The construction industry plays a powerful role in sustaining economic growth, in addition to producing structures that add to productivity and quality of life. The industry provides good-paying jobs for 7.2 million people. Construction also makes a large contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), totaling $1.14 trillion or 8.4% of GDP in 2007. The building construction market is responsible for a major portion of this economic growth and stability.

Hot Topics

Advocacy

AGC regularly engages with influential members of Congress and top officials with the federal agencies to implement AGC's legislative and regulatory agenda. View AGC's legislative and regulatory agenda for the 111th Congress here.

• Infrastructure Investment. AGC is advocating for expanded investment in our nation's infrastructure and for improvements in the construction of our nation's buildings.
• Tax Policy. AGC supports lowering the federal tax burden on individuals, construction companies, and other business as a means of promoting investment, business development, and business expansion.

Key Issues

• Building Information Modeling. AGC is a leader in the promotion of Building Information Modeling (BIM). AGC's efforts are focused through the AGC BIMForum, which is a group of leaders throughout the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) industry who are working to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of BIM.

  AGC is also developing the BIM Education Program, a six-course curriculum program for delivery at AGC Chapters, individual construction firms and educational institutions. The first course, BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling, was released in April 2009 and courses are scheduled at many AGC Chapters. The second unit, An Introduction to BIM Technology, will be available in late fall 2009.

• Green Construction. AGC is committed to promoting "green" construction practices that are reasonable, practical, and appropriately focused on their intended result. AGC's green construction curriculum, Building to LEED® for New Construction, provides an overview of the LEED-NC rating system with a focus on the means and methods of construction, preparing construction professionals to work on a LEED project. This course is available for delivery at AGC Chapters, individual construction firms and educational institutions. AGC has a wealth of information on green construction and other environmental issues.
• Contract Documents. AGC actively endorses the new industry endorsed ConsensusDOCS standard contracts, which fairly allocate risk among all parties on a project.

Resources

• Meeting Presentations. Presentations on building construction issues are available from:
  
  
  • June 2009 AGC Building Contractors Conference
  • January 2009 AGC Building Contractors Conference
  • June 2008 Building Division Meeting
  • January 2008 Building Division Meeting
  • AGC's 89th Annual Convention
• Project Delivery. AGC has information about all types of construction project delivery including case studies, educational programs, research, publications, articles, and presentations.
• Construction Marketing. AGC's construction marketing resources include publications, products, a peer network, and a knowledge source that are offered to help increase the profits and visibility of construction firms.