Sustainability & Resilience

  • The north facade of the White House is seen partially illuminated at night
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    Samuel Corum via Getty Images
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    White House unveils plan for tech-focused permit reforms

    The initiative follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of environmental reviews required on major infrastructure projects.

    By • June 4, 2025
  • Natural gas fired turbine power plant with it's cooling towers rising into a cloud filled blue sky.
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    Ron and Patty Thomas via Getty Images
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    DOE cancels $3.7B in carbon capture, decarbonization awards

    Calpine, PPL Corp., Ørsted and Exxon Mobil are among the companies affected by the decision.

    By Ethan Howland • June 3, 2025
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Texas plans $20B to mitigate looming water crisis

    The cash comes as droughts intensify throughout the Lone Star State and the broader region.

    By • May 30, 2025
  • An overhead shot of a massive wooden building that stands on dirt in the middle of a bright day with clear skies.
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    Courtesy of Mercer Mass Timber
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    Project Milestones

    Theodore Roosevelt’s $400M mass timber library rises in North Dakota

    Mercer Mass Timber, working with general contractor JE Dunn, is supplying around 1,800 cubic meters of engineered material for the 93,000-square-foot structure.

    By • May 21, 2025
  • A wind turbine against a background of a blue sky and clouds.
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    Jezperklauzen via Getty Images
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    Stop work order on Empire Wind 1 lifted, Equinor resumes construction

    Statements from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum imply that the restart approval was related to conversations about the state’s natural gas pipeline capacity.

    By Diana DiGangi • May 21, 2025
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    art2002 via Getty Images
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    M&A activity cools amid instability: WSP

    CEO Alexandre L’Heureux nonetheless sees a strong year ahead for North America, he said in a Q1 earnings call.

    By • May 9, 2025
  • An aerial view of the 200-MW Big Elm solar project in Bell County, Texas
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    Courtesy of MIT Office of Sustainability
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    Policy uncertainty could trigger ‘recession’ for renewables, analyst says

    A lack of clarity surrounding tariffs and tax credits has triggered steep declines in funding for renewable energy in the first quarter of 2025, per Mercom Capital Group.

    By Emma Penrod • May 2, 2025
  • Long rows of solar panels under a bright blue sky.
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    Permission granted by Mortenson
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    Q&A // ConTech Conversations

    Innovate for craftworkers, and tech will follow: Mortenson exec

    Trent Mostaert, vice president of industrialization for the Minneapolis-based firm, says that a person-centered approach is key to implementing technology.

    By • April 30, 2025
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    Permission granted by Gilbane Building Co.
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    Project Milestones

    Gilbane breaks ground on $84M Massachusetts college modernization

    Salem State University’s BOLD project will add a geothermal wellfield to support heating and cooling of the forthcoming facilities.

    By • April 28, 2025
  • A visual rendering of Kore Power's battery cell facility in Buckeye, Arizona.
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    Courtesy of Kore Power, Inc.
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    Clean energy manufacturers cancel projects as Trump-era policies take hold

    Companies scrapped, closed or downsized nearly $8 billion in projects in Q1.

    By Kate Magill • April 25, 2025
  • The heads of people sitting are silhouetted in the foreground. In the background, a mockup of a new, advanced building titled the "Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center" stands.
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    Courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison/Bryan Richter
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    Project Milestones

    UW-Madison breaks ground on $420M engineering center

    The structure, which was at the center of a prolonged funding fight, will feature mass timber and sustainability components.

    By • April 22, 2025
  • Aerial view of a channel with a red ship in it leading out to a bigger body of water.
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    Courtesy of Flatiron
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    Project Wins

    Kiewit anchors $404M floodwall project

    Part of a larger $7 billion initiative, the improvements at Port Arthur, Texas, will protect the area’s petroleum processing hub. 

    By • April 22, 2025
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    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Project Wins

    Jacobs lands $137M contract to manage US Virgin Islands rebuild

    The Dallas-based builder will guide the reconstruction of critical infrastructure across St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, including hospitals, schools, roads and power projects.

    By • April 18, 2025
  • A large robot with a mechanical arm hefts a heavy solar panel while people in safety equipment watch.
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    Permission granted by Rosendin
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    Rosendin to demo robotic solar panel installers on Texas jobsite

    The electrical contractor claims the tech will triple installation speeds, enhance worker safety and help address the industry’s persistent labor shortage.

    By • April 14, 2025
  • A tall framework of a building stands under a blue sky. Timber surrounds the exterior of the structure.
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    Courtesy of Mercer Mass Timber/Watson Media House
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    Walmart adds mass timber to new corporate HQ campus

    Mercer Mass Timber helped erect four CLT and glulam buildings, alongside additional offices with full frames made of the material.

    By • April 7, 2025
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    America’s aging water infrastructure faces new threats

    The U.S. urgently needs to increase funding to shore up facilities, experts say, as climate change and emerging contaminants like PFAS pose growing threats.

    By • April 1, 2025
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    Courtesy of Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
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    America’s infrastructure notches first-ever ‘C’ grade

    Federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act helped lift the condition of many categories in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ new report card.

    By • March 25, 2025
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    Joe Cicak via Getty Images
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    EPA announces review of WOTUS rule

    Industry associations applauded the agency’s move to reduce permitting costs with its new definition.

    By Mary Salmonsen • March 19, 2025
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Up to $51B in transportation grant awards at risk, advocacy group says

    Transportation for America analyzed a leaked DOT policy memo that targets road safety, bicycle and electric vehicle infrastructure projects.

    By Dan Zukowski • March 18, 2025
  • Newly-installed solar panels face the sky at the construction site of a new solar energy park as wind turbines spin behind in Germany.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    IRA credits, energy demand continue to drive renewables investments

    Despite the Trump administration’s focus on fossil fuels and opposition to the IRA, analysts anticipate the renewables market will continue benefiting from high energy demand.

    By Diana DiGangi • March 14, 2025
  • A professional podcast mic hangs in the foreground in an orange room with an "on air" sign in the background.
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    avdyachenko via Getty Images
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    Top construction-related podcasts

    The AEC industry boasts a vast offering of informative, on-demand programs. Here are some to add to your playlist.

    By • Updated June 3, 2025
  • A tall cluster of connected glass buildings descending in height from each structure.
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    Permission granted by Skanska USA
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    Builders, owners remain bullish on sustainability despite Trump changes

    While the White House has targeted funds connected to clean energy and sustainability projects, contractors have been following another set of orders: those of their customers.

    By • March 5, 2025
  • A low white building will house the pure water center in el paso, texas.
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    Courtesy of El Paso Water
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    Project Milestones

    $295M Texas water reuse project breaks ground

    A PCL-Sundt team will build El Paso’s Pure Water Center, the country’s first direct-to-distribution reuse facility.

    By • March 4, 2025
  • Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at a podium.
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    Mark Makela via Getty Images
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    Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro sues Trump administration, citing frozen IRA funding

    The state’s agencies have limited access to over $3.1 billion in funding for activities including distributed solar deployment, well plugging and weatherization, according to the lawsuit.

    By Diana DiGangi • Feb. 18, 2025
  • A broad, overhead shot of a water treatment facility, with thick silos and pools of water.
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    Courtesy of PCL Construction
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    Project Wins

    PCL, Stantec selected for $121M San Francisco biogas build

    The project will help convert a byproduct of wastewater treatment into a usable source of renewable energy.

    By • Feb. 10, 2025