Jeff Martin, General Manager

Confidential construction—once the exception—has now become a core operating condition for many owners, reshaping how teams plan, communicate, and execute work.

As confidential projects continue to rise, our industry is being challenged to rethink how we manage risk, protect information, and deliver speed without compromising physical or intellectual security. Doing this well goes beyond good intentions and depends on disciplined systems and deep expertise.

Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) is consistently selected for this high-stakes, confidential work because of our ability to manage complexity with discretion and discipline. Our teams understand what’s at stake. Over the years, we’ve built a reputation for earning and maintaining trust on high-security, high-sensitivity projects, often without the ability to publicly share the work once it’s complete.

The Rise of Confidential Projects

Confidential projects today are on the rise, especially across advanced manufacturing, data centers, and government-aligned private sector projects. Owners are applying confidentiality in construction with greater scope, rigor, and intent than in the past. Several forces are driving this shift.

Competitive pressure is one of the biggest. Manufacturers racing to be first-to-market are protecting proprietary processes, equipment, and facility layouts that impact revenue and market share. Data centers, in particular, have emerged as a category of their own due to extreme power and water usage, community concerns, and significant schedule-driven financial penalties if deadlines are missed. In these circumstances, even early disclosure can have financial consequences.

National security and compliance requirements are also evolving rapidly. Federal frameworks like the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) are raising expectations for digital security and how facilities are designed, built, and managed, with downstream implications for contractors, designers, and trade partners.

At the same time, heightened public and media scrutiny around large capital investments — particularly those tied to infrastructure funding, energy or federal dollars — has led many owners to limit exposure until projects are fully underway or even complete.

Lastly, operational sensitivity plays a role in confidentiality. Cybersecurity risks, facility vulnerability, and business continuity concerns mean owners are more cautious about who has access to information. As a result, NDAs are being initiated earlier and more often, sometimes even before basic project details are shared.

The Spectrum of Confidentiality

Not all confidential projects are the same. In our experience, confidentiality exists along a spectrum, and AP supports clients across its full range.

Our Specialized Expertise, Training & Trusted Partnerships

Because of their high-risk nature, confidential projects demand more than standard construction protocols. That’s why AP has invested heavily in specialized training and credentialing for secure environments. Our teams have deep experience in SCIF construction, RF shielding, specialized MEP filtration systems and the processes required to meet accrediting-authority standards. Today, more than 40 AP team members have completed advanced training in secure facility construction.

This depth of specialized training and expertise benefits both owners and designers, many of whom have limited or emerging experience with secure infrastructure. In our experience, early collaboration helps reduce redesigns, accelerates permitting or accreditation milestones and avoids costly schedule impacts.

Equally important to our internal training is our deep bench of trusted, trained subcontractor partners. In confidential work, reliability and discretion are prerequisites, not differentiators. Longstanding relationships allow us to move quickly while maintaining control over quality and security.

Our role in confidential projects extends far beyond building. We operate at every touchpoint as a partner, helping clients navigate compliance and risk mitigation, and sequencing strategies that protect both schedule and security. To support this even more effectively, we are developing a secure work environment within our own office space, equipped with specialized systems and access controls to manage sensitive information internally.

The ROI of Getting Confidentiality Right

Confidential projects inherently introduce risk and cost. AP’s preconstruction expertise and problem-solving culture help protect owners from costly overruns and compliance failures. Early integration allows teams to align design, budget, security requirements and schedule before constraints become roadblocks.

Perhaps most importantly, owners who work with us say they gain peace of mind. They know their contractor (and our subcontractors) understand the stakes and have the depth and discipline necessary to deliver without compromise, lost revenue, delayed market entry or contractual obligation risk.

The construction industry is moving toward greater confidentiality, higher security expectations, and tighter controls on information flow. Owners need partners they can trust not only to build, but to protect intellectual property, operational strategy, and the schedules and reputations that depend on them.

AP is prepared to meet this moment. With specialized training, rigorous processes and a proven track record on high-stakes projects, we help owners navigate complexity with confidence.

If you’re planning a confidential project — or want to mitigate risk early — connect with AP to start the conversation.