Our Publications

With projects facing rising material costs, crunched schedules and labor shortages, project delivery firms say owners are finding themselves at a fork in the road when it comes to design-bid-build versus alternative delivery models.

ENR Cited For Reporting and Writing Excellence

Scott Blair

June 10, 2022

The American Society of Business Publication Editors last month recognized different aspects of ENR’s voluminous construction industry coverage in 2021 with four awards at a ceremony in Cleveland.

Green Concrete

Prometheus 'Bio-cement' Touted as Portland Cement Sub

Biological binding agent is called nearly carbon free

Nadine M. Post

June 7, 2022

One Comment

Biological binding agent is called nearly carbon free

Military Projects

US Military Commits Billions in Construction Contracts for Military Facilities in Guam

James Leggate

June 6, 2022

U.S. Defense Dept. officials have said they will spend about $11 billion on military construction projects over five years.

Transportation Infrastructure

Work Begins on $1B Houston Ship Channel Expansion

James Leggate

June 3, 2022

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. is working on the first segment of the 3.5 year project.

Infrastructure Act

US DOT Approves 180-Day Waiver of IIJA Buy America Requirement

AASHTO had sought 12 to 18-month waiver

Tom Ichniowski

May 26, 2022

One Comment

The extended waiver applies to new "construction materials" category introduced in the Infrastructure Act.

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Railroads

US DOT Awards $368M in Rail Infrastructure Grants

Funds go to upgrade track, bridges, stations and grade crossings.

Tom Ichniowski

June 2, 2022

Grants to go for 46 projects in 32 states and District of Columbia.

Annals of Inflation

How a Critical Delay Sent St. Louis Convention Center Project Costs Sky High

Richard Korman

James Leggate

June 1, 2022

The bid atmosphere and market for contracting deteriorated as St. Louis County and the city hammered out a deal.

Illustration showing city skyline, trees beyond it and a row of wind turbines across. Two horizontal lines, one pink and one purple, meet in the middle to form an arrow pointing up.

Companies

WSP Global Buys Wood's Environmental Unit in $1.8B Deal

Emell D. Adolphus

June 3, 2022

The global professional services firm says the deal advances its strategy for environmental consultjng services to account for one-third of its global annual net revenue by 2024.

Energy Construction

EU's Russia Oil Embargo Pressures Global Infrastructure Dynamics

Michael Dumiak

May 31, 2022

Euro countries and US push projects to support new cuts in Russian supply, agreed to in May 30 pact and set to take effect by year end, but impacts of changing energy strategies are raising concerns

Trade Policy

Biden Pauses Solar Tariffs, Pushes Defense Act To Boost Stalled Construction

June 6, 2022

Probe of Chinese-made components from four Asian nations will continue, but prospect of retroactive tariffs that have delayed imports and project work for months is abated for two years; "we lost track of prioritizing domestic manufacturing," said one former industry exec in a podcast

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Florida Legislature Passes Statewide Condominium Inspection Measure

New requirements were proposed in wake of Champlain Towers disaster

Jim Parsons

May 25, 2022

2 Comments

The new statewide inspection requirement applies to all condominium buildings three stories or taller.

Map showing path of the Gateway South Transmission Project from from Utah, through Colorado to Wyoming

Power Construction

Western Transmission Projects Pushed to Link New Power Sources

May 31, 2022

Large scale voltage lines move ahead in federal reviews, as utilities seek to link more onshore wind and other renewable energy in their changing power source mix.

Government Policy

NJ Advances Landmark Environmental Justice Project Permit Rules

June 3, 2022

State opens public comment on proposed nation-leading push to consider cumulative pollution and climate-risk impacts of building certain large facilities in overburdened communities.

Aileen Cho

June 10, 2022

While still jubilant about the unprecedented amount of federal funding for transit, rail advocates also are concerned about the shortage of workers, the need to better manage project risks and the ability to implement mandated asset-management plans for their infrastructure and vehicles.

Construction Fatality

Valero Energy Refinery, Contractors Fined $1.75M in 2021 Union Worker Death

Jim Parsons

May 31, 2022

California facility and three contractors are cited by state OSHA for multiple violations, including serious and willful infractions, in confined space asphyxiation death of laborers' union member Luis Gutierrez, 35

Sustainability

Corporate Leaders Seek Feds' Help to Meet Climate Emissions Reduction Pledges

More funding for technology development and research; tax incentives will go a long way, they say.

Pam McFarland

May 27, 2022

New ERM study also reveals what 40 public firms spend to disclose their climate risks, as the SEC proposes to make that reporting a new requirement.

Hazardous Waste

Utilities Voice PFAS Liability Fear as Chemicals Head to Superfund List

May 30, 2022

Major US water, waste utility groups lobby Congress for exemption from developing federal enforcement of stiffer rules to clean up ubiquitous toxic substances in the environment.

Rail

Record-Setting Tunnel Under the Alps Reaches Interim Milestone

Peter Reina

May 27, 2022

An excavator recently broke through a wall separating two sections of the $9.6-billion Brenner Base Tunnel, creating a 24.1-km continuous bore from the south portal at Fortezza, Italy to the Austrian border.

Workforce Management

Ironworkers' Local Pension Plan Saved by $49M Infusion

Cleveland union's plan was projected to run out of money in 2024

Annemarie Mannion

May 26, 2022

2 Comments

Cleveland union local's plan, headed toward 2024 insolvency, gains cash payment under the American Rescue Plan Act

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Transportation

Giant Launch Girder Begins Deck Construction on UK's Longest Train Viaduct

Peter Reina

May 31, 2022

A 525-ft-long sliding girder, originally built for a Hong Kong project, will place around 1,000 concrete elements of a 2.1-mile viaduct for a new high-speed railroad.

Companies

US Settles Border Wall Suit Against Contractor Fisher Sand & Gravel

June 1, 2022

One Comment

Ex-federal wall builder agrees to maintain his privately funded and sited Texas riverbank barrier, with signs of instability, for 15 years and to post $3M repair bond.

Building information modeling

Cloud Engineering Simulator OnScale Purchased By Ansys

Jeff Yoders

June 10, 2022

Engineering simulation and finite element analysis technology firm Ansys has purchased OnScale, a cloud engineering simulation service that was developed within the Thornton Tomasetti Weidlinger Innovation accelerator.

Pulse: Project News for the Week of June 13, 2022

June 10, 2022

Project news from Dodge Data & Analytics.

Industry Leads for the Week of June 13, 2022

June 9, 2022

Information derived from Industrial Reports, a market intelligence firm specializing in industrial construction.

Viewpoint: Hair Law Isn't Trivial in Welcoming More Black Workers

Emell D. Adolphus

June 8, 2022

The need for a more diverse and representative staff seems to punctuate every workforce development conversation at AEC firms. Whether the industry is ready and willing to have a serious conversation about the needs of those diverse workers is another matter entirely.

Construction Economics for June 13, 2022

May 26, 2022