GET, LLC's Blog: Guam

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NAWIC Guam Chapter #381 Joins Annual Women in Construction Week Celebrations

On the eve of the Proclamation signing of 2017 Women in Construction Week in Guam by the Office of the Governor of Guam, GET, LLC wanted to take this opportunity with all the members of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter #381 to get out the word on this annual celebration of the success of women in the construction industry.

“The National Association of Women in Construction is committed to enhancing the success of all women in construction - not just those who are NAWIC members,” said Immediate Past-President of NAWIC Sandy Field. “We accomplish this through educational opportunities, networking, and community/industry service projects. If you are a woman employed in any area of the construction industry, we welcome you to join us!"

It is important to note that the focus of WIC Week is to highlight women as a visible component of the construction industry. It is also a time for local chapters, including the Guam Chapter, to give back to their respective communities. WIC Week provides an occasion for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry.

“'Women in Construction Week' is simply a time set aside to thank those women for all their efforts toward successful construction projects. WIC Week will also bring attention to the industry and encourage others to realize that construction is a viable, profitable career field,” said NAWIC Guam President Shierly Caceres.

Among the NAWIC Guam Chapter Activities this week: a Foundations for Safety Leadership Education Program hosted at the Guam Contractors Association and the annual NAWIC Builds Event at the GCA Trades Academy in Barrigada.

WIC Week comes as we enter the 35th annual National Women's History Month. The 2017 theme for National Women’s History Month honors women who have successfully challenged the role of women in both business and the paid labor force. We can all agree that women have always worked, but often their work has been undervalued and unpaid. GET, LLC thanks all women for their role in building Guam and America and their role in maintaining our great society.

Check out the NAWIC Guam Chapter page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nawicguam381 for more details about this year's WIC Week Guam activities. Also check out our website at www.get-guam.com or drop us a line to help us do our part to grow this important industry.

GPA ROLLS OUT NEW MY ENERGY STATEMENT

This past week, the Guam Power Authority (GPA) rolled out its new My Energy Statement as an effort to improve the sharing of vital energy information with its customers. For our small business, this new product is not just another social media campaign we helped roll out with GPA on Monday via the agency's Facebook page. As a home based business, the new GPA statement has features that really jump out at us. It is a product that all 50,000 GPA customers should take notice of.

At first glance of the GPA My Energy Statement, the Read Date shown on the statement is key to knowing when GPA was in your neighborhood and monitored your meter for proper billing. I think this issue puts to bed many concerns that questioned whether GPA actually did their job at our respective homes and home-based businesses each and every month. Also, the outlining of the monthly customer charge is prominently displayed-even if you opted out of this by turning away the use of the Smart Meter. Effectively highlighted are the assortment of Energy Charges-well it better be prominent as Guam Public Law 21-142 mandates the GPA complete this important task for all its rate-payers. Not too far below this particular nugget of information is the infamous Fuel Recovery Charge. The Charge reference is the most well publicized of costs on this Statement and is followed closely by many on fixed incomes from Yigo to Merizo. While this blogger is not so crazy about the Emergency Water-Well and Wastewater Charge being shown on this product-the GWA Bill would be a better place for this-I am happy about the Average Daily Amount of Power Used Section. This bit of data is helpful for decision making for our homes and home-offices. This is the type of information that can drive the local sales of energy efficiency products like smart controls, Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, solar thermal and even solar photovoltaic systems.

The GPA My Energy Statement is a great tool for all GPA customers. If you have yet to see it, we encourage you (yes-as a social media advisor to GPA) to visit myenergyguam.com to take that first step towards managing your household power use.

For more information on how GET, LLC can assist you with your social media and energy efficient product needs, please call us at 671-483-0789 or check out our website at www.get-guam.com.

NAWIC Guam Hosts 2017 Block Kids Event

It was not a typical Saturday on Guam. While many were just stirring their way to start yet another weekend in Paradise, a handful of our Island's young people made their way to the Guam Community College (GCC) to participate the in the third annual Block Kids Lego Competition hosted by the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter #381.

It was event that showcased originality.

It stirred creativity.

The event brought out imagination.

This Blogger was taken aback by the interest showed by the many kids and teachers in attendance. These school children, representing the villages of Yigo south to Merizo and all areas in-between, were eager to show off their skills with a Lego and their imaginative thinking using the iconic plastic construction toy.

I talked to a number of parents at the event and all were very proud of the prep work each of their respective youngsters put into the NAWIC event. No question that there were many in the 2017 edition that had participated in the two previous events. Additionally, many of the volunteers were excited to be a part of this signature event too. I was impressed by the organization and energy-it was not hard to smile at the enthusiasm.

NAWIC Guam works hard during the year to share the Block Kids Program with many island schools that culminates in the annual event at GCC. The work of the NAWIC Guam sisters paid off. Prizes were awarded for the top designs across the different grade levels-including a Lego version of the United States Capitol Building.

Attitude and insight were rewarded today. I understand that the judges were impressed with the range of final products which they said gets better each and every year.

At a time when we are wondering if our kids are losing their interest in such activities with the amount of mass media and technology getting the best of many their age, this event reminds us that the creation of the structures today are creations of Guam's future engineer or construction professional.

One final note, a good portion of the participants in the Block Kids event were girls-including the youngest of my four daughters.

GET, LLC is proud to be a member of NAWIC and the Guam Chapter-one of 150 chapters with a network of 4,500 members nationwide. We hold NAWIC's core values close to our business- Believe. Persevere. Dare. Check out our website at www.get-guam.com or drop us a line to help us do our part to grow this important industry.

GET, LLC AWARDED ISLAND ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

GET, LLC AWARDED ISLAND ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

Talofofo, Guam-based Small Business Executing GVB Services Along Guam's Roadways

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2017

GET,LLC has been awarded an Independent and Professional Services Contract for the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) Island Road Maintenance Program. The award is for the duration of the Government of Guam's Fiscal Year 2017 with two available option years. A Notice to Award was issued to the Talofofo-based business by GVB on November 22, 2016 and the Notice to Proceed followed on November 28, 2016. The scope of work includes grass cutting/mowing, trash collection, edging of medians and planting strips, scraping of curbs and sidewalks and post-disaster cleanup.

"We understand the Guam Visitors Bureau has made it a priority to promote Guam as a favorable visitor destination by maintaining the basic tourism plant and infrastructure," said GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia J.S. Gumataotao. "Our experience in managing policies, processes and procedures, our expertise and familiarity required to manage and support GVB Projects, setting up and managing staff requirements and implementing procurement and buying processes make GET, LLC uniquely positioned to assist you in achieving your overall goal of industry leadership and enhancing the visitor experience."

GET, LLC has worked in cooperation with GVB and the Guam Department of Public Works to ensure this important GVB contract is executed from Yigo to Merizo and has cut nearly 100 miles of roadway along Route 1, Route 2, Route 4 and Route 34 (Two Lovers Point) since their work began on the program on December 2, 2016.

"Our team is excited to be a partner with GVB on this important program," said Gumataotao. "By helping keep our island beautiful, our work we hope gives that lasting impression to our tourists to come back to Guam and our residents proud of the responsible use of such valuable resources to support an industry that is the lifeblood of our economy ".

GET, LLC is a HUBZone Certified Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving Federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in the areas of business-to-business services, construction materials, supplies, and equipment.

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Teaming Partner/Project Manager Dominick San Gil, left, and GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia J.S. Gumataotao, right, pose with one of a number of recently manufactured traffic signs in support of the Guam Visitors Bureau Island Road Maintenance Program on Friday, January 13, 2017 in Harmon, Guam. (GET, LLC)

Terex Completes the Sale of Its Material Handling and Port Solutions Business

Some news from our friends at Terex. The Terex Corporation has announced that it has completed the sale of its Material Handling and Port Solutions business to Finland-based Konecranes Plc for $595 million, €200 million in cash and 19.6 million newly issued class B shares representing a 25% interest in Konecranes.

“We believe that the Konecranes-MHPS combination represents compelling industrial logic that will deliver significant value to Konecranes customers, team members and shareholders, including Terex” said John L. Garrison, Terex President and CEO. “The sale of our MHPS business is a major milestone on our journey to become a more focused, high performance enterprise. We are committed to delivering improved profitability and return on capital across Terex as we implement our strategy of focus, simplify, and execute to win. Also, we will move forward over the coming weeks with our planned debt reduction, significantly reducing our interest expense and leverage as we enter 2017.”

The final transaction consideration is subject to post-closing adjustments for cash, debt, working capital, MHPS actual 2016 EBITDA and the closing of the sale of the Stahl CraneSystems business.

A great step for Terex-we do believe 2017 will be good for business for the entire Terex family.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Taking Time for Preventive Maintenance: An Update for Genie Scissor Lift and Telehandler Owners and Users

I came across this handy piece of advice from the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based on-line magazine Utility Products. While their respective focus is power, telecom and cable tv product solutions, they recently came out with updated guidance on aerial lift safety-specifically Genie Scissor and Telehandlers. The writer noted that maintenance time and costs are being reduced with a consolidated maintenance protocol for all Genie GS-scissor lift models and Genie GTH-telehandler models in North America. It appears that following updated procedures and simplified intervals, new Genie maintenance instructions now provide rental companies, including those here in the Western Pacific, the flexibility needed to keep their equipment on rent longer while making routine tasks a priority.

With rental equipment constantly going out and coming in, the streamlined maintenance procedures reduces the number of visits a Genie scissor lift or telehandler needs to make to the shop for preventive care. That means that less time in a lift shop translates to more time out on rent, lowering customers’ total cost of ownership and driving a higher rental return on invested capital.

With this maintenance protocol, Genie has condensed six separate maintenance manuals into one easy-to-use manual. This one-stop maintenance manual contains complete performance specifications, as well as a streamlined list of maintenance tasks to complete. And it is available in hard copy or digital format for easy integration into custom electronic systems.

Designed to save and simplify, the protocol also includes recommendations for extended service intervals opportunities; for example, many periodic procedures for scissor lifts have moved from quarterly and semi-annually to annually.

Commissioning has changed, too. Rather than perform some of the tasks at the 30-hour mark and some at 50 hours or longer, now all of the commissioning assignments for scissor lifts and telehandlers sold in 2016 and beyond are set for 50 hours and 150 hours.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

TARUC WINS GENIE ASIA PHOTOGRAPH CONTEST-Guam-based Photographer beats out regional competition with a photo featuring GET,LLC's TZ-50

GET,LLC Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao received word today from Genie Industries Asia that a photo taken by Guam-based Photographer Norman Taruc won its 2016 Jobsite Photo Contest.

"We are so honored that our friend and colleague won the Genie Asia Jobsite Photo Contest," said Gumataotao. "Norman has been instrumental in the growth of our company and has documented some of the most important moments that has shaped our business since its founding."

Entered into the Regional Genie Contest back on May 17, 2016, the photo shows a worker completing typhoon preparations on a Commercial Building in Tamuning using GET,LLC's Genie Trailer Mounted Boom-TZ-50. The Taruc photo beat out scores of photos submitted from across Genie Asia including two exceptional photos taken on jobsites in Vietnam that were named the consolation winners.

"This photo shows the versatility of the TZ-50," said Gumataotao. "The strength of this important Genie Aerial Work Platform is that it is battery powered-a sustainable alternative to the gas powered units in the marketplace to work effectively and efficiently at height."

GET, LLC has been appointed by the Terex Corporation as its authorized distributor for Terex and Genie aerial work platforms, cranes, construction and materials processing equipment and parts in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Working directly with the best name in the aerial lift business, GET, LLC utilized the global sales, service and support network of Terex to provide the Guam market with Genie Industry's TZ-50 Trailer-Mounted Articulating Boom-named in 2004 as an Innovative Product Award Winner by Rental Equipment Register (RER).

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, including the TZ-50, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789.

NAWIC GUAM CHAPTER DISCUSSES FEDERAL OT CHANGES

This past July, the federal government sent the shot over the bow to all employers in America that there will be changes to federal overtime rules. In advance of the December 1, 2016 implementation date, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter used their August Monthly meeting to discuss this important change with their membership. Member and Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Human Resources Services Inc. Grace Donaldson broke down the final rule changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Donaldson shared that the final rule focuses primarily on the updating the salary and compensation levels needed for Executive, Administrative and Professional workers to be exempt.

Among the changes, the rule sets the standard salary level at the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers, sets the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (HCE) subject to a minimal duties test and establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years to maintain the new percentile levels. Donaldson used examples and sought member input and questions relative to the duties test to better understand the impacts to the Guam workforce.

Donaldson noted that Guam's visitor industry would be hit the hardest with this rule change. The hotel industry relies heavily on modestly paid middle managers, who are exempt from overtime, to pick up the slack—and extra hours—when called upon. Some of the flexibility may be a thing of the past as property owners adjust to the new rule.

The changes could rattle industries that have long used a federal exemption for so-called “creative professionals” to avoid paying some workers overtime, like architects. The US Department of Labor currently gives businesses some latitude in deciding who meets the criteria. But under the new rules, no one making less than $47,476 a year could be considered a creative professional exempt from overtime.

Even the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has formally asked DOL for removal from the regulatory list that blocks travel agents from an exemption from federal overtime rules.

Will there be an end?

One thing is for sure, change is coming and the Guam NAWIC Chapter will be keeping a close eye on its developments as we head into the latter half of the year.

AMA Warns of Risks With LED Street Lighting

When I was doing my daily search of the news making headlines around the world, a story on www.cnn.com last week caught my attention and forced me to look closer at the whole issue of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and impacts on healthcare.

It all started with "community guidance" by the American Medical Association (AMA) earlier this month to reduce the harmful human and environmental effects of high intensity street lighting. While many American communities, including Guam, are taking significant efforts to modernize roadway lighting systems, it appears that converting to "improper" LED technology can have great impacts on health and the ecosystem near these lighting fixtures.

The AMA cites the Blue Lighting, or the white light of an LED to the naked eye, can decrease visual acuity which can create a road hazard for drivers. The AMA guidance also cites the impacts of LED lighting on species of animals that need a dark environment in which the related systems can disorient some birds and sea-life in and around the modern streetlight. The AMA guidance would imply that all Guam drivers and much of our mangrove ecosystems, in and around our main roadways, are at risk. There were recommendations to utility companies to use among other things lower correlated color temperature fixtures, LED lighting shields to minimize glare and utilize dimming technologies in the street lighting during peak time periods as a way to reduce such risks.

"The guidance adopted today by grassroots physicians who comprise the AMA's policy-making body strengthens the AMA's policy stand against light pollution and public awareness of the adverse health and environmental effects of pervasive nighttime lighting, " said the AMA in a news release.

The AMA did recognize LED street lighting does have energy efficiency benefits. Nearly 10 percent of the Nation's roadways feature LED lighting today. More of Guam's roads can expect to see more of this technology installed during these times of rising costs to manage this important public program as directed by the Guam Consolidated Commission on Utilities.

"The new AMA guidance encourages proper attention to optimal design and engineering features when converting to LED lighting that minimize detrimental health and environmental effects," said AMA Board Member Dr. Maya A. Babu.

University of Connecticut School of Medicine Professor Richard G. Stevens also noted that there is almost never a completely satisfactory solution to a complex problem-the impacts of LED Streetlights to human health.

"We must have lighting at night, not only in our homes and businesses, but also outdoors on our streets, said Dr. Stevens. "The need for energy efficiency is serious, but so too is minimizing human risk from bad lighting, both due to glare and to circadian disruption. LED technology can optimize both when properly designed".

For more information on bringing an LED lighting solution to your facility, please contact us at GET, LLC at 671-483-0789 or see our website at www.get-guam.com for details of the technologies that can be of significant value to all building and property owners-All Made in America!!!

NAWIC GUAM CHAPTER FUNDRAISER DREW MORE THAN DRINKS, DUDES AND GREAT GEAR

It was a great opportunity to attend the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter's first "Beer, Boys and Toys" Fundraiser at the Triple J Showroom in Upper Tumon. The recent event featured a host of craft beers, the attendance of the construction industry elite and plenty of cool jobsite gear that was eventually raffled off.

As important was the NAWIC Guam Chapter leaning forward to bring more awareness to their efforts to enhance the success of women in the construction industry. The Chapter does utilize its time meeting regularly to bring together the small influential group of women construction industry executives. They do always invite their male counterparts to participate.

In talking to many in attendance, the efforts of NAWIC seemed a bit new to them. When disclosing that the Guam Chapter has been around since 2013, there was a collective interest in the membership. Most were impressed with the fact that the "Beer, Boys and Toys" effort was well organized. As impressive-the turnout of the NAWIC Guam Chapter members. It was hard to hide the ladies with the red scarves who were all smiling from ear to ear and enthusiastically engaging each guest. The discussions were also fruitful. Plenty of networking in support of a host of projects was happening at each table. Insight into local construction industry policy was also discussed in and around the food and drink stations.

It was pretty clear that there were many in the crowd who had attended previous events hosted by NAWIC Guam and were satisfied with the unique fundraiser-something hard to come by with the scores of competing philanthropies and their respective themed functions throughout the year. This blogger had a great time and believe the "Beer, Boys and Toys" events to support the Chapter's education programs and Hard Hats and Huge Hearts programs will be a hit for years to come.

Report: Nationwide Construction Job Losses Worst in Three Years

It is hard not to pay attention to job numbers these days. But just as Guam is seeing some traction on the Guam Buildup front, news out of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) late last week is paining a bleak picture of the days and months to come in relation to construction jobs.

Citing a U.S. Bureau of Statistics report, an ABC analysis has found that America's. construction industry lost 15,000 net jobs in May. The monthly number is the worst for the industry since December 2013. During the period, just shy of three years ago, payroll shrank by 15,000 jobs. The ABC says that the construction industry has lost jobs over the last two consecutive months-the first time this has happened in four years.

"Today's jobs report was earth-shattering," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu on the June 3, 2016-dated report. "This signals the worsening of the industry-wide skilled labor shortage."

Basu notes that the job losses will spark discussions across the Country of a recession after staving off such for the past three months.

"Without question, the U.S. economy is associated with significant weakness," said Basu. "Still, contractors should be on guard."

The construction industry unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent in May, its lowest level since October 2006. The nonresidential construction sector lost 2,100 jobs in May after adding 4,700 jobs in April. Nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 3,000 jobs for the month, and employment in that category is up by 67,500 jobs or 2.9 percent from the same time one year ago. The heavy and civil engineering construction segment lost 8,200 jobs in May but is up by 7,000 positions or 0.8 percent on a year-over-year basis.

To find out more about how GET, LLC, through our construction equipment and materials partners can help your next project, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or check out our website at www.get-guam.com for more information. GET, LLC is a proud member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and stand in support of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry.

Revised Standards for Aerial Work Platforms on the Horizon

Interesting news from the 99-year old Engineering News-Record that will soon have some impact on construction job sites in the Western Pacific. The Troy, Michigan-based publication earlier this month reported that the use of aerial work platforms is on the rise citing a recent study by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) which found that AWPs continue to grow as a percentage of rental fleets.

We have heard concerns from island specialty rental firms and construction companies that is in line with a growing nationwide effort to revise ANSI safety standards and curb the number of potential operators calling for quotes and renting out our collective gear that not highly experienced using an aerial work platform.

“In these new standards, we’re looking at what we know today that we didn’t know when we wrote the last standard,” said IPAF North America Development Manager and ANSI committee member Tony Groat. “We’re looking at new equipment in the marketplace, as well as new technology available to us.”

The proposed draft standards from IPAF and the Scaffold & Access Industry Association are A92.20 Design, Calculations, Safety Requirements and Test Methods for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs); A92.22 Safe Use of MEWPs; and A92.24 Training Requirements for the Use, Operation, Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of MEWPs. These will replace the existing A92.2, A92.22 and A92.24 standards.

Aerial work platforms, referred to in the new standard as “mobile elevating work platforms,” or MEWPs, have been reclassified in the new A92.2 as either vertical- or boom-based lifts. The categories now also include truck-mounted lifts, which were not addressed in the previous edition of the standard.

One of the biggest changes in the draft standard is the requirement for load-sensing alarms and cutouts to be built into new work platforms.

In addition to design changes, the new ANSI standards will include new guidelines for operators, passengers and supervisors. Fall-protection gear will be required on all boom-type lifts, and the new standard will discourage the use of MEWPs to transport workers from one level to another. The standards will also make it the responsibility of a supervisor to prepare a risk assessment for any use of the platform, placing the onus not just on the worker at the controls but also on site managers and contractors.

GET, LLC and Deco Lighting Team Up on GFA Futsal Lighting Retrofit Project

GET, LLC AND DECO LIGHTING TEAM UP ON GFA FUTSAL LIGHTING RETROFIT PROJECT

D823LED Showcased As Part of Asia Football Confederation-Funded Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2016

GET, LLC and Deco Lighting, in cooperation with the Guam Football Association (GFA) has completed the installation of energy efficient lighting of the sports federation's recently renovated futsal court at the GFA National Training Center in Harmon, Guam. The installation of 14 Deco Lighting D823-Light-Emitting Diode (LED) 23" Area Lights by GFA partner SET Pacific Inc., was part of a major retrofit of the futsal court which included the installation of a modern artificial playing surface.

"Two great teams came together for a great cause/program at GFA," said GFA Executive Director Cheri Stewart. "This project will do much to support our National Teams and allow us to incorporate LED lighting into our expansion plans of the world class soccer facilities here."

The project was funded through the generous financial support of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The AFC is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). This is the first retrofit and renovation on the futsal courts since GFA constructed the facility in 2008.

The D823-LED 23" floodlight is the right choice for applications requiring high light levels, excellent beam utilization, and smooth distribution making the D823-LED ideal for tennis courts, building perimeters, large parking lots-and outdoor basketball courts.

"GET,LLC is so very proud to have worked on this important retrofit project for the GFA, AFC and the soccer players of Guam," said Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao. "We credit the expertise of the Deco Lighting Team that continues to help us bring modern commercial lighting technologies and solutions to Guam's village communities."

GET, LLC was appointed by Deco Lighting as its company's Sales Representative for Guam and Micronesia in December 2013.

Deco Lighting has done a number of signature projects across America including the recent LED retrofit of the Staples Center and Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The GFA Project joins similar efforts in the Municipality of Santa Rita, Guam and the Guam International Airport Authority using Deco Lighting LED products to further illuminate important public facilities using state of the art energy efficient lighting technology.

GET, LLC is a Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving both federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in business-to-business consulting services and construction supplies and equipment sales.

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NAWIC Guam Chapter 381 Takes Part in Women in Construction Week March 6-12, 2016

Guam Chapter 381 of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) will celebrate Women in Construction (WIC) Week March 6-12, 2016.

“The National Association of Women in Construction is committed to enhancing the success of all women in construction - not just those who are NAWIC members,” says NAWIC Guam Chapter 381 President Jessica Barrett. “Our organization accomplishes this through educational opportunities, networking, and community/industry service projects. If you are a woman employed in any area of the construction industry on Guam, we welcome you to join us".

The focus of WIC Week is to highlight women as a visible component of the construction industry. It is also a time for local chapters to give back to their communities. WIC Week provides an occasion for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry. A proclamation signing by the Office of the Governor of Guam to celebrate WIC Week on Guam is set for Friday, March 4, 2016.

“There are more than one million women employed in the construction industry. Ten percent of these women are administrative specialists, general contractors, subcontractors, trades people, or professionals, are vital to the construction process,” says Barrett. “WIC Week brings attention to the industry and encourages women to realize that construction is a viable, profitable career field.”

NAWIC’s mission is to enhance the success of women in the construction industry.

For more information on NAWIC and the efforts of the Guam Chapter 381 feel free to contact us at 671-797-0789. GET, LLC is a proud member of NAWIC and stand in support of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry.

Working at Height in Windy Conditions-Be Safe, Not Sorry

As an owner of an aerial work platform, we spend much time to understand the challenges of working at height and how to help our customers with their unique requirements on the job site. While much of our discussions center on getting the right lift for the job, I stumbled across an interested read that led me to a resource and particularly a section about working at height outdoors in windy conditions.

The University of Kentucky Aerial Lift Safety Program is a document that is provided to all of their employees and contractors who work at height. As part of the program, each operator is required to complete a Work Area Checklist for Aerial Lifts before and during use. Among the items that crews are asked to look out for on the job is wind and weather conditions. The University directs lift operators that at 20 miles per hour wind speeds or anticipated gusts, lifts will be lowered to a maximum height of 20 feet. With wind speeds or anticipated gusts of 25 miles per hour or more, all lifts are grounded for that day.

Such wind hazard reporting is important for the safety of those working at height and for the integrity of projects that could be compromised by less that ideal work in higher wind conditions. A number of universities across America have similar wind policies relative to working at height including the University of New York, Temple University and the University of Montana just to name a few. State Governments and private sector companies in the U.S. also have such wind safeguards in place as well.

All organizations must address the hazards of operating aerial work platforms in windy conditions as the hazards can include the lift falling over, a worker slipping off the platform if the lift is used during bad weather or high winds, positioned on soft or uneven ground, overloaded with heavy objects and driven over uneven, unstable ground, or surface in poor condition, with the lift in an elevated position.

While all lift owners and operators stress following their manufacturer’s instruction regarding operation in windy conditions, If at any time, personnel feels unsafe, due to weather or wind conditions prior to using an aerial lift, they may make a decision to ground the lift and cease.

No questions asked

The lift industry has recognized for years that we all have a responsibility to do our part in supplying safe, efficient equipment to users, and to ensure that those users know how to operate the equipment in a proper manner so that the job is completed safely... and then go home.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Polished Concrete Floors Are the Way to Go

In 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright used reinforced concrete in the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois-the first of such structures to be ever be built and was considered by architects around the world as the first modern building in the world. For the past 110 years, concrete would continue to be leveraged for worship, work and living spaces and other applications all around the world. Lately, concrete, wood and hot-rolled steel are seeing a rise in popularity for sustainable living and business activities across the globe. In a Wall Street Journal October 2015 survey of 100 U.S. home builders, nearly 80% of respondents said industrial-influenced design was already popular or becoming popular with just 7% of the builders surveyed thought it was a passing fad.

As we are living in Guam with the initial influences of Wright for protecting against the seasonal winds through our latitude, thanks in large part to American military engineers, concrete flooring as an option for home improvement seems to be one that has been often overlooked for its beauty, sustainability and economy. Concrete flooring gives you a durable, low maintenance floor that will last the life of your home and business-heck, many businesses on island have been using them to sustain their bottom lines for decades.

There is no question that concrete floors, when left exposed, conserve resources by functioning both as a foundation slab and finished floor. This eliminates the need for carpeting and other floor coverings that would eventually require replacement. In addition to conserving materials, concrete flooring offers many other environmental benefits, such as contributing to better energy efficiency and improving indoor air quality.

Concrete floors utilize sustainable materials. The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth and is the material our island sits on. Because of their thermal mass and ability to retain heat, concrete floors are ideal for passive solar home designs. In hot and tropical climates like those found in Micronesia, concrete floors shielded from the sun will stay cool longer and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs. An exposed concrete floor is often an economical alternative to other finish solutions such as hardwood flooring and tile. For new residential construction or commercial projects with site-cast concrete floor slabs, choosing to leave the concrete floors exposed can save big money over the life of the building. First, you don't have to buy and install an additional floor covering to put on top of the floor slab. In addition, the durability and low maintenance needs of concrete flooring will save you the recurring maintenance and replacement costs associated with less-enduring flooring materials, such as carpet and vinyl tile. In a typical home environment, concrete floors are very low-maintenance, requiring only periodic sweeping or wet mopping.

A darling of architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, for its versatile applications and honest good looks, polished concrete surfaces are enjoying something of a renaissance.

An recent article from The Concrete Network pointed out that when properly installed and sealed, a concrete floor should last a lifetime and will never need replacement. Few flooring materials can boast this same longevity. Carpet, tile and even wood floors eventually need replacement, which uses up resources and creates waste disposal problems.

Investing in Lighting

There is no question that during these lean economic times, we all must do our part to conserve energy. With the recent crisis facing Guam's power grid, now more than any time in the recent past, must we as a community do what we can to protect the very precious resource of energy. We do have a new solar farm on-line in Dandan. We do have a plan for integrating wind energy in nearby Windward Hills. We also have seen the proliferation of small businesses selling residential rooftop solar photovoltaics to curb the rising prices of energy. For businesses, this issue has many talking and looking for solutions. This blogger believes that this discussion begins and ends with energy efficient lighting.

Investing in great lighting can drive profits in retail spaces by highlighting key products and driving foot traffic to specific areas within stores to maximize sales. As the buildup on Guam gets underway and with tourism is on the rise, regular and new customers alike need to know what you have and will be directed to great product presentation via great lighting.

Switching to LED lighting alone will save up to 75 percent on energy costs. First cost issues are becoming less of a concern considering the cost of power in Micronesia. Installing lighting controls can save an additional 35 to 50 percent. The Consumer Electronics Association is reporting that lighting controls are becoming the favorite technology among architects and homeowners- tied as the No. 1 technology in terms of being specified by homeowners and architects to builders. In all, 53 percent of the time a lighting control system is installed because the homeowner or architect requested it. The "re-do" of the Guam Tropical Energy Code does address this and we all would do ourselves a collective favor by considering a controls strategy that best fits our respective homes, workplaces and business properties.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that switching entirely to Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting over the next two decades could save $250 billion in energy costs in America and avoid 1,800 million metric tons of carbon emissions. There are a handful of Guam businesses that have since made the switch to LED lighting and are enjoying the cost benefits. But there are still many who use older and less efficient lighting systems and will continue to do so until their stocks are depleted. At that time, decisions will be made and we would encourage that the decision be made in favor of energy efficient lighting.

Economics will drive the next steps on island for all, businesses and residents alike, to make a conscious switch to the use of modern lighting technology. Check out our website for energy efficient lighting solutions at www.get-guam.com or give GET, LLC a call at 671-797-0789. We are a provider of Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc. products-Made in America!!!

Energy Efficiency-A Priority for All Island Schools

The news recently that Guam schools were taking the plunge into powering campuses with solar photovoltaics made me think that a couple of huge steps may have been missed prior to drafting and negotiating the first power purchase agreements as outlined by recently enacted legislation. While I am sure the Guam Power Authority has been supportive of the Solar PV initiatives by our education system, they also are going to be losing some revenue-a huge customer taking a modern step to keep valuable and limited resources in the classrooms from Yigo to Merizo. Federal tax credits will be secured-no doubt about that.

But what happened to grabbing the low hanging fruit of lighting, building controls, and modern-HVAC Systems? Did school administrators just ignore these important steps as part of a comprehensive energy efficiency plan in our schools? Did they forget the multiple presentations of a variety of sustainable solutions presented to them over the past 10 years by the policy wonks at Adelup, vested federal government agencies and private sector advocates?

Energy efficiency is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways schools can save money—money that can be spent on the tools, provisions, and facilities needed to provide students with a high-quality education. Reducing a school’s energy bill can save the school much needed funds that it can use towards important building upgrades or improving its educational infrastructure. Not to mention, that using energy efficiently sets a positive example for a school’s students and community, encouraging them to use energy efficiently in the future and throughout their lives-so very important for living on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The lowest of the hanging energy efficiency fruit is lighting.

Lighting is one of the easiest sources of energy expenditures to adjust and regulate; however, alarmingly, over 25 percent of a typical school’s energy consumption is attributed to lighting. Our friends at Deco Lighting and other lighting manufacturers have said that LED lighting is the most energy efficient lighting technology on the market, and upgrading or retrofitting traditional lighting, such as fluorescent lamps, to LED is the most effective way to reduce the energy costs attributed to lighting.

The Commerce, California based company offers several LED retrofit kits that simultaneously improve the quality of light and reduce power consumption by up to 75 percent when compared to fluorescent tubes. Deco’s Linea Troffer and Parabolic LED Retrofit Kit upgrades standard 1X4, 2X2, and 2X4 fluorescent troffers in as little as five minutes. Moreover, there is no need to go above the ceiling or remove any existing housing when installing Deco’s Linea Retrofit Kit, which prevents exposure to any asbestos that the ceilings of many old buildings and schools may contain. Recently, the Guam International Airport Authority purchased these kits and the GIAA Team sees the value of such retrofits towards reducing their operating costs while addressing their critical lighting needs. All of Deco’s LED solutions are also backed by a 10-year, 100,000-hour warranty, which includes labor.

Additionally,students and teachers can do a lot to help save energy in their schools. Energy-saving things they do at home can also be done at schools. By turning out the lights when a classroom is unoccupied, the school can save money. The school may also want to consider "occupancy sensors" that detected whether there are people in the room. If no one is there, the switch turns off the light. Hot water is another area that uses a great amount of energy. By fixing dripping hot water faucets, you can save water and save energy. If it's cold water, fix the dripping faucet anyway because sanitizing and delivering water takes energy too. Leaving doors wide open to a room or building may make it more inviting to come in, but it wastes energy. Don't prop doors open but allow them to close after people walk through the doorway. And If the school has not set up a recycling effort, do it now. Reusing paper and recycling paper saves money and energy. Recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles

To find out more about how lighting retrofits can help improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs in schools, check out our website for solutions at www.get-guam.com or give GET, LLC a call at 671-797-0789. We are a provider of Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc. products-Made in America!!!