Article written by Alan Littman for Construction Executive

While the construction industry is slowly adopting technology in its daily operations, many firms are still supported by disparate, non-integrated systems that often require the use of manual forms or spreadsheets to capture and document work performed.

This leads to, among other things, serious deficiencies in the ability to communicate necessary information in a timely manner, users having to access multiple systems to perform and document their work and no opportunity to manage work efficiently “in the moment,” which can have significant consequences—especially in the area of safety.

If that isn’t bad enough, it also dramatically impacts profitability in the form of inaccurate costs estimates that lead to major cost overruns and can introduce significant risk into operations.

Key Takeaways

• Nonresidential construction spending, which totaled $788.5 billion on a seasonally adjusted annual basis for May, declined 0.9% from April but is a 4.4% increase over the same time last year.
• Among the 16 nonresidential construction spending categories, five experienced an increase in monthly spending, with the largest increases registered in transportation (4.0%), communication (1.3%), and public safety (1.2%).
• While total public and private nonresidential spending declined 0.9% since April, public spending was up 11.2% and private spending was down 0.1% year over year.

Press Release from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

According to data released Friday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national construction industry added 21,000 net new jobs in June.

Key Takeaways

• The construction industry added 21,000 net new jobs in June and, on a year-over-year basis, has expanded by 224,000 jobs, an increase of 3.1%.
• All major segments of nonresidential construction added jobs in June, with the bulk of job growth in the nonresidential specialty trade contractor segment, which added 11,900 net new positions.
• The construction unemployment rate stood at 4% in June, down 0.7% from the same time last year.
• “Today’s employment numbers indicate the economy is not slowing nearly as quickly as data suggested earlier this year, which is promising news for contractors.”

Press Release from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc (ABC)

Construction Job Growth Steady in June, Says ABC

Article written by Andy Holtmann on the Viewpoint blog

It’s a special thing when you can see just how your construction organization is driving success — especially when you have a deep understanding into the activities that happen out in the field. However, pulling that data together in ways that are meaningful and timely has been a consistent challenge in the construction industry. Reliance on manual processes and/or different disconnected software programs has meant that oftentimes data from the field is incomplete, inaccurate or just too outdated to properly assess and take action from by the time it actually gets reviewed.

Article written by Natalie RItchie on the Viewpoint blog

If you do a little digging, you may notice that many industries utilize development and maintenance processes that are often repetitive and standardised across the scope of their operations. This may work for them. However, within the construction sector there are multiple aspects which require different approaches, meaning a one-size fits all approach is not appropriate. Each project requires a distinctive output, may be run by various departments, and may be undertaken under a unique set of circumstances. It is akin to a large machine with multiple moving parts and it is because of these multiple parts and unique approaches that there can be a tendency for miscommunication, teamwork issues, and conflicts.

Key Takeaways

• Nonresidential construction spending, which totaled $792.6 billion on a seasonally adjusted annual basis for April, was a 6.4% increase over the same time last year.
• Among the 16 nonresidential construction spending categories, nine experienced an increase in monthly spending, with the largest increases registered in water supply (9.8%), highway and street (6.8%) and transportation (3.9%).
• While public nonresidential spending expanded 4.8% on a monthly basis and increased 15.4% since April 2018, private nonresidential spending fell 2.9% in April and is up just 0.6 % year-over-year.

Press Release from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

According to data released Friday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national construction industry added 4,000 net new jobs in May.

Key Takeaways

• The construction industry added 4,000 net new jobs in May and, on a year-over-year basis, has expanded by 215,000 jobs, an increase of 3.0%.
• Nonresidential employment lost 1,500 net jobs last month but is up by 136,000 jobs compared to the same time last year. Heavy and civil engineering lost 9,400 jobs last month, but is still up by 30,000 jobs or 2.9% on a year-over-year basis.
• "For years, ABC analysts have pointed to 2020 as a likely period during which the next economic downturn will begin. That conjecture remains sensible, especially in light of today’s release."
• "Many construction firms report they are raising pay and increasing benefits to help recruit from the dwindling pool of available workers.”

Article written by Tom Sawyer and Jeff Rubenstone and appears on enr.com

Cybercriminals find the construction world a rich phishing ground with fat prey and soft targets

At the end of April, just as St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church in Brunswick, Ohio, neared the close of a five-month-long, $5.5-million renovation, Father Bob Stec, the parish pastor, was surprised to hear that the contractor, Marous Brothers Construction, Willoughby, Ohio, had not received a $1.7- million payment.

“We were paying our bills. At some point somebody was able to get into our email system and in the course of that, changed the routing numbers for the wire transfers,” the pastor told local reporters. The $1.7 million disappeared.

May 6-10 is Construction Safety Week, a national, industry-wide effort to promote safety best practices and raise awareness of the importance of an uncompromising commitment to safety in the construction industry.

WASHINGTON, May 6—Associated Builders and Contractors released its 2019 Safety Performance Report today, an annual assessment that furthers the construction industry’s understanding of how to achieve world-class safety through its STEP Safety Management System. Published in conjunction with Construction Safety Week, the report documents the dramatic impact of using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by up to 85%, making the best-performing companies 680% safer than the industry average.

According to data released last week by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national construction industry added 33,000 net new jobs in April.

Key Takeaways

• On a year-over-year basis, industry employment is up 256,000 jobs, representing a 3.5% increase.
• Nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 22,100 net new jobs compared to March and 114,300 net new jobs year over year.
• The construction industry unemployment rate fell to 4.7%, down 2.2% from the same time last year, which represents the lowest April rate since the series began in the year 2000.
• "Many economists are predicting a recession in 2020 or 2021. While that’s possible, the case for an economic downturn over the next 12 to 18 months is fading fast. The nation has added jobs in 103 consecutive months and the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1969."