Contractor Insider is a weekly roundup of the latest news and insights relevant to contractors.
Construction workers needed to fill over 400,000 jobs
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a post-recession high of 404,000 job openings in April for the construction industry. NAHB
- The increase in unfilled positions totals to over 258,000 compared to the figures recorded from April 2018.
- NAHB chief economist Rob Diets stated that the projected modest growth rate in residential construction for the years 2019 and 2020 should cause the job opening rates to level off.
- Diets also noted that the data on unfilled job position proves that there is a need to recruit more workers in the construction industry.
Texas plumbing board to operate until 2021
The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners was set to close by 2020 but Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order calling for its extension until 2021. Texas Tribune
- The plumbing board is responsible for licensing plumbers in the state and investigating cases of unlicensed work and other violations.
- The executive order from Abbott states that the plumbing board is necessary as the state is still addressing construction issues caused by Hurricane Harvey. The order effectively delays the abolishment of the board until the 87th legislative session.
- “This option maintains the plumbing certifications and licenses necessary to preserve the health, safety and well-being of all Texans,” said Alicia Dover, executive director of the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association of Texas.
Energy storage deployment rate soars by 6%
A record-breaking 6% increase was recorded for the deployment of energy storage in the first quarter of 2019, according to a report by the US Energy Storage Monitor. Electrical Contractor
- Around 150 megawatts of energy storage was deployed during the first quarter of the year, corresponding to a 232% growth rate from last year.
- The non-residential storage market registered a 110% increase from last year as it brought 271.1 megawatt-hours of energy storage on-line.
- A total of 4.3 gigawatts of energy is projected to be deployed by 2024, according to Wood Mackenzie of US Energy Storage Association. This expected leap is due to the increase in utility procurement and in grid service opportunities.