566. Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America?

Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say ... “prefab”?) RESOURCES: " The Strange and Awful Path of Productivity in the US Construction Sector ," by Austan Goolsbee and Chad Syverson ( BFI Working Paper, 2023). " Infrastructure Costs ," by Leah Brooks and Zachary D. Liscow ( American Economic Journal: Applied, 2023). " The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch ," by Conor Dougherty and Erin Griffith ( The New York Times, 2023). " A Decent Home ," report by the President's Committee on Urban Housing (1968). EXTRAS: " Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away ," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). " Why Are Cities (Still) So Expensive? " by Freakonomics Radio (2020). SOURCES: Vaughan Buckley , founder and C.E.O. of the Volumetric Building Companies. Carrie Sturts Dossick , professor of construction management at the University of Washington. Ed Glaeser , professor of economics and chair the economics department at Harvard University. Michael Hough , director of MJH Structural Engineers. Ivan Rupnik , professor of architecture at Northeastern University. Chad Syverson , professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.