Construction Input Prices Moderate in March, Energy Prices Down

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Construction input prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in March, increasing by .3 percent on a monthly basis and 4.4 percent on a yearly basis, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data recently released by Associated Builders and Contractors. Nonresidential construction input prices performed similarly, increasing by .4 percent for the month and 4.4 percent for the year. Energy-related inputs experienced a sharp decline in prices for the month, with natural gas prices decreasing by 30 percent and crude petroleum prices falling by 10.8 percent. That said, those two inputs have increased by … Read more

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Campus for All Animals Expansion Tops Out

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HOUSTON, Texas – The Houston SPCA will celebrate the construction midpoint of its premier, state-of-the-art Campus for All Animals at 11:30 a.m. on May 4 in Houston, Texas. The topping out ceremony will feature remarks by representatives from the Houston SPCA and from Linbeck Group, the construction team for the multi-million dollar project. Other event highlights include an installation of the highest point of the new adoption center – the cupola – above the new center’s lobby. Immediately following the ceremony, the Houston SPCA and Linbeck Group will conduct tours of the new facility for team members and the media. … Read more

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Skanska to Build I-15 Express Lanes Project in California’s Inland Empire

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Skanska and joint venture firm Ames Construction have been awarded a $243.9-million Design-Build contract from the Riverside County Transportation Commission to construct new express toll lanes on the I-15 freeway in California. Skanska USA Civil will include its $146.3-million portion of the contract in its Q1 2017 order bookings. The project will improve I-15 between Cajalco Road and State Route 60, adding two tolled express lanes in each direction, a distance of 14.6 miles. An enhanced feature of this project is that drivers will be able to access and exit the tolled lanes at multiple locations. Additional project elements include … Read more

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Associated Builders and Contractors Celebrates National Safety Week

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Associated Builders and Contractors celebrates Safety Week 2017 with a call for the construction industry to pledge support for substance abuse prevention and implement additional safety processes that lead to world-class safety performance. According to a recent ABC report, member construction firms with a substance abuse program in place reduce their incident rates by more than one-third compared to the industry average, and those that implement proactive best practices in 20 key safety components reduce recordable incidents by up to 87 percent. “Associated Builders and Contractors believes that every jobsite incident is preventable, and that it is … Read more

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Architecture Billings Index Continues to Strengthen

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The first quarter of the year ended on a positive note for the Architecture Billings Index. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9-12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the March ABI score was 54.3, up from a score of 50.7 in the previous month. This score reflects a sizable increase in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 59.8, down from a reading of 61.5 the previous month, while the new design … Read more

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