MIAMI—Construction costs are rising. Labor challenges are rising. Technology demands are rising. It's an interesting time to be in the industry.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Jeffrey Gouveia, president and general manager for the southeast region for Suffolk Construction, to get his take on industry challenges in part two of this exclusive interview. You can still read part one of this interview: Five Florida Regions to Watch in 2017.

GlobeSt.com: What can be done about rising construction costs and the labor shortage challenges?

Gouveia: To address current industry challenges—rising costs and a skilled labor shortage—we must look to our industry to develop solutions versus just hoping for a market correction. For instance, Suffolk has continued with our Trades Partnership Series. The program provides a week-long curriculum for our local trade partner firms.

We cover topics such as lean construction principles to risk management, all taught by Suffolk executives and local community leaders. It's a program that Suffolk runs annually in different communities where we do business and its purpose is to enhance the skillsets of our trade partner firms. (To understand why some contractors have a leg up with labor, click here).

GlobeSt.com: Any new developments with technology on construction sites?

Gouveia: The concept of Building Smart and leveraging new technology is not just about implementing tools on the job site, but embracing a forward-thinking and solutions-based approach from project start to finish. As an example, Suffolk leverages the latest Virtual Design and Construction and Lean Construction principles to enhance team-wide collaboration, eliminate waste and increase efficiencies on all our projects.

Utilizing virtual and augmented reality technologies allows Suffolk to immerse clients in the building experience and identify any unforeseen issues before breaking ground. This also creates a more streamlined and informed decision making process.

MIAMI—Construction costs are rising. Labor challenges are rising. Technology demands are rising. It's an interesting time to be in the industry.

GlobeSt.com: What can be done about rising construction costs and the labor shortage challenges?

GlobeSt.com: Any new developments with technology on construction sites?

Instant Insights /

How Suffolk is Wining Amid Rising Construction Costs

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