September 29, 2025

As the Trump administration scales back green transition progress on the federal level, states and cities are using all tools at their disposal, and finding new ones, to keep reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Turner Construction participates in Construction Suicide Prevention week

Workforce

Construction Suicide Prevention Efforts Grow as AEC Firms Focus on Mental Health Care

Awareness week drew an estimated 400,000 participants representing more than 650 industry companies.

Emell D. Adolphus

September 15, 2025

“Tackling mental health in construction is not a one-and-done effort,” says Bechtel's Brendan Bechtel.

Aerial view of PRASA’s Mayagüez wastewater plant, where Jacobs will design a 1.1-mile ocean outfall replacement under a FEMA-funded resilience program.

Infrastructure

Jacobs Picked to Design $27M Puerto Rico Wastewater Project

FEMA-funded replacement of 1.1-mile outfall pipeline aims to improve coastal water quality

September 18, 2025

PRASA taps Jacobs for critical wastewater project in Mayagüez, part of wider push to harden Puerto Rico’s storm-battered infrastructure.

Aerial view of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam showing water discharging from spillways into the Blue Nile after inauguration.

Megaprojects

Ethiopia Inaugurates $5B Renaissance Dam, Africa’s Largest Hydropower Project

Webuild completes 14-year effort on the Blue Nile, delivering 5,150-MW capacity project that reshapes Ethiopia’s grid and heightens regional water tensions

September 9, 2025

Africa’s largest hydropower project boasts 5,150 MW of generating capacity but has also sparking regional disputes over Blue Nile water flows.

Boise Airport terminal exterior in morning light, highlighting the modern glass entry. Expansion aims to add gates and infrastructure to handle record passenger growth.

Transportation

Hensel Phelps to Lead Boise Airport’s $700M Expansion

CM/GC contract covers new concourse, baggage upgrades and utility plant to meet soaring passenger demand through 2029

September 11, 2025

Hensel Phelps will manage Boise Airport’s $700M terminal expansion, adding gates, baggage systems and a utility plant to meet surging passenger demand through 2029.

Blattner Picks Autonomous Pile Drivers From Built Robotics for Solar Projects

Jeff Rubenstone

September 10, 2025

The EPC contractor and Quanta subsidiary plans to use dozens of the autonomous excavators to install piles for solar array foundations on projects across the country.

Two cruise ships docked at Port Everglades with Fort Lauderdale skyline in the background, where a $152.2-million bulkhead replacement project is underway

Port Infrastructure

$152M Bulkhead Project Anchors Port Everglades Modernization Drive

Replacement of mid-century seawalls marks first phase of broader marine infrastructure program

September 17, 2025

Port Everglades launches $152M bulkhead replacement program, reshaping aging berths with climate-ready walls as state and federal approvals frame an ambitious timeline.

Nuclear Power

Fusion Energy Pioneer Gains $863M in Private Funds to Advance Commercial Reactor

Firm CEO and other sector leaders told House hearing Sept. 18 the US will continue to trail China without bigger federal commitment to fund and propel grid-scale U.S. fusion power construction

Johanna Knapschaefer

Debra K. Rubin

September 17, 2025

Commonwealth Fusion Systems CEO and other sector leaders told House hearing Sept. 18 the US will continue to trail China without bigger federal commitment to fund and propel grid-scale U.S. fusion power construction

Crews position a precast concrete tunnel invert segment inside the Howard Street Tunnel

Transportation

Skanska-Fay Team Cuts Two Years Off Baltimore CSX Tunnel Reconstruction Schedule

September 11, 2025

The $242-million project to increase the tunnel's clearance for double-stack intermodal trains and improve drainage is now scheduled to complete this year.

Surfside condo collapse scene showing debris and responders; NIST says failure began in pool deck slab-column connection.

Investigations

Pool Deck Failure Cited as Starting Point in Surfside Condo Collapse

Federal investigators’ Sept. 9 findings spur Florida lawmakers to strengthen inspection and reserve laws

September 15, 2025

Federal investigators found that the Champlain Towers South collapse likely began after a failure in a pool deck slab-column connection.

McKinsey Finds Rising Infrastructure Appeal Among Private Investors

Aileen Cho

September 12, 2025

Infrastructure sector will become increasingly interconnected, with more opportunities for private investment, consultant report predicts

NY/NJ Infrastructure Forum

Experts Share Progress, Hurdles in Multi-Billion-Dollar NY Region Infrastructure Spend

Debra K. Rubin

Justin Rice Leslie Nemo

September 18, 2025

Agency officials in New York and New Jersey share updates on successes and challenges of major projects to nearly 400 attendees at the 2025 ENR NY/NJ Infrastructure Forum.

ENR NY/NJ Infrastructure Forum

Infrastructure Innovators Tackle Mounting Project Disruptions and Unpredictability

September 19, 2025

Shifting federal priorities alter infrastructure funding, permitting, contracting, staffing and delivery—driving construction sector professionals to new levels of innovation to stay compliant and competitive.

Government

Senate Confirms 48 Nominees Including FHWA Administrator, ARPA-E Director

September 19, 2025

New officials at the Federal Highway Administration, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Dept. of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy were confirmed Sept. 18 by the Senate en bloc along a party-line vote.

Government

House Passes Bills Aimed at Streamlining Energy Project Permits

September 19, 2025

Proponents say two bills would streamline permitting for certain energy projects, while a third bill would reestablish the National Coal Council.

Mass Timber

Developer Pauses $200M Milwaukee Mass Timber Tower, Citing Tariffs and Material Costs

The 378-unit residential tower is planned to have 32 stories, which would make it among the world's tallest timber buildings

Annemarie Mannion

September 19, 2025

The Edison, a 32-story mass timber-concrete hybrid building now is on hold with no timeline for restart.

A rendering of the Fenway Corners project near Fenway Park

Office/Retail/Mixed-Use

Ambitious Fenway Corners Project Moving Forward in Boston

Tim Newcomb

September 22, 2025

Eight new buildings surrounding Boston's famed Fenway Park will include commercial, residential and retail uses.

Two MH-60S SeaHawk helicopters are seen flying over Andersen Air Force Base

Military Projects

Navy Picks Eight Firms for $15B Pacific Deterrence Construction Contract

September 22, 2025

The Navy has tapped eight firms for a multibillion-dollar Pacific construction contract—part of a broader push to accelerate defense infrastructure across the region.

Legal

US Judge Halts Trump Stop-Work Order on Rhode Island Offshore Wind Project

Work halt on nearly done $6B union project would cause "irreparable harm," DC judge said, as Canada propels offshore wind market that could send power to the US.

Esther D'Amico

Debra K. Rubin

September 23, 2025

Work halt on nearly complete $6-billion union construction project would cause “irreparable harm,” D.C. judge said, as Canada propels effort to develop its offshore wind market, which could send power to the U.S.

Fourth Phase of Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Underway

Greg Aragon

September 22, 2025

Halmar International is doing pre-construction for the nearly $1B effort under a CMGC contract.

Update

Coming Soon in ENR: More of the Project Stories You Love

Richard Korman

September 25, 2025

The heavily-viewed features on ENR.com demonstrate your interest in what's being built and how.

The Uncertainty for Climate Mitigation Amid FEMA's Shaky Future

Pam McFarland

September 25, 2025

Public works departments and the design and construction firms that work for them already see fallout from the suspension of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program.

Equipment

3Q 2025 Cost Report: Slight Dip in Used Equipment Pricing as Fleets Wait to See Impact of Tariffs on New Iron

Jeff Rubenstone

September 24, 2025

The question of how import tariffs could affect heavy equipment pricing has hung above the industry this entire summer construction season, but prices have held steady, or even dropped.

Materials

3Q 2025 Cost Report: Prices Rise as Delayed Impacts of Tariffs Hit Jobsites

Contractors and developers absorb the hit, pushed by higher steel and aluminum costs

Jeff Yoders

September 24, 2025

The producer price index for materials and services used in nonresidential construction rose 0.2% in August and 2.5% from the same month in 2024.

Labor

3Q 2025 Cost Report: High Wage Increases Continue in the First Half of 2025

Workers in the Northwest region of the country are seeing the highest bumps

Bruce Buckley

September 24, 2025

Although inflation has eased since the pandemic, union and open shop craftworkers continue to garner historically high wage increases.

ENR Confidence Index

3Q 2025 Cost Report: Construction Execs Drive Slow Through Economic Fog

But some firms are more optimistic about 2026

Jonathan Keller

September 24, 2025

Construction industry executives report little change in sentiment between Q2 and Q3. ENR’s Confidence Index rose one point to a still slightly pessimistic 48 rating this quarter.

Construction Economics

3Q 2025 Cost Report: Construction Growth Stalls Amid Economic Concerns, Experts Say

Project planning slows as materials prices and other factors remain uncertain

Alisa Zevin

September 24, 2025

As uncertainty continues to plague the economy as a whole, industry experts note the effects on construction trends as materials prices, labor woes and other concerns cause turmoil.

History

From the Archives: December 4, 1958

Scott Lewis

September 25, 2025

This 1958 cover image shows ironworkers atop the Glen Canyon Bridge in Arizona. It was built to transport materials for the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, given the dam’s remote location in a deep sandstone canyon over the Colorado River.

Viewpoint

Harsh Realities of Infrastructure Maintenance: It Won't Be New for Long

Charles M Hess

September 25, 2025

A commentary on the often-overlooked, long-term obligations of infrastructure creation and renewal.

Construction Technology

Autodesk Folds Construction Cloud Into Forma, Will Release Geometry-Based AI Assistants

Jeff Yoders

September 16, 2025

Autodesk will release new geometry-trained AI assistants, first in Revit, later this year. Autodesk Construction Cloud will be folded into the Forma AEC cloud platform.

Construction Economics for September 29, 2025

September 25, 2025