Current Issue May/June 2008

Building Products Revue
Simpson Strong-Tie Offers Enhanced Steel Shearwalls, Anchor Tiedown System
Products that offer ease of installation, are backed by extensive testing, and feature high load values and design flexibility can create quite a following in today’s design and construction market. Simpson Strong-Tie, a company known for creating structural building systems, has recently introduced products touting these benefits and much more. 
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Ainsworth Introduces OSB Concrete-Forming Panel
Until recently, oriented strand board – commonly known as OSB – was seldom used for concrete forms. Even though the engineered wood product has become a fierce competitor to plywood for floor, wall and roof panels in the residential homebuilding market since the early 1990s, OSB had yet to make its mark in the formwork market. However, Ainsworth – an international manufacturer and supplier of engineered wood products -- recently introduced the Pourform-OS™ concrete-forming panel, which is set to change perceptions of OSB for concrete applications. 
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DCD InSights
Modular Building: The Time and Cost Efficient Approach to Construction
    When evaluating building options, two of the most important considerations are cost and time. Many designers and builders are attracted to the accelerated construction method, as it not only yields a faster time to occupancy but also offers significant flexibility and financial benefits over the life of the building. Methods using modular components decrease the design and construction timeline by 30 to 50 percent, with fewer change orders, earlier occupancy and improved cash flow.
    While accelerated construction techniques are not exactly new (according to Architectural Record, they have been used since the 1960s), modular building has become an increasingly popular method, with tremendous strides in construction technology and design innovation since the 1990s. Recent data from the Modular Building Institute (MBI) indicates the commercial modular industry is a $5 billion business annually, with a revenue growth rate of about 6 to 9 percent per year.  
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DCD Cost Trends
Construction Cost Trends for 2008
The housing slump continues; declines of almost 20% persist.  Still led by hospitality, the commercial sector posted double-digit gains in 2007, but could not offset the dramatic downturn in housing.  Public construction seemed to be the savior, but now state and federal construction spending is starting to decrease.  This all leads to a 3 to 4% decrease in construction spending as a whole.
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DCD Cost Guides
The DCD 2008 Building Square Foot Cost Guide
Design Cost Data™ magazine includes a Building Sq. Ft. Cost Guide in each issue. These square foot cost guides have been assembled from projects in our database, the National Historical Building Cost Database (NHBCdb™) online at DCD.COM. These guides are provided to the industry by DCD as a benchmark for future building costs.
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