The Latest
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Construction’s manufacturing boom: Mapping the biggest facilities underway in the US
New additions to the tracker this month include a $3.9 billion SK Hynix chip plant in West Lafayette, Indiana, and a $1.2 billion Fujifilm project in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Updated April 18, 2024 -
Top construction events for the second half of 2024
It’s time to plan ahead. Construction Dive has you covered with a full list of industry conferences, expos and meetings on tap for the rest of the year.
Updated April 30, 2024 -
Economic Reports
Construction input prices jump again, continue 2024’s upward climb
A new ABC report points to yet another sign that inflation is accelerating and that interest rates are set to stay higher for longer.
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Earnings roundup: Data centers, water projects dominate public contractors’ focus
On the latest round of earnings calls, some of the country’s largest commercial builders talked about the boom in computing facilities and the increased need for resilience in public works.
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Deep Dive
Contractors, owners wait out high interest rates
As long as the Fed doesn't raise already elevated rates, a steady environment could jump-start stalled projects.
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Economic Reports
As backlog rises, so does contractors’ confidence
New work increased 2.4% last month, but only time will tell if construction optimism is justified in the face of fresh headwinds, said ABC’s chief economist.
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Trimble acquires payments, compliance platform Flashtract
It’s the contech giant’s third acquisition of a niche technology provider in just over a year.
Updated May 16, 2024 -
5 contech firms announce funding in 2024’s first half
Drone-powered roof inspections, cloud-based estimating solutions and fungi-fueled recycling tech earned venture capital in recent months.
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Vast majority of Gen Z tech workers say they’d consider new career opportunities
With high dissatisfaction rates, young tech workers pointed to career development as a vital aspect of engagement and retention in a recent survey.
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Project Milestones
$3.6B Brent Spence Bridge clears environmental review
The megaproject between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky aims to address a key congested freight link and fortify the supply chain.
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Executive Moves
Balfour Beatty names leads for Carolinas, California divisions
Jeff Sandeen took the reins in Charlotte this month, while Emily Kay will run the firm’s Golden State shop beginning in January 2025.
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More money needed for infrastructure fixes: ASCE
Supply chain challenges and extreme weather are keeping the investment gap from being noticeably reduced, the American Society of Civil Engineers said.
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Loyola University mixed-use building cuts HVAC costs and emissions 10% with AI-driven algorithm
BrainBox AI and WattTime's technology also cut carbon emissions by 15% during periods of renewable energy curtailment, a case study showed.
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Safety Week 2024
OSHA heat standard clears regulatory hurdle
A committee has unanimously recommended that the agency advance the proposal for a heat safety rule.
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Skanska steps back from risky builds
After costs from a U.K. project hurt the Swedish company’s Q1 earnings report, CEO Anders Danielsson said the company won’t be taking on similarly exposed projects.
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WSP continues M&A streak, snatches up 4 more firms
While signaling it plans to stay acquisitive, the firm also expects more PFAS work as a result of new EPA regulations, the Montreal-based contractor said in its Q1 earnings call.
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Abandonments tick down, but more builds are being mothballed
For public projects specifically, the abandonment reading is now lower than at any time since late January, according to ConstructConnect data.
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AECOM leans into water, climate, project management
The Dallas-based firm sees global shifts in infrastructure funding toward sustainability and resilience, CEO Troy Rudd said in a Q2 earnings call.
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6 of the biggest OSHA fines of Q1 2024
One builder faced over $1 million in initial fines for allegedly exposing workers to fall hazards.
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Grubb plans 3 retail redevelopments in Southern California
The Los Angeles properties, formerly a Dollar Tree, a movie theater and other retail storefronts, will deliver a total of 375 new apartments.
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Opinion // Business Matters
Successful contractors don’t fight change. They embrace it.
Know when it’s time to look beyond a “that’s how things have always been done” mentality, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.
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Jacobs bullish on transportation, water, energy work
Bob Pragada, chief of the Dallas-based contractor, also hinted at more news in the semiconductor and data center space coming in the second half of 2024.
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Safety Week 2024
OSHA head calls on industry to embed safety in culture
At a Wednesday event, Assistant Labor Secretary Doug Parker charged industry leaders with creating an environment that expects workers to speak up about hazards.
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Economic Reports
Data centers boom again, boost construction planning
A flood of these megprojects entered the planning queue, reversing a two-month streak of contraction, according to the Dodge Construction Network.
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Q&A // Safety Week 2024
Skanska exec: Construction’s best safety tech still isn’t enough
As Safety Week 2024 continues, one expert says technology helps prevent accidents, but there’s room for improvement in the pursuit of an injury-free jobsite.