Follow this tag to curate your own personalized Activity Stream and email alerts.
It’s been a rough couple of years for timber. As we have previously reported, lumber prices across the United States saw a 90% increase in May 2021 on the previous 12 months, adding an extra $36,000 onto the cost of constructing a new home. In a relief for clients and contractors alike, that... View full entry
The latest economic data issued by the American Institute of Architects confirm the fifteenth consecutive month of growing demand in design services as reported by architecture firms across the U.S. The Architecture Billings Index for April moderated slightly to a score of 56.5 from a near-record... View full entry
Total construction starts rebounded in April according to a new Dodge Construction Network study, rising 3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $945.8 billion. Nonresidential building starts rose 6% and residential starts increased by 4%, while nonbuilding starts decreased by 4%. Compared to... View full entry
When a recession hits, architects often take it in the gut. The design sector has traditionally been one of the losers of a market downturn, with big real estate developments being put on hold and the need for architectural design services kicked down the road. But during the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, architecture has been surprisingly robust. — Fast Company
According to the 2022 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy, an annual report by Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles that tracks the economic health of creative industries in California, architecture has been the most resilient sector. This is compared to creative goods and... View full entry
The Dodge Momentum Index continues to rise, with a 6% increase in April, taking it to 164.8, up from the revised March reading of 155. Commercial planning rose 9%, while institutional planning moved 2% higher. This gain in April has moved the Dodge Momentum Index just 5% short of the all-time high... View full entry
In a new Dodge Construction Network report, total construction starts fell 12% in March to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $903.8 billion following a strong February. The decline, in which nonresidential building starts fell 29%, is in part due to the start of three large manufacturing... View full entry
The American Institute of Architects released new economic data this morning, indicating a significant increase in the demand for design services in March. The latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score rose to 58.0, up sharply from a score of 51.3 in February. The March scores for both... View full entry
The residential housing market continued its remarkable ascension in March, according to a market report published this week by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The report indicates some more positive news for the industry in the face of several... View full entry
The Dodge Momentum Index moved up another 4% in March to 166.9 from the revised February reading of 160.3. Last month, commercial planning rose 7%, while institutional planning fell by less than one percent. Commercial planning in March was just slightly lower than the all-time high set in... View full entry
The cost of direct damage to Ukraine's infrastructure in the month since Russia invaded the country has reached $63 billion, according to an analysis from the Kyiv School of Economics. — Construction Dive
The Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) also reports that between the start of the invasion on February 24th through March 24th, at least 4,431 residential buildings, 92 factories and warehouses, 378 schools, 138 healthcare institutions, 12 airports, and seven thermal power and hydroelectric power... View full entry
Over one month since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the impacts of the war on Europe’s construction sector are beginning to emerge. Since the military offensive began, a steady increase in European sanctions against Russia has curtailed material supplies across the continent... View full entry
According to a new Dodge Construction Network report, total construction starts rose 9% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.013 trillion. Nonresidential building starts carried the activity, jumping 32% due to the start of three large manufacturing facilities. However... View full entry
The once-thriving construction industry in Ukraine has ground to a near halt as the nation shifts into battling an invasion by Russia. Before the incursion, which began Feb. 24, construction sites across the country were booming in many different sectors, according to Morgan Williams, president of the 200-member U.S.-Ukraine Business Council in Washington, D.C. — Construction Dive
Russia’s invasion has stymied Ukraine’s construction industry, which was surging under the country’s “Big Construction” program. The initiative was spearheaded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and aimed to rebuild and renovate infrastructure across the country. Construction... View full entry
In February, the Dodge Momentum Index increased 4% to 158.2 from the revised January reading of 151.9, marking a rebound from three consecutive monthly declines that followed a 14-year high in October 2021. Last month, institutional planning rose 9% and commercial planning moved 1% higher. The... View full entry
Architectural internships are a double-edged sword. At their best, an internship provides a valuable introduction to the profession for those at the beginning of their career; helping to inform complex decisions on their future development. However, at their worst, internships can also be a... View full entry