Construction materials prices rose only 0.3% in August and are up 1.4% year-over-year, according to the Sept. 13 Producer Price Index release by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. In addition, nonresidential construction materials increased 0.5% for the month and are 1.2% higher than one year ago. “In a world characterized by additional looming warfare, fluctuating global currencies, rising U.S. interest rates and plunging gold prices, one would expect much more volatility in materials prices,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Despite all of those shifting factors, construction materials prices remain remarkably stable, which is noteworthy given the
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased slightly in August, decreased in September. The index now stands at 79.7 (1985=100), down from 81.8 in August. The Present Situation Index grew to 73.2 from 70.9. The Expectations Index fell to 84.1 from 89.0 last month. Consumers’ appraisal of present-day conditions improved moderately. Those claiming business conditions are “good” increased to 19.5% from 18.7%, while those claiming business conditions are “bad” decreased to 23.9% from 24.5%.Consumers’ assessment of the labor market was also more favorable. Those saying jobs are “plentiful” increased slightly to 11.5% from 11.3%, while those saying jobs
FMI, a provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry, says in its Q3-2013 Construction Outlook that market sectors will continue to shift through the rest of 2013, reducing annual construction-put-place predictions (CPIP) to $909.6 billion, down nearly $4 billion from previous predictions. Early forecasts for 2014 show annual CPIP will experience moderate growth of 7%, rising to $977 billion. Major market predictions in the Q3-2013 Construction Outlook for next year include:• Residential construction — FMI continues to forecast traction in residential construction. However, the growth is expected to taper off to 12% in 2014.
Denver's Regional Transportation District received proposals from four design and construction teams Sept. 23 for the North Metro project that will ultimately extend commuter rail north from Denver Union Station through Commerce City, Adams County, Thornton and Northglenn. The four competing teams are Bechtel/Herzog joint venture; Graham, Balfour Beatty, Hamon Contractors; North Metro Transit Solutions, a Kiewit/Stacy and Witbeck joint venture; and URS Energy and Construction Inc.The teams are responding to the request for proposals RTD released on June 28. Graham Contracting Ltd. first approached RTD in February with an unsolicited proposal. After reviewing the initial proposal, RTD staff determined
A new Energy Department study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicates that by 2025, wind and solar power electricity generation could become cost competitive without federal subsidies, if new renewable-energy development occurs in the most productive locations. The report, “Beyond Renewable Portfolio Standards: An Assessment of Regional Supply and Demand Conditions Affecting the Future of Renewable Energy in the West,” compares the cost of renewable electricity generation (without federal subsidy) from the West’s most productive renewable-energy resource areas—including any needed transmission and integration costs—with the cost of energy from a new natural gas-fired generator built near the
Bob Kain has been named director of health care for Balfour Beatty Construction, where he will lead market endeavors in Phoenix and Southern California. Kain comes to the company from HMC Architects, where he was the primary owner, president and CEO. He was principal-in-charge for several large replacement facilities including the $370-million Kaiser Permanente Replacement Hospital in Fontana, Calif. Related Links: Upload Your Firm's People Announcements to ENR Southwest's People Gallery View Past ENR Southwest People Articles Leary Jones also joined Balfour Beatty as senior director of safety, health and environmental for the Southwest. Jones previously served as Turner Construction's
After years of weakness, construction levels across the Southwest appear to have established a new baseline and are entering the beginning of an extended period of growth. Eight of the top 10 firms on this year's Top Specialty Contractors ranking had increased revenue in 2012. Related Links: View All ENR Southwest Lists See last year's winners ENR Southwest's Specialty Contractor of the Year, Suntec Concrete, Phoenix, saw its revenue jump 67% over the past year, to $125 million. The Las Vegas office of Helix Electric reported a $10-million increase in revenue in 2012, helping the company climb up a notch
The construction industry certainly got walloped in the Great Recession. In 2010, unemployment in the industry neared 25%, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor. The impact was especially pronounced in the Southwest, primarily because of the booms that had marked the region's growth for more than 50 years. Related Links: Suntec Contributes To Mesa, Ariz., facility Architectural Record During the downturn, Suntec Concrete, Phoenix, saw its work force trimmed to nearly 250—about a 60% decrease from pre-recession boom times.But while no one wants to see a downturn, the initiatives and decisions that Suntec management made during those difficult times
Residents along Colorado’s northern Front Range were still battling at mid-day Friday the effects of what state officials are calling “historically significant” rainfall and “biblical floods” along the foothills and across the Denver metro area. Photo courtesy of CDOT The heavy rains pushed rivers and streams above their historic flood levels and washed out highways, like State Highway 72 in Coal Creek Canyon west of Denver. Photo courtesy of CDOT Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon west of Loveland, Colo., will be closed "indefinitely." Some communities, including Boulder and those along the I-25 corridor north to Fort Collins, have
The Kansas State University Wildcats took the field in early September in the shadow of the massive new West Stadium Center at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. The project, which included deconstruction of the existing Dev Nelson Press Box late last year, was completed on an extremely tight schedule. Work on the majority of the 218,000-sq-ft expansion project began in January, and a certificate of occupancy was awarded near the end of August, five days ahead of schedule. Photo courtesy of Mortenson/GE Johnson JV The landmark project serves as the new northwest gateway to the Kansas State University
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