Saudi Projects Magazine Issue 43

AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS BUILDING SMART AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CONSTRUCTION P20

KHATIB & ALAMI

YOUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONSULTANCY PARTNER OF CHOICE P22

T H E

L E A D I N G

GROHE KSA

AN UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT P30

S A U D I

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP

MARKING 50 YEARS OF ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY & BRILLANT LEGACY P32

T R A D E

M A G A Z I N E

Room for new perspectives

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EDITOR’S PAGE 05

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MANAGING DIRECTOR Eddie Rayner e.rayner@tpg.media

EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Rod Millington r.millington@tpg.media

ADVERTISING PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Laura Wojciechowski laura@tpg.media BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Jane Muff jane@tpg.media MEDIA CONSULTANTS Doris Leonor doris@tpg.media Wael Abbas wael@tpg.media Alex Griffin alex@tpg.media

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This magazine is published by TPG Publishing LLC. All material is the copyright of TPG Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. This magazine is the property of TPG Publishing LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form whole or part without written permission of the Managing Director of TPG Publishing LLC. While every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of company or product reviews or comments, these have been based upon the true and honest opinion of the Editor at the time of going to press.

SAUDI ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR GAINS IMPETUS A recent visit to the UK by His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), has resulted in a major boost for the entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia. In line with the recent announcement regarding the expansion of the entertainment industry in the kingdom, a number of MoUs were signed in London between GEA and a group of leisure organisations.

The agreements aim to enrich and diversify entertainment offering in the kingdom and attract contributions from worldclass professionals and operators. The MoUs encompass a rich array of entertainment categories, including live performances, touring theme parks, outdoor cinemas, and more.

Among the agreements signed is an MoU with ‘Flying Music’ to organise a number of internationally popular theatrical shows such as ‘Thriller’. MoUs were also signed with the British magician ‘Dynamo’, ‘The Works’, to organise the world-famous ‘The Illusionist’ show, ‘Luna Cinema’, to organise several openair cinema shows, and ‘1001 Inventions’, to present touring educational exhibitions.

Along the same lines, more agreements were signed with ‘Design Lab Experience’, to organise Ramadan tents that feature quality entertainment options in various locations in the kingdom, and with ‘TeamPartner Three’, which is specialised in touring theatres to operate, two state-of-the-art theatres and train Saudi teams. MoUs were also signed with each of ‘Durrat Arriyadh’ and ‘Durrat Al Arus’ to utilise their infrastructure and

facilities for entertainment events.

Moreover, in regards to television shows, His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) signed an MoU with ‘Police Academy’ to present interactive shows for audiences in a dedicated area, and also with ‘Ultimate Soldier Challenge’ to produce the ‘Soldiers Challenge’ show, which will feature the participation of Saudi armed forces members.

On the festivals front, His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) signed an MoU with ‘Ferrari Festival’ to present an interactive public parade showcasing Italian Ferrari vehicles, and an MoU with ‘Mellors Group’, which specialises in operating touring theme parks.

Furthermore, His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) signed MoUs with ‘Insomnia’ to organise one of the largest video game exhibitions in the world, ‘Merlin Entertainment’, which owns the famous ‘Madame Tussauds’ wax museums, and ‘IMG’, which will organise ‘The Colour Run’ race in the kingdom.

Editor

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06 CONTENTS

COVER STORY

AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS

P20

BUILDING SMART AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CONSTRUCTION

FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE

KHATIB & ALAMI

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP 06 WWW.TPG.MEDIA

P22

P32

Khatib & Alami (K&A) was established more than 50 years ago by the late Professor Mounir Khatib and Dr. Zuheir Alami, who had the vision and ambition to create a leading international company. The two founders believed hard work, integrity and innovation would make this a reality and wanted to leave a legacy for future generations of professionals.

Today, K&A is an established international multidisciplinary consultancy and is among the Top 50 international design firms and the Top 10 in the Middle East, according to Engineering News-Record (ENR). With its holding company based in Singapore, and its Executive Office in Dubai, K&A operates in more than 30 locations worldwide and employs around 5500 people, primarily across the Middle East and Africa. The company is led by Dr Najib Khatib, who was elected Chairman in February 2017, in addition to the role of Chief Executive Officer which he took on in 2016.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, Engineering Consultants Group (ECG) offers a broad portfolio of specialist services to discerning clients throughout the world, including studies and master planning, engineering, architecture, construction management and supervision, and project management.

It all began back in 1969, when Mr. Mahmoud Sami Abdelkawi and Mr. Ashraf Hassan Allouba founded ECG Engineering Consultants Group as a business partnership. One of their first consultancy contracts was the Qena-Safaga Portable Water Pipeline in their home country of Egypt, with ECG providing designs and construction supervision. Between 1970 and 1977, ECG found itself in demand overseas, winning its first cross-border deal to develop the manmade river project in Libya, worth $2 billion. ECG also won two momentous contracts for the Greater Cairo Waterworks master plan, and the Port Said Water and Wastewater master plan.

CONTENTS 07

WORLDWIDE NEWS P08 Highways England has unveiled plans for a major new road and a three-tier junction at the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to improve east-west road link and journeys on the A1, the A421 and the A428. The scheme, valued between £810m and £1.4bn, is being funded by the government’s £15bn Road Investment Strategy. News 1The new three-tier junction will allow drivers to pass through without any interruption, while keeping the roundabout clear for drivers making turns between the roads.

REGIONAL NEWS P10 The region’s growing population is among the key drivers for rising demand, with the young working citizens and residents taking interest to acquire homes within their income reach.The GCC’s population, which mainly comprises young people, climbed by more than 50 per cent over the last decade as shown by the figures released by the Economist. It is expected to reach 53 million in 2020.

LOCAL NEWS P16 Etihad ESCO and Vision Invest has announced a new Joint Venture Company that has been established to provide fully integrated energy efficiency solutions for both the private and public sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The move is in support of KSA Vision 2030, wherein sustainability, conservation and efficiency are key themes in building a sustainable and efficient economy.

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08 WORLDWIDE NEWS

HIGHWAYS ENGLAND UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW ROAD, JUNCTION AT BLACK CAT Highways England has unveiled plans for a major new road and a three-tier junction at the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire to improve east-west road link and journeys on the A1, the A421 and the A428.

The scheme, valued between £810 million and £1.4 billion, is being funded by the government’s £15 billion Road Investment Strategy. News 1The new three-tier junction will allow drivers to pass through without any interruption, while keeping the roundabout clear for drivers making turns between the roads.

The new dual carriageway will link between the upgraded Black Cat junction and the Caxton Gibbet roundabout near Cambourne in Cambridgeshire, with a new junction at Cambridge road and new bridges.The existing A428 will become a local road and serve communities between St Neots and Caxton Gibbet.

RDIF, SIEMENS TO INVEST IN $4.5BILLION RUSSIAN HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT The Ural high-speed rail project in Russia has moved closer to reality with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Siemens Mobility and the Economic Partnership Ural High-Speed Rail signing an agreement to invest in the project and take up joint construction.

Total investment in the project is expected to cross RUB300 billion ($4.5 billion) and the funds will be used to construct a 220km double-track high-speed railway line between the cities of Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, which will allow trains to travel at speeds of 300kmph.

The project will be implemented within a concession agreement framework and include the construction of related infrastructure.

The infrastructure will include railway stations at Balandino and Koltsovo airports, Snezhinsk and Sysert; 10 intermediate stations and station complexes; four traction substations; a depot for high-speed rolling stock; and a control building for the rail link.

RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said: “RDIF is one of Russia’s largest investors in the equity capital of infrastructure projects being recently implemented.

“Infrastructure investments account for more than 40% of the Fund’s portfolio, and we plan to continue to invest in this sector.

“The project to build a high-speed railway linking Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, each with a population of more than one million, is of strategic importance not only for these regions, but also for the whole country.

“It will help create the third largest urban area in Russia with a population of four million people.”

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Highways England launched a consultation on the new road scheme in 2017.

The A428 between the A1 at Black Cat and the A1198 at Caxton Gibbet is a single carriageway with a series of roundabouts and give-way junctions and experiences severe congestion during peak periods.

The improvements are expected to reduce average peak time journeys between the Black Cat and Caxton Gibbet junctions by more than a third, saving 10 minutes on every trip.

The improvements will create a new dual carriageway, with junctions, which will be served by slip roads, and bridges to carry local roads over it.

The dual carriageway will lead directly to the Black Cat junction, which is being upgraded to allow smoother, safer access between the A1, the A421 and the A428.

Currently, the A428 joins the A1 at Wyboston 1.5 miles to the north. Retaining the A428 for local traffic is expected to offer significant benefits for communities along the route. Four new routes for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians will maintain and improve access across the new road.

WORLDWIDE NEWS 09

WEITZ BREAKS GROUND ON NEW BUILDING AT SAGEWOOD PROJECT IN US The Weitz Company, a general contractor, construction manager and design-builder in the US, has broken ground on a new phase of Sagewood, which will be the largest addition to the resort-style senior living community in northeast Phoenix since it opened in 2010.

The first phase of the multi-phase retirement community featured approximately 905,100ft² of construction and includes much of the community’s main infrastructure.

Two of the four main buildings accommodate the HealthyLife Center, which features a fitness centre, aerobic lap pool, spa and juice bar.

The other two main buildings contain the 294-unit independent living facility.

A three-storey Health Care Center with 10 assisted-living units and 34 skilled nursing beds is included to support the needs of all future residents.

In addition, the southeast portion of Phase 1 site includes 12 casita buildings for 24 casita units (single-storey duplex style) and four villas encasing 32 villa units (two-storey quadruplex style).

Landscaping, along with a central rotunda, porte-cochere and exterior plazas were completed in the first phase.

The Weitz Company, along with owner and property manager Life Care Services (an LCS Company), began work on the 280,000ft² expansion project, which includes a new independent living wing that will tie in to Sagewood’s existing main

JPI TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON NEW COMMUNITY IN IRVING, TEXAS

entry and lobby.

The four-storey building will have 101 units and 23,000ft² of common space constructed above an underground, 156-stall parking garage.

The independent living units will feature one- and two-bedroom floor plans with a living room and full-size kitchen.

New amenities will include an 18-hole, professional-grade putting course, chapel, top-floor lounge and guest suites.

Under this phase, new administration

JPI, a multifamily developer in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is set to begin construction on Jefferson Texas Plaza, a nine-acre development in Irving, adjacent to the University of Dallas.

The community will consist of 282 apartment homes and premier amenities, with close proximity to the Urban Center of Las Colinas.

JPI divisional president and managing partner Matt Brendel said: “This is our 10th community in the Irving-Las Colinas submarket. Over the years, we have developed a deep knowledge of this submarket.

“We understand the residents and their lifestyle – where they work, how they spend leisure time, and what is most important to them in choosing a home.

“Jefferson Texas Plaza is going to provide an unrivaled living experience to meet their needs.”

Jefferson Texas Plaza is expected to serve as a hub for residents who work in the Las Colinas Urban Center, located off Loop 12, less than three miles from retail and restaurants as well as attractions, such as Alamo Drafthouse and the Toyota Music Factory.

The community will also be less than two miles from Lake Carolyn for residents looking for access to hike and bike trails and additional green space.

JPI Chief Development Officer Brad Taylor said: “We are excited to continue

offices for the Sagewood operations staff; renovations to the existing Canyon Café and Palo Verde kitchen and dining hall; and a new dining venue will also be constructed.

Designed by architect Todd & Associates, this phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

This will be the 14th project Weitz has built at Sagewood since constructing the 85acre Life Plan Community initially and the fourth since the start of 2017.

strengthening our presence in Las Colinas, delivering another community that residents will be proud to call home.

“Las Colinas is a thriving submarket that has undergone tremendous economic growth within the last several years.

“New developments, such as the Pavilion at the Toyota Music Factory and other retail entities, have made Las Colinas a popular and lively destination where people can truly live, work and play.”

The new community will include a resort-style pool; premium parking in private garages; modern fitness and yoga studio; pedestrian trail connecting to the University of Dallas campus trail; twostorey clubhouse with a coffee bar; and a dog park.

Individual apartment homes will feature luxury amenities, including granite countertops, 10ft ceilings, highend appliance packages, large balconies and spacious patios with private yards on select ground-floor units.

Texas-based JPI is a developer, builder and investment manager of Class A multifamily assets across the US and has more than 5,000 apartment homes under construction.

It offers investment management, predevelopment, underwriting, marketing and asset management, construction, financial and administrative services.

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10 REGIONAL NEWS

ETIHAD ESCO PARTNERS WITH VISION INVEST TO ESTABLISH AN ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA Etihad ESCO and Vision Invest has announced a new Joint Venture Company that has been established to provide fully integrated energy efficiency solutions for both the private and public sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The move is in support of KSA Vision 2030, wherein sustainability, conservation and efficiency are key themes in building a sustainable and efficient economy.

Under the direction of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz in April 2016, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince,Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, outlined that the Saudi Vision 2030 charted a roadmap for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s development and economy objectives for the next 15 years.

The Shareholders Agreement for the new Joint Venture company was signed by His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and Mr Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of Vision Invest (formerly ACWA Holding) at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.

On this occasion His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said:“This agreement supports the vision of the wise leadership in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and contributes to achieving integration across all vital sectors through joint efforts to support national and regional goals and common interests to enhance sustainable development. We are proud to form this alliance with Vision Invest to collaborate in the field of retrofitting integrated energy efficiency solutions. We are committed to fostering cross sector collaboration and collective efforts of stakeholders to create and sustain a vibrant market for energy performance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), which is owned by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) was established in 2013 to make Dubai a leading example in energy efficiency for the region and the world. The partnership with Vision Invest is a major milestone for Etihad

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ESCO and is in line with our strategy to bolster our regional presence and to explore business opportunities with neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council Countries and the world. It also marks Etihad ESCO's first Joint Venture outside the United Arab Emirates and we are proud that the first entry is into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.We are confident that our joint efforts with Vision Invest will prove to be immensely successful, encouraging more and more Saudi organisations to adopt sustainability measures.” Al Tayer added.

Mr. Mohammad Abunayyan, Chairman of Vision Invest, said:“We are proud to partner with Etihad ESCO to support the energy efficiency drive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to contribute to the achievement of the efficiency and sustainability targets set by Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (“NIDLP”). Vision Invest through its Joint Venture Company with Etihad ESCO is well-positioned to support these objectives for the greater benefit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Mr Ali Al Jassim, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad ESCO, said: “The partnership with Vision Invest will create and sustain a vibrant market for energy performance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As a super energy service company, Etihad ESCO enables the energy performance contracting market in Dubai and has retrofitted over 2,000 facilities achieving average savings of between 25% and 35%, which in turn has saved in excess of 88 Gigawatts of electricity, 246 Million Imperial Gallons of Water and abated more than 407,000 Tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions.”

Engineer Ibrahim Al Nassar, Chief Executive Officer of the Joint Venture Company said: “We look forward through this Joint Venture Company to capitalise on the effective experience of both of our shareholders to deliver integrated energy efficiency solutions that provide a demonstrated value proposition to our prospective clients, thus enabling them to achieve the efficiencies required to ensure their continued competitiveness.”

Vision Invest is a leading Saudi Investment and Development Holding Company established in 2002 and focused on investments in Utilities, Industrial Gases, Logistics and Social Infrastructure, as well as other sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

REGIONAL NEWS 11

GCC SHARPENS FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are strengthening their efforts to further enhance the accessibility to affordable housing for low- and middle-income households as part of government efforts to address rapid urbanisation and growing population.

A new report titled ‘New Trends in Affordable Housing in GCC’, released

by Orient Planet Research, an Orient Planet Group venture, discussed the latest trends and achievements by GCC countries in narrowing down the demand-supply gap in the sector.

The region’s growing population is among the key drivers for rising demand, with the young working citizens and residents taking interest to acquire homes within their income reach. The GCC’s population, which mainly comprises young people, climbed by more than 50 per cent over the last decade as shown by the figures released by the Economist.

It is expected to reach 53 million in 2020, thereby putting an even greater pressure on the low-end segment of the housing sector.

Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director, Orient Planet Group, said: “There is a clear significant shift in the

focus towards affordable housing in the GCC. Governments and private developers are increasingly recognising the demand for affordable housing in the region and various policies and schemes have been established to achieve this goal. However, there remains a need for identifying the market segment in terms of income class to enable developers to create value products and meet target markets.”

A holistic approach, the report underscores, is thus in order to build better communities in the Gulf. It notes the member states’ significant initiatives in order to pave the way for more construction of affordable but quality housing stock.

The UAE’s housing policy has traditionally been focused on providing housing benefits and facilities to Emiratis with low income through the federal government and other entities setup within local governments. The country’s Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme established in 1999, has an existing budget allocation of USD 1.36 billion to assist the housing needs of citizens, especially those which have been orphaned, widows, aged citizens and people with determination.

However, housing policies have been evolving to include wider members of the community. Dubai for instance has taken a step forward and introduced a new low-cost housing policy for both UAE nationals and expatriates, aimed at addressing the gap between income classes. The emirate targets collaboration with property

developers and redevelopment of old residential areas to meet its plans.

Other GCC states are also taking bold moves such as Saudi Arabia with plans to construct one million housing units on top of the existing ones in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. Kuwait, for its part, has allocated more funds for the construction of an additional 45,000 housing units as part of its five-year plan (2015-2020), which aims to fix the housing problem in the next three to five years. Similarly, Oman has allocated OMR90 million for its housing projects as stated in the General Budget for FY 2019.

Meanwhile, Bahrain widely invests in various social housing schemes which has provided more than 36,000 support services to citizens through houses and flats, housing loans, flats in subsidized rental, and residential plots.

To improve the gap in the market, the report finds housing experts noting the importance of reinforcing public-private partnerships, focusing on resolving lack of credit and mortgage facilities, initiating more social housing finance schemes, and protecting the rights of lenders in case the borrower defaults to incentivise banks to extend home loans to those in need.

In addition to the allocation of funds, the report points out that the focus can also be on project management, proper framing of eligibility criteria, protection of housing standards, and partnerships with private agencies for efficient maintenance of public housing communities.

ACWA-LED CONSORTIUM WINS BAHRAIN 100MW SOLAR PROJECT

Agreement for the purchase of electricity and accompanying agreements will be signed next month to ensure project is on schedule A 100MW independent solar power plant in Bahrain will be delivered by a consortium comprising Acwa, Mitsui & Company and Al Moayyed. Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) awarded the contract after the Tender and Auction Board selected the Acwa-led group over other contenders.

The Acwa-led consortium won the bid as it offered the best price of electricity per unit (BD14.668 per megawatt hour), which includes the price of energy production.

The project is being implemented on a build-ownoperate (BOO) model to achieve higher efficiency in the management project and cost competitiveness, it stated.

The project was approved by the co-ordinating committee under the chairmanship of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander, First Deputy Prime Minister.

According to a statement from EWA, planning for the project began in December 2017, after the appointment of a consultant consortium, which includes Mott MacDonald, KPMG, Trowers & Hamlins.

The solar project aims to exploit renewable energy to raise the capacity of electricity production and meet the growing demand for electricity throughout Bahrain, driven by urban, industrial and commercial expansion.

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12 THE BIG 5 SAUDI

THE BIG 5 SAUDI 2019 PREVIEW The Big 5 Saudi is returning to the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events from 10 – 13 March 2019 with a record number of free workshops, product sectors, and official country pavilions.

Marking a growing international participation, the event will feature for the first time official country pavilions from Egypt and Pakistan, alongside Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, India, Turkey, and China, among others. More than 100 top Saudi construction players will also exhibit, displaying the latest technologies and building solutions across eight dedicated product sectors.

Roni El Haddad, Event Director for The Big 5 Saudis, says: “This year, the event will bring decision makers even closer to relevant suppliers by offering new dedicated product zones across the floor plan.”

Beyond the traditional MEP Services, Building Interiors & Finishes, Construction Tools & Building Services, Building Envelope & Special Construction, in fact,The Big 5 Saudi 2019 will introduce the all new Heavy Equipment, HVACR Equipment, Smart City Technology, Solar Equipment, and Urban Design & Landscaping Equipment zones.

Broad Educational Offer At the event, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC), and the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) will provide crucial intelligence to local and international participants, paving the way for the future development of the Saudi construction industry.

Announcing GSO’s participation at The Big 5 Saudi 2019, H.E Saud Al-Khusaibi, GSO Secretary General, says: “The GSO is working to disseminate and promote knowledge of standardization and related activities and quality for industrial, commercial and public consumers. It is also committed to improving the quality of products, goods and materials locally manufactured or imported to the GCC Common Market.”

Alongside the exhibition, The Big 5 Saudi 2019 will also offer more than 80 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified and free to attend workshops, a 48% increase year-on-year. Delivered by renowned industry experts, the educational sessions will focus on four major themes: General Construction, Project Management, Sustainability, and Architecture & Design.

A promising construction market Today, Saudi Arabia’s construction sector is in the spotlight following news of mega-urban developments such as NEOM and The Red Sea Tourism Project, as well as social reforms that welcome a fresh commercial entertainment industry.

The Big 5 Saudi 2019 is supported by GASCO (Official Sponsor), Al Fouzan Trading & General Construction Co. (Gold Sponsor), Astrolabs (Entrepreneurship Partner), Al Salem Johnson Controls(Registration & Lanyard Sponsor), the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC), the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

To know more about The Big 5 Saudi, www.thebig5saudi.com.

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THE BIG 5 SAUDI 13

VIRGIN HYPERLOOP ONE VICE PRESIDENT AMONG TOP SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED AT THE BIG 5 SAUDI

80 experts and opinion leaders from around the globe will gather in Jeddah from 10-13 March 2019 to take part in the record-breaking education platform for construction professionals hosted by The Big 5 Saudi 2019.

The impressive lineup of speakers includes high profile personalities like the Vice President, Arabian Gulf of Virgin Hyperloop One, Colin Rhys, Bentley Systems’ Digital Advancement Academy Manager, Craig Garrett, and the Strategic Planning & Engineering Director at Saudi Customs, Abdurahman Medallah, among many others.

The Big 5 Saudi’s education agenda is expected to spur debate and provide a substantial push for the development of the construction and infrastructure sectors in Saudi Arabia, which currently host

active projects worth USD 800 billion.

Anticipating his presentation at The Big 5 Saudi on March 12, Mr. Rhys said: “Hyperloop One’s presence in the Kingdom will provide a significant GDP uplift. Saudi Arabia is poised to become the world’s first national customer of Hyperloop One’s breakthrough technology and be the first country to develop a national hyperloop network.”

He added:“Hyperloop One is consistent with the bold transformative ambitions of Vision 2030 and can act as a hightech catalyzer through its requirements for software, artificial intelligence and computer-based operating systems.”

Samih Elsadig Ahmed, General Electric's Project Planning & Cost Controls Professional, who will deliver a presentation on ‘Project Control

Applications in Saudi Arabia: Problems and Solutions’, commented: “The increase in population and investments in Saudi Arabia has led to the presence of a lot of projects, either provided by the government or individuals. Such growth requires wise management and both experienced and highly qualified staff to deliver these projects on time and within the estimated budget.

“My workshop session at The Big 5 Saudi 2019 will discuss the current state of the projects in Saudi Arabia, and take a closer look at some of the challenges the industry is facing in the Kingdom today.

I will analyse the reasons behind certain failures or delays in project deliverance, for example insufficient rigor in applying project management principles, including cost control, risk assessment and project

planning.”

Sustainability will also be in focus at The Big 5 Saudi 2019’s education agenda.

According to Anita Nouri, the CEO and Business Development Director of Green Energy Solutions & Sustainability (GESS): “Saudi Arabia generates more than 15 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Bold steps need to be taken and legislation needs to be put into place. We need to disrupt the normal to create the innovation required to make the changes.

“At The Big 5 Saudi, I will address the topic “Harnessing Waste Energy – Renewable Energy” and explore how we can bring value to the mountains of waste buried in our landfills.”

To know more about The Big 5 Saudi, www.thebig5saudi.com.

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14 THE BIG 5 SAUDI

BIG 5 SAUDI 2019

BRINGING VISION 2030 TO LIFE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION EVENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE BIG 5 SAUDI 2019 IS EXPECTED TO ATTRACT OVER 14,000 VISITORS, WHO WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO IN EXCESS OF 300 MANUFACTURERS OF CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

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A perfect platform for construction industry professionals to network, obtain qualified leads, and close business deals, the Big 5 Saudi exhibition also focuses on the most up-to-date innovations across nine dedicated product sectors, as well as offering 80 ‘Continuing Professional Development’ workshops.

Ongoing Diversification More than 5200 construction projects are currently underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with a value of approximately $819 billion. This accounts for around 35% of all active projects across the GCC region.

And continued diversification of the KSA’s projects means that an expanded offering of building solutions is called for too, with Big 5 exhibitors looking to fill some of those gaps.

For although there have been a number of recent challenges right the way through the industry, fuelled by low oil prices and a shortage of qualified workers, construction will record a 4.1% increase this year in the KSA. In addition, a recent BMI research report predicts that the sector’s annual average growth rate will reach 6.13% from 2018 to 2022.

Roni El Haddad, Event Director of the

Big 5, explained: “The construction sector’s immediate outlook is extremely promising.

The recent launch of the Public Investment Fund backed the multi-billion dollar Amaala resort in September 2018, along with the already announced NEOM and Red Sea Project, in what is already being dubbed the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’, is a proof of that.

“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, along with significant investment in housing and infrastructure development promoted across the country by local authorities, is revitalising the construction industry and generating interest in a growing number of international players.”

Extensive Investment The largest contributor to the construction sector’s expansion is urban projects, with 3272 active projects, adding up to a total value of $386.4 billion. It is believed that the utilities sector is the second largest, with 733 projects worth $95.6 billion, followed by transportation, with 500 projects valued at $156.2 billion.

Major construction projects include the King Abdullah Security Compounds (Phase 5) and the Grand Mosque (Holy Haram Mosque expansion), each valued at $21.3

billion and developed by the Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs in Makkah.

Staying in Makkah, a $1.7 billion hotel, the Makkah Residence Development (Phase 2) is expected to open its doors by the end of 2019, offering 3000 five-star rooms, with Vision 2030 planning to attract 36 million pilgrims a year to the KSA’s holy places.

In Riyadh, $3.5 billion mixed-use development project known as ‘The Avenues - Al Malqa’ is scheduled for completion by 2020, covering an area of 1.7 million square meters. In the meantime, due to open in 2022, the Mall of Saudi – An Narjisp, is valued at $3.2 billion. The Saudi Arabia National Guard is also building 6000 villas over 7 million square meters with a $1.3 billion investment.

Over in Jeddah, the new Jeddah Downtown (Phase 1), a mega urban development project worth $2 billion, will give a face-lift to the Corniche area with 12,000 new housing units by the end of 2022.

Then there is the mega project planned in Tabuk, NEOM, a 26,500m2 city, which, along with thousands of other construction projects across the KSA, is pushing the demand for more innovation.

THE BIG 5 SAUDI 15

New Products, New Solutions There is no doubt that the ongoing diversification of Saudi Arabia’s construction portfolio, covering everything from smart cities to entertainment and hospitality to parks, demands a wide range of new building solutions and equipment.The Big 5 reflects this need, with a broad array of new products and solutions on show.

Polypipe, for instance, the UK’s largest plastic pipe systems manufacturer, is a market leader in managing water in the built environment, with its engineered geocellular water management solution, Permavoid, having received two nominations at the Big Project ME Awards in Dubai in 2018, one of which was in the ‘Product Innovation’ category.

At the Big 5 exhibition, Polypipe will be presenting its geocellular interlocking system, designed for shallow water storage or infiltration. The system has an exceptionally high compressive and tensile strength, plus bending resistance with a unique patented tapered jointing system to create a horizontal structural ‘raft’ within the pavement. This is ideal for the shallow attenuation of surface water. The system can also be combined in layers using interlocking shear connectors to increase depth. This is particularly useful

in designing infiltration systems, allowing flexibility in balancing the soil permeability.

Meanwhile, from Germany, Allgaier Process Technology has added a number of new products to its already extensive range, with the latest innovations being the MSizer compact and the MSizer giant, CD-Dryer, Tumble Dryer/Cooler TK-D, MSort NIR, GSort, and the company’s service app for screening machines, the Allgaier ProcessApp. The Tumble Dryer/Cooler TK-D, for example, allows for the drying and cooling of solids down to especially low temperatures, all the way down to nearly the ambient or cooling air temperature.

Through heat recovery in the drying process and evaporative cooling in the cooling process, the TK-D offers high efficiency and reduction in energy costs up to 20% compared to competitive products.

Other products on display at the Big 5 encompass bathroom and kitchen fittings, smart city resources, steel, and solar technology. The event also highlights concrete, PMV equipment, and material handling in an outdoor zone dedicated to heavy machinery and warehousing products.

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16 LOCAL NEWS

SAUDI ARABIA TO MAKE INDIA REGIONAL HUB FOR OIL SUPPLY Saudi Arabia is looking at making India a regional hub for supply of crude oil and will invest billions of dollars in the country to build storage facilities and strengthen refineries, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir has said.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, will also invest in downstream assets in India besides helping the country boost its infrastructure in the petrochemical sector, Al-Jubeir said.

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The foreign minister, who was part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's delegation here, said his country looked at India as a rising economic power and was very bullish about its potential to grow further.

"We are looking to make India a hub (for crude oil supply) in the region. We are looking to build storage facilities in India, we are looking at refineries and downstream assets in India.

"We are investing in infrastructure that will help India boost its ability to import and export of petroleum products," Al-Jubeir told PTI in an interview.

Reflecting growing energy ties, it was announced that Saudi Aramco, the world's top oil exporter, will be part of a joint venture project to set up a refinery in Maharashtra at a cost of USD 44 billion.

It will be the largest greenfield refinery in the world to be implemented in one phase.

"We are building the largest refinery complex in the world with India's participation at a cost of USD 44 billion," Al-Jubeir said.

"We are looking at India as a rising economic power and as a country of stability and opportunity. So we want to have the best and strongest possible ties with India," he said.

The Saudi foreign minister said his country was committed to meeting India's oil demand.

"We are ready to sell more crude oil to India. The difference between Saudi Arabia and Iran is India's relationship with Iran is that of a buyer-seller while India-Saudi Arabia energy relationship is of strategic nature," he said.

India is expected to increase import of oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates if the United States does not extend the six-month-long waiver it granted to New Delhi and several other countries to buy oil from Iran.

Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17 per cent or more of crude oil and 32 per cent of LPG requirements of India.

The energy ties between the two countries are on an upswing in the last few year.

LOCAL NEWS 17

KING SALMAN INAUGURATES $22 BILLION OF PROJECTS FOR RIYADH REGION

King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched an ambitious program of projects in the Riyadh region worth billions, which will enhance the living standards of residents in a province that he has helped to shape for more than 50 years.

The 1,281 development projects in the Saudi capital and surrounding towns will cost about SR 82 billion ($22 billion). They aim to enhance crucial infrastructure, such as transportation and housing, and improve amenities, the environment and education.

The program includes: 15 housing projects in Riyadh and its governorates, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 to increase house ownership among citizens; the establishment of the largest Islamic museum in the capital; a huge environmental project for the lakes south of the capital covering an area of 315,000 square metres; sports cities; seven medical cities; 16 educational projects; quality entertainment facilities; the expansion of airports; and the development and upgrading of the road network.

The projects were announced on 13th February 2019, by Prince Faisal bin Bandar, the governor of Riyadh region, during an official inauguration event at Qasr Al-Hukm, in the presence of King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other dignitaries. They are part of a wider program of 2,830 projects planned for Riyadh at a total cost of SR 338 billion, which are expected to create tens of thousands of job opportunities for young men and women.

During the inauguration, the king ordered the release of citizens of the region jailed on financial charges who are not involved in criminal cases, whose debts do not exceed SR 1 million riyals and whose insolvency can be proved. He also ordered the payment of their debts.

Considered the “engineer” of the city, King Salman served as governor of Riyadh for almost five decades, during which he oversaw the transformation of the Saudi capital into a modern, thriving metropolis and one of the most important cities in the Middle East.

SAUDIS SIGNAL ALLURE OF CHINA WITH $10 BILLION REFINERY DEAL

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its interest in the Chinese market with a deal to build a $10 billion refining and petrochemicals complex as it vies for crude-oil customers with fellow OPEC members and Russia.

Saudi Arabian Oil Co., or Aramco, agreed to set up a joint venture with two Chinese companies to develop the facility in Liaoning province. Saudi Arabia is investing in energy assets across Asia, the world’s

biggest oil-consuming region, as it battles for market share.

The kingdom will supply as much as 70 percent of the crude needed by the new complex, which will include a 300,000-barrel-a-day refinery, an ethylene cracker and a paraxylene unit, the statement shows.The deal, signed while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is in Beijing, follows recent Saudi pledges to fund projects in India

and Pakistan, as well as agreements to invest in South Korea’s Hyundai Oilbank Co. and a petrochemical complex in Malaysia.

The slew of Asian partnerships formed by state-run Aramco comes as Saudi Arabia plays catch-up with Russia, which has topped the kingdom in oil sales to China in the past couple of years.

The Saudis will team up with China North Industries Group Corp., or Norinco, and Panjin Sincen to form an entity called Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Co. The project is expected to start operations in 2024.

“Our agreement today with Norinco and the Liaoning province is a clear demonstration of Saudi Aramco’s strategy to move from beyond a buyer-seller relationship, to one where we can make significant investments to contribute to China’s economic growth and development,” Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser said.

Shareholdings Saudi Aramco will take a 35 percent stake in the new company, while Norinco and Panjin Sincen will hold 36 percent and 29 percent, respectively. The ethylene facility

will have an annual capacity of 1.5 million tons and the paraxylene unit, 1.3 million tons.

Aramco also plans to establish a fuelretail business in China, according to the statement. By the end of 2019, a “three-party marketing JV” is expected to be formed between the Saudi company, North Huajin and Liaoning Transportation Construction Investment Group Co. to develop a fillingstations network.

An initial framework agreement for the Liaoning refinery was signed during Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz’s visit to Beijing in 2017. Then in October last year, the Saudis said they would also acquire a share of a 400,000-barrel-a-day plant on Zhoushan island in Zhejiang province, and committed to supplying the Rongsheng Group-run refinery with a portion of its crude requirements.

Aramco signed memorandums of understanding to expand its downstream presence in Zhejiang, including taking a 9 percent stake in the Zhoushan complex.

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18 LOCAL NEWS

NHC SET TO BUILD 5,000 HOUSING UNITS IN SAUDI ARABIA

The Saudi National Housing Company (NHC) has signed an agreement with China State Construction Engineering Company for the construction of more than 5,000 housing units of various designs at an investment of SR2.5 billion ($655 million).

This announcement came during the visit of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, to China.

One of the largest residential developments in capital Riyadh, The Murcia Project will come up on a sprawling 2.7 million sqm

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area of land belonging to the Ministry of Housing in the northern part of the city.

Under this project, a total of 5,590 residential units - ranging from apartments to townhouses - will be built, said Engineer Mohammed Bin Saleh Albuty, the chief executive of NHC after signing the deal with Liu Xinq, the general executive manager of China State Construction Engineering Company.

Of this, 5,018 townhouses will boast an area of 230 sqm, with prices starting from SR499,900 and a monthly premium of SR1,666, while the rest of the 572 units

(all apartments) will be competitively priced at SR299,250 onwards and a monthly fee starting from SR899, he stated.

The project is a fully integrated residential complex that has been designed in a unique way. It includes a national valley as part of the project, as well as green spaces and public parks to ensure a modern residential environment that meets all the needs of the citizens, he added.

The two parties agreed to work together and harness their potential to complete The Murcia project, in accordance with the scope of work and agreed timetables.

Albuty said through this project, NHC aims to provide high-quality housing units featuring a variety of designs in a modern environment with integrated facilities and services at suitable prices north of Riyadh.

The infrastructure development work on the project has already started, he stated, adding that the use of modern construction technology would greatly help in the speed of delivery of the project, and ensure high quality.

CINEMA BUILD KSA 19

AMBITIOUS PLANS TO OPEN OVER 2,500 SCREENS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS SAUDI ARABIA IS SET TO WITNESS THE LAUNCH OF AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT DEDICATED TO CINEMA AND MOVIE THEATRE CONSTRUCTION, THE CINEMA BUILD KSA, WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE FOUR SEASONS IN RIYADH ON THE 14-15 APRIL, 2019

Cinema Build KSA will be an elite event that brings together key stakeholders across the construction sector to discuss the design and construction of world-class cinemas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This will include the unveiling of a wide range of new building solutions and equipment.

Saudi Arabia is unlocking the massive potential of its cinema market and aggressively inviting global and local providers to participate in these business opportunities. With this in mind, Cinema Build KSA will serve as a platform, gathering experts from around the globe to be a part of the ambitious Saudi plan to open over 2500 screens in the next five years.

Commenting on Cinema Build KSA, Leila Masinaei, the Managing Partner at Great Minds Group, the organiser of the forum, said:“The cinema industry is the MENA region is undergoing a massive and rapid expansion phase. The lifting of the 35-year cinema ban in KSA, fast population growth and urbanisation, and the regional focus on economic diversification and new strategies that focus on the leisure and entertainment sectors are amongst some of the key factors for this growth. We, therefore, launched the region’s first Cinema Focused Conference and Expo in Dubai in October of 2018. The event was a huge success. At the event, we learned about everyone’s appetite for the KSA market, and received numerous requests to host a specific event in KSA. “What we aim for with Cinema Build KSA is to find out ways to bridge the gap between plans laid out by the authorities and the available expertise, suppliers, and technical. We also aim to help estimate the workability and matching of the ambitious timelines by learning from regional and international experts about the

LEILA MASINAEI, THE MANAGING PARTNER AT GREAT MINDS GROUP

best and most efficient options for design, construction, technical and technological advancements, business models, and regulatory perspectives to meet global standards. At the moment, it is clear that the Kingdom is encouraging an influx of regional and international experts to increase the number of suppliers of cinema-specific construction materials and cinema technology to help meet the market’s requirements.”

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20 AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS

BUILDING SMART AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CONSTRUCTION THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA HAS ANNOUNCED A VERY POSITIVE BUDGET FOR 2019, SIGNALLING HUGE SPENDING ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SMART CITIES, STARTING 2020. AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS IS OBSERVING AND ENGAGING WITH THE DYNAMICS OF ROLLING OUT THESE PROJECTS, AND CONSIDERS ITSELF A PARTNER SHARING THE SAME VISION.

AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS P.O. BOX 15019 JEDDAH 23434 KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA T: +966 12 2219012 E: INFO@YORK.COM.SA W: WWW.YORK.COM.SA/EN

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Today’s requirements are much more than functional products and environmental performance; in addition, safety standards are rapidly evolving to shape demand. Johnson Controls Inc. traces its roots back 140 years, while the JV, Al Salem Johnson Controls has a history of over 60 in the Saudi market.

This enables it to support these standards by providing a full range of integrated products, systems and solutions, supported by the largest specialised aftermarket team in the Middle East.

According to ‘Saudi Arabia’s Construction Market Overview 2018 and Beyond’ report, there are $284.3 billion worth of projects in the early stages of development in the Kingdom, with over 700 projects scheduled to start in the next few months, to be completed by or before 2022.

Al Salem Johnson Controls is working actively on bringing the latest technologies to Saudi Arabia and localising them to support the construction infrastructure in the Kingdom. As such, the first HVAC-R magnetic bearing chiller technology has been introduced in Saudi Arabia in 2016.

Furthermore, its engagement with global economies and technological advancement allows the company to satisfy local industry’s current and future requirements.

DR. MOHANAD ALSHAIKH, AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS, CEO

Achieving the Highest Levels of Sustainability King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh is the largest smart city projects in the Kingdom and worldwide too, and is one of the landmarks of system integration globally, with more than 50 buildings and three skyscrapers. From the early design stages, Al Salem Johnson Controls was selected by the developer as the non-ICT systems integrator for the whole campus.

The non-ICT system included the building management system, integrated security systems, fire alarms, lighting controls, and energy metering systems.

In addition to the detailed engineering designs and integration plans, Al Salem Johnson Controls supplied, integrated, and commissioned the state-of-the-art smart building automation and security systems for the campus to ensure a safe, secure, comfortable, and sustainable environment for the tenants.

Whatever the project, Al Salem Johnson Controls’ strategy is to capitalise on systems approach, to achieve the highest levels of sustainability and energy efficiency for the wellbeing of the community. And that sits well with the Government directives in developing smart cities and sustainable

technologies.

It has been reported that Saudi Arabia is expected to spend over $500 billion modernising its infrastructure across the 285 municipalities. The Kingdom’s move to invest in emerging technologies has given Al Salem Johnson Controls the confidence, given the strong relationships and trust it has built up with the Government, to work together in developing smart and integrated solutions to develop sustainable smart cities.

Over the years,Al Salem Johnson Controls has collaborated with several government and private entities across multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, and hospitality.

Local Manufacturing Guided by the objective to support the current transformation in Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030, Al Salem Johnson Controls is actively looking for the best sustainable solutions for its clients, focusing on energy efficiency and water rationalisation. Moreover, in keeping up with the Kingdom’s effort to diversify the economy, our company is constantly working with Johnson Controls, Inc. to transfer global HVAC technologies to our local YORK manufacturing facility in

AL SALEM JOHNSON CONTROLS 21

Jeddah, were we manufacture a series of HVAC with the same global quality and standards. Our expansion plans include the opening of a new manufacturing facility, twice the size than the current one, located in King Abdullah Economic City, which will include several testing facilities and new production lines.

Al Salem Johnson Controls is committed to supporting solution and system integration in order to help to achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as well as being a dynamic smart long-term partner for all of its customers and projects, through its integrated smart efficiency solutions and aftermarket support.

Smart Solutions Al Salem Johnson Controls is focused on providing balanced and fair management of resources, capabilities, and technologies, for the benefit of the entire eco-system.

Digital transformation is already taking place in Saudi Arabia, with benefits not only extending to smarter construction and more efficiency, but also the diversification of the economy.

Additionally, artificial intelligence has the potential to boost economic growth in Saudi Arabia by 1.1 percentage points, adding $215 billion to the national economy by 2035.

Artificial Intelligence will have the greatest impact on the Kingdom’s manufacturing, public services, and professional services industries, with increases of $37 billion, $67 billion, and $26 billion, respectively, in their annual gross value added (GVA), which measures the output value of all goods and services in a sector.

Al Salem Johnson Controls has worked on a number of high profile projects in the region, some of which needed special customisation and innovative solutions to adapt to unique circumstances or requirements of the project. One of the most unique mega projects is the New King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, as it leverages a wide range of its integrated solutions, which include HVAC solutions with a total cooling capacity of 135,000 TR; security and control systems, including the Building Management System (BMS) that controls all major buildings and supporting facilities; as well as an operation and maintenance service contract for the entire new airport. The fact that the expected capacity of this new airport is 30 million passengers per year only highlights the magnitude of this challenge.

In Line with Vision 2030 The company’s achievements to date cannot be summarised over just one or two projects, but it prides itself in having developed the largest chiller in the world to serve the guests of Allah in Makkah, which has been installed in the Grand Mosque’s chiller plant. Al Salem Johnson Controls has also worked closely with the consultant and contractor, and developed the largest ice storage application in the

world for maximum cooling efficiency and to overcome monumental challenges and restrictions in terms of space, water, and electricity usage for the Central Cooling Plant 2 at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah.

Looking to the future, Al Salem Johnson Controls is committed being the No.1 choice for building efficiency and smart solutions, and a main contributor to the Saudi economy through its local factories,

job opportunities for Saudi youth, training, and offering a smart, advanced, and contemporary workplace for its employees.

Al Salem Johnson Controls will keep working and striving towards breaking records, as it has already done on several of its projects, and actively contribute to diversifying the economy in line with Vision 2030.

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22 KHATIB AND ALAMI

LOOKING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE

HOLY MOSQUE, MAKKAH

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KHATIB AND ALAMI 23

DR NAJIB KHATIB KHATIB & ALAMI, CEO & CHAIRMAN

KHATIB & ALAMI (K&A) WAS ESTABLISHED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO BY THE LATE PROFESSOR MOUNIR KHATIB AND DR. ZUHEIR ALAMI, WHO HAD THE VISION AND AMBITION TO CREATE A LEADING INTERNATIONAL COMPANY. THE TWO FOUNDERS BELIEVED HARD WORK, INTEGRITY AND INNOVATION WOULD MAKE THIS A REALITY AND WANTED TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF PROFESSIONALS.

KHATIB & ALAMI PO BOX 3928 RIYADH 11481 KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA T: +966 1 1477 8384 E: RIYADH@KHATIBALAMI.COM W: WWW.KHATIBALAMI.COM

Today, K&A is an established international multidisciplinary consultancy and is among the Top 50 international design firms and the Top 10 in the Middle East, according to Engineering News-Record (ENR).With its holding company based in Singapore, and its Executive Office in Dubai, K&A operates in more than 30 locations worldwide and employs around 5500 people, primarily across the Middle East and Africa.

The company is led by Dr Najib Khatib, who was elected Chairman in February 2017, in addition to the role of Chief Executive Officer which he took on in 2016. His appointment recognised the outstanding contributions and achievements he has delivered throughout his 22-year career with the company. Dr Khatib has been a member of the K&A Board’s executive committee since 2006.

Under Dr Khatib’s leadership, K&A has undertaken several important initiatives which have been vital to supporting the company’s continuous growth and development. For instance, he led the change in jurisdiction of K&A’s Holding Company from Lebanon to Singapore, which means the company is subject to Singaporean laws and strong governance, while also enjoying the benefits of being in a dynamic global financial hub.

In addition, Dr Khatib has been responsible for spearheading a major transformation project at K&A which has touched on almost every aspect of the business, further equipping it with the attributes needed for long-term success.

Partner of Choice K&A’s scope of services covers a broad spectrum, taking in architecture, city and regional planning, transportation, water and environment, geotechnical and heavy civil, power and renewables, oil and gas, energy and utilities, programme management services and geospatial systems integration projects. The company offers deep technical expertise, combined with a wide understanding of delivering complex major projects within agreed timeframes and budget.

In addition to its work to expand its services in response to client demand, recent years have seen K&A deliver encouraging geographic growth beyond its core Gulf markets. In the Middle East, it has been expanding into geographies such as Iraq, while in Sub-Saharan Africa it has won projects in Gabon, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ethiopia, and continues to explore opportunities in additional geographies such as Mozambique, Guinea, Cameroon and others. Simultaneously, the

company is expanding east and has won projects in India and Malaysia, with more ongoing efforts that are yielding positive results in the CIS countries, where K&A is already working, and additional Far East countries such as Indonesia and Singapore.

Last year saw encouraging progress for K&A towards its vision of being ‘the partner of choice for its industry’, thanks to continued investment in its people, capabilities, systems and technologies.

This is enabling the company to meet the changing needs of clients as they respond to new demands, opportunities and trends.

An example of this is the emergence of different project delivery methods, such as early contractor involvement and design & build, with increasing numbers of clients looking to embrace new risk reward profiles.

K&A has therefore taken important steps to ensure it is equipped with the knowledge – technically, commercially and culturally – to help clients address this market shift, moving its capabilities upstream to become involved as an advisor in early project development.

This means leveraging its engineering expertise with financial modelling to help clients ensure their projects are bankable and attractive to investors, while participating actively in PPP projects from the supply side.

Supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 K&A is proud to be making a lasting contribution to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s future development through its ongoing work with the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Since being appointed as project management consultant (PMC) by the MoF to establish and run its project management office (PMO), K&A has been working closely with all stakeholders to help shape the future development of some of Saudi Arabia’s most economically, socially and culturally significant projects aligned with Vision 2030.

These projects include the expansion and renovation of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Medina. In Makkah, this will help to increase the number of daily prayers up to 1.7 million, with around 2 million pilgrims per day, while Medina’s capacity will grow to 1.6 million prayers per day.

These vital projects will benefit an estimated 30 million pilgrims per year by 2030.

A key goal of the PMO is to drive worldclass standards of project delivery across the MoF’s infrastructure projects. One of the ways this is being achieved is through the establishment of stringent design guidelines, regular reviews, and robust controls on the activities of all third parties in relation to quality, cost, project schedules and project

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KHATIB AND ALAMI 25 progress. K&A is also assisting with all tender documents and contracts and preparing feasibility studies where necessary on behalf of the MoF. Just as importantly, the PMO is playing an important role in driving up standards of project management across the Kingdom through training and development, and providing regular exposure to international best practice.This is building capabilities and ensuring that knowledge and skills acquired through the PMO are retained within the Kingdom.

The Al-Wajeed Water Masterplan Another example of K&A’s significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s social, economic and environmental sustainability is the Al-Wajeed Water Masterplan, a major social infrastructure initiative aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. This life-critical project, located in the Empty Quarter (the world’s largest uninterrupted sand mass), is safeguarding the well-being of more than half-a-million people in Tathleeth and Bisha governorates, where water shortages were presenting a serious threat to health and the economy.

This highly complex project, which

was last year named Infrastructure Project of the Year at the Construction Week Awards, sought to safely extract, purify and transfer water from the Al-Wajeed wells to strategic reservoirs in Tathleeth – a distance of approximately 600km, and K&A was responsible for full design and construction supervision.

Major components of the project included a water desalination plant with a capacity of 40,000 m³/day in the first phase, 20 deep wells, pumping stations, 600km of water pipelines, reservoirs with volumes ranging from 50,000m³ to 2,500 m³; local water networks to distribute reservoirstored water to households, and roadways for construction site access.

In total, the project took eight years to complete and was divided into multiple construction packages awarded to different contractors, with work starting in parallel to save time during construction. At the height of the project more than 2000 people were involved in its delivery.

The desalination plant was completed on time and to budget, and after rigorous testing and commissioning is now operational and being managed and maintained by around 50 people in its early stages. Scope exists,

however, for the desalination plant to ramp up to 108,000m³/day in capacity in a budget-dependent second phase.

In addition, the project has been a major catalyst for infrastructure development in a part of the Kingdom previously viewed as inaccessible for investment opportunities, and now has a growing local economy, which further adds to the long-term sustainability of the region’s communities.

Solutions for the community K&A has also played a key role for the Ministry of Housing in Saudi Arabia with the delivery of a detailed study of 20 sites (covering approximately 30 million m²) earmarked for new homes in the Asir and AlBaha governorates. The company’s experts created thoughtfully-designed masterplans which will meet future demand, while preserving the natural features, morphology and topography of sites.

In addition, K&A supported the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) in developing a world-class facility which drives the digitalisation of its services, enabling vast amounts of real-time information to be centralized and optimized.

This complex mission was made possible by K&A’s innovative solutions which transform the way geospatial systems’ capabilities engage with SWCC operations, supporting best practice operations, maintenance and business controls.

A Broad Portfolio K&A is working on a wide variety of projects at the present time, including a number of mega projects. Regardless of the size and scale of the project, the company’s primary aim is always to cover the full spectrum of its clients’ needs.

K&A is flexible enough with its workforce to place it where the projects are, serving the market as and where necessary. It has a healthy project porfolio in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, involving a diverse range of clients, and is proud to be making a positive contribution to the country as it works towards achieving its Vision 2030 goals.

Investing in the Future The company has been operating within the Middle East and Africa region for more than five decades, and this gives it an exceptional understanding and perspective of the market. K&A has seen many challenging times, but has always been ready

AL-WAJEED WATER MASTERPLAN PROJECT

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26 KHATIB AND ALAMI

TODAY, K&A IS AN ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONSULTANCY WITH MORE THAN 50 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD AND IS AMONG THE TOP 50 INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FIRMS IN THE WORLD

MINISTRY OF HOUSING PROJECT, ASIR AND AL-BAHA GOVERNORATES

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KHATIB AND ALAMI 27 with a contingency plan to deliver success on behalf of its clients.

What the company sees at the moment is that clients are ambitious to deliver high quality projects, but the emphasis is on doing this as efficiently as possible. This is good for companies such as K&A, which have invested strongly in their capabilities and expertise, but don’t have the same cost base as many international competitors.

SALINE WATER CONVERSION CORPORATION (SWCC) OPERATIONAL DISPATCH CENTER

High Calibre People The company recognise that nothing has a greater impact on its ability to meet the expectations of clients, and to make a valuable contribution to the communities in which it works, than the way it supports and develops its people.

Measuring the performance of staff has been dovetailed with the company’s transformation programme in order to support the need for mentoring and role modelling, as well as technology-related training, which will put it at the forefront of the new skills and capabilities needed for a digital world.

In 2019, K&A will continue to invest in its people, equipping them with the right skills to be able to meet the challenges of a competitive market landscape. At the same time, it will continue to recruit the best available talent in the market to ensure that it remains a one-stop-shop solution for its clients.

A Changing World K&A has a can-do mentality, which means leaning into its clients’ challenges with a flexible mindset. This has been key to its ability to develop a strong business in Saudi Arabia. Equally, it has been diligent about understanding and aligning with the new priorities in the Kingdom.

This is the same agile approach the company takes with respect to entering new markets and sectors, and it is what enables it to be a first mover when opportunities emerge in developing markets.

Sustainability K&A aims to spearhead efforts towards driving a sustainable approach to development. It does this by offering fully-fledged sustainability consultancy services to its clients, utilising innovative design strategies in sustainability design engineering, energy management and independent commissioning solutions. The company’s work and methodologies are reinforced with up-to-date industry research and the deployment of cutting-edge analysis tools to deliver an optimum project sustainability performance.

The vision for K&A’s sustainability services is to drive sustainable development and business resilience in order to create a better future and positively impact the communities in which it works. Its experts offer both practical and technical experience in energy performance, renewable and clean energy, low carbon technology, water conservation, materials sciences and regulatory compliance.

Technology Driving Future Success K&A’s vision to be the partner of choice in its sector constantly drives it to keep improving its services and capabilities. This includes a commitment to embrace technology, something that has been in the company’s DNA since its very inception. For instance, K&A is at the forefront of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the MENA region, last year celebrating 30 years of partnership with international GIS supplier ESRI, while its own smart solutions platform – Kapcite – is gaining traction in the market.

HOLY MOSQUE, MAKKAH

K&A’s GIS expertise complements its design, engineering and project management services across all aspects of the built environment sector. Its Smart City approach, for instance, is focused on utilising GIS and integrating it with other technologies and platforms, such as IoT

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FOR CEMENT PRODUCTS ‫منتجات أسمنتية‬

Suliman Nasser Al-Turki Est. for Contracting ( STEECO ) P.O. Box : 40362 Riyadh : 11499 C. R. : 1122002041

Head Office Tel : +966-11-241 4680 | Fax: +966-11-241 6956 E-mail : info@steeco.com Web Site : steeco.com Facebook : steeco.steeco | Twitter : 1steecoi| Instagram : steeco

Arab Company for Laboratories and Soil (ACES) was established in 2002 in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, and is part of the Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES Group), Which is headquartered in Amman-Jordan established in 1983 and which operates in sixteen areas in the region including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Muscat, Sana'a, Erbil, Baghdad, Jeddah, Khobar, Buraydah, Najran, Al Madinah, Makkah, Yanbu, Tabuk, Amman and Aqaba in addition to Riyadh.

ACES-Riyadh is a specialized engineering company in site & geotechnical investigation, materials technology & testing, quality control of projects, special studies, environmental studies & testing, land and marine surveying, geophysical studies, pavement studies, hydrology studies, testing of food and other consumer products, industrial testing and many additional support services.

ACES-Riyadh possesses a highly skilled and specialized workforce and modern equipment which allows it to provide its clients with punctual, competitive and high standard services at all times and in all projects regardless of their size.

All of ACES-Riyadh tests are conducted in accordance with the highest international standards such as the British Standards (BS), the American Standards (ASTM), the German Standards (DIN) and the European Standards (EN), and the requirements of ISO 9001-2008 and ISO-IEC 17025-2005.

ACES-Riyadh being recognized as a benchmark of high quality services, management and business excellence and has been accredited by SAC, SASO and Saudi Aramco.

ACES-Jeddah Street: AL Imam Al Bukhari(71), Basatheen Dist.(3), Building No. 115 Phone: +966-12-6641422 Fax: +966-12-6635448 E-mail: acesjeddah@aces-int.com

ACES -Riyadh PO Box 46891 Riyadh 11542, K.S.A. Tel: + 966-1-2372222, 2354481, 2353467 Fax: + 966-1-2357434 E-mail: acesriyadh@aces-int.com

www.aces-int.com

ACES-Khobar Street: Rakaz Industrial Area Housing Street Phone: +966 13-88-11942-3 Fax: +966 13-8811947 E-mail: aceskhobar@aces-int.com

KHATIB AND ALAMI 29 (Internet of Things). In this Smart City realm, its clients see that K&A’s GIS technology brings multimodal systems and various assets together into a more comprehensive, view which allows improved visualisation and analysis.

As part of its ambition to be at the forefront of supporting its clients as they adopt new technologies, in 2017 K&A set out on a comprehensive digital transformation programme. The aim is to maximise its utilisation of technology in a multidisciplinary way that will bring synergies, efficiency and productivity gains, as well as new business line offerings with digital functionalities and data-based services.

K&A has identified and prioritised initiatives that will be delivered during the next three years as part of its digitalisation strategy. In 2018, this involved integrating a number of new tools and technologies (i.e.

VR/AR, drones, 3D printing, digital twins, generative/parametric design); investing further in existing technologies (e.g. BIM/ GIS, platform services, AI services); driving adoption across the entire organisation; and working to increase collaboration with clients to address their challenges and needs.

The next 50 years, therefore, look as exciting as the first 50, so we can expect to see many more impressive milestones from one of the industry’s most innovative and customer-driven companies!

MINISTRY OF HOUSING PROJECT, AL NAYFAH

AL-WAJEED WATER MASTERPLAN PROJECT

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30 GROHE KSA

ANTOINE KAISSAR GENERAL MANAGER, GROHE SAUDI ARABIA LTD

AN UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTED TO TAKING ADVANTAGE AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR IN KSA, ESPECIALLY IN HOSPITALITY AND RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS (COMPOUNDS AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS), GROHE KSA’S OWN STANCE IS IN LINE WITH THE KINGDOM’S 2030 VISION TOO, AS ANTOINE KAISSER, GENERAL MANAGER, GROHE KSA, EXPLAINS.

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Saudi Projects: Has Grohe had a successful 2018?

Antoine Kaisser: We operate without sub-contractors, but directly with government-owned companies, manufacturers, developers and contractors, and this has helped the company to reduce the burden of unnecessary costs, which has gone a long way to making 2018 such a successful year, particularly in terms of projects and awards. In fact, our design philosophy, which is the foundation of all Grohe product designs, attracted a record number of 63 design awards last year, with all of the company’s newest innovations receiving prestigious accolades, from digital innovations, kitchen and bath

faucets collections through to ceramics lines, shower systems and even architectural flush plates.

Saudi Projects: Grohe is very much a company that cares not only about its customers, but about the community, too?

Antoine Kaisser: Yes, it’s in our DNA. In 2015, for instance, we launched ‘Turn Water into Food’, an initiative in cooperation with NGOs that builds on food distribution for the underprivileged.

This unique idea is based on transforming the water saved by furnishing mosques with self-closing faucets into food. For every 10 litres of water saved, Grohe donates one food pack to a family.To date,

more than 2,360 families have benefitted from this programme.

Saudi Projects: And Grohe has picked up an award for this initiative?

Antoine Kaisser: It has, yes. In 2016, Grohe won the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards (GWA) for its ‘Turn Water into Food’ campaign in KSA. Environmental awareness is at the heart of the Grohe philosophy, as it raises awareness on the importance of environmental sustainability and discusses the promotion and optimal use of water resources by reducing consumption and utilising treated and renewable water.

Thus, the remarkable success of this

GROHE KSA 31

initiative encouraged us to implement it in other countries in the MENA region, including Egypt, Turkey, the UAE, Ghana, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Also in 2018, Grohe launched last year Lixil Community Day, reaching out to elementary schools to raise awareness of water conservation.

Saudi Projects: Is Saudi Arabia an increasingly important market for Grohe?

Antoine Kaisser: Saudi Arabia is a fast-growing and vital market for Grohe, and the company is keen to cater to its trades people, suppliers and consumers by offering new technologies and enhanced products. We are committed to constantly keeping up with this expanding market, as one of our core business strategies is to take part in the upcoming projects.

Grohe is in line with the fast-growing non-oil private sector movement in KSA, which is driven by Vision 2030, making the construction sector an expanding one, benefitting primarily from major initiatives to promote residential real estate development.

Saudi Projects: So Grohe will benefit from the Vision 2030?

Antoine Kaisser: Grohe technologies will certainly contribute to the Vision 2030, in particular under the ‘energy conservation’ pillar. In 2018, for example, GROHE won the BayLaSun project in King Abdullah Economic City, developed by EMAAR and fully equipped by Grohe.

Saudi Projects: Do you forsee any major challenges over the next few years?

Antoine Kaisser: As in any region, there are challenges ahead for KSA and the Gulf countries; the main one revolving around creating not only aesthetically appealing projects, but also improving the quality of people’s lives.

Water scarcity is another major environmental challenge, as are a difficult world economy and depleting resources.

Another challenge is the increase in the cost of materials, which could push up the prices of apartments, villas and office space, or could drive property developers to use low quality products in terms of sanitary fittings. Consequently, the whole construction sector will be affected. As a result, Grohe’s biggest challenge over the next 10 years will primarily be sustainability. And as high-end projects prefer to adopt premium brands, the company’s challenge is to position its water saving products as premium in order to appeal to the specification makers of these projects.

Saudi Projects: How will you meet these challenges?

Antoine Kaisser: Global manufacturing brands are increasingly opening plants inside KSA, which helps them have a more competitive price on a local level. So, Grohe will leverage the ‘value for money’ aspect of its innovations, while highlighting world-class standards followed in the manufacturing process, and ‘Made in Germany’ quality. By 2030, the positive environmental contribution from Grohe’s products and services will surpass the environmental footprint from its entire business process, thus achieving a net zero environmental footprint.

Saudi Projects: Which major opportunities do you seeing arising?

Antoine Kaisser: One of the biggest opportunities is the merging of the digital and physical worlds, as innovation is not just about hardware and design anymore, with the KSA architecture industry having shown an ability to adapt and improve across all trends and developments, which is critical in today’s environment. With this in mind, we have recently launched intelligent devices to monitor and prevent water damage incidents – Grohe Sense and Grohe Sense Guard.

The integration of design with technology, in addition to the value of the company’s products, is a unique combination and the secret behind our success. Thanks to our four brand pillars - Quality, Design,Technology and Sustainability – we have a great affinity with the KSA market, which explains the high demand for our products.

Saudi Projects: How important is promoting a green future?

Antoine Kaisser: Grohe is taking serious steps towards ‘green building’ initiatives for the simple fact that they make sense. They are valuable because they reduce the cost of ownership. Planners, architects and investors are leading the way towards ‘green certification’, and Grohe is offering solution expertise in this area, helping clients to navigate the complicated system of green building rating in order to assess the sustainability of a project's design, construction and operation.

Saudi Arabia: How do you see the next 10 years for Grohe?

Antoine Kaisser: Looking to the future, our plans in the region revolve around expansion and diversification, with the company always seeking new opportunities to be closer to and to connect with our customers, to explore new channels where we can showcase our products and groundbreaking innovations.

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32 ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP

50 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS

UMM AL-QURA UNIVERSITY

CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2019, ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP (ECG) OFFERS A BROAD PORTFOLIO OF SPECIALIST SERVICES TO DISCERNING CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, INCLUDING STUDIES AND MASTER PLANNING, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP 999 KING FAHD ROAD, ALJUMAIAH BUILDING, 7TH FLOOR, NORTH TOWER, RIYADH, KSA P.O. BOX 230402 – RIYADH 11321, KSA TEL: +966 11 450 2030 FAX: +966 11 470 9161 E-MAIL: ECG-KSA@ECGSA.COM WEBSITE: WWW.ECGSA.COM

32 WWW.TPG.MEDIA

It all began back in 1969, when Mr. Mahmoud Sami Abdelkawi and Mr. Ashraf Hassan Allouba founded ECG Engineering Consultants Group as a business partnership.

One of their first consultancy contracts was the Qena-Safaga Portable Water Pipeline in their home country of Egypt, with ECG providing designs and construction supervision.

Between 1970 and 1977, ECG found itself in demand overseas, winning its first cross-border deal to develop the manmade river project in Libya, worth $2 billion. ECG also won two momentous contracts for the Greater Cairo Waterworks master plan, and the Port Said Water and Wastewater master plan.

In 2011, ECG Saudi Arabia was founded as a professional solidarity company established between two partners: Ms. Laila Hussein (Saudi Engineer) and ECG Engineering Consultants Group S.A (Egyptian Company), with headquarters in Riyadh and one branch in Jeddah. Backed with a team of 225 dedicated staff, ECG Saudi Arabia has successfully accomplished more than 100 projects in Saudi Arabia, covering all major fields of engineering.

Projects include residential compounds, hospitals, hotels, factories, high rise buildings, and educational institutions, with total construction value surpassing 4 billion US Dollars.

As the years progressed, ECG found itself working on a series of ground-breaking wastewater schemes in collaboration with CH2M HILL, Metcalf & Eddy, and Parsons. Going from strength-to-strength, it changed its status from a partnership to a joint-stock company, and between 1992 and 1995 won two key airport contracts to execute Terminal 3 and renovate Terminal 1 at Cairo International Airport. Its wide range of capabilities was put to the test once more when ECG secured the contract for the Attaqa Thermal Power Plant, ECG’s first project in the power sector.

The new century saw ECG becoming a real force to be reckoned with; with one of its most significant accomplishments being the $1 billion El Kuraimat New Combined Cycle Power Plant, in addition to winning the state-sponsored worldwide competition to develop Smart Village, Egypt’s state-ofthe-art communications and information technology business hub.

Between 2010 and 2014, ECG enjoyed expansion across Africa, Asia, and Europe, opening branches in Assiut (Egypt), Libya, Tanzania, Uganda, Kurdistan-Iraq, Kuwait, Al Ain (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and France.

It is during this period that the company registered with the U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainability in building design, construction, and operation.

The last five years have seen ECG contribute significantly towards achieving Egypt’s national vision through working on the construction supervision of the new sustainable cities of New Alamein, New Mansoura, and the New Administrative Capital, as well as the Port Said Tunnels under the Suez Canal.

A Great Team of Professionals Today, ranked 94 in the ENR Top 225 International Design Firms, ECG has remained true to its roots and core values, while being at the forefront of innovation and global trends. Nothing demonstrates this better than the fact that the company president personally oversees all megascale projects, considering the broad scope of ECG’s service portfolio, which includes architecture and landscaping, civil, structural and electromechanical services, process and piping, in addition to environmental engineering and urban development.

The company’s success is also down to its greatest asset – its people. ECG takes great pride in its team and understands that it can only grow by constantly hiring the best calibres, and cultivating their talents and expertise. This commitment has allowed it to deliver the best quality service at every stage of a project.

ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS GROUP 33 Prestigious Projects ECG worked on a number of important and prestigious projects, some of them including Al Qassim Medical College Complex, Three Maarif School Complex, Al Andalus Tower, Four Seasons Hotel Jaddah, Dhahiat Sumou and King Khaled International Airport in KSA. One of the biggest projects worked on in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is Umm Al-Qura University Academic Spine. The project stretches over a total footprint area of 100,000 m2, and the project comprises the following components: • New academic buildings: with a total built-up area of 155,000 m2 • Extensions to existing academic buildings: with a total built-up area of 74,000 m2 • Non-academic buildings: with a total built-up area of 139,000 m2 In Egypt, some of the projects include Saint Regis Hotel, Al-Masa Capital, Zone R5 in The New Capital, and New Mansoura City.

The company is also rightly proud of one of its biggest projects Al-Alamein Old City, which stretches over a total area of

approximately 1,091,500m2 in Al-Alamein New City and comprises the following components: • Main Entrance: with a total built-up area of about 33,000m2 • Entertainment and Arts Neighbourhood: with a total built-up area of about 134,200m2 • Investment and Commercial Neighbourhood: with a total built-up area of about 122,200m2 • Cultural Neighbourhood: with a total built-up area of about 82,500m2 • Old City Neighbourhood: with a total built-up area of about 187,000m2 • Residential Neighbourhood: with a total built-up area of about 82,500m2 • Opera House: with a total built-up area of about 93,200m2 • A waterway: with a total built-up area of about 84,000m2 • A tram track: with a total built-up area of about 23,000m2 • Roads and parking spaces: with a total built-up area of about 250,700m2 The project’s master plan also covers a museum, mall, mosque, church, residential studio apartments, cinema complex, city

hall, island boutique hotel, and a library.

Taking up the Challenge ECG believes that although the future is very positive, there are a number of challenges that have to be met over the next five to ten years, nonetheless the aggressively competitive market in the MENA region and the ability to attract and retain the best people.

There is also a requirement in the industry, at project manager level, for training in integrating projects and leading performance improvement from inception to completion. Furthermore, the industry needs to look at the site supervisor level, with key grade people being virtually absent at the moment. Therefore, training needs to be identified as a matter of urgency to alleviate what is an acute shortage.

At the design level, high standards of professional competence must be matched by a more practical understanding of the needs of clients; and whilst an ability to multi-task right across the industry is also lacking, workers should be able to undertake a range of functions based on processes, rather than rely purely on their technical skills.

Finally, there is a need to implement lean management in design and construction, in order to reduce wasted time and effort, and leverage quality.

Striving for Excellence ECG differentiates itself from its competitors through its mission, vision, and corporate values: Mission: a world-class engineering consultancy company that delivers the full range of engineering and architectural design services.

Vision: aspiring to be in a leading global market position through upholding top ethical standards, promoting first-rate quality, and building worldwide corporate alliances.

Values: At ECG, it is fully understood that remarkable growth is widely attributed to staying connected to core values.

It is not easy to sum up a company such as ECG, with its commitment not only to its clients, but also to its employees, the local communities in which it operates, and the environment. However, what can be said is that ECG strives for excellence through the use of the latest technologies, the best quality assurance systems, and a pool of outstanding professionals. It’s a potent mix!

DuraStyle

New freedom in the bathroom. Design by Matteo Thun www.duravit.com.eg

ECG magazine Feb 2019.indd 7

2/12/19 1:5833 PM WWW.TPG.MEDIA

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