Book excerpt: Spon's Asia Pacific Construction Costs Handbook includes construction cost data for 19 countries. This edition has been extended to include Canada and India. The UK is also included, to facilitate comparison with construction costs in Europe. The book includes: * key data on the main economic and construction indicators. * an outline of the national construction industry, covering structure, tendering and materials cost data * labour and materials cost data * Measured rates for a range of standard construction work items * costs per unit area for a range of building types * price index data and exchange rate movements against £ sterling, $US and Japanese Yen The book also includes a Comparative Data section to facilitate country-to-country comparisons. Figures from the national sections are grouped in tables according to national indicators, construction output, input costs and costs per square metre for factories, offices, warehouses, hospitals, schools, theatres, sports halls, hotels and housing.