In 2023, more than $246 billion went into the construction of manufacturing plants in the US, a 73% increase from a year ago, 136% from two years ago, and 166% from October 2019. The pace of the month-to-month increases – from $12.5 billion spent in January to $18.5 billion in October – shows that the policies SMACNA is not only supporting but helping craft are working.
The construction boom started in mid-2021, and since then, spending has tripled. In July 2022, Congress passed the SMACNA-endorsed package of policies for select manufacturing industries, such as semiconductor makers and EV battery makers, to build factories.
While approvals and disbursements of funds for large projects take time, the bulk of this spending is still coming. SMACNA will lead efforts to ensure our contractors have all the information they need to make informed business decisions.
Learn more here: Unpacking the Boom in U.S. Construction of Manufacturing Facilities | U.S. Department of the Treasury
$47 Million in New Funding to Support School Infrastructure Investments
Eight new grant awards totaling more than $37 million over five years under the Supporting America's School Infrastructure (SASI) program and one new grant for $10 million over five years under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) program. This $47 million investment, issued by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), bolsters the capacity of states to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students.
Benefitting from this new funding will be projects in:
Alabama
Arizona
California
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
For more information: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $47 Million in New Funding to Support School Infrastructure Investments | U.S. Department of Education
FACT SHEET: Inflation Reduction Act Tax Credits Can Fund School Facilities Upgrades and Reduce School District Energy Bills
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, K-12 school districts spend nearly $8 billion annually on energy costs, the second largest expense after teacher salaries. Aging facilities combined with limited school budgets can result in deferred maintenance of facilities, with current estimates of around $270 billion needed for infrastructure repairs.
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a grant program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) focused on energy improvements at public school facilities, especially in the highest-need districts, and designed to save schools money. Similarly, the White House released a toolkit on federal resources for addressing school infrastructure needs in April 2022. Today, the Department of Education is announcing its grantees under the Supporting America's School Infrastructure grant program, which bolsters the capacity of States to support school districts in improving school facilities with the goal of more equitable access to healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments for all students.
Compliance Period Has Begun for New York City's New Emissions Law
The landmark New York City's Local Law 97 entered its first compliance period, mandating that close to 50,000 of the city's largest buildings meet new energy efficiency requirements and greenhouse gas emissions limits that start in 2024. The law requires buildings over 25,000 square feet to slash 40% of their emissions by 2030 and achieve an 80% reduction by 2040. Buildings that cannot meet the 2024 emissions caps can reduce noncompliance penalties for up to two years if they demonstrate a "good-faith" commitment to abide by the law.
Starting in 2024, the law assigns emissions limits for 60 different property types based on the building's square footage and the emission factor associated with the property type. For example, during the 2024-2029 compliance period, data centers have a building code emissions intensity limit of 0.00846 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per square foot, while hotels and K-12 schools have limits of 0.00987 tCO2 per square foot and 0.00758 tCO2 per square foot, respectively.
For more information: LL97 ESPM Property Type Conversion Version 1.1 (nyc.gov)
