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• Number of Homes in the U.S.: 101.5 million, 63.8 million of which are single-unit detached

• Housing Units that are More than 30 years Old: 54.8 million

• Number of New Homes Built Annually: 1.6 million, 1.3 million of which are single-unit detached

• Number of Homes Demolished Annually: 245,000

• Median Age: 30.5 years

• Avg. Sq. Ft.: 12,800

• Number of Commercial Buildings Constructed Annually: 170,000

• Number of Commercial Buildings Demolished Annually: 44,000Sources: U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. EPA

When the first quarter 2002 numbers have been compiled, builders and their subcontractors will probably have lower numbers to add up.

The first quarter forecast by FMI Management Consultants, Raleigh, N.C., sees the recession conditions of 2001 weakening "homeowners’ ability to make their mortgage payments," and thus slowing down the housing market.

FMI cites job cuts in the technology and manufacturing sectors and home price depreciation as factors that "might lead to slightly lower volume" in single-family home building in 2002. (The first Commerce Dept. figures are indicating otherwise; see item at bottom of page.)

Multi-family residential construction is predicted to slow significantly in 2002, but would then be poised for a rebound in 2003, according to FMI. A decline in commercial investment dollars is cited as the source of weakness in this building market.

Harder hit by the terrorist attacks is the hotel/motel construction segment. This segment dipped 11 percent in 2001. Six percent of hotel rooms under construction on September 11 were put on hold. If travel picks up, some of these projects may get back on track, and the segment could rebound.

New office construction was nearly flat in 2001, with 2002 looking even gloomier. "Office vacancy rates continue to climb and battered companies in hard-hit sectors like information technology, telecommunications and financial services [are putting] millions of square feet of sublet office space back onto the market," FMI writes. The education construction segment will also be flat.

The retail segment could "lead the charge out" of the recession, FMI forecasts. The segment is not seen as one that suffered from as much over-investment as some other sectors, and good 2002 retail sales could grow demand for new stores in 2003 or even in late 2002, the company notes.

Needed capital expenditures could help industrial construction rebound from a slow 2001. "However, low current operating capacity rates will limit the amount of new industrial space needed," FMI predicts.

And finally, infrastructure construction is forecast to plateau in 2002, with road building remaining steady and sewer projects gaining speed. A great deal of power plant construction was on the drawing board, but it remains to be seen how many of those projects will be started.