Opinion

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders


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  • an aerial view of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges spanning the East River between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan in New York City.
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    Art Wager via Getty Images
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    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.
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    Phynart Studio via Getty Images
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    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
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    shotbydave via Getty Images
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    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
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    SilverV via Getty Images
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    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
  • Connecticut department of transportation construction crews work on a road.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Why construction productivity growth is lagging — and what to do about it

    From 2000 to 2022, global construction productivity improved only 10%, just one-fifth the rate of the overall economy, write McKinsey & Co. partners.

    Jan Mischke, Kevin Stokvis and Koen Vermeltfoort • Jan. 2, 2025
  • A machine attaching silicon dies to a chip at a fabrication facility.
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    SweetBunFactory for iStock via Getty Images
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    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
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    Permission granted by Pa.gov
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    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
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    Cavan Images via Getty Images
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    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
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    Retrieved from City of New Braunfels.
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    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
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    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.
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    Paul Bradbury via Getty Images
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    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
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    Permission granted by Barton Malow
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    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
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    Permission granted by California High-Speed Rail Authority
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    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
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    scyther5 via Getty Images
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    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
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    Scott Eisen via Getty Images
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    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
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    Greenleaf123 via Getty Images
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    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
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    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.
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    EricFerguson via Getty Images
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    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.
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    Tennessee Witney via Getty Images
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    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.
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    gorodenkoff/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    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
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    Leontura via Getty Images
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    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
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    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
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    Xijian via Getty Images
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    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.
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    AzmanL via Getty Images
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    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
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    LaylaBird via Getty Images
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    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