How Construction Owners Should Evaluate Executive Hires
Construction owners face a high‑stakes decision when selecting a top‑level executive, as the hire will dictate culture, operational standards, and long‑term growth. Unlike typical executive searches, the role demands personal alignment with the owner’s relentless work ethic and lifestyle. Successful candidates usually exhibit a track record of progressive responsibility, people development, and system improvement. A rigorous, scenario‑driven interview process—plus family alignment checks—helps ensure the right fit before an offer is extended.
Major General Contractors Bullish on Data Center, AI Boom
Quarterly earnings from the nation’s largest general contractors reveal a strong pivot toward data‑center and AI‑related construction. Companies such as Granite, Jacobs and AECOM report double‑digit growth in data‑center work, while federal infrastructure contracts now account for roughly 15% of...
How Construction Teams Are Moving AI From Pilot to the Field
Construction firms are rapidly embracing AI, with 87% believing it will reshape their operations, yet only 19% have unified data systems to support it. While pilot programs succeed, more than 80% of AI initiatives stall before production, largely due to...
Construction Prices ‘Soar’ in April, up 6.2% Year to Date
Construction input prices jumped 1.7% in April and are up 6.2% year‑to‑date, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. The surge is driven by sharp rises in oil, energy and metal materials, with crude oil up 11.3% and diesel up...
Construction Spending Slipped Again in March Despite Data Center Strength
U.S. nonresidential construction spending slipped 0.2% month‑over‑month in March 2026, extending a broader slowdown that now touches both public and private sectors. Manufacturing‑related projects fell 1.1% and are down 17% year‑over‑year, while highway work also declined. The only bright spot...
Bechtel, NABTU Launch Nuclear Apprenticeship Push as Power Demand Rises
Bechtel and the North America Building Trades Unions (NABTU) have signed a memorandum of understanding to modernize apprenticeship programs for nuclear construction, covering both traditional reactors and small‑modular reactors. The partnership arrives as utility and gas construction starts jumped 59.3%...
Chicago’s Construction Market Buoyed by Infrastructure, Entertainment Builds
Chicago’s construction sector is experiencing a surge driven by large‑scale infrastructure and entertainment projects. Highlights include a $750 million soccer stadium funded by Joe Mansueto, a court‑ordered $2 billion release for CTA rail upgrades, and the $5.7 billion Red Line extension to the...
Data Centers Remain ‘Largest Driver Behind Growth’ in Construction Planning
The Dodge Momentum Index showed a 6.2% month‑over‑month rise in non‑residential construction planning in April, driven primarily by a surge in data‑center projects. Commercial planning surged 37.2% year‑over‑year, though without data‑center work the increase would have been just 5.8%. Jacobs...
Fluor Posts Drop in Q1 Awards, Revenue
Fluor reported a mixed Q1 2026 performance, with revenue slipping 8% to $3.66 billion and new awards plunging 54% to $2.69 billion. Despite the earnings dip, the company’s project pipeline swelled 50% to roughly $100 billion, driven by front‑end engineering work on $60 billion...
Tutor Perini Eyes Data Center Opportunities
Tutor Perini, the Los Angeles‑based heavy civil contractor, said 2026 and 2027 will be “blowout” years driven by a surge of megaprojects, even if no new work is booked. The firm highlighted a $19.8 billion backlog, with notable projects such as...
Punch List: Adaptive Reuse and Safety Week in the Big Apple
Construction Safety Week highlighted several industry‑shaping moves, including Turner Construction’s free AI‑driven jobsite safety app and the NYC Department of Buildings releasing a safety report that shows a continued decline in incidents despite a slowdown in new permits. New York...
Data Center Investment Cycle ‘Still in Early Stages’: Jacobs CEO
Jacobs reported a 27% revenue jump to $3.69 billion in Q2 2026, driven by a surge in AI‑related data‑center projects that more than doubled year‑over‑year. The AI‑infrastructure segment now represents roughly 10% of the firm’s portfolio and is expanding at over...
How 3 Builders Are Using AI for Safety
Construction firms are moving AI from back‑office tasks to frontline safety. Skanska launched a Safety Sidekick that queries its EHS manuals and OSHA standards, while Turner Construction’s SafeT Coach has already handled over 25,000 safety‑related queries. Balfour Beatty pairs Caterpillar’s...
Construction’s Labor Market Stayed Stagnant in March
The construction sector’s labor market showed little movement in March 2026, with 224,000 unfilled positions representing a 2.6% vacancy rate that has stayed flat since the start of the year. Openings rose 23,000 from February but remain 19% lower than...
The Hidden Cost of Rapid Infrastructure Growth in Texas
Texas has welcomed more than 2.5 million new residents since 2020, prompting a $200 billion infrastructure push across transportation, utilities, hospitals and mass‑transit. Local governments are demanding faster delivery through design‑build and other accelerated methods. The rapid pace collides with a severe...
Lessons From Maine’s Data Center Moratorium Debate for Construction
Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have imposed a statewide moratorium on data centers larger than 20 megawatts, marking the first such ban ever proposed in the United States. The legislation, which failed to override the veto, would...
Punch List: McCarthy Tops Out Laser Facility, Miami Firm Names First New CEO in 58 Years
Construction leaders marked several milestones this week. McCarthy Building Co. and Colorado State University topped out the $160 million ATLAS laser facility in Fort Collins, a joint effort with Marvel Fusion and federal agencies to advance fusion research. Miami‑based Coastal Construction...
Border, Data Center Work Drive Granite’s Revenues Higher
Granite Construction said federal border‑infrastructure work now represents roughly 15% of its revenue, with data‑center site preparation poised to add another 10%. The company lifted its 2026 revenue guidance after projecting an extra $200 million from Texas border contracts and a...
How the Trades Figured Out the Best Use for AI
Alok Chanani, co‑founder and CEO of BuildOps, argues that the most compelling AI use‑case is unfolding on construction job sites, not in Silicon Valley. A second‑year technician in Dallas used AI to diagnose a chiller fault in minutes, leveraging knowledge...
Granite Scoops up Utah Infrastructure Contractor
Granite Construction announced the acquisition of Kenny Seng Construction, a Provo‑based infrastructure contractor with roughly $150 million in annual revenue. The deal, terms undisclosed, adds a hard‑rock quarry capable of 1 million tons of production and 45 million tons of reserves. Granite says the...
Kiewit ‘Off-Ramped’ From Baltimore’s Key Bridge Rebuild
Kiewit Infrastructure Co. has been removed from Phase 2 of the Baltimore Key Bridge replacement after its cost proposal far exceeded the Maryland Transportation Authority's (MDTA) independent estimates. The MDTA, consulting the U.S. DOT, invoked the off‑ramp clause in the design‑build...
Chicago Breaks Ground on $5.7B Red Line Transit Extension
Chicago’s Transit Authority and the Walsh‑Vinci joint venture broke ground on the $5.7 billion Red Line Extension on April 24. The 5.5‑mile project will push the 24‑hour Red Line from 95th Street to near 130th Street, adding four new stations with multimodal...
FlatironDragados, Acciona Turn Dirt on $4.6B P3 Highway Project
Georgia’s Department of Transportation broke ground on the State Route 400 Express Lanes project, a 16‑mile, toll‑based expansion slated for three construction segments. The public‑private partnership, led by FlatironDragados, Acconia Construction and the SR 400 Peach Partners JV, carries a total price...
Worker Misclassification in Construction Leads to Competitive Imbalance: Report
A new Economic Policy Institute report highlights worker misclassification as a pervasive problem in construction, where high wages amplify the financial losses for misclassified employees—about $20,000 per worker each year. The practice lets unscrupulous contractors cut payroll taxes, benefits, and...
NABTU, Microsoft Partner on AI Training for Construction Trades
North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and Microsoft have launched a joint initiative to provide AI training for construction trades across the United States. The curriculum, announced on April 21, covers AI literacy, data security and practical jobsite applications such as...
Utility Work Is Booming, but Contractors Are Struggling to Keep Pace. Here’s Why.
Utility construction is experiencing a surge as utilities upgrade grids, add renewable connections, and support AI‑driven data centers. Yet contractors are scrambling to keep pace, with 40% flagging data and communication gaps and 28% worried about faster billing cycles. A...
Messer Construction Breaks Ground on $280M University Health Building
Messer Construction broke ground on the University of Louisville’s Health Sciences Building, a six‑story, 257,000‑square‑foot facility costing $280 million. The state of Kentucky will fund $260 million, with the university covering $20 million. The building will house dentistry, medicine, nursing, public health and...
Punch List: Biden-Era PLA Mandate Upheld, Prices Rise and Skanska Delivers Healthcare Project
A federal appeals court upheld the Biden‑era project labor agreement (PLA) mandate, keeping the requirement for union‑backed PLAs on projects that receive $35 million or more in federal funding. Turner Construction’s Q1 2026 Building Cost Index jumped 4.87% year‑over‑year, reflecting steep...
New CIRT Chief Is Ready to Coach Construction’s All-Stars
Corey Clayborne, a former architect and ex‑CEO of the AIA Virginia chapter, has taken the helm as president of the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT). CIRT represents roughly 130 CEOs from the nation’s leading design and construction firms, giving Clayborne...
Let’s Take Action to Make US Road Work Zones Safer
The National Asphalt Pavement Association warns that a work‑zone crash occurs every five minutes in the United States, injuring over 100 people daily and killing about 17 each week. Drivers and passengers account for roughly 80 % of those fatalities, making...
Consigli CIO Sees Biggest AI Impacts in Estimating
Consigli Construction is deploying artificial intelligence to overhaul its estimating process, moving away from spreadsheet‑driven, manual version control toward AI‑generated insights. The technology analyzes assumptions, revisions, and trade‑offs, delivering clearer narratives for owners and smoother transitions from design to field....
Construction M&A Activity Continues in 2026
Construction M&A surged at the end of 2025 and has accelerated into 2026, as both traditional builders and construction‑technology firms pursue acquisitions to broaden digital capabilities. Procore bought AI firm Datagrid, Autodesk added data‑visibility startup Rhumbix, and Trimble snapped up...
What’s Stalling Data Center Projects? Public Opposition and Power Access Lead Delays.
Data center construction, once a bright spot in a sluggish building market, is now hitting roadblocks as developers chase gigawatt‑scale facilities. Projects have ballooned from 100 MW builds to over 1,000 MW, straining power grids and inflating equipment costs. Public opposition and...
Amtrak to Get $4.7B for Northeast Corridor Projects, Opens Bids for New Long-Distance Trains
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced $4.7 billion in grants for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and $2 billion for nationwide passenger and freight rail upgrades, funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The first round targets New York Penn Station and...
Kiewit JV Picked for Segment of $7B Texas Light Rail
Austin Transit Partnership awarded a joint venture led by Kiewit Building Group and Austin Commercial the contract to build the operations and maintenance facility for its inaugural light‑rail system. The overall project is valued between $6.8 billion and $7.1 billion, funded by...
$1B Virginia Airport Upgrade Project Reaches Milestone
Norfolk International Airport announced a milestone in its $1 billion TransformORF modernization, unveiling a three‑gate expansion in Concourse A that adds nearly 19,000 square feet of space. The new gates, designated A10‑A12, will initially serve American Airlines, with Breeze Airways slated to...
EPA Rollback Eases Permit Requirements but Adds Risk
President Trump’s administration rescinded the EPA’s 2009 greenhouse‑gas endangerment finding, stripping the legal foundation for federal climate regulation. Construction attorneys say the rollback could ease permitting for large industrial and infrastructure projects by removing greenhouse‑gas analyses from the Prevention of...
3 Megaprojects Triggered Rebound in March Construction Starts
Construction starts rebounded in March, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.22 trillion, up 12.8% month‑over‑month. The surge was driven primarily by a 353.6% jump in electric power and utilities projects, which lifted non‑building starts 37.9% MoM. Manufacturing, hotels and...
Bulley & Andrews Acquires Interiors Contractor ICG
Bulley & Andrews, a 135‑year‑old Chicago contractor, announced the acquisition of Interior Construction Group (ICG). Financial terms were not disclosed, and ICG will operate as Bulley & Andrews Interior Construction Group with no layoffs. The deal expands B&A’s interior‑fitout capabilities...
With AI Entering Bidding Workflows, the Estimator’s Role Isn’t Shrinking; It’s Expanding
AI is reshaping construction estimating by automating drawing analysis and quantity takeoffs, turning a traditionally manual process into a rapid, data‑driven workflow. With U.S. construction spending approaching $2.2 trillion, the sector faces a shortage of over 300,000 skilled workers, stretching estimator...
Why Preconstruction Is Now a Competitive Advantage
Autodesk argues that preconstruction has evolved from a procedural step into a strategic advantage for construction firms. Early, data‑driven planning reduces change orders, improves cost certainty, and safeguards profit margins amid larger projects and labor shortages. Centralized digital platforms—such as...
Court Awards $174.6M in Damages Against Tutor Perini in Philadelphia Hotel Dispute
A Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas ordered Tutor Perini to pay roughly $174.6 million to developer Chestle Development after a protracted dispute over construction defects at the 51‑story W Hotel/Element Hotel complex. The judgment stems from defective concrete work spanning the...
The US May Already Have a Negative Immigration Rate. That’s Bad for Construction.
Immigrants made up a record 26.3% of the U.S. construction workforce in 2024, with about one‑third of tradespeople foreign‑born. The share is especially high in residential trades such as drywall and roofing, where immigrants exceed 50% of workers. Recent U.S....
Punch List: Barton Malow Hits Milestone on Jackie Robinson Ballpark, Jacobs Wins 2 Chicago Jobs
Barton Malow announced the completion of Phase 1 of the Jackie Robinson Ballpark renovation in Daytona Beach, adding a modern player development facility, new clubhouses, indoor batting cages and accessibility upgrades. The project honors the historic 1914 venue, home to the...
Backlog Rebounded in March with Contractors Unphased by Iran War Impacts
Construction backlog rose to 8.6 months in March, rebounding from a four‑year low recorded in January. The increase of 0.5 months over February and 0.1 months year‑over‑year was driven by gains in infrastructure and commercial‑institutional segments, while heavy‑industrial bookings slipped....
McKinsey, ALICE Technologies Partner on Generative AI Scheduling
McKinsey has teamed with ALICE Technologies to deliver generative‑AI scheduling software for large‑scale infrastructure and construction projects. The solution, already deployed with more than 35 clients, can accelerate schedules by up to 20% and, in pilot cases, shave 28 days...
Jury Awards Cemex Driver $5M in ‘Egregious’ Disability and Race Bias Lawsuit
A federal jury in California awarded a Black truck driver $5 million after finding Cemex liable for race and disability discrimination. The plaintiff, born with congenital aural atresia, alleged daily harassment, ignored HR complaints, and wrongful termination. The jury concluded Cemex...
Oil Prices Triggered Higher Construction Costs in March
Construction input prices rose 2.2% in March, driven by a 20.2% jump in crude petroleum. Year‑over‑year material costs are up 4.8%, the biggest gain since Jan 2023. Diesel surged 37.8% from February to March, the steepest one‑month rise since the 1990...
Construction Needs to Overhaul the Culture of Communication
The construction sector suffers from a entrenched habit of delaying communication, turning minor hiccups into costly setbacks. Professionals often hide early warnings to avoid appearing incompetent, while incentive structures reward silent problem‑solving. This cultural flaw erodes schedule reliability, inflates budgets,...
Lane Construction Wins $582M Florida Interstate Job
Lane Construction, a Charlotte‑based subsidiary of Italy’s WeBuild Group, secured the lead role on Project 2 of Florida’s $2.5 billion Moving I‑4 Forward program. The contract, valued at $582 million, covers redesign and widening of a 3.1‑mile I‑4 segment, a reconfigured SR‑429 interchange,...