The challenges of rebuilding lives and infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina was voted the top construction story of 2005 in the annual survey conducted by the Construction Writers Association. Rounding out the top five are: 2) controversial federal transportation appropriations bill; 3) the continuing shortages and high costs of construction materials; 4) the rebuilding of Iraq’s public infrastructure; and 5) the growing application of sustainable design technologies.