BIM THERE, DONE THAT BIM is widely regarded as an intelligent model-based process that helps to create, explore, manage and maintain design and construction data to improve decisionmaking and enhance productivity. One of the key benefits to using BIM services in your design and construction project is the reduction of errors, which in turn leads to more accurate expenditure on projects and a faster construction time. But does using BIM give you the edge in the global market? The short answer is yes. With businesses across the world looking to increase the quality of their building projects, reduce costs and compete globally, incorporating BIM
services into your construction project is the way forward; whether you’re working on a shopping centre in Slough, a Disneyland Resort in China or an office block in the United Arab Emirates, BIM can help give your project the competitive edge. For most economies across the globe, the construction industry is seen as a key contributor and enabler to the economic growth of that country. People will always need homes and key buildings such as schools, hospitals, prisons, shopping centres and hotels. The UK is no different in this; with many understanding that construction is often a useful way to
encourage and stimulate the growth of the national economy. “One of the key benefits to using BIM services in your design and construction project is the reduction of errors, which in turn leads to more accurate expenditure on projects and a faster construction time.” As more and more owners and developers require the integration of BIM services as a prequalification requirement for contractors as part of the tender process, BIM will continue to grow, leading to the positive spread of BIM experience and the benefits of this across the industry globally.
BIM is not altogether new but is a collaborative way of working, supported by integrated software and technology that makes building, project design and construction more efficient and helps to manage and maintain assets. Using data to create a unique three-dimensional computer generated model that is used for the effective management of information throughout a project lifecycle, from earliest concept, through to construction and finally operation. We think BIM is a real game changer – of course it means a little extra work in the early days of BIM Compliance, but once the industry is all on the same
page, BIM will become second nature and we won’t know what we did without it! The CAD Room have been working at the forefront of the industry offering BIM services on projects large and small, we think the advantages speak for themselves. Our team are highly experienced in multi service coordination, as well as pre fabrication of plantrooms and service modules for both corridors and risers. We become your outsource partner working with you and your BIM standards to achieve quality accurate drawings from approval stage through to completion.
If you are looking to take your first step towards a BIM future then we may be able to help you achieve your goals.
Grant Hood Managing Director The CAD Room Ltd Tel: 0161 427 0348 Grant.Hood@thecadroom.com www.thecadroom.com
Since 1979, Iran has been subjected to a number of severe economic sanctions designed to pressure the country into abandoning its uranium enrichment program. But on 14 July 2015, Iran met with a group of six world powers - China, France, Russia, Germany, the US, and the UK, collectively known as P5+1. A comprehensive agreement has finally been reached regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, concluding over a decade of negotiations. Once Iran instigates a number of restrictions on their uranium enrichment program, the economic sanctions that have held the country back since 1979 will finally be lifted. As a result, many economists view Iran as a coiled spring. They believe that as soon as the 4
sanctions are lifted, Iran could become a major world power in a matter of months. Some are already describing Iran as “the next China” – that is, the next global superpower. Here’s why: •1• Iran has always had potential In 2005, Goldman Sachs identified Iran as one of the “Next Eleven” – a group of countries that they believe have high development potential. To be included, a country needs to demonstrate high macroeconomic stability, political maturity, openness of trade and investment policies, and a high quality of education. Iran was chosen in recognition of its upper-
middle-income economy, its high human development, its status as an Islamic republic, and its status as a founding member of ECO, OPEC, and GECF. With 10% of the world’s proven oil reserves and 15% of its gas reserves, Iran is classed as an energy superpower. Its oil-based economy is worth around $400Bn, and because the country was relatively isolated from the global financial markets, Iran was able to avoid recession in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis. However, the economic sanctions have had a punishing effect on Iran’s economy, resulting in mass inflation, mass unemployment, and an unfortunate “brain drain”, with many of Iran’s brightest minds emigrating to less restrictive markets.
Iran has significant economic potential that has so far been kept in check by sanctions. So once these sanctions are lifted, Iran can immediately begin to engage economically with the world once more. •2• The mass unfreezing of global assets When the sanctions were first imposed, up to $100Bn of Iran’s money became frozen in foreign banks. In 2013, for example only $30-50Bn of Iran’s foreign exchange reserves were readily accessible. But as part of the sanction relief scheme, Iran’s frozen funds will be released, freeing between $29-100Bn. Crucially, though, it’s specified that these unfrozen funds are to be used to finance Iran’s domestic investments. To encourage a steady and sustainable financial recovery, they’ll be kept abroad until required. •3• The price of oil Here’s one area on which the economists cannot yet seem to reach an agreement. Once the sanctions are lifted and Iran is free to export oil once more, will the price of oil rise or fall? Some US economists believe that Iran could reduce the world price of crude petroleum by 10%, which would save the US up to $76Bn a year. This in addition to the economic boon that would spring from competitive US multinational firms operating in the Iranian manufacturing and service sectors. However, it’s also been proposed that a powerful Iran could serve to double the price of oil, which would cause the US GDP to fall by up to 2.5%, plunging the country into recession. It must be remembered that these predictions are based on the notion that Iran might have nuclear weapons. Given that this is expressly forbidden by the terms of the agreement reached with P5+1, such alarmist thinking might now be taken with a pinch of salt – if not dismissed outright. Yet in any case, whether the price of oil rises or falls once the sanctions are lifted, all seem to agree that things will look very good indeed for Iran. The World Bank believes that Iran’s strong position in the world oil market could cause their economic growth to surge to 5% in 2016.
•5• A new goldmine for foreign investors The sanction relief scheme will allow foreign firms to invest once more in Iran’s many lucrative sectors, including oil, gas, automobile, electronic, infrastructure, and others. As a result, European companies are already taking decisive steps to enter the Iranian market. Investors have apparently already fully booked all of Tehran’s hotel rooms for the remainder of 2015 and throughout 2016, and the capital city has already played host to a number of international investment conferences. Peter Westerman of Westerman’s International – who was recently filmed triumphantly riding a Segway at the 2015 Tehran International Industry Exhibition – believes that Iran could be a world power in as little as six months. He says: “Every country in the world is going to want to trade with Iran. There’s opportunities for everyone – whether you work in electronics or energy. “There’s already plans to expand Tehran’s metro, and to electrify the 500 mile Tehran-Mashhad railway. And because Tehran already has an expansive infrastructure system, including a huge four lane motorway, we should have no difficulty in supplying the heavy equipment necessary to make such improvements. “And that’s the thing with Iran – the opportunity and the potential has always been there. The only thing that’s been holding us back have been the sanctions.” Andreas Schweitzer from Arjan Capital even went so far as to describe the lifting of the sanctions as Iran’s “Berlin Wall moment.” “There’s more Iranian projects than international money to invest,” he said. “Iran now has the characteristics of East Germany in 1989.” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he expects Iran’s sanctions to be lifted by spring 2016. So by this time next year, Iran may already have established itself as a new global superpower.
Mixed-use projects dominate in MEA region According to a new report by Timetric’s Construction Intelligence Center (CIC), 14 of the major economies in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) are currently investing, or planning to invest, over $1.82Tr in commercial and institutional projects. The UAE leads with investment of $687Bn, followed by Saudi Arabia with $436Bn and Kuwait with $158Bn. The mixed-use sector is by far the highest value sector at $1.47Tr, followed by leisure and hospitality at $134.6Bn. Institutional and religious projects, including government buildings and places of worship, which predominantly relates to mosques in the region, are valued at $51.5Bn. Saudi Arabia dominates this sector with 84% of the value, driven by huge numbers of pilgrims to its major religious sites, which also provides investment in the leisure and hospitality market for hotels. The UAE, which includes the major business and tourism destinations of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, dominates the region in terms of the overall value of its project pipeline, and also the mixed-use sector with projects valued at $615Bn. To optimise return on investment, mixed-use includes projects with some elements from the residential, retail, offices, educational or health sectors. There are a number of new cities being developed in the Middle East, which will be largescale mixed-use developments including all these elements and the requisite infrastructure. Neil Martin, Manager at Timetric CIC, comments: “With the increase in population in the Middle East and the improving prosperity of Africa, commercial and institutional buildings will be of increasing importance in providing administrative, retail, commercial and health, as well as educational facilities. The MEA countries’ move from being dependent on hydrocarbons and other commodities will also make investment in the sector of greater significance.”
•4• Fairer trade The lifting of the sanctions will make it considerably easier and more profitable for Iran to trade internationally – whether it’s oil or other products. The World Bank estimates that exports from Iran will eventually increase to approximately $17Bn, about 3.5% of its GDP. The countries most likely to see a large rise in post-sanctions trade with Iran include China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UK. 5
UK and UAE discuss opportunities in the sustainability sector In June, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) - the international business development arm of the British Government - organised a bespoke event at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai for senior officials and professionals operating in the sustainability sector. The keynote speaker was His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Her Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Edward Hobart, also spoke at the event, which was attended by more than 70 professionals from the design, engineering, sustainability, environmental, infrastructure and waste management sectors in the UAE. Speaking at the event, His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al Tayer, said: “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE strategy for green development in the form of a long-term national initiative aiming to build a
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green economy in the UAE under the theme of ‘Green Economy For Sustainable Development’. Accordingly, sustainability has become a key objective and has gathered global attention as it addresses holistically the social progress, environmental stewardship, and economic prosperity aspects. Building Green Future is part of the broad concept of sustainability as stipulated in the UAE Vision and Strategy 2021 and also in the 2021 Dubai Plan.” Her Majesty’s Consul General Edward Hobart said: “Ensuring that we manage our resources sustainably is a challenge for the whole world. The need for innovation has never been more important as we look to develop and adopt technologies and approaches to achieve this. The UK was one of the first countries in the world to adopt ‘Waste to Energy’ technology and has some of the oldest functioning plants. It is also in the forefront of developing newer technologies such as plasma and gasification to deal with huge amounts of mixed waste. A large number of UK companies are working successfully in this area in Dubai and Sharjah.
“Given our experience of delivering world class events like the Olympics, and as home to many world class cities, the UK is well positioned to support Dubai in delivering both Expo in 2020 and its ‘Smart City Project’ launched in 2013 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.” Ideas on the future of green buildings and sustainability and on waste to energy and water management were exchanged during the two panel discussions that took place. The event is part of the new campaign, ‘Grown in Britain’, aiming to promote and encourage innovation from agri-tech and sustainability, to creative industries, healthcare and life sciences. A number of events will take place around the world until 2020 to highlight the key challenges and opportunities in delivering a sustainable future. The ‘Grown in Britain: Global Business Programme’ began with the milestone of Expo Milano 2015, and will continue at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through to Expo 2020 Dubai.
Five year countdown to Expo 2020 Dubai begins Expo Milano 2015 celebrated UAE National Day as Italy prepared to bring its World Expo to a close. The occasion was particularly auspicious as the day is the start of a five year countdown to Expo 2020 Dubai. The ceremony was attended by members of the Expo 2020 Higher Committee, as well as many members of the local and federal government sector. At the event, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy – UAE Minister of State and Board Representative of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee and Director General, Bureau Dubai Expo 2020 – congratulated Milan on its successful hosting of the Expo and expressed gratitude for the opportunity given to showcase her nation to the world. Universally admired, the superbly designed UAE pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 has attracted over 1.1 million visitors, providing the nation with the opportunity to talk with an international audience.
Reflecting on the success of the UAE Pavilion, His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State, said: “It is a privilege to be present here today to commemorate the UAE Day as part of Expo Milano 2015, which will leave a tangible and valuable legacy through the theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Since the Great Exhibition of 1851, World Expos have encouraged big ideas, seeded solutions to the world’s toughest problems and propelled society forward. The UAE is extremely proud to be part of this crucial process in Italy and welcomes the opportunity to carrying it forward.” Commenting on the occasion Her Excellency Reem noted: “Exactly five years from today on October 20th, Expo 2020 Dubai will open its gates to the world. Coming at a time of our Nation’s Golden Jubilee – it is particularly meaningful to have been chosen as the first Nation in our Region to host a World Expo.
Today I would also like to pay a public tribute to the success of the volunteers at the UAE’s pavilion in Milan for their efforts in representing the human face of the Emirates and to thank them for all their dedication and hard work.” The next few months will see a number of developments at Expo 2020 with official registration in November 2015. When Expo 2020 Dubai opens in five years, it is expected to be the most international Expo in history, with 70% of the expected 25 million visits coming from abroad. HE Reem Al Hashimy pointed to the opportunity the UAE had, “to excite, encourage, enthuse and enthral millions of people from hundreds of countries not just in five years’ time, but in the years that follow Expo 2020 Dubai.”
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Employees in the UAE? What you need to know about compulsory health insurance New health care regulations introduced in 2014 by the Dubai Health Authority mean that employers need to ensure that health care cover for international workers across Dubai is up to scratch. Non-compliance could lead to your company trade license and the residency visa for your employees being denied. The Middle East has seen a recent boom in opportunities for the construction industry with significant investment in large scale developments across the region. In the UAE alone, there are currently over US$727B worth of projects planned or underway, up 9% compared to a year ago1. If you already have employees residing in the UAE, or are planning to send workers abroad, it is vital to ensure that you have the proper health care cover in place to protect your employees and their family’s health - and also ensure that, as an employer, you remain compliant with local regulations. As well as making health insurance mandatory across the region, the new rules require all new
policies whether group or individual issued on or after 1 January 2015, to comply with standards including minimum level of benefits This brings Dubai alongside Abu Dhabi in rolling out a compulsory employer-paid health insurance system and the penalties could be hefty. What do you need to do? Employers need to act now to, first of all, ensure all workers in the UAE have access to health care cover. If you already have a plan in place, it also makes sense to review your arrangements to ensure they meet the regulations and that you have the right cover, for the right people, in the right place.
How can Elect help? At Elect, we understand how important it is to have local knowledge to help employers manage the costs, risks and complexities of health care and other employee benefits. And as part of Mercer, we have a global network of benefit experts in more than 130 countries – including the UAE – helping employers of all sizes to deliver benefits that are compliant and also affordable. We have developed a ‘what you need to know’ guide to help you get up to speed on the new health care requirements. Download our guide here Get a free review of your benefits If you’re setting up cover for the first time, Elect offers an exclusive international private medical insurance plan through Aetna’s strategic partner in UAE. Aetna has over 50 years’ experience insuring employees living and working outside of their home countries. As well as being compliant, the plan is designed specifically with smaller businesses in mind and gives you access to first class, but affordable benefits. If you already have health care cover for your employees, we can review your plan for free to make sure you have the right cover in place no matter where your
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employees are based in the Middle East – and let us quote you to see if we can improve the cover and affordability of your benefits. As well as all of the features you’d expect from a quality plan we also offer: • Exclusive discounted rates • Emergency & routine medical care for your overseas employees • No deductions or penalties due to pre-existing conditions • Worldwide access to maternity services • Cover for all costs accrued through routine management of chronic health conditions, ensuring your employees well-being and health is maintained Contact us today to see what we can do for you.
Call 0800 0232 785 Request a free quote Visit our website: www.electemployeebenefits.co.uk Download our ‘what you need to know’ guide on UAE healthcare
Source: www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/xe/Documents/realestate/construction/gccpowersofconstruction/me_construction_gccpoc2014_sectoroverview.pdf
Business reforms pick up in Middle The pace of business regulatory reforms in the Middle East and North Africa has picked up during the past year, according to the World Bank Group’s annual ease of doing business measurement. Released in October, ‘Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency’ finds that 11 of the region’s 20 economies implemented a total of 21 reforms facilitating the ease of doing business. This is a significant increase compared to the annual average of 16 reforms during the past five years. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the region’s top ranked economy, with a global ranking of 31, while countries experiencing conflict and violence are amongst the world’s lowest ranked, 12
including Iraq (ranked 161), Libya (188), Syria (175) and Yemen (170). Rita Ramalho, Manager of the Doing Business project said: “Despite the turmoil in several economies in the Middle East and North Africa, the pace of business reforms activity in the region is encouraging. “There is a lot of room for improvement, however. The share of economies reforming in the region remains lower than the global average, and ‘Getting Credit’ is harder in the Middle East and North Africa than anywhere else, partly due to the absence of comprehensive credit bureaus that provide information relevant for assessing credit-worthiness.”
Morocco and the UAE continue to lead the region in reform activity as both economies undertook four reforms each during the past year. The UAE was the only economy in the region that reformed in the area of ‘Enforcing Contracts’. As a result, commercial disputes in the UAE are now resolved in 495 days, which is less than the average of 538 days in the high-income Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) economies. Both Saudi Arabia and Oman improved the most globally in the areas of ‘Registering Property’ and ‘Getting Electricity’, respectively. Saudi Arabia introduced a new computerized land registry system. It now takes an entrepreneur only six days to register property in Saudi Arabia, faster than in the Republic of Korea. Oman enhanced its
Construction begins on new base for the Royal Navy in Bahrain The Foreign Secretary has attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Bahrain to start the construction of a new Royal Navy facility. Mina Salman Port will play a central role in the Royal Navy’s ability to operate in the region, and reaffirms the UK’s determination to work with Bahrain to maintain security and stability in the Gulf. The facility will give the UK an enhanced and permanent presence in the region, allowing longer-term deployments in the Gulf. The Foreign Secretary was joined at the ceremony by Royal Navy personnel, who watched the first spades go into the ground against a backdrop of HMS Bangor, a minehunter, and RFA Cardigan Bay. Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “The beginning of construction work at Mina Salman Port marks a watershed moment in the UK’s commitment to the region. The presence of the Royal Navy in Bahrain is guaranteed into the future, ensuring Britain’s sustained presence east of Suez. The new facility will enable Britain to work with our allies to reinforce stability in the Gulf and beyond.”
e East and North Africa measurements and tracking of power outages, making it is easier to assess the reliability of the electrical grid and its effect on the productivity of firms. Economies in the region carried out the most reforms in the area of ‘Getting Electricity’ (four reforms), followed by ‘Starting a Business’ (three), ‘Dealing with Construction Permits’ (three) and ‘Trading Across Borders’ (three). Challenges, however, remain in a number of areas. For example, on ‘Starting a Business’, it costs an average of 26% of income per capita for local entrepreneurs to start their business, compared to three percent in the OECD. This year’s ‘Doing Business’ report completes a two year effort to expand benchmarks that
Commander Joint Forces Command, General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC, said: “This is a reflection of the continued cooperation and engagement between the Bahrain Defence Forces and the UK Armed Forces. We welcome the continued support from Bahrain which enables the Royal Navy to operate in the Gulf region.”
measure the quality of regulation, as well as the efficiency of the business regulatory framework, in order to better capture realities on the ground. On the five indicators that saw changes in this report – ‘Dealing with Construction Permits’, ‘Getting Electricity’, ‘Enforcing Contracts’, ‘Registering Property’ and ‘Trading Across Borders’ – Middle East and North Africa economies do not perform well. On ‘Getting Electricity’, for instance, the new dataset finds that several regional economies face either frequent outages or do not track them adequately. Ranks of other large economies in the region are Algeria (163), Egypt (131), Iran (118), Morocco (75), Qatar (68), Saudi Arabia (82) and Tunisia (74).
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