Total construction spending climbed modestly in May as growth in residential and public construction offset a drop in private nonresidential activity, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials predicted that spending would remain uneven through the second half of 2013. “Hesitancy by private owners to commit to new construction, along with continuing shrinkage in public budgets, will keep the recovery weaker than it otherwise would be,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “On the plus side, both new residential spending and improvements to existing homes will keep some
Owners of retail and hotel establishments are reporting growing levels of green building activity planned over the next two years, according to a new report recently released by McGraw-Hill Construction in partnership with Waste Management. The report, titled “Green Retail and Hospitality SmartMarket Report: Capitalizing on the Growth in Green Building Investments,” is based on a study of 79 retail, 30 hotel and 22 restaurant owners conducted in 2013 by McGraw-Hill Construction. The study defined a green building project as one built to LEED or another recognized green building standard, or one that is energy-efficient, water-efficient and improves indoor-air quality
Transportation improvement and the reduction of traffic congestion and air pollution are the main reasons 85% of Denver-area residents believe the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks program was a good decision, according to a recent public opinion survey of residents living in the eight-county metropolitan region. Nearly a decade after metro-area taxpayers approved the build-out of the FasTracks mass transit program, an overwhelming majority continue to believe the benefits of more light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit outweigh any other considerations. According to the survey, Denver-area residents cited reduced traffic and air pollution and the creation of thousands of
The Library and Academic Resource Center Modernization at Colorado State University Pueblo in Pueblo, Colo., has become one of only 30 buildings in Colorado to earn Platinum-LEED status. As the first and tallest building constructed on the southern Colorado campus in 1965, the rejuvenated facility is now the nexus for campus cultural and academic activity. Photo courtesy of BWG Replacement of major sections of existing precast walls with glass created an entirely new experience from the previously dark building. Photo courtesy of BWG The addition of windows on all four elevations created a cadence of light and materials suited to
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Trimble, which provides technology solutions and products to the construction industry, officially opened its new campus in Westminster on June 24. Trimble’s new campus is a 125,000-sq-ft, four-story building on 15 acres in the Westmoor area of Westminster, at 10368 Photo courtesy of Trimble The new four-story building sits on 15 acres in the Westmoor area of Westminster. It houses 475 employees, with space to accommodate up to 570. Westmoor Dr. The new campus houses 475 employees, with space to accommodate up to 570. The employees focus on marketing, testing and applications engineering in the construction, surveying, agriculture
The nation’s construction industry is continuing to recover, primarily in the housing construction sector, according to the latest construction cost report from property and construction consultant Rider Levett Bucknall. The commercial, hospitality and business industries are planning for construction growth throughout 2013 while the health-care and manufacturing industries should see steady improvement throughout the latter half of 2013. Denver has experienced a quarterly increase in “in-place” construction costs of 0.6%, slightly below the national average.“Construction employment show signs of improvement, albeit modest to date,” said RLB Executive Vice President and Director Peter Knowles. “Of particular interest is the potential for
The Regional Transportation District Board of Directors has approved a request from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to relocate the planned Montview Station on the I-225 Rail Line to a new location at Fitzsimons Parkway. CU officials requested the station be moved to help mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI) and vibration near sensitive research equipment at current and future medical buildings. The decision by the Board of Directors will allow the I-225 project team to identify environmental impacts and propose mitigation before moving forward with design and construction.During the 2007 - 2009 environmental and early design process, RTD and
Construction employment increased in a majority of states in May, setting all-time highs in Louisiana and North Dakota, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that construction demand remains very uneven and urged policy makers to expedite stalled public and private projects. “The strongest recoveries in construction employment have occurred in states with oil and gas activity, while the steepest construction job losses have occurred in Sunbelt states,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “However, patterns for the past year show that even some lagging states are beginning
Contractors are reporting business benefits from instituting strong safety programs, according to a new report by McGraw Hill Construction on safety management in the construction industry. In particular, construction companies report the following benefits due to the implementation of safety management practices: • 51% report increases in project ROI, with a fifth of those reporting increases of greater than 5%.• 43% report faster project schedules, with half reporting schedule improvements of a week or more.• 39% report a decrease in project budget from a safety program, with a quarter reporting decreases of 5% or more. Only 15% reported that safety
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has selected Mortenson Construction and HDR Architecture, both of Denver, for a $94.9-million design-build contract for the 13th Combat Aviation Brigade Barracks at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
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