Total construction starts rose 9% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.013 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Year-to-date, total construction was 14% higher in the first two months of 2022 than in the same period of 2021. Nonresidential building starts jumped 39%, nonbuilding starts rose 4% and residential starts gained 5%.
For the 12 months ending February 2022, total construction starts were 16% above the 12 months ending February 2021. Nonresidential starts were 23% higher, residential starts gained 19% and nonbuilding starts were up 1%.
Nonbuilding construction starts fell by less than 1% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $198.4 billion. Utility/gas plant starts rose 66% over the month, while environmental public works starts fell 23%. Starts for highways and bridges, as well as for the miscellaneous nonbuilding category, each fell by less than 1%.
For the 12 months ending February 2022, total nonbuilding starts were 1% higher than in the previous period. Environmental public works starts were up 16% and utility/gas plant starts rose 7%. Highway and bridge starts were up 2% on a 12-month rolling sum basis, while miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were 26% lower.
Nonresidential building starts jumped 32% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $385.6 billion. Manufacturing starts more than doubled as three large plants got underway. If not for these projects, total nonresidential starts would have lost 15%. Commercial starts fell 8%, and institutional starts lost 22%.
For the 12 months ending February 2022, nonresidential building starts were 23% higher than in the 12 months ending February 2021. Commercial starts were up 17%, institutional starts rose 12% and manufacturing starts advanced 143% on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
Residential building starts fell 3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $429 billion. Single-family starts lost 4%, but multifamily starts increased 2%. For the 12 months ending February 2022, residential starts improved 19% from the previous period. Single family starts were 14% higher, while multifamily starts were 31% stronger on a 12-month rolling sum basis.
Regionally, total construction starts in February rose in the Midwest, South Atlantic and West regions, but fell in the Northeast and South Central.