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 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
  • Two executives shaking hands.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sam Edwards via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to love the deal you cut

    Sour feelings around the bidding process can carry into a project, causing conflict and reputation damage, writes construction consultant Chad Prinkey.

    Chad Prinkey • June 11, 2024
  • Cyber internet security and privacy concept. Database storage 3d illustration.
    Image attribution tooltip
    JuSun via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How construction escrow helps keep payments safe from cybercrime

    These types of accounts help contractors, lenders and suppliers protect funds from online fraud while keeping a project on schedule, writes title expert Michael Stump.

    Michael Stump • June 10, 2024
  • Construction workers listen to a mental health huddle discussion on an XL Construction jobsite.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of XL Construction
    Image attribution tooltip

    Safety pro gets personal about construction’s mental health challenges

    While the industry’s suicide and substance abuse rates are some of the highest, the issue doesn’t get enough attention, an XL Construction exec writes.

    Mike Popp • June 6, 2024
  • Three construction workers are in the middle background, surrounded by work on a large construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Drazen_ via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Successful contractors don’t fight change. They embrace it.

    Know when it’s time to look beyond a “that’s how things have always been done” mentality, writes consultant Matt Verderamo.

    Matt Verderamo • May 9, 2024
  • A woman with a safety vest in a hardhat looks at a tablet on a construction site. She is looking at it intently.
    Image attribution tooltip
    mihailomilovanovic via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    12 types of technology that can make jobsites safer

    Innovations such as wearables, drones and predictive analytics help improve hazard detection and incident prevention. 

    Lena Kenny • May 8, 2024
  • An aluminum New York City subway train at an underground station.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
    Image attribution tooltip

    Slow down underground to avoid accidents

    Speed is no substitute for safety in transit projects, writes construction executive RaShawn L. Austin.

    RaShawn L. Austin • May 7, 2024
  • construction workers wearing hard hats smile and stand together
    Image attribution tooltip
    Greenleaf123 via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How tech can level construction’s playing field

    Tools like artificial intelligence and blockchain can help fill labor gaps while building a more diverse and innovative workforce, writes a contech executive.

    Alok Chanani • May 1, 2024
  • A document with the word "sustainable" highlighted
    Image attribution tooltip
    RapidEye via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Greenwashing lawsuits could be headed for construction

    Here’s how contractors can protect themselves from being accused of making erroneous environmental claims.

    Garrett Gibson • April 22, 2024
  • a closeup photo of a bid contract
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alex Skopje via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How to win without being the low bidder

    It is possible for contractors to secure projects based on value over price, writes consultant Chad Prinkey.

    Chad Prinkey • April 11, 2024
  • Two construction workers look at a phone
    Image attribution tooltip
    iStock/Katarzyna Bialasiewicz via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How reverse mentoring benefits contractors in the age of AI

    A two-way knowledge flow can help older workers leverage artificial intelligence while building team trust among generations, writes a construction expert.

    Rahul Shah • March 13, 2024
  • Two businessmen shake hands over a business deal.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Stock Photo via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    2 steps to boost your win rate

    Build credibility and relationships with potential clients to negotiate more deals, writes a construction consultant.

    Matt Verderamo • March 11, 2024
  • A firefighter sprays a burning building with a hose.
    Image attribution tooltip
    DarthArt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Construction fire safety at ‘major crossroads,’ industry expert says

    New collaborative and digital-led solutions are needed to meet contractors’ fire prevention needs, according to a fire investigator.

    John Heinen • Feb. 22, 2024
  • A person in a yellow safety vest and hardhat holds a remote in their hand on a construction site.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Columbia Construction
    Image attribution tooltip

    Drones know the dirt: How UAVs can measure jobsite materials

    A reality capture manager at Columbia breaks down the basics, from software and training to regulations like the upcoming Remote ID Rule.

    Erik Gronneberg • Feb. 14, 2024
  • Three construction workers stand in a tunnel, silhouetted in shadow.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Martin Barraud via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    3 reasons why new tradespeople don’t stick around

    Poor training, bad bosses and other frustrations can drive away new recruits to the construction industry, writes a Texas quality control manager.

    Fulton Cure • Feb. 6, 2024
  • two construction workers walk in a warehouse under construction
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sean Anthony Eddy via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    4 ways to level construction’s playing field

    Barriers that impede minority-owned businesses reflect a broader systemic issue, says an industry executive.

    Andre Sappington • Feb. 5, 2024
  • Employee v. independent contractor
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alex Wong / Staff via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    7 ways that Davis-Bacon changes could cost contractors

    Updates to prevailing wage laws will impact builders looking to win in the booming federal infrastructure market.

    Ashley Eley Cannady • Feb. 1, 2024