For construction industry firms, 2021 must have seemed like a repeat of 2020, with ongoing pandemic-related impacts, such as supply-chain problems and workforce challenges. Moving into 2022, those issues remain. At the same time, though, the positive aspect of surging demand for new projects appears to be continuing for the Southeast construction industry

Nationally, as ENR reported recently, Dodge is forecasting a 9% increase in U.S. construction starts this year with “much more broad-based growth,” according to Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Construction Network.

In the Southeast, contractors are anticipating that demand for new projects will keep increasing.

“The Southeast continues to be an extremely hot market, and we are seeing delayed and canceled projects commencing, along with a strong pipeline of future work,” says Scott Skidelsky, president for Balfour Beatty’s Southeast building operations. Among the firm’s stronger sectors, Skidelsky cited multifamily, K-12 and higher education, hospitality, amusement and commercial work.

In Atlanta, Stuart Bruening, vice president with JE Dunn, sees a “ton of momentum” across the metropolitan area. Time will tell how long that will continue.

About the Ranking

ENR Southeast’s annual Top Starts ranking, on the following pages, helps illustrate the projects and sectors that define the current state of the market. Primary sources for this ranking included reports from Dodge Construction Network as well as firms that provided information about their largest Southeast contracts to start work during 2021. For each project, ENR Southeast includes the overall estimated project cost and start date as well as project team members, where available.