Archinect - News

LAX Midfield Satellite Concourse South project has topped out in Los Angeles

2024-04-22T17:46:00-04:00

LAX's new Midfield Satellite Concourse South (or MSC South) recently topped out as the project's construction progresses in nine segments toward its 2025 completion date. The offsite construction will eventually yield eight new gates and a total of 150,000 square feet of space following a first-of-its-kind integrated design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA).

Buro Happold, structural engineer, sustainability consultant, lighting and acoustical designer on the project, in partnership with architects Woods Bagot and RAW International, says: "Each segment was designed with an independent lateral system consisting of buckling restrained braced frames in the east-west direction and Simspon Yield Link moment frames in the north-south direction to allow for access to gates along the terminal length. Additional analysis was then undertaken to determine the lifting points of each segment ...

LACMA shares custom-built glass facade details in new spring construction update

2024-04-16T13:39:00-04:00

New updates have been shared recently by the Los Angeles Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), charting progress on the $750 million new David Geffen Galleries from Peter Zumthor that is expected to finish construction by the end of this year.

According to the museum's most recent April 5th update, interior walls and exterior glazing are being installed on the site’s western side, facing north to Wilshire Boulevard. Work on the building’s MEPs is now underway, and the concrete pour for the roof decks has been completed to the east side of the site. Formwork, rebar installation, and concrete pours for the roof decks are also advancing on the Spaulding Lot.

This follows the March 8th update that detailed the removal of the site’s prominent tower crane. LACMA has yet to release a public opening date. (A recent look inside the project with its contractor Clark Construction can be found here.)

Image courtesy LACMA

Also of interest are the 243 individual custom-made glass facade components...

North American crane count drops 18% year-over-year

2024-04-14T08:00:00-04:00

Rider Levett Bucknall’s (RLB) latest crane count index report, a key indicator of economic activity in major sectors, has shown a marked decrease in the overall count from its previous edition. Calgary, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles have seen an increase in crane counts, with the majority (73%) active at either residential or mixed-use projects. However, on a year-to-year basis, the count is down 18% (a difference of 94 cranes) and another 9% when compared to its previous Q3 edition.

Conversely, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, Portland, San Francisco, and Washington, DC have seen decreases in excess of 20%, while totals for Honolulu, Phoenix, Seattle, and Toronto have remained steady.

RLB states: "Despite the continued downturn in cranes, we remain cautiously optimistic. Ongoing investment in manufacturing and infrastructure will help offset any decline in privately funded projects in 2024. Overall, construction spending will be driven by public funding for manufacturing and in...

Construction input prices climb 0.4% in March

2024-04-12T11:42:00-04:00

A new analysis of the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has shown an increase in the cost of construction input prices of 0.4% for March.

In the month, nonresidential construction input prices increased by 0.4%. Both overall and nonresidential construction input prices are 1.7% higher than they were a year ago.

The overall increase came despite declines in the cost of energy inputs, with natural gas prices down 37%, unprocessed energy materials down 6.9%, and crude petroleum down 0.8%.

Chart credit: Associated Builders and Contractors

“There has been growing evidence of resurfacing inflationary pressures in the nation’s nonresidential construction segment during the past two months,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Were it not for declines in energy prices, the headline figure for construction input price dynamics would have been meaningfully higher. A new set of supply chain issues is emerging,...

NEOM's The Line is getting a lot shorter (for now)

2024-04-10T11:43:00-04:00

Bloomberg is reporting on a tip they received recently about NEOM’s The Line centerpiece as it advances on the first phase of construction in Saudi Arabia’s northwest highlands.

Last week, the outlet published details citing an anonymous source who said The Line segment is now expected to extend to only 2.4 kilometers and house 300,000 residents by the end of the decade. The figures cited are a drastic reduction from the 1.5 million-person, 170-kilometer goals that have been included in promotional materials since the launch of the project. The unnamed source spoke out of anonymity citing fears for “discussing non-public information.”

The report also claims unnamed contractors have been dismissed as a result of the missed objectives. Other satellite developments are however progressing on target. NEOM’s budget for 2024 has still yet to be approved after the Saudi Public Investment Fund saw its largest drop since 2020.

Related on Archinect: NEOM goes to Venice to promote its 'zero grav...

Dodge Momentum Index continues to decline in March due to office, hotel, and education planning slowdown

2024-04-08T12:46:00-04:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) information for March has shown a continued decrease in economic activity, dropping 8.6% to a new score of 164.0 from February's revised total of 179.5.

Over the month, commercial planning fell 3.2%, while institutional planning dropped 17.2%. The decline in commercial performance is attributed by Dodge Construction Network to slow growth in office and hotel planning, while the institutional sector decline is linked to a decline in education planning.

“While strong market fundamentals should support institutional planning this year, this side of the Index is more at risk for a substantive correction after last year’s growth,” explained Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting for Dodge Construction Network. “Much of the decline on the institutional side is credited to lower levels of education planning. Between February 2023 and February 2024, life science and R&D laboratory projects account for roughly 34% of education planning value, wi...

Safdie Architects shares construction update for Crystal Bridges Museum expansion

2024-04-04T12:41:00-04:00

The multi-year expansion of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is moving forward with an anticipated completion in 2025. Safdie Architects has shared photos of its construction progress via an Instagram post published Wednesday, April 3rd, from the site in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The project adds two new galleries worth a total of 100,000 square feet to the campus, increasing the size of its existing exhibition spaces by 65% while adding another 50% to its overall footprint. Safdie has been working on a master plan for the site, which includes the original pavilions he completed in 2011, for over 25 years.

Watch him speak with the museum's founder, Alice Walton, about its design here.

The project will culminate as his second American museum expansion following his work for the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts in 2003.

Next up, the firm is working on a new ski resort/residential concept in Vermont with PWP Landscape Architecture.

View this post on Instagram ...

Nonresidential construction spending declines 1.0% for February, according to new ABC analysis

2024-04-03T12:53:00-04:00

Spending on nonresidential construction declined 1.0% in February to a seasonally adjusted total of $1.179 trillion, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data published this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The figures showed a decrease in spending for 15 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories on a monthly basis. Private nonresidential spending fell 0.9%, while public nonresidential construction spending was down 1.2% in February.

“Virtually every nonresidential construction segment experienced a decline in spending in February,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “In certain instances, the monthly decline was sharp, including health care (-2.2%), commercial (-1.9%) and water supply (-1.8%). The optimist will likely shrug off both the January and February nonresidential construction spending declines as merely reflecting winter weather. The pessimist will proclaim this release a wake-up call to contractors and an indication that higher interest r...

Snøhetta's 'whimsical children's museum' takes shape in El Paso

2024-04-02T11:52:00-04:00

New construction photographs published by Snøhetta via social media show substantial progress on the El Paso Children's Museum, designed with Exigo Architecture.

We first reported on the scheme in 2018 when Snøhetta won the competition for the project. In 2020, the firm unveiled a completed design for the 70,000-square-foot museum, which will sit in El Paso's Downtown Arts district.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Snøhetta (@snohetta)

Through an unorthodox use of geometries, the building seeks to distinguish itself from the rest of the local skyline. The rectilinear base is wrapped in glass, allowing for natural light and interior views for the public on the outside. A succession of barrel vaults, visible in the construction photographs, add a rhythmic quality to the structure.

Sou Fujimoto shares new photos of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai master plan under construction

2024-04-01T15:46:00-04:00

Sou Fujimoto’s studio has shared new construction images of the forthcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai's The Grand Roof circular wooden container structure, a year ahead of the start of the six-month fair, which begins on April 13th, 2025.

The enormous structure is 1,969 feet (600 meters) in diameter and will serve as the main circulatory route for the exhibition, which includes 161 total participating countries/locations.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sou Fujimoto (@sou_fujimoto)

Fujimoto’s team says their design is meant to evoke a sense of "Unity in Diversity" and takes the Stage of Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto and other historic examples of Japanese timber architecture as its inspiration.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sou Fujimoto (@sou_fujimoto)

It will support an aerial walkway that affords visitors sightlines into the arena-like layout encased on the manmade Yumeshima island below and divided into three zones (Pavi...

LAX Automated People Mover construction won't be completed until 2025

2024-04-01T11:45:00-04:00

KTLA is reporting that construction setbacks on the long-awaited Automated People Mover transit system at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) have delayed the project until at least the end of 2025.

According to the local outlet’s analysis of a new Fitch Ratings report, “The Automated People Mover system is 96% complete but increasing construction delays and a ‘strained relationship’ between the contractor and Los Angeles World Airports, which owns and operates LAX, have kept it from being completed.”

The news comes after five years of construction on the $5.5 billion transportation component of the airport’s larger $14.5 billion first phase of upgrades. Completion was originally expected last year. Once it is finished, the 1.2-million-square-foot station will connect the rest of the 2.25-mile-long tract to Terminals 3, 4, and 5 and form the bookend of a system that will serve approximately 30 million people a year.

Related on Archinect: Final LAX Automated People Mover statio...

Construction input prices climb 1.4% in February

2024-03-15T17:21:00-04:00

In the month, nonresidential construction input prices increased by 1.3%. Overall construction input prices are 1.5% higher than they were a year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are a total of 1.8% higher.

The prices for softwood lumber (1.7%), concrete (0.3%), construction sand/gravel (1.0%), and insulation materials (2.1%) all rose, while a drop of 0.3% was recorded for fabricated structural steel metal products.

Chart credit: Associated Builders and Contractors

“For the last several weeks, inflation data have been coming in hotter than anticipated,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “This was also true for the February construction input price data, which indicated that upward price pressures are reemerging after a period of calm. Month...

Bechtel commits $7 million to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partnership to stop construction worker suicides

2024-03-08T15:13:00-05:00

Earlier this week, engineering and construction giant Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) announced a multiyear partnership dedicated to preventing construction worker suicides.

The partnership aims to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources. Bechtel has reportedly committed $7 million to the AFSP, which is the largest pledge ever received by the Foundation and the largest single donation ever made by Bechtel. The endeavor aims to combine Bechtel’s industry knowledge and AFSP’s national network, education, and prevention strategies.

As noted by Bechtel in a press release, the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S., with the number of suicides being almost five times higher than the number of lives lost in job site safety incidents. This is according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Bureau of Labor St...

Dodge Momentum Index drops slightly for February, hampered by weak commercial planning

2024-03-07T17:12:00-05:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) information for February has shown a slight decrease in economic activity, dropping 1.4% to a new score of 180.5 from January’s revised total of 183.0.

Over the month, commercial planning fell 2.3% while institutional planning ticked up 0.1%. The drop in the commercial sector was caused primarily by a lag in new office planning. On the institutional side, slow healthcare and amusement planning was offset by a strong showing in the education sector to maintain a flat reading for the month.

“Weaker office and healthcare planning constrained nonresidential planning in February,” Sarah Martin, the associate director of forecasting for Dodge Construction Network, said in a press release. “However, the Index remains 25% higher than where it was just two years ago. Most other categories showed growth over the month, and Dodge remains optimistic that nonresidential planning will stay elevated throughout 2024 alongside rising confidence in 2025 market co...

Construction input prices rise 1% for January following December drop

2024-02-23T13:59:00-05:00

The value of construction input prices increased by 1% for the month of January when compared to December’s totals, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data.

For the month, nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.9%. Overall construction input prices are now 0.4% higher than they were a year ago, with nonresidential construction materials prices another 0.7% higher.

Steel mill product input prices were up 5.4%, while construction sand, gravel, and crushed stone rose 3.3%, softwood lumber 1.1%, and concrete products 0.8%. The price of gypsum products declined by 1.3%.

Chart credit: Associated Builders and Contractors

“Construction materials prices surged in January, ending a streak of three consecutive monthly declines,” ABC's Chief Economist Anirban Basu commented on the findings. “While this represents the largest monthly increase since August 2023, input prices are essenti...

New AI resource guide details tech solutions for building contractors

2024-02-15T20:36:00-05:00

The industry group Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has just published a new guide to AI resources for contractors working closely with architects on building projects across the U.S.

“The possibilities of AI technology may sound endless, but we must first educate ourselves on the basics, and this resource is a starting point to understand AI and its potential impact on the construction industry,” said ABC Director of Construction Technology and Innovation Patrick Scarpati, who authored the guide. “The industry has immense opportunities to evaluate how we can better deliver projects, and we can lean on AI in achieving essential goals like upskilling, workforce development, knowledge transfer, supply chain optimization, enhanced safety design and planning and much more.”

Among the tools ABC says are supposed to make the building trade more efficient, safer, and productive are Autodesk’s new Construction IQ risk analysis software, the Hypar building modeling program that let...

January's Dodge Momentum Index increases slightly thanks to gains in the institutional sector

2024-02-08T17:14:00-05:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) report has shown a slight increase of 0.1% for January to a new total of 184.1, indicating an improvement over December’s revised figure of 183.9.

Over the month, commercial planning fell by 1.0%, while institutional planning improved by 2.1%. Year over year, the DMI is now 3% lower than January 2023's totals. The commercial segment was down 12% from year-ago levels, while the institutional segment was up 15% over the same period.

"Divergent trends between commercial and institutional planning continued in January, nullifying any growth on the overall Momentum Index. Nevertheless, lending standards began to loosen in January, and the Fed is expected to begin cutting rates in the back half of the year. With this in mind, momentum should resume in commercial activity throughout 2024 as owners and developers gain confidence in market conditions for 2025," Sarah Martin, the associate director of forecasting for Dodge Construction Network, said in a...

Take an inside look at the form-making process for LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries

2024-02-06T12:15:00-05:00

LACMA’s Unframed blog recently profiled the work of contractor Clark Construction to build the concrete structure for the Peter Zumthor-designed $750 million new David Geffen Galleries extension. The concrete will be left untreated to match its architect’s long-established aesthetic and elevate the "hand of the craftsman."

Work will now commence on the installation of the 347,500-square-foot gallery’s interior walls, plus its exterior facade glazing, MEP systems, and roof-level horizontal decks.

"The building has no columns!," Chris Bell, the project executive for Clark Construction, shared with Unframed. "Instead, there are seven 30-foot-tall park-level pavilions that support the entire exhibition space. That's three football fields long with supporting cantilevers that hold people, glass, artwork — cantilevers that are 60 feet long. Being able to achieve and balance the structural and architectural requirements, it's a feat unto itself."

The update comes after LACMA celebrated t...

New Buffalo Bills stadium reaches milestone with start of structural steel construction

2024-02-05T08:00:00-05:00

A milestone was reached recently regarding the construction of the new, Populous-designed Buffalo Bills football stadium, the New Highmark Stadium.

The 60,000-seat facility, located in Orchard Park, New York, is now ready for large-scale structural steel work. This marks the completion of excavation work, seven months after the project broke ground in June 2023. Approximately 25,000 tons of steel will be installed, with several massive cranes used to build the superstructure. The steel will be erected in tiers over the next 12–14 months.

Previously on Archinect: Buffalo Bills tap Populous to design proposed stadium

Following the placement of the steel framework, the structure will be clad, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical will be installed, and each of the sections of the stadium will be built out.

Construction on the 1.35-million-square-foot stadium is expected to be completed in 2026. The Gilbane-Turner joint venture is in charge of construction.

Webuild wins $4.7 billion contract to deliver NEOM's Trojena artificial lake

2024-01-19T14:41:00-05:00

Italian contractor Webuild has won a $4.7 billion bid to deliver the central manmade water feature included in the Trojena mountainside resort concept that forms a vital part of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM megadevelopment for 2030.

The contract calls for the construction of three dams and an artificial lake feature plus a new structure called the Bow that will house its 3,600-guest hotel and residences, complimenting a ski resort and network of experiential nature areas and wildlife reserves.

The roughly 1.7-mile-long lake itself will become the largest manmade body of water in Saudia Arabia, the firm says. Elevations at the site range from 4,920 to 8,530 feet. Bechtel had been previously contracted as the project manager. NEOM says they aim to have things completed in time for Trojena to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

Philip Gullett, the Executive Director – Region Head at Trojena, said in an update: “We have already completed around three million cubic meters of excavation at the la...

Residential construction activity declined in 2023, according to new census data

2024-01-19T11:42:00-05:00

Building permits and construction starts for residential projects in the United States declined by approximately 10% in 2023 versus 2022, according to new data by the U.S. Census Bureau. An estimated 1,469,800 housing units were authorized by building permits in 2023, which is 11.7% lower than in 2022. An estimated 1,413,100 housing units were started in 2023, which is 9% lower than the 2022 figure.

In December 2023, the U.S. saw 1,495,000 building permits issued for privately owned housing units, which is 1.9% above the previous month, and 6.1% above December 2022. Specifically, single-family home permit grants were 1.7% above the previous month, while authorization of units in buildings with five units or more was up 1.3% on the previous month.

Image credit: U.S. Census Bureau

With regards to housing starts, December 2023 saw commencement on 1,460,000 units, which is 4.3% below November 2023 but 7.6% above December 2022. Single-family housing starts numbered 1,027,000 units, which ...

Construction input prices drop again for December, driven by declines in all sectors

2024-01-16T14:43:00-05:00

The latest Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) construction input price analysis for the month of December has registered a 0.6% decrease over November’s trend-reversing totals. Nonresidential construction input prices were down another 0.4%, with the commercial and multifamily sectors declining by 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.

Overall construction input prices are now 1.2% higher than a year ago, and nonresidential construction input prices are another 1.6% higher. The price of softwood lumber has notably fallen by 14.6% in a 12-month span, joined by a substantial decline in the price of natural gas, which was down some 60.5% in the same time period.

Chart credit: Associated Builders and Contractors

“Construction input prices fell sharply in December,” ABC’s Chief Economist, Anirban Basu, said in a news release. “While plunging oil prices are the primary factor behind the sharp decline, most input prices were tame in 2023’s final month. That serves as a fitting end to a year du...

December's Dodge Momentum Index increases by 3% thanks to commercial sector gains

2024-01-12T12:32:00-05:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) has posted an increase of 3% for December to a new total of 186.6, showing a marked improvement over November’s revised figure of 181.5.

For the month, commercial planning grew 1.0%, and institutional planning improved 6.1%. Hotels and data centers were the primary drivers of the sector, while the institutional sector was propelled by healthcare and public buildings. Overall, the commercial sector was down 9% from 2022, while the institutional sector was up 14% over the same time period.

“The Momentum Index ended the year 11% below the November 2022 peak, ultimately stabilizing as the year progressed. Regardless, the DMI averaged a reading of 184.3 in 2023, hitting levels of activity that haven’t been recorded since 2008,” Sarah Martin, the associate director of forecasting for Dodge Construction Network, said in a statement. “While ongoing labor and construction cost issues will persist in 2024, a substantive amount of projects are sitting in ...

Gordie Howe International Bridge construction: Opening delayed to September 2025

2024-01-09T17:04:00-05:00

The completion date for the delayed Gordie Howe International Bridge has been pushed back to September 2025, according to the Detroit Free Press.

A public announcement put out by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority detailed the progress that’s been made since the project commenced in late 2018.

Since that time, the bridge’s road deck construction, stay cable installation, and Port of Entry facilities have progressed successfully. Completion of the road deck, stay cable installations, and ancillary Port of Entry outbuildings will follow in the coming year. The finalization of the operations process is then anticipated for the year after.

"After a three-year pandemic and considering the size and complexity of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, our project team is pleased that the impact to the construction schedule is limited to only 10 months beyond the original contracted com...

AIA comments on congressional revising of fee limitation for federal design and construction projects

2024-01-08T16:50:00-05:00

The recent decision by Congress to revise fee limitations on all federal design and construction contracts undertaken with the Department of Defense (DOD) has been commended by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) following President Joe Biden’s formal signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2024.

Under the new federal guidelines, fees are now limited to ten percent of the total estimated construction costs for all architect-engineer services for the preparation of designs, plans, drawings, and specifications. The prevailing statutory limitations had formerly been limited to six percent and applied also to any contract modifications (e.g. redesigns). Any other services are not subject to the limit, according to the current letter of the law.

Speaking to the continued need for change, the AIA’s 2024 President Kimberly Dowdell said: “This is a step in the right direction to ensuring that architects are adequately compensated for the specialized skills and ...

Nonresidential construction dipped slightly in November, reversing 17 months of growth

2024-01-04T13:55:00-05:00

Spending on nonresidential construction dropped by 0.1% in November in a reversal of a 17-month growth period for the sector, according to an analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data from the industry group Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

The total amount of spending in the sector was $1.143 trillion. Spending on a monthly basis was down in 11 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending increased by 0.2%, while public nonresidential construction spending fell 0.6% for the month.

“Nonresidential construction spending dipped in November due to a 0.6% decline in public-sector activity,” said ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Despite the monthly setback, spending is up an impressive 18.1% over the past year, with the gains evenly distributed between the public and private sectors, and currently sits just below the all-time high established in October.”

Table credit: Associated Builders and Contractors

Although the numbers indicate a mild downturn,...

Dodge Momentum Index drops 1% for November, reversing October's gains

2023-12-07T13:06:00-05:00

The latest Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) for November has indicated a 1% drop to 179.2 a month after posting a revised total of 181.7 for October that was propelled by gains in the commercial sector.

Over November, both the commercial and institutional components fell by 1%. DCN says these results were driven largely by the weak performance of the educational segment, despite gains in healthcare and public spaces. Year over year, the index was 14% lower than in November 2022. The commercial segment was down 20% from November 2022 levels, and the institutional segment was up 2% over the same period.

“While both portions of the Momentum Index saw slower momentum in planning, overall levels remain steady and will support construction spending in 2024 and 2025,” stated Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting for DCN. “Nonresidential planning activity will remain constrained from stronger growth amidst ongoing labor and construction cost challenges.”

Graphic: Dodge Construction Net...

University of British Columbia develops ‘smart construction robots’ for basic on-site tasks

2023-12-01T12:00:00-05:00

A team at the University of British Columbia has developed “smart construction robots” for performing basic tasks on construction sites, such as lifting and moving objects. The team, led by Dr. Tony Yang from the University’s Smart Structures Lab, recently demonstrated the concept at a construction site in Richmond, British Columbia.

Photo credit: UBC Applied Science

The team’s process sees aerial drones fitted with cameras capture details that are used to create a digital twin of the construction site. AI-equipped cranes and forklifts use the information to move construction materials, such as beams and columns, around the site without a human operator.

Lead researcher Dr. Tony Yang observes as the robot decides how to navigate around the obstacle and complete its task, without n eeding a human operator. Photo credit: UBC Applied Science

“Our smart construction robots are able to recognize objects, performing detailed scans of structural components for quality assurance,” Dr. Yang ex...

Construction starts for October drop 7%, led by declines in the nonbuilding sector

2023-11-22T13:48:00-05:00

New data from the Dodge Construction Network has construction starts falling 7% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.1 trillion. The figures follow September’s 6% decline and represent another 4% year-to-year decline when compared to the same data sets from October 2022.

Nonbuilding and residential starts fell 32% and 1%, respectively. Nonresidential building starts gained 8% during the month.

Nonresidential starts were also up 8% year-to-date, an adjusted annual rate of $490 billion, though Dodge notes the sector would have fallen 28% if not for an abnormally strong spate of manufacturing plants. Residential starts represented another $385 billion. Nonbuilding starts fell to $231 billion year-to-date through October; however, nonbuilding starts were up by 20% overall.

Graphic courtesy of Dodge Construction Network

“Construction starts have weakened over the last two months as high interest rates and tight credit have restrained activity,” Richard Branch, the chief...

This 3D printed social housing apartment building aims to become Europe's first of its kind

2023-11-21T12:01:00-05:00

German company PERI 3D Construction is collaborating with construction printer manufacturer COBOD on what the team describes as the “first 3D printed social housing apartment building in Germany and Europe.” The three-floor building will contain six apartment units ranging from 670 to 890 square feet.

Image credit: COBOD / PERI 3D

Located in the Ruhr city of Lünen, the project will see the first two floors of the apartment building 3D printed using concrete, while the top floor will be built using a timber hybrid construction method. The foundation, base, and horizontal slabs will be built from conventional methods, while the facade finish will comprise the 3D printed surface on the bottom two floors and facade panels to the top floor.

“We are pleased to be able to demonstrate once again how quickly, efficiently, and in a resource-saving manner the 3D printer can create living space and what potential is also opening up in the multi-family house segment,” PERI’s managing director Fab...