WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. construction industry showed robust growth at the end of 2015, adding 45,000 net new jobs in December and 128,000 during the fourth quarter according to analysis of last week's employment release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The construction industry's nonresidential component added 16,400 net new jobs in December while the residential sector accounted for 23,100 and the heavy and civil engineering sector contributed 4,800."Many contractors continue to report strong backlog, indicating that nonresidential construction spending will remain a key economic driver in 2016," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
The US has lifted its 40-year ban on oil and gas exports. Read more about what this means for the construction industry in the Gulf Coast.
January 15, 2016
AIG may be considering having those they cover for workers’ compensation wear devices that record movement in order to reduce on-the-job injuries.
January 14, 2016
Click on image to view more information.Construction ends 2015 with job gains; two market trackers say projects are delayedEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 292,000 in December, seasonally adjusted, and by 2,650,000 (1.9%) for the year, while the unemployment rate held steady at a 7-1/2 year low of 5.0%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Monday. Construction employment rose by 45,000 for the month (to 6,538,000) and by 263,000 (4.2%) over 12 months.
January 13, 2016
In a recent post, I shared some video coverage from the Construction Careers Expo, where Houston-area high-school students heard from contractors and owners who volunteered their time and equipment that day to expose the students to several craft professions. The annual event was sponsored by the Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston (ABC) and the Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF).Richard Bolt is a Pipefitting Instructor, Rigging Instructor, and Performance Evaluator at (CMEF). He is certified to train in several other areas as well. Before he came to CMEF, he worked as a journeyman pipefitter with over 20 years of experience in the field. He told me that CMEF offers evaluations of trainees in pipefitting. At the Careers Expo that day the students were allowed to work on one of the mockups from the CMEF lab which is used to evaluate prospective journeyman pipefitters. Bolt said that what the students were experiencing that day was “a snapshot of what an industrial pipefitter does on the job.”
January 12, 2016
The following article originally appeared in the January newsletter to clients of Kiley Advisors, LLC for the purpose of providing the latest leading indicators and industry issues to those clients. Reprinted with permission.21,900. That is the amount of expected job growth in Houston in 2016, unveiled by Patrick Jankowski, Senior Vice President of Research at the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP), on December 7th at their annual economic outlook event. When compared to the past five years, 2016’s forecast is a significant slowdown in job creation. Jankowski compared it to our own freeways, noting that after speeding outbound on I-10 at 90 mph towards San Antonio, when you hit a construction zone and are forced to slow down to 20 mph, it can feel like you’re standing still, despite continually moving forward. That construction zone pace is Houston’s future next year. Slow, but moving forward.For the construction industry, with the exception of the industrial market which continues to thrive, this slowdown may be just what the doctor ordered. The frenetic pace of 2014 left many understaffed and turning away work. Good work. Work that, any other year, they would be ecstatic to have.
January 11, 2016
The event will target high school and college students and military veterans to promote job opportunities in crane, rigging, and specialized transport industries.
January 08, 2016
Click on image to view more information.Contractors show optimism about most segments in AGC poll; November spending dipsEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Contractors are optimistic, on balance, about the outlook for nonresidential and multifamily construction, based on the 1,580 responses to a survey that AGC released Wednesday. About 44% expect the available dollar volume of projects they compete for in 2016 to be higher than in 2015, while 9% expect the volume to be lower, for a net positive reading of 34%. Among 13 market segments, the net was highest for retail, warehouse and lodging construction, 21%; followed by hospital and private office, 19% each; multifamily, 14%; higher education, 13%; K-12 school and public building, 12% each. There was less optimism about water/sewer, 8%; manufacturing, 7%; highway, 6%; other transportation, 3%; and power, 1%. Respondents registered a 1% net negative reading regarding the outlook for federal construction. However, the survey was completed before the recent enactment of federal tax bills with favorable terms for direct federal projects, highway and transit funds, and tax-subsidized wind and solar power construction.
January 07, 2016
The deadly tornadoes that recently ravaged Dallas/Fort Worth not only took the lives of Texans and caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage, they also provided evidence that cutting corners in commercial construction can easily mean the difference between buildings that hold up in severe weather versus those that collapse “like a house of cards" putting the lives of those inside them at great risk.The Dallas Morning News talked with an engineer who said some of the construction at a local school district in Dallas County was “horrific” from the standpoint of design and building execution:
January 06, 2016
McKinsey Analytics, part of the McKinsey Global Institute, has released a study and accompanying charts about the potential for automation in a broad array of jobs in the US. Included in the study are construction jobs ranging from construction laborers to elevator engineers and technicians. The chart is developed in a way that you are able to switch on or off the individual categories of jobs that you are interested in. It might even give you insights into some of the services and subs that you use.Additionally, there are charts illustrating gender equality in various countries and their relation to gender equality and attitudes in the workforce. The third chart illustrates ways that gender equality can drive economic growth around the world.
January 05, 2016