• Allegheny County, Pa., which represents the greater Pittsburgh area, recently voted 14-1 to enact legislation for smoke-free workplaces, including all offices, restaurants, bars and casinos. It also includes all indoor and outdoor property owned by an area health-care organization.
• LONMARK International announced a new program to test and certify users of LONMARK Open Systems. The program provides a worldwide standard of proficiency for individuals that install, integrate and maintain systems utilizing LONMARK-certified products, and is expected to launch next month.
• The Associated General Contractors of America released its latest Construction Inflation Alert, which warns of an inflation rate for construction materials of 6% to 8%, with periods of 10% increases possible.