Ports from coast to coast are eyeing improvement projects to help alleviate supply chain issues that have plagued businesses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus on port projects in the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is part of an overall push from the Biden administration to help alleviate the clogged supply chain in the U.S — Construction Dive
As reported by Construction Dive, an additional $241 million in grants through the United States Maritime Administration Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) will join the $17 billion being directed towards seaports. The additional funds will go toward 25 projects in 19 states. And... View full entry
According to a new Dodge Construction Network report, the value of commercial and multifamily construction starts in the top 20 metropolitan areas of the United States has increased 18% from 2020 to 2021. Nationally, commercial and multifamily construction starts increased 16% in 2021. The... View full entry
AEC firms are positive about industry growth in 2022 and expect to continue employing a hybrid workforce, according to a survey by Openasset. The AEC Industry Outlook Survey of 500 architecture, engineering, and construction professionals found that 78% believe their firm will experience positive... View full entry
Wrapping up a tumultuous business year 2021, the American Institute of Architects reports that architecture firms ended the year on a "high note with strong business conditions." The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for December rose to 52.0, a one-point increase from 51.0 in November. The... View full entry
Although the prices of some raw materials fell in December, costs are still sky high for contractors looking to purchase them, according to a new analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Overall, the price of construction materials jumped nearly 20% in 2021, the group said Thursday. — Construction Dive
In addition, according to the Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGC) 2022 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Survey, material costs were listed as a top concern for contractors this year. Though prices moderated for some construction materials in December, they still... View full entry
Zaha Hadid Architects has paid almost $16million over the past five years in order to retain the name of the late Zaha Hadid in the practice name. The deal, reported by UK outlet Building Online, included $4.6m (£3.4m) to use the founder’s name in 2021, $3.8m (£2.8m) in both 2020 and... View full entry
The architecture practice run by Sir Norman Foster almost doubled its profits as it expanded in the Middle East and gained new business despite pandemic lockdowns.
Total revenues fell by £33m to £200m in the year ending 30 April 2021, accounts for Foster + Partners, the practice’s main trading company, show. But profits before tax almost doubled to £36.2m during the year, compared with £19.8m in the previous year.
— The Guardian
New projects included a planned luxury tower development in Greece and a new tourist destination on an artificial island in the Red Sea (although notably, the Tulip Tower did come off the books due to environmental concerns). Foster himself is worth well into the nine-figure range and has... View full entry
In the last 22 months, workers' pandemic-related absences have cost employers more than $78.4 billion — nearly $1 billion each week — according to a Dec. 20 analysis from the Integrated Benefits Institute. — Construction Dive
The Integrated Benefits Institute used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics along with its own dataset to analyze disability wage payments, state disability insurance, sick leave wages, and employee benefits for its calculation. The states of California, Texas, New York, along with the... View full entry
Architecture firms in New York City recruiting new staff may soon be required to include salary ranges in jobs postings, following the passage of a new bill through the New York City Council. The bill requires NYC employers with four or more employees to include the minimum and maximum salary... View full entry
Evergrande Group, the world’s most indebted developer, was last week ordered to demolish 39 buildings on Ocean Flower Island, a project comprising three man-made islands developed by the company in China’s southern Hainan province, within 10 days. — South China Morning Post
The developer was recently forced to hand over control of its $1.7B football stadium in Guangzhou after spending much of the past year attempting to stave off creditors looking to collect on the company’s reported $310 billion in liabilities, which has recently led to another round of public... View full entry
The Global Architectural Rendering Software Market is expected to grow by $971.89mn during 2021-2025, decelerating at a CAGR of 23.53% during the forecast period. — Yahoo! Finance
The new study points to an increase in urbanization and disposable income as primary factors for the anticipated growth of the global architectural rendering software market. An October report from Dodge Data & Analytics, in partnership with design software giant... View full entry
National consulting group Appleseed Strategy has released the results of their 2021 Financial & Economic Survey, a U.S. business study of AEC firms to gauge the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector. 43 individuals and 39 companies in architecture, engineering, landscape... View full entry
2021 was a year where form continued to follow finance. Throughout the year, our coverage included many examples of the world’s largest architecture firms designing for some of the world’s largest companies. From sleek corporate headquarters to “work-and-play” tech campuses, such projects... View full entry
What would the news be without controversy? You could say it’s way too much of a focus in the overall media landscape, and our small corner of the business certainly is not immune to its pull either. Coming out of the pandemic-dominated 2020 has provided us with quite a bit of contentious... View full entry
The developer behind 432 Park Avenue on New York’s Billionaire’s Row has hit back at a lawsuit alleging design defects. As reported by The Guardian, LA-based CIM Group calls the claims within the lawsuit “vastly exaggerated” in their response filed this week to the New York state supreme... View full entry
