Greetings!
Industry becoming Green and Lean
 Two trends are revolutionizing the way projects are approached in the construction industry today. Green, or sustainable building, and Lean construction, a production management approach to maximizing production while minimizing waste of time and materials are prevalent in design and construction. The current emphases on these high performance approaches require that all contractors familiarize themselves with each one to remain competitive in the present environment.
Green initiatives and concepts have generated broad interest in the construction industry to promote construction that is both sustainable and profitable. From site considerations, design, materials, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction, green development calls for consideration and concerns in economy, utility, durability, and comfort. New products and construction methods are being incorporated to achieve the efficient use of energy, water, and other resources, protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity, and reducing waste and pollution.
Contractors will find additional opportunities in areas such as: installing energy efficient lighting, controls, motors and variable speed drives, insulation and weatherproofing, retrofitting green roofs and exterior glass to reduce solar heat gain, installing more energy efficient air conditioning systems that also allow natural ventilation and more outside air changes. Opportunity examples also include: installation of solar water heaters, utilizing paint and other construction materials with low and no-VOC products, and the obvious - recycling paper products, glass products, steel products, concrete products, rubber products, wood products, and plastic products.
For more information on green building initiatives and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, contact BCIA or visit the US Green Building Council web site.
Next issue: Part 2 - Lean Construction
Executive Director Birmingham Construction Industry Authority |
Bolaji Kukoyi : Engineered for Greatness 
By Tiffany Osborne
His name epitomizes success, Bolaji Kukoyi. The Nigerian born African American whose name means "woke up with wealth" and "death has refused this (one)" is the president of Dynamic Civil Solutions, Inc., but Kukoyi's life almost took a different path, "I've always been very inquisitive on how things work, but didn't make up my mind to be an engineer until after high school. I actually strongly considered being a doctor until shortly after high school," explained Kukoyi.
 Kukoyi grew up in the most populous country in Africa, situated on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. He went to school 5 minutes from the beach. Like his four siblings, Kukoyi left Nigeria for the United States. He moved to Birmingham, Alabama 12-years ago to pursue an education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he obtained three degrees, a B.S. in Civil Engineering, B.S. in Mathematics, and a M.S. in Mathematics.
In April 2007, Kukoyi started Dynamic Civil Solutions, Inc., a professional engineering firm that specializes in providing multi-disciplined consulting engineering services. As a licensed professional engineer in various states, Kukoyi possesses extensive experience on many roadway design, civil site and transportation projects. He is involved in all aspects of civil engineering design, including horizontal and vertical geometrics, open and closed drainage analysis, erosion and sediment control measures, traffic control and signal design, plan preparation, and quantity and cost estimation.
Dynamic Civil Solutions, Inc. was recently awarded a contract with the City of Birmingham to provide surveying and engineering design services for Access Improvements for the Jones Valley K-8 School, the Hayes K-8 School, and the Green Acres Middle School. The company is completing Kukoyi's most challenging project, reconfiguring parking lot 15F for UAB. The project entailed realigning the parking in lot 15F to minimize the loss of parking space due to the construction of the UAB softball complex.
Kukoyi believes responsiveness is what sets Dynamic Civil Solutions, Inc. apart from other civil engineering firms, "Success is due not only to our ability to complete jobs on time, within budget, and as specified, but also because we can provide a small business responsiveness to client needs," said Kukoyi.
While Kukoyi is making strides in America, engineering practices in his native homeland have "created few inventions" according to the Nigerian State Deputy General, Patrick Ekpotu. During the 2010 International Conference of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ekpotu asked, "...given the conflicting culture and attitude pervading our society. How many of us can truly dream and fulfill it?" Kukoyi is fulfilling his dream. He has successfully managed multi-million dollar programs with portfolios in excess of $70 million. His vision for Dynamic Civil Solutions, Inc. is to diversify into different markets and expand his client base.
Kukoyi attributes his success, first to God, and then his wife, Aretha, "She believes in me. Whatever I want to do, she supports me," said Kukoyi. Entrepreneurial drive runs through the couple. Aretha owns a photography studio, Aretha K. Photography. When he's not planning, designing, or constructing projects, Kukoyi enjoys a game of racquetball 2 to 3 times a week.
To learn more about the company and Bolaji Kukoyi, visit the Dynamic Civil Solutions, LLC website. |
 Airport Terminal Modernization:
Joint Venture Takes Off By Tiffany Osborne
 Nearly 75 people made Brasfield and Gorrie their destination Tuesday, May 25th to learn more about the Brasfield & Gorrie/Formation Methods joint venture. "The meeting was successful and we accomplished our goals of providing general project information," explained Vincent Smith, the representative of the joint venture. The team has been selected as the Construction Manager at Risk for the Terminal Modernization Project at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Alabama.
Brett Landgren, Brasfield & Gorrie, gave specifics about the project which includes a renovation and addition to the airport that expands the existing airport to three concourses with 23 gates, including 2 international gates. The project will renovate all of the existing structure and significantly increase the size of the airport through new construction. New passenger and baggage screening systems will also be installed to meet current federal guidelines.
The project is currently in the pre-construction phase with construction bidding anticipated to begin in September/October 2010 and new construction starting in early 2011. Sub contractor packages for this project will range from $120k to $20 million.
Starla Bryant the Birmingham Airport Authority's DBE Liaison Compliance office discussed the federal guidelines which stipulate DBEs must have the opportunity to participate in the performance of all BAA projects as either a bidder or subcontractor. All DBEs must be certified by the Authority at the time bids are received. Attendees learned about the Airport's DBE program, how to qualify and apply, and what takes place during the certification process, which takes nearly four (4) weeks to complete. Contact Bryant at (205) 599-0543 or sardoin@flybirmingham.com for more information about becoming certified.
According to the joint venture team, they are soliciting additional subcontractors and vendors for certification in the airport's DBE list. "We intend to conduct additional meetings between now and September, " said Smith.
Plans are available in the BCIA Plan Room for BCIA certified contractors. For more information about the project, call Kim Bivins at (205) 324-6202. |
A closer look
at a few select projects
Princeton Baptist Medical Center
Project Budget: $72 million
 The project will give the West End hospital 90,000 square feet of new space to replace operating endoscopy suites with large, modern facilities. The expansion will give the hospital a new main entrance and new waiting and admissions areas. Plans also call for the renovation of 60,000 square feet to create a new chapel, turning the existing operating rooms into recovery rooms for surgical patients and critical care units up to current safety codes. Three projects are currently underway which include relocating departments and demolition.
Save-A-Lot
Projected Budget; $1 million
 Save-A-Lot will soon occupy the space at the Heritage Town Center located at Dennison Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. drive. The new grocery store will operate 20,000 square feet in the 45,000-square-foot building. The 10-week renovation project is scheduled to start towards the end of July with a store opening date of October 28th.
Children's Hospital
Projected Budget: $480 billion
 The construction of the 780,354 SF Children's Expansion Facility Project is well underway. Currently, the Interiors Package is out for bid. This scope includes the following: Interior Miscellaneous Metals, Monumental Stairs, Unistrut Millwork, Interior Caulking, Spray Insulation, Interior Glass, Specialty Doors, Flooring, Ceilings, Painting, Specialties, Casework, Blinds, Appliances, High Density Shelving, Folding Partitions, Headwalls, and RF Shielding.
A pre-bid conference is scheduled for June 3, 2010 and the bid date is June 22, 2010. Interested contractors should contact the BCIA, Rallisa Jones 423-3642 or Kim Bivins 342-6202 for more information. |
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Express and Implied Contracts
By L'Tryce Slade, Founder
Slade Land Use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning, LLC
A contract is simply an agreement between two or more parties that is enforceable by law. This agreement can provide a layout of the full scope of the project and help avoid unforeseen problems. Often times when contractual disputes arise it is due to each party's obligations not being well understood or laid out.
An express contract contains terms that the parties have explicitly set out. An implied contract is one that the parties presumably intend, either by tacit understanding or by the assumption that it existed. If a client asked a general contractor to provide a service for a building at a specific price, and the general contractor accepted these terms, the parties would have formed an express contract. Although it is a good practice to consummate the agreement in writing, the formation of an express contract does not require a written agreement. The contract only requires that the terms have been explicitly set out.
In the case of implied contracts, assent is manifested by acts rather than by words. An implied contract may be inferred from the conduct of the parties. In U.S. v. Young Lumber, there was no agreement, either written or oral, regarding the rented equipment brought to the jobsite by an employee of a subcontractor. Where one performs for another a useful service of a character that is usually charged for, and such service is rendered with the knowledge and approval of the recipient who either expresses no dissent or avails himself of the service rendered, the law raises an implied promise on the part of the recipient to pay the reasonable value of such service.
To reduce the chances of conceptual disputes arising, the contract should discuss each party's obligations, the scope of the project, procedures for verifying payments to subcontractors, payment schedules, warranty protections, and insurance requirements. These topics should be well explained and understood by each party.
 Slade land use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning, LLC provides professional services on environmental planning, civil engineering, and leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a certified MBE with the BCIA. For more information about Slade L.E.T., LLC visit the company website. |
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Meeting of the Minds: BCIA Helps Facilitate Relationships
BCIA Certified painters meet with the Children's Hospital Expansion Hoar Construction/BE & K Joint Venture Partnership to discuss opportunities. |
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Preparing For a Loan Request
By Lewis G. Burks, Jr., Vice President
Commonwealth National Bank
Now that your business is growing and you are ready to expand, access to capital is becoming more important. You probably initially funded your business with funds from your saving, investments and etc. Now, you may want to borrow money for your expansion. Here are 10 things to do to prepare to borrow money from a bank.
- Establish a relationship with a banker. It is important to start early in getting a banker to know you and your business. You should find someone who you feel comfortable in telling about you and your business.
- Be prepared to provide at least 3 years of your most recent business tax returns. This will allow your banker to establish how well the business has been doing in recent times. Remember, the bank is looking for the business to show a profit.
- Be prepared to provide at least 3 years of personal tax returns. It is important for the banker to know your personal income and any other sources of income. Don't be afraid to share.
- Be prepared to provide a Personal Financial Statement. It is helpful for the banker to know all that you own and all that you owe to determine if you can help pay back the loan if necessary.
- Pull your own credit report. Since the bank is going to pull your credit report to help determine your past history of repayment. You should know what the credit report is stating and your credit score.
- Talk with your accountant. Your accountant will be able to give you advice on how your business performs financially. The accountant can help determine the real financial needs.
- Show you are an excellent Cash Flow manager. Check your bank statement to make sure you don't have too many NSF charges on your account. 12 NSF's a year is too many.
- Know your service and your customer. Be able to tell your banker how you generate revenue. Who are your customers? The banker may want to know who are your top customers and what percentage of your business do they make up.
- Manage your personal debt. Your banker will want to know that you don't have too much personal debt.
- Be prepared to give details on the purpose of the loan. The banker will need to know exactly what the loan proceeds will be used for, i.e. purchase equipment, fund operation while waiting on customers to pay your back, etc.
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Greetings!
This is your link to the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority. For more information about certification, services & training visit the BCIA website . |
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Established in 1990
Celebrating 20 years of service in the construction industry. | |
What it Takes to Brand Your Services
By Brandon Wilson, President CEO
Wilbron Institute, LLC
As a small business owner or subcontractor, chances are that your services are not unique to your company. However, focusing on service delivery, customer service and professionalism are the cornerstones of building a solid brand for your company--one that sets you apart from others in the pack.
There are small things your company can do to begin the process of building a solid brand;
Dress for the Board Room - It is rarely acceptable to wear field construction attire in the board room, especially during an introduction meeting. Ditching the ball cap for a suit and tie will go a long way.
Send Hand-Written Letters - Distinguish your company instantly by sending hand-written notes of thanks to those you meet or do business with. It would be an extra bonus if it were written on company stationery.
Always Over Deliver - In today's competitive market, simply doing the job well is not enough. To this end, it is vital to always go the extra mile when delivering services.
These are just a few tips to starting the branding process for your company. For more advice, or to take advantage of strategic public relations services, contact Wilbron Institute, LLC at 205.547.6005 or visit the company website. |
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The Internet Plan Room is at the BCIA! Certified Contractors can log on to the iSqFt website to access project information - including plans, specs, and addenda - for publicly bidding construction projects in the area iSqFt donated the system to the BCIA.
For more information or to access iSqFt, call or stop by the office. |
 BCIA Going Green
With paper comprising up to 40% of the municipal solid waste stream, paper recycling is an obvious and easy way to reduce waste in the workplace. That's why the BCIA has gone green by recycling office paper. Using recycled paper saves trees -- every ton of paper made from recycled fiber saves approximately 17 trees. Cutting down carbon-absorbing trees contributes to global warming, soil erosion, habitat destruction, and other environmental problems. Paper recycling also makes good business sense -- company disposal costs can dramatically decrease with the advent of a paper recycling program.
Paper recycling is straightforward and relatively easy to implement and can provide results both in cost reduction and in demonstrating to employees your company's commitment to environmental responsible practices. These days, with many large and small companies recycling at least some office and workplace papers, paper recycling represents a minimum, baseline environment commitment for a company.
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MBE/DBE Spotlight!
 Each month we recognize a BCIA certified business that consistently sets a positive example for other MBEs & DBEs. This month's spotlight is CEAssociates, owned by Chandra Abesingha. CEAssociates provides professional engineering, planning, management, and other related consulting services to public and private sectors. They provide the expertise to launch projects: they conceptualize it, plan it, design it, and finally help to build it. To learn more about this outstanding DBE, visit the CEAssociates website.
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 BCIA Certified!
Join us in welcoming our newest certified companies
- Solution 620, LLC
- Target Management & Restoration Contractors
For a complete list of Certified Contractors, visit the BCIA website. |
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Not a Certified Contractor? Get Certified!
Need to renew your certification? No problem! You can still submit your renewal application. The BCIA services and resources include access to plans and drawings, Weekly Plan Room Summary, education and training, business counseling, and so much more! Call our office at (205) 324-6202 to request a renewal application or visit the BCIA website. |
2010
BCIA
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Chairman
Bill Stone
Stone Building Company
Vice-Chairman
Chris Swain
Monumental Contracting Service
Secretary/Treasurer
Hope Hammonds
Andre V. Bittas
City of Birmingham
Planning, Engineering & Permits
Samuel Bokatzian
BE & K, Inc.
HB Brantley
Brantley Visioneering
Joey Dobbs
Landscape Workshop
Gene Freeman
T & F, Inc.
Cheryl Kidd Harmon
Birmingham City Council
Dr. Al Herbert
UAB
Daryl Hutchins
Associated General Contractors
Robert Joiner
Joiner Fire Sprinkler
Chris Kramer
Brasfield & Gorrie
Shelia Smoot
Jefferson County Commission
Roy Weaver
Associated General Contractors
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The BCIA has been an advocate of minority participation throughout Birmingham's construction industry since 1990.
BIRMINGHAM CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY AUTHORITY
3600 4th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35222
(205) 324-6202
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