Brian Potter (@_brianpotter) / X

Brian Potter

2,010 posts

Brian Potter

@_brianpotter

Writes Construction Physics. Senior infrastructure fellow at @IFP

constructionphysics.substack.com

Joined January 2022

Pinned
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Jun 4
Many folks have observed that it takes much longer to build infrastructure in the US than it used to. But what about the time it takes to plan infrastructure? This week on Construction Physics, I look at trends in planning times for US bridges. construction-physics.com/p/how-long-doe…
2.5K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Nov 20, 2024
Replying to @timhwang
Schematic drawings of a planned Intel semiconductor fab that they accidently put online for a hot minute.
136K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Jun 19, 2023
The amount of electricity generation capacity sitting in the interconnection queue and waiting to get built is greater than the capacity of all existing US power plants (via emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/…)
601K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
May 3, 2024
Moore's 2nd Law states that the cost of a semiconductor fab doubles about every four years. In the early 1970s a fab cost just $4M to build. Today, modern fabs cost up to $25B. This week on Construction Physics, I look at what it takes to build a fab.
How to Build a $20 Billion Semiconductor Fab
From construction-physics.com
1.1M
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Feb 28, 2025
If I was making a list of the hardest things for technological civilization to accomplish, "building a new commercial jet engine" would be very near the top. This week on Construction Physics, I look at what makes it so difficult.
Why It's So Hard to Build a Jet Engine
From construction-physics.com
105K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
May 23, 2025
Hot off the presses
104K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Oct 9, 2025
Since 2009, the number of pedestrians killed by cars in the US has risen by almost 80%. This week on Construction Physics, I try to figure out why. construction-physics.com/p/why-are-so-m…
885K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Dec 31, 2024
Morris Chang is the founder of TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry and one of the most important companies in the world. For some reason, no one has translated his autobiography into english. So I translated it.
Morris Chang and the Origins of TSMC
From construction-physics.com
111K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Aug 25, 2022
Not sure if this is surprising or not: the total value of new cars sold in the US last year (~$600 billion) was roughly twice the value of new single family homes built (~$300 billion)
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Oct 23, 2024
China has been trying to build a successful commercial jetliner since the 1970s. This week on Construction Physics, I try to understand whether they'll succeed in competing with Airbus and Boeing.
Will the China Cycle Come for Airbus and Boeing?
From construction-physics.com
849K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Jun 10, 2024
Today a single large data center can use as much power as a small city, and the next generation of AI-specific data centers are poised to be even larger and more power intensive. This week on Construction Physics, I look at AI data centers.
How to Build an AI Data Center
From construction-physics.com
236K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Oct 11, 2023
Can't believe I wrote 5000+ words on the history of tunnel boring machines and somehow missed this proposal for a machine that would use the heat from a nuclear reactor to melt its way through the ground osti.gov/servlets/purl/…
126K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Jun 17, 2023
How the clean energy transition was made possible by one company in the 1970s that wanted to burn garbage - a thread
340K
Brian Potter
@_brianpotter
Aug 12, 2025
My book, "The Origins of Efficiency", is now officially available for preorder.
My Book "The Origins of Efficiency" is Now Available for Preorder
From construction-physics.com
147K