KEY POINTS
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February 2026 Total Nonresidential Construction Starts fell to $49.4 billion, down $32.9 billion from January’s revised $82.3 billion and well below the 12-month moving average of $70.4 billion.
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Nonresidential Building ended the month at $32.4 billion, up 40% from a year ago, with the biggest dollar gains for the category came from Offices, including data centers.
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The February 2026 Top 10 Project Starts highlight the developments driving the most significant investments.
ConstructConnect reported that February 2026 Total Nonresidential Construction Starts fell to $49.4 billion, down $32.9 billion from January’s revised $82.3 billion and well below the 12-month moving average of $70.4 billion.
Chief Economist Michael Guckes noted in the Construction Economy Snapshot that Nonresidential Building ended the month at $32.4 billion, up 40% from a year ago. The biggest dollar gains for the category came from Offices, including data centers, which were up $10.3 billion year-on-year and followed distantly by Hotels, Prisons, and Elementary Schools.
In contrast, the biggest dollar declines came from Manufacturing and Colleges/Universities. Year-to-date measures were more encouraging, with growth of 80.1% through February, led by Offices, including data centers, Hotels/Motels, and Hospitals and Clinics.
The February 2026 Top 10 Project Starts highlight the developments driving the most significant investments.
ConstructConnect
Top 10 Project Starts through February 2026
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ConstructConnect Top 10 Project Starts chart from the March 2026 Construction Economy Snapshot. A square footage measure does not apply to alteration, some forms of industrial (e.g., petrochemical), and most engineering/civil work. Image: ConstructConnect
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