WASHINGTON, Sept. 27—Larry Lopez, president and chief executive officer of Green JobWorks, Baltimore, and chairman of Associated Builders and Contractor’s Diversity Committee, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access on how recent economic growth is positively impacting local communities.  

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17—Associated Builders and Contractors reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator expanded to a record 9.9 months during the second quarter of 2018. Backlog is up 12.2 percent from the first quarter and 14 percent compared to the same time last year. 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24—Construction contractors remained confident during the second quarter of 2018, according to the latest Construction Confidence Index released today by Associated Builders and Contractors.

From 1997 through 2013 (the latest year for which annual data are available), the value added by the private construction industry as a percentage of national gross domestic product (GDP) declined from a high of 6.14% (in 1997 and 1998) to a low of 3.69% in 2011 and then rose to the still-too-low 3.73% in 2013. Although this is an accurate look at the sector, it understates the impact of the construction industry on the economy.

The national construction unemployment rate has generally reflected the fortunes of the construction industry. The national construction unemployment rate fell from 2004 through 2006 then began to rise in 2007 and jumped sharply in 2008 and 2009. Since 2010, there has been a slow, gradual improvement. December’s 8.3% unemployment rate is the lowest December rate since 2005’s 8.2% rate.

The construction industry has shown evidence of recovery and appears to be on a mild upward trajectory despite occasional backsliding. In 2014, construction spending for all the major areas rose faster than the rise in construction costs. Last year also marked the fourth year in a row that construction employment grew and the largest annual advance in construction employment since 2005.

Measuring employment and unemployment would seem to be straightforward. However, it turns out to be a little more complicated than it first appears. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces the employment statistics for the United States based on a monthly survey conducted by the Census Bureau known as the Current Population Survey (CPS).

Bad weather often typifies February across much of the country and this February’s weather was particularly harsh. The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate for the country often peaks around February and the nation appears to be on track for that pattern this year. The February construction unemployment rate for the country along with estimated rates for 34 states increased over their respective January rates.

March, as is to be expected, provided better weather than February, though some parts of the country were hit with severe storms, including spring snow storms. This resulted in a monthly decrease in the March not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate for the country and in the estimated construction unemployment rates for 43 states.

The United States economy, along with construction, struggled through the first quarter as the nation was battered with unusually harsh weather. As of the May 29 U.S. Department of Commerce report, real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.7% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). The June 1 construction spending report showed that nominal (current) dollar construction spending was down 0.5% (SAAR), but on a not seasonally adjusted basis was up 3.7% compared to first quarter 2014.

The non-seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rate for the country and 40 states declined in May, while the rate for one state (South Carolina) remained unchanged from April. Today’s report provides further evidence that construction and the broader U.S. economy appear to have rebounded from the unusually brutal winter. On an annual basis, construction unemployment rates for 44 of the 50 states fell in May 2015 compared to May 2014. The construction unemployment rate for two states—North Dakota and Utah—were unchanged.

Construction employment stalled nationally on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis in June. However, as expected, not seasonally adjusted (NSA) employment increased from May. The result was that 38 states experienced a decline in their estimated NSA construction unemployment rate.

Overall employment and construction employment improved nationally in July on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis. Meanwhile, as would be expected, not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction employment increased from June. This resulted in 43 states posting a monthly decline in their estimated NSA construction unemployment rate.

Nationally, the construction employment picture has continued to improve from last year. The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 45 states were down in August on a year-over-year basis. For the first eight months of the year, construction added 113,000 seasonally adjusted (SA) jobs. At the same time, NSA jobs increased by 221,000 from August 2014 to August 2015.

September proved to be a good month for construction unemployment rates. The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 48 states were down in September on a year-over-year basis. For the first three quarters of the year, construction added 121,000 seasonally adjusted (SA) jobs. At the same time, NSA jobs increased by 199,000 from September 2014 to September 2015.

October was another positive month for construction and construction unemployment rates around much of the country. Year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 30 states were lower in October this year. Year to date, construction has added 159,000 seasonally adjusted (SA) jobs throughout the country. Meanwhile, NSA jobs nationally increased by 228,000 from October 2014 to October 2015. Additionally, SA construction spending in October increased 1 percent from September according to theCensus Bureau’s Dec. 1 release. Year-to-date NSA construction spending as of October was up 10.7 percent.

Unusually mild weather in much of the country coupled with general improvement in the nation’s economy benefited construction and consequently construction unemployment rates in November. Not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 37 states were lower than in November 2014. As of November, year-to-date seasonally adjusted (SA) employment in construction increased by 215,000 in the U.S. Meanwhile, NSA construction jobs nationally increased by 267,000 from November 2014 to November 2015.

Unusually mild weather in much of the country persisted in December benefiting construction and reducing the size of the normal seasonal increase in construction unemployment rates. December marked the warmest, or one of the warmest, Decembers on record for most cities in the eastern half of the country. Not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 32 states were lower than in December 2014. The construction unemployment rates for three states—Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska—were unchanged from a year ago.

Unusually mild weather in much of the country continued into the first part of January but ended for the East near the end of the month with the brutal storm dubbed “Snowzilla.” The storm did not hit until after the reference week used for surveying employment and unemployment. This undoubtedly helped to temper the normal rise in the not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the nation, which rose from a relatively low December rate of 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent in January. This is the lowest January national construction unemployment rate going back to the beginning of the series in January 2000.

Temperatures remained above normal for much of the country in February. However, precipitation rates were also above normal for much of the East and below normal for much of the West and parts of the South. These factors contributed to the not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the nation maintaining a low February rate of 8.7 percent, a slight rise from January’s similarly low 8.5 percent rate. It was also the second lowest February national construction unemployment rate going back to the beginning of the series in 2000, surpassed only by the 8.6 percent rate in February 2006.

The March not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates for the country and 30 states were lower than in March 2015, according to analysis by economist Bernard Markstein released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. March’s 0.8 percent decrease from a year ago marked five and a half years of consecutive monthly year-over-year rate declines. Meanwhile, March national NSA employment in construction was 298,000 higher than in March 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 1—Construction employment rates improved in 44 states and the nation in April on a year-over-year basis, according to analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate of 6 percent was a 1.5 percent drop from April 2015, continuing a streak of consecutive monthly year-over-year rate declines that began in October 2010. National NSA employment in construction was 262,000 higher than in April 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C., June, 28—Construction unemployment rates improved in 46 states and the nation in May on a year-over-year basis according to analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. The May national not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate of 5.2 percent was 1.5 percent lower than a year ago while the industry employed 213,000 more people than in May 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug.1—June not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates improved in 47 states and the nation on a year-over-year basis according to analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The national construction unemployment rate of 4.6 percent was 1.7 percent lower than a year ago according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Further, the industry boasted its lowest June rate since 2000 when it matched this June’s 4.6 percent rate. BLS data also showed that the industry employed 229,000 more people than in June 2015.

Construction has always played a vital role in the nation’s economy despite some ups and downs. From 1999 through 2015, real (inflation-adjusted) construction investment (both residential and nonresidential) varied from 5.1 percent of real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 and 2011 to 9.4 percent of GDP in 1999. In 2014 and 2015, construction investment was 6 percent of GDP.