Construction Business News ME - November 2021

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE REGION'S CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS

NOVEMBER 2021 | CBNME.COM

REAL/ESTATE Leading real estate developers executives discuss demands, managing during the pandemic, automation in construction, and the rise of sustainable projects in the UAE

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IN THIS ISSUE

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54 ESTATE GIANTS 28 REAL Leading real estate developers executives discuss market demands, managing during the pandemic, automation in construction, and the rise of sustainable projects in the UAE

12 SOFTWARE

34 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

RIB CCS WINS SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARD In the safety shoes and hard hats of the construction industry

PROVEN TRACK RECORD EFS Facilities Services Group Announces Contract Awards Exceeding AED 575 million At The Closure Of Q3, 2021

18 OP-ED

40 MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

CAN BLOCKCHAIN SAVE CONSTRUCTION IN THE GCC? Even though the construction sector was classed as a vital sector of the economy and largely escaped any resultant lockdowns due to COVID-19, the industry has suffered from the effects of the pandemic

EXOSTEEL MASK Architects has designed the world’s first steel 3D printed structure of modular houses for Nivola Museum’s visitors, Tourists, and Artists in Orani

44 SUSTAINABLITY

22 CERAMICS AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS EXTENDS ITS AGREEMENT WITH RAK CERAMICS The developer aims to procure not only European, but also premium, locally manufactured construction materials for its prestigious developments across the UAE and beyond

24 LEGACY THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF EXPO 2020 > Discover the future of Expo 2020 > ‘City of firsts’ to focus on creation of global innovation hub

EMERGING SHIFTS IN CONSTRUCTION Joe Labaky, General Manager of UAE and Emerging Markets, AMANA Contracting Group, talks about the emerging trends in construction and how Expo 2020 Dubai is encouraging a shift in sustainability, agility, and modularity

58 INTERVIEW COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY LIVING In conversation with Ziad Salloum General Manager, Masaood Village Facilities Management

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 3

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EDITOR’S NOTE

HOSPITALITY PROJECTS ON THE RISE

CEO

Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net

L

eisure facilities have become a key component of the UAE’s economic diversification strategy and helped the country to attract international hospitality giants like Marriott International, Hyatt, and Hilton. Meanwhile, the domestic

brands DAMAC, Emaar, Jumeirah hospitality groups expanded rapidly in the country.

During the 2007 – 2017 decade, the tourism and hospitality sector experienced strong growth and its direct contribution was increased by 138% to the country’s gross domestic product with sectoral employment growing by 119% over the same period.

Dubai Expo which was primarily scheduled for 2020 was postponed to 2021 due to COVID – 19 pandemic is expected to bring even more investors to the country. In fact, visitors to the country have increased demand for hotel properties in the region with hotels seeing full occupancy in the months of October and November.

Let alone UAE, with Saudi Arabia now gearing to bid for the World Expo 2030 and it’s ambitions to drive tourism through its giga-project this can only further the demand for more projects in the region.

Kasun Illankoon

DIRECTOR

Rabih Najm rabih@bncpublishing.net GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Joaquim D'Costa

jo@bncpublishing.net +971 50 440 2706 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Rabih Naderi

rabih.naderi@bncpublishing.net +966 50 328 9818 EDITOR

Kasun Illankoon kasun@bncpublishing.net ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jochebed Menon EDITORIAL DESIGN

Christian Harb

MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Aaron Joshua Sinanbam aj@bncpublishing.net PHOTOGRAPHER

Alexander Bungas

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SOFTWARE

RIB CCS

WINS SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARD

IN THE SAFETY SHOES AND HARD HATS OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

R

IB CCS was awarded Software Solutions Company of the Year 2021 at the BNC Construction Innovation Awards, which recognises individual excellence, corporate strength and project success in the region’s construction industry.

Andrew Skudder, RIB CCS CEO, says being recognised as the leading software company is a credit to the hard work conducted by RIB CCS team members. “Their work is informed by practical experience, lessons learned and industry best practice – all underpinned by innovative solutions that empower players in the construction industry.”

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With the construction industry being one of the least digitised industries globally, RIB CCS’ purpose is to drive digital transformation in the industry through smart technology that is aimed at improving efficiencies and enhancing productivity in the built environment.

Skudder says the award comes on the cusp of the business’s 40th year of delivering specialised software solutions to the industry. “It is a wonderful affirmation by the industry that we are on the right track. It also underlines our efforts to build an international reputation for excellence.”

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RIB CCS WINS SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARD

He says the company works hard to attract, motivate and retain talented employees. “We are focused on establishing the benchmark when it comes to development, support and service. All support, training and implementation personnel are experienced construction industry professionals, capable of providing expert support, assistance and advice on the practical application of our products.”

“In addition, we understand the stress of meeting tight deadlines for tenders, cost reports or financial management reports. We have become our customers’ trusted advisors and we show them not only how to use our software, but how to embed industry best practice in their organisations. We make it our mission to place ourselves in their safety shoes and hard hats,” adds Skudder.

The award also bears testimony to the support and trust of RIB CCS clients.

“Our clients’ partner with us for the long-term and because of this, we’ve fostered a strong service-oriented culture around our training and support services.

When we talk about around-the-clock support, we truly mean it – our clients can pick up the phone and talk to us

any time of day – and we feel that this is what really sets us apart.”

The RIB CCS journey started more than 40 years ago. The business has scaled significantly over the years as the world has become increasingly digitised.

Everything it does leverages the latest digital technologies to empower its clients to run their businesses better.

Skudder says RIB CCS is focused on addressing many of the challenges the industry faces. “While construction is the single largest industry vertical in the world, it lags behind in average productivity growth and has only grown by about 1% in the last decade.

“Construction projects are also highrisk endeavours, which yield a large capital investment value, sometimes running into millions and even billions.

What we’re seeing is that the margins are increasingly placed under pressure and recorded at about 4% or 5%, on average,” he adds.

Research shows that approximately 80% of all construction projects run over time and/or over budget, resulting in low levels of customer satisfaction. “All of these challenges are further compounded by the fact that the construction industry is one of the least digitised industries

across the field, ranking 22 of 23 industry verticals.

“We are, however, now at an interesting stage within the built environment where there are fit-for-purpose digital solutions that can fast-track the journey. And that’s where we come in. It’s our mission to drive this digital transformation of the industry so that it can prosper for many generations to come,” notes Skudder.

Looking ahead, he says the focus for RIB CCS will always be on its clients.

“We constantly work to improve our own operations to provide even greater service. We understand the importance of a single view of the customer. It helps us to better serve them, which amplifies both their success and ours.

And we’re expanding on and exploring new and cutting-edge digital technology every day, so that we can do that more intelligently.”

“IT’S OUR MISSION TO DRIVE THIS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE INDUSTRY SO THAT IT CAN PROSPER FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.”

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INTERVIEW

DESIGNING LUXURY EXPERIENCE Ziad El Chaar, Vice Chairman, Dar Al Arkan Properties, discusses the brand’s ideology, sustainability, real estate’s role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and current developments

Tell us about Dar Al Arkan Properties’ brand philosophy.

Dar Al Arkan’s brand philosophy embraces innovation, luxury and excellence. With innovation and the latest industry technology as key drivers, Dar Al Arkan has significantly influenced the growth and diversification of the real estate sector in Saudi Arabia and has succeeded in setting new standards for commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects with superior standards and design.

How do you select international designers for your luxury villa projects?

We select mainly international designers who are relevant to the target market and already established an interior design collection, so our approach is not just a 14 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

brand tag but a fashion brand with the interior design already integrated into its DNA. What can you tell us about the Shams Ar Riyadh project and your collaborations with brands like Versace and Elie Saab?

Shams Ar Riyadh is a premium grand master plan in Saudi Arabia, spanning more than 5msqm. The project comprises both commercial and residential spaces, incorporated with the finest facilities for an exclusive lifestyle. Indeed, it is for the Shams Ar Riyadh project that we have been collaborating with some of the world’s leading luxury brands to deliver exclusive, highly sought-after properties.

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DESIGNING LUXURY EXPERIENCE | ZIAD EL CHAAR, VICE CHAIRMAN, DAR AL ARKAN PROPERTIES

“DAR AL ARKAN’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY IS ROOTED IN THE SAUDI LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT; AS A RESULT, THE BRAND IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT ISSUES OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.” We have a unique collaboration with Versace Home, which will bring the world’s first-ever villas with interiors

by Versace Home to Shams Ar Riyadh.

Versace Home’s outstanding design and craftsmanship will augment the extraordinary ‘Upside Living’ design of the limited-edition luxury villas which will overlook the historic and natural setting of Wadi Hanifa.

Also, recently we have partnered with designer Elie Saab to launch a limited number of co-branded villas which reflect the sophisticated elegance and exceptional detailing that Elie Saab is recognised for.

When is it expected that this project will be completed?

The project is being executed by seven contractors currently on-site and the first phase will be handed over by September 2021.

What are your thoughts on sustainability and why it should be a primary consideration in a construction project?

We are committed to protecting the environment and ensuring community sustainability by educating our employees, contractors, suppliers, and communities about the impact our business activities can have on the surrounding environment and place heavy emphasis on the responsible behaviour Dar Al Arkan expect to eliminate, reduce and control potential environmental impacts.

Can you tell us about how COVID-19 has affected your business and how it has transformed your work?

The Saudi real estate market was not immune to the impact of the pandemic.

However, it demonstrated remarkable

Ziad El Chaar, Vice Chairman, Dar Al Arkan Properties

resilience. This was confirmation of the underlying strengths of the fundamental drivers of the market. We were the first real estate company to launch online booking during the lockdown and our project which was launched for online booking during the pandemic recorded more than 200 million SR in sales. This motivated us to invest more and more in our portal that will enjoy a mega launch soon.

From an internal perspective, our management and staff worked tirelessly to enable us to remain focused on our strategic priorities. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of specific solutions and introduced new specific challenges.

How will real estate contribute to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030?

Real estate is a significant contributor to achieving the goals of Vision 2030.

The diversification and growth of the real estate sector will help strengthen the country’s economy by building a foundation that relies less upon traditional sources of income and more upon newly activated economic sectors. The plan is a spark of hope for private businesses and new avenues of investment.

How is technology beneficial to real estate development?

The company seeks to push the frontiers of technology and innovation for our industry and we apply this across all areas of our business. From supporting staff with new ways of working to making the customer’s purchase process more convenient, innovation is central to our success.

For instance, we are currently employing the latest production methods, using 3D Construction Printing (3DCP) technology which will accelerate the speed of construction while enhancing safety and reducing wastage and errors.

We will soon also launch our online portal “Waslat”; a digitised real estate hub, offering everything everyone needs in one place. As well as providing Dar Al Arkan’s properties, it also provides more than 4,000 other quality properties in over 11 countries around the world. The portal also offers various solutions, products and services that will revolutionise how people can find the perfect property, get a suitable payment method, and trust the property’s valuation. >>>

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INTERVIEW

What trends will influence real estate development and architectural design in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the future?

Sustainable development has been an increasingly important dimension in the Kingdom since the inception of the country’s development process and we recognize the importance of sustainability as a guiding principle for

our business strategy. We strongly believe that corporates carry a responsibility towards all stakeholders; employees, investors, the community in which they operate and our planet. Such a belief is not in conflict with delivering superior shareholder returns. In fact, it is only by approaching business through a sustainability lens that we could position Dar Al Arkan for success.

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What other projects do you have on the go?

Our portfolio of projects in the Kingdom includes Shams Ar Riyadh villas with interiors by Elie Saab, Versace and Roberto Cavalli; Shams Al Aroos and Khozam, both in Jeddah.

Outside of Saudi Arabia, we have the Urban Oasis in Dubai featuring bespoke apartments with luxury interiors designed by Roberto Cavalli, with water views and access on the Dubai Canal, and easy proximity to major attractions. We also have Sidra, a new gated community in the heart of Bosnia, within a stunning 540,000sqm landscape characterised by breathtaking landscapes all year long and considered to be the largest single real estate development project in the country.

“OVER ITS 27-YEAR HISTORY, THE COMPANY HAS COMPLETED VARIOUS MEGA REAL ESTATE PROJECTS, PUTTING IT AT THE FOREFRONT OF SAUDI ARABIA’S REAL ESTATE SECTOR.”

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OP-ED

Can Blockchain save construction in the GCC? B Y M I C H A E L L AW R E N C E , F O U N D E R O F B L O Q W O R K

E

ven though the construction sector was classed as a vital sector of the economy and largely escaped any resultant lockdowns due to COVID-19, the industry has suffered from the effects of the pandemic. According to an analysis by MEED there was a 37% fall in contract awards in 2020 as compared to 2019. Those projects which have continued through the pandemic have been impacted by infections, labour transport bans, disinfection drives, and inefficiencies resulting from maintaining

safe distances. In 2021 MEED expects the market to recover to a value of $84.4bn from $67.2bn in 2020 but still short of $106.7bn in 2019.

With infection rates falling in the UAE as vaccination rates rise, there is reason for optimism that construction could get back to some sort of normal. A report by the Construction Think Tank however reminds us that the sector was damaged before the pandemic. This has only exasperated an already desperate situation, caused by short-sighted standard practices resulting in endless

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disputes, and increased payment delays, putting businesses under severe financial stress or even the threat of bankruptcy.

This was demonstrated in early 2021 with the demise of Arabtec.

In many respects the construction sector in the UAE and the GCC in general, suffers the same problems as the industry does Worldwide. Projects are late, over budget, uncoordinated and have poor safety and quality records. The industry worldwide also contributes approximately 39% of all carbon emissions with 28% arising from WWW.CBNME.COM

CAN BLOCKCHAIN SAVE CONSTRUCTION IN THE GCC?

THE SOLUTIONS ARE COMPLEX AND MULTIPLE, RANGING FROM MORE COLLABORATION, AND GREATER USE OF OFF-SITE FABRICATION THROUGH TO INCREASED GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES INCLUDING LEGISLATION, AND RETHINKING THE FINANCING OF PROJECTS. THERE IS ALSO AGREEMENT THAT GREATER USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND REDUCE WASTE THROUGH IMPROVED MEASUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PERFORMANCE.

Michael Lawrence, Founder of Bloqwork

operational emissions from buildings such as heating and cooling, according to the World Green Building Council.

Clearly something must change.

The good news is that despite the industry’s record as conservative, slow to change and with low rates of investment on research and development, changes are happening. The solutions are complex and multiple, ranging from more collaboration, and greater use of off-site fabrication through to increased government initiatives including legislation, and rethinking the financing of projects. There is also agreement that greater use of digital technologies represents an opportunity to improve productivity and reduce waste through improved measurement and management of performance.

One of the potential digital solutions to improve construction, is the use of blockchain or distributed ledger technology. So how can the technology which launched a digital currency, Bitcoin in 2008 help with construction?

So firstly, what is blockchain technology and why is it so potentially revolutionary and of any use to construction? Definitions and metaphors abound on the internet and a simple explanation can be found if you google, “What is Blockchain? Simply Explained by a 15-Year-Old?” Nick Paumgarten succinctly explained it in a New Yorker article in 2018:

“Broadly speaking, a blockchain is an evolving record of all transactions that is maintained, simultaneously and in common, by every computer in the network of that blockchain, be it Ethereum, Bitcoin, or Monero. Think, as some have suggested, of a dusty leather-bound ledger in a Dickensian counting house, a record of every transaction relevant to that practice.

Except that every accountant in London, and in Calcutta, has the same ledger, and when one adds a line to his own the addition appears in all of them.

Once a transaction is affirmed, it will— theoretically, anyway—be in the ledger forever, unalterable and unerasable.”

People quickly realised however that it’s not just transactions in the monetary sense as records, but any information that can be recorded. The true revolution of this technology however lies in the fact

that it allows for the transfer of value over the internet as well as information.

Now let’s turn to some of the top problems that impact the construction industry starting with performance guarantees. The banking industry has been issuing financial instruments via blockchain technology for several years. The technology could enable bonds to be issued throughout the supply chain from Main Contractors to subcontractors and sub-subcontractors all linked to defined performance parameters via smart contracts, which are basically programs stored on the blockchain that run when predetermined conditions are met. Similarly, the huge issue of slow payments, poor cash flow and transparency of payments, in the supply chain can be governed by self-executing smart contracts. >>>

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OP-ED

If all project stakeholders are exchanging information and communication on a project through a blockchain based platform, then an immutable, searchable record of information is generated which can then be interrogated by consultants as well as the parties themselves, to avoid conflict or ease dispute resolution.

Access to elements of project information could also be made available to statutory authorities who could then arrange virtual inspections on the basis that time stamped, photos or videos in real time would form a true and undeletable record of any inspection delegated to project consultants or who knows – in the future a drone!

The use of blockchain technology to trace the origin of materials in a supply chain in real time is already an established use case in other industries such as shipping, supermarkets, and luxury goods (to try and stamp out forgeries). The use in construction is therefore inevitable where it can be used to authenticate supplies, track delivery times, and confirm safety and environmental (carbon footprint) credentials.

Bloqwork is a platform which leverages blockchain technology for the management of information and

ultimately payments in the construction industry. The platform is in the final stages of rolling out the first phase of its development, to create a marketplace of trusted and verified suppliers. Again, this is a blockchain use case already present in other industries such as the supply of components for manufacturing. Once the marketplace is established the Bloqwork platform will move to tendering and pricing via the network of trusted suppliers.

The next phase of the platform’s development will see Bloqwork Connect as a platform to exchange project information and communication which will then provide the foundation for the third phase of the roll-out Bloqwork Payments to enable payments and project bonding.

At present platforms exist to exchange information and communication but they are cloud based and therefore paid for and used by one or two project stakeholders, usually the Main Contractor and/or the Employer. But who should be trusted with paying for and holding all the project information?

Is it either the Employer or Main Contractor, the project administrator, the subcontractors, the designers, or lawyers for one of the parties? It is in

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BLOQWORK IS A PLATFORM WHICH LEVERAGES BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION AND ULTIMATELY PAYMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. fact all these parties. Each should have access and hold its own information.

Blockchain technology allows this whilst not revealing commercially confidential information. After all who would use email if all communication and information is visible to all, other than those on the “to” or “cc” list.

Communications on the blockchain are in fact more secure than email since they are encrypted, and the level of transparency can be designed according to the type and use of information.

Blockchain will not save construction, but it will play its part in the digitalization of the industry and management of information and payments, particularly as the volume of data grows using the Internet of Things and AI.

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CERAMICS

AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS EXTENDS ITS AGREEMENT WITH RAK CERAMICS THE DEVELOPER AIMS TO PROCURE NOT ONLY EUROPEAN, BUT ALSO

PREMIUM, LOCALLY MANUFACTURED CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS FOR ITS PRESTIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE UAE AND BEYOND

A

zizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, has extended its agreement with RAK Ceramics, one of the largest premium ceramic brands in the world, to supply its floor and wall tiles for apartment and bathroom fittings and more, for its prestigious phase 3 of Riviera in MBR City.

RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics brands in the world. Specialising in ceramic and grès porcelain wall and floor tiles and sanitaryware, RAK Ceramics produces 123 million square meters of tiles and 5 million

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pieces of sanitaryware per year at their 22 state-of-the-art plants across the United Arab Emirates, India, and Bangladesh. Riviera’s corridors will be tiled with the Aleppo Stone Collection, and balconies with porcelain tiles from the Concrete Collection. Bathroom floors and walls will be fitted with modern glazed porcelain tiles, inspired by natural earthly rocks, from RAK’s shine stone collection. Further to this, wooden design living and bedroom porcelain flooring will add a contemporary rustic timber style to Riviera’s sophisticated homes.

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AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS EXTENDS ITS AGREEMENT WITH RAK CERAMICS

Mr. Farhad Azizi, Chief Executive Officer at Azizi Developments, said: “We are pleased to announce the extension of our agreement with RAK Ceramics, which comes in light of the appointment earlier last year. This signing highlights our commitment towards procuring high-quality, locally made materials. We pride ourselves on our developments embodying unparalleled modern luxury – a design and construction philosophy that sets us apart and ensures investor satisfaction.

RAK Ceramic’s world-renowned, premium collection of ceramic products was selected as the ideal fit, perfectly matching Riviera’s remarkably highquality standards.”

Designed to introduce the FrenchMediterranean lifestyle to Dubai, which is not merely about architectural art but also about a certain ‘joie de vivre’ — a celebration of life, an exultation of spirit, Riviera represents a new landmark destination that is both residential and commercial, with

DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE THE FRENCH-MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE TO DUBAI, WHICH IS NOT MERELY ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL ART BUT ALSO ABOUT A CERTAIN ‘JOIE DE VIVRE’ — A CELEBRATION OF LIFE, AN EXULTATION OF SPIRIT, RIVIERA REPRESENTS A NEW LANDMARK DESTINATION THAT IS BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF RETAIL SPACE. an abundance of retail space. Riviera features three districts: an extensive retail boulevard, the lagoon walk with artisan eateries and boutiques, and Les Jardins — a vast, lush-green social space.

In June this year, Azizi Developments announced the addition of the spectacularly large crystal lagoon to Riviera, covering an area of over 130,026 square metres that will stretch across the entirety of the community.

With stunning blue flooring, filled with more than 51.5 million gallons of crystal-clear, desalinated and clean water that residents can swim in Aziz’s lagoon will feature a vast variety of artisan eateries and boutiques and will

be a bustling space where residents can enjoy strolls along the beach-like shores, sunbathe and cool off.

With its strategic location near the upcoming Meydan One Mall and the Meydan Racecourse — home of the Dubai World Cup — as well as Dubai’s most noteworthy points of interest, Riviera represents one of Azizi Developments’ most coveted projects.

Situated merely 1 minute from Al Khail Road, 10 minutes from Festival City & IKEA, Downtown Dubai and Sheikh Zayed Road, and 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Riviera is one of the best-connected communities in all of the emirate.

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LEGACY

THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF EXPO 2020 > Discover the future of EXPO 2020 at District 2020’s experience hub and find out about the innovative approach for a of humancentric, people-first city > ‘CITY OF FIRSTS’ to focus on creation of global innovation hub for high-growth sectors including smart logistics and Industry 4.0 24 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

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THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF EXPO 2020

I

n the past 30 years, Dubai has become a city synonymous with bold, dynamic developments that have continually reinvented the art of the possible. The future evolution of Expo 2020 Dubai – District 2020 – is the latest incarnation of that relentless pursuit of innovation and new design thinking, showing the rest of the world what the future will look like, today.

District 2020 will reveal its blueprint for a human-centric future city and its people-centred approach at its “Future of Expo 2020” experience hub. Located at the Rove Expo 2020 hotel, it will be open to all visitors throughout the six months of Expo 2020, from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022. Visitors will be able to see the vision for how the mega-event was designed to evolve into the future, playing an integral role in the sustainable urban development of Dubai as a new urban centre in the emirate’s growth corridor.

Visitors will experience the transition of the Expo 2020 site into a fully integrated city of the future and visualise its evolution starting from March 2022 and continuing to grow to eventually house a population of 145,000 people. They will learn about District 2020’s mission to bring together people, businesses, spaces, technologies and industries. They will also have the opportunity to engage in opportunities within its innovation ecosystem and dedicated entrepreneurship programme, Scale2Dubai, for cross-sector collaboration and co-creation – with a purpose to create a smarter, more balanced, resilient and sustainable way of life.

District 2020 has set out an ultimate expression of a people-first, city of the future, to meet the demands of a new world economy – one driven by innovation and talent, and supported by the latest advances in technology and human-centric design.

Inheriting cutting-edge digital and physical infrastructure from Expo 2020, District 2020 will evolve and expand on the timeless legacy of the six-month mega event, very much with a forward-looking identity. It is already recognised as a benchmark for wellbeing, sustainability and mixed-use urban design, with a raft of multinational companies (MNCs) and innovation-driven enterprises set to benefit from its future-ready environment, location and easy access to regional and global markets. >>>

VISITORS WILL EXPERIENCE THE TRANSITION OF THE EXPO 2020 SITE INTO A FULLY INTEGRATED CITY OF THE FUTURE AND VISUALISE ITS EVOLUTION STARTING FROM MARCH 2022 AND CONTINUING TO GROW TO EVENTUALLY HOUSE A POPULATION OF 145,000 PEOPLE.

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LEGACY

As part of its strategic initiative to curate a global innovation ecosystem for the smart logistics, smart mobility, Industry 4.0, and smart cities sectors alongside technologies such as AI and IoT, District 2020 has already attracted some of the world’s leading industrial, tech and logistic giants, including Siemens, Terminus and DP World. In addition, the foundations for a commercial environment that actively supports synergies and integration between diverse stakeholders also makes it a highly attractive base for accelerating opportunities for start-ups, SMEs, academia, R&D and government entities.

Envisioned to be a ‘city of firsts’, District 2020 firmly echoes Dubai’s dynamic, forward-thinking approach by curating an environment that is, in effect, a ‘living lab’ – a place where individuals can realise their full potential and businesses can explore, develop and test new inventions and ideas, all within one of the world’s most hyper-connected cities.

Commenting on the innovative approach to designing a mega-event that paves the way for a future city, Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery

“FROM ESTABLISHED MNCS TO OUR SCALE2DUBAI START-UP PROGRAMME THAT OFFERS SUPPORT TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS AND THE TALENT THAT DRIVES THAT PROGRESS, DISTRICT 2020 WILL BRING TOGETHER AN ECOSYSTEM OF ENGAGED DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS PURPOSE-DRIVEN COMMUNITY, COLLABORATING AND ENABLING EACH OTHER TO REALISE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.” Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “There is nothing traditional or standard about the design-thinking behind the Expo 2020 site. From the outset, we have sought to bring to life a vision of the future with people at the heart of its design by curating a tech-enabled and integrated human-centric sustainable community where individuals and businesses have the best opportunity to succeed.

“From established MNCs to our Scale2Dubai start-up programme that offers support to the next generation of innovators and the talent that drives that progress, District 2020 will bring together an ecosystem of engaged diverse stakeholders that will benefit from and contribute to its purpose-driven community, collaborating and enabling each other to realise their full potential.”

“Industry acceleration and social advancement is the result of human

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behaviour and, in the design of this future city, we have sought to cultivate a balance that facilitates the best possible environment from which to realise both personal and professional advancement.”

With all amenities for city living available within a 15-minute walk, District 2020 has looked beyond the traditional, functional approach to urban and commercial development to create a balanced mixed-use fully-integrated environment that sets new benchmarks for the future of city planning. And with iconic architecture and attractions, an ultra-fast 5G network, autonomous vehicles, smart technologies across the community, and businesses focused in areas such as AI, IoT and 3-D printing, residents, workers and visitors to District 2020 may be forgiven for thinking they have stepped through a portal to the future.

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COVER STORY

REAL/ESTATE

GIANTS

Leading real estate developers executives, Francis Alfred, CEO at Sobha Realty, Eng. Khaled Ababneh VP – Projects and Commercial at Deyaar Development, and Raja Alameddine, CEO of Lootah Real Estate Development, sat down with Kasun Illankoon to discuss a variety of topics such as market demands, managing during the pandemic, automation in construction, and the rise of sustainable projects in the UAE

28 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

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ROUNDTABLE | REAL ESTATE GIANTS

Opposite page, left to right: Raja Alameddine, CEO of Lootah Real Estate Development.

Fancis Alfred, CEO, Sobha Realty.

Eng. Khaled Ababneh, VP – Projects and Commercial at Deyaar and Chairman of Deyaar Community Management.

MARKET CONFIDENCE, THE PANDEMIC, AND EXPO 2020 DUBAI BOOST

E

xpo 2020 will leverage the power of World Expos and the UAE’s unique position as a global focal point to bring together 191 countries and millions of visitors. One of the first events of this scale to take place since the start of the pandemic, the six-month experience brings together businesses of all sizes, international organizations, and government entities from across the world, to come together to foster a more diversified and resilient global economy, inspire a vibrant business environment and drive sustainable growth.

The run up to Dubai Expo 2020 is likely to generate approximately US$23 billion in GDP. The construction and real estate sectors, were faced with a softened impact of the pandemic in H1 2020, possibly benefitted from the expansion in Dubai’s hotel and residential capacity that is required to accommodate the 25 million expected visitors.

According to a report from Property Finder, the growth of the monthly sales transactions and their values leading up to Expo 2020 has been phenomenal, but none as significant as September 2021.

September not only had the highest value of real estate sold in a single month since December 2013 but also crossed the AED 100 billion mark for the year.

The global COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of industries on hold, but Dubai’s quick decision-making allowed developers to continue to construct, deliver projects, and launch news products in the past 18 months.

This is something that was expressed by Francis Alfred, CEO at Sobha Realty: “Despite the pandemic, we managed to continue with our construction and hand over our projects. We expect to see this momentum continuing and that’s what we have been seeing the last few months and with Expo 2020 Dubai in full swing it will give more confidence for developers like us to continue producing innovative projects in the UAE.” One of the innovative projects that Sobha Realty recently launched was ‘Waves’ – a residential tower at The Waterfront District in Sobha Hartland, the eight million square feet freehold master development in Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City.

Waves, scheduled for completion in September 2023, will comprise 35 residential floors coupled with the best-inclass amenities. Offering panoramic waterfront views, the tower has a total of 592 units of varying sizes – including one- and two-bedroom apartments – and 12 retail units.

Waves is strategically located to offer residents maximum view of the picturesque waterfront feature and the Dubai skyline including Burj Khalifa. The tower blends an urban lifestyle and contemporary sophistication with uninterrupted serenity and open vistas.

Deyaar Development too were not held back during the pandemic, announcing the launch of their luxury skyscraper project, Regalia. The 70-storey project is scheduled for completion in 2024 with a total cost of Dhs 750 million.

Eng. Khaled Ababneh VP – Projects and Commercial at Deyaar Development, said the project was a testament to the firm’s resilience during the pandemic but also showed the increased demand for high-end properties. >>> CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 29

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COVER STORY

Raja Alameddine, CEO of Lootah Real Estate Development.

Raja Alameddine, CEO, Lootah Real Estate Development, commented, “Our aim is to help our customers unlock the value of capital through real estate investments for residential and commercial purposes. Our strong, diverse and high-quality portfolio along with the resilient attitude of our operations and sales team has resulted in outstanding financial performance in the first quarter of 2021.”

Raja added: “The infrastructure of the country and the government efforts and facilities provided allows Dubai to be both sustainable and resilient. We are happy the way the market is evolving, and the trends being set in the past three to four months is unprecedented. We’re back to levels that we were seeing five years ago. So, we’re quite optimistic about it and we are definitely coming to the market with new ideas and projects.”

AUTOMATING IN CONSTRUCTION W We are definitely coming to the market with new ideas and projects.

“We have witnessed outstanding demand from customers and investors ever since we launched this project. They are excited by its bold architecture, elegant interiors, smart city technologies, branded built-in appliances and premium social, wellness, and recreational amenities. With Expo 2020 Dubai set to begin next month, the real estate market will go from strength to strength as we continue to deliver value to Dubai’s residents and the wider business community.”

Lootah Real Estate Development reported a surge of 450 percent in sales in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year.

The long-standing real estate developer has stated its total sales reached record quarterly amounts, increasing a massive 2400 per cent compared to the sales of the last quarter of 2020.

30 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

hile the word “automation” may conjure images of robots taking over jobs, the reality is much more nuanced. In construction, for instance, automation is less likely to diminish employment opportunities than it is to increase productivity. Indeed, automation—alongside the global need for new and updated infrastructure and better and more affordable housing—can help shape the direction of the industry.

For Sobha, Francis mentions the advantage of being a backward integrated company which allows to make big reforms and transformations in their project: “We are a backward integrated company and choose to do everything in-house to maintain the promise of Sobha’s quality and craftsmanship. Whichever market we choose to expand in, we will be involved in all aspects of delivering the project and maintaining the standards we are renowned for.

One thing which we have taken up as the future is offsite fabrication, modular construction, because this enables us to have better quality control.

We are scaling up the almost thousands of units being delivered every year on year, and we believe that to get into that lean process management, better quality management, this will help us.”

Francis added: “Technology is a good disrupter to the construction industry and forced the industry to be more innovative.

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ROUNDTABLE | REAL ESTATE GIANTS

The way we are doing our entire design to construction process is completely digital. By going digital it allows you better control on quality and the process. It’s very important to have a process, which allows you to scale bigger.This is the decade where construction and real estate developers will get more innovative with technology and robotics.”

Eng. Khaled emphasized other aspects of technology has been a new driving force when it comes to their project such as drones and although has been there for a while, BIM too has taken centre in these projects, and 3D Printing too. >>>

We are a backward integrated company and choose to do everything in-house to maintain the promise of Sobha’s quality and craftsmanship.

Fancis Alfred, CEO, Sobha Realty.

>>> CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 31

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COVER STORY

can see that the way forward is to be innovative and develop and use new technologies.”

Raja is of the belief that apart from new technology and automation that prefabrication needs to play an equal role because it helps in reducing wastage, improves sustainability, and improves social living for the residences as well, which has been at forefront of Lootah’s residential projects.

“Prefab is very important because it’s a controlled environment as compared to onsite works. When you do prefab, wastage is minimized, recycled, and reused. It’s not just about efficiency, efficiency leads to sustainability, which leads to cost saving, and a lot of other benefits to the developer and to the customer as well.”

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT S

Eng. Khaled Ababneh, VP – Projects and Commercial at Deyaar and Chairman of Deyaar Community Management.

At the end you will need it in design, you will need it in building, and you will need it for safety as well which is another advantage you gain from using new technology.

However, there are challenges that Khaled foresees when it comes to embracing technology, “With all automation, you will have challenges as well, which is, I mean, the labor, the will people, how they will really react to this.”

Khaled admits that technology and automation is here to stay and that it’s a positive for developers like Deyaar.

“At the end you will need it in design, you will need it in building, and you will need it for safety as well which is another advantage you gain from using new technology. We 32 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

ustainable projects are getting more popular around the world and with UAE’s aim to be Net Zero by 2050 this has incentivised more projects to go the green route. However, there are stumbling blocks when it comes to executing these projects such as the cost of procuring the right materials for the project. Main contractors see this as an obstacle during the tendering process where they aim to present the lowest possible costing to win the project.

Raja, however, believes that the responsibility starts with the developers but also emphasise why the end user would also benefit, “The developer sets the specifications, and the contractor needs to abide by it. So, if anybody must introduce sustainability, it has to be the developer.”

“The end user is going to be able to save between 20 and 30 percent on their operating cost. The more efficiently that property is operating, the less expenses, and the value of the property goes up. If the end user ends up paying 10 or 12 percent more as capital cost, they will recover it in two to three years and then it’s a benefit for the end user.”

Francis believes that for developers to be more proactive it goals and objectives for all projects they need to incorporate sustainability “It has to be the principle of your development and you choose to make a more sustainable, environmentally friendly living for your customer.”

“It goes to the kind of materials you use, right from the light fittings to the sanitary fittings to consuming less power as well.”

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

PROVEN TRACK RECORD EFS FACILITIES SERVICES GROUP ANNOUNCES CONTRACT AWARDS EXCEEDING AED 575 MILLION AT THE CLOSURE OF Q3, 2021

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FS Facilities Services (EFS) Group, a regional leader in delivering integrated facilities management (IFM) solutions in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Turkey, announces its business accolades towards the third quarter of 2021. EFS Group is listed amongst the top fifty private companies in UAE by Forbes Middle East and is well-acclaimed by Taqdeer Awards for showcasing industry best practices in worker welfare.

EFS marks this accomplishment on the back of award of flagship projects ranging from airports, multinational clients and government entities across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, concluding a total award value of over AED 575 million in contracts year-to-date.

EFS has a proven track record of delivering state-of-art IFM services through its 22,000 engaged workforce to some of

34 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

the prominent local and multinational clients in the region for the last 20 years with the highest-ever contract retention of near 100 per cent and at par technology integration, cost optimization, service innovation, client engagement, and operational excellence supported by its recent award for best technology and innovation implementation.

Commenting on the business dynamics, Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO of EFS Group stated, “As we continue our strides in building a sustainable enterprise backed by an engaged workforce, happy clients and end-users, EFS will further accelerate and broaden its capability to be a preferred FM partner of choice”.

EFS will continue to hallmark its reputation by working in close collaboration with its clients and people while demonstrating results through Quality, Integrity and Partnership.

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#EntMEAwards IN RECOGNITION OF THE HIGHLY ACTIVE COMMUNITY OF ENTREPRENEURS, THE ANNUAL ENTERPRISE AGILITY AWARDS: ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR, WILL TAKE PLACE IN DECEMBER 2021 AT RAFFLES THE PALM DUBAI.

ENTERPRISE AGILITY

AWARDS

2021

of the Year

DECEMBER 2021 | R A F F L E S T H E PA L M D U B A I |

TO NOMINATE awards@bncpublishing.net

ENTREPRENEUR.COM

E N T R E P R E N E U R A L A R A B I YA . C O M

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EMPOWERMENT

D

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMIRATI WOMEN 36 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

ubai Design District (d3) has launched a campaign to inspire the next generation Emirati Women, encouraging them to shape their future with their own hands. The leading business hub partnered with three of its leading Emirati entrepreneurs, and they will be featured in a new campaign for Emirati Women’s Day. Shafia Alkhyeli, founder of interior design practice Soul Interior Studio; Fatma al Khoori, owner of gift-wrapping concept store Maska; and Hanadi Al Hawi, founder of modest fashion line The Kape, will star in a video celebrating Emirati women in d3 – a global business district home to more than 500 business partners including more than 100 Emirati-owned companies.

Celebrity henna artist Dr Azra also joins d3’s The Future in Your Hand campaign. She has created stunningly intricate, bespoke and beautiful henna designs representing what each creative entrepreneur does. These images have been used for a series of inspiring and motivational social media posts and large-format posters that will displayed across the business district for the community of close to 10,000 professionals to see.

A video has also been produced for the campaign, which features testimonials from the three Emirati creatives sharing their personal thoughts on inspiration, progress as entrepreneurs and vision for the future.

Khadija Al Bastaki, Executive Director, d3, said: “Emirati Women’s Day holds an important place in my heart, and it is a privilege to work with leading Emirati women entrepreneurs to realise our aspiration. Through this campaign, we aim to promote and empower homegrown talents reshaping the role of womanhood in the UAE because we believe that women, the mothers of our nation, are the foundation of a bright and prosperous future.”

Emirati Women’s Day takes place on Saturday 28 August. HH Sheikha Fatma bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family WWW.CBNME.COM

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMIRATI WOMEN

Development Foundation, announced this year’s theme is Women: Ambitions & Inspiration for Next 50 Years. The UAE is ranked as the region’s leading country on gender equality and providing equal opportunities to all is intrinsically linked to the continued development of an inclusive society.

The Future in Your Hand is in line with the overall theme and promotes talent who will empower Dubai’s knowledge and innovation-based economy. A series of on-ground activations also took place across d3 to celebrate Emirati Women’s Day, including free henna designers for all Emirati women who were given the chance to write their future on their hand.

As Middle East’s premier creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture, art and retail, d3 organises a year-round calendar of events, including strategic partnerships with key platforms like Dubai Design Week that have helped to cement its position with local and international audiences.

Dubai Design District (d3) is a global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture, art and retail.

In line with Dubai’s position as the leading business destination for the region and beyond, d3 is created as the first-of-its-kind creative ecosystem that enables people and businesses to grow and co-create, whilst simultaneously

providing a strong platform for creativity.

Strategically located in the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and business destinations that challenges thousands of people to rethink the regular.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the industry and a business-friendly framework, the community offers creative talent the tools to drive innovation that permeates through various areas of Dubai’s economy, further reinforcing Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design. d3 is a cutting-edge retail destination with over 40 retailers offering a variety of multi-brand boutiques, fashion brands, art galleries and showrooms. In addition, d3 is home to leading companies and talent including architects, interior designers, photography studios, product and fashion designers. The Design Quarter, the central component in the development of d3, features world-class offices, studios, showrooms and retail spaces spread across the district.

Today, the business district is home to leading regional and international players such as Dior, Burberry, Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners. It is also where the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, the region’s only university dedicated to design and innovation, is based.

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MASTER DEVELOPMENT

DUBAI SOUTH LAUNCHES ITS NEW DEVELOPMENT

THE AVENUE

M

aster-developer Dubai South Properties announced the launch of ‘The Avenue,’ a limited number of freehold plots which can be purchased on a payment plan and developed by investors for commercial use. The new launch follows the vast development of Dubai South, the successful sell-out of several freehold projects as well as sales of residential plots at the Residential District that were launched earlier by the company.

The Avenue will vary in sizes, with plots ranging from 30,000 to 55,000 square feet, while built up areas ranging from 50,000 to 90,000 square feet. Prices are highly competitive in comparison with the market, and start at AED 250 per square feet on BUA. Dubai South Properties will also offer a payment plan of up to three years.

Interested investors will benefit from the dual licensing system whereby, they could obtain all required licenses directly from Dubai South Freezone, saving them

time and giving them an abundance of facilities.

Interested land owners will also benefit from the strategic location of the plots in Dubai South, which will also be connected to an upcoming metro station that will be built in the area, in addition to its proximity to Expo2020 alongside the same road and Al Maktoum International Airport, which is set to be the largest airport in the world once completed, as well as, Dubai South’s VIP Terminal which is a 10-minute drive.

A spokesperson from the master developer Dubai South Properties said: “Following the successful sellout of other mixed-use developments that we had launched over the last few years, and the surge in demand from investors on both residential and commercial properties, we decided to launch The Avenue, hence create an exceptional opportunity for those who are considering owning their private commercial land for their various business needs. We are also confident

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that Expo 2020 will play a pivotal role in attracting investors, who will be keen to explore investment opportunities in Dubai. We at Dubai South Properties are committed to cater to the aspirations of potential and existing clientele as well as support the government’s initiatives and plans in attracting foreign direct investments to the emirate.”

Dubai South is home to a community of freehold as well as leasehold residential, commercial, office, and retail properties. It caters to different lifestyles and is designed to create a vibrant living environment, in line with Dubai South’s drive to enrich the emirate’s urban lifestyle projects to support its economic growth.

Dubai South – the rebranded Dubai World Central – is an emerging 145 sq. km. city situated within the emirate of Dubai that will ultimately sustain a population of one million.

Launched in 2006, the city is mandated to embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai by manifesting the urban and societal themes as outlined in the Dubai Plan 2021. These themes relate to becoming a city of happy, creative and empowered people, an inclusive and cohesive society; the preferred place to live, work and invest, a smart and sustainable city, and a pivotal hub in the global economy.

Dubai South’s economic platform supports every conceivable kind of business and industry. The city is also home to Al Maktoum International Airport –the largest airport in the world when complete – and the Expo 2020 Dubai.

“Following the successful sell-out of other mixed-use developments that we had launched over the last few years, [...], we decided to launch The Avenue, hence create an exceptional opportunity for those who are considering owning their private commercial land for their various business needs.”

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18TH IRF WORLD MEETING & EXHIBITION R OA D S TO TO M O R R O W 7-10 NOVEMBER 2021 | DUBAI | www.irf2021.global

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MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

Danilo Petta, Founding Partner & Chief Design Officer and Öznur Pınar ÇER Founder & Principal Lead Architect , Architectural Designer

40 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

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EXOSTEEL | FIRST STEEL 3D PRINTED STRUCTURE OF MODULAR HOUSES

EXOSTEEL

MASK ARCHITECTS HAS DESIGNED THE WORLD’S FIRST STEEL 3D PRINTED STRUCTURE OF MODULAR HOUSES FOR NIVOLA MUSEUM’S VISITORS, TOURISTS, AND ARTISTS IN ORANI, CITY OF SARDINIA LEAD ARCHITECT ÖZNUR PINAR ÇER HAS INSPIRED FROM THE WORK OF “COSTANTINO NIVOLA”, THEY HAVE DESIGNED “EXOSTEEL MOTHER NATURE” MODULAR HOUSES WHICH THEY HAVE TAKEN INSPIRATION FROM HIM SCULPTURE CALLED THE “LA MADRE”.

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he studio is the first architecture and design studio in the world to use a steel 3D-printed “exoskeleton” construction system that supports and distributes all the functional elements of the building, using their new solution of construction technique which they called “EXOSTEEL”.

The house is composed firstly by a hollow central column inserted for one / third of its length into the ground and by various organic branches that support the three floors of the building. On each floor a perimeter frame divides and supports the facades made up of panels modeled to follow the organic shape of the house.

“Madre Natura ‘’ or known as “Mother Nature” will be the name given to this project and development.

When we look at the Neolithic Period of Sardinia, they prayed for “Dea Madre ‘’ throughout their culture, it’s the concept and idea of the Mediterranean. The heart of the Earth and all its nature is known as mother. Like a mother, we want to raise up this development and embrace it, to give credit to the pivotal point where the woman has influenced the world. We have tried to harmonize the two different concepts of Nature and Mama in this project for Orani.

Throughout Nivolas career, he endeavored to create a world where art binds communities together. He always favoured the idea that art should be accessible to everyone. Highlighting the

Danilo Petta, Founding Partner & Chief Design Officer and Öznur Pınar ÇER Founder & Principal Lead Architect , Architectural Designer

importance of how Nivola influenced through his work for the community and in the art’s role within civic life. Taking all this into mind we have taken the same understanding of how our development should be accessible to everyone and how art plays a role in bringing communities

together. We want our modules to be able to open up and bring communities together as well as to be able to create some kind of artistic influence throughout the design. We want Orani City to become an iconic landmark in which it can be admired from a distance >>>

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MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

as well as within the city by all as viewing art and landmarks. We would like to see some resemblance to mother nature in our project. We would closely combine our design into the natural design of this world. We aim to blend the mother figure, which is an essential pivotal point in human society and how a nurturing mother looks after its children and how the world takes care of us. Using today’s technology and functionalities, we aim to embrace nature as a mama figure and to protect it like a mother protecting her children.

“Madre Natura” is a sustainable development of modular system style development in natural settings. Inspired by the work of “Costantino Nivola”, we have taken inspiration from the” La Madre” Sculpture. Situated near the Nivola Museum zone, we have taken the whole area into account while designing our project. Our development is designed in a way to become a “living landmark”, in connection with the local heritage. This iconic project will be a new addition to the Orani social, exhibition and living areas. The design will be an iconic identity as livable and sociable art pieces and architectural structures that will develop a new identity of the city. A combination of livable space and sociable space will be distributed to the different

levels of the terrain injunction with the different levels of the modules. We aim to integrate architecture, art and technology in this livable museum project. Our aim is to preserve and protect the heritage of Orani, give respect to Constantino Nivola and his work, and to continue his legacy with using modern techniques and our style integrated within the design. This project is also dedicated to “women”.

As seen in the history of Orani, we have seen the efforts of women within the city and for the city. We have dedicated our modules to our protagonists, our mothers “Mother Nature”.

The site that we have situated our development on is a sloppy mountain side that will be transformed into staggered sections that will provide different levels for the modules to be situated in.

Surrounded by natural scenery, we want our development to be self-sustainable working in harmony with nature.

Sardinia is known to have winds and sometimes it can be very strong, due to the winds, we have had to manage our modules and design them in a way to allow wind to pass through. We have created voids either side where the wind can pass through. It also allows us to create openness throughout the modules to make sense of feeling together with nature.

Each building which is “self sustainable” can also provide energy resources to the grid of the development.

We have designed each module to always be expandable and flexible so that they can always suit any terrain and meet the needs of any development. Each building is centered with a ‘Energy Tower’ that

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will provide all natural generated energy from Solar and Wind. The Energy Tower is covered with solar panels that will harvest solar energy while the top of the centered energy tower itself will rotate 360 degrees at the same time with the wind that will also generate wind turbine energy. The voids in the modules allow channeled wind through that can be directed to the wind turbines.

Placed at the top of the tower are also some technological instruments such as smart-cameras and fire detectors. This is to provide social security and also to have natural security against natural disasters. Throughout the lower part of the centered tower, we have housing for all the technical equipment of the module that houses all necessary storage for water and energy as well as distribution stations for the surroundings.

Light on the modules also provide visibility for the surrounding areas as each building acts like a beacon on the mountain. At night time the lights can also provide entertainment lighting for social use and exhibitions. The network of lights on all the modules are enabled to work as a single unit for events for the surrounding museum as well as nationals days ..etc.

There can be many different formations in which these modules can be situated on the site, from a single module being sustainable on its own to a gathering of modules in a kite diamond formation to create a small community. The aim is to always be able to adapt and in this case these modules can be set up in a network to create a fully functioning self sustained habitat.

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EXOSTEEL | FIRST STEEL 3D PRINTED STRUCTURE OF MODULAR HOUSES

“MADRE NATURA” IS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF MODULAR SYSTEM STYLE DEVELOPMENT IN NATURAL SETTINGS. INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF “COSTANTINO NIVOLA”, WE HAVE TAKEN INSPIRATION FROM THE” LA MADRE” SCULPTURE. SITUATED NEAR THE NIVOLA MUSEUM ZONE, WE HAVE TAKEN THE WHOLE AREA INTO ACCOUNT WHILE DESIGNING OUR PROJECT. We have taken a bold step and not included stairs, rather we encourage the inhabitants and visitors to use natural staircases and the natural inclination of the terrain and environment. This is helped by the modules situated on different levels throughout the terrain in which the different floors will be accessible by different terrain levels.

The two different floors A1 and B1 will have different purposes. Our aim is not only to create livable social modules but also to be social areas where people can socialize and use the space as they wish.

The modules are expandable, flexible and adaptable in any situation. The ground floor ‘A1’ will only be designed for accommodation. The floor which is 1.5 meters high from the ground, will contain a working area, a private showerarea and also storage. The ceiling which is

3.5 meters high will give a much open area feeling while the interior will be designed to be organic and natural, in the architectural style of Sardinia.

‘B1 Social Floor’ will be a unique addition to the modules. All B1 floors (B1/B2/B3/B4) will be used for social spaces or can be adapted to the needs of visitors or inhabitants. It can be also used as additional accommodation space in which more bedroom areas can be added for the module. While this can be the case, we focus more on the social aspect of the community in which three modules can be connected on B1 floor level to create a much larger social area for larger events. We can also adapt to the social area in need of emergency services. An example is that during this “Covid-19 situation”, modules like these can be used for “self isolation” and also

the social space can be broken up into different and limited use sections. We aim to be able to use these modules in any way possible to help the community and people as much as we can and that’s why we have designed them to be expandable, flexible and adaptable. The ‘C1 Panoramic Level’ will be a viewing station to see the breathtaking scenery and the surroundings. This C1 level can also be opened up to join with the other modules and their C1 and B1/2/3/4 levels to create a bigger Panoramic level depending again on the need for the habitats or visitors and events.

The main centered energy tower that houses all the systems is constructed out of a steel skeleton. By connecting our bearing steel beams to this skeleton column, we actually created a completely self-supporting steel carcass structure.

We were able to create the distinctive exterior structure of the carcass due to this metal skeleton. The main exterior material is Effix-Based composite light grey panels, which provide a combination of comfortable isolation of the space and combining the whitestone aesthetic feeling like the “Madre Sculpture”.

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 43

CBNME

SUSTAINABLITY

“For AMANA, sustainability has been a key business goal, achieved through digital tools, standardised manufacturing techniques and processes in construction.”

EMERGING SHIFTS IN CONSTRUCTION JOE LABAKY, GENERAL MANAGER OF UAE AND EMERGING MARKETS, AMANA CONTRACTING GROUP, TALKS ABOUT THE EMERGING TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION AND HOW EXPO 2020 DUBAI IS ENCOURAGING A SHIFT IN SUSTAINABILITY, AGILITY, AND MODULARITY

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ith its “Connecting minds, creating the future” motto, Expo 2020 is inspiring a future focused on sustainability, opportunity, and mobility.

In the construction sector emerging trends as seen at Expo 2020 Dubai could have a long-lasting impact

on the industry. AMANA, the leading regional design-build contractor, has a bold, digitally driven strategy to leverage these emerging trends.

Working with their client GAC/PMC EllisDon and Canadian architecture firm, Moriyama & Teshima, for the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, AMANA as a design-build contractor coordinated

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different scopes and operational systems with several other companies involved in the project, including the architect of record U+A Architects, Lord Cultural Resources, digital media consultant NGX, exhibition contractor Kubik, structural consultant Thornton Tomasetti, acoustic consultant Valcoustics, and MEP consultant Hatch. The Pavilion is designed and operated to welcome approximately 12,000 visitors daily over the six months of operations.

Joe Labaky, Managing Director of UAE and Emerging Markets, AMANA Contracting Group, said: “The journey to get here has not been without its challenges: including a global pandemic, supply chain issues, increasing prices of construction materials and resourcing issues. Expo 2020 Dubai has reinforced the need for the industry to invest in digital transformation and sustainable technologies to future-proof their businesses. AMANA’s agility, digital expertise and fast-track building capabilities stood us in good stead, enabling project delivery on time. As design build contractor for the Canada pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, it is an exciting time to see AMANA’s capabilities showcased at this world-class event.”

AMANA predicts Expo 2020 Dubai will shape the region’s construction sector in many direct and indirect ways.

Leaning into sustainability Sustainability is a core theme of Expo 2020 Dubai, reflected in the design and construction of its pavilions. Across the GCC, the construction industry is moving to reduce carbon emissions to comply with building codes, amidst surging demand for solar energy, greener and smarter buildings. For AMANA, sustainability has been a key business WWW.CBNME.COM

EMERGING SHIFTS IN CONSTRUCTION

goal, achieved through digital tools, standardised manufacturing techniques and processes in construction. The company is strengthening its solar and energy efficiency business to further support the region’s green agenda.

For the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, AMANA applied several best practices in sustainable design to the construction. After the Expo ends in March 2022, the Canadian pavilion material will be recycled or repurposed locally for future projects. Most of the finishes at the pavilion are made of recycled content, the flooring is made from polished concrete (recyclable content) and internal finishes made from gypsum partitions, among others.

construction. DuPod, an AMANA company, is an innovative modular construction concept that manufactures superior quality utility, wellness, retail, and living pods. DuPod offers a multitude of intelligent modular solutions for developers, architects, and contractors across key markets in the region.

Rejuvenating real estate Expo 2020 Dubai has rejuvenated the UAE’s real estate sector, and the benefits are expected to cascade to all segments of the economy. Expo 2020 Dubai’s

legacy infrastructure is expected to support thriving communities, in line with the UAE’s ambitious plans for socio-economic growth over the next 50 years, and new relaxed investment and residency regulations. On the back of these developments, demand for various real estate products, including residential housing, hospitality and schools is expected to increase. With its expertise in modular technology, AMANA is well equipped to deliver certainty, quality and economy for these projects, in the most sustainable way.

Driving demand for modular construction As the Expo 2020 Dubai projects raced to completion amidst unprecedented challenges, modular construction techniques emerged as a viable solution.

Modular construction offers a safer building environment, potentially reducing material waste by up to 30 per cent and improving work safety by up to 70 per cent, as compared to traditional CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 45

CBNME

TALKING POINT

SUSTAINABLE BUI L DI N GS AND WHY LIVING IN ONE SHOULDN’T BE A LUXURY MADHAV DHAR, CO-FOUNDER AND COO, ZĀZEN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT

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s environmental awareness is increasing for people and companies alike, home-buyers are more conscious about reducing their carbon footprint and contributing positively to the environment. The growing impact of global warming, climate change, waste and air pollution have long become impossible to ignore, with experts trying to find more costfriendly ways to go green.

The region is just beginning to give real estate developers incentives to build sustainable developments. But currently, being ‘green conscious’ usually comes at a cost, which no developer

will bear alone. That’s why living in sustainable homes currently comes at a premium. Ideally, this shouldn’t be a luxury anymore but a norm for future businesses, property developers and consumers alike.

As an individual or business looking to live more sustainably, as a first step, the type of property you buy or rent, whether as a residence or an office, is a great starting point. Let’s look at residences as a case study. Even though a city like Dubai has a plethora of housing options, from ultra-luxury to affordable, the majority do not cater to living sustainably. Finding buildings or communities that are designed

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with sustainability at the core, be it in materials used, in the facilities provided or how they manage energy, water and waste, is not easy. A retro-fitting drive to implement sustainable practices in older buildings has not yet been mandated, and operators need to be educated on its benefits, which has also not taken place.

If managing and reducing your carbon footprint is important to you, living in a certified green building is one of the best options to contribute positively. The methodology, materials and technology used to help make substantial reductions in energy consumption and CO2 emissions is incorporated at the design stage of such developments.

Green buildings are integrating eco-friendly concepts into building development and operations, to improve environmental sustainability and foster a greater sense of community.

Such developments also provide cost savings to buyers and even to developer operators. For example, a building that uses solar panels to supplement energy usage in common areas will have a lower annual electricity bill and can pass that on to owners via lower annual service charges. Similarly, developers who build to rent also benefit, as the solar panels usually pay for themselves within five to six years of operations, after which it reduces the overall cost of operations for the long term.

The easiest step to ensure you are buying or renting in a sustainable building is to check if it is LEED Green Building Certified (or equivalent), as is ZāZEN One, the first project by ZāZEN Properties. The certification focuses on key components to offer sustainable residences and helps end-users reduce their carbon footprint. Here are three simple ways living in a sustainable building, such as ZāZEN One, can help you reduce your carbon footprint: Water Management A major factor contributing to the carbon footprint of a home is the amount of energy expended to supply, treat and use its water. Water-oriented strategies significantly reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Through low-flow water fixtures, water-efficient landscaping and drip irrigation systems, WWW.CBNME.COM

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND WHY LIVING IN ONE SHOULDN’T BE A LUXURY

a development can reduce its water consumption in dramatic quantities. For example, ZāZEN One will achieve an approximate 33% annual reduction in water usage.

Waste Management The seven components of the Green Building concept influence and support one another. Responsible waste management is one of the keys to creating an energy-efficient environment.

A Construction Waste Management Plan should be developed and incorporated into the tender requirements itself for the contractors to follow, to help efficiently manage the waste-to-landfill output.

The building should also incorporate operational waste management strategies such as the installation of Waste Bins on each floor to segregate waste such as paper, small cardboard, metal cans, plastic, glass etc.

Energy Management Everything down to the exterior walls, roof and glazing can be designed to be as efficient as possible, allowing for less heat transfer and therefore requiring less energy for cooling throughout the year.

Similarly, efficient HVAC systems and thermostat controls should be considered in the design process. Even simple operational decisions such as using an efficient, low-wattage lighting system and having the exterior and common area lights on motion sensors or timer

switches, have a massive impact on the building’s monthly electricity bill.

The carbon footprint of a building can also be reduced by sourcing operational energy through solar panels that have been aesthetically integrated within the development. Depending on the size of the development and number of solar panels used, developers can aim to generate between 100,000 to 500,000 kWh of power annually, amounting to

between 10% to 50% of the estimated energy a mid to large size building would likely consume over the same time period.

This creates a win-win situation, allowing for savings of upto AED 500,000 on the building’s annual electricity bill, thereby also reducing the annual service charge for any buyers.

ZāZEN One is Trakhees LEED Green building certified and from a holistic perspective, by implementing the strategy above, it will annually save an estimated 440 metric tonnes in CO2 emissions.

Implementing sustainable practices from the get-go will play a big role in an organization’s environmental, social and economic impact. This will also help create more communitycentric developments in Dubai that are sustainable and add value to the real estate landscape for future generations, in line with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

At ZāZEN Properties, we are committed to this cause and aim to add value to the city’s landscape through our design, quality, community and sustainable mindset.

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 47

CBNME

INVESTMENT

IMPORTANCE OF SMART REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

AL RUWAD REAL ESTATE ENDORSES THE IMPORTANCE OF SMART REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS IN THE UAE AS FOUNDER & CEO ISMAIL AL HAMMADI RE-AFFIRMS THE NECESSITY OF ADOPTING ADVANCED DIGITAL SOLUTIONS AND SMART HOMES

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l Ruwad Real Estate, a company specialized in real estate marketing and consultancy in Dubai, emphasized the importance of smart real estate investments in the UAE during an awareness-raising session organized virtually by the Innovation Experts Real Estate Institution (IEREI) on Thursday, October 14th, via remote video conference, and attended by a

large number of real estate experts and stakeholders.

Founder and CEO of Al Ruwad Real Estate, Ismail Al Hammadi, shed light on the importance of smart real estate investments, highlighting the multitude of trends and forms of investments in current times. He also noted that it is crucial to make all forms of real estate investments available to everyone, so that individuals can start easily with

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a small budget and then expand their investment to profit gradually, pointing out that it depends on willingness to invest, having the necessary knowledge of challenges, and being ready to overcome them.

Al Hammadi explained that “smart investment” means finding the suitable real estate property to maintain capital value with the capacity to double in the future, while assessing market conditions carefully to select the right investment in a timely and systematic manner. He also stressed the necessity of being fully aware of resources and long-term and short-term objectives, coming up with a clear assessment of each individual’s risk tolerance, and projecting an approximate return on the investment.

The virtual session also touched on the success factors of real estate investments, which include the area and general field of the investment, the location of the property, the view around it, the population distribution in the neighborhood, the reputation of the developer, the general status of the economy, accessibility, real estate prices in the area, facilities, luxuries and future market orientation.

Expanding on the subject of real estate future market orientation, Al Hammadi emphasized that the Emirati real estate market is seeing new trends that investors need to be aware of in order to keep pace with the future. The most important of these are alternative categories that are now under demand, which call for a change in the pattern of real estate units on the market and dictate a move towards an increase in asset management and a new formulation of residential complexes and hotel units. There is also increased demand for green spaces, a general attention to individuals’ wellbeing with the urban renewal of residential areas, and the adoption of digital solutions in the move to building smarter homes.

As founder and CEO of Al Ruwad Real Estate, Ismail Al Hammadi has made many contributions to real estate discussion sessions through numerous lectures and remote sessions aimed at raising awareness and providing valuable real estate insights to the community.

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SERVICE DELIVERED WITH PASSION

Deyaar Facilities Management is a company built on excellence and for over 15 years, it has delivered services with unparalleled commitment and highest international standards.

Across the Emirates, it has won the hearts of its customers and various stakeholders along with industry accolades.

Our services are available across all seven Emirates

For queries please call 800 DEYAAR ( 339227 ) www.deyaarfm.com

CBNME

INTERVIEW

NAVIGATING THROUGH NEW POSSIBILITIES IN A DIGITAL WORLD

IN CONVERSATION WITH NAJI ATALLAH, HEAD OF CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING, AUTODESK

Autodesk University 2021 “Autodesk University 2021 is a global learning experience specifically designed for experts within the fields of architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, media, and entertainment – all leveraging Autodesk technologies to explore the new possibilities and advance their respective industries.

This year’s Autodesk University is a unique and timely experience, introducing industry professionals to actionable learning insights from experts in their fields and creative, collaborative digital solutions as they look to reshape their sectors for a successful post-Covid-19 economic recovery.”

Goals and Objectives in 2021 “This year presented numerous challenges to the industry owing to the global pandemic. We worked closely with our customers to navigate this challenging environment and have witnessed steady progress and expansion of our business in 2021. As a testament to this growth and our strong commitment to the 50 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

market, we launched our e-store in the Middle East in 2021, which would significantly ease access to the best design and engineering software for our customers in the region. In 2021, digital transformation has emerged as a key requirement for many of our customers and Autodesk is very well positioned to help businesses in the region. In addition, we see an opportunity in cloud-based technologies as the industry looks to digitally transform its businesses.”

Autodesk’s Growth “The GCC continues to be a strategic region for Autodesk given the scale and ambition of projects. As a result, Autodesk has increased its investment in the region with people, partners, and a Middle East e-store.”

Construction industry embracing technology “The disruption caused by the pandemic definitely impacted the construction industry and brought to the surface the huge amount of time, money and energy lost to outdated, often WWW.CBNME.COM

NAVIGATING THROUGH NEW POSSIBILITIES IN A DIGITAL WORLD

wasteful, construction practices. This resulted in momentum for digital transformation, in a sector that has traditionally been slow to adopt technological innovation. But leveraging this momentum goes beyond just the adoption of advanced technologies. The companies that will be most successful in this endeavour are those that invest time and capital in upskilling their employees. For example, Dubai-based Al Gurg Consultants managed to enable over 90 percent of its office staff to work from home even before the peak of the global pandemic that resulted in workplace disruption. When the pandemic hit, they had already prepared IT systems to accommodate remote working for most of its staff. Digital processes are driving significant change at every level of the labour market. In the construction industry, for example, contractors who previously used paper to track team schedules now use the Autodesk Construction Cloud to gather progress reports in real-time, enabling them to keep projects on track as conditions change.

Autodesk is committed to addressing these challenges and future-skilling the workforce and helping our customers grow. We have launched new career certifications aligned with the needs of the industry and building on the Autodesk Certification Program announced last year at AU. This will help customers to future proof their workforce.

In line with Vision 2040, the Government of the UAE is also playing a proactive role by incentivising digital transformation in the construction industry. Some of the recent initiatives by the leadership such as Vision Projects of 50 and operation 300Bn are surely going to catalyze success and progress.”

“THE GCC CONTINUES TO BE A STRATEGIC REGION FOR AUTODESK GIVEN THE SCALE AND AMBITION OF PROJECTS. AS A RESULT, AUTODESK HAS INCREASED ITS INVESTMENT IN THE REGION WITH PEOPLE, PARTNERS, AND A MIDDLE EAST E-STORE.” New Solution Offering “Even though the regional construction industry has been relatively slow in adopting digital technologies, now more than ever, the potential and scale to deliver efficiency, quality while ensuring worker safety are being recognized by the companies and at Autodesk, we aim to empower our customers to navigate new possibilities in a digital world and support them where they are by working well with existing platforms and workflows, simplifying the use of new tools. > Autodesk Construction Cloud offers a range of flexible cloud-based solutions that combine technologies, connect processes, automate workflows, and unlock valuable insights for customers. > Another emerging trend in the construction industry is harnessing the power of data and analytics. Autodesk is leading this front by taking data analysis and risk prevention to the next level with the predictive ability of Construction IQ. Using machine learning, Construction IQ scans project data and identifies high-risk areas. Whether from the perspective of design, quality, safety, or project controls, Construction IQ helps teams resolve issues on a project before they have a costly or time-consuming impact downstream. > Since we first announced a partnership with Esri in 2017, our teams have worked closely to bridge CAD, BIM, and GIS and deliver product and cloud-connected workflows to our design, construction, and owner customers. The collaboration reached a major milestone with a BIM and GIS cloud collaboration, a new solution that connects our two cloud platforms— ArcGIS Online and Autodesk Construction Cloud—to combine building information modeling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) information. Today, our customers can take advantage of this cloud-to-cloud interconnectivity with a new joint solution from Autodesk and Esri that includes both Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro and Esri ArcGIS GeoBIM to enable real-time, web-based application solutions. This new solution enables our customers to design, build, and operate within the context of the real world to ultimately deliver more sustainable and resilient infrastructure. > We have also launched Spacemaker microclimate analysis, a tool enabling real estate developers, urban planners, and architects to quickly evaluate the thermal comfort of outdoor spaces. Using microclimate analysis at the earliest, lower-cost stages of planning reduces the risk of large-scale, high-cost, and high-waste renovations and improvements in the future. > In addition, in order for projects to meet emission reduction targets, we have introduced Total Carbon in beta. Total Carbon combines Revit data with open-source energy analysis and material carbon data, in the cloud, to provide real-time, CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021 | 51

CBNME

INTERVIEW

accurate, and reliable total carbon analysis. This tool also gives customers the insight they need to create sustainable designs in Revit, making it easier for them to design for environmentally friendly outcomes from the start.”

Fusion 360 & Autodesk Construction Cloud “Autodesk is committed to connecting office and field teams and through Autodesk Construction Cloud, it has enabled easier collaboration from a single source of truth. Our newest developments are another milestone for connected construction. We have recently announced powerful new capabilities across Autodesk Construction Cloud and an expansion of its partner ecosystem, delivering new ways for construction teams to connect their workflows on one platform. > Project teams can now also integrate construction data from over 200 partners on Autodesk Construction Cloud leveraging Partner Cards and APIs, including Forge APIs, to deliver strong and meaningful integrations for customers who want to simplify data management and boost their ability to

make more informed project decisions. > Advancements to Autodesk Build, including a new Schedule management tool, further connect office and field teams and data across the construction lifecycle. Additionally, Schedule integrates with the Cost tool in Autodesk Build to simplify budgeting and planning for schedule-related expenses including general conditions such as material handling and clean-up. The Schedule and Cost integration delivers projectlevel data analyses, enabling teams to accurately forecast cash flow. > Autodesk Build now also boosts Pype AutoSpecs which automatically generates submittal logs to deliver efficiency, automation, and accuracy to the submittal process. Its integration with Autodesk Build enables teams to transfer draft submittals and entire logs directly and seamlessly into their project management base for simplified submittal management.

To continue Autodesk Construction Cloud’s momentum, additional capabilities coming to Autodesk Build include: > Progress Tracking – Teams can track the percentage of work completed on

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their projects and quantify the materials installed to update plans accordingly; > Work Plan – A new collaborative space, based on BIM 360 Plan, where teams can build their roadmaps, track commitments, manage constraints and view progress towards key performance metrics; > Closeout – Automation of handover document collection and review workflows, supporting project lifecycle data management in Autodesk Construction Cloud; > Bridge – New collaboration capability that lets teams share key project data between firms without having to share an entire project, and gives each team agency over their own project data archive.

Fusion 360 is cloud-based 3D modeling, bringing CAD, CAM, and CAE together in the cloud. It’s an integrated, connected, and accessible platform built for the new ways that products are being designed and made. The software combines industrial and mechanical design, collaboration, and machining in a single package. It enables fast and easy exploration of design ideas for makers with an integrated concept-to-production platform.”

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EXPO 2020

HOW UAE FM COMMUNITY

CONTRIBUTES TO AND BENEFITS FROM EXPO 2020 SUCCESS

by AMIT MADAN, SENIOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, SERVEU

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n international event as massive as the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai, requires holistic and integrated facilities management (FM) solutions. State of the art Facility Management services are imperative to maintain a safe working environment for the event’s participants and visitors. They are vital for the upkeep of the facilities even after the Expo’s conclusion.

As Dubai is hosting the first ever world expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, the next six months, will bring approximately 25 million visitors from every corner of the world to visit the 192 pavilions of the participating nations. FM companies have a major role to play in delivering a

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memorable experience to all exhibitors and visitors and fostering international partnerships.

In the case of, ServeU, we have been selected by some key participants to provide them total FM and HR staffing solutions. Our Exo journey began in 2019 when we won our first HR and Operations contract for the UK pavilion.

The list of our clients has only increased manifold thereafter. Apart from the UK pavilion, we have also become the FM partner for countries such as Italy, Belarus, Kuwait, Hungary, South Africa, El Salvador, Venezuela, Monaco, and Lebanon, and institutions such as the UAE University.

All in all, we have won separate six-month FM contracts worth AED 30 million combined across WWW.CBNME.COM

HOW UAE FM COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTES TO AND BENEFITS FROM EXPO 2020 SUCCESS

“OUR PARTNERSHIPS HAVE ENABLED US TO SHOWCASE OUR TECHNOLOGY- AND INNOVATIONDRIVEN SERVICES TO THE WORLD AND SHED LIGHT ON HOW OUR SOLUTIONS CAN HELP ADVANCE THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF DUBAI AND THE UAE.” 19 pavilions. We support operations through our Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) staffing services.

Other solutions include cleaning; security; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP); driver and porter services; landscaping; laundry; pest control; and on-call services.

Our 300 staff are currently serving a total area of 30,000 square meters during the event. Further, to ensure that we meet our obligations effectively, we have collaborated with premier organizations such as Italy-based Beyond Limits, which specializes in project management and operations for global events; training provider Talents UAE; and THA staffing, which specializes in temporary staffing and flexible HR solutions. We have also been given the opportunity to work with the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), helping us, among others, to raise the bar higher in terms of promoting workers’ welfare in the FM industry.

Our latest string of FM projects has placed us in a position to contribute to the success of both our partnerships and the entire Expo. Our partnerships have enabled us to showcase our technology- and innovation-driven services to the world and shed light on how our solutions can help advance the sustainable development goals of Dubai and the UAE. Speaking of sustainability, ServeU is the first FM company to use E-Bus, one of the first in the UAE, at the Expo site.

We have also deployed our E-Cart to support our operations during the six-

month event. In addition, true to our sustainability commitment, all ServeU staff possess NFC business cards in line with Dubai’s paperless strategy.

Expo 2020, is undoubtedly a major growth industry driver, bringing many great benefits to the local FM community. Apart from the new business it brings, it also accelerates s exposure to advanced FM infrastructure, boosts the capabilities of local FM players to handle big global events, and enhances the

quality of the delivery of FM services.

We have been fortunate to learn and grow more as an organization during the prestigious exposition. Post-Expo, we will not be surprised to witness the rise of new and innovative FM business models and strategies as a result of the industry’s participation in the event.

A transformation in the industry’s landscape will bring growth to the UAE and make a difference to the country’s overall progress.

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FITOUT

“In line with the FITOUT’s commitment to green and sustainable construction, it has rolled out several initiatives such as environmental awareness training programs, waste management, sustainable procurement, energy and water conservation.”

IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

THE FITOUT ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FIT-OUT WORKS FOR PAVILIONS, STORES, AND RESTAURANTS AT EXPO 2020 SITE

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he FITOUT, one of the leading providers of total interior solutions, has fulfilled worldclass fit-out works for two pavilions, 10 stores, and multiple restaurants at the Expo 2020 site in a short span of three to four months. The projects completed according to the highest standards reflect the company’s unwavering commitment to innovation and quality.

Implementing the global standards of excellence, the FITOUT delivered manufacturing, fit-out contracting, design and build, and project management services weeks ahead of the official grand opening of the

international Expo 2020 Dubai in October this year.

It provided its interior solutions to the Mobility Pavilion, named Alif, one of the thematic pavilions at the Expo that showcases mobility’s role in human progress; Zoom, the UAE’s leading operator of convenience stores whose outlets are located in all districts and arrival plaza of the Expo site; a luxurious indoor cafe; and popular food halls and other local gems.

Sherif Nagy, General Manager of the FITOUT, said: “In all our projects, we have been consistently exceeding the expectations of our clients. We credit this to our unique operating model and

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the dedication of our experienced design and management teams. These factors combined with our ability to manage time, cost, and quality give us an edge over our competitors and, for the Expo, have allowed us to finish the fit-out works required by our clients within a short period.”

“We applied extra care in delivering the projects, recognizing that the Expo is a once-in-a-lifetime event not only for our clients but for the entire UAE as well. From design to execution to delivery and completion, every stage of our efforts was done in compliance with internationally recognized benchmarks.

In terms of sustainability, we were also not remiss in our commitment to follow key environmental requirements,” Nagy added.

The FITOUT holds various international accreditations, including ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environment Management System), ISO 45001 (Health & Safety Management System), and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certificates. In line with the FITOUT’s commitment to green and sustainable construction, it has rolled out several initiatives such as environmental awareness training programs, waste management, sustainable procurement, energy and water conservation, worker welfare, digital transformation, and risk management and internal control.

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800 ADEEB

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CBNME

INTERVIEW

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY LIVING

In conversation with ZIAD SALLOUM GENERAL MANAGER, MASAOOD VILLAGE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Latest and Upcoming Projects “Masaood Village Facilities Management (MVFM) is currently in talks with renowned camps to provide catering services and exploring possible longterm collaborations. Apart from this, we are also in the process of growing our market reach to Dubai to cater to more businesses in the UAE. We aim to fully establish our presence in the Dubai market by 2022, offering our unique and top-quality services to prime areas. We are confident that this expansion plan will enable us to seal more community management and catering projects in the future, especially in Dubai. At the same time, we are looking at growing our B2B partnerships with organisations that share our goal of making lives better by serving our communities the best way we can.”

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WWW.CBNME.COM

ZIAD SALLOUM | MASAOOD VILLAGE

“AT MASAOOD VILLAGE, OUR GOAL IS TO HELP DRIVE THE UAE’S INDUSTRIAL, INFRASTRUCTURAL, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPIRATIONS, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE COMMUNITY AND ITS PEOPLE.” Unique value to your clients “To ensure the highest comfort and security of its occupants, Masaood Village is equipped with a modern in-house kitchen, a TV room, worship areas, and other amenities necessary to run an inclusive and comfortable living space. We are also in the process of building a gym. A supermarket, clinic, and other outdoor facilities are also available within our community, thus providing our tenants with everything they need. There is no need for them to go out as we aim to address everything they need. Moreover, we strive to continuously meet the standards of Zones Corp and our clients, including

prominent companies in the Oil & Gas field, as part of our efforts to keep them satisfied and happy. We make sure to add value to lives and businesses through our finest services and continuous facility enhancements that address, if not exceed, expectations.

Our community reflects this commitment.”

Differentiating from the competition “Al Masaood Village’s intense focus on society’s progress is one of its distinguishing characteristics. As an organisation, we take our social responsibility seriously, as such, we have taken steps to protect the health and safety of everyone.

Additionally, one of our advocacies is preventing food wastage, a serious global issue given its financial, ethical, and environmental costs. We have implemented a policy to avoid food waste within our community. Complementing this is our efforts to ensure food safety, which explains our stringent hygiene criteria, as well as our move to offer our tenants healthy food choices. These initiatives have resulted in us winning the ISO 22000 certification and an appreciation award given

by Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) in 2015.

Our commitment to excellent customer experience and quality living is another element that makes us ahead

of our market competitors. It is for this reason that we have established our 24/7 help desk, which enables us to address all concerns within a maximum of 24 hours.

At Masaood Village, our goal is to help drive the UAE’s industrial, infrastructural, and economic development aspirations, with a special emphasis on the community and its people.”

Abu Dhabi FM Market “We are upbeat about Abu Dhabi’s FM industry and its growth prospects this year heading into 2022. Our confidence lies in the industry’s increasing emphasis on new technologies and smart solutions to achieve high efficiency and >>>

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INTERVIEW

From the onset of the pandemic up until now, we have been monitoring the global developments and adhering to the specifications and measures enforced by national and global entities such as the World Health Organisation. Our continuous compliance with protocols, including consistent COVID-19 testing and physical distancing on top of adopting a remotework system for some of our employees, reflects our resolve to protect the health and safety of all our staff, clients, partners and other stakeholders.”

productivity whilst focusing on its sustainability goals. The continuous rollout of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and infrared/thermal scanning, amongst others, will help reshape the FM landscape in Abu Dhabi and redefine its future.

Aside from implementing new technologies to keep up with the trends, Al Masaood Village is also working towards enhancements in employee accommodations in Abu Dhabi in cooperation with Zones Corp and Abu Dhabi Municipality. By doing so, we are helping build a standardised system within the industry in terms of meeting the accommodation needs of employees and providing them a healthy living environment with adequate, modern facilities.”

COVID-19 Pandemic “We have taken strict measures since the pandemic started. We have installed thermal sensors on the entrance of our facilities and limited their capacity. We have implemented proper social distancing and used 20 percent of our property as isolation areas. We are also not remiss in continuously educating our tenants about the pandemic and what to do in case they experience any symptoms, or they have come in contact with an infected person. At the start of the crisis, we had diligently reported to Abu Dhabi Police, Zones Corp, and other regulatory authorities about our control measures and the health status of our community as per the requirements stipulated at the time.

60 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

Key Trends and Technology Implementation “AI, sensors, energy-efficient technologies, and other innovations such as solar systems will play a role in the FM industry’s transition to a digital or more sustainable world. These technologies will help make buildings smarter and more eco-friendly, which is necessary to achieve better facility control and higher efficiency in power and water usage. Sustainability and the desire to enhance tenant experience will remain at the

core of FM’s transformation in today’s era.

Under our ongoing Energy Saving project, we aim to implement more state-ofthe-art tools and platforms by 2022 to achieve higher efficiency, further reduce operational expenses and maintain a more sustainable healthy environment within our community. “ Ziad’s Leadership Vision “I have adopted a collaborative and consultative leadership style in line with Al Masaood Village’s vision to provide the highest standards of service excellence through partnerships and cooperation.

This approach enables me to develop a special bond with everyone in the community.

I want all our clients and tenants to feel comfortable and that they can always approach me or my team to address their needs. It is also vital for me to develop a strong bond with my staff, our most important asset.

Engaging with different people and cultivating individual relationships allows me to make informed decisions that will hopefully benefit everyone.”

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CBNME

MACHINERY

BHP ANNOUNCED A PARTNERSHIP WITH CATERPILLAR INC.

B

HP announced a partnership with Caterpillar Inc. to develop and deploy zeroemissions mining trucks at BHP sites to reduce operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This milestone is the result of over 12 months of close collaboration between BHP and Caterpillar Inc. in analyzing energy demands and the options to apply this new technology on BHP sites.

To support progress towards BHP’s long-term goal of achieving net zero operational GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2 from our operated assets) by 2050, BHP will have early access to zero-emissions equipment developed by Caterpillar and hands-on learning opportunities to ensure

successful deployment at BHP sites.

The collaboration will help shape the processes, technology and infrastructure that will be required to support zeroemissions machines and the mine sites of the future.

Another critical element of the collaboration will be to extend the parties’ efforts to support a more inclusive mining industry. Over the coming year, BHP intends to provide frontline operator and maintainer input into the Caterpillar design process, to support the development of machines that can be operated and serviced by a broader range of the workforce.

BHP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with

62 | CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME | NOVEMBER 2021

Caterpillar Inc. to develop and deploy zero-emissions mining trucks at BHP. Climate change is a critical global challenge, and we know that partnering with others will help accelerate the transition to a low carbon future.

The opportunity for our teams to input into the design process also gives us confidence that the trucks will be safer and easier to operate for a workforce that’s more diverse than ever.”

Denise Johnson, Caterpillar Group President, said: “Caterpillar is pleased to work with BHP on the next generation of large mining trucks and mine site technology. Deeply integrating our teams and timelines, will allow for faster deployment to deliver zero-emissions solutions.”

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