Construction Employment Rises for First Time Since June 2007

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March Gain May Reflect Rebound from Bad February Weather, Not Lasting Turnaround, Industry Economist Simonson Cautions Payroll employment in the construction industry in March rose by 15,000, seasonally adjusted, the first gain since June 2007, according to federal employment figures released today. The Associated General Contractors of America hailed the increase but cautioned it may not be sustained. “This upturn was shared among all three nonresidential categories-building construction, specialty trade contractors, and heavy and civil engineering construction,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But both nonresidential and residential construction employment remain lower than in January, suggesting some of the … Read more

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Wisconsin-Based Faith Technologies Ran Nation’s Safest Construction Program in 2009

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Faith Technologies, Inc. Wins Construction Safety Excellence Awards Grand Prize as 23 Other Companies Win First Place for Quality Construction Safety Programs Faith Technologies, Inc. of Menasha, Wisconsin ran 2009’s best construction program according to the Associated General Contractors of America. The association, which oversees the Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, noted that 23 other companies were selected as first-place for the quality of their safety programs. “There’s no better measure of a company’s commitment to quality than the strength of their safety program,” said Doug Pruitt, the association’s past-president who announced this year’s … Read more

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US Labor Department Announces $2M Grant Competition to Train Veterans in Green Jobs

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service has announced a $2 million grant competition under the Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program to assist eligible veterans by providing employment, training, support services, credentialing and networking information in renewable and sustainable energy. “We have an obligation to our service men and women to do everything we can to help them transition smoothly into civilian life,” said Secretary Hilda L. Solis.   “These grants will not only help our veterans, they will provide an invaluable service to a burgeoning part of our economy.   Veterans deserve good jobs, … Read more

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Modest Rebound in Architecture Billings Index

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Stimulus package having limited impact because funding not yet reaching intended recipients Washington, D.C. — Following a drop of nearly three points, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) nudged up almost two points in February. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI rating was 44.8, up from a reading of 42.5 in January. This score indicates a continued decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). … Read more

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Measurement of Construction Productivity is the Subject of New ASTM International Building Standard

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A new ASTM International standard can now be used to better measure construction productivity at three levels: task, project and industry. The new standard, ASTM E2691, Practice for Job Productivity Measurement, was developed by Subcommittee E06.81 on Building Economics, part of ASTM International Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings. “Productivity cannot be improved to be at par with the rest of the nation unless it is correctly measured, and the measurement then needs to be acted upon for improvement,” says Perry Daneshgari, president and CEO, MCA Inc., and an E06 member. According to Daneshgari, the technique described in ASTM E2691 … Read more

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