Architect Michael Green thinks most cities don’t need high-rises taller than 30 stories.

Royal Dutch Shell has lost $5 billion so far in 2015, TransCanada Corp. is staring at a $2-billion write-off following the U.S. rejection of its Keystone XL pipeline, and Baker Hughes said it took a 43% hit to earnings compared to last year, a measurement almost identical to the decline of North American oil-rig drilling over the same time.

Around the world, concerns related to stresses on water systems—availability, quality and impacts from intense storm events—are creating increasing demand for water and wastewater projects.

Several top global construction firms have stepped up their efforts to partner with tech providers to offer full-service packages for utility-sector clients, which need as many fuel options and generating technologies as possible.

The global manufacturing sector continues to offer a wide range of design and construction opportunities, despite varying pressures that range from worldwide declining prices for oil and other commodities to the continued cooling of China’s economy.

The expansion of transportation infrastructure continues to be the common denominator across regions experiencing robust growth and urbanization as well as those seeking to stimulate or diversify their economic profile.

Faced with economic uncertainty and political unrest in many parts of the world, major global firms are banking on their regional diversity to find pockets of opportunity.

To assess how global construction companies are, we use two measures: The first is depth, or what percentage of business activity takes place across international borders.