Adrian Barrios, Business Unit Leader, DPR Construction

May 2026 — Invest: sat down with Adrian Barrios, DPR Construction’s South Florida business unit leader, to discuss how the construction market is changing, from workforce constraints and prefabrication to healthcare investment and technology-driven predictability.

What major changes have you seen in the South Florida construction market over the past year, and how are those changes affecting how DPR operates?

South Florida continues to attract national and global attention, and that trend has been building for some time. The region is no longer viewed as a short-term, post-pandemic destination. It’s being evaluated as a long-term place to locate headquarters, operations, and major investments. That sustained interest is putting pressure on an already constrained geography, bordered by the ocean on one side and the Everglades on the other.

That physical constraint amplifies challenges around infrastructure, transportation, and workforce mobility. Moving people efficiently from Palm Beach to Miami is increasingly difficult, and it highlights the need for continued investment in transit and infrastructure systems. Workforce housing has also become a critical issue. Construction, like many essential industries, depends on people being able to live close enough to where projects are happening and maintain a reasonable quality of life.

For DPR, none of this is new in the sense that workforce constraints are a long-standing characteristic of the construction industry. Skilled labor shortages didn’t appear last year, and they won’t disappear next year. We approach it as a structural reality that requires long-term solutions, not a temporary problem we can wait out.

How is DPR addressing workforce challenges in this environment?

We focus on being very clear-eyed about the reality that there will almost always be more projects than people available to build them. Instead of reacting to that, we invest in solutions that fundamentally change how work gets done.

One major area is early engagement with future talent. That means connecting with middle schools and high schools to show students that construction trades can offer stable, rewarding careers. We also look beyond traditional labor pools to build a more diverse and resilient workforce.

Another major lever is prefabrication. By shifting work from job sites into controlled environments, we reduce the number of labor hours required in the field. Prefabrication allows work to be done more safely, more cleanly, and with greater quality control. Instead of assembling components at height, often in challenging conditions, work happens at bench level in a factory setting.

That approach also creates flexibility. Prefabricated components can be built in advance, stored, and delivered to a site exactly when needed. It reduces congestion, improves safety, and helps us manage labor resources more effectively across multiple projects.

How does DPR’s self-performing model fit into that strategy?

DPR is a self-performing general contractor, which means we don’t just manage trade partners. We pour concrete, form walls, hang and finish drywall, install ceilings, and complete specialty scopes ourselves. That gives us a level of predictability that’s difficult to achieve otherwise.

We train and develop our own workforce, and we know what they’re capable of. While we work with excellent trade partners across South Florida, having in-house craft capabilities allows us to move projects forward even when the broader labor market is tight. It’s another way we reduce risk and deliver more consistent outcomes for clients.

From your vantage point, what trends are you seeing across healthcare, life sciences, and higher education construction?

Healthcare has been a core market for DPR for decades, and it continues to be a major focus nationally and locally. One long-running trend is the expansion of outpatient facilities. Healthcare providers are working to bring services closer to communities, allowing patients to receive care earlier and reduce reliance on emergency rooms and inpatient hospital stays.

In South Florida, we’ve seen major investments from systems like Baptist Health, Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System in large, community-based outpatient campuses. There’s also a renewed focus on traditional hospital campuses that are 30, 40, or even 50 years old.

After years of prioritizing outpatient expansion, many providers are now reassessing their central hubs. It’s no longer just about renovations. In some cases, it’s a complete rethinking of how those campuses function, including major central energy plant upgrades to utility and MEP systems so facilities can serve communities for the next several decades.

In life sciences, South Florida continues to grow as a hub, particularly in areas like Jupiter, where institutions such as Scripps Research helped establish a foundation for the sector. Higher education and advanced technology construction are also active, reflecting broader institutional investment across the region.

You’ve emphasized predictability, speed, and certainty. How do those priorities shape how projects are structured from the outset?

Large construction projects are inherently risky, especially in a volatile environment. The key to managing that risk is reducing the window of uncertainty between when construction teams mobilize and when a project is delivered.

That starts with planning. DPR works with the end in mind by engaging early with owners and design teams. Instead of receiving a completed design and simply executing it, we participate upstream in shaping solutions. That allows us to bring constructability, sequencing, and cost certainty into the design process.

Early involvement also enables modularization and prefabrication strategies. When we’re part of the conversation early, we can identify entire rooms, bathrooms, or building systems that can be built off-site. That’s nearly impossible if a project arrives fully designed and permitted.

We also bring trade partners into the process through design-assist models. Their expertise is invaluable in solving complex challenges before construction begins. Ultimately, predictability comes from assembling the right team with proven experience and giving them the time and space to develop a solid plan.

How does technology factor into DPR’s approach to construction today?

Technology and innovation have been part of DPR’s DNA since the company was founded in 1990. We were among the earliest adopters of building information modeling, and our proximity to the technology ecosystem in California helped shape that mindset.

Today, we evaluate technology through a simple lens: does it make our teams’ lives easier and our projects safer, more efficient, and more predictable? If it doesn’t, it’s not worth pursuing.

Robotics is a growing area of focus, particularly for tasks like layout and work that would otherwise expose people to safety risks. Prefabrication facilities also rely heavily on automation and robotics, similar to manufacturing environments in the automotive industry.

Technology should never be about novelty. For our clients, it has to translate into real value: improved safety, higher quality, and greater certainty around schedule and outcomes.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities over the next three to five years?

Safety is a major priority. We want to help elevate safety standards not only within DPR but across our trade partners in South Florida. Training, development, and consistent expectations are critical to changing long-standing industry norms.

Prefabrication is another key focus. We’re currently preparing to deliver a healthcare project where the entire exterior skin system, including glass and metal panels, is being prefabricated off-site. In a hurricane-prone region, that requires rigorous testing and approvals, but it demonstrates what’s possible when prefabrication is done right.

Finally, we remain committed to growing our self-performing workforce and creating long-term career paths for our craft professionals. Our goal is for people to build lasting careers at DPR, not just work on individual projects. That investment in people is fundamental to how we deliver quality work and support the region’s continued growth.