Construction Spending, Public-Sector Demand for Construction Increase

Construction spending increased in October amid growing public-sector demand for construction and continued modest growth in residential, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the new spending figures underscore the need for measures to increase the supply of qualified construction workers as firms worry about growing labor shortages. “Today’s data shows that construction growth remains volatile,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “While overall construction spending jumped by more than one percent in October, the gain followed two months of stagnation. Public construction was the fastest-growing segment for the month but the … Read more

Filed under: Economic News, News

Western Construction Group Transforms Dilapidated Historic St. Louis Gem into Apartments for Homeless Vets

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Originally constructed in 1928, an apartment building in St. Louis, Missouri sat abandoned with boarded-up storefronts, broken out windows and a greater purpose. Through a complete façade restoration by Western Construction Group, the building was transformed back to its original glory and opened in October as apartments for special needs and homeless veterans. “We are so proud to have worked on this gratifying project, called Freedom Place. Not only were we able to bring a historic building back to its original appearance and support a neighborhood, but we also helped create a new home for our … Read more

Filed under: News

USGBC Building Health Forum Explores Built Environment as a Health Issue

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The inaugural Building Health Forum, the first event from the U.S. Green Building Council of Northern California’s Building Health Initiative, will be hosted at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay on Dec. 11. Unlike any event before it, the Building Health Forum will bring together nearly 300 of the world’s pre-eminent experts and thought leaders pioneering the healthy buildings and healthy communities” movement for provocative keynotes, educational sessions, tours and networking receptions. The forum will cover the emerging sectors of Indoor Environmental Quality, Community and Social Equity and Materials and Transparency. Specific panels will … Read more

Filed under: News, Organizations

Provisions Adopted into 2015 IgCC Can Assist Progressive Communities Meet Energy Goals

Cities and states looking at energy-efficient buildings to help meet energy goals are getting a boost from the 2015 International Green Construction Code. Four critical proposals that will drive significant improvements in building energy performance were adopted after final voting on the model energy code closed last month. While energy codes often represent the minimum efficiency standards a building must meet by law, the IgCC is a “green” code that provides progressive jurisdictions a mechanism to achieve a cleaner energy mix, more energy-efficient buildings and lower energy costs across the energy grid. Buildings are responsible for 40 percent of carbon … Read more

Filed under: News

Hill International to Manage Renovation, Expansion of Miami Beach Convention Center

MARLTON, N.J., and MIAMI, Fla. — Hill International recently announced it has received a contract from the City of Miami Beach to provide owner’s representative services in connection with the $500-million renovation and expansion of the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Florida. The three-and-a-half-year contract has an estimated value to Hill of approximately $4 million. The Miami Beach Convention Center, as originally built in 1957, encompassed 108,000 square feet. Subsequent expansions increased the facility to its current footprint of approximately 1.2 million square feet, including approximately 502,000 square feet of exhibition space and 126,000 square feet of meeting space. … Read more

Filed under: News