Architecture and design can enhance health and well-being
ON TOPIC
Going back to work in a world changed by COVID-19
IN PRACTICE
Using a reality model for planning and designing infrastructure
ON SITE JULY-AUGUST 2020
071
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Adapting to the New Normal
MEC speaks to four experts about the changing design and operation of regional workspaces
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Contents | 01
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July-August 2020 Issue 071
Cover Story
Adapting to the New Normal
Jason Saundalkar speaks to experts from Drees & Sommer Gulf, Godwin Austen Johnson, Facilio and Netix about the changing design and operation of workspaces Opinion
Health and Well-Being
12
AECOM’s Nikoleta Stefanaki on how architecture can dramatically enhance health and well-being and help shape the quality of homes and office environments
Analysis
16 meconstructionnews.com
Mitigating Risks Through Resilient Supply Chains
JLL shares insights into how companies can mitigate supply chain risks following the global disruption caused by COVID-19 July-August 2020
02 | Contents
36
Interview
Back in Business
Jason Saundalkar speaks to Gabriella De La Torre about commercial real estate and the precautions that landlords and business owners must take, as the world begins to go back to work
26 Profile
Michelle Najm
Jason Saundalkar talks to Michelle Najm, senior architect at JT+Partners, about her influences, career and gender diversity in the construction industry Case Study
Developing a Reality Model AHCEC established a reality model for planning and designing the infrastructure needed to support an increase in visitors to the city of Al-Madinah in Saudi Arabia
8
34
Update
News
Chapman Taylor unveils Airport City masterplan for Jeddah; DSOA inks deal with Dubai Municipality arm to create geospatial data; Construction of 700MW Noor Energy 1 CSP on track; EmiratesGBC launches virtual training programme centered on building retrofit July-August 2020
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A Change of Culture Originally scheduled to take place on March 30 in Dubai, the outbreak of COVID-19 saw the third edition of Middle East Consultant’s annual Value Engineering Summit transform into a digital event. The event, which took place from June 28 to July 1 consisted of three panel discussions and three presentations, and shared opinion pieces and interviews with regional thought leaders. In all, a little over 1,500 delegates tuned in from across the GCC, a result that I’m quite proud of. Talking to moderators and panelists in the build-up to the virtual event proved as insightful as ever. One thing that was emphasised, yet again, was that value engineering (VE) is not an add-on feature or a switch that can be turned on and off when needed. Instead, it’s something that should be a core part of every project right from the start, so that efficiency and quality are always the goal for every stakeholder. One person described it as adopting a culture of efficiency and quality, and I personally thought that was a great way to frame what VE is. Unfortunately, there still seems to be instances where VE is treated as a cost cutting exercise but like any issue that needs to be addressed, I’m hopeful that continued education, whether it’s in person or July-August 2020
virtual, will help to stamp out such practices in the near to medium term. Considering the impact COVID-19 has had on virtually every sector and the knock-on effect it has had on projects, the right approach to construction and doing business in general is more important than ever before. COVID-19 is something everyone will be talking about for a while because of its broad and terrible impact on people’s lives but it’s important to understand why it happened. If you ignore all the nonsense sprouted by conspiracy theorists and misinformed types alike on the internet, there is actual research that proves that unsustainable and unsafe practices are not only bringing more viruses into contact with humans but they are also driving us to an all-out climate disaster. I don’t wish to sound like a doomsayer but each year there are more and more scientific indications that strongly point to an impending disaster. The only way to avoid it is to embrace a culture of sustainability with regards to the way we interact with nature, the way we do business and the way we live. Like VE, sustainability shouldn’t be something we turn to on occasion, it must become a part of our culture globally.
Jason Saundalkar Editor, Middle East Consultant
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DOOSAN’S NEW XITECLOUD TO AID DRIVE TOWARDS AUTONOMOUS JOB-SITES
Al Mouj Muscat begins construction works on Juman Two apartments
Does anyone remember the story from a few years ago, where people were openly discussing a future where drones and robots would build be able to build our buildings? It
CONSTRUCTION
seemed like crazy talk
Ministry of Infrastructure Development announces $66m worth of projects in Sharjah
then and it probably still is now. This story Doosan’s new XiteCloud smart construction
Analysis: The next generation of workers to improve efficiency of construction
solution to aid drive towards autonomous job-sites - however, does demonstrate that we are moving into an
CONSTRUCTION
era of autonomous
Work completed on 8,500sqm SSAM facility in Al Ain, Mubadala says
equipment operating on our construction sites. Personally, I’m excited to see what the use of drone technology can deliver in terms of surveying, especially when it comes to mapping out earthworks zones on-site. I’m not sure
MACHINERY
how far the technology
UNEC finds success with used Cat equipment from Al-Bahar
can feasibly go, but if we are to see true levels of autonomous vehicles and equipment deployed then data gathering will be at its heart. As they say information is power and this will be true for both
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July-August 2020
Feature: How the UAE supports housing projects despite COVID-19 pandemic
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8 | On Topic
Construction
DGDA begins works on heritage focused $20bn Diriyah Gate project
Infrastructure
01
Chapman Taylor unveils Airport City masterplan for Jeddah
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has broken ground on the first phase of the $20bn Diriyah Gate gigaproject. As part of phase one, the Bujairi district will receive a major upgrade in terms of beautification and infrastructure. The project is billed as a mixed-use cultural and heritage development and will showcase 300-plus years of authentic history. The DGDA states that the seven sqkm old city located north-west of Riyadh city centre, will be transformed into one of the world’s foremost lifestyle destinations for culture and heritage, hospitality, retail and education. Bujairi will host Riyadh’s new premium dining hub, which will enjoy uninterrupted views of At-Turaif; Diriyah Art Oasis – one of Saudi Arabia’s first arts centers dedicated to contemporary art and a 142-key Samhan Heritage Hotel. Once complete, the Diriyah Gate gigaproject will feature several cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, educational, office and residential areas, including more than 20 hotels, a diverse collection of museums, a bustling retail heart and over 100 places to dine. The project includes a series of outdoor plazas as well as a 3km escarpment walk offering views across Wadi Hanifah. The project is expected to be home to a population of 100,000 and is set to attract 25m visitors annually.
02 Airport City will feature 1.91m sqm of gross building area and will act as a new hub gateway to Jeddah and beyond.
July-August 2020
01 Once complete, Diriyah Gate will feature several cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, education, office and residential areas.
The masterplan for a new urban district located close to the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has been unveiled by Chapman Taylor. Airport City is to be a mixed-use development boasting 1.91m sqm of GBA (gross building area) and, once complete, is expected to become a leading destination for visitors from across Saudi Arabia and the GCC. The masterplan is said to introduce an innovative, mixed-use community concept to the region, which will create diverse
02
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On Topic | 9
tourism and business opportunities, while also providing a dynamic lifestyle and family entertainment venue. The new district will include leisure and entertainment functions, retail units, healthcare clinics, private residences, a financial district, an artisans’ district, a green food yard and a central artists’ district. A ‘Saudi Dreams’ centre will provide an ideal showcase for the Kingdom’s culture and ambitions, the statement from Chapman Taylor noted. The firm said that it designed the transport-orientated, urban development on behalf of SARH Airport Development and Real Estate Investment, together with AE Prime as a lead consultant and project manager. Airport City is expected to serve as a new hub gateway to Jeddah and beyond at the strategically important meeting point of the airport, high-speed railway station and the motorway junction between central Jeddah and the Northern Expansion Zone, the statement said.
03
03 The deal will see DSOA gain access to geographical data and other systems, in addition to a variety of other services.
Technology
DSOA inks deal with Dubai Municipality arm to create geospatial data The Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) has signed a MoU with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Centre of Dubai Municipality. The collaboration aims to enhance geospatial infrastructure development to accelerate digital transformation, with the aim of keeping pace with new opportunities. The MoU was signed remotely by Muammar Al Katheeri, executive VP of meconstructionnews.com
Engineering and Smart City at DSOA and Mariam Obaid Al Muhairi, director of Dubai Municipality’s GIS Center. The agreement is said to serve as a gateway to mapping Dubai’s economy through a unified and up-to-date baseline map using the latest geotechnical technologies at Dubai Municipality. The MoU grants DSOA access to the interactive planning and survey mapping of Dubai, provided by the GIS Center at Dubai Municipality. DSOA will acquire geographical data and other systems, smart applications and 3D models of geospatial data and information on projects and areas under development, in addition to aerial photography services, geospatial vehicles, and specialised training. In turn, DSOA will provide the GIS Center with electronic data and digital information with a geographical dimension, including infrastructure and land data, residential and commercial unit plans and 3D building data. “DSOA’s Smart Cities strategy focuses on utilising the latest and comprehensive data to position DSO as a test bed for the latest infrastructure development applications and sustainable options to serve its residents, business partners and the wider community. The agreement enhances the competitiveness of Dubai’s business environment and supports the development of an integrated economic and social strategy for post COVID-19,” said Al Katheeri. July-August 2020
10 | On Topic
Sustainability
CCC says City Centre Almaza has achieved LEED-Gold certification Egypt’s City Centre Almaza (CCA) mall has received LEED-Gold certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) completed the construction and LEED certification process for Majid Al-Futtaim (MAF), as part of a joint venture (JV) with local construction company Hassan Allam. CCA says the mall achieved the rating thanks to green building features that positively impact the project, the environment and the broader community. High standards in energy savings, water efficiency and CO2 emissions reduction are said to have been adopted, which are said to have had the following results: • 14.6% energy savings with the use of energy efficient equipment and renewable energy
04
July-August 2020
• 89% waste recycling via a detailed waste management program • 47% reduction of water-use through low flow fixtures and wastewater management • 4.7% offset of the total energy consumed on the project by utilising renewable energy generated onsite • Procuring and using environmentally preferable materials: 30.9% of the total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials and 48.5% were sourced locally City Centre Almaza is said to be one of the only two LEED-Gold certified shopping centres in Egypt. CCC said its project team provided construction and environmental management expertise and ensured that the project achieved the prestigious Green Building certification.
Sustainability 04 The mall covers an area of 120,000m2 and is located in Heliopolis, East Cairo.
Construction of 700MW Noor Energy 1 CSP on track Worley has said that construction of the Noor Energy 1 concentrated solar power (CSP) plant is on track despite the impact of COVID-19. Once complete, the $4.4bn project will be the world’s largest CSP plant. Contractors from Spain, China, Belgium, Denmark and the US worked to minimise labour, schedule and budget disruption, after bringing in measures to keep workers onsite safe and staff from home connected. For the continuation of work, Shanghai Electric, the project’s EPC with Noor Energy 1 and the construction subcontractor partners, implemented a specialist virus prevention and control procedure, including supplying PPE to all workers, said Worley in its statement. Worley is providing engineering, technology and technical review support and meconstructionnews.com
On Topic | 11
05
stated that it has been able to adapt its service as COVID-19 has progressed, with workers staying connected through videoconferencing and regular project meetings. With global travel restrictions limiting staff movement and many staff unable to return following Chinese New Year, Shanghai Electric replaced them with local workers. “It’s a credit to every stakeholder involved that this project has progressed minimising schedule impacts despite facing significant logistical, staffing and supply chain challenges. It is a real testament to the commitment of the UAE to lead on the energy transition and showcases the combination of geographical distribution and strong capabilities of the contractors and subcontractors, to adapt their approach to work around COVID-19, on what was already a technically challenging build,” explained Gilein Steensma, VP (EMEA) of Energy Transition for Worley.
Training
EmiratesGBC launches virtual training programme centered on building retrofit A virtual Building Retrofit Training Programme for the Middle East and North Africa region is being organised by the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC). The programme is said to be a flagship initiative of EmiratesGBC and is offered in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Masdar. The programme has been designed to strengthen knowledge sharing among construction stakeholders on the fundamentals of building retrofit and improvement of energy and water efficiency. It will also help make current buildings significantly sustainable. EmiratesGBC chairman Ali Al Jassim said the programme is being offered virtually
to ensure that the council can continue to educate and strengthen awareness on best practices in building retrofits. Al Jassim stated, “By taking the training online, we are able to extend our reach to professionals across the region who can now benefit from the capacity building opportunity. Building retrofit is a critical aspect of building sustainability and will support the UAE’s ambitious targets of Net Zero Carbon in new buildings by 2030 and Net Zero Carbon in all the buildings by 2050.” The EmiratesGBC Building Retrofit Training Programme is said to provide strategic technical guidance to industry professionals and economically viable methods that can be implemented to enhance a building’s overall environmental performance. Al Jassim explained that participants acquire knowledge and skills to attain improved operational efficiency as well as achieve financial savings.
06 EmiratesGBC says building retrofit is a critical part of building sustainability and will support the UAE’s Net Zero Carbon targets.
06
05 The CSP plant will boast a 100MW central tower plant (CT), three 200MW parabolic trough (PT) plants and 250MW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity.
meconstructionnews.com
July-August 2020
12 | On Topic
Mitigating Risks Through Resilient Supply Chains JLL shares insights into how companies can mitigate supply chain risks following the global disruption caused by COVID-19 The current pandemic has elevated the importance of supply chain risk mitigation, with a major COVID-19 risks perception survey for the World Economic Forum highlighting a protracted disruption to global supply chains as one of the most likely ‘fallouts’ for the world. As a result, building greater supply chain resilience will become an increasing area of focus for companies globally. This will likely result in some reconfiguration of supply chains, including changes in the location of industrial and distribution facilities. Classification of Supply Chain Risks
Over the past 20 to 30 years, the development of global supply chains has delivered many benefits but it has also heightened exposure to risks. This is because global supply chains are typically more complex than national or regional ones, by being longer and broader networks involving more parties and more nodes, including manufacturing and distribution facilities. Moreover, the concentration of freight flows through a relatively small number of critical transport corridors and hubs around the world has exacerbated the vulnerability of global July-August 2020
supply chains, as has the widespread practice of ‘just in time’ logistics management. Supply chain risks can be classified in different ways, but it is usual to distinguish between external, macrolevel or systemic risks on the one hand, and risks that originate from within a particular supply chain or the other. In addition, in some cases the risks may stem from within the company reviewing its supply chain. In recent years, major examples of supply chain risks have been those arising from external, systemic risks. COVID-19 is not the first major disruptor of this type to global supply chains and it won’t be the last. For example, the devastating tsunami in Japan in 2011 kept the auto industry reeling for months, while flooding in Thailand in the same year affected many computer manufacturers dependent on hard disks. Today, COVID-19 is putting the spotlight on global supply chains and we can expect boards of directors to ask probing questions of their CEOs, as to how they are prepared to deal with the next big supply chain disruption. Risk Mitigation Approaches to Consider
At present, many companies are having to find immediate solutions, or workarounds, to current meconstructionnews.com
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July-August 2020
14 | On Topic
COVID-19 related supply chain disruptions. But in the medium and longer term, they will need to update, or undertake, a more systematic evaluation of risks and take actions to build more resilient supply chains. Key to this will be gaining complete end-toend supply chain visibility, by digitally mapping company supply networks and developing and implementing appropriate continuity strategies. Such an approach is likely to involve organising a risk report around each node and link in the supply chain map using a combination of a risk monitoring service (such as Resilience 360), and a credit risk analysis of suppliers of inputs as well as services, including transportation services. A significant bankruptcy, like that of the container carrier Hanjin, can have long-lasting impacts. It is also worth companies monitoring their suppliers’ IT security, considering how disruptive the ocean carrier Maersk’s computer virus attack was in 2017. While the specific measures required to mitigate supply chain risks will vary between companies and their supply chains, the following provides high-level approaches for enhancing resilience: 1. Supplier diversification and regionalisation. The most basic rule is to avoid manufacturing or sourcing everything from one location or one company. This is not simply about reducing reliance on China or any other single country but evaluating the upstream sources to lessen the risk of disruption. A shift from China to Southeast Asia, India or Mexico, for example, will require companies to re-evaluate domestic distribution networks to ensure they are aligned. 2. A ‘port diversification’ strategy. Although it might be more efficient and effective to import through one specific port, any type of disruption at this node could effectively shut down a business, hence companies should consider avoiding reliance on a single port in any one global region. 3. Less ‘just in time’ and more ‘just in case’ inventory management. Companies should maintain additional inventories of critical items that are single or sole-sourced and/or for which the supply lead times are long and highly variable. In a world of low interest rates the capital cost element of inventory holding costs is also low, and creating regionalised buffer stocks July-August 2020
A significant bankruptcy, like that of the container carrier Hanjin, can have longlasting impacts. It is also worth companies monitoring their suppliers’ IT security, considering how disruptive the ocean carrier Maersk’s computer virus attack was in 2017”
of essential parts, raw materials and/or finished goods in alternative distribution locations makes sense to allow continuity of supply to customers in the event of an emergency. 4. Multimodal transportation options. Companies should consider investing in distribution solutions that are close to parcel hubs, intermodal rail terminals or multimodal hubs to mitigate the risk of tightened trucking capacity or skyrocketing freight costs. 5. Invest in automation. Retaining skilled labor has been a big challenge for companies globally given the high demand for people, driven in large part by e-commerce. Rising unemployment resulting from the pandemic may lessen labor pressures in the short term; however, as the cost of investing in automation comes down, companies should explore opportunities to reduce their reliance on people. 6. Network evaluation. Building supply chain resilience involves a range of different trade-offs, as measures to reduce risks impact on costs, efficiency and customer service. Companies should evaluate their supply chain networks to ensure they have the most serviceeffective and cost-efficient solutions in place
that provide overlaps in the event of a shutdown in one of their locations. Conclusion
Supply chains are critical to the global economy and corporate performance, but they are only as strong as their weakest link. With COVID-19 causing massive disruptions to global economic activity and trade, now is the time for companies to put the spotlight on risk management and implement strategies to forge greater resilience. This issue will not go away, because once COVID-19 has been overcome, attention will fall back again on the elevated risks associated with the global climate emergency. If companies do invest in building supply chains that are more resilient, this will lead to some reconfiguration of existing networks. As a result, we think this will generate significant changes in the demand for and location of industrial and distribution facilities globally - with more sourcing closer to markets of consumption, higher levels of inventory across supply chains, more demand for facilities at hubs, and higher levels of automation in both manufacturing and warehouse operations. In addition, the shift to online which long predates COVID-19, will continue and potentially accelerate. Overall, therefore, the redesign of supply chain networks will drive change in existing real estate market dynamics and cause some shifts in the location, and to a lesser extent in the specification, of industrial and logistics facilities. Companies that can build resilient supply chains should reap the benefits in terms of improving agility and responsiveness to customers, even if the costs associated with some parts of their supply chain may rise. Investors that can own core assets within these chains should secure real estate outperformance The core assets that are likely to be required by companies will be in strategic locations to perform critical functions and, we think, in many cases they will be purpose-built facilities let on relatively long leases or owned. These buildings will also be ‘smart’ facilities to ensure that they optimise whatever function they perform and along with the flow of information across the supply chain network, that is essential for endto-end supply chain transparency. meconstructionnews.com
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Threat & Risk Assessment Gap Analysis Security System Design IT/AV Design Master Planning & Development Operational Requirements
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Testing & Commissioning Control Room Design System Integration Policies & Procedures Site Surveys & Audits Crisis Management
16 | On Topic
01 Nikoleta Stefanaki is an architect at AECOM.
01
July-August 2020
Nikoleta Stefanaki “Our homes have become our work environments, workout arenas and play areas. We need to make them more hygienic by selecting the proper materials” In March, our lives changed dramatically. Travel restrictions were imposed, events cancelled, schools closed, and nations locked down. Hospitals were built in days and social distancing became a common phrase. The current situation and the safeguarding measures implemented will force a change in the way we design, construct and manage public buildings and spaces. Architecture can enhance health and well-being and help shape the quality of our environment. The design of living spaces for example must consider functional spaces for individual and collective needs, and protect health, as people spend more time in isolation. The Healthy Building Movement is an approach to improving health through strategies such as increased natural light, improved ventilation, fewer toxic substances and the incorporation of plants and other natural materials through solutions like skylights, large windows, rooftop terraces, balconies and courtyards. Spaces for exercise and meditation could become standard along with home offices. Natural and free resources such as the sun and the wind can make environments much healthier by using passive energy. Ventilation, clean air and direct sunlight are all factors that make our lives much healthier and our environments more hygienic to live and work
in. This is great news for the Middle East where the sun is a free resource. We spend most of our time indoors, yet the air indoors is on average two to five times more toxic than what is typically outside, due to poor ventilation and toxic chemicals in household products. Studies show that ‘healthy building’ have many benefits such as reduced illness, higher worker productivity, higher test scores among students and greater workplace satisfaction. The most important healthy building tool during the COVID-19 outbreak has been advanced ventilation, particularly in hospitals. These systems include negative air pressure and prevent pathogens from spreading to other parts of a hospital. They also include displacement ventilation in which cooler air enters from below and lifts contaminants, and clean air ventilation which brings in fresh air, rather than recirculating existing air, as well as various filtration and humidity systems. These kinds of techniques will likely become standard in hospitals after the pandemic but need to expand to wherever people congregate. They could save lives where social distancing is difficult, i.e. in prisons, homeless shelters and refugee facilities. They could be complemented by germ-resistant strategies such as antimicrobial polymer surfaces, copper alloy surfaces - which naturally kill germs and viruses - and flexible spaces to accommodate social distancing. meconstructionnews.com
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Materials
Selection of materials can play a significant role since COVID-19 can survive on surfaces such as metal, glass and plastics. According to the latest research, the virus behaves differently depending on the type of the surface it lands on. For instance, on metal and ceramics, it can survive for 120 hours but on copper for only four hours. Therefore, materials selection and treatment of surfaces is vital to maintain a healthy and hygienic environment. Preventing the growth of mold bacteria and other microorganisms is the most vital consideration of all. To provide interior spaces with effective antimicrobial protection, a hygienic coating for internal walls and floors must provide a surface that is easy to clean, is sustainable and is free from joints and seams, and other such elements that might harbor dirt and bacteria. There are materials that offer antimicrobial protection meaning that they kill microorganisms or stop their growth. Viruses,
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molds and bacteria can live on countertops, flooring and on textile fixtures. However, there are materials that offer antimicrobial protection against these problems and they are available to use in homes, offices, restaurants, hotels and health care centers. It is important to consider the type of surface on which diseases can be transmitted such as non-porous surfaces like ceramic tiles, metal sinks, glass, metal cabinets and door
We spend most of our time indoors, yet the air indoors is on average two to five times more toxic than what is typically outside�
handles. On the other hand, porous materials such as drywall, carpeting, wallpaper, acoustic and ceiling tiles, and bricks seem to be a less stable material for COVID-19, which survives only 24 hours on these surfaces. The porosity of materials is not the main criteria in hygiene, but it is something we must pay attention to in selecting furniture and flooring. The pandemic has transformed our daily lives; how and where we live, work and play. Our homes have become our work environments, workout arenas and play areas. We need to make our environments more hygienic in general by selecting the proper materials, while maintaining a comfortable and healthy home environment. This isn’t the first time in history that cities and buildings will be reimagined in reaction to an expanded understanding of disease. We must incorporate lessons learnt from previous diseases alongside holistic new approaches to great design, to ensure that architecture can advance health and well-being for all.
July-August 2020
18 | On Topic
01 Gavin Britton is technology director, UAE at Atkins, a member of the SNCLavalin Group.
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July-August 2020
Gavin Britton “In the GCC, the programme management office, with its digital leadership function, is evolving in tandem with the region’s wider digital agenda” There has long been a call for digital transformation in the built environment industry, hailing the potential efficiency and productivity benefits. Yet, progress has lagged industries such as automotive and manufacturing. In research conducted with 200 UK construction decision-makers by CITB Research, 54% cited the built environment industry’s slow adoption of digital technologies. However, change is happening, and we are seeing real appetite for the digital agenda in the GCC, supported by the region’s faster pace of change and swifter decision-making. This approach aligns with countries’ strategic vision frameworks, supporting their emphasis on economic diversification, talent development and sustainable futures. Governments are therefore keen to lead the way, by harnessing digitalisation on their own construction projects. In the GCC region, the programme management office (PMO), with its digital leadership function, is evolving in tandem with the region’s wider digital agenda. Both are gaining traction locally, driving built environment projects’ planned strategic outcomes. The successful PMO is instrumental in furthering digitalisation throughout the design, procurement and construction processes, as well as supporting the digital transformation agenda of the client organisation. Commonly cited barriers to digital transformation include fragmented supply chains, transient project teams, and lack of project replication and organisational
processes. Critically, there has also been a lack of understanding around what can be achieved by digital innovation. It has therefore been perceived as a costly extra, competing with other strategic priorities such as profit, risk management, or health and safety imperatives rather than as an integral means of introducing innovation and resolving problems. Digital maturity of the PMO
It is vital to begin with a clear definition of how digitalisation will create value for the PMO. At the programme level, the organisation might ask itself, is the intention to increase the programme’s productivity, quality, best value… what are the issues and how will technology address them? Some organisations will restrict themselves to digitally optimising selected business processes in the first instance. Some will choose one or more pilot projects from their programme. Others may want the longterm benefits of the most agile methodologies throughout their programmes and are prepared to invest in achieving this via a fully digitalised PMO approach. At the project level, digitalisation might begin by replacing manual data capture entered in a spreadsheet with data entered on a cloud-based platform. The next progression could be to create a full data value chain for the whole lifecycle of the building. The use of predictive analytics, via artificial intelligence, replaces reactive client decision-making with earlier, more proactive decisions. Next comes meconstructionnews.com
On Topic | 19
prescriptive analytics, where the technology makes recommendations for action. At present, the majority of organisations are operating in the earlier stages of this digitalisation maturity progression, where the automated properties of the systems nonetheless allow less time to be spent on routine operational tasks, releasing more time for strategic approaches. Success of the digital PMO
A successful PMO creates an effective data management and reporting framework, including standardised forms and templates for use by the supply chain. This contrasts with the unwieldy volume of data and reports traditionally created on programmes, and instead provides accessible programme-wide information that supports the client’s operational and management teams, and its Board of Directors. The PMO also offers an excellent opportunity to explore and adopt wider digital transformation, as outlined in our eight steps to creating a successful PMO. As PMOs mature, the data becomes richer and exponentially more valuable, forming a real-time resource that supports greater surety around time, cost and quality outcomes, during construction and in the future asset operation and maintenance phases. This then enables clients to make much more informed decisions and take earlier corrective actions where necessary. Similar digital maturity can be expected to grow in tandem throughout the wider built environment.
It is vital to begin with a clear definition of how digitalisation will create value for the PMO. Is the intention to increase the programme’s productivity, quality, best value…what are the issues and how will technology address them?
in, and incorporating good communication, support and training. Other challenges that our team helps resolve include measuring and monitoring the success of digitalisation via clear KPIs and critical success factors. Digital PMOs drive efficiencies in design, delivery and operational management. At Faithful+Gould, we draw on our change management, technology and domain expertise to implement robust digital solutions. For example, our in-house solution, Dynamic Insight, provides our clients with a cloud-based reporting interface, displaying project and programme data which can be overlaid on a 3D graphical visualisation of the project. This enables clients to benefit from improved levels of governance, process and systems automation, and integrated, real-time project reporting. As the region progresses through its digital transformation agenda, organisations that will adopt a digital PMO model will be better placed to navigate industry challenges and drive operational excellence and cost efficiency in their built environment programmes and projects.
Embracing new norms
COVID-19 further intensifies the need for the innovation, efficiency and best value that digitalisation supports. Our team has been helping clients ensure they have optimal infrastructure and methodologies for remote working, and we can expect to see greater use of technology on construction sites, to support distancing and reduced attendance (drones for site inspections, for example). The impact of digitalisation on an organisation’s staff is usually under-estimated - they may not be immediately convinced of the benefits and it is realistic to expect supporters, resistance and everything in between. Significant change management efforts should be anticipated, beginning with top-down buymeconstructionnews.com
July-August 2020
20 | In Practice
ADAPTING TO THE
NEW NORMAL Jason Saundalkar speaks to experts from Drees & Sommer Gulf, Godwin Austen Johnson, Facilio and Netix about the changing design and operation of workspaces July-August 2020
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In Practice | 21
The concept of workspaces/offices has been evolving within the region over the last several years, driven by different factors including a growing focus on flexible working and health and wellbeing. In the last three years, coworking spaces have also become a part of the regional landscape with developers offering a variety of concepts designed to appeal to young entrepreneurs. Towards the end of Q1, the workspace landscape had to cope with a massive shock, as COVID-19 forced an overnight change to, then, existing dynamics. Restrictions have eased since late Q2 and local authorities have allowed businesses to reopen workplaces, while adhering to mandatory safety guidelines including entry health checks, occupancy and capacity levels, social distancing, sanitisation procedures, and the use of personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, and hand sanitiser. Taking the above into account and considering the virus is still an ongoing threat to people’s health means that a new normal has taken hold. So, whereas in the past companies may have sought to maximise the number of employees within a certain amount of space and flexible/remote working was limited, today, the scenario is quite different. In some cases, companies may not actually have the space within their existing premises to comply with social distancing guidelines and may be forced to adopt long-term flexible working strategies. Asked to comment on the options companies have given the current scenario, Sary Azakir, project partner and head of Commercial & Retail Design Delivery at Drees & Sommer Gulf says, “It’s important to get a proper understanding of the current office area you have available. We recommend companies do a thorough space analysis with a focus on their functional areas. This can help optimise office space by evaluating existing layouts and furniture placements, rethinking allocations for essential functional spaces, and creating and introducing more flexible features.” He adds, “Areas to look at include the size of pantries and other shared spaces such as welcome lobbies. The introduction of wayfinding technology, for example, could reduce the need for a large reception desk. The size of traditional office desks is another consideration; introducing meconstructionnews.com
smaller and more modular furniture may free up space and make the office environment more flexible. If your company has a lot of on-site storage, moving some securely offsite may free up space for more functional use, filing cabinets could be used as natural separators between desks to allow for social distancing and surely to convert all hard copies documents into the cloud and other digital platforms.” Avinash Kumar, associate partner at Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ) adds, “One of the key considerations for companies whose workforce are working from home is the type of work employees are doing. Focused work that requires singular concentration can be done from home in an effective manner. Collaborative work which requires ongoing input from a team working together, however, is a little more challenging to organise but can be done via online portals.” He elaborates, “For those companies who do not have the space to comply with social distancing within their environment, the work from home option will have to continue for some time yet. The software industry has been doing this successfully for many years now, so it is not anything new, but for others there will continue to a period of adaptation.” Prabhu Ramachandran, founder and CEO of Facilio notes that core operations may not be possible from home and states that expansion could be difficult given current economics. He remarks, “Under the circumstances, tech-enabled solutions could ease transition to the ‘new normal’. Real time tracking of space utilisation can help set up shift work with 30-40% staff. Updated visitor management, including pre-registration to control footfall and preemptive tracking of touchpoints for contact
tracing, will instill confidence in a risk compliant return to office spaces.” Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO and founder of Netix Global BV agrees that technology such as connected asset management services can play a sizeable role going forward. “Not only can onsite facilities management staff be kept to a minimum, by enabling remote management of buildings, visitors and tenants can also be monitored and tracked in real time to ensure infected individuals are quarantined. Ultimately, the key will be to enable judicious use of workspaces, by continuously updated, informed occupants.” Will the Co-Working Trend Continue?
Co-working spaces served as an attractive option for entrepreneurs within the region and beyond because of the flexibility they offered and the comparatively lower cost to standard offices. Asked what the future might hold for these spaces following the outbreak of COVID-19, the four participants in this feature unanimously agreed that the trend will likely remain strong, if prudent precautions are taken. Kumar notes, “Co-working spaces have been thriving throughout the world because of the flexibility they offer. Yes, these spaces will be affected but if the measures of social distancing and reducing contact are addressed, people will still use the space. It’s like any other space where if you ensure the area is sanitised and safe, people will continue using it.” Azakir agrees and comments, “I believe that the demand for co-working spaces will continue to grow, especially for smaller companies that are looking to keep their operational cost down. As long as co-working spaces follow the rules, regulations, and health and safety guidelines set by the government and relevant health authorities, including WHO, there is no reason for them not to thrive.” He adds, “Temperature checks, social distancing guidelines, ongoing sanitisation programs, effective user communication, and response plans will be key to operate safely. However, we may see a shift in design, similar to what we expect with permanent offices, with an increased focus on functional versus common spaces and the introduction of dedicated areas for video calls, for example.” July-August 2020
22 | In Practice
Bhatia emphasises the importance of cleaning and sanitisation, “Deep cleaning routines and regular sanitisation, tracked and implemented using digital tools, to ensure impeccable standards, will be crucial. Conscientious use of shared spaces is an important feature of safety and this too can be monitored using a network of sensors, cameras and inputs. Tech empowered access control, which keeps ongoing record of movements into and out from spaces, will help restore confidence and establish a reliable new way to use co-working spaces.” Ramachandran agrees and states that the co-working trend is likely to continue, along with a rise in flexible and remote working. He notes that clients may rely on services on a rotational basis, while frequent deep sanitisation and proactive maintenance is necessary. He remarks, “Digital tools that track realtime hygiene status will introduce greater accountability and transparency. Co-working spaces will need real-time, unified control of cameras, sensors and analytics systems, as well as information rich interfaces accessible to occupants, to achieve this.” Workspace Upgrades
At the start of June, authorities in the region began easing their respective lockdowns,
01
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while calling for the public to be responsible and asking asset and business owners to follow safety guidelines and protocols. Following this, asset and business owners began readying their spaces to comply with regulations, with some also investing into upgrades designed to take into account the new reality. Ramachandran believes that guidelines could influence the desirability of certain properties and states, “Cubicles spaced six feet apart and hands-free, foot-pedal operated dispensers could enhance safety. Occupants want control over office experiences, from entry point to HVAC to internal transport devices etc. It is likely new developments will include mobile-enabled individual control of devices, on-demand services, remote accessibility, and systems impervious to
sudden restart and indefinite shutdowns. At the same time, human connection and collaboration will require alternative, compliant solutions, as will team recreational and community activities.” Azakir adds, “We have seen a significant increase and acceptance in the use of video calls and virtual meetings due to COVID-19, and we anticipate a shift away from the traditional 9:00am to 5:00pm workday in the office.” He continues, “We have witnessed the emergence of three types of people; those that prefer to return to the office fulltime post COVID-19, those that would prefer to continue working from home, and those that would benefit from a hybrid model that allows working from home and the office in a blended work environment. How organisations will facilitate the return of their workforce will have an impact on the use and design of office space.” Azakir states that his firm foresees more flexibility when it comes to office space, both from a size and design perspective. “Working more flexibly will enable companies to have smaller offices, hence reduce their operational cost, which in turn translates into a shift in office design. This may include co-working spaces, flexible desks, moveable partitions, as well as the introduction of designated video call rooms and sound-proof phone booths.”
02
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“We also expect to see further adoption of contactless technologies in the office environment including electronic wayfinding, no-touch doors and handles, online scheduling tools, automated coffee makers, and hygiene stations. One of the core areas we specialise in is digitisation and smart buildings, and we anticipate a significant increase in demand for both in the post-COVID-19 era,” he adds. Kumar cautions that thus far there are no definite rules or guidelines from the WHO about what to expect and what measures should be taken in the workplace to adapt to a new way of working. “Many companies have implemented the two metre rule, where workstations have been spaced at a distance 1.8m from each other. We are currently working on an office design where the circulation is a one way flow to help minimise contact. Temperature cameras, isolation rooms and contactless lift buttons have also been included in the design. The aim is to avoid person to person contact and ensure an early detection system is in place.” Bhatia is convinced there will be more dependence on interfaces and apps to enable contact-less use of facilities and collaborative solutions. He details, “There is likely to be an overhaul of workspace design, but social distancing in itself could prove inadequate, given how often facilities and assets are shared in a business team. Technology will be the key enabler that allows multiple users to operate the same assets, on a routine basis, while ensuring that each user is reliably monitored.” meconstructionnews.com
04
01 Avinash Kumar is an associate partner at Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ). 02 Prabhu Ramachandran is founder and CEO of Facilio. 03 Sanjeevv Bhatia is the CEO and founder of Netix Global BV. 04 Sary Azakir is project partner and head of Commercial & Retail Design Delivery at Drees & Sommer Gulf.
Resilience is a key factor in the new normal. With the advent of artificial intelligence and machine intelligence in many industries, companies will begin to rely much more on automation in the future”
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, resilience has been at the forefront of conversations as companies look for ways to maintain business operations while safeguarding people and assets. Almost overnight, virtual meetings became a solution that many adopted when lockdowns were first imposed and even now, post easing of restrictions. Asked whether the dependence on virtual meetings will continue and whether companies may invest into upgrading spaces to provide the best audio/video experience, Azakir explains, “We expect to see a redesign of meeting rooms to optimise their use and function. This could include resizing individual meeting rooms, for example, breaking a large boardroom up into several smaller meeting spaces, as well as the implementation of sound-absorbing materials for walls, ceilings, and partitions to enhance the quality of audio and video calls. We are also likely to see the introduction of dedicated spaces or ‘video cubes’ which can be randomly placed in the office layout as a design feature for virtual meetings that are optimised in terms of acoustics, screen placement and lighting.” GAJ’s Kumar agrees and says advancements apart from audio/video calls are also on the way, “Resilience is a key factor in the new normal. With the advent of artificial intelligence and machine intelligence in many industries, companies will begin to rely much more on automation in the future. Yes, we do have limited means currently for video calls and conferencing but I believe IT companies will roll out more advanced software July-August 2020
24 | In Practice
which can handle more users on low bandwidths. Software will also become more interactive allowing users to be able to mark-up documents easily and share files during virtual meetings.” Building Self-Sanitising Environments
Research has indicated that some materials, such as copper, naturally destroy viruses whereas materials such as steel and plastic have little to no effect on them. Here, Bhatia says he’s convinced the use of traditional materials will increase, supplemented by the use of artificially created materials. He says, “The emergence of new, artificially created meta-materials, which can have engineered properties that fulfill disinfecting needs, present interesting possibilities. With such fabricated materials, we have an opportunity to mass produce elements to make them cost effective, since many are based on earth abundant and cost-effective inputs.” Azakir comments, “We foresee more extensive use of materials with anti-microbial properties in new office environments, but this may take longer for retrofit projects. Materials with anti-microbial properties are not necessarily more expensive but it is important to select wisely with the assistance of experts in this field.” He elaborates, “It is generally recommended to reduce the use of wooden materials, including flooring, which could be replaced by vinyl, tile, or laminate. More expensive but suitable antimicrobial materials for office use include quartz/ stone, acrylic, and modified polyester acrylic surfaces and biocidal surfaces.” Kumar adds, “I believe that we are going to see more NanoSeptic cleaning surfaces emerging in workspaces around the world. These self-cleaning surfaces constantly kill bacteria and viruses by utilising nano-crystals, which continuously oxidise organic contaminants. Some of our recent work has involved solutions such as sliding doors to restrict contact with surfaces and wrapping fire doors and other surfaces with these NanoSeptic materials.” He explains that MEP may be able to play a bigger role in keeping spaces sanitised. He says, “Together with suppliers and specialists we are looking at options to implement sanitising or UV lights to help in the self-cleaning of spaces. High end AC filters with increased air-cycles are July-August 2020
I believe that the demand for coworking spaces will continue to grow, especially for smaller companies that are looking to keep their operational cost down. As long as co-working spaces follow the health and safety guidelines set by the government and relevant health authorities, there is no reason for them not to thrive”
also being considered to keep the ambient air clean at all times. On one of our recent office projects, we redesigned the reception desk so that it is much deeper and incorporates a glass partition to separate employees from visitors. The seating area has increased distancing and heat sensing cameras have been installed at the entrance. We have also provided an isolation room for employees and visitors, where people can isolate themselves should they need.” Here, Ramachandran points out that COVID-19 is driving changes in global health and wellbeing standards. He states, “COVID19’s respiratory link has prompted the WELL Building Standard to prioritise Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) among its other recommendations to combat the transmission. To this effect, building operatives can capitalise on CRE shutdown and reduced occupancy, to undertake preventive maintenance of HVAC filters, grilles, diffusers, indoor unit coils, before reopening for business. Remote monitoring tools can help optimise IAQ, while an IoT-powered unified platform can help keep efficiency in check.” While it has been several months since COVID-19 rapidly spread across the globe, new information about the virus and how it spreads is still being discovered on a weekly basis. Many believe that living with the virus is the way forward and that everyone has to be respectful and responsible, so that its spread is limited on a personal level, while asset and business owners take and implement precautions to safeguard health and instill confidence. Azakir remarks, “It is important to analyse - and where applicable modify - operational workflows for effective contamination control by avoiding cross flows and crosscontamination, which includes movement protocols for occupants, deliveries, visitors, and goods in/out. We recommend re-defining building management roles and responsibilities based on new operational regulations and workflows, including a re-assessment of HSE functions to include COVID-19 duties. He concludes, “The current situation has demonstrated inadequacies to crisis preparedness for a health crisis and the reopening of premises is an opportunity for organisations to evaluate protocols and to update crisis management processes.” meconstructionnews.com
Project: Mercure Hotel, Kaliningrad, Russia Solution: Sierra OP Board, RAL 5013 Š Egor Sachko
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July-August 2020
In Practice | 27
Back in Business
Jason Saundalkar speaks to Gabriella De La Torre about commercial real estate and the precautions that landlords and business owners must take, as the world begins to go back to work The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on every sector across global markets. The pandemic created a new reality overnight, which forced individuals, businesses and governments to scramble to adjust to a scenario that, at times, seemed to be evolving on a daily basis. The end of Q1, 2020 is when the effects of the pandemic were first felt in the GCC region, as governments rolled out lockdowns and prudent safety measures to protect their respective populations and stem the spread of the deadly virus. Towards the end of Q2, restrictions began easing while mandatory safety protocols and procedures were updated and rolled out to ensure a safe return to workplaces and economic activity. In terms of what this has meant for regional landlords and occupiers, Gabriella De La Torre, director at CBRE comments, “The transition back to the workplace requires a high degree of planning for both landlords and occupiers in order to ensure the health and safety of occupants. We are now witnessing this transition starting to take place in Dubai, where the government announced at the beginning of June that private sector companies could resume dayto-day operations at 100% capacity.” “As part of this gradual reopening, various safety measures are still required, such as
limiting the number of people within lifts and lift lobby areas, temperature screening of employees and customers and ensuring the use of face masks. In addition to these and other regulatory requirements, each landlord and occupier will likely need to determine their own thresholds and policies for welcoming back occupants. Key considerations could include elements such as the ability to support social distancing, provision of personal protective equipment, accessibility to cleaning supplies and ability for more frequent cleaning than before.” She notes that apart from adhering to mandatory, regulated measures, many business owners/occupiers are also engaging with employees to obtain feedback and understand what would make them feel safe and comfortable to return to workplaces. Explaining CBRE’s approach, she notes, “We’ve learned from our experience in Asia, which has witnessed a recovery and return to the office sooner than we have here in the region. One of these key learnings is that businesses will need to prepare for a more perceptive workforce, which will expect regular and credible assurance that they are working in a safe environment. Creating a multi-disciplinary recovery management team is one way of facilitating open dialogue and communication among key stakeholders,
01 Offices must reorganise seating arrangements and meeting areas to adhere to mandatory social distancing guidelines rolled out by local authorities.
July-August 2020
28 | In Practice
while ensuring workforce buy-in on the levels of safety within work environments.” “Here in the region, for example, CBRE has created an employee ‘Work From Home’ committee to obtain insights on employees’ thoughts and feelings on working from home, and more recently, on returning to the workplace.” Evolution of Environments
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, many organisations focused on maximising the number of people they could fit into a given amount of real estate. Asked about whether this approach will change given social distancing guidelines, the rollout of flexible
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working concepts and a nascent move towards healthier, WELL-certified workspaces, De La Torre says there’s unlikely to be a one-size-fitsall solution across the office market. “Right now it is too early to tell what the true implications of COVID-19 will be on average space per employee moving forward. In some cases, business owners may focus more heavily on remote working and potentially explore co-working or flexible office solutions to allow for physical office space that can be used by employees as and when needed. In other cases where physical presence is more heavily required – in the finance and banking sectors for example – there may be a case for larger space per employee, to accommodate
new health and safety regulations and create a greater sense of comfort for occupants.” “Regardless of individual solutions, companies will increasingly need to make their offices a preferred destination, and a greater focus will be placed on employee experience, collaboration, team building and strengthening company culture. Health and wellness are likely to play a key role in shaping that employee experience. We were already starting to see an increasing focus on incorporating wellness into living and working places, and the pandemic has accelerated this focus, as occupants become more and more conscious of the health and safety of the spaces they inhabit.” Discussing whether regional business owners will look at refurbishing existing office spaces or seek out new real estate in response to health and safety concerns and COVID-19 guidelines, she states, “The question is not so much about refurbishment versus relocation, as there are smart ways of reconfiguring physical environments to support social distancing practices across most office locations.” “In addition to physical reconfiguration of furniture layouts and seating arrangements, occupiers are installing signage, demarcating social distancing zones using floor decals and exploring the incorporation of touchless tech – all to create a safer work environment. Regardless of the measures implemented, this reconfiguration process will hinge on conducting a comprehensive assessment of the physical building and identifying areas which are adaptable to facilitate re-entry. Throughout this process, occupiers and landlords should maintain open communication to support this re-entry, and it is likely that a certain element of remote working will be required to facilitate this transition.” Asked whether the increased adoption of remote working in the region will impact mindsets about office spaces, De La Torre comments, “We’re already witnessing a gradual shift towards greater flexibility in the way we work at a global level. The outbreak of the pandemic has accelerated this trend without a doubt. However, this does not need to be a binary question - physical office vs. remote meconstructionnews.com
03
working. There is a place for both ways of working to co-exist.” She elaborates, “A recent survey conducted by Hana, CBRE’s flexible space solutions provider, found that in the minds of employees, the key value propositions of the traditional office centered on interactions with colleagues, change of scenery as well as in-person meetings and collaboration. The office space should, therefore, be re-shaped to prioritise meaningful connections within great social spaces.”
02 Gabriella De La Torre is a director at CBRE. 03 Where physical office presence is required, there may be a case for larger space per employee, to accommodate new health and safety regulations.
Key Takeaways
While the return to normality has begun in the region and globally, markets and rules are still dynamic and may change in an instant. Asked to outline key what landlords and occupiers should take away from the outbreak of COVID-19, De La Torre states: flexibility, planning and monitoring. “The pandemic highlighted more than ever the importance of flexibility. Providing agile spaces will continue to be relevant in the future, not just as a result of COVID-19 but also due to rapidly changing technology, demographic shifts and other factors. Intrinsic in this flexibility is preparation and planning. meconstructionnews.com
Regardless of individual solutions, companies will increasingly need to make their offices a preferred destination, and a greater focus will be placed on employee experience”
Businesses should continue to plan for any future impacts on the way we work and making use of new technologies is one way to support a quick response to any future shocks.” She continues, “Landlords and occupiers should endeavour to continuously monitor and obtain feedback from stakeholders and occupants in order to better prepare for shifting needs and preferences in the way we work and inhabit the workplace. Technology and, more specifically proptech, can again support this continuous monitoring process and ensure that our spaces become increasingly agile and prepared for the future.” Making her closing remarks, she says, “The spread of the pandemic has created the largest remote working experiment across the globe, and provided insights as to what the future office environment and workspace will look like. We are still learning something new each day on what that might be, and there are many questions that are still unanswered. However, one thing which is clear is that it will be imperative for all stakeholders - government, landlords, occupiers, employees - to work together, to safely transition to the new normal way of working.” July-August 2020
30 | On Site
Virtual Value Engineering Summit ME Consultant recaps the first virtual value engineering summit, a four day event held from June 28 to July 1 PLATINUM SPONSOR
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July-August 2020
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On Site | 31
From June 28 to July 1, CPI Trade Media held the third edition of the annual Value Engineering Summit as a digital event. The nearly week-long virtual event saw industry experts participate in insightful panel discussions, as well as share ideas and approaches to construction through presentations, opinion pieces and case studies. All of the content was broadcast to a combined audience of thousands, with the panel discussions and presentations alone gathering more than 1,500 regional viewers. Centred on design, project management, fast-tracking and generating efficiencies, the topics discussed aligned with the overall theme of VE in a world impacted by COVID-19. The first day of the event saw a panel discussion beginning at 10AM and running for an hour, followed by a live presentation at 12PM. This panel – Finding New Efficiencies – was moderated by Gavin Davids, group editor of CPI Trade Media’s Construction Division
and editor of Big Project ME. It featured Phil Branson, UK director at Omnium International. Ralf Steinhauer, director at RSP, and Tom Gilmartin, business development manager at ALEC Fitout. The presentation on the day was by Mouthanna Haddadin, commercial manager and acting operations manager at Innovo Constructions. Both panel and presentation were followed by 15 minutes of Q&A sessions, where panellists and presenters answered queries posed by online viewers. Day Two saw the second panel discussion – A True Collaborative Approach – hosted by Nithin Thomas, senior BIM manager at Shapoorji Pallonji International. It featured Charlie Harris, branch director at Omnium International and Rita Allen, senior associate at Pinsent Masons. Following the panel discussion and Q&A in the morning session, presentations from Herman van Eeden, senior consultant at RIB
Software, and Sorin Bularca, AEC technical sales specialist at Autodesk Middle East, were held at 12PM and 1PM respectively. Day Three featured a panel centred around the use of technology in the VE process. This was hosted by Craig Garett, Digital Advancement Academy manager for Bentley Systems and featured insights from Naji Atallah from Autodesk and Stephen Degenhart from Drees & Sommer Gulf. Day Four closed the summit with a special MECN.com newsletter that recapped the week and shared fresh content from Autodesk, CDM Smith, F+G and Omnium Resolve. The event was supported by Omnium International, Hard Precast Building Systems (HPBS), Drees & Sommer Gulf, Intertek, RIB, Redington, Autodesk, MZ Architects as well as CIOB and RICS. To view the summit’s various panel discussions and presentations, please visit: https:// meconstructionnews.com/live-videos
Panel 1 Recap : Finding New Efficiencies Tom Gilmartin, Panellist As a starting point, for all project
provided with a “shopping list” of options
a tender requesting “base bid” and
stakeholders, especially developers, the
with clearly defined savings associated with
“alternative bids” as already the budget,
difference between cost cutting and VE is
each option. To facilitate maximum
important to understand and define.
value from the process, early
Contractors
review of structure, façade
considerable resource and
True VE maintains design intent whilst
and
encouraged
these
only to be told that the
negatively impacts finish and design intent.
typically equate to 70% of
project is over budget and
To achieve value for the client, and to
the costs, and contribute
now needs to re-tender on
have effective reduction in cost without
significantly to the life cycle
a VE design.
impacting quality, it was agreed by all that
operating costs.
Effective
VE
takes
as
is
spend
the original specification. Cost cutting
is critical to the success of the VE process.
systems
will
providing a quality of finish similar to
early engagement and definition of budget
MEP
disclosed to cost consultants is at risk.
A collaborative philosophy with early engagement is advised.
time to prepare proposals
We need to ask ourselves: •
Why is the budget not
clearly understood at the start?
considerable
However, this will be challenging to
• Why spend considerable time and
resource and time. Options, ideas and
implement – developers, through habit
cost preparing tenders only to have to
sample materials are sourced, shared
or mandate insist on trusting in traditional
retender/redesign to achieve a budget?
and commented on by stakeholders in an
delivery model of design, tender, construct.
iterative process to ensure the proposed
However, this model is inherently flawed.
samples, systems, materials are similar to
In summary, it is our experience that an early engagement, negotiated, design to
Often, an architect will design a building
budget, value engineering approach is the
without understanding the client’s real
most practical and effective delivery model
An ALEC FITOUT VE framework was
budget. The consultant team will then
for developers wishing for timely delivery,
discussed, whereby clientele can be
prepare a cost estimate and package
whilst managing cost and ensuring.
original aesthetic and performance intent.
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32 | On Site
Panel 2 Recap: A True Collaborative Approach Nithin Thomas, Moderator I had the privilege of moderating the second
Considering how the industry has had
for major infrastructure projects, and
panel at the Virtual VE Summit, which was
to deal with this pandemic, both focused
everyone agreed that considering the
attended by Rita Allan, senior associate at
on the importance of contractors
Pinsent Mason and Charlie Harris, branch
demonstrating their readiness
director at Omnium International Ltd.
under the cover of insurances,
The panel started with a discussion
etc.
going
forward
current market; most employers will be looking at cost as a factor for employers and that traditional
on
routes of procurement will
about finding an accurate definition of
projects. They highlighted
‘true collaboration’. Each panellist reiterated
this as something for the
be in contention at present. Going forward, there
the importance of technology and how it
industry to take note of and
will be a need for the
came to the aid of the industry during this
to be ready for.
industry to demonstrate
pandemic period. Both believed productivity
Questioned about whether
has not been greatly affected as the industry
a different approach towards
embraced technologies which helped
procurements, such as D&B, could
business continue as usual. Charlie added
pave the way for better collaboration, both
home, remote collaboration and cloud data
that productivity had actually improved.
panellists agreed this was possible. Charlie
sharing, which will be a challenge for an
Panellists felt that contracts could
and Rita were also of the opinion that these
Industry that is very traditional.
be better structured to complement
procurement routes would not yield results if
collaboration. Both Rita and Charlie agreed
cost is the primary selection criteria.
that silos within projects, adversarial culture and lack of trust act as major deterrents.
capability in data security in order to secure projects. The new normal includes working from
Rita added that PPP/PFI procurement routes are becoming a subject of contention
The industry will not be the same going forward - with increased reliance on technology, moving to true collaboration does seem like the correct choice.
Panel 3 Recap: Time to Heed the Call of Technology Craig Garrett, Moderator I consider being a member of a panel an
“We are at a turning point, our business
honour; I get to share in a discussion with
as usual mindset must change. Digitalising
respected colleagues and it gives me an opportunity to discuss some of the challenges we face in our working lives. My colleagues were Naji Atallah
from
Autodesk
and Stephan Degenhart
outset, the panellists agreed.
data by using a CDE can provide a
“Smart is good, technology is good,
90% drop in the time required to
modular is good, but it always has to make
look for data. The real value is
sense. Technology just as a gimmick doesn’t
engineers can focus on their
help. There must be a benefit or added value
core value of providing
for ROI at every phase to justify adoption,”
better designs for assets,”
explained Stephan Degenhart.
said Naji Atallah.
from Drees and Sommer. Unfortunately Bahaa Ibrahim
strategy will align the supply chain from the
While
The panel acknowledged
the
concerns ahead. We must not forget the environmental challenges we face, including
construction, saying that it will
a climate crisis, and realise that the industry
The discussion addressed the challenges
become a major influence. At the same
has a major role to play. Here, technology
faced by all stakeholders during the
time, there was an understanding that it is
can also address the selection of materials
pandemic. What was indeed encouraging
not an overnight transformation, and while
and sustainability goals. Valuable resources
was the general feeling from panellists that
it might not be suitable for every project, this
are used in our projects, so we must look not
organisations are rising to the challenge
approach must be included in the digital
just to the next six months, but way beyond
of the situation from an operational,
delivery strategy from the very beginning
that to what we need to change with regard
collaborative and technology perspective.
of the concept stage. Adopting such a
to the environment around us.
July-August 2020
of
considered
off-site
Systems was unable to join us.
role
panel
manufacturing and modular
from Hard Precast Building
the
the
pandemic, we should be aware of the bigger
meconstructionnews.com
MZ Architects believes in pushing the boundaries of architecture and design.
Our work relates to spatial concepts, form and structure.
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01
Developing a RM for Urban Planning AHCEC established a reality model for planning and designing the infrastructure needed to support an increase in visitors to the city of Al-Madinah in Saudi Arabia Each year, a significant number of Muslims visit the city of Al-Madinah in Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia. It is the second-holiest city for Muslims and was the first Islamic capital. Pilgrims visit the city’s three prominent mosques and other areas of religious and historical significance. Over the years, the number of pilgrims has increased exponentially. To accommodate the growing numbers, the Kingdom wanted to increase the capacity of annual visitors from eight million to 30m by 2030. It planned a $1.86m project to build museums and plan routes to historical, culture and tourist sites. July-August 2020
With over 55 years of experience, Ala Abdulhadi & Khalifa Hawas Consulting Engineering Company (AHCEC) was tasked with designing the plan, which included expanding transport systems and hospitality facilities, while preserving historical sites. AHCEC worked with the Madinah Development Authority to create strategic execution plans - the city wanted to implement reality modeling to help plan the development of the 55sqkm historical area, allowing the team to gather resources and streamline the timeline. This model would be used to create a digital twin for the central part of the city.
The firm was also asked to help conduct mobile mapping for the 700sqkm road network, which includes 7,900km of roads. The team needed to build a comprehensive application that contained 3D mobile mapping and reality mesh data to support the urban planning team. With a large area to cover and the deadline shortened from two years to one, AHCEC turned to a digital solution. Conducting Surveying and Mapping with UAVs and Mobile Devices
To begin the project team captured LiDAR data to create a hybrid model that also meconstructionnews.com
On Site | 35
included unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. Other team members drove through the streets to capture data for the model. AHCEC divided the city into 2.25ha cells and used six UAVs. The team established 1,038 control points around the city, which allowed them to ensure accuracy and finish data capture in 85 days with 7,033 UAV flights. Using ContextCapture, the project team processed nearly 750,000 images, about 13.7 terapixels, to create a realistic 3D model of the city. AHCEC also used a 3D mapping solution to manage the large amounts of mobile mapping data. Orbit, Bentley’s 3D mapping solution, helped effectively manage and feature extract content, as well as publish mobile mapping data. The application was able to manage and extract the large amounts of drone data and create panoramic images for the model. The interoperability of the applications also allowed the model to be exported in webready formats for easier approvals from the government and other stakeholders.
shading analyses to allow for maximum walking comfort between the mosques and the surrounding facilities.
01 Al-Madinah is located at the core of the Madinah Province in the western reaches of Saudi Arabia.
Creating a Foundation
02 3D reality mesh of the Khalidiyah District generated with ContextCapture.
for Future Projects
Reality modeling provided the team with a reliable survey technique that minimised modeling time and costs, while streamlining decision-making and visualisation. AHCEC’s reality model helped the team complete the project 15 months ahead of schedule, while still creating a design that facilitates pilgrim access to Al-Madinah. Using ContextCapture and Orbit, the project team completed the objective in nine months, saving over a year in surveying time and more than $11.1m. The team captured more than 750,000 images, modeled 41,672 buildings and surveyed more than 7,000km of roads in high definition. “Combined with exceptional support, ContextCapture provided features to enable multi-engine processing using not just images
but point clouds. ContextCapture proved consequential in completing the project with such good quality and high client satisfaction,” explained Khalid Farid Sallam, Geomatics manager at Ala Abdulhadi & Khalifa Hawas Consulting Engineering Company. This project was the first of its scale in Saudi Arabia to use consumer UAVs in such a short timeframe. Moving forward, the team will use Bentley’s iTwin Services to create a digital twin of the area. AHCEC plans to collect information from utilities, including environmental sensors, to add to the reality model. The team also plans to implement AssetWise and ProjectWise, creating a single source for all project information that can be contained in the reality model.
Documenting Significant Historical Landmarks
By using ContextCapture and Orbit, AHCEC was able to document each historical spot using realistic and detailed models. These were used to help develop new roads through the city, superimposing other models on the reality model, so designers and engineers could see everything accurately and clearly. The model captured every feature of the highly congested area including trees and the texture of buildings. Even narrow, dark alleys were modeled in detail with a combination of laser scanning and photogrammetry. The team also implemented data from existing point clouds. The model provided a single location where multidiscipline site planning and engineering teams could find the information they needed. It’s now easy to share the models with other departments, as well as visualise and measure without having much experience in 2D or 3D modeling. Lastly, the team conducted a feasibility study for a three-kilometer walkway between two important mosques, as well as conduct meconstructionnews.com
02
July-August 2020
36 | On Site
July-August 2020
meconstructionnews.com
On Site | 37
Michelle Najm “Do not be afraid or intimidated when it comes to speaking up. You must seize every opportunity you see” Following our special edition dedicated to women in the construction industry, Middle East Consultant continues to share the inspiration and experiences of women working in the male-dominated industry across the GCC. Here, we catch up with Michelle Najm, senior architect at JT+Partners. What drove you to get into construction and your very first role in the industry?
I was always passionate about art and science and it was not easy to find a common ground between them. My goal was to find a career that combines both and ended up being naturally drawn to architecture. The Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid being the most accomplished female from Arab origins was one of the influences that set me on my path. She proved her statement that “architecture is no longer a man’s world”. Share a brief about your career, mentioning key achievements with regards to your role.
I studied architecture at the Lebanese University of Fine Arts in Beirut. My career started at an early stage when I joined Al Salaam International Group for my first paid internship back in 2006. Determined for progress, with a master’s degree meconstructionnews.com
in hand, I joined the JAR Group Architectural Design Team. This is where I developed my first skills as the only woman to work amongst 12 male architects. I was involved in projects across the Middle East and Africa, mainly in the residential, governmental and commercial sectors. Deep down, always wanting more and aiming to break boundaries, I decided to travel abroad. In search of new opportunities, I joined JT+Partners’ design team in Dubai in 2015. At first it was particularly challenging to work in a completely new environment, away from family and friends. Nevertheless, working with a multicultural team (16 nationalities) and learning from experienced colleagues, I was involved in projects from inception to completion and this is when I discovered my true potential. My first project in Abu Dhabi, the Al Raha Waterfront Courtyard, was a highly sustainable luxury residential building with retail offerings and was recognised with an Arabian Property Award in 2016. In my current role as a senior architect I’m overseeing the design and delivery of several projects simultaneously, from hospitality to residential including a luxury five star resort in the Seychelles, the Premier Inn Hotel in Barsha Heights and the first Hampton by Hilton resort in the Middle East in RAK. All of these are currently under construction. July-August 2020
38 | On Site
Besides fairness and being the right thing to do, diversity in the construction industry is important because of the value women can bring to employers, clients and customers. How have you made your mark in the industry?
Multicultural diversity is a big factor for success in the GCC construction industry. I have learnt in my career that your proudest moments are the result of a team effort, especially if this team comes from different backgrounds. Respecting one another regardless of gender, religion or culture builds healthy communication and a strong workforce. I have sat at a table with a lot of inspiring women; regardless of their role they all shared the same qualities from being empathetic listeners to excellent communicators. Women are motivated team players and can manage any situation regardless of how stressful it is.
Multicultural diversity is a big factor for success in the GCC construction industry. I have learnt in my career that your proudest moments are the result of a team effort, especially if this team comes from different backgrounds�
What are some of the barriers to women entering the construction industry? What was your personal experience?
During any career growth there are always obstacles that one must overcome. Learning from these moments drives you forward; balancing work and family obligations is one of the main barriers in the industry that many professionals face. As a new mother, it has been a tough journey to equally commit to the workload and family, especially at the very beginning. Establishing a proper routine and continuity provides stability in the environment and maintaining a balanced, healthy work-home lifestyle is key. A woman can choose to develop skills allowing her to be an excellent leader and team player, as well as a mother and partner. The GCC construction sector is still male dominated, however diversity is beginning to increase. If you agree
construction is still a fully male-dominated industry. Women have long been on the client side, working for developers and consultancy firms and are even in leadership positions. I think where you see male dominance is more on the contracting side. Nevertheless, I have seen a lot of determined, confident women overcoming obstacles and leading the way, which is always inspiring. Awareness about work in the sector must be raised more, so onsite stereotypes change and there is a healthy workplace regardless of gender and is more a meritocracy.
with this, comment on what is driving
Besides authorities and construction firms, who else can play a part in increasing diversity and balancing pay scales in the sector?
this and how you see the GCC markets
Everyone has a part to play in diversity
changing in the coming years? If you do
and equal pay. What would you like
not agree with the statement, please
to see government authorities and
share your thoughts/views of the market.
construction firms do to increase diversity
During the 21st century the increase in the number of women joining the industry is significant. In 2020, I would not say
and make pay a level playing field?
July-August 2020
markets. The enrollment of female candidates in society has been spread at all levels such as: ministers, CEOs, entrepreneurs etc. The Ministry of Human Resources being able to manage and control the workforce at a national level can set-up forums at an undergraduate level and raise awareness amongst universities. Detailed studies can also help to truly understand where the gap is in order fill it.
At a government level, the UAE authorities have been encouraging gender diversity in all
At a professional level, recruitment agencies have a wide role to play in increasing diversity and balancing pay scales. Recruiters influence companies and direct the strategy for employment, which is the first step into any career. Putting forward a male or female candidate for any job should be based on their meconstructionnews.com
On Site | 39
move forward, especially if you are surrounded by inspiring coworkers. Do you feel there’s a limit with regards to how far you can progress within JT+P?
We are architects, designers & freaks says Joe Tabet our MD. At JT+Partners this is the statement that drives the heart of the studio. We are always encouraged to push beyond boundaries and work outside our comfort zone in order to exceed expectations. How does JT+P approach diversity in the workplace? What more can your firm do to increase diversity in its ranks?
From the first day I joined JT+Partners, the main drive of the business was empowering women. Everybody is treated equally and with such multicultural diversity, the exchange of knowledge happens naturally. The studio is an open workplace where teams sit as one, regardless of role or gender. We are all equally pushed to contribute by participating in international competitions, attending summits, winning awards - in other words taking a role at a corporate and professional level. We are all one team and the sky is not the limit says Joe. That is our mantra. How do you personally push for diversity
professional experience. At an individual level, parents must raise awareness amongst their children and pass on the values to eradicate inequality of gender, religion and culture for future generations. As a woman in the industry, what has your experience been working in the GCC construction sector? If you have worked in markets outside the GCC, how does your experience here compare with what you’ve experienced and observed in those other markets?
Dubai is an international platform for global companies. In addition, at JT+P, projects are spread around the Middle East, GCC, Africa, and South-West Asia. This has allowed me, at a professional level, to discover new markets and expand my experience to international borders. As a result, the growth in experience happens at a fast pace compared to other markets. meconstructionnews.com
In your opinion, what is the biggest
and equal pay in the construction
challenge women in the construction
sector? Are you involved in any
sector face in GCC countries? How
groups/councils etc. that focus on
can these challenges be addressed?
increasing diversity and equal pay?
While many jobs in the construction sector rely on mind over muscle, some opportunities are incredibly challenging for women because they require a certain physical capability. On the international playing field, the percentage of capable females in comparison with male workers is still low. What makes it even more challenging are onsite working conditions during the hot summers in the GCC countries.
I have participated as a speaker at the Women in Construction Summit in 2019, which raised awareness regarding gender diversity in the sector. I was inspired and amazed by the drive and determination that women have to push forward, despite of all the obstacles they face. It was inspiring to attend such a summit and other such groups to exchange experiences and expand knowledge and understanding.
In doing your job, what sort of
What advice would you give to a
discrimination (if any) have you faced and
woman that is entering the GCC
how did you/your employer address it?
construction industry today?
I have been lucky and not faced any discrimination in the workplace in my career. Regardless of gender however, overcoming barriers in your career teaches you how to
Be determined, be confident and be yourself. Do not be afraid or intimidated when it comes to speaking up. You must seize every opportunity you see. July-August 2020
40 | On Site
01 Chris Cooper is the founder of Gigs Advisory.
01
July-August 2020
Chris Cooper “As many businesses are planning for Q4 of 2020, now is the time to make changes to your business and plan for the future. But the difficulty is knowing what the future looks like – what will be the new norm?” When we first launched Gigs Advisory, with flexible working and project based resource at its core, the reaction from many clients was along the lines of “what do you mean you don’t have an office?”, “how can someone working remote fulfill my project needs” and “no we need to meet face to face, video calls don’t work”. Then COVID-19 came along and changed the way we work forever. It accelerated the growth of the gig economy – the concept of a market characterised by flexible, temporary or freelance projects - globally in a way nothing else could have. But, it also brought with it unprecedent disruption and all the commercial and financial issues that come with such disruption. As companies emerge from this crisis and begin to rethink size, structure and strategy, the gig economy can provide both capacity and capability. So, what does this mean for businesses in the consulting world of construction in the Middle East? As many businesses are planning for Q4 of 2020 and hoping for a less turbulent time in 2021, now is the time to make changes to your business and plan for the future. But the difficulty is knowing what the future looks like – what will be the new norm?
Nobody can predict this, however what we do know is that businesses that will prosper in the new norm will be lean, dynamic, agile, flexible and responsive. To get ahead companies will need to be able to move fast and be able to make decisive decisions quicker than their competitors. This is where embracing the gig economy - and enlisting the help of companies like Gigs Advisory - can and will create a competitive advantage. Being able to call upon experienced professionals for specific tasks to ensure the success of a project, while staying at a sustainable size is the way forward. It also means there is no longer any reason to be constrained to the talent available in your physical location, companies can now use technology and flexible ways of working to tap into the worldwide talent pool. Though previously not common in the consulting world in the Middle East, packaging specific projects or tasks and getting a third party specialised in that field to complete them, might not just help businesses recover from the disruption of COVID-19, it might just be the new norm. meconstructionnews.com
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