New York City construction fatalities, injuries rise in 2022 as activity booms

New York City’s construction fatalities rose from nine in 2021 to eleven in 2022, according to a report by the New York City Department of Buildings.

Recorded injuries also rose to 554 last year after leveling off in 2020 and 2021. Those sobering facts may be tempered by noting that construction activities in the city rose significantly last year, the report indicated.

Falls continue to be the major problem in work site safety. Nearly 200 workers were injured and nine workers killed in 2022. The department has stepped up oversight efforts, reducing the number of sites that each superintendent is responsible for so that they can be more vigilant in evaluating safety conditions.

These actions may be paying off. Over the last seven years, the number of overall safety incidents has actually trended down. Also, in 2022, the department issued fewer stop-work orders than in 2021. These may be signs that the city’s stepped-up construction safety education drive and enforcement efforts are having a positive impact.

The National Glass Association (NGA) is pleased to announce the publication of a new technical resource, Fire-Rated Glazing 101. This five-page document addresses how to incorporate fire-rated glazing systems in a manner that not only provides protection to building occupants from fire, but also considers other design goals, such as daylight, privacy and security.

Contractors | Aug 14, 2023

Fast-tracking construction projects offers both risk and reward

Understanding both the rewards and risk of fast-tracking a project can help owners, architects, engineers, and contractors maximize the benefits of this strategy and can bring great reward on all fronts when managed properly.

Modern apartment buildings on a sunny day with a blue sky

Apartments | Aug 14, 2023

Yardi Matrix updates near-term multifamily supply forecast

The multifamily housing supply could increase by up to nearly 7% by the end of 2023, states the latest Multifamily Supply Forecast from Yardi Matrix.

MFPRO+ New Projects | Aug 10, 2023

Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward gets a 21-story, 162-unit multifamily residential building

East of downtown Atlanta, a new residential building called Signal House will provide the city with 162 units ranging from one to three bedrooms. Located on the Atlanta BeltLine, a former railway corridor, the 21-story building is part of the latest phase of Ponce City Market, a onetime Sears building and now a mixed-use complex.

Office Buildings | Aug 10, 2023

Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas

In downtown Houston, Skanska USA’s 1550 on the Green, a 28-story, 375,000-sf office tower, aims to be one of Texas’ most sustainable buildings. The $225 million project has deployed various sustainable building materials, such as less carbon-intensive cement, to target 60% reduced embodied carbon.

Senior Living Design | Aug 7, 2023

Putting 9 senior living market trends into perspective

Brad Perkins, FAIA, a veteran of more than four decades in the planning and design of senior living communities, looks at where the market is heading in the immediate future.

Stantec to design Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation

University Buildings | Aug 7, 2023

Eight-story Vancouver Community College building dedicated to clean energy, electric vehicle education

The Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation, to be designed by Stantec, will house classrooms, labs, a library and learning center, an Indigenous gathering space, administrative offices, and multiple collaborative learning spaces.

Green | Aug 7, 2023

Rooftop photovoltaic panels credited with propelling solar energy output to record high

Solar provided a record-high 7.3% of U.S. electrical generation in May, “driven in large part by growth in ‘estimated’ small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV whose output increased by 25.6% and accounted for nearly a third (31.9%) of total solar production,” according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Government Buildings | Aug 7, 2023

Nearly $1 billion earmarked for energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades to federal buildings across the country. The investment will impact about 40 million sf, or about 20% of GSA’s federal buildings portfolio.