Institutional Planning Drives Growth����

BOSTON, MA – October 7, 2026 — The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Construction Network, expanded 2.4% in September to 288.0 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised August reading of 281.3. Over the month, commercial planning declined 1.3% and institutional planning grew 9.4%.  

“Institutional planning led this month’s growth, alongside a strong uptick in education, healthcare, and government building planning,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Milder growth was seen across several other commercial sectors, as well. As steady growth resumes across most nonresidential sectors, construction spending in those sectors should see a marginally stronger late 2027.”  

Commercial planning activity strengthened across retail stores, hotels, office buildings and parking garages over the month. However, this was more than offset by slower momentum in data center and warehouse planning. Robust growth in education, healthcare, and public planning led the strong growth in the institutional portion of the Index. Year-over-year, the DMI was up 3.7% when compared to September 2025. The commercial portion of the index was down 3.0% and the institutional portion was up 17.2% over the same period. When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be down 14.9% from year-ago levels, given the surge in activity seen in late 2025.  

A total of 45 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout September. The largest commercial projects included the $480 million Project North data center in Jermyn, Pennsylvania, and two $473 million data centers, EDCAUS15 and EDCAUS16, located in Bastrop, Texas. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included the $346 million Duke Raleigh Hospital addition in Raleigh, North Carolina, the $325 million Spartanburg Regional Heart & Vascular Hospital in Spartanburg, South Carolina and the $319 million WakeMed Hospital in Wendell, North Carolina.    

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to 18 months.  

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Grows 2% in September appeared first on ����������վ.

Broad Strength in Nonresidential Planning, Data Centers Pause

BOSTON, MA – September 8, 2026 — The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ����������վ, ticked down 0.4% in August to 282.0 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised July reading of 283.0. Over the month, commercial planning declined 3.0% and institutional planning grew 4.9%.

“Strength in planning momentum remained relatively broad-based in August,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Weaker data center planning predominantly drove the flatter trend, while most other sectors saw an acceleration in planning momentum.”

Commercial planning activity slowed down for data centers, retail stores and warehouses throughout August, while office buildings, parking garages and hotels picked up steam. On the institutional side, education, recreational, and public buildings saw a stronger planning pipeline, while healthcare activity slightly pulled back after four months of sustained planning growth. Year-over-year, the DMI was up 4.2% when compared to August 2025. The commercial portion of the index was up 2.3% and the institutional portion was up 7.8% over the same period. When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be down 18.9% from year-ago levels, given the surge in activity seen in late 2025.

A total of 31 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout August. The largest commercial projects included two EdgeConneX Data Centers (Buildings 31 and 32) in Bastrop, Texas, each valued at $462 million, the $378 million Bitdeer Data Center (Phase 1, 150 MW) in Shalersville Township, Ohio, and a $358 million Data Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included the $350 million Colosseum Sports Resort in Stafford, Virginia, the $350 million Commonwealth Courts Building in Richmond, Virginia, and the $350 million Holistic Health and Fitness building in Newport News, Virginia.

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to 18 months.

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Flat in August appeared first on ����������վ.

Data Centers��Drive Growth, Institutional Planning Broadens It��

BOSTON, MA –��August��6, 2026��—��The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by����Construction Network,��grew��6.9% in��July��to 291.7��(2000=100) from the upwardly revised��June��reading of 273.0. Over the month, commercial planning��expanded��4.1%��and��institutional planning grew 13.1%.����

“Data centers and broad-based growth across key institutional sectors supported stronger planning activity in July,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Sustained planning activity should bolster construction in��late��2027, though real growth will prove more constrained as inflationary expectations are priced into project costs.”��

After a brief pause in June, data center planning momentum steadily picked up in July. Meanwhile, office, warehouse,��retail��and hotel planning��slowed��pace. Within the institutional��portion��of the index, planning momentum was more broad-based. Education, healthcare, recreational,��religious��and public building planning��all��accelerated in July. Most of the strong month-over-month��gain��can be attributed to education and public building starts, with the latter expanding over 100% in the last two months.��Year-over-year, the DMI was up��11.7% when compared to��July��2025.��The commercial��portion��of the index was up��13.8%��and��the institutional��portion��was up��7.6% over the same period.��When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be��down��16.2% from year-ago levels, given the surge in activity seen last July.����

A total of 59 projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout June. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million Data Center Campus in Petersburg, Virginia, the $500 million DFW20C Data Center in Fairfield, Texas, and the $500 million Google Data Center (Project Avalon, Building 2) in Buffalo, West Virginia. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included the $351 million Northwestern Memorial Hospital Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois, the $300 million��BeOne��Medicines Research and Development Facility (Expansion) in Pennington, New Jersey, and the $300 million Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Agricultural Complex in Houston, Texas.����

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to��18 months.����

The post ����������վ Momentum Index��Improves��7% in July�� appeared first on ����������վ.

Data Center Growth Cools from Record Pace, Planning Activity Remains Strong��

BOSTON, MA – July 8, 2026��—��The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by��Dodge��Construction Network, fell 1.9% in June to 271.7 (2000=100) from the upwardly revised May reading of 277.1. Over the month, commercial planning declined 6.8%��and��institutional planning momentum grew 10.9%.����

“Despite June’s pullback, nonresidential planning remains on solid ground,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Data center activity continued to drive the Index, but its pace moderated from the extraordinary levels seen in recent months and drove the��DMI��to pull back over the month. Otherwise, planning activity accelerated across��nearly every��other sector.”��

Within the commercial��portion��of the Index, slowing data center planning momentum drove this month’s decline.��Meanwhile, planning activity for traditional office buildings, warehouses, retail stores and hotels improved.��On the institutional side, healthcare planning continued to accelerate in May, alongside recreational,��government��and religious building activity.��Educational planning slowed down for the second consecutive month.��Year-over-year, the��DMI��was up 21.8% when compared to June 2025. Both the commercial and institutional segments were up also 21.8% over the same period. When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be up 7.6% from year-ago levels.����

A total of 59 projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout June. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million��Stak��Energy AI Data Center Campus in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the $480 million Project Swan Data Center Complex in Lakeland, Florida, and the $456.8 million Parcel A Data Center in Manassas, Virginia. The largest institutional planning projects included the $437 million��DCSO��Correctional Facility (Replacement) in Nashville, Tennessee, the $320 million Cone Health Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the $303 million El Camino Health Hospital in Los Gatos, California.����

The��DMI��is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to��18 months.����

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Slows 2% in June appeared first on ����������վ.

Planning Activity��Broadens Beyond Data Centers

BOSTON, MA��–��June��5,��2026��—��The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ����������վ increased��5.9%��in��May��to��275.7��(2000=100) from the��downwardly��revised��April��reading of��260.4.��Over the month,��commercial planning��expanded 6.9%��and��institutional planning��momentum��grew��3.1%.����

“Nonresidential planning continued to stabilize throughout May,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Growth in the DMI continued to be led by data center activity, but key sectors – such as healthcare, retail stores and offices – gained momentum as well. Nonetheless, the broader outlook remains cautious, as persistent labor constraints, elevated material costs and ongoing supply chain pressures weigh on owner sentiment in the near term.”��

Over the month, planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers,��and retail stores improved, while��warehouse,��hotel and parking garage��planning slowed down.��On the institutional side,��healthcare planning continued to accelerate��in May, alongside government and religious building activity. Meanwhile,��educational��and recreational��building momentum��slowed down.��Year-over-year, the DMI was up��33.8% when compared to��May��2025. The commercial segment was up��41.2% (+6.6% when data centers are removed) and the institutional segment was up��17.7% over the same period.����

A total of��29��projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout��May.��The largest��commercial projects��included��the��EDCAUS11 and EDCAUS12 data centers in Bastrop, Texas, each valued at an estimated $437 million.��Additionally, the $432 million Wallace Jackson Industrial Park Data Center (Building 4) in Griffin, Georgia entered the planning queue.��The largest institutional��planning��projects were the��$400 million Coast Guard Training Center (TRACEN) modernization project in Cape May, New Jersey, the $400 million Fisk University Innovation Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and the $241 million Harborview Yesler Terrace Medical Office in Seattle, Washington.����������

The DMI is a monthly measure��based on the three-month moving��value of��nonresidential building projects��going into��planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year��to��18 months.����

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Grows 6% in May appeared first on ����������վ.

Planning Activity Largely Stabilizes Over the Month 

BOSTON, MA – May 7, 2026 — The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ����������վ, increased 6.2% in April to 264.2 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised March reading of 248.8. Over the month, commercial planning grew 8.1% and institutional planning momentum improved 1.5%.   

“After three months of slowing momentum, nonresidential planning began to find its footing in April,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ����������վ. “Data centers remain the largest driver behind growth in the ����������վ Momentum Index, but several other sectors appeared to stabilize over the month. Macroeconomic risks remain weighted to the downside, with labor shortages, higher material costs and supply chain disruptions weighing on owner confidence in the near-term.”   

Planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers, warehouses, hotels and parking garages grew in April, while retail store planning slowed pace. On the institutional side, education and healthcare planning re-accelerated, while recreational, public and religious planning slowed down over the month. Year-over-year, the DMI was up 14.1% when compared to April 2025. The commercial segment was up 37.2% (+5.8% when data centers are removed) and the institutional segment was up 28.8% over the same period.  

A total of 44 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout March. The largest of those projects included the $500 million Google Data Center (Building One) in Buffalo, West Virginia, the $470 million Stargate Data Center (Freebird Phase 2) in Burlington, Texas and the $450 million Jay Data Center in Jay, Maine. The largest institutional projects were the $256 million Navy Seal Museum in San Diego, California, the $178 million Lurie Children’s Hospital in Downer’s Grove, Illinois, and the $175 million Unaccompanied Housing improvement project at Naval Base Coronado in California.    

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to 18 months.  

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Accelerates 6% in April appeared first on ����������վ.

Data Centers Prop Up Planning, While Most Sectors Fall Back��

BOSTON, MA��–��April��7,��2026��—��The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ����������վ increased��1.8%��in��March��to��250.5��(2000=100) from the��downwardly��revised��February��reading of��246.2.��Over the month,��commercial planning��grew��7.0%��and��institutional planning��momentum��declined��8.8%.����

“Planning momentum in March was powered almost entirely by data center projects, with most other sectors easing back,” said Sarah Martin, Associate Director of Forecasting at ����������վ. “For some categories, this reflects a natural reset after the outsized growth��in late��2025. But for others, elevated macroeconomic��risks��are��likely��beginning��to feed into��planning��decisions.”��

On the commercial side,��planning momentum slowed across all commercial sectors apart from��data centers.��Institutional planning saw widespread weakness, with only education and public buildings moderately gaining traction.��Despite recent declines, the��DMI��remains��elevated.��Year-over-year, the��DMI��was up��25.8% when compared to��March��2025. The commercial segment was up��28.5%��(-12.7%��when data centers are removed)��and the institutional segment was up��19.6% over the same period.����

A total of��54��projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout��February.��The largest of those projects included 17 individual buildings, each valued at $500 million, for the Amazon Data Center Campus in Hamlet, North Carolina. Similarly, ten individual buildings, each valued at $250 million, entered planning in relation to the Microsoft Data��Center��DSM50��in Dallas, Iowa. The largest institutional projects were the $245 million��MCLJ��Outpatient Pavilion in��San Diego, California, the $183 million Orlando Health Viera Hospital (Phase��1B) in Viera West, Florida, and the $175 million Bachelor Enlisted Quarters renovation project at Camp Pendleton North in San Diego, California.����

The��DMI��is a monthly measure��based on the three-month moving��value of��nonresidential building projects��going into��planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year��to��18 months.����

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Grows 2% in March appeared first on ����������վ.

Nonresidential Planning��Continues to Normalize

BOSTON, MA��–��March��6,��2026��—��The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ����������վ declined 7.3% in February to 250.0 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised January reading of 269.8. Over the month, commercial planning fell 8.9%, and institutional planning momentum slowed by 4.0%. ��

“Planning momentum��continued��to normalize��in February��after��a surge in activity��in the back half of 2025,”��said Sarah Martin, Associate Director of Forecasting at ����������վ. “Elevated risks around costs, labor, and geopolitics will continue to constrain��builder��confidence in the near-term but the robust planning pipeline suggests an acceleration in construction spending in 2027.”��

On the commercial side,��planning momentum slowed across all commercial sectors apart from��warehouses.��Within institutional planning,��all sectors slowed down with public buildings facing the largest contraction.��Despite widespread declines, project momentum for retail stores, recreational buildings, data��centers��and healthcare facilities��remain��elevated.��Year-over-year, the DMI was up��18.7% when compared to��February��2025. The commercial segment was up��12.3%��(+4.4%��when data centers are removed)��and��the institutional segment was up��34.0% over the same period.����

A total of��23��projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout��February.��The largest commercial projects��included��the $500 million��CyrusOne Data Center in Whitney, Texas, the $448 million TX12 Data Center in San Antonio,��Texas��and Buildings 5 and 6 of the QTS DFW2 Data Center in Wilmer, Texas – each valued at $290 million.��The largest institutional projects to enter planning were the��$400 million Orange County Convention Center Grand Concourse expansion��(Phase 5A)��in Orlando, Florida,��a $254 million school replacement project in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and the $250 million Langley F-22 Dormitory Building in Mclean, Virginia.����

The DMI is a monthly measure��based on the three-month moving��value of��nonresidential building projects��going into��planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year��to��18 months.����

��

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Declines 7% in February appeared first on ����������վ.

Planning activity flattens over the month.

BOSTON, M.A. – March 12, 2025 — The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Construction Network, grew 0.7% in February to 225.6 (2000=100) from the revised January reading of 223.9. Over the month, commercial planning increased 3.3% while institutional planning fell 4.6%.����

“Planning momentum moderated in February, after a few months of stronger growth,” stated Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at ����������վ. “Data centers continue to prop up growth in the overall index. Without them, the DMI would have decreased 2% this month. Increased uncertainty around material prices and fiscal policies may begin to weigh on planning decisions, but for the time being, planning activity is largely continuing to move forward.”����

On the commercial side, data center, traditional office building, and retail planning led this month’s gains, while weaker education planning brought down the institutional portion. In February, the DMI was up 27% when compared to year-ago levels. The commercial segment was up 43% from February 2024, while the institutional segment was up 2% over the same period. The influence of data centers on the DMI this year remains substantial. If we remove all data center projects between 2023 and 2025, commercial planning would be up 12% from year-ago levels, and the entire DMI would be up 8%.����

A total of 26 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout February. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million Tract Data Center Park in Chester, Virginia, and the SAT93 and SAT94 Microsoft Data Center projects in San Antonio, Texas – each valued at $350 million. The largest institutional projects to enter planning were the $329 million Burlington High School in Burlington, Massachusetts, the $300 million T-Mobile Arena renovation in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the $300 million North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown, North Dakota.����

The DMI is a monthly measure of the value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.��

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Grows 1% in February appeared first on ����������վ.

Planning activity sees widespread growth over the month.

BOSTON, M.A. – February 7, 2025 — The ����������վ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Construction Network, grew 5.6% in January to 225.7 (2000=100) from the revised December reading of 213.6. Over the month, commercial planning increased 4.2% while institutional planning improved 8.7%.����

“Nonresidential planning activity saw diversified growth in January, with every vertical experiencing positive momentum,” stated Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at ����������վ. “Uncertainty over fiscal policies, ongoing labor shortages and elevated construction costs will continue to be headwinds to the construction sector. However, further monetary easing and the sizable number of projects in planning should support construction spending in the back half of the year.”��

On the commercial side, data center, traditional office building, and warehouse planning led this month’s gains. Education and healthcare planning supported the institutional portion, especially on the hospital side. In January, the DMI was up 26% when compared to year-ago levels. The commercial segment was up 37% from January 2024, while the institutional segment was up 9% over the same period. The influence of data centers on the DMI this year remains substantial. If we remove all data center projects between 2023 and 2025, commercial planning would be up 13% from year-ago levels, and the entire DMI would be up 11%.��

A total of 33 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout January. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million Amazon Data Center in Jeffersonville, Ohio, and Phase 1 of the Hunter’s Ridge Data Center in Mclean, Virginia. The largest institutional projects to enter planning were the $407 million Memorial Hospital expansion in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the $300 million AdventHealth Hospital expansion in Parker, Colorado.��������

The DMI is a monthly measure of the value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.��

The post ����������վ Momentum Index Grows 6% in January appeared first on ����������վ.