Construction Industry News

WASHINGTON (May 19, 2021) — The United States Department of the Treasury has issued an interim final rule on permissible uses of $350 billion in state and local aid included in the recent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The rule allows the relief money to be used for certain state and local transportation projects. 

RADFORD, Va. (May 18, 2021) — Global construction and development firm, Skanska, has been selected to build Radford University’s new Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity (CAIC). Located in Radford, Virgnia, the $80.5 million, 177,917-square-foot building will replace the existing space for the College of Visual and Performing Arts and create interdisciplinary student spaces.

HAMILTON, N.J. (May 18, 2021) — Total construction starts fell 2% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $853.5 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Single family construction posted a sizeable decline following months of strong activity, while nonresidential building and nonbuilding starts both gained. 

WASHINGTON (May 13, 2021) — Construction input prices increased 1.3% in April compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 1.6% for the month.

HAMILTON, N.J.

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (May, 6, 2021) — Procore Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of construction management software, has announced it has acquired INDUS.AI, makers of an artificial intelligence-powered analytics platform for the construction industry.

WASHINGTON (May 5, 2021) — The United States Department of Labor has announced the withdrawal of the controversial “Independent Contract Rule” — effective May 6.

According to a fact sheet released on the department website, the rule is being removed for these reasons:

WASHINGTON (May 3, 2021) — The United States Department of Commerce revealed that construction spending gained just 0.2% in March, despite predictions from the industry expecting a 1.9% increase. Spending is still up 5.3% over March 2020. Private construction rose 0.7% in March as demand for housing continues. Residential projects increased 1.7% in March, the largest of any industry sector.

WASHINGTON (May 3, 2021) – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced today that it has scheduled the eighth annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction for May 3-7, 2021. OSHA encourages construction employers and other stakeholders to join the event to promote awareness and training to address one of the industry’s most serious dangers.

WASHINGTON (April 30, 2021) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently published their 2021 Safety Performance Report, an annual assessment that furthers the construction industry’s understanding of how to achieve world-class safety by deploying its STEP Safety Management System.

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2021) – According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, 842 people died in highway work-zone crashes compared to 757 the year before. The 11.2% increase is the largest percentage increase of highway work-zone fatalities since 2006.

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2021) — Construction employment is holding its own, although it is not back to pre-pandemic levels, according to state-by-state analysis of United States Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for March 2021. These data show that on a year-over-year basis, the not seasonally-adjusted construction unemployment rates rose nationally and in 33 states, fell in 15 states and were unchanged in tw

WEST FARGO, N.D. (April 22, 2021) – Doosan Bobcat North America is celebrating the completion of a $26 million expansion at its manufacturing facility in Litchfield, Minn. The 15-month project nearly tripled the size of the facility, from 70,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space to nearly 200,000 square feet and will create a significant number of new jobs in the community.

WASHINGTON (April 23, 2021) — The Republican Party has drafted an alternate infrastructure plan to the one proposed by President Biden. This proposal would cut infrastructure spending by up to 75% — $568 billion over 5 years as opposed to Biden's $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan. 

WASHINGTON (April 21, 2021) - During Second Chance Month, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has highlighted the programs, partnerships and involvement of its chapters and members across the country in educating, upskilling and hiring reentering citizens.

HAMILTON, N.J. (April 15, 2021) — Dodge Data & Analytics (Dodge) and The Blue Book Building & Construction Network (The Blue Book) announced that they are combining their businesses in a merger. Dodge’s owner, Symphony Technology Group (STG)  facilitated the transaction. 

WASHINGTON (April 14, 2021) — President Biden has nominated Doug Parker to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker is currently the chief of the California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Before that, Parker served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration.

ARLINGTON, Va.  (April 9, 2021) — A recent report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reveals that record-high prices and supply issues for materials are causing hardships for contractors on nonresidential projects. The association has issued a statement urging President Biden to put a stop to tariffs on imports to ease the issue.

HAMILTON, N.J. (April 7, 2021) – A report released by Dodge Data & Analytics shows that gains for the month were related to increases in health care and lab projects. March also saw a more broad-based selection of project types including education and recreation buildings.

WASHINGTON (April 2, 2021) — An Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released last week by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 110,000 jobs in March. Employment is now 1.7% higher than this time last year. This coincides with unemployment numbers dropping to 6% from 6.2% in February.