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University Report: Rapid enrollment keeps the university sector rolling

University Report: Rapid enrollment keeps the university sector rolling


By Jim Haughey, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data | August 11, 2010
This article first appeared in the 200707 issue of BD+C.

Construction spending for higher education work began growing again last summer after a year-long stall and is now 13% higher than a year ago. Growth stems almost entirely from classroom space, as university administrators struggle to keep up with rapid enrollment growth from part-time and older students.

Spending growth is expected to be near 10% annually during the next few years. The university market typically expands very late in a business cycle, after tax receipt and investment funding sources have peaked.

Peak spending in the last building cycle occurred in late 2001 and early 2002, more than a year beyond the last recession. State budget reserves, while slipping lower, are still at record-high levels and sufficient to fund further college expansion. A larger share of spending is likely to shift to dormitories and other facilities that were postponed until classroom space was added.

Top 20 university design firms
(2006 billings in $ millions)

Firm Billings
Source: 2007 Giants 300 survey
Note: This ranking is based on firms that made the Giants 300 list.
1. Cannon Design 52.14
2. URS Corp. 38.00
3. SmithGroup 28.74
4. Burt Hill 27.45
5. STV Group 27.20
6. Einhorn Yaffee Prescott 24.92
7. Sasaki Associates 24.75
8. Stantec 21.32
9. Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects 20.32
10. Affiliated Engineers 19.77
11. Vanderweil Engineers 18.72
12. HDR Architecture 17.31
13. Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott 16.73
14. Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor 16.35
15. Gould Evans Associates 16.01
16. HNTB Architecture 15.67
17. HOK 15.48
18. Carter & Burgess 13.65
19. CUH2A 13.28
20. The S/L/A/M Collaborative 12.14

Top 20 university contractors
(2006 revenue in $ millions)

Firm Revenue
Source: 2007 Giants 300 survey
Note: This ranking is based on firms that made the Giants 300 list.
1. The Turner Corp. 744.66
2. Skanska USA Building 570.00
3. Hunt Construction Group 398.00
4. Structure Tone 286.20
5. McCarthy Building Cos. 269.84
6. Hoffman Construction 263.52
7. PCL Construction Enterprises 232.29
8. Balfour Beatty Construction 231.97
9. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. 223.93
10. Gilbane Building Co. 211.87
11. M. A. Mortenson Co. 210.95
12. JE Dunn Construction Group 204.96
13. Hensel Phelps Construction 191.79
14. The Flintco Cos. 184.95
15. Swinerton Inc. 171.10
16. JPI 152.98
17. William A. Berry & Son 142.82
18. C.W. Driver 142.38
19. Bovis Lend Lease 139.17
20. S.J. Amorroso Construction 135.46

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