Cornell’s Climate Jobs Institute (CJI) produced a primer, “Mass Timber: Advancing Sustainable Construction and High-Quality Job Creation,” and presented it at an event held at the Hyatt Place Albany-Downtown in New York on May 11, 2026. The primer focused on the industry’s ability to produce job growth and provide sustainability in construction. The global mass timber market is projected to grow to over $1.3 billion by 2030, with the U.S. poised to become the world’s fastest-growing mass timber market over the coming decade. “Mass timber is more than an alternative,…
Read MoreDay: May 13, 2026
Residential leads U.S. construction spending
According to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America, U.S. construction spending increased 0.6% from February to March, with gains in residential construction and data center-related projects. Residential construction spending rose 3.6% compared with a year earlier, including a 2.7% monthly increase in single-family construction. Total construction spending reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2.186 trillion in March, up 1.6% from March 2025. Private construction spending increased 0.8% for the month and 1.0% year over year, while multifamily construction increased 0.5% year over year. Association officials noted,…
Read MoreRemodel of the week: Modern lakehouse
First constructed in 1991, this lakehouse renovation from Simonini Homes delivered by inviting indoor outdoor living and increasing connectivity. The renovation required intuitive design to create an open floor plan, allowing for ease of movement for entertainment across the kitchen and living areas. Simonini Homes began in 1973, boasting over 50 years of building experience. The renovations division founded in 2001, with a goal of treating renovations with the same quality and care as new builds. In 2006, Simonini was named National Builder of the Year by the National Association…
Read More2026 Remodeling Insights
A new home study, conducted between January and March 2026, offers insights from more than 20,000 U.S. respondents into home renovation trends for construction and design professionals, as well as homeowners looking to begin a renovation project. The study found that, despite economic uncertainty, home renovation budget costs continue to remain steady and are actually rising in certain parts of the U.S. “Home renovation continues at historic levels, even as homeowners take a more cautious approach to future projects,” says Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research at Houzz. Among all…
Read MoreNew law speeds up home renovations and repairs in Florida
A new bill signed into law aims to slash local red tape and lower costs for Florida homeowners, in an effort to expedite home renovations and storm repairs. House Bill 803 will introduce sweeping changes to Florida building permit laws, as well as how building permits and inspections are managed across municipalities within the state. The legislation was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis this week after passing both the House and Senate. For residents of Key Biscayne and coastal communities where home renovations and storm repairs are a constant way…
Read MoreConstruction jobs see life for two consecutive months
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, both the U.S. labor market and construction job market continued to show resilience for two consecutive months. Employment in the overall construction sector rose by 9,000 jobs in April. Residential construction employment now stands at 3.3 million in April, including 927,000 workers employed by builders and remodelers and nearly 2.4 million residential specialty trade contractors. A report from the National Association of Homebuilders noted that the number of open construction sector jobs increased, rising slightly from 201,000 in February to 224,000 in March.…
Read MoreThe revival of HELOCs
According to New York Fed data, homeowners are more likely to tap into Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC). In Q1 2026, HELOC balances rose by $12 billion, increasing the total to $446 billion. Around 43% of Americans renovated their home in the last year and another 33% plan to renovate in the next year. Tapping into this equity allows homeowners to complete necessary renovations such as roof replacements or increase the value of homes with kitchen and bath remodels. This demand continues to debt limits which increased 1.4%. “Homeowners who…
Read MoreExisting home sales rise
New data from April 2026 reported existing-home sales increased by 0.2%. While a slight increase, this rebound from March’s nine-month low exhibits signs of a balancing market. The average sales price of existing homes increased 0.9% from the previous year at $417,700. Regionally, the Midwest and South saw the most increase at +2.2% and +0.5% respectively. The Northeast remained unchanged while the West fell 2.6%. The percent of first-time homebuyers are also up, at 33%. “Despite mixed macroeconomic signals—including a record-high stock market and historically low consumer confidence—home sales were…
Read MoreRemodel of the Week: Block Renovation
Block Renovation reimagined the interior of a 1960s Ranch House. Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., the renovation studio preserved the home’s single-story flow, generous lot size and straightforward floor plan built for everyday living. Instead, the studio replaced outdated and worn designs with fresh materials to breathe new life into the project. One of the most prominent upgrades in the projects was removing the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room to open up both spaces, allowing for more natural light. The studio also replaced fluorescent ceiling fixtures with recessed,…
Read More