D&B Construction Group
Trend 1: LEED and Green Building
“A ‘Green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life” (WGBC). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Green or LEED construction is changing. The U.S. Green Building Council, creators of the LEED certification, plans to promote healthier and safer air quality indoors with adjusted certification criteria incentivizing the creation cleaner air systems. In 2021, there will be more building materials and components that help get LEED certification. One interesting and somewhat new development is a form of self-healing bio-concrete. This is a compound of concrete and bacteria that produces limestone when exposed to air and water, which helps with the impermeability of the surface. It costs around $240 per cubic meter. For reference, normal concrete usually costs between $200-$300, making it still cost efficient. Green building will continue to grow throughout the next decades and new technology and policy will come out to reinforce it as time goes by.
Trend 2: Modular Construction
The construction industry is rapidly moving towards modular materials because of its cost and time efficiency. Modular building is anywhere from 20% – 50% faster than traditional construction. It is also around 20% more cost efficient to build modular instead of traditional because of the reduced labor and time costs. Modular building also cuts the waste output almost in half due to optimal fabrication and pre-planned units. Everything is built off the construction site, which reduces the challenges of regular construction such as weather, limited working hours, and space. Overall, modular building is great for symmetrical and repeating buildings where sections can be made and stacked or attached to each other easily like in apartment or office buildings.
Trend 3: Safety
As it should be, safety is a huge trend in 2021. The old workplace safety system focused on recognizing problems and fixing them after someone gets hurt or a problem occurs. The new system getting pushed in the industry is based on prevention through education and training and recognizing issues before anyone gets hurt. This is why we have our Safety Committee meet monthly to discuss different topics of safety. Another large change in the safety category is better technology with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). With more women entering the field, there is an increased awareness of the need for PPE to properly fit all employees to ensure safety. In addition, because of the COVID-19 pandemic there are policies across most companies including D&B that promote safe environments using masks, social distancing, and sanitization. When the pandemic hit, our team implemented a sign in and sign out sheet at every job site, making it easy for us to accurately perform contact tracing in the event that someone developed COVID-19 symptoms. D&B will continue to enforce this rule across all job sites moving forward. Learn more about our safety standards here.
Trend 4: Multi-Family
Multi-family construction is one of the fastest growing sectors of the commercial construction industry. Because of the lack of inventory in the housing market and changing demographics, multi-family construction is in high demand and will continue to grow in the following years. More people are looking for smaller, more affordable homes and condominiums with less maintenance than a normal single-family house. Research shows that 33% of people who are reaching age 55 are on their own. This is much different than what was the case 20 years ago. Currently D&B has multiple multi-family jobs under active construction and in the pre-construction phases. Throughout my internship, I shadowed the construction of The Reserve at Gring’s Mill, which you can view here.
Written by: D&B Intern, Alex Wolf
Alex culminated this list based on what he learned during his time at D&B. He is a Senior at Wilson High School who began shadowing various D&B employees in September of 2020. Alex will be attending Virginia Tech for Architecture in the Fall. “My internship experience at D&B made me realize that I want to pursue a career in residential remodeling and construction,” he explains. “I gained a lot of knowledge about the construction process and enjoyed being able to see entire construction projects from start to finish.”
If you caught our social media post about Jessica’s suspiciously cute boots on our active jobsite at the future new headquarters for Riverfront Federal Credit Union, you are likely here to find out the official verdict from our Safety Committee Director, Tom.
The votes across our social platforms were pretty evenly split, but for those that know Jessica and know she would always put safety first, you win! For those still in denial that these shoes follow safety protocol, surprise! Jessica’s boots are both OSHA compliant and ASTM certified. (We know, we know… They looked way too cute to be). But we wouldn’t lie to you! They are I/75 C/75 steel-toe boots that are impact and compression resistant. They also have an oil and chemical resistant outsole that is completely slip resistant on dry and wet surfaces, too. Some of this brand’s products even have their electrical hazard certification for up to 18,000 volts!
If you are still in denial that these are steel toe boots, check out this video from our Safety Director, Tom, as he verifies that they meet safety standards. He also tells us what he originally thought when he first saw Jessica’s Xena boots on a job site.
So what are these nearly mythical boots called!? Not to worry – At D&B Construction Group, we’re all about efficiency and helping out our industry brothers and sisters. And that’s because we care. So of course, we will spill the beans about these handy full-grain leather boots. They are made by a company called Xena workwear for women. Best of all, they are made for women by women right here in the United States.
Xena workwear was founded as a result of the CEO’s own frustration from “working in a manufacturing environment where the only options were bulky, manly work boots.” Their CEO, Ana Kraft understands the importance of how what you wear can impact self-confidence and many other job-related factors that play a huge role in long-term career success.
So how did Jessica score these beauties?! It all happened about a year ago through a simple Google search. “I was searching for something better suited for me. I needed something more stylish that I could wear in the office,” she recalls. “I was also tired of the old, muddy, and uncomfortable boots I had been using for years.”
5 Stars for Xena
A year in, Jessica is more than happy with these shoes. “They are way more comfortable than the old shit kickers I had,” she says with a laugh. Jess has the Gravity Safety Shoe, which come in three other cute styles. They also make safety boots, like this pair that another one of our D&B team members, Angela, recently purchased for when she is on our active job sites.
Although new to the construction industry, Angela is already hooked and thankful Jessica made the recommendation. Meanwhile, Jessica has been with D&B Construction Group for nearly 4 years. She is an LEED AP certified Project Manager that has managed design and construction projects for some impressive buildings across the United States for well-known clients like Harley Davidson, Calvin Klein, The North Face, Birkenstock, and Michael Kors to name a few. Likewise, Jess has also completed many impactful projects locally for Tower Health, Penn National Gaming, Hottenstein Orthodontics, S&T Bank, Gold’s Gym and more.
Both ladies regularly have to leave the office to head out on the jobsite. “Not having to worry about changing shoes as I go back and forth between the office and job sites just makes my day to day easier,” says Jessica. As a vital part of D&B’s operations here at the office, Jessica’s Xena’s have been a game changer in her day to day by making it easy to transition from office to job site.
“These boots are so comfortable that I sometimes forget I’m wearing them once I get back from a job site,” she explained. And it is no wonder, since they feature comfortable ankle padding, a lightweight design, breathable lining with air-flow tech, and an impact absorbing insole. Plus, just look at how on point their packaging and branding is! Xena boots even come with a card verifying that they are OSHA compliant and ASTM certified. This may definitely come in handy for those that think your shoes are too stylish to also be safe on the job.
Be sure to pass this brand along to other women in construction and other STEM-related careers. Ladies: Check out Xena’s Facebook group Xena Moves. This group was created for women in STEM and the Trades who are looking for a safe haven to connect with like-minded professionals and to share fun work style ideas! This is how the Team D&B ladies wear their #xenasatwork:
PS: For those of you who may have guessed wrong about Jessica’s boots being OSHA compliant – Don’t fret! “I get questioned all the time,” she says. “People ask me if they are legit, and I just encourage them to step on my toes.”