The business has changed a great deal since the financial crisis. Back in 2008/2009, it was like the lights went out. Institutions, engineers, and architecture firms were cutting their staff, and construction firms stopped hiring because they couldn't find new work on which to bid. Jobs in the planning stages were put on ice, and jobs already contracted or in construction were value engineered down to the bare minimum program.
Now, five years later, all that pent-up demand is being released. Not only are there more projects being developed, but also owners are seizing upon the developments in green building and IT technology in the past five years and incorporating them into their projects. The result is that better buildings are being designed and constructed, and these projects require more specialized design teams and labor forces. Site owners who may not have considered LEED accreditation or digital signage for their buildings, for instance, are now making them required elements in their program.
(Another effect of the LEED credits for Regional Materials is that it helps to stimulate local and domestic business by requiring that materials be sourced nearby.)
