Construction + Economy

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions jumped sharply in February, rising more than 18 points to 72.5, its highest level in more than six years. Meanwhile, the EBCI for future North American conditions, though remaining firmly positive, retreated slightly in February. The index slipped a little more than 4 points [...]

More good economic news … On the heels of consecutive months of strengthening business conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), a leading economic indicator of construction activity produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), has now reached positive territory three months in a row. The ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time [...]

Construction spending during December 2011 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $816.4 billion, 1.5% (±1.4%) above the revised November estimate of $804 billion, according to the Department of Commerce. The December figure is 4.3% (±1.9%) above the December 2010 estimate of $782.9 billion. The value of construction in 2011 was $787.4 billion, [...]

The Lighting Controls Association has published a new whitepaper by this blogger summarizing construction forecasts for 2012. This construction outlook reviews the year’s top line construction numbers, shows where leading construction and electrical industry indicators are trending, and provides a summary of the latest AIA Consensus Construction Forecast for 2011. Although the national economic recovery [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions edged higher in January, rising to 54.2 from December’s reading of 52. It was the fourth straight month in which the index exceeded the 50-point mark, above which more panelists than not report an improved business environment. January’s EBCI for future North American conditions [...]

Construction spending totaled $807 billion in November 2011, the highest level since June 2010, as homebuilding, private nonresidential construction and public construction all increased compared to October, based on Department of Commerce data. “Several segments of construction appear to be climbing out of a hole,” said Associated General Contractors of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson. [...]

After showing struggling business conditions for most of 2011, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has now reached positive terrain in consecutive months. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The regional and sector categories are calculated as a [...]

The Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CEBCS) provides valuable information about the U.S. commercial building stock and its energy consumption. The 2007 CEBCS was canceled due to a bad data collection method (proving cheaper is not always better), and the 2011 CEBCS was suspended due to funding cuts at the Department of Energy. You may [...]

Continuing the positive momentum of a nearly three point bump in October, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) reached its first positive mark since August. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported [...]