Brian Potter

Structural engineer and writer behind Construction Physics, one of the most cited newsletters on the economics of building. His deeply-researched essays explain why construction costs rise, how manufacturing scales, and what the built environment reveals about progress.

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Recent Articles

Where Has Construction Automation Been Successful?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 9d ago
How Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Affect Housing Supply? Part III
Construction Physics · Metascience · 17d ago
Reading List 08/29/26
Construction Physics · Metascience · 22d ago
How the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Works
Construction Physics · Metascience · 24d ago
How Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Affect Housing Supply? Part II
Construction Physics · Metascience · 1mo ago
What Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Do for Housing Supply?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 1mo ago
Why Is Everyone Trying to Build a Solid-State Battery?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 1mo ago
Can We Lower Construction Costs with Cheaper Labor or Materials?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 1mo ago
How Predictable Are Laws?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 2mo ago
The Fall and Rise of Screwworm
Construction Physics · Metascience · 2mo ago
US Subways Build Too Many Cross Passages
Construction Physics · Metascience · 2mo ago
Converting Coal Plants to Natural Gas
Construction Physics · Metascience · 3mo ago
Biological Evolution and Information Acquisition
Construction Physics · Metascience · 3mo ago
Where Are the Economies of Scale in Homebuilding?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 3mo ago
How Long Does It Take to Plan a Bridge?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 3mo ago
The Rise of Build-to-Rent Housing
Construction Physics · Metascience · 4mo ago
How Long Do We Wait for New Inventions?
Construction Physics · Metascience · 4mo ago
How an Oil Refinery Works
Construction Physics · Metascience · 4mo ago
Construction Costs Rarely Fall
Construction Physics · Metascience · 5mo ago
Helium Is Hard to Replace
Construction Physics · Metascience · 5mo ago