Creating the Fiveminute City

ainona recently won two key Awards at the ME Consultant AwardsMEP Engineering Company of the Year and Structural Engineering Company of the Year. What did winning these Awards mean to you and what do they say about your role in the industry?

“More than anything, what these awards offer is a tangible representation of the hard work exerted by our team over our many years of operation. They amplify our presence within an extremely competitive industry and are a source of motivation to pursue future challenges.”

In terms of how you interface with clients, do you see companies increasingly moving from traditional Office365 driven business ecosystems into dedicated business applications?

“Our clients have been opting towards using their own enterprise solutions to manage projects that we as consultants are then required to utilise. This form of business process unification eliminates inconsistencies found within Office365 ecosystems and allows all consultants to operate on the same level of competency when it comes to project documentation, communications and progress.”

Is Bainona using a ‘one-stop’ digital platform to work with clients of this type? Have you undergone a process of Digital Transformation as yet?

“While we do have a customised enterprise platform of our own, we rarely employ it in our projects, since in practice we find that most of our clientele provide us with access to their own enterprise platforms for all necessary project interfacing and monitoring.”

In which sector do you see the biggest demand for your project skills?

“That’s an interesting question, and the answer is in the industrial and farming sectors. As the UAE is beginning to emphasise self-sufficiency, we see significant growth in the demand for both industrial and agricultural projects.”

Do you think that repurposing buildings - as opposed to building them from scratch - is a costeffective option here in the UAE?

“The honest answer is ‘not always’. There are situations where the amount of renovation and enhancements required on an old building may end up carrying costs so high that it becomes more cost effective to demolish and start again from scratch.”

Do you believe the future is about the new-style ’15-minute city’, and if so, are you involved in creating urban hubs of this kind, where all amenities are within easy reach?

“We believe the future does indeed lie in these micro cities as people seem to be more and more inclined to live in places where they spend less time commuting to get their essential needs or groceries. Micro cities that contain schools, groceries and more - all handily within reachmean that people can dedicate more time towards matters other than commuting. They can spend time doing things that are far more valuable and productive. What we are increasingly involved in regionally, however, are residential buildings where all the essential amenities (laundry, groceries, medicine, etc.) are contained within. You could say this is something akin to a fiveminute city instead!”

Will the future still be about building super-tall - and if so, are you involved in any major skyscraper projects at the moment?

“In regions where extreme heat is an issue, tall buildings play an important role in cooling down cities and providing shade; having city planners’ focus on tall buildings in close proximity to one another is one way to mitigate the effects of strong sunlight and the high temperatures that we experience here in the Middle East, for example. Our firm has been engaged in providing design and supervision services for a skyscraper development located at Abu Dhabi, which is within walking distance to the Landmark Tower, and which we hope will soon make a fine addition to the Abu Dhabi skyline.”

Tell us about your commitment to Sustainability? Does this have an impact on the bottom line, or are sustainable materials now available at more competitive price-points?

“While sustainable materials and technologies may be more affordable now than before, there’s no doubt they still lead to higher construction costs. However, cost savings do arise eventually from delivering sustainable operations over time and the reduced energy consumption they involve. We always make a point to divert the attention of our clients towards the benefits of sustainability over the long run rather than them seeking short term benefit.”

What percentage of client projects now include a Sustainability requirement in the project brief?

“A lot. Around 70% of all new major project opportunities that arise require sustainability standards to be implemented. Such standards (incl. Estidama & LEED) have become a mandatory requirement for all major governmental projects as well.”

Do you see Climate Change as a major factor in the future of the construction sector here in the GCC?

“The main observable impact of climate change on the country has been the impact of stronger winds during stormy seasons, with a severity that has not existed for at least the last two decades. This has led to engineering firms taking into consideration the implementation of facade materials and structural reinforcements that are better adapted towards dealing with higher wind loads. Beyond the effects of wind, rainfall severity during storms have increased over time, putting strain on drainage systems within buildings and on the city infrastructure. We may see significant infrastructure enhancements & renovations in the future due to these weather factors.”

DUBAI / UAE

About The Event

Winning an inaugural ME Digital Construction Award will be a recognised badge of excellence amongst your clients and peers.

These awards celebrate the technology champions who have played a key role in the digitalisation of the construction industry, which is at the heart of the GCC economy.

These awards celebrate the companies, organisations and solutions providers whose construction technology solutions lead the way – whose out-of-the-box innovations deliver critical commercial ‘edge’, day in, day out. They honour the achievements of the key players responsible for the industry’s dramatic post-Covid re-set, which has seen digitalisation become a pillar of the industry.

The inaugural ME Digital Construction Awards is brought to you by Big Project ME, one of the leading trade titles in the region.

To ensure complete objectivity, the Awards are judged by a specially recruited judging panel and

2023