Construction market news was mostly positive last week, with the AIA, AGC, and Census Bureau all seeing an uptick in key metrics. Here's a recap of the top construction market news for the week of September 15, 2013:
CONSTRUCTION SPENDING HITS FOUR-YEAR HIGH IN JULY
According an Associated General Contractors of America analysis of July Census Bureau data, single and multifamily residential spending have been strong, with hospitality, warehouses, and power infrastructure among the hot nonresidential categories. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/construction-spending-hits-four-year-high-july-agc-report
AUGUST HOUSING STARTS REVEAL MULTIFAMILY STILL HEALTHY BUT SINGLE-FAMILY STAGNATING
As analyzed by Auction.com Research, Census Bureau stats for August provided a bit of contrast from the report mentioned above, with single family starting to lag but multifamily remaining at "healthy levels." http://www.bdcnetwork.com/august-housing-starts-reveal-multifamily-still-healthy-single-family-stagnating
AIA SEES UPTICK IN ARCHITECTURE BILLINGS FOR AUGUST
Monthly ABI was 53.8, up from 52.7 in July (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The number has improved in eleven of the past twelve months. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/aia-sees-uptick-architecture-billings-august
U.S. ROOFING DEMAND PREDICTED TO RISE, DRIVEN BY NEW CONSTRUCTION
Aside from asphalt shingles (mostly a residential product), favorable categories include roofing tile, plastics, and metal roofing products. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/us-roofing-demand-predicted-rise-driven-new-construction
43% OF ENERGY LEADERS WILL INVEST MORE IN EFFICIENCY NEXT YEAR
Schneider Electric survey includes responses from people in the business and government sectors. Tracking and analyzing energy-use data and energy audits were the most popular energy management approaches; building automation, efficient lighting, and data center efficiency are mentioned as growth areas. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/forty-three-percent-energy-leaders-will-invest-more-efficiency-next-year-infographic-0
BIG PROJECTS OF NOTE:
* World's first "invisible" tower planned for Seoul, South Korea. "Cloaking" facade made of LED projectors and optical cameras will render the building transparent if desired. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/worlds-first-invisible-tower-planned-south-korea
* BIG and MVVA collaborate on proposal for Pier 6 development at Brooklyn Bridge Park. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/first-look-bigmvva-proposal-pier-6-brooklyn-bridge-park
* Suffolk Downs announces plan to build $1 billion "green" casino in Boston. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/proposed-boston-casino-development-approval-will-depend-partly-sustainability
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Integrated Project Delivery builds a brave, new BIM world
Three-dimensional information, such as that provided by building information modeling, allows all members of the Building Team to visualize the many components of a project and how they work together. BIM and other 3D tools convey the idea and intent of the designer to the entire Building Team and lay the groundwork for integrated project delivery.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Healthcare
11. Operating Room-Integrated MRI will Help Neurosurgeons Get it Right the First Time A major limitation of traditional brain cancer surgery is the lack of scanning capability in the operating room. Neurosurgeons do their best to visually identify and remove the cancerous tissue, but only an MRI scan will confirm if the operation was a complete success or not.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Collaboration
9. HOK Takes Videoconferencing to A New Level with its Advanced Collaboration Rooms To help foster collaboration among its 2,212 employees while cutting travel time, expenses, and carbon emissions traveling between its 24 office locations, HOK is fitting out its major offices with prototype videoconferencing rooms that are like no other in the U.
| Aug 11, 2010
2009 Judging Panel
A Matthew H. Johnson, PE Associate Principal Simpson Gumpertz & HegerWaltham, Mass. B K. Nam Shiu, SE, PEVP Walker Restoration Consultants Elgin, Ill. C David P. Callan, PE, CEM, LEED APSVPEnvironmental Systems DesignChicago D Ken Osmun, PA, DBIA, LEED AP Group President, ConstructionWight & Company Darien, Ill.
| Aug 11, 2010
Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
Office design has always been linked to productivity—how many workers can be reasonably squeezed into a given space—but why isn’t it more frequently linked to creativity? “In general, I don’t think enough people link the design of space to business outcome,” says Janice Linster, partner with the Minneapolis design firm Studio Hive.
