Bin Dismal

DASMAL GROUP INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST powered

by Inside Sustainability

BIN

Bin Dasmal Group, a leading contracting company in the UAE, offers multiple verticals including HVAC, MEP trading, contracting and maintenance, lifting and safety, access and storage solutions, outdoor living, and sustainable products. General Manager Sahul Hameed explained to Andy Probert how Bin Dasmal Group creates sustainable growth through providing engineering solutions.

Ascrapyard and a parking lot are not the most obvious locations for a defining initiative to farm fresh produce. However, the workforce at Bin Dasmal Group has utilised its engineering prowess, (normally reserved for more complex projects), to rise to the challenge of developing a series of farming operations. The launch of Ekthaar, the group’s newly formed indoor vertical farming manufacturing operation, has been two years in the making, but could now define the template for similar opportunities in i ndustrial settings across the Middle East.

“In the long term, Ekthaar envisions solving broader problems such as

regional food shortages by locally growing and harvesting fresh produce in any given space that is unused and available,” said General Manager Sahul Hameed. “We use less soil and water and create more produce.”

Group principles

Founded in 1976, the Bin Dasmal Group began as a contracting and trading company based in Dubai. Today, the group has a direct presence in the GCC region, including UAE, Oman and KSA. Now employing 1,000 people across its various locations in the Middle East, the group has interests in manufacturing, trading,

BIN DASMAL I PROFILE

contracting and servicing operations, while maintaining engineering solutions in the construction market.

Most importantly, healthy relationships with local and international partners, as well as a productive working culture with employees and stakeholders, are where Bin Dasmal’s core strengths and values lie. This is the primary asset it aims to maintain and develop further through continued investments in branding and marketing, human resources, information technology, QHSE, and research and development to remain a competitive conglomerate overall.

“Currently, we have set and implemented important sustainability initiatives as per the execution of the latest international green building standards and regulations in the UAE,” Mr Hameed explained. “We aim to increase sustainability awareness among the community in accordance with the new UAE agenda of 2023 as ‘Year of Sustainability’ while we approach the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties.”

A leading trading group

The arm of the group known as Bin Dasma l General Trading represents leading names of building, HVAC-R and plumbing components, materials and equipment. This UAE-based company has established collaborations with European, American and Asian companies, which reflects the initiative of the company to adapt to the ever-increasing demand of its local and international clients.

“At Bin Dasmal General Trading, we aim always to achieve excellence

without compromising on product quality, service or any of our values,” Mr Hameed explained.

The extensive portfolio of products from Bin Dasmal General Trading includes coatings, adhesives, sealants, thermal insulation, copper pipes, compressors, condensers, evaporators, controls and much more. Moreover, these products are from globally leading brands such as Foster ® , Aeroflex, Dorin, Friga-Bohn, Danfoss, Lawton, Koura-Klea, Garmco and others.

Bin Dasmal General Trading has supplied products for an impressive list of projects. In Dubai, these include the Grand Bleu Tower, DIFC office building and link bridge, and Al Khail Avenue Mall. Notable projects elsewhere in Abu Dhabi include the ADNOC Group Service Hub and the Waterfront Residential Towers.

Contracting partnerships

The subsidiary previously known as Bin Dasmal Contracting is now called Bin Dasmal Engineering Technologies

& Management Co LLC (BETAM). With over f our decades of experience, BETAM offers civil engineering and MEP services. BETAM has expertise in designing, building, facilities management and energy management services, all in

one establishment. During design projects, the company places the client at the forefront and delivers engineering solutions built on a sustainable platform , with a low carbon footprint and in keeping with clients’ needs.

“Our vision at BETAM is to be one of the regional leading MEP and energy service companies,” Mr Hameed said. “We will efficiently serve our client’s needs by pursuing excellence through an ongoing effort by passionate, dedicated and disciplined employees to deliver quality and timely projects.”

All these services are provided by a team of experienced engineering personnel and technicians who offer round the clock service. BETAM promises reliable services through its experienced

team and timely response to customer demands which are supported by the company’s commitment to high quality.

Farming with a difference

Ekthaar, which means ‘growing’ in Arabic, is Bin Dasmal Group’s answer to making a positive difference by implementing the three ‘R’s concept of reducing, reusing, and recycling. The group then identified unused spaces at its compound in Dubai

Investments Park. A construction waste management programme was implemented, with waste materials from various projects reutilised in the farming infrastructure.

This led to the implementation of three key systems: a greenhouse, an indoor ‘net house’ farm and container-based vertical

farms. “The net house was a result of converting an existing scrapyard into an area capable of producing fresh produce,” said Mr Hameed. “The greenhouse was set on four unused parking lots, and two containers were located elsewhere on the site.

“We utilised the group’s core strengths in the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and civil sectors to develop these units. This approach helped Ekthaar provide costeffective, sustainable farming solutions.”

Established in accordance with the latest international green building standards and regulations, the units are now harvesting fresh produce with greater nutrition all year round.

“Ekthaar is using only five per cent of the actual soil and water, while saving 25 to 30 per cent of the total construction cost by reusing construction waste materials,” Mr Hameed continued. “It is a combination of horticultural and engineering techniques that optimise crop production, crop quality and production efficiency.

“Compared to traditional agricultural practices, applying the CEA methodology ensures effective water usage in the cultivation of crops all year round.”

Ekthaar’s sustainable farming solutions portfolio includes containerised Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA); an advanced and intensive hydroponically-based agriculture where plants grow within a controlled environment to optimise horticultural practices.

“Customers can use the extensive knowledge base that Ekthaar offers, especially since the construction industry is diversifying its interests and transitioning towards sustainable endeavours,” Mr Hameed concluded.

“We are evaluating and developing strategies that can be transitioned to industrial clients who envision creating vertical farms on any unused land they have. Ekthaar is certainly primed to both expand its vertical farming model and continue spreading its green philosophies across the Middle East.” n