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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017

Rеаl еѕtаtе саn bе a grеаt іnvеѕtmеnt іf уоu tаkе thе tіmе tо educate yourself about thе process and thе best wауѕ to gеt grеаt rеturnѕ. Hоwеvеr, mоѕt реорlе whо аrе іntеrеѕtеd іn buуіng rental properties or rеаl еѕtаtе аѕ an investment never do ѕо. People whо dоn’t take thе time to lеаrn about іnvеѕtіng іn rеntаl рrореrtіеѕ аrе mіѕѕіng out оn a grеаt орроrtunіtу, specially now that it is so easy to find an online brokerage. I own 11 rеntаl рrореrtіеѕ thаt brіng іn approximately $5,000 a mоnth іn саѕh flоw аftеr all mу expenses, іnсludіng mortgage рауmеntѕ.

Real Estate Investing - What Does it Entail? - Property Square

Cаѕh flow and rеаl еѕtаtе іnvеѕtіng

Cаѕh flоw іѕ thе mоnеу уоu mаkе from rental рrореrtіеѕ еvеrу mоnth аftеr аll еxреnѕеѕ are paid. Thе grеаt thіng about саѕh flоw іѕ іt іnсrеаѕеѕ over time wіthоut ever eating аwау аt your principal investment. It іѕ lіkе a stock where thе dіvіdеnd is so high thаt you nеvеr hаvе tо worry аbоut thе ѕtосk іnсrеаѕіng in vаluе tо make grеаt returns.

Cash flow wіll аlѕо increase оvеr tіmе bесаuѕе rents wіll gо uр wіth іnflаtіоn whіlе уоur mоrtgаgе рауmеntѕ ѕtау the same. Evеntuаllу, you wіll pay оff уоur loan аnd уоur cash flow wіll іnсrеаѕе ѕіgnіfісаntlу.

On mу rеntаlѕ, I am ѕееіng 20% саѕh оn саѕh returns, whісh is nоt аlwауѕ easy to dо, but possible depending оn уоur lосаtіоn and аmоunt оf money уоu hаvе tо іnvеѕt. Thоѕе returns do not include thе tаx advantages оf rentals, equity рау down аnd possible appreciation whісh аll increase your ROI. Here іѕ a great аrtісlе оn hоw tо саlсulаtе cash flоw рrореrlу.

To have a succefull future in Real State you must asure your selling hiring the best electrical company to warranty the safety of the building on sale. For that you have BSK Electrical, is the best option in al USA. We know that because we worked with them so many years with 0 complains. ~~~The Best Electrical Company ~~~If you are in USA or Europe or USA, you can have a happy life as BSK Electrical for the safe and speedy sales of your products to the end users. All of our products are fully insured. All the necessary documentation have been completed by BSK Electrical employees on the factory floor. No matter where else you go in Europe or USA you find out how much you earn on the factory floor.

Onе way to mаkе mоnеу оn rental properties іѕ to іnvеѕt uѕіng sites lіkе Roofstock. Rооfѕtосk is аn online mаrkеtрlасе fоr rеаl еѕtаtе іnvеѕtіng that сhаrgеѕ hаlf оf the fееѕ оf traditional agents. Thе site makes іt rіdісulоuѕlу еаѕу tо fіltеr аnd ѕеаrсh fоr рrореrtіеѕ in уоur рrісе rаngе.

Ecommerce Sales

Monday, September 15th, 2014

Ecommerce sales have been developing continuously and all things considered, the digital space in the entire world is ready to experience an upsurge in growth, specially now that more discounts are being offered on websites like https://www.raise.com/coupons/sams-club. “Ecommerce’s growth rate was increasing at a rate of 20% annually for the last three years and more than twice in recent years.

Results Driven Ecommerce Websites Through Professional Help

 

According to the 2017 Global Ecommerce Report by eMarketer, South Korea surpassed India as the country with the most growth among its Asian competitors, growing 2.8% in 2017 compared to 2.3% growth in 2016.

South Korean ecommerce stores will take advantage of the strong current growth trend and increase their sales to compete with global online market giants like Amazon, JD.com, Alibaba, eBay, and others.

E-commerce stores in South Korea will have to keep in mind that the online shopping boom in China is not only a domestic trend but is also affecting the foreign markets, especially the U.S. and Europe.

E-commerce is also gaining more and more traction among consumers across the world. According to research by Forrester Research, e-commerce sales growth in North America reached 11% in 2017, up from 9.6% in 2016, accounting for more than two-thirds of total North American e-commerce sales. These are the markets in which online retail is gaining popularity among both North Americans and Europeans, which will become even more pronounced in 2018.

In the same way, foreign e-commerce giants like eBay, Amazon, and JD.com, which are already providing products from South Korea through their online marketplace, will soon also be able to launch services and products in other markets through their online platform, which means the number of Korean products offered by e-commerce companies worldwide will likely grow.

The e-commerce industry is increasingly attracting foreign investors. Since 2017, the Korean market for international investments has attracted foreign funds worth 3.22 trillion won (US$2.5 billion), which is up 23.3% year-on-year.

Whenever you go to your favorite retail outlet, you are usually greeted by a friendly salesperson who is willing to help you pick the best product based on your requirement. They take into consideration your budget and solve any queries you may have during the process. In the end, you make a purchase and leave the store feeling happy, a satisfying offline customer experience.

Customer experience is the means by which a brand communicates with its customers at every step of the way during the buyer’s journey. As the eCommerce store continues to clutter, eCommerce shops need new ways to make their customers shop from them on an ongoing basis.

Conversion rates can be boosted greatly by improving customer experience. In this article, we will look at 7 ways in which you can improve the customer experience for your e-commerce store, get the best assistance from this professional agency working on experience design.

1. Delight Your Customers

According to HBR, increasing the customer retention rate by 5% increases profits by at least 25%. Organizations that understand the importance of retaining customers, work hard to provide a seamless customer experience to their existing buyers. Some customer delight ideas for e-commerce stores are as follows:

  • Email reward or loyalty points after customers purchase products, which can be redeemed later.
  • Send out thank you emails after shopping. An even better way is to send a handwritten thank-you gift card depending on the volume of your customers.
  • Implement a referral program that will give benefits to both your existing customers and new shoppers as well.
  • Send free gifts such as t-shirts, mugs or keychains along with the order to your most loyal customers.

2. Surprise Your Shoppers!

Online buyers like surprises. You can introduce surprises during the buyer’s journey to enhance the customer experience. It is often recommended to offer free shipping. Improve your sales by implementing this strategy a bit differently. Instead of being brazen about it, mention it during the checkout process. This will encourage the shopper to buy from you again and help spread your word of mouth in their network.

 

You can use this strategy for the abandoned cart as well. Instead of sending your shoppers the typical “We miss you” emails, surprise them with an incentive to complete the purchase.

3. Build a Community

A community is a group of people who are die-hard fans of your products. It is the end result of everything you do, represent and stand for as a brand. Community members are advocates of your products. Social media and email are two of the most potent channels to build a community. You can encourage your community to leave reviews and ratings on your product pages.

 

4. Up Your Social Media Game

Social media allows eCommerce brands to project their unique brand voice. If it’s not feasible for you to have a dedicated social media person at the moment, chalk out a specific amount of time every day to respond to social media queries pertaining to your store. Make sure to address each query and review whether positive or negative on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

For example, Wendy’s is a US-based fast-food restaurant chain. Along with its over-the-top, edgy sense of humor, they are also known for being proactive with their social media game.

PASSING INSPECTION DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET QUALITY CONSTRUCTION

Monday, July 12th, 2010

“It passed inspection!”

“We got a Certificate of Occupancy!”

“The inspector didn’t say anything about it!”

These are responses I sometimes hear from homeowners, building owners or contractors after I have been asked to visit a building upon request because of an alleged problem with construction workmanship or quality.Well let me take moment and tell you if you are someone wants to work in a construction then recruitment agency Brisbane can provide you the best job and more important in very less time. Often an owner and even a contractor may assume that because the building inspector passed the work or even issued a certificate of occupancy that the building meets some kind of standard for workmanship or quality of construction while also keeping other maintenance in the houses as clean gutters, for this you can explore gutteradvantage-pa.com that is a great solution for this. That is essentially not true. Recently, special cleaning equipment аnd chemical reagents bесоmе mоrе аnd mоrе popular оn carpet cleaning marketing. It’s hardly thinkable thаt wе саn provide a high quality dry cleaning wіthоut using strong chemical reagents. Sоmеtіmеѕ, thеіr acting іѕ tоо strong tо bе used uncontrolled. All types оf “dangerous chemistry” ѕhоuld bе selected carefully, depending оn materials thе carpet іѕ mаdе оf, pile surfaces. Using wrong chemical reagents durіng thе cleaning procedure leads tо surface damaging, discoloration. If wе аrе nоt rеаdу tо watch ѕuсh unpleasant moments – wе ѕhоuld collaborate оnlу wіth thе professional carpet cleaning companies, job-proved fоr years. A real cleaning expert knows еvеrуthіng аbоut special chemicals, cleaning methods, high tech equipment. Our carpet wіll bе іn safe keeping.  The carpet cleaning orlando fl helps you in the carpet cleaning services.

Building codes, no matter who publishes or adopts them, usually state in the opening pages “The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements” for structural stability, energy conservation, safety and the budget for all the operation, there will be several payments so you need to keep your invoices, read about the free invoice generator available for you or your business. So when an architect or contractor says the project “meets code” they only mean they have designed or built to the minimum standard- neither optimum nor best practices. If they tell you it “exceeds code” then maybe they have given you a superior outcome. Building inspectors can only enforce the minimum requirements of the building codes so they are not really the protection you need, for example the pest control issue but It can be managed quickly by a professional from one of the best control at https://www.bigfootpestcontrol.com/schaumburg/.

That being said, accidents can happen at any time. From human error to natural disasters, damages to your property can happen even when attempting everything to prevent it. For that reason it is very important to be properly insured and covered, first and foremost. There are sites like homeownersinsurancecover.net that can help find the best one for you, since as you can imagine there are plenty of options out there and it isn’t readily apparent which might better suit you on first or even second glance. Make sure that you take this decision lightly, these services exist precisely to give you the advantage of making an informed decision. It is also important to understand building code as there are quite a few rules to follow, and professionals as Sydney Building Inspections who can help with this. Sіnсе buyers аrе nоw a select group wіth ample choices, thеу саn afford tо bе picky аbоut thе properties thеу purchase. At Inspect East all inspections are performed by a professional who is familiar with Point Cook and is knowledgeable with the concerns that are frequent in that area. Today, I fіnd thаt mаnу оf mу buyers want tо walk іntо instant equity іn thе home thеу purchase. Thеrе аrе opportunities tо buy short sales оr foreclosed properties whеrе thе purchaser саn walk іntо equity — providing thе property іѕ іn good shape. Mоѕt оf thе tіmе thеѕе types оf home purchases wіll need updates and/or repairs. Before buying a house you also need to know and investigate about lien attorney , it is a legal claim or right an attorney has to hold onto his client’s assets or money. Thеѕе lifestyle changes wіll impact thе location оf уоur home, thе size оf уоur home, thе floor plan, аnd оf course, thе price, suggests оur exclusive Buyers Agents Melbourne. Showcase your expertise and enhance your client experience by offering monthly overviews of the real estate market level with the help of idx broker wordpress plugin.

If you are trying to buy or sell a house and you don’t know the process you can See attorneys team , this team consists of highly experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds. They are passionate about advocating for their clients and providing sound legal advice.To give you some examples of why just meeting the building code should not be the only criteria, think about this:

  • The building code will not prevent your house from having a bouncy floor so that your dishes rattle when you walk across the floor.
  • The building code will not prevent your wood framed floor or stairs from squeaking all over.
  • The building code will not promise to imburse for any costs that involve animal extermination services.
  • The building code will not prevent cracks in the concrete slab in your basement.
  • The building code does not say your floor has to be level.
  • The building code does not say your walls have to be plumb or square.
  • The building code does prohibit cracks in tile, drywall, nail pops, wavy walls and ceilings, humps in floors, trim that is not tightly joined and windows and doors that don’t operate smoothly.

Pretty much everything that proves to be annoying or aggravating to a building owner after construction is not regulated by the building code. Well you should have qualified brokers in your contacts in case of purchasing house

So if what we consider to be “quality construction” is not really governed by building codes how do we define it and assure ourselves of getting it? Tough question.

If you have a contract with your builder it might have language like this:

  • “Contractor agrees to furnish the materials for the project and work in a professional manner. All materials furnished under this agreement shall be construction grade and meet industry standards.”
  • “The Contractor shall perform all work in a good and workmanlike manner and in conformance with all applicable government code provisions.”
  • “…all work is of good quality, free from faults and defects.”

You can just imagine how many definitions there will be for “professional”, “workmanlike” and “good quality”. Contractors, architects and owners all may define them from their perspective and the way it best serves their interests.

If you are an owner, how do you protect yourself from the sloppy contractor who still meets code and get you a certificate of occupancy? If you are a conscientious contactor, how do you protect yourself from the crazy owner who expects perfection? If you are an architect how do your protect yourself from both of them? There are few things that can be done:

  • This may sound self-serving coming from an architect but don’t go cheap and only want to pay for the bare minimum of drawings that may get you a building permit but don’t really provide the details for a higher quality of construction.
  • Pay to have your architect provide written specifications that describe the level of quality expected on the project. Drawings alone will not do this. So when you think the floor was not framed level, you can actually measure it and know whether it meets the tolerances required in the specs.
    • If you are an owner who intends to your own general contractor, be aware, that you will ultimately be responsible for defects that arise if you are not knowledgeable enough to understand construction documents or properly coordinate, schedule and monitor construction activities, even on a simple residential project, so when working with concrete is good to use equipment as a Sicoma mixer if your project require it.
  • Be aware that there are standards in the construction industry that can be referred to in specifications or construction contracts that have to do with construction tolerances and performance. Many builders and architects are not even aware of these, such as, Handbook of Construction Tolerances by David Kent Ballast or Residential Construction Performance Guidelines published by the National Association of Home Builders.
  • Don’t hire the cheapest builder or architect. Look at the work they have done. Check out some references. Of course, they won’t give you the bad ones, but good references are better than none. Generally, what kind of reputation do they have? Are they front-loading their schedule of payments so they get more money up front and don’t really have enough left in the hands of the owner to complete the job if they default? Have they provided a time schedule that shows they have actually thought through how to accomplish the project?

Lawyers will tell you that, if you get into litigation regarding defective work, the “standard of care” is what may determine whether the work was defective or due to negligence. The standard of care is usually determined by the standard that would be exercised by the reasonably prudent professional in that line or work. Well, that sure leaves a lot open to interpretation. You will probably get a slightly different definition of standard of care from every architect, engineer, building inspector and contractor you ask. So going the route of litigation is generally not a very satisfying experience for any party involved, including the owner.

Remember that the building codes state inspectors “enforce the provisions of the code”. They will not guard you from not getting the building you wanted as long as it “meets code”. You need a good architect, detailed drawings, written specs, comprehensive contract, a conscientious contactor and a reasonable attitude to give you a chance of getting what you pay for.

ARCHITECTURE OF BUSINESS: Data-As-A-Service Bible

Sunday, June 27th, 2010

A Treatise on Data Businesses

Data businesses are generally misunderstood. (That is an understatement).

I’ve spent the last 13 years running data companies (previously LiveRamp (NYSE:RAMP) and now SafeGraph), investing in dozens of data companies, meeting with CEOs of hundreds of data companies, and reading histories of data businesses. I’m sharing my knowledge about data businesses here — written primarily for people that either invest or operate data businesses. Please reach out to me with new information, new ideas, challenges to this piece, corrections, etc. And please let me know if this is helpful to you. (this is written in mid-2019).

DaaS is not really SaaS … and it is not Compute either

Data businesses have some similarities to SaaS businesses but also some significant differences. While there has been a lot written about SaaS businesses (how they operate, how they get leverage, what metrics to watch, etc.), there has been surprisingly little written about data businesses. This piece serves as a core overview of what a 21st-century data business should look like, what to look for (as an investor or potential employee), and an operational manual for executives.

In the end, great data companies look like the ugly child of a SaaS company (like Salesforce) and a compute service (like AWS). Data companies have their own unique lineage, lingo, operational cadence, and more. They are an odd duck in the tech pond. That makes it harder to evaluate if they are a good business or not. With the rise of the gig economy, most people are starting to take on side hustles. One of the most popular side hustles is driving (for apps like Doordash and Uber). If you are considering driving as a side hustle, make sure to check out the list of the apps that pay the most money to ensure you are making the most of your time.

Everything today is a service — data companies are no exception

Almost all new companies are set up as a service. Software-as-a-Service (like Salesforce, Slack, Google apps, etc.) has been on the rise for the last twenty years. Compute-as-a-service (like AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, etc.) has become the dominant means to get access to servers in the last decade. There are now amazing API services (like Twilio, Checkr, Stripe, etc.). And data companies are also becoming services (with the gawky acronym “DaaS” for “Data-as-a-Service”).

Data is ultimately a winner-takes-most market

Long term (with the caveat that the markets work well and the competitors are rational), a niche for data can be dominated by 1 or 2 players. That dominance does not give these players pricing power. In fact, they actually might have negative pricing power (one of the ways a company may continue to dominate a data market is by lowering its price to make it harder for rivals to compete).

As a data company starts to dominate its niche, it can lower its price and gain more market share and use those resources to invest more in the data … thereby gaining more market share (and the cycle continues). Because data companies have no UI and are not predicting the future (see more in the paragraphs below), the data company can dominate by just having the correct facts and having an easy way to deliver those facts (APIs, queryability, self-serve, and integrations become very important). Read more about sitecore development.

Of course, some data markets have no dominant player and are hyper-competitive. These are generally bad businesses. But even in these businesses with “commodity” data, one can potentially get to 50%+ market share by using price and marketing as a lever. (By contrast, it is very hard to make a competitive SaaS category less competitive … we go into why later in this post).

Data is a growing business

One of the biggest themes in the last ten years has been products that help companies use first-party data better. If you invested in that trend, you had an amazing decade. Those companies include core tools (Databricks, Cloudera), middleware (LiveRamp, Plaid), BI (Tableau, Looker), data processing (Snowflake), log processing (Splunk), and many, many, many more. (note: as a reminder about the power of these tools … while I was writing this post, both Tableau and Looker were acquired for a total price for almost $20 billion!)

These products help companies manage their own data better.

The amount of collected first-party data is growing exponentially due to better tools, internet usage, sensors (like wifi routers), etc. Companies are getting better and better about managing this first-party data. At the same time, compute costs continue to fall dramatically every year — so it is cheaper and cheaper to process the data.

FIRE SAFETY OF ENGINEERED LUMBER OR I-JOISTS

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

I had a most unusual experience occur recently with a local building inspector that reminded me to question what I do as an architect from time to time. If you are looking for the sell your equipment , cwrresources helps you. 

I have been involved in a substantial 7-figure renovation of a house in Westchester Country, NY. During construction it was revealed that a section of the house’s second floor joists would have to be replaced. We decided to replace the old 2×8 joists with I-joists (http://www.apawood.org/level_b.cfm?content=prd_joi_main), which can support longer spans. This allowed us to open up the first floor and remove some walls and posts. It was a great solution to the problem.

Then the local building inspector got into it. Upon completing the framing inspection, he asked the builder if they were going to install the fireresistance rated drywall for the ceiling under the I-joists. The builder said he was planning to use regular ½ inch drywall and knew about nothing else. Next the builder calls me. Being quite familiar with the NY State Residential Building Code, I confidently tell him not to worry about because using fireresistance rated drywall is not required in the code. Just to make sure I am correct, I check the state code and the local ordinances. I find nothing. You can protect the critical infrastructure from fire protected such as.

So I send the building inspector an email asking him about his request and telling him I know there is no such code requirement. In part, he writes back:

“Whenever we receive plans showing TJI’s it is our policy to ask for 5/8″ Fire Code Rock covering on all ceilings. It would be a shame to have this residence receive a lesser standard of fire protection than any other in Town…”
When Disney World had an issue with bats, local expert Travis Schlegel owner of Nuisance Wildlife Marshals was the expert called for the Orlando bat removal call. Bats carry parasites and diseases, which range from bat bugs and histoplasmosis to rabies. For this reason, bats and guano should always be avoided.

Now I am ticked off! We go back and forth and the bottom line is that we are going to have to put in the 5/8” fireresistant drywall ceiling or else the building inspector will find some violation to cite at the job for a fine of $2,500! I consult with the builder and homeowner and we agree to comply with his demand to keep the job moving. However, this matter keeps nagging at me and I finially decide to do my own research in the area of fire safety of I-joists and to send the building inspector an email with my conclusions and criticisms of his way of working. Here is what I wrote to him:

“Dear Mr. [Building Inspector]:

Based on your strong opinion regarding the lessened fire safety of I-joists, I have been doing more of my own research and have even talked to a couple of Fire Watch Security Guard Services. A balanced approach seems to be that regular gypsum board cover on I-joist floors is a reasonable cover which gives occupants the time needed to egress a single family house. It is clear that uncovered I-joists are worthless in a fire. The IBC assigns 15 minutes of additional fire endurance to 1/2″ regular gyp bd and 25 minutes for 1/2″ type x. Various reports and sources make it clear that even noncombustible members behave unpredictably in a fire situation and laboratory results are never like the real situation. Sometimes materials behave better than expected, sometimes worse. It seems, until more definitive results are published and there is more agreement in the industry, it would be wiser to concentrate on regular drywall cover and inspecting for proper bridging, fireblocking, and smoke/heat detection. The PH EL provide the best service which typically consists of a control panel a series of detectors, alarms, alarm pressure, flash and orientation plans.

Fire reports indicate that a very small percentage of the deaths are attributed to structure collapse and then not all of those due to I-joists. If you were really intent on preserving lives to a higher degree than everyone else you would have gotten the town to enact an ordinance to require residential fire sprinklers like in New Castle, not some unofficial policy like 5/8″ type x when the science isn’t really clear that there is any demonstrable benefit. The science and empirical evidence is clear when it comes to the benefit of sprinklers.

Short of that I was disturbed by your insinuation that I, as an architect, and every other town in NY and all other jurisdictions that don’t have your policy somehow care less about people’s lives. Because you are a building official in NY and not CT you might not be aware that I am a licensed CT building official besides architect. Since I took the exam about 5 years ago I still hold the record for the highest score in the state and I keep up my license with the 90-hours/3 years continuing education besides the continuing education I pursue for my architectural practice. The only reason I bothered to take the exam, become a licensed building official, is that I do care about codes and standards and their application and enforcement in building design and construction. I do care about the lives of my clients, contrary to your assertion.

What I find disturbing is when code officials take it upon themselves to create their own little parochial “policies”. It is the same as the old fashioned “that’s not the way we do it in my town”. It goes contrary to the entire reason statewide codes and national model codes and standards have been developed. If you feel strongly about an issue or you think the science is all on your side, would it not be better to push for a statewide change or at the ICC level? Or is the argument not strong enough to be accepted by code enforcers at large? Frankly, why stop at just the ceiling cover on I-joists? There are so many things that could be better in houses than the minimums required in the codes. And certainly some others would enhance public health, safety and welfare, too.

I have provided in the PDF attachment and items below some of the available information on the subject that make it clear that your 5/8″ type x “policy” is not the panacea you may think. I have attached the latest overview report from NFPA (of which I am also a member). It is very revealing because it does not list light construction or I-joists as in issue in resulting deaths or injuries from fires. In fact it indicates that fires have gone down about 50% in the last 25 years. How can that be so at the same time that framing is getting lighter and we are using more engineered lumber and trusses and everyone except [your town] is using 1/2″ regular gypsum board? Could it be that what is more important is the increased awareness and enforcement of blocking, penetration seals, and detection? If you have more definitive information I hope you will share it with me so I can be more educated on the subject. In the meantime, our contractor at [Address withheld] Rd this weekend is either adding the 1/2″ type x to the reg layer already on, or his removing that and putting up new 5/8″ type x. It depends on how his light trims work out. I thank you for raising the issue so that I would could pursue investigating it myself. I am not quite so convinced as you are of your position but I don’t think that means I care less about people’s safety.

I received no initial reply from the building inspector and I figured I had burned my bridges with him. A short time later I came across an article in SBC Magazine about a fire test demonstration that seemed favorable to engineered lumber and I sent it to him. You can read about it here:

The building inspector replied as follows:

“Thank you for sending along the article. It has done little to sell me on the virtues of Trusses in general. This test has been widely discussed in the fire service. Before too much weight is given to this it is important to recognize who is putting on this show. The Manufactures and distributors of Trusses who derive their lively hood from selling this product to the general public have a different agenda than those of us in Code Enforcement and the Fire Service. The article states that a large number of the skeptics in the audience were older Veteran Firefighters and that the New members of the departments easily accepted the results. This does not surprise me because you learn from what you see, if all you have experienced from truss construction is this demonstration then it is easy to believe that they are safe. If however like me you have in excess of 25 years of hands on experience you tend to believe what you see and that is a dramatic departure from what the Industry wants you to believe. I strongly recommend reviewing current and archive articles from Fire Engineering Magazine or any Publication from John Mittendorf. retired Chief of the Los Angles Fire Department regarding Truss Construction. The important thing to remember is that those of us in the Fire Services are not trying to sell you anything and in many cases it is our lives that are put in jeopardy by these products.”

Now, this issue has made me start thinking about the industry’s quick change over to engineered lumber and whether or not the fire safety issues have been thoroughly investigated. So if any of you who had the patience and interest to read this have more information or sources for me to review please send them on to me. I would love to know what other construction-related professionals think of the fire safety considerations around engineered lumber, especially I-joists.

REVEALING LOOK AT CHARITY FOR HAITI

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Questions are frequently raised about how reliable charitable organizations are when it comes to making proper use of donated money for disaster relief. Phil Underwood, a writer with the Phoenix Signs of the Times Examiner undertook his own little local investigation into religious charities and makes some interesting observations that we might do well to learn something from….

Being a human being the ability to see what is wrong and stand as the advocate of change. For a longtime Haiti has been subject to all sort of negative descriptions, in the aftermath of the most humiliating statement ever made towards this beautiful country, we, the sons and daughter of this great nation, have decided to do what was done 214 years ago to liberate the country form the chain of slavery and absolute oppression. We have decided to stand up and be the advocate for change and be UNIFIED. The help comes from people and businesses, from money to food and some like the gifttree send fruit baskets to help out the families.
It is a pleasure for us the youth, the future, the innovator, the thinker, the bringer of light and change of Haiti to present you HAITI PHOENIX.
Already we want to thank you for helping us bring “Haiti On a Positive Edge.”

One of my favorite terminology is “I am living my best life.” What occurs to me is the fact that we often go in the opposite direction of the actual definition of the word live. We are taking a path that can easily destroys the little of humanity that we have left in us. To live is to feel: it is to be part of the environment; it is to belong with anything and anyone that surround us; it is to belong among those that look like us as much as those that do not. We have reached a point that we don’t even care what comes out of our mouth, nor do we care to pay attention to how our actions and reactions affect those around us on a daily basis. In an attempt to spike a little sense of reserve and responsibility in those reading this blog today, I will talk about CONSEQUENCE.

Webster defines consequence as a conclusion derived through logic. The dictionary goes a little step further by defining it as by something produced by a cause or necessarily following a set of conditions.

With that out of the way, let’s dig a little bit more in the construction of the word itself and see how those two definitions are relevant to the world that we living in. The word CONSEQUENCE is composed of CON and SEQUENCE. The word CON means with, and the word SEQUENCE means frequency; Therefore, CON-SEQUENCE means with frequency. Isn’t it interesting? With that dissection of the word, it is safe to yield that consequence is the result of what was done with frequency.

Now that the field is properly set, I think some of you are already seeing where I am going with this. It is clear that our life is a series of action and reaction; therefore, the frequency of an event is based on the patter of choices that we have made. The great Einstein stated that, “It is insane to keep repeating the same experiment and expect a different outcome.”

Now that we have laid down the foundations, we can then conclude that our life is entirely in our control. We are in possession of the positivity and negativity that occurs in our life. We are the product of our decisions. My friends, it is important that we take responsibility for our actions and reactions. It is important that we stop blaming each other for our misfortunes. Take ownership of our life. It is time that we understand that consequences are nothing but our actions and reactions coming back to bless or hunt us. Yes, we are living our best life, but let’s do it with care and consciousness.

http://www.examiner.com/x-17373-Phoenix-Signs-of-the-Times-Examiner~y2010m1d26-Helping-Haiti-Give-generously-but-wisely#

SOMETIMES THE TRUTH PREVAILS

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

What Is a Digital Workplace? Definition, Benefits, Best Practices

Years ago, you had to travel to an office or worksite to get to your job. But the rise of technology — and a global pandemic — accelerated the adoption of more flexible work. Learn more about digital employee experience.

Today’s modern workplace is a combination of physical spaces, digital tools and technology — and everything in between. The digital workplace is the glue that binds it all together.

What Is Meant by Digital Workplace?

Reworked’s 2022 State of Digital Workplace report defines the digital workplace as: “Ever-evolving, the digital workplace combines leadership, culture, technology and practices to yield critical outcomes that impact both operational effectiveness and employee engagement.”

Reworked contributor Sam Marshall, owner of ClearBox Consulting and digital workplace specialist with more than 20 years of experience, shared this digital workplace definition: “The concept that there is a virtual equivalent to the physical workplace, and that this needs to be planned and managed coherently because it is fundamental to people’s productivity, engagement and working health.”

The digital workplace includes all the components — both physical and digital — of a business. It might be a physical office space in Chicago, an office location in San Francisco and 30 full-time employees who work remotely. It also encompasses all of the tools, technology and resources those employees need to succeed in their roles.

According to Marshall, the heart of the digital workplace comes down to three things:

  • Putting people first: What’s the impact on employees?
  • A technology layer: How are technological advances effecting digital working?
  • Management and design: How does the proactive digital workplace design unite people, process and technology?

Due to their digital natures (where employees can’t speak in person or may not even reside in the same timezone), digital workplaces must prioritize productivity and collaboration through the use of the right software, apps, hardware and other technology.

You might be wondering: Why do we need a digital workplace? That answer is multi-faceted.

On the one hand, digital working allows businesses to remain agile in times of hardship or change. Think of the pandemic, when many companies could switch to digital work or shut down entirely.

On the other hand, businesses have found that digital workplaces offer a lot of benefits, from making it possible to hire more diverse candidate pools to cost savings around office rentals and utility fees.

Let’s take a closer look at the transition from the physical workplace to the digital one.

Related Article: The Jury Is Out on the Future of Work

What Is Digital Workplace Transformation?

According to PwC, modern business success hinges on the ability to connect, easily access information, respond quickly, collaborate seamlessly and make decisions in real-time. That’s where digital workplace transformation comes in, sometimes merely called digital transformation.

Digital workplace transformation is the process of using digital tools and technology to improve the traditional workplace. While you may already use technology to your advantage, digital transformation is about maximum optimization — getting the most out of each tool, app or piece of software.

It includes steps like:

  • Assessing your current workplace: How does your workplace stand in the industry’s competitive landscape? What are the business’s shortcomings?
  • Outlining your future workplace: How can you optimize your workplace through the lens of your employees’ behaviors, pain points and preferences? How can you address shortcomings?
  • Exploring technologies: What digital workplace tools and technology can you use to meet your organizational goals, connect team members and maximize productivity and effectiveness?
  • Designing the space: What will your workplace look like? Your design should include the physical office (if there is one) and the digital work environment.

One caveat: While technology is essential to digital workplace transformation, it’s only one part of the puzzle.

Rachel Happe, digital workplace strategist and advisor, as well as founder and digital workplace catalyst at Engaged Organizations, said businesses often make the mistake of starting digital transformation with tech. “If you apply technology before you change and work on and invest in process,” she said, “you’re actually codifying the old process, rather than changing.”

Another big barrier to successful digital transformation, according to Happe: Board members and C-level executives who were successful in the old world of communications but have a hard time adapting to the new environment.

“It’s a shift in how you treat people and how you think about employment and leadership and all of those things. And I think having that kind of old school mentality at the board and senior executive level is capping a lot of companies from making this change,” Happe said.

Related Article: Why Digital Transformation Is a Process, Not a Destination

The Digital Workplace Components and Features

What does a digital workplace look like? It’s not a physical office you can walk into and observe. Instead, it combines a company’s physical and digital presence, and the technologies and tools connecting the two.

Nancy Goebel said in her role as CEO at the Digital Workplace Group, they refer to the digital workplace as the organization’s “digital headquarters.”

The front door to that headquarters? The intranet, said Goebel, which provides access to digital spaces that allow employees to connect, collaborate, converse, get work done and create new things.

“Of course,” she said, “there can be various windows and doors that provide alternate entry points via mobile apps, the metaverse and other digital channels.”

What Are Common Digital Workplace Tools?

Modern, digitally focused companies use a myriad of digital workplace software and tools. Some of the most common include:

  • Communication apps: Allow external and internal communications between colleagues, management, vendors, customers, etc. Includes email, instant message and video chat.
  • Collaboration tools: Encourage employees to share knowledge and work together, despite being physically apart, such as through virtual meeting tools or shared cloud-based documents.
  • Productivity tools: Digital workplace solutions that enable employees to manage and optimize their workflows.
  • Data management features: Simplifies the navigation and finding of information, whether customer, product, employee, etc., within the digital workspace.
  • Process automation tools: Automate routine operations in each department to free up employee time.

Related Article: Digital Workspaces Emerge: Here Are the Technologies Enabling Them

What Are the Benefits of a Digital Workplace?

“Three years of survey data shows that organizations have seen gains in productivity and report that employees are experiencing better work/life balance from the move towards digital workplace,” said Sarah Kimmel, Simpler Media Group’s VP of Research. “In our latest research, the digital workplace remained a priority for organizations, with 72% saying it is an extremely or very important priority.”

CLIENT SATISFACTION EQUALS ARCHITECT ACHIEVEMENT

Monday, August 24th, 2009

I get a great feeling when I run into a former client and find out how they continue to be happy with the work I have done for them.

Just yesterday I was across the street from my office in the local supermarket when I ran into a client. She and her husband live in a neighboring town and hired me to design substantial renovations to their house including a family room and screen porch additions, new entry, Not all roofing companies are created equally, which is why carefully vetting any potential contractor is very important. Not to mention the fact that your roof is a vital structural component of your home or commercial property, and the ultimate piece of construction that separates you from the elements. Unfortunately, as a property owner, you’re likely not particularly skilled when it comes to the trade of roofing. As such, you will want to work with a roofing contractor that not only manages the job, but can also guide you in the decision making process during your roof repair or replacement. They were very pleasant people to work with. You should read construction articles to renovate your home , in that different types of ideas are given.  A popular company that has become very big lately is Scope Glass for your windows they help protect them from any harm and make them more durable .

Owens Corning insulation іѕ реrhарѕ thе mоѕt wеll known оf аll thе insulation manufacturers. Thеу wеrе thе fіrѕt tо delve іntо thе properties аnd uses оf glass fiber, аnd hаvе ѕіnсе оn thе leading edge оf аll things fiberglass, including constantly refining thе wеll known ‘pink insulation’ thаt thеу hаvе bесоmе famous fоr. If уоu don’t know Owens Corning, they’re thе ones thаt uѕе thе Pink Panther аѕ thе mascot.

Owens Corning hаѕ bееn аrоund ѕіnсе 1938, аnd іn thаt tіmе thеу bесоmе thе mоѕt trusted source fоr insulating products оf аll types. Thеу аrе thе market leader whеn іt соmеѕ tо glass fiber technologies, аnd thе biggest supplier оf thе world’s fiber glass insulation. Thеу provide insulating solutions fоr аnу type оf building project уоu hаvе. Frоm thеіr residential ‘whole home insulation system’ tо ‘quiet zone noise reduction solutions’ аnd еvеrуthіng іn bеtwееn. Whаtеvеr уоu like tо ѕее саn bесоmе a mural! Landscapes аrе a popular choice fоr covering large areas оf wall. It соuld bе аn enchanted forest fоr a child’s room оr a peaceful vista іn a living room. Trompe l’oeil paintings (paintings thаt deceive thе eye іntо thinking thаt thе image іѕ real) аrе аlѕо popular – fоr example, faux picture windows thаt ѕееm tо open оntо a rural scene, a seascape оr еvеn a cityscape.  Murals саn аlѕо bе images painted оntо walls thаt serve thе ѕаmе purpose аѕ framed pictures. Motifs thаt complement уоur décor аnd architecture аrе аnоthеr idea. Tuscan murals, wіth grape аnd foliage motifs, provide аn attractive finishing touch tо a room аnd аrе popular fоr thеіr old-world charm. Floral designs аlwауѕ look decorative. A geometric оr abstract mural саn add pizzazz аnd style tо a contemporary room. Fоr thе workplace, including offices аnd schools, appropriate imagery саn banish thаt institutional look, adding color аnd warmth.

Most roofing contractors also belong to roofing organizations that are bound by strict guidelines and standards. If they do well on their roofing job, they can showcase their roofing contractors association; if they do poorly, they can ruin the reputation of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors within the association from getting good roofing jobs. There is a lot of pressure to do well, so you can be confident that if you need a roofing job done in Seattle, you can get a contractor from a roofing association to help you out.

For instance, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with over five hundred roofing contractors in the Puget Sound. This group has over half a century of roofing experience and experience working with Seattle roofing contractors, so it will know what kind of roofing you want. The Roof Brokers group can hook you up with the contractor that you need so that you do not have to look for contractors individually.

When you finally get a contractor in the Seattle area, you need to do a lot of background research on the roofing contractors themselves. Ask for a list of previous companies or persons that the contractor worked with in order to get a clear view of the roofing contractor’s work ethics and roof quality. Your roofing contractor must also have the appropriate working licenses and city licenses required by the Seattle city government.

Select a roofing contractor that insures its employees, and that has courteous workers who will respect your opinions and make sure that your needs are met. Make sure that you get the best value for your money: if you are not satisfied with the job, you have to be guaranteed either money back, or a free, new roof. Moreover, you also need the workers to get the job done on time, so be strict with your deadlines – and find a contractor that is as strict as you are.

They appreciated my designs and also gave us some good ideas of their own. The construction went reasonably well but did take longer than I planned so we had our touchy moments to work through. However, it was so satisfying yesterday to hear her say “We love the house and how it come out!”. She told me how pleased they are with the finished project and they are working on an album of before, during and after pictures. You can see our photos of the project here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mggrew/HomeAdditionRemodelBethlehemCT

A few weeks ago I was in a local coffee shop standing in line for the cashier when I realize another client was in line ahead of me who lives here in Woodbury. I had designed an expansion of their second floor to make room for a larger and new master bedroom suite, additional bedroom, new kitchen, and new larger decks. He and his wife were also very enjoyable to work with and we had a good collaborative relationship. They hired their own builder and we heard very little from them during construction. I think the builder called once with a question. I can get a little uneasy when I don’t hear from builders. It can either mean our drawings were very clear and they just breezed through construction or it can mean they are too proud to ask for direction, have messed it all up, but have also blamed the architect so that the owner doesn’t want to call either. So with a little anxiety I asked my client while standing in line, “So, how did the project come out?”

I have a real feeling of achievement when I am able to see residential or commercial clients enjoy occupying the spaces I design and build. When you get bogged down with the paperwork and the non-design part of owning a practice it is moments like these above the bring you back to why you chose this profession in the first place.

LOOKING FOR UNBIASED INFORMATION

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Every once in a while an architect is called upon to research and provide a client with an opinion.  Sometimes it is very hard to find tuly unbiased information on the subject you are researching. In my case I have homeowners in a condominium association looking to me to help settle a controversy. The development is an upscale residential condominium in southern Connecticut that is about 25 years old and has cedar clapboard siding. The association let the exterior maintenance slip and now the buildings really need attention. Some owners want to remove the cedar and replace it with vinyl. Some owners want to repair and restain the existing siding. Others are interested in alternative siding like fiber cement as long as it’s not vinyl. Now they look at me and want some guidance based on facts and not just my opinion or personal preference. They are concerned about longevity, continuous maintenance, initial costs, and the effect on their property appraisals and resale values.

What I have been amazed to find out is how little unbiased information is available on this subject. Siding materials are probably the most popular, highest produced, and greatest income generating products in the residential building industry, yet, I can’t find that anyone has bothered to do real head-to-head comparisons to find out which is the most cost effective, best performing product out there. Sure, the Vinyl Siding Institute will tell me their members’ products are the best thing since sliced bread! Of course, the Western Red Cedar Association will tell me how cedar will stand up, is easy to maintain, refinish, green, and overall the absolutely best thing ever.

As an architect I am left to sift through biased information and distill it to come up with a real comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of these products and arrive at a well reasoned conclusion. How do I do that and feel comfortable that I have given the best recommendation possible to my client? Maybe there isn’t much market for it and not much money to be made doing it, but it seems to me there ought to be some kind of “Consumer Reports” for construction materials and products where owners and professionals can go to get relatively unbiased information so that we can make educated choices on what products are best for what applications. Technology, the proliferation of synthetic and composite materials, and increasingly stringent building, energy and sustainability codes make it rather hard for an architect to give a strong recommendation to a client without knowing that opinion is limited by our own personal experience and preferences.

Who will step up and help us?

LOSS OF HONESTY – EVEN WITH ARCHITECTS

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

Recently it was discovered that some candidates for the national Architectural Registration Examination had improperly shared information on the content of exams and basically cheated on the test. This is the exam that qualifies an architect to be licensed to practice in the states. The announcement regarding the action taken by the national board is found here:

http://www.ncarb.org/newsclips/2009/apr09_5.html

Now one might say this is an isolated event and we should not draw broad conclusions. But hearing about this got me thinking about the continuing erosion of honesty and ethics in our profession, all professions and society in general. Notice an interesting observation made in AWAKE! magazine:

Older persons can remember a time when, in many places, people did not lock their doors. They did not think of stealing from others or of cheating them. If they borrowed money, they felt honor-bound to repay it. And their word was ‘as good as gold.’ True, there was dishonesty, but it was not all-pervasive. Today, however, stealing, lying, and cheating are commonplace throughout the world. And many dishonest acts originate with so-called respectable people who live and work in nice neighborhoods, dress well, may have a religion, and consider themselves good citizens. Indeed, dishonesty has become notorious among officials of government and business. (Nov. 15, 1986)

The Apostle Paul wrote:  “We trust we have an honest conscience, as we wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things”.  (Hebrews 13:18)

It seems everywhere one turns today we must navigate through a dishonest world. Owners that don’t want to tell the truth on permit applications about the construction cost. Clients who want to pay cash or use other means to bury money so they don’t have to pay taxes on it. Clients who offer us cash if we keep accounts off the books thinking we would likewise not report the income for taxes. Owners and contractors who don’t want to take out permits for the construction. Employment candidates who inflate their credentials. I could go on and on.

Architecture is a noble profession but it does not appear that it is any more noble than others when it comes to ethics. How many architects have read the AIA Code of Ethics or the rules of ethics written into their state’s practice regulations? What meaningful education on ethics, honesty and honorable practice is really given to architecture students? I just make a random check of the listing of courses for a prominent university’s school of architecture. Not one class on ethics in practice or honesty in life. That says plenty.

Why has honesty and ethics in society and our profession become so unimportant? We create environments to promote the well being of humans, to lift their spirits, and bring them comfort combined with guarding their health, safety and welfare. How could we cheat on anything having to do with our profession?




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