According to news organisation CNN, the project is being headed up by Italian architect Stefano Boeri alongside Egyptian designer Shimaa Shalash and Italian landscape architect Laura Gatti, who revealed designs for three buildings covered in planted terraces in the desert, 30 miles east from Cairo.
The development will include three tower blocks, each measuring 30m in height, and will reportedly comprise 350 trees and 14,000 shrubs of over 100 species overall. Two of the properties will be residential apartments and one will be a hotel, according to the report.
Speaking to CNN, Shalash said that she had been working on the vertical forest residential development with Boeri for the past five years.
“Egypt is witnessing a flourishing moment in terms of new planning and real estate development. This is the moment to be present,” said Shalash reportedly. “We couldn't think of a better start than introducing environmentally sustainable architecture solutions.”
Bouygues Batiment International construction company has together with their modular construction laboratory Dragages Singapore, completed the construction of the 459 feet Clement Canopy buildings in Singapore. With its completion, the building is now the holder of world’s tallest modular buildings title which was previously held by George Street, a 135-metre tower erected by Tide Construction in Croydon, England.
The 40 stories Clement Canopy is a housing project situated on the heart of a residential and student district in Singapore. The two towers structure made up of 1,899 modules was designed by a local architectural farm known as ADDP Architects and it houses 505 two-, three- and four-bed apartments, with a swimming pool complex at the base.
Clement Canopy
Bouygues Bâtiment International’s head of modular construction Aurélie Cleraux said that each of the 1,899 modules was around 85% finished off-site, before being transported and assembled onsite.
“The module’s structures were precast in a yard in Senai, Malaysia, then a factory in Tuas, west Singapore, carried out the fit-outs including painting, windows frames and glazing, doors, wardrobes and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) to a nearly finished stage,” revealed Aurélie Cleraux,
He added that upon arrival at the site, the modules were stacked and installed at the same time the concrete core was built in a carefully choreographed sequence.
Benefits of Modular Construction
The team embarked on this challenging mode of construction due to the many gains it comes in handy with. First, by industrializing and building 50% of the project offsite, loss of time due to poor on-site weather conditions are eliminated. Secondly, each module can be manufactured under strict quality control, treatments, and defects can be managed prior to handover hence dwindling the chances of imperfection. And lastly, it is more eco-friendly in that it increases onsite waste management. According to Cleraux, this method enabled them to practically reduce waste onsite by 70% and around 30% offsite with a central materials and logistics platform.
The government of Botswana has awarded 100km pipeline project to Khato Civils. The company will be working together with Water Utilities Corporation to implement similar projects that will contribute towards social and economic emancipation of communities in the identified villages along the corridor of the new 100km project.
The 100 km pipeline project
According to Khato Civils CEO, Mongezi Mnyani, due to the urgency of water supply required into greater Gaborone, the design and implementation of the project will be fast tracked and completed within 12 months of the award of contract. “The site establishment processes are already underway including the mobilisation and sourcing of all required materials for the execution of the project,” he added.
In addition to that, Mnyani said that Khato Civils will be sub-contracting 30% of the works to Batswana owned local sub-contractors and suppliers in order to boost their economic and developmental state as required by local legislation.
Khato Civils joint venture, which already has a clean track record in Botswana, having undertaken a US $18m water works at Mmadinare, recently signed on the dotted lines for the commencement of the US $65m Pula water works scheduled for completion inside 12 months.
About Khato Civils
So far in Botswana, the company has built a classroom block and improved the look of the cemetery in Mmadinare where they implemented two water works projects for WUC. The company is also currently building a classroom block for reception class at Letsibogo Primary School in Mmadinare.
South Africa’s 100MW Kathu Solar Park located in the Northern Cape, has accomplished its first synchronization to the national grid.
Tech and engineering companies, SENER and ACCIONA Industrial announced the reports and said they have reached a critical milestone in the construction project of million dollar solar park.
Mr Siyabonga Mbanjwa, SENER Southern Africa Regional Managing Director acknowledged that the synchronization has complied with all expected parameters to ensure the supply of power starts and end users can consume reliable energy once the plant is operational.
The Kathu Solar Park CSP Plant, is equipped with a molten salt storage system that will allow the plant to keep producing electricity 4.5 hours steadily in absence of solar radiation and guarantee dispatchable energy generation to meet on demand needs.
The solar park is estimated to provide clean and reliable energy to 179,000 homes. It was awarded preferred bidder in the 3.5 round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) led by the South African Department of Energy.
The use of molten salt as thermal energy storage system will allow Kathu Solar Park to operate in a cost-effective manner, storing the generated energy from the sun, producing and dispatching electricity, in absence of solar radiation, to satisfy South Africa’s peak demand.
Local employment prospects
Construction on the unit began in May 2016, and it is expected to be completed in early 2019. During this phase, around 1,200 jobs are being created impacting positively the local employment prospects. In addition to this, it is estimated that the Kathu Solar Park will save six million tons of CO2 over 20 years, and it will foster more local economic development through several project.
“With the successful first synchronization at Kathu Solar Park we are heading into the final stages of the construction and commissioning phase of the project that will ultimately reach the COD (commercial operation date) for the plant in the next couple of months,” said Mr. Siyabonga Mbanjwa.
The government of Somaliland and Ethiopia have launched a US $400m road project that will link Ethiopia’s border town of Togochale to Berbera Port in Somaliland.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, Somaliland’s President Muse Bihi Abdi said the road will provide access for landlocked Ethiopia to an additional seaport and significantly boost trade between the two countries. It is estimated Somaliland imports to Ethiopia is worth over US $800m annually.
The 72 kilometre-road is an ambitious and strategic road project that will also enable Somaliland to benefit greatly from the winds of change blowing across the Horn of Africa. The agreement calls for infrastructure investment to upgrade the existing Berbera Port and to build a new adjacent Container Port. It is projected to take 18 months to be complete.
For his part, Mustafa Mohammed Omar, the regional deputy President of Ethiopia’s Somali Region said the Berbera-Togochale corridor was instrumental in facilitating import-export trade for Ethiopia’s growing economy.
The road projects is being funded by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. The two countries had earlier in 2018 signed a joint venture agreement for the Berbera seaport while Dubai held 51% of shares.
The Dubai Ports World launched the construction work of the Berbera port and signed a 30-year concession agreement to administer the port which is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden. The expansion will lead to the capacity of the port increase by 50%.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia has been playing a unique role in the realization of infrastructural driven economic integration and deploying peace enforcing missions in various hot spots of the continent. The country took a wise step to end hostilities and pursue economic and political partnership that is heralding a new era of good neighborliness in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Morocco is set to construct tallest wind tower in the African continent, measuring 144 metres high.
Spanish technology signed a deal with Nabrawind for the development. The company’s self-erecting steel Nabralift design, which also features a lightweight piled-in foundation, will support a 3.6MW Siemens Gamesa turbine with a hub height of 144 metre
“This tower allows the installation of a full wind turbine – tower, nacelle, rotor – without using large-size cranes regardless of the final hub-height. The Self-erecting System (SES) is conceived to install the lowermost sections of the tower at the last part of the assembly process. For this purpose, the SES is able to hoist the WTG in intermediate stages and install tower sections under it,” said the company.
Construction of the tower will use 80m3 of concrete and 10 tonnes of steel, as compared to the 500m3 of concrete and 60 tonnes of steel used by ‘gravitational’ designs. Works will begin this summer, with the remainder of the installation taking place “at the end of this year and the beginning of the next.
To-date the tallest wind turbine in Africa is in South Africa, a 115-meter tower installed by Siemens Gamesa. The world’s record-holder is currently a 178-metre tower installed in Germany.
Morocco, which is on track to become a world leader in renewable energies. Currently, it is importing over 90% of its fuel needs and spends 10-12% of its gross domestic product on energy imports. The North African country plans to generate 42% of its energy from renewables by 2020, with one-third coming from solar, wind and hydropower.
As part of a low-carbon economy endeavor, Morocco has set an ambitious program seeking to increase the contribution of renewable energies in the national energy mix to 52 pc in 2030.
The government of Rwanda is set to invest US $13m in construction of new primary and secondary school classrooms, latrines and washrooms among other school facilities.
Rose Baguma, the Director General of Education and Planning in the Ministry of Education announced the reports and said the moves comes after the Ministry of Finance increased the budget for the education sector.The investment is aimed to decongest schools and significantly reduce the distance that the students, especially in rural Rwanda, travel to school. Under the plan, the Government will construct 1,100 classrooms and over 1,000 toilets, increasing the ability of students and teachers to access school facilities.
“This is part of the Government’s campaign to uplift academic standards all over the country. This will ensure that no student travels more than 2km looking for a school,” said Rose Baguma.
The Director General acknowledged that the government”s previous efforts towards uplifiting in education sector. In the 2016/2017 fiscal year, some 416 classrooms and 470 latrines were constructed. The number rose to 1,043 classrooms and 1,344 latrines in the following year before further rising to 1776 classrooms and 1452 latrines in 2018/2019.
Baguma also disclosed that that the World Bank has committed US $200m to the education sector this year. Part of the funding is projected to add some 27,000 extra new classrooms and 3,600 toilets, and therefore bringing the total number of new classrooms to 38,000.
“About 70 % of the project will go towards school infrastructure such as increasing the number of classrooms, equipping them and reducing the number of students so as to decongest classrooms,” said Rose Baguma.
Zambia is set to receive US $9m from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to finance construction of Zambian hotel and conference centre situated on the outskirts of Lusaka.
IFC Southern Africa director Kevin Njirani announced the reports and said that the hospitality sector could create jobs, generate tax revenues for governments and bring business to entrepreneurs in emerging economies like Zambia.The project is being constructed by Protea Hotels Zambia. It is part of the IFC’s wide-ranging support to Zambia’s private sector. Overall, the IFC has invested close to $100-million in the country’s economy, in critical sectors like manufacturing, banking, hospitality and agriculture.
“IFC’s investment and advisory services to the Protea Hotel will help build new business infrastructure and conference facilities for investors, as well as integrate the hospitality value chain in Zambia,” said Kevin Njirani.
The development will feature 249 rooms and a large, multipurpose event venue for up to 2 500 people. The building will incorporate industry green building standards, leveraging IFC’s Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) tool. EDGE helps property developers optimise building designs to maximise energy and water efficiencies that can save money while conserving resources.
Upon completion, the hotel is expected to employ around 300 people and will source many of its goods and services locally from Zambian businesses, while being managed under a Protea Hotels by Marriott franchise agreement, training local hospitality staff in global best practices on hospitality. The total project cost of the development is US $30m.
Egypt through the french energy company, Voltalia has launched the construction of the Râ 32 MW solar power plant within the world’s largest solar complex.
Voltalia, an international player in renewable energies, announces the beginning of the construction of Râ Solar, its first solar power plant in Africa which will be located in Ben Ban complex, in the Aswan region (Upper Egypt).
The Râ solar power plant
As part of their participation to the Africa Investments Forum in Paris, the company said the project is set to benefit from a 25-year power sales contract with the state-owned Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (“EETC”), which will come into effect starting from the commissioning of the plant, scheduled for H2 2019.
The Râ Solar will be equipped with 93,150 Suntech photovoltaic panels of a 345 W unit capacity mounted on a single axis with trackers and, at peak, around 150 people will be working on the construction site.
Benban solar PV complex
With a 1.8 GW capacity, the Benban solar PV complex is the world’s largest solar cluster.It is a part of Egypt’s Nubian Suns Feed-in Tariff program, which is a major initiative aimed at influencing private sector capital and expertise, to support the goal of generating 20% electricity from renewable resources by the year 2022.
It will contribute to achieve the 2 GW target of solar installed capacity set by Egypt within the scope of the Paris Agreement in 2015. In addition, the overall Benban cluster is expected to avoid 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year while improving access to an affordable and clean energy in Egypt.
Phase one of the solar project and the country’s first largescale photovoltaic power plant was inaugurated in March last year. It consists of 200,000 solar panels and 780 sun trackers that allow the panels to move relative to the suns position throughout the day enabling maximum efficiency of the facility. Developed by German Ib Vogt and Infinity Solar Systems, a local company the plant began its operation/ supplying the national grid in December producing an output of 64.1mwp.
Voltalia is currently developing many projects in Africa. In Egypt, the Group has announced its ambition to develop a 800 MW portfolio in the next 5 to 8 years, for its own account and for third-party clients.
The government of Malawi has broke grounds for the the commencement of the construction of the road from Thyolo Boma to Khonjeni in Thyolo Central Constituency.
The ceremony was held at the junction to Khonjeni Road just after Thyolo Boma and was graced by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr. Ben Malunga Phiri, Thyolo Thava MP Mary Thom Navicha and Traditional Authority (TA) Mchilamwera who was accompanied by his Senior Chief Kapichi.
Corporation will construct the 6KM project and will be completed by April 2020. Construction cost of the road is US $1.2m. Minister Phiri while addressing residents in the ceremony said that the government will strictly stick to the dateline agreed upon with the contractor.
“Please be patient, a road construction is a very complex process but it will be done as promised to to by your President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika,” said Mr. Phiri.
On her part, Navicha said that upon completion, the road is projected to will boost businesses and create job opportunities for residents along the route.
“This area is a business hub in as far as transportation for agricultural products such as peas, potatoes, cassava, sugarcane and bananas is concerned. It was a headache for farmers especially in rainy season but once completed we will be at peace,” said MP Mary Navicha
One of the social amenities that Phiri provided for Khonjeni are enhancement of Khonjeni health centre through an ambulance, solar electricity, building extra primary school blocks, bridges and also the provision of a youth resource centre.
The Minister further affirmed that the pledge of a stadium will also be fulfilled, saying the construction was waiting for the demolishing of houses that that were around the land in order to relocate those people who were in the houses.
Southi Africa is set to construct the first plastic road in Africa in Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape, with an aim of solving waste plastic epidemic.
Horatio Hendricks, Mayor of Kouga Municipality announced the reports and said that local civil engineering and construction companies SP Excel holdings (PTY) and Scribante Construction would partner with Scottish firm MacRebur, a plastic road company to construct a 1km stretch road as a trial run in the coastal town.
“We are determined to help solve the waste plastic epidemic and the poor quality of roads we drive on around the world today. MacReburs’ innovative solution comprises of processing waste plastics destined for landfill or incineration and adding them into asphalt for road construction and surfacing to extend and enhance the bitumen (fossil fuel) binder,” said Mayor Hendricks
