BD+C's roundup of the top construction market news for the week of August 18 includes the latest architecture billings index from AIA and a BOMA study on the nation's most and least expensive commercial real estate markets.
AIA ARCHITECTURE BILLINGS INDEX UP AGAIN IN JULY
The ABI, a leading indicator in commercial construction, was up more than a full point last month, to 52.7 (any score above 50 means increased billings). The number was above 50 in every region and every market sector tracked by the AIA. New projects index also up dramatically, to 66.7, from 62.6 in June. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/aia-architecture-billings-rise-july
FIVE MOST (AND LEAST) EXPENSIVE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKETS
At the top: Stamford, Conn. ($16.11/sf), New York, Grand Rapids, Mich., Newark, N.J., and San Francisco. At the bottom: Stockton, Calif. ($3.57/sf), Fresno, Calif., Huntsville, Ala., Virginia Beach, Va., and Albuquerque, N.M. Total operating expenses were down 3.9% overall from 2011 to 2012, BOMA says, crediting maximization of operating efficiency. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/5-most-and-least-expensive-commercial-real-estate-markets
2013 WILL BE A RECORD YEAR FOR HOTEL RENOVATIONS
Duro-Last blogger Drew Ballensky reports that the U.S. hotel industry is expected to spend $5.6 billion on capital expenditures this year, beating the prior record set in 2008. NYU's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality says 20% of hotels will receive improvements this year. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/blog/2013-will-be-record-year-hotel-renovations
CODE AMENDMENT IN DALLAS WOULD LIMIT EXTERIOR REFLECTIVITY
Proposal would limit exterior reflectivity of "visible light" to 15%, in attempt to cut down "undesirable" and "potentially hazardous" glare. Potential "non-green" side effect: use of dark or tinted glass that interferes with daylighting. Of note to all designers and glass/enclosures manufacturers. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/code-amendment-dallas-would-limit-building-exterior-reflectivity
Also see: Top construction news for the week of August 11, 2013
Related Stories
| Dec 15, 2014
HOK-designed Anaheim Regional transit hub opens, expected to serve three million per year
ARTIC’s flexible design ensures that it can serve as a southern terminus for California’s future high-speed rail system.
| Dec 8, 2014
Moshe Safdie wants to reinvent airports with Jewel Changi Airport addition
A new addition to Singapore's Changi Airport, designed by Moshe Safdie, will feature a waterfall and extensive indoor gardens.
| Nov 19, 2014
The evolution of airport design and construction [infographic]
Safety, consumer demand, and the new economics of flight are three of the major factors shaping how airlines and airport officials are approaching the need for upgrades and renovations, writes Skanska USA's MacAdam Glinn.
| Nov 18, 2014
Grimshaw releases newest designs for world’s largest airport
The airport is expected to serve 90 million passengers a year on the opening of the first phase, and more than 150 million annually after project completion in 2018.
| Nov 14, 2014
JetBlue opens Gensler-designed International Concourse at JFK
The 175,000-sf extension includes the conversion of three existing gates to international swing gates, and the addition of three new international swing gates.
Sponsored | | Nov 12, 2014
Eye-popping façade highlights renovation, addition at Chaffin Junior High School
The new distinctive main entrance accentuates the public face of the school with an aluminum tube “baguette” system.
| Oct 26, 2014
New York initiates design competition for upgrading LaGuardia, Kennedy airports
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state would open design competitions to fix and upgrade New York City’s aging airports. But financing construction is still unsettled.
| Oct 16, 2014
Perkins+Will white paper examines alternatives to flame retardant building materials
The white paper includes a list of 193 flame retardants, including 29 discovered in building and household products, 50 found in the indoor environment, and 33 in human blood, milk, and tissues.
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
