Growth rates in construction employment strongly support the emerging consensus around an economic soft landing. Public policy put in place in recent years—with $300 billion going to public infrastructure and clean energy in addition to $53 billion allocated to jumpstart a semiconductor supply ... READ MORE >
construction
What’s behind the slowdown in construction hiring?
Changes in construction employment are often viewed as an indicator of economic activity. Before a recession, the construction industry typically sheds workers, as developers slow their projects amid a slowing economy. From this perspective, the October jobs report would seem to represent a peak, as ... READ MORE >
The American housing deficit and what it takes to close it
Over the past 15 years, the United States has not built enough houses to keep up with growing demand. The problem intensified during the pandemic as demand skyrocketed because of the shift to working from home and historically low mortgage rates encouraged this move. We estimate that at the end of ... READ MORE >
How construction firms can manage a fractured supply chain
Two years into the pandemic, the construction industry is still grappling with the fallout of the economic shock as builders scramble to secure raw materials and the workers to keep their projects on track. The whipsaw change over the past two years has fragmented the construction supply chain, ... READ MORE >
The hot housing streak endures: Spring 2022 outlook
The housing market, while strong, is hampered by limited supply. Home affordability is set to be challenged by rising interest rates. Builders continue to be constrained by the limited supply of materials and their rising costs. Read about other sectors The spring housing market might not be as ... READ MORE >
Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure package and the construction industry
On Nov. 15, President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package—the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—providing historic funding levels to improve public works, including roads, bridges, highways, internet access and the power grid, as well as to mitigate the effects of climate ... READ MORE >
How the construction industry can work toward a net-zero future
The construction industry has been resilient through the pandemic even as it confronts shortages of workers and raw materials, and rising inflation. But these challenges will pale in comparison to the ones that contractors will face as nations race to meet aggressive goals in reducing carbon ... READ MORE >
North American housing markets remain bullish
In spite of the pandemic, the U.S. and Canadian housing markets have seen significant growth over the past year as individuals and families stuck in apartments were driven to the suburbs in search of bigger homes with space to live, work and play. In addition to a rise in demand for single-family housing, ... READ MORE >
Laying the foundation for construction’s IT future
The construction industry has seen gains in employment since April, despite overall declines in spending, as workers were brought back to complete necessary emergency projects and jobs begun prior to the pandemic. For the month of July, total construction employment increased a modest 0.3% to 7.2 ... READ MORE >
Infrastructure will remain hot, but beware of projects that could burn your bottom line
Having a large backlog of infrastructure projects is usually a good thing. But as state budgets have been roiled by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative that construction businesses review potential road, highway and civil jobs with an eye toward financial trouble spots. Bond issues around the ... READ MORE >