Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association

Two Women Find Their Passion Through ITM Program The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) recently graduated its fifth class in its Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance (ITM) Inspector Development Program. This class holds a special place in AFSA history for several reasons. First, they pulled off the first 100 percent class …

This year, our association celebrates its 39th anniversary. Education was one of the bedrock ideals upon which we were founded; we formed this association in order to provide training to open-shop fire sprinkler contractors. The first part of our mission statement reads, “AFSA promotes the development of educational and training …

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) released its annual Fall Forecast which predicts moderate growth for cement consumption through 2019 and into 2020. PCA Market Intelligence expects cement consumption will grow by 2.4 percent in 2019, 1.7 percent in 2020, and 1.4 percent in 2021. “Public construction continues to receive the …

Donations Fund the Future of Fire Protection Each year, the Center for Life Safety Education (CLSE) and the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) jointly award the Thomas S. Waller Memorial Scholarship to one junior or senior enrolled in the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology (FPSET) program at Oklahoma State …

AGC Survey Shows Firms ConcerNed About Worker Shortages and Quality Despite signs the overall economy may be slowing, most construction firms expect demand for their services and hiring will expand in 2020, yet even more firms are worried about their ability to find qualified workers to hire, according to survey …

Brighter Outlook than Originally Forecast Renewed activity in home sales along with low-interest rates and a more positive forecast for the economy in the year ahead have boosted builder and buyer confidence in the housing market. While price increases and a shortage of inventory have hamstrung purchases of existing homes, …

Five Ways to Prepare Your Business Much has been said about the state of the United States’ economy and its long-term forecast. Is it bullish or bearish? Trade wars. Inverted yield curves. Despite record employment, there are signs that the U.S. economy is weakening and that a market correction—perhaps not …

Chief Economist Advises Overall “Wait-and-See” Approach Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Chief Economist Anirban Basu forecasts continued momentum for the construction sector next year but advised an overall “wait-and-see” approach based on leading and lagging indicators and economic uncertainties, according to a 2020 economic outlook published in Construction Executive magazine. …

Members Save Time and Money with Informal Interpretations The informal interpretations featured in this issue of Sprinkler Age address inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) issues. Informal interpretations are prepared by the American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) Technical Services Department— John August Denhardt, PE, FSFPE, vice president of Engineering & Technical …

Florida Tops Rankings for Second Year in a Row Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has released its 2019 Merit Shop Scorecard, an annual ranking based on state policies and programs that encourage workforce development, career and technical education, job growth, and promote fair and open competition for taxpayer-funded construction projects. …