Construction and Civil Engineering Magazine

CONSTRUCTION &CIVIL ENGINEERING April 2019

Securing Africa’s Construction Industry Security Threats To Continue Disrupting SSA Construction Sector shows

Construction Threats

Total stations in surveying

How Morocco tapped into Africa’s renewable energy potential

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Africa’s renewable energy potential

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frica’s vast potential for renewable energy could outstrip the continent’s projected electricity demand in 2030, according to new research.

The paper, “Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries” maps the potential for new wind and solar farms in 21 African countries.

At present, Africa has the lowest per capita electricity consumption in the world.

A report from the World Bank Group and the International Energy Agency (IEA) states that the speed of electrification in Africa is failing to keep pace with a rapidly rising population.

The report details that of the 1.06 billion people across the world who still lack access to electricity, 45 per cent reside in Rural Africa – with a further 10 per cent spread across African cities.

According to the Sustainable Energy For All Forum, just 37 per cent of Africa’s population had access to electricity in 2014.

Africa has huge untapped resources for renewable energy – namely wind and solar power.

Well-chosen sites coupled with interconnectors that allow resources to be shared within and between countries could enable Africa’s rapidly growing electricity demand to be met with renewables at a similar cost to conventional fossil fuel generation, according to the authors of the paper.

Energy demand in Africa is expected to grow exponentially; the study forecasts that for an area encompassing 50 per cent of Africa’s population, the collective demand will exceed 1,000 terawatthours (TWh) by 2030 – almost triple the figure for 2010.

The declining costs of wind and solar has already fuelled growth in renewable energy generation in a number of African countries.

In Kenya and Ghana, the levelised cost of wind power is already roughly equal to hydropower.

To expand the adoption of renewable energy throughout the continent, the paper’s authors developed a tool to map the best available new sites

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Managing Editor Richard Mukoma Editorial consultant Mike Long

Writers Robert Mutuku VeronicahMuthoni Ian Kiprono Graphic Design Felix Rurigi Nick Amanya

for solar and wind power in 21 different countries: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

According to the analysis, the maximum potential for wind and solar power across all 21 nations surpasses the estimated electricity demand in 2030 by at least a factor of two.

The results indicate that Djibouti, Libya, Swaziland and Tanzania will be able to meet 30 per cent of their demand with accessible, low-impact, and cost-effective wind sites.

Similarly, Botswana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe could meet 30 per cent of their projected 2030 demand with domestically-produced solar photovoltaic (PV).

However, for Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, South Africa and Zambia meeting 2030 targets will “require investing in transmission extensions to access lower-cost PV resources or importing from neighbours”.

The news follows the announcement of Facebook and Microsoft’s collaboration with investment firm Allotrope Partners and more than a dozen implementing partners and observers to develop an innovative facility to finance energy access projects in India, Indonesia and East Africa.

The new Microgrid Investment Accelerator (MIA) seeks to mobilise around $50 million from 2018 to 2020 in order to reach those communities across the globe living without access to electricity.

In North Africa, the Tunisian government has announced it plans to invest $1 billion towards the installation of 1,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy in 2017 – while in Algeria the government is set to launch a tender for the construction of large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totalling 4 gigawatts (GW).

In this issue we look at how various countries in Africa are leading in this front.

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Editor

DISCLAIMER: The publisher does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or authenticity of advertisements or contributions contained in the journal.

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. © All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without prior permission from the publisher.

Circulation Ken Kilozo Ben Ogola Marketing Executives George Otieno Liz Kyalo

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INSIDE

inside ...

COVER STORY

Security and Construction

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Terrorist attacks, separatist movements and large-scale protests have historically been a major cause of disruption to the construction sector and a deterrent for foreign investors.

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6. Battle for economic

supremacy in East Africa hots up

6. Ethiopia bwrings in Chinese

firms to accelerate mega dam construction

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7. Britam Tower features in Emporis Skyscraper Award 8. Wrigley Kenya plant gets global green certification9. Cytonn Real Estate Partners With Finnish Architect For It’s Latest Ksh. 15 Billion Development 10. Can this construction mobile App revolutionize housing in Kenya?

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10. Top brands bid for Anchor

space at Kenya’s mega mall

13. The Rising Demand for Total Stations and Terrestrial Laser Scanners 22. Could improved mud houses help tackle housing shortage in Africa?

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35. African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa 42. The ultimate guide to Flooring in a Printing plant

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

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INSIDE

FEATURE KenGen is East Africa’s best sustainable power producer

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Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has been named the best sustainable power producer in East Africa in the London-based Capital Finance International Awards (CFI.co Awards).

How Morocco tapped into Africa’s renewable energy potential

28

Providing reliable, affordable and sustainable access to energy has become a core focus of the international development community and is the seventh goal of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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Factors to Consider when Choosing Tile Flooring

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Concrete waterproofing

Tile- is one of the most popular flooring materials and quite versatile in part, as it can be installed in any room of your home and relatively easy job to plan. Tile is a durable choice of flooring of your home interior decor. It comes in various designs and sizes with endless colors which provides sophisticated choices for a natural ambience. It offers large number of advantages for homeowners including affordability, durability and convenience. Tile is a versatile resource that can be in use a variety of environments with no worry of constraints, of water, stains and designs.

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Deal to bolster blockchaindriven solar power supply

Africa (iA), a non-profit organisation, and Bayport Management Ltd (www.BayportFinance.com), a multinational financial services provider with a strong presence in Tanzania

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Ethiopia brings in Chinese firms to accelerate mega dam construction Ethiopia has hired the services of Chinese firms to accelerate the construction of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), expected to be the largest hydro electric dam upon completion.

Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) said it has brought in China Gezhouba Group to execute the pre-commissioning activities of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), for $40.1m.

The state utility firm also confirmed that it had awarded a $113m contract to Voith Hydro Shanghai for electrical, mechanical, and various civil and structural works required to finish the GERD. “By securing the services of China Gezhouba we expect that work will be executed at a significantly high speed with the

against the dam.

The North African country has expressed concerns that the construction of the dam, which is more than half-way complete, could negatively affect Egypt’s share of Nile water.

Ethiopia, however, maintains that the dam project, which Ethiopia says is vital for generating electricity, will not harm downstream countries, with Gebeyehu assuring Egyptians in April during a first-time Cairo visit that Ethiopia will never harm the Egyptian people and their interests.

The state utility firm also confirmed that it had awarded a $113m contract to Voith Hydro Shanghai for electrical, mechanical, and various civil and structural works required to finish the GERD.

aim of completing the project on schedule,” said EEP chief executive Abraham Belaysaid.Also known as Hidase Dam and located on the Blue Nile River the project has been under construction since 2011.

The dam has faced a myriad of challenges key among them opposition from Egypt

Battle for economic supremacy in East Africa hots up Kenya is being overtaken by its East Africa Community neighbours; Uganda and Tanzania, when it comes to mega infrastructure projects development a new report has shown.

According to Debtwire, an intelligence service that researches and reports on corporate debt situations, the value of Tanzania’s infrastructure projects for the year isUSD650 Million, while that of Uganda is Ksh550 Billion. Kenya’s projects will only cost USD500 Million.

Mega projects in Tanzania includes the construction of a crude oil pipeline from Hoima district in Uganda to the Port of Tanga which kicked off last year.

Tanzania is also planning to spend $14.2 billion over the next five years to build 2,561 kilometre of SGR to connect the port of Dar es Salaam to land-locked neighbours namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

The East African nation is also planning a major port in Bagamoyo area which analyst say will offer stiff competition to Kenya’s Mombasa port Uganda on the other hand, is progressing with the construction of the 95km Kampala-Jinja highway, estimated to cost USD150 million.

Kenya’s only project to watch this year, according to authors of the report, is the upgrading of the more than 100km of highway between Nairobi and Magadi at a cost of USD50 Million.

“Tanzania in 2019 will be at the forefront of the infrastructure transactions with the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project,” reads the report in part.

But Kenya is also construction 32-berth port in Lamu which is part of the mega LAPSSET Corridor Program which will cost over $26 billion to complete.

The building of Nyali Bridge is Kenya’s other project to watch and was appropriated in the current budget ending June.

Ethiopia is also another country that will witness construction of mega infrastructure projects in 2019. The horn of Africa nation and Djibouti have agreed to build a 767 km pipeline to help transport natural gas from Ethiopia for export through Djibouti ports.

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Enel starts construction of 140 MW wind farm in South Africa

The construction of Nxuba, which is expected to be completed by September 2020, will involve an overall investment of more than 200 million euros.

“This new project reaffirms EGP RSA’s contribution to further diversify South Africa’s generation mix, while supplying sustainable energy to Eskom, and promoting the socio-economic growth of local communities,” said Antonio Cammisecra,Head of Enel Green Power, the Global Renewable Energy business line of the Enel Group.

Once fully up and running, Nxuba is expected to generate over 460 GWh per year, avoiding the emission of around 500,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.

The wind farm will be supported by a 20-year power supply agreement with the South African energy utility Eskom, as part of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender, which awarded in April 2015 a total of five wind projects for 700 MW to the Enel Group in its fourth round.

EGP RSA will employ innovative tools and practices to build Nxuba such as advanced digital platforms and software solutions to monitor and remotely support site activities and plant commissioning, digital tools to perform quality controls on site and smart tracking of wind turbine components.

These processes and tools will enable swifter, more accurate and reliable data collection, improving the quality of construction and facilitating communication between on-site and off-site teams.

Enel, through its renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power RSA (EGP RSA), has begun construction of its 140 MW Nxuba wind farm in the Amatole District, making it the Group’s third wind project in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

In addition, the company, with its local partners, has committed to ensure meaningful socio-economic and enterprise development, preferential procurement, and job creation in the surrounding communities, involving local businesses as suppliers, providing free WiFi to communities in the area and holding wind technology training courses for locals.

EGP RSA also focused on education, which is key for socioeconomic development, by supplying schools with clean energy through mini-PV systems, awarding scholarships to students and supporting a school feeding programme. wThe other projects awarded to EGP RSA in Round 4 of th REIPPPP tender are the 140 MW Oyster Bay wind farm, also in the Eastern Cape, as well as the 140 MW Garob, the 140 MW Karusa and the 140 MW Soetwater wind plants, all in the Northern Cape province.

EGP RSA already has more than 520 MW in wind and solar plants in operation in South Africa.

Its solar plants are the 10 MW Upington and the 82.5 MW Adams, in the Northern Cape province, the 82.5 MW Pulida in the Free State province, the 66 MW Tom Burke in Limpopo, and the 82.5 MW Paleishuewel in the Western Cape.

Its wind farms include the 88 MW Nojoli and the 111 MW Gibson Bay, both in the Eastern Cape.

Once fully up and running, Nxuba is expected to generate over 460 GWh per year, avoiding the emission of around 500,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. www.cceonlinenews.com

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Luxury Car Wash “Floors it” with Flowcrete A unique car washing and leisure experience in Ballito has installed a bright and vibrant floor from Flowcrete South Africa that matches the site’s energy and attention to detail.

Designed from the ground up by its owner, Machine WashWorx is a new venue that provides petrol heads with a relaxing space in which to enjoy a quality cup of coffee while waiting for their vehicle to be washed and detailed to the most exacting standard of car cleanliness.

Flowcrete South Africa was tasked with providing a number of flooring solutions that would convey Machine WashWorx’s distinctive branding while being able to withstand the water, cleaning chemicals, foot traffic, automotive oils, impacts and other challenges inherent to a car washing facility.

Craig Blitenthall, Vice President of Flowcrete South Africa, said: “Getting Machine WashWorx’s floor just right presented us with a fun and challenging project.

The bespoke, high-end environment that the client wanted to create called for floors that would convey their image while simultaneously supporting the site’s demanding car cleaning activity.

“Our resin flooring collection was perfect for this task, as each system has been made with the dual principles of design and durability at its core. This meant that Machine WashWorx could rest assured that the finish underfoot would provide a safe, clean and colourful surface to impress their high-end clients.”

Machine WashWorx is no ordinary car wash, as its meticulousness sees cars roll through a custom cleaning area that not only includes a conveyor belt where the car is washed by hand but also specialist bays for vacuuming, polishing and even buffing the engine!

800 m2 of the flexible and solvent free polyurethane coating system Deckshield ID was applied across the car wash and parking areas. Originally designed to pro8

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

vide long lasting surfaces in large, multi-storey car parks, this was the ideal solution to cope with the onsite conditions.

The Deckshield ID was manufactured in a vivid yellow and urban light grey that exactly matched Machine WashWorx’s corporate colours. This ensured that the floor mirrored the wall coatings and other key elements of the carefully considered, industrial-style interior design scheme.

To make sure that the site is safe for staff and visitors, extra slip resistance was added to the wash bay’s ramps.

Suede additive, a fine sand-like powder, was incorporated into the coating to enhance traction underfoot without creaing an overly-rough effect.

In the adjacent coffee shop the floor also had to convey

the same aesthetic while withstanding foot traffic and point loading from items such as heavy tables made from car engines. 120 m2 of the decorative epoxy coating Peran STB was installed to create a glossy, light grey floor area that would be both on-brand and easy to keep clean should any food or drink spill onto the floor.

In Machine WashWorx’s back of house storage area, 80 m2 of the hard wearing and self-smoothing epoxy system Flowshield SL was used to provide a reliable floor for an extended period of time.

To find out more about how to create an attractive and long lasting floor area that’s unique to a business, get in touch with Flowcrete South Africa’s expert team today on saweb@flowcrete.com.

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Britam Tower features in Emporis Skyscraper Award ritam Tower a skyscraper located in Upperhill in Kenyan capital Nairobi has featured in the top ten Emporis Skyscraper Award. It is the first time for a building in Africa to feature in the top ten of the award.

Designed by GAPP Architects and Triad Architects the tower was ranked tenth among other outstanding skyscrapers in the world.

Britam Tower stands 656 ft. and 32 floors above the ground.The compelling tower made its appearance on the list for its prismatic shape, fascinating facades and its functional design. Its form offers a variety of shapes and sizes to the floors with eye-catching views of the city.

Britam Tower exceptionally relates with its environment by respecting the science of sustainability and energy efficiency. Its innovative engineering and well-considered geometry puts it at the world’s spheres of marvelously crafted skyscrapers. he top spot went to the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea.

Wrigley Kenya plant gets global green certification

Mars Wrigley plant which has been under construction for the last three years in Kenya has received the LEED GOLD certification for adopting green building strategies and practices in its design and construction.

“We have adopted the latest construction technology that ensures the facility is energy efficient, pollution free and people friendly,” said Wrigley Middle East and Africa market development director Wanja Mwangi.

Some of the green features incorporated in the factory include: a biomass boiler, highly efficient utility equipment, waste water treatment plant, the use of skylights and many windows in both the factory and office to allow the site to operate during the daylight hours with very few electric lights among others.

The new factory, which is constructed on a 20-acre piece of land in Athi River will replace the company’s old plant located in Nairobi’s Industrial Area. Its construction began in 2015 with the official opening scheduled to take place this year.

The plant which has been constructed at a cost of Ksh7 billion will annually churn out 7.8 billion pellets of chewing gum once operational.

The company’s investment in a new facility was driven by the need to meet growing demand for the firm’s products in Africa, while improving capacity and technology.

It is expected to serve a growing market that includes Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Djibouti, DRC and South Sudan.

Ms Mwangi said that Mars Wrigley aims to cut all fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by 2040.

“Through our global sustainability agenda dubbed ‘Sustainable in a Generation,’ Mars Incorporated looks to secure positive impacts for business, people, and the planet.”

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world run by the US Green Building Council.

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Can this construction Top brands bid for mobile App revolutionize Anchor space at Kenya’s housing in Kenya? mega mall

A Construction mobile App that its developers say will greatly help consolidate construction has been launched in Kenya. iBuild is a mobile application designed to provide a virtual marketplace that connects households wishing to contract the construction of a home with architects, lenders, permit issuing authorities, contractors, and the workers thereby providing all these stakeholders access to a ‘one-stopshop’ for home construction.

The application aims to address the severe housing shortage in urban Kenya, provide access to affordable financing, while reducing the cost of small scale home construction, says Jonathan Godbout director of programs and international development at US-based Builders of Hope.

The mobile phone application is specifically designed to lower the transaction costs of small-scale home construction, whilst also providing potential home buyers with access to affordable financing, to increase the supply of affordable housing and therefore addressing the shortage of affordable homes in Kenya.

Operating as a simple to use project management tool iBUILD will support households to navigate the construction of their home from conception to completion.

How the App works Once a project is initiated iBUILD will assist consumers to find and contract qualified architects who will then be able to upload designs and supporting documents to obtain official permits for construction, and/or to apply for loans for house construction.

Once permits and funding has been secured iBUILD will allow consumers to shop online for fundis (fundis is a Kenyan term for multi-skilled contractors) choosing them by price, availability, previous user ratings, etc.

In a similar way to Uber, the app will receive payment from consumer / lender when jobs are contracted but will only release funds via mobile wallets when construction is complete, thereby ensuring all parties uphold their contractual obligations. iBUILD will support contractors by allowing them to tender for jobs at no cost. It will also vastly improve their efficiency by using automated project management tools to help them efficiently schedule or subcontract work, and to benefit from the user rating services to build up a trusted brand of their own.

The inclusion of services such as blueprint templates incorporating low-cost building techniques, check lists, and quantity estimators, will also allow contractors to save time & materials therefore further lowering construction costs, thereby making the entire market more competitive on price.

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

French retail chain Carrefour, South Africa’s Shoprite and Botswana’s Choppies are the top bidders for the largest space at a mega mall in Kenya an official from Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA), the owner of the mall has announced.

The Lake Basin Mall is set to open in March and according to LBDA Already, 40 per cent of the space has been booked, which includes a three-star hotel.

LBDA Managing Director Evans Atera said in Kisumu recently that mall will be opened after successful negotiations with the anchor tenant.

“We are very optimistic that once the anchor tenant is announced, we will have others taking up space,” said Mr Atera.

The Sh4.2 billion complex has been hit by delays due to financial issues. It stands on an 80-acre piece of land at Mamboleo junction along the Kisumu-Kakamega Highway in West of Kenya.

The Lake Basin Mall Measures about 60,000 square feet with about 140 shops, a three-star hotel, showrooms, and a parking area that can accommodate 335 cars. Over 30 per cent of its premises already leased out.

Kenya has seen a rise in the construction of malls which observers say is nearing saturation.

Last year for example, Riviera Mall located in the capital Nairobi announced that it was temporarily slashing its rent costs for new tenants in a bid to attract businesses as it struggles to fill the property space.

A review of the commercial property market by Grit Real Estate Income Group noted that even though the Kenyan real estate industry has seen upward movement in rental levels in recent years, there is likely to be downward pressure in rentals as the local retail supply reaches saturation.

Some of the top malls in Kenya include: Two Rivers mall, The Hub Karen, Garden City mall and Sarit Centre.

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Innovation: Africa enters a global partnership with Bayport Management Ltd to bring solar and water solutions to Tanzania

Africa (iA), a non-profit organisation, and Bayport Management Ltd (www.BayportFinance. com), a multinational financial services provider with a strong presence in Tanzania, are proud to announce that they have formed a partnership to help communities across Africa to improve their living conditions through access to clean water and lighting. iA has already implemented 18 solar systems in Tanzania, 16 of them powering schools and medical clinics in the Bagamoyo and Chalinze regions. Now, with the support of Bayport’s network in Dodoma, iA’s work in the country will be extended.

Bayport Tanzania, through the provision of a vehicle and other logistical support have enabled iA to commence a project in the Dodoma region of Tanzania to install a solar system at the Bumbuta Health Center, as well as a pump system to supply Iyoli village with clean water.

In June this year, iA re-located its Tanzania office to Dodoma region to better meet the high demand for clean water and solar energy. iA plans to complete five water projects and two solar projects in Dodoma over the next few months.

The collaboration between the two companies will help to improve health and better education, having a positive impact on the lives of people across Tanzania through the use of solar energy and water technologies.

Bayport Tanzania, through the provision of a vehicle and other logistical support have enabled iA to commence a project in the Dodoma region of Tanzania to install a solar system at the Bumbuta Health Center, as well as a pump system to supply Iyoli village with clean water.

iA is a US-based organisation with a mission to bring Israeli solar, water and agricultural technologies to rural African villages. Its goal is to reach 1000 villages, impacting six million people, over the next seven years.

To date, it has completed over 200 solar installations bringing light, access to clean water, improved education, refrigeration for vaccines and medicines, and proper nutrition and food security to over a million people in remote villages in Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal and Cameroon.

Bayport is a market-leading provider of unsecured credit, insurance and retail banking services to customers in emerging markets. It currently serves more than 600,000 customers in seven African countries and two in Latin America.

The communities Bayport serves overlap with iA’s areas of operation in Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.

“The partnership with iA is a good fit for us,” says Stuart Stone, joint CEO of Bayport. “Both our organisations are employing technology and innovation to give people in emerging markets access to the means to improve their lives and build a more secure future.”

“Bayport’s support enables us to offer solutions to remote villages in Tanzania, which allow communities to uplift themselves from extreme poverty and provide the tools to be independent,” says Sivan Ya’ari, Founder and CEO of Innovation: Africa.

“We are extremely grateful to partner with Bayport and look forward to the evolution of this fruitful collaboration.”

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Global sand shortage to affect construction projects-report

Shortage of sand is likely to affect construction activities globally, a new report by the A.T. Kearney Global Business Policy Council’s Year-Ahead Predictions 2019 has shown.

The report observes that urbanization and infrastructure development are resulting in a global shortage of sand, the second most extracted natural resource after water,causing increase in prices for the commodity.

In rapidly urbanizing sub-Saharan Africa for example, the report predicts that increasing sand prices will continue to cause construction strains. Uganda for instance,has exhausted local supplies and is now turning to imports.

The report singles out China as the consumer of the highest amount of sand globally.”To get a sense of scale, China used more sand between 2011 and 2013 than the United States did during the entire 20th century,” notes the report.

In India, the construction boom is fueling not only a price spike—with reports of price increases between 100 and 150 percent in the past two years—but also a sand mafia that has become notorious for violence.

There are similar criminal groups operating in Indonesia and elsewhere in Asia. US prices for cement and concrete rose nearly 12

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

70 percent between 2004 and mid-2018, driven in part by sand-intensive hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the oil and gas sector.

Even desert-based construction hotspots such as Dubai must import construction-grade sand, often taken from beaches, riverbeds, and lakebeds across the world.

This rising sand demand is having devastating environmental effects, including rapidly intensifying the erosion and degradation of water-based ecosystems around the world.

In 2019, rising sand prices will put financial strain on the construction industry, particularly in emerging and frontier markets. This trend could lead to the slowing or cancellation of some projects oberves the report.

Countries such as Vietnam will be particularly sensitive, given that sand prices there rose about 200 percent in 2017 alone as the government seeks to eliminate illegal sand dredging.

Singapore, the world’s largest sand importer, will face greater scrutiny and delay of development projects as global attention to the issue rises.

The country is already subject to sand export bans from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia for alleged long-term participation in sand smuggling.

As a result, countries and construction companies—particularly those in Asia, where the illegal sand trade is receiving growing attention—will come under more pressure to demonstrate that they are complying with the law.

Effects will include a further rise in legal sand prices as well as downward pressure on the global construction boom.

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Why Kenya SGR is a major transformation factor Since its completion, the SGR that runs from the coastal city of Mombasa to capital Nairobi has contiunued to tranform lives boosting tourism and small towns in the area.

The China funded Standard Gauge Railway(SGR) linking the Kenyan capital Nairobi to the port city of Mombasa has revitalized growth of small town along its 480 kilometers corridor since its launch on May 31, 2017.

Kenya’s modern railway line that has been described as a game changer in transport, regional integration and cross border trade, will later extend to Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.

Locally, it has shortened the passenger travel time from Mombasa to Nairobi from 10 to four hours, whereas the freight trains complete the journey in less than eight hours.

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) began construction of phase one SGR project in October 2013 and managed to create 30,000 local jobs.

At the bustling Voi town located about 329 kilometers south east of Nairobi, the SGR project has become anonymous with an economic windfall that has been felt by residents.

Janet Oben, Taita Taveta County chief executive officer for Tourism, said the SGR has raised the vis14

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

ibility of Voi town, which has lately been receiving a high number of tourists.

“Convenience and comfort has seen to it that many tourists travelling to Mombasa stop at Voi and visit many of our scenic attractions and cultural centres before they continue with their journey,” said Oben adding that SGR has improved relationship among investors and working class communities.

“Someone can depart Nairobi in the morning and have a meeting in Voi at lunch hour and leave in the afternoon. Before, people would book flights to Mombasa and travel by road to Voi. The SGR has saved travel time to most tourists and business people, “She added.

Oben said that economic vitality of Voi town has been accompanied by job opportunities for the youth.

The county official said plans are afoot to launch a marketing campaign to showcase investment opportunities within Voi town in strategic areas like tourism and agro-processing.

Japhet Njagi, assistant shift attendant at Voi

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“I have used SGR for the last one year and it has opened up the transport sector, especially roads that link to the station which have been developed to ease movement of commuters,” said Odhiambo.

WAj Ringera uses the SGR whenever he is traveling between Nairobi and Mombasa because it is convenient and fast.

“Time is money so when I board the SGR, I spend only four hours, as opposed to a bus that takes more than six hours, so it saves time, which in return helps the economy of Kenya,” said Ringera.

“It also cuts by half the cost of travel, but many people haven’t yet realized it. I wish it can continue up to Kisumu or the border of Uganda where it can save a lot of people,” he added.

Anderson Mjomba Mshila, a tuk-tuk driver, has positive view of the the SGR because he earns a living ferrying passengers from the station to their destination.

“There is also some new developments in the housing sector, which has happened because of the SGR as many people moved to invest in this area,” said Mshila.

“Since the arrival of the SGR I can make a profit of over 1,000 shillings daily (about 10 U.S. dollars) and this is after catering for the daily expenditures, so in a good day I make over 25 U.S. dollars,” he added.

William Lewa Mawowo, a taxi driver, said he can ferry a customer from the SGR station in Voi to their respective destinations and earn extra coins.

“So the least I can say is that business is good,” said Mawowo.

Augustine Mwanake, general manager of Voi

There is also some new developments in the housing sector, which has happened because of the SGR as many people moved to invest in this area station, said before the SGR arrived, the town was in a sleepy mode, a factor which has drastically changed.

“As you can see, the town has experienced huge growth since the SGR arrived two years ago. Even the GDP of Voi town has grown considerably, a positive move that can be attributed to the trains that stop here,” Njagi told Xinhua.

The 29-year-old’s day job includes arranging of shifts to make sure passengers are accorded efficient services at the station from the booking office to the waiting room and ensure they get the best experience up to the time they board the train in line with regulations.

Njagi started working in Voi station in 2017, the same year the SGR commenced operations.

“Our number one priority is safety because of the train’s speed, so basically we are the passengers’ stewards, “said Njagi.

He said tourism is on the rise and that so many tourists pass through the station heading to Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks, adding that Voi is the best place to be for the youth.

Jacob Odhiambo, 19, who studies at Taita Taveta University, said he uses the SGR because of speed, convenience and comfort.

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FEATURE

Wildlife Lodge, said tourism has for the last one year been on the rise with visitors who book online traveling to the facility using SGR passenger train.

“Majority of our visitors come from Europe, especially Italy, Germany and Poland. Some come for a one day stop-over after visiting the park whereas some spend their weekend with us,” said Mwanake.

Meanwhile Construction of the 120km NairobiNaivasha standard gauge railway (SGR) is 90 percent complete, 16 months after work on the project started.

Already residents have started seeing fruits of the project even as construction progresses.

Residents of semi-arid Kajiado County located south-west of Kenyan capital city Nairobi are the latest beneficiaries of a water project by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) that is implementing Phase 2A of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project linking Nairobi to the resort town of Naivasha.

Elected leaders from Kajiado county and representatives from the CCCC recently attended the ground breaking ceremony for the Kimuka Community Water Aid Project stemming from the adjacent 4.5-kilometer long SGR tunnel.

Guo Qing, Deputy General Manager of the CCCC Kenya SGR Project, said a partnership with Kajiado county government has paved way for construction of a water project that will boost access to the commodity among households.

The contractor was proud to be part of the development of this particular water project that will enable about 5,000 people in Kimuka area and the larger Kajiado County to access clean water, according to Guo.

He said that the CCCC will construct two tanks with a capacity of storing 1,600 cubic meters of water that will later be supplied to local households in the semi-arid region where pastoralism is the main economic activity.

Guo said that the CCCC has been on the frontline of offering solution to water supply challenges in Kajiado and other semi-arid counties along the SGR corridor as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Joseph Ole Lenku, the Governor of Kajiado County, hailed the launch of a project that will help address acute water scarcity and transform livelihoods of local farmers and pastoralists.

“We are glad to witness launch of a project that will be critical in addressing water scarcity in Kajiado County. It will help meet rising water demand in our fast growing urban centers,” said Ole Lenku.

Currently, only about 35 percent of households in the expansive Kajiado County have access to clean water.

Ole Lenku said his administration will ensure that 60 percent of households have access to clean drinking water by 2022.

Time is money so when I board the SGR, I spend only four hours, as opposed to a bus that takes more than six hours, so it saves time, which in return helps the economy of Kenya

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FEATURE

Security Threats To Continue Disrupting SSA Construction Sector

Terrorist attacks, separatist movements and large-scale protests have historically been a major cause of disruption to the construction sector and a deterrent for foreign investors. This is a trend which we expect to continue in some key and frontier markets despite a general improvement in the security environment across the continent over the last decade. In recent months, we have seen a number of security threats affecting the construction sector in a broad swathe of SSA markets. These include both specific threats targeting construction projects, as well as more general violence which will weigh on activity in the construction sector and deter foreign investment. The table below details the most recent security incidents and their potential impact on the construction sector in the affected countries.

In frontier markets such as Sudan, Zimbabwe,Mozambique and Somalia, construction projects have been targeted

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

specifically, leading to company withdrawals, disruption and delays to completion timelines.

In other cases, a more general rise in violence will serve to deter foreign investment in the construction sector.

“We expect security threats to remain a major downside risk to infrastructure development in SSA over coming years,” reads the report in part.

“This is a trend which we expect to continue in some key and frontier markets despite a general improvement in the security environment across the continent over the last decade,” the report adds.

According to Fitch Solutions, construction projects are also a major target for terrorist groups in SSA. Large-scale developments which represent flagship projects for governments are an attractive target for separatist or terrorist organisations, particularly as they are often poorly protected by security forces and located in remote areas.

Construction workers on such projects are vulnerable to abduction for ransom and other security threats, particularly if they are non-citizens, while high-profile engineers or managers may be

FEATURE

targeted for assassination.

In Somalia for example, a manager of United Arab Emirates-based DP World Company was shot dead in Bosaso port, in northern region of Puntland by suspected Alshabaab militants. Mr Paul Anthony Formosa construction project manager for DP World.

In February 2019, Strabag and Aveng announced that they were terminating their joint venture to construct the USD130m Mtentu Bridge in South Africa due to local opposition, including protests and violent threats, based on the perceived lack of local jobs created by the project.

The net effect of such security threats according to Fitch Solutions is that they significantly increase insurance premiums and security costs for foreign investors considering involvement in such projects.

The Niger Delta Avengers for example represent the clearest example of this, with their activities against the oil and gas sector in Nigeria causing severe disruption in 2016, while terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab remain active in East Africa and have the potential to target construction works in the region.New infrastructure projects in SSA are often located in remote regions, present highly visible targets, are accompanied

by large groups of foreign workers, and cause an intrusion on local populations, all of which makes them vulnerable to security risks. Protests against major construction projects are common across the region. Poor local consultation processes and environmental impact studies mean that new largescale developments can appear as an unwelcome intrusion, particularly if they are not perceived as offering local people benefits and job opportunities.

There are often multiple local stakeholders who may not be represented at federal government level, such as tribal leaders, which can exacerbate feelings of exclusion if consultation processes are not carried out in full. In particular, hydropower dams which result in forced relocations, mines and power plants which can cause pollution, and new roads and railways which cut through environmentally protected areas or ancestral homelands, can attract strong and sometimes violent opposition.

Construction projects are also a major target for terrorist groups in SSA. Large-scale developments which represent flagship projects for governments are an attractive target for separatist or terrorist organisations, particularly as they are often poorly

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FEATURE

protected by security forces and located in remote areas. Construction workers on such projects are vulnerable to abduction for ransom and other security threats, particularly if they are non-citizens, while high-profile engineers or managers may be targeted for assassination.

This significantly increases insurance premiums and security costs for foreign investors considering involvement in such projects. The Niger Delta Avengers represent the clearest example of this, with their activities against the oil and gas sector in Nigeria causing severe disruption in 2016, while terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab remain active in East Africa and have the potential to target construction works in the region. . In particular, we highlight frontier markets such as Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the DRC and Somalia as the highest-risk markets for construction projects from a security perspective. In all of these countries, terrorist attacks or widespread protests are likely to deter foreign investment in construction over the course of 2019 at least, and likely over the medium term as well. That said, none of these countries represent a large

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

construction market or have a significant presence of foreign firms, meaning the impact on the construction sector is relatively limited. In contrast, some of the fastest-growing markets in the region, with strong investment opportunities for foreign firms, are relatively lower risk from a security point of view, including Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana.

More concerning from an investor perspective are the security threats emanating from larger and more attractive construction markets such as South Africa and Kenya. In the former, criminal activity and local community protests represent a threat to greenfield projects, particularly as unemployment remains stubbornly high and demand for construction jobs for local people is acute. That said, these risks can be largely mitigated by strong local consultation processes and on-site security. In the latter, the potential for sporadic and deadly terrorist attacks is a greater concern, particularly for high-profile projects such as Lamu port and the standard-gauge railway. Both of these mega-projects are under development by Chinese SOEs and are therefore likely to be well protected by state security forces, but ongoing terrorist threats will weigh on non-Chinese foreign investment in Kenya’s infrastructure market going forward.

FEATURE

Battle for economic supremacy in East Africa hots up

Kenya is being overtaken by its East Africa Community neighbours; Uganda and Tanzania, when it comes to mega infrastructure projects development a new report has shown.

According to Debtwire, an intelligence service that researches and reports on corporate debt situations, the value of Tanzania’s infrastructure projects for the year isUSD650 Million, while that of Uganda is Ksh550 Billion. Kenya’s projects will only cost USD500 Million.

Mega projects in Tanzania includes the construction of a crude oil pipeline from Hoima district in Uganda to the Port of Tanga which kicked off last year.

Tanzania is also planning to spend $14.2 billion over the next five years to build 2,561 kilometre of SGR to connect the port of Dar es Salaam to land-locked neighbours namely the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda.

The East African nation is also planning a major port in Bagamoyo area which analyst say will offer stiff competition to Kenya’s Mombasa port Uganda on the other hand, is progressing with the construction of the 95km Kampala-Jinja highway, estimated to cost USD150 million.

Kenya’s only project to watch this year, according to

authors of the report, is the upgrading of the more than 100km of highway between Nairobi and Magadi at a cost of USD50 Million.

“Tanzania in 2019 will be at the forefront of the infrastructure transactions with the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project,” reads the report in part.

But Kenya is also construction 32-berth port in Lamu which is part of the mega LAPSSET Corridor Program which will cost over $26 billion to complete.

The building of Nyali Bridge is Kenya’s other project to watch and was appropriated in the current budget ending June.

Ethiopia is also another country that will witness construction of mega infrastructure projects in 2019. The horn of Africa nation and Djibouti have agreed to build a 767 km pipeline to help transport natural gas from Ethiopia for export through Djibouti ports.

Mega projects in Tanzania includes the construction of a crude oil pipeline from Hoima district in Uganda to the Port of Tanga which kicked off last year.

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COVER STORY

BRIEFS

Deal to bolster blockchain-driven solar power supply

Blockchain-based buy-to-lease solar marketplace Sun Exchange has entered into an agreement with Johannesburg-based clean energy industry focused fund manager Decentral Energy to increase its ability to host larger projects in Africa, with less risk.

Sun Exchange was launched in 2014 and last year raised funds through an initial coin offering (ICO).

The business works with micro-grid developers and operators to bring utility grade solar power to future off-takers (businesses, schools and organisations) that receive electricity from a rooftop solar project powered by its platform members.

Members earn passive Bitcoin income from selling electricity.

Founder Abe Cambridge said the deal is expected to strengthen the income stream for over 900 solar cell owners, all of whom lease their solar cells to power hosted projects.

“Across the board, feedback that Sun Exchange has received from both solar cell owners and solar project off-takers is overwhelmingly positive, as both groups enjoy significant benefits. Not only do these 22

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

users have the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing to the global clean energy transition and bringing clean, affordable power to schools, NGOs, wildlife parks and small businesses in South Africa, but they are also earning income leasing their solar cells which is equivalent to a 10% internal rate of return annual over the 20 year lifespan of each project. That income goes directly into their digital wallet each month which they can withdraw or use to conveniently purchase more solar cells.”

Although the crypto world took a downtrend hit for the most part of 2018, Cambridge believes awareness has grown – especially over the last two years, with the market now seeing past the hype that trailed the crypto industry in 2017 and recognising what he describes as “the real-world value of blockchain”.

He adds: “In 2018, our customers opted to have 73% of the total rental income from their solar cells paid in Bitcoin versus local currency. Our members who are using cryptocurrency for the first time as a result of earning it through Sun Exchange get to experience how incredibly simple and easy it is to use, more so than traditional money and electronic banking.”

COVER STORY

Reinforcement geogrids

Fibertex South Africa – local distributors for the German-manufactured Naue Geosynthetics range of Geogrids - supplies durable PET (polyester) and PP (polypropylene) high-strength reinforcement Geogrids for all civil engineering applications, including mining, environmental, infrastructure and marine engineering projects.

“Fibertex South Africa has partnered with Brent Corporation, assisting with the technical support, supply, installation and quality checks for the retaining walls being installed at the new Reddam College located in Ballito, North of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal,” says Meera Govender, Technical Sales Engineer, Fibertex South Africa. “Construction of these retaining walls required extensive earthworks, in order to execute the exact design heights and levels required.

“The retaining walls (140 m x 5.5 m high and 100 m x 6.0 m high, with inclinations varying from 75° to 83°) were constructed along the perimeter of the new car park and swimming pool. The design called for the reinforcement of the modular segmental block retaining system, as well the drainage thereof.”

All retaining walls were constructed with compacted soil layers reinforced with Secugrid® 80/20 R6 polyester geogrid. Embedment lengths varied from 4.0 to 6.0 m. The largest wall (140 m x 5.5 m average height) composed of 10 individual layers of geogrid. A total of 6 000 m2 of geogrid (including approximately 725 m length of the 2 m wide Flexidrain composite drainage system) reinforced approximately 9 000 m³ of backfill material. The project is due for completion at the end of 2018.

Secugrid is designed to strengthen naturally unstable soil and subgrades, so that the composite soil structure is able to withstand the required loading conditions, through both an interlocking and frictional effect, with little or no movement in the overlying soil materials over the structure’s lifetime. This robust reinforcement material is also

highly resistant to biological and chemical degradation, as well as installation damage. Secugrid is supplied in rolls and is quick and efficient to install, with minimal demand on labour resources.

Panels are joined and continuity is assured with simple overlaps. Standard cutting tools are used for on-site trimming and various geometrical shapes for steep sided slopes can be formed. fibertex-reinforcement-geogrids-ensure-stable-structures-on-steep-slopes…two Secugrid is manufactured from extruded monolithic PET or PP strands that are drawn to orientate the polymers into high-tenacity flat bars to achieve a high modulus i.e. high strength at low elongations.

This feature, combined with the Naue patented welding technology, provides a structurally sound and stable geogrid. Furthermore, the surface of the bars are embossed, inducing additional frictional interaction with the soil. This enables the Secugrid to pick up the load transfer quickly, through both an interlocking and frictional effect, with little or no movement in the overlying soil materials.

Flexidrain is an extruded high density Polyethylene (HDPE) Geonet, covered with a Fibertex F-25 Polypropylene (PP) staple fibre non-woven geotextile jacket, to form a wick-drain Geosynthetic composite.

The subsoil water will be led to a front collector drain behind the toe of the retaining wall and discharged into Fibertex Drainex DN110 drainage pipes, which are also chemically inert.

Other Naue Geosynthetics products available locally from Fibertex include Bentofix Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCLs), which are composite materials, designed for use as efficient sealing barriers in various applications, including landfill projects.

Fibertex supplies an extensive range of environmentally-friendly geosynthetic products from its KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape facilities, that encompasses nonwoven and woven geotextiles, gabions and mattresses, drainage pipes and fittings and erosion control and cellular confinement solutions.

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

KenGen is East Africa’s best sustainable power producer Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has been named the best sustainable power producer in East Africa in the London-based Capital Finance International Awards (CFI.co Awards).

The Nairobi bourse-listed KenGen earned the top spot among regional electricity producers for its “continued and deliberate focus on renewable energy – which now accounts for 84 per cent of the company’s power sources.”

“The CFI.co judging panel gives KenGen top marks for its good corporate citizenship and congratulates Kenya Electricity Generating Company on its 2018 award win for Best Sustainable Power Producer (East Africa),” said Lucinda Cherryson, the Awards Liaison Officer in the awards Judge’s report.

The Watford-based magazine noted that KenGen’s strategic investments had put the country on a sustainable renewable energy path through

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COVER STORY

construction of a mix of hydro, wind and geothermal power plants.

“We are pleased to have been granted the East Africa’s Best sustainable power producer award by the Capital Finance International as it recognises the tremendous strides we have made as an organisation to enhance renewable energy sources for the country,” KenGen managing director Rebecca Miano said.

“It also recognises the deliberate efforts we have taken to implement our Good to Great strategy and also ensuring sustainability of the company from one generation to another,” she added.

KenGen, which is 70 per cent owned by the State, is the largest power producer in the country with a 69 per cent share of Kenya’s installed power capacity. The remaining share is held by independent power producers (IPPs).

KenGen, along with IPPs, produce and sell electricity in bulk to Kenya Power for onward distribution and retail to homes and businesses, acting as a middleman.

The company’s Award recognition was also cemented by the sustainability role played by KenGen Foundation, through execution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities meant to empower communities surrounding its power projects.

It comes at a time when KenGen is putting finishing touches to its 165.4MW Olkaria V Geothermal Project in Naivasha, which is due for commissioning in July this year. The new plant will expand KenGen’s geothermal capacity to 699.4 MW from the current 534 MW. Currently, KenGen’s energy generation mix totals 1,631 megawatts (MW), comprising 818MW of hydro energy; 534MW of geothermal energy; 253.5MW of thermal energy and 25.5MW of wind power.

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ABOUT KENGEN Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC, KenGen is the leading electric power generation company in Kenya, producing about 75 percent of electricity capacity installed in the country. The company utilizes various sources to generate electricity ranging from hydro, geothermal, thermal and wind.

Hydro is the leading source, with an installed capacity of 819.9MW, which is 51 per cent of the company installed capacity. Geothermal is currently at 533.8MW (of which 81.1MW is from the innovative wellheads technology raising geothermal capacity to about 32% of the total installed capacity. Our total thermal capacity is 253.5MW while wind comprises 25.5MW. 26

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FEATURE

How Morocco R tapped into Africa’s renewable energy potential

oughly 1.2 billion people, or 17 percent of the global population, are energy poor, meaning that they have no access to electricity. Meanwhile, more than 2.7 billion people, primarily in developing Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, rely on fuel wood and other traditional biomass sources for cooking.

Morocco’s experience with solar power offers key lessons for policy makers elsewhere in Africa who are seeking a robust pathway for addressing energy access challenges.

Electricity’s role in development

Providing reliable, affordable and sustainable access to energy has become a core focus of the international development community and is the seventh goal of the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Electricity plays an essential role in advancing social and economic development goals. Yet across Africa, an estimated 600 million people still lack energy access. In 38 of the 49 sub-Saharan African countries, at least half of the population lives without electricity. The region’s overall electrification rate is about 35 percent, with large disparities between urban (63 percent electricity access) and rural populations (19 percent access).

There is broad recognition that access to electricity is critical to achieving social and ecowww.cceonlinenews.com

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nomic benefits, such as modern healthcare (PDF) services and health-related education (PDF). Areas that lack electricity access often struggle to retain doctors and nurses. And health facilities that lack access to modern energy typically do not have the refrigeration services necessary to conserve vaccines and other medical substances.

Modern energy access also provides important benefits such as public lighting and security. Studies show that access to electricity extends productive working hours and provides opportunities for economic growth.

In sub-Saharan African countries with low electricity access, it can be extremely costly to provide electric power for mechanized water pumps.

Providing communities with reliable access to electricity positively can affect education, greatly improving students’ access to information. The absence of electricity can impede the retention of qualified teachers and limit students’ study time.

For children in rural areas, who often engage in household chores such as collecting cooking fuel, access to electricity could help them pursue classwork in the evening with better lighting. It also could encourage night classes for adults. Far-reaching aspects of socioeconomic life are affected by the absence of or access to electricity and other modern energy sources.

Untapped renewable energy potential

The International Energy Agency has noted that “sub-Saharan Africa is rich in energy resources, but very poor in energy supply.”

Although energy use in Africa increased 45 percent between 2000 to 2012, the continent still accounts for only 4 percent of the world’s total energy demand. Satisfying energy demand on a continent experiencing both rapid economic and population growth is an important challenge. In the absence of new energy-related policies and initiatives, more than 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s rural population is likely to remain unelectrified by 2030.

Africa’s energy resources are tremendous. Thirty percent of oil and gas discoveries over the last five years have been in Africa. Given the resolve of signatories to the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, tapping into Africa’s renewable energy potential would put the continent on the right path to achieve the United Nations’ seventh Sustainable Development Goal on affordable and clean energy.

So far (PDF), less than 10 percent of Africa’s estimated hydropower technical potential—assessed at 283 gigawatts (GW) — has been used. The continent’s geothermal energy potential is concentrated in the Eastern Africa Rift Valley and can be harnessed at a cost that is competitive with fossil fuels. Wind potential in Africa is concentrated mostly in the northern part of the continent and is estimated at around 1,300 GW. Solar irradiation, meanwhile, is abundant 28

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

throughout Africa, thanks to the 320 days of bright sunlight available annually (2,000 kilowatt-hours per square meter annually, or twice the average level in Germany). Yet to date, African countries have not collectively seized the benefits of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, although interest is growing.

Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and Uganda are the continent’s solar leaders. Although many other African countries have solar installations of varying sizes, their overall renewable energy share remains small.

Solar growing in Morocco According to the World Bank, Morocco went from 71.1 percent electricity access in 2000 to 98 percent access in 2010 and 100 percent access in 2012. In 2015, 34 percent of the country’s energy supply was provided by renewable energy (PDF), with solar representing 2 percent of this. Morocco has explored the use of both photovoltaic (PV) systems and concentrated solar thermal power (CSP).

For children in rural areas, who often engage in household chores such as collecting cooking fuel, access to electricity could help them pursue classwork in the evening with better lighting.

FEATURE

After a successful push to electrify households through the National Program for Rural Electrification, Morocco launched the PPER, which focused on individual and collective solar mini-grid systems. In 1998, solar PV kits officially were considered to be a valuable tool for rural electrification.

Morocco has greatly expanded its CSP capacity, adding 160 GW in 2015 and having 350 GW under construction, providing electricity to more than 1 million people. The World Bank estimates that Morocco will make history through its CSP initiatives, underscoring the significance of these steps.

Lessons from Morocco

Solar energy potential is not distributed evenly across African countries, and not all countries have the same financial capacities as Morocco. While it may not be possible to scale Morocco’s successes to the continent at large, there are some interesting lessons to apply.

First, despite the world’s continued addiction to fossil fuels (more than 95 percent of energy worldwide comes from fossil sources such as coal, oil and natural gas), it is possible to invest profitably in renewable energy — particularly solar. As in the case of Morocco, countries can exploit a mix of enabling equity, debt instruments and solar-based electricity options.

Second, solar PV systems proved an ideal option for rural electrification in Morocco and were conditioned to the high cost of providing grid access to residents. With grid electrification exceeding 2,400 euros per household (PDF), solar home systems were considered a viable alternative for electricity provision.

Households and settlements located relatively far from any electricity sources, or dispersed

Second, solar PV systems proved an ideal option for rural electrification in Morocco and were conditioned to the high cost of providing grid access to residents across territories, were able to rely on decentralized options such as solar PV kits.

These installations were facilitated by certain companies in Morocco. For example, Temasol has been engaged in buying and installing solar home systems for customers. The customers, in return, pay for the installation and upkeep fees based on the initial “fee for service,” which does not exert any new financial pressure on them.

Overall, about 12 million people in Morocco’s rural areas have been supplied with electricity through the country’s solar PV and solar home system initiatives, which are cheaper overall than CSP projects. However, because solar PV is intermittent and cannot ensure electricity provision during the daily evening peak, the country has added CSP to its solar ambitions.

Because larger CSP projects have high investment risk, government support has played a critical role in CSP development. Some economists advocate for a low discount rate in implementing environmental and climate change projects.

Most developed countries have chosen a discount rate below 5 percent, which is harder for developing countries to adopt because of economic constraints. Morocco was able to implement its first CSP project, Noor 1, through robust public-private partnerships, putting liberalization of the renewable energy sector at the core of energy development planning. The massive project ultimately will energize about 1 million households, even in periods of high night peak demand. www.cceonlinenews.com

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For countries considering the development of CSP, having an instrument such as the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) might be beneficial. Such a dedicated body can prepare the ground for investment by assessing a project’s feasibility and risk of failure, considering the environmental and social consequences, and conducting research to facilitate project implementation. MASEN has engaged in environmental and social impact assessment of projects as well as carried out land acquisition on a voluntary basis in targeted areas.

Countries also can establish a legal framework to help regulate CSP projects. In the absence of necessary legislation, implementing a new approach to energy development such as solar easily can decrease a project’s chance of success.

In Morocco, solar PV and CSP were each assessed for their ability to provide electricity. PV systems are useful in reliably reaching out to isolated households and communities, despite their intermittency, whereas CSP is able to generate electricity consistently, although it can require prohibitively high initial investments. Some scientists 30

Overall, about 12 million people in Morocco’s rural areas have been supplied with electricity through the country’s solar PV and solar home system initiatives, which are cheaper overall than CSP projects.

However, because solar PV is intermittent and cannot ensure electricity provision during the daily evening peak, the country has added CSP to its solar ambitions

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

(PDF) recommend that the “higher the growth of annual maximum peak demand, the more CSP should be employed; the lower the peak, the more PV can be used,” suggesting that CSP is better for places where energy use is higher.

Considering the specifics and realities of each African country, a broad, scalable strategy for solar development is hard to conceive.

Nevertheless, it is useful to have positive models to draw upon in the solar field. Although the lessons from Morocco are both economically and technologically demanding, they could represent a key springboard for action elsewhere on the continent.

Emmanuel Awohouedji Worldwatch Institute

FEATURE

Factors to Consider when Choosing Tile Flooring

Tile- is one of the most popular flooring materials and quite versatile in part, as it can be installed in any room of your home and relatively easy job to plan. Tile is a durable choice of flooring of your home interior decor. It comes in various designs and sizes with endless colors which provides sophisticated choices for a natural ambience. It offers large number of advantages for homeowners including affordability, durability and convenience.

Tile is a versatile resource that can be in use a variety of environments with no worry of constraints, of water, stains and designs.

T

here are many reasons to consider when choosing tile flooring like cost, patterns, accents, grout and sealants are all things that must be looked when making your tile choice installed at your home, because with number of variations can effect the tile attractive appeal, installation cost and flexibility. Here are important factors to consider when choosing a flooring tile.

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FEATURE

Choose Tile Flooring- The more a tile can stand the better. Here you can see that, tile flooring has many advantages most obvious are two i.e. Durability & Maintenance.

Durability- Scratch resistance is one of the factors to consider when choosing a picky type of tile for your flooring. It is true to say that, the more the PEI rating, the greater the wear- resistance of the tile.

However, the PEI rating is not the only factor to reflect on when choosing a tile.

Tiles will withstand wear and tear in high traffic areas also assure utmost durability for an aesthetically appealing by extending the life of your tiles.

Maintenance- It can be maintained in easy to care for dirt, stains and liquids where you can easily wipe or mop them away.

Slip Resistant- Tiles are available in both shining and rough surfaces which also makes suitable for areas that tend to become slippery. Tiles are naturally hygienic with easy to clean surfaces that can be smooth, textured or polished.

Selecting right Size, Style and TextureFlooring tiles comes in all varieties of shapes, sizes and textures. Tiling choice can also creates a variety of decorative effects and installation costs. Tiles get in a variety of patterns and can be cut to a desired size. Select the best one for your home which looks new enough after the ages, because you may run into problems while you select the type of material and sizes for the tiles to be used.

Choosing the style tile flooring- Different styles and type of material

may vary in characteristics, so select the tile with good quality where you have many options to choose.

The fastidious shape of a tile together with its size can really add the appearance of your home. You can find huge selection of styles available in tiles.

Choosing appropriate grout color and width- Grout is cement tilting bonding material used for filing joints between tiles where you have different colors to choose.

Light grout tends to bring out the tiles by accentuate in which becomes invisible, where dark grout tend to accentuate the pattern of tiles, their overall structure on the floor. So, doing a proper grout of your job will ensure that the floor under the tile stay safe from moisture. For high traffic areas, choose the dark color grout because white or dark- colored grout will be difficult to keep clean.

Installation materials and methods- Here you find different methods of installation for tile flooring where one accept is common in every method, i.e. that the preparation should be looked in detail prior to the start of installation.

Ensure that you have right materials with high quality bonding material, grout, a sealer and the right tools for cutting the type of tile you’ve chosen or you may hire an experienced tile floor installer to save your time and money.

Maintenance Tile Flooring- One of the easiest types of floors to clean, if maintained regular cleaning can make your tiles look good which really improve the appearance of your home..

Looking into these factors will prevent your tile flooring of your home from being complicated by errors during installation and provide you with a stable, good looking floor.

Now- a- days, Ceramic Tiles are becoming a better option of flooring as they are very easy to maintain, long lasting and adds a beautiful affect to your home decor. Also, overview the flooring products before you install the tile, where you can find more about the benefits of each different material. Tile is always useful flooring option for both indoor and outdoor.

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

FEATURE

Concrete waterproofing

Concrete is porous and, if not waterproofed, absorbs water, waterborne contaminants and chemicals that can cause deterioration. lf you want to protect your concrete and ensure it has a long, serviceable life, waterproofing is essential. But how? What’s the best method and the best material

T

o make concrete really waterproof- which means both preventing water passage and resisting hydrostatic pressure — you can waterproof from the positive (exterior) side, negative (interior) side or from within the concrete itself (integral systems). Although the most widely used positive-side technology is sheet membrane waterproofing, its failures and limitations are also common and costly. Since the 1980s, many construction projects around the globe have used integral crystalline admixtures to waterproof concrete. Integral systems block water passage from any direction by working from the inside out, making the concrete itself the water barrier.

It can be difficult to keep up with advancements in both membranes and crystalline admixtures, and there have been substantial advancements in both technologies. Here’s a summary that can help make the choice more clear.

Sheet membrane systems

Cold-applied polymer-modified bitumen is a sheet membrane composed of polymer materials compounded with asphalt and attached to a polyethylene sheet. The polymer is integrated with the asphalt to create a more viscous and less temperature-sensitive elastic material compared to asphalt on its own. These sheets are self-adhering and eliminate the harmful toxins typically associated with asphalt adhesion. They also increase tensile strength, resistance to acidic soils, resilience, self—healing and bond ability.

Despite such advancements, disadvantages persist. Installation can be challenging as membranes require sealing, lapping, and finishing of seams at the corners, edges and between sheets. Additionally, sheet membranes must be applied to a smooth finish without voids, honeycombs or protrusions. As the membrane can puncture and tear during backfilling, protection boards must also be installed. ln spite of all these drawbacks, sheet membranes have been the industry norm in waterproofing for many years — they still hold the majority of the market share. Their continued use is due to impact resistance, toughness and overall durability compared to other membrane options.

Liquid-applied membranes Liquid-applied membranes

Liquid-applied membranes can be applied with a brush, spray, roller, trowel or squeegee, and usually contain urethane or polymeric asphalt (hot- or coldapplied) in a solvent base. These membranes are usually applied on the positive side of cured concrete and have high elastomeric properties. More recent technologies have also made negative-side applications possible. www.cceonlinenews.com

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FEATURE

materials or repellents because they have no ability to seal cracks and joints. Concrete under hydrostatic pressure requires additional waterproofing methods to protect it from damage and deterioration.

Water repellents are also known as ‘hydrophobic’. These products typically come in liquid form and include oils, hydrocarbons, stearates or other long-chain fatty acid derivatives.

Although hydrophobic systems may perform satisfactorily for damp—proofing, they are less successful at resisting liquid under hydrostatic pressure. Induced stresses cause cracking in any concrete, which creates pathways for water passage.

So the effectiveness of water repellents is highly dependent on the concrete itself.

Sheet membrane systems Successful waterproofing with liquid-applied membranes depends on proper thickness and uniform application. They call for skilled, experienced labour to apply them, a clean and dry substrate —which can often be a construction environment challenge — a protection layer before backfilling, properly cured concrete to avoid problems with adhesion and blistering and, on horizontal applications, a subslab. Liquid-applied membranes deteriorate when exposed to UV radiation and cannot withstand foot traffic. The liquids themselves also contain toxic and hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Although liquid—applied membranes work well on projects with multiple plane transitions, intricate geometric shapes and protrusions, they are typically only used when prefabricated sheets do not work.

Admixtures

For the past three decades, a new type of waterproofing has been used around the globe. These integral admixture systems are added at the batching plant or on-site and react chemically within the concrete.

Instead of forming a barrier on the positive or negative side of concrete, they turn the concrete itself into a water barrier. Integral concrete waterproofing systems can be densifiers, water repellents or crystalline admixtures.

Densifiers react with the calcium hydroxide formed in hydration, creating another by-product that increases concrete density and slows water migration.

They are typically not characterised as waterproofing

34

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

Crystalline admixtures

Crystalline-based systems typically come in a dry, powdered form and are hydrophilic in nature. Unlike their hydrophobic counterparts, crystalline systems actually use available water to grow crystals inside concrete, effectively closing off pathways for moisture that can damage concrete. They block water from any direction because the concrete itself becomes the water barrier. The crystalline formula contains no VOCs and can be completely recycled when demolition occurs.

Additionally, crystalline admixtures offer installation advantages. Unlike traditional membrane waterproofing, which tends to be labour—intensive and expensive, crystalline admixtures can be shipped in dissolvable, pulpable bags that are thrown into the concrete batch during mixing. This speeds up the construction schedule and decreases labour costs by combining steps with concrete placing.

Integral crystalline waterproofing systems should not be used in applications under constant movement. During the crystallisation process, crystals align in a three-dimensional array that breaks when subjected to excessive movement.

Areas that require flexibility and face recurring movement- such as plaza decks or rooftops – would be better waterproofed another way.

Selecting right product

Efficiency is the key to success in the construction industry and selecting the right concrete waterproofing product for the job can make or break a project’s timeline. Concrete waterproofing manufacturers are working more closely than ever with contractors to understand the unique needs of their project, and ensure they have the right technology to protect their structures.

FEATURE

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa Minister Jeff Radebe to present keynote address

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals Addressing the current landscape of water and energy projects all over the subcontinent, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, is proud to announce the confirmation of the South African Minister of Energy, Honourable Jeff Radebe, who will form part of the stellar line up at the opening ministerial address on 14 May at the CTICC in Cape Town. The minister also opened this flagship industry gathering last year.

The new co-location of POWERGEN Africa at the 19th edition of the event from 14-16 May will add an expanded focus on generation, including renewables, off grid, fossil fuels and nuclear, while still concentrating on transmission, distribution, metering, new technologies including storage, mini grids, micro grids, IOT and ICT systems, as well as water.

Along with multiple side events and numerous

networking functions the event boasts a five track strategic conference with over 300 expert speakers. An extensive Knowledge Hub programme that is CPD accredited and free to attend, offers hands-on presentations taking place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. These discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.

Other keynote speakers confirmed so far are: - Dr Mark Swilling, Programme Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Programme in the School of Public Leadership; the Academic Director of the Sustainability Institute; and the Co-Director of the Stellenbosch Centre for Complex Systems in Transition.

- Prof Anton Eberhard, who the directs Man-

www.cceonlinenews.com

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FEATURE

aging Infrastructure Investment Reform Regulation In Africa (MIRA) at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. He is also chairing a team appointed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to advise on turning Eskom around and restructuring the power sector.

Following the keynote session, conference delegates will break into five programme tracks.

The programme for 2019 follows the industry trend of connecting the full value chain, so content is not siloed by industry and reflects the many disciplines required for a modern, smart power industry: The Future Cities conference will look at Africa’s current urban living challenges and ask what is needed for the cities of tomorrow and who will be leading the way?

Learn about the finance and investment trends and forecasts for Africa’s power infrastructure in the Power Strategy Development conference, tailored to utilities and companies with an interest in finance and investment as well as generation options.

The Smart Energy conference will combine meteringbased topics with the latest smart grid solutions to equip the sectors leaders and innovators.

Energy Revolution Africa provides a dynamic meeting place for solution providers, consultants, renewable energy producers and the African and global energy minds to develop alternative solutions towards the acceleration of Africa’s sustainable electrification.

The Water conference will bring together experts from public and private sectors to support municipalities as they become more responsive and efficient in their practices.

International pavilions Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May. Industry support A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare and 36

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

Sulzer as gold sponsors.

The sixth edition of the annual African Power, Energy & Water Industry Awards also returns to celebrate pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industry on the continent during 2018/2019.

CEO Forum The Utility CEO Forum an exclusive gathering of regional utility CEOs within the power and energy sector providing a unique, safe space for discussion and debate of the modern day challenges in running African utilities in a fast developing market with high political expectations and low returns within aging or no infrastructure. Confirmed industry expert and technology partners for this strategic gathering are Conlog, Eaton, Nyamezela, Ontec, Oracle and Steinmüller.

African Utility Week and the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors.

Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week.

Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa: Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019 Site visits: 17 May 2019 Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

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FEATURE

DRC Mining Week celebrates 15 years as valued strategic industry partner in Lubumbashi in June

and local stakeholders from more than 50 countries are expected to attend.

Larger expo areas The event will feature a strategic high-level conference again that will focus on challenges and developments in the industry including a special power focus day, finance options for mining houses, the Mining Code, looking to the future of the industry, the upskilling of local mining talent, private and public partnerships as well as project updates.

The in- and outside expo areas keep growing every year and in 2019 will feature more than 180 suppliers, including country pavilions from at least five countries, with Zimbabawe already confirmed and others in the final stages of confirmation.

Of the more than 80 mining and exploration companies expected at DRC Mining Week, the following sector pioneers and longstanding supporters and speakers at the event have already confirmed their presence: - Louis Watum, Managing Director-DRC Operations, Ivanhoe Mines, DRC - Gustave Nzeng Rubuz, Chairman Board of Directors, Kamoto Copper Company SA, Kolwezi, DRC - Charles Kyona, Secretary General, MMG, DRC - André Kapanga, Director General, Tenke Fungurume Mining, Kinshasa, DRC - Eric Monga Mumba, Chief Executive, Kipay Investments, DRC - Mark Bristow, President and CEO, Barrick Gold Confirmed speakers representing government and the public sector include:

“The DRC is just too important a jurisdiction from a resource volume and grade quality perspective for any serious player in the global mining sector to ignore” says Peter von Klemperer, the Head of Mining and Metals at the Standard Bank Group, and the exclusive Diamond Plus sponsor at the DRC Mining Week that returns to Lubumbashi from 19-21 June this year.

He adds: “Standard Bank supports a large number of resources clients in the mining sector in the DRC and DRC Mining Week provides us with an important platform to engage with clients and key stakeholders in the DRC’s resources sector.

Standard Bank has been involved in the DRC for over 20 years, funding operations and managing banking for a range of clients, from established developed-world players to newer Chinese clients.”

Compelling business case “The business case for DRC’s mining sector remains compelling” says DRC Mining Week event director Elodie Delagneau, “for example, the demand for battery metals such as lithium and cobalt is on the rise and the country’s low production costs, the average cost of producing cobalt in DRC is 30% lower than the rest of the world, allows miners to absorb the additional higher royalty payments introduced in the new Mining Code.”

“Furthermore,” she continues, “challenges always present opportunities, with the DRC mining sector’s energy deficit creating a huge gap to fill for the right power solution providers.”

According to Miss Delagneau, “we are so proud of the long-running, award-winning and flagship expo and conference that DRC Mining Week has become. We invite the sector to join us in celebrating 15 years as a reliable partner that has grown with the industry and established itself as the only mining platform for the whole industry in the heart of the Copperbelt.”

More than 3500 international mining experts 38

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

- Simon Tuma Waku, Vice President, Chamber of Mines, DRC - Isaac Kwesu, President, Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe - Bruno Kapandji, Head of Mission of the Head of State, Authority for the Development and the Promotion of Inga, DRC - Diagne Mabouba, Regional Executive Structuring & Financial Modelling, Trade & Development Bank, Mauritius - Simon Nzuka Mapengo, Deputy General Manager, DGDA, DRC Industry support Apart from Standard Bank’s diamond plus sponsorship, as with previous editions of the event, DRC Mining Week has already secured wide and impressive industry support through leading industry giants, including Tenke Fungurume as diamond sponsor and AEL, CATOCA, Engen and Sofibanque as platinum sponsors.

DRC Mining Week is organised by Spintelligent, a leading Cape Town-based and multi-award winning organiser of exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week, Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria and the East & Central Africa Mining Forum. Spintelligent is part of the UKbased Clarion Events Group.

DRC Mining Week: Site visit: 18 June 2019 Pre-conference Power Focus Day: 19 June 2019 Expo and conference: 19-21 June 2019 Location: The Pullman Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC

FEATURE

HPE Africa takes a look at the efficiency of mini excavators

Experts from HPE Africa explain why mini excavators are well-suited for most small to medium size construction, repair and demolition projects.

“Although mini excavators generally don’t exceed 10 000 kg and are much smaller than full-sized excavators, these compact machines have excellent power-to-weight ratios, with no compromise on functions and capabilities,” says Alex Ackron, managing director, HPE Africa. “Mini excavators are fuel efficient and are easy to transport from one site to another. Because of their small size, these useful machines are able to swing within a small radius, which is not possible with bigger excavators.

“These lightweight excavators have a small footprint and cause less damage to work surfaces, like grass and asphalt, making them ideal to work in gardens and parking areas. When fitted with rubber tracks they can even work in warehouses and with their low operating noise levels, they are often used on residential job sites.”

HPE Africa notes that specially designed attachments, like trenchers,

augers and forks, add to the versatility of these machines. By selecting the appropriate attachment, agile mini excavators cope efficiently with tasks that would otherwise be performed with great difficulty. Typical applications include digging holes, creating trenches, demolishing small structures, repairing sewer lines and landscaping.

Mini excavators are also used to remove stumps, for digging irrigation ditches and creating garden ponds, as well as general maintenance work.

Advancements in modern mini excavators include high power ratings, fuel-efficient engines, with low emissions and the latest hydraulic technologies

for smooth performance and precise control. Robust operator cabs are designed for enhanced comfort and low noise levels, with excellent visibility for improved safety on site.

The HPE Africa team recommends the implementation of a strict maintenance programme to ensure minimal downtime, optimum efficiency and extended service life of every machine. hpe-africa-mini-excavatorshigh-performance-highproductivity-construction… two These procedures include checking and changing the gear oil, greasing pins and bushings, which should be done daily, changing out the hydraulic fluid and regular cleaning out the undercarriage.

Safety is critical when operating construction equipment, which is why operator training is essential. Although mini excavators are small compared to other construction equipment, they can be dangerous if not used correctly. wIn conclusion, mini excavators are likely to lower investment and operating costs, ensure quicker completion of tasks, reduce top ground damage and enable easy transport between locations.

HPE Africa offers highly versatile Hyundai R35Z-9, R60-9S and R80-7 mini excavators, which are backed by superior aftermarket support and preferential warranties. These reliable machines are the perfect solution for all small to medium size projects.

www.cceonlinenews.com

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FEATURE

Artificial Intelligence and Construction Written by Greg Gies on October 2, 2018 Over the past couple of years, much of the literature on the topic of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the construction industry focuses on the impacts both AI and robotics have had, particularly in the areas of design, engineering and construction of buildings. Despite this insight, there has been less of a discussion about how AI is improving the actual “business” of construction.

One business area where AI is making inroads into construction is in regards to business development.

This might come as a surprise, since the thought of a business development manager’s role typically conjures images of personal, face-to-face selling and relationship building – work that most of us don’t think of as at risk of being displaced by robots or computers any time soon. Despite these changes and while some AI technologies like chatbots are becoming more widely adopted in this capacity, we still haven’t quite reached a point where business development managers need to worry about losing their job to a computer, since the industry still relies on the relationships and trusted partnerships established and nurtured by business development professionals.

That said, there are currently many tasks that require industry professionals to focus their attention away from the human element of the job. In this sense, AI is changing the dynamic nature of the business and helping to foster greater collaboration and trust among owners, architects, contractors, tradespeople and manufacturers—an exciting proposition.

While it’s not as visible to outside observers, business development managers spend a significant portion of their time sifting through construction documents looking for opportunities that are a good fit for their product or firm. Unfortunately, this work is so timeconsuming and costly that managers often rely upon imperfect rules of thumb and best guesses to decide whether or not to pursue a project instead of precisely evaluating the project by fit and profit potential.

This often results in lost productivity or sub-optimal profitability, as best guesses are often wrong. With the severe shortage of skilled tradespeople, this problem is exacerbated, as already tight profit margins are squeezed even further by higher labor costs.

In order to combat these issues, industry leaders are turning to AI to serve as a kind of decision support system to uncover insights buried deep within complex, voluminous construction project plans, specs and addenda that all players in the industry analyze in order to make decisions in bidding and preconstruction—decisions that directly impact the profitability of projects with razor-thin profit margins.

Specifically, we’re seeing Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies used to classify and extract data that historically required a human to locate. As these technologies are able to “read” these documents and uncover data previously “hidden” from the view of computer algorithms, it has become much easier to accurately identify profitable projects by drilling down through interactive data visualizations to sift through hundreds of projects 40

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

in only minutes.

Through these capabilities, managers are primed to make better decisions about where to allocate resources, and are therefore able to maximize the profit from each project their firm undertakes. While marketing, sales and business development teams previously had to dig through project documents for hours, it will now take them only minutes with a few mouse clicks, increasing productivity and saving time, energy, resources, and cost while maximizing profit through better decision-making.

In the near future, we expect that manufacturers and contractors will be able to evaluate the profitability of future projects based on machine-generated estimates of the quantity of product or labor required for a project rather than relying on imperfect metrics such as total project value or total square footage, as is common today, that rarely correlate to the revenue and profitability potential for a specific manufacturer or contractor.

With the rise of cloud computing and mobile communications, the construction industry is embracing the use of information technology as never before. It’s critical for construction business leaders to understand how AI can be applied to their own businesses—otherwise they will find themselves left behind with either a large cost disadvantage or lagging innovation in terms of new value-added products and services.

Reprinted with permission from Industry Today www. industrytoday.com

FEATURE

The ultimate guide to Flooring in a Printing plant

Not so many moons ago, it was feared that the growth of the digital age was set to wipe out print media altogether thanks to the rise of online newspapers, blogs (ahem) and digital magazines.

However it was clear to see in 2018 that the industry is growing, adapting and strengthening its presence within a digital world. In India for example, technological advancements including UV digital printing and inkjet technology has resulted in the printing industry growing at a rapid rate of 12% per annum!

Printing companies within India are equipped with the latest computer controlled printing machines and flow lines for binding, while state-of-theart technologies are used in prepress.

As with any industry, where there is growth there are often challenges to meet. These challenges can range from meeting client demand to maintaining high health and safety standards.

At a base level, all areas within a printing facility must be safe and functional in order to facilitate workflow, and here the construction of the facility itself can help.

Challenge: Chemic ls The layout of a printing plant should enable the smooth flow of produc-

tion from prepress operations such as artwork preparation and plate making to the multicolour printing with online, error-free numbering and post printing operations of binding, pinning, cutting, packing and dispatch. Chemicals are inherent in printing facilities, from airborne solvent vapours from printing chemicals, to the strong chemical cleaners needed to clean the printing machinery. Daily exposure to such chemicals can be very harmful to staff members and can also cause longterm damage to the facility itself.

With such a particular workflow, the floors can be exposed to hazardous waste such as photographic and residual chemicals, metal hydroxide sludge, dyestuff and solvent residues, wiping materials containing dyes and solvents and even oil spills.

The Solution: Chemical Resistance The flooring in such facilities can benefit from additional properties such as stain resistance, chemical resistance and slip resistance. Whilst stains do not affect the functionality of flooring, added stain resistance leaves the floor looking its best for longer.

Prolonged exposure to chemicals however can damage the floor’s surface, and can lead to peeling or cracks forming. If the flooring becomes worn to this level, it can be just as dangerous as having a lack of slip resistance, as staff could trip on a cracked floor and fall, leading to accidents and in extreme cases, litigation.

Expensive repairs could also be on the cards for facilities that ignore a peeling surface, as chemical erosion of the substrate can jeopardise the structural integrity of the building, leading to costly repairs and a new floor coating.

Chemical resistance is not the only major consideration for printing facilities however. The Problem: Static Charge Static electricity is used to con-

trol the movement of paper in laser printers. The core component of this system is the photoreceptor, which is typically a revolving cylinder or drum that moves the paper along. This drum assembly is made out of highly photoconductive material that is discharged by light protons. The static keeps the paper ‘stuck’ to the drum so that the print is issued in the correct position.

Static electricity can be a key concern within this industry, as it can cause printing defects, thanks to the static pushing and pulling ink particles away from their intended trajectories, and can even cause press operators static shocks.

The Solution: Antistatic Flooring Antistatic flooring is the mandated flooring requirement for these areas.

In order to dissipate static charge, antistatic flooring is able to assist in preventing electrical charges affecting sensitive printing technology or causing an ignition source around solvents, by safely dissipating the charge across its surface and to ground.

In order to ground the antistatic charge, copper grids or rods can be used to quickly transfer the charge from the floor’s surface to a safe earth. Earthing rods must be installed by a qualified electrician and tested to ensure that the charge is being earthed as quickly as possible. Static charge can easily be generated by staff walking across the floor’s surface, but when walking on an ESD flooring system, the charge is dissipated with each footstep. This charge reaches the conductive floor and, depending on the build-up of the flooring system, moves through the surface via special conductive fibres, then flows through carbon coated aggregates and an ESD primer before finally transferring to an appropriate earth point.

Less Challenging Areas For other areas of the printing facility that do not require anti-static properties, a chemical resistant epoxy resin floor finish is a great choice. Typically used in dry process areas, including laboratories, clean rooms and warehouses where pallet trucks and rubber wheeled forklift traffic are likely, this is a highly durable floor finish that is abrasion and chemical resistant, and more than capable of withstanding the challenges faced in printing facilities.

To find out more about chemical resistant and antistatic flooring solutions, leave a comment below or give us a call, we’d be happy to help!

www.cceonlinenews.com

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FEATURE

Terra Drone Invested in Indonesia’s Drone Service Company AeroGeosurvey

In January 2019, there has been a collaboration between Terra Drone Corporation and AeroGeosurvey Indonesia through investment in form of capital and technology. The result of this collaboration made AeroGeosurvey as part of Terra Drone global group with a new identity: Terra Drone Indonesia. By having technology provided by Terra Drone Corporation, Terra Drone Indonesia will be able to offer more drone applications and solutions for industries in Indonesia.

“We have discussed with many drone operators and were very impressed with AeroGeosurvey’s good track record and professional experience,” said Toru Tokushige, CEO of Terra Drone.

This decision was based on the good track record, high quality, and professionalism of AeroGeosurvey that has been carried out for the past three years. This made Terra Drone choose AeroGeosurvey to be the right part to achieve Terra Drone’s vision which is to be the largest drone service provider in the world.

Director of AeroGeosurvey, Michael Wishnu Wardana, added, “With this investment, we are capable of providing higher lever service by utilizing Terra Drone’s 3D surveying know-how and latest technology such as own LiDAR system Terra LiDAR which is twice or three times cheaper than conventional UAV laser.”

This also became an opportunity for Terra Drone Indonesia to explore various technologies and methodologies available in the world including Light Detection and 42

Construction & Civil Engineering Journal / May 2019 Issue

Static electricity can be a key concern within this industry, as it can cause printing defects, thanks to the static pushing and pulling ink particles away from their intended trajectories, and can even cause press operators static shocks.

Ranging (LiDAR) technology to customers in various sectors, not only in Indonesia but also in Southeast Asia, based on Terra Drone’s global network. Terra Drone will continue to generate innovations in drone applications that have great impact on society.

AeroGeosurvey will formally change its identity to Terra Drone Indonesia gradually in Q1 2019.

AeroGeosurvey Indonesia AeroGeosurvey Indonesia is a drone service provider established in 2016 that provide solutions for industrial application which include aerial mapping and modeling, as well as aerial inspection and monitoring.

In addition, AeroGeosurvey Indonesia also provides training and consultancy services for drone users in the industry.

Terra Drone Corporation Terra Drone Corporation is a leading global commercial drone technology company for industrial needs which was established in 2016. Terra Drone’s head office is located in Tokyo, Japan, which has global branch offices in several countries in Asia, Africa, North America and Latin America.

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6.7ltr CUMMINS COMMON RAIL, INTERCOOLED TURBO DIESEL 6SPD AUTO TRANSMISSIION WITH INTERGRATED EXHAUST BRAKE UCONNECT 8.4A SYSTEM WITH 8.4” TOUCHSCREEN DUAL ZONE AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL AUTO DIMMING REARVIEW MIRROR EXTERIOR MIRRORS WITH SUPPLEMENTAIL TURNING SIGNALS

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Construction & Civil Engineering Journal /May 2019 Issue

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DRIVER PREFERENCE MEMORY CONTROL WOODGRAIN INSTRUMENT PANEL PARKVIEW BACKUP CAMERA LEATHER-TRIMMED HEATED AND VENTILATED SEAT KEYLESS ENTRY KEYLESS START