Today's Construction Pulse
Poland pushes ahead with $50B nuclear plant EPC talks
Poland is working to secure 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.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Dalmia Bharat acquires JAL cement assets for $350M
Recovering the Cost of Battery-Electric Vehicles: Volvo
Volvo’s latest analysis addresses the primary concern of miners shifting to battery‑electric equipment: how quickly the higher upfront price can be recouped. The company highlights that while electric excavators such as the EC230 carry a premium, savings in diesel fuel, maintenance, and emissions can offset that cost within a 2‑ to 5‑year horizon, depending on utilization rates and energy prices. Volvo also offers a cost‑recovery calculator to help operators model payback under varying market conditions. The guidance aims to accelerate adoption of electrified fleets in the mining sector.
The Lowe’s Foundation Commits $250 Million to the Trades
The Lowe’s Foundation announced a $250 million expansion of its Gable Grants program, targeting the training of 250,000 tradespeople by 2035. This builds on a prior $50 million, five‑year pledge and is already on schedule to certify 50,000 workers by 2027, a...
ABP, CBRE IM Launch €350m Dutch Senior Housing Strategy
ABP Pension Fund and CBRE Investment Management have launched a €350 million vehicle to develop sustainable, affordable senior rental housing in the Netherlands. The strategy plans to deliver roughly 1,000 new senior homes, with more than 50 % aimed at the affordable...
Baltimore Light Rail Land Could Fund Operations 4.5×
A new MTA report showed that there are 839 acres of development potential around Baltimore's Light Rail Line route (8x the size of Disneyland). If those were all developed, it would bring in $260 million in tax revenue, which would...
General Cherry Partnering with Orqa FPV
General Cherry has announced a partnership with European UAV manufacturer Orqa FPV to build an underground factory that will produce drone components free of Chinese parts. The joint venture will establish production lines in Ukraine and Croatia, leveraging Ukraine’s battlefield‑tested...
Biodiversity Net Gain: Industry Warns Lack of Guidance Risks Delaying Major Infrastructure Projects
The BNG Federation, representing natural‑capital firms, has urged the UK government to publish detailed guidance on the forthcoming Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements for nationally significant infrastructure projects in England. The industry warns that the current lack of clear compliance...
Officials in Talks to Build Train From Tucson to Mexico Border
Officials from Pima County, the state of Arizona, and Mexico are in early talks to extend a passenger rail line from Nogales at the U.S.–Mexico border to Tucson. The proposed spur would add roughly 63 miles of track, linking the...
5 Policy Principles that Will Be Key to Next Surface Transportation Bill
Congress is drafting the next multiyear surface‑transportation bill as the Highway Trust Fund faces a projected shortfall by 2028. A Consumer Reports white paper outlines five policy principles and compares six funding mechanisms, from modest fuel‑tax hikes to a $250...
Engineers Complete Easter Weekend Rail Upgrades Hours Ahead of Schedule
Network Rail engineers completed a major Easter‑weekend upgrade on the East Somerset Junction, replacing 1.4 km of track, 1,080 sleepers and 3,300 t of ballast. The work, which began on 3 April, finished a few hours ahead of schedule, allowing services to resume...
Why Power Access Is Critical to Data Center Site Locations
Power availability has become the primary driver of data center design, influencing layout, phasing, and cooling strategies from the outset. Lenders now require executed power purchase agreements or firm interconnection commitments before committing capital, turning power certainty into a financing...
RVK Inaugurates New Depot in Hürth
Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK) opened a new 29,000 square‑metre depot in Hürth, replacing its former Bonnstraße site. The facility consolidates offices, a control centre, and a 1,000 square‑metre workshop capable of servicing hydrogen and battery‑electric buses. More than 130 employees have moved...
Another Batch of Renderings Revealed for the Massive OC Vibe Complex in Anaheim
The Samueli family’s $5 billion OC Vibe project is reshaping a 100‑acre site in Anaheim adjacent to the Honda Center and ARTIC transit hub. Recent renderings highlight 20 acres of open space featuring three miles of trails, an outdoor art gallery,...
Australia Is “Too Dependent” On Stick Framing to Hit Its Housing Targets
Australia’s reliance on on‑site stick framing is hampering its ability to meet the government’s one‑million‑home target. A chronic shortage of carpenters—over 115,000 workers needed—has left the construction sector unable to scale output. Kurt Schrammel of Vida Wood warns that large‑scale...
Five-Story Apartment Complex Take Shape at 1000 N. Alfred Street in Hollywood
Brennen Hakimian Holdings is constructing a five‑story, 67‑unit multifamily building at 1000 N. Alfred Street in Hollywood. The development offers a range of unit sizes from studios to six‑bedroom apartments and includes subterranean parking for 43 vehicles. City‑approved density‑bonus incentives...
Slow Progress for Mixed-Use Development at 401 S. Western in Koreatown
Construction on the 401 S Western mixed‑use project in Koreatown is moving slowly after a year‑and‑a‑half of work. The six‑story building will contain 73 one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments above roughly 7,000 sq ft of street‑level commercial space, plus an 87‑car underground garage. Ennabe Properties...
Canadian Project Among 2026 Guardian Glass Commercial Award Winners
The Hive, a commercial building designed by DIALOG in Canada, was named a regional winner in Guardian Glass North America’s 2026 Commercial Project Awards. The project featured Guardian’s SunGuard SN 68 high‑performance coating on clear glass, installed by glazier Bothwell‑Accurate and...
Bay Area Startup Introduces Flat-Rate, Single-Room Heat Pumps
San Francisco startup Merino Energy launched the Merino Mono, a through‑the‑wall, single‑room heat pump priced at a flat $3,800 including professional installation. The unit installs in under an hour, draws 900 watts from a standard 120‑volt outlet, and serves spaces up to...
Construction's Scarce Momentum
Private construction spending has slipped nearly 1% since the start of 2024, with almost all momentum confined to residential improvements and data‑center projects. Excluding those two segments, private non‑residential construction is down roughly 9% over the past two years. Residential...
Zoning, Permits, and Costs Stall California’s Housing Boom
Very important question: If YIMBY/Abundance is winning in California, why isn't the state building more homes? Brian Hanlon (@hanlonbt): "The main reasons we don’t have housing come down to three basic things." - First, zoning. It’s illegal to build dense housing...
Budget Cuts Ahead After Reaching Infrastructure Spending Peak
The new budget will start paring this back, but we seem to have hit peak infrastructure spending this year/next year in terms of real outlays for completed work... https://t.co/b8om2bYNrQ
Plan Commission Will Review Development at 7603 N. Paulina
Chicago’s Plan Commission will consider a mixed‑use workforce housing project at 7603 N. Paulina. Developed by Housing for All LLC and Visionary Ventures, the plan adds 80 affordable, family‑size apartments—60 in a new eight‑story tower and 20 within the historic...
Construction Industry Accelerates: Insights From Steve Yates
Steve Yates @buildxact talk about how the #construction industry is evolving quickly. Tune in live at 12 pm CT at: https://t.co/ykUbRecoZO. #TPSS #5G #cloud #edge #digitaltransformation #PeggySmedley #podcast #Buildxactambassador https://t.co/A7yZAwxHPc
Flatiron Building's First Luxury Condo Listed at $58.5M
It's a new day at the #FlatironBuilding, as handsome 20th century #landmark begins its new life as lux #condos. 1st unit goes, entire 21st floor, w/had a $58.5M ask. #OlshanReport #NYC #FlatironDistrict #realestate #CRE #23skiddoo #mortgage https://t.co/oqZffAFrR3
ABC: Construction Employment Rebounds by 26,000 in March
Construction employment rose by 26,000 jobs in March, marking a 0.7% year‑over‑year increase and bringing total industry growth to 57,000 positions since last year. Nonresidential construction led the gains with 12,200 new jobs across building, specialty trade, and heavy‑civil categories....
SDHI Wins India’s First Ammonia Dual‑Fuel Bulk Carrier Order
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd (SDHI) secured a Category 4 contract from Energy ONE Ltd to build four 92,500 DWT dual‑fuel ammonia bulk carriers, marking India’s first ammonia‑fuel vessels and among the largest built domestically. Designed by South Korea’s KMS‑EMEC and...
Selective Growth: FMI’s 2026 North American Engineering & Construction Outlook
FMI projects North American construction spending to inch up 1% in 2026, reaching roughly $2.2 trillion after a modest dip in 2025. Growth will be uneven, with public‑infrastructure and government‑backed projects providing the bulk of the upside while private‑sector segments such...
Extension of a Primary School - New School Pavilion and Multipurpose Hall / Bakyta Architekti
Architectural firm Bakyta architekti completed a 2024 extension of a primary school, adding a new L‑shaped pavilion and a multipurpose hall covering 3,986 m². The design embeds the new volumes into the terrain, preserving green space and creating a public park...
£15M Works at University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Pembrokeshire College
An open framework agreement valued at £15 million (excluding VAT) has been issued for the University of Wales Trinity Saint David Group and Pembrokeshire College. The eight‑year contract, running from May 2026 to April 2034, is split into seven lots covering project management, cost...
Renew Holdings Warns of Ongoing Sellafield Strike Impact
Renew Holdings said the protracted industrial action at the former Sellafield nuclear site continues to weigh on its performance, even six months after the strike began. Despite the disruption, the firm highlighted a healthy medium‑term pipeline in its civil nuclear...
3M SF JPMorgan Tower Off The Runway As Height Agreement Reached With Airport
JPMorgan Chase has secured permission from London City Airport to construct a 3‑million‑square‑foot headquarters tower at Canary Wharf, capped at 870 feet. Designed by Foster + Partners, the development will house up to 12,000 staff and serve as the bank’s European, Middle‑East and...
HSE Launches Consultation on RIDDOR Changes
The Health and Safety Executive has opened a consultation on proposed revisions to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). The changes aim to clarify ambiguous definitions, modernise the list of dangerous occurrences, and broaden who can...
Domis Dominates March with Mammoth Trafford Mixed-Use Job
Domis leapt to the top of the March contract‑wins table after clinching a £200 million mixed‑use scheme in Trafford, Greater Manchester. The development will deliver 382 homes, 412 student‑accommodation bedrooms and over 2,300 sq m of office space. The win lifts Domis’s revenue...
Steel Tariffs: Saving One Key Industry Need Not Cause Pain for Another
The UK government has introduced steel import tariffs of up to 50%, coupled with a £70 million trade deal with Nigeria and a pledge to prioritize domestic steel in AI, energy and shipbuilding projects. These measures aim to revive a steel...
South Shore Line Opens Monon Corridor Branch
South Shore Line inaugurated the 13 km Monon Corridor branch on March 31, linking Hammond Gateway to Munster/Dyer with four new stations. Built under the $1.6 bn West Lake Corridor Project, the line aims to cut travel times to Chicago, improve access to...
Profit up at Harron Homes
Harron Homes reported a 12% year‑over‑year increase in net profit, driven by an 8% rise in revenue and tighter cost controls. The builder’s operating margin expanded as it capitalized on strong suburban demand. Management also announced a 15% growth in...
Resilient Stadiums: A Touchdown for Safety and Revenue
Modern stadiums are being engineered for resilience and revenue by integrating structural flexibility, performance‑based design, and year‑round comfort. Engineers like Ryan Anderson and Bart Miller emphasize enclosed shells, advanced rigging points, and column‑free loading docks to support diverse events from...
Design Team Sought for Restoration of B-Listed Glasgow Bathhouse
A B‑listed historic bathhouse in Glasgow is seeking a specialist design team to lead its restoration. The city council has earmarked a £1.2 million grant to support the project, emphasizing the building’s architectural and cultural value. Stakeholders aim to preserve original...
NY Highways Names Suppliers for £25M Framework Contract
NY Highways has awarded a £25 million (excluding VAT) framework contract for civil engineering works across its network, split into two spend‑based lots. Fourteen suppliers secured Lot 1 (up to £100 k) and ten suppliers won Lot 2 (above £100 k), with several firms appearing...
Obstacle Detection System to Support Cost-Effective GoA4 on the København S-Bane
Copenhagen’s S‑bane is set to trial an advanced obstacle detection system designed to enable cost‑effective Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) operations. The solution combines lidar, radar and AI‑based image processing to identify platform and track‑side hazards in real time. Integration...
Concrete Sleeper: The Underestimated Component in the Track
Concrete sleepers are the pivotal link that transfers vertical train loads to the ballast and provides lateral stability, preventing track buckling and derailments. Compared with wood, steel or plastic, they offer up to 50 years of service, low thermal expansion,...
Monorail Line 17 Finally Opens in São Paulo
São Paulo’s long‑delayed Line 17/Gold monorail finally entered service, covering 6.7 km between Morumbi and Congonhas Airport with five new stations. The project’s cost ballooned to roughly R$5.8 billion, more than double the original R$2 billion estimate, after years of contractor changes and legal...
West Midlands Metro Extended to Millennium Point
The West Midlands Metro has announced a new extension reaching Millennium Point in Birmingham, adding roughly 2.5 miles of track and two new stations. The £200 million project, financed by the regional authority and private partners, is slated for completion in...
Build, Baby Build: OWow to Break Ground with First Fully Affordable Plyscraper
Oakland developer oWow, backed by Community HousingWorks, will break ground on an 11‑storey post‑and‑plate mass‑timber tower at 1523 Harrison Street. The $10.2 million land purchase and $39.6 million municipal financing fund a fully affordable project delivering 284 units, all LIHTC‑financed. The building’s...
Intensifying
Concord Sky and 8 Elm are rising opposite each other on Yonge Street, just south of Gerrard in downtown Toronto. The towers will stand at 85 and 69 storeys respectively, dramatically reshaping the historic shopping corridor. While the skyscrapers dominate the...
Romanian Railway Modernisation Contracts Awarded
Romania’s rail infrastructure manager CFR SA awarded the TrackWorks consortium—led by Alstom and Terna—contracts to modernise 83 km of the Craiova‑Drobeta Turnu Severin‑Caransebeș line. The €992 million programme will raise passenger speeds to 160 km/h and freight to 120 km/h while upgrading electrification and signalling...
Strabag Buys Structural Steelwork Specialist Crofton
Strabag has completed the acquisition of Crofton, a UK structural steelwork specialist founded in 1953. Crofton will continue operating under its own name from its Linton premises, retaining its senior management team. The purchase aligns with Strabag’s global‑local growth model,...
Listening to Bridges Before They Speak: Inside the World of Structural Health Monitoring
Bridges are dynamic structures whose vibrations reveal early signs of fatigue and damage. Combining Weigh‑In‑Motion (WIM) sensors that record vehicle loads with Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) accelerometers that capture the bridge’s response creates a continuous, data‑driven picture of infrastructure health....
Future Homes Standard Will Fall 400k Short of Target
A useful bit of recent information from housing expert Neal Hudson in his FT piece on issues facing housing: "even the government’s own modelling for the Future Homes Standard shows it will miss its 1.5 million housebuilding target by 400,000". #ukhousing...
Rental Vs. Ownership: How Contractors Are Reshaping Equipment Strategy
Contractors are increasingly adopting a hybrid equipment strategy, owning core, high‑utilisation machines while renting project‑specific or seasonal assets. Rising equipment costs, tighter margins, and uneven project pipelines make full ownership financially risky, prompting firms to preserve capital and offload maintenance...
Pultrall Launches V-ROD Fibreglass Rebar Production Facility in Ohio
Pultrall has opened a 127,000‑square‑foot V‑ROD fibreglass rebar plant in Edon, Ohio, doubling its production capacity. The new facility helps the company meet the Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements that now apply to its products. Pultrall expects the plant...