Construction Industry News

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (April 28, 2022) — The American Concrete Institute (ACI) has opened a second resource center, located in the Chicago metropolitan area, to serve Midwest communities in the concrete industry. This new ACI Resource Center — Chicago/Midwest will help meet the increased demand for ACI knowledge through hands-on training, educational offerings, and on–demand access to ACI Certification Programs.  

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 28, 2022) — RedTeam Software, a leading construction management software platform provider, has named Traci VanDalsem vice president of client experience. 

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2022) — The U.S. economy contracted at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first quarter of 2022. Investment in nonresidential structures declined at an annual rate of 0.9% during the quarter and has contracted nine of the past 10 quarters, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

WASHINGTON (April 27, 2022) — The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate dropped 2.6% in March 2022 from a year ago, down from 8.6% to 6%, while 45 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

WASHINGTON (April 26, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded a letter sent to President Joe Biden by 16 Republican governors, led by Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Bill Lee of Tennessee, opposing the Biden administration’s policies promoting government-mandated project labor agreements (PLA) on taxpayer-funded construction projects.

PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 19, 2022) — The latest Crane Index and Quarterly Cost Report (QCR) was released by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), an independent global construction and property consultancy providing management and advice throughout the built environment. Together, the two documents provide an on-the-ground picture of construction activity in 14 key North American markets and data-driven insights into the industry.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (April 26, 2022) — Sullair, a Hitachi Group Company, announced its long-term climate action strategy and goal to globally reach carbon neutrality. It will be achieved by undertaking capital expenditure projects to further facilitate CO2 reduction, transitioning to 100% renewable electricity through a voluntary green power program and implementing a voluntary carbon offset program.

PLEASANTON, Calif. (April 26, 2022) — Slate Technologies, an AI software platform for the construction industry, today announced that it has acquired Splash Modular, a North Carolina-based software designer for the Industrialized Construction & Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) market. As a result of the acquisition, Splash will operate as part of Slate Technologies. 

WASHINGTON (April 21, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a new program that unlocks $6.4 billion in formula funding for states and localities over five years. The new Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), created under the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help states develop carbon reduction strategies and address the climate crisis facing our nation.

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 6, 2022) — FMI Corporation, a leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the built environment, released the 2022 North American Engineering and Construction Outlook Second Quarter Edition today. The report provides a comprehensive second quarter forecast for a broad range of construction and engineering segments in the U.S. and Canada.

WASHINGTON (April 19, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Vice President of Regulatory, Labor and State Affairs Ben Brubeck today issued the following statement on the final National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule:

HAMILTON, N.J. (April 19, 2022) — Total construction starts fell 12% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $903.8 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts lost 29%, in part due to the start of three large manufacturing facilities in the prior month. When those three large projects are removed, nonresidential starts in March would have risen 10%. Residential starts also fell 3%, and nonbuilding starts lost 2%.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (April 7, 2022) — The American Concrete Institute (ACI) announced the launch of NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete, at its spring convention in Orlando, Florida, USA. NEU aims to collaborate globally to drive research, education, awareness and adoption of carbon neutral materials and technologies in the industry.

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2022) — For the first time, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a National Emphasis Program to protect millions of workers from heat illness and injuries. Through the program, OSHA will conduct heat-related workplace inspections before workers suffer completely preventable injuries, illnesses or, even worse, fatalities. 

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) this week highlights the importance of protecting highway construction workers, who will be doing more work repairing and replacing roads and bridges due to funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week provides an opportunity to raise public awareness and urge drivers to help keep road crews safe.

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.3 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 22 to April 5. The reading is up 0.5 months from March 2021.

View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index tables for March 2022.

WASHINGTON (April 1, 2022)—National nonresidential construction spending was down 0.1% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data published on April 1 by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $844.5 billion for the month.

WASHINGTON (March 30, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) today announced a collaborative partnership to address mental health and suicide prevention throughout the U.S. construction industry.

WASHINGTON (March 18, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has announced $10 million in funding from the Fiscal Year 2021 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise/Supportive Services (DBE/SS) program to help eligible small businesses compete for federal highway contracts in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S.