ConstructConnect Chief Economist Michael Guckes hosts a monthly video series in which he breaks down the key issues impacting the North American construction economy in under 3 minutes.
September 2026 Construction Economy Brief from ConstructConnect Chief Economist Michael Guckes
August delivered another remarkable month for U.S. nonresidential construction starts, reaching $99 billion. But beneath those impressive numbers, a major disconnect is emerging between project starts and put in place.
In the September 2026 Construction Economy Brief, Michael Guckes, Chief Economist at ConstructConnect, examines what is driving the gap and what it means for contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and construction decision-makers.
In this episode of the Construction Economy Brief you'll find out about:
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Why starts represent construction demand, while put in place measures the monthly flow of work performed.
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How large-dollar, multiyear projects are capturing a historically high share of nonresidential spending.
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Why the top 20 largest projects averaged about 47% of all nonresidential spending from June through August.
The latest construction market data tells a more complicated story than headline starts alone. Watch this month’s brief to understand the forces behind the disconnect, identify where future opportunities may emerge, and make sharper decisions in an uneven construction environment.
Watch the September 2026 Construction Economy Brief
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At ConstructConnect, our software solutions provide the information construction professionals need to start every project on a solid foundation. For more than 100 years, our keen insights and market intelligence have empowered commercial firms, building product manufacturers, trade contractors, and architects to make data-driven decisions, streamline preconstruction workflows, and maximize their productivity. Our newest offerings—including our comprehensive, AI-assisted software—help our clients find, bid on, and win more projects.
ConstructConnect operates as a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000.
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