5 construction trends to watch in 2026 Contractors will be keeping tabs on material costs, data center demand, interest rates and more this year. Merced Sun-Star: Construction faces rising costs and delays as supply chains strain in 2026 WSI reports that by 2026, construction faces supply chain disruptions, driving up costs and delaying projects amid tariffs and geopolitical tensions. Construction faces rising costs and delays as supply chains strain in 2026