According to Dodge Construction Network data, nonresidential building project planning activity in the U.S. cooled in June compared with May, with data center planning retreating from an "extraordinary level" while other building sectors saw slight improvements.

The Dodge Momentum Index, which measures nonresidential building projects entering the planning phase, fell 1.9% month over month in June, following two consecutive monthly gains. Dodge said in a news release Wednesday that the decline was largely due to a slowdown in data center planning activity.

"Despite the pullback in June, nonresidential building planning remains on a solid foundation," said Sarah Martin, director of economic research at Dodge Construction Network. "Data center activity continues to drive the index, but its pace has slowed from the extraordinary levels seen in recent months and contributed to the DMI's decline for the month."

The report showed that commercial project planning, which includes data centers, fell 6.8% month over month in June. However, Martin noted that excluding data centers, "nearly all other sectors" within the commercial category improved during the month. For example, planning for projects such as traditional office buildings, warehouses, retail stores, and hotels all posted month-over-month gains in June.

Meanwhile, institutional project planning, which covers healthcare and education buildings, also rebounded, rising 10.9% month over month in June.

Dodge said that on a year-over-year basis, planning activity remained well above the same period in 2025. The report showed that the Dodge Momentum Index and the commercial and institutional sub-indexes all rose 21.8% year over year in June.

Dodge also noted that excluding data center planning, the commercial sub-index would have increased only about 7.6% year over year in June. A total of 59 projects valued at $100 million or more entered the planning phase in June.

Major commercial projects include:

  • The Stak Energy artificial intelligence data center campus in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, valued at $500 million.
  • The Project Swan data center complex in Lakeland, Florida, valued at $480 million.
  • The Parcel A data center in Manassas, Virginia, valued at $456.8 million.

Major institutional projects entering the planning phase include:

  • The DCSO correctional facility in Nashville, Tennessee, valued at $437 million.
  • The Cone Health hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, valued at $320 million.
  • The El Camino Health hospital in Los Gatos, California, valued at $303 million.