Opinion

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders


If you are interested in having your voice heard on Construction Dive's Opinion page, please read our editorial guidelines and fill out the submission form here.

  • A wide shot of a solar panel production line with robot arms in a factory.
    Image attribution tooltip
    SweetBunFactory via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    IRA tax credits spur construction, manufacturing in red and blue states

    Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act could slow our ability to build more power generation and increase the risk of rolling blackouts and higher energy costs.

    Emmanuel Martin-Lauzer • May 30, 2025
  • In an aerial view, shipping containers are stacked on a dock at the Port of Oakland on December 09, 2024 in Oakland, California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    It’s not too late to offset tariffs on existing jobs

    Though increased costs seem inevitable, there are steps owners can take to mitigate potential impacts, even on current projects, write two attorneys.

    Stacy Bercun Bohm and Trav Clark • May 28, 2025
  • A construction worker in a hard hat uses steel rebar during the building of a condo tower.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Navigating the impact of new Buy America requirements on FHWA projects

    With the Manufactured Products General Waiver gone, contractors must prepare for potential cost, schedule and quality control issues, legal experts say.

    Michael Peloso & Dan McCrave-Bessette • May 27, 2025
  • Two construction workers wear respirators on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    coffeekai via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Worker safety is in jeopardy if we don’t protect NIOSH

    The agency that has been gutted by recent federal cuts provides the construction industry with vital support, writes a community health professor.

    Sandra J. Domeracki • May 21, 2025
  • accounting
    Image attribution tooltip
    atiatiati via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Cash isn’t king. Cash flow is.

    Smart contractors know how long it takes for money to transform from an outgoing expense to an incoming payment, writes data scientist Bruce Orr.

    Bruce Orr • May 14, 2025
  • A man stands in a board room, looking out on the horizon
    Image attribution tooltip
    brightstars via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How new construction execs can set themselves up to succeed

    Emerging leaders must be flexible in the face of change while also speaking up for what they need, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • May 14, 2025
  • Aerial shot of TSMC's $40 billion construction project in Phoenix, Arizona
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by TSMC
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Trump’s tariffs alone aren’t enough

    Manufacturing projects are complex. Levies aimed at bringing these builds back to the U.S. need to be paired with broader initiatives, writes one construction executive. 

    Brian Gallagher • May 9, 2025
  • Aerial view of construction site with excavators on a sunny day.
    Image attribution tooltip
    gorodenkoff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    What NEPA changes mean for projects, permitting timelines

    The framework for environmental reviews is shifting as federal agencies revise or develop their own implementing regulations, according to attorney Alexaida Collet.

    Alexaida Collet • May 6, 2025
  • Construction workers help build a condo tower using steel rebar on Feb. 10, 2025, in Miami, Fla.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Your contract can mitigate tariff impacts, if you know where to look

    Two construction lawyers detail how cost-plus, guaranteed maximum price and lump sum agreements work in light of higher import duties.

    Mason Hester and Austin Moorman • April 21, 2025
  • an older worker trains a new worker on a construction site
    Image attribution tooltip
    Akacin Phonsawat via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why do we set up new hires to fail?

    The construction industry must move away from "sink-or-swim" training and instead provide early career workers with the coaching they need, writes consultant Fulton Cure.

    Fulton Cure • April 15, 2025
  • A construction site with two cranes.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The AI infrastructure race hits a political reality check

    The AI-driven data center boom has created demand for land, electricity and water, a dynamic that has spawned growing opposition from communities, utility grid operators and regulators.

    Joe Brettell and Jeff Berkowitz • April 14, 2025
  • An engineer looks at a table while overseeing a construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    sculpies/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to use tech to fill construction’s skills gap

    While new technology can be daunting for workers and managers alike, a venture chief says starting small and educating onsite personnel can help firms stay ahead of the curve.

    Gonzalo Galindo • April 9, 2025
  • steel rods sit on the back of a truck
    Image attribution tooltip
    Nordroden via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Tariffs will change the way projects are financed, delivered

    Rising material costs from President Donald Trump’s trade war are altering how deals are structured and jobs are executed, writes a construction executive.

    Brian Gallagher • April 8, 2025
  • A blue clipboard with a white paper that says "OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration," and protective gear lying above it.
    Image attribution tooltip
    designer491 for iStock via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Protecting OSHA protects workers. Slashing its budget is a dangerous mistake.

    Now is the time to invest more — not less — in the agency, writes a safety leader.

    Cam Mackey • April 4, 2025
  • two men shake hands on a construction site
    Image attribution tooltip
    shotbydave via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Design-build fosters collaboration, flexibility

    The fastest-growing project delivery method in the U.S. can help contractors control costs, streamline schedules and encourage innovation.

    Lisa Washington • March 27, 2025
  • workers rehabilitate a bridge roadway as the sun rises in the distance
    Image attribution tooltip
    John Moore via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    11 predictions for public contractors under Trump 2.0

    In this volatile environment, adapting quickly and understanding what is important to officials will be critical to government contracting success, writes consultant Mary Scott Nabers.

    Mary Scott Nabers • March 25, 2025
  • A group of people in a modern office chat over a presentation.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    You’re not losing on price — you’re losing on process

    Successful construction industry salespeople must hone this core set of competencies in order to win more projects, says consultant Chad Prinkey.

    Chad Prinkey • March 12, 2025
  • a father holds a baby in the hospital while the mother looks on
    Image attribution tooltip
    AscentXMedia via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Helping women succeed at work starts with better leave

    Supporting parents begins with stronger leave policies, writes a construction executive who gained a new perspective after starting her own family.

    Rebecca Ozols Goss • March 5, 2025
  • A single rider waits on a train platform at a Washington Metro rail station.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Alternative delivery methods can help speed, simplify civil projects

    What’s behind acronyms like CMAR, DB, PDB and P3s? A transportation construction expert explains.

    Sami Soufi • Feb. 19, 2025
  • a man works on a laptop in an office with a hardhat on the desk
    Image attribution tooltip
    izzetugutman via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why not to be the lowest bidder

    Competing on price matters, but it is only part of consistently winning work, says consultant Chad Prinkey.

    Chad Prinkey • Feb. 6, 2025
  • A highway with cars on it in front of a city skyline. Two large cranes line the highway next to new construction.
    Image attribution tooltip
    JasonDoiy via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why navigating uncertainty will be key to construction gains in 2025

    JLL’s Louis Molinini walks through the impacts of the new administration, higher material prices and a continued focus on resilience for contractors.

    Louis Molinini • Jan. 30, 2025
  • an aerial view of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges spanning the East River between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Art Wager via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    We need another infrastructure law

    Carlo Scissura has a message for Congress and President Trump: Building a stronger country can’t stop now.

    Carlo Scissura • Jan. 16, 2025
  • A high school-aged student performs carpentry work in a wood shop.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Phynart Studio via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why mentorship matters

    Initiatives like the ACE Mentor Program create a two-way street of learning, writes a preconstruction professional who works with high school students.

    Ratan Lal • Jan. 9, 2025
  • two men shake hands on a construction site
    Image attribution tooltip
    shotbydave via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Resolve to win more jobs in the new year

    Running a construction company is hard, but these steps can lead to a more profitable business, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • Jan. 9, 2025
  • a federal tax form
    Image attribution tooltip
    SilverV via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Construction leaders eye estate planning as tax changes loom

    For construction company owners considering succession options, the early months of 2025 are an important implementation time, writes a CPA.

    Anita Mahamed • Jan. 6, 2025