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October 1, 2012
The “Commercial Building Modernization Act” (S. 3591) would create thousands of U.S. construction and manufacturing jobs by spurring energy efficient retrofits of commercial and multifamily buildings, according to an industry-conservation alliance that includes The Real Estate Roundtable, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. The recently introduced...
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September 26, 2012
Spurred by gains in construction spending and a rebound in housing completions, demand for windows and doors in the United States is forecast to rise 9.3 percent per year over the next several years, according to a new report from The Freedonia Group Inc. Total demand for the nonresidential and residential markets is expected to reach $34.2 billion by 2016, up from $21.2...
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September 26, 2012
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that total construction spending fell 0.9 percent in July to $834.4 billion after rising 0.4 percent in June, ending three months of consecutive increases. On a positive note, year-to-date, construction spending was up 9.3 percent from the same period last year, according to a September 25 Reed Construction Data release.Nonresidential building construction...
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September 20, 2012
“Make your move,” economist Jeff Dietrich advised the 200 attendees at the 2012 Glazing Executives Forum, held Sept. 13 as part of GlassBuild America in Las Vegas. "Invest time, money, personnel. Move forward and innovate," said the senior analyst for the Institute for Trend Research. "Embrace uncertainty. Get over the fear and the past. This is not about looking forward through the rearview...
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September 19, 2012
On the heels of a nearly three-point increase, the Architecture Billings Index climbed into positive terrain for the first time in five months this August. The American Institute of Architects reported the August ABI score was 50.2, up from the mark of 48.7 in July.“Until the economy is on firmer ground, there aren’t likely to be strong increases in demand for design services,” said AIA...
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September 4, 2012
Construction spending in July maintained consistent year-over-year growth despite a pullback from the June peak, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.“The July spending numbers send a very mixed message,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in a Sept. 4 release. “Construction of new homes, apartments and...
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August 7, 2012
The Dodge Momentum Index climbed 8.1 percent in July after retreating a revised 2.4 percent in June, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning.The Momentum Index for July came in at 98.8, up from June's revised level of 91.4. Although...
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March 21, 2012
Led by the commercial sector, the Architecture Billings Index has remained in positive territory four months in a row, according to the American Institute of Architects. AIA reported the February ABI score was 51.0, following a mark of 50.9 in January. This score reflects a slight increase in demand for design services. The new projects inquiry index was 63.4, up from 61.2 the previous...
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February 22, 2012
The Architecture Billings Index has now reached positive territory three months in a row, according to the American Institute of Architects. AIA officials reported the January ABI score was 50.9, following a mark of 51.0 in December.“Even though we had a similar upturn in design billings in late 2010 and early 2011, this recent showing is encouraging because it is being reflected across most...
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June 21, 2011
Construction employment growth remained sluggish and uneven in May as nearly half--22 states plus the District of Columbia--added jobs over the past year while the remaining states all lost construction jobs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of state employment data released by the Labor Department. Association officials said the figures reflect the fact...