Tag: solar

From https://www.constructiondive.com/

Any construction pro would agree that preconstruction is an important phase in the project lifecycle. After all, this is when teams make key decisions around things like budgets, schedules and labor.

But as construction becomes increasingly complex, with larger projects, labor shortages and sustainability commitments, there’s a strong case to be made that preconstruction is more than a “step” or “phase” of the project.

Beyond being just a procedural step, we believe that precon is also a strategic advantage. The teams that recognize this are the ones that consistently win more work and protect profit.

The market has changed (and why it matters)

In construction, last-minute planning and decision-making aren’t just inefficient; they’re also risky and expensive.

Projects become more complex as they progress, which means fewer options and greater consequences. When decisions are made late in the game, they can trigger rework, change orders or delays that ripple across the entire project.

The old mindset of fixing issues once construction is underway no longer holds up. There’s simply less room for error.

To stay competitive and protect margins, owners and builders need a predictable, data-informed foundation that reduces uncertainty and supports better decision-making. The only way to achieve that is to start early and address risk and alignment before the project kicks off on the jobsite.

Why owners and GCs are moving investment upstream

Planning ahead and making critical decisions early in the project leads to clearer expectations, fewer downstream surprises and a smoother project overall. All of this makes life easier for owners, GCs and subcontractors.

Owners who prioritize early planning gain better cost certainty and reduce unexpected expenses and delays that impact their bottom line. Meanwhile, GCs that actively collaborate with design partners early on can reduce conflict, accelerate buyout and avoid change orders.

The right practices also benefit subcontractors. When preconstruction is coordinated and scopes are clear, they get more accurate scopes and fewer rebids, without wasting time pricing incomplete or shifting information.

Centralized preconstruction as a performance edge

To plan effectively, teams need the right tools. That means equipping preconstruction teams with a platform that supports takeoff, estimating, document management, bid coordination and scope development.

For best results, that platform should centralize workflows and connect to downstream project phases, so decisions made in preconstruction don’t get lost or recreated later.

Specifically, teams benefit from workflows that are connected, consistent and traceable. Construction estimating, takeoff, documents and scopes live in one place. Teams operate from standardized templates and assumptions. Every decision has a clear audit trail that removes ambiguity and supports accountability.

These capabilities matter because preconstruction sets the tone for the entire project lifecycle. Even detailed plans can break down if tools, teams and processes are fragmented.

How better preconstruction protects margins and boosts win rates

When teams get preconstruction right, they work more efficiently and reduce avoidable risk.

Standardized processes lead to repeatable execution, faster onboarding and fewer mistakes. Over time, these benefits compound across projects, improving predictability and profitability.

A centralized platform with connected data and reporting, like Autodesk Forma, gives teams early visibility into risks, cost drivers and anomalies. That visibility allows teams to course-correct earlier, before issues impact margins or proposals.

Connected takeoff and estimating workflows also promote cost accuracy. For GCs, this means tighter numbers, better-aligned assumptions and stronger proposals.

A roadmap for strengthening preconstruction processes

Turning preconstruction into a core strength starts with a few key steps.

Begin by assessing current workflows to identify duplicate work, manual handoffs and gaps in documentation. These often signal where delays, errors and rework originate later.

Next, consolidate tools where possible. Many teams rely on a patchwork of disconnected systems built up over time. Platforms like Autodesk Forma bring estimating, takeoff, bid management and documentation into a single connected environment.

Standardization is also critical. Shared templates, forms and assumptions help teams avoid reinventing the wheel and make it easier to compare performance across projects.

Clear data governance matters just as much. Establish conventions for how data is created, updated, named and versioned so teams know which information to trust.

Collaboration should be built into preconstruction routines. Regular design and precon check-ins help surface risks early and align decisions.

Finally, define a short list of KPIs that reflect preconstruction performance, such as estimate cycle time, win rate, variance to baseline and change-order volume. Pair this with consistent training so teams understand expectations and workflows without relying on tribal knowledge.

Final words

The construction landscape is rapidly changing and projects are more complex than before. Companies that want to thrive must change how they view preconstruction.

It’s no longer just a step or box to check. When done right, preconstruction can lead to better collaboration, lower project risk and a healthier bottom line.

 Article Link: https://www.constructiondive.com/spons/why-preconstruction-is-now-a-competitive-advantage/817518/

From http://solarbuildermag.com

A recent report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has found that gas-powered electricity generation plants are now more expensive than simply building a solar field.

The cost of gas-fired power generation has jumped over the past few years, IEEFA officials say. Recent pricing puts gas around $2,500 per kW installed — which comes out to $2.5 billion for a 1 GW unit. Not only is that roughly triple the cost of similar projects built earlier this decade, but it comes online much slower than solar or wind power.

The report says that consumers of NextEra Energy, one of the world’s largest solar and battery developers, saved more than $1.1 billion in fuel costs between 2017 and 2024. Not only that, but solar generation totaled 7.6 million MWh for the company in 2022 alone, which saved customers an estimated $375 million.

Now, the company projects that its levels of solar generation will jump from 12.4 million MWh in 2024, to 55.8 million MWh just a decade later. In addition, it expects gas’s share of the generation mix will drop from over 71% to about 45.7%, largely thanks in part to cost savings.

“Wind and solar do not share the shortcomings of gas. Their costs are not tracking its rapid upward climb, and the hardware is readily available,” says Dennis Wamsted, IEEFA’s energy analyst and author of the report. “Renewable projects can be built in 18 to 36 months, and they have no fuel costs—ever.

“Paired with dispatchable battery storage, which continues to benefit from declining capital costs, renewables offer firm power and fixed costs on short development timelines.”

Rising costs move the needle in solar’s favor

Rising costs are wracking the entirety of the energy economy, and gas-fired power generation has taken the brunt of those costs. The report states that rising costs have “undercut gas’s competitiveness” thanks to capital, fuel, and pipeline costs all skyrocketing in the world of liquid natural gas.

“A 2025 analysis of data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the EIA by BTU Analytics showed that pipeline construction costs (calculated as the price per mile) had jumped by 90% for projects completed before 2024 compared to those completed or proposed since 2024,” the report says. “Importantly, that calculation does not include the blowout costs of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which entered commercial service in 2024, years late and with a total cost of roughly $9.7 billion — $6.2 billion more than the original estimate.”

In return, solar and batteries have taken up the mantle as “a clear cost winner,” the report says. Dispatchable battery storage has grown exponentially since 2022, expected to reach 89 GW of installation by 2027 compared to 50.3 GW in 2026.

“Their costs are projected to continue falling, while their energy storage capacity improves,” the report says of batteries. “An enormous amount of global R&D investment is focused on improving batteries—for consumer electronics, for electric vehicles, and for grid-scale and consumer energy storage. This research has led to consistent improvements in energy density (more power in the same amount of space), lower costs, and safer chemistries. It almost certainly will continue to do so in the future.”

A bright future for renewables

Despite constant federal policy changes, things are looking up for solar and other renewable energy sources at grid scale in the U.S., according to the report.

New solar plants and other renewable energy solutions are being built, in the face of mitigating policy like the One Big Beautiful Bill Act from 2025. Although one renewables plant isn’t going to get the job done, hope is high that the U.S. will adopt these more sustainable, and less costly, power plants at scale. Experts in the field predict that renewables and batteries will “far outpace new fossil fuel additions.”

New gas plants will, of course, remain a staple of the American energy ecosystem for years to come. But as those plants become more expensive to build and maintain, the costs will speak for themselves. In short, the rising costs that target consumers, developers, utilities, and investors will eventually catch up with fossil fuels, the report forecasts.

“Solar, wind, and dispatchable battery storage can be built much more quickly, at lower cost, and at a scale that matches actual demand growth rather than optimistic AI-driven projections,” the IEEFA report concludes. “Renewables and battery storage are also better for consumers, providing protection against rising, volatile fuel costs and shielding them from the high cost of new gas-fired capacity.”

 Article Link: https://solarbuildermag.com/utility-scale-solar/new-ieefa-report-finds-building-solar-cheaper-than-gas-power-plants/