Big Project ME December 2018

Publication licensed by Dubai Production City

153

DECEMBER 2018 meconstructionnews.com

THE BUSINESS OF CONSTRUCTION

A NIGHT OF STARS

Big project me celebrates the construction industry on a dazzling night under the stars

© 2018 LACASA Architects & Engineering Consultants All Rights Reserved

I’m Ibrahim Salah and I am a

SR. PRoject ManageR

www.lacasa.ae

Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised.

It is not only loyalty or internal motivation that drives us forward. We must write out a high quality plan and create an absolutely clear path. This will help us to move forward and reach our destination.

Ibrahim Salah SR. Project Manager

LACASA is committed to providing quality-driven designs within a multidisciplinary environment.

Established in 2006, the firm has grown significantly over the past eleven years. Today, LACASA boasts a diverse portfolio encompassing all types of developments and across the entire MENA region.

While it is said that perfection doesn’t exist, we believe that perfecting design can be achieved by cultivating extraordinary talent.

Contents

Issue 153 December 2018 07

12

16

20

26

38

16 Understanding sustainability ratings

44

06 MEConstructionNews.com OnlIne

The biggest stories from Big Project Middle East’s home on the web

07 New trains arrive for Metro The bIg pIcTure

RTA welcomes the first of 50 new trains for the Dubai Metro network

10 3D-printed steel bridge built InTernaTIOnal news

World’s first 3D-printed steel bridge built in Amsterdam, Netherlands

12 Abu Dhabi Q3 market outlook MarkeT repOrT

JLL report examines the state of the capital’s residential and office real estate market following the introduction of Ghadan 21 2 December 2018

analysIs

Experts disscus the impact of green building codes on building design, construction and cooperation

evenT recap

ME BIM Summit

Big Project ME recaps the third edition of the ME BIM Summit

20 Markus Strohmeier

46 DIPMF preview

26 A Night of Stars

48 Top Tenders

38 Elevating smart transportation

52 Leading by example

In prOfIle

Markus Strohmeier outlines how Siemens is supporting regional smart city ambitions bpMe awarDs 2018

Big Project ME recaps events at the 2018 edition of the Big Project ME Awards sMarT MOveMenT

Angitha Pradeep talks to the experts about how technology can help improve efficiency

evenT revIew

Big Project ME previews the DIPMF programme, held from 8-11th of December TenDers

Big Project ME lists the Middle East’s biggest construction tenders for December 2018 lasT wOrD

Adnane Retmi outlines how to build the world’s smartest city from the top down, and the strategies in place to make it happen

Introduction

changing times

P

hew! Now that the 2018 editions of the Big Project ME Awards and the BIM Summit are done, all of us here at CPI Trade Media can take a collective sigh of relief and exhale deeply. Not only have we managed to deliver the events successfully, but we managed to surpass our expectations for them, which is very exciting for us!

This year has seen a number of records broken for us. Not only did we receive our highest-ever attendance figures for the ME BIM Summit – 280 to be exact, but we also saw the highest- ever number of nominations for the Big Project ME Awards, with more than 130 nominations submitted across 21 categories. Of course, not everyone could win, but what was most heartening to see was that there was a very strong quality of nominations across the board.

It’s great to see and feel the support of the industry when it comes to events like the Awards and the ME BIM Summit. Not only is it a reflection of the quality of work that we’re putting into the magazine, but it also shows that the industry is ready and willing to listen to new ideas, and to adapt to keep up with the changing times and increased competition.

Looking ahead to 2019 – I think that it’s going to be an interesting year. While I suspect that similar challenges will exist in the market, I also see things becoming more competitive as contractors are forced to adapt and change to survive.

Streamlined delivery services, performances and operations will be the end result as more and more contractors will look to become one-stop shops for clients. Design

4 December 2018

GROUP MANAGING DIRectOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 eDItORIAL DIRectOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5472 eDItORIAL eDItOR GAVIN DAVIDS gavin.davids@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5480 SUB eDItOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com ADVeRtISING cOMMeRcIAL DIRectOR JUDE SLANN jude.slann@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5714 DeSIGN ARt DIRectOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DeSIGNeR PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY

and Build contracts look likely to take off, while developers themselves are likely to be more involved in the planning and design process, and in managing the overall goals and targets for their projects.

It’s certainly going to be an interesting year, and I’ll be watching keenly to see how the market is going to react to the changes that are coming.

Finally, I would like to wish all our readers a very Happy New Year, and all the best for 2019! We look forward to another year of engagement, discussion and debate, starting with some very exciting summits that we’ve got planned for the first half of the year. Do stay tuned for more news!

percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com PHOtOGRAPHY MAkSYM PORIECHkIN MARKetING MARKetING MANAGeR SHEENA SAPSfORD sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5498 cIRcULAtION & PRODUctION PRODUctION MANAGeR VIPIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DIStRIBUtION MANAGeR PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WeB DeVeLOPMeNt MOHAMMAD AWAIS SADIq SIDDIqUI FOUNDeR DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PRINteD BY RASHID PRINTING PRESS LLC PUBLISHeD BY

Licensed by TECOM to registered company, CPI Trade Publishing fZ LLC whose registered office is 207 – 209, Building 3, Dubai Studio City, Dubai, UAE

Gavin Davids editor gavin.davids@cpitrademedia.com @MecN_Gavin

www.cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2018 CPI Trade Media. All rights reserved While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

Online

MOST POPULAR

ReAdeRS’ COMMeNTS

feATURed

SAUdi ARAbiA TO iNveST $206M ON eighT ROAd SAfeTy PROjeCTS

CONSTRUCTiON

World’s largest sports mall to open in Dubai

It may rightly only be a footnote to this story (Saudi Arabia to invest $206m on eight road safety projects) but if that figure of $1.17bn of material losses is CONSULTANT

correct, then that alone

Emrill opens regional staff training facility

should be focusing minds on where the money should be spent on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s road network.

feature: Opinion – The importance of

However, as anyone who

safety system inspections and audits

has ever driven or been a passenger in Saudi will know, people are

CONSTRUCTiON

still prepared to risk

Al Futtaim’s Festival Plaza to open in December 2019

theirs and others’ lives by driving recklessly in the Kingdom. The Vision 2030 programme being pursued by the government should not just be about pumping money into

CONSTRUCTiON

construction projects,

Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street to undergo infrastructure upgrade

but also education. That won’t solve the problem overnight, after all it took European countries a generation to take safe driving seriously, but the sooner it starts in Saudi (and the other GCC countries where risky driving is commonplace),

PROPeRTy

Imkan announces Thanaya on track for handover in Q4 2019 6 December 2018

feature: event Review – Trimble’s The Construction Summit 2018

the better.

Name withheld by request

The Big Picture

Enhancing service levels Of the 50 new trains set to be delivered to Dubai by October 2019, 15 will be used on the Expo 2020 Dubai network, while the remaining 35 will be used to enhance the service level of the other Dubai Metro lines.

First of 50 new Dubai Metro trains arrive 15 of the new trains will be used on the Expo 2020 Dubai network Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said that the first of the new Dubai Metro trains has arrived in the emirate, with a total of 50 set to be delivered by the end of October 2019. 15 will be used on the Expo 2020 Dubai network, while the remaining 35 will be used to enhance the service level of the Dubai Metro, the RTA said in a statement. It added that several improvements have been introduced to the interior design of the new metro carriages, resulting in more room for riders and an increased intake of carriages.

Changes include dedicating the last carriage to women and children, while part of the first carriage will be for gold class.

Other carriages will be for silver class. Seat distribution will be transversal in gold class, and longitudinal in silver class. This will increase the capacity of each train to 696 riders from the current 643.

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the RTA, said the first train has been transported to the Metro Depot in Rashidiya.

‘The manufacturer, Alstom, will continue supplying the remaining trains in batches,” he said. “RTA will carry the test run of the first train destined for Route 2020 on the Red Line of the Dubai Metro. It will start with the static tests of all operating systems of the train. In the

following stage, RTA will embark on dynamic tests, which involve testing the performance of systems while in motion, such as motors, brakes and control systems.”

Furthermore, Dubai officials have said that work on all bridges attached to Route 2020 will be complete by the end of November. Route 2020 is the 15km extension of the Dubai Metro Red Line to the Expo site and includes five elevated stations and two underground stations.

Speaking during a visit to the site in October 2018, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that infrastructure projects are a key

part of the UAE’s development plans and play a vital role in enhancing the country’s economic environment. He also said the Dubai government had allocated 21% of its budget for new projects, including those that enhance the efficiency of existing infrastructure, in the build-up to the first Expo in the region.

The Dubai government has already allocated $1.3 billion from its 2018 budget to projects related to Expo 2020, Sheikh Mohammed explained. He praised the infrastructure development efforts of the RTA, which align with Dubai’s economic and social development projects and support the objectives of the UAE’s Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021.

“RTA will carry the test run of the first train destined for Route 2020 on the Red Line of the Dubai Metro. It will start with the static tests of all operating systems of the train. In the following stage, RTA will embark on dynamic tests, which involve testing the performance of systems while in motion” December 2018 7

The Big Picture

Gateway to the country Once complete, the new terminal will be able to accommodate 13 million passengers per year in the first phase, with a gradual increase to up to 50 million passengers with future developments.

ACTS begins QC work at Kuwait Airport

Firm is handling materials testing, including soil, aggregate and concrete Advanced Construction Technology Services (ACTS) has announced that it has begun large-scale quality control and testing operations at the new terminal project at Kuwait International Airport. The firm says it is using a team of more than 50 engineers, concrete experts, inspectors and technicians, in addition to a 280sqm hightech laboratory, along with an additional 1,000sqm for curing, offices and storage.

According to a statement from the firm, it is running a concrete quality control engineering (CQCE) programme, with a team of ACTS specialists working with the Limak Quality Control team to oversee the preplacement, placement and postplacement of concrete. The firm says this ensures effective and smooth concreting practices.

“We are glad to work with ACTS on the Kuwait International Airport as they demonstrate their deep knowledge in materials 8 December 2018

engineering and testing. We selected ACTS for the quality control and testing programme after a thorough consideration of their capabilities and expertise in large-scale projects. Till date they are well standing up to their reputation,” said Engineer Kayihan Bagdatli, country manager at Limak Kuwait.

Once complete, the new terminal will be able to accommodate 13 million passengers per year in the first phase, with a gradual increase to up to 50 million passengers with future developments. The project is said to feature three symmetrical wings of departure gates, consisting of the new passenger terminal development, a third runway and the renovation of the two existing runways.

“The Kuwait International Project contract win reflects the market recognition of our unique expertise in large-scale projects,” added Khaled Awad, ACTS chairman. “Besides the King Abdul Aziz Airport project and the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, the Riyadh Metro project, the various stadiums and metro lines in Doha, Qatar, we are also proud to be involved with Limak on the Kuwait International Project, one of the most iconic infrastructure projects in the region.”

The new terminal project is targeting LEED Gold certification and is expected to become the world’s first airport to attain this level of environmental accreditation.

“We look forward to working jointly with Limak to address

280sqm

Size of the high-tech laboratory used by ACTS on the new terminal project

the various technical challenges on this massive project and achieve a unique output in quality and efficiency,” Awad noted.

In July 2018, a report by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said Hussam Al Roumi, Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs for Kuwait, had signed a $61m contract for the development of its new passenger terminal (T2) at Kuwait International Airport. The deal includes work on the design and expansion of the runway adjacent to T2.

Al Roumi said in a statement to KUNA that the first contract includes the design and expansion of the runway, and that the second, third, fourth and fifth contracts include small construction works, and that maintenance of roads and other airport infrastructure facilities are also part of the contract. He added that these kinds of projects fit into the overall vision of Kuwait’s leadership for Vision 2035, which aims to turn the GCC state into a financial and commercial hub.

The Big Picture

Meilenstein enters UAE real estate market Developer is backed by son of Azizi Developments founder Mirwais Azizi Meilenstein, a real estate developer with origins in Germany, has announced its entry into the UAE real estate market with eight projects that have a total development value of over $327 million. With projects set to be built across several locations in Dubai, including Mohammed Bin Rashid City (MBR City), Meydan City, Al Furjan, Dubai Studio City and Dubai Sports City, the company has already invested more than $136m in company formation, office set-up, talent acquisition, land acquisition, infrastructure and other groundwork, a statement said.

“We are going to invest a further $544.49 million in developing projects in 2018 and 2019, and the numbers will then go up once we start building the projects and selling the properties,” said Jawad

Azizi, managing director of Meilenstein Developments.

“Meilenstein Developments is entering the UAE market at a time when the real estate sector has achieved a high level of maturity, backed up with a regulatory environment that protects property buyers, investors, developers and brokers and with a high level of transparency and accountability.

“Meilenstein is a developer with a difference whose management has vast experience in real estate development and project management. We will bring German quality in building management to ensure durability and longer life in each project that we build, which will strengthen the investor appetite for quality homes,” he added.

The company’s arrival comes at a time when the property market

has entered an interesting phase in which end users are expected to migrate from leasehold to freehold properties, with prices becoming more reasonable and payment terms becoming more attractive.

Land transaction value in Dubai exceeded $44.14 billion for the first nine months, the latest report from the Dubai Land Department said.

This is higher than the GDP for more than 100 independent countries, it added.

According to a report issued by the DLD’s Department of Real Estates Studies and Research, in the first nine months of 2018 there were 25,473 sales transactions – worth more than $15.40 billion – about 11,000 mortgage transactions – worth over $23.43 billion – and 3,486 other transactions with total value of $5.25 billion.

During the first nine months of the year, Dubai received 27,174 investments through 21,605 investors, totalling nearly $13.6bn, reflecting the emirate’s sustained growth for years, consolidated by the huge diversity of investors from the UAE, the GCC, the Arab world and the world at large.

“This is perhaps the best time to enter Dubai’s real estate market, where we see a large number of foreign investors are entering to take advantage of high rental yield,” Azizi said.

“In total, the investments came from 163 nationalities, of which 16 were Arabs, five were from the GCC and 142 were foreign.

“In Germany, Meilenstein owns companies which are into real estate and brokerage. Within the UAE, we are into manufacturing, interior decor, e-commerce and retail,” Azizi concluded.

Developer with a difference Meilenstein has vast experience in real estate development and project management, and will bring German quality in building management to their projects in Dubai, said Jawad Azizi.

“Meilenstein Developments is entering the UAE market at a time when the real estate sector has achieved a high level of maturity, backed up with a regulatory environment that protects property investors” December 2018 9

The Big Picture

2

158,000

It is estimated that the UK will need 158,000 new construction workers over the next five years

1. EaglE Hills partnErs witH Marriott for nEw st. rEgis in Morocco Eagle Hills has signed an agreement with Marriott International that will see the development of a new property in Morocco. Slated to open in mid-2020, the St. Regis Tamunda Bay will be on the country’s northwest coast.

According to a statement, the property will be part of the La Bahia Blanca lifestyle resort development that is also being built by Eagle Hills.

Eagle Hills says the resort will “exude Moroccan charm and pay tribute to the Andalusian cultural legacy through elevated design, exceptional service and unique food and beverage offerings”.

“The rich heritage and cultural and historic legacy of Morocco has long been alluring to the luxury traveller.

The St. Regis Tamuda Bay represents an exciting moment for St. Regis as the brand continues to grow globally in destinations, welcoming a new generation of luxury travellers,” said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.

The property will boast 100 guestrooms and suites and is being designed to offer unobstructed sea views. It will include hallmarks of the brand.

10 December 2018

1

1,449

Europe’s total construction pipeline - in a three-year surge - stands at 1,449 projects, with 228,588 rooms, according to data from Lodging Econometrics

2. MX3D anD partnErs crEatE worlD’s first 3D-printED stEEl briDgE The world’s first 3D-printed steel bridge has been completed

by MX3D, mathematicians from the Alan Turing Institute and Arup. The bridge is now scheduled to be installed across a canal in Amsterdam in 2019.

According to a report by 3ders.org, Dutch designer Joris

Laarman has been working with robotic manufacturing start-up MX3D since 2015 to build the 12m-long pedestrian bridge.

The bridge was 3D-printed at an MX3D facility outside Amsterdam, before being shipped into the company’s main workshop north of the city.

MX3D initially planned to 3D print the bridge in place (onsite), using custom robotic 3D

printing arms suspended over the canal to build the supporting structures underneath and move across gradually.

However, the firm is said to have abandoned this approach due to concerns about control over the environment and interference from pedestrians.

The bridge is said to feature sensors that will relay information back to designers.

The Big Picture

4

$762m China Construction Bank’s units plan to invest $762m to set up fund with state planner

3

$7.59bn China’s trade ministry has revealed that the value of projects implemented by Chinese companies in Egypt has reached $7.59bn

3. JapanEsE-oMani congloMEratE to builD 100Mw solar pV plant Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded a contract to build a 100MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant to the Marubeni Consortium.

Marubeni is a Japanese-Omani consortium comprising Japan’s Marubeni Corporation,

Oman Gas Company, Bahwan Renewable Energy Company and Modern Channels Services.

According to a statement from PDO, the plant will provide power for PDO’s interior operations and be the first of its type in Oman.

It will also be the world’s first utility-scale solar project to have an oil & gas company as the sole wholesale buyer of electricity.

The project will include the design, procurement, construction, commissioning, financing and operation, and maintenance of the PV plant.

The project’s power output will be structured as an independent power producer (IPP) under the terms of the power purchase agreement for a period of 23 years.

4. sauDi araMco to builD r&D cEntrE in russia Saudi Aramco has announced that it has broken ground on an upstream R&D centre in Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia. The centre is said to be the firm’s ninth R&D facility outside Saudi and will focus on technologies such as simulation and modelling, advanced materials, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

The ground-breaking at MSU Science Park follows the signing of a MoU in August by the two companies. According to a statement, strategic collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Russia continues to progress with Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser attending the groundbreaking ceremony of a new Saudi Aramco Research Centre at the MSU Science Park.

“Saudi Aramco welcomes the collaboration with Lomonosov Moscow State University, an institution globally renowned for its centuries-old tradition of academic excellence and its importance to the oil & gas industry. Strong partnerships between industry and academia are key to addressing society’s energy challenges, and Saudi Aramco’s global research centre at MSU Science Park will help drive research and innovation.”

December 2018 11

Market Report

Abu DhAbi Office AnD ResiDentiAl MARket Review – Q3 2018 JLL report examines the impact of Ghadan 21 on the UAE capital’s office and residential market

Ghadan 21 is a three-year, $13.6bn Abu Dhabi government programme aimed at boosting the economy through investment in four main areas: business & investment, society, knowledge & innovation, and lifestyle.

The first tenet was launched in September, with the aim of creating an attractive environment for enterprise growth, developing the private sector and stimulating industry projects.

The main pillars of the Ghadan 21 programme include supporting small and medium enterprises by allowing start-ups to launch without a physical address, and

developing a new economic licensing system to facilitate the issuance of business licences.

Residential rents and sales prices have continued to decline as anecdotal evidence suggests that vacancies are increasing.

This is partly due to subdued demand as a result of job losses and cuts in housing allowances.

Office rents remained stable in the third quarter of the year, despite the decline in demand.

However, the delivery of additional supply at a time of weaker demand is expected to place downward pressure on rents in the medium to long term.

Office Sector Supply: No deliveries took place in Q3, with total office stock remaining at approximately 3.7m sqm GLA. Approximately 38,000sqm of office GLA is expected to enter the market by the end of 2018 with the delivery of United Square in Khalidiyah, among others. Deliveries in 2019 are expected to be less than 50,000sqm, as developers remain cautious due to subdued demand.

Performance: Headline rentals for both grade A and grade B office space have remained stable over the past quarter but have fallen by

3.5% and 12.6% respectively over the past year. Rates for shell and core offices, exclusive of service charge, are averaging AED 1,700/ sqm for grade A and AED 900/ sqm for grade B. Demand for office space remains limited, with some companies downsizing to smaller units. Many companies are also seeking second-hand fitted space as opposed to shell and core space, to reduce their capital costs. As a result, we expect average rentals to continue to decline over the next 12 months.

Residential Sector Supply: Approximately 832

“Demand for office space remains limited, with some companies downsizing to smaller units. Many companies are also seeking secondhand fitted space as opposed to shell and core space, to reduce their costs” 12 December 2018

Market Report

Abu Dhabi office vacancy rate

Abu Dhabi office unit supply, million sqm of GLA Stock

Annual supply

3.90

Q3 2017

22%

3.80 3.70

Q3 2018

23%

3.60 3.50

Abu Dhabi office rents, 12-month outlook

3.40

GRADe A

3.30

-3.4%

3.20 3.10

YoY

2014

2015

2016

units were delivered in Q3, bringing total residential stock to approximately 255,000 units.

Deliveries include Faya in Bloom Gardens, Al Nour Residential Building in Reem Island and the remaining Hidd Al Saadiyat villas.

Approximately 4,000 residential units are currently scheduled to enter the market by the end of 2018,

2017

Q3 2018

2018

-12.6% YoY

2019

mainly in Reem Island, Yas Island and Al Raha Beach. However, we expect a portion of this supply to be delayed at the final stages of approvals and handover.

Performance: Apartment rents declined a further 2% q-o-q to an average of AED 127,000 p.a.

This translates into a 6% decline

Abu Dhabi residential unit supply, thousand units Stock

GRADe B

y-o-y. As more completions materialise towards the end of the year, residential vacancies are expected to increase, causing further rental declines. Similarly, the sales market continued to soften with average prices for prime villas falling 2% in Q3 (14% yo-y) and apartments falling 3% (12% y-o-y), to approximately

AED 10,700 per sqm for both apartments and villas. Liquidity has been affected by weakened sentiment, causing further pressure on prices. Mortgage costs are also increasing, which affects the rent-buy equation. However, with the 10-year visa law taking effect in 2019, we anticipate a healthier market appetite in the long run.

Abu Dhabi apartments, 12-month outlook

Annual supply

SALeS

270

-12%

260

YoY

RenTAL

-6% YoY

250

Abu Dhabi villas, 12-month outlook 240

SALeS

-14%

Source: JLL

230

YoY

2014

2015

2016

2017

Q3 2018

2018

RenTAL

-13% YoY

2019

December 2018 13

News Analysis

UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABILITY RATINGS Big Project’s Angitha Pradeep speaks with the region’s sustainability consultants and contractors to understand the impact of green building codes on building design, construction and operation

During the ME BIM summit organised by Big Project ME last month, one of the major talking points was sustainability and how new and existing regulations can be taken forward to maximise the conservation of resources. One way to achieve this is through continued efforts to educate and inform all stakeholders on the long-term benefits of green buildings and to provide knowledge to building managers as they manage the lifecycle of a building.

“When Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) was established in 2006, there was limited awareness about sustainability. But in a few short years, with the implementation of green building policies and regulations and the adoption of consistent rating systems, attitudes and demands have 16 December 2018

Increase in awareness There has been a definite increase in sustainability awareness, says Phillipa Grant.

News Analysis

Willin gness to move ahead Bodies like the MENA Net Zero Advis ory panel indicate that there is a willingness to develop roadmaps for the best strategies for reducing harmf ul carbon emissions, says Al Abbar.

“There is a willingness on a regional level to take bold steps to collectively address and eliminate harmful carbon emissions in all built environments.

We can then take this as a means to implement legislation and more stringent building codes”

changed,” says Saeed Al Abbar, chairman at EmiratesGBC. Phillipa Grant, division manager (Energy and Sustainable Development) at AESG, agrees that there has been a definite increase in sustainability awareness.

“Today, the number of LEED-certified buildings in the UAE has reached a total of 226 over a 12-year period, while all new buildings in Abu Dhabi must now achieve the minimum Estidama Pearl Rating certification, and in Dubai, new buildings must meet the prescribed Dubai Green Building Regulation requirements.”

She adds that the ESCO framework launched by Dubai’s Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau in 2014 and the Bahrain Thermal Insulation Guidelines document expected to be released later this year are examples of legislation and policy guidelines emerging from the region.

Kavita Kumari, Sustainability and Health & Wellbeing principal at Cundall, points out that governments have come to realise that Estidama offers a more integrated approach to local and regional-focused sustainability methods than the US-centric LEED criteria.

“The UAE government is also actively promoting the Al Safat Rating Scheme in Dubai,” says Kumari. “Despite it being early days for the Al Safat system, we can see a big shift in project planning towards locally sourced produce and materials, as well as in incorporating solar energy into the design, which is the most powerful natural resource of energy for this region. They’ve come to realise that the UAE has a lot of untapped natural resources that can help to reduce dependency on fossil fuel and become a self-sufficient country.”

Delving deeper into the issue, December 2018 17

News Analysis

sustainable construction is not just about a single building. To make a significant enough change and achieve 100% net zero carbon buildings by 2050, experts say it is crucial to push communities, cities and eventually countries to decarbonise.

“PV panels and LEDs are no doubt an integral part of delivering sustainability.

However, sustainable construction measures include aspects such as the choice of building materials, energy management and water consumption, limiting building and construction waste, reducing overall noise and vibration, and promoting indoor air quality, among others,” says Abbar.

With regard to this region, another important aspect that must be addressed is that of cooling.

“Over-sizing of HVAC systems and inefficiency in design/ installation, coupled with poor operation and maintenance, can result in substantial energy wastage and large efficiency performance gaps,” adds Grant.

“Operation and maintenance of HVAC systems should be prioritised to ensure actual sustainability in buildings.”

Arsanious Abtnago, BIM architect engineer at ASGC, has a different outlook. He explains that PV panels are the most common solution to a higher sustainability rating for a building, but this depends on panel efficiency.

“Crystalline silicon is the most common technology used to manufacture PV panels and the more perfectly aligned the silicon molecules are, their efficiency will be better. Monocrystalline silicon solar cells have the highest efficiency rates of up to 22%, but on the other hand there are multi-junction concentrator cells which can convert till 44%, but 18 December 2018

Encouragin g initiatives Kumari says the Emirates Green Buildi ng Council’s Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings is an impor tant initiative that will encou rage more effective post-retrofit maintenanc e.

“Despite it being early days for the Al Safat system, we can see a big shift in project planning towards locally sourced produce and materials, as well as in incorporating solar energy into the design, which is the most powerful natural resource of energy for this region”

they are expensive. We should keep looking for alternative materials to manufacture PV panels which can provide more efficiency with lower cost, to be suitable for any asset budget,” he asserts.

Developed markets like the UK and Australia have established schemes like the Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) and the NABERS rating scheme. These provide owners and occupiers with an understanding of the energy and water efficiency of their buildings and the environmental and cost impact of operating them.

“There are several green building rating systems and regulations that focus solely on the existing building market.

This includes the LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance certification, for which there are currently 67 registered buildings within the UAE,” says Grant.

She explains that the ESCO market is a developing sector in the Middle East, with government bodies such as the RSB in Dubai releasing frameworks to facilitate and promote ESCO activities and the retrofit market.

Both Kumari and Abbar talk about the various initiatives for benchmarking programmes that help evaluate the energy characteristics of a building.

Abbar points out, “EmiratesGBC’s Benchmarking Programme, under the Building Efficiency Accelerator with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, aims to support Dubai’s commitment to the global Building Efficiency Accelerator programme and expand EmiratesGBC’s benchmarking efforts, to help operators and owners across various sectors in gauging their building and

operational performance and encouraging stronger energy efficiency measures.”

“Emirates Green Building Council’s Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings is another initiative taken to encourage more effective post-retrofit maintenance, efficiency and preventive care,” further adds Kumari.

The MENA Net Zero Advisory panel is a committee that brings a regional focus to the global movement towards net zero carbon. The panel’s target is to develop roadmaps for each MENA country on the best strategies to advance towards net zero carbon buildings. The country-specific roadmaps will be developed based on a region-wide study conducted to understand the building industry’s readiness and challenges to reach net zero carbon buildings in each country.

“This initiative demonstrates that there is a willingness on a regional level to move ahead and take bold steps to collectively address and eliminate harmful carbon emissions in all built environments. We can then take this as a means to implement legislation and more stringent green building codes,” says Abbar.

These new regulations are also encouraging a shift towards smarter and healthier buildings and cities, with the upcoming Expo 2020 aiming to achieve LEED Gold as an example.

Another is DEWA’s power grid, which is connected to solar energy generators to integrate smart metering into the system.

“New regulations are trying to maximise the conservation of resources, protect the environment, reduce the pollution, provide a smarter lifestyle and increase the interaction with smart buildings – which is the ultimate future, after all,” concludes Abtnago.

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In Profile

“I’m really lookIng forward to when cItIes become smart and you can have cloud technology that can eventually Integrate buIldIngs, power plants and transport networks”

Big Project ME speaks to Markus Strohmeier, senior executive vice president of the Siemens Building Technologies division in the Middle East, about why embracing the digital revolution will pay off in the long run 20 December 2018

In Profile

December 2018 21

In Profile

w

hen Markus Strohmeier was appointed to head up Siemens Building Technologies in the Middle East from January 1, 2018, he was given one mandate – support the German giant’s customers in the region as they look to build digitised infrastructure for smarter, safer and more energy-efficient buildings.

As the GCC, led by Dubai, continues to invest in smart cities and technologies, there is a need for companies like Siemens to invest in and back regional governments as they look to achieve their aims. With a growing emphasis on energy efficiency, security, safety and the digitisation of buildings, intelligent infrastructure is rapidly becoming an enabler of social and economic development.

As such, making sure that Siemen’s extensive portfolio and capabilities are available to the market is a crucial aspect of Strohmeier’s new role.

“I was cautious [when I took on the role], but was very soon surprised about the positive market sentiment. That might be because of some stimulus projects, or specifically signature projects that must happen at a certain time and can’t be postponed. One of them is Expo 2020 – not only does it need to get mission-critical infrastructure to support it and be with it, but it also branches out into hospitality and transportation,” he tells Big Project ME during a sit-down interview at Siemens’ offices in Jebel Ali, Dubai.

22 December 2018

Investing in the region Markus Strohmeier was given the mandate of supporting Siemens’ customers in the Middle East as they look to build digitised infrastructure in the region.

“The possibilities for growth are skyhigh. If you look at how many buildings are actually newly constructed and put into place, it’s always the new versus retrofit question, and I think we have a much larger opportunity to go into retrofit”

“All of these are sectors Siemens is active in – most of them as the leader. You know that our signature activity is in transportation, but we also do energy, transmission, distribution and of course power generation.

But we’re active in what I’m also involved in, which is building technology. The very positive development that I’ve found is that the market is really going towards digitisation.”

According to a report released this year – IMD World Digital Competitiveness 2018 – the UAE’s continuing efforts to embrace digital technologies mean it is ranked as the 17th most digitally competitive nation in the world. With the country making confident strides towards a technologydriven future, in line with the government’s various interlinked national and sector-based strategies for achieving greater efficiency and sustainability, digitisation has become a major force in addressing

the challenges the country is facing, both economically and environmentally.

Amongst the sectors benefiting from the UAE’s heightened implementation of digitised operations are energy and urban planning. With digitisation, planners and operators are able to better use the vast quantities of data being produced, which subsequently enables the smooth operation of a power grid, while the technology can also be used to allow urban planners to visualise, plan and then create the conditions for better, smarter and more sustainable cities.

In addition, the UAE’s sustainability ambitions have received a boost from its digitisation drive, with the technology supporting integrated transport networks, energy distribution and widespread smart meter installations for greater utility usage efficiency.

According to another report

by PwC, these inter-related strategies to reduce electricity consumption helped the UAE save more than 1,100 gigawatt-hours of electricity and 5.4 billion gallons of water between 2009 and 2014, while carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by more than 536,000 tons at the same time.

“I would say that we are at the tipping point, and the possibilities for growth are sky-high. If you look at how many buildings are actually newly constructed and put into place, it’s always the new versus retrofit question, and I think we have a much larger opportunity to go into retrofit, rather than equipping new buildings with new sophisticated gear.

“But digitisation and smartness also go into other technologies – if you look at power generation, there’s no turbine of significant size that is

In Profile

“It’s not just about approving a concept for fun. It needs to be highly secure, although no one can deny the cloud. The cloud is present and if you don’t work with the cloud, you’re somewhere behind” not connected to international centres and benchmarked against its peers. Any little difference will be reported back. It’s intuitive learning, and that goes into the transmission networks and smart grids.

“Smart grids can be smart, but there is only so much smartness that can be achieved if the buildings, as off-takers, are not smart. If you want to have a smart grid and switch loads, then you need to have interfaces and docking points so that the building actually listens to you as a smart grid and switches its loads on and off, depending on the grid’s capabilities and the power generation capabilities at the end,” he points out.

Having been involved in all those sectors at the firm, Strohmeier stresses that with

Siemens offering end-to-end solutions, it has an opportunity to provide the entire gamut of options to clients in the region.

With the increasing importance of data in the modern landscape, being able to offer data collection and analysis from start to finish puts the company in an enviable position, he states.

“We have hundreds of closed towers and installations in the UAE. They produce data, but this data is wasted or not looked at. However, we are actively pursuing this.

This data must not be wasted, it must be analysed and collected as there is enormous potential out there for it.”

To ensure that it is not, he points out that a large part of his – and Siemens’ – time is occupied with educating the

market and creating awareness.

He asserts that this is necessary because with increased awareness comes increased uptake, as clients become aware of the savings they can make through digitisation.

“Let me go into more detail – if you have an airport, hospital or any other similar infrastructure that you can’t lose for hours in a day, digitisation helps you by pattern comparison to see units, before they even fail, that might fail. That their behaviour is different, that the vibrations are different, and you react and order spare parts before they even fail.

“You don’t want to have a concourse in an airport or an operating theatre in a hospital go down. That is the upside part, and people will appreciate it if they’re fully aware. We’ve had a good

start and great beginnings, but there is more to do on that front.

“On the energy side, maybe you have read or heard about the projects we have here with regard to energy savings. It’s not only about savings, sometimes you have a shopping centre or an airport and you want to extend with another building. Because of that additional building, you may need to build a new chiller plant, but if you can actually save on the existing chiller plant, it might not only give you the savings, but it might also give you additional capacity.

“We’re in the right time, it’s really taking off. It’s not only in Dubai, it’s in countries all over the region, all in places where we’re active. An example is the Dubai Airport Free Zone, where there are more than 13 buildings

end-to-end solutions Siemens has an opportunity to provide the entire gamut of options to clients in the region, says Strohmeier.

December 2018 23

In Profile

“If you can avoid consumption, then you don’t need to worry about transfer of power. It’s integrated and it’s a holistic solution – if you can optimise from the building, through to generation, then you’re saving so much for the whole economy”

a perfect fit Siemens has announced its Vision 2020, which focuses on electrification, digitisation and automation. These three pillars are a perfect fit for the Middle East’s current and future challenges.

and multiple ins and outs of tenants, a high frequency of change, and you need to make it right for everyone. But it’s not just about energy savings, it’s also about having total control of the technology in the building.

“We have products like the base operating system for the building, Desigo CC – it’s a building automation platform and it gives you the comfort, the safety and the security. You basically integrate the automation

part, you have your security part – the camera systems, the alarms and analytics, the fire alarms, they can all be integrated on that platform. But that doesn’t optimise the building yet. It gives you a total grip, but it doesn’t do the thinking for you.

“You then go into a different level, with a platform called Navigator which plugs into the earlier platform and takes out the data and does advanced analytics with it. We then come

In the right place Strohmeier says Siemens is in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the growing need for digitisation and automation.

24 December 2018

up with the comparisons of vibration, temperatures, water speeds, electricity consumption, water consumption and all that. Based on these analytics, the system is able to give you improvement hints.

“It’s not only done for you or for one particular request – we have a database of cases around the world and they are already running on the same platform: in Europe, in America, wherever. We can plug it into your building. It doesn’t take ages until we’re adjusted to your building, there are libraries that already fit onto your building, and of course they can always be adjusted. So that gives you the optimisation,” he explains.

Having this database around the world also opens up some intriguing possibilities for where digitisation technology can head, Strohmeier says. With Siemens’ systems third-party compatible and easily integrated with existing systems worldwide, he asserts that technologies need to communicate with each other.

To that end, he says an open Internet of Things platform will be crucial. Technology based on IoT will be useful, as data needs to be transformed into smart data. As such, advanced

In Profile

analytics and machine learning has to be applied, if money is to be made out of data.

“After all, it’s a business case – it’s not just about approving a concept for fun. It needs to be highly secure, although no one can deny the cloud. The cloud is present and if you don’t work with the cloud, you’re somewhere behind. That puts it to a trusted partner, a partner who knows what’s at stake – we’re talking about cybersecurity here. There are so many out there, but would you trust your data to someone who doesn’t really have any mass or anything at stake?”

However, Strohmeier also warns that to use technology effectively, more data is always better. When it comes to managing a single building, he says technology like AI or machine learning isn’t necessary, as the data generated isn’t sufficient or complex enough.

But if that data collection is expanded to a city, a transport network or power generation, then there is enough data being generated to actually require superior computing power or 24/7 operations.

“With buildings, what we have today is pretty much covered

perfectly, but these platforms are able to go beyond. I’m really looking forward to when cities become smart and you can have cloud technology that can eventually integrate buildings, power plants, transport networks and all that stuff.

“I think, with buildings and smart cities, that’s where we are today. A lot of convincing is necessary, a lot of awareness creation is necessary. This technology can really leap forwards – building owners, facility managers, occupants [can all really benefit]. All the power that you save doesn’t

need to be generated, so it roots back to your generation and transmission network.

“If you can avoid consumption, then you don’t need to worry about transfer of power. It’s integrated and it’s a holistic solution – if you can optimise from the building, through to generation, then you’re saving so much for the whole economy.

“For me, the target is socialisation, this creation of awareness. Going green is not about environmental protection or saving nature. Going green is a business, it pays back,” he asserts in conclusion.

“Smart grids can be smart, but there is only so much smartness that can be achieved if the buildings, as off-takers, are not smart” providing smart solutions Dubai Opera is one of the world’s smartest and most energyefficient performance spaces, thanks to an extremely powerful building management platform from Siemens.

December 2018 25

Big Project ME Awards 2018

A Night of StarS Big Project ME salutes the achievements of the regional construction industry for the year 2018

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26 December 2018

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Big Project ME Awards 2018

The 2018 edition of the Big Project ME Awards took place on November 26, 2018 at the Double Tree Hilton in JBR, Dubai. The annual B2B event attracted a crowd of more than 250 construction industry professionals, with CEOs, managing directors and other senior level figures all in attendance to celebrate the best of the construction industry for the year.

Held annually, the event was hosted at an outdoor venue for the first time ever, with the guests assembling on the Double Tree Hilton’s lawn, which had Ain Dubai and Bluewaters providing a stunning backdrop to proceedings.

Having grown into one of the most recognised and wellregarded award nights in the construction industry, this year’s event featured submissions from a

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range of contractors, consultants, subcontractors, developers, suppliers and manufacturers from across the GCC and MENA region.

More than 130 nominations were filed for consideration across 21 categories, with several highprofile and prestigious projects, contractors and developers vying for the biggest prizes on the night.

Among the nominees for the awards were local government authorities and bodies.

“The Big Project ME Award 2018 was a huge success for us and we’re delighted at the turn-out. The high attendance levels show that these awards are valued and respected across the construction industry, and we’re delighted to see so many new faces taking part this year,” said Raz Islam, managing director of CPI Trade Media.

“We had more than 250 guests

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here tonight and it’s great to see that everyone was having a great time. It’s heartening to see the passion and appreciation the industry has for our awards and events. This year has seen a huge spike in our attendance figures for all our events and awards, and it’s clear that what we’re doing is resonating with the industry.”

This year, the Contractor of the Year Award went to Dubai contractor ASGC, while the Project of the Year went to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, submitted by BuroHappold.

Other notable winners on the night were Voltas Limited, which picked up the MEP Contractor of the Year Award, and Dubai World Trade Centre, which took home the Developer of the Year Award.

In the individual categories, Saeed Al Abbar won the Big Project ME Executive of the Year

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SUPPORTING PARTNER

Award, while Dr Anil Pillai, CEO and chairman of Airolink Group, won the Big Project ME Business Leader of the Year Award.

The judges for this year’s event were Paul Wallet (Trimble), Morgan Tuckness (Drees and Sommer), Craig Finlayson (Currie & Brown), Nicky Dobreanu (C-Quest), Steven Batchelor (F+G), Carolina Fong Guzzy (Accienta), Jesus Sancho (Accoiona) and Anil Menon (CKR).

The sponsors for the Big Project ME Awards 2018 were: Platinum Sponsor: Ithra Dubai; Gold Sponsors: Airolink, Lacasa, Hill International, Pace Architecture Engineering + Planning; Silver Sponsors: ALEC, ABB, CCS Gulf, Trimble, Voltas.

The Supporting Partners for the event were CIOB and RICS, while Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority endorsed the event.

ENDORSED BY

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December 2018 27

Big Project ME Awards 2018

proDuct innovation awarD NOMiNEEs: Dow Chemical – Dow Cool Reflective Roof Coatings Polypipe Middle East – Permavoid WiNNER: Voestalpine Metsec – Purlin Optimisation software Voestalpine Metsec’s Purlin Optimisation Software was chosen as the winner of the 2018 Product Innovation Award because of its commitment to improving

performance and efficiency on complex projects. The Purlin Optimisation Software is offered free-of-charge to download, and has been specifically designed to be used in the UAE and GCC. “There are still a lot of engineers that are probably not using the software, or know that it’s available for them, or that we have adapted it to work specifically in the Middle East. Hopefully we’ll be able to educate them and let them know it’s there,” said Rob Marsh, commercial manager for Voestalpine Metsec.

ExcEllEncE in BiM NOMiNEEs: BuroHappold ECC WiNNER: shapoorji Pallonji Mideast Shapoorji Pallonji was chosen for the Excellence in BIM Award by the judges, for using BIM not just across their projects, but within their operations and businesses as well. Embracing BIM throughout the organisation and understanding its capabilities to improve

SkillS DEvElopMEnt prograMME of thE YEar NOMiNEE: ALEC – Boost Programme WiNNER: AsGC – AsGC Academy The Skills Development Programme of the Year Award recognises the work ASGC has done in launching the ASGC Academy, demonstrating to the judges that it has a strong commitment to keeping its growing workforce on the cutting edge of technology

28 December 2018

and engineering advancements.

ASGC shows that internal training and development initiatives are values it embodies, starting with the launch of the academy for its labour force and staff.

“We feel very proud for achieving such an award and we are proud to be a part of a company that invests in its employees and labours to improve them and take them to the next level and to improve their performance,” said Mahmoud Abuebeid from ASGC.

performance and delivery across different sectors and segments of the business made the firm a strong winner for this award.

“We want to be at the forefront of technology in construction.

We always felt the need for BIM to be a part of our technological advancement, which is why we started much before most of our competitors had even heard about it. Even though we’ve reached so far, there’s still a long way to go,” said Biju Ommachan, vice president at Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast LLC.

Big Project ME Awards 2018

infraStructurE lEaDEr of thE YEar WiNNER: ithra Dubai Big Project ME chose Ithra Dubai as the Infrastructure Leader of the Year because of its commitment and dedication to developing Dubai’s future while keeping its culture and history. As the mastermind behind the Deira Enrichment Project, an ambitious plan to revitalise and regenerate the historical heart of Dubai, the master developer is having a direct impact on the city’s future. As a socially-conscious

entity, it is making sure that the area under development is also liveable and answers to the needs of future residents, putting in place vital social infrastructure structures that will stand for generations to come.

“We must live up to this award and what it means. We are all contributing as developers to the infrastructure of Dubai, and hopefully what we are doing will contribute to making Dubai much more appreciated,” said Raad Al Jarrah, chief development officer at Ithra Dubai.

SuStainaBlE govErnMEnt DEpartMEnt of thE YEar WiNNER sharjah Electricity and Water Authority Having recently completed the installation of 48,000 smart meters to better monitor and predict water and electricity consumption across the emirate, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) was chosen by Big Project ME to be the Sustainable Government Department of the Year. Under the leadership of Dr Rashid

Alleem, SEWA has transformed itself into a sleek, modern and forward-facing government entity that is actively implementing sustainability principles across its entire organisation. Having previously faced significant financial and operational challenges and inefficiencies, the policies implemented by Dr Alleem and his leadership team at SEWA have seen it become a standard-setter for the region, and an example of sustainable principles in action.

DEvElopEr of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: Binghatti Developers Ithra Dubai WiNNER: Dubai World Trade Centre Dubai World Trade Centre won Developer of the Year after much debate and discussion from the judges. What swayed the decision in its favour was its ability to show in detail how its project portfolio contributes to Dubai’s overall GDP, as well

as how it has implemented a variety of initiatives on its projects, including sustainability, digitisation and efficiency improvement.

“We are extremely fortunate to have won this award and so proud of the fact that we’re being judged against our peers. It’s been amazing to compete with some of the best developers in the region,” said Gurjit Singh, senior vice president of Real Estate at Dubai World Trade Centre, after picking up the trophy.

December 2018 29

Big Project ME Awards 2018

Big projEct ME ExEcutivE of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: Kez Taylor (ALEC) Muhammad BinGhatti (Binghatti Developers) WiNNER: saeed Al Abbar (AEsG) Saeed Al Abbar picked up this year’s award for his work as a leader in the construction industry. As a director at AESG, he has ensured that his company has become a leading voice for green building in the region.

Furthermore, as the chairman of the EmiratesGBC, he has been a strong and passionate advocate for the betterment of the industry.

“This year has been a momentous year for us. We have cemented ourselves as the leaders in our field and in the areas that we work in. We have expanded into many areas throughout the region and beyond into London and Europe, and we are looking to cement that growth for years to come,” he said about AESG’s performance in 2017/2018.

Big projEct ME woMan of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: Phillipa Grant (AESG) Soura Madani (Soura Madani House of Design) WiNNER: Agnes Koltay (Koltay Facades) Although it was a tough decision, the judges felt that Agnes Koltay was a strong representative for women in construction in the region. Having spent her career working with some of the biggest names in international construction,

Koltay has come to be regarded as an expert in her field, while her leadership skills and abilities have seen the company she founded in 2011 go from strength to strength.

“This is the first time I’m getting the Big Project Award, and it was the first time I was nominated, so I was really looking forward to this. I will continue doing what I was doing when I started the company, which is working on exciting projects and just doing the best possible for façade engineering,” she said.

Big projEct ME pErSonalitY of thE YEar WiNNER: Talal Al Gaddah – CEO, MAG Lifestyle Development This award was chosen by the editorial team at CPI Trade Media and serves to recognise the work done by Talal Al Gaddah in revitalising his company and launching several projects that have grabbed the attention of the Dubai real estate market and its buyers. These include projects such as MAGEye Residential in

30 December 2018

Mohammed Bin Rashid City, District 7; MBL Residences in JLT, Dubai; MAG318 in Business Bay, Dubai; and MAG5 in Dubai South.

As a distinctive voice within the construction and real estate development industry, Al Gaddah and his company have focused on providing projects and amenities that facilitate the lifestyle of a community, rather than just building residential units and towers, making him an ideal recipient of this award.

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

EXPECT MORE www.asgcgroup.com

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Big Project ME Awards 2018

Big projEct ME BuSinESS lEaDEr of thE YEar WiNNER: Anil Pillai – CEO and chairman, Airolink Group Dr Anil Pillai was chosen as Business Leader of the Year to recognise the great work done by his company in a short span of time. Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, Airolink Group oversees a pipeline of projects worth more than $1.63bn and a roster of more than 2,700 employees.

“These kinds of awards give more strength to our company to grow and perform better. We are actually in a challenging situation in the construction climate, but in spite of that, there are positive thoughts around. I can see some good projects and developments coming up, and there are a couple of good contractors available in the market. That’s a positive sign, and 2020 is also in the future (which will be good for the industry),” Dr Pillai said.

DESign anD BuilD contractor of thE YEar NOMiNEE: IHCC – Diyar Al Salam WiNNER: ALEC – Marina Gate The judges decided to award ALEC the trophy for its work as a design and build contractor on Marina Gate after the nomination showed how the contractor was able to abruptly switch from a ‘Construct’ only contract to a ‘Design and Construct’ contract.

fit-out contractor of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: ALEC Fit-Out Summertown Interiors WiNNER: DEPA Having worked on a number of iconic projects, DEPA has had a stellar 2017/2018, with record profits for the financial year. It has also overseen the establishment of a new leadership team, the embedding of a new performance-driven culture and

32 December 2018

the introduction of several new approaches and methodologies, which is why the judges named it Fit-Out Contractor of the Year.

“We are very happy about winning the award. It shows our continuing development and it’s a good reward for all of our staff, and for all the good work we have done over the last year,” said Kevin Lewis, managing director at DEPA Interiors. “We think we are the best contractor in the region, and we want to maintain that position. We hope to win it again next year!”

“It’s an honour to be awarded the Design and Build Contractor of the Year Award,” said John Moolman of ALEC. “I personally think that it’s been a challenge for us. We took over the design and build, and the team has worked very hard to deliver the job on time to the client. [Our] future plans are to continue with design and build contracts, I think it’s in favour of the contractor and it’s the way forward in construction,” he said after receiving the award.

Big Project ME Awards 2018

MEp contractor of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: ALEMCO China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (MEP Division) WiNNER: Voltas Limited Voltas Limited was chosen as the winner of this year’s MEP Contractor of the Year Award because it registered a strong performance on-site, delivering and working on several high-

profile projects across the GCC region. Furthermore, the judges were also impressed by the MEP contractor’s strong commitment to sustainability, technology and the health and welfare of its staff. “[This award] is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the team over the last three or four years.

We have worked towards this and had a great year. I think it’s a fitting tribute to their hard work and effort, and this award means a lot to us,” said Jayant Balan, COO at Voltas Limited.

SuStainaBlE contractor of thE YEar NOMiNEE: AF Construction WiNNER: Nael General Contracting With sustainability running through the heart of its operations, the judges were highly impressed by Nael General Contracting’s efforts to be as green as possible. As a sustainability contractor, it has completed and received approvals for more than 28 projects under the Estidama Pearl Rating System.

“We are so proud that we have received this award. This shows that our sustainability policies are moving in the right direction and this gives more trust to our employees to gain more achievements in the coming years,” said Abey Boban Chacko, divisional manager – Sustainability, Nael General Contracting.

“We are focusing on three areas: the project side, our factories and finally our divisions. We are implementing sustainability policies in all areas.”

contractor of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: ALEC China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East WiNNER: AsGC Winning the Contractor of the Year Award for the first time, ASGC was recognised by the judges for a well put-together presentation which showcased its capabilities and also paid attention to activities beyond

the construction site. With an emphasis on developing employees and skills, ASGC’s submission showed the judges that it is a well-rounded organisation that has a core belief in investing in and rewarding its employees, as it looks to evolve and grow as a business within the construction industry.

“At ASGC, we are really inspired to grow year by year, and to win more challenging projects. I believe that this award is testimony to that,” said Karim El Shennawy, business development manager at ASGC.

December 2018 33

Big Project ME Awards 2018

Big Project ME Awards 2018

Big projEct ME projEct of thE YEar Gate Avenue – DIFC One Za’abeel – Ithra Dubai WiNNER: Marina Gate – select Group The Big Project ME Project of the Year Award was chosen by the editorial team based on the sheer size and scale of the Marina Gate project, which posed several challenges to the developer and the contractor, who had to work together to resolve them. Once complete, the Marina Gate project

will become an instant icon of the city’s rapidly expanding skyline and will become a crucial part of the immediate environment with its mixed-use offerings, which include residential, hospitality, retail and F&B. “It’s very exciting to win the award. It’s about people and motivation and relentlessly working hard, and then projects get delivered. What you put in is what you get out. It’s just hard work,” said Rahail Aslam, group CEO of Select Group.

ExcEllEncE in hSE on a projEct ALEC China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East WiNNER: Tabreed Tabreed impressed the judges with a submission that highlighted not just a willingness to embrace Health and Safety principles and philosophies, but also showed an awareness of mistakes made in the past and

a desire to rectify and improve in the present and the future.

“We use technology and automation. Most of our reports are being automated right now and this makes it easier for the employee to report anything they observe about HSE, and this helps us to identify and improve ourselves in HSE,” said Hadi Abdulla Ali, HSE manager at Tabreed.

“Going forward, we are planning to improve ourselves in HSE and bring it more to life and grow in this department.”

ExcEllEncE in BiM iMplEMEntation on a projEct Dewan Architects – FlyDubai Headquarters WME – UAE Pavilion, Expo 2020 WiNNER: BAM international – Museum of the Future The Museum of the Future was this year’s winner of the Excellence in BIM Implementation on a Project Award, chosen by the judges because of how complex and

34 December 2018

intricate the BIM model for the project is. Not only does the façade present immense design and build challenges, but the project also has to be delivered to exacting standards – which is no surprise, given that it is to serve as a landmark and icon of Dubai for years to come.

“Absolutely delighted about winning the award. It’s good to get even nominated in the first place, to win is great,” said Derek Bourke, Museum of the Future BIM manager for BAM International.

2018 Winners of the Product Innovation award “To be recognised by Big Project ME for Product Innovation of the Year is fantastic. Designers are now using this software to provide structurally efficient more cost effective purlin solutions, and its free to download. We look forward to investing further in technology and innovation for the Middle East construction industry” – Robert Marsh,

Commercial Manager for Voestalpine Metsec

Middle East Contact: PURLINS

RobeRt MaRsh Commercial Manager Voestalpine Metsec - Middle East GCC rob.marsh@voestalpine.com

Jebel Ali South Zone P.O.Box 262840 Dubai , United Arab Emirates Voestalpine - One step ahead Tel: +971(0)4/8870-704, Fax +971(0)4/8870-705 Mob: +971 (0)565258198 www.metsec.com

Big Project ME Awards 2018

infraStructurE projEct of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: ASGC – Dubai International Airport Improvement Works and Remote Couching Facility China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East – Improvement of Al Wasl Road Ph.1B Interchange 2.5 WiNNER: Hill international – Muscat international Airport For the 2018 Infrastructure Project of the Year Award,

the judges were unanimous in their decision to choose Muscat International Airport.

“I believe that the project reflects a huge effort by a big team.

There were around 400 people on-site for a few years, and I think it’s a big achievement for Muscat, Oman as well. It’s one of the major, monumental projects on the map for Hill International and for Oman as well, and in fact the Middle East,” said Akran Ogaily, executive consultant at Hill International, after receiving the award.

SuStainaBlE projEct of thE YEar NOMiNEEs: AESG – X-Works ASGC – Enterprise Command and Control Centre WiNNER: BuroHappold – Louvre Abu Dhabi The Louvre Abu Dhabi won over the judges for the Sustainable Project of the Year Award due to the remarkable engineering and design work that has gone into its construction – through the integration of low-profile

projEct of thE YEar Ithra Dubai – One Za’abeel La Perle by Dragone WiNNER: BuroHappold – Louvre Abu Dhabi BuroHappold and the Louvre Abu Dhabi returned to pick up the Project of the Year Award, with the judges feeling it was impossible to look beyond it due to its global impact. Born from an intergovernmental agreement between Abu Dhabi and France, commissioned by the TDIC, the

36 December 2018

2018 Project of the Year embodies a spirit of openness and dialogue among disparate cultures, with displays of historical, culture and sociological significance.

“The Louvre actually was our most complex, most challenging project. I think it’s a recognition of eight years on the project.

It’s nice to be appreciated for it,” said Brian Cole, Louvre Abu Dhabi – project director and Construction Supervision team leader, and director at BuroHappold Consulting Engineering.

but effective passive cooling systems into the design, the engineering team was able to develop a sustainable solution to the challenge of maintaining the temperature of a large open space.

Furthermore, the building itself has been designed under some of the most stringent sustainable guidelines. Also complicating matters for the builders was the fact that this project requires some of the best environmental control units in the world, given the nature of its contents and exhibits.

Big Project ME Awards 2018

December 2018 37

Smart Movement

38 December 2018

Smart Movement

ELEVATING SMART TRANSPORTATION

Big Project ME’s Angitha Pradeep speaks to elevator companies to determine how smart technology can improve the efficiency potential and intelligence of vertical transportation Reports suggest that more than 12 million elevators make seven billion trips up and down buildings all over the world, every day. By 2050, the world population is expected to reach 9.1bn, a massive increase from the present 7.2bn, according to a UN DESA report. All this suggests that a fundamental change in building construction, and an unprecedented growth in disruptive technology in the coming years, is going to be needed.

New developments New technological developments are shaping the elevator industry’s long-term plans to change elevator maintenance from reactive to preventive measures.

Looking closer to home, 1.87 million people were recorded as having travelled to the top of the Burj Khalifa in 2013 alone. These figures indicate a drive towards a smarter, efficient elevator system while minimising wait time – a major factor in the elevator industry.

KONE, Otis and ThyssenKrupp speak with Big Project ME about the new developments shaping the elevator industry, and their long-term plans to change elevator maintenance from reactive to preventive measures.

They also discuss how new technologies offer a 360-degree view for building managers.

Michael Cesarz, CEO at Multi (a ThyssenKrupp innovation), says that despite there being resistance towards adopting new innovations, at least in the beginning, he believes adoption rates will go up once people are made aware of the benefits

“There are some great innovative ideas in the market, but I think it’s a collaborative process where we work with customers, partners and architects to find new innovations” technology can bring. New models of elevators are incorporating data analysis, mobile technology, sensors and cloud gateways, but companies are still trying to

educate architects and clients about the technology so that they better understand how to optimise the symbiosis between buildings and elevators, he says.

“There are some great innovative ideas in the market, but I think it’s a collaborative process where we work with customers, partners and architects to find new innovations that will improve the situation,” points out Henrik Ehrnrooth, KONE president and global CEO. Patrick Blethon, president at Otis EMEA, agrees with the sentiments expressed and adds that changes in elevator technology are changing the way buildings are being used as well. “The way of designing buildings will completely change.

For example, we are working on regenerative projects where we can reuse the electricity that is being generated in the elevators inside the building,” he says.

When speaking about change, it’s impossible not to notice that artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have pushed elevator models towards a new age of cloud computing.

Not only does this allow systems and operators to better connect with passengers and increase the value of their services, it ensures that there is transparency in maintenance processes and an intelligent, responsive system.

December 2018 39

Smart Movement

Blethon points out that with IoT, elevator companies can now provide supplementary services to tenants to improve the passenger experience.

One such way is to connect the profile of passengers with advertising companies, he says.

“A lot of things can be imagined with this scenario. eView is a service by us that connects passengers with personally customisable news feeds or exposes them to a display content chosen by building managers, which can be further expanded by 3G connectivity,” he says. “Otherwise, that two minutes in the elevator can be utilised as a meeting room where colleagues can share texts or exchange emails.

The possibilities are endless!”

IoT is not only used to enhance passenger experience but also to increase elevator efficiency. The Compass 360 by Otis organises traffic flow management to limit waiting times, while also optimising the flow of cycles by organising the movement of people in tall buildings. Cesarz feels that an intelligent elevator system will be the backbone of any smart building and that a building in which elevators are connected at every level will provide maximum smoothness in passenger flow.

“With AI, you can now call your elevator with your phone. The phone will act as an access card to the elevator and the algorithm will know in advance how many people are approaching each floor, so that it can send a cart earlier and reduce waiting times. This is incorporated in our Multi system,” he explains.

KONE is taking a different approach and focusing on improving safety standards.

Ehrnrooth says that instead of a technician checking the elevator every few months, IoT allows a digital technician to keep watch 24/7.

“It’s safer. Our customers are

40 December 2018

always aware of what is happening in their buildings. It’s not only about how the equipment is working, but also about how people are moving. This increases transparency, and with data like this, we can help design buildings that fit a purpose.”

However, data collection comes with its own challenges.

Sensors installed in elevators can gather data uninterrupted to identify potential faults and employ a policy of preventive maintenance, rather than reacting to a breakdown. While this would significantly lessen downtime, what happens to the raw data that is continuously collected?

To this end, KONE has partnered with IBM to use the IBM Watson IoT platform to make sense of this data.

Ehrnrooth explains, “Right from the beginning, relevant data gets computed and is sent to the KONE

“We are working on regenerative projects where we can reuse the electricity that is being generated in the elevators inside the building”

Long-term plans When it comes to elevator systems, having a long-term plan is more viable as designers and manufacturers can pass systems through uncompromising tests and have them confirmed as 100% safe.

Smart Movement

Increased transparency The Internet of Things ensures that maintenance teams, customers and suppliers are always aware of what is happening with their elevator systems, which makes them safer and easier to look after.

“That two minutes in the elevator can be utilised as a meeting room where colleagues can share texts or exchange emails.

The possibilities are endless!”

cloud, where we use the Watson platform. What this platform does is that it follows patterns and knows that things should work in the same way, repeatedly.

“If the pattern starts to change, then it sends an alert. For example, the doors of the elevator should always close in a particular way, but if there is a slight change, then we are notified. Maybe it could be that a grain of sand is stuck, or it could be indicating a bigger problem, but we are aware of it before the system breaks down. The more data is collected, the smarter it gets. It’s mainly about big data analytics and machine learning.”

When it comes to elevator systems, having a long-term plan is always more viable.

Systems are passed through uncompromising tests and confirmed 100% safe before they are released into the market. As Cesarz says, no company wants to be in the news for the wrong

reasons, or for a systems failure.

For this reason, ThyssenKrupp is working with the Microsoft HoloLens, which uses mixed reality to help regional elevator technicians make hands-free calls to industry experts and share holographic real-time instructions.

With this investment, HoloLens has managed to reduce ThyssenKrupp’s service calls four-fold.

However, it’s not just ThyssenKrupp that has realised the importance of full-time service centres. Otis has established its own 24/7 customer centre in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which Blethon says is the first of its kind in the region.

Speaking of the region, Otis proudly says it has recently appointed two women in managerial positions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to oversee service business and project engineering respectively.

“Our strength is in our diversity,” asserts Blethon. “Our major milestone for 2019 is the Otis ONE, which is a portal that gets updated in real time so that our customers can track service delivery, view equipment data and communicate with our extended service team on demand.”

Ehrnrooth says the vital question should be: Why do we want to have smart cities?

“It is so that people who visit these cities have a better experience, to make them safer, convenient and more sustainable. Technology itself is not important, there should be a reason behind it. And sustainability is a huge part of that.

“When we provide intelligence to our buildings, we make them predictable and people don’t have to wait around to move in the building. A well-functioning elevator with good design and good experience makes the solution to potential problems much easier,” he concludes.

December 2018 41

Expert Voice

Market leaders provide valuable insights and opinions for the construction industry Collecting data KONE collects vast amounts of data and then analyses it to find ways to use this data in intelligent ways to serve customers.

Turning DaTa inTo KnowleDge

Pekka Korhonen, modernisation director at KONE Middle East and Africa, speaks to Big Project ME about the company’s latest innovations and the benefits they bring for their customers and end users

What are some of KONE’s latest research and development projects?

We have been innovating for more than 100 years, and KONE has changed the industry with KONE MonoSpace, KONE UltraRope and now our cloud-based service: 24/7 Connected Services. Our technological breakthroughs are shaping the future of high-rise living and making the unthinkable possible. KONE’s rich experience in developing and analysing the flow of people in various buildings has helped in knowing how to move people conveniently inside large destination hubs.

Buildings are getting smarter and they are becoming more equipped with the latest technologies and solutions to constantly improve the people flow. Our business is about

42 December 2018

the smooth and safe people flow in and between buildings, starting from the front door and leading all the way to the apartment or residence.

One of our main focuses is the smart building sector. We want to deliver better experiences to the building users, and more effective and intuitive services to our customers.

Earlier this year, KONE introduced a new digital platform and a renewed products and services portfolio to better meet the opportunities of a connected world.

How is KONE’s digital platform used to improve efficiency and performance for elevators and escalators?

The digital platform uses state-ofthe-art technologies and is open to third-party solutions. It connects people – customers, end users and

employees – to equipment and data, which in turn can lead to the transformation of the people flow experience in buildings and cities.

In simple terms, our digital platform consists of three parts: 1. Connected equipment and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Elevators and escalators can now be connected to systems such as Watson on the IBM Cloud.

We can collect a vast amount of data and analyse it. We can then use this data in intelligent ways to serve our customers even better and keep their equipment up and running 24/7.

2. Ecosystems and open application programming interfaces (APIs). APIs make it easy to manage different devices and integrate them with new and existing systems. Our digital

platform is open to third-party solutions, meaning that our partners and other third parties can plug in their solutions via open APIs. 3. Intelligent data turned into people-flow knowledge.

With all the data we receive from equipment, maintenance operations and customers, our analytical capabilities will be even more valuable. We can also use external open data sources – such as information on weather and public transportation – to make more intelligent decisions and predictions.

How is KONE working with other firms and industries to develop intelligent solutions?

By working together with our partners, we can deliver even better people flow experiences and better service for our customers.

For further information, please visit the KONE website at: www.kone.ae

The KONE digital platform is hosted and managed by IBM Watson. With IBM Watson, we can monitor dozens of critical parameters in real time, predict issues, and collect and store data from hundreds of thousands of elevators, escalators and turnstiles.

We work with Ecosystem partners. These are often startups, but they can also be from other types of company, such as those in the smart building sector.

Ecosystem partners integrate or develop partner-branded offerings that work as part of the KONE people flow ecosystem, using APIs and the KONE digital platform.

What are the opportunities for your customers from this change in offering?

We need to make it easier for our customers to add value to their business. Technological disruption is a great opportunity for KONE to differentiate, learn and work smarter. We can bring customers more tailored and holistic solutions that take care of the people flow in

Tailored and holistic solutions KONE can bring customers more tailored and holistic solutions that take care of people flow in their entire building.

“By working together with our partners, we can deliver even better people flow experiences and better service for our customers”

their entire building. KONE’s new solutions are based on end user insights and solid technological development, so our customers’ customers also benefit.

Many of our customers are expecting to co-create and innovate together. They would prefer to work with one partner with an open and scalable connectivity platform that can be updated with new software and solutions as needs change.

For the end user, our new digital offerings mean more comfort and convenience.

Smart buildings are equipped with the latest technology: they react to the individual needs of the users in easy and intuitive ways. Ensuring seamless people flow experience is our top priority: operating equipment remotely calling through an application programming interface (API), to make returning home simpler for tenants.

Our KONE Access and Destination control incorporates desired destination floors and the number of waiting passengers

to significantly improve elevator convenience and efficiency.

This leads to increased handling capacity, shorter journey times, fewer intermediate stops and enhanced passenger comfort.

What is in the pipeline in terms of services and systems for the Middle East?

We are constantly developing our solutions for different segments.

The Middle East is one of our core regions, as we have a long history in the market since we first entered in 1976. In October this year, we opened our first People Flow Experience Centre in Dubai.

The Centre serves as a valuable planning tool for new and existing buildings and shows the exciting smart solutions KONE is offering beyond the classic elevator and escalators portfolio. Using KONE’s People Flow Simulator software, multiple simulations of horizontal and vertical flow can be performed to allow visitors to experience first-hand its comprehensive range of flexible solutions.

Smart buildings KONE’s digital offerings mean end users can interact with their building’s services through their smartphones.

December 2018 43

Event Review

ME BIM SuMMIt 2018

Big Project ME recaps the third annual ME BIM Summit, which focused on the technological revolution within BIM processes and procedures Making a comeback for a third year, Big Project ME had its biggest ever Middle East BIM Summit on October 28 at the Habtoor Grand Hotel in Dubai.

This year, the event focused on how new technology is being used in conjunction with BIM, and how it can be applied for sustainable construction.

With more than 300 delegates, panellists and speakers encompassing consultants, contractors and government personalities, the event was a resounding success. Chaired by Farah Kurdi, regional operations director and project management 44 December 2018

technical professional lead at AECOM, the event included three panel discussions and four presentations, followed by a networking lunch.

Kurdi kicked off the event by moderating the first panel discussion, which focused on how the construction industry is using new technologies, and how these advancements are making way for an integrated approach to BIM. Interesting topics were covered during the discussion, with Djordje Grujic, GM of Architectural Corner, mentioning that technology should be the base of a business and that integrated

project delivery (IPD) helps everyone find information in one place. Carolina Fong Guzzy, digital engineering manager, Accienta, agreed with that sentiment and pointed out that “integrated design delivery needs collaboration between all stakeholders”.

The panel concluded with Dr Marwan Abu Ebeid, senior BIM manager and head of the BIM Division for Turner International Middle East, reiterating that “BIM should be part of the daily process within the team”.

Putting the panel discussion in perspective, it was followed by a presentation on how BIM will

evolve in the future by Prakash Senghani, digital project delivery lead for Construction Services, AECOM. During his talk, he highlighted how contractors have started to adopt BIM by their own choice over the last year, a trend that indicates growing acceptance of the benefits of the technology.

A panel discussion on big data for BIM was next on the agenda, moderated by Craig Garrett, Digital Advancement Academy leader in Dubai for Bentley Systems. This panel discussed using the Internet of Things (IoT) on BIM projects and how the harvesting of data

Event Review

could be used in the future.

“With big data analytics, it’s possible to see the how the model compares and understand how it will develop further,” said Joylyn Dela Cruz, BIM lead and digital specialist, Aurecon. The panel was rounded off by Garrett asking the important question of who owns the data collected.

This led to a well-rounded discussion with some interesting debate between the panellists.

The second presentation of the day was from Raguram Jayaram, Bentley Systems, who started with

an interesting fact: “By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 50 billion connected devices in the world and this will evolve how smart environments function.”

He then went on to talk about how drones and associated disruptive technologies in the design and construction industry have seen a dramatic rise over the last few years. He pointed out that these technologies are paving the way for the replacement of traditional methods of surveying and analysing real-world information in a digital context.

The final panel discussion for the day was chaired by Phillipa Grant, manager of the Energy and Sustainability Division at AESG. The panellists discussed the importance of BIM in sustainability, with the majority of the discussion revolving around using BIM to create smarter buildings and cities, and net-zero energy buildings.

The takeaway from the panel was that “being sustainable has become easier now, but it’s a matter of clients wanting to do it”, with both Sunderasan Krishnan

of S&T Interiors and Contracting and Arsanious Abtnago of ASGC Construction stressing the importance of this point.

The second-last presentation of the day was given by Clifford Kneale, BIM strategist with Pace, who focused on the Asset Information Model and why it’s important for organisations to adopt COBie. Earlier panellist Marwan Abu Ebeid returned to give the final CPD-certified presentation for the day, which discussed BIM standards around the world.

Thanks to all our sponsors

December 2018 45

Event Preview

RTA, DEWA, DP WoRlD, EmAAR AnD PmI To co-hosT 5Th DIPmF Latest edition of Dubai International Project Management Forum will be themed around the topic of ‘Building Nations’ Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the co-organisers of the 5th Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF, 8-11 December 2018). DEWA, DP World, Emaar Properties and Projects Management Institute (PMI) will co-organise the event, themed ‘Building Nations’. The Forum is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council.

HE Mattar Al Tayer, DirectorGeneral and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of

46 December 2018

RTA, praised the rich knowledge of the entities and their extensive experience in project management.

“This partnership will definitely contribute to the realisation of the objectives of the Forum through spotlighting the pioneering development experience of Dubai, which is ranking among the top metropolitan cities in project management. The emirate is adopting the latest international standards in the construction of strategic projects such as airports, giant ports and iconic projects such as Burj Khalifa, Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, Dubai Metro & Tram and other

landmark projects. Dubai is also benefiting from the deliverables of this Forum in projects associated with Expo 2020.

“The past editions of the DIPMF were all successes in terms of good organisation and the huge turnout exceeding 1,500 participants in each edition, as well as the diversity of topics, events and projects covered. The Forum debated PM in engineering, construction, technical, sports, energy, environmental sustainability fields, in addition to topics related to envisioning the future and smart cities, among others. The

success of the Forum culminated in the launch of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Award for Innovation in Project Management.

Winners will be honoured as part of events of the Forum.

“This Forum sets an ideal platform for highlighting the importance of project innovation in driving the growth. Dubai is a live example in running mega innovative projects, which have elevated the global profile of the city.”

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, said: “Successful partnerships have been one of the keys to Dubai’s

Event Preview

evolution into a global hub for trade, finance and tourism, serving a densely populated region, in such a remarkable short span of time. The infrastructure that has made all this remarkable development possible over the last 30 years depended on collaboration between government agencies such as the Dubai Road and Transport Authority and operators such as DP World. Professional project management delivered to world-class standards helped create our past, our present and will be of vital importance in our future as we build a knowledge sustainable economy and further invest in a smart digital society that makes life easier for all of us.”

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), said: “We are pleased to co-organise this forum once again. We have a holistic approach to the energy sector that supports the efforts to make

“This Forum sets an ideal platform for highlighting the importance of project innovation in driving the growth. Dubai is a live example in running mega innovative projects, which have elevated the global profile of the city”

Dubai a global role model for clean energy and green economy. This is done by using technologies of the fourth industrial revolution and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, energy storage, blockchain and the Internet of Things, among others.

“Earlier this year, we launched an initiative to redefine the concept of utilities and contribute to creating a new digital future for Dubai. Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA, will implement a pioneering model for utilities that uses innovation in renewable energy, energy storage, artificial intelligence and digital services.

This model will disrupt the entire business of public utilities by becoming the world’s first digital utility using autonomous systems for renewable energy and its storage, expansion in AI adoption and providing digital services.

“By co-organising the forum which is held this year under the theme ‘Building Nations’,

we aim to highlight DEWA’s key achievements, initiatives and experiences in anticipating and shaping the future of energy and innovating a futuristic model for utilities in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and water. We also aim to highlight our efforts to achieve a happier and better future for the next generation and make the UAE the best country in the world,” Al Tayer concluded.

Mark A. Langley, PMI President and CEO, said, “We consider DIPMF’s initiative, under the patronage of HE Hamdan bin Mohammed AL Maktoum, the largest platform in the Middle East for project management knowledge exchange, innovation and thought leaders’ insights. Throughout this initiative, PMI continues to pursue its mission helping governments and organisations around the globe to recognise the critical value of project management excellence in shaping a sustainable future.”

December 2018 47

Tenders

Top tenders Oil PrOductiOn deck MOdules PrOject – Zuluf OffshOre field develOPMent

tender Products Oilfields Exploration & Development

Budget $1,200,000,000 Project number WPR3828-SA territory Saudi Arabia client Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) city Dhahran 31311 Postal/Zip code: 5000 Phone (+966-13) 872 0115 / 874 2222 fax (+966-13) 873 8190 / 874 1655 email supplierHelpDesk@aramco.com Website www.saudiaramco.com description Construction and installation of three offshore oil production deck modules Period 2020 status New Tender tender categories Gas Processing & Distribution, Oilfields & Refineries

sOndOs Mixed-use PrOject Budget $500,000,000 Project number WPR3860-SA territory Saudi Arabia client Sondos Real Estate (Saudi Arabia) city Riyadh Phone (+966-11) 246 5064 email info@sondos.com.sa Website www.sondos.com.sa description Development of a mixed-use scheme Period 2020 status New Tender tender categories Education & Training, Leisure & Entertainment, Medical & Healthcare

tender Products Commercial Buildings, Educational Developments, Hospital Construction, Mixed-use Developments, Residential, Retail

tender Products Airports Development & Management

ceraMic factOry PrOject – yanBu industrial city first farasan island airPOrt PrOject Budget $101,000,000 Project number WPR3854-SA territory Saudi Arabia client General Authority of Civil Aviation – GACA (Saudi Arabia) address King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue city Riyadh 11552 Postal/Zip code 47360 Phone (+966-11) 525 3333 fax (+966-11) 525 3222 / 525 3111 email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa Website www.gaca.gov.sa description Construction of an airport Period 2021 status New Tender tender categories Airport, Construction & Contracting

Budget $100,000,000 Project number WPR3869-SA territory Saudi Arabia client Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (Saudi Arabia) city Yanbu Industrial City Postal/Zip code 30031 Phone (+966-4) 321 6000 / 6021 fax (+966-4) 321 3402 / 6092 / 396 8001 email smcontract@rcyanbu.gov.sa Website www.rcjy.gov.sa description Construction of a ceramic factory Period 2021 status New Tender tender categories Industrial & Special Projects tender Products Factories

hOtel aPartMents Building PrOject – al Barsha sOuth 5 Budget $50,000,000 Project number WPR3843-U territory Dubai client Private Investor (Dubai) description Construction of a hotel apartments building comprising a ground floor, 4 parking levels, 31 additional floors, a mechanical floor, a health club and a roof Period 2020 status New Tender Main consultant Dynamic Engineering Consultant (Dubai) tender categories Hotels, Prestige Buildings tender Products Hotel Construction

48 December 2018

Tenders

Middle East tenders UAE al QuOZ uniOn cO-OPerative sOciety PrOject Budget $15,000,000 Project number WPR3835-U territory United Arab Emirates client Union Co-operative Society (Dubai) address Ras Al Khor, inside Dubai Central vegetable and fruit market city Dubai Postal/Zip code 29448 Phone (+971-4) 371 4334 / 371 4332 / 800 8889 / 333 1816 email info@unioncoop.ae Website www.unioncoop.ae description Development of a retail facility Period 2019 status Current Project Main consultant Naga Architects, Designers & Planners (Dubai) Main contractor Parkway International Contracting Company (Dubai) tender categories Construction & Contracting, Leisure & Entertainment tender Products Retail Developments

BaZar al MafraQ PrOject Budget $2,000,000 Project number WPR3799-U territory United Arab Emirates client Abu Dhabi City Municipality (Abu Dhabi) address Salam Street city Abu Dhabi

50 December 2018

Postal/Zip code 263 Phone (+971-2) 678 8888 fax (+971-2) 677 4919 Website: www.adm.gov.ae description Construction of a market Period 2018 status Current Project Main contractor Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting Establishment (Abu Dhabi) tender categories Leisure & Entertainment, Construction & Contracting tender Products Retail Developments

Saudi Arabia Bay la sun cOastal tOWers PrOject – king aBdullah ecOnOMic city Project number WPR3813-SA

territory Saudi Arabia client Emaar The Economic City (Saudi Arabia) address 2338, Bay La Sun, Juman Street Unit No. 1, King Abdullah Economic City 23964-6992 city Jeddah 21482 Postal/Zip code 8299 Phone (+966-12) 615 9999 fax (+966-12) 510 6900 email amannaa@emaarec.com Website www.emaarec.com description Construction of an iconic 62-storey central tower, which will include a 5-star hotel as well as four smaller surrounding towers, two 25-storey beachfront sea-facing towers and two 20-storey inland towers Period 2022 status New Tender design consultant Edge Design

tender categories Education & Training, Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment, Medical & Healthcare, Prestige Buildings tender Products Community Development, Educational Developments, High-rise Towers, Hospital Construction, Hotel Construction, Residential Buildings, Retail Developments

cOrniche traM PrOject – jeddah PuBlic transPOrt PrOgraMMe Project number WPR3870-SA territory Saudi Arabia client Metro Jeddah Company (Saudi Arabia) address 25 Abi Al-Qasim AlAqeli Street, Al-Mohammadiya

Tenders

District 2, Madinah Road city Jeddah 21453 Postal/Zip code 11143 Phone (+966-12) 285 8600 fax (+966-12) 285 8607 email info@metrojeddah.com.sa Website www.metrojeddah.com.sa description Construction of a tram network status New Tender technical consultant Systra tender categories Public Transportation Projects tender Products Metro

Oman POultry Breeding sheds cOnstructiOn PrOject – iBri POultry facility Budget $42,000,000 Project number WPR3794-O territory Oman client Al Namaa Poultry SAOC (Oman) description Construction of 240 poultry breeding sheds Period Dec 2019 status Current Project Main contractor Oman National Engineering & Investment Company (ONEIC) tender categories Construction & Contracting tender Products Civil Works, Construction & Addition Works

address Office No. 24, Ground Floor, Al Omran Street, Bowsher city PC130, Al Azaiba, Boushar Postal/Zip code 1840 Phone (+968-2) 200 1300 fax (+968-2) 200 1301 Website www.aladrak.com description Construction of a hotel building.

Period 2019 status Current Project Main consultant Insight Engineering Consultants (Oman) MeP consultant Insight Engineering Consultants (Oman) design consultant Insight Engineering Consultants (Oman) structural consultant Insight Engineering Consultants (Oman) Main contractor Al Adrak Trading & Contracting Company LLC (Oman) MeP contractor Al Adrak Trading & Contracting Company LLC (Oman) tender categories Construction & Contracting Hotels tender Products Hotel Construction

Kuwait cOMMercial Building PrOject – shuWaikh Budget $15,000,000 Project number WPR3597-K territory Kuwait client Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs (Kuwait) city Safat 13001 Postal/Zip code 13 Phone (+965) 2246 6300 / 2248 0000 fax (+965) 2244 9943 / 2241 9472 email info@awkaf.net Website www.islam.gov.kw description Construction of a commercial building comprising a ground floor and 8 additional floors Period 2020 status Current Project MeP consultant Bonyan Design (Kuwait) design consultant Bonyan Design (Kuwait) Main contractor First Kuwaiti Trading

& Contracting Company (Kuwait) tender categories Construction & Contracting tender Products Commercial Buildings

Bahrain al MOalleM Mall PrOject - diyar al MuharraQ Budget $30,000,000 Project number WPR3758-B territory Bahrain client Al Moallem Mall WLL (Bahrain) city Manama description Construction of a building for commercial purposes Period 2019 status Current Project Main consultant Salah Kooheji Engineering (Bahrain) Main contractor Al Taitoon General Contracting Company (Bahrain) tender categories Construction & Contracting, Leisure & Entertainment tender Products Retail

alOft hOtel PrOject Bausher Budget $41000000 Project number WPR3765-O territory Oman client Al Adrak Trading & Contracting Company LLC (Oman)

December 2018 51

Last Word

Leading

by Example

Orange Business Services’ Mohammed Adnane Retmi on building the smartest city in the world from the top down

Dubai’s ambition to be a ‘next-generation’ place to live and work is being realised, but the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, VP and Prime Minister of the UAE, goes much further – to make Dubai the happiest city on Earth. Digital technology and smart initiatives are at the centre of that vision and key to driving the emirate forward.

What is behind Dubai’s rise as one of the most sought-after destinations in the world for technology start-ups, tourists and business in general?

A constant flow of new ideas, initiatives and projects, all underpinned by innovation, is focused on creating a sustainable future that leverages digital technology in a number of ways.

Focusing on the smarts The Smart Dubai Government initiative is central to the overall

52 December 2018

plan, with the government setting out to remodel how it functions. ‘The government that never sleeps’ is one name that has been given to it, and a mission statement of improving lives and enhancing the happiness of citizens and visitors is a strong starting point.

It is a high-level, top-down strategy, and we are seeing the government developing the technological tools and projects to deliver on it.

Data sharing is a key element, and the Open Data Law announced in Dubai is designed to help underpin this and to improve services on an ongoing basis.

The Dubai government’s vision and commitment to the future is clearly demonstrated in two major initiatives, Smart Dubai 2021 and AREA 2071, one a short-term project and one much farther reaching.

Smart Dubai 2021 focuses on improving people’s happiness using technology

to enhance work, travel and life in Dubai. AREA 2071 has the longer-term intention of making the UAE the world’s leading nation by the time the country celebrates the 100th anniversary of its foundation, by empowering Emirati innovators and entrepreneurs, and also attracting the best talent from around the world.

Changing Thinking, Changing Habits In achieving these ambitious goals, one of the most important recent developments is the commitment to innovation, turning Dubai into the new Silicon Valley. The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Government Innovation is taking the lead and driving Dubai forward at the top level.

The work it is doing in offering creative work environments in the government sector to encourage government workers to embrace creativity and foster

innovation is stimulating new projects setting the innovation agenda. It is working and we are already seeing the effects of smart government thinking on the community and the private sector in general.

Dubai’s innovation leadership is influencing the entire region – we recently opened a new Middle East innovation hub and regional business headquarters in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), aimed at encouraging collaboration and innovation; the hub is also our regional centre of excellence for smart cities.

Investing in Ideas, Driving Innovation The government’s commitment to incubators and accelerators is propelling Dubai forward, and start-ups across the UAE are attracting interest.

Investment in start-ups in the UAE was more than $1 billion in 2016. Investment has been targeting the very latest enabling digital

technologies, like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cyber security, cloud and robotics.

What is clear, and sets the UAE apart from most countries around the world, is that leadership on technology, innovation and a sustainable future is coming from the top. Everything is about investing in human capital, along with innovative digital technologies to create a smart and sustainable city for the future.

Investment in technologies like AI and blockchain continues to increase, and the vision is clear: a major commitment from the government, with the public sector in Dubai leading the way and encouraging private companies to join in, backed by the energy to implement this thinking, puts Dubai in pole position for today and for tomorrow. It’s called leading by example.

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