Wake Forest's Town Hall has earned LEED Platinum status from the U.S. Green Building Council, the agency's highest ranking in environmentally friendly construction.

The town hall is one of only a few municipal buildings in the U.S. to receive the LEED designation, according to a news release today from the town of Wake Forest.

Energy efficiencies should result in a nearly 25 percent reduction in overall annual energy costs, according to the Wake Forest news release. Officials also expect 70 percent of the building's energy load to be offset using green methods such as solar and wind power.

Despite a slowdown in infrastructure spending and rising fuel costs, Martin Marietta Materials reported solid third-quarter earnings Tuesday.

The company, which produces rock, gravel and other materials used to build roads, subdivisions and commercial buildings, had sales of $464 million for the quarter that ended Sept. 30, up 4.6 percent from the same period in 2010.

Excluding one-time charges, the company reported earnings per share of $1.11. That was above the $1.09 a share that was the consensus among analysts who follow the company.

Martin Marietta now expects to ship anywhere from 2 to 4 percent fewer materials in 2011 than it did a year ago. The company’s fuel costs for the quarter rose 16 percent.

Raleigh-based Martin Marietta Materials has agreed to swap assets Lafarge North America.

The company announced Wednesday that it will receive Lafarge's quarry sites, concrete and asphalt plants and road paving business in Denver in exchange for cash and Martin Marietta's quarries and distribution yards along the Mississippi River.

The deal is expected to close within 60 days.

Martin Marietta produces rock, gravel and other materials used to build roads, subdivisions and commercial buildings.

Its business is closely tied to residential, commercial and government construction projects.

Martin Marietta's stock is has dropped about 20 percent over the past six months. The industry been hurt by uncertainty over future government spending levels and the prospects for approval of a long-term highway bill by Congress.

Ply Gem Holdings, a Cary company that filed plans to go public last year, reported lower sales in the second quarter as demand for the company's building products continued to be hurt by softness in the housing market.

The company's second-quarter sales totaled 294.5, 2.4 percent lower than the same period a year ago; quarterly earnings were $28.5 million, down from $30.3 million from a year ago.

Ply Gem sells vinyl siding and other products for home exteriors. The company's financial performance is closely tied to housing starts, which have remained at low levels since the homebuyer tax credits expired last year.

"Given that market conditions for 2011 are expected to remain challenging, Ply Gem will continue to focus on maintaining a lean overall cost structure while maximizing cash flow and striving to outperform the marketplace in all business units, which will ensure that Ply Gem emerges stronger as the housing market recovers," said Gary Robinette, the company's CEO, in a release.
 

A construction equipment manufacturer in Wilmington will be shutting down operations and laying off 92 people this year.

Terex Corp., based in Connecticut, notified the N.C. Department of Commerce to say it will close its Wilmington facility by Dec. 31.

The workers affected are in production and sales, with the first round of layoffs to happen Oct. 7.

In Wilmington, Terex did final manufacturing and assembly of cranes for sale and distribution in North America. Terex employs 18,000 worldwide makes cranes and other heavy equipment for construction, mining, energy and other heavy industries.

"While the economy is beginning to improve, our manufacturing capacity is greater than needed to meet foreseeable market demand," the company's letter said.

Martin Marietta Materials, hurt by erratic weather and reduced spending on infrastructure projects, reported disappointing second-quarter earnings this morning that missed Wall Street estimates.

The Raleigh company, which produces rock, gravel and other materials used to build roads, subdivisions and commercial buildings, had sales of $426.7 million for the quarter that ended June 30, down from $442.8 million in the same period in 2010.

The company reported earnings of 78 cents per share for the quarter, compared to $1.18 per share in the second quarter of 2010.

That was below the $1.07 per share expected by Wall Street analysts who cover the company. Analysts also expected sales to come in at $513 million for the quarter.

The Duke University Health System will officially open a $12.7 million orthopaedic center near Research Triangle Park today, the latest example of a medical building boom across this region.

While a relatively small part of the Duke medical empire, the Duke Orthopaedic Center is also part of a broader trend of hospital systems opening satellite facilities to improve convenience for patients.

The center is at the intersection of I-40 and Page Road. That's the heart of the Triangle, based on population density, and will make it easier for patients who don't want to travel to Duke's busy main campus, said David Attarian, a Duke orthopaedic surgeon who will help run the new clinic.

And it's close to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, to help attract more national and international patients, he added.

Chris Mangum, who sold his family's construction business last year to Fred Smith Jr., is launching a consulting firm under the family name.

The new company, C.C. Mangum Consulting, will offer fleet management services for road and off-road vehicles.

Chris and Michael Mangum sold C. C. Mangum Company in January 2010.  It was rebranded the Fred Smith Company.

The 83-year-old business operates two asphalt plants, builds roads and bridges and performs a range of commercial construction work.

Michael Magnum is not involved in CC Mangum Consulting.

Chris Mangum said the firm will help firms lower the cost of owning and operating their fleet of machinery by matching the machine to a proper use, eliminate idle time and thus reduce fuel usage and improve profitability, and making sure the machine is properly cared for through its useful life.

Martin Marietta Materials, stung by rising fuel costs and bad weather in late March, reported first quarter earnings today that missed Wall Street estimates.

The Raleigh company, which produces rock, gravel and other materials used to build roads, subdivisions and commercial buildings, had sales of $306.2 million for the quarter that ended March 31, up from $295.6 million in the same period in 2010.

The company reported a loss of 39 cents per share for the quarter, compared to a loss of 54 cents per share in the first quarter of 2010.

That was a wider loss than the 36 cents loss per share expected by Wall Street analysts who cover the company.

Much of Martin Marietta's business is tied to residential, commercial and government construction projects, which makes it a barometer of the broader economy.

The company’s fortunes are also heavily dependent on the weather.

Bad weather during the last two weeks of March – when many state Departments of Transportation initiate road projects – hurt sales in the first quarter, CEO Ward Nye said during a conference call with analysts.

“Part of what we have said forever is this is an outdoor sport, and when the weather does what it does in March and what it did in April, it has an affect on the business,” he said.

Caterpillar continues to see stronger demand for its construction equipment as the global economic recovery gains steam.

That's fueling more hiring, including at Caterpillar's factories in North Carolina. The company announced new expansions last year in Winston-Salem and Sanford, and Caterpillar also is adding jobs at its Clayton facility.

The Peoria, Ill.-based company reported this morning that its first quarter profit rose more than five-fold to a record $1.23 billion.

The company also boosted its 2011 outlook, and its stock surged, helping fuel a Wall Street rally.