Construction Today (July-September 2016) by Oryx Group of Magazines

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Smart city connection

Building up the layers

Habib Mahakian of EMC Corporation talks about Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s readiness as a smart city.

How membrane structures are put to use in Qatar.

30 3D-printed World Cup stadium models Collecting useful data through wind tunnel testing designed in Qatar.

Winds of change C.V. Rappai, CEO of Jumbo Electronics (Qatar), talks about the energysaving mechanisms in air conditioners.

50 | A decade of solidity Ahmed Abdelaal, General Manager of BSi Steel, talks about the various aspects of steel construction.

52 | Raising the bar Sery Soussou, General Manager - Stream Industrial & Engineering, analyses the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 26-year journey thus far.

ISSUE 1 | JULY-SEPTEMBER 2016

CONTENTS

When vernacular designs became popular Architect Ibrahim Jaidah discovers a unique way to present five-star hospitality.

Maintaining the momentum on key projects

The Riyal Estate

Qatar’s commitment to continue with priority projects in the form of infrastructure, healthcare, education, etc.

Truthful way forward 56 |

58 23 I8 I6 52 I6

The unsung hero Dr Yousef Alhorr, founding Chairman of GORD, talks about the challenges facing Qatar’s construction sector.

The old masterpiece gets an upgrade Getting the Khalifa International Stadium ready for the football World Cup in Qatar.

Truth Real Estate’s Managing Director Abdul Samad talks about the company’s future prospects.

Abraj Quartier 56 |

The 42-storey towers which are taking The Pearl-Qatar development to new heights.

The lure of Europe 60 |

Engineer Khalid Mahmouch helps Qataris in their quest for the ‘dream house’ in European cities.

Covering all bases 62 |

Fahed Ben Abdul-Rahman, General Manager of La Lune, talks about the recipe of success in the real estate business.

From the Desk

While Reuters reports on an exodus of professional workers from Qatar, the one industry that is currently hiring more professionals and blue collar workers is the construction sector. Qatar’s public works authority Ashghal is in the midst of a $30 billion national infrastructure upgrade to create expressways, reconfigure roads and intersections and update sewage and drainage networks. Qatar’s Ministry of Development, Planning and Statistics has previously said it expects construction – and the influx unskilled and semi-skilled migrant labour needed to create these projects – to peak in the first half of 2017, before tapering off as they near completion. Previously, MEED forecast that Qatar would spend some $22 billion on new contracts in 2016. While this is a 24% drop on the record $30 billion the government spent on new construction deals in 2015, it is in line with previous years’ spending. To keep you updated and take you through the intricacies of the building industry, is this new magazine from the Oryx Publishing and Advertising Company stable. Construction Today in its inaugural edition brings to you stories of revolutionary building projects; the evolution of a ground breaking green programme and the man behind it; construction updates, technological and structural developments and an update from the real estate division.Happy reading.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF YOUSUF BIN JASSIM AL DARWISH MANAGING DIRECTOR JASSIM BIN YOUSUF AL DARWISH MANAGER DR. FAISAL FOUAD EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR SINDHU NAIR DEPUTY EDITOR IZDIHAR IBRAHIM SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS AYSWARYA MURTHY UDAYAN NAG KARIM EMAM CORRESPONDENTS AARTHI MOHAN KEERTANA KODURU ART SENIOR ART DIRECTOR VENKAT REDDY DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR HANAN ABU SAIAM ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR AYUSH INDRAJITH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER MAHESHWAR REDDY PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT F ALTAMIRANO MARKETING & SALES MANAGER SAKALA DEBRASS TEAM SONY VELLATT DENZITA SEQUIERA MATHEWS CHERIAN ANIS MANSOURI NISHAD N.P. IRFAAN A H M EVENTS OFFICER JASMINE VICTOR ACCOUNTANT PRATAP CHANDRAN DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT BIKRAM SHRESTHA ARJUN TIMILSINA BHIMAL RAI BASANTA POKHREL PRADEEP BHUSAL

PUBLISHED BY ORYX PUBLISHING & ADVERTISING CO WLL P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 Email: info@oryxpublishing.com website: www.oryxpublishing.com Printed at: Al Waraq Printing Press Copyright © 2016 Oryx Publishing & Advertising Co WLL

Site Visit

Qatari-Indian joint venture gets stadium contract

News Update

Highlights

“It is a matter of immense pride for Larsen & Toubro, along with its joint venture partner Al Balagh, to have been given the responsibility to design and build the Al Rayyan Stadium and precinct in preparation for the historic first Middle Eastern FIFA World Cup in 2022” Dr Jens Huckfeldt L&T Qatar chief executive

The responsibility for Qatar’s Al Rayyan Stadium has been given to Al Balagh Trading & Contracting Company and Indian multinational company Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The two jointly bagged the contract for a 40,000-seater stadium to be built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The contract, estimated at over QR1,300 million, is expected to be completed by 2019. The Al Rayyan Stadium and its precinct have been designed to resemble the sand dunes that surround the traditional desert tents.

40,000 Seating Capacity

QF stadium deal goes to Cypriot contractor J&P

Qatari Riyal

1,300 Million

2019

Completion

Construction on Lusail Stadium to begin this year

Construction on Qatar’s largest World Cup stadium is set to begin this year. Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisers have invited contractors to bid on Lusail Iconic Stadium, which will host the final match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The facility will also host the opening ceremony of the games. According to business publication MEED, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SCDL) has asked for work to begin this December and set a maximum bid price of QR2.8 billion (US$769 million). Last March, the SCDL – which is overseeing construction of Qatar’s World Cup stadiums and training facilities – announced that British architectural firm Foster + Partners had won the bid to design the venue, which will have a capacity of 80,000 people. Of the eight proposed World Cup stadiums so far, five are currently under construction. But Lusail and two other locations are still in the very preliminary stages. All the stadiums are supposed to be ready by 2020, organisers had previously said.

12 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Highlights

The construction contract for the Qatar Foundation Stadium and Health & Wellness Center was awarded to Cyprusbased contractor Joannou & Paraskevaides (J&P) in July. The stadium is one of the venues that will host matches up to the quarter-final stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. A seating capacity of 40,000 and cooling technology for players as well as spectators will be some of the features that the stadium will boast of. The construction of the stadium, which will be a breathtaking spectacle of colour and pattern, is expected to end in late 2019.

“Awards in 2015 across the GCC amounted to $165 billion, a good year when you consider historical trends. At the country level, KSA and the UAE did not perform as expected, whereas Qatar and Kuwait exceeded historical awards. In Qatar this was due to investments in infrastructure and the World Cup preparation, and in Kuwait primarily due to large oil and gas investments.” GCC Powers of Construction Report 2016 by Deloitte.

New construction specifications could set global standards The sixth edition of Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS), to be released by 2018, is expected to set global standards, and be a reference point for hot and humid regions.

Site Visit Hill International JV to manage construction of Qatar tram A Hill International joint venture with Italian state railway engineering firm Italferr and Qatar-based ASTAD Project Management has been awarded a $42 million contract by Qatar Rail to manage the Lusail Light Rail Transit (LLRT) system near Doha. Hill is a 50% partner in the joint venture. Lusail City, a waterfront development currently under construction just north of Doha, is designed to be an environmental and self-sustaining community. The 40-km LLRT network will connect residents to Doha via the Doha Metro. The tram system will have four lines, 25 stations above ground and seven underground stations. The project is due to be completed over the next four years.

Assistant Undersecretary for Laboratories and Standardisation at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Dr Mohamed bin Saif Al Kuwari, took this opportunity to also praise the Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS). "Qatar has been the pioneer to adopt such specifications in the region, and its efforts were followed by some other GCC countries, who opted to implement QCS," he pointed out, adding that QCS had become binding for all contractors and consultant engineers in Qatar, of both private and public projects.

“We want to raise the quality of buildings and construction projects in the country. Besides, the specifications give special focus on the necessary conditions of safety and security at work sites.” Dr Mohamed bin Saif Al Kuwari Assistant Undersecretary for Laboratories and Standardisation at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME). CONSTRUCTION TODAY

View Point

By Sanjay Bhatia

Managing Director, Alpen Capital Investment Bank (Qatar) LLC

Construction industry to maintain momentum on key projects Over the years Qatar has built wealth reserves largely through oil and gas exports which led to the formulation of the Qatar National Vision 2030 plan in October 2008. The plan is a blueprint to transform Qatar into an advanced society capable of achieving sustainable development. Subsequently, in December 2010 Qatar was selected to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 14 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

View Point

n line with these developments, Qatar allocates a substantial portion of its budget towards the construction sector, with an emphasis on developing its infrastructure. The private sector also contributes to Qatar’s contracting industry; however, the industry is primarily driven by public sector investments. Qatar’s Construction Industry Outlook Despite the recent decline in oil and gas prices, Qatar remains committed to continue with priority projects in the form of infrastructure, stadiums, education, healthcare, etc. There are currently $ 278 billion worth of public and private sector projects in Qatar that are at the planning stage or under construction. Qatar’s 2016 budget approved c. $25 billion in project spending for the year, which forms part of the overall value of projects in progress. Contract work relating to non-priority projects is expected to be temporarily deferred, which will result in a short-term slowdown in the execution of such projects, and a delay in new non-key project awards. Qatar’s GDP had grown at a strong CAGR of c. 8% between 2010 and 2015, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% between 2016 and 2021. Qatar’s population has witnessed one of highest growth rates in the world, increasing from 1.6 million in 2010 to 2.6 million expected by the end of 2016, growing at a CAGR of c. 8%. The population increase primarily reflects the influx of expatriates at all levels in the public and private sectors to execute the country’s ambitious growth plans. While a cost restructuring by the public and private sectors is currently under way, Qatar’s population presents an increasing trend to date. Further, Qatar’s Real Estate Price Index as of March 2016 is close to its peak at c. 3.3 times the lows of 2009, indicating the demand for real estate to execute the project pipeline. Overall, the outlook for Qatar’s construction industry is buoyed by the Government’s long-term commitment towards developing the country, and meeting its medium-term commitments to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Highlights

Qatar had

2.9

million visitors in 2015, representing a

3.7% growth over 2014. There were

119

hotels and serviced apartments in Qatar at the end of 2015, with

more expected to be added over the next five years.

Qatar’s Real Estate Price Index as of March 2016 is close to its peak at

3.3

times the lows of 2009, indicating the demand for real estate to execute the project pipeline.

Infrastructure construction market Qatar’s existing infrastructure is being enhanced to support its economy and rapidly growing population. The need is even more pronounced in light of the expected medium-term influx of visitors for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Accordingly, Qatar has sanctioned $14 billion in 2016 as part of its budget towards infrastructure-related developments, which comprises the railways, the new port, industrial zones, roads, utilities, etc. The 2016 budget also makes material allocations towards the healthcare and education sectors.

Residential construction market he residential property market in Qatar is being driven by a consistent and strong growth in its population, which is growing at a CAGR of c. 8% between 2010 and 2016. Further, the population of Qatar is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. Till the year 2015, supply was just about keeping up with demand, which resulted in rental increases on a yearly basis. However, for 2016 rentals are broadly expected to remain flat, with select locations experiencing rent decreases. The cost restructuring being undertaken is expected to have a two-tier effect, with relatively high-priced accommodation experiencing longer vacancy periods, and a higher demand for value accommodation. Nevertheless, new residential accommodation is being planned and is currently being developed across Qatar by large and small developers. The rent levels of newly delivered residential stock will be key to contest low vacancy rates. Significant housing stock is expected to be delivered in the near term in the Pearl and Lusail areas of Qatar. The government is keen to continue its support to provide housing for its citizens, and to this end it has allocated $0.5 billion towards housing loans which will be administered by Qatar Development Bank. In relation to the housing loans, 3,700 plots of land are expected to be granted to Qatar citizens for constructing their houses. CONSTRUCTION TODAY

View Point

ffice construction market

Public and private sector oil and gas-related companies are the primary drivers of demand for this market, particularly for Grade A office space. The impact of energy prices has resulted in reduced demand, higher vacancy rates, and a softening of rentals across all three grades of office space. There are a number of projects under execution to be delivered in the near term, which are materially represented by the West Bay and Lusail areas.

Under Construction There are

malls under development which represent approximately

1.3

million sqm of retail space.

Retail construction market

Qatar currently offers 0.6 million sq m of retail space across fourteen malls. There are eleven malls under development which represent c. 1.3million sq m of retail space. Seven of these malls under development are expected to be competed in 2016, with the remainder to be completed in 2017 and 2018. Malls experience good occupancy rates due to the demand, and the same is expected to hold true for the malls opening in 2016. Rentals for purpose-built malls have steadily increased over the years, as opposed to standalone high-street retail outlets. Hospitality construction market Qatar’s hotel and serviced apartment industry is materially represented by 5-star and 4-star hotels, representing 88% of Qatar’s 20,713 keys. Qatar had 2.9 million visitors in 2015, representing a 3.7% growth over 2014. There were 119 hotels and 16 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

By Sanjay Bhatia

Highlights

serviced apartments in Qatar at the end of 2015, with 69 more expected to be added over the next five years. The average room rate and occupancy for 2015 were QR526 and 71%, respectively. With 20 hotels and serviced apartments expected to commence operations in 2016, and a softening in visitor numbers, 2016 is expected to experience a downward correction in room rates and occupancy rates. Leisure construction market Qatar’s growing population, rising disposable income, and the need to attract tourists to diversify its revenue base, has sparked the demand for leisure options. Malls, parks,

museums and entertainment centre projects are thus under development as part of Qatar’s plan to attract seven million visitors by 2034.

Project Update

of these malls which are under development are expected to be competed in 2016, with the remainder to be completed in 2017 and 2018.

o this end, projects being developed comprise ‘Doha Oasis’, which will feature residential homes, retail, and an indoor theme park. US-based International Theme Park Services is developing the $300 million indoor theme park. The project is expected to commence operations in 2017 and is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors annually. A large theme park, golf courses, and marinas forms part of the masterplan of Qatar Entertainment City located at Lusail. Further, the 430,000 sq ft National Museum of Qatar is under construction at an estimated cost of over $400 million, which is expected to be completed in the near term.

Periscope

Photos provided by Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

18 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

The Old Masterpiece gets an upgrade

Khalifa International Stadium

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Periscope

Who can forget the Khalifa International Stadium, where the 2006 Asian Games were held in all their glory? It was originally built as a 20,000-seater stadium in 1976 and is currently undergoing a comprehensive renovation to meet the FIFA requirements and standards for World Cup stadiums. After the renovation, the venue will seat more than 40,000 spectators and host group stage, round of 16 and quarter-final matches in 2022. Work also includes adding a new building to the east wing, and building a single roof to cover the whole seating area. The stadium is due to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2016.

20 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

GSAS 4-STAR RATING Khalifa International Stadium recently received the provisional four-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS). This is the first certificate for a renovation project to be issued by GORD.

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Perspective

THE UNSUNG HERO

Dr Yousef Alhorr, the founding Chairman of Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD), can be described as one of the pioneers, who has paved the way for a new sustainable standard for construction, not only in the country but also in the region. By Sindhu Nair 22 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Highlights ome six years ago, the one challenge that the construction sector in Qatar faced was the lack of stringent guidelines in the usage of materials and in the construction processes followed across projects. That was way before the Qatar Construction Code adopted the pioneering Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), formerly known as (QSAS), the Middle East’s first integrated and performance-based green building assessment rating system, which was first introduced in 2009 by GORD. Pioneering this stringent yet intelligent code of construction practice was Dr Yousef Alhorr who already had a long stint in the field of construction in the country and was one among the top management of BARWA Real Estate Development Company.

GSAS EDUCATION (SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS – 3 STAR-RATING)

Perspective 4.8% of credit facilities advanced by the Qatari banking sector at the end of March 2016, same as in March 2015, while loans to the construction sector grew by a yearly 16% in March 2016. However, data compiled by MEED hints at a delay in investment decisions by the government as of beginning of 2016. In fact, according to the same source, the value of transportation and construction projects in the first quarter of 2016 was down by 92% year-on-year and 70% quarter-on-

“GSAS draws from top-tier global sustainability systems and adds new facets and dimensions to the current practices in assessing the sustainability of the built environment,” says Dr Alhorr. Modeled on best practices from the most established global rating schemes including, but not limited to, BREEAM (United Kingdom), LEED (United States), Green Globes (Canada), CEPAS (Hong Kong), CASBEE (Japan), and SBTOOL, GSAS has grown into a pan-regional system offering a comprehensive framework that is flexible to incorporate the specific needs of the local context of different regions. Taking us through a macro perspective of the country’s construction sector, Dr Alhorr says that while oil prices have had an effect on the overall business economics, they have not much affected the construction sector.

GSAS certified Asghal Healthcare Centres

FACT SHEET designed to achieve

30 % 50 %

energy reduction

But according to a research report compiled by Group Audi, the construction sector has maintained the same momentum as the year before as it finishes the first half of 2016, though a phase of moderation has been observed which can be attributed to low oil prices.

lower water consumption

In fact, in 2015, Qatar’s construction sector grew by 18% against a growth level of 17.8% reported in 2014. The sector also captured

reflect local architecture and heritage

improve indoor environment

quarter, at $830 million. This was the first time that the award of construction contracts has fallen below $1 billion since Qatar won the 2022 World Cup hosting rights. This is the result of low oil prices and their impact on State revenue. The delays in construction are indicative of the tightening fiscal stance in Qatar. Foreign investment has played a key role in the construction boom up until now, but will project delays and postponements make Qatar a less attractive proposition? “In comparison to the region, Qatar’s construction sector has been doing considerably well,” opines Alhorr. “No legacy projects have been delayed or put on hold. The Qatar Rail project, World Cup 2022 stadium projects and Ashghal infrastructure projects are all going ahead without any major delays or impediments. The construction of the Lusail City project, CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Perspective one of the biggest urban developments in the country, has not been affected and there are no major setbacks in any of the various facets of its construction.” Alhorr also believes that the sector is not marred by major layoffs like in other neighbouring countries, or even other sectors, despite the downturn. “The government is pushing ahead with delivering the World Cup 2022 projects, and with time running against us, plans have to go as per schedule.”

ouching on the aspect of foreign investments, Alhorr is of the opinion that most of the projects are not being carried out by international firms but through JVs formed between them and local

partners and hence there is no question of deterring outside participation. “This arrangement of having a JV between an international firm and a local company is mutually beneficial for both as there is less liability for the international component, while the local contractors benefit from expertise and knowledge from international consultants who have more experience working for these huge projects,” says Alhorr. The projects that are currently being undertaken in the country involve complicated structural detailing, the kinds of which local companies have never handled before. The Qatar Rail project, says Alhorr, is a perfect example of bringing together international expertise and the capacity of local bidders. “The size and scope of all the multimillion24 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

“The size and scope of the multimillion-dollar projects in Qatar are huge; it requires not just skilled manpower, but also specialised equipment.” Dr Yousef Alhorr Founding Chairman of Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD).

dollar projects are huge; it requires not just skilled manpower, but also specialized equipment. These two combined factors make these JVs economically sustainable in the long run.” The sustainable standards The moment you bring sustainability in to the picture, the scope of GSAS, Dr Alhorr’s pet project, comes to the fore. According to other experts in the region, Dr Alhorr has not just given us a rating system that is now mandatory for all construction activities in the country to follow, but it has also created an entirely new value chain that opens up businesses and also paves the way for more jobs to be created in the sector of “green buildings”. The primary goals of GSAS include creating a better living environment, minimizing Al Saad stadium exteriors, another building which has a GSAS star rating; interiors of the stadium.

Highlights resource consumption and reducing environmental degradation due to the fast pace of urbanization taking place in this era. “Such objectives, coupled with the increasing evidence of climate change effects on a global level, have contributed strongly to the unprecedented pace of adaptation to sustainability practices not only in the developed countries, but also in developing countries,” he says. GSAS has become one of the most comprehensive systems to date that addresses the built environment from a macro level to a micro level targeting a wide range of building typologies. The system manuals suite provides recommendations and guidelines for the effective implementation of the sustainability goals of each criterion in eight different categories spanning the design and construction stages of a project as well as its management and operations. As more research is carried out on the rating system, the manuals will be further developed to keep users informed on updates within the constantly evolving GSAS rating systems.

ut this is just one facet of the impact of GSAS, says Dr Alhorr. “Other than the vast improvement in the quality of projects due to the merit rating systems, GSAS also works on capacity building as most of the local workforce has undergone GSAS training. Over 1,500 professionals have already attended these certified green professional courses to help simplify the process of guiding the building contractors on the GSAS guidelines.” Added to this advantage is the birth of a new business segment: the green building industry. “Contractors, suppliers, landscape planners, material suppliers, etc., have made a beeline to the country, opening the market to more local suppliers and also to more green solutions for constructions.” The growth of Green Businesses A new market dynamic has been introduced. The collective information about green products has increased and so there have been new incumbents in the business. “A green economy has now been created,” he says.

The Green Expo Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) recently announced the launch of Green Expo 2017 which is going to be one of the region’s biggest exhibitions and conferences addressing a wide spectrum of sustainable solutions for the region to witness. The first Green Expo will be followed by the same event every consecutive year. The Green Expo 2017 includes the following events: Green Expo Exhibition, Sustainable Urban Environment Conference, Carbon and Climate Change Summit and Sustainability Awards. On the launch of Green Expo 2017, Dr Alhorr, GORD’s Founding Chairman, said: “Organising such a huge event was only possible with the efforts of GORD and its principal partners to promote sustainability best practices at all levels and in different sectors which will strengthen Qatar’s position as ‘Capital of Green’. This event will provide a unique platform to showcase sustainability best practices in the fields of green building, climate change, clean energy, as well as environmentfriendly transportation.”

Perspective Qatar’s West Bay is a congregation of glass towers and there have been numerous visitors who have called this area the “Manhattan” of the Gulf with the towers replicating Western counterparts. With the GSAS systems in place, any tower that has a glass façade will make sure that there is efficient shading, proficient glazing and that the cooling of the building is done without additional strains on energy consumption. “The GSAS being a performance benchmark gives the flexibility while stressing on quality, which is a much

Interiors of the GSAS-rated school; Ashghal built the school exteriors follow local traditional architecture.

more effective form of control.” Ashghal schools and health centres are the perfect examples of GSAS ratings implemented that have achieved 3-star rating. “The healthcare centres are designed to reduce energy consumption by 30% compared to existing healthcare centres to combat climate change and reduce air pollution throughout. This has been done through efficient design by optimizing the wall to window ratio; using high-performing insulation materials for roof, window and façade; and through external shading devices to reduce heat gains.” CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Perspective Dr Alhorr feels that over the last five years, the effects of GSAS ratings are seen on the designs of buildings and soon the sustainable way of construction will be imbibed by contractors and the local workforce too. “The next step for GSAS is to label the buildings coming under one type based on their energy consumption. In this manner, we can take the concept of saving to another level as the onus then shifts to the citizens and thus the responsibility is passed to a larger base,” says Dr Alhorr.

Going back to the construction sector, Alhorr foresees some challenges that have to be scaled for the sector to be compared to international levels.

upply of materials, says Alhorr, will always be a challenge. The huge projects put a supply burden on the current availability of materials. “But the opening of the new port will be an added advantage for expanding the supply chain,” he says. The construction of a freight railway network, which is also being planned and will be implemented, connecting Qatar to the rest of the GCC countries will certainly reduce the burden of material availability. “Materials

26 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Highlights can then be made available for projects faster and at lower costs due to bulk delivery.”

GSAS Healthcare Typology

But Alhorr also says that the local supply mechanisms are gearing up for the demand; for instance, the recent expansions in cement and steel manufacturing facilities are a big help in this regard.

This typology consists of eight categories with their associated weights as per the following chart.

We are constantly inspired by the business acumen of countless local businessmen who benefit from the growing economy of the country, but it is rare that we meet someone

ENERGY

24%

WATER SITE

16% 15%

INDOOR ENVIRONMENT 14% MATERIALS

12%

MANAGEMENT & OPERATIONS 9% CULTURAL & ECONOMICS 7% URBAN CONNECTIVITY 7%

like Dr Alhorr, who strives to create a new dynamic in the economy while keeping a conscious “sustainable soul”, with no ulterior motives but a carbonless environment. The level of commitment that he has for the enhancement of the sector is evident in the recommendation that he makes. “What we lack is a proper platform to upgrade the skills of welders, plumbers, and craftsmen available in the country. A form of apprenticeship should be provided that will elevate the quality of the workforce. It is the most cost-effective method as this education will directly reflect on the quality of projects within the country with the added benefit of a labour force that has improved on their skills in this country.”

Innovation

By Udayan Nag

BUILDING UP THE LAYERS Construction Today speaks to Michael Lussier, Global Sales & Market Manager of Sheerfill Architectural Membranes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Saint-Gobain, about membrane structures and how they are put to use in Qatar.

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation “Sheerfill I is a wellestablished product and had been used on the roof, which is yet to be placed, in the mid-2000s. The timeline for delivery of the fabric to the roofing contractor was tight, but we were able to meet it to ensure the material is on-site and ready for installation when needed.” Michael Lussier Global Sales & Market Manager of Sheerfill Architectural Membranes, Saint-Gobain

advantage in any sports arena – with less support structure versus typical heavier materials. During the day, the fabric allows diffused daylight into the space below; while at night it provides a striking image on any skyline when lit from below. Low cost of ownership is a very important advantage – the material is an extremely low maintenance one and is expected to last for 30 years or more. Last, but not least, all Sheerfill membranes are non-combustible – they will not burn, and produce very little smoke – key factors in places where large groups of people gather, like stadia.” Any kind of work associated with the 2022 FIFA World Cup (in Qatar) would be a feather in the cap for an organisation. So, what was the Khalifa Stadium experience like for SaintGobain? “Sheerfill I is a well-established product and had been used on the roof, which is yet to be placed, in the mid-2000s. The timeline for delivery of the fabric to the roofing contractor was tight, but we were able to meet it to ensure the material is on-site and ready for installation when needed,” says Lussier, adding that Saint-Gobain is a material manufacturing company and they don’t fabricate or install the membrane. Thirty years is a decent time span for membrane structures, and Lussier explains

f one had to come up with the most trending topics in today’s construction business, sustainability and innovation would arguably be at the top of the list. Saint-Gobain, traditionally known for its expertise in glass technology, has taken things to the next level with its Sheerfill and Fabrasorb fabric membranes. It has supplied Sheerfill I, a composite made of fibreglass and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for the new roof at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. Elaborating on the advantages of Sheerfill over other building components, Lussier says: “It allows for creative, iconic designs not easily obtained with other materials. The fact that the material is very lightweight (only about 1.5kg/m2) enables very long, column-free spans – a great

28 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

that the performance of Sheerfill is related to the properties of PTFE-coated fibreglass, and that these materials are very resistant to damage from UV and other weathering factors. According to him, the fibreglass fabric reinforcement is very strong and does not need to be re-tensioned once properly installed.

Innovation “The PTFE is easily rinsed clean. We now offer an EverClean topcoat on our Sheerfill which enhances the low-maintenance characteristics by actively decomposing contaminants and reducing NOx (oxides of nitrogen) pollution,” adds Lussier. The specially-coated Sheerfill, along with Fabrasorb – the designing element of the material – has a range of other benefits as well, which Lussier points out. “The use of Sheerfill allows for unique designs, long spans of column-free construction, less steel support and lower overall weight. Fabrasorb has increased the comfort for fans

trademark for a family of mesh architectural products, for the Lusail Crescent Park project. Apart from the Khalifa Stadium, SaintGobain has been involved with several other notable projects in various parts of the world: AT&T Stadium in Texas, USA (home of the Dallas Cowboys); Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, built for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa; and Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – home to the 2014 World Cup finals and this year’s Summer Olympics. Energy efficiency proved to be the key on all those occasions. “Sheerfill has very high reflectivity (70%),

“There are several other projects in development for the 2022 World Cup, and many will use membrane on the roof. We are working with many of those involved, including architects and engineers, to ensure proper selection and use of materials, and to provide whatever assistance we can.”

within fully enclosed stadiums by reducing the noise and reverberation.” Sheerfill also allows for design freedom, which is not possible with other materials, because of its various shapes, sizes and time spans. “While Sheerfill can be used in tentlike shapes, it can be used in many designs so long as there is curvature in the design. Really, the possibilities are limited only by imagination,” says Lussier. In addition, Saint-Gobain is working on “other projects” and “many different fronts” related to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. “There are several other projects in development for the 2022 World Cup, and many will use membrane on the roof. We are working with many of those involved, including architects and engineers, to ensure proper selection and use of materials, and to provide whatever assistance we can.” The company has also supplied SGM,

which is maintained throughout the life of the roof; this reflects most light and associated heat away from the building. This reduces the air conditioning load for enclosed structures,” says Lussier. And finally, where does Saint-Gobain go from here? What has it got lined up for the future? “Recent developments include a variety of mesh fabrics for shading and façade use, and we continue to offer our materials, in colour, to suit a client’s desires. We are working on new products in response to requests from the marketplace – details are yet to come,” says Lussier. CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation

By Keertana By Udayan Koduru Nag

THE SMART CITY CONNECTION

30 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation

Construction Today spoke to EMC2, a global leader in cloud computing, data and analytics, about Qatar’s readiness as a smart city, the ongoing trends and the latest technology that we might see at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

n layman’s terms, “smart city means incorporating technology to make interaction between individuals of a nation easier, ensuring health and happiness with the least destruction to the environment in terms of electricity and water while also reducing the carbon footprint,” says Habib Mahakian, Vice President for the Gulf & Pakistan region at EMC Corporation.

in the GCC region, is facing a challenge in managing and putting to use the huge amount of collected raw data in an efficient way. “Strategy and law must be put into place to help manage this large data efficiently. Initially, no one had thought this data would be useful, only realizing now that this is an asset.”

At the recent EMC Xchange day he said: “The time has come for businesses in the region to significantly reorient their thinking to help them stay ahead. This is a testament to our commitment to help ICT leaders across the region lead the transformation of ICT organisations from cost centres to true catalysts of change for their business.” A recent survey conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC) over the last six months identifies three key countries in the MENA region leading the smart city pact: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. “I believe Qatar is on the right track. Yes, they are in the beginning stages, and one might be moving ahead faster because of the laws of the land that bind the pacts.” The country is moving forward digitally and integrating technology into its daily workings. “The tracks for construction and information technology are moving hand in hand. This is a big change for Qatar in ensuring the stakeholders that they are ready to move forward. We’ve spoken to a lot of vendors connected to construction projects on local and international levels that are interested in investing in the development of this country’s ICT and see the potential here about smart initiatives.” In a recent white paper presented by EMC, it was noted that Qatar, like the other countries

“Qatar as a nation has an advantage over other developed nations in terms of their investment with regards to the startup infrastructure culture. At this nascent stage, this country can adapt to various technologies that can modernise its outlook.”

“Qatar as a nation has an advantage over other developed nations in terms of their investment with regards to the start-up infrastructure culture. At this nascent stage, this country can adapt to various technologies that can modernise its outlook. For example, Qatar is only building its infrastructure, railways and underground tunnels now and didn’t need complex systems all this while. This makes it easier to be more flexible in adopting legacy systems. Now that these infrastructure projects are moving forward, keeping in mind the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2022, there is a requirement to integrate ICT within organisations. It is moving quickly and steadily towards its ultimate goal.” Speaking about taking the smart city concept not just to Lusail and Msheireb but also to other real estate properties and to the city outskirts, we ask if this is going to be a feasible move and how long it will actually take to happen. “It might be an easy click for the younger generation to take advantage of the technology that smart phones allow. For an older generation, it will take time to use their phone or other smart devices for everything. It is a step-by-step process that is to be incorporated. It is important to have test beds everywhere. It will take time but the goal is clear and people should be comfortable about this move. The whole concept is to serve the people and save energy, water, time and effort.” CONSTRUCTION TODAY

WHAT IS A SMART CITY?1 Finite entity (district, town, city, county, municipal, and/or metropolitan area) with its own governing authority that is more local than national. This entity is built on an ICT foundation layer that allows for efficient city management, economic development, sustainability, innovation, and citizen engagement.

Innovation

URBANIZATION DRIVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES2

70%

54%

30%

2014

1950

2020

World's population concentrated in urban centres.

UAE, KSA and QATAR urbanization rate to be 80 to 100% in 2050

INVESTMENTS BEING DONE BY VARIOUS GCC COUNTRIES AROUND BECOMING SMART MOBILE USAGE FOR GAME TIME

89%

of fans interact with mobile en route to stadium

ark Sears, the Chief Technology Officer at EMC, gave a presentation on the latest technology trends at the World Stadium Congress recently held in Doha. Fans could cast their votes on substitution players via an app on their phones after being given realtime performance data for every player on the pitch. There is a mobile application that studies the biometrics of a sportsman’s body and can review the performance of a player in terms of tiredness or weakness and which can be used for purposes such as replacements or substitution. Turning up just to watch a match is no longer what the modern-day fan wants – they also want to interact. At the moment that is via social media platforms such as Twitter. But technology may take that interaction a step further. “If these schemes get the green

The GCC countries are aiming to become “Smart” to meet the goals of a plan or vision, such as Dubai’s Plan 2021, Qatar’s Vision 2030, and Suadi Arabia's efforts towards economic diversification by establishing economic cites.

Rises to

99.8% of fans under 25

UAE

70%

UAE KSA QATAR of fans interact with mobile during a game

DUBAI Plan 2021

Economic Cities

Vision 2030

The ultimate goal for Dubai is the

“HAPPINESS OF ITS CITIZENS” Dubai is the top ranked city in the Middle East & Africa region followed by Abu Dhabi, as per Mercer's 2014 Quality of Living Survey.3

“Today in all the horse racing championships around the world, horses are fitted with censors to monitor their stamina, muscle growth and blood circulation which will help the trainers in understanding food requirements and exercise. It’s as simple as this: if I have sick parents in another country, it might be easier for me to monitor their health and safety requirements through such apps.”

ABU it could allow fans to see light, inDUBAI the future DHABI heart rates of players about to take a penalty,” said Sears. It could even be used25,000,000 by supporters visitors to see the analytics for players who have just been sent off. Within the UAE, the strategy for Dubai's Smart Transformation- 6 pillars covering 100 initiatives in transport, communications, infrastructure, electricity, economic services, urban planning.

The event is expected to attract as many as 25 million visitors.

275,000

jobs “Today in all the horse racing championships around the world, horses are fitted with US$ 19.6 billion censors to monitor their stamina, muscle growth and blood circulation which will help the trainers in understanding food requirements and exercise. as simple as 200,000 smartIt’s meters Dubai making IoT investments by deployingcountry, 200,000 this: if I have sick parents in another smart meters that will be operational by early 2016. The plan is to deploy more than a million such it might be easier for me to monitor their sensors by 2020. health and safety requirements through such apps,” says Mahakian. Free Wifi Expo will create as many as 275,000 jobs.

Expo will have an estimated economic impact of US$ 19.6 billion.4

Dubai will be provisioning This technology also “Free Wifi” socan that citizens can be beneficial in the gain access to services anytime and anywhere city. construction sector toin check on the health of labourers to be reviewed from time to time to keep a check on their health requirements 663 square kilometers and progress apps would also KSAon-site. These help portray the image of a diligent, safe and secure country that looks into the health of the 6

King Abdullah Economic City

Knowledge Economic City

Jazan Economic City

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Mosaed Economic City

The Kingdom is constructing a railway network of nearly 663 square kilometers7 and modernizing older cities such as Jeddah, Riyadh, Makkah and Medina. Cities utilizing GIS and traffic management systems for urban planning, traffic management and overall safety.

32 CONSTRUCTION TODAY USD 150 billion by 2020 The four economic cities in Saudi Arabia are expected to contribute USD 150 billion 8

Innovation poorest worker in the country and then shares the data with all the foreign critics to show the efforts put in place for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

What is EMC’s contribution to the World Cup? “It is too early to exactly pinpoint the physical contributions but by being here and speaking to officials about partnerships, we are moving forward. We are the IT partners for the Rio Olympics (which is a much bigger event than football in terms of sheer activities and analytics alone) to be held next month and we will bring that expertise to Qatar to have open discussions about the collaboration for the World Cup. Infrastructure, cloud computing and analytics are our core areas which will hopefully be our contribution,” concludes Mahakian.

here are plenty of service providers who will host the cloud technology for the development of smart cities. “Technology will advance at a tremendous rate for the next six years and it will be a completely different ball game for the FIFA World Cup 2022. There might be bracelets that have censors with ticket information instead of the traditional paper stub and will allow spectators to watch only selected and paid for matches. With Qatar racing towards this goal of successfully hosting a major event, there

is no other way. They have to pull it off..” The faster there is an acceptance that technology is required, the faster will be the progress. The investment on such projects varies between host networks and cloud computing providers. “Service providers are key components to the success of any smart city initiative,” specifies Mahakian.

What kind of developments can be seen in the next six years for Qatar? He says, “To understand the future development, you need to look back six years at where Qatar stood. There is a huge and positive change in where we stand today. The government understands that change is required at a fast pace and they are on the right track.”

“It is too early to exactly pinpoint the physical contributions but by being here and speaking to officials about partnerships, we are moving forward. We are the IT partners for the Rio Olympics”

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation

By Matthias Krug

3D-printed World Cup stadium models

Finding cost-effective solutions for 2022 How do you 3D print a stadium model? And what useful data can you collect from putting it through testing in a wind tunnel specially designed in Qatar?

or the past six months, researchers at the College of Engineering at Qatar University have been providing all the answers, turning raw data on cooling technology and aerodynamics collected from the 1:300 scale model into value engineering solutions which help reduce the cost and improve the environmental footprint of the proposed stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™. “We take about a week to print one stadium model,” said Dr Saud Abdul Aziz Abdu Ghani, Professor at the College of Engineering at Qatar University. “It is a scale model and follows exactly the design of the proposed stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We printed the parts of the stadium separately, put them together and then put the 3D-printed stadium model into a wind tunnel for aerodynamics testing. The wind tunnel took seven months to design and build and is the first of its kind in the region.” Once inside the wind tunnel, the scale model of the stadium is then analysed thoroughly as laser beams capture the flow of air over the design, with the measurements being processed by the Qatar University team through detailed analytics software. “We can see the temperature per tier, add in

34 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

“We printed the parts of the stadium separately, put them together and then put the 3D-printed stadium model into a wind tunnel for aerodynamics testing” Dr Saud Abdul Aziz Abdu Ghani, Professor at the College of Engineering at Qatar University.

Innovation

Highlights variants such as sweat produced and number of spectators, and then run the simulation and see the effect on the temperature inside the stadium,” he added. “For the cooling we want a minimal amount of air to go in, and we want the air inside to stay there. We can change the direction and simulate different wind directions at this facility.” “All of the design for the wind tunnel and everything you see here was done in Qatar, except the fan zone which is produced in Germany. We’ve tested two stadiums and a fan zone like this: Al Bayt Stadium, Al Wakrah Stadium and the fan zone for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil held at Aspire Academy in Doha. Al Thumama Stadium will also be tested and we are currently printing the stadium.” “We are working closely with Qatar University on this exciting project which showcases the innovative approach we are

Time to Print

1 Week* one stadium model

Benefits Helps reduce the cost and improve the environmental footprint of the proposed stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.

1:300 scale 3D-printed model of the Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor City

Approved Design of Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor City

taking towards the timely and cost-effective delivery of the stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” said Yasir Al Jamal, Supreme Committee Vice Chairman – Technical Delivery Office. “We’ve done a lot of work with Qatar University’s team and made aerodynamic changes to our stadiums as a result. This creates a lot of saving through value engineering. They also look at the roof structure to minimalise the amount of steel, which will reduce energy and capital costs, and reduces the effect on the environment. In effect we are minimising the effect on the environment, as well as the cost and the operational cost.”

n his laboratory at Qatar University, Dr Saud and his team are pushing for innovative solutions to the design challenges received: “We have lasers which will give you the velocity vectors, so you see on the model what will happen when you open or close the roof. All the ideas we try are bounced back to the Supreme Committee and the viable ones are incorporated in the design.” “I believe this is the future of the stadium design industry. Testing used to be done on clay models, but this technology is now at the forefront of stadium design and is also being used for high-rise buildings in Qatar instead of sending them for aerodynamics testing in Canada or Germany as was previously done. You can print anything from cars to skulls for reconstructive surgery, using different materials including metal, titanium, and aluminium.” And other countries have taken note of Qatar’s innovative knowledge and experience in the field, with designers of one of Belgium’s largest future football stadiums in Brussels recently coming to Doha to test their design aerodynamics. “We are very proud to be able to transfer Qatari knowledge to Europe as well. In their case we were asked to do testing on wind-driven rain. In Qatar we need to keep the cold in the stadiums, but in Belgium the challenge was to keep the rain out. We had to look at different types of rain including the wind factor and see how the spectators would be able to remain dry at all times,” concluded Dr Saud. CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation

By Udayan Nag

WINDS OF CHANGE Construction Today talks to C.V. Rappai, Chief Executive Officer, Jumbo Electronics, about the energy-saving mechanisms in LG air conditioners.

36 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Innovation

Highlights

reen is in. In the race for environment-friendly endeavours, Jumbo Electronics has been doing the hard miles, and the results are showing on many fronts.

Apart from participating in green campaigns, the company has taken a number of initiatives in real estate. It advises the engineering consultants and architects to check on westfacing glass so that the direct heat from the sun is minimal. Internal shading through fit-outs, external shading through roof canopies, and having adjacent buildings and trees are also part of the overall design guidelines. However, the most notable contribution of Jumbo has been its technical expertise for LG’s room and commercial air conditioners, during the installation process as well as running of the ACs. It cuts down massively on the electricity consumption, as they have been built in compliance with the new law in Qatar for the operation of ACs in the country. At the forefront of realizing LG’s inspirational philosophy is the development of the MULTI V IV, a product which extends the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) model, ensuring operational efficiency in cooling as well as heating for high-rise buildings. “The most unique entity is the development of the fourth-generation VRF system, rather than merely upgrading several numerical indicators or offering generic functions,” says Rappai, adding that in order for the MULTI V IV to achieve unbeatable seasonal efficiency, LG has raised the standard by developing the true fourth-generation VRF system. “As many manufactures have now incorporated VRF technologies into their products, the likelihood of further innovations on this platform has been perceived as being fairly low,” says Rappai. “The MULTI V IV drastically reduces ‘hidden energy loss’, which plays a major role in making the HVAC systems ineffective.” Rappai mentions the fact that LG refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) units promoted by Jumbo are in accordance with the latest energy efficiency ratio (EER),

which has to be above 8.0 for room air conditioners. He also points out some other salient features of LG air conditioners. FACT SHEET Jumbo’s technical expertise has enabled LG to comply with the new law in Qatar for the operation of ACs in the country.

“The MULTI V IV drastically reduces ‘hidden energy loss’, which plays a major role in making the HVAC systems ineffective.”

“The power consumption for LG VRFs can be as low as 1.1 to 1.2 KW/TR.”

“LG commercial air conditioners have the highest Coefficient of Performance (COP) ranging from 3.8 to 4.1 at partial load conditions.”

“LG commercial air conditioners (CAC), especially LG Multi V VRF outdoor units, have the highest Coefficient of Performance (COP) ranging from 3.8 to 4.1 at partial load conditions. This is due to the inverter compressors, and the operating frequency range being as low as 15 Hz to 150 Hz.” “The power consumption for LG VRFs can be as low as 1.1 to 1.2 KW/TR. The refrigerant medium used is R410A, which is environmentally friendly. It has a low carbon footprint, zero ozone depletion (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP).”

ccording to Rappai, Jumbo also ensures that AC duct systems are properly insulated to avoid leakage and infiltration of outside air as per ASHRAE (a global society established in 1894 for furthering sustainable technology) guidelines. Rappai further says that LG is dedicated to the ‘four key elements’ that determine operational efficiency: compressor, heat exchanger, oil and refrigerant technology. He, adds, however that they are also responsible for some of the hidden loss of energy in conventional models. “As a result of heavy investment and extensive R&D to remove all forms of hidden energy loss, the company has developed its own technologies for the MULTI V IV: Pressure Oil Return (HiPORTM), Active Refrigerant Control, Smart Oil Return and the Variable Heat Exchanger Circuit.” Rappai feels that henceforth it’s all about caring for the environment. “Our vision is ‘vitalising every environment’; it’s the ultimate goal of LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solutions. We are looking at providing great vitality to everyone, everywhere on the globe – from consumers’ private residences to commercial buildings and shared community spaces. Under this unified goal, the company is committed to provide highly innovative heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions.” CONSTRUCTION TODAY

WHEN VERNACULAR DESIGNS BECAME POPULAR

Bricks & Memories By Sindhu Nair

38 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

ARCHITECT IBRAHIM JAIDAH HAS MANY FIRSTS TO HIS CREDIT: HE WAS THE FIRST LOCAL ARCHITECT WHO STARTED HIS OWN PRACTICE HERE; THE FIRST QATARI TO HAVE PUBLISHED A BOOK ON LOCAL ARCHITECTURE; AND ALSO A PIONEER WHO CELEBRATED TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND THEN USED ELEMENTS FROM THIS FORM TO ADD LOCAL FLAVOUR TO INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS. ADD TO THIS THE STATURE

PRESENTING

FIVE-STAR

HOSPITALITY

VERNACULAR DESIGN AND HE STILL HAS NO INTENTION OF CAPPING HIS QUEST FOR DESIGN EXCELLENCE NOR DOES HE TIRE OF COMING UP W ITH N EW ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEAS. HE GOES DOWN MEMORY LANE AND RECREATES HIS MEMORIES O F A P R O J E C T T H AT O P E N E D T H E V I STA S O F T R A D I T I O NA L ARCHITEC T URE IN A COUNTRY THAT WAS AMBUSHED BY DE SIGNS TAILORED FOR WESTERN CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. AL SHARQ HOTEL, OR SHARQ VILLAGE AND SPA AS IT IS NOW KNOWN, WAS A UNIQUE SITE, SAYS JAIDAH. CONSTRUCTION

TODAY BRINGS THE STORY OF THE INCEP TION

OF SHARQ VILLAGE AND SPA . CONSTRUCTION TODAY

I went back to my archives and started my research work on what was existing there. I realized that there were many buildings still remaining in the Al Khulaifat even though many had been demolished. I remembered that there was one building, the Qatar Fine Arts Society building, where I used to hang out and it was enclosed in a courtyard kind of layout like the old Fereej. By looking at this old neighbourhood, I came up with the idea of recreating layout.

THE SITE AND THE COMMISSION The hotel site was in the old Al Khulaifat area and, because the town was so small, neighbourhoods were named after their locations. Al Jazra and Al Sharq were both neighbourhoods. Al Sharq, which meant the east of town was where the site was located. I got a direct commission by the Prime Minister at that time, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani, to study the potential of creating an international hotel property at that site. As was the norm, I prepared a concept drawing for a fairly modern multistoreyed hotel property with a tower block added with a few local flavours. HE, the Prime Minister, looked at the drawings and said, “No, I do not want this. I want you to make something that is purely vernacular.”

Bricks & Memories

40 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Then I had to rewrite the story. I needed a strong story to sell the concept to the Qatar Tourism Authority, a story that would share our culture. I reanalyzed the story of the neighbourhood, where usually there is a sheikh’s house, the merchant’s house, the pearl divers’ house and the fishermen’s house. So I reimagined the hotel property in the context of these areas and divided the space accordingly; the most important area, the lobby, was the sheikh’s house; the bigger rooms of the hotel within the clusters constituted the merchants’ house. And the rustic Sharq Spa represented the fishermen’s and the pearl divers’ houses.

We then delved deep into the functions and arranged the rooms accordingly. We created a courtyard, recreating a neighbourhood so each cluster becomes a merchantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, and arranged the rooms within the vernacular design giving way to rooms which were well-lit and ventilated.

WHILE THE RUSTIC NEIGHBOURHOOD

The narrow sikkas and the skylights used in the spa all helped us in facing the environmental challenges and actually the design helped positively in bringing out a property with minimum environmental footprints.

THE FUNCTIONAL BACK AREAS OF ANY

CONCEPT

WORKED

INTERNATIONAL

WELL

HOTEL

FOR

THE

PROPERTY,

THE CHALLENGE WAS TO CONCEAL HOTEL PROPERTY. WE HAVE CLOSE TO 6,000 SQ FT OF SERVICE AREA TUCKED BEAUTIFULLY UNDERNEATH THIS OPEN PROPERTY.

THE MAIN CHALLENGE

AND

CREATED

THE

PERFECT

SOLUTION BY TAKING THESE AREAS BELOW

GROUND

LEVEL,

KEEPING

THEM OUT OF SIGHT WHILE THEY ALSO REMAINED VERY CLOSE TO THE AREA OF THEIR FUNCTION.

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

IT WON THE ARAB CITY AWARD, THE CITYSCAPE AWARD AND ALSO MANY CONGRALUTIONS FROM WELL -WISHERS AND ARCHITECTS WHO HAVE APPRECIATED THIS PIONEERING DESIGN. AND THIS SET A TREND; THIS WAS LIKE A CITY RESORT WHICH PUT TO USE ALL THE LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES WITHIN A HOTEL PROJECT.

Bricks & Memories

42 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES The design was not just an instant hit with the QTA, the developers and the guests that flocked to this property; the project also won numerous architectural accolades. It won the Arab City Award, the Cityscape Award and also many congratulations from wellwishers and architects who have appreciated this pioneering design. And this set a trend; this was like a city resort which put to use all the local architectural features within a hotel project. Souq Waqif Hotels was the next such project which put to use our vernacular designs within hospitality projects. This project had to suit the luxury Ritz Carlton image while adhering to the local, almost rustic living features, and to give this image its full potential. I had to sit with the interior designer and brief him extensively on this local story.

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

‫وجهة نظر‬

‫تحت الضوء‬

‫كان من أهم التحديات التي واجهها قطاع البناء‬ ‫واإلنشاءات يف قطر منذ حوايل ست سنوات عدم‬ ‫وجود مبادئ توجيهية صارمة بشأن استخدام املواد‬ ‫وعمليات البناء املتبعة يف املشاريع بمختلف أنواعها‪.‬‬ ‫وقد كان ذلك قبيل اعتماد قانون البناء القطري‬ ‫للمنظومة الشاملة لتقييم االستدامة (جي ساس‬ ‫‪ ،)GSAS‬التي كانت تسمى سابقا باسم (كيوساس‬ ‫‪ ،)QSAS‬وهي املنظومة املتكاملة األوىل يف الشرق‬ ‫األوسط لتصنيف وتقييم املباين الخضراء وفقا ألدائها‬ ‫وقد أطلقتها املنظمة الخليجية للبحث والتطوير‬ ‫للمرة األوىل يف العام ‪ 2009‬بتوجيه من الدكتور‬ ‫يوسف الحر الذي عمل يف مجال البناء يف البالد لفرتة‬ ‫طويلة وكان من ضمن فريق اإلدارة العليا لشركة‬ ‫بروة العقارية‪.‬‬ ‫ويقول الدكتور الحر‪« :‬تستفيد منظومة جي ساس‬ ‫من أفضل منظومات االستدامة العاملية‪ ،‬وهي تضيف‬ ‫جوانب وأبعاد جديدة للممارسات الحالية يف تقييم‬ ‫استدامة البيئة العمرانية»‪.‬‬ ‫وقد تم وضع املنظومة بعد دراسة أفضل ممارسات‬ ‫التصنيف العاملية ومن أهمها‪( BREEAM :‬اململكة‬ ‫املتحدة)‪ ،‬و‪( LEED‬الواليات املتحدة األمريكية)‪،‬‬ ‫و ‪( GREEN GLOBES‬كندا)‪ ،‬و‪( CEPAS‬هونج‬ ‫كونج)‪ ،‬و‪( CASBEE‬اليابان)‪ ،‬و‪ .SBTOOL‬وأصبحت‬ ‫جي ساس النظام األشمل لتقييم االستدامة‬ ‫يف العالم‪ ،‬وهي توفر إطارا شامال ومرنا لتلبية‬ ‫االحتياجات املحددة املحلية ملختلف املناطق‪.‬‬ ‫وتحدث الدكتور الحر عن قطاع البناء والتشييد يف‬ ‫البالد قائال إنه عىل الرغم من التأثري الكبري ألسعار‬ ‫النفط عىل اقتصاديات األعمال بشكل عام إال أنها لم‬ ‫تؤثر كثريا عىل قطاع البناء والتشييد‪.‬‬ ‫ولكن وفقا لتقرير صادر عن مجموعة أودي‪ ،‬حافظ‬ ‫قطاع البناء عىل نفس زخمه يف السنة املاضية قبل أن‬ ‫ينتهي هذا الزخم يف النصف األول من العام ‪،2016‬‬ ‫وقد شهد القطاع مرحلة اعتدال يمكن أن تعزى إىل‬ ‫انخفاض أسعار النفط‪.‬‬ ‫ونما قطاع البناء يف قطر يف العام ‪ 2015‬بنسبة‬ ‫‪ ٪18‬مقابل نموه يف العام ‪ 2014‬والبالغ ‪.٪17.8‬‬ ‫وقد حصل القطاع أيضا عىل ‪ ٪4.8‬من التسهيالت‬ ‫االئتمانية التي قدمها القطاع املصريف القطري يف نهاية‬ ‫مارس ‪ 2016‬وذلك كحاله يف مارس ‪ ،2015‬يف حني‬ ‫أن نسبة القروض املمنوحة إىل قطاع البناء والتشييد‬ ‫قد شهدت نموا بنسبة ‪ ٪16‬سنويا يف مارس‪ .‬غري‬ ‫أن البيانات التي جمعتها ميد‪ ،‬وهي الشركة الرائدة‬ ‫يف مجال ذكاء األعمال‪ ،‬تشري إىل التأخري يف اتخاذ‬ ‫الحكومة للقرارات االستثمارية اعتبارا من بداية‬ ‫العام ‪ .2016‬فوفقا للمصدر نفسه‪ ،‬انخفضت قيمة‬ ‫مشاريع النقل والبناء يف الربع األول من العام ‪2016‬‬ ‫بنسبة ‪ ٪92‬عىل أساس سنوي‪ ،‬وبنسبة ‪ ٪70‬عىل‬ ‫أساس ربع سنوي‪ ،‬لتصل إىل ‪ 830‬مليون دوالر‪.‬‬ ‫وهذه هي املرة األوىل التي تنخفض فيها قيمة عقود‬

‫ُتعترب املدارس ورياض‬ ‫األطفال التي تبنيها أشغال‬ ‫نماذج مثالية العتماد‬ ‫تصنيفات جي ساس حيث‬ ‫حققت تصنيف ‪ 3‬نجوم‪.‬‬

‫البناء املمنوحة إىل أقل من مليار دوالر منذ فوز قطر‬ ‫بحق استضافة نهائيات كأس العالم لكرة القدم‬ ‫‪ .2022‬وقد كان ذلك نتيجة النخفاض أسعار النفط‬ ‫وتأثريه عىل إيرادات الدولة حيث يدل التأخري يف‬ ‫مشاريع البناء عىل الصعوبات املالية التي تمر بها‬ ‫قطر‪.‬‬ ‫وقد لعبت االستثمارات األجنبية دورا رئيسيا يف‬ ‫ازدهار قطاع اإلنشاءات حتى اآلن‪ ،‬ولكن هل يمكن‬ ‫لتأخر املشاريع وتأجيلها أن يجعل قطر أقل جاذبية؟‬ ‫أجاب الدكتور الحر‪« :‬يُعترب أداء قطاع اإلنشاءات‬ ‫يف قطر جيدا للغاية باملقارنة مع املنطقة إذ لم يتم‬

‫‪GSAS certified‬‬ ‫‪Asghal Healthcare Centres‬‬

‫حقـ ـ ــائ ـ ــق‬ ‫تهدف لتحقيق‬

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‫تخفيض استهالك الطاقة‬

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‫تقليل استهالك الماء‬ ‫تحسين البيئة الداخلية‬ ‫عكس الهوية المحلية‬ ‫في المعمار‬

‫تأخري أي مشاريع رئيسية أو تأجيلها‪ .‬فمشروع قطر‬ ‫السكك الحديدية‪ ،‬ومشاريع مالعب كأس العالم‬ ‫‪ ،2022‬ومشاريع البنية التحتية التي تنفذها أشغال‪،‬‬ ‫جميعها تسري قدما دون أي تأخري أو عوائق رئيسية‪.‬‬ ‫كما أن مشروع بناء مدينة لوسيل‪ ،‬وهي واحدة من‬ ‫أكرب املشاريع العمرانية يف البالد‪ ،‬لم يتأثر ولم يحدث‬ ‫أي تأخري مهم يف أي من جوانب املشروع»‪.‬‬ ‫ويرى الحر أيضا أن القطاع لم يشهد عمليات تسريح‬ ‫واسعة النطاق للعمال كما حدث يف الدول املجاورة‬ ‫األخرى‪ ،‬أو حتى يف قطاعات أخرى‪ ،‬عىل الرغم من‬ ‫االنكماش‪ ،‬فقد قال‪« :‬ما تزال الحكومة ماضية يف‬ ‫تنفيذ مشاريع كأس العالم ‪ ،2022‬وملا كان الوقت‬ ‫ليس يف صالحنا فإنه ينبغي أن تسري الخطط وفق‬ ‫الجدول الزمني املحدد»‪.‬‬ ‫وتطرق الحر إىل االستثمارات األجنبية مشريا إىل‬ ‫أن تنفيذ معظم املشاريع ال يتم من قبل الشركات‬ ‫العاملية‪ ،‬وإنما من خالل املشاريع املشرتكة التي‬ ‫ُشكلت بينها وبني الشركاء املحليني‪ ،‬مضيفا‪« :‬من‬ ‫شأن إنشاء مشروع مشرتك بني شركة دولية وشركة‬ ‫محلية أن يحقق املنفعة املتبادلة لكال الطرفني‬ ‫‪44 CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫وجهة نظر‬

‫البطل‬ ‫المجهول‬

‫يمكن أن يوصف الدكتور يوسف الحر‪ ،‬الرئيس املؤسس للمنظمة الخليجية للبحث والتطوير‪،‬‬ ‫بأنه من الرواد الذين مهدوا الطريق إلنشاء منظومة جديدة ملعايري البناء املستدام‪ ،‬ليس فقط‬ ‫يف قطر‪ ،‬وإنما أيضا يف املنطقة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ ‬بقلم سيندو ناير‬

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‫‪CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫السوق أمام املوردين املحليني‪ ،‬وكذلك يف اعتماد‬ ‫املزيد من الحلول الخضراء لألبنية»‪.‬‬ ‫نمو األعمال الخضراء‬ ‫نتج عن كل ذلك ديناميكية جديدة يف السوق‪ .‬فقد‬ ‫ازدادت املعلومات حول املنتجات الخضراء ودخلت‬ ‫الكثري من الشركات الجديدة يف هذا املجال‪« ،‬وتم‬ ‫اآلن إنشاء اقتصاد أخضر»‪ ،‬كما يقول الحر‪.‬‬ ‫وتضم منطقة الخليج الغربي يف قطر الكثري من‬ ‫األبراج الزجاجية‪ ،‬مما جعل العديد من الزوار‬ ‫يطلقون عىل هذه املنطقة اسم «مانهاتن الخليج»‬ ‫بسبب كرثة ما تحويه أبراج مشابهة ملا يوجد يف‬ ‫الدول الغربية‪ .‬لكن مع تطبيق منظومة جي ساس‪،‬‬ ‫بات عىل جميع األبراج التي تحوي واجهات زجاجية‬ ‫أن تضمن كفاءة تظليل هذه الواجهات‪ ،‬والرتكيب‬ ‫املتقن لزجاج النوافذ‪ ،‬وأن يتم تربيد املبنى دون‬ ‫تعريض استهالك الطاقة ألي ضغوط إضافية‪ .‬وأردف‬ ‫قائال‪« :‬ملا كانت منظومة جي ساس عبارة عن معيار‬ ‫لألداء فإنها توفر املرونة مع الرتكيز عىل الجودة‪ ،‬لذا‬ ‫فهي تقدم صيغة توجيهية فعالة للغاية»‪ُ .‬‬ ‫وتعترب‬ ‫املدارس واملراكز الصحية التي تبنيها أشغال نماذج‬ ‫مثالية العتماد تصنيفات جي ساس حيث حققت‬ ‫تصنيف ‪ 3‬نجوم‪ .‬وعن ذلك يقول‪ُ :‬‬ ‫«صممت مراكز‬ ‫الرعاية الصحية الجديدة بحيث تحد من استهالك‬ ‫الطاقة بنسبة ‪ ٪30‬مقارنة مع مراكز الرعاية الصحية‬ ‫القائمة وذلك للتصدي لظاهرة تغري املناخ والحد‬ ‫من تلوث الهواء‪ .‬وقد تم تحقيق ذلك من خالل‬ ‫التصميم الفعال الذي يعتمد النسبة املثىل بني‬ ‫مساحة الجدران والنوافذ‪ ،‬واستخدام مواد عازلة‬ ‫عالية األداء يف السقف والنوافذ والواجهات‪ ،‬ومن‬ ‫خالل وسائل التظليل الخارجية للحد من التبادل‬ ‫الحراري»‪ .‬ويرى الدكتور الحر أن تصاميم املباين قد‬ ‫تأثر بتقييمات منظومة جي ساس عىل مدى السنوات‬ ‫الخمس املاضية‪ ،‬وأنه سرعان ما سيتشرب املقاولون‬ ‫والقوى العاملة املحلية طريقة البناء املستدامة إذ‬ ‫يقول‪« :‬إن الخطوة التالية للمنظومة هي تصنيف‬ ‫املباين التي تنضوي تحت نوع معني عىل أساس‬ ‫استهالكها للطاقة‪ .‬وبهذه الطريقة‪ ،‬يمكن أن نرتقي‬ ‫بمفهوم التوفري إىل مستوى آخر مع نقل املسؤولية‬ ‫إىل املواطنني الذين يشكلون قاعدة أكرب»‪.‬‬ ‫وبالعودة إىل قطاع البناء والتشييد‪ ،‬يتوقع الحر أن‬ ‫تكون هنالك بعض التحديات التي ينبغي للقطاع‬ ‫أن يتصدى لها يك يصبح من املمكن مقارنته مع‬ ‫املستويات الدولية‪.‬‬ ‫وأكد الحر أن توريد املواد سيشكل دائما تحديا‪.‬‬ ‫فاملشاريع الضخمة تضع عبء العرض عىل توافر‬ ‫املواد‪ .‬وأضاف‪« :‬لكن افتتاح امليناء الجديد سيشكل‬ ‫ميزة إضافية لتوسيع سلسلة التوريد»‪ .‬إضافة‬ ‫إىل ذلك‪ ،‬فإن شبكة السكك الحديدية للشحن‬ ‫التي يجري أيضا التخطيط لها وسيتم تنفيذها‬

‫تحت الضوء‬

‫معرض جرين إكسبو‬ ‫أعلنت املنظمة الخليجية‬ ‫للبحث والتطوير مؤخرا‬ ‫عن إطالق معرض ومؤتمر‬ ‫«جرين إكسبو ‪ »2017‬الذي‬ ‫يُعترب من أكرب املعارض‬ ‫واملؤتمرات يف املنطقة التي‬ ‫توفر منصة مهمة للهندسة‬ ‫واإلنشاءات والبنية‬ ‫التحتية‪ ،‬إضافة إىل تقديم‬ ‫الحلول والخربات يف مجال‬ ‫االستدامة‪ .‬وسيتم تنظيم‬ ‫النسخة األوىل من املعرض‬ ‫األخضر يف العام ‪2017‬‬ ‫عىل أن يُعقد كل عامني‪.‬‬ ‫ويشتمل «جرين إكسبو»‬ ‫عىل الفعاليات التالية‪:‬‬ ‫معرض جرين إكسبو‪،‬‬ ‫ومؤتمر البيئة العمرانية‬ ‫املستدامة‪ ،‬وقمة الكربون‬ ‫والتغري املناخي‪ ،‬إىل جانب‬ ‫جوائز االستدامة‪.‬‬ ‫وبهذه املناسبة‪ ،‬قال الدكتور‬ ‫الحر‪ ،‬رئيس مجلس‬ ‫اإلدارة واملؤسس للمنظمة‬ ‫الخليجية للبحث والتطوير‪:‬‬ ‫«لم يكن تنظيم مثل هذا‬ ‫الحدث الضخم ممكنا‬ ‫إال بفضل جهود املنظمة‬ ‫الخليجية للبحث والتطوير‬ ‫والشركاء الرئيسيني للرتويج‬ ‫ألفضل املمارسات االستدامة‬ ‫عىل جميع املستويات ويف‬ ‫مختلف القطاعات والتي‬ ‫من شأنها أن تعزز موقف‬ ‫قطر «كعاصمة خضراء»‪.‬‬ ‫وسيوفر هذا الحدث منصة‬ ‫فريدة لعرض أفضل‬ ‫املمارسات االستدامة يف‬ ‫مجاالت املباين الخضراء‪،‬‬ ‫وتغري املناخ‪ ،‬والطاقة‬ ‫النظيفة‪ ،‬وكذلك وسائل‬ ‫النقل الصديقة للبيئة»‪.‬‬

‫وجهة نظر‬ ‫قريبا سرتبط قطر مع بقية دول مجلس التعاون‬ ‫الخليجي‪ ،‬مما سيخفف بالتأكيد من عبء توافر‬ ‫املواد‪ .‬وتابع حديثه قائال‪« :‬وبعد ذلك يمكن للمواد‬ ‫أن تتوفر للمشاريع بصورة أسرع وبكلفة أقل بسبب‬ ‫الحصول عليها بكميات كبرية»‪ .‬وكشف الحر أن‬ ‫آليات العرض املحلية تستعد للطلب‪ .‬فعىل سبيل‬ ‫املثال‪ ،‬إن من شأن مشاريع التوسع األخرية يف مرافق‬ ‫االسمنت وتصنيع الصلب أن تقدم مساعدة كبرية يف‬ ‫هذا الصدد‪ .‬وختاما‪ ،‬ال ريب أننا نستلهم باستمرار‬ ‫من حنكة رجال األعمال املحليني الذين يستفيدون‬ ‫من النمو االقتصادي للبالد‪ ،‬لكن من النادر أن‬

‫مدارس تعد نماذج مثالية العتماد‬ ‫تصنيفات جي ساس حيث يعكس‬ ‫تصميمها الهوية املحلية‬

‫نلتقي مع شخص مثل الدكتور الحر الذي يسعى‬ ‫إىل خلق ديناميكية جديدة يف االقتصاد مع الحفاظ‬ ‫عىل «روح االستدامة» بدون أي دوافع خفية ماعدا‬ ‫الحفاظ عىل البيئة‪ .‬ويتضح مستوى التزامه بتعزيز‬ ‫القطاع بالتوصيات التي قدمها يف نهاية اللقاء إذ‬ ‫قال‪« :‬إن ما ينقصنا هو منصة مناسبة لرفع مستوى‬ ‫مهارات العاملني يف مجال اللحام‪ ،‬والسباكني‪،‬‬ ‫والحرفيني يف البالد‪ .‬وينبغي أن يتم توفري شكل من‬ ‫أشكال التدريب املهني لرفع نوعية القوى العاملة‪.‬‬ ‫وهو األسلوب األكرث فعالية من حيث التكلفة ألن‬ ‫هذا التعليم سينعكس مباشرة عىل نوعية املشاريع‬ ‫داخل البالد مع الحصول عىل فائدة إضافية تتمثل يف‬ ‫تحسني مهارة القوى العاملة يف هذا البلد»‪.‬‬ ‫‪46 CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫وجهة نظر‬ ‫ألن التزامات املكون الدويل تصبح أقل يف هذه‬ ‫الحالة‪ ،‬يف حني أن املقاولني املحليني يستفيدون من‬ ‫الخربة واملعرفة التي يحصلون عليها من الخرباء‬ ‫االستشاريني الدوليني يف مجال العمل يف مشاريع‬ ‫ضخمة»‪ .‬وتتسم املشاريع التي يجري تنفيذها‬ ‫حاليا يف البالد بالتعقيد البنيوي بصورة لم تعهدها‬ ‫الشركات املحلية من قبل‪ .‬فمشروع قطر السكك‬ ‫الحديدية عىل سبيل املثال‪ ،‬هو خري مثال عىل‬ ‫الجمع بني الخربات العاملية وإمكانيات الشركات‬ ‫املحلية‪ .‬ومىض قائال‪« :‬يتسم حجم ونطاق جميع‬ ‫املشاريع التي تبلغ تكلفتها عدة ماليني من الدوالرات‬ ‫بالضخامة‪ .‬فهي ال تتطلب القوى العاملة املاهرة‬ ‫فحسب‪ ،‬وإنما أيضا املعدات املتخصصة أيضا‪ .‬فهذان‬ ‫العامالن مجتمعان يجعالن هذه املشاريع املشرتكة‬ ‫مستدامة اقتصاديا عىل املدى الطويل»‪.‬‬ ‫املعايري املستدامة‬ ‫بمجرد أن نذكر االستدامة‪ ،‬وهو املجال الذي تركز‬ ‫عليه منظومة جي ساس‪ ،‬فإن الدكتور الحر يأيت إىل‬

‫الصورة‪ .‬فوفقا لخرباء آخرين يف املنطقة‪ ،‬لم يكن دور‬ ‫الدكتور الحر أساسيا يف إنشاء نظام التصنيف الذي‬ ‫أصبح اآلن إلزاميا فحسب‪ ،‬وإنما أنشأ أيضا سلسلة‬ ‫قيمة جديدة كليا تمهد الطريق ملزيد من فرص العمل‬ ‫التي ستنشأ يف قطاع «املباين الخضراء»‪.‬‬ ‫ومن األهداف الرئيسية ملنظومة جي ساس‪ :‬إنشاء‬ ‫بيئة معيشة أفضل‪ ،‬والتقليل من استهالك املوارد‪،‬‬ ‫والحد من التدهور البيئي الناجم عن سرعة وترية‬ ‫التطور العمراين‪ .‬وعن ذلك يقول‪« :‬ساهمت مثل‬ ‫هذه األهداف‪ ،‬باإلضافة إىل آثار التغريات املناخية‬ ‫عىل املستوى العاملي‪ ،‬بقوة وبوترية غري مسبوقة يف‬ ‫اعتماد ممارسات االستدامة ليس يف الدول املتقدمة‬ ‫فحسب‪ ،‬وإنما أيضا يف الدول النامية»‪.‬‬ ‫وقد أصبح جي ساس أحد أكرث األنظمة شمولية حتى‬ ‫اآلن‪ ،‬فهو يتناول البيئة العمرانية ابتداء من املستوى‬ ‫الكيل وانتهاء باملستوى الجزيئ‪ ،‬ويستهدف مجموعة‬ ‫واسعة من املباين بأنواعها‪ .‬وتوفر كتيبات املنظومة‬ ‫التوصيات واملبادئ التوجيهية للتنفيذ الفعّ ال‬ ‫‪47‬‬

‫‪CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫«يتسم حجم ونطاق‬ ‫جميع المشاريع التي‬ ‫تبلغ تكلفتها عدة ماليين‬ ‫من الدوالرات بالضخامة‪.‬‬ ‫فهي ال تتطلب القوى‬ ‫العاملة الماهرة فحسب‪،‬‬ ‫وإنما أيضا المعدات‬ ‫المتخصصة أيضا»‪.‬‬ ‫دكتور يوسف الحر‬ ‫الرئيس المؤسس للمنظمة‬ ‫الخليجية للبحث والتطوير‬

‫ألهداف االستدامة لكل معيار يف الفئات الثماين‬ ‫املختلفة ملراحل تصميم وبناء املشروع‪ ،‬وكذلك‬ ‫إدارته وعملياته‪ .‬ومع إجراء املزيد من البحوث‬ ‫عىل نظام التصنيف‪ ،‬ستشهد الكتيبات مزيدا من‬ ‫التحديث إلبقاء املستخدمني عىل اطالع بالتحديثات‬ ‫املتعلقة بمنظومة جي ساس التي هي يف تطور‬ ‫مستمر‪ .‬وأكد الدكتور الحر أن ذلك ليس إال أحد‬ ‫أوجه تأثري املنظومة إذ يقول‪« :‬إضافة إىل التحسن‬ ‫الكبري يف نوعية املشاريع الناتج عن تطور منظومة‬ ‫التصنيف‪ ،‬تعمل املنظومة أيضا عىل بناء القدرات‬ ‫حيث تم تدريب معظم القوى العاملة املحلية عىل‬ ‫منظومة جي ساس‪ .‬وقد تدرب يف هذه الدورات‬ ‫الخضراء املعتمدة أكرث من ‪ 1500‬مهني للمساعدة‬ ‫يف تثقيف مقاويل اإلنشاءات بشأن املبادئ التوجيهية‬ ‫للمنظومة»‪ .‬ومن املزايا اإلضافية أيضا لهذه املنظومة‬ ‫والدة قطاع جديد لألعمال هو قطاع املباين الخضراء‪.‬‬ ‫وبهذا الصدد يقول‪« :‬كان دور املقاولني‪ ،‬واملوردين‪،‬‬ ‫ومصممي الحدائق‪ ،‬وموردي املواد‪ ،‬أساسيا يف فتح‬ ‫مبنى استاد السد ُيعد نموذجاً مثالياً العتماد‬ ‫تصنيفات جي ساس‬

‫اقتصـ ـ ـ ــاد‬

‫ا‬

‫لتوقعات بشأن قطاع اإلنشاءات يف قطر‬ ‫عىل الرغم من االنخفاض األخري يف‬ ‫أسعار النفط والغاز‪ ،‬ال تزال قطر ملتزمة‬ ‫بمواصلة املشاريع ذات األولوية الكبرية‬ ‫يف مجاالت البنية التحتية‪ ،‬واملالعب‪،‬‬ ‫والتعليم‪ ،‬والرعاية الصحية‪ ،‬وما إىل‬ ‫ذلك‪ .‬وتوجد يف قطر حاليا مشاريع للقطاعني‬ ‫العام والخاص بقيمة ‪ 278‬مليار دوالر يف مرحلة‬ ‫التخطيط أو قيد اإلنشاء‪ .‬وقد وافقت موازنة قطر‬ ‫للعام ‪ 2016‬عىل إنفاق ‪ 25‬مليار دوالر عىل املشاريع‬ ‫لهذا العام‪ ،‬وهو ما يشكل جزءا من القيمة‬ ‫اإلجمالية للمشاريع الجارية‪ .‬ومن املتوقع أن يتم‬ ‫تأجيل املشاريع ذات األولوية املنخفضة بصورة‬ ‫مؤقتة‪ ،‬األمر الذي سيؤدي إىل تباطؤ تنفيذ مثل‬ ‫هذه املشاريع عىل املدى القصري‪ ،‬والتأخري يف منح‬ ‫عقود املشاريع غري الرئيسية الجديدة‪.‬‬ ‫وحقق الناتج املحيل اإلجمايل لدولة قطر نموا‬ ‫بمعدل نمو سنوي مركب بلغ ‪ ٪ 8‬بني العامني‬ ‫‪ 2010‬و‪ ،2015‬ومن املتوقع أن ينمو هذا الناتج‬ ‫بمعدل سنوي مركب نسبته ‪ ٪ 7.4‬بني العامني‬ ‫‪ 2016‬و‪ .2021‬وشهد عدد السكان يف قطر واحدا‬ ‫من أعىل معدالت النمو يف العالم فقد ازداد‬ ‫عدد السكان من ‪ 1.6‬مليون يف العام ‪ 2010‬إىل‬ ‫‪ 2.6‬مليون نسمة املتوقعة بحلول نهاية العام‬ ‫‪ 2016‬بمعدل سنوي مركب يبلغ ‪ .٪ 8‬وتعكس‬ ‫الزيادة السكانية يف املقام األول تدفق املغرتبني‬ ‫عىل كافة املستويات يف القطاعني العام والخاص‬ ‫لتنفيذ خطط النمو الطموحة للبالد‪ .‬وعىل الرغم‬ ‫من قيام القطاعني العام والخاص بإعادة هيكلة‬ ‫تكاليفهما‪ ،‬إال أن عدد سكان البالد ال يزال يف‬ ‫ازدياد مستمر‪.‬‬ ‫وعالوة عىل ذلك‪ ،‬اقرتب مؤشر األسعار العقارية‬ ‫القطرية يف مارس ‪ 2016‬من ذروته ليصل إىل‬ ‫حوايل ‪ 3.3‬ضعف أدىن مستوياته يف العام ‪،2009‬‬ ‫مما يدل عىل زيادة الطلب عىل العقارات لتنفيذ‬ ‫املزيد من املشاريع‪ .‬ويتلقى قطاع البناء والتشييد‬ ‫يف قطر عموما الدعم من خالل التزام الحكومة‬ ‫طويل األمد بتنمية البالد‪ ،‬والوفاء بالتزاماتها عىل‬ ‫املدى املتوسط الستضافة نهائيات كأس العالم‬ ‫‪ 2022‬لكرة القدم‪.‬‬

‫سوق إنشاءات البنية التحتية‬ ‫تقوم البالد بتعزيز بنيتها التحتية القائمة لدعم‬ ‫اقتصادها والنمو السريع لسكانها‪ .‬وتصبح هذه‬ ‫الحاجة أكرث وضوحا عىل ضوء التدفق املتوقع عىل‬ ‫املدى املتوسط للزوار لحضور نهائيات كأس العالم‬ ‫لكرة القدم ‪ .2022‬لذا فقد أفردت قطر ‪ 14‬مليار‬

‫تحت الضوء‬

‫زار قطر‬

‫‪2.9‬‬

‫مليون زائر في العام ‪،2015‬‬

‫وهو ما يمثل‬

‫‪% 3.7‬‬ ‫نموا بالنسبة‬

‫للعام ‪.2014‬‬

‫ووصل عدد الفنادق والشقق‬ ‫الفندقية في قطر في نهاية‬ ‫العام ‪ 2015‬إلى‬

‫‪119‬‬

‫ومن المتوقع إضافة‬

‫‪69‬‬

‫فندقا على مدى السنوات‬ ‫الخمس المقبلة‪.‬‬

‫اقترب مؤشر األسعار العقارية‬ ‫القطرية في مارس ‪ 2016‬من‬ ‫ذروته ليصل إلى حوالي‬

‫‪3.3‬‬

‫ضعف أدنى مستوياته في‬ ‫العام ‪ ،2009‬مما يدل على زيادة‬ ‫الطلب على العقارات لتنفيذ‬ ‫المزيد من المشاريع‪.‬‬

‫دوالر من موازنتها يف العام ‪ 2016‬لتطورات البنية‬ ‫التحتية ذات الصلة والتي تضم خطوط السكك‬ ‫الحديدية‪ ،‬وامليناء الجديد‪ ،‬واملناطق الصناعية‪،‬‬ ‫والطرق‪ ،‬واملرافق العامة‪ ،‬وما إىل ذلك‪ .‬وتم أيضا‬ ‫تخصيص جزء من موازنة العام ‪ 2016‬للرعاية‬ ‫الصحية وقطاعات التعليم‪.‬‬ ‫سوق اإلنشاءات السكنية‬ ‫ن املحرك الرئييس لسوق العقارات‬ ‫السكنية يف قطر هو النمو الثابت والكبري‬ ‫يف عدد سكانها والذي بلغ معدله السنوي‬ ‫املركب بني العامني ‪ 2010‬و‪ 2016‬حوايل‬ ‫‪ .٪ 8‬وعالوة عىل ذلك‪ ،‬من املتوقع أن‬ ‫يواصل عدد سكان البالد نموه يف السنوات‬ ‫املقبلة‪ .‬وقد كان العرض يواكب الطلب‬ ‫حتى العام ‪ ،2015‬مما أدى إىل زيادة‬ ‫اإليجار بصورة سنوية‪ .‬غري أنه من املتوقع أن تظل‬ ‫اإليجارات يف العام ‪ 2016‬ثابتة مع انخفاضها يف‬ ‫بعض املواقع‪ .‬ومن املتوقع أن يكون إلعادة هيكلة‬ ‫التكاليف التي تجري حاليا تأثري ذو مستويني‪،‬‬ ‫فاملساكن املرتفعة الثمن نسبيا ستشهد فرتات‬ ‫شغور أطول‪ ،‬يف حني أن الطلب سيزداد عىل‬ ‫املساكن ذات القيمة املعتدلة‪ .‬وعىل الرغم من‬ ‫ذلك‪ ،‬يجري حاليا التخطيط إلنشاء مساكن‬ ‫جديدة‪ ،‬كما أن هنالك العديد من املشاريع‬ ‫السكنية الجديدة التي يجري حاليا تنفيذها يف‬ ‫قطر من قبل شركات التطوير العقاري الكبرية‬ ‫والصغرية‪ .‬وستكون مستويات اإليجار للوحدات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫املسلمة حديثا عامال رئيسيا لتحديد‬ ‫السكنية‬ ‫مستوى انخفاض إيجارات الوحدات الشاغرة‪ .‬فمن‬ ‫املتوقع أن يتم تسليم الكثري من الوحدات السكنية‬ ‫يف مشروعي اللؤلؤة ولوسيل‪.‬‬ ‫وتحرص الحكومة عىل مواصلة دعمها لتوفري‬ ‫السكن ملواطنيها‪ .‬وتحقيقا لهذه الغاية‪ ،‬خصصت‬ ‫مبلغ ‪ 0.5‬مليار دوالر للقروض السكنية التي ستتم‬ ‫إدارتها من قبل بنك قطر للتنمية‪ .‬وأما فيما يتعلق‬ ‫بقروض اإلسكان‪ ،‬ومن املتوقع أن ُت ّ‬ ‫قدم الحكومة‬ ‫للمواطنني القطريني ‪ 3700‬قطعة أرض لبناء‬ ‫بيوتهم‪.‬‬ ‫سوق إنشاءات املكاتب‬ ‫ُتعترب الشركات العامة والخاصة العاملة يف‬ ‫قطاع النفط والغاز الدافع الرئييس للطلب يف‬ ‫هذه السوق‪ ،‬والسيما املساحات املكتبية الفاخرة‪.‬‬ ‫وقد أدى تأثري ارتفاع أسعار الطاقة إىل انخفاض‬ ‫الطلب‪ ،‬وزيادة معدالت شغور العقارات املكتبية‬ ‫بجميع فئاتها‪ ،‬وانخفاض إيجاراتها‪ .‬وسيتم عىل‬ ‫‪48 CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫اقتصـ ـ ـ ــاد‬

‫سانجاي باتيا‬

‫املدير التنفيذي لبنك ألنب‬ ‫كابيتال لالستثمار‬ ‫(قطر) ذ م م‬

‫قطاع البناء والتشييد‬ ‫يحافظ على زخمه‬ ‫في المشاريع الرئيسية‬

‫راكمت قطر عىل مر السنني احتياطيات مالية من خالل صادرات النفط والغاز والتي أدت إىل صياغة خطة‬ ‫رؤية قطر الوطنية ‪ 2030‬يف أكتوبر ‪ .2008‬والخطة هي عبارة عن خارطة طريق نحو تحويل قطر إىل مجتمع‬ ‫متقدم قادر عىل تحقيق التنمية املستدامة‪ .‬ويف ديسمرب ‪ 2010‬تم اختيار قطر الستضافة نهائيات كأس‬ ‫العالم لكرة القدم ‪ .2022‬وانسجاما مع هذه التطورات‪ ،‬خصصت قطر جزءا كبرياً من ميزانيتها لقطاع‬ ‫البناء والتشييد‪ ،‬مع الرتكيز عىل تطوير بنيتها التحتية‪ .‬وساهم القطاع الخاص أيضا يف مجال املقاوالت يف‬ ‫قطر‪ .‬غري أن املحرك لهذا القطاع اليزال منحصرا باستثمارات القطاع العام يف املقام األول‪.‬‬

‫‪49‬‬

‫‪CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫االبتكــار‬

‫بقلم أوداين ناغ‬

‫بنـ ـ ــاء‬ ‫الطبقات‬

‫تتحدث اإلنشاءات اليوم إىل مايكل لوسييه‪ ،‬مدير املبيعات والسوق العاملية ألغشية شريفيل اإلنشائية‬ ‫يف شركة سان جوبان‪ ،‬حول األغشية اإلنشائية وكيفية استخدامها يف قطر‪.‬‬

‫‪50 CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫اقتصـ ـ ـ ــاد‬ ‫املدى القريب تسليم عدد من املشاريع التي يجري‬ ‫تنفيذها حاليا‪ ،‬وخصوصا يف منطقة الخليج‬ ‫الغربي ومدينة لوسيل‪.‬‬ ‫سوق إنشاءات التجزئة‬ ‫يبلغ حجم مساحات التجزئة يف قطر حاليا ‪0.6‬‬ ‫مليون مرت مربع موزعة عىل ‪ 14‬مركز تسوق‪.‬‬ ‫ويوجد ‪ 11‬مركز تسوق قيد التطوير بمساحة‬ ‫تجزئة تقارب ‪ 1.3‬مليون مرت مربع‪ .‬ومن املتوقع‬ ‫أن ُتستكمل ‪ 7‬من هذه املشاريع يف العام ‪،2016‬‬ ‫بحيث تنتهي املشاريع املتبقية خالل العامني ‪2017‬‬ ‫و ‪ .2018‬وتتسم مراكز التسوق بمعدالت إشغال‬ ‫جيدة بسبب الطلب الكبري عليها‪ ،‬ومن املتوقع أن‬ ‫تشهد مراكز التسوق السبعة التي سيتم افتتاحها‬ ‫يف العام ‪ 2016‬نفس معدالت الطلب‪ .‬وقد ازدادت‬

‫تحت الضوء‬

‫تحت اإلنشاء‬ ‫يوجد‬

‫‪11‬‬

‫مركز تسوق قيد التطوير‬ ‫بمساحة تجزئة تقارب‬

‫‪1.3‬‬

‫مليون متر مربع‪.‬‬

‫إيجارات مراكز التسوق بصورة مطردة عىل‬ ‫مدى السنوات السابقة وذلك خالفا ملنافذ البيع‬ ‫بالتجزئة املستقلة املوجودة يف الشوارع الرئيسية‪.‬‬ ‫سوق إنشاءات الضيافة‬ ‫جلت قطر ‪ 2.9‬مليون زائر يف‬ ‫العام ‪ ،2015‬وهو ما يمثل‬ ‫نموا بنسبة ‪ ٪ 3.7‬عن العام‬ ‫‪ .2014‬ووصل عدد الفنادق‬ ‫والشقق الفندقية يف قطر يف‬ ‫نهاية العام ‪ 2015‬إىل ‪ ،119‬ومن املتوقع إضافة ‪69‬‬ ‫فندقا عىل مدى السنوات الخمس املقبلة‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫املخدمة‬ ‫ويمثل قطاع الفنادق والشقق الفندقية‬ ‫من فئة ‪ 4‬و‪ 5‬نجوم ما نسبته ‪ ٪ 88‬من مجموع‬ ‫الغرف الفندقية يف قطر والبالغ عددها ‪20713‬‬ ‫شقة‪ .‬وزار قطر ‪ 2.9‬مليون زائر يف العام ‪،2015‬‬ ‫وهو ما يمثل نموا بنسبة ‪ ٪ 3.7‬عن العام ‪.2014‬‬ ‫ووصل عدد الفنادق والشقق الفندقية يف قطر يف‬ ‫‪51‬‬

‫‪CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫بقلم سانجاي باتيا‬

‫نهاية العام ‪ 2015‬إىل ‪ ،119‬ومن املتوقع إضافة‬ ‫‪ 69‬عىل مدى السنوات الخمس املقبلة‪ .‬ووصل‬ ‫متوسطسعر الغرفة يف العام ‪ 2015‬إىل ‪ 526‬رياالً‬ ‫يف حني أن معدل إشغال الفنادق قد بلغت ‪.٪ 71‬‬ ‫ومع التوقع ببدء ‪ 20‬فندقا وشقة فندقية عملياتها‬ ‫يف العام ‪ ،2016‬والرتاجع يف أعداد الزائرين‪ ،‬من‬ ‫املرجح أن تشهد أسعار الغرف ومعدالت اإلشغال‬ ‫انخفاضا تصحيحيا يف العام ‪.2016‬‬ ‫سوق إنشاءات الرتفيه‬ ‫أدى ازدياد عدد سكان قطر‪ ،‬وارتفاع الدخل‬ ‫املتاح‪ ،‬والحاجة إىل جذب السياح من أجل تنويع‬ ‫قاعدة إيرادات البالد‪ ،‬إىل زيادة الطلب عىل‬ ‫خيارات الرتفيه‪ .‬لذا بدأت البالد بإنشاء مراكز‬ ‫التسوق‪ ،‬والحدائق العامة‪ ،‬واملتاحف ومشاريع‬

‫مراكز الرتفيه‪ ،‬كجزء من خطة قطر لجذب سبعة‬ ‫ماليني سائح بحلول العام ‪.2030‬‬

‫تحت التطوير‬ ‫ومن المتوقع أن ُتستكمل‬

‫‪07‬‬

‫من هذه المشاريع في العام‬ ‫‪ ،2016‬بحيث تنتهي المشاريع‬ ‫المتبقية خالل العامين ‪2017‬‬ ‫و‪.2018‬‬

‫وتحقيقا لهذه الغاية‪ ،‬من املشاريع التي يجري‬ ‫تطويرها “واحة الدوحة” الذي يضم وحدات‬ ‫سكنية‪ ،‬ومساحات لتجارة التجزئة‪ ،‬ومدينة‬ ‫مالهي داخلية‪ .‬وتقوم شركة إنرتناشونال ثيم بارك‬ ‫سريفيز س �‪International Theme Park Ser‬‬ ‫‪ vices‬األمريكية بإنشاء مدينة املالهي التي تبلغ‬ ‫تكلفتها ‪ 300‬مليون دوالر‪ .‬ومن املتوقع للمشروع‬ ‫أن يبدأ عملياته يف العام ‪ ،2017‬ويؤمل أن يجذب‬ ‫‪ 1.5‬مليون زائر سنويا‪ .‬وتشتمل أيضا الخطة‬ ‫الرئيسية ملدينة قطر الرتفيهية التي تقع يف مدينة‬ ‫لوسيل عىل مدينة مالهي كبرية‪ ،‬ومالعب غولف‪،‬‬ ‫ومرايس‪ .‬وعالوة عىل ذلك‪ ،‬يجري أيضا إنشاء‬ ‫املتحف الوطني الذي تبلغ مساحته ‪ 430‬ألف قدم‬ ‫مربع بتكلفة تزيد عن ‪ 400‬مليون دوالر‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫من املتوقع أن يتم االنتهاء منه عىل املدى القريب‪.‬‬

‫االبتكــار‬ ‫يحتاج إىل إعادة شده يف حال تركيبه بالشكل‬ ‫الصحيح‪ .‬ومىض قائال‪« :‬تتميز مادة ‪ PTFE‬بسهولة‬ ‫غسلها‪ .‬ونحن نقدم اآلن مادة إفركل ني �‪Ever‬‬ ‫‪ Clean‬التي يمكن تغطية قماش الشريفيل بها‬ ‫للتقليل من حاجتها للصيانة والحد من انبعاثاتها‬ ‫من أكاسيد النيرتوجني امللوثة»‪.‬‬

‫املتعلقة بنهائيات كأس العالم لكرة القدم ‪،2022‬‬ ‫والكثري منها سوف تستخدم األغشية اإلنشائية‪.‬‬ ‫ونحن نعمل مع العديد من الجهات املعنية‬ ‫واملهندسني واملعماريني لضمان حسن اختيار‬ ‫املواد واستخدامها‪ ،‬وتوفري كل ما نستطيعه من‬ ‫مساعدة»‪.‬‬

‫وأكد لوسييه أن للشريفيل والفابراسورب‪ ،‬وهو‬ ‫عنصر التصميم الخاص بهذا القماش‪ ،‬مجموعة‬ ‫من املزايا األخرى أيضا إذ يقول‪« :‬يتيح استخدام‬ ‫الشريفيل إدخال تصاميم فريدة من نوعها‪،‬‬ ‫وإدخال مساحات طويلة خالية من األعمدة‪،‬‬ ‫والتقليل من استخدام الصلب للدعم‪ ،‬والتقليل‬ ‫من الوزن الكيل‪ .‬وتزيد مادة فابراسورب من راحة‬

‫وقد وردت الشركة أيضا مجموعة من املنتجات‬ ‫املعـمـ ــاري ـ ــة الـ ـشـب ـك ـي ــة م ــن الـ ـع ــالم ــة ال ـت ـجــاري ــة‬ ‫‪ SGM-9‬ملشروع حديقة الهالل يف مدينة لوسيل‪.‬‬ ‫وعالوة عىل استاد خليفة‪ ،‬شاركت سان جوبان‬ ‫يف العديد من املشاريع البارزة األخرى يف أجزاء‬

‫«هنالك العديد من املشاريع األخرى املتعلقة‬ ‫بنهائيات كأس العالم لكرة القدم ‪،2022‬‬ ‫والكثري منها سوف تستخدم األغشية اإلنشائية‪.‬‬ ‫ونحن نعمل مع العديد من الجهات املعنية‬ ‫واملهندسني واملعماريني لضمان حسن اختيار‬ ‫املواد واستخدامها‪ ،‬وتوفري كل ما نستطيعه من‬ ‫مساعدة»‪.‬‬

‫الجماهري داخل املالعب املغلقة كليا من خالل الحد‬ ‫من الضوضاء والصدى»‪.‬‬ ‫وتسمح الشريفيل أيضا بحرية التصميم‪ ،‬وهو أمر‬ ‫غري ممكن مع غريها من املواد‪ ،‬بسبب أشكالها‬ ‫وأحجامها املختلفة‪ .‬وعن ذلك يقول‪« :‬عىل الرغم‬ ‫من إمكانية استخدام الشريفيل يف األشكال التي‬ ‫تشبه الخيمة‪ ،‬إال أنه يمكن استخدامها أيضا‬ ‫يف العديد من التصاميم التي تتطلب انحناءات‬ ‫وتعرجات‪ .‬ويف الواقع ال حدود لالحتماالت التي‬ ‫تتيحها هذه املادة»‪.‬‬ ‫وباإلضافة إىل ذلك‪ ،‬تعمل سان جوبان عىل‬ ‫مشاريع أخرى تتعلق بكأس العالم ‪ 2022‬يف قطر‪.‬‬ ‫وأضاف‪« :‬هنالك العديد من املشاريع األخرى‬

‫مختلفة من العالم ومن أهمها استاد إيه يت أند يت‬ ‫يف والية تكساس بالواليات املتحدة‪ ،‬واستاد موزيز‬ ‫مابهيدا يف ديربان الذي ُش ّيد من أجل نهائيات‬ ‫كأس العالم ‪ 2010‬يف جنوب إفريقيا‪ ،‬واستاد‬ ‫ماراكانا يف ريو دي جانريو بالربازيل الذي استضاف‬ ‫نهائيات كأس العالم ‪ 2014‬ودورة األلعاب األوملبية‬ ‫الصيفية لهذا العام‪ .‬وقد اهتمت جميع تلك‬ ‫الفعاليات بكفاءة الطاقة‪.‬‬ ‫وأردف قائال‪« :‬تتميز مادة الشريفيل بانعكاسية‬ ‫عالية جدا (‪ )٪ 70‬تستمر طوال فرتة حياة السقف‬ ‫لذا فهي تعكس معظم الضوء والحرارة إىل خارج‬ ‫املبنى‪ ،‬وهذا ما يقلل من حمولة نظام تكييف‬ ‫الهواء للهياكل املغلقة»‪.‬‬ ‫وأخريا‪ ،‬ما هي مشاريع سان جوبان للمستقبل؟‬ ‫أجاب قائال‪« :‬من مشاريعنا األخرية مجموعة‬ ‫متنوعة من األقمشة الشبكية للتظليل والواجهات‪،‬‬ ‫ونحن مستمرون يف تقديم موادنا بمختلف األلوان‬ ‫لتتناسب مع رغبات العميل‪ .‬كما أننا نعمل عىل‬ ‫منتجات جديدة استجابة للطلبات التي تلقيناها‬ ‫من السوق وسنعلن عن تفاصيل ذلك الحقا»‪.‬‬ ‫‪52 CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫االبتكــار‬

‫بقلم أوداين ناغ‬

‫«إن شيرفيل هو منتج‬ ‫معروف وهو يستخدم‬ ‫على األسطح منذ‬ ‫منتصف العام ‪.2000‬‬ ‫وقد كان الجدول الزمني‬ ‫لتسليم القماش إلى‬ ‫المقاول الذي سيقوم‬ ‫بتركيب السطح محدودا‬ ‫للغاية لكننا تمكنا من‬ ‫تسليم هذه المادة في‬ ‫الموقع في الوقت‬ ‫المحدد»‬ ‫مايكل لوسييه‬

‫مدير المبيعات والسوق العالمية‬ ‫ألغشية شيرفيل اإلنشائية‬ ‫في شركة سان جوبان‬

‫إ‬

‫ذا ما أردنا أن نستعرض أكرث املوضوعات‬ ‫أهمية يف مجال التشييد والبناء اليوم‪،‬‬ ‫فإن االستدامة واالبتكار سيكونان عىل رأس‬ ‫القائمة‪ .‬وتشتهر شركة سان جوبان تقليديا‬ ‫بخربتها يف مجال تكنولوجيا الزجاج‪،‬‬ ‫لكنها قد ارتقت بأعمالها إىل املستوى التايل‬ ‫من خالل األغشية اإلنشائية القماشية‬ ‫بنوعيها شريفيل ‪ ، Sheerfill‬وفابراسورب‬ ‫‪ .Fabrasorb‬وقد قامت الشركة بتوريد مادة‬ ‫شريفيل‪ ،)Sheerfill I( 1‬وهو مركب مصنوع من‬ ‫األلياف الزجاجية والترتافلوروإيثيلني (‪،)PTFE‬‬ ‫من أجل بناء السقف الجديد الستاد خليفة‬ ‫الدويل يف الدوحة‪ .‬وتعليقا عىل املزايا التي تتفوق‬ ‫بها مادة الشريفيل عىل مكونات البناء األخرى‪،‬‬ ‫يقول لوسييه‪« :‬تتيح هذه املادة اإلبداع والتصاميم‬ ‫اإلبداعية التي ال يمكن الحصول عليها بسهولة من‬ ‫خالل املواد األخرى‪ .‬وتتميز هذه املادة بأنها خفيفة‬ ‫الوزن للغاية (إذ ال يزيد وزنها عن حوايل ‪ 1.5‬كجم‬

‫‪53‬‬

‫‪CONSTRUCTION TODAY‬‬

‫لكل مرت مربع)‪ ،‬مما يتيح تصميم مساحات طويلة‬ ‫جدا وخالية من األعمدة وتتطلب دعما هيكليا أقل‬ ‫باملقارنة مع املواد األثقل االعتيادية‪ ،‬وهذا يعترب‬ ‫ميزة كبرية بالنسبة ألي ساحة رياضية‪ .‬ويتيح هذا‬ ‫النسيج خالل النهار انتشار ضوء النهار يف املساحة‬ ‫التي يغطيها‪ ،‬يف حني أنه يتميز أثناء الليل بشكله‬ ‫الجميل عندما يضاء من تحته‪ .‬ومن مزايا هذه‬ ‫املادة تكلفتها املنخفضة‪ ،‬وعدم حاجتها للصيانة‬ ‫عىل الدوام‪ ،‬وعمرها االفرتايض الذي يزيد عن ‪30‬‬ ‫عاما‪ .‬وأخريا وليس آخرا‪ ،‬فإن أغشية شريفيل غري‬ ‫قابلة لالحرتاق‪ ،‬فهي ال تحرتق وتنتج القليل جدا‬ ‫من الدخان‪ ،‬وهذا عامل شديد األهمية بالنسبة‬ ‫لألماكن التي تتجمع فيها مجموعات كبرية من‬ ‫الناس كاملالعب»‪.‬‬ ‫وال ريب أن األعمال املرتبطة بنهائيات كأس العالم‬ ‫لكرة القدم ‪( 2022‬يف قطر) ُتعترب بمثابة الريشة يف‬ ‫قبعة الشركة‪ .‬فما هي انطباعات سان جوبان بشأن‬ ‫عملها يف استاد خليفة؟‬ ‫أجاب لوسييه‪« :‬إن شريفيل هو منتج معروف‬ ‫وهو يستخدم عىل األسطح منذ منتصف العام‬ ‫‪ .2000‬وقد كان الجدول الزمني لتسليم القماش‬ ‫إىل املقاول الذي سيقوم برتكيب السطح محدودا‬ ‫للغاية لكننا تمكنا من تسليم هذه املادة يف املوقع‬ ‫يف الوقت املحدد»‪ ،‬مضيفا أن سان جوبان هي‬ ‫شركة تصنيع مواد وأنها ال تصنع أو تركب الغشاء‪.‬‬ ‫ويُعترب العمر االفرتايض لهذه األغشية اإلنشائية‬

‫والبالغ ‪ 30‬عاما أمرا رائعا‪ ،‬فقد أوضح لوسييه‬ ‫أن أداء مادة الشريفيل يرتبط بخصائص األلياف‬ ‫الزجاجية املغلفة بمادة ‪ ،PTFE‬وأن هذه املواد‬ ‫مقاومة جدا لألضرار الناتجة عن األشعة فوق‬ ‫البنفسجية والعوامل الجوية األخرى‪ .‬وأكد أن‬ ‫تماسك نسيج األلياف الزجاجية قوي جدا وال‬

In Focus

By Udayan Nag

A decade of solidity

Construction Today talks to Ahmed Abdelaal, General Manager of BSi Steel, about the various aspects of steel construction, and the company’s areas of strengths.

ince the start of its operations in 2006, BSi Steel, Building System Integration W.L.L., has become the go-to company for preengineered buildings (PEBs) in Qatar. BSi’s production increased ten times in 2008, from 100-150 tonnes per month, after its facility was moved to the New Industrial Area. Currently, the company is capable of producing up to 20,000 tonnes of steel per year after adding one more facility in Doha. The USP of BSi is its PEBs, the success of which Abdelaal attributes to: “The adaptation and innovation of most of the standards and applications founded through pre-engineered business during past decades in the Americas and the Gulf region. It had proven to be successful over the conventional application,

54 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

which was the only available option worldwide at that point in time.” He also says that the pre-engineered school was able to provide the most economical solutions that could be fabricated and erected, taking less time than concrete buildings. “Utilizing proper tools and equipment such as multiple softwares – MBS, TEKLA, CAD and STAAD Pro – where each software is designed to fit certain complexities of buildings and some of them utilized from the estimation level to the preparation of fabrication drawings, was also the key,” adds Abdelaal, reiterating that BSi is the sole PEB supplier that has two factories in Qatar. The projects continue to come thick and fast for BSi. The company is involved with the strategic development plans of the Manateq

Highlights

In Focus

Projects (more than 300,000 square metres of steel buildings), where it worked closely with Gulf Warehousing for the design development of Lot 1, with Ali Bin Ali for Lot 2, and with Al Asmakh for Lot 3. “BSi supplied over 45,000 square metres of metal buildings for the package awarded to Al Safwa Contracting, and ensured that all quality measures, with quick execution plans, were in place.” On the status of the project with Ali Bin Ali, Abdelaal says: “BSi established a partnership with Gulf Panel and was awarded the contract of nearly 120,000 square metres of steel buildings. Currently, the package is under fabrication and its execution under way.”

he fabrication of the Al Asmakh project is slated to start soon. BSi has worked closely with its contractor, CRC, for development of the design.

BSi is equipped with three lines of operations for its state-of-the-art equipment. Elaborating on them further, Abdelaal says: “We have the built-up section fabrication line, which supports manufacturing work of the main structure. BSi utilizes many shear line machines along with the automatic welding ones. Apart from that, we have the light guage and cold-form roller, which support the fabrication of the secondary structure. And then there is the system of cleaning and blasting of fabricated materials.” The erection procedure during construction goes a long way in addressing safety concerns of labourers. Apart from that, forklift accidents continue to be a cause for concern. How is BSi grappling with these issues?

“No accident has been caused by a forklift in the history of BSi. The reason being that besides the forklift operator, there has to be a forklift helper available during the time of transport, lifting and unloading.” Abdelaal says that not all the erection is being implemented by BSi and that

FACT SHEET BSi currently capable of producing up to

20,000

tonnes of steel per year.

BSi is the sole PEB supplier that has two factories in Qatar.

sometimes it is given to contractors. “There are a lot of requirements according to Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS). We have our sub-contractors and provide the method of statements, which include the kind of equipment that will be used. We also furnish information about the safety elements at the site. In some cases, if it’s a high-profile project, you have to maintain a safety officer at all times. He ensures that everybody uses the safety equipment/tools like hard hats, safety steel tops, safety vests, etc. The speed of the cars coming in is also monitored.” Abdelaal also says that sub-contractors give regular updates on all the developments at the site, and that failure to adhere to safety regulations can lead to the offender getting “kicked out”. According to him, if the weather is not suitable then work is not allowed. “Access to sites will only be approved if the wind load is acceptable. If there’s a sandstorm, then work will be stopped.”

“We want to protect our environment through effective waste management activities.”

As far as building acoustics is concerned, Abdelaal says that the majority of BSi buildings are industrial facilities and that the ones that require a lot of sound proofing are those that are part of a community. “QCS will decide which building qualifies for how much sound. We at BSi make sure that the requirements of insulation and sound proofing are met. For residential complexes, the sandwich panels or wall cladding will have to be thicker to prevent the sound from carrying from one side to another. But, again, the majority of our buildings are industrial, so the acoustic requirements are fewer.” CONSTRUCTION TODAY

In Focus

By Udayan Nag

Raising the bar

In an exclusive interview with Construction Today, Stream Industrial & Engineering’s General Manager, Sery Soussou, analyses the company’s 26-year journey thus far, and tells us about its future plans.

n the rat race for Qatar’s construction projects, the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) contractors are bound to be seen as one of the major players, hence it comes as no surprise that the competition amongst them is going to be intense. One company which is holding forth during this testing time of low oil prices in the region is Stream Industrial & Engineering. Established in 1989 as one of Salam International Investment Ltd’s subsidiaries, Stream has firmly established itself as an expert in medium to large-scale turnkey projects in Qatar over the years.

Engineering’s General Manager, provides an in-depth analysis of the company whilst discussing its past, present and future. “Stream was established in 1989 as a company looking after the industrial and engineering works of the market. We are certified by Kahramaa as well as Civil Defence as a Grade ‘A’ company for installation of all electrical, firefighting and fire alarm services, in addition to the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), plumbing and drainage ones. We also have the licence from Kahramaa to do the high-voltage works up to 33 kilovolts,” says Soussou.

Sery Soussou, Stream Industrial and

Having joined the company a year and a half

56 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Highlights ago, Soussou has a solid background in MEP. According to him, the company now aims at focusing on MEP as well as infrastructural projects. “Stream has done different activities. We have got the sales division; we used to do trading; now we’re only into contracting. We are licenced by Kahramaa to do the highvoltage works; we are already approved by Ashghal for street lighting works. We are involved with the infrastructural as well as MEP sectors. In this way we got to handle numerous projects last year, during which time we managed to land around QR300 million worth of jobs, split into half between the MEP and infrastructural sectors.”

he public works authority Ashghal and Qatar’s top electricity and water company Kahramaa are big names in the country. Being associated with them on a long-term basis is surely going to lead to greater prospects for Stream. So, what has the relationship been like with those two bodies? “Currently, we are engaged with Ashghal for different projects and sectors; we are executing the MEP works in several healthcare projects in addition to the street lighting ones being carried out throughout the country. Moreover, we are carrying out several self-employment tasks with Kahramaa, and are also involved with the construction of new substations for various projects. We are looking to have tighter relations with Ashghal and Kahramaa because many projects will be related to infrastructure in the near future. And once you get your name affiliated with such entities, you will be one of the major players in this field,” says Soussou. As far as street lighting is concerned, Stream is top of the heap compared to other companies. What is unique about its operations which have put the company on that pedestal? “We have a specialized and expert team which has been doing this job for the last 10 years. We have the latest equipment, the know-how, and the capability to attend to our requests and calls immediately. The availability of fully dedicated teams which are available in different shifts and a sufficient stock of spare parts and equipment, which is kept

“We have a specialized and expert team which has been doing this job for the last 10 years. We have the latest equipment, the know-how, and the capability to attend to our requests and calls immediately. The availability of fully dedicated teams which are available in different shifts and a sufficient stock of spare parts and equipment, which is kept in our warehouses, granted us the second consecutive contract with Ashghal for street lighting maintenance all over Qatar.”

In Focus in our warehouses, granted us the second consecutive contract with Ashghal for street lighting maintenance all over Qatar,” says Soussou. He is, however, quick to add: “But we are not focusing only on street lighting jobs. Over the past year, we have landed several projects in the healthcare sector. We are trying to specialize in different areas in the near future.” However, Soussou feels that the market is slow which makes the competition even tougher. “Prices are still very low, so sometimes we are forced to go for very low margins just to land a significant job.” Having said that, there is no holding back as far as Stream’s current and future projects are

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

In Focus concerned. The company has an HVAC job in Umm Al Houl for the power plant in that area. Apart from that, Stream is setting its sights on retail. “You can see how many malls are coming up, and most of the jobs in the next two years will be in the retail business. Salam International has many companies which are dealing with interiors, furniture, etc. Being associated with a giant group like Salam, we are looking to secure jobs using strategic thinking. We will go on the job as a consortium between

“Prices are still very low, so sometimes we are forced to go for very low margins just to land a significant job.”

are looking at QR500-700 million in terms of MEP work. We are trying to be ready for that, but as of now the number of jobs is limited. So, we prefer to look at projects related to infrastructure and private investments as far as the World Cup is concerned.” Soussou has an interesting revelation about the slowdown in the region because of ‘low’ oil prices. “The market being down was an advantage for us in a certain way because we could hire good quality engineers, who were easily available. We have a very good technical team right now. We also have our own jobs at Salam which will continue,” he says, adding that Stream being financially backed up by Salam makes all the difference. What about getting into uncharted territory? Is Stream planning to get into areas which they have not explored till now? “Apart from the healthcare sector, we are planning to get into the hospitality sector. Looking at the number of hotels and opportunities in that sector, Stream aims at being a major player when it comes to MEP services related to that sector. In terms of infrastructure, we aim at widening our experience with Kahramaa and have direct projects with them,” says Soussou.

Send your feedback on this article udayan@oryxpublishing.com

all Salam subsidiaries. Going as a team will help us in being competitive in order to deliver the projects properly and on time. The retail business is going to be one of the targets for the next two years. Most of the big departmental stores are going to award their jobs within the coming two months,” says Soussou.

alk of construction projects is never complete without mention of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by Qatar. Soussou is pragmatic about Stream’s approach towards the quadrennial event. “If you look at the World Cup, you will see that the size of jobs is massive. We are planning to expand, but cannot do it suddenly. The value of the projects awarded to us is still not exceeding QR100 million (per project). If you look at the projects related to stadiums, you

58 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

CONSTRUCTION TODAY

The Riyal Estate

We cater to clients who are looking for properties at a lower price range as well as to the ones who are exploring high-end luxurious options.â&#x20AC;? Abdul Samad, Managing Director, Truth Real Estate

The nextgeneration offices The Abraj Quartier towers will bring together an integration of buildings, streets, utilities and public spaces, creating the most connected, clean, efficient and responsive neighbourhood ever built. CONSTRUCTION TODAY

The Riyal Estate

Truthful way forward Started in 2003, Truth Real Estate is steadily carving a niche for itself in the Qatar real estate market.

ith construction projects stalled and also on the rise, the real estate players in Qatar are faced with a rather paradoxical situation which could either backfire or be seen as an opportunity to come up with something special. In the business for the last 12 years, Truth Real Estate is slowly but surely making headway and grabbing attention along the way. In an exclusive interview with Construction Today, the company’s Managing Director Abdul Samad shares some of the ‘truths’ which have enabled the company to gain prominence over the years. “I was born and brought up in Qatar and started the company when I was 17,” says Samad, adding that when he went to register Truth, he was asked to start it on a soleproprietorship basis. “Since I was only 17, I had to wait for another year in order to change my company to WLL. It’s almost 12 years now. I started with the car trading business and gradually moved to car rental services before moving on to real estate. By the grace of God, now we own three companies. We are mainly into real estate

60 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

and renting and trading of cars. Our future plan is to spread our wings all over the GCC,” Samar further says.

“As we all know, in order to be the ultimate we need to work hard, and in order to achieve excellence we have to go through the grind, which can be painstaking at times. Our success is reflected in our slogan ‘truth is our success’, which makes us unique, trustworthy, loyal and honest.” Abdul Samad Managing Director

Truth provides expertise in several other real estate fields like selling and development of land inside as well as outside of Qatar. It also offers companies and individuals a ‘desert environment’ which offers a safe, cultural experience to newcomers in the country. So, in what other ways does Truth plan to be different from other real estate companies in Qatar? “As we all know, in order to be the ultimate we need to work hard, and in order to achieve excellence we have to go through the grind, which can be painstaking at times. Our success is reflected in our slogan ‘truth is our success’, which makes us unique, trustworthy, loyal and honest,” says Samad.

ruth owns properties in The Pearl-Qatar and Zig Zag Towers; it has also leased out: Sultan Tower, Umm Ghuwalina Tower, Musherib Tower, Al Nasr Tower and Al Rawdah Compound. In all, the company is associated with over 350 properties. But what is unique about the kind of properties that Truth offers prospective clients?

News Update

The Riyal Estate

Abraj Quartier:

Business address taken to new heights The two 42-storey Abraj Quartier towers are the defining features of The Pearl-Qatar development, a mixed-use island where more than 45,000 residents will ultimately reside.

“Well, we own all types of properties. We cater to clients who are looking for properties in a lower price range as well as to the ones who are exploring high-end luxurious options. We provide a comfort zone, better amenities and resources to customers within a moderate range. We provide better homes to our prospective clients who are within their budgets,” says Samad. And how is Truth going about its business for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar?

“I think it’s still too early to dwell upon that, but in case of future investments in the market, we are up to date adapting to any regulatory changes or economic trends; staying up to date with regulations, terminology and trends is imperative,” says Samad. Send your feedback on this article udayan@oryxpublishing.com

ith distinct iconic architecture, the Abraj Quartier towers have been developed mainly to accommodate high-quality commercial office spaces. Considered as the location of choice for many businesses and companies, each prestigious tower is the mirror image of the other and both house a panoramic floor of breathtaking views towards the mainland and across the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf. As a high-quality state-of-the-art commercial office development, Abraj Quartier is seen as a major step forward for the island and a great enterprise aimed at clients looking for office space in an inspiring location. Already considered as the most luxurious location in Qatar, the inclusion of the Abraj Quartier development in The Pearl-Qatar reinforces United Development Company's (UDC)

vision of The Pearl as a city to 'live, work and play', in its capacity as the island's master developer. Infrastructure Architecturally, the Abraj Quartier towers have set their mark as the most dominant and prominent structures at The Pearl. The primary cladding material used is light beige-coloured precast concrete, giving the appearance of natural lime stone. And while the base of the towers and parking podium show more details and articulation in the form of reveals, ledges and joint lines to maximize visual interest and texture, the top part of the buildings feature metal and glass curtain wall surfaces aimed at achieving glowing appeal from a distance. The curtain wall technology employed by the twin buildings is cutting edge, ensuring the quality of finish is appropriately fitting for the iconic gateway towers. In keeping with the contemporary aesthetics, oversized, full-height sliding panels CONSTRUCTION TODAY

The Riyal Estate are adopted in lieu of conventional doors. Stunning views Consequently secluded spots and easy access to the mainland and the Pearl-Qatar's excellent facilities, the Abraj Quartier towers are highly desirable developments in a convenient, much sought-after location. The mixed-use island has become a magnet for young, creative and affluent professionals. Fueled by the cultural and commercial vibrancy of the neighbouring West Bay district, the Abraj Quartier towers are thus perfectly situated within the epicenter of many major business entities. Based on the total leasable area of 53,636 square metres including offices and retail, each tower is estimated to have a building population when at full occupancy of almost 3,000 people. This substantial office population will be provided with amenities designed to provide the best possible working environment amongst the best facilities.

Highlights

The Pearl-Qatar reinforces United Development Company’s (UDC) vision of The Pearl as a city to ‘live, work and play’, in its capacity as the island’s master developer.

Provided for both towers on the ground floor is a full-service cafeteria which overlooks the calm waters that fringe Abraj Quartier and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Alongside the cafeteria, plans for a fitness/ health club for office tenants are in the pipeline. The eighth floor health club will also have the advantage of allowing access to a podium rooftop landscaped terrace which overlooks the Pearl island and Gulf waters. An oasis of urban green space The landscaping for Abraj Quartier's outdoor space is geared towards refreshing the mind and spirit; the ability to interact with nature during the work day creates a more effective and energised workforce. Each tower features cascading terraces that provide an opportunity to add green roof landscaping, so to offer pleasant views. In addition, the towers will have three further main areas of landscaping at ground level: Entry Plaza - It consists of granite cobble, bollard lights, and pavement-embedded lights to emphasize the superior status of the location. 62 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Based on the total leasable area of

53,636

square metres including offices and retail, each tower is estimated to have a building population when at full occupancy of almost

3,000 people.

News Update

The Southside Terrace - It's an outdoor extension of the lobby space and cafeteria. The terraces will have stone flag paving, with planting that includes palms with integrated lighting, and serves as a source of shade. The planting will also include a low hedge to define the border and allows views of the waters. Eastside Area - It will receive grass planting with strips of stone paving in a radial pattern that works with the curvature of the building.

The landscaping of the Abraj Quartier towers ties in closely with the overall vision of the already existing scenery of The Pearl-Qatar, where landscaping selection for the island has been done with care so as to encourage year-round greenery. Trees found at The Pearl include a wide variety of plant species and seasonal flowers imported from countries of tropical and subtropical climates, ensuring that they can be acclimatised to survive in this region. Sustainability and resiliency The Abraj Quartier towers will bring together an integration of buildings, streets, utilities and public spaces, creating the most connected, clean, efficient and responsive neighbourhood ever built. Both towers will feature comprehensive smart systems, including a closed-circuit television system,

News Update

The Riyal Estate

Short Bytes

Al Sawari Holding signs deal, during Narendra Modi’s Qatar visit, with Leela Group to operate 100-room hotel near Taj Mahal.

an access control system, pneumatic solid waste system, public address system, mobile telescopic building maintenance, and other features. These systems are designed to integrate a holistic smart concept into the buildings' management system, highlighting the towers' luxurious characteristics and providing ultimate convenience and total security for people.

Accessibility Abraj Quartier is at the nexus of Qatar's newest commercial spaces, opening directly onto The Pearl-Qatar, and on the outstretched district of West Bay.

The towers are about 28 kilometres from Hamad International Airport and with the introduction of the monorail system, the towers have been designed to accommodate provision for the interface of this national public transport. The planned monorail will serve both towers and will be located adjacent to the parking podium of both. In anticipation of the future monorail system, public circulation has been designed into the parking podium in order to allow for a convenient internal connection between each site and the planned monorail. A tight network of transportation, that also includes limo services available from Porto Arabia, makes the island readily accessible for people in Qatar as well as international travelers.

Qatar Investment Authority to buy Asia Square Tower 1 for record

$2.45 billion.

Qatar’s property insurance to touch QR6.4 billion by 2019.

The waste management systems at Abraj Quartier are designed to keep trash out of sight. Each tower will accommodate a 500mm-diameter vacuum chute system that will run at the ground floor level to the perimeter of the tower. Alongside the waste management system, other systems such as automatic irrigation, sanitary sewerage and storm water drainage are being put in place within the towers.

Barwa Real Estate signs

$1.13 billion

financing agreement with local bank.

Qatar’s real estate trades exceed

QR513 million in early June.

Saudi’s stock market falls after MSCI decides not to consider it for emerging market status.

Ezdan Holding Group awarded ISO 9001:2008 quality certification. Qatar First Bank announces completion of London’s Leinster Square development.

The Riyal Estate VIP helps clients from the Middle East to buy properties in Europe. Khalid Mahmouch, the organisation’s technical advisor, talks about the challenges he faces in adhering to French laws, and the construction demands of today. “We need to find the right balance between the client’s demand and the law. In France there are many restrictions we need to respect. There are laws regarding space – space for bedroom, bathroom, living room and also living spaces for the handicapped. If we have to make alterations to any room, we can only do it according to the rules.”

The lure of Europe

Engineer Khalid Mahmouch, technical advisor of Vendome International Property, helps Qataris in their quest for the ‘dream house’ in European cities.

ven though the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2030 National Vision define many of Qatar’s current and future projects, the lay Qatari continues in his quest for the perfect property outside his homeland. The goalposts are forever being shifted as far as construction requirements and techniques are concerned. Cityscape Qatar 2016 provided the perfect structure for companies from various corners of the globe to exhibit exactly what they had to offer to their potential customers. One of the participants of the three-day event was Vendome International Property (VIP), a family-owned international property consultancy company in Europe with its headquarters in France. VIP has offices in Dubai and Kuwait and plans to expand in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It has been providing expertise in overseas real estate for 35 years.

64 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Khalid Mahmouch (extreme right), Technical Advisor, Vendome International Property.

“We don’t know how things will work in Qatar. It’s more about helping Qataris to buy properties in France, Spain, Morocco and Germany.” Khalid Mahmouch

An engineer by profession, what advice can Mahmouch give potential clients who are trying to buy property? How can he advise them to go for a certain type of property and not the other? “Every 3-4 years the laws change in France. Ninety percent of our construction is in concrete since Arabic people prefer concrete to wood,” says Mahmouch, adding that earlier insulation use to be done from inside the apartments, but now it’s done from outside. What about keeping up with the demands

By Udayan Nag

of various clients? With money at their disposal, there must be the odd eccentric customer? “We have to approach each case individually. All apartments are not the same. We give each client time to choose the building material, colour of tiles, ‘correct’ parking, etc. We give a personal touch to each apartment. The client can inform the company about his requirements in France directly when he travels there. We are always flexible according to his needs. There was this person who bought all the floors of a building and wanted everything changed. We changed everything for him including the interior design. We changed the lights; we even put a chimney for him on the last floor.” With all the talk about going green and sustainability in construction, does Mahmouch encourage clients to opt for green construction? “In Europe we don’t have a choice. We must do it,” he says, adding that according to the law there has to be a 60% drop in energy consumption each year compared to the previous year.

“If one was using 100 euros worth of energy for heating, you now need to use just 40 euros. We are using new insulation outside, and even for the roof we put grass on the roof for insulation,” he says. As far as its endeavours in Qatar are concerned, VIP plans to have an office in the country shortly; however, it does not have any current or future plans of designing and selling properties here or anywhere else in the Middle East. “We don’t know how things will work in Qatar. It’s more about helping Qataris to buy properties in France, Spain, Morocco and Germany,” says Mahmouch. Send your feedback on this article udayan@oryxpublishing.com

The Riyal Estate

Covering all bases

Fahed Ben Abdul-Rahman, General Manager of La Lune International, talks to Construction Today about the recipe of success in the real estate business.

A LUNE International Commercial Mediation General Services is a fastgrowing real estate firm in Qatar which specializes in land, luxury homes, towers and condominiums. It particularly focuses on the increasing and diverse needs of Qatari nationals and expatriates. It also caters to customers exploring properties in Turkey, the Balkans and other parts of Europe. La Lune is now going all out to set up an internet-based real estate property store, which allows it to examine various properties

66 CONSTRUCTION TODAY

to meet client-specific needs in Qatar and abroad. The areas in which it offers its services are sales; purchase, rent and management of properties; and establishment of business centres. “Our company builds on the credibility factor; we are concerned about the customers,” says Abdul-Rahman. “We pledge to offer them services that exceed their expectations. Customer satisfaction and interest is our top priority. We provide our clients integrated and complementary services to meet all his requirements. We do it to save them time and

By Udayan Nag effort even if these services are not directly related to real estate.”

prices directly impacts investors and their purchasing power, as oil is the main source of revenue for all GCC states.”

The prime properties of La Lune in Qatar are within Lusail and The Pearl. “ In La Lune, we specifically target commercial and residential buildings of these high-profile locations in Qatar, which are said to be the future of Qatar.” Lusail is now about to be ready in terms of infrastructure – road, rail and subway services are in place, even though they are yet to be officially announced.” Abdul-Rahman further says that these projects and privileges attract investors from neighbouring countries and the rest of the world to Qatar under the guidance of His Highness The Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “We in La Lune, through our activities as a real estate broker, undertake the marketing of these locations which present our customers with several privileges, in Qatar as well as other GCC countries.” How can the real estate market in Qatar be described right now and how is La Lune coping with its requirements? “The real estate market in Qatar is growing rapidly in response to the huge real estate development witnessed by the state over the last fifteen years, where we could note that the demand for different commercial, residential and service real estate units has increased dramatically. This in turn made us think seriously about entering this field of business, depending on our personal experience and on the experiences of others who have preceded us in this regard.”

There is going to be a huge demand for accommodation as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar draws near. Is La Lune planning ahead in that regard? What are the steps being taken by it to make the most of the opportunity?

“We in La Lune, like all other companies, are striving hard to take advantage of this great sporting event. We intend to inform and brief investors on the opportunities in the real estate sector in the country, and encourage them to cash in on the residential and hotel sector in the state.” According to a recent report, property insurance in the country will touch QR6.4 billion in 2019. Will this have any drastic effect on the business of real estate? “This increase was manifested by the expenditure on infrastructure projects, especially the ones related to the 2022 World Cup. In fact, it is also affected by the general expenditure on income resource diversification projects followed by the Qatari government to handle the issue of dependence on oil as the main source of income.” Abdul-Rahman also adds that this increase in government expenditure will lead to more investment opportunities. As far as La Lune’s expansion plans are concerned, he says: “We are planning to expand our services and activities to cover fields which are in some way related to the real estate business. We aim at making our company the best in the field of real estate services.”

Abdul-Rahman further says that La Lune is also looking towards increasing economic growth in the real estate field. He makes the point that the numerous projects which are in full swing right now represent the aspirations of the current government, and epitomise its vision of growth and prosperity for the nation. “A few (initiatives) to mention are the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Qatar National Vision 2030.” Abdul-Rahman also acknowledges the fact that the drop in oil prices has had a negative impact on La Lune and other real estate companies in Qatar. “The drop in oil CONSTRUCTION TODAY

Project Updates Qatar Rail Doha Metro

Completes

100 KM

of tunnelling across the city, which constitutes 41% of the entire project. With this, 90% of tunnelling has been completed, with 11 km more required to complete all underground sections, says Qatar Rail.

World Cup Wireless microphone systems for broadcast have been installed in the Lusail Iconic Stadium, which will be used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The task has been accomplished by Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. KG, a private German audio company.

Doha Resewerage Scheme

Work on the QR3.2 billion project, to build a modern sewer and drainage network in and around Doha, comes to a sudden halt. The decision was taken by Ashghal, which had in fact awarded the job to SHP Contractors – a joint venture comprising Hochtief Solutions, Petroserv and Al Straiya Strabag – in May 2015. No reason has been given for the latest turn of events, with Ashghal refusing to comment on the issue.

In charge of delivering the QR64.8 billion Doha Metro project, it terminated the contract of the consortium that was building its main stations. The project had been awarded in May 2013 to a conglomerate comprising South Korean builder Samsung C&T, Spanish contractor Obrascön Huarte Lain (OHL) and Qatar Building Company. In a statement, OHL said that it had received notification of its contract’s termination because of “non-compliance of certain contractual obligations”.

Lusail Development Project

The entrance to the embassy district at the junction of Lusail Street and Labhariya Street near Katara Cultural Village will be shut from June 10 until the end of 2017, says public works authority Ashghal. The move is part of the ongoing construction of the Lusail Expressway that will link Doha’s business district with Lusail City.