Thought Leadership

Is Your Community Ready for Solar Energy

By Eric Zweber, Sr Project Manager and Amy Fredregill, Sr Director of Sustainability, WSB

Solar energy systems, such as solar panel arrays, are becoming increasingly less expensive to install and are generating more energy than before. The lower initial investment is resulting in a shorter time required for the savings on your city’s electricity bill to cover the initial cost of installation. In the long run, solar energy systems save money, generate jobs, and provide clean energy to your citizens. The low maintenance costs, economic stimulation and many other benefits make solar energy a strong option.

Here are four things to consider when exploring solar energy options for your city:

• How do your citizens, businesses and other stakeholders feel about climate and renewable energy? How do you expect that to change in the future?              
  • Renewable energy options may be one way to advance your community’s climate and sustainability goals and interests, while meeting the needs of a range of stakeholders.
• Does your electricity provider have a green tariff, green power program, or net energy monitoring program?
  • These programs partner with cities and businesses to provide the best value for renewable energy. Exploring which options your electricity provider may have can save on cost, and ensure you are maximizing your resources.
• Is increasing awareness and education a goal of your energy program?
  • If so, onsite solar generation can have an even stronger business case due to the local visibility it provides.
• How will investment tax credits (ITCs) and solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) be capitalized within your project investment?      
  • Municipalities can have difficulties recovering incentives such as ITCs and SRECs. Exploring potential partnerships prior to installation can create funding opportunities to shorten your payback period.

Every solar energy solution looks different. For community leaders facing challenges and planning for the future, it can be difficult to know when and where to start. When we partner with clients, we help them explore what opportunities their community can tap into for solar energy considerations.

Understand How the Infrastructure Bill Supports Expanding Electric Vehicle Fleets and Charging Infrastructure

By Bridget Rathsack, Program Manager and Eric Zweber, Sr Project Manager, WSB

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is opening opportunities for states, local government, school districts, and tribal communities across the U.S. to expand electric vehicle (EV) fleets and related infrastructure. Included in the $1.2 trillion bipartisan funding package is more than $7.5 billion to help accelerate the adoption of EVs and associated charging infrastructure. As part of this funding, states are each receiving tens of millions in funding through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. There is also funding earmarked for charging and refueling infrastructure grants, which go through the U. S. Department of Transportation to state and local governments, as well as metropolitan planning organizations to help fund alternative fuel corridors. Furthermore, some funding is earmarked specifically for competitive grants that will support innovative approaches that expand charging infrastructure in rural and low-income communities and corridors. 

So, what exactly does the Infrastructure Law mean for EV infrastructure, and how can communities take advantage of this historic funding investment? Here are a few thoughts.

Make a Plan

Many communities are unsure what model will work best for their needs. There is not a one-size-fits-all model, and leaders should ask questions like these below to make a plan that works best to meet their unique needs:

• Does it make sense to take on an ownership model where the community owns the EV charging stations and related infrastructure while assuming responsibility for the long-term operations and maintenance?
• Will it make sense to own and then lease EV infrastructure, recovering fees through a third-party vendor?
• Should our city plan to let a third-party install and manage EV infrastructure completely? How can we meet the needs of all of our residents, including those that don’t live near highways or shopping hubs, or those living in multi-family complexes, etc.?
• How can transportation electrification help advance economic development and meet climate goals?

Having a strategy is critical if communities want to be ready to tap into grant and funding opportunities for charging infrastructure when they become available later this year. Looking to, and updating, a community’s comprehensive plan can help to navigate and plan for the future of EV’s. It will also position a community to successfully submit a competitive grant application to fund their plan.

Vehicle Purchasing and Fleets

Just as the Infrastructure Bill is expanding access to EV charging infrastructure, it also will help fund EV purchases for communities and school districts. Specifically, there is $5 billion in funding for school districts that want to upgrade their school buses to clean or zero-emission models.

But whether looking to update city vehicles, public buses, or school buses, it’s important for leaders to understand how EVs can benefit them and build a plan that meets their needs. Questions to ask when thinking about updating to electric fleets include:

• Are the vehicles in need of upgrades? Are they in an urban or rural community? How far does a vehicle travel on average per day?
• Is our community in a hot or cold weather climate which may mean fewer efficiencies in extreme weather? How can we begin with a pilot project so that we can learn how the vehicles meet our needs and build capacity for EVs in our organization?
• What kind of grant should we pursue – charging infrastructure and/or fleet updates? What is our plan to phase out the work as these grants are released? Do we have internal staff to do this or do we need additional help?

There are many ways to update EV fleets and charging infrastructure that will significantly benefit communities and the environment but ensuring the investment fits with the needs of the school district or community is important.

How WSB Can Help

The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act is a massive funding package that provides meaningful opportunities to accelerate EV fleet and infrastructure adoption, reduce emissions, and meet the needs of communities. Here are some of the ways WSB can help leaders navigate and tap into accelerating EV fleet and infrastructure adoption:

1. Updating comprehensive plans to plan for EV infrastructure adoption.
2. Strategizing and helping create an ownership model for a community’s EV charging infrastructure.
3. Engineering and public works services to help design and plan for EV charging stations.
4. Navigating regulations and zoning requirements.
5. Helping prepare for, and assisting with, grant applications for EV-related projects.
6. Nesting your EV work in your broader sustainability, resiliency, and climate goals.
7. Designing spaces for EV charging infrastructure that meet accessibility requirements and work with landscape architecture, signage, etc.

If your community does not have the staff capacity or resources to manage EV infrastructure internally, WSB is available to discuss options and strategies. Residents, consumers, and businesses are demanding more sustainable transportation options including electric vehicles. Now is the time for communities to explore options, target historic funding investments, and advance their vision for the future.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Code Enforcement

February 17, 2025
By Kim Lindquist, Director of Community Planning, WSB

Cities undertake various essential tasks to maintain their communities, one of which is code enforcement. This article explores the importance of code enforcement, the roles involved, and the advantages of outsourcing these efforts to ensure neighborhoods remain well-maintained and compliant with city regulations.

What is Code Enforcement?

Code enforcement is the process communities use to gain compliance with various city code violations within a community. Generally, cities always initiate code enforcement actions on a “complaint basis,” meaning that a neighbor or resident noticed something on a property that does not seem to meet the rules and regulations of the city. Many cities also conduct proactive code enforcement, where staff identifies violations, rather than the public, and acts accordingly. Complaints are typically issues that can be visually verified and include things like outside storage, junked or unlicensed vehicles, and parking on the grass. Throughout the summer, tall grass and noxious weeds are some of the most common complaints. Regardless of which methodology cities undertake, the goal is to maintain the value, character, and aesthetics of individual neighborhoods and the community.

Who Enforces City Code?

Cities may use on-staff personnel, such as a planner, Community Service Officer, or building inspector, for some code enforcement activities. However, as their workload has grown, more communities are exploring full-time code enforcement officers for the busy spring and summer months. Because this is a specialized role, and in certain climates workload is uneven, cities often look to fill seasonal code enforcement positions during the summer. In the current labor market, filling these positions has become more challenging. Outsourcing code enforcement can help cities provide the service without adding to existing staff workload and prevents them from hiring for a position that may be underutilized in the winter months.

Outsourcing Code Enforcement

WSB has had the opportunity to conduct code enforcement activities for various communities. In 2024 our team of skilled planners supported the City of Shoreview, among others. Shoreview is a community that conducts code enforcement mainly on a complaint basis but also has some proactive enforcement by choosing a neighborhood each year to canvass. By staffing their code enforcement work with a WSB Community Planner, they now have an extension of their staff who understand City Codes, particularly Zoning regulations which are often the more complex enforcement actions. As with most communities, Shoreview works to bring a property into compliance with education; explaining property maintenance rules is a key part of any code enforcement program. Our staff work with property owners to assist in bringing sites into compliance and more importantly, understanding what is and isn’t allowed by code.

There are many benefits to outsourcing code enforcement efforts. These efforts are often scalable, allowing our staff to ramp up during busier times and provide less service during slower times. WSB provides staffing flexibility to meet community needs. Smaller communities may need less code enforcement, and we have worked with smaller cities to provide less hours to meet their budget needs while efficiently implementing code compliance. Outsourcing code enforcement allows city staff more time to focus on other priorities, especially in a time of high development demands. WSB is one of few consulting firms that conduct code enforcement work for our clients, and our scalable model addresses many potential needs and resources.

$1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Will Provide Big Boost to Community Projects

By Monica Heil, Vice President of Municipal Services, WSB

On Monday, November 16, President Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act into law. This $1.2 trillion package, which includes $550 billion in new federal spending over the next five years, gives local and state governments significant opportunities to fund infrastructure improvements over the next several years.

What’s in the Bill?

For communities and states eyeing dollars for projects, here are some highlights of what is included in the bill:

• $110 billion for roads and bridges
• $39 billion for public transportation
• $66 billion for railways
• $73 billion for power grid upgrades
• $7.5 billion for EV charging stations
• $50 billion to address cybersecurity and to fight the effects of climate change, including dollars for flood mitigation and drought preparedness
• $55 billion for clean drinking water, water and wastewater infrastructure including replacing lead pipes and addressing chemicals
• $1 billion to reconnect communities that have been divided by past infrastructure projects
• $11 billion for transportation safety

What is the Timeline?

States and communities across the nation have a laundry list of projects and priorities that they are hoping can be funded by this legislation. But what comes next, and when can local and state governments expect to see funding?

Federal money will be allocated through a variety of programs, mostly run by the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as a handful of other federal agencies. There are two ways that most of the funding will then be disbursed to states – either annually through a formula or through a competitive grant program.

For the competitive grants, timing is unclear at this point as the Department of Transportation will have to set the criteria, then solicit and review applications from state and local governments before announcing the awards. This process could take several months.

For formula funding, dollars may begin to go out as soon as in the next few weeks and are expected to be distributed over the next six months. Funding that goes into existing federal programs with formulas already in place, as well as certain more basic projects like resurfacing, improving roadways, bridges, and transit, are expected to see dollars faster than more complicated capital projects or ones that require new rulemaking.

What’s Next?

Communities can begin preparing now to tap into funding for infrastructure improvements and take advantage of new spending.

One thing to note is that once dollars are allocated to states from the federal government, they will have quite a bit of flexibility on how those dollars are spent. Many state departments of transportation have funding priority lists, and in some states, legislatures or other local entities may try to earmark projects.

At WSB, we help many clients tap into grant funding, and have resources from the community level to planning to design and construction. For local communities vying for community projects – whether it’s road construction, transit, wastewater, clean energy projects, etc., it’s critical to ensure you have as much information as possible prepared and stakeholder support so you can apply for grant-based funding quickly when parameters and deadlines are announced. This will help put your project in a strong position.

What’s clear is that this $1.2 trillion package will catapult many essential and innovative projects forward, positively impacting local communities, residents, and businesses, promoting clean water and energy investment, and making critically needed improvements to our nation’s infrastructure.

The Intangible Values of Master Planning

The author of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, is quoted as saying, “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” The quote originated in the 6th century BC, but the wisdom can be applied to many modern endeavors. It is easy to dismiss the need for planning because the outcome of a plan usually lacks a tangible outcome. But even in today’s materialistic society, leaders who take the time to plan before execution will achieve their goals faster and with the clarity that your team and constituents deserve. The following five reasons are why you should invest in master planning:

1. Engagement. Planning is a collaborative way to engage and connect with your constituents. People create a sense of ownership and pride when genuinely asked about their opinions. Invite diverse perspectives to the table, including those who may not be in favor of your goal. By eliminating the curtain on “the government,” or “the (faceless) man,” and interacting with your constituency, you create social entrepreneurs who will become your most effective advocates.
2. Momentum. Dreaming of “what can be” is energizing and uplifting. Appreciative planning starts from a strengths-based perspective of focusing on things that are going right and using that momentum as a springboard to your desired future state. A well-facilitated planning process can get you past the airing of the grievances and focus on what you really need: a shared vision of what good looks like and a roadmap to get there.
3. Vision. If you can visualize it, you can achieve it. Spend time defining the purpose and desired outcomes. Often people have a gut instinct of what they want or is needed but fall short it being able to articulate that feeling to others. A professional planner listens to all the feedback, eliminates the noise, focuses on the key themes, and clarifies the need. The vision is often expressed in words and imagery — the simpler the better.
   
   

   

   
   _{A hand sketch provided a vision for a new entryway bridge in Bozeman, Montana. The aesthetic won a local award for design.}
   
4. Accountability. An outcome from planning is that it creates an expectation — a promise to deliver. Continued momentum and credibility are outcomes of a successful plan. Failure to deliver contributes to apathy. A vision that is realistic and achievable creates a sense of shared purpose that empowers people. A plan that includes tactical objectives creates accountability for people, policies, and processes. Include measurements of success or key performance indicators (KPIs) to track implementation.
5. Growth from Experience. Use the master plan as the litmus to identify blind spots and learn from them. Reserve the right as the gatekeeper to course-correct the plan when unexpected influences appear but use professional judgment when deciding on the power of the influence. Spend time at the conclusion of the planning process to review and note what went well. Finally, celebrate early and often the accomplishments that are tied to the plan. This demonstrates the intangible value in the time and funding spent to create the plan.

The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act: 4 Tips to Set You Up for Success

By Morgan Dawley, Sr Director of Municipal, WSB

2022 is here, and many state and local leaders are eyeing how the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, passed late last year, can help fund priority projects. While there are still some questions to be answered on how funding will come down and what final projects will be chosen, there are significant opportunities across the country, and things community leaders can be doing now to give them a leg-up.

Here’s how to start.

Think Big.

You may have a list of projects you are working to advance, but don’t be limited by your list. Because of the size and breadth of this funding package, this is a chance to think big. Rather than looking at what projects may be most eligible for capital funding, pause and take a larger look at the needs of the community. Additionally, with so many different categories within the bill – traditional infrastructure, sustainability, cyber security, reconnecting communities and more – how you approach the scope of your project could help tap into new opportunities to secure funding.

Similarly, if you have a project that is already on a high-priority list, don’t miss out on the chance to use the Infrastructure Bill to fill funding gaps or expand the scope of the project!

And as you think big on what the Infrastructure Bill can do, it’s also critical to

Bring Stakeholders Together to Explore What the Community Needs.

Approaching community needs in a holistic way means bringing multiple stakeholders together to talk about what opportunities are out there, and what priorities should be advanced. Elected leaders, state and local agencies, engineers, public works, local business owners and the public are just some of the voices you can bring to the table. If you have strong stakeholder support, it can put your project in a better place to secure funding.

Furthermore, with a greater emphasis on community solutions that address the needs of low-income and traditionally underserved populations, viewing infrastructure projects from various lenses can not only solve big community problems – but put your project in a better position to receive funding. For instance, the legislation includes $1 billion to reconnect communities that have been divided by past infrastructure projects.

A variety of voices and stakeholder support is important, and there may be a project or objective that you didn’t think could be tackled until further in the future, but there is an opportunity to advance it now.

Engage Your Neighbors.  

Similar to engaging various stakeholders, looking at bigger projects that may span multiple communities could provide a significant advantage. Multiple local funding sources, as opposed to one, demonstrates collaboration and can help lock in dollars for bigger projects that serve multiple communities and more people.

Consult with the Experts

At WSB, our job is to help our client connect the dots between their vision and reality. We have an in-depth understanding of not only planning and designing projects, but also tapping into diverse funding sources, engaging with the community to advance a project, and solving the complexities that come with engineering projects. What a community may think of as a simple street repair project could have implications for sustainability, clean water and more. Understanding and tapping into every opportunity possible is key!

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Want even more information on the Infrastructure Bill? Check out WSB’s other piece on what’s in the bill here.

Improve Project Outcomes Using an Owner’s Representative

By Bob Barth, Director of Land Development, WSB

From inception to completion of a project, having an expert walk alongside you can make all the difference. An owner’s representative, often seen as a significant value in private sector projects, can and should be used for public projects to add value as well.

What is an Owner’s Representative?

An owner’s representative is essentially the eyes and ears of a project – representing the owner, investor, or developer throughout a project. A deep understanding of the overall goals of the project, as well as having an in-depth knowledge of engineering and construction, means this person is an advocate and champion that can ensure a project goes according to plan, while helping to mitigate risk.  

Given the proven value of the service, it is curious that public sector vertical construction has traditionally underutilized the owner’s representative in favor of project leadership from the lead architect or general contractor. So why should the public sector use an owner’s representative?

They help keep projects on track and on budget.

The more expensive the project, the more the architect and contractor get paid. Though obvious, this fundamental conflict creates competing incentives for both the architect and contractor. The owner representative’s compensation, in contrast, is often determined by the original project budget and does not subsequently increase or decrease as the project budget increases or decreases. Their job is to act on behalf of the owner, keep the budget on track, and represent the overall financial interests of the project.

Owner’s representatives see the big picture.

Public project financing is very different from private project funding. Public sector projects are often financed through bonding, and operating budgets serve as a proxy for revenues. Cost needs to be managed throughout a project’s duration, as do relationships. An effective owner’s representative does this.

Additionally, the project schedule is more complex than the design schedule kept by the architect, or the construction schedule managed by the contractor. The project schedule includes time building stakeholder consensus, conducting preliminary environmental and property investigations, aligning financing, and developing project parameters. These activities often precede the architect’s involvement and need to be managed by someone with a wider perspective on the project – the owner’s representative. The project schedule also includes post-construction activities such as commissioning, grant close-out, sustainability certification, occupancy, and logistics. These are not activities contractors can effectively manage but, rather, activities that the owner’s representative expects to manage.

They simplify decision-making and mitigate risk.

Finally, well-structured projects allow the owner’s representative to lead in all aspects of a project, empowering them to make decisions over contractors, architects, and other consultants. Effective owner’s representatives also build consensus among teams and stakeholders. All of this brings critical leadership and certainty to projects.

When unexpected change orders, cost overruns, unforeseen environmental and property issues, or other problems arise, a good owner’s representative help manage and mitigate risk. 

In summary, owner’s representatives bring expertise, leadership, and credibility projects. Given their value, they should be utilized in more public projects.

The Hydrogen Revolution

Hydrogen has long been utilized in niche industries as a feedstock for fertilizers and to aid Oil and Gas companies in processing hydrocarbons. Several times throughout history, hydrogen supporters have attempted to push the element into the mainstream as a clean energy source. But these attempts have failed due to a few factors that, until recently, have held hydrogen back as a legitimate fuel. 

Separating hydrogen

These restrictions have revolved around the fact that hydrogen loves to bond tightly to other elements like oxygen and carbon. It is also the smallest atom in nature and can leak through most materials. The first restriction of its bonding ability means that striping hydrogen from other elements has been extremely costly and intensive. The process to separate hydrogen from oxygen is called electrolysis and requires clean water and a massive amount of energy to generate hydrogen in bulk. The process to separate hydrogen from carbon, which has historically been the accepted way to generate the fuel, uses natural gas as the feedstock, separates the hydrogen from the carbon, and releases the carbon as CO2 into the atmosphere. The obvious drawback to this is the release of the greenhouse gas (GHG) in large quantities. 

Why is this revolution different?

What makes this push to establish hydrogen as the fuel of choice for the energy transition more likely to develop then the half dozen times previously? Well, that’s the big difference. The energy transition movement is sweeping the globe and forcing every nation to establish carbon neutrality goals. The associated costs and risks of leveraging hydrogen as the energy transition fuel of choice seems highly likely depending on several factors. There are massive government subsidies that will aid hydrogen development costs and technical developments. These subsidies and developments will reduce the cost of materials and will lower the risks involved with large scale hydrogen energy development.

What technologies develop hydrogen?

There are many factors to consider when exploring the best way to develop hydrogen. What are the costs involved and what technology makes the most sense to invest in? Most people in the hydrogen industry discuss the different processes in terms of colors. Green is hydrogen generated from water using renewable energy (Wind, Solar, Geothermal, etc.) to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. This process relies on electrolysis using either a proton exchange membrane (PEM) or alkaline electrolysis. On the surface, this is a very clean method of making hydrogen but also the most expensive, and depending on the study one references, not nearly as clean as the industry would like everyone to believe. The other largely referenced color is blue. This is same technology referenced earlier that converts natural gas into hydrogen. What makes blue different is the addition of capturing the CO2 and either utilizing it in other industries or sequestering the GHG underground. This technology, called steam methane reforming (SMR) with carbon capture (CCUS), has much lower associated development costs but still has the stigma of utilizing hydrocarbons as its feedstock and the associated costs of capturing carbon. 

Outside of the two main avenues of creating hydrogen are a handful of technologies that are quickly gaining in popularity. The first, is new tech called methane pyrolysis. This technology uses natural gas as its feedstock to create hydrogen but unlike SMR, this method (dubbed turquoise hydrogen) has no CO2 byproduct but rather solid carbon.  This technology uses a carbon negative process to generate the hydrogen. Other technologies include in-situ combustion, plasma gasification, and photocatalysis. All of these have amazing upside potential and distinct advantages over both blue and green hydrogen.

What’s leading the hydrogen revolution?

Another key element leading the hydrogen revolution is the incredible surge in development for hydrogen fuel cells. The hydrogen fuel cell industry is one of the globe’s fastest growing markets and is the main target of hydrogen investment funds. Fuel cells have distinct advantages over traditional battery technology and internal combustion engines. Since hydrogen is so small and light and is the most energy dense (per unit mass) fuel on earth, it can be densely compressed to provide electricity through the fuel cell in a more efficient manner and takes up less space while doing so. This makes fuel cells the ideal solution for carbon free long-haul trucking and shipping

With the technological advantages coming to light almost daily, new utilization methods getting deployed, and nearly all governments developing (or already developed) hydrogen strategies and roadmaps, this revolution looks to stay.

How Corridor Studies Play a Role in Community Growth

By Steve Lindsey, Director of Transportation, WSB

In 2021, Texas added more people to its population than any other state. For residents, businesses, and communities, it’s critical for planners to meet the immediate needs of citizens, while also planning for the future. For local, city, and county governments, corridor studies play a key role in creating and executing comprehensive transportation design that adapts to and meets the needs of growing communities.

What is a Corridor Study?

Corridor studies examine the relationship between roadways and adjacent land. In more densely populated areas, this can mean figuring out ways to overcome challenges where roadway expansion is limited. For land in development, it means looking at future population growth and where investments are being made to build homes, businesses, and public services.  Corridor studies also help ensure that if opportunities to acquire land becomes available – whether because they are being sold or planned for future development – there is a long-term view on how to best meet transportation needs.

Corridor studies are instrumental to help communities plan for 5, 10, and even 50 years down the road.

Trends in Community Growth

In Central Texas, Austin and the surrounding communities are growing rapidly. It is a technology hub with major companies like Tesla, Apple, Dell, and Samsung employing thousands of people. Densley urbanized areas have seen population growth, and more people are building homes and businesses in communities farther and farther from the city centers as the population grows.

Additionally, with the ongoing pandemic, we’ve seen more people looking to build homes, expand their space, and work remotely. With a hot housing market and population growth, more people are building and expanding into areas that were traditionally more rural or predominantly farmland.

Communities need properly planned transportation infrastructure to help transport people and commerce in those growing areas.

Working with the Experts

For community leaders facing growth challenges and working to plan for what’s next, it can be difficult to know when and where to start. When we partner with clients, we help them explore what opportunities their community can tap into in transportation design, and corridor studies are an important tool to get them and their community where they want to go.

Supply Chain Woes and Construction Projects: Thinking Creatively to Overcome Barriers & Adjust

By Michael Rief, Sr Vice President of Construction, WSB

The supply chain is tightly integrated, and when one part of the supply chain faces issues, it can have a domino effect. For those working in construction, supply chain problems have caused project delays, a long wait for and lack of key materials, and frustration over the past year. Unfortunately, it shows no signs of improving in 2022.

With a shortage of labor, shipping delays, and trouble getting materials, we should prepare for our recovery to take longer than many people anticipated. As our industry continues to tackle supply chain problems, there are things construction teams can do to anticipate, innovate, and adapt to the current situation.

Be Flexible Where You Can

Flexibility is key to adapting to supply chain uncertainties. While many contracts require specific materials, if clients and contractors can build some flexibility into the contract to use alternative materials, it’s more likely that a project will be completed on time or without significant delays.

For example, some of WSB’s transportation contracts require a certain kind of seed mix, but those seed mixes may not be available for many months or at all into the foreseeable future. Allowing a substitution that is available and still meets the needs of the project allows us to finish the job sooner and more efficiently.

Consider Buying Hard to Procure Items Sooner

This applies to both construction teams and clients.

If municipalities are planning a project where they know they will need to procure certain items that may be hard to come by, doing so early and paying to store it may be more efficient in the long run and ensure your project won’t face unnecessary delays. Similarly, some contractors are procuring high-risk items and pre-purchasing material for clients, working in storage cost to help prevent delays.

Additionally, as more contractors buy materials in advance, they sometimes find they need to move materials around to different projects that face more critical needs or that have tighter timelines. Being flexible when possible can benefit both contractors and clients.

Manage Risk

With every project, it’s important to manage risk. If cities or contractors purchase hard to procure materials in advance or in bulk, and then find the value goes down in a year, they could be stuck paying to store a material that is worth less than what they paid for it. Each will have to make decisions that work best for their needs and anticipated projects.

Furthermore, building risk management into contracts can be helpful. Whether it’s procurement of materials or more flexibility on timing of projects, thoughtful contract terms can help both cities and contractors, mitigating some risk.

A great example of mitigated risk in many current construction contracts is a provision for fuel cost escalation. If the cost of fuel goes up significantly after a contract is signed, a client may pay more to cover fuel costs. Similarly, if it goes down significantly after a contract is signed, a client may recoup some of those savings. Thinking about how contracts can offer more flexibility in ways that adjust to supply chain and labor issues is something that could offer substantial benefit to all parties.

Since supply chain issues, labor shortages, shipping slowdowns, and numerous other factors are expected to continue creating challenges for the construction industry over the next year, innovation, flexibility, and adaptability can help keep projects moving forward for clients and contractors.