Shawn Pepple, Raleigh Business Unit Leader, DPR Construction

Raleigh-Durham’s rapid emergence as a national center for life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare development is reshaping the region’s construction landscape. DPR Construction Business Unit Leader Shawn Pepple shared how surging demand for large, complex, highly technical projects is testing the local talent pipeline, accelerating innovation, and reinforcing Raleigh’s position as a magnet for investment. He noted that the region’s trajectory aligns closely with DPR’s own growth strategy. “The level of technical work here aligns extremely well with DPR’s strengths, which is a big advantage,” Pepple said.

What significant factors are influencing your project strategy and execution in the Raleigh-Durham market?

One of the biggest drivers for us continues to be the strength of the life sciences sector. Life sciences manufacturing has grown tremendously in this market, and Raleigh-Durham offers the right combination of industry support, access to land, strong higher education institutions, and targeted incentives that bring major projects here. DPR has done life sciences work across the country, and when I talk to peers in other regions, it is clear that this area stands out.

We have had a strong foothold in this market for about 20 years, and, fortunately, our strongest core market aligns with one of the region’s fastest-growing sectors. That alignment influences how we plan, hire, and build. These projects are highly technical, which suits DPR well, and we are seeing a steady flow of opportunities that match our capabilities. The combination of a mature local office and a booming technical market has shaped much of our strategy over the past year.

How does Raleigh compare to other high-growth metros where DPR operates, and what dynamics are most defining this region’s trajectory?

Across the company, DPR works in five core markets: healthcare, higher education, life sciences, advanced technology, and commercial. We have about 30 offices around the country, and each location has different strengths depending on the market mix. Some offices that are more dependent on commercial or higher ed have seen slower activity recently — not struggling by any means, but not experiencing the same surge that markets like Raleigh, Austin, Atlanta, or Richmond are seeing.

Locally, the strongest drivers continue to be life sciences and healthcare, along with the broader national trend toward advanced technology and data centers. While we have not yet seen one of the mega data center projects directly within our geography, we are seeing a lot of investment just outside the region, including in parts of Southern Virginia. Even without a major project in our immediate footprint, the overall advanced tech boom is influencing long-term planning.

We recently broke ground on the WakeMed Whole Health campus in Garner, which is a great example of how healthcare growth is tied to population growth. Raleigh-Durham continues to attract residents and investment, and those fundamentals are defining the region’s long-term trajectory. The level of technical work here aligns extremely well with DPR’s strengths, which is a big advantage.

How are project expectations and complexity evolving as clients invest in large capital projects?

The scale has increased dramatically. Not long ago, a $250 million project was considered large for this area. Today, many projects are pushing $1 billion or more. Our largest project currently in preconstruction is roughly $1.5 billion, and there are healthcare opportunities in the pipeline exceeding $2 billion.

As projects get larger, delivery becomes more complex. The level of integration required between owners, design teams, and builders has grown, and we are seeing more emphasis on early alignment. These jobs require a coordinated effort from day one to be successful.

Another dynamic is the strain on the trade partner community. Many large megaprojects across the region are pulling from the same pool of subcontractors, and those teams are stretched. To deliver billion-dollar projects, we often have to look beyond local partners and bring in national players. We also need to engage much earlier than before and make commitments sooner, so trade partners have the confidence and runway to ramp up the resources needed.

The region is maturing into a market where large, highly technical projects are the norm, not the exception. That shift has fundamentally changed how we plan and execute work.

How is DPR leveraging technology, and how do you see its role evolving in construction over the next few years?

Technology is advancing extremely fast, and we are constantly adapting. On one project that started in 2023 and is now in the middle of construction, we are already on our third iteration of software for progress capture and virtual reality tools. New solutions are emerging so quickly that teams have to keep learning and staying at the forefront of innovation.

Some tools focus on improving efficiency in field execution, such as quality analysis or progress tracking. Others support day-to-day coordination; for example, using AI tools like Copilot to generate meeting minutes, action items, or summaries. There is both the general business application of these tools and the construction-specific application.

DPR has a dedicated innovation team that evaluates new technologies and identifies where they can add value. One of our core values is Ever Forward, and we have always embraced innovation. We were early adopters of VDC and BIM in the 2000s, and we intend to maintain that leadership mindset. Technology will continue to improve speed, quality, and cost efficiency, and we are committed to integrating those advancements into our job sites.

Given the scale and pace of work in the region, how is DPR building and sustaining a skilled workforce to meet current and future demand?

Our differentiator is our people. We are a service organization, and the strength of our teams — the talent, the culture, and the long-term stability we offer — is what attracts both clients and employees.

On the professional staff side, we work hard to ensure compensation and career growth opportunities are competitive. We hire for the long term, not just for the immediate project need. That stability resonates with people who want to build a career, not just work on a single project.

For craft labor, the challenge is more significant. The local trade community is stretched by the volume of work and by the fact that fewer young people have entered the trades in recent decades. Because this region does not have strong union representation, we take on more responsibility for training. DPR has robust in-house apprenticeship programs, including carpentry and concrete training, as well as an electrician apprenticeship program. These programs help us bring in people with little or no experience and train them into highly skilled craftspeople.

We also focus on community outreach, including visiting high schools and career fairs. Sometimes, even if one student walks away interested in construction who wasn’t before, that is a win for DPR and for the entire industry. As AI reshapes different sectors, a lot of research suggests that trades will remain in high demand. These careers offer stability, strong compensation, and long-term opportunity.

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

Our priorities align closely with DPR’s broader strategy: strengthening self-perform work, expanding prefab capabilities, advancing virtual design and construction, and improving design-to-build integration. All of these initiatives help us build safer, faster, improve quality, and reduce onsite labor needs.

We also want to ensure our growth remains healthy and intentional. I have been with DPR for 15 years, and the Raleigh office has grown from a small, emerging presence to a large, mature office. There is still plenty of opportunity in the market, but we want to be selective, saying yes to the right work and no when necessary. That can be challenging, especially when long-standing clients are involved, but it is essential for long-term success.

Ultimately, our focus is on aligning with clients who value the expertise we bring, creating meaningful opportunities for our teams, and delivering complex, technical projects that reflect DPR’s standards. Raleigh-Durham has more opportunities than we could take on, so our job is to choose wisely and grow in a way that preserves our culture and our commitment to excellence.