The Future of Urban Mobility

The Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) project has achieved a significant technical milestone with the construction of a 220-metre single-track demonstrator in the city’s heart.

Installed along Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road, this trial represents the first time CVLR’s innovative modular track form has been embedded within a live urban corridor.

The 50 %+ completion milestone follows the appointment of the Principal Contractor in mid-February 2025. Delivery has progressed swiftly to the completion of laying and aligning all Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) slabs and the alignment, welding, and fastening of the grooved rails. With full slab bedding now also complete, the result is a structurally sound and installation-complete track form, ready to accept the CVLR vehicle.

Over the coming weeks, the team will finalise the installation of the structural health monitoring system, rail drainage, and rail-to-pavement interface components before embedding rails in asphalt pavement. The team targets completion of the construction phase by early May 2025.

Dr Christopher Micallef, CVLR track programme lead at Coventry City Council, said: “This milestone represents a step-change in the technology readiness level of the novel CVLR track system. Having progressed through concept design, laboratory testing, and a series of increasingly complex pilot installations in controlled environments, we are now proving the system in a dense, operational urban corridor for the first time.”

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration, and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “This is a significant step forward for the CVLR project and how cities like Coventry can rethink public transport infrastructure. We are not just piloting technology, we are building confidence in a scalable model that puts climate, community, and cost-effectiveness at the heart of urban mobility. And I’m pleased to say that this innovation has been born out of our manufacturing skills in this city and the wider region. The green economy is growing, and CVLR is at the heart of that here.”

A Technically Complex Urban Demonstrator

The track alignment was chosen to test real-world challenges typical of dense city centres. It traverses a longitudinal gradient between 1.5% and 3.5%, incorporates a 30-metre radius curve, and applies a continuous cant to facilitate compatibility with existing road geometry.

Construction was undertaken within a strictly constrained corridor, maintaining continuous access across an active junction. Crucially, no full road closures or traffic diversions were required — a key goal in demonstrating CVLR’s ‘LITE footprint’ on the public realm.

The route also interfaces with all primary below-ground services, including water (clean and foul), gas, electricity, and telecommunications. The track form’s shallow 300mm excavation depth and integrated utility access chambers enabled installation without major service relocation — a fundamental advantage over traditional tram systems.

Iain Anderson, Managing Director, Colas Rail UK, said: “This trial installation demonstrates how innovative rail infrastructure can be delivered in real city environments with minimal disruption. Our teams worked closely with Coventry City Council to adapt to complex site conditions in real time, showing what’s possible when engineering meets digital responsiveness.”

Enabling a Step Change in Light Rail Construction

CVLR’s approach is underpinned by enabling technologies to overcome the traditional barriers to light rail deployment in the UK. These include:

  • The use of UHPC slabs as the core structural element — offering exceptional strength at approximately 100 mm thickness. This enables the construction of the track superstructure without requiring the typical concrete foundation.
  • A digitally integrated construction platform that ensures rapid design adaptation and data capture.
  • A live structural health monitoring system, embedded into the infrastructure, to validate long-term performance in real-world conditions.

Together, these technologies enable a radically simplified, utility-friendly track form that is scalable and repeatable across various urban contexts.

Real-Time Monitoring for Long-Term Insights

The track section has a state-of-the-art, high-frequency structural health monitoring system. This includes strain gauges embedded within the UHPC slabs, asphalt strain gauges, accelerometers, pressure sensors, relative movement sensors, and AI-enabled camera systems.

This system enables engineers to study the infrastructure’s behaviour under ambient conditions, CVLR vehicle loads, and general road traffic over the short and long term. The data will feed into a digital twin of the track form, allowing predictive modelling, lifecycle assessment, and future specification refinement.

Digital Construction: Adaptable and Transparent

Another innovation showcased in this phase is using a digital construction management platform, which enables real-time communication of on-site as-built survey data directly to the design team. This capability has proven essential during milling operations, where conditions such as out-of-spec shallow utilities and historic cobblestone layers require fast redesign and decision-making.

The platform also generates a high-resolution, fully traceable record of the as-built infrastructure, which can be accessed using augmented reality technologies. This significantly enhances transparency, quality assurance, and long-term asset management.

Looking Ahead

Following the completion of construction on the test track, the CVLR vehicle will be brought into Coventry city centre to commence a period of public engagement and trial running on the newly installed infrastructure. These demonstrations will allow stakeholders and the public to experience the system first-hand and provide valuable feedback to inform future development.

Once the trial runs conclude, the site will be returned to regular highway use, but it will continue to serve as a long-term testbed. Regular road traffic will contribute live loading to the track form, providing essential data to validate the system’s performance over time. This ongoing monitoring is critical to demonstrating the durability and lifecycle behaviour of the CVLR track form under mixed-use conditions.

The programme will then progress towards delivering the first integrated transport system utilising the CVLR infrastructure, which will be part of the following primary phase. This work is being delivered as part of a dedicated research and development programme fully funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to create a scalable and sustainable urban mobility solution for the future.

Source: Coventry City Council

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£6.9b Loan for “Zero Bills” Development

 

 

Octopus Real Estate completes £6.9m loan to leading sustainable housebuilder Verto for ‘Zero Bills’ development

Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Investments and a leading UK specialist real estate investor and lender, has provided a £6.9m loan facility to the sustainable housebuilder Verto, creator of the internationally acclaimed Zero Carbon Smart Home™.

 

The facility will finance the development of 12 homes in Blagdon, Upper Langford, Bristol. The development will consist of seven 5-bedroom homes and five 4-bedroom homes, all built to Verto’s exacting zero carbon specification.

 

All 12 properties will be eligible for the world-first ‘Zero Bills’ tariff created by Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, which counts Octopus Investments as one its investors*.

 

The ‘Zero Bills’ tariff enables customers to move into homes that are fully kitted out with state-of-the-art green tech – including a heat pump, a battery and solar panels** – with no energy bills guaranteed for at least 10 years.

 

The homes will also feature EV charging, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, high-performance insulation, underfloor heating, triple-glazed windows and doors, and A-rated appliances.

 

Locally sourced materials – including FSC-certified timber frames – will also be used.

 

The homes have predicted EPC ratings of 110 A and the dwelling carbon dioxide rate will be up to negative 2.5 tonnes per annum per plot, compared to the average household emission rate of positive 6 tonnes per annum.

 

This is the third Octopus-accredited ‘Zero Bills’ site delivered by Verto and funded by Octopus Real Estate.

 

Jenna Hollins, Investment Manager, Octopus Real Estate, commented:

 

“It is the responsibility of the property finance sector to support developers as they work to deliver homes that reach the highest green standards possible. At Octopus Real Estate, we only support the development of quality, sustainable homes that are fit for the future, so we’re delighted to work with the Verto team again. They are innovative, passionate housebuilders whose ethos very much aligns with our own.

 

“This scheme – like their previous work – is pushing the boundaries of energy efficiency; the homes at Blagdon are large, and include a renovation, as well as units with Listed features. These characteristics make it all the more difficult and impressive to achieve such exacting standards for ‘Zero Bills’ guarantee.”

 

Tom Carr, Co-Founder, Verto Homes, said:

 

“We’re thrilled to be working with Octopus Real Estate again on another pioneering ‘Zero Bills’ development. This partnership underscores the shared commitment we have to delivering homes that aren’t just energy-efficient, but genuinely sustainable.

“At Verto, we don’t believe in incremental change – we’re here to redefine how homes are built and lived in. This latest project in Blagdon continues that mission, proving that high-performance, net-negative carbon homes can be the new standard, not the exception. Thanks to the support of Octopus, we’re another step closer to making sustainable living mainstream.”

 

Nigel Banks, Zero Bills Director, Octopus Energy, concluded:

 

“Our ‘Zero Bills’ initiative isn’t just about building homes – it’s about redefining living, where energy bills are a thing of the past.

 

“Expanding this game-changing initiative with Verto brings us one step closer to a sustainable, future-proof way of life – and to our goal of 100,000 ‘Zero Bills’ homes by 2030.”

 

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RENEWABLE STANCE OF MAJOR OIL AND GAS COMPANIES REFLECTS CUSTOMER & SHAREHOLDER ATTITUDE

Chris Goggin reviews the recent decision to reverse renewable investments in favour of increasing fossil fuel opportunities. BP is the latest global energy company to reduce investments in clean power projects and what this means for the direction of international and UK NetZero objectives.

 

BP has formally announced a strategy reset of their targets set five years ago by the previous chief executive who has since left the company. During 2020 BP announced a new strategy that would aim to reduce oil and gas production at 40% by the end of the decade.

 

Investments would instead target the emerging low carbon energy market.  BP promised to limit fossil fuel production to around 1.5 million barrels a day by the end of the decade. For perspective, in 2018 BP produced 3.7 million barrels a day.

 

Since then, BP has recently scaled back these objectives and redefined their approach – BP will now reduce production by 25%, meaning that BP will still produce around 2 million barrels a day by 2030. BP will now direct $10 billion a year of investment towards oil and gas projects whilst reducing $5 billion a year from their green energy strategy.

 

Current CEO Murray Auchincloss is quoted as saying:

“Our optimism for a fast [energy] transition was misplaced, and we went too far, too fast.”

 

BP will now refocus on starting 10 large-scale fossil fuel projects by 2027 with a possible 8 to 10 more by the end of the decade – 2030. Amongst the projects supposed to be cancelled is the £100 million HyGreen Teesside green hydrogen project. This facility was supposed to contribute 5% of the UK’s aim of introducing 10GW of hydrogen capacity into the UK grid by 2030.

 

BP has lost commercial ground to their rivals Shell and ExxonMobil in the last 2 years and has effectively lost a quarter of its market value. Shell and ExxonMobil have seen their market value increase over the last 2 years, as both companies have been concentrating on oil and gas production.

 

To replace lost revenue BP is planning to sell $20 billion of assets including the noteworthy BP subsidiary and solar power developer – BP Lightsource. BP also plan on potentially selling an additional subsidiary, lubricant company Castrol as well as their network of service stations in an attempt to cut $5 billion of costs by 2027.

 

Additional influences that BP are subject to include the 5% (£3.85 billion) stake share that activist hedge fund Elliot Management has acquired. An activist hedge fund is an organization that invests in a company and exerts pressure to force managerial and strategic change. Elliot Management is widely expected to demand changes to increase market value.

 

BP’s competitors Shell and ExxonMobil in contrast have pursued opportunities that focus on fossil fuels rather than renewable alternatives. Shell announced last year that they will reduce carbon-based climate targets. Shell’s previous aim was to weaken carbon emission intensity of all sold energy by 20% at the end of the decade. The new objective is to reduce carbon emission intensity by between 15-20%.

 

Carbon intensity refers to the carbon produced through each unit of activity as opposed to released atmospheric emissions. Shell’s new target allows the organization to produce more gas at lower emission intensity but will raise overall emissions as production increases.

 

Shell has also failed to set out “Scope 3” emission targets associated with their gas production and distribution. Scope 3 emissions consider the entire range of emissions created through an organizations value chain including elements that exist outside of direct company control like, suppliers, customers and product disposal. Shell’s gas business is expected to grow 50% by 2040.

 

In 2021 Shell announced they will reduce oil output every year for the entire decade from the 2019 peak of 1.9 million barrels a day. Having completed a 2021 $9.5 billion sale from a stake in a Texas Permian basin project Shell announced that this had reduced its daily oil production to 1.5 million barrels a day. Shell now plans to begin enough fossil fuel projects to add 500,000 barrels a day by 2025 highlighting a shift in strategy.

 

Shell has also stopped investing in offshore wind opportunities and instead focused on expanding their current portfolio of oil and gas projects.

 

ExxonMobil have not actively embraced renewable or alternative energies in the same way. The American organization instead aims to reduce carbon emissions by introducing a variety of low carbon energy sources into their product inventory.

ExxonMobil will invest around $20 billion to add fuels such as hydrogen, carbon capture and biofuels between 2022-2027.

 

Currently, ExxonMobil is the stronger company when compared to both Shell and BP.  In 2024 Shell reported a net income of $5.4 billion in the third quarter of the year, down from $6.3 billion the previous year. BP reported a 30% reduction in net income at the same time, at $2.3 billion. Exxon Mobil announced net income in the third quarter at $8.6 billion – a 5.1% reduction from the previous year.

 

Gross yearly profits for ExxonMobil rested on $84.234 billion, Shell $23.72 billion whilst BP’s yearly gross profit is not as well advertised but published a net income of $8.9 billion down from $13.8 billion the previous year.

 

A subjective interpretation of current oil and gas companies moving focus away from  ‘clean’ energy aims is that market and consumer demand for fossil fuels remains strong across all continents. NetZero aims are not as highly valued by both the consumer and shareholder when compared to lower energy costs and share prices.

 

However, an objective view could also claim that large energy companies will return to clean power objectives once the global market is in a better condition to be able to return profits from renewable investments.

 

Rinnai will continue to provide constantly updated data-driven information and knowledge that equips the UK customer to make informed choices to assist in specifying, installing and maintaining heating and hot water delivery products and systems which are technical, feasible and economic.

 

RINNAI’S H3 DECARBONISATION OFFERS PATHWAYS & CUSTOMER COST REDUCTIONS
FOR COMMERCIAL, DOMESTIC AND OFF-GRID HEATING & HOT WATER DELIVERY
www.rinnai-uk.co.uk/about us/H3

 

Rinnai’s H3 range of decarbonising products include hydrogen / BioLPG ready technology, hybrid systems, and a wide range of LOW GWP heat pumps and solar thermal. Also, within Rinnai’s H3 range is Infinity hydrogen blend ready and BioLPG ready continuous flow water heaters which are stacked with a multitude of features that ensure long life, robust & durable use, customer satisfaction and product efficiency.

Rinnai’s range of decarbonising products – H1/H2/H3 – consists of heat pump, solar, hydrogen in any configuration, hybrid formats for either residential or commercial applications. Rinnai’s H3 range of products offer contractors, consultants and end users a range of efficient, robust and affordable decarbonising appliances which create practical, economic and technically feasible solutions. The range covers all forms of fuels and appliances currently available – electric, gas, hydrogen, BioLPG, DME solar thermal, low GWP heat pumps and electric water heaters.

Rinnai H1 continuous water heaters and boilers offer practical and economic decarbonization delivered through technological innovation in hydrogen and renewable liquid gas ready technology.

Rinnai’s H1 option is centred on hydrogen, as it is anticipated that clean hydrogen fuels will become internationally energy market-relevant in the future; Rinnai water heaters are hydrogen 20% blends ready and include the world’s first 100% hydrogen-ready hot water heating technology.

Rinnai H2 – Decarbonization simplified with renewable gas-ready units, Solar Thermal and Heat Pump Hybrids. Rinnai H2 is designed to introduce a practical and low-cost option which may suit specific sites and enable multiple decarbonisation pathways with the addition of high performance.

Rinnai H3 – Low-GWP heat pump technology made easy – Rinnai heat pumps are available for domestic and commercial usage with an extensive range of 4 – 115kW appliances.

Rinnai’s H3 heat pumps utilise R32 refrigerant and have favourable COP and SCOP.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year, operating on each of the five continents. The brand has gained an established reputation for producing products that offer high performance, cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai’s commercial and domestic continuous flow water heaters offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water and all units are designed to align with present and future energy sources. Rinnai condensing water heaters accept either existing fuel or hydrogen gas blends. Rinnai units are also suited for off-grid customers who require LPG and BioLPG or DME.

Rinnai products are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours. Rinnai offer carbon and cost comparison services that will calculate financial and carbon savings made when investing in a Rinnai system. Rinnai also provide a system design service that will suggest an appropriate system for the property in question. Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry including detailed CPD’s.

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE RINNAI WEBSITE

or HERE to EMAIL RINNAI

CLICK HERE For more information on the RINNAI product range

 

 

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VISIT Saniflo at the Installer Show 2025

 

SFA Saniflo has gone bigger and bolder again this year at the Installer Show. Stand 4F22 will once again showcase the company’s range of pumps and macerators on one side, with the Kinedo range of shower products on the other. A huge range of products will be on display, including some stunning new additions to the range.

On the aesthetically pleasing Kinedo stand, the new range of Solo Design + walk-ins will feature strongly. As well as black, brushed stainless steel and gold frames, there will be examples of some beautiful new glass options, including fluted glass, Mondrian and Art Deco patterns and privacy screens. Accompanying the walk-ins is the new Kinediva shower tray. This latest cuttable tray in the range includes a striking marine blue version which will be teamed with a new patterned Kinewall Shower panel, Frangipani.  The revamped Kinemoon Style shower tray is being showcased alongside additional Kinewall designs that are new to the range. They include the funky Giraffe, the trendy Subway and the stylish Tropical Tile patterns.

Whilst more practical in nature, the Saniflo side of the stand will have at least as much interest thanks to the launch of the new Clearwater range of jet pumps, horizontal multi-stage centrifugal and domestic booster pumps. The new Sanijet, SaniMHP and Saniboost pumps have been introduced to provide solutions for the management of clear water. Saniflo has used 70 years’ experience in designing innovative black and grey water discharge solutions to develop a range of products that meet the need to collect, supply and distribute clear water; whether from rivers, ponds, pools, wells tanks and from domestic homes.

Sanijet is a range of 5 stainless steel centrifugal surface pumps optimised by a Venturi (jet) system for increased suction up to 8m. Automated for on-demand and self-priming for a simple start, the pumps have a max head between 50 and 54m and max flow rate from 3.6m³ up to 5m³.

The SaniMHP is a 10-strong range of multi-stage surface pumps ideal for irrigation, rainwater use and water supply. From the 4-40 through to the 9-50 PC4 model offering max head ranges from 40m to 52m and max flow from 4m³ to 8.7m³, there is a model that will tackle pretty much every clean water movement requirement.

With 4 models in the range and max head capacities between 40 – 54m, the new Saniboost range is a domestic booster pump ideal for optimised and smooth water supply. Max flow from 3.6m³ to 5.2m³ ensures there is a model to increase and regulate the pressure of water collected in most sizes of domestic water tank and the units operate automatically and are particularly suited for low-flow consumption. A Saniboost booster includes a buffer tank that limits the frequent starts and stops of the pump to which reduces noise disturbances. Each model offers guaranteed service pressure on drip irrigation installations or automatic flush mechanisms.

Saniboost Smart is a pressurisation unit equipped with a variable speed multi-stage pump, an integrated electronic pressurisation control and a hydraulic shock absorber. A multifunctional water supply system, it can be installed in apartments as well as houses for increasing water pressure and for irrigation.

As well as the new Clearwater range, a comprehensive selection of Saniflo’s world-leading range of pumps, macerators and sub pumps will be on display with some working models to demonstrate how quiet and efficient Saniflo products are.

Saniflo is looking forward to welcoming current and new customers to stand over the three days of the show.

VISIT SFA Saniflo and Kinedo ON STAND 4F22

 

CLICK HERE to register for the Installer Show June 25 – 27 at the NEC Birmingham

 

 

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Prefabs for Canada, Visionary – and Laden with Risks

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with Oliver David Krieg during a visit to Intelligent City in Delta, B.C

Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged billions of dollars in financing for makers of prefabricated homes to help end the country’s housing shortage. Experts say the plan is visionary – and laden with risks.

Mr. Carney has promised to provide $25-billion in loans and $1-billion in equity financing for companies that largely build homes in factories rather than on construction sites. The federal government will also place bulk orders of prefabricated housing to help jump-start a nascent industry, according to the Liberals’ election platform.

“We will create an entirely new Canadian housing industry,” the Prime Minister said in his first press conference since the election win.

It’s a big, bold bet that could make it faster, cheaper and more environmentally friendly to build a chunk of the 3.5 million homes that official estimates show Canada needs to add by 2030 to restore housing affordability, industry insiders and academics say.

But factories need sustained demand, a large enough market and streamlined production to operate efficiently and profitably.

That’s what Ottawa, the provinces and cities must weave out of the web of housing bureaucracy and hyperlocal rules that currently tangles up residential construction, for Mr. Carney’s plan to succeed, the experts caution.

Prefabricated construction means building some of the structural elements of a home, such as floor, walls and ceilings − but sometimes entire kitchen or bathroom pods − off site in a factory. The components can then be transported to the construction zone for assembly.

While industrialized homebuilding is best known for mobile homes, emergency housing and, in Canada, cottage properties, it can be customized to make anything from middle-class apartments to mansions.

Perceptions that factory-made housing is necessarily boring and bare-bones are misplaced, said Carolyn Whitzman, a professor at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities and lead author of a recent study on prefabricated housing.

“Modular housing can be utterly delightful.”

Low- and mid-rise multifamily homes also lend themselves well to factory-made housing, said Alex Gray, president of Sightline Building Solutions, a modular-home retailer and builder in Southern Ontario.

But the true potential of modular building lies in speeding up the construction of larger structures that use repetitive design, said Richard Lyall, president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON). Student, senior and affordable housing is where he believes the sector can make its largest contribution to Canada’s homebuilding effort in the near future.

Experts say modular can reduce overall project costs by up to 20 per cent and construction time by 50 per cent while reducing energy consumption compared with traditional building methods.

The practice is common in countries such as Japan and Sweden, where nearly half of multistorey residential buildings incorporate prefabricated components. Countries such as Germany and Britain are also exploring the approach to help with local housing needs.

In Canada, manufactured housing would also help alleviate the construction industry’s long-standing labour shortage, which Mr. Lyall predicts is about to get worse.

Financial challenges and weak homebuyer demand amid tariff and economic uncertainty are already resulting in layoffs. Mr. Lyall worries that those who lose their jobs will move to other sectors, or, in the case of the sector’s outsized population of older workers, opt for retirement.

“Whatever way you look at it, we are going to have to go to off-site construction,” he said.

For now, though, factory-built construction accounts for far less than 5 per cent of residential construction in Canada, according to Prof. Whitzman.

Taking the sector into the mainstream comes with steep challenges, she said.

For one, existing research suggests that modular construction is generally faster but only becomes cheaper at scale, she added.

Mr. Carney has promised that a new federal housing entity called Build Canada Homes will place large orders of factory-made housing to jump-start demand. Prof. Whitzman hopes those projects will serve as proof of concept to entice other levels of government to rely on modular housing for projects under their jurisdiction.

Opinion: When exactly did Canadian housing become so unaffordable – and who’s to blame?

Whether enough of those orders will materialize is a key question.

“Even with government subsidies, you can’t build a factory and hire people without a certain level of guaranteed demand,” Prof. Whitzman said.

Another hurdle to mass production is the fact that homebuilding regulations currently vary across provinces and even municipalities, which makes it hard to service different cities with standardized factory-made parts.

Finally, once they leave the plant, prefabricated components must be assembled quickly.

Financing or construction-permit delays can result in modules lying outdoors in shrink wrap, said Mr. Gray.

“And then you are now faced with condensation buildup,” he said.

Streamlining the process from manufacturing to assembly is essential, he added.

That’s why Mr. Lyall believes that the government will need to produce set designs for prefabricated housing and then preapprove construction that abides by those blueprints.

But even when building approvals are in place, obstacles to modular construction can come from unexpected places.

Prof. Whitzman recalled the case of an Indigenous housing project at a busy city intersection that incurred $1-million in extra costs because the municipal parks department didn’t allow the modular builder to temporarily store material on a portion of a nearby public garden.

“I’m not pessimistic. I’m just sort of pointing out the possible road bumps,” she said.

Source: The Globe & Mail

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Japan’s Housing Growth

Japan’s construction market is set to grow 4.4% annually, reaching JPY 32.44 trillion in 2025, and forecasted to hit JPY 38.75 trillion by 2029. With a focus on residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors, the market offers significant opportunities in green, smart, and modular construction. Economic indicators and consumer trends, such as demand for energy-efficient, disaster-resilient housing, and AI-driven smart offices, highlight evolving opportunities amid rising costs and regulatory challenges. Enhance market strategies through comprehensive insights into Japan’s construction dynamics, costs, and innovations.

The construction market in Japan is poised for consistent growth, with an expected annual increase of 4.4% to reach JPY 32.44 trillion by 2025. The sector demonstrated a robust CAGR of 6.9% from 2020 to 2024 and is projected to continue with a CAGR of 3.5% between 2025 and 2029. By 2029, the market is estimated to grow to JPY 38.75 trillion from JPY 31.07 trillion in 2024.

This report provides a thorough data-centric analysis of Japan’s construction sector, identifying significant opportunities in building and infrastructure.

Covering over 100 KPIs, the analysis includes growth dynamics, construction cost structures, and key city-specific data across building and infrastructure construction.

Key Insights

Japan Residential Construction

Opportunities abound in sustainable and disaster-resilient residential construction, backed by government incentives for urban redevelopment, energy-efficient housing, and earthquake-resistant construction. With the aging population and urban constraints, demand for senior-friendly and compact smart homes is rising. However, challenges such as land use restrictions, declining rural demand, and construction cost hikes could impede growth. Developers are encouraged to adopt green housing innovations and leverage modular construction to stay competitive, while government subsidies help offset rising costs.

Macroeconomic Factors

Rising costs of raw materials like timber, cement, and steel, along with labor shortages, drive up residential construction expenses. The elderly population shapes demand for senior-friendly housing, leading to an uptick in renovations and accessible home designs. Despite rural decline in new housing demand, urban areas see shifts toward energy-efficient housing. Barriers include zoning laws and high real estate prices, complicating affordability and development.

Project Landscape

Projects like Brillia Tower Ikebukuro in Tokyo and the Osaka Bay Area Development highlight integration with smart home technology and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Private sector leads in luxury housing, while public investments focus on affordable housing and disaster recovery, often utilizing public-private partnerships to enhance project delivery.

Government Policies & Programs

Emphasis is placed on urban redevelopment, with incentives for high-density housing and earthquake-resistant constructions. Tax reductions for green-certified projects and grants for energy-efficient home retrofits drive modernization efforts, supported by streamlined regulatory processes.

Industry-Specific Developments

Advancements in AI-driven smart home technology and modular construction are revolutionizing residential building techniques. Net-zero homes and prefabricated solutions are being promoted to enhance sustainability practices and efficiency.

Japan Commercial Construction

As traditional office space demand declines, developers focus on smart and mixed-use workspaces. Rising costs pose challenges, but hybrid work models and co-working spaces reflect changing business needs, driving investments in AI-driven and zero-carbon spaces. Public-private collaborations are crucial for future developments.

Japan Institutional Construction

With government investments in healthcare and education, the sector expands, focusing on modernized hospitals and academic institutions. Public-private partnerships are essential for enhancing efficiency, supported by policies that favor smart infrastructure growth.

Japan Industrial Construction

Growth is driven by investments in semiconductor and renewable energy manufacturing. Initiatives like the TSMC semiconductor factory in Kumamoto reinforce Japan’s position in advanced electronics, while government subsidies bolster investment in sustainable industrial manufacturing.

Japan Infrastructure Construction

Significant investment in modernizing aging infrastructure with high-speed rail and green hydrogen transport solutions supports Japan’s economic and environmental goals. Public-private partnerships are pivotal for large-scale transport and energy projects, ensuring resilience and sustainability.

Overall, Japan’s construction industry is navigating opportunities and challenges as it embraces sustainability, technological advancements, and demands for innovative living and working environments. A strong focus on collaboration, sustainability, and regulatory efficiency will enable stakeholders to capitalize on these trends and enhance Japan’s global construction leadership.

Source: Yahoo Finance

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Spring Surge for Housing

Construction sees spring surge as housing powers ahead

Glenigan, the construction industry’s leading insight experts, has released the May 2025 edition of its Construction Index.

The Index focuses on the three months to the end of April 2025, covering all underlying projects, with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise indicated), with all figures seasonally adjusted.

It’s a report which provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of year-on-year construction data, giving built environment professionals a unique insight into sector performance over the last 12 months.

Construction starts saw a welcome lift in the three months to April. Overall, the value of underlying work starting on-site rose 7% on the previous quarter and remained 3% ahead of last year’s levels, a sign of resilience despite challenges elsewhere.

Housebuilding was the clear bright spot, helping to prop up wider industry performance. Private and social housing drove a 24% quarterly rise in project-starts. Private housing alone surged 29% year-on-year, while social housing experienced a 3% upturn annually after a strong spring showing.

Performance in non-residential verticals was mixed. While some sectors, including community & amenity, health and offices, saw strong gains, others, including education, hotel & leisure and retail, posted sharp declines. Meanwhile, civils suffered a significant setback. Starts fell 22% quarterly and annually, reflecting a slowdown across infrastructure and utilities projects.

 

Providing further insight on these results, Allan Wilen, Glenigan’s Economics Director, says,

“Builders were reporting falling workloads at the end of last year, reflecting a period of real uncertainty across the construction sector. However, the latest figures, particularly in residential, suggest that fortunes may be starting to turn.

“This uptick in activity is encouraging, but sustained recovery will depend on confidence filtering through the supply chain. The Government’s much-anticipated spending review in June will be a crucial moment. If it brings clarity on major infrastructure investment, it could unlock momentum not just for big-ticket schemes, but the smaller, local projects captured in this data too; the kind councils are waiting to greenlight.”

 

Taking a closer look at the sector verticals and regional outlook…

 

Sector Analysis – Residential

Residential construction saw a significant boost in the three months to April, with overall starts rising 24% compared to the previous quarter and up 22% on 2024 levels. This growth was driven by both private and social housing, which showed notable improvements.

Private housing starts surged 22% compared to the preceding three months, a 29% increase compared to last year.

Social housing also saw strong performance, with a 29% increase on the previous quarter, and standing 3% up on the same period in 2024.

 

Sector Analysis – Non-Residential

Community and amenity project-starts rose 21% compared to the previous three months, increasing 19% on the same period last year.

Health project-starts also saw a positive trend, rising 12% on the previous quarter and standing 2% up on the year before.

The office sector saw a significant boost, with starts soaring 61% compared to the preceding three months, and increasing 26% on 2024 levels, with the £54 million Blackpool Airport office relocation scheme providing a major uplift.

In contrast, retail and hotel & leisure projects performed poorly, with retail starts falling 19% against the previous quarter and down 33% on last year. The hotel & leisure sector similarly dropped 26% compared to the last quarter, and was down 25% on 2024.

Civil engineering work also declined, dropping 22% against both the preceding three months and the same period last year, with infrastructure projects, particularly utilities, showing the steepest drops.

 

Regional Outlook

The South West led regional performance, with construction starts rising 15% compared to the previous three months and climbing 29% on the same period last year.

Similarly, the South East saw strong growth, increasing 32% on the preceding quarter and rising 8% year-on-year.

London experienced a 22% increase in activity compared to the previous quarter, though it was still down 10% on the previous year.

The North West also saw an uplift, rising 25% against the preceding three months, but remained 20% behind 2024 figures.

The North East had a mixed performance, declining 4% against the previous quarter but standing 11% up compared to the previous year

The West Midlands had a more challenging quarter, with starts rising 16% against the preceding three months, but declining 6% on the same period in 2024.

To find out more about Glenigan and its construction intelligence services, click here.

 

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UK’s Biggest Science Project to Commence 2025

Prominent construction firm appointed to lead UK’s biggest science project of early 2025

A prominent construction firm established more than 100 years ago has been appointed to deliver the biggest UK science project to start in the first half of 2025.

Bowmer + Kirkland has been named main contractor on Fabrica, a major development from Mission Street and BGO in central Oxford. Mission Street is a specialist investor, developer and operator in the science and innovation sector, while BGO is a global real estate investment manager.

Construction on the scheme will begin in May 2025 following the completion of groundworks and site preparation by Colemans. The 180,000 sq ft development is set to complete in early 2027.

Located on Botley Road in Oxford’s West End – the city’s only innovation district within walking distance of the main train station, university and city centre amenities – Fabrica will be arranged across five floors and designed with flexibility to meet the evolving needs of science and innovation companies.

The scheme will also include more than 7,000 sq ft of amenities, including food and beverage space open to both occupiers and the wider public, with the aim of bridging the gap between science and the community.

Fabrica is the first commercial science building in the UK to target a BREEAM Outstanding certification. It is being designed to the highest sustainability standards, including EPC A and WiredScore Platinum, and will be Oxford’s first Living Wage building, ensuring all employees working within it receive the Living Wage or higher.

As part of its procurement commitments, Bowmer + Kirkland will engage the local workforce throughout construction.

Colin Brown, development director at Mission Street, said:

“Following a collaborative, positive procurement process, Bowmer + Kirkland will shortly take forward the science and innovation sector’s biggest construction start of 2025 so far.

“As science companies increasingly look to central Oxford for its extensive amenities and unrivalled transport connections, which will include the future link to East West Rail, Fabrica’s delivery represents a major vote of confidence in the UK market.”

Neil Brook, group construction director at Bowmer + Kirkland, added:

“We are delighted to have been appointed as the construction partner for this exciting and innovative lab, office, and collaboration space in the heart of Oxford, strengthening our existing relationship with Mission Street and BGO in the rapidly evolving life sciences sector.

“Our teams approached this project collaboratively from the start, allowing us to complete the tender process in just 10 weeks. We look forward to starting on-site at the end of May with a 96-week programme.”

Source: Insider Media

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Over 17,000 BTR homes completed in last 12 months, but ……..

 

Over 17,000 BTR homes completed in last 12 months, but construction issues puts future supply at risk

More than 17,000 Build to Rent (BTR) homes were completed between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025, bringing the total number of completed BTR properties to 127,150. This includes more than 55,400 homes completed in London and 71,700 across the regions, with regional growth (18%) outpacing the capital (13%), the latest analysis from the British Property Federation and Savills has revealed.

But despite this strong delivery, the number of new starts has fallen behind, and for the fifth quarter in a row, completions have outstripped starts on site. This has led to a sharp 14% contraction in the number of homes under construction nationally.

London has seen the steepest fall, down 18% year-on-year to just 15,000 homes under construction, while the regions dropped by 12% to 34,870.

Consented homes have risen 13% over the past 12 months and the total number of homes in planning, pre-consent, has grown by 5% to 109,920 units. However, detailed planning applications have fallen 16% since last quarter, raising concerns over longer-term supply.

The slowdown in construction reflects the broader challenges currently impacting housing delivery. Significant delays at the Building Safety Regulator are currently blocking schemes across the country, while concerns over development viability, driven by build cost inflation and the economic climate, are contributing to a cautious market. Taken together, these factors are slowing down delivery, as projects aren’t proceeding from outline planning through to detailed planning and ultimately into construction and delivery.

BTR continues to expand into new markets, with 215 local authorities now including BTR in their pipeline – up from 210 last year – with the Single Family BTR market playing a central role in this expansion, as 36,900 (13%) homes are currently under construction or in various stages of planning.

Melanie Leech, chief executive, BPF, commented:

“Completions remain robust, and planning activity is holding up well, but the sector is facing a real bottleneck in progressing schemes through to construction. Viability challenges, coupled with continued uncertainty around project timelines are slowing momentum just at a time when rental demand is rising sharply. Investor appetite is there but unlocking it will require a concerted effort to support the delivery of BTR homes. Urgent action is needed in particular to deal with the pipeline blockage currently being caused by the Building Safety Regulator.

“The outlook for the remainder of the Parliament could be more positive, with specific support for Build-to-Rent expected as part of the Government’s long-term housing strategy. Tackling backlogs and delays at the Building Safety Regulator, combined with planning reforms starting to bed in, could help provide more certainty around delivery. There’s no doubt that the sector’s ability to rapidly deliver high-quality, professionally managed homes will remain a vital part of the UK’s housing mix and the Government’s ambitious 1.5 million homes target.”

Guy Whittaker at Savills added:

“A continued trend this quarter has been the strength of Build-to-Rent completions, which reflect the positive sentiment of 2-3 years ago. Sentiment has been muted more recently as it has been more difficult to make multifamily development deals stack up.

There are green shoots of recovery, however. The first quarter of 2025 marked the highest Q1 for new investment since 2022, supported by over £500m in urban multifamily forward funds, which will deliver over 1,500 homes once complete. There are significant challenges to future supply though, particularly for schemes facing building safety delays. This represents a substantial threat to current housing delivery and puts government housing targets at risk.”

Source: Property Eye

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Developing Self-Healing Concrete

Source: IDTechEx

Self-Healing Materials Market to Build on Success in the Construction Industry

Every year, industrialized nations lose approximately 3% of GDP due to issues associated with material corrosion and degradation. In particular, damage to concrete structures and infrastructure, ranging from small cracks to complete failure, can lead to severe disruptions, and repairs can incur significant expense. But what if damaged concrete had the ability to self-heal microcracks before they could propagate into larger-scale issues?

In IDTechEx’s report, “Self-Healing Materials 2025-2035: Technologies, Applications, and Players“, a detailed overview of the market is given, including insights into technical challenges and progress, key sectors for market growth, and commercial readiness levels. A third-party, independent assessment of the market is provided throughout, including an unbiased outlook for the covered materials and industry sectors.

Concrete typically fails due to the development of microcracks, which gradually expand into larger cracks. Freeze-thaw action can be a major issue, where water fills cracks before freezing and expanding, causing further damage in a repetitive cycle. Self-healing concrete is designed to repair these microcracks efficiently. Many technologies exist, but IDTechEx research finds that biological approaches lead the way for the successful commercialization of self-healing concrete.

An ancient approach

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but many of its most beautiful buildings and structures have stood the test of time, remaining standing over two millennia after their construction. Roman concrete is composed of quicklime (calcium oxide), volcanic ash, and water, and was produced at high temperatures using a technique called “hot mixing.” Studies have revealed the presence of lime clasts (calcium-rich mineral deposits) visible in Roman architecture as small, distinct white features measuring a few millimeters in size.

When a crack forms, water infiltrates, and a calcium-enriched solution is created. Despite detailed research, two proposed healing mechanisms exist. In the most straightforward scenario, the solution heals the crack itself. The second and more complex mechanism is known as the Pozzolanic reaction and involves the formation of several intermediates at the interface between the volcanic aggregate and the surrounding matrix.

Modern methods

A promising approach, from players such as Basilisk, involves embedding mineral-producing bacteria into concrete for self-healing purposes. These acid-producing bacteria can remain dormant for over 200 years and serve as catalysts in the crack-repair process. When cracks develop, the bacteria become active, consuming calcium lactate and generating limestone to seal the damage. Bacterial strains used in construction include Bacillus pasteurii, B. sphaericus, B. subtilis, B. cohnii, B. halodurans, and B. pseudofirmus.

The healing process occurs through a biological reaction between unreacted limestone and a calcium-based nutrient. When bacterial spores encounter water, they begin to feed on the calcium lactate, a process that consumes oxygen and helps reduce the risk of steel corrosion. The soluble calcium lactate is converted into insoluble limestone, which hardens and fills the crack.

Alternative approaches to self-healing construction materials are also discussed in the IDTechEx report. Geopolymer concrete is produced from waste materials such as fly ash, and self-healing mechanisms have been proposed, while there is also a compelling method utilizing bacteria-coated fibers. The major benefit is that the core of the fiber acts like a stitch and holds the crack closed, restricting the propagation of the crack and minimizing the extent of self-healing that is required.

Concrete offers a high-volume route to market for self-healing materials, allowing confidence and trust to be built in the novel approach to increasing the lifespan of structures. Initial risks can be lowered by considering only slabs, with vertical pours for walls delayed until phase two of adoption. From an economic perspective, IDTechEx’s assessment of the market reports a 30% increase in material costs when adding self-healing properties; however, these can be accounted for in a number of ways. Saving on the aforementioned GDP loss, reduced need for replacements, minimized maintenance, and limited downtime can all be summed up in the life-cycle costs that are reduced in total when considering self-healing concrete.

The “Self-Healing Materials 2025-2035: Technologies, Applications, and Players” report provides an in-depth analysis of this emerging market. Leveraging its expertise in advanced materials, IDTechEx delivers an independent evaluation, covering technology comparisons, industry trends, and key player assessments, offering valuable insights into this promising but still-developing sector.

Dr Conor O’Brien, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx

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