Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! Big deals, big headlines! Apple is dropping a $500 billion investment, manufacturing sparks a boom, and lumber prices—well, they’re on the rise again. Stick around as we break down what’s happening in construction this week!

PROJECTS

Orlando’s Camping World Stadium Scores a $400 Million Upgrade

At the end of last month Barton Malow & AECOM Hunt were selected by the The Orlando City Council to joint venture on the $400M Renovation of the Camping World Stadium. The renovation will take place over the next two years, adding 2,000 seats creating to total capacity to 65,000 along with upgrades to amenities and much more. The renovation is set to be completed in 2027.

• Client: City of Orlando

• General Contractors: Barton Malow & AECOM Hunt

• Award: Stadium Renovation

• Value: $400M

Chip Giant TSMC Drops Another $100 Billion

Just announced, TSMC plans to invest an additional $100 billion to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in Arizona. This new commitment brings their total investment in the state to $165 billion, marking one of the largest foreign investments in US history. This investment is expected to create thousands of high-paying jobs in the area, further solidifying Arizona's status as a hub for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

• Owner: TSMC

• Sector: Semiconductor

• Investment Value: $100 Billion

• Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Eli Lilly Goes Big, $50 Billion Manufacturing Boom

Last week it was announced that Eli Lilly and Company will be expanding their US manufacturing build-out with a $50B target. Lilly previously pledged to spend $23B on constructing and revamping factories in the US to increase the company’s new pills and injections. As of Tuesday last week, the company more than doubled that target. The new $27B investment will be put towards building four drug production facilities, creating 10,000 construction jobs and 3,000 in-house jobs.

• Client: Eli Lilly and Company

• General Contractors: TBD

• Award: Manufacturing

• Value: $50 Billion

• Location: United States

Apple Goes Mega Mode, $500 Billion Manufacturing Blitz

This week Apple revealed they will be committing to investing $500B into US manufacturing over the next 4 years. This investment will be the largest in the tech giant's history as the Trump administration looks to onshore factory jobs. Apple has also mentioned its plans to continue expanding data center capacity in North Carolina, Iowa, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada. As part of the commitment, Apple will also plan to create over 20,000 jobs over the next 5 years.

• Client: Apple

• General Contractors: TBD

• Award: Manufacturing/Data Center

• Value: $500 Billion

• Location: United States

Apple is coming to Houston!

Just announced, Apple plans to build a 250,000 sqft manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. This facility will produce servers for Apple Intelligence and create thousands of jobs in the region. While Apple has not disclosed the exact start date for construction, production at the facility is expected to begin in 2026. This is part of Apple’s $500 billion investment plans over the next 4 years.

• Owner: Apple

• General Contractor: TBD

• Sector: Manufacturing/Advanced Tech

• Value: TBD

• Location: Houston, Texas

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NEWS

Nailed by Tariffs, Lumber Costs Build Up

Recently, the Trump administration announced a 25% tariff on lumber imports from Canada and Mexico, citing national security concerns. This decision aims to motivate domestic timber production and reduce reliance on foreign sources. However, the homebuilding industry warns that these tariffs could impact the housing affordability crisis by increasing construction costs.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates that the new tariffs could raise the cost of building a typical single-family home by approximately $7,500 to $10,000. This increase stems from higher prices for essential materials like lumber and gypsum, which are mainly imported from Canada and Mexico.

Industry experts express concerns that the tariffs could lead to supply chain disruptions and project delays, negatively impacting the overall housing market.

Intel’s Ohio Plant Faces Another Delay

Intel has announced another delay in the opening of its semiconductor manufacturing plants in New Albany, Ohio. Originally slated to begin operations in 2025, the first factory is now expected to be completed by 2030, with operations commencing between 2030 and 2031. The second facility is projected to start operations in 2032.

The $28 billion project, which broke ground in 2022, has experienced multiple delays, they have already invested approximately $3.7 billion into the Ohio plants since 2022, completing the basement level and initiating above-ground construction.

WORLD

Battersea Power Station Renovation, United Kingdom

Battersea Power Station, an iconic landmark on London's Thames River, has undergone a remarkable transformation from a decommissioned power facility into a vibrant mixed-use development. This £9 billion project spans 42 acres and is being executed in multiple phases, blending residential, commercial, and cultural spaces.​

Development Phases:

Phase 1: Circus West Village was completed in 2017, introducing 866 residential units, along with a variety of shops, restaurants, and leisure facilities. ​

Phase 2: Restoration of the Power Station was completed in October 2022, converting the historic structure into a mixed-use space featuring 254 apartments, office spaces, including Apple's London Campus, retail outlets, and event venues. ​

Phase 3: The Electric Boulevard is currently underway, aiming to create a new high street with over 1,300 additional homes, a 160-room hotel, and extensive retail and leisure spaces.

So, while the main Power Station and key parts of the development are finished, the wider 42-acre master plan is still in progress and will continue evolving in the coming years.

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Turning Trash into Treasure with Taiwan's Building Revolution

Taiwanese companies Miniwiz and LOTOS are pioneering the transformation of waste materials into high-performance building products, aiming to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector.

Miniwiz, founded by Arthur Huang, upcycles materials such as insect shells, rice husks, and plastic waste into durable construction components. Notable projects include the EcoARK Pavilion, a nine-story structure built from over a million recycled PET bottles.

LOTOS, led by Wen-yi Kuo, focuses on creating sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials. One of their innovations, C-Slurry, replaces cement with industrial waste like blast-furnace slag, combined with local materials such as oyster shells and demolished red bricks.

By innovating with waste-based materials, Miniwiz and LOTOS contribute to more sustainable building practices, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change.

Concrete Goes on a Low-Carbon Diet

Traditional concrete production significantly contributes to global carbon dioxide emissions, mainly due to the cement manufacturing process. To combat this, low-carbon concrete mixes have been developed, incorporating alternative materials to reduce the reliance on traditional cement.

By substituting approximately 40% of traditional cement with low-carbon alternatives, such as fly ash, slag cement, or calcined clays, concrete producers can achieve substantial CO₂ emission reductions.

In the United States alone, this approach could save 27 megatons of CO₂ annually, roughly equal to taking 5.9 million cars off American roads.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Your quiz questions for this week:

The term “R-value” in construction primarily refers to:

A. Resistance to moisture // B. Thermal resistance (insulation value) // C. Resistance to fire

A “plumb line” ensures that a structure is:

A. Level horizontally // B. Straight vertically // C. Aligned with property boundaries

The “soffit” in a building is located:

A. Beneath the eaves // B. In the foundation // C. Above the roof ridge

The standard unit of measure for lumber in the U.S. is:

A. Meters // B. Millimetres / C. Feet and inches

“Underlayment” under shingles provides:

A. Electrical grounding // B. Decorative color // C. Additional water and weather protection

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY

THIS WEEK’S HOT JOBS

1. Project Manager – Kentucky – Healthcare

2. Electrical Project Manager – Georgia – Data Centers

3. Electrical Superintendent – Ohio – Data Centers

4. Electrical Superintendent – Georgia – Data Centers

5. MEP Project Manager – Kentucky – Healthcare

6. Electrical Project Manager – Texas – Data Centers, Manufacturing

7. Traveling Superintendent – Light Industrial, Mission Critical – Central US

8. Traveling Superintendent – Light Industrial, Mission Critical – Southeast US

9. Estimator – Georgia – Commercial

10. Electrical Project Manager – Kansas – Data Centers, Manufacturing

REFLECTION

This week’s question to ask yourself..

What is the one thing I could do every day to feel more fulfilled?

🚧Answers

Q1 B. Thermal resistance (insulation value) // Q2 B. Straight vertically // Q3 A. Beneath the eaves // Q4 C. Feet and inches // Q5 C. Additional water and weather protection

How many did you get?

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