Construction equipment, cranes, mining, road and tunnel building news articles

Balfour Beatty Construction to redevelop the National Museum of Scotland

Balfour Beatty Construction Limited has been appointed as a contractor on the Royal Museum Project, the £46.4 million redevelopment of the National Museum of Scotland site in Chambers Street, Edinburgh. The three-year project will transform the much loved Museum through the creation of 14 new galleries, two hands-on discovery centres, a larger gallery for international touring exhibitions, new facilities for education and a state of the art learning centre to inspire visitors of all ages. Balfour Beatty Construction Limited was appointed by competitive tender to work as part of a team which... [more]

Geotechnical solutions can help reduce carbon emissions of the construction and civil engineering industries

The continuing battle by the British Aggregates Association (BAA) to protect its members’ interests against the UK’s Aggregate Levy, which it has termed a ‘stealth tax’, may have recently received a favourable recommendation from the European Court of Justice, but the so-called victory is not endorsed by all interested parties, points out Tensar International. “The construction and civil engineering industries are trying to establish a much greener image,” commented Ian Fraser, Tensar’s UK Sales Director. “This could represent a backward step at a time when environmental campaigners are que... [more]

Opportunities for the UK Construction Sector in South Africa

According to a report released by the UK Trade & Investment, British construction firms are being encouraged to take advantage of the multi billion pound infrastructure opportunities in South Africa. The report, titled ‘Building South Africa: Opportunities for the UK Construction Sector’, highlights infrastructure opportunities in both the public and private sectors stemming from the Government’s £33billion infrastructure plans and events like the 2010 World Cup. UK Trade & Investment Chief Executive Officer Andrew Cahn said: “South Africa is a fast growth economy with infrastructure pla... [more]

Gleeds completes Environment Centre Wales at Bangor University

Gleeds has completed their work as Cost Managers for the new £6.1 million Environment Centre Wales at Bangor University. The new purpose-built 2,820m² structure covering three floors, will house a state-of-the-art laboratory on the University campus and was a partnership between the University and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). The building provides a modern, innovative environment and will bring together 60 environmental scientists from the University and CEH and will provide a focal point for environmental research and training in Wales. The Centre has received the Buildi... [more]

Building contractors need to review their bonding facilities as a matter of urgency

The recent surge in insolvencies in the construction and development sectors has resulted in employers looking at ways to minimise the financial impact of a contractor failing to complete a contract. Henderson Insurance Brokers Limited is advising contractors to review their bonding facilities as a matter of urgency. According to Henderson Surety Services, the specialist division of Henderson Insurance Brokers, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for performance bonds and related surety bonds over the past few months. Trevor Jones, Managing Director of Henderson Surety Ser... [more]