• No results found

HOUSTON METRO PROFILE

N/A
N/A
Protected

Academic year: 2021

Share "HOUSTON METRO PROFILE"

Copied!
30
0
0

Loading.... (view fulltext now)

Full text

(1)
(2)

The City of Houston, the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest city in the United States, is located on the coastal prairies of southeast Texas and is home to a diverse array of industries and cultures. Houston is located in Harris County, the nation’s third most populous county. The Houston region, officially designated as the Houston - The Woodlands - Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), comprises Harris County and eight other counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller. The Houston MSA has a population of 5.9 million, according to new 2010 census figures, up from 5.5 million reported in the 2000 census. The nine county metropolitan area is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the nation; combined with its zone of extraterritorial jurisdiction, an area extending five miles beyond the city’s boundary, the city controls 1,906 square miles. The most urbanized portions of the Houston area are in Harris County, the southern part of Montgomery County, and the eastern section of Fort Bend County. Houston is home to the sixth largest port in the world and is in close proximity to Mexico, a key trading partner. It has a temperate climate and an affordable cost of living. The cost of living is about 12% lower than the United States

average and overall housing costs are 25% lower than the national average.

Houston is the largest city in

Texas.

Houston is the fourth largest

city in the United States.

Harris County is the nation’s

third most populous county.

The Houston MSA is the 5th

largest metropolitan area in the

nation.

Houston is home to the 6th

largest port in the world.

Houston’s cost of living is

approximately 12% lower than

U.S. average.

(3)

Houston Metro Profile

REGIONAL ECONOMY PROJECTED TO CONTINUE STURDY GROWTH

Houston’s employment cycle has entered a recovery stage and the city is expected to remain a top performer relative to other MSA’s nationwide in the long term. According to Moodysanalytics.com, not only will Houston rank second in the nation in job growth between 2009 and 2014 (310,600 jobs), but Texas will boast five of the top twenty cities nationally in job creation. As the domestic and international center for virtually every segment of the petroleum and natural gas industries, Houston is known as the “Energy Capital of the World.” In the Medical/Life/Sciences/Biotechnology arena, Houston's health care industry continues to boom. The Houston Airport System is the fourth-largest airport system in the United States and sixth-fourth-largest in the world. The Port of Houston continues to be a dominant force throughout the nation and the world. The port has been ranked first in the United States in foreign tonnage for 17 consecutive years, first in imports for 22 consecutive years and second in total tonnage for 21 consecutive years. The Port of Houston is the sixth largest port in the world and ranks tenth in the world for total tonnage.

 12-month payroll job growth at 111,200 through April 2013; third in the nation after New York and the LA Basin.

 Unemployment rate: 5.9% in April 2013. National unemployment rate in April: 7.5%.

 Region’s economy among nation’s strongest.

(4)

Houston Metro Profile

ECONOMIC DRIVERS

Houston is an undisputed leader in domestic and international business, with economic and cultural ties reaching across the globe. The region benefits from a skilled workforce, making it an ideal location for companies seeking the right employee to do the jobs of today and the future. Houston also has one of the world's greatest concentrations of engineering talent generated from its energy, aerospace and medical clusters. Economic conditions improved in the Houston metro area in the 2nd quarter of 2013. Houston’s employment rose by 4.2% in this period, which was the largest increase in the U.S. among major metropolitan areas, and is 2.6% higher than the national growth of 1.6%. Primary drivers are the Energy, Construction and Trade/Transportation sectors, although other fundamental industries continue to expand.

Energy: Employment increased 7.3% over a 12 month period ending April 2013.

Domestic production is increasing dramatically, and this segment’s growth continues to fuel the regional economy.

Construction: 11,400 jobs added over 12 months ending April 2013, a 6.5%

increase

Trade/Transportation: 23,300 jobs added in 12 months ending April 2013 – 24.3%

increase. YTD port traffic as of April 2013 has increased 5.9% over the same period in 2012. YTD air freight is up 0.2% as of April compared to the same period in 2012.

Professional Services: 14,000 jobs added over 12 months ending April 2013, a 3.5%

increase.

Manufacturing: 9,500 jobs added over 12 months ending April 2013, a 4.0%

increase

.

(5)

Houston Metro Profile

SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING

Houston-area realtors sold 8,614 homes in June 2013, a 14.5% increase over the 7,520 homes sold in June 2012, according to the Houston Association of Realtors®. June marked the 25th consecutive month of positive sales. The median price of a single-family home in Houston grew 12.9% from $170,000 in June 2012 to $192,000 in June 2013. Local inventory remained unchanged from May 2013 with a 3.3-month supply. This indicates that it is likely that adequate inventory is not available throughout the Houston market and that there is unmet demand.

MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

The region continues expanding with demand outpacing supply. According to Apartment Data Services Market Line, August 2013, absorption improved to 14,994 units during the past 12 months and is poised to exceed the 15,722 units absorbed in 2010; 14,036 in 2011; and 16,509 in 2012. Occupancy area-wide topped 91.1% and average rental rates have increased to 96.2 cents per square foot per month. This is a 5.3% increase over the past 12 months. Currently there are 2,503 communities containing 567,797 units. Sixty-four communities (consisting of 16,924 units) are under construction with proposed construction of 69 communities consisting of 20,252 units.

The submarkets in the Greater Houston area showing the best combination of rental rate growth and absorption over the past 3 months, in order of rank, are:

 1st Montrose/Museum District 2.3% Absorption 11.8% Rate Growth

 2nd Inner Loop West/Greenway 2.4% Absorption 11.4% Rate Growth

 3rd Westchase 1.3% Absorption 14.1% Rate Growth

 4th Sharpstown/Westwood 1.4% Absorption 09.0% Rate Growth

 5th Galleria 1.0% Absorption 13.3 Rate Growth

(6)

Houston Metro Profile

MODERN AMERICAN BOOMTOWN

The energy sector is creating jobs and construction projects making Houston somewhat of a “Boomtown”.

In 2014, The Port of Houston Authority is slated to begin major expansion in preparation for the bigger ships expected through the 2015 Panama Canal expansion. The authority plans to spend approximately $120 million to dredge the channels that link its container terminals at Bayport and Barbours Cut. Additionally, a $5.2 billion project, which will triple the canal’s capacity by adding a third set of locks, will be ready for commercial transits mid-2015.

The Keystone XL Pipeline project is estimated to bring in $20 billion of private sector investment into the American economy. As a result, the petrochemical industries are experiencing explosive growth. Already ExxonMobil, Bayer of Baytown, and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company’s Cedar Bayou Plant have announced major additions, and more are soon to follow. ExxonMobil's proposed expansion would create 10,000 construction jobs and add around 350 permanent jobs to the company's workforce of 6,500 full-time and contractors in the Baytown area. The company will await the results of the permitting and environmental impact studies before making a final decision whether to proceed. The effect could mean an additional 3,800 jobs in the local community and an increase in regional economic activity by $870 million per year. Bayer has already completed various upgrades and expansions to many of its units in Baytown at a cost of about $140 million resulting in 1,400 short-term assignments and support of the existing 1,000 employee workforce. Source:The Houston Chronicle, 3/5/13

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company has secured regulatory permits for three new Texas production units. The company, which is based in The Woodlands, has plans to build a 1.5 million metric tons-per-year ethane cracker at its Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown (the proposed ethane cracker in Baytown is expected to create 400 long-term direct jobs and 10,000 temporary jobs) and two new polyethylene facilities, each with an annual capacity of 500,000 metric tons. It has received air permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the ethane cracker and polyethylene units. It received a greenhouse gas permit from the Environmental Protection Agency for the cracker earlier this year. It will seek final approvals later this year. The new units are part of

(7)

Houston Metro Profile

a project that is expected to be completed in 2017. Source: www.fuelfix.com, Aug 2013

There are 9.8 million square of office space under construction or renovation in the Houston metro area in the 2nd quarter of 2013, compared to 6.0 million square feet in the 1st quarter, and 3.4

million square feet one year ago. Two submarkets – Katy Freeway/Energy Corridor and The Woodlands/Conroe – account for 79% of the space under construction or renovation. The largest project under construction is ExxonMobil’s new 3.0 million square feet campus in The Woodlands submarket. Chevron announced plans to build a 50-story office tower, creating an “urban campus” in downtown Houston. The new building will have 1.7 million square feet of office space and room for approximately 4,200 workers. Plans are to break ground by the end of 2016

.

Source:

The Houston Chronicle, 8/26/13

IN SUMMARY

Vigorous employment and population growth has resulted in the Houston multifamily market posting record breaking gains across the board. After having absorbed a record number of units the historical supply/demand imbalance has led to impressive occupancy and rent growth. Due to strong job growth many individuals are moving to Houston. The Houston MSA population reached 5.9 million residents in 2010, increasing 26.1% since 2000 and leading all other major U.S. metro markets. Houston achieved the status of being the top destination for young professionals. In U-Haul’s National Migration report, Houston was the top city for personal relocations. In addition to the strong population growth seen over the past ten years, Houston is expected to add 490,228 residents in the next 5 years. Augmenting the excellent job growth, economists are expecting Houston to continue a similar trend over the next three years. Moody’s projects 423,500 jobs will be created in Houston from 2013-2016. With the combination of proven and future job growth, Houston will be a top destination.

(8)

Houston Metro Profile

EMPLOYMENT

The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metro Area added 111,200 net new jobs, a 3.6 percent increase in the 12 months ending April 2013, according to data released today by the Texas Workforce Commission. By comparison, employment in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington grew by 3.7 percent, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos by 3.5 percent, San Antonio-New Braunfels by 1.4 percent, and El Paso by 0.9 percent. Midland led the state with 6.2 percent annual growth, followed closely by Odessa with 5.2 percent. The state as a whole grew 2.8 percent.

Since the bottom of the recession the metro area has added 310,600 net new jobs, or 201.9 percent of the 153,100 jobs lost during the recession. No other major U.S. metro has recouped a greater percentage of lost jobs. Only the New York metro area, with three times Houston’s population, has added a greater number of jobs since the recession’s end.

Source: The Greater Houston Partnership, August 2013

(9)

Houston Metro Profile

Every major sector, except other services, reported job growth in Houston over the previous 12 months. Details can be found below:

CHANGE IN NONFARM PAYROLL EMPLOYMENT

Houston Metro Area - July 2012 – July 2013

Job Description

Jobs Added

% Change

Total Nonfarm

97,700

3.6

Total Private

91,000

3.9

Goods Producing

25,100

4.8

Mining and Logging

5,700

5.5

Oil and Gas Extraction

3,500

6.4

Support Activities for Mining

1,800

3.8

Construction

13,000

7.4

Manufacturing

6,400

2.6

Durable Goods

6,100

3.7

Non-Durable Goods

300

0.4

Service Providing

72,600

3.4

Trade, Transportation and Utilities

21,200

3.9

Wholesale Trade

6,800

4.7

Retail Trade

10,000

3.6

Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities

4,400

3.4

Information

1,100

3.5

Financial Activities

4,200

3.0

Finance and Insurance

2,700

3.0

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

1,500

3.0

Professional and Business Services

11,200

2.7

Educatinal and Health Services

14,900

4.6

Educational Services

1,200

2.7

Health Care and Social Assistance

13,700

4.9

Leisure and Hospitality

14,700

5.6

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

1,000

3.3

Accomodation and Food Services

13,700

6.0

Other Services

-1,400

-1.4

Government

6,700

1.9

Source: Texas Workforce Commission July 2013

(10)

Houston Metro Profile

FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES HEADQUARTERED IN HOUSTON

Company

Rank

Phillips 66

4

Conoco Phillips

45

Enterprise Products Partners

64

Sysco

65

Plains All American Pipeline

77

Halliburton

106

Baker Hughes

135

Natinal Oilwell Varco

144

Apache

167

Marathon Oil

174

Waste Management

200

EOG Resources

233

Kinder Morgan

265

Cameron International

310

KBR

334

Grouop 1 Automotive

343

CenterPoint Energy

344

EnbridgeEnergy Partners

381

Quanta Services

397

FMC Technologies

417

Targa Resources

435

MRC Blobal

451

Calpine

459

Spectra Energy

475

(11)

Houston Metro Profile

LARGEST HOUSTON AREA EMPLOYERS - 2013

Memorial Hermann Health System

19,500

The University of Texas MD Anderson

19,290

United Airlines -

17,000

Exxon Mobil Corporation

13,191

Shell Oil Company

13,000

Houston Methodist

13,000

Kroger Company

12,000

National Oilwell Varco

10,000

Schlumberger Limited

10,000

BP America Inc.

9,537

UTMB Health

9,318

Baylor College of Medicine

9,232

Chevron

9,000

HP

9,000

ARAMARK Corp.

8,500

Pappas Restaurants, Inc.

8,000

HCA

7,855

Macy’s

7,000

AT&T

6,900

The Dow Chemical Company, Freeport

6,100

Baker Hughes Incorporated

6,000

H.E.B.

6,000

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System

6,000

Texas Children’s Hospital

6,000

Jacobs

5,800

Halliburton

5,748

Fiesta Mart

5,500

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

5,220

KBR

5,089

LyonellBasell Industries

5,080

CenterPoint Energy

5,000

JPMorgan Chase

5,000

(12)

Houston Metro Profile

EDUCATION

Houston boasts 40 colleges. More than 25% of residents age 25 and over have graduated from college and over 75% of residents in this age group have graduated from high school. Both statistics are higher than the national average.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

The University of Houston, which is comprised of 4 separate universities with campuses in the Clear Lake area (UH Clear Lake), Victoria (UH Victoria), downtown Houston (UH Downtown) and its main campus, houses 40 research centers and has over 300 partnerships with various corporate, civic, and government organizations. The system offers bachelors, masters, special professional and doctoral degrees in 291 programs in 14 colleges and schools

.

(13)

Houston Metro Profile

RICE UNIVERSITY

Rice University is a private institution and is the oldest university in Houston. Since 1990 Rice University has led the nation’s universities in percentage of National Merit Scholars in its freshman classes, averaging 32.5%. Rice University uses its endowment – one of the largest held by any university in the world - to keep tuition lower. The US News and World Report has previously rated Rice University second best college value in the nation and twelfth best national doctoral university.

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM

The Houston Community College System with 18 campuses over the Houston metro area is nationally recognized for its educational excellence. HCC is an excellent educational resource for those who seek advancement leading to professional careers, for those who seek skilled training or to upgrade their skills for the workforce, and for those seeking lifelong learning opportunities to enhance their quality of life.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS

The University of St. Thomas, founded in 1947, is located in Houston’s Museum District. UST’s academic programs are anchored in the classical tradition of education with the humanities and sciences at the core of all their undergraduate programs.

Seven universities comprise the University Center. The universities are: North Harris Montgomery Community College District, Prairie View A&M University, Sam Houston State University, Texas Southern University, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, and University of Houston Downtown. They offer bachelor’s degrees, masters’ degrees and continuing studies to more than one million individuals in the area.The Texas Medical Center offers medical and nursing schools, which include Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Women’s University School of Nursing, The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center and Houston Baptist University. Younger Houston residents are served primarily by the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the state’s largest public school district and the seventh largest public school system in the U.S. HISD has an enrollment of over 210,000 students and consists of 295 campuses and educational programs. There are a total of 23 public school districts in Harris County, with 38 districts in the surrounding counties. Houston is also home to approximately 200 private and parochial schools with more than 45,000 students.

(14)

Houston Metro Profile

AEROSPACE

Home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), and a diverse network of research and education organizations with ties to aerospace technology, the Houston region is a worldwide leader in the aerospace industry.

Top Employers:

Jacobs Engineering (5,800), NASA-Johnson Space Center (3,000 civil servants, not including contractors), The Boeing Company (1,500), United Space Alliance (1,264) and Lockheed Martin Space Operations (880).

Establishments:

Houston is home to more than 150 companies involved in aircraft or space vehicle manufacturing, space research and technology, or other air transportation support activities. There are 10 establishments in aerospace products and parts manufacturing.

Trade:

Houston’s total trade in aircraft, spacecraft and parts (HS-88) totaled $1.57 billion in 2012, a 5.5% decrease from $1.66 billion in 2011. Aircraft, spacecraft and parts ranks as Houston’s 16th largest internationally traded commodity.

Economic Impact:

According to JSC’s 2009 Economic Impact Report (most recent available), the

center funded $5.9 billion in contracts, grants, civil service payroll, and procurements. Of that amount, $2.4 billion funded work in the Houston region.

Tourism:

Space Center Houston is the official visitor’s center for Johnson Space Center. Approximately 800,000 visitors each year come to learn about the past, present, and future story of America’s space program.

(15)

Houston Metro Profile

AGRIBUSINESS

Centrally situated in a 20-county coastal prairie agricultural region, Houston is a major international agribusiness center emphasizing the marketing, processing, packaging and distribution of agricultural commodities. In 2012, 212,000 acres – approximately 18 percent of Harris County’s land area – were classified as agricultural/timber land for property tax purposes. Agricultural production value in the Houston MSA in 2012 totaled $1.1 billion, up 6.2 percent from 2011.

Value of Agricultural Production – Houston MSA 2012

Harris

441,733

40.1%

Fort Bend

215,592

19.6%

Brazoria

109,480

9.9%

Austin

85,365

7.8%

Liberty

77,229

7.0%

Walker

56,391

5.1%

San Jacinto

37,660

3.4%

Chambers

29,642

2.7%

Galveston

26,028

2.4%

Montgomery

21,314

1.9%

(16)

Houston Metro Profile

CONSTRUCTION

Employment:

Construction employment in the Houston MSA totaled 178,000 in 2012, increasing

4.2 percent from the 170,900 employed in 2011.

Top Employers (Commercial Building Contractors

): BIS TEPSCO, Inc. (544), Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. (450), Tellepsen (400 employees), D. E. Harvey Builders, Inc. (300) and W. S. Bellows Construction Corporation (275).

Establishments:

The Houston MSA in the fourth quarter of 2012 had 9,230 construction

establishments: 1,557 in residential building, 1,049 in nonresidential building construction, 965 in heavy and civil engineering construction, and 5,659 specialty trade contractors.

Building Permits:

. In 2012, the City of Houston issued building permits valued at $4.9 billion, up 33.0 percent from $3.7 billion in 2011. Nonresidential permits rose 27 percent, from $2.4 billion in 2011 to $3.1 billion in 2012. Permits for residential construction totaled $1.8 billion in 2012, up 44.9 percent from $1.2 billion in 2011. Residential contracts totaled $7.0 billion in 2012, up 31.5 percent from $5.3 billion in 2011. Commercial contracts totaled $3.7 billion in 2012, up 1.1% from $3.6 billion in 2011

(17)

Houston Metro Profile

ENERGY

Houston is the leading domestic and international center for virtually every segment of the energy industry – exploration, production, transmission, marketing, service, supply, offshore drilling and technology.

Employment:

In 2012, the Houston MSA held 28.8 percent of the nation’s jobs in oil and gas extraction (53,900 of 186,800), 11.7% of jobs in support activities for mining (45,600 of 391,100) and 16.5% of agriculture, construction and mining machinery manufacturing jobs (40,500 of 245,000).

Top Employers:

ExxonMobil (13,191 employees), Shell Oil Company (13,000), Schlumberger

(10,000), BP America (9,537) and Chevron (9,000).

Establishments:

The Houston MSA has more than 3,700 energy-related establishments, both

upstream and downstream. According to the 2011 County Business Patterns, there are 617 establishments in oil and gas extraction and 698 establishments in support activities for oil and gas operations.

Houston is home to 40 of the nation’s 145 publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production firms, including 11 of the top 25 as ranked by 2011 total assets; nine more among the top 25 have subsidiaries, major divisions or other significant operations in Houston. The logistics for moving much of the nation’s petroleum and natural gas across the country are controlled from Houston. Sixteen of the nation’s 20 largest US interstate oil pipeline companies have a presence in the Houston region that includes corporate or divisional headquarters or ownership interests. These 16 control 69,866 miles or 47 percent of all U.S. oil pipeline capacity. Seventeen of the nation’s top 20 natural gas transmission companies have corporate or divisional headquarters in Houston, controlling 126,085 miles of U.S. pipeline, which is 64 percent of total U.S. gas pipeline capacity.

Partnerships

: Houston is the Permanent Secretariat of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP), a collaboration among 18 energy cities worldwide providing a platform for information exchange, networking and public relations.

The Energy Forum

of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University draws

together experts from academia, the energy industry, government, media and nongovernmental organizations, including researchers from Japan, China, Russia, South

(18)

Houston Metro Profile

The Wind Alliance (TWA),

founded and headquartered in Houston, is a non-profit collaboration

of industry, academia and government, working in a combined effort to ensure America’s wind energy future. TWA is comprised of premier wind research institutions across the nation and serves as a think-tank vehicle to identify game-changing solutions for the wind industry. The Advanced Energy

Consortium

, led by Rice University and The University of Texas, includes BP

America,

ConocoPhillips, Halliburton Energy Services, Marathon Oil, Schlumberger, Occidental Oil and Gas, and Occidental Petroleum working together to pursue micro- and nanotechnology applications to increase oil and gas production.

(19)

Houston Metro Profile

MANUFACTURING

Employment:

Manufacturing employment in the Houston MSA averaged 243,200 in 2012 –

67.5% in durable goods and 32.5% in nondurables. Chemicals accounted for 14.4% of total manufacturing employment; fabricated metals and machinery,

45.3%.

Top Employers:

National Oilwell Varco (10,000), HP (9,000), ExxonMobil Chemical Company – Baytown Chemical Complex (6,500), The Dow Chemical Company – Freeport (6,100) and Schlumberger Integrated Productivity & Conveyance (5,500).

Establishments:

The Houston MSA in the fourth quarter

of 2012 was home to 5,968 manufacturing establishments, which includes: 498 in chemical manufacturing, 742 machinery manufacturing, and 1,688 in fabricated metal product manufacturing. Manufacturing in 2012 accounted for $77.725 billion, or 16.2%, of Houston MSA Gross Area Product, according to The Perryman Group. Nondurable goods represent 72.0% of the manufacturing total.

Petroleum Refining:

The Spaghetti Bowl is a complex of

several thousand miles of product pipeline connecting some 200 chemical plants, refineries, salt domes and fractionation plants along the Texas Gulf Coast. It gives the Houston area a unique economic advantage through convenient and low-cost transfer of feedstocks, fuel and chemical products among plants, storage terminals and transportation facilities.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Refinery Capacity Report issued January 2013, the Texas Gulf Coast had a crude operable capacity of 4.5

million barrels of refined

petroleum products per calendar day — 87% of the Texas total and 25% of the U.S. total.

Chemicals/Petrochemicals:

The Houston MSA has 38.6% of the nation’s base petrochemicals

manufacturing capacity. Base petrochemicals are the raw materials for

producing some of the more important plastics and resins. The Houston MSA dominates U.S. production of three major resins — polyethylene, with 36.6% of U.S. capacity; polypropylene, with 51.7%; and polyvinyl chloride, with 34.4%.

(20)

Houston Metro Profile

ENGINEERING

Employment:

Houston has more than 86,380 engineers, architects, drafters and technicians of

all disciplines, the most numerous being, civil, industrial, petroleum, mechanical, electrical/electronic and aerospace. For every 100,000 workers in the Houston MSA, there are 3,271 engineers and architects. In comparison, for every 100,000 workers in the U.S., there are 1,809 engineers and architects.

Top Employers

: KBR (502 licensed engineers), Technip (240), S&B Engineers and Constructors

(232), WorleyParsons Group (207) and Mustang Engineering (134).

Establishments:

There are nearly 2,800 engineering and architectural establishments in

Houston. Of the 25 largest firms on ENR’s 2012 ranking of the Top 500 Engineering and Design Firms, all 25 have a presence in Houston.

Earnings

: According to the Houston Business Journal, local billings of Houston’s 10 largest energy engineering firms (ranked by 2011 local gross billings) reached nearly $6.2 billion in 2011. Local billings of Houston’s 10 largest civil and structural engineering firms (ranked by 2011 local gross billings) surpassed $2.3 billion in 2011.

(21)

Houston Metro Profile

TECHNOLOGY

Research and Development

NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Texas Medical Center, major universities, and the world’s largest concentration of energy and petrochemical companies make Houston a focal point of U.S. research and development (R&D) activities. University of Houston received more than $106.8 million in total awards in FY 2012 for research areas including the physical and life sciences, engineering, technology, optometry and pharmacy. Among the premier research entities at the University of Houston are:

• Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH – a large superconductivity research and advanced materials center, with more than 200 faculty, research faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students from the disciplines of chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering.

• Center for Advanced Materials – develops new materials leading to novel energy technologies of importance to both federal and industry programs in its industry-academia-government partnerships. CAM applies epitaxial thin-film growth techniques to the development of advanced materials to form new micro- and nano-engineered materials and devices.

• Institute for Molecular Design – leading the national effort to harness the power of advanced computers for the discovery of new medicines, industrial catalysts, agrochemical and other useful materials. The IMD reaches out to other Houston area institutions through the Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Bioscience.

• Texas Institute for Measurement and Evaluation Statistics conducts research to advance scientific discovery through the development and application of measurement, evaluation, and statistical research methods.

problems.

• The Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering – promotes cross-disciplinary research and education encompassing the biological, chemical, and engineering disciplines. The Institute represents a unique educational environment by providing opportunities for interactions among researchers at Rice, colleagues in the Texas Medical Center and other institutions, and industry. • The Rice Quantum Institute – researches advanced materials, quantum magnetism, plasmonics and photonics, biophysics,ultracold atom physics, condensed matter and chemical physics, and all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In addition,numerous research efforts are focused on the development of innovations and emerging technologies, translating many of the scientific breakthroughs at Rice into useful applications that will benefit society.

(22)

Houston Metro Profile

Biotechnology

Houston’s biotechnical industry is keyed to three segments: the Texas Medical Center; research and development at area universities, health care institutions and other public and private firms; and spin-off or fully commercialized companies engaged in production or preproduction operations

Houston has some of the country’s top research facilities, over 190 life science companies, and nearly 200 hospitals and health clinics. World-class research and development is currently taking place in every key biotech cluster (i.e., agricultural, biomedical, oncological, nanotechnological, environmental, and in genomics).

The Texas Life Science Conference is the state’s premier biotechnology venture conference and the most comprehensive showcase of cutting edge research and gathering of innovative entrepreneurs in the region.

Nanotechnology

The science of very small things means big things for Houston. Houston companies and institutions are active in cutting-edge research and development, making the region leader in nanotechnology. According to the Woodrow Wilson Institute’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, Houston is one of the top 10 U.S. metro areas with significant research and commercialization related to nanotechnology.

The Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, named after the late Richard Smalley, whose work with fellow Rice professor Robert Curl led to a Nobel Prize-winning discovery that launched the nanotechnology era. The Institute promotes collaboration among 151 university faculty members in 21 departments. The institute is comprised of several centers and affiliated with various organizations, such as The Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, The International Council on Nanotechnology, The Nano Carbon Center, and The HiPco Laboratory.

• Rice has been granted more than 200 patents related to nanotechnology and has applied for almost as many more.

(23)

Houston Metro Profile

HEALTHCARE

Employment:

The Houston MSA employs

over 280,000 employees in the health care industry. The region has 14,709 physicians and 130 hospitals (119 general and special, 11 psychiatric) with 20,575 beds. Harris County, with 12,040 physicians, has 96 hospitals (87 general and special, nine psychiatric) with 15,253 beds. Clinics, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are plentiful. Virtually every medical specialty is represented in the region.

The Houston MSA has:

● 569 certified emergency care attendants ● 7,963 basic emergency medical technicians ● 1,117 intermediate emergency technicians ● 2,681 paramedics

● 875 licensed paramedics

Top Employers:

Memorial Hermann Healthcare (19,500 employees), The University of Texas MD

Anderson (19,290), The Methodist Hospital System (13,000), UTMB Health (9,318) and Baylor College of Medicine (9,232). Establishments: The Houston region is home to over 12,000 health care establishments. This include 390 licensed emergency medical services firms (ambulance services), each required by law to have a physician medical director. The Houston MSA also has 57 registered first responder organizations that are dispatched as soon as ambulances are dispatched in response to a call for help.

Texas Medical Center member institutions include:

 Six general hospitals: Ben Taub General Hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

 Eleven specialized hospitals: Harris County Psychiatric Center, Quentin Mease Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children–Houston and Galveston, Texas Children’s Hospital, DePelchin Children’s Center, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research

(24)

Houston Metro Profile

(TIRR), The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital, The Menninger Clinic and the Michael E. DeBakey Veteran Affairs Medical Center.

 Two specialized patient facilities: Texas Heart Institute and The Hospice at the Texas Medical Center.

 Three medical schools: Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical School and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

 Five schools of nursing: Prairie View A&M College of Nursing, Texas Woman’s University Institute of Health Sciences, The University of Texas School of Nursing, Houston Community College and the University of Houston School of Nursing.

 Two schools of pharmacy: Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and University of Houston College of Pharmacy.

 A dental school: The University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School.

 A community college focused on 19 health science fields: Houston Community College.

 A high school of health professions: Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions

(25)

Houston Metro Profile

PORT OF HOUSTON

The Port of Houston continues to be a dominant force throughout the nation and the world. The port has been ranked first in the United States in foreign tonnage for 17 consecutive years, first in imports for 22 consecutive years and second in total tonnage for 21 consecutive years. The Port of Houston is the sixth largest port in the world and ranks tenth in the world for total tonnage. The Port of Houston is a 25-mile complex of diversified public and private facilities. It is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and the 150-plus private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel. In 2012, the Port of Houston Authority recorded the highest volume of container TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and the largest amount of container tonnage in its history, at 18.5 million tons and just over 1.5 million TEUs. In recent years, the focus of the port has been on goods being shipped in from Latin America and on the petrochemical industry. The Bayport Container Terminal encompasses more than 1,000 acres and handles 2.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) per year. The first phase of the terminal was opened in February 2007. The top five commodities traded are petroleum and petroleum products; machinery; organic chemical; iron and steel; and motor vehicles. Two major railroads and 150 trucking lines connect the Port to the balance of the continental United States, Canada and Mexico.

TRANSPORTATION

RAILROADS AND TRUCKING

With more than 700,000 rail cars serving the Houston area, it’s also one of the nation’s busiest rail centers. Typical commodities shipped via rail through Houston include chemicals, plastics, grain, forest products, consumer goods, potash, cotton and steel. The rail service is extremely integrated with the market’s local trucking industry, air cargo system, and Intracoastal Waterway barge system via six intermodal terminals.

Houston’s trucking industry is well-integrated with the Port of Houston, Bush Intercontinental Airport, Hobby Airport, Ellington Field and the mainline railroads serving the city. There are more than 735 non-local trucking firms serving Houston.

(26)

Houston Metro Profile

HIGHWAYS AND TOLLROADS

Houston is intersected by I-45 running north and south and I-10 running east and west. 59, US-290, US-90, SH-288, SH-225, I-610, the Hardy Toll Road, Sam Houston Toll Way, the Grand Parkway and SH 6 comprise an extensive network of highways that run through Houston metro and connect to surrounding areas. The city is located along the extension of Interstate 69, which links the Midwestern U.S., Texas, Canada and Mexico, further enhancing Houston’s role as an international trade center.

The Westpark Tollway links west Houston to Uptown Houston and to Loop 610-Galleria/Bellaire. The Loop 610 highway expansion and tunnel system has substantially relieved the traffic congestion in the Galleria. Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road opened in August 2004. This four-lane, six mile toll road connects SH 6 with the Sam Houston Tollway in the eastern part of Fort Bend County. Fort Bend Westpark Tollway opened in late 2005. Upon completion, the new toll way will begin at the Grand Parkway in Fort Bend and extend 20 miles to US-59/Loop 610. The expansion of Interstate 10 was completed in 2009. The first phase of METRO’s new light rail line in downtown Houston has been completed and a new line running down Richmond Avenue to Uptown Houston is now in the planning stage.

AIRPORTS

There are two major airports in Houston: George Bush Intercontinental Airport located in north Houston and William P. Hobby Airport located in southeast Houston. The Houston Airport System is the fourth largest in the country and the sixth largest in the world. George Bush Intercontinental Airport, originally named Houston Intercontinental Airport when it opened in 1969, is the eighth busiest commercial airport in the U.S., offering international and domestic service. It is home to 27 scheduled passenger airlines and 12 all-cargo airlines.

William P. Hobby Airport, established in 1937, is Houston’s oldest airport and is the forty-fifth busiest airport in the United States for total passengers. Seven scheduled passenger airlines currently serve the airport. Located south of downtown Houston, it provides domestic service to over 65 cities in the U.S.

(27)

Houston Metro Profile

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

An often overlooked factor in Houston’s industries is the Port of Houston. Shipping and trade are important elements in the city’s diversity, making a $7.7 billion annual impact on the local economy. A fact not known by many is that the Port of Houston is ranked first in the U.S. in the U.S. in terms of foreign tonnage and second in total tonnage, and is the sixth-largest port in the world. It is the closest major port to Mexico’s industrial centers, making Houston a major international business hub benefiting from trade between Texas, Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Additionally, the area hosts the U.S. headquarters for over 150 foreign companies representing 23 countries.

Houston has a world-class transportation infrastructure, including the Houston Airport System, which ranks fourth in the country and sixth globally for multi-airport systems. More than 700,000 rail cars pass through the region

annually, carrying a wide range of products, from processed foods to plastics to a score of other manufactured goods.

Houston has over 575 miles of highways and expressways, with nearly 1,000 trucking companies moving goods along them every day.

Ninety-two foreign governments have consular offices in Houston and many maintain trade offices here. Houston consistently ranks as one of the top three cities in the U.S. for the number of consular offices. Forty-three governments maintain trade and commercial offices here and the city has twenty-four international chambers of commerce. The city’s diverse foreign business and international community are supported by in excess of 80 private business and cultural organizations. Houston has 20 banks, representing 9 nations, and has 17 sister-city relationships across four continents: Australia (1), Asia (6), Europe (7), Africa (1) and Americas (2).

HOUSTON IS HOME TO:

88 CONSULATE OFFICES

21 FOREIGN BANKS, REPRESENTING 11 NATIONS

MORE THAN 640 FOREIGN-OWNED FIRMS

MORE THAN 450 HOUSTON-AREA COMPANIES WITH OFFICES IN 129 FOREIGN COUNTRIES

MORE THAN 3,300 AREA

FIRMS, FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

(28)

Houston Metro Profile

TOURISM AND ENTERTAINMENT

Houston has a diverse array of entertainment available. Some 700,000+ tourists and local residents visit the Space Center Houston annually. Galveston Island is a major source of tourist revenue for the Houston MSA. The Galleria is one of the largest malls in the southwest with 2.1 million square feet of retail space. The annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the world’s largest rodeo and attracts over 2 million visitors each year.

Houston also offers the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Ballet, and the Alley Theatre and is second only to New York in terms of seat concentration. Houston is one of only five cities in the country with these year-round visual and performing arts available. In the past 20 years, Houston has added or expanded 10 art museums or galleries, four major theaters or performance centers, and 18 science and history museums. Houston’s Museum District, near Hermann Park, includes the MFAH, the Houston museum of Natural Science, the Houston Zoo and 13 other institutions, most of which are museums.

SPORTS

Houston is home to the Houston Astros, who play in the Minute Maid Ballpark, a state-of-the-art, retractable-roofed, $250 million stadium located in downtown Houston. Professional football returned to Houston in 2002. The Houston Texans, the National Football League’s 32nd and final franchise, now calls Houston home in the $367 million world-class Reliant Stadium. The $175 million Toyota Center is the new home of the Houston Rockets and Houston Comets basketball teams. Houston’s newest sports franchise, the Houston Dynamo, is a professional soccer team formerly named the Earthquakes of San Jose, California. It plays its home matches in Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston.

(29)

Houston Metro Profile

Houston is the home of several world-class golf courses. Each March, Houston’s Redstone Golf Course hosts the Shell Houston Open, the last stop on the PGA tour before the Masters Tournament. The PGA 2003 Tour Championship was hosted by Houston’s Champions Golf Club. Recent improvements to the course are longer drives and more complex greens. In addition to the private courses the city and county courses are available for everyone.

LIFESTYLE AND RECREATION

Houston boasts a mild climate, with only 21 days per year with temperatures less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit and an average winter temperature of 66 degrees. The average summer temperature is 91 degrees. Allowing for year-round activities, there are over 400 parks and nature centers encompassing over 20,362 acres available for Houston area residents and visitors. Memorial Park, centrally located near the Galleria area, has an arboretum, herb garden, botanical hall, golf course, tenniscourts, 3 mile jogging trail and playing fields. Hermann Park, near the Medical Center, is one of Houston’s oldest and most historically significant urban green spaces and is a destination for 5.5 million visitors each year. Adjacent to the park are the Houston Zoo, Miller Outdoor Theatre, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the first desegregated public golf course in the United States. Buffalo Bayou Park runs along the Buffalo Bayou west of downtown and covers approximately 120 acres. Lake Houston, located 15 miles northeast of Houston, is a 12,240 acre recreational lake with camping, hiking and biking facilities as well as boating, fishing and water sports. In addition to several other lakes in areas surrounding Houston, the city provides more than 75 miles of nature or hike and bike trails, seven 18-hole municipal golf courses, 55 community recreation centers, 249 playgrounds, 44 swimming pools and numerous other facilities. Galveston Island, just 60 miles southeast of Houston, is a close get-a-way from the hectic pace of big city life and offers fishing, swimming, and surfing as well as other seaside related activities.

(30)

Houston Metro Profile

Prepared by:

KET Enterprises Incorporated

4295 San Felipe I Suite 355 I Houston, TX 77027

713-355-4646

www.ketent.com

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this document contains material from sources deemed to be reliable. However, KET Enterprises Incorporated does not warrant the validity of same.

Sources:

C B Richard Ellis Grub & Ellis

Apartment Data Services The Greater Houston Partnership

Dr. Barton Smith: The Institute for Regional Forecasting Hendricks & Partners

Live Oak Capital Marcus & Millichap

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Economic Research Publications MPF Research

Texas A&M Real Estate Center The Houston Business Journal

References

Related documents

 Exams with relative date and mark, ECTS if available, and number of teaching hours AND/OR:.  Other training activities – including non-university activities-

Even if arbitration of mandatory rules does result in some under-enforcement of national public policies, might the Mitsubishi approach be justified nonetheless? 17

• When anesthesia is administered by a nurse anesthetist, it is recognized as the practice of nursing; when. administered by an anesthesiologist, it is recognized as the practice

The extent to which the response has contributed to (i) protection from risk (including SGBV), promotion of psychosocial wellbeing and strengthening skills and knowledge on

Likewise, Solomon et al (2013) reported that seasonal disease outbreak (mainly Newcastle disease), predators, lack of credit services, limited skill of management

The experimental results favored Verifinger 6.0 Extended SDK in the FNMR test, which showed the best performance among the four fingerprints images groups with a mean below 7%,

 Increased military and naval rivalr Increased military and naval rivalry led not only to the belief that war was y led not only to the belief that war was coming (The coming

Editor of skills to write good entry level qa tester resume summary are a clean design position for an amazing first of your first and work.. Ezpicker app to learn how to write