Data centers help lift contractor backlog as labor shortages rise again

U.S. nonresidential contractors reported stronger sales and profit expectations in August, even as heavy industrial work softened and worker-shortage concerns grew.

U.S. nonresidential contractorsSeptember 15, 2026Engineering News-Record

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U.S. nonresidential contractors reported improved sales and profit expectations in August, according to a new industry report summarized by Engineering News-Record.

The same report said data-center work helped support contractor backlog, while heavy industrial activity weakened during the month.

Contractors also said concerns about worker shortages intensified, bringing labor pressure back into focus alongside the stronger business outlook.

The account is based on ENR’s coverage of August conditions for U.S. nonresidential contractors, with data centers cited as a lift to backlog.

Engineering News-Record reported the findings in its Sept. 15, 2026 article, “Data Centers Lift Contractor Backlog as Labor Pressures Reemerge.”

Why it matters for AEC

Data-center demand is still showing up in contractor backlog even as other heavy industrial work cools. For AEC teams, the combination of stronger sales expectations and renewed worker-shortage concerns points to a market where demand is present but delivery constraints remain part of the operating picture.

What this signal may mean for staffing or delivery capacity

Worker-shortage concerns intensified in the August report, which can create delivery pressure for contractors even as sales and backlog improve.

Architecture Radar brief based on reporting from Engineering News-Record. Read the original reporting.

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What this signal may mean for staffing or delivery capacity

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