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This summer, remember these basics of home cooling and beat the heat without breaking the bank.

Builders and project leaders are taking on a heightened level of responsibility when it comes to deciding whether to participate in certification programs, determining which programs best reflect their values and standards, and ultimately selling the idea and cost of certification to the owner. I spoke with several industry experts to get a better understanding of the challenges associated with building green and certification programs. Although opinions certainly vary, it seems that participation has not yet become an industry-wide expectation because some builders are not yet convinced that certification is necessary.

The time between receiving bids (or a proposal for sole source work) and the start of construction is a busy time for the contractor, the owner, and the design professional. The design professional must quickly check the bids and verify that the low bidder truly has the qualifications to do the work, then prepare the contract documents for signatures. The owner needs to proceed through the necessary steps to award the project, which include having financing ready. The low bidder must begin to expand upon the data assembled during the bid phase and prepare for mobilization.

Not a day goes by when we don’t get bombarded with more talk of jobs, be it from politicians or the media. It seems that this is the single most important factor on which we must base all decisions. City, county, and state budgets are depleted, but we continue to allocate tax payer money to economic development strategies that have proved too costly and ineffective. Economic development has, for the most part, become a mechanism by which we redirect taxpayer money to out-of-town companies to relocate low-paying jobs. This is not development in any sense but a short-term political strategy that redistributes scarce community resources to those who need it the least. Revitalizing the nation’s urban centers and small town Main Streets is a strategy that can do much more to create strong, sustainable local economies at a fraction of the cost, while retaining and fostering local resources.

What is the best way for a construction observer to train? Learning from a professional on site may be ideal, but other good sources of information include public agencies and the documentation they make available.

Columnist David A. Todd, P.E., CPESC, has 37 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and has performed much construction administration during that time. He will answer questions from our readers or from his own practice and will provide answers based on his understanding of the construction process.

Managing your home security from your phone has become user-friendly and convenient. Home automation is now available as an app on your smartphone or tablet.

Welcome to the On Site channel’s Construction Administration Column. When a construction observer gives instructions directly to a subcontractor, it can lead to contentious claims. David A. Todd, P.E., CPESC, discusses how to address the issue.

Columnist David A. Todd, P.E., CPESC, has 37 years of experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and has performed much construction administration during that time. He will answer questions from our readers or from his own practice and will provide answers based on his understanding of the construction process.

When I began my career in the engineering/construction industry 37 years ago, erosion from construction sites was never a stated concern. None of the huge water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants I designed had any provisions for preventing erosion or controlling sediment. The streams, lakes, and rivers downstream from my sites no doubt did a lot of natural “settling” and maybe “filtration.”

In the past year, we’ve seen many wrenching images of post-tsunami Japan. What has happened since March, and how much hope is there for the affected area’s recovery?

Media coverage was intense following Japan’s Tohoko earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Despite the scale of this disaster, coverage inevitably shifted to other news stories. The people of eastern Japan still have a long road ahead in the rebuilding and recovery process. How are they faring, nine months later?

If you're unfamiliar with the title of this article, or this important subject matter, don't feel bad – you're not alone. Confusion and a lack of awareness is the rule, rather than the exception, when it comes to the federal Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) new Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule, which totally redefines the way much of home remodeling is conducted. It centers on the control of dust from lead paint created from during RRP, not the elimination of the lead itself. The RRP rule is monumental – in its complexity, in the nature of the changes, and in the cost involved in compliance. Here's the EPA's explanation in a nutshell: “Under the rule, beginning April 22, 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.”

Ask the experts – the thieves themselves.