China in focus: Carbon output drops 1.4% amid pandemic and real estate policies

Smog and air pollution in Beijing (Shutterstock)
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Updated 31 May 2022
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China in focus: Carbon output drops 1.4% amid pandemic and real estate policies

RIYADH: Carbon output in China dropped in the first quarter of 2022 amid policies relating to COVID-19 and the property market. 

The government also announced it will expand its range of fiscal tools to facilitate the country’s carbon neutrality journey. 

Meanwhile, the official manufacturing purchasing manager’s index indicates that factories in the country are still struggling yet on the road to recovery. 

In depth

  • China’s carbon output fell 1.4 percent in the first quarter of 2022, reflecting a drop for the third quarter in a row, Bloomberg reported. This is mainly attributed to the government’s tightened policies on the real estate sector as well as COVID-19 related controls.
  • China’s government has announced that it will make use of fiscal and taxation policies to back the country’s carbon neutrality journey. In line with this, the Asian country aims to create a basic financial policy by 2030 to boost green and low-carbon development. Beijing also plans to focus on mechanisms such as carbon and pollution discharge trading, Reuters reported, citing policy recommendations from the Ministry of Finance.
  • China’s official manufacturing purchasing manager’s index in May climbed to 49.6, up from 47.4 in April, Bloomberg reported, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics. While a reading below 50 still reflects that the factories in the country are struggling, the slower pace of contraction signals that the economy is slowly recovering.

New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

Updated 28 January 2026
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New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.

The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.

Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.

The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.

Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.

The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.

In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.