Global economic distress expected to stabilize in 2010
SKOKIE, ILL. — World cement consumption is expected to decline 1.7 percent in 2009, cushioned by a roughly 4-percent growth in utilization by China and India.

According to a recent report by the Portland Cement Association (PCA), consumption in developing economies is anticipated to decline nearly 16 percent during 2009.

Although world governments are engaged in massive stimulus programs, early projects most likely will be low in cement intensities. Jobs such as bridge work, which has higher cement intensities but longer design times, will materialize full force in 2010, when worldwide cement consumption will yield a 3.7-percent gain.

AAMA’s BIM task group addresses need for standard
SCHAUMBURG, ILL. — The new building information modeling (BIM) task group met for the first time in June during the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) Summer Conference, held in Minneapolis. This task group is leading the charge to identify important attributes of fenestration products to incorporate into BIM tools, making it easier for specifiers to utilize these building products in their projects.

“One of the BIM Task Group goals is to create a standard for non-residential fenestration products where users of BIM files can understand the level of information contained within the manufacturer’s model,” said task group chairman Mike Turner of YKK AP America.

“BIM is already gaining traction [and] the Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of State Facilities has completed the task of preparing the BIM Guidelines and Standards for implementation in July 2009. These guidelines will be required on all construction, new and addition/alteration, with total project funding of $5 million or greater. This is just one example of how BIM is becoming more accepted by building officials and is expected to spread nationwide,” according to Rich Walker, AAMA president and CEO.