What we're reading, following & covering

America's continued construction labor crisis

Sept. 20, 2017 | ConstructionDIVE

All across the country, the construction industry is struggling to meet demand. Currently, the average age of a skilled worker is over 50 years old and for every five tradesmen who leave the industry, only one replaces them. America's construction industry is in a crisis. read more >>>

The top U.S. cities for LEED-certified construction

Sept. 25, 2017 | ABODO

With over 490 million LEED-certified square feet across the entire metro area, Washington, D.C., is the LEED capital of the U.S., beating out Texas and California. read more >>>

Demand for construction supplies soars after Hurricane Harvey

Sept. 19, 2017 | Thomas Index Report

Buyers are seeking steel buildings, doors, and concrete, masonry and stone products at a higher frequency now than they were before the storm. read more >>>

Salesforce tower elevates seismic design

Sept. 20, 2017 | Engineering News-Record

The structure of the tallest building in earthquake-prone San Francisco — the 1,070-foot Salesforce Tower — is plain and simple. Still, the 1.4-million-square-foot supertower is the city's only high-rise, without an obvious seismic system, designed to perform 25 percent better in a quake. read more >>>

Architecture billings rise for seventh-straight month in August

Sept. 20, 2017 | AIA

The continued, steady demand for design services, across all regions and in all major sectors, is a positive sign for future construction spending. read more >>>

Office construction boom continues across the U.S.

Sept. 18, 2017 | Commercial Cafe

Almost 48 million square feet of new U.S. office space is scheduled for delivery before the end of the year, according to a report from Commercial Cafe. read more >>>

NYC mayor targets large buildings in proposed efficiency program

Sept. 20, 2017 | Reuters

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a sweeping efficiency program aimed at the city's largest and most-polluting buildings, complete with financial assistance for those in need of help and sharp penalties for those who ignore the directive. If approved, the program would require more than 14,000 buildings in the city to make significant retrofits by 2030. read more >>>

Florida relaxes contractor licensing laws in Irma's aftermath

Sept. 19, 2017 | Miami Herald

The state is temporarily easing its requirement that roofing repairs be subcontracted to a licensed roofer, though the building code must still be followed. read more >>>

Solar boom underpins big surge in renewable energy jobs

Sept. 21, 2017 | RenewEconomy

Large-scale power project construction work has broken through 10,000 jobs. Meanwhile rooftop solar photovoltaic installs almost broke 100MW for the month. read more >>>

Builders, construction workers settle over California wage theft bill

Sept. 18, 2017 | Sacramento Bee

Construction industry advocates say the rule could increase the cost of building in the state, which is in the midst of a housing shortage. read more >>>