Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) March 4 introduced the "Building STAR Energy Efficiency Rebate Act of 2010" (S. 3079), a bill that would provide $6 billion in federal investment through rebates and financing incentives. The bill would cover about 30 percent of the cost of installing energy efficient products and/or providing energy efficiency-related services (e.g., energy audits) in commercial and multifamily residential buildings this year.  It is estimated that the $6 billion in funding for the Building STAR program would spur $18 to $24 billion in total spending, creating up to 200,000 jobs in the construction, manufacturing and other related industries.  The program is designed to work quickly and includes simplified application procedures for building owners.

Building STAR is the companion to Home STAR, a similar rebate program for home owners being developed by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which today held a hearing on both proposals. 

AGC is a participating organization in the coalition that developed and is promoting Building STAR and was quoted in a BNA Construction Labor Report article addressing the Building STAR bill.

For more information, contact Karen Lapsevic at (202) 547-4733 or lapsevick@agc.org.

According to Reed Construction Data, construction starts were up 4 percent in January, with a 47 percent increase in commercial building starts from December 2009.  However, this is not a sign that the recession has drastically improved, but that "a hint of improvement" may be coming.

Despite this news, the building recession seems to be deepening still.  Market indicators used to measure monthly nonresidential construction are negative, and many projects are being delayed or cancelled, according to another Reed report.  Some projects are being halted due to lower than expected building operating income, and the inability to obtain financing is still causing cutbacks as well. The U.S. Architecture Billings Index is at its lowest level in the past six months, according to a Reuters article.  The AIA's Kermit Baker cites strict lending, a "skittish" bond market, and declining property values among the problems aggravating the recession.  

For more information on January's construction starts, please click here.  For market indicator charts, and information on the building recession, please click here. To access the Reuters article on the Architecture Billings Index, please click here.

The U.S. Department of Education and the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) have numerous resources related to stimulus funding and educational facilities.  For information about education funding included in the federal stimulus program go to www.ed.gov/recovery.  Specific information about school modernization in the stimulus can be found here.

The NCEF is a program funding by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and managed by the National Institute of Building Sciences.  NCEF has many resources about education facilities, which include a quick reference guide to stimulus funding available through federal agencies that could be used for the construction, modernization, renovation, or repair of education facilities.  Click here to access this guide.

A recent Engineering News-Record article examines how firms have reacted to the recession, and what steps they are taking to adjust and survive.  The current economic recession is offering firms numerous challenges to re-think their strategies to keep their heads above water and to continue to do so in the post-recession economy. 

While the stimulus has greatly benefitted some firms, other have not been affected by it at all.  Firms are recognizing the importance of creating new ways to keep employees, maintain morale, and remain flexible towards the current market challenges. 

For the complete article from Engineering News-Record, please click here (ENR subscription required).