Industry Spotlight: Construction 

Industry Spotlight is designed to highlight the exciting industry news available in the diverse industries that affect the Broward County economy. Here you will find a collection of Construction industry information, resources and economic activities. The Construction Industry broadly incorporates residential building, non-residential building and other non-building construction, such as power plants, harbor development and public works projects. The industry incorporates a multitude of trades, including carpentry, electrical, masonry and plumbing. 

Economic Impact

Despite the current economic slowdown, construction remains a vital driver of the state economy. Additionally, projections are that commercial and industrial construction sectors will grow with new infrastructure and commercial projects, such as the I-595 and the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Runway and Terminal 4 expansions, each involving a budget of $1-1.5 billion.

Market Briefs

• A State of Florida Banner Center for Construction was established in Gainesville in 2007 (Santa Fe College) to provide state of the art training in the skilled crafts used in the construction field. This is a great source for current market briefs and trends.  The website is www.buildflorida.org.
• In October, 2011, a construction forecast by the National Association of Home Builders’ Chief Economist, Dave Crowe, calls for housing starts to be up 15% overall, with single family starts up 1.7%
• Current emphasis on the "Green Industry Movement" has spurred some new areas of construction opportunity, such as solar energy and windmill related construction work.

Current Trends & Opportunities

• In Broward County, construction growth has not yet risen to pre-recession levels; however, Broward County is the beneficiary of a $1.2 billion I-595 Expansion project that is currently underway through 2013.
• A recent forum on the I-595 project identified the timeline for four segments for work spanning from February, 2010 to October 2013. Contractors and Suppliers who have won contracts for the projects were identified for potential job opportunities.
• According to Economic Modeling Specialists, INC (EMSI), regional construction jobs are projected to grow by 3% from 2010 to 2012. This is below the state and national projections of 5% and 6%, respectively.
• Occupationally, plumbers and pipe fitters have the strongest growth outlook at 7%.
• A $1.3 billion airport runway expansion and terminal construction at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport is currently underway.  The General Contractor is James A. Cummings, Inc. and subcontractors are bidding on work in October, 2011.

Industry Links:

• USF Safety Florida: Construction Safety Information and Links
• Florida Department of Community Affairs: Helpful Links for Construction Professionals
• Employ Florida Banner Center for Construction: www.buildflorida.org
• NCCER – National Center for Construction Education and Research
• Florida Masonry Apprentice & Educational Foundation
• FBA - Future Builders of America
• BA-NCF – Builders Association of North Central Florida
• FHBA – Florida Home Builders Association
• PRIDE – Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises (Training Organizations)
• DBPR Professions - Construction Industry Licensing Board
• ABC – Associated Builders and Contractors