
Going Ballistic: The New Ballistics Testing Facility at Texas A&M
By Grace Calengor
August 7, 2025
There’s a new acronym in town, and it packs a punch. BAM—ballistic aero-optics and materials—is the name of the nation’s newest, biggest and most advanced enclosed hypersonic testing facility.
For five years and $65 million—$50 million for research and $15 million supporting spe...

Nonresidential Construction Spending Contracts in Six of Past Seven Months
By ABC
August 5, 2025
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1—National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.1% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.241 tri...

Construction Futures: July 2025 Economic Roundup
By Construction Executive
July 28, 2025
What We Learned in July
Construction spending has been declining for several months, yet industrywide employment continues to grow, backlog increased in June and ABC members remain relatively confident about the future. Despite that optimism, the industry faces many headwinds in...

'It’s Going to All Work Out for America': Anirban Basu on 2025 Mid-Year Construction Economic Forecast
By Construction Executive
July 24, 2025
In the latest Construction Economic Update and Forecast webinar, expert economist Anirban Basu painted optimism over the current and future state of the construction economy under the effect of the Trump administration trade tariffs. The One Big Beautiful Bill is seemingly a posi...

June Nonresidential Construction Materials Prices Up 2.5% Year-Over-Year, 43% Since February 2020
By ABC
July 18, 2025
WASHINGTON, July 16—Construction input prices increased 0.2% in June compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.3%...

Contractor Optimism Grows as ABC’s Backlog Indicator Rebounds in June
By ABC
July 18, 2025
WASHINGTON, July 15—Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.7 months in June, according to an ABC member survey conducted June 20 to July 7. The reading is up 0.3 months since June 2024.
View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indic...

Industrialized Construction: An Era in Building Efficiency
By Nathan Creech
July 18, 2025
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population has grown substantially in the last year, outpacing average annual growth. Catering for this massive population growth will require an enormous investment in new housing, more retail, better roads, bigger schools and hospit...

Nonresidential Construction Spending Down 0.2% in May
By ABC
July 3, 2025
WASHINGTON, July 1—National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.2% in May, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.237 tril...

Ensuring Operational Readiness of Critical Infrastructure
By Eric Forman
June 26, 2025
Given the fast pace of construction, especially when it comes to critical infrastructure—from data centers to medical facilities to airports—it is in everyone’s best interest to ensure these buildings go (and stay) operational from day one. There’s no room for delays, and the cos...

Top Five Considerations for Preconstruction Cost Estimating for Animal Care Facilities
By Hannah Skidmore
June 17, 2025
Let’s face it—animal care facilities present a unique set of challenges that differ significantly from other commercial project types. Whether it’s an animal shelter, veterinary hospital, doggy daycare, grooming facility or pet clinic, these spaces demand specialized design, syst...
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Closeout: Plane to See
By Construction Executive
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Energy Star vs. LEED: Which Certification Is Best for Your Construction Project?
By Construction Executive
New construction has an opportunity to positively impact climate outcomes from day one with benefits that last for decades, with encouragement from a potential Energy Star certification.
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Contractors’ Backlog Falls Sharply in May
By ABC
While ABC's Construction Backlog Indicator fell in May 2025, it is up since this time last year.