Dr. Shetha Alzubaidi CEO of Brookson Project Management, Al Fahim Avenue Group
The Latest News In The Industry
Becoming Becoming Your Your Own Own Boss: Boss:
Researchers Say Adding a New Dimension to Concrete Makes It Stronger and Safer
Why Why Engineers Engineers Should Should Create Create A A Blog Blog For Their Startup For Their Startup
Meet The First Large-Scale Construction Robot That Works Outdoors
Why Why Engineers Engineers Should Should Work Work For For Startups Before Starting Startups Before Starting Their Their Own Own
Lesson Learned: Steel Braces Make More Resilient Structures Against Earthquakes
10 10 Ways Ways Engineers Engineers Can Can Generate Generate Ideas For Their Startup Ideas For Their Startup
Engineers Find a Way to Make Wood as Strong as Steel
Tips Tips For For Engineers Engineers With With Side Side Hustles Hustles While Working Full Time While Working Full Time
MARCH 2018 ISSUE NO. 012
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February flew by so fast and we’re about to finish the first quarter of the year already. From left to right, we hear fascinating stories about organizations, companies and even individuals who are creating their own marks in the engineering community. GineersNow’s mission is to share these wonderful stories and the latest news in our attempt to educate and inspire every engineer in different parts of the world.
EDITOR’S NOTE
For this month’s GineersNow: Construction Leaders, we are featuring Brookson Project Management LLC. Brookson is a diversified consultancy specializing in Strategic Planning, Project Management, Cost Planning, Master Planning, Construction Management and Engineering for a wide variety of projects in UK and the Middle East. Learn more about the company, its projects and its CEO and partner, Dr. Shetha Alzubaidi. Read more about her leadership style, her opinion on women in engineering and find out what her top 10 iconic projects are. We have also included several construction features on the magazine such as the following: • • • • •
Researchers Say Adding a New Dimension to Concrete Makes It Stronger and Safer A Hong Kong Architecture Firm Says Concrete Water Pipes Can Be Used As A Housing Solution Meet The First Large-Scale Construction Robot That Works Outdoors Lesson Learned: Steel Braces Make More Resilient Structures Against Earthquakes Engineers Find a Way to Make Wood as Strong as Steel
Lastly, we have prepared helpful articles to help you become your very own boss! Learn why engineers should work for startup companies first before having their own. Find out how you can generate ideas for your own startup company and why you should have your own blog when you decide to have it. Read our tips for engineers with side hustles while working full time and things you should know before applying for a patent. So go ahead, scroll through our pages and read the latest stories that put the spotlight on the construction industry. Get updated with the news and be informed with our inspiring stories that are slowly changing the way we live today. Enjoy this month’s GineersNow: Construction Leaders.
Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-at-Large
Contents Researchers Say Adding a New Dimension to Concrete Makes It Stronger and Safer
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Why Engineers Should Create A Blog For Their Startup
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The First Large-Scale Construction Robot That Works Outdoors
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Why Engineers Should Work for Startups Before Starting One
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Lesson Learned: Steel Braces Make More Resilient Structures Against Earthquakes
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Engineers Find a Way to Make Wood as Strong as Steel
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Big Changes are Yet to Come in the Construction Industry
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10 Ways Engineers Can Generate Ideas for Their Startup
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The Success Story of Brookson
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Tips For Engineers With Side Hustles While Working Full Time
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Researchers Say Adding a New Dimension to Concrete Makes It Stronger and Safer Another dimension in its fiber reinforcement, that is. The concrete being produced today has 2-D steel fibers that are randomly spread throughout the mix, allowing only little effectiveness at holding together the material at the event of an explosion. Now researchers from Northumbria University in Newcastle, England have experimented with the current composition of concrete to add another dimension. They have found that by using 3-D fiber reinforcement rather than the traditional 2-D, concrete has increased toughness, strength, and effectiveness during shock waves. This means that the new material could significantly 10
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lower the number of deaths during bomb blasts, earthquakes, and other disasters. Dr. Alan Richardson, an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Northumbria University and Chairman of the Northern Region of the Concrete Society, led the research. He collaborated with two other researchers from India and Canada. He said, “We have been researching the use of 3-D steel fibres – about the same size as the 2-D variety but shaped in a loop and then angled at 90 degrees. “When added to concrete we have found they increase the energy absorption of the material,
and buildings located within earthquake zones. This also paves way for flexibility in engineering and architectural designs, as sizes of concrete members in structures would already differ – columns and beams would be smaller. Now, the researchers seek for partnerships in the industry.
making them far more effective at holding the aggregate together, resulting in a much tougher product. “This has huge potential for a wide variety of applications. What we hope to do now is work with industry to develop this further,” he added. Professor Urmil Dave from Ahmedabad University, in Gujarat, India is in-charge of the production of 3-D steel fibers in his home country, with Professor Rishi Gupta of the University of Victoria, in British Colombia, Canada helping in the study. Although the 3-D steel fibers are produced in India, mixing and testing is done at Northumbria using the university’s STEM facilities which include a loading frame to test concrete beams. The tests showed that the 3D fiber reinforcement allowed the concrete to be 78% more
effective at holding together under shock waves. It also has far less fragmentation, which means that such concrete, when under a bomb blast, would eject less material. With its superior toughness and strength over traditional concrete, the improved concrete is ideal for structures such as sea defences, motorway barriers, bridges
“Between the three universities we have the perfect mix of experience, technology and enthusiasm to make this product a reality. What we now need is a partner in industry to help take this research to the next stage,” Dr. Richardson said. This is not the first time that Dr. Richardson had developed a concrete technology. In 2012, while in the same university he is now, he led the research of ‘self-healing concrete’ which uses bacteria to seal cracks.
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Why Engineers Should Create A Blog For Their Startup Blogging enables you to deliver your content to your customers and it also makes your online marketing life a breeze. Startups nowadays rely heavily on online marketing when it comes to connecting with customers. This mostly comes in the form of Social Media Marketing, advertising, and many others. Those tools however require lots of research and planning in order to become effective; you may even have to hire someone to do it for you. There’s one other way to market your business on the internet though and it’s very simple to use unlike the prior methods: Blogging. 14
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Blogging enables you to deliver your content to your customers and it also makes your online marketing life a breeze. So why write a business blog? We’ve gathered together 10 reasons why you should choose blogging as your online marketing tool. Everyone’s on the Internet. Any business would probably want to be recognized by the masses, and the best way to reach the masses is through the internet. Almost everyone has online access
make you more visible, it also saves you some money which you can then use for something else.
and putting your content on the web is a surefire way to get a lot of viewers. Startups nowadays rely heavily on online marketing when it comes to connecting with customers. More viewers = More Customers. Getting your content out there is sure to get you noticed by more people who can potentially be your future customers. You can use it to show what your business is all about. This gives you the ability to tell them why you’re in the industry and what you can do for them.
It lets you know who your customers are. Blogging allows you to check the user trends with Analytic Tools. You can see what your customers read, what topics they like, and what they click on. This would enable you to gear up and find out what content is best for your online readers. It’s free advertising. If your blog contains useful information, there’s a high chance of people reblogging it or even sharing it to social media sites like Facebook. Not only does it
Anyone can use it. Whether you’re a fresh face in the industry or whether you’re already a business veteran, blogging is for you. You don’t even need graphics design knowledge to create a blog. Blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger, or Tumblr offers a user-friendly interface which doesn’t require you to be tech savvy. It lets your customers know what’s going on. Real time updates or news regarding your brand is sure to leave a good impression to your customers. It makes you think about your business, your customers, and everything else around you. A good content gives good rewards and good rewards makes you and your business reach better heights.
It sets your brand’s ‘character’. An effective blog will show your customers who your brand is and it defines whether you’re a brand to look out for. It builds relationships with your customers and gives them confidence with your brand. Getting information through properly formulated content gives customers reason to trust your brand and your products.
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The First Large-Scale Construction Robot That Works Outdoors No problem with wind and temperature variations!
We already have several large-scale industrial robots which can do the task of building a house from start to finish. We also already have construction robots which work outdoors. But it’s the first time that engineers have made a robotic technology which builds a house from start to finish which works outdoors. Called Hadrian X, the construction robot is the first of its kind. It is created by Fastbrick Robotics, aimed to meet the increased demand for housing and a shortage in skilled construction labor.
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The bricklaying robot has the ability to finish a residential house from the ground up on the site in only 2 days. Fastbrick CEO Mike Pivac said, “Anything you can build inside a factory … we’re getting really, really good at. Trouble is, nothing’s happening outdoors.” Part of the reason is that robots do not really perform well with environmental factors like wind and temperature variations. Even the slightest change can cause to the construction robots to delay the required work or worst, stop operations.
To solve this problem, Fastbrick Robots used a precision technology called Dynamic Stabilization Technology or DST. It is a computer program which measures environmental factors 2000 times per second, then accounts for them in real time. This was developed by Mike’s cousin, Mark Pivac, in the early 2000s. Together with a 3D-printer style build process based on CAD modelling, the system can compete with a mason and laborer – it has an error margin of just 1 millimeter, an accuracy that could be committed by an experienced bricklayer. But that requires lots of time and effort. When it comes to speed, Hadrian has its own advantage. Estimates say that it is 15 to 20 times faster than human builders. Moreover, it reduces waste, with the careful planning and calculating of the every brick, and eliminates the need for humans to work at height which means to say it is safer. “We’re … helping people transition into smarter jobs, safer jobs. Jobs that people can actually work in until they retire,” the CEO said. In the long term, construction robots could lead to cheaper housing, with Mike saying that Hadrian is a “social housing solution.” But it might take a while before they flourish as most housing contractors today still rely on traditional construction methods.
Construction Leaders • March 2018
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Why Engineers Should Work for Startups Before Starting One Planning to build your own startup? Make sure you’re ready!
many of them desire to create their own startups. Unlike in the past, we now have countless tools like the internet and social media at our disposal that can help us to create our own business easier than ever. But even if it is easier to build your own startup nowadays, it is also true that being your own boss isn’t for everyone. Being your own boss means that you’ll be responsible for everything. The burden of the entire world can feel like it’s completely on your shoulders, and it can be very stressful when things aren’t going quite according to your plan.
Millennials are known nowadays for being innovative and having a great desire for creating solutions to today’s world problems. This is why 22
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If you feel that you are fully equipped with the right skills and ready for these challenges, then go ahead and give it a go. If not, then it’s alright. You can learn so much from working for other startups that have a similar cause as you do. Give it your
all, and reach towards the startup’s goals. Maybe once you are equipped with all the needed skills, you can then build your startup. Here are some skills you will gain from working in a startup
Business Development This is the skill for networking and meeting people. These are one of the main skills for a startup to be successful. In a startup, you will be trained to meet new people, create partnerships that can make a massive impact on both your companies, and find out how working together can benefit both companies.
Marketing When working for a startup, you will learn how to market the startup’s products and services. It is a crucial skill since every startup needs to be seen, and every unique voice needs to be heard above everyone else in the same industry.
Engineering and development While we already have engineering and development skills, it’s also important to understand how the manufacturing process is done, from design to finished product. By doing so, you will have a better understanding on how the startup’s products are manufactured. You will also be able to find improvements in the process and find a better solution. There are many skills that you can learn while working in a startup. Find your niche and try it out. After a few years of experience, you can weigh if you’re ready to build your own startup. What’s important is that you were able to contribute to a cause that you are interested in, and were able to gain experience in that field. Combine that experience with leadership skills and you’ll soon be ready to build a successful startup!
Construction Leaders • March 2018
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Lesson Learned: Steel Braces Make More Resilient Structures Against Earthquakes With the recurring earthquakes in New Zealand, engineers have decided to build more braced steel structures.
Majority of the buildings in New Zealand are made of concrete. But that is going to change now as more engineers and builders encourage the use of steel braces as a solution to the frequent earthquakes that hit the country. In 2011, the city of Christchurch in the east coast of South Island was badly damaged by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, killing 185 people and injured thousands. Other than this, earthquakes were recorded across New Zealand in 2010, 2013, and 2016, all of which left a significant mark.
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Engineers, as well as architects, knew that they had to do something about it. A report by Michel Bruneau from the University of Buffalo, and Greg MacRae, a professor at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, suggested that instead of using concrete, steel should be the prevalent material in buildings. And since the last massive earthquake that hit New Zealand, the construction landscape across cities has changed.
The researchers have spoken with professionals involved in new construction in Christchurch and asked 74 buildings which made predominant use of steel frame construction. “All engineers met stated that, while the 2010– 11 Christchurch earthquakes were a wake-up call to communities in the Wellington area, the 2013 Seddon earthquakes, and particularly the 2016 Kaikoura earthquakes, reinforced the message.” After the mentioned tremors, it was noticed that the steel-framed buildings which already existed, like the former HSBC Hse in Worcester Boulevard and the Rendezvous Hotel, have stood up well. This further convinced builders to use steel braces. In the construction industry, especially in Auckland, trends when it comes to professional relationships have also shifted. Before, project planning typically starts with the architects. But now, engineers are more involved from the beginning, sometimes even earlier than the architects. “Prior to the earthquakes, the architect would develop the conceptual plans and ask the engineer to fit a structural system to it,” the researchers said. “Now, structural and geotechnical engineers are brought into the project at the same time as the architect, or sometimes sooner,” both added. The good news is that the clients welcomed the idea. They wanted more cost-effective and reparable buildings which braced steel structures can offer. As to the architects, they also embraced the change. Steel braced structures allowed lightness and flexibility, especially with openplan work places. “For these reasons, braced frame buildings are spreading across the country,” the researchers noted.
Engineers Find a Way to Make Wood as Strong as Steel Yup, the resulting wood is strong, hard, tough, light, dense, resistant to compression and scratches, and moisture-protected.
To be able to produce such wood, it involves boiling the natural wood in a mix of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphite, like the process of creating wood pulp for paper. Then, the wood goes through a compression phase to collapse the walls between individual cells. While in that phase, heat is added to allow new chemical bonds, which strips out certain polymers but keeping other polymers essential to the wood’s strength as it reforms.
Conventionally, steel is a lot stronger than wood especially in terms of toughness and strength. Its superiority as a material is beyond the one found in nature, but now there is an exception: when the wood is treated and heated simultaneously, its properties could be comparable to steel. That is what researchers from the University of Maryland, led by Liangbing Hu, discovered. By developing a process that makes a “super wood,” they have offered a natural and inexpensive substitute for steel as well as other materials. 28
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Much of the chemistry in the strength lies in the large numbers of hydrogen atoms bonding to nanofibers of cellulose, which are present in the structure of natural wood. While the chemistry behind it is quite complex, the researchers say that the process is not only simple but also inexpensive. Other researchers have concluded that the new method is also flexible in different varieties of wood. Ultimately, the result is a wood that is strong, hard, tough, light, dense, resistant to compression and scratches, and moisture-protected.
“This new way to treat wood makes it 12 times stronger than natural wood and 10 times tougher,” says senior researcher Hu, an associate professor of materials science and engineering and a member of the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute. “This could be a competitor to steel or even titanium alloys, it is so strong and durable. It’s also comparable to carbon fiber, but much less expensive.” “It is both strong and tough, which is a
combination not usually found in nature,” shares another researcher Teng Li. “It is as strong as steel, but six times lighter. It takes 10 times more energy to fracture than natural wood. It can even be bent and molded at the beginning of the process.” Applications of this super wood cover construction, car manufacturing, and armor plating. But it might take a while before the material reaches these industries as the engineers still work on scalability. Construction Leaders • March 2018
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Big Changes are Yet to Come in the Construction Industry Technology like building information modelling is going to change the way engineers work in construction sites. No doubt that technology has already changed the way we work across industries. Construction is among those not spared. Today, structural and civil engineers have what they call as building information modelling or BIM at their disposal. As defined by the Institution of Structural Engineer, it is centered on utilizing digital tools “to efficiently produce information” in order to allow assets to be constructed, operated and maintained. Balfour Beatyy, an international infrastructure group is one of the many companies that have embraced such technology. Dean Banks, its managing director for U.K. construction services revealed that it targets a 25% reduction in labor on sites in terms of productivity by the year 2025. This means that people will be laid off and BIM will take over. “It is doing things smarter,” Banks said. “It’s starting to think about, right at the outset of a build, how you plan it. So using BIM to drive the build, the logistics, looking at what the client actually wants as a finish point so
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you understand at the outset so there’s less variation.” Not only that, he said that construction work in many projects will transform over the years. “In the future we think that robotics will play a big part,” he added. “We see drones making decisions, we think information modelling will be in place, (and) 3D printing.” Banks imagines that soon, the construction site will be operated from a control center rather than the engineers checking on-site. Labor will also be much less intensive. For this, Paul Wilkinson of Institute of Engineering believes that there was a need to invest in the digital skills of the future and think about the end use of assets in a much more joined up way. “It’s not just about delivering a building, it’s about how it’s going to be operated and maintained for maybe 30, 40, 50, 100 years or more,” he said.
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10 Ways Engineers Can Generate Ideas for Their Startup If you’ve ever thought about creating a startup of your own but don’t know what your company will be, this may help you Startup companies are now taking the world by storm. There are a vast amount of people from all walks of life creating their very own businesses that fits their very own personality. If you’ve ever thought about creating a startup of your own but don’t know what your company will be, here’s a few tips on how to generate ideas for your startup.
Think of a problem Yes, you heard that right. It’s best if you think of a problem that you want to solve rather than 34
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thinking of something cool that you’d want to try out. You’d have more success building up a business model to solve a specific problem rather than building on off a cool idea you got off the internet. Businesses are there to solve problems. If your business does not solve a problem, you wouldn’t have a market to work with. That said, your business will thrive depending on how big the amount of people affected by the problem is. Every business has a problem they’re solving, that’s why yours should too.
You don’t have to be “original” A lot of successful businesses didn’t even create the idea from scratch. It’s not a matter of generating an idea that revolves entirely on a concept YOU created. It can be an existing idea that you’d want to re-imagine into your own creative version. Take Facebook as an example; It’s a huge and successful Social Media Platform but it’s not the FIRST Social Media Platform. Facebook took the idea of a Social Media Platform and transformed it into their own intricate design.
If you can’t think of a problem, ask your friends or family There’s nothing better than asking the consumers themselves. Are they bothered by the issues with the environment? Is it something you can create an idea from? Do you have a way of solving this issue? If you said yes to any of it, then asking around did you good. Sometimes, it’s good to take a good look at your surroundings. It’s a good way to see how the
people in your community will benefit from your upcoming business and if it’s really what your target market needs.
Think practically There’s a lot of ideas which sound really good on paper but not in actuality. You’d have to check time in again if your business idea is something you or your partners can do. If you got a couple of ideas, sort through them first. Think whether it’s really needed or whether it’s actually doable. If your current idea pool gets drained, take a step back and check for more.
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A business has to be practical to start with, if you think you’d be setting yourself up for something really risky, think twice before you plunge right in.
If you’re boggled about an idea you have, ask questions from people who know or take it to yourself to learn more about it.
Go with what you like
Let your brain rest
If you’ve already gathered the ideas needed and you’re having a hard time choosing which one you’re going to go with, here’s a question you should ask yourself: “Is this really what I want to go with?”
If you’re stuck creating an idea, take a breather. It’s not good to continuously squeeze ideas out from a tired brain. Let your brain cool down and think about it tomorrow. No good idea comes overnight.
If you answered yes, then go with it. This way, you’ll love it when it booms and it you’ll regret it less if it fails. Always consider where your heart lies since it’ll allow you to focus more and give more to the startup you’re planning to grow.
Thinking of too much and not allowing your brain some rest means new and fresh ideas might not come to you. Always make sure that your brain gets some rest. Who knows? Your dreams might just inspire you.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advice
Go to new places
If you have a friend or someone who has a business background (having a startup is a plus) then don’t hesitate to ask them for advice. If you don’t have anyone near you who can help, try searching online or try reading a book about business ideas.
A little exploration won’t hurt anyone. If in any case you can’t find anything in your community, try reaching out to new places. You can try going overseas or just travel within your country, it’s completely up to you. New environments inspire your brain to think outside of your comfort
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zone, allowing you to see things from a different perspective. They say traveling helps calm the mind and soul. It also helps your brain by exposing it to new things which broaden your mind and increase the chances of developing creating and innovative ideas.
confusing or is something that the audience has little knowledge of, it’s best to rethink your plan. If your customers are unaware of the subject you’re trying to do, it’s going to be extra work for you to convince them that your business is actually worth it.
Know how big you want your startup to be It will surely help your mind in generating ideas if you know how big the startup company you’re making should be. If you plan to make a smallscale startup, it’s best to let go of ideas that are too grand or are too costly. Consider the amount of manpower your idea would need for it to work. If you’re planning on a large-scale startup, see if your idea’s risk factor is worth taking.
The idea should be relatable A good business idea should take their market into consideration. If your business idea is too
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The Success Story of Brookson THE COMPANY Past Achievements Brookson is a diversified consultancy specializing in Strategic Planning, Project Management, Cost Planning, Master Planning, Construction Management and Engineering for a wide variety of projects in UK and the Middle East. The success Brookson has achieved is based on a leadership-driven management strategy that empowers high-caliber, experienced professionals to leverage their potential, skills and capabilities. Brookson applies leading practices that differentiate the company in the marketplace. Over the past 30+ years, the Brookson team has successfully executed 50+ projects, served clients in 15+ countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia with the total value in excess of USD $ 184 Billion. We seek clients and strategic partners who share the same commitment to performance, quality, and success. Brookson prides itself on acquiring and attaining recognized experts and high achievers in their professional disciplines.
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create better and faster informed decisions in selecting, delivering, governing and auditing projects, programs and portfolios by using Project Management Information Systems. PMIS will enforce the automation of every-day project management processes by enforcing the use of pre-defined templates for capturing needed data to manage each process. We have provided our clients with the knowledge, tools, techniques and resources to capture, view and understand projects’ big data with regard to schedule, cost, quality, risk, contracts and communications. We have enabled our clients to transform their data into valuable sources of information to visualize, analyze and share a single version of the truth on a project’s status, health and performance. Future Goals Our plan to open offices in three main cities in Iraq (Baghdad, Basra & Mosul). Also we have a plan to open offices in Jordan as we are having number of retail project in Amman and Al Aqaba.
Present Accomplishments, Breakthrough Projects and Innovations
BROOKSON PROJECTS
2018 is a very good year for Brookson as we have secured three mega structure projects in Oman, Baghdad and Sharjah. We have empowered our clients with the insight to
The Projects
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The project in Baghdad is a 4 million square meter sustainable city. The city will have five districts Commercial District, Medical
District, Education District, Leisure District and Residential District. The city name, theme and design of the buildings is based on Iraqi heritages. The land use distributions are Leisure & Theme Park District is located at the area near Commercial District for easier accessibility for tourist. While the Mall / Shopping Center & Attraction District serves as an immediate destination for transient population within the proposed Baghdad Airport City. Industrial Districts are located along the Flight Path Runway considering height restrictions. Also it serves as buffer for the airport & the Commercial Area which can cater high rise structures. Industrial Districts are proposed to accommodate the future demand for warehousing & growth of
Industrial Sector of Baghdad onwards 2030. Airport City is proposed within the immediate surrounding of Baghdad International Airport to support the growing demands of transient population facility requirements. This may include offices, hotels, conference centers & other facilities supporting the transient users. Main connectivity linkage connecting the two Master Plans accommodates Medical City is expected to support both having less impact on the area. The project in Oman is an environmentally sustainable design, and an eco-friendly development Residence and Hotel Beach Resort and is a source of inspiration for leisure and work covering one million square meters.
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A third of which over water, providing guests with a multitude of residential, leisure and work options. There are suites in the grand 5 star hotel or dispersed throughout the complex, detached villas on land or over water, culminating in the supreme grand villas, bungalows with their own private pools. There are many entertainment such as Aqua Park, the Wellness SPA, dining spots spread out across the resort or concentrated in the Marine Mall. The development will have Hi-tech Congress Centre which will cater for all business needs. While the project in Sharjah is an island where it will be turn into a unique destination. A mix of high-end luxury and it will captures the region’s vibrancy and cultural heritage in its architecture and offerings. The project area of is 4 km in diameter, the predominantly uninhabited island is characterized by its natural scenery and beautiful beaches. Creating Innovative Solutions Our methodology is to delivers distinctive architecture and defines value parameters through the Project Idea. The more specific and
consistent the relationship between the projects attributes and the idea, the stronger the idea can impact on sales. I believe project success can be improved by first creating the right environment for success. Achieving success in the highly competitive consulting marketplace requires talented and motivated people, a willingness to take risks, and a passion and commitment to client satisfaction. We are dedicated to managing and providing solutions for our clients’ highest priorities. From an operational perspective, our professionals are well grounded in their subject matter expertise, prepared to be successful and productive on day-one of any engagement, and motivated to provide innovative solutions. Our Clients benefit from the strength and experience of our capabilities. Most important of all, our commitment to client success begins at the top and threads through the entire organization. From a corporate vantage, we treats each client engagement as a stakeholder relationship. Our corporate objective is to establish an enduring and successful relationship with each and every client. Construction Leaders • March 2018
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THE PERSON I am the CEO and partner of Brookson Project Management LLC and have 27+ years of international experience in UK and the Middle East for full range of mega structure projects. From 1990 to August 2004 I worked for leading consultancies in UK participating in different projects. From August 2004 to August 2007 I worked for UAE leading real estate master developer, Nakheel, participating in different mega structure project such as Palm Jumeirah, Arabian Canal and Palm Deira. From August 2007 to February 2015 I worked with Al-Rajhi Group in two real estate companies in UAE, Tatweer UAQ and Tameer Holding Investment. From February 2015 to June 2017 I worked with Damac Properties leading international and national projects. I am British engineer, originally from Baghdad / Iraq and holding BSc in Civil Engineering, MSc in Environmental Geo-technology and PhD in Civil Engineering from UK. I am a mother of two where my son, Dr Mustafa Rashid, is an Orthopedic Surgeon in London and just finish his PhD from Oxford University in UK. While my daughter, Ayia Rashid, is a Senior Digital Marketing Manager in London and holding an MSc from Manchester University. I am over the moon because recently I have a granddaughter called Sophie.
Leadership Style Becoming a leader involves much more than being put in a leadership role. It involves a fundamental identity shift. My leadership style is to starts with the right people in the right role and making sure that I bring on people that have values that are aligned to
the values of Brookson as an organization. I strongly believes in increasing employee engagement by creating an open, honest culture
Women In Engineering Women have contributed to the diverse fields of engineering in modern and historical times. Women are often under-represented in the fields of engineering, both in academia and in the profession of engineering. The presence and status of women in engineering has improved dramatically over the last half century. However, the progression of professional women into positions of leadership has been slow. Many women have worked hard to take gender out of the equation to simply be recognized for their skills and talents. Integrating leadership into one’s core identity is particularly challenging for women, who must establish credibility in a culture that is deeply conflicted about whether, when, and how they should exercise authority. But powerful women are scarce. Women working in construction is on the increase. 37% of new entrants into the industry that came from higher education are women, proving that this industry quickly becoming one for the girls, not just the boys! Engineering still needs more women and I will encourage my granddaughter Sophie to pursue a career in engineering when she is older. Today, women have a lot of opportunities within the world of engineering, but I still think we have some way to go before both sexes are equally represented in construction leadership positions.
TRIVIA We are the Champions, our mission is to optimize real estate projects by delivering exceptional value added solutions that aims to monetize execution. This can be achieved by careful technical analysis coupled with deep routed market understanding that insure all projects will stand among the crowd.
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Top 10 Iconic Projects that Dr. Shetha Personally Worked 1)
Palm Deira & Deira Corniche projects, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 55 billion
2)
Palm Jumeirah project, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 20 billion
3)
New Surah City, Umm al-Quwain, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 5 billion
4)
Eye Park Residential Towers, Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 1.2 billion
5)
Podium Office Tower, Dubailand Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 560 million
6)
Yesil Horizon Community, Yalova, Turkey. Value: USD 541 million
7)
Aykon London 1, Branded Residential Units & Offices, London, United Kingdom, Value: GBP 300 Million
8)
Emirates Canadian University, Umm al Quwain, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 150 million
9)
Regal Tower, Business Bay Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 118 million
10) Silver Tower, Business Bay Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Value: USD 97 million
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KONE Wins Order for WOW Hotel Apartments Tower in Dubai KONE will be equipping the development with 16 KONE MiniSpace® elevators and 7 KONE MonoSpace® elevators. Situated in Dubai’s Business Bay, a fastdeveloping hub of the city’s residential and commercial development, the tower consists of 76 floors and reaches the height of 323 meters. KONE will be equipping the development with 16 KONE MiniSpace® elevators and 7 KONE MonoSpace® elevators. Additionally, KONE will deliver two loading bay area elevators and three disabled access platform elevators. “The supply of hotel rooms and hotel apartments in Dubai is expected to reach 134,000 by the end of 2018. We’re excited to be part of the city’s growing hospitality sector and look forward to providing premium travel experience with our equipment to the people visiting and working at the development,” said Pierre Liautaud, Executive Vice President for KONE South Europe, Middle East and Africa. The development is designed by Aedas Architects Ltd., developed by WOW investments Ltd. and it is expected to be completed in 2020. The order was booked in the third quarter of 2017.
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Manlift Training – First Choice for Safety When Working at Height Attaching paramount importance to working safely and efficiently at height, Manlift is a strong advocate of comprehensive training for anyone who uses an aerial work platform.
Manlift, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, is a leading supplier of access platforms and power solutions, and operates one of the largest access platform fleets in vast region stretching from the Middle East to Southeast Asia. The Manlift fleet consists of diesel and electric boom lifts, articulated platforms, scissor lifts and spider lifts from a range of respected brands such as JLG, Genie and Teupen. But Manlift offers more than equipment rental – it also provides high quality training for operators of access platforms and power solutions, with training centers in the UAE, Qatar, and India that have all been accredited 48
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by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). Safety is a guiding principle and a core value at Manlift. Attaching paramount importance to working safely and efficiently at height, Manlift is a strong advocate of comprehensive training for anyone who uses an aerial work platform. Indeed, Manlift trains more than 1,000 operators each year in many different languages, including English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Malayalam and Sinhalese, all across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with a firm commitment
to accommodating the specific language preferences of our customers and providing quality training. Operating machines safely, reducing accidents, and preventing damage to equipment Training courses are offered at all of Manlift’s dedicated purpose-built teaching facilities in Dubai and Doha in the Middle East or Delhi and Gujarat in India. But Manlift also offers tailored training courses on-site if a customer has appropriate facilities. Companies can feel secure in the knowledge that operators have access to qualified IPAF instructors who adhere strictly to EU standards and comply with health and safety regulations applicable in the region and Europe.
Seminar (PDS) to keep them up to date on the latest innovative safety solutions for access platforms and to reiterate to them the importance of safety while using access platforms. Likewise Manlift continuously commits to delivering the highest levels of service, productivity and safety to its customers. The IPAF training program for platform operators is certified by the global inspection and product certification firm TÜV as conforming to ISO 18878. Upon successful completion of the course, trainees are awarded the PAL (Powered Access Licence) Card, which is recognized by IPAF and is valid for 5 years, along with a safety guide, a log book, and a certificate. About Manlift:
The training courses provided by Manlift include the following modules: Aerial Work Platform (AWP) Training for Operators AWP Training for Managers AWP Training for Demonstrators Safety Harness and Lanyard training Loading – Transporting – Unloading training for those involved in the delivery and collection of AWPs Training for Mobile Aluminum Access Tower users In addition, Manlift offers expert professional advice on access equipment via phone, email, or the Web. Whatever questions you may have on the safe operation of access equipment, you can rely on Manlift to provide you with friendly and knowledgeable answers in keeping with our commitment to safety. Manlift has also been recognised for its safety training. It was awarded the IPAF Training Centre of the Year at the IAPA Award Ceremony in April 2017. As a provider of IPAF training courses, Manlift works closely with customers as it endeavors to continually improve safety standards on access equipment across the Emirates, Qatar, the GCC and India. Each year, all of our training instructors attend the IPAF Professional Development
Manlift is a Dubai-headquartered rental company, which since 2006 has steadily grown into the region’s leading supplier of aerial work platforms. It operates from five depots across the Middle East and Asia with equipment produced by major manufacturers in the US and Europe including JLG, Genie, Skyjack and Teupen. The Manlift fleet of more than 2,800 ISO-certified aerial work platforms is the youngest in the region, and ranges from self-propelled boom lifts with working heights up to 58 meters and battery and bi-energy powered access platforms to spiders and low level access platforms. Manlift serves firms across a range of industries, providing aerial work platforms and other access equipment to customers in the construction, facilities management, logistics, oil and gas, public transport and events sectors. In keeping with our mission to deliver the best customer experience, Manlift believes that our own long-term prosperity is best secured when we deliver the highest levels of service to our customers and we ensure that they are able to meet their needs. Want to cultivate safe work environment in your esteemed organization? Let us help you: training@manliftgroup.com | manliftgroup.com
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Tips For Engineers With Side Hustles While Working Full Time Learn to balance working full time alongside your side businesses. Why Did You Choose This? Find your reason for choosing this passion. Your answer may be, “well, because it’s my passion”. Yes, that’s true. However, the “why” needs to be clearer as you continue on with your new business.
Millennials nowadays love side hustles even when they are working full time. For them, it’s not all about the money. It’s the happiness they get when they are able to do their passion, and money is just the small part of that happiness. While having side jobs alongside working full time has been an ongoing trend, it’s important to note that this isn’t something anyone can do off the bat. It can be tiring, and could ruin your full time job if you haven’t planned well enough. So here are some tips on how you can balance working full time alongside your side hustles.
Start With Your Passion Knowing what you are passionate about can help you find the right niche for your side hustle. Remember, 50
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you’re going to be spending your 8 working hours at your full time job already, so find a side hustle that you are willing to spend your after hours to wholeheartedly. This gives you the chance to open your heart to what you’ve always wanted to be other than being an engineer. You could venture into writing a blog, creating videos, recording music on YouTube, painting, or even cooking! By identifying your passion, you will be able to find that extra strength you need to pursue your side business. It will be your motivation to keep your endurance during the first few difficult months of starting your business. So, What is your passion?
For example, you may want to start a blog because you want to feel more fulfilled, and you wanted an outlet for your daily frustrations and opinions on different events. It could also be because you want to pursue your lifelong dream without having to sacrifice your work.
Plan Your Schedule Carefully Remember that time is of the essence. Don’t make time your enemy, make it your friend. Define your priorities and schedule your time efficiently. Make sure your hustle hours are outside of your regular work hours, so you won’t be distracted from completing your tasks for your full time job. Make a schedule and stick to it. These are just tips on how you can follow to balance your side businesses with your full time job. I hope these help.