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 group of construction workers on a road project.
    Image attribution tooltip
    John Moore via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Let’s take action to make U.S. road work zones safer

    As lawmakers work to renew the surface transportation bill, work zone safety needs to be part of the conversation, writes an association executive during National Work Zone Awareness Week. 

    Nile Elam • April 23, 2026
  • An aerial view of a data center structure.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    What owners and contractors should know about data center construction contracts

    The artificial intelligence buildout is booming. With that demand comes risk, which means knowing your contracts is critical, write two construction attorneys.

    Ryan Gilchrist and Ashley Sherwood • April 10, 2026
  • A red construction frame in front of a high-rise building under construction.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why high-rise construction carries higher liability risk

    In a trial, jurors examine whether safety rules were treated as priorities or obstacles, writes a personal injury attorney.

    Ken Fulginiti • April 9, 2026
  • The road for a new residential subdivision stands out against existing homes.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    To make housing more affordable, invest in infrastructure

    Homes need roads, water systems and power to serve them. A good start is renewing the federal surface transportation funding set to expire in September, writes a building materials executive.

    Nathan Creech • March 23, 2026
  • An aerial view shows a crane over several tall buildings in a city.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why late-stage cost overruns are symptoms of a larger problem

    It’s easy to blame ballooning budgets on jobsite errors. But project stakeholders need to own decisions earlier in the planning stages to actually avoid them, writes a consultant.

    Bhavik Savaliya • March 20, 2026
  • Stein Sperling, David De Jong, 2025 budget law, bonus depreciation, property renovation
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    4 bonus depreciation tax tips for construction firms

    With IRS staff under pressure, developing internal processes and documenting fixed assets can avoid extended reviews and additional information requests, writes a construction accountant.

    Chris Coleman • March 19, 2026
  • A construction helmet on a table around artistic depictions of technology.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    When AI chatbots hallucinate, infrastructure pays

    Chatbots can create authoritative-sounding reports based on flawed inferences, which can lead to liabilities that outlive a project, writes a senior lecturer at Georgia Tech.

    Max Mahdi Roozbahani • March 17, 2026
  • Two construction workers shake hands.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to tell if you should switch from bidding to negotiated work

    Deciding how to pursue contracts can vary depending on clients and sectors, writes the CEO of a construction consulting firm.

    Chad Prinkey • March 16, 2026
  • Karman Industries, HPU, carbon-dioxide data center cooling
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The case for building modular, repeatable data centers

    Speed to market drives data center construction. That creates a ripe opportunity for modular construction, writes one construction executive.

    Johnny Clemmons • March 6, 2026
  • A group of girls and women pose for a photo in front of a home.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Girls Garage
    Image attribution tooltip

    Building a better future: How girls can reshape the construction industry

    Girls Garage teaches design and construction skills while closing the labor gap and strengthening the future of the field, write two nonprofit leaders.

    Emily Pilloton-Lam and Miriam Warren • March 6, 2026
  • A construction worker on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The next generation of women builders is out there. They just need a clearer path.

    Going to college versus seeking an apprenticeship doesn't have to be an either-or choice, writes Scott Taylor, dean of workforce development for Stephens College.

    Scott Taylor • March 2, 2026
  • Three construction workers listen intently at a briefing.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to recruit young workers before it’s too late

    With 41% of the construction workforce set to retire by 2031, finding and keeping the next generation of builders is becoming an existential must, writes consultant John Waters.

    John Waters • Feb. 27, 2026
  • A group of construction workers shake hands over blueprints.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to find the balance between profitability and people

    Recruiting the next generation of builders may require a cultural shift, but companies also can’t abandon their core values, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • Feb. 20, 2026
  • An aerial view shows cranes looming over a building under construction.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    If you haven’t adopted stop-work authority on jobsites, what are you afraid of?

    The benefits of giving teams the ability to pause a job for concerns of any size far outweigh the delays, writes an environmental health and safety expert.

    Travis Irving • Feb. 5, 2026
  • Aerial view of a Northern Virginia data center.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why the AI boom is different than the dot-com bubble

    Real companies with deep pockets are spending hundreds of billions of dollars, creating cash flow for contractors, especially those in the electrical space, write two consultants.

    Steven Rathbone and Nick Dreps • Feb. 5, 2026
  • Coastal waters flow through Louisiana wetlands.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why the EPA’s proposed WOTUS rule matters for construction

    By doubling down on the definition established by the U.S. Supreme Court, the proposal gives clarity to a previously murky designation, write two environmental experts at firm Kimley-Horn.

    Charles Jacobi and Merrit Cowden • Feb. 3, 2026
  • Two people, one in a construction vest, shake hands.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why contractors should hire builders who can sell

    A good business development manager can be a game changer for contractors, writes consultant Matt Verderamo, and training a builder to sell is easier than teaching construction expertise.

    Matt Verderamo • Jan. 29, 2026
  • Two construction workers collaborate on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why good subcontractor management matters

    Disputes and delays can be avoided with clear planning and strong communication throughout a project’s lifecycle, writes a construction attorney.

    Nicole Kwapisz • Jan. 26, 2026
  • construction workers look at a laptop
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How a lack of data standardization is holding AI back in construction

    A contech executive advocates for “active governance” and says that clean, structured data should be as nonnegotiable as safety on any build.

    Amir Berman • Jan. 21, 2026
  • A flag from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security hangs outside the ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alex Wong via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How a simple fix to the EB-3 visa program could be the answer construction needs

    The Dignity Act, which is before Congress now, could address the workforce shortage without raising green card caps, a consultant writes. 

    John Dorer • Jan. 16, 2026
  • Two construction workers wear respirators on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why OSHA standards shouldn’t be the high-water mark for contractor safety

    As 2026 gets underway, a construction injury lawyer argues that government benchmarks represent the bare minimum, not the ultimate goal, for protecting workers. 

    Ken Fulginiti • Jan. 15, 2026
  • 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
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How AI can help builders weather the labor crunch on jobsites

    With wage expenses piling up, leveraging the technology lets builders protect their margins and get more value out of existing crews, writes a contech expert.

    Alok Chanani • Jan. 14, 2026
  • An aerial photo shows a natural gas power plant on the shores of a lake.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    America’s infrastructure is only as strong as its AI governance

    Given the proliferation of tools for both workers and cyber criminals, providing internal safeguards is a critical step for AEC firms, a consultant writes. 

    Lalitha Krishnamoorthy • Jan. 12, 2026
  • A tall, large, under construction building looms in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Gerville via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How contractors can navigate cost pressures, labor shortages and regulatory hurdles in 2026

    Despite widespread challenges, companies that embrace digital tools and pursue diverse project portfolios will have a strategic edge over the competition.

    Danielle Kaiser • Jan. 5, 2026
  • A group of construction stakeholders, some in suits, some in work gear, gather in a meeting.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Project decisions, not personal productivity, should be AI’s focus

    While getting emails out faster or summarizing meetings is useful, the true game changer from the technology comes down to presenting choices for leaders to make, write two consultants. 

    Marjan Gholamalipour & Markus Bernhardt • Dec. 19, 2025