Nearly 1 in 5 Construction Workers Are Out of a Job
Employment in architectural and engineering services increase for the first time in more than a year, writes AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson. However, that ray of good news was overshadowed by a cut in average hourly earnings for construction workers and a 17.1% unemployment rate in that industry — up from 9.9% a year ago. Full Story

Shine a Light on Distressed Assets
An estimated $814 billion of commercial loans will come to term in the next two years. Even with government stimulus funds, however, banks have only a fraction of that available to lend. When clients' loans are upside-down, brokers can help turn them back with loan modifications. Full Story

Fly Ash Concrete Could Cut Emissions, Researchers Say
Louisiana Tech researchers are developing a geopolymer concrete, also known as GPC, that uses fly ash produced by coal-fired power plants. The researchers note that using the fly ash in concrete will prevent the byproduct from going to landfills. They also hope that GPC eventually replaces Portland cement, the production of which has been linked to global warming. "It is important research for the U.S. because it's environmentally friendly," noted Ivan Diaz, a doctoral candidate. Full Story  

Column: Stimulus Package Boosts Construction Spending Modestly
Some large shovel-ready construction projects will continue adding jobs to the economy in the fall, writes Jim Haughey. He notes that the stimulus package has provided a "modest boost" to construction spending and that the benefits will start to diminish later this year. "The impact of the stimulus plan has clearly been less than its sponsors claimed initially and in recent assessments but more than its detractors credit to it," Haughey writes. Full Story

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