The pilot projects will each supply 500MW of a mixture of photovoltaic, concentrated solar power and wind power energy via a high-voltage direct current grid to Europe, and are trials for a total of 20GW of power to reduce CO2 emissions and protect EU energy supply.

The final scheme is projected to cost £67.5bn.

Piling contractor Screwfast is bidding to supply foundations for the renewable structures and its marketing director Rod Ward Able told NCE that a meeting in Paris on Saturday will confirm funding details and the locations of the five test sites.

Each of the test sites are thought to be located in north Africa, although south eastern Europe is another candidate area.

Ward Able said they would be "extremely large sites" and would be a huge boost for photovoltaic (pv) production. "In photovoltaic terms this is like flying to the moon," he said. New undersea cables would link the sites to the EU in a "supergrid" similar to ideas espoused by Pell Frischmann sustainability director Tim Jervis.

The scheme aims to supply clean power to the EU at a cost of around 4.6 euro cents per kW/h.

Jervis said that this target was achievable, but the scale of the project is beyond anything currently in production and would take up 20% of global pv production.

SFO director Richard Alderman announced that it would be reallocating more resources to combat overseas corruption.

Speaking at an Anti-Corruption and Bribery conference in London, Alderman told delegates that the SFO would be increasing the number of investigators it has on anti-corruption work from 65 to around 100 – an increase of more than 50%.

The SFO's new Head of Anti-Corruption, Keith McCarthy, will lead.

Alderman said it was vitally important for companies and organisations to approach the SFO as soon as they encounter corruption or bribery, and should reveal what they have uncovered and what range of measures they have put in place, such as in training, restitution or monitoring, to address the situation.

Self-reporting would be considered, said Alderman, in cases where the SFO investigates cases where bribery or corruption has been shown to have taken place.

"It is very much in a company's interests to self report rather than wait for the SFO to approach them," he said.

He went on to describe the many sources of information - including government departments, foreign governments and agencies and the media - available to the SFO and how they used them.

Worst offender is the US embassy, based in Grosvenor Square, which has accrued a staggering 26,165 unpaid charges, which would have cost £209,320, but has now been elevated to £2,735,245 in unpaid penalties.

This is an average of almost 17 penalties for the US embassy every weekday since charging began in the capital close to six years ago.

The US may begin to reduce its penalty notices as it moves from its current spot in Mayfair, which has had a controversial security facelift recently, to a new site outside the congestion charging zone in south London. It is uncler whether president elect Barack Obama will employ a new policy of paying the charge when he comes to office in January.

However, the US embassy is not the only offender. London Mayor Boris Johnson has published a list of 123 offending embassies, owing a single charge upwards.

London's congestion charge was controversially introduced by then Mayor Ken Livingstone in February 2003.

Although initially opposed by the government, Prime Minister Tony Blair later hailed the exercise as a success and held an olive branch to Livingstone, who had been expelled from the Labour Party.

The congestion charge stands at £8 per day. New Mayor Boris Johnson is looking to review the western extension of the zone to Kensington and Chelsea.

The 10 worst offenders:

• AMERICAN EMBASSY: 26,165 unpaid charges - £209,320. Value of penalty: £2,735,245

• EMBASSY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: 17,292 unpaid charges £138,336. Value of penalty: £1,849,260

• EMBASSY OF JAPAN: 16,657 unpaid charges - £133,256. Value of penalty: £1,767,840

• EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY: 14,761unpaid charges - £118,088. Value of penalty: £1,573,690

• HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA: 13,050 unpaid charges - £104,400. Value of penalty: £1,350,670

• THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN: 9,082 unpaid charges - £72,656. Value of penalty: £924,400

• OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR INDIA: 5,745 unpaid charges - £209,320. Value of penalty: £622,840

• KENYA HIGH COMMISSION: 5,926 unpaid charges - £47,408. Value of penalty: £604,390

• EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND: 5,193 unpaid charges - £41,544. Value of penalty: £554,820

• HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA: 5,297 unpaid charges - £42,376. Value of penalty: £539,500

And the 11 least worst offenders:

• OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 2 unpaid charges - £16. Value of penalty: £120

• BARBADOS HIGH COMMISSION: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £120

• EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA: 5 unpaid charges - £40. Value of penalty £120

• HIGH COMMISSION FOR GRENADA: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £120

• HIGH COMMISSION FOR SAINT CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £120

• AMBASSADE DE LA REPUBLIQUE DU BURUNDI: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

• ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

• AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

• NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSION: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

• BRAZILIAN EMBASSY: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

• ROYAL NETHERLANDS EMBASSY: 1 unpaid charge - £8. Value of penalty £60

The two companies beat rivals including Mott MacDonald to oversee the contracting consortium on behalf of the client, the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation.

The construction contract was awarded in May to a consortium led by Qatari Diar and France's Vinci Construction Grand Projets. The group also includes Germany's Hochtief, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company, Belgium's Dredging International, and the local Middle East Dredging Company.

Denmark's Cowi is working as the design consultant.

Named the Friendship Causeway, the project will link Ras Ashiraj on the west coast of Qatar to the village of Askar on the east coast of Bahrain.

The 40km project will comprise 18km of embankments where the sea is shallow and 22km of viaducts and bridges over deep water, including two 400m cable-stayed bridges over shipping channels.

Obama has already pledged to invest £10bn in the coming decade to maintain critical infrastructure.

These plans were likely to have made Obama the preferred choice to lead the US by civil engineers as a consequence.

"Whoever wins the White House will have a number of pressing infrastructure issues to deal with,” said ASCE president David Mongan.

"In 2005 we prepared an institution report and gave the overall grade for US infrastructure as D. We estimated that there was a cost to state and local government of some $1.6 trillion [£1 trillion] to bring infrastructure up to an acceptable level. We will be issuing a new report in March 2009, but I do not see any significant improvement," he said.

A special meeting of Congress will meet on 17 November to discuss a package to boost the US economy. It is thought to be similar to plans being developed by Chancellor Alistair Darling, focusing heavily on infrastructure spending.

Colliers International said that the problem will be made worse by the completion of late running projects.There is concern that the sudden release of large amounts of newly completed office space in 2010, rather than the gradual release of developments over the next two years will flood the market.

This could have a negative effect on the commercial property market. "Delays to completion over the next two years accentuate the risk of a supply glut thereafter," said Colliers International MENA Real Estate Overview Q4 2008. It said that more than 6.3M.m2 of office space was forecast to be available by 2010 but this is now just 4.9M.m2 following delays.

Materials and labour shortages during the first half of the year are reasons behind the delays. "We are currently working on a project which is suffering delays of 100 days," one consultant told NCE. “It is mainly due to problems securing cement deliveries."

The report comes as the region’s major real estate clients are beginning to scale back some of their projects as international investors cut spending and they find it harder to obtain credit.

Consultants said that so far the predictions of an oversupply of office space have not affected their workloads. "When I arrived in Dubai three years ago I thought there was five years left in the market," says Mott MacDonald divisional director (buildings) Steve Rayner.

"And I still say there is five years left."  Responding to the high demand from professionals, the Chartered Institute of Building this week announced it will open a series of offices in Gulf states.  

The move has been copied by Chancellor Alistair Darling, who will announce his own measures in the upcoming pre budget report. A special meeting of congress will meet on 17 November to discuss an economic package designed to boost the US economy.

According to ASCE president David Mongan, "In 2005 we prepared an institution report and gave the overall grade for US infrastructure as D. We estimated that there was a cost to state and local government of some $1.6tr to bring infrastructure up to an acceptable level. We will be issuing a new report in March 2009, but I do not see any significant improvement," he said.

"Whomever wins the White House will have a number of pressing infrastructure issues to deal with," he said.

Mongan said that up to a dozen infrastructure bills are languishing in Congress, and could be pushed through to get investment moving. "A number of projects are just on the shelf, but could be up and moving in 2-3 months."

He said the US had been looking closely at public/private finance models used in the UK, such as PFI and PPP. "We don't think these are the only solutions, but we urge local and state government to use these tools where appropriate," he said.

While the ASCE is strictly impartial in its views, new research shows that the majority of civil engineers are backing Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama. In a survey of more than 1,000 engineers and civil engineers, EPCglobal show that 36% are behind Obama, and just 32% behind McCain.

US civil engineers identified 'the economy/jobs' as the most important issue facing the US electorate (100% of respondents), with energy second at 98% and education third at 96%.
84% of civil engineers said 'Meeting our future need for more power' was the primary issue to be addressed, with 38% saying it was 'Opportunities presented by 'green collar job' creation'.

EPCglobal vice president Richard Spragg said: "Interestingly, both sets of energy policies are rated almost equally when considered on their own merits. However, the research suggests McCain's emphasis on issues such as energy supply security gives him a distinct lead with the majority of engineers, whilst civil engineers are more favorable to Obama's, such as how to how to curb per capita energy consumption."

New research from recruitment consultants EPCglobal show more civil engineers favour Barack Obama to win the US elections, which will be held on Tuesday, with energy policy a deciding factor.

Civil engineers identified 'the economy/jobs' as the most important issue facing the US electorate (100% of respondents), with energy second at 98% and education third at 96%.

84% of civil engineers said 'Meeting our future need for more power' was the primary issue to be addressed, with 38% saying it was 'Opportunities presented by 'green collar job' creation'.

The choice for president was marginal, but in favour of Obama. John McCain is supported by 32%, and Barack Obama 36% of engineers. Almost one fifth of engineers think neither candidate has the solution and the rest are undecided.

Approval ratings for each candidates' energy policies were 54% for John McCain, and 56% for Barack Obama.

EPCglobal vice president Richard Spragg said: "Engineers have been giving us their opinions about the elections over many months and energy appeared to be a salient issue. The survey confirmed our general impression but also revealed that engineering fields have slightly different priorities.

"Interestingly, both sets of energy policies are rated almost equally when considered on their own merits. However, the research suggests McCain’s emphasis on issues such as energy supply security gives him a distinct lead with the majority of engineers, whilst civil engineers are more favorable to Obama's, such as how to how to curb per capita energy consumption."

A spokesman for Nakheel, developer of the completed Palm Jumeirah, the nearly complete Palm Jebi Ali  "World" development and the partially complete Palm Deira, told NCE: "The scope of our projects is going to change with the market conditions now." 

This came amid reports this week that work on Palm Deira, off the east coast of the city, which is already 36% complete, wasbeing suspended. A source close to the project denied that works were being suspended and told NCE that dredging for phases two and three of the project would continue as planned, but that later phases could be held back.

The reclamation works for the first island of the Deira development have completed and building works are beginning. The first of three land bridges connecting the island to the mainland have been completed.

Preliminary work are complete on the 300 islands shaped as "The World" with Nakheel now set to handover islands to owners/developers. "We will be handing over 40 islands this year and 90 next year," said the Nakheel spokesman.

Most of the islands, ranging from 13,935 m2 to 41,806 m2 have been sold except for some islands depicting countries in South East Asia and northern Russia, the spokesman added. 

"This is the second of around 10 packages that will be awarded for the excavation of our 75km waterway." said project director Ian Raine. Contracting joint venture Leighton Van Oord is currently carrying out a trial for Limitless where it is testing out large scale excavation equipment and drill and blasting methods.

This will enable the client to see if its contractors can obtain higher excavation rates than are currently being achieved on phase one of the project. Local contractor Tristar was awarded phase one which includes a 200M. m3 dig in late September and is expected to work at rates of between 150,000m3 and 190,000m3 per day. 

The second phase involves the excavation and replacement of 300M. m3 of material along an 8.5km length of canal. Completion for the canal is expected in 2012 with the surrounding real estate being developed over the next 10 to 15 years

The quake struck early this morning in the province of Baluchistan, a sparsely populated area bordering Afghanistan.

The US Geological Survey reported that the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 and was a shallow 10 miles below the surface. The quake was centred 60 kilometres north-east of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan and about 400 miles south west of the capital Islamabad.

Local press reports hundreds of mostly mud and timber houses were destroyed and the earthquake triggered mudslides that blocked roads, hampered relief work and buried houses. Military helicopters were flown to the area.

Balochistan was also struck by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake in 1997 which killed more than 100 people. The worst earthquake hit the province in 1935, killing more than 30,000 people and almost flattening the entire Quetta city.

On October 8, 2005, a massive earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale shook Kashmir and Pakistan's mountain region, killing at least 73,000 people and leaving 3.5 million others homeless.

"Construction professionals in the Middle East operate across borders on a regular basis, and the establishment of a regional support network throughout these key areas of activity will allow us to better serve the needs of industry and the professionals operating within it," said Fabio Casula, the CIOB's head of international.

The Institute says that establishing a network of regional support centres will enable it to better assist members than other strategies such as a single main office.

Its goal is to play a major role in supporting industry, professionals and key development projects in the Middle East as well as creating a link with the Indian Sub Continent.

"We have had tremendous response and feedback from the industry and our members and have acknowledged the importance of focusing on the Middle East as a region rather than reacting to market activity in individual areas.

The CIOB will announce its plans at a forthcoming construction event in Dubai, on the 23rd November.