Residential – Civil + Structural Engineer magazine

Ware Malcomb Announces Construction is Complete on The Perry Multifamily Development in Norcross GA

Bree Sikes — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA – Ware Malcomb, an award-winning international design firm, today announced that construction is complete on The Perry, a new multifamily development located at the intersection of Jimmy Carter and Peachtree Industrial boulevards in Norcross, GA. Ware Malcomb provided interior architecture and design services for the amenity spaces in the 160-unit community.

The new development is located at the gateway to several of metro Atlanta’s thriving submarkets near historic downtown Norcross and is part of a larger redevelopment weaving together offices, shopping, restaurants and apartments. The garden-style, gated property is a project by FIDES Development, an Atlanta-based firm founded in 2020 by industry veterans who bring together more than $5 billion in real estate development and investment experience.

“Our team relished the opportunity to apply our expertise in multifamily design in partnership with FIDES to achieve an innovative communal setting,” said Joe Stryker, Regional Director, Ware Malcomb. “The resident amenities will make a significant impact on the community lifestyle, especially considering the ongoing trend of work-from-home.”

Community amenities at The Perry include a hospitality zone and lounge for hosting guests at the intersection of the entrance with the pool and lobby, featuring custom specialty millwork and equipped with TV’s, sofas and games. Other amenity spaces include a bike room, coworking space, office work rooms, a mail room, pet spa area and a gym.

“Our core design concepts included nature, livability, durability and softness,” said Jamie Case, Director, Interior Architecture & Design for Ware Malcomb’s Atlanta office.

“We developed unique wall coverings with an inviting watercolor look to promote residents’ connection to nature,” said Kourtney Pennycook, Senior Project Manager for Ware Malcomb. “The artwork and photography throughout the public spaces were sourced from local artists bringing a historical and community-focused vibe to the property.”

The team also selected finishes in the units including carpet, counters, cabinet color, and luxury vinyl tile.

Ware Malcomb provides high quality and innovative planning and design services for multifamily, mixed-use and residential developments across the Americas. The communities are designed to meet consumer demand and local market trends. Their vast firm resources coupled with local knowledge and efficient project delivery methods enable them to help their clients develop and construct high quality living environments that maximize long term real estate value. From new developments to conversions, renovations and rebranding projects, their full service multidisciplinary approach creates long-lasting communities.

General contracting services for the project were provided by Fortune-Johnson.

About Ware Malcomb (waremalcomb.com)

Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full-service design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, the firm specializes in the design of commercial office, corporate, industrial, science & technology, healthcare, retail, auto, public/institutional facilities and renovation projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Private Company” and a “Hot Firm” by Zweig Group. The firm is also ranked among the top 30 architecture/engineering firms in Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” and the top 30 interior design firms in Interior Design magazine’s “Top 100 Giants.” For more information, visit and view Ware Malcomb’s Ware Malcomb’s website at http://www.waremalcomb.com/news/ and brand video at https://www.youtube.com/waremalcomb.

Stantec chosen to design next phase of Toronto’s Basement Flooding Protection Program

C+S — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +0000

TORONTO, ON — TSX, NYSE:STN

The City of Toronto has selected Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, to provide engineering services for Phase 5 of the City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program (BFPP). This multiyear program, which began in 2006, helps reduce the risk of flooding through improvements to the sewer system and overland drainage routes, which can face increased pressure with heavy rainfalls.

For the latest phase of the BFPP, Stantec will design and implement storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and storage sewer projects to help protect the basements of residents’ homes from major flood impacts. These sewer resiliency solutions will also mitigate the risk of surface flooding within the city. The firm previously provided expertise for Phase 3 of the program.

“Stantec’s team brings two decades of successful partnership on this program for the City of Toronto,” said Denise Costa, program manager for Stantec. “Our past experience supporting the City means we are already familiar with the program’s requirements. We appreciate the opportunity to do meaningful work that improves the lives of Toronto residents—helping keep their basements safe during storms.”

Stantec has over 65 years of experience designing and implementing storm and sanitary sewer system improvements across North America. The firm understands the challenges of designing infrastructure within highly urbanized areas, such as our work on the Orleans Watermain Link in Ottawa, the Nose Creek Sanitary Trunk Sewer Upgrade in Calgary, and the South Surrey Interceptor Johnston Road Section in Vancouver.

Learn more about Stantec’s Conveyance work.

Post District Residences Now Open: Experience Premier Living in Salt Lake City, Utah

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Salt Lake City, Utah — Post District Residences, a new apartment community in Salt Lake City, officially opens its doors to residents seeking a modern, upscale living experience. Featuring 580 spacious units, state-of-the-art amenities, and a prime location, Post District Residences is the premier destination for those looking to live, work, and play in the heart of Salt Lake City.

“We are thrilled to welcome residents to Post District Residences and provide a broad range of housing options along the income spectrum with rents ranging from $1200-$4000 while allowing everyone access to our amazing amenities,” said Nick Gonzalves, Director – Head of Western U.S., Acquisitions & Development, Bridge Investment Group. “Post District Residences is designed with our residents’ needs in mind, and we are confident they will love calling Post District Residences their home. Post District Residences is a prime example of what the Opportunity Zone Program was designed to do – bring capital to areas that needed some love, create housing, jobs, and sustainable communities. In conjunction with the 580 new multifamily units, we re-purposed existing industrial buildings for retail/office uses to preserve the City’s character and add a certain flavor to the project. A fusion of the old and the new. Post District Residences is a true and full live/work/play neighborhood that will have something for everyone in Salt Lake to enjoy.”

Post District Residences offers a variety of floor plans, including studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom options, each boasting upscale finishes such as stainless-steel appliances, refrigerators with water and ice makers, and in-unit washer and dryer. Additionally, each residence showcases open-concept living spaces and large windows bringing in natural light ensuring residents enjoy a comfortable and stylish living environment.

Designed by architecture firm MVE + Partners, Post District Residences’ plans recently received an award of merit and is nominated for a PCBC Gold Nugget Grand Award in the category of Best On-the-Boards Multi-Family Community. “As MVE and Partners approaches its 50^th anniversary, we are so appreciative of our partnerships with Bridge Investment Group, Lowe Property Group, BCG Holding and Q Factor and the trust they place in us to create innovative architectural design,” said Pieter Berger, Principal at MVE + Partners.

Residents of Post District Residences have access to a wide array of amenities designed to enhance their lifestyle. Post District Residents will have access to resort-style features and inspiring spaces, like a 7,000+ square foot fitness center with cutting edge equipment, indoor/outdoor pools, rooftop decks with sweeping views, golf simulator, and a creative space for artists and content creators. For added convenience, Post District Residences also offers plenty of on-site parking, pedestrian friendly streets, and easy freeway access. BCG Holdings, Principal – Brandon Blaser added “The amenities at Post District Residences create a community within the development. Aside from housing, this project is creating proximity to retailers and restaurants, entertainment, and walkability, all of which contribute towards a successful neighborhood.”

Located at 575 South 300 West, Post District blends what is loved about Salt Lake City into one vibrant neighborhood. Ben Lowe, co-owner of Lowe Property Group says “Post District is reshaping a broad area located right off the primary entrance and exit to Salt Lake City. It’s the first thing you see as you come into the city and the last thing you see as you leave the city.” This is where the city’s creativity, history, and industry meet to form a community full of incredible restaurants, business space and retail. Post District will be welcoming some of Salt Lake City’s best new restaurants and retail including Urban Hill, Sunday’s Best, Level Crossing Brewing Company, MENSHO and Traeger Grill’s worldwide headquarters.

Post District Residences is currently leasing and invites prospective residents to schedule a tour to experience the premier living experience firsthand. For more information or to schedule a tour, please visit www.liveatpost.com or call 385-350-4187.

R.D. OLSON CONSTRUCTION BREAKS GROUND ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0000

R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contracting firm in California, today announced that construction is underway on Emporia Housing development in Ontario, California. The 50-unit affordable housing complex is expected to reach completion by mid-Summer 2024.

Located at 310 W. Emporia in a semi-residential neighborhood of Ontario, the $17.8 million, 60,000-square-foot project will be the second phase of the development, with Phase One already completed. The new buildings are slated to be two and three stories in height, with residences offering various layouts including six one-bedroom units, 29 two-bedroom units and 15 three-bedroom units.

Infrastructure improvements include the closing of an existing street, adding an extra layer of safety to the community. Shared amenities include a Tot Lot children’s playground, outdoor pool, community center and convenient parking lots onsite and offsite.

The development will also enhance the neighborhood surrounding it with extensive improvements including underground utilities, added streetlights, all-new sidewalks and street paving. Exterior details include various facade finishes, ornate iron fencing, and gates with artwork paneling. Extra care and expense were invested in minimizing any sound from surrounding traffic with the installation of High STC (sound rating) for windows and exterior doors creating a unique façade, and comfortable homes.

“This is R.D. Olson’s fifth affordable housing project with developer Related California, and we are happy to bring this second phase of the property to life,” said Bill Wilhelm, president, R.D. Olson. “Related California has a long-standing track record of successful developments and are great partners in our work building affordable housing to improve communities.”

With careful advance planning, in the face of supply chain issues, R.D. Olson built in a considerable lead time on the electrical materials delivery in order to remain faithful to their construction schedule. R.D. Olson partnered with Danielian Associates Architects on the project.

SF State starts construction for first-year residence hall to provide more affordable student housing

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Today, San Francisco State University held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction for the West Campus Green (WCG) project. The project includes a first-year residence hall that will add 750 affordable beds, a dining facility and a student health center. San Francisco State hired design-build team McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and EHDD to deliver the project.

“With this project, more students will have access to affordable housing, which is critical here in the Bay Area,” SF State Vice President of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Jamillah Moore said. “That’s because when students have safe, stable and affordable housing, they are more likely to enroll, excel and graduate.”

The WCG project includes two all-electric buildings adjacent to each other. The first is a 120,000 square-foot, six-story first-year residence hall slated for occupancy by fall 2024. The second is a three-story, 50,000 square-foot building, to open in winter 2024, that will include a dining common area and the Gator Health Center. Other project highlights:

The residence hall will support all aspects of universal design to ensure equity and access to all students. It will be developed using a “pod” concept approach, averaging 12 rooms each, with three students in each room. Each pod will have shared bathroom facilities and study lounges, which will provide students with space to socialize, sleep, study and dine within the scope of intimate community grouping.
The Gator Health Center will house different units on campus including Student Health Services; Counseling and Psychological Services; and Health Promotion and Wellness. Collectively, these units provide a wide range of services such as triaging and health assessments, examination and treatment rooms, mental health support and spaces for administrative and medical staff to provide care.
The dining facility will frame a courtyard, which will host more intimate pockets for socializing, relaxation and reconnection to nature.

WCG will cost a total of $179 million. It is supported by $116 million in funds from the State of California’s Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, which was established to increase affordable student housing across the state’s three public higher education systems.

“During my visits to almost 30 universities across California, I have met with countless students who shared experiences with housing insecurity,” said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, who attended the ceremony. “Thanks to projects like West Campus Green, more California students will be able to focus on their education and not worry about where they are going to sleep at night. I’m deeply proud of our state’s historic commitment to supporting the total cost of college attendance for students and ensuring every Californian has a shot at achieving the California dream.”

Designed by global design firm headquartered in San Francisco EHDD Architecture, the WCG project will be delivered under a progressive design-build model led by the national construction company McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.’s San Francisco office. Both companies play an integral part in shaping the Bay Area local economy and housing market.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with San Francisco State University to create a new center of gravity for their campus,” says Jack Carter, Vice President at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. “The new project will be an integral anchor to the Western neighborhood and will act as a connection point for existing and future housing in the area.

“As we developed this project our biggest goal was to foster a vibrant community,” says Lynne Riesselman, project design lead and Principal at EHDD, “making sure incoming students have every chance to build connections and that in their first home away from home they find a place of belonging.”

Learn more about the WCG project by visiting the SF State website.

CORSAIR VENTURES BRINGS THE STANLEY AT CHISHOLM TRAIL LUXURY APARTMENT HOMES TO SOUTHWEST FORT WORTH

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Corsair Ventures, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based real estate development company, announces the development of The Stanley at Chisholm Trail, a 350-unit residential multifamily community in Fort Worth. Situated on 22 acres, the luxury apartment homes will be located on the northeast corner of Chisholm Trail Parkway and West Risinger Road. Construction is set to begin in Q1 2024, and leasing is expected to begin in Q2 2025.

“The Stanley is aimed at meeting the growing housing demand along Chisholm Trial, the dominate growth corridor in Fort Worth,” said Brian Park, development partner at Corsair Ventures. “The Stanley is thoughtfully designed to provide residents with the upscale amenities they expect and more, like connectivity outside and high-end, tech-rich home features. Located near dining and entertainment, residents will also have easy access to Chisholm Trail Parkway and Interstate 20, getting them to their destinations across the Metroplex.”

Designed by HEDK Architects, The Stanley will offer studio to three-bedroom units averaging 865 square feet. Each unit will include stainless steel appliances, wood-look flooring, large walk-in closets, designer lighting in the kitchen, smart access and controls, large kitchen islands, quartz and granite countertops, large balconies and private yards.

Throughout the community, residents will have access to an array of amenities, including community-wide high-speed Wi-Fi, a dog spa, a high-end fitness center, a splash pad for children, a game area, a disc golf course, private and coworking office space, a resort pool with a tanning ledge and cabanas, package delivery service and more.

The Stanley is located within Crowley Independent School District and offers an easy commute to downtown Fort Worth and surrounding cities. This will be Corsair’s third project in the Fort Worth area, having also completed The Presido at River East and The Riley Apartment Homes in Burleson.

MBK RENTAL LIVING AND R.D. OLSON CONSTRUCTION TEAM UP ON 292-UNIT NEW LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY IN DUARTE, CALIFORNIA

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 20:00:00 +0000

MBK Rental Living and R.D. Olson Construction announced that construction is underway for Solana at Duarte Station, a new 292-unit five-story luxury apartment community located in Duarte, California on 3.43-acres with an eight-story parking structure. MBK is proud to partner with Haseko Corporation (Haseko) in this second apartment joint venture with the company.

Situated only 11 miles from downtown Pasadena and 22 miles from downtown Los Angeles, Solana is a transit-oriented development located along the vibrant interstate I-210 corridor and just steps away from the City of Hope Metro Gold Line Station. Upon completion, it will offer a mix of flats and lofted studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and four-bedroom co-living apartments with each bedroom hosting its own kitchenette. The new wrap-style development, which commenced construction in December 2022, is adjacent to MBK Rental Living’s 4.3-acre site in Duarte, Esperanza at Duarte Station, which celebrated its grand opening in March 2023. Solana is where playful adventure meets a relaxed and bohemian atmosphere, making it the ideal destination for those who seek to unwind and live in absolute harmony with nature.

“Following the opening of our first apartment development in Duarte, MBK is thrilled to have construction underway on Solana at Duarte Station and bring additional housing to Duarte,” said MBK Rental Living President Ken McCarren. “As we continue to enhance our relationship with Haseko and R.D. Olson Construction, we remain dedicated to MBK Rental Living’s growth throughout California. We look forward to welcoming our first residents toward the end of next year and introducing them to the harmonious blend of relaxing outdoor amenities and contemporary indoor leisure offered at Solana.”

Solana at Duarte Station will exemplify MBK’s thoughtful and active approach to modern living, with a strong emphasis on amenities and spacious exterior gathering spaces. Appealing to a diverse range of renters – from students and families to professionals and empty nesters – the community will include a variety of floorplans. Amenities at the new community will include a fitness center and resort-style pool and spa, a clubroom, and a gathering spot to grab a coffee. Residents will also experience the community’s connection to nature with features like an entertainment alleyway for food trucks and outdoor events, pocket parks, and a linear park spanning the entire length of the community with a dog park and lounge areas.

“With our collaborative approach and fast-track construction expertise, Solana at Duarte Station is well-positioned to evolve with the surrounding area and further enhance the diverse lifestyles of Southern California residents,” said Bill Wilhelm, president of R.D. Olson Construction. “We’re delighted to continue working with MBK Rental Living and feel confident that Solana at Duarte Station will strengthen collective confidence in the region’s housing market.”

The luxury community will offer residents convenient metro access via train and freeway to Pasadena and downtown L.A. to the west, as well as the Inland Empire, prominent universities, and Ontario International Airport to the east. The community’s favorable location is in close proximity to popular retail destinations including Target, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart, while also bridging residents to nearby entertainment hubs, employment centers, and community services including City of Hope, a 120-acre comprehensive cancer treatment center. Historic Route 66 and the time-honored towns of Monrovia and Bradbury are also just minutes away.

Hill International Awarded Contract to Provide Project Management Support for the Dahiyat Al-Fursan Development by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:00:00 +0000

PHILADELPHIA and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hill International (Middle East) Ltd., delivering the infrastructure of change, announced today it was selected by the National Housing Company (NHC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to provide Project Management Consultation (PMC) support for the new landmark city of Dahiyat Al-Fursan. Located eastside of Riyadh Airport, work on Al-Fursan is underway and will ultimately develop some 35 million SM. Once complete, Al-Fursan will comprise 50,000 units of suburban homes, apartments, townhouses, educational facilities, commercial buildings, and related infrastructure, along with dedicated green spaces.

Dahiyat Al-Fursan is among the largest of the residential developments currently being developed by NHC and is specifically targeted to meet the needs of today’s Saudi families.

As Project Manager for the development, Hill will provide PMC services to the NHC, managing all of Al-Fursan’s first and second sub-developments and infrastructure packages. This includes program management, cost estimating, schedule management, risk management, contract management, change management, and all related PMC services to help ensure the NHC’s vision for Al-Fursan is realized as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

Hill Senior Vice President Dr. Adel Jemah said of the award: “Working with NHC to realize Al-Fursan is both an opportunity and an honor for our KSA team. The NHC’s goals are clear: to help Saudi families own their own homes in desirable, welcoming locations with the services and infrastructure they expect. Hill has a long history of helping our KSA clients achieve ambitious programs and projects, and this will be a proud addition to our portfolio.”

Hill Chief Executive Officer Raouf S. Ghali adds: “NHC is and always will be a core client for our company. We understand their priorities, their preferences, and their processes, and will work hand-in-hand with their team to deliver Al-Fursan as imagined.”

INNOVATIVE LITHIUM/ION BATTERY FIRE PROTECTION DESIGN FOR MULTIFAMILY BUILDING BIKE STORAGE ROOMS PROPOSED BY NOTED ARCHITECT

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 22:00:00 +0000

New York, NY—March 16, 2023—An architect responsible for scores of successful multifamily projects has revealed an innovative design, engineering and materials solution to reduce the risk of fires from lithium/ion batteries on electric bikes in apartment building storage rooms.

“Recent fatal fires in multifamily buildings started by lithium/ion batteries on electric bicycles are a lethal threat that can be greatly reduced through effective design and engineering solutions,” said Ariel Aufgang, AIA, principal of Aufgang, an architecture and engineering design and consulting group.

Aufgang’s engineering team has designed a bicycle storage room with a fire protection system that reduces the threat posed to building residents from such fires.

“Lithium Ion batteries burn very hot without the presence of oxygen due to a chemical reaction within the battery cell,” said Sam LaMontanaro, PE CEM, Director of Engineering and head of the Building Systems Advisory Unit at Aufgang.

“We designed a bike storage room for apartment buildings that is fully encapsulated within cinderblock—Concrete Masonry Units (CMU)—to contain and limit the potential for fire and heat spread,” said LaMontanaro.

“As the first line of defense, sprinklers will slow the spread of fire allowing time for fire fighters to get to the site. To maximize sprinkler speed and effectiveness our design increases their density within bike the room to provide 0.3 gallons of water per minute (gpm) per square foot using standard k=5.6 sprinkler heads, with their spacing decreased to a 10ft x 10ft grid, coordinated with the racks and structure. That’s well beyond most building code requirement,” said LaMontanaro.

Two floor drains are installed in the bike storage room to prevent flooding in the event of sprinkler discharge, and the room is designed to provide clear access to allow responding fire fighters safe entrance into the space to fully extinguish the fire with heavy hose streams.

Technology also plays a role, said LaMontanaro.

“Our design specifies smoke and heat detectors, including infrared sensors, that trigger fire alarms and alert building staff in the event of a fire in the bike room,” he said.

“Building residents must be required to keep electric bicycles in the building’s designated bike storage room and never in their apartments, hallways or lobbies,” said Ariel Aufgang.

“We recommend that municipal and county building departments and fire departments update and revise their codes to contend with the increased risk of fires in multifamily buildings from lithium/ion batteries on electric bicycles. Our safer dedicated bike room design is an excellent model for new construction requirements as well as retrofits,” said Aufgang.

KWK Architects Designs Reinforced Rooms at Residence Halls to Protect Students from Tornadoes, Severe Weather

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000

In areas of the country where dangerous tornadoes and severe weather occur more frequently, more universities are incorporating reinforced rooms, or storm shelters, in their residence hall designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. These tornado-safe rooms are typically small, above- or below-ground structures made of concrete, masonry or steel that are proven to withstand extreme winds, even those produced by EF-4 or EF-5 tornadoes.

The U.S. averages 1,333 tornadoes per year with more than half of those occurring between April and June when most universities are still in session. The top five states with the highest number of tornadoes annually include Texas, Kansas, Florida, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Javier Esteban, Principal at St. Louis-based KWK Architects, suggests that universities work with their architectural firms to determine a reinforced room design that best accommodates their budgets, structures and student population.

Ideally, reinforced rooms should be designed and constructed based on the standards and codes for tornado and hurricane storm shelters developed by the International Code Council (ICC) 500, in partnership with the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA), said Esteban, but that is not always feasible for a variety of reasons.

“Many times the restrictions in terms of ventilation, structure, and exit requirements make designing to these codes cost-prohibitive for universities. In those instances, it is still possible to design for student safety via a compromise where some public areas of the residence hall have strengthened or reinforced structures, doors, and windows,” he said.

KWK Architects has designed reinforced rooms for several universities within the country’s Tornado Alley where twisters are more common:

Headington and Dunham Residential Colleges at the University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma averages 68 tornadoes per year).
University Commons residential complex at Missouri S&T (Missouri experiences an estimated 45 twisters annually).
Victor E. Village at Fort Hays State University in Kansas (Kansas reports an average of 96 tornadoes per year).

A reinforced room should be designed to stand up to high winds on its own, independent of the building structure surrounding it, said Esteban.

“It is critically important to maintain the structure of the reinforced area so that should a building collapse occur, it does not affect the integrity of the reinforced space, and its occupants remain safe,” said Esteban.

The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) has outlined the different types of tornado-safe room options available and the materials used to build them:

1. Cast-in-Place Concrete – these rooms are assembled on-site using removable forms, rebar and concrete to create the walls and ceilings. The forms can be fitted with liners to create concrete exterior surfaces that look like siding, brick or stone.

2. Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) – These rooms are created using foam blocks that contain steel reinforcement, fitted together and filled with concrete. The foam is a permanent part of the room and provides insulation to the building. Interior and exterior finish options include drywall, sheetrock or siding.

3. Concrete Masonry – These safe rooms are constructed of individual blocks, set in place with rebar and fully grouted. Two rows of steel at the top of the wall hold the assembly together. There are a variety of texture and finish options available.

4. Precast Concrete – This room is formed off-site and delivered to a building for installation. It can be located virtually anywhere in a new building and is anchored using steel angles and bolts. Precast concrete can be finished in a variety of colors and textures using form liners.

5. Prefabricated Above-Ground Steel – These prefabricated safe rooms typically cost less than site-built safe rooms. Considerations must be made to ensure that this room is placed on a safe and sturdy foundation.

Esteban also suggests that reinforced room designs incorporate emergency lighting, electrical outlets, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, heating and air conditioning, and an AED defibrillator. When not in use, residence hall storm shelters can serve as lounge and study areas for students.

Women Breaking New Ground in Homebuilding

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

MARINA, Calif. – When J.F. Shea Company began a small plumbing company 142 years ago, there were virtually no women in the construction workforce. Today women in the homebuilding industry have a strong representation in sales, marketing, legal, and finance, but there are still relatively few women in the field of construction.

Shea Homes, one of the country’s largest privately held homebuilders, is proud to help change that. Shea hired Teichert Construction, who employs an all-women crew, to prepare sites for new homes at The Dunes and The Enclave in Monterey County. Driving huge earth movers to create roads, infrastructure and homesites is no small task. Maneuvering heavy equipment with names like scrapers, rollers, blades and skip loaders requires tremendous skill and precision.

The craft of moving thousands of yards of dirt to prepare a site for vertical construction requires technical expertise as well. These massive vehicles use satellite GPS and video to turn engineering drawings into 3D reality. To accomplish this, Norma Lopez (the Grade Setter) works on the ground choreographing a ballet of these giant yellow machines with a walkie talkie in hand. Jessica, Jocelyn, and Maikel follow her direction, each operating a giant earth mover.

Most of this female crew have been working together for two years. Jessica, Jocelyn, and Maikel are all sisters. Their father is a carpenter and encouraged them to join the construction industry; an industry they now love. Jocelyn says, “He is our biggest cheerleader.” Jessica, a journeywoman, leads the crew, and has been with Teichert for seven years now. Her little sister, Maikel, is the youngest on the team. She is just one month into the Union’s internship and certification program.

Shea Homes has been transforming the former US Army base of Fort Ord in Marina, California into a modern residential community that combines sustainability features with a connection to the natural environment. When complete, The Dunes will have over 1,200 homesites and is expected to include a main street promenade, hotels, restaurants, art walk, shopping and entertainment, just across Highway 1 from one of California’s most picturesque State Beaches.

Three miles south there is a smaller, but in some ways more challenging site for the all-women crew. They are grading a terraced site tucked between two fairways at the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses. When completed, some of the homes at The Enclave at Cypress Grove will have sweeping views of the golf courses and Monterey Bay just beyond.

According to Layne Marceau, Shea Homes’ Northern California President, “We are excited to have more women in the industry and on our job sites and are pleased to be working with others who share that vision.” Teichert Construction has been around for quite some time. The State of California issued construction license #8 to Teichert, one of only 5 companies from the “First 100” to retain their original license. When Adolph Teichert started his business in 1887, there were few women to be found in leadership positions. Mary Teichert, the Company’s President today puts it this way, “We are committed to building high performing teams where diversity, equality and opportunity are encouraged. Women represent a huge untapped pool of talent: with women only holding 6% of US construction jobs, there are a lot of women who do not yet see this industry for the amazing job opportunity it is. Working together with visionary customers like Shea Homes, we know we can strengthen an amazing workforce for the future.”

Maikel sums it up, “People are still getting used to seeing women working on construction sites. We are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.”

Vicaima doors promote the functional design of the Pedralbes Vita Student Residence

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 22:00:00 +0000

The Pedralbes Vita Student university accommodation chose Vicaima’s solutions to be fitted in all the rooms and common areas of the new development. Located in the city of Barcelona, close to some of the most prestigious business schools in Spain, this student accommodation consists of 274 flats, set in an elegant residential area.

The first investment of the reputable “Vita Group” outside the British market, the rooms of the building have been designed with different options of the Block model – a ready to install set composed of door, jambs, architraves and accessories.

For the room entrances, the choice went for the Block EI30 AC32dB, a solution that meets the demanding requirements of fire resistance and acoustic isolation, essential in a building designed to host students. In the interiors, several units of the Sliding Block model were installed, this solution contributes to maximising the functionality and the use of the spaces.

As for the common areas, which include the study and dining rooms, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, swimming pool and lounges, the security conditions are provided by the Block EI60 fire resistance solution.

For a refined aesthetic feel that harmoniously blends with the different spaces, the choice of finishes went for Satin White Lacquer RAL 9010, Dekordor® 3D Grey and Dekordor® 3D Black – distinct options which merge and adapt to the décor of the property. Simple, elegant colours which are balanced out by the presence of bold decorative details, transforming the different areas into unique, striking spaces.

Besides the fire and acoustic performances certified by international accredited entities, Vicaima also gives special attention to the environmental aspect within its activity. Aware of its responsibility towards more sustainable projects, the company provides all of its products with FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification.

In this way, Vicaima reasserts its continuous presence in projects of excellence for the residential sector, standing out as one of the major European players in the design and production of avant-garde solutions for interior doors, technical doors, frames, wardrobes, panels and furniture items.

Global challenges and construction – a reflection on the past year

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:00:00 +0000

2022 was a tough year for many companies, including construction companies. The Housing Authority in Sweden predicts a sharp slowdown in housing construction, and at the same time, many individuals and families are on the verge of being able to stay in their homes. Rampant prices for interest, food, electricity, fuel, and rents and falling prices for houses and apartments have severely affected the household economy and the market. Not to mention all those who, even before the crisis, had nowhere to live.

The housing shortage is a fact, and homelessness too, even here in Sweden. And thoughts cannot be prevented from going to all those affected by the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian citizens who fled for their lives had their homes destroyed, their homes wiped out, families torn apart, children taken from their parents, and family members lost life. Where will all these people go?

The housing shortage is a global problem – 20% of the world’s population, approximately 1.8 billion, lacks suitable housing. The pandemic contributed to an increased lack of housing, and the war in Ukraine with subsequent inflation has done the same.

Climate change has, in turn, made several places around the world hazardous to live in or simply uninhabitable. Storms, floods, and rising sea levels have destroyed many homes, farmland, schools, roads, and access to clean water. This affects both economically and socially the impacted countries and especially the vulnerable areas.

Times of crisis feed creativity

But all is not pitch black. It is in times of crisis that innovations, solutions, and the gathering of forces are pushed forward, and we all agree on the same goal, to make it better. It breeds motivation, will, and creativity. In March 2022, the World Economic Forum wrote about five policies that can help solve the global housing shortage. They mention upzoning, financial incentives, revised immigration policy, more favorable mortgage terms, and increased tax revenue. There are, of course, many more creative and economical solutions to be explored. Subcultures that come up with new ways of housing, like the Tinny Houses movement, for example, we have probably only seen the beginning of.

Sustainable construction in times of change

We at StopDigging want to contribute what we can to solve the challenges in our industry. An industry that has different conditions, needs, and resources worldwide. To build a sustainable world, we must look not only to the needs of individuals and communities but also adapt our construction to their culture, environment, and location conditions. Thierry Joffroy describes this so articulately in his article Learning from Local Building Cultures to Improve Housing Project Sustainability in The UN Chronicle:

The history of construction shows that builders have always been creative in adapting and upgrading housing structures by making the best use of locally available resources to meet their needs, while taking into account local economic, social and climatic constraints. Societies worldwide have developed building cultures that result in ‘contextual’ architecture, corresponding to unique construction methods and specific ways of life. Local building cultures, however, are not static. They evolve as societies do, particularly when exchanges with other countries and cultures take place, introducing new knowledge, building materials and techniques.

Cooperation for better solutions

Companies should be open to joint ventures and other types of B2B collaborations. It can mean new solutions, new markets, and increased profitability. Together, we can create comprehensive solutions that benefit customers, shorten lead times and broaden offers. For us at Stopdigging, collaborations with other companies in the construction industry are a matter of course. Around the world, we work together with others to make housing developments and other infrastructure more environmentally friendly, safer, more cost-effective, and timesaving. We want to make a difference.

Polyglass ADESO® Self-Adhered Membranes Installed on Historic Home in North Carolina

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 23:00:00 +0000

Based in Raleigh, NC, RiCal Construction is a noted residential and commercial construction contractor that has provided exterior roofing, repair, and siding installation and replacement services for more than 30 years. When contracted to replace the roof on a portion of the historic Flora MacDonald College building in Red Springs, RiCal opted for a Polyglass multi-ply SBS roofing system. The project was RiCal’s first one with Polyglass.

About Flora MacDonald College

The Flora MacDonald College building traces its origins to the 1890s when it first served as a Presbyterian seminary and later became one of the earliest women’s colleges in the South. The current historic neoclassical building has changed names numerous times since its construction in the early 1900s, but it has always served as an educational facility. The Flora MacDonald Campus is now home to Highlander Academy, a private school for Pre-K to 12th Grade students.

Project Background & Challenges

RiCal was tasked with a complete tear-off and re-roof of the kitchen area of the building – a project scope of 3000 sq. ft. As the building was more than 108 years old, securing the roof to the old walls while preserving the building’s historical integrity posed the most significant issue.

Polyglass’ self-adhered roofing products and liquid flashing proved to be highly effective in solving this challenge and made the task easier to accomplish. After tearing off the old roof covering, the RiCal team laid down a dual SBS membrane over the plywood substrate using Polyglass Elastoflex SA V Plus for the base layer and Elastoflex SA P FR for the cap sheet. Both products utilize a patented ADESO® dual-compound self-adhered technology for easy application without needing torches, asphalt, or other adhesives. The team then sealed the roof features and penetrations using PolyBrite® Reinforcing Polyester and PolyFlash® 1C liquid flashing.

Product Spotlight:

PG Elastoflex SA V Plus: A premium grade elastomeric base sheet designed for low-slope roofs, combining a top layer of true SBS asphalt and a self-adhered bottom layer reinforced with a fiberglass mat for increased strength and stability.
PG Elastoflex SA P FR: A self-adhered SBS cap layer with fire-retardant additives, designed with a non-woven polyester reinforcement that combines flexibility with superior tear and puncture resistance.
PG Polyflash 1C: A white liquid flashing compound made from moisture-cure silane-modified polyurethane, offering superior waterproofing protection around walls, vents, and other roofing penetrations.
PolyBrite Reinforcing Polyester: A flexible and white stitch-bonded polyester fabric that reinforces cold-process roofing systems and elastomerics.

Polyglass has a superior range of self-adhered roofing products for low-slope roof restorations. Contact us today to discuss your commercial or residential roofing needs.

The Architectural Team and Beacon Communities Debut Award-Winning Affordable Passive House Building for Boston Seniors

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 21:00:00 +0000

The Architectural Team (TAT), an award-winning architecture and master planning firm, and Beacon Communities LLC, a privately-owned real estate firm that develops, acquires, invests in, and manages multi-family housing, have announced the completion of a ground-breaking new affordable housing building for seniors in South Boston. Known as Phase Three C of The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony, this 55-apartment midrise building stands out for its use of Passive House design principles. Constructed by Dimeo Construction, it is one of just a handful of affordable housing developments in the state built to the stringent, energy-saving standard better known for its use in high-end, single-family homes.

Thanks to this innovative approach, the project recently won a design excellence award in the low-rise multi-family category from the Passive House Institute US chapter (Phius). The juried Phius Passive Projects Design Competition honors fully certified passive building projects throughout the United States and Canada, with awardees recognized for pushing the boundaries of passive building design. Phase Three C of The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony offers some of the most comfortable and efficient rental apartments available anywhere, setting an important benchmark for affordable senior housing as the number of people over-60 soars nationally.

“The Passive House approach is a game-changer for affordable and workforce housing projects, which can significantly benefit from the standard’s lower ongoing operating costs, healthier interior environments for residents, and a growing number of incentives from states and cities,” says Nate Thomas, CPHC, of TAT, a passive house project manager expert at the firm. “This is a critical and necessary step in facilitating more and better affordable apartments for vulnerable populations such as seniors, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the building’s ecological footprint.”

A Forward-Looking Perspective on Affordable Housing, Decades in the Making

Now open to residents, the distinctive four-story, 51,000-square-foot building forms a linchpin of TAT and Beacon’s decade-plus-long redevelopment of the Old Colony community, the nation’s oldest federal public housing development. Carried out in association with the Boston Housing Authority, the transformation has redeveloped almost the entire community over the last decade and is on track to complete the redevelopment with three more passive house buildings. The award-winning previous phases that were also designed by TAT and whose recognition includes the Boston Society of Architects’ John M. Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing among other honors, advanced a redeveloped series of midcentury superblocks. The result is a welcoming neighborhood of attractive midrise buildings and townhomes set within a walkable street grid and a variety of public open spaces that create a national model for public housing transformation. Earlier phases also provided community assets and gathering hubs, including The Joseph M. Tierney Learning Center that offers educational services and health and wellness programs to support residents.

The completion of Phase Three C follows the conclusion Phases One – Three, comprised of 590 apartments. According to Beacon and TAT, three additional buildings of the redevelopment comprised of 297 apartments, with two soon to begin construction, will also pursue Passive House design standards, underscoring the development team’s longstanding commitment to sustainability and its resident-centric focus on wellbeing.

“Working in partnership with the Boston Housing Authority, Beacon has strived to build energy-efficient and healthy homes for our residents in every phase of our work on The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony,” says Darcy L. Jameson, Vice President of Development for Beacon Communities. “Over a decade ago, when Beacon began this redevelopment, we were thrilled to build one of the first 100% affordable LEED Platinum buildings in Boston. Continuing the goal of building near net-zero buildings across our portfolio and in support of the City of Boston’s goal to be carbon free by 2050, we are excited to complete this building and are honored to receive an award from Phius.”

Design, Comfort, and Performance

TAT’s architectural approach for this phase of The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony draws on core principles of Passive House design. Located on a prominent corner within the Old Colony community, the building emphasizes passive solar design and compact geometries to reduce thermal bridging with its dynamic red and grey façade holding robust, heavily insulated walls. High-performance windows and a highly efficient HVAC split system further ensure a healthy and comfortable indoor environment for tenants by improving air quality and reducing contaminants such as mold. The project’s roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) array also generates power to cut carbon emissions and boost sustainability and resiliency.

“Passive House buildings such as The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony Phase Three C are far more resilient than traditional apartment communities in severe weather conditions,” says the architect and TAT principal Jay Szymanski, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP. “Due to very low air leakage and exceptional thermal performance, these developments maintain their user comfort for significantly longer in the event of power outages. As the number of severe storms and extreme weather events increases, this is another clear benefit of the Passive House approach—especially for seniors who are at much greater risk of negative health outcomes from extreme weather.”

Other comfort- and performance-enhancing features at Old Colony Phase Three C also express themselves as engaging elements of the exterior design, improving the building’s efficiency and inviting curiosity and attention from passersby. For example, a series of thermally broken metal fins act as solar shades bracketing many of the building’s window openings, reducing solar heat gain while also adding dynamic visual interest to the façade.

“The Passive House approach informed every aspect of our design, and the challenges of working to such a rigorous standard also created opportunities for a striking and distinctive, yet contextual architectural presence,” concludes TAT’s Szymanski. “The result is an apartment community that fits into the larger Old Colony community and also makes a clear statement that highly livable, sustainable, and beautiful rental homes are affordable for vulnerable populations.”

TAT’s innovative Passive House work for The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony is the latest in a long line of creative and high-performing multifamily communities, including the acclaimed resilient waterfront community at Clippership Wharf in East Boston, and Moran Square in Fitchburg, Mass., an adaptive reuse of two historic buildings and the new construction of a five-story building into a mixed-use, mixed-income multifamily community with 8,000 square feet for commercial space, which has received Passive House Pre-Certification. As well, TAT’s work on The Loop at Mattapan is a $57M new transit-oriented development of 135 apartments of mixed-income housing and 10,000 square feet of commercial/retail space, designed in conjunction with MASS Design Group. Once complete, the Passive House envelope will include the entirety of the wood-framed tower portion of the building, which is separated from the concrete podium by a post-tensioned concrete slab on the second floor.

Healthy Residence Halls Promote Student Physical Activity, Utilize Sustainable Construction Materials

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000

In 1984, the World Health Organization suggested that up to 30% of new and renovated buildings had excessive complaints related to indoor air quality, which was directly related to Sick Building Syndrome. According to the EPA, Sick Building Syndrome describes situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

“While we still see cases of Sick Building Syndrome today, we have certainly come a long way from the less healthy buildings of the 1980s. Today, designers are focused more than ever on specifying and constructing healthy buildings, including residence halls,” said KWK Architects Principal Javier Esteban. “Just to put into perspective the importance of this issue, according to the EPA, the average American spends up to 87% of their time indoors, inside buildings. We live and breathe in man-made spaces, with a certain amount of filtered fresh air surrounded by products with high levels of chemicals.”

So, what is a healthy building, or more specifically, what constitutes a healthy residence hall?

There are many definitions, but in general, a healthy residence hall is architecturally designed to promote physical activity and healthy habits, while using healthy materials and building systems to provide a healthy environment.

Promoting Student Physical Activity

Buildings can promote student physical activity through spaces that encourage exercise, such as a prominently located main staircase. By creating a wide and welcoming staircase with lots of natural light where students can also hang out (commonly called the community stair), students will often use it for at least the first three floors. Another strategy is locating elevators in a secondary place behind the staircase to encourage students to use the stairs. Special consideration must be taken to not segregate students who are in wheelchairs or visually impaired.

The Active Design Guidelines published by the Department of Design and Construction, Health and Mental Hygiene, Transportation and City Planning of the City of New York, includes multiple strategies that can be used for site planning, as well as the exterior and interior of a building to promote exercise. This is especially important in the context of a “mini city” such as a university campus where means of transportation include bicycles, skateboards and electric scooters, in addition to the traditional campus bus. The opportunities to create an active campus are infinite, but it requires the common vision of all stakeholders.

Integrated building signage can be used not only as a wayfinding tool, but also as motivation and information about healthy habits. For example, signage can inform students how many calories they burn by climbing one flight of stairs while small signs can provide mile markers on campus walks.

This interrelates with promoting healthy habits. Research shows that creating additional vistas to the landscape and active spaces motivates people to move.

Color and lighting are also very important in setting the “mood” of the building. Lively colors induce movement, together with living walls thriving with vegetation; all are part of the concept of Biophilia – an innate tendency in humans to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. The intent with these initiatives is not necessarily for students to start exercising in the building, but rather to make the users more active in their daily routines by using what behavioral economists call “nudging,” or small pushes toward changing behavior.

Integral to the built environment is furniture selection. It is very important in residence halls to have variation in the furniture, tables and chairs, soft seating, etc. This also includes active furniture spread out in small meeting rooms, study rooms and lounges, all to create a more dynamic and active residence hall.

Sometimes the message is a lot more direct. For example, at North Residence Hall at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), KWK Architects designed a very open fitness room integrated with the floor that not only blends with the social functions of that community, but also takes advantage of expansive views of downtown Indianapolis. The design and location of the room also allows other floor residents to go to the top floor and get exercise in a relatively private manner.

Specifying Healthy Materials

The use of healthy materials is very important in the construction of any residence hall, and it starts from day one understanding which materials will be selected for the design. Consumers are used to seeing ingredient labels on the foods they purchase and eat every day, so why not start doing the same things for a building that students will spend most of their time in on campus?

There are three major systems in place that help create an inventory and screening of the major components of building materials that students are surrounded by every day – Health Product Declaration (HPD), Cradle to Cradle Products and Red List Products. All three systems are used to identify and ensure compliance with LEED or Living Building Challenge requirements and help designers select materials that contain minimum amounts of (or are void of) harmful materials. This requires conversations with construction product manufacturers, as it happened several years ago with the push for more recycled content or the substantial reduction in VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) in paints, glues and sealants. Of special importance is the LEED V4 requirements which has encouraged manufacturers to publish HPD’s on many construction products.

More and more materials used in building interiors today are being made from sustainable, recycled materials such as countertops made from recycled plastic waste and carpet nylon made from recycled fishing nets harvested in the Philippines and Central Africa.

Even the mechanical and plumbing systems can be designed to ensure clean fresh air, reduction of pollution and adequate air filtering, not only at the building level but also at the source of the chilled water or steam in cases of power plants and campus loops very common in the context of the university campus.

Including filtered drinking water fountains in strategic locations instead of soda vending machines can help promote an overall healthier environment for students. Traditional water fountains are also being replaced by water bottle refill stations. Additionally, vending machines can sell healthy snacks and beverages.

One of the established paths to achieving a healthy building is to incorporate a WELL building standard (Silver, Gold or Platinum) composed of seven concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind; with the goal of advancing health and well-being in buildings.

“There is a clear synergy between active and sustainable buildings. They both encourage and promote a healthy environment outside and inside buildings,” said Esteban.

About KWK Architects

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. Areas of expertise include student housing and dining, and academic and science/technology spaces. KWK Architects has completed more than $1 billion in construction-valued projects since its founding and currently employs a growing staff of 15 at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

KWK Architects Completes New Mixed Grade, Living/Learning Wagoner Hall at Augustana University

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000

South Dakota’s largest private university, Augustana University, has made the shift to mixed-grade housing for the 2022-2023 school year with the recent completion of Wagoner Hall designed by St. Louis-based KWK Architects. The growing campus also welcomed its largest first-year student class since 1970 with more than 550 full-time undergraduate students, according to the university’s student newspaper The Augustana Mirror.

The new $16.75 million Wagoner Hall opened in August to students from any grade, as was the case for other residence halls on campus. Freshmen occupy the first floor of new Wagoner Hall and upper class students are on the remaining two floors.

“We have so many different styles of residence halls now, and they come at different price points,” said Augustana University Director of Housing Operations Jenna Bump in The Augustana Mirrorarticle. “Instead of forcing students to be like ‘this is your only option or these are your only two options,’ we’ve kind of opened it up to have all students choose whatever option will work best for them, for their living style, for their price point.”

Construction on Wagoner Hall began in summer 2021 on the south end of the university’s north campus near 33^rd Street and Grange Avenue. The L-shaped, three-story hall houses up to 200 students and includes semi-suites with four beds and a bathroom in each unit. A community building at the front of the hall features shared multi-purpose spaces and incorporates living and learning environments for faculty, students and affinity groups on campus.

“The 54,000-square-foot hall is multi-functional for the entire campus community and features flexible classroom space that can be used for programming during the day, then utilized for community interactions in the evenings and weekends. A kitchen and lounge area in the hall further promotes community,” said KWK Principal Paul Wuennenberg.

The university’s new housing plan for the south end of campus is part of a long-term comprehensive plan to transform Augustana’s physical campus. Once these projects are complete, the university will assess their impact, along with the most current enrollment projections to best determine how to proceed with the next phase of the comprehensive plan – a new 75,000-square-foot North Residence Hall for 279 students.

About KWK Architects

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 120 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. Areas of expertise include student housing, dining, and academic and science/technology spaces. KWK Architects has completed more than $1 billion in construction-valued projects since its founding and currently employs a growing staff of 15 at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact the Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Orion Group Holdings, Inc. Announces Contract Awards Totaling $128 Million

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 21:00:00 +0000

Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) (the “Company”), a leading specialty construction company, today announced a contract award for its Concrete segment valued at over $40 million.

Under this contract, the Company will construct a 40-story multi-family residential building in the Houston area, beginning in Q1 2023 with expected completion in Q3 2024. The team will perform construction of the mat foundation, an interior stair and elevator core, forming and placing concrete of the elevated structure, along with placement of rebar. The building includes a nine-story parking structure, 30 stories of living space, and an amenity level with an outdoor terrace. One of the company’s tower cranes will be supporting the construction of the project.

This contract along with other contract awards in Q3 totaling $128M, comprised of $53M in Concrete and $75M in Marine, will be completed throughout 2023 and 2024.

“Our recent success winning work across all segments will help set us up for a stronger 2023 and beyond,” said Travis Boone, Orion’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are continuing to expand our client base and focus on our key markets in both Marine and Concrete.”

About Orion Group Holdings
Orion Group Holdings, Inc., a leading specialty construction company serving the infrastructure, industrial and building sectors, provides services both on and off the water in the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and the Caribbean Basin through its marine segment and its concrete segment. The Company’s marine segment provides construction and dredging services relating to marine transportation facility construction, marine pipeline construction, marine environmental structures, dredging of waterways, channels and ports, environmental dredging, design, and specialty services. Its concrete segment provides turnkey concrete construction services including pour and finish, dirt work, layout, forming, rebar, and mesh across the light commercial, structural and other associated business areas. The Company is headquartered in Houston, Texas with regional offices throughout its operating areas.

Vicaima Solutions in highlight at the Catalonia Gran Vía Bilbao Hotel

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 19:00:00 +0000

A the new project in the Spanish hospitality market, Vicaima solutions are enhanced in the different areas of the Hotel Catalonia Gran Vía Bilbao, contributing to highlight the elegance, versatility and modernity of the development.

The project includes a wide selection of Vicaima interior, fire, fire and acoustic doors, certified by international accredited entities, including several Portaro® units (a solution comprising door, frame and accessories in a single piece) including the Portaro® EI30 AC44dB, selected for the 106 room entrances of this complex as well as the Portaro® for the interior.

In the different common areas, the Portaro® EI30 AC40dB, EI60 and EI60 AC44dB and Portaro® solutions fitted there, result in a perfect blend of comfort and tranquillity. For maximum comfort and efficient access between the different spaces, several units of Block® Sliding and Portaro® Double Action were also installed, these solutions are combine functionality and aesthetics.

Focusing great attention to detail, the hotel’s interiors integrate the refined shades of the RAL 7044 grey and RAL 8019 brown lacquers, adding to the contemporary ambience and refining its elegant lines.

Located in one of the city’s most sophisticated avenues and within walking distance to iconic sites, such as the Guggenheim Museum or the Euskalduna Palace, the hotel is prepared for different scopes, from guests for leisure tourism to a corporate public.

As one of the major European players in the design and production of vanguard solutions for interior doors, technical doors, frames, wardrobes, panels and furniture pieces, Vicaima reinforces its international presence in an emblematic Spanish city, by providing an offer focused on quality with a refined aesthetic sense.

In addition to its commitment to quality, the company is also concerned with sustainability, providing all its products with FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certification, thereby asserting its social and environmental responsibility.

Aura, the Latest Residential Collection in Snowmass Base Village, Colorado, Installs SHARC Energy’s Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) System to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000

SHARC International Systems Inc. (CSE: SHRC) (FSE: IWIA) (OTCQB: INTWF) (“SHARC Energy” or the “Company“), a world leader in wastewater energy transfer (“WET”), is pleased to announce its PIRANHA T15 WET system will be installed in Aura’s 21 slope-side residences, powered 100% by renewable energy resources within the residential building. Aura’s team is led by East West Partners, a developer of high-end mountain resort communities, and supported by SHARC Energy’s Colorado distributor, LONG Building Technologies. It is anticipated this unit will ship in Q2 2023.

The PIRANHA WET system, best suited for stand-alone buildings, is an electrical hot water system that extracts thermal energy from wastewater and uses the energy to reheat the water used in the building. The WET system significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides energy and cost savings. The PIRANHA WET system is the first of its kind in the HVAC market and has redefined green building innovation, with every dollar of energy used to operate the system generating approximately four dollars of output.

Once completed, Aura will be the fourth installation of a SHARC system in Colorado, supporting the state’s goal of reducing carbon emissions by 90% from the building sector by 2050. SHARC Energy’s PIRANHA systems are installed in the Boulder Commons Phase II project, a 98,000-square-foot development consisting of offices and multi-family residential buildings and 30PRL Apartments, a 120-unit affordable housing project in Boulder. The SHARC series, an industrial-sized WET system is installed in National Western Center, an innovative 250-acre campus hub in Denver that will source nearly 90 percent of its heating and cooling from a recycled source of thermal energy and prevent 2,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere each year.

Lynn Mueller, SHARC Energy’s Chairman & CEO commented: “We are proud to support Snowmass Base Village and its latest project Aura in building ultra-efficient, all-electric homes that use 100% renewable energy sources resulting in zero on-going carbon emissions from the building itself. Our hope is that it will inspire other ski villages to utilize WET systems in their buildings to have a direct positive impact on the environment. We are also excited about our increasing footprint in Colorado, an important market for SHARC Energy, and globally, as developers realize the importance of recovering and reusing the thermal energy from wastewater to build Net Zero Energy buildings.”

There are nearly 30 SHARC and PIRANHA WET systems installed or in progress in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia helping residential and commercial buildings and district energy systems meet their sustainability goals.

PCI Honors Luxury Condo Project for Craftsmanship

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 22:00:00 +0000

The Orchard, a luxury condominium project in Chicago, was honored with the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute’s 2022 Sidney Freedman Craftsmanship Award. The prestigious annual award recognizes PCI-certified plants for excellence in manufacturing and craftsmanship of architectural precast concrete and glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) structures and individual components.

Lombard Architectural Precast Products Company’s plant in Alsip, Ill., was selected by judges for manufacturing the project’s exterior precast concrete panels with a limestone-like finish. The structure’s intricate balcony design, roof-level cornices, door and window trim, and various lineal reveals required unique formwork with highly complex build-ups and precise detailing. Lombard Architectural Precast cast more than 400 precast concret panels to realize the architect’s design and detailing goals.

“The color, texture, and finishes of the precast were consistent throughout the entire project. Overall, it was very impressive,” said Mike Mourad, vice president of customer service at International Precast Solutions, of River Rouge, Mich, who was a member of the award jury. “All of the different components consisting of 400 panels came together beautifully and elegantly to showcase the architect’s intent.”

“Our greatest accomplishment on this project was how the team overcame the design challenges,” said Adam Lombard, estimator at Lombard Architectural Precast. “This project challenged the team here at all levels, from estimating and production to quality control, trucking, and project management.

“With precast concrete, repetition is the name of the game. When a manufacturer can produce many similar panels, the job can be quickly engineered and produced without a lot of interruption. However, this project had little-to-no repetition. Each separate piece required unique formwork; our production team was constantly adjusting siderails and formwork while trying to stay within the constraints of the basic molds.”

The award is named after retired PCI Director of Architectural Systems Sidney Freedman, who was a leading voice in precast concrete architectural design for more than 43 years with the organization.

Construction Set to Begin on New SFUSD School in Mission Bay

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:00:00 +0000

Today, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco City leaders, and community members celebrated the launch of development activities at the new SFUSD Mission Bay School site. Envisioned nearly 25 years ago, the school is a central component of the 1998 Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan, and was developed through an extensive public process that concluded earlier this year.

“Watching a new neighborhood take shape before our eyes is an amazing experience, and we are privileged to have the opportunity to bring a new, state-of-the-art school to San Francisco,” SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne said. “This new school increases educational access to San Francisco families in an area that has undergone tremendous growth over the last several years — and much more growth is expected to come. The school will be at the heart of a burgeoning neighborhood with close connections to the biotech industry, public health, higher education, green spaces, and more.”

Located in one of San Francisco’s fastest growing neighborhoods, the new campus’s main program is a PK – 5 elementary school for 550 students; the fourth floor will also include STEM-focused Mission Bay Hub where SFUSD high school students can engage in workforce readiness and career programs; and a Professional Learning Resource center that offers professional development opportunities for teachers and staff.

“The Mission Bay neighborhood is growing quickly, with 30% of homes in the area designated as affordable housing units. It’s really important that we continue to prioritize education where we are building housing, so I want to thank the SF Board of Education and SFUSD for highlighting this growing neighborhood that has many families in need of good school options,” said Mayor London N. Breed. “Mission Bay School is the first new school in SFUSD in over 10 years; we need to be doing more to ensure every kid in San Francisco has equal opportunities and access to quality learning.”

This is a rare opportunity for SFUSD to design a 21st century school from the ground up intentionally designed to nurture student creativity, provide the latest teaching and learning technologies, and foster independent learning and thinking.

“The Mission Bay Hub for high school students complements the SF Board of Education’s recently adopted Vision, Values, Goals, and Guardrails to prioritize strategies and policies that advance student outcomes. As part of this work, the Board has set a long-term goal for SFUSD to increase the percentage of high school 12th graders who are college- and career-ready,” SF Board of Education President Jenny Lam said. “This new school further strengthens our commitment to provide a high-quality education to each and every student in our district, and to equip each with the tools that will support them thrive.”

With over 6,000 units of new housing and hundreds of SFUSD students, Mission Bay is part of a major housing growth and population increase that San Francisco will continue to see on the eastern side of the City over the next decade. SFUSD anticipates 700 additional K-12 students in the Mission Bay neighborhood alone, once all planned housing construction in the neighborhood concludes.

“This is truly an exciting day for families in Mission Bay. I want to thank all the community members that have spent years advocating for this school, and to also commend the San Francisco Unified School District for an amazing push towards the prioritization of STEM-focused education. The school’s focus on these crucial fields reflects the incredible career opportunities found here in Mission Bay,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “Looking towards our future, Mission Bay and District 6 is slated for so much new development, and families will finally have the opportunity to attend a good school close to their homes.”

“Mission Bay is one of San Francisco’s fastest growing neighborhoods, but doesn’t have a public school,” said Assembly member Matt Haney. “That is finally going to change. Residents organized for years to get a desperately needed public school built in the heart of Mission Bay and this dream is becoming a reality. With a new public school, Mission Bay will continue to grow as a thriving family friendly, kid friendly neighborhood, and this site will also provide hands-on educational opportunities to students from across the city.”

The vision for a school in Mission Bay has been in the works since 1998, when a parcel was included in the Mission Bay South Redevelopment Plan for a future school. That parcel is currently owned by UC San Francisco (UCSF), and will formally transfer to SFUSD later this year.

“UCSF enthusiastically welcomes SFUSD to the neighborhood,” said Renee Navarro, MD, PharmD, Vice Chancellor of Diversity and Outreach at UC San Francisco and professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care. “Through our Center for Science Education and Outreach (CSEO), we’re proud of our work supporting STEM education in the school district for the past two decades. We see the establishment of this school as a continuation of CSEO’s long standing efforts to provide programs and services that lead to student academic success, increased college-going rates, and exploration of various STEM careers for the underrepresented students and public schools we serve. We look forward to deepening our work together with the opening of this innovative and exciting new school.”

SFUSD is working with design-build team McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and DLR Group to deliver the new school project, which is anticipated to open in August of 2025. In November, the contractor will mobilize on site to install temporary site facilities and stormwater control measures. This will be followed by the removal of existing parking lot pavement and utilities, in preparation for site grading and soil improvement to reduce soil settlement and hold the future building.

Learn more about the new Mission Bay School project here.

R.D. OLSON CONSTRUCTION BREAKS GROUND ON SPRINGHILL SUITES BY MARRIOT IN CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 22:00:00 +0000

R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contracting firm in California, today announced that construction is underway on Springhill Suites by Marriot in Chula Vista, California. The 5-story, 179-key hotel is expected to reach completion by December 2023.

Located at 870 Showroom Place in Chula Vista, California, the $38 million, 127,628-square-foot project is a continuation of the firm’s growing San Diego presence and is an opportune addition to the Chula Vista market as it buds with new retail and business developments.

Built using wood framed type IIIA construction over a Type1 concrete podium, the on grade structure features an EIFS exterior with a contemporary architectural design. Guest rooms feature generation 4.5 prototype furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE). The ground-up construction is on a tiered and elevated 2.75-acre site.

To encompass the spirit of community, amenities will include a lounge, bar, buffet, meeting room, rim flow pool, jacuzzi, cabanas, fire pits, activity area, pavilion, event lawn, barbeques and fitness room. The public areas and lobby will include custom interior finishes while the lobby showcases custom millwork features.

“As the premier hotel builder in California, R.D. Olson is well versed in delivering top-notch hospitality projects,” said Bill Wilhelm, president at R.D. Olson Construction. “Our experience with this product type, construction and budgeting proficiency as well as our rapport with the architect will all convene to deliver an impactful new development to the Chula Vista community.”

R.D. Olson is again partnering with architect, Lee & Sakahara and Interior Designer, Design Studio on the project.

About R.D. Olson Construction

Founded by Bob Olson in 1979 and led by President Bill Wilhelm, R.D. Olson Construction commemorates 43 years of building and is one of the top 40 general contracting firms in California. R.D. Olson Construction is a premier builder of hotel and multi-unit properties for several national hoteliers and developers, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, MBK Living, Related Properties and Meta Housing, and has a robust portfolio of renovation projects including Atria Senior Housing, Chapman University’s Reeves Hall, the conversion of the historic Bank of Italy Building into the Nomad Hotel and more. The firm also has a rich history as a builder of office, retail, restaurant, education, senior living and recreational projects. Learn more at www.rdolson.com.

The “oasis downtown”: La Secoya senior community opens in urban Santa Fe (architecture by three)

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 21:00:35 +0000

On the north side of Santa Fe, New Mexico, a just-completed senior living community promises an “oasis downtown” thanks to aesthetics inspired by the surrounding desert vistas and the city’s multicultural, artistic heritage. Designed by national architecture firm three (threearch.com), La Secoya de El Castillo comprises nearly 200,000 square feet of development on two and a half acres, including 68 one- and two-bedroom independent living apartments, with on-site healthcare settings and vibrant amenities.

According to Rocky Berg, AIA, architect and principal with Dallas-based three, the residence sits atop a 55,000-square-foot underground parking facility for up to 150 vehicles (plus 47 resident storage units) presenting seniors with easy access to everything Santa Fe has to offer. For example, La Secoya is less than ten minutes walking distance from the Lensic Performing Arts Center.

An adjunct of the El Castillo Life Plan Community about a mile south (where three previously designed an expansion and upgrades) La Secoya is the first ground-up project designed by the firm for nonprofit owner-operator El Castillo Retirement Residences, in partnership with management consultancy Greystone Communities. Working closely with El Castillo CEO Al Jahner, Berg and his team applied three’s signature design approach, developing a concept that captures Jahner’s vision for a unique resident experience.

The primary takeaways from the pre-design engagement sessions emphasize the region’s natural beauty, especially the sequoia trees on the site for which the new community is named.

“These days seniors want to live in an environment that inspires and invigorates,” says Berg, an acknowledged national expert on senior living trends who writes and speaks frequently for professional audiences. “They also seek out communities with on-site and nearby amenities that support leading a purposeful life, at any age. Our design for La Secoya combines these elements in a setting that celebrates Santa Fe’s culture and scenery.”

Berg and the architects at three strove to deliver El Castillo’s vision for La Secoya on schedule and budget, in spite of construction taking place during the pandemic and through various supply chain crises. “Also, by collaborating effectively with Greystone and key project partners, we were able to realize key operational efficiencies that will keep costs down for both operators and residents,” adds Berg.

The result is a welcome addition to Santa Fe’s cultural and economic fabric, providing essential, high-quality housing options for the New Mexico capital’s growing cohort of seniors, on a site that will allow residents to be a vital part of city life.

NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEW EXHIBITION EXPLORING HOW HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INNOVATIONS CAN BECOME REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 16:00:14 +0000

– A BETTER WAY HOME: The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge opens to the public October 21 –

The National Building Museum announced today that it will open a major new exhibition, A BETTER WAY HOME: The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge on Friday, October 21. The exhibition is part of Equity in the Built Environment, one of the Museum’s signature series which includes public programs and workshops, focused on actions to promote justice in the built environment.

A BETTER WAY HOME tells the dynamic story of the six winning teams from the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge, a three-year, $20 million initiative launched in January 2020 by Wells Fargo Foundation and national nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners. The Challenge aims to close the economic gap in the available housing market by elevating and transforming housing affordability innovations into real solutions.

“The need for more affordable, accessible, and well-designed homes has never been greater, and that means we need to invest in bold ideas that challenge the status quo,” said Eileen Fitzgerald, head of Housing Affordability Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “These six ventures are reshaping how we build, finance and support residents to ensure everyone has access to an affordable home where they can thrive.”

The exhibition features the six housing innovators awarded $2.5 million each to execute their solutions in three areas: housing construction, housing finance, and resident services and support. Designed by MASS Design Group – the firm recognized in the National Building Museum’s Justice is Beauty and Gun Violence Memorial exhibitions, the 1,500 square-foot exhibition tells the stories of these breakthrough ideas, the organizations leading them, and the people and communities they impact through building models and multimedia materials, including photography, illustrations and videography.

The six winners of the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge prevailed in a national grant competition that drew nearly 900 proposals from organizations in 49 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Each winner received $2.5 million to develop and scale their housing solution. CREDIT: Brenda Bazán/Enterprise Community Partners

“The Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge shows what is possible when dedicated community leaders with vision and experience have the resources and peer support to pursue and scale their ideas,” said Jacqueline Waggoner, president, Solutions Division, Enterprise Community Partners. “It is a privilege to lead the Challenge and support our six winning teams as they work coast to coast to create transformative change and equity through housing solutions. We are grateful to Wells Fargo for their generous support of the challenge and honored to have this powerful story featured at the National Building Museum in collaboration with MASS Design Group.”

“This exhibition provides an opportunity to share this innovative and impactful work with our visitors,” said Aileen Fuchs, the Museum’s President and Executive Director. “Equity is one of our guiding Pillars of Impact and we are committed to amplifying work designed to illustrate the relationship between equity, social justice and the built environment and how design and construction can create opportunity and empower communities.”

Exhibition visitors will view the six Breakthrough Challenge winners and their solutions, which range from sustainable rural homeownership to a home-sharing program for people released from prison and equitable underwriting technology.

H3C in New Orleans is the second of two Health + Housing pilot sites, made possible in part by financing from Aetna, a CVS Health company. Breaking ground in March 2022, H3C will feature a clinic along with commercial space on the ground level and affordable rental homes on the upper floors. CREDIT: Gulf Coast Housing Partnership

Resident Services and Support

The Homecoming Project introduces a unique model of community re-entry that pairs people returning from prison with homeowners who have an available room and a desire to help someone make a fresh start in life. Impact Justice, a national innovation and research center advancing new ideas and solutions for justice reform, launched and leads the innovative program.

Designing Trauma-Resilient Communities reimagines affordable housing design and services through the lens of trauma-informed caring and its core principles: safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment. The innovator, Preservation of Affordable Housing, is a nonprofit developer, owner and operator of affordable homes in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

Housing Finance

Underwriting for Good leverages new technology and alternative credit data to increase access to homeownership and wealth building for Black and Brown families. Center for NYC Neighborhoods, which promotes and protects affordable homeownership through a focus on racial equity and climate change, introduced and developed the financing innovation.

Health + Housing creates new financing options for health insurers to invest in affordable homes, while ensuring residents access to on-site community health care. The innovation was created by Gulf Coast Housing Partnership, a nonprofit developer delivering affordable homes across the region.

Housing Construction

MiCASiTA puts sustainable rural homeownership in reach for families in the Rio Grande Valley and other regions where poverty persists through a streamlined delivery system offering modular homes that “grow” as people’s needs and dreams evolve. cdcb | come dream. come build., a Brownsville, Texas-based housing development organization, built the innovation in partnership with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, a community design center.

Forest to Home transforms the home delivery supply chain by merging forest stewardship and high-tech manufacturing to create affordable modular homes built with cross-laminated timber. The innovation’s creator, Forterra, is an unconventional land trust working across Washington State’s communities and landscapes.

MUSEUM HOURS

Thursday – Monday, 11 am – 4 pm. The exhibition is located on the main floor.

Simpson Strong-Tie Engineering VP Annie Kao Named to Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors for East Bay/Silicon Valley

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:00:26 +0000

Pleasanton, Calif. — Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley has named Annie Kao, Simpson Strong-Tie Vice President of Engineering, to its Board of Directors for the term of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024. As a board member, Kao will contribute her expertise to advocate for the building of safe and sustainable housing.

Kao is a California state-licensed professional engineer and received her MS in structural engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and her BS in engineering from Harvey Mudd College. She joined Simpson Strong-Tie in 2006 as a branch engineer at the company’s Riverside, California location and was promoted to Vice President of Engineering in 2019.

Kao’s responsibilities include:

Leading the research and development of new technologies and products
Operating university-grade test labs and developing advanced research test programs
Creating technical resources such as literature and technology tools to support design professionals
Providing engineering design services and submittal packages for product lines
Supporting manufacturing to ensure high-quality products

In addition to her work at Simpson Strong-Tie, Kao is active in her professional and local communities. She is a former director for the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC), a founding member of the SEAOSC Women in Structural Engineering Committee, and has served on the Board of Trustees for Harvey Mudd College. In 2019 Kao received the Barc Simpson Community Hero Award, which recognizes outstanding volunteer contributions by Simpson Strong-Tie employees in their communities.

“Habitat is so fortunate to welcome Ms. Kao to our Board of Directors,” said Janice Jensen, President & CEO of Habitat East Bay/Silicon Valley. “Her belief in affordable homeownership, commitment to equity, and passion for community engagement are all vital to our governance – and a wonderful way to augment our long, rich partnership with Simpson Strong-Tie.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work alongside professional and dedicated board members who are committed to Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Kao. “Habitat’s work aligns perfectly with the Simpson Strong-Tie principle of giving back, and our mission of helping provide safe, strong and resilient housing.”

About Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc.

Simpson Strong-Tie is the world leader in structural solutions — products and technology that help people design and build safer, stronger homes, buildings, and communities. As a pioneer in the building industry, we have an unmatched passion for problem solving through skillful engineering and thoughtful innovation. Our structural systems research and rigorous testing enable us to design code-listed, value-engineered solutions for a multitude of applications in wood, steel, and concrete structures. Our dedication to pursuing ever-better construction products and technology and to surrounding our customers with exceptional service and support has been core to our mission since 1956. For more information, visit strongtie.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Upscale Philadelphia high-rise now open

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 18:00:51 +0000

PHILADELPHIA—The Harman Group, now IMEG, is proud to announce the opening of Arthaus, 301 S. Broad St., Philadelphia. The exquisite, 47-story, 400,000 square-foot residential tower fits seamlessly into the atmosphere of upscale art, culture, and entertainment along the Avenue of the Arts. The luxury high-rise includes 107 condominiums, curated amenities, ground floor retail, and above-ground parking for 151 cars. A grand opening celebration was held Sept. 20.

The Harman Group, now IMEG, provided structural engineering and parking consultancy services for the project in partnership with developer, Dranoff Properties, architect, Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, PC., construction manager, and INTECH Construction.

“We have had the privilege of providing structural engineering and parking design for some of the most transformative projects in Philadelphia and we are honored to add Arthaus to our portfolio of completed projects,” said Kirk Harman, managing principal of The Harman Group, now IMEG. “We also are honored to have been able to work again with urban visionary Carl Dranoff, who is known for his ability to bring distinctive luxury projects to life. Congratulations to the entire Arthaus project team.”

Early value engineering and early investigation of alternative approaches were critical to solving the structural challenges of the project. The chosen structural system consists of cast-in-place reinforced concrete columns, shear walls, and floor slabs. The majority of the vertical structural elements are supported on shallow foundations, a mix of combined footings and a concrete mat supporting the central core. A limited number of perimeter columns are supported on deep drilled piers to avoid any impact on an adjacent historic church. Additionally, the tower has a tall, thin profile and features a supplemental damping system, a “tuned liquid damper,” to assure occupant comfort.

The Harman Group, now IMEG, also has served as the structural engineer on numerous other complex residential towers that have transformed the Philadelphia skyline, including The Harper, Bridge on Race, Symphony House, 1706 Rittenhouse, and more.

IMEG is a Top 5, 100% employee-owned Engineering Firm in the U.S. (BD+C) and ranked #77 on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms list. For more information, visit imegcorp.com or harmangroup.com.

Synchronous Lifting System and Low-Height Skidding System Enable Relocation of Historic Beachfront Building in Florida

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 19:00:10 +0000

When the Seaway Villas was constructed in 1936 at 9149 Collins Avenue in Surfside, Fla., it was the city’s first apartment building. In 2014 the building was deemed historically significant. Three years later, the two-story building gained a prominent neighbor, the Four Seasons Hotel.

The two-story historic structure that once hosted 28 apartments will be transformed into two exclusive beachfront residences that are expected to list for $20 million. Each home will feature five bedrooms, six bathrooms and oceanfront views. However, before the massive renovation can begin, several actions were needed.

First, the roof and interior walls had to be removed, preserving the façade and exterior walls. This phase of the project began in the spring of 2022. Next, the structure had to be moved to the east to enable the construction of a below-grade parking garage and new foundation. Once completed, the building will be carefully moved to its final resting place.

Structural Builders and Restorations (S-BR) called upon Engineered Rigging to identify the best way to lift the building measuring approximately 90’ x 30’ off its foundation, move it 100 feet south and 9 feet east to the staging area, and then return it north to its final address. Having moved a 900-ton, 209-foot-long bridge span, an 873,500 pound generator, and a 150-ton locomotive, the Engineered Rigging team was well equipped to manage the building relocation.

The project proved to be the ideal situation to put Engineered Rigging’s newly acquired Enerpac Synchronous Lifting System (SLS) to work. Featuring a computer control system and powerful split flow pumps, the SLS’s uses sensors to precisely control the balancing and lifting of a heavy load to an accuracy of one millimeter. Ten lifting points, each powered by a 100-ton Enerpac HCL-lock nut hydraulic cylinder, were implemented to carefully lift the one-million-pound structure.

Once the building was lifted to a height of six inches, Engineered Rigging’s technician, Scotty Havard, directed the S-BR team on insertion of LH400 Low-Height Skidding Systems under the building. Ten skid shoe beams and 98 pieces of skid track were arranged to form a 150-foot runway on the east and west sides of the structure. The extended length of the runways saved a significant amount of time and labor costs by reducing the need to leapfrog the track to reach the destination. Using four push-pull units, the Seaway Villas was moved 100 feet over the course of three days in July 2022.

In addition to contributing technical support on the lift plan, Engineered Rigging provided a variety of equipment rentals for the project including three LH400 Low-Height Skidding Systems consisting of 3 split-flow pumps, eleven 100-ton lock nut hydraulic cylinders, six skid shoe beams, 98 pieces of skid track, six push pull units, and one on-site equipment technician. The quantities were a bit higher than needed to ensure spares were on hand.

Engineered Rigging looks forward to returning to the oceanfront job site to return the Seaside Villas building to its original location.

About Engineered Rigging

Engineered Rigging (ER) is a global innovator in heavy lifting. By leveraging decades of experience and a wealth of technical expertise, ER overcomes the most complex logistical challenges for a variety of industries. The company provides engineering services, design-build solutions and heavy lifting and specialized transport equipment rentals, sales, service and support. For more information, visit

www.EngineeredRigging.com.

Milgard Team Members Install Vinyl Windows at Habitat Build Day

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:00:02 +0000

Five team members from Milgard Windows and Doors volunteered with Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity installing Milgard V300 Trinsic^TM Series vinyl windows.

“Everyone was excited,” says Tim Large, a pricing manager at MITER Brands^TM who also serves on the MI Charitable Foundation’s Tacoma Outreach Committee, “because most of us, even though we work for a window company, had not previously installed windows.”

The highlight of the day was working with Tanisha, the person who would soon be the owner of the Habitat home. Habitat for Humanity stipulates that all housing recipients put in so many hours of “sweat equity,” and Tanisha was on-site helping to get her house ready for her family.

“It was great to see her get in her own volunteer hours with our group,” Large says. “It was a special and rewarding day to work with her on her family’s future home.”

Team members at Milgard’s Tacoma facilities have long supported Habitat for Humanity projects. In fact, a group of team members were at a similar location earlier in year when the foundation was poured. As part of that endeavor, volunteers signed their names and wrote inspirational messages on the wood beams that frame the house.

As much as he enjoyed that project, Large was even more excited to take part in a build day. He finds the process of seeing a property transform into a suitable home especially appealing.

“I love the fact that we’re getting that much closer to move-in day,” he says. “I’m already looking forward to next year’s build day and maybe even installing more Milgard windows.”

Apis Cor and SMASH Announce Partnership to Design, Develop and 3D Print Affordable Housing in Miami-Dade

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 21:00:38 +0000

Solving housing issues with new, cutting-edge technology

MELBOURNE, Fla. and MIAMI (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apis Cor, the company that prints buildings, and SMASH, a community land trust for housing justice, announced their partnership to 3D-print affordable homes in Miami-Dade county. As partners, Apis Cor and SMASH will define the unique needs and specific technical objectives of their first building project and work with officials in Miami-Dade to demonstrate the viability of 3D-printing homes in South Florida.

“In a market where land is prohibitively expensive like Miami, and where there are limited funds for housing production, 3D-printing technology offers the kind of market disruption that could finally provide conscious builders with the means to meet the extraordinary demand for affordable housing in the county,” said Adrian Alberto Madriz, Executive Director, SMASH-Miami.

“Partnering with SMASH gives us the opportunity to push our technology and materials in new ways,” said Anna Cheniuntai, CEO and Co-Founder of Apis Cor. “Because Miami is in a high-velocity hurricane corridor we are exploring how 3D-printing technology can be adapted to meet specific building, design and cost requirements.”

The Apis Cor system cuts shipping costs, installation time, and improves printing speed. Apis Cor’s construction method can save up to 30% on the cost of a traditional finished home in the United States.

Madriz added, “As a worker-owned cooperative non-profit, we will be able to employ organized labor in the production of cutting edge, resilient and quality housing at a much lower cost than conventional methods.”

“Before we 3D-print the first home with SMASH in 2023, we will have planned out every detail, achieved the desired price for each build, and secured approvals from the county,” commented Cheniuntai.

Cavco Industries Wins MHI’s Inaugural “Community Impact Project of The Year” Award

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 22:00:42 +0000

The Company’s Five Points Neighborhood Initiative recognized for creating opportunities for families that otherwise may not be able to achieve the dream of home ownership

PHOENIX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cavco Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVCO) (“Cavco” or the “Company”) announced that the Company has won the Manufactured Housing Institute’s (MHI) inaugural “Community Impact Project of the Year” award (2022) for its Five Points Neighborhood Initiative in Martinsville, Virginia, where its Nationwide Homes brand is based. This new award, voted on by a panel of independent industry experts, recognizes company efforts to address social challenges or underserved needs at the local level.

“The success of the Five Points Neighborhood Initiative is a shining example of industry partnering with community leaders to make a significant and beneficial impact on the lives of our fellow citizens,” said Bill Boor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cavco Industries, Inc. “We are extremely proud to be the first-ever recipient of this award, and our Nationwide Homes team, led by Donald Aheron, Jim Miller and Greg Hickman, went above and beyond to deliver this project and revitalize a community – right in their own hometown.”

Every year, the MHI holds their Excellence in Manufactured Housing Awards competition and invites submissions from manufacturers, vendors, retailers, communities and other strategic partners in the industry. This year, the MHI received over 83 submissions across 17 awards categories.

Nationwide Homes, a Cavco Industries, Inc. brand, partnered with a diverse list of local, state and national organizations to build the Five Points neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia. In addition to Nationwide, this unique coalition of public and private entities included Virginia Housing, City of Martinsville, USDA-Rural Development, Silverpoint Homes – Nationwide’s top independent retailer, Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation, United Way of Henry County & Martinsville, and The Harvest Foundation. Together, this dedicated team committed copious amounts of time, manpower and resources to revitalize this underdeveloped area with homes to be sold to owner-occupied buyers meeting the project’s housing-insecurity requirements. Each home has a five-year deed restriction requiring owner-occupancy.

The Five Points project comprises homes designed to be starting points to help alleviate housing challenges that many families face. Specifically, the focus of the project is to provide new housing that’s affordable for individuals earning in the $17-to-$20-per-hour range – somewhere close to the prevailing wage rate for local business and industry, and what has been referred to as “workforce housing.” The Five Points neighborhood will include 27 new cottages and townhomes that range from $125,000 to $155,000. In addition, upon completion, the project is expected to generate over $100,000 per year in new utilities and real estate taxes for the city and is part of the larger revitalization concept of the uptown Martinsville area.

Cavco has distribution points in 43 U.S. states and in Canada, through its 45 retail stores and 26 production plants, while employing over 6,000 people. In 2021, the Company delivered over 14,000 homes, provided over $165 million in financing to homebuyers, insured homes for over 60,000 homeowners and provided fast and efficient claims assistance to over 5,200 homeowners. Cavco is the third-largest U.S. builder of manufactured homes, with a 14% share of that market.

For more information on Cavco Industries, visit cavco.com.

Simpson Strong-Tie Introduces New Quick-Start, High-Strength Wood Fasteners to Take Home Improvement Projects to the Next Level

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:00:51 +0000

Pleasanton, Calif. — Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, introduced the Wafer-Head Construction and Finish Trim screws to provide contractors, homeowners and DIYers with versatile fastening solutions that are ideal for a full range of home improvement projects from cabinetry to framing to installing trim and molding and more.

Designed to help homeowners build every project faster, easier, and stronger than ever, both the Wafer-Head Construction and Finish Trim screws feature a patented SawTooth® point to eliminate the need for time-consuming predrilling and a 6-lobe recessed head to make driving secure, fast, and easy.

Available in #8 x 1 1/4″, 1 1/2″, 2″, 2 1/2″, and 3″ lengths, the Wafer-Head Construction screw provides a strong, reliable connection with little effort. Featuring a wafer head for increased pull-through resistance that’s been tested for withdrawal and pull-through loads, the Wafer-Head Construction screw drives easily and holds materials in place for the long term, whether it’s for carpentry, home improvement projects, or other wood-to-wood (or engineered wood) applications.

For projects that demand a faster fastener with a finer finish, the Finish Trim screw provides homeowners with a high-performance screw that features under-head threads for cleaner countersinking and a compact, low-profile cylinder head for a clean, concealed appearance. Available in a variety of sizes from 1 1/4″ to 5″, the Finish Trim screw is ideal for carpentry, trim, fascia, window jambs, and other applications requiring a strong hold and clean finish with minimal fastener head exposure.

The new Finish Trim Screw from Simpson Strong-Tie features under-head threads for countersinking to a clean, concealed appearance

Particularly when it comes to trim, the Finish Trim screw allows for secure installations on long, multiple-board runs with smooth, clean fastener finishes. That means no more marred surfaces resulting from errant hammer blows, and no more damaged trim boards from incorrect depth-adjustment settings on power nailers and staplers.

“The introduction of the new Wafer-Head Construction and Finish Trim screws provides professionals and DIYers with complete versatility to quickly and easily tackle the widest range of home improvement projects,” says Simpson Strong-Tie product manager Andrew Brigham. “From interior to exterior, structural to finish, completing projects faster, more easily, and more securely than ever is finally in reach, all with these versatile screws.”

The Wafer-Head Construction screw and Finish Trim screw are available in exterior-grade Quik Guard® coatings to help resist outdoor elements. This summer, the Finish Trim screw will also be available in Type 316 stainless steel in select lengths for use in wet, salty, or other severely corrosive environments.

For more information on the lab-tested, superb holding power and total project versatility of the Simpson Strong-Tie Finish Trim and Wafer-Head Construction screws, visit strongtie.com/fasterfinish or call (800) 999-5099.

Simpson Strong-Tie Unveils Comprehensive Collection of Outdoor Accents® Decorative Hardware and Outdoor Design Software at JLC LIVE

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 17:00:39 +0000

Pleasanton, Calif. — Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, will bring its newly updated and comprehensive collection of Outdoor Accents decorative hardware, along with a suite of Outdoor Living Solutions design apps, to the 2022 JLC LIVE Residential Construction Show in Providence, Rhode Island, March 24–26.

Now in its 26th year, JLC LIVE is a premier regional industry event for residential builders, remodelers, deck contractors, and construction crews in the Northeast US and is noted for its live installation and how-to clinics and exhibitor-led, hands-on product demonstrations.

Located in the main Lower Exhibit Hall at Booth #1027, Simpson Strong-Tie will showcase new line additions to its Outdoor Accents Mission Collection® and Avant Collection and offer live demos of its free Outdoor Living Solutions Deck Planner , Pergola Planner, and Fence Planner apps.

“Designing and building unique outdoor living structures and even complete outdoor living spaces continues to excite and engage homeowners as they plan for remodeling or even new home purchases,” says Sam Hensen, Simpson Strong-Tie vice president and general manager for Connectors and Lateral Systems. “The new additions to our Outdoor Accents collection as well as our free, easy-to-use design apps provide contractors, builders, and lumberyards with almost limitless design options for beautiful custom outdoor living structures that are easy to install and tested for superior load strength.”

Fabricated from ZMAX® galvanized steel with a black powder coat for corrosion protection, the Simpson Strong-Tie ® Outdoor Accents line of ornamental hardware offers a complete collection of tested, code-listed connectors and fasteners for building beautiful, strong custom outdoor living structures such as pergolas, pavilions, arbors, gazebos, and patio covers. New Outdoor Accents products launching at JLC LIVE include a 2″ structural wood screw and a selection of easy-to-install knee brace connectors and APRT Rigid Tie® connectors.

On display for the first time at JLC LIVE, the new Fence Planner Software joins the popular Outdoor Living Solutions platform suite from Simpson Strong-Tie that now includes three software applications that make it easy to design safe, strong, beautiful structures for outdoor living in just minutes. Other apps include Deck Planner Software and Pergola Planner Software.

Like the Deck Planner and Pergola Planner applications, Fence Planner is free and easy to use and features an in-app tutorial to help select materials, dimensions, colors, and hardware. Users can add patios, sheds, landscaping, or other design features, then view the entire design in a realistic 2D or 3D environment. Once design is complete, the apps provide a materials list to allow users to start building right away.

For more information on using Outdoor Living Solutions software from Simpson Strong-Tie to design a safe, strong, beautiful deck, pergola, or fence in minutes, visit strongtie.com/outdoorliving or call (800) 999-5099. To learn more about the entire Outdoor Accents line of decorative wood connectors and fasteners from Simpson Strong-Tie, including project ideas and design support, please visit strongtie.com/outdooraccents.

$6.75m Mackenzie Scott Gift Boosts Bay Area Affordable Homebuilder

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 20:00:49 +0000

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco to benefit from substantial gift by SF-born philanthropist

SAN FRANCISCO (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Bay Area nonprofit’s homebuilding mission has been significantly boosted thanks to a $6.75 million ‘transformational’ gift from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott – part of a blockbuster $436 million donation announced today that will expand access to affordable homeownership across the U.S. Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, the recipient, has embarked on a drive to build homes and create a path to homeownership for more than 250 working families in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. It says the money will be used in all three counties to support the entirety of its work.

The donation takes the nonprofit past the halfway point in its $100m Building Families a Future comprehensive campaign – a crucial milestone, it says, and one which will propel its fundraising to further success.

The organization was selected as one of 84 in Habitat for Humanity’s nationwide network to be the recipient of a grant from Ms Scott, which totals nearly half a billion dollars. San Francisco-born Scott is a signatory to the Giving Pledge and has committed to give at least half of her wealth to charity.

“This incredible act of generosity and investment in our work will make an impact throughout our region for decades to come,” said Maureen Sedonaen, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco. “We will work side-by-side with hundreds of families and thousands of volunteers to build homes and start these families on their lifechanging homeownership journey.”

“Mackenzie Scott’s transformational gift will strengthen our ability to address historic inequities in homeownership rates in our region and allow more local households – and households of color in particular – to benefit from homeownership’s unique ability to support families and communities.”

“Investing in affordable homeownership is a tangible and effective response to California’s housing crisis. I see every day the impact this has on families enduring overcrowded living conditions or undertaking horrifically long commutes.”

The self-help homebuilder’s construction portfolio reflects the varied nature of its service area, and ranges from townhomes in Novato to transit-oriented condominiums in Daly City. Its current development pipeline of 190 homes includes 33 units in Redwood City and 18 units in Menlo Park.

Habitat homeowners benefit from a $0 down, 0% interest mortgage and have housing payments capped at no more than 30% of household income. In lieu of a down payment, prospective owners invest a minimum of 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ helping to build their own homes alongside individual, community group and corporate volunteers.

“This donation offers us an unprecedented opportunity to invest in building more affordable housing that provides long-term security, is focused on families, and has impact across generations,” said Hilary Billings, Chair of the Board of Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco.

“Ms Scott’s gift represents a huge vote of confidence in Habitat Greater San Francisco – not only in our homebuilding and homeownership mission, but also in our strong leadership and rigorous governance and oversight which are an essential part of our ability to serve our community now and for decades to come.

“I invite the Bay Area community to join Ms Scott in investing in affordable homeownership through supporting our $100 million Building Families a Future campaign.”

A cornerstone of its work, says Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, is advocacy for more affordable homeownership. It engages with lawmakers locally and in Sacramento to remove barriers to construction and invest in more homeownership programs across California.

The organization has been working throughout the pandemic and has 20 homes in Redwood City and 6 homes in Daly City on the verge of completion. A further 8 homes are in progress in San Francisco.

CITY OF BROWNSVILLE WELCOMES HABITAT ZERO

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:00:37 +0000

Astreia’s low carbon footprint homes are coming to Brownsville.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas /PRNewswire/ — Astreia, a vertically-integrated developer with the mission of achieving low carbon footprint homes and scaling advanced sustainable communities across the globe and beyond, announces the official takeoff of Habitat Zero their first build-for-rent (BFR) neighborhood development of its kind, in Brownsville, South Texas. Said to be the first development of its kind in the State of Texas and the United States, Habitat Zero, will offer 125 homes complete with solar panels, Tesla Powerwall batteries and 30 EV chargers throughout the community.

“We chose Brownsville because I saw the opportunity to support the growth of Starbase, and the city was exceptionally welcoming,” said Dr. Natalie Rens, founder, and CEO of Astreia. “From the first meeting with City leadership, I was blown away by the bold vision for the future combined with the real drive to make it a reality, and not tomorrow but now. Brownsville is a place where we can just get things done. I love the spirit here. There’s a feeling of hope and momentum in this city and we’re honored to be a part of it.”

Habitat Zero’s Planned Development District was unanimously approved by the City of Brownsville Planning and Zoning Commission on March 3^rd, 2022, and City Commission on March 15^th and includes two commercial lots with Highway 4 frontage, a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom energy efficient homes managed in real time through the Astreia home control system app. Other community amenities include green features to conserve water and protect the natural resaca front environment, water conserving landscaping, and backyards connected by parks and trails.

“We are excited to welcome Habitat Zero to the City of Brownsville. It will offer immediate relief to the urgent and rising housing needs of our growing aerospace and technology sectors and showcase what the can-do attitude of the City of Brownsville can do for innovation,” said Trey Mendez, City of Brownsville Mayor. “I am proud of the work and dedication delivered by City officials and Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation staff. Their first-rate customer service and diligence continue to put Brownsville on the map for emerging industries.”

For detailed information on Astreia state of the art homes, or to reserve to be among the first Habitat Zero residents to move in early 2023, go to: https://www.astreia.com/habitatzero.

For more additional information, please contact Constanza Miner, Business Development Director, at (956) 346-8116.

Quick Fitting Rebrands its Extremely Reliable Push-to-Connect Fittings

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:00:25 +0000

High quality fittings with the industry’s best warranty are now named Quick Fitting Brass, Quick Fitting Copper, and Quick Fitting Stainless Steel

East Providence, RI – Quick Fitting, a leading manufacturer of quick connection technology for plumbing, electrical, industrial, municipal, and OEM applications, announces that its extremely reliable push-to-connect fittings with the industry’s best warranty has been rebranded as Quick Fitting Brass, Quick Fitting Copper, and Quick Fitting Stainless Steel.

Quick Fitting offers a full range of high-quality plumbing fittings and valves for Copper, CPVC, and PEX plumbing, heating, compressed air, inert gas and fluid applications. The fittings are reusable, durable plumbing connections, and get the job done 75% faster than traditional methods, including soldering.

“The rebranding positions Quick Fitting for the future as we roll out our evolving catalog of innovative and reliable connections solutions for plumbing, electrical and HVAC professionals and DIYers.” says Matthew Boucher, Chief Executive Officer.

With 54 U.S. patents, the innovative and proven pipe connection technology is warranted to last 75 years, longer than any other conventional method and covering product replacement, labor and damage. The fittings can be installed wet or dry, unlike many other connections and seals, greatly simplifying installation in wet conditions and in emergency conditions. Plumbers can work more safely and efficiently without having to use chemicals or open flames.

Quick Fitting Brass (formerly ProBite+) delivers superior technology, premium quality, value pricing, and the widest selection of any push fit brand. The lead-free brass push fit includes patented designed enhancements that deliver increased sealing performance, as well as lower insertion forces.

Easy, durable, reliable. Quick Fitting Copper (formerly CopperHead) raises the bar for push to connect plumbing technology. Quick Fitting Copper offers a sharp, professional look, a patented dual seal, chloramine-resistant design that surrounds the connected tubing with a larger sealing surface, creating a stronger, more rigid, instant connection.

Quick Fitting Stainless Steel one of the first push-to-connect pipe connection product line available in stainless steel. Plumbers and DIYers can now take advantage of both the ease-of-installation and reliability of the Quick Fitting design and the corrosion resistance, food-safety and premium look of stainless steel.

For more information visit www.quickfitting.com/.

DSI’s Westbury® Aluminum Railing is a Superior Choice for Decks and Porches

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 17:00:28 +0000

Bremen, IN – Digger Specialties Inc. (DSI) manufactures a variety of building products highlighted by its Westbury® brand of Aluminum Railing. DSI was founded in 1983 and has focused on the development of innovative building products. DSI’s entry into the aluminum railing business began in 2008. Today, the Westbury Aluminum Railing brand is the North American industry leader in the aluminum railing product category.

Westbury® Aluminum Railing is the perfect railing system to enhance any deck or porch where wood, composite or PVC deck boards are used. Westbury® railing offers important advantages over other railing materials including durability, low maintenance and ease of installation and distinctive appearance. DSI’s proprietary 10 step powder coating process provides a long-lasting finish that is highly resistant to the elements.

The Westbury® Aluminum Railing product line is the most extensive in the industry. Westbury VertiCable®, vertical cable railing and Veranda glass railing systems are designed to offer unobstructed views. Tuscany, Riviera, and Montego railing designs provide distinctive profiles for classic to contemporary elegance. For those who wish to have the benefits of aluminum railing but want screened in spaces, Screenrail presents another option. Westbury® railing systems are available in an industry leading 12 standard colors with the option to obtain custom colors through special order. Both smooth and textured surfaces are available. Westbury® Aluminum Railing is available at many lumberyards and home centers throughout the U.S. All Westbury railing systems are covered by DSI’s Aluminum Lifetime Limited Warranty.

For more information about the wide array of designs and styles of Westbury® Aluminum Railing please visit westburyrailing.com.

MoistureShield’s New Outdoor Project Hub Makes Deck Design and Planning Easy

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:00:05 +0000

ATLANTA, Ga. – Bringing a dream deck project to life has never been easier than with the MoistureShield® Outdoor Project Hub, a new online tool that helps users create the perfect outdoor oasis! MoistureShield, a division of Oldcastle APG®, a CRH Company, today announced the launch of its Outdoor Project Hub to help homeowners design and build deck projects with ease by offering step-by-step planning and checklist features that are all accessible on one dashboard.

“Sometimes, it can be overwhelming to start out with a blank slate,” said Molly Werner, Senior Brand Manager. “The Outdoor Project Hub is the perfect online tool for helping MoistureShield customers seek inspirational design ideas, select the right products and find a contractor who can turn their dream deck into a reality.” She added the tool is both computer and mobile device-friendly, so planning can be done at home or on the go.

Starting with some quick questions to assess the project, the Outdoor Project Hub guides the homeowner through the entire planning process, complete with inspirational custom mood boards and curated MoistureShield collections.

The featured collections, which include Vision®, Meridian, Elevate and Vantage, are available in a variety of colors and textures with accessible price points for virtually any homeowner. MoistureShield innovations include protective cap and surface technologies for a durable and natural wood look with the ability to withstand ground contact and water submersion. Additionally, these collections come with the option of CoolDeck® Technology which offers a more comfortable deck experience by reducing heat absorption up to 35% over other composites in similar colors.

Once a user selects a MoistureShield product, the Outdoor Project Hub utilizes a checklist to stay on track with deck size, budget, timing and desired amenities. The final step is to search MoistureShield’s “Find a Contractor” database and share the project as a PDF to start building.

Manufactured with 95% recycled content, MoistureShield capped composite decking is field-proven for 30 years with zero structural failures and is backed by a 50-year transferrable structural warranty for all decking series. Learn more at MoistureShield/ProjectHub

Building Talent Foundation and StrataTech Team Up to Bring Well-Trained Tradespeople into Residential Construction Careers

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 22:00:14 +0000

New Collaboration Helps Job Seekers in Arizona, Florida, and Texas Acquire Skills and Find Job Opportunities to Meet the Growing Demand for Skilled Trades Professionals in the Homebuilding Sector

Washington, DC (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Non-profit organization Building Talent Foundation (BTF) has announced a partnership with StrataTech Education Group (StrataTech), a leading skilled trade schools operator. The partnership will leverage StrataTech and BTF’s networks in Arizona, Florida, and Texas to bolster the residential construction talent pool.

The Waco Tribune-Herald notes that the real estate website Zillow places six of the 10 hottest housing markets in the United States in 2022 in Arizona, Florida, and Texas. In its Fall 2021 HBI Construction Labor Market Report, the Home Builders Institute (HBI) shows that the residential construction industry needs to train and place a daunting 2.2 million new workers within the next three years to meet the housing demands in the United States.

The partnership between StrataTech and BTF is designed to fill these workforce shortages. The organizations will work together to advance career opportunities in residential construction for StrataTech graduates by bringing them into the industry through BTF’s career coaching and job placement assistance. To meet the projected workforce demands, HBI’s Construction Labor Market Report also notes that the industry must recruit more skilled tradeswomen into the homebuilding sector. StrataTech and BTF will leverage their partnership to attract more women to bring their talents and skills to the industry.

BTF reports that the partnership with StrataTech is already helping people launch careers and fill the much-needed demand for skilled trades while also addressing the skills gap. Seventeen recent graduates from StrataTech’s Tulsa Welding School campus in Houston successfully secured job placements as technical trade professionals in the housing industry through BTF.

“StrataTech and Building Talent Foundation are well aligned to serve our vision of building a sustainable workforce,” said Branka Minic, CEO of BTF. “We serve the same communities and focus on successfully transitioning well-trained skilled trades professionals into rewarding careers. We are working to deepen our collaboration and jointly promote skilled trades to talented young people while also helping to fill the current demand in the construction industry.”

StrataTech strives to prepare their students to take on in-demand jobs through innovative, high-tech training programs based on industry and employer needs. Recently, StrataTech launched StrataSkills, a workforce development and retention solution for skilled tradespeople. The program aims to help companies upskill and reskill their employees to meet the changing demands of the industry. To bring more awareness to StrataSkills and connect more people with training opportunities, BTF will connect to StrataTech Education’s Tulsa Welding School, the Refrigeration School and StrataSkills from its online career platform, JobsToBuild.com.

“Demand for skilled trade workers is at an all-time high,” said Mary Kelly, President/CEO of StrataTech. “When you can meet an industry need, serve your communities, and facilitate life change through education, you have the opportunity to make a real difference. Through this partnership, we can make a difference in the construction industry and the lives of our students.”

Cavco Industries Announces Acquisition of Manufacturing Facility in North Carolina, Expanding Affordable Home Production Capabilities

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 21:00:28 +0000

PHOENIX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cavco Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVCO) (“Cavco”) announced that an agreement has been signed to acquire a 184,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Hamlet, North Carolina, which will be modified to produce homes built under the standards of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD code”).

Bill Boor, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Demand for our homes, and affordable homes in general, continues to be very strong. With the addition of this new facility, which will bring our total number of homebuilding production lines to 27, we are expanding access to much-needed affordable housing solutions and strengthening our position in the region. This is a great opportunity to quickly bring new capacity online with an in-place and capable workforce.”

The seller, Volumetric Building Companies (“VBC”), currently produces multi-family residential and commercial projects in the facility and intends to move that production closer to their markets in the Northeast. VBC will complete existing projects through summer 2022, at which time Cavco will complete renovating the facility for HUD code home production, with an anticipated home production start date by the fourth calendar quarter of 2022. Cavco intends to offer continued employment to existing VBC employees following the transition. Additional employment opportunities are anticipated to become available with the expansion of homebuilding production.

MoistureShield® Meridian™ Capped Composite Decking Appears on New HGTV® Hit Series “Home Inspector Joe”

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 20:00:39 +0000

ATLANTA, GA – MoistureShield®, a division of Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company, announced that its Meridian capped composite decking will be featured on HGTV® hit series “Home Inspector Joe,” starring Joe Mazza and Noel Gatts. In each episode, Mazza educates first-time house hunters about the risks and considerations associated with home buying, while designer Noel Gatts finds economical ways to make their dream home designs come true. A seasoned home inspector, Mazza helps couples spot and fix safety and inspection issues before they make irreversible decisions.

“We are thrilled to help the hosts of HGTV’s ‘Home Inspector Joe’ with beautiful, durable outdoor living materials that create inspirational spaces for viewers,” said Matthew Bruce, Vice President of Sales, MoistureShield. “Featuring MoistureShield Meridian on the show is an excellent way to educate homeowners about innovative features like our TruTexture Surface, which presents an authentic wood look, while keeping deck surfaces and bare feet safer with CoolDeck® technology.”

Check local listings or the HGTV website to see MoistureShield Meridian on episode 5, “Hastings Home of Hazards,” on “Home Inspector Joe.” Each episode also airs throughout the week.

Meridian’s TruTexture Surface features a natural wood-grain finish with reduced pattern repetition for a true wood aesthetic. It is available in three premium colors:

Citadel, a cool Atlantic gray with a subtle patina
Shoreside, a subtly variegated golden sandy blonde
Mariner, a timeless mahogany brown with rich undertones

The Citadel color seen on the show includes the option of MoistureShield’s exclusive CoolDeck technology, which reduces heat absorption by up to 35% compared to traditional capped composite boards in similar colors.

MoistureShield’s Meridian capped composite deck boards combine natural looks with the protection of MoistureShield’s proprietary Solid Core manufacturing process designed to endure harsh conditions, moisture absorption, warping, rotting, and damage from insects. It is well-suited for installation in the ground, on the ground or even underwater.

Proven in the field for 30 years with zero structural failures, all MoistureShield decking series are backed by a 50-year transferrable structural warranty. Meridian also features a 40-year fade and stain warranty.

Learn more about MoistureShield Meridian at https://www.moistureshield.com/products/composite-decking/meridian

LGI Homes Opens Second Community in the Bakersfield Market

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:00:40 +0000

Morningstar Ranch Features Single-Family Homes Priced From the $380s

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LGI Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: LGIH) announced the grand opening of its second community in the Bakersfield, California market, Morningstar Ranch. This new community is located in a premier location and offers a variety of single-story homes outfitted with incredible, included upgrades.

“We are excited to continue our expansion into the Bakersfield market with the opening of our newest community, Morningstar Ranch,” said Chris Kelly, division president at LGI Homes. “With its convenient location and incredible area amenities, paired with our simplified homebuying process, Morningstar Ranch is the ideal setting for buyers to find their perfect new home.”

Ideally located just off California State Route 178 in Bakersfield, Morningstar Ranch places homebuyers near the center of it all. Enjoy an exceptional community situated only ten minutes from all the exciting attractions, major employers, incredible dining and shopping opportunities that downtown Bakersfield has to offer. Additionally, just minutes from the community are several local parks, as well as Kern River and Lake Ming, where homeowners can enjoy a day of fishing, boating, swimming, camping and more.

LGI Homes is offering a collection of five brand-new, single-story plans for homebuyers to choose from at Morningstar Ranch. Ranging in size from 1,604 square feet to just over 2,500 square feet with up to five bedrooms and three bathrooms, new homes in this community have been designed to offer spacious layouts, chef-inspired kitchens, covered outdoor areas and more. Every new home at Morningstar Ranch will come with the designer features and stylish interior upgrades found in LGI Homes’ CompleteHome package. A full suite of stainless steel Whirlpool^® kitchen appliances, including the refrigerator, sparkling granite countertops, modern wood cabinetry with crown molding and luxury vinyl-plank flooring are just a sampling of the remarkable upgrades included in every new home. Additionally, homebuyers will appreciate the energy-efficient features built into every new home at Morningstar Ranch such as ENERGY STAR lighting, double-pane Low-E vinyl windows, a programmable thermostat and included solar panels. At Morningstar Ranch, homeowners will enjoy a beautiful, brand-new home that comes with impressive upgrades and incredible energy-efficient features.

New homes at Morningstar Ranch are priced from the $380s with quick move-in opportunities available. For more information or to schedule a tour, interested homebuyers are encouraged to call (866) 883-9404 ext 943 or visit LGIHomes.com/MorningstarRanch.

Simpson Strong-Tie Outdoor Accents® Collection Continues to Expand with Addition of APRT Rigid Tie® Connectors

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:00:54 +0000

Pleasanton, Calif. — Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, continues to expand its popular Outdoor Accents decorative hardware line with the addition of black powder-coated APRT Rigid Tie^® connectors that make it easy to build a variety of DIY and pro contractor projects, from garden potting benches to fences, furniture, and more.

The Simpson Strong-Tie Outdoor Accents line offers a complete collection of tested, code-listed connectors and fasteners for building beautiful and structurally strong custom outdoor living structures, such as pergolas, pavilions, arbors, gazebos, and patio covers. With this expansion, the versatility of APRT Rigid Ties unlocks new design options for smaller DIY projects like building rustic furniture to enhance either outdoor or interior spaces.

Fabricated from ZMAX^® galvanized steel with a black powder coat for corrosion protection, APRT Rigid Tie connectors provide a decorative connection that complements either the Mission Collection^® or the Avant Collection within the Outdoor Accents line and can also be used separately to add flair to any outdoor project.

Available as corner connectors, rail connectors, and angle connectors, APRT Rigid Ties are easily fastened with the Outdoor Accents #10 x 1 1⁄2″ connector screw, providing contractors and homeowners with a convenient solution for building a wide range of projects.

For more information about the new Outdoor Accents APRT Rigid Tie connectors and the entire Outdoor Accents line of decorative hardware, including project ideas and design support, please visit strongtie.com/outdooraccents.

YEA 2021 – Trinity Woods Residential and Senior Housing Development–Mount Mary University Campus

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:44:21 +0000

raSmith

Project Location: Milwaukee, WI

Category: Housing + Residential

Started: November 30, 2020

Completed: December 10, 2021

Project Budget: $45,000,000

Project Cost: $40,200,000

Project Leadership Team:

Structural: Project Manager – Steve Roloff, P.E., LEED AP; Project Engineer and Engineer of Record – Mike Kren, P.E.
Civil: Project Manager – Chris Hitch, P.E.; Landscape Architect – Tom Mortensen, PLA, ASLA

Project Overview: The Beecher Terrace Senior Building project is part of a larger movement to return Louisville’s Russell neighborhood to its early desirability and prestige. After decades of flooding, deficient public housing development, and misguided urban renewal efforts, the Russell neighborhood was in desperate need of redevelopment. The redevelopment of the Beecher Terrace complex is a vital part of this renewal. The Beecher Terrace Complex sits on 31.4 acres, directly adjacent to the city’s downtown central business district across 9th street. A phased revitalization of the neighborhood, this project includes 640 housing units, featuring 620 mixed-use rentals, senior housing, and 20 homeownership units. In addition, this development will comprise 39 new buildings and public roadways. The first phase of the project is the senior building. The Beecher Terrace Senior building is an incredible first step in this revitalization process; the building is a four-story wood framed structure, approximately 111,857 square feet in size, that contains 117 units for seniors and onsite management offices. It also features offices, fitness centers, a crafts room, billiards, a doctor exam office, a salon, lounges, and a community dining and warming kitchen. All walls in the structure are made of prefabricated wood wall panels and the floor and roof framing were constructed using pre-engineering wood trusses.

Impact(s): The Beecher Terrace Senior Building project is part of a larger project to help attract investment into the Russell neighborhood, which will subsequently improve the quality of life for all residents. One of the major goals is to attract retail and commercial offerings while simultaneously decreasing the number of vacant buildings in the neighborhood. This project also has environmental considerations in mind. The redevelopment project is currently pursuing LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) and Enterprise Green Community Certification.

Highlights:

Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Rod system used for timber tie downs designed to tighten over time as wood frame shrinks
Walls constructed of prefabricated wood wall panels
Phase I of larger Beecher Terrace Development Project

YEA 2021 – Beecher Terrace Senior Building

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 10:44:14 +0000

RAI Engineering

Project Location: Louisville, KY

Category: Housing + Residential, Small Firm

Started: March 1, 2018

Completed: June 9, 2021

Project Budget: $21,000,000

Project Cost: $21,222,754

Project Leadership Team:

Bernard Pincus – Director Choice Neighborhood Implementation- Louisville Metro Housing Authority
Mike Saunders – Senior Vice President & Director of Design & Construction – McCormack Baron Salazar
RAI Engineering: Structural Engineer
Sherman Carter Barnhart: Architect
Shrout Tate Wilson: Electrical and Mechanical Engineer
Civil Design Inc: Civil Engineer
Messer Construction: General Contractor

Highlights:

Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Rod system used for timber tie downs designed to tighten over time as wood frame shrinks
Walls constructed of prefabricated wood wall panels
Phase I of larger Beecher Terrace Development Project

Earth Gen Biofuel Inc. 2021 Year End Update

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 20:00:01 +0000

Salem, Oregon (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Earth Gen-Biofuel Inc.(OTC:EGBB). The year 2021 provided many new opportunities to Earth Gen Biofuel Inc,. and its manufacturing subsidiary International Housing Concepts. Inc. (“IHC”). IHC is one of America’s premier builders of manufactured homes of under 1000 square feet. The Company continued to expand its production capacity and broadened its sales and marketing programs. IHC now manufactures over 13 different models of Park Model homes. Current production in our 70,000 square foot facility in Salem Oregon is primarily used to fulfill increased orders from buyers in the Pacific Northwest. We continue to investigate expanding production facilities in other locations.

In the 4^th quarter of 2021 the company started to expand production in its Salem facility to allow for production of 25 to 30 homes per month. IHC has improved manufacturing techniques and directed additional capital for equipment and technology. Additionally, the firm plans to increase materials inventories to better manage supply-chain shortages. Further production capacity could benefit from adding a Saturday and Sunday shift. Management continues to hire and train additional production staff and skilled labor, which is expected to increase workforce productivity.

The company’s sales focus is expanding. IHC now has retailers in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Arizona, Nevada and California. Clients include some of the highest quality portfolios of manufactured home resort communities, retirement communities, and rental homes. The company has received orders and production deposits from these new customers with a national base of operations. The Company’s 2022/2023 marketing plan continues to target planned communities, as well as state and local municipalities with plans to address the low-income housing issues facing many of our nation’s larger cities. IHC continues to address the affordable housing crisis in the U.S. The Company has a number of projects under review based on the proprietary products designed to meet the increasing demand for the market for this type of housing.

IHC has become a valued partner of developers looking for guidance on the strategies for final design and layout of communities. IHC has taken the lead in designing new home configurations to fit into specific locations. The Company’s efforts have resulted in building close relationships with some of the largest RV Park developers in the country.

The Company believes that strong revenue growth for 2022/2023 will be achieved through the introduction of new distribution channels, new products, full utilization of additional production capacity and by continuing to supply our customers with superior products and service. It is anticipated that this will lead to additional sales throughout the Western US and become the road map for production nationwide.

In 2020, during the height of COVID and is related production challenges, 25 homes were delivered producing gross sales of approximately $1.6 million. Some of the same COVID issues impacted 2021operations, however based on an unaudited preliminary evaluation, 2021sales appear to have approximately doubled to over $3 million with the delivery of 46 homes. Order flow continued to build toward yearend for seasonal sales considerations. At yearend 2021 there were 32 homes scheduled for delivery over the first six to eight weeks of 2022 with 15 of those already in various stages of production on the factory floor. In the 4^th quarter of 2021 the average sales price of homes was approximately $79,000.00.

MoistureShield Vision® Cold Brew Wins 2021 Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products Magazine

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 18:00:06 +0000

Atlanta, GA — MoistureShield®, a division of Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company, has received Architectural Products Magazine’s 2021 Product Innovation Award (PIA) for its Vision Capped Composite Decking in the color Cold Brew. Recognizing the most innovative products across the full spectrum of the building industry, the judges selected Vision® Cold Brew for the product’s stylish color and enhanced performance.

Judged by the magazine’s prestigious panel of 19 design and building products experts, PIA Award-winning products were chosen based on innovation that exceeds building industry standards.

“Our MoistureShield team is honored to earn a distinguished PIA Award for Vision’s Cold Brew,” said Matthew Bruce, VP of Sales, MoistureShield. “Vision Cold Brew combines the color of a rich, roasted coffee blend with the option of proprietary CoolDeck® technology to deliver on-trend aesthetics with advanced performance.” And deck builders love it, as John Lea of Atlanta-based Decksouth said, “Vision Cold Brew is hands-down our favorite color.”

Along with Cold Brew, Mochaccino and Cathedral Stone also offer the option of CoolDeck Technology, which minimizes heat absorption by up to 35% versus traditional capped composite boards in a similar color. Vision is also available in Smokey Gray, Spanish Leather, Sandstone for a total of six colors.

Vision features the strongest cap in the industry, MoistureShield’s exclusive DiamondDefense Coating. Ideal for residential decks, docks, marinas and boat slips, the cap is capable of resisting stains, scratches and damage on impact.

As with all MoistureShield deck products, Vision is manufactured with Solid Core technology for protection against moisture absorption, warping, rotting, and damage from insects, whether installed in the ground, on the ground or even underwater.

MoistureShield decking is proven in the field for 30 years with zero structural failures and is backed by a 50-year transferrable structural warranty for all decking series. See the PIA Awards winners list and learn more at https://www.moistureshield.com/products/composite-decking/vision.

LGI Homes announces the grand opening of Meadows North, a new community near Minneapolis

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 20:00:35 +0000

Meadows North features single-family homes priced from the $330s in North Branch

MINNEAPOLIS (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LGI Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ: LGIH) announced the grand opening of Meadows North, a new single-family home community located north of Minneapolis in North Branch, where the builder is introducing seven new floor plans. The community’s convenient location in Chisago County near I-35 provides homeowners with commuter access to the employment and attractions offered on the north side of Minneapolis, as well as proximity to an array of local amenities in North Branch and nearby Cambridge.

“We are excited to introduce the first LGI Homes community along the I-35 north corridor, where homeowners have convenient commuter access to downtown and enjoy proximity to the popular outdoor activities offered in East Central Minnesota,” said Ryan Stokes, division president at LGI Homes. “Meadows North offers residents a peaceful setting surrounded by trees and a city park inside the neighborhood. With schools, shops, restaurants and attractions nearby, and a variety of floor plans to choose from, Meadows North appeals to a wide range of buyers looking for an affordable new home north of the Twin Cities.”

Buyers may choose from seven new floor plans at Meadows North, ranging in size from 1,370 to 1,797 square feet, and featuring split-level or slab-on-grade designs with up to three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and attached two- or three-car garages. The new homes at Meadows North are move-in ready and built with modern design features such as chef-ready kitchens with upgraded counters and a full suite of stainless steel appliances, luxury plank flooring, vaulted ceilings and recessed LED lighting. Select homes also include covered front porches, game rooms, fireplaces and unfinished walkout basements prepped for future buildout. LGI plans to construct 120 single-family homes in Phase I at Meadows North, priced from the $330s.

Residents at Meadows North have access to a brand-new city park in the neighborhood, featuring a children’s playground, picnic pavilion, basketball court, paved walking trails and open recreation fields. The local area offers a variety of weekend activities for the whole family, including movie theaters, golf courses, farmers markets, wineries, zip-lining courses and more. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the community’s proximity to top-rated attractions for fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking and skiing, including Wild River State Park, Trollhaugen, Wild Mountain and Carlos Avery State Wildlife Area.

Meadows North is centrally located to a variety of stores and shopping, including North Branch County Market, the Shops at Gateway North outlet mall and Peterson’s North Branch Mill within 3 miles of the community. Target, Walmart, Kohls and other national retailers are only a short drive from the new homes at Meadows North. North Branch also offers an eclectic mix of restaurants, such as Don Julio, Tomo, Pizza Pub and Olde Brick Inn.

New homes at Meadows North are priced from the $330s, and quick move-in opportunities are available. The Meadows North information center is open daily. For additional information or to schedule a tour, interested homebuyers are encouraged to call (833) 873-4728 ext 932 or visit LGIHomes.com/MeadowsNorth.

Rise of Real Estate Sector to Upscale Global Textile Home Decor Market: Fact.MR Report

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 19:00:42 +0000

According to a recent report by a market research and competitive intelligence provider, demand for textile home decor products is projected to surpass a valuation of US$ 163 Mn by 2031, rising at a CAGR of around 6.5% over the decade.

Developments in the construction industry and growing real estate sectors are expected to contribute well to an upsurge in demand for textile home decor products. In addition, maintaining status symbol has gained traction in today’s times, where consumers are demanding unique and good-quality products that even cost more.

Rise in the home furniture industry is expected to open new opportunities for home decor providers. Growing demand from the hospitality sector for bed & table linen is anticipated to drive market growth. Few other factors such as improvement in living standard of people, increasing urbanization & modernization, growing real estate industry, rising disposable income, and development in distribution networks worldwide are set to boost sales of textile home decor products over the coming years. High cost of raw material is expected to be the only major factor that can hamper market.

Consumers are shifting their focus to using eco-friendly products that are safe, natural, and organic, and have no harmful effects on the environment. For example, consumers are using organic comforters and bedding that have numerous benefits such as inducing calm and peaceful sleep. It is predicted that home decor product manufacturers will shift their focus towards developing green and harmless products.

Key Takeaways from Market Study

Rising urbanization and spending capacity are key macroeconomic factors that can positively impact the global market for textile home décor.
Innovation in products is expected to enable manufacturers develop organic and natural home decor products with no harmful impact on the environment.
Among the product types, the bed linen/bedspreads segment has been the fastest-growing segment, owing to rise of the real estate and hospitality sectors globally.
North America is set to dominate market revenue and gain 89 BPS by 2031.

“Growing real estate and hospitality sectors are expected to fuel market growth. Alongside, rising adoption of eco-friendly products by consumers is expected to escalate growth of the textile home decor market through 2031,” says a lead analyst.

Who is Winning?

Consumers prefers good quality products and faster services. So, in order to serve these preferences, businesses are innovating and developing products accordingly to create a large customer base.

Some of the leading companies offering textile home decor products are Inter IKEA Systems B.V., Mannington Mills, Inc., Bombay Dyeing, Trident Group, Vescom B.V., Kimball International, Inc., American Textile, and Avanti Linens.

Total Construction Starts Slip in June

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 15:00:27 +0000

Higher materials prices are weighing heavily on single family construction

HAMILTON, New Jersey — Total construction starts lost 7% in June, slipping to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $863.6 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. All three major sectors (residential, nonresidential building, and nonbuilding) pulled back during the month. Single family housing starts are feeling the detrimental effects of rising materials prices. Large projects that broke ground in May were absent in June for nonresidential building and nonbuilding starts, resulting in declines.

“Unabated materials price inflation has driven a significant deceleration in single family construction,” stated Richard Branch, Chief Economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “Lumber futures have eased in recent weeks, but builders are unlikely to see much relief over the short-term, meaning building costs will continue to negatively influence the housing industry. On the other hand, the nascent recovery in nonresidential buildings has continued on as projects pile up in the planning stages. These mixed signals coming from both residential and nonresidential construction starts suggest that recovery from the pandemic will remain uneven in coming months as rising materials prices and labor shortages weigh on the industry.”

Below is the full breakdown:

Nonbuilding construction starts lost 13% in June, dipping to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $171.8 billion. While highway and bridge starts slid 7%, the overall decline in nonbuilding starts was the result of a 63% drop in the utility and gas plant category that followed a large increase in May. Total nonbuilding starts, excluding the utility/gas plant category, rose 3% on gains in environmental public works and miscellaneous nonbuilding. Total nonbuilding starts were up 4% within the first six months of 2021. Environmental public works surged 35%, while utility/gas plants gained 13%. Miscellaneous nonbuilding (-6%) and highway and bridge starts (-9%), however, dragged on the sector.

For the 12 months ending June 2021, total nonbuilding starts were 6% lower than the 12 months ending June 2020. Environmental public works starts were 23% higher, while utility and gas plant starts were down 20%. Highway and bridge starts were down 3% and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were 22% lower through the first six months.

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in June were a $453 million sewer overflow project in Pawtucket RI, the $439 million Bay Park Conveyance Project in Cedar Creek NY, and the $390 million I-5 North Capacity Enhancement project in Los Angeles CA.

Nonresidential building starts dropped 7% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $288.0 billion. Large healthcare and manufacturing projects provided a significant boost to May, but the absence of similar projects in June led to normalized starts activity. Without the negative influence of these sectors, nonresidential starts would have increased 10% in June. Commercial starts rose 12% with all categories posting gains, while institutional starts fell by 9% and manufacturing starts lost 62% over the month. Through the first six months of 2021, nonresidential building starts were slightly ahead of the first six months of 2020. Commercial starts were up 7% and manufacturing starts were 36% higher, while institutional starts were 5% lower through the first six months.

For the 12 months ending June 2021, nonresidential building starts were 14% lower than the 12 months ending June 2020. Commercial starts were down 18%, while institutional starts fell 10%. Manufacturing starts dropped 42% in the 12 months ending June 2021.

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in June were the $1.0 billion Research and Development District office project in San Diego CA, the $470 million second phase of the Oyster Point Offices in San Francisco CA, and the $410 million Amazon distribution center in Rochester NY.

Residential building starts fell 5% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $403.8 billion. Single family starts lost 8%, while multifamily starts were 2% higher. From January through June, total residential starts were 32% higher than the same period a year earlier. Single family starts were up 37%, while multifamily starts were 19% higher.

For the 12 months ending June 2021, total residential starts were 22% higher than the 12 months ending June 2020. Single family starts gained 29%, while multifamily starts were up 5% on a 12-month sum basis.

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in June were the $400 million Courthouse Commons project in San Diego CA, the $267 million 1900 Crystal Ave residences in Arlington VA, and the $250 million Five Park Condominiums and Apartments in Miami Beach FL.

Regionally, June’s starts rose in the Northeast but fell in all other regions.

Home-Grown Green: Green Building in the Residential Market

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 10:44:38 +0000

By Donna Laquidara-Carr, Ph.D., LEED AP

Single family home builders are commonly using many green products and practices, especially energy saving ones, but only one third (33 percent) are committed to building green homes. This is the finding of the latest study on green home building from Dodge Data & Analytics, published in the Green Single Family and Multifamily Homes 2020 SmartMarket Brief, in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

The study reveals a complicated picture about the amount of green building activity currently occurring in the single-family home market. On the one hand, when provided with a stringent, performance-based definition that a green home “incorporates strategies in design and construction that increase energy, water and resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality and minimize environmental impacts on site and/or is certified by a third-party green rating system,” only 33 percent report that this definition applies to 50 percent or more of the homes they build, and 42 percent state that they do no green building projects at all. On the surface, this seems to suggest that the overall commitment to green building among home builders is still somewhat limited.

However, the study also demonstrates that many home builders are in fact using a wide variety of green building products and practices on the majority of their projects. The most prominent investments are those that make homes more energy efficient. Use of LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances and right-sized HVAC systems is very common, with over 70 percent of home builders using each of these in half or more of the homes they construct. In addition, over half of the builders use five other energy-efficient products and practices in the majority of their home projects. This includes windows and insulation that exceed code requirements, a focus on air tightness, and even blower door testing to confirm the tightness of the envelope before they finish the home.

And energy efficiency is not the only green area in which builders are actively engaged. Most builders also employ different water-efficiency products and practices in their homes, from water conserving fixtures and appliances, to efficient plumbing techniques and tankless water heaters. All four of these are used by more than 50 percent of builders on half or more of their home projects. Water conserving strategies inside the home, though, are far more commonly used than those outside the home, such as rainwater collection and reuse, or drip irrigation.

The findings also demonstrate that most builders are invested in building homes that conserve material resources, through their frequent use of durable materials, prefabricated components and minimizing construction waste. They are also widely employing products and practices that improve indoor air quality like direct outdoor ventilation of bathroom fans, kitchen exhausts and clothes dryers, duct insulation and using low VOC materials.

So when it comes to wide consideration of energy and water efficiency, conserving material resources and improving indoor environmental quality, most builders are engaged in ways to improve their homes, even if nearly half of them report that they are doing no green homes.

However, the findings on those dedicated to green building overall do suggest ongoing potential for the share of green to continue to grow in the home building market. The study looked at the top drivers for encouraging more green building, and increased home buyer demand emerged quite strongly as the top factor, ranked among the top three drivers by 66 percent. Conversely, the lack of home buyer demand along with concerns about the price premium to build green, were the top obstacles reported in the study.

Several of the findings in the study suggest ways that the industry can increase homeowner interest in green building and overcome the issue of the price premium. One requires choosing the right market to focus on. The highest percentage of home builders reported that buyers seeking to either upscale or downsize are the most likely to be willing to pay a green premium for a home – so targeting these markets could be useful. And for these two markets, the top features to emphasize are lower operating costs and greater comfort/better occupant experience, according to those with experience selling green homes to these consumers.

Other factors that are currently underutilized in the market to create interest in green are reflecting green features in MLS listings. While most see these features reflected at least sometimes, only 16 percent report that they are always or frequently reflected. Seeing these features reflected more consistently could help encourage demand, making homeowners more aware of what to look for when they consider different properties.

With the green premium, it is no surprise that home builders believe that the most effective terms to use to describe green features are operating efficiency, long-term utility cost savings and quality construction, with high performance also ranked relatively high. And 70 percent believe that consumers will pay more for a green home. However, most builders believe that consumers are influenced in their buying decisions by cost and the length of time to achieve a return on their investment, counterbalanced by the high influence of performance and quality in their home buying decisions. Shifting the conversation toward long-term cost savings can help, but so can emphasizing the performance and quality of the home. This likely means continuing to focus on energy efficiency, but also calling attention to green home amenities like greater comfort/better occupant experience and healthier indoor environments, and emphasizing the degree to which green homes can deliver these desirable commodities.

So what does this all mean? It demonstrates that there is a commitment to improving home performance in the residential market, but that there is also room for growth. Green strategies that may particularly help drive consumer demand include energy efficiency and improved indoor environmental quality, and those involved in home projects need to consider how they can contribute to performance in these areas in the most cost-effective manner possible to help drive more consumer interest in green homes in general.

Donna Laquidara-Carr, Ph.D., LEED AP, is Industry Insights research director, Dodge Data & Analytics (www.construction.com). Dodge Data & Analytics is North America’s leading provider of analytics and software-based workflow integration solutions for the construction industry. Building product manufacturers, architects, engineers, contractors, and service providers leverage Dodge to identify and pursue unseen growth opportunities and execute on those opportunities for enhanced business performance.

With Creative New Housing, CetraRuddy Brings “Home” to Affordable Developments

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:00:21 +0000

As cities across the United States face a shortage of affordable housing, architects are responding with new design approaches that raise the bar for livable, innovative, and sustainable apartment communities for all income levels.

Among the firms championing these approaches is CetraRuddy, the innovative architecture and interiors firm known as a leader in urban housing solutions. CetraRuddy’s experts—including principals Eugene Flotteron, AIA, and Brian McFarland, AIA—are now engaged in a number of noteworthy affordable or mixed-income projects.

From Passive House strategies that boost sustainability and enhance occupant comfort, to architecturally distinctive towers or large mixed-use complexes that seamlessly fit into existing neighborhood environments, CetraRuddy is exploring new ways to address challenges and opportunities related to affordability and livability in urban environments.

“Well-designed housing contributes to positive physical and mental health, promotes efficiency and green living, and engenders a feeling of community and belonging for residents and neighbors alike,” says CetraRuddy’s Eugene Flotteron. “Working with innovative partners across New York and the country, we’re showing that these concepts apply to urban housing at all scales.”

Illustrating these ideas, Flotteron— who has also served as an ambassador for Staten Island’s Healthy Housing program—points to several notable CetraRuddy projects throughout New York City. The recent and upcoming works include:

• The Lirio, a 100% permanently affordable building targeting Passive House and LEED Gold Certifications, will be developed in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Developed through a partnership between New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the developer The Hudson Companies Inc., and the social services nonprofit Housing Works, Inc., this project will transform a city-owned site used for surface parking into 113 units of affordable and supportive housing, including a number of apartments reserved for the formerly homeless. CetraRuddy’s design for the nine-story masonry-clad building is complementary to the existing neighborhood fabric, and will also include community-focused ground floor retail.

• 22 Chapel Street, a distinctive 20-story tower now rising in Downtown Brooklyn recognizable for its unique cladding and faceted form. Developed by Delshah Capital and OTL Enterprises, 22 Chapel Street offers 45 apartments leased as part of the Affordable Housing New York program, with the remaining 135 units targeting rents affordable for working families. CetraRuddy’s design optimizes sunlight, views and fresh air for every unit, and incorporates retail space and 15,000 square feet of community areas, along with a new headquarters for the nonprofit START organization. Located at the nexus of two major subway lines, 22 Chapel Street offers one-stop access to Lower Manhattan. Completion is anticipated for 2021.

• The Lois, a 250-unit mixed-income community nearing completion in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush/PLG neighborhood, which is transit-rich and a block from a major medical campus, but has been underserved with new housing and retail options. Developed by Hudson Companies, the building is the second in a phased project bringing more than 400 apartments to a site formerly occupied by a series of low-rise commercial structures. CetraRuddy’s design for The Lois references the growing neighborhood’s industrial past, with a unique façade featuring a rhythm of recessed masonry expressions and copper panel accents. Rising eight stories with a series of carefully placed setbacks, the building adds significant density while fitting seamlessly into the streetscape. An affordable housing lottery is currently underway.

“Alongside policy improvements and strategic planning, creative design solutions can play a critical role in addressing the challenges facing affordable and workforce housing developments,” concludes CetraRuddy’s Brian McFarland. “These challenges include issues of land use, ongoing operational costs, sustainability and resiliency, and resident experience. As architects, we have the tools to help make affordable housing feel like ‘home.’ This is fundamental to our mission at CetraRuddy.”

Two-Tower Residential Development, ‘Parkview Apartments,’ Coming to Life Above Jersey City’s Berry Lane Park

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 14:00:16 +0000

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – A new, two-tower residential development, Parkview Apartments, will soon break ground in the Lafayette section of Jersey City, adjacent to Berry Lane Park, the city’s newest green space. New Jersey-based firms, Dresdner Robin and Monteforte Architectural Studio, are providing essential engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, surveying and planning services for the project.

Parkview Apartments includes two 89-foot buildings that will each rise seven stories over two floors of parking. The towers, which will break ground in days and complete construction by the end of 2021, will overlook Berry Lane Park, with unique architecture angled toward the recreational space and reflective glass that returns light to the areas below. The complex will include 170 rental units (65 one-bedroom, 95 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom).

Jersey City-based land development design firm, Dresdner Robin, secured project approvals for a range of local and regional regulatory review agencies. The complex was designed by Ocean Township, N.J.-based Monteforte Architectural Studio.

“This project modernizes an entire city block, bringing infrastructure and community improvements to the area surrounding the Garfield Avenue Light Rail station,” said Joseph Mele, director of civil engineering at Dresdner Robin. “Our firm has worked closely with the developer and community stakeholders to ensure that this project becomes a worthy complement to nearby Berry Lane Park and the city’s overall growth.”

The residential buildings at 87-99 Van Horne Street and 72-78 Woodward Street are a vision of developer Wallabout Realty Holdings.

Dresdner Robin, which has led the permitting process since 2017, worked with the Jersey City Planning Board to create one contiguous tract of land, allowing for a unified, larger-scale development. A new road will connect the dead ends of Woodward Street and Van Horne Street, improving circulation and access in the area. A new streetscape will complement the roadway and pedestrian connectivity will be provided for the nearby Garfield Avenue Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Station.

“The typology of this project had to complement its surroundings, rather than becoming an obstacle,” said Principal Architect James Monteforte. “To do so, we designed two towers emerging from a base that holds the unit together. The essential aesthetic of the Parkview Apartments is to be a beacon of life and vibrancy to the surrounding community.”

To address active underground utilities which bisected the proposed site, Dresdner Robin worked alongside the city’s Engineering Department and Municipal Utilities Authority (JCMUA) to create a multi-phase design that relocated the active utilities around the site and accommodated the building’s new connections.

Since its opening in 2016, Berry Lane Park has provided much-needed recreational space for New Jersey’s second most populous city. The park, which was created on a 17.5-acre former brownfield site, includes basketball and tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, a playground, rain garden, 600 trees and a splash pad water park.

Dresdner Robin performed an array of design services for the park, including site-civil engineering, landscape architecture, surveying and environmental, as well as bid support and construction administration for each of the project’s four phases.

“Jersey City had an extraordinary vision for Berry Lane Park, which has been instrumental in stimulating a largely underdeveloped area,” said Mele. “Upon completion, Parkview Apartments will inspire continued growth as it overlooks the vibrancy of the park.”

Parkview Apartments will also include 18 units of moderate-incoming housing.

About Dresdner Robin

Dresdner Robin is a leading land-use consultancy covering the New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia metro markets. The full-service firm provides creative solutions that emphasize service, client satisfaction and technological innovation with specialties in site/civil engineering, land surveying, environmental services, planning, surveying and landscape architecture in the revival of urban landscapes. Dresdner Robin’s multi-functional teams are strategically located in offices throughout the New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia metro area. For more information, head to its website: www.dresdnerrobin.com/.

About Monteforte Architectural Studio

Diverse in its capabilities, the firm, founded in 1993, has a wide range of experience in residential, commercial and institutional projects and provides architectural design, 2D/3D rendering, computer animation, models, construction documents and construction administration. Principal Architect, James J. Monteforte, AIA, has over 30 years of experience and is licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Florida, Connecticut and New Hampshire. The firm’s mission is to provide clients with an exceptionally creative architectural design, while maintaining the highest level of integrity, honesty and dependability. For more information visit: www.mas-aia.com.

2020 Building Preview: TAT Unveils 5 Big Things We’ll See This Year

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 15:00:09 +0000

1) The affordability puzzle: Keeping neighborhoods accessible

In growing cities nationwide, the displacement of longtime residents has emerged as a major concern. “To keep neighborhoods affordable and accessible,” says TAT’s Michael Binette, AIA, NCARB, “we’re working with developers, non-profits, and public officials to expand or redevelop existing affordable and workforce housing developments — adding more residential units while preserving affordability and dramatically enhancing livability.”

As an example, Jay Szymanski, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, points to TAT’s redevelopment of one of the country’s oldest public housing communities, South Boston’s The Anne M. Lynch Homes at Old Colony. Work is now underway to add a further 301 apartments to the 285 residences built since 2011, which replaced midcentury superblocks with a series of attractive mid-rise buildings and townhomes. In nearby Roxbury, the firm’s redevelopment of the 1950’s-era Whittier Street Apartments created a new amenity rich, mixed-income, transit-oriented multifamily campus with 210 affordable units out of 386 total — and an emphasis on outdoor community space.

Residences at Brighton Marine

Other soon-to-open projects will serve specific populations that often struggle to find housing and support. TAT’s 102-unit Residences at Brighton Marine, for instance, is leasing with a dedicated focus on veterans and their families, and offers 86 affordable homes including a number of apartments set aside for formerly homeless veterans.

2) Adaptive reuse, prefab construction help address housing shortages

Faced with a persistent shortage in housing supply across the U.S., architects and developers are responding with solutions that demonstrate the continued value of adaptive reuse, and the benefits of new approaches including prefabricated and modular construction.Across the northeast, TAT is reactivating formerly vacant or underutilized structures as new housing. In Attleboro, Massachusetts, the firm has converted a historic jewelry factory into 93 units of senior housing called Sterling Lofts, offering important rental options for the state’s rapidly growing over-60 population.

Sterling Lofts

At Boston’s Ropewalk, a previously vacant landmark rope factory will soon offer 97 rental apartments — the sixth historic residential conversion by TAT within the Charlestown Navy Yard redevelopment. In Boston’s South End, 100 Shawmut maximizes the potential of its site by adding a seven-story contemporary addition to a historic warehouse, for a total of 138 new condominium units. “Integrating adaptive reuse and new construction is a great way to address housing shortages while respecting a neighborhood’s character,” says TAT project manager Tom Schultz, AIA, NCARB. “We’re able to create value for the community by preserving historic fabric and looking to the future at the same time.”

Other cities are exploring highly efficient approaches to infill development, including prefabricated construction. In Quincy, Massachusetts, TAT is transforming a parking lot into a 15-story, 124-unit tower called Chestnut Place — where locally fabricated modules have dramatically increased speed to market for these much-needed homes.

3) New residential and mixed-use opportunities transform urban cores

“With new air rights developments, hotel towers, and uniquely positioned residential properties, many urban cores are set for major transformations in 2020 as closely watched and long-awaited projects reach major milestones,” says Michael Liu, AIA, NCARB, a principal at TAT.

For example, one of one of Boston’s biggest real estate stories in a generation, Fenway Center, will soon cross a watershed moment with its first phase approaching completion and its second phase on track to kick off this year. TAT’s design for this 1.3 million-square-foot air rights complex adds housing, commercial office space, and retail uses while decking over a major highway and reconnecting three neighborhoods with new green space, public art, and pedestrian and transit connections. The first phase, Bower, offers 312 apartments, 37,000 square feet of retail, and 12,000 square feet of public open space.

A hotel boom continues, too, with one of the northeast’s most eagerly anticipated mixed-use towers – the Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences, designed by TAT for the prestigious international hospitality group and developer Trinity Stuart LLC. After a fall 2019 groundbreaking, the 33-story high-rise is now under construction, transforming a prime corner site into a regional destination as the first Raffles mixed-use property in the United States.Design teams are also unlocking new opportunities in dense, built-up areas where large sites are hard to find. In Boston’s historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, TAT’s Archer Residences reimagines two six-story former university buildings as a single, 172,000-square-foot residential property topped off with a pair of contemporary penthouse additions and a sweeping landscaped roof terrace.

4) On the rise: Smaller cities poised for resurgence

Identified by commercial real estate services group Commercial Café as one of the country’s fastest-growing Rust Belt cities, Rochester, NY is on a path towards a new era of success. One of the linchpins of this recovery is Sibley Square, the TAT-designed conversion of a 1-million-square-foot former downtown department store into housing, a community marketplace, and high-tech workplace environments. A major indoor market is set to open within the phased, WinnDevelopment-led project this year.Smaller gateway cities like Worcester, MA, are on the upswing too, thanks to projects like Courthouse Lofts, TAT’s conversion of the historic Worcester County Courthouse into 117 units of housing. Nearing completion, the Trinity Financial-led property also holds a first-in-the-nation museum celebrating local icon and pioneering African-American cyclist Major Taylor.

Sibley Square

5) New waterfront developments boost resiliency, enhance public access

Increasingly vulnerable, flood-prone urban waterfronts remain desirable sites for new residential and mixed-use development. Forward-thinking design teams are taking a holistic approach to these projects, employing hard and soft approaches to shoreline design, strategic landscaping, and elevated public use areas. The result? Properties that can absorb storm surges while enhancing the public realm and long-term viability.

TAT’s recently opened Clippership Wharf, a 12-acre, 478-unit mixed-use complex developed by Lendlease in East Boston, has garnered national attention for this approach, which also offers residents and community members access to a harborwalk, beachfront area and floating dock with a kayak launch. The project’s first phase of condos sold out in eight weeks.

Texas Building Code Survey Highlights Need for Mitigation in Hurricane-prone areas

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 20:23:25 +0000

840,000 people in coastal Texas lack protection from residential building codes

A detailed review of coastal Texas building codes revealed gaps that could leave homeowners at risk if mitigation efforts are not sought as nearly one-third of Texans live in the coastal counties.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) building code survey of jurisdictions along the Texas coast after Hurricane Harvey highlighted what we knew – the adoption of strong, modern building codes with good enforcement has proven to reduce the destruction of homes and displacement of families that often comes with landfalling hurricanes.

In Texas, building codes are adopted at the city and county level. Thirty-one jurisdictions participated in the self-reporting survey; fifteen jurisdictions declined to participate, including some of the rapidly growing suburbs of Houston.

While all twenty-one cities in the survey have adopted a code, only two of ten surveyed counties have adopted a code. More than 840,000 people live in areas outside city-limits with no adopted residential building code.

“Building codes work. Building codes help communities come back faster after a natural disaster,” says Anne Cope, PhD, P.E., Chief Engineer at IBHS. “Where building codes are missing, we need to invest in mitigation to bridge that gap and help vulnerable coastal communities build stronger.”

A top-performing code provides residents with a system of protections with modern code adoption, strong enforcement, building permit requirements, contractor and roofer licensing, and roof inspections for new roofs and re-roofing projects. The Cities of Alvin, Beaumont, and San Benito provide this system of protection for their residents.

“This timely report identifies actionable opportunities to increase family safety and home protection by introducing and improving building code adoption and enforcement in specific Texas cities and counties,” said Federal Alliance for Safe Homes – FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson. “We urge Texas leaders to take advantage of this useful analysis to create more resilient communities, and we stand ready to support their efforts.”

The Texas legislature adopted the International Residential Code® (IRC) and the National Electrical Code® (NEC) as the standard building and safety codes for residential construction in Texas in 2001. However, the state did not mandate counties to adopt the code, leaving thousands unprotected.

About the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
The IBHS mission is to conduct objective, scientific research to identify and promote effective actions that strengthen homes, businesses and communities against natural disasters and other causes of loss. Learn more about IBHS at DisasterSafety.org.

SOURCE Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

Cogeneration: Off-grid Power Plants Could be Key as New York City Transitions to Renewables

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:48:54 +0000

The Con Edison blackout on July 13 left 73,000 residents of midtown Manhattan without power, and a subsequent blackout affected 30,000 residents of Brooklyn and 8,000 in Jamaica, Queens. Yet Penn South, the Mitchell-Lama affordable housing complex just five blocks south of the Manhattan blackout, had no reason to be concerned about Con Edison. The same is true for Rochdale Village, the Mitchell-Lama complex in Greater Jamaica, Queens. Both are off the grid, generate their own power, and offer a model for others, as Con Edison warns that more outages could be coming.

New Yorkers are not used to looking to affordable housing developments for innovations, but Penn South and Rochdale Village are energy leaders. They are showing the way for New York City, as it addresses energy priorities in the 21^st century.

Penn South, composed of 10 buildings and nearly 3,000 units, stretches from 23^rd to 29^th Streets between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It is 57 years old. Rochdale Village is one year younger and consists of 20 buildings in Greater Jamaica. Both provide affordable housing to moderate and middle-income New Yorkers through New York’s Mitchell-Lama program.

Both have their own cogeneration power plants, which produce all the electrical power, heating, air-conditioning, and domestic hot water for their entire residential developments and other amenities with no connection to an outside utility company. (Other affordable housing complexes are partially off the grid.) Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel than traditional power generation because otherwise-wasted heat from electricity generation is put to productive use.

Both housing complexes are examples for the rest of New York City because many districts and facilities could be well-served by cogeneration, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and neither complex is dependent on Con Edison.

nVent Introduces the Next Generation RAYCHEM HWAT-ECO-GF Controller

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 14:01:27 +0000

LONDON – nVent Electric plc (NYSE:NVT) (“nVent”), a global leader in electrical connection and protection solutions, today announced the launch of the nVent RAYCHEM HWAT-ECO-GF controller, the next generation controller for the nVent RAYCHEM Hot Water Temperature Maintenance (HWAT) system. A smart alternative to traditional recirculation systems, the HWAT system is a single-pipe solution for improved water safety, energy-efficient design and cost savings. When applied to commercial buildings, such as high-rise office buildings, hotels, and mixed-use spaces, HWAT technology improves the delivery of hot water throughout a building, resulting in multiple benefits for building owners and tenants. Currently, nVent is a global leader in single-pipe domestic hot water temperature maintenance systems.

The HWAT-ECO-GF controller has been developed for use with the industry-leading nVent RAYCHEM HWAT-R2 self-regulating heating cable for hot water temperature maintenance applications. With updated features for improved control and expanded functionality, the HWAT-ECO-GF controller now offers greater value through improved performance and safety, while reducing total installation times and cost of ownership.

Built-in ground-fault protection

The HWAT-ECO-GF controller features built-in ground-fault equipment protection (GFEP) that eliminates the need for incorporating GFEP in the electrical panel. This empowers mechanical engineers and plumbing contractors to ensure full protection is incorporated throughout the entire system – independent of the electrical supplier and without the need for several individual components. This simplifies the installation process by reducing implementation times by 33 percent on average, resulting in total cost savings.

Expanded supply voltage capability

The HWAT-ECO-GF controller is compatible with a supply voltage of 277V, in addition to the 208V and 240V supply of previous models. This higher voltage capacity allows for longer circuit lengths and helps further reduce total installed costs.

A bigger, better display

Featuring a new five-inch color touchscreen display, the HWAT-ECO-GF makes initial programming easier and more efficient for contractors and installers, further reducing the complexity and completion times of HWAT single-pipe hot water temperature maintenance projects.

“For over 20 years, HWAT has been the leader in self-regulating solutions for domestic hot water temperature maintenance”, comments Chris Thibodeau, product manager at nVent. “With the introduction of the new HWAT-ECO-GF controller, we are well-positioned to deliver even greater value and safety to our growing community of HWAT loyal engineers and contractors.”

Invaluable resources for engineers and contractors

In conjunction with the launch of the HWAT-ECO-GF controller, nVent has released updated datasheets, designs guides and other useful information required for the design and installation of effective HWAT systems. The new resources can be found at https://go.nvent.com/hwat-eco-gf.html.

Citadel Roofing Partners with Solar Roof Dynamics in Preparation for California’s Solar Mandate

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 14:43:13 +0000

VACAVILLE, Calif — Citadel Roofing & Solar, one of California’s largest and most experienced roofing and solar installers, today announced a strategic partnership with Solar Roof Dynamics (SRD), a national solar equipment and services provider based in Davis, California. Through this alliance, Citadel will tap SRD’s resources, including back-office services and supplier relationships, to support Citadel’s rapidly growing solar and roofing business.

Aaron Nitzkin

Aaron Nitzkin, founder and CEO of SRD, will assume additional responsibilities as Citadel’s Executive Vice President of Solar. He will oversee the company’s continued growth into the residential, small commercial and new home construction markets; and spearhead its efforts to strengthen its foothold as a leading roofing and solar subcontractor to homebuilders in preparation for California’s new home solar mandate.

“The California solar market is heating up as homebuilders gear up to comply with the new state mandate that all new residential construction include solar energy systems starting January 1, 2020,” said Nitzkin. “As one of the largest and most experienced solar and roofing contractors in California, Citadel is uniquely positioned to serve as a trusted advisor to homebuilders, big and small, to ensure that their transition to meeting the new code goes smoothly.”

Citadel is one of the only contractors in the state to offer integrated roofing and solar installations along with an integrated, single-source warranty. It is one of the state’s few solar contractors servicing the homebuilder market to use only its own installation crews rather than subcontractors, which ensures tighter control of training and quality.

“This is an exciting time in the California solar market, and we are delighted to add Aaron to our solar team to guide residential and commercial sales and operations,” said Dieter Folk, President of Citadel. “Aaron’s appointment is particularly timely as we approach the deadline for California’s mandate that all residential new construction includes a solar system. His years of experience and success building Solar Roofing Dynamics will help Citadel expand its penetration into the homebuilder market and strengthen our leadership role in roofing and solar throughout the state.”

Aaron Nitzkin has been working in the solar industry since 2003, working as National Sales Director for Dow Chemical Company’s solar division, and as Executive Vice President of Solar for PetersenDean before founding Solar Roof Dynamics. Aaron also has consulted for a variety of client companies including SunPower Corporation and Clarum Homes. Aaron holds an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business as well as a BA from Indiana University.

Simpson Strong-Tie Launches Enhanced Online Deck Planner Software™ Center for Deck Builders, Homeowners, DIYers

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 18:53:06 +0000

Pleasanton, Calif. — Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, announced it has launched an enhanced online Deck Planner Software tool to help deck builders and homeowners quickly and easily design their dream deck. Featuring 3D software, design guides and an in-app user tutorial, the free web-based design center provides a suite of intuitive tools and resources for designing and building stronger, more beautiful decks.

With the 2019 deck-building season in full swing, Deck Planner Software from Simpson Strong-Tie lets homeowner DIYers and professional deck builders plan for beauty and design for strength. Powered by an in-app tutorial that guides users step by step through the custom deck design process, the software allows users to select shapes, modify dimensions and choose from various deck board and railing options. One-click toggling between 2D and 3D design modes makes it easy to view and design in different perspectives.

The software also highlights the critical connections for building a strong, safe deck and recommends hardware based on any design the user customizes. When the design process is over, a full output report is generated that includes a bill of materials for all lumber, decking, railing and hardware necessary to build the deck.

“Like all of the technology solutions from Simpson Strong-Tie, this next generation of our popular Deck Planner Software is incredibly easy to use while packing in robust functionality and features for users to take advantage of as they design more complex and customized projects,” says Simpson Strong-Tie director of Customer-Facing Software Tim Beckman. “More importantly, the software helps deck builders and DIYers easily design for stronger, safer decks that are longer lasting and provide homeowners with peace of mind.”

Additional enhanced features and benefits of the new Deck Planner Software app include:

A selection of predesigned deck options
A selection of various wood species for framing lumber
Auto-save functionality to save works in progress
Ability to change wall height and select from a large library of wall finishes
Ability to add furniture, plants and trees to visualize the deck design in the backyard
Enhanced 3D-rich graphics with lighting settings and various background options

For more information or to use the free web-based Deck Planner Software and deck construction solutions from Simpson Strong-Tie, visit strongtie.com/deckplanner.

ANCR launches new committee to develop housing resilience benchmarks

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 17:00:08 +0000

The benchmarks provide U.S. communities guidelines to determine the resilience of their housing stock and cover quantity, affordability, emergency shelters and homeownership

Washington, D.C. – The International Code Council and the Alliance for National & Community Resilience (ANCR) announced the creation of an expert committee to develop benchmarks for determining housing resilience in U.S. communities. The second of 19 functional areas of essential services, the housing benchmarks focus on the availability, quantity and quality of homes, emergency shelters and other housing options.

The Housing Benchmarks Committee consists of 21 subject matter experts from the public and private sectors who will make recommendations on metrics to help define and determine levels of achievement in housing resilience. Laurie Schoeman, Senior National Program Director of Resilience and Disaster Recovery for Enterprise Community Partners, and Adam Gordon, Associate Director of the Fair Share Housing Center, are co-chairing the committee. For the full committee roster, click here.

“This group of talented individuals, including housing professionals, architects, home builders and community development specialists, are lending their expertise to create the housing benchmarks. With their support, we can begin to tackle housing affordability, which is key to resilient and sustainable communities,” said ANCR’s Executive Director Ryan Colker.

Earlier this year, ANCR released its community resilience benchmarks on buildings with a strong focus on the important role of modern, up-to-date building codes in community resilience. Codes save lives and money, mitigate damage from natural disasters, and support financial stability and economic growth. ANCR will be developing additional benchmarks, to include water, energy, financial security and more, for consideration and implementation by U.S. communities. Learn more at www.resilientalliance.org.

About the International Code Council

The International Code Council is a member-focused association dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.

About the Alliance for National & Community Resilience

The Alliance for National & Community Resilience, a member of the Code Council Family of Companies, is a coalition of public and private entities working to create the nation’s first whole-community resilience benchmark.

USGBC Launches LEED v4.1 for City, Community and Residential Projects

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 12:00:11 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that the new version of the LEED green building program – LEED v4.1– is now available for cities, communities and homes. LEED v4.1 certification recognizes leadership by emphasizing performance monitoring, fully integrated design, social equity and human health factors.

“LEED v4.1 makes LEED the first green performance standard for buildings, communities and cities,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council. “It is the most comprehensive, collaborative, accessible and effective LEED system to date. This newest release complements the full suite of LEED v4.1 rating systems that are available today. We are excited and optimistic for the future as we continuously work to ensure that LEED is not only the de facto leadership standard but also a living standard.”

For the residential market, LEED v4.1 combines the familiar and relevant aspects from four previously existing LEED for homes rating systems (LEED for Low-rise homes, LEED for Midrise Homes, LEED for Core and Shell and LEED for New Construction) to deliver three rating systems:

LEED v4.1 Residential: New Single-family homes,
LEED v4.1 Residential: New Multifamily homes and
LEED v4.1 New Multifamily homes core and shell.

The updated rating system is designed to make the decision to implement LEED easier for residential projects and revitalize our approach to the housing market. Through a streamlined and simple approach, LEED credits that have a higher value to home owners and residents are prioritized, such as health and wellbeing improved comfort, energy and water savings, green and healthy materials. Options have also been added to existing LEED credits that lower both hard and soft costs to achieve certification. And recognizing the unique circumstances of international projects, LEED v4.1 Residential is also now more applicable to international projects, which USGBC envisions as a key growth area for residential in the future. The updated rating system is further localized to meet the unique needs of different markets.

There are more than 480,000 LEED-certified residential units globally, and another 1.1 million currently in the pipeline. Of these units, 30% qualify as “affordable housing” in their markets.

“USGBC believes everyone should have access to green, healthy and sustainable homes and is committed to ensuring a sustainable future for all and raising the standard of living for people all over the world. We want to grow the number of LEED-certified affordable homes and increase access to green homes to all, especially underserved and underrepresented communities,” added Ramanujam.

Green homes, like those that are LEED certified, are designed to be healthier, safer and more efficient for families.

For the LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities rating systems, LEED v4.1 expands on the earlier performance-based approach to deliver a comprehensive framework to support plan, design, operation and performance management phases of both new and existing cities and communities. The rating systems align with all the UN Sustainable Development Goals and incorporate leadership standards and best practices from complementary systems, like the previously integrated STAR Community Rating System, as well as the PEER, TRUE, EDGE and SITES programs. More than 90 cities and communities around the world, representing more than 1 billion people, are LEED-certified based on several factors, including water efficiency, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, materials and resources, quality of life, innovation and regional priorities.

“All over the world, leaders are recognizing the incredible opportunities that green building and green infrastructure present and a new generation of high-performance buildings, homes, communities and cities are emerging,” added Ramanujam. “The success of LEED v4.1 will depend on our commitment to listen to new voices and integrate global best practices”

LEED v4.1 registration is open for all project types and registration and rating system materials are now available online at https://new.usgbc.org/leed-v41.

The Harman Group celebrates opening of Newark upscale residential high-rise

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 16:22:48 +0000

Newark, N.J. — The Harman Group (THG), a firm specializing in structural engineering and parking planning and design, announced the grand opening of One Theater Square, a $94 million mixed-use residential tower located on a 1.2-acre site across from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. The 22-story, 268,500-square-foot tower is part of a planned development sponsored by NJPAC to develop the parcels surrounding the entertainment venue with residential and commercial properties — redefining the streetscape of downtown Newark.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering and parking planning and design services for the building, developed by a public-private partnership between Dranoff Properties and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. BLT Architects designed the building.

“The Harman Group’s extensive experience designing innovative urban projects enabled us to maximize the residential and retail spaces by using a cast-in-place structural system,” said Janis Vacca, Vice President and Principal at The Harman Group. “One Theater Square serves as a model for future development in Newark and will bring new life to the downtown.”

The curved glass residential tower includes 242 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, a fitness center and lap pool, community rooms, and an outdoor deck. Of the total 242 units, 24 are set aside for affordable housing. One Theater Square also features 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail and an adjacent 111,500-square-foot parking structure to accommodate 281 cars.

One Theater Square offers sweeping views of the New York and Jersey City skylines. In February 2017, the project was honored by New Jersey’s Alliance for Action as a project that will have a transformational impact on New Jersey’s economy, job creation, and quality of life.

Winners of Reimagine the Canals Competition announced

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:42:01 +0000

White Plains, N.Y. — Two winning proposals from the Reimagine the Canals Competition have been selected, including a proposal to build new neighborhoods along the Erie Canal, as well as a multi-day festival that would highlight the Canal and New York’s booming craft-beverage industry. The competition — announced in 2017 — was sponsored by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation and sought unique ideas to continue to transform the New York State Canal System into an engine of economic activity and a magnet for tourism and recreation.

“With the winners of the Reimagine the Canals competition now selected, we can continue to tap into one of New York’s most underutilized assets and help this statewide resource reach its full potential,” Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said. “There is no doubt these winning ideas will continue to inspire new, creative ideas that will invigorate the canals and draw visitors to one of our most iconic assets for years to come.”

In all, the competition drew 145 entries from nine states and seven nations, with an international panel of judges — including some of the world’s leading canal experts — narrowing the field to seven finalists. The winners were announced during a ceremony at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester with Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul.

“As an upstate New Yorker who lives near the Erie Canal and is a frequent visitor to canal communities, I know how this competition can unlock even more potential to make this a major tourism magnet,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who attended today’s event. “The canals have played a crucial role in New York’s history and growth, and with the implementation of these new exciting projects, the canals will remain a vital force and make a positive contribution to the economic well-being and quality of life in the 225 communities they travel through.”

The winning proposals include:

Pocket Neighborhoods — The first winning entry seeks to build pocket neighborhoods along the Erie Canal and Erie Canalway Trail. Homes would surround a common greenspace and have direct access to the Canal to respond to the growing preference of millennials, families, and seniors to live in a place that is walkable to shopping, restaurants and other amenities.

A pilot project would be built in the Village of Canastota, Madison County, about 25 miles east of Syracuse. The expectation is this project — which would involve a public-private partnership — could be replicated in other communities.

The team, which will receive $1.5 million to further develop its plan, includes the Madison County Planning Department; STREAM Collaborative, an Ithaca architecture and design firm; and Camoin Associates, an economic development consultancy based in Saratoga Springs. The judges cited the project as a model for how land use could be shifted away from the canals’ industrial past to residential and mixed uses.

Erie Armada — The second winner seeks to create Erie Armada, a multi-day festival and boat race centered on breweries creating human-powered boats that could be made from items common to the industry, such as barrels and beer cans. The race would include parties at the start and end of each 15-mile race that would feature music, local food offerings and craft beverages, including beers created specifically for the armada. The first armada is planned to go between Baldwinsville and Phoenix, but other locations are being considered for the future.

The jury commented that the proposal would support new recreation and tourism in the canal corridor and bring a younger audience to the region, while also supporting the local heritage of the canal system. New York was once a leading grower of hops, which were shipped across the nation and abroad via the Erie Canal. The Erie Armada team, led by Parks & Trails New York, event-planning firm Area4 based in New York City and advisor Joe Gustainis of Caledonia, will receive $500,000 to implement their proposal.

New York is home to 400 breweries, up from 95 just six years ago, as a result of Governor Cuomo’s leadership in eliminating many regulatory and licensing burdens for breweries, as well as for the growing number of wineries, distilleries and cideries in the state.

Gil C. Quiniones, New York Power Authority president and CEO said, “The winning ideas were the best of an extremely strong field of candidates. If the creativity displayed in this competition is any indication, the future of the canals is in very good hands.”

Brian U. Stratton, New York State Canal Corporation director said, “The canals have long been a source of inspiration and wonder. The projects that were announced today are poised to make a real difference in how people use and interact with our canals.”

Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker said, “The Reimagine the Canals Competition is an imaginative way to bring the very best ideas together to transform our canals and reinvigorate local economies. With the winners now selected, it is exciting to know that underutilized canalside spaces will get new life with these innovative proposals. I thank Governor Cuomo for providing the funding to get these projects jump-started, and for prioritizing New York’s iconic canal system as we work to boost our economy and create sustainable attractions to be enjoyed by generations to come.”

Carla DeShaw Mayor of the Village of Canastota said, “This is a major win for our community and for the entire state of New York. Our canal system is teeming with potential, and these brilliant ideas will truly unlock a new, modern use for the canal that helps stimulate our economy and attract New Yorkers and visitors alike to see all that our region has to offer. This project will help our community meet the shifting demands for diversified housing bringing entrepreneurs, young families, and seniors wishing to “age in place” together. I commend Governor Cuomo for making this exciting competition possible. Congratulations to the winners on a job well done and I thank Madison County Planning and STREAM for their tremendous work and collaboration.”

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said, “Our state’s canal system is a vital part of our infrastructure and economic development opportunities. With these new, innovative ideas, we can transform our canals so they can once again become an engine for economic growth for the entire state. Congratulations to both winners, whose creative ideas will bring our canal system into the future.”

The competition was held as New York celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Barge Canal — now known as the New York State Canal System — which includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Champlain and Oswego canals. The State also continues to mark the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, construction on which began 201 years ago. Next year, will mark the 200th anniversary of the first boat trip taken on the Erie Canal, from Rome to Utica.

For more information about the competition and to watch videos about each project, visit www.canals.ny.gov/reimaginethecanals.

Luxury residential tower breaks ground in Philadelphia

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:11:09 +0000

Philadelphia — The Harman Group (THG), a firm specializing in structural engineering and parking planning and design, announced the groundbreaking of The Laurel, an ultra-luxury residential development located at 1911 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. At 48 stories, The Laurel will be the tallest residential building on the last undeveloped parcel on Rittenhouse Square.

Image: Southern Land Company

The Harman Group is providing structural engineering services for the development, which is being developed by Southern Land Company and designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB).

“The Harman Group has designed structural systems for some of the tallest buildings in Philadelphia, so it is fitting for us to work on the tallest all glass residential building in Philadelphia,” said Kirk Harman, President and Managing Principal at The Harman Group. “We are honored to be part of the project and celebrate the milestone of the last undeveloped parcel on Rittenhouse Square.”

The $300 million, ultra-luxury mixed use tower will include 74 condominiums in addition to long- and short-term residences with separate lobbies and entrances. The Laurel will also feature 24,000 square feet of high-end retail that wraps around Walnut, Sansom, and 20th Streets.

Tim Downey, CEO and Founder of Southern Land Company, Mayor Jim Kenney, Darrell L. Clarke, Philadelphia City Council President, Anne Fadullon, Director, Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development and Clara Wineberg, AIA, Principal, Solomon Cordwell Buenz gave remarks before the official groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site on September 13. Construction is beginning ahead of schedule this fall.

Multifamily builder and developer confidence edged down slightly in second quarter

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 13:27:32 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Confidence in the multifamily housing market edged down in the second quarter of 2018, according to the Multifamily Production Index (MPI) released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MPI dipped two points to 51 compared to the previous quarter.

The MPI measures builder and developer sentiment about current conditions in the apartment and condo market on a scale of 0 to 100. The index and all of its components are scaled so that a number above 50 indicates that more respondents report conditions are improving than report conditions are getting worse.

The MPI is a weighted average of three key elements of the multifamily housing market: construction of low-rent units — apartments that are supported by low-income tax credits or other government subsidy programs; market-rate rental units — apartments that are built to be rented at the price the market will hold; and for-sale units — condominiums. The component measuring low-rent units rose three points to 57, while the component measuring market rate rental units fell six points to 50 and the component measuring for-sale units dropped three points to 46.

The Multifamily Vacancy Index (MVI), which measures the multifamily housing industry’s perception of vacancies, rose three points to 45. The MVI is a weighted average of current occupancy indexes for class A, B, and C multifamily units, and can vary from 0 to 100, where any number over 50 indicates more property managers report more vacant apartments. Although the MPI increased in the second quarter, a reading of 45 is still seen as a healthy number for the multifamily market.

“Multifamily builders and developers are seeing strong demand, but there are headwinds that have impacted further development,” said Steve Lawson, president of The Lawson Companies in Virginia Beach, Va., and chairman of NAHB’s Multifamily Council. “Some developers have had difficulty getting projects off the ground due to regulatory burdens and neighborhood opposition in certain parts of the country.”

“Although the MPI is down two points in the second quarter, it is still above 50, reflecting a solid number of multifamily starts so far this year,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “In addition to regulatory costs, developers still need to monitor the impact of tariffs and the threat of further trade restrictions on building materials prices, especially lumber.”

Historically, the MPI and MVI have performed well as leading indicators of U.S. Census figures for multifamily starts and vacancy rates, providing information on likely movement in the Census figures one to three quarters in advance.

For data tables on the MPI and MVI, visit www.nahb.org/mms.

For more information on the NAHB Multifamily program, visit https://www.nahb.org/en/members/committees-and-councils/councils/multifamily-council/nahb-multifamily.aspx.

Commentary on July housing starts and permits

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 13:44:28 +0000

Scott Volling, principal, PwC, offered the following commentary on recently released statistics on July housing starts and permits:

Housing starts for July came in at 1,168,000, 7.3% below the consensus of 1,260,000 and only 0.9% above last month’s number of 1,158,000, which was revised down by 15,000 units. This is the worst two month stretch for starts since April/May of last year. Permits fared only slightly better, coming at 1,311,000 for the month, essentially flat with consensus and 1.5% above last month’s number of 1,292,000, which was revised upward by 19,000 units. Single-family starts and permits, 862,000 and 869,000, respectively, mirrored the overall results and were proportionate to recent months, when ideally, we would see accelerating rates of single-family starts and permits relative to multi-family in the current environment.

Other than total permits above the symbolic 1,300,000 level, there is little positive to find in this report. June results were surprisingly disappointing and were subsequently revised downward by 15,000 units. To follow that up with a marginally higher July number reflects a two-month trend that seems reflective of yesterday’s report that builder sentiment dropped to it’s lowest level in 11 months.

While for-sale inventory is still at historical lows, there has been an uptick in the last month or two, slightly easing supply constraints and perhaps providing more options for prospective buyers, ultimately hurting the builders. Further, mortgage rates continue to tick upward and builders may be muting how aggressive they build based on internal projections of future shifts in demand.

June appeared to be an anomaly, but July results indicate a trend. With permits still fairly solid, we will need to see if the trend continues into the late summer/early fall or if recent permits translate to stronger starts in the coming months.

Following is the supporting data:

Starts: 1,168,000

Consensus: 1,260,000 (-7.3%)
Last Month: 1,158,000 (revised downward from 1,173,000) (+0.9%)
Last Year: 1,185,000 (-1.4%)

Permits: 1,311,000

Consensus: 1,307,000 (%)
Last Month: 1,292,000 (revised upward from 1,273,000) (+1.5%)
Last Year: 1,258,000 (+4.2%)

Single Family: 862,000

Last Month: 854,000 (revised downward from 858,000) (+0.9%)
Last Year: 839,000 (+2.7%)

Multi Family: 303,000

Last Month:294,000 (revised downward from 304,000) (%)
Last Year: 335,000 (-9.5%)

Home builder confidence remains firm in August

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 13:28:33 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes edged down one point to a solid 67 reading in August on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

“The good news is that builders continue to report strong demand for new housing, fueled by steady job and income growth along with rising household formations,” said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, a custom home builder from LaPlace, La. “However, they are increasingly focused on growing affordability concerns, stemming from rising construction costs, shortages of skilled labor and a dearth of buildable lots.”

“The solid economic expansion and firm job market should spur demand for new single-family homes in the months ahead,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Meanwhile, builders continue to monitor how tariffs and the growing threat of a trade war are affecting key building material prices, including lumber. These cost increases, coupled with rising interest rates, are putting upward pressure on home prices and contributing to growing affordability challenges, as indicated by the latest quarterly reading of the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index.”

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 30 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.” Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

The HMI index measuring current sales conditions inched one point lower to 73 while the component gauging expectations in the next six months all fell a single point to 72. Meanwhile, the metric charting buyer traffic dropped two points to 49.

Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, the South and West each held steady at 70 and 75, respectively. The Northeast fell three points to 54 and the Midwest also posted a three-point decline to stand at 62.

The Harper tops off mixed-use residential project

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 14:59:30 +0000

Philadelphia — The Harman Group (THG), a firm specializing in structural engineering and parking planning and design, announced that The Harper, a 275,000-square-foot, 25-story, mixed-use residential building in Philadelphia, will celebrate its topping off milestone on Aug. 10, 2018. Located at the site of the former Boyd Theater, The Harper will feature 183 apartments and two floors of retail.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering services for The Harper, in partnership with developer, Pearl Properties, architect, DAS Architects and construction manager, Wellcraft Construction Company.

To accommodate for the retail spaces located on the ground floor and first floor, The Harman Group needed to create more open space. Using five trusses and two plate girders as transfer members, The Harman Group was able to eliminate nine columns from the retail and amenities floor plans.

“The Harman Group worked closely with Pearl Properties and DAS Architects to create a Class A luxury apartment tower in the heart of Center City,” said Christopher Gottschall, Senior Project Engineer at The Harman Group. “In order to reduce the number of columns and therefore allow for longer spans in the retail spaces, we elected to use trusses at the base of the tower to take on the load from the column transfers.”

Amenities at The Harper will include premier retail space, creative office space, an outdoor park and an underground garage. Named after James Harper, Rittenhouse Square’s first developer and a Pennsylvania congressman, The Harper is slated for completion in summer 2019.

Residential housing starts increased in May, building permits declined

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 20:36:37 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced new residential construction statistics for May 2018. Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,301,000. This is 4.6 percent (±1.4 percent) below the revised April rate of 1,364,000, but is 8.0 percent (±1.3 percent) above the May 2017 rate of 1,205,000.

Single-family authorizations in May were at a rate of 844,000; this is 2.2 percent (±1.0 percent) below the revised April figure of 863,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 421,000 in May.

Privately owned housing starts in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,350,000. This is 5.0 percent (±10.2 percent) above the revised April estimate of 1,286,000 and is 20.3 percent (±14.4 percent) above the May 2017 rate of 1,122,000. Single-family housing starts in May were at a rate of 936,000; this is 3.9 percent (±10.6 percent) above the revised April figure of 901,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 404,000.

Privately owned housing completions in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,291,000. This is 1.9 percent (±13.7 percent) above the revised April estimate of 1,267,000 and is 10.4 percent (±12.1 percent) above the May 2017 rate of 1,169,000. Single-family housing completions in May were at a rate of 890,000; this is 11.0 percent (±12.7 percent) above the revised April rate of 802,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 389,000.

“Housing starts for May came in at 1,350,000, the highest level since July of 2007,” said Scott Volling, principal, PwC. “This is 3.1 percent above the consensus number of 1,310,000, 5 percent higher than last month’s revised 1,286,000, and over 20 percent higher than May of last year, which was somewhat of an anomaly at 1,122,000. Importantly, the single-family number was 936,000, the second highest reading since August 2007, and the third time in the last four months that single-family starts were at least 900,000 after achieving that level only once in the prior 10+years.

“Permits were a bit disappointing at 1,301,000, 3.6 percent below the consensus number of 1,350,000 and 4.6 percent below the revised April number of 1,364,000,” Volling said. “However, this marks the eighth straight month that permits achieved the psychological level of 1,300,000. The volatile multi-family number rose 11.3 percent from April to 404,000 units, 27.4 percent higher than May of 2017.

“The strong results this month reflect a tale of two dynamics present in the market,” Volling said. “On the one hand, builders continue to face strong headwinds in the form of rising material costs (as reflected in the drop in yesterday’s home builder sentiment index), land pricing and availability, a rising rate environment, and increasing affordability challenges for consumers. Perhaps most importantly for builders, the constrained construction labor pool limits the velocity with which builders can produce new homes.

“On the other hand, the supply of new and existing homes for sale continue to be approximately a third to half of what is typically considered a ‘healthy’ market, while at the same time millennials are increasingly entering what is historically considered their prime home buying years. Based on this month’s results and the general economic health of the builders, it appears the forces of demand continue to outweigh the headwinds on supply.”

April residential construction stats below expectations

Wed, 16 May 2018 14:34:58 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced new residential construction statistics for April 2018.

Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,352,000. This is 1.8 percent (±1.3 percent) below the revised March rate of 1,377,000, but is 7.7 percent (±0.9 percent) above the April 2017 rate of 1,255,000.

Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 859,000; this is 0.9 percent (±1.4 percent) above the revised March figure of 851,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 450,000 in April.

Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,287,000. This is 3.7 percent (±11.4 percent) below the revised March estimate of 1,336,000, but is 10.5 percent (±9.7 percent) above the April 2017 rate of 1,165,000.

Single-family housing starts in April were at a rate of 894,000; this is 0.1 percent (±11.8 percent) above the revised March figure of 893,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 374,000.

Privately owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,257,000. This is 2.8 percent (±10.1 percent) above the revised March estimate of 1,223,000 and is 14.8 percent (±10.5 percent) above the April 2017 rate of 1,095,000.

Single-family housing completions in April were at a rate of 820,000; this is 4.0 percent (±9.2 percent) below the revised March rate of 854,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 425,000.

Commenting on the report, Scott Volling, principal, PwC, said, “Housing starts for April came in at 1,287,000, 2.8 percent below the consensus number of 1,324,000. This is also 3.7 percent below last month’s result of 1,336,000, which was revised upward by 17,000 units. Permits came in at 1,352,000, very near the consensus number of 1,354,000. Positively, permits in March were revised upward by 23,000 to 1,377,000, a 10+ year high. Also positive in the March revisions is an increase in the single-family number of 26,000 units, to 893,000. As we typically see with the volatile multi-family number, March’s strong results were revised downward by 11,000 units to 428,000, while April saw a further reduction of 12.6 percent to 374,000.

“After a strong March that was largely driven by an increase in multi-family starts, the consensus number this month reflects expectations that single-family starts would rebound and highlight the pent-up demand that continues to exist in the market,” Volling said. “However, with single-family starts coming in below 900,000 and aggregate starts below 1,300,000, and despite double-digit percentage improvements over last year’s results, this month’s numbers are a bit disappointing. While the unexpected spring snow in the Midwest and northeast may have temporarily impacted results in those regions, the almost 4 percent drop in starts over last month may be more reflective of the labor challenges that continue to constrain residential construction.

Nonresidential construction down in March

Wed, 02 May 2018 14:05:00 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending declined 0.3 percent in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Nonresidential spending, which totaled $740.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, has expanded 2.5 percent on a year-over-year basis. February’s spending estimate was revised roughly $10 billion higher, from $732.8 billion to $742.8 billion, rendering the March decline less meaningful.

Private-sector nonresidential construction spending fell 0.4 percent on a monthly basis, but rose 2.2 percent from a year ago. Public sector nonresidential spending remained unchanged in March, but it is up 2.9 percent year-over-year.

“The nonresidential construction spending data emerging from the Census Bureau continue to be a bit at odds with other data characterizing growth in the level of activity,” said ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For instance, first quarter GDP data indicated brisk expansion in nonresidential investment. Data from ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator, the Architecture Billings Index and other leading industry indicators have also been suggesting ongoing growth. Despite that, private nonresidential construction spending is up by roughly the inflation rate, indicating that the volume of services delivered over the past year has not expanded in real terms.

“That said, most economists who follow the industry presumed that March data would be somewhat soft,” said Basu. “The Northeast and Midwest were impacted by unusually persistent storm activity in March. The same phenomenon impacted March’s employment estimates, which indicated that construction actually lost 15,000 jobs that month. Other weather-sensitive industries, including retail trade, also experienced slow to negative job growth in March.

“The upshot is that CEOs and other construction leaders should remain upbeat regarding near-term prospects despite today’s construction spending report,” said Basu. “Leading indicators, including a host of confidence measures, collectively suggest that business investment will be on the rise during the months ahead. Improved state and local government finances should also support additional nonresidential construction activity.

“At the same time, construction industry leaders must remain wary of a sea of emerging risks to the ongoing economic and construction industry expansions,” said Basu. “Interest rates are on the rise. Materials prices, including those associated with softwood lumber, steel and aluminum, are expanding briskly. Wage pressures continue to build. There are also issues related to America’s expanding national debt, increasingly volatile financial markets, geopolitical uncertainty that has helped to propel fuel prices higher, and lack of transparency regarding America’s infrastructure investment intentions. The challenge for construction CEOs and others, therefore, is to prepare for growing activity in the near-term, but for something potentially rather different two to three years from now.”

Residential construction increases, but low inventory persists

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 14:37:18 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced new residential construction statistics for March 2018. Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,354,000. This is 2.5 percent (±1.4 percent) above the revised February rate of 1,321,000 and is 7.5 percent (±1.4 percent) above the March 2017 rate of 1,260,000. Single-family authorizations in March were at a rate of 840,000; this is 5.5 percent (±1.5 percent) below the revised February figure of 889,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 473,000 in March.

Privately owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,319,000. This is 1.9 percent (±12.4 percent) above the revised February estimate of 1,295,000 and is 10.9 percent (±10.0 percent) above the March 2017 rate of 1,189,000. Single-family housing starts in March were at a rate of 867,000; this is 3.7 percent (±11.8 percent) below the revised February figure of 900,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 439,000.

Privately owned housing completions in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,217,000. This is 5.1 percent (±16.0 percent) below the revised February estimate of 1,282,000, but is 1.9 percent (±13.4 percent) above the March 2017 rate of 1,194,000. Single-family housing completions in March were at a rate of 840,000; this is 4.7 percent (±12.3 percent) below the revised February rate of 881,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 371,000.

Commenting on the latest report, Scott Volling, principal, PwC, said, “Results for housing starts and permits released this morning reflect a double dose of good news. First, the disappointing February numbers for starts were revised upward almost 5 percent from 1,236,000 to 1,295,000, while permits were also revised upward almost 2 percent from 1,298,000 to 1,321,000. The upward revisions bring February results closer to original expectations after a strong January. Second, March results improved over February’s revised numbers, with starts increasing 1.9 percent to 1,319,000 while permits grew 2.5 percent to 1,354,000. Impressively, both starts and permits showed sizable gains when compared to March of last year, with starts higher by 10.9 percent and permits higher by 7.5 percent.

“While March results for both starts and permits were strong, with each number being the third highest result in the last 11 years, our enthusiasm is tempered as we analyze the breakdown of single family versus multi-family,” Volling said. “It is well publicized that the residential market is facing a confluence of challenges including low inventory, constrained labor, and rising material costs, ultimately creating a growing bubble of pent up demand and affordability challenges. One way to address these challenges is through an increase in new single-family homes. For March, single family starts dropped 3.7 percent to 867,000 from last month’s revised number of 900,000, while single family permits dropped 5.5 percent to 840,000 from last month’s 889,000. We would hope to see both single-family numbers get to the point of sustained levels above 900,000 to gain confidence that inventory levels, demand and affordability were starting to be addressed.

Nonresidential construction flat in February

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 12:54:20 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending inched 0.1 percent higher in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Nonresidential spending, which totaled $732.8 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, has expanded 1.3 percent since February 2017.

Private sector nonresidential construction spending increased 1.5 percent on a monthly basis and 1.1 percent on a yearly basis, while public sector nonresidential spending fell 2.2 percent for month. Public-dominated segments like conservation and development (-16.4 percent) and public safety (-5.7 percent) experienced especially steep declines in February.

“Construction spending growth tends to reflect the degree to which new project starts exceed project conclusions,” said ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “In a healthy economy, the expectation is that there will be considerable numbers of project starts and that, as a result, construction spending growth will be vigorous. The economy is certainly healthy judging from a wave of leading indicators, including measures of confidence, employment, new orders and gross domestic product.

“Despite that, nonresidential spending growth remains tepid. Reasons for this trend include capacity constraints that continue to beleaguer contractors struggling to find enough skilled construction tradespeople, estimators and project managers,” said Basu. “But that’s only where the issues facing construction firms and the people who use their services begin. There are also rising interest rates and borrowing costs.

“Concerns regarding rising materials prices are also becoming more intense, particularly in light of the recent enactment of tariffs on steel and aluminum and growing fears of a trade war and materials shortages. Softwood lumber prices, which have been impacted by an ongoing trade dispute with Canada, were up nearly 16 percent over a recent 12-month period. On top of all of this is sporadic growth in public construction spending as government monies continue to be siphoned away to finance underfunded pensions, Medicaid and other public priorities.

“The expectation remains that 2018 will be a solid year for construction spending growth. However, there are a growing number of headwinds, even in the context of a reasonably strong domestic economy,” said Basu. “Elected officials could help support construction spending momentum by reducing the level of uncertainty now emerging from the policymaking environment. Obviously, passage and implementation of the long-awaited federal infrastructure package also would help.”

February residential construction stats released

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:44:07 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for February 2018.

Building Permits — Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,298,000. This is 5.7 percent (±0.7 percent) below the revised January rate of 1,377,000, but is 6.5 percent (±2.4 percent) above the February 2017 rate of 1,219,000. Single-family authorizations in February were at a rate of 872,000; this is 0.6 percent (±0.9 percent) below the revised January figure of 877,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 385,000 in February.

Housing Starts — Privately-owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,236,000. This is 7.0 percent (±16.7 percent) below the revised January estimate of 1,329,000 and is 4.0 percent (±12.2 percent) below the February 2017 rate of 1,288,000. Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 902,000; this is 2.9 percent (±10.8 percent) above the revised January figure of 877,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 317,000.

Housing Completions — Privately-owned housing completions in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,319,000. This is 7.8 percent (±14.8 percent) above the revised January estimate of 1,224,000 and is 13.6 percent (±16.0 percent) above the February 2017 rate of 1,161,000. Single-family housing completions in February were at a rate of 895,000; this is 3.0 percent (±10.6 percent) above the revised January rate of 869,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 418,000.

“After a hot start to the year with January housing starts and permits blowing away expectations, both numbers for February came in below expectations,” said Scott Volling, principal with PwC. “Permits were 1,298,000, slightly below the consensus of 1,322,000 but still a relatively strong number and 6.5 percent higher than last year. However, February starts disappointed at 1,236,000, 3.8 percent below the consensus of 1,285,000 and 4 percent below last year’s number of 1,288,000.

“While we weren’t expecting the same sizzling results as January, expectations were high as February is historically a strong month for starts,” Volling said. “While some of the drop in starts can be attributed to weather in the northeast, the biggest drop occurred in the West, which is a bit surprising. Interestingly, one of the numbers that stands out for February is the rate of completions, coming in at a 10-year high of 1,319,000, which also follows a strong January as well. The historically high rate of completions may be an indication that builders are prioritizing in-flight completion velocity over new starts while they make longer-term adjustments around production flow and product mix to weight more heavily the first-time buyer and entry-level demographics. If so, and with five straight months of strong permit results, the dip in starts this month should be temporary.”

Nonresidential construction spending dips in January

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 16:30:39 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending fell 0.1 percent on a monthly basis in January 2018, while year-over-year spending increased, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Nonresidential January spending totaled $732.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted annual rate, adding up to a 2.4 percent increase year over year.

Private nonresidential construction fell 1.5 percent for the month, while public sector nonresidential spending increased 1.9 percent. The largest year-over-year increases occurred in public safety (33.5 percent) and transportation (20.2 percent).

“Today’s data indicates that nonresidential spending continues to expand erratically and unevenly,” said ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “On a monthly basis, nonresidential construction spending declined in January. While the decline was minimal, and may have been primarily attributable to freezing temperatures in much of the country, there has been a long-lived pattern of occasional spending setbacks in the context of broader expansion cycles. The result of the most recent spending setback is that nonresidential construction outlays are only 2.4 percent above year-ago levels.

“Interestingly, there is evidence of a reversal of fortune as spending picks up in certain public segments while flattening out in certain private ones,” said Basu. “With the housing market recovering, property tax and other forms of real estate tax collections have increased. This has positioned a growing number of public agencies to step up construction spending in education, public safety and other publicly financed categories.

“Meanwhile, there are growing concerns regarding excess inventory of commercial and office space in certain metropolitan areas,” said Basu. “This may help explain recent construction spending setbacks in a variety of privately financed construction segments. That said, there is little reason to believe that private construction will falter in 2018. Economic growth, including job growth, remains robust. Confidence is surging among many economic actors, including bankers and developers. The combination of capital and confidence should be enough to drive spending growth in most private segments as 2018 progresses.”

Residential building permits and housing starts exceed expectations

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 16:23:20 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Residential construction statistics for January 2018, announced by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including building permits, housing starts, and housing completions, exceeded analysts’ expectations.

Building permits — Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,396,000. This is 7.4 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised December rate of 1,300,000 and is 7.4 percent (±1.9 percent) above the January 2017 rate of 1,300,000.

Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 866,000; this is 1.7 percent (±1.3 percent) below the revised December figure of 881,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 479,000 in January.

Housing starts — Privately owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,326,000. This is 9.7 percent (±16.8 percent) above the revised December estimate of 1,209,000 and is 7.3 percent (±15.0 percent) above the January 2017 rate of 1,236,000.

Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 877,000; this is 3.7 percent (±9.7 percent) above the revised December figure of 846,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 431,000.

Housing completions — Privately owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,166,000. This is 1.9 percent (±7.8 percent) below the revised December estimate of 1,188,000, but is 7.7 percent (±11.9 percent) above the January 2017 rate of 1,083,000.

Single-family housing completions in January were at a rate of 850,000; this is 2.2 percent (±8.3 percent) above the revised December rate of 832,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 305,000.

“January housing starts blew away expectations, coming in at 1,326,000, 7.5 percent above the consensus of 1,234,000 and 7.3 percent higher than January of 2017,” said Scott Volling, principal with PwC. “This is the highest level of starts since October of 2016 and reflects a strong 9.7 percent rebound from December, despite an upward revision of 17,000 to 1,209,000. Permits also blew away expectations, coming in at 1,396,000, 7.4 percent above the consensus of 1,300,000 to the highest level in over 10 years.

“The surprisingly strong results for both permits and starts this month reflect the healthy demand that builders continue to see in the market, despite rising costs and affordability challenges,” Volling said. “With existing homes for sale remaining at historically low levels, there is likely enough pent up demand to offset any negative impacts of rising rates for the foreseeable future. Further, with permits at or above the 1,300,000 level for the 4th straight month, we expect housing starts to continue their strength as the spring selling season gets underway this month.”

Nonresidential construction spending higher in November, down year-over-year

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 20:56:59 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending expanded 0.6 percent in November, totaling $719.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Despite the month-over-month expansion, nonresidential spending fell 1.3 percent from November 2016.

Private nonresidential construction spending is down 3.1 percent year-over-year, while public sector spending has increased 1.7 percent over the same period. Spending in the manufacturing and power categories, two of the larger nonresidential subsectors, fell by a combined $21.7 billion over the past year.

“The November report represented a stark reversal of preexisting trends,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For much of the past several years, the pattern in nonresidential construction spending has been one in which a number of private categories expanded briskly, including lodging and office, while a host of public construction categories experienced sluggish spending. That changed in November, with public construction spending rising and private construction spending shrinking on a year-over-year basis.

“There are several possible explanations, including growing concerns about overbuilding in a number of large metropolitan areas in the lodging, office and commercial categories,” said Basu. “Financiers may also be less willing to supply financing to a variety of private projects given such concerns. At the same time, the U.S. housing market is the strongest it has been in at least a decade, raising sales prices and expanding assessable residential tax bases. That in turn has supplied additional resources for infrastructure. Over the past year, this has been particularly apparent in the educational and public safety categories.”

Nonresidential construction spending stabilizes in August

Tue, 03 Oct 2017 13:48:11 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending expanded 0.5 percent in August, totaling $691.8 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Though this represents an improvement from July’s total ($688.2 billion), nonresidential spending remains 3.4 percent below its year-ago level and is down 3.8 percent from the cyclical peak attained in May 2017.

Spending levels expanded in 10 of the 16 nonresidential construction subsectors in August on a monthly basis. The manufacturing subsector experienced the largest absolute monthly decline (-$2.6 billion) and the greatest year-over-year decline (-$16.1 billion).

“Though nonresidential construction spending expanded in August, there is a disconnect between spending data and other data characterizing the level of activity, including backlog and employment,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Collectively, nonresidential construction firms continue to hire, and staffing levels are well ahead of year-ago levels. That is consistent with a busier industry. ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) also continues to show that the average nonresidential construction firm can expect to remain busy, with a significant amount of future work already under contract. But the spending data show that the industry has actually become somewhat less busy over the past year.

“There are a number of possible explanations,” said Basu. “One is that employers may be forced in many instances to replace each retiring skilled worker with more than one employee. This is also consistent with declining industry productivity measured in terms of output per hour worked.

“Another possibility is that the construction segments that have been expanding in recent years are more labor intensive than those in which spending has been in decline,” said Basu. “Spending declines have been especially noteworthy in several capital-intensive public spending segments, including conservation and development and sewage and waste disposal. By contrast, spending increases over roughly the past three years have been apparent in segments requiring many workers specializing in high-quality finishes, including in the lodging and office categories.”

Nonresidential construction spending down in July

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 14:31:00 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending fell 1.7 percent in July, totaling $688.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to an analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The absolute level of nonresidential construction spending was at its lowest point since December 2015.

Weakness in spending was widespread. Thirteen of the 16 nonresidential subsectors contracted for the month. Only the public safety and power categories experienced monthly increases, while the highway and street category remained unchanged for the month. However, May and June nonresidential spending was revised upward by a collective $11 billion.

“As a society, we collect and report data in order to clarify the nature of our circumstances and how they are changing,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “However, recently received data have muddied, not clarified, our collective understanding of how well the nation’s nonresidential construction sector is performing.

“Earlier today, we received information indicating that hiring among nonresidential construction firms was brisk in August,” said Basu. “Job growth was significant among nonresidential construction specialty trade contractors and heavy and civil engineering firms, among others. Interpreted independently, this would suggest growing activity in private and public segments.

“But today’s construction spending report points in precisely the opposite direction. Based on that data, nonresidential construction activity has been trending lower since early 2017,” said Basu. “A number of private segments that had been generating significant growth in opportunities for contractors saw activity dwindle in July, including office (-1.3 percent), lodging (-2.7 percent), and amusement and recreation (-1.4 percent). For economists and other stakeholders, the question now is whether today’s jobs report tells the tale or today’s spending data are a better indicator.

“Based on consideration of other factors, including leading indicators, the narrative suggesting that construction activity continues to rise seems more reasonable,” said Basu. “Anecdotally and in survey data, many nonresidential construction firms continue to report healthy backlog and are looking forward to an active 2018. Moreover, recent events in Texas and Louisiana imply that negative trends in nonresidential construction spending will be reversed as rebuilding commences.”

Visit ABC Construction Economics (www.abc.org/en-us/newsmedia/constructioneconomics.aspx) for the Construction Backlog Indicator, Construction Confidence Index and state unemployment reports, plus analysis of spending, employment, GDP and the Producer Price Index.

July residential construction stats released

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:09:12 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for July 2017. Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,223,000. This is 4.1 percent (±0.9 percent) below the revised June rate of 1,275,000, but is 4.1 percent (±1.8 percent) above the July 2016 rate of 1,175,000.

Single-family authorizations in July were at a rate of 811,000; this is 0.0 percent (±1.1 percent) below the revised June figure of 811,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 377,000 in July.

Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,155,000. This is 4.8 percent (±10.2 percent) below the revised June estimate of 1,213,000 and is 5.6 percent (±8.5 percent) below the July 2016 rate of 1,223,000. Single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 856,000; this is 0.5 percent (±8.5 percent) below the revised June figure of 860,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 287,000.

Privately-owned housing completions in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,175,000. This is 6.2 percent (±14.3 percent) below the revised June estimate of 1,252,000, but is 8.2 percent (±12.6 percent) above the July 2016 rate of 1,086,000. Single-family housing completions in July were at a rate of 814,000; this is 1.6 percent (±11.9 percent) below the revised June rate of 827,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 354,000.

“With June starts generating optimism after halting three straight months of declines, the July data is disappointing and may indicate that full year projections of 1.25 million to 1.3 million starts may be optimistic,” said Scott Volling, principal, PwC. “However, we see two reasons to maintain some level of optimism. First, July permits were up 4.1 percent over last year to 1,223,000 and the June permit number was revised upward to a strong 1,275,000, signaling potential strength in starts over the coming months. Second, single family starts rose 10.9 percent from last year to 856,000. Combined with June’s upwardly revised 860,000 single family starts, this is the strongest two-month result for single family starts since fall of 2007, as builders continue to prioritize addressing the pent up demand for single family homes.”

Nonresidential construction spending falls in 13 of 16 segments in April

Fri, 02 Jun 2017 15:41:20 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending fell 1.7 percent in April 2017, totaling $696.3 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

In April, private nonresidential construction spending fell 0.6 percent for the month, but has increased 4.3 percent on a year-ago basis. Public nonresidential spending decreased by 3.4 percent and is down 4.2 percent year-over-year. Declines in nonresidential construction spending for the month were largely attributable to drops in spending in the highway and street and power segments, down $3.5 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively.

“A staggering 13 of 16 nonresidential construction segments experienced spending declines in April,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While poor weather interrupted a considerable amount of economic activity in the Northeast in March — which produced March’s weak jobs report, among other things — weather generally improved in April. This would normally suggest expansion in nonresidential construction spending in on a monthly basis; however, that is not reflected in the April data.

“Instead, public nonresidential construction spending continued to demonstrate substantial weakness with one noteworthy exception, water supply, which produced a small increase,” said Basu. “Among the private categories only office, which was flat, and commercial, which sustained only a small monthly decline, reported stable spending amounts. Both categories have seen a year-over-year spending expansion of 12.4 percent.

“There are a number of explanatory factors,” said Basu. “First, there are survey data from the Federal Reserve indicating that bank lending to commercial real estate has begun to tighten, perhaps because of growing fears of overbuilding in certain markets. Uncertainty at the federal agency level is also likely having an impact, including in public segments like highway and street that depend heavily on federal outlays. Finally, certain economic decision-makers may have ratcheted down their projections of economic growth in 2017 and 2018, resulting in more hesitation with respect to moving forward with projects at various stages of development.”

February’s initial estimate, which was revised higher last month, was revised lower this month. The revision translates into a decline of $9.6 billion, or 1.3 percent. March’s value was relatively unchanged at around $708.6 billion.

Construction job growth led by nonresidential sector, but remains tepid

Mon, 08 May 2017 15:05:49 +0000

Washington, D.C. — National construction employment remained largely unchanged for the second consecutive month, adding 5,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

The nonresidential construction sector added 3,200 net new jobs in April after adding 8,500 net jobs in March (revised down from 13,300), while the residential sector added just 900 net jobs for the month. Construction employment expanded 2.6 percent on yearly basis, well above the year-over-year growth rate for all nonfarm industries (+1.6 percent).

“Today’s employment report confirms that the U.S. economic expansion remains firmly in place,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “That said, the simultaneous expansion in job totals and ongoing slow GDP growth indicate that the average net new job is associated with relatively low output. This is consistent with still-soft productivity growth and somewhat sluggish wage growth relative to expectations. Construction has been especially susceptible to weak productivity growth in recent years, in part because skilled workers capable of delivering elevated productivity remain in such short supply. The scarcity of skilled craftspeople helps explain the scant 0.2 percent growth in nonresidential building construction employment over the past year.

“Nonresidential construction added 3,200 net new jobs, however, nonresidential specialty trade contractors shed 5,100 net jobs in April,” said Basu. “It is conceivable that this occurred as certain segments of private development have begun to slow, including key commercial segments. Conversely, the loss in nonresidential specialty construction positions may simply be a one-month statistical anomaly.

“Recent construction spending data indicate that overall nonresidential construction activity is climbing only slowly,” said Basu. “This implies that hiring will remain moderate for the foreseeable future. Naturally, if the administration in Washington, D.C., is able to implement a significant portion of its pro-business agenda, the rate of job growth will eventually accelerate appreciably.”

The construction industry unemployment rate, which is available only on a nonseasonally adjusted basis, fell 2.1 percentage points in April and now stands at 6.3 percent. Due to seasonal factors, the industry unemployment rate almost always plummets from March to April. Since 2009, that decline as averaged 2.3 percentage points. The national unemployment rate inched down from 4.5 percent in March to 4.4 percent in April. This is the lowest nationwide rate since May 2007.

One Riverside residential high rise celebrates grand opening

Wed, 03 May 2017 14:15:26 +0000

Philadelphia — The Harman Group (THG), a firm specializing in structural engineering, parking planning and design and construction engineering, announced that One Riverside, a $90 million, 82-unit residential condominium complex in Philadelphia, celebrated its grand opening milestone on May 2. Standing 22 stories tall, One Riverside is the first ground-up luxury high-rise condominium constructed in Philadelphia since the real estate downturn in 2007.

THG provided structural engineering and parking consulting services for One Riverside, which was designed in conjunction with Cecil Baker + Partners Architects and developed by Dranoff Properties.

“This is the second successful project that Dranoff Properties and THG have completed, and is one of many successful projects that Cecil Baker + Partners Architects and THG have created, which speaks to our ability to design projects that get built,” said Malcolm Bland, Vice President and Principal at The Harman Group. “Together we were able to create a premier luxury condominium building that reflects the architect and developer’s unique vision.”

To ensure the best possible residential spaces, THG worked closely with Cecil Baker + Partners Architects to bring the exterior columns to the interior, allowing for floor-to-ceiling windows which offer unobstructed views of University City, Center City and the Riverfront. The project also features luxury amenities, including a 60-foot indoor pool; a Club Room with catering and a fully-equipped Business Center; landscaped terraces including a lush private garden, an outdoor sundeck overlooking the Schuylkill River; and covered underground parking as well as a drive-up motor court, allowing residents to pull directly up to their front door.

Due to the project’s location in the Schuylkill River flood plain and with the high-water table at the site, occupied spaces of the building were elevated above the flood plain, with the underground parking garage located below the water table and below the flood plain. The podium, which is partially underground and contains the parking area, was designed to resist hydrostatic and buoyancy pressures via the use of rock anchors and a pressure raft.

Cast-in-place concrete was chosen for the structural frame to maximize the ceiling heights and maintain a sleek modern look to the building. The concrete frame also enabled the required column grid spacing to be achieved economically and provided a robust lateral wind and seismic force resisting system.

Nonresidential construction spending slips to start 2017

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 16:00:22 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending contracted during January, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending fell 1.9 percent from December to $698.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. This represents the first month total nonresidential construction spending dipped below $700 billion since July 2016.

Despite the monthly setback, year-over-year progress remains intact, with nonresidential spending increasing 1.5 percent since January 2016. However, in real terms, that represents virtually nonexistent growth. Private nonresidential spending remained unchanged for the month, while public sector spending plunged 4.7 percent. The greatest loss in spending volume occurred in the public safety, water supply and conservation and development segments.

“The significant loss in public construction spending momentum is hardly novel,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For several years, public funding for construction activity has been flat and erratic. Public budgets remain constrained by underfunded pensions, surging Medicaid expenditures, and other non-infrastructure-related needs.

“The new president’s speech on Tuesday night discussed the need for additional infrastructure investment,” said Basu. “If the president is able to implement his public-private partnership plan, public construction spending is set to soar. However, there are many obstacles to his plan coming to fruition.

“Private construction spending was also soft in January, but the outlook remains upbeat,” said Basu. “Corporate confidence is high, architects became much busier during the period immediately following the presidential election, and capital from banks and other sources should be broadly available to developers during the year ahead.”

January 2017 Nonresidential Construction Spending

Nonresidential spending falters slightly to end 2016

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 14:27:06 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending slipped 0.7 percent in the final month of 2016, but increased 4.6 percent over the previous year, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending decreased from $713.1 billion in November to $708.2 billion in December on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis.

Both November’s estimate ($713.1 billion) and October’s estimate ($707.1 billion) were upwardly revised by less than one-tenth of a percent. Private nonresidential spending remained flat for the month, while public nonresidential spending contracted 1.7 percent.

“Private spending growth, which has led nonresidential spending growth for months, remained flat in December and, as a result, the preexisting story of the industry remains fundamentally unchanged,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Public construction spending has been soft for many years and the December spending data merely served to extend that part of the tale. Spending in the sewage and waste disposal, transportation, and public safety sectors was particularly weak during the past 12 months. Private spending growth has been on-again, off-again for much of the year, so it is not a surprise that last month’s robust spending report was followed by a flat one.

“On the bright side, the architectural community became much busier in December, signaling an acceleration of commercial activity to come,” said Basu. “In addition, the new administration appears committed to fulfilling its campaign promises, including a pledge to step up infrastructure spending. This has asphalt, pavement and other infrastructure-intensive contractors expressing more confidence in their economic future than they have for many years. As such, the December data provide little insight into the future trajectory of nonresidential construction spending, which is set to improve markedly during the next six to 12 months.”

Nonresidential fixed investment expands 2.4 percent in Q4 2016

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:25:31 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The improved performance of the U.S. economy during last year’s third quarter gave way to a weaker period of growth in the fourth, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 1.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate during 2016’s final quarter, down from a 3.5 percent expansion in the third quarter. While the fourth quarter represents the 11th consecutive quarter of GDP expansion, overall GDP growth for 2016 totaled 1.6 percent, the slowest rate of expansion since 2011.

Nonresidential fixed investment, a category closely aligned with construction and other forms of business investment, expanded at a 2.4 percent annualized rate during the fourth quarter after growing 1.4 percent during the third. Despite expanding during the final three quarters of 2016, this category of GDP contracted by 0.4 percent in 2016. Investment in structures, a component of nonresidential fixed investment, shrank at a 5 percent annualized rate in the fourth quarter and at a 3.1 percent rate for all of 2016.

“The nonresidential construction sector’s 2016 economic performance will go down as a tale of two sectors: private and public,” sand ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Private construction fared reasonably well due to ongoing construction of hotels, office buildings, and other forms of commercial space. However, public investment languished with little exception as state and local governments continued to budget cautiously and public monies were directed into non-construction categories like healthcare financing and the hiring of additional employees to work in existing facilities.

“While 2016 will be counted as another slow-growth year for the U.S. economy, there is reason to believe that 2017 growth will be meaningfully higher,” said Basu. “With better prospects for tax reform, deregulation of key economic sectors and stepped-up defense spending, business confidence has surged since November’s election. The nonresidential fixed investment category is poised to experience a particularly significant uptick in the near-term. There are a number of indications suggesting this, including the recent surge in the Architecture Billings Index, one of the construction industry’s primary leading indicators.

“Like any year, 2017 will be fraught with hazards,” warned Basu. “Contractors will continue to fret about a lack of available workers, which will drive up compensation costs. Materials prices have begun to rise, as have borrowing costs. However, many contractors will find their backlog replenished and rising opportunities to compete for work. Ultimately, the data release today tells us about how the economy was, not how it will be.”

Penn State to host residential building conferences in 2018

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 18:53:02 +0000

University Park, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Housing Research Center, housed in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, is set to host two concurrent conferences Feb. 28 through March 1, 2018, at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel: the fourth Residential Building Design & Construction Conference (RBDC) and the 26th Annual Housing & Land Development Conference (H&LD).

The fourth Residential Building Design and Construction Conference (https://www.phrc.psu.edu/Conferences/Residential-Building-Design-and-Construction-Conference/4th-RBDCC.aspx) creates an academic forum for researchers, architects, engineers and other design professionals to share their research, state-of-the-art technologies and innovative approaches in residential design and construction. The conference will focus on a variety of residential buildings including, but not limited to, single-family dwellings, multi-family apartment buildings, high-rise residential building towers, dormitories and factory-built and modular housing.

Conference presentations will be based on submitted abstracts and peer-reviewed papers. These submissions can cover a variety of residential-focused topics, and abstracts must be sent via email to the Conference Secretariat, Sarah Klinetob Lowe, by March 15, 2017. Those who are accepted will be welcomed to develop their paper and present a 20-30 minute presentation during the conference.

The RCDC will host two keynote speakers in addition to conference paper authors.

Bohumil Kasal is the director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research and former professor in civil and environmental engineering at Penn State. His primary research interests include the “design of wood structures, assessment of historic wood structures and analytical modeling of wood buildings and residential structures.” His presentation for the conference is titled, “German Residential Construction: What Can We Learn from It?”

The second keynote speaker is Ryan E. Smith, the associate dean of research and community engagement and the director of the Integrated Technology in Architecture Center in the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Utah. Smith’s research focuses on architectural technology in the hopes of building a more “productive, integrated, sustainable and innovative built environment.” His presentation for the conference is titled, “Global Innovations in Residential Building: Prefabrication, Modularization and Automation.”

The second, concurrent conference — the 26th Annual Housing and Land Development Conference — provides practical information and updates on issues of interest to the residential construction industry, particularly developers, builders, design professionals, remodelers and more.

Presentations at the H&LD conference are by invited speaker only, and continuing education credits are available.

Registrants are welcome to mix and match sessions between the two conferences with no additional registration or action required.

For more information about the 2018 conferences or registration, visit www.PHRC.psu.edu.

December U.S. residential construction statistics released

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 14:51:33 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for December 2016:

Building permits — Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,210,000. This is 0.2 percent (±1.8%) below the revised November rate of 1,212,000, but is 0.7 percent (±1.6%) above the December 2015 estimate of 1,201,000.

Single-family authorizations in December were at a rate of 817,000; this is 4.7 percent (±1.7%) above the revised November figure of 780,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 355,000 in December.

An estimated 1,186,900 housing units were authorized by building permits in 2016. This is 0.4 percent (±0.8%) above the 2015 figure of 1,182,600.

Housing starts — Privately owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,226,000. This is 11.3 percent (±10.4%) above the revised November rate of 1,102,000 and is 5.7 percent (±12.0%) above the December 2015 rate of 1,160,000.

Single-family housing starts in December were at a rate of 795,000; this is 4.0 percent (±9.2%) below the revised November figure of 828,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 417,000.

An estimated 1,166,400 housing units were started in 2016. This is 4.9 percent (±2.5%) above the 2015 figure of 1,111,800.

Housing completions — Privately owned housing completions in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,123,000. This is 7.9 percent (±11.4%) below the revised November rate of 1,219,000, but is 8.7 percent (±10.1%) above the December 2015 rate of 1,033,000.

Single-family housing completions in December were at a rate of 761,000; this is 0.9 percent (±9.3%) below the revised November rate of 768,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 355,000.

An estimated 1,062,300 housing units were completed in 2016. This is 9.7 percent (±3.4%) above the 2015 figure of 968,200.

Nonresidential spending surged in November

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 15:12:26 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction surged in November, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending expanded to $712.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate in November, representing the highest level of spending in eight years.

October’s figure was upwardly revised by 1 percent (from $699.7 billion to $706.5 billion), while September’s figure was upwardly revised by 0.8 percent (from $701.7 billion to $707.2 billion). A bit more than half of the 16 subsectors experienced spending increases in November.

Nonresidential Construction Spending

“Today’s strong spending report contributed to a bright short-term outlook for the commercial and industrial construction sectors,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Nonresidential construction spending is up approximately 5 percent on a year-over-year basis, and momentum should build further.

“With a new presidential administration coming to Washington there is a presumption that the economic dynamics of the near-term future will be markedly different than they have been,” said Basu. “If the last few weeks are any indication, the 2017 economy will be associated with tax cuts, more government spending, less financial regulation, faster economic growth, a stronger U.S. dollar, robust stock market performance and greater overall CEO confidence. That should translate into improved construction spending moving forward.

“It should be noted that data for November largely reflect the economic dynamics of the past,” said Basu. “Many construction firms have reported that they remain busy but have become concerned that work could dry up in certain markets in 2017 or 2018. This has been due to a combination of factors, including evidence of overbuilding in segments such as lodging and office buildings, even in Tier 1 markets like New York and Miami.

“Some are of course unnerved by prospects for shrinking exports given a stronger U.S. dollar, larger budget deficits and rising interest rates,” said Basu. “These are legitimate concerns and may ultimately serve to suppress U.S. economic dynamism. However, for now, the nonresidential construction outlook remains promising. The major source of uncertainty regarding the near-term outlook stems from whether the incoming administration will successfully pass an infrastructure package and how quickly such legislation would translate into stepped-up public construction spending.”

Nonresidential Fixed Investment Expands Again During Third Quarter

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 15:49:17 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 2.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate during the third quarter of 2016, according to an analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This follows a 1.4 percent increase during the second quarter and represents the tenth consecutive quarter of economic expansion.

Nonresidential fixed investment, a category closely aligned with construction and other forms of business investment, expanded at a 1.2 percent annualized rate during the third quarter after growing 1 percent during the second. Investment in structures led the way, increasing by 5.4 percent in the third quarter after falling 2.1 percent during the second. Investment in equipment fell 2.7 percent for the quarter, while investment in intellectual property products expanded 4 percent. Residential investment continued to fall, declining 6.2 percent in the third quarter after falling 7.7 percent during the second.

“Today’s GDP release will generally be viewed favorably both for the construction industry and for the larger economy,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The acceleration in real GDP growth was driven by a combination of factors, including an upturn in exports, a smaller decrease in state and local government spending and an upturn in federal government spending. One of the biggest impacts came from greater private inventory investment, likely in response to expectations for reasonably strong consumer spending. Growth in personal consumption expenditures was responsible for almost half of third quarter GDP growth. However, this build in inventories is likely to subtract from economic growth in future quarters, though not massively.

“According to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, nonresidential investment in structures has contributed little to GDP over the past five quarters,” said Basu. “While there are certain categories of nonresidential construction that have been active in terms of spending growth, including the office, lodging and commercial categories, for the most part spending growth has been lackluster.

“Third quarter growth was solid, but future quarters may not be as good,” said Basu. “The economy will have to deal with a number of headwinds going forward, including a stronger dollar, building inflationary pressures and higher interest rates. Consumer spending growth will continue to lead the recovery. While this will help support construction spending in certain categories, including distribution centers, nonresidential investment in structures is likely to expand only slowly in early 2017.”

The following highlights emerged from today’s third quarter GDP release. All growth figures are presented as seasonally adjusted annualized rates:

Personal consumption expenditures expanded 2.1 percent on an annualized basis during the third quarter of 2016 after growing 4.3 percent during the second quarter of 2016.
Spending on goods rose 2.2 percent during the third quarter after expanding by 7.1 percent during the previous quarter.
Real final sales of domestically produced output increased 2.3 percent in the third quarter after increasing 2.6 percent in the second.
Federal government spending expanded 2.5 percent in the year’s third quarter after contracting during each of the prior two quarters.
Nondefense government spending increased 3 percent during the quarter following an increase of 3.8 percent during the second.
National defense spending grew by 2.1 percent during the third quarter after registering a 3.2 percent decline in the previous quarter.
State and local government spending fell by 0.7 percent in the third quarter after falling 2.5 percent in the second quarter.

Nonresidential spending slips in August

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 14:12:09 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending fell for a second consecutive month in August, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending totaled $686.6 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis for the month, 1.1 percent lower than July’s total of $694.1 billion (revised down from $701 billion) and 1.3 percent below August 2015’s figure.

Private nonresidential construction spending fell just 0.4 percent for the month, while its public sector counterpart shrank 2 percent. Four of the five largest nonresidential subsectors — power, highway and street, commercial and manufacturing — combined to fall 2.2 percent on a monthly basis.

“Stakeholders in the nation’s nonresidential construction industry have become accustomed to seeing weak spending data. However, today’s report represents a bit of a departure from previous reports,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While previous weak spending reports can almost completely be explained by diminished public construction spending, today’s report also revealed emerging weakness in private spending.

“There are some noteworthy exceptions,” said Basu. “Office-related construction spending continued to surge higher, rising 2 percent for the month and up a whopping 24 percent on a year-over-year basis. Construction spending related to lodging rose 1.2 percent on a monthly basis and is nearly 16 percent higher than the year-ago level. Foreign investment in U.S. commercial real estate heavily influences these two segments, which has helped produce both higher asset prices and more construction.

“Given the passage of a federal highway bill last year, one might have expected spending growth in the highway/street and transportation categories,” said Basu. “Those expectations have been unmet thus far. Transportation-related construction spending dipped by more than 6 percent in August and by more than 11 percent on a year-over-year basis. Highway and street spending is down by more than 8 percent on a year-ago basis, and was down nearly 3 percent for the month.

“There are a number of theories at work, including the 2016 election cycle, which has led to some decision-makers putting projects on hold,” said Basu. “Government spending generally remains weak, and there are some indications that private lending standards are tightening due to a combination of growing concern among financial industry regulators and bankers that real estate bubbles are forming again in certain communities and segments.”

Nonresidential spending inches lower in July; June data revised upward to eight-year record

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 08:43:37 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending inched 0.3 percent lower in July largely due to a significant upward revision to June’s spending figure, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending totaled $701.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis in July, the second highest month since November 2008, right behind June, which was revised upward from $682 billion to $703.5 billion. Public nonresidential spending continued to falter, declining 3.2 percent for the month and 6.5 percent for the year.

“A number of factors have suppressed nonresidential construction spending over roughly the past year,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “First and foremost is the lack of momentum in public spending, as governors and other policymakers wrestle with surging Medicaid expenditures, underfunded pensions and other priorities. This lack of public investment continues despite obvious deficiencies in water, road and other forms of infrastructure. The fact that all but two of the 12 public nonresidential public subsectors declined in July shows that the malaise is widespread.

“The second emerging factor pertains to tightening commercial real estate standards, perhaps induced by growing regulatory pressures,” said Basu. “There is growing concern that key commercial real estate segments are in the process of being overbuilt, particularly in America’s largest cities, which are most likely to attract significant levels of foreign investment. Announcements by Macys and other retailers regarding the closing of stores may serve to further suppress commercial activity. In other words, the momentum in commercial real estate segments would be even greater but for these reasons. While office, lodging and commercial segments remain among the best performers in terms of triggering nonresidential spending growth, these segments may not be quite as strong going forward.

“That said, there are some positive factors at work. The housing sector has begun to meaningfully improve, translating into more government revenue in the form of permitting fees and property tax collections,” said Basu. “The nation also continues to add jobs in substantial numbers, which helps to fuel construction of distribution centers and in other key growth segments. Interest rates remain low, and banks need to expand lending activity in order to grow earnings. These factors were certainly at work in June when construction spending reached a historically high level.”

Nonresidential construction spending down again in June

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:05:23 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending dipped 1 percent in June and has now contracted for three consecutive months, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending, which totaled $682 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate, has fallen 1.1 percent on a year-over-year basis, marking the first time nonresidential spending has declined on an annual basis since July 2013.

“On a monthly basis, the numbers are not as bad as they seem, as May’s nonresidential construction spending estimate was revised higher. However, this fails to explain the first year-over-year decline in nearly three years,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “There are many forces at work, most of them negative, with the noteworthy exception of construction materials prices, which are down on a year-over-year basis. To the extent that savings are being passed along to purchasers of construction services, spending would appear lower in dollar terms than when measured in physical terms such as square footage.

“Thanks in part to the investment of foreign capital in America, spending related to office space and lodging are up by more than 16 percent year-over-year,” said Basu. The global economy is weak, and international investors are searching for yield and stability. U.S. commercial real estate has become a popular destination for foreign capital. However, the weakness of the global economy may also help explain the decline in manufacturing-related construction spending of nearly 5 percent for the month and more than 10 percent year-over-year.

“Though many contractors continue to report extensive backlog, the data suggest that average firm backlog may begin to retrench,” warned Basu. “The only significant driver of economic growth in America presently is consumer spending. Corporate profits remain stagnant and business investment remains underwhelming. Public sector spending does not appear positioned to accelerate anytime soon despite the passage of a federal highway bill last year.”

Precisely half of the 16 nonresidential subsectors expanded in June. Two of the largest subsectors — manufacturing and commercial — experienced significant contractions in June, however, and were responsible for a majority of the dip in spending.

Tepid spending by public agencies also continues to shape the data. Despite a monthly pick-up in spending, water-supply construction spending is down 14 percent on a year-over-year basis. Public safety construction spending is down 8.4 percent from a year ago, sewage and waste disposal by nearly 15 percent, highway and street by about 6 percent, education by 4 percent and transportation by more than 3 percent.

Output expands, but nonresidential fixed investment falters

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 09:21:02 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 1.2 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rate) during 2016’s second quarter, according to an analysis of Bureau of Economic Analysis data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This modest figure follows a 0.8 percent annualized rate of output growth registered during the year’s first quarter.

Nonresidential fixed investment, a category closely tied to construction and other forms of business investment, fell for a third consecutive quarter, slipping 2.2 percent from the first quarter, with investment in structures declining 7.9 percent. Residential investment fell for the first time since the first quarter of 2014. Nonresidential investment in equipment fell 3.5 percent for the quarter, while nonresidential fixed investment in intellectual property expanded 3.5 percent and has now expanded for 12 consecutive quarters.

“Construction industry stakeholders should not have been anticipating a solid GDP report given previous weak construction spending and employment numbers that were recently released and they did not get one,” said Anirban Basu, ABC’s chief economist. “Today’s report suggests that construction activity has stalled a bit more than thought, largely due to slowing residential investment growth and low levels of public sector investment. With apartment rents no longer rising in a number of markets, the nation’s apartment building boom has taken a bit of a pause.

“Only those who sell directly to consumers and certain technology firms are likely to glean some sense of satisfaction from today’s release,” said Basu. “The balance of the economy continues to disappoint, though the lack of inventory building during the second quarter may help position the economy for a bounce-back during the third. It will be interesting to see if ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator begins to show that average nonresidential construction firm backlog is now in decline, though many contractors continue to indicate that they remain busy due to previously secured work.

“It should be noted that the 7.9 percent decline in spending on structures during the second quarter transpired despite some very positive economic circumstances,” said Basu. “For instance, interest rates remain shockingly low, foreign investment continues to pour into U.S. commercial real estate, and there are positive wealth effects being generated by both housing and equity markets. However, it appears that even these conditions are no longer enough to support growing demand for construction spending. One could theorize that uncertainty originating from the current presidential election cycle is partially responsible.”

The following highlights emerged from today’s second quarter GDP release. All growth figures are seasonally adjusted annual rates:

Personal consumption expenditures expanded 4.2 percent on an annualized basis during the second quarter of 2016 after growing 1.6 percent during the first quarter of 2016.
Spending on goods rose 6.8 percent during the first quarter after expanding by 1.2 percent during the previous quarter.
Real final sales of domestically produced output increased 2.4 percent in the second quarter after increasing 1.2 percent in the first.
Federal government spending inched down by 0.2 percent in the year’s second quarter after contracting 1.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016.
Nondefense government spending increased by 3.9 percent for the quarter following an increase of 0.9 percent in the first.
National defense spending fell by 3 percent during the second quarter after registering a 3.2 percent decline in the previous quarter.
State and local government spending fell by 1.3 percent in the second quarter after expanding 3.5 percent in the first quarter.

Arup to develop 21-story wooden residential building

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 08:59:09 +0000

Amsterdam, The Netherlands — Arup was selected to develop HAUT, the highest wooden residential building in the world to date, counting 21 floors. The firm will work in partnership with Lingotto, Nicole Maarsen, TEAM V Architecture and Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij.

The 73-meter-high residential tower located in the Amstelkwartier will include 55 apartments, public plinth Hortus bicycles and an underground car park. It will have a total gross floor area of approximately 14,500 square meters and is to receive the BREEAM Outstanding label, the highest possible sustainability score.

Building in wood is one of the most talked about innovations in sustainable construction internationally, due to the large storage capacity of CO2. Using wood provides an answer to the Municipality of Amsterdam’s quest for CO2 neutrality.

HAUT's wood can store over 3 million kilograms of CO2. In addition, 1.250 square meters of PV (solar) panels will help the building produce renewable energy, while wastewater is purified through a constructed wetland on the roof. The parking garage in the building has space for electric (shareable) cars.

The municipality of Amsterdam selected this team for its vision of the city of the future in which nature and architecture are balanced. HAUT also stands for haute couture: designed customized architecture. The design offers the first buyers unlimited freedom of choice in dwelling size, number of floors and the location of rooms, outdoor spaces and voids. Within a strong and simple façade design, with white-gray floor tapes and high windows, the balconies seem to have randomly been slid in and out. The wooden ceilings of balconies and large overhangs on the sharp corner at the Spaklerweg make HAUT's architecture expressive and iconic.

For this project Arup is providing multidisciplinary engineering services, including building services engineering, fire, acoustics and building physics consulting.

Amstelkwartier, the new district on the Amstel encompasses about 4,000 homes, shops and businesses. At this point, approximately 1,000 homes have been completed and the first school has been opened. Construction of the new city park Somer Lust aan de Amstel has been finished as well.

June residential construction stats released

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 09:07:43 +0000

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for June 2016:

Building permits

Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,153,000. This is 1.5 percent (±1.3%) above the revised May rate of 1,136,000, but is 13.6 percent (±0.6%) below the June 2015 estimate of 1,334,000.

Single-family authorizations in June were at a rate of 738,000; this is 1.0 percent (±1.5%) above the revised May figure of 731,000.

Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 384,000 in June.

Housing starts

Privately owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,189,000. This is 4.8 percent (±13.5%) above the revised May estimate of 1,135,000, but is 2.0 percent (±12.9%) below the June 2015 rate of 1,213,000.

Single-family housing starts in June were at a rate of 778,000; this is 4.4 percent (±15.8%) above the revised May figure of 745,000.

The June rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 392,000.

Housing completions

Privately owned housing completions in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,147,000. This is 12.3 percent (±10.7%) above the revised May estimate of 1,021,000 and is 18.7 percent (±14.9%) above the June 2015 rate of 966,000.

Single-family housing completions in June were at a rate of 752,000; this is 3.7 percent (±10.2%) above the revised May rate of 725,000. The June rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 386,000.

Nonresidential construction spending stalls in May

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 09:20:37 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending dipped 1.3 percent in May, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending, which totaled $684.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate, has expanded 1.2 percent since May 2015.

April's nonresidential spending figure was revised upwards from $688.2 billion to $694.1 billion. The previous three months of data — January, February, and March — all received slight downward revisions.

"Partially lost amidst all the discussion of Brexit and volatile financial markets is evidence that the U.S. economy continues to expand," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. "Construction remains one of the economy's busier segments, with many contractors continuing to report lengthy backlog and steady to expanding profit margins.

"Many of the factors that positioned the construction sector to become more active remain in place," said Basu. "Global investment capital continues to flow aggressively to America and interest and capitalization rates remain low. National output continues to climb, albeit slowly. The e-commerce economy is driving demand for new fulfillment centers and warehouses, while technology companies continue to fuel construction in cities like San Jose, Boston, Seattle and San Diego.

"That's what makes today's and prior construction spending releases so surprising," said Basu. When one adjusts for inflation, nonresidential construction spending today is essentially unaltered from a year ago. The industry's recovery appears to have stalled. Not only have spending reports indicated a lack of positive momentum, but recent employment data also suggest that nonresidential construction activity has plateaued.

"Given lengthy backlog among contractors, there is little reason to think that the volume of nonresidential construction put in place will weaken significantly during the near term," said Basu. The data are consistent with the notion that economic actors have become more cautious over the past year, perhaps delaying projects. This hesitation may be due to a number of factors, including concerns regarding overbuilding and the 2016 election cycle.

"Weakness in the nation's energy sector has certainly contributed to this state of affairs, but the lack of nonresidential construction spending growth is not fully explained by low oil and natural gas prices," concluded Basu. "A lack of aggressive public sector spending is also contributing to the industry's recent malaise and the outlook for 2017 and 2018 remains decidedly murky."

Only five of the 15 subsectors experienced spending growth on a monthly basis, and all five of the largest subsectors — power, highway and street, educational, manufacturing and commercial — declined in May.

Gould Evans submits design for San Francisco mixed-use residential tower

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 09:55:30 +0000

San Francisco — Architecture and planning firm Gould Evans on behalf of project sponsor Align Real Estate, submitted a Downtown Project Authorization Application (Planning Code Section 309 Application) to the San Francisco Planning Department for a new mixed-use residential tower at 30 Otis Street. If approved, the proposed 250-foot tower accompanied by an 85-foot podium building will be part of the strategic revitalization of this transit-rich, underdeveloped corner of the city.

The proposed project is part of The Market Street Hub (The Hub), an area which covers the eastern-most portions of the city's Market and Octavia Area Plan. It is also included in the Van Ness and Market Downtown Residential Special Use District (SUD). This historically underutilized area offers immense opportunity for the city, as it is located near the rapidly-transforming Mid-Market area, and is well-suited to the development of a transit-oriented, high-density, mixed-use residential neighborhood. The Hub is expected to take on some 7,000 new residents and is the target of 3,700 new planned housing units, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The project will include performance and instruction space for the City Ballet School, a prestigious San Francisco-based classical ballet school, which has resided on the site for more than ten years. By incorporating the ballet school into the new development, the project will enable a performing arts institution to remain in the neighborhood and continue contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the greater mid-market/civic center performing arts district.

"We at City Ballet feel honored and blessed to be in partnership with Align Real Estate to further preserve the arts by continuing the rich tradition of dance in the heart of San Francisco," said Ken Patsel, Administrative Director of the City Ballet School. "We are extremely happy to be able to stay in the neighborhood for the foreseeable future and be a part of the exciting changes to come."

Gould Evans's design responds to The Hub's twin imperatives for increased density and people-centered urban design. In addition to the 434,000 gross square foot building, the project proposes an elegant public plaza designed by PWP Landscape Architecture that will greatly enrich the neighborhood's pedestrian experience.

The project is targeting LEED Gold Level certification, and is anticipated to include the following elements:

418 rental units
18,000 square-foot ballet school
11,000 square-feet of amenity space
4,000 square-feet of retail space
A transit-first parking and bicycle strategy
An array of green spaces, including a public plaza at ground level.

"Within a very short time, the Hub is destined to become one of San Francisco's most interesting and vital neighborhoods. Having been an active presence on Brady Street for over 16 years, this is a rare, and very personal opportunity for us," said Bob Baum, Principal with Gould Evans. "We believe in this neighborhood. We know its challenges and potential. We intend to create something special here, something which enhances our city for many years to come."

Nonresidential construction spending down in April

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 10:25:36 +0000

Washington, D.C. — Nonresidential construction spending fell 2.1 percent in April according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential spending totaled $688.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate.

Much like last month, the sting of a disappointing headline number was mitigated by upward revisions to the previous two months of data. March's estimate was revised from $695.7 billion to $702.6 billion, while February's estimate saw a 0.1 percent increase. March represents the first month in which spending exceeded $700 billion since March 2009.

"Nonresidential construction spending growth continues to struggle to maintain momentum," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. "The amount of nonresidential construction value put in place has expanded by just 2.5 percent over the past year, with private spending up 3.4 percent and public spending up just 1.4 percent. While many will primarily attribute this to a sluggish U.S. economy, one that has expanded by less than 1.5 percent during each of the last two completed calendar quarters, there are other factors at work.

"Lower materials prices are embodied in the value of completed work," said Basu. "Though commodity prices have been firming recently, commodity prices had been in decline for more than a year. Moreover, in some communities, nonresidential construction is facing severe constraints given an insufficient number of qualified workers. Both factors would tend to constrain the level of observed growth in nonresidential construction spending.

"There may also be growing skittishness among private developers, who have become increasingly concerned by possible overbuilding in commercial, office and lodging markets," warned Basu. "Both lodging and commercial construction spending dipped in April. This hesitancy is reflected in many ways, including in the Architectural Billings Index, which has struggled to consistently stand meaningfully above its threshold value of 50. Public spending also remains lackluster as many states deal with underfunded pensions and ballooning Medicaid costs."

Only five of 16 nonresidential construction sectors experienced spending increases in April on a monthly basis:

Religious-related spending expanded 9.6 percent from March 2016 and 7.3 percent from April 2015.
Spending in the public safety category grew 5.2 percent on a monthly basis but fell 6.2 percent on a yearly basis.
Office-related spending expanded 1.6 percent for the month and 20.3 percent for the year.
Amusement and recreation-related spending expanded 0.8 percent month-over-month and 8.3 percent year-over-year.
Spending in the power category rose by 0.3 percent for the month and 0.6 percent from April 2015.

Spending in 11 of the nonresidential construction subsectors fell in April on a monthly basis:

Spending in the communication category fell 7.7 percent from March 2016 and is down 16.4 percent from April 2015.
Highway and street-related spending fell 6.5 percent on a monthly basis but is up 4 percent on a yearly basis.
Commercial-related spending dipped 3.7 percent for the month but is up 6.8 percent from April 2015.
Spending in the health care category fell 3 percent from March 2016 and is down 0.6 percent from the same month one year ago.
Educational-related spending dropped 2.4 percent month-over-month but is up 5.4 percent year-over-year.
Spending in the lodging category fell 2 percent on a monthly basis but is up 24.6 percent on a yearly basis.
Transportation-related spending fell 1.7 percent since March 2016 and is down 1 percent from April 2015.
Sewage and waste disposal-related spending fell 1.4 percent for the month but is up 1 percent from April 2015.
Manufacturing-related spending fell 1.4 percent month-over-month and 9.8 percent year-over-year.
Spending in the conservation and development category dipped 1.2 percent for the month and 6.5 percent year-over-year.
Water supply-related spending fell 0.5 percent on a monthly basis and 6.5 percent on a yearly basis.

One Riverside tops off $90 million residential project

Thu, 26 May 2016 09:45:02 +0000

Philadelphia — The Harman Group (THG), a firm specializing in structural engineering, parking planning and design and construction engineering, announced that One Riverside, a $90 million, 82-unit residential condominium complex in Philadelphia, celebrated its topping off milestone on May 25. Standing 22 stories tall, One Riverside is the first ground-up luxury high rise condominium constructed in Philadelphia since the real estate downturn in 2007.

The Harman Group provided structural engineering and parking consulting services for One Riverside, which was designed in conjunction with Cecil Baker + Partners Architects and developed by Dranoff Properties.

“Working closely with Dranoff Properties and Cecil Baker, we were able to create a premier luxury condominium building that adheres to the architect and developer’s unique vision,” said Malcolm Bland, Vice President and Principal at The Harman Group. “This is the second successful project that Dranoff Properties and THG have completed, with two other projects in design. It is also one of many successful projects that Cecil Baker + Partners Architects and THG have created, which speaks volumes about our ability to design projects that get built.”

Due to the project’s location in the Schuylkill River flood plain and with the high water table at the site, occupied spaces of the building were elevated above the flood plain, with the underground parking garage located below the water table and below the flood plain. The podium, which is partially underground and contains the parking area, was designed to resist hydrostatic pressure via the use of rock anchors and a pressure raft.

Cast-in-place concrete was chosen for the structural frame to maximize the ceiling heights and maintain a sleek modern look to the building. The concrete frame attained the required column grid spacing economically and provided a robust lateral wind and seismic force resisting system.