FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Senior Manager - Dossier Business Unit Shivkumar Gaitonde Assistant Advertising Manager Girija Shankar Mohanty Senior Art Director Sandesh S. Rangnekar Senior Designer Shameer Moideen Production Manager Govindraj Ramesh Photography Rajesh Burman Basim Al Maharbi
CORPORATE Chief Executive Sandeep Sehgal Executive Vice President Alpana Roy Senior Business Support Executive Radha Kumar
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DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING
D
ossier, Oman’s key bilingual B2B magazine is now in its fifth successful year. Today, Dossier has evolved into a magazine that resonates with multi-faceted businesses – from construction and infrastructure to telecommunications and hospitality. Dossier enables corporate houses, business owners, and entrepreneurs alike to get the most relevant, up to date business intelligence. For the fifth anniversary special of Dossier Property & Interiors, as the title suggests, the spotlight shines on the real estate, property market and interiors. In order to get a real perspective of the markets in Oman, our issue features in-depth, concise interviews and analyses from industry experts. Christopher J Steel, Managing Partner of Savills Oman gives a realistic evaluation of the real estate sector, both residential as well as commercial while Eng Abdul Wahid Al Farsi, VP Corporate Affairs, Omran gives us his take on the ITCs and highlights the importance of having a real estate regulatory body. The special anniversary issue offers readers an unparalleled look at industry news, alongside incomparable access to potential business drivers. Dossier is constantly on a quest of bringing the best to our readers. We hope that our anniversary edition has yet again managed to bring to light business accounts that are insightful and based on solid sourcing.
REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS MARKET INSIGHT
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INTERVIEW DIVERSE PORTFOLIO
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SANITARY WARE DESIGNS &
CONTENTS
INTERPRETATIONS
PAINTS DIVERSE PALETTES
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NEWS BRIEFS
SFO, Teejan team up with Office Show 2012
Omran announced that construction of Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort Hotel will be completed by December 2013. Since the groundbreaking in December 2011, the project has progressed steadily with over 300 employees working on building the substructure and superstructure of the 86 luxury room resort hotel. Earlier this year, the Tender Board awarded the tender for constructing the resort hotel. Operated by the Singaporean based hotel chain, Alila, the hotel resort is envisioned to become a luxury hotel and spa development along with a cliff side restaurant and pool on top of a large mountain, 2000 metres above sea level.
Sharikah Fanniyah Omaniyah (SFO) and Teejan Furnishing have signed up as Platinum Sponsors of the Office Show 2012, aligning their respective brands with the country’s only trade expo on the rapidly growing office solutions market. Organised by Global Exhibitions & Conferences (GEC), the inaugural edition of Office Show 2012 will take place from 10-12 September 2012 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. The three-day event will serve as the definitive platform for equipment suppliers and service providers to put on display a complete range of office-related products, furniture, equipment, services and solutions essential to creating the ideal workplace environment. Sharikah
Jabal Al Akhdar Hotel due for completion in Dec 2013
Fanniyah Omaniyah (SFO), whose officerelated products and solutions adorn a large number of prestigious corporate and government offices in Oman, has confirmed a high-profile presence at the Office Show. Teejan Furnishing will capitalise on the much-anticipated show’s appeal to target Oman’s lucrative market for modern and efficient workplace solutions.
“Through our careful and considered approach, we have worked with the contractors and designers to ensure that every essence of Al Jabal Al Akhdar’s majestic beauty is incorporated into the resort hotel, “ said Wael bin Ahmed Al Lawati, CEO of Omran.
Nawras offers ESET uncovers ACAD/Medre.A virus enhanced 3G+ ESET has uncovered a worm that targets drawings created in AutoCAD software for computer-aided design (CAD). The worm, ACAD/Medre.A, showed a big spike recently in Peru on ESET’s LiveGrid® (a cloud-based malware collection system utilising data from ESET users worldwide). ESET’s research shows that the worm steals files and sends them to email accounts located in China. ESET has worked with Chinese ISP Tencent, Chinese National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and Autodesk, the creator of AutoCAD, to stop the transmission of these files. 6
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
ESET confirms that tens of thousands of AutoCAD drawings, primarily from users in Peru, were leaking at the time of the discovery. ESET has made a free standalone cleaner available at ESET.com. “After some configuration, ACAD/ Medre.A sends opened AutoCAD drawings by e-mail to a recipient with an e-mail account at the Chinese 163.com internet provider. It will try to do this using 22 other accounts at 163.com and 21 accounts at qq.com, another Chinese internet provider,” says ESET Senior Research Fellow Righard Zwienenberg.
Nawras has completed the first stage of extensive testing ahead of turbocharging its network in Al Amerat. Over 40,000 people living and working in the Wilayat will be the first in the country to enjoy the new, enhanced 3G+ technology this September. All sites will shortly be offering the enhanced 3G+ service with faster speeds and wider coverage. Through its extensive and innovative communications solutions, Nawras is making significant investments to meet the ever growing demand from customers for faster broadband data at home, at work and on the move.
NEWS BRIEFS
MEC campaigns for energysaving culture
Mazoon Electricity Company (MEC) conducted an awareness campaign for customers throughout the governorates of Dakhiliyah, North and South Sharqiya and South Al Batinah. Entitled ‘Reduce Energy Consumption for More Electricity and Less Cost’, the initiative highlights electricity efficiency measures, HSE policies and practices adopted by the company as well as value-added services provided by them. Aiming
to raise awareness on the importance of conserving power, the campaign will include events and workshops conducted in coordination with various government organisations and private companies. MEC has planned a series of discussion sessions at the Omani Women’s Associations to exchange ideas and ways to save electricity while underlining the dangers of misuse of electrical appliances at home.
The Lighthouse opens
The Lighthouse, a division of Trade Links & Services Company recently opened a showroom in Muscat to bring the best lighting products and solutions to Oman. The showroom has in-house
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DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
design consultants to offer professional design services and stocks classic, contemporary and futuristic designs of both interior and exterior light fittings, including classic and modern chandeliers in Swarovski crystals, designer chandeliers and wall lights in Murano glass, special LED profiles, LED down lighters and spotlights, LED cove lights, cold cathode lighting, track lights, special slim fluorescent tube fixtures, decorative light fittings, spot lights, down lights, dimmers and drivers, outdoor lighting fixtures and garden lights.
Muriya softopens Juweira Boutique Hotel With Dhofar’s khareef weather just weeks away, a new boutique property is set to open its doors on the eve of this holiday season. Juweira Boutique Hotel, a premium five star property, is the first of five leading international hotel brands that will anchor the luxurious Salalah Beach lifestyle destination overlooking the Arabian Sea. Everything about Juweira – from its striking waterfront setting and distinctive design through to its sophisticated dining options and refined standard of service – is exceptionally boutique. Designed by celebrated Egyptian architect Adel Mokhtar, this property offers 64 guestrooms including 21 suites. Its location on the marina promenade affords guests unrivalled views of Salalah’s pristine beachfront and the Indian Ocean beyond. Standard offers in all guestrooms are facilities such as Interactive LCD television with satellite, fully-serviced mini-bar, walk-in showers, Wi-Fi internet access, IDD telephone and voicemail, tea/coffee making facilities, and 24hour in-room dining. DVD players and PlayStation sets are available on request. Complementing the hotel’s impeccable facilities is its diverse dining and entertainment options. For seafoodlovers, there is As Sammak which conjures up a fine menu featuring some of the day’s finest catch, with splendid views of the marina to boot.
NEWS BRIEFS
Jotun launches ‘Closer to the Consumer’
Jotun Paints Co has revealed a new strategic initiative, ‘Closer to the Consumer,’ focused on consolidating the company’s market presence in Oman. The announcement was accompanied with the launch of ‘Fenomastic Stain Resistant’ and ‘Fenomastic Hygiene’ and a new design packaging for the ‘Jotashield’ line of paints. The launch of the initiative in Muscat, Salalah, Barka, Sur, Nizwa and Sohar complements the company’s move towards consolidating its Oman market leadership while at the same time reinforcing customer ties. “The launch of ‘Fenomastic Stain Resistant’ and ‘Fenomastic Hygiene,’ demonstrates our capability to
innovate broadly, reliably, and successfully, year after year, in every part of our business,” said Biren Arora, general manager, Jotun Paints Co. ‘Fenomastic Stain Resistant’ is a premium interior wall paint that allows users to remove difficult stains, which includes fingerprints and shoe marks, without affecting the paint and making it still look like new. Meanwhile, ‘Fenomastic Hygiene’ is a superior quality paint that offers resistance against bacteria and fungi growing on highly humid and wet areas like kitchens, bathrooms, hospitals, etc. ‘Jotashield’ range of paints is now presented in a newly-designed can, which offers end-users protection against harsh environment conditions in the region, concrete protection, longer lasting colors and reduced maintenance. It is certified by industry renowned third party certification authorities as an anticarbonation coating and has been widely used across key iconic structures within the Middle East and South East Asia.
Summer escape at Shangri-La’s during the summer. Its leisure facilities includes six swimming pools, private beach, adventure zone, GameZ, mini golf and Splashpad. The sunsational rates are RO60 net in Al Waha, RO75 net in Al Bandar and RO125 net in Al Husn.
Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, the only resort in Oman voted on to Condé Nast Gold List 2012 as one of the world’s best places to stay, offers exceptional sunsational experiences
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The recently opened GameZ offers the opportunity to play darts, air hockey, billiard and ice hockey. The resort also introduces the newly opened Mini Golf, a beautifully landscaped miniature golf course with nine holes for the family adventure.
Omran, DSEZA sign usufruct agreement
Omran has signed an Usufruct Agreement with Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (DSEZA) to utilize a 17,700 sqm land to develop a hotel facility, Oman’s first-ever prefabricated three-star hotel catering to the influx of economic activity in Duqm. The agreement, signed by HE Yahya Al Jabri, chairman of DSEZA and HE Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, Chairman of Omran, signifies the commitment of both organisations to position Duqm as the largest logistical hub in the Middle East.
SAMENA & ITRs Treaty revision SAMENA Telecommunications Council made a formal submission on June 6, 2012 in response to ITU’s invitation for contributions relating to revisions to the current International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs) Treaty. The contribution elaborates upon 12 key industry goals that the SAMENA Council believes are critical for the global telecommunications / ICT community and should therefore be given due consideration and addressed in the revised ITRs Treaty.
REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS
MARKET INSIGHT CHRISTOPHER J. STEEL, MANAGING PARTNER, SAVILLS OMAN, GIVES THE LOWDOWN ON MUSCAT’S REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY MARKET (SUMMER 2012)
RESIDENTIAL - RENTAL The first half of the year saw a steady and surprisingly healthy property market, with signs of growth and consolidation across most real estate sectors. Ongoing investment into large scale infrastructure and associated projects in Oman drives growth of the expatriate population which in turn has led to sustained demand for rental housing throughout the Capital Area Muscat. The general growth in population, Nationals and expatriates alike has ensured that any new supply of accommodation, particularly housing, is quickly taken up and this has ensured than rentals remain firm, with some property types seeing tangible increases in values from 2011 levels. With demand and new stock supply remaining roughly in balance, there is a growing tendency for older style accommodation to see sustained value erosion as tenant occupiers swap for newer more modem alternatives. This two tier market is much reported and commented upon but in reality this is a normal condition of any evolving property market.
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Urban regeneration is a consequence of diminishing returns from established and dated real estate and it is now quite common to see older villas being demolished rather than refurbished to make room for new property. Medinat Sultan Qaboos is a prime example of this where much of the original rental accommodation, now over 30 years old, is being replaced by modern housing to suit the requirements of today’s occupiers. Values as at July 2012 are reported as in [Figure 1].
There has been a substantial increase in supply of new apartment accommodation since the beginning of the year, with an estimated 900 new two bedroom apartments entering the Capital Area rental market alone since January. Whilst demand always remains high for this type of accommodation, this flood of new buildings has resulted in landlords lowering their rental expectations and there has been a slight softening in rents over the year. Until such time as all the new development stock is absorbed,
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3 Bed 3 Bed 4 Bed Villa 5 Bed Villa Apartment Townhouse
[Figure 1].
REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS
this property type is likely to be the most pressured and slight declines further from current levels are expected in the shorter term. Converse to this is the increasing demand for luxury, new apartments at the very top end of the market. For quality new property such as The Wave and Salam Gardens, values in excess of RO. 6 per metre per month are being achieved, sometimes double the prevailing rate for normal quality stock, with two bedroom units in these developments leasing fast at between RO 750 – 950 per month. The Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITC’s), namely The Wave and Muscat Hills remain favoured destinations for renters and are now under supplied with property for rent. As such, rents are likely to rise over the medium term, until such time as new homes are developed. Both these developments have shown that modern, well designed housing in master planned communities is capable of commanding higher rental and capital returns than normal developed housing in their surrounding areas. Of note in the ITC’s is the developers’ acknowledgement of the changing demand demographics for completed housing. Whilst the earlier releases at
Developers have been fast in accommodating the requirements of smaller family sizes now dominating the expatriate market the ITC’s were predominately larger scale housing types, there has been a growing demand for more manageable, compact accommodation, with of course a lower rental price tag. Developers have been fast in accommodating the requirements of these smaller family sizes now dominating the expatriate market. The recent releases at Reehan
Gardens at The Wave and the soon to be launched Badr at Muscat Hills demonstrate the changing styles and sizes on offer at these developments, whilst still providing the very highest quality properties but without the ongoing high maintenance costs associated with larger stand-alone villas. MUSCAT HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Rental demand remains high at Muscat Hills with, at time of reporting, zero availability of villas and only limited apartments. Rents and capital values are likely to climb as the development continues to gain favor and facilities enhanced, including announcement of Intercontinental Hotel management agreement. •
Prevailing values as at July 2012 commence from:
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- 2 Bedroom Apartment – RO. 120,000 sale / RO. 650 + pcm rental
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- 4 Bedroom Villa A and B – RO. 300,000 sale / RO. 1,450 + pcm rental
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- 5 bedroom Villas C & D – RO. 400,000 + sale / RO. 1,800 + pcm rental
Muscat Hills
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AD-LAND MARK
fast. Car parking continues to remain the single most important aspect of consideration when tenants lease space. Those buildings offering car space ratios better than 1 space per 50 square meters leased are able to command premium rentals, even in the presently oversupplied market.
The Wave, Muscat
Like Muscat Hills, an acute shortage of villas and townhouses available for rent is encouraging rental growth. Apartments are still available owing to the recent completion of the Luban neighborhood although these are being quickly taken up. With the opening up of more restaurants, cafes and stores at Marina Boulevard, The Wave is now becoming a self-contained community with rental and capital values holding firm. Values currently attainable: • - 2 Bedroom Apartment – RO. 120,000 sale / RO. 750 pcm rental • - 3 Bedroom Townhouse – RO. 160,000 sale / RO. 900 pcm rental • - 4 Bedroom Villa – RO. 230,000 +
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sale / RO. 1,400 + pcm rental • - 5 bedroom Villa – RO. 285,000 + sale / RO. 1,750 + pcm rental The other ITC developments, namely Jebel Sifa and Bar al Jissah Residences are less active from a rental perspective and sales / re sales are slim owing to no new product offerings. THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE MARKET Despite the much reported massive oversupply situation, there has been a relatively healthy demand for new office space over the year so far. Whilst the market is dominated by large floor sizes, and these are taking time to be leased, small office space below 150 square meters in quality buildings is leasing
Ruwi CBD Qurum Shati al Qurum Al Khuwair Azaiba/Ghala 2005
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Figure 2 16 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
Area preferences continue to change, with the outward shift towards the airport and beyond now fast gathering pace. The established CBD area is eagerly awaiting its infrastructural improvement and beatification projects and if these schemes allow for enhanced parking measures, it is likely that the decline in this area will be curtailed. Landlords are, reflecting the oversupply conditions, becoming more flexible in payment and rent free terms and in some instances offering capital inducements for tenant fitting out works. Prevailing rents for commercial space vary significantly depending on the quality of accommodation, location and most importantly the car parking ratios. The peak values attained in 2008 are long ago historic with rates now back to pre-2006 levels at between RO 6 to RO8 per square meter per month for Grade Aspace. [Figure 2] The office market is likely to take some time to recover its strength and it is likely that there will be less speculative development taking place in the medium term. However, some large scale office projects, including within the Muscat Convention Centre and new airport commercial zones will likely provide some massive leaps in terms of quality of space offerings. The office market is likely to mature at a significant pace over the medium term and with this, the ability for Muscat to attract heavy weight international corporates increases significantly.
PROFILE
LUXURY UNVEILED
Micheal Lenarduzzi, CEO 18 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
THE WAVE, MUSCAT, IS THE FIRST MAJOR INTEGRATED TOURISM RESORT AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. BACKED BY STRONG YIELDS AND WORLD-CLASS AMENITIES, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING STEADY GROWTH SINCE ITS INCEPTION…
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he Wave, Muscat is Oman’s first 100 per cent freehold development. This worldclass mixed-use project kicked off in 2006, at a time when Oman was experiencing a massive real estate boom. Spread along 6km of natural beach, The Wave is features Oman’s first 18 hole green links golf course; a 450-berth marina; apartments and townhouses; water, beach and garden-view villas; a retail complex and 5-star luxury hotels among others. Now, six years down the line, Dossier catches up with Micheal Lenarduzzi, CEO, to talk about the latest developments at Oman’s premier lifestyle destination. Excerpts from the interview:
THE WAVE, MUSCAT TODAY: Out of the 4000 residential properties at The Wave, we have sold about 1100, and out of that we have delivered 850 properties. Currently, there are about 300 more going through the sales and/ or construction process. Almouj Golf [Oman’s first 18-hole, PGA championship golf course designed by Greg Norman] launched the first nine holes in December last year. We then opened the next seven holes a few months back and the final two, last month. We have also recently completed the floodlit par 3 course. The teaching facility and club house are up and running and we have we have another club house planned for construction over the next eight to 12 months.
in sometime as well]. Commencing in the third quarter of this year, we will be beginning the construction work of the larger commercial and retail precinct. It will be underpinned by a 1500sqm Waitrose outlet along with a range of other specialty stores. The development has four hotels; we have operator agreements signed with the Kempinski, and The Fairmont and we’re in the final stages of selecting an operator for two four-star hotels. In terms of delivery, we’re looking to commence the Kempinski later this year for completion in the first quarter of 2014. This will be followed by the boutique four-star hotel and then the Fairmont. The final one, which is a marina hotel, will be established further down the line. ON THE OMANI REAL ESTATE MARKET: When the project was first launched in 2006, they were heady days indeed. The market was really at the top of the cycle
and in logical terms, unsustainable. By the end of 2008, superseded by the global financial crisis, the real estate markets throughout the world and particularly the Middle East really hit the wall hard. As expected, we went through a period of uncertainty, so post 2008, we went back and took a closer look at our product offering, target markets, and where future sales were going to come from – all, in a more realistic market setting. We spent a period of around 12 months assessing the project and found that most of the developments in the region were skewed towards the top end of the spectrum – all five-star, luxury developments without a diversity of products. So broadened our client reach in order to reach out to more segments, without altering the positioning or the quality of the product. The Wave re-launched in March 2009, with around 160 apartments that ultimately, was very successful. Since
Almouj Golf
The 450 berth marina is complete but will be launched in four stages. The first stage comprising 126 berths will be available around September. The Almouj Community beach is already open for residents and so are the retail facilities [which include PizzaExpress and Shang Thai with Shakespeare & Co opening
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 19
PROFILE
the launch, sales have been pretty steady. It is not as buoyant as before, especially given the economic uncertainty that’s going on globally. But the confidence in the project and in Oman is pretty high. ON THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES LAUNCHED RECENTLY: Almeria East, made its debut in October 2011. The 92 apartments spread over three boutique buildings have been completely sold out and construction is expected to start shortly. We have a number of launches that will be coming up throughout the rest of the year as well. We phase the residential properties according to the demand and sales. After the summer, we will have some marina fronted apartments which is being offered for the very first time and we are also planning to bring in some villa products. The price range at The Wave starts at 75,000 Rials and goes up to 2mn Rials; this gives us access to a broad segment of the market. THE CLIENTS: The majority of the buyers have been Omani [50 per cent]. Then we’ve got
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two very strong demographic groups: UK and India. These are the three dominant ones followed by a smattering of countries throughout Europe like The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, etc. One of the key drivers for expatriates wanting to buy property here is the permanent residency. It is also a very profitable longterm investment. The rental yields are very strong and realistically at around six to eight per cent. Another driving factor is the solid backing from our shareholders [namely, the Government of Oman and Majid Al Futaim Group] which makes buying property at The Wave a secure investment.
to adhere to those standards. As far as the golf course and the waterways are concerned, we minimise the use of scarce resources. The watering on the golf course is done using treated sewage effluent, so it’s all recycled water. The type of grass used on the golf course is drought resistant and well-suited for this part of the world. The internal waterways throughout the residential areas are natural waterways and we are very careful as to how we treat them. We are extremely cognizant of ensuring that we keep the products as natural as possible. The Wave, as a whole is based on environmental sustainability.
SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WAVE: Sustainability has always been a very important part of our development. Oman is very strict with its environmental laws, and we have to go through a rigid process of environmental impact process every year to get our permits renewed. On top of that, we always look to see if it’s possible to use local and environmentally safe material and all our engineers and tenderers are required
THE APPEAL OF ICTS: ‘Integrated Tourism Complexes’ are very popular for a number of reasons: They give you an opportunity for permanent residency; they provide certainty of outcome because they follow a master plan development, where plans cannot be unilaterally changed. And an ICT like The Wave, where one can experience a quality lifestyle, beautiful landscaping, and first-rate amenities are just some of the factors that draw the people in.
PROFILE
TALKING PROSPECTS ALARGAN TOWELL IS KNOWN FOR ITS INNOVATIVE DESIGNS, ABILITY TO FORESEE ARCHITECTURAL TRENDS AND SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE MODERN LIFESTYLE. DOSSIER IS IN CONVERSATION WITH TONY SAFARIAN, GENERAL MANAGER…
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E
stablished in 2003, Alargan Towell Investment Co LLC is an equal joint venture between W. J. Towell & Co – one of Oman’s most prominent and trusted private sector corporate group companies – and Alargan International Real Estate Company, one of the leading real estate developers in Kuwait. W. J. Towell has long been associated with a diverse portfolio of offerings including real estate and property development, while Alargan has established a notable track record by continuously providing quality middleincome housing as well as a variety of mixed-use, commercial and touristic properties across the GCC. Together, they established Alargan Towell as a front runner in the affordable housing and mixed-use development sectors in the Sultanate of Oman. “Our main objective,” explains Tony Safarian, General Manager of Alargan Towell, “is to provide affordable housing solutions. We are not focused on the high-end housing market because it is evidently clear that there is a large segment of the market which deserves good quality homes at competitive prices.” Alargan Towell has many projects in various stages of completion. Currently, the Company’s head office is in one of ALARGAN Towell’s recently completed projects, Qurm Gardens. Located in the heart of Qurm opposite the Rose Gardens, and covering a total built up area of 24,682 sqm the project is a mixed-use development of residential and commercial (18,000 sqm plot area) and retail (2,200 sqm) spaces. Another project is Beyout AlFaye, situated in the emerging district of Al Khoudh. Beyout Al Faye includes 126 villas of varying sizes and designs within a total plot size of 54,800sqm. This mixed use development has excellent access to road networks and establishments like Sultan Qaboos University, Knowledge Oasis Oman and Muscat City Centre. “We completed Phase I of the project comprising of 48 villas and it was met with tremendous success. We sold out phase I very quickly and most of the homes have already been handed over. Development of Phase II is progressing in
earnest,” says Safarian. Another promising project in the Sultanate is «Al Waha» (Oasis) Project situated in Barka. This too is a mixed use development spread over a bit more than 600,000 sqm. “The pace of development in Barka and the surrounding areas has been phenomenal and we realised that there was a strong need to develop affordable housing options for people there. Phase I was pre-launched a couple of months back with 33 villas to test the market and get a good grasp of the prevailing market conditions.” The main draw is undoubtedly the price factor. With prices for villas starting at Rials 37,800; the development truly promises to cater to the requirements of diverse market strata. Talks are currently underway for an upcoming ITC (Integrated Tourist Complex) project located in Barka as well but details are still under wraps. Safarian elaborated further of the Company’s commitment, research and analysis of understanding the market and its changing needs. “One of the key factors that make our properties an attractive option for homeowners is more than just the affordability factor. We understand our customers and realise that it is challenging for potential buyers to even find appropriate financing options, especially first-time buyers.” In this regard Alargan Towell has developed a flexible mode of payment for customers. “We allow buyers to pay only 5 per cent upon booking (the norm is a 20 per cent down payment in line with Central Bank regulations) and then the remaining 15 per cent is paid via interest free instalments. So by the time the property is complete, the entire 20 per cent is paid. Clients can then apply for a mortgage loan for the balance. ” Alargan Towell has always been astute about their investments. The real estate market in Oman has taken a leap since the global economic crisis affected the region and Safarian believes that it holds a strong amount of potential, despite the recovery being slightly slow. “At one point of time, it almost started becoming speculative, but the trend did not continue for long and did not have any damaging effects on the
Alargan Towell has been established as a frontrunner in the affordable housing and mixed use development sectors in Oman
market.” “At the end of the day, we ensure that we do our research and plan ahead. We take into account growth rates and economic conditions as well as any other variables before finalising the concept of our projects and fixing prices. We conduct an in-depth market research via surveys in which we ask potential buyers from our target market about their housing requirements and preferences.” Safarian maintains that the residences are developed keeping in mind local families needs, values, lifestyle and interests. “Our primary focus is not only on those customers who view this purely as a business and profitable opportunity; but mainly for those who are interested in purchasing a home for themselves and their families. We are committed to building homes and communities for the benefit of these customers.” The testament to Alargan Towell’s commitment lies in their offerings – affordable residences where modern lifestyles meet traditional architectural designs. Homeowners in Oman now have the opportunity to experience a truly unique way of life at a truly unique price.
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 23
ECOLOGICAL HOMES
THE GREEN MILE
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THE COMMON OBJECTIVE IS THAT GREEN BUILDINGS ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ON HUMAN HEALTH AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
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reen building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building›s life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources; Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity; and reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation. A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. Other related topics include sustainable design and green architecture. Sustainability may be defined as meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Green building does not specifically address the issue of the retrofitting existing homes. It has been found that sustainably
designed buildings cost less to operate and have excellent energy performance. In addition, occupants were more satisfied with the overall building than those in typical commercial buildings. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. The limits of sustainable design are reducing. Whole earth impacts are beginning to be considered because growth in goods and services is consistently outpacing gains in efficiency. As a result, the net effect of sustainable design to date has been to simply improve the efficiency of rapidly increasing impacts. The present approach, which focuses on the efficiency of delivering individual goods and services, does not solve this problem. The basic dilemmas include: the increasing complexity of efficiency improvements; the difficulty of implementing new technologies in societies built around old ones; that physical impacts of delivering goods and services are not localized, but are distributed throughout the economies; and that the scale of resource use is growing and not stabilizing. While the practical application varies among disciplines, some common principles are as follows: Low-impact materials: Choose nontoxic, sustainably produced or recycled materials which require little energy to process. Natural oil stains like linseed and tung oils penetrate wood and either dye the wood grain or leave pigment
near the surface as they penetrate. These oils come from flax seeds and tung tree nuts, respectively, so they are renewable resources. Because of their durability and good wood penetration, natural oil stains do not require a sealer. Natural oil stains are environmentally preferable to acrylic or urethane stains because manufacturing synthetic binders is more damaging than processing natural oils. Waterbased stains also use water in the place of most petroleum-derived solvents, so they are preferable in terms of health and environmental impacts and provide only slightly less protection to wood. Energy efficiency: Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy consumption – both the embodied energy required to extract, process, transport and install building materials and operating energy to provide services such as heating and power for equipment. High-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors increase the efficiency of the building envelope. Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and trees to shade windows and roofs during the summer while maximising solar gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (daylighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy costs. Water efficiency: Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in sustainable
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 25
ECOLOGICAL HOMES
building. One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself. To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site. The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplished by designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing. Wastewater may be minimized by utilising water conserving fixtures such as ultralow flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use water treatment and heating improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the amount of water in circulation. The use of non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as site-irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer. Materials Efficiency: Building materials typically considered to be ‘green’ include lumber from forests that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal, and other products that
are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/ or recyclable. Where possible, building elements should be manufactured offsite and delivered to site, to maximise benefits of off-site manufacture including minimising waste, maximising recycling, high quality elements, better OHS management, less noise and dust. Indoor Air Quality: Indoor Air Quality seeks to reduce volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and other air impurities such as microbial contaminants. Buildings rely on a properly designed ventilation system (passively/naturally- or mechanicallypowered) to provide adequate ventilation of cleaner air from outdoors or recirculated, filtered air as well as isolated operations (kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other occupancies. During the design and construction process choosing construction materials and interior finish products with zero or low VOC emissions will improve IAQ. Most building materials and cleaning/maintenance products emit gases, some of them toxic, such as many VOCs including formaldehyde. These gases can have a detrimental impact on occupants› health, comfort, and productivity. Avoiding these products will increase a building›s IEQ.
Also important to indoor air quality is the control of moisture accumulation (dampness) leading to mould growth and the presence of bacteria and viruses as well as dust mites and other organisms and microbiological concerns. Water intrusion through a building›s envelope or water condensing on cold surfaces on the building›s interior can enhance and sustain microbial growth. A well-insulated and tightly-sealed envelope will reduce moisture problems but adequate ventilation is also necessary to eliminate moisture from sources indoors including human metabolic processes, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and other activities. Personal temperature and airflow control over the HVAC system coupled with a properly designed building envelope will also aid in increasing a building›s thermal quality. Creating a high performance luminous environment through the careful integration of daylight and electrical light sources will improve on the lighting quality and energy performance of a structure. Solid wood products, particularly flooring, are often specified in environments where occupants are known to have allergies to dust or other particulates. Wood itself is considered to be hypo-allergenic and its smooth surfaces prevent the buildup of particles common in soft finishes like carpet. The use of wood products can also improve air quality by absorbing or releasing moisture in the air to moderate humidity. No matter how sustainable a building may have been in its design and construction, it can only remain so if it is operated responsibly and maintained properly. Ensuring operations and maintenance personnel are part of the project›s planning and development process will help retain the green criteria designed at the onset of the project.
26 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
INTERVIEW
DIVERSE PORTFOLIO
ENG. ABDUL WAHID AL FARSI, VP CORPORATE AFFAIRS, OMRAN, SPEAKS TO DOSSIER ABOUT THEIR LATEST PROJECT DEVELOPMENTS… KINDLY TAKE US THROUGH OMRAN’S CURRENT PROJECTS. At the moment Omran’s involved with multiple projects. The Al Jabal Al Akhdar Hotel Resort is firmly on track for December 2013 completion and has progressed steadily with over 300 employees working on building the substructure and superstructure. The resort will reflect rich Omani architecture and the exterior will be adorned with mountain rock. It will be operated by Alila Hotels & resorts and is being being constructed to meet the world recognized LEED certification requirements which demonstrates the project›s environmental and energy efficient features, and being one of the first buildings that are environmentally friendly. Another development that we are eager about is the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. A place for global exchange of ideas, innovations and connections, the Centre will host significant international, regional and local conventions, exhibitions and meetings and be the prime focus for business and tourism, creating hundreds of local jobs and attracting international visitors. It will be operated by AEG Ogden, one of the world’s leading convention and exhibition management companies. Some of the key features are:
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Auditorium: This 3,200 tiered lyricstyle theatre is set over three levels with advanced projection and riggings, orchestra pit and acoustic systems designed to attract world-class entertainers and performers, while also catering for international congress delegations Meeting Rooms: Designed to meet the demands of global conference organizer’s, all 14 meeting rooms are located on the second level, easily accessible from the Auditorium and Grand Ballroom. Seating 70– 360 delegates theatre style, with a number overlooking landscaped gardens. Ballrooms: In addition, this versatile venue offers the flexibility to host meetings, seminars or gala banquets both small and large. The Grand Ballroom seats up to 2,300-theatre style, 1,400-classroom style or 1,350 banquet style, it can be sub-divided into seven individual meeting rooms using a system of acoustically rated movable walls. The Junior Ballroom splits into two equal spaces and caters for up to 1,000-theatre style, 600 classroom style and 570 for a banquet. Exhibition Halls: Providing more than 22,000 square metres of column-free space, the Exhibition Halls can be
divided into five separate halls. Halls 1 and 2 have a superior fit out. They offer specialized acoustic treatment, advanced lighting and rigging requirements to act as a multi-purpose space for larger plenary sessions, concerts or performances seating up to 10,000 theatre style. The individual halls offer a dedicated Registration Desk, Hospitality Suites and separate offices for both the Organiser and Event Manager. The Duqm Crowne Plaza Hotel, a four star business hotel to serve the development of Duqm, is yet another highpoint. Eight kilometres from Duqm town and the Duqm Port & Dry Dock, the Hotel will play an important role in servicing the expanding business needs of the area. It’ll have 218 rooms including executive suites and family halls and is on track for completion by December 2012. The three-star Duqm City Hotel and Khasab Hotel are also projects in our portfolio. YOU HAVE ALSO PARTNERED WITH VARIOUS ITC DEVELOPMENTS. KINDLY TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT. Yes. Our most recent ITC is Jebel Sifah, developed by Muriya, it showcases the best of Oman’s natural environment.
Eng. Abdul Wahid Al Farsi, VP Corporate Affairs, Omran
Located 45 kilometres from Muscat‚ the development is a 6.2 million square metre encompassing 2‚700 homes‚ five hotels‚ an 18-hole PGA-standard golf course‚ retail outlets and a 200-berth marina. The Sifawy Boutique Hotel, consists of 55 guest rooms and 25 apartments and operated by the same hotel operators of the Four Seasons‚ Missoni and Banyan Tree. Both the Sifawy Boutique Hotel and Marina are now open to the public. Another project we are working with Muriya is Salalah Beach which is located in the southern part of Oman in Dhofar
Governorate. It is spread over an area of 15.6 million square metres with an 8.2 kilometre beach front and includes a complex which will encompass 3‚000 high end luxury freehold apartments and villas‚ its own shopping and retail outlets‚ four hotels‚ an 18-hole PGAstandard golf course and a 200-berth inland marina. The soft opening of the Juweira Hotel which consists of 65 rooms was held end of May, offering visitors to Salalah a five star luxurious hotel to relax and enjoy the Khareef season. The Duqm Frontier Town is a joint partnership between Omran and Duqm
Development Co (DDC) to develop Duqm Frontier Town Phase I for Oman Dry-dock Co Management Housing. In order to target the future potential housing demand in Duqm, DDC has also planned to develop Phase II of Duqm Frontier Town. ARE ITCS IN OMAN MORE IN DEMAND AS COMPARED TO OTHER DEVELOPMENTS? WHY? There is a growing demand for integrated tourism complexes as people living in Oman want to seek for a more holistic lifestyle, where they can live in a vicinity that has entertainment and retail. We
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 29
INTERVIEW
will continue to cater to this growing need. We regularly consider new projects and new opportunities that will support the long-term success of Oman’s tourism sector. THE REAL-ESTATE/PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT MARKETS IN OMAN, THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, HAVE BEEN A BIT SLOW. HOW HAS IT AFFECTED THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, PROPERTY PRICES, ETC.? The slow-down per se has not affected the development of the real-estate market as the potential is still there for the need of affordable housing in Oman. The main obstacle in my view is the prices of these new properties that haven’t gone down post the financial crisis in 2008. We are still lacking a regulatory body to monitor and control the hike in the prices of these newly developed properties
Salalah Beach Project, Courtesy: Omran
HAS THE PROPERTY MARKET SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT? I don’t see any improvement as such and hence the need for a real-estate regulatory body has become essential. WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE? I can sense that there would be a slight improvement in the prices of the freehold properties if the developers of ITC & other real-estate projects plan it right in terms of their ROI’s Juweira Hotel, Courtesy: Omran TO WHAT EXTENT DOES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FEATURE IN YOUR PROJECTS? AND IN WHAT WAYS? At Omran, we define sustainability in a number of ways; we look into investing into projects that go beyond thus making better places for people to live in and places for people to visit. We also look into developing projects that have a great impact on the local communities and its stakeholders, while minimizing the impact on the environment. Furthermore,
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each project we undertake has elements which are symbolic to Oman, ranging from the architecture of the buildings to utilizing the core materials to build the structure itself. We strongly believe in being actively involved with the community where are projects have found homes in, from joining hands with the community of Musannah to launch Intajee, supporting the growth of existing agricultural micro-businesses to raising
awareness on the environment in Al Jabal Al Akhdar. We are committed to leading the way in minimizing our environmental impact and continuously improving our environmental performance. Our company management systems having been certified to ISO 14001 & 9001 standards, in addition to OHSAS 18001.
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BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
DRIVEN BY INNOVATION
N. S. Vijaya Kumar, Group CEO 32 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
THE INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP OF KHIMJI RAMDAS HAS INTRODUCED A WIDE RANGE OF INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS FROM ITS PRINCIPALS ACROSS THE WORLD. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH SUSHMITA SARKHEL, CEO OF THE GROUP, N. S. VIJAYA KUMAR, ELABORATES ON SOME OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES HANDLED BY THE COMPANY
K
himji Ramdas (KR)’s Infrastructure Group enjoys a diversified portfolio of products and services encompassing all areas of the construction sector, such as building materials, electrical products, air conditioning and home appliances, furniture, construction, paints, industrial machinery, and tools. Every now and again, each unit of the group introduces new products and innovative services, and depends on local resources to implement them. For example, one of the recent innovations introduced by the painting division of the group was the use of NoFire coating for a warehouse of the Royal Opera House. A product from KR’s principal in the US, NoFire requires special type of application for all the steel structures. “Wherever there are critical areas which require some sort of protection against fire, this product is gaining extreme degree of acceptance,” says N. S. Vijaya Kumar CEO of the group. “As of now we are importing this product but we should be starting manufacturing this product shortly.” Another division, Construction Services is a company involved in projects associated with high tension cables. These are very large size cables and need to be jointed using very specialized application, because of its criticality and the very highvoltage electricity. In this product KR represents Korean and Swiss principals but uses local talent to carry out the projects. “Perhaps we are the only one
company doing it with local resources,” avers Vijaya Kumar. Al Qadeer Engineering Services is equipped to clean high-pressure water jetting machines which operates at 40,000 PSI. This facility is suited for removing sludges especially if they are very thick. This equipment, currently stationed in Sohar, can be moved to all parts of the country. Another new initiative, a tie-up with Godrej India, will enable KR to provide consulting services for green building. “It reiterates our commitment
One of the recent innovations introduced by the painting division was the use of NoFire coating for a warehouse of the Royal Opera House
to sustainable development. As of now it is happening in bits and pieces but what we are looking to do it an organised way,” adds Vijaya Kumar. Taking another important stride towards innovation, KR’s Storage and Solutions Division, in furnishing partnership with its Malaysian-based partner Dexion, is working on a large 24,000 square metre warehouse in Barka for a client; and soon after that is completed it is looking to furnish a similar size warehouse for an in house requirement. HIGH-END FURNITURE Its furniture division is known for an exquisite range of elegant designer furniture that comes with unmatched customer sales support services. “Office furniture is something which we keep on doing. One of the latest works we completed was the building of the Ministry of Higher Education for which we have used our furniture designed and manufactured in Italy. One may wonder whether it is a Ministry building which normally wears a conservative look or the reception of a five-star hotel. The sophisticated design serves to inspire young Omanis aspiring for higher studies. We are also bringing out with a new solution for dealing with old house furniture. It seeks to help those who buy new furniture to shift their old ones. We help them for the replacement,” says Vijaya Kumar. The electrical division of the company is at the forefront of promoting local products made in
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 33
BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
Oman. It has helped the distribution of Alassar Electric Distribution Boards in Oman in a big way. “We have a large market share particularly among the low-cost houses. We are not looking only for high-end villas but we have, in our portfolio, products catering to the real requirements of common Omanis as well.” Explaining some other new initiatives currently being undertaken by this division, Vijaya Kumar adds, “We are also getting into new area of refrigeration which includes designing cold storages, controlled temperature warehouses, temperature control in vehicles etc. For this we have teamed up with some European principals who are giving us the technologies.” Under Air Conditioning and Home Appliances Division KR has tie-up with many leading international brands such as General and Siemens. In addition, it distributes the products from LA Germania, one of the famous manufactures of kitchen appliances. Perhaps Khimji is the largest distributor of gas cookers in Oman. SAFER FIREFIGHTING Another new product in its portfolio is Fogtech, a 100 per cent environmentally friendly water mist system for firefighting. It is more effective than conventional gas or water fighting system. “When we use conventional sprinklers for firefighting in the buildings they spray a lot of water brining a lot of damage especially for books, documents and artifacts. But Fogtech system which uses small particles makes virtually no damage. We are going to install this product in the building of Majlis As-Shura building by the end of this year,” explains Vijaya Kumar. “We are the distributors of Milwaukee power tools manufactured by our principals in US. Khimji Ramdas enjoys a long lasting relationship with
34 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
its customers. “We are not the sell and forget type of the company. Every customer whether it be one who buys
Another new product in its portfolio is Fogtech, a 100 per cent environmentally friendly water mist system for firefighting
a sofa or an institutional customer, we maintain a special relationship with them. If the customers present a problem before us, they are sure that KR will bring out with a solution. We give them detailed information about various products helping them to take a better decision.” LIFETIME COST He feels that the biggest challenge is to convince the customers about looking at the cost over a long period of time rather than considering the cost at the time of purchase. “Many opt for a small-value product which they have to change many times rather than going for something which last for a long time. However we try to educate the customers referring to past experiences,” adds Vijaya Kumar. He also explains that having expanded its product range to a number of areas, KR is now looking to further consolidate its position and improve its services in Omani market.
BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
36 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
M.G. CHENGAPPA, SR. GENERAL MANAGER FOR BUILDING MATERIAL, AIR CONDITIONING, APPLIANCES AND KITCHENS’ DIVISIONS IN BAIT AL AHLAM, PART OF KHIMJI RAMDAS GROUP, TALKS ABOUT THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MARKET AND THE COMPANY
FOCUS ON
QUALITY WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE BUILDING MATERIALS INDUSTRY IN OMAN CURRENTLY? The building materials industry is going through a tough phase. If 2011 was bad, this year has not been much better. There are many factors behind this trend. If you look around, there are numerous construction projects especially in infrastructure that are being implemented in the Sultanate. So much so that, along with Qatar, Oman has emerged as one of the most attractive markets in the GCC region (excluding Saudi Arabia). Most of the companies from places such as Dubai are aggressively pushing for business development in Oman. The airport development work is their favourite target as Oman is building modern airports at Muscat, Salahah, Sohar and Duqm, etc. The second factor is that Oman is a politically stable country which has become another magnet for regional and international operators. The instability in some parts of the Middle East has made them realize the importance of the safety of their investments and operations.
Whether it is a consultancy work or a construction contract, the numbers of bidders have gone up by four-to-seven times depending on the requirement. Such cut-throat competition has led to an unhealthy undercutting among the contractors which I am sure has reduced their margins drastically. This in turn is reflected on the price pressures for all suppliers of building materials with cut throat competition and abysmally low prices for various products. Due to the boom during 2007-2010, and in anticipation of continuing high paced growth post 2010 also, (many companies) made large scale investments in their businesses. As a result recurring fixed costs increased with strengthened teams, expanded showroom network and increased warehouse facilities, etc. The market however took a different turn and companies were left with higher overheads which couldn’t be reversed and consequently, the return on the investments has been negligible or a far cry from the original anticipation as
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 37
BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
cost efficiency has reduced drastically. I’m not sure how long the market could sustain such kind of a pressure and erosion of margins. Either some of the players are going to go bust or there could be a consolidation with mergers and acquisitions or there needs to be a major boom in the market to take us back to the sunny days seen earlier. There could be a possibility of the former happening but it will have a limited impact on the market. The boom too is not expected since the global market is still reeling under recession and international oil prices are showing unstable trends due to weakening demand. A revival of the neighboring markets such as Dubai would help, as the market dynamics would change. We are surely not expecting a magical turnaround. We are strategically working towards operating in a manner to optimize on the existing market opportunities and playing around our strengths. We have restructured our product portfolio by dropping some of the product lines and adding new layers. We recently introduced many brands including TECE, Franke and Jaquar in the market. We are looking at adding new water proofing materials, construction chemicals and tiles (from Italy, Malaysia and India). We are focusing on leveraging our extensive goodwill in the market and ensuring higher level of client satisfaction through improved customer service. We are making all efforts to improve the cost efficiency. TELL US ABOUT YOUR AIRCONDITIONING DIVISION. Our air-conditioning division has been a different story altogether. We have an excellent brand ‘General’ in our portfolio. It has a high market value perception and is also priced higher than its competitors. The brand has a superb track-record of functioning for 20-25 years without
38 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
We are strategically working towards operating in a manner to optimize on the existing market opportunities and playing around our strengths
any trouble even under the most demanding conditions in the coastal regions. It gives high cooling even when temperatures are at their peak. In the long run, it works out to be more cost-efficient and effective than the competition. Over the years, we have built-up an excellent after-sales service for the brand in Oman. A dedicated team of over 100 qualified professionals backed up by around 20 service vans have strengthened the brand promise of providing highest customer satisfaction and the best-inclass solutions. There is a huge demand for General ACs that we have just hired additional warehouse space to maintain our inventory to meet the market needs. We did exceedingly well in 2011 by virtue of our strategic approach to the market. We are now building up our services in the air-conditioning and refrigeration space to become a complete solution provider. Chillers, cold rooms/storages and refrigeration products are our focus areas to broad
base our offerings. We are roping in reputed and niche brands from US and Europe in these segments. The cold store warehousing and super market facilities in the Sultanate are a growing market and we intend to be there in this space as a leader too. WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN THE APPLIANCES BUSINESS? We have restructured our product portfolio in the appliances business. Couple of years ago, we had too many brands to offer and as a result, our efforts were fragmented far too wide. The business was not doing too well. After a thorough review, we rationalized our portfolio by dropping the several brands/products that were not making business sense. It helped us to focus on select 2-3 brands which were fast moving and strengthen our distribution network. Our efforts have led to better results. Currently, we are offering three major brands – Siemens, Frigidaire and La Germania. HOW ABOUT THE KITCHEN DIVISION? In the kitchen division, we again have 2 good brands to offer. We are focusing on understanding the client’s needs and design customized solutions accordingly. This helps us to give right value for money to our clients. They get the design they desire at a reasonable cost. If we look at the market trends, bulk of the demand is for kitchens made locally. They are quite ordinary. Those who belong to higher income brackets and are exposed to modern kitchens abroad opt for modular kitchens. As a result, there are around 8-10 international kitchen brands in the Sultanate. On the other hand, though we don’t have a presence in the industrial/commercial kitchens segment currently but it is definitely an area we are observing keenly and plan to move in provided we are able to find the right international partner. It is not an easy segment to operate in as it is highly service driven.
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BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
V. Jayachandran, General Manager, ACD
GEARING FOR CHANGE THE AIR CONDITIONING DIVISION AT KHIMJI RAMDAS IS CURRENTLY IN ITS 32ND YEAR OF OPERATION. V. JAYACHANDRAN, GENERAL MANAGER, AIR CONDITIONING DIVISION, TAKES US THROUGH THEIR OPERATIONS AND TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE TOPICAL ISSUES FACING THE INDUSTRY TODAY KINDLY GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE AC DIVISION AT KHIMJI RAMDAS. We are into design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of all types of air conditioning and refrigeration solutions. After commissioning we also undertake after sales service,be it annual maintenance contracts or maintenance on the fly, depending on the requirements of the customers.
40 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
WHAT DOES YOUR PRODUCT RANGE INCLUDE? AND WHAT ARE THE BRANDS AVAILABLE? The largest brand that we handle is ‘General’ air conditioners manufactured by Fujitsu General of Japan. Then we have ‘Lennox’ which has Roof top Packaged type ACs, Air handlers, etc; ‘Classic’ from Saudi Arabia to meet the requirements of clients who have lower budgets but are
looking for fit for the purpose product; and ‘Greenheck’ which supply ventilation equipments / systems. The types of products include window air conditioners, split type ACs (wall mounted, cassettes), Roof top Packaged air conditioners, Precision air conditioners ( for Data Server rooms & Telephone Exchanges), Chillers, VRFs and Refrigeration units.
On the Refrigeration front, we have tied up with a German company “Viessmann” who manufacture Modular Cold Rooms (MCR), Mortuary chambers, Commercial Refrigerators, Offal Coolers etc. Supplies to the Project Refrigeration market is divided into three parts: Compressors, Evaporators and Insulated Panels. In our case this is provided by M/s.Dorin, Luve /Luvata, and Kingspan respectively. DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO THE MARKET IN OMAN. Air conditioning has multiple applications today and our approach to the market is via market segmentation. There are three main areas of operation: Retail (showrooms), Distribution (B2B sales), Projects (residential and commercial buildings as well as process cooling) and Precision air conditioning (in data server rooms, telephone exchanges, etc.). This covers the entire gamut of our operations. We are equally strong across all the segments. Our idea of retailing, however, is slightly different as we do not compete with our Dealers but work with them. Our aim is to showcase our products and educate customers about the key features & advantages of our products. We have been involved with multiple projects including large residential properties and commercial spaces (like Mosaic Building). In the Government sector, we’ve worked closely with various Ministries. WHAT KIND OF DESIGN SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE CLIENTS? A major part of Design in air conditioning is intangible. The amount of cooling required in each room, the amount of air flow required in each room is what design is about. Our teams work together to calculate the capacity of the air conditioners, account for heat loss, and the like. We
We’ve been involved with multiple projects including residential and commercial spaces. In the Government sector, we’ve worked closely with various Ministries. have a Design & Execution team who are predominantly involved in pre and post sales. Presales involve facilitating the sales team to quote for tenders as well as providing designs for ducting, refrigerant pipe routing, sizing, etc. IN RECENT TIMES, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK REGARDING REFRIGERANT RECOVERY AND ECO-FRIENDLY REFRIGERANTS. KINDLY THROW SOME LIGHT ON THE TOPIC. Most of the gases today are ozone depleting. The main concern today is to find gases, both with a low ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential, as well as a low GWP (Global Warming Potential). Currently, some of the gases being used in the market have a high GWP even though the ODP is low. To elucidate, some of these gases with low ODP operate at very high pressures. Since pressure is directly proportional to temperature, if the temperature goes up, then the pressure in the system goes up. When the outdoor temperature
increases, the pressure in the system increases, which means that the load increases and the amount of energy that is consumed increases. So even though these gases have lesser ODP, they are not ‘energy efficient’ and increase the carbon footprint. A classic example is R-410a. So probably the industry will zero in on a gas called R-32. But even the shift from R-22 to R-32 will result in a three-fold or four-fold increase in cost. It is far easier to ban the use of R-22 in countries in Europe because those systems work at lower ambient temperatures. Here, as the ambient temperatures are high, finding a suitable replacement is difficult. If there’s a gas that has low ODP as well as GWP then the cost is eight times higher. The industry specialists, in my opinion, are still not able to arrive at a suitable alternative to R-22. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU’VE FACED IN THE MARKET? The primary challenge would the lack of availability of skilled manpower. The market as well as our market share is growing and we need to increase our human resources in order to meet up with the demand. Also, because of the crossroads at which we are today [in terms of refrigerant use technology and legislation], we are not sure what will happen in the near future. Shifting to new gases is easier said than done. If the shift is implemented, what happens to the air conditioners that are being used currently? Will the erstwhile gases be available? If so at what price? One can expect the phased out gas prices to soar. So the second challenge will be this. Systems are designed according to a particular refrigerant, and have to be completely redesigned in order to accommodate the use of new refrigerants. It is yet to be seen what the future holds.
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 41
BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
MR Kamat, Divisional Manager
VERSATILE SHADES 42 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
MR KAMAT, DIVISIONAL MANAGER, KHIMJI PERMOGLAZE, TALKS ABOUT PERMOGLAZE – A PRODUCT WHICH NOT ONLY COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF DECORATIVE AND HIGH PERFORMANCE COATINGS, BUT HAS GROWN TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED BRANDS IN THE MARKET TODAY. AN INTERVIEW BY CASSANDRA BUCKLEY TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT PERMOGLAZE Khimji Permoglaze (Oman) LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Khimji Ramdas (KR) Group and an accredited licensee of Crown Paints, UK. Khimji Permoglaze paints started its operations in 1985 in the Rusayl Industrial area. It has the distinction of being the first paint brand to be imported into the Sultanate by the KR Group. Today, with the state-of-the-art-factory, we are able to manufacture over 6 million litres of paint annually on a single shift basis covering over 100 products which are sold through 160+ dealer networks across Oman. As a leading Omani paint manufacturer; Khimji Permoglaze is committed to its quality systems and is an ISO 9001:2008 QMS certified company. Product innovation, continuous improvement and service excellence are the pillars of quality and customer satisfaction at Khimji Paints. Managing the customer experience and operating to a clearly defined set of values have been the critical success factors for our steady growth. TELL US IN BRIEF ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF PAINTS. The topic on paints is a vast one. Any type of paint contains four major ingredients; Pigments, Binder or Resins, additives and diluents (can be water or solvent). The most prominent categories of Paints are; water based paints and solvent based Paints. As the name suggests, water based paints are made using water as one of the ingredient whereas solvent based paints are made using various solvents
as one of the major ingredient. The properties and application of paints vary depending upon the type of binder used in either water based or solvent based paints. Water based paints are basically used for house hold applications, commercial and residential buildings where as solvent based paints are used for industrial, heavy duty applications. AS PAINT WHOLLY DEVELOPED AND MANUFACTURED IN OMAN, DOES IT HAVE SPECIAL WEATHER RESISTING PROPERTIES GIVEN THE EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURES HERE? Hot and dry weather is prevalent in Oman for most of the year, thus, paints manufactured in Oman do have special weather resisting properties. The type of resin or binder used in the paint formulation makes it suitable to use in this harsh weather conditions. Our time-tested Omani paint products have been widely used for more than 25 years now. All our paints are suitable for any country, including the Middle Eastern climates. SO YOUR PRODUCTS ARE ON THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET AS WELL? Yes, we do sell our paints to Bahrain, Iraq, Libya and UAE. We are also exploring the possibility of exporting our products to African countries as well. THESE PAINTS HAVE VARIOUS PROPERTIES. BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL PRODUCT THAT PREVENT CRACKING ETC? Yes, we do. Normal types of paints are tough but brittle. When they are exposed to heat they tend to crack. Over the years, the concrete develops hair-line cracks and subsequently the coating gets
delaminated. We have a special type of paint called “Royal Tuff Elastomer” which has a “crack-bridging” ability up to 1.4mm. As the name suggests the product is Tough and is Elastic in nature. That means this product has an ability to expand when exposed to heat and contracts in the absence of heat. “Royal Tuff Elastomer” is an ideal choice for customers. This speciality coating takes care of minor hairline cracks and concrete movement due to high heat. HOW SAFE IS IT IN TERMS OF BEING “GREEN” VOC-FREE ETC? As one of the socially responsible corporate houses in Oman, Khimji Ramdas Paints division has been pioneering the Government’s “Green” initiatives. In fact, three years back, we were among the first paint companies to introduce Low-VOC, Eco-friendly paints into Oman. We are capitalizing on the changing market trends by promoting “Green” Certified products. Many of high profile clients and consultants enquire for Low-VOC products for painting their villas, residential apartments, guest houses and hotel apartments. We have partnered with SherwinWilliams, USA; one of the largest paint company in the US and among the top paint manufacturers globally. We have introduced a select range of these highly durable and Eco-friendly Green certified paints in Oman. This includes limited lifetime warranty products that are warranted against peeling and blistering as well. ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS GETTING MORE ECO-FRIENDLY WITH THEIR CHOICE OF PAINTS? ARE THEY AWARE OF THE DIFFERENCE? As on date, the market is in its
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 43
BAIT AL AHLAM FEATURE
nascent stage for Eco-friendly products. Attractiveness of Eco-friendly products is yet to gain popularity in our market. However, we see that, clients who regularly travel abroad understand the value and differences in these types of paints. Generally in constructing a building, paint is the last item that is bought and applied. Due to the increase in the costs of other essential building material items which is already over their budget, paint is the only item which is left over to decide and to save costs. Some customers look at price as the deciding factor when it comes to buying the paints. Hence they decide on going for cheaper quality paints without realizing that the cost of repainting after few years will be much more expensive than going for a better quality product in the beginning itself. As a manufacturer, we are trying our best to communicate the value proposition and benefits for better quality Ecofriendly products. WHAT ARE THE MORE POPULAR TRENDS THAT CUSTOMERS ARE ATTRACTED TO? Nowadays people are going for bright colours, especially for the interior of their houses. Some go for the special effect or decorative effect with various patterns together with bright colours. In earlier days, most people would paint all the rooms in their house a single colour, because going for different colours is more expensive. However, in recent times the trend has changed. In a single room the back wall could be one colour and the other three could be painted another colour. Customers nowadays don’t mind to spend a little more for the perfect finish. They choose colours for their rooms according to their own creativity, moods, or personal significance.
44 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
In the last 20 years our main focus was on decorative paints, now we are diversifying our portfolio to industrial coatings as well since there is huge demand
YOU MENTIONED SPECIAL EFFECTS. KHIMJI RAMDAS PREVIOUSLY INTRODUCED THE “PAINT A HOME” SERVICE. WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE? WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS? Khimji Paints have pioneered the ‘Paint-a-Home’ service in Oman. We introduced this service six years back, it’s in its seventh year now. The idea of introducing “Paint a Home” service was because we realized a lot of our customers didn’t know much about painting their homes and/or offices and they would just hire anyone for a cheap price to get it done. Months later the paint would start peeling and the customers would call and complain, not knowing that it was not the paint that was the problem but the paint job which was done unprofessionally. We realized that this was a critical problem that needed to be fixed and so we started this service. We introduced this service where our own , trained and certified painters would do the entire paint job for our customers, where the best quality paints are used
and impeccable service is assured. The customer might have to pay a little more than usual but he or she would be secure in the knowledge that they would get the best output. All they have to do is pick the colours they want and leave the rest to us. This service is targeted at new homeowners and those who want to repaint their homes. Trained and certified paint professionals are just a call away. (Customers can call or SMS to 99425937 or 99289903 and their need is addressed on high priority.) WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? We are looking to expand of our services to other regions of the country, more specifically Sohar, Nizwa and Salalah. We have devised necessary plans to reach more clientele. In the last 20 years our main focus was on decorative paints that are used for houses and commercial buildings, now we are diversifying our portfolio to industrial coatings as well, since there is huge demand. Recently we bought in Protective coatings from one of the leading industrial coating manufacturer , KOREAN CHEMICAL CORPORATION ( KCC), from Korea. We also bought in quick setting, high abrasion resistance industrial floor coatings, POLYUREA from VIP, Germany. We hope to meet and exceed our client expectations in the coming years. We have plans to launch new innovative products to our portfolio in the near future to delight our customers and improve the industry too. Khimji Permoglaze has been a torch bearer for the paint industry in Oman. Our success over the last 25 years has been on creating long-term value for our shareholders. At this juncture, we would like to thank our customers, suppliers as well as our employees for their overwhelming support and confidence reposed in us. They have made us what we are today.
SPONSORED FEATURE
AL ASSALAH TOWERS
Living in Style Al Assalah Towers: Safe and Comfortable Living in the Heart of Muscat
H
ome seekers in Muscat on the lookout to rent a premium home right in the heart of Muscat, now have a wholesome reason to rejoice. With the Al Assalah Towers. This premium residential project comprising 2 BHK apartments, each measuring an extensive 170 sq.mtr., is situated right in the heart of Muscat, in close proximity to the Grand Mosque in Ghubrah. Al Assalah Towers encompasses in it everything a family would want and more. These centrally located premium homes are loaded with world-class fitting and fixtures, like split ducted ACs, built-in wardrobes, cooker hoods, piped gas with leak safety device, central satellite dish antennas, audio door phone entry and more. This premium residential project also features an on-site maintenance team managed by an international property management company. At Al Assalah Towers, the 2 BHK wellplanned homes come with attached baths, a well laid out living & dining area and a spacious kitchen equipped with cabinets. The premium gated residential project boasts of every component of good living – modern conveniences, luxury amenities, 24-hour security, aesthetic interiors, well-planned parking spaces, a spa, a gymnasium and a mix of retail facilities like a supermarket, coffee shops, restaurants, and a bank which are coming up soon, in the adjacent commercial complex. So whether you wish to visit the shopping malls or drop your kids to schools, you can do that, at ease and without worry. The Rental and Leasing process for Al Assalah Towers is handled by Cluttons
& Partners LLC. In the words of Philip Paul, Country Head of Cluttons, “Al Assalah Towers is a very impressive residential project with numerous thoughtfully included recreational amenities, that will give residents a pleasant break from the routine residential offering. Al Assalah Towers changes the game for home seekers
opting to rent a home in the central areas close to all the amenities of Muscat. The excellent design layout and superior finishes sets this development apart.”
Contact:Tel: 24578276/77 Email: info@prestigeoman.com Website: www.oman.cluttons.com
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 45
SANITARY WARE
A BATHROOM IS A KEY ROOM OF CONSIDERATION FOR A PROSPECTIVE BUYER AND IT ADDS TO THE HOME SALE PRICE. NEW TRENDS IN BATHROOM DESIGNS REFLECT THE CHANGING AESTHETIC SENSES OF HOMEOWNERS TODAY…
DESIGNS & INTERPRETATIONS 46 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012
SANITARY WARE
T
he most prominent trend when it comes to bathrooms is the prevalence of metal fixtures in finishes. Metals continue to have a handcrafted, authentic feel. Look for burnished, hammered, oxidized and antique finishes. The oil-rubbed bronze that has been so popular recently is giving way to lighter bronze or copper but still is very much a part of the trend these days. Brushed-nickel fixtures add a clean, reflective quality to the bath without the chill of polished chrome. The days of stark, cold bathrooms are over. The soothing, natural, bath trend is coming through the wood-grain
ceramic or porcelain tile. Natural hues like pale greens, ivories, and anything warm and neutral are big, and so is texture. For countertops, stone is the material of choice (whether real or faux) and weathered wood in grey tones, like driftwood, rather than pine, is also big. Walls tend to be minimalist like a neutral off-white, but colour can be introduced on the ceiling, where it can provide a subtle halo of pale aqua, pink or green. Ocean blues, lush greens and sunset oranges lend an air of warmth all over and earthy palettes reign. Turquoise is the colour of the year. This calming hue takes reminds people of the warm waters of a tropical
paradise, making it a natural for the bath. Splash this vibrant blue here and there to achieve the perfect look. Based on the feedback from tradeshows, architects and interior designers, the year also reveals a move towards oranges and yellows. One might think them as too bright and buoyant, but used in combination with textures and fittings, these colours bring a fresh but incredibly warm and tranquil feel. When selecting colours from this palette, it is vital to remember that sometimes a hint of contrast is better and take advantage of colours within the spectrum. Less can be more. Overall design will be modern rather than traditional. People are going simple and clean, with no clutter, which means getting rid of heavy, dark vanities and chunky mouldings, and replacing them with light, airy colours; clean, largeformat tiles – if not slab materials – with no fussy borders Once again, eco-friendly takes centre stage. The latest take on green design not only embraces Mother Earth, but also celebrates her beauty. And while it is important to be eco-friendly, this year people are quite literally going green, especially in bathrooms. Designers are incorporating elegant, light, and airy colour schemes, especially shades of green in bathrooms today. For example, Kippie Leland of Leland Interiors recently was recognized with the prestigious Schumacher Award for a bathroom with blue-green cherry-blossom print wallpaper. Tranquillity and calm combined with elegance are key terms used by those designing bathrooms today, and are trends unlikely to go out of style. Wall-paper in shades of pale green or in deeper shades of mahogany can also create a high fashion bathroom. In addition to literally going green, many interior designers are also using sustainable and organic materials such as wooden, furniture-style cabinetry and bathtubs carved from natural stone. Hands-free toilets, sinks, and tubs are also gaining favour and are part of the
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SANITARY WARE
movement toward comfort, sanitation, and water conservation. Bathrooms have now embraced nature to create the feel of a sanctuary in the home. Whether it’s the use of organic or natural products from stone and wood over the typical bright white tiles or the creative use of natural light and colours, bathrooms are less sterile looking and much more inviting. Windows from floor to ceiling with privacy shutters or garden oasis screens are a great way to bring nature into bathrooms. And an interesting new addition is led lighting incorporated in baths and showers so that the flow reflects the colours of choice. While one side of the trend leans toward simple, clean lines, the counter-trend is toward sparkling luxury. Glass and stone have taken on frosted effects and many surfaces feature embedded metallics. In general, surfaces are more layered, with flat colours being paired with metallic, pearlescent or sparkling finishes in the same family to create a tone-on-tone scheme. The spa trend which began in residential baths several years ago remains increasingly popular with homeowners, the experts agree. And while spa features like heated floors probably won’t ever go out of style, it seems that spas are becoming more eco-friendly and less indulgent. Piggy-backing on the spa bathrooms, vanities are getting a redemption. Remodels are taking a turn from the super-industrial look with finished metal to vessel sinks and integrated sink tops, which have a warmer, more classic feel. The bathroom vanity is also seeing double-dual sinks are now a given in master baths. In fact, the biggest change is in the vanity. Not only is there a rise in freestanding baths, but a rise in freestanding vanities that are custom designed. Freestanding bath tubs, in addition to appealing to those seeking an organic,
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Overall design in 2012 will be modern rather than traditional. People are going simple and clean, with no clutter or chunky mouldings or fussy borders spa-like atmosphere, also are favoured by those creating a sense of the past. This classic design option typically involves smooth porcelain vanities and claw-foot bathtubs, but is often also expressed through subtle details such as antiquefinished sconces and faucets. Less and less prefabricated vanity units are being installed. Rather, a custom designed vanity with access to unlimited colours, textures and materials seems to be the trend. With push-to-open draws and greater storage capacity, custom designed bathroom vanities with an inserted sink is now a top bathroom trend. In keeping with crisp and clean lines, tap fittings are continually moving towards chrome mixers for a neat finish with ease of use over the 3-piece tap fitting units. Mini cabinets are on the rise, mainly in powder rooms, but sometimes in contemporary masters or guest baths. They most often accompany minimalist modernism. Sometimes, though, they just embrace the realities of a tiny bath. Floating vanities will continue as a
strong trend in 2012. It›s not uncommon to see them partnered with tall storage, acknowledging the needs of a modern family. Furniture details are a strong trend for cabinetry this year. Even with traditional cabinetry and traditional finishes, the detailing gives it that livedin, not-a-standard-vanity look. Freestanding baths are more accessible than ever before now that seamless acrylic baths have come on to the market. And with the malleable nature of acrylic, beautiful organic shapes and sculptures are being created for a real centrepiece in the bathroom. The trends of the master bath are still toward more function and less maintenance, but now the value of each product has come into play more than ever before. Twin showers are more popular than ever before. Though it always sounds a bit outlandish at first, there is no denying that digital technology is changing this industry dramatically. Rain style shower heads also remain popular, although homeowners should consider the water pressure necessary to adequately power such devices. Even shower drains are getting a makeover. Another trend in fittings is the elimination of exposed plumbing. Plumbing gets some upscale retrofits: Flush drain channels in shower floors that are hidden, instead of the chunky ones in the centre of the shower and a lot of wallmount faucets. Back-to-wall toilet suites where the cisterns are hidden and the pan and push buttons are flush to the wall offer a crisp and seamless feel. They are stylish and give off a hygienic impression. There is a distinct shift from square shapes in baths and basins and a larger adoption of curved shapes. The introduction of curves seems to be a reflection of the desire for a more natural feel in support of a tranquil retreat rather than a single purpose wet room. Without question the curve adds a warmth and calmative feel over the square shapes, without compromising clean, crisp lines.
PAINTS
DIVERSE PALETTES FROM MILD EARTH TONES AND PASTELS TO BOLD AND VIBRANT COLOURS, THE 2012 PAINT TRENDS REFLECT THE EVER CHANGING MOODS OF CONSUMERS ACROSS THE GLOBE
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des to nature, earth tones, blues, teals, bright, candy colours, and pastels are just some of the trends in the interior paints arena this year. Despite the apparent slack in real estate sector, new homes are still popping up in markets – just in more modest numbers, and not with the flamboyance we saw during the housing boom. Today’s value set is more cerebral, focusing on simplicity, resourcefulness, health, community, and practicality. Somber sophistication squares off with rich, vibrant pastels. And what’s clear is that there is no right answer when it comes to the palette for homes.
them to various visual elements, and not just the walls. For example, 60 per cent would be a wall colour, 30 per cent the ceiling or the accent wall and 10 per cent may be used for the trims, accessories, etc. Working with different palettes using this rule may be applied virtually everywhere, be it homes or office spaces.
VIBRANT HUES Experts have reported that consumer’s desire for brighter colours are on the rise which reflects a general sense of optimism. If bold colours sound intimidating to clients, there’s a 60-30-10 rules which designers may follow. Using this rule, one can introduce up to five colours and apply
An advantage of this technique is that it is more of a DIY project. Homeowners just need to adhere to a few rules and with a few strokes of a brush, can convert their homes to new. One of the rules is to not use more than three colours. Also, one should remember that it is the tone that is used to create the focal point which must be
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Colour Zoning: Colour zoning is one of the latest trends in home decorating. A bold way to add colourful punch to a room, the technique brings a splash of extreme colour to decors without overwhelming the whole space so certain decorative elements or spaces may be emphasized.
the most apparent. All the different sections must be perfectly defined and the lines must be very straight. The use of accessories such as masking tape and stencils is highly recommended as it vastly improves quality of work. CHALKY PASTELS Chalky pastel shades are making a huge comeback this year. Pale blues, pinks and greens complemented with neutral hues and whites lend a sophisticated charm to homes. Pantone 2013 forecasted a mix of muted palettes to serve as the new classics while rainbow-inspired colours was said to provoke bolder style statements. However, the pastels palettes were the highlight of the report. For instance, a sky-powdery blue paired with tones of honey onyx and icy blue amidst winter whites and warm cocoa browns. Mixing these with warm neutrals infuses balance. Light, icy blues were also paired with lavenders and berry tones and honey neutral shades. The warm and cold colours combined sense with silver and gold finish mixes. Pastels have a bad reputation of being too ‘feminine’ but by mixing them in with neutral greys it is easy to obtain a gender neutral living space. THE NEW NEUTRALS Cool or warm neutral shades (depending on the décor) aren’t just colour trends to adhere too, but are in itself timeless. The prime example would be white – and it’s making a comeback this year too. Drawing influences from Scandinavian décor, walls, trims and accessories lend a graceful air to homes. The style is clean, pure, and soft and offers tranquillity. But whites should be used wisely – white shades that receive morning exposure will seem cooler. Using a warmer white will countermand that antiseptic look. Rooms receiving afternoon exposure are more flexible and mixing vanilla looking or yellow whites with more lavender or bluish tones work well to create interesting spaces. Neutral doesn’t always imply ‘white’, in fact, ‘teal’ is a neutral shade that is often overlooked. Use teal with a colour zoning technique to achieve the right balance.
EVENT
Port Sultan Qaboos converting into a full-fledged tourism port, transport and airport development projects, Duqm Development Project, Medical cities, Waste Management, Tourism and Residential Projects.
INFRA OMAN 2012 THE SULTANATE’S SECOND INFRASTRUCTURE EXHIBITION WILL PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON OMAN’S NEW FIVE-YEAR SPENDING PLAN (2011-2015)
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nfra Oman 2012 which will be held from October 2 – 4, 2012 is organized under the co-operation of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and supported by the Muscat Municipality, Supreme Committee for Town Planning, Oman Tourism Development Company SAOC (OMRAN), Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), German Near & Middle East Association (NUMOV), Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ghorfa), Singapore Business Federation (SBF), UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), Global Omani Development & Investment Co. SAOC (Glorei), Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association (CSDA), German Industry & Commerce Office (AHK), Embassy of the Republic of Italy, Sheida International Co. LLC, Spanish Economic & Trade Office and Vietnam Association of Construction Contractors (VACC). The Diamond Sponsors are Consolidated Contractors Company Oman LLC (CCC), Doka Muscat LLC, Nafal Contracting & Trading Co. LLC and T-Track Saudi,
Platinum Sponsors are Oman Arab Bank, Strabag Oman LLC and Wagon Pars Co. (Iran) and Gold Sponsors are JCB, PERI LLC, Amiantit Oman Co. LLC, Al Anwar Ceramic Tiles Co. SAOC and Target LLC. The Exhibition has 40 local and international companies that have already confirmed their participation, representing the following countries: UAE, Iran, China, Korea, KSA, Turkey, Belgium, Austria, Lebanon, France, Netherlands, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Germany and UK. The expo will put the spotlight on Oman’s new five-year spending plan (2011-2015): As infrastructure investments continue to grow more development projects are set to be implemented in the coming years the Sultanate takes concrete measures to diversify its economy. The new plan foresees USD78bn of expenditure, representing a 113 per cent increase on the last five-year plan. The major infrastructure projects coming up like the Oman National Railway, Muscat’s
To cater to these above requirements, the exhibition will focus on Construction Requirement, Infrastructure Projects, Power & Water Technologies, Renewable Energy & Environment, Heavy Equipment & Technology, Transportation & Logistics, Industrial Equipment and other Development Projects. Special Sections include, Affordable Housing, Interior and Design and Building Materials. Al Nimr Expo was awarded The Al Roya Business Award for the Best Business Enterprise, for the Infra Oman 2011 Exhibition. The Construction Intelligence partners include Ventures Onsite, Oman Projects, MiddleEast Tenders, BNC Network and Zawya. The Media Partners are Construction Week, OER Dossier, TPG Publishing LLC, Arab Construction World (ACW), Construction1.com, The Big Project, Middle East Plant & Equipment, Oman Traveller, Arab Communications Consult (ACC), Asia Today, Business Vibes, Compasses, Deenar Press and Publishing LLC, Easy Finder Oman, Global Promotion Group, Gradimo.hr, Infobahn Consultancy, Palestine Business Focus Magazine, Primedia International (Telegulf), Private Banking and Project Cargo Network Ltd. (PCN). For more information about Infra Oman 2012, please visit www.alnimrexpo.com. To reserve your stand in the exhibition, please contact Jenitha Martin, Project Manager, at tel. no. +968 24790369, mobile no. +968 94041616, or e-mail info@alnimrexpo.com
Media Partner DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 53
HOME MAKE OVER
WINNERS TAKE IT ALL THE SECOND EDITION OF THE ‘HOME CENTRE ROOM MAKEOVER’ CONTEST THIS YEAR SPANNED SIX COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GCC. HERE ARE THE STORIES OF THE TWO WINNERS FROM OMAN…
Arafat Othman’s family living room - Before and After the Home Centre Room Makeover
Every now and then, people search for a new lease on life, a fresh beginning. A change in surroundings, like a room makeover, can undo the tensions of yesterday. It makes a thoughtful gift for the aged, a reassuring change for the little ones, or lifts the spirits of the ailing. These were some of the inspiring reallife tales that were sent across from six countries in the GCC for the second season of the ‘Home Centre Room Makeover’ contest this year. From over 3500 entries, the Home
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Centre jury panel picked out 20 winners for the room makeovers, following a long and difficult review process. Seven winners are from the UAE, two each from Bahrain and Oman, and three each from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The lucky winners in Oman who hail from Muscat, are a young Syrian man Arafat Othman, who wanted the room makeover to surprise his wife and child who are stranded in his home-country and Omani national Um Azooz Al Yahmedi, who asked for a makeover for her mother’s room after a recent knee surgery left her depressed.
Valuing the importance of healthy living environment, Arafat works hard to bring every comfort home to his family. He especially invests considerable efforts to meet the requirements of his young daughter Rabiya. “It’s very difficult to maintain both comfort and stability at home. Sometimes the circumstances are such that we deprive ourselves of simple joys,” said Arafat. “When I learned of the Home Centre room makeover promotion, I instantly saw it as an opportunity to bring a breath of fresh air to my home. That
Um Azooz Al Yahmedi’s bedroom - Before and After the Home Centre Room Makeover
is exactly what we received, with the brightly-coloured, splendid setting of furniture and walls. We truly feel blessed and rejuvenated.” Looking on at his gleaming new room Arafat was filled with a sense of achievement and pride. The Othman family’s living room was retouched with hues of purple and brown with bursts of cream for freshness. The room was anchored with the deep plum coloured corner Ciyon sofa and accessorized with over-sized floor cushions, a square Oscar ottoman, and the Centro TV unit. The smokey Rain Drop glass vase and decorative bowl; purpled-hued sheer curtains; Sapphire shaggy carpet; Senolva floor lamp and Nafia pendant lamps were used to accessorise the room. “The family requested a change that will brighten up their lives in moments of difficulties faced in their homeland. There is a positive synergy that abounds the colour palette, which was the focus in this room makeover. The accessories were picked to enhance the look, together with maintaining a functionality that works well in a household with young children,” said Cathrine Braeur, Home Centre stylist in charge of makeovers in Oman.
Like all mothers and daughters, Um Azooz Al Yahmedi also shares a special bond with her mom, with whom she has gone through life’s various ups and downs. Her mother had recently been through a traumatic bout of illness with complications in her knee, which restricted her mobility and caused her great pain. Recuperating from surgery, Um Azooz’s mother was in need of an immediate solution to serve a balm to her trying experience. “The Home Centre room makeover promotion gave me a chance to cheer up my mother in a beautiful way. She has been through some difficult months of pain and suffering. The change in her room has changed her disposition and brought excitement to her life,” said Um Azooz. “We have put together unique set of pieces that match the dimensions of the room perfectly, while also giving the sense of splendour in the comfort of a bedroom. The earthy combinations give the room an appearance of warmth. Along with the Brad bedroom set and matching sliding-door wardrobe, we also added the Tanzu day bed where one could relax comfortably. Handtufted rugs, table lamps, wall décor and vases were used to accessorize the cozy room,” adds Brauer.
Each room makeover worth OR 1,000 is executed in a single day by the Home Centre teams of stylists. The experts base their recommendations on the tastes and personalities of the winners, their requirements and reasons for the makeover, new trends in the market and optimum utilisation of space. Homes are redone with the latest range of Home Centre furniture and household accessories to bring alive a new trend with maximum utility for everyday living. The result is a distinct visual impact created by matching colours, lighting, palettes and textures to reflect the personality of the winners and their needs. The contest engaged a wide audience that competed for the room of their dreams. Home Centre ensured that the winners were chosen with focused thought and care. Public voting was conducted to shortlist candidates, which was followed by extensive rounds of reviews and personal interviews. In 2011, Home Centre successfully organised the first-ever ‘Room Makeover’ contest in the UAE. Owing to its great success the competition has gone GCC-wide this year.
DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 55
EVENT
SAFETY
FIRST TRAFFIC SAFETY EXPO TO PROMOTE SAFETY AS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
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ith the need to further encourage citizens and drivers to adhere to the rules of the road, Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE) is pleased to announce the dates for the 3rd Traffic Safety Expo, to be held in coordination with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) from October 16-18, 2012 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The Royal Oman Police (ROP) reported a total number of 7719 accidents in Oman, in comparison to the
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total number in 2011 which was 7571. Experts put down the prime causes for the occurrence of accidents are due to neglect in the usage of seatbelts, reckless driving, drivers fatigue and usage of mobile phones. Speeding (3861), improper acts (1726), neglect (569) and not keeping the minimum safe distance (566) account for the causes as stated by the ROP. These accidents have led to over 1056 deaths (87% male and 14% female) and 11437 injuries (74% male and 26% female). It must be noted that for the better part,
statistics take into account road deaths caused on the spot, excluding those casualties who die in the hospitals. According to a representative from the Ministry of Health (MoH), 70% of emergency surgeries conducted in the sultanate are related to road accidents, most of the victims accounting for the youth (2012 statistics). This year alone the road accidents are expected to rise by 14%. “It is not that the public is without awareness. Out of the 42,300 visitors who graced last year’s Traffic Safety Expo 2011, 95% of them reported to the expo enhancing their knowledge. The cause for drivers not taking into account vehicle maintenance and road safety regulations and partaking in reckless driving could be tied down not to lack of insight, but more to a lack of concern,” says Alawi Al Murazza, a representative of Traffic Safety Expo 2012. “ We need to start thinking along the lines of TRAFFIC SAFETY and start letting the same thoughts guide not only our actions but the actions of others as well,” concludes Al Murazza. The event aims to highlight and create awareness about the latest innovative road safety solutions and improve understanding of how the latest technological advancements and best practices can assist in accident reduction and encourage more responsible attitudes to road usage that will lead to a safer driving environment. It will also provide exhibitors an exclusive opportunity to meet and establish contact with various representatives from the industry, enabling exhibitors to steer clear of their competitors. The expo is expected to receive participation from both local and the international arena. For more information on Traffic Safety Expo 2012, kindly contact Alawi Almurazza, Traffic Safety Expo at 99886681/ alawi@oite.com
Official Local Trade Publication
EVENT
OFFICE SHOW
2012
SFO, TEEJAN FURNISHING SUPPORT THE OFFICE SHOW AS PLATINUM SPONSORS Two prominent players in Oman’s office equipment and furnishing space have endorsed the Office Show 2012 in an early boost for the Sultanate’s premier showcase of the modern office environment. Sharikah Fanniyah Omaniyah (SFO) and Teejan Furnishing LLC have signed up as Platinum Sponsors, aligning their respective brands with the country’s only trade expo on the rapidly growing office solutions market.
products and solutions adorn a large number of prestigious corporate and government offices in Oman, has confirmed a high-profile presence at the Office Show. Established in 1967, SFO is one of the oldest trading enterprises in the Sultanate. The company specializes in the design, sale, installation, commissioning and maintenance of an unbeatable range of products and solutions, including office furnishing, interior designing, office equipment and storage solutions.
Organised by Global Exhibitions & Conferences (GEC), a leading Omani events management company, the inaugural edition of Office Show 2012 will take place from 10-12 September 2012 at Oman International Exhibition Centre. The three-day event is supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and will serve as the definitive platform for equipment suppliers and service providers to put on display a complete range of office-related products, furniture, equipment, services and solutions essential to creating the ideal workplace environment.
Teejan Furnishing, one of the fastest growing suppliers of furniture and furnishings in the Sultanate, will capitalise on the much-anticipated show’s appeal to target Oman’s lucrative market for modern and efficient workplace solutions. A subsidiary of the well-diversified Teejan Group, Teejan Furnishing is an importer, wholesaler and retailer of an extensive range of office equipment and furnishings. The company operates a network of showrooms located strategically in Al Khuwair, Nizwa, Al Hail and Ruwi in the capital region.
Innovation-driven Sharikah Fanniyah Omaniyah (SFO), whose office-related
“We are delighted to sign up SFO and Teejan Furnishing as Platinum
Sponsors. Their confidence in the Office Show is a testament to our experience and capabilities in organising truly outstanding trade expositions that yield healthy dividends to the sponsors, participants and exhibitors,” said C. J. Paul, Chief Executive Officer, Global Exhibitions and Conferences. The Office Show 2012 will feature a comprehensive array of merchandise spanning a number of product segments, including automated systems, furniture, stationery and supplies, telecom equipment, security products, business software, interiors, and fitouts. Also showcasing their offerings will be service providers specializing in, among other areas, fabrication, interior decoration, ergonomic furniture, security management, and energy solutions. For further information, kindly contact Global Exhibitions & Conferences LLC on email gec@globalexhibitionsoman. com or call +968 24783800
Official B2B Partner DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012 57
EVENT
HOME SHOW 2012 OMAN’S PREMIER EXHIBITION HAS A NUMBER OF PROMINENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS AS PARTICIPANTS Tibiaan Properties, The Wave Muscat, Better Homes, Alargan and Engel & Volkers – all leading lights of the Sultanate’s burgeoning real estate and property market – will share in the spotlight of the 2012 Home Show when it takes place held at the Oman International Exhibition Centre during December 18–20, 2012. They are among a growing number of prestigious local and international brands and service providers who will leverage The Home Show’s strong appeal to showcase their products and services to Oman’s booming and hugely lucrative home and realty industry. Leading trade show organizer Global Exhibitions & Conferences (GEC) is hosting the threeday expo under the patronage of the Ministry of Housing. Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC), Oman Housing Bank and AHK German Industry and Commerce are key patrons as well. This year’s event will feature a strong realty and property services component as is evident from the planned
participation of a number of reputable companies and brands.Leading the line-up is Tibiaan Properties which, as Platinum Sponsor, is planning a high-profile presence at The Home Show. Recognised as one of Oman’s most professional and trusted real estate service providers, Tibiaan is the brainchild of Fahad Al Ismaili who launched the company in 2002 when he was just 19 years old. Today, the company is a one-stop-shop provider of a complete spectrum of real estate services ranging from consultancy and property management to project marketing solutions, short-term rentals and longterm leases. Returning to The Home Show after a successful presence at last year’s event is Better Homes, the region’s premier real estate company backed by more than two decades of experience in the Middle East. Better Homes has replicated its formidable regional expertise here in the Sultanate to connect Oman’s real estate with buyers and lessees locally and globally. Visitors
to the company’s website can access a comprehensive database of properties available for sale, lease and resale, while its team of professionals is well-regarded for its personalized attention to clients. International heavyweight Engel & Volkers is seeking to raise its profile in the Sultanate using The Home Show as a platform. Currently the largest real estate franchise in the Middle East and with over 500 offices worldwide, Engel & Volkers’ foray into the Sultanate underscores the growing appeal of the Omani property market to international players. In addition to this focus on the property market, The Home Show 2012 will feature a comprehensive mix of products and services, notably furniture and furnishings, bedroom and bathroom sets, kitchen systems and appliances, doors and windows, home appliances and electronics, wall and floor coverings, lighting and fixtures, and a selection of smart home solutions. Also showcasing their services will be an array of service-providers catering to all aspects of the homebuilding and homeownership space. They include property consultants, interior designers, home décor and improvement specialists, and financial institutions offering home loans, among others. For further details on the Home Show 2012, please contact Clemento Fernandes at tel. no. +968-24783800, mobile no. +96895250277, fax no. +968-24783500, or email: clemento@globalexhibitionsoman.com
Media Partner 58 DOSSIER PROPERTY & INTERIORS 2012