A new terminal at Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport is going to open its doors in autumn. After commission Zvartnots airport will be ranked as class "B". By the standards of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airports are ranked by 4 classes - A, B, C, D. Highest class is "A ". According to Deputy Director of Armenia International Airports Andranik Shkhyan, new terminal building of the airport will make a holistic new complex. Total area of the new complex is 34 thousand square meters. A registration hall will consists of 46 check-in desks and a new two-storey 20 thousand square meters parking area for 600 cars will be added. Shkhyan told reporters, that construction total budget is $ 244 million, and so far they have already attracted $160 million investments for the construction work. A new airport is able to handle 3 million passengers a year instead of current 1,6 million. New airport building is a necessity, as over the past 4 years passenger flow in Armenia has increased by 8-12 percent per year. Construction of new airport began in 2008. Construction works carries Argentine Courthill Corporation, which built both the current and new airport buildings. Car parking construction is led by Armenian construction company SahakyanShin. Another Armenian company MLL Industries carries sewage and finishing works. There are also other companies including in construction works.

According to report released by National Statistical Service of Armenia, in the first quarter of this year residential construction increased by 198.4 percent over the same period last year. Overall residential construction spending was 14 655.7 million AMD ($39 million). Compared to the same period last year, residential construction work increased 3.1 times and amounted 5 996.2 million AMD ($16.1 million). Government expenditures on residential construction have not changed this year - 3 030.5 million AMD ($8.1 million). As reported, residential construction in the capital has increased 2.4 times compared with the same period last year and totaled 7 391.4 million AMD ($19.8 millon). The amount of work performed in Yerevan by the state budget hasn't changed- 95.6 million AMD ($256 thousand). Population housing expenditures have also increased by 82.6 percent and amounted 1 382.5 million AMD ($3.7 million). Note, that organizations mainly invested in Yerevan, as regions are less attractive for developers. Developers' investments in housing totaled 5 913.3 million AMD ($15.8 million) in Yerevan, while in regions investments made only in Tavush marz and amounted only 82.9 million AMD ($222.8 thousand). The second and the third places took Shirak and Lori regions - 1 854.3 million AMD ($4.9 million) and 1 547.8 million AMD ($4.1 million) respectively. Government residential construction spending in Shirak and Lori totaled 1 776.3 million AMD ($4.7 million) and 1 158.3 million AMD ($3.1 million) respectively. Compared to the same period last year these figures haven't changed. In the first quarter of this year about 59.304 thousand square meters of residential area was put in commission compared to 29.888 thousand square meters last year.

According to report released by the National Statistical Service of Armenia, in the first quarter of this year construction works dropped by 8 percent over the same period last year. The main reason for this decline was a sharp cutback of international credits, by 84.5 percent. Compared to the same period of last year, government and local community spending also dropped - respectively by 14.5 and 81.6 percent. Instead of it, there is a jump in construction works financed by charitable foundations, companies and population. According to the report, company construction costs rose by 41 percent and population spending by 21.8 percent. As reported by Statistical Service overall construction spending in Armenia in first quarter of this year was 44 592.1 million AMD ($120 million), particularly government spending was 5 609.3 million AMD ($15 million), local community - 35.5 million AMD ($96 thousand), and construction against international credits- 2 944.8 million AMD ($8 million). Companies have invested unto construction about 22 722.4 million AMD ($61 million), which was almost half of total construction works. During the period of Humanitarian Aid construction amount 6 523.5 million AMD ($17.6 million), and population spending was 6 756.6 million AMD ($18 million). According to report, during the first quarter of this year more than half of construction works- about 23 087.2 million AMD ($62 million) were done in Yerevan. The second and the third places took Kotayk and Ararat regions(marzs), with 3 961.1 million ($10.6 million) and 3 371.2 million AMD ($9 million) respectively. The lowest index was in Vayots Dzor region - 238.8 million AMD ($643.7 thousand).

The 4th regional specialized "Construction and Interior 2011" exhibition organized by the "Prom Expo" will be conducted from April 29 to May 1 in sports & concert complex after K. Demirchyan. According to organizers, exhibition is of interest not only among local, but also among international construction companies. Businessmen from Iran, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Russia have also been invited to participate in the exhibition. Commercial director of the "Prom Expo" Vahagn Mirijanyan told Armenpress: "Overall 160 businessmen will participate in the event. There are representatives of some international companies that are interested in Armenian market or have already started their activities in republic. But the main purpose of exhibition is promoting and presenting the potential of local producers". Also mention that recently passed another construction exhibition "CAUCASUS BUILDING & RECONSTRUCTION EXPO 2011" showed significantly reduced interest in such kind of presentations, however, let's hope that all interested parties will show more interest in this exhibition. Expo Has Opened "Construction and Interior 2011" exhibition has opened today. There were about 100 companies taking part in expo, which number was slightly more than in previous CAUCASUS BUILDING & RECONSTRUCTION EXPO 2011. However the number of participant companies is reducing from year to year, meaning that firms are searching alternative ways of promoting their new products & services.

Yesterday, on the 13th of April, German well-known company OBO Bettermann held introductory seminar at Armenia Marriott Hotel. The company this year celebrates its 100-year anniversary and is one of the leading European companies offering information technology and electrical network services. The seminar was organized by the Root ITSP, which is the official representative of OBO Bettermann in Armenia. Representatives of leading contructors of the republic were invited to participate in the event. Following the introduction by Root ITSP CEO Gegham Sargisyan, specially invited representatives of OBO Bettermann Waldemar Mader and Tarmo Riit took the floor. Mr. Riit described in detail the use of company products, and expressed hope that the presented systems and products will succeed in the Armenian market. It is important to mention that in contrast to the European market, where OBO Bettermann's production has taken a leading position in its sector, the existing technology of construction works in Armenia will not allow to use such products widely. However, we strongly recommend all interested Armenian companies to get acquainted with OBO Bettermann's proposals at the Armenian representative office, or visit the official website of the company.