Construction Week - Issue 331 by ITP Business Publishing

ANALYSIS HOW WILL DEMAND FOR COPPER CHANGE CONSTRUCTION COSTS? N E W S • A N A LY S I S • I N T E L L I GE N C E • PR OJECT S • CON T R ACT S • T EN D ER S

JUL 31– AUG 13, 2010 • ISSUE 331

CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

AN ITP BUSINESS PUBLICATION LICENSED BY DUBAI MEDIA CITY

Right click How software can speed construction and cut costs Page 40

Damac control Ziad El Chaar on contract awards and delivery Page 24

SOWWAH ISLAND

Abu Dhabi’s bi’s billion dollar financial district takes shape

Sustainable Roads.

Paving the Way for a Greener Future. now in the GCC

Martec,Bund Corporation Regional Office GCC: P.O.Box.8811,Dubai,UAE Tel: +971 4 2989412 Fax: +971 4 2989413 Web: www.mbc-gcc.com

COMMENT

CONTENTS JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010 • ISSUE 331

SOWWAH ISLAND CW takes a tour of Abu Dhabi’s growing financial heart with Mubadala architect Abdulla Al Shamsi

REGULARS

10 16 18 56

ONLINE EDITOR’S LETTER GUEST COLUMN FOREMAN

ANALYSIS

COPPER IN CONSTRUCTION CW looks at the metal’s sustainability beneﬁts beyond conduction.

FACE TO FACE

BUSINESS

TOP COAT Erik Aaberg of Jotun explains how the business of providing the ﬁnishing touch can be an essential one too.

INTELLIGENCE

24 4

ROTANA HOTEL TENDER STILL OPEN Contractors still have two weeks to submit bids for the Rotana hotel project in Abu Dhabi. FINANCE

TOUGH YEAR FOR CEMENT FIRMS Many cement manufacturers in the GCC have seen falls in their half-year net proﬁts. ROUND UP

QATAR INFRASTRUCTURE COULD LEAD SHORT-TERM GROWTH Qatar is on track to lead region’s infrastructure projects.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING Damac Properties’ Ziad El Chaar talks to CW about survival, credit markets and good contractors.

ON SITE

SOWWAH ISLAND An island in Abu Dhabi is being built to be the city’s ﬁnancial heart of the future.

TECHNOLOGY

PUSHING CONSTRUCTION’S BUTTONS? d Are we heading towards an automated future? The low down on the latest systems and techno-acronyms. JULY JULY JU JUL JU UL LY31-AUGUST 3 31-A 31-AUGUST 1-JULY 1 1-A -AU -A UGU UG GU G U 17-30, ST13, ST 6,, 2 6 20 201 2010 01 0 10 CONSTRUCTION CON C CO ON O NSTRUCT CT C TIIO ION ON WE W WEEK EE EK K1

The most important project, contract and tender information, updated every week

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2 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

INTELLIGENCE

The hotel, built for Rotana, is making swift construction progress with an average of one floor added every seven days.

The tender deadline for interior of the Rotana hotel Abu Dhabi still open

he timeframe to submit bids for the work on the interior of for the 24storey Rotana hotel in Capital Centre in Abu Dhabi is open for another two weeks after a three-week extension from 26th July, leaving the door open for relevant companies. The hotel, developed by Al Badie Group for Trading & Investments in the Capital Centre site, was 10 floors high at deadline. Work is continuing apace at the rate of one floor every seven days, according to the project management at Group 3 Engineers Contractors. It will contain 324 rooms with 18 rooms per floor, designed to the specifications of a Singaporean company on behalf of Rotana hotels. The project will also include offices from the third floor to the twenty-fourth. “The tender was supposed to close on 26th July but has been put back by three weeks 4 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

because a lot of contractors have been on vacation,” said a source familiar with the project. “Plus, it takes a while to be able to plan the delivery of all the specialist materials,” the source added. The hotel is a two-year project and will be completed next July. The Capital Centre will eventually contain several residential and commercial towers along with the hotel. It will also contain a new convention centre, despite the proximity of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the Gulf ’s largest centre of its kind, next to the site. ADNEC is the developer of the whole Capital Centre project. It is believed the utility connections for the buildings, to be provided by ADNEC, have yet to be fully installed. - By Ben Roberts

INTELLIGENCE For upto the minute tenders log in to constructionweekonline.com

SPX wins US $41m Saudi power deal

Tiger Steel to supply to Elite Residence

SPX Corporation’s Thermal Equipment and Services segment won a US $41 million contract to oversee the construction and commissioning of two air-cooled condenser dry cooling systems for the Riyadh PP11 power plant in Saudi Arabia, its largest contract in the country. The formal agreement was signed by SPX and Hyundai Heavy Industries Korea, which is spearheading the design, engineering, construction, installation, testing and commissioning for the project. Riyadh PP11, located 125 km from Riyadh, is being developed by GDF SuezFrance and Haljomaih Holding CompanySaudi Arabia, which will also own and operate the combined cycle power plant, along with Saudi Electricity CompanySaudi Arabia and Sojitz Corporation-Japan.

Developers of the Elite Residence project in Dubai contracted Tiger Steel to provide fabricated steel for the development. The supplier, which will be awarded the contract ofﬁcially by main contractor Arabian Construction Company later this week, has been chosen because of its proven track record and competitive edge. It will be one of three steel suppliers to the project, alongside Cicon, which is providing reinforced steel (rebar), and Freyssinet, which is currently supplying steel for the post-tensioning. The tower, which will be comprised of 91-storeys, is a AED91 billion project, will stand 380 metres high and will eventually house 1,500 residents.

Ras Al Khaimah has opened up to investment greatly in the last five years.

Arabtec inks deal for AED2.5bn La Hoya Bay project Arabtec Construction said it had signed a memorandum of understanding for a AED2.5 billion contract to build La Hoya Bay on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. The construction giant said the work on

the troubled luxury project would be completed in phases over the next 54 months. The company said it signed the agreement with developer Khoie Properties last Sunday.

The first phase of the project, valued at AED900 million, would start immediately as finance for the project is being finalised, the contractor added. Earlier this month, the developer behind the real estate project said construction work was expected to resume soon. In a statement Frank Khoie, the CEO of Khoie Properties, said he was determined to hand over the waterfront project by December next year and said fresh funding would be in place shortly. Work on the project was suspended following Khoie’s arrest and jail sentence in January 2009 for cheque fraud.

TOP TENDERS Construction of 10 Classrooms Mixed Basic Education School at Wadi Al Arabiyeen Country: Oman Closes: Aug 23, 2010 Category: Buildings Issuer: Ministry of Education Design and Construction of Service Roads at Tiwi Country: Oman Closes: Aug 23, 2010 Category: Infrastructure Issuer: Ministry of Transport and Communication The Ain Humran Houses Project in Salalah Country: Oman Closes: Aug 23, 2010 Category: Buildings Issuer: Ministry of Tourism Construction of Yanbu Power and Desalination Plant Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Sep 22, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation Rehabilitation of All Fire Fighting System at Shuqaiq Plant Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Aug 22, 2010 Category: Infrastructure Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation Construction of 380-kV Ras AlZour Substation Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Aug 21, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation Annual Maintenance of Track Roads in Al Dakhliyah Region Country: Oman Closes: Aug 2, 2010 Category: Infrastructure Issuer: Ministry of Transport and Communication Jaber Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Bridge (Al Subiya Connection) Country: Kuwait Closes: Aug 8, 2010 Category: Infrastructure Issuer: Central Tenders Committee Construction of 380-kV Ras AlZour Substation Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Aug 21, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 5

INTELLIGENCE For upto the minute tenders log in to constructionweekonline.com

TOP TENDERS

Zetas wins enabling work deal for DAMAC Tower Zetas Apex Foundation Technologies SAL has won the contract for the enabling work for DAMAC Properties’ first real estate project in Lebanon, it was revealed last month. The construction process – situated in the Solidere area of the capital, Beirut – is expected to take around nine months due to the uneven terrain and will involve piling and excavation to a depth of 24 metres. The project is being done in collaboration with Italian fashion house Versace. Ziad El Chaar, general manager of DAMAC Properties, said work on site will start within two weeks of the launch in late June. The value of the contract is as yet undisclosed. “This is a hugely exciting development for us – our first in Lebanon – and we are confident that it will become the most sought after address in downtown Solidere.” DAMAC is also growing in Egypt.

Housing complex, Phase 2 Buildings Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Jul 31, 2010 Category: Residential building Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation Housing Complex in Different Areas of Saudi Arabia - Phase 2 Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Jul 31, 2010 Category: Buildings Issuer: Saline Water Conversion Corporation Construction of New Ahmadi Hospital & Residential Building Country: Kuwait Closes: Jul 27, 2010 Category: Industry Issuer: Kuwait Oil Company Refurbishment of Several Pumping Stations - Phase 8 Country: Qatar Closes: Jul 27, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: Public Works Authority Construction of Royal Commission Public Housing Country: Saudi Arabia Closes: Jul 25, 2010 Category: Residential development Issuer: Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu

The design for the DAMAC Tower in Beirut.

Contract award growth of 8% predicted for 2011 A new report from Ventures Middle East, a research company, is predicting a growth of 8% in the value of contract awards to the GCC’s main contractors in 2011. This ﬁnding has been released as part of GCC Construction Industry – Facts & Figures July 2010. For 2010 Venture’s research is predicting a decline of 4% in the value of awards made across the GCC, compared to 2009 ﬁgures, however, there is an outside chance of growth. “Positive growth for 2010 is still achievable if there are no further delays

Supervision Consultancy Services for an IWPP in Salalah Country: Oman Closes: Jul 19, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: SAOC

[to] projects under ﬁnal design stage and tender stage and [they] progress to contractor ﬁnalisation before the end of the year, however chances are slim,” said the report. A comparison of projects on hold show that some 39% of the UAE’s total project value is currently on hold. The amount of projects on hold in Saudi Arabia is just 3%, demonstrating the construction industry’s resilience in the Kingdom. The UAE still has more than half of all GCC projects, according to a study.

Upgrading of Khuwair South Substation Country: Oman Closes: Jul 19, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: SAOC EPC for Upgrading Water Supply System at Kumzar Plant Country: Oman Closes: Jul 19, 2010 Category: Power & Water Issuer: SAOC

MATERIALS PRICE CHECK

$3.27

$748.67

$3.81

$32.67

$4.36

$72.15

$98

$721.45

$14.97

$580

$10.88

Alum. profiles

Beech wood

Cement

FF plywood

Glass

MDF

Ready mix

Red meranti

Scfldi planks

Steel

Steel props

Per tonne

Per piece

Per tonne

Per piece

Per kg

Per m

Per bag

6 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

Per sheet

Per m

Thermal insulation systems for the entire building envelope ECOLOGICAL: Lowest carbon footprint, LEED and ESTIDAMA credits, environmentally sound, 66% recycling glass SUSTAINABLE: Environment friendly with best cost-benefit ratio, never degrades in the long term (guaranteed) FIRESAFE: According ASTM 84/136, non combustible, no flame spread, no smoke development, European fire rate A1

N E W D O H A I N T ER NATI ONAL AI R POR T

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for ﬂat roof like roof garden, terraces, parking deck for shaped roof and domes with metal or ceramic cladding for facade with ventilated cladding in stone or metal for interior application for wall and sofﬁt

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5/31/10 8:52:12 PM

FINANCE BUSINESS

Cement firms find tough year Many cement manufacturers in the GCC have seen falls in their half-year and second-quarter net profits as revenues are squeezed between declining sales and higher production costs. Gulf Cement saw the biggest fall between January and June 2010, down 47%, with net profits for the second quarter compared to 2009 down 76%. Oman’s Raysut Cement Company saw half-year net profits fall by more than a fifth and sales slip more than a quarter compared to last year even as production levels increased. Second-quarter profits of Southern Province fell 13% with net gains falling to SR185 million from SR212 million in 2009, with Qassim Cement falling 8.3%, from SR148 million to SR135.8 million. Qatar National Cement Company saw an increase, up to QR256 million from QR253 million in 2009.

Uphill struggle: companies may have seen decent figures for gross profits, but costs have dragged on overall performance.

Cement sentiment An Abu Dhabi and a Saudi ﬁrm show the ups and downs of cement Share price in USD Qassim Cement Company

Share price in USD Gulf Cement Company 2.20

78.00 76.00 74.00 72.00 70.00 68.00

2.00 1.80 1.60

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Expert Views Emaar Properties PJSC Is the name and the completion record good enough for stock pickers?

Emaar Properties PJSC posted second quarter profits of AED802 million last week, below some analysts expectations but still a resurging figure against the previous quarter and the second quarter of 2009, where the latter saw a loss of AED1.28 billion. Half-year net profits for 2010 were also promising, at AED1.656 billion, another big leap on January to June in 2009. The developer attributes the return to profits to the high rate of project completions and ‘hand-overs’, including around 24% of units in the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower. Both before and after the bumper results, analysts from differ-

8 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

ent regions had been endorsing the company. Mureeza Hasan in JP Morgan Chase in Dubai recommended an ‘overweight’ position on the stock on 12th April, followed by a similar but more modest note to buy from Sana Kapadia at EFG Hermes. At Japanese bank Nomura iInternational in London, Chet Riley also pledged ‘overweight’ predicting a return of 45.31% and an outperformance of 38.33% on 5th July, as did the team at TAIB Securities. Last week, analysts at Securities & Investment Company in Manama reinforced the support with a ‘buy’ recommendation and an expected return of 16.49%.

THE VERDICT

BUY: This stock is a golden ticket to overall returns, say the experts. Buy where you can.

FINANCE

Money raising ventures:

TEN BIGGEST RISERS

Market shifts:

4.89

difference in number of 2010 IPOs in China against Europe

value (in billion of Qatari riyals) of the Barwa City project

31.4%

fall in IPO values this year on 2009 in the GCC

10.6%

percent drop in value of Qatar Exchange since mid-April

Saudi heads IPO market in the region

Barwa gets first $3.5bn of finance

Saudi Arabia leads the GCC for initial public offerings this, with the issuance King Abdullah Economic City accounting for almost a third of the total regional values. The Kingdom has seen seven of the eight IPOs – finance raising through the issue of company equity to investors – in the region, just higher than the seven for the region in total for the first half of 2009, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the professional services firm. KAEC, an investment vehicle for managing the funding of the 168 million metre2 economic city project – raised SR1.02 billion, the equivalent to 32.7% of the total capital raised in the GCC, although the total raised was less than last year at SR3.112 billion compared with SR4.533 billion, a fall of 31.4%.

Barwa Real Estate Company said it received US3.5 billion for one of its units as the first stage of the murahaba financing deal with Qatari Diar Finance, first covered by Construction Week in June. The Doha-based property developer said in a statement that the figure was split into two contracts: the first provides $1 billion and will mature in July 2015; the second $2.5 billion due to mature in July 2020. The deal includes the real estate projects of Barwa Financial District WLL and Barwa Commercial Avenue Company “providing capital and discharging liabilities previously incurred in connection with those projects”, according to Ghanim Al Saad, Barwa Real Estate Company chairman. Barwa stock has jumped from QR28.1 on 27th May to QR30 on 25th July.

Salbookh Trading: +33.23% United Projects Group: +14.19% Kuwait Portland: +11.34% Mushrif Trading: +9.75% Ras Al Khaimah Cement: +8.70% RAK Ceramics: +8.11% Kuwait Building: +7.62% Drake & Scull International: +6.78% Kuwait Company for Pro.: +6.37% Fujairah Building: +5.96%

TEN BIGGEST FALLERS Gulf Cement Co: -18.23% Specialities Gro.: -7.04% Raysut Cement Company: -6.46% Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co: -5.40% National Cement Company: -5.06% Mohammad Al Mojil: -4.32% Southern Province Cement Co: -4.08% Qassim Cement Company: -4.00% Yamamah Cement Co: -3.86% Saudi Vitrified: -3.52%

SECTOR INDICES: Banking: -7.88 Insurance: +4.92 Fin & Inv : +11.28 Real Est & Constr: +3.87 Transportation: +2.84 Utilities: +5.41 Materials 0.00 Consumer Staples 0.00 Telecoms 0.00

-0.91% +0.17% +0.63% +0.14% +0.60% +0.81% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

(Data accurate as of close 25 July 2010)

Update 10 latest Saudi project updates PROJECT TITLE

STATUS

VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$)

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMIC CITY (KEC) - GIS PACKAGE

Construction

14,000,000

REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED CONDUCTORS FOR 380- KV OHTL

Construction

1,000,000

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF FARASAN ISOLATED POWER PLANT

Construction

1,500,000

POWER FACTOR CORRECTION IN WESTERN SECTOR

Construction

49,000,000

KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT - INNOVIA MONORAIL SYSTEM

Construction

241,000,000

CONSTRUCTION OF KING ABDULLAH CENTRE

Construction

47,000,000

REFURBISHMENT OF PRINCE TURKEI BIN ABDULAZIZ FIRST ROAD

Construction

17,000,000

AL HAIER PARK IN RIYADH

Construction

3,000,000

CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD TUNNEL IN MADINAH

Construction

10,000,000

BURJ RAFAL

Tender

800,000,000

JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 9

ONLINE Awad Awad/AFP/Getty Images

For breaking news, analysis, interviews, tenders and projects, log on to constructionweekonline.com

MOST POPULAR

1 2 3 4 5

Sharjah blackout: worker dies as power cut endures Huge Khalifa port project names financial advisor Huge demand for labour in Abu Dhabi Top Interior Designs: Hotels GCC construction projects worth $1,368b underway

IN PICTURES

The high cost of construction is seen to be holding back the Jordanian real estate market.

Jordan records first quarterly growth in two years Jordan’s real estate market has recorded the first quarterly growth since the downturn in the economy, according to a new report from property management company Asteco. The Jordan Report Q2 2010 found that sales prices in the country have increased between 1% and 3%, with rentals jumping up to 4%. Small and medium-sized properties were particularly popular with tenants seeking affordable prices. Improved home financing and developers securing bank finance is believed to be responsible for the boost. “We have witnessed a marginal increase in transactional activity with sales of individual apartments improving. There has been strong demand for larger four bedroom units of around 400 m2-plus,” said Hussein Safadi, Asteco general manager in Jordan. “Despite this improvement, overall demand continues to be weak as potential investors are taking a cautious approach, however, prices have seen marginal increases. The cost of construction continues to remain high and subsequently the real estate market has yet to see any strong price movements.”

SPOT POLL How will your business fare during the second half of 2010?

39%

38%

13%

10%

Ok. We’re still waiting on a few key tenders.

Terrible. It’s the worst year we’ve ever had.

Wonderful. We couldn’t be busier.

Great, but there are a few gaps in the schedule.

10 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

Elite Residence tower, Dubai CW visits the site of the 380m landmark tower in Dubai’s Marina district

LATEST FEATURES

Analysis Ben Roberts takes a closer look at the post-tensioning industry and the innovations being developed. Interview Daniel Canty talks to Adnan Al Mubarak about Black Cat Engineering’s Abu Dhabi aspirations. Feature Elizabeth Broomhall details the progress being made on healthcare projects throughout the region.

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ROUND UP

PROJECTS

Qatar infrastructure could lead short-term growth Qatar is on course to lead the region in terms of infrastructure projects in the short term despite a near-22% slump in its construction sector last year, a new report has said. Business Monitor International said in its Q3 Infrastructure Report that it remained optimistic that Qatar would outperform other countries in the region to 2014. Despite new data which revealed a big drop in its construction industry in 2009 after three years of rapid growth, BMI analysts said Qatar was still one of its top markets in the Middle East. The Gulf state’s construction sector value fell to just above $7 billion in 2009, a real contraction of 21.8%, the report said. “Despite these ﬁgures, BMI is still optimistic that Qatar will outperform other countries in the region – in the short term, the low base effects from 2009 will drive high growth in 2010 (forecast at 17% year-on-year).

“Over the next five years, growth is expected to average 9.9% between 2010 and 2014.” BMI said its optimism was backed by government investment plans in which 36.9% of the 2010/2011 fiscal budget ($11.9 billion) has been allocated for major capital projects, with infrastructure set to account for the majority of this ($9.7 billion). “The country’s comfortable fiscal position will enable it to continue to allocate large sums to the infrastructure sector,” the report added. BMI added that large infrastructure projects include the $9 billion New Doha International Airport and the $7 billion New Doha Port project. It also said the positive attitude of construction industry players to the Qatar market was further reason for optimism. Government support for infrastructure projects is probably the biggest driver of growth in the sector, BMI said. — Andy Sambidge

Infrastructure will come first for Qatar.

In Quotes “You can’t build a nongreen building in this kind of environment. It’s not a matter of whether you want to or not. If you don’t, you are stupid.” JOSEF KLEINDIENST, about building on The World.

12 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

“You can’t call Elite a traditional building. I think what the architect was trying to do was give it a ‘Dubai flavour’.” JOHN ZWETS, chief development ofﬁcer, about Dubai’s Elite Residence project.

“All of us are looking at how to make buildings more sustainable; I think this is very important to develop and recognise.” HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of RAS AL KHAIMAH.

ROUND UP

Around the GCC 3 1 2

1. BAHRAIN

Bahrain fast-tracks $43 million amphitheatre contract Cypriot construction ﬁrm Cybroc, the company behind the Riffa Views residential golf development in Manama, is to build Bahrain’s new BD16.2 million (US $43 million) state-of-the-art national amphitheatre. The company inked a deal with the Works Ministry in Manama that will see the 1000-seat venue, with various multi-purpose halls, built by July 2012. The venue will be located north of the Bahrain National museum lake and will cover a total area of just under 12,000m2.

ADNAN ALMUBARAK, Black Cat Engineering’s general manager, on business potential in the UAE capital.

4. QATAR

Night shifts for Qatari workers Record high temperatures in Qatar have forced some construction companies in Doha to introduce night shifts to combat the heat. Local reports say that the exceptionally high temperatures were too unbearable during the day, so companies shifted to working at night.

2. KSA

3. KUWAIT

5. RAS AL KHAIMAH

A South Korean consortium has won a US$1billion deal to lay fibre-optic cables in Saudi Arabia. Korean Middle East Engineering, a JV of four South Korean businesses in Saudi Arabia, was named main contractor by Saudi Arabia’s Integrated Telecom Company, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency said. The project will establish a national network in KSA and also connect the country with Sudan, Yemen, Oman and the UAE.

Kuwait’s ambitious $104 billion development plans received a shot in the arm when the government signed contracts for ‘several vital projects’. Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, said the government had signed deals for more than two billion Kuwaiti dinar’s ($6.9 billion) worth of projects as part of the nation’s major focus on education, healthcare and housing.

Bab Al Bahr, the key residential project in construction on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, will be completed “this year for sure”, according the CEO of the state-backed developer. Dr Khater Massaad, head of Rakeen as well of the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), announced the prospective plans for the emirate’s only manmade island. He added, however, that other projects on the AED6.6 billion island will see a delivery of next year, with some designs awaiting approval.

South Korean JV wins cable deal

“Abu Dhabi is, of course, the hub and the greatest potential business area for us in the UAE.”

Kuwait signs $6.9bn deals

Bab Al Bahr to be finished ‘this year’

JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 13

ROUND UP

GCC projects worth $1,368 bn underway

Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images

The UAE still accounts for more than half of all GCC construction projects despite the industry grinding to a halt amid the global economic downturn, a new report has said. The study published by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said $714.9 billion of construction and infrastructure schemes were still active in the UAE. The figures, which are based on data from various government agencies, said the total GCC development pipeline totalled $1,368 billion. Saudi Arabia has $283.8 billion of projects active, according to the data, while Kuwait is the third biggest market in the GCC with $184.8 billion of projects. Qatar ($92.6 billion), Oman ($48.3 billion) and Bahrain ($44.1 billion) completed the GCC active projects list, the study has indicated. An analysis of all of the largest construction and infrastructure projects by value in the GCC shows that five of the region’s 10 biggest schemes, either planned or underway, are in Abu Dhabi.

PICTURE PERFECT

A CHINESE WORKER WALKS near the solar modules of a newly installed 100MW photovoltaic on-grid power project in Dunhuang of China’s northwest Gansu Province. The government is tendering for bids to develop 13 solar projects with a combined capacity of 280MW in the western regions. The Chinese government has set a target to install 20GW of solar energy capacity and 100GW of wind power by 2020. It has overtaken the US as world’s largest energy user, however, on a per capita basis, the US still consumes five times that of China.

INDUSTRY

Engineering plant opens in Dubai A new heavy manufacturing plant has hauled open the shutters in Dubai. Designed to make pipes, supply lines and other parts of industrial infrastructure, the new facility is the latest venture from the Kanoo Group, a ﬁrm originally based in Bahrain,

but now with interests in all of the GCC countries. The operation will be known as Kanoo Engineering LLC, and will be run as an all-new company within the group. LEGAL

Jubail building permits online The Royal Commission in Jubail has launched a service

where residents can apply for building permits online. Previously, householders or small contractors would have to stand in line and ﬁll out a multitude of forms. Now, the commission suggests that the entire process can be completed in less than an hour. Permits for building renovation aren’t expected to cost more than 50 riyals.

In Numbers

Ranking architectural ﬁrm BDP attained in UK newspaper the Sunday Times top 100 ﬁrms list.

830

14 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 30-AUGUST 13, 2010

Millions of US dollars raised in IPOs throughout the GCC in 2009. Of the eight IPOs, Saudi issued seven.

1400

Amount in US dollars that a new toilet powered generator could save building owners annually.

COMMENT

STUART MATTHEWS

Law of averages Our salary survey runs until the end of September, but a sneak peak shows some new trends emerging

’ve been having a look at the interim results of our salary survey. They’re just the answers we’ve had so far – the survey is running until the end of September – but my privileged position allows me an early look at how things are shaping up and sheds light on some niggling issues. So far 923 people have taken the survey, which means we should easily beat last year’s sample group of 1221. The survey is pitched at construction professionals and the idea is to build a picture of how much you and your peers get paid. The results may provide ammunition for a pay rise argument with your boss, or tell you to keep your head down and hope they don’t notice you’re being over paid. Either way, while money is at the heart of the survey’s purpose, there are a few other interesting questions where trends can already be observed. Firstly, for the most part, you all work too hard. So far, more than half of you work in excess of 55 hours per week. Anyone working less than 50 hours is in a tiny minority, which is itself dominated by those clearly engaged in part-time work. The hours worked is probably the one factor that transcends all other inﬂuences, whether occupation, seniority, country of origin or age. Everyone in the regional construction industry works a very long week. Secondly, in a new question for this year’s survey, indications are that around 20% of you 16 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

have received your pay late at sometime in the last 12 months. For many, it’s just been an occasional seven day delay, but there are still quite a few that have had to wait in excess of 30 days for their regular salary payment. Despite these obvious financial difficulties, there is a hard core of optimists among you. A surprisingly large number, something nearing 40%, believe you will get a pay rise within the next 12 months. While I wish you all the best of luck, the idea that 40% of the construction industry will be getting a pay rise in the next year seems unbelievable. On the flip side, there was one group with a less rosy view. Architects aren’t the most numerous profession in the survey, but they do feel the most hard done by: 80% of those who have taken part so far think their pay is below average. The law of averages says this can’t be right. A more balanced outlook is held by engineers, the biggest single group of respondents. While they come in many specialised varieties, collectively they dominate the ranks of career construction professionals. What engineers get paid and what they think of their current circumstances will have a significant influence on how the final results shape up. To make sure your voice is heard too, take the survey at constructionweekonline.com. Full results will be published at the end of October, when you’ll see if the law of averages applies to you.

Not everyone is satisfied with their salary, how about you?

Early indications are that around 20% of you have received your pay late at sometime in the last 12 months.

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Voluntary disclosures of firms’ performance data may tend to err on the side of self interest and critical examination and adjustment is required before such data can be used with confidence by those seeking to understand if a particular supplier may be used or not.

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The responsibility for compliance with legal requirements and standards rests absolutely with the approved firm. CARES assessments and on-going audits provide assurance that these requirements continue to be met.

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Product traceability to production source and manufacturing process

Requirements for sustainable products are increasingly being adopted by construction industry clients who now have a duty to know what has been done in their name. To achieve CARES sustainability certification, a reinforcing steel manufacturer’s or processor’s product as well as his quality and environmental management system must be assessed and approved by CARES. This includes assessment to the relevant product standard and to environmental issues such as global warming emissions and raw material use.

For further information about CARES and an up-to-date list of manufacturers and suppliers holding CARES certiﬁcation please consult the CARES website: www.ukcares.com

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COMMENT

GREG WHITAKER

Sharjah’s summer surprises PMV Editor Greg Whitaker believes gas is the way to prevent blackouts across the emirate

ell, it seems I’ve spent the last couple of weeks writing so much about the emirate down the road that I have been dubbed the resident ‘Sharjah expert’. This isn’t true – I’ve never lived there, and I can still guarantee getting lost and stuck in endless trafﬁc within ten minutes of crossing the border. However, there has been no shortage of things to write about in that beleaguered place just recently. A string of ﬁres, really big ones, followed by a number of horrendous industrial accidents, plus hauls of a few of the fake goods coming into the area make good copy. And this is before we get onto the subject of the annual power cuts and the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ attitude of the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA). In fact these problems, coupled with pettifogging rules for daily life – which stand in contrast with the anarchic roads – which almost seem to get worse as the temperature rises, compelled one wag to brand these sadly all-too predictable calamities as ‘Sharjah’s summer surprises’. Others are less amused, with more than one suggesting that there will be widespread migration to other emirates, if the current situation continues. Falling rents in neighbouring Dubai have already prompted some to make the move. Businesses too will be concerned by long power-related shut downs.

18 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

Let’s take a step back. What if the power generation gap could have been resolved with better conservation? Admittedly, this event happens every year, and the handling of the event by SEWA is at best dismal (the vitriol it produces from our readers is proof of SEWA’s popularity). However, you don’t have to go very far to discover the amount of places gobbling juice by running open-front ridges and freezers, as well as various types of external air conditioners, which ought to be in one of the emirate’s many museums. The issues with freezers and the like could be easily dealt with – the authorities could simply issue those clear plastic strips to shops and mandate the sale of only super efﬁcient types in future. Similarly, it would be quite straightforward to replace lightbulbs, simply by banning the sale of oldfashioned ones and introducing those funny shaped modern types. An organisation called Bee’ah has already had some success in this regard. However, it is the air-conditioning which is the construction issue here. Using external AC units wastes a load of energy, particularly when the temperature rises. This type of unit never seems to work properly, either. When compared with, say, a modern district cooling plant the amount of power needed to chill each cubic meter is enormous, and with the heat as stiﬂing as it is, there seems no point in ever

switching such a unit off. Until, of course, it is too late. Now, anybody reading who is involved in building services will know that you can’t just construct district cooling plants and connect them to an existing network of buildings, at the drop of a hat. It would take months of planning, research and oodles of consultants to network the industrial sprawl that makes up most of the city. The amount of cash it would take would be phenomenal, and there would be many chances for it to go astray. So are there any other options? Well, luckily yes. Sharjah has an abundance of natural gas, which can also be used to power AC units – something the powers that be are experimenting with at the moment. It would be quite expensive to connect every building to the supply – but a fraction of the cost of losing power. It would also, surely, give specialists in the construction industry an opportunity to take part in the modernisation and improvement of the emirate. Of course, all this is to dodge the real issue of metered supplies. Apparently, a high number of households and businesses don’t have the supply monitored at all, so there is no incentive to ever switch anything off. Until this is resolved, you should expect to be sitting in the dark for a little while yet. Greg Whitaker is editor of PMV Middle East.

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ONLINE COMMENT and win they must show their own mind growth, instead of just simply showing that they want to compete on price. NAME WITHHELD

RE: Sharjah blackout: worker dies as power cut endures I think it is complete failure of planning of SEWA for the power supply in Sharjah. Construction was and is going on so they should plan their power consumption needs until 2030. HUSEINI ZAINUDDIN

This apartment building in Sharjah was engulfed in flames after a fire started on one of the lower levels.

RE: Lack of maintenance blamed for blazes The issue is not the quantity of fire safety measures installed in a building, the issue is the quality of installation and maintenance. Installation standards in the GCC are poor and maintenance is virtually negligent. The correct legal systems placing the onus on contractors to install properly and building owners to maintain properly do not currently exist. This is the reason why fires in the GCC are so severe compared to elsewhere. The fire protection in place will be ineffective if it is not installed and maintained properly. Placing double the amount of fire protection merely results in double the amount of maintenance, which is not being done properly and only provides a false sense of effectiveness. CHRISTIAN NIELSEN RE: Shortage of quality contractors in MEP sector What is said is true. However one should note that due to the recession in the market and the downward trend in the contracting industry, contractors are slashing prices beyond what is applicable to MEP operators in this market. The competition is increased and the client is more focused on employing a contractor based on cost, rather

than credibility. One should note that quality comes with a price. No client observes this issue while awarding the job: the client is not concerned about the operating cost of his asset, he is only focussed on initial investment, not realising that employing a cheaper contractor could result in a heavy operating cost that will cost him much more in the long run. NAME WITHHELD

20 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31 AUGUST 6, 2010

RE: GCC construction projects worth $1,368 billion underway The market is being driven by projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The only hope here is that the infrastructure project ideas will be preferred to be “green”. Construction developers in the UAE are not expected to be challenged on green changes. To be in this increasingly competitive environment

SEWA is taking service charges every month in addition to high unit charges, compared to other emirates. The difﬁculties of the power outage are horrible for daily life and for the economy. This needs to be urgently addressed. SHAJAHAN The people responsible for this should be given severe punishment. The worker’s death is due to apathy, carelessness and negligence. NAME WITHHELD

RE: KAUST boasts Saudi’s largest solar installation Implementing large-scale solar driven technologies are high risk due to the amount of atmospheric dust and harsh sunlight. I hope KAUST has found an energy free, cost free solution to keeping all the solar cells cool and devoid of dust, to run their envisaged roof panels and solarpowered wind turbines for all the years to come. ROMI To submit a letter, write to editor@ constructionweekonline.com or by post: Construction Week, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE. Letters relate to stories posted on www. ConstructionWeekOnline.com, not just those in the print magazine. Please provide your full name and address. Letters may be edited for space and style. Submission constitutes permission to use. You can also log in to www. ConstructionWeekOnline.com to join the conversation.

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ANALYSIS ON A ROLL: Use of copper can add to the energy saving credentials of a building, advocates say.

Copper in construction The metal has sustainability beneﬁts beyond conduction, and its manufacturers and industry body are changing the markets in the GCC. Ben Roberts reports

OPPER IS A FAMILIAR MATERIAL to those in working in the

electromechanical side of construction due to its prevalence in electrical wiring. It is also widely used in heating systems given its great ability to conduct heat and electricity and its resistance to corrosion. Demand for the metal may increase greatly over the next few years in the GCC given its use in high voltage power transmission and a flurry of recent project announcements in that sector. In June, for example, Saudi Electricity, the state-owned power giant, revealed that it had sealed a deal with GDF Suez and two other firms to build a 1,730-megawatt power plant – a SR7.9 billion project. The spate of rail projects, in particular the first stage of the Union Railway in Abu Dhabi, and the prospective metro systems of Riyadh and Makkah, will all demand high quantities of copper-based cables. Saudi Cable Company has been one such beneficiary. Salim Rashid, marketing manager, explains the company recently won its first contract for 380 kV cables in Jeddah from Saudi Electricity Company,

22 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

for SR100 million. “There are only a few who have this capacity to produce cables of such high voltage,” he says. He also cites the 1,500 km it is supplying to the latest phase of the redevelopment of Doha – the biggest cable contract in the region. SCC produces copper itself through its operating division SCC Materials. Rashid explains that the company stopped exporting the 70,000 tonnes of copper rod it produces in order to fuel its own big orders. Nevertheless, he describes the Saudi market as ‘on an even keel’ over the last few months. Producing its own copper, with the rest procured from Turkmenistan, has been beneﬁcial to being able to deliver for big projects, he says. “A lot of customers don’t trust manufacturers who don’t produce their own copper,” he added. “This is more to do with availability.” Ducab, the Dubai-based cable giant, has also seen signiﬁcant recent success from making its own copper. In the last decade the company has brought online a copper plant with a capacity of 118,000 tonnes. Though around 85% of the resulting copper was originally intended for the company’s

Copper’s uses Beyond cables and air conditioning, copper tube is ubiquitous in heating systems, making up 60-65% of the metal’s use in construction, according to Francis Kane at the International Copper Association. Contractors use the metal for its light weight, its ﬂexibility and the ease in which it can be joined. Innovations include copper coil solar heating systems and the copper DX geothermal heat pump.

ANALYSIS For upto the minute analysis log in to constructionweekonline.com

Around 600,000 tonnes of copper are used in the Middle East every year, according to the International Copper Association (ICA), the global body for the commodity, with the building sector the biggest consumer. Advocates of the metal say a wider application of copper can save energy and reduce carbon emissions to complement the drive towards sustainability. Sixty-five percent of this is new or ‘refined’ with the remaining 35% deriving from scrap. Most copper is imported from other parts of the world apart from some production in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, though the metal has also one of the highest rates of recycling – partially offsetting the carbon footprint accrued by transportation. Francis Kane, chief executive of the ICA, told CW that the metal faces stiff competition from others despite its environmentally-friendly attributes. Plastic competes with copper tubes in plumbing, he explained, and with aluminium in electrical appliances. “It also competes with stainless steel for construction hardware and elements of architecture, and with zinc for certain elements of roofing.” However, he is adamant that, with the superior recycle-rate, copper is also superior to aluminium for interior heating or cooling.

Up and down year own cable production, with the rest to be sold, Ashish Chaturvedy, marketing manager, says those percentages have changed based on the market demand for their metal. “It has been a pleasant surprise that we got a very good response from the market,” he told CW. “After satisfying our own needs for our cables, we are selling [the copper] to other cable manufacturers. So Ducab copper is used in buildings that have been worked on by a different cable company,” he added.

The London Metals Exchange, the touchstone for price for many international traders, has witnessed a great fluctuation in copper delivery prices so far this year. Cash-buyer prices for Grade A copper touched nearly $8,000 around the beginning of April to fall to $6,665 in Shanghai on 14th July.

8000

7000

6000

05/01

06/03

05/05 2010

04/07

FACE TO FACE

TIMING IS EVERYTHING Damac Properties started operating in new markets and stopped launching new products before many rivals – both of which have produced results. Here, Ziad El Chaar discusses survival, credit markets and good contractors. By Ben Roberts

DOWNTURN CAN CHANGE the priority of a whole market. The rise and rise in the building sector for many years of the last decade in Dubai saw projects launch nearly every week; new deals were struck, designs were drawn up and tomorrow became the new today. A sharp market correction shortened that future-gazing. As credit markets applied a freeze to the construction supply chain, the priority became not dreams on a drawing board but the gritty reality of ﬁnishing projects and securing income. Damac Properties, perhaps in equal parts lucky and far-sighted, put a halt to their new projects earlier than the depth of the downturn, in 2008. Since then, says Ziad El Chaar, general manager, the focus has been on construction and delivery. “In the last nine months we’ve awarded 20 projects which have a value of US$3.6 billion,” he says in the company’s temporary sales ofﬁce in Media City, a plush marquee containing models of their towers in standalone glass cabinets. “This translates from the projects launched in 2007 and 2008 to 24 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31 -AUGUST 13, 2010

now focus on the building and delivery of those projects. It was at that time when we thought: here is the right time to stop – now is the time to complete what we launched. 2007 and 2008 were very strong for us and the market, but market dynamics change.” Some of its most eye-catching work is in its home emirate. Dubai Marina (Ocean Heights, Marina Terrace, The Waves), Palm Islands (Palm Springs, Palm Terrace), Jumeirah Lake Towers (Lake View, Lake Terrace), and projects in the International Media Production Zone [IMPZ] (The Crescent, Lago Vista), the monolithic Dubai International Financial Centre (Park Towers) and the Discover Gardens (Terra Del Sol 1 & 2), represent a roll-call of the city’s big projects as the group aims to fulﬁll the residential demand. Though the developer is synonymous for some with Dubai, it operates in 20 countries. Part of DAMAC Group, the real estate arm of that business had plans to expand into new markets since its inception, and early ventures into Lebanon and Egypt, among others, are now also coming to fruition in the form of contract awards. For El Chaar, these markets represent a combination of domestic demand and ex-

isting development plans coupled with the creativity of an incumbent company. At the centre of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, for example, is Solidere, the company developing and reconstructing the capital district. Last month Damac awarded the enabling work contract to Zetas Apex Foundation Technologies SAL for Damac Tower, its ﬁrst project in Solidere’s area, which will see the ﬁrm work with Versace, the Italian design house. Changes in the social dynamic of Lebanon was one cause of the design and build the project, says El Chaar. “Lebanon now has about 15 million working abroad, many of them will want an apartment back in their home capital, which has only about 4 million people. So there are more people living abroad who want a base in the city than there are city residents – that’s where the demand is coming from.” El Chaar is one such Lebanese expatriate, and he points out that the market in the country had grown between 2006 and 2010, where other countries had suffered a standstill, such as Egypt in 2009. Returning to the company’s home market, El Chaar echoes what must be familiar

FACE TO FACE CE

JULY

Enabling contract for DAMAC Tower in Beirut (Zetas Apex). First launched 27th June. Main contract for Al Jawharah Tower in Jeddah (Drake & Scull International)

JUNE

Main contract for Oceanscape Development, Abu Dhabi (Al Shafar General Contracting) Main contract for Marina Bay at Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi (Al Shafar General Contracting)

MAY

Main contract for DAMAC Heights in Dubai Marina (Arabtec)

Leaflet.ai

7/22/10

11:27:48 AM

FACE TO FACE

to all developers handing out contracts in the last year: there are so many contractors to choose from. This is surely better than the reverse if you are a developer, but El Chaar says the scrutiny of contractors still needs to be as vigilant as ever. “Besides a longterm relationship you‘ve got to know if the company can meet the requirements of the projects – [you have to ask:] do they have the experience and skills and ﬁnancial ability?” He adds that though Damac will often have a shortlist in mind, it is open to all tenders. The GCC in the last year has also been the battleground between developers and investors, as unﬁnished projects clash with delivery promises made to off-plan buyers. El Chaar points to the company’s recent record of project ’hand-overs’ in the last year as solid support of the company’s decision to stick with the same off-plan selling model. “By the end of this year we would have delivered around 4,000 units, so we have that track record of delivery, even though it’s hard to please everybody.” The current payment structure started in 2003, and entails an initial payment of between 25-30% of the item’s value followed by 5% installments for each equivalent completion stages of the project. “I think this gives a big boost to credibility all round, that investors can see what they are paying for and that work is being done. ” Demand for luxury is still solid, he insists, adding that investors from

neighbouring countries are still drawn for three key elements: ﬁrstly, its position; secondly, its infrastructure; and thirdly, the solid service. “Today these things are still important, and at the same time the apartments are more affordable. I don’t see any great competition [from other destinations compared to Dubai] as a place to move to. Damac Properties is still building the projects, and although there has been money lost from the apartments coming down in value, the cost of building them has also come down too. You can therefore work by a back-to-basics approach: selecting contractors who have been through the ups and downs, knowing how to come through something like this. “We all come through tougher and we’re adapting to a new reality.” This new reality includes a changed outlook for the project creditors. The ﬁnancial world is reluctant

BIOGRAPHY Ziad El Chaar graduated from the American University of Beirut with a Masters of Business Administration. His career started at Fattal Holding where he held positions in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq all under business development. He joined Damac Properties in 2005 with a remit of developing the sales model in the GCC, CIS and Africa, launching developments in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

El Chaar endorses a back-tobasics approach in selecting contractors.

Change in socio-economic development has made Beirut a target for the company to develop its luxury towers.

to engage with the construction industry now, El Chaar concedes, primarily due to the long-term nature of projects and the relative lack of liquidity. One of the big adjustments is to develop a sustainable cost model. This includes, he adds, adjusting valuations of projects to those of 2010 compared with the lofty prices of three years before. Banks will be scrutinizing these projects to get what is typically called ‘mark-to-market’. “Everyone knows there are business lifecycles, and definitely real estate is tied to the credit market.” Transparency for creditors received a boost in June with the launch of the Tayseer scheme, a partnership comprised of the government, the Dubai Land Department, banks and developers and investors that seeks to help the completion of projects and help buyers who have encountered their own liquidity issues. Support will be based on certain conditions, including that the developer must have paid fully for the land, must be able to prove good collection from investors as well as having completed and sold a minimum of 60% of the project. Of the 40 projects shortlisted in the first phase, three are Damac developments, El Chaar reveals, though declines to name them. To secure funding, the project must disclose all financial details, including instances of investor default, to the Dubai Land Department and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. These two bodies will effectively

“By the end of this year we would have delivered around 4,000 units, so we have that track record of delivery, even though it’s hard to please everybody.” act as mediators with the banks, “bridging the information gap” and increasing clarity to aid further investment. “The real estate markets will not advance without the banks,” says El Chaar. “Tayseer is effectively helping liquidity among customers, helping to finance the developer and for investors who can’t complete their payments.” Most of the company’s money is from “self-financing”, a mixture of stakeholder equity along with the profits from previously completed projects. Today, the company looks forward to completing 7,000 units in total by the first quarter of 2011. “Six years ago the main task was to take the company international. We opened offices in Kuwait Qatar, Egypt and others, and the diversification paid off.”

ON SITE

Sowwah Island An island in Abu Dhabi is being built to be the city’s ﬁnancial heart of the future By Orland Crowcroft and Stuart Matthews

BU DHABI IS IN THE PROCESS OF building itself a brand new central business district. The district is billed as an integral part of the Urban Planning Council’s vision for the city in 2030 and as been located on Sowwah Island. Connected to the city’s existing urban grid by a growing array of bridges, the concept is to create a pedestrian-friendly business zone, blending residential and commercial properties into a business-focused development.

30 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

ON SITE

Officially it is classified as an investment zone, enabling UAE and GCC nationals to make freehold purchases, while international investors can get long-term musataha rights and usufruct rights over the land on the island. Developers Mubadala Real Estate & Hospitality (MREH) is predicting a future working population of 75,000 and roughly 30,000 residents, but right now the island’s population is comprised of the thousands of construction workers who are tackling a combination of the infrastructure and some of the early building projects. The most advanced of these initial building efforts is the island’s flagship development, Sowwah Square. This has rocketed up since

The most advanced of these initial building efforts is the island’s flagship development, Sowwah Square. This has rocketed up since work by Oger Abu Dhabi started last year.

work by Oger Abu Dhabi, the local arm of construction giant Saudi Oger, started last year. Three of the four commercial ofﬁce towers have reached their ﬁnal heights, and large portions of the façade are now installed. Ranging between 30 and 37 storeys high the four towers, which will provide 180 000 m2 of commercial space, are focused around the emerging new headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. There the steel installation is complete and the distinctive shape of the building has become clear. Meanwhile, construction work on the 260 000m2 Cleveland Clinic hospital has begun. Main contractor Sixco-Samsung has workers laying the foundations of the building

JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 31

ON SITE

ISLAND LIFE Work is proceeding on several jobs, including the Rosewood Hotel (above) and the stock exchange (left).

after enabling works were completed earlier this year. Final completion on the hospital project is expected in 2012 The core of the Rosewood Hotel – the third site on the island with work underway – currently juts out in the site on the other side of Sowwah Square. ACC is working as the main contractor in what will be the ﬁrst completed hotel on the site. Doka formwork is a prominent feature of the site as the structural work proceeds. MEP works for the project were awarded to Drake and Scull in February. Four other developments have been conﬁrmed for phase one of the three phase development of Sowwah, although construction work has not yet started. These include two more hotels, the Four Seasons and the Viceroy and two commercial towers planned by 32 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

The tender for the enabling works on the Four Seasons is expected to be released during Q3 2010 and is likely to be the next contract awarded too.

the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Al Hilal Bank. The tender for the enabling works on the Four Seasons is expected to be released during Q3 2010 and is likely to be the next contract awarded too. As for phase two and three, they are still very much in the planning stage. Phase two will eventually feature residential and commercial buildings as well as community facilities and parks while phase three, in the north of the island, will be home to Sowwah’s transit centre. Elevated position The entire island is being built on a 14.25 metre podium, with roads, pavements, lobbies and pedestrian access above ground and utilities, storage and maintenance access below.

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ON SITE

DESIGN VIEW Abdullah Al-Shamsi, a senior architect at Mubadala, explained the role of the master developer.

MREH is working hand in hand with the UPC to create a public realm that is pedestrian friendly and links well with future transport infrastructure developments. 34 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

Much of the infrastructure, including a numM be of bridges and main thoroughfares, have ber now been completed, and work is underway on the utilities and substructure below ground. Eventually the low level will include pedestrian walkways and retail outlets, providing access to other parts of the island. MREH is working hand in hand with the UPC to create a public realm that is pedestrian friendly and links well with future transport infrastructure developments, particularly those that are focused on mass transit. The UPC approves the development control regulations, outlining the podium and massing of the buildings. It’s a process which is helping to guarantee connectivity with other parts of the city. In terms of design, Abdullah Al-Shamsi, a senior architect at Mubadala,

is tasked with ensuring that the individual buildings – which were planned and developed by the site owners – match the overall master plan for the site. Mubadala require individual designers to follow a set of architectural guidelines, which tackle the style of design and include requirements for sustainable initiatives. “We’re going through the process of developing an architectural guidelines manual set which essentially goes from plot to plot and maintains base guidelines for the developer. When they buy the plot or they bring somebody else in to develop a plot, the guidelines allow for cohesion to happen,” he said. “Within every site the environment is going to be different, the orientation of the buildings is different, the reaction of one building to

ON SITE

KEY INFRASTRUCTURE: • 13 bridges • Two-tier road network that removes heavy traffic from surface streets • 5.4km pedestrian friendly boardwalk around the island • Mass transit system featuring metro and light rail • Network of integrated, climate controlled pedestrian passageways linking the island’s major developments • Utility tunnels with dedicated power, chilled water, telecommunications, sewage and waste

the ones adjacent to it is different. We’re not limiting the material use but we’re limiting the greater material so that the design is relative, and can have a ﬂair to it without losing touch with its direct surroundings.” For example, while they are not dictating the type of façade used, but they may proscribe details such as a 30% opacity to the façade. “By doing that we’re not saying what the glass has to be, or that you have to use glass,” said Al Shamsi. “But we are saying that because of the orientation of the building that it’s going to react a certain way to the sun, and because we know the raw massing of the building next door, we understand how the shadow will lay 36 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

75,000 5,200 30,000

The expected working population of the island once complete

The number of off-street parking spaces included at Sowwah Square

The expected residential population of the island

on it and we’re providing for a certain standard that needs to be met.” Al-Shamsi said that the imposing such guidelines on developers in designers is nothing new, plenty of cities set out detailed master plans to ensure that buildings relate to their neighbours. This is all the more true when considering sustainability, a hallmark of the design so far and an important factor for Abu Dhabi’s green conscious government. The three buildings currently under construction on the site were designed before the onset of Abu Dhabi’s ‘Estidama’ framework, but Al Shamsi said that Sowwah Square building is likely to get a two or three pearl rating

ON SITE

when completed. It has also been LEED gold pre-certiﬁed. “Because there were no (Estidama) standards at that time we took it upon ourselves to bring on the best standards that we knew out there, which was the LEED system, and apply that on Sowwah Island,” he said. The Sowwah Square towers feature a double glazing system with a built in air pocket that allows for a reduction of heat transfer from the exterior. It also has condensation units in between the panes, so any condensation runs into a collection system, which is used as gray water within the development as a whole. Floor to ceiling glass allows more light to come in, and shades on the western elevation reduce the heat gain of the building.

“The idea is that these architects coming in will have a base standard that is of great quality, and then they can expand upon that as much as their respective developers would want,” Al-Shamsi said. Despite the pace of development of phase one, Al-Shamsi said there is little worry that phase two and three will lag behind, leaving a half ﬁnished development. Mubadala has clauses written into the contracts that stipulate a strict timeline of planning, design, construction and completion for developers. “In general, within the sale of every plot we’re given the owner or developer a ﬁve-year life span, to start working, get things on the ground. So there is not situation where you left with empty lots,” Al-Shamsi said.

JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 37

ON SITE

INSIGHT

Development so far… Sowwah Square

Rosewood Hotel

Cleveland Clinic

Sowwah Square comprises four office towers and the new headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). As of June 2010, 3 of 4 commercial towers have reached their final heights, façade installation is underway and retail podium and car parks are structurally complete. Completion date: First towers in Q1 2011 Architects: Goettsch Partners Main contractor: Oger Abu Dhabi

This business-focused luxury hotel is located on the waterfront adjacent to Sowwah Square. It will be 34-storeys high and include 189 guest rooms and 139 serviced apartments. Enabling works are now complete and construction work on the site has recently commenced. Completion date: 2012 Architects: Handel Architects Main contractor: ACC

The award-winning Cleveland Clinic will serve local and international patients, and is due to be Abu Dhabi’s first high-end medical facility. Enabling works are complete and construction has now commenced. Con and is on schedule for completion in 2012. Completion date: 2012 Architects: Henningson, Durham and Richardson International and Aedas Architects Main contractor: Sixco-Samsung

38 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

ON SITE

TOWERS The first of the Sowwah Square towers will be ready for handover in the first part of 2011.

“We won’t sell the land to somebody and have them wait to see whether the price will improve, we’re doing it the other way around. We take longer to sell and reach an agreement, until we know that they want to build. We’ve learned from some of the master developments in the UAE that went wrong, and are working very hard to prevent that happening,” he said. This has been a process requiring greater due diligence, but also one intended to

gather up companies capable of following ideas of international best practice and with a real long-term interest in investing in the GCC region. The Sowwah Square buildings are expected to start handover at the end of this year and the team at Mubadala are also predicting a ﬂurry of further activity at the same time. With plenty still to be done it is reasonable to expect there will be more contracts to bid for in the near future.

How can you win competitive advantage in the precast sector? "Tekla is playing a major role in facilitating precast business across the region. Being a user of Tekla Structures, we are able to control errors in detailing, minimize NCRs (due to detailing and connection errors) and accurately extract material quantities from the tender stage. We can now more effectively communicate to clients all matters relating to difficult and critical projects."

Yasser Baaj, Technical Manager, Emirates Precast Construction L.L.C. JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 39

CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

Pushing construction’s buttons? Are we heading towards an automated future? Can software really reduce costs and enhance the delivery of a project? CW gets up to speed with the latest systems and techno-acronyms. By Elizabeth Broomhall

N DAYS GONE BY, the Middle East building industry was about as receptive to construction software as oil was to water. Even in more recent years before the downturn, many GCC construction firms, whose priority was to take advantage of the building boom, felt little need to spend much if any amount of time, implementing and adjusting to systems that appeared expensive, unnecessary and complex. Today however, things are a little different. Following a huge slowdown in construction output over the last two years, the industry’s biggest software suppliers have been forced to get smarter, developing more advanced but easy-to-use progammes which can be quickly integrated into the hectic routines of project managers and which reflect the needs of the construction industry specifically. At the same time, construction companies themselves have become increasingly open-minded about technology, due to an immeasurable pressure on developers, contractors and architects to ensure projects are delivered on time and to budget. 40 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31- AUGUST 13, 2010

CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

“Lately, especially after the downturn, we have seen a shift in the way people are thinking about construction software,” explains Tekla’s development manager for Middle East building and construction software, Muneer Abdel. “More and more people are now turning to technology to enhance the efﬁciency of a project and reduce wastage. “Everyone knows that the construction industry is a very wasteful industry, and whereas companies used to put the wastage costs on the property value, allowing the end user to cover them, now they cannot do this anymore, and thus they cannot afford the wastage. The problem with wastage is that it can mean you have to delay or even shelve a project altogether.” Certainly, it is the view of the entire software sector that construction software is becoming more popular based on economic circumstances. According to CAD+T’s managing director Martina Schwarz, one of the biggest reasons for investing in these systems is as a means of achieving competitive advantage at a time when new contracts are more difﬁcult to come by, and when successful project delivery is more important than ever before. “One of the things we are seeing in the market at the moment is that it is becoming tougher for project managers to handle their projects,” she explains. “There is now much more pressure to ensure low costs whilst improving quality, and in less time. “And the competition in this market is only going to get worse,” she adds. “To be competitive, companies need to reduce their costs, they need to know what they’re doing, they need to be faster and they need to be more

Aconex’s general manager for the ME, Peter Hedlund.

“To say that software is impractical for construction is like saying online banking is not practical compared to going into a branch, or that purchasing something online is not as practical as going into a store.”

accurate. The main way to save time and costs in this region is to automise.” But whilst this may seem like a simple process, there remain a number of concerns for construction firms considering investment, starting with how to choose the right system that can really make a difference to their project delivery costs. With so many types, brands and systems available, it can be difficult for non-experts to know which is best for their specific company, and most suitable for their relative workload. In short, there is no definitive answer as to how a construction firm might choose a particular brand or even type of software, as this depends on individual company needs, size and motives. That said, software suppliers seem to agree that one system, which includes sub-models for different areas of the project, is probably the best choice. “In any project, there are always different personalities involved, and this needs to be reflected in the software choice,” explains Causeway Middle East’s chief operating officer Paul Madeira. “There is a huge difference for example between the builders on site and the people who are accounting for that work in the finance department, each with very different perspectives when it comes to project progress.” He goes on: “But then other companies specialise on one part of the process and because of this, companies are forced to buy systems from different vendors. By contrast, our emphasis is very much on integrating and complimenting the entire process.” Another concern is how to make the most of the systems available. According to the

JULY 31- AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 41

CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

“Now the market is slowing down, companies have time to study available solutions.” – Tekla’s development manager for Middle East building and construction software, Muneer Abdel.

42 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31- AUGUST 13, 2010

CAD+T’s managing director Martina Schwarz says that competition for projects is only going to get tougher.

37% 45%

of all construction projects were delivered late in 2004-2005.

of all construction projects in the same year were delivered over budget.

Figures from a National Audit Ofﬁce survey in the UK in 2004/2005.

experts, training and quick implementation are the factors which have the biggest inﬂuence. “Training on software systems is absolutely crucial,” says Schwarz. “You can have the best software in the world, but if you don’t know how to use it you won’t get anything out of it.” Executives from Causeway agree, and though they suggest training classes are not very common in the Middle East, companies such as theirs and others like Aconex have put a signiﬁcant amount of effort into ensuring that on-site, 24-hour and/or lengthy training sessions are readily available. “Training courses here are not as common or effective as they are in say, the UK, so it is important that on-site and ‘training-the-trainer’ approaches are taken,” says Madeira. Perhaps the only other major concern with these systems is their practicality in an industry which is pre-dominantly focused on outdoor, physically laborious site-work. Many contractors have in fact gone as far as to suggest that project management/collaboration software and mobile applications particularly are nothing but a waste of money. “Really, this is like saying online banking is not practical compared to going into a branch, or that purchasing something online is not as practical as going into a store,” says Aconex’s general manager for the Middle East Peter Hedlund. “The truth is that construction software across the board can enable timeconsuming, manual tasks (such as distributing drawings to multiple team members), to be completed in a fraction of the time by moving the process online. Also, by using a hand held device, contractors and project manag-

ers can use these systems on site to manage information in real time.” Whether or not contractors are really ready for the big change however, remains unclear. Irrespective of their conﬁdence in construction software, Causeway for example is of the belief that one of the biggest barriers to software prevalence in construction is a reluctance among contractors to disrupt internal operations. “The perceived disadvantages that customers may feel are the overall affects of change within an organisation. In this region, any change to operational procedures following a shift in the overall market is likely to be

CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

3D MODELING: Many high profile projects such as the Capital Gate Tower and Aldar Headquarters could not have been built if it were not for 3D technology and BIM modeling.

considered as a disadvantage. Ironically, there has never been a better time to understand how to manage costs effectively.” He adds: “Old methods no longer work in this market. New operational direction is required so that when the market turns for the better companies are more able to cope with the dynamic nature of the industry.” Abdel agrees. “The construction industry has always been resistant to change,” he says. “The good news is that now the market is slowing down it has given companies time to study available solutions as well as the market situation. We have certainly seen an increase in the number of contractors using our systems.” But for those who are still new to construction software, the question remains: how exactly do these systems work to speed up project delivery and reduce costs? Seemingly each different type of software will have its own way of reducing costs and time, though some general features are evident across systems. Improvements in cost control for example are a side-effect of most systems, due to their ability to provide accurate estimates, and to report on project progress. “Typically, and without construction software, the cost of a project is only quantiﬁed at ﬁnal account, when it is too late to do anything about the cost overruns,” says CCS Gulf’s general manager Ian Haupftleisch. “Effective use of software for resource-based, analytical estimating provides the foundation for reliable cost control throughout the life-cycle of the project. The estimate, for example, if done properly, can provide buyers with an accurate ‘shopping list’, quantifying resources to be purchased against

Causeway’s chief operating officer for the ME Paul Madeira.

budgetary restraints, significantly reducing over-orders, erroneous orders and ordering without allowances in place. “Likewise,” he adds, “systems will allow accurate comparison of what is actually happening on a project with what was expected – all in ‘real time’. Cost information can be entered once where the information is first produced (eg head office, on site or the yard) and then managed through a single database.” For Causeway, it is this ongoing and widespread need for cost control in the industry which has driven a niche market of financial accounting software applications, developed to meet the requirements of the construction sector specifically. “The lack of effective project controls in the construction industry is a major contributory factor as to why final outturn costs are often not accurately forecast,

JULY 31- AUGUST 13, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 43

CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

44 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31- AUGUST 13, 2010

“During any project,” says Abdel, “there is almost always a need to check information with the consultant (an RFI). This delays the project as contractors are unable to move forward while they wait to be told what to do. “If there are a high number of RFIs, this can mean even more delays and can cost contractors a lot of money. The 3D environment, by allowing teams to visualise a project, can reduce the total number of RFIs from 1000 down to 20.” He adds that by including interactive features to facilitate contractor communication with the consultant, the software can also effectively reduce the time between requesting information and getting a response. But as with all new products, in the end, a surge in construction software will depend on whether projects can be delivered on time and to budget in the future without the help of advanced technologies. Investors will certainly have an influence, should they have to wait significantly longer than expected for their developments. Market conditions may also play a part. Either way, as software companies continue to promise such significant cost and time savings on projects, no contractor can deny that the software is, if nothing else, a little intriguing…

HELPING PROJECT COLLABORATION: The Index Building in Dubai relied on Aconex software.

96% 76% 90%

of firms who use construction software believe it has benefitted their business.

of asset owners prefer working with contractors with sofware experience.

of users say software helps dispersed teams work together.

Figures from a recent independent study, undertaken by UK ﬁrm Benchmark Research, who surveyed collaboration technology users from 195 companies.

resulting in disputes, higher costs for clients and reduced margins for construction companies,” Madeira says.“Firms need to ensure they are in control – total control – not only of their projects, but more importantly, of the costs involved in creating, building and managing developments. From an initial bid to a final account, savings can be made.” Despite a correlation between project costs and delivery time, software development companies continue to treat project speed as a separate entity. Tekla and CAD+T for example, both of whom sell building management modeling (BIM) software which is dependent on 3D drawings and pre-programmed supply information, are confident that their software solutions are particularly significant in speeding up project delivery. Schwarz explains how the AutoCAD application, manufactured by US-based AutoDesk and sold on by CAD+T, effectively reduces ordering time as well as the time for supplies to be delivered to site, all by having the necessary building information programmed into the individual features of a drawing. In addition, she says how this information is crucial in ensuring that important processes do not have to be repeated, and that developments can be tested for durability in the early, rather than late stages. “With BIM you have the option to make decisions earlier through digital prototyping,” she explains. “Previously companies have had to actually try things out to know if their structures were stable or not, but now they can calculate on a virtual level how stable a structure is going to be. Linked to this is the ability of BIM software to reduce errors. At the moment, work is being done two or three times because it is not being done properly the first time.” According to Tekla, the 3D feature is also extremely important. In giving contractors (who are actually building the structure) the opportunity to create their own 3D models, BIM massively reduces opportunities for delays and errors, which are prevalent in the current climate where contractors rarely receive 3D models from architectural departments or, at least, not a complete model. Specifically, the 3D modeling capability is extremely useful in reducing the number of requests for information (RFIs) and thus, can bring a project completion date forward by as much as four months.

Construction software massively improves project collaboration, crucial to project success, by: • Increasing the efﬁciency of communication between manufacturers/suppliers and contractors by allowing some automated interaction. • Bringing together internal departments or project teams, that would otherwise fail to work as team due to different “languages” and priorities, by catering for a series of different but integrated systems. • Balancing the level of power any one party has over a project by allowing broader access to project documents. • Reducing the opportunities for disputes between parties by encouraging more efﬁcient project preparations and progress monitoring.

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Professionals of various disciplines working in a construction project are faced with the challenge to communicate and agree on the design in detail. They need a tool that enables effective centralization and control of all stages. Sharing the Tekla model allows them to stay in the building information loop, real-time. Tekla Structures BIM (Building Information Modeling) software provides a data-rich 3D environment that can be shared by contractors, structural engineers, steel detailers and fabricators, and concrete detailers and manufacturers. Choose Tekla for the highest level of constructability and integration in project management and delivery.

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BUSINESS BRIEFING

Top coat Erik Aaberg of Jotun explains how the business of providing the ﬁnishing touch can be an essential one too

AINT IS BIG BUSINESS. The coatings that cover almost every aspect of the built environment provide an essential layer of protection. And they are in more places than you might think. From the heights of the Burj Khalifa, to the length of the Dubai Metro, or the houses all over Oman, coatings with qualities developed specifically for this market are keeping out heat, UV and moisture. The company that stakes its claim as the regional leader is Jotun. With business segments covering decorative paints, marine coatings, protective coatings and powder coatings, the company has made its mark on some high-profile projects. “We are still doing the final touches for the Burj Khalifa,” said Erik Aaberg, Jotun Paints’ group executive vice president. “The painting work started from level 100 up to the top and is still going on. There’s interior paint, aluminium powder coatings, plus the spire on top is coated by our products, and we gave them a 20 year guarantee for that.” Although the company hails from Norway, its business is world wide, as is its production. It has regional manufacturing facilities in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and 48 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE JULY 31-AUGUST 26-JULY 2, 2010 13, 2010

Yemen. It is also expanding its North African interests having recently broken ground on a new 20 million litre manufacturing facility outside Tripoli, in Libya. It’s not just a matter of selling paint though. In jobs as complex as that of the Dubai Metro, there are plenty of performance issues to consider. For this reason the company supplies to applicators that have been trained by its own team. “We also have inspectors on site to ensure the consultant is getting what they expect,” explained Aaberg. “Because, at the end, they may request a guarantee from us, so we must make sure the work is going the way we want. Site supervisors will make sure the right system is actually put on the wall. “There are Jotun approved applicators. We issue that approval based on criteria such as reputation, projects and manpower.” Approved applicator status comes in different categories, depending on the company’s size and skill base: there are more approved for decorative paints than for the more complex ﬁre protection systems. Jotun’s business in the Middle East is around 60-65% decorative paints, powder coatings is 10%, marine accounts for between 5-10%, and protective coatings is the

Erik Aaberg, group executive vice president for Jotun Paints.

631 82% 250

Global employees of Jotun Paints

Percentage of company’s sales from outside Norway

Number of employees working in R&D

BUSINESS BRIEFING

balance of 20-25%. That business comes from an array of sources, whether maintaining oil rigs in shipyards, or painting houses in the sleeping giant of Oman. “Oman we are surprised about. It is a very good market,” said Aaberg. Spreading its interest has helped to insulate Jotun from the ups and downs of recent years, and the company has even recorded some volume growth this year. “In the region, we’ve had 10% volume growth this year,” said Aaberg. “We are trying to diversify into different areas, having built a very strong distribution network.” The distribution network includes 1750 shops, which service small to medium contractors. The company is predicting more growth in decorative products. Areas such as Oman, where the company claims in excess of 50% market share, are a big contributor to this kind of growth. “We’ve been in Oman 25 years,” said Aaberg. “Things might not appear big in Oman because there are no skyscrapers, but still there is a lot of volume and it’s a big country with a lot of housing and all the houses, one by one, add volume to the business.” For larger scale business the pitch is one of quality. The company is keen to sell on the specification of its products, said Aaberg. “It’s the system that matters first, then after the system you can have all the colours in the world,” he said. “We sell the specification of our products to the consultant, then the design team can choose the colour.” “People believe we are the ones producing quality paint, since we are big they come to us and ask how we can help.”

Dubai Metro Jotun supplied approximately 1.7 million litres of protective coatings to the first completed line of the Dubai Metro. The company developed a customised concrete protective system, using a combination of Jotacote, Penguard and Jotashield. Jotun also supplied powder coatings for elements in the stations and 1.4 million litres of decorative paints. “Most people don’t realise, but it is very complex project,” said Eirik Kristensen, Jotun Paints’ regional marketing manager. “Three million litres of paint on one job is a lot. “If you look at the Palm Jumeirah or Jumeirah Beach Residences, all are massive, but the Metro is really much more complex. It was technically demanding, because it was not just decorative paint, but protective coatings too. “The coatings need adhesion and flexibility, because several hundred tonnes of steel going is going over the top and there is a lot of vibration. What happens when you have a crack, moisture and humidity will force its way in and start to attack the structure. The flexibility of these paints will cover cracks.” All the coatings were applied on site by trained applicators, except for the powder coatings, which were done in the factory.

JULY JUNE 31-AUGUST 26-JULY 6, 2, 2010 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 49

PROJECT UPDATE ON SITE CW reviews a collection of its most recent site and plant visits to keep you up to date with project progress

WANT TO UPDATE YOUR PROJECT'S PROGRESS, OR HAVE IT INCLUDED HERE? Email: stuart.matthews@itp.com

ELITE TOWERS Location Dubai Visited July 2010

5.1m

kg of steel used so far in zone four

DUBAI LAGOON Location Dubai Visited June 2010

RUFI TWIN TOWERS Location Dubai Visited June 2010

50 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

When complete Elite Residence will be a towering 91 storeys, standing 380m high and holding a total of 697 residential units. With around 20 floors still to be cast, there is plenty left to do. The current scheduled completion date is around October 2011, and to meet this the contractors involved, Arabian Construction Company, will have to keep the pace up. Coordination between ACC and its sub contractors is seen as critical.

After a slow and troubled start, Dubai Lagoon is a project getting back on track. Three main contractors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Belhasa Contracting and engineering, Bin Sabt Building Contracting and Commodore Contracting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are working across four zones within the development. Buildings in zone one, where eight residential towers in zone one will provide 442 apartments, are due for completion around the end of 2010.

The Rufi Twin Towers project involves the construction of two towers with G+18 floors, in Dubai Sports City. The towers will be joined at roof level by a distinctive sky bridge. Emirates Belbadi Contracting is the main contractor. The company has worked to make sure the project makes steady progress and has agreed a year-long extension with its client, to accommodate a slow down on the job.

PROJECTS

148

Townhouses in Al Muneera

AL MUNEERA Location Abu Dhabi Visited June 2010

DUBAI PEARL Location Dubai Visited June 2010

Al Muneera is being developed by Aldar as part of the expansive Al Raha Beach project in Abu Dhabi. The projects is made up of two distinct areas, with an island and mainland divided by a canal. A total of 16 residential towers are under construction, along with an ofﬁce tower, 11 villas and 148 townhouses. Al Futtaim Carillion is the main contractor, with Drake & Scull providing MEP works.

With four 73-storey towers planned, the Dubai Pearl project is a massive undertaking that has taken several years and some false starts, to finally get a solid start. Piling was completed in 2009 along with the raft pouring. The towers are just starting to grow, with a 600strong work force moving from building to building, as each one progresses at a similar pace. The project is aiming for LEED Gold certification.

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KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT Location Riyadh Visited June 2010

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CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE RECYCLING PLANT IN AL DHAFRA Location Abu Dhabi Visited May 2010

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Townhouses in the first part of the project.

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52 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

The King Abdullah Financial District is one of the most challenging and intricate projects currently under development in Saudi Arabia. A total of 77 buildings are expected to be built in six zones across the entire site. Saudi Bin Laden Group is building four of the first 10 towers as part of the initial construction packages. The company is targeting Leed ratings for the buildings when complete.

Concrete waste, from construction and demolition projects, now has an alternative place to go, other than straight to landfill. The recently opened recycling facility in Al Dhafra, on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, is crushing waste concrete into aggregate for use in road building. The plant will be able to produce up to 7000 tonnes a day, using crushers, conveyors, screens and magnets to break the raw material down to size.

The Bahra Precast Company operates out of Jeddah, in the CPC Industrial Park. From this location the plant supplies a number of projects across the country, including the Princess Noura Bint AbdulRahman University for Women in Riyadh and the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, as well as other mega projects within Saudi Arabia, with a variety of precast concrete products.

Central Sharjah is moving closer to a transformed road system to meet todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traffic volume, following the latest milestone in Package 5 of the redevelopment of King Abdul Aziz Road. The latest completion of note, officially announced on 30th April, is the opening of the viaduct on the west side of Al Wahda Street. The viaduct crosses King Abdul Aziz Road at a 90 degree angle, itself a major project.

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APPOINTMENTS TIPS FOR JOB SEEKERS

Work in twos When updating your CV, it is sometimes helpful to get someone else to read through it. Mistakes are easily made, so two sets of eyes are always better than one. It is handy to have another perspective on the layout, content and structure, so you don't miss an opportunity to take something unimportant out or add something important in. Sometimes, getting an expert opinion is advisable, especially where the job or industry requires a specific application. Speak to people in the field Applying for jobs is not just about impressing the employer, but about finding the right job for you. It is worth speak to people who are currently working in the field before you start applying. They will be able to tell you more about the position and the industry, and give you a better idea of whether the role is for you. Be happy If you are lucky enough to be called for interview, one thing which will almost certainly give off a good vibe is a friendly, happy and positive mental attitude, which will exemplify for commitment, enthusiasm and charisma. The best way to come across this way is to greet your potential employer with a smile, and avoid making negative comments.

Shuffle B Baker and McKenzie has this month ann nounced that Gordon Prestige has been p promoted to partner. During his time at the firm, he has focused on project finance transa actions including public-private partnerships a and renewable projects, acting for both tend ders and sponsors. This, alongside 25 years’ e experience working on a wide range of financiing transactions including acquisition finance, ssyndicated corporate financing and group debt restructuring, makes him an excellent candidate for the role. Also this month, Dubai-based luxury hospitality company the Jumeirah Group, a member of Dubai Holding, has appointed Cornelia Koebele as director of sales and marketing for Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. Cornelia has extensive experience in the hospitality sector having worked for Rosewood, Le Meridien and Hyatt. Lastly, Professor Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR) recently hired Professor Chelsea White to be the chair of the Industrial Systems and Engineering department.

3 TOP JOBS For more details visit: www.constructionweekonline.com/jobs Please apply directly to the listed consultants. Role: Chief Architect Agency: Non speciﬁed The International Hospitals Construction Company requires a chief architect to facilitate its hospital projects in the GCC. The successful candidate will be equipped to ensure close supervision of the architectural department’s staff, to supervise the design team, including the electromechanical and structure departments, and to oversee all phases of the design process in line with the requirements of the project. All applicants will be educated to Masters’ level or higher, with a minimum of 11-20 years’ experience in the ﬁeld. Essential skills include good project management skills, and familiarity with computer programmes such as AutoCAD, MS Project and MS Vision.

54 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31-AUGUST 13, 2010

Role: Adaption Engineer Agency: First Select International

Role: Senior Inspector of Engineering Agency: Non stated

A high profile, multi-national German company based in Dubai is urgently seeking to recruit an Adaptation Engineer. Applicants should have a software engineering degree, adequate knowledge of Electronic Data Processing (EDP) and at least four years’ experience in the field of software development for social purpose machines, preferably for customers within the African and Middle East region. Must also have good communication and interpersonal skills, be fluent in English and be keen and persistent in solving problems. Their primary role will be to look after highly sophisticated and complex machines for new currencies in the Middle East.

Saudi Aramco seeks an experienced Senior Inspector of Engineering to work with the Terminal Operations Department in Saudi Arabia. Applicants should have a minimum of a BS in Mechanical Engineering and ﬁve years’ experience preferably in the oil industry. The successful candidate’s main responsibility will be to perform duties required of a Senior Inspector of Engineering within the assigned inspection discipline and certiﬁcation limitations. Among other things, one of their key duties will be to train personnel to develop their technical ability and understanding of applicable codes, standards and inspection methods.

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Lost in the clouds

’M A BIT OF AN F1 FAN, so Abu Dhabi’s Ferrari World can’t open soon enough for my boy and I. I’ve driven past it a few times now, and I have to say it looks fairly impressive with its massive red roof and huge rollercoaster out front. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who said they’ve just switched on the air-con in the building over the past few weeks, to cool the whole place down a bit. Apparently it has made conditions a bit more bearable for those working inside. But the cool air at the base of the building is mixing with hot air near the ceiling a whopping 50m up, creating clouds. These don’t dissipate until around 10am when the conditions balance out. It’s a temporary issue, one that will disappear once the building has cooled properly, he says. Open shop I’m not sure what’s in the air at the moment, but everyone seems to be talking about ‘new markets’. Everywhere I go, our bosses are harping on about Saudi, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and even Iraq. Ironically, guys on site say the big wins are in North Africa – places like

Libya, Egypt and Algeria. Not sure whether our bosses will go for it, but I know from a few lads who’ve worked over that way there are some massive projects going on. Just the other day, my friend told me there’s a huge new retail development in Egypt. He didn’t say where it was or how much it was worth, but he was pretty sure BDP architects were lined up for the design. Not too sure about the main contractor, but I would bet my bottom dollar some of the big players are in. Fantasy island Generally, I consider myself a fairly organised person. Running the team requires a lot of forward planning, so I always make sure task lists are detailed, double checked and that all the equipment required is at the job, in working order, and is up to the job in hand. It can be a pain but it’s far easier to sort out a problem in the workshop than it is to try and do it on the job. That said, I’m glad we’re not working on The World project – the multi-island development off the coast of Dubai. Don’t get me wrong: it would be a tremendous boost to

56 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 31–AUGUST 13, 2010

the company to be working on such a prestigious project – but the implications of the logistics are too scary to contemplate. Everything has to be sent to the islands by barge or boat, which is expensive – and that’s going to take a military level of planning and execution by the contractors to make sure every trip out there is maximised and that nothing is left behind. Quick trips back to the yard for a piece of forgotten equipment simply isn’t an option when you’re 4km out to sea. Cash flow I was apoplectic just last week. I found myself talking with a

few company representatives about financing for projects. One guy was bemoaning the fact that there is no set system for keeping an eye on payment flows over the lifecycle of a project. He added that there hadn’t been enough engineers running the show in this region… and too many foremen! Well, I wasn’t having any of that. I have my qualifications and experience, I know net from gross, and I can’t help thinking if the designs of some of the biggest projects weren’t changing every five minutes, once the project is underway, it would be a lot easier for everyone.

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