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Here is some interesting news to start the New Year! As reported by Jan Buchholz on Monday in the Business Journal:


Fewer construction companies are planning on laying people off in 2012 than in previous years, according to a survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors.   
In Arizona, only six percent of firms surveyed plan layoffs, while 23 percent plan to add employees. The rest expect no change or are unsure of their hiring needs.
Other Arizona specific findings are as follows:
• Of the firms that plan to add employees, 86 percent said the increase would involve 15 employees or fewer.
• To date, 77 percent of the firms that responded have received stimulus-funded projects. Only 26 percent of respondents expect to do any stimulus-funded work in 2012.
• Eighty percent of the respondents said prices for construction materials have increased in the past year. Seven percent said those increases exceeded 25 percent.
• Some 67 percent of respondents said it will be 2014 or later before the construction industry recovers.
• Only 14 percent of respondents said 25 percent or more of their work in 2011 involved green certified or energy efficient construction. Thirty four percent said they expect a significant increase in green related projects in 2012.

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