June 19, 2023

Inflated costs, crunched schedules and materials delays are driving a greater interest in alternative project delivery methods, firms say—which is reflected in last year’s rise in design-build and construction management-at-risk revenue.

Companies

Eyeing a Shift to Renewables, Worley Sells Its Refinery Maintenance Arm

June 1, 2023

Chris Ashton, CEO of Australia-based engineer-builder, sees growth in 'sustainability projects' in sale of North America maintainance unit gained from Jacobs, but firm also posts traditional oil and gas project wins from major players.

Legal

Citing 'Personal Vendetta,' Alabama Judge Halts Work on $52M Bridge Project

State transportation director sought the bridge only to put toll company out of business, judge says

Stephanie Loder

June 6, 2023

All work has stopped on the nearly $52-million bridge being constructed by Alabama-based Scott Bridge Co. just one mile from the existing toll bridge.

Southeast Construction News

Florida Agency Countersues Contractors After Claim of Wrongful Termination

Derek Lacey

June 2, 2023

Lane-Webuild JV breached its contract, says South Florida Water Management District in a May 30 court filing that seeks to recover claimed additional costs from project delays.

Failures

Buttigieg Pledges Federal Funding to Speed Rebuild of Collapsed I-95 Bridge

June 11, 2023

One Comment

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro emergency declaration sets initial $7 million to repair damage after a tanker carrying a petroleum product caught fire early on June 11 under bridge in Philadelphia carrying northbound interstate lanes.

Clean Energy Construction

US Offshore Wind Developers Seek New State Relief on Cost Rise

Mary B. Powers

June 14, 2023

Second Massachusetts project, SouthCoast Wind, files to terminate project power agreement, and could face up to a $60-million fine, while developers in New York and New Jersey seek contract cost adjustments

Renewable Energy

Firms Push Competing Floating Offshore Wind Platform Designs

Peter Reina

June 6, 2023

A 35-person Spanish technology developer joins European competition in the rapidly emerging global market for floating offshore wind energy turbine platforms.

Water

Crews Cut and Roughen Colorado Dam for $531M Raise Project

May 30, 2023

Denver Water is raising its dam outside Boulder, Colo., by 131 ft to nearly triple the capacity of Gross Reservoir.

Sustainability

GSA Revs Up Green Proving Ground Program With $30M in 2023

Another 20 companies begin testing emerging sustainable technologies

Nadine M. Post

June 11, 2023

US agency program is just one of many under way that are designed to eliminate operational carbon in federal buildings by 2045.

Codes and Standards

Historic Standard Expected to End Debate on Disproportionate Collapse

Nadine M. Post

June 11, 2023

Nation's first consensus standard on disproportionate collapse mitigation in buildings was a decade in the making.

EPA Awards Jackson, Miss., $115M to Fix Water Infrastructure

Daniel Tyson

June 7, 2023

The city's federally named water manager said funding would address major water system leaks and boost pumping capacity.

Clean Energy

Feds Finish Clean Hydrogen Plan But No Project Tax Credit Detail Yet

Mary B. Powers

June 8, 2023

Debra K. Rubin Jim Parsons

The U.S. Energy Dept. updates its strategy to cut emissions with clean hydrogen, but the Treasury Dept. won't propose until summer rules on how emissions from its production are counted when awarding critical project tax incentives outlined in the 2022 climate law.

Pollution Enforcement

DuPont, Spinoffs To Pay $1.19B in Largest Yet PFAS in Drinking Water Settlement

Pact comes as June 5 trial is delayed against chemicals firm 3M for tainting one municipal water system, with possible $10B US settlement in the works

June 3, 2023

June 5 trial of manufacturer 3M also halts as firm and municipal attorneys seek time to craft what one media report termed a possible $10B settlement to include toxic impact compensation for other US water systems, towns and cities.

Interviews

Ten Minutes With Federal Permitting Guru Christine Harada

Mary B. Powers

June 5, 2023

Chief of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, with a track record in public procurement and private development, shares insight on how agency guides the government's behind the scenes push to expedite project approvals.

Legislation

Biden Signs Debt-Limit Bill, With Provisions for Faster Project Reviews

Tom Ichniowski

June 2, 2023

Industry officials praise permitting reform provisions, and a move to fast-track completion of the controversial Mountain Valley gas pipeline project withstands a last-minute challenge.

Stadium Project

NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars Unveil 'Stadium of the Future' Designs

Plans released June 7 indicate a major redevelopment of TIAA Bank Field

Derek Lacey

June 8, 2023

HOK Sports + Recreation + Entertainment is architect for the stadium, estimated to cost at least $1.4B, with Barton Malow and AECOM Hunt named to manage preconstruction.

Failures

Engineering Reports Highlight Iowa Building's Problems Before Collapse

June 2, 2023

Months before a six-story apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, partially collapsed May 28, a structural engineer advised the property owner that an unexpected void space had been discovered during repairs to a damaged area of the exterior brick wall.

Climate Change

New Jersey Takes Proactive US Stance on Imminent Flood Plain Building Rule

Stephanie Loder

June 11, 2023

State will enact nation-leading requirements next month to boost first floor building elevations for most new or renovated projects that are based on “predictive precipitation modeling” of future flood impacts, not historic trends.

Energy Cpnstruction

Equinor, BP Halt $9B Offshore Canada Oil Project, Citing Costs

June 14, 2023

In three-year delay, companies cite “changing market conditions and subsequent high cost inflation” for drilling project after FEED contract award in April to engineers KBR and Hatch.

Construction Workforce

Boosted by All Sectors, Construction Adds 25K Jobs in May

Tom Ichniowski

June 2, 2023

The heavy and civil engineering category led the way, adding 10,700 jobs, while specialty trade contractors added 7,300 positions, and building contractors added 6,600 jobs.

An overhead view of the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike, showing a strip of muddy land surrounded on either side and cut in the middle horizontally by water. A road runs from top to bottom at a slight diagonal.

Resilience

NOAA Funds Infrastructure Work, New Coastal Resilience Grants

June 6, 2023

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is funding projects with its $2.6 billion allocation from the Inflation Reduction Act.

ENR Adds to Editorial Staff to Broaden Its Skill and Dimension

Richard Korman

June 15, 2023

Three new colleagues have recently joined ENR’s editorial staff: Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Editor Johanna Knapschaefer, Texas-Louisiana Regional Editor Daniel Tyson and Survey and Rankings Data Coordinator Jack McMackin.

Pulse for the Week of June 19, 2023

June 15, 2023

Information from Pulse is derived from the Dodge Construction Network, the most powerful source of information, insights, and connections in the commercial construction industry.

FutureTech 2023: Finding the Right Use Cases for AI in Construction Takes Effort

Jeff Rubenstone

Aileen Cho

June 15, 2023

Rather than chase the latest tech fad, construction technology practitioners are already deep into using machine learning and artificial intelligence-driven algorithms in their work—from building inspection to picking the right concrete mix.

Editorial

Are Design-Building 'Problems' Really Overall Inherited Construction Industry Woes?

June 15, 2023

An insurer claims manager told a risk conference audience four years ago that “in case you’ve been on another planet, there have been hundreds of design-build lawsuits.”

Construction Economics for June 19, 2023

June 15, 2023