Author: Laura Black
There are myriad factors impacting the construction industry. Everything from the economy to the labor shortage is having an impact on how quickly, efficiently, and effectively work gets done in construction. The last half of 2022 saw declines in material prices, a winding down period of overheated inflation, and overall volatility. Some suggest we began to see the easing of supply chain issues and COVID measures at the end of last year. But what still lurks ahead for construction in 2023? Let’s take a look inside one crystal ball. JLL’s 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook suggests the construction industry…
Today’s homebuilder needs to craft structures that are sustainable, resilient, and meets the needs of the homeowner. Today’s homebuilder also needs to build homes quickly, with little workforce. Enter prefab housing, offsite manufacturing, and 3D printing, which are slowly starting to become a more viable option for many homebuilders. Consider the example of Mighty Buildings, which is a 3D printing company that is opening a factory to print climate-resilient homes for the U.S. market. A new factory in Monterrey, Mexico, can produce its components for an entire home during each day of operation and is focused on scaling the development…
Money makes the world go round—and it can help get new construction-technology ventures up and off the ground. This has been a growing trend in recent years where investors recognize the value of construction technology, and they are putting their money where their mouth is. There are several different iterations of this. Some construction companies have developed investment wings for their business. For example, since 2019, Suffolk Technologies has backed 24 companies across automation and robotics, supply chain marketplace, sustainability, financial technology, and smart building themes. As another instance, earlier this year, Hensel Phelps announced the launch of Diverge, an…
Smart cities are rising up—and construction companies are going to be tasked with building the city of the future. But often, as contractors know, it can be more nuanced than that, as local governments have regulations and directives for how to fuel smart city growth. Of course, all of this need to be done while keeping citizens’ best interests in mind. So, how exactly will this continue to unfold in the months ahead? A new report from the ITIF (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation) suggests in order to reap the benefits of the smart city, while still maintaining trust with…
We all have heard many of the statistics such as this one: 4,764 workers died on the job in 2020. The good news is worker deaths in America are down—on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 13 a day in 2020—and worker injuries and illnesses are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.7 per 100 in 2020. Still, 4,764 deaths are too many. This is why many companies are turning to technology to create a safer construction jobsite. Consider the example of Brivo, a smart-building tech provider, which has partnered with…
We all know the challenges the homebuilding industry faces—supply-chain delays, labor shortages, high inflation, and rising interest rates, just to name a few. Now, the question remains: How are these challenges actually impacting homebuilding? A new report points to some interesting trends. The Assn. of Professional Builders recently shared its 2023 trend forecast for custom builders and remodelers. Here is what it discovered. Builders reported 2022 as a record year for revenue and most importantly, their net profits were up. Many builders also reported signing contracts at record margins during the last quarter of 2022 even as the market softened.…
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day, so we can expect an onslaught of content about the importance of women’s equality—and it is important to talk about how we move toward a gender equal world, particularly in industries like construction that have historically been male-dominated. But I think right now the most important thing we can do is be honest. There are real hurdles that still stand in our way to #EmbraceEquity, as this year’s campaign suggests we should do. Let’s name three of these barriers right now. For one, women still carry the bulk of the workload at home. Research shows…
Construction is a unique industry in that work often needs to be done on site. But does it? Just because it has always been done that way, should it continue to be done that way? There are huge opportunities that exist if we can identify how best to move to offsite construction. With offsite construction, work can be done more efficiently, in a manner that is safer for workers, and has the potential to provide more affordable housing to all. Sounds great, right? So, why then aren’t we building more projects offsite yet? Markets like the United Kingdom, Japan, and…
There was a headline earlier this month that said the 2021 Great Resignation has now become the Great Regret, as 80% of the job hoppers wish they hadn’t quit their old roles, with Gen Z the most regretful. This points to the fact that workplace trends are evolving nearly as quickly as technology does. Are construction companies ready for the progression that is happening the workplace in 2023? Perhaps one of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is with an economic downturn on the horizon—and many companies turning to large layoffs—will the labor market still remain competitive? We know in…
For decades pundits have been talking about what the “future home” might look like—some looking to the shape and design of the home; others looking at the technologies present in the smart home; and others looking at the unique construction methods used to build the home. Even media throws its predictions of what a futuristic home might be. In fact, look no further than the 1960s show the Jetson’s Skypad Apartments in Orbit City, which envisioned a Space Needle version of a home that looked like a circle pod on a long stick. Others lean into the more high-tech mansion—think…