Weekly Briefing: May 29, 2026
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Week of May 25, 2026
U.S. Construction Starts Expected to Edge Up in 2026 While Canadian Starts Fall Sharply
ConstructConnect's Summer 2026 Construction Starts Forecast projects total U.S. construction starts to rise 0.8% in 2026, supported by nonresidential building; first-quarter 2026 starts were up 12.6% year over year, led by nonresidential building and civil construction.
Megaprojects valued at more than $1 billion continued to exert outsized influence, with first-quarter megaproject starts reaching $57.7 billion, up from $21.9 billion a year earlier; while residential and civil growth expectations moderated against a stronger 2025 base.
ConstructConnect frames the broader U.S. backdrop as modestly supportive, projecting 2.2% real GDP growth in 2026, though it flags higher gasoline prices, energy costs, and the assumption that Strait of Hormuz shipping normalizes as key swing factors for project timing and input costs; the central takeaway being that U.S. momentum is increasingly concentrated in a narrow set of large, capital intensive awards rather than broad-based expansion.
In sharp contrast to the U.S., Canadian construction starts are projected to fall 16.3% in 2026 after rising 10.4% in 2025, with residential, nonresidential, and civil activity all expected to contract amid persistent macroeconomic headwinds; first-quarter 2026 starts were already down 41.3% year over year, led by a 68.2% drop in nonresidential building and a 43.6% decline in civil, while civil construction is projected to post the steepest full-year decline at 19.2%.
EPA Proposes Rescinding PFAS Drinking-Water Rules and Allowing Compliance Extensions
The EPA proposed rescinding the enforceable drinking-water limits for four PFAS chemicals: PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and Hazard Index mixtures of those three plus PFBS. A companion proposal would keep the limits for two other PFAS, PFOA and PFOS, but allow eligible water systems to request up to two additional years, until 2031, to comply.
The agency frames the rescission as a procedural step, stating that the prior administration did not fully satisfy the Safe Drinking Water Act's required process in promulgating the regulations, rather than a reassessment of the chemicals themselves.
The proposals revisit the April 2024 PFAS drinking-water rule, which required public water systems to meet the new limits by April 2029; under the companion proposal, eligible systems could seek case-by-case extensions to 2031.
Written comments are due July 20, 2026, with a virtual public hearing July 7, leaving the regulatory landscape unsettled for the water utilities and engineering firms whose treatment design, plant-upgrade, and remediation pipelines depend on the scope and timing of federal PFAS requirements.
May 18, 2026
EFCG, through its registered broker-dealer affiliate EFCG Transaction Services LLC, is pleased to share that our client, Alliance Technical Group, a Blackstone-backed leading provider of environmental testing, monitoring, and compliance services, announced the acquisition of the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) assets from Atlas Technical Consultants LLC, a GI Partners-backed nationally recognized leader in infrastructure and environmental services. The acquisition brings a focused team of industrial air quality and emissions compliance specialists into the Alliance family, deepening Alliance's capabilities in LDAR program management across the Gulf Coast and beyond.
"The LDAR professionals joining us from Atlas bring exactly the kind of specialized, field-proven expertise that strengthens Alliance's position as a comprehensive environmental services provider," said Chris LeMay, CEO of Alliance Technical Group. "Their deep relationships with major industrial operators, combined with their technical depth across LDAR program management and air quality compliance, make this a compelling addition to the Alliance team. We're excited to welcome their team and look forward to growing together."
EFCG is proud to have initiated the transaction and served as advisor to Alliance Technical Group.
May 13, 2026
Good Springs Capital (Good Springs), a New York-based private investment firm focused on partnering with founders, families, and entrepreneurial management teams in the industrial and services sectors, has announced that entities managed by Good Springs have invested in Snyder Environmental Services (SES), a West Virginia-based provider of specialized environmental and infrastructure services to the public and private water, stormwater, and wastewater markets. This partnership broadens SES’s opportunities and positions the company for its next stage of growth. David Van Geyzel, Managing Partner of Good Springs, commented, "We have been pursuing an investment that addresses the critical need to repair and upgrade aging U.S. water infrastructure for some time and are thrilled to partner with SES. Under the leadership of founder Lee Snyder, SES has built a strong reputation in the essential water and wastewater infrastructure market in the Mid-Atlantic region. With its broad range of capabilities and dedicated team led by Brandon Duriez, CEO, we believe SES is well positioned for continued growth."
May 21, 2026
Certerra, a California-based provider of technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification services for critical infrastructure, backed by OceanSound Partners, has announced a strategic partnership with Southern Engineering, a North Carolina-based provider of geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, and special inspections to clients in the Mid-Atlantic. This acquisition strengthens Certerra’s position to serve high-growth infrastructure markets and advances its goal of building a national testing, inspection, and certification services platform. “The addition of Southern Engineering expands our presence in the Carolinas and strengthens our ability to serve multi-state clients in the region,” stated Ed Lyon, CEO of Certerra. “Southern Engineering’s capabilities are highly complementary to Certerra’s core offerings and align with our strategy of delivering essential, code-driven services to critical infrastructure end markets.”
May 27, 2026
Wold Architects & Engineers (Wold), a Minnesota-based full-service planning, architecture and engineering firm specializing in education, government, healthcare and senior living design, backed by Providus Capital Partners, has acquired JJCA, a Tennessee-based architecture firm with expertise in the healthcare and education markets. This acquisition expands the combined firm’s reach and capabilities, strengthening its ability to serve communities nationwide. “JJCA has built a firm defined by strong relationships, trusted expertise and a deep commitment to the communities they serve,” said Vaughn Dierks, CEO of Wold. “This partnership allows us to build on that foundation, bringing together our strengths to support continued growth while preserving the people and approach that make JJCA successful.”
May 27, 2026
FUSION, a Texas-based design, architecture, and engineering firm, backed by Willow Creek Partners and formerly known as FUSION AE, has been launched and formed following the integration of four firms: Texas-based ID Studio 4, Minnesota-based Sperides Reiners Architects, Florida-based ACi Architects, and Ohio-based Reztark Design Studio. This strategic move brings together professionals across six U.S. locations and clients nationwide, supported by deep regional expertise across a broad range of sectors. "People don't experience architecture, brand development, engineering, and interiors separately. They experience one environment,” said Eric Reiners, President of FUSION. “The industry has traditionally delivered those disciplines in pieces. We built FUSION around the belief that integrating design disciplines within a single practice will produce the best environments.”
AEC Cares, a nonprofit that unites members of the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, will host a one-day "blitz build" service event on June 10 to benefit Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. More than 100 volunteers will gather to renovate Rachel's Women's Center, a day center that has served women experiencing homelessness in San Diego for over 40 years, with plans to streamline the facility's floor plan, refresh its interior, and create a more welcoming environment for clients. Organized by founding member ConstructConnect with support from Stantec and Whiting-Turner alongside donations from industry partners, the project reflects AEC Cares' ongoing mission to create positive change by transforming spaces and lives in a new community each year.
The EFCG Weekly Briefing summarizes the week’s key news in the AEC industry, including M&A updates, and micro- and macro-trends, aggregated from industry-focused and global news sources.
To send any additional press releases or news from your firm that you would like us to share please email Clay Han at chan@efcg.com.