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THE ORIGINS OF EFFICIENCY
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Reading List — 09/12/2026
City permitting speeds, more efficient ground source heat pump drilling, an Amazon Air crash in Miami, cooling paint, and more.
Sep 12
•
Brian Potter
59
3
3
Where Has Construction Automation Been Successful?
Construction is famously labor intensive: direct labor makes up close to 50% of the cost of constructing a new single-family home in the US, compared to…
Sep 11
•
Brian Potter
130
20
16
Reading List - 09/05/2026
SpaceX’s turbine blade factory, Fervo’s deal with Google, Delhi’s cheap metro, why recycling is overrated, and more.
Sep 5
•
Brian Potter
87
4
6
How Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Affect Housing Supply? Part III
This is my third and final essay looking at the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and how it’s likely to affect housing supply.
Sep 3
•
Brian Potter
79
7
3
August 2026
Reading List 08/29/26
Sinking London homes, US magnesium manufacturing, the World Humanoid Robot games, catastrophic flooding in Nepal, and more.
Aug 29
•
Brian Potter
87
2
How the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Works
The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is the largest crude oil storage facility in the world.
Aug 27
•
Brian Potter
241
21
20
Reading List 08/22/26
Los Angeles’ ADUs, electrical transformer manufacturing, gas turbine power plants, how water in the Colorado River is used, and more.
Aug 22
•
Brian Potter
71
2
5
Reading List — 08/15/2026
Home price declines, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, The Boring Company fundraising, and more.
Aug 15
•
Brian Potter
96
1
4
How Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Affect Housing Supply? Part II
This is the second installment of my look under the hood of the recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, looking at what each provision…
Aug 14
•
Brian Potter
96
10
5
Reading List 08/08/2026
The Endangered Species Act and housing production, why it’s hard for LEGO to use 3D printing, robotic welding and shipbuilding, modular data centers…
Aug 8
•
Brian Potter
105
1
1
What Will the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Do for Housing Supply?
A few weeks ago the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law. This is an enormous housing bill that’s been in the works for roughly a year — I first…
Aug 6
•
Brian Potter
103
7
7
Reading List 08/01/26
Pepper-spray drones, China’s chip Manhattan Project, Commonwealth Fusion’s fundraise, and a proposed Dulles Airport renovation.
Aug 1
•
Brian Potter
88
1
1
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