Results from The American Institute of Architects (AIA) fourth quarter Home Design Trends Survey indicates demand for contemporary home styles continues to increase in popularity, followed by modern farmhouse styles. The latest survey results—focusing on community and neighborhood design—also reveal a continued preference among households for smaller land parcels closer to urban centers—known as infill…
Architecture
Neighborhood Design Trends Revealed in New Survey
AIA Releases Updated Construction Management Contract Documents
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is releasing thirteen new and updated Construction Management (CM) documents, including the Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) and the Construction Manager as Adviser (CMa) families. CMcs are brought on in the beginning of the preconstruction phase of a project to provide collaboration and input, which allows for greater…
AIA to Host Dialogue on Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Architects Foundation will host a dialogue with author and photographer Andrew Feiler on Wednesday, Oct. 30 to explore the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The event will kick off Feiler’s exhibit, “Without Regard to Sex, Race or Color: The Past, Present, and Future of One Historically…
Architecture Billings Index Remains Sluggish
While architecture billings moderated in September, design activity shows signs of remaining sluggish at U.S. architecture firms, according to a new report released today from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score in September is 49.7, which improved from the August score of 47.2. However, any score below 50 indicates…
Contracting
Monthly Construction Input Prices Rise Slightly in December, Says ABC
Construction input prices rose 0.2% in December 2019 and are up 1.0% year over year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices rose 0.3% for the month and are also up 1.0% since December 2018. Natural gas…
Construction Employment Increase, Contractors Expect Difficulties Finding Workers
Construction employment increased by 20,000 jobs in December and by 151,000, or 2.0 percent, in all of 2019, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that its recent survey found three out of four contractors expect to keep adding workers in 2020, but even more respondents…
Contractors Foresee Gains In All Market Segments In 2020
Construction spending rose 4.1 percent from November 2018 to November 2019, while industry employment grew in 226, or 63 percent, out of 358 metro areas, according to a new analysis of federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that its recent survey found most contractors are optimistic about the dollar…
Nonresidential Construction Falls in November, Says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending declined 0.3% in November but is up 5.1% year over year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, spending totaled $781.1 billion, 1.8% lower than the cyclical peak in April 2019. Private nonresidential spending fell…
Energy
Duke Energy Awards $3.2 million to Innovative Education Programs
Duke Energy announcedit is awarding $3.2 million in grants to support 131 innovative K-12 education programs across the communities served by the company. “Bright futures begin in the classroom, and every child deserves a fair chance at academic success,” said Cari Boyce, president of the Duke Energy Foundation. “The grants we are making today are…
USGBC Launches LEED Zero Certification for Net-Zero Buildings
USGBC’s new certification program encourages net-zero operations for carbon emissions, water and energy use, and waste management. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched LEED Zero, a new program that will address net zero operations and resources in buildings. “Net zero is a powerful target that will move the entire industry forward,” said Melissa Baker,…
Dominion Energy Seeks Solar and Onshore Wind Generation Proposals
Dominion Energy is seeking bids for up to 500 megawatts of solar and onshore wind generation as part of a plan to develop 3,000 megawatts of additional solar and wind power under Virginia’s new Grid Transformation & Security Act (GTSA). The GTSA, which became law on July 1, 2018, paves the way for the largest…
Kings Mountain Energy Center Begins Operations
Cleveland County officially became home to one of the cleanest and most efficient power plants in the nation today, as NTE Energy’s Kings Mountain Energy Center (KMEC) formally began operations. Officials from NTE Energy joined with city, county, and state leaders Tuesday to cut the ribbon on the $500 million facility. The 475 MW natural…
Engineering
Parsons Relocates Charlotte Office to New, Modern Facility
Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN), a leading provider of technology-driven solutions focused on the defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure markets, debuted a new office space for its 130 employees in Charlotte, N.C. on January 6, 2020. GroundBreak Carolinas attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our Charlotte employees are a force multiplier for the company’s operations around the world,”…
FMI Releases 2019 Engineering Survey Data
FMI Corporation, a leading provider of management consulting and investment banking services to the Built Environment, is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Engineering Survey data. In today’s market, attracting and retaining talent requires not only competitive compensation but also a comprehensive package of total rewards and tools to deliver critical information to…
Stewart’s Data-Driven Designs Help Strengthen Resilience of Coastal Communities
As another hurricane season comes to a close, coastal communities are reflecting on storms that have impacted the state in recent years. A total of 21 storms affected North Carolina between 2008–2018 and last month not only marked the anniversary of Hurricane Florence, but Hurricane Dorian made landfall. Rising sea levels and a warming atmosphere that…
FMI Releases North American Engineering and Construction Outlook, Third Quarter 2019 Report
FMI Corporation, the leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the Built Environment, is pleased to announce the release of its third quarter 2019 North American Engineering and Construction Outlook. The publication offers comprehensive construction forecasts for a broad range of market segments and geographies in the U.S. and Canada, as well as…
Equipment
Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry Confidence Up for Third Consecutive Month in January
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) releases the January 2020 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $900 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in…
Williams Scotsman to Acquire Acton Mobile
WillScot Corporation (NASDAQ:WSC) (“Williams Scotsman”) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement whereby Williams Scotsman International, Inc. will acquire the entity that owns Acton Mobile (ActonMobile.com) from Prophet Equity for a cash purchase price of $235 million, subject to customary adjustments. Brad Soultz, president and chief executive officer of Williams Scotsman, commented,…
EquipmentWatch Establishes New Standard for Standby and Idling Cost Calculation
EquipmentWatch, a leader in data, software, and insights for the heavy equipment industry, has expanded its Cost Recovery product to include hourly cost rates for standby and idling equipment. These new rates are a welcome addition to the standard Rental Rate Blue Book active use rates specified by the Federal Highway Administration, most state DOTs,…
Ritchie Bros. to Close Raleigh-Durham Location as Buyers Move Online
Construction and industrial equipment sales group Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE:RBA) will be closing five locations across North America in a move to focus on online sales and larger locations. In an email to employees, Ritchie Bros. CEO Ravi Saligram said the closure of small sites comes as more people are taking part in auctions…
Facilities
Eight Reasons Why You Need to Have Annual Plumbing Checks
Running a business can be a daunting feat. New problems will catch you off-guard and sometimes all you can really do is take the bull by the horns, and hope that everything will return to normal. Even a short business interruption can mean losing thousands of dollars! A business owner keeps an eye on the…
Five Electrical Safety Tips for Commercial Buildings
To some, a workplace may feel like a second home. It’s a place where employees form bonds and battle hardships together. Whether you’re a company CEO, a higher-up, or the owner of a commercial building, keeping your establishment a safe place for everyone will increase their productivity and give you peace of mind as well….
8 Reasons Why You Need to Have Annual Plumbing Checks
Running a business can be a daunting feat. New problems will catch you off-guard and sometimes all you can really do is take the bull by the horns, and hope that everything will return to normal. Even a short business interruption can mean losing thousands of dollars! A business owner keeps an eye on the…
Survey Reveals Majority of Facilities Teams Are Unprepared for Catastrophes
Survey statistics in the just released eBook, “Information Management for Facilities and Operations” show that building managers and their facilities teams aren’t as prepared for the next catastrophe as they’d like to be. Released by AIIM Market Research and ARC Document Solutions, the eBook highlights trends in facilities management on preparedness and recovery, including cloud…
Maintenance
Culvert Rehabilitation Project Features InfraSteel
The InfraSteel culvert rehabilitation solution is chosen by the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina for its Booker Creek Culvert at Elliot Road Rehabilitation Project. The InfraSteel slip-liner will preserve the existing failing bridge structure and avoid a road closure. According to InfraSteel executive Cullom Walker, “Elliot Road is busy and intersects heavily traveled US…
Products
Clemson’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute Celebrates Five Years Promoting “Wood is Good”
CLEMSON – Trees have provided a viable building material for centuries, and although steel and concrete have taken center stage in contemporary construction, lumber is making a comeback. Building with wood has a number of advantages. For the past five years, Clemson University’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+D) has been educating individuals in the Southeast about…
NC State Researchers Develop Technique to Characterize Strength and Failure of Cement
Researchers from North Carolina State University have, for the first time, used a “micropillar compression” technique to characterize the micro-scale strength of cement, allowing for the development of cement with desirable strength properties for civil engineering applications. “The information collected using this technique can be used to better understand the behavior of concrete when it…
Lumber Tariff to Impact Construction Costs
As construction material price are rising, the US Commerce Department took action that will contribute to an additional rise in the prices of a key building material. Wilber Ross, US Commerce Secretary has announced a new 20% tariff on imports of Canadian softwood lumber. The US currently imports about $5.66 billion worth of softwood lumber…
Culvert Rehabilitation Project Features InfraSteel
The InfraSteel culvert rehabilitation solution is chosen by the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina for its Booker Creek Culvert at Elliot Road Rehabilitation Project. The InfraSteel slip-liner will preserve the existing failing bridge structure and avoid a road closure. According to InfraSteel executive Cullom Walker, “Elliot Road is busy and intersects heavily traveled US…
Suppliers
SkillsUSA Instructors Recognized by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Teaching Excellence Program
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools has awarded $650,000 in teaching excellence awards to 12 SkillsUSA instructors from across the country in the 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The prize, launched in 2017, is open to skilled trades teachers who are faculty members at U.S. public high schools. Eligible applicants are…
Metromont Corporation to Acquire Shockey Precast Group
Metromont Corporation, a manufacturer of precast concrete materials, announces its plan to acquire Shockey Precast Group of Winchester, Va. “The Shockey Precast Group has an outstanding reputation. Don Shockey has built a quality operation and organization. Our culture and business models are very similar which will make for a smooth transition that’s beneficial to both…
Carolina Comfort Air Recognized as the #3 Top Volume Trane Dealer in the Nation
With a 4000% growth since 2007, Carolina Comfort Air was recently recognized among Trane’s top volume performers in the country. The award is based on purchase volume of Trane equipment in residential, light commercial, and new construction. Winners are selected based on their ability to implement Trane’s technical and business acumen, and they are required…
Acton Mobile Completes Asset Acquisition of Mobile Office Units from Mobile Mini
Acton Mobile (ActonMobile.com), America’s mobile facilities company, announced today the acquisition of Mobile Mini’s mobile office fleet in Tennessee. This is the second asset acquisition from Mobile Mini within the last two years. “In addition to Acton Mobile’s remarkable organic growth during 2016, this transaction will further accelerate our market penetration throughout Tennessee, North Carolina…
Sustainability
New Report from the U.S. Green Building Council Shows that Climate Action Requires Putting People First
A growing number of Americans believe environmental problems are an important issue, according to the latest research report from Living Standard, an initiative of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The report, called Standard Issue Volume II, sampled 1,850 adults across the U.S. and found that while most people believe environmental problems are important, they do not…
Ameresco Begins Phase Two of Energy Savings Project at the Medical University of South Carolina
–Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, today announced that it has begun phase two of a comprehensive energy savings project at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), one of the nation’s top academic health science centers and the largest medical school in South Carolina. MUSC financed this project under an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) and…
AIA Outlines Initial Plan to Drive Climate Action
On the heels of announcing a landmark initiative to drive climate action, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is outlining an initial path forward for the organization and profession this morning in a new declaration, Where We Stand: Climate Action. “Climate change requires a holistic approach, addressing the interdependencies among people, buildings, infrastructure, and the environment,” said…
U.S. Green Building Council Report Reveals Prominence of LEED Certification Among Major Retailers Pursuing ESG Goals
Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released a new report, LEED in Motion: Retail, showing the prevalence of LEED certification in retail spaces around the world. LEED is used in more than 12,500 retail locations globally, allowing major brands like TD Bank, Starbucks, 7-Eleven and more to demonstrate achievement of ESG goals to their investors, customers…
More Operations
Parsons Relocates Charlotte Office to New, Modern Facility
Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN), a leading provider of technology-driven solutions focused on the defense, intelligence and critical infrastructure markets, debuted a new office space for its 130 employees in Charlotte, N.C. on January 6, 2020. GroundBreak Carolinas attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our Charlotte employees are a force multiplier for the company’s operations around the world,”…
Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry Confidence Up for Third Consecutive Month in January
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) releases the January 2020 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $900 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in…
Monthly Construction Input Prices Rise Slightly in December, Says ABC
Construction input prices rose 0.2% in December 2019 and are up 1.0% year over year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices rose 0.3% for the month and are also up 1.0% since December 2018. Natural gas…
Construction Employment Increase, Contractors Expect Difficulties Finding Workers
Construction employment increased by 20,000 jobs in December and by 151,000, or 2.0 percent, in all of 2019, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that its recent survey found three out of four contractors expect to keep adding workers in 2020, but even more respondents…
