Federal, state, and local government construction hasn’t exactly been a steamroller for the past few years, due to the end of stimulus availability and the ongoing effects of budget sequestration.
At press time, the most recent Commerce Department report indicated that government construction spending was up just under 1% in April, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $267 billion, despite overall economic contraction of about 1% in the first quarter. Federal construction spending was the growth leader, rising by 1.9% to a rate of $23.5 billion. State and local projects—a much larger piece of the public pie—were up just 0.7%, to $243.5 billion.
Among non-infrastructure public construction spending categories, healthcare (up 6%) and education (up 2%) appear most promising for this year, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors’ 2014 forecast.
Improving energy performance of existing properties through targeted upgrades—and, sometimes, large-scale reconstruction—continues to be a federal priority. Of 20 projects recently honored by the General Services Administration’s Design Awards program, half were reconstruction jobs, ranging from Beaux Arts courthouses to Modernist offices.
Along with the push for energy efficiency, federal agencies are increasingly exploring telework as an alternative to expanding office space. The bright side? Telecom and AV renovations will be required to help agencies keep off-site staff connected.
Many state and local governments continue to struggle with the sluggish overall economy, causing delays in needed construction. Among the discernible themes among state and local projects submitted to BD+C: new police facilities (designed to reflect changing ideas about community policing), replacement and upgraded courthouses, and mass-transit stations.
Top Government Sector Architecture Firms
| Rank | Company | 2013 Government Revenue |
| 1 | Stantec | $144,299,056 |
| 2 | Heery International | 125,058,364 |
| 3 | HOK | 114,753,666 |
| 4 | SmithGroupJJR | 83,064,158 |
| 5 | HDR | 81,601,164 |
| 6 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | 57,835,664 |
| 7 | SHW Group | 56,007,000 |
| 8 | Gensler | 52,272,600 |
| 9 | EYP Architecture & Engineering | 42,800,000 |
| 10 | RS&H | 39,200,000 |
| 11 | Page | 38,704,000 |
| 12 | Moseley Architects | 35,135,469 |
| 13 | Leo A Daly | 29,483,542 |
| 14 | Perkins+will | 28,975,375 |
| 15 | Clark Nexsen | 28,873,388 |
| 16 | ZGF Architects | 27,425,548 |
| 17 | CannonDesign | 27,000,000 |
| 18 | FreemanWhite | 25,941,154 |
| 19 | NBBJ | 19,382,000 |
| 20 | DLR Group | 19,300,000 |
| 21 | Hammel, Green and Abrahamson | 19,167,839 |
| 22 | EwingCole | 17,300,000 |
| 23 | HKS | 17,247,862 |
| 24 | PGAL | 16,097,917 |
| 25 | HNTB Corp. | 15,269,498 |
| 26 | Westlake Reed Leskosky | 15,049,000 |
| 27 | Quattrocchi Kwok Architects | 13,230,000 |
| 28 | Hoefer Wysocki Architecture | 12,860,000 |
| 29 | Fentress Architects | 12,160,971 |
| 30 | BLDD Architects | 11,800,000 |
| 31 | RTKL Associates | 11,469,000 |
| 32 | SchenkelShultz Architecture | 11,278,000 |
| 33 | NORR | 9,792,248 |
| 34 | LS3P | 8,882,375 |
| 35 | Morris Architects | 8,350,000 |
| 36 | Davis Brody Bond | 8,263,108 |
| 37 | LaBella Associates | 8,130,000 |
| 38 | CTA Architects Engineers | 8,014,884 |
| 39 | Beyer Blinder Belle | 7,947,688 |
| 40 | HMC Architects | 6,811,005 |
| 41 | VOA Associates | 6,808,200 |
| 42 | Parkhill, Smith & Cooper | 6,687,000 |
| 43 | Rosser International | 6,652,324 |
| 44 | LMN Architects | 6,388,100 |
| 45 | Sherlock, Smith & Adams | 6,388,000 |
| 46 | Becker Morgan Group | 6,343,277 |
| 47 | Flad Architects | 6,126,870 |
| 48 | KZF Design | 5,887,462 |
| 49 | Epstein | 5,402,000 |
| 50 | IBI Group ? Gruzen Samton | 5,000,000 |
| 51 | Solomon Cordwell Buenz | 4,500,000 |
| 52 | Goodwyn Mills & Cawood | 4,409,249 |
| 53 | Wight & Company | 4,402,093 |
| 54 | RSP Architects | 4,326,000 |
| 55 | Harley Ellis Devereaux | 4,310,000 |
| 56 | Carrier Johnson + Culture | 4,066,891 |
| 57 | BRPH | 3,957,000 |
| 58 | FGM Architects | 3,776,698 |
| 59 | Ennead Architects | 3,729,000 |
| 60 | RNL | 3,418,000 |
| 61 | WDG Architecture | 3,095,000 |
| 62 | Perkins Eastman | 3,000,000 |
| 63 | GWWO | 2,965,804 |
| 64 | Gresham, Smith and Partners | 2,787,930 |
| 65 | Integrus Architecture | 2,705,119 |
| 66 | Hoffmann Architects | 2,654,000 |
| 67 | Swanke Hayden Connell Architects | 2,534,000 |
| 68 | Ratio Architects | 2,462,355 |
| 69 | LPA | 2,205,538 |
| 70 | Emersion Design | 2,183,039 |
| 71 | Array Architects | 2,138,000 |
| 72 | WHR Architects | 2,076,445 |
| 73 | Cooper Carry | 1,987,669 |
| 74 | Little | 1,961,000 |
| 75 | Bergmann Associates | 1,941,360 |
| 76 | OZ Architecture | 1,724,680 |
| 77 | Legat Architects | 1,675,500 |
| 78 | LBL Architects | 1,600,000 |
| 79 | Schrader Group Architecture | 1,573,559 |
| 80 | Symmes Maini & McKee Associates | 1,563,000 |
| 81 | Good Fulton & Farrell | 1,373,500 |
| 82 | H+L Architecture | 1,295,496 |
| 83 | Harvard Jolly Architecture | 1,221,576 |
| 84 | Cambridge Seven Associates | 1,210,000 |
| 85 | FXFOWLE Architects | 1,180,000 |
| 86 | Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates | 1,128,560 |
| 87 | Moody Nolan | 1,083,924 |
| 88 | CO Architects | 1,031,600 |
| 89 | Shepley Bulfinch | 836,000 |
| 90 | Corgan | 762,894 |
| 91 | Cuningham Group Architecture | 742,891 |
| 92 | Lord Aeck Sargent | 742,273 |
| 93 | GBBN Architects | 660,000 |
| 94 | Nadel | 650,000 |
| 95 | Eppstein Uhen Architects | 640,751 |
| 96 | Commonwealth Architects | 599,591 |
| 97 | Hastings+Chivetta Architects | 491,188 |
| 98 | DesignGroup | 433,190 |
| 99 | Baskervill | 391,276 |
| 100 | Payette | 383,755 |
| 101 | Taylor Design | 372,052 |
| 102 | LawKingdon Architecture | 350,000 |
| 103 | Anderson Mikos Architects | 350,000 |
| 104 | NAC|Architecture | 345,476 |
| 105 | Environetics | 341,475 |
| 106 | Kirksey | 323,571 |
| 107 | H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture | 305,903 |
| 108 | Hnedak Bobo Group | 301,000 |
| 109 | TEG Architects | 235,686 |
| 110 | RBB Architects | 215,897 |
| 111 | BBS Architects | 200,030 |
| 112 | DLA Architects | 133,140 |
| 113 | Fanning/Howey Associates | 50,000 |
| 114 | BSA LifeStructures | 41,019 |
| 115 | ai Design Group | 33,048 |
Top Government Sector Engineering Firms
| Rank | Company | 2013 Government Revenue |
| 1 | Fluor Corporation | $2,675,202,710 |
| 2 | URS Corp. | 648,982,536 |
| 3 | AECOM Technology Corp. | 574,020,000 |
| 4 | Jacobs | 287,190,693 |
| 5 | STV | 168,948,000 |
| 6 | Burns & McDonnell | 99,462,332 |
| 7 | Parsons Brinckerhoff | 57,994,366 |
| 8 | Leidos | 55,125,000 |
| 9 | H&A Architects & Engineers | 38,735,000 |
| 10 | Allen & Shariff | 33,964,317 |
| 11 | Dewberry | 26,388,476 |
| 12 | Arup | 23,554,256 |
| 13 | Smith Seckman Reid | 19,741,666 |
| 14 | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger | 19,066,000 |
| 15 | Affiliated Engineers | 15,598,000 |
| 16 | Syska Hennessy Group | 12,155,407 |
| 17 | Thornton Tomasetti | 10,996,123 |
| 18 | Coffman Engineers | 10,676,374 |
| 19 | KPFF Consulting Engineers | 10,500,000 |
| 20 | RMF Engineering | 10,000,000 |
| 21 | Guernsey | 9,680,758 |
| 22 | Shive-Hattery | 9,029,738 |
| 23 | Walker Parking Consultants | 8,925,000 |
| 24 | Bridgers & Paxton Consulting Engineers | 8,780,161 |
| 25 | WSP Group | 8,060,000 |
| 26 | Interface Engineering | 6,809,917 |
| 27 | Glumac | 6,650,738 |
| 28 | Joseph R. Loring & Associates | 6,500,000 |
| 29 | Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | 5,870,000 |
| 30 | TTG | 5,811,850 |
| 31 | Graef | 5,387,348 |
| 32 | KJWW Engineering Consultants | 5,191,493 |
| 33 | TLC Engineering for Architecture | 5,134,526 |
| 34 | Heapy Engineering | 5,072,001 |
| 35 | Ross & Baruzzini | 4,975,183 |
| 36 | I. C. Thomasson Associates | 4,750,000 |
| 37 | KCI Technologies | 4,600,000 |
| 38 | Vanderweil Engineers | 4,565,800 |
| 39 | Degenkolb Engineers | 4,462,450 |
| 40 | GRW | 3,753,047 |
| 41 | Sparling | 3,690,424 |
| 42 | H.F. Lenz | 3,559,848 |
| 43 | Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon | 3,495,000 |
| 44 | SSOE Group | 3,332,408 |
| 45 | Newcomb & Boyd | 3,140,130 |
| 46 | M/E Engineering | 3,096,775 |
| 47 | Henderson Engineers | 2,989,363 |
| 48 | RDK Engineers | 2,880,000 |
| 49 | Apogee Consulting Group | 2,732,049 |
| 50 | Spectrum Engineers | 2,497,641 |
| 51 | Brinjac Engineering | 2,083,384 |
| 52 | M-E Engineers | 2,000,000 |
| 53 | Davis, Bowen & Friedel | 1,610,242 |
| 54 | Walter P Moore and Associates | 1,441,663 |
| 55 | Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering | 1,350,000 |
| 56 | CTLGroup | 1,330,000 |
| 57 | GHT Limited | 1,300,000 |
| 58 | French & Parrello Associates | 1,213,200 |
| 59 | Dunham Associates | 1,200,000 |
| 60 | AKF Group | 1,186,000 |
| 61 | Highland Associates | 1,150,000 |
| 62 | Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor | 1,015,000 |
| 63 | Environmental Systems Design | 920,969 |
| 64 | BR+A Consulting Engineers | 920,000 |
| 65 | Aon Fire Protection Engineering Corp. | 918,914 |
| 66 | CJL Engineering | 870,000 |
| 67 | Mazzetti | 831,363 |
| 68 | Primera Engineers | 775,000 |
| 69 | ThermalTech Engineering | 750,000 |
| 70 | KLH Engineers | 480,951 |
| 71 | OLA Consulting Engineers | 262,000 |
| 72 | Zak Companies | 208,120 |
| 73 | Wick Fisher White | 195,530 |
| 74 | Wallace Engineering | 150,000 |
| 75 | Total Building Commissioning | 122,935 |
| 76 | G&W Engineering Corp. | 109,200 |
| 77 | P2S Engineering | 99,369 |
| 78 | DeSimone Consulting Engineers | 90,000 |
| 79 | Stanley Consultants | 74,747 |
| 80 | Integrated Design Group | 55,650 |
Top Government Sector Construction Firms
| Rank | Company | 2013 Government Revenue |
| 1 | Turner Construction | $2,343,544,729 |
| 2 | Clark Group | 2,342,085,755 |
| 3 | PCL Construction | 1,343,431,142 |
| 4 | Walsh Group, The | 1,188,110,497 |
| 5 | Hensel Phelps | 1,184,760,000 |
| 6 | Balfour Beatty US | 1,145,573,619 |
| 7 | Gilbane | 814,257,000 |
| 8 | Tutor Perini Corp. | 767,580,319 |
| 9 | McCarthy Holdings | 738,000,000 |
| 10 | Lend Lease | 551,622,000 |
| 11 | Skanska USA | 493,318,641 |
| 12 | Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., The | 455,618,872 |
| 13 | Brasfield & Gorrie | 379,267,063 |
| 14 | JE Dunn Construction | 321,764,977 |
| 15 | Hunt Construction Group | 277,300,000 |
| 16 | Mortenson Construction | 178,340,000 |
| 17 | STV | 168,948,000 |
| 18 | Hunt Companies | 154,387,811 |
| 19 | Sundt Construction | 153,006,199 |
| 20 | HITT Contracting | 145,900,000 |
| 21 | O'Neil Industries/W.E. O'Neil | 142,005,318 |
| 22 | CORE Construction Group | 135,900,848 |
| 23 | Manhattan Construction | 126,300,000 |
| 24 | Heery International | 125,058,364 |
| 25 | W. M. Jordan Company | 117,481,667 |
| 26 | Yates Companies, The | 111,200,000 |
| 27 | Holder Construction | 110,063,000 |
| 28 | Flintco | 106,026,635 |
| 29 | Hoffman Construction | 84,474,600 |
| 30 | Messer Construction | 79,799,220 |
| 31 | B. L. Harbert International | 74,365,423 |
| 32 | Consigli Construction | 74,312,383 |
| 33 | James G. Davis Construction | 72,010,706 |
| 34 | Suffolk Construction | 67,717,700 |
| 35 | DPR Construction | 65,709,181 |
| 36 | Coakley & Williams Construction | 61,953,906 |
| 37 | C.W. Driver | 58,850,000 |
| 38 | Parsons Brinckerhoff | 57,994,366 |
| 39 | Ryan Companies US | 57,693,535 |
| 40 | Fortis Construction | 52,585,000 |
| 41 | Shawmut Design and Construction | 49,000,000 |
| 42 | Leopardo Companies | 47,786,003 |
| 43 | Bernards | 46,000,000 |
| 44 | Swinerton Builders | 45,394,000 |
| 45 | Walbridge | 41,300,000 |
| 46 | Hill International | 41,000,000 |
| 47 | Power Construction | 39,000,000 |
| 48 | Kitchell Corp. | 38,162,513 |
| 49 | KBE Building Corp. | 37,661,458 |
| 50 | Beck Group, The | 36,300,176 |
| 51 | Allen & Shariff | 33,964,317 |
| 52 | Barton Malow | 33,108,673 |
| 53 | Wight & Company | 32,543,000 |
| 54 | Haselden Construction | 32,300,743 |
| 55 | Absher Construction | 31,202,850 |
| 56 | Structure Tone | 29,981,000 |
| 57 | Hoar Construction | 29,474,000 |
| 58 | Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction | 29,000,000 |
| 59 | New South Construction | 28,999,000 |
| 60 | Haskell | 28,573,183 |
| 61 | S. M. Wilson & Co. | 28,521,558 |
| 62 | Robins & Morton | 28,415,079 |
| 63 | Harkins Builders | 28,400,000 |
| 64 | EMJ Corp. | 21,000,000 |
| 65 | LeChase Construction Services | 19,680,000 |
| 66 | Bomel Construction | 19,327,000 |
| 67 | Layton Construction | 17,900,000 |
| 68 | Adolfson & Peterson Construction | 17,884,760 |
| 69 | McShane Companies, The | 17,672,043 |
| 70 | BlueScope Construction | 14,554,879 |
| 71 | Juneau Construction | 11,405,546 |
| 72 | Hill & Wilkinson | 10,864,000 |
| 73 | E.W. Howell | 9,541,000 |
| 74 | James McHugh Construction | 8,334,048 |
| 75 | Choate Construction | 7,670,062 |
| 76 | Weitz Company, The | 6,600,000 |
| 77 | JLL | 6,000,000 |
| 78 | Stalco Construction | 5,620,500 |
| 79 | LPCiminelli | 4,790,613 |
| 80 | Kraus-Anderson Construction | 3,000,000 |
| 81 | Bette Companies, The | 2,697,000 |
| 82 | Astorino | 2,384,468 |
| 83 | Batson-Cook | 1,390,120 |
| 84 | Graycor | 1,152,668 |
| 85 | Alberici Constructors | 1,080,320 |
| 86 | Paric Corp. | 1,000,000 |
| 87 | IMC Construction | 75,000 |
Read BD+C's full 2014 Giants 300 Report
Related Stories
AEC Tech Innovation | Oct 8, 2024
New ABC technology report examines how AI can enhance efficiency, innovation
The latest annual technology report from Associated Builders and Contractors delves into how artificial intelligence can enhance efficiency and innovation in the construction sector. The report includes a resource guide, a case study, insight papers, and an essay concerning applied uses for AI planning, development, and execution.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 8, 2024
Herzog & de Meuron completes Switzerland’s largest children’s hospital
The new University Children’s Hospital Zurich features 114 rooftop patient rooms designed like wooden cottages with their own roofs. The project also includes a research and teaching facility.
Mixed-Use | Oct 7, 2024
New mixed-use tower by Studio Gang completes first phase of San Francisco waterfront redevelopment
Construction was recently completed on Verde, a new mixed-use tower along the San Francisco waterfront, marking the end of the first phase of the Mission Rock development. Verde is the fourth and final building of phase one of the 28-acre project that will be constructed in several phases guided by design principles developed by a design cohort led by Studio Gang.
Brick and Masonry | Oct 7, 2024
A journey through masonry reclad litigation
This blog post by Walter P Moore's Mallory Buckley, RRO, PE, BECxP + CxA+BE, and Bob Hancock, MBA, JD, of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC, explains the importance of documentation, correspondence between parties, and supporting the claims for a Plaintiff-party, while facilitating continuous use of the facility, on construction litigation projects.
Glass and Glazing | Oct 7, 2024
Pattern language: An exploration of digital printing on architectural glazing
Architectural Glazing has long been an important expressive tool which, when selected and detailed thoughtfully, can contribute to the successful transformation of architectural concepts to reality.
University Buildings | Oct 4, 2024
Renovations are raising higher education campuses to modern standards
AEC higher ed Giants report working on a variety of building types, from performing arts centers and libraries to business schools. Hybrid learning is seemingly here to stay. And where possible, these projects address wellness and mental health concerns.
AEC Tech | Oct 3, 2024
4 ways AI impacts building design beyond dramatic imagery
Kristen Forward, Design Technology Futures Leader, NBBJ, shows four ways the firm is using AI to generate value for its clients.
Laboratories | Oct 2, 2024
Trends in scientific research environments: Q&A with Flad's Matt McCord
As part of an ongoing series, Matt McCord, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Principal with Flad Architects, discusses the future of the scientific workplace.
Museums | Oct 1, 2024
UT Dallas opens Morphosis-designed Crow Museum of Asian Art
In Richardson, Tex., the University of Texas at Dallas has opened a second location for the Crow Museum of Asian Art—the first of multiple buildings that will be part of a 12-acre cultural district. When completed, the arts and performance complex, called the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum, will include two museums, a performance hall and music building, a grand plaza, and a dedicated parking structure on the Richardson campus.
Data Centers | Oct 1, 2024
10 biggest impacts to the data center market in 2024–2025
While AI sends the data center market into the stratosphere, the sector’s accelerated growth remains impacted by speed-to-market demands, supply chain issues, and design innovation necessities.
