Global Scans · Construction · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: 65 per cent of global construction growth for the next decade will happen in emerging markets. Smart cities, sustainable construction, greater urbanization and pre-fabricated buildings will all play their part in future construction growth.

• [New] Moscow has openly supported Beijing's position against American hegemony in the global trading system, viewing the growing China-Russia alliance as an opportunity to build an economic block facing Western pressures. The April 2025 Tariff War - DB Investing - Award Winner
• [New] Following initial arrangements, NANO Nuclear will begin the process of geological characterization, including subsurface investigations, to support preparation of a Construction Permit Application for submission to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. World Nuclear News
• [New] RMIT and partners Aqua Metro, South East Water and its commercial arm Iota have secured $3 million from the Australian Government to build a commercial-scale demonstration plant at one of the water recycling plants at South East Water in 2026. ScienceDaily
• [New] The ETU analysis suggests 2000 electrical worker jobs will disappear in 2025 if work stops on major network projects, rising to 7000 job losses in 2029 when building work on new transmission is expected to peak. Antinuclear
• [New] Tensions are rising once again after a Georgia Supreme Court decision that could help pave the way for SHM to build a controversial primate research facility in Decatur County. WTXL ABC 27 Tallahassee News
• [New] The Trump-led slashing of the federal workforce has been taken as an opportunity for China to build upon its preexisting recruitment efforts, as the White House shuts down agencies, fires probationary employees and pushes out people who had worked on diversity issues. The Week
• [New] Lilly will use the new capital investments to build four production sites in the U.S., including facilities that make active pharmaceutical ingredients and injectable drugs, while creating up to 10,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent roles for high-skilled workers. PharmaVOICE
• [New] China's construction of a pair of communications megaconstellations could cloud low Earth orbit with large spent rocket stages for decades or beyond, Space News reports. Ars Technica
• [New] The tech giant announced the acquisition of New York-based Hakkoda, a data and AI consultancy that IBM Consulting says will help its clients build an integrated enterprise data infrastructure that can fuel AI-driven business processes. Healthcare IT News
• [New] China, facing a big export loss, could turn to Russia, Brazil, and Southeast Asia, building a rival trade network. Curious Matrix
• [New] The IEA report outlines instances where industries are already using AI in ways that could help limit emissions, including detecting methane leaks in oil and gas infrastructure, making power plants and manufacturing facilities more efficient, and reducing energy consumption in buildings. MIT Technology Review
• [New] The Chinese government plans to spend 1 trillion yuan (£109 billion) building the new massive dam over the Yarlung Tsangpo River, located in the Tibet autonomous region. Metro
• [New] On a practical level, experts say companies could take a long time to relocate, factories a long time to build and the cost of doing so - plus higher American labour wages - could make their products more expensive for American consumers. ABC News
• [New] The US president has promised to boost US coal production to power AI, but it's far from certain if power companies will choose to build new plants given their high cost relative to some low-carbon alternatives. SKY
• [New] High tariffs on China are predicted to choke off supplies of raw materials needed to build new energy infrastructure. SKY
• [New] Higher import costs for machinery, raw materials, and technology sourced from the US could squeeze margins, particularly in construction, manufacturing, and tech-based industries. The Week
• [New] At a time when the United States is minimizing its role as a supporter of global development, many UN member states will be seeking alternative development paths, whether by building regional ties or expanding their relationship with countries like China. The Equation
• Over the medium to longer term, we are increasingly constructive on the outlook for natural gas as we expect demand across North America will grow, with more LNG growth, more coal-to-gas switching and incremental power demand from AI and data center buildouts across North America. Advisor.ca
• South Korean companies such as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering have extensive experience in building ice-capable ships and could assist India in modernizing its fleet to make it Arctic-ready. KOREA CENTRE

Last updated: 16 April 2025