Construction Industry News

NATIONAL—The United States Department of Labor reported 6.6 million more workers filed for unemployment last week. Over the past few weeks, those jobless claims have continuously increased, reaching 16.8 million this week. Economists expect that number will be 25 million or more by the end of April. 

WASHINGTON—The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) released a new survey on multifamily construction that found more than half (55%) of respondents said that they are currently experiencing construction delays in the jurisdictions where they operate.

WASHINGTON (April 7, 2020)—As communities across the country race to expand available hospital bed space in response to COVID-19, an American Institute of Architects (AIA) task force is providing a new tool for public officials to quickly identify buildings suitable to be adapted for patient care.

ClearSpan Structures has quickly adjusted their manufacturing facility to provide governments, medical centers and communities with rapidly deployable disaster response structures and medical buildings. ClearSpan is now able to ship these buildings in fewer than 24 hours.

WASHINGTON—National nonresidential construction spending fell 1.8% in February, but is up 2.5% compared to the same time last year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the United States Census Bureau.

IRVINE, Calif. (April 1, 2020)—BigRentz announced it closed $15 million in private funding that will enable it to broaden its rental category expansion and maintain business continuity.

NATIONAL—Last week, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially suspended the enforcement of environmental laws, including those pertaining to construction. The suspension exempts any company that can prove it is unable to comply with environmental laws due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

NATIONAL—The United States Department of Homeland Security has issued guidance on what and who makes up the "essential critical infrastructure workforce." While not meant to be an all-inclusive list, the advisories identify workers who conduct operations and provide services that are essential to the U.S. infrastructure, which include: workers who support crucial supply chains, those who maintain and repair critical infrastructure, construction work, etc. 

ORLANDO—Workforce Logiq, a provider of workforce intelligence, technology and services (power by artificial intelligence (AI)) to l

The Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) has made the decision to cancel its 2020 Annual Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for May 30 through June 3, 2020, in Washington, D.C.

Following cancellation of the ACI Concrete Convention in Rosemont/Chicago, Illinois, the American Concrete Institute has transitioned its popular spring convention into ACI Virtual Committee Days.

On Friday, Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed a historic $2 trillion economic stimulus package that will provide United States businesses and citizens with much-needed aid during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In its annual report released last week, Bechtel Corporation profit results of $21.8 billion in 2019. The company's 2019 revenue marked a 14.5% decline from 2018. 

From Dodge Data & Analytics Chief Economist Richard Branch 

NATIONAL (March 24, 2020)—The past 2 weeks have seen an unprecedented shuttering of the United States economy. Our expectations on the impact of the coronavirus on the U.S. economy have been significantly downgraded with a growing realization that the U.S. economy is in recession.

WASHINGTON (March 20, 2020)—The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2020 President Jane Frederick, FAIA, and Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA, are urging Congress to address the critical needs of business owners and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NATIONAL—Soon after Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Marty Walsh ordered a halt on all construction in the city last week, three other Massachusetts cities followed suit: Cambridge, Chilmark, and West Tisbury. 

Last week in San Francisco, California, a stop-work order was issued for all Bay-area commercial construction projects excluding housing construction. 

MILWAUKEE & LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2020) – Multiple construction and construction materials industry segments converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center and Festival Grounds as they came together for CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE this week to unveil new technologies and products, share knowledge, network with industry peers and buy equipment.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed into law a coronavirus relief package providing paid emergency leave for American workers and free testing for COVID-19. 

The city of Boston, Massachusetts, became one of the first major metropolitan areas to halt construction this week, after Mayor Marty Walsh announced the stop-work order on Monday. 

To all readers:

Despite the disruptions caused by COVID-19 across the globe, Cahaba Media Group and Construction Business Owner (CBO) Magazine and Digital Media have instituted remote work plans and are continuing all publishing operations without interruption.