Planning ActivityÌýBroadens Beyond Data Centers
BOSTON, MAÌý–ÌýJuneÌý5,Ìý2026Ìý—ÌýThe ¶¶ÒõÏÂÔØÍøÕ¾ Momentum Index (DMI), issued by ¶¶ÒõÏÂÔØÍøÕ¾ increasedÌý5.9%ÌýinÌýMayÌýtoÌý275.7Ìý(2000=100) from theÌýdownwardlyÌýrevisedÌýAprilÌýreading ofÌý260.4.ÌýOver the month,Ìýcommercial planningÌýexpanded 6.9%ÌýandÌýinstitutional planningÌýmomentumÌýgrewÌý3.1%.ÌýÌý
“Nonresidential planning continued to stabilize throughout May,â€� said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at ¶¶ÒõÏÂÔØÍøÕ¾. “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.â€�Ìý
Over the month, planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers,Ìýand retail stores improved, whileÌýwarehouse,Ìýhotel and parking garageÌýplanning slowed down.ÌýOn the institutional side,Ìýhealthcare planning continued to accelerateÌýin May, alongside government and religious building activity. Meanwhile,ÌýeducationalÌýand recreationalÌýbuilding momentumÌýslowed down.ÌýYear-over-year, the DMI was upÌý33.8% when compared toÌýMayÌý2025. The commercial segment was upÌý41.2% (+6.6% when data centers are removed) and the institutional segment was upÌý17.7% over the same period.ÌýÌý
A total ofÌý29Ìýprojects valued at $100 million or moreÌýenteredÌýplanning throughoutÌýMay.ÌýThe largestÌýcommercial projectsÌýincludedÌýtheÌýEDCAUS11 and EDCAUS12 data centers in Bastrop, Texas, each valued at an estimated $437 million.ÌýAdditionally, the $432 million Wallace Jackson Industrial Park Data Center (Building 4) in Griffin, Georgia entered the planning queue.ÌýThe largest institutionalÌýplanningÌýprojects were theÌý$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.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
The DMI is a monthly measureÌýbased on the three-month movingÌývalue ofÌýnonresidential building projectsÌýgoing intoÌýplanning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full yearÌýtoÌý18 months.ÌýÌý


