2026 Mid-Year Review: Benjamin Markham, Acentech

What projects, initiatives, or types of work have been keeping your team busiest during the first half of 2026
Acentech continues to work on a wide range of projects: higher education remains our busiest market for building acoustics, audiovisual design, and information & communications technology, while our work in environmental noise control has been dominated by data center developments. We have seen an uptick in commercial building work, as well as increases in multifamily residential and K-12 education work.

What trends or shifts have stood out most to you so far this year within your industry?
The recent boom in data center development has led to a significant increase in important environmental noise control work that is critical for the success and long-term viability of these projects, as well as for the quality of life of the surrounding communities.

What challenges or opportunities have had the biggest impact on your business during the first half of 2026?
We’ve seen more opportunities than challenges in the first half of 2026. While there have been some challenges (for example, a major university project was recently cancelled at a school that has been targeted by the Trump administration), opportunities in higher ed, K-12 schools, residential development, corporate and commercial work (which has rebounded in 2026 after a sluggish 2025), healthcare, mission critical facilities, and cultural buildings continue to build. For Acentech, this work extends beyond New England to include exciting opportunities throughout the country, with particular growth in the mid-Atlantic and in the southern half of the US.

As we look ahead to the second half of the year, what are you watching most closely?
We are looking forward to continuing to build on our strong portfolio of education, healthcare, commercial, and cultural projects, while looking to see prosperity in the booming energy and data center markets. We anticipate that data center work will stabilize or recede at some point, while we expect the cultural sector (museums and performing arts centers, for example) to grow alongside recent growth in residential and education markets.