New data from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has found that U.S. construction input costs were up year-over-year for an 11.9 percent increase from September 2025 through 2026. Construction companies have been hit by what the AGC referred to as “a double whammy” due to rising fuel and material costs, which have had an impact on input costs overall. While many construction firms are absorbing a lot of the cost increases, there is no telling how long this can be sustained, as demand remains weaker in most segments besides...

Researchers at the University of Toronto are drawing inspiration from interesting sources to produce innovative building materials that promote better energy performance, and given the push to maximize energy efficiency and reduce environmental footprints of buildings, particularly commercial buildings, the discovery is timely. Benjamin Hatton is a materials science and engineering professor at the University of Toronto and leads the Hatton Lab for bio-inspired materials and design. The lab is working on a window concept that borrows from...

The Canadian government has announced a commitment of $100 million for the development of an offshore wind energy project in Nova Scotia that has the potential to power homes and businesses across Ontario, Quebec, and New England. Named Wind West, the project is part of the Atlantic Energy Strategy, which has been referred to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office and could be Canada’s first offshore wind project. The funds will be used to collect data about wind speeds and ocean surface conditions, setting the stage for additional research related...

Case Construction Equipment has launched two new machines, a 55kW backhoe loader and an electric mini track loader, as well as upgrading its 221G and 321G compact wheeled loaders. The new 550SV backhoe loader is aimed at construction, municipal, and rental applications and is powered by a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that produces the 75 horsepower (55kW) output. This marks the manufacturer’s first entry into Europe’s sub-80hp backhoe loader segment. The EU Stage V engine uses a diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate...

Statistics Canada reports that building permits were up $1.1 billion in August to $13.6 billion, driven by the strength of the residential sector. Construction intentions in the homebuilding sector increased $1.1 billion to $8.5 billion for the month. Permits for multi-tenant buildings also experienced growth, coming in at $5.8 billion, while the total value of permits for single-family homes was down to $2.6 billion. The value of non-residential building permits crept lower by $29.8 million to $5.1 billion. Commercial construction plans were...

The Coalition for Smart Construction at Virginia Tech is working to leverage technology to ensure that smaller businesses can participate equally in the market, especially where research and innovation is concerned. The coalition has committed $280,000 in grants for five projects, awarded in conjunction with Falls Church, Virginia-based HITT Contracting, to provide an opportunity for construction firms to partner with the school on tech-focused initiatives. Funding amounts are allocated on a per-project basis. One such project is a platform...

In partnership with more than 75 members including Nvidia, General Motors, AT&T, Bank of America, Carrier, DEWALT, and Duke Energy, Lowe’s Foundation is the latest to commit to strengthening the construction labour force through 2035 with the launch of The Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition. In addition to corporate members, the coalition includes the National Association of Home Builders, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, SkillsUSA, and Carhartt. The new partnership has a goal to train one million new...

While it comes as a surprise to no one, the costs of construction materials are up year over year since August 2025 with iron, steel, softwood lumber, copper wire, and several derivative metal products seeing year-over-year increases of 10 percent or more, which is sure to be a hit to profitability moving forward. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as analyzed by the Associated Builders and Contractors, overall, construction input prices were up 1.2 percent month over month in August, sitting 8.9 percent...