E R S TH ITIES ITO GATE ACIL UD ESTI IN F E A INV TOR THMILLINE AUDI H AN T AL E OF L RO
An ITP Business Publication | December 2009 Vol. 04 Issue 12
Essential information for FM & strata professionals, building owners, developers & contractors
TIPS FOR SUCCESS OUTLINING TOP INDUSTRY TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THE RECESSION
ACCESS DENIED A GROWING NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN THE GULF NEED TIGHT SECURITY
STRATA LAW UPDATE STRATA LAW EXPERT GARY BUGDEN ON WHY THE LAW IS STILL DELAYED
FANTASTIC FORE fmME meets Bob Knott, senior development manager of golf courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates
CONTENTS
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2009
12
02 WHAT’S ON THE WEB
The online portal for fmME keeps you up-to-date with all the trends, features and comments about Middle East construction.
07 NEWS 10 14
fmME brings you a roundup of the latest tenders, product launches and projects from the GCC and around the Middle East.
12 Q&A
Abu Dhabi’s newest architecture firm talks to fmME about the importance of designing buildings that everyone can acces.
14 Q&A
Bob Knott, senior development manager of golf courses for Jumeirah Golf Estates talks about harnessing the elements.
19
19 Feature: Top Tips
fmME speaks to some of the industry’s biggest players for tips on how to survive and thrive during the global economic downturn.
25 Feature: Access Control
More and more public buildings are being built throughout the region. High-tech access control keeps their information safe.
28 Big Issue: Strata Law
Strata Law specialist Gary Bugden updates facilities managers on the status of the law and the reasons for the delayed legilsation.
25
35 Comment
Alan Millin on the collaboration between FMs and auditors. According to Millin, both are experts at keeping all their ducks in a row.
39 PROJECT UPDATE
Kuwait Projects Database An update of ongoing projects from Ventures Middle East
35 www.constructionweekonline.com
December 2009 1
XXXXXXXXX WHAT’S ON THE WEB
the online home of:
IN PICTURES
5 MOST POPULAR
• Alessa signs US $200
HH SHEIKH HAMDAN OPENS BIG 5 Kicking off with the official opening by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, this year’s Big 5 exhibition saw a number of high-profile deals announced, including a US$200 million JV between KSA’s Alessa Group and US industrial airconditioner manufacturer Huntair Inc. For more galleries, check out: www.constructionweekonline.com/in_pictures/
For breaking news, go to: www.constructionweekonline.com/news/ Stories selected November 24-30, 2009
EDITOR’S CHOICE • Mott MacDonald to oversee
COLUMNS & FEATURES
island infrastructure A LONG WAY TO GO • Dubai construction receives The results of the Conprofessional mediation struction Week salary • Saleh to build Dubailand survey are out, shedding Marriott a lot of light on the inner workings of the con• Big 5 2009 ‘beyond all struction industry. Some expectations’ pretty amazing trends • Freedom of choice are revealed, along with
PODS ARE THE FUTURE OF BIG BUILDS Opting for pods makes construction on a project cheaper, requires less labour, produces a higher quality and reduces build times, said Unipods sales and marketing director Mike Usher.
some alarming facts.
OFFICE DELIVERY SUPPLIES YOUR SERVICE IS OUR BUSINESS SUPPLIER OF OVER 3000 KITCHEN and CLEANING PRODUCTS • Kitchen Division: • Cleaning Division:
million JV with Huntair • Kiwi timber floats AD’s boat • Dubai World restructuring • Deal sought on Dubai World,Nakheel debts • Key points while entering into a joint venture
Stories selected November 24-30, 2009
EE ERY R F IV L DE
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www.constructionweekonline.com
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Throwing stones in glass homes
I
almost titled this
editor’s letter ‘A little less conversation, a little more action’, because as I see it, for the last few months, there has been a lot of lip service about the construction industry in the Gulf. Whether it was Cityscape Dubai or Big 5 or Index or the ubiquitous Proleads reports singing the praises of the region’s construction industry, people have been touting the strength of the market for months. In light of the latest news from the Dubai World/Nakheel camps—which, at the time of writing, is still largely speculation—I sat pondering how best to convey those poignant Elvis Presley lyrics, but then I paused. Perhaps that’s not fair. Perhaps it’s unfair and short-sighted to condemn the building industry in Dubai based on speculation and hearsay. The European and US pundits wax intellectual on chat shows about how Dubai is finished and how it’ll soon become a modern ghost town, complete with dusty saloons and tumbleweed. They sit casting stones in what has become one big global glass house. Are major developers in the region in debt? Probably. Are major developers in the US and Europe in debt? Very much so. Has the building industry in the Middle East slowed down? Yes, but the pace of building in the GCC is still light years ahead of the grinding halt to which the
same industries in the West have come. Have architects, facilities managers, developers and design professionals had to tighten their collective belts to do more with less in the Middle East building market? Absolutely. Using the same metaphor, I wouldn’t be surprised if those same professionals in the West have traded in their belts, trousers, socks and shoes for the proverbial cardboard box. My point is this: The trend in the Middle East’s building industry suggests the status quo is both solid and steady. Those I’ve spoken to in the industry don’t anticipate massive growth, but they’re also unconvinced that we’ll witness the bottom falling out of anything. Western criticism has turned to Dubai in recent months because throughout Europe and North America, the bottom has already fallen out. When you’re a little guy—a ‘non-player’ if you will—it’s easy to take pot shots at those near the top because frankly, no one takes you seriously. Those same critics hailed Sheikh Mohammed as a visionary and Dubai as a modern miracle for more than a decade. And, sure enough, now that Dubai has shown a glimpse of mortality, the vultures are circling. To those vultures: No one has forgotten that your economies have crumbled and that your long legacies lay in ruins. Put your own house in order before training your sights on this one because, at the moment, you are non-players and no one is taking you seriously.
Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000, Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery Publishing Director Jason Bowman Editorial Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews Group Editor Jeff Roberts Contributing Editor Gerhard Hope Tel: +971 4 435 6252 email: gerhard.hope@itp.com Contributor: Alan Millin Advertising Commercial Director, Construction Raz Islam Tel: +971 4 435 6371 email: raz.Islam@itp.com Sales Manager Shishir Desai Tel: +971 4 435 6375 email: shishir.desai@itp.com Studio Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Angela Ravi Photography Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Khatuna Khutsishvili Senior Photographer Efraim Evidor, Thanos Lazopoulos Staff Photographers Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Lyubov Galushko, Jovana Obradovic, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghavo Production & Distribution Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Manager Eleanor Zwanepoel Production Coordinator Louise Schreiber Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Image Retoucher Emmalyn Robles Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami Circulation Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati Marketing Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell Deputy Marketing Manager Annie Chinoy ITP Digital Director Peter Conmy ITP Group Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Serafin Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman, Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 435 6000
RO ALA T LE N M HE OF IL A TH LIN U E A IN D UD VES ITO ITO TI R R IN GAT FA ES TH CIL E ITIE S
An ITP Business Publication
Issue 12 | December 2009 Vol. 04
Essential information for FM
& strata professionals, building
Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit www.itpimages.com. Printed by Color Lines Press Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions
owners, developers & contractors
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
OUTLINING TOP INDUSTRY TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THE RECESSION
ACCESS DENIED
fmME Breakfast Club: Serving the FM industry
A GROWING NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN THE GULF NEED TIGHT SECURITY
The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.
STRATA LAW UPDATE
STRATA LAW EXPERT GARY BUGDEN ON WHY THE LAW IS STILL DELAYED
FANTASTIC FORE fmME meets Bob Knott,
senior development manager
of golf
Estates courses at Jumeriah Golf
THIS MONTH’S COVER: Image provided courtesy of JGE
Subscribe to facilities management Middle East for free Log on to www.itp.com/subscriptions 4 December 2009
The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances.
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Published by and © 2009 ITP Business Publishing, a member of the ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company Registration number 1402846.
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NEWS
DSI enters wastewater-treatment sector Company will integrate its MEP and civil activities to deliver a one-stop solution across the region Dubai, UAE // Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI) is entering the wastewater and water treatment industry. This was revealed by CEO Khaldoun Tabari at the official signing ceremony for its acquisition of Passavant Roediger of Germany. “It is a known fact that less than 30% of houses in the Middle East, and it goes down to less than 15% in the North African sub-continent, are connected to water and sewerage, compared to Europe and the
while this market is growing, there are few companies addressing this demand. Thus it is a tremendous feat for DSI to be associated with a company like Passavant Roediger” commented Tabari.
ONE-STOP SOLUTION Conversely, “it makes great sense for a company like Passavant Reodiger to associate itself with DSI, especially when we can easily integrate our MEP and civil activities to deliver a one-stop solution. Water and
“All countries in the MENA region are expected to increase their household connection rates to wastewater treatment systems and plants significantly, from an average of 13% in 2005 to 60% in 2015.” US, where it is up to 97% in certain areas,” said Tabari. “We believe the future trend will be how to reuse the water we are expending every day. So DSI has taken the step to become involved in this industry. The advantage is that,
269/339 MILLION WHAT THE 2005 POPULATION IN THE MENA REGION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO BY 2015 www.constructionweekonline.com
sewage treatment is a process that involves plumbing and electro-mechanical expertise, as well as civil engineering. Passavant Roediger will continue to improve its processes through technical development, and we will be a key component in delivery in the Middle East in terms of the overall construction pipeline. The growth in this industry will not come from Europe. It will come from China, India, Africa and the MENA region,” asserted Tabari. Highlighting the potential growth, Tabari pointed to research indicating that about US$25billion a year is being spent at present on wastewater treatment, with demand set to rise sharply in the coming years, and expected to exceed US$81 billion by 2012.
Tawfiq Abu Soud, CEO Khaldoun Tabari and Passavant Roediger MD Robert Huth.
“It is in answer to these needs, as well as DSI’s ambition to evolve, that we have announced our first acquisition of a global developer of leading technologies in wastewater, water and sludge treatment, with over 150 years experience, 5 000 installations worldwide and a presence in 13 countries across four continents.” Passavant Roediger MD Robert Huth said the company is presently involved with a wastewater treatment plant in Fujeirah serving a population of 182 000. The sewage reticulation network comprises 160 km to date, with 34 pumping stations. Huth said Passavant Roediger would continue to transfer skills and expertise from Germany to bolster its presence in the UAE and across the entire region.
25 PROJECTS It is working on 25 projects, and is bidding on more as far afield as Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, with a total contract value if AED1 billion. Its most recent contract wins include a AED127 million sludge digestion plant in Jordan.
Tabari explained that the “enterprise value” of the acquisition was AED145 million, with DSI owning 82%, while the remaining 18% will be held by Bilfinger Berger, a leading public-listed company in Frankfurt, Germany. Tawfiq Abu Soud, DSI’s executive director director for infrastructure, water and power, will oversee the operations of Passavant Roediger. However, Tabari said “we do not intend to change the basics of Passavant Roediger. It will run absolutely independently.” Tabari described the acquisition as an exciting milestone. “Passavant Roediger’s unrivalled technologies will extend our ability to deliver superior services to the region, and will continue to further position DSI as a leading end-to-end provider in the engineering industry. “This is just the beginning of a new phase in DSI’s evolution, and as such we will continue to exploit every opportunity to support the expansion and growth of our company in the same manner we have undertaken every endeavour in DSI’s long history in the Middle East,” concluded Tabari.
December 2009 7
NEWS
Yas Island hotel contracts awarded Dubai-based Transguard group to provide housekeeping solutions to newly-opened hotels Abu Dhabi, UAE // Transguard, part of the Emirates group, has signed a contract with The Radisson Blu Hotel and Park Inn on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to supply housekeeping solutions at the newly-opened hotels. Under the terms of the contract, Transguard will supply a team of 24 staff to provide cleaning to the public areas throughout the hotel, as well as window-cleaning services. The Rezidor Hotel group has around 320 hotels in operation and under development in Europe, Middle East and Africa, making it one of the fastest growing hotel chains in the world. “Our discerning guests expect the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene. It is an integral part of our brand offering. Transguard understands our brand values, and we are confident that they can deliver their promise,” said Radisson Blu GM Torbjorn Bodin. “Although we have set an aggressive opening occupancy budget, we are aware that this will be achieved in peaks and troughs. Transguard can provide the correct staffing and flexibility needed at all times, giving us an immediate and cost-effective option, in line with our operational requirements,” explained Bodin.
HOSPITALITY STRATEGY Commenting on the contract, Transguard FM services group director Nigel Hall said: “It is a key part of our business strategy to gain market share within the Abu Dhabi hospitality sector. We are confident that this contract will be the first of many throughout the emirate.” The two hotels are positioned
8 December 2009
adjacent to one another on the 2 500 hectare Yas Island strategically located between the coast and city of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It was home to the inaugural 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi International Airport is just 5km away, and the commercial heart of Abu Dhabi can be reached in 20 minutes. The Radisson Blu Hotel has 397 guest rooms, including 30 suites offering views of the Links Golf Course, sea and Yas Marina Circuit. Amenities include a spa, health club, swimming pool, tennis court Transguard MD Mike McGeever. and recreational facilities. The latest contract for Transguard follows the recent news “Although we have set an aggressive that it had acquired Dubaiopening occupancy budget, we are based MEP contractor MACAir. aware this will be achieved in peaks The acquisition came on the and troughs.” back of Transguard recording an increase in turnover of 57% Torbjorn Bodin, Radisson Blu GM to AED607 million (US$165 million) and doubling its profit to AED75 million (US$20 million), cash services and outsourced We are very bullish about the during the last financial year. services. MACAir will also future. There have been notable retain its trading name. achievements in terms of infraSpeaking exclusively to structure, such as the Dubai SEPARATE BUSINESS Metro and the Formula 1, and Under the acquisition, MACAir, fmME, Transguard MD Mike McGeever said: “The dramatic we have every confidence that which turned over AED225 increase in our profits last year we will continue our growth million last year, will become a was because we effectively into the future. I am sure that separate business unit within grew the soft services side of everything we anticipate will the Transguard group, operatour business. The FM business happen – it is just going to take ing alongside its three existing saw a significant increase. I a bit longer than anticipated.” business units: FM services, expect 2009, certainly in our Mcgeever comments that outsourced services division, “MEP maintenance and FM are to be lower, simply because of two sides of the same coin. I do the downturn in terms of the not think you can be a fullyconstruction industry and busi- fledged FM company if you are ness in Dubai in general and, of not able to provide a full service course, worldwide. package. What we are doing THE NUMBER OF GUEST However, McGeever really is ensuring we are a serROOMS OFFERED BY THE maintained that the company’s vice provider of choice for our outlook for the future remained customers. Many MEP compaRADISSON BLU ON YAS positive. “The MACAir acquisinies have aspired to become, ISLAND tion is a very strong vote of con- FM companies, particularly in fidence in Dubai and the UAE. Europe,” he concludes.
397
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NEWS
UAE falls behind in HR development ‘Soft’ skills is a particular issue in the FM industry, but there is an overall lack of development Dubai, UAE // Human resource development (HRD) in the UAE has not kept pace with the changes in the marketplace brought about the economic downturn, argues ALR Learning and Development Ltd. MD Alistair Redgrave. This has impacted the entire value chain in construction, from FM to MEP and beyond. HRD was not an issue in the good times as companies had so much work to fall back on. “There was almost a culture of mediocrity, an attitude that everybody else is not that great, so our sales pitch is that we are slightly more average than anyone else,” argues Redgrave. The downturn on the construction industry – which has impacted on all sectors, from FM to MEP – has exposed gaps in the HRD strategies and policies of many companies, leaving them vulnerable to the vagaries
of an unpredictable market. “Those who will continue to be successful in these difficult times are those companies focusing on the client, and matching their processes and systems – and, most importantly, their people – to what the client needs,” comments Redgrave. This means having effective teams in place that equipped to cope with the exigencies of the current market. “I think there is a growing realisation now that there are significant issues with how things have been done in the past in terms of recruiting, managing and retaining staff, and bigger business issues as well. “When I first came out here four years ago to talk about what services we offered, nobody was interested. It was very difficult for them to see that there was actually a need or a long-term benefit.
“I think there is a growing realisation now that there are significant issues with how things have been done in the past in terms of recruiting, managing and retaining staff, and bigger business issues as well.” Alistair Redgrave
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“Why would we want more work when we cannot cope with the work we have already got? Which in itself says something, I think: if you cannot cope with the work, then you have not planned it effectively. If you have not anticipated it effectively either, then at some point that is going to cause a problem regardless of what happens in the marketplace.” Redgrave argues it is a misconception that buildings are the main focus, particularly in the construction industry. “Actually the mechanics of getting to that point is all about people at the end of the day. “Whether you get a project completed on time to the correct quality and on budget is all about your human resource skills, right down to how you negotiate the right deal in the first place so it benefits the client and the company.” “What we have found out here is that everything is broken,” comments Redgrave. “In parts of the world where human resources are more developed, there are better links – I would not say dealing with some of the people we deal with in the UK that there it is perfect – but there are better links in terms of how people are managed, developed, and what to do with them if we do not have the right people.” Redgrave adds that the current economic crisis resulted in a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction on the part of many companies. “No thought was given to it whatsoever; they recruited in haste, and they fired in haste. “There is no strategic link between what we are trying to achieve as a business and what we are trying to do at the
front-line level of bringing the right people in. “What we are bringing in now is not just to service what we are doing at present; we need to look at where the market has moved. The market has shifted, even in that six-month period where everything did drop off a cliff, from October 2008 to March this year, when things started to stabilise. “Even then, the skills requirement has shifted, so those people who had some capability in terms of business development have now actually been outpaced by the market. So their skills were just about good enough when the market was booming, but now with the market being where it is, there is a huge capability gap.” This is where ALR Learning and Development comes into the picture. “It is about developing people. Everything we do is tailor-made to what the client actually needs. It is practical; it is not about telling people they have done well, so go and have a day off and learn some skills we have absolutely no intention of allowing you to apply. “We do not do that. Everything is about what the need is; how does it link in with what you are trying to achieve. Thus we work back from the deliverables,” says Redgrave. Established in Dubai for the last four years, ALR Learning and Development also has an office in the UK, but about half its work is from the Middle East at present – and that figure is growing, despite the downturn. “It is an extremely important market for us, and it has been even in this difficult time,” says Redgrave. The company is also planning to expand regionally.
December 2009 9
GULF
H.E. SHEIKH Sultan Al Qasimi
ULTRA
is a specialist cleaning company, with a division specializing in rope access solutions. A British run business, formed in the UAE in 2006, bringing with us over 25 years of experience gained throughout Europe & Australia. ULTRA are one of the Middle East’s leading Supplier of industrial rope access services, providing a broad range of expertise in difficult access areas, specialist installation, inspections, maintenance, cleaning & safety advice. We also provide design, install, inspection & certification of anchor point service at the pre-build or post build stage.
Rope access provides lightweight equipment that can be assembled or removed quickly, thus providing greater flexibility, making rope access the preferred method of reaching difficult locations, allowing a variety tasks to be undertaken.
ROPE ACCESS MAIDS SERVICES AIR CONDITIONING WATER TANK CLEANING POOL CLEANING CLEANING (Pressure & General) GARDEN MAINTENANCE MEP FLOOR CARE SPECIALIST HEATH DONNELLY, Managing Director P.O.Box 111833, Dubai, U.A.E
DUBAI Tel: +971 04 4207256 / Fax: +971 04 3684587
ABU DHABI Tel: +971 02 6350014 / Fax: +971 02 3650064 EMAIL: enquiries@ultraabseil.com WEB: www.ultraabseil.com
• Using rope access provides an unobtrusive, cost effective access capability. • The number of man hours working at height can be vastly reduced when using rope access over traditional access methods. • Equipment used (i.e. ropes) can be installed and removed rapidly to ensure minimum disruption and therefore could help reduce overall lead times on projects, which in turn sees a reduction in project costs. • Other trades can continue their tasks without disruption at ground level, compared with other access methods, i.e. scaffolding. • Rope systems can be easily installed to reach almost all areas, which may not have been possible using conventional means. • Use of rope access could reduce further costs where there maybe need of road closures, i.e. busy shopping centres.
HOLDINGS
d choo
designed, engineered, and ďŹ tted ... without compromise November 2006: United Arab Emirates Federal Government passed the UAE Disability Act (Federal Law No.29/2006) to protect the rights of people with disabilities and special needs. It is estimated that in the MENA region there are approximately thirty (30) million people with special needs. Providing accessibility to this significant percent of the population is not only a social and moral obligation it offers a huge retail business opportunity. Building designers, construction companies, building owners and managers must ensure that adequate disabled access is provided and properly maintained. Platform lifts are ideally suited for offices, shops restaurants, factories, hotels, schools and any other public access buildings. They can be customized to meet special requirements and provide a practical and low cost solution when disable access needs to be added to an existing building.
Stairlift: its various models are fully automatic with electronically controlled platforms & barrier arms. The platform & arms neatly fold away on a smooth operating rail when not in use, leaving the maximum width of the stairway for pedestrians, creating the ideal low-rise solution.
e-type platform lift: is formed of two stylish platform lifts capable of travelling a maximum of 1m. This low rise lift blends in and can be easily installed into any environment. a-type platform lift: a favourite among architects and engineers, fits well into all types of environment & has a maximum travel of 12 metres and 5 stops. HEATH DONNELLY, Managing Director P.O.Box 111833, Dubai, U.A.E
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Q&A
Moustachioed Maestros Stride Treglown looks to build facilities in the Middle East that everyone can access and enjoy
‘Inclusive design’ takes into account the total infrastructure of a given public space.
I
n a profession where practicality can easily give way to pomposity and pretentiousness, Stride Treglown (ST)—Abu Dhabi’s newest kid on the block—seems a breath of fresh air. Take, for example, the fact that the entire firm, whether in Abu Dhabi or London, participated in the well-known tradition of ‘Movember’, the month-long moustache-growing charity event created to raise money and awareness for men’s health (specifically prostate cancer and depression). Observing the tradition in honour of an afflicted colleague, the 280-strong firm set up shop in the UAE capital just six months ago and is hoping to bring a building typology of which the region is in drastically short supply: education and hospital facilities. Despite feeling slightly
12 December 2009
sheepish about their new facial hair, London-based director of operations, Richard Philipson, and general manager of the UAE office, Nathan Hones, agreed to give fmME an hour of their time. And, much to their chagrin, we took pictures. fmME: Richard, what is the Stride Treglown story? RP: ST has been around since 1953. It was founded in Bristol. In the early 1950s, it was mostly post war, public work and fairly traditional, commercial architecture. It did a bit in the health and education sectors. It was a relatively small provincial practice. For the next 20-30 years it stayed that way, until the 1980s. Toward the end of the 80s, Stride Treglown began to grow and develop further. I joined at the end of the 1908s boom and, at that time, Stride Treglown had about
“The observation [our directors] made was based on the confidence and vision coming out of Abu Dhabi and the 2030 plan.... They came back with a feeling that Abu Dhabi was a place with a bit of heart and soul...” Richard Philipson now an office in the UAE.
40-50 staff and offices in Bristol and Plymouth. Since 1991 until now, we’ve gone from 50 staff to just over 300 staff. We have eight offices in the UK and
fmME: What is the firm’s core competency? RP: We’re able to provide architectural services in pretty much every sector. The business is mostly definitely a commercial practice with its founding in well-designed, wellconsidered, buildings that are delivered on time, buildings that don’t leak and buildings that give clients what they want. That is changing a bit now though. I think Stride’s is
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Q&A
“In the UAE, there’s not a need for highrise residential; there’s not a need for commercial space. There is a need for welldesigned, well-considered education and healthcare projects. ” Nathan Hones
being recognised for innovative, cutting-edge architecture. fmME: Nathan, as the man on the ground, what is your remit? NH: Well, I joined in July 2009 after being in the Middle East for more than five years. My main responsibility is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the firm in Abu Dhabi. fmME: How will ST distinguish itself in the UAE? RP: From the beginning, we recognised the vision of the 2030 plan but we also knew that Stride’s isn’t exactly an iconic architecture firm. We’re not going to be designing skyscrapers for people. It’s not our core competence. Our expertise is in educational buildings—right through primary school, secondary school and on to universities. The same goes for healthcare facilities. From GP surgeries to community clinics to specialist units to hospitals. One thing we recognised when we got here was that all of that expansion that is happening throughout the country requires community-based
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infrastructure to support it and provide a level of accommodation and facility that will provide the support the public and providers need. That’s one of our strengths. Linked into public and community facilities is the real opportunity to demonstrate a capability in inclusive design. That’s a real advantage for us. We bring the whole of our services together in one package that responds to client needs. That’s where we think we can compete most effectively. NH: In the UAE, there’s a need for well-designed, wellconsidered education and healthcare projects. The UAE government has announced AED 17 billion over the next year for social infrastructure. It’s not only something Stride’s has a strength in; it’s identified at the federal level as a necessity in the UAE. That intiative and our focus in the UAE work perfectly together. fmME: What do you see—or not see—in the Middle East in terms of inclusive design? RP: Focusing on the positives, I think there is a recognition that inclusive design is important. I think there is either lip service to it or, and this is probably more likely, the level of understanding of what it actually means isn’t very sophisticated. From our point of view, inclusive design actually includes everyone throughout their lives. Most people immediately start talking about people with physical disabilities
because those are the most easily observed and the solutions are the most obvious. But inclusive design is also about designing for the partially-sighted, the hard-of-hearing, and it’s also about mothers with children in prams or elderly people. It’s also about people who are colour blind or dyslexic or who have memory issues. It has to include our society as a whole. We’ve talked to people at Estidama and Abu Dhabi Municipality and we’ve found that, as soon as you mention inclusive design, there’s a real keen desire for more knowledge. So the authorities are beginning to recognise a need, which is very encouraging. NH: Generally what happens here is that architecture competitions or proposals to key clients fail to include some key elements of inclusive design. Because the pace of development—as in most emerging markets—is quite rapid, people
have started piling and started enabling works and have only realised after approaching authorities that they needed to allow for certain aspects, and so they’ve just been added on. Regarding sight- or hearingimpaired people, no one would normally do audit tests in reception areas or large foyers to determine reverberation time or provide a public address system to explain ways to move through a building. The benefit of an economic slowdown is that people have been able to improve on areas that have been neglected. I think this is a unique selling point with Stride’s. It’s been really well-received with the authorities because they realise it is a necessity, and now we have the time to include these elements and create a more holistic type of design. The lack of, or neglect for, inclusive design really is a product of an emerging market but, hopefully, that will be changing now.
Inclusive design looks at how architecture can empower facilities for their users.
December 2009 13
fmME IN GOLF COURSES
Harnessing the elements
fmME catches up with Bob Knott, senior development manager for golf courses for Jumeirah Golf Estates, to talk about designing, building and maintaining Earth, Fire, Wind and Water in the Middle East.
MIELE’S JGE CONTRIBUTION Miele is a German manufacturer of high-quality domestic appliances and machines for commercial applications. Miele aims to manufacture the highest-quality domestic appliances and commercial equipment in the world, and to be seen by markets worldwide as providing an absolutely topclass household product. In the words of Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann, “Success is only possible in the long term if one is totally and utterly convinced of the quality of one’s products.” (www.miele.com)
14 December 2009
he Earth golf course at Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE)— which recently played host to the Dubai World Championships—is a sharply-defined, sculptured course inspired by the parklands of Europe and North America. Designed by golf legend Greg Norman and executed by Norman and JGE’s golf operations director Bob Knott, the course paints a magnificent pastiche of flora, rolling terrain and rushing water. These natural components also provide differing angles and changing perspectives from each tee. The Earth course is streaked with what JGE calls “meandering, and occasionally daunting, water features [which] are ever-present factors when lining up one’s next golf shot”. Fully grassed since April 2008, JGE gave Earth two full seasons to mature before hosting the championship tournament. With a variety of inspirations that range from the olive groves of Spain to classic Roman towns, the homes of the Earth neighbourhood offer a compelling variety of architectural styles. This diversity, and the district’s verdant topography, lends an air of expansiveness and encourages residents to congregate outdoors. Because of the publicity surrounding last month’s Dubai World Championships, the Earth course has become very familiar to golfers and golf course designers throughout the world. But JGE’s next offering, the Fire course—which Knott claims is completely finished—is still shrouded in a bit of secrecy.
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fmME: How does one build a green golf course in the desert? BK: When we started, we didn’t have the Dubai World Championship in mind. This began as simply a golf real-estate development. When you build a golf course in the desert, the most important thing you need is water. I can shape anything in sand; it’s a wonderful medium to work in, but if we have a 40mph wind coming through, everything I’ve shaped that day could be blown away. So as soon as we shape, we need access to
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fmME IN GOLD COURSES
water, so the first thing I did when I came here was create a temporary lake. We had a specific 24-inch main from Dubai Municipality that would service our temporary lake, so everything we built emanated away from that water source. When we first came here, the site was a raw desert. Sand was blowing all around, dunes were shifting and Greg Norman was surrounded by camels. The first thing he did was create a ‘routing’ which is a basic idea of where the course will lie from tee #1 to green #18—hopefully this is done in two loops of nine holes so you’re always coming back to a central point, which is the clubhouse. Once we had that routing, we decided on the style of the course. We looked at features we could design into the landscape, whether those were lakes or streams or trees or general landscaping. After that, we began the plotting process. At tee #1, we put a stake in the ground, then we would go down the middle of where the fairway would be and we identify the turning point—at around 275 yards away—and we put a stake in the ground there, which would be the centre of the fairway. Then we go another 180 or so yards and that’s the centre of your green. After that, we brought in a team and began shaping. I had shapers here from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the US,
Mexico and Great Britain. The shaping team literally came from all over the world. At the rough grading stage we focus on the general look and shape of the golf course. Then another team comes in and does a fine grade. After that another team comes in and starts putting in all the features. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. Then we get irrigation and topsoil and eventually grass. To get to this level of quality, you have to spend an inordinate amount of time preparing those surfaces. fmME: What can you tell me about the Fire course? BK: The Fire golf course is a very special course. It is a hidden gem. It is the most beautiful golf course. The beauty of JGE is that the four golf courses have different themes. The formality of the Earth golf course, with its very formal shaped bunkers and so on, contrast sharply with the Fire course. The featured bunkering on Fire is much more rustic in feeling. It goes much deeper than just one having red sand and the other having white. Of the two, Fire is cer-
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“When we first came here, the site was a raw desert. Sand was blowing all around, dunes were shifting and Greg Norman was surrounded by camels. ”
Transforming the desert into a golf course takes both imagination and skill.
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December 2009 15
fmME IN GOLF COURSES
used a full metre, meaning we’ve got 600,000 cubic metres of sweet soil beneath the playing surface on these two courses. fmME: How is it possible to import all of that green grass? BK: We took six or seven months locating the Bermuda grass from a specific farm in Pike Creek, Georgia. One of the first things I did when was to build a 100,000 square foot nursery for us to grow the grass we needed, and then whenever we were growing areas, we simply harvested from our own nursery. That was absolutely necessary because you cannot import that amount of grass. We needed to control the environment in which that grass was grown; we wanted to control the percolation rates; we wanted
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The golf course infrastructure is integrated carefully into the natural environment.
16 December 2009
to control the type and quality of the grass on the surface. We’ve got in excess of 450,000 square metres of bark mulch and 3,600 mature trees. I have trees out there that are 11-12 metres high already. fmME: What are your water requirements? BK: We have 20,000 linear metres of mainline ranging from six to 24 inches in diameter. We have 70,000 metres of lateral irrigation piping out there. We have 17,000 metres of power cable and 20,000 metres of communication cable. On just those two courses, we have 4,000 sprinkler heads. During construction, we were using 4.5-5.0 million gallons of water per day. Once the grass matured, those numbers came down. We expect the cost of water to be about AED6 million a year. Maintenance will be about AED 8 million a year. But it’s important to keep in mind that every gallon is treated water. Nakheel is building its own sewage treatment plant on the project site, which is big enough to supply water to the entire 1,357 hectares..
fmME: Some of those numbers are astronomical. In the era of sustainability, do you feel you have to justify them? BK: I think you do. For people who don’t understand golf courses, they can appear to be wasteful of resources and energy. I have a totally reversed opinion. On a golf course, you have the most wonderful natural environment. Up until 3-4 weeks ago, we had about 20 flamingoes living on the golf course. Next year, when they come back, we’ll have double that. I had a family of swans arrive 18 months ago and they’ve never left. I have tens of thousands of bird species living here. Greg Norman and chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem were founding members of the Environmental Institute of Golf. We’ve been very conscious of being mindful of where we were going with it. One 18-hole golf course, by photosynthesis, will provide enough oxygen for 100,000 people per annum. This is a major facility for the environment. Even for non-golfers, this is a beautiful landscape.
“One 18-hole golf course, by photosynthesis, will provide enough oxygen for 100,000 people per annum. This is a major facility for the environment. Even for non-golfers, this is a beautiful landscape.”
Conspicuous placement of water features is a key design element.
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December 2009 17
TOP TIPS
TIPS TO
THE RECESSION Maintaining operations during the latest global recession is a challenging task. fmME investigates how it’s possible to achieve success during an economic downturn. ow do you survive a recession? Several of the region’s FM firms appear to have the answers; not only surviving, but thriving during the past year. While headlines worldwide have highlighted redundancies, cancelled construction projects
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and collapsing firms, for some there has been positive news. Major contract wins during 2009 have allowed firms to gain market share, expand geographically and grow their product portfolios. So who have been the winners over the last year, and how have they
achieved this success? One firm that has demonstrated significant growth during 2009, and particular success in winning new business, is EMCOR Facilities Service Group (EFSG). By Q3 2009, EFSG had secured over AED750 million in new contracts—a 125% increase over
2008. The firm predicts that this figure will increase to more than AED1 billion by the end of 2009 if it achieves the further contract wins it expects in Q4. One of EFSG’s largest contract wins also signified a regional expansion for the firm into Saudi Arabia. Here
December 2009 19
TOP TIPS
Imdaad has clinched a major FM contract at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.x
CASE STUDY: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY In 2009, EMCOR Facilities Services Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (EFS KSA) won the contract to provide full facilities management services to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) for a period of ten years. The largest single contract won by the firm this year, it includes the management, assistance, inspection/auditing, recording and reporting of all facilities management and services; plus overseeing the collective maintenance requirements of the entire Jeddah-based development. There are several challenges to be overcome by the firm for the project. These include the managing of service providers while the construction of the project is completed; plus the recruiting of suitably qualified personnel that have good cultural knowledge as well as general Middle East experience. EFS mobilised its workforce into Saudi within eight weeks from the project inception despite being its first project in the Kingdom. “Our extensive regional experience ensured our success and we are now in a steady state of operations across the township,” explains EFS KSA general manager John Kelly Quinn. EFS’ offering of integrated services and systems carried out to recognised international standards was another primary reason for the firm winning the contract reports Quinn. As well as providing a geographical expansion for EFS, the KAUST project is enabling the firm to widen its product portfolio. “Some of the services required are allowing us to broaden the range of services we can offer our clients in the future ie sports and recreation management; events management; food services and hospitality management; plus marina, beach and waterways management,” concludes Quinn. A positive outcome all round for the firm.
20 December 2009
a ten-year contract for the full facilities management of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) was won by EMCOR Facilities Services Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (EFS KSA) for an undisclosed sum (see inset story). “This is the largest single contract awarded to EFS in 09,” reports EFS KSA general manager John Kelly Quinn. “KAUST is also EFSG’s first contract in KSA, and it was a massive project to undertake,” he adds. Despite the complexity and scale of the project, however, the firm began work in the
Kingdom within a very short time-scale, which was one of the primary factors in it winning the contract. “Our experience and resource levels meant we were able to mobilise the contract within eight weeks from inception,” explains Quinn. A second factor in the firm’s success was that it offers integrated FM services and systems based on internationally-recognised standards. By providing this service using experienced and knowledgeable local personnel, the firm was able to satisfy several of the client requirements.
“By Q3 2009, EFSG had secured over AED750 million in new contracts—a 125% increase over 2008. It is predicted this will exceed AED1 billion by the end of 2009 ...” www.constructionweekonline.com
TOP TIPS
Another firm that has taken steps to expand into the Saudi Arabian market this year is Able Facilities Management. In 2009, Able won the facilities management contract for the 34-storey residential and retail development, Time Place Tower in Dubai Marina. “This project is our main key to enter the Saudi market with the Saudi-owned property developer Abraj,” explains Able FM facilities manager Nasr Saliba. Key strategies in winning the contract against strong market competition included minimising project costs by obtaining the most competitive subcontractor rates possible, plus providing a 24/7 helpdesk and permanent resident technicians. One of the main challenges facing FM firms entering the
Saudi market is lack of knowledge of the industry. “FM is a relatively new concept to the Kingdom, which can be challenging at times,” states Quinn. In order to overcome this factor, EFS has been conducting ongoing education and training programmes and workshops to increase the understanding of all parties involved in the KAUST project. The firm has also developed a ‘lessons learnt’ diary and presentation concerning KAUST to relay to staff for
any future projects. Another issue with the Saudi market is reportedly the ability to recruit qualified international staff, the Kingdom often being seen as a less attractive prospect for expatriate staff. One way to overcome this challenge is to recruit and train nationals. EFS is one firm investigating such plans on a larger scale. “We hope to create a FM Training Academy and Direct Service Provider Model to integrate and engage local talent,
“Imdaad recently won a two-year, contract valued at over AED10 million to provide FM services to three tower projects in Dubai.” communities and companies for a prosperous and sustainable FM future in the Kingdom and around the Middle East,” explains Quinn. “Our target is for 70% of our employees in the region to be nationals by Q4 of 2015,” he reports.
Expanding business Within the UAE, despite the general downturn in the construction sector in cities such
It is important that FM services are planned properly and executed thoroughly.
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as Dubai, several large FM contracts have been awarded in 2009. Among the winners of these are Imdaad and Etisalat Facilities Management, who have won major contracts in Dubai and Sharjah respectively. Imdaad recently won a twoyear contract valued at more than AED10 million to provide FM services to three tower projects in Dubai. The firm has also won contracts for Jumeirah Golf Estates and several Dubai Real Estate Corporation (DREC) developments. On the tower projects, Imdaad will represent the client in matters such as liaison with public departments, collection of service charges and tenant communications. “Our role is that of a true total FM service provider, not merely a hard or soft services contractor,” explains Imdaad CEO Jamal Abdullah Lootah. Part of the firm’s winning strategy was to tailor its services to individual client needs. Lootah attributes the firm’s wide range of services as key to its continuing success during the recession. With options including MEP, pest control, camp management and infrastructure maintenance, Imdaad has been able to target
EFS KSA general manager John Kelly Quinn.
December 2009 21
TOP TIPS
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS • Know your market: ensure that you are up to date with the types, number and scale of projects that are ongoing and upcoming • Be prepared to change: being open to expansion into new geographic areas or different market sectors can increase the number of potential contracts available • Keep up to date with the latest technologies and techniques so you are able to offer potential clients the best possible service • Individually tailor your service package to meet client-specific requirements rather than offering set solutions • Ensure your firm is accredited to relevant international standards and operates within their requirements • Be available when needed: ensure that your firm has the resources available in order to mobilise within the timescale that the client require Imdaad CEO Jamal Abdullah Lootah.
sectors according to available work. “Such a range allows Imdaad to provide an holistic FM approach,” explains Lootah. “Imdaad client profiles vary greatly, thus we have not been affected by the slowdown in construction or tightening spend by developers,” he adds. In fact, Imdaad experienced strong growth between 2007 and 2009, and this growth was unaffected by the recession, reports Lootah: “We have continued to win jobs and are continuously increasing our workforce,” he states. Imdaad’s latest contract wins signify a market move by the firm outside Dubai World projects. Its short- and mediumterm strategies include expanding further within Dubai, the UAE and the GCC in general. “There is a huge growth potential within the FM sector across the region,” stresses Lootah. “Tapping these opportunities and expanding our clientele base is a priority.” For Etisalat Facilities Management (EFM), the signing in July 2009 of a five-year contract to provide FM services to Sharjah International Airport was a major milestone for the relatively young firm. The contract win followed the completion of an
22 December 2009
The FM sector has tremendous growth potential across the entire region.
in-depth study to establish how the quality and efficiency of the airport could be improved. A Memorandum of Understanding had previously been signed between EFM and Sharjah Airport Authority. Under the contract, EFM will provide a dedicated team of 84 staff for the airport, which will work in three shifts. Its staff numbers will be increased to 100 once the defect liability period of the airport expansion ends, in order to cope with the expanded scope of works.
EFM will also use the latest technologies to manage its operations on the project, which was another factor in its contract success. For example, FM software Maximo and personal digital assistants (PDAs) will be utilised to monitor key performance indicators related to service level agreements and staff productivity. With many other contract wins recorded by the region’s fm firms throughout the year it appears that the opportunities for growth remain.
70%/ 2015 THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT ABLE FM HOPES TO RECRUIT AS NATIONALS TO BOOST ITS SKILLS POOL
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December 2009 23
24 December 2009
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ACCESS CONTROL BIG 5
Over the past year there has been a rise in the number of projects such as airports, hospitals, universities and government buildings within the Gulf. With security a top priority in such institutions, fmME investigates what access control solutions are available on the market. he days when a lock and key provided enough security to protect a building’s assets are long gone. In today’s computer age, the amount of information that can be contained in a single building is immense; and in the case of developments such as hospitals, airports and government institutions, the loss of any of this information to members of the public could be extremely dangerous. Providing the correct amount of protection to ensure a facility and its contents remain untouched is a careful balancing act. Any solutions used must ensure that access control is tight enough to adequately protect the property and its contents, while enabling it to function efficiently and as was intended. The latest such products to hit the market are the stuff of spy novels and action movies, with biometrics, iris scanning and internet supervision all playing a leading role. And the Middle East market is welcoming these new technologies with open arms, it appears, as clients strive
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for hi-tech security solutions. “Smart cards and biometric technologies have caught up very actively in the region,” reports Sanjay Chellappa, head of sales, Bosch Middle East security systems division. “Awareness of the technology is on the increase due to the high security requirements,” explains Chellappa. “Recently, clients have been asking for ‘smart’ access control, since they are not only seeking security, but luxury and convenience as well,” agrees Gantner Technologies’ regional manager: Middle East & Africa, Ahmad Hawa. One type of access control system being applied is now making use of the Internet and the uniqueness of individuals. “Iris recognition, face recognition, Web-based databases, SMS notifications and ERP integrations [are all being applied in the region],” according to Michael Kandelas from Dataline Technologies.
Raising security So how do the access control needs of such high-security buildings differ from those that
“A system can only manage so much; the final call is very often with the security guard who needs to take action.” Niek Bragt, Nedap
contain less-sensitive or pontentially harmful information? “Critical infrastructure such as airports are vital for the essential functioning of a country/economy. Incidental or deliberate damage will have a serious impact on the economy,
as these provide essential services to the communities they serve,” stresses Kaba deputy general manager Patrik Eigenmann. “One of the major challenges for access control systems in airports is the vast number of people not belong-
Bosch Middle East – Security Systems Division Bosch Security Systems is a global, one-stop-shop for high-quality security and communication products. The firm provides systems and components for a wide range of applications including educational, industrial, residential, commercial and institutional, such as hospitals. Bosch Middle East - Security Systems Division takes care of seven countries: the GCC and Yemen. The firms product portfolio comprises: closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, including state-of-the-art Internet Protocol (IP) solutions; access control systems; intrusion detection and control; security management systems; public address/voice evacuation systems; conference systems; paging and personal security systems; plus social alarm systems.
December 2009 25
ACCESS CONTROL
Dataline Technologies
The new slim reader from Gantner.
A Gantner GAT reader.
Established in Dubai in 2000, Dataline Technology is a service provider that focuses on IT, security and facility management systems. It is an exclusive distributor in the region for several products in physical and online security systems and has a wide number of partners and resellers. The firm operates in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, libya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Pakistan. Dataline Technology products and services cover access control systems including proximity, RFID, biometric recognition, time and attendance, GPS tracking systems and CCTV systems; hr and payroll systems; plus wireless point of sales systems. The firm has a large number of clients, including the UAE army, CID Dubai, MOI Abu Dhabi, MOH Dubai, MOD Dubai, Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai Police, plus schools, retailers, banks, contractors and developers. Website: www.datalinetech.com
Gantner Technologies
A biometric time-attendance system from Kaba.
ing to the same organisation, that security-wise must be controlled by the airport operator. The possibility of system hardening by introducing a second verification method, be it PIN codes or biometrics, according to threat levels or security zones, is an absolute must,” asserts Eigenmann. Other high-security properties with public access have their own individual needs. “Access control varies from building to building, depending on their importance. It is very highly secured in airports —where iris recognition may be used—and may be lower in hospitals and government buildings,” states Kandelas. “[Some projects] may have
26 December 2009
needs that require higher levels of security at times, with the flexibility to apply those stringent measures,” adds Dennis Geizler, vice-president: marketing and international sales at Keri Systems. “The choice of reader technology plays a vital role in these sectors, and database management is another important factor,” reports Chellappa. “Large projects generally involve integration with other sub-systems like CCTV, BMS and fire protection. A high level of encryption is required between the various devices to prevent stealing of information,” adds Chellappa. “Combining the access control system with other applications
Austrian firm Gantner Electronics was established on 1982; its first projects in the Middle East were Dubai’s Wild Wadi Waterpark on 1998 and Al Watan newspaper in Saudi Arabia on 1999. The firm officially opened its Gantner ME office in 2001. Gantner now operates in the GCC Countries, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt; and North Africa in Al Geria, Sudan and Morocco. The firm has supplied solutions for a wide range of different market sectors including banks, where the system must be connected to CCTV for high security; media; hospitals and leisure parks. Within the UAE some of its largest clients are contractors and developers; in Dubai many clients are governmental or semi-governmental. The firm has also supplied security systems to oil companies such as Shell in Syria, Hegleig Petroleum Services and Perco in Egypt. Website: www.gantner.com
is an important feature to implement,” Hawa adds. An integrated approach to security can provide the most effective solution, especially in largescale projects. “Only a fully-integrated security system offers a business the maximum protection against theft, sabotage, loss of intellectual property and ensures that businesses stay running,” stresses Honeywell Building Solutions Middle East business development director Kyle Bashy. Such systems include the use of
all, or a selection, of physical, electronic, process control and internet applications. For largescale projects, such integration can reduce implementation and management costs by up to 50%, reports Bashy. “The programming and configuring of such large systems can be time-consuming, but is a key task in deploying the right security strategy,” stresses Niek Bragt, MD of Nedap Middle East. The ability to expand the systems is also vital to such projects.
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ACCESS CONTROL
With so many options now available, how do contractors and installers know which system is most suitable for a project? “Access control systems should always be designed as a result of the client’s input,” stresses Bragt. “Too often systems are way over-specified and unfortunately sometimes even under-specified,” he warns. “High-security systems are often managed far more carefully than low-security systems, not least because of the deployment of clear security standards and procedures. A system can only manage so much; the final call is very often with the security guard who needs to take action,” stresses Bragt.
Future product options As client demands for secure access control systems grow more sophisticated, many of the major manufacturers and suppliers are responding with new and updated product ranges. Bosch now offers two main access control ranges: Access Easy, plus Access Professional Edition. The first is a Web server-based system that has expansion capacities of up to 320 readers and is suitable for the low- to middle-segment market. The latter range caters for the mid- and largesegment markets, being scalable to meet a project’s needs. It includes features such as video verification as well as on-line swipe. An extended range of biometric readers is also due to be launched soon, reports Chellappa. Gantner recently launched a new controller specifically for the Middle East market that can control two or four doors via four readers. This effectively reduces the number of controllers needed for a project, and hence lowers system costs. The firm has also introduced two slimline readers that enable the user to activate or deactivate the alarm system
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via the keypad. It has further product launches planned. “Access control systems are changing every day; in the Middle East market, we are going to launch our new cylinder for access control, which will be a virtually online system that is connected wirelessly to a controller,” reports Hawa. “Our target for 2010 is to have all products working with PoE [Power over Ethernet],” adds Hawa. Keri Systems manufactures access control and integrated security systems for applications that vary from a few doors up to large-scale and Enterprise systems. The firm is set to launch the Doors. NET software platform for the NXT IP controllers. “This provides far greater functionality, with more application speed and security than previous products, and is based on Microsoft’s .NET framework,” reports Geiszler. Currently offering a range of proximity, RFID, biometric recognition, time and attendance, GPS tracking and CCTV systems, Dataline Technologies is set to launch Singular Tech Span (time attendance and access control), plus BSMART (GPS) systems, into the market. “The latest technologies applied by Nedap AEOS are the PoE readers in combination with Nedap’s security controller concept, in which one hardware platform operates your IP [Internet Protocol] cameras, intrusion and access control,” explains Bragt. Nedap AEOS is a full IPbased access control system that is suited to applications with multi-site buildings or multi-tenant capabilities. Full integration of fingerprint, vein recognition and face recognition technology are possible. At Intersec 2010 in January, Nedap plans to launch a new AEOS version, which
HID Corporation HID Global provides access and ID management systems with technology-based access solutions, issuance solutions, embedded technology solutions and logistics technology solutions. It is a leading manufacturer of secure ID solutions and contact-less smart card technology for physical access control. In addition, it develops, manufactures and markets ID components, products and services typically deployed with national ID and e-passport programs, corporate access control, supply chain management, animal tagging, financial transactions, transport and various industrial or manufacturing solutions. It has distribution partners throughout the Middle East, and has provided solutions for a variety of buildings and projects. Website: www.hidglobal.com
A revolving security door from Kaba.
Honeywell Building Solution Middle East Honeywell Building Solutions (HBS) is a leading provider of technical building solutions and services. Our range of integrated building solutions includes the design, installation and commissioning of technically advanced fire and security, building management, energy, networks and refrigeration systems. Honeywell also offers maintenance and facilities management services. The firm is present in most major cities in Middle East; Honeywell Access Systems is based in Abu Dhabi. The firm has undertaken several high profile projects in the region including: Dubai Mall and Dubai Airport, for which it provided 1,000 and 1,300 doors respectively as part of an integrated access control system; the Royal airport; Shangri-La Hotel; and Traders Hotel. Website: www.honeywell.com
December 2009 27
ACCESS CONTROL
has a graphical user interface, comprehensive alarm handler and inbuilt on-line guard tour. It is also planning to launch its UHF reader for vehicle identification at the event. HID Global has launched a number of products recently that are offered in the Middle East through the firm’s distribution partners. These include desktop readers and a secure contactless, highfrequency module Multi-ISO reader for the Psion Teklogix Ikon handheld computer. The firm’s Omnikey PC-linked smartcard reader drivers have also been updated to support the recently released Microsoft Windows 7. As one of the world’s
largest suppliers of security and access control systems, Honeywell Building Solutions Middle East has a wide portfolio of products and solutions. The firm plans to introduce Honeyell’s IQ MultiAccess and ACS-8 to Middle East by the end of Q1 2010, reports Bashy. IQ MultiAccess access management system is based on a genuine client/server architecture with a high-speed database connection. “This makes the ACS-8 with IQ MultiAccess system fully scalable, enabling the support of an unlimited number of workstations, time zones, areas, doors and people,” explains Bashy. After three years in research and development, Kaba
has introduced TouchGo. This electronic locking system allows doors to be opened by authorised personnel without the need for a key or access card. By simply touching the door handle, the lock recognises whether the person is carrying an authorised Kaba TouchGo transponder in the form of a
key fob or card holder. This is made possible by new RCID technology, which transmits energy and data via a magnetic field, making use of the body’s own static energy. The first Kaba products based on RCID technology are due to be on the market in the summer of 2010, reports Eigenmann.
Nedap Middle East From its base in Dubai Airport Free Zone, Nedap Middle East provides solutions for the entire Middle Eastern market. Its business partner network covers the complete GCC and is continuously expanding. Nedap is a well known provider of high-end access control systems and products including access and smartcard readers. The firm’s clients include leading world banks, airports and the European Commission. Website: www.nedapavi.com
“Critical infrastructure such as airports are vital for the essential functioning of a country and its economy. Incidental or deliberate damage will have a serious economic impact, as these provide essential services.” Patrik Eigenmann, Kaba
Kaba Group Established in 1862, the Kaba Group is now a global player in the security industry. An internationally active, listed company with around 9,000 staff in more than 60 countries, the firm offers a range of comprehensive security solutions and provides access control solutions for buildings, facilities and sites; plus enterprise data collection systems. Kaba Dubai serves the regional GCC market with its Total Access strategy, offering holistic solutions that address the customer’s needs for security and organisation at all physical entrances and exits as well as for identification and enterprise data collection functionality. It has provided services for a large number of projects throughout the region including: intelligent mantraps for a data centres in the UAE and Oman; public entrance tripods for a UAE stadium; plus access control systems of varying scalre and complexity for an airline and oil and gas firms in Kuwait, law enforcement, commercial, industrial and air transportation projects in the UAE, plus banks and utilities projects in Saudi Arabia. Website: www.kaba.com
A half-height sensor barrier from Kaba.
An intelligent man-trap from Kaba.
28 December 2009
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December 2009 29
BIG ISSUE
Dubai’s Strata Law: Still Coming
Why have the regulations of Dubai’s Jointly-Owned Property Law been delayed? Strata law specialist Gary Bugden takes a closer look at this many-layered issue. ubai’s Jointly Owned Property Law (Law No. 27 of 2007) was issued on 10 December 2007 and gazetted to commence on 31 March 2008. Although the law commenced on that date, it has still not been implemented because of the lack of supporting regulations. Speculation continues as to why the regulations have been delayed, particularly given the pent-up demand from apartment owners for a greater say in running their buildings, and the potential for this law to add real impetus to the Dubai
D
30 December 2009
real-estate market. Whatever the reason for the delay, it is clear from information coming from Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) that the law will indeed be implemented, and that when it is, there will be a substantial change to the property ownership and management regimes in the Emirate.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW To fully understand these changes it is necessary to examine the objectives behind the law, which is commonly called the ‘Strata Law’. The main objectives were: • To provide a world-class title
and owners’ association registration system; • To provide best practice governance and management systems capable of catering for the large and complex projects of Dubai; • To provide best practice consumer-protection measures, with particular emphasis on protecting off-the-plan purchasers and owners’ associations; and • To do all of that in a way that does not unduly impact on the innovative developments for which Dubai is famous for around the world. To achieve these objectives
for future real-estate developments is challenging enough, but to seek to achieve them for existing projects is very ambitious indeed—although ambition is not something that is lacking in the Dubai real estate psyche. Despite the ambitious nature of the objective to include existing projects, the initiative actually makes sense. Leaving existing projects outside the law would cause more problems than including them. For example: • A two-tier market would eventually develop under which properties regulated by the law would be more valuable than
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BIG ISSUE
“If implemented properly, Dubai’s Jointly-Owned Property Law will provide a substantial boost to all industry stakeholders. Given time, developers will eventually perceive the benefits that the law offers not only to them, but to the future of the Dubai real-estate market.” Gary Bugden
those not regulated by the law; • Owners of apartments and villas that are not under the Law would be left with the governance and management problems that have plagued the Dubai property scene over the past year or so; and • Government would be forever trying to resolve the ongoing problems of the current system, which is incapable of coping with the complexity of the projects that it seeks to regulate. The implementation package presently under consideration by the government should ensure that the objectives of the law are substantially met. It should also provide a solid footing to support the recovery of the Dubai real-estate market. However, it will be necessary to keep the law under review, and to make adjustments from time to time. This has certainly been the experience in other jurisdictions with similar laws. Common-ownership schemes present an ongoing range of problems and challenges for governments, and given the nature of Dubai’s projects and the late introduction of this law, it is a certainty that adjustments will need to be made on a regular basis. However, this should be seen as part of the growth phase of the legal framework rather than any structural problems with the framework itself.
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THE IMMEDIATE CHANGES The first changes that are likely to occur after implementation will involve the formation of owners’ associations and their governing boards. Owners’ associations will appear within a few months of the law being implemented, and boards will be formed very soon after that. Boards will be elected by owners, and there will be little or no prospect of developers retaining control of these boards. This means that owners will be in a position to determine future budgets and service
levels. This will bring a degree of discipline to the budgeting and contracting processes that have not existed previously in Dubai, and this will have implications for all service industries involved in this sector. A key issue will be the extent to which developers may be able to put contracts with owners’ associations in place before owners gain control of them. Most, if not all, of the existing arrangements are between developers and individual land owners, and they will not transfer, or be allowed to transfer, automatically to owners’ associations. Furthermore, many of those existing arrangements are legally unstable (because of their unfair terms and/or dependence on deeds of adherence) and developers are likely to be keen to utilise the stronger mechanisms available under the law. For developers, the problem with those mechanisms is the likely limitations on the terms of agreements. RERA has advised on a number of occasions that owners’ association manager
Gary Bugden is an Australian lawyer and Strata law specialist.
contracts will be restricted to a maximum term of three years, and that all other service contracts will be restricted to a maximum term of five years, with some prospect of an extension for the latter of up to 25 years at RERA’s discretion. The terms of the contracts are likely to be scrutinised carefully by RERA as part of any exercise of that discretion. The ultimate outcome will be a change in approach to the provision of ongoing services by developers and their associated companies. Most long-term contracts to developers or their related companies were destined to be troublesome in any event. Experience around the world has shown that property owners, particularly those who constitute owners’ associations, usually: • Do not want developers to have an ongoing role in maintaining and managing a project; • Are very cost-sensitive and suspicious of any profit that the developer may seek to make out of their maintenance or management operations; and • Become focused on removing any supplier that has been essentially foisted upon them by the developer. Those developers who fail to recognise these things are likely to be committing themselves to a future of disharmony and confrontation, which has the real potential to seriously damage their brand. The law will also impact on the ownership and use of common areas of projects. Some developers have sought to keep and maintain substantial portions of common areas in the buildings and communities they develop. They maintain these common areas, charge management and maintenance fees and levy service charges on individual owners, often making a substantial profit in
December 2009 31
BIG ISSUE
the process. When the law is implemented, these developers will be required to register a jointly-owned property plan over their buildings or relevant portions of their communities. The registration of those plans will lead to the formation of the owners’ association and its board, and the handing over of both ownership and control of the common areas. The ability of the Land Department to refuse to register plans and issue titles will ensure that common areas are transitioned to owners’ associations. This in itself will restrict developers from controlling and profiting from common areas in buildings and communities.
The new Strata Law is likely to have a significant impact on the broader FM sector.
are likely to come under scrutiny from both RERA and owners’ associations. Arrangements FACILITIES MANAGEMENT where one related company supSERVICES plies to another related company Apart from the impact on develwhile making a margin or profit opers, there is also likely to be are likely to disappear over time. an impact on the broader faciliThe content of FM contracts is ties management sector. One also at risk of being regulated, aspect of this impact is likely if not in the short term, then to be positive. As developer0certainly in the medium term. related facilities management One may well ask: Why will services come under pressure all this happen? The answer lies from owners, there will be opportunities for new business for partly in the inherent distrust that usually exists between ownthis broader sector. ers and developers, and partly However, the owners will in the commercial practices that be looking for a leaner, more have evolved in Dubai over the focused and transparent solupreceding decade. tion than many of the current Under these practices, some arrangements. While some owndevelopers have sought, directly ers’ associations will be content or indirectly, to use their ongowith engaging an FM company ing role in the maintenance and to arrange and supervise (i.e. sub-contract) building and com- management of projects as a munity services, others will want means of making unreasonable profits at the expense of owners to contract direct with suppliers who had no prior notice of the of goods and services to avoid arrangements being put in place. the mark-up that applies to the This has motivated, and will more co-ordinated approach. further motivate, owners to try The direct-contract approach to dismantle uncommercial or will see owners’ associations unfair contractual arrangements. having separate contracts with such suppliers as pool cleaners, landscape contractors, security OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION services and fire-safety services. MANAGEMENT Sub-contracting arrangements In Dubai there is an emerging
32 December 2009
owners’ association management services sector, largely led by industry professionals from Australia. In foreign jurisdictions this sector provides accounting, compliance and administrative services to owners’ associations. In some jurisdictions it also provides quasi-FM services in the form of FM services contract administration. It is relatively unusual for owners’ association managers to provide mainstream FM services to owners’ associations. These services are usually outsourced, and the owners’ association manager administers, on behalf of the board, the FM contract. In Dubai it is unlikely that owners’ association management and FM services will be undertaken by the same entity. This is because: • The facilities manager reports to the owners’ association manager and, if they are the same entity, there will be conflict; • The skill sets of each manager is different (e.g. the owners’ association manager has to deal on a daily basis with owners and a board, thus requiring good political, people and communication skills); • Owners will likely demand
independence and transparency between the two roles; • The contract maximum terms are different (3 and 5 years); and • The licensing requirements will be different. The exception is likely to be a company with separate divisions staffed and operating independently from each other, or two related companies, each specialising in an aspect. Apartment and villa owners are likely to greet the law with relief and enthusiasm. Developers are likely to be more cautious. However, given time, developers will also see the benefits that the law offers not only to them, but more importantly, to the future of the Dubai realestate market.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gary Bugden is an Australian lawyer and strata law specialist. He is also the executive chairman of PRDnationwide Middle East Real Estate LLC. He was the consultant to the Dubai Land Department on the formulation of the Jointly Owned Property Law and its draft implementing regulations.
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Leader in FM Services for over 30 years HIGH LEVEL ACCESS CLEANING SPECIALIST
Facilities Management & Maintenance Division of the BEC ensures multi-discipline functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology. The disciplines include: Hard Services • Air-conditioning • Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting System and UPS System • Electrical - HT and LT Installations • Diesel Power / Gas Power Plants • Elevators & Escalators • Estate Maintenance - Civil, Electrical, Mechanical • Boilers & Laundry / Kitchen Equipment • Water and Waste water Plants & Swimming Pools Soft Services • Landscaping • Cleaning and Housekeeping • Security
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December 2009 33
COMMENT
The Auditor: Every FM’s friend
Alan Millin (MSc. CEng FIHEEM) investigates the role of the auditor in the FM process. This is often a dreaded visit, but can only enhance the effectiveness of the overall service offering to clients, he argues. e often hear groans when it’s time for the auditors to pay us a visit. Whether it’s a financial or ISO system audit, the auditors are often viewed as an inconvenience; busybodies who should mind their own business; social outcasts; hostile invaders sent in to disrupt your business.
W
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But aren’t we, as facilities management professionals, also auditors? Part of our scope often includes tasks like post-occupancy evaluations, an auditing process that provides valuable information about, amongst other things, the effectiveness of our FM consultancy missions. We take the results, analyse them,
and act in accordance so as to ultimately improve the facilities for our clients and customers. On the operational front, we are always looking to reduce energy and utility consumption. A technician may propose that, by simply altering an equipment operating schedule, we can reduce operating costs. Or, perhaps, by installing low-
flow fittings, we can reduce water consumption. We will find this type of scenario almost on a daily basis, provided we have created and communicated a process for our operations staff to use, and that they are comfortable using it. They also need to be assured that suggesting new ways of working, even if we later dem-
December 2009 35
COMMENT
onstrate that their ideas are not beneficial, is a good thing, and that their managers truly appreciate their initiatives. Do you reward your team for making suggestions? But we can do much better than this. As we are always looking at ways to reduce energy consumption, why not add a little structure to the way we work and initiate an energy audit? Instead of the occasional idea that may or may not work, why not work methodically through our facilities? We don’t have to be certified auditors or certified energy managers to make significant savings; we just need to want to succeed, and the best way to ensure success is by structuring our activities. There are plenty of resources available to help us in our quest. Books are available that can guide us in our audits. Energy-saving measures are often categorised by ease of implementation related to financial rewards. We may, for example, find an energysaving measure that is very cheap to implement that pays handsome dividends, while other measures may cost a lot to implement yet yield only marginal savings. Clearly we can target our efforts to get maximum return for minimum input by using these resources. Templates are available to aid us in recording our findings and then documenting the results of our efforts. These tools simplify the reporting of our successes and support our efforts to quantify our savings in financial terms. Our financial successes can be used not only for our company or clients’ benefit. How would your CV look with highlights like: ‘Reduced operating expenditure by US$ xx million per annum’?
36 December 2009
Being an auditor is yet another useful skill for the facilities manager.
“There are plenty of resources available to help us in our audits. Energy-saving measures are often categorised by ease of implementation related to financial rewards. Clearly we can target our efforts to get maximum return for minimum input.” A Building Services Condition Survey, a process designed to assess the condition of plant and installations, is essentially an audit process to enable us to compare the data we gather to a pre-determined standard. As facilities managers, we can do this automatically as part of our contracts, but we can also use it as part of a transition process. You would like to know what you were letting yourself in for when taking over from a competitor, now wouldn’t you? The operational audit is another tool at our disposal. We can use this to assess whether our operations are producing
the expected results. Again, resources are readily available for us; we do not have to devote our valuable time to starting again from scratch. Guidelines are available, as are useful tools to help us implement our audits thoroughly and successfully. And how safe are our operations? We put systems and processes in place to support our goals. We train our staff in health and safety requirements. But how do we know whether our staff are complying with our policies? Simple; we audit and feed the results back into our system to drive continuous improvement.
Reducing water consumption requires a regular audit process too. This may be as simple as recording the results of daily checks for leaks at fittings, followed by prompt corrective action if needed. Recording water-meter readings as frequently as possible to identify sudden increases in consumption can be a valuable tool in preventing the waste of this valuable resource. Auditing can also provide us with valuable information to support our expenditure planning and productivity enhancements etc. in addition to helping us improve our customer service. So being an auditor is yet another skill for the facilities Manager. We need to know what is happening, whether it meets with our requirements, and what we need to do to improve the current situation. So the next time an auditor comes in to audit your activities, be sure to smile. He or she is only doing the same thing you do.
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PROJECT TRACKER
PROJECT FOCUS KUWAIT PROJECTS DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS PROJECT TITLE
CLIENT
CONSULTANT
MAIN CONTRACTOR
VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)
TYPE OF PROJECT
PROJECT STATUS
Center for Research & Studies at Sharq
Ministry of Public Works
Gulf Consult
Al Jaraih Contracting
12
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
College of Technological Studies at Shuwaikh
Public Authority for Applied Education & Training
Al Dowailah Engineering Consultants
Not Appointed
16 - 30
award awaited for the main contract
Educational Facilities
Vocational Training Institute in Jahra
The Public Authority for Applied Education & Training
In House
Not Appointed
31 - 100
award awaited for the main contract
Educational Facilities
Injassat Tower
Injassat Real Estate
Projacs/KEO International
Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting
20
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Al Aqeelah Tower
Al Aqeelah Finance Leasing & Investment Co;
Al Mousawi Engineering Consultant
Kharafi National
16 - 30
project under construction
Residential Buildings
Administration Building at Kuwait International Airport
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
Dar Al Handasah/Jassim Qabazard
Not Appointed
101 - 250
award awaited for the main contract
Commercial Buildings
Health Center at Bayan Palace
Ministry of Public Works
In House
Alamiah Building Company
53
project under construction
Hospital
Immigration Headquarters at Farwaniya
Ministry of Public Works
Kuwait Technical Consultant
Not Appointed
2.5 - 15
bidding underway for the main contract
Commercial Buildings
Ideal High School at Aqaila
Ministry of Public Works/ Ministry of Education
Al Zamami Consultant
Bader Al Mulla & Brothers Company
17
project under construction
Educational Facilities
Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 3
Kuwait Business Town Holding Company
Projacs/Pace/Fentress Bradburn
First United General Trading & Contracting
96
project under construction
Mixed Use
Al Hamra Tower
Ajial Real Estate Company
Al Jazeera Consultants
Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting
241
project under construction
Mixed Use
Hotel at Salmiya
Mr. Fahad Al Maiylem
Al Aliyan Consulting
Not Appointed
31 - 100
project under design
Hotel
Neighborhood Centre at East of Al Ahmadi
Ministry of Public Works
Kuwait Technical Consultant
Not Appointed
40
award awaited for the main contract
Mixed Use
Special Forces Training Facility
Ministry of Public Works/ Ministry of Interior
Dar Al Handasah
Alamiah Building Company
204
project under construction
Educational Facilities
Kuwait Institute of Justice
Ministry of Public Works/ Ministry of Justice
Al Zamami Consultant
Not Appointed
31 - 100
bidding underway for the main contract
Educational Facilities
Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 1
Kuwait Business Town Holding Company
Projacs/KEO Int'l/Gensler Associates
First United General Trading & Contracting
108
project under construction
Mixed Use
Immigration Headquarters at Farwaniya
Ministry of Public Works
Kuwait Technical Consultant
Not Appointed
2.5 - 15
bidding underway for the main contract
Commercial Buildings
Avenue Shopping Mall Expansion - Phase 3
Mabanee Company
PACE/Gensler
Not Appointed
908
project under design
Shopping Centre
Medical Village in Mahaboola
The Commercial Real Estate Company
SSH/Bernard Khoury Architect
Not Appointed
220
project under design
Mixed Use
Mangaf Neighbourhood Centre
Ministry of Public Works
KEO International
Burgan Contracting
31 - 100
project under construction
Mixed Use
Service Building for PAAET in Kuwait
The Public Authority for Applied Education & Training
In House
First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting
248
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Extension of Crowne Plaza
Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Osama Bukhamseen Design
BIG Contractors
31 - 100
project under construction
Hotel
Police Station in Sulaibiya
Ministry of Interior
In House
Al Mohsen for General Trading & Contracting
2.5 - 15
project under construction
Others
Villa Compound at Fintas
Mr. Humaizi
Option One
Not Appointed
2.5 - 15
project under design
Residential Development
Suma Tower
Mr. Bassam Tuftuf
Option One
Al-Amarat Al-Jadidah Trading & Contracting
7
project under construction
Residential Buildings
Abdali Border Post Upgrade
M.A. Kharafui & Sons/ Kuwait Customs/GAC
Dar Al Handasah/SSH
Not Appointed
192
award awaited for the main contract
Industrial Park
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December 2009 39
PROJECT TRACKER
KUWAIT PROJECTS DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS PROJECT TITLE
CLIENT
CONSULTANT
MAIN CONTRACTOR
VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)
PROJECT STATUS
TYPE OF PROJECT
Neighbourhood Centre at Khiran New City
Ministry of Public Works
KuwaitTechnical Consultant Bureau
Recafco
52
project under construction
Mixed Use
Ministry of Education Headquarters
MPW/Ministry of Education
Cambridge 7/NBBJ/Gulf Consult
Not Appointed
251 - 500
award awaited for the main contract
Commercial Buildings
Basic Education Campus at Ardiya Female Campus
Public Authority for Applied Education & Training
Pace/Morganti
United Gulf Construction Company
138
project under construction
Educational Facilities
Ruba Residential Project
The Commercial Real Estate Company
Al Jazeera Consultants/ SSH
Wara Construction Company
32
project under construction
Residential Development
Al Agaila Neighborhood Centre
Ministry of Public Works
Bonyan Design
Al Bahar Construction
31 - 100
project under construction
Mixed Use
United Tower at Sharq
United Real Estate Company
Salem al-Marzouk & Sabah Abi Hanna/Kohn Pederson & Fox Associates
Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting
280
project under construction
Mixed Use
Crystal Tower at Sharq
Arab Real Estate Company
Projacs/HOK/Osama Bukhamseen
BIG Contractors/ Shanghai Construction
61
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Mubarak Al Abdulla Neighborhood
Ministry of Public Works
Industrial Engineering Consulting Office
Not Appointed
16 - 30
award awaited for the main contract
Mixed Use
Headquarters Building for Ministry of Awqaf
Ministry of Awqaf
Kuwait Technical Consultant Bureau
Not Appointed
31 - 100
project under design
Commercial Buildings
KREIC Headquarters Building at Sharq
Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium
Al Jazeera Consultants
Al Bahar Construction Company
31 - 100
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Al Khorafi Tower at Sharq
Mr. Khorafi
Saleh Al Qallaf Consultant
Sadeem Al Kuwait General Trading & Cont.
16 - 30
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Andalous
Ministry of Health
Al Aliyan Consulting
Arabi Construction
2.5 - 15
project under construction
Hospital
Villa in Massila Area
Mr. Fawaz Al Hassani
Projacs/Option One
Not Appointed
9
award awaited for the main contract
Residential Buildings
Administration Building at Kuwait International Airport
Directorate General of Civil Aviation
Dar Al Handasah/Jassim Qabazard Eng
Not Appointed
101 - 250
award awaited for the main contract
Commercial Buildings
Jaber Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hospital
Ministry of Health / Ministry of Public Works
Gulf Consult/Langdon Wilson
Kuwait Arab Contractors
1,057
project under construction
Hospital
Hotel at Messilah
Al-Azizah United General Trading & Contracting
Gulf Consult/SOM
KCPC/Kokache
86
project under construction
Hotel
Fire Department Headquarters at Mishref
Kuwait Fire Department
Al Shaheen Engineering
Al Sager Company
2.5 - 15
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Hospital for Physical Treatment in Kuwait
Ministry of Health
Al Aliyan Consulting
Arabi Construction
2.5 - 15
project under construction
Hospital
Kuwait Control & Meteorological Centre
Directorate General of Civil Aviation
TAEP
Sayed Hamad Behbehani & Sons
38
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Clover Clinic
Al Mazaya Holding Company
Soor Engineering Bureau
Sadeem Al Kuwait General Trading & Cont.
25
project under construction
Hospital
Al Inayah Hospital in Abu Halifa
Al Amal Hospital
Option One
First United General Trading & Contracting
16 - 30
project under construction
Hospital
Al Baher Tower in Kuwait City
Al Bahar Group
Saleh Al Qallaf Consultant
Al Bahar Construction Company
31 - 100
project under construction
Commercial Buildings
Intercontinental Tower at Sharq
Al Emad Real Estate Company
HOK/Osama Bukhamseen Design
BIG Contractors
101 - 250
project under construction
Mixed Use
Note : The above information is the sole property of Ventures Middle East LLC and cannot be published without the expressed permission of Ventures Middle East LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
40 December 2009
www.constructionweekonline.com
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