Gec dar newsletter

GEC DAR NEWSLETTER

Issue #01/13

GEC DAR Newsletter

24 July 2013

SOCIAL CENTER FOR IMAMS AND PREACHER’S FORUM BUILDING CONTRACT SIGNATURE

IN THIS ISSUE

We designed … and now we supervise

by Nada F. A. Al‐Fahad

The Social Center for Imams and Preacher’s Forum Building is one of the iconic projects in GEC DAR. It is the first Institutional Project that we participate in and won.

The Beginning

We began in 2009, just after the office was established, by entering the competition announced by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Kuwait. With our Teams hard work and determination we won the First Place competing with well know and established consultant firms. st

The Design Contract was signed back in 1 October 2009 and the real work started. We further gathered the specific client’s requirements and followed up with Kuwait Municipality and Other Ministries to obtain all required approvals. Despite all the obstacles, we managed to complete the project and obtain all Licenses.

ISO Certification th

On 11 July 2013, a celebration was held by the Ministry of Awqaf to sign the Supervision Contract with us.

Details on obtained Certification, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2007 and OHSAS 18001:2004.

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From design in 2009 to supervision in 2013 is the story of our determination and success.

Special Thanks to our former employee Tamer Anwar, Senior Architect who led the design team back in 2009.

Media Coverage for the News (Arabic): Al‐Watan Newspaper Al‐Rai Newspaper Al‐Jarida Newspaper Al‐Mustagbal Newspaper Al‐Kout TV Al‐Sabah TV

GEC DAR Highlights Highlights about what is going on in the office.

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ISO Certificates

by Rosita Karl Rego

Why does our company need ISO Certification? Why do we need to be standardized? Everybody asks this question.

To put light on our curiosity, let’s think how would the world be without standards? The Internet would simply not function. Our day to day communications would be completely jeopardized, Transport and trade would seize up. Everything would be very chaotic.

The ISO Standard helps us to exercise these rights and obligations. For example, by providing consumers with information and protection, by ensuring the quality and safety of products and services, by defining requirements or giving guidance related to the environment and other issues important to people including societal equity, health, security, information and communication, and fair trade.

There are many reasons that drive organizations to go for the ISO certification; however, for us in GEC DAR we did it for these reasons:

Increase Efficiency Increase Revenue Employee Moral International Recognition Documentation Consistency Client Satisfaction Improved Processes

CERTIFICATION OVERVIEW ISO 9001:2008 , Certificate ISO 14001:2004 , Certificate ISO 18001:2007 , Certificate

Issue Date 26 June 2013

You will need some time with the developed system to sense these benefits. And if you have any comments or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me for further information.

QHSE Policy

Integrated Management System (IMS) Policy ISO 9001:2008 | ISO 14001:2004 | OHSAS 18001:2007 Quality | Environment | Occupational Health & Safety

Our QHSE Policy is our foundation for growth and continual improvements.

Share with us how you translate it to your daily tasks, your ideas and thoughts. We will highly appreciate your involvement.

Use this format for guidance, complete it and send it to rositak@gecdar.com

GEC DAR is committed to deliver professional Architecture and Engineering Services of high quality, meeting our Clients’ requirements in an environmentally acceptable, inherently safe and sustainable manner.

We shall continue to establish our success on recognized quality by providing all our knowledge, energy and render our services in a highly professional manner, within Client budget, on time, every time to ensure our Clients satisfaction.

We are committed to prevent injuries, ill health and pollution, and continual improvement in established QHSE management system and performance.

IMS policy provides a framework for setting & reviewing QHSE objectives.

We shall develop an environment and culture to our employees at all levels to give their full contribution through mutual appreciation, readiness for improvements and proactive action as well as taking responsibility for quality, environment and health and safety in their daily activities.

We shall implement all our activities in a manner that complies with all applicable legal and other requirements concerning our services, our environmental aspects and our risks for health and work safety.

Nada F. A. Al‐Fahad Vice President

Issue Date: 24th April 2013 Document Number: MNL/IMS/01, Rev. 01 Requirement as per ISO 9001: 2008, Clause 5.3, ISO 14001:2004, Clause 4.2, OHSAS 18001:2007, Clause 4.2

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EVENTS

Quraish, Yearly Tradition As in every year, our tradition to have the last lunch together. We talk, we laugh and have a great time!

Check our Photos on Picasa Web Albums

GEC DAR Highlights

Here are some highlights about what’s happening in the office.

Current Projects

The current vacancies are as follows:

Job Openings

We are currently working on the following Projects: DESIGN  039 Talal Hamza Villa  038 Al‐Turkait Villa  033 Al‐Nassar Buildings  032 KNG Administration Building  024‐1 SOOR Fuel Stations SUPERVISION  015‐2S AAG Ground Floor Modifications  027 Qortuba Cooperative Society Block 5 Branch  035S, 036S,037S Supervision for various Residential Buildings

Mock Drill … Prepare for the Unexpected Because our Health & Safety are very important, we do unannounced mock drills to get ourselves prepared for the unexpected. It is unfortunate that the other occupant of the building don’t do such practice.

FAST FACTS

96% Client Satisfaction Index as per their Feedback up to the month of APRIL 2013 is 96%

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS “GEC DAR was represented by; Nada Al‐Fahad and Mamoon Al‐Sharabi.

They met with our management team, listened carefully to our ideas and helped us clarify our needs, providing solution that was well beyond our expectations. Very professional attitude” Mr. Horace Vernall, School Principal

Submitted Proposals In 2013 to date, we have been invited to submit proposal to many Government and Private Sector Companies. It is summarized as follows: GOVERNMENT

CONVERTED TO CONTRACT

IN KUWAIT

OUTSIDE KUWAIT

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2

IN KUWAIT

OUTSIDE KUWAIT

REGRETTED

CONVERTED TO CONTRACT

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1

1

2

REGRETTED

3 PRIVATE

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Architect, 4‐6 years of experience, Head Office 013S Supervision Team o Resident Engineer, 10‐15 years of experience o Site Architect, 10 years of experience For more details, please check our website http://www.gecdar.com/careers/job‐ openings/

New Employees We had two new employees this year, Ghada Omar and Shaima Askoura. Ghada joined us as a secretary; she completed her probation period and is doing a good job with us

Former Employees It is always hard to say goodbye and with less than 3 months with us, Shaima Askoura was able to blend it and be part of our team. We are all sad that due to an unfortunate event, she had to leave and we hope that she can join us back.

GEC DAR NEWSLETTER

Issue #01/13

Social Networks

GEC DAR is present in most of the popular Social Networks. We have pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus.

Social Networks today play a very important role in marketing any business in the world.

We have started the effort but we need to know what you think about it. How can we utilize these networks in a better way?

What should we publish? Your ideas and thought are all welcomed.

GEC DAR in Social Networks Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google Plus

Paperless Day

At GEC DAR, we constantly look for ways to improve our environmental footprints, through our Environment Management System, defined by ISO 14001:2004 standards. We identify and control the environmental impact of our day‐to‐day activities by various means of communication, recycling.

Why Paperless?

Since paper is so easily available, it is easy to forget about its enormous environmental impact. It is recognized that the paper and pulp industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Every step in the life cycle of a sheet of paper contributes to climate change ‐ from cutting down trees, to producing the pulp and paper, to its eventual disposal.

The paper production process significantly contributes to the destruction of forests. In fact, around 40% of the world's commercially cut timber is processed for paper. Half the world's forests have already been cleared or

burned, and 80% of what is left has been seriously degraded. Since 1990, 9 million hectares of tropical forest have disappeared every year. That is one football field every 2 seconds!

Did you know ‐ Since 1990, land in tropical forests has been disappearing at the rate of one football field every 2 seconds to satisfy the world's demand for paper? Did you know that 80% of all office waste is paper?”

PAPERLESS DAY IN GEC DAR The Paperless Day in the office will be announced soon!

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8. Find time to meet friends. Friends help us see things in a different way. The activities we engage in with friends usually help us relax and we will often have a good laugh.

Laughter is a great stress reducer. It boosts the immune system, which is often depleted during stress.

9. Avoid alcohol, nicotine and caffeine as coping mechanisms. ‐ Long term, these faulty coping mechanisms will just add to the problem. For example, caffeine is a stimulant and our body reacts to this with the stress response.

10. If you do become stressed, engage in some form of physical activity and try a relaxation technique. Physical activity will work off the biochemical and physical changes that occur within your body due to stress. Relaxation helps your body return to its normal healthy state. Good relaxation techniques include breathing exercises, massage and a variety of complimentary therapies.

10 Tips to Reduce Your Stress

by Dr Rosemary Anderson, http://www.andersonpeakperformance.co.uk/

What is Stress?

It is well known that we all thrive on a certain amount of pressure and in fact, we all need some pressure to do our best. However, if this pressure becomes excessive it can be counterproductive and lead to stress. At first, we may just be irritable, snappy, unable to think clearly, and make a few silly mistakes.

However, if the pressure continues and we fail to do anything about it our performance drops. We may develop physical symptoms or mental symptoms such as anxiety and eventually depression.

According to the Health and Safety Executive stress is: "An adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed upon them. It arises when they worry they cannot cope."

The HSE definition does not however take into account the concept of perception. As different people perceive the same event in different ways this is extremely important. It is not usually the event which causes us problems but our perception of the event.

For example, some people will see an event such as public speaking as extremely stressful while others will see it as a challenge.

Another definition for stress is: “A reaction which occurs when the perceived demands of a situation exceeds our ability to cope” We therefore can cause our own stress by the way we perceive a situation. ‐ The way we see life, our perceptions may affect our receptivity to stress. We also cause our stress by our own behavior.

So what can we do?

Try to manage your balance between too little and too much pressure by adapting your behavior and thinking. Also make sure you take time out to recover from the pressures you find yourself under. Exercise and relaxation are paramount.

Tips for preventing pressure turning to stress

1.Adopt a healthy lifestyle ‐ If we eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and ensure we get adequate rest our body is better able to cope with stress should it occur.

2. Know your limitations and do not take on too much. We cause ourselves a great deal of stress because we do not like to say no to people. We like people to like us and do not want to let people down. We then end up doing more than we should. Learn to be assertive and how to say no without upsetting or offending people. Practice saying “No” without feeling guilty.

3. Determine what causes you stress and try to change your behavior to reduce it

4. Avoid unnecessary conflict. Don't be too argumentative. Is it really worth the stress?

Look for win ‐ win situations. Look for a solution to a dispute where both parties can achieve a positive outcome.

5. Learn to manage your time more effectively ‐ We waste a lot of time doing unimportant tasks. Priorities your day and do the important jobs first. The unimportant ones can wait, and often they will disappear completely leaving you time to do other things. Also do not put off the unpleasant tasks. Every time we think about them we cause ourselves stress. Give an unpleasant task a high priority and do it first.

6. Take time out to relax and recharge your batteries ‐ You will perform much better after a break and easily make up the time you used relaxing.

7. Try to see things differently ‐ If something is bothering you try to see it differently. Talk over your problem with somebody before it gets out of proportion. Often, talking to somebody else will help you see things from a different and less stressful perspective. Try to see the funny side of a situation. Laughter is a great stress reducer. When things cause you stress, try to change the situation.

Sometimes however, this is not possible. If this proves to be the case recognize this and accept things as they are.

STOP IT … START LIVING

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Thank You!

Thanasak, or Jo as we all call him is the person behind all the amazing photos. He is incredibly talented and with every event or gathering we have, he is always with the camera.

Thank you Jo for capturing our special moments!

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