ME Consultant July, August 2014

006 JULY–AUGUST 2014

INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS FOR CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS Geotechnics

Understanding the ground below the towers of the desert

Urban planning

Uncovering the most comfortable outdoor spaces in the GCC

Risk management

Are construction consultants still working in Iraq?

Interview

Terry Bain, regional operations director for Sweett Group

Follow THE LEADER Which consultant should drive a construction team?

CONTENTS

July-August 2014

05 05

On topic

20

NEWS ANALYSIS FROM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST RISK

How can consultants operate in high-risk markets like Iraq?

08

HERITAGE

Examining why UNESCO deferred Dubai’s heritage entry

10

05

DEVELOPMENT

10

Is the Mall of the World the best model for GCC retail?

16

STRATEGY

Atkins plays to its strengths to boost financial growth

18 18

In practice

40

COMPANY PROFILES, OPINIONS AND INTERVIEWS OPINION

Hyder’s Sameer Daoud on the road to success for infrastructure

20

INTERVIEW

Terry Bain, regional operations director for Sweett Group

26

DEBATE

Which discipline is best suited to be lead consultant?

32

FOCUS

How geotechnical engineers are helping the region build tall

36

PROFILE

Ian Carr, co-chief executive officer for hospitality designers HBA

40 On site

BUILDING REVIEWS, CASE STUDIES AND SNAPSHOTS

40

REVIEW

Luxury resort Alila Jabal Akhdar in the mountains of Oman

48

48 56

SNAPSHOT

CTBUH’s best tall building in Europe, De Rotterdam by OMA

52

ROUNDUP

Siemens’ expo control centre and the Sterling Prize hopefuls

56

THOUGHTS

Garald Todd on why he became head of fire and life safety at WSP

26 July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 1

WELCOME

Editor's note Group

Is this a Burj I see before me?

L

ast month I was in Milan to visit the launch of Siemens’ control centre for Expo Milano 2015. The event also included a trip to a vast urban district, the Porta Nuova or ‘New Gate’, which is still under construction.

Once we entered the site, I caught a glimpse of a thin, stepped structure poking above the trees. I had to do a double-take. I’d just flown to Europe and was a little jet-lagged, so I thought that my eyes were deceiving me. But no, it is a real building and it is in Milan.

As you can see from the photograph opposite, the Milanese structure bears an uncanny resemblance to Dubai's cloud-piercing Burj Khalifa.

The proportions, the composition, the way the evening sun reflects off the surface; it was a sight so strange and so familiar that I had to alert every journalist and host on the trip (which I’m sure they were very grateful for).

There are two main differences to the ‘Burj’ in Milan and its bona fide Middle Eastern cousin. First and foremost is the height – the Euro version only reaches 232m. Secondly, it is not a standalone structure – it’s actually just a spire for a commercial building.

Designed by famous architect Cesar Pelli – the man behind the Petronas Towers – the project is in fact called the Unicredit Tower. It opened in 2012, about two years after the completion of Burj Khalifa.

Over the past six years as a journalist in Dubai, I’ve written many comment pieces on how the Emirates imports design ideas from icons around the world. After all, we have lookalikes of Big Ben and the Chrysler building on Sheikh Zayed Road and the upcoming Falcon City of Wonders.

The evidence I gathered in Milan seems to suggest that, at long last, the world’s best architects are gleaning design inspiration from the structures we see every day.

GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713

Editorial GROUP EDITOR STEPHEN WHITE stephen.white@cpimedigroup.com +971 4 375 5477 EDITOR OLIVER EPHGRAVE oliver.ephgrave@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5475

Advertising COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR MICHAEL STANSFIELD michael.stansfield@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5497

Marketing MARKETING MANAGER LISA JUSTICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 MARKETING ASSISTANT BARBARA PANKASZ barbara.pankasz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5499

Design ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON

Circulation and Production CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ROCHELLE ALMEIDA rochelle.almeida@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 368 1670 DATABASE AND CIRCULATION MANAGER RAJEESH M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147 PRODUCTION MANAGER JAMES P THARIAN james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146

Digital DIGITAL SERVICE MANAGER TRISTAN TROY MAAGMA Published by

Unicredit Tower, Milan (not the Burj Khalifa).

REGISTERED AT IMPZ PO BOX 13700, DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 440 9100 FAX: +971 4 447 2409 WWW.CPIMEDIAGROUP.COM

Oliver Ephgrave Editor, Middle East Consultant

Printed by Printwell Printing press LLC © Copyright 2014 CPI. All rights reserved While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

2 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

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Talk to us today. contact@seedengineering.com www.seedengineering.com Dubai Bangalore Kochi

05

RISK Can consultants manage the risks of operating in 'danger' markets like Iraq?

08

HERITAGE Examining why UNESCO deferred Dubai's bid to list the creek as a World Heritage Site

10

DEVELOPMENT Does the new Mall of the World offer a sound model for shopping malls in the GCC?

16

STRATEGY Atkins' annual results show a focus on core strengths of the business

On topic I

RISK MANAGEMENT

Danger zone As the Iraqi construction market grapples with the returned insurgency, Middle East Consultant explores how consultants and companies can operate in high-risk areas

By Neha Bhatia

n February, Middle East Consultant reported progress on the masterplan for the University of Samarra in Iraq, designed by Dewan Architects and Engineers. Four months later and the UNESCO-listed city is reeling from an attack by militants identifying themselves as the Islamic Caliphate. Yet rather than panicking about the project, Dewan’s executive director Ammar Al Assam remains composed.

“The owners of Dewan are originally from Iraq,” Assam tells Middle East Consultant. “We left the country in the 1970s, but were probably one of the first few companies to return. I think it was in May 2003, a month after the war.

“The security situation has been bad from 2004 onward and that’s unfortunate, but we know how to work around things. We still have ties with the country and weren’t concerned about going to Iraq per se,” Assam stresses. “Thankfully, all our people currently in the country are doing well.”

Assam’s strong words come from one of the few companies whose employees continue to be actively involved in Iraq, which has effectively functioned like a war zone since the Caliphate’s June 2014 onslaught into the country.

The dangers of operating in a country consistently disturbed by sectarian clashes and international dispute could undoubtedly be deterrents for international firms eyeing the Iraqi market. It could also explain why research businesses such as Deloitte and Jones Lang Lasalle do not operate in Iraq, despite their otherwise widespread Middle East presence. As a senior official from one of the firms put it, “the risks of operating there outweigh the rewards”.

Jason Rosychuk, senior associate at Pinsent Masons LLP, tells Middle East Consultant that this approach needs to be implemented while July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 5

on topic IRAQ CONSTRUCTION

“Do plenty of diligence on your local partners, and do make sure you have good on-ground assistance to manage challenges. Don't leave things to chance – even more careful planning is necessary than normal.” considering operations in high-risk zones. “There are many special demands [made by such areas].

Obviously each situation is different, and physical security can be a serious concern. But that obvious demand aside, a common theme is the need for companies to be vigilant about changing political and legal situations inside the country, as well as the overriding international legal compliance regime that might be imposed.

“Internal concerns in transition regimes, or countries where there has been regime change, require companies to consider whether the current government has constitutional support,” Rosychuk continues, speaking of operating in countries like Iraq and Egypt.

“Are the people you are dealing with the legitimate representatives of the country capable of forming binding contracts? Is there a risk that the agreements you have struck can be challenged?”

Indirectly answering Rosychuk’s rhetorical question, Assam states the Iraqi government is highly punctual with its project deliverables and does not allow internal situations to override or delay the payment process for a development. “We have never faced any difficulty while working on a project with the Iraqi government.

“On the contrary, the government has always been very good with its payments and ensured each package has been paid for as and when it was promised,” Assam remarks. “Because the government projects are already accounted for in the budget, we don’t have to face any trouble where receipt of compensation is concerned.”

Iraq offers the economic benefits that can be expected from an untapped construction market set in the heart of the Middle East, but the most obvious peril associated with working in Iraq is the question of human security.

The situation has worsened since the recent clashes commenced, naturally leading companies based in Iraq to try and alleviate any potential hazards. In June 2014, Reuters reported PetroChina, the “single biggest investor in Iraq’s oil sector” has pulled “some of its staff out” of the country. United Nations has relocated at least 60 staff members from Baghdad to Kurdistan and Jordan, as have the embassies of Turkey and Australia. Caught amidst the increasingly tense political scenario, construction professionals face risks each day they choose to work in Iraq.

Dr Essam Nabih is the business development manager of Architecture & Planning Group, the

firm master-planning Arabtec’s ambitious $40bnworth housing project in Egypt. When asked whether his firm has any operations in Iraq, Dr Nabih hesitates before responding: “No, we don’t have any operations in Iraq. There have been talks of the same in the past, but the firm has never entered the Iraqi market before.

“We do work in Egypt, but that is our country of origin. That is where the company’s owners are from and we have a sense of understanding and familiarity about the country,” Dr Nabih continues.

“The security situation in Iraq is completely different, and although we have been tempted to enter the market, I do believe there is enough local talent in the consulting sector in Iraq.”

When asked about the internal security situation, Dewan’s Assam insists maintaining one’s security in Iraq also depends on the vigilance deployed by employees and firms. “All our employees there are native Iraqis and have a sense of where to go or not go.

“This isn’t to say it’s 100% safe to live there – people get killed every day. You could be waiting at a traffic signal or headed for the ministry for some paperwork and god forbid, anything could happen,” Assam reflects.

$519BN

Value of Iraq's projects market as of January 2014 Source: MEED/BPME

6 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

ON TOPIC IRAQ CONSTRUCTION

3Ps for safe investment

“But we’re Iraqi. We blend in easier and don’t keep excessive security,” he adds. “In Iraq, the more low-key you are, the safer you’ll be.”

Speaking at a conference in October 2013, Bora Yildiz, executive partner at Turkish contracting giant EID had enthusiastically made the case for investment in Iraq, due to previous experience in the country.

Today, entering and capturing the temperamental Iraqi market will, however, require strategic managerial forces on the ground, which Yildiz admits are difficult to source. “The challenge at the moment is to alter expats’ opinions of Iraq,” he tells Middle East Consultant from Turkey.

“They’re focusing on only the specific areas of the country where conflict is occurring. There are some territories which are relatively safer, but overlooked when considering the condition Iraq is in right now.

“Around 400 EID employees are currently based in the country,” Yildiz reveals. “We have had to increase security on-site like most firms have.

But the real difficulty for firms, including us, has consistently been to encourage and stimulate people to work in Iraq. They demand higher salaries which places an increased burden on our existing expenses of security, material sourcing and so on.”

As a senior associate at a law firm, Rosychuk understands the nature of high-risk zones, and stresses that companies need to consider all possibilities before entering or exiting such markets. “There are several categories of risk to consider for investors entering the market, which also affect the ability to exit. One is physical risk, and whether proper precautions are in place, and

Jason Rosychuk, senior associate at Pinsent Masons LLP explains how new firms can work to protect their investments in a conflict zone. The legal expert explains how the '3Ps' should be a critical consideration for investors in zones of instability.

“Each investment is different and no two investors are alike.

However, as a general consideration, all potential investors should consider the ‘3Ps’, that is politics, pragmatism, and protection.

The potential investor has to understand the politics and where political risk arises.

They should do due diligence on the political parties, and the position of any local partner they are engaged with.

They should also consider pragmatic considerations: will they be able to obtain government approvals and permits as required?

How will they deal with day-to-day operational issues in states which are experiencing insecurity or only partially functioning governments with limited control over territory?

Third is protection – it is important that investors have robust protections in any contracts that enter to ensure they are protected.

For instance, wide force majeure provisions are necessary to protect companies where operations are interrupted due to political instability.”

whether the investor has proper control over the security of its personnel.

“Then there is political risk, which broadly considers the chance of regime change or of a serious change in the political landscape that may result in a government taking action against an investment, such as expropriation in the extreme case,” Rosychuk continues, consequently highlighting the situation in Iraq as it currently stands. “There are mitigating factors to consider, including careful choice of reliable local partners and the potential to put off risk through political risk insurance.”

The future of construction in Iraq remains as uncertain as ever. Industry experts rue the failing state of a market which “was only beginning to pick itself up again,” in the words of a Dubai-based consultant who did not wish to be named. It is a well-known fact that politics dictate everyday life in Iraq, but the situation is compounded due to the lack of legislative unity and increasing calls for independence from semi-autonomous neighbour Kurdistan. It seems highly unlikely that any construction company will, in the near future, consider setting up shop in the Iraqi market and it remains to be seen whether existing firms in the country will bid adieu. Either way, Rosychuk offers advice which could serve as a reminder for every company currently operating in sensitive Middle East construction markets.

“Do plenty of diligence on your local partners and make sure you have good on-ground assistance to manage challenges. Don't leave things to chance – even more careful planning is necessary than normal.”

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 7

ON TOPIC DUBAI CREEK

HERITAGE

Reality check Middle East Consultant investigates why UNESCO deferred Khor Dubai’s inclusion into the World Heritage List

By Neha Bhatia

L

ate in June 2014, the Dubai Government’s bid to register Khor Dubai as a World Heritage Site was deferred by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on grounds of insufficient data and failure to meet certain cultural criteria put in place by the organisation and its advisory partner, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

In a report titled ‘Evaluations of Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List – 2014’, ICOMOS states that while Khor Dubai manages to capture parts of the historical essence it intends to retain and convey, it currently fails to display sufficient elements of 8 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

“We will apply again next year, most likely in the first few months of 2015. We are not disappointed and will certainly apply again soon.”

‘Outstanding Universal Value’ (see box inset) to be deemed a World Heritage Site.

However, Dubai Municipality doesn’t seem too flustered about it just yet. “We will apply again next year, most likely in the first few months of 2015,” Rashad Bukhash, director of the architectural heritage department at Dubai Municipality tells Middle East Consultant.

“We are not disappointed and will certainly apply again soon. We are working towards a plan and might make announcements later in the year with updates, if any,” Bukhash adds.

The budget of the architectural heritage department over the past four years has been as much as $40mn, and the ICOMOS report expects

ON TOPIC DUBAI CREEK

What is Outstanding Universal Value?

it will remain constant as activities are undertaken to maintain and manage heritage sites in Dubai.

While concerns were rife about Dubai’s authorities reacting sourly to the deferral, it appears that Dubai Municipality has chosen to view the verdict as constructive criticism rather than a negative indicator of the city’s culture quotient.

Rightfully so, considering the extensive research invested by ICOMOS in preparing what can only be viewed as goals for the Dubai government, municipality and all related parties to work towards.

In the report, ICOMOS states: “With the exception of the waterway and some of the banks and markets, major parts of the property have lost connection to their historical use and function.

The few remaining historic houses have been restored – some rather extensively – and do no longer function as residences, but are reused as cultural institutions, museums and foundations or small hotels.

“While these functions sustain the future maintenance of the structures, they have also changed the atmosphere of what was once a vibrant residential merchant quarter.”

Months before Khor Dubai’s bid for the World Heritage List was officially announced, Najib Mohammed Saleh, head of the planning and research section at Dubai Municipality’s planning department, told Middle East Consultant in April 2014 that Al Fahidi remains a key zone as Dubai readies itself for the World Expo 2020.

“Al Fahidi remains the most important trading hub in the city,” Saleh said at the time. “Even today, most trading activities take place there. Business is not only in the shopping malls.”

Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is a concept pivotal to the admission of a property into the World Heritage List.

According to a report released by the Australian government’s department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities in September 2012 Outstanding Universal Value is the central idea of the World Heritage Convention: “For properties to be outstanding, they should be exceptional, or superlative – they should be the most remarkable places on earth.”

Multiple times across a recentlyreleased report, International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), UNESCO’s advisory body for the World Heritage List, states the absence of OUV as a factor behind this year's deferral of Khor Dubai’s bid to be registered.

“ICOMOS considers that even though the few remaining traditional buildings can be considered the last testimonies of the traditional Khor Dubai dwellings, and that while the reconstructions sometimes provide a good imagination of what Dubai must have appeared like half a century ago, these quarters cannot constitute a significant architectural or urban ensemble which would allow for demonstration of Outstanding Universal Value.”

Top ten: UNESCO World Heritage Sites by country 50

47

44 39

39 32

32 28

ITALY

CHINA

SPAIN

FRANCE

GERMANY

INDIA

MEXICO

UK

25

RUSSIA

22

USA

In May 2014, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved a $544.5 million development to be undertaken in association with Meraas on the Bur Dubai side of the creek, up to the historic area of Bastikiya.

Construction across the 1.8km stretch of Khor Dubai is due for completion by the end of 2016, and will include a floating market, hotels, restaurants, art galleries and handicraft stores.

Nakheel is also undertaking a megaproject on the Deira end of Khor Dubai – a 1530ha waterfront scheme comprising four islands. Originally launched in 2004 as Palm Deira, the project foresaw a new city for 250,000 people but the plans were downgraded and rebranded as Deira Islands.

ICOMOS highlights the impact that these developments, along with Dubai International Real Estate’s ‘Jewel of the Creek’ project at Port Saeed, will have on the overall aesthetic and visual aspect of Khor Dubai.

“The nomination dossier (of Khor Dubai) provides a good overview of all ongoing and planned development projects and several of these will further alter the urban characteristics and setting of Khor Dubai,” the ICOMOS report says.

Commenting on Nakheel’s project, it states: “While the original plan could also have affected the hydrodynamics of the creek, further hydrodynamic studies will need to be conducted for the revised design.”

The report continues: “The Jewel of the Creek project is a new large-scale construction at the southern boundary of the property, which is suggested without a buffer zone in this area.

Currently under construction, the project will include five 17 storey buildings and twelve 19 storey buildings of curved ovoid shape. ICOMOS considers that this project will further adversely impact the setting of the property.”

The report proceeds to examine the management, maintenance and conservation efforts undertaken at Khor Dubai. While partly critical of the refurbishment and urbanisation work carried out at the locality, the report does not deny Khor Dubai the opportunity to reapply for entry into the World Heritage List.

“Although the property provides ideas and imaginations of this historical context, ICOMOS considers the present condition of its physical attributes and their functional relation does not meet the conditions of integrity and authenticity,” it states.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 9

ON TOPIC URBAN PLANNING

DEVELOPMENT

Outside the box

Is artificial climate control, as seen in the Mall of the World, the best way to create a comfortable public space in the GCC?

By Oliver Ephgrave

I

n a region where record breaking is as common as speeding violations, it came as no great shock when Dubai Holding announced plans to build the planet’s largest mall, the aptly named Mall of the World. Located opposite Mall of the Emirates, the 74ha scheme will be a ‘temperature-controlled city’ containing a retractable dome for the cooler winter months.

Retail experiences in the Middle East usually fall under one of two categories – the Dubai

10 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Mall-style air-conditioned box or the open-air strip in the vein of Motor City or JBR Walk.

With its retractable roof, the Mall of the World appears to cover both bases, albeit in exuberant Dubai style.

Steven Velegrinis, director of urban design for Perkins+Will, says that this type of flexibility, in theory, could be a winning formula.

He says: “Personally I love being outside, so I think that the idea of a retractable roof is a great

model for lifestyle spaces like malls. Yet it will offer many challenges for the project consultants from a technical and experiential perspective.”

Velegrinis elaborates: “There is a difference between being under a retractable roof and actually being ‘outside’.

“From models I have seen before, a retractable roof always makes you feel like you are still inside. Added to that will be the considerable MEP challenges. Once light and heat energy

ON TOPIC URBAN PLANNING

passes through glazing, it is trapped inside and actually builds up, increasing the cooling load. That often results in freezing cold inside and scorching hot outside and makes a pleasant user experience challenging.”

Despite the dome containing a retractable roof, the Mall of the World is primarily an internal network – a model that is slightly at odds with new developments in Dubai that embrace the outdoors.

Examples of the new breed of mall include the freshly announced Akoya Drive by Damac and two projects by Meraas – The Beach and Citywalk– which have both opened successful initial phases.

Meraas utilised Benoy as lead architect and BSBG as architect of record to design The Beach, opposite JBR Walk.

Paul Priest, director of operations in the UAE for Benoy, outlines the methods that were used

to cool the outdoor spaces. “The Beach project goes against what’s usually used in the Middle East – the big air-conditioned box,” he says.

“We had to think very hard to create an environment that was both comfortable and flexible. What we have tried to do is orientate the food and beverage areas towards the sea to create the best views, but also add canopies, shading and solid walls to prevent solar gain," Priest continues.”

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 11

ON TOPIC URBAN PLANNING

“We’ve also tried to carve channels through the site to allow the sea breezes to penetrate the spaces, so there are wider channels that lead to smaller, more intimate courtyards. The natural flow of air is used to cool those areas. We’ve also put in very shallow water bodies that again help with the natural cooling.”

While the concept of the mega-mall is still alive and well – as shown by the unveiling of Mall of the World – Priest believes that more developers are looking at incorporating outdoor spaces while retaining flexibility.

He continues: “For a long time, the mega-mall has been the dominant player in the market, but I think it’s starting to change into something more multi-faceted. Embracing the natural environment is a part of that. For the majority of the year the weather is quite pleasant.

“It’s a real shame to lock people away in airconditioned boxes for the sake of three months of the year when it’s too hot. It’s about having a flexible model.”

Velegrinis agrees that flexibility is key. “I think there will be more outdoor developments, but we won’t see the demise of malls. It’s more like an expansion of the offering.

“We were recently working on the masterplan for the Dubai Design District, and there is a significant retail offering being planned. Some of it is indoor and some of it is outdoor. Indoor malls will be particularly strong in the summer where it’s way too hot to be outside.

“You’ll find that in the evening, people will want to be in a semi-outdoor or outdoor space.

The trick is how they work together. Look at the popularity of the fountain area at Dubai Mall.

Pretty much year round, there’s plenty of people out in the evenings.”

Velegrinis continues: “A good model is to ensure there are pit stops where people can spend 10 minutes outside and then retreat back in. I think it’s sometimes about the interval that people 12 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

“For the majority of the year the weather is quite pleasant. It’s a real shame to lock people away in air-conditioned boxes for the sake of three months of the year when it’s too hot.” spend outside and the combination of indoor and outdoor spaces.”

Jagmeet Bola, design manager for Dubai-based BHNS Engineering Consultants also points to the need for pit stops. “When a person goes from A to B, from one active node to another active node, they need to have a place of respite – they can have a route that is shaded, or a big open space with various nodes where you can stop and rest,” he says.

“I think that’s one of the things that’s lacking in Dubai. A lot of the grain of Abu Dhabi is very walkable. There are courtyards in between tall buildings in a self-shaded environment, all with canopies. I used to walk to work.”

According to Abeer Manneh, urban designer for Woods Bagot, the thermal comfort levels of an outdoor space can be modelled using software called ENVI-met. She explains: “You can explore different scenarios – hard-scaped or vegetated open space – and get results in terms of wind

direction, wind speed, temperature. It helps you to improve the design, especially the massing, for thermal comfort.”

Velegrinis adds that his team has used the software to test projects. “We’ve used ENVI-met to test a couple of projects we are working on. It does really advanced outdoor thermal comfort modelling and it’s free.

“In addition, Autodesk has a Green Building Studio with a wind tunnel that is really easy to use – it’s cloud-based so you don’t need massive computing hardware. A one-man office can do this analysis themselves.”

While the configuration of buildings will have the greatest impact on thermal comfort, Manneh notes that a number of tricks can further reduce temperature. She adds: “Through the use of vegetation, you can probably reduce the temperature by two to three degrees due to the impact of evaporative cooling. But you will not get the same benefits when it’s humid weather.”

Velegrinis adds: “There are other techniques you can use to create cooler spaces. “Simple things like creating little areas outside an exit that are slightly sunken to capture cool air that spills out of a building.”

Evaporative cooling mist is another trick up designers’ sleeves, yet Velegrinis adds a word of caution. “Research in Singapore demonstrated that the level of comfort goes down when you use a misting fan in a humid environment. So it can be counter-productive,” he remarks.

Manneh states that the simple act of providing shading will have a dramatic impact on thermal comfort, and this is recognised in green building codes. “Estidama states that primary and secondary walkways and outdoor spaces should have a requirement of minimum shading. You will probably get above 10 degrees difference between the exposed areas and the shaded areas,” she says.

A shining example of a contemporary Middle East development which follows thermal comfort

FOAMGLAS® Insulation

Tapered roof

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Just a few yards from the national soccer stadium, the Arzanah Sports Medical Center is prominently located within a new mixed-use community in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The project set out to design a sustainable building which responded to this very public site while balancing the need for a calming, healing environment and a facility organized to provide an integrated multi-disciplinary healthcare facility to serve the community and region. The new LEED Gold designed, 78-bed medical centre will form part of the US$6 billion Arzanah development near Zayed Stadium on Abu Dhabi Island. As thermal insulation the consultant came to the decision to use FOAMGLAS® cellular glass insulation for the roof and some wall application. FOAMGLAS® is produced by Pittsburgh Corning and is free of any harmful blowing agent. It’s well known for it’s extreme durability and highest resistance to any kind of moisture. Due to the 66 % recycling content and use of only renewable energy in it’s production FOAMGLAS gets the highest credits in all environmental ratings and is supported with LEED and Estidama credits. The high compressive strength without creeping and deforming makes it the perfect solution especially in roof areas with garden and terraces.

7 4 3

5

Arzanah Medical Complex, Abu Dhabi

6

Client Mubadala Development Company Consultant HDP Overseas Limited, HDR Location Abu Dhabi, UAE Under construction finishing December 2011

2

1

Build-up 1 Concrete roof deck 2 Primer coat 3 FOAMGLAS® TAPERED slabs (160 ~ 240 mm), laid in hot bitumen

4 Two layers of bituminous waterproofing membranes 5 Separating / protective layer 6 Gravel 7 Paving

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ON TOPIC URBAN PLANNING

Keeping cool MEC picks the top regional spaces for outdoor thermal comfort MASDAR CITY, ABU DHABI

principles is Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, according to Manneh. “The building heights and the way the streets are oriented towards the prevailing wind direction have improved the outdoor thermal comfort. The streets of Masdar are said to be around 10 degrees cooler than others in Abu Dhabi,” she says.

Abeer also points towards the Woods Bagotdesigned College of the North Atlantic in Qatar.

“As a post-occupancy assessment, we took readings differences on the outside of the campus.

At the time the temperature was above 60oC, but within the courtyard, the most shaded area was 28 degrees.” (See diagram on page 12).

“There are plenty of places on Emaar Boulevard, which, with a bit of help from evaporative coolers, are very comfortable spaces,” adds Velegrinis. “I like the Al Manzil courtyard – that’s a fantastic space – it works really well year round. I’m sure there are some cooling devises in there but I’ve never been able to figure out how they do it. Also the pool area at Vida Downturn is really popular and works well even during summer.”

DIFC also utilises successful methods of outdoor cooling, according to BHNS’s Bola. “The height of the building is equal to two times the width of the space between the buildings – that’s a practical way of flushing out the urban spaces between the buildings for passive cooling, which is often overlooked.

“Where it wasn’t practical to self shade the open space, the designs introduced a shading device between the buildings. It was done in a very practical sense.”

Thermal comfort in DIFC is boosted by further techniques. Bola continues: “In Gate Village they use the air conditioning of the buildings in the open spaces – they funnel it into the public areas instead of it just dissipating into thin air. It allows people to walk quite freely,” he comments.

Traditional souks and heritage areas offer valuable lessons on how to beat the desert heat.

Manneh continues: “In Bastikiya, the buildings are not in one direction but they are configured to manipulate the wind direction to flush the temperature. Plus, there’s the shading offered by the sikka-type configuration for the walkways and the sizes of the courtyards is very helpful in improving the outdoor thermal comfort.”

Bola also feels there is much to learn from traditional souk layouts: “In Dubai, we’re losing devices like the sikka – the short alleyway which 14 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

With carefully-planned building heights and streets orientated towards the prevailing wind direction, Masdar City is said to be around 10 degrees cooler than streets in Abu Dhabi.

DIFC, DUBAI The height of many of the buildings in Dubai International Financial Centre are equal to two times the width of the space between the buildings – a practical equation for cooling.

BASTIKIYA, DUBAI Dubai’s most famous heritage site contains a network of narrow streets, or sikkas, which manipulating the wind direction to flush the temperature in hot weather.

COLLEGE OF NORTH ATLANTIC, QATAR Woods Bagot used thermal modelling software ENVI-met to help create an outdoor oasis, with comfortable shaded areas, for this educational campus in Doha, Qatar.

THE BEACH, DUBAI Architects Benoy and BSBG carved channels through the site to allow sea breezes to penetrate the spaces.

Shallow water bodies also assist with the natural cooling effect.

is tall enough to be self-shaded and it cuts through the roadways – you don’t necessarily have to go round a block to get from A to B. A lot of the sikkas in Abu Dhabi are linked to open spaces – green spaces – and they are traditional urban planning devices in this region.”

Manneh believes that these vernacular principles of thermal comfort were disregarded in some developments due to the ease of implementing air-conditioning. She continues: “The technology gave the opportunity to explore, so we started to think ‘OK, I can build anything and cool it down with AC’ without caring about the implications. These principles have been gradually lost along the way.”

So is the Mall of the World on the right lines?

“It’s difficult to make that judgment with the information that has been released to date,”

says Velegrinis. “On first glance it appears to be neither a step forwards nor a step backwards.

From what is evident in the model, I would say that it seems an interesting idea but perhaps not the best execution. There are extant examples like the galleria at Dubai Festival City and The Grove in the Dubai Mall, and this seems to follow a similar model.

“Looking at the considerable success of developments such as City Walk and The Beach, I personally feel somewhat disappointed that a more sensitive outdoor approach with passive design methods was not employed. In broad terms, a roof is not required to cool an outdoor space that is well designed. Examples like Masdar City have shown that you can make comfortable spaces in urban environments that feel like they belong to the climate in which they are situated.”

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ON TOPIC FINANCIAL RESULTS

STRATEGY

Sharp focus With financial results showing an improved performance in the region, Atkins Middle East CEO Simon Moon explains why it pays to streamline a business and play to its strengths

By Oliver Ephgrave

H

aving recorded a 3.8% increase in revenue and a 22.2% rise in operating profit in the Middle East, regional CEO Simon Moon has reason to be pleased about Atkins’ results for financial year.

“It’s been a good year, certainly the second half,” he tells Middle East Consultant.

“Our big projects started to make it through and our strategy started to hit. Our real laser focus is on three key sectors: rail – which is probably the biggest growth sector – as well as infrastructure and property, across three core markets of Qatar, Saudi and the UAE.” The results were similarly positive for the global business as a whole – with underlying profit before tax up 7.3% and revenue increasing by 2.6%. Yet the highest growth rates in operating profits were seen in the Middle East and US – the two markets where the firm rolled out its ‘operational excellence’ programme.

A report accompanying the results stated that the Middle East offers “multiple opportunities” while the firm’s strategy is aimed at “carefully selecting and securing major projects and programmes with established key clients”.

The focus on key markets has resulted in a shift away from Kuwait and Bahrain. Moon continues: “It’s really about what we do with our resources.

We have a bunch of talented people and [we need them] where they are best placed.

“The Kuwait and Bahrain markets over the last few years have not presented any significant opportunity. There are great plans in both of those locations, but they aren’t really growing.

16 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

“We’ve moved a lot of those resources out of Kuwait and Bahrain into Qatar, Saudi and UAE.” Staff numbers across the Middle East remained fairly similar to the previous year, at around the 2,000 mark. Moon states that the headcount is not expected to change much in the foreseeable future, due to the support of an offshore design centre in India and key partnerships.

“I’d expect our revenues to continue to grow pretty healthily, but I wouldn’t necessarily map staff onto that,” he says.

“We have 2,000 mobile people in the region, who deliver the front-end of the projects. Any growth comes through our global design centre in India.

“On top of that we’re starting to do a lot more partnering – in the case of Riyadh metro we’ve partnered with Spanish consultancy TYPSA. I think that’s an important way to move forward. In the future, I wouldn’t use headcount growth as a measure of real success for us.”

While revenue and profit have both grown substantially from the previous year, the amount of ‘work in hand’ – the level of contractual work for the

next year – has decreased from 80% to 63%. Moon insists that one shouldn’t “read too much into that”.

He continues: “That’s really about our move into big projects – of course there are a number of projects that we’re currently negotiating that we can’t value as contracted work for next year, but we’re very confident we’ve got them.

“When you’re in a bigger project environment it’s more difficult to value those contracts until you’ve won them. When you’re in a standard consultancy, where you’re winning lots and lots of smaller projects, then your order book can be a lot stronger at any one point in time.

“That’s certainly not an indication that we’re not winning more work in the future, it’s more of an indication that we’ve got big projects that we are just about to sign, particularly in rail.”

In addition to Riyadh Metro, where Atkins is working as lead designer on three of the six lines, the company’s current rail projects include Etihad Rail in the UAE, Dubai Tram, Doha Metro Red Line South and Lusail Light Rail in Qatar.

Key targets include further metro packages in Doha which Moon “looks forward to securing”

“The Kuwait and Bahrain markets over the last few years have not presented any significant opportunity.

We’ve moved a lot of those resources into Qatar, Saudi and UAE.”

ON TOPIC FINANCIAL RESULTS

Atkins Middle East results KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

2014

2013

CHANGE

Revenue

$286.6m

$276.0m

+3.8%

Operating profit

$24.5m

$20.1m

+22.0%

Operating margin

8.6%

7.3%

+1.3pp

Work in hand

62.7%

80.2%

-17.5pp

Safety – Accident Incident Rate (AIR)¹

53

43

+10

Staff numbers, 31 March

2,071

1,979

+4.6%

Average staff numbers for the year

1,985

2,006

-1.0%

Staff turnover

16.0%

13.2%

+2.8pp

FINANCIAL METRICS

PEOPLE

as well as metro projects in Mekkah, Medina, Dammam, Jeddah and ultimately Abu Dhabi.

“Of course we’ve got a continued expansion of Dubai metro with the expo, so we’re tracking that very carefully,” adds Moon.

Infrastructure sector activity, which covers roads, bridges and utilities networks, remains buoyant in Qatar, where headcount has grown to approximately 500 locally-based staff.

Atkins continues to work with the Qatari government, advising on infrastructure planning and design projects to meet its National Vision 2030.

It is working with the Central Planning Office, which is coordinating Qatar’s major transport programmes, and a significant frame-work contract to upgrade Doha’s roads and drainage systems.

Notable projects in Abu Dhabi include the design of infrastructure for a $2.2bn, 4,200ha Emirati community in North Wathba.

In KSA, Atkins recently won a strategic programme in partnership with Bechtel to advise the Economic Cities Authority on the development of four new cities.

The third key sector, property, is closely linked to the upturn in Dubai fuelled by the emirate’s successful bid to host Expo 2020.

Key projects include Dubai Opera House and the residential element of Al Habtoor City on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Moon adds: “We’re tracking the Expo very carefully. We're also looking at how we can contribute directly with our experience on the London Olympics in programme management and

engineering delivery of a major event. Then all the property and infrastructure that comes around that.

I think it’s exciting for Dubai.

“We’re starting to see really good property sector clients and a growing portfolio in Dubai around Emaar, Meraas and Habtoor. A lot of projects were put on hold during the recession and they’ve started to come back based on our long-term relationships in those areas.”

Atkins’ report underlines the risks of working in the Middle East, both politically and financially, stating: “Certain countries within the Middle East have greater potential for political change. In addition, it is a region where there is an increased risk of payment delay.

It adds: “We continue to experience protracted negotiations on variations on some of our major contracts in the region.”

However, the report claims that the group’s “focused strategy of carefully selecting both the countries and clients” enables it to mitigate political and commercial risks as much as possible.

Moon concurs: “There’s a general confidence growing, certainly in Atkins in the Middle East. I think those results show that general confidence across the region.

“There may be some big issues and politics playing out, but there are also some very big opportunities and we seem to be in a place where we can win those. We’re pretty confident in the future,” he reiterates. “The focus in the Middle East is very much about playing to our strengths and targetting those three key sectors – rail, property and infrastructure,” he remarks.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 17

IN PRACTICE SAMEER DAOUD

Opinion

Sameer Daoud is managing director, Middle East of Transport & Infrastructure at Hyder Consulting Middle East

Road to success

The key to delivering infrastructure and transportation projects Unsurprisingly, clients, consultants and contractors are always seeking successful project outcomes. However, there is often a confusion over what ‘successful delivery’ actually means and public discussion fails to focus on methods and factors which drive this success.

Over the last few years, the Middle East market has been primarily property driven. More recently though, governments have been anxious to invest in infrastructure, providing efficient and high-quality transport networks – thereby creating jobs and contributing to the welfare of Middle Eastern citizens.

Generally speaking, once countries have proper infrastructure, they are able to attract investors and this has a knock-on effect on property prices. It would be fair to say that proper investment in infrastructure can have a profound, transformative effect on national economies.

It is crucial to understand the importance of the transport sector; well-developed roads, railways and ports can facilitate local and regional trade, supporting the Middle East’s participation in the World Trade Organisation.

A widespread and diverse transport network can link all the regions of the Middle East, fuelling local industries and services that currently migrate to large urban areas.

Transport is fundamental to achieving the government’s goal of spreading prosperity to all citizens of the Middle East while preserving environment and cultural values; tourism, healthcare and business in general all require the support of robust transport systems.

As a result of governmental investment, the Middle East has developed a transport infrastructure that includes an 18 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

expanding highway network, active ports, a modest railway system and airports that serve every region in the country.

Two key elements for a successful project delivery are coordination with stakeholders from the beginning and prioritisation. Strong communication with all parties – including utilities providers and landowners – leads to better results and allows us to overcome challenges.

So what does prioritisation mean to us as engineers? It’s the phasing of work to minimise disruption to the existing networks such as potable water, electricity, sewage, surface drainage and traffic. It’s about how to build a metro, widen a road or build a new bridge with minimum disturbance to the adjacent roadway networks.

All projects go through an initial feasibility stage which includes economic and environmental analysis, dictating the need for such a project. At this stage, consideration is given to growth projections and the impact of such a project on existing networks and future plans.

Safety, both in design and on-site, is another important aspect of our work as consultants. We have an obligation from an ethical and professional point of view to assist our clients and contractors in promoting and implementing safety at all stages.

As part of our added value to these projects, we carry out value engineering and optioneering to reduce the impact on the public and the existing networks in a creative manner, while minimising cost and providing sustainable solutions.

Innovation and creativity is what we aim for in achieving our clients’ objectives.

The phrase ‘you can't clap with only one hand rings true: no matter what we as consultants plan to deliver, our offering is also influenced by the visions of contractors and clients. The biggest obstacle to delivering projects successfully is the lack of effective communication between the three parties. Ideally they should share a similar vision and set of objectives, and prohibit commercial and financial incentives from driving their behaviours and attitudes. Only then is successful project delivery a realistic outcome.

IN PRACTICE TERRY BAIN

Interview

“I think I annoy the guys a bit. My background in both PM and QS means they can’t sell me a line. I sold the same stories to my bosses 20 years ago.”

20 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

IN PRACTICE TERRY BAIN

SKILLED IN DUTY

With a background in quantity surveying, project management and architecture, Terry Bain has the right experience to lead Sweett Group’s operations in the Middle East

S

SITTING IN THE COMPANY BOARDROOM OF Sweett’s Dubai office, regional operations director Terry Bain is not shy about offering his philosophies on the industry he works in. “I have a bizarre view on project management,” he says, in a strong Scottish accent.

“If you hear a client say ‘why do I have a project manager who doesn’t seem to be doing anything?’ that could be the sign of a great project manager. That’s [preferable] to having a project that is going from one disaster to another, to an emergency meeting here and a client critical meeting there.”

Having just turned 50, Bain has been working in the construction industry for around 30 years. As a teenager, Bain had dreams of becoming an architect, and attended Strathclyde School of Architecture in Glasgow for two years.

He continues: “It became patently apparent that I had no artistic ability whatsoever. But by that time I had developed a flavour and an interest to stay in construction.”

After leaving university, Bain joined a UK quantity surveying firm. “It’s not that I really wanted to be a quantity surveyor – I just fell into it,” he says. “I did my RICS exams and passed in 1989.”

Bain was to make a further career transition a few years later as he desired to become more involved in the construction process. “I was quite a vocal quantity surveyor and getting involved outside of the quantity surveying box at meetings.

Then I did two years of training in a construction management course which opened the door to project management.”

Having worked for various consultancies, contractors and developers in the UK, Bain was in search of a fresh challenge and moved to UAE to join Currie & Brown. The new role meant Bain returned to quantity surveying after 10 years in project management.

Gaining confidence in the market during the construction boom, Bain set up a boutique practice with an ex-colleague.

He reminisces on the experience: “The first 12 months were great and then the market crashed. We stuck it out for another six or nine months longer than we should have, but when you have put all that blood, sweat and tears into it, it’s hard to let go.”

Having reluctantly called it a day with his practice, Bain joined what was then Cyril Sweett, starting off as a project director heading up a roll out of Holiday Inn Expresses in the region. The company is now known as Sweett Group, employing 1,400 staff around the world from the UK to China to Australia.

Due to his experience in project management and quantity surveying – both core businesses of Sweett – Bain became operations director of the Dubai office. “I understand both disciplines and the role requires giving all your guys the back-up they need to deliver the job. I can understand the challenges and actually sit down and address them. With a history in both disciplines you can really appreciate at what stage a project is at,” he says.

When Bain joined Sweett in 2009, the company was primarily operating in Abu Dhabi, having set up in the region July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 21

IN PRACTICE TERRY BAIN

Sweett Group has worked on Le Meriden Mina Seyahi, Dubai (centre).

in 2006. He continues: “We didn’t have a great footprint in Dubai even though our head office was there. When Dubai crashed it didn’t really affect us – we had 30-40 people in Abu Dhabi working flat out.

“A year later, when Abu Dhabi was affected, the brakes went on a bit. Gradually over time we started focusing on the GCC – Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait – but it was really Riyadh and KSA. We migrated back to Dubai – as a base of operations – and ended up having projects in Morocco, Lebanon and Sri Lanka.”

He continues: “The boiler room became Dubai – we’d fly guys in and out. There was a migration to Dubai, so a lot of technical staff didn’t have to commute anymore. We still have an office in Abu Dhabi, which we downsized a bit, but now we are focused on pushing Abu Dhabi as there’s a lot of great work there.”

Following Sweett’s growth in the region, Bain subsequently became operation director of the entire Middle East operation and its current crop of 100 staff. Sweett now boasts offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and, most recently, Oman.

Commenting on the latest edition to the portfolio, Bain says: “We’ve worked in Oman for several years with our alliance partner down there on Muscat and Salallah airport.

That came to an end but we certainly got a feel for what’s

going on in the Omani market. It’s not a rapid growth market but it’s really steady and mature.

“We spent a bit of time registering and set up our own entity, just to give us that small footprint there. We don’t have any great visions of being a full-size 40-man office there – far from it – we want to build our reputation locally with new local clients but also provide a base for any clients we have in the region who want to go and work in Oman.

“We’re very good at projecting into new locations but it’s evidently better to have an established base and grow organically. It’s a long term plan. With Oman you can’t just flash in to do one project – you have to bed in and get registered and find the right guys.”

Bain also reveals that the company is looking at opening an office in Qatar further down the line. “It’s going through its process now but we’re not pushing it too hard. We’ll let Oman bed in and then we’ll move to take Qatar. We’re very attuned to the boom and bust cycle and we don’t want to jump too early or late. We’ve got a long-term view and we will look to create a sustainable presence in a country. You need to build up a reputation and that takes time and delivery.”

He reiterates that reputation is key and that consultants should never be complacent. “Your reputation is only as good as your last job. This is why it’s so important to leave a client with the right impression. You may have hurdles and

“Sometimes you’ll hear clients say ‘why do I have a project manager who doesn’t seem to be doing anything?’

That could be the sign of a great project manager.”

22 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

IN PRACTICE TERRY BAIN

blips but at the end you want them to know you have given everything for the project.”

A common issue faced by consultants, according to Bain, relates to client investment at the start of a project. “Clients who come to the table are very budget driven. They believe they are getting value by taking time off the consultants, across the board, at the front end. But this will just cost more money later on, because you’re not setting up a project right.

The more you invest at the front end, the easier it gets and the more money you save.”

However, Bain admits that it can be hard to convince clients to invest, largely due to the fact that consultants will reduce fees. He adds: “Consultants are probably our own worst enemies. We’ll go out and we’ll go into competitions and we’ll go down in price.

“A client wouldn’t call in four lawyers and say ‘we want your fees as low as possible’. If you ask for half the price you think you will get half the legal service. Client don’t always see it that way when it comes to consultants. But there’s actually been a bit of maturity and some clients are willing to talk about resources.”

When asked about the true value of project management, Bain replies: “No two projects are the same – this is the unique, prototypical nature of the construction industry.

There is no assembly line. It requires a project manager to bring everything together, and the involvement of the project manager right from day one. You don’t go down alleyways that you can’t go back from.”

The other core business for Sweett, cost management, is a term that is sometimes used interchangeably with quantity surveying. Bain offers his five cents: “A lot of old timers like me will say that quantity surveying and cost management

are the same. In the market, nowadays, it has morphed into two different disciplines.

“In one sense I can understand, because people perceive quantity surveying as a very reactive, back-of-house role while cost management is proactive, integrated into teams and bringing value early on in the design stage, which ultimately affects the value of that project. But there’s no real definition.”

In addition to Sweett’s two core services, the firm has more recently developed bolt-on delivery options, such as dispute resolution and claims management, and also due diligence consulting. Throughout it all, the key is maintaining personalised relationships with clients.

Bain continues: “We don’t believe we’ve got to the size yet where client interaction is so far down the tree. We try and keep everyone accessible – myself, the MD [Graham Gill], the head of cost management. Everything is very personalised and we bring a personal approach to delivery.

We value every project.”

With his broad remit and wide range of responsibilities covering multiple markets, it’s no surprise that Bain is expected to travel extensively. “I was looking at my passport – I think I’ve filled it in just two years. There are stamps pretty much everywhere.”

The relatively recent introduction of a head of cost consultancy and a regional head of project management has alleviated a lot of Bain’s travel duties, meaning he can spend more time as a hands on manager, keeping his team on their toes. “I think I annoy the guys a bit. My background in both project management and quantity surveying means they can’t sell me a line. I sold the same stories to my bosses 20 years ago.”

Timeline 1964 Born in Scotland 1981 Attended Strathclyde School of Architecture, Glasgow 1989 Retrained as a quantity surveyor, passing RICS exams 1996 Undertook two-year diploma course in construction management 2006 Relocated to Middle East to join Currie & Brown 2007 Co-founded boutique consultancy with excolleague 2009 Joined Sweet Group's Middle East operation

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 23

IN PRACTICE DR MARK EVANS

Opinion

Dr Mark Evans, associate director, WSP Global has dealt with the technical aspects of buildings in the UK, Middle East and Asia for 25 years. He is a chartered building surveyor with a doctorate in sustainable building design.

Doctor’s orders

How the indoor environmental quality of a building can affect inhabitants’ health Are buildings in the UAE making people ill? The answer would seem to be yes. There have been a number of studies around the world and the UAE that link poor indoor environmental quality in buildings to illness and poor performance.

So, when we talk about the indoor environment, exactly what are we referring to? The building shell materials and how they are arranged make a significant impact on your environment. Asbestos – banned in the UAE in 2006 but still used in many buildings – causes cancer and must be identified in all locations. Where it cannot be managed in a safe and healthy way, it should be removed.

Lead, although not as dangerous as asbestos, has similar demands to be identified and managed in a way that protects occupiers and the construction workforce. High levels in paint were found in Abu Dhabi QCC 2013 research. Other harmful materials include mercury, found in light fittings, and PCBs in electrical plants.

Of course, once you are enclosed in this ‘protective shell’ it is not just the structural materials that can impact on your environment. Legionnaires disease causes a potentially fatal form of pneumonia by contaminating water systems, showers, and HVAC cooling towers that are badly maintained – one of its new favourite environments is the spa pool.

Thermal discomfort is a common complaint of building occupants and is essentially a warning that the environment might present a danger to health. Higher relative humidity levels can encourage the growth of mould and mildew, which increases respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections and exacerbation of asthma. Dust mites, bacteria, and fungi all thrive under moist, humid conditions. At lower relative humidity occupants might experience eye irritation or a stuffy nose.

24 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Natural lighting has been shown to result in happier workers, less absenteeism, fewer illnesses and increased productivity. We also like a view when we work – research in 1984 suggested that a view through a window may influence recovery from surgery.

A British study highlighted that windows were the number one determinant of the occupants’ level of satisfaction with a building. Artificial lighting also impacts the way we work, and a study conducted by the American Society of Interior Design indicated that 68% of employees complain about the lighting situation in their offices.

Air quality is a major concern, and the region has seen the increase in mechanical ventilation over natural ventilation as modern buildings are erected. The UAE has modernised more rapidly than any nation in world history. Technical bodies recognise the harm of poor air quality and go to great lengths to ensure good quality air is intrinsic to modern designs. Buildings deteriorate over relatively short timescales, however, and changes in building uses can impact air quality – even new furniture can be significant.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be found in paints and coatings, adhesives, carpets and floor coverings and furnishings. In 2011, a study by the British University of Dubai, funded by the Emirates Foundation, was conducted in eight elementary schools across Dubai.

It found that the majority of the measured IEQ conditions exceed recommended threshold limits, provided by cognisance authorities, by as much as 200% in some cases.

While Dubai Municipality has threatened to close down offending schools, the target must be to raise awareness and standards in schools, offices and workplaces.

Testing and implementing management systems to resolve these problems are effective preventative measures, and that must be the target as we protect our children and loved ones in modern and effective quality indoor environments. So, the next time you are in work suffering from a headache, fatigue or coughing fit, don’t just put it down to something you ate, stress, or a common cold. It could possibly be your own building that is making you ill.

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IN PRACTICE LEAD CONSULTANTS

Debate

26

IN PRACTICE LEAD CONSULTANTS

FOLLOW THE LEADER Is an architect, an engineer or a project manager best suited to be lead consultant?

S

temming from traditional ‘master builder’, the architect has long been the obvious choice to lead the construction team, offering a broad range of skills combined with design nous. Yet, the situation has changed somewhat in recent years, with engineering and project management companies picking up the coveted role of lead consultant.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 27

IN PRACTICE LEAD CONSULTANTS

ACCORDING TO ANDREA SCOTTI, ABU DHABI director for engineering firm Buro Happold, the shift has been dictated by the needs of the market. He explains: “Historically, architects were always the lead consultants coming from the master builders – that’s the way it worked. They were the only ones capable of understanding complex projects.

“Yet in the last 10 years, engineers have actually started to play, almost, the same game. Clients are realising that in some cases an engineer could be a good alternative to an architect.”

“People realised that project managers can grasp the full picture and understand what the quantity surveyors and engineers are meant to be doing.”

Scotti says that this trend has amplified in the last three to four years in the Middle East. “We’ve been receiving more and more bids where we are asked to be lead consultant. It never happened before. Things are changing – we’re not just imagining it.”

Richard Fenne, senior associate for architecture and design firm Woods Bagot, also notes the trend of engineers acting as lead consultant.

“Recently, we’ve worked as a subconsultant to an engineering firm. It creates a slightly different dynamic,” he remarks.

“Of course, different entities have different interests and naturally you will always defend your own interests.

For us we will defend the design from an aesthetic point of view, whereas an engineer’s view might be slightly different – they might take a more engineering driven solution.”

Fenne notes that engineeringdriven projects may be more suited to having an engineer as lead consultant.

“If it’s an engineering-led project, 28 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

where 80% of the fee is engineering versus architectural, it makes more sense for the engineer to play the lead consultant role. We’re happy for engineers to take the lead for some projects – it makes sense.”

Scotti agrees that some projects, like tall buildings, are more suited to engineers taking the lead. He comments: “Where engineering is the key element of the design, then it’s actually about bringing something more [than architects can bring].

“For example, a super-tall building is a specifically engineered animal – obviously there is the architecture – but making it stand up, servicing it, putting in fire escapes, and all that; an engineer actually understands the technical complexity of such a project and could actually be a good lead consultant.”

Are there any drawbacks to appointing an engineer as lead consultant? Fenne hesitantly replies: “If the engineer is lead consultant, there may be a tendency to really focus on engineering aspects in the early stages during the key decisions, when you could argue that the balance should be more architectural.

“It’s always an ongoing debate between finding that sweet spot. For me, the best projects are a marriage of strong architectural solutions supported by equally robust engineering proposals. It could get out of kilter a little bit if the engineer is lead consultant.”

Scotti admits that there could be times when architects are more suited to leading the project: “There are projects where the architecture is the key point, and in this case nobody can beat an architect as lead consultant. This could be in the case of a project where technical isn’t the driver, and there are many of these. For example, the ADIA building in Abu Dhabi – or any hotel in Dubai – would not be such a challenge engineering wise.

“The challenges for these types of projects is making something that is relatively easy, works with the city, aesthetically pleasing and also functional – those are the things that architects are very good at. That’s their job and there shouldn’t be any complication. As engineers we shouldn’t want to compete with them because there are some problems that they are better than us at solving.”

Yet, an element of competition is inevitable due to benefits of being lead consultant. Fenne explains: “It’s heavily driven by client relationships. If you are the lead consultant you have a greater element of control and greater access to the client, whereas if you are a sub-consultant you are at the behest of the lead consultant.

“Instinctively architects want to safeguard their design to ensure the correct levels of coordination. As lead consultant, it is easier to do that.”

The greater influence afforded by lead consultants is also a key driver for engineers. Scotti says: “You start influencing

IN PRACTICE LEAD CONSULTANTS

Changing roles Richard Fenne, Woods Bagot, explains how the project manager has assumed many of the traditional roles of the architect.

“Traditionally, the architect was trained to know a little about a lot and to have a broad overview. If you go back to the architect’s job book, it was the nuts and bolts – literally holding the client’s hand from beginning to end. That traditional aspect of the architect’s role is still more prevalent in this region than in Europe. The role of the project manager has taken over some of those responsibilities.”

things a lot more rather than being three steps below, as the technical person solving the problem with no visibility.

You are in a one-to-one discussion with the client and you decide your own destiny. That’s a better place to be.”

The financial benefit to being lead consultant is also a driver, according to Scotti and Fenne. “Commercial issues come into play – as lead consultant you are higher up the food chain in terms of payments. That is important to consultancy firms – you’re running on quite fine margins,” says Fenne.

It is not just architects and engineers that are vying for positions as lead consultants; a third discipline – the project manager – is rising up the ranks with a desire to drive consultancy teams.

Terry Bain, regional operations director for Sweett Group, explains how project managers are on the up.

“Certainly, during my last 10 years in the UK, the whole market migrated from a very traditional-type arrangement with the architect as the lead. The

role of the project manager wasn’t thought very highly.

As the market matured, we’ve moved down different procurement routes, like design and build, the role of the project manager has become greater. That’s why the role of the project manager started to become more interesting and prominent in the UK. “People realised that project managers can grasp the full picture and understand what the quantity surveyors and engineers are meant to be doing. There is no hierarchy and they push the consultant team to be more flatline. The architect is not going to dominate the MEP guy who is then going to dominate the QS guy.”

While the role of the project manager as lead consultant appears to be growing in the UK and Europe, the trend is not as apparent in the Middle East according to Fenne. “The project manager as lead consultant is something we don’t come across much here. It’s normally either an architect or an engineer,” he says.

However, Fenne is quick to point out the merits offered by the discipline. “A good project manager is worth their weight in gold; one that can properly represent the client and can help filter or help guide the decision-making process is a real asset to any project.”

Scotti has no qualms about working under a project manager for certain projects. He continues: “Project managers as lead consultants definitely can work. Again, it’s a matter of what drives the project. Those that are process driven – for instance, large infrastructure projects – are

“It’s endemic in an architect’s mantra that they migrate to that role of leadership, and I think that can be stifled if they are not lead consultant.”

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 29

IN PRACTICE LEAD CONSULTANTS

Out of control?

“An engineer actually understands the technical complexity of such a project and could actually be a good lead consultant.” perhaps best driven by a project manager. Such projects involve design stages, construction stages and approval, and the process is the key item to make everything tick.

“In the type of work we do at Buro Happold, we don’t see many of those process-driven projects, but many are out there. In those cases, I would very much welcome to work under a project manager that makes everyone else’s life easier. They make the critical path work. If that works, everything else does, too,” Scotti says.

In light of the arguments brought to the table, which discipline has the right mix of skills to lead a project in any given situation? Sweett’s Bain believes the balance offered by a project manager makes it the ideal choice.

“Does it make more sense to have an architect as lead consultant on an iconic design project?

I would challenge that and say that a very good project manager [as lead consultant] would understand the parameters and what is needed to make it iconic.

“If the client wants, say, a Foster-designed iconic building, then I will want to give the architect the free reign to do that. I’d then mould the rest of the team members around that to make sure you maximise that goal.”

Yet Fenne is cynical about a project manager taking the lead consultant role. “I’d say that a project manager is better placed being directly appointed by a client – almost as an independent entity – then you have the design team as architect and engineers as a separate entity,” he remarks.

Fenne continues: “I firmly believe that architects are still firmly placed to be lead consultants. It’s endemic in an architect’s mantra that they migrate to that role of leadership, and I think that can be stifled if they are not lead consultant.”

Scotti, while fighting the corner for engineers, diplomatically states that each discipline 30 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Terry Bain, regional operations director for Sweett Group on how project managers can focus architects on the task in hand.

"There’s a lot to be said about having the architect as the lead, but in reality does the architect meet all of the client’s parameters?

Arguably no, because their aspirations about their role in the team can challenge the client’s criteria.

Architects have strong artistic skills – that’s generally what they can bring – the good ones can create things that are amazing. But [there needs to be some] control on that. The more artistic they are, the less they want to be controlled, but there’s a real world out there. People build buildings for a reason – to create a facility, to make money – there’s a multitude of parameters, and you need to understand those criteria and then embrace the team to do their job as well as they can.

They’ve all got valid points. Someone needs to bring them out and convert it into a language that the client understands and allow the client to make informed decisions. Equally clients will say to architects or designers, 'I want the best looking building'. It’s the PM's job to say, 'do you have a budget?' before the architect comes back with a design and the client says, 'that’s too expensive'."

has its own qualities. “It really depends on the project. But as engineers – and as engineering companies – we’re getting better and better.

We’re starting to provide services that [the other disciplines] maybe wouldn’t be able to.”

Does this mean that clients are picking the right discipline for the right project?

More often than not, yes, according to Scotti. “One might expect that clients in the Middle East get it wrong, but it’s not true. In the Middle East, clients are getting more and more informed on what they do.

“We are approached by architects to work with them in specifically architecture-driven projects and when there are more engineering-driven projects we are asked to be lead consultant.

“We are working with government agencies a lot and they are very good – they know what they want and they generally call the right people. There are lots of exceptions, but clients are getting better at understanding what drives their projects.”

IN PRACTICE GEOTECHNICS

Focus

DEEPER UNDERGROUND How geotechnical engineers are helping the region to build the world’s tallest structures in sites with challenging sub-surface conditions 32 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

IN PRACTICE GEOTECHNICS

A

lthough the cities of North America have been building tall for over a century, the skyscraper is a relatively recent addition to GCC skylines, with the 1979 Dubai World Trade Centre marking the start of a fixation with cloud-piercing structures. While the desire to build tall is motivated by many factors – economic, political and spatial – the ability to create solid foundations is key.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 33

IN PRACTICE GEOTECHNICS

THIS IS WHERE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS come in. Elie Khairallah, operations manager/head of the geotechnical division at Lebanon-based ACTS explains how the technological advances in the last 30 years have enabled robust geotechnical solutions.

Khairallah says: “Previously you had to rely on surface conditions – this was why they were afraid to go for higher buildings. Now with situ testing you are able to understand the ground area. We have machines that can bore down to 800-odd metres. Of course, we don’t need that much, but you can bore down as far as you want. The ability to see below gives you the confidence to build tall.”

The art of geotechnics is often misunderstood according to Langan International, the geotechnical engineers behind the 1,000 metre-tall Kingdom Tower in Jeddah. Managing director of Langan International George E Leventis comments: “People realise they can’t take foundation design for these high-rise buildings lightly.

“But often we are confronted with a situation where drilling companies are thought to be geotechnical engineers. But an expert geotechnical engineer must be called in, if you want your project done correctly.”

While some cities, like New York, are built on solid bedrock, much of the GCC has soft rock below the ground.

Khairallah explains the main geotechnical steps for building tall on soft rock. “Usually in weak grounds with higher loads you end up by relying on a combination of deep foundations and thick rafts.

“One of the biggest challenge for geotechnics in general is that it’s not an exact science. You have a formula but it could prove to be wrong in some conditions.”

“The raft of Burj Khalifa is above 4m thick while the piles reach around 50m deep. The challenge with building in such conditions is always about the length of piles. The ground is weaker in Dubai than in Qatar, and even weaker in Jeddah, but we can still build in those areas.”

He adds: “One of the biggest challenges for geotechnics in general is that it’s not an exact science. You have a formula based on experience and general mechanics, but it could prove to be wrong in some conditions.”

This sentiment is echoed by Leventis, who states that the team was unable to use much of the geotechnical data from Burj Khalifa due to the differing soil conditions in 34 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Jeddah. He remarks: “For Kingdom Tower we had no data.

We started from scratch.

“There is no precedent of any tall building – the tallest building on that formation is less than 10 storeys high. Also, the soil conditions are very different compared to the Burj Khalifa site. You now have a situation where as geotechnical engineer you cannot draw from past experience.”

Leventis explains that the ground beneath Jeddah contains a layer of coralline limestone which is very porous due to voids in the rock. The layer is connected to the sea and it creates a challenge in controlling the flow of water – an issue which has caused problems with buildings on the Jeddah Corniche. However, the Kingdom Tower team came up with a smart solution to keep the lowest level of excavation above the water table.

Another challenging geological condition on the site is the existence of ‘sabkha’ deposits close to the water – compressive areas similar to peat, but saline. “They can be taken care off, but it needs proper planning. Generally speaking, the geology of the site is not super challenging,” says Leventis.

However, the lack of existing data required a rigorous testing programme, reveals Leventis. “Starting from scratch requires more sophisticated testing and deeper bore holes.

We even did 250m deep bore holes, something we normally don’t do. We needed to make sure there was nothing below that could affect the performance of the building.

“We had a very receptive client in the sense that they understood the need to do sophisticated testing, so we started very early on because there was time. We did all the testing necessary to allow us to understand the behaviour of the building.”

Another prerequisite for the geotechnical team was a close collaboration with the tower’s structural designers, Thornton Tomasetti. Leventis adds: “You cannot have the foundations designed by a geotechnical engineer in a vacuum. It is an iterative process and for a successful and efficient design, we must work together with the project’s structural engineer.

“We worked extremely closely with Thornton Tomasetti.

They were doing their own 3D structural analysis of the frame while we were doing it for the foundations.

He explains how the two disciplines – structures and geotechnics – converge on the mat foundations. “You have the mat supported on piles, but part of the overall structure load is taken by the mat in contact with the underlying soil, allowing more efficient pile design as full structural load is not taken exclusively by the piles. This is what is known as a piled raft foundation.”

Leventis adds that mat deflection needs to be fully considered. “People don’t realise that once you exceed a certain height, as the loads start becoming bigger,

IN PRACTICE GEOTECHNICS

Geology lesson #101 – The UAE The geology of the Arabian Gulf has been substantially influenced by the deposition of marine sediments resulting from a number of changes in sea level during relatively recent geological time. The UAE is generally low-lying (with the exception of the mountainous regions in the north-east), with near-surface geology dominated by deposits of Quaternary to late Pleistocene age, including mobile Aeolian dune sands, evaporite deposits and marine sands. Dubai is situated towards the eastern edge of the geologically stable Arabian Plate and separated from the unstable Iranian Fold Belt to the north by the Arabian Gulf. The site is therefore considered to be located within a seismically active area.

Source: Paper on ‘Foundation design for Burj Khalifa’ by Harry G. Poulos (Coffey) and Grahame Bunce (Hyder)

the deflection of the mat comes into effect. Even small movements can create significant deflections in the superstructure. The trick is to balance the deflection of the mat with the equivalent deflection of the structure and the deflections it produces in higher floors.”

The initial pile design for Kingdom Tower involved a series of piles to a depth of roughly 45 metres. This was done in order to avoid a 10 metre-layer of water-bearing gravel at a depth of about 50 metres.

Leventis explains that this changed after parametric analysis, and a tapered pile system was devised – with centre piles over 100m deep – to reduce settlement.

“It was a very interesting and involved process,” he says.

“We worked hand-in-hand with Thornton Tomasetti, especially because the final pile design is their design.

This type of solution cannot happen with a simplified geotechnical report, which is on the conservative side.

Conservative doesn’t always mean good.”

According to ACTS’ Khairallah, there is a limit to the effectiveness of piles after a certain depth – going down further doesn't always mean they will be stronger.

“The deeper you go doesn’t make a higher bearing capacity,” he remarks. “In certain formations, piles will stop working beyond a specific depth. That limit depends on the materials and the formation, and the interaction between those piles.”

For supertall buildings, geotechnical and structural engineers need to consider both wind and seismic forces.

Khairallah explains: “These forces require opposing measures. For wind, you need a stiff building and for earthquakes, you need a damping building, so it doesn’t absorb the energy. The structural designer will usually decide which parameter is pre-determining – either wind

or seismic – and accordingly, he will design it to be stiff or less stiff."

He continues: “The main challenge is making sure that the building is erected all the way up without differential settlement: as happened with the Leaning Tower of Pisa during construction.”

Leventis continues: “In a high-rise structure, the wind – 99.9% of the time – governs the design when it comes to loading. But it is worth checking for seismic forces, and we did that at Kingdom Tower.

“We are also doing the foundation design for Jakarta Signature Tower, which is going to be one of the tallest buildings in Asia. It’s in difficult soil conditions, but it is notable as one of the first high-rise structures where seismic issues are governing the design over wind.”

Nowadays it is possible to build the world’s tallest structures on the soft rock the Gulf region, but are there any conditions which leave geotechnical engineers stumped?

According to Khairallah, is it possible to build “almost” anywhere, providing that money is no object.

He continues: “Centuries ago they used wooden piles to build Venice which is, of course, a marshy area. The world’s largest oil platform Hibernia, in the North Atlantic, is anchored into the sea bed. If you look at geotechnical engineering, there is a solution for all kinds of issues.

“If you have soft ground you can inject it and make it like a rock bed. It’s all about economics – how far are you willing to go with your remediation? There is a solution for building almost anywhere.”

Leventis agrees, and states that you can do “just about anything” with enough money and time. However, he adds that geotechnical engineers should have a “healthy respect for nature” and that a lack of understanding about geotechnical conditions can adversely affect projects in many ways.

He reiterates that this understanding stems from thorough testing, particularly when building super tall.

“At Kingdom Tower, we double checked everything and the development team was receptive to the idea we proposed to construct four fully-instrumented test piles – of different diameters and depths – and actually carry out a very elaborate test programme,” says Leventis.

“Full-scale testing gives you the real story about the loads and how the piles will behave, in order to properly predict the behavior. It also allows you to calibrate 3D modeling, which is not something you would do on a standard building.”

Khairallah concludes: “Geotechnical engineering is something you cannot see – you are relying on limited samples and the conditions could be different below. This is why we rely on testing in each area. In geotechnics, you cannot easily predict what is going to happen.”

Firm foundations

KINGDOM TOWER, JEDDAH Height: 1,000m Number of piles: 270 Max pile depth: 110m

BURJ KHALIFA, DUBAI Height: 828m Number of piles: 192 Pile depth: 50m

SHANGHAI TOWER, SHANGHAI Height: 632m Number of piles: 1,079 Max pile depth: 86m

PETRONAS TOWERS, KUALA LUMPUR Height: 452m Number of piles: 104 Max pile depth: 114m

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 35

IN PRACTICE IAN CARR

Profile

36 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

IN PRACTICE IAN CARR

“We have to twist arms.

Dubai is not always seen as the top placement.”

Ian Carr, Co-CEO of Hirsch Bedner Associates, on the lure of Asia and the dearth of design talent in the Middle East

B

BRITISH NATIONAL IAN CARR FELL IN LOVE with Asia during a bike trip in the 90s. Having studied furniture design at Leeds Polytechnic, Carr joined the Singapore operation of Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) in 1999. For the last 12 years he has led HBA in Asia, and is co-CEO of the company along with René Gross Kærskov. Founded in California in 1965 by Howard Hirsch and Michael Bedner, the firm has grown to be one of the world's top hospitality design firms, with a total of 1,600 designers and 16 global offices.

more of a global corporation rather than one that is based in California.

HBA is about to celebrate its 50 th year. How did it get started?

What’s the company culture of HBA?

It was actually a romantic story – it started with the Wilshire Grand [now the Wilshire Beverly] in Beverly Hills, which was the first hotel that Howard Hirsch designed. The guy revolutionised the hospitality design industry – there was nothing before him. He created this global firm with offices in London, Atlanta, LA, Hong Kong and Singapore – it was unheard of in the 80s and 90s. He always saw the benefit of being in multiple markets.

What are the main benefits of having this worldwide presence?

HBA's interior of the Europe Lounge, Grand Hyatt Dubai.

If somewhere is slowing down there is always somewhere else that is picking it up. We’ve always come out of recessions stronger and with more people, while our competition falls away. The business is currently headquartered in Los Angeles but we’re looking at relocating to a more business-friendly culture, perhaps in Asia. In the next 50 years maybe we’ll be

How big is the hospitality design industry?

It’s worth around a billion dollars in design fees. That’s quite a big deal. HBA has been number one in this industry for every year bar one for ever since it’s been set up. We’re a big fish in a little pool and we get bigger every year. We’re more than twice as big as the next guys.

There’s a culture of bringing people from within – all of the partners have been with the firm for 15 years or more. We’re all aged 40-55 and have learned our trade in the firing line. If you bring senior people in from outside it doesn’t always fit. We’re all designers – we all draw for a living and we’re all born from the projects that we do. In about two years we’ve made about 10 partners, doubling the amount previously. Most design firms keep quite a closed ownership structure with one or two guys running it. We really want to invest in the future and have people buying in at a younger age. This is a long-term company and we’re now in our fourth transition of partners.

What’s HBA’s strategy?

We’re very aggressive and entrepreneurial. Most design firmss suffer from over-caution or not enough resources to delve into new markets or opportunities. Certainly in the last 10 years, we have preferred to risk an investment for an opportunity. We need to be where our clients are doing their business. We’ve July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 37

IN PRACTICE IAN CARR

Britain or the USA. You’d have to be exceptionally talented – at the zenith of your industry – to get into the boardrooms that HBA gets in. With HBA moving into Asia and the Middle East, it gets invited to all the best projects. We don’t get them all but we certainly know about them and participate in them.

Where are the majority of HBA’s projects?

China and South East Asia represent around 70% of HBA’s global projects. We have people from all over the world – London, Atlanta, San Francisco – working in China and we have big offices in Beijing and Shanghai. It is gargantuan compared to all other markets. The Middle East is somewhere between 5% and 10%, as are Europe and the USA. We’re hoping for bigger things from the Middle East and that’s why we are investing. HBA will be setting up an office in Riyadh in the next six months – we really need to be in the markets where our clients are – we’ve never been fearful of doing that.

It’s a balance of having the right talent in the best places. We’ll set up an office with three guys, as long as we have the talent, the leadership and the confidence in those people.

“Many of our Middle East clients want to beat the rest of the world.

They are not particularly focused on great economic return.” managed to get 16 offices around the world and we will go to unique places. We don’t just base it on pure economic or development data – we base it on our people and our trust in the guys who’ve grown up with us. In many ways we try and construct the business around them. We’re financially strong, and in a position to invest and really be in a prime position.

It’s not all easy – we have problems every day like everyone else. Getting great design out is challenging all the time – it’s not an easy business and our clients are now more savvy and hoteliers are more demanding. The fees don’t rise as quickly as our commitment and time to do a great job does. Therein lies the conundrum of creating a sustainable business.

Why did you move to Asia?

I’m British but I think more like an Indian Ocean – I’ve been away from the UK for 25 years. I started as a normal designer like everyone else at HBA. When you are in Asia you get a lot of responsibility, opportunities and big projects – sometimes too early. The best people learn from those great experiences – you either sink or swim. You’re very client facing and meet chairmen of multi-national firms and high-end hotel operators.

There aren’t opportunities like this available for designers in 38 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Are there any new areas of focus for HBA?

Individual residential is something new we’re bringing to the market. HBA is one of the biggest residential designers in the world, for private residential as well as serviced apartments.

We’ve been involved in the world’s most expensive house in Mumbai, for the chairman of Reliance, so we’re an unsung residential designer. We’re setting up a dedicated team to only focus on the high-end residences. That’s something that the Middle East really has a lot of. We’re not talking about gaudy palaces or hotels – it’s about creating something with a bit more sophistication for articulate clients, who want something that’s outside of the region stylistically.

Where are the opportunities in the Middle East?

Projects are being reactivated in the last six months and there are lots of opportunities in Dubai. In Saudi, we have a partnership with an influential construction firm and there’s a lot of activity in Kurdistan, going through Turkey. In the next couple of months we’ll be announcing probably the biggest partnership you could do in the Middle East. We don’t do partnerships in any other part of the world but the Middle East seems to require these alliances. Also, Doha is developing of a lot of hotels for the World Cup. What are the main projects you are working on?

We’re doing an interesting project on Lusail in Doha which is very visionary and demanding. Many of our Middle East clients want to beat the rest of the world. They are not particularly focused on great economic return – they make mega-statements with great architects and interiors designers.

With our StudioHBA offering we also cater for pragmatic

IN PRACTICE IAN CARR

clients that are developing three to four star hotels. We’re doing three or four projects for Emaar which are very demanding and high-end. The Address brand is very credible – they did a good job with the properties in Dubai and it’s being exported.

How big is your Middle East operation?

We’ve been in Dubai for 15 years now. After the boom we didn’t close shop – we kept going. We’re now very well entrenched in Dubai and riding a very buoyant development economy. HBA is often accused of being a franchise operation which is categorically what we’re not. That would probably be a good idea but we won’t release control. We empower many of our directors or partners around the world to fulfil the remit of quality and doing business. Our office in Dubai is a standalone business – it has 45 people at the moment and is growing by two or three people a month. It’s supported by our other offices around the world.

How do you rate the standard of designers in the Middle East?

What we’ve found is there isn’t really a great depth of quality designers in the Middle East – the same old guys move from office to office. We’re really a business of bringing in fresh talent and established talent from HBA. We sometimes need to twist some arms or offer some incentives to get people to go to Dubai.

It’s not always seen as the top placement in the world, but you get a fair share of people that want to take that challenge once they understand the financial rewards. It’s one of our more expensive businesses – the hourly rate in Dubai is one of our highest in the world. We have huge demands on these people to be more productive and engaged our back offices in India and the Philippines to do the more menial tasks – this is now paying dividends. We really want to make our Dubai business the centre of excellence for the creative rather than doing the drafting work.

Dramatic interior at the Four Seasons Guangzhou.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 39

ON SITE ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

Review Gavin Davids ventures 2,600m up the Hajjar mountains to learn about the construction of luxury eco-resort Alila Jabal Akhdar

40 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

ON SITE ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 41

O

ON SITE ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

The five-star mountain resort opened in early summer to guests.

OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO, OMAN HAS quietly been carving out a niche as one of the world’s premier eco-tourism destinations, pushing forward its credentials as a haven for endangered wildlife and the millennia-old mountains that form its spine.

After a three-hour drive into the Hajjar Mountains, a striking lunar landscape appears and a sense of science-fiction is heightened upon first sight of the village of Jabal Akhdar.

Clustered together on a plateau, the houses of the village overlook a sheer drop into a dramatic canyon.

It is here that Omran, the government-backed tourism investment and development body has built an eco-tourism project like no other in the Middle East.

Having identified the area as an attraction for visitors, the government of Oman has backed the development of a boutique hotel that is 2,600 metres above sea-level and well off the beaten track. Situated a further 45 minute drive away from the village, Alila Jabal Akhdar is an 86-room hotel that aims to offer its guests a sense of luxury and exclusivity, while also being able to enjoy Oman’s nature at its finest.

“We get a lot of visitors from Oman, the GCC and Europe, so the government has invested a lot in enhancing the infrastructure.

We had an evident lack of lodging facilities,” explains Ammar Al Kharussi, site manager for Omran on the project.

“There was a hotel that was built in the late 1980s or early 1990s, but it had something like 25 rooms. It used to serve the purpose, but there was definitely a demand [for more]. So we started designing and developing the hotel [Alila Jabal Akhdar].

“We thought that if we were going to design a hotel, it would have to be world-renowned…in 2009, we started detailed design development.”

42 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Atkins was appointed architect of record and lead designers for structures and MEP. The construction team also included Drake & Scull for MEP, P49Deesign for interiors and Dawood Contracting.

The resort contains 16 buildings in total, 14 of which are scattered in clusters of four and six around the edge of the cliff.

There are also two 480m2 Royal Omani Suites situated at the corners of the cliffs.

“We wanted something that was integrated into the natural landscape and didn’t disturb the harmonious ecosystem and would always be a getaway, exclusive resort," Al Kharussi adds.

“There are 86 rooms and we didn’t want to have more than that. The whole site is three square kilometres, but we only have 17,600m2 of built up area. We have left most of the site natural, so it can be used for hiking and stargazing – as if you’re camping in the wilderness – but you’ve got a five-star lodging facility,” he explains.

“Each room has a balcony and a view. You don’t get A or B. If you’re getting treated, you’re getting treated royally.”

The two Royal Omani suites each contain a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, three open halls, infinity edge pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. Meanwhile, the main building contains 28 of the 86 rooms and resort amenities including a 1,000m2 spa, treatment rooms, Jacuzzis and outdoor relaxation areas.”

Al Kharussi explains that the geology of the site posed issues before construction took place. “We didn’t know what we were facing. It’s three square kilometres of land and regardless of how many bore holes you have, you’ll never be able to fully understand the geotechnical features of the site. It was very challenging in terms of breaking the rock and preparing the infrastructure,” he highlights.

ON SITE ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

“We wanted something that was integrated into the natural landscape and didn’t disturb the harmonious ecosystem and should always be a getaway resort.”

This difficulty in preparing the site is understandable given that it lies nearly four hours away from the nearest major city. Atkins Oman's resident engineer Bijoy Varma, the man entrusted to make sure the project stayed on track, knew he faced a tough task.

“Construction spanned 24 months. It was supposed to be finished by December 20, 2013 but, three months from the start of the project, the client gave additional work to the contractor for the back of house staff accommodation. Because of that, the deadline was increased by three months,” he explains.

The remoteness of the site posed significant workflow problems to the contractor, consultants and suppliers.

“Logistics were a very big challenge – the government itself wouldn’t allow more than four trips of a trailer coming up,” Varma says. “They’d allow only four trips of a big trailer, and that was only at night, not during the day hours. It was complex, and we had to have a specific logistics manager [to resolve issues].

He continues: “There was also the problem of getting concrete supplied [to the site] because there was no concrete ready-mix plants at the top of the mountain. We had to get it from a place down below and it’s a road with many twists and turns, so with mixers and trucks coming in…it was quite difficult to manage things.

“Another issue was getting water. Even if it rains at the top of the mountain, the water will always run down. Only a little water will remain and that’s preserved for the local people who still live around here, so we needed to get water shipped up from down the mountain.

“Furthermore, only four-wheel drive vehicles were allowed, so that meant that we had to train people on how to drive them,” he adds, pointing out that working in the area is so challenging that there have been stories about some individuals on other projects quitting outright, rather than taking on a project in Jabal Akhdar.

Someone who might whole-heartedly agree with this sentiment is Talal Ahmed Al Shizawi, CEO of Dawood Contracting, the Omani contractor appointed to the Alila Jabal Akhdar project.

“This was our first five-star hotel project. We’re a local Omani company, so we did a joint-venture with HLG [to work on this project]. All the manpower and equipment was from our side – the only thing from them was support for us in project management. We had two people from them – the project manager and the logistics manager,” he explains.

“To start with, it was very difficult because of the height of the site and also the weather. We couldn’t work in 24-hour shifts, especially during winter. During the day, you’ll feel cold, so what about at night when sometimes temperatures would reach -3oC?” Shizawi asks.

Managing the shifts, accommodation and health and safety for the 600 on-site workers was another challenge for the project management team. Given that trips up and down the mountain would have been quite time-consuming, the team decided to house the labour force on the mountain itself, setting up a camp near the project site.

On top of all the logistical problems, the team was faced with other challenges. Given that the project was built around an ecological theme, and was in a protected area, the government had given clear instructions that the surrounding area should remain undisturbed, as much as possible.

Coupled with the sheer drops on either side of the cliff, the project management team had to ensure that the heavy machinery and labour could move freely and safely around the site, while also making sure that the flora and fauna around the site remained undamaged.

“We decided to use a surgical approach,” explains S Masood Raza, the principal architect on the project, from Atkins Oman.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 43

ON SITE ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

“We analysed some of the villages, the use of timber for the railings and the lintels, and how they used large format stones underneath and smaller stones above.”

The team DEVELOPER Omran ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING Atkins MEP Drake & Scull INTERIORS P49Deesign CONTRACTOR Dawood Contracting

“That means that we didn’t want to do too much to change the landscape, just do what is the minimum required and get it right. If we did mass-scale changes to the site, then it would have spoilt the illusion. So it was a careful balance for the strategy that was to be adopted.

“There was a safe building line which was assessed by the slope stability people. So from the edge of the cliff, we needed to leave 20m [for example]. If went nearer, then the mitigation majors would have been too much. The best outcome was to leave 20 metres from the edge and then start building the foundations, to have minimum impact to the existing terrain,” he explains, highlighting the care taken to protect the natural environment.

Varma adds that a site disturbance boundary was erected to to protect against the disturbance of the precious flora and fauna surrounding the site: “All our construction was restricted within this particular boundary.”

With the project aiming for LEED certification this approach was crucial, and its importance had to be regularly reinforced to the staff on site, with regular safety inductions and lectures being held.

Raza believes that the guest experience is likely to be enhanced by the landscaping. “[The landscape architect] developed perimeter fencing all the way around, because it’s a very deep fall. It was done with wood and cleats, so as not to obstruct the view. This also keeps wildlife out of the hotel area, for the most part. These safety

44 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

measures were required from the Royal Oman Police to protect the guests and for municipality approval as well.”

The team was committed to using natural materials. This included the rocks they excavated, locally sourced timber and other materials, as the architect explains.

According to Raza, the principle vision was to have an Omani version of an alpine resort and a boutique hotel that survives on the service and the locality. It also creates jobs for the local people and uses local materials such stone from the local mountain region.

“We analysed some of the villages, the use of timber for the railings and the lintels, and how they used large format stones underneath and smaller stones above. This [inspiration] was already there,” he says.

“We took this and applied in a more contemporary way. In a way, we’ve promoted local architecture. And I must say that the local people really appreciate this project. It’s not just cladding – the stones in our walls are load-bearing. It’s only for bracing – for wind-loads and seismic bracing – that they’re laterally supported by wall ties and on the stud-work at the back.

“It may look really ‘village-like’ and old, but inside it’s really high-tech and modern, and that’s because we blended it in such a way,” he asserts, highlighting the depth of research that went into this project. “[From] my team, [to] the consultants, the subcontractors and the client – everyone felt like this was their baby,” Al Shizawi says, summing it up neatly.

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ON SITE BARR + WRAY

Specify ME

Star of the spa Barr + Wray, the UK-headquartered provider of spa design, engineering and building solutions, explains why hard foam support is an essential material for spa designers

W

ith over five decades’ experience in the spa industry, Barr + Wray (B+W) has come across many different materials in spas – some which are ideally suited and others which are not. When it comes to designing hot and humid facilities, B+W believes there is no other building material as suitable for turning creative ideas into reality as a hard foam support element.

This material’s exceptional properties and easy 46 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

machinability, in conjunction with B+W expertise in both technical and aesthetic design, make it easy to produce unique, cutting edge spa wellness facilities which were previously too difficult to do, or even not possible at all.

Generally the process begins with a sketch or roughly outlined requirements. B+W then works together with the design team to design products that can be fully realised using hard foam.

It can be of great benefit to the construction programme that all stages of fabrication are prepared off-site. From the production of foam and cutting work to layering and any further processing, this not only provides scope for flexibility, but also guarantees quality.

Each segment fits together precisely, enabling on-site assembly within a short time – even large objects can be constructed quickly. Hard foam

ON SITE BARR + WRAY

About Specify ME Specify ME is a new monthly feature from Middle East Consultant which aims to educate consultants and developers on how quality products offer enhanced benefits in terms of maintenance, aesthetics, performance and user experience.

For more information, contact Michael Stansfield on michael.stansfield@cpimediagroup.com or +971 55 150 3849

finishes produces an individual room or area, which radiates a feeling of comfort and harmony.

There are a number of hard foam products on the market but the best are made from expanded polystyrene hard foam, with high density that is produced using an environmentally-friendly technique without foaming agents which are harmful to the climate.

The hard foam is then coated on both sides with a special mortar coating, thus forming an ideal mineral subsurface for use in wet and humid conditions.

To increase stability, a glass-fibre is additionally embedded in the mortar coating.

There are still hundreds of spas being constructed with materials that are totally unsuitable for wet area construction, despite there being speciality products on the market that can eradicate all the problems usually associated with these areas.

The main reasons and benefits to using hard foam are as follows: • Environmentally friendly without use of harmful foaming agents • Lightweight structure • Waterproof • Fire-retarding • Insulating • Proven and tested quality DIN EN ISO 9001 • Pressure stable and rigid and no need for reinforcement • Mould resistant • Easier and quicker to construct through modular delivery and installation • Flexible, promotes creativity and versatile shapes • Temperature and moisture resistant INTEGRATION OF TECHNICAL COMPONENTS

support elements enable the creation of entire rooms or areas for wellness and spa facilities; for example, steam baths, hammams, experience showers, rasules, tepidariums, caldariums or even ice rooms.

Moreover, the material can be used to create structural refinements such as curved walls, window recesses, domed ceilings or columns too.

The final surface design of the hard foam support elements, with selected plasters or ceramic/mosaic

Hard foam support elements are easy to work with and therefore perfect for the integration of various technical components. The necessary millings and sections are prepared off-site according to exact measurements from Autocad drawings.

Heating – electrical or hot water heating pipes are installed beneath the finishes of walls, floors, benches, loungers.

Fittings – purpose-made fittings are used to mount sanitary fittings.

Lighting technology – The material facilitates the installation of various lighting systems including fibre optic and LED. Glass elements – Embedded into the hard foam, the stabilising components ensure heavy glass elements can be installed safely.

For more information contact Corrine Sunter, sales director at B+W, on csunter@ barrandwray.com or +971 55837 4068

About Barr + Wray With over 50 years’ experience, Barr + Wray is recognised as a world leading provider of spa design, engineering and build solutions. It provides cutting edge designs and offers top quality products including hammam, steam rooms, saunas, experience showers and hydrotherapy pools for spa thermal areas in luxury hotels, resorts and residencies.

B+W provide specialist design services from project inception to execution through its experienced team of designers.

B+W has been involved in numerous spa projects in Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is particularly aware of the cultural requirements involved in creating spas in the Middle East region.

As designer, engineer and contractor, it provides a fully coordinated and integrated spa design and build solution.

In addition to its design capability, B+W has a reputation for providing design and build solutions on time and on budget, thus providing customers with high levels of confidence and peace of mind that are essential in spa industry.

B+W works as part of the design team to produce wet spa solutions according to the client brief and develops customer or project-specific solutions that work within the available footprint, budget and spa concept.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 47

ON SITE DE ROTTERDAM

Snapshot

48 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

ON SITE DE ROTTERDAM

In detail LOCATION Rotterdam, The Netherlands GROSS FLOOR AREA 162,000m2 HEIGHT 150m PLOT SIZE 107m x 3m (3,852m2) FAÇADE AREA 50,000m2 INVESTMENT COSTS $458,420,000 WEIGHT OF BUILDING 230,000 tonnes CONCRETE VOLUME 74,000m3

DE ROTTERDAM

Holland’s largest building was recently crowned best tall building in Europe by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)

D

DE ROTTERDAM, THE BEST TALL BUILDING in Europe according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), is also the largest in the Netherlands at 150m tall and 162,000m2 GFA. Conceived as a vertical city, De Rotterdam is a typically Dutch experimental take on the American skyscraper. Its mass is broken down by three interconnected mixed-use towers accommodating offices, apartments, a hotel, conference facilities, shops, restaurants, and cafés. Twinkling lights lend a sense of dynamism and humanisation to the monoliths. Although the project began in 1997, construction only started in 2009 with completion in 2013. The towers are part of the ongoing redevelopment

of the old harbour district of Wilhelminapier, next to the Erasmus Bridge, and aim to reinstate the vibrant urban activity once synonymous with the neighbourhood. De Rotterdam is named after a historic ship which departed from the Wilhelminapier with thousands of European immigrants to the US. “This three-tower set acknowledges its inevitability on the skyline, breaking down what could have been an overwhelming mass into digestible parts,” said CTBUH juror Saskia Sassen, Robert S Lynd Professor of Sociology and co-chair, The Committee on Global Thought, Columbia University. “It demonstrates a confident agility as one shifts perspective and the sun circumscribes it.”

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 49

ON SITE DE ROTTERDAM

Achitecture

Structures

OMA Designed by OMA, the practice of legendary architect Rem Koolhaas, the building concept focuses on urban density and diversity rather than just sheer size. De Rotterdam's stacked towers are arranged in an irregular manner without resolving into a singular form, while the various programmes are organised into distinct blocks to provide clarity. Residents and office workers alike can use the fitness facilities, restaurants, and conference rooms of the hotel. In addition, private users have contact with the public on the ground floor, with its waterfront cafés. The lobbies for the offices, hotel, and apartments are located in the plinth – a long elevated hall and hub for all users.

ROYAL HASKONINGDHV AND ARUP Royal HaskoningDHV – formerly known as Corsmit – was the lead structural engineer throughout the project, from the first sketches to the supervision of construction. The structure consists of flat slab floors, with columns in a combination of high-strength concrete and steel HD profiles, reducing construction sizes to a minimum. Due to De Rotterdam’s situation on Wilhelmina Pier, the site was prone to differential settlement. Corsmit used advanced 3D calculations to address the effect on the building’s floors, walls, columns and façades, in various stages of construction. Arup was also involved in the structural engineering at an earlier stage.

50 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

ON SITE DE ROTTERDAM

Façades

MEP

PERMASTEELISA GROUP De Rotterdam contains different types of curtain wall, with Permasteelisa acting as façade consultant. The ground floor is built on a steel structure with a clip construction, formed by horizontal steel profiles and glass clipped between. The glass, with a width of 1,800mm, is connected vertically with an H-profile and offers fire resistance. From the 5th level, the façade contains muscular anodised extrusions and a total profile depth of almost 300mm. Three towers rise from the 6th floor, which contain a total of 800 ventilation wings integrated into the mullions. A total of 50,000m² of glass is used in De Rotterdam.

TECHNIPLAN ADVISORS AND VALSTAR SIMONIS Heat generation for the entire complex was provided by a connection to the district heating network, Eneco. With one central energy supply for the various independent functions, the necessary floor area for MEP was reduced. The energy plant is linked to the adjacent Maas river and utilises the relatively cool water in the summer/autumn, and warm water in winter/spring. This meant that cooling towers on top of the building were superfluous. Biofuels are used for heating instead of oil, gas and diesel, and the complex is said to emit 50% less carbon. Apartments are equipped with underfloor heating and cooling.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 51

ON SITE ROUNDUP

Company update Faithful+Gould expands business proposition Faithful+Gould, part of the Atkins group of companies, has announced a new business focus on integrated project and programme management services.

The move is in response to an increasing request for consultancy services which are both global and integrated, rather than the more traditional single service approach focused on just one country.

As part of the new strategy, Faithful+Gould is aiming to have over 3,000 staff delivering 70% of its business outside the UK. Faithful+Gould’s core services – cost and commercial management, project management, programme management, asset management and project controls – will continue to be

delivered. However, the integrated services will provide a more holistic offer.

The first part of the new direction was seen in Faithful+Gould’s purchase last year of Confluence, the international project and construction management company, which added further skills and regional expertise to the business.

Campbell Gray (left), Faithful+Gould’s Middle East managing director, said: “There’s a significant trend for major client organisations wanting to be serviced at a worldwide level, and we see this as a big opportunity. This applies to international companies with offices in the Middle East, but also to Middle East companies which increasingly have a reach beyond the region.”

“There’s a significant trend for major client organisations wanting to be serviced at a worldwide level.”

Aedas split opens doors for AHR brand Major global design firm Aedas has split its operations in two in order to grow the businesses in separate directions, while maintaining existing collaborations.

The move will involve all eight Aedas UK offices – plus offices in Russia, Poland and Kazakhstan – rebranding as AHR. In addition, AHR is reported to be opening an office in Dubai.

Meanwhile 13 offices in China, South-East Asia, the Middle East and the US, plus a new London office, will continue under the Aedas brand, focusing on highdensity developments in major world cities.

52 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

Keith Griffiths (right), chairman of Aedas, said: “This move reinforces Aedas primary aim to provide international design services to the major world cities through our network of 13 offices and 1400 staff.”

Brian Johnson, chairman of the new UK practice, said: “We are very excited to announce the launch of the AHR brand in the UK and across our international offices. AHR has a long-standing history of producing awardwinning designs, something which we will continue into the future.”

ON SITE ROUNDUP

Siemens showcases expo control room

HYDER APPOINTS NEW BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR Peter Pardoe has been appointed as business unit director for the industrial division of the property sector in the Middle East for Hyder Consulting.

Pardoe is a structural engineer with more than 30 years’ experience in the property and construction industry.

He joined Hyder UK in 2004 from Jacobs Limited as head of property and transferred to the UAE in 2007 as head of property in Abu Dhabi.

Since his relocation, Pardoe has been project director for Noor Al Ain, Sky and Sun Towers, Michael Schumacher Tower, Tameer Towers and New York University.

In 2012 he was assigned to Saudi Arabia, taking over responsibility for managing all aspects of Hyder’s property business.

In his new role, Pardoe will be responsible for identifying opportunities and delivering projects that expand Hyder’s industrial business across the region. His role in leading the property sector in KSA Arabia will continue.

Technology and energy giant Siemens has launched a control room in its Italy HQ, equipped with the software that will be used to manage the energy balance for Expo Milano 2015.

Siemens is collaborating with Italian grid operator Enel Distribuzione to provide smart grid technology at the event.

The new software will become the nervous system of the Expo Milano 2015, making it possible to check the operating status of all devices in the energy distribution grid in real time, directly from the control centre.

It can also perform remote tasks, while supporting maintenance processes by alerting staff to possible faults and anomalies.

Middle East Consultant spoke to Siemens Italia President and CEO

94% World's countries participating at Expo Milano 2015

Federico Golla during a site visit to the control room in Milan. Golla believes that the data collected will offer valuable insight for Dubai in terms of energy management during Expo 2020.

He said: “I think we can help Dubai later on, [based] on what was successful in Milan. Dubai should, and will be, in touch with the Italian organisation and we are more than willing as a company to cooperate.”

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 53

ON SITE ROUNDUP

Project update Kettle Collective reveals Dubai solar centre plans Kettle Collective, supported by Ted Jacobs Engineering Group, will design the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Innovation Centre as part of the new Dubai Solar Park.

The centrepiece project was launched by DEWA and backed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, chaired by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

Within its free flowing, multi-level space, the solar centre will feature green measures and contain a temporary exhibition, conference centre, learning resource centre, rotating restaurant and gallery with views over the park.

The organic form is inspired by the geometry of Islamic design and will explain the various technologies within the park.

Formed by ex-RMJM employees, the Kettle Collective team has design experience in eco buildings such as Lakhta Centre, Gazprom’s Headquarters in St Petersburg, as well as visitor attractions such as the Falkirk Millennium Wheel and Visitor Centre in Scotland.

Founder Tony Kettle said: “We are delighted to have been selected for this project, not only because of the competition that we were up against but because of the importance of this building in the future of Dubai.”

Hadid and Piano projects up for Stirling Prize This year’s shortlist for the most prestigious prize in British architecture, the RIBA Stirling Prize, has been unveiled, with Zaha Hadid and Renzo Piano projects among the six contenders.

Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre is competing against Piano’s The Shard, the tallest building in Britain

54 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

at 308 metres. The remaining four shortlisted schemes are Everyman Theatre, Liverpool by Haworth Tompkins; Library of Birmingham

by Mecanoo; London School of Economics – Saw Swee Hock Student Centre by O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects and Manchester School of Art by Feilden Clegg

Bradley Studios. A common theme is a focus on transformative public structures which are linked to their respective communities.

A panel of five judges will visit the shortlisted projects to decide the winner, to be announced on 16 October at the RIBA headquarters in London.

ON SITE ROUNDUP

High pads TOP FIVE TALLEST HELIPADS IN THE WORLD 01 Guangzhou International Finance Tower

02 China World Tower, Beijing

03 US Bank Tower, Los Angeles

=04 NE Asia Trade Tower, Incheon

=04 Abeno Harukas, Osaka

438m

330m

310m

300m

300m

DUBAI MARINA’S TALLEST TOWER 80% COMPLETE The developer of Marina 101, the tallest building in Dubai Marina, has announced that the project is 80% complete with handover scheduled for early 2015.

Following full completion, the tower will contain 420 hotel apartments, 60 three-bedroom residential units, eight duplexes and one five-star hotel.

Mohammed Jeilani, project manager for Marina 101, said: “We have completed a large part of the construction, with merely a few elements left.

Construction is well underway, with no delays to speak of.”

The tower will also include health clubs and swimming pools on different levels and other leisure facilities.

432

Total height, in metres, of the Marina 101 once completed

Hill wins PM contracts for Qatar malls Project management contracts worth a total value of $12.6 million were recently awarded to Hill International for the Boulevard Mall and Mall of Qatar.

Hill’s contract for the 182,000m2 Boulevard Mall is worth $3 million. and due for completion by 2017.

Meanwhile Mall of Qatar will span an area of 165,000m2 and include a hypermarket, department stores, restaurants and a three-storey central amphitheatre. Hill's contract value is $9.6 million.

“The Boulevard Mall will be an exceptional shopping experience

for residents and tourists,” said Mohammed Al Rais, senior vice president and managing director (Middle East) for Hill’s Project Management Group.

“We are confident that our team will deliver on all of our client’s project objectives.”

Al Rais continued: “Mall of Qatar will be a retail attraction like no other in Doha.

“We are very excited to be involved with the construction of such an impressive project.”

The Mall of Qatar (above) is set to open in the last quarter of 2015.

July-August 2014 Middle East Consultant 55

THE BACK PAGE GARALD TODD

Thoughts “It’s a satisfying job because I think I make a difference.”

My connection with FLS was solidified when I was at a conference in San Diego many years ago, where a video showing a fire in a Rhode Island nightclub was played.

The video was shot in a way that recorded each aspect of a built environment that is impacted by fires and every single factor that can lead to hazards. That really struck me. I felt a true heartfelt connection with what I was doing. That’s when I understood that what I’m doing as a fire and life safety professional is a huge contribution to society – safer buildings are key to how we live and function in our everyday lives.

Driving to Sharjah every day, I notice many industrial fires occurring in the emirate – that’s because the industrial

zones are very old and we don’t build them like that anymore.

There are definitely legacy issues to deal with, but Dubai and the UAE are doing a very good job of tackling them.

I don’t know about you, but in my building, the fire alarm goes off if I burn toast – it rings all the time. If as

Why I chose my job Garald Todd, head of fire and life safety at WSP

I

’ve been in the region for nine years and have close ties with local officers; the same goes for my team.

This is crucial since the Middle East is a relationshipdriven market; collaboration and understanding of the views of each party are key.

56 Middle East Consultant July-August 2014

a fire professional, I don’t necessarily take the escape route, you can imagine how the other tenants react. At least I check for secondary clues, such as smoke, smell, crowds panicking and so on. False alarms are going to be the next big issue in this region. American codes, for example, don’t require sensors everywhere, because sprinklers, in essence, act as your sensors. But too many sensors – potential false alarms could further stress the civil defense, especially if/ when it isn’t even a real fire emergency.

I love working here. The UAE is a very ambitious country as is the rest of the GCC. Awareness about

good FLS measures and standards is consistently growing here. It has been a bumpy ride, of course; if you look at the development and growth in the region, there isn’t a civil defense or fire authority in the world that would have been able to achieve a 100% success rate. That is not possible; but if you look at where we started 10 years ago as a benchmark, you’ll see the amazing strides the UAE authorities have taken.

Is it perfect? No. Can we improve? Of course, there’s always room for improvement, and I’d say the same for

my home jurisdiction in Las Vegas. But the ability to adapt and push forward and make decisions has led to change in this market.

At the end of the day, it’s a satisfying job because I think I make a difference. When my daughter goes to

school and says “my daddy fights fires,” it’s funny because I’m not a firefighter – I wouldn’t go near a building if it was burning! But the fact she takes pride in what I do is a great motivator.

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