MEC Magazine December 2023

SAUDI MARKETS

News from Construction Intel KSA - latest dialogues

BUILDING MODULAR

Why it’s the way of the world: cost-effective and safety positive

CEMENT

Meet the Beauty and the Beast the quest for Green cement DECEMBER 2023

108

FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

Recordbreakers!

The winners at the biggest-ever MEC Awards

COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2021 COST CONSULTING COMPANY OF THE YEAR

2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023

Contents | 01

12

December 2023 Issue 108

Cover Story

Meet the Champions

On 22nd November, in the glittering setting of the Ritz Carlton JBR, the ninth edition of the Middle East Consultant Awards honoured the organisations - large and small - doing exceptional work in the Construction and Real Estate sectors across the GCC Close-up

A Strategy for Growth and Diversity

24

Jad Chouman, Partner & Head of Middle East, HKA, speaks about the drivers he sees in HKA’s market presence and ambitions

On Site

08 meconstructionnews.com

Trends in modular construction

Is sustainability, practicality or profit the main reason for its popularity?

We spoke to RICS’s online Modus publication for expert comment…

December 2023

02 | Contents

30

COP28: Industry Futures

Pollution or prevention?

The raft of possible pollution risks from the construction sector is far broader than most organisations imagine. We spoke to UK experts Sustainable Build about these risks and what can be done about them…

Construction Intel Summit KSA

Putting the Spotlight on the Kingdom

The 2023 Construction Intel Summit KSA featured 25 speakers who discussed talent, the delivery of giga-projects, sustainable infrastructure and more

34 COP28: Sustainability

The quest for Sustainable cement

The transition to sustainable technology is beyond urgent. Here, courtesy of online publication, The Conversation, we hear from Brant Walkley, University of Sheffield…

38 COP28: Sustainability

The imperative to make cement green

Dr. Veena Singla, Senior Scientist, People & Communities Program, for the USA’s Natural reserves Defense Council (NRDC) spells out the dangers of cement manufacture December 2023

42 meconstructionnews.com

04 | Welcome

Group MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 MANAGING PARTNER VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & BUSINESS OPERATIONS SHIYAS KAREEM shiyas.kareem@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5474 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR ANDY PITOIS andy.pitois@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5473

Editorial EDITOR

Raising the bar…

First things first. We’re kicking off the New Year with an exciting partnership with global real estate titan JLL, who have created a powerful round table session, titled ‘DEI and Business Performance’, taking place on 10th January 2024.

Then as we look to the future, the rest of the plans I have regarding Middle East Consultant are very much organic developments. Let me explain. Firstly, in 2024 we are launching the Middle East Consultant ED&I Awards, with the gala dinner due to take place on 24th April. Watch this space for announcements about when the Awards go live and when we can start warmly welcoming nominations.

These Awards were created as a direct response to the extraordinary success of this year’s ED&I: Women in Construction Summit, which not only attracted the strongest and largest field of speakers I’ve ever worked with in my 33 years in the business, but which has received so many accolades regarding the strength of its content and dialogues.

We’ve seen this event grow from being a niche interest six years ago to being one of the largest business summits in the country, and clearly, the level of industry interest and December 2023

PAUL GODFREY

commitment now fully deserves a brand new Awards event. It’s high time for everyone to show their innovations, inclusiveness and best practice in no uncertain terms.

Then, there was this year’s Middle East Consultant Awards. 23 winners were recognised under the stars of the Ritz Carlton JBR beachfront in Dubai at the event’s latest edition. With almost 400 people attending and a record 317 nominations, the 2023 edition set an altogether new benchmark.

As I mentioned on-stage during the gala dinner, an important way for us to raise the bar still further on this event is to introduce an audited judging and scoring process, managed and conducted by a leading ‘magic circle’ audit firm. This will enable us to continue the tradition of scrupulous fairness in the judging process and also allow the sharing and publication of results in the most transparent way. Very important step, I believe, and one for which the time has now come.

Let me conclude by saying the warmest ‘thank you’ to all our readers and event participants - see you again in the New Year!

paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5470

Design ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON GRAPHIC DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY PHOTOGRAPHER MAKSYM PORIECHKIN

Circulation & Production DATA & PRODUCTION MANAGER PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476

Marketing & Events EVENTS EXECUTIVE MINARA SALAKHI minara.s@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 433 2856

Web Development ABDUL BAEIS UMAIR KHAN FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) Published by

The publisher of this magazine has made every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication.

The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing. Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Al Salam Printing Press LLC.

Paul Godfrey Editor, Middle East Consultant

CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

meconstructionnews.com

If ever there was a topic that has now fully come into its own, it’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. No better reason, therefore, for CPI to join forces with global real estate titan JLL, as they kick off the New Year with an exciting DEI-themed, C-Suite debate…

We’re delighted to announce here in Middle East Consultant that on 10th January, JLL - in partnership with CPI Trade Media - will present ‘DEI and Business Performance’, an exclusive round table session taking place in the stunning Address Skyview Dubai.

An expert dialogue assessing the impact of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on business performance and stakeholder empowerment, this is set to be a compelling and highly thought-provoking discussion about key aspects of DEI implementation.

As we know, DEI is a cultural and commercial game-changer. It offers not only better ways of working, but enables businesses of all sizes to leverage powerful financial benefits - at a time when competitive edge has a highest-ever premium. JLL has conceived this milestone panel session so that key industry champions can share their views, concerns and strategies and move the DEI agenda forward, offering highly practical views and steps for improvement and implementation.

The moderated panel session brings

together innovators and game-changers from diverse - yet highly complementary - sectors.

In front of a specially-invited audience, it will paint an accurate and inspirational picture of DEI as a leading dynamic in today’s enterprise culture.

Topics covered will include DEI & THE C-SUITE: LEADING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

Key discussion points • How Boards can commit to paradigm shift • A DEI champion on the Board • The decision-making process • Demographic balance on the Board: an impossible dream?

• DEI as C-Suite culture • What happens next?

DEI AND ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL & GOVERNANCE): BETTER BUSINESS PERFORMANCE

Key discussion points • The role of DEI in ESG vision and framework • Presenting DEI as core to Best Practice

• DEI as an element of reporting and accounts • Counting the cost of DEI in the larger ESG commitment • Messages to stakeholders AGENDA

The day’s schedule will be 10:00am: Moderator’s opening remarks 10:10am: Platinum presentation from JLL 10:30am: Panel session begins 12:30pm: Audience questions & discussion 1:00pm: Networking over Lunch 2:00pm: Event closes We firmly believe that from an organisational stance, there is no better way to start 2024 than by debating the most effective ways for businesses to start adopting - or further refining - a rigorous commitment to DEI values and activities.

This event typifies that commitment and we are delighted to be working with key marketleader JLL on the day’s expert panelist lineup, delivery and an all-important series of media dialogues.

06 | On Topic

LATEST NEWS

FEATURES

INDUSTRY

2023 Construction Intel Summit KSA records over 130 in attendance

ANALYSIS: New study reveals stagnation of retrofit rates amongst leading G20 nations

PROPERTY

RAK Properties launches Sales Centre in Dubai

PROPERTY

Dar Al Arkan launches first Elie Saab branded residences in Riyadh

MACHINERY: Embracing the digital quarry – unlocking efficiency, safety and sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY

JLL calls for greater sustainability in new whitepaper

REPORT: Assystem report reveals majority of infrastructure projects fail PROPERTY

Saudi to invest US $92bn into transforming Riyadh ahead of Expo 2030

December 2023

22 January 2024 Dubai, UAE

REGISTER NOW #BigProjectMEAwards 2023

meconstructionnews.com

On Topic | 07

FEATURED NEWS

MOST POPULAR CONSTRUCTION

Oman Cultural Complex to be developed at cost of US $383mn The project will occupy an area of 400,000sqm and is to be built within a three-year period

PROPERTY

H&H Development launches Eden House – The Canal PROPERTY

SEVEN to develop SEVEN Abha with investment of $346mn The firm has partnered with leading companies in their respective fields to design the entertainment attractions in Abha

INDUSTRY

Saudi Arabia wins vote to host World Expo 2030

ENERGY

Hatta Hydroelectric Plant set for 2025 completion The project will play a key role in realising the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Net Zero Strategy 2050 PROPERTY

New ultra luxury mansions launched at Tilal Al Ghaf

PROPERTY

US $2.1bn in housing benefits unveiled by Abu Dhabi authorities The total value of housing benefit packages disbursed in Abu Dhabi during 2023 has reached $3.66bn PROPERTY

CONSULTANT

COP28: Just 10% of companies now report comprehensively measuring emissions, reveals BCG report Companies have not made “much emissions progress”, says new study by CO2 AI and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Saudi office market reaches a new high in Q3

INFRASTRUCTURE

23 JAN 2024 | THE RITZ CARLTON JBR / DUBAI / UAE

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VOTE NOW

RTA begins installation of solar panels at metro and tram depots

December 2023

08 | Close-up

December 2023

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Close-up | 09

Jad Chouman, Partner & Head of Middle East, HKA.

ad was previously Co-Head of Region with Haroon Niazi (who now leads the global risk mitigation consultancy’s core construction claims and expert (CCE) services across Europe, Middle East and Africa), and he’s well-placed to comment on the matrix of opportunities and challenges here in the region, as well as HKA’s corporate strategies.

“We’re in an exciting phase of ambitious growth and diversification.”says Jad, who could be describing the macroeconomics of the Middle East, rather than reflecting on HKA’s strategy in the region.

HKA’s strategy has driven the recent expansion across the region and includes significant assignments, ranging from Qatar’s 2022 World Cup and metro developments to Saudi Vision 2030 giga projects.

While the Kingdom and other Gulf states transition from hydrocarbons by developing their services economies and other sectors, HKA’s growth and diversification are being fuelled by its four main service streams – Construction Claims Expert Services, Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages, Forensic Technical Services, and Advisory Services. meconstructionnews.com

As the world’s leading construction consultancy, evidenced by topping the global Who’s Who Legal rankings for the last seven years, HKA has more experts listed in the region than any other firm. Whilst 18 years ago, the norm was to “export” work back to practices in America or Europe, the UAE business has now become the region’s longestestablished construction claims and dispute resolution consultancy as HKA has focused on attracting and training its own pool of local construction experts.

“HKA operates without borders, and we always seek to bring the best experts to service our clients from across EMEA or the globe, whilst we also pride ourselves on having local expertise where needed,” said Jad Chouman.

EXPANDING INTO FORENSIC ACCOUNTING AND COMMERCIAL DAMAGES

A similar process is now underway with Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages (FACD) expert services.

“We started by relying entirely on our European experts, but now have a team of people on the ground here, so

that they can be close to our clients and developments happening in the market,” Jad explained.

In spring this year, HKA appointed Clare Lavin as a Partner in the Middle East FACD team. It is set to grow as service markets develop independently of construction.

“We are seeing more commercial, financial and economic disputes that require forensic accounting and commercial damages expertise,” Jad confirmed.

All types of contracts, including commercial and investment treaty disputes, can avail of this expertise, but also state bodies.

“There’s a demand in the public sector for our investigative services to assist in their endeavours to fight corruption and fraud, bringing in best practices to ascertain compliance and protection of government funds,” Jad added.

BUILDING FORENSIC TECHNICAL SERVICES CAPABILITIES

Since HKA became an independent business in 2017, it has been building up its Forensic Technical Services (FTS)

A Strategy for Growth and Diversity Jad Chouman, Partner & Head of Middle East, HKA, has recently taken over the new sole Head of Middle East role, and he speaks here about the trends and drivers he sees in HKA’s market presence and ambitions December 2023

10 | Close-up

Jad brings an exceptional wealth and breadth of understanding, both to dispute resolution strategies and working practices across the GCC.

capabilities. Over the last year or so, the firm has acquired teams specialising in fields such as architecture, aviation and environmental consultancy.

The EMEA FTS operation is headed up by Julia Humpidge, Partner, with Bill Haggart, Partner, leading FTS in the region. This local team has many testifying experts and draws on HKA’s European network of technical specialists.

These disciplines are highly specialised – ranging from metallurgy to seismology or fire engineering to boiler chemistry.

So, the plan is to grow a local team of assistants to support them and offer FTS across the region, drawing on HKA’s comprehensive line-up to match the appropriate specialisms to each client’s technical challenges.

PROVIDING UPFRONT STRATEGIC ADVISORY SERVICES

The EMEA advisory services team is another significant growth area and is led

by Dafydd Wyn Owen, Partner, who works closely with colleagues in the region. HKA has proven the value of upfront, strategic advice on the planning, procurement and management of major infrastructure and capital projects globally, but particularly in Australia and Europe.

Advising on effective contracting strategies, early contractor involvement, and collaborative working, may currently be a niche service in the Middle East, but the scale of upcoming projects and market conditions demand new thinking and ways of working.

“We have already been retained on Saudi Arabia’s giga projects, and there is a growing demand from other major clients across the region,” said Jad. December 2023

SHARED FOUNDATION

The common foundation for all service offerings is sound and impartial advice rooted in world-leading multi-disciplinary expertise and experience. This enables HKA to anticipate, investigate and resolve the most complex challenges for clients.

“We can provide the full scope of services from the inception of projects through to damages calculation,” he explained.

With four main offices in the region (Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia), the consultancy has been established here for over 40 years, and is proud to have been in KSA for 17 years.

Jad added: “As an agile business, we can be anywhere our clients want, regardless of whether we have a local base or not.”

HKA works with many established clients in Egypt, for example, and also in North Africa. Other growing markets include Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan.

TALENT STRATEGY

Underpinning the HKA growth strategy is the ability to attract and retain highcalibre consultants. “Over several years, we’ve built a brand and culture that is attractive to people, and we retain them.

Our attrition rate for ‘good leavers’ is very low.”

Word of mouth is powerful. People in professional services talk to their peers about their working environment, collaborating with team members, and the scale and complexity of their projects and disputes. “So, we’re able to choose the best people who fit our highly collaborative culture.”

High-profile, complex projects are another big pull factor for ambitious professionals. “This is what personally attracted me to the Middle East region in 2005. Now, exciting projects like the Line, NEOM and Red Sea developments are inspiring a new wave of expats as well as the region’s home-grown talent,” said Jad. STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY

As a global business, HKA relies on people

from diverse backgrounds working closely within and across teams. “We recognise the strengths that diversity brings in creativity and decision-making.” HKA is working towards gender parity, has signed the Equal Representation in Arbitration Pledge, Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses Pledge, and its Experts support, advocate and participate in various industry and professional events around the world.

Though English remains the lingua franca of mediation, several consultants meconstructionnews.com

are Arabic and French speakers. HKA invests in mentorships, provides for neurodivergent employees, and engages in outreach work with schools, promoting careers in the industry and inclusion.

Other community activities involve sports sponsorships – for girls’ rugby and the Dubai Hurricanes – and support for the Emirates Red Crescent Authority’s IFTAR campaign.

Jad also emphasised the wider value to the industry from sharing lessons learnt through HKA’s unmatched project meconstructionnews.com

We always seek to bring the best experts to service our clients from across EMEA or the globe, whilst we also pride ourselves on having local expertise where needed”

experience. The CRUX integrated research programme analyses the root causes of claims and disputes. These are ranked by region in the annual CRUX Insight Report and can be analysed further through the free-to-use CRUX interactive dashboard.

“We share CRUX insights directly with clients but more widely through our CRUX ambassadors,” Jad stressed.

“We believe that, if applied on major projects, this knowledge can lead to better outcomes for the benefit of all stakeholders,” he concluded.

December 2023

12 | Awards

December 2023

meconstructionnews.com

Awards | 13

Meet the Champions On 22nd November, in the glittering setting of the Ritz Carlton JBR, the ninth edition of the Middle East Consultant Awards honoured the organisations - large and small - doing exceptional work in the Construction and Real Estate sectors across the GCC

ith almost 400 people attending and a record 317 nominations, the 2023 Middle East Consultant Awards set a new benchmark for an event which celebrates the work of architects, consultants, project managers, AI specialists and engineering firms in the GCC. 23 winners were recognised under the stars of the Ritz Carlton JBR beachfront in Dubai at the latest edition of the Middle East Consultant Awards.

The event’s sheer size wasn’t the only record to be set: the overall standard of entries was by some margin the highest in the event’s history. The Judges emphasised that the process required to create the shortlist and, finally, pick the winners ahead of the gala night was exceedingly tough - with the standard of competition between entries stronger than ever.

Attendees may remember that last year, meconstructionnews.com

event organiser Paul Godfrey had openly expressed some disappointment at the standard of entries in the Company and Project categories - but this year, nominees responded admirably, often submitting entries with extraordinary levels of sophistication and completeness.

This standard was helped by the Awards being open - for the first time - to video entries, and a number of companies had clearly gone to professional production studios to ensure videos of the highest quality, originality and viewer appeal.

The judges for the 2023 MEC Awards were: • Dr. Hagir Hakim, Senior Director of Studies for Construction Management and Surveying Programmes, HeriotWatt University, Dubai • Matt Doran, MENA Regional Hub Manager, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) • Paravasthu Jagannathan, Senior General Manager - Sustainability, Sobha Realty • Babette Cilliers, Independent Quantity Surveyor • Dr. Bhakti More, Chairperson & Associate Professor, School of Design & Architecture, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai.

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES

The core intention of the Middie East Consultant Awards is to identify and honour the Consultants doing exceptional work in the Construction and Real Estate sectors across the GCC - identifying the innovators, the champions of best practice and those who have worked on stand-out projects of lasting significance to the region.

It also aims to show proactively what are the real trends shaping the future of the sector - and the event’s 23 categories have evolved to factor in key areas such as the impact of AI, the widespread adoption of the Digital Twin and changes within the workplace itself, such as the advent of ED&I compliance and the importance of ESG commitments to the balance sheet.

This year’s winners emerged preeminent from the largest and highestquality selection of nominations that these Awards have ever witnessed.

December 2023

14 | Awards

AI-Led Design Champion of the Year

NOMINEE Jacobs NOMINEE OBMI NOMINEE Tangram Meta WINNER Jacobs

Metaverse Architect of the Year

NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Dewan Architects & Engineers NOMINEE OBMI NOMINEE Tangram Meta WINNER Dewan Architects & Engineers

Architectural Company of the Year NOMINEE Aedas Architects NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Jacobs NOMINEE RSP NOMINEE U+A WINNER B8 Architecture

December 2023

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Awards | 15

Company of the Year NOMINEE AtkinsRéalis NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Dewan Architects & Engineers NOMINEE Jacobs NOMINEE Kingspan Insulation NOMINEE Meinhardt NOMINEE Omnium International WINNER AESG

Cost Consulting Company of the Year NOMINEE C-Quest NOMINEE Compass Project Consulting NOMINEE Currie & Brown NOMINEE JLL NOMINEE Omnium International WINNER Omnium International

Dispute Resolution Champion of the Year NOMINEE HKA NOMINEE North 51 Consulting NOMINEE Omnium Resolve NOMINEE TBH NOMINEE Turner & Townsend WINNER HKA

meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

16 | Awards

Gender & Ethical Employment Champion of the Year NOMINEE AESG NOMINEE AtkinsRéalis NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Currie & Brown NOMINEE Dewan Architects & Engineers WINNER JLL

HR & Wellness Champion of the Year

C

M

Y

CM

NOMINEE AtkinsRéalis

MY

CY

NOMINEE B8 Architecture

CMY

NOMINEE Currie & Brown

K

NOMINEE Jacobs NOMINEE Omnium International WINNER AtkinsRéalis

Interior Design Company of the Year

NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Key Concept Interiors NOMINEE U+A WINNER B8 Architecture

December 2023

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since 1956

CELEBRATE

66

YEARS

ARCHITECTURAL innovation ASTOUNDING success GLOBAL recognition IN OVER 2500+ PROJECTS

D ES IGN RE-I MAGIN ED

18 | Awards

MEP Engineering Company of the Year

NOMINEE AESG NOMINEE Al Suweidi Engineering Consultants NOMINEE Jacobs NOMINEE Lasco WINNER AESG

On-Site Health & Safety Champion of the Year

NOMINEE AtkinsRéalis NOMINEE Jacobs WINNER Jacobs

Project Management Company of the Year NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE JLL NOMINEE Land Sterling NOMINEE North 51 Consulting NOMINEE Turner & Townsend WINNER Compass Project Consulting

December 2023

meconstructionnews.com

Awards | 19

Specialist Consulting Company of the Year

NOMINEE AESG NOMINEE K Tech Consulting NOMINEE Lasco NOMINEE Turner & Townsend WINNER TBH

Structural Engineering Company of the Year NOMINEE ASG NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE KPM Engineering WINNER ASG

Sustainable Consultancy of the Year NOMINEE AESG NOMINEE B8 Architecture NOMINEE Climatize Engineering Consultants NOMINEE JLL NOMINEE Parsons WINNER Climatize Engineering Consultants

meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

20 | Awards

Project of the Year – Government & Infrastructure NOMINEE Abu Samra Land Border Crossing AECOM NOMINEE Jafar Centre, Dubai College Godwin Austen Johnson NOMINEE Sandstorm Absorbent Skyscraper Kalbod Design Studio NOMINEE Zayed Road Network, Mina Zayed Parsons WINNER The Egypt Services Centre, Aswan JLL

Project of the Year – Hospitality & Tourism NOMINEE SeaWorld Abu Dhabi AECOM NOMINEE Tawila Island JT & Partners NOMINEE Mango House JT & Partners NOMINEE Centre of Curiosity MZ Architects NOMINEE Amaala - Six Senses U+A WINNER SeaWorld Abu Dhabi AECOM

Project of the Year – Residential & Commercial NOMINEE Hills View 64 B8 Architecture NOMINEE The Link Climatize Engineering Consultants NOMINEE Dubai Art Museum Kalbod Design Studio NOMINEE DIFC Living LWK & Partners NOMINEE Sea La Vie MZ Architects NOMINEE The Cube, Lusail Trust Engineering Consultancy WINNER The Grove, Louvre Residence MZ Architects

December 2023

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Awards | 21

Project of the Year – Retail & Public Facilities NOMINEE DAMAC Lagoons Climatize Engineering Consultants NOMINEE Canal Walk JT & Partners NOMINEE Shakhbat City Community Market JT & Partners NOMINEE The Cube, Lusail Trust Engineering Consultancy WINNER Canal Walk JT & Partners

Under-30 Champion of the Year NOMINEE Andre Valdez Aedas Architects NOMINEE Aishwarya Chengappa Egis NOMINEE Roxy Reynolds Omnium International NOMINEE Saagarika Dias RSP NOMINEE Kathren Salah TBH WINNER Roxy Reynolds Omnium International

C-Suite Executive of the Year NOMINEE Katarina Uherova Hasbani AESG NOMINEE Engi Jaber Climatize Engineering Consultants NOMINEE Ammar Al Assam Dewan Architects & Engineers NOMINEE Alaa Abu Siam Egis NOMINEE Natasha Abbas North 51 Consulting WINNER Kristina Brateng B8 Architecture

meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

22 | Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award NOMINEE Mohammed Al Assam Dewan Architects & Engineers NOMINEE Michalis Paschalis Jacobs NOMINEE Sandra Woodall Tangram Meta NOMINEE Pierre Martin Dufresne U+A WINNER Mohammed Al Assam Dewan Architects & Engineers

Multi-Discipline Consulting Company of the Year NOMINEE AECOM NOMINEE Egis NOMINEE KEO International Consultants NOMINEE Meinhardt NOMINEE TGP International WINNER AtkinsRéalis THANK YOU TO ALL OUR AMAZING PARTNERS AND SPONSORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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Awards | 23

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December 2023

TRENDS IN MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

24 | On Site

December 2023

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On Site | 25

Gone are the days when modular construction was a synonym only for ‘quick’. Today, its tensile capabilities, cost benefits and lower manpower risks are creating powerful new construction trends globally. Indeed, high-rise residential developments created by modular construction are appearing all over the world.

Is sustainability, practicality or profit the main reason for its popularity? We spoke to RICS’s online Modus publication for expert comment…

meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

26 | On Site

Lego took 30 years to go from its simple eightbutton brick model to spaceships. But they got there, and so will we”

Completed in just 26 months by Greystar and Tide Construction, the 546unit scheme brushed off COVID-19 delays to welcome its first residents in April 2021. The construction speed and height of the built to rent (BTR) development, called Ten Degrees, was lauded by the modular building community worldwide.

It has aided “the acceleration of housing delivery,” says Richard ValentineSelsey, head of residential research and consultancy at Savills and “pushed the envelope” of MMC (modern methods of construction), says Californian-based consultant, Darren Seary FRICS, principal at Optimum Modular Solutions.

MMC is an umbrella term for the multiple offsite and onsite techniques that speed up the creation of new builds.

For example, Volumetric, a box already finished on the inside, is the most generally understood modular type.

Estimated by Fortunebusinessinsights. com to be worth $75.9bn in 2021 and predicted to rise to $114.8bn by 2028, MMC is used in sectors from offices to hotels, but housing is benefitting the most.

SOME MODULAR HIGHLIGHTS 1. Ten Degrees, Croydon At 100a George Street, Croydon, the world’s tallest modular structure is a new landmark on the south London borough landscape, developed by Greystar. It took just 26 months to complete, as opposed to around four years for a traditional build. New residents started moving in April 2021.

2. Hotel Jakarta, Amsterdam With the future of modular predicted to be hybrid - a mix of traditional construction and modular - Hotel Jakarta Amsterdam, opened in 2018,

by WestCord is an example of what to expect. The first two floors, including the swimming pool are built on concrete. Floors three to nine are made up of 176 modules, with a wooden support structure, that were placed on

hile we might hear a good deal about modular high-rise structures in China, Indonesia and the Netherlands, the world’s tallest modular skyscraper is actually to be found in the south London borough of Croydon. It’s a good example of the strides made in modular construction over the past several years.

The skyscraper - called Ten Degrees and built at 100a George Street comprises two connected residential towers, standing 38 and 44 storeys tall.

They have set a world record for the world’s tallest modular skyscraper.

December 2023

THE STATISTICS!

site in 28 days. Designed by

Let’s look at the data: around 45% of all Swedish homes are built using offsite construction; in Japan, it is up to 180,000 units (which is between 15-20% of new homes); and in the Netherlands, the output in the country is as high as 15% of annual housing volumes. The UK has the capacity to produce 17,000 homes to be built through MMC. Valentine-Selsey, however, says that MMC manufacturers are cautious about giving actual production figures because of variations in on-site schedules; instead, they give estimates, with the annual number of all new-build completions currently running at between 35,000 to 40,000.

SeARCH architects, it has been called the most sustainable hotel in the Netherlands.

3. Gap House, Bristol Gap House is an affordable MMC eco-housing scheme set to be built on disused councilowned garage plots in Bristol, England. The row of nine affordable one bed, two storey units on Bell Close in Horfield is designed by architect BDP and will be created by Etopia, with the homes commissioned and funded by Bristol City Council.

THE BACKGROUND

BDP originally showcased its

Historically used in both military and crisis situations, where its only purpose was to create functional housing quickly and cheaply, modular has come a long way thanks to technology.

Gap House concept design at Bristol Housing Festival in 2018, as a way of helping to meet the city’s acute need for housing and revitalising neighbourhoods. meconstructionnews.com

On Site | 27

1

2

3

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December 2023

28 | On Site

For example, Nick Butcher FRICS, COO of California-based Cassette, explains that: “Specific enhancements over the last decade in the US include steel framed for mid to high rise, concrete full volumetric in Asia, and some new emerging CLT (cross-laminated timber) modular systems in western Europe.”

Meanwhile, the UK is embracing full digital design within BIM (building information modelling,) says Valentine-Selsey: “This has made it easier to properly design and plan, with offsite construction in mind, as well as improving and enhancing the level of information available to make maintenance easier.”

EDUCATING DEVELOPERS

There is another factor, though. MMC use is increasing, but how accepting are developers to the idea of using modular? “[They] are increasingly opting for using MMC, rather than traditional methods, but there’s still a long way to go,” says Adam Darby, associate at architect BDP. To explain why, Darby uses the evolving residential model, build to rent: “The funding mechanism to get these schemes off the ground relies on a rapid build-strategy to make them operational as quickly as possible to generate a return; MMC is a perfect solution.”

But, he says, supply chain issues in the UK, including a lack of volumetric suppliers has hampered developers taking this route. “Developers are sometimes bound by frameworks with preferred contractors that prevent them working with MMC suppliers. So there’s a lack of education and understanding about MMC, with some funders and insurers having a cynical view of ‘new’ methods.”

Those developers embracing modular include Barratt Developments, the UK’s largest housebuilder. “We already use modern methods and offsite construction in 27% of our homes and we want to get to 30% by 2025,” says Oliver Novakovic, December 2023

I suspect we are in the first stages of a transformation in construction that is going to last 40 years, but one that will ultimately see offsite manufacturing become the norm in industrialised nations, rather than the exception”

group technical and innovation director.

He says that offsite construction helps in terms of speed of build, using fewer materials, creating less waste and being more efficient. “We are increasing our use of timber frame homes, which take less time to build, generate less waste, and save seven tonnes of CO2 emissions over their lifespans.”

QUALITY STANDARDS

On the construction side, increased levels of investment into automation, and computer-controlled manufacturing has improved build quality and efficiency, says Valentine-Selsey: “You’re no longer just necessarily building a house inside and then carting it out – you’re doing it with advanced manufacturing techniques.” This has also helped reduce cracks or breakages in transit to the site.

However, Warwick Kendrick MRICS, senior director of Aurora Construction in

Sweden, adds that: “We have seen issues with stress fractures as well as water damage, depending on the method of transportation.” Aurora is the company behind Scandinavia’s tallest modular project, the Kvarteret Jylland, at Krista, Stockholm, with 350 studio apartments completed last year.

Kendrick says the potential for damage can lead to further issues with water proofing: “Specialist modules or modules of a unique shape present a higher risk of damage and limitations in transport.”

But in the high precision environments of the factory, using laser technologies minimises defects in the production process, says Joris Winters, sector leader, Property & Investment at Arcadis.

“Adoption of advanced laser technologies in the production of modular housing units can generate further benefits in build quality and dimensional accuracy.

This can result in minimised rework, while also reducing carbon footprint and mitigation of some of the uncertainties of material delays and skilled field operative shortages.”

Dafna Kaplan, CEO of Cassette, further adds: “Most structures above a building foundation can be prefabricated off-site in some fashion or another; but whether or not it makes economic sense to do so is another story. I suspect we are in the first stages of a transformation in construction that is going to last 40 years, but one that will ultimately see off-site manufacturing become the norm in industrialised nations, rather than the exception.”

Kaplan believes that simplifying the manufacturing process will be key: “Lego took 30 years to go from its simple eightbutton brick model to spaceships. But they got there, and so will we.”

These advances will be needed to alleviate the housing shortage globally.

“There is no silver bullet to solve the housing crisis, but I think modular and other forms of MMC are certainly a key force to doing this and to increasing output,” says Savills’ Valentine-Selsey. meconstructionnews.com

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30 | Construction Intel Summit KSA

December 2023

meconstructionnews.com

Construction Intel Summit KSA | 31

Putting the Spotlight on Construction in the Kingdom The 2023 Construction Intel Summit KSA welcomed over 130 delegates and featured 25 speakers who discussed talent, the delivery of giga-projects, sustainable infrastructure and more

he Middle East Consultant and Big Project Middle East editorial teams have confirmed that over 130 individuals attended the 2023 edition of the Construction Intel Summit KSA. The event featured 25 speakers from key regional and international firms, who discussed and debated a variety of topics relating to the vibrant and ever evolving Saudi construction market.

The 2023 Construction Intel Summit KSA was supported by: Strategic Content Partner: ALEC Engineering & Contracting; Silver Sponsor: AECOM, AtkinsRéalis, Desert Board, KEO, K Tech Consulting; Bronze Sponsor: Thinkproject; Supporting Partners: Al Masood, Climatize, Compass Project Consulting, Cundall, JLL, meconstructionnews.com

Omnium, Polypipe, TBH Consultancy, and was endorsed by: Chartered Institute of Building, American Concrete Institute.

The event opened with a welcome address from Paul Godfrey, Head of Content at Middle East Consultant, following which, the event’s first panel discussion of the day (Growing the Kindgom’s Talent Pool and Retaining Knowledge) began. The panel discussed: what players in the built environment have already achieved in alignment with the nation’s focus on Saudisation; is the industry on track to support and achieve Saudisation goals by 2030; what challenges private construction firms face, and what initiatives can the government role out to enable them to develop and retain motivated Saudi talent, and more.

The session was moderated by Reem Seraj, Business Support and Vision 2030 Realisation Manager, Saudi Arabia at AtkinsRéalis, with speakers including: Clive Cashin, Project Director, Saudi Arabia, Serco; Faiyad Peterson, Country Director – KSA, Cundall; Laeeq Hassan, Associate Director & Chair of the RICS KSA MAP / Mace Arabia & Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor (RICS); Marcus

Taylor, Partner, Taylor Sterling, and Hrvoje Cindric, Director – Middle East Planning Lead, Buro Happold.

The session was followed by a presentation from Thinkproject’s Yazan Alshalan, which was titled ‘Unleashing Technology’s Potential for Smart Construction and Operations in Giga Projects’. The session focused on leveraging technology to address and overcome challenges inherent in giga projects.

The ‘Driving Giga-Project Success’ panel was split into two parts, with the first focusing on data and the shape of project success. The session was moderated by Paul Godfrey, with speakers, including: Allison Wicks, Quality Integration Specialist, Qualitaz; Ben Jackson, Head of Project and Development Services for the Middle East & Africa, JLL; Cary Kopczynski, CEO & Senior Principal, CKC and Nivine Issa, Founder & Managing Director, Terra Nexus.

Polypipe Middle East’s Adam Smith then engaged in a fireside chat with Paul Godfrey on the topic of advanced water management in today’s mega-projects. The session looked at innovation in drainage and December 2023

32 | Construction Intel Summit KSA

water management that has accompanied the growth in scale of KSA’s projects.

The second part of the panel discussion, which focused on cost and supply chain, then took part. This segment was moderated by Mohamed Moussa, Member of the RICS Engagement Group – KSA / Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, KSA, with speakers including: Ahmed Abdelrazek, Senior Consultant, TBH; Darren Burke, General Manager, ALEC Engineering & Contracting; Fernando Freitas, Director, Omnium International Limited; Mitesh Bavdekar, Director, KPM Engineering and Wees Abraham, VP – Operations & Strategy, Shade Corporation.

POST LUNCH

Following a networking lunch break, another fireside chat took place. This time around, Paul Godfrey spoke to Paul Sweeney, Development & Program Director at Compass Project Consulting about the key initiatives and focus areas that businesses need to invest in, if they are

to successfully drive forward challenging giga-project timelines and deliver the complex matrices of project management.

The final panel discussion of the day took a deep dive into sustainable infrastructure in the Kingdom. The session discussed the state of urban infrastructure development within KSA’s giga-projects and how some of the issues that have arisen have been tackled; what has been planned in terms of sustainable energy and water infrastructure and what has been delivered; the development of next generation mobility solutions including air taxis, and more.

The session was moderated by Karie Akeelah, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins with speakers, including: Ahmed Sayed, Middle East Business Development Manager, ACCIONA; John Shenton, Chair of Dubai Hub at CIOB; Michael Marriott, Infrastructure Manager – KSA, KEO International Consultants, and Kamal Farah, Director, Desert Board.

The final presentation of the day was delivered by Jens Otterstedt, General

Manager, Al Masaood Bergum on modular construction and how it is enabling dramatic improvements in the speed of construction and brings many advantages, and can also provide significant advantages in terms of sustainability.

“One of the aspects of the event that was most striking was how closely the panels and presenters alike repeatedly touched on the themes that had originally led to the creation of the Construction Intel KSA Summit. The event was first conceived as a webinar designed to provide firsthand market intelligence of the highest order - helping businesses differentiate between the urban myths and the real opportunities that they can positively monetise. Throughout this live iteration of the event, there was raw, vibrant and hitherto unpublished data given out that was undoubtedly of real value to all those attending the Summit. I couldn’t be more pleased with that strength of content across the day as a a whole,” concluded Paul Godfrey, Head of Content at Middle East Consultant.

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Construction Intel Summit KSA | 33

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December 2023

34 | COP28: Industry Futures

POLLUTION

CO N S TR U C TI O N December 2023

meconstructionnews.com

COP28: Industry Futures | 35

OR PREVENTION? The raft of possible pollution risks from the construction sector is far broader than most organisations imagine. We spoke to UK experts Sustainable Build about these multi-layered risks and what can most sensibly be done about them…

PR I O R ITI E S meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

36 | COP28: Industry Futures

he construction industry is a major source of pollution, responsible for around 4% of particulate emissions, more water pollution incidents than any other industry, and thousands of noise complaints every year. Although construction activities also pollute the soil, the main areas of concern are: air, water and noise pollution.

AIR POLLUTION

Construction activities that contribute to air pollution include: land clearing, operation of diesel engines, demolition, burning, and working with toxic materials.

All construction sites generate high levels of dust (typically from concrete, cement, wood, stone, silica) and this can carry for large distances over a long period of time.

Construction dust is classified as PM10 particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter, invisible to the naked eye.

Research has shown that PM10 penetrate deeply into the lungs and cause a wide range of health problems including respiratory illness, asthma, bronchitis and even cancer. Another major source of PM10 on construction sites comes from the diesel engine exhausts of vehicles and heavy equipment. This is known as diesel particulate matter (DPM) and consists of soot, sulphates and silicates, all of which readily combine with other toxins in the atmosphere, increasing the health risks of particle inhalation.

Diesel is also responsible for emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.

Noxious vapours from oils, glues, thinners, paints, treated woods, plastics, cleaners and other hazardous chemicals that are widely used on construction sites, also contribute to air pollution.

December 2023

WATER POLLUTION

Sources of water pollution on building sites include: diesel and oil; paint, solvents, cleaners and other harmful chemicals; and construction debris and dirt. When land is cleared it causes soil erosion that leads to silt-bearing run-off and sediment pollution. Silt and soil that runs into natural waterways turns them turbid, which restricts sunlight filtration and destroys aquatic life.

Surface water run-off also carries other pollutants from the site, such as diesel and oil, toxic chemicals, and building materials like cement. When these substances get into waterways they poison water life and any animal that drinks from them. Pollutants on construction sites can also soak into the groundwater, a

It doesn't have to be like this: and yet, this remains an all too typical scene on construction sites in the developing world.

source of human drinking water. Once contaminated, groundwater is much more difficult to treat than surface water.

NOISE POLLUTION

Construction sites produce a lot of noise, mainly from vehicles, heavy equipment and machinery, but also from people shouting and radios turned up too loud. Excessive noise is not only annoying and distracting, but can lead to hearing loss, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance and extreme stress. Research has shown that high noise meconstructionnews.com

COP28: Industry Futures | 37

• Cover skips and trucks loaded with construction materials and continually damp down with low levels of water.

• Cover piles of building materials like cement, sand and other powders, regularly inspect for spillages, and locate them where they will not be washed into waterways or drainage areas.

• Use non-toxic paints, solvents and other hazardous materials wherever possible • Segregate, tightly cover and monitor toxic substances to prevent spills and possible site contamination.

• Cover up and protect all drains on site.

• Collect any wastewater generated from site activities in settlement tanks, screen, discharge the clean water, and dispose of remaining sludge according to environmental regulations.

• Use low sulphur diesel oil in all vehicle and equipment engines, and incorporate the latest specifications of particulate filters and catalytic converters.

• No burning of materials on site.

• Reduce noise pollution through careful handling of materials; modern, quiet power tools, equipment and generators; low impact technologies; and wall structures as sound shields.

PRESSURE TO CLEAN UP

In the past, pollution fines have typically been low. This situation is now changing, and enforcement of environmental regulations is not only very expensive but can be irreversibly damaging to the reputation of a firm” meconstructionnews.com

levels disturb the natural cycles of animals and reduces their usable habitat.

MEASURES TO PREVENT POLLUTION

Good construction site practice can help to control and prevent pollution. The first step is to prepare environmental risk assessments for all construction activities and materials likely to cause pollution.

Specific measures can then be taken to mitigate these risks: • To prevent erosion and run-off, minimise land disturbance and leave maximum vegetation cover.

• Control dust through fine water sprays used to dampen down the site.

• Screen the whole site to stop dust spreading, or alternatively, place fine mesh screening close to the dust source.

Government bodies internationally are putting increasing pressure on construction companies to reduce pollution and conform to environmental regulations. In the past, pollution fines have typically been low and environmental regulations slack, and it could have been perceived as cheaper to pollute than to prevent pollution. This situation is now changing, and enforcement of environmental regulations is not only very expensive but can be irreversibly damaging to the reputation of a firm. Measures to reduce and control pollution are relatively inexpensive and cost-effective, and the construction industry needs to incorporate these into an environmental management strategy. By employing these practices, the construction industry is well positioned to clean up its act.

December 2023

38 | COP28: Sustainability

THE IMPERATIVE TO MAKE CEMENT GREEN AND CLEAN As the debates raged on at COP28, there remained one process for which no body of experts could find a clear replacement - and which accounts for up to 8% of global carbon dioxide pollution: cement manufacture. Here, Dr. Veena Singla, Senior Scientist, People & Communities Program, for the USA’s Natural reserves Defense Council (NRDC) spells out the dangers…

ecarbonising cement plants is a critical part of reaching our climate goals.

Cement is a key ingredient in concrete, which is the most widely used manmade material on the planet, and has few, if any, viable alternatives. Cement is incredibly dirty to produce: while it only constitutes 10-15% of concrete’s mass in a typical mix, it accounts for up to 90% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

December 2023

If the cement industry were a country it would rank as the world’s fourth largest GHG emitter, just behind China, the U.S., and India, responsible for roughly 7-8% of global CO2 pollution. Unless we take steps to decarbonise cement, this number is likely to increase as demand for concrete continues to grow.

Making cement also emits a lot of dangerous air pollution that’s linked to an array of health harms; the cement industry is the third largest source of industrial air pollution such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide.

Put simply, cleaning up the cement industry is critical to achieving our climate and health goals. But unlike the internal combustion engine, cement has no readily available replacement that can scale quickly enough to

meet the imperatives of the climate emergency. Therefore, while reducing and substituting Portland cement using existing and emerging alternatives can and must be a priority, our dependence on the material will not only continue but likely grow in the coming decades the timeframe most critical to climate action - as urbanisation and infrastructure renewal ramp up. This makes it essential that we support innovation that ensures cement makers adapt to a clean future.

The good news is that momentum is growing in states and federally, as lawmakers seek smart approaches to curb emissions from cement production and leverage the government’s purchasing power to grow markets for cleaner alternatives. Industry carbon neutrality commitments and roadmaps are also proliferating. While some of the decarbonisation strategies some cement manufacturers embrace are highly problematic from an environmental and/ or health perspective, it suggests the industry knows it must articulate a plan to tackle emissions.

As these efforts move forward, a critical principle NRDC is advocating for is that reducing carbon pollution from cement must not come at the expense of local pollution.

WHY MAKING CEMENT IS SO CARBON INTENSIVE: COMBUSTION AND PROCESS EMISSIONS

Two aspects of the Portland cement manufacturing process account for the vast share of its carbon footprint.

Cement is overwhelmingly made by burning fossil fuels like coal and petcoke in cement kilns - akin to large furnaces to heat limestone (raw material) to very high temperatures (~2,640°F/1,500oC).

The heat induces a chemical reaction that transforms the limestone into clinker, which is then ground together with gypsum to form cement. Emissions from fuel burning are responsible for ~40% of the lifecycle CO2 emissions in cement (often referred to as the meconstructionnews.com

COP28: Sustainability | 39

embodied emissions). The other ~60% are the result of an unavoidable chemical reaction (calcination) that occurs when the limestone is heated, which releases CO2 from calcium carbonate in the limestone.

Hazardous pollutants including criteria air pollutants and mercury are also released in both fuel-related and process-related emissions. These pollutants are linked to premature death, neurological problems, asthma, and other respiratory diseases.

meconstructionnews.com

The cement industry is the third largest source of industrial air pollution such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide”

SOME ALTERNATIVE FUELS PROMOTED BY INDUSTRY COME AT AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH COST TO COMMUNITIES

Among the levers frequently cited for decarbonising the cement industry is switching to solid waste fuels to displace fossil fuels in cement kilns.

Unfortunately, these alternatives - often designated ‘low carbon,’ by the cement industry - include plastic and solid waste, such as tyres (sometimes referred to as “tire derived fuel”), which emit

December 2023

40 | COP28: Sustainability

highly dangerous, toxic pollution.

Regardless of what is being burned, waste incineration creates and/or releases harmful chemicals and pollutants, including air pollutants, such as cancercausing benzene, PFAs, dioxins, and particulate matter, and heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, which cause neurological diseases. These chemicals and pollutants enter the air, water and food supply near incinerators and get into people’s bodies when they breathe, drink, and eat contaminants.

Communities have fought toxic pollution from cement plants for decades, and NRDC has maintained that lowering carbon emissions can and must be accomplished without increases in toxic pollution. For these reasons, NRDC is opposed to powering cement kilns with fuels that release toxic pollution,

December 2023

Pollution from particulates can provoke long-term ill health issues, and yet many of the processes involved are avoidable.

including plastics and other wastes, as a decarbonisation solution.

A KEY SOLUTION FOR DECARBONISING CEMENT IS BURNING LESS OF ANYTHING.

Unlike the internal combustion engine, cement has no readily available replacement that can scale quickly enough to meet the imperatives of the climate emergency”

In addition to rejecting a shift to other toxic fuels, the status quo of burning gas and coal is also toxic. That’s why NRDC is advocating to: 1. Use less cement - for example, by reducing the overspecification of cement in concrete mixes and encouraging the use of supplementary cementitious materials like ground glass pozzolans to partially replace cement in concrete mixes; 2. Make cement kilns more efficient so they require less fuel; and 3. Ultimately transition to truly cleaner fuels - for example, electrification from renewable sources if and where possible, as well as green hydrogen.

In addition, NRDC supports policies to ensure cement plants can access a suite of advanced technologies to zero out their emissions, including carbon capture, utilisation, and storage options. Carbon capture in cement is not a way to prolong combustion of dirty fossil fuels that can be replaced, but a way of addressing the largest share of process emissions that cannot otherwise be abated for a material we rely on.

Waste incineration is neither a good way to reduce climate pollution from cement, nor to deal with plastic waste streams.

Real solutions to managing plastic waste must focus on reducing waste at the source, manufacturing less plastic, and using effective and proven methods of mechanical and organics recycling not incentivizing incineration of these materials.

NRDC advocates four areas of focus to reduce plastics pollution: 1. Eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastics, such as single-use plastics; 2. Innovate and scale up reuse and refill models; meconstructionnews.com

The Diversity Report | 41

The question of liability to local communities has long been a key discussion around the location and operation of cement factories.

3. Create non-toxic materials to replace fossil-fuel derived plastics; and 4. Scale up proven mechanical recycling or composting solutions.

Model cement and concrete decarbonisation policies should reduce GHGs and toxic pollution.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW

In the United States, for example, because state and federal governments are such large purchasers of concrete, public procurement policies are a powerful way meconstructionnews.com

to build demand for low carbon concrete - and, by extension, to incentivise using less and less carbon-intensive cement.

Multiple state legislatures have passed or are actively debating low carbon concrete procurement laws for statefunded construction projects, including California, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Virginia. A key principle in this work should be to prohibit cement produced with dirty fuels from being included in state low carbon concrete specifications - in other words, from receiving ‘green’ credit for changes that may reduce GHG emissions but increase local air pollution.

But demand-side procurement policies are not the only lever available to policymakers committed to tackling the climate and public health impacts of the cement industry. NRDC will continue

to advocate for a package of policies that includes incentives to reduce embodied carbon emissions in final concrete mixes; standards to directly decarbonise the cement industry on a trajectory consistent with state and national climate targets; and mandates to prevent increases in harmful pollution.

For example, in 2021, California enacted a new law that not only focuses on achieving net-zero GHG emissions associated with cement used within California no later than 2045, but also requires improvement in air quality and support for economic and workforce development for communities near cement plants. Other climate leadership states like New York should follow suit this year - demonstrating the win-win of climate and public health benefits. What’s happening in your community?

December 2023

42 | COP28: Sustainability

THE QUEST FOR SUSTAINABLE CEMENT Cement production alone accounts for around 8% of global CO₂ emissions, about half of which results from chemical reactions inherent in the production process. So, the transition to sustainable technology is beyond urgent - and perhaps not quite so elusive as many industry pundits have led the world to believe. Here, courtesy of online publication, The Conversation, we hear the views of Brant Walkley, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield…

t the dawn of the industrial revolution approximately 200 years ago, the carbon footprint of humanity was close to zero.

Today, humanity’s carbon footprint is more than half of our overall ecological footprint, resulting in humans using far more resources than could be renewed December 2023

each year - equivalent to the renewable resources of 1.6 Earths.

Decarbonising industry and the economy is essential to improve the balance between our ecological footprint and the planet’s renewable resources. This would provide the best possible chance for humanity to mitigate the effects of climate change. Consequently, we need to rethink the way we build our cities. And to do this, we need to talk about cement.

Cement, the “glue” in concrete, is the durable, waterproof and ubiquitous material upon which modern civilisation is built. Concrete is second only to water in terms of commodity use, and the world produces more than 10 billion tonnes of it each year. meconstructionnews.com

meconstructionnews.com

December 2023

44 | COP28: Sustainability

Alternative ingredients have long been available in the quest for Green cement, but they are used by only the small minority of factories and manufacturers.

Recent reports have indicated that since the introduction of Portland cement around 200 years ago, our built environment is now outgrowing the natural environment that has existed for millions of years. This is driven primarily by rapid urbanisation. By 2050, 80% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities.

However, the ability to construct engineering masterpieces such as the Millau Viaduct and Taipei 101 comes with a high environmental cost. Cement production alone (excluding other aspects of construction) accounts for around 8% of global CO₂ emissions, about half of which results from chemical

December 2023

reactions inherent in the production process. As other industries such as energy and agriculture reduce their share of emissions, cement production may account for nearly a quarter of all human-driven CO₂ emissions by 2050.

Shifting completely to sustainable cement could, depending on technology used, save between 1.72 and 2.75 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. These are savings that could be achieved today.

By 2050, the savings could reach between 7.25 and 11.60 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

This reduction in carbon footprint can be achieved solely by changing the type of cement we use to build cities and infrastructure. Further savings are achievable with more efficient design and the use of sustainable cements with enhanced performance, so that less cement (and hence less carbon) is required to achieve the same outcome.

MAKING CEMENT MORE SUSTAINABLE

Many low-CO₂ cements have emerged as attractive, more sustainable alternatives to traditional Portland cement. Portland cement is produced by heating a mixture of limestone and other minerals to around 1,450°C, a process that results in chemical reactions that release large amounts of CO₂.

But other materials are also widely used in concrete, including those largely generated from industrial waste or by-products such as coal fly ash, blast furnace slag, calcined clays, finely ground limestone or silica fume. They are used either by blending with traditional cement, or as a binder (or “glue”) themselves, without any Portland cement.

Importantly, the way these materials are produced results in far lower CO₂ emissions than Portland cement. This can reduce CO₂ emissions by between 50% and 80%, depending on the technology used.

Using these materials in cement provides enhanced strength and durability, and also improves sustainability by reducing associated CO₂ emissions and recycling industrial wastes. Many of these cements have been highlighted in the United Nations Environment Programme 2016 report as having greatest potential for cement-related CO₂ emissions reduction.

Despite the extensive environmental and technical benefits achievable, the construction industry has been slow to take up sustainable cement technologies, which have instead been focused primarily in smaller niche markets. This has limited the industry’s ability to decarbonise.

One thing has become increasingly clear in recent years. If we are to mitigate the existential crisis in which we find ourselves, action must be taken now. The Paris Agreement commits world leaders to respond to the threat of climate change by keeping the global average temperature rise to below 2°C, and aiming for 1.5°C. To achieve this, it is essential that we revolutionise the way in which we build our cities, shifting to sustainable cement technologies that reuse industrial wastes and drive a circular economy. The solutions are within reach. And our future depends on it. meconstructionnews.com

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