According to news.am, in Armenia in the third quarter of this year were registered 3427 real estate transactions, 2.9 percent lower compared to the same period of last year. It should be noted, that 2403 or 68 percent of transactions were registered in the capital. In September the average price for 1 square meter in Yerevan was 256.5 thousand AMD or US$ 670 - 5.1 percent lower compared to the same period of last year. In Center district an average price for 1 square meter is 1.7 times higher than the average urban rate. The price for 1 square meter in down town is 436.2 thousand AMD or US$ 1172. The second "high price" district is Arabkir, where average price for 1 square meter is 337.9 thousand AMD or US$ 908. More affordable housing is available in such districts, as Avan, where the average apartment prices are 2 percent lower compared to the average urban rate. In Nor Nork and Ajapnyak districts average apartment prices are 13 percent lower than average capital rate. The lowest apartment prices are registered in Nubarashen district.

Singapore's newest skyscraper in the Central Business District, the 43-storey Asia Square Tower 1, took three years to build and is one of the latest green buildings to be built in Singapore, where the sustainability and eco-friendliness of it are part of the main considerations during the design phase, reported Asiaone. Calling itself "one of the most technologically advanced buildings in the region", Asia Square held its official opening ceremony on November 11 night. The building is equipped with a biodiesel generation plant that recycles food oil waste produced from its catering establishments, making it the first waste recycling plant to be located within a commercial development. Asia Square also collects condensation water from air-conditioning and uses it for irrigation needs. Banking on the concept of "Work, Play, Live, Grow", Asia Square boasts offices, a hotel, a gym, food & beverage outlets and retail stores. At the moment, over 60 percent of Tower 1 is occupied: Citibank is the anchor tenant with nine floors, Pure Fitness took up one entire level and Google has three and a half storey. Westin Hotel will be located at Tower 2, which will be ready in August 2013.

As reported by constructiondigital, according to officials, work will begin on the capital's International airport US$ 6 billion Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) expansion next year. Despite the economic downturn, the UAE continues its building tear with the planned 2012 construction of a 650 thousand square meters terminal for the Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA). The terminal will have a capacity of up to 30 million passengers when it is completed in 2017. The five year project will cost an estimated US$ 6.08 billion, and six bids are being reviewed for the construction phase with firms from Germany, South Africa and the United States. The contract should be awarded in the first quarter of 2012. The giant X shaped building will have one of the world's longest spanning arches with a height of more than 52 meters. In addition to the conventional airport facilities, the terminal will also house a luxury hotel and spa. The complex will include 20 to 25 thousand square meters of retail and food and beverage outlets, roughly equivalent to the current size of the Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi. These are set around an 8.4 thousand square meter indoor park, which will host Mediterranean plants and features at its centre and desert landscapes at its perimeter. As reported the official website of ADIA, piling works for the terminal building began in February 2009. ADAC announced the release of the MTB tender in January 2011. Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA), first open in 1982, is one of the two international airports for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is located about 30 kilometer from Abu Dhabi city center, and is the home of Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi carrier.

On November 3, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat announced the winner of its annual "Best Tall Building Worldwide 2011". KfW Westarkade (Frankfurt, Germany) by Sauerbruch Hutton architects named as the 2011 Overall "Best Tall Building Worldwide" during 10th Annual Awards Ceremony, reported CTBUH.rog. The architects at Sauerbruch Hutton, Germany have built the world's most energy efficient glass tower using "pressure ring facade" in 2010. The architecture incorporated the facade design developed in 1990s which managed excess sunlight in glass towers while building the 15 story glass tower in Frankfurt, Germany. The design includes a pressure ring facade, the first of its kind, reducing the effects of changes in the pressure around the building and enhancing natural ventilation. Complex and highly sophisticated computer controlled flaps in the outer facade open and close and equalize the pressure throughout. The inner windows can be opened and strong winds entering the building are prevented. The building's control system constantly gets a feedback from a rooftop weather station and from 40 sensors installed all around the building which measure pressure, temperature and sunlight. The system also has geothermal heat exchangers, heat capturing modules from basement data center and heat recovered from vented air. All this reduces the tower's primary energy demand to less than 100 Kwh of energy per square meter per year. It is approximately half of the current European average, and one third of the American. The need for the mechanical ventilation will be almost eliminated in fall and spring as air from open windows will be available. The unwanted summer heat is rejected by the Venetian blind installed horizontally. On the other side, pane of glass over the blinds and provided with ventilation at both top and bottom protects blinds from strong winds. This posed a major problem that when windows were opened, pressure difference created around the tower sent drafts across the floor which flew everything.

Japan considers building an alternative capital to allay fears of another natural disaster, reported constructiondigital.com. The devastation and human tragedies following the March 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan was a wake up call to government officials, who share concerns over the vulnerability of Japan's capital to such an event. Enough concern, in fact, for the leading Democratic Party is considering plans to build a backup Tokyo, 400 kilometer to the southwest. This "Plan B" city would house the government and curb economic losses if disaster, natural or otherwise, destroyed Japan's largest city. The proposed city would house much more than just emergency government officials, however. The plans include office towers, resorts, residential complexes, and more. There is even a bid to build "the tallest tower in the world" in what has been named Integrated Resort, Tourism, Business, and Backup City. Tokyo is home to nearly 35 million people in the greater metro area, and many wonder how the proposed city, built for a mere population of 200 thousand , could possibly serve a backup function to Japan's thriving capital. The proposed site is currently home to the underused "Itami Airport", and stretches for more than 5 thousand square meters. Already the project has received approval by Naoto Kan, the former prime minister, as well as the former trade and industry minister Banri Kaieda. Officials claim that over 90 percent of the funds for the city will come from private industry. Nate Berg over at The Atlantic Cities wonders, though, why this or similar funding won't be used to better prepare the current capital, should the unthinkable happen.