Today's Construction Pulse
Poland pushes ahead with $50B nuclear plant EPC deal
Poland is working to seal an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Westinghouse and Bechtel for its first nuclear power plant, a $50 billion, 3.6 GW project. Negotiations have slipped past the original mid‑2025 target as parties discuss construction‑risk allocation. The delay coincides with Poland’s broader push for energy diversification.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Dalmia Bharat acquires JAL cement assets for $350M
Trump Taps Defense Production Act to Address Grid Equipment, Energy Project Bottlenecks
President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate production of critical energy‑infrastructure components, including transformers, substations, pipelines and LNG systems. The White House published the determinations in the Federal Register, authorizing the Department of Energy to apply Section 303 powers to address supply‑chain bottlenecks. The move frames these assets as essential to national defense and seeks to expand domestic capacity through financial and regulatory tools. The DOE has not yet identified specific projects or disclosed funding levels.
Editor's Desk: With Housing, the Hard Part Isn’t the Idea. It’s the Deal.
The affordable‑housing crisis is less about new ideas than about executing coordinated deals that blend financing, zoning reforms, and cross‑sector partnerships. Tools such as income‑averaging LIHTC, tax abatements, adaptive reuse, and bridge financing are being combined to lower costs and...
Joby, Real Estate Firm Plan Los Angeles Vertiport
Joby Aviation and private‑equity real‑estate firm Reuben Brothers announced plans to transform the South Tower’s existing helipad at Park Elm Residences in Century City into an all‑electric eVTOL vertiport. The project will add charging infrastructure and the company’s first passenger...
WA Commerce Webinar: Cool Classrooms on a Budget: How Federal Energy Tax Credits Can Help
Washington’s Commerce Department will host a May 11 webinar on using federal energy tax credits to fund ground‑source heat pump HVAC upgrades in schools. Seattle Public Schools and contractor McKinstry will share implementation insights. The state’s Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance...
Mass General Brigham Secures Nearly $866M Financing Package For Ongoing Expansion
Mass General Brigham secured a $865.5 million tax‑exempt bond package, led by J.P. Morgan Securities, to fund its ongoing West End campus expansion. The financing will support the 482‑bed Ragon Building, which will boost oncology and cardiovascular services, and add five stories...
Pros of Retrofitting Old Commercial Fixtures With LEDs
Retrofitting existing commercial light fixtures with LED components lets owners upgrade lighting without full replacement, delivering major energy and maintenance savings. A 400‑watt metal‑halide can be swapped for a 150‑watt LED, cutting consumption 60‑75% and reducing cooling loads. LED kits...
Development and Experimental Verification of Corrugated Steel Sheathed CFS Shear Walls with a Self-Centering Energy Dissipation Brace
Researchers have created a cold‑formed steel (CFS) shear wall system that integrates a self‑centering energy dissipation brace (SCEDB). Full‑scale tests on six wall specimens showed shear capacity gains of up to 47% for 5 mm corrugated sheathing (Q915) and 27% for...
Northern Beltline Conflict Pressures $14.5bn Project Marvel Data Center Expansion Approval
The Bessemer City Council voted 5‑2 to rezone over 900 acres, clearing the way for Project Marvel’s expansion to roughly 1,600 acres. The $14.5 billion hyperscale data‑center campus will now host 18 buildings after developers shifted the site to avoid the...
BGO Recoups Loan Capital in Exit From Stalled Dublin Development
BGO has successfully recouped its loan capital by exiting the Camden Yard development in Dublin, which had been stalled for three years. Receivers sold the scheme, allowing BGO to recover the full amount it had lent. The disposal removes a...
Economic Development Group Pushes Congress on Permitting Reform
A coalition of local, state and regional business groups, led by the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE), is lobbying Congress for federal permitting reform ahead of the November midterms. They argue that predictable permitting will unlock investment in...
Building Missing‑Middle Starter Homes to Keep Families City‑Bound
The mission of @americanhousing is to build housing in THIS circle Other developers build highrises downtown, midrises in emerging neighborhoods & master planned communities far away We are building “missing middle” starter homes … so families with kids can STAY in the...
Extell Files Plans for 86-Story Residential Development at 80 West 67th Street
Extell Development has submitted filing with the New York City Department of Buildings for an 86‑story, 1.2‑million‑square‑foot residential tower at 80 West 67th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The super‑tall will contain 430 apartments and roughly 25,000 square feet...
Austin Housing Market Hits Stabilization, Near Bottom
#Austin housing market finally approaching bottom. CEO of Taylor Morrison 1Q26 earnings call: “Austin actually finally saw what I would say some stabilization in backlog, had the best sales month in quite some time, and cancelations seemed to stabilize.” Checks w/our analysis...
Louisiana Airports Receive $14.9 Million for Improvement Projects
Senator Bill Cassidy announced that Louisiana airports will receive $14.86 million in federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The largest allocations include $5.78 million for automated passenger‑exit lanes at New Orleans’ north terminal, $4.23 million for terminal reconstruction at Shreveport...
South America’s First 3D Printed Social Homes
South America’s first 3D‑printed social homes were completed in La Unión, Colombia, where Cementos Argos used Cobod’s Bod2 printer to construct two 63‑square‑meter houses. The walls were printed on‑site in 16 hours over three days, delivering a 30 % speed advantage over traditional...
Morocco’s Tallest Tower Inaugurated, Visible for 50km
The 250‑metre, 55‑storey Mohammed VI Tower was inaugurated on Rabat’s Bouregreg riverbank, becoming Morocco’s tallest building. Developed by a Besix‑TGCC joint venture, the mixed‑use tower offers 102,800 sq m of hotel, office, residential and observation space. Its engineering features a tube‑in‑tube concrete‑steel core,...
FC Cincinnati Seeks $136 M State Grant to Turn TQL Stadium Into Multi‑sport Venue
FC Cincinnati has filed a $136 million grant proposal to Ohio to fund a pitch overhaul and infrastructure upgrades at TQL Stadium, positioning the five‑year‑old arena for rugby, college football and larger concerts. The plan is part of a $545 million mixed‑use...
Australian Billionaire's $900 Million Waste‑to‑Energy Plant Faces Fiji Opposition
Australian billionaire Ian Malouf has unveiled a $900 million waste‑to‑energy incinerator at Vuda Point that could supply up to 45% of Fiji’s electricity. The plan has ignited fierce opposition from local chiefs and community groups, who label it “waste colonialism” and...
Planning Commission in Franklin County, Missouri, Recommends Approval of One Data Center, Denies Another
The Franklin County Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of Provident Data Centers' Diamond Farms proposal, which would rezone roughly 575 acres for the Gateway Digital Campus. In contrast, the commission advised against BLE Landholdings' Beltline project, seeking...
Portland Approved a Record Number of Homes Last Year — but Far Fewer Got Built
Portland, Maine’s planning board approved a record 1,420 housing units in 2025, nearly tripling the 477 permits issued in 2024. The surge was driven by a handful of large‑scale projects that represented 95% of the approvals. Yet only 187 units...
Kansas Awards $18.9 Million for 53 Airport Projects
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced $18.9 million in state funding for 53 airport development projects through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program. Local matching contributions are expected to raise the total investment to roughly $95 million. The projects, spread across all...
UK Firms Move Beyond AI Experimentation as Measurable Results Emerge in the Project Economy
UK architecture, engineering and consulting firms are moving from AI pilots to operational use, according to Deltek’s 7th Annual Clarity Trends report. Nearly one‑third (29%) now prioritize AI optimisation, and almost half report productivity or cost gains, with 12% seeing...
Nearly 1,600 Meters Below the Surface of South Dakota, Workers Removed 800,000 Tons of Rock and Built Two Giant Caverns...
Workers at the former Homestake gold mine in South Dakota excavated 800,000 tons of rock to create two caverns 20 m wide, 28 m high and 150 m long, 1,520 m underground. The caverns will host the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), the world’s largest...
RIP
Canada’s condo market is in crisis, with 13,726 unsold units in the GTA—enough to meet demand for roughly two and a half years. Prices have slashed about 30%, falling from roughly $569,000 USD in early 2022 to $401,000 USD today,...
Ask the Expert – Bilco
Construction Canada’s April 23, 2026 issue features an Ask the Expert interview with Steve Weyel, senior executive at Bilco. The conversation spotlights Bilco’s newest water‑storage systems and its sustainability roadmap for the AEC sector. The newsletter, which curates the latest...
Enhancement Project Will Improve Old Rag Trailhead At Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park will launch an infrastructure enhancement at the Old Rag Trailhead on May 4, with completion slated for November 2026. The main parking lot will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians, but visitors can still reach the trail via overflow lots...
Construction ERP Survey Shows Demand for Cloud, but the Gains Remain Uneven
A Lumber survey of 26 construction professionals found that nearly 70% consider real‑time data a top ERP requirement, while mobile access remains a major gap. Seventy‑three percent of respondents already use a cloud‑based, construction‑specific ERP, yet only 11% report significant...
Industry Updates: Home Sales Trends, HST Relief, Rental Funding, AGO/ROM Funding
Ontario’s one‑year temporary HST relief eliminates the 13% tax on new homes, offering rebates up to $96,000 USD and sparking a province‑wide "Best Time To Buy" campaign by BILD. Despite the incentive, BILD recorded only 948 GTA new‑home sales in...
California 'Strongly Encourages' Coastal City to Fast-Track Farmworker Housing
California’s Housing Accountability Unit has sent a sharply‑toned letter to Half Moon Bay urging the city to fast‑track permits for a five‑story, 40‑unit senior farmworker housing project. The development, proposed after a 2023 mushroom‑farm shooting highlighted substandard worker conditions, has...
Sports Boulevard Tenders Wadi Hanifa Road Works
Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard Foundation has issued a tender for an 11.4‑kilometre road and related infrastructure in Riyadh’s Wadi Hanifa district, with bids due by 27 April. The road is part of the broader Sports Boulevard project, a 135‑kilometre linear park slated...
VP Chiwenga Turns to Miners in Renewed Push to Revive NRZ Rail Network
Vice‑President Constantino Chiwenga has placed the mining sector at the heart of Zimbabwe's effort to revive the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). He urged bulk commodity producers, especially coal miners, to partner with the government in rehabilitating key freight corridors...
Freeport East Transport Masterplan's Rail Vision for Key Freight Gateway | Rail Technology
Freeport East has unveiled a 2026 Transport Masterplan that prioritises a sweeping rail investment programme across the Felixstowe‑Harwich‑Stowmarket freight corridor. The plan highlights the long‑awaited Ely and Haughley Rail Improvement Package, including a new double‑track junction at Haughley and capacity...
$25 Billion Australia Data Center Project: Microsoft to Build AI, Cybersecurity Infrastructure
Microsoft is allocating roughly $16.5 bn USD to expand Azure hyperscale data centers across Australia, adding high‑density AI compute and integrated cybersecurity infrastructure. The effort builds on a prior $3.3 bn AUD investment that established 29 sites and aims to train three million...
690 MW LSS5+ Solar Project in Malaysia Awards Solarvest EPCC Contract Through Developer Malakoff
Solarvest Holdings has secured a MYR 1.06 billion (≈USD 267 million) EPCC contract from Malakoff to build a 690 MWp solar farm on a 1,400‑acre site in Perak, Malaysia. The plant, part of the government‑backed Large‑Scale Solar 5+ (LSS5+) programme, is slated for commercial operation in...
LiveStay Breaks Ground on Hybrid Hotel Tower
LiveStay, the newly unified brand that merges Veriu Hotels & Suites, Punthill Apartment Hotels and UKO, has broken ground on a 17‑storey mixed‑use tower in Adelaide’s CBD. The development will deliver 120 hotel rooms and 120 co‑living studios, with the...
Draft Masterplan Outlines R2-Trillion Vision for Restoring Rail as 'Backbone' By 2050
The South African government has released a draft National Rail Master Plan, a R2‑trillion (≈ $108 billion) investment roadmap to reposition rail as the logistics backbone by 2050. The plan targets moving 250 million tonnes of freight annually by 2030 – up from...
Ask the Expert – Ännt Bollards
Construction Canada’s Ask the Expert segment features an interview with Shawn Lowry of Ännt Bollards. Lowry outlines the company’s modular, impact‑rated bollard systems designed for both safety and visual appeal. The discussion highlights rapid installation, compliance with European crash standards,...
£500M Spent on Cancelled National Highway Schemes Brought No Benefit, MPs Told
National Highways told MPs it cannot confirm any public benefit from roughly $630 million (£500 million) spent on projects cancelled in 2024‑25. The Department for Transport wrote off over $3.4 billion in total, including £410 million on four major road schemes and £62 million on...
Getting Beyond Data Center Construction: Designing for Grid Reliability
Global investment in data centers is set to hit $580 billion by the end of 2025, outpacing new oil‑supply spending. As the sector expands, grid‑reliability standards are emerging as a critical design constraint. IEEE’s Industry Connections group released a review recommending...
1bn+ Lakefrost Mall Redevelopment Faces Setbacks as Design Conflicts Obscure Progress
The Lakefrost Mall redevelopment in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a $1 billion‑plus mixed‑use project covering roughly 102 acres. While the schematic development plan has been approved, final site‑plan reviews are stalled by design conflicts in storm‑water systems, roadway geometry, and transit integration....
EVOLVE Launches Analytics Platform for BIM Performance
EVOLVE has introduced EVOLVE Professional, an analytics platform that converts BIM data into real‑time performance insights for trade contractors. The solution pulls material quantities, modeling activity and change history directly from Revit, delivering productivity trends, risk indicators and forecasting data....
Private Tolling of Istanbul Bridges Moves Closer as Brisa Reportedly in Talks
Turkey is moving closer to privatizing the operating rights of Istanbul's 15 July Martyrs Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, with Portuguese highway operator Brisa reportedly in talks with Turkish officials. The government, advised by Ernst & Young, plans to issue...
Resurfacing Work To Begin On George Washington Memorial Parkway
The National Park Service will begin resurfacing the George Washington Memorial Parkway between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and First Street in Alexandria on April 23, with work continuing through June. Crews will replace worn asphalt overnight and on weekends, while pedestrian‑crossing medians...
Let’s Take Action to Make US Road Work Zones Safer
The National Asphalt Pavement Association warns that a work‑zone crash occurs every five minutes in the United States, injuring over 100 people daily and killing about 17 each week. Drivers and passengers account for roughly 80 % of those fatalities, making...
Galliford Try Secures £750m Affordable Homes Framework
Galliford Try’s Building division has secured a £750 million (≈$960 million) affordable‑homes framework from Sovereign Network Group. The deal supports SNG’s goal of delivering over 2,000 homes per year across southern England, with Galliford Try covering mid‑ and high‑value bands in London,...
Beverly Hills Rescinds Denial of Builder's Remedy High-Rise at 140 S. Camden Drive
The Beverly Hills City Council voted on April 21 to rescind its earlier denial of an appeal for a 15‑story, 27‑unit residential tower at 140 S. Camden Drive, designed by CARA Architecture. The project features an automated underground garage for 44...
US Gas Plant Costs Surge 66% Amid Rising Demand
Costs to build natural gas-fired power plants in the US increased 66% between 2023 and 2025 as developers propose building more projects nationwide to meet rising electricity demand. https://t.co/dO5y2ajRdJ
Affordable Housing Proposed at 2208 S. Union Ave. In University Park
A Christian church in University Park is partnering with developer LH Housing to replace existing single‑story structures at 2208 S. Union Avenue with a six‑story, brick‑veneer building. The project will deliver 155 one‑bedroom affordable apartments, include ground‑floor space for United University Church,...
Construction Begins for Supportive Housing at 828 W. Anaheim St. In Wilmington
Holos Communities and partner TPC Homes broke ground on Safe Harbor I, a four‑story supportive housing project at 828 W. Anaheim Street in Wilmington. The development will contain 50 two‑bedroom apartments, including a manager unit, and features a ground‑floor community room, staff...
The Hive Sets New Bar as World’s Most Advanced Seismic Timber Building
Vancouver’s Hive tower is the world’s most advanced seismic mass‑timber building, featuring 105 engineered dampers and a honeycomb timber‑braced frame that replaces a traditional concrete core. Central tectonic joints let stabilising beams slide during earthquakes, allowing the structure to flex...