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] The European Commission's Renovation Wave Strategy aims to double the annual rate of building energy renovation by 2030, targeting 35 million buildings for deep retrofit across EU member states. Persistence Market Research
• [New] 65% of global construction growth for the next decade will happen in emerging markets. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Among established uses, cooling demand in buildings is the fastest growing, with the stock of residential air conditioners set to triple by 2035. / Japan IEA
• [New] The Construction category is expected to exhibit a CAGR of approximately 3.7% over the forecast period, supported by the housing development sector, which accounts for 40% of global concrete consumption. Claight Corporation (Expert Market Research)
• [New] Scenario B: US crewed lunar landing slips past 2029 due to compounding HLS delays, China achieves its 2030 crewed landing and ILRS basic construction begins in 2031 with established Chinese technical standards. Mapshock
• [New] China plans Chang'e-7 for late 2026 and a crewed landing for 2029 or 2030 per CNSA official statements and Chinese state media, with ILRS basic construction beginning in 2031. Mapshock
• [New] On current trajectories, global construction output could fall short of demand by around forty trillion dollars cumulatively by 2040, with a skilled-labour shortage compounding the problem as an experienced generation of workers approaches retirement. Highways Today
• [New] In 2026 the production use cases for agentic AI in construction are narrow: drafting RFIs, first-pass submittal review, tender and bid analysis, daily logs, and schedule risk detection. Tommaso Maria Ricci
• [New] Construction is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2025 and to run until the end of 2027. / Germany ILF.com
• [New] With a high proportion of tunnels, ongoing construction phases, and additional tunnels planned across international borders, a highly efficient and environmentally friendly infrastructure project for Europe is set to be completed by the end of the 2030s. ILF.com
• [New] Construction spending is expected to rebound in late 2026, and most contractors report rising backlog, which supports cautious optimism for the months ahead. / USA ABC Ohio Valley
• [New] The U.S. construction industry is projected to experience modest growth in 2026, with GDP growth expected at 2.2% nationally. ABC Ohio Valley
• [New] The Global Construction Perspectives project forecasts global construction output to grow by 42% to reach US$ 15.2 trillion by 2030, with emerging economies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America driving the majority of incremental demand. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Phelan Green Hydrogen has licensed technologies from Johnson Matthey for its planned eSAF facility in South Africa's Western Cape, where construction is expected to begin by the end of 2026. GreenAir News
• [New] ICEMA forecasts the construction equipment industry to triple in size by 2030. / India Persistence Market Research
• [New] Local Law 154 prohibits the use of fossil fuels in most new construction and will start applying to high-rise buildings in 2027. Yahoo News
• [New] The building, owned by Hudson Square Properties, combines geothermal energy with air-source heat pumps to meet its heating and cooling needs, exceeding New York City's 2030 climate targets and using 40% less energy than typical office buildings. Yahoo News
• [New] Gen 2.0 Project: Construction is underway for a Gen 2.0 Plant, expected online in mid 2026, which will increase production capacity to 10 tonnes per annum. / Australia Strategic Wave Trading
• [New] Most single-family homes in the United States are stick-built, Heid said, and techniques such as panelized and modular construction are far from realizing their full potential. HUD USER
• [New] The next 250 years will look different, starting with construction. / USA Gate House Strategies
• The United States Coast Guard announced the finalization of two contracts for the construction and delivery of six Arctic Security Cutters, a brand-new class of polar icebreakers that will strengthen America's position in the Arctic. U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Starting with the AI data center currently under construction in Ulsan, SKT will build a cluster of over 2GW across the southeastern region, using it as a base to attract AI infrastructure demand from global big tech companies to Korea. Cision PR Newswire

Last updated: 22 July 2026