7 must reads for the AEC industry today: May 8, 2020

1. The pillars of work (GBBN)
"The workplace will most certainly look different in the future, but how different it looks will be unique to every organization. There (still) is no one-size-fits-all solution."

2. 'Lakehouse' is the first multifamily project in Colorado to receive WELL Precertification (BD+C)
"new 12-story, 196-unit mixed-use condominium and rowhome community has become the first multifamily project in Colorado to earn WELL Precertification under the WELL Building Standard."

3. New NIBS report evaluates natural disaster mitigation strategies (BD+C)
"The document addresses strengthening buildings for flood, wind, wildfires, and earthquakes. It examines building code requirements, federal grants, and retrofit strategies. Its goal is to help communities, building owners, and representatives in the private finance, insurance, and real estate industries initiate a greater mitigation dialogue."

4. Death of the office (The Economist)
"As the pandemic leaves offices around the world empty, Catherine Nixey asks what was the point of them anyway?"

5. Sloan Publishes Building Commissioning Guide Outlining How to Prepare Commercial Restrooms Prior to Building Re-Opening from COVID-19 (Sloan)
"There are serious risks associated with prolonged system inactivity. Water that sits in plumbing lines for extended periods of time becomes stagnant, which could lead to elevated levels of lead and copper. This water also has the potential to contain little to no residual disinfectant, leading to elevated levels of bacteria and other microbiological contaminants."

6. Will You Want to Go Straight Back Into the Crowd? (New York Times)
"Planners once dreamed of cities with vast empty plazas and quiet streets. Post-pandemic, might they do so again?"

7. Report Addresses UV Technology in Fighting Coronavirus (Maintenance & Operations)
"In response to a wave of seemingly conflicting statements and opinions about the disinfection capabilities and safety of GUV (germicidal ultraviolet light), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recently issued a report explaining GUV disinfection and its potential to safely reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19."

See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

Multifamily Housing | Feb 7, 2023

Multifamily housing rents flat in January, developers remain optimistic

Multifamily rents were flat in January 2023 as a strong jobs report indicated that fears of a significant economic recession may be overblown. U.S. asking rents averaged $1,701, unchanged from the prior month, according to the latest Yardi Matrix National Multifamily Report.

Market Data | Feb 6, 2023

Nonresidential construction spending dips 0.5% in December 2022

National nonresidential construction spending decreased by 0.5% in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $943.5 billion for the month.

Architects | Jan 23, 2023

PSMJ report: The fed’s wrecking ball is hitting the private construction sector

Inflation may be starting to show some signs of cooling, but the Fed isn’t backing down anytime soon and the impact is becoming more noticeable in the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) space. The overall A/E/C outlook continues a downward trend and this is driven largely by the freefall happening in key private-sector markets.

Hotel Facilities | Jan 23, 2023

U.S. hotel construction pipeline up 14% to close out 2022

At the end of 2022’s fourth quarter, the U.S. construction pipeline was up 14% by projects and 12% by rooms year-over-year, according to Lodging Econometrics.

Products and Materials | Jan 18, 2023

Is inflation easing? Construction input prices drop 2.7% in December 2022

Softwood lumber and steel mill products saw the biggest decline among building construction materials, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index.

Market Data | Jan 10, 2023

Construction backlogs at highest level since Q2 2019, says ABC

Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 9.2 months in December 2022, according to an ABC member survey conducted Dec. 20, 2022, to Jan. 5, 2023. The reading is one month higher than in December 2021.

Market Data | Jan 6, 2023

Nonresidential construction spending rises in November 2022

Spending on nonresidential construction work in the U.S. was up 0.9% in November versus the previous month, and 11.8% versus the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Industry Research | Dec 28, 2022

Following a strong year, design and construction firms view 2023 cautiously

The economy and inflation are the biggest concerns for U.S. architecture, construction, and engineering firms in 2023, according to a recent survey of AEC professionals by the editors of Building Design+Construction.