flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Deal on 2015 budget slashes most federal construction spending

Deal on 2015 budget slashes most federal construction spending

Amid cuts, GSA is a bright spot


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editors | December 18, 2014
U.S. General Services Administration Building-E Street facade. Photo: General Se
U.S. General Services Administration Building-E Street facade. Photo: General Services Administration via Wikimedia Commons

The $1.1 trillion funding bill for fiscal year 2015 approved by Congress makes deep cuts in some construction programs, but the General Services Administration suffered just a short haircut by comparison.

The GSA, which owns and manages most non-military federal buildings, is on the books for a $255 million cut in 2015, but compared to 2014, the $1.3 billion for construction is still more than the funding received in 2011, 2012 and 2013 combined. The GSA’s construction and acquisition account remains steady in 2015 at over $500 million. The reduction in 2015 funding will come largely from the major repairs and alterations account.

Total funding for federal construction accounts tracked by the Associated General Contractors of America is over $106 billion for 2015. This represents a nearly $5 billion cut from 2014 levels.

Military construction accounts are in line for steep cuts. Overall, military construction funds will be cut by $3 billion (40%) in 2015 compared to 2014 levels.

(http://news.agc.org/2014/12/13/funding-bill-passes-house/)

Related Stories

| Nov 14, 2014

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paulson works to upgrade China’s building codes

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson is today focused on making new construction in China more energy efficient by working with leaders to upgrade building codes.

| Nov 14, 2014

California aims for 20% reduction in water consumption by 2020

California’s comprehensive new water use plan makes conservation a priority, reinforcing a 2009 plan to reduce statewide per capita water consumption by 20% by 2020.

| Nov 6, 2014

Demountable structural steel could up the ante on sustainability

Demountable structural steel assemblies would be a greener way to make use of steel in the construction industry than recycling.

K-12 Schools | Nov 6, 2014

New Sandy Hook school features could influence security standards

The design of the new Sandy Hook Elementary School on the site of the 2012 Newtown, Conn., school shooting features enhanced security measures—some subtle and others more prominent.

| Nov 6, 2014

OSHA seeking input on electrical standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is reviewing electrical standards for the construction industry to make sure proper safeguards are in place as electrical wiring is being installed and maintained.

Smart Buildings | Oct 30, 2014

Energy Department pledges $9 million for energy efficiency improvements on commercial buildings

The U.S. Dept. of Energy will spend $9 million to encourage investments in energy-saving technologies that can be tested and deployed in offices, shops, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and other types of commercial buildings.

| Oct 30, 2014

Steel Framing Industry Association’s certification program aims to ensure connector quality

The Steel Framing Industry Association has launched a certification program to ensure that cold-formed steel connectors meet quality guidelines, building codes, and ASTM standards.

| Oct 30, 2014

American Concrete Institute releases reorganized structural concrete code requirements

The reorganized document is organized from an engineer’s perspective. The requirements flow more intuitively and have fewer cross-references for improved logic and flow of information.

| Oct 30, 2014

USGBC pushes back LEED v4 deadline

Extending the deadline gives LEED users additional time to prepare for LEED v4, the latest version of LEED, which features increased rigor and multiple updates.

| Oct 24, 2014

Solar panels could be required on most new construction in San Francisco

A San Francisco city councilor will propose a new regulation that could soon mandate solar panels on most new construction in the city and on many existing apartment buildings.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Sustainability

Grimshaw launches free online tool to help accelerate decarbonization of buildings

Minoro, an online platform to help accelerate the decarbonization of buildings, was recently launched by architecture firm Grimshaw, in collaboration with more than 20 supporting organizations including World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), RIBA, Architecture 2030, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and several national Green Building Councils from across the globe.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021