December 27, 2021

Standing on a dead-end street in Spartanburg, S.C., Harold Mitchell can plainly see the history of injustice in his community.

Engineering Justice

Miami Residents Fight for High Ground

Corinne Grinapol

December 23, 2021

Allapattah, a working class, majority Latino neighborhood in Miami, is bounded by convenience—a hospital, metro stations, an art museum, highways for easy access to downtown, the beach and other points of interest—which makes it a magnet for development, pushing prices up, and residents and businesses out.

Engineering Justice

Boston Commits to Equitable Site Redevelopment

Johanna Knapschaefer

December 23, 2021

In the historic Boston neighborhood of Nubian Square, a wellspring of revitalization is replacing blighted areas with innovative community developments that seek to clean up the environment and provide affordable housing.

Engineering Justice

Cincinnati Soccer Stadium Siting Raises Questions

December 23, 2021

Cincinnati’s West End is a mostly Black neighborhood where, compared to the rest of the city, the median income is lower and the percentage of residents who rent is higher. So when FC Cincinnati, the city’s professional soccer team, chose the neighborhood for its $250-million TQL Stadium, it raised both hopes and worries about what would happen to the area.

Engineering Justice

US Offshore Wind Energy: A New Era of Equity Is Blowing In

Debra K. Rubin

December 22, 2021

Projects aim to deliver a 21st-century model of environmental and economic justice in building a new American industry in areas facing pollution and climate change risk

Amazon HQ2 Puts Concrete on an Embodied Carbon Diet

Nadine M. Post

December 22, 2021

Amazon’s 2.1-million-sq-ft Metropolitan Park office development near the nation’s capital could become a model for other large-scale sustainable projects. The building team is tracking a 15% reduction in embodied carbon in the project's 200,000 cu yd of concrete and the two 22-story buildings are on course to qualify as net-zero operational carbon.

A crew works on a living shoreline in Maine

Maine Coastal Towns Join to Prevent Flooding Using Nature-based Methods

One-half million dollars in federal funding with matching funds will pay for collaborative effort

Johanna Knapschaefer

December 12, 2021

With $500K in federal and private funds, 11 Casco Bay communities will test alternative approaches to mitigate coastal flooding caused by the climate crisis.

Feds Show Growing Support for Nature-Based Design

Pam McFarland

December 23, 2021

The $1-trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law Nov. 15 includes funding for “nature-based” infrastructure, a sign of the growing bipartisan support among lawmakers and federal officials for approaching flood control and other climate change-related projects by working with natural systems, rather than trying to control them, according to current and former officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Revised Cause Identified for London's Wobbling Millennium Bridge After Two Decades

Peter Reina

December 13, 2021

Report says adjusted paces, not mass synchronization of walkers, caused negative lateral damping that shut down footbridge in 2000.

Boston Contractor Indicted Over Alleged Safety Record Fraud

The company's owner also faces big proposed OSHA penalties

Scott Van Voorhis

December 13, 2021

Atlantic Coast Utilities had been targeted by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in connection with a double fatality.

Energy Construction

FERC Gets Tougher on Natural Gas Pipeline Pollution Violators

Debra K. Rubin

December 19, 2021

Energy Transfer Ohio line faces $40M federal fine for fuel dumped in drill mud, and Cheniere Oklahoma line could be penalized for construction debris left on private land; commissioners debate more rigorous agency scrutiny of environmental and climate change impacts in project approvals.

Clean Energy Construction

GM Ramps Up To Expand Billions in US Battery and Supply Chain Production

December 14, 2021

Lansing, Mich., approved new tax breaks to attract a $2.5B announced factory, while other key facilities are under way in Ohio, Tennessee and elsewhere as part of a $35B U.S. electric vehicle investment by 2025.

Companies

Advanced Nuclear Power Developer NuScale Strikes Deal To Go Public

Debra K. Rubin

December 14, 2021

The firm is valued at $1.9B in link with NASDAQ-traded investor, but Fluor stays a majority stakeholder and exclusive engineer-builder of planned small reactors for global clients.

The Infrastructure Act Rollout

EPA Allocates $1B in New Federal Funds for Superfund Projects

Update: EPA finalizing plans to start construction "as soon as possible"

Tom Ichniowski

December 17, 2021

One Comment

Administrator Michael Regan said some cleanups have awaited federal dollars for give more than five years; new infrastructure bill funding will start work at 49 sites in 24 states.

The Infrastructure Act Rollout

FHWA Announces 22% Boost in Core Highway Funding From IIJA

Update: Lack of Full-Year Highway Obligation Cap Raises Concerns

Tom Ichniowski

December 15, 2021

Fiscal 2022 apportionments for formula programs total $52.5 billion, the highest in decades.

Energy Production

California Plant Would Convert Wood Waste Into Hydrogen Fuel

Developer says $100M facility would divert carbon emissions

December 15, 2021

One Comment

Developer plans to establish a $100-million plant outside Bakersfield for its first-of-its-kind project, working with Fluor Corp. and gasification systems maker SunGas Renewables Inc.

Outlook

Economist Projects 'Very Busy' 2022 for Construction Industry

December 9, 2021

Anirban Basu, chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors and CEO of consulting firm Sage Policy Group, expects projects from the new infrastructure package to be released in next year's third and fourth quarters.

Advanced Manufacturing

Samsung Picks Texas for $17B Semiconductor Plant

Project will support 6,500 construction jobs, Governor claims

November 24, 2021

South Korean tech giant's project comes amid a shortage in semiconductors impacting other industries.

Infrastructure

Industry Groups Seek US COVID-19 Aid for Projects Slowed by Supply Chain

November 30, 2021

AGC, ARTBA, AASHTO and others want the US Treasury Dept. to clarify use of American Rescue Plan spending.

Codes and Standards

Tornado-Resistant Building Design Premieres in ASCE 7-22

Nadine M. Post

December 2, 2021

American Society of Civil Engineers' bible on design contains first-ever provisions on tornado loads, but only for certain building types.

Energy Construction

$6.2B Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Gains Key State Approval

December 16, 2021

Virginia narrowly OKs controversial water crossing permit in a 107-mile portion of the 373-mile route also in West Virginia and North Carolina, but two federal approvals remain

Gov. Hochul stands behind a podium wearing a green suit jacket and white dress shirt. A portion of a plane at JFK airport is visible behind her.

$1.5B Terminal Expansion at NYC's JFK Airport Gets Underway

Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has been scaled back from earlier plans

Jim Parsons

December 17, 2021

John F. Kennedy International Airport’s multibillion-dollar redevelopment program is underway with the recent groundbreaking of the pared-down $1.5 billion Terminal 4 expansion and renovation project.

Energy

New York City Council Passes Natural Gas Ban in New Buildings

Phased ban will impact projects of less than 7 stories in 2024, taller buildings in mid 2027

December 17, 2021

The bill includes some exceptions for non-residential uses.

Safety and Health

Construction Fatalities Decrease but Fatal-Injury Rate Climbs

Tom Ichniowski

December 16, 2021

Industry's workplace fatalities dip 5% in 2020, but fatality rate is up to 10.2 per 100,000 workers from 9.7.

Environment

EPA Outlines Plan to Speed Lead Pipe Removals

Pam McFarland

December 16, 2021

Agency will allow a Trump-era rule to take effect but also will propose new steps to clarify actions and boost funding to meet Biden goal of replacing 100% of nation’s lead service pipes.

Construction Economics for December 27, 2021

December 22, 2021

ENR’s 20-city average cost indexes, wages and materials prices. Historical data and details for ENR’s 20 cities can be found at ENR.com/economics

Industry Leads for the Week of December 27, 2021

December 22, 2021

Project news from industrial reports.

Pulse: Project News for the Week of December 27, 2021

December 22, 2021

Project news from Dodge Data & Analytics.

2021 4Q Cost Report: Tariffs Doubled on Canadian Lumber Products

U.S. construction economist says action will increase prices and constrain supply

Jeff Yoders

December 22, 2021

The U.S. Commerce Dept. on Nov. 24 followed through with expected anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber, placing tariffs of 17.99% on their imports—more than twice the 8.99% rate imposed during the Trump administration.

2021 4Q Cost Report: Strong Demand Drives Equipment Sales, With No End in Sight

Supply chain issues reduce availability as machines new and old are bought.

Jeff Rubenstone

December 22, 2021

Rachel Personius, Currie & Brown

The logistical snarls in the global supply chain that have disrupted so many other aspects of construction have put pressure on the equipment supply, which combines with the high level of demand to keep sales and resales brisk.

2021 4Q Cost Report: Global Markets Could See Metrics Return to Pre-COVID Norms

Analysis shows that material costs may start to normalize.

December 22, 2021

Over the past year, consultant Currie & Brown’s global construction cost experts have reported consistent market trends and headwinds. Common experiences in all regions were post-pandemic recovery and historic hikes in materials prices.

Labor

2021 4Q Cost Report: 'Build Back Better' Bill May Be Both Better and Worse for Firms

Contractor groups see new incentives but also labor violation penalty hikes and added costs

Bruce Buckley

December 22, 2021

The fate of federal spending legislation, dubbed the Build Back Better Act, is in doubt after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) publicly announced his opposition on Dec. 19, but President Joe Biden believes it will pass.

2021 4Q Cost Report: Markets Still Strong, but Doubts Grow for Execs

Confidence continues to slip as shortages remain acute.

Jonathan Keller

December 22, 2021

One Comment

The long awaited Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has been passed, but construction market confidence has continued to dip among industry executives.

Economics

2021 4Q Cost Report: Materials, Labor Woes Persist in Fourth Quarter

Experts are hopeful that issues currently plaguing the industry will ease in 2022.

Alisa Zevin

December 22, 2021

As 2021 closes, the construction industry continues to cope with cost challenges related to labor, materials shortages and inflation.

Editorial: Risk Variables Multiply in 2021 and 2022

ENR Editorial Board

December 17, 2021

Industry reels from another year with a perplexing array of uncertainties.

Roadworks Documentation App Revs Up on Project Sites

Aileen Cho

December 22, 2021