BPME SHINES A LIGHT ON ONE OF THE LARGEST TRANSPORT PROGRAMMES IN THE WORLD − THE 70KM LONG UNDERGROUND BIG CIRCLE LINE
The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi has introduced the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) planning programme; Arada invests in sustainable water treatment
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A wrap-up of the biggest international construction news stories for the month
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JLL revealed that hospitality is one of the strongest pillars of the UAE economy
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CBRE’s Taimur Khan has found that properties close to Dubai Metro stations can outperform the wider real estate market
Big Project ME goes behind the scenes of one of the largest and most ambitious transport programmes in the world
- The Moscow Big Circle Line
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Al Shindagha Museum
Big Project ME speaks to ACCIONA Cultura ME’s Daniel Orti about his firm’s work on the delivery and exhibition content of the recently opened Al Shindagha Museum
36 Comment
Government policymakers, city planners, regulators and innovators can access new digital tools to help develop the region’s infrastructure says Orange Business’ Sahem Azzam
38 Comment
Heriot Watt University’s Professor Mutasim Nour sheds light on how the built environment can step up its focus on energy decarbonisation
Akar Technical Services has successfully concluded landscaping works at Port de La Mer in Dubai
The great news is that the solar industry has a fully-fledged roadmap in place that is expected to see solar costs halve by 2030, while the development of higher-efficiency panels based on tandem silicon cells technology could generate 1.5x more power than existing similarly sized panels.
It’s been an enlightening month for me, as the BPME team and I have been hard at work immersing ourselves in all things sustainability and energy, so we can put on an insightful second edition of the Energy & Sustainability Summit at the Habtoor Grand Resort in JBR, Dubai on 23 May.
I’ve been writing about construction including the rollout of energy projects and infrastructure for the last six and a half years, and it’s been great tracking the evolution of renewables - specifically solar. When I first began reading, and writing, about solar energy and solar projects a little over six years ago, it was apparent the cost of solar energy was a challenge, and that projects were on a small scale, and highly dependent on subsidies.
Since those earlier days, the cost of utilityscale solar PV has dropped dramatically – a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency in 2019 revealed the cost in USD per kW had dropped by 66% in 2018 in the United States compared to 2010, whereas in Asian countries such as India, the cost had fallen by 84% in 2018. The report highlighted several other countries around the world with similar lower cost trends of solar PV.
This roadmap, along with the growing global push to decarbonise industries and sectors, has meant that the last few years has seen hundreds of solar projects announced and/or begin commercial operations. On that score, the Middle East - as a whole - can truly hold its head high, as it has become the home of some of the largest solar facilities in the world.
In February this year, Saudi Arabia announced it had begun construction of a 2,060MW solar facility in Al Shuaibah, Mecca, while, closer to BPME’s home base in Dubai, work continues in earnest on the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park. Several phases of the massive solar facility have already been complete and, once fully realised through US $13.6bn in investments, the park will generate 5,000MW of clean energy by 2030.
While the world as a whole still has an uphill battle to decarbonise to stave off catastrophic climate change, it’s important to recognise the positive progress, and the projects, that are helping to secure our future. See you on 23 May.
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FOUNDER Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015)
TECHNOLOGY
Omnix to distribute structural detailing software across the GCC
ANALYSIS: Saudi Arabia is ‘single biggest hospitality opportunity’
INDUSTRY
Diyar Al Muharraq begins third phase of its internship programme
PROPERTY
Benoy unveils designs for Konoz in Riyadh
EXPERTS: Enabling the airports of tomorrow with digital twins
CONSTRUCTION
Azizi’s Park Avenue II set for Q2 completion
EXPERTS: Think globally, act locally: Delivering projects across borders
INDUSTRY
Sobha Realty announces new Co-Chairman
Are Architects becoming replaceable? The growth of Smart, AI-led software is putting design in everyone’s hands.
ENERGY
Lhyfe announces start of construction of green hydrogen facility
The plant will be located in the Triangle business park in Bessières, 40km from Toulouse
CONSTRUCTION
NBK reveals project awards in Q1 2023 in Kuwait reached $1.71bn
The acceleration was mainly due to projects in the power and water sectors, a report by NBK revealed
CONSTRUCTION
Arada announces handover of 114 homes in Aljada
The developer says that over 5,500 homes have now been completed within the megaproject
MACHINERY
Construction equipment rentals set to exceed $225bn
Innovation and growth in construction methodologies are pushing need for high-end, AI-led equipment
PROPERTY
Sobha Realty launches ‘Sobha Reserve’ in Dubailand
INFRASTRUCTURE
Saudi’s NCP approves 200 projects under PPP model
CONSTRUCTION
Kuwait Arab Contractors wins $367mn contract for infrastructure services
INFRASTRUCTURE
PROPERTY
Knight
The company said the deal is a significant milestone for the UAE’s real estate market
RTA begins second phase of Smart Pedestrian Signals project
INFRASTRUCTURE
SEWA issues RFP for Hamriyah water project
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has introduced the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) planning programme to facilitate the evaluation of environmental impacts caused by projects across several sectors. The programme was launched in alignment with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and is expected to help guide the investigation of alternatives and potential mitigation and monitoring efforts associated with the implementation of strategic projects, plans, and development programmes. It will also ensure sustainable development and look to promote a healthy and resilient environment for future generations, and support meeting the national strategic target of NetZero by 2050.
The Agency launched SEA in accordance with Law 24, 1999, which
stipulates the EAD has the right to request an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for projects or facilities - the SEA planning programme is a form of impact assessment study. The SEA decree signed by the Board of Directors in 2022 provides EAD with the authority to request an SEA not just for projects and facilities but also for master plans, development programmes and strategies implementation.
“We are very pleased about our introduction of the Strategic Environmental Assessment programme as it ensures that environmental considerations are taken into account during the initial design phase of projects, plans and programmes and not just economic and social factors,” explained Faisal Al Hammadi, Executive Director of Environmental Quality Sector at EAD.
He continued, “It is based on the study of alternatives, to find the best possible
The SEA planning programme aims to ensures environmental considerations are taken into account during the initial design phase of projects, plans and programmes
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
alternative that will maintain the balance between environmental protection and economic and social development. This is vital in an emirate as progressive as Abu Dhabi, that is always growing and prospering and a hub of several largescale projects and programmes. Through these assessments, we will be able to ensure that all projects have factored in the importance of the environment, without hindering the successful growth of Abu Dhabi, while providing a healthy environment for all its residents. It also helps offset negative environmental effects such as greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate”.
The SEA aims to call for in-depth environmental assessments for all strategic projects, plans and programmes across sectors including but not limited to: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy and desalination, industry, the extraction and exploitation of natural resources. This is in addition to: mining, transport, infrastructure, waste management, water management, telecommunications, tourism, town and country planning, or land use planning.
“The assessment allows for the study of alternative project designs and implementation approaches. This in turn, guides the development of proper mitigation measures and environmental management plans that will prevent or reduce any associated environmental impacts. It is a proactive approach that focuses on elimination and protection instead of just rehabilitation. The SEA applies to all sectors that are in charge of developing master plans, strategic projects and development programmes, therefore it mainly applies to government and semi-government entities, but it may also apply to other key strategic projects,” added Al Hammadi.
As part of the EAD-managed process, an Environmental Management Framework has been developed to guide clients on the steps forward, the organisation said. The framework defines project objectives, identifies roles and responsibilities, ensures that training programmes are in place, and sets the requirement for environmental monitoring and audit. After the assessment is complete, clients need to start implementation of the environmental management framework
to ensure successful implementation of SEA recommendations, it elaborated.
The benefits of an SEA report are said to include: the prevention, reduction and offsetting of negative environmental effects such as air pollution, land contamination or climate change, among others. It avoids impacts to critical and environmentally sensitive habitats, and declared or proposed protected areas, through advanced and proactive land use planning that ensures protection of these ecologically significant areas, in accordance with EAD’s habitat classification and protection guidelines.
In addition, the report will provide early warnings of potential cumulative impacts and enables access to a wide range of alternatives to minimise the cumulative environmental impacts of projects, plans or programmes. It also ensures wide consultation and engagement with the concerned government authorities at an early and effective stage. Finally, SEA ensures that the significant environmental effects of implementation are monitored, which enables the early-stage identification of unforeseen adverse effects, allowing appropriate remedial action to be taken, where necessary, the organisation stated.
During the development of the SEA programme an extensive benchmarking study was conducted involving many countries and organisations both in the
region and globally, including the UK, Hong Kong, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Lebanon, the EAD noted. The SEA is a structured and proactive multi-phase process. These include: a screening phase to determine if an SEA is required; a scoping phase to define the SEA report’s scope of work; a phase for stakeholder engagement, and an assessment and preparation phase. This includes an assessment of impacts, a study of alternatives, and the setting of mitigation measures and review of the SEA by EAD. This is followed by the decision-making phase, which will result in the acceptance or rejection of the proposed project, plan or programme based on the SEA’s outcomes, and finally the monitoring phase of SEA recommendations and their efficiency in protecting the environment.
A detailed training programme has been developed to ensure that the regulated community is aware of EAD’s requirements. The training will be delivered in a series of workshops, with the training material and recorder training video available online. Moreover, EAD will be providing training to Environmental Consultancy Offices (ECOs) and amending their ECO registration requirements to ensure that the consultancies are capable of successfully conducting a SEA report.
The planning programme aims to support meeting the national strategic target of Net Zero by 2050Key assessment The SEA aims to call for in-depth environmental assessments for all strategic projects, plans and programmes. Environment first An Environmental Management Framework has been developed to guide clients on the steps forward. MIDDLE EAST
With the goal of bringing a new form of sustainable water treatment to the UAE and wider Middle East, developer Arada said it is investing in a major new research and development (R&D) facility in Sharjah.
The developer said it has inked a joint venture agreement with Hungarian water tech firm Biopolus, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) and Metito. The deal will enable the development and implementation of upgraded versions of the existing Biopolus technology, allowing it to be patented, tested and integrated within projects in Sharjah, a statement from Arada said.
“With COP28 being held in the UAE later this year, we believe it’s important that private-sector companies commit to supporting the government by introducing greener and more sustainable technologies and processes wherever possible. This partnership is in line with one of Arada’s key goals: to be a leader in the field of sustainable development. Trees and green landscaping play a central role in all of Arada’s communities, and it’s vital that these areas can be nourished in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner,” said Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada.
According to the developer, the R&D facility is designed to be a living,
learning laboratory that can serve as an inspiring and innovative space for students and researchers to study ecological engineering and circular economy principles in a practical and hands-on manner. The long-term goal for the facility will be to create an improved ‘Biopolus 2.0’ version of the technology, while also turning Sharjah into a global hub for the process.
The agreement will also result in the construction and operation of a water treatment plant that will treat, recycle and produce treated water to use for the irrigation of landscapes in both Aljada and SRTIP. The plant will use the Biopolus Metabolic Network Reactor (MNR) technology, a biological engineering process that mimics natural processes by using artificial root structures containing microbial biofilms to clean water rapidly, efficiently, sustainably and without the use of chemicals, the firm explained.
HE Hussein Al Mahmoudi, CEO of Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park remarked, “Effective water reuse is of primary importance,
The agreement will see the introduction of an environmentally friendly biological engineering process that can help resolve regional water scarcity
2024 Construction on the first phase of the Sharjah plant is currently underway, and is scheduled to be completed in April 2024
especially in a part of the world where water scarcity is such a critical issue. We are delighted that Sharjah will now become a global hub for technology that has huge potential to conserve this precious resource. We’d like to welcome Biopolus to the UAE, and to thank our valuable partners at Arada and Metito for their role in this critical partnership.”
The modular, flexible and odourfree nature of the Biopolus technology means that each plant can be placed directly in any urban environment, and can be designed in an attractive manner that blends in with its surroundings. As a result, the first plant in the Middle East is based on a 9,900sqm plot on the boundary between SRTIP and the Aljada megaproject in Sharjah. Known as a BioMakery, the state-of-the-art Sharjah plant is characterised by its unique architecture and green and leafy exterior, the statement outlined.
Fady Juez, Managing Director of Metito added, “Our founding principles are impact, sustainability and innovation
and with this partnership we are aligning with our core commitments to the communities we serve. We look forward to bringing our high value engineering capabilities, our global experience and local presence and know-how to this mix of synergistic partners. We see huge potential for this technology and its applications, not just for Sharjah but for the entire region. We must collaborate in advancing water solutions to meet the growing demands and the global supply challenges and this project takes us a step closer to creating a positive, lasting impact to our ecosystem”.
Construction on the first phase of the Sharjah plant is currently underway, and is scheduled to be completed in April 2024, with US engineering firm Jacobs serving as lead consultant. The first phase will have the capacity to recycle 5,500cu/m of water a day, with two further phases providing the capacity to recycle 16,500cu/m a day. Further plants are also planned to serve Arada’s other projects, the developer stated.
Istvan Kenyeres, Founder and CTO of Biopolus commented, “As a biotechnologist and ecological engineer I have learnt how to design thriving and beautiful living systems to recycle our precious water, combining nature’s forces and human intelligence. The new facilities that we are building in Sharjah will not just demonstrate the full potential of this technology in a challenging climate but provide more: it will create the infrastructure and the partnership ecosystem for a significant impact on a global scale. We are also excited to work with our partners in the UAE to test new and exemplary ways of water-based urban circularity technologies and solutions.”
Over the long term, Arada and its partners hope to integrate a number of other processes into the Sharjah plant, including recycling, community functions and energy recovery technologies, helping it to become a local hub for the urban circular economy.
The first phase of the plant will have the capacity to recycle 5,500cu/m of water a day
UNITED STATES
Cupix has added its CupixWorks solution to Bentley’s ‘powered by iTwin programme’. CupixWorks is a 3D digital twin platform that enables decision-making and collaboration through all stages of a building’s life cycle, the firm said.
It also enables project managers, general contractors, architects, and owners to remotely view, track and manage on-site progress via 3D spatial contexts and life-like 3D navigation.
By leveraging Bentley’s iTwin Platform, CupixWorks can synchronise and visualise 3D, 360° capture data and use geo-referencing to place the capture in the site’s physical location.
Projects worth US $403mn have been approved by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in its member countries including Egypt, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to help boost their infrastructure. One of the key projects given the greenlight was $344.5mn in financing for Phase I of the Electric Express Train Project in Egypt.
The project is being implemented to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, by developing a 660km sustainable, green, and climate-resilient electric express railway system.
02
FRANCE
Construction on the Lhyfe Occitanie green hydrogen production facility in Bessières, France has begun. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2023 and is said to be one of the enablers of the Occitanie region for achieving the goals of its Occitanie H2 Corridor project, which aims to decarbonise goods and passenger transport.
The facility will be located in the Triangle business park in Bessières, 40km from Toulouse, on 8,000sqm of land. Construction has just begun and commissioning is due to take place in December 2023.
According to a new report from audit and advisory services group KPMG, infrastructure is a vital component in Kuwait’s Vision 2035 agenda; the country is said to have a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects, and the emphasis is likely to remain on this sector – so vital for supporting other activities – for the foreseeable future.
Current pipe-lined infrastructure projects have an estimated value of $27.6bn in the bidding stage, which is setting a tone of optimism for the sector, explained KPMG in the report titled ‘The Kuwait Perspective.’
05
SAUDI ARABIAA collective fine of US $37.32mn has been imposed on 14 cement companies in the Kingdom by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Competition (GAC). The antitrust authority imposed a $2.66mn fine on each of the cement firms for manipulating cement prices for their own benefit, infringing Article 4 of the Competition Law.
The law prohibits practices, agreements, or contracts among competing firms that lead to controlling the prices of goods and services intended for sale by increasing or decreasing them to harm the market, the authority explained.
Developer Diyar Al Muharraq has begun registration for the third edition of its internship programme, Tumouh. The developer said registrations for this edition will be open until 13 May.
Four graduates will be qualified for the Tumouh programme which runs from July to December.
Billed as a major youth-oriented programme, Tumouh aims to provide career training opportunities for Bahraini graduates with degrees in civil and electrical engineering, architecture and real estate development.
A MoU to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector has been signed by QatarEnergy and the Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Republic of Namibia.
The MoU paves the way for continued cooperation on knowledge sharing, workforce development and exploring further investment in Namibia.
The agreement was signed by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Tom Alweendo, Minister of Mines & Energy of the Republic of Namibia in a special signing ceremony held at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha.
The Abu Dhabi Executive Council has approved the disbursement of housing benefits to 1,800 Emirati citizens in the UAE capital.
The housing benefits include the exemption of low-income retirees and families of deceased mortgagors from loan repayments; the benefits will apply across a number of regions, including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
Loans for housing include the following categories of work: construction, demolition and reconstruction, as well as maintenance and expansion.
The financial close on three solar PV projects in Uzbekistan has been announced by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar). The firm said the combined 900MW project is the largest solar development programme in the region, and noted that work at Sherabad, Samarkand and Jizzakh will begin imminently.
Masdar also said it signed an agreement during COP27 to join IRENEA’s Energy Transition Accelerator Financing (ETAF) platform, with the intention of potentially deploying up to US $200mn equity investment on renewable energy projects.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Fueled by a steady influx of tourists from three top source markets, namely, India, Russia, and Oman, the UAE’s hospitality sector witnessed a strong growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2023, JLL’s recent UAE Real Estate Market Overview Report explained.
Dubai welcomed around 3.1m tourists in the first two months of 2023, which represents a 42% increase as compared to the same period last year. The rise in inbound tourism also benefited the lower and mid-tier hospitality segments, which saw
gains between seven to eight basis points (bps) in occupancy and RevPAR (revenue per available room) of 15% for the first two months of the year. Moreover, Dubai and Abu Dhabi hosting events such as Gulf Food and IDEX further aided operators in delivering a formidable performance.
“While all sectors continued to build on the performance of 2022, the year’s wellplanned calendar of events coupled with the continuous increase in tourist numbers, have firmly placed the hospitality sector on a growth track, reaffirming its position as one of the strongest pillars supporting
In a recent report, JLL’s Faraz Ahmed highlighted hospitality as being one of the strongest pillars of economic acceleration for the UAE
the UAE’s economic acceleration. However, macroeconomic volatilities continue to influence global travel trends, making it critical for operators to employ effective revenue management strategies to boost topline revenues, particularly those in the luxury segment,” remarked Faraz Ahmed, Associate, Research at JLL MENA.
Dubai’s hotel stock climbed to 150,000 keys with the delivery of around 2,000 keys. Moreover, propelled by increased demand, around 8,000 keys are expected to be delivered in the year. In comparison, Abu Dhabi’s hotel supply completions were limited, with around 200 keys added to the existing inventory, bringing the total stock to 32,500 keys. The capital’s future supply pipeline for the year remains modest at around 200 keys, the report outlined.
Within the retail sector, around 34,000sqm of space was added in Dubai, in the form of community retail developments, raising the total stock to around 4.7m sqm in the
first quarter. Over the same period, Abu Dhabi saw the delivery of a super-regional and community retail development totaling 212,000sqm of retail GLA (Gross Leasable Area), which subsequently pushed the capital’s total stock to 3.11m sqm. In the forthcoming months, around 213,000sqm of retail space is scheduled to be delivered in both emirates combined, of which, approximately 194,000sqm is projected for Dubai and 19,000sqm for the capital.
In Dubai, well-located primary malls outperformed the overall market in Q1 2023, with average rents increasing by 1% year-on-year, while city-wide average rents for primary and secondary malls decreased by 1% year-on-year.
Some key developments within the sector included landlords tightening lease terms with tenants, moving away from previous revenue share models, and offering little CAPEX (capital expenditure) support unless in highly exceptional cases. On the other hand, malls with near-full occupancy are restructuring spaces to accommodate
more tenants and generate additional revenue. Some are also dividing large anchor stores, as well as utilising other common areas to lease out additional space.
Average rents in Abu Dhabi remained stable in annual terms in the first three months of 2023. In comparison to Dubai, landlords in the capital continued to showcase flexibility, offering incentives to attract and retain tenants. Depending upon the brand, property managers are also able to negotiate offers on revenuebased deals and extended fit-out periods.
In the residential sector, off-plan sales began to recover in Q3 2022 in Dubai, propelled by new launches late last year. The trend has continued for the third consecutive quarter, with off-plan transactions outperforming existing properties in terms of value and volume, accounting for 56% of total value and 59% of total volume. This seems to strongly indicates that both
Average rents in Abu Dhabi remained stable in annual terms in the first three months of 2023. In comparison to Dubai, landlords in the capital continued to showcase flexibility, offering incentives to attract and retain tenants”
developer and investor confidence has returned to the off-plan property market.
Similarly in Abu Dhabi, off-plan transactions have led the market since the second half of 2022, supported by a number of new project launches. According to data from Quanta, off-plan property transactions accounted for around 74% of the value of total residential sales. With residents preferring to relocate to developments offering modern amenities on the new islands, pressure on the prices of outdated projects on the main island continues to build. As a result, average city-wide sale prices and rental rates increased modestly by 1% each.
When viewed in annual terms, rents in Dubai increased by 28% in February 2023 with demand for large units, especially villas, continuing to push up rentals. Furthermore, in Q1 2023, a 52% increase in value and 50% in volume of residential sales activity compared to the same quarter last year have impacted sales prices, demonstrating a 12% Y-o-Y increase from 2022.
Residential supplies in Dubai rose by 9,800 units in the first quarter, raising the total
stock to 690,000 units with an additional 32,000 units scheduled to be delivered in the year ahead. In the capital, around 1,800 units were added, bringing the total residential stock to 281,000 units. In terms of upcoming supply, Abu Dhabi has an additional 4,000 units in the pipeline for 2023.
In a move to encourage employees to return to the office in the UAE, as well as attract and retain the best talent, corporates are increasingly looking to upgrade their real estate assets with a subsequent focus on sustainability and wellness. In addition, significant growth in enquiries from new market entrants and strong demand for flexible offices were also recorded in the first quarter of 2023.
Building upon the strong momentum of last year, the segment continued to perform well on the back of robust demand for high-quality Grade A spaces that can provide a healthy, vibrant, and experiencedriven environment. As a result, in the first three months of the year, average Grade A
rents in Dubai’s CBD rose by 16% year-onyear (Y-o-Y) to $583 per sqm per annum. Likewise in Abu Dhabi, a combination of high demand and limited stock for quality space pushed Grade A rents up by 9% Y-o-Y to an average of $490 per sqm per annum.
In addition, resolute demand has led to the fast absorption of available space within the central business district (CBD) in Dubai, resulting in a drop in average vacancy to 11%, while city-wide vacancies in the capital reached 23%.
The report further highlights that occupiers looking for high-quality office space are expected to face continued competition in the coming quarters, with landlords less likely to negotiate rates and CAPEX contributions.
With no noteworthy office completions across both cities in Q1 2023, the stocks remained stable at 9.1m sqm in Dubai and 3.9m sqm in Abu Dhabi. However, over the next three quarters, approximately 100,000sqm of office space is scheduled to be delivered in Dubai and 35,000sqm in the capital.
While all sectors continued to build on the performance of 2022, the year’s well-planned calendar of events coupled with the continuous increase in tourist numbers, have firmly placed the hospitality sector on a growth track”DUBAI OFFICE SUPPLY ABU DHABI OFFICE SUPPLY
the year’s well-planned calendar of events coupled with the continuous increase in tourist numbers, have
placed the hospitality sector on a growth track,
Cultural infrastructure (CI) is the physical and institutional elements that support the propagation and preservation of culture. This includes museums, libraries, public spaces and cultural districts; along with educational institutions, research centres besides policies, regulations, and funding mechanisms that support the arts and culture sector.
CI is rooted in two-core principles: empowering people to partake in development that recuperates their lives; achieving the value-chain of cultural expressions, requires access to opportunities for cultural exchange and support for the preservation of cultural heritage.
The cultural curve in placemaking has been growing since the 1980s. However, the study of culture is a fairly new entrant in the dictionary of development. Surprising right? Failing spaces around the world have created awareness around cultural aspects that should have been considered during initial development phases. Cities learnt that by overlooking the cultural dimensions of a community, spaces don’t resonate with their resident’s social cohesion, and an inclusive and equitable environment approach that promotes community identity and a sense of belonging is required.
The growing global role of culture is exemplified in the UAE. Increasing emphasis on bottomup and participatory approaches to placemaking is witnessed; this led to collaborative initiatives that address both soft power initiatives through cultural relations, as well as those focused on placemaking transformation. Accordingly, communities participate in the design and use of public spaces, fostering a sense of place-based identity and belonging.
The UAE has emerged as a significant CI player, showing focus on studying the complex and subtle ways in which culture influences a city’s development. The UAE has invested in many cultural initiatives that reflect its commitment to preserving and promoting CI. These include “Hala China” and the “Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Centre for Cultural and Social Understanding” initiatives, as well as the “Zayed National Museum” and the “Abrahamic Family House” in Abu Dhabi. Other examples are the country’s Heritage Villages, experiential centres and museums.
The UAE has an unusual
proportion of expatriates, makingup over 80% of the population. The expat community brings a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, which can enrich the cultural landscape of the UAE. Yet, this entails that the management of CI must account for the everchanging needs and interests of this diverse population.
The arrival of large groups from a country can lead to increased demand for cultural programming that reflects their interests.
Enrichment of cultural diversity is probably the most exciting thing about this, whereby the community is inspired to explore new cultural traditions and perspectives.
The UAE demonstrates remarkable adaptivity, creating initiatives such as the implementation of multi-lingual signage tailored to the cultural concentration of the expat community of the area, and others such as introducing innovation hubs in the capital to attract cultural talents and feed the integration of new cultures. These adjustments show commitment to inclusivity and sensitivity to the diverse needs of the population.
UAE expats are fusion humans born from the amazing exposure they get. The UAE expat demographic has its challenges and opportunities; and there is no better country to handle that than the UAE.
firmly
We always hear the word ‘culture’ or the word ‘infrastructure’ in placemaking discussions but ‘cultural infrastructure’ is a newly coined term, explains LITE’s Salma Aboul-ela
The UAE has emerged as a significant cultural infrastructure player, showing focus on studying the complex and subtle ways in which culture influences a city’s development”
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Properties in Dubai within a 15-minute proximity to metro stations can outperform the wider real estate market says CBRE
Transport Oriented Development (TOD) has been a widely, and successfully, used planning and development strategy in major metropolitan centres around the world. The strategy encompasses many factors, key amongst which is the provision of public transport networks. Such networks, such as train and metro, have been shown not only
to improve economic productivity, congestion and lower pollution levels, but can also help spur new residential development and underpin marked increases in real estate values.
There are a number of academic and market studies which point to the considerable premiums and outperformance that residential developments in proximity to transit stations are able toachieve, compared to their wider respective markets. With this in mind, CBRE has undertaken a detailed study to determine if residential units which are within a 15-minute walking distance to Dubai Metro Red Line (Red Line) stations have been able to achieve price and rental premiums or outperformance, or both.
From Q1 2010 to Q4 2022, the average residential prices in Dubai have increased by 24.1%. Over the same period, residential properties located within a 15-minute walk of a metro station have seen prices increase on average by 26.7%.
There are however some variances in performance across the three proximity categories. Whilst those properties within zero-to-five and 10-to-15-minute walks show marked levels of outperformance compared to the Dubai average, where they respectively recorded average price growth of 35.8% and 43.8%, properties which are within a five-to-10-minute walking distance have significantly underperformed the wider market. Average prices for properties in the five-to-10-minute proximity category increased by only 0.2%. This subdued level of performance has been largely due to lackluster performance in price growth in secondary locations, which have tended to consist of affordable stock with limited amenities and urban infrastructure.
Properties within the five-to-10minute proximity category, which have modern amenities and quality urban infrastructure, such as JBR and Marina, bucked this trend and recorded price growth of 40.5% and 35.9% respectively. Secondary locations have also, on the whole, seen lackluster performance in
26.7% From Q1 2010 to Q4 2022, residential properties located within a 15-minute walk of a metro station have seen prices increase on average by 26.7%
the highest performance category of the 10-to-15-minute walking distance.
Average rents for properties within a 15-minute walk of a metro station from Q1 2018 to Q4 2022 increased by 5.7%, whereas, over the same period, average rents across Dubai decreased by 4.1%.
Once again, we have seen a marked outperformance for properties located within a 10-to-15-minute walk of a metro station, where rents increased on average by 11.7% from Q1 2018 to Q4 2022. For properties located within a zero-to-five-minute and five-to-10minute walk, both have outperformed the wider Dubai average, albeit relatively marginally. However, whilst average rental rates in the former grew by 0.9%, for the latter, they fell by 0.5%.
These softer levels of performance were largely underpinned by affordable properties in secondary locations, where properties in the likes of Discovery Gardens, Barsha Heights and Al Furjan have seen average rental rates decrease by 35.0%, 15.1% and 0.6% from Q1 2018 to Q4 2022 respectively.
Another notable finding has been the level of outperformance
that key residential hubs have recorded. Properties within 15 minutes of a metro station, in City Walk, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay and Dubai Marina recorded average rental growth rates of 55.4%, 49.7%, 20.8% and 15.1% from Q1 2018 to Q4 2022 respectively.
Dubai residents remain very reliant on personal cars as the primary mode of transport, where latest estimates suggest that five in 10 residents own a car, compared to around one and a half in 10 in Singapore and three in ten in London. However, as its population continues to increase, its socioeconomic profiles normalise, its built environment matures and the city becomes more densely populated, we expect that reliance on the Dubai Metro will only increase.
After a surge in population post COVID, we have already seen ridership increase to 225.1m, up 10.9% from its 2019 total. We expect ridership to continue to increase rapidly, particularly as congestion in the city becomes more acute, where in 2022 road users spent more than an additional day and seven hours in traffic compared to 2021 according to TomTom. With Dubai’s population expected to increase to 5.8m by 2040, and limited development opportunities in key communities within the vicinity of a
metro station, which have already seen marked increases in population, we expect that developers will have to look towards development opportunities in more nascent communities with TOD likely to become an increasingly key component going forward.
Given that Dubai’s 2040 Master Plan stipulates that new developments with efficient commuting are a key priority of the plan, developers can utilise our findings as a guide to how existing developments have performed given their attributes. Our findings show that developments within a 15-minute proximity to metro stations can outperform the wider market, but only if the development encompasses the right amenities and suitable urban infrastructure. This entails a number of different factors alongside proximity to an efficient transit system, including but not limited to walkable, scooter and cycle-friendly neighbourhoods and mixed-use and non-concentric developments. In Dubai, there are already a number of master developments which are planned in such a manner and preliminary data show that despite their emerging status, they are already achieving above market prices and rents, even in nascent locations.
Finally, in the long-term, these increased values can also help fund future transit infrastructure spending which will help Dubai’s Mass Transit System’s topology develop into a more interconnected system and further improve the resilience of the city’s built environment.
Moscow Big Circle Line
BIG PROJECT ME GOES BEHIND THE SCENES OF ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS TRANSPORT PROGRAMMES IN THE WORLD –THE MOSCOW BIG CIRCLE LINE
he world’s longest underground circle line has opened in Moscow, Russia. There are 31 stations on the 70km long Big Circle Line (BCL); more than 20,000 professionals were involved in the project, and the construction took only 10 years. The significance of the BCL is not just limited to optimisation of passenger traffic in the metro system - for Moscow metro builders, the new line became a true symbol of the labour feat and technological breakthrough required to implement the mega programme to expand the transportation system of the Moscow agglomeration.
Since 2011, the Mayor’s Office of the Russian capital has been carrying out large-scale work to modernise the transportation system. The focus was on expanding the metro system, the most popular means of transportation in the metropolis (109 additional stations and 223km of lines have been put into operation), and on developing suburban railway service (94 local stations are built and reconstructed, one new railway station is launched and 364km of tracks are laid).
At the same time, the city intends to eliminate the deficit of the street and road network through extensive road construction (1,240km of built and reconstructed roads).
In addition, the transportation programme covers New Moscow, the lowurbanised territories integrated in 2012, which increased the area of the Russian
capital by 2.5 times. As a result of the painstaking continuous work, Moscow’s high-speed rail system has exceeded 1,000km and continues to grow rapidly.
By 2010, the transportation system of the Russian capital no longer met the needs of the metropolis: there were many ‘white spots’ on the map of Moscow, areas which were not covered by the metro, and thus saw highways that were critically overloaded; a traffic jam could paralyse the city at any moment. The situation was complicated by the historical radialcircular layout of Moscow’s transportation system, which in modern realities aggravated the problem of commuting. The response to the challenge was the most unprecedented metro expansion
programme in Moscow’s history, with 90% of the city’s inhabitants expected to live within walking distance of a metro station.
“All global metropolises, at some point in their development, face the choice of how to create a comfortable transportation system. And the answer is always the same, as public transportation gets priority. Of course, everything has its distinguishing features. For example, Moscow lagged behind large cities in terms of density of the street and road network, and we had to make up for the existing potential with large-scale road construction. However, our main resource is still focused on the integrated development of public transportation: an extensive system of land urban transportation routes has been formed through bus lanes; the importance of suburban railway service, which is increasingly integrated into the
31 There are 31 stations on the 70km long Big Circle Line
391,000 new work places will be created in the BCL attraction zone alone by 2030. Investments in real estate construction will amount to about $62.4 billion; additional city budget revenues up to 2035 will amount to $40.8 billion. It is hard to imagine a more profitable project”
SERGEI SOBYANIN, MAYOR OF MOSCOW
urban system, has been fundamentally redefined, and, of course, the system of the most popular means of transportation, the metro, which has been expanded by 1.5 times since 2010, is developing at an unprecedented pace and volume,” explains Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The Moscow Mayor’s Office implemented measures that could provide a significant positive effect for people: existing lines were extended to remote residential areas, then the construction of completely new metro ‘radii’ was initiated. In the shortest possible time, the metro network was actually extended out to New Moscow.
When launching the megaproject to expand the territory of the Russian capital, its planners were inspired by the experience of Grand Paris. However, by the time the French underground
builders had just started going to the first construction sites, eight stations were already successfully operating in New Moscow, and the first tunnels of an entirely new 42km line were being completed.
The earlier-launched Grand Paris was - by comparison - lagging behind New Moscow, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said in his speech at MIPIM. “The city of the world which impressed me most with its ability to change? It’s Moscow! This city has managed to become one of the most modern metropolises on the European continent,” Sarkozy paid tribute to Moscow’s urbanist and metro builders.
Reducing the load on the radial lines by redistributing passenger traffic and to give an impetus to the economic
70km
Total
development of areas in the middle part of the metropolis, was the task of the two new circular lines: the ‘classic’ underground BCL and the railway ground MCC.
The Moscow Central Circle is a completely new means of transportation for the Russian capital. It is based on railway tracks laid 100 years ago, as there was already an idea to run passenger traffic on them, but the circle turned out to be unclaimed, and effective use of the railway was found in the Soviet years: it was used to deliver materials and move end products of industrial plants.
As Moscow grew and the capital’s economy developed, plants moved out of the city boundaries or closed due to low efficiency. Thus, a depressive space was formed in the middle – an economically attractive – zone of the Russian capital. Redevelopment of former industrial zones is one of the large-scale programmes of the Moscow Mayor’s Office. Renovated areas were balanced with comfortable housing and new jobs and integrated into the urban transportation system.
Today, the railway line operates in metro mode (pulsed traffic with minimum intervals, a single ticket menu, comfortable trains specifically designed for the ‘urban train’ format, comfortable wagonage), and commuters can change from 31 stations to the 11 metro lines. But, more importantly, the MCC integrates commuter railway services. It was the success of the MCC, which quickly became popular among passengers, that served as a driver for the further development of railway transportation in the capital’s agglomeration, for the construction of the Moscow Central Diameter. The MCC and the MCD are the counterpart of the German S-Bahn and the French RER.
The BCL organically complements the MCC, the lines are separated in the urban
The BCL and MCC have dramatically increased the variability of travel within the city and optimised passenger traffic, reducing the load on critical elements of the metro system by 25-30%. However, both Circle Lines are also important for further urban development of the metropolis. The areas have the potential to build 45 million square metres of various real estate”
ANDREY BOCHKAREV, DEPUTY MAYOR OF MOSCOWTunnel boring machine The use of equipment allowed Moscow metro builders to set a Guinness World Record, as 23 TBMs were involved in shield tunneling.
length of the Big Circle Line
space and form a kind of ‘figure of eight’: the railway ring is shifted to the north, the underground ring to the south. At the same time, the lines have several intersections, the largest of which is one of Europe’s major transport hubs - Nizhegorodskaya. It connects the stations of the two metro lines, the MCC platform and suburban trains, as well as land urban transportation routes. In total, the 31 stations of the BCL now offer more than 50 changes to other metro and suburban rail lines, and a full circle travel takes 90-minutes.
“The BCL and MCC have dramatically increased the variability of travel within the city and optimised passenger traffic, reducing the load on critical elements of the metro system by 25-30%. However, both circular lines are also important for further urban development of the metropolis. For example, the southern sector of the BCL runs in a dense urban area and allowed us to painlessly (in terms of future transport maintenance) initiate the renovation of the housing facilities here. By the way, Moscow’s programme of replacing panel houses, built during the Soviet period, with modern comfortable housing is the largest in the world. The MCC, on the other hand, is designed to restart the economy of the former industrial areas that were served by the railway ring during the Soviet era, and which are now out of use or ineffective.
In general, the areas around the BCL, the MCC and the MCD have an urban development potential of 45m sqm of real estate for various purposes,” explains Andrey Bochkarev, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Planning Policy and Construction.
The unprecedented metro construction programme required the mobilisation of
all possible resources, both technological and human, which were consolidated by state operator Mosinzhproekt. Today, the engineering company founded in Moscow in 1958, together with its subsidiaries, has a headcount of about 14,000 professionals. Mosinzhproekt implements many significant urban development projects, while applying and implementing best practices in construction, design, safe and sustainable operations, digitalisation of both production and management processes, and developing its own innovations.
“Before launching the programme, of course, we analysed all possible scenarios and best international practices. For example, we evaluated the prospects of implementing the New Austrian tunneling method to optimise deep tunnelling, the Milan underground construction method
to speed up shield tunnelling, and we actively implemented Building Information Modelling (BIM). All of them required serious adaptation and improvement in Moscow conditions, including hydrogeology (unstable wet ground), operational characteristics (lower location of current collectors), and regulations (Mosinzhproekt is involved in the creation of the Russian legal framework for metro construction and BIM),” explains Yuri Kravtsov, General Director of Mosinzhproekt.
He adds, “Nevertheless, our specialists managed to develop optimal technological solutions, which made it possible to ensure large-scale construction within a tight timeframe. Among the key ones I can highlight the transition to the construction of predominantly subsurface and surface stations, which allowed
We analysed the best world practices and determined the most appropriate technological solutions for us. The choice in favour of subsurface underground and intensification of tunnelling works by means of TBMs has fully justified itself, making it possible to maintain the planned construction pace”
YURI KRAVTSOV, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF MOSINZHPROEKT
The MCC project took only ten years to complete
intensification of tunneling by means of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), as well as the use of standard design solutions of station complexes for their multiple use. In the process of work for safety of natural-technical system and existing housing of densely populated metropolis, we have developed the unique (having no counterparts in the world) system of interactive control over technological parameters of TBM operation based on analysis of geotechnical monitoring data and forecasting of geotechnical risks.”
The active use of mechanical equipment allowed Moscow metro builders to set a Guinness World Record, as 23 TBMs were involved in shield tunneling simultaneously at that time. In total, there is a fleet of 35 TBMs in the Russian capital, and with the help of four TBMs, tunnels were driven in atypical for the Moscow metro 10m tunnels, in which both tracks of opposite directions are placed.
“Moscow is a huge, densely built-up metropolis, where underground space is saturated with communications and other infrastructure facilities. Despite the need to remove a huge number of utilities from the built-up area, on which uninterrupted operation of urban systems depends, we have managed to increase tunneling by several times with the help of specialised mechanised complexes. The works were carried out just metres away from the existing metro infrastructure,” remarks Konstantin Maslakov, the Head of Mosinzhproekt’s largest division, where the company’s own construction capacity is concentrated.
He adds, “Advanced engineering solutions allow construction without impeding train traffic. In addition, the nature of the local ground, particular hydrogeology,
a high level of groundwater accumulating in karst caverns and loamy soils, adds to the challenge. The situation was particularly acute when tunnelling the BCL. The implementation of this project is comparable to the construction of a railway tunnel under the English Channel because sections of the route also pass under the Moscow River. Here, the distance from the shield to the river-bed was only nine metres. Enhanced safety measures, advanced technological solutions and the experience of underground construction workers made it possible to successfully cope with all the difficulties.”
The high pace of construction had no effect on the aesthetics of the Moscow metro, whose historical stations are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Soviet Moscow, ‘underground palaces’, as metro stations were then called, stood in sharp contrast to the housing facilities. The housing consisted of communal flats, later panel houses of poor quality.
Today, prefabricated construction sites in the capital are being demolished, as part of the five-storey housing renovation programme; in exchange, Muscovites receive high-quality, comfortable housing. However, modern underground builders continue the tradition of original station design; new facilities have become symbols of the Moscow metro.
The Moscow Mayor’s Office is not going to slow down the pace of metropolitan transportation system development: the first two MCD routes have been launched, three more are still under construction, while the BCL became the basis for four new radial lines; one of them is already operating successfully, two are under construction, and one more is being designed.
To ensure the smooth operation of the metro system, the city is building new electric engine houses (12 have been built and renovated, with six more underway), which allows not just routine maintenance of rolling stock, but also complex and even major repairs of carriages.
“The enormous resources of Moscow, the will and diligence of Muscovites are a guarantee that the city’s development will go on,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says. “This applies to the most important programme for the construction of new metro lines and stations. According to our estimates, 391,000 new workplaces will be created in the BCL attraction zone alone from 2013 to 2030. Investments in new office and shopping centres, social and sports facilities, and housing construction will amount to about $62.4bn, and additional revenues to the city budget up to 2035 will amount to $40.8bn. It is hard to imagine a more profitable project.”
Moscow is a huge, densely built-up metropolis, where underground space is saturated with communications and other infrastructure facilities. Besides, the nature of local ground adds complexity. The enhanced industrial safety measures, advanced technological solutions and vast experience of the underground construction workers made it possible to cope with the task successfully”
KONSTANTIN MASLAKOV, TOP MANAGER OF MOSINZHPROEKTIntegrated transportation In total, the 31 stations of the BCL now offer more than 50 changes to other metro and suburban rail lines, and full circle travel takes 90-minutes.
20,000 Over 20,000 workers were involved in the project
PROJECT NAME: Al Shindagha Museum
PROJECT LOCATION: Al Shindagha, Dubai
CLIENT: Dubai Municipality
CONSULTANTS: Abjad Design Fikra Design Studio
CONTRACTOR: ACCIONA Cultura
TECHNOLOGY: 25 High definition projectors 120 High definition screens
PROJECT PERIOD: June 2017 to December 2022
BIG PROJECT ME SPEAKS TO DANIEL ORTI, ACCIONA CULTURA ME DIRECTOR ABOUT THE FIRM’S WORK ON THE DELIVERY AND EXHIBITION CONTENT OF THE RECENTLY OPENED AL SHINDAGHA MUSEUM IN DUBAI
he Al Shindagha area sits adjacent to the Dubai Creek and is one of Dubai’s major historical areas. It is located close to Port Rashid, Al Fahidi, Bur Dubai and Deira, and is perhaps best known for being the area that housed the former residence - the Al Maktoum Residence - of the ruling family, which has been incorporated into the recently opened Al Shindagha Museum.
The museum is said to be the UAE’s largest heritage museum and comprises the welcome centre, as well as pavilions focused on themes including: Living off the Sea and Land; Creativity and Well-Being; Governance and Society; Children’s Pavilion and, Education and Public Programming.
The open-air museum’s mission is to serve as a comprehensive destination for people keen to learn about Emirati culture and traditions, and the city’s rich history. It aims to be an informative and enjoyable centre of human interaction and understanding, and seeks to inspire local and international visitors now and in the future.
Ahead of the heritage museum’s official opening in early March 2023, Big Project ME visited the project with ACCIONA Cultura’s ME Director Daniel Orti to learn about what went into bringing the heritage focused cultural project to life.
Outlining ACCIONA Cultura’s involvement in the project, Orti explains, “Dubai Municipality (DM) selected ACCIONA Cultura to carry out the partial design, technical development and museographic implementation of four stages of the exhibition project (The Traditions, Life on the Land, Traditional Food House, and House of Poetry), which comprises 17 clustered historic houses covering a total exhibition area of 7,980m2.”
“The museum is divided into several themed pavilions made up of clustered historic houses. Each pavilion focuses on a different topic relating to Dubai’s
history and culture, within a number of overarching themes. The Traditions, Life on the Land, Traditional Food House, and House of Poetry pavilions have been developed and implemented entirely by ACCIONA Cultura.”
Discussing the client brief his firm was given and the challenges the firm had to contend with, he states, “Dubai Tourism and Culture Department wanted to portray the way that Emirati families were living in the past, along with their traditions and legacy - understanding the daily activities of a community as the foundation of its tradition opens up a much wider understanding of nowadays society. When we look into the past, we fear the possibility of not finding records but in this case, thanks to the impressive amount of information that the Dubai Government provided through different agencies and entities, the task was easier than what is the norm for such a project.”
Asked about how the firm went about designing the museum’s various exhibits and experiences, while keeping in mind the local culture and history, Orti remarks, “To complement the traditional design of the space, the historic houses have been reconstructed using authentic methods by the DM Architectural Heritage and Antiquities Department in order to respect the original construction as much as possible.
ACCIONA Cultura was in charge of the structural reinforcement and updating of the old buildings, while maintaining traditions, and then accommodating an exhibition of modern design.”
“The result is an amazing project that combines the most innovative experiential, participatory and interactive technologies through multisensory and immersive video installations and projection mapping, together with traditional objects and informative graphics.”
Speaking about how the firm tackled the museum’s significant content requirements from a process standpoint (from conception to conceptualisation to final delivery), Orti pointed out that a multi-step process was necessary.
Cultural
“We began by creating a conceptual plan that outlined the overall design of the exhibition, which included the layouts, sizes, and shape of each pavilion, as well as the placement of the different pieces, interactive features, and other elements. We then moved onto design development; after the conceptual plan had been established, the design team began to develop detailed drawings and plans for the museum. This included architectural plans, exhibit designs, and interactive elements. The tools used for this stage where mainly renders and CAD.”
“Once the construction was completed, the exhibits and other elements were installed in the different houses. This involved setting up display cases, installing interactive features, and arranging artifacts and other objects in the best way to engage the visitors,” he elaborates.
Given the considerable requirements and scale of the Al Shindagha Museum, there were a significant number of project stakeholders and partners. Sharing his thoughts on how ACCIONA Cultura worked with different project stakeholders to deliver the exhibits and thematic journeys, Orti says, “It was an extensive collaborative process that allowed the team to put together emotional storytelling. We managed not only to display objects but also to create an emotional bond with the visitor. It is about showing the ways of living of the ancient citizens of Dubai, through to their personal objects and traditions. Close teamwork between all the different
4 ACCIONA Cultura were involved with the design and technical development of four stages of the exhibition project
stakeholders involved was the only way to create these inspirational journeys.”
Taking into account the heritage project encompasses historically significant landmarks including the historic home of the ruling family, and given the project’s scale and intent, it goes without saying that restrictions and challenges had to be taken into account and overcome.
Framing his thoughts on this, Orti responds, “All ACCIONA Cultura projects have the challenge of dealing with valuable sites and artifacts. That said, we found that Shindagha Museums was amongst the most committed organisation we’ve
worked with and they made the process friendly and easy. From the standpoint of understanding the relevance and historical value of the materials we were dealing with, we are proud to be part of this project and the commitment of their teams facilitated the process.”
The project is a significant addition to ACCIONA Cultura’s project portfolio and highlights the firm’s ability to deliver high quality and impactful experiential projects.
“Our teams are experts in the research and application of immersive and interactive technologies, which we use with sustainability criteria to bring life to museums, and cultural experiences in an
engaging, empowering and entertaining way. Our activity falls under the concept of cultural engineering, with creative design of ad hoc projects that enhance historical and cultural heritage through technological innovation, social benefit and sustainable development. The creation process is always based on a conceptual stance that places the user at the centre of the experience, and promotes their participation through a communicative language that aligns with it. The Al Shindagha Museum is a clear example of all this,” highlights Orti.
Asked about what particular elements of the heritage project attracted ACCIONA Cultura to get involved with the Al Shindagha Museum, Orti is quick to point out the attractiveness of the project’s unique architecture and design, and says there are other attractive elements as well.
“The museum is housed in beautifully restored buildings that date back to the 19th century. The buildings have been carefully preserved to showcase the traditional architecture and design of the region, which makes it a popular attraction for visitors who are interested in history and culture.
He continues, “Another attractive thing about the Al Shindagha Museum is its diverse range of exhibits. The museum showcases the history and culture of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates; from traditional clothing and artifacts to interactive displays and multimedia
All
Cultura projects have the challenge of dealing with valuable sites and artifacts. That said, we found that Shindagha Museums was amongst the most committed organisation we’ve worked with and they made the process friendly and easy”Committed to the region Daniel Orti, ACCIONA Cultura ME Director. Keeping tradition alive The museum is housed in restored buildings dating back to the 19th century. Each has been carefully preserved to showcase the region’s traditional architecture.
exhibits, there is something for everyone at the Al Shindagha Museum.”
“Furthermore, the museum’s location in the historic district of Dubai allows visitors to explore the city’s rich history and culture. Visitors can take a stroll through the nearby alleyways and markets, which have been preserved to showcase the traditional architecture and design of the region.”
GCC STRATEGY AND FOCUS
Switching gears to discuss ACCIONA Cultura’s strategy, as the focus on experiential and educational projects grows, Orti points out this trend will continue. He states projects such as these promote cultural and educational tourism, and simultaneously contribute to economic growth in the region.
“One example of our experiential and educational projects in the GCC, apart from the Al Shindagha Museum, is the Qasr Al Watan Museum in Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2019 and where ACCIONA Cultura’s work involved a total area of 12,000m2. It focused on adapting Qasr Al Watan’s main halls for visitors, three of which have a museographic approach. The museum offers visitors an immersive experience in the history and culture of the United Arab Emirates, with interactive exhibits and multimedia displays.”
He adds, “In a similar vein, with the National Museum of Qatar, ACCIONA
17
day. To this end, it showcases a collection of inspiring pieces contextualised with state-of-the-art audiovisual and interactive elements that seek to promote the positive values of sports culture. It is the largest museum in the world dedicated to this subject and ACCIONA Cultura did it as well its museographics,” he explains.
“Overall, the focus on experiential and educational projects in the GCC is likely to continue in the near future, as these projects are seen as important drivers of economic growth and cultural development. With a growing interest in cultural and educational tourism, the region is likely to see further investment in museums, cultural centres, and other projects that promote experiential and educational tourism.”
Cultura handled the museographic implementation with more than 250 showcases housing about 5,500 artefacts. True-to-scale replicas of historic vessels, as well as multiple models on a smaller scale, provide the museum with a maritime identity in keeping with the country’s heritage. The visit culminates with an audiovisual filmed in 4K ultrahigh definition (UHDTV), which is projected onto an 8.3-megapixel screen located in the museum theatre.”
“In Qatar, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum offers a journey through the history of the Olympic Games and sports from their origins to the present
Asked to share his thoughts on other projects the firm has recently delivered or is working on at present, Orti comments, “At the end of last year, we delivered the technical development and museographic implementation for the Lusail Museum: Tales of a Connected World exhibition for Qatar Museums (QM).”
“Located in the heart of Doha at the Qatar Museums Gallery - Al Riwaq, the Lusail Exhibition explores cultural interactions between the greater MENA region and its peripheries, Europe, Central and East Africa, and Central, South and East Asia. The exposition showcases a world-class collection of Orientalist art, archaeological artefacts and media
In total, the museum comprises 17 houses covering a total exhibition area of 7,980m 2
Sustainability is the core of our DNA - we cannot highlight the past without protecting the future. All the technology and processes that go into ACCIONA Cultura projects are committed to creating a better planet - we are always considering sustainable parameters”
from antiquity to the 21st century. The 237 artefacts displayed represent a large collection of paintings on canvas, jewellery, tapestries, costumes, film props, books, manuscripts, photographs, decorated ceramics, glass, and metal. The artefacts are combined with almost 60 audiovisual and interactive resources that support the narrative and allow visitors to approach and interact with the objects.”
He adds, “ACCIONA Cultura also designed the museography works and is responsible for the maintenance of the Experience Al Jazeera exhibition for Qatar Museums, which celebrates Al Jazeera’s 25th anniversary. The exhibition, which occupies an area of 780m2 plus 125m2 in the courtyard of the Fire Station in Doha, traces the evolution of the Al Jazeera Media Network into a global news powerhouse. The design is a walk through the 25-year history of the TV channel from its beginnings until its present-day multi-media offerings. The exhibition displays objects related to broadcast technology, such as cameras. It also displays Al Jazeera’s Wall of Ethics and the awards it has won over the years.”
Orti states that his firm was also responsible for 150 media productions for the National Museum of Qatar; the museum development and implementation of Msheireb Museums, and the production of various temporary
exhibitions for Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art and the Orientalist Museum.
“ACCIONA Cultura has worked for the National Museum of Oman, Dubai EXPO 2020 (designing and producing the Sustainability Pavilion, UAE Pavilion, Spain Pavilion, Youth Pavilion, Expo Live Pavilion, 46 Thematic Pavilions and Micromuseums), and of course the Al Shindagha Museum in Dubai, and the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.”
Commenting on the importance of sustainability and incorporating sustainable elements and the latest technology into projects, he says, “Sustainability is the core of our DNA - we cannot highlight the past without protecting the future. All the technology and processes that go into ACCIONA Cultura projects are committed to creating a better planet - we are always considering sustainable parameters. Beyond technical sustainability, we also promote social sustainability values. We believe that the pillar of a sustainable future starts with putting society in the centre of the discussion.”
With a portfolio of diverse museums, exhibits and events around the world, ACCIONA Cultura is well aware that regional and cultural differences are part and parcel of project delivery.
Work on the cultural project began in June 2017 and saw the deployment of some 25 highdefinitino projectors and 120 screens.
Pressed for his thoughts on how working on projects in the Middle East differs from other parts of the world, Orti responds, “We appreciate that cultural facts make us different but at the same time creates bonds between us. We believe that the merging of technical teams from overseas and local talent is an opportunity to succeed. Facing any project with respect and appreciation is, in our opinion, the extra added value with regards to project delivery. That being said, the Middle East and particularly Dubai is so prominent in terms of preserving traditions that our projects can only but excel.”
“Working in the Middle East is a rewarding and enriching experience, but it is very important to be aware of cultural and/or any other challenges that may arise, and to be respectful of local customs and traditions such as language barriers or cultural differences,” he continues.
Asked to outline ACCIONA Cultura’s regional plans and what’s next for the international firm, Orti concludes, “ACCIONA Cultura is now quite well established across the Middle East region and has a strong presence in museums, exhibitions, EXPO pavilions and events. We will continue being fully committed to promoting cultural and educational tourism, while also simultaneously contributing to the economic growth of the region.”
The museum is housed in beautifully restored buildings that date back to the 19th century
The drive to decarbonise is ushering in new ways to produce hydrogen. Traditionally hydrogen has been produced for heavy industry by industrial gas suppliers; with supplier and user often in close proximity. Green hydrogen allows for more distributed production in more diverse locations, serving a broadening client base.
Youssef Merjaneh shares some critical early-stage considerations
This has heralded a slew of new projects - many first-of-a-kind - and new entrants into the hydrogen market. As we help organisations bring green hydrogen projects to fruition, we have identified six core considerations that require serious attention in a project’s earliest stages to ensure a successful outcome.
CONSIDER EARLY ON HOW TO ENSURE YOUR PROJECT IS SAFE
Safety considerations are vital. From
the project’s earliest phases onwards, safety compliance has to be integrated into planning. Safety compliance is a potentially steep learning curve for green hydrogen projects because they are a fast-developing area, many aspects of which are not yet covered by designated safety regulations. Instead, in many areas existing codes and regulations are being applied to projects for which they were not originally designed. This means actions and requirements are not always explicit, and in comparison to more established types of project, more time and effort is required to understand what compliance entails.
Developers and owners need to establish a full and clear understanding of what health and safety regulators want to know in order to authorise project construction and operations.
9,800
Black & Veatch is supporting green hydrogen projects across the globe. Drawing upon this experience EMEA Managing Director
Roughly 9,800litres of demineralised and deionised water is required for each tonne of green hydrogen produced
In our experience, for example, understanding how the requirements of the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations, or their local equivalent, apply to green hydrogen projects requires a significant amount of time and attention. The amount of hydrogen being stored, for instance, can have a significant effect on the measures the regulations require, and thus influences other elements of the project.
An abundant and reliable water supply is essential for green hydrogen production. High-purity water is one of the feedstocks needed for electrolysis. The quantity of water consumed differs depending on the application, but roughly 9,800-litres of demineralised and deionised water is required for each tonne of green hydrogen produced. In addition to being a feedstock, water is also necessary for cooling the electrolysers and other equipment such as compressors. It is vital to know if sufficient water is available to support the capacity of electrolysis planned.
For owners and developers of renewable energy projects, green hydrogen offers an attractive alternative to selling power. But a clear understanding of the short-to-medium-term market for the chemical is needed, which considers both local demand and markets further afield. This analysis should encompass level of demand, types of use, and the relationship between patterns of demand and your hydrogen production profile. The latter factor will influence areas such as the project’s hydrogen storage capacity, as well as potential customer base.
Options for transporting hydrogen is another factor that supports an understanding of how a project’s product can be used. Although the prospects for green hydrogen consumption are strong, demand in many areas is currently low. We found
that local market characteristics for one green hydrogen project, for example, meant that converting green hydrogen in-situ to green ammonia resulted in a more commercially-viable product.
You are confident of your windfarm or solar array’s 100MW capacity rating. But, does this mean 100MW of electrolyser capacity is the best business choice? On this basis maximum electrolysis can only be achieved when maximum power generation is being achieved, which with intermittent renewables will not be possible consistently. Hydrogen production calculations need to take this into account in order for customer expectations to be met, and to avoid unprofitable levels of redundant electrolyser capacity. Conversely, curtailment will be necessary if electrolyser capacity is significantly lower than typical power output. This will have a potentially adverse effect upon the cost of hydrogen production because that cost is highly dependent upon the cost of energy – which is increased when energy is wasted. Thus, it may be worth calculating not just energy yield, but the generation profile.
The ability to export surplus power to the grid will help address the power and revenue loss that curtailment may cause. For both scenarios, battery storage has a potentially valuable role. Ultimately, a trade-off between capital and commercial considerations is required to ascertain the optimal configuration for achieving the project’s business goals.
Include in your planning levelised cost of energy analysis and levelised cost of hydrogen analysis, or a commitment to undertake them. Doing the research to ascertain your energy costs and a per kilogramme cost for your product will inform the creation of an accurate and robust business plan –an understanding of the price points required to reach your business goals. There are two physical hydrogen storage options, compressed or liquefied. Due to the fact that your choice of storage option will have significant implications on project cost and end-use opportunities, storage needs to be given careful consideration during the very early stages of project development. A business plan including these types of detail will help attract and reassure investors.
Making stakeholders aware of your intentions early in the development of a green hydrogen project will give you early insight into concerns that may disrupt progress. More importantly, it will give you time to address concerns before they become a major issue. You will have the opportunity to engage, inform and influence parties with reservations about your project and, if necessary, amend your plans to ameliorate those reservations at a time when change will engender fewer disruptions. This is an opportunity to show how you are supporting the drive to decarbonise; and reassure communities that hydrogen production, storage and distribution are tried and trusted processes – you are bringing a proven technology to a new setting.
2There are two physical hydrogen storage options, compressed or liquefied
MIDDLE EAST
Identical twins are relatively rare in nature and may not look exactly the same. In the virtual world, ‘digital twins’ provide us with an exact copy, allowing us to visualise, model and navigate a reality that has not yet been created. The ‘Metaverse Universe’ promises to add a new level of interaction – and it’s creating a lot of excitement, as I witnessed personally when presenting at the LEAP2023 event in Riyadh, in February.
We agree with the definition of Metaverse as a real-time, digital, persistent and immersive space inhabited by digital representation of people and things. Current immersive experiences are offering testing grounds for developing useful and impactful innovation in the real world, paving the way towards mixed reality experiences, building on today’s augmented reality tools.
We can already see the potential for Metaverse Universes in our work around cognitive cities. City planners, municipalities, governments and businesses need help to define, drive and implement digital strategy in sectors,
such as transport and logistics, retail, banking, energy, petrochemicals, and public sector to drive e-government transition. In the Middle East, greenfield city developments are intelligent by design and deliver higher ROI through innovative services, and the intersection of data and AI drives economic acceleration. The biggest roadblocks are complexity and cost.
There is clearly real Metaverse Universe potential in enterprise, manufacturing, education and other verticals and in cognitive cities in the region, where we play a very active role. Cognitive cities mark the third wave of smart city evolution and modelling the impact of digital innovations within these intelligent environments is essential.
Improving the sustainability of cities is an urgent priority and digital tools and solutions, organised into systems of systems and run by progressive ecosystems of partners, can help. These cognitive cities will help us meet the challenge of climate change, through their vital role as incubators of innovation and are already supported by digital twins.
Government policymakers, city planners, regulators and innovators can access new digital tools to help develop the region’s infrastructure
Digital twins provide the opportunity to simulate, analyse data and predict innovation impacts quickly and cost effectively before applying them in the physical world, identifying potential issues, opportunities and minimising risk.
Gartner defines digital twins as “a digital representation of a real-world entity or system, an encapsulated software object or model that mirrors a unique physical object, process, organisation, person or other abstraction. Data from multiple digital twins can be aggregated for a composite view across a number of real-world entities, such as a power plant or a city, and their related processes.”
Digital twins are already guiding city planners through dynamic modelling and prediction, helping improve management in areas such as energy, waste, safety and security, mobility, and infrastructure. They’re now being called the “building blocks of the metaverse”, with the promise of immersive virtual and augmented reality experiences, and a testbed for replication of real-world things in cities. This technology means more accurate data on emissions and could also simulate/predict weather patterns and impact on coastal cities and buildings. According to recent EY research, digital twins could deliver significant savings on project and building costs, and help track and reduce carbon emissions within our cities, while supporting energy transition.
The Metaverse Universe will rely on data to make improvements to trial models. Cognitive cities, with thousands of IoT-connected sensors, gather data 24/7 providing continuous insights to cities to make betterinformed decisions about services for citizens. The Metaverse Universe can give cities a platform to more fully test services designed to improve things like air quality, energy consumption and supply, available parking spaces, pedestrian and bicycle traffic, the number of vehicles on the roads, and more. It’s an exciting prospect and could ultimately lead to “Metaverse cities”.
I like to focus on specific, potential use cases of Metaverse Universes.
The key to a sustainable future?
Digital twins means more accurate data on emissions and could also simulate/predict weather patterns and impact on coastal cities and buildings.
Cognitive cities seem to offer a perfect balance of virtual testing possibilities informing physical, real-world projects and represents the next logical step forward in digital twins and the evolution of building information modelling (BIM) - where a building is located on a site, with the number of floors, rooms, corridors, stairs, and other components. BIM helps inform construction methods, deadlines, costs, maintenance operations. Digital twins give us constantly updated sources of information, ongoing intelligence about how a model is working and where we can
make improvements to it. Combine this in an immersive virtual model that lets you move around a cognitive city - and the potential for the Metaverse Universe could be significant, with a straight pathway from digital twins.
Dubai recently announced plans to create a digital twin in the Metaverse, designed to give companies and residents an open virtual world where ideas can be shared and projects tested. This seems to be an ideal environment to test out new city services or buildings before moving in. It’s also a very sensible way to reduce risk, especially important when spending on smart cities technology in MEA is set to rise significantly.
The Metaverse Universe is still being invented, as is the ‘Internet of the Future’ but we know that high-performance, low-latency, and resilient networks are a prerequisite for its development.
Whatever the future holds, most importantly, we aim to help develop an open, safe, ethical Metaverse Universe that puts the user’s needs first and is socially and environmentally responsible.
Just as important, we have to recognise that no single company - no matter how large and capable - can build and sustain a Metaverse Universe scale model for continuous/ perpetual transformation.
Despite investments in energy efficiency and lower energy intensity, the built environment’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions have rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic to an alltime high, according to a 2022 report by the UN environment programme. The Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction states that this means the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonisation pathway is widening. As the construction sector is one of the main contributors to CO2 emissions, decarbonising the sector is critical to meeting Net Zero targets by 2050. Solar energy has gained popularity in the past few decades
due to its affordability and efficiency in preserving energy. According to the International Energy Agency, solar power is expected to become the largest source of electricity in the world by 2050, accounting for 27% of total electricity generation.
The GCC and the Middle East have ideal conditions for solar power generation, as the region has some of the highest solar exposure rates in the world. In fact, the UAE aims to generate 50% of its electricity from carbon-free sources, driven mainly by solar photovoltaic (PV), by 2050. As an example, Abu Dhabi plans to install 5.6GW of solar PV capacity by 2026, and Dubai aims to source 75% of its electricity generation from renewables by 2050 primarily
the built environment can step up its focus on energy decarbonisation
through solar PV. Currently, the UAE government is assigning large spaces of land for solar parks, both solar PV and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).
The UAE has made significant progress in decarbonising the built environment using solar energy, and this is expected to continue in the future. To aid in this rapid deployment of renewable power plants and to help satisfy local demand, there have been several technological developments beneficial to the solar industry and supportive of renewable energy generation, including smart grids and autonomous technology.
Smart grids are an important part of the energy decarbonisation of the built environment. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global smart grid market is projected to grow from US $35.07bn in 2021 to $140.53bn in 2028 at a CAGR of 21.9% in the forecast period 2021-2028.
Smart grids are intelligent electricity networks that use digital communication and sensing technology to monitor and manage the flow of electricity, which allow more efficient energy generation and distribution. Smart grids can help integrate solar energy into the grid by providing real-time data on energy production and consumption. This data can help grid operators balance supply and demand, ensuring that the grid remains stable and reliable.
Additionally, smart grids can also manage energy storage systems, which can be used to store excess energy for later use, and hence can help reduce demand for peak energy periods. This can help reduce the need for fossil-fuel power plants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, smart grids can optimise energy use by communicating with smart appliances and devices, such as smart thermostats, to adjust energy consumption based on the availability of solar energy.
Solar water heating uses the energy from the sun to heat water for domestic
and commercial use. It is a costeffective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional water heating methods that rely on fossil fuels.
According to Statista, global solar water heating (SWH) capacity peaked at 522GW thermal in 2021, an increase of 4.4% compared to the previous year. Solar water heating can significantly reduce energy costs for households and businesses, especially in sunny climates where traditional water heating methods are most expensive. By using solar energy to heat water, households and businesses can become more self-sufficient and less reliant on traditional energy sources.
Educating the next generation Professor Mutasim Nour, Associate Director of External Relations and Industry Engagement and Director of the MSc Energy and MSc Renewable Energy Engineering Programmes
Robots and automation have proved to be helpful to the solar industry, as they enable utility-scale maintenance and construction assistance. Autonomous robotic technology can make the process for solar field assembly more efficient as they can save a lot of time and effort when it comes to vegetation maintenance. Additionally, high-speed impact robots are gentler and more suitable than manual handling. This is critical considering the fragile nature of solar cells and wafers, which helps ensure higher output with better yield. Overall, this enables utilityscale contractors to reduce the frequency of their involvement in repetitive tasks, contributing to productivity and bolstering worker safety. Cleaning robots can also remove dust from solar panels, which is a critical for high dust-density regions such as the Middle East to ensure the solar panels provide the maximum power output and energy yield.
With the development of techpowered solutions in the solar industry, the construction industry is steadily moving towards lower carbon emissions and efficiency. Additionally, the MENA region is especially at an advantage when it comes to the use of solar energy. Tasked with diversifying energy sources away from oil and gas and reducing carbon footprint, technological advancements in solar energy can lead to significant progress in decarbonising the sector by 2050.
The project is a part of a 9.5m sqft development across Jumeirah, which aims to enhance the social and economic capabilities of Dubai as a region, and set new global benchmarks for beachfront developments.
“Our efforts have been concerted to enhance the aesthetic appearance and beauty of the area through implementing best practices in a way that lives up to
the status of Dubai as an international hub. Our firm uses cutting-edge technologies and innovative methods to implement its landscaping projects across the city. At the core, Akar’s landscaping projects aim to achieve the sustainability of the country, improve air quality and boost the community’s mental and overall physical wellbeing,” said Adnan Nalwala, Executive Director, Akar Technical Services.
Soft landscaping work included more than 1,000 trees (large and small) planted to form a green belt along the roadsides of the area, while more than 40,000 shrubs were planted across the four district zones. Approximately 50,000 ground covers and nearly 5,000 climbers/ grasses were used to transform sparse space into a tapestry of textures, shapes and continual color, the firm noted.
Hardscaping encompassed elements like the installation of precast concrete kerbs; porcelain paver, clay paver, clay paver banding, clay paver banding,
1,000 More than a thousand trees were planted to form a green belt along the roadsides of the area
granite banding, precast concrete pavers, precast concrete banding, granite banding, decomposed gravel, play area surface (sand), pots, shade structure and water feature. The firm said these elements create an ideal combination of dry and water hardscapes that can not only improve the liveability and beauty, but also provide a contemporary design which is incredibly durable, skid-resistant, stain-resistant, and easy to maintain.
To illuminate the area and improve the beauty, safety and security, the firm said it installed 1,500 landscape lights, in addition to strips and cables.
Highlighting the importance of the technical aspects of the project, Raja Subedi, Director, Akar Technical Services stated, “Our emphasis on sound project management and ensuring that all technical matters are addressed in due course has enabled us to execute this project. This would have not been possible without the support of the consultants and client on site.”
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