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 machine attaching silicon dies to a chip at a fabrication facility.
    Image attribution tooltip
    SweetBunFactory for iStock via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why construction must use technology to build technology

    The semiconductor industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and needs facilities that can match its rise. Here’s how the construction industry can answer the call.

    Darin Hart • Dec. 18, 2024
  • A rendering of the exterior of a laboratory building
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Pa.gov
    Image attribution tooltip

    Healthcare construction a key part of US infrastructure

    Contractors that are prepared to deliver medical facilities will be in high demand in 2025, writes a construction consultant.

    Mary Scott Nabers • Dec. 10, 2024
  • A small lake surrounded by mountains
    Image attribution tooltip
    Cavan Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Trump’s push for deregulation a double-edged sword for construction

    The president-elect’s focus on slashing red tape could be problematic for contractors and developers, writes a construction risk management expert.

    Christopher Ward • Dec. 5, 2024
  • an artist rendering of a public library
    Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from City of New Braunfels.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Suburban cities focus on infrastructure expansions, upgrades

    These smaller-but-growing markets are generating a range of public works construction projects, writes consultant Mary Scott Nabers.

    Mary Scott Nabers • Nov. 19, 2024
  • Donald Trump
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    I’m a construction exec who voted for Harris. But I see silver linings for our industry under Trump.

    Former Congressman Patrick E. Murphy sees less red tape, incentives for permit approvals and a push for innovation as positives for builders.

    Patrick E. Murphy • Nov. 18, 2024
  • Two people in hardhats look out from a high view into an in-progress building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Paul Bradbury via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    What makes a great people manager?

    The industry’s best leaders have a high level of emotional intelligence, writes a construction consultant.

    Chad Prinkey • Nov. 14, 2024
  • a man and woman look at a computer monitor set up on a construction site
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Barton Malow
    Image attribution tooltip

    For tech innovation, trust the process

    At Barton Malow, testing a field printer that operates much like a CAD-driven Roomba started by organizing teams and aligning goals, writes the firm’s VDC director.

    Matt Hedke • Nov. 13, 2024
  • Workers tie rebar for the California high speed rail project
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by California High-Speed Rail Authority
    Image attribution tooltip

    My career success started with an apprenticeship

    New Jersey ironworker and business leader Joseph Merlino says that young people need more paths to the trades.

    Joseph N. Merlino • Nov. 7, 2024
  • closeup of hands on a keyboard, software code featured in the screen
    Image attribution tooltip
    scyther5 via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Avoid these common mistakes around software implementation

    Software itself is rarely the problem — it’s how you deploy it that makes all the difference, according to a construction accounting consultant.

    Scott Franchini • Oct. 23, 2024
  • a flooded street remains deserted of people
    Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Eisen via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Communities nationwide plan disaster preparedness work

    As cities and states prepare for more extreme weather like this fall’s major hurricanes, there are hundreds of resiliency projects throughout the country already underway. Here are six of them.

    Mary Scott Nabers • Oct. 11, 2024
  • construction workers wearing hard hats smile and stand together
    Image attribution tooltip
    Greenleaf123 via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    What my generation brings to construction

    As the industry continues to evolve, tech-savvy younger workers are key to its future success, writes consultant (and Gen Zer) Fulton Cure.

    Fulton Cure • Oct. 9, 2024
  • People walk past a sign for the Internal Revenue Service.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    9 year-end tax tips for general contractors

    Company leaders should take time to review the tax implications of their business and operations now, writes a CPA focused on construction.

    Anita Mahamed • Oct. 8, 2024
  • A chain lock over a gate on a construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    EricFerguson via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Signs that a project partner is in distress

    Noticing the red flags and knowing how to act is vital for fending off potential problems, according to a construction attorney.

    Dan Rosenberg • Sept. 18, 2024
  • An empty floor on a building under construction.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Tennessee Witney via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to tell if a project owner is in financial trouble

    In today’s volatile lending environment, it's important to know the signs that could indicate a client is in distress, says a construction attorney.

    Dan Rosenberg • Sept. 16, 2024
  • A project engineer talks to a computer operator who points to screens showing AI and machine learning enhanced tools.
    Image attribution tooltip
    gorodenkoff/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why I chose preconstruction tech for a looming deadline

    LeChase Construction Services’ Peter Muench talks about leveraging a collaboration platform to keep a project on track under a tight funding timeline.

    Peter Muench • Sept. 13, 2024
  • an illustration of construction equipment building a dollar sign
    Image attribution tooltip
    Leontura via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to maintain a steady backlog

    Measuring future work is one way to help it grow, according to consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • Sept. 5, 2024
  • A package of Narcan nasal spray.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why construction needs more access to opioid overdose meds

    Drugs like fentanyl kill more workers in construction than in any other industry, but some states limit permissions around Narcan and other lifesaving antidotes, says a Nevada union leader.

    Vince Saavedra • Aug. 22, 2024
  • a man in a hard hat looks over a construction site as the sun goes down
    Image attribution tooltip
    Xijian via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    5 things to know about industrialized construction

    Focused on technology and manufacturing, the approach can optimize a project’s speed and efficiency, but adoption has been slow.

    Ryan Ware • Aug. 16, 2024
  • A man in a suit and an orange safety vest uses a tablet on a construction site. The user is in the foreground and clear, the background is blurred.
    Image attribution tooltip
    AzmanL via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How tech can solve the buying vs. renting riddle

    National concrete contractor Lithko went digital to analyze hidden costs in owning equipment and take advantage of the urgency renting creates.

    Rob Coakley • Aug. 14, 2024
  • Two people sit at a table in an office.
    Image attribution tooltip
    LaylaBird via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Successful mentorship is a 2-way street

    Bidirectional mentoring isn’t just valuable, the future of our industry depends on it, writes Nancy Novak, chief innovation officer of Compass Datacenters.

    Nancy Novak • Aug. 8, 2024
  • a large metal clock hangs on a wall
    Image attribution tooltip
    farakos via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Bogged down by busywork? Here’s how to optimize high-priority tasks

    A time-tracking system can help workers take control of their day.

    John Livingston • Aug. 8, 2024
  • A multiracial group of three construction workers, led by an African-American woman, at a construction site. The woman, in her 40s, is walking between two men in their 50s, talking and looking toward the Hispanic man.
    Image attribution tooltip
    kali9/E+ via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    4 ways supplier diversity helps you win in construction

    Engaging with underrepresented subs and disributors can give you a business edge and strengthen the depth of your procurement channels, according to a small business liaison officer. 

    Stephanie Sherwood • July 17, 2024
  • two engineers look at blueprints in front of a construction crane
    Image attribution tooltip
    Saranyoo Chantawong via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    A contractor’s success or failure starts at the top

    Many seemingly thriving firms deal with employee burnout, high turnover or an unhealthy culture. It’s up to company leaders to fix that.

    Matt Verderamo • July 11, 2024
  • A drawing of a bridge over a river in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Knoxvilletn.gov
    Image attribution tooltip

    Billion-dollar investments propel bridge repair, replacement projects

    Spans in states like Florida, Iowa and Vermont are getting a new lease on life thanks to federal, state and local funding.

    Mary Scott Nabers • July 2, 2024
  • An individual interacts with an AI chatbot on a computer screen.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Laurence Dutton via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    6 ways civil contractors can leverage AI

    A consultant in organizational and infrastructure planning breaks down how builders deploy the tech on projects today.

    Angus Frost • June 26, 2024