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Dodge Momentum Index records dramatic increase in September, led by data centers and large East Coast commercial projects

2022-10-07T15:17:00-04:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) report indicates a sizable increase of 5.7% to a total of 183.2 for September, up from the revised 173.4 figure that was recorded in August.

The Dodge Construction Network notes that this total falls within 5% of the DMI’s all-time high and was propelled by an 11.7% gain in institutional construction and further increase in the commercial component, which rose by 2.9% bolstered primarily by a sharp rise in the number of data center projects inaugurated in every region. A year-to-year increase of 26% was also recorded over last September’s totals, with 25% and 28% increases recorded in the commercial and institutional components respectively when compared to last year.

Exactly 39 projects with values of $100 million or more were recorded, with a pair of $500 million commercial projects in Virginia and Upstate New York topping the list followed by a $311 million casino in Idaho and another $300 million laboratory project in the Boston suburbs.

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Concern over shortage of construction workers in Florida following Hurricane Ian damages

2022-10-06T18:20:00-04:00

Damage caused by Hurricane Ian’s massive storm surge, flooding and winds will require skilled workers to help the state of Florida rebuild. Staffing the projects to restore the state is easier said than done. Both Florida and the U.S. as a whole have many job openings and few skilled laborers. As some projects in the state halt, they may free tradespeople for other vital work.

Figures reported by Construction Dive indicate a cause for concern regarding a lack of skilled workers for the many openings available, which has been magnified in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The disaster, which hit Florida in late September, has resulted in billions of dollars in property damage, the displacement of more than 40,000 people, and the deaths of at least 106 individuals.

According to employment data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 407,000 jobs in August, with Florida reaching 593,000 employed construction workers in that month. However, unemployment for those with construction experience was almost 4%, indicating that the number of openings trumps the quantity of construction workers looking to fill them. While this is alarming especially at a time when demand for workers is high, it’s believed that the work required in Florida will still attract skilled employees. Construction Dive highlights the presence of federal and state f...

Building codes saved this Florida town from Hurricane Ian’s ravages

2022-10-03T17:30:00-04:00

Once the storm passed, the sight of Punta Gorda may have surprised some people. While it had typical post-hurricane storm debris, downed trees and several flooded streets, a number of homes and buildings appeared largely intact and many showed only minimal damage to their exteriors. How is it possible that the coastal city wasn’t more devastated by a storm that ranks among the most powerful to ever strike the United States? One major factor, according to some experts, are modern building code

While other southwest Florida communities like Fort Myers were devastated, Punta Gorda, a town of about 20,000, was saved thanks to strident code changes enacted in the wake of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Charley twelve years later.

“It’s a demonstration that updated building codes really work,” University at Buffalo architecture professor Nicholas Rajkovich told the Post. Stricter structural load continuity, impact-resistant windows, and hurricane shutters are all hallmarks of a so-called “modern” code whose continued absence the AIA warned against earlier in the summer. Florida alone has an estimated $3.7 trillion worth of properties that are susceptible to storm and wind damage, making the need to further adapt lessons offered by the survival of Punta Gorda's Harvard Jolly-restored Charlotte High School imperative in the minds of experts statewide.

Previously on Archinect: The building industry is preventing resiliency efforts in areas increasingly affected by deadly st...