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January 2011
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STeel trends revealed UNIQUE mosque design industry CALENDAR 2011
QATAR 2022 PROJECT KICK-OFF
ARCHITECTURE n ENGINEERING n CONSTRUCTION n PMV PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
HOW TO BUILD GREEN ON A BUDGET Top 25 steps to costeffective sustainable design and construction
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JANUARY
Contents REGULARS
20
Editor’s letter 4
20 Talk
News bulletin 7
Tabanlioğlu Architects managing partner comments on the need for community-built designs
Event insider 12 Plan the year ahead with this month’s handy guide to the must-go industry events in MENA, in 2011
Milestones 15 A look at The Buildings by Daman as the project is prepared for handover
News analysis 16 Industry calls for commitmentfree concrete as new green alternatives hit the market
22
Project update 37 A look at the UAE’s first dedicated high-voltage factory, due to open this year by Ducab-HV
Supplier hotseat 43 IBS Mapei says a lack of industry standards is undermining confidence
32
Supplier spotlight 44 Tenders 57 Diary 61 Tea break 62
39
FEATURES
22 On site We take a tour around Dubai Marina’s record-breaking Infinity Tower, with its 90° twist
26 How to build green on a budget Construction experts from around the world reveal their top 25 costeffective sustainable design and construction tips
32 Market explorer All eyes are on Qatar as the country prepares for the 2022 World Cup, with 200 new projects expected to be announced in the first quarter of 2011
39 Iconic structures British designer Kevin Dean discusses one of his biggest design projects, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Sahan, in Abu Dhabi
47 Trends Five steel buffs comment on industry trends, demand and prospects for the New Year
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EDITOR’S COMMENT
Publisher Dominic De Sousa Chief operations officer Nadeem Hood Associate publisher Liam Williams liam@cpidubai.com TEL: +971 (0)4 440 9158 Chief marketing officer Kimon Alexandrou kimon@cpidubai.com TEL: +971 (0)4 440 9149
Important infrastructure
W
ho would have thought around 10cm of snow, that had been forecasted, could effectively isolate whole countries? Many blamed the cancellations and delays of some of Europe’s land and air transport networks, in the lead up to the festive season last month, on poor infrastructure, planning and communication. In Poland, there were reports of calls for the resignation of the infrastructure minister following extensive problems with the country’s railways. Meanwhile, Britain’s busiest airport and international hub, London Heathrow, was severely disrupted, with many flights to and from London’s Gatwick International Airport also cancelled. Airport operator BAA chief executive Colin Matthews was unable to comment on how many of Heathrow’s 60 snow and ice-clearing machines were in use and the number of staff at work, according to reports. Perhaps the affected countries could learn from operations at Helsinki Airport, which had 188cm of snow last winter, but hasn’t been forced to close due to the weather since 2003, and even that was only for 30 minutes, according to a report on BBC News. The key is good preparation, airport spokesperson Anika Kala told media, including good equipment, extra winter staff and a choice of three runways. “We have sweepers, snow ploughs, vehicles that blow snow from the runways, and friction testers that check the surface is fit for use.
Group advertising manager Alex Bendiouis alex@cpidubai.com TEL: +971 (0)4 440 9154 GSM: +971 (0)50 458 9204
“The snow is removed to a special storage area within the airport perimeter. When that fills up, it is taken to other facilities outside. “Last winter 7000 truckloads were carted off the runways, apron and taxi-ing areas,” she said. There is also a dedicated ‘snow desk’ that keeps in contact with the airlines, ground-handling team and air-traffic control, and plans how many staff and vehicles are needed. There may be a big difference between Helsinki, with 600 landings and departures per day on three runways, compared to twice as many on two runways at Heathrow, but Kala said the principles for dealing with snow and ice are probably the same. The fact that developed nations can get it wrong only stresses the importance of implementing substantial infrastructure to cope with challenges big or small in countries on the verge of growth, like Qatar, for example. Read about Qatar’s planned transformation ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup on page 32. The topic is particularly relevant as The Big Project team prepares for the GCC Infrastructure Summit scheduled to take place in March at Arabian Construction Week. The show will feature a line-up of high-profile industry experts commenting on challenges and opportunities in the development of the region’s roads and railways, schools and power projects. We hope to see you there. Until next time,
Louise Birchall Editor
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Editor Louise Birchall louise@cpidubai.com TEL: +971 (0)4 440 9118 GSM: +971 (0)56 605 8091 Assistant editor Melanie Mingas melanie@cpidubai.com TEL: +971 (0)4 440 9117 GSM: +971 (0)56 758 7834 Designer Marlou Delaben Walter Denis Fuentes Photographers Helen Riley Abdel Kader Webmasters Troy Maagma Elizabeth Reyes Jerus King Bation Erik Briones Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC Published by
Head Office PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0)4 440 9100 Fax: +971 (0)4 429 3654 Web: www.thebigprojectme.com © Copyright 2010 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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NEWS | REGIONAL
NEWS BULLETIN
Shares in Orascom shot up by 3.2% last month.
Orascom Construction gains on Qatar’s 2022 World Cup
Shares of Egypt’s biggest publicly-traded construction firm gained 3.2%
Man cutting a steel beam at a demolition site.
Abu Dhabi introduces construction waste fee Construction industry among those affected by new waste-management charges Abu Dhabi has imposed a waste management fee that will be levied from establishments operating in the emirate that generate any kind of waste, including construction companies. The decision announced by the Abu Dhabi Centre of Waste Management is aimed at reducing waste generation and regularising waste disposal, according to a report in Arabic language daily newspaper Al Bayan. The fee charged will be based on the amount of waste generated by each establishment annually. Besides reducing waste generation, the fee system is expected to encourage waste
recycling and re-usage of materials otherwise disposed. Experts at the centre predicted the programme, called Nadhafa, would reduce waste, including construction waste, which is estimated to reach 13,000 tons per day in 2011. The centre also confirmed its plans to encourage waste recycling at plants they can set up. A plant to recycle construction debris was recently installed in cooperation with a leading company. The centre now runs a facility to recycle used engine oil and is currently engaged in a study that has set up plants to recycle all scrap materials.
Work on Al Sufouh Tram project progresses Viaduct placed for elevated tracks on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai The contractor has commenced building of the viaduct for the elevated tracks on the Al Sufouh Tram project along Dubai Marina, on Sheikh Zayed Road. “We are completely focused on the Al Sufouh Tram project because it will serve hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the new Dubai areas,” a senior official at the Roads
Orascom Construction Industries gained the most in more than six months on speculation the company may be awarded contracts in Qatar after the country won the rights to host FIFA’s 2022 World Cup. The shares of Egypt’s biggest publicly-traded builder gained 3.2%, the biggest increase since May 26, to 266.75 Egyptian pounds at 2:30pm close on December 5, in Cairo. That valued the Cairo-based company at 55.2 billion pounds (US $9.5 billion), according to reports on news portal Bloomberg. “It is poised for more gains tomorrow as investors expect the company to be awarded more contracts in Qatar,” said Ashraf Akhnoukh, senior equity sales trader at Cairo-based Commercial International Brokerage Co. Besix Group, a 50%-owned subsidiary of Orascom Construction, is part of a joint venture that won a $750 million contract to build the third phase of the passenger terminal at the New Doha International Airport in Qatar.
Large-scale sporting facilities are planned for Qatar.
and Transport Authority (RTA) said. The first phase of the Al Sufouh Tram is expected to open in 2012 and the project is scheduled to be fully completed in 2014.
The tram network will include 19 passenger stations.
Construction started in late 2008, but progress was somewhat slow in the beginning due to the economic downturn and the delay in completion of development projects, according to reports in Gulf News. Once completed, the tram will pass through Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Madinat Jumeirah, Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Al Arab. The trams will have drivers since they will run on normal roads in the traffic. The project extends 14km along Al Sufouh Road, with 9.5km to be constructed in the initial stage starting from the Dubai Marina to the Mall of the Emirates Station.
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NEWS | REGIONAL
Bani Yas contract
$55.8m A US $55.8 million contract has been awarded to Al Jaber Group for infrastructure works on three phases of the Bawabat Al Sharq master community
MacDonald and Co’s Ben Waddilove.
Industry job opportunities increase in Middle East UAE remains top destination for construction companies, according to survey The demand for asset, property and facilities managers has increased since last year, driven by a “continued confidence” in the regional industry. The observations were made by recruitment agency MacDonald and Co in an interview with The Big Project. The company also said online job postings had increased since 2009, noting a higher-than-average demand for employees with financial skills. Director Ben Waddilove said he expected the trends to continue as companies in Dubai benefitted from opportunities in Qatar. “The World Cup has certainly helped and a lot of people in Qatar said it could be good for Dubai too,” he said. According to the Qatari Embassy, 200 new construction projects will be announced during the first quarter of 2011. Waddilove also credits “other fundamentals” for ensuring the UAE remained a top destination for construction companies and their expatriate workforce. These include oil prices, political stability and favourable business conditions, in addition to improved utility services. “People still have confidence in the region and that is for tax purposes, quality of life and different pushes and pulls from different regions, such as the UK and Europe,” he concluded.
Six days
Speedy construction The amount of time it took to build the 16-floor New Ark Hotel in the Hunan province of China, breaking a construction speed record
Two men die after fall from 27 storeys “Mechanical error” blamed for fatal failure of side winch of construction cradle Two construction workers died last month after falling from the 27th floor of a building situated next to the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai. The Indian men, aged 24 and 27, were installing glass at about 4.30pm on Tuesday November 30 when their cradle encountered a “mechanical error”, said an official from the project site who declined to be named. Another anonymous source said the side winch of the cradle had failed, and a statement issued by Dubai Police said the men’s cradle had “lost balance”, according to reports in The National. The men were wearing safety harnesses and hard hats when they fell, as illustrated in a photograph of the accident scene provided by police. It was not clear whether the harnesses failed or were not correctly attached to secondary cables. Police said they are investigating the incident. Both workers died on impact, and their families had been informed, the project official said. In a statement released yesterday, area developer Emaar said: “We regret to report the death of two employees of a private company. We extend our sincere condolences to their families.” The site, known as Plots 12 and 13 of the Burj Dubai Development, is run by Samsung-Baytur JV. It features two glass-panelled towers that are 30-plus storeys high,
Picture for illustrative purposes only.
and taper at the top. It is centrally located in the Emaar Downtown area, on Emaar Boulevard opposite the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. Construction of the building started in 2007 and is set to finish this month, according to a sign posted at the building site. According to Baytur, 866 workers have been employed in the construction of the mixed-use commercial tower. Most are from South Asia, continued The National report. Until November 30, the site maintained a relatively clean safety record — some workers had sustained minor injuries, like cuts or small particles stuck in the eye, said a Samsung-Baytur JV employee involved in the project.
Dubai labourer dies in fight Trial adjourned as defendants plead not guilty A brawl on a construction site led to a worker dying after his head smashed into an iron bar. Dubai Court of First Instance heard how the Indian labourer died following the fight on the site in Bur Dubai, according to reports in Dubai daily newspaper 7Days, last month. A 21-year-old Indian man went on trial charged with assault leading to death. The court heard how a fight broke out in July and the defendant allegedly pushed the victim who then hit his head on the bar. A policeman who attended the scene said: “We found the victim on the ground bleeding from his mouth. We asked two workers what had happened.
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They said they didn’t know and claimed they found him that way. “After investigation we then discovered that one of the men at the scene had fought with the victim and then pushed him.” Medical reports showed that the victim died from internal bleeding. Two other Indian men also appeared in court in connection with the case. One man was charged with failing to inform police of the incident and the other for giving false information. The defendants all pleaded not guilty and the trial was adjourned until later in December, according to the newspaper report.
International conference concludes region must invest in strong project management skills Industry analysts have named project management as “critically important” to the delivery of the GCC’s 100 largest projects. The comments were made at the launch of the 13th International Conference, organised by Project Management Institute-Arabian Gulf Chapter (PMI-AGC), which took place in Dubai last month. “It is critically important to remember that the success of any project being undertaken
is greatly influenced by the professional expertise of the project management team. “Decisions involving risks, prioritising and selecting investments are among important areas of concern of the team and these decisions are usually critical to the success of the project,” said group president Mohammed Hammad, at the launch. “The PMI-AGC International Conference has been organised specifically to cater to the otherwise under-served needs of project management professionals in terms of networking, benchmarking and sharing of best practices,” Hammad added. The conference will be held from January 24 to 26, 2011 at the Gulf Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Speakers at the launch of the 13th International Conference.
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UAE firms make US $27m in export deals SaudiBuild 2010 exhibition created a number of business opportunities UAE-based firms closed US $27 million in export deals for delivery in 2011 at the recent SaudiBuild 2010 exhibition. The firms, based in construction, building and real estate were supported by the Dubai Export Development Corporation (EDC), an agency of the Dubai Department of Economic Development. The corporation organised “matchmaking” events with 25 Saudi Arabian buyers, which resulted in 30 business leads, according to reports in The Khaleej Times. “EDC’s participation at the show supports UAE companies in expanding their presence and increasing export opportunities in regional markets such as Saudi Arabia, which is one of the top destinations for Dubai exports,” said EDC CEO Saed Al Awadi. “Through this exhibition, we are strengthening our trade relations with Saudi Arabia.” According to EDC’s Dubai Export Monitor, direct exports and re-exports to Saudi Arabia in 2009 posted AED 2.1 billion and AED 3.3 billion respectively.
NEWS | REGIONAL
Discipline “crucial” to success of GCC projects
NEWS | REGIONAL
Number cruncher Estimated construction industry growth in Qatar
Delegates at the RAKIA conference, last month.
Business booms in Ras Al Khaimah Record number of business licences issued in emirate in 2010 Location and world-class business structure in Ras Al Khaimah have been cited as primary reasons for the award of a record number of investor licences. Between January and November 2010, investor licences issued by RAKIA increased 28% compared to the same period in 2009. Totalling 1002, it is the highest number of licences ever issued within a year in the emirate. “We believe that maintaining a high level of confidence and satisfaction among all investors has been a critical factor in the increasing number of companies that are now setting up business operations in Ras Al Khaimah,” said RAKIA CEO Dr Khater Massaad. “Moreover, investors greatly appreciate the emirate’s centralised location and world-class business infrastructure, which are crucial in boosting investors’ competitive edge and giving them a significant
head start. Calling it a “phenomenal year”, Massaad added that the trend had convinced “more and more global business enterprises of the excellent investment potential of Ras Al Khaimah.” The news was announced at a business conference in Dubai, in collaboration with the Emirates CEO Club, last month. Since it was established in 2006, RAKIA has issued 3573 licences and received business investments of more than US $3 billion. In addition, there are 3960 offshore companies registered under RAK Offshore, which operates under RAKIA, bringing the number of companies now based in Ras Al Khaimah to more than 7300. The investors primarily operate in the Free Zone and Industrial Park in Al Hamra and the Industrial Park in Al Ghayl, which are all investment zones developed by RAKIA.
Qatar project market breakdown by sector
Qatar demands “experienced contractors” Experts say infrastructure contracts should only be awarded to wellestablished firms Infrastructure projects planned ahead of the World Cup in Qatar should only be completed by “experienced contractors” that are already established in the country, according to Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s Qatar general manager Tony Saadie. “It is essential that only experienced contractors already established in Qatar are appointed to construct the critical World Cup infrastructure, as well as the supporting infrastructure,” Saadie told The Big Project. “It will also be of critical importance that plant, material and staff resources are able to
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Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s Qatar GM Tony Saadie.
enter Qatar easily to enable on-time construction of the numerous projects that are required by 2022.” Representatives from the country’s General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) discussed plans to launch 200 construction
projects in the first quarter of 2011. The projects form part of the National Development Strategy, which is also linked to the 2022 plans. The projects will cover the key sectors of health and education, in addition to improving roads, transport and social security. Some of the projects were already planned and others have been initiated following the successful World Cup bid for 2022. “It takes time to set up business and to establish supply chains. Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are interested in short-term business opportunities will be disappointed as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful in Qatar,” Saadie added. The Al Habtoor Leighton Group has been operating in the country since 2005. “The most urgent projects are the Ashghal’s planned main highway projects and the Qatar Railway Development Company’s metro and high-speed rail systems, as well as the New Doha Port,” he added. Read more about Qatar’s construction sector in this month’s Market Explorer on page 32.
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EVENT INSIDER calendar 2011
January:
29-Feb 1: Saudi Urban Transport Conference 2011, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia
8-11: Tube Arabia (tubes and pipes), Dubai, UAE
30-Feb 2: Piling & Deep Foundations Middle East 2011, Abu Dhabi, UAE
9-11: Arab Plast (plastic-related machinery and materials), Dubai, in the UAE
30-Feb 2: Cost-Effective Sustainable Design and Construction Egypt 2011, Cairo
15-18: Interior Design and Construction Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
30-Feb 2: Oman Construction Summit 2011, Muscat
17-20: Steelfab, Sharjah, UAE
30-Feb 3: RT Building, Security & Safety Expo, Mishref, Kuwait
17-20: World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi, UAE 18-20: Gulf Industry Fair (metal production and works and power generation), Manama, in Bahrain
February:
March: 1-3: Middle East Coatings Show, Cairo, Egypt 1-3: Buildex Dhahran, Dammam, Saudi Arabia 6-9: Road Planning, Design and Construction Middle East, Doha, in Qatar 7-10: Training Course: IOSH Managing Safely, Abu Dhabi, in the UAE 13-16: Architectural Lighting Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
6-9: Facades Design and Engineering 2011, Dubai, UAE
13-16: 2nd Annual Cost-Effective Sustainable Design and Construction Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh
20-23: Machinex Arabia (machinery and equipment exhibition), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
13-16: Education Design and Construction MENA, Doha, in Qatar
26-28: Metal & Steel Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt
13-16: 2nd Annual Tunnels & Underground Construction Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE
27-Mar 1: Vertical Transportation Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Plan the New Year with The Big Project’s handy guide to the must-go industry events taking place in the Middle East and North Africa, in 2011
21-23: Building Materials & Maintenance, Sharjah, UAE
27-Mar 2: The Big 5 Saudi Arabia, Jeddah
21-23: Interiors & Buildex, Muscat, Oman
27-Mar 3: Training Course: Master International Project Manager, Dubai, UAE
21-23: The Big Show (building materials, construction equipment and interiors), Muscat, Oman
21-25: Saudi Construction Show, Riyadh The Saudi Construction Show Exhibition will be the international gathering place in 2011 for the construction machinery industry. It will showcase the latest construction equipment, products, services and technologies. Bringing contractors and suppliers together it will also feature conferences and workshops, and is planned to be the largest construction machinery exhibition in KSA. www.saudiconstructionshow.com
27-30: Bridges Saudi Arabia 2011, Jeddah 28-30: InterMat ME, Abu Dhabi 28-30: Futurebuild Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE 28-30: Green Building Middle East World Summit & Expo, Abu Dhabi, UAE
28-30: Civil Engineering Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE 28-30: Arabian Construction Week This year’s event features three dedicated vertical trade exhibitions and three regional summits on the topics of sustainability, innovation and infrastructure. More than 1000 trade visitors, delegates and construction industry professionals are expected to attend providing a platform for networking and business sourcing within the construction industry www.arabianconstructionweek.com
10-13: 2nd Annual District Cooling Saudi Arabia Summit, in Jeddah 13-17: Climatech (HVAC and water technology), Damascus, in Syria 17-20: Cityscape and Citybuild Abu Dhabi 25-28: Saudi Building & Interiors Exhibition & Symposium (SBIE), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 26-28: GulfBID Manama, in Bahrain
May:
3-6: Interior Design and Construction Egypt, Cairo 3-6: Fire Safety MENA 2011, Doha, Qatar 3-6: Facade Design and Engineering North Africa, Cairo 4-6: Hospital Build Europe Exhibition & Congress, Dubai, in the UAE 5-7: Woodshow, Dubai, UAE 10-13: Acoustics in Construction Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
9-12: Project Jordan, Amman 10-12: Hardware + Tools Middle East, Dubai, UAE 10-13: Wood World Egypt, in Cairo 12-16: Buildex Syria, Damascus 15-17: Future Makkah: International Urban & Infrastructure Development Event, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 15-19: Libya Build, Tripoli
October:
22-28: Building & Construction Exhibition, Mishref, Kuwait
10-13: Saudi Build, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia
30-Jun 2: Saudi Luminex, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
10-13: Saudi Stone, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
31-Jun 2: China Sourcing Fair: Hardware & Building Materials Dubai, UAE
20-23: INDEX Interior Design Show 2011, Dubai, UAE
31-Jun 3: Project Lebanon 31-Jun 6: Hardware & Building Materials Dubai, UAE
June 23-27: ER Build – Egypt, Cairo
2-5: Project Qatar, Doha 9-11: Aluminium Dubai, UAE
April:
Engineering Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh
September: 18-21: Egyptian Infrastructure Summit 2011, Cairo 19-22: Inter-Build Jordan, in Amman 19-22: Project Iraq, Erbil 19-22: Recycling & Waste Management, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia 25-27: Materials Handling Middle East, Dubai, UAE
17-19: FM Expo, Dubai, UAE
26-28: Clean Middle East Exhibition, Dubai, UAE
21-24: Facade Design and
26-29: Cityscape Dubai, UAE
24-26: Power-Gen Middle East, Doha, Qatar
November: 20-23: Saudi Plas (plastics technology show), Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia 21-24: The Big 5 2011, Dubai, UAE Don’t miss The Big Project stand at The Big 5 2011 international building and construction show, where we will be distributing the GCC 100 Companies you need to know 2012, an essential reference guide to the region’s most reputable industry suppliers 28-30: Skyline Libya, Tripoli
December: 8-12: Sudan Build, Khartoum, in Sudan
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EVENT INSIDER | CALENDAR 2011
New national exhibition projects have been planned across the MENA region, which hosts many international trade shows across all industries each year. The renderings pictured include projects in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and Qatar, however, the RAK centre is on hold.
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The Buildings handover to start Q1, 2011 Mixed-used Dubai International Financial Centre property reaches topping point
U
AE-based investment management company Daman has topped up its AED 1.6 billion (US $450 million) The Buildings by Daman property in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The 65-storey, mixed-use real estate project is
now nearing a phased handover, due to start this month with the office tower. “The development has continued steadily. This significant construction event simultaneously marks two major milestones in the project: the completion of Tower B and the Office
The 65-storey, mixed-use real estate project is now nearing a phased handover, according to the developer Daman Investments.
Tower superstructures. This further demonstrates the company’s commitment to its investors and stakeholders in bringing value to their equity and promoting mutual growth,” commented Daman managing director Shehab Gargash at a ceremony last month. The topping up of The Buildings by Daman took more than 448m3 of a specially-formulated concrete mix pumped up 224m above ground level and poured across a roof plate area of 1410m2, bringing the overall concrete quantity poured into the building, inclusive of the roof slab, up to 20,527m3. Additives were incorporated into the concrete mix to facilitate vertical pumping of the material to such heights and required two placing booms capable of delivering 40m³ of concrete per hour. The 224m high tower has been built on a 220,000ft² plot of land in the centre of DIFC, Dubai’s commercial business district. The land was acquired through a tender process in 2004. A mixed-use residential and commercial complex, the project includes freehold apartments, offices, and a luxury hotel, as well as retail space, encompassing 3.3 million ft² of built-up area surrounded by sculptured gardens and water features. The project was announced in May 2005, financed by a $100 million private equity real estate fund. The ownership structure, along with the overall project finance model, which included non-recourse debt and re-invested project revenue, provided investors with the opportunity to participate in a major development through a special purpose structure, the firm said upon the project launch. “Real estate developments in Dubai have traditionally been funded by single owners that have invested a great deal of equity in a single project and secured financing by collateralising assets beyond the scope of the project. In this project, Daman is bringing a globally recognised methodology in project finance to Dubai,” Gargash said in a statement that was issued in 2005. According to the firm, the $100 million investment was placed successfully with investors in units of $5 million and was closed by December 30, 2004. Up to 40% of the capital was raised from international investors and Daman had a 5% stake in the project. Daman Investments PSC is a private joint stock company based in Dubai and was founded in 1998.
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MILESTONES | THE BUILDINGS
“The topping up of The Buildings by Daman took more than 448m3 of a specially-formulated concrete mix pumped up 224m above ground level and poured across a roof plate area of 1410m2”
NEWS ANALYSIS | concrete
Producing one ton of concrete creates one ton of CO2 emissions.
Industry calls for ‘commitment-free’ concrete For each ton of concrete produced, one ton of carbon dioxide is emitted; yet despite the race to provide alternatives, analysts say the Middle East industry is not ready for change — unless it is made easy
I
t is no secret the construction industry is responsible for more waste and pollution than any other sector in the world. Not only do poorly-designed buildings contribute to 50% of the world’s carbon-dioxide (CO₂) emissions, some reports claim that concrete alone is responsible for up to 10% of these emissions, due in part to energy-intensive production methods. Of all the resources and materials in the world, the cement used to manufacture concrete is the second most consumed substance after water. According to research by French manufacturer Lafarge, every year almost one ton of concrete is produced for every human on the planet, with each ton of concrete generating around a ton of CO₂. Yet in the face of these statistics, technology analyst Lux Research claims the industry’s low CO₂ alternatives “have a poor shot at gaining support” in the region. According to the firm’s recently-published paper ‘Paving the way to cost, energy and carbon savings in the concrete industry’, the only alternatives which will gain industry support are those which require the least commitment from manufacturers and users. “New technologies must be commercially viable,” remarks Oliver Tassinari, who is the author of the report. “Low CO₂ alternative materials to Portland cement will have a poor shot at gaining support. They remain largely unproven at scale and carry substantial economic risks due to the capital cost requirements for production. Other barriers like demonstrating the new material’s performance within ASTM International guidelines remain as well,” he adds. Yet in light of higher standards, which aim to reduce waste and pollution in the industry, more alternatives are entering the market to meet a variety of demands. “The really important factors when specifying materials are the design itself, the awareness of the designers and the suitability of
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Most concrete can be produced on site.
the material. Our company philosophy is to provide those involved in the design process with the information they need to specify the right, sustainable material for that project,” explains Pejman Norastehfar, head of the Middle East region for Bayer MaterialScience.
Lack of buy-in
The only alternatives advocated in the report are those which “require the least commitment from manufacturers”, including heat recovery during the manufacturing process and increasing the use of industrial wastes such as fly-ash, silica fume, rice hull ash and slag. The environmental benefits are still significant; heat recovery allows captured energy to be used in other processes and the use and re-use of industrial wastes prevents such materials going to landfill. Measures like these can potentially reduce energy consumption by up to 65% and CO₂ emissions by 60%.
“Nowadays, there are many products under development such as geo-polymers with complete cement replacements. “The common supplementary cementitious material such as GGBS, Silica Fume and Fly Ash remain the prominent materials at hand,” says Rabih Fakih, managing director of Dubaibased Grey Matters Group. “However, cost feasibility and practicality of usage is still not being rationalised,” he adds. But whether the chances of gaining support are poor or otherwise, a market for alternative products does exist and is beginning to gain credibility worldwide. Manufacturer Al Falah has developed a substitute, branded as Ready Mix, which reduces the CO₂ impact of cement by up to 30% compared to standard concrete. Currently under development at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, Ready Mix uses less cement, a component of concrete, while retaining its standard features,
30%
50%
Al Falah says its Ready Mix substitute can reduce the level of CO2 impact by up to 30%
Reports claims poorly-designed buildings contribute to 50% of global CO2 emissions
such as durability and strength. It was announced in 2009 that two million m³ of Ready Mix will be used in the construction of the initial phases of Masdar City. “Low-carbon concrete is a relatively new concept in the construction industry and it is vital that we continue to explore and invest in new technologies that will help minimise the industry's impact on the environment,” Al Falah chairman Zayed Falah Bin Jarra says. Others such as foam concrete, which unlike Portland-based materials provides both strength and thermal insulation, reduce the carbon impact of production and increase the efficiency of the finished building. Standard concrete is made from calciumbased chemical compounds, which require high
“Low CO2 alternatives remain largely unproven at scale and carry substantial economic risks”
“So far, green concrete has not been adopted generally by designers as they consider the premium cost compared to conventional concrete is still unjustified“
temperatures to bond; a number of companies are in the process of developing magnesium-based materials, which are twice as strong, therefore requiring lighter application. Some versions even claim to reduce the levels of CO₂ in their surrounding atmosphere. Other alternatives use aluminium-based compounds, which can be produced at “ambient” temperatures, while another trend is seeing a return to natural lime-based cement, popular with the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, and only replaced when mass-manufactured alternatives emerged in the mid-20th Century. Where it is not possible to reduce the impact of the concrete, it may be possible to offset the impact via carbon capture techniques. Developed by California-based scientific researcher Calera, the Calera Process uses the CO₂ emitted from power plants to manufacture the cement destined for use in concrete. The process captures the carbon dioxide produced from flue gas and converts it into stable solid minerals; effectively recycling 90% of the CO₂ emitted by the plants. According to Calera, use of the technology means that coal and natural gas plants can potentially have a lower carbon footprint than solar power. It’s a process the company says has “huge potential”. A testimonial from the US Green Building Council reads: “It's like planting forests of trees through the pouring of concrete or bricks. I have never seen anything with the potential that Calera has.”
Building on progress
Portland cement is produced by heating limestone and clay.
Despite the production process, of all the materials in the world, concrete is not the environment’s worst enemy and its properties have made it one of the world’s most highlydemanded construction materials. It is durable, versatile, long lasting and can be easily broken down and reformed. It is produced on site, removing the need for transport and the demand on natural resources such as wood. Once manufactured, it produces no emissions, needs no toxic preservatives and is fire resistant. Yet it is these very points which make the alternatives appear risky. In its report, Lux Research states that green materials are “largely unproven and require substantial capital investment”, factors which even a robust economy cannot ignore. “So far, green concrete has not been adopted generally by designers as they consider the premium cost compared to conventional concrete is still unjustified. “In addition, real estate developers see no high return on investment if additional capital is being invested on green concrete. All of these parameters are strengthened by a lack of legislation and incentives from the government,” comments Fakih. Yet, he concludes that in time attitudes will change. “Once environmental awareness gains more support, the popularity of green concrete will rapidly increase in the construction culture.”
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dangerous designs
Bayer MaterialScience’s Pejman Norastehfar.
Grey Matters managing director Rabih Fakih.
About concrete zz
Concrete is an aggregate material made with a combination of rocks, sand and gravel, held together with Portland cement glue
zz
The glue is produced by heating limestone and clay to temperatures of around 3000°F, a process which emits a ton of carbon per ton of concrete
zz
Worldwide, concrete is used twice as much as any other building material and the cement mix which forms it is the second most consumed substance on the planet after water
zz
While alternatives to concrete’s energy-intensive production methods do exist, adoption rates are low
XXXXXXXX NEWS ANALYSIS | XXXXXXXXXX | concrete
co2 reductions
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TALK XXXXXXXX | TABANLIOğLU | XXXXXXXXXX ARCHITECTS
Urban design Ahead of Turkish firm Tabanlıoğlu Architects’ planned expansion into the UAE, managing partner Melkan Tabanlioğlu comments on the need for community-built designs that address unique urban requirements
Astana Arena, designed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects is the new national stadium for Kazakhstan.
I
n 1990, a small architecture firm, Tabanlıoğlu Architects, was set up in Istanbul by an architect called Murat Tabanlıoğlu. Today, the practise employs a staff of 100. Operating predominantly in Turkey, it recently announced plans to expand into the UAE. Speaking to The Big Project, managing partner Melkan Tabanlıoğlu, who joined the firm in 1995 and is the daughter of its founder, says the move is not a result of the financial crisis impacting the firm’s home market. “Turkey has faced the crisis, but not as bitter as it was felt in the United States or Europe. Construction is the leading sector in terms of growth data and, financially, we haven’t faced great difficulties.” In December 2010, Brookings Institution and the London School of Economics prepared a report entitled The Global MetroMonitor, which ranked 150 world cities. The report stated that Istanbul is, in fact, the city performing the strongest after recession, whereas Dubai, the second-best performing city between 1993 and 2007, was ranked among the most stagnant, cites Tabanlıoğlu. “With Istanbul being the locomotive and indicator for Turkey, we have been lucky so far,” she says. But it is not only luck that has helped the family-run company weather the storm, the firm has strived to maintain up to 20 projects of different scales on the go simultaneously, keeping the funds coming in.
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The firm’s managing partner Melkan Tabanlıoğlu.
“Sustainable patterns in the production of the man-made environment must rely on technology, while at the same time respecting heritage”
According to Tabanlıoğlu, the company is entering the UAE, instead, in search of “new efficiencies in terms of global and environmental needs and developments”. “Dubai has been the showcase for world architecture and recently Abu Dhabi and other GCC cities have asserted great demand for the urban development. This creates a valuable medium for architecture and urban design. “In addition, besides being a close neighbour, we are a part of the Muslim world and we know the culture, naturally. We are familiar, yet there is a great opportunity to learn and share.” The firm has also been spurred on having received a string of awards in 2010, including recognition at Cityscape Global in Dubai last year in the ‘Architecture in the Emerging Market — Community Built’ category for its design of the Tripoli Congress Centre in Libya. Commenting on community-built architecture; Tabanlıoğlu says it can lead to more challenges than architecture on private investments as the client is often the local or central government, which involves extensive paperwork. “Yet a building that serves the public is very exciting for an architect. It grants a better chance in creating social spaces that are the core urban functions,” she says. “The construction sector highly depends on politics and economics in every case, such buildings have greater significance; they
become the symbols and prestige for the nations or cities that they belong to, your contribution becomes a part of the vision of the governance of the country.” Encouraged by such accolades and its ongoing performance, Tabanlıoğlu says the company is also “open to other new relations in the Middle East and North Africa”. “We have the positive influence to convince the client what is good in terms of architecture and future planning of the new urban lifestyle.”
encompasses the livability of a development — bringing us back to community builds. “One of the big issues in urban life is to make the city interactive so that people become truly cosmopolitan, in that sense, environmental quality and user satisfaction is very important.” Although LEED certification, for example, is not a national requirement in Turkey, the firm’s architectural discourse for projects incorporates design and construction techniques meeting LEED standards. “Of course sustainable design is very much about energy; about resources and using them carefully, but more than that, design needs to motivate an interactive, lively, social mood. She suggests this can be achieved through architectural approaches defining new social routines towards an “extrovert urban lifestyle”. “The transitivity born out of architecture will encourage the transformation. Mixed-use buildings, where diverse functions are addressed in one complex, will become the new community centres and extensions of public zones, Tabanlıoğlu concludes.
Defining design
Tabanlıoğlu lists a number of aspects that make ‘good’ architecture, not least research and a team approach among engineers, consultants and the client. “Respecting relations in the project environment and being open to probabilities and possibilities, including technological innovations such as smart, local solutions, we bring ideas and manifest our architectural language. “Architecture is a system and you have to collaborate and adapt to the situation for the best and most feasible result. If a building works and people who use it or pass by it are happy, it is a good building.” However, designing landmark structures poses unique requirements, including exclusive expertise, visionary thinking, innovative approaches and collaboration of other engineering and planning disciplines. A number of projects undertaken by Tabanlıoğlu Architects have been large, mixeduse developments. “These projects require delicate solutions of multi-disciplinary collaborations; from traffic to landscape design and ground analysis to lighting solutions.” Tabanlıoğlu says the key to making “better cities” is to overlay different activities in the same space. “We need to repair the collectivity of space and re-build ceremonial and informal public spaces of our era. Mixed-use projects offer selfsufficient urban units. In terms of design and construction, there has to be more attention to infrastructure. You need to combine different functions and solve them all at once.” Working with renowned engineering consultants has been crucial to the company’s success, she explains. Examples of successful mixed-use projects completed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects date back to the 1980s, such as Ataköy Tourism Centre featuring a Marina, hotels, restaurants and entertainment centres.
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“A building that serves the public is very exciting for an architect. It grants a better chance in creating social spaces that are the core urban functions”
Istanbul Sapphire is the tallest tower in the business district.
A more recent example is Kanyon, an openair shopping, leisure, entertainment, office and residential development completed in 2006. Today, the complex defines the urban character of Istanbul, according to Tabanlıoğlu. The firm is also working on the 600,000m² Zorlu Centre, the main function of which is a performance hall, with a seating capacity of 2500. The centre is linked to the city terrace covering the sunken, semi-open shopping facility spread over four high-rise towers and offering residential and commercial accommodation, as well as leisure facilities.
Green by default
When asked whether the industry is demanding sustainable design, Tabanlıoğlu says green is a given when practicing architecture in a city with a 10,000-year urban culture. “Sustainable patterns in production of the man-made environment must rely on technology, while respecting heritage. This is essential.” Tabanlıoğlu acknowledges that “in the long run”, green buildings are more cost effective despite initial investments. “Applying renewable energy sources and other energy-efficient design considerations will result in lower costs during the whole lifecycle of the building.” She also recognises that sustainability is not only about energy efficiency, but also
XXXXXXXX TALK | TABANLIOğLU | XXXXXXXXXX ARCHITECTS
The award-winning Tripoli Congress Centre in Libya.
PRIZE WINNER Tabanlioğlu Architects won a number of highprofile awards for its projects in in the MENA region completed last year, including: Levent Loft Cityscape, Abu Dhabi –Real Estate, MENA 2010 Best Residential Built Development Award Loft Gardens MIPIM AR Future Project Awards, received a Highly Commended recognition International Property Awards – for the EuropeAfrica Section Tripoli Congress Centre Cityscape Awards for Architecture in the Emerging Market, Dubai Community Built Category International Property Awards - International Architecture Award Winner - Public Sector International Property Awards – Arabia Section
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Record breaking... with a twist Twisting 90˚, the record-breaking Infinity Tower by Cayan Real Estate will be Dubai’s newest landmark when it opens later this year. The Big Project’s Melanie Mingas takes a sneak preview
W
hen Cayan Real Estate announced it would build a tower with a 90˚ twist on Dubai Marina, the idea was met with apprehension and cynicism. The situation worsened in 2007, when a marina wall was breeched, flooding the newly-dug foundations. However, the developer was determined to “get back out there and re-plan”, according to chief development officer (CDO) Ahmad Kasem. “Sure enough everybody on site was laughing and they joked the site was just an extension of the marina,” he recalls. Taking 14 months and costing around 30% of the original anticipated budget to restore the marina barrier and project foundations, it looked like Infinity Tower would not materialise, but now — only months from completion — the ambitious tower is almost ready to prove its critics wrong. Calling it “the most challenging project I have ever worked on”, Kasem explains that construction, interior fit outs and even the facilities management of the tower posed major logistical hurdles for the team. “The first complexity was creating the spiral around the core; each storey rotates by as much as 1.08˚ around a fixed core, which tapers to the top storey. The second challenge was that, as a result, each of the 48 columns moves in different directions. “Furthermore, the curtain wall made the surveying process very tedious because the surveyor had to shoot 48 individual columns. The building movement had to be closely monitored and we had to keep checking to make sure the movement was within the columns.” Further issues were caused when lining up plumbing and AC vents, which had to be structured. Yet the fourth complexity Kasem names is as obscure as it is challenging;
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Cayan Real Estate’s CDO Ahmad Kasem.
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XXXXXXXX ON SITE | INFINITY | XXXXXXXXXX TOWER
1.2b BIG BUDGET
The Turning Torso in Sweden is 190m tall.
The cost (AED) of Infinity.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Inside Infinity Tower; view of Infinity from Marina 101; view from a seventh-floor apartment.
window cleaning. Because the tower twists, the cleaning cradle cannot scale the building. “We had the top window-cleaning companies in the world presenting different systems for about three months. In the end we put anchor points on every floor for the cleaners to tie themselves to,” Kasem recalls. Upon completion, the building will incorporate 5800 tons of steel and 20,000m3 of concrete; materials which had to be compacted and strengthened to achieve the required elasticity. In addition to the twist, on-site workers also experienced a learning curve; with the workforce receiving extra training to help them understand the intricacy of the materials and engineering. Peri and Mivan formwork systems were specified and a two-storey mock-up was built onsite to assist the training programme.
Quality objectives
While Infinity Tower is not the world’s first tower with a twist, it is the most extreme. Having opened in 2005, the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden, was — upon completion — the tallest building in Scandinavia, at 190m. But its twist is a mere 52˚, making Infinity a record breaker in terms of twist and height, asserts Kasem. Yet for Kasem, the finished product is about more than record-breaking twists and engineering feats. Touring the fully fitted-out, mock-up apartments on the seventh floor, he draws attention to “high-quality finishes” including marble floors, York chillers and “matched-up” joints and walls lined with “razor-sharp precision”, despite leaning in
The statistics Location: Dubai Marina Height: 307m Storeys: 73 Depth of excavation: 27m Site area: 3161m2 Built-up area: 92,000m2 Construction period: 2006-2011 Budget: AED 1.2 billion Workers on site: 3500 Man hours: 7,964,896 Project partners: Cayan Real Estate Investment and Development; Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Khatib and Alami (K&A); Projacs, Currie and Brown; STS Consultant, SSE; Arabtec Construction LLC; Al Dhafra Piling Foundation and Emaar Upon completion: The building will feature a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments, suites and penthouses; a communal outdoor pool, recreation centre and cigar lounge
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ON SITE | INFINITY TOWER
workforce
“The first complexity was creating the spiral around the core; each storey rotates by 1.08˚ around a fixed core which tapers to the top storey”
3500 At the busiest point of construction, more than 3500 workers were on site
ABOVE: The high quality of the apartment fit-outs will entice investors, according to Cayan Real Estate.
“We had the top windowcleaning companies in the world presenting different systems for about three months. In the end we put anchor points on every floor for the cleaners to tie themselves to”
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A completed kitchen fit-out in a seventh-floor unit.
different directions within the same apartment. Even apartment door handles feature a signature twisting design. “If you visit any of our buildings, we do not follow in other people’s steps; we use expensive materials and specific planning and our buildings are developed according to a commitment to quality which stems forth from day one,” Kasem says. Today, Cayan Real Estate has eight developments in Dubai, five of which are in the Marina. In terms of investors, when the Infinity project first began in 2006, interest came from far and wide, says Kasem. While the turbulent interim has led to a cautious investor approach, he hopes the opportunity “to be part of an iconic building”, in addition to attention to detail in the building fit-out, will be enough to see it fully-occupied upon opening. “We will see people purchasing soon whether directly from Cayan or in secondary sales. Within the next six months the facade and tower will be finished and the luxury finishes inside will help the apartments and suites sell,” Kasem asserts.
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HOW TO BUILD GREEN ON A BUDGET Construction experts from around the world reveal their top 25 cost-effective sustainable design and building tips, from procurement and planning to project maintenance and paints Planning and procedures
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Emission testing on construction vehicles ensures they are meeting current standards for minimal carbon output. Monitoring and regularly reviewing waste output of sites helps to identify waste streams and areas that can be improved. Similarly, creating a ‘carbon map’ during the construction planning stages allows for the evaluation of possible carbon-saving technologies and identifies areas for carbon saving. Locally-produced building materials will help reduce materials transportation. Ensure sustainability is a key selection criteria in the procurement of materials and suppliers complete a procurement sustainability assessment matrix. Use onsite batching for plant concrete construction to minimise energy use. Providing a facility for the project waste to be recycled will encourage sustainable procedures. Mark Schwedel, sustainability consultant, Sustainability ROI, US
Lighting and orientation
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Choose a light-colour external paint to increase heat reflection. ake into consideration the orientation of the building in T relation to the sunlight.
Ron Brinkman, technical manager, Murray & Roberts Contractors (Abu Dhabi)
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Efficient pumps
Replacement of pumps with correctly-sized alternatives featuring fixed-speed motors will make a positive change to the carbon footprint. Much of the energy consumed by pumps, motors in particular, just goes to waste. Research shows that two thirds of all pumps use up to 60% too much energy because the pumps installed are larger than necessary. In addition, many pumps continuously run at the top speed regardless of requirements. Typically, most pump motors only have to run at their full speed 5% of the time, including those in commercial buildings, industrial applications, public buildings and water utilities. Furthermore, a frequency converter that varies pump motor speed in response to workload can be added in two thirds of all industrial applications to minimise the industrial carbon footprint, increase efficiency and reduce electricity and water bills. Mike Otten, general manager – Egypt, Grundfos Management, Egypt
Solar power
A structure’s solar orientation should be considered for optimal solar gain in the winter months and shading in summer. Thermal mass is also a very beneficial building concept, in cases where the structure is part of the system. Dave Frentress, marketing director — northwest division, Calportland, US
Local materials
Use durable materials that suit the building’s local environment and that allow for low lifecycle costs. Ted Matson, director of sales & marketing, Lafarge, Canada
Reduce transportation
Source durable materials as locally as possible and apply at, or above, trade standards. Furthermore, be sure to ‘right-size’ the project so that it does not consume more materials and natural resources than necessary. Mike Moore, Construction Business Owner Magazine, US Buy products that are manufactured close to your building site to reduce trucking requirements. Katherine Leavens, architectural representative at Daltile, Canada
Budget basics
Consider budget shedding. Look at the budget and consider the areas where funds should be spent and those whereby more appropriate finishes or systems could be considered. For example, it is preferred to have a highperformance facade than using expensive materials in locations that are not functionally required. Daniel Hajjar, senior vice president — regional manager MEA — HOK
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COVER | GREEN INCENTIVES
Making sustainable decisions early in the building process will save costs.
COVER | GREEN INCENTIVES
“Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s richest countries in Pozzolan. It can be used as an additive instead of chemicals such as micro-silicon”
HVAC and technology •
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The optimisation of chiller cooling plants and associated equipment can provide investment savings in the range of 5-10% of the overall HVAC cost. Consideration of efficient heat-recovery systems for fresh-air HVAC application
Pozzolan as a substitute
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Reuse existing materials. In our line of work we reuse everything from old kitchens to cabinets and stone work surfaces. Implement quality workmanship to avoid loss of energy through leaking ducts, I’d suggest conducting a blower test on all duct works.
Sultan Faden, head of founding group, Saudi Green Building Council
Quality assurance • •
David Popoff, realtor, William Raveis Real Estate, US •
Recycling myths
Be careful using recycled materials as this isn’t necessarily more sustainable, for example, it would be counterproductive to haul recycled aggregate 200 miles by road when there is a local primary aggregate source nearby. When it comes to concrete, the best tip is to make sure you use slag or fly ash-based cement. These are industrial byproducts and will significantly reduce the embodied CO₂ of concrete, at the same time as enhancing its durability to the aggressive environment in the Middle East. Ian Gibb, principal materials engineer, URS Scott Wilson, UK
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Khaled Bushnaq, CEO, Energy Management Services Int.
been suggested in Saudi Arabia’s building code for 26 years. Today, four out of 17 cement factories in the Kingdom use Pozzolan, but it is utilised in only one concrete factory. It costs the same as alternatives.
Use green concrete, in particular products that contain Pozzolan (a volcanic ash that can be combined with calcium hydroxide to exhibit cementitious properties). Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s richest countries in Pozzolan. It can be used as an additive instead of chemicals such as micro-silicon. The material strengthens concrete and has
Reuse and recruit
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during design phase can reduce the project cost by up to 5%. Efficient lightings, internally and externally, can reduce investment costs by 20%.
Incorporate green thinking at the beginning of the design process, often options for green solutions can be added at no additional cost if done so early. Ensure the construction management team, architects and commissioning agents hold contractors fully responsible for their contractual and quality requirements throughout the construction process. Finally, the greenest building is the one already built, look into renovating as opposed to new construction.
Steven Schoenknecht, construction manager, US
Shading
Orientating the building so it is in the shadow of adjacent buildings can help minimise energy consumption. If the whole building energy simulation can demonstrate that there is a significant improvement as a result of the above, the design should qualify to obtain credits in the Energy & Atmosphere section of the LEED Rating system. The orientation of the building should have minimum or no additional impact in terms of cost incurred in the design. David Chua Kiat, planning manager, Al Habtoor — Murray & Roberts JV
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XXXXXXXX COVER | GREEN | XXXXXXXXXX INCENTIVES
The production of concrete is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions.
Concrete slabs
Replacing concrete in slabs with ‘Cobiax’ air-filled plastic void formers can reduce the CO₂ contents linked to cement production. Research shows that one m³ of concrete saved by ‘Cobiax’ technology equals 210kg of CO₂ savings. In buildings where Cobiax is used the cost balance is at least neutral, so the cost of the products are offset by the savings in concrete and associated savings due to the subsequent reduction in dead load (typically a concrete flat slab fitted with Cobiax is 25% to 30%
lighter than a conventional solid slab). These associated savings include the reduction of rebar volumes for the slab and the reduction of the necessary foundation volume. In the Middle East, Cobiax is still a new product. However, it is currently being applied for one of the first times in the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. Michael Stuecklin, business development director, Cobiax Technologies AG
On form
It is critical to get the building envelope correct, after that everything is easier. Even though some say Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are more costly, which I would disagree with, they will still give the biggest bang for your buck. Ron Ardres, technical representative, ReddiForm World Wide, Bahamas
Consider coatings
Keeping buildings cool in hot climates without consuming large quantities of electricity to power air conditioning units has long been a headache for architects and consultants. However, this can be partially achieved through powder coatings with heat-management properties that reduce surface temperatures by up to 15 degrees.
Insulation decisions
Some insulated concrete forms (ICFs) cost less than the bare concrete foundations without any insulation (the insulation is a required additional cost for bare concrete), and some ICFs are of comparable costs to a well-insulated home. They don’t quite compete with a 2x4 wall with minimal insulation. ICFs reduce energy consumption by as much as 60% compared to convention home-building methods. Rick Hansen, owner, ICF Supply, US
“Be careful using recycled materials. It’s counterproductive to haul recycled aggregate 200 miles when there is a local primary aggregate source”
Such coatings reflect sunlight in the infra-red spectrum, which makes up around 45% of all energy radiated by the sun, thus reducing the temperature. Furthermore, low-VOC coatings that are also leadfree should be opted for. Claudio Lurilli, divisional marketing director, Jotun Powder Coatings
Orientation and reuse •
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Every piece of land has a north, south, east or west exposure. The east and west are the most intense. No matter where you are in the world, the rising sun and setting sun needs to be controlled. There are many ways to do that, some involve overhangs, sun screens, shading devices or proper landscaping, but orienting gives you the most opportunity. You can also increase green credentials at no additional cost by balancing cut and fill. Do not truck in or truck out topsoil. Excavated soil can be used for grading, landscaping and so on.
Jim Del Grosso, president, Residential Energy Professionals, US
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COVER | GREEN INCENTIVES
“Research shows that two thirds of all pumps use up to 60% too much energy because the pumps installed are larger than necessary”
Intelligent interior •
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Use light shades instead of dark shades on exterior finishes, including paint, stone, decorative concrete and so on. Review the lighting schedule as designers tend to over-illuminate spaces. Design the air-conditioning control system to prevent it being set below 22°C. Use drip irrigation in place of sprinklers. Use plants that demand less water. Use low-flow water fixtures and low-flush water closets. Use movement sensor switches in corridors, car parks and public areas.
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Plan more before ordering materials. If you need seven-inch studs (i.e. not standard size) order 14 inch studs and cut in half. A material used for bracing in the early part of the shell can be used for blocking, drywall backing, short studs and so on later in the project. Adopt a ‘there is no such thing as waste’ philosophy. The scrap pile should be the first place checked for any material needed. What remains when material orders are correct and used responsibly will not fill a small dumpster, and most of this waste can be recycled.
Dale Horvey, construction services and building materials professional, US
Sustainable sub-bases
If the specifications allow (and many do) the use of recycled concrete and asphalt in the sub-base and base course can contribute to your “green score”. Often these materials cost no more than virgin. Brad Rucker, general manager, Sky Ute Sand & Gravel, US
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Use locally-produced exposed aggregate concrete, manufactured stone or decorative concrete (all incorporating fly ash or slag if cost effective) to replace stone finishes, which are usually imported. Brian Davies, president, X-Calibur International, US
On your bike
Add a bike rack in front of your building. It is worth a point and does not costs very much. Marty Downs, EWP engineering software manager, Boise Cascade, US
Paints and waste
Procurement planning •
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Low-VOC coatings and recycling construction waste have been proven not to add costs to the project. However, this may not be the same for all regions where the materials and recycling facilities are not as accessible as they are in the US. Evan RosenBlatt, assistant development manager, Stiles, US
Education first
The real industry challenge is how to overcome years of slowly-changing codes and rapidly-changing green and sustainable technologies. Unfortunately, most of the support for change comes from the top of the food chain, while many of the ideas and solutions come from the bottom. As an industry, we must work on middle management, contractors, engineers and architects. We need to offer more education and provide more facts to help the top management with the decision-making process. Richard Szecsy, president, Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association
Fly ash, a waste material, can be a major component of your structure, including foundation concrete, superstructure concrete, floor slab, screeds, lintols, paving slabs and roof tiles. Two goals in the construction phase should be to minimise production of waste and maximise the consumption of waste. David Edwards, independent construction and wastemanagement professional, UK
Fly ash
Use a cladding product that contains fly ash. This would usually only cost the same or less than similar products or alternatives. Tim Seims, territory manager, Nichiha, US
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BELOW: Qatar Promenade; RIGHT: The Pearl Qatar; FAR RIGHT: Doha cityscape.
Construction kick-off
All eyes are on Qatar following the country’s successful World Cup 2022 bid, the first such event to be hosted in the Middle East. With 200 new projects expected to be announced this quarter, one of the world’s most affluent countries is about to see a gold rush
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ver the next 11 years, Qatar will launch hundreds of regeneration and development projects to modernise the small gulf emirate in time to host one of the world’s most famous sporting tournaments. Prior to FIFA’s announcement, Qatar held a 15% share of the regional construction industry, yet international consultant Deloitte names it a “key market”, predicting CAGR of 12% between 2010 and 2014. Since 2004 the per capita income of Qataris has doubled and the country has achieved a consistently high GDP, which even defied world-wide recession. Following FIFA’s decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup, last December, the General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) stated that 200 new construction projects would be launched in the first quarter of 2011; estimated to cost between US $60-$80 billion. Additionally, by 2022 Qatar will need to double the number of its hotel rooms, refurbish three stadiums and build nine more. Referring to it as the country’s “war footing”,
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GSDP general manager Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor Al Thani said the ventures also form part of the National Development Strategy (NDS) and will involve both the public and private sectors. “Many of these projects were already planned and will now be prioritised and put out to tender. All the projects for 2022 can certainly be completed in time, providing the
PEOPLE POWER
128% Population growth in Qatar since 2004
ANNUAL GDP
8.2% GDP growth predicted between 2010 and 2014
Medina Centrale Qatar, which forms part of the Qatar Pearl development.
traditional tendering process is streamlined,” notes Tony Saadie, executive general manager of Al Habtoor Leighton Group in Qatar. The group has been operating in Qatar since 2005, on projects such as Al Faisal Tower, Duhail and Umm Qarn Reservoirs and Al Shaqab Equestrian Academy. The opportunities and benefits are not solely reserved for Qatar; the bid has provided a boost for construction and real estate companies GCC-wide. Shares in Emaar Properties, Arabtec, Drake & Scull and Aldar Properties all reportedly surged following the announcement and Doha’s index hit a 26-month high. “The stadiums will stimulate a significant amount of planning and construction activity, especially in building and the related cooling and infrastructure. “Other opportunities lie in retail branded merchandise, transport, and leisure and business tourism,” explains Grant Salter, executive director for Grant Thornton Middle East Advisory Services.
Predicting the “sheer volume” of construction would see an influx of off-shore contractors, including European and Asian stadium contractors, Salter adds that currently underdeveloped leisure and tourism industries will also provide significant opportunities.
Under construction
The World Cup is only one element of Qatar’s development goals. Like its neighbours, future projected growth is outlined in a number of strategies and, as the GCC’s third largest infrastructure market, public-private partnership (PPP) funded projects (excluding oil, gas and petrochemicals) total more than $100 billion. The long-term plan is the Qatar National Vision 2030. Designed around the four “pillars” of human, social, environmental and economic development, it was approved by Emiri decree in 2008 and aims to preserve traditions, promote modernisation and manage economic growth in the country. To concentrate development in the short
term, the National Development Strategy 20112016 prioritises the creation of a knowledge society, actual and abstract, overseen by the Qatar Foundation. Among the major planned projects is Education City; a 2500-acre hub of seven “world-class” universities and the Qatar Science and Technology Park; the foundation’s “flagship” project. Qatar and its surrounding villages will receive 12 new schools; with seven contracts already awarded. Transport infrastructure will also receive upgrades, on both small and record-breaking scales. The “Friendship Bridge”, which is also known as Bahrain Causeway, is a 40km, $3 billion bridge linking Qatar to Bahrain and reducing travelling time between the two countries to 30 minutes. According to publically available tender information, contracts are being re-negotiated following a six-month delay. Furthermore, a $25 billion investment will fund the railway network and metro system; linking the airport, Doha city and suburbs, as well as connecting Qatar to the wider GCC. “It is essential that only experienced contractors who are already established in Qatar are appointed to construct the critical and supporting infrastructure,” Saadie advises, naming the highway, metro, high-speed rail network and Doha Port as urgent priorities. A major element of the upgrades is the expansion of Doha International Airport; based 4km away from the existing airport, 40% of the site will be built on reclaimed land and feature
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Market Explorer | QATAR
”Qatar presents one of the fastestmoving economies. It provides very lucrative opportunities and a promising future” CITY LIFE
46% Of Qatar’s national population is concentrated in Doha
BELOW FROM TOP: Al Habtoor’s Tony Saadie; Grant Thornton Middle East’s Grant Salter; Domopan’s Fouad Hamdan.
two of the longest commercial runways seen in the world. The country is also benefitting from a number of high-profile projects in the retail, real estate and tourism sectors, inspired by the country’s cultural heritage. Mixed-use development The Pearl Qatar, a man-made island off the Arabian Peninsula, is described as a “unique living and cultural experience”, incorporating the country’s “past and present”. Developed by Qatar’s largest privatesector shareholding company United Development Company (UDC) it is the country’s first international luxury residential development offering international investors freehold title ownership. The second lifestyle project is a 37km2 waterfront city, Lusail, 15km north of Doha. Providing a “full array of community needs”, Lusail will also meet objectives from the Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS), the country’s green build code. The key retail development is a QR 6 billion joint venture between Al Futtaim, Qatar Islamic Bank and Aqar Real Estate Investment. It will be the country’s largest multi-purpose
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complex with a full retail centre, an entertainment park and two hotels. Provisionally called Entertainment City, construction will begin this year, with the first phase due in 2012. The regeneration of Doha city, a project formerly known as the Heart of Doha, is a multibillion dollar master-plan developed by Allies and Morrison with Arup and Edaw. Now known as ‘Musheireb’, the project will regenerate more than 200 city-centre buildings. According to project updates, shortlisted contractors have been invited to submit bids.
Going green
Like the majority of new projects in the region, Qatar’s future vision is a green one, guided by the Qatar Green Building Council and QSAS. Projects, particularly those related to 2022, promise “tradition and innovation”, with an agenda for solar-powered “eco-stadiums”, which can be dismantled for use in developing countries, low-carbon transport systems, highquality building materials and an emphasis on reduced water consumption. Referring to the system as “revolutionary”,
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GDP
Predicted inflation in Qatar between 2010 and 2014
Aerial view of the Pearl Qatar.
“Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are interested in short-term business opportunities will be disappointed, as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful” Fouad Hamdan, managing director of green building material manufacturer Domopan, explains: “QSAS defines the way the construction industry operates and the impact it will have on the country’s social, environmental and economical systems. “QSAS guidelines improve the quality of construction, help regulate the materials and systems being used in real estate projects and consider the outcomes and results of such construction. By applying QSAS, construction will become a major driver in how the building will function and operate throughout its entire lifecycle,” he adds.
Easy money
Business conditions in the country are widely regarded as favourable, with one of the lowest tax regimes in the world and a second-place ranking in the World Bank Group’s Ease of Doing Business report 2010. Since October 2000, new sectors have been open to 100% foreign ownership; corporate taxes are set at a flat-rate of 10% and credit is widely available. In its 2010 Country View Report, Real Estate analyst CB Richard Ellis claimed the political environment is one of the most stable in the region, ranking the country the least corrupt in the Middle East. “Qatar presents one of the fastest-moving economies with the highest GDP. It provides very lucrative opportunities and a very promising future,” says Hamdan. Explaining how the company enjoys “considerable opportunities”, Hamdan adds:
“When we invested in a factory in Doha in 2007, it was because we believed in its leadership, in its vision and in its rewarding cultural, social and economical values.” But there can be draw backs. “Qatar is well ahead of its regional counterparts; we have found it a great country to operate from and our staff find that it is a good country to live in,” says Saadie. “However, it takes time to set up business and to establish supply chains. Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are interested in short-term business opportunities will be disappointed, as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful. “It will also be of critical importance that plant, material and staff resources are able to enter Qatar easily to enable on-time construction of the numerous projects required by 2022,” he warns, predicting that rapid growth in global markets will increase the likelihood of resource price inflation. Despite the prediction, the Qatari market is robust; wavering only in light of developer confidence and consistently producing a high GDP. Commenting that there is high demand in real estate, driven in part by a growing expat population, Hamdan adds: “Qatar’s government has a clear vision that does not relate to any event that might take place till 2030, and which is becoming the basic foundation of how the country is developing. He concludes: “With this clear vision and with a strong and decisive leadership capable of achieving what it aspires to, the opportunities in Qatar will never fade away.”
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3.6%
Projected infrastructure spend 2010-2015 US $25 billion rail network
$20 billion on new roads, including $687 million on Lusail Expressway, Doha Expressway, Dukhan Freeway and the Doha Bay Crossing $11 billion new airport expected to open in 2012, with capacity to handle around 50 million passengers a year $5.5 billion new deep-water seaport $1 billion crossing linking new airport with mega-projects in northern part of Doha $3 Billion Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, rumoured soon to be re-started after delays $25 billion on an additional rail network linking the new Doha International airport, Doha city centre and the proposed Qatar-Bahrain Causeway and the wider GCC rail network Qatar is the world’s primary producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The industry contributes 70% of the government’s revenues
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PROJECT UPDATE | DUCAB
LEFT: Ducab has a number of manufacturing plants in the UAE. BELOW: Aerial view of the facility.
Industrial landmark Ducab-HV to open the UAE’s first dedicated high-voltage factory this quarter
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he region’s first high-voltage factory is on track to open in Jebel Ali, Dubai, this quarter, according to owner Ducab-HV. The joint-venture company between Dubai Cable Company (Ducab), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), claimed that the US $136 million, 148m high tower is the highest industrial structure in the emirates. Reaching 44 storeys, the tower, which is the most noticeable feature of the new Ducab-HV factory, will house extrusion equipment for the manufacturing of high-voltage products. The tower will also contain a series of clean-room facilities in the top levels to eliminate any risk of contamination of the critical cable insulation. Within one year of breaking ground, the vertical extrusion was completed in December 2010 by Khansaheb Civil Engineering firm. “We are approaching the completion of the civil works and the first machines are already being installed. Commissioning will start in early 2011 followed by rigorous testing and then production of cables for the market later in the year,” Ducab-HV CEO Jon Vail said last month. Ducab Chairman Ahmed Al Shaikh added that the project was on track for completion. “These types of high-voltage cables carry electricity loads that are great enough to power an entire downtown district, and as such, we will ensure that the quality standards of our products surpass the highest international standards in the industry,” commented Al Shaikh. The “speedy and efficient” construction of the factory was attributed to the combined efforts of the
project team: “We have enjoyed working closely and successfully with the Ducab-HV workforce to deliver a quality contract in a very challenging time frame,” said Richard Browne, the operations manager at Khansaheb. The firm held a ceremony last month marking the completion of the tower, which was attended by Ducab-HV board members, including DEWA managing director and CEO HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Transco deputy manager Saeed Al Darmaki and Ducab’s Al Shaikh. Ducab is jointly owned by the Governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Its current manufacturing facilities occupy an area of 590,000m² in Jebel Ali and nearly 330,000m² in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, among two factories. Today, the firm produces more than 110,000 copper tons equivalent of low-voltage, medium and high-voltage cables. The company recently received the Mohammed Bin Rashid Business Excellence Award for
“These types of highvoltage cables carry electricity loads great enough to power an entire downtown district” achievements in the manufacturing sector. Speaking to The Big Project last year, Ducab marketing manager Ashish Chaturvedy estimated Ducab’s market share to be 50% in the emirates, with plans to reach a GCC market share of 20% in the “near future”.
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• The 148m tower is thought to be the UAE’s highest industrial structure.
Ducab is the only power cable company that operates a copper-rod factory in the UAE Its UAE factories manufacture up to 110,000 tons of high, medium and low-voltage cables per year This amount is equal to the weight of 120,000 Toyota Land Cruisers, according to Ducab The firm has a share of 25% in India’s imported copper market
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The 18,000m2 Sahan at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The jewel in Abu Dhabi’s crown
British designer Kevin Dean has illustrated books, walls and restaurants. Here he tells Melanie Mingas about one of his biggest design projects; the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque’s 18,000m2 Sahan
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hen artist Kevin Dean first arrived at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi in 2003, it was “just a dark, huge, concrete building”. “It was difficult to imagine it beyond that. When I arrived, the courtyard was just sand,” Dean recalls. However, in four years, a team of 38 companies and 3000 workers transformed the site into one of the most recognisable buildings in the world; featuring 80 domes, 1000 columns, 24-carat gold-plated chandeliers, a 35-ton
hand-woven carpet, and of course the 18,000m2 marble courtyard, known as the Sahan. A “truly international project”, according to Dean, the mosque has a maximum capacity of 40,000 worshippers, making it the largest in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest in the world. “The contractors only had about a year to build the Sahan; at one point there were 400 men involved in that one element,” he explains.
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“The mosque opened in December 2007 and has since received a number of royal visitors; most recently Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth”
Pictures courtesy of Kevin Dean and Stephan Tschirch.
LEFT AND BELOW: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque under construction in Abu Dhabi. Upon completion, the mosque featured 1000 columns and 80 domes.
“I hadn’t worked on a development of this scale before; I had worked on ceramic projects involving murals, but not with marble.” Dean was originally commissioned to design the Sahan, based on “a few scribbles on a piece of paper”, which had been given to him by Sheikh Sultan, the son of the late Sheikh Zayed. He submitted his portfolio, which caught the client’s eye. After a phone call in 2003 from then architect Salma Damluji, he began liaising with HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to finalise his design. “Sheikh Sultan had some ideas about what he would like the decoration to be like; it was fairly basic, but it did show that he wanted something that wasn’t traditionally Islamic in terms of geometrics, but more of a free flow in the design, which I was happy to do. It was very similar to the work I do in textiles.”
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After completing the Sahan design, Dean began work on relief patterns for four external marble archways, which he describes only as “huge”. Inside the mosque, Dean also designed the main entrance, floor, walls, side and north entrances. “I thought I was just designing the Sahan, which was a big job, but to be asked to do the entrances as well was quite exciting.” Drawing on a portfolio of illustration and floral textile designs, Dean also gained inspiration from previous designs he had created for ceramic murals. “It was just a natural progression. I like illustration, but it’s very fashion-led; you either have a very strong style or you keep adopting new styles to get work.”
World-class design
Praised in the media for its “blend of architectural cultures”, the Abu Dhabi
Tourism Authority (ADTA) says the building is “a construction to unite the world”, using designers, materials, architects and artists from Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, Iran, China, Greece and the UAE. Originally commissioned by Abu Dhabi’s then ruler Sheikh Zayed in the 1980s, the actual construction was led by
Profile
Kevin Dean graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1982. After graduating he worked as a freelance artist in London before accepting a position with a textile studio. Following this job he began working on ceramic murals. Today, Dean also works as a lecturer.
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Dean: The Middle East allows for more creativity in design as people are prepared to take more risks and are very adventurous.
the Abu Dhabi Municipality and British consulting engineers Halcrow Group, along with Hill International. Speirs and Major, who also worked on the Burj Khalifa, were responsible for the design of architectural lighting and the internal doors and walls were designed and engineered by Spatium Architects. “It was a very international building team and there were a few individuals like me just doing part-based projects.” Saying he had to be “practical as well as beautiful”, Dean’s greatest consideration was the scale of the project. “The design process wasn’t too different to other designs I had created in the past, but for example, if I draw a flower that is two inches squared, that would become two metres. Some of the flowers are more than four metres in diameter, so I had to keep reminding myself of the proportions.” Another consideration was working with and preserving the marble. Supplied by the Abu Dhabi arm of Milanbased Fantini Mosaici, Dean was sent to Italy to source the stone for the Sahan, selecting the final material from a choice of 37 colours. His design was processed on CAD software, which
was then used to carefully cut the marble using a special water jet. The next stage was to mount the different sized, cut pieces on a steel and concrete panel, which was shipped to Abu Dhabi for locallybased construction labourers to surround with white mosaic. To create a cohesive, finished space, Dean says he “worked with the shapes that exist”, for example matching the centre of the designs with the centre of the building, particularly the main dome. “All the designs for the internal floors emanate from the centre. It’s rather like a spider’s web where everything projects from one single flower in the middle.” Design aside, the most pressing concern was how the marble would react once exposed to the desert sun. With temperatures frequently soaring above 40°C during the summer months and little shading around the Sahan, the stone had to be tested extensively to prove to the rest of the team, and Sheikh Sultan, that it could withstand the harsh conditions.
Royal approval
The mosque opened for worship for Eid-alAdha in December 2007 and has since received
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“The contractors only had about a year to build the Sahan; at one point there were 400 men involved in that one element” a number of royal visitors; most recently Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth. Since 2008, guided tours have enabled tourists of all faiths to follow in their footsteps and it was estimated that the mosque received 100,000 visitors during last year’s Eid-al-Adha. Modestly, Dean admits the people he speaks to praise his work; as a result his profile is rising in tandem with that of the mosque. “I have been selling some of my prints and artwork to galleries and a couple of them have said they would be interested in hosting an exhibition, which is something I am hoping to do in the New Year.” He has also begun producing ‘digital printed murals’, for UK-based projects in restaurants and shops and has also privately commissioned work for a family in Dubai. Calling the process “quite exciting”, he creates the mural before it is wall mounted by blowing up small-scale drawings, using digital print methods to a point where they “take on another aspect”. Not ruling out further religious projects, Dean names hotels and restaurants as his ideal drawing boards in the Middle East, saying that the city skylines and local flora and fauna are inspiring his next range of wallpaper and personal watercolour paintings. Speaking of the opportunities in the Middle East and his experience of working in the region, Dean comments: “People here are more willing to take risks and be adventurous and open to new ideas. “It’s good for someone like me because I have had many years of experience and training in the UK and I can bring that here where there is a very exciting market emerging.”
Construction trivia Capacity: 40,000 worshippers Domes: 80 Columns: 1000 Marble Sahan: 18,000m² A 35-ton, hand-woven carpet was made in Iran and shipped to Abu Dhabi in parts. Up to 38 companies were involved in the construction, design and delivery of the mosque. Furthermore, as many as 3000 workers were employed. Around 100,000 visited the mosque during Eid-al-Adha in 2010.
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Italian manufacturer of sealants and adhesives, IBS-Mapei, says a lack of industry standards is undermining consumer confidence
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ince establishing in the region three years ago, IBS-Mapei has expanded production capacity fivefold to meet a demand for “certified, quality products and services.” Now showcasing a catalogue of 15 adhesives and sealants products, the company reports a strong market demand in tile fitting and installation systems for ceramic tiles, marble, stone, glass and mosaics; with new requests for wooden, PVC and sports flooring, as well as sound-proofing installation. Founded in Milan in 1937, Mapei began its international expansion in the 1960s. The group now incorporates 63 subsidiaries, with 57 production facilities in operation across 26 countries and five continents. Mapei’s UAE subsidiary trades as Innovative Building Solutions LLC (IBS-Mapei). As part of its long-term commitment to the Middle East, the company commenced production in February 2009 at a 40,000m² facility at Dubai Investments Park. “The company has grown from strength to strength and we have only been here as an operating company for three years. We have had a very ambitious expansion programme since we first started the business,” says business development director Laith Haboubi. “There has been a shift in the market and finishes are being installed which are more consumer orientated. A few years ago developers weren’t so bothered about differentiating their products to the end user, where as now the people purchasing properties are end users rather than investors, so those finishes have really grown in importance,” he explains. Around 80% of the products Mapei produces are manufactured in Dubai, and the company has supplied a number of high-profile projects in the emirate, including: the Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa, Emirates Palace Hotel, the Atlantis Hotel on Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab and Terminals 1,2, and 3 at Dubai
“Traditionally the market in this region is not driven by quality and service; it is driven by price”
International Airport. In addition, 18 of the company’s products were specified for use at Abu Dhabi’s recently completed Ferrari World on Yas Island, including a number of waterproof cementitious coatings, an alkali-resistant fibre glass mesh, branded Mapenet 150, and a range of adhesives and grouts. “Our concrete admixtures line is designed to improve the performance and characteristics of concrete,” explains Haboubi. Such products are the result of a strong focus on research and development; 12% of the company’s total work-force and 5% of its turnover are invested in such projects and 70% of these are developed to meet LEED requirements. Conducting the research from three laboratories, Mapei also operates the region’s only climatic-controlled facility, allowing researchers to control temperature and humidity during testing; a point Haboubi says is “very significant” in this industry. “We are one of the few companies that can comply with the latest international standards and test our products to those standards to prove it,” he explains. However, Haboubi says that there is still a lack of industry-wide benchmarks and demand for quality. “We are driven by quality and technology. We take a line of quality and service and the only way you can do that is to ensure you have the products and people who can deliver. “Traditionally, the market in this region is not driven by quality and service; it is driven by price,” he observes. It is this focus which, according to Haboubi, results in low customer expectations and few industry standards. “The lack of standards and certification is one of the biggest problems as there are different perceptions of quality. “Consumers know if they have a problem, but they don’t realise that the problems arise from a lack of standards. “We have tried very hard to raise standards in the market; as a company and through associations such as MEDMA and governmental bodies like Dubai Municipality and Dubai Central Laboratories.” Through a product catalogue that conforms
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An Italian job
Business development director Laith Haboubi.
to European and worldwide benchmarks, Mapei’s next objective is to raise the expectations of its Middle East clients, in the hope competitors will follow. “We are seeing a few companies now starting to produce products that comply with a few of those international standards, but they are an exception rather than the norm. You need to have some sort of legislation to drive standards, but in the meantime it falls to companies like ours to take the initiative.” Commenting that the company has a reputation to be the “number one or two player by value,” Haboubi concludes: “Where we go from here is trying to emulate the position and reputation in our other product lines; such as building materials, which include repair materials and mortars.”
Fast facts Staff: 6100 Subsidiaries: 63 subsidiaries, with 57 production facilities in operation Spanning: 26 countries and five continents Research and development: Up to 12% of workforce and 5% of turnover dedicated to R&D Sustainability: Around 70% of R&D efforts to develop products meeting LEED requirements
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Suppliers in the spotlight A round-up of the latest news and announcements from industry suppliers in the Middle East
Dyson launches ‘Airblade’ hand dryer
Low-carbon aluminium introduced to region
‘Jotun Experience’ enhanced online
Award-winning dryer officially introduced to the Middle East market by Dyson
Masdar and Gulf Extrusions team up to develop and supply a new ‘eco-metal’
Paint manufacturer becomes the first in region to use webcam gadget to demonstrate products
The first hand dryer to be recognised as a ‘hygienic hand-drying system’ has been launched in the region. The Dyson Airblade creates a 400mph sheet of unheated air to “scrape water from hands, like a windscreen wiper”, according to the company. The air passes through a 0.3mm HEPA filter, to remove bacteria and increase hygiene. The Airblade is powered by a digital motor to save energy. Dyson claimed the machine is also a cheaper alternative to conventional dryers or the use of hand towels. “The dryer is based on a Dyson patented digital motor, which is five times faster than a formula one engine,” said director of international markets Mike Saunders (pictured above). It is the first hand dryer to be awarded the Carbon Reduction Label from the Carbon Trust and is already in use at the Sanctuary Discotheque in the Atlantis, The Palm and Le Méridien hotels in Dubai. The model, which is available in 34 countries, is also certified by the British Skin Foundation and the Royal Institute of Public Health. “The feedback has been tremendous; people in this area love the technology and since the downturn have been more mindful of saving money and resources. We are bringing the best technology to the region and we hope people will recognise this so the future of the Dyson Airblade will be secure here,” Saunders added.
An environmentally-friendly aluminium product, developed by Gulf Extrusions in conjunction with the Masdar Institute, is being rolled out for wider use across the region. The “green aluminium”, which produces 50% less carbon, was developed two years ago in conjunction with Masdar and manufacturer ALCAN, it received its first application 18 months ago and is now available to the wider GCC market through supplier Gulf Extrusions. Green aluminium contains 80% recycled materials and can be recycled indefinitely. “From an environmental point of view the energy consumed to recycle aluminium is only 5% of the energy required to smelt virgin aluminium. To smelt one metric ton of aluminium you need 15,000 kilowatts of power, but secondary production only requires 750 kilowatts,” said GM Modar Mohammed Al Mekdad. In addition, the alternative material is produced generating almost half the C0₂ of traditional methods. Traditional materials produce 11kg of C0₂ per ton of aluminium; this product produces 5.7kg. “The material is being specified gradually, but this is still the beginning and there are no rules to make its use mandatory. I believe in the coming years as awareness increases, demand will increase dramatically,” Al Mekdad added. Gulf Extrusions has also recently launched a thermally broken windows and doors system.
Paint manufacturer Jotun has increased interest in its products by showcasing real-life applications via an online interactive programme. Using a set of five picture cards depicting different types of buildings on a yellow background, the ‘Jotun Experience’ allows clients to see applications of various paints and how each product’s features look upon application. Users log onto the website and hold each card in front of a webcam for a real-time, live demonstration of the benefits and an explanation of each product in Jotun’s range. Developed by the firm’s regional brand connection executive Gurpreet Kaur (pictured above), the web-based tool helps to demonstrate the “unique properties and applications” of the products, according to the company. Jotun’s range of products includes anti-fungal and anti-bacterial lines; textured, gloss and sheen finishes, and thermal insulators and corrosion protectors. Many products are lowVOC, lead-free and odourless. “Our products have these unique benefits you can only see live or in 3D, so I wanted to use a technology which could demonstrate that simply so clients can see the applications live in front of them,” said Kaur. “This technology has been used successfully by companies in Europe and the US, but we are the first company in the Middle East to use this as a marketing message,” she added.
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RWI set targets to deliver $10.9 million worth of products to customers across the GCC by the end of last year
RWI reveals new lines and corporate image
New JCB machines focus on HSE criteria
Work begins on UAE’s first dry-mortar plant
Rubber World Industries has launched a new branding campaign for the New Year
Three new machines launched by manufacturer following “huge” R&D project
When fully functional, the Al Mafraq facility will produce up to 1000 tons of dry mortar per day
Shaikhani Group subsidiary, Rubber World Industries, has launched eight new products and a new brand image for 2011. The company, which owns the Gulf-O-flex brand, has already reported a strong interest in the new range following previews at November’s The Big 5 exhibition. The range includes insulation pipes, glue, tapes and adhesive insulation that have been used in several signature projects such as the Al Raha Beach development, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The company also produces the HFC and CFC-free, closed-cell rubber insulation, Gulf-O-Flex. The company’s products have a 56% market share in the Middle East. According to managing director Muzammil Shaikhani (pictured above), the new brand image depicts the “growth dynamism, diversity and values that RWI is known to represent”. In October, the company set targets to deliver US $10.9 million worth of products to customers across the GCC by the end of 2010. Shaikhani predicts sales will grow a further 25% on the back of the new campaign. “The reception of the new products has been good and we have taken many orders; it seems people have been waiting for products like these. We are also marketing exports and sales are strong with products going to all of the GCC and African markets,” Shaikhani said.
The world’s third-largest heavy-equipment manufacturer, JCB, has launched three new machines to increase its share of the Middle East market. The new JCB3CX Eco, 300TLT and Vibromax VMD70 are the result of a “huge” research and development project to set the agenda for the company’s future operations. The research also included “extensive” customer input and market research and has increased the safety and efficiency of the machines, according to the firm. The machines will also help clients meet forthcoming worldwide emissions legislation. “In these new developments we take a strong view to focus on our key customer attributes, which are productivity, efficiency, CO₂ reduction and comfort,” explained Gulf district manager Edward Lovatt. “The old models were the most efficient on the market, but now we have made them 60% better,” he added. The VibromaxVMD70 has been re-designed to minimise the chance of accidents and now features a lever to protect the operator’s hand. “We take health and safety very seriously and we recognise that accident rates need to be zero,” Lovatt added. The machine will be available from January 2011 and orders have already been taken, claimed the company.
Construction has begun on a new $27.2 million dry-mortar plant, according to Arkan Building Material Company. The plant, called Arkan Dry Mortar, will be based in Al Mafraq and is scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2011. With a production capacity of 1000 tons per day, the 57,000m² plant will be Arkan’s first dry-mortar plant in the UAE. The company said it is a “commitment to innovation and leadership in the field of building materials”. “The new Arkan facility is a sound investment that demonstrates how the company, with the support of its shareholders and the Abu Dhabi Government, continues to meet the evolving growth requirements of the regional construction industry by providing integrated solutions of the highest quality and at the most competitive prices,” said vice president of projects Saeed Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri. Arkan’s product range includes machineapplied plasters and renders, tile mortars, masonry mortars and floor screeds. Facilities at the new plant will include silo or tanker filling, bag filling, palletising and automatic shrink wrapping. “Arkan Dry Mortar will have the capability to produce a wide range of customised drymortar products to the building construction industry in the UAE and wider region,” he said.
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“The Vibromax VMD70 has been redesigned to minimise the chance of accidents occuring”
$10.9m
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The Birds Nest stadium built for the Beijing Olympics used 45,000 tons of steel plate. Zamil has supplied projects across the region.
Raising the bar Few expected the steel industry to succumb to the price, demand and even political obstacles it has over the last 12 months. Despite the challenges, this month’s steel buffs say 2011 still looks hopeful What are the main applications for your products? Hassan Samir: Attar Steel is focused on the business-to-business sector. We supply the construction and hardware industries, and general sheets and coils for various projects.
Mandeep Bhandari: Steel Masters International supplies the construction industry. Our products are primarily used for roofing, cladding, fencing and air-conditioning (AC) ducting. Our prime customers include Zamil, Kirby and Mabani. Nader Elhajj: Our main supply market is construction and our products are used mainly in labour residences, portable cabins and villas. Framecad doesn’t supply to the automotive or industrial sectors at the moment. Globally we operate in 80 countries and in the Middle East, primarily in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. There are also high concentration markets in Afghanistan, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and South America.
The panel Hassan Samir General manager, Attar Steel
Mandeep Bhandari Managing director, Steel Masters International Ltd
Nader Elhajj Director Middle East and Africa, Framecad
Maged Mostafa Chief executive officer, Genesis Manazil Steel Framing
Muhammad Eissa General manager — steel devision, Zamil Group Holding
Maged Mostafa: Genesis Manazil Steel Framing’s light-steel frame products are suitable for residential buildings up to eight storeys high, including schools, offices, small hotels and commercial plazas. Muhammad Eissa: Our main applications are for industry, manufacturing and fabrication. Zamil Steel produces pre-engineered buildings, pre-fabricated housing and offers complete building systems. We supply structural steel products and process equipment, power transmission and telecommunications towers, building components and open-web steel joists and decking.
Where is the highest demand?
HS: The highest demand is in Saudi Arabia. The market requires galvanised sheets, stainless steel, perforated sheets and also decorative tubes and cable tubes. MB: Our steel is being sold mostly to the UAE and Saudi Arabia; geographically we reach as
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TRENDS XXXXXXXX | STEEL| XXXXXXXXXX
“When the market slowed, we supplied to new types of developments such as office buildings, hospitals, schools and so forth”
5%-6% The average steel demand increase year-on-year in the Arab countries
Muhammad Eissa.
Mandeep Bhandari.
Maged Mostafa.
tapered off and now we are concentrating on Saudi Arabia and North Africa; mostly Egypt and Sudan. We are also looking beyond the Middle East and North Africa region; going towards Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Iraq has strong potential, but there are problems with payments. NE: Demand over the last few years has changed drastically, with some products increasing 50% year-on-year. This has been driven by the speed of construction; what normally takes a year and a half you can now do within months. When the market slowed, we supplied new types of developments, such as office buildings, hospitals, schools and so forth.
Profile cutting during steel production.
far as Egypt, with 40 to 50% of our business coming from KSA and Egypt. MM: In addition to our presence in the UAE, we export to and have light-steel construction activities in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and KSA. We’re looking into modular solutions for applications such as temporary high-end offices and labour residences. On top of this, we’re negotiating with prospective partners to expand into Syria, Egypt and Morocco.
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How have demands for steel changed recently?
HS: Demand is increasing, slowly. There are many factors and these depend on the region. In the Middle East everything is affected by politics, especially in Lebanon where we are based. We also have branches in Saudi Arabia, but it is politically stable there so we see that continuing to be a strong market in the future. MB: The UAE was our primary market but has
ME: The Middle East is considered our core market as we continue to cover all parts of the region. During the 1990s, we expanded further afield to establish production facilities in Vietnam, Egypt, the UAE and India. The highest demand for our products lies in all fields of industry in the GCC, particularly Saudi Arabia.
What are the most significant factors that are affecting your current operations?
HS: In Lebanon the market fluctuates and this is, again, linked to politics, where as operations in Saudi Arabia are strong and there are government strategies for expansions such as King Abdullah Economic City and universities in Jeddah and Riyadh.
China is the biggest steel producer in the world, but saw a decline in production of 3.8% between October 2009 and 2010
TRENDS | STEEL
3.8%
$2.8b The value of the 45 working steel factories in the middle east region
MB: Since the financial crunch customers are becoming choosy because of immense competition. As a result, our market share has fallen and we have worked very hard to give competitive rates. Customers still want good service which we are providing by reducing lead times.
Nader Elhajj.
Hassan Samir.
NE: Advancements in technology have made life much easier, for example automated systems. Our machines today are three times faster than our machines three years ago. This is not an industry-wide standard, but of course it typically translates into faster production times. MM: We’re not prone to many market variables unlike traditional construction operations, as we follow the ‘lean’ manufacturing model. The only major factor that would affect our operation is steel price variations as a worldwide commodity.
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TRENDS XXXXXXXX | STEEL| XXXXXXXXXX
67
“The year 2010 has not been an easy one, but the market shake-up has cleared the path for more serious developers, suppliers and contractors”
The number of steel plants in the Arab region
many other areas around the world. Demand is relatively stronger than other traditional markets particularly for our light-steel and off-site construction system. ME: Our major operations are within construction, oil and gas and we are adopting a dynamic approach of moving swiftly in and out of markets, depending on the risk or opportunities certain regions possess. We are always looking to expand our presence beyond the Middle East by supplying high-quality steel products and related services to an international client base. Steel products exhibited on Attar Steel’s stand at The Big 5 2010.
How have fluctuations in prices and demand affected the business recently?
HS: When the price increases, the market holds down and vice versa. To counter this we participate in exhibitions, expand into new lines and increase our diversification in the business with new ideas. Last year we exported to Italy and the Far East for the first time. MB: The effect can’t be quantified yet, but business has been very much affected, especially in terms of prices and competition. NE: The effects in the region are minimal because of the dependence on steel; the market has no option. If concrete is used, steel rebar is needed, so the impact is minimised. MM: Fluctuations affect all businesses; however, we try to mitigate that by diversifying our target vertical sectors including residential, commercial and institutional buildings alike, with regards to prices of commodities that we use as input to our production, including steel. As steel prices go up, it is a good indication that markets are recovering. This means that, today, we have a better chance of winning more projects and enhancing our economies of scale.
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Construction trivia Currently, where are the major opportunities for 2011 in the market and wider industry?
HS: The major opportunities are in Saudi Arabia, following up demand for new projects. I hope there will also be more opportunities coming up in the UAE. MB: There is oversupply, which is clearly creating problems and customers are now more price conscious than quality conscious. But there is strong growth in places like Saudi Arabia and we are concentrating more on the industrial sector, which is on the rise. NE: The opportunities in this region are huge; our operations only just scratch the surface. In the future we are looking at putting satellite offices in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, these are growth areas for us. There are always obstacles when doing this, such as people’s perceptions and gaining business approvals, but these exist in every market around the world. MM: The year 2010 has not been an easy one, but the market shake-up has cleared the path for more serious developers, suppliers and contractors. Thanks to the wealth of natural resources and solid population growth, the region is in a relatively better position than
•
According to the World Steel Association (WSA), Turkey and Iran were the largest steel producers in the Middle East in 2010
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Steel products can be recycled repeatedly without loss of strength
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Recycling steel saves the equivalent energy to power about 18 million households for a year
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The amount of energy needed to produce a ton of steel has been reduced by 34% since 1972
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Global steel consumption is estimated to have fallen by around 9% in 2009
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Steel was first used in skyscrapers in 1883 and in cars in 1918
Steel has the highest strengthto-weight ratio, making it the strongest building material available globally
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Project Number MPP2297-SA
Project Name Headquarters Building Project - King Abdullah Financial District
Territory Saudi Arabia Client Samba Financial Group (Saudi Arabia) Website: http://www.samba.com DescriptionConstruction of headquarters building comprising a 39-storey office block with three levels of basement parking at King Abdullah Financial District.
Budget $240 million Period 2014 Status Current project Remarks This project will be located on the outskirts of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and cover a total built-up area of about 110,000 square metres. Local El-Seif Engineering & Contracting has been appointed as the main contractor. The contract involves building the structure and basic fit-out of the office building and a three-storey car park. It is understood that construction work is progressing and will be completed in 2014. Main Consultant Davis Langdon Arabian Gulf (Bahrain) Main Architect Foster & Partners (UK) Engineering Consultant Buro Happold (UK) Main Contractor El Seif Engineering Contracting Establishment (Saudi Arabia) Project Number ZPR188-SA
Project Name Mixed-use Buildings Development Project
Territory Saudi Arabia Client International Investment Bank - IIB (Bahrain) Email: info@iib-bahrain.com
Web: http://www.iib-bahrain.com Description Development of mixeduse buildings involving construction of (2,000 Nos.) residential units, schools, shops and mosques.
Budget $1 billion Status New tender Remarks This project will be located in Jeddah. It will be implemented in phases. It is understood that the scheme is in early stages of planning. Work is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2011. Project Number MPP2367-SA
Project Name King Abdullah Sports City Project
Territory Saudi Arabia Client Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) Email: benayyom@aramco.com.sa Web: http://www.saudiaramco.com Description Construction of King Abdullah Sports City covering an area of 9 square kilometres featuring a main stadium with capacity of 60,000, together with at least five other smaller sporting arenas, including a specialist hospital for sporting injuries, a number of indoor arenas and accommodation facilities.
Budget $10 billion Status New tender Remarks This project will be located around 60 kilometres north of Jeddah alongside the MeccaMedina highway in Saudi Arabia. The scheme is still in design phase. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main contract is expected to be issued soon. UK-based Arup is acting as the consultant on this project. Main Consultant Arup (UK) Project Number MPP2374-SA
Project Name Medina Airport Expansion Project -
Phase 1
Territory Saudi Arabia Client General Authority of Civil Aviation - GACA (Saudi Arabia) Description Expansion of Medina Airport to develop airside and landside facilities, including the construction of a new terminal with capacity of 14 million passengers a year, renovation of an existing runway and construction of a second runway.
Budget $1.5 billion Closing Date February 28, 2011 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Saudi Arabia. It will be developed in two phases on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. The airport currently handles about 3.5 million passengers a year. Later expansion plans involve the construction of a new passenger terminal, the renovation of existing runway, the possible construction of a second runway. Client has pre-qualified eight consortiums to bid for the main contract. Main Consultant International Finance Corporation - IFC (Saudi Arabia)
News
Saudi Arabia
The monorail will be built to ease transport crisis and clogged streets in the province. The scheme will be developed in 2 phases. Phase 1 will link the 3 major mosques in Najaf: Imam Ali, Kufa and Sahla Shrines and will also link 2 main bus depots. Phase 2 will link the new Najaf Airport. Canada’s TransGlobim International has been awarded the design and build contract. Construction work is expected to commence in the second half of 2011. Main Contractor TransGlobim International (Canada)
Qatar Project Number ZPR191-Q
Project Name Marina Mall Project
Territory Qatar Client Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company (Qatar) Email: info@mazayaqatar.com Web: http://www.mazayaqatar.com Description Build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract for the development of Marina Mall comprising two floors and ground floor, surrounded with a hotel as well as office and residential space.
IRAQ Project Number ZPR196-IQ
Project Name Najaf Monorail Project
Territory Iraq Client Najaf Investment Commission (Iraq) Website: http://www.investnajaf. com Description Design and Build contract for the construction of a 37-kilometre-long monorail in Najaf.
Budget $600 million
XXXXXXXX MENA PROJECTS | XXXXXXXXXX | TENDERS
TENDERS
The latest tenders and project updates for developments in MENA
Budget $275 million Status New tender Remarks This project will be facing the New Marina and Yacht Club at Lusail area in Doha. It will be spread over an area of 57,605 square metres. Dubai-based Gensler has been appointed as the architect. It is understood that the project is still under design. Detailed design is expected to be completed in the first half of 2011. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main construction contract is expected to be issued in fourth quarter of 2011. Main Architect Gensler Associates (Dubai)
Period 2014 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Iraq.
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MENA PROJECTS | TENDERS
Syria Project Number SPR2624-SY
Project Name Shams Khamat Mixed-use Development Project
Territory Syria Client Majid Al-Futtaim Group (Dubai) Email: inquiry@mafgroup.co.ae Web: http://www.majidalfuttaim. com Description Development of Shams Khamat mixed-use scheme comprising international hotels, a shopping mall, a town square, business districts and modern amenities.
Budget $1 billion Period 2014 Status New tender Remarks This project will be developed at Sabboura/Yafour district, 17 kilometres west of Damascus in Syria and cover an area of 1 million square metres. Ground works have commenced and are expected to be completed in 2011. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main construction contract is expected to be issued in February 2011. Construction is anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2011.
EGYPT Project Number OPR424-E
Project Name Mall of Egypt Project
Territory Egypt Client Majid Al Futtaim Group (Egypt) Web: http://www. majidalfuttaimproperties.com Description Construction of Mall of Egypt comprising (350) stores, a 17-screen cinema complex, Magic Planet, an outdoor plaza, dining, and skiing facility.
Budget $772 million Period 15/01/2012 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Cairo and will cover an area of 160,000 square metres. Ski Egypt, an indoor skiing facility similar to the one in Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, is planned in the mall. ITB for the main construction contract has been issued. The detailed design is ongoing and expected to be completed in December 2010 or in the first quarter of 2011. Award for the main construction contract is expected in the first quarter of 2011. Main Architect RTKL Associates Inc. (Dubai)
OMAN Project Number SPR194-O
Project Name Convention & Exhibition Centre Project
Territory Oman Client O man Tourism Development Company S.A.O.C (Omran) Email: enquiries@omran.om Web: http://www.omran.om Description Design and construction of a convention centre with capacity of 6,000 seats, a 30,000 square metre exhibition centre/multi-user sports centre, including several hotels in five, four and three-star categories, 20 meeting rooms (each with 250 seating capacity), a business park covering approximately 70,000 square metres, restaurants, cafes, press centre, shopping mall (125,000 square metres) and recreation facilities.
Budget $500 million Period 2014 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Muscat and will be located 4 kilometres away from Muscat International Airport in Oman. US-based WATG has been appointed as master planner on this scheme. Local Al-Awazi International has been awarded an estimated $7.5 million
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contract to carry out the site preparation and enabling works package. Client had invited firms to pre-qualify by November 30, 2010 for four packages worth a total of $260 million covering the construction of a convention centre and other buildings on the outskirts of Muscat. The first package involves construction of a 6,000 capacity convention centre, while the second package is for a 30,000-squaremetre exhibition hall, car parking and energy centre. The third package is for construction of a fivestar hotel and the fourth package is for infrastructure works. This will include construction of site roads and provision of utilities. Main Consultant RMJM (Dubai) Master Plan Consultant WATG (USA) Quantity Surveyor Hanscomb & Company L.L.C (Oman) Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor Al-Awazi International L.L.C (Oman)
Bahrain Project Number ZPR160-B
Project Name Mina Salman Port Construction Project
Territory Bahrain Client Ministry of Works & Agriculture (Bahrain) Description Construction of threelevel interchange at Mina Salman Port.
Budget 585 million Period 15/08/2013 Status New tender Remarks This project will be located at Manama in Bahrain. It includes construction of an overpass from Shaikh Isa bin Salman Highway to Al Fateh Street and a tunnel from Shaikh Isa bin Salman Bridge to Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Port. Evaluation of bids is currently underway for the main contract. A joint venture of Haji Hassan Group and Belhasa Six Construct has been submitted the lowest bid. An award is now anticipated in the first quarter
of 2011, with construction expected to commence in 2011.
UAE Project Number ZPR172-U
Project Name Godolphin Parks Development Project — in Meydan City
Territory Dubai Client Meydan L.L.C (Dubai) Web: http://www.meydan.ae Description Development of Godolphin Parks comprising a 40-storey Godolphin Gateway Tower and a signature mall that includes indoor and outdoor parks. Status New tender Remarks This project will be located in Meydan City at Ras Al Khor in Dubai. The scheme is still in early planning stage and no schedule has been revealed yet. Malaysia’s TAK Group has been appointed as the design consultant. Design Consultant TAK Group based in Dubai Project Number OPR437-U
Project Name Premier Inn Hotel Project - Abu Dhabi International Airport
Territory Abu Dhabi Client Premier Inn (Dubai) Email: reservations@mena. premierinn.com Web: http://www.premierinn.com Description Construction of Premier Inn Hotel comprising 300 rooms, including an all-day restaurant and bar, a coffee outlet and several meeting rooms.
Budget $33 million Period 2012 Status New tender Remarks This hotel will be built at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Located opposite Terminal 3, it will conveniently link to Terminals 1 and 3 by a retail corridor, with several
Project Number SPR2146-U
Project Name Al Mashtal Mixeduse Community Development Project
Territory Abu Dhabi Client S orouh Real Estate (Abu Dhabi) Web: http://www.sorouh.com Description Development of Al Mashtal mixed-use community scheme comprising offices, residential, entertainment and retail areas, a hotel, serviced apartments, entertainment/sports arena, and a parking area.
Budget $1.5 billion Status New tender Remarks This project will be located near the business district in Abu Dhabi and spread over an area of 790,000 square metres. It will include 3 office towers, 7 residential towers, a hotel, a retail podium, serviced apartments, entertainment facilities and a parking area for 5,400 cars. The project is still in final stage of design. This is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011 and will be followed by release of invitation to bid (ITB) for the infrastructure package. Design Consultant Arquitectonica (Dubai) Project Manager KEO International Consultants (Abu Dhabi) Infrastructure Consultant Mouchel Parkman Middle East Ltd. (Abu Dhabi) Project Number ZPR108-U
Project Name High-Voltage Cables Plant Project
Territory Dubai Client D ubai Cable Company Pvt. Ltd. (DUCAB) Email: ducab@ducab.ae Web: http://www.ducab.co.ae Description Construction of a highvoltage (HV) cables plant to cater for large power projects.
Budget $150 million Period 15/02/2011 Status Current project Remarks This plant will be located at Jebel Ali in Dubai and cover an area of 22,000 square metres. The 44-storey tower will house stateof-the-art extrusion equipment and be the most noticeable feature of the new HV factory. The 148-metrehigh tower will be a new landmark in Jebel Ali and is believed to be the highest industrial tower in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region. It is designed to ensure that the very high voltage products are manufactured to the highest standards necessary to provide faultless service. The project will cater to large power projects being developed in UAE. 75% to 80% of the production will be exported to Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and North Africa. The remaining will be for the local market. The scheme is being implemented in joint venture with Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA) through its subsidiary Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company. Local Khansaheb Civil Engineering has been appointed as the main contractor. Construction of the 148cm vertical extrusion tower has been completed. Civil works are nearing completion and first machines are being installed. Main Contractor Khansaheb Civil Engineering (Dubai) Project Number MPR1338-U
Project Name Infrastructure Works Contract — Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone
Territory Abu Dhabi
Client Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) Email: minazayd@emirates.net.ae Web: http://www.portzayed.gov.ae Description Implementation of infrastructure works involving construction of one road bridge, two rail bridges and other general infrastructure such as culverts, storm water drainage, sewerage, substations and pumping stations at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone (KPIZ).
Budget $132 million Period15/07/2012 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Abu Dhabi. The agreement is for construction, fit-out, testing and commissioning of civil and structural works for Industrial Zone Area ‘A’. The contract includes construction of a 4.5-kilometre, three-lane carriageway and a 1.5-kilometre, four-lane carriageway linking the onshore port to the industrial zone. It also features the construction of seven 11kV substations and pumping stations as well as the provision of site-wide utilities such as electricity, telecom, potable water, combined wastewater and irrigation. Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) has received a letter of intent to carry out the main contract. Works have already commenced. US-based Bechtel is acting as the project’s program manager. Project Manager Bechtel (International) Company Limited (Abu Dhabi) Main Contractor Consolidated Contractors International Co. Ltd. CCC (Abu Dhabi) Project Number OPR438-U
Project Name Dredging Works Project — Al Ruwais Port
Territory Abu Dhabi Client Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited (GASCO) Email: info@gasco.ae Web: http://www.gasco.ae Description Carrying out dredging works of a sulphur handling and export terminal at Al Ruwais Port.
Budget $100 million Status Current project Remarks This project is in Abu Dhabi. Local National Marine Dredging Company has been appointed as the main contractor. The con tract also involves expansion of polyvinyl chloride (PVS) export terminal. The scheme is aimed at deepening water basin at the sulphur export terminal, which lies on the eastern part of Al Ruwais Industrial Area, in order to raise the sulphur capacity of Ruwais Port and the sulphur production capacity. Main Contractor National Marine Dredging Company - NMDC (Abu Dhabi) Tender Categories Marine Engg. Works & Seaports Project Number MPP2276-U
Project Name Terminal Expansion Project — Phase 6
Territory Northern Emirates Client Vopak Horizon Fujairah Ltd. Email: aernoud.voot@vopak.com Web: http://www. vopakhorizonfujairah.com Description Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for carrying out the sixth expansion of onshore bunkering and oil products terminal to add 600,000 cubic meters to the terminal’s current capacity.
Budget $110 million Period 20/03/2012 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Fujairah. The client had originally planned to add 1.2 million cubic metres and between four and six berths in this phase. However, the company decided to split the development into two phases following in-house front-end engineering and design studies. Italy’s Belleli Energy has been awarded the EPC contract to carry out this scheme. Construction work will be completed in Q1, 2012. FEED Consultant Emirates National Oil Company - ENOC (Dubai) Main Contractor Belleli Energy (Dubai)
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MENA PROJECTS | TENDERS
stores and lounges to ensure that passengers have easy access to any of their shopping needs. Client has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) to implement this project. The hotel is designed to offer comfortable rooms, unrivalled customer service and reasonable pricing, even during periods of high demand.
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DIARY International
Global trends
$9000/t The copper selling price reached US $9000 per ton on the London Metal Exchange last month
115 The number of Dubai projects cancelled by RERA since the onset of the financial downturn
$21.9b A Saudi official estimated the combined value of more than 360 Saudi-US joint ventures at $21.9 billion
$114m A $114 million contract for the construction of phase two of Al Duqm Airport in Oman has been awarded
Reality Expo Thane India: January 7-9
Hosted by Asian Business Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd, the show offers opportunities for those in the building and construction industry. The exhibition will be attended by property managers, architects and decision makers from a number of sectors.
Portland Build Remodel & Landscape Expo US: January 7-9
Taking place in Oregan, the exhibition offers the latest products and services for the remodelling of existing housing and the construction of new residential properties.
Minneapolis Home & Landscape Expo US: January 7-9
The show, which will be hosted in Minnesota, offers a variety of solutions for gardening and landscaping in residential property developments.
Concrete Panorama & Deminar India: January 10-12
This international exhibition and conference for concrete products, machinery and technology will be held in India, offering a platform for the members of the concrete industry to interact.
BUDMA-International Construction Fair Poland: January 11-14
The BUDMA show features a range of building technology, equipment, materials, interior construction solutions and advisory services. Among products exhibited will be glass, windows, doors, gates, information systems and much more.
International Builders Show US: January 12-14
Marketed as the only event of its kind focused specifically on the needs, concerns and opportunities that face top-volume builders, the show is expected to attract a number of industry professionals to Florida.
Louisville Build Renovate & Landscape Expo US: January 14-16
The exhibition combines trade and consumer markets to produce a show for the building and construction sector, to be held in Kentucky.
Contract World Expo Germany: January 15-18
The show is intended to offer new perspectives to the participating companies for improved communication with architects and interior designers.
BAU Munich Germany: January 17-22
Organised by Messe Munchen GmBH, BAU Munich is a trade show bringing together the international building and construction industry.
India Stonemart India: January 20-23
Primarily a stone product fair, the event is intended to bring together those related to the stone industry under one roof.
Surfaces US: January 25-27
Taking place in Nevada, the Surfaces exhibition covers the flooring industry, featuring a wide range of products.
Don’t miss: Arabian Construction Week 2011 March 28-30, ADNEC zz
More than 500 exhibiting companies
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Thousands of products showcased
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10,000 trade visitors
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20,000m2 of exhibition space
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Four global summits with 800 Delegates
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DIARY | INDUSTRY EVENTS
JANUARY
TEA BREAK | INDUSTRY COMMENT
“We are designing a labour camp in Al Ruwais that will offer a more sustainable solution quite different to existing camps in the region”
Your Shout
TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATION
Dave Jellings
Communications director, BuildingSmart ME We believe 2011 will be a benchmark year for BuildingSmart Middle East. Having clearly established our identity in the region, we will be able to launch industrydefining standards to guide construction for optimum performance of Building Information Modelling (BIM). Join us at the BuildingSmart Conference 2011 at Arabian Construction Week in March to find out more. MANAGEMENT FIRM
Hadi Tahboub
With every New Year come resolutions and so this month The Big Project asked industry professionals to tell us about their business pledges for 2011 POWER COMPANY
RENTALS BUSINESS
Resolutions are not limited to a year or a quarter, they are a constant process. However, broadly speaking, our resolution for 2011 is to leverage Schneider Electric’s global portfolio of solutions and promote our common architecture, EcoStruXure, leading to global energy efficiency. As a solution provider of hardware, software and services, we want to help customers get the most of the energy that they are using, wherever they are. Bringing value, being close to our customers and committed to their satisfaction is a permanent resolution for us.
We are trying to plan for 2011 for our short-term rentals business. We currently have a website which targets potential clients in Dubai, but the company is now looking to expand its reach to tap into other countries. We’ve identified important markets in Europe, including France, so we’ll be making lots of partnerships to penetrate these. We expect to see a return on our efforts within four-to-five months. To us, the New Year seems like a good time to expand out of Dubai as we emerge from the global recession. Plus the company needs to find new ways to cover its costs and this seems to be the most natural expansion plan for 2011.
Christian Bertrand VIce president MiddleEast and Africa, APC by Schneider Electric
Paul Preston Managing director, Elysian
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ARCHITECTURE FIRM
Szilvia Viczian
Managing director, Sustainable Creative Architecture The team will be busy in 2011 working on a labour camp, which is located on the Saudi Arabian border, in Al Ruwais, and will accommodate10,000 people. We are designing the camp to be a sustainable solution that will be quite different to existing camps in the region. Rather than designing the camp in line with minimum municipality requirements, we’re trying to upgrade it so it will be a better environment for workers. This will include making the rooms larger; there are a number of obstacles that stand in the way as often developers want to pay for the minimum requirements and cheapest solutions. However, we’re working with the developer Vorles Corp to implement slightly better standards. Excavation will start on January 1 and we hope the camp will be completed by next September.
Senior vice president business development, DCK Middle East International The New Year is showing a very promising horizon of major opportunities in various sectors, showing the world that this region is quite resilient and is emerging out of the dark fog of the global financial crisis. My construction group will certainly be looking forward to tapping into the construction and business opportunities behind the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the expanding infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi and the pockets of lucrative healthcare facilities and hospitals that have been put in perspective to be built in the last few months. All the best to all and good luck for 2011! REAL ESTATE COMPANY
Phil Sheridan
Group chief executive, Fine & Country International Reality The 2011 business resolution is to build upon Fine & Country’s growing international network in establishing the brand as the most dynamic realtor in the emirates. Our award-winning formula already sets us apart from the mainstream and we will be looking to consolidate through selective recruitment, to provide buyers and sellers a superior provider of choice.
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