Contracts: N.C. Down, but S.C. Up in July

Compared to the same period of a year ago, the value of new contracts signed in July for future construction fell by 10% overall in North Carolina, but improved by 19% in South Carolina, according to the latest information from McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction.

In North Carolina, two of the three sectors were positive, but couldn’t overcome the residential market’s 38% drop, which resulted in a $783.8 million total for that construction category. The nonresidential sector improved by 43% to total about $569.3 million. The value of July’s nonbuilding starts more than doubled last July’s. The latest estimate for this sector was $253.7 million in new starts, compared to last July’s $116.8 million tally. Overall, North Carolina’s July starts totaled $1.6 billion, down from last July’s $1.8 billion.

For the year-to-date, North Carolina is 19% behind last year’s pace. The residential sector is 35% behind last year, and totals roughly $6.3 billion in new starts so far. The nonresidential market is now 12% behind the ’07 pace, with about $3.9 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector’s $2.6 billion total to date is about 56% ahead of last year’s pace.

In South Carolina, July contracts were 19% better than the same period of a year ago, and totaled $1 billion. That compares to last July’s total of $855.1 million.

The nonresidential sector improved significantly over the previous July for a $466 million total. Residential fell again, though, by 39%, for a $352.7 million total. The value of nonbuilding starts jumped by 86% compared to last July for a total of $200.5 million.

For the year-to-date, the value of new starts in South Carolina is 15% behind ‘07’s pace. Residential is 26% below last year, and totals roughly $3.3 billion. Due to the recent uptick, nonresidential is now positive for the year. That market is now 14% ahead of a year ago, with a $1.9 billion tally so far. The nonbuilding segment, which includes streets and highways, bridges and other infrastructure, is 17% behind last year’s pace and totals $692.9 million.

Stellar Design-Building Heinz Facility in Florence, S.C.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Stellar has commenced its design-build construction of a 225,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility for H.J. Heinz in Florence, S.C., according to McGraw-Hill Construction.

McGraw-Hill estimates the value of the project at $150 million. Work began in June, and is scheduled to complete by next October.

Carrboro High School Earns Silver LEED rating in going Green

Carrboro High School in Carrboro, N.C., was recently certified with Silver LEED status, making it North Carolina’s first high school to be LEED-certified, according to the project’s architect, Moseley Architects of Raleigh, N.C.

Carrboro’s green building is rooted in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ “High Performance Building Design Criteria” policy, which emphasizes strategies for energy conservation, water-use reduction, high-efficiency lighting, and enhanced indoor air quality and acoustics.

The school’s sustainable features include three 35,000-gallon cisterns that collect filtered rainwater for toilets with retention ponds to catch overflow for landscape watering; classrooms, gymnasium, media center and cafe/commons areas boasting large windows to harvest daylight; efficient fluorescent lights to supplement rainy days and nights; and daylight and occupancy sensors to automatically turn lights on and off.

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