WHEREAS, National Construction Appreciation Week is observed annually during the third full week of September, in 2026, the observance runs from September 14 through September 18, honoring the essential work performed by trades and construction professionals; and
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction employment in the United States totaled 8.359 million workers in August 2026, and according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, construction generated approximately $1.36 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2026, representing approximately 4.3 percent of the nation’s $31.87 trillion gross domestic product; and
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Pennsylvania construction employment totaled approximately 261,200 workers in August 2026, while construction generated approximately $42.5 billion in GDP in the first quarter of 2026, representing approximately 3.9 percent of Pennsylvania’s $1.10 trillion GDP; and
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the mining, logging, and construction industries in the Greater Philadelphia region totaled approximately 128,300 workers in August 2026; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s construction and development pipeline faces continued headwinds, according to the General Building Contractors Association, only 1,502 market-rate apartments started construction in the city in 2025, down from nearly 7,000 in 2022, and Greater Philadelphia’s office construction pipeline fell to zero in the summer of 2026 following completion of the region’s last active large office project; and
WHEREAS, A 50 percent Section 232 tariff on steel and aluminum imports applies in 2026 and according to the National Association of Home Builders, builders surveyed in April 2025 estimated recent tariff actions would add approximately $10,900 to the cost of a typical new home, and more than 60 percent of builders surveyed reported seeing higher costs due to tariffs; and
WHEREAS, According to the latest available BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, construction and extraction occupations in Pennsylvania had a median annual wage of $60,520 in May 2025. The City of Philadelphia, in August 2026, also identified 15 Geographic and Economic Hiring Preferences pilot projects representing an anticipated $312 million in infrastructure investments, creating opportunities to connect Philadelphians with the training and employment needed to build the City’s future; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it does hereby recognize the third week of September 2026 as National Construction Appreciation Week in the City of Philadelphia and honors the contributions of the construction industry to the vitality of our City.
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