AGP Executive Report

Energy Infrastructure: SONATRACH has broken ground on Algeria’s section of the $13bn Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, linking Nigeria–Niger–Algeria to feed European markets, with the full line targeting 20–30 bcm/year. Major Projects & Contracts: JGC Holdings (with Technip Energies and Samsung Heavy Industries) won EPCIC work for Mozambique’s Coral Norte FLNG topside and hull modules, while OHL Arabia and Hassan Allam will build a 22.7-km Dammam 2nd Industrial City rail connection in Saudi Arabia. Urban Governance & Permitting: India’s Odisha launches a 13-day citizen outreach campaign across all ULBs, and Delhi’s Supreme Court-linked scrutiny keeps pressure on MCD over alleged failures to stop illegal construction after a deadly collapse. Construction Safety & Disruption: A nine-story building collapse in Angeles City raised deaths to 30 as rescue operations continue; in Washington, I-90 crews add photo speed cameras to curb speeding in work zones. Housing & Costs: Cyprus homebuilding costs are climbing as steel, iron and aluminum prices jump, and Orlando advances a plan to temporarily ease historic preservation reviews to speed downtown redevelopment. Sustainability & Power: Serbia moves forward on environmental assessment for a 100m RHPP Bistrica dam, while dozens of small RES plants lose privileged feed-in status.

Major Energy Infrastructure: SONATRACH has started work on Algeria’s segment of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, reviving a multi-billion-dollar export corridor to move Nigerian gas to Europe via Niger and Algeria. Rail Expansion: OHL Arabia and Hassan Allam Construction Saudi won the 22.7-km Dammam 2nd Industrial City Railway Connection, including two major bridges and full signalling/telecom integration. Roadworks in Northern Ontario: Ontario is rehabilitating Highway 17 between Echo Bay and Highway 548, resurfacing nearly 17 km and replacing/repairing multiple bridges. Urban Mobility & Public Space: Minneapolis has begun construction on George Floyd Square redevelopment, closing key streets through late 2027 while adding green space and a bikeway. China Waterway Mega-Project: China started the Three Gorges new waterway project on the Yangtze, adding a five-tier ship lock and upgrading downstream navigation to nearly double throughput. Construction Tech & Data: AWS launched next-gen Amazon OpenSearch Serverless with faster provisioning and scale-to-zero, positioning it for agentic AI builds. Local Housing Milestone: Aspen Build marked topping-out for 19 new village homes in Little Snoring, including 10 affordable units. Site Safety: A labourer died after falling from an under-construction house in Srinagar, with police investigating.

Major Infrastructure Milestone: India’s Zojila Tunnel is set for a June 9 final breakthrough, aiming to deliver all-weather Kashmir–Ladakh connectivity through a 13.153-km, high-altitude road tunnel. Public Works Scrutiny: Bihar’s ₹26 crore Buxar rail overbridge is being assessed after damage was spotted just four days after opening, raising fresh questions on construction quality and accountability. Urban Planning Integrity: Greece’s police say they’ve uncovered a corruption network inside municipal urban planning services, linking dozens of bribery cases to building “facilitation” payments. Corrections Facility Overhaul: Ohio broke ground on smaller juvenile corrections facilities in Northeast Ohio, replacing a large institution with four downsized sites designed to reduce violence and improve rehabilitation. Energy & Industry Buildout: Hyundai Engineering won a Kazakhstan gas processing plant award for 5 billion cubic meters of raw gas annually, expanding Central Asia delivery capacity. Construction Disruption & Safety: In New York’s Woodlawn, residents complain metal plates used for a Con Edison gas main replacement are creating constant noise and raising slip-safety concerns as work runs into late July. Real Estate Development: Saudi Arabia’s PIF and TMG Saudi signed an MoU to explore mixed-use real estate projects across PIF holdings, targeting faster delivery and value creation. Tech Infrastructure Boom: Nvidia announced plans for gigawatt-scale AI data center buildout in South Korea with SK Telecom, with an “AI factory” targeted for 2027. Local Civic Readiness: Odisha officials were told to expedite roads, drainage, sanitation, lighting and public toilets ahead of Rath Yatra, with penalties for illegal dumping of construction materials.

Urban Development & Housing: Saudi developer Arada’s leadership outlined a city-building push at SXSW London, citing a 55,000-home pipeline and plans to start the Thameside West London project in 2027. Infrastructure Delivery: Dubai’s RTA says a 1,500-metre bridge is 90% complete, aiming to cut Dubai Harbour journey times from 12 minutes to 3. Local Governance & Planning: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy tied Hyderabad’s growth to decentralised administration and launched ₹1,511.5 crore projects in Malkajgiri. Construction Compliance & Safety: A Ghana consultant blamed recent building collapses on standards violations during execution—like altered reinforcement and concrete mixing—rather than sudden failures. Enforcement Against Illegal Builds: Kano sealed a building at Kwari Market for alleged illegal development, warning it blocks access and raises safety risks. Regulatory Reform (Uzbekistan): Uzbekistan proposed a risk-scoring system for developers and will simplify construction services from 1 July with “one application, one payment” connections. Project Disruption (Traffic): Hyderabad issued diversions around a steel flyover/underpass near KBR Park as congestion builds. Public Works & Community Facilities: Odisha laid foundations for 204 model primary schools, while Kyrgyzstan’s construction ministry continues two new university education buildings in Bishkek. Legal Fight Over Construction: US government lawyers argued a court can’t stop White House ballroom construction, citing security needs and ongoing work.

Building Safety & Accountability: Angeles City’s nine-story building collapse death toll rose to 28, with updated Bureau of Fire Protection data saying seven victims were not construction workers, while investigators examine permit compliance and whether extra work (like a planned 10th-floor pool) contributed to the failure. Urban Governance & Enforcement: Kenya’s Architectural Association condemned ODPP charges in the Manzil Tower collapse case, arguing Nairobi’s Urban Planning Technical Committee is only advisory and lacks final approval power. Infrastructure Oversight: Nasarawa’s Urban Development Board committee praised Governor Abdullahi Sule’s flyover, bypass, bridge and drainage projects after inspections, while flagging “necessity changes” to improve traffic and water flow. Rural Development & Schools: Indonesia’s Public Works Ministry is pushing accelerated Phase II People’s Schools to be ready for the 2026/27 academic year, reporting top progress sites above 84%. Housing & Planning: Haryana notified Gohana’s FDP 2041, projecting 3.23 lakh residents by 2041 and mapping residential, industrial, commercial, road and green-belt land uses. AI Data Centers & Delivery: LG Uplus unveiled its Paju AI data center strategy, targeting KRW 5 trillion in orders by 2030 as construction ramps up on a hyperscale facility. Elder Care Regulation: Sri Lanka’s rural development ministry says it will act against unregistered elderly care homes, with new regulations drafted and fire victims relocated while investigations continue. Workforce & Skills Recognition: India’s NAC-AP won Gold and Platinum awards at IINA 2026 for government service and construction skill development initiatives. Public Works Funding: A US House-passed farm bill includes $1.5m for a new Henderson County EMS station, plus additional rural emergency and resiliency funding.

Workforce & Training: Quasius Construction won a Wisconsin Fast Forward Workforce Training Grant to expand training for 31 employees, aiming to build long-term career pathways. School Construction: Lodi Unified broke ground on the Samuel M. Gantner Elementary School campus to ease overcrowding, funded via Measure K and developer fees. AI for Construction Accuracy: AI.cc reports a 61% drop in enterprise AI hallucinations using multi-model verification, targeting legal, financial, and healthcare use cases. Housing Rules & Contractor Liability: Uzbekistan bans layout/structural changes in apartment buildings older than 50 years and shifts warranty defect responsibility onto contractors for newer developments. Rural Development Centers: Kavango West’s Rupara Rural Community Development Centre is expected to open by end of July after delays. Urban Renewal & Demolition: Nigeria’s Anambra State moves to demolish nearly 500 properties over development-control breaches in Nnewi. Major Infrastructure: California’s Delta Conveyance Project cleared a key federal step to advance construction; Kenya plans a World Bank-funded 143-km road corridor starting January 2027. Public Health & Cities: Dhaka officials warn the capital is becoming unlivable as pollution and civic services deteriorate. Housing Supply Push (UK): Liverpool’s Ten Streets area advances plans for 507 apartments, with reuse of railway arches for commercial space.

Housing Push: Mayors at the U.S. Conference of Mayors put housing at the top of the agenda, citing transit-oriented development, inclusionary zoning and faster approvals as key tools. Urban Greening: Bhubaneswar’s BMC plans 10 Miyawaki forests and up to 60,000 trees in FY27, expanding dense “urban forest” planting across multiple sites. Construction Costs: Cyprus construction materials costs jumped 10% in two months, driven by energy prices, geopolitics and higher emissions allowance costs. Market Redevelopment: Bhubaneswar’s Priyadarshini Market Complex is set for redevelopment after officials cite structural and functional limits, with trader support during construction. Aviation & Tourism: Uganda officially broke ground on Kidepo International Airport, aiming to improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park and boost jobs and investment. Nuclear Build: Uzbekistan and Russia launched construction of the first nuclear power unit, with IAEA oversight and small modular nuclear generation highlighted. Payments Tech: Procore and OneNotary rolled out embedded notarization in Procore Pay to speed up lien waiver processing. Local Impacts: Road and roundabout works in Lincoln, Rossford and Santa Barbara are disrupting businesses and traffic, with closures and detours planned.

West Bank Settlement Pressure: 85 U.S. lawmakers led by Pocan and Schakowsky urged Sec. Rubio to use every diplomatic tool to halt Israeli settlement construction in the E-1 corridor, warning the window for action is closing fast. Agriculture & Rural Funding: Rep. Fitzgerald and Rep. Mann backed H.R. 8646, a FY2027 agriculture and rural development package that boosts food safety, rural programs, and oversight tied to foreign farmland and drug manufacturing. Construction Fire Probe: RCMP confirmed arson in the Penticton construction-site blaze that shut Highway 97 and forced evacuations, with investigators still examining the site after crane stability concerns. Workforce & Safety: Illinois passed a bill expanding restroom and workplace protections for construction workers, including provisions for menstruation and lactation. Smart Urban Infrastructure: Kenya’s Konza Technopolis commissioned a fully automated underground solid-waste system, linking collection stations via pneumatic pipelines to a central processing terminal. Housing Delivery: DHSUD and Pag-IBIG turned over 4PH housing units in Lipa, while Lubao officials inspected construction of a new hospital annex expected to be operational in Q3. Project Starts & Disruptions: Beachwalk Shops construction is set to begin in St. Johns County, and the Sheraton Arlington Hotel in Arlington will be imploded June 6 for a new resort.

Housing Delivery: Work has started on Clive Works in Redditch, converting a former industrial site into 72 social homes as part of a wider 175-home regeneration near the railway station. Dam & Water Infrastructure: Missouri’s dam safety regulator has issued a final amended permit for the Roy Blunt Reservoir Dam, clearing the way for construction with a new contractor selection process underway. Public Funding: Zambia’s Constituency Development Fund received an extra K500m, bringing 2026 releases to K2.2bn for projects across 116 local authorities. Construction Safety (India): A crane overturned during the Jewar Airport flyover build in Faridabad amid heavy rain, with one rescued and three workers reported dead; further rescue and investigation efforts continue. Construction Safety (UK/Canada/US): A SEND school build in Oxfordshire moves forward with a steel-signing ceremony; in Minnesota, a woman was hurt after an SUV hit a road construction sign; in Georgia, a worker was killed after being struck in a work zone. Urban Planning & Education: The University of Seoul opened a five-day Urban Science exhibition featuring architecture, planning and design graduation projects. Construction Economy: UK construction activity contracted at the fastest pace in six years, with borrowing costs and input price pressures cited. Corruption & Permitting: Nairobi’s urban planning chief Patrick Analo was arrested after an EACC raid recovered millions in cash, spotlighting alleged graft tied to development approvals. Rural Development & Skills: Assam’s Lakhimi Mistri program trains rural women as masons under PMAY-G to expand the skilled construction workforce. Community Projects: Coast Guard Beach Park’s parking lot is set to open May 22 as broader improvements continue.

ADU & Homebuilding Guidance: Avorino shared a post-permit ADU checklist for Orange County homeowners, flagging how inspections, subcontractor scheduling, utilities, materials, and closeout can still shift timelines after approval. Construction Safety Incident: A 27-year-old worker was freed after being trapped under a cement structure in Boynton Beach, with OSHA set to investigate. Project Delays & Funding: Nepal’s Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium resumed after a month-long halt tied to delayed payments from a budget release. Construction Market Pressure: Eurozone construction PMI rose to 43.7 in May, but contraction continues; the UK PMI fell to 38.2, the fastest drop in six years, with housing and commercial work hit by high borrowing costs and supplier delays. Urban Development & Cost Cutting: A mixed-use project in Peoria Heights, Illinois was scaled down again to two stories as developers cite steel and construction costs. Infrastructure & Power: China’s west-to-east transmission line completed a major crossing milestone, moving into full conductor stringing. Design & Heritage: Scotland’s RIAS awards recognized the restoration of the Tarlair outdoor pool pavilion, highlighting conservation that keeps historic sites in community use. Workforce & Skills: South Texas Builders Association, Donna ISD, and South Texas College plan nationally accredited construction trade programs launching in fall 2026.

Urban Governance & Planning: Malaysia’s King Ibrahim urged Kuala Lumpur to keep improving governance, service delivery and urban planning after meeting Federal Territories minister Hannah Yeoh. Construction Demand Watch: Statistics New Zealand reports Q1 building work fell 5.9% year-on-year, with non-residential starts dropping faster than residential. Housing Supply Push: Madrid’s Assembly is set to approve urgent measures to boost protected housing by using exceptional planning tools to speed approvals and mobilize land for 18,000 units. Local Renewal & Industrial Land: Nigeria’s Anambra Governor Soludo toured Nnewi and flagged plans to revive neglected public assets, including an abandoned shopping complex left unused for 17 years. Project Delivery & Infrastructure: Quebec’s $2.3B Île-aux-Tourtes bridge project hit a milestone with more beams and slabs installed, while Highway 40 reconfiguration work resumed near Senneville. Public Works Funding: Washington’s Public Works Board approved $6.4M for water-quality and public health planning across 10 jurisdictions. Procurement & Risk: Delhi withdrew its Bed-and-Breakfast scheme after a deadly hotel fire, with inspections and potential licence cancellations for non-compliant operators. Workforce & Tech: Willis appointed Vinh Ngo to lead construction in Victoria, and ACC Group named Eric Savage CTO to drive digital transformation.

Urban Compliance Push: Tashkent unveiled a new framework to tighten environmental and safety rules across about 1,700 active construction sites, including dust controls, site fencing, “project passports,” and connected surveillance plus real-time sensors. Port & Community Impact: Cebu residents near the New Cebu International Container Port complained about night noise and dust; the contractor said work runs until 10 p.m. and will shift to 9 p.m. while increasing water spraying. Housing Materials & Resilience: A new analysis argues mass-produced concrete homes could better handle extreme weather than wood framing, using precast advances to scale durable housing. Construction Tech Leap: LUYTEN launched Ascend, a robotic tower-crane platform aimed at turning cranes into 3D concrete printing systems for buildings up to 100 meters. Procurement & Quality Culture: Scotland’s Construction Accord got a spotlight at “Blueprint 2026,” with speakers urging better early decisions to improve quality and value. Fraud Crackdown: UK authorities sentenced three men for helping 511 people cheat a CITB health-and-safety construction exam, charging up to £500 per test. Infrastructure Delivery: Kenya’s Lake Victoria corridor gets a boost as work continues on the Mbita–Sindo–Kiabuya–Sori road, with sections already bitumen-standard. Water Access: Fiji’s Nabuna Settlement commissioned a new government-funded water supply, ending decades of hauling and muddy seasonal sources. Major Health Facility: NAVSTA Guantanamo Bay broke ground on a $227M ambulatory care center and dental clinic to replace a 1956 hospital.

Urban Planning Enforcement: Kyrgyzstan’s construction ministry says parking must be built for real, not just on paper, after audits found 28 projects fell short—revoking permits and revising designs for 3,519 planned spaces that only 2,532 were delivered. Construction Costs & Affordability: Boise indefinitely pauses a recycled-water facility as construction and labor costs surge, aiming to protect utility rates. Road & Site Disruption: Duluth starts Phase 1 of the $33M West Superior Street project, closing key stretches for lights, sidewalks, storm sewer upgrades, and traffic changes; SCDOT also closes a Spartanburg intersection for a roundabout. Housing & Permitting: San Diego’s Measure A on taxing vacant homes trails early, while Waltham zoning approves new Winter Street apartments with mitigation funding. Public Procurement Reform: Spain’s Seopan pushes reforms to its public contracts law, including price updates and new public-private partnership models. Safety & Accountability: Victoria Police arrest ex–construction union boss Mick Gatto in a taskforce probe into alleged financial offences. Environmental Health: Residents near Galena’s landfill report hydrogen sulfide odors and smoke from a smoldering fire, raising health and property-value fears. Homelessness Funding: South Dakota opens FY26 CoC grant applications for transitional and supportive housing services.

Urban Liveability & Culture: Malaysia’s housing minister Nga Kor Ming said cities can’t thrive on roads and housing alone, urging arts and community ties to build belonging. Traffic & Freight Corridor Disruptions: Thane police issued major diversion rules tied to Dedicated Freight Corridor construction, with knock-on impacts across Kalyan, Dombivli and nearby areas. Public Works & Road Upgrades: Jordan’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing begins maintenance on damaged Queen Alia International Airport Road sections, funded by a Kuwait Fund loan. Housing Delivery: Habitat for Humanity plans 18 new raised-ranch duplex units in Amherstburg, targeting a fall start. Affordable Housing Risk: Dudley Council agreed to pay £18,000 toward mouldy home repair costs after NHBC-identified latent defects. Energy & Infrastructure: USDA Rural Development highlighted $1.8B in Missouri electric infrastructure investments, while WestProp installed a 1MW solar plant over a car park at Millennium Heights. Major Construction Milestones: India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train hit a third mountain tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra. Policy & Funding: Ohio lawmakers are set to review a $3.7B capital budget covering K-12 schools, parks, prisons and state facilities.

Building Safety & Disasters: Angeles City rescuers recovered four more bodies from a collapsed nine-story building under construction, bringing the confirmed death toll to 17 with at least three still missing. Construction Crime & Compliance: A UK man jailed for allegedly earning about £150k by helping construction workers cheat CSCS exams, with investigators citing suspicious travel patterns and false address claims. Healthcare Build-Outs: Timberline Construction completed a 20,000 sq ft renovation expanding the Neurology and Infusion Center of New England into a purpose-built outpatient facility. Infrastructure & Tunnels: India’s Zojila tunnel project is set for a final breakthrough blast on June 9, with work focused on excavation, concrete lining, and ventilation systems. Local Governance & Planning: Devizes Town Council raised concerns about works at a disused old community hospital site, urging a halt until detailed approvals cover any changes. Smart Cities & Data: Hubbard, Ohio approved a 12-month moratorium on data centers amid community concerns, while Taguig hosted a smart city convention highlighting digital public-service tools. Project Delivery & Design: Embry-Riddle’s new aerospace research lab (CAT II) is finished after Hoar Construction completed the May 28 handover.

Housing & Social Impact: A new federal report says homelessness fell in California and nationwide for the first time since 2016, with 181,934 homeless Californians counted (down 2.8%) and the U.S. total estimated at 745,652 (down 3.3%), adding fresh fuel to the policy debate over what’s working. Urban Cooling Infrastructure: Saudi Arabia is preparing a Riyadh “cool city” program to cut road and surface temperatures by up to 15°C, with a Greek consultant set to draft cooling strategy, construction guidelines, and pilot zones. Roadworks & Traffic Management: Minnesota’s Highway 61 London Road work will pause detours until June 22, while a separate Highway 25 project will shift detours around a new roundabout at County Road 37. Education Construction: Apollo High School’s EMT/CNA-ready ambulance bay is nearing opening, and the district is advancing its athletic complex and storm shelter plans. Tribal Health Facilities: Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Tribe was selected for an Indian Health Service joint venture program for long-term care construction, marking a first for Idaho tribes. Safety & Human Remains Discovery: Sarasota authorities are investigating after construction crews found partial human skeletal remains off Leonard Reid Avenue, triggering a weekend search. Sustainable Building Materials: University of Pennsylvania researchers are turning food scraps into building materials as an alternative to concrete and epoxy, aiming to cut landfill waste.