London Bridge Tower will be Europe’s tallest building
Following a public inquiry, London Bridge Tower has been granted planning permission. The tower, London’s only truly mixed use building, has been designed by Renzo Piano, and will provide a mixture of offices, shops, leisure, hotel, residential uses and open spaces including viewing galleries. The 66 storey tower, known as the Shard of Glass, will be Europe’s tallest building and it is expected to cost $825 million. More information >>

Austrade business opportunity in Chile
Chile requires bids for tender for an urban development plan including construction of a commemorative tower. Go to the following link and click on More info next to the opportunity of interest. (Source: Austrade). More information >>

Victorian housing industry and top builders
According to the Housing Industry Association, the largest home builder in Victoria in 2002/03 was Multiplex Constructions with 1,747 starts, followed by Simonds Group (1,390 starts), and Metricon Homes (1,360 starts). Details of other top builders in Victoria, and the housing construction industry and outlook in that State are included in a recent HIA Industry Outlook Breakfast report. (Source: HIA). Go to the following link and click on October Outlook & Top 20 Builders on the right hand side of the screen. More information >>

Top 10 Green Building Products
US company BuildingGreen has announced the winners of its 2003 Top 10 Green Products awards. Among the winners are BioBase 501 soy-based foam insulation; Membrain, a smart vapour retarder made from a polyamide (nylon-6) film; the Taco Hot Water D’MAND System; and EnvironOxide pigment, an iron oxide pigment recovered from abandoned coal mine drainage. (Building Design & Construction). More information >>

Dubai to have world’s tallest skyscraper
A developer has announced that a residential skyscraper, planned as the centrepiece of a 400 acre community in Dubai, will be the world’s tallest building and would exceed the height of Taipei 101. The skyscraper, designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill, will have 15 tiers of groups of commonly shaped floors over 100 storeys, with the tiers being staggered in a spiral stepping pattern up the building. (ENR 24/11/03). More information >>

Real time structural modelling and analysis tool
A new structural modelling and analysis tool that lets users manipulate components such as members, supports and loads while the structure updates on the screen, has been developed by Dr. Software LLVC. Dr. Frame 3D is available for both Windows and Macintosh. (ENR 24/11/03). More information >>

Building In Australia 2003-2018
BIS Shrapnel has released Building In Australia 2003-2018. The report “forecasts building activity across sectors against a range of economic dimensions”.
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Cavalier Homes might branch into development
According to the national development manager of Queensland-based Cavalier Homes, Australia’s largest building franchiser, the company “is considering a joint venture with a developer or may branch into development itself”. (AFR 23/11/03).

PTW part of winning bid for the Beijing Olympics athletes’ village
Australian architectural company PTW has a contract with the Beijing Urban Construction Investment and Development Company for the design of the athletes’ village at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Despite the Beijing Municipal Government formally signing a contract with the Beijing Urban consortium to build the village, PTW must sign a contract with the joint venture company that will be set up to build the village to obtain further work. (The Australian 20/11/03).