Articles tagged with "construction"
Jeddah Tower: The skyscraper taller than three Eiffel Towers
The Jeddah Tower, set to be completed by 2028, aims to become the world’s tallest skyscraper, surpassing Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by approximately 180 meters. Standing over 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) tall—equivalent to stacking three Eiffel Towers plus a 40-story building—it will dominate the Saudi Arabian skyline along the Red Sea. The tower is the centerpiece of the $20 billion Jeddah Economic City project and symbolizes Saudi Arabia’s push toward modernization and economic transformation. Designed by Adrian Smith, who also designed the Burj Khalifa, the tower features a unique Y-shaped, three-petal footprint inspired by desert plant fronds, optimizing aerodynamic efficiency to withstand intense winds at unprecedented heights. Construction faced a significant halt but resumed in January 2025 under new management, with progress reaching the 70th floor by September 2025 and a pace that supports the 2028 completion goal. Engineering the Jeddah Tower involves groundbreaking
materialsconstructionskyscraperengineeringarchitecturestructural-designfoundation-technologyMass Timber At Parity: Fixing Insurance & Code Bottlenecks - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica highlights that the main barriers to scaling mass timber construction in Canada have shifted from technical feasibility to insurance costs and inconsistent building code adoption. While engineers have demonstrated that cross-laminated timber (CLT) can produce tall, strong, and safe buildings, insurers currently charge significantly higher premiums—often four to ten times those of concrete—due to limited historical claims data and perceived risks such as fire and water damage during construction. This elevated insurance cost undermines the financial viability of mass timber projects despite their advantages in speed and carbon reduction. Additionally, uneven adoption of the 2020 National Building Code provisions across provinces and municipalities creates regulatory uncertainty and delays, particularly because many jurisdictions still require case-by-case alternative solutions reviews rather than allowing prescriptive, repeatable approvals. To overcome these bottlenecks, the article advocates for normalizing mass timber through data-driven risk assessment and regulatory harmonization. Establishing a national data trust to aggregate claims, fire test results, and performance monitoring would
energymaterialsmass-timbercross-laminated-timberbuilding-codesconstructionsustainable-materialsRobots automate steel bar work to speed up and reshape construction
robotconstructionautomationreinforcementdigital-fabricationrobotic-arminfrastructureUS nuclear fusion gets a 3D printing boost to fast-track construction
energynuclear-fusion3D-printingconstructionplasma-physicsmagnet-systemsNSTX-UWorld-record heavy lift vessel arrives in Rhode Island for wind project
energyoffshore-windwind-turbinescrane-vesselrenewable-energyconstructionEquinor3x boost: US scientists increase bridge lifespan with corrosion-resistant steel
materialscorrosion-resistantinfrastructurestainless-steelrebarconstructionengineeringTrump Loses Big Game Of Offshore Wind Chicken, Bigly
energyoffshore-windrenewable-energyconstructionEquinorTrump-administrationenergy-policyInventWood is about to mass produce wood that’s stronger than steel
materialsSuperwoodcelluloseligninconstructioncarbon-impacttensile-strength