Nonresidential building and public works construction are on track for their largest percentage growth since the late 1990s, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, the publisher of Engineering News Record (ENR). According to McGraw-Hill’s report on new starts in August, double-digit growth in nonresidential and public works projects more than offset a 5% decline in homebuilding.

According to a recent study by the Construction Management Association of America and FMI, 85 percent of the biggest construction owners use some form of program management for their capital improvement programs. The study confirmed what professional construction management firms have long said - that the single most important cost driver for capital construction programs is how the program is managed. The survey broke out the use of program management by type and size of owner, and by type and size of project. Very small (less than $1 million) capital programs and moderately large (between $500 million and $1 billion) programs tend to outsource the greatest amount of services. read more…

The cost of materials, energy and fuel costs, and taxes are the three leading business issues leading to a sudden drop in construction and contractor industry confidence in August, according to an International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board (IPA SBRB) survey. The board, which monitors small business owners and managers on a variety of topics, says construction industry confidence in the economy has dropped by nearly 40 percent in the past three months. read more…

College construction in the U.S. totaled more than $14.5 billion in 2005, including $9.8 billion spent on entirely new buildings, according to the “2006 College Construction Report” published by College Planning & Management magazine. Projections for future construction indicate that college and university construction will continue to expand. Locally, the St. Charles County Business Record recently reported that one of the largest economic impacts from Lindenwood College has come from construction. Lindenwood estimated that the economic impact on St. Charles County from its construction projects alone is $175 million a year.

In Missouri, Governor Matt Blunt has approved a university construction plan that will include nearly $314 million in 22 construction projects at state colleges and universities. The construction program will be financed through the sale of $350 million in student loans.