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.
"The Dotted Line" series: Skilled-worker programs — Feb. 14
Our monthly series "The Dotted Line" continues this month. The latest installment, on Tuesday, Feb. 14, will explore how contracts can intersect with skilled-worker programs.
Worker training programs can come in all shapes and sizes — from those required by contract as part of a PLA to employer initiatives meant to create skilled craft workers (and even as a pipeline to the executive suite). We’ll take a look at how companies are educating their workforces through contract-mandated and corporate channels.
Construction material price report — Feb. 14
The monthly Producer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics will be released on Tuesday, Feb. 14. That afternoon, the Associated Builders and Contractors will offer its take on the data, and we'll cover both reports in a combined story.
Last month, the BLS reported that construction material prices rose 0.4% between November and December. Material prices year-over-year were up 2.1% in December, marking the largest 12-month increase in 30 months.
The bump in material prices coincides with expert predictions that the increasing cost of doing business will be a major concern for contractors this year. Will Tuesday's report indicate that materials are continuing their steady growth?
Housing Market Index — Feb. 15
Homebuilder optimism in future business potential for the new single-family construction sector edged down two points from December to January to a reading of 67, well above the break-even threshold of 50. Still, current and future sales expectations along with buyer traffic also fell during the month. On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index will release its figures for February.
Will confidence among the residential construction sector remain high to start 2017, or will uncertainty around the new administration's policies, rising mortgage rates and elevated home prices spell stagnation?
LEDs make a bright future for home illumination — Feb. 15
The advent of LED technology, coupled with the phase-out of most incandescent lamps and known risks and challenges to using other light sources, is challenging homebuilders and developers to find new ways to integrate this technology into their homes. While the use is still nascent, builders are finding that the benefits go beyond lighting to include integration with thermal controls, audio visual technology and more.
In our feature article on Wednesday, Feb. 15, we talk with builders who are using LEDs, as well as those who aren't, to learn how to implement the latest in residential lighting technology.
Housing starts — Feb. 16
As tight inventory conditions persist in many markets across the country, industry observers are hopeful that builders will begin to meet housing demand through new construction. So far, however, recovery in the residential construction category has been jagged. Single-family starts dipped 4% from November to December to an annual rate of 795,000 for the year while multifamily swung back from a tough November to post a 53.9% gain in December. Both categories are up year-over-year.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, the Commerce Department will release its starts figures for January, offering new insights on likely inventory conditions for 2017.
The rise of grocery-anchored mixed-use developments feature — Feb. 16
As communities develop and grow, so does the need for grocery stores. Along with the influx of grocery retail options has been a recent trend toward using the space to anchor residential projects.
In our feature article on Thursday, Feb. 16, we'll delve into the recent uptick in supermarket placement in mixed-use developments and find out what’s in store for the overall grocery retail construction sector.
