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ABC: Nonresidential Construction Adds Solid 27,900 Jobs in January

The construction industry added 33,000 jobs on net in January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 44,000 jobs, an increase of 0.5%. Nonresidential construction employment expanded by 27,900 positions, with gains in 2 of the 3 subcategories. Nonresidential specialty trade added 25,100 jobs, while nonresidential building added 3,600 new positions. Heavy and civil engineering lost 800 jobs in January. The construction unemployment rate was 6.9% in January. Unemployment across all industries decreased to 4.3% and is 0.3 percentage points higher than one year ago. ABC: Nonresidential Construction Adds Solid 27,900 Jobs in January

LEDucation Trade Show and Conference | April 14–15, 2026 New York City

LEDucation is the industry’s leading marketplace and educational platform dedicated to advancing architectural lighting innovation. The event features 400+ exhibitors across four halls showcasing the latest lighting products and technologies from leading manufacturers. Thirty-nine presentations explore key issues shaping today’s lighting industry and its path to a brighter, more efficient future. LEDucation – Presented by the Designers Lighting Forum of New York

Dallas Market Center Announces Major Expansion

Dallas Market Center announced a dramatic expansion of the number of Design showrooms located inside its Interior Home + Design Center (IHDC). More than 100 brands, represented inside multiple showrooms, will move into custom spaces on the first and second floors of the building in the first half of 2026. This is the largest project for the development of new showrooms inside Dallas Market Center in more than a decade. Upcoming trade events at Dallas Market Center include Design Days, April 14-15; Total Home & Gift Market, June 24-30; Lightovation, June 24-27; and Design + Build Day at Lightovation, June 23. Dallas Market Center Announces Major Expansion – tEDmag

Space-Based Solar Power Promises Constant Energy Delivery

Space-based solar power is transitioning from concept to reality, with recent advancements demonstrating the feasibility of transmitting solar energy from orbit to Earth. This technology, which could provide continuous, reliable electricity that isn’t interrupted by weather or geography, is being developed through initiatives such as Japan’s OHISAMA project and Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project. However, the implementation of space-based solar power will require international coordination on orbits, frequencies and safety protocols. The Washington Post

BriteSwitch: Commercial Lighting Rebate Trends for 2026

Electricity costs continue to climb, and commercial customers are once again taking a closer look at energy efficiency. In 2025 alone, average commercial electricity rates increased by roughly 7%, with some regions seeing increases as high as 29%. As operating costs rise, lighting rebates remain one of the most effective tools for improving project economics. So what does the commercial lighting rebate landscape actually look like in 2026, and what’s different this year? Most programs are still available this year, incentive amounts are up, and rebate structures are continuing to evolve. The following trends are shaping the commercial lighting rebate landscape in 2026.

Commercial Lighting Rebate Trends for 2026

Landscape Forms Announces Urbidermis’ Redesigned Candela Outdoor Lighting

Building on the original 2009 design, this lighting option is now more flexible and lighter weight. Landscape Formshas released Candela, redesigned by urbidermis. This evolution of Gonzalo Milà’s 2009 design now features enhanced performance and adaptability, with high pressure cast aluminum housing that provides a lighter weight construction and anodized finishes and stainless steel hardware that can withstand demanding environmental conditions. A new steel and aluminum pole option adds structural flexibility, while an optional house-side shield minimizes backlight. Outdoor Site Furnishings and Lighting for… – Landscape Forms

Exclusive: Baird Research Examines Concern In Key Markets

In tEDmagazine’s latest exclusive, quarterly Baird Research, we asked distributors a clear question: “How concerned are you about your company’s outlook in the following markets: Residential and Commercial?” While the results varied, the level of “very concerned” remained low. The research was conducted during the first two weeks of January 2026. Exclusive: Baird Research Examines Concern In Key Markets – tEDmag

What to Know About Elon Musk’s Merger of SpaceX With His AI Company by Laurence Darmiento

Elon Musk recently announced what seemed like an odd pairing of his companies: SpaceX was acquiring xAI, the artificial intelligence firm that also owns the social media platform X. The merger combines a highly profitable rocket company with an AI startup that is burning through billions of dollars as it competes with OpenAI and other rivals for dominance in artificial intelligence. The merged companies are valued at $1.25 trillion. That is higher than recent separate valuations of SpaceX at $800 billion and xAI’s holding company at $230 billion. IPO shares are expected to price at roughly $525. Aside from the financial benefits, there are technical reasons. Musk has sketched out a futuristic plan that involves sending up to a million satellites — called data centers — into an orbit, where the sun could power them all day and night while they do artificial intelligence computations. What to know about Elon Musk’s merger of SpaceX with his AI company

WAC Group Launches WAC Architectural Brand to Empower Lighting Designers with Advanced, Technology-Driven Solutions

WAC Group has launched WAC Architectural, a commercial specification lighting brand that expands the WAC legacy with a portfolio of precision-engineered luminaires designed for project-driven applications. Its offering includes advanced track systems, high-performance linear solutions, and robust exterior fixtures, each engineered for optical excellence, sophisticated beam control, architectural coherence, and a high degree of design flexibility. WAC Architectural empowers designers to push creative and technical boundaries; it is built on a foundation of four advantages…

1, Owned From Concept to Completion

2. Responsibility, Engineered at Scale

3. Precision You Can Depend On

4. Forged in the World’s Most Demanding Market

Architectural – WACGROUP

Telling Time – 12-hour time is a very ancient system that traces back to the Mesopotamian empires. They had a cultural fixation with the number 12, used a base-12 numerical system, and divided up most things into 12ths whenever possible – including day and night. The 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night system spread throughout Europe and the Middle East and has defied multiple attempts to change it over the centuries. Also, for anyone curious as to why there was such a love of the number 12, it was because that was how they counted on their hand. Look at your hand. Notice how each of your fingers minus your thumb has three easily identifiable parts to it. They used to count by using their thumb to count each part of the finger, much in the same way we count to 10 using our fingers today. So, 12 was the max you could count on one hand.