Construction and Infrastructure

Jeff Daniels takes a look at how the health delivery system of Abu Dhabi is providing its citizens with the best medical facilities possible.

Over 60 years ago, Britain helped change the health expectations of the world by introducing a universal health service to people who previously had nothing. At times, though, buildings and facilities in the NHS don’t seem to have changed all that much in half a century, so it makes an interesting comparison to see how the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is doing it in the 21st century. 

The 1980s saw the emergence of developing regions, none more so than South East Asia. This development brought a rising demand for construction and laid the foundations for Trepax Innovation. Director Paul Greenhalgh gives Andrew Pelis an insight into how the business has evolved since Thailand’s “Tiger economy” was born.

Water affects every aspect of our lives and in South Africa it’s regarded as a precious commodity. Dr Cornelius Ruiters, from the Department of Water Affairs, is charged with helping to improve water quality, supply and security on a limited budget. He tells Andrew Pelis about current initiatives to provide safe water for everyone.

Dr Vaino Shivute, CEO of Namibia’s water utility NamWater, explains how the company is rising to the challenge of nearly doubling its water supply to meet the needs of the country’s rapidly expanding uranium mining industry. Gay Sutton reports.

UK construction firm Costain has increased its all-share offer for the business services group Mouchel, valuing it at around £150 million.

The revised offer values each Mouchel share at about 135 pence. Mouchel has already rejected one bid from Costain, made in December last year.

Spanish construction company ACS has gained a key stake in rival Hochtief, after it announced it now holds more than 30 per cent of shares in the German group.

The stake represents a key stage in ACS’s strategy to take full control of Hochtief, because it can now buy Hochtief shares on the open market and accumulate more than half of the company. ACS announced its bid for full control of Hochtief last September.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. today announced two contract awards, one in Idaho, United States, and one in Newfoundland, Canada.

The former is a contract from Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation to provide engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services in support of the Expended Core Facility Recapitalization Project.

The total construction project cost is estimated to range from $300 to $500 million.

Iraq has given the go-ahead for Royal Dutch Shell to build a dock in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, to help move heavy equipment to the Majnoon oilfield.

Shell is to fund construction of the 25-metre quay, which will be used to move materials from the sea port at Umm Qasr near Basra to the Majnoon oilfield it is developing—a transportation method that is faster, safer and easier than moving materials by truck.

The African Development Bank has approved $232 million in loans and grants to Ethiopia to fund the expansion of the country's electricity grid.

Earlier this year, Addis Ababa launched a five-year economic development plan encompassing a massive expansion of the country’s infrastructure. The plan looks to boost Ethiopia’s power production from 2,000 MW to 10,000 MW; and it also includes the construction of 2,395 kilometres of railway lines.

Ethiopia wants to expand electricity coverage to 75 per cent of the population from 41 per cent currently.

Balfour Beatty, the UK-based market leading infrastructure specialist, has won a five-year rail renewal contract on the London Underground system.

The contract is to carry out track renewal work, which will include the replacement of ballasted track, points and crossings, including all ancillary signalling and drainage works on the Tube network.

The total value of the work to be carried out by the partnership is £220 million, of which around half will be Balfour Beatty's share.