Construction and Property Corner ::: 31 August 2023

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Construction and Property  Corner ::: 31 August 2023 

 


 

 

	
 


 

 


 

ü  Portuguese construction giant wins two lucrative contracts in Africa

ü  Africa: With increased power must come increased storage capacity

ü  NAVFAC's top construction engineer, construction manager, and engineering technician recognized for delivering important fleet support projects

ü  China ramps up construction of bunkers, underground facilities near LAC, reveal satellite images: Report

ü  Egypt aims to launch first centre for recycling construction, demolition waste

ü  Apartment construction in the US hits record highs

ü  Algeria partners China for construction of 6,000km railway lines

ü  8 of the biggest construction contract notices across Europe in August

ü  Construction job openings down, labor scarcity remains

ü  Lafarge Africa: Delivering environmental sustainability with installation of bag filter

ü  Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction

 


 

 


 <https://www.willdale.co.zw/> Portuguese construction giant wins two lucrative contracts in Africa

Construction company Mota-Engil has secured two contracts to provide industrial engineering services in Africa worth around €945 million, according to a statement sent to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). Mota-Engil explains that one of the contracts, signed with a subsidiary of Vedanta Zinc International, is associated with the extension of a zinc mine project currently underway in South Africa. The other, signed with a subsidiary of the Managem Group in Senegal, implies, among other things, the installation, operation and maintenance of facilities, infrastructures, systems and equipment necessary for the extraction of gold in a mine”.

 

 

Africa: With increased power must come increased storage capacity

The increased generation of renewable power requires increased energy storage capacity. According to Baker McKenzie’s Report – Battery Storage: A Global Enabler of the Energy Transition, lithium-ion batteries take up the majority of new energy storage capacity, both installed and under construction, with older battery technologies being replaced or retained only for smaller projects. However, with costs declining, private investors are entering the market and bringing new business models to commercialize the technologies. Governments of countries with a high share of renewable energy, or looking to facilitate development of the same, have seen the need to support energy storage projects, including in South Africa.

 

South Africa’s new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project is funded by the World Bank and designed to support grid stability and manage peak demand. The first phase of the project is expected to come online in 2023, with the second project due to be launched at the end of 2024. The project comprises large-scale utility batteries with 1440MWh daily capacity and 60MW of solar PV. Battery storage projects currently underway in South Africa include the Drakensberg Pumped Energy Storage Scheme (27.6 GWh), the Ingula Pumped Energy Storage Scheme (21 GWh), the Bokpoort CSP Project (1.3 GWh) and KaXu Solar One (1,650 MWh), and in Morocco, the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Power Complex (3 GWh).

 

In West Africa, the World Bank provided USD 465 million for the Regional Electricity Access and Battery-Energy Storage Technologies (BEST) Project in 2021, which aims to provide access to electricity for more than one million people in the Sahel, as well as to strengthen the West African Power Pool’s (WAPP) battery-energy storage technologies infrastructure. Further, in December 2022, the World Bank, approved the Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE), which aims to increase renewable energy capacity across the West African countries of Chad, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Togo. The project will, among other things, support the financing and installation of around 106MW of solar capacity with battery storage systems in the region.

 

As more of Africa’s power is generated via renewable energy, the need for reliable energy storage is becoming increasingly important for grid resilience and flexibility, which necessitates the mass adoption of energy storage as a balancing asset.

 

 

 

NAVFAC's top construction engineer, construction manager, and engineering technician recognized for delivering important fleet support projects

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) recognized three members of its enterprise-wide construction technical staff Aug. 23 for their exemplary commitment to supporting the Navy's mission through readiness, decision-making, teamwork, and leadership in construction projects around the world.

 

Senior construction engineers Nikolaos Kokonas with NAVFAC Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT); Andrew Lemelin with Officer in Charge of Construction (OICC) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY); and Jill Williams-Wright with NAVFAC Southwest were recognized at NAVFAC headquarters as the inaugural winners of its "Hard Hat of the Year" awards.

 

"These engineering professionals each have done tremendous work over the past year in ensuring that dozens of projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars were completed successfully and delivered to our supported commands," said Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, NAVFAC commander and chief of Civil Engineers. "Because of their expertise, leadership, and commitment, the fleet can do what our nation needs it to do around the world."

 

To improve recognition of the Navy’s facilities construction community, NAVFAC implemented the Hard Hat Awards program in January 2023 for field office construction engineers, construction managers and engineering technicians. This program provides a structured avenue for recognizing the hard-working construction technical staff who must make difficult day-to-day construction management decisions and exercise technical authority on Navy construction projects.

 

Nikolaos, the only construction engineer at NAVFAC EURAFCENT's Souda Bay office, successfully delivered over 16 construction projects worth over $21 million. His award recognized his efforts to promote partnerships with both coworkers and contractors, processing contract modifications that are both in the best interests of the government and fair and reasonable for the contractors.

 

Lemelin delivered over $283 million worth of construction projects as a construction manager with OICC PNSY, including projects P-310 Super Flood Basin and P-1074 Extend Portal Crane, which were crucial to dry-docking USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) in April 2022. His award also recognized his ongoing work with a $1.7-billion multi-mission dry dock project at the shipyard, as well as his mentoring efforts with junior OICC staff.

 

Williams-Wright, an engineering technician at NAVFAC Southwest, successfully delivered five construction projects worth over $39 million. Her award recognized her efforts promoting teamwork between the contractor and Navy stakeholders to construct new facilities for Basic Training Command, Naval Special Warfare Center at Naval Amphibious Base, Naval Base Coronado -- all without interruption to the command's mission.

 

"In addition to being great examples for their fellow engineering technical staff, these awardees are considered great candidates for NAVFAC's Engineer of the Year awards," said Timothy Bayse, NAVFAC construction process lead and Hard Hat Awards coordinator. "I'm very proud of each of these professionals for their accomplishments, and for how their efforts help NAVFAC contribute to the readiness of our fleet and Marine Corps."

 

 

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China ramps up construction of bunkers, underground facilities near LAC, reveal satellite images: Report

China's latest move of including Arunachal Pradesh, and Aksai Chin in its 2023 version ‘standard map’ has riled up the already broken diplomatic and military relations between India and China. This also comes on days after India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's Premiere Xi Jinping held talks on the side lines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in South Africa. After the meet, news report said that both leaders had directed defence administration to reach a solution on the Line of Actual Control dispute between China's People's Liberation Army, and Indian Army. 

 

On a day China's new ‘standard map’ came to limelight, satellite images have revealed that Beijing has ramped up construction of reinforced personnel bunkers and underground facilities in Aksai Chin, according to a Hindustan Times report. 

 

The Aksai Chin is the part China occupied during the 1962 Sino-Indian war. 

 

The satellite images show that the construction is being done in Aksai Chin region about 70km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

 

The HT report cited a Maxar Technologies satellite imagery which showed evident the development. Between 6 December 2021 and 18 August 2023, China seems to have constructed reinforced personnel bunkers at three locations and tunnelling activity at three more locations. All six locations are within an area of roughly 15 square kilometre, the report noted.

 

Earlier in May, it was reported that China had expanded airbases all along the LAC by building new runways, hardened shelters to protect jets, and new support and military operations buildings.

 

Beginning on 5 May 2020, Chinese and Indian troops engaged in aggressive melee, face-offs, and skirmishes at locations along the Sino-Indian border, including near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and near the border between Sikkim and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Additional clashes also took place at locations in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

 

Repeated disengagement talks on diplomatic levels have ended in no solution. 

 

-Premium Stories

 

 

 

 

Egypt aims to launch first centre for recycling construction, demolition waste

Egypt’s Minister of the Environment Yasmine Fouad met with representatives of the Waterway Real Estate Development Company and some researchers from a German research centre to discuss the establishment of the first centre for recycling construction and demolition waste in Egypt.

 

The meeting, which was also attended by several officials from the Ministry of Environment, aimed to explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing the project, which will recycle construction and demolition waste into products that can be used in the building sector.

 

Fouad said that the ministry is keen to provide technical support and create a conducive environment for environmental investment, especially in the field of waste. She added that the project will be a model that will provide the necessary technology and mechanisms to expand this type of project in Egypt.

 

Fouad also expressed her hope that the project will be one of the outcomes of the first environmental and climate investment conference in Egypt, which is scheduled to be held next month. She said that the project is a unique example of cooperation between Egypt and Germany, as well as between research institutions and the private sector. She stressed the importance of raising awareness about achieving sustainability in the construction sector.

 

The meeting agreed to hold another meeting with the Building and Housing Research Center to discuss the research on recycling construction and demolition waste, the implementation methods of the project, and the possibility of cooperation between different partners.

 

A draft contract for the project was also presented, which is expected to be signed during the environmental and climate investment conference, as a pioneering model for recycling construction and demolition waste in Egypt.

 

 

 

 

Apartment construction in the US hits record highs

The US real estate landscape has been undergoing a transformation, with apartment construction reaching unprecedented levels in recent years. Bolstered by the pandemic-induced building boom, the nation’s rental housing market has surged, delivering 1.2 million new apartments over the past three years, according to a new report.

 

As 2023 unfolds, the momentum remains strong, positioning this year as a pinnacle for construction activity. Developers are poised to bring 460,860 new rental units to the market by the end of December. While New York‘s metro area takes the lead, other high-growth regions like Dallas and Austin, Texas, are following, albeit at a distance.

 

A construction renaissance amid economic headwinds

The annual apartment construction report, crafted from Yardi Matrix‘s comprehensive data, underscores the construction spree sweeping the US. Forecasts reveal that this pace will continue until 2025 when the ripple effects of economic headwinds might impact construction. These past three years have ushered in an era of building activity that harkens back to the monumental boom of the 1970s, fuelled by a surge in household growth following the pandemic.

 

 

 

 

Algeria partners China for construction of 6,000km railway lines

China and Algeria have joined forces in a significant partnership to construct an expansive 6,000 kilometers of railway lines within the North African nation, a move lauded by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as pivotal in advancing his country's socio-economic progress.

 

Earlier this month, Tebboune said in a regular interview with representatives of the national media that strengthening the railway sector is the "best guarantee of development", stressing that "our Chinese friends have agreed to this project, which will cover a distance of around 6,000 km." The aim is to facilitate the exploitation of mines, promote trade and create economic vitality in Algeria.

 

The ambitious railway project is part of the two countries' broader cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the massive China-proposed project to boost global trade and commerce by improving infrastructure and connectivity.

 

A member of the Algerian parliament said the project, which is to be supported by Chinese technical know-how and construction expertise, will connect all cities and regions in Algeria, and also pave the way for economic development in several African countries.

 

"China views Algeria as a gateway to Africa. It's a win-win partnership for both sides. This is the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative and Algeria's development plan. Algeria views China as a trusted partner," said Said Hamsi, an Algerian MP, in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Saturday.

 

Algerian economist Karim Allam also said he believes that the mega railway project will provide significant opportunities for economic growth and job creation in the country.

 

"The Algerian President expressed his intention to entrust this mega project to the Chinese partners who have the experience and the expertise in this field. China is the second largest economic power in the world. Developing 6,000 kilometers of railway will allow Algeria to achieve a phenomenal economic growth," he said.

 

Algerians have welcomed the announcement made by President Tebboune.

 

"As an Algerian student, I'm very optimistic about this project that will create endless opportunities," said Riyadh, an Algerian student.

 

"This railway project between Algeria and the People's Republic of China will be very important for all Algerian citizens. It will make life easier for everyone," echoed Abdel Kader, another Algerian citizen.

 

President Tebboune's announcement came after his state visit to China last month. During his trip, the two countries signed more than a dozen cooperation agreements in various sectors including aerospace, agriculture, energy, railway transportation, science and technology.

 

 

 

 

8 of the biggest construction contract notices across Europe in August

They include a major multi-billion-Euro decommissioning programme at Sellafield nuclear facility in the United Kingdom (UK) and prior information about a possible tender for construction works on an expansion of Dublin’s rail network in Ireland worth around €3 billion.

 

Other major new contract notices involve a €207 million contract to build an energy-from-waste plant in the south west of France, and details of plans to build up to 50 data centres in work worth €500 million on the German rail network.

 

Construction Europe has examined significant tenders advertised throughout the month of August across Europe and the UK.

 

Here are eight of the biggest:

 

1) France – Construction of new HQ for Marseille port authority: €140 million

Project details: The Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM) is seeking a construction partner to finance, design and construct its new headquarters. The port at Marseille is the main trade seaport in France. Work involves demolishing GPMM’s existing 70-year-old HQ building on Place de la Joliette close to the ferry terminal before building the new headquarters and public spaces. The construction partner will also have the opportunity to develop around 19,000 sq m of floor space in the area as part of the deal.

 

Value: €140 million

 

Client: Grand Port Maritime de Marseille

 

Duration: 23 years

 

Time limit for tenders: 19 October 2023

 

Tender language: French

 

2) France – Energy from waste plant: €207 million

Project details: Contract to design, build and operate a new energy-from-waste plant in the city of Limoges, France. The project will be split into two phases: a study/design and works phase and an execution phase involving the order and manufacture of materials and equipment, ahead of commencing operations.

 

Value: €207 million

 

Client: Limoges Métropole

 

Duration: 168 months

 

Time limit for receipt of tenders: 2 October 2023

 

Tender language: French

 

3) Egypt – Rail construction works: €300 million

Project details: While not strictly a European project, the European Central Bank is part-financing a programme of upgrade works to railway lines in Egypt. The project involves the upgrading the 54km Tanta-El Mansoura existing non-electrified double track railway section; doubling and upgrading of the 65 km El Mansoura-Damietta existing non-electrified single track railway section; and re-signalling of the whole 119 km Tanta-El Mansoura-Damietta railway line.

 

Value: €300 million

 

Client: Egyptian National Railways

 

Duration: 36 months

 

Time limit for tenders: 1 October 2023

 

Tender language: English

 

4) UK – Housing refurbishment works: €397 million

Project details: The Peabody Trust, London’s largest housing association, which has around 55,000 properties across London and the South East of England is looking for contractors to perform internal and external refurbishment on various properties within its portfolio. It is splitting the work across eight lots, consisting of four lots of internal work and four lots of external work, each divided by geographical area. External works include insulation work, asbestos removal, roof repair and maintenance works and installation of doors and windows. Internal works include kitchen and bathroom construction, asbestos removal, electrical work and central heating repair and maintenance.

 

Value: £340 million (€397 million)

 

Client: Peabody Trust

 

Duration: 10 years

 

Time limit for tenders: 20 September 2023

 

Tender language: English

 

5) Germany – Up to 50 data centres: €500 million

Project details: DB Netz, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn that owns and operates the majority of the German rail system, has set out details for work to build up to 50 data centres. The indicative notice comes ahead of a contract notice likely to be published in October this year. The framework deal requires construction of up to 50 identical data centres for the German rail network.

 

Value: €500 million

 

Client: DB Netz

 

Estimated date of publication of contract notice: 17 October 2023

 

Tender language: German

 

6) France – Underground and overhead electrical networks: €537.5 million

Project details: A contract, split into seven lots divided by geographical area, calls for contractors to work on overhead and underground electricity works and associated connections across four departments: Alpes de Haute Provence, Hautes Alpes, Bouches du Rhône, and Vaucluse.

 

Value: €537.5 million

 

Client: Enedis

 

Duration: 60 months

 

Time limit for receipt of tenders: 13 September 2023

 

Tender language: French

 

7) Ireland – Dublin rail modernisation: €3 billion

Project details: Irish Rail has set out brief details of its plans for a €3 billion upgrade to rail services around the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) in a prior information notice. Called the DART+ programme, it will see the existing Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) network expand from 50km to 150km. The plan is to introduce a new electrified fleet to improve capacity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost regional connectivity. It is inviting potential construction partners to participate in a market consultation on the preliminary approach to the procurement strategy for the DART+ programme. Construction on DART+ West is due to start in 2024, while the tender process for the construction phase of the Coastal North part of the programme will start next year. Irish Rail is currently preparing the procurement process for DART+ South West, while it is working on a detailed design for DART+ Coastal South amid a public consultation on a preferred route.

 

Value: €3 billion

 

8) UK – Decommissioning nuclear waste: £3.8 billion - £4.6 billion

Project details: Sellafield Limited is looking to bring together five partners across four lots to deliver nuclear decommissioning work across facilities on the Sellafield site in Cumbria, England. Sellafield, formerly known as Windscale, was the site of nuclear power generation from 1956 until 2003 and nuclear fuel reprocessing from 1952 until 2022. Facilities on the 265-hectare (650-acre) site are in a mix of states including operational, post-operation clean out, decommissioning and demolition. The scope of work for the Decommissioning and Nuclear Waste Partners (DNWP) framework deal includes construction delivery, demolition works, technical services (including safety case and design), and waste management. The four lots are split into:

 

Lot 1 – Remediation (with one partner operating within high security areas and another outside high security areas)

Lot 2 – Pond Retrievals Partner

Lot 3 – Silos Retrievals Partner

Lot 4 – Integrated Nuclear Waste Partner

Value: £3.8 billion - £4.6 billion (€4.4 billion - €5.4 billion)

 

Client: Sellafield Limited

 

Duration: 15 years

 

Time limit for receipt of tenders: 9 October 2023

 

Tender language: English

 

 

 

 

Construction job openings down, labor scarcity remains

While construction job openings are up 10,000 jobs compared to a year earlier, the 363,000 openings in July is down 23,000 from June. Photo: P&Q Staff

 

The construction industry had 363,000 job openings on the last day of July, according to an Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data.

 

The Bureau’s Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.

 

Industry job openings decreased by 23,000 from June, but are up by 10,000 from the same time last year.

 

“The demand for labor is beginning to slow,” says Anirban Basu, ABC’s chief economist. “Across all industries, job openings are now at the lowest level since March 2021 and the rate at which workers are quitting their jobs has returned to the pre-pandemic norm. As consumer spending buckles under the weight of inflation and the effects of higher interest rates begin to weaken growth, the labor market should continue to cool.”

 

Unfortunately, Basu adds, the demand for construction workers remains elevated relative to supply.

 

“While the number of open, unfilled construction jobs declined in July, 4.4 percent of industrywide positions are currently unfilled – a greater share than one year ago and at the start of the pandemic,” he says. “As a result, contractors remain reluctant to lay off workers. With a majority of contractors expecting to increase their staffing levels over the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, labor scarcity should remain a headwind through the end of 2023.”

 

 

 

 

Lafarge Africa: Delivering environmental sustainability with installation of bag filter

A modern-day life without cement is simply impossible. Cement plays one of the most fundamental roles in construction as a key element in the economic growth of any country.

 

In Nigeria today, the need for rapid infrastructural development and improved real-estate investment by private and commercial home builders continues to create a high demand for cement in the country. This further creates direct and indirect employment as well as provides multiple economic benefits to associated industries across the entire value chain.

 

In spite of its socio-economic benefits, the cement industry faces many challenges due to environmental concerns and sustainability issues. To address this issue, Lafarge Africa Plc, has invested significant resources, about 7.5mCHF towards reducing the environmental impact of its operations to the barest minimum by adopting state-of-the-art technology whilst prioritizing the health and safety of the people and host communities.

 

Lafarge Africa sets high standards for health, safety and the environment (HSE). The company’s goal is to conduct its business with zero harm to people while minimizing its environmental footprint. To achieve this, it has completed the installation of a new bag filter technology at its Ewekoro plant – which is a key milestone in the Company’s compliance to Nigerian regulatory standards and in line with its sustainability strategy.

 

“We continuously upgrade our operating models and strategy through extensive investments in research and innovation. In order to comply with global standards and contribute to building a safer planet, we successfully replaced our dust emission control device in our Ewekoro Plant I, from the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) to a more modern and effective system, the ‘Bag House’ dust collection system,” said Rachael Ezembakwe, Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Lafarge Africa Plc.

 

FIRS

To mitigate dust emissions from other sources, such as from roads surrounding its plants, Lafarge has instituted measures to consistently reduce fugitive emissions in all its plants, preserve the local environment and minimize the impact on the neighbouring/host communities. The company also conducts air quality measurement of its plant up to 10 km radius to assure conformance to acceptable limits.

 

 

 

 

Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction

There are several symbols that transcend language barriers and are easily recognized and understood by people from different cultures. Examples include the male and female bathroom icons, the cross symbolizing health, and the universal Wi-Fi symbol. Among these universal icons is the recycling symbol, conceived in 1971 by Gary Anderson, an architect and designer who was a student at the University of Southern California. Depicting a continuous cycle, it is a triangle with three arrows arranged clockwise, each of which represents the industry, consumers and recycling.

 

Central to the concept of the circular economy is the reintegration of materials typically viewed as waste back into the production cycle. This concept is particularly important for the construction industry, which has historically depended on the destruction and extraction of resources in order to exist. In this case, nothing is more symbolic than the brick, which not only represents the construction of new things, but is also the perfect example of how to apply the concept of circularity. Creative minds have embraced the challenge of circularity, devising solutions that transform discarded materials into high-value resources and generating a wide range of products, using raw waste materials that range from seaweed and plastics to human hair. These innovations not only address pressing environmental issues but essentially redefine the way we build and inhabit our spaces. In this article, we highlight seven initiatives that are turning waste into bricks.

 

Turning Invasive Algae Into Housing

The invasion of non-native seaweed along the Mexican coast led local communities to organize beach clean-ups, as the malodorous invading species began causing respiratory problems among the population. Omar Vázquez Sánchez, the founder of Blue-Green in Puerto Morelos, saw an opportunity to repurpose this natural resource as a primary building material. After six years of conceptualization and experimentation, he successfully built a house using seaweed mixed with adobe.

 

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 4 of 13© Omar Vázquez Sánchez

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 5 of 13© Omar Vázquez Sánchez

The incorporation of Sargassum seaweed into bricks has shown remarkable resilience, evidenced by its ability to withstand seismic activity and hurricane winds, confirmed by tests carried out by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Sargablocks are produced by crushing two main components: clay (from construction sand waste) and seaweed. A small residence, completed in just 15 days, consumed 50% fewer resources than a conventional social housing unit, and stands out especially for its high thermal inertia, allowing heat to accumulate during the day and be released at night. The founder's goal is to make this building material available for affordable housing construction for low-income populations, while also being suitable for higher-budget buildings. The bricks would therefore transform an environmental problem into a valuable, truly sustainable raw material.

 

 

Urban Waste for a Museum Façade

For the renovation and expansion of the Design Museum Gent, an innovative recycling process is transforming broken concrete and glass waste into bricks that will cover its façade. The material accounts for only a third of the embodied carbon of a traditional brick, due to the way its components are obtained and the fact that it doesn't need to be burnt. Gent Waste Brick will be used on the façade of the museum's expansion, which was designed by Carmody Groarke, and was developed in partnership with TRANS architectuur, materials designers BC Materials, and Local Works Studio. To achieve this, a method was created to grind construction waste materials combined with lime to form dry, cured bricks.

 

Made mainly from crushed concrete, masonry and glass from demolished buildings, the block uses materials collected mainly within a five-mile radius of the museum. The lime used as a bonding agent in the bricks comes from a slightly more distant area but is still regionally sourced. When combined inside a mobile processor the size of a shipping container, the raw materials are shaped into bricks which then undergo a dry curing process over 60 days. In contrast to conventional bricks, which are fired in a kiln once or even twice at high temperatures, Gent Waste Brick consumes significantly less energy. In addition, it absorbs carbon from the air during its curing process, sequestering carbon dioxide and becoming more resistant in the process. Over an estimated lifespan of 60 years, each brick will produce a third of the amount of CO2 of a conventional brick. They will be used on the outside of the museum's expansion, which is scheduled for completion in 2024.

 

Giving New Meaning to Plastic Waste

In Nairobi, Nzambi Matee, a Kenyan engineer, is leading an initiative that reveals the untapped potential of plastic waste. Her start-up, Gjenge Makers, seeks to convert discarded plastic into eco-bricks that are highly resistant, cost-effective, and have a positive environmental impact. Matee's conviction that plastic has value was born from observing the huge amount of plastic waste in landfills and public spaces in her city, a fast-growing African capital that generates approximately 500 tons of plastic waste every day, with less than 10% being recycled.

 

The technique developed to turn this waste into a building material combines crushed plastic with sand, forming a moldable mixture which, after exposure to heat, turns into a sturdy, lightweight block with advantages over concrete: sustainable bricks have seven times greater strength, are lighter, economically viable and ecologically beneficial. In addition, they cost up to 15% less to produce and, due to the fibrous nature of the plastic, air pockets are eliminated during the production process, resulting in great compressive strength and greater durability. Their inspiring work highlights the transformative potential of sustainable innovation in tackling environmental and social challenges.

 

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 9 of 13Cortesia de Gjenge Makers

Another example comes from the Netherlands, developed by Precious Plastic. The innovative recycled brick solution addresses the challenges of plastic pollution and affordable housing. While plastic waste wreaks havoc on the oceans and the construction industry contributes significantly to carbon emissions, this brick offers a cost-effective and ecologically sustainable alternative. Produced with open-source recycling machines, each brick can retain 1.5 kg of plastic waste and is designed for easy assembly and interlocking, allowing for quick construction, even by inexperienced builders. These bricks are potentially useful for the construction of affordable housing, disaster shelters and public buildings, with an emphasis on their adaptability. Shared on Precious Plastic's platform as part of the #Openbrick movement, the initiative presents a promising way to combat plastic pollution, advance sustainable construction and meet global housing needs.

 

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 6 of 13Cortesia de Recycle Rebuild

 

K-BRIQ®: Pioneering the Circular Economy in Construction

>From the UK comes K-BRIQ®, produced by Kenotec, which aims to redefine sustainable construction. It is a brick made from recycled inert materials in a low-carbon alternative to traditional masonry, adaptable to both interior and exterior environments. Compared to a conventional clay brick, it has a carbon footprint of less than 5% as it does not go through the firing process. In addition, around 90% of its content comes from recycled construction waste, and it doesn't require the use of cement (another villain of carbon emissions). The construction unit has a colored finish that requires no painting or surface treatment and has the potential for a variety of different colors using recycled pigments. The unit's performance characteristics and its "buildability" make it suitable for most applications normally reserved for traditional brick/cement products and historically unsuitable for air-dried products.

 

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 11 of 13Cortesia de Kenotec

Save this picture!Brick by Brick, Waste Can Shape the Future of Construction - Image 13 of 13Cortesia de Kenotec

Certified by the BBA and backed by an Environmental Product Declaration, K-BRIQ® is available in a range of thirteen stock colors, all made from recycled pigments, and other colors can be achieved through blends. The product is in its final stages of BBA certification in the UK, allowing for its commercial use from late summer 2023. Its environmental product declaration (EPD) and design guide will also be available at the end of 2023, rounding up a year in which the company hopes to deliver 3 million blocks.

 

 

Pioneered by entrepreneur Manish Kothari, owner and managing director of Rhino Machines, Rhino Bricks offers a solution for brickmaking and the use of industrial waste. In contrast to conventional ceramics, which have a high environmental cost due to their manufacturing process and air pollution, these products are made up of 75% foundry dust and 25% recycled plastic. The previously unusable fine foundry dust finds new use as a crucial element in these bricks, while the recycled plastic acts as an effective bonding agent, replacing the need for water in the manufacturing process and further enhancing the bricks' ecological attributes. Rhino Bricks are 2.5 times stronger and 25% lighter than traditional bricks and their unique composition allows them to withstand greater pressures compared to conventional clay bricks, maintaining structural integrity even when subjected to drilling or splitting. In addition, they are manufactured very quickly, and can be ready for use just 30 minutes after production.

 

 

Raw material can also come from unusual places. Ellie Birkhead, a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven, has been developing ecological bricks through her "Building the Local" project. Her bricks are made using clay mixed with horse manure, glass bottles from a pub, wool, straw ash from a farm, spent grain from a brewery, and hair from a hairdresser. Yes, human hair. Her project revives the brick legacy of the Chiltern Hills, combating the impact of globalization on local industries. By incorporating materials specific to the region, Birkhead nurtures the link between architecture, aesthetics and culture, reinvigorating craftsmanship. Her venture echoes a wider call to safeguard threatened industries and skills, highlighting the urgency of preserving heritage in a changing world. "Building the Local" is a testament to creative sustainability and respect for local legacy, guiding us towards a more conscious future.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


Invest Wisely!

Bulls n Bears 

 

Cellphone:      <tel:%2B263%2077%20344%201674> +263 77 344 1674

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Skype:         Bulls.Bears 



 

 

 


 

INVESTORS DIARY 2023

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


CBZH

GetBucks

EcoCash

 


Padenga

Econet

RTG

 


Fidelity

TSL

FMHL

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has been compiled from s believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are for guideline purposes only and d from third parties.

 


 

 


(c) 2023 Web: <http://www.bullszimbabwe.com>  www.bullszimbabwe.com Email:  <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> bulls at bullszimbabwe.com Tel: +263 4 2927658 Cell: +263 77 344 1674

 


 

 

 

 

 

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