Related Links: Summary of update to World Bank public-private infrastructure database Public-private financing for transportation, energy and water infrastructure projects in emerging economies rose 6% last year, to $107.5 billion, the World Bank has reported.But last year's total is down from 2012's level of $140.4 billion, in constant 2014 dollars.The bank’s latest update of its Private Participation in Infrastructure database, released on June 9, shows that, for 2014, Brazil ranked first among 139 “low-and middle-income” countries, with $44.2 billion. The country is preparing to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.Brazil’s 2014 total jumped 80% from the previous year’s level, sparked by
Photo by Nicholas Zeman for ENR Leveraged Greenland Group is building the big Metropolis project in downtown Los Angeles. Related Links: Greenland Group's information on Bloomberg.com Shanghai's Greenland Group has become one of the world's largest property developers, with nearly $6 billion in North American projects proposed or under construction. Major contractors such as San Francisco-based Webcor Builders are now at work on sites developed by Greenland Group and its partners. The projects include the $1.4-billion Metropolis project in Los Angeles and the $5-billion Atlantic Yards project in New York City. On the latter project, Greenland is partners with a
Enlarge _ Related Links: Mr. Xi's Grand Silk Road Plan Leaves the Starting Gate China Inks Silk Road Deals With Brazil, Russia and India The China Construction Industry Association, which represents the country's construction and engineering companies, is touting Xi Jinping's ambitious Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road international infrastructure programs, which the government calls the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.The CCIA replied to ENR's questions through email.ENR: Centuries ago traders established the Silk Road to move Chinese goods to the rest of the world. Please tells us about the new Silk Road.CCIA: The One Belt, One Road program is
Related Links: Commerce Dept./Census Bureau release with data tables ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu's comments Construction spending totaled slightly more than $1 trillion in April, up 2.2% from March’s level, the Commerce Dept. has reported.The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest monthly report on the value of finished construction projects, released on June 1, also said that April’s total was up 4.8% year over year. April’s residential construction put in place edged up 0.6% from March, but slipped 1.8% year over year.Nonresidential work posted a 3.2% month-to-month gain and climbed 8.8% from April 2014’s rate, said the Census Bureau, which is part
Related Links: Dodge Data & Analytics report on April 2015 construction starts Construction starts rose 10% in April from March levels, thanks in part to two megaprojects that got under way during the month, Dodge Data & Analytics reports.Dodge D&A’s latest monthly look at new-construction volume, released on May 21, showed that April starts climbed to an annual rate of $698.7 billion, seasonally adjusted. But excluding $1-billion-plus projects, April’s volume was down 3% from the previous month, the company noted. (ENR is part of Dodge D&A.)The April results received a major boost from an $8.1-billion Sasol petrochemical plant in Louisiana
Photo courtesy Miami Dade College The main dispute during the mediation process was whether or not the 520,000-sq-ft structure could be repaired, as the builders favored, or if a complete replacement was warranted, as the school wanted, and ultimately won. Related Links: Miami Dade College Sues Builders of Collapsed Garage OSHA Cites Five Firms for Miami Parking Garage Collapse Contractors and insurers involved with a $22.5-million Miami Dade College parking-garage project that partially collapsed during construction in October 2012 agreed to finance a complete rebuild by paying the school roughly $26.5 million via a settlement. Additionally, the contractors forgave an
Related Links: Census Bureau report on March construction AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's comments and analysis ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu's comments and analysis Construction spending in March rose 2% year over year but edged down 0.6% from February’s level, the Commerce Dept. has reported.Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau reported on May 1 that the estimated value of construction put in place in March totaled an annual rate of $966.6 billion, a 2% uptick from March 2014’s rate. It also was slightly below February’s rate of $972.9 billion. The rates are adjusted for seasonal variations.The key residential sector fell 2.3% from
Related Links: Dodge Data & Analytics report (04/21/2015) Construction starts dropped 13% in March from February’s level, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $633.3 billion, Dodge Data & Analytics reports.In its latest monthly construction report, released on April 21, Dodge D&A also says that megaproject starts in February skewed the comparison. If projects valued at more than $1 billion are excluded from both months' figures, March’s total is up 4% from February’s, Dodge D&A said. (ENR is part of Dodge D&A.)Robert A. Murray, Dodge D&A chief economist, said in a statement: “The presence of unusually large projects will affect
Related Links: Entrepreneurs Taking Tool Ideas to Kickstarter White House Rolls Out New Private Infrastructure Finance Plans If a fledgling venture succeeds, members of the public might be able to participate in crowd-funded public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects.Brian Ross, a former construction manager, conceived the idea in fall 2013 and formed a venture called InfraShares with Pablo Nunez, an entrepreneur with P3 experience in Europe and India. Ross envisions that individual investors will be able to peruse P3 projects and make investments accordingly, through the website InfraShares.Through his experience with P3s in water-wastewater, Ross says, "one common criticism was that
Related Links: Commerce Dept. Census Bureau's release on February construction spending with data tables AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's analysis ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu's analysis Construction spending in February climbed 2.1%, year over year, but slipped slightly from January's total, the Commerce Dept. reports.The department’s latest monthly construction report, released on April 1, showed that the value of finished construction projects in February hit an annual rate of $967.2 billion, up 2.1% from February 2014’s rate but down 0.1% from January’s level. Rates are seasonally adjusted.Residential, the largest construction category, was off 1.9% year over year, to a $355.6-billion