Thirty-six states lost construction jobs in 2010, as the industry shrank by 93,000 employees nationally, the Associated General Contractors of America reported in an analysis of state employment data released this week by the Labor Department. “While it is nice to see the industry adding jobs in the most states since February 2008, the challenges facing this industry are still very severe,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Despite slight improvements in the construction employment picture, the industry is coping with weak demand, declining stimulus activity and a growing political aversion to investing in aging infrastructure.” Simonson noted that
New construction starts in December climbed 19% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $450.2 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Cos. Nonresidential building rebounded after a weak November, and nonbuilding construction was lifted by the start of several large electric utility projects. Meanwhile, residential building in December showed slight growth, continuing the gradual upward trend of recent months. For 2010 as a whole, total construction starts dropped 2% to $412.5 billion, a less severe decline than the 24% plunge for 2009. Courtesy of McGraw-Hill Analytics “This won't be an easy year for most firms, but
More construction firms are planning to hire workers this year than are planning to make layoffs, according to the results of an industry-wide survey released this week by the Associated General Contractors of America and Navigant. The survey, conducted as part of the Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, shows the industry may finally be emerging from a severe downturn that has left millions of skilled workers unemployed. “This won't be an easy year for most firms, but it will be better than last year,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer. “If current trends continue, this industry
Photo courtesy of DLR Group The Fort Carson Soldier Family Assistance Center has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council with a LEED-Gold certification. The $8-million, design-build project is the first building of the new Warrior-in-Transition complex at Fort Carson. The center, designed by the Colorado Springs office of DLR Group, provides support services to wounded soldiers and their families during their recovery and the transition period after deployment. “Our design created the ideal healing environment for soldiers returning from deployment by incorporating large, inviting open spaces, harvesting natural light, maximizing views of the Colorado landscape and utilizing environmentally
Photo by Jeff Scroggins/Four Seasons The 500,000-sq-ft Vail Four Season includes 121 guest rooms and suites, 16 private residences and 19 Residence Club condominiums. Construction on Vail’s new five-star luxury resort, the Four Seasons, was complete late last year. Hyder Construction, along with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Barclays Capital and the town of Vail, celebrated completion of the resort to cap off Vail’s “Billion Dollar Renewal.” Hyder Construction assumed the role of general contractor on the Four Seasons in June 2009 and completed the project on time for the 2010/2011 ski season. The 500,000-sq-ft property includes 121 guest rooms
The green building industry will rebound in 2011 in spite of the continuing slow economic recovery in most developed countries, based on an analysis of 10 major trends. More people are going green each year, and there is nothing on the horizon that will stop this trend. However, in 2010, the slowdown in commercial real estate put a crimp in the start-up rate for new green building projects. In putting together my Top Ten Trends for 2011, I�m taking advantage of conversations I�ve had with green-building industry leaders in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia, as
How is it that companies that have been around for more than 100 years failed in this economic downturn while other, younger companies like Apple, Facebook, Wal-Mart and The Huffington Post continue to grow? It is a similar picture for many lesser-known, mid-sized companies: some have failed and others have thrived, irrespective of their industry, size or location. It is the best of times and the worst of times. Too many businesses are reacting in fear, pulling back and struggling. There are 10 key differences between a thriving company and a floundering one. Ask yourself, are you: 1. Sticking to
Related Links: The Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2011 Earth Advantage Institute, a nonprofit green-building resource and research organization, selected its top 10 green-building trends to watch for the next 12 months. 1. Affordable green. In the existing homes market, energy upgrades are now available through new programs that include low-cost audits and utility bill-based financing. 2. Sharing and comparing home energy use. The sharing of home-energy consumption data is becoming more commonplace in social media. 3. Outcome-based energy codes. Under these, owners can pursue the most-effective retrofit strategy for their buildings, but they must achieve a pre-negotiated performance
Photos courtesy of The Neenan Co. Alamosa School District in Alamosa tied for first runner-up in the commercial, heavy division of the 2010 Insulated Concrete Form Awards at the World of Concrete conference in Las Vegas. The national award, given to Alamosa’s new K-2 and 3-5 schools, recognizes building projects that utilize ICF construction. The Neenan Co., based in Fort Collins, is the design-builder of the two 72,000-sq-ft schools. An ICF is a system of concrete forms that stays in place after the concrete pour and becomes part of the wall structure. The form adds insulation to the building, which
RSS