Our Publications

We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of providing project and construction management support during today’s constantly changing times. We stay abreast of the latest thinking by working with many diverse clients, as well as attending many industry events. At all of these venues, WE LISTEN AND WE LEARN! We know that success happens when preparation meets opportunity and we always strive to be prepared.

Our associates have published books, papers and articles based on these learnings. Many of these publications have made their way into industry forums. Others have been used as the basis of professional development workshops. And some have even formed the underlying justification for construction claims settlements.

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One book of note is by Peter Hessler, the president of Construction Business Associates.

The book fills a niche that has long been empty in the world of power plant construction. It is a collection of all the important steps, thoughts and processes needed when embarking on any major construction project today, whether a new build or a re-build. It does not tell you how to size a crane for a particular lift, instead it urges you to ask the question: Is a crane even the most cost effective way to make this lift?

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And there’s also the second edition. It is much more than just a repeat of the first edition. It is an upgrade as well as an update. The reader will find a much-expanded explanation of how to decide if a construction project should even be pursued and if so, how to increase the chance of project success through proper budgeting, estimating and contracting. Additionally, there is a complete chapter devoted to using today’s new information-age technology and how to stay on top of it all.

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As Wayne Kasbey of Ganotec said: “…very well written and keeps you wanting to read on. I lucked out when I purchased this book!”

Of note is that as of late 2023, these two books are still being purchased at the rate of several copies per month, in spite of dating back to 2005. Some information is just timeless!

 

You can watch an interview of the author describing how this book came about by clicking on the Book Interview Video tab under Our Publications above or by pasting the following link into your web browser: https://youtu.be/DbGgL6e_lhA.

Also, as ASME’s Mechanical Engineering (ME) magazine described it – “Expanding upon the first edition, Hessler provides a thorough plan for managing the financials of building a power or chemical plant and covers the entire process from preplanning to contingency planning to the business of on-site construction management.”

For more information about these books, and for information on ordering copies, just click on the edition of the book you want (or both). You will be redirected.

Some of the additional publications that can be obtained by contacting us are:

  • Construction Management for Today’s Power Plant Outage: Or, How to Keep Those Shut-Downs on Budget
    A paper reviewing the financial control skills required to ensure the success of an outage.
  • Power Plant Project Management: Some of the DOs and DON’Ts
    A paper describing the right and wrong ways to manage each of the five project management phases of a power plant project.
  • Outage Readiness Assessment – A Guide for Successful Outages
    A paper comparing various approaches to reviewing the state of readiness before an outage begins.
  • Managing Small and Medium-sized Capital Projects
    An article published in Chemical Engineering magazine discussing how to manage a project while still managing the operational plant without interference from the construction work – or, how to do two jobs at once. Click on or paste the following for a link to the complete article: https://www.chemengonline.com/managing-small-medium-sized-capital-projects/
  • Project Management Turnover: Be Sure It’s Part of Your Due Diligence Review
    An article published in the American Bar Association’s Under Construction publication suggesting that one-half of most construction claims are the result of excessive management turnover. Click on or paste the following for a link to the complete article: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/construction_industry/publications/under_construction/2022/winter2022/project-management-turnover/
  • And most recently, there is now an article on How To Manage CCGT Construction Risks, Minimize Claims and Keep the Lawyers At Bay, published in the Gas Turbine World magazine. This article addresses effective strategies to minimize the risk of construction-related claims when executing complex gas turbine power generation projects – and it boils down to just a few basic principles.To get a copy of this article, or any of the others, just send an email to info@ConstrBiz.com.

And there are more. Just contact us.