Indonesia and South Korea Break Ground on Sumatra Fire Centre for El Niño
Indonesia and South Korea broke ground on a firefighting brigade dormitory in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra, launching a broader Forest and Land Fire Management Centre funded by the Korea Forest Service. The programme bundles a dormitory, command and training centre, brigade capacity‑building and a wildfire detection system to tackle the peat‑fire hotspot of OKI. An early‑onset El Niño forecast for late 2026 tightens the preparation window, as past fire seasons have caused massive emissions and loss of life. The partnership deepens Korea‑Indonesia cooperation on climate‑resilient forestry.
Australia’s Housing Trade Shortage Worsens
Australia’s housing sector is confronting a deepening shortage of skilled tradespeople, according to the Housing Industry Association’s March‑quarter Trade Report. The HIA Trade Availability Index slipped from –0.47 to –0.62, indicating a worsening deficit across twelve of thirteen trade categories,...
Croatia Signs €280 Mln Contract with Spanish Company for Zagreb – Rijeka Railway Upgrade
Croatia’s rail infrastructure manager HŽ Infrastruktura signed a €280 million (≈$300 million) contract with Spanish contractor COMSA to upgrade the 44‑kilometre Zagreb‑Rijeka line between Hrvatski Leskovac and Karlovac. The project will add a second track, fully electrify the route and replace signalling...
Orange Intel Moves Beyond Telematics
Ditch Witch’s Orange Intel platform is expanding beyond basic telematics to become a fully integrated, data‑driven jobsite solution for underground utility work. The system connects drills, locating equipment, fluid systems and mapping tools through API‑enabled data sharing, creating a unified...
Vistry Wins Approval for 780-Home Essex Scheme
Vistry Group has won planning permission for a 780‑home mixed‑tenure development in North Weald Bassett, Essex, after a public consultation with Epping Forest District Council. The scheme will add a health centre, primary school, green spaces and other community facilities,...
Spain’s Mediterranean Corridor: EUR 3 Billion in 2024–2026
Spain’s Mediterranean Corridor has secured roughly $3.1 billion in new investment between January 2024 and March 2026, accelerating construction, adaptation and modernization of rail sections, stations and port accesses. The network now has 870 km under construction, raising the overall work share from 45%...
IQIP, EnBW and Vattenfall to Deploy EQ-Piling at Dreekant Project
IQIP, EnBW and Vattenfall are set to carry out the first full‑scale offshore monopile installation using EQ‑Piling technology at the 1 GW Dreekant wind farm in Germany. Developed by IQIP, EQ‑Piling is a noise‑mitigation system that also promises lower CO₂ emissions...
Russia Offers the CKU Railway Help and a Snarky Remark
China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are advancing the CKU railway, a cross‑border link that will join China’s standard‑gauge network with Central Asian routes. Russia’s deputy transport minister Dmitriy Zverev visited Bishkek and pledged Russian technology, staff training and rolling‑stock assistance. He...
Oregon Opens First Mass Timber Cancer Centre with 86 Glulam Beams
Skanska USA opened Oregon’s first mass‑timber medical facility, the St. Charles Cancer Centre in Redmond. The two‑storey building uses 86 glulam beams, 30 cross‑laminated timber panels and roughly 20 km of interior timber framing, replacing a smaller clinic with a space...
How BIPV Façades Behave Under Enclosure Fire Conditions
A research team led by the University of Science and Technology of China built a stainless‑steel compartment to evaluate how building‑integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) façades behave in enclosure fires. The study tested three PV module types—CdTe thin‑film, double‑glazed crystalline silicon and...
Ontario Approves 230kV Red Lake Transmission Expansion
Ontario’s government has approved Hydro One Networks to construct the 230 kV Red Lake Transmission Line, a 162‑km double‑circuit project linking Dryden and Red Lake. The line will add roughly 400 MW of capacity—four times the current supply—enhancing grid reliability for remote communities and...
Jamaica Moves to Stabilise Cement Supply After Weather Disruption
Jamaica’s Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) has rolled out emergency measures to steady cement supplies after heavy rains halted production at Caribbean Cement Co. An incoming vessel originally bound for the Bahamas will be redirected to Jamaica on...
Baumit Boosts Efficiency with New EUR22m Raw Mill
Baumit Austria has commissioned a new raw meal mill at its Wopfing plant, investing EUR 22.6 million (≈ $24.6 million). The modernised mill improves operational reliability, reduces maintenance frequency, and secures raw material supply. Energy efficiency gains are projected to cut annual electricity use...
ALI to Proceed with Record Mall Portfolio Expansion This Year
Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) announced its largest retail expansion ever, adding over 200,000 sq m of new mall space and more than 70,000 sq m of office space in 2026. The move comes despite geopolitical headwinds, with the company pivoting toward a leasing‑led strategy...
Whoosh Structural Overhaul to Satisfy China, Purbaya Says
Indonesia’s finance minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced a finalized plan to restructure the consortium and debt of the Jakarta‑Bandung high‑speed rail, branded Whoosh, to satisfy Chinese investors. The restructuring adopts a risk‑sharing approach, aligning losses with each party’s ownership share....
Former Workshop Site in Marham Gains Consent for Four Self-Build Homes
A one‑acre former workshop on the edge of Marham is now on the market for a guide price of £480,000 (≈ $614,000) with freehold ownership and outline planning permission for four self‑build homes. The site, previously used for engineering and military...
AlUla Development Company Breaks Ground on NUMAJ, Autograph Collection
AlUla Development Company announced the groundbreaking of NUMAJ, a new luxury hotel that will join Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The $200 million project will feature 150 rooms and is slated for completion in 2028. It forms part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 push...
Put a (Roof) Coat On—It Is Hot Out There
EnKoat, a startup backed by Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) and Galvanize Real Estate, applied its dual‑function IntelliKoat roof coating to a 60,000‑sq‑ft warehouse in Pedricktown, New Jersey. The coating acts as a thermal barrier and weather shield, aiming to lower interior...
Fortescue Tips Another $1B Into Pilbara Green Energy Infrastructure
Fortescue Metals Group’s board approved an additional US$680 million (approximately A$954 million) to accelerate the 200 MW Pilbara Green Energy Project in Western Australia. The funding will expand solar and battery infrastructure that will supply renewable power to Fortescue’s mines and third‑party customers...
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Pitches Infrastructure-Led Growth, Targets ₹30 Lakh Crore Investments for State
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled an infrastructure‑led growth plan that aims to draw roughly $360 billion in investments, positioning the state as a global investment hub. The roadmap spotlights the Vadhvan Port as a new logistics powerhouse and pledges to source...
Why Progress on AMP8 Is Proving Slower than Anticipated
The UK water sector’s Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8), running 2025‑2030, aims to spend roughly $132 bn—about double the $65 bn allocated in AMP7. Early progress is lagging; United Utilities only launched a $44 m wastewater upgrade, while Anglian Water has spent $1.4 bn on...
Australia’s 1.2 Million Homes Target Has a Delivery Problem. New Zealand Solved It
Australia’s National Housing Accord pledges 1.2 million new homes by 2029, backed by a $10 billion AUD (≈$6.6 bn USD) Housing Australia Future Fund and additional state spending. Yet the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council forecasts delivery of only 938,000 homes, leaving...
Malaysian Government to Assess Impact of Increasing Construction Materials Costs
The Malaysian Ministry of Works announced a formal assessment of the surge in construction material prices, focusing on cement, steel and aggregates. The task force will quantify cost pressures on the nation’s $5 billion infrastructure pipeline and on affordable‑housing projects. Preliminary...
Gulf War Damage Creates $58B Repair Job, Global Construction Squeeze
The U.S., Israel and Iran conflict has left more than 80 oil and gas facilities in the Persian Gulf severely damaged, creating a $58 billion repair and restoration market, according to Rystad Energy. Downstream refining and petrochemical complexes bear the bulk...
‘Beneficiary Pays’ Model Gains Traction With Lawmakers
Lawmakers at Data Center World urged Congress to adopt a “beneficiary pays” model, requiring companies that drive demand for new transmission lines—such as data centers—to foot the bill. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R‑ND) and Rep. Scott Peters (D‑CA) highlighted cost allocation...
Hoar Construction, American Real Estate Partners Complete Alexandria Office-to-Residential Conversion
Hoar Construction announced the completion of CityHouse Old Town, a seven‑story office‑to‑residential conversion in Alexandria, Virginia. The project transformed a 141,000‑sq‑ft office building into a 236,000‑sq‑ft multifamily community with a six‑story open‑air courtyard. Hoar acted as general contractor alongside architect...
Mediacom’s Network Construction Ahead of Schedule in Minnesota
Mediacom Communications announced it completed twelve fiber broadband projects across Minnesota ahead of schedule, adding more than 400 miles of last‑mile fiber and connecting roughly 3,900 homes and businesses. The two‑year effort was a public‑private partnership with the Minnesota Department...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...