Big Project ME May 2017

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134

MAY 2017 meconstructionnews.com

THE BUSINESS OF CONSTRUCTION

Crossing the bridge

Big Project Me tours Cayan group’s first entry into the hospitality seCtor - Cayan Cantara

When local production goes digital.

And families can make the most of every day.

That’s Ingenuity for life.

Industries are changing and manufacturing is paving the way for sustainable development. Siemens automation and digitalization solutions, enables industries to diversify and meet the needs of societies. That’s why Julphar is able to maintain high plant uptime and cost-efficient operations, producing millions of locally made and readily available insulin vials. Together, Siemens and Julphar are improving lives all across the region.

That’s Ingenuity for life.

siemens.ae

www.iea-group.com

BIM MANAGEMENT

INTEGRATED DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION PLATFORM

CONSTRUCTABILITY MODEL DESIGN COORDINATION CLASH REPORT VIRTUAL MOCKUP DIGITAL PLANNING & SEQUENCING (4D) VISUALIZATION MODEL

THINK DIGITAL

ENERGY MODEL COST MANAGEMENT AND BOQ TRACKING MODEL AS-BUILT INTEGRATION FM - O&M

info@iea-group.com

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IEAG HAS DEVELOPED A PIONEERING DIGITAL COLLABORATION PLATFORM THAT BRINGS DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, PROJECT AND CONTRACT MANAGE MENT INTO ONE DIGITAL HUB. IEAG is an innovative IOT VDC provider; not only do we build the project virtually, we integrate and coordinate the design. We use the virtual model as a database for tracking, monitoring, validation, updating, and for as-built integration withthe physical site, through digital templates and construction reports.

Layal Elbilly

Contents

Issue 134 May 2017 09

16

20

28

40

48

06 ME Construction News.com

16 Staying strong on the Nile

40 Reality Modelling

09 Deira Mall contract awarded

20 Caspar Herzberg

46 Smart Cities environment

OnlIne

The biggest stories from Big Project Middle East’s home on the web The bIg pIcTure

United Engineering Construction to build $1.7bn Nakheel-owned shopping mall

12 UWI to build Egyptian hub InTernaTIOnal news

Dubai-US infrastructure investment firm will develop $500m economic cluster in Egypt

news analysIs

Big Project ME examines the Egyptian real estate market after a turbulent few years In prOfIle

Gavin Davids meets Caspar Herzberg, president of Middle East and Africa for Schneider Electric

28 Crossing the Bridge sITe vIsIT

Big Project ME tours the Cayan Cantara site, Cayan Group’s first foray into hospitality

14 Cairo Q1 2017 key market review 36 Starting at the bottom MarkeT OvervIew

cOMMenT

Jones Lang LaSalle report looks at the performance of two key real estate sectors in Cairo market

Mike Tapley and Ian Flynn discuss foundation designs for long-span bridges

TechnOlOgy

Aidan Mercer writes an exclusive white paper on reality modelling for utilities infrastructure cOMMenT

Mohammed Adnane Retmi on the challenges arising when developing GCC smart cities

48 Smart Infrastructure Summit evenT revIew

Big Project ME recaps the events of the first-ever Smart Infrastructure Summit, held on April 26, 2017

60 Top tenders Tenders

Big Project ME lists the Middle East’s biggest construction tenders for May 2017 May 2017 3

Introduction

Get Smart

Y

ou may notice that this month’s issue of Big Project Middle East features quite a lot of content about infrastructure – specifically, smart infrastructure.

That’s no coincidence, as the issue has been put together with the Smart Infrastructure Summit in mind.

Held on April 26, 2017 at the Habtoor Grand Hotel in JBR, the event was a rousing success, with close to 150 delegates joining Big Project ME for a day spent discussing, debating and discovering what’s in store for the region as it continues to invest in smart infrastructure development.

While you can read about the summit later in the magazine, I thought that the time was right to introduce a few interesting topics around the topic of ‘Smart’.

Caspar Herzberg, the president for the Middle East and Africa for Schneider Electric, is one such interview. An absolute gold mine of information about Smart Cities, Smart Infrastructure and Smart Technology, I caught up with Herzberg on the sidelines of Schneider’s fifth Innovation Summit at the Atlantis, The Palm.

One of the most interesting things he had to say was how willing people in this region are to talk, listen and learn about smart technology and future trends. This was an observation I can confirm first-hand

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Empowering Solar across the Middle East

4 May 2017

eDItorIAL eDItor gAVIN DAVIDS gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5480 oNLINe eDItor BEN FLANAgAN ben.flanagan@cpimediagroup.com SUB eDItor AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpimediagroup.com

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ADVertISING coMMercIAL DIrector JUDE SLANN jude.slann@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5496 SALeS eXecUtIVe JOANNA COLACO joanna.colaco@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5495

DIStrIBUtIoN MANAGer

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from the Smart Infrastructure Summit.

There is a tremendous appetite for smart development in the GCC, and it’s clear that it’s only going to grow and grow.

Returning to the construction site, the May cover story is about a rather distinctive project that is underway on Umm Suqeim Road in Dubai. Cayan Group has established itself as a developer of visually distinctive buildings, and its latest project in Dubai is no exception.

Cayan Cantara marks the developer’s first entry into the hospitality sector with its hotel apartment offerings, and the project promises to be a worthy addition to the portfolio. With a rooftop swimming pool that juts three metres out of the side of one of the towers, and two glass bridges between the towers, the project promises to be one that’s talked about for years to come.

K

Gavin Davids editor gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com @MecN_Gavin

MAkSYM PORIECHkIN cIrcULAtIoN & ProDUctIoN SUNIL kUMAR sunil.kumar@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5476 ProDUctIoN MANAGer VIPIN V. VIJAY

MOHAMMAD AwAIS SADIq SIDDIqUI

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CY

PUBLISHeD By

PHotoGrAPHy

WeB DeVeLoPMeNt

Y

CMY

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M

MY

Art DIrector SIMON COBON

vipin.vijay@cpimediagroup.com

C

CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC licensed by TECOM PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 375 5470 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com FoUNDer DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PrINteD By PRINTwELL PRINTINg PRESS LLC © Copyright 2017 CPI. All rights reserved while the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

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ETERNAL HyPERLOOP OPTIMISM

CONSTRUCTION

Abu Dhabi: Aldar awards $136m Mayan contract

CONSTRUCTION

Nakheel awards contract for $1.7bn Deira Mall

In pictures: Big Project ME Contractors’ Cup – awards

Clearly lots of hype around Hyperloop One (Hyperloop One ‘wellpositioned’ to deliver first working system, March 10) Let’s remember that this startup has already has raised $160 million from leading U.S. venture capital investors.

The City of Los Angeles is host to 4 Hyperloop startups, which all still require significant additional investments.

I’m an eternal optimist!

‘EuroSven’, online comment

CONSTRUCTION

Qatar ‘cuts 2022 World Cup budget by 50%’ EMISSION OMISSION

CONSTRUCTION

Firefighters tackle blaze at Dubai construction site

FEATURES

Project profile: The Sustainable City, Dubai 6 May 2017

Video: 100 years of Caterpillar history – in colour

Interesting article (Thermo King launches zeroemission refrigeration unit , April 12). However this unit is ultimately still powered by a diesel engine (the van’s engine in this case) so is it really zero-emission? Where does the vehicle battery’s electricity originate from?

One could think that the batteries will be charged at night, but the vehicle’s batteries can’t hold enough energy for a day’s worth of refrigeration.

‘Etienne’, online comment

Leaders in Project Management

www.hillintl.com

The Big Picture

Nakheel awards contract for Deira Mall United Engineering Construction to build $1.7bn mall, delivery set for 2020

Biggest in Dubai Deira Mall is set to become Dubai’s biggest shopping, dining and entertainment destination in terms of retail space.

Nakheel has awarded a construction contract to build Deira Mall, with a total investment of $1.66 billion.

The Dubai developer has appointed United Engineering Construction to build the mall, under a contract valued at $1.14 billion. Construction will begin in the third quarter of this year, with completion in 2020, Nakheel said in a statement.

With 371,612sqm of leasable area, the complex is set to become Dubai’s biggest shopping, dining and entertainment destination in terms of retail space, the developer said. It will be located on a 371,612sqm site where vibro-compaction work is underway, at the heart of Deira Islands, Nakheel’s new 15.3sqkm waterfront city.

The four-island development, which will transform the area traditionally known as Old Dubai into a world-class retail, tourism, living and leisure hub, will be home to more than 250,000 people when complete.

With a total built-up area of 956,901sqm, including a 353,031sqm multi-storey car park with 8,400 spaces, Deira Mall will feature over a thousand shops, cafés, restaurants and entertainment outlets across three floors. The development will boast a retractable roof, bringing natural light into the

complex and allowing open-air shopping in cooler months.

Deira Mall will be the centrepiece of Deira Boulevard, a new $1.36 billion Nakheel community with 16 residential towers, nearly 3,000 apartments and extensive retail, restaurant and recreation space. Together, Deira Mall and Boulevard will have 418,063sqm of shopping space.

A construction tender for Deira Boulevard was released in January this year, with three proposals submitted by the February 20, 2017 deadline.

956,901sqm Total built-up area

Bids started at $1.14 billion, the company said in a statement.

The mall is one of two large-scale retail projects being developed at Deira Islands. The second project is Deira Islands Night Souk, which is planned to be the world’s largest night market, with 5,300 shops and 100 quayside cafés and restaurants.

Construction on the latter project is in full swing, with completion scheduled for 2018.

Nakheel added that all units at the Night Souk have been fully leased.

The Deira Islands project is expected to add 40km – including 21km of beachfront – to Dubai’s coastline. The project expects to see several tourism, leisure and residential projects come up on the islands, mirroring the success of its Palm Jumeirah project.

May 2017 9

The Big Picture

Ensuring financial responsibility Hassan Al Thawadi said that the decision came as Qatar wanted to ensure financial responsibility in relation to the infrastructure related to the World Cup.

Qatar to cut World Cup budget by 50% Official now expects tournament infrastructure to cost between $8bn and $10bn A top official has revealed that Qatar has cut its original budget for hosting the 2022 World Cup by between 40% and 50%. In an interview with CNNMoney, Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, said that the committee now expects tournament infrastructure to cost between $8 billion and $10 billion, with the bulk of the money budgeted for stadiums and training grounds.

“We wanted to ensure there is financial responsibility in relation to the infrastructure relating to the World Cup,” Thawadi told CNNMoney.

“That’s why we had set an initial 10 May 2017

“FIFA has not yet agreed on the final number, and we are in discussions with them to finalise the final number of stadiums that will fit the operating model of Qatar 2022”

budget early on and made a commitment towards reducing it as the market became clearer, as the project became clearer, as we defined the scope.”

Qatar had originally planned for 12 stadiums in its original bid, but is now proposing eight, which is the minimum required

by FIFA regulations, the report said. It added that seven new venues were being built, with an existing stadium upgraded.

“FIFA has not yet agreed on the final number, and we are in discussions with them to finalise the final number of stadiums that will fit the operating model of Qatar 2022,” said Al Thawadi.

“We are moving ahead with eight stadiums, and in case discussions

go on, there might be an extra stadium to be developed.”

Back in May 2016, Jürgen Müller, head of Planning and Infrastructure at FIFA, praised the work being carried out by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).

“Qatar’s infrastructure and stadium preparation is well on track,” he was reported as saying by the SC. “We are very happy with preparations. Everybody knows it’s not only towards 2022, they are working towards longer plans for 2030, so this step is only one step in the bigger picture. This World Cup is adapted to their overall time planning and we believe it will be an outstanding tournament.”

The Big Picture

Middle East construction industry is on the road to recovery – F+G expert Dubai and Saudi Arabia are two standout markets with regards to growth The decline of the Middle East construction industry is finally at an end, and recovery is on the table, according to David Clifton, regional development director at Faithful+Gould. In a report which can be found on the company’s website, Clifton also said Dubai and Saudi Arabia are two standout markets with regards to growth potential in 2018 and 2019.

“2017 marks the uptick of recovery and the GCC’s re-entry to a growth environment for the industry. The worst is over.

That’s not to say the next two

years will be easy – far from it – but we are at last seeing some growth,” said Clifton.

He noted that in the UAE, contracts are now being actively awarded, following a couple of slow months at the start of the year. Drivers include the approaching Dubai Expo 2020 event and a slightly earlier than expected return of liquidity in the global market, and the need to place and generate returns on capital.

Clifton had some provisos, however: “There are some caveats in that, whilst we are

bouncing along the bottom of a UAE property price slump and a lack of GCC awards, overambitious towers may not see the light of day and instead be replaced by more feasible projects – or cancelled if they don’t make economic sense.”

In Saudi Arabia, the National Transformation Programme and Vision 2030 reforms are gaining momentum, while alternative financing is also coming into its own, driving growth.

“The implementation of PMOs and the alterations in ownership structures will also

bring huge change and progress through to 2018. Alternative financing is now starting to establish itself, primarily in the power and water industries (IWPP and IWP). We are seeing the implementation of alternative financing now, with GACA moving forward with Yanbu, Ta’if and Ha’il airports,” added Clifton.

He concluded: “It’s a short window to mid/late 2017, but hold on – we won’t be back to where we were, but we are moving in the right direction, and, in typical Middle East style, now with pace.”

“We won’t be back to where we were, but we are moving in the right direction, and, in typical Middle East style, now with pace.”

Recovery on the table David Clifton said that 2017 marks the uptick of recovery and the GCC’s re-entry into a growth environment for the industry.

May 2017 11

The Big Picture

1

1. Norway to build the world’s first ship tuNNel Norway plans to build the world’s first full-scale ship tunnel on its west coast, to enable ships to bypass a dangerous and stormy stretch of water. The tunnel will be 1.7km long, 37m high and 26.5m wide, and will be carved through the mountainous Stad Peninsula, enabling ships to bypass the stormy Stadhavet Sea. According to an announcement by the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA), the construction of the tunnel will cost $315m, with work set to begin in 2019 and end by 2023.

The Stad Ship Tunnel is part of the NCA’s Norwegian National Transport Plan, under which transport infrastructure will be built up in the Scandinavian country from 2018 to 2029.

The dimensions of the tunnel will allow ships weighing up to 16,000t to pass through, which means it will be able to accommodate both cruise and freight ships, the NCA said. While tunnels for boats have been built through mountain ranges before, the Stad Ship Tunnel will be the first to facilitate the passage of freight and passenger ships of such high tonnages.

12 May 2017

$2.6bn US judge formally fines Brazil’s Odebrecht $2.6 billion in corruption case centred around Petrobas

2. uwi iN talks to develop ecoNomic hub iN egypt United World Infrastructure (UWI), a Dubai and Washington, DC-based infrastructure investment and development firm, has said that it is in talks to develop a new economic cluster in Egypt, with an

approximate total investment of more than $500 million.

In an interview with Thomson Reuters Projects, Aaditya Sarna, managing director of UWI, said the company was in the process of negotiating to work on projects in Egypt. He explained that the “economic cluster” would include urban

renewal, a new township and building an annexure to Cairo, which would extend the city.

“We are in discussions with being part of the new economic initiatives around Cairo,” he said. “Our minimum size would be 2,000 acres. The size of the investment would be definitely in excess of $500 million.”

The Big Picture

4. south koreaN coNsortium to build $4bN smart city iN kuwait

9km

Length of India’s longest bridge, which is nearing completion in Guwahati, Assam

4

2

3

60

Perth’s construction boom has resulted in 60 high-rise buildings being greenlit in the CBD

3. iNdia’s puNj lloyd wiNs $47m coNtract for ksa project Indian engineering and construction group Punj Lloyd has secured an EPC contract worth $47 million from Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company (Yasref) for its project in the Yanbu region of Saudi Arabia.

The group’s subsidiary, Dayim Punj Lloyd, will be tasked with delivering the Clean

Fuels Interfacing Facilities Project, the company said in a statement. The objective of the contract is to interface Yasref with the Aramco Yanbu Refinery to supply low-sulphur clean transportation fuel – diesel and gasoline – for domestic distribution.

Furthermore, the pipeline system will also contain provisions to transport products refined in Yasref to the western regional pipeline

hub. In addition, Dayim Punj Lloyd will work on the extension of existing SIH Control to house the DCS/PLC panels and equip them with HVAC. The company will also have to carry associated civil, structural, firefighting, electrical and instrumentation, and automation work.

“This is the third contract

by Yasref to Dayim Punj Lloyd,” said Atul Jain, a director at Punj Lloyd group.

A consortium of South Korean construction companies will build an eco-friendly $4 billion residential city in Kuwait, the South Korean infrastructure ministry has announced. The smart city will accommodate 25,000 to 40,000 households, with construction scheduled to begin in 2019.

Led by Posco A&C and Hyundai Architects and Engineers Associates Co, the consortium intends to build a smart city that is environmentally friendly, well-organised and connected, a Yonhap news agency report said, quoting a statement from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

South Korea’s government will help form the consortium in 2018, and will set up a special purpose company in 2019 to help push the project forward.

“It is the first export of the smart city project which has been strongly pushed by the Ministry,” the statement said, adding that the project can pave the way to winning similar eco-friendly city construction projects.

Last year, a Navigant index found that Dubai was the region’s leading smart city.

May 2017 13

Market Report

CAIRO Q1 2017 key MARket seCtORs ReVIew JLL report looks at performance of two key Cairo real estate sectors

Performance • The effective increase in rental prices following the flotation highly affected smaller companies, some of whom were forced to cancel relocation plans to grade A office space due to increased financial burdens.

• The negotiating power has shifted in favour of tenants, many of whom are seeking to renegotiate their lease terms

14 May 2017

Cairo office current and future supply, sqm (2014-2019) 1,200K 1,000K 800K 600K 400K 200K

2014

2015

2016

Q1 2017

2017

2018

2019

Cairo office vacancy rate, 12-month outlook

26% Q1 2016

27% Q1 2017

Cairo average office rents, USD per sqm (2016-2017) Central Cairo

West Cairo

New Cairo (S1)

New Cairo (S2)

420

240

300

264

396

240 300

264

Q1 2016

Q1 2017

Q1 2016

Q1 2017

Q1 2016

Q1 2017

Q1 2016

Q1 2017

prior to engaging in longterm contracts. Landlords are responding to slower market conditions by offering contractual incentives channelled towards exchange rate capping.

• Banks are the most active participants in the office sector at present, while FMCGs are negotiating their lease terms in order to reduce their market exposure. Oil & gas occupiers are generally reducing their activities due to current market conditions, but are expected to show increased demand in the medium term on the back of new field explorations.

We expect businesses that rely on exports to pick up faster than businesses reliant on the local market.

Hot topic • Smart Village East at Al Bourouj. Capital Group Properties (CGP) announced a new 1,200 Feddan mixeduse community. The development constitutes residential, retail and smart office units. The public-private partnership is planning this project in East Cairo to capture increased demand for office space in the area and expand its portfolio.

The project is on the Cairo-Suez road and is due for completion in 2021.

Source: JLL

Office market Supply • New Cairo continues to be the most active location for new office supply. Along with recently offered and under construction projects located on 90 Road, Cairo Festival City is expected to complete five new office buildings in Q3 2017, adding 60,000sqm of grade A office space to the New Cairo supply.

• In 6th of October City, the most recent development is the Majarrah Business Complex, which added 17,000sqm to Cairo’s office supply. Activity in 6th of October continues to be limited, with no completions in Q1 2017.

• The current market supply stands at 958,000sqm, with an additional 70,000sqm expected during the remainder of 2017. Vacancy rates stand at 27% and are expected to increase as new supply is added to the market.

Market Report

Residential market Supply • Q1 2017 saw the announcement of several new projects across 6th of October City and New Cairo. Following the increase in unit prices in EGP terms, many developers are now offering more lenient and attractive payment plans to alleviate the effect of the decrease in purchasing power.

• In New Cairo, Sodic’s East town and Villete and Emaar’s Mivida continue to report significant deliveries soon approaching resale phase, while Sarai is the most anticipated development by MNHD, with completion set for 2019. Palm Hills Developments has announced two new projects, 90 Avenue and Palm Hills New Cairo, which are expected to be completed in 2018 and 2021 respectively.

• In 6th of October, significant apartment deliveries were recorded in Ashgar City, Palm Parks and October Park, while Sodic announced its latest project in West Cairo (October Plaza), along with further completions in its gated communities.

Performance • Local demand for residential

Cairo residential supply, sqm (2014-2019) 160K

140K

120K

100K

80K

60K

40K

20K

2014

2015

2016

Q1 2017

2017

2018

2019

New Cairo residential sales and rents Apt sales

Apt rent

Villa sales

Villa rent

4.2%

0.3%

-45%

11%

0.6%

0.3%

-38%

11%

Q-O-Q

Q-O-Q

Q-O-Q

Q-O-Q

Y-O-Y

Y-O-Y

Y-O-Y

Y-O-Y

units continues to be strong through Q1 2017 and is expected to remain steady.

However, developers are not able to pass on the whole of the increase in construction costs to the end consumer and margins have therefore reduced.

• Residential rentals have remained stable across the market, which is primarily targeted to expatriates, with contract values expressed in foreign currency in most cases.

A recent trend has however been increased demand for rental properties from some locals waiting for their own units to be delivered. Even though the exchange rate is generally capped below the market rate, this has allowed landlords to curb the full effect of the currency flotation.

Hot topic • Strong interest in first tenders from Cairo New Capital City.

200 companies have responded to these tenders, including Sodic, Saudi Egyptian, Al Hokair and Talaat Mostafa, and 16 actual submissions. This significant interest reflects the strong demand to acquire land for new residential projects.

Active participants Banks are among the most active participants in the Cairo office sector at present, JLL says.

May 2017 15

News Analysis

staying strong on the nile Big Project ME takes a look at the Egyptian real estate market in the wake of a turbulent few years for the North African giant’s economy

safe haven Real estate continues to be a safe haven for investment for Egyptians, despite the turbulence in the economy since the revolution.

In the wake of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, a number of industries and economic sectors have struggled to regain their footing over the last few years. With political uncertainty continuing to dog long-term planning and growth, investors continue to be reluctant to put their money into the country along the Nile.

Some of the side-effects of this situation have been a fall in tourism numbers, a lack of 16 May 2017

foreign currency and a shortage of fuel. Consequently, the Egyptian government has decided to adopt an economic reform programme that aims to improve the state of its public finances.

This began with the introduction of a value-added tax (VAT), an increase in the price of subsidised fuel and, most importantly, the free-floating of the Egyptian pound in 2016 so as to qualify for a $12 billion

loan from the International Monetary Fund. This attempt to attract investors into the country halved the value of the currency almost overnight.

With the government now looking to private firms and corporations to invest into its economy and bridge the funding gaps, a number of crucial sectors are attracting significant foreign investment interest.

According to the Oxford

Business Group’s The Report: Egypt 2017, recent macroeconomic trends – in particular the depreciation of the Egyptian pound and the foreign currency shortage – have reflected both positively and negatively on the country’s real estate market throughout 2016.

Real estate has always been a strong performer for the Egyptian economy, with the sector a major investment area prior to 2011.

News Analysis

“The demand for real estate is still strong. With a population in excess of 90 million persons that continues to grow, we expect this trend to continue.The biggest factor that has affected real estate was the devaluation of the local currency. This had a direct impact on the cost of doing business in EGP terms, with construction costs increasing by 30-50%” According to figures released by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, property growth rates topped 15% ahead of the revolution.

While the market understandably dropped in the immediate aftermath, the trend was short-lived and generally the market has continued to perform positively despite the uncertain political and economic climate.

In many ways, the report

adds, the current situation has benefited the sector, as the negative interest rate and the devalued Egyptian pound have seen domestic investors move their cash into real estate as a safe and stable investment. Although the effects of the devaluation and subsequent float have been varied, one noticeable result has been a boom in the housing market, with investors looking at residential real estate as one of the few

remaining stable investments.

“The demand for real estate is still strong. With a population in excess of 90 million persons that continues to grow, we expect this trend to continue,” Ayman Sami, country head – Cairo Office, MENA for Jones Lang LaSalle, tells Big Project ME. “The biggest factor that has affected real estate was the devaluation of the local currency. This had a direct impact on the cost of doing business in

EGP terms, with construction costs increasing by 30-50%.

We have seen residential unit prices increase in EGP terms; however, there was a substantial decrease in USD terms ranging between -35% to -45%.”

“On the retail and office side, the landlords for grade A space quoted their rents in USD. This has led all tenants to revisit their expansion/relocation plans, it also means that most of the tenants also started to push back on the quoted rents, pushing rental levels down further.”

Amany Sadek, senior research and business development executive at Business to Business for Investment & Real Estate Marketing (B2B), a local commercial and residential real estate firm, tells OBG that the uncertainty of future currency valuation means property will remain a safe bet for the foreseeable future.

“People feel they should be putting their money in real estate when there is political or economic instability, because it is something that you can guarantee,” he explains. “In Egypt now, the function of real estate as value storage has been greatly magnified because of the uncertainty of the pound.”

Sami adds that the main issue facing developers now is the cost of land, with consumers seeming to have absorbed the price increase on the back of more favourable payment terms.

He predicts that the Egyptian construction industry will continue to grow, but is quick to point out challenges that must be addressed in the short term.

“Cost and affordability for the end user are the driving factors. This has led to developers revisiting their designs, looking at smaller units with more affordable payment terms. This is not the first time developers May 2017 17

News Analysis

outside investment wanted Egypt’s government has courted foreign investment into the country as a way to fund economic growth and development.

“Contractors that contracted work prior to the devaluation and were obliged to continue throughout the transition period did suffer from some losses. However, with the larger volume of work going forward, they could make up for the losses if they are financially sound and are willing to take the longer-term view” have faced such challenges, and when the market starts to slow down they do react quickly to the change,” says Sami.

“Contractors that contracted work prior to the devaluation and were obliged to continue throughout the transition period did suffer from some losses. However, with the larger volume of work going forward, they could make up for the losses if they are financially sound and are willing to take the longer-term view.”

With the private sector taking on a more active role in the development of Egypt’s real estate needs, a number of GCC developers are taking a leading role, with several projects announced or started in 2016, the OBG report says.

In March 2016, Capital Group Properties, owned by Abu Dhabi Capital Group, launched Albourouj, its first project in Egypt, which has a total investment of $2.1 billion. This 18 May 2017

490-acre project will consist of residential, commercial and retail units between the Suez Canal and the Ismailia Desert Road.

In addition, in 2015, Dubaibased HMG Properties launched a luxury destination in Sharm El Sheikh, with CEO Raed Bourjass telling OBG that the luxury residential sector is growing in cities like Sharm El Sheikh. “While tourism is the main economic driver of the city, we believe that in the years to come, real estate here will appreciate faster than any other city in the country,” he said.

Local press also speculate that HMG is also planning new projects in Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada.

“I believe that the presence of both local and international players is very important for the industry. As mentioned before, the demand is really big. JLL’s 2011 report on middle income housing published that the estimated shortage in housing

was 1.5 million units, and the gap continued to widen,” Sami says.

“The real estate development industry in Egypt is mostly dominated by local players with a few regional players from the GCC. That being said, there is still room for more development and the presence of foreign investors is actually healthy, since not only will it help with catching up to meet the demand requirements, but it will also introduce foreign funds, which is needed to support with the struggling trade balance as Egypt relies heavily on imports.

“With the recent devaluation, the demand for local products has increased due to the fact that imported items have become really expensive for the locals, so this is also a chance to develop manufacturing plants in Egypt, making it a more competitive place to do business and providing support to increase exports,” he asserts.

“The residential sector shall

continue to be the strongest, with the demand driven by the population growth. The other sectors like retail and office will follow. There is also a large demand for schools and hospitals to support this growth.

Hotels will go through several phases before the growth kicks in once again; we are currently at a stage where there are many renovations underway, which is an interim stage before we start seeing more introductions.

“I would also say that hotels would be one of the sectors that will pick up again soon, with average occupancy rates in Cairo now reaching 69%.

Construction will continue to focus on residential communities driven by the private sector, and the government has ambitious plans with the new capital which is being developed east of Cairo where there is a mix of uses being developed, including hotels, offices, residential, retail,” Sami concludes.

In Profile

“Ultimately, what this region has is strong leadership and strong leaders. that’s where i think this region is special and that’s why it’s leapfrogging other parts of the world” Big Project ME speaks to Caspar Herzberg, president for the Middle East and Africa for Schneider Electric, about the future of smart cities in the GCC 20 May 2017

In Profile

May 2017 21

In Profile

o

n April 11, 2017, Schneider Electric inaugurated its annual Innovation Summit at The Atlantis on Palm Jumeirah, bringing together more than 2,500 attendees for the two-day summit that focused on innovations and technologies that cater to the future of energy management, industrial efficiency and environmental sustainability.

With speakers and VIP guests that included HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); HE Yasser El Kadi, Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Egypt; Mamdouh Raslan, chairman and CEO, Water and Waste Water Egyptian Holding Company; Osman Sultan, CEO of du; and Dr Badr Al Badr, CEO of Dur Hospitality, the summit was an important platform to discuss and exchange best practices, experience and updates in the development of smart cities and the infrastructure and utilities that power them.

Given that the focus of the Innovation Summit 2017 was on how technology can be used to unlock the economic potential of improving energy efficiency, Big Project ME was keen to speak to Caspar Herzberg, president for Middle East and Africa for Schneider Electric, and one of the world’s most authoritative voices on smart cities.

A speaker of four languages – English, French, Arabic and his native German – Herzberg joined Schneider Electric in April 2016 as senior vice president, Business Development for the Middle 22 May 2017

an authorative voice Caspar Herzberg is one of the world’s most authorative voices on smart cities and is Schneider Electric’s new president for Middle East and Africa.

East. In July 2016, he moved up to become zone president for Africa and the Caribbean. In his current role, he is president for Middle East, Africa, Turkey, Central Asia and the Caribbean Islands for Schneider Electric.

This comes on the back of a two-decade career with Accenture and Cisco, working across different regions in Europe, China, Africa and the Middle East. Within the technology industry, he is probably best known as one of the founders of Cisco’s Global Smart City business, which makes him the perfect person to speak to about the region’s smart city ambitions.

“The smart city is like a wave that is breaking,” he tells Big Project ME on the sidelines of the summit. “This is no longer an option – something that you can be in or out of, or decide that it’s not for you. It was the introduction of mobility [that changed things].”

“To have that ability to view data on mobile platforms, where you can see your smart grid data,

“You have a smart city reality here, against which we, as a company, are very well placed to continue to shape the market and provide solutions that bring all the different parts of the business together”

your facility management data, and positively effect outcomes in the energy and building space, when you couldn’t do that before… it is this that underpins the strength of smart cities.”

This change has been a long time coming, Herzberg says, pointing out that governments and people have begun realising that if humanity continues to grow and develop at the current rate, we will not be able to generate the energy we need to power our cities.

“If our energy consumption is going to go up by 80% – which is what we think it will increase by – because we keep building buildings to house people, then we can’t continue to do that.

As a company, we’ve been very fortunate to benefit from these trends, and we’re very fortunate to have helped shape these trends under the leadership of our CEO and the likes of Frédéric Abbal, executive vice president of Energy Business at Schneider Electric.

“The focus is on the smart grid

In Profile

leading the region Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two cities that have embraced the smart city concept and are showing the way forward for the region.

and in this region now, specifically, it will continue to grow. You have some cities that are taking off, like Dubai. I think Abu Dhabi is also, in some ways [taking off ]. You have a smart city reality here, against which we, as a company, are very well placed to continue to shape the market and provide solutions that bring all the different parts of the business together. That, I believe, is industry leading. I don’t think anyone has this.

“So yes, I’m feeling pretty good about smart cities in the region!”

Having joined the company during a refocus on the Middle East, Herzberg was given a mandate by Schneider Electric to examine and evaluate the potential in the market, then tasked with rebuilding the company’s focus in the Middle East and Africa into one coherent unit within Schneider.

“This is in order for us to

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In Profile

invest more in our key growth markets, to benefit from the intra-regional business flows that we see between Gulf investors, builders and developers that work in East Africa or Egypt. There are Turkish contractors everywhere in Africa, they are building airports in Egypt and going into Algeria,” he explains, highlighting that the traditional way of doing things was no longer an option for Schneider.

“We wanted to create, within the company, a powerful region that allows us to represent our market and customers internally. But also, to capture more business than we’ve done to date. We’ve had a great growth story, but now it’s about going to the next level,” he asserts.

To achieve that, Schneider Electric will need to overcome several challenges, but Herzberg states confidently that the company is more than ready to meet the challenge, with the restructuring creating an agile business that can react and adapt to a variety of economic challenges.

“There are different sets of challenges. I think the biggest

strong leadership One of the advantages the GCC has is that it has strong leadership that wants to take care of their cities and make them smart.

challenge isn’t technical, but it’s for cities to overcome the different organisational and technical silos that they have – either within a municipality or between the different departments that have to come together.

“This is something that this region is very well placed to overcome. Ultimately, what this region has is strong leadership and strong leaders that care about their cities and want to make them smart. They are going to be able to generate the right level of support, at the right levels of the business community, and of course

the public sector. That’s where I think this region is special and that’s why it’s leapfrogging other parts of the world,” he explains.

One of the major technical challenges facing Schneider and other smart technology providers is making different systems work together. This is no simple issue; interoperability challenges, data challenges and legacy challenges all have to be addressed along the chain, often repeatedly.

Herzberg points out that companies like Schneider need to provide an integrated but open architecture and value

providing fully integrated architecture Schneider Electric aims to provide its customers and partners with a fully integrated architecture, all the way from the plug through to the point where energy gets generated.

24 May 2017

proposition, which allows clients the ability to take different parts of one system and mix them with other systems, while still have everything fit together nicely.

“In simple layman’s terms, what we’re providing is a fully integrated architecture, all the way from the plug through to the smart building and all the way to the medium voltage, and then ultimately to the point where energy gets generated. I think that’s very attractive for everyone – for people who want to go greenfield and start something new, or for people who want to replace parts of systems. They can do that, safe in the knowledge that these components will fit very well.”

“Moving forward, what we’ll also be doing is providing the software layer, the application layer that allows you to take the data and harness it by turning it into services for end customers, turning it into value for the people living in a city. This comprehensive end-to-end approach is what is needed, I think.”

The use of data to benefit the end user is a topic of personal interest to Herzberg, who tells Big Project ME that the future cities of the world will be built using big data. Companies, developers and urban planners will need to learn how to harness this data and create a digital infrastructure that will support

In Profile

the aims and achievements of a modern-day smart city, he asserts.

“If I take the example of predictive maintenance. This is a huge part of enabling the efficiency of buildings. When you’re able to predict when stuff needs to be changed or maintained, [that makes a huge difference]. I think a significant part of energy efficiency comes from not just using less energy, but also by reducing the cost of operating machinery within a building.

“We had the chairman of Egyptian Water and Wastewater Authority here at the Innovation Summit this morning, talking about the massive challenge that they have in Egypt, and how, by using telemetry, they’re able to overcome it. It’s these kinds of solutions, these kinds of usage data, that allow the very practical application of using data to make cities a better place.”

With his presence required back at the summit, Herzberg prepares to wrap up the

interview, but before he goes, he is keen to point out that the strong turnout at the Innovation Summit 2017 reflects how deeply committed the UAE construction and infrastructure development industry is to the smart city concept.

“Schneider Electric prides itself, rightly I believe, in being a good partner and a good advisor to our customers and to the public sector. Generally, we’re someone you can come to, to discuss

what you’re going to do next.

“We’re in this big region where a lot of people want to come together to discuss the trends that are affecting the region, they want to learn from each other and find ways of doing business with each other, and they want to see what the future trends are.

This is a forum for senior people, people at the business execution level, and also junior people – the minds of tomorrow – to come together,” he concludes.

“We’re in this big region where a lot of people want to come together to discuss the trends that are affecting the region, they want to learn from each other and find ways of doing business with each other, and they want to see what the future trends are” a sign of the Uae’s commitment The strong turnout and support from the UAE industry at the Innovation Summit 2017 shows that the UAE is deeply committed to the smart city concept.

May 2017 25

Site Visit

Big Project ME tours the Cayan Cantara construction site in Dubai, as the Saudi developer looks to enter the hospitality sector for the first time. Gavin Davids reports

Crossing th 28 May 2017

he bridge

Site Visit

May 2017 29

Site Visit

L

ast November, Saudi Arabia’s Cayan Group announced that it had appointed Shapoorji Pallonji as the main contractor for a two-tower hotel apartment and residential project in Dubai, marking its first foray into the hospitality and tourism sector.

Known as the Cayan Cantara, the project is set to be a distinctive addition to the developer’s portfolio, with the structure set to feature two bridges spanning the distance between the towers.

The residential tower will be the taller of the two at 42 storeys,

while the hotel apartment will have 33 storeys. The total builtup area will be 153,290sqm.

Designed by renowned Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei, the project will provide investors with more than 700 units in the form of studios, one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments, and penthouses. It will also offer amenities such as retail spaces, restaurants, meeting rooms and a gym, spa and lounge.

Strategically located on Umm Sequiem Road in Dubai, Cayan Cantara is positioned on a route that is fast becoming a major connection to roads, malls, residential areas and commercial hubs across the city.

According to the developer, the project is just two minutes from both Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, and six minutes from Emirates Road.

ProjeCt DetailS Project Name: Cayan Cantara Developer: Cayan Group Main Works: Shapoorji Pallonji International enabling Works: ZETAS Concept Designer: Nikken Sekkei Design Consultant: Dewan Architects + Engineers interior Design and lighting: Intercon acoustics and Facade: Ramboll

The Mall of the Emirates is five minutes away, while Dubai Mall and Downtown Dubai are just 20 minutes from the project, Cayan adds. Furthermore, the project’s connectivity means Al Maktoum International Airport is about 20 minutes away as well.

With construction now in full swing, Big Project Middle East was invited by Cayan to tour the site and find out how work is progressing on the group’s latest flagship project.

“We looked at the location as a very strategic location,” says Ashraf Qudsiyeh, senior project manager – Engineering and Development, Cayan Development, after a tour of the project construction site.

“Because it’s located on Umm Sequiem Road, it has easy access to Sheikh Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Mohammed Bin Zayed distinctive design Cayan Cantara’s two towers will be linked by two glass bridges, and will have a rooftop swimming pool that will extend three metres out from the side of the building.

30 May 2017

Site Visit

Road and all the important points of interest in the city.”

“The idea [behind developing the project on this site] came from having the opportunity available to develop a project on it. We looked at the land use and did our own feasibility study.

We did market research on what the market needs, and from that, this idea of having a residential tower and a serviced apartment tower came about. This area needs hospitality, and it also needs some residential supply.”

The hospitality sector in the GCC continues to be a strong performer, especially in the UAE, where occupancy has averaged around 85% over the last five years, Cayan says. To that end, the developer has teamed up with Rotana’s Arjaan brand to manage the hotel apartment tower, while the residential tower will be managed by Rotana’s Residences brand.

Although managed by Rotana, tenants in the residential tower will be allowed to personalise their living spaces, Cayan says. It forecasts an occupancy rate of 90% for the hotel apartment tower.

“The market demand encouraged us to proceed. The towers will be connected by two bridges, with a gym on one of the bridges, along with meeting rooms. We’ve also got a swimming pool at the top of the serviced apartment tower, which will have a glass projection outside the building. This is a feature that we think will be attractive and will be linked to the reputation of the tower,” Qudsiyeh points out.

“Having a variety of product is very important. We need to have this kind of variety in order to guarantee that we’re targeting more than one segment of the market, and not just focusing on just one segment,” he adds, when asked why Cayan has decided to enter the hospitality sector.

Work in progress

Construction commenced in November 2016 on the main package of the project, with Shapoorji Pallonji International appointed as the main contractor.

Prior to that, Qudsiyeh says enabling works were successfully completed, including excavation, piling and shorting works.

The planned completion date for the project is March 2019, and the senior project manager is quick to highlight how satisfied the developer is with progress on the project.

“Shapoorji Pallonji is showing commitment to the project and they’ve allocated all resources required – in terms of logistics, staff required and so on. We have an outstanding team on-site, and we’re happy with the progress being made. It’s as per the schedule.

“Also, we have cooperation with the local authorities. They are showing flexibility and they come and do their inspections on time. They look at Cayan as partners,” he asserts.

At present, work is ongoing at the basement level with the raft foundation completed, along with all the immediate services that come along with it, Qudsiyeh says. The retaining wall is also completed, while work on the level two basement slab was underway, with casting scheduled for the week after Big Project ME’s visit to the site.

Qudsiyeh points out that the biggest engineering challenges on the project will be the connecting bridges and the glass-bottomed swimming pool, which will extend three metres out from the building’s edge. This will be a first for Dubai, he adds.

Although work is currently ongoing below ground level, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t much happening, with the consultant, Dewan Architecture and Engineering, working closely

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May 2017 31

Site Visit

Work around the clock Shapoorji Pallonji has its labour force working in two shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

with the team from Shapoorji Pallonji International to minimise the risk of clashes on the project.

“The consultant and engineer (Dewan) has done a good job by having all of the drawings up to standard. That makes the contractor’s job easier. However, Shapoorji is also giving their input, holding discussions with the consultant to come out with the best practices,” he explains.

“So that means that when the drawings go for construction, they are well studied and well planned, and as such go on smoothly.”

Cayan’s project management team is also heavily involved in the weekly meetings held by the project team, with Qudsiyeh explaining that they step in whenever they are required to.

“Any technical requirements needed for better coordination between the contractor, the consultant and the authorities, [we assist]. Whenever we’re required to get involved, we do. It’s not even to solve any problem, but also to help plan ahead and make sure that no other activities get disturbed on-site.”

32 May 2017

“Shapoorji Pallonji is showing commitment to the project and they’ve allocated all resources required – in terms of logistics, staff required and so on. We have an outstanding team on-site, and we’re happy with the progress being made”

Managing logistics on-site

At present, there are 724 workers engaged on the project, but Qudsiyeh says that when construction hits its peak, that number will swell to more than 3,000. The labour force is currently on a two-shift schedule, working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, while the project can be built with just two tower cranes, Shapoorji Pallonji has decided to go with four tower cranes on-site, with speed being paramount as the contractor targets a six-day cycle between slabs.

One benefit of the site’s location is great connectivity for the contractor to obtain building materials and supplies from its partners and suppliers.

The contractor has selected a batching plant that is only 15 minutes away from the site, while its labour camps in Jebel Ali and Al Quos ensure there are no delays or obstructions when it comes to moving workers back and forth from the site.

“I think the main thing that makes this location great for

people wanting to invest in it also makes it great for construction logistics,” Qudsiyeh says. “It’s located at very short distances from main access highways around us. Also, the contractor has rented out all the area around the site for logistics yards, so as to ensure smooth operations during construction.”

Health and safety also form a key part of operations on-site, with workers provided with a rest area that is air conditioned and shaded throughout the year and duration of the project, Shapoorji Pallonji says. Furthermore, the contractor has safety staff carry out stringent checks on the site, with even the toilets subject to municipality-level inspections every two hours.

Qudsiyeh adds that the consultant has provided a fulltime safety engineer on the site, whose job is to work with the safety officers from the contractor to guarantee that all policies are strictly followed.

“We looked for somebody who has a strong track record of delivering similar projects

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Site Visit

“The towers will be connected by two bridges, with a gym on one of the bridges, along with meeting rooms. We’ve also got a swimming pool at the top of the serviced apartment tower, which will have a glass projection outside the building”

engineering challenge The glass-bottomed rooftop pool that extends out from the side of the building presents a significant engineering challenge, Shapoorji Pallonji says.

successfully, both in terms of quality and time,” he says, adding that this was the main criteria for selecting both the main contractor and the lead consultant.

“Our shortlist was very short, actually! We were very sophisticated with our selection.

We dealt with Nikken Sekkei for the concept design, and they are one of the top architects in the world, while we awarded the design work – in terms of structure and MEP – to Dewan Architects. They are also one of the most recognised offices in the UAE and they have a good record of similar projects.

“The selection of the contractor was actually one of the most lengthy and difficult processes, because there was no small room for mistake.

The criteria was very strict, and we wanted a contractor that has a history in the country and the region, having worked on similar projects.

“So selection was something that saw a lot of care taken.

We wanted the best of the best, and there wasn’t much tolerance on that. This is part of our commitment to deliver the product that we promised our customers,” he asserts.

Culture of collaboration Cayan has worked to ensure that all stakeholders on the Cantara project are operating in tandem and are willing to help each other out.

34 May 2017

Working together

Finally, Qudsiyeh says that although Cayan isn’t targeting any particular green ratings, as part of its commitment to customers it has requested that the consultant add extra features that promote energy savings and increased efficiency. “We’re trying to follow the best practices within the design parameters that we have.”

While Shapoorji Pallonji is not using Building Information Modelling (BIM), it is pushing collaboration and transparency on the project. Using its large local design studio, the contractor ensures that whenever shop drawings are prepared, they go to the main office first for a complete and thorough review process.

Only once the shop drawings have been reviewed by the design team are they considered ready to be used for construction.

These endeavours to promote transparency and collaboration are backed up by Dewan, which is always available to the contractor, no matter the time or date.

“Cayan is well-known in the market for developing iconic towers,” says Qudsiyeh as he wraps up the interview. “This has always been our target from day one, when we decided to start this project here. We are proud of our previous portfolio of projects and we want to add another iconic tower.”

“We want to our towers to be recognised for their architecture,” he asserts in conclusion.

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by voestalpine

Comment

Mike Tapley

Ian Flynn

bridge building starts at the bottom In the second of four articles on long-span bridges in the Middle East, Mike Tapley and Ian Flynn discuss foundation designs and offer some thoughts on modern concrete technology The type of foundation selected for a long-span bridge is largely determined by the location or depth of the sea and the geology of the local site, as well as the budget available. Typically, foundations are either raft type (supported by large bored piles or drilled tubular steel piles), or caisson foundations resting on the sea bed.

Piled raft foundations are used on land, and the biggest consideration is the thickness of the pile cap. Long-span bridges generate significant loads, which necessitate very large pile caps. However, 36 May 2017

because of the large volume of concrete required, this should be poured in stages to prevent high temperature build-ups. High temperature gradients resulting from hydration of the cement can cause excessive tensile stress and cracking in concrete. Admixtures or pulverised fuel ash may also be used to reduce the amount of cement in the mix (cement being the biggest contributor to heat during the curing process).

On Hong Kong’s Stonecutters Bridge, the rafts are 8m deep and close to the water’s edge.

To create these, a cofferdam was installed with sheet piles piercing the existing seawall

to retain the excavation and partially act as a water cutoff. To ensure the long-term durability of this buried structure, it was critical to apply a waterproofing membrane to surfaces. Consequently, sufficient space had to be left between the cofferdam and raft to allow workers to apply the membrane. This design is particularly relevant to the Middle East, where protection of the rafts from corrosive seawater is important.

Caisson choices The use of caisson foundations is more suited to marine

environments. Construction can take place in the controlled environment of a dry dock, prior to being lowered into its final location in the sea. While the caisson is being built, the seabed is prepared to accommodate it through the excavation of rock to establish a strong flat surface, or by improvement of the seabed by placing steel inclusions and/or laying gravel layers.

On Greece’s Rion-Antirion bridge, the pylon bases rest on the seabed, 60m below sea level.

The seabed is highly susceptible to liquefaction from earthquakes, so 30m-long steel inclusions have been driven into it and overlaid

Comment

time to cure For bridge foundations and other structural elements, it’s important to remember that concrete needs time to cure and develop strength.

with gravel. The pylon bases are not attached to the inclusions but are able to move over them in the event of an earthquake, providing vertical support in a temporary condition.

Concrete thoughts For bridge foundations and other structural elements, it’s important to remember that concrete needs time to cure and develop strength. Even with advances in technology and the latest high-strength concrete, the effects of thermal reactions and shrinkage make it impossible to cast in-situ quickly. So modern long-span

bridges should maximise the use of precast concrete sections while minimising the use of large-scale falsework systems.

One of the first practical considerations when planning a new bridge construction should be identifying a suitable location for the precast concrete yard. Most precasting is for deck sections, but often a significant portion of the substructure may be formed from precast units. Marine pile caps are often formed from precast shells, which are then placed by a floating crane and infilled with poured concrete later. This can save

significant time and money, as it removes the need to assemble large formwork systems.

In the Middle East, the use of precast concrete is often discounted because local labour is relatively affordable and there is a perception that it is not as durable. However, on long-span bridges, the work schedules for tower cranes are a much more important factor than labour costs. Having cranes place precast sections is faster and more efficient than having those same cranes cycling buckets of concrete from the batching plant to the falsework.

As for durability, as long as

“The effects of thermal reactions and shrinkage make it impossible to cast insitu quickly.

So modern long-span bridges should maximise the use of precast concrete sections while minimising the use of largescale falsework systems”

due care and attention is given to construction joints, there is no reason precast sections should be any less durable than concrete cast in-situ. In fact, with a controlled workshop environment to develop precast sections, the quality should actually improve.

Discussions around concrete are hugely significant, as there are implications not only for the foundations and pylons, but for the deck sections too. In the next instalment, we’ll look at this aspect in more detail and discuss further design considerations around long-span bridges in the Middle East.

May 2017 37

Technology

Reality Modelling foR Utility infRastRUctURe

Aidan Mercer of Bentley Systems writes an exclusive white paper for Big Project ME, outlining how reality modelling combines software, photography and technology to create a comprehensive picture for utility infrastructure development

Reality modelling as it applies to electric and gas utility infrastructure has, until recently, largely depended upon LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology that includes mapping, geospatial and site analysis and the design, operation and maintenance of critical assets such as substations, networks and transmission towers and lines.

Now, software is coming to the fore that transforms photographs into detailed, comprehensive 3D models of all that infrastructure data – and does it in a less labour-intensive, cheaper and more efficient manner.

Photography for timeless asset control

Using high-fidelity 3D imaging software, real-world imagery from existing on-the-ground conditions can be turned into precise 3D reality models with highly impressive detail from standard digital photographs. It’s

40 May 2017

a technology breakthrough that makes it possible to automate the production of models much faster than before, and it can easily be used within CAD, BIM and GIS workflows and published to the web without using a lot of expensive hardware.

What’s more, the versatility of the software accommodates a broad spectrum of cameras, from smartphones and tablets to highly specialised airborne or terrestrial multi-directional acquisition systems, and any desired image format. Because so many people have access to and are experienced with using cameras, the potential pool of people who can participate in the reality capture process can be greatly expanded, making reality capture ubiquitous.

While laser scanning techniques are still attractive because they’re versatile and very accurate, they’re also very costly and time-

consuming to use and can only be operated by experts. Reality modelling allows any user the opportunity to take pictures of the infrastructure landscape with a digital camera, whether it’s handheld or mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle – i.e., a drone. From there, the imagery goes through photogrammetric processing to create a 3D mesh, with high-quality texture mapping, that’s as accurate and realistic as the original photo.

The most exciting implication of this process is that the scalable 3D model – portraying anything from small objects to broad-scale infrastructure networks – can be enhanced with more images and revised data. This allows utility personnel to survey the asset throughout its lifecycle, from initial design to current conditions, and apply that changing data to maintain upto-date data on the equipment’s

condition along the way.

It expands the scope of project management beyond controlling the asset on the basis of what it was in the past or what it may be in the future, to what it is right now. Continuously up-to-date reality becomes the context within which electric and gas utilities can design, build and operate infrastructure projects.

Aside from requiring no specialised skills or training to operate, the technology produces a form that geometrically resembles an engineering model, which provides a real-world context for infrastructure designers, builders and operators. Laser scanning was previously the requisite technology for engineering workflows, but that’s no longer the exclusive case.

Tools with multiple mapping properties

The new tools rolled out along the

Technology

Value along the chain The latest reality modelling solutions provide benefits all along the utility infrastructure value chain.

IT continuum depict sharper, more multi-faceted 3D pictures of critical points within the infrastructure network. These provide the backbone of information throughout the lifecycle and then turn these 3D digital engineering models into valuable assets.

Advanced point-cloud data processing enables the extraction of geometric features from point clouds, such as break, paint and cylinder centre lines, surfaces, planes and cylinders. Pointcloud visualisation software is available and uses many different shading options that make it easier to interpret visual imagery.

Layer-based editing and data segmentation properties let you manipulate the point cloud to show isolated parts of it or the big picture, and processing functionality can maximise point-cloud density and clarity.

It’s now also possible to

“The new tools that have been rolled out along the IT continuum also are depicting sharper, more multifaceted 3D pictures of any critical points within the infrastructure network”

produce and display very large digital terrain models that show the terrain from multiple perspectives. The view might emphasise elevation, slope, aspect angle, contours or even shadows.

You can even make high-quality movies or animations of a given infrastructure site with the help of intuitive, time-based, fly-through and animation capabilities.

Design and maintenance for system integrity and protection

The latest reality modelling solutions provide benefits all along the utility infrastructure value chain. Intelligent design applied to physical and electrical components of the substation is cutting down on design time and errors that would have to be corrected during the construction phase. The ability to visualise a substation in 3D improves design accuracy and makes it possible to

spot potential safety risks early on (e.g., physical clearance issues).

The design scope is immense, encompassing everything from single-line diagrams to minutely detailed 3D general layouts.

Some of the substation elements these 3D tools can design include grounding grid and lightning protection, wiring diagrams, schematics and panel layouts.

Reality capture functionality can facilitate picking the best site, gauging subsurface soil condition impacts and even estimating cost for earth moving operations.

Support reactions gleaned from structural analysis models can be used to design foundations, while substation structures can be designed to meet code requirements and handle static and dynamic loads. On the most macro level, it’s possible to design the entire site, including the substation pad, drainage and access roads.

May 2017 41

Technology

To get the infrastructure design process rolling, reality modelling can build a base model of the project site by creating and pulling together aerial imagery, design terrain models, land use maps and transportation layouts.

The infrastructure can be laid out and engineered in a common data environment to make project coordination simpler and more effective. What’s even more powerful is the ability to re-survey a site or set of assets – continuously. This has enabled a temporal series of management and monitoring opportunities previously not seen on this scale.

Where utility corridors can go and how well and how long they can operate depends in no small part on accurate assessment of the presence and impact of surrounding elements. Reality modelling applications can acquire and analyse field data on vegetation (e.g., encroachment on corridor routes), terrain and existing infrastructure and evaluate the relationship among those factors. They can draw up horizontal and vertical geometries to meet corridor design needs.

Performance management

Powers of prediction The advanced software now available can monitor and consistently predict what is happening, and what will happen, to equipment, pumps, piping systems and other associated infrastructure.

42 May 2017

solutions that reveal past and present real-world behaviour lend important support to the maintenance of safe and reliable infrastructure operations. By capturing and analysing historical and real-time asset data in this way, utilities can develop the most optimal and dependable maintenance and inspection plans, minimise operating risks and unplanned downtime, and increase efficiency.

The advanced software now

available proactively monitors and more consistently predicts what’s happening now, and what will happen, to equipment, pumps, piping systems and other associated infrastructure.

The realised goal of these new modelling capabilities is comprehensive system protection that maintains the mechanical integrity of static piping and pressurised vessels, minimises deterioration-based containment loss, controls

corrosion, analyses root causes of potential failures and subsequently takes preventive measures, and preserves structural integrity.

Multiple incentives for reality capture technologies

These emerging technologies will likely be in continuous use in the coming years, in as much as a confluence of factors – aging infrastructure, the growing popularity of natural gas for electricity generation, a lack of distribution networks in emerging markets and the need for more distribution efficiency, energy security and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – are fuelling a booming investment in gas utilities infrastructure development. Because of these drivers, capital expenditures in global gas infrastructure were expected to top $41 billion in 2015.

On the electric side, transmission network needs and growth opportunities are expected to build a transmission investment of $120-160 billion in the decade ending in 2025. Much of the more immediate spending is going toward new construction or expansion – between 43-

Technology

“The advanced software offerings now available proactively monitor and more consistently predict what’s happening now, and what will happen, to equipment, pumps, piping systems and other associated infrastructure” 48% in the 2014-2017 period, roughly twice the percentage investment in the next largest category, advanced technologies.

The need to replace and upgrade aging transmission assets is the main reason for the expenditure – which isn’t surprising, since most of the existing grid was built 30-50 years ago. There’s also the growth of smart grid infrastructure to consider, as spending on increased grid automation and demand response in this area reached $70 billion annually in 2014.

Photography and LiDAR: comparing and combining

The rising popularity of advanced photogrammetry notwithstanding, LiDAR still has its place, and may remain in use thanks to its millimetre-scale measurement precision. This kind of scanning is ideal for high-accuracy depictions of small to medium-scale assets, though it becomes unwieldy for comparing and combining LiDAR and photography can actually complement each other at times, in an integrated technology approach.

44 May 2017

very large-scale assets. In general, lasers have been preferred to photos for such high-definition scanning, and unlike photography, they can capture ground targets visually obscured by other objects.

While the global LiDAR market has been projected to grow annually by more than 15% from 2013 to 2018, and to reach $551.3 million in 2018, corridor mapping, particularly for transmission lines, is the LiDAR application expected to show the highest annual growth rates during that period.

Photogrammetric 3D reconstruction, however, can be used on any scale asset, is much less labour-intensive for data acquisition and delivers more visually understandable photo-realism than laser scanning (making it preferable for visualisation). It also shows textures more sharply and clearly, can map all types of ground features accurately, including structures, and can capture

break points and mass lines.

Unlike lasers, technology improvements tend to be softwarebased and don’t require physical equipment upgrades. Beyond that, photogrammetry produces a point cloud considerably faster than a laser. Photogrammetry can also produce orthophotos – aerial photos corrected to provide accurate measurement of features and distances – and give an absolutely true picture of water flows, which is problematic for lasers.

On the most mundane level – cost – photogrammetry fits more comfortably into tight project budgets, given the huge amount of detail contained in LiDAR datasets.

Photo-based modelling really saves money in the preliminary planning and design phase, where its efficiency can greatly accelerate the workflow and even lower construction costs. In short, photography for reality modelling now creates economies of scale

through the speed and ease of site data capture and the automation of the modelling process.

Maybe even more importantly, the reality models produced from photogrammetric reconstruction are so much lighter and more portable than point clouds that they can be much more easily shared and accessed throughout the extended enterprise, even using a simple web browser. This enhanced accessibility presents the opportunity for more stakeholders throughout the enterprise to leverage this valuable information to make better decisions, whether in the office, on-site or in the field.

The larger point however, is that both LiDAR and 3D photogrammetry are in the palette of 3D reality capture technologies whose adoption by the utility infrastructure industry is accelerating. That’s partly because the private sector’s assumption of a growing share of construction and utility infrastructure investment has put a premium on productivity increases that can boost ROI – and that, in turn, translates into greater investments in technologies that model what’s actually happening throughout the AEC journey.

Actually, the way forward may see LiDAR and photography complement one another at times in an integrated technology approach. In recent years, many mobile mapping solutions have been linking up LiDAR scanners with multi-camera systems to simultaneously obtain calibrated image and point cloud data and maintain excellent quality and accuracy.

Comment

Mohammed Adnane Retmi

Creating a Smart CitieS environment Mohammed Adnane Retmi, regional head of Orange Applications for Business – IMEAR Region, outlines the challenges facing the development of GCC smart cities A key challenge for cities in the Middle East is to provide citizens with digital services to simplify their day-to-day lives and enhance their economic and tourism attractiveness.

At the heart of this challenge are networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), data and digital applications.

The Middle East, and especially the ambitious, largescale smart city programmes in the GCC – with a focus on Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar – offer unique and attractive greenfield opportunities, making smart city projects a strategic priority for Orange Business Services.

Three fundamental challenges 46 May 2017

face city planners aiming to create smart cities, solutions and services. First, what exactly do we mean by ‘smart city’? This term is commonly used but inconsistently understood. For example, a smart city is not an end product or a simple/single project but an evolving long-term programme, so organising, leading and managing an undertaking of this scale is also a major people management challenge.

Second, a clear and shared vision of the objective of a smart city project or programme is essential.

The third challenge is financing, and there are numerous models in use. Even for the

oil-rich states of the GCC, the significant budget requirements may mean collaboration with the private sector is a necessity.

Smart cities are built on the foundations of the digital network, which injects intelligence into the city infrastructure.

Software, connectivity, sensors, cloud solutions and the IoT enable a wide range of infrastructure elements to share real-time data together and also with management systems. These new major infrastructure projects demand advanced ICT technologies, services and consulting.

The role of the CIO is crucial to define. As the enabling

technology leader, and with technology moving so fast, it is vital to consider futureproofing the smart city project.

Smart city developers need support in defining the smart city from vision to operation, while ensuring a well integrated technology solution in a multiplevendor environment, including city municipality, real estate developers, architects, project managers, surveyors, main and subcontractors, as well as telecoms operators and integrators.

Coordination between the various stakeholders on smart city projects is vital. City planners need a partner to help in assessing, designing, building and running

Comment

all about digitisation A smart city is all about digitisation, with digital networks the foundation on which a smart city is built.

“Coordination on smart city projects is vital. City planners need a partner to help in assessing, designing, building and running smart cities”

smart cities, and to play the role of master systems integrator in these very complex smart city ecosystems. Ultimately, a smart city is all about digitisation – the digital network is the foundation on which the smart city is built.

This ‘digital partnership’ between project owner, telecoms operator and digital services companies is critical to success and must be in place at the outset. This is especially critical in the Middle East, where projects are simply much bigger and all-encompassing than in other regions.

One example is Orange Business Services’ work with MEEZA, the prime contractor

on the GCC’s biggest smart city project in Doha, Qatar, providing consulting, design and integration expertise. Msheireb district is one of the only fully integrated smart districts in the world, with more than 500,000 embedded sensors bolstered by a set of advanced applications.

Msheireb Downtown Doha is a regeneration project at the heart of the traditional centre of Doha that will comprise a mix of residential, commercial offices, retail outlets and hotels.

Stretching over 800,000sqm, the district will be completed in six phases through 2018.

The district’s Smart City Central Command Centre will

control the smart operation of buildings and services, including security cameras, building access control, fire alarms, street lighting, automated waste collection, car parks and public announcements. A range of new smart applications has been developed, including apps for community services, wayfinding and online payments.

Other services include smart energy management, such as smart metering, business intelligence and data analytics, a central service desk management solution and indoor geolocation infrastructure.

The full scope of the project also covers the ICT infrastructure for the district, including the network, management of two data centres, provision of IP telephony and management of desktops in the smart ecosystem.

In Saudi Arabia, we are working with Al Ra’idah Investment Company to develop the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), the largest of four smart cities the country is building with an investment of $70 billion. This new city will create a smart city experience, covering mass transit and energy supply and management, as well as other services.

Dubai Smart City is arguably the most ambitious development in the region, and the master plan features 100 smart city projects covering urban planning, transport, communications, electricity and infrastructure.

Critically, people are at the heart of the programme, with the aim of creating a happy urban community.

This unique regional smart city environment is creating a unique transfer of experience, expertise and talent, which could ultimately be exported globally – another great by-product of the smart city programmes in the region.

May 2017 47

Event Review

48 May 2017

Event Review

Smart InfraStructure SummIt

Big Project ME recaps the first-ever Smart Infrastructure Summit, held on April 26, 2017 at the Habtoor Grand Hotel in Jumeirah Beach Residences Habtoor Grand Hotel hosted the Smart Infrastructure Summit on April 26, 2017, welcoming more than 150 guests to an all-day event focused on how smart technology can help revolutionise the growth and development of cities in the GCC region.

With panel discussions and presentations covering topics as diverse as transportation networks, building design and planning, through to energy and critical power and water management, the summit was a day of debate, discussion and education for delegates.

The event was chaired by Sougata Nandi, founder and CEO of 3E Advisory, a boutique sustainability advisory firm that specialises in using the Internet of Things to help clients increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in their real estate assets.

Starting at 9:15am, the Smart Infrastructure Summit began with Nandi’s keynote address, during which he outlined how smart technologies can be married with sustainability objectives and goals for buildings and projects. He also highlighted how the UAE government is driving sustainability, innovation and smart infrastructure through its National Visions and Plans, which in turn give companies and organisations a pathway to follow.

Getting the summit underway, Nandi added that the concept of ‘smart’ can be boiled down to a simple mnemonic: S for Sustainable (economic, environmental or social), M for Monitored, Maintained and Managed, A for Assessed and Accountable, R for Ranked (benchmarked) and T for Targeted (goal-oriented).

He urged the audience to

keep this simple formula in mind when it came to developing and building smart cities and networks, as it allows end users to benefit from the technology and processes being used.

Following Sougata Nandi on stage was Labib Matta, chief business officer of NXN (formerly Nexgen), talking about the future of smart cities in the region and the challenges facing them as we move forwards. One of his key topics was addressing the “smart living challenge”. He explained how smart technologies can be used to improve public safety and security at a time when dense and fast-growing urban development means the general public faces more and more hazards.

He also focused on how smart living can improve the quality of life in homes and buildings, along with the operational management and tenant experience.

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May 2017 49

Event Review

“Smart living considers key aspects that substantially improve the quality of life of citizens, such as cultural facilities, health conditions, individual safety, housing quality, education facilities, touristic attractiveness and social cohesion,” he explained.

The first panel discussion of the day then followed, with Michael Peeters, MEA vice president and Business Technology Services director for MCS, the moderator for the three-person panel. This consisted of Eng Mushin Al Braiki, head of Abu Dhabi Islands Infrastructure Development Group; Nader Al-Zoubi, vice president of Energy for the Gulf, Schneider Electric; and Eng Doreb Ebrahim, technical advisor 50 May 2017

to the chairman for Sharjah Water and Electric Authority.

Focusing on smart technology for sustainability and cost minimisation, this high-powered panel discussed how technology can help utility providers enhance efficiency and reduce costs, while also looking at how smart buildings play an important role in the development of both smart cities and smart infrastructure.

The second presentation of the day was held by Steven Lambert, COO and partner at MCS, whose presentation to delegates about how smart buildings can help manage the supply and demand for energy was very warmly received.

Looking at market trends in energy, Lambert pinpointed three key factors: that everything

should be “smart and connected”; that people want solutions to be as green as possible; and that the market wants lower consumption to be a goal.

“Understanding demand and consumption patterns through smart buildings will help utility providers manage their power grids,” he added during his talk.

The day’s second panel was moderated by Mohammed Tanbouz, executive director of Operations for LACASA. Focused on designing building and mixed-use developments that use smart technology to maximise asset value, the panel consisted of Michael Peeters from MCS; Dr Pablo Izquierdo, PMO director from Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence; Andreas Kolb, GM of Smart4Power

ALEC; Melvyn Ford, vice president – Middle East for Hill International; and Manosh De, Urban Planning, Intelligent Systems Practice lead for CH2M. The consensus of the panel was that although smart technology is certainly beneficial, it doesn’t replace common sense and the wealth of experience built up by humanity over hundreds of years.

“Despite rapidly growing technology, we need to keep construction and development simple,” said Dr Pablo Izquierdo.

“We lack that in this region currently. We try to go for the latest of the latest. That increases cost, sometimes on tech that hasn’t been tested.

We’re installing equipment that’ll save 10% energy, but

Event Review

simply switching off the AC at night can do more. We need to start simple and move up.”

Following an energetic discussion, this panel discussion was followed by an hour-long networking lunch break for the delegates, which then led to the afternoon session of the summit.

The third panel of the day was led by Akin Adamson, regional director of Transport Research Laboratory. He was joined by Anas Kassem, director of Transport and Infrastructure Programme and Project management for WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; Nabeel Khan, Transport Planning Practice lead for CH2M; and Andy Noorigian, manager of Business Intelligence for Hyperloop One. While discussing the variety

“Despite rapidly growing technology, we need to keep construction and development simple. We lack that in this region currently.

We need to start simple”

of initiatives and plans being put forward in the UAE, the panel was quick to praise Dubai’s RTA for its “incredible innovation and forward thinking”. One of the key points to emerge from the discussion was that cities and governments need to “think of the need first, rather than the technology”, while another important point raised was that building and designing transport infrastructure projects with future use in mind is ultimately more cost-effective than having to retrofit or rebuild once capacity is reached.

In the wake of this panel, Noorigian gave delegates a taste of what is to come with the Hyperloop, showcasing the technology and highlighting its likely impact on the region,

for a variety of purposes.

The last two panels of the day were next on the agenda, with Chris Venemore, civil infrastructure director of AECOM, being joined by Raeda Al Sarayreh, regional director and UAE country manager for CH2M; Wafa Al Sabbagh, Public Works expert for the Ministry of Infrastructure; Nour Kassassir, MEA vice president and Business Technology Services director for Parsons; and Wajdi Abdilrahman Mereb, chief BIM specialist for the RTA. Here, the discussion focused on the need to make things simple for all stakeholders, with Wafa Al Sabbagh highlighting how smart tech is being used to streamline operations for government bodies.

The fifth and final panel May 2017 51

Event Review

“If we can close the gap between big data and people, it’ll pave the way forward for modern, smart infrastructure. The availability of big data creates more awareness and makes sustainability adoption easier” of the day was led by Yousef Khalili, senior partner and head of Smart City practice at NXN (formerly neXgen). Joining him on this panel was Dr Prashanth Marpu, assistant professor – Water, Environmental Engineering programme, Masdar Institute; Chris Venemore of AECOM; Mohamed Elimam, sustainability officer from Dubai Carbon; and Mohammed Al Madhani, CIO of Nabtaker.

52 May 2017

In this final panel, talk turned to how data analysis can help predict trends, reactions and needs. “If we can close the gap between big data and people, it’ll pave the way forward for modern, smart infrastructure,” said Mohamed Elimam during the discussion.

Referring to the National GHG conducted by Dubai Carbon, Elimam said that while collecting data was a challenge, having

infrastructure centred around big data collection will help tremendously in the long term.

“The availability of data creates more awareness and makes sustainability adoption easier.”

Finally, the event was brought to a close by Mohammed Al Madhani of Nabtaker, who presented the summit’s final talk: Big Data for Big Business.

“Everyone can make use of big data. It should not be

limited to only some people in a company,” he said during his presentation, where he highlighted the business impact of Data Science across industries. He further differentiated between Business Intelligence and Data Science, showing how the latter can help companies acquire, prepare, analyse and act ahead of the competition, a perfect note on which to end the summit.

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How to access tHe fastest growing market in tHe gulf

Project Qatar 2017 will showcase the best of Qatar’s construction industry Highest forecast growth rate The IMF predicts that Qatar will reach an annual growth rate of 3.4%, the highest forecast growth in the GCC region.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expecting Qatar to reach an annual growth rate of 3.4%, the highest forecast growth in the GCC region. Moreover, Qatar’s budget for 2017 has earmarked $26 billion for major projects in key sectors: transportation and infrastructure alone have been allocated $12 billion, representing 21.2% of the total budgeted expenditure.

Qatar’s construction industry is further fuelled by the 2022 World Cup and the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030). The country’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy is well underway and is expected to gather pace as Qatar moves toward diversifying its economy, achieving sustainable development and providing high standards of living for its population through 54 May 2017

its National Vision 2030.

Project Qatar: the country’s unique construction arena Project Qatar is the optimal business platform to access Qatar’s solid construction industry. Welcoming national governmental entities as well as regional and international decision-makers, Project Qatar 2017 is the unique gateway to construction opportunities in Qatar. Now in its 14th edition, the exhibition is a peerless platform for establishing regional and international construction networks. In 2016, the exhibition gathered more than 440 regional and international exhibitors – representing more than 1,050 companies from 38 countries – across 32,000sqm of exhibition space. The four-day business

platform included 17 national pavilions and was supported by 18 international official bodies.

“Based on our experience in Project Qatar, we find this event to be very well organised. It allows us to meet with business professionals and it keeps our companies in touch with the evolution of the market,” said Mounif Kilani, economic and commercial counsellor at the Belgian Embassy in Qatar. “We are provided with all sorts of useful information about the upcoming projects in Qatar, the market trends, what are the main activities that are now the focus in the construction field.”

This year’s edition of Project Qatar will be held concurrently with Heavy Max 2017, the 14th International Exhibition

for Heavy Machinery; Qatar Stone Tech 2017, the Sixth International Stone and Stone Technology Show; Hospital Build; Qatar Sports Infrastructure; and Qatar Transport and Logistics. The exhibition also includes a free B2B Matchmaking service, specialised conferences and workshops, and construction site tours.

Held at the Doha Exhibition & Convention Centre (DECC), a state-of-the-art venue at the heart of the Qatari capital, Project Qatar is your opportunity to generate valuable local and regional sales, and to position yourself at the forefront of the Qatari construction industry.

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Event Review

ContraCtors on Course

The Big Project ME Contractors’ Cup 2017 held at Emirates Golf Club was a resounding success April 5, 2017 saw Big Project Middle East host more than 70 golfers from contracting firms across the region for the latest edition of the Big Project ME Contractors’ Cup. Held at Emirates Golf Club, the day-long tournament brought together construction executives and professionals from all facets of the industry for an 18-hole round of golf, filled with on-course competitions and chances to network in a relaxed environment.

Targeted at senior executives and decisionmakers from the region’s most prominent contractors, this year’s attendees included representatives from ALEC, Arco Contracting, Khansaheb and AESG, among many others.

“As usual, it was such a great event. We really enjoyed it, and had a great time. I’m looking forward to joining in at the next golf event,” said Ahmad Fakhreddine of Arco Contracting.

“As usual a fantastic day, and I’m looking forward to the next event. I met a couple of nice people and new contacts, and for sure that’s the idea. I’m looking forward to the Consultants’

Cup,” said David Maltman of Menard, while Gary Williams of AESG chimed in: “It was a lovely day and a great crowd, looking forward to the next one already!”

“Absolutely the best day’s golf I have had out here since time began, thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. A well-organised event, great day of catch-up, network and round of golf,” Matthew Neno of OFIS added.

Raz Islam, publishing director of CPI Trade, told Big Project ME that he was delighted with the turnout on the day.

He thanked the sponsors and participants for making the event such a huge success.

“A special thank you is due to our sponsors Electric Mirror, Hill International, Intertek, Genavco/ Isuzu D-Max, Stretch Ceilings and TrueLux Group. I would also like to thank our competition sponsors – CCS for the Longest Drive, and METSEC for the Nearest to the Pin competition.”

He added that appreciation and thanks were also due to the prize sponsors for the 2017 Contractors’ Cup – Le Classique Restaurant, Qasr Al Sultan and The Meat Company.

Thanks to all our sponsors

G r o u p

56 May 2017

Event Review

May 2017 57

Event Review

CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to the winners of the Big Project ME Contractors’ Cup 2017: 1st place Nik Hewitt, Oliver Dawson, Leonard Holbrook and Sam Preston 2nd place Brendan Carbery, Duncan Quick, Andy Raj and Mark Thornton 3rd place Shabir Yakub, Mark Gardner, Tony Stroud and Akeel Perera nearest to the pin Brendon Carbery Longest drive winner Sonny Bains The winners of the Sponsors’ Competitions were: Genavco – Watch Prize Draw: Matthew Neno and Sam Preston stretch Ceiling – Hit the Bullseye range Contest: Matthew Neno, Tim Christopher, Jason Griffin and Chris McCann truelux Group – straightest Drive Competition: Andy Raj electric Mirror – nearest to the Pin in two: Faizeen Bhyat

58 May 2017

The Big Project Me Awards has become an important annual event to attend. Over the years, we have witnessed the efforts from the organiser to promote the best projects in the region and recognise the efforts and achievements of the contractors. I wish that the event will become even more successful!

YU TAO

PRESIDENT & CEO

CHINA STATE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CORPORATION (MIDDLE EAST) (L.L.C.)

27 November 2017 19:00 - 23:00 Habtoor Grand Dubai Al Andalus Ballroom United Arab Emirates bigprojectmeawards.com

Tenders

Top tenders Mixed-Use developMent project – Mecca (phase 2)

Mixed-use Developments

period 2020 status New Tender tender categories Construction & Contracting, Airport tender products Airports Development & Management

Budget $2,000,000,000 project number MPP3112-SA territory Riyadh, Saudi Arabia client Maad International Company phone (+966-12) 5667005/ 5384505 Fax (+966-12) 5667004 email info@maad.com.sa description Development of a mixed-use scheme comprising 4 hospitality towers status New Tender tender categories Construction & Contracting, Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment tender products Hotel Construction,

al-QassiM doMestic airport redevelopMent project

BUilding Materials coMplex project – Upper egypt

Budget $400,000,000 project number MPP3107-SA territory Jeddah 21165, Saudi Arabia client General Authority of Civil Aviation – GACA (Saudi Arabia) phone (+966-12) 640 5000 Ext: 2337 / 3368 Fax (+966-12) 640 1477 / 3876 email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa Website www.gaca.gov.sa description Develop, finance, build and operate an airport under a publicprivate partnership (PPP) scheme

Budget $332,000,000 project number MPR1539-E territory Cairo, Egypt client Egyptian Cement Company phone (+20-11) 1000 7733 email info@cementegypt.com Website www.cementegypt.com description Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a major building materials complex, including a clinker production line period 2018

status Current Project tender categories Construction & Contracting, Industrial Projects tender products Building Material Plants, Cement Plants

vida residences project – dUBai Marina Budget $100,000,000 project number WPR1767-U territory Dubai, United Arab Emirates client Emaar Properties PJSC (Dubai) phone (+971-4) 367 3333 Fax (+971-4) 367 3000 email customercare@emaar.ae Website www.emaar.com description Construction of 360 residences comprising one- to four-bedroom apartments period 2020 status New Tender tender categories Prestige Buildings tender products High-rise Towers, Residential Buildings

capital vieWs toWer project Budget $100,000,000 project number WPR1769-U territory Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates client Sino Gulf Real Estate Investments LLC (Abu Dhabi) phone (+971-2) 495 5000 Fax (+971-2) 495 5100 email info@sinogulf.com Website www.sinogulf.com description Construction of a commercial and residential tower period 2019 status Current Project tender categories Prestige Buildings tender products Commercial Buildings, Residential Buildings

INTEGRATED ESTIMATING, PROJECT CONTROL AND ERP SOLUTION FOR CONTRACTORS www.ccsgulf.com | Tel: +971 4 346 6456 | info@ccsgulf.com

60 May 2017

Tenders

Middle East tenders UAE seaFood ManUFactUring, processing & cold storage Facility project project number WPR1744-U territory Dubai, United Arab Emirates client Alliance Food Company LLC (Dubai) phone (+971-4) 277 6397 Fax (+971-4) 277 6402 email info@asmak.ae Website www.asmak.biz description Construction of a new seafood manufacturing, processing and cold storage facility status New Tender tender categories Industrial & Special Projects tender products Food Processing Plants, Storage

tender products Retail Developments

tender categories Hotels, Prestige Buildings tender products Hotel Construction

Qatar hotel apartMents BUilding project – WaterFront district

green line extension project (phase 1a) – doha Metro

Budget $25,000,000 project number WPR1749-Q territory Doha, Qatar client Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance Company SAQ phone (+974) 4428 2222 / 4470 3000 Fax (+974) 4443 7302 email qgirc-tec@qatar.net.qa Website www.qgirco.com description Construction of a hotel apartments building comprising a ground floor plus 32 floors period 2019 status New Tender

project number MPP2597-Q territory Doha, Qatar client Qatar Railways Company (QRC) Fax (+974) 4497 4333 email info@qr.com.qa Website www.qr.com.qa description Extension of an existing Metro line involving about 10km of tunnel and 10km of above-ground track status New Tender tender categories Public Transportation Projects tender products Metro, Railways

Oman al MUzn corporation hotel project project number WPR1734-O territory Muscat, Oman client Muzn Oman Commercial LLC (Oman) email info@muznoman.com Website www.muznoman.com description Construction of a 3-star hotel comprising 132 guestrooms, including multiple facilities such as a shopping mall and a luxury wellness centre period 2018 status Current Project tender categories Construction & Contracting, Hotels, Leisure & Entertainment tender products Hotel Construction, Retail Developments

ajMan city stars Mall project project number WPR1759-U territory Ajman, United Arab Emirates client Real Estate Investment Establishment (Ajman) phone (+971-6) 747 422 Fax (+971-6) 744 6673 email info@ajman-reie.com Website www.ajman-reie.com description Construction of a new shopping mall comprising a ground floor and two additional floors period 2019 status New Tender tender categories Construction & Contracting, Leisure & Entertainment

INTEGRATED ESTIMATING, PROJECT CONTROL AND ERP SOLUTION FOR CONTRACTORS www.ccsgulf.com | Tel: +971 4 346 6456 | info@ccsgulf.com

62 May 2017

Tenders

period 2018 status Current Project tender categories Construction & Contracting, Medical & Healthcare tender products Hospital Construction

Bahrain al tijaria toWer project

integrated FUel station cUM rest area project Budget $7,690,000 project number WPR1741-O territory Muscat, Oman client Ministry of Housing, Electricity & Water – MHEW (Oman) phone (+968) 2469 3333 / 2469 1318 / 2460 1276 Fax (+968) 2469 9185 email dept.infopr@housing.gov.om Website www.housing.gov.om description Construction of an integrated fuel station cum rest area, spread on an area of 29,000sqm. period 2018 status Current Project tender categories Construction & Contracting, Hotels tender products Commercial Buildings, Hotel Construction, Retail Developments

Saudi Arabia jeddah park sUBstation constrUction project – al aziziyah Budget $27,000,000 project number WPR1768-SA territory Jeddah 21411, Saudi Arabia client Saleh Serafi Corporation (Saudi Arabia)

phone (+966-12) 284 5001 email info@abnia.com Website www.abnia.com description Construction of a 110/130.8kV substation period: 2018 status Current Project tender categories Power & Alternative Energy tender products Substations Construction

prince aBdUl Mohsin Bin aBdUlaziz international airport project – yanBU Budget $100,000,000 project number WPR1699-SA territory Jeddah 21165, Saudi Arabia client General Authority of Civil Aviation – GACA (Saudi Arabia) phone (+966-12) 640 5000 Ext. 2337 / 3368 Fax (+966-12) 640 1477 / 3876 email gaca-info@gaca.gov.sa Website www.gaca.gov.sa description Construction of a new international airport period 2020 status Current Project tender categories Airport, Construction & Contracting tender products Airports Development & Management

Kuwait al salaM hospital al ahMadi project project number WPR1655-K territory Dasman 35151, Kuwait client Al Salam International Hospital (Kuwait) phone (+965) 183 0003 Fax (+965) 2254 0167 email hr@sih-kw.com Website www.sih-kw.com description Construction of a new hospital comprising 120 beds providing inpatient and outpatient services, covering most of the diagnostic and medical treatment divisions

Budget $42,000,000 project number WPR1761-B territory Safat 24031, Bahrain client Commercial Real Estate Company (Kuwait) phone (+965) 637 7055 Fax (+965) 242 6848 email crc@altijaria.com Website www.altijaria.com description Construction of a 50-storey residential tower with a total of 351 sea-view apartments, comprising studios, one-, twoand three-bedroom units period 2018 status Current Project tender categories Construction & Contracting, Prestige Buildings tender products High-rise Towers, Residential Buildings

INTEGRATED ESTIMATING, PROJECT CONTROL AND ERP SOLUTION FOR CONTRACTORS www.ccsgulf.com | Tel: +971 4 346 6456 | info@ccsgulf.com

May 2017 63

Last Word

Autonomous flying drone taxis and Dubai’s architectural design Muhammad Obaid, founder of EMKAAN Architectural and Engineering Consultancy, outlines the impact of self-driving flying drone taxis on Dubai’s architectural landscape Earlier this year, the Roads and Transport Authority announced that it would be launching the world’s first ever self-driving flying drone taxis in Dubai during the summer of 2017.

These autonomous aerial vehicles will work according to pre-set destinations, with passengers only required to choose their intended destination before the automated system takes over.

Developed in collaboration with China’s Ehang, the autonomous aerial vehicles (AAV) are part of the RTA’s attempts to provide self-driving transport solutions to the citizens of Dubai. This project will also look to enhance the integration between public transport modes and “people happiness” through providing smooth operation and quick and innovative mobility, the authority adds.

However, the introduction of these AAVs

64 May 2017

could have repercussions beyond the transport sector, with Muhammad Obaid, founder of Dubai’s EMKAAN Architectural and Engineering Consultancy, telling Big Project ME that these futuristic vehicles could open up incredible potential in the construction and design space, while also affecting design considerations.

“It is a futuristic project – you’re talking about building a city with a completely new design, rather than the usual city,” he says. “It is a challenge, and nowhere else can you dream about it except Dubai. The government of Dubai has both an open mind and the capabilities to accommodate such a new, futuristic transportation facility.”

“These sleek and compact futuristic vehicles open up incredible potential in the construction and design

space. They will affect design considerations in the following ways: Building design:

• Designers will now consider having two entrances: one on the roof for autonomous drone passengers and one on the ground for pedestrians.

• Parking spaces currently on the ground, in basements and in multi-storey buildings will be replaced by parking lots on roofs, dedicated to drones.

Most likely, ground parking spaces will be replaced by landscaping.

The urban community:

• The current width of roads (15m), designed for cars, will become smaller to prioritise the needs of humans, focusing on microclimates and child safety.

• Narrowing the streets not only enables more shaded areas, but also

reduces the effect of heat islands. Open squares could be designed at intervals to allow heat islands to be generated within them, creating movement and cool breezes, and changing the microclimate of current cities. A walk in the historic areas of Dubai is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

• As a consequence, community centres such as shopping malls could be outside, bringing life back to the street.

The city and infrastructure:

• Location: At present, cities are located where they connect to existing roads. As roads become obsolete for certain transport activities, cities can then be built anywhere. The investment made in connecting these cities to the primary road network can now be

put into agriculture.

• Topography: Construction is no longer limited to building on flat land, as builders can now reach higher environments more easily, such as mountainous areas.

• Although the use of drones will not make the use of roads completely obsolete, especially for heavy vehicles, it will certainly reduce the traffic on highways, making them last longer and reducing maintenance requirements.

Autonomous drone taxis are a progressive and forward-thinking transportation solution, exceeding the limits of imagination. Such a development is a perfect example of the UAE Government’s 2021 Vision of building an economy based on knowledge and innovation.