Total construction starts fell 6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential starts lost 4%, residential starts declined 6%, and nonbuilding starts fell 9%.
Highway and bridge starts fell 15%.
Year-to-date through September 2023, total construction starts were 3% below that of 2022. Residential and nonresidential starts were down 17% and 7%, respectively; however, nonbuilding starts were up 25% on a year-to-date basis. For the 12 months ending September 2023, total construction starts were unchanged. Nonbuilding starts were 22% higher, and nonresidential building starts gained 3%. Conversely, on a 12-month rolling basis, residential starts posted a 16% decline.
Nonbuilding
Nonbuilding construction starts decreased in September, falling 9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $345 billion. Highway and bridge starts lost 15% and environmental public works starts fell 29%. Not all sectors fell, however: miscellaneous nonbuilding starts rose 4%, and utility/gas plant starts gained 14%. Year-to-date through September, nonbuilding starts were up 25%. Utility/gas plants rose 58%, and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 23%. Highway and bridge starts gained 13%, and environmental public works rose 16%.
For the past 12 months ending in September 2023, total nonbuilding starts were 22% higher than that of September 2022. Utility/gas plant and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts rose 35% and 22%, respectively. Highway and bridge starts, in addition to environmental public works starts, were both up 18% on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in September were the $4.5 billion Sun Zia transmission line across Arizona and New Mexico, the $525 million fourth phase of the Cedar Springs wind farm in Converse County, Wyo., and the $485 million Prospect Lake Clear Water Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Nonresidential
Nonresidential building starts fell 4% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $459 billion. Commercial starts rose 6% due to strength in data center work (classified as an office structure in the Dodge database) and retail. Institutional starts fell 8% in September despite a healthy gain in education starts, and manufacturing starts declined 13%. On a year-to-date basis through September, total nonresidential starts were 7% lower than that of 2022. Institutional starts gained 5%, while commercial and manufacturing starts fell 6% and 31%, respectively.
For the past 12 months ending in September 2023, total nonresidential building starts were 3% higher than that ending September 2022. Manufacturing starts were 8% lower. Institutional starts improved by 8%, and commercial starts gained 4%.
The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in September were the $2.5 billion Hyundai/SK EV battery plant in Cartersville, Ga., a $1.1 billion prison in Elmore, Ala., and the $1 billion Microsoft data center in Mount Pleasant, Wis.
Residential
Residential building starts fell 6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $394 billion. Single-family starts gained 1%, while multifamily starts lost 17%. On a year-to-date basis through September 2023, total residential starts were down 17%. Single-family starts were 19% lower, and multifamily starts were down 12%.
For the past 12 months ending in September 2023, residential starts were 16% lower than in 2022. Single family starts were 22% lower, while multifamily starts were down 5% on a rolling 12-month basis.
The largest multifamily structures to break ground in September were the $385 million first phase of the South Pier Residential Towers in Tempe, Ariz., the $275 million first phase of the Casa Bella Condominiums in Miami, and the $260 million Chapel Block mixed-use development in Philadelphia.
Regionally, total construction starts in September fell in the Northeast, Midwest, South Atlantic and West regions, but rose modestly in the South Central.