FCC's Energy division has begun work on a €240m (£193m) solar thermal energy plant in Villena, Spain.

The Valencian government’s regional president Alberto Fabra and FCC chairman Baldomero celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the plant, which will have an installed capacity of 50MW and produce 110,000MWh of electricity per year.

After visiting the site, Falcones announced that construction of the new plant would create 750 direct and indirect jobs over the next two years.

Fabra expressed his gratitude to FCC, for its investment in the region, its firm commitment to alternative energies, and its role in creating jobs. He also noted that "this first solar thermal plant joins other initiatives implemented by the regional government to promote the use of renewable energies and new technologies, saving and diversification in the energy field."

The solar thermal power plant is located at the southwest edge of the Alhorines Valley, in Villena in the province of Alicante. The area has one of the highest incidences of solar radiation energy in the region, receiving 1,900kWh/m² per year. 

Builders across the USA are volunteering time and materials next week in blitz aimed at building 200 homes in 25 states.

Professional builders are working in partnership with Habitat for Humanity  to organise all aspects of the work including securing subcontractors and suppliers, fundraising and seeking donations of materials.

With the help of local building professionals in communities across the USA, the Home Builders Blitz programme is designed to support Habitat’s vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

This year’s event will take place from 4-8 June. The goal is to build 200 homes in the five days.

Among the projects is a scheme in Wilmington, North Carolina. In just one week, five affordable homes will be built for Wilmington families as Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity, professional builder volunteers and building material donors including the Tapco Group come together.

All Habitat construction focuses on water and energy efficiency, safety and health, and materials conservation.

“When you see tears of joy from hardworking new homeowners, it’s inspiring,” said Tapco product manager Kelly Warren.

Aecom has been awarded a US$42m (£26.6m) contract for an engineering study of the planned Malaysia-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link.

The contract is for Malaysia's Land Public Transport Commission and Singapore's Land Transport Authority.

Under the contract, the company will provide an architectural and engineering consultancy study for the proposed RTS Link, which would connect Singapore with Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia. The study will determine the technical parameters and proposed options for a convenient and cost-effective system that is well-integrated with public transport services on both ends of the RTS Link.

"We are delighted to play a key role in this important transportation infrastructure project, which will help better connect commuters and visitors between Singapore and Malaysia," said Aecom chairman and chief executive officer John Dionisio.

A masterplan vision designed by Broadway Malyan has been officially launched for a new city in north eastern Brazil.

Broadway Malyan’s client for the work at the city of Convida Suape is Moura Dubeux Engineering & Cone.

Convida Suape is designed to be a sustainable urban extension of the city of Cabo de Santo Agostinho near Recife, the capital city of the State of Pernambuco. It will result in the transformation of a 470ha area to accommodate up to 100,000 inhabitants.

The practice’s design was delivered by an integrated team of masterplanners, urban designers, architects, landscape architects and branding specialists based in its São Paulo, Lisbon and London offices.

The city will be built in four phases with ten distinct neighbourhoods providing 25,000 new homes set in 154ha of open space, as well as substantial provision for new businesses, health, education and leisure activities.

Practice director Margarida Caldeira said: “Convida Suape will set a benchmark for strategic urban development and city expansion projects in North Eastern Brazil, now one of the fastest growth areas in the world. The launch is testament to the integrated work of our world-class team of design experts delivering on our client’s ambitions in partnership with its stakeholders.”

Skanska has signed a US$46.5m contract with the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas to construct a hotel and expand and renovate its existing casino in Eagle Pass.

The project includes a 17,000m² development of a 250-room hotel together with restaurants, shops, meeting rooms and a fitness centre. It also involves a 7,400m² renovation and expansion of the existing casino facility.

Construction for the project will begin in June and is expected to complete by August 2013.

A 50/50 joint venture between subsidiaries of SNC-Lavalin and Cintra Infraestructuras has landed a CA$1bn (£621m) highway PPP contract in Canada.

The 407 East Development Group General Partnership has been by the province of Ontario to design, build, finance, and maintain Phase 1 of the new Highway 407 East. The project will be delivered using Ontario’s alternative financing and procurement (AFP) delivery model. 

"We are pleased to have been awarded this very important highway project in Ontario,” said SNC-Lavalin Group executive vice-president and chief financial officer Gilles Laramée. “Once completed the highway will allow for a better and more efficient transportation and flow of goods between Toronto and eastern Ontario.”

The 407 East Development Group General Partnership has entered into a fixed-price contract with the Province of Ontario for the project. Phase 1 of the new highway will extend 22km east from Brock Road in Pickering to Harmony Road in Oshawa.  It also includes a 10km north-south highway east of Lake Ridge Road connecting Highway 407 East to Highway 401.

“With this award, SNC-Lavalin’s capabilities will be put to work on a large and complex construction project,” said SNC-Lavalin Group executive vice-president Charles Chebl. “We are committed to the Ontario market, and look forward to working with our design-build partner Ferrovial to deliver sustainable transportation infrastructure to the province.”

The design and build portion of the contract is expected to take approximately 3.5 years. Once completed, the partnership will maintain and rehabilitate the road for 30 years. The Partnership has entered into a fixed price contract with a 50/50 consortium made up of SNC-Lavalin Operations & Maintenance and Cintra for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the road over the concession period.

Laing O’Rourke has secured its second major contract in recent weeks on the AU$34bn (£21.3bn) Ichthys LNG Project in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Laing O’Rourke, in partnership with LNG tank specialist Kawasaki Heavy Industries, has been awarded the engineer-procure-construct (EPC) contract to deliver a network of four massive cryogenic tanks for the LNG Project at Blaydin Point, Darwin.  

JKC Australia LNG Pty Ltd has awarded the contract for what is one of the largest packages within the Ichthys programme, which is an initiative of the Inpex Corporation (operator) and Total.

The cryogenic tanks package consists of two 165,000m³ LNG Tanks, one 85,000m³ propane tank and one 60,000m³ butane tank.

Laing O’Rourke CEO Steve Hollingshead said it was the second big win on the Ichthys LNG Project in recent weeks.  “In April, we began work on the $260 million contract to deliver the 3500 bed Howard Springs Accommodation Village in Darwin, which will support the massive Ichthys Project,” he said. “Being appointed to these two major contracts underlies the dedicated sector focus Laing O’Rourke has applied to the requirements of the Oil and Gas market, and our innovative approaches to Non Process Infrastructure including accommodation villages and other vital works.

“The oil and gas sector now makes up a significant portion of the $4 billion in work we’re currently engaged with in the Australian market, confirming Laing O’Rourke’s position as the region’s largest privately-owned engineering and construction contractor.”

Laing O’Rourke Oil and Gas Sector Leader Terry Bayliff said that the company had established its LNG tanks partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries five years ago as part of a long-term strategy. The partnership’s specific intent was to deliver the best technical and engineering solutions to complex LNG projects both here and globally. “Over this period we have worked together closely to develop a very specific execution strategy that maximises off-site pre-fabrication, assembly and automated on-site methods,” he said. “Such innovation makes us safer, more cost and time effective, and delivers real engineering excellence to our clients.

“We are the only construction and engineering firm in the region that can provide a multi-disciplinary, self-delivery approach to every aspect of the Oil and Gas market – from civil and marine infrastructure, to building works, to tank technology and other processing and transportation requirements.”

Detailed engineering and procurement has already started and will be complete before the project team mobilises to site in mid-2013, with completion due in mid 2016.

Currie & Brown has been acquired by international design and project management business Dar Group for an undisclosed sum.

Dar Group will retain the Currie & Brown brand, as it has done with other consultancy firms that it has acquired in Europe and the USA.

Currie & Brown was founded in 1876 and operates as an international asset management and construction consultancy from its headquarters in London. The company employs approximately 600 people in the UK, the USA, Mexico, France, Jersey, India, Japan, Taiwan and several countries in the Middle East. Dar Group employs nearly 13,000 people.

“This transaction brings a large group of talented people with specific expertise in areas such as cost management, project management, building surveying, PFI/PPP services, asset management and other associated advisory services into Dar Group,” said Dar Group chairman and chief executive Talal Shair. “There are significant synergies and we envisage that as part of our group Currie & Brown will grow its operations in both existing and new markets.”

The senior management of Currie & Brown will be retained. “We value the team very highly. We shall appoint representatives of Dar to the board of Currie & Brown, but it will be business as usual for the staff and for existing clients,” he added.

 “This transaction provides a secure future for Currie & Brown and promises exciting new growth opportunities,” said Currie & Brown’s group CEO Euan McEwan.

Qatar’s public works authority has appointed a joint venture between EC Harris and Mace to deliver a major programme of building projects across the country.

The contract is worth a total of QR415m (£72m) and will last for five years, with the option to extend by a further two years.

The joint venture team been appointed as programme management consultant for building projects, working in association with Ashghal in association and coordination with the PWA and their appointed consultants and contractors. Construction of new public and government buildings and facilities is needed to cater for population and economic as well as the realisation of the Qatar National Vision 2030.

The joint venture will undertake all the programme management activities required for planning, procurement, and management of the design, supervision and construction contracts for a wide range of projects including Educational, healthcare and leisure facilities, ports and waterfront development and tourism schemes.

EC Harris head of property and social infrastructure Keith Brooks said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Ashghal to deliver this large-scale program of works.  This represents a further example of how an integrated approach in partnership with a government organization, enables a faster and more sustainable delivery of ambitious nation building strategies.”

Mace deputy CEO Mark Reynolds said: “This appointment is a unique opportunity to facilitate the development of the public works landscape across Qatar and we are thrilled to be part of the delivery team. The size and scope of the infrastructure project will provide the opportunity to demonstrate how collaboration and partnership can produce a scheme of innovation that places the country’s society at the heart of the project.”

EC Harris and Mace have a history of working in partnership on projects across the Middle East including Doha Festival City in Qatar, retail and hospitality projects in the UAE and major residential developments in Dubai.

A CH2M Hill-led consortium has been awarded a AU$929 million (£578m) contract for a combined cycle power plant.

The consortium will carry out the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the plant for the Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The contract was awarded by JKC, which is made up of JGC Corporation, Kellogg, Brown & Root and Chiyoda Corporation.

The natural gas-fired power plant is designed to generate enough power for the Ichthys LNG Plant to produce more than eight million tons of LNG each year. Approximately 70% of the LNG will be delivered to Japan.

“We are extremely pleased to be moving forward with JKC on the Ichthys Combined Cycle Power Project,” said Don Zabilansky, president of CH2M Hill’s Power Business Group, “and particularly excited to be a part of helping solve Japan’s energy needs.”

The CH2M Hill team includes UGL, a Sydney-headquartered company working in engineering, property services, asset management and maintenance for the power, water, transport, resources, and property sectors; and GE, which will engineer and supply gas turbines, steam turbines and heat recovery steam generators for the AU$34 billion Ichthys project.

Construction will begin in 2013 with commercial operations targeted for the end of 2016.

With nearly a year to go, all the stand space at the next Bauma trade fair is already fully booked.

The Bauma fair is held every three years in Munich. It is the world’s largest trade show and the premier showcase for all that is new in construction equipment.

The 2013 show, taking place 15-21 April, is even bigger than before, with 570,000 square metres of exhibition space – all fully sold out. This is an extra 20,000 square metres bigger than the 2010 event.

In 2010 there were 3,256 exhibitors and 420,000 visitors. Organisers Messe Muenchen say that there is already a waiting list of companies that want to exhibit in 2013 if anyone else drops out.

Production in the construction sector rose by 12.4% in the Euro area and by 11.8% across the EU in March 2012, compared with the previous month. But output was down on 2011.

In February, production had fallen by 10.4% in the Euro area and by 5.7% across the 27 countries of the EU (EU27). Compared with March 2011, output in March 2012 decreased by 3.8% in the Euro area and by 3.9% in the EU27.

In terms of the monthly comparison, construction output rose in ten member states in March 2012 and fell in four. The highest increases were registered in Germany (+30.7%), France (+17.8%), the United Kingdom (+14.8%) and Italy (+9.5%), and the largest decreases in Romania (-8.8%), Portugal (-6.8%) and Spain (-1.8%).

Building construction increased by 11.7% in the Euro area and by 11.9% in the EU27, after -10.1% and -5.1% respectively in February 2012. Civil engineering rose by 16.4% in the Euro area and by 14.3% in the EU27, after -13.0% and -10.5% respectively in the previous month.

The annual comparison saw construction output fall in nine countries and rise in five compared with a year before. The largest decreases were registered in Portugal (-16.4%), Slovakia (-11.0%), Spain (-10.9%) and Slovenia (-10.7%), and the highest increases in Sweden (+7.9%), Germany (+6.3%) and Poland (+2.4%).

Building construction fell by 3.4% in the Euro area and by 3.1% in the EU27, after -14.6% and -10.2% respectively in February 2012. Civil engineering decreased by 4.9% in the Euro area and by 8.0% in the EU27, after -23.1% and -18.6% respectively in the previous month.

Heijmans has announced plans to sell its prefab production business - previously known as Bestcon - to Germany’s Bitter Beton-Systeme.

Bitter Beton-Systeme produces prefab concrete elements for residential and utility construction, as well as for the agricultural industry.

At the end of 2011, Heijmans transformed its prefab operations into an internal production facility. Bitter Beton-Systeme plans to add this streamlined facility to its own organisation and continue production at its Best site. A transaction incorporating agreements for long-term operational partnership is expected to be finalised soon. 

Crews building the pontoons for the new SR520 floating bridge must remove damaged concrete and make modifications requiring four to six weeks of work.

Float-out of the first six concrete pontoons for the new bridge in the US state of Washington will be delayed to allow time for repairs and modifications after damaged concrete was found in one of the pontoons.

Work is planned on four of the six concrete pontoons under construction in Aberdeen and is preliminarily expected to take four to six weeks to complete. As a result, the completed pontoons are not expected to be towed out of the casting basin until July or August, depending on favorable tides.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is working with contractor Kiewit-General to analyse the cause of the damage and how the repair work might affect the construction schedule for the new floating bridge. Other SR 520 floating bridge construction will continue on pontoons in Tacoma, on anchors in Kenmore and bridge supports on the east side of Lake Washington.

“We have a plan, and by making these repairs and modifications before the pontoons leave Aberdeen, we can assure that the new SR 520 floating bridge will safely carry traffic for 75 years or more,” said Julie Meredith, WSDOT SR 520 program director.

The damage was discovered May 11 after construction crews completed post-tensioning on a longitudinal pontoon measuring 110m long, 23m wide and more than 8.5m tall.  

Inspections of the first pontoon after post-tensioning showed damaged concrete where there was insufficient steel rebar reinforcement to hold the tendons in place. Crews plan to detension the steel tendons, remove concrete and add steel rebar reinforcement needed to contain the steel tendons. New concrete will be poured in the damaged area and allowed to cure before the steel tendons are retensioned.

Three other pontoons face the same issue though no post-tensioning work has yet occurred. Those pontoons will undergo preemptive modifications before steel tendons are installed.

WSDOT said that it is too early to say how much the repairs will cost or how costs will be assigned.

The rate of accidents on Hong Kong construction has fallen 57% in a decade but there were more fatalities in 2011 than in 2010.

Secretary for development Carrie Lam said today the number of construction site accidents in 2011 was down 57% compared with 2001, the result of joint efforts by the government and construction industry.

Officiating at the launch ceremony for Construction Safety Week, she said that there were 14 more fatal site accidents in the last year than there were in 2010.

She stressed that the government and the industry should consider how to improve overall site safety and cultivate a sense of responsibility for construction safety at all levels. She added that the government has been rolling out measures to improve site safety, which include a refined merit and demerit system for contractors' safety performance, strengthening care for construction personnel, and expanding training and promotional initiatives.

Construction Industry Council chairman Lee Shing-see said the body has formulated safety guidelines and alerts for the industry’s reference to advance the site safety level.

Hochtief, ACS, Dragados and Lafarge are on the winning team for a CA$1.8bn (£1.1bn) public-private partnership contract for next stage of the Edmonton ring road in Canada.

Alberta Transportation has selected Capital City Link General Partnership to design, build, operate, and partially finance the Northeast Anthony Henday Drive contract. Capital Link General Partnership is made up of subsidiaries of Meridiam, ACS and Hochtief. Design and construction of the project will be subcontracted to a joint venture made up of Flatiron Constructors Canada, Dragados Canada, Aecon Construction Management and Lafarge Canada.

The public-private partnership contract is worth CA$1.81 billion in 2012 dollars, to be paid over the 34-year term of the contract. Award of the contract follows a selection process that began in March 2011.  The estimated cost of using traditional delivery was CA$2.18 billion, a saving of CA$370 million. The three bids were CA$1.81 billion, CA$2.03 billion and CA$2.22 billion.

Sections of the ring road were built in the 1970s and the 1990s and the current Anthony Henday Drive project began in 2000 with the construction of the southwest section.

The latest project includes 27km of six and eight-lane devided roadway, nine interchanges, two road flyovers, eight rail crossings (flyovers), and two bridges across the North Saskatchewan River, for a total of 46 bridge structures.

The Capital City Link General Partnership will start construction in June, with completion of the project scheduled for autumn 2016.

Capital City Link General Partnership's partners are Meridiam Infrastructure Neah ULC (a subsidiary of Meridiam Infrastructure North America Inc), ACS Neah Partner Inc (a subsidiary of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc) and Hochtief Neah Partner Inc (a subsidiary of Hochtief PPP Solutions GmbH). The design and construction of the project will be subcontracted to a construction joint venture made up of Flatiron Constructors Canada, Dragados Canada, Aecon Construction Management and Lafarge Canada. The operations and maintenance will be subcontracted to Volker Stevin Highways.

A ground-breaking ceremony will be held this summer to mark the begining of construction.

An explosion has killed 20 workers at the site of a tunnel being built for a new motorway in China.

Explosives were being unloaded from a vehicle within the tunnel in Hunan, said the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.

The 2.4km tunnel is part of the Yanling-Rucheng expressway. Work is now under way to investigate the cause of the explosion.

Four other workers survived the blast.

The health and safety environment (HSE) division of Abu Dhabi City has launched an inspection and monitoring campaign spanning the 7,427 building and construction sites there.

Those found to be violating the standard face losing access to municial permit systems.

The aims are to step up the protection of workers, enhance HSE procedures and verify the compliance of contractors and consulting offices with the required HSE standards.

The new system mandates all consultants and contractors to meet the requisites of the HSE plan, and applies rigorous periodic monitoring policy. Contractors and consultants will not be able to clear a phase, in terms of permits or construction, unless they meet all the required HSE standards, redress their mistakes, and eliminate all forms of risks that put the lives of workers at risk. “Thus the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City will be able to play a leading role and move forward in the applications and mechanism of monitoring building and construction sites in a way that provides a safe, secure and healthy working environment," said engineer Salah Awad Al Sarraj, acting executive director of the town planning sector.  

Engineer Abdul Aziz Zurub, director of health, safety and environment, said that the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, in cooperation with the strategic partners has launched an extensive campaign to verify contractors and consultants' commitment to the requirements of the HSE plan and ensure the implementation of all preventive measures at building and construction sites.

The inspection and monitoring campaigns are  accompanied by a media, awareness and guidance campaign. The Municipality is keen to include many illustrations to show the most important risks and wrong practices in building and construction sites and is in the process of printing the same a booklet in seven languages including Arabic, Urdu and Hindi.

"The Municipality continues to urge consulting offices operating in the building and construction sector to adhere to the HSE procedures approved by the concerned governmental agencies through carrying out direct supervision and follow-up of all works and activities in construction projects, infrastructure, demolition, and maintenance works, and obligating all firms operating in construction projects to apply these measure strictly," said Zurub.

The Municipality also urged contracting companies to promote the culture of commitment to the HSE standards, as the HSE Division is intensifying workshops in this regard.

Zurub issued a particular warning about the importance of safety on high-rise buildings. He stressed the importance of educating workers specialized in working in scaffolds and cautioning them against throwing solid objects from high altitudes, and ensuring that all machinery and equipment used in assembling scaffolding are fit for use and conform to the highest security and safety levels.

The Brazilian subsidiary of Arcadis is to carry out project management for a new port terminal in Mozambique.

The coal port terminal is at Nacala Bay in the north of the country. The Arcadis Logos team signed the US$47m (£27m) contract with Vale Logística África Limitada and construction is due to take 36 months.

Work will include consulting services for project planning and control, detail design coordination, procurement support and construction coordination & supervision, including safety and environmental issues.

The project is part of work to double production capacity at the Vale Moatize coal mine. Once in operation, the Nacala coal port will feature 18 million tonnes per year of installed capacity, a 29km long access railway, an onshore coal stockyard and an offshore terminal.

Arcadis Logos is part of the consortium providing consulting services, and which further includes Consulgal Consultores de Engenharia e Gestão from Portugal and local consultant Secon Serviços de Engenharia e Consultores. It is expected that a team of 115 people will be working at the site at the peak of the construction phase.

Arcadis has annouced that its Asian cost and project management consultancy subsidiary Davis Langdon & Seah is changing its name to Langdon & Seah effective today.

The name change reflects the departure from the Davis Langdon group of companies resulting in the recent merger with Arcadis. Langdon & Seah merged with Arcadis early last month.

Langdon & Seah was founded in Singapore in 1934 and has close to 3,000 people working from 37 office locations in mainland China, Hong Kong/Macau and other parts of Asia. The company holds the #1 or #2 market position in its field of activities in all countries where it operates.

Stephanie Hottenhuis, Arcadis executive board member responsible for Asia said: “The merger with Langdon & Seah has provided us with a strong platform for growth with ample opportunities for synergies in one of the most dynamic regions in the world. The current name change will allow us to maintain the rich history of Langdon & Seah and its long track record of success in Asia. At the same time we are forging ahead to drive the synergies that we believe can strongly benefit our clients.”