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The demand for expert façade engineering advice and support is on the rise, as expectations around building envelopes become higher, whether that relates to complexity or efficiency. Eckersley O'Callaghan, a firm with a global reputation for engineering innovative glass structures, is responding to the call from clients by launching a new façade engineering group. The new group will expand on the existing reputation that the firm has built by providing support across a broad spectrum of fields, including thermal and solar analysis of façade systems and a strategic approach to maintenance and access. Structural design, as well as replacement and refurbishment and providing detailed understanding of the available materials will also be part of what the new Eckersley O'Callaghan group does. Eckersley O'Callaghan is a consultancy with extensive experience on many different large and medium-sized projects and will be able to meet specific growing needs among clients with the launch of this new team.

Construction is an industry that has weathered the storm over the past few years and now there are green shoots emerging. In states such as Ohio, commercial real estate prices have reached new highs and expansion is forecast across all areas of the sector. This includes growth trends in water supply, transportation and S&WD. Of course, there have been some more challenging trends too, including the labor shortages that have affected the construction sector nationwide, as well as the supply chain issues that many industries have struggled with. Another key trend is the growth in demand for skilled construction workers - job postings are up 43%, which means that the need for workers is currently higher than the supply. This is a trend that looks set to continue for some time, as there is a mismatch between the skill sets that many workers have available and the qualification levels required. Construction activity, especially in areas such as mining in locations like Ohio, looks set to continue to grow throughout the year.

Despite the obvious supply chain issues of the past 12 months, there has been positive news for US construction, with spending surging more than 8% on previous figures at the start of this year. Outlays on single-family homebuilding and private nonresidential structures provided a particular boost to the numbers, which showed an increase in both the figures from the year before as well as those for December. Although the rise in spending is positive, the reality of higher prices for building materials is obviously still having an impact. This is especially so with respect to materials such as framed lumber. Spending on public construction projects also saw a small increase of 0.6% during the same time period. In terms of local and federal spending on construction, the numbers couldn't be more different, with outlay on federal projects increasing by 13.8% while local and government construction projects saw a reduction in spending of 0.5%.

Drones are being increasingly welcomed into many sectors due to their convenience and usefulness. Although New York has so far seen only limited use for this tech when it comes to façade inspections (due to restrictive local ordinances) that is all about to change as a new report has identified how drones could be used more when it comes to façade engineering inspections in the future. The report from the New York City Department of Buildings identifies drones as a useful tool. It says that, when combined with traditional hands-on examinations, the drones could potentially make future inspections more thorough and comprehensive. Right now, there are significant restrictions in place when it comes to flying drones over New York City - and only specific locations where it's legal for them to take off and land - but this could soon be about to change if the recommendations of the Department of Buildings report are widely accepted.

Challenges have been plentiful for the construction sector over the past year, whether they relate to politics or the pandemic. However, not every part of the industry has been negatively affected, in fact, some have gone on to thrive. As a result, there are a lot of construction projects to watch in 2022. Progress on the ground-breaking HS2 in the UK, for example, has gathered momentum and looks set to speed ahead in 2022, especially at the Old Oak Common site, the only stop along the HS2 in the capital. Sizewell C is a large-scale nuclear energy project that could be one of a number of nuclear developments to receive Treasury funding. According to EDF, construction at Sizewell C could begin before 2024. The former US Embassy at 30 Grosvenor Square in London is going to be the site of another major piece of construction. The £400 million project will convert the former embassy into a 139-room luxury hotel that will be part of the Rosewood group.

Glass is well established as a popular construction material and looks set to become even more of a magnet for investment going forward. A new report has identified the glass façade market as one set for significant growth over the next six years. According to the latest forecasts, the market is going to reach a value of $92.6 billion by 2026, which represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate expansion of 3.9%. Glass façades have become a first choice in construction due to the qualities that they bring to a build, including energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness and aesthetics. Tempered glass is set to see a particularly impressive rise in growth - this material allows building design to make the best use of natural light and reduce energy consumption so it is on-trend with many of the sustainable initiatives happening right now. This and other factors, such as the rise in raw energy costs, are going to work to drive up the value of the market by 2028.

USA construction spending is on the up, not just on a month-to-month basis but also compared to the levels for the previous year. For example, spending in November last year was higher than both October and November 2020 thanks to gains made in key areas such as private residential projects. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, this, combined with private non-residential projects, was enough to outweigh many of the slowdowns in public sector spending.

Over the past year, we have begun to see many talented people moving roles to look for new challenges. In 2022, those in jobs such as forensic engineering could find that they have even more to look forward to via a new employer, as these are set to be some of the top 10 paying jobs of the year. This data comes from a January 2022 report that identified how skills shortages in many areas are creating significantly increased demand.

Labor shortages present one of the biggest challenges to the recovery of the US construction sector today. Federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America indicates that one of the reasons for employment below the levels seen prior to the pandemic is simply the fact that there aren't enough workers to fill roles. According to the Association, it's the tight labor market that is preventing recovery to levels seen before the pandemic began.

Much of the proportion of federal funding that is going to be heading towards Nebraska is going to be poured into roads and highways. The $2.5Bn Infrastructure Bill funding will arrive alongside a billion-dollar slice of federal pandemic recovery funding and the two combined could have a huge impact on the state. Although it has yet to be decided how the money will be allocated, there are already ideas that focus on repairing Nebraska's roads and bridges. For example, the completion of the Heartland Expressway, which reaches through Alliance and Scottsbluff on its route from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Denver.