Skip to main content

The Impact of Construction: 3 Ways Your Work Affects Everyday Lives

Image

When you’re on a job site, it’s natural to think about the impact of your work as a contractor on other professionals around you. You may even impact the building’s future occupants. But your work’s influence goes well beyond the chain-link fence surrounding your job site.

Deconstructing the Impact of Construction

Whether the public realizes it or not, construction affects everyone’s daily life. Each new building, whether commercial or residential, brings new jobs, increased local spending, neighborhood improvements and more.

Read on for a breakdown of how your work in construction affects the economy, community and environment.

Economic Impact of Construction

The new construction industry benefits the local economy. In 2015, the National Association of Home Builders estimated the first-year economic impacts of building single family homes, constructing multifamily rental units and remodeling residences in a local area:

 Local Income*Local Government Revenue **Local Jobs***
Per 100 Single Family Homes$28.7 million$3.6 million394
Per 100 Apartment Units$11.7 million$2.2 million161
Per 100 Residential Remodels$841,000$71,00011.5

 

* Based on income for residents of an average metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan county.
** Other than construction-related fees and residential property taxes, local government revenue is determined by aggregating line items for all 89,000-plus local governments in the U.S. in the latest Census of Governments.
*** Jobs of locals who earn money from the construction activity spending part of it within the local area.

As residential and commercial buildings are completed, residents and building occupants may purchase new furniture, décor and appliances locally. They may also hire local contractors such as plumbers, electricians, landscapers, remodelers, cleaning crews and more, which increases the value of their properties and provides income for local service providers. The added income to an area also adds an economic benefit for grocers, retailers, schools and other local goods and services providers.

Additionally, construction jobs affect the employment of not only construction workers but also general contractors, foremen, electricians, plumbers, masons, welders, architects, interior designers, attorneys, engineers, financial planners, suppliers, hardware store workers — to name a few.

Community Impact of Construction

In addition to boosting local economic activity, construction initiatives like new and improved roads and buildings can lead to positive benefits for communities.

As people feel more and more pride in their community, they invest in it with their time and money. Some studies suggest that as communities develop their physical environment, they can reduce crime rates and improve mental health for residents. These improvements can even lead to infrastructure improvements like road construction, access to electricity or improved water and sewer lines.

Affordable Housing

When construction professionals build affordable housing, the benefits to society go even further. Studies show that access to affordable housing lowers the risk of homelessness for vulnerable families, contributes to improved educational outcomes for children, improves health outcomes and improves the quality of life for seniors.

Environmental Impact of Construction

While construction sites have historically been a source of environmental hazards, construction companies today are increasingly using green building practices.

In the U.S., the Green Building Council promotes these practices through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) organization. LEED and GBCI help construction professionals to further their knowledge and practice of sustainable and socially conscious construction. You can learn more about becoming LEED certified on the organization’s website.

Sustainability-conscious contractors take specific measures to lessen the effects of construction activities on the environment, including:

What Your Work in Construction Means to Us

For us at HoldRite, the work you do on the job site is all we think about. It drives us to create efficient engineered solutions that replace time-consuming makeshift methods. Keep doing what you’re doing and know that HoldRite’s team will be walking alongside you to design products that make your job easier and more rewarding.

Keep Reading: