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] 50% for a facility (35% for an offshore wind facility) that begins construction during calendar year 2026. Novogradac
• [New] Total US construction starts are expected to grow by 1.1% in 2025, with Nonresidential building rising by 7.5% and Residential construction declining by 8.8%. ConstructConnect
• [New] FMI - a consulting and investment banking firm specializing in engineering and construction - expects full-year 2025 nonresidential put-in-place construction to finish about 2% below 2024, followed by a further 0.5% decline in 2026. Engineering News-Record
• [New] UKRI's £500 million R&D Missions Accelerator programme will launch challenges to drive economic benefit from the UK's cultural assets and to cut construction costs for public infrastructure by 10%. GOV.UK
• [New] The construction of new nuclear power plants will accelerate worldwide in the 2030s. International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine
• [New] In the UK, planning deregulation near rail stations offers potential for sustainable urban development but risks undermining carbon neutral construction goals unless matched by mandatory low embodied carbon materials and sustainable material specification. Whole Life Carbon
• [New] High-profile US projects include TerraPower's construction of a Natrium SMR at a former coal site in Wyoming and plans to deploy SMRs to provide power for chemical giant Dow's Seadrift plant in Texas. The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency
• [New] Robust growth opportunities in the global construction sector arise from urban densification, technological innovation, green building practices, and public-private collaboration. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Canada's nuclear investment led to the construction of the first four small modular reactors (SMRs) among the G7 countries - a historic advancement in nuclear energy that could produce enough energy to power 1.2 million Canadian homes. TechTarget
• [New] WindEurope has claimed the European Commission's planned Circular Economy Act in 2026 must introduce new waste codes, arguing wind turbine components are currently mixed with construction waste, hindering proper treatment. reNEWS - Renewable Energy News
• [New] The UK construction industry presents opportunities with its projected 2% growth by 2025 and average annual growth of 3.2% from 2026 to 2029. Yahoo Finance
• [New] In total, the defence spending bill outlines $4 billion in construction projects for the Air Force, signaling a strong commitment to modernising critical military infrastructure as the US continues to confront complex global threats. Caliber.az
• [New] Google and atomic power biz Westinghouse Electric claim that AI will speed construction and cut the cost of building the new US power plants it is planning in response to rising demands for energy to fuel AI. The Register
• [New] The number of data center projects by construction start date remained relatively stable between 2019 and 2024 before surging in 2025 and 2026 due to companies scaling up data center projects to support growing AI workloads. Verdict
• [New] XCF expects construction to begin in 2026 and operations from 2028, following an additional $300 million investment that is expected to double production capacity to ~80 million gallons per year. Processing Journal

Last updated: 03 December 2025