ME Consultant February 2015

012 feBruary 2015

InsIght and analysIs for constructIon specIalIsts Building review

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architecture

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PIPE DREAM

Why MEP engineers should think differently

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CONTENTS

February 2015

05 05

On topic news analysis FrOm acrOss the miDDle east technOlOGy

Why MEP engineers are resisting the switch to BIM

10

cOUntry repOrt

Out-of-favour Bahrain could be set for a renaissance

12 12

in practice OpiniOn

26

16

cOmpany prOFiles, OpiniOns anD interviews

Mouchel’s Andrew Bannister on technology and collaboration

16

05

28

interview

Michael Magill and Ralf Steinhauer of rising stars RSP

22

insiGht

How modular construction can save time and materials

26

OpiniOn

F+G’s David Clifton on why professional training is best practice

28 28

On site

22

BUilDinG reviews, case stUDies anD snapshOts review

The Lacasa-designed Palace Residences in Amman, Jordan

34

Rafael Viñoly’s controversial ‘Walkie Talkie’ tower in London

40

48

snapshOt

cOmpany news

34

New appointments for Aecom, Al Tamimi and Majid Al Futtaim

44

prOject news

Zaha Hadid, Benoy and BIG reveal new Middle East designs

48

thOUGhts

Marc Bronstein, senior healthcare designer, Areen Design February 2015 Middle East Consultant 1

WELCOME

Editor’s note Group GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA

Dune bashing

L

ast month, Zaha Hadid Architects revealed its design for the Bee’ah headquarters in Sharjah, with an undulating form said to be inspired by the surrounding dunes.

This follows many great buildings sparked from the same geographical feature, including Foster + Partners’ UAE pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai Expo and the stations of Dubai Metro.

Other than sand dunes, the sail of the dhow is another constant source of design inspiration for projects in the Gulf. We’ve seen countless examples of this – many of them global icons such as Burj Al Arab and Emirates Towers.

I am all in favour of creating projects that are rooted in some form of local context, yet I feel that these two concepts are becoming clichéd and limited in terms of architectural expression. A dhowinspired building will be sleek and pale, while a dune-mimicker will feature gratuitous curves and maybe gold-coloured cladding.

It remains to be seen whether the world’s top architects can continue to build high-profile schemes based on the representation of two physical objects. In many cases, the designers are responding to a client request for a localised design.

For me, the principles of Arabian architecture offer more scope for creativity, while contextualising a project. Mashrabiya-type screens are often used as a crude and convenient mask for a building that is actually out of character. But when used well, as in the case of Jean Nouvel’s Burj Qatar, the results are stunning.

Arabic geometries are used in the plan of Burj Khalifa, and its soaring form has a minaret-like quality. Foster + Partners’ Souk at Central Market in Abu Dhabi also makes use of vernacular patterns and courtyards in an exhilarating contemporary manner.

Although many of the region’s best-loved buildings have been inspired by the dune or the dhow, surely it is now time to move on. .

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2 Middle East Consultant February 2015

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05

TECHNOLOGY Why many MEP engineers are resisting the transition to BIM

10

COUNTRY REPORT Out-of-favour Bahrain could be on course for a renaissance

On topic I

TECHNOLOGY

Pipe dream Uncovering why MEP engineers in the region are reticent about embracing Building Information Modelling

t is fairly safe to say that last year ‘BIM’ overtook ‘sustainability’ as the construction industry’s most mentioned buzzword. What’s more, this month’s Construction Intelligence Report by CPI Media Group found that 72% of Middle East construction professionals believe that BIM will “fundamentally change” the way the industry operates. A key facet of BIM is that it allows coordination between different design and engineering disciplines. Yet industry experts have pointed to the lack of flag-waving from the MEP sector – perhaps a surprise, since a coordinated BIM model can flag up clashes between elements such as drainage pipes and structural columns.

According to Gerry McFadden, BIM manager for WSP Middle East, the technology is a “stone wall game-changer” for MEP engineers. “The traditional method was to get the 2D drawings for structures, mechanical and electrical and go through level by level to try and make sense of it all. Now we can create the MEP in BIM. We do this by combining the various models – doing the coordination in Revit or Navisworks – and then we can literally walk through the buildings in a virtual environment.

“We see all the problems, and we can set up our reports to flag up a structural beam against drainage, for example. It will say you have 50 clashes, for example, and we literally work through the list. Some of these clashes may be a drainage pipe penetrating a slab, so we realise that it’s not actually a clash. The whole 2D procedure is a thing of the past. BIM is nothing short of a revolution.”

Elizabeth Peters, who leads Aecom’s BIM Centre for the UAE and Oman, also describes BIM as a “game-changer”. Yet she notes that it is perhaps more of a struggle for MEP engineers to embrace the technology than architects and structural engineers, who are more experienced in thinking in 3D. “It’s not what MEP engineers February 2015 Middle East Consultant 5

on topic BIM

To what extent does your company use BIM on a project?

A coordinated BIM model requires collaboration between all disciplines.

Source: Construction Intelligence Report

50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

Currently not at all

Beginning implementation

have necessarily been trained in, or required to do. Structural engineers and architects have been modelling things for a long time. We really think in 3D, because that’s a large part of what we do.

It can be argued that MEP engineers should also be thinking the same way, but they’ve never had to demonstrate it before. I’d say they’re having a harder transition than the others.”

Peters adds that a perception of a laborious modelling process is putting off many MEP engineers. “There is an expectation to provide the same level of documentation in the 2D model, a tendency to over-model, which can be very menial.

It really requires you to think about what you are doing before you do it. Whereas it doesn’t take a lot to draw lines in a tradition schematic design – you don’t have to think ‘what type of duct is that?’ or ‘how is it going to work with the coordination?’ It is really challenging the way they think.”

She also states that MEP engineers will be discouraged if architects and structural engineers, who are supposedly 3D experts, do not accept BIM. “I know a lot of architects and structural engineers in the Middle East that are not interested in using BIM technology. Unless they do it, it’s difficult for MEP engineers to follow suit.”

Resistance from MEP engineers towards BIM has similarly been observed by McFadden, who highlights the sheer amount of effort to model all aspects of MEP. “There’s quite a lot of resistance, especially on the MEP side. The effort to do MEP in BIM is quite a lot more than for an architect or

Moderate users

Using full BIM suite

structural engineer. If I look up in my office now, I can see four light fittings, a couple of diffusers, a smoke alarm, light switches – to really model all this stuff requires a large amount of effort. That is why MEP is often seen as the whipping boy of the bunch.”

Yet it is certainly worth the extra effort to model in BIM, according to McFadden. “MEP engineers are certainly not taking it up as much as architects and structures, but the benefits are there. If you look at the bigger picture, it takes longer during the design phase, but the fact is we are negating clashes that may come later down the line. It can save the contractor a lot of time if he gets a fully coordinated model.”

He asserts that some of the projects undertaken

by WSP, such as the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, would have been extremely difficult without BIM. “There’s not a right angle in the project. It would be foolish not to use BIM.” Several misconceptions surround the process, he says. “I think a lot of people see BIM as this magic button – you push it, and it will just make a 3D building. People say they’re doing BIM as they are using Revit on a project; that’s not necessarily the case, because BIM is fundamentally processdriven, especially when it comes to MEP. Out of the main disciplines, MEP is the most processdriven. There are many sub-disciplines, such as power, drainage, water supply and fire protection.”

McFadden states that communication and collaboration between disciplines are required

“MEP engineers should also be thinking the same way, but they’ve never had to demonstrate it before” ElizabEth PEtErs, aEcoM 6 Middle East Consultant February 2015

on topic BIM

“the effort to do MEP in biM is quite a lot more than for an architect or structural engineer” GErry McFaddEn, WsP when building a BIM model. “The correct approach should be to create a well-constructed model which is as clash-free as possible. If all the disciplines aren’t talking to each other, you will put it together and the whole thing will clash everywhere – it won’t work.

“You hear people talk about ‘clash detection’; we prefer to say ‘clash avoidance’. We actually start with an engineering strategy for a project and we try to model it to the highest limit, and do the heavy-duty clash detection at the end. It’s about breaking it down and forcing people to talk to each other and collaborate more. The issue is more the people than the process.”

Peters agrees that it is a challenge to build a fully coordinated model. “It requires a lot of people to play together in the same way. But a lot of people aren’t on the same page yet.”

Worryingly for BIM advocates, 42.8% of 362 respondents in CPI’s Construction Intelligence Report survey stated that their companies do not use BIM at all. In spite of Dubai Municipality’s mandate of January 2014 for the compulsory adoption of BIM, the industry as a whole is unconvinced by the technology.

Peters continues: “In the UK and US, the governments have already committed to this. In the Middle East, people are still sceptical and they are waiting to see some of the high-level support coming out, such as the Dubai mandate for BIM. But I’ve seen a massive shift in the last 12-18 months in the way people are thinking about it.

I think we’re getting there, but there are a lot of other drivers that need to be considered.

“Given the situation, there are reasons why there is still resistance in the MEP sector in the Middle East. People are looking around and February 2015 Middle East Consultant 7

on topic BIM

Experts believe the onus is on companies to implement BIM.

8 Middle East Consultant February 2015

How much impact do you think BIM will have on the Middle East construction industry?

50% Source: Construction Intelligence Report

saying, ‘What do we need to do?’ There is a little bit of hesitation.”

A few BIM success stories will help to speed up the process, according to Peters. “I really think that the industry just needs one or two examples to demonstrate in hard numbers the value of doing it properly, and people will feel comfortable making that investment. Because it is a huge investment of time and resource to make the shift. It is scary, but once you have the hard facts you can go to senior management.”

At the moment, she says, it is up to the companies themselves to champion BIM among employees. “Up until now, it’s taken a long time to actually qualify staff with BIM experience, because it’s quite new to this region. We’ve actually been forced to train our staff up internally.

It’s not rocket science, it’s just having the people within the organisation to actually drive it forward and get the staff using it.”

She says that small companies are at a disadvantage compared to large multinationals like WSP and Aecom. “The advantage that large

40% 30% 20% 10%

The industry can operate without it

Only larger companies need to use it

multinationals have is that there is a larger pool of expertise to do the groundwork. Out of 100,000 people, you can probably find a team of 25 or so to really set up the procedures – it’s not really a big cost. If you are in a smaller company, that will look like a much bigger cost.”

But it is just a matter of time before BIM takes off in the region as a whole, according to McFadden. “BIM is coming; we saw the Dubai Municipality mandate last year, and our clients

It will soon be irrelevant due to evolving technology

It will fundamentally change the industry

are more and more aware of BIM. For most large projects, it is becoming a client requirement. If the municipality says tomorrow, ‘We want to see a BIM model,' it will force people down that way.”

As for MEP engineers, it is in everyone’s best interests for them to adopt BIM. “If the architects and structural engineers are doing it, the MEP guys should be using it. BIM is a collaborative process, and if you don’t model the HVAC, it is not coordinated,” he remarks.

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on topic BAHRAIN

countRy Focus

Rising kingdom Although the Bahrain market is struggling to inspire the confidence of its neighbours, recent reports and projects suggest the small state has turned a corner

R

esults from the industry’s latest survey, featured in the Construction Intelligence Report by CPI Media Group, suggest that confidence in the Bahrain market has all but dissipated. Out of over 400 respondents, only 1% believe that Bahrain offers the best opportunities for new business in 2015 – the lowest percentage for any GCC state.

This lack of confidence was reiterated by Atkins CEO Simon Moon, who told Middle East Consultant in August that Bahrain and Kuwait “do not offer significant opportunities”.

Consequently, the business has relocated many of its resources to the more fruitful markets of the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

10 Middle East Consultant February 2015

Historically less wealthy than its GCC counterparts, Bahrain has taken longer to find its feet after the global recession. However, with a few major upcoming developments and increased interest in its retail sector, the Bahraini economy can look forward to a significant boost, according to industry research reports.

The retail sector in the Kingdom was probably the strongest performer last year, with the recent launch of ambitious developments like The Avenues, a $93 million waterfront project on Manama Corniche.

Another major project expected to boost the sector is the $53 million Seef Mall Muharraq, a 70,000sqm development.

Last month, design firm Benoy revealed its 150,000sqm mixed-use masterplan to reinvent the current marina in Manama, including Bahrain Marina Yacht Club.

There is also the much-anticipated Dragon City, a Chinese-themed development to be built on 115,000sqm of land with 55,000sqm of retail and wholesale area. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of June 2015.

According to real estate advisory firm CBRE, smaller-scale neighbourhood retail is yet to be serviced on a wide scale by retailers, but is gaining popularity as developers recognise the risk of an oversupply in megamalls. Smaller retail developments include the fully-let 3,150sqm

on topic BAHRAIN

“Mixed-use developments appear to be the next big offering in Bahrain. Reef Island and Amwaj Islands are gaining traction” StefAn BuRch, KnIght fRAnK

Segaya Plaza launched by Eskan Properties and the Danat Al Madina in Isa Town, which has attracted interest from retailers.

Moreover, Cluttons predicts that the upcoming King Hamad Causeway, the second terrestrial link between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, will significantly boost Bahrain’s residential, retail and industrial markets. Bahrain’s economy heavily relies on traffic entering the Kingdom from its larger and richer neighbour Saudi Arabia via the existing 25km King Fahd Causeway.

“The current causeway has been a significant contributor to growth in the economy. The announcement of a second connection to Saudi will no doubt boost the performance of the

residential and retail markets further,” says Harry Goodson-Wickes, head of Cluttons Bahrain.

“We have recorded a steady rise in demand from Saudi nationals seeking to purchase weekend homes in Bahrain this year. In addition, the steady level of domestic housing requirements has prompted several developers to make a return to the market to capitalise on this growing pool of buyer demand.

“The longer-term ramifications for the residential market are too early to judge, but there will be an obvious long-term boost to the broader market, with more traffic expected to flow into the Kingdom from Saudi Arabia.”

Faisal Durrani, international research and

business development manager for Cluttons, says: “The Bahraini economy, which is still working to find its feet following the global downturn and unprecedented national tensions, will receive a tremendous boost from improved connectivity with the rest of the GCC. “The Kingdom already serves as a critical logistics hub for the central Gulf, and the new $5 billion King Hamad Causeway will further strengthen the attractiveness for logistics and industrial occupiers looking for additional hubs in the region aside from Dubai.”

Goodson-Wickes believes that the retail sector will also see a boost from the new causeway, with weekend tourist traffic into the country,

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 11

on topic BAHRAIN

particularly from Saudi Arabia. He adds: “In fact, we are already seeing Chinese and other major regional and international brands seeking out space in retail developments such as The Lagoon and Alargan Village. This announcement will no doubt drive further interest in this exciting segment of the real estate market.”

Despite the positive outlook for its retail sector, Bahrain’s office market looks bleak, according to Cluttons. With the adverse impact of oversupply, the country’s commercial property market suffers from “demand levels that remain close to record lows”, causing rents to fall in most submarkets during the first half of 2014, before stabilising in the third quarter.

CBRE has not observed any improvements in the Kingdom’s office sector either this year, due to oversupply. Vacancy rates currently stand around 25% on average, with new developments close to completion, such as the United Tower and Al Baraka Bank Building at Bahrain Bay. “There is definitely a large supply of commercial projects and structures in the market, largely because they are an integral part of the masterplans loaned out for development,” says Stefan Burch, director of professional services for Knight Frank’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabia operations. “In my view, Bahrain’s commercial property segment is very

12 Middle East Consultant February 2015

elastic in its supply and potential supply, and it is a risk.”

The residential sector fared better in 2014, however, with rents remaining largely unchanged across Manama. Cluttons recorded no change in rents during the first three quarters of 2014, despite the weak economic environment, and they are expected to remain stable over the near to medium term due to a limited supply pipeline.

Areas such as Juffair and Amwaj Islands are popular with US military employees and people new to Bahrain, the CBRE report claims. “Amwaj Islands, which are considered as a safer option, continue to attract local and foreign investors alike, as the area develops as an attractive community proposition with retail, hospitality and entertainment components already in place,” says Steve Mayes, director, Middle East Research, CBRE Bahrain.

Burch agrees that Amwaj Islands are increasingly popular, adding that mixed-use developments will

take off. “Mixed-use developments appear to be the next big offering in Bahrain. Reef Island and Amwaj Islands are gaining traction in terms of attracting attention from buyers and investors,” he says.

“Historically, Bahrain’s problem has been the lack of people and residents. But areas like Reef and Amwaj have responded very well to the demand from existing and new buyers; they provide more than just a place to live in. Bahrain has traditionally been a single-use developmentdriven market, but developers are now realising that potential residents need to be offered ancillary developments and retail support as well.”

Unlike some of its neighbours, Bahrain has not won the hosting rights for a development-boosting event like an Expo or World Cup. However, Burch remains optimistic about the Kingdom’s future.

“Bahrain is yet to figure out a clear USP, perhaps, but if the activity on developments like Amwaj and Reef is any indication, then Bahrain is set to grow into a mature market too.”

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IN PRACTICE ANDREW BANNISTER

Opinion

Andrew Bannister is regional commercial director for Mouchel

All together now

Businesses that adopt new technology must also embrace collaboration When we think about ways to improve teamwork, interaction, collaboration and communication, we automatically think about engaging with the HR and marketing/ communications departments.

However, as we diversify and become more global – with multiple offices, sites and projects across vast geographies – we should look beyond the capabilities and remits of traditional departments and seek additional support. In short, we should look to the IT department.

Now rebranded as Information Communication Technology (ICT), the scope of the conventional IT team has dramatically changed in the past five years, with the development and introduction of increasingly low-cost new technologies such as mobile, social, cloud and real-time tools. In many industries, the ICT department has become a strategic business function driving growth and profitability.

ICT is no longer simply about supplying the tools for the exchange of electronic information and providing technical support – teams are challenged daily to provide more personal, flexible and mobile working environments. But to what extent is this a reality in the construction industry?

Traditionally it has used manual processes and methods to deliver projects; many organisations have allowed their operations to grow haphazardly, in terms of their ICT requirements, without any real long-term planning or consideration of strategic implications. As our industry evolves and becomes more commercial, we should look at the drivers behind the need for a change in our approach to collaboration and communication. Motivators include the consolidation of businesses, the global economy, competition, cost-cutting, an ageing workforce, new employee expectations and the needs of our clients.

14 Middle East Consultant February 2015

Applying a robust ICT strategy will certainly help to curb these challenges. However, it is important to note that simply adopting new technology alone is not effective. New technology must form part of a much larger business strategy that supports improved communication, collaboration, quality and reliability – ultimately quality in delivery that will lead to greater profitability. Most important is the buy-in of employees; without that, the effectiveness of new technologies will be entirely lost.

By properly implementing collaborative working solutions and providing interactive working technologies, organisations can redefine the way employees work by providing richer, more intimate communication environments for clients and prospects. For virtual teams that are often spread over geographies and need to share data and work together in real time, organising meetings can eat into productivity, slowing down the decision-making process and having an impact on business travel costs.

Traditional barriers can be broken down, opening up the flow of information to improve communication and collaboration across an organisation. This can be done through solutions and tools such as video conferencing, unified communications platforms like Microsoft Lync or Cisco Jabber, file-hosting services Big Data and Microsoft OneDrive, enterprise social networking sites like Yammer, digital media and signage, interactive white boards, portalbased data and information-sharing platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint or Oracle WebCenter Suite, and unified Internet Protocol (IP) phones like Cisco or Avaya, as well as smartphones.

Mouchel is currently embarking on its own ICT transformation programme, which will adopt many of these technologies. In a growing global marketplace that is becoming increasingly digital, our employees, clients and partners are all looking for a more personal approach to business. To stay ahead of competition, we must offer effective, unique and intuitive experiences that embrace the spirit of collaboration and communication which already exists within our businesses.

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IN PRACTICE RSP

Interview

uNITEd N 16 Middle East Consultant February 2015

IN PRACTICE RSP

NATIoNs Spearheaded by Irish and German directors, the Dubai office for Singapore-based RSP is on the up

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 17

IN PRACTICE RSP

witH A portFolio tHAt inclUdES nAkHEEl

Mall and Khalifa University, RSP’s Middle East operation is going from strength to strength. Starting from modest beginnings in 2009, the business has now grown to employ a young and diverse workforce of 60 people from 23 different countries. Middle East Consultant catches up with the two men at the helm, German national Ralf Steinhauer, project director, and Irishman Michael Magill, design director. what’s the background behind rSp starting up in this region?

Michael Magill: RSP has its roots in Singapore, with a 50-year

heritage. It first came to the Middle East about 15 years ago, to work on a Metropolitan Hotel in Deira. In 2009, the firm set up a full design studio and that’s when I came in, along with four others. Due to the crash, it was a very slow beginning, which involved a lot of getting to know people. In 2010, we won the Al Rajhi Bank headquarters in Riyadh, which was a big milestone for us and meant we could start to grow. The next big one was probably Khalifa University, and that’s when we brought Ralf in. Another big project for us is Nakheel Mall, which is under construction, and now we have around 60 employees in this office.

How rapid was this growth?

MM: It’s been gradual and we’ve grown organically. We started

off with five and it’s grown by around 10 people every year. We train our people to the level of RSP knowledge, the ethos, and then put them in charge of others. It’s not worth having people that don’t know what they’re doing. We’re too conscious of producing quality work.

Ralf Steinhauer: When we came to this office in Marina Plaza in February last year, we had a few seats left but now it is full. We know we need a critical mass to be able to do big projects like Nakheel Mall, but on the other hand, it doesn’t make sense to grow exponentially to 500 people.

MM: In those three years after 2009, everybody else was downscaling and we had the opportunity to pick up some really good people. We didn’t have the massive overheads of the other big companies – we could react quickly to the client and maybe invest a bit more time in design. what is the ethos of the company?

MM: When we meet clients, we're always design-focused.

We know we're competing against many others, and we’re an underdog, so we have to bring in something special. Obviously we have the senior people like Ralf and I, but we make a point to bring in young talent, especially from the Middle East. We 18 Middle East Consultant February 2015

can then really push the ideas and create something new and fresh in the market.

RS: There are some really good schools and some really talented young people coming into the market that are very eager to learn. What is good for us is they know the cultural background; most of them actually grew up here. When I came nine years ago, I didn’t know so much – it took me a while to understand how it really works and what clients want.

How did both of your careers develop?

MM: I’m originally from Belfast, Ireland. My father was in the

building industry, so I started on building sites from the age of 12 or so. After studying at Sheffield University, I went to work in London for Percy Thomas. I was very proud of a hospital I designed for my local town – it won the RIBA award for best building in Ireland in 2011. I wanted to get into hotels and the glitz and glamour, so I came to Dubai. I worked on many projects here for Woods Bagot. After the crash happened, I went back to London. One day I got a call from Singapore asking to set something up in Dubai for RSP. I thought, “That sounds interesting!”

RS: I’m from Stuttgart, Germany. My father, mother and brother are all architects, so I think the choice wasn’t so big for me. After graduating from university in Dresden, I worked doing a lot of fit-outs and industrial architecture. I came to Dubai in 2006 when not much was happening in Europe. I worked with RMJM, and a year later I met Michael at Woods Bagot. We discovered a really good working relationship.

Michael would work on the grand designs and I would do the client liaising, taking care of the team and doing coordination work. We did some fantastic projects, such as the first version of the Expo site for Dubai World Trade Centre in 2008. That was very fast-track, and we delivered it with a very small team.

MM: I think I lost my hair on that one!

RS: [Laughs] I stayed a bit longer at Woods Bagot and had the chance to go with them to China for a few months. A year later, Michael called me and said, “Do you want to help us out?” Since 2012 I’ve also been teaching as a part-time professor at Canadian University of Dubai. After nine years in the region, I think I am going to be here for at least another 10. I like the region and we also have a good setup.

Are your key markets the UAE, Saudi and Qatar, like most other consultants?

MM: Yes, that’s also the case with us. But India also has huge

potential and RSP has a very big footprint there, with six offices. One of the projects we worked on is a residential development in Chennai called Reflections.

IN PRACTICE RSP

Michael Magill, design director, is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

RS: I think there is a lot of potential in the region, not only

in the UAE, Saudi and Qatar. I really like working in Oman, for example – I think it’s a fantastic market. It’s equally as slow as Saudi Arabia, but it’s got great potential. In my Woods Bagot years, I worked on the Kempinski on The Wave, Muscat. That was a fantastic project which got me heavily involved in hospitality. Qatar is a funny market. We have met a lot of people there and a lot of engineering firms are slowly downgrading their offices. I feel it is not going as well as they were hoping – the handbrake is still on a little bit. I think that it will come off, but maybe it will be another year to 18 months.

MM: When RSP first came to the Middle East, we had a stand at every Cityscape, just to meet people. Riyadh is a closed market – you have to be there a while for people to know you and trust you. Architects around the world all flew to Dubai because they could get a job. It doesn’t work like that in Riyadh or Doha – it’s more of a relationship thing. That’s why we’re very lucky to be doing a prestigious bank headquarters in Riyadh. We don’t expect floods of projects in Saudi, but we’ll keep the presence there. We try and find places with

“We know we were competing against many others, and we’re an underdog, so we have to bring in something special” Michael MaGill, RSP niche opportunities, rather than trying to compete with the massive firms like Aecom. We see hospitality as our niche, and it also gives our designers the opportunity to be more creative.

You provide architecture, interiors and masterplanning services. do they often overlap?

RS: We like doing both architecture and interiors at the same

time, as the whole design intent is really carried out from inside out. We are doing that on the Palm Tower for Nakheel. The tower is designed and now the interiors are next. We have the February 2015 Middle East Consultant 19

IN PRACTICE RSP

“Qatar is a funny market. i feel it is not going as well as they were hoping – the handbrake is still on a little bit” Ralf SteinhaueR, RSP

capability to do this even on large projects, therefore we prefer to do them both.

MM: In the last six months to a year, there’s been a real pick-up in masterplanning. In the early days it wasn’t there.

I think it’s picked up because many of the visions of 2009 are not relevant now. There are different forces at play, such as sustainability and efficiency of design.

RS: Sometimes a client has a plot with an existing building, but they don’t know what to do with it. Or they come to us and say, “I have an idea, but I don’t know if it’s going to work out – can you find a good solution?” For most plots, they had a vision for 2006-2008 which now doesn’t necessarily fit into the 2020 vision. There is now more demand for hospitality and a change in the approach. We have a lot of clients in the region that want us to look at masterplans – it’s not tier-two cities in China.

MM: There are also masterplans further away – we do a lot in India and we’ve done one in Zanzibar which is tourism-led.

It’s visionary work.

Ralf Steinhauer, project director, grew up in Stuttgart, Germany.

one of your key projects is khalifa university in Abu dhabi. what makes it special?

RS: It was a very challenging project for a great client, a

140,000sqm engineering and medical school. We did the full design for architecture and interiors, along with our specialist

20 Middle East Consultant February 2015

team from the UK as well as Ramboll. I would have loved to have studied in a campus like that. The staff are mixed in with the students and it’s very transparent – you see everything.

They are pouring concrete at the moment, and I think it is going to be a fantastic project. They are now offering some amazing facilities in Abu Dhabi. Compared to a lot of schools in the West, everything is new, purpose-built, and they have the latest technology. Things like smart boards, interactive walls, and projectors in breakout spaces.

Is everyone in the office excited about working on such major projects?

MM: It’s exciting for the guys in the studio. We like to get

young people in for the ideas and creativity, and they are enthused. Then there is the other layer of people who build and deliver – those guys are not so thrilled, as they’ve seen it all before. Obviously they put the realism in and make sure we put it all together. It’s a good mix. We’re not a mammoth organisation – everyone knows each other, but we have 23 different nationalities.

RS: Our office is really diverse, and I think it’s fantastic how it all fits together. Everybody is really excited working here – you feel the vibe and you know that everybody is working very hard to reach the next milestone. These are not just projects we have to do – we really like them.

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IN PRACTICE MODULAR BUILDINGS

Insight

BloCk ARouNd ThE CloCk How modular construction can help save time and material wastage on site

F

or countless years, the products of Danish toy manufacturer Lego have littered homes around the world. Known for bright bricks which entice both children and adults to create entire cities, the concept of modular blocks is utilised by Dubai-based company Smart Box, which converts cargo containers into habitable spaces.

ThE mANAgINg dIRECToR oF SmART Box

Industries in Dubai, Arjun Menon, is eager to explain his firm’s service offering to the construction industry. Smart Box converts containers typically used by the cargo shipping sector into habitable spaces. While the technique is yet to catch up with the Middle East’s construction industry, the international community recognises it as ‘cargotecture’, a technique which incorporates the best of cargo containers and the discipline of architecture.

“Containers are like Lego blocks; the only difference is that they are 20 or 40 feet long,” Menon says. “These blocks can be stacked together vertically or horizontally, and joined together to create the required space. The blocks are insulated with rockwool, and the walls finished with a selection of wall cladding to produce a finished space on par with international construction standards.”

In 1997, Smart Box was called PCTRS and relied heavily on the use of cargo containers due to the nature of its operations. Menon February 2015 Middle East Consultant 23

IN PRACTICE MODULAR BUILDINGS

Prefabricated construction can help improve efficiency.

says Dubai’s construction boom brought with it developers requesting that containers be converted into habitation solutions, “from offices and accommodation to engineering solutions such as diving decompression rooms and control rooms”.

“This demand started our container conversion business, and PCTRS became known as a regional container conversion specialist. We rebranded to Smart Box Industries in 2008, focusing purely on the growing application of shipping containers as a modular construction solution,” Menon adds.

Understanding modular construction’s benefits was key to motivating Menon towards the futuristic construction ideology long before it became commonplace in the Middle East. Tom Hardiman, executive director of US-based non-profit trade association Modular Building Institute (MBI), explains the advantages of modular construction methods.

“Modular construction is simply a different and more efficient manner to assemble the materials and components of

“Education is definitely a hindrance to accepting modular construction, since it is uncharted territory for many architects and builders” Arjun MEnon, SMArt Box InduStrIES

24 Middle East Consultant February 2015

a building,” he says. “Construction occurs in a controlled factory setting where the use of materials can be better managed and put to more efficient use, reducing waste as well as the redundant procurement of components.

“Site development and the construction of the building foundation are able to occur at the same time as the module construction occurs at the plant, which means a total 30% to 50% saving in time after the building is installed. This allows faster occupancy, which is especially important for families needing immediate shelter, retail space, rental units and hospitals, all of which can be accommodated with modular construction.”

Hardiman concedes modular construction techniques are not without flaws, but says the value they offer outweighs their shortcomings. They may frequently also be more expensive than traditional construction methods, owing largely to labour costs and the finishes ordered for the building.

“However, many international developers have pointed to modular as saving both time and money,” MBI’s chief adds.

“For instance, multi-family apartment project developers of the Modules apartments in Philadelphia and the Stack project in Brooklyn have pointed to modular construction as the reason they saved both time and money on their projects.”

The Middle East market is also waking up to the benefits of prefabricated construction units and practices. Pre-engineered modules, such as concrete slabs and steel structures, are quickly taking centre stage where time-sensitive projects have to be undertaken. Dubai has gone so far as to commission a modular designed cargo terminal project with a total annual capacity of up to 1.6 million tonnes.

IN PRACTICE MODULAR BUILDINGS

modular 101 “For firms already looking to build modular, it

• Wood frame construction is the most

is important to note that if a project is to be

common type of construction; however,

successful, the process begins at the design

manufacturers also build with steel and

phase,” says Tom Hardiman, executive director

concrete and can meet the requirements for

of Modular Building Institute. “There are some characteristics to modular construction that should

Type I, Type II and Type III construction.

• Multi-storey modular buildings can be built up

be considered when designing a project:

to the maximum number of storeys allowed

• Typical three-dimensional modules have

by local code. The majority of modular

widths that are around nominal eight-, 10-,

buildings are one to three storeys high, but

12-, 14- and 16-feet, with 12- and 14-feet the

a rapidly growing trend is towards four- to

most common. Framing dimensions are

eight-storey facilities. A handful of projects in

typically two inches less than nominal size.

• Common module lengths are up to 70 feet, usually in two-foot increments.

the UK and US have exceeded 15 storeys.

• Multiple roof framing styles are available.

Some can be completed in the factory, and

• Module heights vary from approximately 11

some may require site-installed trusses.

feet 6 inches to 13 feet, not including the

• Modular buildings can be configured using

height of the unit’s transport trailer or frame.

Furthermore, industry experts suggest modular construction is an ideal tool to combat soaring real estate prices in Dubai. Simon Millman, operations director for Dubai at Faithful+Gould, believes modular housing can provide quality housing options at lower prices.

“Modular housing should not be considered to be cheaper and less imaginative, or to offer less flexibility in terms of special planning. On the contrary, it should offer the potential for better and more consistent quality, with far faster construction times,” Millman writes in an essay on Faithful+Gould’s website.

“Increasingly sophisticated technology can now produce modular buildings that look convincingly like their traditionally built counterparts.”

Menon agrees with Millman, further stating that nuanced design elements can also be incorporated in modularly constructed spaces which can rub shoulders with Dubai’s lavishly designed tall towers. “Smart Box has prospects requiring up to seven-storey structures using modular construction.

One such multi-storey project in the pipeline is to build contemporary one-bedroom apartment buildings. If designed to optimise the users’ interaction of space, a 46.4sqm space can also be immensely functional,” he argues.

“Once we perfect these designs, we can churn out a building every six months. The first building is intended to be in the affordable luxury segment as proof of product, with a rooftop garden, swimming pool and gym. The ensuing buildings will be downsized and flexible for tenants, in order to ensure that people can live on cost-effective budgets without sacrificing on quality and standards.”

Menon has also worked in the commercial sector, on a project completed in November 2013 for Geo-Chem Middle East in Technopark, Dubai. The 1,249sqm office building was constructed with 42 cube containers joined together, each 40 feet high. All units were manufactured in a factory and installed in four days.

modules of various lengths and widths.”

It is a stark contrast from traditional methods in terms of time completion, but the basic premises of construction hold true even when a building is created out of modules, and as Hardiman explains, the modular construction provider should be involved at every stage of the building process.

“It is of key importance to bring the modular contractor or manufacturer into the building process as early as possible, as a part of the team.

“In many cases, a modular manufacturer is a subcontractor to a traditional general contractor on a project. However, in some cases a modular manufacturer may also be the general contractor, working directly with the end user.”

Modular construction has been accepted globally for its contribution to competitive real estate pricing, but its future, Hardiman says, depends on how intensely the traditional construction industry is educated about the intricacies and benefits of modular building.

“Education is definitely a hindrance to accepting modular construction, since it is uncharted territory for many architects and builders. For instance, choosing modular is often the greener answer for your construction project.

“Building in a factory promotes efficient use and reuse of tools and materials, as well as minimal disturbance to the job-site before and after module installation.”

“Increasingly sophisticated technology can now produce modular buildings that look convincingly like their traditionally built counterparts” SIMon MIllMAn, FAIthFul+Gould February 2015 Middle East Consultant 25

IN PRACTICE DAVID CLIFTON

Opinion

David Clifton is regional development director for Faithful+Gould

Thirst for knowledge

Why professional training and development is best practice for the industry GCC nations are keen to address the social, economic and political consequences of relying on large expatriate workforces. By implementing labour nationalisation programmes, they aim to improve long-term economic security and sustainability through higher levels of citizen participation.

Issues may include unemployment, underutilisation of skills and public sector overstaffing. All GCC nations are seeking to reduce dependence on the government as the primary employer, and need to find ways of encouraging meaningful engagement with private sector companies.

Investing in the national population’s talent, and ensuring development of the best professional skills, is therefore a priority for governments in the region, but this presents strategic and operational challenges.

Policymakers and business seaders increasingly recognise that nationalisation quota systems cannot succeed without reforms and improvements to educational systems, as well as effective vocational and postgraduate training. The skill and training gaps apparent in some sectors are now an important concern for governments.

The construction industry clearly brings significant employment opportunities as the region reduces its reliance on oil revenue, increasing public and private investment in industrial, tourism and commercial property development and accompanying infrastructure.

Both public and private sectors need well-trained people, especially at professional level.

26 Middle East Consultant February 2015

Government entities typically want to embed international best practice into their capital projects and programmes, but their in-house teams may not be fully equipped to do this. External consultancies can provide the necessary support. For instance, the development of project management and programme management skills, together with transferable tools and processes, can transform the in-house workforce.

An appropriate case study is our Project Management Office (PMO) initiative with Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW). This involved training a team of 180 professionals to enable ongoing control throughout the project lifecycle, including efficient operation and maintenance of completed projects. We anticipate growing interest in the legacy aspect of Project Management Office (PMO) services and also in standalone training and development guidance.

Together with our parent company Atkins, we take a very positive view of our responsibilities towards our own national employees. Private employers in the region can sometimes be reluctant to invest in professional training, accreditation and advice, as many national employees will eventually aspire to government sector careers. However, we see our contribution as also creating an informed future client community, heralding better partnerships for the industry.

There is scope for greater industry-wide engagement with schools and higher education providers in the region. More inward investor companies could offer work experience, internships and graduate recruitment programmes. Our own experience of graduate recruitment in particular has been very positive.

We expect to see more inter-organisation secondments in the future, where both client organisations and consultants second their people (and accept inward secondment) to promote wider exposure to best practice.

Certainly, in the case of our business at Faithful+Gould, in-house staff development is key to the successful delivery of clients' projects.

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ON SITE Palace Residences

Review

pALATIAL LIVING

Middle East Consultant explores Lacasa’s Palace Residences, a luxury apartment complex which brings Dubai quality to Jordan

W

with rays bouncing oFF stainless steel

The team Developer

World of Construction architecture, structures, Mep Lacasa contractor Miramar Contracting lanDscaping Cracknell

handrails and pristine Jerusalem stone, the Palace Residences gleams in the Jordanian winter sun. Surrounded by embassy and ministry buildings in an affluent neighbourhood of Amman, the $14m project contains 19 high-end apartments on a 3,500sqm plot.

The scheme was developed and funded by World of Construction, an entity formed by Emad Jaber, managing partner of Dubai-based consultant Lacasa, and Dr Mohammad Nawaiseh, owner of Miramar Contracting.

Lacasa provided architecture, structures and MEP design, with input from Dubai landscaping firm Cracknell.

World of Construction’s aim was to build a residential complex which raised the standard of Amman’s current stock, following the completion of a two-villa scheme in the same city, also called the Palace Residences. At the time of Middle East Consultant’s visit on a crisp morning in January 2015, the five-storey apartment block was in the process of tenant fit-out.

Babbling fountains mark the entrance, with an archway leading to a semi-formal central courtyard. “This type of courtyard is unusual for Jordan,” says Jaber, who exudes passion and pride in the final product. “All the tenants love it and they will use it once they move in.” An elegant colonnade culminates in a delicate water feature, surrounded by lush plantation.

28 Middle East Consultant February 2015

To fit in with the surroundings – deemed a heritage area by the authorities – the building’s design is predominantly traditional. Classical elements allude to Jordan’s Roman heritage while the façade features the traditional beige stone cladding of Amman – a government requirement for residential buildings. To bring the design into the 21st century, Lacasa added a number of contemporary touches, including glass walls on the upper section, held together with spider fittings, and a glazed cover for the colonnade.

According to the team, the authorities raised no objection with the modern design elements yet initially questioned the building’s function. Nawaiseh explains: “It took a couple of months to get a permit, because the civil defence and municipality wouldn’t believe it is a residential building. They thought it was a hotel as it has en suite bathrooms, a health club, underfloor heating, air conditioning, etc. We are raising the standards but they thought it was too much for a residential building.”

The complex certainly displays touches of exuberance, with apartments containing their own elevators. “Privacy is a high priority for our tenants,” adds Jaber. The largest unit, covering 380sqm on the ground and first floors, boasts its own private garden with a swimming pool and a separate entrance. It even has an outdoor kitchen for entertaining.

Apartments are varied throughout the development, with no identical layouts. Marble flooring for the interior

ON SITE Palace Residences

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 29

ON SITE Palace Residences

A glass wall adds a contemporary touch.

and patio tiles were both sourced from Spain, while oak was used for doorframes. Natural light is prevalent throughout all units, with “no dark spots”, according to Jaber.

The colour palette for the walls, floors and tiles is kept neutral to allow tenants to add their own personality.

Tenants chose from six colour themes for the bathrooms, while bedrooms contain walk-in closets that are bigger than the average boardroom.

A home automation system controls the lights, AC, heating, blinds and rolling shutter, with the capability to link up to music and security systems. According to Nawaiseh, the project uses more insulation than most other Amman properties.

“It is not easy to deal with the weather as we have snow in winter and hot summers. Walls should have very good

“The biggest obstacle for us in Jordan was the craftsmanship.

Finding the right people in Jordan is like trying to win the lottery” MohaMMad Nawaiseh, clieNT/coNTracTor

30 Middle East Consultant February 2015

insulation for energy conservation, and here we have thick walls with insulation in the middle.”

Despite the drastic temperature swings in Amman, many developments refrain from installing thick insulation due to the impact on profitability. “If you build a bigger wall at 50cm, like we’ve done, you have to deduct that from the net area. But if you build a 20cm wall, it will have a larger selling area and it is more profitable,” says Nawaiseh. “If you have better insulation you are punished,” adds Jaber.

Aside from using thicker insulation, other measures for conserving energy include low-energy lighting and a Fujitsu General Air Stage V-II, a highly efficient VRF system according to Nawaiseh. While the choice and placement of MEP offered some challenges, Jaber states that the building is structurally “straightforward”.

Lacasa’s Ihab Nayal acted as lead designer, supported by a team of 12 professionals for the detailing. Concept design took two months, with a further four for detailed design and 24 months for construction. Nawaiseh states that around 120 people worked on-site, including painters, plumbers and woodwork specialists.

Sourcing quality construction professionals from the Jordanian workforce proved to be a major challenge for the team. Instead of hiring a contractor, Nawaiseh assembled and supervised a collection of builders and craftsmen under the name of Miramar Contracting. “It is not like Dubai where you have a contractor, a bill of quantities and a subconsultant to supervise construction. We had to split it into packages as it doesn’t work if you have sub-contractors,” says Jaber.

Nawaiseh stresses the challenge of finding skilled labour in the country. “The biggest obstacle for us in Jordan was the craftsmanship. Finding the right people in Jordan is like trying to win the lottery. To implement the design into reality is a nightmare, especially with Jordanisation.

He continues: “There is a government regulation that you cannot import skilled labour from another country, so we had to use the resources available in Jordan. You can’t bring in an experienced painter from India or Egypt – you have to go into the local market and find someone who has registered. We ended up choosing many people we had worked with before.”

Those that were hired required constant supervision in order to achieve the goal of surpassing Jordanian construction standards. “They will not do the job properly unless you are on top of them,” says Nawaiseh.

“They will say, ‘Why do you want it that way, everybody does it like this’ and they don’t understand why you are going to the extra effort if the apartments are just going to be sold.”

Due to the lack of local products and expertise, features such as the stainless steel handrails were custom-built and

ON SITE Palace Residences

installed from scratch. “We had to get the material, cut it to the design, weld it to the quality standard and install it. This happened with many items. That’s the difference between doing it in Dubai and Jordan,” says Jaber.

“You bring in a company and they will give you a tremendously high price but the quality is not that good,” adds Nawaiseh.

“The handrail is a different design to what they are used to – it’s a tube and out of the range. They were asking for a very high price as it is not what they are used to. I decided to hire my own staff and buy the materials instead.”

After the materials were purchased, a process of value engineering was undertaken to minimise wastage and maximise efficiency. This process managed to save 2530% on the cost of materials, without compromising quality, according to Jaber. He believes that the hard work has paid off, adding: “I’m so proud of the quality of the craftsmanship and the stone. This type of layout and quality is not available here in Amman. Even though it is luxury in every way, it is very cost-effective.”

It appears that the project has already set a benchmark for Amman residential projects, with developers attempting

An elegant colonnade culminates in a water feature in the central courtyard.

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 31

ON SITE Palace Residences

to mimic World of Construction’s style, albeit on a smaller budget. “People are trying to implement something like this, but when they get to the numbers they think it is costly, so they pull back a little bit,” says Nawaiseh.

“it is not like dubai where you have a contractor, a bill of quantities and a sub-consultant to supervise construction” eMad Jaber, lacasa aNd world oF coNsTrucTioN

Landscaping services were provided by Dubaibased Cracknell.

32 Middle East Consultant February 2015

“There was someone who liked it but couldn’t afford the expensive stone, so he tried to do it cheaper,” Jaber adds.

As soon as you change something, the whole effect is lost.

For instance, the standard stone size is 25cm but we have designed it as 30cm. It is more expensive this way, but if you use a smaller size it will affect the whole proportion and classical architecture is all about proportion. At Lacasa, our lead designer, Ihad Nayal, designs to the millimetre.”

Despite resistance from the local workforce, World of Construction stuck to its guns and succeeded in building an international quality product in Amman. With all units sold, it is clear that affluent Jordanians appreciate the extra quality and panache of the project. Driven by an impassioned leadership team, with a painstaking attention to detail and an uncompromised vision of quality, the Palace Residences is a labour of love.

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ON SITE 20 FENCHURCH STREET

Snapshot

34 Middle East Consultant February 2015

ON SITE 20 FENCHURCH STREET

In detail lOCaTION London, UK hEIGhT 177m STOREYS 37 STEElWORk 13,000 tonnes COMPlETION 2014

20 Fenchurch Street London’s infamous ‘Walkie Talkie’ tower recently opened its triple-level sky garden, a public space that was instrumental in gaining planning approval for the controversial building in the heart of the city

D

DubbED ThE ‘WalkIE TalkIE’ DuE TO ITS distinctive shape, 20 Fenchurch Street has made an impression on London and its citizens – not always a positive one. Widely criticised for adversely altering the historic skyline, the 37-storey office tower was called “bloated, inelegant, thuggish” by the Observer last month.

The building made national headlines in summer 2013 when cars were damaged by sunrays reflecting off the concave façade, earning the tower a new nickname: ‘Walkie Scorchie’.

However, the project became more endearing to Londoners with the opening of a 50sqm public sky garden on 12 January.

Extending over the top three levels, the area features stunning views over the city, as well as landscaped gardens, an open-air terrace, two restaurants and a function space.

Owned jointly by Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group, the client envisioned a high-performance project with a BREEAM rating of Excellent to replace an obsolete office tower in the heart of the City of London. Design was commissioned in 2005, with planning permission received in September 2007 following a public inquiry. The design breaks with convention by enlarging the floor plans at the top of the building instead of the bottom, creating additional public space at ground level and providing extra leasable floor area to the valuable upper storeys. Part of the basement of the former building was retained, helping to speed up construction and boost sustainability credentials.

The development also includes a separate five-storey annex building to the south which contains retail space.

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 35

ON SITE 20 FENCHURCH STREET

Architecture

Structures

RaFaEl VIñOlY aRChITECTS Uruguayan Rafael Viñoly was hired as a big-name architect to provide an iconic design. The distinctive form was generated by the relationship of the site to the cluster of towers further to the north, with the building conceived as an outcrop of the cluster.

The tower has been designed to offer maximum efficiency and flexibility for potential tenants, with all office floors and services capable of being sub-divided. North and south elevations feature extensive glazing to maximise views, while the curtain wall on the upper floors of the north façade extends to the roof louvers, providing a large urban window spanning the full height of the sky garden. At ground level, the narrowed base creates open landscaped plazas and pedestrian paths through the site, including a pocket park that connects Rood Lane and Philpot Lane.

halCROW (NOW PaRT OF Ch2M hIll) Due to the surrounding buildings and existing piles beneath the site, the tower’s substructure and foundations involved complex analysis. Halcrow developed a programming routine to automatically extrapolate the beam-framing layout from one floor to the other, although all are sized and shaped differently.

This enabled the tonnage of steelwork to be optimised over all the floors. Using lightweight concrete-on-steel decking for the floor slabs helped to significantly reduce the weight of the building’s structural frame. In addition, the use of structural steel to support the floor slabs resulted in a smaller carbon footprint while providing a high strength-to-weight ratio. Reducing the structural steelwork to 13,000 tonnes lessened the loads on the foundations, in turn minimising the amount of piling required.

36 Middle East Consultant February 2015

ON SITE 20 FENCHURCH STREET

Planning consultant

Building services

DP9 One of the first steps taken by UK planning consultant DP9 was to convince English Heritage and the Twentieth Century Society that the existing building on the site was not worthy of heritage listing.

As the scheme developed, discussions with the City of London and English Heritage led to a reduction in height of 30m on account of the building's impact on views of St Paul's Cathedral. English Heritage was the principal objector at the public inquiry, with both the Mayor of London and Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) supportive of the scheme, according to DP9.

Permission was eventually granted on the grounds of its supposed iconic design and provision of public spaces. London’s chief planner Peter Rees likened the sky garden to the prow of a ship, from which “you could look back to the vibrancy of the city’s engine room”.

hIlSON MORaN The building’s façade incorporates external shading, designed using performance modelling techniques to reduce solar gain dramatically while maximising natural daylight to occupied spaces and cutting the building’s carbon footprint. Using thermal and computational fluid dynamic modelling techniques, the sky garden has been designed as a naturally ventilated space to minimise the energy required. The scheme also includes a low-carbon tri-generation plant that has a 300kWe fuel cell combined with absorption chillers serving building primary loads. Photovoltaic cells on the roof of the sky garden contribute to the low carbon footprint of the development and the target of a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Hilson Moran designed the systems so that they can be connected to a city-wide heating and cooling network in the future.

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 37

on site SAS INTERNATIONAL

Specify ME Long-term values Andrew Jackson, marketing director of SAS International, explains why his company’s metal products offer so many benefits to all stakeholders on a construction project

What are some of the long-term values SAS International can bring to projects through your products?

With SAS metal ceiling and architectural metalwork products, we know that if they’re specified and installed correctly there is no reason why they wouldn’t last at least 20 or 30 years within a building. Bearing in mind the maintenance demands of mechanical and 38 Middle East Consultant February 2015

electrical services housed behind ceiling systems, this is a significant long-term benefit. Can you think of another construction raw material with a 20-30-year-long lifecycle which has residual value at the end of its useful life? This is great for MEP and FM services teams’ savings and money back for the client/developer.

We often compete against ‘performance products’, but they don’t last for 20 or 30 years.

So we try to ensure developers and project teams understand that they get long-term value out of their fit-out products. This starts with the value in designing the right product/application at an early stage of the fit-out/project. Nobody wants a product that looks bad, does not perform and only lasts 12 months. We highlight the true costs.

So we try to look at the whole lifecycle of the product within its given application and we’re

on site SAS INTERNATIONAL

confident that we are able to fulfil the specification set by the project team/specifier.

term value to clients and project teams.

How does this benefit SAS International in an increasingly competitive GCC market?

What are your thoughts about the GCC market? Is there significant understanding of long-term value?

Yes, I think a lot of people in this market know what they want. Or at the least, they have aspirations to have a building of a certain standard. Whether that’s led by aesthetics, performance or environmental accreditation, people know what they want. Whether or not this gets translated [in reality] on to a project is another story. There are so many reasons why a client might not get what they want. Usually, owneroccupiers of buildings don’t let standards slip; they know they will have to live with the end product.

We understand that budgets and approach to projects will vary. A good standard question to ask is: What is the true cost? Initial capital costs may be higher than first expected but could significantly save money, time and resources over 10, 15 or 20 years.

How does SAS International work with the client or project team to ensure that the project vision is achieved?

It varies from project to project. As a manufacturer, it’s not just about supplying a product anymore.

Particularly when it’s for clients who have bespoke requirements. They rightly expect a huge amount from manufacturers. We believe that being involved at earliest design stage is critical. We are designled. Although we have standard products, there is always an application detail demand that needs a solution (e.g. service integration issues, shape of the building, etc.)

We are very used to tailoring our products to particular projects and to client requests.

Project teams demand that we meet the design/ performance requirements whilst delivering on budget. This is not easily executed, but balancing the realities of the build or fit-out, the risks associated and budget is essential.

SAS International recently announced that it has gained independent verification for its Environmental Product Declarations. What does this mean

“Can you think of another construction raw material with a 20-30-yearlong lifecycle which has residual value at the end of its useful life?” for the company and its products?

It means that we have had environment product declarations conducted independently by Atkins, on behalf of SAS International, on all of our metal ceiling products. This is becoming an industry standard, certainly within the UK, Europe, MENA and Australia.

To gain environmental accreditations, you need to ensure that any EPDs that a company owns are independently verified. That means that a third party has to undertake a review into the validity of the product lifecycle data.

For SAS, independently verified EPDs are proof that our products have a long lifecycle which supports our strategy in the market to supply long-

We face competition on many projects. Not just in the GCC, but everywhere in the world. From our point of view, EPDs prove our product claims are backed up. The material content of the product, the way it performs and the length of its life adheres to a compliant bid. There is much ‘green wash’ in the market, and many manufacturers and suppliers don’t have EPDs or the independent verification.

We want to be as transparent as possible and prove to project teams and specifiers that we are serious about delivering value: EPDs are important in doing this.

What are your expectations for the GCC market, and are you looking to expand your reach in the region?

SAS International has been operating in the Middle East for more than 30 years, and we actually expanded our operations during the recession. In 2008, we set up a larger office, with a warehouse for the storage of products and systems. Since that time, we’ve nearly doubled our operations and the number of people we employ.

We’re very positive about the future of the construction market, particularly for interior construction products, within the Middle East. It’s always been an important market for us. We have good relationships with many specifiers, project teams, contractors and clients. However, you can’t stop innovating and we have some interesting product developments to announce in 2015.

In addition, we supply local subcontractors in the area for smaller fit-outs, so it’s not necessarily all about the big, high-profile headline developments.

The one-floor fit-out or smaller projects are the dayto-day market within the GCC region which we are proud to be supplying.

We believe that our business can meet the demand in both areas of the market. 2015 looks exciting as the recovery starts to take a grip. We are very positive that we can deliver the long-term quality and value that is being sought.

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 39

on site roundup

Company update Faithful+Gould appoints head of sustainability for Middle East Dr Neil Kirkpatrick has been appointed by Faithful+Gould as head of sustainability for the Middle East as part of the consultancy’s investment in green capabilities. Kirkpatrick is Estidama Pearl-qualified and a GSAS-certified green professional with more than 30 years’ experience in the UK, the UAE and Qatar.

With expertise providing project management and technical advice for master planning, design and construction, Kirkpatrick has worked with governments, developers and royalty, as well as the European Commission.

Campbell Gray, Faithful+Gould’s Middle East managing director, commented: “Neil is recognised as an international authority on sustainability issues, so it’s a major coup

for us to have him on board. He significantly strengthens our offering at a critical time, enabling us to work even more closely with clients to help develop strategies that maximise the commercial benefits associated with the design and construction of better, more sustainable buildings and developments.”

Kirkpatrick added: “I’ve been hugely encouraged by the change in client expectations and understanding of sustainability which I’ve witnessed in the region during the past two to three years.

Sustainability is now at the heart of many clients’ programmes, and there’s a huge appetite for the best practice support and expertise which we’re looking to deliver.”

Law firm recruits construction practice leader Al Tamimi & Company, one of the largest law firms in the Middle East, has confirmed the appointment of Scott Lambert as regional head of its construction and infrastructure practice.

Lambert is a former partner of Holding Redlich, an Australian law firm with one of the largest construction practices in Queensland, and has been a director of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, a member of the Queensland Law Society Law Construction Law Committee and deputy chair of the Law Council of Australian Construction and Infrastructure Law Committee.

With extensive experience and activities in the sustainability sector, Lambert is an accredited Greenstar professional and was a legal partner for Emirates Green Building Council in 2014.

40 Middle East Consultant February 2015

Al Tamimi has grown to over 500 employees with 50 partners and offices across all six GCC countries.

It has also expanded its regional premises in Ras Al Khaimah, Erbil, Muscat and Manama.

Husam Hourani, managing partner at Al Tamimi, said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Scott to his new role, especially at a time where the sector is experiencing such significant growth across the region.

His extensive experience in the legal sector, especially within construction and infrastructure, will enable him to share valuable insights into how we can develop our construction and infrastructure practice further, and ensure the growth and development of the practice across the region.”

on site roundup

New boss for MAF’s malls unit

DaviD PhilP strengthens aecom’s Bim oFFer Aecom has recruited David Philp as director of BIM for Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and India, to further augment the firm’s digital and project data capabilities. Philp joins Aecom from Mace, where he was head of BIM. He will also continue his part-time secondment as head of BIM for the UK Government’s BIM Task Group.

At Aecom, Philp will work alongside BIM manager Elizabeth Peters as well as David Bennison, who leads the company’s EMEA and India Technology & Data Solutions Group. His main responsibilities will be to drive consistency in the company’s approach to BIM and delivery in EMEA and India, in line with the company’s global approach.

John Horgan, Aecom managing director, EMEA and India, said: “Aecom is home to thousands of professionals who are already using BIM in a datarich environment to support a collaborative, rapid decisionmaking process that adds value to our clients’ projects.”

Majid Al Futtaim has announced the appointment of Michael Cesarz as Chief Executive officer of its shopping malls business unit. An architect by training, Cesarz has experience in design, development, project management and operations across several real estate asset classes, including shopping malls.

Ghaith Shocair, CFo and acting CEo, Majid Al Futtaim properties, said: “our shopping malls business, as the regional industry leader with 17 regional and community malls, is set to significantly expand and grow over the coming few years. We are committed to delivering on our Majid Al Futtaim promise of great moments for everyone, every day, through enhanced customer

experiences, product innovation and building great brands, and Michael’s leadership and experience will be instrumental in delivering on our plans for this business.”

Cesarz’s experience includes a number of senior management roles, such as CEo and chairman of METro Group Asset Management, head of construction and member of the board at peek & Cloppenburg KG, and other real estate project development roles.

Majid Al Futtaim has a wealth of high-profile malls in its portfolio, including Mall of the Emirates and City Centre-branded developments in Mirdif, deira, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah, Bahrain, Muscat and Beirut.

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 41

on site roundup

Exova wins doha Metro testing jobs

JLL appoints head For Mena strategic consuLting Michael Heitmann has been appointed as JLL’s head of strategic consulting for the Middle East and North Africa.

Heitmann joined JLL in 2007 as a MENA region business advisor and has over 17 years’ experience in real estate.

He worked for more than six years in the Advisory Real Estate team with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Berlin.

Heitmann will be responsible for providing strategic advisory services to private and institutional investors, developers, financiers, owners and occupiers, for both domestic and international clients.

Commenting on his new role, Heitmann said: “This is an interesting time for expanding capabilities and working on high-profile and complex developments across the region.”

42 Middle East Consultant February 2015

Global testing firm Exova Group has won three contracts to conduct specialist fire safety engineering and materials testing of key infrastructure for Doha Metro.

The contracts are worth more than $5.6m and extend up to three years.

Hicham Abdallah, managing director of Exova for Middle East, Asia and Asia Pacific, said: “These are extensive and technically demanding programmes which Exova is

well-placed to deliver. We are able to apply knowledge and experience gained from our work on mass transit infrastructure across the Middle East, including the Dubai Metro and Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High Speed Railway.”

The new Doha Metro is currently under construction, with phase one anticipated to open in 2019. Upon project completion in 2026, the Metro will consist of four lines covering 132 miles and serving 85 stations.

Middle East Electricity to spark discussion Middle East Electricity, the world’s largest power exhibition, returns in 2015 for its 40th edition and aims to build on its growth in the last two years.

The event provides a platform for networking, business development and education for the power, lighting, nuclear and renewable sectors.

The record-breaking 2014 edition welcomed 1,250 exhibitors from 57 countries and over 19,500 visitors

from 126 countries. To facilitate training and education, Middle East Electricity offers a programme of free-to-attend technical seminars presented by exhibitors.

Additionally, the exhibition will host the Green Energy Conference, which gathers industry experts to discuss key topics related to sustainability.

This year’s event will run from 2-4 March, 2015 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

on site roundup

Project update Benoy unveils Bahrain masterplan Design practice Benoy has completed the concept masterplan for the first phase of Bahrain Marina in Manama. The luxury scheme will reinvent the current marina with a 150,000sqm mixed-use design including the Bahrain Marina Yacht Club.

Paul Priest, Benoy director and head of MENA Studios, commented: “The Bahrain Marina masterplan has been inspired by the beautiful natural environment blended with the energy of the capital.” The development will contain a five-star hotel, serviced apartments,

retail, a cinema and a wide variety of food and beverage options, anchored by the yacht club.

The wide promenade will encourage visitors to meander through the retail area, fringed with water features.

Benoy is working with the real estate investment arm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bahrain’s Social Insurance Organisation (SIO), Amlak. “With the support of Amlak on this stunning and diverse project, we are sure it will quickly become an iconic development in the Benoy portfolio,” Priest added.

Zaha Hadid reveals Sharjah headquarters for Bee’ah Environmental and waste

energy consumption by 30%,

visitor facilities and administration

management company Bee’ah

and the building’s structure

department. A protected courtyard

has commissioned Zaha Hadid

was developed in conjunction

will offer a breakout space for staff

Architects to design a LEED

with engineers Buro Happold to

in the area where the forms overlap.

Platinum-rated headquarters on a

minimise material consumption.

90,000sqm desert site in Sharjah.

Hadid’s 7,000sqm design envisions

The headquarters will be used as a learning resource to demonstrate

a fleet of sweeping sand dunes

practical environmental awareness

an international competition,

oriented to optimise the prevailing

to the wider community, working

the architect worked with UK-

shamal winds and limit the quantity

with schools to teach children about

based environmental design

of glazing exposed to the desert

their role in the environment.

consultants Atelier Ten to develop

sun. The two largest ‘dunes’ will

building systems to reduce

contain the management offices,

After winning the project in

44 Middle East Consultant February 2015

According to Bee’ah, the project is expected to be completed by 2018.

on site roundup

Saudi Show to highlight $200bn project market The fifth edition of The Big 5 Saudi exhibition will draw attention to the Kingdom’s booming construction market, with $200bn in contracts to be awarded over the coming years.

An estimated $75bn worth of construction projects was awarded in 2014 alone.

Taking place in the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events from 9-12 March, overall exhibition space has grown from 7,000sqm in 2011 to an anticipated 20,000sqm in 2015, with 16,000 visitors and 560 exhibitors expected.

The event will also feature seminars covering areas such as asset maintenance, project management, market overview and an introduction to the LEED rating system.

Nathan Waugh, event director for The Big 5 Saudi, commented: “The Big 5 Saudi has gone from strength to strength.

It brings together decisionmakers, procurement managers, international visitors and large companies for four days."

Masdar completes IRENA headquarters Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City has announced the completion of the 31,983sqm IRENA Global Headquarters complex, the first office building in Abu Dhabi to be awarded a 4 Pearl Estidama Construction Rating Certificate. Designed by Woods Bagot, the multi-use complex comprises three connected buildings and will be the permanent home of the International Renewable Energy Agency as well as other commercial tenants.

The complex includes 1,000sqm of rooftop photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, while solarthermal water heaters supply 75% of the estimated total annual hot water usage. Sustainable design strategies are anticipated to reduce the building’s energy consumption by more than 40% and water by 53%, compared to a nonEstidama baseline building.

Fitted with sun-shielding fins, the outer skin reduces solar heat gain without obstructing the view from inside.

75%

High-performance tinted glass and high-efficiency insulation are also used to optimise energy savings. Materials used during construction include locally-sourced, low-carbon cement and recycled steel. The buildings share a community courtyard which connects to shops, restaurants and open areas.

“It is only fitting that the headquarters of IRENA, dedicated to the sustainable use of renewable energy, be located in one of the most sustainable buildings in the world,” said Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA director-general. “The building will be a shining example of how we can meet our energy needs today while preserving the Earth’s resources for tomorrow.”

Dr Ahmad Belhoul, CEO of Masdar, said: “The 4 Pearl rating sets a new benchmark for sustainable design and showcases how high-performance buildings can reduce energy and water consumption, while remaining costcompetitive.”

Percentage of IRENA Headquarters’ total hot water supplied by solarthermal water heaters February 2015 Middle East Consultant 45

on site roundup

DSE winS $54m Dubai HOTEL COnTRaCT Drake and Scull Engineering (DSE) has won a $54m contract for a complex in Dubai containing five hospitality buildings, providing a range of disciplines including water, power, rail, oil and gas.

Construction is now underway, with completion expected in 2017.

“The hotel complex is an ambitious and fresh project that will enable us to showcase DSE’s engineering

expertise and help augment Dubai’s hospitality portfolio,” said Ahmad Al Naser, managing director of DSE. The five buildings range from 15 to 19 floors and include a hotel, serviced apartments, ballroom, marina and an attached bridge.

DSE’s other contract wins in the UAE include Mall of the Emirates Expansion, Habtoor City, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Maliha Hospital.

UK architect designs floating house for flood zones Carl Turner, a UK architect that

ability to adapt the design before

also environmentally friendly due

won the RIBA housing competition

hiring contractors, if necessary.

to the presence of a pair of semi-

in 2012, has designed a floating

The boat-like home has its

house for people living in areas

own garden built on the roof

which are prone to flooding.

to allow a vantage point.

The company that features

The design of the house can be

Turner’s design, Paperhouses, will

built over land, not necessarily

soon supply the blueprints of the

water, due to its flood-resistant

floating house to those who are

and buoyant concrete base.

registered on its website, for free. As it is open source, it gives users the

46 Middle East Consultant February 2015

In addition to being floodresistant, the two-storey house is

translucent solar panels affixed to the exterior of the house.

According to the architects, this is adequate to supply electricity for the house occupants.

Other green measures include a rainwater-harvesting tank on the roof, providing a renewable source for the occupants’ non-potable water needs.

on site roundup

Mace to manage Reem Mall development The development of Abu Dhabi’s

“Reem Mall is NREC’s largest

partner such as Mace will bring a

Reem Mall will be managed by

and most ambitious project to date.

new level of international expertise

international consultants Mace

[The project] will make a significant

to our professional consultant team,

as appointed by the National

contribution to the development of

and ensure that the delivery of

Real Estate Company (NREC).

Reem Island, a vital component in

the Reem Mall project adheres to

The new mall is conceived

Abu Dhabi’s 2030 urban structure

the highest industry standards."

as an ultimate entertainment

framework plan,” said Nic Alford,

destination, as it will provide dining

Mace operations director.

and shopping facilities with more

NREC’s vice president of

The mall is now at concept design stage and construction on the $1 billion project will

than 450 stores and 85 food and

development, Shane Eldstrom, stated:

commence in 2015, with final

beverage outlets for visitors.

"Working with a renowned delivery

completion anticipated by 2018.

BIG reveals media centre design Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has revealed a competition proposal design of a media headquarters building for an unnamed location and client in the Middle East.

The design includes two towers connected from the top to the base by a 650,000sqm canopy. BIG defined the project as a “vertical village” which includes a space for visitor accommodation, a restaurant, an auditorium and other services.

“At the intersection of contemporary media and the heritage of the region’s rich

culture, we have explored innovative uses of traditional architectural elements.

“We have been inspired by the bazaars, the tiled ceramic roofs and the architectural use of textiles indigenous to the Arab world,” said Bjarke Ingels, the project partner in charge and founder of BIG. Ingels added: “[It is] a community under one roof. The media headquarters building is designed to maximise the interaction between staff, visitors and audience under one common roof.”

February 2015 Middle East Consultant 47

THE BACK PAGE MARC BRONSTEIN

Thoughts “I am currently exclusively designing and building hospitals – they are structures that touch human lives” I grew up just outside Boston in a city called Brockton, which is the home of legendary boxers Rocky

Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. I did my undergraduate degree at Brandeis University, a small liberal arts college also just outside Boston, where I received a BA in Art and Architectural History. My Master of Architecture was from Washington University in St. Louis. If I had to choose my favourite designers, I’d pick the classics such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Louis Kahn, Tadao Ando and Le Corbusier.

Over the years, I have worked for Pacall+Watson, HLW International and HOK. Some of my key projects

Why I chose my job Marc Bronstein, senior healthcare designer, Areen Design

I

t was not planned for me to specialise in healthcare; I kind of fell into it. My first job in healthcare was with Jonathan Bailey Associates. They were looking for an architect who had large project experience in terms of design, coordination and management. Most of my projects prior to that were of a large scale, such as Heathrow Terminal 5.

48 Middle East Consultant February 2015

along the way include World Trade Centre in Abu Dhabi, AOL corporate headquarters in New York, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Michigan, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU) in Riyadh and King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital (KASCH), the first specialist children's hospital in Saudi Arabia.

I’ve now gained 10 years’ international experience working on the design of prestigious healthcare projects. I joined Areen in 2009 and now lead the

company’s expanding interest in this sector. At Areen, my days are all-encompassing and vary greatly. Mornings are usually emails, shop drawing reviews and submitted approvals. I then move onto design and design review meetings with the team, followed by project management.

This is not a typical daily sequence but rather how the day usually flows. Of course, there is also a lot of travel and that could be anywhere from Morocco to Egypt, Saudi, the UAE or the US. What satisfies me the most about my job is the end result. I am currently exclusively designing and building

hospitals – they are structures that touch human lives.

Most of my healthcare projects have been women's and children's facilities. As a father of two young girls, I get the most pleasure from these.

Oddly enough, I started off at university planning on going into medicine, so if I wasn’t a designer I might

have ended up being a doctor or a rock star!