I recently had my best expansion game by avoid building the highest tech buildings in the game. I was able to expand faster and fill all the tiles up on all the empire planets.

The Manufacture center cost 200 but only adds +2 over factory (75), the industrial sector cost 400 and adds +6 over factory (75). But the factory only cost 75 with +10 production and has a lower tax base. Factory are easy to get tiles producing at +75.

The expansion of new planets goes too slow if trying to build a industrial sector at 400 versus 75 for factory. The advantage of the industrial sector is small +16 over +10 for fatory and not worth the extra 325 cost.

The problem is once you aquire a high tech building you can't start a new planet with a lower tech buildings. It's very hard to start a new planet with industrial sectors at 400 cost

Building to avoid early during expansion of the empire, prior to conquering other alien planets.[/B]

Diplomancy- Base embassy if fine at 60 for +15 diplomancy, the Culture Exchange at 250 for +25 is not needed early. Avoid researching advance diplomancy.

Economy-trade center at 50 for +15 is good early. Research right past banking and go directly to stock market once you are in tech researching range.

Farming-Reseach should be dictated base on planet hitting population ceiling for the most bang for the buck.

Research-Xexo research at 60 for +8 is great early. Early in game aviod Research Center for +2 extra for 100 cost and Research academy 150 cost for another +2. The 60 cost for +8 research for xeno reserch building is a bargin.

Entertainment- Multimedia at 100 cost and +10% morale is okay. I avoid the Extreme stadium 250 cost for +15 morale, Zero G sports 300 cost for +20 morale and virtual reality centers at 400 cost for +25 morale. At this point I have stock markets and convert all the mutlimedia building over to stock markets.

Stock markets give +25% economy, +10 morale, +5% influence and cost only 120 with a lower tax base. I don't build have any entertainment buildings late in game.

Once all the tiles are filled up on all your planets then upgrade the following.

Upgrade to stock markets at 120 cost as soon as possible.

Upgrade 60 cost-xeno reserch centers +8 to 200 cost-invention matrix +16 research. Avoid neutral learning centers at 300 cost for +22. These centers are NOT upgradable to discovery spheres later in game. This only applies if you pick neutral path.

Upgrade embassies 250 cost for 25% diplomancy.

Convert entertainmant tiles over to stock markets. These should be only multimedia centers at time of conversion. [B]Avoid Extreme stadiums, zero G sports and virtual reality centers. If you have a planet with morale problem on planet then consider adding more stock markets for the same effect, 3 stock exhanges at 360 total cost ( 3x120each)gives you +30 moral, +75 economic and +15 influence. Virtual reality center at 400 cost gives +25% morale. These cost more (+400 versus +360) and produce less morale than stock exchanges. But you need extra 2 tiles for 3 stock markets over 1 virtual reality center. But you usually have morale problems on the largest planets and have plenty of tiles.

Factories- enhance factory at 100 cost at +11 is fine. Go for this at any time. But try to avoid manfacture centers-200 cost and industrial sectors-400 cost. Wait until all the empire planet tiles are filled prior to these expensive upgrades.

Avoiding higher tech building doesn't seem right, but it works to produce the fastest expanding empire. Once all the empire planet tiles are fill, then proceed with choice upgrades.