ural stone, how stone is used in interior and exterior
architecture and design, and an overview of testing cri-
teria for designing with natural stone.

David Sarkus dove into strategies and tactics that
assist in achieving zero-incident workspaces for years
of sustainable success in the session: “Behind the
Curtain to Zero-Incident Safety!”
“Coverings will help you uncover opportunities in
today’s flooring installation market and profit from
them,” the show organizers said in their announce-
ment. “Make connections with hundreds of global
suppliers of in-demand materials and tools on the ex-
hibit floor and take advantage of free educational ses-
sions. (*also presented in Spanish)
Register for free at www.coverings.com.

4 – SPRING 2017 — Florida Construction News
Free Sessions for contractors and installers included:
• Top 5 Reasons Why Tile Installations Fail*
• Introduction to Tile Industry Standards and How to Use
Them to Your Advantage
• How to Become a Certified Tile Installer*
• Ceramic Tile Grouts: Types and Characteristics
• Proper Substrate Preparation for Tile Installations*
• Innovative Tools in the Tile Industry*
• New Directions for Gauged Porcelain Tile
• Connecting Actual Job Costs Back to Estimating
• Using Online Education and Apprenticeship to Improve
Company Performance
• Turning Your Project Managers into Business Managers
• Hiring and Retaining the Right People this great




$750 million Okeechobee
Clean Energy Center boosts
national construction starts
Florida Construction News staff writer
W ork on a $750 million natural gas fired power plant
in Florida helped boost the Dodge Data & Analytics
national construction starts total, the research and lead pro-
viding service has reported.

Dodge didn’t provide details about the $750 million proj-
ect in its news release, but Florida regulators on Jan. 5 ap-
proved the 1,600-Mw Okeechobee Clean Energy Center of
NextEra Energy subsidiary Florida Power & Light (FPL) near
Vero Beach.

The plant will be the fifth advanced combined cycle
power plant FPL has commissioned since 2009, power-
mag.com reports.

FPL says the facility will create an average of approxi-
mately 300 jobs during the two-year construction period –
as many as 650 jobs during peak activity – and more than
30 permanent positions to operate it.

Overall, Dodge Data & Analytics says the value of new
construction starts in January climbed 12 percent to a sea-
sonally adjusted annual rate of $690.2 billion. As well, na-
tionwide results continued to be impressive in February as
well, according to the report for the following month.

The Dodge Momentum Index rose 1.6 percent in Febru-
ary to 144.0 (2000=100) from its revised January reading
of 141.7. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of
the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects
in planning, which have been shown to lead construction
spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.

February’s increase was due to a 4.4 percent jump in in-
stitutional planning, while commercial planning slipped
slightly, falling 0.3 percent for the month.

The Momentum Index has now increased for five con-
secutive months; however, the underlying components
continue to be volatile on a month to month basis as large
projects continue to sway the data. The overall trend, how-
ever, is rising.

On a year over year basis the Momentum Index is 22
percent higher, with commercial planning up 28 percent
and institutional planning moving 15 percent ahead of last
year. This suggests that construction activity will continue
to see further growth as the year progresses.

In February, four projects entered planning each with a
value greater than $100 million. For the institutional building
sector, the leading projects were a $100 million hospital in
Westampton NJ and a $100 million military barracks in
Great Lakes IL.

The leading commercial projects were a $470 million
hotel in Nashville TN and a $130 million hotel and shopping
center in La Puente CA.

Florida Construction News — SPRING 2017 – 5