Reading List 09/19/2026

AirBnB’s housing accelerator, rising steel prices, a resurgence of US coal power, low-head dams, and more.

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Reading List 2026-09-26

Permitting reform prediction markets, ASML’s lack of European sales, a California distributed power plant, Starlink as a planetary barometer, and more.

Brian Potter·Sep 26, 2026

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How SpaceX Streamlined the Raptor Engine

If you’re reading this, there’s a very good chance you’ve seen this famous image of three iterations of SpaceX’s Raptor rocket engine.

Brian Potter·Sep 17, 2026

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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.

Brian Potter·Sep 12, 2026

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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 around 6 to 8% of the cost of manufacturing a car.

Brian Potter·Sep 11, 2026

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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.

Brian Potter·Sep 5, 2026

Construction Physics

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.

Brian Potter·Sep 3, 2026