Construction Dive’s Friday Punch List is a series dedicated to sharing major building headlines that contractors may have missed from the week.
This week, Construction Dive launched its trade show and conference tracker for next year. It’s an outstanding tool for building pros looking to plan out their attendance schedule for networking and expo events. Be sure to check back for updates.
Meanwhile, Suffolk Construction launched a stadium construction division, and global management consulting firm Bain outlined data center construction’s $6 trillion revenue question.
But that’s not all. Read below for other recent news in the construction space.
Bechtel touts tech use on Ted Danson’s show
Reston, Virginia-based Bechtel demonstrated how it uses technology on the jobsite for a television program hosted by Ted Danson, the actor best known for “Cheers.”
The contractor was featured on “Advancements with Ted Danson,” a program that airs on Bloomberg Television and showcases cutting-edge technology. For Bechtel, this meant showing off tech tools at Louisiana LNG, where the builder is delivering three LNG trains for Woodside Energy.
Bechtel highlighted four-legged robots with cameras, sensors and laser scanners that capture data in hazardous or hard-to-reach places; autonomous construction equipment, which runs with minimal manual input so skilled operators can oversee multiple machines simultaneously; and automated welding.
—Matthew Thibault
Hensel Phelps breaks ground on new HQ
Hensel Phelps started 2026 with a new CEO. It will end the year with a new headquarters underway.
The contractor, long based in Greeley, Colorado, broke ground on its future headquarters in nearby Loveland on Sept. 30, according to a Tuesday news release.
The four-story, 143,000-square-foot facility will be located in developer Realberry’s mixed-use project near the intersection of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34, according to the release. Designed by Gensler, the headquarters will feature flexible workspaces, training and collaboration environments and ground-floor retail. A central atrium and mass timber will frame views of the Rocky Mountain Foothills.
—Joe Bousquin
Sakrete launches new Concrete Combat series
Concrete mix supplier Sakrete has brought back its Concrete Combat competition where builders can showcase their concrete skills.
This time, Sakrete is asking contractors to share up to four minutes of video using Sakrete products on the jobsite, explaining why they chose Sakrete for the project, according to a Tuesday release. Previous iterations had builders compete in a studio.
The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a professional-grade equipment package from Marshall Town Co., Collomix and Mud Mixer, and an all-expense paid trip to World of Concrete in January, per the announcement. The submission window is open until Nov. 15.
—Matthew Thibault
McCarthy appoints Nevada business development exec
McCarthy Building Cos. has appointed Jack Madrid to its Southern Pacific Region business development team to strengthen its Nevada presence, according to a Tuesday news release shared with Construction Dive.
Madrid joined the St. Louis-based contractor in January 2022, according to his LinkedIn page. After roles as a MEP senior estimator and senior project engineer at the company, Madrid will now lead client-focused business development efforts throughout the state.
Madrid will work closely with Nate Jacobs, vice president of business development at McCarthy. Jacobs will expand his focus on the firm’s national aviation business unit, according to the contractor.
—Sebastian Obando
HUD taps NIBS for modular multifamily experiment
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has selected the National Institute of Building Sciences to expand the utilization of factory-built multifamily housing, according to a Wednesday announcement.
In the yearlong initiative, NIBS and its strategic partner, modular research and advisory firm MOD X, will work with experts from the government and the industry to address the challenges of implementing factory-built units in multifamily developments. Although offsite manufacturing can speed up the construction, its use still faces obstacles from building codes, financing, insurance and regulatory approval, according to the announcement.
HUD hopes the approach will provide manufacturers with greater flexibility to use new designs, materials and production methods and give the agency a technical foundation for future considerations.
—Zachary Phillips
Rosendin Foundation awards $2.86M to nonprofits
This year, the Rosendin Foundation has distributed $2.86 million to 157 nonprofits across 12 states for its annual grant program, according to a Wednesday release shared with Construction Dive.
The philanthropic arm of Rosendin Electric distributed grants ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Recipients included organizations geared toward expanding the skilled trades workforce pipeline. Skillpoint Alliance, for example, received $75,000 for its pre-apprenticeship electrical training facility in Austin, Texas, and Heavy Metal Summer Experience received $49,660 for building trades outreach to teens across the U.S.
In addition, the foundation provided grants to support worker health, first responders, veterans and food pantries.
—Zachary Phillips
