Biggest Challenges Facing the Construction Industry

The construction industry is one of the main pillars of the economy. It plays a vital role in the country's economy by generating employment, upgrading current infrastructure, and boosting overall economic activities. In the United States, the economic contribution of the construction sector to the gross domestic product is nearly 4%. Nevertheless, the construction industry has not reached the desirable levels of overall performance in terms of delivering projects on time and within budget while maintaining high levels of safety, quality, and sustainability. Consequently, it is critical to pinpoint the industry's challenges to provide practical solutions. In this study, 25 experienced construction professionals were interviewed to understand better the emerging and persistent challenges of the construction industry. The study findings suggest that the most significant and pressing challenges facing the construction industry are (1) the shortage of skilled labor, (2) supply chain disruptions along with material and labor cost volatility especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) the slow integration, high cost, and maturity of new emerging technologies (e.g., 3D printing, virtual and augmented reality). The study findings will help industry leaders, governmental agencies, and construction researchers develop solutions that would improve the overall performance of the construction industry.