January Construction Recedes 2 Percent

Press Release

January Construction Recedes 2 Percent

February 21, 2012 - New York, NY

The value of new construction starts dropped 2% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $402.2 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.  Both nonresidential building and housing settled back from December, while the nonbuilding construction sector managed to register a modest gain with the help of a rebound for new electric utility starts.  On an unadjusted basis, total construction starts in January were reported at $27.0 billion, down 14% from the same month a year ago.  For the twelve months ending January 2012 versus the twelve months ending January 2011, which lessens the volatility present in one-month comparisons, total construction starts were down 3%.

The January statistics lowered the Dodge Index to 85 (2000=100), compared to December's reading of 87.  Over the course of 2011, the Dodge Index moved within the range of 81 to 101, with the average for last year coming in at 90.  "For construction starts, the year 2012 got off slowly, with activity retreating further into the lower half of its recent range," stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction.  "This is consistent with the view that construction is still struggling to achieve upward momentum, even with the recent improvement shown by the U.S. economy.  There were some positive signs for construction during 2011, such as a stronger volume for multifamily housing, a record high for new electric utility starts, and even gains for a few commercial structure types (hotels and warehouses).  However, these positives were offset by declines for single family housing, public works, and institutional building.  For 2012, both public works and institutional building will continue to be affected by diminished federal funding, as well as by tight state and local budgets.  Single family housing may draw some benefit from the recent federal-state agreement with major banks to rework troubled mortgages, but homebuyer demand will still be restrained by more stringent bank lending standards, which limits any construction upturn.  While multifamily housing appears on the upswing and commercial building seems to be turning the corner, both will require more available bank financing.  There were some signs that this was taking place during the first half of 2011, before concerns about the debt crisis in Europe during the second half of 2011 caused banks to adopt a more wait-and see approach."

Nonresidential building in January slipped 1% to $139.9 billion (annual rate).  On the institutional side, weaker activity was reported for most of the structure types.  The educational building category, which fell 12% during 2011, dropped 3% in January relative to the previous month.  There were several noteworthy education-related projects that reached groundbreaking in January, including three research and laboratory facilities in these locations – Baltimore MD ($144 million), Boston MA ($93 million), and Berkeley CA ($86 million), but they were not enough to offset the downward trend for this category.  In similar fashion, the public buildings category in January included the start of a large courthouse in San Bernardino CA ($272 million) and a large detention facility in Detroit MI ($220 million), but for the month contracting was still down 23%.  Amusement-related projects and churches in January were each down 6%, while transportation terminal work dropped 36%.  The one institutional structure type that registered a January gain was healthcare facilities, which soared 105% due to the start of a $583 million replacement hospital in Denver CO.

On the commercial side, the recent upward trend for hotels and warehouses paused in January, with hotels down 16% and warehouses down 11%. The decline for hotels came despite the start of a $180 million resort hotel in Lake Buena Vista FL and an $87 million addition to a convention center hotel in Chicago IL.  Store construction in January was able to move up 12% from its depressed December amount, and office construction advanced 20% with support coming from the January start of a $113 million office building in Cambridge MA and an $85 million data center in West Des Moines IA.  The manufacturing plant category in January plunged 39%, sliding back from the improved activity that was reported during the fourth quarter of last year.

Residential building, at $134.5 billion (annual rate), dropped 8% in January.  Multifamily housing fell 26%, retreating from the elevated volume reported in December.  January's amount for multifamily housing was still 5% above the average monthly pace for 2011 as a whole, a year in which the annual total for multifamily housing climbed 23%.  The largest multifamily projects reported as January starts were the following – a $90 million apartment village in San Jose CA, a $78 million apartment building in Los Angeles CA, and a $73 million university-related apartment complex in Washington DC.  Single family housing in January settled back 1%, as the result of this regional pattern – the Midwest, down 4%; the South Atlantic, down 3%; the Northeast, down 2%; the West, up 1%; and the South Central, up 2%.  Single family housing was able to show some gains during the latter months of 2011, with the average pace in last year's second half up 7% relative to the very weak first half, but Murray noted that "January's
essentially flat activity indicates that single family housing has yet to move from what is still a very depressed level to even a modest recovery."

Nonbuilding construction in January increased 3% to $127.9 billion (annual rate).  Much of the upward lift came from electric utilities, which jumped 36% relative to a lackluster December.  The electric utility category for 2011 as a whole surged 46%, reaching a new high in current dollar terms, although activity did slide back during the final two months of last year.  Large electric utility projects that boosted contracting in January were a $1.1 billion solar energy facility in California, a $680 transmission line project in California, and a $150 million wind farm in Indiana.  The public works categories in January showed varied behavior.  Highway and bridge construction dropped 9%, continuing to see the reduced activity that was present for much of 2011, in which the annual amount dropped 5% after stimulus-supported gains in the prior two years.  Water supply construction in January was down 5%, while river/harbor development fell a more substantial 26%.  January gains were posted by sewer construction, up 5%; and miscellaneous public works, up 18%.  The miscellaneous public works category includes a diverse set of project types, such as site work and mass transit, and the January increase reflected these large projects – $406 million for site work at a mining development in Michigan, $234 million for a light rail project in California, and $157 million for work on a commuter rail corridor in Florida.

The 14% decline for total construction on an unadjusted basis in January 2012 relative to January 2011 was due to this performance by major sector – nonresidential building, down 16%; residential building, up 17%; and nonbuilding construction, down 30%.  Last year's January amount for nonbuilding construction featured several massive projects, including a $2.5 billion solar power facility in California and $2.1 billion for work on the  LBJ Freeway in Dallas TX; the comparison to these projects contributed to the 30% year-over-year drop for nonbuilding construction.  By region, total construction for January 2012 compared to January 2011 revealed decreased activity in the South Central, down 32%; the Northeast, down 28%; and the West, down 11%; while gains were reported for the South Atlantic, up 1%; and the Midwest, up 16%.

The 3% decline for total construction on a twelve-month moving total basis, meaning the twelve months ending January 2012 versus the twelve months ending January 2011, was due to this pattern by major sector – nonresidential building, down 4%; residential building, up 4%; and nonbuilding construction, down 8%.  By region, the twelve months ending January 2012 showed the following behavior for total construction compared to the previous twelve months – the Northeast and Midwest, each down 9%; the South Central, down 8%; the West, up 2%; and the South Atlantic, up 9%.

About McGraw-Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects, and products across the construction industry. For more than a century, it has remained North America's leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends, and forecasts. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP. To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow @mhconstruction on Twitter.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global financial information and education company that helps professionals and students succeed in the knowledge economy. Leading brands include Standard and Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts energy information services, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees with more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2010 were $6.2 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

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February Construction Slides 7 Percent

Press Release

February Construction Slides 7 Percent

NEW YORK – March 22, 2013 – At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $435.4 billion, new construction starts in February dropped 7% from the previous month, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.  The loss of momentum was present in two of construction's three main sectors – nonresidential building and nonbuilding construction (public works and electric utilities).  Meanwhile, the housing sector in February continued to strengthen.  For the first two months of 2013, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis came in at $62.4 billion, up 5% from the same period a year ago.

The February statistics lowered the Dodge Index to 92 (2000=100), down from 99 in January.  For all of 2012, the Dodge Index averaged 99.  "Over the past year, the construction industry has shown signs of renewed expansion, but diminished activity in January and February indicates that the upward trend remains hesitant," stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction.  "The broad pattern for construction starts is dependent upon the performance of its main sectors, and right now only housing is strengthening in a sustained manner.  For nonresidential building, the commercial structure types are showing improvement, but the institutional side of the market is still being restrained by tight state and local budgets.  For nonbuilding construction, the public works categories are dealing with flat-to-reduced funding support from the federal government, and new electric utility starts are in the process of pulling back from the record pace reported last year.  While total construction starts are expected to see more growth in 2013, the gain will likely stay gradual as a result of this divergent behavior by construction's main sectors."

Nonresidential building in February retreated 6% to $139.7 billion (annual rate).  The manufacturing plant category, which can be volatile on a month-to-month basis, plunged 79%, given the absence of large projects reported as construction starts for the month.  While January had included a $550 million methanol plant and a $235 million cellulosic ethanol plant, the largest manufacturing project reported as a February start was a $22 million chemical and gas products warehouse in Florida.  For the institutional categories, education-related construction in February was unchanged from the previous month, at a pace down 6% from its average monthly amount during 2012.  February did include several large education-related projects, such as an $83 million research laboratory in Cambridge MA, a $75 million high school modernization in Auburn WA, and a $60 million renovation for the Boston University Law School building in Boston MA, but these were not enough to lift the educational building category.  Healthcare facilities construction in February slipped 5%, remaining at a lackluster volume despite the start of a $179 million ambulatory care center at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and a $97 million hospital renovation in New Orleans LA.  The smaller institutional categories in February showed these declines – public buildings, down 10%; churches, down 12%; and transportation terminals, down 27%.  The one institutional category that registered a February increase was amusement-related work, which rose 6%.

The commercial categories in February witnessed a mixed performance.  Office construction climbed 14%, boosted by several large projects.  These included the $192 million Social Security Administration's National Support Center in Urbana MD, a $150 million office tower in New York NY, and an $80 million technology center in Palm Bay FL.  Store construction in February rose 12%, reflecting the start of a $150 million town center shopping mall in Sarasota FL.  On the negative side, hotel construction in February retreated 19%, even with the start of a $165 million casino resort project in Lake Charles LA.  A steeper February decline was reported for commercial warehouse construction, which dropped 36%.

Nonbuilding construction, at $98.1 billion (annual rate), plunged 32% in February.  The electric power category fell sharply, plummeting 68% from its January pace, as February included the start of only one very large project – a $500 million transmission line in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  After registering consistently robust activity during the first half of 2012, electric utility construction is now seeing more of an up-and-down pattern, indicative of an emerging downward trend.  The public works categories overall in February dropped 25%, following the brief improvement in January.  New highway and bridge construction starts in February were down 31%, after being lifted in January by a $1.4 billion tunnel project in Norfolk VA and the $235 million upper deck replacement of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York NY.  The miscellaneous public works category (which includes site work, rail projects, and pipelines) fell 43% in February, given the absence of very large projects following a January that included a $240 million railroad hub in New Mexico.  River/harbor development also weakened in February, slipping 8%.  At the same time, water supply construction in February edged up 1%, and sewer construction climbed 19% with the help of these projects – a $255 million waste water treatment facility in Colorado, a $182 million garbage transfer station in New York, and a $91 million waste water system in Florida.  Murray noted, "Going forward, federal spending cuts under sequestration will restrain public works construction during 2013, although in a manner somewhat different from the pattern of construction starts in February.  Transportation-related public works were largely exempt from the spending cuts, while the EPA water infrastructure and the Corps of Engineers accounts were subject to reduced funding."

Residential building in February advanced 11% to $197.6 billion (annual rate), bouncing back after a modest pause in January and maintaining the upward trend that gained traction during 2012.  Multifamily housing had a particularly strong February, jumping 39% with the start of several very large projects – the $200 million multifamily portion of the Cira Center South project in Philadelphia PA, a $200 million apartment building in New York NY, and a $117 million residential tower at the Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn NY.  Single family housing in February rose 5%, continuing to strengthen on a wide geographic basis.  By major region, single family housing in February showed gains in the South Atlantic, up 11%; the South Central and West, each up 4%; the Northeast, up 3%; and the Midwest, up 1%.  Murray stated, "This year's prospects for housing are bright, even with a sluggish economy.  The demand for single family housing is picking up, as shown by the improvement in home sales and home prices, while inventories are currently very low.  Multifamily housing continues to see rising occupancies and rents, and condominium projects are now joining the upward path that's already well-established for apartments."

The 5% gain for total construction starts on an unadjusted basis during the first two months of 2013, compared to 2012, was the result of a varied performance by major sector.  Residential building led the way, climbing 32% year-to-date, with single family housing up 35% and multifamily housing up 20%.  Nonresidential building in the first two months of 2013 was down 7% from last year.  While commercial building showed a year-to-date increase of 20%, weaker activity was reported for the manufacturing and institutional segments, each down 20%.  Nonbuilding construction during the first two months of 2013 dropped 9% from last year, as a 9% gain for public works was outweighed by a 53% decline for electric utilities.  By region, total construction starts for the January-February period of 2013 revealed this behavior compared to last year – the Northeast, up 25%; the South Atlantic, up 12%; the South Central, up 10%; the Midwest, down 2%; and the West, down 10%.

Useful perspective is also obtained by looking at twelve-month moving totals, in this case the twelve months ending February 2013 versus the twelve months ending February 2012.  On this basis, total construction starts were up 8%, as the result of the following performance by sector – residential building, up 31%; nonresidential building, down 8%; and nonbuilding construction, up 5%.  By region, the twelve months ending February 2013 showed this pattern for total construction compared to the prior twelve months – the South Atlantic, up 19%; the South Central, up 14%; the Northeast, up 10%; the Midwest, up 9%; and the West, down 7%.

About McGraw Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects, and products across the construction industry.  For more than a century, it has remained North America's leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends, and forecasts.  McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP.  To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow @mhconstruction on Twitter.

About The McGraw Hill Companies:
The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a financial intelligence and education company, signed an agreement to sell its McGraw-Hill Education business to investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC in November 2012.  Following the sale closing, expected in early 2013, the Company will be renamed McGraw Hill Financial (subject to shareholder approval) and will be a powerhouse in benchmarks, content and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. The Company's leading brands will include: Standard & Poor's, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, Crisil, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction, and Aviation Week.  The Company will have approximately 17,000 employees in more than 30 countries.  Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com

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September Construction Jumps 16 Percent

Press Release

September Construction Jumps 16 Percent 
October 17, 2012 - New York, NY

New construction starts in September climbed 16% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $507.2 billion, it was reported by McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.  The nonbuilding construction sector (public works and electric utilities) led the way, helped in particular by a massive natural gas plant and several very large electric utility projects.  Meanwhile, nonresidential building retreated after its improved performance in August, and residential building eased back slightly.  Through the first nine months of 2012, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis came in at $349.6 billion, up 5% compared to the same period a year ago.

The latest month's data lifted the Dodge Index to 107 (2000=100), up from 92 in August.  This marked the second highest reading for the Dodge Index so far in 2012, following the 115 reported in April, which benefitted from the start of an $8.5 billion nuclear power plant in South Carolina.  "The robust pace for electric utility and gas plant construction during 2012 has occasionally produced volatility for total construction on a month-to-month basis," stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction.  "If electric utilities and gas plants are excluded, the level of construction starts in 2012 would be up 2% year-to-date, helped by this year's further growth for multifamily housing and the emerging recovery for single family housing.  As for the other construction sectors, commercial building has shown some strengthening during 2012 – while its dollar amount has grown less than 1% year-to-date, square footage is up 16%.  However, decreased activity continues to be reported in 2012 for institutional building, manufacturing plants, and public works.  Going into 2013, it's not expected that electric utilities will be able to maintain the record pace witnessed in 2011 and 2012, and tight government budgets will restrain the institutional building and public works sectors.  It will be up to housing and commercial building to provide upward momentum, and the impending ‘fiscal cliff' makes continued growth for these sectors less certain."

Nonbuilding construction in September soared 67% to $197.9 billion (annual rate).  The main lift came from a 335% surge for the electric utility and gas plant category, as a $4.8 billion liquefied natural gas plant in Louisiana (the Sabine Pass Liquefaction Project) was included as a September construction start.  Without this project, the gains for several levels of construction activity in September would have been more moderate – electric utilities and gas plants, up 60%; nonbuilding construction, up 19%; and total construction, up 3%.  There were six electric utility projects, each valued in excess of $100 million, listed as September construction starts – a $750 million wind farm in Texas, a $484 million transmission line in Nevada and California, two $300 million gas-fired power plants in Texas, a $171 million transmission line in Kansas, and a $122 million wind farm in Michigan.  Public works construction overall was up 10% in September, helped by gains from the environmental public works categories.  Water supply construction increased 48%, aided by the start of a $192 million water quality control plant in California.  River/harbor development work in September advanced 38%, while sewers rose 19%.  The "other public works" category, which includes a diverse set of projects, climbed 35% in September with the lift coming from a $326 million mass transit rail line in California, a $250 million outdoor sports stadium for Baylor University in Waco TX, and a $220 million petroleum pipeline in Louisiana and Mississippi.  On the negative side, highways and bridges settled back in September, falling 1% and 24% respectively.  For the first nine months of 2012, highways and bridges together dropped 10% compared to last year, including construction start declines for these states – Texas, down 41%; Ohio, down 19%; and Florida, down 16%.

Nonresidential building, at $139.0 billion (annual rate), fell 5% in September, retreating after the 7% gain in the previous month.  The institutional sector showed declines for the majority of its project types.  The educational building category decreased 16% after its August upturn, despite the start of a $110 million science and research center for Temple University in Philadelphia PA, as well as groundbreaking for three large high schools located in Massachusetts ($105 million), Minnesota ($78 million), and Texas ($70 million).  The transportation terminal category in September dropped 40%, although it did include $148 million for phase 1 of the Moynihan Station project in New York NY.  Also weakening in September were amusement-related work, down 27%; and churches, down 18%.  On the plus side, moderate gains in September were registered by healthcare facilities, up 5%; and public buildings (courthouses and detention facilities), up 2%.

The commercial categories in September showed stronger activity relative to August.  Warehouse construction advanced 60%, with the help of such projects as a $57 million distribution center for Dollar Tree in Windsor CT.  Hotel construction increased 37%, aided by a $68 million addition to a hotel in Miami Beach FL, plus two hotel renovations for Westin properties in Atlanta GA ($45 million) and Cleveland OH ($36 million).  Stores and shopping centers, up 11%, included $91 million for the retail portion of the Brickell CitiCentre mixed-use project in Miami FL (with the entire complex having an estimated construction start cost of $500 million).  Office construction grew 9% in September, and included $43 million for the office portion of the Brickell CitiCentre project, as well as corporate office buildings that reached groundbreaking in Canton OH ($42 million), Overland Park KS ($35 million), and Plano TX ($32 million).  Manufacturing plant construction in September dropped 10% compared to August.

Residential building in September slipped 1% to $170.3 billion (annual rate).  Multifamily housing retreated 10% after its 43% jump in August, which though down for the month still maintains the broader upward trend for this project type.  Large multifamily projects that reached groundbreaking in September included $231 million for the condominium portion of the Brickell CitiCentre project in Miami FL.  There were also two large multifamily projects that started in San Francisco CA during September – a $119 million condominium tower and an $82 million apartment building.  Single family housing maintained its gradual upward movement that's been present throughout much of 2012, growing 2% in September.  The pace for single family housing in September was 23% higher than what was reported back in January.

The 5% increase for total construction on an unadjusted basis during the January-September period of 2012 was the result of heightened activity for two of the three main construction groups.  Residential building climbed 26%, with year-to-date gains of 25% for single family housing and 30% for multifamily housing.  Nonbuilding construction was up 6% year-to-date, as a 27% hike for electric utilities and gas plants outweighed a 3% drop for public works.  Nonresidential building was the one major construction group to register a year-to-date decline, falling 12%.  The nonresidential decline came as the result of this pattern by segment – commercial building, up a slight 0.5%; institutional building, down 16%; and manufacturing building, down 29%.  The year-to-date decline for nonresidential building has been getting smaller as 2012 has proceeded.

By geography, total construction starts during the first nine months of 2012 showed a large gain for the South Atlantic, up 33%; with much of the upward push coming from the start of two massive nuclear power projects in Georgia and South Carolina.  If these two projects are excluded, then total construction starts in the South Atlantic would be up 6%.  Year-to-date gains for total construction were also reported for the Midwest, up 6%; and the South Central, up 2%.  Two regions registered year-to-date declines for total construction – the Northeast, down 5%; and the West, down 9%.

About McGraw-Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects, and products across the construction industry. For more than a century, it has remained North America's leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends, and forecasts. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP. To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow https://twitter.com/mhconstruction.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services, and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

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July Construction Recedes 2 Percent

Press Release

July Construction Recedes 2 Percent

New York, N.Y. – August 20, 2013 – New construction starts in July decreased 2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $479.1 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial.  The nonbuilding construction sector, comprised of public works and electric utilities, pulled back in July after being lifted in June by several very large projects.  At the same time, nonresidential building strengthened in July, regaining some of the upward momentum that began to take hold in April and May, while residential building in July showed further growth.  For the first seven months of 2013, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were reported at $281.7 billion, up 1% from the same period a year ago.  The year-to-date amount for total construction was restrained by a steep decline for new electric utility starts.  If electric utilities are excluded, total construction starts for this year’s January-July period would be up 11%, reflecting a substantial increase for housing as well as moderate improvement for commercial building.

The July statistics lowered the Dodge Index to 101 (2000=100), down from a revised 103 for June.  During the first seven months of 2013, the Dodge Index averaged 102, slightly higher than the full year average for 2012 at 101.  “July’s modest decline for total construction was the result of diminished activity for public works, which can be volatile on a month-to-month basis depending on the timing of very large projects,” stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw Hill Construction.  “Aside from the public works shortfall, the July statistics provided evidence that the hesitant expansion for construction is proceeding.  Housing continues to show upward movement, and the pace of commercial building continues to pick up gradually from very low levels.  The institutional building portion of nonresidential building, which generally weakened during the first half of 2013, strengthened in July, suggesting that it may now be starting to stabilize after a lengthy decline that’s lasted for more than four years.  While the recovery for construction may be broadening in scope, the process continues to be tenuous given the ongoing sluggish condition of the U.S. economy.”

Nonresidential building in July advanced 8% to $161.3 billion (annual rate).  At the outset of 2013, nonresidential building lost momentum, and then showed moderate growth in April and May before slipping back again in June.  The institutional building sector in July jumped 19%, as several categories reported sizeable gains.  Healthcare facilities in July climbed 25%, boosted by groundbreaking for such large projects as a $450 million hospital tower in Stamford CT, a $340 million medical center in Fargo ND, a $130 million hospital tower in Springfield MO, and a $120 million hospital tower in Washington DC.  This stands in contrast to the generally fewer large-scale hospital projects that were being reported as construction starts during the first half of 2013, when compared to what took place in 2012.  The transportation terminal category in July surged 111%, helped by the start of the $650 million Central Subway Station in San Francisco CA and $105 million for work at Terminal 3 at San Francisco International Airport.  The public buildings category, which has recently been very weak, jumped 46% in July with the start of a $137 million renovation project at the Minnesota State Capitol Building in St. Paul MN.  Educational facilities, the largest institutional category, also contributed in July with a 3% increase, rising for the second month in a row after weak activity in early 2013.  Large educational facility projects that were included as July starts included $218 million for phase 3 of the University of Maryland Health Sciences Research Facility in Baltimore MD, a $92 million high school in Concord MA, and an $85 million high school addition in Bellevue WA.  Institutional categories that weakened in July were churches, down 3%; and amusement-related construction, down 7%.

The commercial categories in July slipped 2%, due to varied behavior by project type.  Office construction in July dropped 15%, although this followed a substantial 44% increase in June, and the level of activity in July was 21% higher than the average monthly pace for this category during 2012.  Large office projects that were included as July starts included $550 million for the office portion of the State Farm Headquarters complex in Richardson TX, plus two office buildings for Amazon in Seattle WA valued respectively at $133 million and $111 million.  Hotel construction in July fell 30%, registering comparatively weak activity after the elevated pace earlier in 2013.  Store construction in July edged up 2%, helped by the start of a $70 million IKEA store in Merriam KS, while warehouse construction climbed 36%.  The manufacturing plant category in July posted a further decline, falling 31% as the slower activity witnessed so far in 2013 continued.  The largest manufacturing plant project reported as a July start was a $63 million ethanol refinery in Florida.

Residential building, at $204.1 billion (annual rate), grew 3% in July.  Multifamily housing rebounded 20% after sliding 21% in June, regaining the heightened activity that was present earlier in 2013.  Large multifamily projects that reached groundbreaking in July included a $390 million condominium complex in New York NY, a $153 million mixed-use development in Boston MA, and a $117 million apartment complex in San Diego CA.  Through the first seven months of 2013, the leading metropolitan areas for multifamily construction starts (ranked by dollar volume) were the following – New York NY, Washington DC, Boston MA, Miami FL, and Dallas-Ft. Worth TX.  Single family housing in July slipped 1%, and over the past several months has essentially leveled off after the strong month-to-month gains that were reported throughout 2012 and early 2013.  July’s volume of activity was still high by last year’s standards – up 26% from the average monthly pace for single family housing reported during 2012.  By region, single family housing in July showed greater activity in the Midwest, up 4%; but declines in the Northeast, South Central, and West, each down 2%; and the South Atlantic, down 4%.  Murray noted, “The rise in mortgage rates in late spring generated some concern about the prospects for single family housing, but mortgage rates have since eased back and the inventory of new homes for sale remains very low, which should encourage greater single family construction in the months ahead.”

Nonbuilding construction in July dropped 18% to $113.8 billion (annual rate).  The public works portion of nonbuilding construction fell 20%, retreating after its 40% surge in June.  Bridge construction in July was down 54%, following the robust amount of construction starts in June that included $1.6 billion for work on the Ohio River Bridges in the Louisville KY and the southern Indiana area, plus several other large bridge projects located in Massachusetts, Texas, and New York.  Highway construction in July also pulled back from an elevated June, sliding 22%.  Even with the reduced activity reported during July, highway and bridge construction through the first seven months of 2013 still maintained a 12% lead over the same period a year ago.  Sewer construction also registered weaker activity in July, falling 13%.  Public works categories that showed greater activity in July were dams and river/harbor development, up 2%; miscellaneous public works (site work, pipelines, rail projects), up 3%; and water supply systems, up 32%.   The electric utility and gas plant category in July managed to increase 11% from very weak activity in June, helped by the start of a $270 million gas plant in Colorado and a $200 million solar power plant in New Mexico.  The amount of electric utility and gas plant construction continues to be much lower than last year, with July’s volume down 82% from the average monthly pace for this category during 2012.

The 1% increase for total construction starts on an unadjusted basis during the first seven months of 2013 relative to last year was the result of divergent behavior by the three main construction sectors.  Residential building, up 29% year-to-date, continues to lead the way during 2013, with single family housing up 31% and multifamily housing up 21%.  Nonresidential building saw its year-to-date shortfall relative to 2012 narrow, coming in 3% below last year at the seven-month mark.  The major segments for nonresidential building showed the following year-to-date performance – commercial building, up 6%; institutional building, down 8%; and manufacturing plant construction, down 9%.  Nonbuilding construction dropped 22% year-to-date, as a 69% reduction for electric utilities far outweighed a 5% increase for public works.

By geography, total construction starts in the first seven months of 2013 revealed gains in three regions – the West, up 9%; and the South Central and the Northeast, each up 8%.  Year-to-date declines were reported for two regions – the Midwest, down 1%; and the South Atlantic, down 14%.  If electric utilities are excluded from the construction start statistics in the South Atlantic, then that region would register a 20% year-to-date gain.

About McGraw Hill Construction:
McGraw Hill Construction’s data, analytics, and media businesses – Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, and Engineering News-Record – create opportunities for owners, architects, engineers, contractors, building product manufacturers, and distributors to strengthen their market position, size their markets, prioritize prospects, and target and build relationships that will win more business. McGraw Hill Construction serves more than one million customers through its trends and forecasts, industry news, and leading platform of construction data, benchmarks, and analytics, including Dodge MarketShare, Dodge BuildShare, and Dodge SpecShare. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.

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McGraw Hill Financial, a financial intelligence company, is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks, and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power & Associates, and McGraw Hill Construction. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

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New Construction Starts in December Jump 23 Percent; Annual Total for 2012 Advances 6 Percent to $463.6 Billion

Press Release

New Construction Starts in December Jump 23 Percent; Annual Total for 2012 Advances 6 Percent to $463.6 Billion

NEW YORK – January 23, 2013 – New construction starts in December climbed 23% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $530.0 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.  The sharp increase for total construction followed two months of lackluster activity, as several very large projects in December helped to lift the pace of contracting.  By major sector, substantial gains in December were reported for nonresidential building and nonbuilding construction, while housing maintained the steady upward trend that’s been present for much of the past year.  For all of 2012, total construction starts grew 6% to $463.6 billion, a moderate yet stronger rate of increase than what took place during 2010 (up 2%) and 2011 (up 1%).

The December statistics produced a reading of 112 for the Dodge Index (2000=100), up from a revised 91 for November.  For 2012 as a whole, the Dodge Index averaged 98.  “The year ended on a strong note, with December coming in at the upper end of the range of activity reported during 2012,” stated Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction.  “The subdued activity witnessed during October and November suggested that the hesitant recovery for construction starts might be losing momentum, but December’s strength alleviates some of that concern.  The 6% gain for total construction starts in 2012 indicates that the tenuous expansion for construction is beginning to gain traction, particularly after the basically flat activity experienced during the previous two years.  In 2012, single family housing registered steady improvement, finally joining the recovery process already underway for multifamily housing.  Commercial building, while still at a very weak level, edged upward, and electric utility starts achieved a new high in current dollar terms.  However, both the institutional building and public works sectors continued to slide back, adversely affected by tight federal and state budgets.”

Nonresidential building in December surged 33% to $189.0 billion (annual rate), with growth registered by most of its structure types.  The commercial sector featured a strong 53% gain for office construction, led by $714 million for the office portion of an $850 million 47-story high-rise building that is the initial project of the massive Hudson Yards development in New York NY.  Other large office projects that reached groundbreaking in December included an $81 million government office building in New Cumberland PA and an $80 million headquarters for Southwest Airlines in Dallas TX.  Store construction in December grew 37%, led by $129 million for the retail portion of the $850 million Hudson Yards high-rise, as well as an $85 million shopping center renovation in Saint Ann MO.  Warehouse construction in December rebounded 84% from a very weak November, helped by a $96 million distribution center for a major grocery store chain in Orlando FL.  In contrast to the increases shown by these commercial structure types, hotel construction in December was flat.  Manufacturing plant construction, which can be volatile on a month-to-month basis, surged 177% in December after a very weak November.  Two large projects boosted December’s manufacturing performance – a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant in Iowa and a $500 million natural gas processing facility in Ohio.

On the institutional side, healthcare facilities in December grew 12%, aided by a $615 million hospital expansion in Palo Alto CA and a $200 million ambulatory pavilion for a major hospital in Oak Lawn IL.  Educational buildings, the largest institutional category, grew 4% in December, supported by a $325 million research facility in New York NY and a $95 million state library and museum in Juneau AK.  The smaller institutional categories all showed strong percentage growth in December.  The public buildings category increased 56%, lifted by a $316 million correctional facility in Schwenksville PA, while a 22% gain for the amusement category reflected the start of a $100 million hockey arena in Allentown PA.  After very depressed activity in November, transportation terminals and churches posted large December gains, rising 77% and 45% respectively.

For 2012 as a whole, nonresidential building dropped 9% to $149.7 billion.  The institutional categories fell a combined 12%, a bit steeper than the 11% slide reported for 2011.  The two largest institutional categories continued their retreat in 2012, with educational buildings down 14% and healthcare facilities down 6%.  Other institutional declines for the full year 2012 were the following – public buildings and transportation terminals, each down 13%; churches, down 18%; and amusement-related projects, down 21%.  The manufacturing plant category for the full year 2012 plunged 33%, retreating after the 80% gain reported in 2011 that reflected groundbreaking for a $3.0 billion coal-to-gasoline plant and two large semiconductor plants.  The commercial sector in 2012 grew 5%, not as large as the 15% gain reported for 2011, but still expansion.  Moderate growth in 2012 was registered by stores, up 10%; hotels, up 14%; and warehouses, up 15%. However, office construction in 2012 slipped back 7%, given the comparison to 2011 which included the start of a $1.1 billion government data center in Utah.  While the dollar amount for nonresidential building was down 9% for the full year 2012, square footage for nonresidential building was up 4% during this time.

Residential building in December increased 6% to $198.5 billion (annual rate).  Single family housing advanced another 3% in December, and over the course of 2012 demonstrated remarkably steady growth, with gains reported in eleven out of the twelve months.  Multifamily housing showed a more varied pattern during 2012, but ended the year with a 15% gain in December.  Large multifamily projects that supported the December gain included two large apartment buildings in New York NY, valued at $500 million and $384 million respectively; a $213 million apartment building in Fort Lee NJ; a $125 million student housing project adjacent to Temple University in Philadelphia PA; and a $118 million renovation to an apartment complex in Venice CA.

The 2012 amount for residential building was $163.4 billion, up 29%, which marked a noteworthy change from the modest 4% gain registered in 2011.  Single family housing in 2012 climbed 29% in dollar terms, versus the 3% decline that was reported for 2011.  The regional pattern for single family housing in 2012 showed increases for all five major regions, as follows – the West, up 40%; the Midwest, up 32%; the South Atlantic, up 29%; the South Central, up 23%; and the Northeast, up 15%.  Multifamily housing in 2012 advanced 30%, showing additional growth on top of increases in 2010 (up 21%) and 2011 (up 34%).  By major region, multifamily housing registered this performance in 2012 – the West, up 46%; the Northeast, up 35%; the South Central and the South Atlantic, each up 27%; and the Midwest, up 10%.  The top five metropolitan areas in terms of the 2012 dollar amount of multifamily starts were – New York NY, up 45%; Washington DC, up 9%; Miami FL, up 128%; Los Angeles CA, up 48%; and Boston MA, up 22%.  The large increase for multifamily housing in the West was helped by the 48% gain for Los Angeles, as well as growth in such metropolitan areas as Seattle WA, up 36%; San Francisco CA, up 24%; Denver CO, up 87%; and Phoenix AZ, up 116%.

Nonbuilding construction in December soared 42% to $142.5 billion (annual rate), rebounding sharply after its depressed November amount.  Much of the December boost came from a 635% jump for the electric utility category, bouncing back to the elevated contracting witnessed earlier in the year before the sharp retreat in October and November.  Large electric utility projects that were reported as December starts included a $950 million transmission line project in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and a $945 million solar power plant in California.  The public works sector in December improved 7%, making a partial rebound after sliding 22% in the previous month.  The environmental categories strengthened after their depressed performance in November, with sewers up 32%, river/harbor development, up 17%; and water supply systems, up 6%.  Highway construction in December increased 8%, helped by a $360 million segment of the I-95/395 HOV-HOT Lanes project in Virginia and a $101 million shoulder restoration project for the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey.  On the negative side, bridge construction in December was down 6%, and miscellaneous public works (which includes site work, pipelines, rail lines, etc.) slipped 1%.

For the full year 2012, nonbuilding construction grew 2% to $150.5 billion.  Electric utility construction advanced 9%, showing further growth on top of the 53% increase reported for 2011, as this category achieved a new current dollar high at $47.9 billion.  The start of work at two nuclear facilities, Units 3 and 4 at the Vogtle Plant in Waynesboro GA and Units 2 and 3 at the V.C. Summer Plant in Jenkinsville SC, contributed $17.0 billion to the 2012 electric utility total.  In addition, transmission line work in 2012 held close to its heightened 2011 amount, but the recent brisk pace for solar and wind power projects began to subside.  Public works construction in 2012 settled back 1%, a much less severe drop than the 14% decline reported in 2011.  A large 35% gain for miscellaneous public works cushioned the extent of the 2012 public works shortfall; if the miscellaneous public works category is excluded, then the public works sector in 2012 would be down 8%.  Miscellaneous public works in 2012 benefitted from gains for pipeline and rail-related projects.  Highway and bridge construction continued to recede in 2012, with highways down 9% and bridges down 3%.  The environmental categories in 2012 were mixed, with river/harbor development and sewers showing respective declines of 20% and 13%, while water supply construction managed to rise 7% from its weak 2011 amount.

The 6% gain for total construction starts at the national level in 2012 was the result of varied behavior at the five region level.  Leading the way was the South Atlantic, up 19%; with much of the upward push coming from the start of the two massive nuclear power projects in Georgia and South Carolina.  If these two projects are excluded, then total construction starts in the South Atlantic would be unchanged from the prior year.  Gains for full year 2012 total construction were also reported for the Midwest, up 9%; the South Central, up 7%; and the Northeast, up 2%.  The West was the one major region in 2012 to register a decline for total construction starts, falling 7%.

  

About McGraw-Hill Construction:
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects, and products across the construction industry.  For more than a century, it has remained North America’s leading provider of project and product information, plans and specifications, and industry news, trends, and forecasts.  McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers in the global construction industry through Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, GreenSource, and SNAP.  To learn more, visit www.construction.com or follow @mhconstruction on Twitter.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:
The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a financial intelligence and education company, signed an agreement to sell its McGraw-Hill Education business to investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC in November 2012.  Following the sale closing, expected in early 2013, the Company will be renamed McGraw Hill Financial (subject to shareholder approval) and will be a powerhouse in benchmarks, content and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. The Company's leading brands will include: Standard & Poor's, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, Crisil, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction, and Aviation Week.  The Company will have approximately 17,000 employees in more than 30 countries.  Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

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