Each Monday, we'll let you know what's coming in the week ahead, including important residential and commercial report releases, as well as our feature articles.
What happens when the wrong product is specified? — Tuesday, Aug. 15
Who’s to blame when the wrong material is used on a project and damage or even fatalities are the result? In our feature article on Tuesday, Aug. 15, legal experts weigh in on the issue. Read more.
Housing Market Index — Tuesday, Aug. 15
Rising material prices and tight labor conditions are challenging builders who are vying to meet the current strong demand for housing. That's driving builder confidence down from the post-recession highs it reached earlier this year. On Tuesday, Aug. 15, the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo will release their Housing Market Index for August, offering more details on the trajectory of this trend. Read more.
The state of construction in Ohio — Wednesday, Aug. 16
Construction activity is humming along across Ohio, according to Don Taylor, president and CEO of Fairlawn, OH–based Welty Construction. In the next installment of our 50 States of Construction series, on Wednesday, Aug. 16, we talk with Welty about labor conditions there, new markets for growth in the state and the company's work on the roughly $700 million Pro Football Hall of Fame Village project, in Canton. Read more.
Building for art — Wednesday, Aug. 16
Some projects have a tolerance of a few inches or centimeters. For Texas-based contractor Linbeck's work on artist James Turrell's immersive installations of light and space, that tolerance is down to millimeters — or less. In our feature article on Wednesday, Aug. 16, we'll talk with Linbeck project manager Tom Butler, whose work with the acclaimed artist includes his latest installation at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, about the role of a general contractor in a project that's designed to bend the eye and the mind. Read more.
Housing starts — Wednesday, Aug. 16
New single- and multifamily construction starts bounced back from a slow start to the year in June, with an 8.3% increase to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.215 million. A similar uptick in building permit authorizations bodes well for continued growth in the sector. On Wednesday, Aug. 16, the Commerce Department will release its starts report for July, showing whether the declining state of builder confidence in Q2 2017 is impacting the number of new housing units in the ground. Read more.
How reclaimed can a building be? — Thursday, Aug. 17
Crafting fixtures and finishes from recycled materials — like tennis shoes for basketball courts and old floors for new desks and tables — are great PR moves. But knowing just how much and what kind of reclaimed material fits a design, meets code and fosters sustainability all at the same time can be a challenge. In our feature article on Thursday, Aug. 17, we'll explore just how reclaimed a building can be. Read more.