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SAUDI ARABIA BAHRAIN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES QATAR OMAN KUWAIT

Construction An ITP Business Publication

WEEK

CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

OCTOBER 10-16, 2009 [291]

NEWS, ANALYSIS, PROJECTS, TENDERS, CLASSIFIEDS, AND JOBS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

INSIDE CITYSCAPE A round up of the events and people that shaped the show PAGE 10

SAUDI BUILD CW live in Riyadh, covering the Saudi show of strength PAGE 16

DONALD TRUMP JR ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT STRUGGLING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION

‘CANCEL IT’

SITE VISIT CW visits City of Arabia to check on the progress so far PAGE 26

CITY FOCUS The latest news, projects and tenders in Kuwait City PAGE 44

09/2009 en

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 10-16, 2009 | ISSUE 291 2

FEATURES 24 INTERVIEW Donald Trump Junior talks to Construction Week about his thoughts on the region.

26 ON SITE Construction Week takes a closer look at how work is progressing at City of Arabia.

30 SPECIAL REPORT

The beneﬁts of emerging concrete technologies in the Middle East.

DIRECTORY 38 TENDERS 39 PROJECTS 40 SPECIALIST SERVICES 48

REGULARS 2 ONLINE 4 MAIL 26

FRONT 8 THE RIGHT TIME FOR PART-TIME New labour laws could soon make it possible for private sector companies to employ part-time workers.

9 NEWS IN BRIEF Highlights of the week.

10 CITYSCAPE DUBAI A round-up of the news from this year’s event.

12 NEWS IN PICS

BACK 19 EVENTS

44 CITY UPDATE

Industry dates for your diary.

The latest news and projects from Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Topical images with the latest news.

21 COMMENT 14 FACE TO FACE

Philip Adams explains why parties involved in a dispute must be realistic about both their strengths and weaknesses.

46 CONSTRUCT SAFE

Industry professionals based in Saudi Arabia discuss their country’s future.

16 SAUDI BUILD 2009

23 LEGAL

48 DIALOGUE

Construction Week heads to Saudi Arabia to ﬁnd out what new building materials and technologies are being showcased this year.

Henry Quinlan asks if the explosion of disputes has presented Dubai’s arbitration centres with an opportunity to demonstrate their efﬁciency.

Ahmad Shareef talks about workshops, which are currently running to train the industry on new building codes due to be released in the emirate.

The industry’s very own comic strip on health and safety best practices.

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

ONLINE

www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com MOST POPULAR EXCLUSIVE: VOYER NEW BOSS AT AL HABTOOR LEIGHTON SAUDI CONSTRUCTION TO GROW TO US $23BN IN 2009 UAE BEST PLACED IN GCC FOR RECOVERY: REPORT UAE WAGE PROTECTION SYSTEM UPTAKE GROWS BY 257% EMCOR LAUNCHES FM SERVICES IN OMAN

HAVE YOUR SAY WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON CW DURING BIG 5?

What sort of coverage and content are you most interested in seeing?

JOBS OF THE WEEK Construction Director, Dubai Senior QA/QC Engineers, Doha General Manager, Kuwait

IN PICTURES: CITYSCAPE DUBAI 2009

ONLINE POLL

The region’s biggest real estate show returned to Dubai last week in very different circumstances to last year. Construction Week was on site to pick up all the news, as it happened. For more images visit ConstructionWeekOnline.com

FEATURES MEP

A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCE MEP speaks to Rita Chahoud from Tabreed about Idea.

KEEPING BAD COMPANY How to identify true response performance with audits.

Design

PMV

LIGHTING SUPPLIERS TO KNOW A handful of suppliers you can’t afford to ignore.

CONGESTION TO INCREASE 8% - REPORT Tailbacks may get worse before they get better.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OUT OF CITYSCAPE THIS YEAR?

46.4%

Don’t know, I’m waiting to see what happens. It holds the answers to the future of construction.

35.7%

Are you kidding? What could possibly happen when even local companies don’t seem keen to attend?

17.9%

New launches. I don’t think Dubai will let a downturn affect its construction plans.

TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK’S SPOT POLL GO TO www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

MAIL medical profession, the engineers are made to take an oath and promise not to indulge in unethical means. Will it help? I wonder. A N PRAKASH

The complete system requires to be overhauled. In my opinion it’s the joint responsibility of the owner, engineer, project managers, contractors, authorities and all other stakeholders involved. There should be stringent regulations and penalties or punishment for such serious criminal negligence so that the companies or individuals involved shall think twice before indulging in such malpractices.

CALLS FOR EARTHQUAKE PROVISIONS IN ABU DHABI

MOHAMMED

JASON

After eight years in Dubai, I have experienced frustration with developers who insist on inviting inexperienced and unqualiﬁed contractors and consultants onto projects. Many of these contractors and consultants

SURESH KUMAR

OWNERS BLAST NAKHEEL OVER DISCO GARDENS POOLS I moved to Discovery Gardens in February and I haven’t seen a single operational pool yet. Basically, since it’s not something they can make money from, they don’t care about it. ETHAN

As contractors, we often ask our clients for speciﬁcations and they say they don’t have any. We show them the Uniﬁed Building Code for Seismic Design (zone 2A for Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and the implications for their building. Then it’s suddenly too expensive and we are replaced by a “cheaper” contractor. The codes are there but people need to be educated on how to follow and implement them.

CORRUPT CONTRACTORS KNOWINGLY ‘PUT LIVES AT RISK’

which would enable the convict to escape and there would have been ample time for him to correct himself without harming the investors involved. It has become a part of business practice, among aggressive businessmen, in the fast developing countries like UAE to use these kinds of unethical business tricks.

fail to incorporate the seismic codes. If insurers knew what they were insuring they would be horriﬁed. THOMAS

It is a matter of utter shame and disgust that professionals in the construction industry resort to unethical means. I wonder if, similar to the

BURJ DUBAI’S EXTERIOR NOW COMPLETE Yet another colossal achievement for this megaproject. Great news for Emaar, great news for Dubai and great news for the UAE. STEVE FIDLER

REAL ESTATE CHIEF EXEC FACES 138 YEARS IN JAIL It is good to know that a tough law exists, which forces people to be legally educated and to follow business ethics before taking the wrong business steps. It is very important to understand that this crime has unearthed due to the market situation. Before the slowdown there would have been plenty of loopholes,

EXPERT CALLS FOR ASBESTOS BAN I was unaware that ACM was still legal in the UAE. It has been banned in Europe since the 1980’s. And, back then there was huge cost implications, as everything containing asbestos was replaced. Is the UAE still classed as an underdeveloped country? DJ

DUBAI TRUMP TOWER COULD RESTART IN TWO YEARS That’s great news that the Trump Tower project has not shelved and that Donald Trump Junior has a positive outlook for Dubai. REAGAN

WRITE TO THE EDITOR Please address your letters to: Post, Construction Week, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE or email editor@ConstructionWeekOnline.com. Please provide your full name and address, stating clearly if you do not wish us to print them. Alternatively log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com and air your views on any one of a number of the latest Middle East business articles. The opinions expressed in this section are of particular individuals and are in no way a reﬂection of the publisher’s views.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

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FRONT

>Highlights of the week >News from Cityscape Dubai 2009

9 10

>Topical images with the latest news

>Face to Face

>News from Saudi Build 2009

THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR COULD SOON MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES TO EMPLOY PART-TIME WORKERS.

THE RIGHT TIME FOR PART-TIME, SAYS CONTRACTOR By Matt Warnock

Last week, the UAE’s Ministry of Labour claimed that it was ﬁnalising proposals that could make it possible for private sector companies to employ workers on a parttime basis. Currently, under UAE law, the MoL can only issue a temporary work permit which allows part-time employment for a period of 90 days in exceptional cases. “It’s a new regulation, so you can’t compare it, and is another step to proving that the UAE is a model for the region’s labour environment and market,” said MoL acting general director Humaid bin Deemas, who stated that these regulations would beneﬁt both parties, as well as being a boost to the UAE labour market. And Fawad Sattar Dero, managing director of Sweet Homes General Contracting, claimed that the move could provide a real boost to the construction industry.

“The ministry’s proposal is truly commendable and is viewed as a two-prong solution that will beneﬁt both employers and employees,” said Dero. “The economic downturn has managed to affect all global industries, with the property sector being one of the worst hit. As a result of this, contractors have found themselves under immense pressure to deliver their projects despite burdening issues like rising costs of materials, lack of resources, manpower issues and even funding. “Allowing contractors to hire part-time workers gives these companies greater ﬂexibility in hiring personnel on a need given basis. Contractors can roll out effective project management measures like pooling and utilising their available resources, allowing them to map out areas that need immediate attention and foresee if the project will be able to meet their deadlines.”

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009

The MoL’s Deemas added that the regulations – compiled after studying the beneﬁts of part-time working rules in some European countries and set to be approved before the end of the year – would help improve the working lives of labourers, as well as cutting the number of people working illegally in the UAE. However, the greatest ramiﬁcation, argued Dero, could be a cost-saving passed on to developers that they can, in turn, plough into the completion of other projects, thus creating more construction work. “If manpower labour could be hired on a need given basis, contractors could also help cut costs and make use of saved funds on other aspects of the project. Hiring parttime workers translates to lowered costs, yet provides the same high quality and high productivity results as hiring a regular manpower workforce.”

FRONT HIGHLIGHTS UAE

ABU DHABI EARTHQUAKE PROTOCOL Abu Dhabi building codes will call for contractors to implement earthquake provisions when designing and constructing buildings. Dr S K Ghosh, seismic and building code expert, said that even in the Gulf, where there are few earthquakes, seismic provisions should be considered. “Adopting the code is one thing but what is also important, if not more important, is the enforcement of the code,” he said. BAHRAIN

BAHRAIN MAP FLYOVER COMPLETED The US $26.5 million (BD9.98 million) Bahrain Map ﬂyover

has ofﬁcially opened to trafﬁc after a construction period of just over one year. The project – which included the construction of seven span bridges with a three lane carriageway in each direction, as well as a dual post tensioned bridge – was constructed by Bahrain’s Nass Contracting. UAE

EXPERT APPEALS FOR ASBESTOS BAN WSP Environment and Energy Middle East consultant Charles Faulkner has called for an end to the use of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in the UAE. Statistics reveal that, in spite of ACMs being responsible for almost 100,000 deaths per year through asbestosis

and mesothelioma, more than 17,000 tonnes of ACMs were imported into the UAE during 2007 alone.

schools, malls as well as residential facilities,” said Injaz managing director Omar Abdullah Al Kadi.

SAUDI ARABIA

UAE

INJAZ SEARCHES FOR SUB-DEVELOPERS Injaz Development has received formal approval for projects in Riyadh and the Eastern Province. The ﬁrm is now sourcing investors and project subdevelopers for Al Marina project on the Al KhobarDammam coastal corridor and the Al Gamra development in Northern Riyadh. “We have been talking to institutional, as well as individual investors and potential partners who would be interested in developing and constructing hospitals,

UNION RAILWAYS TO AWARD CONTRACTS Chairman Hussain al Nowais has confirmed that Union Railways will be awarding a consulting contract shortly, with an engineering firm to be selected in Q1 2010 and construction contracts possibly issued by the end of next year. The UAE-wide railway system could be built over the next five to eight years at a cost of around US $8.2 billion (AED30 billion). “The UAE is going to cooperate, to link to Saudi Arabia and to Oman,” said Nowais.

CITYSCAPE NEWS BANIYAS LAUNCHES NEW PROJECTS By CW Staff Abu Dhabi-based Baniyas Investment and Development Company (BID) plans to launch a series of projects, including apartment buildings and a residential tower before the end of 2009. The new launches will include new residential buildings within Phase II of the US $816 million (AED3 billion) mixed-use Bawabat Al Sharq project in Bani Yas City, which the developer showcased at Cityscape Dubai last week. The company also plans to launch a 22-storey residential tower at Mohammed Bin Zayed City, some 24km from downtown Abu Dhabi. BID also showcased Souk Al Megnas, a traditional souk within the destination mall of Bawabat Al Sharq. The distinctive souk will be spread across 4500m2, nearly 8% of the mall’s gross leasable area. The souk is scheduled for inauguration in December.

HH SHEIKH HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED AL MAKTOUM, THE CROWN PRINCE OF DUBAI ARRIVED ON THE DOT AT 10AM ON THE FIRST DAY OF CITYSCAPE DUBAI TO INAUGURATE THE EVENT.

MERAAS’ JUMEIRA GARDENS PROJECT ONGOING By Conrad Egbert Meraas, the developer of the US $95.2 billion (AED355 billion) Jumeira Gardens project, has said that the project is ongoing and reclamation work off Jumeirah Open Beach area is well underway. Speaking to ConstructionWeek at Cityscape Dubai, Meraas spokesperson Sherif Abaza said, “Only reclamation work is going on at the moment. Actual construction work will only begin once that has been completed.” He also said that Meraas was looking for individual developers at Cityscape to buy plots of land along the development area before construction could begin. Jumeira Gardens was unveiled by Meraas at last year’s Cityscape exhibition and was pitched to be built over 12 years, across an area north of Sheikh Zayed Road between

Diyafa Street and Safa Park. There will be several major parks and a number of smaller community parks, while a large canal will run through the heart of the development ﬂowing from the Business Bay Canal out to the sea. The current status of the project, which also contains three major skyscrapers, has been uncertain since March this year when the project was scaled back. In a statement, Cityscape said the Meraas had reappeared in order to “demonstrate its conﬁdence in the real estate sector in Dubai.” “We have been emphasising for some time now that the objectives for many developers exhibiting at Cityscape Dubai is to reassure existing and potential investors,” said Rohan Marwaha, managing director, Cityscape.

NEWS IN NUMBERS

US $70 billion

-15%

Aldar introduced free discounted mortgages for Abu Dhabi’s three districts including Al Muneera, Al Bandar and Al Zeina,

The amount of

Drop in real estate growth

at Cityscape Dubai

construction work that

between 2008 and 2009

has been completed on

according to a report by

Deyaar’s Central Park project

Cityscape Intelligence.

64%

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009

The amount of money that GCC countries are expected to spend on energy projects this year.

TRUMP JR SAYS RESTART ON TOWER DEPENDS ON NAKHEEL Real estate tycoon Donald Trump Junior told ConstructionWeek in a meeting behind closed doors that the recommencement of construction on the Trump International Hotel and Tower, that

was to become the Palm Jumeirah’s central iconic structure, is now in the hands of local developer, Nakheel. But Dubai-based Nakheel, which is the master devel-

oper of the project, said it had nothing further to add about the project than it has already said. “I am hoping we can restart work on the project within the next two years but it all depends on the market situation,” said Trump Junior. “We are not an equity investor in the project; we have an active marketing role but at the end of the day, the ball is in their (Nakheel’s) court,” he added. He also said that he did not think it wise to begin construction on the hotel and tower project at this stage because of the current market situation. “You’ve got to see what the market demands and restarting the project of that nature in this region at this stage doesn’t make much sense,” he clariﬁed. Work on the project came to a grinding halt in May when it was announced that it had been delayed indeﬁnitely.

HIGHLIGHTS EXPERT SAYS INNOVATION AND PRACTICALITY CRUCIAL FOR INDUSTRY GROWTH Speaking on the sidelines of Cityscape in Dubai, Mohammed Dulaimi, director of research and innovation, Abu Dhabi International Centre for Organisational Excellence said sub developers and contractors need to come up with new products and re-evaluate their designs and concepts at a time when they need also to address the current client concern of the cost of such projects. EMAAR PROPERTIES HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT DELIVERY Emaar used the opportunity at Cityscape to announce its

strategy to optimise resource use and drive productivity. It also said it has handed over two master planned communities in Pakistan and Turkey and that it is making strong progress on projects in Jordan, Syria, Morocco, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. AL MAZAYA PROJECTS NEARING COMPLETION Kuwaiti real estate developer Al Mazaya has said that six of its projects are between 30% and 100% completed. Among them were The Villa in Dubailand which is 85% complete, Mazaya Business Avenue in Jumeirah Lakes which is 70% complete, Queue Point in Al Liwan which is 30% complete, Clover Clinic in Al Jaberiya which is 85% complete,

Kuwait Business Town which is 85% complete and 7 Zones in Al Shuwaikh which is 100% complete. DUBAI SILICON OASIS SHOWCASED URBAN COMMUNITY Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) highlighted its Urban Community project with the 7.2km2 integrated technology park, at Cityscape. SODIC AT CITYSCAPE Egyptian real estate developer Sodic participated in this year’s Cityscape in order to show its positive outlook on the real estate sector in Egypt despite the global economic climate according to company managing director Maher Maksoud.

VOX POPS “It has been a really hectic day for us. I think it’s the uniqueness of our stand – we actually have an end product to sell – that has drawn the attention of crowds.” Muammar Khaled Al Katheeri – chief ofﬁcer engineering management, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority “It’s still early days – we’re just getting started. We’re simply hoping to introduce our services, meet some friends and potential customers and deliver some information. We’ve run an in-house design competition which is being showcased on our stand and have invited the designers of those here to enjoy Cityscape and Dubai.” Fadi Jabri – GM Dubai, Nikken Sekkei architects “Cityscape is a fantastic platform and it’s always good to see it regardless of the sentiment surrounding the industry. It’s unfair that there’s always such a negative association with just this industry when all industries are affected in much the same way.” Khalid Al Malik, group CEO, Dubai Properties Group “There are some new faces among some old ones. It’s good to see that Cityscape is being used as a platform to market other real estate opportunities in different parts of the world this time round. Everything is not Dubai-centric and that’s good because it opens up more opportunities in the region.” Stephen Oehme, regional director – value management and sustainability, Hyder Consulting.

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

FRONT

> For more pictures log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

NEWS IN PICS RIGHT: Last week, Emaar’s Burj Dubai saw the last panel of its exterior cladding put in place. The tower has accomplished a world record for the highest installation of an aluminium and glass façade. The total weight of aluminium used on the Burj Dubai is equivalent to that of ﬁve A380 aircraft and the total length of stainless steel bull nose ﬁns is 293 times the height of Eiffel Tower in Paris. The last cladding panel numbered 24,348, weighing 750kg and 1160mm x 6400mm in height was placed at a height of over 662m. Arabian Aluminium Company in association with Hong Kong based Far East Aluminium began the exterior cladding of Burj Dubai in May 2007, and the vast project has involved more than 380 skilled engineers and on-site technicians. RIGHT BELOW: Last week Sharjah entered the local record books when it completed burrowing through the UAE’s Hajar Mountains to create the country’s longest rock tunnel. The project forms a strategic road link on Sharjah’s Diftah – Shis highway, a route that will link the port of Khor Fakkan on the East Coast of Sharjah to Diftah in the central region – enabling goods shipped to the port to be distributed throughout the UAE. Halcrow, as consultant to the Government of Sharjah, Directorate of Public Works, is responsible for the design and supervision of the road tunnel – involving the construction of approximately 9km of dual two-lane carriageway mountain road; 1.3km twin bore tunnel and a 1km link road. BELOW: This week Victory Heights Golf Residential and Development announced that a joint venture between Larsen and Toubro and Eastern Contracting handed over 84 new villas at the development. Victory Heights development is a joint venture between Arcapita, a Bahrain based investment bank, and Dubai Sports City. The contract between L&T/Eastern and Victory Heights is worth US $150 million (AED552 million). The project, undertaken by the joint venture company, involves the construction of 295 luxury villas.

NEWS IN NUMBERS There’s currently

US $340bn worth of projects taking place in the UAE, which is

81% of the country’s total project value. The wider region weighs in at

$931bn 12

GCC developers

Khoie Properties

are missing out on

has denied insolvency rumours, reiterating its control over

$30bn in untapped revenue opportunities, with

$5-10bn in the UAE and

$12bn in Saudi Arabia, according to AT Kearney

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009

Navayuga Engineering Company claims it will turnover more than

$200m

in the Middle East by 2011, following the awarding of a

$3.5m

contract for a 5-star hotel in Amman

$272m assets in land and

$190m receivables on account of its

$1.4bn La Hoya Bay project

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OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

FACE-TO-FACE SAUDI UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

MOHAMMED DAHLAN

ABDULAZIZ ALZAID

Marketing support manager, Al Muhaidib Technical Supplies

Zaid Coat Waterprooﬁng International – General Manager

HOW HAVE YOU, AS A SAUDI COMPANY, PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE? Al Muhaidib Technical Supplies is planning to expand further by opening more showrooms and warehouses in areas where the market ﬁts our long term strategy. Also, we have acquired local and multinational factories in the fasteners sector to broaden our product offering and allow us to address speciﬁc customer needs.

This time last year our biggest market was in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but of course Saudi will be our biggest market in the near future because it is now the biggest market in the Gulf. We established our Saudi company two months ago and in three months we start construction of a new factory in Riyadh to distribute locally.

WHAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? In the next six months, our plans include expanding marketing activities, showrooms and warehouses, including our newest warehouse in Dubai and product development. During the last 18 months, we have opened ofﬁces in three new locations in Yanbu, Dammam and Jeddah.

Our plan in the next six months is to expand into Saudi Arabia and also focus on the sub-contracting side of our business. Demand for membranes is very high in Saudi Arabia now and our focus will be to ensure that some of that business comes to us.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WORK IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION? We are convinced that our model is very transferable to other countries. Our customers are in other regional markets and we believe it is perfectly logical for us to be there too. We see growth opportunities in our neighbouring markets.

We will take any possible chances in the GCC, but this year I think the vast majority of our business will be coming out of Saudi Arabia. Expectations for Saudi Arabia are very high and there are several major projects under construction and on the way.

IS GOING GREEN A PRIORITY OR ARE FINANCIAL ISSUES AT THE TOP? MTS products come relatively late in the completion of developments, however, our newly acquired manufacturing facility in Dammam, will allow us to manufacture product made with raw materials in line with “green” principles.

To be honest, I think they are focussed on the ﬁnancial aspects at the moment. We are fortunate that our product is both green and less expensive than membrane systems. But most clients will ask about the cost well before they ask for the green credentials. But the government is now asking for Leed which is a positive step.

IS SAUDI PAYING ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS EXPOSED BY THE DOWNTURN? The downturn exposed flaws in the investment and financing process for certain projects. Some investments were made with faulty economic assumptions. The government has stepped in to safeguard Saudi Arabia’s interests but the downturn has also created opportunities to refine and improve some projects.

I think this is something that people are paying attention to because many of the projects are for the government who employ top international consultants. Saying that, you cannot always trust the contractors. They are usually trying to ﬁnd every way to reduce the cost, and so you must select carefully and watch them closely.

IS SAUDI MORE CAUTIOUS OR WILL IT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES? The big players in Saudi are also big global players. These are professionals who know their business. There are always situations where, with the beneﬁt of hindsight, things might have been done differently. But the Saudi construction sector is long term.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

The difference between the Saudi market and other markets is that much of the funding comes from the government rather than investors. Investors are unpredictable and highly dependent on the market, where as here there is security with the government.

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SAUDI BUILD NEWS GREEN PRECAST PREDICT 5% MARKET SHARE By Benjamin Millington Australia’s Green Precast Technologies should have at least a 5% share of Saudi Arabia’s housing construction market within 12 months according to the company CEO Salvatore Saker. Speaking to Construction Week, Saker said the estimate was based on the extremely positive indications given by leading decision makers in Saudi Arabia’s public and private sector. “It is a great relief for us to see that the decision makers have really taken the time to understand and embrace the Green Precast technology. The company is currently bidding on two contracts to build 45,000 and 25,000 units in Saudi Arabia and has been invited into joint ventures with some of the Kingdom’s “biggest players”, he added. Green Precast technology is an onsite building system that creates 3D monolithic structures and promises to be faster and more efﬁcient than regular construction.

HH PRINCE ABDULAZIZ BIN MOHAMMED BIN AYAF AL MIQREN, MAYOR OF RIYADH REGION INAUGURATES SAUDI BUILD/STONE 2009 AT RIYADH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE ON OCTOBER 4.

FORMWORK FIRMS TUSSLE FOR SAUDI MARKET SHARE By Benjamin Millington International formwork companies look set to battle it out for a share of the lucrative Saudi Arabian construction market according to representatives at this year’s Saudi Build exhibition in Riyadh. Two large international ﬁrms, the UK’s RMD Kwikform and Germany’s Paschal, recently set up Saudi operations and other companies in Dubai are said to have similar intentions. RMD Kwikform Saudi Arabia’s general manager Brian Street said his company is looking to claim 30% of the market within three years. Meanwhile Paschal’s

Saudi Build

650 exhibitors from 38 countries with a total of 16 national pavilions, exceeding last year’s participation by

50% 16

lose ground to the new players and are actually targeting a market share of 50% within two years,” said Khawaja. “We have a very strong clientele in Saudi Arabia who value our services, our technical support and onsite support. The seminars help reinforce that message.” Khawaja added that the seminars will also focus on educating the market on the beneﬁts of using engineered formwork system solutions rather than the simple traditional formwork most commonly used across the Kingdom.

Green Precast CEO Salvadore Saker said he expects the Saudi Arabian government to build

NEWS IN NUMBERS has attracted more than

general sales manager Dieter Kaiser said they are aiming for a minimum share of 10% within three years. Standing in their way will be Austrian-German ﬁrm Doka, which has operated out of Saudi Arabia since 1980 and has three ofﬁces across the Kingdom. Doka’s head of marketing Omer Khawaja said they currently command a 40% share of the market; a share they are aiming to protect by rolling out an extensive program of training seminars to clients, consultants and graduates across Saudi Arabia this month. “We don’t want to

The Q309 Saudi Arabia Infrastructure Report has stated that construction will achieve a

0.05% growth reaching a nominal value of

$23.26 billion in 2009

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009

2.5 million homes in the next 20 years to cater for the housing shortage

Construction chemicals giant Sika is about to start construction of a new chemicals factory in Saudi Arabia’s eastern city of Ragibh covering

40,000m2

VOX POPS

SIKA PLANS TO CONQUER SAUDI By Benjamin Millington Construction chemicals giant Sika plans to be the number one chemicals company in Saudi Arabia within three years according to Sika Saudi Arabia general manager Mark Hardaker. The company formed its own Saudi Arabian entity at the beginning of the year which is owned by a partnership between Saudi investors and the Swiss parent company. Speaking to Construction Week at Saudi Build, Hardaker said Sika Saudi Arabia expects to rapidly grow its current market share of 8% to 9% with the construction of a new factory in Ragibh in the eastern province. Construction of phase one is expected to begin this month and ﬁnish in mid-2010. Costing around US $13.3 million (SR50 million), phase one will produce liquid and powder products

and take up around 30% of the 40,000m2 site. Hardaker said phase two of the factory will most likely produce epoxy products and will be approved for construction “sooner rather than later”. “It depends on market demand but with 40,000m2 we have a massive amount of land to expand when needed. I’m not aware of any bigger chemicals factory in the region,” he said. Hardaker said the key elements to becoming the market leader in the Kingdom will be to offer quality technical assistance to customers and educate the market about Sika’s innovative products. “The products that have been in this market are old and tired,” he said. “Our goal is to instill an idea of innovation that welcomes

Omer Khawaja, Head of Marketing, Doka Saudi Arabia “Some companies are trying to decrease their capacity, but we are actually increasing... we are expecting a lot of key projects in the next year and we want to be prepared.”

SAUDI BUILD 2009 ATTRACTED MANY FOREIGN FIRMS FROM THE GCC.

products that might be more expensive, but are able to do the job more effectively and efﬁciently than the stuff currently in the market.”

HIGHLIGHTS GLASSFIBRE SCAFFOLD FOR O&G British scaffolding company Youngman could have approval for its rolling ﬁbreglass scaffold to be used in the oil and gas industry by next year. Managing director Paul Bentley said the scaffold is ideal for Zone one conditions in the oil and gas industry because it is non-conductive and cannot generate a spark. NEW ZAID RIYADH FACTORY Zaid Coat Waterprooﬁng International will commence building a new factory in Riyadh within three months according to the company’s general manager Abdulaziz Alzaid. He said Saudi Arabia

will become the new focus for the Dubai-based company due to the size and security of the construction market. LEICA STAYS STABLE BUT SOLD BELOW COST Surveying equipment provider Leica had a stable year in Saudi Arabian according to business development manager Akram Saad. He said many projects were unaffected by the crisis, but increasing competition and costconscious customers had had forced the company into selling its products belowcost in order to maintain its 40% market share. RMD KWIKFORM SAUDI Formwork specialists RMD

Kwikform Saudi Arabia is to open its first three branches next year in the eastern, western and central provinces according to general manager Brian Street. The company was established in July and hopes to achieve 30% of the market share in three years. PASCHAL TO OPEN IN RIYADH German formwork company Paschal is to open a new office in Riyadh next year to complement its existing office in Dammam. Paschal has been operating in Saudi Arabia for one year and has gained a 3% share of the market according to the company’s general sales manager Dieter Kaiser.

Mark Hardaker, General Manager, Sika Saudi Arabia “Our goal is to instill an idea of innovation that welcomes products which might be more expensive, but are able to do the job more effectively and efﬁciently than the stuff currently in the market.” Abdul Alzaid, General Manager, Zaid Coat Waterprooﬁng “There has been a huge shift in thinking in Saudi Arabia because now they are actually thirsty for new products, especially ones that can save them money.” Salvatore Saker, CEO, Green Precast Technologies “We’ve had a great response from key decision makers in the housing sector, whether it be the government or the consultancies, there is a big move towards the environmentally friendly construction methods and materials.” Bassam Bastaty, Business Development Manager, CMCI Chemicals “We expect our turnover to increase by 30% next year in line with the expected announcement of several large government and oil and gas projects.”

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

EVENTS

Event: Construction Week Dubai Conference Overview: A one day event with two streams running concurrently covering the vital aspects of construction and real estate. Date: November 3 Venue: Rafﬂes Hotel, Dubai Phone: +971 4 435 6127 Email: oscar.wendel@itp.com Website: www.constructionweekonline. com/conferences Event: CID Awards 2009 Overview: This year’s CID Awards will celebrate the success of the Middle East design industry and demonstrate how the region’s sector can stand alongside its international peers. Date: November 15 Venue: Park Hyatt, Dubai Phone: +971 4 435 6133 Email: annie.chinoy@itp.com Website: www.constructionweekonline. com/cidawards

Event focus

CONSTRUCTION WEEK AWARDS 2009 DATE: 4 NOVEMBER VENUE: GRAND HYATT, DUBAI PHONE: +971 4 435 6133 EMAIL: ANNIE.CHINOY@ITP.COM WEBSITE: WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE. COM/CWAWARDS Overview: In its 5th year, the Construction Week Awards 2009 will celebrate excellence in the construction industry and exceptional performance in 15 key areas of the sector, with nominations open to contractors, developers and consultants working in the Middle East. Award categories include project manager of the year, construction manager of the year, sustainable project of the year and developer of the year among others. 

Event: Building Sustainability into the Middle East Overview: Construction Week has merged the Building Sustainability into the Middle East conference, and the GreenBuilding training series in order to offer

strategic insight and practical learning in one exhibition. Date: October 25-26 Venue: Crown Plaza Hotel, Abu Dhabi Phone: +971 4 435 6127 Email: oscar.wendel@itp.com Website: www.constructionweekonline. com/conferences

Event: Build Smart 2009 Overview: Build Smart 2009 will present solutions, new technologies and best practice for improving efficiency and productivity during project development. But, the main focus at the event will be the official launch of new association, Building Smart Middle East. It will demonstrate that by establishing standards for the construction industry, Building Smart can facilitate improvements in profitability and sustainability in the region. Building Smart will eventually operate throughout the Middle East and North Africa, as a not-for-profit organisation. Date: November 15-16 Venue: Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi Website: www.itp.net/events/buildsmart Event: MEP Awards Overview: The MEP Awards 2009 is a platform for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing sector in the Gulf to recognise its achievements and to acknowledge the latest innovations, technology and processes that have helped drive down costs and ensure adherence to best-practice standards. Date: December 9 Venue: The Westin, Dubai Phone: +971 4 435 6133 Email: annie.chinoy@itp.com Website: www.constructionweekonline. com/mepawards Event: Construction Week North Africa Conference. Overview: This Construction Week conference will provide a firm basis for all interested parties to come together and share their experience of the economic renaissance in North Africa. Date: December 17 Venue: Intercontinental Hotel, Cairo Phone: +971 4 435 6127 Email: oscar.wendel@itp.com Website: www.constructionweekonline. com/conferences

Event: International Symposium on Architectural Membranes Overview: The workshop will address the theoretical bases for structural analysis necessary for computer implementation. Date: October 14-15 Venue: American Univeristy in Dubai Website: http://isam-dubai.web.ofﬁcelive. com/about.aspx Event: Index 2009 Overview: Index is the Middle East’s largest contemporary interiors trade show. Now in its 19th year Index is established as the must-attend annual event for buyers and suppliers of the world’s ﬁnest interiors. Date: 14-17 November Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Phone: +971 4 438 0355 Website: www.indexexhibition.com Event: The Big 5 Overview: Big 5 is the annual meeting place for all industry professionals. Over 58,000 key buyers and decision makers from the public and private sectors attended the 2008 event. Date: November 23-26 Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre Website: www.thebig5exhibition.com Event: The Big 5 PMV Overview: International exhibition for plant, machinery and vehicles. Date: November 23-26 Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Centre Phone: +971 4 332 9029 Website: www.big5pmv.com Event: Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition and Symposium 2010 Date: April 4-7, 2010 Venue: Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Centre Phone: +966 2 654 6384 Email: ace@acexpos.com Website: www.eventseye.com Event: Front Roof and Cladding 2010 Date: March 8-10, 2010 Venue: Expo Centre, Sharjah Phone: +971 6 577 0000 Website: www.eventseye.com Event: Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition and Symposium Date: April 4-7, 2010 Venue: Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Centre Phone: +966 2 654 6384 Event: Gulf Bid 2010 Date: May 4-6, 2010 Venue: Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre Phone: +973 14 552 800 Website: www.eventseye.com

OCTOBER 10-16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

COMMENT > For the latest news and comments log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/comment

Sinking the red with a dose of realism PHILIP ADAMS EXPLAINS WHY PARTIES INVOLVED IN A DISPUTE MUST BE REALISTIC ABOUT BOTH THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

My first experience of formal negotiation skills training described the process in terms of two colours – blue for agreement and red for disagreement. The start of the negotiations is predominantly red and the goal is to reduce the red and increase the blue. In other words the greater the level of agreement (blue) the more likely an overall settlement can be achieved. If a dispute is to be resolved, concessions need to made and if a party is not prepared to be realistic about its weaknesses, then it will rarely reach a satisfactory outcome. A party may be tempted to negotiate from an artificially inflated position naively believing it will improve their recovery when the 50:50 split arrives. But in today’s reasonably sophisticated dispute environment, there will probably be commercial professionals on both sides who are fully aware of the respective weaknesses. It is crucial that parties view their relative strengths and weaknesses. What is essential is a genuinely impartial review bereft of any vested interest or deep set opinions including a good measure of realism and honesty. For example, there may be several client culpable delays that have occurred on a project. But if the contractor is clearly culpable then this must be faced early. Even if the client or other party does not have a consultant at the onset of a dispute, an expert will be appointed at the start of the arbitration process, and it likely that such an expert will identify any contractor culpability during the course of the arbitration. Even in the unlikely situation that there is no expert opponent, the burden of proof lies with the claimant and if he fails to discharge that burden then he will probably fail. A useful technique to use for this impartial review is the Batna Watna Mlatna analysis.

Batna - (Best alternative to a negotiated agreement). Watna – (Worst alternative to a negotiated agreement). Mlatna – (Most likely alternative to a negotiated agreement). In preparing the analysis consider the money spent as well as known liabilities, and whether or not the other party is capable of meeting the terms of any award. Plus when preparing the Watna, a party shouldn’t forget that they could be defeated on every issue. If a realistic approach has been utilised and the analysis has been carefully developed during the negotiation process, the Batna-Watna analysis is useful in deciding how far down the dispute and/or arbitration road one should go. Also it is important to remember that a Batna/Watna analysis will be inﬂuenced by many variants such as the use of corporate lawyers and the risk of insolvency. Where insolvency is a genuine risk the analysis becomes less about strict contractual entitlement and more about the other party’s actual funds/assets. The other party may view bankruptcy as a realistic option or they may be willing to consider an affordable settlement at a reasonable sum if they genuinely want to avoid it. Disillusioned by the painfully slow negotiation process, they will probably reach a key decision point in the near future. Therefore such an exercise is essential if the contractor is to make an informed decision, especially considering that arbitration and can take anywhere between six months to two years. In conclusion, to reduce the red and expand the blue not only must negotiating parties be able to successfully argue their strong points, but equally they must be realistic about their weaknesses.

“IF A PARTY IS NOT PREPARED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT ITS WEAKNESSES, THEN IT WILL RARELY REACH A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME”

Adams is a senior consultant at Systech in Dubai. He has provided commercial, contractual and dispute resolution advice on projects ranging from high specification offices, data centres and long distance fibre optic networks to major civil engineering projects, multi-storey offices and hotels. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a fellow at the Chartered Institute of Arbitration.

The opinions expressed in this column are of the author and not of the publisher.

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

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11.00 - 22.00 daily 23-26 November 2009 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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LEGAL > For more legal advice log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/comment

A time for Dubai’s arbitration centres to shine? HENRY QUINLAN ASKS IF THE EXPLOSION OF CONSTRUCTION DISPUTES HAS PRESENTED DUBAI’S ARBITRATION CENTRES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR EFFICIENCY

One of the key issues, which foreign investors and companies investigate, when deciding whether to invest or expand into a particular jurisdiction, is access to a trusted mechanism for dispute resolution. The prevalence of infrastructure and other construction projects in Dubai and the Middle East, has meant that many such risk assessments have been made by companies specialising in construction and project work, where the standard forms of contract (such as Fidic) usually provide for arbitration as the dispute resolution mechanism. In recognition of the importance of the availability of effective legal remedies to investors and contractors, most countries in the region have developed legal frameworks and institutions based on tried and tested international dispute resolution models. Steps include accession to international conventions (such as the New York and ICSID conventions), the establishment of specialist commercial judiciaries (such as is in Abu Dhabi) and the development of new arbitration legislation and institutions. Dubai is at the cutting edge of such developments, and has reaped rich rewards as a result of the steps it has taken to encourage investment. Dubai last year received more foreign direct investment than any other city in the world. One only has to read the advertising boards around Dubai’s many construction sites to see that it has been successful in attracting project companies from across the globe. Partly as a result of its own success, the global downturn has hit Dubai hard, though it remains to be seen how long the credit crunch can keep down what is still a fastgrowing and ambitious city. The downturn has, however, left a legacy of disputes, in particular involving companies in the construction sector, as falling property values and the lock-up in liquidity have put developers and contractors alike

under pressure. The main beneficiary of the explosion in arbitration is the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (Diac), which has reported having received upwards of 180 requests for arbitration so far this year, (80% of which are reported to be construction-related) involving claims totalling in the region of US $5 billion (AED18.4 billion). This was a reward for Diac’s revision of its arbitration rules and relaunch in 2007, which resulted in it’s arbitration clauses being incorporated into a number of projects with domestic and international parties. While there will of course be initial difficulties in dealing with such a dramatic increase in caseload, Diac now has a unique opportunity to demonstrate in practice that arbitration within the region can be an effective alternative both to court proceedings and to arbitration in the traditional centres such as London and Paris, where both the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have reported an increase in Middle Eastern arbitrations this year. This suggests that many companies involved in projects here, still insist that disputes arising from projects in the region are resolved outside. One drawback the UAE presently faces over other arbitral venues is the lack of a comprehensive arbitration law. Although Dubai has taken great strides in developing its legal frameworks, institutions are now facing a key test as the wave of construction disputes in the region come before them. Those institutions will need to deliver, both in respect of the speed and efficiency of the dispute resolution processes being offered in the region, and also in the effectiveness and enforceability of the judgments or arbitral awards obtained as a result of those processes, if Dubai is to fulfil its ambition of becoming a globally recognised centre for dispute resolution.

“THE DOWNTURN HAS LEFT A LEGACY OF DISPUTES, IN PARTICULAR INVOLVING COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR”

Henry Quinlan is a dispute resolution lawyer for Norton Rose Middle East and specialises in international arbitration. He has also handled a number of domestic and crossborder commercial disputes resolved by litigation, expert determination and mediation.

The opinions expressed in this column are of the author and not of the publisher.

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

INTERVIEW DONALD TRUMP JR

TO P T RU M P AFTER BEING WHISKED OFF FROM THE CITYSCAPE OPENING PRESS CONFERENCE BY ORGANISERS LAST WEEK, DONALD TRUMP JUNIOR WAS HURRIED INTO A PRIVATE CONFERENCE ROOM FOR AN EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH FIVE SENIOR JOURNALISTS. TRUMP TELLS CONSTRUCTION WEEK EDITOR CONRAD EGBERT HIS THOUGHTS ON THE REGION.

Trump Junior, or ‘Baby Trump’ as he is affectionately known as in some circles, is a sharp man. He’s as skillful a businessman as he is with answering questions in a very politically-correct and diplomatic fashion – but then, after all, he is an executive vice president of the US-based multi-billion dollar Trump Organisation. But what brought the real estate heir to not-so-sunny Dubai? Was he meant to be the top trump at Cityscape and expected to inject confidence into the region’s property market? Or was he simply here because he believes in the strength and resilience of Dubai, which governments have missed no opportunity to shout about? By the looks of it – a bit of both. “The last time I came to Dubai was about 15 months ago, just before the whole crash happened,” said Trump looking a little nervous in the hot seat. “And to be honest, the foreign media has given us a totally wrong impression of the region. We thought we were entering a dust bowl where nothing is happening. But I’m glad to say it’s certainly not the case.” But while optimism was the general feeling from Mr Trump, he did say that a slowdown was obvious. “Its not a total stand still,” he clarified. “One can definitely see the difference in the pace of construction now than before, but it’s not a write-off, like the foreign press has being saying.” The Trump International Hotel and Tower, the organisation’s first multi-billion dollar project in the region, was put on hold indefinitely in May. And with the restart of construction work no where in sight, Trump’s optimism, especially considering he hasn’t bought any property in Dubai, had to be taken with a pinch of salt. “I would love to go forward with the project in the next two years but I don’t know if that is going to happen,” he said

when asked to shed some light on the inner workings of the Trump deal with Nakheel. “I’d say Dubai stopped building in time. It was a good business decision. They didn’t go on pumping good money in after bad money in order to carry on with a project. Some developers are still in denial about the downturn. They’re throwing in good money after bad. If it doesn’t make sense, cancel it. There is a lot of excess supply in the market for us to be able to pick up that sort of project. “Also I want to get the project done, but in a responsible fashion, unlike a lot of development that has been done here.” He added that the Trump hotel and tower had to be built to standards that are better than what is currently prevalent, conﬁrming again, the many quality problems that the region’s construction market has faced in the past. He said that his hands were tied at the moment with regards to work on the tower and that Nakheel was responsible for its restart. “There is a time frame that we’re looking at but that is Nakheel’s decision. We are not an equity investor, but we have an active marketing role,” he said. So did the Trump Organisation, which has developed many successful projects including the Trump Place project, on New

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

TRUMP RECOMMENDS DUBAI NEEDS TO FIX: • Transparency – Developers, individual or government, need to become more transparent. • Oversupply – There is excess inventory and too much supply in the market. • Immigration policies – Sponsorship system and visa rules need to become more business oriented and less rigid.

York’s Upper West Side, the Trump Park Avenue and various hotels in Chicago and Las Vegas need to enter the market with a local developer like Nakheel? Trump thinks so. “It was a business decision. We entered into an agreement with Nakheel, because it’s quite simple – would we rather enter the market hand in hand with the biggest developer in the region or compete with them?” For the moment, the Trump tower in Dubai is still on hold and it is likely to stay that way for a long time to come, especially with Nakheel saying it has no thoughts on the matter for now. And in this fast moving world, with quick-thinking businessmen, could Dubai end up losing its appeal? Maybe not. “We’ve assessed working in other areas in the region but for most of the part it hasn’t had much of an appeal for the Trump organisation and what we stand for,” said Trump. “Saudi Arabia seems to be an option in the near future if things change a little, but for now we’re an organisation that is out there and more liberal.” Dubai now has the tallest building in the world along with a host of other construction feats that have gone on to become the world’s firsts in many categories. For the Trump Organisation, this was a golden opportunity to make their mark by being part of a flashy project in true Trump style. But when a flashy real estate mogul says reality is of essence, it should be a lesson learned. “I’ve always said, in Dubai you’re only limited by your imagination and the laws of physics,” said Trump. “Earlier, unless you built something extreme it wasn’t considered viable. “In order to drive one dollar more per foot, developers ended up investing 75 more and that didn’t make sense. Now more of a reality is returning to the market and the competition pool has narrowed down,

> For more people interviews log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

also making it a more talented pool. People didn’t know the difference between luxury construction and just good construction either – this has changed too. Now people know what to expect and that will take this market forward.” But market corrections and normal economic changes are all well and good, but Trump also says that Dubai needs to consciously ﬁx a lot of problems on its own before it can gain the strength and momentum it saw a couple of years ago. “Dubai has to become transparent,” he said. “Even oversupply of certain types of projects in the region and the country’s stringent immigration policies and working visa rules have to be changed. “I had some friends here who I used to visit on my trips to the region and before I’d come down I’d send them emails saying I’m coming. This time round 75% of those emails bounced back because they’re all gone,” he complained. “If someone loses their job they have to leave. These people have moved their lives to come and work here and invest in this country so it doesn’t leave a good impression when these people are expected to uproot themselves and head back home when things become difﬁcult. You’re ostracising people who took the leap. If and when Dubai begins to look up, do you think

THE MAN

these people will come back? These are successful people from all over the world who have come to this country to work and live and their being here beneﬁts the country tremendously. “Also in order to get back on track you need population growth. A negative population growth is not going to help the country get back on track; it will only worsen the situation.”

“I’D SAY DUBAI STOPPED BUILDING IN TIME. IT WAS A GOOD BUSINESS DECISION” Last month it was reported that the UAE ministry of labour was ﬁnalising proposals to make part time work in the private sector possible. If this comes into effect, it could boost the job market ahead of the so-called upturn. But when is this upturn likely and what can we expect from it? The golden question was put to Trump. “We’re still going down but not as badly as before,” he said. “The next bubble here is distressed real estate, where investors will try and sell off property for a lower premium than they bought it, in order to minimise their losses. There will deﬁnitely be no ‘V’ shaped recovery but we can take refuge in the thought that we have seen the steepest part of the downturn,” he added.

Donald J Trump Junior is an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, working alongside his siblings, Ivanka and Eric to expand the company’s real estate, retail, commercial, hotel and golf interests nationally and internationally. Trump directs new project acquisition and development for the company throughout the world – in areas from Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia, the Middle East to South America and mainland China to the United States. In addition to new project acquisitions, he actively oversees the ﬁrm’s current and new property portfolio, which contains over 70 projects. He is involved in all aspects of real estate development, from deal evaluation, analysis and pre-development planning to construction, branding, marketing, operations, sales and leasing. He joined the organisation in 2001. He has also been featured as an advisor on the highly acclaimed NBC show The Apprentice, and is now a star of the Celebrity Apprentice, currently approaching its third season. He received his Bachelor’s degree in ﬁnance and real estate from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania.

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

C I T I ES I N T H E SA N D CITY OF ARABIA IS SELF-DESCRIBED AS THE ‘HEART OF DUBAILAND’. CW TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW WORK IS PROGESSING ON SITE By James Boley; Photos by Thanos Lazopoulos

uch has been made of the progress (or otherwise) at Dubailand, and it’s fair to say that the unassuming patch of sand along Emirates Road does little to deﬂect those concerns for the average driver charging down the highway. Yet, taking a slight detour behind the hoardings reveals a somewhat different story. Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group’s City of Arabia was always one of the more ambitious 26

projects planned for the overall Dubailand development, and in typical Dubai style carried its fair degree of hyperbole. After all, who could fail to be stunned by a project that promised the world’s largest mall, a canal in the middle of the desert, and most

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

“THE CHALLENGE IS THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE AND UNDERSTAND BUILDINGS. INFRASTRUCTURE ISN’T AS VISIBLE. BUT THE WHOLE PLACE IS PRACTICALLY READY FOR DEVELOPMENT NOW”

memorably of all, a Jurassic Park style theme park with animatronic dinosaurs? As with all site tours, the intricately detailed and carefully crafted model you’ll see in the visitor centre bears little resemblance to what you’ll see on the ground – concrete piles and workers scurrying around from task to task. However, deputy director for projects Alex Vacha remains conﬁdent. “The challenge is that people can see and understand buildings. Infrastructure isn’t as visible. But the whole place is practically ready for development now,” he says, overlooking Wadi Walk, the mixed use development to be located on an 8km-long canal.

> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

PILING WORK AT MALL OF ARABIA IS NOW COMPLETE, WHILE WORK BEGINS ON THE SUPERSTRUCTURE. THE CIRCULAR-SHAPED MALL WILL FEATURE 929,000M² SQUARE FEET OF LEASABLE AREA, ATHOUGH PHASE ONE, DUE IN 2011, WILL OPEN WITH FOUR MILLION SQUARE FEET.

According to Vacha, 98% of the infrastructure work has been completed since Dhabi Contracting began construction ﬁve months ago. Electrical and water works are essentially complete, with the Wadi Walk substation ready and the remainder of works awaiting connection with Dubai’s main grid. Meanwhile, the four bridges that span the Wadi are also structurally complete, although lacking facades. “We’ll be installing those closer to the completion date to ensure they’re in good condition for handover,” says Vacha. Concrete pouring also began in September, with a series of night pours aimed at getting the site ready for subdevelopers. Vacha is keen to emphasise the importance of completing the infrastructure. “All the infrastructure will be delivered at the same time,” he says. “This way, it allows sub-developers to build without worrying whether parts of the project won’t be ready for them.”

Vacha suggests that work on Wadi Walk will be finished by the end of 2010 but declines to set any definite timetables for the subdevelopers planning their own work on site. “Our responsibility is for the infrastructure; it’s up to the subdevelopers when they choose to build here,” he says. Ensuring water quality is a particular concern for Wadi Walk – after all, the desert is hardly a conducive environment for an artificial body of water. “Water treatment is very important because if it remains stagnant, it will obviously start to smell bad,” says Vacha. He explains that the canal will be sustained by those living in Wadi Walk, with Dutch firm Aqua Teknik providing water treatment duties at the development. “The water will be treated waste water, so effectively yes, it will be TSE (treated sewage effluent),” says Vacha. “However, the water is going to be treated to such a degree that it is pretty much potable water.”

MULLING THE MALL The other crucial part of City of Arabia, Phase One, is the Mall of Arabia. Around 9200 piles have been laid in preparation for what will be the largest mall in the world when fully complete. The ﬁrst phase consists of 371,612m² of leasable area and is expected to be delivered during 2011. Much like rest of Dubailand, this indicates a considerable delay – the mall was originally scheduled for completion around late 2009. However 89% of the mall has already been leased out in prepa-

98% OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS COMPLETE

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

98% OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK AT WADI WALK IS NOW COMPLETE, WITH THE FIRST CONCRETE POURS SCHEDULED TO START LAST MONTH. THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE IN AROUND A YEAR’S TIME

2011 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE FOR MALL OF ARABIA ration for the later opening. Meanwhile, Phase Two will see the mall expand by a further 55,741m². Work on the superstructure of the mall has now begun, and the scale of the site is clear once we move to a higher vantage point. Located adjacent to Wadi Walk, the Mall of Arabia is linked by the same canal, which will allow water taxis to ferry shoppers to and from their homes. One of the major changes the project has seen has been the change from using precast concrete to post-tensioned concrete. The site has a concrete batching plant and Vacha explains the changing cost of materials has made it more economical to switch from precast. “Market conditions have now changed, and post-tensioned concrete is a more cost-effective solution,” he says.

GETTING RESTLESS Of course, one for the key ‘hooks’ for the Mall of Arabia, aside from its obvious size, 28

“OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE; IT’S UP TO THE SUBDEVELOPERS WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO BUILD HERE”

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

is the dinosaur area of Restless Planet. Designed by US theme park experts Jack Rouse Associates, Restless Planet will feature 100 animatronic dinosaurs developed in conjunction with London’s Natural History Museum, and built by Japanese firm Konoko.

> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

“WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEAVING DUBAI, BUT INVESTORS ARE INTERESTED AND THINGS FOR THE MARKET OVERALL ARE LOOKING UP”

2012 ESTIMATED START DATE FOR CITY OF ARABIA PHASE TWO

Construction work has yet to begin on the actual site of the theme park area, which at present, is simply a large pile of excavated sand that provides an excellent vantage point over the rest of Mall of Arabia. However, Vacha assures that the site will be ready at the same time as the rest of the mall, pointing out that 70 of the dinosaurs are now ready and in storage, waiting to be set loose.

THE NEXT PHASE Although the future of the project is closely tied in with that of Dubailand, Vacha makes it clear that City of Arabia is capable of standing alone in its own right. Clearly the

mall will depend on the footfall it receives. Vacha feels that there won’t be a shortage of people coming from the wider Dubai area, whatever happens with the overall real estate plans for Dubailand. “We’re going to build two interchanges that will link up with Sheikh Zayed Road, so access will be signiﬁcantly improved,” he says. “Also, the Dubai Metro Purple line will have a station here.” Estimates from RTA suggest that City of Arabia will be less than 10 minutes’ drive from Dubai’s main artery, Sheikh Zayed Road. Phase Two of City of Arabia, despite forming the bulk of the project, is looking less clear. “Phase Two will be built back to back after Phase One,” says senior vice president of sales Nooman Khan. However, what form this will take is uncertain. “We may start work in 2012 but it depends on market interest. We know people have been leaving Dubai, but investors are interested and things for the market overall are looking up.” 

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

STA N D ST RO N G CONSTRUCTION WEEK DISCOVERS THE BENEFITS OF EMERGING CONCRETE TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW SIGNIFICANTLY THEY ARE SET TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF BUILDINGS IN THE MIDDLE EAST By Sarah Blackman

ecent events, such as the building collapse in Deira, Dubai, have proved that compromising on the quality of building materials, such as concrete, can lead to disastrous consequences. Substandard systems may be acceptable for construction companies who wish to cut corners but, for contractors planning to construct buildings that will stand the test of time, new technologies designed to improve the life-span and quality of concrete have emerged. “Customers are not only checking investment prices. Attributes like quality, ﬂexibility, sustainability and service reliability are more important to them,” insists Rupert Plersch, managing director of KTI Plersch, which specialises in concrete cooling.

STRENGTHENING YOUR CONCRETE English Indian Clays manufactures High Reactivity Metakaolin (HRM), which is a chemical admixture that is formed upon the thermal treatment of kaolinite (a clay mineral). Metakaolin prevents Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) - a concrete related problem that has a well documented history all over the world. This is caused by the reaction of highly alkaline cement paste with non-crystalline silica, which is found in many common aggregates, such as sand or crushed rock. The product of this reaction is a gel that surrounds the aggregate in the concrete mix. This gel increases in volume with water and exerts an expansive pressure inside the material, causing loss of strength of the concrete, finally leading to its failure. HRM is a pozzolan – a material which, when combined with calcium hydroxide, forms compounds possessing cementitious properties. Experiments have shown that a mineral admixture like Metakaolin reacts with calcium to further lower the PH, reducing the potential for the formation of the ASR gel. “We have seen a significant number of developers moving towards Metakaolin. It is the first choice of pozzolan in developed markets

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

ICE PLANTS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE GULF TO KEEP CONCRETE PROTECTED FROM HIGH TEMPERATURES.

WILL NON-GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS BECOME OBSOLETE? “The use of non-green materials will be reduced in the future if technical possibilities will allow it. However, technical limitations will occur.” - KTI Plersch managing director Rupert Plersch “There is no other way, the world is at huge risk. If we do not change our ways as soon as possible who knows what will happen.” - English Indian Clays country manager Promad Pillai “I don’t know if they will ever be totally obsolete. But with the strong green movement that is sweeping the world today and the awareness of the need to be more diligent in our use of products and technologies, the world is indeed changing.” - Hycrete vice president of international sales Peter Condy

like Europe and the USA,” says English India Clays country manager for the UAE, Pramod Pillai. The admixture, which can enhance concrete strength to more than 12,000 pounds per square inch, was ﬁrst used in 1962 for large Brazilian dams. And, the product was incorporated into The Californian, a 23-story, US $200 million condominium tower that opened in September 2005 in Los Angeles, to prevent the tower from damage caused by earthquakes. HRM is a Dubai Municipality certiﬁed product and has been use in UAE for eight years.

WATERPROOFING NEEDS The use of waterprooﬁng chemicals is also vital for protecting concrete from long-term damage. It is easy to assume that buildings in the Middle East do not need protection from water absorption and corrosion due to the lack of rain. But, if we dig a while a few metres deep, especially in cities near

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

the ocean, then we will ﬁnd water, which can put foundations and ultimately a whole structure at risk of deteriorating. Hycrete is a company that offers a liquid, which is designed to repel water and other contaminants which could attack the rebar of a structure. “The Hycrete forms a long-chain hydrocarbon, which plugs all capillary pores and mechanically attaches itself to the sides of the structure to prevent water from entering,” reports Hycrete vice president of international sales Peter Condy.

STAY COOL The high temperatures we experience in the Middle East can also cause damage to concrete before it even gets to a construction site. Therefore, concrete cooling is needed to prevent early setting. KTI offers ﬂake ice plants, mobile ice storages and ice delivery systems to meet this demand. Since 1992, the company has produced more than 1000 plants for concrete cooling all over the world and

> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

90% of them were installed here in the Middle East. “Depending on the recipe of the mixture and required concrete temperature we supply chilled water and ice directly to the batching plant,” explains Plersch.

“THE COMPETENCE OF TECHNICAL PEOPLE WILL BE TESTED AND MANAGEMENTS WILL LOOK CAREFULLY AT THEIR FORMULATIONS AND QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS”

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES So, strength and durability are key selling points when it comes to building materials. But, with the growing concerns for the environment, many contractors are looking for products, which will help reduce carbon emissions produced during construction activity. “The developers are starting to see the real value of the green movement,” says Condy. “In a relatively small project, for example, hundreds of tonnes of carbon emissions can be eliminated with the use of our technology. It is a task bringing the developers on board, but it is progressing.” In most cases, Hycrete removes the need for exterior waterprooﬁng products which

in lin 1 # Co o

contribute to carbon emissions. Additionally with Hycrete, concrete is reusable after the life cycle is completed, thus eliminating the need to take the material to a waste site or land ﬁll. Chemical giant Mapei, whose product line includes concrete admixtures, strives to produce environmentally friendly products. Today, around 5% of the company’s turnover goes into research and development and 70% of that 5% goes onto research of green products alone. “In the last 18 months there has been a lot of talk about green products in the UAE with lots of regulations coming in about them and we’ve been quite lucky as a lot of

EIC COUNTRY MANAGER PRAMOD PILLAI.

our products are already Leed compliant,” says Mapei business development manager Laith Haboubi. Metakaolin also has environmental advantages. Firstly, it can reduce the amount of cement used in a concrete mixture - a producer can replace up to 20% of Portland cement with Metakaolin. This replacement provides a 13% reduction in carbon emissions produced when manufacturing concrete. In addition, when Metakaolin is used in a concrete mix, the colour of the con-

ideete w rld oncr o W C

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T u r nk e y s S ol u t ion

KTI-Plersch Kältetechnik GmbH Carl-Otto-Weg 14/2 · D-88481 Balzheim, Germany Tel.: +49/7347/9572-0 · Fax: +49/7347/9572-22 OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 33 ice@kti-plersch.com · www.kti-plersch.com

ss e i r Se

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Material Handling Machine

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www.sennebogen.com

“THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE DEMAND, BUT NOTHING LIKE IT WAS PRIOR TO THE ABRUPT SLOWDOWN WE EXPERIENCED”

With many construction companies tightening their belts during these troubled times, are they likely to invest in concrete technologies in the near future? Pillai doesn’t think so. “We are yet to see any improvement in this ﬁeld. Our only hope now is that projects, which are on hold, will re-start,” he says. “I am not predicting signiﬁcant increase in demand in the short-term.” “There will be a slight increase in the demand as we head into the last quarter, but nothing like it was prior to the abrupt slowdown we experienced,” adds Condy. “I don’t think the volume and the frantic

pace will ever reach the level it was prior to the downturn.” Despite this bleak outlook, the downturn has produced a batch of healthy competition within the concrete sector. “It should be pointed out that the higher quality concrete producers in the area have maintained their high level of quality, producing excellent concrete,” says Condy. “These companies have elected not to compromise on quality and their prices have not changed much.” “Concrete companies will emerge more competitive from this experience. The competence of technical people will be tested and managements will look carefully at their formulations and quality of ingredients,” adds Pillai. So, the focus is not just on the cost of building materials but on the life-span of these products. And, if this continues, the construction industry can expect its buildings to remain on solid ground. 

MAPEI

ENGLISH INDIAN CLAYS

KRYTON

Mapei was formed in 1937 in Milan and now operates over 53 plants world wide in 26 countries. The business is divided into nine product lines ranging from the ceramic line, which includes adhesives, natural stone and marble. It also has a building line, which includes water-prooﬁng, mortars, concrete admixtures, cement grinding aids and sealants. www.ibs-mapei.ae

English Indian Clays is the 9th biggest Kaolin manufacturer in the world. Metakaolin, manufactured by the company, is the world’s first choice green pozzolanic material in durable concrete and is a Dubai Municipality certified product, which has been use in UAE since last eight years. The admixture, which can enhance concrete strength to more than 12,000 pounds per square inch, was first used in 1962 for large Brazilian dams. www.eicl.in

Kryton specialises in waterproofing for concrete structures. It manufactures a technology called Krystol, which blends in with the concrete rather than coating it and then a chemical reaction takes place. Krystol reacts with un-hydrated cement particles in the concrete to from millions of needle-like crystals. These crystals grow to fill the naturally occurring pores and voids in the concrete, which permanently blocks pathways for water. Kryton was the first company to produce a crystalline admixture complete with dissolvable bags. www.kryton.com

MARKET OUTLOOK

HYCRETE’S PETER CONDY FEELS THAT DESPITE THE DOWNTRUN, CONCRETE QUALITY REMAINS HIGH.

crete is lighter than when it is made with more traditional cementing materials, thus resulting in increased light reﬂectivity and, in turn, a much cooler building.

CONCRETE CONTACTS

KTI PLERSCH KTI Plersch is a German refrigeration contractor, which was founded in 1923. It is specialises in concrete cooling equipment and has installed more than 1500 plants since 1986. KTI offers water chillers, ﬂake ice plants, mobile, ice storages and ice delivery systems from transporting concrete to the desired place. The company cools down fresh water from 45°C to less than 1°C, by using its ice bank system. The water is then turned to ﬂake ice, which is suitable for storing or delivering to the mixer. www.kti-plersch.com

HYCRETE Hycrete is a third generation run company whose roots go back over 37 years. Throughout this time, the company has been headquartered in New Jersey. The Hycrete technology was created on a foundation of extensive technical research and over 10 years of laboratory and ﬁeld testing. The company’s ofﬁces have been based in Dubai for just over a year and it has set up around 160 projects all over the world. Hycrete technology also protects the rebar of a structure. www.hycrete.com

MC BAUCHEMIE Founded in 1961, MC Bauchemie is a product manufacturer specialized in concrete, concrete admixtures, concrete cosmetics and waterprooﬁng systems. The company is established at 49 sites in 30 countries and offers a number of services to architects and builders, such as concrete curing and protection. www.mc-bauchemie.com

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/directory

§ § § § DIRECTORY

DIRECTORY TENDERS | PROJECTS | SUPPLIERS | CITY UPDATE

38 TENDERS 39 PROJECTS SPECIALIST SERVICES 40 Building materials 41 Construction chemicals/concrete 42 Education & training/ﬂooring 43 Recruitment/steel CITY UPDATE 44 Kuwait City, Kuwait

To advertise please call Shishir Desai +971 4 435 6375, or email shishir.desai@itp.com

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

TENDERS §

¦TENDERS FREE TENDERS AND SERVICES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO INCLUDE YOUR TENDERS IN THIS SECTION EMAIL TENDER DETAILS TO EDITOR@CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

Tender focus

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION The Ministry of Transport and Communication in Oman is investing heavily in infrastructure this year. In June, the government arm signed 17 new agreements worth US $220.3 million (OR84.8 million) for the development of new roads in the sultanate. The principal deal, valued at $59.6 million, is for the construction of a 20km-long road between Arjout and Sarfait in the Dhofar governorate, to be built by the Desert Line Projects Company, the Oman News Agency reported. Last month it was also announced that the ministry had awarded the construction contract for the ﬁrst phase of Batinah Coastal Road to Turkish construction company Makyol. Under the $325.5 million contract, Makyol will build 126km of the 241km-long road. The four-lane dual carriageway will run, for the

To include your tenders in this section email tender details to editor@ConstructionWeekOnline.com

BAHRAIN Issuer: Electricity and Water Authority Tender No: 270/2009/4130 Description: Replacement of air intake ﬁlter house in Riffa Station. Closes: October 14 Fees: BD15 Contact: Purchasing and Supply Directorate, Room 107, Ground Floor, Electricity and Water Authority, Diplomatic Area, Manama EGYPT Issuer: The Housing Directorate Description: Four tenders have been issued for the demolition and re-construction of 50 healthcare units. Closes: December 2 Fees: EP5000 Bond: EP500,000 Contact: The Old Building, 3 Magles El Shaab Street, Cairo OMAN Issuer: Oman Tourism Development Company Tender No: 281/2009 Description: Consultancy services for the development of Khasab Hotel in Oman. Closes: October 26 Fees: OR300 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om Issuer: Oman Ministy of Transport and Communication Tender No: 287/2009 Description: Construction of Teetam-Qafout Road in Oman. Closes: November 2 Fees: OR1500 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om QATAR Issuer: Public Works Authority Tender No: PWA/GTC/009/09-10 Description: The design and construction of trunk and internal sewers within Musaimeer. Closes: October 13 Fees: QAR6000 Contact: Contracts department, Public Works Authority

THE MINSITRY IS WORKING ON SEVERAL NEW ROADS IN OMAN.

most part, parallel to the coast of Oman, from Naseem Garden to Khatmat Malaha. 

Issuer: Qatar Petroleum Tender No: GT09111200 Description: The scope of work includes the engineering, procurement, installation and commission of wet utilities network to serve support service areas phase 1 and 2 and other ongoing developments in West End Extension of Ras Laffan Industrial City. Closes: October 25 Fees: QR500 Contact: Contracts department – engineering division, Qatar Petroleum, PO Box 3212, Dana Tower, 3rd ﬂoor, room 309, Doha Issuer: Public Works Authority Tender No: PWA/GTC/010/09-10 Description: Construction of trunk and internal sewers within Musaimeer – phase one. Closes: October 27 Fees: QAR6000 Contact: Contract department, Public Works Authority Issuer: Public Works Authority Tender No: PWA/GTC/009/09-10 Description: Construction of trunk and internal sewers within Ain Khalid Area – phase two. Closes: November 10 Fees: QAR8000 Contact: Contract department, Public Works Authority Fax: +974 465 0777

Fees: SR2000 Contact: www.dammam.gov.sa Issuer: Holy Makkah Municipality Tender No: 4/00/00/296/1/2/19 Description: The scope of work includes the construction of pedestrian facilities in several areas of Makkah. Closes: October 24 Fees: SAR5000 Contact: www.holymakkah.gov.sa Issuer: Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu Tender No: 655-C13 Description: Construction of sports centres at Al Ferdos and Jalmudah. The work includes site preparation, construction of new roads, sidewalks and utilities. Closes: October 25 Fees: SAR9000 Contact: Contracts section, directorate general of Royal Commission in Jubail, PO Box 10001, Jubail Industrial City Issuer: Ministry of Finance Tender No: 1193 Description: The scope of work includes the expansion of the Ministry of Finance in Qassim. Closes: November 3 Fees: SAR1000 Contact: www.mof.gov.sa UAE

SAUDI ARABIA Issuer: Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu Tender No: 325-S13 Description: Operation and maintenance of infrastructure including roads, storm drainage, material handling facilities in Jubail Industrial City. Closes: October 12 Fees: SAR12,500 Contact: Contract section, directorate general of Royal Commission in Jubail, PO Box 10001, Jubail Industrial City Issuer: Municipality of Eastern Province Tender No: 125 Description: Construction of yards and parks in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Closes: October 14

Issuer: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Tender No: CN/0263/2009 Description: Engineering consultancy services for Hassyan Power and Desalination Station and Hassyan site management. Closes: October 13 Fees: AED2000 Contact: www.dewa.gov.ae Issuer: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Tender No: CNW/0132/2009 Description: Construction of Al Ghafat reservoirs phase one and two in Dubai. Closes: October 21 Fees: AED2000 Contact: DEWA, PO Box 564 > For more tenders check online at www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/tenders

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009

¦PROJECTS

> For the latest projects information visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/projects

§ PROJECTS

A SAUDI ARABIA DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS TO LIST YOUR PROJECTS IN THIS COLUMN EMAIL DETAILS TO EDITOR@CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

Project focus

THE ONYX TOWERS The Onyx Towers is a free-hold development located in Dubai. The project will be built on a 22,000m² land plot with a total built-up area of 202,800m². It will consist of three buildings a 16-storey tower and a 25-storey tower with ofﬁce and retail space, and a 14-storey, four-star business hotel with 210 rooms. The three buildings will be linked via an interconnected podium area. In August, Ishraqah for Development awarded Arabtec awarded the main construction contract for the US $200 million (AED734.5 million) project. Keo International Consultants is the main consultant for the development. Construction is set to be completed by the third quarter of 2012.  PROJECT TITLE

WORK ON THE ONYX TOWERS WILL COMPLETED IN 2012.

CLIENT

CONSULTANT

MAIN CONTRACTOR

VALUE (US$MN)

STATUS

City of Lights - C10, C10A and C11

Tamouh Investments

Palm & Turner Architects

China State Construction & Engineering Corporation

101 - 250

project under construction

Royal City Seasons Hotel in Abu Dhabi

City Seasons Group

James Cubitt and Partners

Tae Young Contracting

101 - 250

project under construction

Ritaj mixed-use complex in DIP

Dubai Investments Real Estate Co.

Al Jabal Consultants

Robust Contracting

155

project under construction

NCC Harmony Towers at DuBiotech

NCC Urban

Islamic Architects

Al Mubarakia Contracting

408

project under construction

Al Falah Development in Abu Dhabi - 2000 Villas

Aldar Properties

Al Torath Engineering Consultants

El Seif Engineering & Contracting Company

251 - 500

project under construction

Synergy Tower in Shams on Reem Island

Sanaya Investment

Adnan Saffarini

Not Appointed

Union Co-Operative Hypermarket in Al Barsha

Union Co-operative

Archdome Consulting Engineers

Bu Haleeba Contracting

Cambridge Business Centre in Dubai Silicon Oasis

Memon Investments

Adnan Saffarini

Cairo Contracting

Arjaan Hotel Apartments in Adnec

Bin Hamoodah Properties

GA Architects & Engineers

Not Appointed

Iconic Restaurant in Al Raha Beach

ALDAR Properties

KEO International Consultants

Al Ahmadiah Contracting/Global Timber Homes

Frankfurt Sports Tower 1 in DSC

Memon Investments

Al Hatmy Design & Engg. Cons.

Not Appointed

The Villa in Dubailand - Phase 3

Dubai Properties

Shadeed Engineering

Al Shafar General Contracting

UAE

project under design

project under construction

31 - 100 4 92 31 - 100

award awaited for the construction contract project under construction award awaited for the construction contract project under construction

Lilies Tower in Emirates City

R Holdings

Adnan Saffarini

Abou Seif Building Contracting

project under construction

Champions Tower II in Dubai Sports City

Memon Investments

Adnan Saffarini

Al Sarh Contracting

project under construction

Champions Tower III in Dubai Sports City

Memon Investments

Adnan Saffarini

Al Sarh Contracting

project under construction

Mixed-Use Development on Marjan Island

Solanki Holdings & Investments

Kassian (Canada)

Not Appointed

Sami Business Tower in Business Bay

ACI Real Estate

Dimensions Engineering Consult.

Saquer Engineering & Contracting Enterprises

31 - 100

project under construction

Sandoval Townhouses & Residences in Jumeirah Village

Bavaria Gulf

Diar Consult

Al Sayegh Contracting

31 - 100

project under construction

Al Gurm Complex in West Abu Dhabi - Banyan Tree Hotel

ALDAR Properties

Dar Al Handasah

Not Appointed

2,450

101 - 250

project under design

award awaited for the construction contract

To list your projects in this section email details to editor@ConstructionWeekOnline.com

31 - 100

CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MADE EASY IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK’S DIRECTORY TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL +971 4 435 6375, OR EMAIL SHISHIR.DESAI@ITP.COM

Supplier focus

DORMA GULF DOOR CONTROLS MANUFACTURER OF DOOR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS AND PRODUCTS

Dorma has five product divisions including door control, automatic, moveable walls, glass, and security time and access. The door control department covers door closers, handles, hinges and locks, while the automatic division includes revolving doors, sliding doors and swing doors. The majority of Dorma’s glass systems are used for internal glass architecture and this covers doors, as well as walls. The company also produces exterior components for facades. The security department is split into two sections - software solutions, which are predominantly marketed in France and Germany - and components including access, security and safety control. Dorma has worked on projects such as King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh and the Dubai Metro. Currently, the company is supplying DORMA IS CURRENTLY SUPPLYING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS TO THE BURJ DUBAI. products from all of its divisions to the Burj Dubai. The company has three branches in Saudi Arabia, one The history of Dorma in the Middle East dates branch in Al Quoz, Dubai, one branch in Abu Dhabi and its back to the mid- to late-1970s. It first started head office is in Jebel Ali, Dubai. The company also has a selling into the region through the export office in sales presence in Kuwait and Qatar and plans to establish Germany and, in 1997, Dorma Gulf was established. branches in these countries in the near future. 

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SPECIALIST SERVICES §

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BUILDING MATERIALS

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

BUILDING MATERIALS

HARD LANDSCAPING SUPPLIER

CONCRETE

§ SPECIALIST SERVICES

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CONSTRUCTION/MANUFACTURERS

CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS

Full range of plaster, tiles and gypsum tools

DEWATERING

Engineering Works Foundation Infrastructure (L.L.C.) P.O. Box: 111245, Dubai - U.A.E. P.O. Box: 2752, Abu Dhabi - U.A.E. Tel: +971 4 340 9022 Fax: +971 4 340 8952 E-mail: brian@ewfi.ae

SPECIALIZED DEWATERING SERVICES: • Specialized in Deepwell, Wellpoint, Open pumping techniques • Professional Service OTAL (LLC) Dubai, U.A.E Phone: (+971-4) 267 9646 e-mail: otal@eim.ae website: www.otal.ae

• Round the clock backup • Effective Groundwater control OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

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CONSTRUCTION/MANUFACTURERS

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CONTRACTORS/MANUFACTURERS

EDUCATION & TRAINING

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FLOORING

HVAC & PLUMBING RELATED EQUIPMENT

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

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OCTOBER 10โ 16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

CITY UPDATE KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT

Cashing in with Kuwait WITH SUBSTANTIAL OIL REVENUES AND MASSIVE AMBITION, KUWAIT CITY MAY TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN YEARS TO COME By James Boley

uwait has always been something of forgotten market as contractors focus on the more highproﬁle projects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. However, with the ﬁfth largest oil reserves in the world, a dramatically changing infrastructure and a reform of the sponsorship system, Kuwait City is rapidly becoming a market that demands more interest.

Following Bahrain’s lead, in August Kuwaiti labour minister Mohammad Al Affassi laid out his intention to change the country’s sponsorship system, which is likely to have major implications on working practices in Kuwait City. “The ministry will put out several regulations to ensure the existence of speciﬁc and clear laws. Foreigners should not be abused and the ones who can prove after two or three years of their stay in Kuwait that they have an excellent record of good

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

KUWAIT CITY HAS CONSIDERABLE OIL RESERVES. (YASSER AL ZAYYAT/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

behaviour will be allowed to sponsor themselves,” said Al Affasi. Meanwhile, much like the rapidly growing industrial city of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, and Amman in Jordan, Kuwait City is seeing an increase in the number of infrastructure projects being deployed or coming to fruition. September saw Doosan Heavy Industries sign a deal to construct a desalination plant which will supply 30 million gallons of drinking water a day to the Kuwaiti capital. “We have furthered our reputation as a reliable builder of reverse osmosis desalination plants, in addition to multi-stage ﬂash plants, for which we enjoy our status as the world’s number one in terms of market share,” said Doosan senior vice president

“SSSSSSSSSSSS XXXXXXXXXXXX XX X XXXXXX X XX X X X X XX XX X X XXX construction already taking place on site and expected to be ﬁnished by Q2 2014. However, Kuwait City is a market where the potential is mostly likely to be realised in the long term. Kuwait’s largest project is Madinat Al Hareer – a $95 billion ‘City of Silk’ that will transform the entire face of the country, not just the capital. Designed by Eric Kuhne and Associates, the development is the single largest real estate development in the Middle East, and will include a nature reserve, homes for 700,000 people and the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Mubarak Al Kabir. The Kuwait government has in principle approved the project, although little has been heard since May this year. The sheer scale of the project means it’s unlikely to be very visible until around 2016, but also means that there are many contracts up for grabs. 

MADINAT AL HAREER (CITY OF SILK) REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTRACTS.

Yoon Sik Park. Kuwait is a particularly important market for Doosan, with projects also in Sabiya and Shuaibah. Meanwhile, the Kuwait metro is currently in the feasibility stage. A consortium led by Dashti, along with members of Spain’s Ingenieria & Consultoria de Transporte (Ineco), and the local Kuwait United Development group together carried out the feasibility

study. Parsons Brinckerhoff conducted a feasibly study of roadway design and the transportation networks in Kuwait. Invitation to bid for the main construction contract is expected to be in 2011. The metro is expected to be completed in 2016. In addition the Metro, Kuwait International Airport is undergoing a US $750 million (KD214.8 million) expansion, with

TOP PROJECTS Madinat Al Hareer – US $90 billion Kuwait Metro - US$7bn Al Hamra Tower - US $950 million Kuwait International Airport Expansion - US $750 million Gate of Kuwait - US $300 million

OCTOBER 10–16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

ConstructSAFE Permits to Work

That’s right, we must get a permit to work every time we are about to start a high risk task.

Yes. The Permit to Work system is there to keep us safe. The permit ensures that hazards are identiﬁed and all the necessary precautions are taken before starting a high risk job.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10–16, 2009

> For the ConstructSafe comic strip log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

Introducing the Construct Safe lead characters (from Left to Right)

experience. Poor health, safety & welfare knowledge

Raoul: Senior Supervisor with 30 years experience and good health, safety & welfare knowledge

Farik: Apprentice labourer new to the industry with no experience. Poor health, safety & welfare knowledge

Achmat: Construction labourer with little

Illustrations by Jincom Publishing

If you have a health & safety or environment issue that you would like to see addressed through this comic strip email your ideas or comments to editor@ ConstructionWeekOnline.com. Alternatively, log onto www. ConstructionWeekOnline.com to see the comic strip.

SPONSORED BY: Murray & Roberts Contractors

OCTOBER 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

DIALOGUE AHMAD SHAREEF Laying down the law Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipal Affairs is currently holding workshops set up to train industry professionals in preparation for new building codes, which will soon be released in the emirate. The department’s undersecretary Ahmad Shareef discusses what the programmes entail.

By Sarah Blackman

When exactly are the Abu Dhabi Building Codes due to be released?

The new Abu Dhabi Building Codes will be launched in early 2010. Specific dates and months will be announced at a later date. We are working closely with all municipalities to launch the new codes. Furthermore, the building registration departments at all municipalities are coordinating with consulting offices, engineering firms, developers and contractors to ensure smooth adoption and implementation of the codes. All projects including new construction and additions to existing structures will have to be in compliance with the new codes. What sectors and issues will the codes training workshops focus on?

They will focus on the guidelines set by the International Building Code and supporting codes such as the International Energy Code, International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code and the International Fire Code. We are covering topics on wind design provisions, concrete quality ﬁeld practices for inspectors, design, installation and inspection principles, structural provisions and ﬁre protection systems. How will the workshops be structured?

The workshops include face-to-face training by leading instructors from the International Code Council, United States. Training will also be available online and via webinars. We are using in-depth technical presentations, workbooks, code manuals and case studies to educate and inform the attendees about the new codes. Each workshop will last seven to eight hours and will run until November 10. Why was a decision made to hold the workshops?

It is essential for such training to be made available to the industry ahead of the launch of the new codes next year. Furthermore, these workshops are part

of our continuous professional development programme that will ensure uniform standards across the industry. Training both government and industry professionals via workshops will also ensure smooth transition and acceptance of the new codes. Launching the new building codes and the training workshops are in line with our aim to enhance the quality of living across the emirate of Abu Dhabi by adopting best practice tools to achieve DMA’s vision and the emirate’s 2030 vision at large. Who will attend?

The workshops are open to the public and private sectors and will focus on the various fields related to the construction industry. The sessions will be split for government and private sector professionals in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The private sector sessions can facilitate training for 100 people per session and the public sector sessions will facilitate training for 50 people per session. Specifically, government departments, consultants, fire service professionals, contractors, beginners to codes, intermediate users of codes and individuals who are seeking to excel in their careers are expected to attend the sessions. What do you hope participants will achieve?

Upon completion, participants will be better able to identify and describe the 26 specific occupancy groups established in the 2009 Ahmad Mohammed Shareef graduated International Building Code (IBC); identify the characteristics of the nine from the University of Arizona, USA, in civil engineering in 1980. He commenced his types of construction set forth in the career as a municipal planner with Al Ain IBC; determine the allowable height Town Planning Department. As the director and area of a building based upon of Al Ain Town Planning Department, he its occupancy classification, type of initiated the first master plan project for Al construction, and special features; Ain city and region in 1983. In 2004, he was and apply the special provisions promoted to undersecretary of the Al Ain applicable to mixed-occupancy and Municipality and three years later he became unlimited area buildings. After the the undersecretary of the Department of workshop on structural provisions, Municipal Affairs. In this role, he is responsible attendees should be able to discuss for regulating the entire municipal system, administrative requirements initiating the use of best practices across pertaining to structural provisions, all municipal bodies and establishing a explain structural load requirements, framework for all departments work in parallel describe foundation requirements for with each other. constructing buildings and explain the requirements of structural materials.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 10-16, 2009