AGC member donates “green roof” for LIT classroom - construction begins Saturday

Monument Constructors, Inc. will start work at 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 15, on installation of a new Duro-Last roof for an LIT learning environment that will house a new hands-on commercial construction program designed in partnership with Associated General Contractors of Southeast Texas .

The classroom space, a warehouse donated by AGC member, Miner Dederick Construction , will be utilized by students receiving commercial, industrial and residential construction training .

The new roof is the first step in preparing the classroom space for fall, when the construction program created and funded through the AGC/ LIT Partnership will be under way.

“We saw a need and we stepped forward,” said Tom Lanza, director of business development for Monument.

Charles Smith founder and President of Monument, a proud member of AGC of Southeast Texas, added “This is an excellent opportunity to show our support for both LIT and the AGC”.

“We also see this as an opportunity to give back to a community that we have been very blessed and fortunate to operate a successful business in,” Lanza said.

The warehouse will be equipped with an energy efficient Duro-Last roof system , constructed of cutting edge material designed to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds into the environment, Mulroy said.

Monument Constructors is one of our contractors leading the way in use of environmentally friendly materials to reduce emissions into our environment, Mulroy said.

“Monument was the first vendor in the area to use this style of roofing,” she said.

Monument will use white roofing material, which is heat reflective, and is expected to reduce the heat load on the building as much as 20 percent, compared to most other roofing materials.

This type of “green construction” is becoming more common throughout the United States, Mulroy said.

Including material and labor, the donation is valued at $20,000, Lanza said.

Monument will begin work on the roof Saturday morning.

The project should be completed in two to four days, weather permitting.

The AGC / LIT Partnership is actively addressing the need for more skilled construction workers in the area,” Lanza said.

Trained construction workers are in high demand in the Golden Triangle, he added.

“The supply of competent construction workers is already at a premium.” Within the next four to five years, he said, the anticipated construction boom will cause an even greater need for trained construction workers.

Monument Constructors, Inc., located in Beaumont with offices in LaPorte and Lufkin, is a locally owned general construction contractor that specializes in the installation of state-of-the-art, energy saving, commercial and industrial roofing systems such as Duro-Last single-ply PVC membrane roofing.

Monument also remodels and renovates commercial and industrial buildings and designs and constructs metal buildings.

AGC, one block south of U.S. 69 along West Port Arthur Road, is a supportive partner with LIT in educating students.

“ The hundreds of local architectural, engineering and construction companies that are members of the AGC are committed to this partnership with LIT. We will provide the opportunities for students to learn the type of career opportunities our industry has to offer,” Mulroy said.

In addition to donating the warehouse, the organization has developed specially directed curriculum, and will provide equipment, supplies and hands-on work-to-learn opportunities in addition to annually funding several LIT scholarships.