The year is coming to a close, and before ringing in 2017, we're taking a look back at the most popular stories of 2016 — as determined by you, our readers. These 10 stories, which got the most traffic this year, range from new regulations to sports stadium updates to the latest trends disrupting the industry.
Read on to find out which stories dominated the conversation in 2016.
OSHA issues final silica rule
After years of deliberation and attempts from industry groups to block the ruling, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its final rule in March aiming to protect workers from exposure to silica dust. For construction, the rule reduced the allowed exposure to silica from 250 micrograms per cubic meter over an eight-hour period to 50 micrograms.
Industry groups have been some of the rule's biggest opponents, as they claim that adhering to the agency’s requirements for lowering the exposure to silica on job sites could cost construction companies billions of dollars more than the government estimated.
Los Angeles Rams select Turner/Hunt JV to build $2.5B stadium
Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke's development firm announced in July that it chose the joint venture of Turner Construction and AECOM-owned Hunt Construction to build the NFL team's 70,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, CA. The stadium is expected to cost approximately $2.5 billion and is part of a broader 298-acre mixed-use development plan.
Plans for the new development kicked into gear when NFL owners approved the Rams' relocation from St. Louis to Los Angeles in January. When complete, the Rams stadium will be the largest sports venue in the world and could be shared by either the Oakland Raiders or the San Diego Chargers.
Construction unions: Headed for extinction or poised for a resurgence?
Unions, once a key element in construction, are facing a diminished presence in the industry. The percentage of construction workers who are union members dropped 4% to 13.2% between 2002 and 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Organized labor is a contentious issue in the construction industry, as experts point to the higher labor costs associated with union workers as the primary force behind this shift. Labor groups justify the higher wages with claims that they provide a better, safer product than nonunion workers. However, proponents of the open shop philosophy argue that nonunion workers are just as safe and skilled. Will unions continue to lose their grip on the construction industry, or will they start to regain a strong presence?
Builder unveils top 100 homebuilders in 2015
Builder released its annual Builder 100 list in May, which ranks the top 100 U.S. homebuilders based on home closings from the previous year. Texas-based D.R. Horton once again topped the list, with Lennar Corp., PulteGroup and NVR placing second, third and fourth, respectively — their positions unchanged from the previous year.
Builder's list recognizes the biggest players in the homebuilding industry and shows how market conditions and geographic variations trigger shifts and jockeying among companies over the years.
A hidden epidemic: Construction suicide data draws industry crisis into the spotlight
In July, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that construction has the second-highest suicide rate of any occupational group, at 53.3 out of 100,000 workers in 2012, with architecture and engineering ranked fifth on the list. Construction's rate was more than four times the overall U.S. suicide rate of 12.54 in 2012. By sheer numbers, construction and extraction topped the list with 1,324 suicides that year.
Experts have pointed to a variety of factors contributing to the high rate for construction, including demographics, substance abuse, a so-called "tough-guy" culture and a high-pressure work environment. As the issue gains recognition in the industry, more companies and construction groups are incorporating policies, programs and training to better support their employees' mental health.
Trump vs. Clinton: How the next president will impact the construction industry
In the run-up to this year's contentious presidential election, we examined the positions of the major party candidates on issues that would impact the construction and housing industries. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton emphasized the need to invest in the nation's crumbling infrastructure, but the candidates' plans were criticized for a lack of detail. Housing issues got even less play during the campaign, with Trump discussing cutting regulations and Clinton proposing a $25 billion housing plan as part of her economic revitalization program.
Now that the results have been decided, the industry is hoping to move past the uncertainty surrounding the election and capitalize on potential benefits from the Trump administration.
The productivity ‘train wreck’: Why construction struggles to compete with rival industries
The construction industry is notorious for its stagnant productivity levels. A May World Economic Forum study found that productivity gains in the construction industry have been "meager" when compared with the advancements of other industries during the last 50 years.
Experts have blamed construction's low productivity on inefficient contract structures, an aversion to collaboration among project stakeholders and slow adoption of new technologies. However, some companies are now taking action, changing their approach to boost efficiency.
OSHA’s 10 most common job site violations for construction
Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the U.S., as it accounted for one in five workplace deaths in 2014. This fall, we reviewed the most common Occupational Safety Health and Administration violations in the construction industry.
The biggest offenders have gone largely unchanged over the years, with fall protection topping the list. Faulty ladders and inefficient eye and face protection followed on the 2014 list. OSHA aims to reduce the number of safety incidents by instituting higher penalties and new rules for recording violations.
A star(tup) is born: Why construction startups are capturing major industry, investor interest
Construction tech startups are consistently drawing industry and investor interest. Their surge in popularity comes in the face of an industry notoriously slow to change and adopt new innovations.
With major funding rounds for app, cloud and other mobile solutions constantly sprouting up, construction startups are attracting big investors seeking to capitalize on a massive yet largely untapped market. As contractors continue integrating new tech solutions into their workflows, startups offering digital solutions will continue to pour into the marketplace.
8 mesmerizing construction time-lapse videos
It's easy to focus solely on the end goal of a project — completing it on time and under budget. However, the construction process itself is fascinating, showing in real time how a structure emerges from the ground-up, altering a neighborhood or city skyline. From the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to Hudson Yards in New York, we collected some of the best time-lapse videos from recent projects.
