RAISING EXPECTATIONS

The high-rise industry is raising expectations in sustainability and tech advancements, Mitchell Keller reports

The sun sets behind the Baku, Azerbaijan, skyline, which features the distinct Crescent Development Project

Looking up at the Toronto, Canada, skyline

The world is getting taller. Soon, 2024 will end and, while an exact number won’t be known until next year, it’s estimated about one dozen skyscrapers (at least 100m or higher) will be delivered worldwide before the year is out.

And 2025 looks set to continue this trend, with more cities planning and developing even more looming towers for city centres and urban expansion projects.

Needing to meet the needs of developers and owners, contractors are turning to contemporary solutions in the lifting, foundation, and high-rise sectors, and suppliers have been delivering ‘first-time’ projects like never before. Whether increasing tower crane fleet sizes, finding innovative ideas for laying foundations or exploring alternative power, there’s a lot to see from atop the high-rise construction sector.

An aerial view of Shanghai, China

IMAGES: ADOBE STOCK

An eight-crane approach

Increasingly, megaprojects and major builds are leaning toward a ‘more is merrier’ approach to lifting. Instead of using just one or two heavylifting tower cranes on a given project, today’s bigger builds are filling the sky with ten or more machines at a time, when applicable. In Milan, Italy, eight Potain cranes (a Manitowoc brand) are lifting to life the CityWave building, which is actually two buildings connected by a 140m-long, curved, wave-like roof. The exterior materials used include dowel-laminated timber for the roof, photovoltaic panels, and laminated glass, making precision in lifting extra vital. “The building’s defining feature will be its unique roof, which will stand at 53m in height once complete and will be covered with photovoltaic panels to create Milan’s largest solar power installation,” says Manitowoc. The east end of the building will reach around 50m in height, and the west end will reach 21 storeys and 105m. It will hold 63,000m2 of office and retail space. The site is within Milan’s CityLife mixed-use district near the city’s old centre. The entire CityLife development is expected to cost US$2.2 billion and finish next year. Already constructed at CityLife are recognisable high-rises like Allianz Tower (Il Dritto) and Generali Tower (Lo Storto). An Italy-based joint venture of CMB and Colombo Costruzioni are leading the scheme for CityWave.

“The two companies are long-time users of Potain tower cranes and worked with Manitowoc’s Lift Solutions team to select a perfect mix of eight cranes for the building’s unique shape,” says Manitowoc.

The contractors are using a mixed fleet of Potains, including a new MDT 319 topless and an MDT 21. The two new units were joined by six other Potain cranes in the combined fleet. Manitowoc says two MDT 219 cranes are anchored to the buildings as they climb. They are working with full jib lengths of 60m, and one of the units will eventually reach a working height of more than 120m. The second will reach a final working height of more than 80m, as will the MDT 319, which is working with a 50m jib.

The cranes feature Manitowoc’s Crane Control System, which includes an interface with graphic displays, jog dial, data input, and ergonomic controls, which Manitowoc says aids navigation, precision and efficiency. Enzo Macis, jobsite director at CMB, says, “When we looked at crane planning, we weren’t focused as much on lifting capacity as we were on reliability and productivity.

“It became a question of selecting the right models that would work together as the project changed shape while construction advanced.” The cranes will remain on site until the end of construction, helping dismantle equipment before CityWave opens prior to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Foundational projects

The foundation segments – including formwork, falsework and shoring – have had plenty to boast about, too, with innovative strategies and materials setting a solid base for higher heights.

The CityLife district in Milan, Italy. Eight Potain cranes build the mixed-use CityWave building

PHOTO: MANITOWOC

Or, perhaps new depths, as was the case with Altrad RMD Kwikform (Altrad), a UK-based provider of formwork, falsework/shoring, heavy-duty support, ground shoring and safety and access systems. Altrad says it supplied shoring solutions on “one of the largest excavations in the company’s history” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The scheme is for a new city centre mixedused development in the UAE’s capitol city, which will integrate commercial and residential spaces. At the core of the project is a large basement excavation (measuring about 14m deep and 70m wide with an approximate volume of 111,000m3 ) in a dense urban setting surrounded by waterfront.

Altrad says it “was tasked with delivering a system that could handle the extensive loads and provide robust support throughout the excavation process.

An aerial view of the ltrad shoring site in Abu Dhabi, UAE

PHOTO: ALTRAD

Jeddah Tower under construction in Saudi Arabia

IMAGE: ADOBE STOCK

CONSTRUCTION RESTARTS FOR 1KM-TALL JEDDAH TOWER IN SAUDI ARABIA

The scheme’s developer, Jeddah Economic Company, has announced that construction of the 1km-tall Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has resumed after more than five years on the shelf. The 157-storey high-rise project was paused in 2018 amid an anti-corruption probe led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Contractor Saudi Binladen Group was awarded a new contract worth US$1.9 billion for construction work on the tower. Part of that sum – about $293 million – has already been paid for completed work. At present, the partially constructed building stands 63-storeys. If completed at its final height, it would become the world’s tallest skyscraper by more than 150m. The Jeddah Tower was originally due for completion in 2020 after work started in 2013. Construction is now expected to finish in 2028.

Formwork and tower cranes at the construction site for Casamar in Pomona Beach, Florida, US

IMAGE: DOKA

“The proximity to the water required careful planning to prevent contamination as well as mitigating risks associated with flooding and erosion.”

Altrad says it used 387 tonnes of its S460 high-grade steel Tubeshor material. The props had a maximum span of 67m and prop spacing of 7.5m, which was supported by a single plunge column along the length.

“The Tubeshor system’s strength and modular design made it the ideal solution for the project’s complex requirements,” says Altrad, adding the solution also “enabled a value-engineered strutting design, which brought significant benefits to the project… with the maximum load acting on the prop of 3,295kN.”

Working at height with formwork

IMAGE: DOKA

Altrad says the strategy led to a 30% reduction in the amount of steel needed, which lowered costs and maximised the available excavation space. Bolted connections also improved the ease of use and reduced installation and dismantling time, the firm says.

Flexibility was also touted, with Altrad saying it was able to deliver fewer plunge columns than originally designed, leading to a more streamlined process. “The ability to easily adjust and reconfigure the props on-site meant that the system could be tailored to meet the specific needs of the excavation as it progressed,” Altrad says. “The original customer design had featured 28 plunge columns, but the team were able to reduce this to ten.”

In Florida, US, Austria-based Doka is providing shoring, reshoring, and formwork solutions for an upcoming 21-storey oceanfront residential high rise in Pompano Beach. Named Casamar, the building is under development by Related Group with Coastal Construction serving as general contractor and Coast to Coast Forms as concrete contractor. Related Group received a nearly $160 million loan to begin construction in 2023.

“The structure utilises state-of-the-art formwork systems, including Doka’s Frami Xlife for the core, Eurex 30 Props for reshoring, and Truss Tables for shoring, ensuring strength, flexibility, and efficiency throughout the construction process,” says Doka. The firm says its Frami Xlife lightweight formwork system’s quick install and dismantling capabilities are helping optimise the project schedule, allowing delivery trucks direct access to the site by eliminating the need for extensive laydown spaces.

An Ampd Energy battery-electric storage system. These have become a more regular companion to tower cranes on high-rise sites

IMAGE: AMPD ENERGY

‘WORLD’S FIRST’ OCTAGON HIGH-RISE COMING TO UK

The Octagon, which will be the world’s first pure octagonal high-rise residential building, will reportedly finish construction in late summer of 2025 in Birmingham, England, UK.

The US$143-million project, which was designed by Howells Architects, is backed by global real estate investor City Developments Limited (CDL) of Singapore. In April, it was announced that a pair of tower cranes working the site had reached their final height (189m), which allowed the main contractor (UK-based Midgard, a subsidiary of JRL Group) to construct the remaining ten floors and building core. It’s believed to be the tallest craneheight executed in the city. A topping out ceremony was held in September.

The uniquely shaped structure aided “a low embodied and operational carbon design” says the developer Paradise Birmingham, a public-private partnership developing the Paradise area of the city’s centre. Once finished, it will stand 49-storeys and 155m tall.

Two tower cranes reach their final height in April at the Octagon site prior to the building’s topping out in September

IMAGE COURTESY PARADISE BIRMINGHAM

“The innovative use of truss tables, starting as low as the third floor, significantly reduced crane picks, improving site efficiency and helping the project stay on schedule. The integration of Doka’s durable plywood further supported the successful execution of the formwork plan,” adds Doka.

The luxury tower topped off at nearly 70m in height in July and the project delivery is slated for early 2025. www.constructionbriefing.com

BESS power for UK tower cranes

In October, UK construction firm Bowmer & Kirkland announced it became the latest regional firm to adopt BESS (battery energy storage systems) solutions for cranes. Just one month prior, Winvic Construction – on the 33-storey Crown Place build in Birmingham, England – also used a BESS unit for its build.

Replacing diesel generators with BESS to power construction sites is gaining attention, particularly when it comes to tower cranes. Bowmer & Kirkland’s latest project to feature BESS is a $170 million job in Manchester, England, for the construction of a student housing complex.

For the project, the company has employed an Enertainer L+ BESS from Hong Kongbased Ampd Energy, which delivers power to two Terex CTL 180 luffing jib tower cranes, two twin hoists and 11 mast-climbing work platforms (MCWP). At construction’s peek, it’s expected there will be 33 MCWPs.

AWARDING THE ‘BEST’ TALL BUILDING

In October, the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announced the winner of its annual award for the best tall building worldwide, and Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore – a 23-storey, 350-room hotel – took home the top spot. The project’s ‘hotel in nature’ concept transforms a traditional high-rise into a vertical green space, with multiple terraced gardens and water features integrated into the building. Developers say they achieved a green plot ratio of more than 300%.

CTBUH competition judges remarks note the Pan Pacific Orchard “stands out as a beacon of Singapore’s environmental vision.”

The Pan Pacific Orchard hotel in Singapore

IMAGE: PAN PACIFIC ORCHARD

A single large Enertainer unit – supplied by rental firm Select Plant – is providing 2,500kW of energy per week. The unit uses grid power from a nearby building and receives a 44Amp trickle-charge while providing a nominal current of 663-Amps per-minute.

Tom Carter, Ampd Energy’s business development manager in the UK, says using a BESS system has assisted carbon reduction goals. “We are removing 913 tonnes of this with the Enertainer,” he estimates.

High-tech high-rises

Innovations in hydrogen power and other alternative fuels for tower cranes should keep high-rise construction on a sustainable and profitable path.

When coupled with tomorrow’s advancing 3D and 4D modelling and reality capture – tools that are seeing near mass adoption for tall buildings – the high-rise segment seems poised for growth.

Of course, geopolitical factors and public/ private investment (or lack thereof ) can limit momentum, but as long as the world’s cities keep growing, high-rise construction will have a strong base of necessary and available work.

By next year, when we look back at 2025’s supertalls and innovative foundation approaches, it’s a good bet that even more will be said about BIM (building information modelling), digital twins, and automated work sites. These tools are already proving to be gamechangers and will more than likely keep expectations way up high in the atmosphere for the foreseeable future. iC