSE OF MIXED REALITY

What do you get when you merge real and virtual worlds? Mixed reality, of course. This form of augmented reality is now being used to create work environments in which physical and digital components interact in real time. Point of Beginning online shows how mixed reality is being used to supplement building information modeling (BIM) tasks.