Project financing and construction law are relatively young, highly specialised areas of legal practice. They are intrinsically functional and pragmatic and require the combination of a multitask group of professionals – owners, contractors, bankers, insurers, brokers, architects, engineers, geologists, surveyors, public authorities and lawyers – each bringing their own knowledge and perspective to the table. That is why I am very happy to present you two new featured articles – this time from non-lawyers – specifically prepared for the introductory part of this book - firstly, a ‘guide to alternate project delivery systems’ and, secondly, a demonstration of some ‘innovative approaches to spatially enabling land administration and management’.
These two new articles combine precisely with the variety already produced for the past editions by leading professionals and lecturers of the area of project finance and construction law. Despite living miles away from each other –they have equally influenced lawyers, bankers, owners, contractors, engineers, designers, lenders and public authorities in dealing with the complex issues related to the development and implementation of projects, the negotiation of construction and engineering contracts and the challenges of crafting the perfect financing package.
I am also glad to say that we have seven new jurisdictions in this year’s edition: Austria, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland and Russia. Although there is an increased perception that project financing and construction law are global issues, the local flavour offered by leading experts in 36 countries has shown us that in order to understand the world we must first make sense of what happens locally; to further advance our understanding of the law, we must resist the modern view (and vice?) that all that matters is global and what is regional is of no importance.
