Spending in architectural glass-related nonresidential construction was up to start the year. The value of industry activity increased by 2.1% in January year-over-year on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, according to Key Media & Research (KMR), a leading information provider to the glass industry.

KMR’s glass and glazing activity figures are adapted and modified from private and public construction spending data, with proprietary weighting and models applied to industry-relevant subsectors. In KMR’s reporting, “spending” and “activity” are used interchangeably and represent the value of ongoing glass-relevant construction during a particular period.

Commercial glazing was strong again in January, improving 7.6% from the same month a year ago. This followed a year-over-year increase of 8.4% in December. The lodging category remains on a steep decline, but office construction was up by nearly 3% and the “other” commercial subcategory spiked by close to 17%.

While the commercial category is now expanding, the institutional segment is still pulling back, as it declined by 3.8% from January 2021 to January 2022. Education-related construction retreated by roughly 7%, though activity for healthcare increased by 5%.

On a month-to-month basis, overall nonresidential glass and glazing activity edged up by a half-percent, with slight upticks in both commercial and institutional.

Nick St. Denis is the director of research for Key Media & Research, parent company of USGlass magazine and USGNN™. For more detailed insights, subscribe to his free quarterly glass and glazing update HERE.