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.

  • An aerial view of several buildings in a wide open plain.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    What it takes to build the infrastructure building AI today

    Traditional approaches to data center construction have become outdated seemingly overnight, writes one construction VP.

    Tony Qorri • Oct. 20, 2025
  • A construction worker on a jobsite stands with his hands on his hips.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    3 questions to ask yourself to build your construction career

    Figuring out your plans and the company’s can help determine your future in the building industry, writes one consultant.

    Matt Verderamo • Oct. 16, 2025
  • A construction worker holds a stop sign in a road work zone.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Dismantling inclusion puts infrastructure at risk

    In the wake of the DOT gutting its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, an infrastructure consultant writes about why the move may backfire.

    Sri Kumar • Oct. 14, 2025
  • Stacks of shipping containers are seen at the Port of Long Beach.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Apu Gomes via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Port infrastructure has made progress. It shouldn’t stop now.

    The U.S. government needs to build on recent port improvements and usage to make sure we don’t squander already achieved gains, write two infrastructure experts.

    Tom Smith and Cary Davis • Oct. 14, 2025
  • Two construction workers shake hand on a jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    In recruiting, construction needs to pitch being a leader, not a laborer

    Boyd Worsham, president and CEO of the National Center for Construction Education and Research, writes that the industry should emphasize the top, not the bottom, of building’s career ladder.

    Boyd Worsham • Oct. 7, 2025
  • A close-up of a construction worker's vest with a pin on it.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Compass Datacenters
    Image attribution tooltip

    Empowering jobsite leaders starts with breaking down barriers

    Dubbing all foreman on projects as “frontliners” has led to an increase in commitment and collaboration, writes Rachel Neal, vice president of global safety for Compass Datacenters.

    Rachel Neal • Oct. 3, 2025
  • A construction worker on a jobsite looks at a tablet.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Construction must continue to adopt new tools

    The most successful contractors balance speed and risk as they assess and implement new technology, writes a senior construction consultant.

    Josh LaSharr • Sept. 26, 2025
  • Immigration court
    Image attribution tooltip
    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why employers can’t afford to wait for an I-9 audit or an ICE raid

    The dignity of workers, the legal security of the business and the integrity of the employer-employee relationship is at stake, writes Alejandro Pérez, partner at Pierson Ferdinand. 

    Alejandro Pérez • Sept. 25, 2025
  • A group of construction workers stand for a discussion in a parking lot.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Stacy Witbeck
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why builders should focus on the ‘tone’ of a project from the start

    By assessing language and communicating clearly about public project costs, builders can vastly improve project delivery, writes Clayton Gilliland, president of Stacy Witbeck.

    Clayton Gilliland • Sept. 23, 2025
  • Two women shake hands on a construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why relationships matter more than titles or pedigree

    When everyone is highly qualified, clients pick partners based on trust. It takes time and attention to detail to cultivate it, writes one construction executive. 

    Jennifer Kinsey • Sept. 22, 2025
  • A photo illustration shows a judge's gavel among construction blueprints.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The 8 mistakes I see most in construction contracts

    Lack of clarity over payment, change orders, timelines and quality of work all contribute to projects ending up in litigation, writes a consultant. 

    James Gallagher • Sept. 19, 2025
  • A diverse group of project stakeholders discuss construction plans.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why design-build is the key to building smart and stronger

    The design-bid-build delivery model has been the backbone of U.S. construction for decades, but today’s more complex projects need a different approach, writes a contractor CEO.

    Robert Brown • Sept. 16, 2025
  • A group of construction workers stand around on a jobsite having a meeting.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why preconstruction should start before the bid

    Continuing economic and pricing uncertainty in 2025 mean diligent preconstruction reviews are more important than ever for project success, a construction executive writes.

    Andy Cushman • Aug. 27, 2025
  • U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alex Wong via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    3 DEI approaches employers must reconsider to avoid federal ire

    The principles set forth in a recent DOJ memo are likely to be applied by the EEOC to all employers under Title VII, attorney Jonathan Segal writes.

    Jonathan Segal • Aug. 25, 2025
  • A construction worker operates an earth mover on a construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to write the next chapter for women in construction

    Women leaders have made progress in the industry. Now it’s time for them to bring up the next generation, writes one project executive.

    Stacy Roman • Aug. 20, 2025
  • schneider-electric-compass-data-center-texas
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Schneider Electric
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why we need to rethink RFPs in construction

    Too often, this “request” draws the legal battle lines of a project early on. For owners and GCs to win, they need to become partners instead, writes Compass Datacenters’ Nancy Novak.

    Nancy Novak • Aug. 18, 2025
  • a close up of green and red apples
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Don’t fall into the apples-to-apples trap

    When clients use black-and-white comparisons, low bids always win, writes consultant Chad Prinkey.

    Chad Prinkey • Aug. 13, 2025
  • A group of construction workers lined up on a construction jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    Image attribution tooltip

    ICE raids worsen construction’s labor shortage. Contractors must respond.

    I-9 audits, tapping labor groups and cross-training existing employees can help builders stay on track, a construction accountant writes.

    Chris Coleman • Aug. 7, 2025
  • Closeup of a handshake with architectural drawings in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How AI can be used in construction bidding, negotiation

    Artificial intelligence offers contractors new ways to remain competitive and profitable before projects even start, writes a consultant.

    Brian Kassalen • Aug. 6, 2025
  • A construction worker with a vest on and a sledgehammer on his shoulder.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mark Makela via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Construction knows where its workers are. It’s time to bring them back.

    The industry’s talent pipeline is drying up, but there are many places to look for new workers, writes Atlanta-based construction pro Ratan Lal.

    Ratan Lal • July 31, 2025
  • a construction work stands with his helmet in his hands
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Don’t settle: Why to hire top construction talent

    High-performing employees are the most valuable investment a contractor can make, writes construction executive Kevin French.

    Kevin French • July 30, 2025
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom motions from behind a podium.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    From red tape to green light: How California’s CEQA reforms will speed up projects

    Two new laws, which went into effect at the end of June, should fast track infill and other high-priority projects, writes a land use and environmental policy attorney.

    William Sloan • July 23, 2025
  • A rendering shows a modern office space.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why companies are doubling down on upgraded offices

    As return-to-office momentum takes hold, employers are emphasizing quality and usability in reinvented spaces to entice employees.

    Louis Molinini • July 17, 2025
  • a closeup view of a man in a hard hat shaking hands
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Win more work by bidding less

    Escape the low-bid trap by focusing on winning the right jobs, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • July 10, 2025
  • a software developer writes code while using an external monitor in an office setting
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why agentic AI may herald golden age for procurement

    Procurement is an ideal use case for agentic AI because it’s inherently complex, data-driven and prone to human error, writes Globality’s Keith McFarlane.

    Keith McFarlane • June 20, 2025