9 minute read
The Briefing
Drainage Systems
The Triple Bottom Line Framework
MIDDLE EAST Chandra Dake, CEO of Dake Rechsand, explains why MENA’s stormwater management needs a rebuild on social, economic and environmental pillars
Rains, which had eluded MENA for the most part, have become more frequent and intense across the region in recent years, owed in part to climate change.
In the last week of July, floods in the
UAE left seven people dead. Similarly, floods have wreaked havoc in Iran and
Yemen as well. Existing stormwater drainage systems, developed based on low-rain requirements, are no longer adequate, reliable, and safe.
In fact, many nations across the world are reporting inadequacies in their existing infrastructures and investing in capacity building.
In the past few decades, in addition to fortifications to existing drainage infrastructure — which are actually expensive and implausible in many areas — alternative, modern stormwater management concepts have emerged. It is well believed and well-studied that the conventional “quick-discharge” approach, which relies on larger pipes, concrete channels, deep tunnels and pump stations, is also not quite viable in the current era of sustainability.
SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE These concepts involve formulating drainage strategies and plans with social, economic, and environmental considerations. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs) are a collection of
$1
technologies and practices aimed at better reconciling stormwater management with green infrastructure. So, their adoption must not only lead to effective drainage and flood control but also support water quality, water security, agricultural productivity, water recyclability, and overall socioeconomic development.
Typically, SuDs include green roofs and grass swales, which have well-documented utility in stormwater management as well as pollution mitigation, ecological preservation, aquifer recharging, and green scaping of barren lands — matters of great importance for nations across the region.
In addition, regional stakeholders can also consider the “Sponge City” concept, which can be implemented as part of urban development. Sponge Cities involve the use of porous material in urban paving and landscaping and on rain-exposed surfaces such as roads and playgrounds. Thanks to the high absorption capabilities of these air and water-permeable materials, runoffs from rains can be captured at scale, averting flooding.
In addition, Sponge City projects can also involve the construction of underground reservoirs as part of water networks connected to the main grid. Following the filtration through the permeable material, the treated stormwater can be stored in the underground reservoirs and later redirected to the point of use. Breathable Sand-based materials, by virtue of their air permeability function, keep the stored water fresh without any external, chemical or electricitybased treatment. Fortunately, as a majority of urban development in the region is greenfield, there are ample opportunities for large-scale Sponge City implementation in MENA.
THE NEED FOR THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE FRAMEWORK The Sponge City concept is predicated on the triple bottom line framework, which posits any potential solution to be socially and environmentally responsible besides being financially viable. Within the context of MENA, Sponge Cities could enhance water security, thereby mitigating concomitant issues such as agricultural distress, downbeat economic growth, and excessive dependence on carbon-intensive desalination.
Better yet, SuDs such as Sponge Cities include mitigation components which entail one-time investments but offer long-term value. A reputable body has found that every $1 invested in mitigation can save $6 in future disaster losses. Many modern stormwater management projects have been launched based on such rationale and have demonstrated excellent returns. Philadelphia’s “Green City, Clean Waters” plan, considered the largest sustainable stormwater infrastructure program ever envisioned and implemented in the US, is one of the best examples of the triple bottom line framework.
The $1.6billion project includes managing runoff over 4,000 acres of impervious areas in the city over the next two decades, through a multi-dimensional strategy of bioretention, permeable paving, green roofs, grass swales, rainwater
Range of benefits
Adoption of SuDs will improve water quality, security, agricultural productivity and more, as well effective drainage and flood control.
Multi-dimensional analysis
The MENA region requires multidimensional analysis of its stormwater management to avoid future flooding crises, says Chandra Dake
$2.2bn
harvesting, etc. The triple bottom line benefits of the plan alone add up to a present value of $2.2 billion, according to the administration. These benefits are besides the long-term financial outcomes such as appreciation in property values and city’s competitiveness; environmental outcomes such as energy savings and emission reduction; and social outcomes such as public health and equity. The triple bottom line framework is also in application in the Xiong’an city of China. It has been described as a “millennium strategy” because of the magnitude of the project.
In the MENA region, stormwater management solutions shaped into a market only in the last decade. Following the emergence of grey drainage systems, administrations and communities retrofitted them into existing natural ways, thus initiating cycles of haphazard implementations and band-aid solutions. While such approaches have enabled people to manage stormwater in other rainaccustomed regions, they do not hold utility in MENA as the soil tends to be loose due to previously deficit rains. Loose soil is a recipe for disaster when atypical, heavy rainfall leads to flooding. So, at this juncture, stormwater management in MENA requires multi-dimensional analysis. A thorough understanding of modern stormwater management strategies and their feasibility in local conditions will be key to success.
MENA economies, with their greenfield advantage, are equally wellpositioned to unlock triple-bottomline benefits while optimizing their stormwater management. While the onus is mostly on governing bodies, in terms of budgeting and leading the initiative, even the private sector, residential communities and individuals can implement SuDs in smaller capacities and unlock the benefits. Such concerted efforts, combined with multistakeholder participation, can turn the challenge of rains into an opportunity to enhance water security — which, in turn, can lead to a number of positive civic outcomes.
The benefits of digitalisation for the construction industry
MIDDLE EAST Ibrahim Imam, Co-founder, Group-Co-CEO, CEO MENA & APAC at PlanRadar, outlines why the construction industry needs to embrace digitalisation
The construction industry is witnessing increased activity as the demand for urban infrastructure has heightened substantially. Along with the price escalation for building materials internationally, the industry is facing challenges with supply delays extending construction program durations, while there is a huge shortage of qualified labour – especially civil and structural engineers, project managers, safety officers, and so on.
Despite that significant growth, it is among the least digitised industries in the world. The ‘lack of digitisation’ results in a reduction in productivity, delays in sharing information, loss of critical information due to paper and email trails and miscommunication between different teams and stakeholders. Therefore, it’s no longer a question if construction industry should be digitised.
Construction companies can witness productivity gains of 14% to 15% and cost reductions of 4% to 6% and will be able to grow their companies by investing in modern technology. Digital innovations coupled with workers who are digital natives and are using advanced technologies such as automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, or machine learning can bring favourable changes to address the major challenges of cost and time overruns in the industry.
The digitisation of construction processes certainly represents a promising solution. With operational changes integrating digitalisation, the available resources can be used more economically in other departments.
Using automated reports for data collection eliminates paper or email trails and can be extremely helpful in the timely detection of potential delays, addressing construction
discrepancies, and feeding into realtime dashboards for a successful collaboration. With construction management software that creates time and cost savings in construction and real estate projects, and by digitising task management, documentation, and communication, projects can be delivered on time and on budget.
Some of the benefits of digital construction include: • Real-time updates: Construction software enables project owners to check the state of the project at any time and see the most up-to-date information. The transparency and traceability of the workflows result in increased accountability and improved collaboration among all parties. • Health & Safety: Construction, by its very nature, is filled with health and safety issues. It is easier for users to adopt a sensible and proportionate approach to health & safety management by reporting such incidents as soon as they spot them. With the option to raise a ticket, assign it to a manager and attach all relevant supporting information such as images or voice notes to the building blueprint, it becomes manageable for the manager to deal with the incident quickly. • Conflict resolution: At its core, construction is an industry that relies on people, and people make mistakes. Construction personnel face pressure and stress, tight schedules, and high expectations, which can lead to disagreements between parties hence resulting in delays, additional costs, and even more pressure. Construction software aids seamless communication and allows site and project managers to observe all parts of the team objectively and not have any unjustified accusations. • Report
generation:
Digitising construction process and daily tasks on a centralised platform enables
Promising solution
Digitalising the construction industry will improve the use of resources and improve detection of potential delays, says Ibrahim Imam.
Customisable reports
Digitising construction processes enables the compilation of customised reports. project members not only to avoid paperwork and long mail trails, but also enables them to add and share all project information, data, and documents on the go, which can be compiled into customised reports. Owners and project managers can get insights and real-time updates about project progress that supports key decisions. • Handover: With the ability to bundle all the information on project status, construction documentation, and fault management in a single document, it becomes easier for contractors
to compile a handover document. • Sustainable Construction: The construction sector is responsible for generating massive amount of carbon emissions and wastes, including unused building materials.
Digital construction is an eco-friendly process can reduce the amount of waste by using digital twins to test and optimise designs before building phase to avoid costly mistakes.
Construction management software enables calculating and optimising the needed amount of building materials and paperless operations by using reporting and document management software, can help reducing the carbon footprint and save resources for next generations.
