18 minute read
OBO TUNNEL SOLUTIONS
European tunnels are checked at the start of the holiday season each year. Many accidents and fires have led to the rethinking and modernising of most systems, while today’s demands – even for electrical infrastructure – are extremely high. OBO makes the passage safer.
Solutions are generally invisible, but provide a sense of security. Creating passive security
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Maintaining functionality in the event of an error
Maintaining a reliable power supply and data transfer
Satisfying all fire protection requirements
OVERVIEW OF OBO SYSTEMS Cable management - practical and easy to install, either individually or group-guided cables Connection and distribution - for the secure connecting of electrical cables with maximum IP protection Surge protection - to protect control and power centres from partial currents of atmospheric discharges Insulation of fire breaks - tested firefighting systems that prevent the spread of fire, smoke and heat
Considering the joint planning and design of various tunnel systems, experience has shown that every individual project has its own requirements and needs for technical equipment. At OBO, you can receive the right advice on appropriate materials that will not endanger the environment, the appropriate surface protection of materials that must withstand tunnel conditions and are suitable for rapid corrosion, control technology and safety etc. This is made possible thanks to a perfectly equipped test centre, where testing is conducted not only on our standard products, but also on products specific to certain projects.
Ensuring normal operations without problems is at the top of the system operator’s list of priorities for tunnels. To enable this, all components used must be made of materials that meet stringent requirements. OBO products used in tunnels are resistant to high humidity and pressure. Mounting times can be decisive when selecting equipment that will be installed in the tunnel, and OBO has set new standards in this field – drastically reducing installation time through a quick connection of the cable tray. OBO GR-Magic and RKSMagic fast-acting systems provide the ideal solution. They minimise the time required and thus contribute significantly to project completion within specified deadlines.
Whenever something happens in a tunnel, the safety of people inside is a priority. For example, if a fire breaks out, emergency lighting systems, immobilising systems and monitoring systems must function flawlessly. OBO can significantly contribute to personal safety and firefighting.
OBO functionality maintenance systems have been tested and approved according to the DIN 4102-12 standard, while the cable carrier system is specially developed to maintain functionality in classes E30 and E90.
Tunnel constructions have a dense network of energy and signal cables that traverse walls and ceilings. These design constraints must be specifically protected in the case of fire, in order to prevent flames, smoke and heat spreading via openings in walls. OBO insulation systems guarantee this.
OBO BETTERMANN d.o.o. Stara Pazova www.obo.rs
A Multidisciplinary Approach Is A GREAT ADVANTAGE
Over the course of the 15 years that it’s been operating in Serbia, Asmec Consultants has grown from an engineering consultancy company specialising in structural design and works supervision to become a respectable company that’s expanded its operations to Europe, Africa and America
All of our structures, whether residential and commercial buildings, hotels or factories, have the common qualities of being economical, secure and durable - says Asmec Consultants Director Olga Đurić Perić, adding that they complete all jobs on time and in a high-quality way.
Your portfolio encompasses many elements, from works supervision and project management, to expertise in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and public health. Does project design represent the foundation of everything?
Designing is the foundation for ensuring architects’ challenging ideas see the light of day. We do everything to respond to their ideas, from concept to preliminary and detailed design, via the harmonisation of designs with architectural ideas, to control of the execution of our design and project management. Asmec Consultants is a multidisciplinary engineering company that’s capable of designing various types of facilities, such as residential buildings, hotels, business centres, sporting facilities, factories, warehouses, bridges etc. We design structures in Serbia, Africa, Asia, America and across the whole of Europe, applying different norms and standards. Among our numerous positive references is the long-term cooperation that we have with many international clients. Moreover, for our designs we use the latest software that’s available on the market, including REVIT for BIM modelling.
You always strive to ensure the client is satisfied, whether you’re working with major international companies or small entrepreneurs. Do your successfully completed works represent your best reference, advertisement and recommendation?
Since it was founded, the goal of the company has been to design facilities that are economical, secure and durable. Expertise, assured quality and respect for deadlines are the best recommendations. We’ve worked as subcontractors for large international companies, but also for small entrepreneurs, leaving our clients satisfied with every job we’ve done, so we can state with pride that we receive positive feedback from our clients regarding the quality of our work and adherence to deadlines.
We strive to complete the work on time, in a high-quality way and in accordance with all project requirements. We’ve also transferred this ethic to our employees, who are educated, young Serbian engineers, which is why we believe we’re providing a good contribution to the Serbian market and construction industry. We invest in our engineers and encourage them to develop their skills and work on improving their ability to communicate and coordinate, in order to be as successful as possible in finding a common language with clients and architects.
We consider the fact that we have “everything in one place” as another important recommendation, because we are a multidisciplinary company that comprises civil, mechanical, electrical and telecommunications engineers, as well as environmental protection experts.
Belgrade is adorned with many new buildings, including tower blocks of 50+ metres, buildings constructed according to the world’s highest standards, innovative designs and innovative solutions. Even the sky isn’t the limit today?
Belgrade is developing, expanding and growing, in terms of both breadth and height, so the face of the city is changing constantly. Serbia as a whole has also changed and is now crisscrossed by new roads and railways. Though road and rail infrastructure is important, we believe its development should go hand in hand with improvements to social infrastructure that has a great impact on quality of life. It is for this very reason that Asmec Consultants is working on projects to improve energy efficiency at schools, libraries, clinics and health centres.
DANILO ĐUROVIĆ,GENERAL MANAGER, HERTZ SERBIA
Satisfied Customers Represent OUR PRIMARY GOAL
Hertz is a leader in car rental services worldwide, while it has also been the first choice in Serbia for more than a decade. Apart from its fleet of 2,000 vehicles, including everything from fuel-efficient urban cars to luxury sedans, Hertz also offers a wide range of services
Rapid changes within the automotive industry and social product growth per capita will, in the years ahead of us, serve to make car rental an ever more attractive option compared to traditional car ownership - believes Hertz Serbia General Manager Danilo Đurović.
What distinguishes Hertz Serbia from the competition so much?
As the franchisee of a company that’s been a leader of the vehicle rental industry for more than a century, we are obliged to respect the highest industry standards in all aspects of our operations. This enables us to keep pace with trends and also apply the best practices on our market. We have developed systems for monitoring customer satisfaction, which is the basic goal of our business activities and the key to our success.
Is it true that you are able to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding drivers?
We are extremely proud of our flexibility, thanks to which we are able to go out of our way to meet the needs of our clients, even when they have requirements that extend beyond the standard products of daily, monthly, annual or multi-year vehicle rental services. Our basic mission is to have satisfied clients, which is why we constantly listen to their needs and respond to them in the right way.
Interest in operational leasing is growing in developed countries. How is it progressing in our country?
This concept is still in its infancy in our country, and there is great potential for development. The percentage of vehicles acquired through operational leasing, as a proportion of total sales of new vehicles in Serbia annually, is estimated at no more than 20%, while we believe this percentage should Our basic mission is to have satisfied clients, which is why we constantly listen to their needs and respond to them in the right way
be much higher. The right market ambience exists, because, apart from ourselves, there are also several other established companies providing this type of service, so we - as an industry - are doing everything in our power to promote this type of product and familiarise a greater number of clients with it.
We lack institutional support in promoting this type of product, through the establishing of tax incentives, the setting up of legal regulations and legal protections, and the organising of associations. External factors, such as rapid changes in the automotive industry and GDP growth per capita, will, in and of themselves, render car rental a more attractive option than traditional vehicle ownership.
Does our market have any unique characteristics? Which cars do our drivers prefer and which services are in the highest demand in our country?
When it comes to short-term vehicle rental, better known as rent-a-car services, our market is characterised by business users and expatriates, while the share of foreign tourists in total rents lags far behind these two categories. When it comes to operational leasing, it is currently dominated entirely by businesses, on the whole foreign companies and larger domestic firms.
When it comes to vehicle type, the specific characteristics of our market are that sedans remain very popular, while diesel remains the preferred fuel type. Given the general automotive industry trend that sees sedans increasingly replaced by SUVs and crossovers, while ever more manufacturers are announcing and/or implementing the complete withdrawal of diesel options, we also expect shifts in this direction on our market.
VUKAJLO LAINOVIĆ, GENERAL MANAGER OF INDUSTRIAL PARK BELGRADE LTD AND STEVAN ROGIĆ, GENERAL MANAGER OF INDUSTRIAL PARK BELGRADE LTD Good Results Are The
BEST RECOMMENDATION
Industrial Park Belgrade Ltd (IPB) deals with the development and construction of modern logistics centres, project design etc. It is currently focused on completion of the sixth storage facility in Industrial zone 5.1 and identifying clients for facility number seven, which will be constructed by year’s end
IPB secures construction complexes for its clients that satisfy all international standards in terms of legal regulations, transport and utilities infrastructure, but also energy efficiency.
Do you build new facilities for tenants that are known in advance and have defined requirements, or do you construct them in such a way that they can be combined, merged and adapted to suit the wishes and needs of clients? Does this enable IPB to serve even the most demanding logistical requirements?
IPB can serve even the most demanding logistical requirements, because it approaches the development of new business-storage facilities in a flexible way, which includes both of the options that you mentioned. Depending on specific circumstances or needs, IPB can develop facilities for tenants that are known in advance according to their requirements and specifications, but can also build facilities that can later be partitioned, combined or merged following the identifying of a tenant. The goal is to always go out of our way to meet the needs and interests of potential clients, i.e., to realise mutually beneficial cooperation in the most optimal way.
What are the advantages of the storage facilities that you build, apart from their perfect location?
Apart from strategic positioning immediately alongside Highway E70, which ensures perfect transport connectivity, IPB secures construction complexes for its clients that satisfy all international standards in terms of legal regulations, transport and utilities infrastructure, but also energy efficiency (FM Global sprinkler system, heating and cooling system).
We provide a manned reception, video surveillance and ample parking for passenger cars, haulage vehicles and trucks. IPB’s property management team is also able to provide facility management, maintenance and security services.
You complete all projects within planned budgets and deadlines, without a single day’s delay. Is this one of the best recommendations for your work? Which companies have so far placed their trust in you? Apart from adhering to deadlines and planned budgets, the best recommendation for our work is organisational flexibility, which enables us to achieve optimal results in the most efficient way, or to react on time to potential unforeseen circumstances, needs to reorganise space and similar requirements. One important factor is expediency in obtaining all permits and other necessary construction documentation, which provides our clients with a sense of security.
We leased the first five business-storage facilities that we constructed to the company Milšped, and Slovenian company T.L. Sirk placed its trust in us by leasing of our latest, sixth facility to be completed. We are currently in the process of finding clients for facility number seven, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
When it comes to the construction of such facilities, the companies that have placed their trust in us includes the likes of Gradina, Yugometal, Euromont, Elmont Profil, Instalteh, Vlado Baumaschinen, Stobex, Procon, Transkop, BSN Energy, Prota Invest, Girt Pro and Frimex, as well as many other leading companies and entrepreneurs from the field of construction.
No Longer Lagging BEHIND THE WORLD
Thanks to huge investments in infrastructure, Serbia is today reminiscent of Europe’s most developed countries. We have new highways, trains that run at speeds of up 200 kilometres per hour, a high-speed railway, the expansion of housing construction, the latest business facilities and a completely different and much improved quality of life, but also economic growth that’s proving unstoppable
A TOTAL OF 36 DEPARTURES BETWEEN BELGRADE AND NOVI SAD
Two more pairs of “Soko” passenger transport trains were added to transport flows along the highspeed railway between Belgrade and Novi Sad as of Wednesday, 30th March. Accordingly, the “Regio Express” Soko trains are set to depart from the “Belgrade Centre” railway station bound for Novi Sad at 8.03am and 12.03pm, with the return journeys scheduled to set off from Novi Sad at 10.07am and 2.07pm. This means that there are now 18 daily departures in each direction along the high-speed railway between Belgrade and Novi Sad, or a total of 36 departures every day.
During the promotional period, which runs until 30th April, tickets for “Regio Express” trains are priced at 300 dinars for a one-way journey and 600 dinars for a return trip.
€885 MILLION FOR UPDATING INFRASTRUCTURE
Serbia will have 885 million euros at its disposal over the next decade to advance infrastructure. Over a third of this total (€300 million) is in the form of grants from the European Union (300 million) and just over half (€450 million) is in the form of loans from international financial institutions, with the remainder to be financed directly from the national budget.
One of the key roles in this area belongs to the Western Balkan Investment Framework, a financial platform that was launched in 2009 by the European Union to finance projects in this region.
A new Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans was presented in Brussels recently and will be used over the next decade to fund priority projects related to sustainable transport, clean energy, the environment and climate, the digital future and human capital.
SUNKEN GERMAN FLEET TO FINALLY BE RECOVERED FROM THE DANUBE
Following two and a half years of work on project preparation and the drafting of technical and tender documentation, we are now entering the final phase of implementation of the project ‘Removal of the Sunken German World War II Fleet From the Danube’.
“The Government of Serbia decided that, following many decades of neglecting transport and port infrastructure on the Danube, it would launch investments aimed at accelerating the development of water transport and water corridors via investments in ports, navigational safety and the regulating of our rivers to make them navigable 365 days a year,” said Serbian Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tomislav Momirović.
He noted that this project includes demining works and the removal of 21 sunken ships that narrow the width of the navigable route of the Danube from the prescribed 180 metres to just 90 metres. These ships, which were sunk prior to the end of World War II, are located downstream of hydroelectric power station Đerdap 2 [Iron Gate II].
These works are valued at an estimated 29 million euros and the required funds have been secured from a European Investment Bank loan and a WBIF fund grant.
Architecture and construction have always been areas where creativity is expressed and boundaries pushed, where new technologies and achievements of the modern world are applied. Given that innovation is the norm and standard of this branch of the economy, and not merely an expectation and possibility, it’s no surprise that it brings us new trends every year, including this one, and the five that we present here are set to dominate the world in 2022.
SMALL HOUSES
Since the pandemic forced us to more deeply examine our priorities, interest has been growing in small houses that are economical and more environmentally acceptable. What began as a cute little trend is now transforming into a permanent option, because small houses undoubtedly save us both space and money, while being more environmentally acceptable.
PREFABRICATED ARCHITECTURE
Creating entire buildings or different components in a location that is more suitable for construction, then transporting them to their final location for installation, is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Prefabricated solutions reduce costs, guarantee sustainability, save time and ensure simplicity and modularity.
DIY SYSTEM
When the limitations of the pandemic prompted masses of people to begin considering how good it would be to build their own house or summer home, to live under a roof that they built themselves, between walls that they personal erected,
FIVE ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION TRENDS
the construction industry responded by launching the production of DIY elements. They come packaged and complete with step-by-step assembly instructions.
SUSTAINABILITY
Contemporary architecture and construction strive to integrate our homes with the planet as much as possible, instead of drawing on the planet’s resources and thus shortening its lifespan. The aim is to construct sustainable homes that reduce CO2 emissions and encourage a clean lifestyle. 3D PRINTED ARCHITECTURE
Creating construction elements with a 3D printer is a simple, efficient and innovative technique that reduces the risk of errors and saves time, as it eliminates many monotonous steps and simplifies the construction process as a whole.
PRICES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ALSO SET TO RISE NEXT YEAR
“As soon as the construction industry restarted, which is the driver of all industry worldwide, prices of oil, transportation, raw materials and semi-finished goods also started to rise, which is why the prices of certain construction materials have increased by anywhere from 30 to 100 per cent, with a tendency to continue rising to a lesser extent next year,” according to the assessment of Goran Rodić, vice president of the Chamber of the Construction Industry of Serbia.
He considers us a small country where inflationary fluctuations are present, which is why he thinks that this is the right time for people who have money to invest in real estate and thus secure their money.
“Prices around the world depend on intermediate goods, or oil and gas prices, which are indicators of movements of the economy and have the greatest impact on overall rises in prices, leading to investors in large countries not earning upwards of 1,000 euros per square metre, but rather seven to ten per cent, in order to cover their costs and “turn around” the money, while it is interesting that in some locations in our country the returns are enormous,” notes Rodić.
Source: Biznis.rs
The World Urban Forum, which is to be held in Poland this June, prompted the organising of the National Urban Forum in Belgrade, which will be held on 11th and 12th April and will bring together a large number of participants from the public and private sectors, the academic community, scientific and research institutions, civil society, the business world and international institutions, while it will also host participants from abroad.
The aim of the forum is to assess and analyse key topics and activities related to the field of urban development, as well as other policies included in the scope of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure that have synergies with urban development policy: National Housing Strategy, Long-Term Strategy for Mobilising Investments in the Renovation of the National Building Stock (energy efficiency) and National Architecture Strategy.
The National Forum is being organised by the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities – the Alliance of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia and UN-Habitat.
