HLPA Predicts Residential and Commercial Building Increase in 2019

HLPA Members Notice Uptick in Building with Wood

News Release from HLPA

(Honolulu, HI), February 15, 2019 – The expert members of Hawaii Lumber Products Association (HLPA) predict increased construction demand in 2019, following a stable 2018. As reported by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) fourth quarter report, industry jobs in the 2018 third quarter increased 0.6 percent compared to the same quarter in 2017. This job increase will be up 1.2 percent in 2019 from 2018, according to the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii (UHERO).

Oahu will see the trend of building low-rise and high-rise residential structures focused in Kaka’ako and Ala Moana continue. Neighbor islands will also steady construction as rebuilding efforts in response to major natural disasters. This increase of construction can be seen in issued building permits; according to DBEDT the permit value for private construction increased by 3.6 percent last year across the state.

In addition to residential builds, 2019 will see an increase in capital improvement projects (CIP). According to DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria, state government payments for CIP increased 35.9 percent during 2018. This increase is coming to fruition in 2019, with large-scale commercial projects moving ahead for construction.

Resort renovation and development will be another large source of commercial building in 2019, and can already be seen in West Oahu, supporting the global trend of returning to building with wood. A new Marriott hotel near UH West Oahu’s campus will be entirely framed and constructed with wood. Hawaii Lumber Products Association (HLPA) member Honsador Lumber is supplying all the wood and lumber materials for the Marriott project.

New innovations in the industry are also prompting a return to using wood as a primary building material. Some engineered wood products are now comparable in strength to other building materials, and other innovations continue to improve the durability of wood. New to the Hawaii market via HLPA member Plywood Hawaii and other plywood distributors is treated glue line as a preventative treatment in hardwood plywood, protecting interior wood against termites and other boring insects.

For more information about lumber and benefits of building with wood, please visit Hawaii Lumber Products Association at HawaiiLumber.com.

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The Hawaii Lumber Products Association is comprised of professionals representing the development and construction industry as well as building material producers and service companies. They are committed to the education and promotion of lumber products as the best choice for home construction in Hawaii. To find out more about using wood in home construction and HLPA, please visit www.hawaiilumber.com