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Clay tiles have been used to protect buildings from the elements for millennia. Even today, tiles are what define the roofscapes of towns and villages across Europe. While clay has traditionally been the material of choice and is still one of the most popular building materials, it has since been joined by more modern materials such as concrete. Tile specialist CREATON South-East Europe Kft. in Hungary produces and distributes tens of millions of roof tiles each year along with a complete range of finishing and decorative elements. Its wide range of materials and finishes mean that customers are guaranteed to find a solution to their specific needs.

It is one of the most exciting roof installations worldwide: the SkyPark Observation Deck at the top of the Marina Bay Sands luxury hotel in Singapore, which opened in 2011. At a height of 200 m, it offers flowering gardens, wonderful swimming pools and spectacular views. The pedestals for the rooftop deck were supplied by Buzon Pedestal International s.a., the global leader in terrace support systems.

More than a half of the world population lives in urban areas. The ongoing urbanization is one of the central challenges of our times – costs of space to live in the cities are on the rise while the average size of it is decreasing. Against this backdrop, new innovative concepts of urban living are in demand. Revive NV from Ghent is a real estate developer that puts great emphasis on building society, not real estate. The company makes the difference – by developing vibrant living communities where people can live happily.

It is the strong desire to build houses differently – more environmentally-friendly, more sustainably and more in tune with nature. Bau-Fritz GmbH & Co KG in Erkheim, Bavaria has been designing and building pre-fabricated timber frame houses that have won prizes for their stylish design and their use of natural, environmentally-friendly and reusable materials. Bau-Fritz’s Managing Director Dagmar Fritz-Kramer represents the fourth generation of the Fritz family.

The new train station in Lodz won the steel construction award in 2017 thanks to its exceptional design and steel construction. It was designed and built by Zekon Sp. z. o.o., the Polish subsidiary of the international Zeman Group from Austria. Since the 1990s, Zekon has built up a reputation as one of the most innovative manufacturers of steel constructions. The company is the only Polish manufacturer and supplier of SIN beams, which are renowned for their low weight and wide spans. In the coming years, Zekon will strengthen its focus on SIN beams still further.

Time is money. This simple and yet true proverb from Benjamin Franklin applies to various industries, among them the building sector, where projects often need to be carried out as fast as possible. Working under time pressure is one of the many strengths of Oger International SA, a French project management and engineering company with headquarters in Saint-Ouen.

In many German cities, there is a growing need for affordable accommodation. This is no different in Böblingen, a dynamically evolving town in central Baden-Württemberg, about 20 km southwest of Stuttgart. In the year of its 50th anniversary, the city’s housing association, Böblinger Baugesellschaft mbH, is intensifying its efforts to counteract the housing shortage through large-scale urban development projects.

Lightweight structures have long held a firm position in architecture. Against the background of growing ecopolitical awareness and competitive pressure, the method is gaining popularity as it allows for considerable savings in terms of materials, energy and costs. SL Rasch GmbH based in Leinfelden-Echterdingen in southern Germany is a much sought-after expert worldwide when it comes to lightweight structures with innovative control technology.

For companies dealing in high-value contracts, fortunes can be determined by just one order. For German manufacturer Christen & Laudon GmbH, this was the case in 2017 when a large, unpaid contract in Africa forced the firm into administration. Through sheer hard work, the company managed to turn the situation around, lift the threat of insolvency, and is now anticipating a bright future.

The housing markets in Germany and Austria are driven by owneroccupiers building their own homes rather than buying and selling existing ones. On the other hand, local governments keep especially in the cities rents to the same extend affordable due to social building avtivities. Standing by the side of house builders is turnkey building contractor ELK Fertighaus GmbH in Schrems, Austria.