Big Project ME October 2022

Digital Revolution

DIGITALISATION AND TECHNOLOGY HAVE IRREVOCABLY ALTERED HOW WE DESIGN, BUILD AND OPERATE OUR WORLD, THE DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION SUMMIT REVEALS

ANALYSIS

08 The Briefing

Louise Collins looks at how real estate can help with net zero ambitions, while Emmanual De Semdt discusses the AMI and Soudal Group merger

12 The Big Picture

A wrap-up of the biggest international construction news stories for the month

14 Market Report

Savills finds that Dubai is ranked fourthhighest in the world for warehousing costs

16 Analysis

Gary Wong of AVEVA , says that smart water management solutions can help alleviate supply crises

20 In Profile Kareem Farah

Big Project ME speaks to Kareem Farah , managing director of ECC about how the group is setting the benchmark for digitalisation

26 Project Profile

Maimoon Gardens

Big Project ME profiles Maimoon Gardens, a residential development that shows that affordable sustainable living is possible in Dubai

32 Event Recap

Big Project ME recaps the Digital Construction Summit , sharing insights and reflections from the day-long event

38 Expert Voice

Uros Trojanovic of EAST-O Holdings shares how digitalisation can help improve asset management in this month’s Expert Voice

40 Final Update

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi reaches the 90% construction completion mark ahead of its 2023 opening

Introduction

Coming up next...

Summit – KSA. We originally launched the Construction Intel Summit as a virtual event during the pandemic. Over two iterations, the summit has garnered tremendous attention, with record viewing figures for our webinars. Given how important the Kingdom is going to be over the coming years, this is no surprise, and confirmed to us how important it is that we establish our presence there as soon as possible.

A

fter months of build up and anticipation, the Digital Construction Summit finally made its debut on September 14, 2022, at the Anantara Downtown Dubai in Business Bay. Despite having a very positive feeling about the event, I have to admit that there was a bit of trepidation about how it would turn out.

However, as it transpired, I needn’t have worried as the turnout surpassed all expectations! Over the course of the day, we registered more than 230 attendees, with some of the highest audience retention levels we’ve ever seen at any of our events. Most gratifying of all, was the feedback that we’ve received from attendees, speakers and partners, who’ve been nearly universally positive.

In case you missed it, do have a read of our cover feature recapping the day’s events and make sure you check out all the videos of the panel discussions and presentations over on www.MEConstructionNews.com and www.digitalconstructionsummit.com.

Our attention now turns to what’s coming up at the end of the year – our first-ever live event in Saudi Arabia – the Construction Intel

Held on November 23 at the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, this will be an event you won’t want to miss. Featuring a stellar line up of speakers and experts from within the Kingdom and the region, it will provide informed insights and opinions about the Kingdom’s many opportunities and challenges. If you’re interested in speaking at the event, do drop me a line!

Of course, we also have our annual Big Project ME Awards happening on December 15 – we’re already getting dozens of nominations in, which is great to see! So if you want to be in with a chance of taking home a trophy that isn’t the World Cup, then make sure you get your submissions in by November 15th at the latest!

Gavin Davids HEAD OF EDITORIAL & CONTENT

gavin.davids@cpitrademedia.com @MECN_Gavin MEConstructionNews me-construction-news

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Digital Revolution

THE

ON THE COVER Big Project ME recaps the events and highlights from the Digital Construction Summit on September 14, 2022 at the Anantara Downtown Dubai.

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About Annual Event

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Awards Categories

CONSTRUCTION AWARDS

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PROJECT AWARDS

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SUSTAINABILITY

QatarEnergy and GE ink deal

step

in

PROPERTY

Web3 transforming UAE real estate landscape – DAMAC Properties’ GM says

PROPERTY

MACHINERY

INTERVIEW:

digital vision revealed

VIDEO: The Red Sea Development Company’s BIM Journey

the complexities of

a

TECHNOLOGY

HH Sheikh Hamdan launches Dubai Robotics and Automation Program

The development of the sector will support the diversification of Dubai’s future economy

MOST POPULAR

CONSTRUCTION

UAE hotel development pipeline to grow to 48,000 keys by 2030

MACHINERY

MACHINERYContinental launches LDMaster L5 Traction construction tyre The LD-Master ensures high traction and durability for loaders with demanding load requirements, company says

PROPERTY

Zāzen Properties announces new sustainability and wellness project The announcement of the project follows the handover of the developer’s flagship development – Zāzen ONE –in JVT earlier this year

CONSULTANT

“Wellness initiatives deliver commercial benefits and there are studies to demonstrate ROI for the business” According to McKinsey & Company the global wellness market is worth about $1.5tn, with annual growth of 5% to 10%

CONSTRUCTION

Arada launches Masaar Discovery Centre

The new offering serves as a multiactivity community hub for the forested development project

CONSTRUCTION

Union Coop announces completion of Nad Al Hammar Mall

CONSTRUCTION

TRSDC unveils design for Red Sea Marine Life Institute at AMAALA

PROPERTY Nakheel unveils new brand focus in line with Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan

A prestigious recognition of excellence of the foremost building contractors in the region

Nominate now!

MACHINERY Komatsu to focus on future technologies at Bauma 2022

Ritz Carlton JBR

Net Zero

Can Building Green accelerate the region’s race to Net Zero?

MIDDLE EAST

Climate change is fast approaching its tipping point. Therefore, there is mounting pressure on organisations worldwide to relook at their strategy playbook and prioritise sustainability. This also holds true for the real estate sector.

With the built environment responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, combined with increased expectations for greater accountability and transparency, real estate players are increasingly feeling

the need to reset and reimagine how they build cities for the future.

While the sector is gradually moving towards a direction wherein traditional carbon-intensive methods might soon become a thing of the past, there is still much to be achieved. Data from the World Green Building Council suggests that progress to date remains limited, with just 804 certified Net Zero buildings globally in June 2021 (WGBC Advancing Net Zero report).

In the Middle East and Africa, building green as a movement is

Louise Collins, head of Project and Development Services UAE, and head of Engineering and Energy MEA at JLL, examines how the real estate sector can help achieve the region’s net zero ambitions

definitely picking up pace with government and private companies embracing increased usage of sustainable raw materials, smart buildings, etc. In fact, policies and regulations such as the ESTIDAMA regulations in Abu Dhabi, Green Building regulations in Dubai, Qatar’s Global Sustainability Assessment System, and Saudi Arabia’s green codes, have come to define the built environment in the region.

In terms of leading the implementation of Net Zero real estate in MEA, the UAE has so far been setting the pace. In October 2021, the UAE pledged to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, the first country in the region to do so. Against this background, it is only a matter of time before legislation mandating all buildings achieve net zero status by 2050 is introduced in the country.

In addition to the concerted government efforts, the UAE development community is also responding to the pressures from occupiers, investors, and legislators by introducing their own Net Zero commitments.

When it comes to other markets, KSA is not far behind with plans to achieve Net Zero status by 2060, and possible initiatives that are likely to be introduced ahead of COP27. The remaining countries have also jumped on board. However, their move towards Net Zero buildings is likely to be driven by the requirements of global occupiers in the short term.

Though the regional real estate developers are increasingly recognising the far-reaching benefits of green construction, there remain challenges rooted in the fact that the definition of “Net Zero” and measurement may vary.

A ‘Net Zero’ building, for example, is one that emits no net carbon emissions during its construction and operation. In the region, however, most of the current guidelines are only focused on emissions during the building’s operational life and not so much during the construction process.

In addition, while there has been an increasing number of real estate projects across the region seeking ‘Net Zero’ status, many are meeting

Expedited journey MENA and GCC countries require a road map to expedite their journey to Net Zero, Louise Collins says.

emission targets by purchasing credits from elsewhere, rather than reducing and balancing emissions from within the project itself.

So, essentially, what these countries require is a road map to expedite their journey to Net Zero. While the cost of it can be high, one cannot negate the advantages, not only for builders but also for owners and occupiers.

government regulations will mandate such projects in the long run. Failure to examine the carbon footprints of existing assets now may result in underperforming assets becoming redundant in the long run, with the performance gap being too large to bridge to net zero in the long run.

Shift in focus

Current regional guidelines only focus on a building’s emissions during its operational life, and not so much during its construction process.

Access to green funding, reductions in operational costs, and increased tenant demand can result in higher values, allowing Net Zero projects to outperform their peers. And, if these benefits are not enough,

To summarise, there is no doubt that real estate must play a key role in the region’s goal of creating a sustainable future. And we are confident that with increased integration of technology, strategic government initiatives, and a shift in mindset, real estate will soon adorn an improved status quo.

While there has been an increasing number of projects across the region seeking ‘Net Zero’ status, many are meeting emission targets by purchasing credits from elsewhere, rather than reducing and balancing emissions”

Visions of Expansion A

MIDDLE EAST

l Muqarram Industry (AMI), a UAE-based construction chemicals manufacturer recently announced that it had completed a multimillion-dollar acquisition with the Belgium-based Soudal Group – a move aimed at product and market expansions in the MEA region.

By obtaining experience and expertise from Soudal Group, AMI aims to cement a leadership position in the construction chemicals market segment.

This first-of-its-kind relationship between a homegrown construction brand and an international firm has meant that the two entities now have a global reach that is expected to grow by 50% over the next four years.

This will be achieved through an expanded product portfolio, new market acquisitions, and the deployment of a new cartridge plant, along with

state-of-the-art machinery at AMI’s Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain facilities.

The plan also includes the addition of an 80,000 square foot warehouse to match the demand-supply of products in the MENA region. Furthermore, the group also plans to invest US$10.8 million in the upcoming years for the development of factories and to deploy a strategy toward manufacturing sustainable hybrid products.

Overseeing this period of transition and growth is Emmanuel De Smedt, who recently joined AMI as managing director in January 2022.

Tasked with developing and growing the business in the MEA region, he is focused on expanding the product range with sustainability at the core. In addition to this, De Smedt is focused on steering the business into the higher echelons of the construction chemical sector in the region, and utilising Al Soudal Group’s expertise to the fullest.

Emmanuel De Smedt, managing director of Al Muqarram Industry, shares his thoughts on the recent acquisition with Soudal Group, and reveals why it is an excellent opportunity for AMI to expand in the regional construction chemicals market

What was the thinking behind the recent alliance with Soudal Group – how do you see it benefitting Al Muqarram Industry and vice versa?

The Soudal Group and Al Muqarram Industry had similar visions of expansion, respectively. The thinking behind the acquisition was to be part of a larger family with unmatched experience, expertise, and product development resources.

Al Muqarram has built its business locally in the Middle East and Africa region over the past two decades and occupies production units within the UAE. The acquisition of Al Muqarram will help Soudal Group to further expand in the MEA region and some parts of Asia.

As for Al Muqarram Industry, since the Soudal Group has an international reach, it is an excellent opportunity to use Soudal’s global exposure and more than 55 years of experience to adopt newer technologies and expand further as a business within the region.

Our vision, moving forward, is to deliver world-class products to the construction industry while making the Dolphin brand one of the premium and trustworthy brands distributed across the MEA region.

How is the process of expanding the product portfolio, making new acquisitions and deployment of new machinery and facilities going? What have been some of the most notable achievements in the last year? The expansion of our product range has already begun. In December 2022, at a major trade show in Dubai, we will showcase many innovations to our customers and the construction industry, which will be present across many parts of the world. We have also invested in two production units in Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain to increase safety and efficiency.

In terms of some of our notable changes this year, we must start with Soudal’s acquisition of Al Muqarram. We’ve also worked towards promoting ‘Made in UAE’ products with European technology in the country.

The robust strategic approach in quality and technology innovations will help AMI to develop the infrastructure and expand the markets across the MEA region.

Moreover, with an investment of US$10.8 million into our factories and offices, we have successfully developed our IT infrastructure, expanded our market across the MEA region, and introduced new products – including hybrid sealants, polyurethane sealants, and construction adhesives.

$10.8m

The warehouse is up and running at the moment. We are also looking into building extra warehouse space by 2024 to cope with our yearly-expected growth of 10% to 20% due to product, geographical & segment expansion.

What are your targets for 2023 and how do you intend to position the brands to take advantage of the currently positive market sentiment?

The Soudal Group has been operating and expanding with a robust strategic approach over the past 55 years. We plan on following the same strategy with the development of Al Muqarram Industry. We believe in step-by-step growth.

In 2023, we intend to grow our product range with the help of the experience and resources secured AMI. Moreover, we plan to further work on our customer segmentation to ensure we can go deeper into the market to offer the right product

for the proper application by giving technical advice & support.

We plan to further expand our reach, especially within the African markets, as it offers excellent growth potential. AMI will focus on growing the Dolphin brand and other AMI brands within the MEA region. At the same time, the Soudal affiliates and distributors in the region will do the same concerning the Soudal brand, which has a slightly different offering compared to the Dolphin brand.

Given sustainability is a major talking point for the construction sector – how will AMI and Soudal Group be catering to that demand with their products?

Sustainability is something we take very seriously in our developments. Soudal Group and AMI are working on adapting resources to use more sustainable raw materials in our production. This is a continuous process and is part of our research and development program.

We are also looking at reducing waste production and using recycled materials in our packaging. Soudal Group has invested globally in renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines. Additionally, we are opting for electric vehicles to minimise our energy consumption. These changes are also going to be implemented in our UAE projects soon.

Finally, what are your future plans for the Middle East and what sort of market growth are you targeting? What sort of target do you have for your expansion into the wider region? The Middle East is a core region for Al Muqarram Industry, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia being our key markets. The KSA market is expected to boom over the next three years with upcoming projects such as NEOM and the rebuilding the main cities – Riyadh and Jeddah – giving us great growth opportunities.

Al Muqarram Industry and Soudal Group are going to be bringing in more innovative products, with a key focus on sustainability, into the Middle Eastern markets.

The group plans to invest US$10.8 million in the upcoming years for new factories and facilities

Expanding footprint

01 UNITED KINGDOM

CBBG Group expands with opening of London office

Specialist construction expert services firm, CBBG Group, has announced an expansion of its services with the opening of its fourth office in London, following the opening of its offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha.

Established in September 2019, the CBBG Group has established itself in the Middle East and is now looking to continue its growth globally through its London office.

The London office will be led by Lance Crane, who is the seventh partner to join the firm.

02 FRANCE

Accor to open 38 branded residences by 2024

Accor is set to open one branded residential project every six weeks throughout 2023 and 2024 – further adding to its global portfolio of over 130 branded residential projects. The company said that it has been operating private residential communities for more than 20 years.

The branded residences are operated on both a managed and franchised basis across 22 of the group’s brands, with a growing development emphasis on India, Turkey, Africa and the Middle East regions, where more than 40% of new projects will be based.

03 GERMANY Masdar and RWE Renewables to explore collaboration on offshore wind projects

Masdar and Germany’s RWE Renewables have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on developing offshore wind projects across a range of key markets, such as US, UK and South Korea.

“By leveraging our two companies’ extensive expertise in this sector, we can help other nations to meet their offshore wind targets, transition to clean energy sources, and meet their net-zero objectives,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.

04 EGYPT

GV Developments signs MoU with Egis for Tarboul Industrial City in Giza, Egypt

Egyptian real estate developer GV Developments has signed an MoU with Egis for the development of Tarboul Industrial City in Giza, Egypt.

The project will spread over 109 million sqm, with every area aimed at serving the purpose of sustainable production. It is to become a green, smart and liveable industrial city in the heart of Egypt’s trade area.

The industrial city is aligned with Egypt’s 2030 Vision which is aimed at improving the quality of life of Egyptians.

Egypt’s Archplan Developments says 60% of construction completed on region’s first urban forest project

Egypt’s Archplan Developments has completed 60% of construction works on its US$16 million Il Cuore Verde commercial development in the New Administrative Capital.

The seven-storey project is being hailed as the first building in the Middle East to incorporate the concept of an urban forest. It will be completed in 2026 and is spread over an area of 3,400sqm.

06 SAUDI ARABIA JLL appoints Saud Mohammed Alsulaimani as KSA country head

JLL has announced the appointment of Saud Mohammed Alsulaimani as its Country Head in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The firm said the move will see Alsulaimani expand and strengthen JLL’s presence in the country as a market leader in real estate with a focus on technology and sustainability.

The decision comes at a time when national efforts are being maximised toward boosting the Kingdom’s business environment and increasing the capacity of Saudi citizens in leadership

05 EGYPT

07 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Virtuzone launches ‘The V’ tower in the metaverse

Dubai-based Virtuzone has said that it is partnering with pax.world to build its flagship metaverse office tower, which will be known as ‘The V’. Pax. world is billed as a blockchain metaverse with an early-mover advantage.

The office tower has been designed to meet the needs of a growing global digital nomad economy, and will provide an interactive, end-to-end ecosystem for digital nomads, remote workers and global entrepreneurs. The metaverse skyscraper is meant to attract and provide a virtual headquarters to millions of digital nomads.

Consultancy Driver Trett has announced that Jonathan Sanderson has returned to the business as the Regional Managing Director for the Middle East.

Sanderson initially joined Driver Trett in 2018, successfully leading the claims department of the company’s Oman office, and subsequently became Oman Country Manger in 2021.the consultancy said that Sanderson has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, spread across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.

The World Bank has announced that it will provide US$2 billion in aid to Pakistan, following the unprecedented floods that recently devastated the country. The financial institution said that the aid would be for reconstruction and rehabilitation, which includes food, shelter and other urgent needs of victims of the floods.

Record rain fall triggered severe flooding in Pakistan that has killed over 1,600 people, and affected over 33m people since mid-June. Scientific analysis revealed that climate change had a significant hand in causing the deadly floods.

09 PAKISTAN World Bank to provide $2bn in aid to Pakistan

08 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Driver Trett announces Jonathan Sanderson as regional MD for Middle East

Industry outlook

Dubai warehousing costs rise to amongst the highest in the world

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Dubai ranked fourth in Savills study of warehousing costs, after London, Hong Kong and Tokyo

Warehousing costs in Dubai rose by 7.7% in the 12 months to June 2022, making it one of the most premium warehousing markets in the world, according to a Savills update as part of its 2022 Impacts programme.

Across 52 global markets monitored by Savills, the average cost of warehouse property increased 8.4% between June 2021 and June 2022, as demand surged for industrial and logistics space in the wake of the pandemic.

London is the most expensive warehousing market in the world, with an average prime occupancy cost of US$35 per square foot (rent, service charges and

taxes), followed by Hong Kong (US$26) and Tokyo (US$22). Strong demand and lack of Grade A stock in Dubai has led to warehouse occupancy costs rising to US$19 per square foot, putting it in fourth position.

Meanwhile, in the US, whilst warehouse costs are generally lower, they have seen some of the biggest proportional increases in the past 12 months: occupancy costs in the seven major industrial markets space rose by an average of 20.1%.

WAREHOUSING PROPERTY COSTS AROUND THE WORLD

Swapnil Pillai, Associate Director - Research, Savills Middle East said: “Dubai is an established logistics market in the region with sectors such as e-commerce, and third-party logistics (3PL) expanding activity following the onset of the pandemic. The entry of new international companies, especially in the engineering and manufacturing sector, has also accelerated as a result of favourable business setup opportunities provided by the government and has boosted demand for warehousing space.”

According to Savills, rising warehouse costs are only part of occupiers’ decision-

making process when it comes to space: labour costs have also risen an average of 6% globally in the past year, whilst electricity and diesel costs jumped 39.4%.

Paul Tostevin, Director in the Savills World Research team, added: “Changing consumer behaviour, the e-commerce boom and shifting supply chains, resulting in a lack of space and rental growth in many highly constrained markets, have driven the global warehousing market to new heights.

“Weakening consumer sentiment and higher energy and labour costs have not yet impacted demand or rents and given the lack of grade A supply in many markets, costs are likely to remain high for the best located space. This will also be supported by further demand for the most highly rated sustainable buildings as retailers look to ‘green’ their supply chains.”

The lowest warehousing property costs can be found in India, at between $3 and $4 per square foot. Lower ecommerce penetration rates and a less developed manufacturing sector mean that India has yet to see the same development as other markets, but it offers significant potential thanks to a vast prospective consumer market for online retail, and as a lower cost manufacturing base.

FAISALIAH

RIYADH

Understanding the complexities of making Vision 2030 a reality

About the Construction Intel Summit KSA

Work on a number of large-scale, iconic construction projects is well underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its Vision 2030 blueprint. While the Kingdom’s leadership aims to transform the country, it also wants to be mindful of what this transition means for its people, its culture and its environment.

Therefore, as the GCC’s largest country moves towards a more diverse and sustainable economy, it is essential that the global construction industry equips itself with the knowledge and insight to grasp the unprecedented opportunities presented to them by Saudi Arabia’s transformation.

Unique Opportunity

Make Connections

This is why the Construction Intel Summit KSA is coming to Riyadh on November 23, 2022. The third edition, and the first live iteration, the Construction Intel Summit KSA aims to inform and educate attendees about the massive opportunities that remain across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

educate

Meet representatives from the industry and engage with a captive audience of decision makers and influencers, who are involved in purchasing or specifying products and services. Our sponsorship packages offer you a wide range of opportunities adapted to your needs and the level of visibility that you want to reach.

Focusing on four key themes: Design Considerations, Project Interfaces, the Energy Transition and Enabling Saudization, this one-day event aims to bring together leading experts from inside and outside the Kingdom to share their experiences and knowledge with representatives of the country’s construction and real estate sector.

2022 Agenda

The Construction Intel Summit KSA will combine high-level panel discussions, keynote speeches and expert presentations to communicate the views of industry experts and change-leaders.

us

This event presents you with an opportunity to interact and connect with regional industry decision makers and influencers. There are several innovative ways to sponsor and participate from speaking opportunities to branding, interactive live polls to presentations. Contact us for detailed information.

Sponsorship

Jude Slann

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Saudization:

SILVER

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Utilities

How digitisation is helping cities provide clean water

MIDDLE EAST

Municipalities across the planet are turning to smart water management solutions to ensure supply resiliency says Gary Wong, Industry Principal – Water and Smart Cities at AVEVA

The twin challenge of urbanisation and climate change are taking their toll, in the form of increasing water scarcity in cities around the world.

More people are moving to urban areas – already half the world’s population (55%) lives in cities, and the United Nations expects that number to rise to two thirds

(68%) within just a few decades. At the same time, climate change is already seeing large swathes of the planet being affected by drought, with coastlines being eroded and livelihoods disappearing. In 2022, more than 2.3 billion people face water stress, while almost 160 million children are exposed to severe and prolonged droughts.

Yet, although more than 70% of the planet is covered in water, only 3% of it is drinkable, and a significant portion of these freshwater resources is locked in glaciers and ice caps. Worse, water demand is projected to increase by 30% by 2050, with the UN’s forecasting a global water deficit of up to 40% by 2030.

In response, an increasing number of cities are imposing water restrictions to tackle the problem. However, ensuring access to water – a fundamental right for everyone and part of the UN’s SDG – increasingly requires real-time onsite management that helps circumvent the challenges of increasing water scarcity.

To that end, municipalities across the world are turning to digital technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and the industrial internet of things (IIoT) to

support their water security needs. By generating valuable predictive business insights and improving operational resiliency, these smart city solutions can help authorities understand water needs, preserve existing water sources and minimise leakage in order to increase the availability of clean water for all.

HOW NAPLES MANAGES

WATER SYSTEMS REMOTELY

As hybrid workplaces become the norm but supply and distribution challenges increase, digital technologies are already supporting water and sewage management.

Gori centralises water services to 74 Italian municipalities in and around Naples, including Salerno, Vesuvius, and the Isle of Capri, taking over from a patchwork of local providers. But calibrating the delivery of 207m cubic meters of water to more than 1.5m people across a 4,000km network as a single entity was becoming unmanageable at scale.

A 2,240km sewage network spanning 13 treatment plants compounds the problem.

Gori’s SCADA team turned to digital technology to reconcile its significant operational challenges and reduce energy

Predictive insights

Digital technologies are allowing municipalities to generate valuable predictive business and operational insights.

Water crisis Cities around the world are seeing their water supplies being impacted by climate change.

3%Although more than 70% of the planet is covered in water, only 3% of it is drinkable

consumption along the way. The smart city solution implemented an integrated suite of software products providing operators with single-window access from both fixed and mobile stations. Since implementing the system, Gori’s operations have logged increases in both efficiency and sustainability. At its Mercato Palazzo plant, for instance, the remote monitoring and control system has led to a reduction in energy consumption by 45% or savings of about €80,000 per month.

HOW CITY OF SALEM PREDICTS AND ASSURES WATER QUALITY

The effects of climate change are complicating water management for utilities around the world, but the City of Salem in Oregon faces a water quality hazard of a different kind. Warming temperatures have led to rising outbreaks of dangerous algal blooms on the lakes and rivers that supply the city with drinking water. Many of these algae produce hazardous cyanotoxins that pose significant challenges to water utilities, including grave safety risks, and costly interference to treatment processes.

One such four-day event in 2018 led to a month-long drinking-water advisory, and eventually a declaration of emergency.

The city turned to a cloud-based data management platform to ensure it was never surprised by such a scare again. The scalable cloud data management platform brought together live data points such as water depth, weather information, water turbidity, satellite imagery and lab samples into a single, web-based interface. Officials then shared this unified information in real time.

The program puts previously unreachable data sources within officials’

reach, enabling them to run predictive analysis that forecast the need for water treatment a week in advance of any algal blooms and toxic hazards. That’s enough time for operators to take corrective action such as changing pumps and filters or redirecting water flow, ensuring that Salem residents always have clean and safe drinking water.

HOW PUERTO RICO ENHANCES ASSET RESILIENCE AND EFFICIENCY

Improving asset efficiency can deliver immediate output gains while boosting asset resiliency and saving costs. The Caribbean territory of Puerto Rico lacks a source of fresh water. Yet, with more than three million residents and an equal number of annual visitors, demand for water continues to grow. The system serving them has grown to over 16,100km of water mains and aqueducts and 3,218km of sewage lines

Affordable access

between 1,500 sites that service the island’s five regions. The island’s diverse and remote terrain means increased visibility and reduced travel is critical.

The Puerto Rico Water and Sewage Authority, already one of the more advanced utilities in the world, recently transitioned to a fully automated system with an integrated suite of solutions to reconcile the contradictory goals of increased water output, EPA compliance, improved efficiency and reduced costs.

Manual operations were eliminated wherever possible for proactive management of all aspects of the water and wastewater systems. Real-time diagnostics enabled operators to monitor the quality of the water and sewage treatment processes, troubleshoot problems, and make timely changes that help prevent compliance violations.

Tangible results included clean, EPA-compliant water, fewer shutdowns and improved customer satisfaction. Output has increased from 12m gallons to 20-30m gallons, while an estimated $15mn has been saved over seven years.

40%

With the incidence, severity, and complexity of water crises is on the rise, human effort alone cannot solve the mounting water challenges facing the world’s cities today.

Thankfully, the use of digital water technologies is transforming water and wastewater management in urban areas around the world. By embracing smart water management, we can improve resource efficiency, optimise supplies, uphold water quality, and predict maintenance needs – all while avoiding costly disruptions. In the process, affordable access to water can be improved for everyone.

The UN forecasts there will be a global water deficit of up to 40% by 2030

Digital technologies are helping make clean drinking water available and affordable to everyone around the world, says Gary Wong.

The School for Construction

BIG PROJECT ME SPEAKS TO KAREEM FARAH, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING CONTRACTING COMPANY, THE DUBAI-BASED CONSTRUCTION GROUP THAT IS RAPIDLY BECOMING KNOWN AS A BENCHMARK FOR DIGITALISATION IN THE SECTOR

ECC

ack in 2018, Engineering Contracting Company (ECC), announced that it had made an executive-led decision to wholly adopt Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology and integrate it across all its operations and projects going forward.

At the time, this decision made ECC one of the few main construction groups in the UAE to embrace the technology in such a way. By implementing BIM, the company was able to connect all project stakeholders under a Common Data Environment, thereby allowing it to reduce errors, resolve design clashes and deliver complex and quality projects for its clients.

Furthermore, the company became one of the first contractors in the UAE to receive the international accolade, the BIM Kitemark Certification from BSI, which was then followed up with it becoming the first contractor to receive BIM ISO certification from the same body.

Appetite for improvement

Kareem Farah says that ECC has always looked to improve and develop its offerings to clients.

This success and appetite for improvement is a hallmark of the company – one of the oldest reflected in ECC being chosen by Dubai Municipality to be the main contractor for the largest 3D printed project in the world (as recognised by Guinness World Records).

continuously evolving itself into a modern construction company – one that is comfortable with technology and always looking to push boundaries.

The man leading this transition is Kareem Farah, managing director at ECC. Speaking exclusively to Big Project ME after a hugely successful presentation at the Digital Construction Summit – where he showcased the company’s work on the 3D-printed Dubai Municipality project – he says that this ethos of change is prevalent across all ECC’s operations.

“All of the companies in ECC Group have shown resilience and continued positive performance year-on-year. ECC (construction) has shown growth in the Design and Build model, which we have found helps in reducing the time taken to complete projects from start to finish. Abanos is continuously improving its digitalisation and automation journey, while United Masters (UME) has successfully implemented its prefabrication and modular concepts through its BIM strategy,” he says.

Record-breaker

The DM project was recognised as the largest 3D printed concrete building in the world by Guinness World Records.

Located in Al Warsan, the project spans more than 640 square metres and has two levels, standing at 9.5 metres in height, and the vision for the project was to create an efficient development, in line with the new futuristic vision for Dubai as it aims to become a leading hub for 3D printed technology by 2030.

What these successes and others highlight is ECC’s commitment towards

“Prime Metal Industries has further developed its metal interiors division as well as its lean implementation to improve its processes. ECC Fit Out, a division of ECC focusing on smaller projects, has expanded substantially in both the residential villa space as well as the logistics sector. CoreServ, our facilities managements and maintenance division) continues to grow organically

The adoption of BIM, ERP’s, MES’s and many other types of software has helped us to improve efficiencies, maintain quality, allow for better communication, and add to employee satisfaction as well as Health and Safety”

in both annual maintenance contracts, as well as ad hoc call out services, with a primary focus on customer satisfaction.

“Finally, the newest addition to the group, Desert Board, is adding a fantastic sustainability arm to the group, supporting the UAE sustainability vision, being the first in the world to engineer a 100% sustainable wooden board from the desert and adding to the UAE’s vision of having a circular economy as well as fulfilling their pledge to reduce their carbon footprint,” he adds.

Farah states that one of the major factors behind this company-wide push to adopt technology actually comes from the past. As a company that has operated in the UAE for more than 45 years, ECC has established a reputation

for integrity with all stakeholders, both internally and externally.

As such, the company understands that improvement is an evolving concept that must be part of its culture, he explains.

Systems and procedures are paramount in ensuring the consistent delivery of efficiency and quality, while employee engagement through transparent communication is vital to the success of the business.

“We promote lateral thinking for all our employees through the lean principle of Kaizens, and they in turn are rewarded for their ideas. We understand the importance of adopting the latest technology in order to future proof the Group. Furthermore, we

also believe that sustainability is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity for all organisations in order to protect our environment for the future.”

Farah adds that the group has been focused on strengthening its relationship with its supplier and sub-contractor chain by treating them like partners and developing trust. With its clients, the company says that it continues to focus on fulfilling promises, delivering the highest quality projects, and showing flexibility and openness to new ideas to improve efficiencies.

“For many years, industries around the world have been evolving by embracing the latest technologies. At ECC Group, the adoption of BIM, ERP’s, MES’s and many other types of software has helped

Embracing technologies

The ECC Group has pushed its evolution forward with adoption of many technologies.

2019 ECC won the contract to work on the world’s largest 3D printing project

us to improve efficiencies, maintain quality, allow for better communication, and add to employee satisfaction as well as Health and Safety – this has been done through better data capture, data sharing and data analysis,” he explains.

“We are investing a lot of time and effort into systems to improve project and administration control and communication. Bots are also being used to take over the tedious time-consuming tasks from employees freeing them up to handle more challenging tasks, while the implementation of BIM is also helping in enhancing our ability to modularise and pre-engineer as much as possible as well as help in the adoption of 3D printing.

“Additionally, in line with the world’s efforts to improve sustainability, we have

Reducing waste

The DM project was part of an initiative to explore how ECC can use technology to reduce waste and carbon emissions.

been focusing on technologies which will reduce our carbon footprint. This ranges from solar power to run our offices and factories, to waste management and segregating technologies on our sites and accommodations, and finally technologies to help improve our fleet management by reducing carbon emissions,” Farah states.

In addition to the investment in technologies, ECC Group is also focused on making sure its teams and divisions speak to each other and share ideas.

Farah explains that the process of knowledge sharing from one project to the next is key to ensuring that the company and its teams implement the best and most efficient practices and technologies, so as

to deliver the best possible quality, on time and within budget.

“We are known in the market as the school for construction. Our chairman has a well-known saying: ‘A leader creates leaders’. We track the skills of each of our employees in order to guide them in their professional development and improve their overall skills in order to help them achieve their true potential. This is done in the hope of creating more great leaders,” he asserts, adding that education on lean principles, as well as sustainable thinking, are at the core of development for his company’s teams.

Farah adds that this will be a process that will continue across the group, along with the ongoing digitalisation of operations.

2018 Year that ECC made the decision to wholly adopt BIM

He stresses that ECC’s leadership are big believers in digitalisation, and that the company has been going through a continuous iterative process – both in the projects space, and in its administration.

“We believe that this has helped greatly in the overall efficiency of the group, and specifically in improving the communication and the reaction time between staff, minimising delays and aiding in better organisation of data for ease of use and analysis,” he explains.

“The construction industry is currently embracing digitalisation. There are still plenty of other areas where digitisation can be implemented but we have found progress in the

implementation of digitisation particularly with documentation, communication and the quality control and snagging processes.

“We do feel however, that the adoption of digitalisation with suppliers and subcontractors needs to improve. As a group we strive for digitalisation adoption across the Group, in order to maximise efficiency,” Farah stresses.

As such, the company will continue to develop and enhance its services through its ongoing culture of learning, improving and adoption of more efficient systems, processes, and tools, he says.

“The adoption of digitalisation is key to surviving in an ever more

competitive world, and those that don’t keep up will be left behind. We strive to be at the forefront of adopting more sustainable practices, both through digitalisation, improved process management and by utilising materials that reduces our carbon footprint,” he continues, warming to the theme.

“At ECC Group, we are continuously analysing and assessing best practices, evolving the way we build, in order to deliver buildings with a lower carbon footprint both during the construction phase, as well as throughout the lifespan of the project. 3D printing is also one of those options that we’ll continually consider,” he adds.

“Our impact, and in particular the construction industry’s impact on the environment is a key driver for us to reassess and reform the way we build. The industry – both globally and locally – is striving to address this through best practices in digital implementation for better communication, improved data capture and mechanisation both on site and through factory built pre-engineered elements.

“Recently there has also been more discussions and research into the types of materials that are being used in buildings in order for them to reform to the UN’s climate goals, and to reduce our Carbon footprint. This is being done by adopting technologies like BIM, 3D Printing and utilising more engineered wooden construction,” he concludes.

We are known in the market as the school for construction. We track the skills of each of our employees in order to guide them in their professional development and improve their skills to help them achieve their true potential”

Industry leaders Farah presented a case study about the DM project at the recent Digital Construction Summit.

Government partners

The group is a trusted collaborator for several government entities, including Dubai Municipality.

ustainability has become a key factor for Dubai’s residential real estate sector, with both homeowners and tenants looking for properties that provide amenities and facilities that conserve resources, optimise energy and water usage, and offer quality and durability over a longer term.

The growing demand for housing that is low-impact and high-performing has forced property developers rethink how they conceptualise and build their projects, especially as their customer base is now far more aware what they want their homes to look and feel like, and how they contribute, in some small way, to the fight against climate change.

As such, there has been a recent upswing in projects and developments that cater to these changing requirements, backed in no small way by the UAE government’s vision for a sustainable future. With COP 28 set to be held in at Expo City in Dubai next year, there has been a noticeable push from the government to encourage developers to bring to market projects that have a strong sustainability element to them.

Given all these factors, the recent launch of Fakhruddin Properties’ latest residential project comes at an opportune time for the developer as it makes a comeback into the Dubai real estate market. Located in Jumeriah Village Circle (JVC), the two-tower project features studio, one- and two-bed apartments, along with offices and retail spaces.

Standing at 39-storeys tall, with 20,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor, and a four-level podium. The development will also house eight floors of offices, Fakhruddin Properties adds.

Maimoon Garden will deploy key energy optimisation and automation technologies to offer its homeowners

and tenants smart homes that will have projected energy savings of up to 30%. In addition, these embellishments will bring enhanced convenience and a reduced carbon footprint to residents.

Furthermore, by utilising NASAbased technology, the developer claims that it will be able to offer the cleanest Indoor Air Quality in each apartment. Other highlights include a sophisticated Waste Management Technology that will aide in segregating dry and wet garbage, thereby reducing the combined carbon emissions by almost 1,250 tonnes.

An advanced Centralised RO water technology feature for all apartments will also help reduce waste and keep sustainable living

2025 The project will be completed by the end of 2025

When we started looking at the project and launching it, this was always at the forefront, that we should be thinking of sustainability and of future generations. You should think about it, whatever you do”

Return to the market Maimoon Gardens marks the return of Fakhruddin Properties to the Dubai real estate market.

at the forefront of the upcoming project, says Yousuf Fakhruddin, CEO of Fakhruddin Properties.

“We’ve aligned our company with sustainability, and we provide projects that cater to that aim. This project, we started designing more than a year back – we’ve completed that now and we’re into the phase of starting construction. In a way, we were already there, because there are shoring piles in, but we’re yet to bring the main contractor on –however, we’re expecting completion by the end of 2025,” he states.

Maimoon Gardens intends to offer residents a ‘resort-like’ feel, Fakhruddin adds, pointing out that the development will feature amenities

such as Zen and meditation gardens, water features such as an infinity pool and a lazy-river, a community greenhouse with radiant cooling technology, and various sports facilities. Along with this, a vertical herb garden will be installed in every apartment.

He explains that these offerings aim to give residents a 360-degree sense of wellbeing, as well as promoting a healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, he points out that sustainability is the need of the hour, and that it is important that all sectors and segments of society embrace it.

“When we started looking at the project and launching it, this was always at the forefront, that we should be thinking of sustainability

39

Number of storeys in each tower

and of future generations. You should think about it, whatever you do.”

This attitude has struck a chord with investors, he asserts, pointing out that investors in the project have come from around the world, including countries such as India, Pakistan, the UK, the Middle East and Russia.

“They appreciate the number of amenities we provide and our payment plans, but they also appreciate the new technologies that we’re bringing in, and the sustainable lifestyle that we’re promoting,” he adds, pointing out that the project offers a mix of studios, one-, two- and threebedrooms, and a few duplexes.

Fakhruddin states that the project is set to break-ground shortly, and

Podium space

The 50,000sqft podium space for the development houses a number of facilities and amenities for residents.

that the developer is in the final stages of its mobilisation plans with the contractor. The tendering process is also nearly finished, and the project is on track to be handed over by the end of 2025, he continues.

With sustainability the main selling point of Maimoon Gardens, it is no surprise to see that it is also at the forefront of the project during the construction phase. Fakhruddin explains that Dubai municipality guidelines will be adhered to stringently during construction, pointing out that the regulations are amongst the toughest in the region.

“One of the most expensive places to build is in Dubai, because of all these requirements from a green

building perspective, the working requirements that are there. That is something where we follow the guidelines and will enhance as much as possible, where we can.

“[That is why] one of the most important requirements we have is for a reputable contractor. They have to be able to deliver what we’re looking for, in terms of quality of construction, quality of finishes, and in terms of having the ability to deliver – especially on green building standards that we need to adhere to,” he insists.

“We are bringing a lot of firsts into this project – not only in Dubai, but in the world. We are hoping that developers will start copying – if not all the practices, at least some of

30%

them and putting them into their new projects. This is really required and not difficult to do – it just requires the initial platform and infrastructure by the developer, so that they can help their customers and people living in the building to contribute towards sustainable living.”

“I believe that this is one of the leading practical sustainable lifestyle developments in the region,” Fakhruddin says. “This is very important – practical. You can have sustainability, but if it’s not practical, then people won’t follow it, and we don’t achieve. In a nutshell, the technologies we’re trying to showcase (with Maimoon Gardens) are – Air Quality, Water

Minimum energy savings expected per apartment due to the optimisation and automation technologies installed

Technology, Home Automation, Greenhouse Radiant Cooling, Waste Management and Solar Power.”

The apartments themselves will have smart locks, AI control, smart thermostats and switches, and even come with Alexa devices pre-installed, he reveals. Every home will come home automation, and Fakhruddin insists that it’s not about adding on a luxury convenience for the sake of it. He points out that studies have shown that if used correctly, home automation can save up to 30% or higher in terms of energy usage.

“You don’t get up to change the thermostats or anything, you can just

use Alexa to change the thermostat accordingly. The lights will shut off when you’re ready to sleep instead of you having to manage that, and all of this affects the energy consumption, which people don’t realise. It’s a big, big thing. It’s a cool feature, but at the same time, it’ll save energy.”

Each apartment will also get clean, drinkable water in the kitchen, via a central RO system that has been installed in the building. This helps cut down on a number of consumption issues, including the use of plastics, as well as limiting the logistics and CO2 footprint, Fakhruddin elaborates further.

Community living

Another key focus area will be the Indoor Air Quality, which will be of the highest standard in every apartment. Based off NASA technology, the air purifiers installed in each apartment will remove anything carbon-based, including viruses, bacteria, mould and VOCs.

Residents will also have access to a state-of-the-art Waste Management System that will separate dry and wet garbage and consequently reduce the combined carbon emissions by almost 1,250 tonnes annually. The dry waste will be utilised in the community greenhouse as compost, Fakhruddin reveals, as part of the circular sustainability concept.

“It’s become very expensive to throw waste. If you’re throwing waste and not segregating it, it will become very costly, but if you’re able to segregate the waste, if you have your plastics separated from your dry (organic) waste, while your wet waste is also separated, then Dubai Municipality will charge you less (to collect your waste).

“Not only will the amount of waste going into the system will be less, but because it’s segregated, Dubai Municipality will be able to manage it better and recycle more efficiently than otherwise. We’re working with all the players out there who provide the best systems for sustainability for the building and for the benefit of the building,” he concludes.

We are bringing a lot of firsts into this project – not only in Dubai, but in the world. We are hoping that developers will start copying – if not all the practices, at least some of them and putting them into their new projects”

The development will contain a community greenhouse that will provide residents with fresh fruits and vegetables.

8 The project will also house eight floors of offices

Technology Drives Construction Revolution

Big Project ME recaps the discussions and presentations from the Digital Construction Summit, which took place on September 14, 2022, at the Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel in Business Bay, Dubai

Big Project Middle East’s inaugural Digital Construction Summit was held on September 14, 2022, at the Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel, and saw attendance from several key personalities and decision makers from regional entities including the Dubai Municipality, Miral Asset Management, and many others. The one-day event, which ran from 9am to 5pm, recorded more

than 230 delegates in attendance over the course of the day.

The summit comprised of five panel discussions, eight presentations, and an exclusive Dubai Municipalityled workshop on 3D Concrete Printing. Also included was an interactive exhibition space and networking activities.

Conceived as an evolution of the highly successfully Middle East BIM Summit, which first launched in 2015, the Digital

Construction Summit was endorsed by the Private Office of His Highness Sheikh Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, as well as Dubai Municipality and buildingSMART UAE.

The summit was also supported by the likes of: Gold Sponsor: ASGC; Silver Sponsors: ASITE, The SNC-Lavalin Group, Topcon; Bronze Sponsors: AECOM, AESG, CUPIX, JT+Partners, Kairnial, KEO, ZOHO; Technical Partner: Bentley, ECC, OpenSpace;

Exhibitor: Plan Radar; and the event’s Knowledge Partner: BSI.

Following a welcome address by Gavin Davids, head of Editorial and Content for Big Project ME, the Digital Construction Summit was launched by a keynote speech from Joe Tabet, managing director of JY + Partners, where he made the case for the uptake of digitalisation in construction, and asked the audience to consider the beneficial impact of technology on the industry, now and in the future.

BRONZE

SILVER

SILVER

Session One Recap: Embracing Change Why the Built Environment must increase Digitalisation

Picking up this theme was the first panel of the day, ‘Embracing Change: Why the Built Environment must increase Digitalisation’. Led by Carolina Fong Guzzy, cofounder and digital engineering manager, at Accienta this panel featured Christopher Stock, BIM Operation head at Dewan Architects + Engineers; Anas Ayoub, founder and director of Digital Construction at XD House; Andrew Butterfield, managing director, Global Built Environment for BSI; Juan Tena Florez, regional digital design manager; and Andy Boutle, head of Digital Construction at ALEC.

“Some of the main key takeaways discussed were the increase in the pace of digitalisation in the construction industry. Specially during the last

The second session of the day was kicked off by a panel discussion led by Mohammad Al Ktaishat, Digital Project Delivery lead for Civil Infrastructure for AECOM Middle East and Africa.

Focusing on ‘What Digitalisation means for Asset Management’, Ktaishat was joined by Vinod Kumar, technology director at EAST-O Holdings; Tharun Thomas, senior commercial manager at ENGIE Solutions Middle East; Rohan Chandavarkar, associate – Digital Delivery at AESG; Wajdi Mereb, Digital Construction and Digital Twin expert at Miral Asset Management; Chris Smeaton, Digital lead, InSite; and Ash Toma, Asset Management regional director at Atkins, a member of SNC Lavalin Group.

“The Digital Construction Summit 2022 certainly succeeded in bringing together the bright minds of the construction industry to tackle obstacles head on in the industry, and providing the entire supply chain the slot of making an innovative and digital difference,” Ktaishat told Big Project ME.

“We managed to bring to surface different challenges and mitigations in the space of digitalisation to help spread the awareness to asset owners and the rest of the supply chain on the importance of digital and its role in shaping the future of assets, if not the very day to day activities we do in those assets.

“Whether users, owners, consultants, or contractors, digital and structured information

couple of years and influenced by the restrictions from the pandemic and more openness for remote collaboration and flexible work environments,” Guzzy said.

“Also, because of the rapid evolution of technology, there is an unprecedented skills gaps in the industry globally which needs to be addressed with different training, hiring and upskilling strategies both at the individual and corporate level.”

She added that one of the insights from the panel included a key point from Butterfield, who spoke about the need to focus on the ‘Three P’s: People, Processes and Platform’. Guzzy highlighted the importance of remembering this, especially at a time when the appetite for innovation was surpassing the need for innovation.

The panellists also touched on the deployment of emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, Blockchain, and the Metaverse, with Christopher Stock pointing out the need to have the buyin of key executives when promoting new technologies and applications to promote change.

Following the panel discussion, Sam Badrah presented for OpenSpace about how 360 Reality Capture is transforming Construction, and showcasing his company’s technology offerings.

He was then followed by Tamer Elgohari from ASGC, who revealed how the master contractor was leading the way in innovation in construction, and how it has integrated a myriad of technologies into its project workflows.

management is the key to the successful transformation we all hope for in the industry.

“With today’s technology, information about almost anything is just at the tip of our fingers, and it is our responsibility to decide how do we use the data for enhancing assets through their life cycle, which in turn results in a happier standard of living,” he stated.

Continuing on with the theme of Asset Management, Rasha Abed from ASite, shared a presentation with the audience about how data can turn a building into a living, breathing asset, while also sharing insights into helping to future-proof a project and integrate resilience into operations, with the audience.

Session Two Recap: What Digitalisation means for Asset Management

Because of the rapid evolution of technology, there is an unprecedented skills gaps in the industry globally”

It is our responsibility to decide how do we use the data for enhancing assets through their life cycle”

Session Three Recap: Solving the Challenges facing the Water Industry through the Digital Twin

After a networking break, the Digital Construction Summit resumed with a keynote presentation by Dean Jagoe, senior consultant – Water Utilities at Bentley Systems. He spoke about Water Infrastructure Digital Twins, highlighting how the technology is proving to be the catalyst for transforming water systems around the world.

During the presentation, he shared with delegates insights into how digital twins can be utilised for asset performance modelling and operations across a

variety of water utilities systems, helping to reduce water losses and energy consumption, and improve emergency responses.

Jagoe then joined Omar Ahmed, senior BIM coordinator at China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East; Ibrahim Atta-Apau, director, Global Services at Atkins – a member of the SNC Lavalin Group; and Vanesa Fernandez Membrillera, management and commercial manager Middle East for ACCIONA, for a discussion about ‘Solving the Challenges

facing the Water Industry through the Digital Twin’.

Leading this panel discussion was Umar Kazi, Utilities director at AECOM Middle East.

Commenting on the water sector and the potential benefits of digital twins, Umar Kazi, Utilities Director at AECOM Middle East remarked: “It was real pleasure to attend and moderate a panel on digital twin applications in the water sector. Water is a scarce resource, and the water industry faces multiple challenges to conserve this precious resource.

“From the panel discussion it was obvious that the sector can hugely benefit from digital twins in terms of asset management, design and reduction in operational costs. Digital twins can also support the water sector to become more sustainable by implementing smarter solutions.”

After a power-packed morning session, the Digital Construction Summit broke for a networking lunch break, where delegates were able to discuss the morning’s topics and meet with the stars of the day – the speakers and presenters.

Session Four Recap: Entering the Metaverse What does it mean for the Construction Sector

Following the lunch break, operations resumed with Mohammed Adib, chief design officer for Dewan Architects + Engineers, presenting about Babel 4.0, the firm’s own metaverse, which it intends to be a virtual space for members to meet and exchange ideas about design, through an ever-evolving sensory experience as Web3 technology becomes more sophisticated.

In the wake of Abid’s fascinating talk, Prakash Senghani, CEO and co-founder of Navatech Group, led a discussion about ‘Entering the Metaverse: What does it mean for the Construction Sector?’ Joined by Drew Gilbert, design manager at OBM International; Dr Mohammad Abdelghani, managing director of VeraValue Consulting Group; Firas Alsahin, design director at 4Space; Dr Harpreet Seth, head of Architecture, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University Dubai; and Bhaskar Raman, regional business

unit head at Omnix International, Senghani oversaw a debate about how the metaverse will shape the future of construction.

“The metaverse in general is a fairly unknown quantity to most, but it’s implication on the construction industry is even more nuanced. The panel of experts we gathered for the Digital Construction Summit demystified where and how the Metaverse will re-shape the way we design and manage construction,” he said.

“What was clear was that there is often confusion between the Metaverse and Digital Twins, although they are linked, they’re not the same thing. Digital twins are physical representations of real-world assets, often incorporating data from various sources to help understand and optimise how the assets behaves. The Metaverse can ingest Digital Twins, but they can also be made up of environments that are nothing like the physical world and are often designed to allow

people to congregate, collaborate and co-exist in the digital world.

“Another area of agreement amongst the participants was that the process we currently use to design and build will change, for examples currently we create high resolution images of projects for selected viewpoints, in the Metaverse we will have to do this have every viewpoint. The challenges we face as we migrate to the metaverse were discussed –they are multitudinous; however, the biggest ones involve our people. The behavioural change required is enormous for an industry that sometimes struggles to get users to adopt smartphones. The skills required is another challenge that will take considerable effort and different approaches to recruitment to overcome.

“In conclusion the Metaverse has the potential to revolutionise the way we design, collaborate and work, but will require completely different approaches to realise these benefits,” Senghani asserted.

The Metaverse has the potential to revolutionise the way we work, but will require completely different approaches to realise these benefits”

The conclusion of the Metaverse panel discussion marked the beginning of the fifth and final phase of the Digital Construction Summit – the Dubai Municipalityendorsed workshop focusing on 3D Concrete Printing.

Kicking things off for the workshop was a keynote speech from Aisha AlMulla, the head of Research and Building Section at Dubai Municipality, who laid out a comprehensive overview of the Municipality’s plans for the strategic implementation of 3D Concrete Printing in the emirate of Dubai.

Amongst the highlights of her speech was the showcasing of the World’s largest 3D Concrete Printed building, which was developed to showcase the viability of the technology and to prove to the construction sector that it could be done.

This project was also the focus of the day’s next presentation, which was by Kareem Farah, CEO of ECC, the contractor who worked with Dubai Municipality to deliver the project. In this case study, Farah shared insights into the journey undertaken by ECC and Dubai Municipality to deliver the project, highlighting the challenges faced and overcome, as well as the extensive research and testing that went into ensuring the structural integrity, and more, of the project.

The final element of the day was a panel discussion, once again led by Senghani, which focused on 3D Concrete Printing: The Opportunities in Construction. This high-powered panel

discussed the huge potential of the technology and outlined how it could be combined with the ongoing digitalisation taking place across the sector.

Joining Senghani on the panel were: Jesús Sancho, Middle East managing director at ACCIONA; Edouard Baaklini, CEO of 3DVinci Creations; Dr Mustafa Batikha, Associate Director of Research, School of Energy, Geosciences, Infrastructure and Society /

Heriot-Watt University Dubai; Benoit Meulewaeter, chief technology officer at Besix 3D; and Marwan Abdulnoor Aljanaahi, senior structural engineer from Dubai Municipality.

“The panel of 3D Printing experts represented a diverse cross-section of stakeholders, but there were a number of common themes when it came to the challenges of realising the promise of the technology. Firstly, there was consensus that 3D Printing can no longer be considered a nascent technology, there have been enough proofs of concepts locally and demonstrations of value globally that it now requires a shift to scale,” said Senghani.

“This shift requires collaboration between the various stakeholders present of the panel, government, academia, industry and technology vendors. All of these, especially the Dubai Government reiterated their commitment to seeing the technology flourish and extended their invitation for parties to come to them to collaborate. There were some probing questions from the audience relating to the openness and willingness of 3D Printing companies to share data, specifically mix designs.

“Other challenges highlighted by the panellist came in the form of a lack of knowledge about the advantages and limitations of 3D Printing amongst clients, often the technology providers are requested to bid on projects which have been designed to be built using traditional techniques and so are

unfairly evaluated against them.

“Also, when tenders are submitted there is little or no feedback given, this means that the bidders do not know how they could have improved their offering. In summary, there was an agreement that there is a positive sentiment about 3D Printing, with the support of authorities like the Dubai Municipality, the Emirate is well placed to take advantage of this maturing technology,” he highlighted.

Following the conclusion of the summit, delegates were treated to a surprise prize-giving event, where sponsors Kranial and OpenSpace held a lucky dip with business cards collected at their respective exhibition stalls during the day, with two individuals receiving an iPad and a 360-degree camera respectively.

Following this, Big Project ME brought proceedings to a close as well, with a prize draw for delegates, awarding one attendee with the latest Apple iWatch.

Lynne Davidson, Regional Marketing Manager – India, Middle East & Africa at ASITE remarked: “This was another excellent event by the team at Big Project ME and CPI Trade Media.

“They succeeded in bringing the industry together to discuss all aspects of digitalisation and the opportunities this brings to the region. Data continues to be the driving force of this digital transformation and the event featured a number of insightful sessions about the need to capture and use this data more effectively.”

Watch the full day’s discussions online at: https://meconstructionnews.com/live-events

3D Printing can no longer be considered a nascent technology, there have been enough proofs of concepts locally and demonstrations of value globally that it now requires a shift to scale”

Holdings

The future of Asset Management

MIDDLE EAST

Why is digitalisation the future for Asset Management?

Digitalisation is the future for Asset Management for two main reasons:

Technology extends the human ability and allows us to do things that we normally cannot.

Applying the right technology can provide important insight that can greatly benefit any building manager.

For example, technology can tell you about the unsafe levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air, it can confirm if a vehicle is permitted to enter a vicinity or not just by reading the license plate, it can recognise human faces to allow entry to facilities and it can help with much more.

Moreover, effectively utilising technology will greatly enhance efficiency across all operations of the built

environment. Technology does not tire, and it does not work 9 to 5, which means residents/end-users can receive instant services 24/7 from anywhere around the world without having to interact with other people or visit any office.

Through the right technology, managers will not need an army of cashiers to process thousands of payments a day, in fact, they will not even need a single cashier.

This results in substantial value for both building managers and end-users.

What is EAST-O Holdings’ mandate from Eltizam for the digitalisation of its services?

Chris Roberts, Group CEO of Eltizam, had a vision that the cost of managing and maintaining buildings can be drastically reduced through investing in the right technology. He envisioned the concept of “conscious buildings”,

Uros Trojanovic, divisional CEO of EAST-O Holdings, shares with Big Project ME how the company is powering digital transformation across the Eltizam Group and beyond

as he calls them, which are buildings that tell you when they need to be maintained or when things are wrong.

In 2018 we embarked on a digital transformation journey across Eltizam’s business entities, which has resulted in the conception of a myriad of digital platforms, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), enhanced processes, an analytics lab and lots of Research and Development(R&D) in the areas of energy management, air quality and building security.

What results have you seen from the implementation/ merging of technology with Asset Management services?

The implementation of technology has helped achieve numerous visible results, perhaps the most notable would be the following:

Firstly, it gave way for unprecedented understanding of portfolio trends, such as, the changing trends in payment channel usage, the top challenges voiced by end-users in each building/ city/country and how different amenities are being used by residents.

Moreover, it led to changes in customer habits, as end-users/residents are now more inclined to pay through online portals rather than using the traditional way of sending bank transfers. It also resulted in happier customers overall, since residents no longer need to use plastic access cards to enter and exit parking lots.

Lastly, it helped place greater focus on occupants’ wellness and wellbeing, through the implementation of technologies like air quality sensors which notify building managers when safety limits are exceeded.

What are some of the concepts being developed by EAST-O Holdings to merge technology with asset management services?

The Smart Building Lab at EAST-O is continuously at work, engaged in developing new solutions that add value through merging technology with asset management services.

Currently, the team is occupied with trialing several projects in the areas of energy measurement and

Unprecedented understanding Technology has given EAST-O Holdings an understanding of what clients want, Trojanovic says.

reporting and camera-powered access solutions for people and vehicles.

Our software development team is also busy developing new products specifically for maintenance management, as well as some niche industry applications such as real estate valuations and more.

What are the company’s plans for the future in order to improve its offerings?

Since 2020, the team at EAST-O Holdings has invested in collaborative efforts around the clock towards designing and building the core of

the PropEzy proptech platform.

Moving forward, we seek to leverage the team’s expertise and extensive knowledge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and systems integration to pack in additional value into the existing platform and line of products to achieve a suite of enhanced features for property, community and building managers that we believe is unmatched not just regionally, but globally as well.

We are equipped with a passionate and driven team of proptech experts who are all highly motivated to achieve that challenge and propel us to new heights.

2020 PropEzy proptech platform developed

Effectively utilising technology will greatly enhance efficiency across all operations of the built environment. Technology does not tire, and it does not work 9 to 5, which means residents/end users can receive instant services 24/7”

Final update

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi reaches 90% construction completion

UAE’s first dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return centre set to open this year

Miral, in partnership with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, has announced that it has reached 90% construction completion of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.

The mega-development is scheduled to open in 2023 and will include the UAE’s first dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return centre.

Located next to the marine-life theme park, the research and rescue

centre will open this year. It will support regional and global conservation efforts, providing an advanced knowledge hub with a focus on indigenous Arabian Gulf and marine life ecosystems.

The centre will be led by world-class marine scientists, veterinarians, animal care professionals, rescue experts and educators, who will collaborate with peers, environmental organisations, regulators, and academic institutions to impact long-term conservation efforts in the region. The rescue team will also be available to support the authorities 24/7.

Built across five indoor levels with a total area of approximately 183,000sqm, the marine-life theme park is in the final stages of construction completion of the interior themed guest environments, habitats, rides, and immersive experiences.

The purpose-built habitats and ecosystems have been designed and built using the latest technologies,

Dynamic environments

The habitats and ecosystems have been designed and built to replicate the animal’s natural habitats and environments.

aiming to provide the resident animals a dynamic environment that replicates their natural habitat.

The marine-life theme park is set to be home to the region’s largest and most expansive multispecies marine-life aquarium. It will feature a myriad of immersive experiences and interactive exhibits.

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi will be home to more than 150 species of marine animals

150The central ‘One Ocean’ realm links six distinct marine environments throughout the park, all of which tell a unified story based on the interconnectivity of all life on earth and in the ocean. The marine-life park is scheduled for completion in late 2022.

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is anticipated to contain more than 58 million litres of water and be home to more than 150 species of marine animals including sharks, fish, manta rays, sea turtles, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates in addition to hundreds of birds.

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