Egyptian construction firm Hassan Allam has announced it will float up to 44.3% of its shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Egyptian Exchange (EGX). The company said it intents to use the proceeds of the capital raise to develop a portfolio of solar assets in partnership with Lightsource BP – Europe’s biggest…
A renewable energy construction boom in the Australian state of Victoria is set to create more than 6,000 annual jobs, according to a new report by Green Energy Markets (GEM), commissioned by GetUp. Victoria is officially creating more large-scale renewable energy construction jobs that any other Australian state, with 5,169 jobs years of employment –…
Construction of Western Sydney Airport has officially commenced at Badgerys Creek, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison breaking ground at the site today. At the opening ceremony, Morrison talked up the significance of the project, calling it the ‘biggest game changer’ for the city of Sydney since the construction of the Harbour Bridge. The Badgerys Creek…
The redevelopment of the area around London Euston rail station in the UK could be worth close to £6 billion when fully completed, according to the project’s master-developer Lendlease. The Euston redevelopment project was valued as part of Lendlease’s results for the year to 30 June 2018, in which the multinational construction firm recorded an estimated…
Egypt’s construction sector has more than 1,400 active projects that have been valued at US$348 billion, according to a report by BNC Network ahead of The Big 5 Construct Egypt Expo. The North African nation is experiencing a widespread period of prosperity, with the construction industry at the forefront of this economic growth, registering 10%…
Fortescue Metals Group has confirmed it will build a new large-scale iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, as part of its plans to increase the average grade of its iron ore output. The Australian mining giant will spend US$1.27 billion on the construction of the Eliwana mine, which will replace the…
Latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have shown that the Australian construction industry has begun the year with minimal growth in terms of work completed and total value. The value of total construction done over the quarter ending in March creeped up by 0.2% to AUS$51.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis. However,…
London has been ranked as the fifth most expensive city in the world to build in, according to a report from consultancy Turner and Townsend. The report also found that construction costs will rise by 2.8% in 2018, albeit at a lower rate than the 3.9% increase noted in 2017. Construction costs in the UK’s…
A report has found that Dallas-based construction company Rogers-O’Brien has saved an estimated US1.8 million a year by using iPad’s onsite. The firm ditched paperwork in favour of the Apple tablet five years ago in a project overseen by director of applied technology Todd Wynne. Out of 390 employees, 190 possess and iPad for work…
Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised a multibillion dollar infrastructure spend ahead of the release of the country’s latest federal budget. The PM unveiled part of a AUS$24.5 billion 10-year road and rail infrastructure package, most notably including the $5 billion rail link connecting Melbourne’s airport to the city. In addition, $400 million has…
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is in ‘serious talks’ with the Jordan Atomic Energy Comission (JAEC) to build a US$1 billion nuclear reactor in Jordan. JAEC’s chairman Khaled Toukan revealed the news before adding that a formal agreement for the 220MW helium gas-cooled reactor will be signed next year, with the project set to be…
US real estate and investment firm Golub & Company has announced plans to build Chicago’s second tallest skyscraper, in partnership with CIM Group. The 1,422-foot skyscraper will become part of a redevelopment project located on a parking lot East of Chicago’s Tribune Tower. The building, which is currently unnamed, will be approximately 29 feet shorter…
The Southeast US-focused roadways construction and maintenance specialist Construction Partners has announced an underwritten initial public offering (IPO). The Alabama firm is offering 6,750,000 shares, and certain selling stockholders are offering 4,500,000 shares, adding up to a total of 11,250,000 shares of Class A common stock. Construction Partners hopes to raise up to US$114.75 million…
London’s skyline is set to be bolstered by the arrival of more than 500 tall buildings over the next decade, according to an annual survey by New London Architecture (NLA) and GL Hearn. The report found that there are 510 skyscrapers – defined as buildings over 20 storeys – currently in the UK capital’s construction…
Two rival UK construction outfits have concluded a deal which will see materials giant Breedon acquire Irish firm Lagan Group for a fee of £455 million. Breedon’s conditional agreement to buy Belfast-based Lagan is the latest in a series of acquisitions and represents Breedon’s first venture into the Irish market. Under the deal, the firm…
Construction work for a huge spoil processing hub has begun at the site of the AUS$6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel project in Melbourne, Australia. The tunnelling hub will incorporate a massive shed to reduce noise and dust and will be connected to the neighbouring Northern portal site by an elevated, covered conveyor belt. The conveyer…
The US city of Sioux Falls in South Dakota is experiencing a busy spring in terms of large-scale construction projects, with three sites totalling US$207 million progressing well. A $134 million hospital campus, a $40 million concrete plant and a $33 million refrigerated warehouse are being constructed and have a been a hive of activity…
The US Commerce Department has revealed that spending in the construction sector edged up by 0.1% in February, amid an abrupt decline in investment in public construction projects. This growth in construction spending for the month of February was less than expected by leading economists polled by Reuters who had forecast outlay to accelerate by…
South African engineering and construction company Murray & Roberts (M&R) has rejected a buyout offer from Germany’s ATON GmbH, labelling the approximately US$600 million offer ‘opportunistic’. ATON is already a significant shareholder in M&R, owning a third of the business, and offered to buy the rest of M&R’s shares from shareholders at a cash offer…
UAE-based property developer Azizi Developments has finalised the construction of two apartment buildings worth US$124 million in Al Furjan, Dubai. The Montrell by Azizi ($57.6 million) and the Roy Mediterranean ($67.2 million) were completed in a record time – within 18 months, and are the 11th and 12th completed works in Al Furjan by the…
International renewable energy company Neoen will start constructing its AUS$350 million Bulgana Green Power Hub in Australia next month. The plant, located near Stawell in the state of Victoria, is set to be an integrated wind farm and battery storage hub and the company’s largest single-stage project in Australia. Neoen Australia’s managing director Franck Woitiez said…
UAE-based offshore contractor Lamprell has confirmed in a statement that construction work has begun on a joint venture (JV) to build a multi-billion dollar shipyard on Saudi Arabia’s Eastern coast. State-run oil company Saudi Aramco will lead the JV, called International Maritime Industries (IMI), which also includes Lamprell, National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) and…
The redevelopment of Lyon Part-Dieu, Europe’s biggest urban shopping centre, has begun in earnest with Dutch architect MVRDV starting work on the 166,000 square metres mall. The design intends to open up the mall to neighbouring streets and will turn a segment of the existing car park into 32,000 square metres of additional retail space.…
Spain-based construction firm Sacyr Construcción S.A has been appointed to build and renovate several venues to be used during the Lima 2019 Pan American and Parapan American Games. The works will take place in Callao district of Peru’s capital city and include the remodelling of the University of San Marcos stadium, the renovation of the…
Swedish real estate firm Castellum will construct an office building in Malmo, with Eon Energy Group as the anchor tenant. The company plans to invest US$133 million in the project as part of its strategy to grow as a community-builder in the Oresund region of Sweden. Eon’s new Nordic headquarters will be built in the…
Kier has been named as the preferred bidder for the build of a £7.2 million 360-degree immersive cinema in the UK, the first of its kind in Europe. The construction work will transform a grade II-listed hall in Plymouth into a blockbuster venue that will screen films, concerts and sports matches to 150 visitors. Work…
US President Donald Trump’s proposed metal import tariffs could seriously damage the domestic construction industry and jeopardise various infrastructure projects, according to a recent study. Economic consulting group Trade Partnership warned that up to 28,000 jobs in the construction industry alone could be lost, if the proposed tariffs – 25% on imported steel and 10%…
A new report released by Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) has concluded that a dominant masculine culture in the Australian construction industry is pushing women out of work. The study found that completion rates amongst females in apprenticeships has waned and is now comparatively 15% lower than men in the past five years. This is despite…
UK housing association Peabody has won an affordable housing deal within the major Battersea Power Station revamp in London. Peabody will deliver 386 affordable homes within the scheme, although this is down from the initial promise of a 636-home scheme made by the Battersea Power Station Development Company. The subsequent slash in the number of…
Singapore-based developer CapitaLand has completed the first section of a ‘sky park’, that will form part of an aerial bridge between four skyscrapers in the Chinese city of Chongqing. The 400 metres long ‘conservatory’ has been dubbed the world’s longest horizontal skyscraper and will overlook the Yangtze river from a viewing deck, sky gardens, swimming…
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and developer London and Quadrant (L&Q) have partnered to deliver a regeneration project in the UK capital that will build up to 11,000 homes. The partnership, called Barking Riverside Ltd, will invest £500 million in the Barking Riverside project, which will also develop transport links in the area and…
Virgin has revealed its Hyperloop One business will build one of its systems in India, linking the cities of Pune and Mumbai via a high-speed rail network. The British conglomerate’s owner Richard Branson signed a preliminary agreement for a broad hyperloop framework in Mumbai, which will pave the way for the construction of a demonstration…
A joint venture between Tutor Perini and Parsons Transportation Group has won a US$1.41 billion fixed-price contract for the Newark Airport Terminal One design-build project in the US state of New Jersey. The $2.7 billion, one million square foot project is part of a redevelopment and modernisation of Newark Liberty International Airport, and is New…
Japanese company Sumitomo Forestry has unveiled preliminary designs for a building that is set to become the world’s tallest timber skyscraper in Tokyo and the world’s biggest recyclable building. The proposed 350-metres tall tower will form part of the W350 Project, a mixed-use environmentally friendly development designed by Nikken Sekkei. W350’s framework will be made…
Canadian engineer WSP has won an infrastructure contract that will improve access to reliable energy in Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo. WSP will build a 330,000V transmission line between the two Southern African nations after its engineers completed a three-stage feasibility study, including assessing the routes and substations, data gathering, financial and economic analysis…
A number of engineering and construction-related contracts for work on a US$5.3 billion light rail system in Montreal, Canada have been divvied out to several domestic and international firms. The engineering and construction will be carried out by Canadian outfits SNC-Lavalin, Aecon, Pomerleau and EBC, along with US engineer Aecom and Dragados Canada (a subsidiary…
Nearly 1,000 hectares of construction projects were approved by Dubai Municipality up until December last year, according to a recent news release. These developments span across several categories including residential, commercial, public services, mixed-use, tourist, and open area projects. The Municipality’s assistant general director Eng Dawoud Al Hajiri said seven major development projects were approved…
A recently approved AUS$200 million wind farm project in North Queensland is set to bring 200 construction related jobs to the Australian state. The 100MW Lakeland Wind Farm is being developed by a company called Windlab and will generate enough power to supply more than 50,000 homes upon completion. Minister for state development, manufacturing, infrastructure…
ACWA Power has been awarded a US$302 million solar power development in Saudi Arabia which represents the first ever utility scale renewable energy project in the kingdom. The Sakaka independent power producer (IPP) PV solar project is located across 600 hectares in Al Jouf and will generate 300MW of utility scale renewable energy upon completion.…
Western Australia-based construction firm Cooper & Oxley has suspended its trading as a financial crisis looms over the major regional commercial building firm. However, the company’s decision to lock a building site has sparked an angry backlash from its subcontractors, many of whom attempted to retrieve their tools from the property. Cooper & Oxley has…
Over 150,000 jobs in the UK construction sector are set to be created over the next five years, according to a new report by the Construction Industry Trading Board (CITB). This high level of job growth has been predicted by the national board despite nagging uncertainty caused by Brexit and the recent high-profile collapse of…
Saudi Arabia’s state oil producer Saudi Aramco is expected to launch a construction tender later this year covering expansion work at one of its major oilfields. The proposed expansion of Aramco’s Marjan oilfield has been mooted to cost more than US$10 billion, with several international engineering and construction firms already expressing an interest in bidding…
Global engineering and infrastructure company Aurecon has revealed the appointment of Johann Brits as regional innovation leader for the Middle East. The Australia and South Africa-based firm has taken on the experienced Brits to lead a cross-disciplinary team focused on harnessing design thinking to account for each individual client’s needs, along with driving forward the…
Major construction work has begun at Lekki Deep Water Port at the Lagos Free Trade Zone in Nigeria, with the facility set to become a major regional hub for port operations in West Africa. The management of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE) said that construction of the main breakwater for the port has commenced during…
Overall sentiment in the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) construction sector has increased by 7% over the last two years, according to a survey by law firm Pinsent Masons. The findings, presented to industry professionals at Pinsent Masons’ Annual Construction and Engineering Law Conference, revealed that since 2016 overall sentiment went from 32% to 39%. The…
UK-based construction giant Kier Group has emerged from the mire of its JV partner Carillion’s recent collapse to post a satisfactory half-year trading update, which pushed shares up nearly 13%. The trading update covering the six months to December revealed that Kier’s construction and services order books stood at about £9.5 billion, while 100% of…
Laing O’Rourke will build two pavilions for the universal exposition Expo 2020 in Dubai, after it was awarded the contracts which have a combined value of US$182.4 million. The UK-based construction contractor will deliver Expo 2020 Dubai’s Leadership and Media Pavilions, as well as its ‘Hammerhead’ road and various landscaping components. The Hammerhead project, named due…
Australian construction giant Doric Group has partnered with China Wu Yi to form Wu Yi Doric, a new entity that will initially compete for tier-one construction projects across Western Australia. The new company spawned from a meeting between Doric and the Chinese firm at the World Traders Association two years ago, and was officially registered…
A team of 1,500 construction workers in China have built an entire train station in just under nine hours. Xianhua News Agency reported that works began in Southern Fujian Province at 6.30pm on January 19 and by 3am on January 20, workers had completed the removal of old tracks, the laying of new tracks, and…
A number of Australian tower blocks have been shortlisted as finalists across three categories in a prestigious annual competition run by Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). In the ‘Best Tall Building: Asia & Australasia’ category, three tower blocks in Barangaroo, Sydney made it to the last nine of proceedings. The three…
UAE-based real estate developer Tiger Properties has said it plans to develop 18 new projects in Dubai and Sharjah worth US$2.7 billion over the next two years. This investment plan includes the development of 13 projects in Dubai, and five projects in neighbouring emirate Sharjah. The group will soon launch its first project of 2018,…
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has closed a US$268 million tax equity and construction financing deal for the build of a 200MW wind project in the US state of Oklahoma. The project is the first stage of the 365MW Persimmon wind farm of which Quinbrook has acquired a 75% controlling stake in, along with the initial developer…
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will lead a consortium that will build a major bridge in Croatia after it won an international race to the infrastructure project. Croatian Roads announced the decision after the Chinese consortium submitted a bid of around US$330 million (excluding VAT) which beat off competition from Austrian and Turkish consortiums,…
Saudi Arabian energy firm ACWA Power has awarded an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to China’s Chint Group for the development of three solar PV plants in Egypt. The US$190 million contract forms part of ACWA’s Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) programme for the projects, which will generate a combined maximum of 166MW of renewable energy. The…
Canadian consultancy engineer WSP has been named construction manager for the development of a US$1 billion telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert. WSP will use its expertise to oversee the construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), including management of the budget, schedule, cost estimation, change control and site acceptance. The company will utilise its global…
UK construction giant Carillion will go into liquidation, threatening thousands of jobs, after talks between the firms, its lenders and the government failed to reach a last-ditch rescue deal. Carillion is the UK’s second largest construction and outsourcing firm, but has amassed debts of £1.5 billion, including a £587 million pension deficit and a £300…
Public Health England (PHE) has picked three contractors for the build of its £400 million science campus and headquarters which will be located in Harlow, Essex. Privately-owned Wates Group was awarded two of the four available slots that will cover the refurbishment of the main building and the arrivals, administration and logistics facilities. The new…
First ground has been broken at the site of the US$1 billion Virgin City project in Southeast Nigeria, which will deliver an entire urban settlement including various infrastructural networks. The new city will be located at the mouth of the Cross River, South of the city of Calabar in Cross River state, and will consist…
A joint venture of international project development consultants Mott MacDonald and WSP has won the design contract for two packages of the AUS$9.3 billion Inland Rail project. Mott MacDonald and WSP will deliver engineering and design consulting services along with environmental assessments for the 107km Parkes to Narromine and 188km Narrabri to North Star (both…
French nuclear power company New Areva has taken a step closer to the construction of a €10 billion reprocessing plant in China after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). Although not yet legally binding, the MoU provides assurance of a contract for the development and paves the way for…
Construction work has begun in earnest on a building in Nairobi which will become Africa’s tallest skyscraper, after Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta laid the foundation stone of the development. The skyscraper has been named ‘The Pinnacle’ and will be located in the capital city’s financial hub Upper Hill, only 16km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.…
