Industry News

West Cumberland Hospital has selected Laing O’Rourke as the general contractor for an extensive redevelopment of its hospital campus in Hensingham, U.K. Groundwork will begin in late 2009 on the £100 million project with construction commencing in 2010. The sustainably-designed facility will include an emergency department, surgical suites, inpatient care, and an outpatient clinic.

Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group announced in July of 2009 that it will spend W4.1 trillion on sustainable car manufacturing projects. The company will invest in R&D and facilities construction to create a mass production system for ecological cars by 2012. Hyundai-Kia is also investing W500 billion to reduce carbon emissions at its existing factories. Hyundai Steel is building an integrated steel mill in Dangjin, which will benefit from an additional W23 billion in funding to hasten completion.

President Barrack Obama proposed a $12 billion Community College Initiative on July 14, 2009. Providing direct financial assistance to institutions, the initiative would provide support for modernization and construction, distance learning, and job training. The proposal would enable an additional five million people to receive associate degrees or certificates by 2020. $2.5 billion of the funding would support loans to community colleges for facility construction and renovation.

Dow AgroSciences will break ground in August of 2009 on an 80,000-sf R&D facility adjacent to its existing headquarters in Indianapolis. The two-story facility will be developed and owned by Browning Investments and leased by Dow. Designed by BSA Life Structures of Indianapolis, the building will house laboratories accommodating 100 researchers. Occupancy is expected in mid-2010. Dow AgroSciences is a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co.

CES Group announced the launch of its new Steam Grid in July of 2009. The CES Group Steam Grid was created following extensive research and development to meet the challenge of controlling indoor humidity levels. This innovative multi-tube steam dispersion system is installed within the humidification section of an air handler to distribute steam over the entire surface of the air handler section, reducing the absorption distance.