The hottest Construction Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Apple Boylston Street

Tabletops • 78 implied HN points • 02 May 23
💼 Business Retail Construction Architecture Technology History
  1. Apple's store designs appear effortless and are iconic in urban settings.
  2. The process of building an Apple store involves overcoming obstacles like public approval and construction delays.
  3. Apple Boylston Street is unique and was the largest store in the U.S. at the time, showcasing distinctive architectural features.

October Housing Starts: Near Record Number of Multi-Family Housing Units Under Construction

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 105 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
💼 Business Real Estate Construction Economy Data Analysis Housing Market
  1. Housing starts increased to 1.372 million annual rate in October.
  2. Single-family starts bounced back, while multi-family housing faced weakness in late 2022 and early 2023.
  3. Total housing starts in October were above expectations, with year-to-date starts down compared to last year.

Mexico's Investment Boom

Apricitas Economics • 63 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
💼 Business Investment Construction Manufacturing Exports Economy
  1. Mexico is experiencing a significant investment boom driven by major public works projects and supply-chain nearshoring.
  2. The construction boom in Mexico, particularly in southern states, has been fueled by massive public works projects like the Tren Maya and Dos Bocas refinery.
  3. Mexico's export manufacturing sector is growing, with a focus on genuine manufacturing growth in industries like computer, appliance, and motor vehicle production.
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Links in Progress: Expanding the Mediterranean's busiest port

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Transport Energy Construction Innovation
  1. There's a new rail tunnel in Switzerland that cuts travel time between Switzerland and Italy by an hour. It's called the Gotthard Base Tunnel.
  2. A massive tunnel is being built between Denmark and Germany that will make travel faster by replacing a ferry with a quick car drive. It will be one of the longest tunnels in the world.
  3. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is getting a driverless monorail to connect different areas. It's part of a bigger plan to improve public transport in the city.

"A Year of Moderation" Begins for the Construction Sector

The Sunday Morning Post • 58 implied HN points • 21 May 23
💼 Business Construction Economy Inflation Consumer spending
  1. Home Depot reported a 4.2% decline in sales for Q1 2023, marking the start of a period of moderation in the construction sector.
  2. Lower home construction numbers are impacting sales of materials like lumber and affecting big-ticket item purchases.
  3. Factors like higher interest rates, inflation, and economic uncertainty are contributing to the slowdown in the construction market.

Scattered Thoughts on Employment and Construction

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 63 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
💼 Business Employment Construction Labor Market Economic Trends Housing Market
  1. Positive labor market reports with sustainable wage growth and projected real growth
  2. Residential construction employment is growing, productivity concerns, and insights on housing market functionality
  3. Analysis of employment flows provides insights into economic trends and potential indicators for labor market breakdown

Some Notes On the MiSeq Flowcell

ASeq Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🔬 Science Instruments Construction Materials Measurements Research
  1. The MiSeq flowcell consists of a plastic outer shell with a glass flowcell that clips open and closed.
  2. Measurements indicate a cover glass thickness of around 150um and a 100um channel height on a 1mm substrate.
  3. Unlike other flowcells, the MiSeq uses an all glass construction bonded with optical bonding material and borosilicate glass apertures.

What Affordable Housing Actually Means

The Discourse Lounge • 22 HN points • 28 Jul 23
💼 Business Housing Construction Real Estate
  1. Many people misunderstand what 'affordable housing' really means -- it's not just cheaper housing, but subsidized, rent-regulated housing.
  2. The terminology around housing has evolved over time, from 'public housing' to 'affordable housing', aiming to market the benefits to consumers.
  3. High housing costs are closely tied to high construction costs, and providing truly affordable housing requires addressing these underlying cost issues.

A New Atlantis

Model Thinking • 2 HN points • 01 Apr 24
💼 Business Housing Construction Economics Infrastructure Development
  1. Housing in Britain is currently unaffordable due to bloated planning restrictions, costing residents in terms of space, age of homes, and financial burden.
  2. The proposal to reclaim land from Dogger Bank for housing development comes with an estimated cost of £97.5bn, with potential present value benefits of £622bn, showing a promising cost-benefit ratio.
  3. The development of a new city on Dogger Bank has the potential to significantly impact economic activity, urban infrastructure, land prices, and GDP gains, making it a complex but potentially beneficial endeavor.

A Look Into Construction Tech

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 08 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Construction Digitization Market Analysis Challenges
  1. The construction industry faced challenges due to COVID, leading to project delays, labor shortages, and higher costs, but also drove innovation and digital adaptation.
  2. The construction industry is massive, fragmented, cyclical, and essential to the U.S. economy, with specific segments like private construction and public infrastructure.
  3. Construction has been slow in adopting technology, but the pandemic accelerated its digital transformation, especially in areas like drones, digital collaboration, and safety tools.