...of the problem but does not show what the best in the industry can do." Teicholz says there have been significant quality improvements in all industries, but he excludes that measure because there is no comparable data for different industries.

Haskell presented his findings at a June 22 panel discussion on productivity at The Top 1000 Contractors Leadership Forum sponsored by ENR in Chicago.

The Civil Engineering Research Foundation is in the process of launching a national collaborative effort to find the best way to measure productivity in construction. The study hopes to produce annual productivity indices to help the industry improve performance.

Adds Haskell: "Profitability follows productivity."

Building Type
$/sq ft
1966 2003 2003 Cost Adjusted to 1966 1965-2003 Decrease
Warehouse $4.30 $21.00 $3.70 14%
Retail $13.00 $63.33 $11.15 14%
Office $18.50 $91.00 $16.02 13%
Multifamily Residential $8.90 $45.50 $8.09 11%
Quality Categories
40-year Unit Cost Increase
Fire & life safety 3%
Seismic & windstorm resistance 1%
Life-cycle cost expectancy 2%
Sustainability 2%
Accessibility compliance (ADA) 1%
Enhanced security features 1%
Improved energy efficiency 3%
Construction worker safety 1%
Miscellaneous/Other 2%
Source: Construction Industry Productivity by Preston Haskell
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