The sharp increase for total construction followed two months of lackluster activity, as several very large projects in December helped to lift the pace of contracting.

At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $421.3 billion, new construction starts in November fell 5% from the previous month, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

A trans-Atlantic research project is investigating the properties of ultra-thin films of new materials in order to bring quantum computing one step closer to reality.

Engineering News-Record (ENR, http://enr.construction.com/), McGraw Hill Construction's industry-leading information source, will bring together leaders from the major construction markets around the world for the Global Construction Summit 2013, to be held June 6-7 in New York. Approximately 300 design and construction professionals are expected to gather and hear global thought leaders share insights on growth opportunities and solutions to the most pressing global industry challenges.

Researchers have developed a new technique for creating high-quality semiconductor thin films at the atomic scale.

Two contractors are set to go up against Centrica for the contract to deliver West Sussex County Council’s Green Deal programme, worth up to £750m.

An eight-year-old boy has died after his bicycle collided with a mobile crane in Aberdeen.

Two men have been accused of fraud relating to the CITB’s health safety and environment test and CSCS cards after a multi-agency investigation.

The chief secretary to the Treasury has defended the government’s decision not to update its construction pipeline ahead of next month’s spending review, while making a plea for projects to seek UK Guarantee backing.

Development Securities has been given planning permission for a £150m regeneration scheme anchored by a Morrisons supermarket.

Support services and construction giant Interserve has acquired a specialist interiors and property refurbishment business based in the City of London.

Four firms have been signed on to London & Quadrant’s £120m Planned Maintenance progrmame, expectedto last four years

Galliford Try Partnerships has won an £18m contract by One Housing Group to create 114 mixed-tenurehomes on Batavia Road in London.

One of China’s biggest plant manufacturers is entering the UK market for the first time.

Exclusive: A total of 43 major and ‘lost time’ injuries have so far been sustained on Crossrail construction sites since work began in 2009, with almost half of those occurring in 2012.

Thames Water has moved to reassure tier one contractors who have failed to secure a place on its new £3bn alliance that they will still be able to win new construction contracts after 2015.

Scientists from Southampton University of have developed a device which records the brain activity of worms to help test the effects of drugs.

Scientists have unveiled a new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors, a development that could help lead to optical computers.

The Construction Industry Training Board has announced the appointment of William Burton as its interim chief executive.

Researchers have developed a graphene-based ink that is highly conductive and tolerant to bending, a development that could lead to low-cost, foldable electronics.