November Construction Numbers Send Mixed Signals
December 14, 2015
A significant dip in commercial planning was the key contributor to a 3.7 percent November drop in the Dodge Momentum Index.
The Index is a monthly measure of the initial report for nonresidential building projects in planning. Projects in planning have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.
Planning for commercial projects fell 10.2 percent, which means Dodge’s November numbers extended an October swoon, following month-to-month increases of nearly 5 percent in July and September. According to the Dodge Momentum Index release, “The loss of momentum seen in October and again in November is returning the Index to a level that’s more consistent with the gentle upward trend in planning that began in 2012.”
Offsetting the slide in commercial projects was a bump of 5.3 percent for institutional projects entering planning.
Some good news arrived in November’s employment figures, released by the Bureau of Labor statistics. Overall, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 211,000 in November, with construction employment seeing a jump of 46,000. Over the past year, the Bureau says, construction employment has grown by 259,000.
NFRC Extends Product Certification Cycle to 5 Years
December 3, 2015
Beginning March 1, 2016, the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) fenestration product certification cycle will be five years for products certified or recertified on or after that date.
Board members also decided the five-year certification cycle will not be retroactive. …
Construction Outlook Good for 2016
November 10, 2015
While October was not kind to the Dodge Momentum Index, Dodge Data & Analytics nevertheless expects the current construction expansion to continue through 2016.
In its annual Dodge Outlook Conference, held in October, Dodge predicted a rise of 6 percent …
Construction Outlook Continues to Look Good
October 13, 2015
The Dodge Momentum Index jumped 5.8 percent in September, extending the good news from August, which showed a 2.8 percent increase.
The Dodge Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first report for nonresidential building projects in planning. Such …
Glass Shortage Having an Impact on Construction
September 25, 2015
The increasingly frequent online references – “capacity constraints” … “pinch in supply” … “not enough to go around” – all refer to the same thing: the glass shortage that is throwing wrenches into construction plans and supplier intentions nationwide.
The …
Data Bodes Well for Construction Spending into 2016
September 10, 2015
A strong August increase in the Dodge Momentum Index “bodes well for construction spending through the first half of 2016,” according to information recently released by Dodge Data & Analytics.
The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first …
AAMA Clarifies Condensation Ratings Systems
September 3, 2015
To help reduce confusion in the marketplace, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has compiled a single reference source for understanding and comparing the three commonly used systems for rating fenestration systems for condensation resistance.
According to an AAMA spokesman, …
Analysts Say Construction Outlook Is Good
August 25, 2015
The non-residential construction outlook looks good – very good – according to two respected industry voices.
Doug Bevill, who writes for The Blue Book Building and Construction Network, and Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, chief economist for the American Institute of …
Construction Activity Increasing
August 10, 2015
After an inconsistent first six months, the Dodge Momentum Index jumped 5.4 percent in July.
The Momentum Index is “a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead …
AAMA Updates Test Methods for Exterior Walls
August 4, 2015
The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released AAMA 501-15, a document updating test methods, specifications, and field checks for evaluating “the structural adequacy of wall systems and their ability to resist water penetration and air leakage.”
Previously updated in …