Recently, the tech giant Facebook announced its decision to relocate its company headquarters from Palo Alto to Menlo Park, California - a move which could spur over US$ 366 million in construction spending for the region, reported constructiondigital. According to a report by research firm Brion & Associates, the US$ 250 million budgeted building project could result in an additional US$ 116 million in additional construction activity over a period of 3-4 years, and may bring up to 2,5 thousand jobs to the area. The move comes as Facebook prepares for an IPO (Initial public offering) aimed at raising up to US$ 10 billion in revenue for the social networking leader, which would bring its overall company value to over US$ 100 billion. The new headquarters would house up to 9,5 thousand employees in anticipation of coming expansions, and some predict the firm would bring almost US$ 30 million in annual spending to the region's lodging and retail markets. Facebook is planning similar expansions of its satellite facilities in New York and elsewhere as part of the lead up to the public offering - yet another way social networking is helping prop up the struggling construction industry.

Kuwait begins constructing on a world-class city from scratch in one of the most ambitious projects in the Arabian Gulf, reported constructiondigital. As one of the smallest geographical countries on the map and covered mostly by the harsh Arabian Desert, Kuwait is not, on the surface, an obvious candidate for one of the most radical and expensive construction projects in the region. Kuwait is the fifth wealthiest country per-capita in the world, with expansive oil fields and a booming economy. This success has led government officials and investors to leap ahead with plans for a modern oasis in the desert, a sprawling 250 thousand square meters metropolis directly across the bay from the bustling economic hub of Kuwait City. Madinat Al Hareer, the City of Silk, will be completed in 2023, and will propel Kuwait into the global urban spotlight. With an initial government investment of over US$ 132 billion and numerous private investors, the construction is underway on the basic infrastructure of the site, with various stages of construction taking place over the next decade. The City will host a number of innovative landmarks: The Jaber Al Ahmed Bridge - Connecting Madinat Al Hareer with neighboring Kuwait City, the Jaber Bridge will span more than 23 kilometers across Kuwait Bay, reducing travel time between the cities from an hour and a half to under 17 minutes. The Burj Mubarak al-Kabir - Standing 1001 meters above the desert, in reference to the popular Arabian Nights talebased on the region, the Mubarak al-Kabir Tower will consist of three twisting, interlocking structures and, at the time of its completion in 2016, will be the tallest in the world. The Silk Road - Free Enterprise Zone - Located next to the international airport, this economic zone will feature duty-free merchandise and business-friendly tax laws to spur economic growth in the City. With rail, air, and road access to much of Asia, this is sure to become a major hub in the region. Bubiyan Port - Potentially one of the closest sea ports to Central Asia, the Bubiyan Port is slated for construction on Bubiyan Island, Kuwait's largest island. The port would handle traffic from Iran, Iraq, and other Middle-Eastern countries. Sports City - A sprawling assemblage of sporting complexes, Olympic Stadia, recreation centers, parks and health facilities will highlight the City's focus on athletic events and a commitment to physical excellence. There are also plans for several sports medicine and research academies. Convention and Exhibition Centers - Taking a cue from the World's Fair and other major gatherings of entrepreneurs and professionals, the City's facilities will host a variety of innovators from around the world to showcase advances in technology, energy, and design. Kuwait hopes to bring the global spotlight to a local stage.

Google announced construction of its first-ever Asian data center on December 8. The US$ 300 million facility is being built in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and will increase the company's reliability and speed in the region, reported constructiondigital. The ultra-modern center will incorporate innovative design features to make it one of the most efficient and environmentally-friendly facilities in the region. "One way we'll achieve region-leading efficiency (in Hong Kong) is by custom designing each element to operate at optimal efficiency," said Simon Chang, Google's head of Asia-Pacific hardware operations. The data center will use free cooling, adjust power usage for peak efficiency, and will run at higher temperatures than comparable centers. The center will be operational in 2013, and employ 25 full-time staff members. "We're working as quickly as we can get to this facility operational so we can keep up with rapid growth in capacity demand across the region. We're targeting early 2013 to start bringing the facility online," Chang added. As cloud-based technologies continue to expand, internet companies are looking to expand their capacity and reach. Google is also rumored to be building a data center in Singapore, and has already purchased nearly 25 thousand square meters of land - though no official construction date has been set.

After a 34-year hiatus following the Three Mile Island incident, the USA is restarting construction of nuclear power facilities, reported constructiondigital. Despite growing public worry over the safety and long-term consequences of nuclear power, the United States is set to resume construction of reactors after more than three decades of a building freeze that followed the incident at Three Mile Island in March of 1979. The Three Mile Island accident involved a core meltdown in Unit 2 of the nuclear generating station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Nearly 40 thousand gallons of radioactive material was released into the nearby Susquehanna River, resulting in a nearly US$ 1 billion cleanup effort. Though the incident failed to derail the nuclear power industry in the United States, a moratorium was issued on construction of new nuclear facilities. The four reactors currently slated for building - two in Georgia and two in South Carolina - will be the first since the accident. The AP1000 1,100 megawatt reactors are expected to be operational by 2016, using turbine equipment provided by the Toshiba Corporation. When completed, the reactors will bring the United States' total number to 108. More than 26 reactors are under review by the USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The recent problems at Japan's Fukushima plant have again thrust the issue of nuclear power into the public spotlight. With the end of the moratorium on USA facilities, though, plans to expand the nation's capacity will break ground all over the country. While a possible boon to a contracting construction industry, the expansion of American reactors has many concerned about the long-term tradeoffs of nuclear energy. The Three Mile Island accident was a core meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, United States in 1979. Before the Chernobyl accident, which happened seven years later, the Three Mile Island accident was considered the largest in the history of world nuclear power and is still considered the worst nuclear accident in the USA, in its course was severely damaged reactor core, part of the fuel melted.

The construction of Kutaisi new airport began on November 22. Designed by UNStudio the new airport will include a transfer terminal, 55 meter high Air Traffic Control Tower, central arrivals hall, check-in area with lounge, cafe, three departure gates and an exterior garden. The new airport is sheduled to open in September 2012. According to Inhabitat, clad in a transparent skin, the exterior will actually change color when there is a fluctuation in traffic. The 55 meter high, 300 square meter Air Traffic Control Tower sits nearby and serves as a beacon for arrivals and departures. A large overhanging roof shields the interior from excessive sunlight, and an on-site underground source of natural water will be used to regulate interior temperatures. Energy use will be minimized through a water cooling system using concrete core activation, and fresh air will circulate via a hybrid low pressure ventilation system. A grey water collection system in the floor underneath the terminal building will help manage wastewater, while a comprehensive waste management and recycling system will reduce trash and serve as a model for future projects throughout the country. The roof has also been designed to accommodate a photovoltaic system in the future, which will generate power for the airport. It should be noted, that in November during her official visit to Armenia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Vera Kobalia said, that Georgia would use experience of Armenian engineers and builders during construction of Kutaisi airport.