Nonresidential Glass Construction Down to Start 2021

Glass and glazing activity in nonresidential construction declined year-over-year in January, according to Key Media & Research (KMR), a leading data and information provider to the glass industry. The value of spending in the sector was down by 5.4% on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis

Overall, nonresidential construction spending fell by a similar 5% during the period.

KMR’s glass and glazing activity figures are adapted and modified from the U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly construction spending report, with proprietary weighting and models applied to industry-relevant subsectors.

Commercial-related glass construction was again largely responsible for the decline in industry activity, thanks to a 22.5% drop in lodging construction and a 4.5% dip in office building. Architectural glass and glazing spending in commercial as a whole was down nearly 9% for the month.

Institutional-related work also declined, but by a more modest 1.9%. Construction activity related to healthcare fell nearly 3%, and spending in the educational category was down by 2%. Construction on public safety buildings continued its ascent, with a near-26% increase from January 2020 to January 2021.