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, General Motors, 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...

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...