NEW YORK — Despite the slow pace of economic recovery to date, many leading engineering and construction (E&C) companies worldwide offer a somewhat bullish outlook for 2011, a global study from KPMG International has found. Findings from the KPMG 2010 Global Construction Survey, Adapting to an Uncertain Environment, indicate that close to half of respondents in the KPMG survey forecast rising backlogs in 2011 from pent-up demand; expansion into new services, such as power; or moving into additional geographies, such as the Middle East, Asia, Australia, Africa and India.   Asia Pacific demonstrated the most promising outlook in backlogs in … Read more

SHAWNEE, Kan. — Straub Construction of Kansas City was presented three “Excellence in Construction” (EIC) awards and the “President's Award for Best General Contractor” by the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) Heart of America Chapter. Projects earning the prestigious EIC awards were: Entertainment Properties Trust, a $2.2 million project in Kansas City, Mo., in the renovation category; Goddard Unified School District 265, in Goddard Ks., in the $25 million and over commercial category; and the $5 million Holy Angels Catholic Church, Basehor, Ks., won in the institutional category. The Entertainment Properties Trust project went on to win the President's … Read more

Strong market competition reduces overall increase in construction costsNEW YORK — Turner Construction Company announced that the Fourth Quarter 2010 Turner Building Cost Index has slightly increased over the Third Quarter of 2010. The Turner Building Cost Index measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States. The Turner Building Cost Index of 801 reflects a 0.38% increase over the Third Quarter 2010. However, overall construction costs have decreased by 0.25% when measured in comparison to the Fourth Quarter of 2009. Karl F. Almstead, the Turner vice president responsible for the Turner Building Cost Index said, “The … Read more