Architecture Billings Index in Holding Pattern

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Business Conditions Stronger at Midwest Firms through First Quarter WASHINGTON, D.C. — The first quarter of 2011 has seen the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) remain virtually unchanged and right at, or slightly above, the break-even level. 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 March ABI score was 50.5, a negligible decrease from a reading of 50.6 the previous month. This score reflects a modest increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 … Read more

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AGC Reports Construction Recovery Spotty, Variable

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Construction employment decreased in 27 states and the District of Columbia between February and March, while 33 states lost construction jobs during the past 12 months, the Associated General Contractors of America reported in an analysis of state employment data released by the Labor Department. Association officials said the data show that construction remains gripped in a depression that merits urgent corrective actions at federal and state levels. “These data show that recovery is spotty and variable in construction, as the location and number of states with job gains retreated from the levels in February,” said Ken Simonson, the association's … Read more

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First Tribal Community in the Nation Adopts International Green Building Code

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SAN FRANCISCO — Kayenta Township (Ariz.) is the first tribal community in the U.S. to adopt the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), a building code designed to reduce the environmental impact of construction projects, while keeping safety measures intact and enforceable. EPA's Pacific Southwest Green Building Team worked with Kayenta and works with other tribes and federal agencies to support the development of sustainable building codes that meet tribal priorities. In addition, Kayenta will be working with EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities to pilot community Smart Growth Guidelines for Sustainable Design and Development. “As one of the first communities to … Read more

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SIA Announces Annual Conference and Exposition

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The 39th SIA Annual Conference and Exposition will take place July 17-20 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minn., 55403. The conference is the one of the largest gatherings of scaffold and access professionals within the entire industry. It features scaffold- and access-focused educational sessions and showcases the nation's top scaffold and access exhibitors. The conference will cover topics relevant to the scaffold and access industry and its segments. Some of the planned educational topics include roof top hazards and anchors for suspended scaffolds, safety preparations for building maintenance at heights, what an Occupational Safety … Read more

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Turner Universal Earns National Award from Associated Builders and Contractors

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Company Recognized for Excellence for its Work on the Middle Tennessee Medical Center NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Turner Universal, a subsidiary of Turner Construction Company, announced that the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recognized the company’s work on the Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn. with the Pyramid Award in the Mega-Project category of ABC’s Excellence in Construction Awards. The Middle Tennessee Medical Center is a 286-bed, 555,000-square-foot facility, which includes 12 operating rooms, 40 emergency department exam rooms, 32 intensive care units, 11 labor and delivery rooms and 16 neonatal intensive care units. The project has received significant cost … Read more

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