S04 TRME Construction GCC Construction Industry Review 01_Layout 1 12/08/2019 12:57 Page 19
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Cut building time by up to 50 per cent Photo Credit: brizmaker/Adobe Stock
Waleed Khaled, Losberger De Boer Middle East’s regional sales director, explores modular construction trends in the region and why the demand for it is increasing.
productivity levels and receive delivery of operational buildings at an HE UAE VISION 2021’s ambitious plans are becoming a accelerated rate. Modular construction embraces lean principles, reality through the delivery of projects across a range of eliminating waste in all forms – both time and materials. By reducing sectors, including healthcare, education, commerce and the resources required, costs can be managed more effectively, infrastructure. We are seeing demand for bigger projects, including mitigating the risk of projects exceeding budgets. Despite timelines Expo 2020 Dubai site, to be delivered faster than ever before. This and budgets getting tighter, project sizes have experienced a has created a shift in demand for modular construction methods in dramatic increase. In Saudi Arabia, mega and giga projects dominate the region. the construction landscape. As a result, modular Essentially, offsite modular construction allows for buildings are changing to accommodate the demand a building to be divided into smaller sections, which for taller, bigger structures. In 2018, we accelerated can be prefabricated in a factory setting, transported the launch of the iconic Qiddiya project by delivering and assembled on‐site. Individual sections can be an integrated complex of 15 semi‐permanent manufactured simultaneously, allowing multiple buildings, including the Panorama Dome – the only activities to happen in parallel, dramatically one of its kind in the kingdom. To deliver this decreasing project delivery timelines, with an impressive project within 60 days, our team worked average reduction of between 40 and 50 per cent for 9,360 hours over 36 days – the same structures would the large‐scale projects we have delivered. have taken up to two years to erect using traditional, Markets and Markets forecast the value of the non‐modular, permanent builds. global modular construction market will reach Offsite construction also allows for less disruption to US$157.19bn by 2023. Although the Middle East the surrounding community, so large‐scale projects makes up only a small part of this, we are seeing an Waleed Khaled is the regional can be erected with minimal impact on surrounding increased appetite in the region. In the GCC alone, sales director at Losberger De Boer roads and businesses. The lifespan of modular we have seen orders for our modular solutions Middle East. construction is lengthening and has the potential to increase by 22 per cent and see no signs of demand outlast traditional construction. In this region, many buildings have a slowing down. lifespan of 15 to 20 years. The semi‐permanent structures we deliver Developers are seeking ‘plug and play’ solutions for both new remain operational for up to 50 years. projects and the expansion of existing structures. Historically, we Technology continues to impact the way we design and deliver saw modular construction used for short‐term venues – temporary structures and the adoption of new technologies is shaping how we modular structures were used for concerts, corporate and short‐ approach turnkey projects in the Middle East. Virtual reality and term sporting events, exhibitions and conferences. However, we are augmented reality allow us to show the entire project before the now providing semi‐permanent retail solutions and sales centres, in construction process has begun. addition to longer‐term events. While there are still limitations associated with modular While the list of sectors utilising modular construction has grown, construction timeframes and budgets are shrinking due to ongoing construction, we are confident modular construction will continue challenging construction market conditions. Developers are to become more prevalent in the region, as developers embrace the clamping down on inefficiencies, seeking ways to improve benefits and efficiencies the concept offers. ■
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Technical Review Middle East - Annual Construction Review 2019