ENR

The construction market has been growing steadily for the past six years, and, for large specialty contractors, things are looking up.

Utility Southern Co.’s costly effort to produce clean energy from coal met a major milestone on Oct. 12, when its Kemper County, Miss., integrated gasification combined-cycle plant produced the first kilowatt of electricity with synthetic fuel made from local lignite.

The $1.6-billion Washington State Convention Center expansion project in downtown Seattle has a new contractor and a clear path toward the start of construction in 2017, while development on the Pacific Northwest’s largest hotel continues next door.

First-ever two-hour fire testing on a mass-timber exposed structure shows that engineered wood can meet stringent U.S. fire codes for tall buildings.

Peoria, Ill.-based equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. announced Oct. 17 that its CEO and chairman Doug Oberhelman will retire from the company in March, 2017. Oberhelman has been with Caterpillar for 41 years, and was appointed CEO in 2010. 

Fifteen guest builders-in-residence are taking advantage of new workshop and design space in Boston’s Seaport Innovation District.