Tag Archives: University Buildings

Economists Maintain Cautiously Optimistic Outlook on Construction

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Jennifer Hicks at SmartBrief posted a valuable summary of a webcast hosted by Reed Construction Data on the architecture, engineering and construction industries. Here are a few nuggets that may be of particular interest to the metal construction industry. Visit Jennifer’s blog for more details from the three economists that participated in the webcast.

The construction industry in 2012 has fared better than in recent years, and the upward trend could continue in 2013, according to the three economists that participated in the webcast.

Commercial construction, which turned around in 2012, is expected to continue to grow in 2013. The hospitality and higher-education segments also are forecasted to improve in 2013.

The biggest threat to growth in 2013 is the “fiscal cliff,” which could result in a loss of $2 billion in federal construction spend. Other factors that could stall metal construction growth include troubled state economies, tight lending policies, and regulatory changes.

The New Ivy Covered Walls

by Ted S. Miller, Miller Clapperton

When you hear the term “ivy covered walls” your mind almost automatically shifts to a university campus, with masonry buildings in collegiate gothic style with ivy expanding up the walls surrounding a grassed quadrangle.  Can’t you smell a grill cooking meat for the tailgating party before the football game?

I have visited two (2) university campuses this week and I can report to you that much of the new construction on these campuses has a new feature element and it is not ivy on masonry anymore.  What I have seen is attractive uses of metal, sometimes the entire wall in metal but most commonly metal walls are being used as the featured element of the building.

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