Britain’s Construction Sector Records Sharpest Decline in Nearly Six Years UK: Britain’s construction sector recorded its steepest contraction in nearly six years during the three months to March, with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reporting the industry’s net workloads balance falling to -12% from -6% in the previous quarter, marking the weakest reading since Q2 2020 when it dropped to -36% during COVID-19 lockdowns. According to the survey of 938 firms

Wren Invests USD 25.2 Million to Expand UK Showroom Network UK: Kitchen and bedroom retailer Wren is investing USD 25.2 million to open 15 new showroom across the UK in 2026, creating around 169 new jobs as part of its nationwide expansion strategy. New locations include Southport, Leamington Spa, and Newport on the Isle of Wight, with work on the Southport and Leamington Spa sites beginning immediately, while the Isle of Wight showroom, a new-build site, is expected to open

Bathroom Distribution Group Reports Double-Digit Q1 Growth Across Frontline and Smiths Briten UK: Bathroom Distribution Group (BDG), owner of Frontline Bathrooms and Smiths Briten, reported strong Q1 2026 performance, with Frontline recording 22% growth and Smiths Briten achieving 21% growth compared to the same period last year. The company attributed the increase to strong market demand, a more focused product offering, and improved product availability, supported by the ex

Amazon Partners with Transaera to Deploy Next-Generation Heat Pump Technology Across Global Building Network US: Amazon and Transaera have entered into a new agreement to deploy Transaera’s next-generation heat pump technology across Amazon’s global building network following a successful six-month trial. Founded in 2018, U.S.-based Transaera develops energy-efficient air conditioning and dehumidification systems that use Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) to remove humidity bef

Fortum Launches Large-Scale Heat Pump Plants in Finland to Support Decarbonisation Goals Finland: Fortum has commenced operations at its large-scale heat pump plants in Kolabacken, Kirkkonummi, and Hepokorpi, Espoo, as part of its strategy to electrify district heating production and advance toward net-zero emissions by 2040. The facilities include 40 air-to-water heat pumps, 72 water-to-water heat pumps producing up to 180 megawatts of district heating, 200 megawatts of elec

GoodWe Partners with Kraken to Support UK Residential Energy Storage Growth UK: GoodWe has signed a partnership agreement with Kraken to provide UK customers access to a range of smart tariffs as the company prepares to benefit from rising residential battery storage demand under the UK’s Warm Homes Plan. Announced during the launch of GoodWe’s Warm Home All-In-One Solution for the UK market, the offering includes PV building materials, EV chargers, heat pumps, smart energy m

EIB Group Strengthens Germany’s Affordable Housing Sector with USD 348 Million Financing Agreements Germany: The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group convened government authorities, housing developers, promotional banks, and construction industry representatives in Berlin to address challenges in Germany’s housing sector and accelerate affordable housing construction. During the event, the EIB formalised two financing agreements worth a combined USD 348 million, including up

Blue Star Reports 17% Growth in Q4 FY26 Net Profit Despite Weather-Related Demand Challenges India: Blue Star Limited reported a 17% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to approximately USD 26.8 million in Q4 FY26, compared to around USD 22.9 million in the same quarter last year, while revenue from operations rose 1.3% to nearly USD 480.6 million. For the full year FY26, consolidated net profit declined 11% to around USD 62.2 million despite revenue increasing 3

China’s First-Tier Property Markets Show Recovery While Lower-Tier Cities Continue to Struggle China: China’s property markets is showing signs of recovery, led by stronger demand in first-tier cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, while lower-tier cities continue to face high housing inventory and weaker demand. Shanghai recorded 31,215 pre-owned home transactions in March 2026, the highest monthly level since March 2021, followed by nearly 29,000 transa

Ferguson Reports 3.6% Sales Growth and Strong Non-Residential Demand in Q1 2026 US: Ferguson Enterprises reported Q1 2026 net sales of USD 7.5 billion, up 3.6% year-on-year, with gross margin improving 30 basis points to 31.0% and operating margin rising 120 basis points to 8.2%. Diluted earnings per share increased 23.1% to USD 2.13, while adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 9.1% to USD 2.28, supported by strong non-residential revenue growth and ongoing large capital p

Hisense HVAC Enters Indian Market, Appoints Rakesh Chauhan as India Director INDIA: Hisense HVAC has officially commenced operations in India and appointed Rakesh Chauhan as Director for India. The announcement was made during a product launch event in Bangkok attended by channel partners from across India. The company, a subsidiary of Qingdao Hisense Hitachi Air-conditioning Systems, plans to introduce smart HVAC solutions for residential and commercial applications in the I

SD Heat Exchangers Strengthens Danfoss Partnership to Support Benelux Energy Transition NETHERLANDS: Danfoss has expanded its strategic partnership with SD Heat Exchangers B.V. through a new distributor agreement covering the Benelux heating market. Building on their existing collaboration in plate heat exchangers, the partnership now includes Danfoss’ wider heating portfolio, such as control valves, motorized valves, and energy meters. The agreement aims to strengthen soluti