Construction Growth Hasn’t Disappeared. It Has Moved
The U.S. construction industry is entering a period of increasingly uneven growth. While overall construction spending is declining, several important market segments continue to expand, creating a widening divide between contractors positioned for growth and those facing a more challenging environment. According to FMI’s latest 2026 North American Engineering and Construction Outlook, total U.S. construction…
New Research Reveals Multiskilled Crews Can Reduce Construction Completion Time by 30%
Ahead of Careers in Construction Month, Associated Builders and Contractors highlighted new research showing that multiskilled construction crews can reduce completion time by about 30% and increase production by 37% to 50% on construction scopes where multiple trades must work in tight sequence. The findings come from controlled field trials detailed in the Simplar Foundation’s…
Building Careers and Connections across the Carolinas
Last spring, civil engineering project manager Taylor Fletcher traded her desk in Mount Pleasant, SC for one in Charlotte, NC. Not for a new job, but for two days inside another SeamonWhiteside (SW+) office. The exchange is called SWAp: a program that lets employees temporarily swap offices to learn how colleagues in another market approach…
2026 “GroundBreakers” Honored for Positively Impacting Carolinas Construction Industry
GroundBreak Carolinas is excited to announce the results of our 2026 GroundBreaker Awards, an annual awards program – now in its eighth year – that recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for the construction community in the Carolinas. Selected from a well-rounded group of nominees from North Carolina and…
Taking a Hard Look at the Chaotic Fall Economy
Getting Started: A Real Challenge With the latest GDP growth estimate for second quarter coming in at a slow 1.5 percent, long-term interest rates at a peak for the year, federal debt at an all-time high, CPI inflation continuing apace at 3.4 percent, we have a perplexing situation . And then with food services and…
Nearly Half of Gen Z Is Considering the Skilled Trades as AI Reshapes Career Plans, New Thumbtack Report Finds
Thumbtack, the technology company helping millions of people confidently care for their homes, today released its third annual Future of the Skilled Trades Report, revealing how AI and economic uncertainty are reshaping career decisions and fueling a new generation of tradespeople. More than 80 percent of Gen Z surveyed say it has become harder for…
Building More Than Structures: HarperXS Supports Front Porch Housing’s Mission
When construction expertise meets community compassion, the result is more than renovated space; it is a foundation for brighter futures. Front Porch Housing (FPH) is a Greenville-based non-profit with a program focused on providing dignified housing paired with intensive wrap-around services to help individuals and families build a strong foundation for life. When FPH started…
Creating a True “Home-Away-from-Home” in Charleston
Giving back to the communities where their people live and work is a core part of A M King’s purpose and company culture. One example: the integrated design-build firm has a long-standing history with Ronald McDonald House Charities in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Over the past decade, multiple A M King team members…
Data Centers Fueling Increasing Share of U.S. Industrial Demand
Growth in data center development is fueling an increasing share of U.S. industrial demand, according to a new report from CoStar, a leading global provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. Nationally, data center inventory has reached roughly 69 gigawatts of existing capacity, while another 43 gigawatts are currently under…
AI Is About to Rewire Construction. Here’s What It Means for Contractors in the Carolinas
A new McKinsey analysis suggests artificial intelligence could reshape far more than construction productivity. For contractors across North and South Carolina, the bigger question is who will control the data, workflows, customer relationships—and ultimately the value—of the next construction operating model. For the past several years, much of the construction industry’s conversation around artificial intelligence…
