Commercial Construction Outlook: Key trends, risks & opportunities

Insurance Business TV sits down with Ryan Powers, SVP and Head of Construction at QBE North America, to break down QBE’s latest US Commercial Construction Outlook (developed with Controlled Risks) and what it signals for the next 2–3 years. We dig into the forces reshaping project risk and profitability, from persistent labor shortages and the industry’s reliance on immigrant labor to the impact of tariffs and immigration policy shifts.

Ryan also unpacks where costs are headed, including surging prices for essential metals like steel, aluminum, and copper, and what contractors and insurers can do now to protect timelines, budgets, and safety outcomes. Plus: why data centers are becoming one of the most talked-about growth areas in construction, and what that means for coverage, underwriting, and risk management.

Watch the full conversation and share how these trends are showing up in your market.