Big Project ME January 2020

Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

166 January 2020

MEConstructionNews.com

THE BUSINESS OF CONSTRUCTION

Come Together

BIG PROJECT ME LEARNS HOW A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH HELPED DELIVER CITY GATE TOWERS

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1

CONTENTS

January 2020

08

16

18

22

28

37

ANALYSIS

FEATURES

INSIGHT

08

The briefing

22

38

Industry Outlook

The big picture

Big Project ME speaks exlusively to the CEO of Ithra Dubai about how the real estate industry can come together to shape the future

54

Comments

57

Tenders

60

Progress report

Regional bodies and firms discuss BIM mandates and water preservation

12

Providing a wrap-up of the biggest local, regional and international construction news stories

16

Market report

ProTenders report examines Bahrain’s construction landscape as it looks to diversify its economy in 2020

18

News analysis

Angitha Pradeep speaks to Alan Rowlands, GM at Three60 Communities, about adopting energy-efficient solutions across community management in the UAE and GCC

In profile Issam Galadari

28

Project profile Come Together

Big Project ME speaks to the project team behind the development of City Gate Towers in Zayed City District, the first grade A office complex in the area

Messe Frankfurt Middle East report looks at how the GCC’s infrastructure spend will boost non-oil GDP in 2020

The industry’s brightest minds share their thoughts on a variety of topics and issues impacting the construction industry

Big Project ME, in association with ProTenders, provides the biggest tenders for the month of January 2020

Al Faris reveals how it executed the heavy lift operations for structural elements of the UAE Pavilion at the Expo 2020 site

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

2

WELCOME

Introduction

Coming together to collaborate

C

ollaboration is a term that I’ve heard many times during my career as a construction journalist, with companies and individuals repeatedly referring to it as a touchstone for how a project should be carried out.

However, I’ve also found that it’s often a lot easier to call for collaboration than it is to achieve it. Given how complex communications can be in this region, being able to achieve true collaboration on a project, particularly a challenging one, is no easy ask. Never mind the many layers you have to permeate, simply being able to get the message across effectively is often an insurmountable task.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to meet the project team for the City Gate Towers project in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed City District and learn how they’ve managed to form an effective – and collaborative – partnership between the many stakeholders involved. Not only did this

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

process begin right at the beginning of the project, but it was spearheaded by the client and its representative, thereby ensuring that everyone involved started off on the right foot and was fully briefed from the start.

While this method should be the norm, it sadly isn’t so common, which is why I’m hopeful that this month’s cover story will be able to inspire other companies and firms to follow suit.

This call for collaboration is also echoed by our In Profile interviewee, Issam Galadari, CEO of Ithra Dubai, who uses this month’s interview to issue a call to arms for the real estate and construction sectors to come together and find a way forward that will benefit all parties and sectors.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to thank you all for your support in 2019. It’s been a pleasure and an honour to report on this fascinating industry, and we look forward to bringing you even greater insights and analysis in the coming months. Have a Happy New Year and all the best for 2020!

Gavin Davids

GROUP EDITOR gavin.davids@cpitrademedia.com @MECN_Gavin MEConstructionNews me-construction-news

4

Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

166 January 2020

MEConstructionNews.com

THE BUSINESS OF CONSTRUCTION

Group MANAGING DIRECTOR Raz Islam raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com

Editorial

Come Together

BIG PROJECT ME LEARNS HOW A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH HELPED DELIVER CITY GATE TOWERS

ON THE COVER

Big Project ME takes an exclusive tour of the City Gate Towers construction site with the various stakeholders involved with the prestige project

GROUP EDITOR Gavin Davids gavin.davids@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5480 JUNIOR REPORTER Angitha Pradeep angitha.pradeep@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5479 SUB EDITOR Aelred Doyle aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com

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The publisher of this magazine has made every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing. Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Al Salam Printing Press LLC. CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

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Etihad Towers | Abu Dhabi | UAE

6

ONLINE

MOST POPULAR

READERS’ COMMENTS

FEATURED

CONSULTANT

SHATHA SAIF AL SUWAIDI

Revealed: Middle East Consultant Awards 2019 winners

ANNOUNCED AS NEW MD OF NAKHEEL’S INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION UNIT

What a fantastic story to be one of the last headlines of 2020 (Shatha Saif Al

Suwaidi announced as new MD of Nakheel’s CONSTRUCTION

infrastructure project

Abu Dhabi Ports embarks on $1.08bn expansion of Khalifa Port

construction unit).

There has been a lot of debate in the industry, and subsequently on the

Video: The Truck & Fleet Conference 2019

pages of magazines like Middle East Consultant, about a need to promote women into the top jobs of the industry, and

CONSTRUCTION

here we have someone

Bahrain signs $691m contract with China’s CMEC

earning their right to work on major projects like Deira Islands on merit. This is a woman and Emirati national that has already proven herself on the Palm

MACHINERY

Jumeirah and Jumeirah

Al-Bahar introduces Caterpillar’s game changers

Village developments.

I’m sure she will continue to add value to master communities across Dubai and demonstrate that we as an industry can put aside outdated preconceptions as we

CONSTRUCTION

Atkins appoints Cris Dedigama as CEO for the Middle East and Africa January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

Event: ASGC, ALEC and Ithra Dubai win big at the Big Project ME Awards 2019

enter a new decade.

Name withheld by request

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | Abu Dhabi | UAE

8

THE BRIEFING

Technology

Creating a BIM mandate

MIDDLE EAST

Ahmed AbouAlfa, founder, UAE BIM Association, talks about creating a set of BIM documents and guidelines in line with international standards for the UAE and the Middle East market to follow

B

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

ig Project ME sat down with Ahmed AbouAlfa, founder, UAE BIM Association (UBA), to understand its long-term plans for the Middle East concerning the AECO (architecture, engineering, construction and operation) industry, and its findings in terms of BIM implementation across different construction firms in the UAE and the wider Middle East.

“UBA is a non-profit organisation that aims to empower digitisation of construction and assets in the UAE and the Middle East, deploying the knowledge of virtual design construction (VDC) and asset management to construct a reliable, structured and innovative digital transformation environment. The UBA is registered with the Community Development

Authority that was established in 2017 by the government of Dubai for nonprofit organisations,” says AbouAlfa.

“Certain countries around the world have established BIM associations and/or BIM arms from established institutions, to serve the digital construction transformation and create guidelines and standards that must be adhered to for BIM/VDC implementation in projects. During our implementation and development phase, we will start with British standards, since they are already being implemented and have proven their worth. One of UBA’s goals is to create a set of BIM/VDC documents and guidelines that will be in line with international standards for the construction revolution happening in the UAE and Middle East, and for the market to follow.”

2020

UBA, registered with the Community Development Authority, will have its licence ready by the end of January 2020

9

Digital pathway The main idea behind BIM is digitisation, the pathway to smart cities and the Dubai Smart City Vision.

International collaboration UBA has signed MoUs with international bodies in the Middle East and further afield to help improve education and awareness of BIM implementation.

He says the UBA standardisation phase will be responsible for creating a common BIM/VDC language that can be easily reached and followed by construction professionals and firms, adding that the focus will be on knowledge transfer across the region and on empowering small and medium construction (SMC) firms.

“We need to empower SMC firms, otherwise they will be omitted from the market. We need to bring them to our awareness sessions to give them the comfort level that they need to transform from their traditional approach to BIM/VDC. This is so that they won’t lose their place in the market.”

Elaborating on VDC, AbouAlfa says, “It’s is a new term for a lot of people; it’s about managing a complex structure. With BIM, it’s a 3D model, but by adding a time aspect to it, it will become 4D and construction updates and processes can be simulated. By integrating cost, it will become 5D; similarly, by integrating facility aspects and management it will transform to 6D, while the addition of sustainability criteria will make it 7D. To summarise, BIM involves 3D modelling and data input of physical assets. VDC, on the other hand, utilises BIM models to plan, manage and simulate the construction process from beginning to end.”

AbouAlfa explains that the main idea behind BIM is digitisation, the pathway to smart cities and the Dubai Smart City Vision.

“For this, we need to start from the core, which is using the same common data environment. It is the single source of information that is used to manage documents, 3D models and other elements for the whole project team.

Combining common data environment with digitisation will give a single source of truth. With this, all the information required for a smart building is in the same place, and smart buildings beside each other, with smart infrastructure, makes smart districts. When you have smart districts in place, there will be smart cities, which is our end goal.”

To this end, UBA will introduce the DAECO (digital architecture, engineering, construction and operation) framework, which will integrate project management principles and all its stages within

Understandably, BIM is not mature enough and there will be hiccups during its implementation, but shortly it will be made mandatory” BIM and VDC for better management, exchange and usage of information.

AbouAlfa explains, “The DAECO framework will align with existing international practices, guidelines and standards and will be consolidated into one robust package. The first framework stream will be DAECO management guidelines, which will include industry best practices and information exchange requirements that can be used widely by all tiers of companies within the UAE. “The second framework stream will be the UAE DAECO handbook, which will include information about

new technologies, platforms and software that are widely used in the AECO industry. It will also discuss different uses and business models.”

He also notes that the UBA has had favourable meetings in the Middle East and with other global hubs.

“We had an amazing meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and Investment in Saudi Arabia, and they are willing to make the BIM mandate from their side. They are responsible for the Society of Engineers and the Union of Contractors in KSA. “The EU BIM Task Group based in Europe and co-founded by the European Union is another organisation that UBA will be collaborating with, and they have officially invited us to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on BIM and VDC implementation.”

To begin with, UBA will hold key activities to ensure that its message is understood among students and junior engineers in the first round, while the next round will focus on supporting construction professionals during their digital transformation journey.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

10

THE BRIEFING

Sustainable Traction MIDDLE EAST

Fady Juez, managing director at Metito, talks about the positive impact of water preservation and wastewater recycling and reuse in the region, with sustainable projects gaining traction due to economic diversification

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

T

he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) report that nearly 663m people lack access to an improved water source. The situation is expected to deteriorate further as a result of rising populations, urbanisation and industrialisation. Furthermore, insufficient knowledge among consumers about water scarcity, the importance of safe water access and the prospects of conflicts pertaining to water security is expected to aggravate the scenario.

To comprehend the depth of this issue concerning the Middle East, Big Project ME speaks with Fady Juez, managing director at Metito, to understand how the water management company is

positively impacting water preservation, responsible consumption and wastewater recycling and reuse in the region.

“At Metito, sustainability is integral to our day-to-day work and the delivery of our core solutions and projects.

We are committed to securing clean and safe water access sustainably through our projects, utilities and investments – this is also a core part of our CSR agenda,” says Juez.

Moreover, as part of its efforts in creating a sustainable environment, Metito has retrofitted a solar roof system at its HQ in Dubai, which fully covers the energy needs of its factory and offices while also feeding into the municipal grid.

Likewise, Metito has collaborated with Dubai Parks and Resorts, Emaar and Sharjah Airport Authority’s expansion

11

New territories Metito is expanding into new geographies and territories, with Bangladesh and Turkey of particular interest.

40 tons of

CO2 saved through Metito’s Dubai Fountain application

project to deploy water technologies in the UAE. With Dubai Parks and Resorts, Metito has created a comprehensive water management solution focusing on water recycling and reuse, while the treated sewage effluent plant is in line with the park’s sustainability policies.

Emaar’s project saw Metito develop a wastewater recycling and treated sewage effluent plant with a capacity of 20,000m3 per day.

“The treated sewage effluent plant produces feed water for district cooling in Burj Khalifa and also make-up water for the world’s tallest choreographed fountain – the Dubai Fountain. This saves almost 40 tons of CO2 a day, as opposed to using desalinated seawater for the same application,” Juez explains.

“As part of Sharjah Airport Authority’s (SAA) comprehensive expansion project, Metito was appointed to undertake the design-build of the new sewage treatment plant and associated works – an effluent processing and treatment facility with the capacity of approximately 3,000m3 per day with provision for future capacity expansion to 4,500m3 per day.”

During the International Desalination Association World Congress 2019 in October, Metito signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Ras Al Khaimah government to work on the rehabilitation of the Al Falaya sewage treatment plant.

“The project covers the initial water treatment stages and the expansion of the plant’s capacity for future phases.

Other developments that are parallel to the main rehabilitation project include the improvement of odour control and installation of automated electrical boards,” Juez says.

He also notes that Metito is expanding into new territories, especially Bangladesh and Turkey.

A Metito-led consortium (JinkoPower and Al Jomilah) was named the lowest bidder for a tender to build a 45-55MW grid-tied solar plant. The bid was $0.0749/kWh, the lowest ever recorded in Bangladesh.

“In September 2019, we acquired the majority shares of a Turkish chemistry company, Info Group, as part of our efforts to expand further into emerging markets. Turkey has shown incredible growth and investments in numerous

Individuals and organisations must play their role if we want to evoke positive change in the worldwater balance” areas, water being one of them, and this acquisition is a positive step for the country’s economy,” he says.

“The Middle East has always been an ideal market for sustainability projects, with so much room to grow in terms of economic diversification as countries move away from their dependence on oil. We see great potential and appetite for wastewater recycling and reuse, and we are confident that we will see more of such projects in the years to come.

Meanwhile, we will focus on looking at innovative and eco-friendly technology to lower the cost of operations across existing and upcoming projects.”

The Middle East is expected to spend over $120bn on water investment by 2050, and public-private-

partnerships (PPPs) are one viable method to address this demand.

Juez says the firm sees huge potential in the GCC and MENA region, in terms of launching and leading PPPs. “There is a growing appetite for PPPs, and we have seen projects that have been undertaken using this model succeed because the following are present: political will, relationships between government and private institutions, and the understanding of the need for technical expertise and knowledge transfer. We believe that the making of a credible, high-quality PPP is driven by these institutional factors that establish a strong framework with a long-term timeline.

“The water-energy nexus is a growing challenge, and more needs to be done to ensure cleaner, greener energy for some of the most energy-intensive treatment systems, such as desalination. More research and development is needed, and newer technologies need to be tested and tried to move forward. The use of alternative energy is growing in demand, and it is important that we continue exploring the future of renewables as part of our portfolio diversification,” he concludes.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

12

THE BIG PICTURE

03 FRANCE

01 SCOTLAND

Saipem bags $1.5bn wind farm contract

French firm EDF Renewables has awarded a contract to Saipem for the construction of the $1.5bn Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) wind farm off the coast of Scotland. The 450MW NnG wind farm will feature 54 turbines, each with 8MW capacity. It is planned to be built in the North Sea, approximately 15km off the coast of Fife in southeast Scotland.Under the contract, Saipem will be responsible for the EPCI of 54 steel foundation jackets for an equivalent number of wind turbines, and two foundation jackets for the offshore electrical substations. The firm will also undertake the transportation and installation of the relevant topsides for the project.

Egis-led consortium wins $5.6bn contract 02 SPAIN

EIB to provide $73m for two solar photovoltaic projects in Spain The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed two agreements to provide $73.2m to French bank Natixis, to cofinance the construction of two solar photovoltaic projects in Spain.

The two projects, with a total capacity of 436MW, are expected to support Spain in reaching its goal of ensuring that 42% of its energy comes from renewable sources by 2030.

The project is expected to provide 400 jobs during the construction phase, and 50 permanent jobs. The plants are owned by Solaria Energía y Medio Ambiente S.A.

Egis-led One consortium has secured a contract to manage the construction of two main sectors of the $5.6bn Seine-Nord Europe Canal in France.

The project involves the construction of a 107km inland waterway link extending from France to Belgium, connecting the Seine basin to the Rhine basin and the main 20,000km European waterway network.

Under the terms of the nineyear contract, the consortium will be responsible for comprehensive engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) and managing the two main sectors of the project, including digging 55m cubic metres of earth.

04 SWEDEN

06 SUDAN

Peab wins contract for new courthouse in Sweden

Elsewedy Electric wins $45m contract in Sudan

Swedish construction and civil engineering company Peab has secured a $96.6m contract from Castellum to build a new courthouse in Nyhamnen, Malmö. The courthouse will be a shared four-storey ground structure with five towers on top.

The towers will be offset from each other in a north to south direction, and each tower will successively dip in height.

The façade of the building will shift from a solid brick façade at the bottom into glass towers where the bricks will be replaced entirely by glass. The building will have a gross area of 34,000sqm.

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

05 MOROCCO

Imkan reveals $160m project in Morocco Abu Dhabi real estate developer Imkan has launched Le Carrousel, a mixed-use project on the corniche of the coastal city of Rabat in Morocco. Spanning over 100,000sqm, the new project will include an outdoor mall with more than 120 shops and restaurants, over 200 residential seaside apartments, a waterfront with 36 promenade shops, a five-star hotel and 12,000sqm of office space. Le Carrousel is expected to create more than 1,100 jobs once it is fully operational, Imkan added. The area will also be home to the new five-star Le Carrousel hotel, with 123 rooms.

Elsewedy Electric has inked a $45m deal with the Ministry of Energy and Dams of South Sudan. The deal will see the construction of a hybrid solar photovoltaic project with a battery storage system near Nesitu County, 20km from the capital.

The project will occupy some 250,000sqm and will feature a 20MW peak solar photovoltaic park, a 35MW hour battery storage system and an in-house training centre that will serve Jubek State and the Equatoria region. The project is expected to start producing energy in 2020.

THE BIG PICTURE

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03 01

02

05

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07 01 08

09 11

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06 01

08 KSA

Empire Cinemas opens first multiplex in Jizan City, KSA 07 EGYPT

Egyptian port expansion nears completion DP World Sokhna has celebrated its 10th anniversary by announcing Basin 2 will be operational by the second quarter of 2020, to nearly double capacity at the port to 1.75m TEUs a year.

Built at a cost of $520m and complementing two operational basins, the expansion into Basin 2 includes a 1.3km quay with 400m in use in phase 1, and a 350,000sqm container yard. It is one of the largest direct investments into the Egyptian economy this year. The expansion came as the UAE and Egypt agreed to support a $20bn joint strategic platform to invest in a range of vital sectors and assets for global competitiveness and economic prosperity.

Empire Cinemas has opened its first multiplex in the port city of Jizan on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. The 10-screen, 728-seat facility was built at a cost of $11m and is said to have been equipped by a regional unit of CinemaNext.

The opening of the multiplex follows Saudi Arabia’s decision to allow companies to start operating cinemas in the Kingdom. Several firms have announced plans to invest into the entertainment sector in the Kingdom, including AMC Entertainment, Vue International, VOX, Cinépolis and Empire Cinemas.

09 UAE

Abu Dhabi Ports embarks on Khalifa Port expansion Abu Dhabi Ports has announced a $1.80bn expansion project to boost handling capacity at Khalifa Port, following seven record years of operational growth.

The scope of work includes development of South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics at an investment of $598m, along with a $435m expansion of Abu Dhabi Terminals.

The South Quay development is expected to be complete by Q1 2021 and will feature a 3km quay-wall with 18.5m alongside draft for general cargo, roll-onroll-off and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths and a 1.3m sqm terminal yard.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

14

THE BIG PICTURE

11 OMAN

Muscat Bay lays foundation stone for Village Square 10 BAHRAIN

HALO Maritime Defence Systems opens ME HQ in Bahrain Marine engineering technology company HALO Maritime Defence Systems has announced its choice of Bahrain for its Middle East HQ. The HALO Maritime office in Bahrain is in Al Jasrah Tower in the Diplomatic Quarter, while Luke Ritter, HALO VP of Business Development, will lead from the Bahrain office.

HALO added that it is taking advantage of several benefits, such as lower operating costs, a local workforce with valuable skills, and Bahrain’s position as a natural gateway to the entire region.

Muscat Bay has broken ground on its new commercial venture, Village Square, which is being built over an area of more than 14,000sqm within the development.

Construction work will be handled by Oman Shapoorji Company and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

Extending over 1,640sqm, Village Square will include a range of facilities such as restaurants, cafés, a supermarket, a gym and retail stores, while the building comprises two levels and a car park holding 81 cars. It is in an area that extends over 18,000sqm and includes public facilities.

12 KUWAIT

Sinopec works on Middle East’s largest refinery China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) has completed the central unit of the Al-Zour refinery project in Kuwait. As the largest refinery in the Middle East, it will make Kuwait the biggest clean oil-producing country in the region, with an annual processing capacity of 3,150 tons. The refinery is being built with an investment of $1.39bn and produces mainly gasoline, diesel and kerosene to Euro 5 emission standards. The Al-Zour refinery project also holds the record of being the world’s largest one-time construction to date.

14 RUSSIA

Highway bridge linking Russia, China completed 13 INDIA

World’s largest cricket stadium takes shape in India The Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, built at a cost of $100m, is expected to host its inaugural match in March, between an Asia XI and a World XI. Built to accommodate 110,000 spectators, the stadium is bigger than Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Construction began in January 2017.

The stadium will have more than 70 corporate boxes, four dressing rooms, a clubhouse and an Olympic-size swimming pool. M/S Populous, the firm that designed the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is working on the new stadium.

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

Construction of the first road bridge connecting Russia and China has officially been completed, with the structure expected to open in spring 2020. The project took three years and cost around $3bn, linking Russia’s Far Eastern city of Blagoveshchensk to the Chinese city of Heihe in Heilongjiang Province. The $295m roadway project is more than 833km long and is estimated to be able to transport 4m metric tons of goods and 2m Chinese tourists every year over the Amur River. The project consists of a roadway and a railway bridge.

15 THAILAND

ADB signs financing deal to build $1.6bn power plant in Thailand The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $180m financing agreement with Gulf PD Company to support the construction and operation of a 2,500MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant in Thailand, at an estimated cost of $1.6bn.

ADB’s financial support for the new power plant comprises a $50m regular loan and a B loan of up to $85m, as well as $45m through Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP) and supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Construction is scheduled to commence in July 2020, with completion planned in 2023.

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16

MARKET REPORT

Industry outlook

Bahrain Construction Outlook and Contract Award Forecast for 2020

BAHRAIN

ProTenders report examines Bahrain’s construction landscape as it looks to diversify its economy in 2020

B

ahrain’s GDP has had positive y-o-y real growth since 2016, and the construction sector recorded significant growth y-o-y from 2016 to 2018. The construction sector is a major contributor to employment and GDP, which has expanded in recent years despite slower regional growth.

According to the International Trade Administration, a key driver of this growth is a $32bn infrastructure investment pipeline comprising $10bn in government funding, $7.5bn from the GCC Development Fund and $15bn from the private sector to support the country’s funding requirements as it embarks

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

on a fiscal programme aimed at eliminating its budget deficit by 2022. Particularly, 2018 saw the awarding of Al Dur Independent Waste Water & Power Plant – Phase 2 ($2bn), North Manama Causeway – Phase 2 & Busaiteen Link Road Network ($1.22bn), ALBA Port Capacity Upgrade ($2.7bn), Vida Hotel & Residences at Marassi Al Bahrain ($278m), East Hidd Housing Village D ($400m) and Golden Gate ($200m), significant contributors to growth that year.

Growth in the construction sector in Bahrain was driven by large-scale infrastructure projects that stimulated the sector. These include New Bahrain International Airport ($10bn) and Bahrain Metro ($8bn).

Currently, there are 382 projects under construction, with urban sector projects accounting for 68% by volume and 65% by value. In Bahrain, only a small project value is currently on hold, a sign that project onhold rate is significantly lower than in other GCC countries. As of October 2019, the total project value is estimated to be $123.1bn.

The building sector is likely to have the highest share at $56.4bn (46%), followed by infrastructure at $46.1bn (37%) and oil & gas at $20.6bn (17%).

With Bahrain’s Vision 2030 and recent priority-setting for the next four years (20192022), we forecast infrastructure development to be a core area of investment and development in the Kingdom. Our forecast highlights a significant reduction in oil & gas sector investment, which is also in line with the strategic direction towards Vision 2030. Social infrastructure investment in healthcare, education and in particular innovation-related sectors will drive further projects within the urban sector.

According to our data, there are currently 269 projects, valued at $65bn, in the project pipeline at either design, planning or tender stage. Of these, 29% by value are urban sector projects and 55% by value are infrastructure projects. In terms of volume, 55% are urban and 44% are infrastructure.

This is expected to boost growth in the construction industry for the next five years.

Private firms are already playing a significant role in the construction of transport and industrial infrastructure, along with housing.

More PPP agreements are expected over the medium to long term, due to budgetary constraints faced by the government.

MARKET REPORT

17

BAHRAIN QUARTERLY CONTRACT AWARDS (US$ BN) 8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

2016

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

2017

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

2018

Q3

2019

Growth in the construction sector in Bahrain was driven by largescale infrastructure projects that stimulated the sector. These include New Bahrain International Airport ($10bn) and Bahrain Metro ($8bn)” BAHRAIN CONTRACT AWARDS FORECAST CONTRACT AWARDS (US$BN)

BAHRAIN BUILDINGS CONTRACT AWARDS FORECAST

YoY GROWTH (%)

CONTRACT AWARDS (US$BN)

40.0

8.0

30.0

6.0

20.0

4.0

10.0

2.0

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2016

BAHRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE AWARDS FORECAST

Source: ProTenders

CONTRACT AWARDS (US$BN)

21.0

7.5

14.0

5.0

7.0

2.5

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2019

CONTRACT AWARDS (US$BN)

10.0

2017

2018

2020

2021

2022

BAHRAIN OIL & GAS CONTRACT AWARDS FORECAST

YoY GROWTH (%)

28.0

2016

2017

YoY GROWTH (%)

2016

2017

2018

2019

YoY GROWTH (%)

2020

2021

2022

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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ANALYSIS

Sustainability

Sustainable Community Management MIDDLE EAST

Big Project ME speaks to Alan Rowlands, GM at Three60 Communities, a subsidiary of Eltizam Asset Management Group, about adopting energyefficient solutions across community management in the UAE and the wider GCC January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

What are some of the key trends in community management that you have observed in the region?

Community management has evolved through the years and has taken on the task of building and defining quality lifestyles, connecting people and further improving the quality of services. New major trends to have emerged in the industry include focusing on smaller services apart from larger facilities, and integrating the latest technological advancements and smart solutions.

Based on these trends, we can safely say that experiential is now at the core, rather than transactional. As such, community or facilities managers are studying key elements to find a balance between cost and experience and understand how these elements can be used to bring out the greatest value.

Moreover, the adoption of smart solutions is growing in the Middle East, simultaneously with unparalleled technological progress happening in the

Changed approach IoT, AI and computerised management systems have changed the approach to community management in the region.

$1.29m

year-onyear energy and water savings exceeded $1.29m between January and September 2019

region and worldwide. In the FM market, advanced technologies, including the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and computerised management systems, have changed the approach to community management and altered the way businesses operate in the region.

What solutions have been implemented by Three60 Communities in the UAE, concerning energy efficiency?

Three60 Communities is a strong advocator of power and water conservation efforts. For power, we monitor and control the electrical lighting in the parking and common areas to ensure that only essential lighting is used at night. We also control the different kinds of air handling units to manage temperature as per requirement. As such, we make sure to switch off the fresh air handling units (FAHUs) after office hours in commercial buildings. Similarly, we also change the temperature settings

ANALYSIS

of FAHU day and night as per ambient temperature, in addition to controlling the chilled water flow by adjusting the variable-frequency drive parameters.

We have achieved year-on-year energy and water savings exceeding $1.29 million between January and September 2019.

Which other GCC countries is Three60 Communities involved in for community management services? Are similar energysaving solutions being implemented there as well?

Outside the UAE, there are two projects currently being managed by Three60 Communities in Oman. They are Al Mouj Muscat and Muscat Bay, which are accompanied by an ambitious strategy to increase our portfolio holdings within the GCC region.

Being the community management operator in Al Mouj Muscat, our research and experience demonstrate that we need to concentrate our efforts on a programme of education,

Community or facilities managers are studying all key elements to find a balance between cost and experience and know how these elements can be utilised to bring out the greatest value”

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and to lead by example, to positively impact energy conservation.

Areas that we want to improve upon are recycling rates, the need to reduce excessive packaging and the promotion of more efficient water consumption.

Our energy efficiency schemes at Al Mouj Muscat have resulted in a 40% year-on-year reduction in electricity consumption in certain aspects of the business. These include replacing conventional incandescent lighting systems with highly efficient compact fluorescent lights; smart street lighting that switches on/off 20 minutes before dusk and dawn; optimising lighting across the project by ensuring that timers are in situ and working efficiently; reducing the consumption of potable water by warranting repair of potable water leaks to under two hours; ensuring that treated effluent water (recycled water) is used for horticultural purposes and ensuring that irrigation systems are running efficiently; and reducing the need for high-pressure washing.

WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT 13 – 16 JANUARY 2020, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES See the energy experts from Germany – at the German Pavilion in hall 7 (booth 7120) The German Pavilion at the WFES features 20 German firms keen on helping you learn all about the latest renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies “made in Germany”. Just head over to the stand of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and ask the experts.

We look forward to seeing you!

www.german-energy-solutions.de/en MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

22

| MEConstructionNews.com | MEConstructionNews.com November January 2020 2019

23

IN PROFILE

Issam Galadari

A Call for Cooperation BIG PROJECT ME SPEAKS TO ISSAM GALADARI, CEO OF ITHRA DUBAI, A COMPANY INCREASINGLY RECOGNISED FOR ITS STRATEGIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT OF DUBAI, ABOUT HOW THE INDUSTRY CAN COME TOGETHER TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE CITY

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

24

IN PROFILE

019 was certainly an interesting year for the UAE real estate sector, particularly in Dubai. Not only did property prices fall, there was also an excess of supply in the market.

Therefore, how did a company whose very name means ‘enrichment’ – and whose projects are among the most innovative in the region – fare in that challenging climate, surely not the most beneficial for a business with its eyes set on ambitious and complex legacy initiatives?

“Of course we faced a number of challenges,” says Issam Galadari, CEO, Ithra Dubai, “but as a business, we always choose to see these as opportunities. As a matter of fact, we are indeed working on some very complicated projects where many factors can come into play, but when you have a number of

“Most definitely, communication and transparency are key. They are two of the things that make life easier. But of course, while they sound appealing, you have to put them into practice. So you start with looking at the existing relationships: maybe you can reduce cost, or perhaps make things a little simpler. You start a dialogue that can help both sides express what they need.

“We also, of course, communicate with all the necessary authorities, who have been very accommodating throughout. You have to remember that this is, after all, Dubai: noone will shut the door on you here, and it’s in everyone’s interests to cooperate and communicate.”

Welcoming challenges Issam Galadari says he welcomes challenges and looks to learn from them and seek new solutions.

840

Number of new retail spaces in the ‘New Deira’ district

professionals working with you, you’re able to collaborate, welcome the challenges, actually learn from them and seek new solutions.

“You must remember that in construction, there are always challenges. Even if you were to work on the same project over and over, you will never have the same teams and there will always be fresh complications. But you go ahead, learn and build on this experience.”

With large-scale, iconic developments bringing a complex stakeholder mix, this spirit of collaboration is a hallmark of Ithra’s approach, Galadari asserts.

CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING REGULATIONS At the start of September 2019, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, announced that a higher committee for real estate, headed by HH Deputy Ruler Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed and senior property developers, would be formed to help strike a balance between supply and demand in the real estate sector.

How does this influence and channel the working practices of a market leader such as Ithra Dubai?

“We welcome this committee with an open heart. It effectively makes it much easier to coordinate

We welcome this committee with an open heart. It effectively makes it much easier to coordinate the many separate factors which must work together for the benefit of Dubai. After all, this is what we are all working towards” January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

IN PROFILE

the many separate factors which must work together for the benefit of Dubai. After all, this is what we are all working towards. There are lots of elements that can be shared between the key developers. Previously they have been competitors, but now they must work together. This can only be a good thing for Dubai.”

With its provenance and pedigree, will Ithra play a leading role in this committee? Galadari comments: “You can be sure that we’re certainly playing an active role; and if we all work together, we will add more value.

But the bottom line is that we all must work together for the benefit of Dubai.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a local or an expat – we’ll all be working together.”

PROJECT FACT FILE: ITHRA’S PORTFOLIO So how are Ithra’s main projects progressing? What landmarks can we soon expect to see?

“Well, we are now focusing on One Za’abeel, our iconic project, which is entering a critical stage,” says Galadari.

“About 35% of the work has now been completed, but we have now reached a point where the technical issues need a lot of attention. You will soon see that the tip of the link is in place, and remember, this link weighs in excess of 9,000 tonnes – and with fit-out, that becomes 13,000 tonnes. When it is completed, it will be unique.”

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All of the companies in the construction sector need to think about how we can do things differently – after all, we don’t want Dubai to become expensive.

The bottom line is that we want Dubai to be the first choice for investors” What about the Deira Enrichment Project, which includes the spectacular Gold Souk Extension, covering over a million square feet and consisting of 295 retail units, 250 offices and 468 residences, not to mention improved and integrated transport services and pedestrian walkways?

“Deira is the artery of our city, something so historic and important, and we have been heavily involved with a number of stakeholders for the development of the Gold Souk area.

We have now completed almost 90% of the main area, and the remaining larger development will take a further three years. We want to bring a soft

90%

Completion of the main area for the Gold Souk is at 90%

Soft touch Ithra Dubai will look to bring a soft touch to Deira with the enrichment project, making it a true community hub.

touch to Deira, making it a true hub of the community with rooftop recreation areas, restaurants and amenities.

“Thereby, we will transition this urban area into a sanctuary where people can play and relax as well as work. It can be a place for children with their mothers – a commercial hub, yes, but one that has another lifestyle face. It’s really helpful that there are two metro stations here, so we’re able to create great synergy. It will be a place where you can do good business and also live your life to the fullest.

“When redevelopment is complete, the entire ‘New Deira’ district will feature more than 840 retail spaces,

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

26

IN PROFILE

We are now focusing on One Za’abeel, our iconic project, which is entering a critical stage. we have now reached a point where the technical issues need a lot of attention. When it is completed, it will be unique” 416 offices and 2,200 high-quality residences at affordable lease rates,” he adds. Therefore, the question has to be asked – is this multi-use community feel becoming a hallmark of Ithra’s new generation of developments?

Galadari believes so. “Yes, Deira can set an interesting benchmark here, because we want to create communities that are affordable for people, and where people and families can live comfortably. In reality, all of the companies in the construction sector need to think about how we can do things differently – after all, we don’t want Dubai to become expensive.

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

“The bottom line is that we want Dubai to be the first choice for investors, both locally and internationally. This is what will ensure the city has a legacy that is pre-eminent in the region.”

THE INFLUENCE OF EXPO 2020 In terms of Dubai’s standing and image, there is of course no greater factor than the imminent arrival of Expo 2020. How does Issam believe the event will affect the emirate, and how will the real estate market shape up?

“Bear in mind that we are expecting 20-25m visitors. Many of these will be seeing Dubai for the first time,

Legacy to Dubai The One Za’abeel project will be an example of Ithra Dubai’s legacy to the city.

25m

Number of visitors expected at Expo 2020 Dubai

and I’m sure the infrastructure here will attract many of them to create businesses in Dubai, or to invest here.

Lots of people will have their eyes on Dubai – and we have only to look at the recent announcements of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to see that we are now looking at a 50-year vision. I am sure that Ithra will be part of this growth: we strongly participate in His Highness’ vision.”

In terms of the 2071 Vision – the quest to make the UAE the world’s leading nation in the next 50 years – there are two pre-eminent factors: sustainability and innovation, both cornerstones of the Dubai Expo 2020 agenda. What opportunities and constraints do these values imply for Ithra’s leading-edge developments?

“For One Za’abeel, for example, we have many certification goals: we’re looking intensively for where we can save some energy and help the environment. If an item of technology is affordable and efficient, we will look at it and try to include it. I believe that innovation here is also key: we are looking to include these technologies in ways that do not commit us to expensive solutions, but which position our developments at the leading edge in a way that is both helpful to the environment and contributes actively to the legacy of Dubai.”

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| MEConstructionNews.com | MEConstructionNews.com September January 2020 2019

PROJECT PROFILE

29

City Gate Towers CLIENT: IECR MAIN CONTRACTOR: Multiplex ENGINEER: Parsons COST AND CONTRACT CONSULTANT: Omnium International PROJECT BUILT-UP AREA: 79,000sqm DATE OF COMPLETION: January 2020

Come Together

BIG PROJECT ME SPEAKS TO THE PROJECT TEAM BEHIND THE CITY GATE TOWERS PROJECT IN ZAYED CITY DISTRICT, TO LEARN HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER TO BUILD THIS CHALLENGING GRADE A OFFICE COMPLEX MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

30

PROJECT PROFILE

s many a contractor can tell you, while working in coordination on a project is always desirable and beneficial, in truth it’s often far more complicated, given the many levels of communication and people that must be reached. This complexity is why project managers and developers place so much emphasis on ensuring there is a clear line of communication between all stakeholders on a project.

One small miscommunication can have huge ramifications further down the line, causing major reworks, increased costs and time lost.

However, every once in a while, there comes a project where everyone involved is in sync. From the owner/ client through to the architect, engineers, consultants and even contractors, all the key facets of the operation work together to deliver a high-quality project.

Quality product The building will offer companies in the surrounding areas grade A office space in an easily accessible space.

8

Number of office floors for both towers

City Gate Towers in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed City district is one such project.

Situated next to the Sheikh Zayed University campus, the project is a grade A office building built in line with British Council for Offices standards, as well as taking into account the Middle East Council for Offices regional variations, thus making it one of the few buildings in the region to provide a high standard of office rental space along with complementary commercial areas.

Other grade A office spaces in the emirate are mainly on Abu Dhabi Island, such as Etihad Towers, International Towers, Nation Towers and Al Bahar.

Other than Aldar HQ, City Gate

Towers is unique in being the only office offering grade A accommodation in the vicinity of the airport and the soon-to-be popular Zayed City area.

As part of the UAE capital’s ambitious vision for the future, Zayed City will become the seat of power and governance for the whole of the UAE, according to the Urban Planning Council. Once complete, it will accommodate federal ministries and foreign embassies, becoming a benchmark for the cultural diversity of the UAE. With the new city being planned and designed with the highest standards of sustainability, technology and urban planning, the development of City Gate Towers has to measure up accordingly, a point stressed by IECR, the owner and developer of the project.

Having been at the forefront of the project since its beginning, IECR has instilled the mindset that every member of the project is also a project stakeholder. As such, the team of industry leaders brought together to deliver the project has strived to meet expectations and deliver within budget targets, despite the many challenges encountered along the way.

Thus, when Big Project ME visited the site, we were met not only by Atiaan Stander, project director for Multiplex, the main contractor on the project, on a design-and-build contract. Also present were Geoff Ford, associate

You always have projects in their honeymoon, but then you have the divorce stage. It’s a standard thing in a lifecycle of a project. But that’s all part of the process, and we get through it. There’s common sense from both sides” | MEConstructionNews.com | MEConstructionNews.com September January 2020 2019

PROJECT PROFILE

City Gate Towers key milestones

12 OCTOBER 2016: Contract award 24 APRIL 2017: Site mobilisation on receipt of shoring and piling permit 15 NOVEMBER 2017: 100% DD approval 12 DECEMBER 2017: Receipt of building permit from ADM 6 JANUARY 2018: First raft pour 20 MAY 2018: Substructure completion 12 DECEMBER 2018: Construction drawing approval 22 DECEMBER 2018: Topping out of structure 25 DECEMBER 2018: Building modification permit approval 13 FEBRUARY 2019: Completion of atrium skylight steel works 28 AUGUST 2019: Building name announced 15 OCTOBER 2019: Substantial completion

director at CallisonRTKL, the designer and design guardian of the construction; Sean Heckford and Iehab Shiwanna, regional corporate real estate and facilities director and MEA director of buildings respectively, representing Parsons, the engineer for the project; and Peter Westeng, chairman of Omnium International, which was appointed to provide cost and contract consultancy services for the project.

“We have a very good relationship with the client (IECR) and they trust us. We got involved pretty early on, and because of their trust in our processes, we drove the pre-contract stages of the project, along with CRTKL and Parsons. We were the key drivers of this process to take it to a contract award,” says Westeng, adding that it was an honour to be selected as the employer’s representative on the project.

“To be honest, although we’re a very collaborative team, sometimes there have been arguments. But we’ve pulled back together, and I guess that was partly my job as the employer’s representative, but it’s also been a very collaborative and good team – a very professional team,” Westeng asserts.

“There are various stages to every project – the early honeymoon stage, where enthusiasm is high, to the arguments at the tail end of the project.

That is standard in a lifecycle of a project. We had our honeymoon stage, and we’ve had loads of arguments with

3

Number of basement parking levels for the project Procedural delays Due to changes from Abu Dhabi authorities, the project faced a delay as new standards and regulations had to be met.

31

the contractor throughout the course of the project! But through the team’s collaborative spirit, the project never lost its enthusiasm; common sense and fair play always prevailed, from all sides.

We always managed to find a solution and get through our differences.”

Among the biggest challenges the team faced on the project was the roll-out of a number of significant new beneficial procedures by Abu Dhabi local authorities. These new procedures had a huge impact on the progress of the project, causing significant delays.

However, Heckford says that because the team was fully integrated from the outset, they were able to come together.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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PROJECT PROFILE

“Through design, through bringing on the right level of consultants as and when needed, through to delivering the project and hopefully through to handover, it’s been a fully integrated team with one goal, and that’s to achieve a high-quality building at the end,” he explains, adding that one of the most important differentiators for this building was the appointment of a facilities management consultant – Savills – to supplement the team at the schematic design stage.

He adds that their input will ensure that one of the client’s directives – to have the best quality building in Abu Dhabi – will be achieved and

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

Key achievements during construction

Fully integrated The project has had a fully integrated team right from the start, all working with the singular aim of delivering a high-quality building.

1,342 Number of worker welfare interviews conducted

maintained through the operation phase and life of the building.

“While we were doing the design and delivery of the project, at the same time Abu Dhabi Municipality were transitioning their approvals process.

Projects like this, there are changes, and managing those changes became even more difficult than it normally would have been, because we were going through this transition stage with the municipality. The contractors and the subcontractors and the consultants did a great job of persevering through this, because there was no clear path.

“As a project team, there needed to be a bit of give and take, and an appreciation that this was going to be the case. But of course, they’re also on a fixed timeline to deliver the project.

So there was a lot of teamwork involved in working through these solutions.

It wasn’t just a case of throwing them onto the contractor to sort out. Where needed, others intervened and helped, whether it was the engineer or even the client itself,” he highlights.

Atiaan Stander chimes in, highlighting the introduction of a new approval system by the authorities as a particularly challenging situation.

“They introduced a new system called MePS – Municipal Electronic Permitting System – and this system has changed the way you hand over buildings in Abu Dhabi. It’s now more in line with Dubai, but it’s

Captured, addressed and resolved 90% of worker grievances within a month, including wage payment; Conducted awareness training for more than 2,764 workers, to make them aware of their rights and entitlements; Conducted more than 1,342 worker welfare interviews; Conducted more than 25 labour accommodation inspections for the supply chain; Conducted more than 30 subcontractor corporate office audits; These actions continue to create a positive working environment, ultimately leading to excellent productivity levels.

How technology helped build City Gate Towers also a bit more stringent in terms of when you can occupy the building.

“On the new system, your main incomers have to be established, your water mains, your electrical mains, the main roads into the project – they all need to be established. That’s a prerequisite. IECR has actually delinked the roads with engagement from the authorities and said to them that the road will be there for access for the fire and emergency services, but that ultimately we would finish the main electrical and water incomings by the end of 2019. That was our target date.

“Once we have completed that, we will apply for final inspection and that will then allow us to get the paperwork and commence fit-out works. Early January is our target date, and by Q1 next year, we should be in a position for fit-out works to commence,” Stander asserts, adding that there are also internal inspections ongoing, while applications have already been submitted with the relevant authorities for inspections on-site, particularly with regard to Civil Defence.

Due to the location of the project and the ongoing urban planning and development of Zayed City, utility and road infrastructure (existing as builds or planned) is not readily available within the authority databases, presenting another challenge to the City Gate Towers project team. This meant the project team had to engage with

During the preconstruction stage of the project, the design team used BIM tools to enable the client to visualise and virtually walk through the building. This brought the building to life for the client and ultimately gave it the comfort to approve the schematic design and proceed with the appointment of the D&B contractor.

With a clear vision in place, Multiplex was able to successfully develop the BIM model through various design stages, ensuring a collaborative approach from all stakeholders.

The use of the model not only assisted in presenting the design to the client, but also reduced clashes between the various disciplines, improved coordination and ultimately led to a safer and more productive building site.

“We had the BIM model updated regularly,” says Atiaan Stander. “The BIM

model started off with the concept designs and then was taken into 50DD and then 100DD, and then into construction drawings.

That was the main basis for the architect to see that we were maintaining the original intent, and for the engineer to see if we had clashes or coordination issues.”

Furthermore, the service provider for the building will now be able to take the BIM model and use it to tie in with the operations and maintenance of the building.

“We started using it at the concept design stage. We did a couple of freehand sketches and then the BIM team translated our thoughts and ideas straight into the model,” says Geoff Ford from CTKRL. “The end product is proof that you get exactly what is in the design. Those renders were done months ago, but if you walk onto the project today, that’s pretty much what you see.”

PROJECT PROFILE

33

various authorities to obtain the design and construction NOCs, including the development of various design proposals for approval in line with authority specifications and codes.

Iehab Shiwanna explains: “Another challenge was the availability of infrastructure in the area. Many of the things we’ve talked about, such as getting the authorities’ approvals, would have been easier if the infrastructure was settled in the area. Early in the design stage, we took into consideration that some of the services would not be available for some time.

“So with the initial schematic design, we considered that the project would be self-contained when it came to sewage, to stormwater and all these things. While developing the design and starting construction, we also began to upgrade and modify it to suit whatever services became available.

This by itself was a lot of pressure and a challenge, to finish the project while we didn’t have the services.

That’s why even the client stepped in and helped to finance some of the infrastructure around the site, just to make sure it was doable and workable.”

Furthermore, as Stander mentions, the team has been diligent in obtaining the necessary approvals. This too has not been without its challenges, with the team providing an example whereby the project obtained ADCD approval in its early stages, only for the introduction

As a project team, there needed to be a bit of give and take, and an appreciation that this was going to be the case. But of course, they’re also on a fixed timeline to deliver the project.

So there was a lot of teamwork involved” MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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PROJECT PROFILE

IECR has also been a very good employer. They pay on time, which is very key. It’s actually a key driver of a project and they’ve listened to us, their professional team. That has been a real bonus on this project” of the new UAE Civil Defence code in November 2018 to necessitate that the project produce a revised design to comply with various new elements.

This meant the project team had to conduct workshops with specialist FLS firms, which in turn allowed them to conclude and implement the redesign in record time, while still complying with standards.

During the tour of the project site, Stander points out that overall completion has reached 95%, including testing and commissioning. However, there is still quite a lot of work left to do, he emphasises to Big Project ME. “Just to give you a quick brief –

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

the front side of the building, which we call the East Elevation, is still under development from Musanada, which is the main developer of Zayed City. These main roads and all are not yet established.

“In terms of the scope of the contract, we have three basements, a ground floor, two podiums and eight floors. Most of them are typical levels. Just to run through the main elements, the façade is about 99% complete. The basements are typical, and you have five parking structures: three basements and two podiums.

These have all been completed.

“The atrium is the main entrance

2,764

Awareness training for more than 2,764 workers was carried out Testing underway With the building nearing completion, systems are being tested and snagging works are in full swing.

to the building which has the main drop-off area, where the access road is still being constructed, as mentioned.

The atrium has been completed, apart from a bit of cladding which will be completed in the coming weeks.

“All the levels up to level eight have been completed, and the snagging and desnagging works have commenced.

It’s a shell and core design – we’ve basically only done the fit-out for the corridors and the toilets. From an MEP perspective, activation has reached 98% – testing and commissioning is the next big driver over the next couple of weeks. All the systems are already operational – all the water networks, the fire pump systems, etc. The MEP systems are already operational and are already being used, with full testing and commissioning underway. There’s a big drive underway to get all the formal paperwork wrapped up and issued to the consultant and engineer for approval.

“In terms of overall project completion, the original scope related to the building is now nearing completion, in terms of actual work.

Now we’re in the phase of snagging and de-snagging to get the final touch.

“As we’ve highlighted previously, this is a grade A building, so the quality needs to be right up there. There’s a lot of focus and emphasis from the client and the consultant to ensure that the quality they’ve signed up for is achieved and maintained.”

PROJECT PROFILE

Designing the Entrance Hall The building entrance hall/ lobby is a unique feature of the development, often described as the heart of the building. It is positioned focally and axially between the two towers and is finished in clear glass walls and roof (as much as the thermal comfort and energy modelling allows), for visual permeability and sightlines towards the main reception area. The entrance hall is intended to be a grand space and is treated with warm, hospitable materials such as curvilinear travertine and coffee wood stone, along with glass, stainless steel,

shades of white, internal planters and interesting warm lighting fixtures.

It has clear dimensions of 20m x 16m x 14m and complements the curvilinear profile of towers 1 and 2, while allowing ease of wayfinding by visual sight of the towers from within.

The building entrance hall/ lobby has large free spans as well as a double curvilinear glazed roof profile, which posed some serious structural and technical engineering challenges. CRTKL and its sub-consultant team developed the engineering from a structural and

thermal point of view to the end of schematic design.

As the development has been undertaken as a designand-build contract, Multiplex contractors and their subcontract team concluded this design development with close coordination and input from CRTKL as the design intent guardian during the D&B process.

This resulted in many technical coordination meetings to discuss and agree structure, FLS, MEP, thermal comfort, Estidama and constructability, all in accordance with CRTKL’s design.

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Stander adds that while the original scope related to the main incomers was not among Multiplex’s original responsibilities, the contractor has now been assigned to engage with the authorities to bring them in.

“These works are currently under authority approvals, so once approved, we’ll commence construction in early December for completion by the end of December. It’s not a big scope in terms of actual work, but we need to get the authorities’ approvals so we can start excavations on the ground. This also includes the main road, which will be the main incomer into the building,” he explains.

Finally, all the members of the team are keen to point out that with the many challenges encountered on the project, successful delivery would not have been possible without the active participation and collaboration of the client, IECR. As Westeng explains, not only did it step in to help when the team faced challenges from the shifts in policies, but it was also a responsible and prompt payer, which helped immeasurably in keeping the project on track.

“IECR has also been a very good employer. They pay on time, which is very key. It’s actually a key driver of a project and they’ve listened to us, their professional team. That has been a real bonus on this project.”

Stander chimes in, pointing out that this attitude is invaluable in the current market environment, as it helps a main contractor ensure that the entire supply change is operational and happy.

“You know it’s pretty tough out there, whether you’re a subcontractor or a part of the supply chain. From a contractor’s perspective, having to manage these tier-one subcontractors who are struggling because they’re not getting paid or having other issues is 100% a big challenge. And it all comes down to the financial aspect.

“So when you have a client who can pay on time, those issues can be mitigated in certain ways and fashions. We had to step up and do a lot to keep the subcontractors moving, with support from the team. Without timely payment, it comes to a dead end,” he says in conclusion.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

A supplement of:

FIRE & LIFE SAFETY REPORT

Safe Pathway EXAMINING HOW INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING WILL BOOST THE GCC’S NON-OIL GDP IN 2020 Digital Disruption Dangers HOW ADVANCED MOISTURE DETECTION SYSTEMS CAN KEEP OUR DIGITALLY ENABLED BUILDINGS SAFER

The Business of Security

BIG PROJECT ME TALKS TO JONATHAN KEITH FROM K TECH CONSULTING ABOUT BUILDING SECURITY

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Infrastructure

Building a safe path to economic diversity ANDREAS REX, SHOW DIRECTOR AT MESSE FRANKFURT MIDDLE EAST, EXAMINES HOW THE GCC’S INFRASTRUCTURE SPEND WILL BOOST 2020 NON-OIL GDP | MEConstructionNews.com | MEConstructionNews.com December January 2020 2019

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| December | January 2020 MEConstructionNews.com MEConstructionNews.com 2019

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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

he GCC is ready to throw off the shackles of lower GDP growth in 2020, with spending on infrastructure forecast to boost the region’s non-oil expansion. That’s the upbeat forecast in a report by Ventures ONSITE, the construction intelligence partner of Intersec, the world’s leading trade fair for security, safety and fire protection.

The report says that while rising oil & gas production will likely help lift GCC growth to 2.5% in 2020, infrastructure spending, particularly in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, could lift country-specific non-oil GDP from 2.4% in 2019 to 2.8% this year.

The construction sector, says the report, will be in the vanguard of GCC forecast non-oil growth. “The region’s large-scale degree of investment in infrastructure and capital projects, and anticipated tourism boom, are poised to register growth for the

Regional awareness Andreas Rex says there is an awareness across the region of the need to deliver world-class standards.

$17bn Predicted federal budget for the UAE in 2020

region’s GCC construction sector.

This in turn, along with economic diversification plans in the GCC region, is also expected to drive the fire safety systems and equipment market over the coming years.”

Ventures ONSITE suggests the GCC’s total construction contractor awards across the building, infrastructure and energy sectors are expected to increase from $1.34002bn in 2019 to $1.39909bn in 2020, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia the industry’s top two performing markets next year. The report predicts the UAE may increase its federal budget by 2% in 2020, to $17bn. The forecast has led to a bullish

prediction from the KPMG Annual Global Construction Survey, which points to an anticipated growth of 6-10% in the UAE construction sector in 2020.

“Industry leaders surveyed in the UAE are optimistic about growth prospects and are confident that technology and governance will play a significant role in the construction sector in the next five years,” predicts the survey.

Dubai, with its bold and ongoing development plans for the tourism, hospitality, entertainment and manufacturing sectors, is tipped to remain a construction and development hub and to continue to attract investment, while in Qatar, preparations for the 2022 World Cup are expected to serve as a diversification catalyst with continued healthy investment in the building of sports facilities, transport and tourism infrastructure amounting to expenditure of around $200bn.

Added to the growth mix are massive development plans in Saudi Arabia, including the NEOM, Red Sea Project and Qiddiyah mega projects, and region-wide investment in hospitality, education, healthcare, rail, energy and airport expansion. The scale of development, says Ventures ONSITE, will transform the region into an infrastructure hotspot. “Given the GCC governments’ support for large-scale infrastructure projects, the region is anticipated to become

The region’s investment in infrastructure and capital projects, and anticipated tourism boom, are poised to register growth for the region’s GCC construction sector.

This in turn is expected to drive the fire safety systems” January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

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A sharp spotlight will be placed on the fire and security systems required in today’s smart buildings and the expectations of visitors and residents in the smart cities now on GCC government agendas” a hub for global infrastructure investment,” says the report.

A major knock-on effect on the region’s fire safety systems and equipment market is inevitable, with Ventures ONSITE predicting the commercial and hospitality sectors will be the key verticals driving growth, egged on by increasing government regulation and greater public requirements for efficient fire prevention.

“Continued efforts to implement the ambitious vision initiatives and strengthen public infrastructure over the next decade will spur the demand for fire safety systems and equipment in the future,” says the report. “The UAE, KSA and Qatar are likely to remain the top markets for construction industry investors and developers, as well as the fire safety system and equipment market.”

The forecasts bode well for the three-day Intersec tradeshow, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 19-21 January 2020, featuring more than 1,100 exhibitors from 50 countries.

“With the construction industry in a growth spurt, a sharp spotlight will be placed on the fire and security systems required in today’s smart buildings and the expectations of visitors and residents in the smart cities now on GCC government agendas,” explains Andreas Rex, show director at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, which organises

10% Predicted

growth of UAE construction sector in 2020 Sharp spotlight There is increased focus on the fire and security systems required in today’s smart buildings.

Intersec. “Across the region there is heightened awareness of the need to deliver to world-class standards, to realise national development visions.”

At the same time as the region looks to further its footprint on the international events and tourism landscapes, the highest security and safety standards are vital to ensuring national reputations. “There’s a growing demand within the regional industry now for knowledge on the very latest techniques and technology which will help ring fence risks and reputations,” adds Rex. Intersec has stepped in to plug the knowledge gap, with a packed agenda of

conferences, workshops, roundtables and live demos. The event will also feature the probing Intersec Arena, Future Security Summit and Intersec Fire Conference, where industry experts will analyse critical security threats and how cutting-edge technologies can be tailored to meet them, and the key aspects of today’s integrated fire engineering sector.

These are the technologies which will lie behind the region’s dazzling mega projects, yet are now seen as vital to ensuring the safety of occupants and a real sustainable approach to building non-oil, diversified growth.

More information is available at www.intersecexpo.com

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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TECHNOLOGY

Solar PV

High-quality cabling critical in solar PV installations MIDDLE EAST

Akram Wahab, BASEC regional technical manager for the Middle East and Africa, explains why it’s important that only certified and safe cabling be used in solar PV installations January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

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o combat global warming and reduce our reliance on highcarbon energy supplies, Middle Eastern countries are developing sustainable policies and leading the way with largescale renewable energy projects.

Governments, businesses and consumers have contributed to the demand for solar energy. With an almost unlimited supply of sunshine and the need to move away from highcarbon energy sources like oil & gas to protect our planet, solar photovoltaic (PV) can be the perfect alternative.

As we arrive in the new decade, the global market for solar PV energy systems is growing rapidly and represents

a considerable opportunity to move away from high-carbon energy sources to more sustainable alternatives. Solar PV can make a key contribution in Middle Eastern countries, allowing communities and businesses to be self-sufficient in an energy supply which converts into clean electricity.

Vast interconnected solar PV energy parks can now be found in many locations in the Middle East as countries switch on to its potential.

Recent installations in Abu Dhabi and Egypt highlight its popularity.

Cabling plays a critical role in solar PV installations. We know that failing to select quality cabling in the construction and maintenance of solar PV farms can result in costly damage to equipment

Critical role Cabling plays a critical role in solar PV installations, as poor-quality cabling can lead to costly damage to equipment and infrastructure.

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Manufacturers typically provide a 25-year warranty

TECHNOLOGY

and infrastructure, and even loss of life.

BASEC (the British Approvals Service for Cables) operates worldwide to ensure the highest standards of testing and certification in cabling – focusing on improving quality – in particular consistent reliability and durability to significantly reduce safety risks.

Cabling has to be hard-wearing and safe, but reliability and durability can only be ensured with EN or IEC standard tested and certified product.

This optimises effectiveness and efficiency at the time of installation and during energy production. This is important due to the vast scale and complexity of some solar farms and the pressure for lower tariff rates.

All cabling must comply with relevant international legislation, as well as any project-specific demands. The two applicable standards for solar cables for use in DC apparatus are IEC 62930: ed 1.0:2017 and (BS) EN 50618:2014.

In the dry, hot conditions of the Middle East, it is vital that cabling used in solar PV installations be flame retardant, able to deal with high temperature ranges and able to withstand humidity and water issues. It should also be able to withstand mechanical and chemical stresses, protect against environmental salinity, be ozone and UV resistant, and offer low smoke emissions.

Buying independently-verified cabling is one way to ensure that the product is safe to use and meets all the relevant regulations. A declaration from cable manufacturers that their product has undergone in-house rigorous testing isn’t sufficient – they must be able to prove to specifiers and their customers that their cabling products meet the requirements related to each of the specific tests involved in independently verifying the quality and the safety of the product. This is important, as a new solar park could be trying to build a relationship with the local grid systems and need to prove its compliance to standards and commitment to safety.

Using cabling that’s been tested and certificated by an independent body like BASEC will provide the reassurance that specifiers and customers require, as using inappropriate cabling can shorten a project’s lifespan.

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Cabling plays a critical role in solar PV installations.

Failing to select quality cabling in the construction and maintenance of solar PV farms can result in costly damage to equipment and even loss of life” Providing assurance Using certifying bodies like BASEC assures customers that the products will perform as advertised.

The industry standard warranty length provided by solar panel manufacturers is 25 years. As a result, this is sometimes also recommended as the lifespan for solar PV cables. However, a cable lifespan cannot be accurately given without reference to temperature.

The results of a thermal endurance test, as specified in IEC standards, can be used to predict life expectancy of cable products. Long life and low maintenance are important, especially in the heat of the Middle East, where conditions can be harsh and the location of these large solar PV farms isolated.

IEC and EN standards are similar in terms of requirements, though the

EN standard specifies the use of only low-smoke, halogen-free types, whereas the IEC standard permits materials with or without these properties.

There are also other differences, such as the accommodation of class 2 cables and a slightly wider conductor size range in the IEC standard.

A competitive edge is gained by independent product certification and approval, to demonstrate that cabling supplied to solar PV installations is compliant with all the necessary legislation. In turn, specifiers and solar farm operators have peace of mind that the cables they are using are of the highest possible quality.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

TECHNOLOGY

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Building Protection

The dangers of digital disruption in 2020 MIDDLE EAST

When it comes to protecting our businesses against disruption, water damage poses a significant threat, especially in this new digital age where electrical systems are ingrained in almost every aspect of daily life. How can advanced moisture detection systems help building owners mitigate risk?

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rom maintaining security systems to managing the rising costs of utility bills – as well as everything in between – building owners and facilities managers (FMs) have a vital and almost allencompassing role to play in keeping today’s businesses moving forward.

For these duty holders, ensuring operational downtime is minimised by staying ahead of any potential disruption is a key objective when it comes to protecting their organisations’ bottom line. One major disruption to modern companies is managing the impact of water leakage, especially when it comes to the build-up of moisture around electrical systems.

‘Escape of water’ claims are among the most common, and expensive, insurance claims filed.

In the UK, for example, nearly one in five claims made on buildings and contents insurance is for damage caused by water leaks.

A number of issues result in the unwanted leak of moisture in both residential and commercial buildings.

For example, leaks from plumbing, heating and refrigeration systems can occur due to poor maintenance, inadequate installation or accidental damage. External sources of moisture include the build-up of damp within walls, and blocked drainage areas.

If this dampness finds its way into an electrical system, it is highly likely MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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TECHNOLOGY

Any damage to electronic equipment is immediately costly to the service provider and their customers. This means identifying and locating the unwanted build-up of moisture as fast as possible is vital� to cause an outage. For businesses, this means operational equipment can be compromised or made unsafe, and employee time can be lost due to time taken off for repairs. For businesses, the cost of dealing with an escape of water can quickly mount up.

In large buildings reliant on electronic cabling and modern technology, such as data centres, every minute offline costs money. Similarly, in companies where e-commerce is the business model, outages caused by moisture are also a major financial concern. In 2016, Delta Airlines suffered a data centre outage which cost it $150m in just three days.

In such facilities, emergency measures to contain the risk are almost certainly in place, but any damage to electronic equipment is immediately costly to a service provider and its customers. This means identifying and locating the unwanted build-up of moisture throughout a building as fast as possible is vital. Owners and FMs therefore have to find more efficient ways to monitor water leaks across their sites and minimise the associated risks.

South African building regulations stipulate that the owner of a building must ensure that measures are taken

Fast detection Locating unwanted buildup of moisture as fast as possible is vital to protect building systems.

$150m

A data centre outage cost Delta Airlines $150m

to resist the penetration of moisture into the interior of a building. This can mean carrying out regular risk assessments and inspections of pipework, appliances and internal walls, as well as making sure electrical components in life safety devices are suitably protected against moisture.

However, preventative maintenance can only do so much, especially in large premises with complex building envelopes. There is always a risk that the build-up of unwanted moisture will occur in difficult or even impossibleto-reach places, which is why modern leak detection systems which can actively identify, track and report leaks in these areas are invaluable assets for FMs. TECHNOLOGY AND MOISTURE DETECTION Building owners can take a range of precautions to prevent water systems from leaking, but leaks are often difficult to locate and track. To support duty holders, manufacturers like Hochiki are developing more advanced systems capable of detecting leaks and moisture within large premises.

Initial versions of these systems were based on simple point detection software, within which local alarms sounded when a leak was identified.

However, in line with technological

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

TECHNOLOGY

advances, the most modern systems today incorporate a range of new technologies – cause and effect, linear detection and more complex signalling processes. The latest devices also make use of continuous monitoring across small and very large areas, depending on the application.

Hochiki Middle East FZE’s LEAKalarm is one example of a cutting-edge, addressable moisture detection system that quickly and reliably detects water leaks within a building. Using specialised water-sensitive cables and point detection-style floor probes, building owners are able to swiftly locate leaks, minimising any potential loss of time and property.

The system uses continuous monitoring via a central control panel which can be remotely monitored via the building management system, so building owners can manage maintenance and monitor energy consumption with greater

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as much time as possible to rectify any issues with the system itself.

Track and report Modern leak detection systems can actively identify, track and report leaks in problem areas, making them invaluable assets.

ease and efficiency. At the same time, any disconnection, fault or alarm is immediately communicated either locally, using a voice alarm, or via SMS/email (using additional equipment), giving building owners

KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER To ensure continuous monitoring even in the event of a mains power outage, LEAKalarm is also capable of operating on a 72-hour standby.

This means that even if other systems are compromised, building owners can still manage the risks associated with water leaks, helping protect buildings and their occupants.

Looking to the future, as digital technology becomes more and more integrated into society, we at Hochiki expect issues around moisture disruption to become more apparent. By installing systems at the cutting edge of development, building owners can future proof themselves and their properties, boost safety and minimise disruption.

To find out more about Hochiki Middle East FZE, visit: http://hochiki.ae

Your Safety, Our Technology MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Unveiling a UL 7th Edition Sensor

Specialist Products

Visit us at

on Stand

4-B22

Visit us at the show 19th – 21st January 2020

Big Project Middle East - 194mm x 122mm for 151219.indd 1

www.hochiki.ae

29/11/2019 09:47:47

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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SHOW PREVIEW

Intersec 2020

Hochiki experts use Intersec 2020 to offer latest in life safety insight MIDDLE EAST

Hochiki Middle East FZE, part of the Hochiki Group, is showcasing its range of intelligent life safety systems on Stand 4-B22 at Intersec in Dubai, from 19-21 January 2020

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xperts from Hochiki’s Middle East team will be on hand to give visitors the latest advice and insight around fire safety trends and technology in the life safety industry, as well

as providing guests with live product demonstrations.

During the exhibition, the Hochiki Middle East team will demonstrate L@titude, the company’s powerful and sophisticated control and indication system, the ENapproved version of which is now Part 13-approved. The platform enables customers to quickly locate and examine incidents occurring across premises from any location, in real time. It can also be operated alongside the company’s new L@ti-View graphics software, which building managers can use to have complete visual overview and control over their fire detection networks.

Hochiki’s innovative FIREscape emergency lighting system will also be included on the company’s Intersec stand. Highly costeffective and environmentally friendly, FIREscape is a fully compliant emergency lighting system that features selftesting technology to locate

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

and identify problems, making maintenance quick and easy.

Perhaps the biggest news – and an exclusive for the Intersec event – is the unveiling of Hochiki’s newest generation of UL-approved addressable smoke sensors, specifically designed to meet the new seventh edition of the UL standards.

The changes to the standard come into effect for manufacturers in May 2020 and represent a major increase in scope, most notably in the

2020 will be an exciting year for Hochiki, with a number of product developments and service announcements in the pipeline”

addition of three new fire tests: detection of flaming polyurethane (PU) furniture foam, detection of smouldering polyurethane foam, and reduction of false alarms from cooking fumes.

Shinsuke Kubo, managing director at Hochiki Middle East, commented: “The reliability and innovative nature of our product range is renowned within the life safety market.

Those who have visited our stand at Intersec before know we always come prepared with the latest knowledge and insight collated from the previous year.

“2020 will be an exciting year for Hochiki, with a number of product developments and service announcements in the pipeline. If you want to learn more about how our worldleading solutions can protect your business, then come visit us!”

Intersec will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre 19-21 January 2020. For more information about Hochiki Middle East, visit www.hochiki.ae.

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Threat & Risk Assessment Gap Analysis Security System Design IT/AV Design Master Planning & Development Operational Requirements

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Testing & Commissioning Control Room Design System Integration Policies & Procedures Site Surveys & Audits Crisis Management

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IN PROFILE

Jonathan Keith

The Business of Security K TECH CONSULTING’S JONATHAN KEITH ON HIS FIRM’S APPROACH TO BUILDING SECURITY, THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS, AND MARKET CHALLENGES

Tech Consulting specialises in technical security and offers a variety of services, including security audits, vulnerability assessments, conceptual design, project management, supervision and coordination, and commissioning management. The firm was set up in 2013

by Jonathan Keith, a technical security specialist with over 18 years of experience.

Big Project ME sits down with Keith to discuss the firm’s early years, trends and challenges in the market.

Take us through K Tech Consulting’s early years in the GCC region.

We started the company as an offshore (freezone) company in DMCC in 2013, mainly carrying out work in Saudi Arabia. None of the work we were doing back then was in Dubai. When there was a slowdown in the economy in the Kingdom, we made the decision that we would concentrate on Dubai, and using some of my previous contacts we managed to get some work here.

We then decided to shift to an onshore Dubai company, so that we could obtain certification as a Dubai Protective Systems (police) consultant. The process took us about six to eight months and once we obtained the certification, and because of my contacts, we managed to start off with two projects in quick succession. Thanks to the good work that we did on those two projects, we gradually increased our workload – we started with one person (which was myself ), and we now have 10 people including consultants, engineers, CAD people and administration.

I started this company as I’ve always been in the security business since the age of 19. This is what I know, and I decided in 2013 that starting a company

| MEConstructionNews.com | MEConstructionNews.com November January 2020 2019

Eyes on Saudi Keith says K Tech Consulting will be focusing on Saudi Arabia in the near future as that market continues to rebound.

2013 K Tech

Consulting began life as an offshore (freezone) company in DMCC in 2013, with projects in KSA

was a good thing to do – and so far it has proved to be a good decision.

What about Saudi Arabia? What’s your view on that market today?

We see Saudi coming back a little bit.

Obviously it’s a big market, and the difficulties will be similar to other Middle East countries, like contractual issues and payment issues. We see that happening and we often say to ourselves, “You’re in the Middle East and even if you don’t like to have these issues, you have to be able to live with it, otherwise there is no point and you should get out of it.”

We see some big projects in Saudi Arabia that we’d like to be involved in; however, we see that the Middle East is becoming extremely competitive.

In Dubai, it’s competitive; however, we are licensed by the police, so it’s an advantage. However, in Saudi we don’t have that licence and must compete like everybody else. It’s challenging, but we will be focusing on Saudi more and more.

What projects does your firm get involved with, and how is security viewed in this region?

We come in when there are bigger assets

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MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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IN PROFILE

such as buildings that people would like to secure, although some clients really don’t want to implement it fully because security is viewed as a grudge spend. Part of the problem is that the market looks at security too late, which means it costs more than planning the security early. On many of our projects, cost-cutting takes place because some people don’t see security as an advantage – it’s something they must pay for but really don’t want to. However, we are trying to educate people that it works together with building operations.

We are trying to make security an advantage and plan everything early.

How does your firm tackle these market biases?

We try and educate most of the time.

We also have the current legislation where we have a minimum requirement from the law. Some believe that the minimum requirement for the law is not what people need – for them, the law is too much – but we have to do it.

In some cases, there are parts missing from the law that are required; that is something we have to deal with as well, whether it’s when you’re speaking to consultants or clients. We always try and ensure all parties understand the requirements and the spend.

That said, we also try to make sure that the cost for the client is the lowest possible. We try to not look only at the initial cost, we look at the projects over

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

Educating clients The firm works on a day-to-day basis with project stakeholders to ensure that all parties understand requirements.

maybe 10 years. That’s our aim, yet a lot of the time, it’s not what people are interested in. A lot of the time, it’s a case of ‘this is the bottom line and let’s just get rid of what we can’. However, we know that by taking this approach, they are willing to incur more costs in the long run. I know on some of the projects we have, the project costs and the running cost of the building are not in the same budget, so the people who are doing the projects are not willing to pay the money – they would rather push it to somebody else.

When the building gets taken over, they [the developers] build the building and the project cost is with the project.

When it gets handed over, however, the running cost is with somebody else, so what they try and do now is try and get all this cost out of the project and push it to somebody else. The problem is that we know that cost can be 50% more if they don’t do it at the beginning. We try and educate them, and I’m sure that this issue occurs across all disciplines – it’s not just in security. Unfortunately, this is a region-wide reality and there’s a lot of pressure on budgets.

It’s up to us all to help our clients.

What is your approach to educating clients and the industry as a whole?

IN PROFILE

sort of know what we are going to do.

They know the situation and they know that at some stage, there are going to be changes because of value engineering (VE) and things like this. What we have seen is the design is approved by everybody and everybody is happy, yet when they start to do the construction, often we get some changes in architecture or requirements, or we have to implement them in VE. Sometimes we do that in conjunction with the contractor, once they are onboard.

So there are these different elements, and we always try and stay flexible on principle – if there is something that needs to be done, we do it.

As mentioned earlier, during the design phases there are always a lot of changes. However, from the security side, once we have implemented our design from the schematic stage, we are more or less straight. However, as things change architecturally, we have to be flexible and move. Our intention is not to force anybody to do anything; we want to work with people and try and get our requirements in, even if we have to make adjustments. We don’t like to see big changes and we don’t wish to incur too big a cost change for the clients.

What we see in the market is that it is very competitive, and everything is extremely pricesensitive, and not just for us. It’s for all the consultants, the clients, the contractors and everyone involved in the building” Security is a little bit different. You’ve got the law, which is now given by an entity called SIRA (Security Industry Regulatory Agency). They have a set of requirements that people have to meet, and you also have the client requirements. For example, we work mainly with developers and they have their own security guidelines – these are the main stakeholders – and then you have got the project team who is designing and building the project.

We must understand all these, coordinate and get across to everybody what the requirements are of each party.

Obviously, the law is the law and once we have the developers’ guidelines, we educate the project teams and we work hand in hand with the architect, because in the end this is who needs to deliver the overall design. We’re usually hired by an architect, and the way we must provide security requirements is through them as part of the design.

On a day-to-day basis, we coordinate with all of the architect sub-consultants on behalf of the architect and the end user. Right from the beginning, we start communicating with the client’s security teams, because we don’t like to miss any requirements that they have.

Often, these requirements don’t match the initial design – people are coming from a different angle and we have to straighten this out and make sure that they are all going in the right direction.

We are in the same process flow as the

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architects, so during the concept design we do the threat and risk assessment of the project, which gives everybody a look that these are the threats and risks and we ought to do x, y, z in order to mitigate those risks. This goes to the client, and once that is approved, we understand that we have to go down a certain path.

Following the path, we go through the concept/schematic design, through the detailed design, and at every stage it gets approved. Quite often, when we get down to the end of the schematic and detailed design stages, they begin understanding the costs better and the pathway has a little bit of diversion. It’s important that we keep in communication and remain flexible.

With long-standing customers, they

Meeting a standard K Tech says it has a minimum standard and endeavours not to go below that standard.

10 Costs

should be looked at over a period of 10 years

How do you maintain standards as budgets come under pressure and clients push for lower spend?

We have a minimum standard and we endeavour not to go below that standard; however, sometimes people don’t like it when we try and maintain that level.

What we see in the market is that it is very competitive, and everything is extremely price-sensitive, and not just for us. It’s for all the consultants, the clients, the contractors and everyone involved in the building.

So what’s happening now is that the cost of doing something at minimum standard has gone down because everyone is getting squeezed. The main thing is even though you’re getting squeezed, you need to provide value, especially as a consultant. To provide value to the client, you have to show that you are advising them properly and giving something back to them.

Everybody has to try and maintain their good order and requirements.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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COMMENT

Industry insight

AMALDEEP PRADEEP ALLEGION

Trends in the Middle East Homeland and Commercial Security Market

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he rapid growth in the sector is being led by the demand for safety equipment and solutions across several industries Recent reports from market research and analysis firm Frost and Sullivan state that the Middle East’s homeland and commercial security market is growing rapidly and expected to reach a value of $25.3bn by 2022, up from its current $12.2bn.

The market for homeland security is primarily driven by several government initiatives targeted at combating terrorist threats and cross-border insurgency.

The commercial security market also entails several measures to protect commercial premises. Some drivers for the growth in this industry are investments in projects such as the Dubai Expo 2020 (where more than 25m visitors are expected), investment in infrastructure development like residential and commercial construction, transportation infrastructure, stringent regulatory policies and public utilities.

Additionally, it is expected that countries such as Iraq and Egypt will also start spending on homeland security by 2020. Here is a quick overview of some of the trends in the Middle East security market that we see today: THE GROWTH OF BIOMETRIC ACCESS CONTROL Biometrics access control systems use physiological characteristics of a person, such as fingerprints, iris, voice and facial January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

features, to validate authenticity. Biometric access control systems in this region are being driven by a need to enhance border security, the rising construction of commercial facilities, and widespread use in the banking, financial services and insurance sector.

The UAE alone already has the world’s biggest civil biometric database, which contains over 135m fingerprint and facial images of residents, and this technology is presently one of the major drivers of growth in the regional security market.

THE CONVERGENCE OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRONIC SOLUTIONS The industry is seeing an increased convergence of mechanical and electronic solutions.

This offers several advantages, such as an enhanced experience for the end user, keyless convenience and ease of installation.

Allegion’s Briton 571 EL is an example of a solution that combines the mechanical features and benefits of touch bar panic exit hardware with electronic motorised control, and converts emergency exit doors into effective smart entrances ideal for high footfall buildings like schools, offices and hospitals.

USE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IN ACCESS CONTROL Technology is changing the landscape of every industry, and commercial and homeland security is no different. Some of the latest technologies being adopted

The UAE alone already has the world’s biggest civil biometric database, which contains over 135m fingerprint and facial images of residents, and this technology is presently one of the major drivers of growth in the regional security market”

in this industry are IP surveillance, video analytics, smart storage, artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT-based security systems with cloud-computing platforms.

These technologies are bringing about dramatic changes in the product mix and offerings available.

GROWING PREFERENCE FOR CLOUD-BASED ACCESS CONTROL IN THE COMMERCIAL SEGMENT Access control is a top priority for building security, and the commercial segment is seeing a growing preference for cloudbased systems over the traditional lock and key. The reasons for this are several.

A cloud-based access control system provides centralised management, real-time updates, visibility and control, without the cost and complexity of traditional physical access systems. They can also be deployed rapidly and can be integrated with software used for visitor management and door scheduling.

SHIFT FROM ANALOG TO IP-BASED SOLUTIONS IP cameras are dominating the market, and their presence will continue to grow. In Dubai, for example, an AI network of security cameras to monitor security breaches is being phased in across the city and connected to a live central command centre, as part of the Dubai 2021 Vision requirements of a smart sity.

ISONAS, an Allegion brand, invented the world’s first IP reader in 1999. IP-to-the-door eliminates needless complexity, including inconvenient control panels, separate power supply and dedicated hard-wiring.

Allegion’s ISONAS reader controller network-based PowerNet reader controllers offer a patented technology that easily integrates with Windows-based software to deliver more simplicity, greater value and total flexibility. 50,000-plus readers are already installed worldwide across a range of commercial and private organisations.

Reader controllers are also integrated to well-known enterprise-level physical security management platforms and video management systems, making centralised monitoring and management simple and cost-effective.

Amaldeep Pradeep is Electronics Sales Leader – MEIA at Allegion.

COMMENT

JOHN HARDCASTLE AURECON

It Takes a Vertical Village to Raise the Future

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round the turn of the 19th century, the first skyscraper was born. All ten storeys of Chicago’s iconic Home Insurance Building comprised a wondrous skeleton of iron and steel, wrapped in a facade of glass and pane. It wasn’t only the building’s breakthrough engineering that paved our future city skylines; it was the story that each storey told.

Ever since, we have been largely crafting our city skylines with the same kind of one-dimensional approach to building and design. Traditionally, the city centre is the commercial hub to which people ebb and flow throughout the week, and all other living outside 9-to-5 happens in the suburbs or residential areas of the city.

By 2050, 68% of the world’s population (90% of Africa’s and Asia’s population) will be urban. This great migration, coupled with the overall rise in global population, could mean our cities, within their current constraints, will need to accommodate another 2.5bn people over the next few decades.

If we want to build the kind of urban ecosystems that respond and thrive on growth, we will have to reassess the way we build.

The solutions to our future cities may not be in front of us, but above us. Perhaps the suburbs should rather one day sit on top of our cities. Perhaps the notion of the village isn’t that of an endangered species, but a concept waiting to be reinvented in the 21st century.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CITY Picture this: the colossal tower downtown, once reserved for commercial affairs during the day, is now a multi-purpose space where

business, family life, recreation and community living intersect and overlap in a new kind of blended living urban ecology. Call it a vertical village: a multi-level building that, across its stacked floors, can foster the kind of human collisions that breed social diversity and infuse new life into old infrastructures.

Through this model, commercial and residential occupants benefit from shared infrastructure that services shared needs.

In such a blended design, an apartment could be located in the corner of an open plan office space. Residents come and go, and often mingle inside the local coffee shop with workers throughout the week. On the same floor, a crèche serves the people who work and live there, a library intersects the vertical floorplan as a shared community resource, a rooftop garden supplies fresh produce to the pop-up café on the first floor. The IT department serves the broader community within the ‘village’, ensuring the best in high-tech innovation, smart health and safety design for residents and employees.

Imagine further: this building is one of many vertical suburbs, connecting by way of skywalks and sidewalks with other tall villages to enclose a central infrastructure where people can gather, connect and engage over a variety of activities.

JIGSAW DESIGNS Naturally, the building design itself would need to be ultra-nimble to capitalise on

By 2050, 68% of the world’s population (90% of Africa’s and Asia’s population) will be urban. This great migration, coupled with the overall rise in global population, could mean our cities will need to accommodate another 2.5bn people over the next few decades”

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the organic nature of urban village living.

Modularity would be key; layouts and floorplans would have to adapt and respond to needs and new ideas as they arise.

When a living unit is moved, it reconnects with all services and requires nothing more than a building manager.

This structural mobility living could mean an apartment moves around the floorplan or even changes floors, literally giving occupants a fresh new view on things.

But high mobility would not be at the expense of sophistication. In order to create that sense of openness and scale, for example, thin LED lights could envelop apartment facades and adapt to motion as people pass. The effect: workers would enjoy the same views and natural light as residents and feel safely oriented when moving around. What’s more, construction wouldn’t even take place in the building.

These modular designs could be prefabricated ‘plug-and-play’ units built, even 3D-printed, elsewhere and then inserted on-site.

ENGINEERING COMMUNITY More importantly, what could the vertical village usher into the new urban experience?

How would these buildings and envisioned communities meet the new Gen Z ethos and impulse for creative community living? These designs speak to the fact that humans are social animals craving authentic connectivity and meaningful relationships. In the great paradox of this digital era, where ‘always on’ equates to human disengagement, the vertical village could meet this generation’s need for restorative community and diverse living.

Consequently, is the notion of the vertical village a pie-in-the-sky idea, or a phenomenon unfolding? We lean towards the latter. Generational change and social connectedness, via digital platforms, have recast the way individuals and communities interact. Urbanisation and climate change demand a new model and method to sustain unprecedented growth. The traditional notion of an office building is now an outmoded trope and a moribund use of space and energy. In fact, it may be a 2D philosophy stuck in a disrupted, dynamic, 3D world.

John Hardcastle is Internal Communications and Engagement lead at Aurecon.

MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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Emirates Towers Business Park Mixed Use Buildings BUDGET $105 million CLIENT TECOM Group TERRITORY Dubai, UAE DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of 5 residential and commercial buildings, each comprising 6 floors, located at Emirates Towers Business Park near Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai.

PROJECT COMPLETION July 2023 RESIDENTIAL

Al Hayat Island Northbay Residence BUDGET $350 million CLIENT RAK Properties TERRITORY Ras Al Khaimah, UAE DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of 4 residential towers comprising 11 to 16 floors located at Hayat Island in Mina Al Arab, Ras Al Khaimah.

The project comprises 1- to 3-bedroom apartments, as well as duplex units. The tower will be surrounded by amenities such as restaurants, shopping options, parks, car parking facilities, health club, entertainment facilities, boutiques, walkways, gardens, and related facilities.

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SAUDI ARABIA

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Umm Shaif Long Term Development (Phase 1)

Jubail 3B Independent Water Plant (IWP)

BUDGET $805 million CLIENT ADNOC Offshore TERRITORY Abu Dhabi, UAE DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a long-term development plan (LTDP-1) located at Umm Shaif, Abu Dhabi that aims to debottleneck the capacity constraints in the existing Umm Shaif infield pipeline network and includes several new offshore facilities.

PROJECT COMPLETION March 2025

BUDGET $705 million CLIENT Saudi Water Partnership Company TERRITORY Jubail, Saudi Arabia DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a 600,000 cubic metre per day seawater reverse osmosis plant located at Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

PROJECT COMPLETION January 2024

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Abu Dhabi Pumping Stations & Reservoirs BUDGET $110 million

CLIENT Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) TERRITORY Abu Dhabi, UAE DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a pumping station and reservoirs for Abu Dhabi to Al Ain Road located in Abu Dhabi.

The project includes the construction of two 45,000 cubic metres per day reservoirs and two pumping stations.

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King Khalid University City Staff Accommodation BUDGET $365 million CLIENT Saudi Arabia Ministry of Higher Education TERRITORY Abha, Saudi Arabia DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of a staff accommodation building for a faculty of science and arts for girls located at King Khalid University City, Al Fara, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

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South Ghawar Shale Gas Field BUDGET $2 billion CLIENT Saudi Aramco TERRITORY South Ghawar, Saudi Arabia DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of development of a shale gas block located at South Ghawar, Saudi Arabia.

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MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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Tanajib Accommodation Complex BUDGET $105 million CLIENT Saudi Aramco TERRITORY Tanajib, Saudi Arabia DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of an accommodation complex located at Tanajib, Saudi Arabia. The project also includes construction of parking facilities and infrastructure works.

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Duqm Dual Carriageway Road NR 32 (Phase 2) BUDGET $105 million CLIENT Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority Infrastructure TERRITORY Duqm, Oman DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a 14km dual carriageway road for Sultan Said Bin Taimur National Road (NR) 32 located at Duqm, Al Wusta, Oman. The project has minimum two lanes on each carriageway with a median paved with interlock tiles, 16km service roads along the main/ link roads, and walkways.

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CLIENT Oman Power & Water Procurement Company TERRITORY Manah, Oman DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a l and ll solar independent power plant located at Manah, Al Dakhiliyah, Oman.

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of work involves the construction of a methanol plant located at China-Oman Industrial Park, Duqm, Al Wusta, Oman. The integrated methanol and methanol to olefins (MTO) plant will have a capacity of 10 million tonnes.

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Shuwaimiya Fishery Harbour BUDGET $155 million CLIENT Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries TERRITORY Shuwaimiya, Oman DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of a fishery harbour located at Shuwaimiya, Dhofar Governorate, Oman. The project also includes a site office, batching plant, bulk earthworks,

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Manah Solar l & ll Independent Power Plant BUDGET $505 million

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

dredging of the seabed, buildings, roads and storage facilities.

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SEZAD Methanol to Olefins Plant BUDGET $2.8 billion CLIENT Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZAD) TERRITORY Duqm, Oman DESCRIPTION The project’s scope

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Madinat Salman & Ramli Housing Development Water Station Network BUDGET $55 million CLIENT Bahrain Electricity & Water Authority TERRITORY Manama, Bahrain DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of water stations located at

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Hawar Island 66KV Submarine & Underground Cable Works BUDGET $125 million CLIENT Bahrain Electricity & Water Authority TERRITORY Hawar Island, Bahrain DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the installation of 66-kilovolt submarine and underground cable works for electricity supply Hawar Island in Bahrain.

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Muharraq Ring Road (Phase 2) – Busaiteen Link Road – Roads & Structures BUDGET $85 million CLIENT Bahrain Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning TERRITORY Busaiteen, Bahrain DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of roads and structures for Busaiteen Link road in Bahrain.

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Mina Abdullah Freshwater Pipelines

DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the installation of gas well hook-ups located at Pre-Unayzah, Bahrain. The project aims to connect a total of 24 Pre-Unayzah wells consisting of vertical wells and horizontal wells to the existing growing degree units. The maximum expected gas flow from the vertical and horizontal wells is 30m standard cubic feet per day and 50m standard cubic feet per day.

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BUDGET $255 million CLIENT Public Authority for Housing Welfare

TERRITORY Al Jahra, Kuwait DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work consists of a residential and retail development located at Al Jahra, Kuwait.

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Al Sabah Medical Area New Pediatric Hospital BUDGET $855 million CLIENT Kuwait Ministry

BUDGET $105 million CLIENT Kuwait Ministry of Electricity & Water TERRITORY Mina Abdullah, Kuwait DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of two freshwater pipelines located at Mina Abdullah, Kuwait. The project includes the laying of a pipeline from Mina Abdullah distribution complex to west finatees complex, and the laying of a brackish water pipeline from Mina Abdulla to Al zour complex.

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Bubiyan Alumina Refinery BUDGET $1 billion CLIENT Kuwait Industries Company Holding TERRITORY Bubiyan, Kuwait DESCRIPTION The project’s scope of work involves the construction of an alumina refinery with a capacity of 900,000 tonnes per annum located at Bubiyan, Al Jahra Governorate, Kuwait.

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MEConstructionNews.com | January 2020

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PROGRESS REPORT

Final update

Al Faris executes UAE Pavilion heavy lift Heavy structural elements for UAE Pavilion lifted into place at Expo 2020 build site

G

CC heavy lifting and transport services major Al Faris recently completed a project to lift and install heavy structural elements on the UAE Pavilion build site at the Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Al Faris team lifted 42 steel structural elements in total at the falcon-inspired structure, which they then placed and installed in their places.

“We were recently awarded the UAE Pavilion project at the Expo 2020 site in Dubai, and it was great to be able to support the project with our engineering and heavy lifting expertise,” said an Al Faris spokesperson to Big Project ME. The challenges the project presented included a limited, congested area for placing the cranes due to adjacent

January 2020 | MEConstructionNews.com

ongoing projects, a restricted time and area for the assembly and dismantling of the cranes, and a long working radius of 132m along with strong winds, said a statement from Al Faris.

The company added that selection of the right lifting gear was of utmost importance, as the structures had to be lifted at a given specific angle.

Also, steel mats had to be fabricated to maintain ground pressure to meet the site requirements.

42 structural

elements in total at the falconinspired structure

“This project was completed in different stages. We provided our client with a complete solution for lifting and installation of structural steel elements of length varying from 24m to 46m.

The weight of each unit ranged from 8t to 55t. After careful consideration and study, the 1000t Liebherr LR 1000 crawler crane was used due to the long working radius requirement for the installation,” the spokesperson added.

For the final stage of the lifting project, Al Faris used its Liebherr 750t all-terrain mobile crane to lift and install the oculus structure at the centre of the UAE pavilion’s rooftop.

According to the statement from the heavy lifting and crane rental specialist, all surveys, planning, technical support documentation, execution plans and schedules were prepared in-house prior to job execution. This helped organise all activities smoothly with minimal delay, and the execution was safely carried out by Al Faris’ trained operators.

“We also provided a strong commitment and focus to adhering to the best QHSE practices on-site, which was discussed in detail with the client prior to the commencement of operations,” Al Faris added.

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