Building Cost Index Reflects Construction Activity Increase

  • Posted on

Turner Construction Company announced that the Fourth Quarter 2015 Turner Building Cost Index – which measures costs in the nonresidential building construction market in the United States – has increased to a value of 959. This reflects a 1.05 percent increase from the Third Quarter 2015 and a 4.58 percent yearly increase from the Fourth Quarter 2014. Overall construction activity remained stable through the Fourth Quarter, with slight increases in the West, and greater increases in the South and Southeast. The reduced cost of fuel is offsetting most material cost increases and fluctuations. “The high volume of work underway continues … Read more

Filed under: eNewsTagged with: , ,

ELFA Reveals Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2016

  • Posted on

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, which represents the $1-trillion equipment finance sector, recently released its Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2016. Given U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies will spend over $1.6 trillion in capital goods or fixed business investment (including software) this year, financing a majority of those assets, these trends impact a significant portion of the U.S. economy. Businesses will find opportunities for equipment investment as solid market conditions and an improving U.S. economy prevail over global headwinds and potential policy changes. ELFA forecasts the following Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2016: … Read more

Filed under: eNewsTagged with: , , ,

Seventy-One Percent of Construction Firms Plan to Expand Headcount

  • Posted on

Seventy-one percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2016 as contractors expect a range of public and private markets to grow, according to survey results recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate. The survey, conducted as part of The Challenges Facing a Growing Industry: The 2016 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, indicates that contractors foresee a positive year despite tight labor conditions, regulatory burdens and IT security challenges. “The construction industry will continue to recover in 2016 as many firms add to their headcount amid growing demand in … Read more

Filed under: eNewsTagged with: , ,

Cold Days Ahead: Are You Ready?

  • Posted on

The Western regions have been blanketed in snow for weeks — and after a mild December in much of the East, winter weather is finally moving in. Are you ready? While much construction will wind down for the coldest months, new technologies – such as chemical additives that allow concrete to cure in low temperatures – allow work to go forward on some jobs even during a deep freeze. That means a lot of workers will face extreme weather in January and February. Extended exposure to freezing or cold temperatures can lead to trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. Danger signs for … Read more

Filed under: eNews

OSHA, Independent Electrical Contractors Renew Alliance

  • Posted on

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently renewed its alliance with the Independent Electrical Contractors Inc. During the five-year agreement, the alliance will primarily focus on providing agency staff with 70E and arc-flash training, and preventing worker exposures to electric shock and arc flash hazards. Through the alliance, participants will also promote awareness of OSHA campaigns on preventing falls and heat illness, as well as promote a culture of safety through outreach, particularly to small businesses and workers with limited- and non-English speaking skills. “For more than a decade, OSHA and IEP have had a productive partnership … Read more

Filed under: eNewsTagged with: , , ,