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Big Project ME, your one-stop guide to construction developments in the region, The Big Project is the Middle East’s leading monthly B2B title for the construction industry.
Citation preview
097APRIL 2014
Will the Louvre Abu Dhabi be ready as the clock ticks down to its grand opening?
A RACE AGAINSTTIME
ALSO INSIDE SIR JOHN ARMITTANALYSING OMANREFORMING FORMWORKDEVELOPERS STAY POSITIVE
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CONTENTS
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PAGE 22Big Project ME visits
the Louvre Abu Dhabi construction site.
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05 THE BIG PICTURE
IRAQ BECOMES THIRD LARGEST PROJECTS MARKET IN MIDDLE EAST
$519 billion in projects planned or underway in the country
16 IN PROFILE
THE MASTER BUILDER
Sir John Armitt tells Big Project ME that there are valuable lessons that
Qatar and Dubai can learn from the 2012 London Olympics
22 SITE VISIT: LOUVRE ABU DHABI
UNDER THE DOME
Big Project ME takes a tour of the region’s highest profile cultural project
32 INDUSTRY FOCUS
KEEPING THAT POSITIVE FEELING
Big Project ME finds out why property developers are keen on keeping
things upbeat
38 MARKET FOCUS: OMAN
WORTH THE WAIT
Although Oman takes awhile to get things done, it’s always for the
right reasons
42 SPECIAL FEATURE: PILING
FROM THE GROUND UP
Big Project ME pits two opposing schools of thought against each other
50 SPECIAL FEATURE: FORMWORK NG PREVENTIVELY
THE REFORMING INDUSTRY
Looking at quality control and formwork technology in infrastructure
construction
54 COMMENT: AUTODESK
EIGHT TRENDS SHAPING GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION IN 2014
Hassan Malki outlines some of the major trends shaping the global
construction and infrastructure market
60 TIME & MONEY: COINS
VALUE FOR MONEY
COINS explains how its software solutions can benefit contractors
62 TENDERS BIG 5 SAUDI
Big Project ME lists the region’s biggest construction tenders for April
76 CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
MAKE YOUR MARK
Gavin Davids says that it’s time to pay more attention to the Omani
construction market
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EDITOR’S COMMENT BIGPROJECTME.COM
Stephen WhiteGroup Editor
Head in the clouds
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A few years ago, an article I wrote was quoted on Wikipedia regarding the construction of what could become the world’s tallest tower. Like a giddy schoolboy I scribbled to the world that the Kingdom Tower would be open and ready to take visitors to the clouds by 2016.
How wrong I was. But why?
Could market forces be to blame? Well, since then, building tall has fallen out of fashion and Saudi Arabia has, for a number of reasons, shifted its focus to constructing critical and social infrastructure. However, these factors have been largely negligible in terms of Kingdom Tower.
To build high you also frequently need to dig deep and following the announcement, it soon became clear that building the super skyscraper’s foundation was going to be a lot more difficult and deeper than at first thought. Although why this was news, considering that a mile-high (1,600m) version was ruled out back as far as 2008, remains unanswered over half a decade later. The Kingdom Tower may look like the Burj Khalifa in style and form but it is being set into very different soil conditions. While the piling contractors manfully carried on with the test piling over the winter of 2011/2012 they did it mostly to no avail as the scale of the job became clearer. As is often the case they had the right equipment but they did not have the right knowhow. (The fact they couldn’t manage it is perhaps excusable when you consider that the Red Sea-hugging tower is so uniquely designed and positioned.)
Sensibly the piling work was eventually passed to one of the best in the business and almost a year later in January 2013 Saudi Bauer took on the challenge; eventually pinning 270 piles down 110m. Last month EC Harris and Mace said that above ground works are ready to progress from 27 April. Both UK companies come with an enviable record in project management but Kingdom Tower has already forced us to re-learn a lesson we’ve known for decades: building high is not easy – or as Philippe Dessoy of Besix told me back in 2011: “The higher you go, the more problems you face.” The fun has just begun.
02_Eds Comment.indd 2 4/3/14 2:45 PM
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CCS_Gulf_Railway_BP.indd 1 04/03/2014 20:03Untitled-1 1 4/2/14 2:01 PM
NOVEMBER 18, 2014JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, DUBAIwww.bigprojectme.com/awards/2014
NOMINATION ENQUIRIESSTEPHEN WHITEGROUP EDITOR+971 4 375 [email protected]
CONSTRUCTION ANDSUSTAINABILITY AWARDSOF EXCELLENCE
THE INDUSTRY EVENT
THAT HAS THE WHOLE REGION
TALKINGRECOGNISING INDUSTRY
EXCELLENCE
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AWARDS 2014
GOLD SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR
SUPPORTING PARTNERS
BPME AWARDS 2014_ADVERT.indd 1 4/3/14 4:44 PM
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BIG PROJECT ME SPEAKS TO SIR JOHN ARMITT, THE MAN BEHIND THE LONDON 2012 GAMES – PAGE 16
COUNTRY RANKS BEHIND ONLY SAUDI ARABIA AND THE UAE IN TERMS OF LARGEST PROJECTS MARKETS BY VALUE WITH $519 BILLION IN PROJECTS PLANNED OR UNDERWAY
WITH PROJECTS WORTH $519 billion
planned or underway in the country,
Iraq has emerged as the fastest growing
projects market in the region.
According to local agency MEED’s
Gulf Projects Index as of January
2014, only Saudi Arabia ($1.05
trillion) and the UAE ($713.15 billion)
have larger projects markets.
28% of Iraq’s projects are in the
oil sector, with the country planning
to revitalise its hydrocarbons market
through oil projects worth $145 billion.
Iraqi Kurdistan, the semi-autonomous
region in the country’s north, is
viewed as a market with massive
potential by investors, with capital
Erbil becoming a lucrative spot for
foreign firms seeking to enter Iraq.
Regions in the country’s south
are undergoing rebuilding and
rehabilitation programmes following
IRAQ PROJECTS MARKET THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST
war and sanctions, and new legislations
are expected in the country soon.
Some of these include new
hydrocarbons and infrastructure
laws that are expected to boost
investment in the Iraqi market.
Earlier this month, construction giant
Arabtec Holding had announced its
decision to enter the Iraqi market. “We
see great potential for Arabtec in Iraq,”
Arabtec managing director and CEO
Hasan Abdullah Ismaik had stated.
“Our physical presence there
will enable us to capitalise on the
significant new business opportunities
that are available particularly in
oil and gas and infrastructure.
Iraq’s oil sector is benefitting from this
renewed investment, with international
oil companies committing to long-term
construction projects in the country.
According to MEED, Iraq earned
a record $94 billion from oil exports
in 2012, accounting for more than
90% of the government revenue.
On top of this investment, Iraq’s
government has allocated $4.7 billion
in its annual budget to finance its
existing and future power projects.
“As part of its 2014 plan, the Ministry
of Electricity requested a budget
of $12 billion to complete existing
projects and to sign new contracts to
compensate for the fluctuating shortage
(of power), but the government only
approved $4.7 billion,” said ministry
spokesperson Masaab Al-Mudarris.
Additionally, the country has
approved contracts worth $1.7 billion
with Samsung Engineering Co Ltd and
Hyundai Heavy Industries to build two
power plants in Mosul and another
location south of Baghdad, Al-Mudarris
had informed local media earlier this year.
STATSn Projects planned
or underway in Iraq $519 billion
n Iraqi projects in the Oil sector 28%
n Value of oil sector projects $145 billion
n Amount Iraq earned from oil exports in 2012 $94 billion
n Amount allocated by Iraq government for existing and future power projects $4.7 billion
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STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY TO BE DEVELOPED AT DUBAI HEALTHCARE CITY200-bed facility to be developed in Dubai’s leading healthcare neighbourhood
Construction for a new medical facility in Dubai Healthcare City will begin shortly, following the appointment of the main contractor on the project, the developer has said.
Developed by the Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Group, the facility will spread across six floors and more than 16,258sqm of internal space.
Arif and Bintoak Architects and Engineers have been appointed as consultant for the
project, and Shapoorji Pallonji International will provide contracting services for the facility.
“Having built our first hospital in the UAE in 1980 in Abu Dhabi, we are proud that over thirty years later we continue to support healthcare in the market with the same diligence,” said MD Saini, managing director and chief executive officer of Shapoori Pallonji International.
The 200-bed medical facility will feature an integrated centre for cardiac surgery, diagnostic clinics and a cardiac catheterisation unit.
The structure is also expected to include three basement levels for parking space.
Dubai Healthcare City was launched in 2002 to meet the demand for healthcare in the city.
BIG PROJECT MIDDLE EAST TOURS THE MAMMOTH LOUVRE ABU DHABI CONSTRUCTION SITE – PAGE 22
200DUBAI MUNICIPALITY WARNS CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTORS NOT TO HIRE UNAUTHORISED SUBCONTRACTORSWarning prompted by investigation into the collapsed roof of a swimming pool that injured four workers
DUBAI MUNICIPALITY HAS warned
consultants and contractors not to hire
unauthorised subcontractors following an
accident that injured four construction workers
at Al Shabab Al Arabi Club in the city.
The roof collapsed during the
concrete pouring process, municipality
investigators told local media.
Engineer Marwan Al Mohammad,
acting director of Building Department
at the civic body, said that the accident
happened because the project consultant
violated rules laid out by the municipality.
“The technical committee of the department
has found that the accident, which injured four
workers, is due to the violation of work rules by
the project consultant as they subcontracted
the work to an unauthorised contractor
to work in Dubai,” Mohammad said.
“The subcontractor has no efficiency
in the construction field and committed
serious technical mistakes during
the concrete pouring work.”
According to the Local Order No III of 1999,
both consultant and the main contractor will
be responsible for faults and violations in the
project execution, Al Mohammad warned.
BEDS
TOTAL SIZE OF THE MEDICAL CITY BEING BUILT IN DHC
SEVEN BIDS FOR FINAL BUILD PACKAGE OF SOHAR AIRPORT
Sohar Airport’s construction bids were divided into three packages
SEVEN LOCAL AND international firms
are vying to win the contract for building
works at Sohar’s new regional airport.
Package III includes the construction of a
passenger terminal building, cargo terminal
and other buildings related to the airport
was opened at the Tender Board recently.
Carillion Alawi, Larsen & Toubro (Oman),
Strabag Oman, Al Turkey Enterprises, Galfar
Engineering and Contracting Co, Oman
Shapoorji Construction Co and Joannou and
Paraskevaides Oman submitted the tenders.
This package is the final tender for building
works on the Sohar Airport project.
Package I for the project included civil works,
road network, utilities and falaj protection works.
Construction of the runway, taxiway, apron, and
all other accessories were part of Package II.
Both packages were awarded to Strabag Oman.
Oman’s Ministry of Transport and
Communication refloated the tender
for Package III in September 2013.
WARNINGDubai Municipality has warned against the use of unauthorised sub-contractors.
05-11_News.indd 6 4/2/14 1:22 PM
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SAUDI CONTRACTORS COULD soon be using the resources
of their Egyptian counterparts as the labour shortages in the
country push contractors to look at alternative arrangements.
Local media reports had earlier revealed that the Kingdom
was suffering from a labour shortage following the government’s
crackdown on illegal migrants in Saudi Arabia, and its
consequent effects on construction activity in the Kingdom.
To overcome these shortages, a meeting between the Saudi National
Contractors Committee and the Egyptian Union for Contractors was
held in Riyadh, where the latter agreed to offer its services following
the implementation of a ‘proper mechanism…to obtain visas’.
“Many Saudi contractors are utilising Egyptian expertise in technical
work that do not require their presence at the site, especially as their
services are reasonably priced,” a statement from the committee said.
Saudi contractors also added they are suffering due to the Ministry
of Labour’s conditions, wherein the contractors are not permitted to
hire workers until the construction site is handed over to them.
EGYPT TO AID SAUDI CONTRACTORS IN SOLVING LABOUR SHORTAGE CRISIS
BIG PROJECT ME FINDS OUT WHY PROPERTY DEVELOPERS ARE DETERMINED TO KEEP FEELING POSITIVE – PAGE 32
MAG GROUP TO INVEST $4.08BN IN DUBAI REAL ESTATE MARKET
Residential projects, art centres expected across Dubai, UAE
A $544.5 million development in Meydan district is expected to be built soon by the MAG Group. The project will be a part of the company’s planned investments worth $4.08 billion across Dubai and the UAE.
The Meydan project will include 106 townhouses and a residential community comprising of 29 five-storey apartment buildings. A residential project in Sharjah worth $204.1 million is also expected to be built. A $190.5 million-worth art centre in Barsha and a residential project, ‘City of Arabia’ will also be constructed at a cost of $235.5 million.
“Now that the city has won the right to host Expo 2020, it has galvanised investment sentiment,” said Moafaq Al Gaddah, chairman of MAG Group.
“I am sure that we are not the only company feeling the current wave of overwhelming business optimism.”
FIRST EVER ECO-FRIENDLY MOSQUE AIMS FOR SILVER LEED RATING
Intelligent construction techniques have been incorporated to ensure the mosque is environment-friendly
THE REGION’S FIRST eco-
friendly mosque in the UAE is
nearly 85% complete, and will be
unveiled for worshipers soon.
“We are delighted to announce
the imminent opening of the
Islamic world’s first green mosque
to worshipers,” said Tayeb Al-Rais,
Secretary General, Awqaf and
Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF).
“The mosque will be the largest
of its kind in Dubai spread across
105,000 square feet with a built-up
area of 45,000 square feet that can
accommodate 3,500 worshippers.
“Through this mosque, we
hope to inspire many more such
eco-friendly initiatives that are
in line with Dubai’s vision for a
sustainable future,” he added.
The mosque has followed
the directives and specifications
laid down for green buildings in
the country, and the project is
expected to gain LEED’s silver
certification for conforming to the
sustainability measures of the US
Green Building Council (USGBC).
“We have utilised latest
green technologies available in
the region’s first eco-mosque
project,” said Mohammed Hassan,
director of investment at AMAF.
“The installation of mixers that
are in line with the specifications
of green buildings will help reduce
water consumption. Care has
been taken to moderate the speed
of water flow from taps in the
ablution areas. Used water will be
recycled and utilised in washrooms
and for plant irrigation.”
Besides employing thermal
insulation to reduce heat
transfer, various other design
and construction elements of the
mosque are environment-friendly.
Some such measures include
double-glazed windows with
metal coatings to reduce intense
solar radiation and the usage of
solar panels for water-heating.
Kingdom will work with Egypt labour union to support local contractors in a bid to solve labour crisis after Nitaqat ruling
WORSHIPPERS
THE ECO-FRIENDLY MOSQUE WILL HOLD
3,500
SUSTAINABLE WORSHIPThe project is expected to gain LEED’s silver certifi-
cation from the USGBC.
05-11_News.indd 7 4/5/14 10:25 AM
Corporate BankingWhen you are ambitious, no goal is too big and no achievement is out of reach. At ADCB, we provide the people and businesses of the UAE with the award-winning banking products and services they need to put their ambitions into action. Learn more at adcb.com
Money can buy the land.
But ambition makes it a landmark.
Untitled-1 1 4/2/14 2:03 PM
Corporate BankingWhen you are ambitious, no goal is too big and no achievement is out of reach. At ADCB, we provide the people and businesses of the UAE with the award-winning banking products and services they need to put their ambitions into action. Learn more at adcb.com
Money can buy the land.
But ambition makes it a landmark.
Untitled-1 1 4/2/14 2:03 PM
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BIG PROJECT ME ANALYSES THE CHALLENGES FACING THE OMANI CONSTRUCTION MARKET – PAGE 38
QATAR PROJECTS MARKET RECORDS GROWTH OF 26% IN 2013$96bn-worth of projects were awarded in Qatar between 2008 and 2013
Qatar’s projects market grew by 26% last year, with a 21% increase recorded in project awards between 2012 and 2013.
The country spent $20 billion on various mega-projects in 2013, such as Qrail’s Doha Metro Red and Green lines and metro stations, which made up for 41% of total projects awarded in the country.
Between 2008 and 2013, Qatar’s project market accounted for 12% – $96
billion – of the GCC’s total projects aiwarded value.
The outlay per year for this period is estimated to be worth $16 billion.
Qatar, in 2008, had awarded over $22 billion-worth of projects across the country’s construction and power industries. These include Barwa City Development and Lusail Development projects.
2014 is expected to sustain Qatar’s growth momentum, with awarded contracts expected to be worth $24 billion as the country prepares to host the Fifa World Cup 2022.
Additionally, the country’s public works authority, Ashgal, recently revealed its plans to launch an expressway worth $27.5 billion.
$24BNDSI GERMAN SUBSIDIARY WINS INDIAN WATER TREATMENT CONTRACTSPassavant-Roediger awarded contracts for plants in Gujarat and Rajasthan
PASSAVANT-ROEDIGER, A wholly owned
German subsidiary of Drake & Scull
International (DSI) has announced that it has
been awarded two major contracts for water
and wastewater treatment plants in India.
With a combined value of $13.6 million, the
new projects will help the company consolidate
its position in the growing water and wastewater
treatment (WWTP) sector in the Indian market.
Under the terms of the first contract,
Passavant-Roediger will undertake the work
for Ford India at their new Vehicle and Engine
Assembly Plant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The company will be responsible for
design, engineering, supply, installation and
commissioning of all mechanical and electrical
works for an Effluent Treatment Plant which
has a design capacity of handling 8 million litres
of river water per day (8,000 cubic meters per
day), and a state of the art wastewater treatment
plant of capacity 4,500 cubic meters per day.
The plants will make the river water fit for
drinking and firefighting purposes as well as
for automobile manufacturing. The waste
sludge from the water treatment plant as well
as sanitary wastewater and process wastewater
from the manufacturing plants will be pumped
to the wastewater treatment plant which will
recycle the wastewater back into the automotive
production as well as irrigation for agriculture.
IN CONTRACTS
2014 IS EXPECTED TO SEE CONTRACTS AWARDED
SHAPOORJI PALLONJI TO BUILD LANKAN LUXURY TOWER
Design of the 240m Altair Tower is expected to make it a sustainable development
SHAPOORJI PALLONJI HAS announced that
it will construct a new luxury development
in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
The Altair Tower development will
be 68 storeys tall across 138,817sqm of
space. 400 apartments, arranged as three
bedrooms, four bedrooms and penthouses
will occupy the tower, which is expected to
be 240m high and handed over in 2017.
“We are delighted to play such a significant
role in this project,” said MD Saini, managing
director and chief executive officer of
Shapoorji Pallonji International. “Once
completed the Altair Tower will not only be
a landmark structure in Colombo, but also a
shining example of a sustainable building.”
Architect Moshe Safdie has designed
the project, based on a diagrid design to
promote efficient use of structural steel,
greater structural stability and a column-free
interior to optimise internal surface area.
As a result of greater airflow due to
design, energy savings are expected
after project handover is completed.
WATERWORKSPassavant-Roediger will
build water treatment plants in two Indian states.
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BIG PROJECT ME EXAMINES THE OPPOSING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN THE PILING INDUSTRY – PAGE 42
THE UAE’S EMIRATES Green Building
Council (Emirates GBC) recently conducted
elections for the appointment of a new
chairman. Saeed Alabbar, then the vice-
chairman of the council, was unanimously
elected to the top position by the board.
A mechanical engineer by profession,
Alabbar is a LEED and Estidama accredited
professional and a Certified Energy Manager. His
company, AESG, is a well-known sustainability
driven consultancy based out of Dubai.
Providing services like energy management,
sustainable planning and consulting on
various sustainable building codes Alabbar’s
previous projects in the region have included
the Masdar Headquarters in Abu Dhabi and
Standard Chartered’s headquarters in Dubai.
Alabbar succeeds veteran construction
industry member, Adnan Sharafi, in the role.
The young chairman is, expected to build
on the EmiratesGBC’s sustainability initiatives
in the region. In a telephone interview
with Big Project ME, Alabbar revealed his
plans for the council and his role there.
“I’m mostly looking to continue the good
work the committee has done so far,” he
said. “Adnan Sharafi’s role was integral in
the initiatives undertaken by the Council.
I’m hoping for the same level of cooperation
between the board members and participating
members as it has been in the past.”
Expanding on the need for partnerships
between the council and UAE’s various
construction players, Alabbar claimed the
private sector will be crucial to meet and
improve the country’s sustainability measures.
“Working with the private sector continues to
hold importance in our plans. Our membership
figures have steadily increased year-on-year.
Going ahead, I’d like to expand this base and
involve more companies into the Emirates GBC’s
activities. We will continue our partnership
with government bodies, and recently even
signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Ajman Municipality.”
“We’re intent on tying up with academia
as well to further our initiatives, and
our MoU with the Rochester Institute of
Technology, Dubai, is a good step ahead
in that direction,” he proudly declared.
Alabbar’s greatest challenge, however, will
be to embed the concepts of sustainability into
the pockets of the country’s construction which
employ limited budgets and traditional mindsets.
“This year, we’ll hopefully focus
on individually-owned units, most of
which are found in the residential sector.
Explaining sustainability to large developers
– who often invest in the commercial
sector – is not too challenging.
“However, attention needs to be
driven towards the singular, small-scale
developers who may not yet have fully
comprehended the functions of sustainable
construction and maintenance.”
Evidently, Alabbar is a man on a mission
– one he is going to ensure reaches every
business in the country, however large or
small their operations may be. “Another area
I hope to include under the Emirates GBC
brand is the SME market in the country –
these businesses are what will drive the UAE’s
economy, and it is integral that they accept and
optimise sustainability in their operations.
“In this regard, I’m hoping options such as
discount pricing and extended membership
timelines will encourage SMEs to attach with
the Emirates GBC,” Alabbar concluded.
SAEED ALABBAR ELECTED NEW CHAIRMAN OF EMIRATES GBCSPEAKING TO BIG PROJECT MIDDLE EAST, ALABBAR SAYS RETROFITTING AND SME INTEGRATION WILL BE HIS FOCUS AS HE BEGINS HIS TERM AT THE HEAD OF THE COUNCIL
“WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR CONTINUES TO HOLD IMPORTANCE IN OUR PLANS. OUR MEMBERSHIP FIGURES HAVE STEADILY INCREASED YEAR-ON-YEAR. I’D LIKE TO EXPAND THIS BASE AND INVOLVE MORE COMPANIES”
NEW BUSINESSSaeed Alabbar says he
would like to recruit more private sector companies
to the Emirates GBC.
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SMALL STRIDESBig Project ME probes the potential of a nascent construction market hidden away in the UAE’s smallest emirate. Neha Bhatia reports
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February 2014 witnessed the completion of
a landmark development in Ajman. Worth
$27.2 million, the Ajman Marina is one of
the largest project to have emerged from
the UAE’s smallest emirate.
Spanning 1.5km, the project includes
tracks for cyclists and runners, recreational
facilities for children and amenities such as
restaurants and a car park, director general of
the Department of Municipality and Planning in
Ajman, Yahya Al Reyaysa was reported as saying.
The Ajman Marina project serves as
a reminder of the emirate’s relatively-
overlooked construction market.
While tourism websites list Ajman’s
resorts and hotels as the UAE’s finest get-a-
way spots, little is reported – in comparison
with its more-active cousins Dubai or Abu
Dhabi – about Ajman’s property market and
construction potential. Nevertheless, there
is a commendable list of projects that the
emirate has quietly completed of late.
Early in January 2014, Ajman University
of Science and Technology (AUST), a well-
known home-grown education provider in the
UAE, broke ground on a $16.3 million student
residence project, undertaken exclusively
for the female students. Spread across a total
area of 166,000sqm, the accommodation is
due for completion in November 2014.
AUST’s project announcement is
the second from the Ajman education
sector – the Ajman Technology Complex,
a subsidiary of The Abu Dhabi Centre for
Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (ACTVET), comprising laboratories,
libraries and workshops, was inaugurated
in Ajman’s Al Humaidiya area last May.
Affiliated to the ACTVET, the complex
is a symbol of the continued support Abu
Dhabi has provided to Ajman, as was more
recently evidenced by a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signed between the
finance departments of both emirates. The
collaboration is an attempt ‘to share Abu
Dhabi’s expertise and experiences with Ajman’s
Department of Finance’, said a report by WAM.
The MoU aims to rectify one of the
crucial problems that is stagnating Ajman’s
construction growth – project financing. Tariq
Farah, executive manager of Advance Building
Construction Company, says most of Ajman’s
property development depends on the financing
fluidity – or lack thereof – that the emirate has
had to manage since the market crisis of 2008.
“The market now is resuming the
projects that were stalled following the
crash of 2008,” Farah explains. “Most of
those projects have been rebooted, and the
emirate is currently focusing on completing
those projects. The critical issue is fund-
generation for these projects, and that is
the reason Ajman is rebuilding slowly.
“Fortunately, however, the government has
chosen to resume full-capacity construction
only after it has accumulated sufficient
funds, and will not depend on borrowings
to take on these projects,” he adds.
The bulk of these revenues and benefits
are expected to be generated through
increased emphasis on the emirate’s
residential sector. As of 2009, Ajman has
nearly 250,000 residents, according to a
report titled ‘Ajman in Figures’ (2010).
With a population influx expected into the
UAE following the announcement of the Expo
2020 winning bid, Ajman’s developers are
counting on a multitude of real estate variables
to turn their emirate into a first choice home
for the UAE’s current and future residents.
“As the nature of the market in the country
goes, Dubai and Sharjah precede other
emirates as options for homeowners,” says
Farah. “However, both these markets are
booming, and factors such as overpopulation
or increasing rents could be vital in promoting
Ajman as an alternative housing choice.
“Ajman’s advantage is its proximity to Dubai,”
replies Farah, when reminded of Abu Dhabi’s
scope for residential developments. “An increase
in the market demand for Dubai’s properties
will translate into a gradual trickle down effect
for Ajman, and its attractiveness will spike due
to affordable rentals and better recreational
“AJMAN’S TOURISM QUOTIENT HAS CONSISTENTLY RISEN OVER THE YEARS. LEADING HOTELIERS HAVE ESTABLISHED PRESENCE AROUND THE AJMAN BEACH”
MARKET RESUMPTIONAjman’s construction
market is on the road to recovery after the crash
in 2008.
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facilities – this is what had happened in the run-
up to the boom of 2008; things could similarly
improve again for Ajman, but it will need time.”
Naturally, there is immense scope to
transform Ajman’s residential units into holistic
and integrated property market offerings. The
Ajman Beach is often regarded as the UAE’s
best beach, and it would serve the emirate
well to build on that reputation as a means
to expand its residential platform, as did its
counterpart Dubai, with Jumeirah Beach.
Pivotal to Jumeirah’s development was the
construction activity that was undertaken by the
government in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A huge leap ahead for the city was
the transformation of its skyline – high-
rise towers found their way into the
There is high optimism surrounding Ajman’s residential sector, which is becoming a preferred area for developers to renew and undertake new operations in.
Adnan Mulk, director of Mulk Holdings says: “Ajman city is gradually developing; most amenities, such as shopping centres, supermarkets and so on are solidifying their presence in the emirate. These factors have made Ajman more conducive to potential homeowners, and existing market conditions sustained, Ajman’s residential sector will unquestionably grow in the next few years.”
THE RISING RESIDENTIAL
emirate, and Sheikh Zayed Road rapidly
became a hub for business in Dubai.
An active member of the Ajmani
construction landscape who understands – and
hopes to emulate – this trend is Adnan Mulk,
director of Mulk Holdings, a construction
conglomerate in the UAE. Revealing that
high-rise structures will be his focus for
residential construction in the emirate, Mulk
tells Big Project ME that he is optimistic about
Ajman’s potential to evolve into a competitive
player in the UAE’s property market.
“Tourists visiting Dubai often find it is
predominantly brick-and-wall oriented where
its architecture is concerned,” says Mulk. “In
contrast, the UAE’s northern emirates, like
Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain
are far more scenic, and present themselves
as better locales for holidays and vacations.
“Ajman’s tourism quotient has consistently
risen over the years. Leading hoteliers have
established a presence around the Ajman
Beach, and there is a lot of scope to build
on that reputation. I am keen on expanding
Mulk Holdings’ cladding portfolio to more
high-rise residential projects in the emirate,
which will surely find takers in the market
given Ajman’s relaxed ambience.”
Unquestionably, then, infrastructural
advancements will become imperative to
the growth of Ajman’s construction sector.
The Nuaimiya Bridge was opened in the
first week of March 2014, as was promised by
Al Reyaysa – a development that both, Farah
and Mulk agree will facilitate convenient
transportation between Dubai and Ajman. Farah
insists the construction of better road networks,
and a revamp of existing ones, will accelerate
activity into Ajman’s construction market.
“The government has considerably steered
its efforts towards these expansions,” says Farah.
“While the residential market had few takers
earlier due to poor electricity and water setups,
local Ajmani authorities are consistently working
on the improvement of the facilities they make
available to developments in the emirate.”
Looking ahead, Ajman has a lot to prove
given the many project delays it has become
infamous for. The emirate’s long-overdue
airport – plans for which were first announced
before the market crash – is in its tender stage
now. Mulk reveals his company has placed
a bid for the cladding work for the airport.
Uncertain about the need for an airport
that may not evolve to compete with Sharjah’s.
Farah says: “Ajman cannot build on its
reserves. The emirate needs funds before it
can take the decision to construct any more
projects. Until there is a larger population
base and solidified need for an airport in the
emirate, the plan should be kept on hold.”
In stark contrast, Mulk is completely
confident about not only the need for an airport
in Ajman, but also its value-adding ability.
“Think about it like this – the northern
Emirates; Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain,
Ajman and the like could eventually become
alternate holiday spots in the UAE. Given
their natural landscape, each of these
emirates will make for excellent tourism
hubs, and an airport that caters to these,
from Ajman, will be an unquestionably
lucrative addition to the emirate.” n
OPTIMISM GROWSDevelopers are confident that Ajman’s continued development will attract residents.
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Big Project ME is invited to lunch with Sir John Armitt, the man behind the 2012 Olympic Games. He tells Gavin Davids that there are lessons that Qatar and
Dubai must pay heed to as they gear up for their own mega-events
THE MASTERBUILDER
When you’re the man charged with
delivering the stadia and infrastructure
for an event as huge as the Olympics,
you’d be forgiven for having a
few sleepless nights as you juggle dealing
with government bureaucrats, construction
contractors, consultants and the demands of
an expectant public, all while the national press
helpfully cover your every move and count down
your deadline for you.
However, if you’re Sir John Armitt, that
probably wouldn’t faze you in the slightest.
Not after you’ve been the chief executive of
Network Rail, the owner and operator of Britain’s
rail infrastructure. If there’s one thing that’s
guaranteed to get any Brit’s hackles up, its delays
to their beloved rail systems. So if you can deal
with that, you’d be able to deal with anything.
Sir John Armitt is probably the most
recognisable and recognised engineer in the UK
today, having been knighted for his services to the
country in the build up to the London Olympics
in 2012. As the chairman of the Olympic Delivery
Authority, he was the face of the $8.74 billion
construction effort that would deliver the venues,
infrastructure and legacy of the London Games.
Appointed to the role in 2007, Sir John has
previously been the chief executive of Network
Rail, as mentioned (since October 2002 to 2007)
and the chief executive of Railtrack PLC (from
December 2001). From 1986 to 1993, he was the
chairman of the Laing International and Civil
Engineering Division, a company he joined as a
graduate in 1966. From 1993 to 1997, he was the
chief executive of Union Railways, the company
responsible for the development of the high-
speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link. In 1997, he was
appointed as chief executive of Costain.
So say that he has extensive experience in
the building, civil engineering and industrial
construction markets is to somewhat understate
his achievements. He is also the vice-president
– International – of the Institution of Civil
Engineers, on whose behalf he was in Doha, Abu
Dhabi and Dubai to deliver a series of lectures
entitled: ‘Developing Modern Infrastructure’.
“FOR US, ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISKS WAS CONTRACTORS STARTING AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE (THEIR PROJECTS) BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESS WAS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE”
It was in this capacity that Big Project ME met him over lunch to hear his thoughts on the
build up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and
the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. Over the course
of an afternoon, a picture emerges of a deeply
intelligent man whose greatest strength is his
ability to bring people together to get work done.
Proof positive, if the delivery of the best Olympics
in recent history wasn’t enough, that he was the
right man for the job.
“Back in 2006, the industry (in the UK) was
humming. Everybody had more work than they
could cope with,” Sir John says of the time before
construction began for the London Games. “For
the contractors, it was a case of: ‘Do I want to take
the risk of doing this very high profile contract?
Where if it goes wrong, I’m not going to want to
be there, so I think I’ll stay out of it!”
“So it was interesting that Sir Robert McAlpine
came forward wanting to do it (the Olympic
Stadium). If you ask why they wanted to do it, well
it’s because they built Wembley Stadium and they
had this attitude that they wanted to be back at
the forefront of major stadiums.
“They had just finished the Emirates for
Arsenal Football Club, which had gone very well
and so they were feeling very confident about
things. As for us (the Olympic Delivery Authority),
at the time, it became quite difficult because
there wasn’t that much tension or competition.
So it became a case of ‘how do we get a decent
price out of McAlpine?’ They could have said that
‘We’re the only guys in town, we can milk this!’
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So that’s why we then went into a profit-sharing,
target-form of relationship with them,” Sir John
Armitt relates.
“But by the time it came to the Olympic
Village, which was in 2008 or 2009, the market
had completely changed. We had six or seven
contractors who all wanted to bid for each
block. So then it was quite difficult to resist the
temptation to say: ‘Here’s your lump sum, it’s
your responsibility.’ (But I think), the way you
start is going to dictate the way you’re going to
finish,” he asserts.
“For us, one of the biggest risks was
contractors starting and then not being able to
complete (their projects) because their business
was in financial trouble. So we said: ‘Don’t we
have a responsibility here to ensure that they
don’t get into trouble?’ We did that by paying
them regularly. By doing that, it helped them run
their business. It was in our own self-interest as
well. If we paid the contractors regularly then we
were managing the risk.
“The next problem we had was to ensure that
the contractors we were paying were passing that
benefit to their supply chain. So again, we had to
be quite proactive in encouraging people to tell
us if they were suffering and be proactive with the
main contractors and say: ‘Look, this isn’t good
enough. We’re helping you out, but we’re all in
this together. We’re expecting you to pay your
guys on time’.”
So what can Qatar and Dubai learn from his
experiences in London? With Qatar planning to
spend $140 billion and $200 billion on transport
infrastructure and construction projects
respectively, there is a huge responsibility to get
things right the first time around.
“We’ve had a lot of meetings with the Qataris,
explaining what did work and what didn’t work,”
Sir John says. “It was the same with the Brazilians,
we had endless meetings with the Brazilians
about how we organised the games. You can see
that at the end of the day, they had their own
challenges, their own issues,” he points out.
“All of this starts with the governance. Who
makes the decisions, how those decisions are
made and very often, and this is in any country,
it can be pretty confusing. You’ve got competing
departments, competing agencies and competing
personalities. Getting all of them to come
together and work together as an overseeing body
is not easy.
“The beauty of the Olympics was, in a
sense, was that in some ways, it was a crisis.
You’ve got an absolutely fixed deadline, there’s
no way you can get out of it and the world is
watching. Therefore, you’ve got to perform.
All of a sudden, people realise that it’s in their
best interests to cooperate rather than fight one
another, otherwise they’re all going to suffer the
embarrassment of not finishing,” says Sir John,
making an extremely valid point.
This then leads to a core component of any
construction project in the GCC. Given that most
construction crews are made up of people from
“THE BEAUTY OF THE OLYMPICS WAS, IN A SENSE, WAS THAT IN SOME WAYS, IT WAS A CRISIS. YOU’VE GOT AN ABSOLUTELY FIXED DEADLINE, THERE’S NO WAY YOU CAN GET OUT OF IT AND THE WORLD IS WATCHING. THEREFORE, YOU’VE GOT TO PERFORM”
HELPING HANDSir John Armitt says
risk can be managed when contractors are
paid on time.
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Sir John Armitt points out that one of the best ways for governments and clients to save money when developing megaprojects is to appoint the right consultant in the first place.
“If I want to produce a cheaper building, one way of doing that is to spend more money on a more expensive consultant, because that consultant, from the way he designs that building will save you an enormous amount in terms of material costs and he’s more likely to give you something that looks good and is cost effective,” he says.
“The weakness of design and build, to my mind, is that sometimes the contractor’s view of value is too dominant and so you sometimes get a poor design for the user. I think you can go to any halls of residence, in any university in the UK, and you can tell that it’s design and build the moment you walk through the door.”
“Everything is cheap plaster and the corridors are narrow, that’s a way of saving money. Value engineering is the rule. But the value is simply that short term value, it’s not thinking about what this place will be like to live in or to work in for the next 20 years,” he tells Big Project ME.
Conversely, he says, if you got to a good consultant straight away and set them a challenge, you’re more likely to get a better result.
“I would say to them, ‘look, you’re meant to be so flipping brilliant, why can’t you give me a design that’s architecturally and from an engineering point of view excellent, for 20% less?’ They of course will take that as a challenge and will go away and come back with another design which they’re just as proud of as the expensive one. They can do that because they’re good and will take the challenge on,” he asserts.
CONSULT THE RIGHT ONES
all over the world, having the right leadership on-
site and in the boardroom can be the difference
between success and failure.
When you’re building for a multi-national
event that will have billions of people paying
attention to not only the event itself, but the lead
up to it, any sense of disharmony will be pounced
upon, as Qatar is learning.
Therefore it’s crucial that the best person for
the job, at any level of significant responsibility,
is chosen, as the ex-head of the Olympic Delivery
Authority explains.
“One of the other challenges on big projects
is that I think that sometimes you have to move
people out even though they have a fantastic
reputation. But if they’re just not gelling with
somebody on the client’s side or whatever, then at
senior level, people have got to sit down and say:
‘Look, this just isn’t working out is it? You’ve got
to take your guy out or I’ve got to take my guy out.’
And that’s the difficult bit, because people don’t
like to admit that their person might be the one
causing the problem. But you have to recognise
that someone can do a great job with a group of
people on a different project, and then when you
bring them over to a new one, it doesn’t work.”
“It can just be people rubbing each other
up the wrong way, and they don’t want to
collaborate, they don’t want to work and before
you know it, the whole project is suffering.”
Having just come from a visit with the
leadership of Etihad Rail prior to our interview,
Sir John is full of praise for how the heads of that
multi-billion dollar project are taking control
of the construction and development process.
However, he is quick to offer a note of caution,
citing his own experiences from his long and
storied career.
“I think a lot of what we heard from our
meeting with Etihad Rail was very aware,” he
relates. “They were very sophisticated ideas.
But of course, one of the problems in any
organisation is that ideas from the top take a long
time to filter down.”
“Even in the big organisations in the UK,
we could be saying one thing in terms of what
“FOR US, ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISKS WAS CONTRACTORS STARTING AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE (THEIR PROJECTS) BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESS WAS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE”
we thought the philosophy, the attitude of the
company was, but the procurement guys, they
didn’t want to hear it. Their view was, ‘the way
we’ve procured things is the way that’s driven
(our success).’ So to change that behaviour is very
difficult,” he cautions.
However, he remains confident that both the
UAE and Qatar’s construction industries will rise
to meet the challenge laid out in front of them,
pointing out that people should look at what
these sort of events offer their host countries.
“I think that part of the (appeal of the) Games
was the opportunity to create these iconic
buildings. Great cities need iconic buildings,” he
says, laying down the challenge.
TOUGH DECISIONSChoosing the right
people to work on a project is important for
its success.
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Big Project ME is invited along to a tour of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, possibly the most exciting cultural project ever undertaken in
the Middle East, Gavin Davids reports from Saadiyat Island
UNDER THE DOME
Project Name Louvre Abu Dhabi
Project Developer Tourism Development & Investment Company
Total Size: 64,000sqm
Project Manager Turner International
Project ContractorsJV between Arabtec, Constructora San Joséand Oger Abu Dhabi
Foundation Construction Bauer International
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The Louvre. The very words themselves
conjure up visions of history and culture,
of art and science, of knowledge and
learning. It is, with little exaggeration,
the most famous museum in the world. Every
year, more than 8 million visitors pass through
its halls, while leading cultural critics have
consistently ranked it as the number one
museum in the world.
Home to Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous
works, including the Mona Lisa, the museum
holds some 380,000 objects and displays around
35,000 works of art. Of this at least 7,500 are
paintings. It is truly worthy of its title as an
‘iconic building’.
So then, who would be daring enough to take
on the mantle of this famous institution and
create a successful, fully operational and most
importantly, worthy counterpoint to it? Step
forward, Abu Dhabi.
Seven years ago, the governments of the UAE
and France signed off an intergovernmental
agreement that would link Abu Dhabi with the
name of the Louvre. The agreement stated that
the UAE capital would be the home of the first
international branch of the museum, which
would display works of ‘historical, cultural and
sociological significance, from the most ancient
to the most contemporary. A museum of the
world and for the world.’
Of course, this would mean that any building
being built to showcase these monuments to
“WHAT’S AMAZING ON THIS SITE IS THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEIR JOB IS AND THEY’RE ACTIVELY DOING THEIR JOB. WE REALLY FIND THAT THE PRODUCTIVITY IS REALLY GOOD. EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS THAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING”
humanity would have to be something truly
spectacular, a work of art in itself, so to speak.
It was with this in mind that Jean Nouvel, the
Pritzker Prize-winning architect, was awarded
the contract to design the ‘museum city’ of
Louvre Abu Dhabi. It was he who envisioned
the building’s geometric lace dome, the 12,000
tonne canopy which is made up of 85 super-
sized elements that stretch out the length of two
football pitches.
“I wanted this building to mirror a protected
territory that belongs to the Arab World and
this geography,” he says in a statement, adding
that the roof’s complex pattern is inspired by
the interlaced palm leaves traditionally used as
roofing materials in the Emirates. The geometric
design is repeated at various sizes and angles
in eight different layers – four external and four
internal – an arrangement that gives the dome
a lattice-like effect, creating a ‘rain of light’ for
visitors to the galleries.
With the Louvre Abu Dhabi scheduled
for completion by the fourth quarter of 2015,
the pressure is on for the construction team
working on the project. In order to highlight
the significant amount of work that has been
done, the Tourism Development and Investment
Company (TDIC), the master developer of major
tourism, cultural and residential destinations in
Abu Dhabi, invited Big Project Middle East and
other media to a tour of the Louvre Abu Dhabi
construction site.
MEGAPROJECTThe Louvre Abu Dhabi project covers a staggering 64,000sqm of total area.
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Located in the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural
District, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will be flanked
by the Zayed National Museum (set to open in
2016) and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (set to
open in 2017).
The first package of enabling works was
executed by Bauer International in January 2010.
503,000 cubic metres of earth was excavated
to accommodate the museum basement while
infrastructure work encompassed marine,
excavation, piling and substructure works. More
than 4,000 steel and reinforced concrete piles – a
total volume of 21,000 cubic metres of concrete –
were driven into the ground to serve as the base.
Although the project only mobilised a year
ago, TDIC has announced the completion
of construction of the largest permanent
galleries. Construction of the interior walls
is well underway, along with the installation
of mechanical plants, water pipes, electrical
cabling and security systems.
“The construction activities have been
going 24-hours a day, seven days a week,” says
LOUVRE ABU DHABI: A YEAR IN REVIEWn January 2013
TDIC awards Louvre Abu Dhabi to Arabtec-led joint venture with Constructora San Jose SA and Oger Abu Dhabi LLC.
n February 2013 Contractor mobilization on site.
n March 2013 Construction work on the ground kicks off.
n April 2013 The site witnesses the first concrete pour of 800 cubic concrete metres for one of the four piers that are to hold up the museum’s iconic dome.
n May 2013 A double-layer waterproofing membrane is installed below the foundation slab areas.
n July 2013 Louvre Abu Dhabi receives a Three Pearl Design Rating Certificate, awarded by the Urban Planning Council (UPC) as part of its Estidama Pearl Building Rating System. It is the first certificate to be provided for a cultural development of this scope and design in the region.
n December 2013 The first super-sized dome element is raised into place on-site by a 1600-tonne capacity crane.
n March 2014 Construction completed for the first permanent gallery.
Peter Armstrong, project manager for Turner
International – the construction managers for
the 64,000sqm project. “From month-to-month
it shifts focus depending on what particular
activities are going on at the time and where the
majority of work is deployed. In the summer
months, we’ve got the combination of heat and
the reduced summer working hours, so more
people will be working the night shift.”
“But at this time of the year, we’ve got people
working on the day shift, with a lot of trades on
the outside,” he adds, explaining that there are
5,300 workers currently on site and that one of
the biggest challenges the contractor faces is
keeping them all engaged.
“What’s amazing on this site is that
everyone knows what their job is and they’re
actively doing their job. We really find that the
productivity is really good. Everyone knows what
it is that they’re supposed to be doing.”
Armstrong attributes this to the work done
by the Arabtec-led joint venture that is handling
the main construction contract for the project.
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Consisting of Arabtec, Constructora San Jose
and Oger Abu Dhabi, the joint venture is
expected to complete the museum’s concrete
frame by the first quarter of 2014, while the
gigantic steel dome will be finished by the end
of the year. The final construction stage, which
will include marine works and the removal of
temporary land platforms, will be done by 2015.
“It’s been a very significant challenge,
but one that the contractors have been very
successful in overcoming,” he points out.
“Ideally we’d stagger or sequence the work so
that we could complete the substructure and
then after that we could do the dome. But that
would mean that there would be many areas of
the site that would be idle at any one time. It is
a very tight construction programme with 974
days so we do have overlapping activities.”
Ali Al Hammadi, deputy managing director
at TDIC, adds: “We’re happy with where we are
today. To date, more than 10 million man hours
have been dedicated to Louvre Abu Dhabi,
reflecting the amount of foundation work that
the museum requires. Despite the challenging
and complicated design, construction on the
ground has been progressing steadily and on
schedule. Over the course of one year, we’ve
moved from construction at 7m deep to above
ground construction of the galleries.”
What was also a significant challenge was
maintaining the concrete pour rate on the
massive project. Although 117,000 cubic metres
of concrete have been poured so far, Armstrong
says that the rate of concrete pouring has been
slowed down as a consequence of progress.
“We’re now into the much smaller areas,
doing the columns and walls,” he explains.
“But we’re also limited on this project by how
much concrete can be poured at any one time.
It’s unlike typical projects where you might see
one massive concrete pour. Here we’re actually
limited to a maximum size of 500,000 cubic
metres for any one pour. And then there’s the
nine-day wait between the adjacent concrete
pours,” he continues.
The heat is a major concern, he adds. Given
temperatures in summer can reach as high
as 50° Celsius, care has to be taken over the
pouring of concrete to ensure that no moisture
is lost from it, which could have potentially
catastrophic consequences.
“Not only do we need to make sure that the
air temperature doesn’t exceed the maximum
limits, (but we also have to note) that the
temperature of the reinforcing steel actually
exceeds the air temperature. So we need to
monitor the reinforcing steel to make sure that
it’s cool enough to make sure we can put wet
concrete against it, so that it doesn’t rapidly
evaporate any moisture in it.”
As things stand, the majority of work for
the museum’s basement levels have been
completed, including the underground
buildings, such as the Energy Centre, which
houses the pumps, generators, transformers and
other MEP services.
The Security Screening Facility, a highly
secure 7m deep basement that will allow
authorised vehicles to transport all the artwork
that will be displayed and stored in the museum
has also been completed.
“RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS WITH THE DOME PROCEEDING IN A COUNTER CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. THE CONCRETE BUILDING MUST BE COMPLETED SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE TEMPORARY TOWERS ON TOP OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS”
MEGACRANEThe Terex CC9800
has a 160m long boom and a lifting
capacity of 1,600 tonnes.
22-31_Site Visit.indd 26 4/2/14 1:38 PM
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Armstrong explains that most of the galleries
will be linked, which will allow the art pieces to
be transported from the delivery area straight to
the galleries where they’ll be exhibited.
“There’s significant conservation areas
developed, while underground, there’s also
secure tunnels that are built under the galleries.
We have these underground structures to create
corridors throughout the entire site for the
secure artwork delivery,” he elaborates.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi will encompass
9,200sqm of art galleries.
The largest is the 6,681sqm Permanent
Gallery, which will house the museum’s
permanent collection. The Temporary Gallery
will be a dedicated space of 2,364sqm that
presents temporary exhibitions from all around
the world.
While work on the project is progressing
smoothly, the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s mammoth
dome is set to consume most of the project
team’s immediate attention.
As construction work on the galleries is being
conducted in parallel with the installation of the
dome, the need for it to go smoothly and quickly
is essential, says Armstrong.
To hold up the weight of the dome as it is
being constructed, the contractor has erected
120 temporary towers. However this poses a
few challenges, as Jassim Al Hammadi, head of
Projects and Infrastructure, explains.
“You can consider the galleries complete but
we’ve intentionally kept one small part of the
ceiling open because we needed the temporary
towers (for the dome). But the rest of the gallery
is complete,” he says, adding that the dome will
be complete in September of this year.
At present, he estimates that 20% of the
structure is in place.
“The dome activities go on 24 hours a day.
The availability of the temporary towers or the
super-sized elements, or even crane-time, is also
something that poses a logistical challenge. The
large crane (a 160m, 1,600tonne capacity Terex
CC9800) is used solely for the purpose of erecting
the dome,” explains the project manager of the
Louvre Abu Dhabi.
“Right now the biggest challenge is with
the dome proceeding in a counter clockwise
direction,” Armstrong says.
“The concrete building must be completed so
that we can put the temporary towers on top of
concrete buildings. But then there’s the problem
with the temporary towers passing through the
skylight openings (in the display galleries).”
“That means that the skylight will be on hold
for another eight months (until the dome is
completed). We’re trying to keep all the critical
path activities moving at one time and there’ll be
some areas left idle while concurrent activities
are happening at the same time,” he explains.
The dome has a diameter of 180m and is
expected to weigh a total of 12,000 tonnes –
7,000 tonnes will be the steel structure and 5,000
the aluminium cladding. Once the museum is
complete, the steel structure will be supported
by four points only.
It will rest 9m high at the entrance of the
museum and will reach up to 30m high on the
inside of the structure.
In December of 2013, the first super-sized
dome element was raised into place. The super-
sized crane alluded to by Armstrong is being
used in this process. Each of the dome’s 85
segments weigh between 30 to 70 tonnes and it
is built from more than 100 square steel tubes – 5
to 7 metres long and 5 metres deep. These are
joined together in repetitive horizontal, vertical
and diagonal pattern. In total, 10,800 square
steel tubes have been used to build the dome.
The pieces of steel are cut to length and
welded in factories in Jebel Ali, Armstrong says.
They are then shipped to site and assembled
in a fabrication yard close to the project. They
A double-layer waterproofing membrane was installed below the foundation slab areas.
That step is taken after the 3,200 steel piles located in the museum’s build-up site are given a special electrical charge that prevents steel corrosion using a system known as cathodic protection.
Completion of three massive foundations piers each measuring 16 x 16 metres which form the base of the dome support towers. This is to ensure that they will be able to hold up the museum’s iconic dome.
WATERPROOFING THE LOUVRE
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ACROSS THE WORLDSHAPING CITYSCAPES
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ACROSS THE WORLDSHAPING CITYSCAPES
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Hyder is an award winning multi-national design and engineering consultancy that has delivered landmark projects in over 100 countries for more than 150 years.
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are then placed on a flatbed trailer and driven
to within reach of the Terex crane, creating a
continuous supply of material for the dome
construction crew.
Once completed, the dome will feature three
layers – a steel frame and an eight metre thick
aluminium lattice above and below it, creating
the ‘Rain of Light’ effect envision by architect
Jean Nouvel. This is intended to offer shade and
a comfortable micro-climate for visitors. The
final layer will be a transparent glass roof that
will allow natural light into the galleries, while
keeping out the worst of the elements.
As far as the engineering of the dome goes,
the margins for error are miniscule, with 1mm of
tolerance allowed for the joints, says Armstrong.
As a result, the subcontractor and engineers
for the dome had to be extremely careful when
doing the computer models to ensure that they
got things right the first time around.
“We’re fortunate to have a steel subcontractor
who’s experienced with complex steel
structures,” he says. (Waagner Biro are the steel
subcontractors). “It started with the structural
engineer, Buro Happold,” Armstrong continues.
“They designed the dome, the geometry and
the size of the steel members. They then
determined, using their computer models, that
everything would work.”
“That computer model then went to the steel
subcontractor. They reviewed the computer
model but also made their own model, and
took that from Computer Aided Design to
Computer Aided Fabrication. So we see that this
type of thing couldn’t have been done to this
level of accuracy if it wasn’t for computerised
automated manufacturing,” he enthuses.
“Everything is done to the highest level
of accuracy and so far we haven’t had any
problems where the pieces don’t fit together.
“IDEALLY WE’D STAGGER OR SEQUENCE THE WORK SO THAT WE COULD COMPLETE THE SUBSTRUCTURE AND THEN AFTER THAT WE COULD DO THE DOME. BUT THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THERE WOULD BE MANY AREAS OF THE SITE THAT WOULD BE IDLE AT ANY ONE TIME”
TOWERS OF STRENGTHLouvre Abu Dhabi’s 12,000 tonne canopy will rest on just four towers, each of which are 125m apart.
Concealed within the architecture of the museum, the towers will be invisible to visitors, despite being nine metres high.
STRUCTURELouvre Abu Dhabi’s canopy is not a traditional dome but a space frame, a form of construction commonly seen in industrial buildings, cars and aircrafts.
Known for elegance, rigidity and impressive strength-to-weight ratio, space frames use interconnected struts to form a three-dimensional matrix that can span long distances without the need for support.
CANOPY CONSTRUCTION: STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS
Completion of the museum’s concrete foundations, walls and basements
Install “anchor bolts” for temporary towers
Erect temporary towers —four are required for each super-sized element
Fabrication and painting of structural steel components inJebel Ali
Transportationof structural steelsto Saadiyat Island
HEAVY LIFTLifting the giant jigsaw pieces of the museum’s canopy into place is a matter of balance, agility and strength.
It is more than 90 m from the carefully prepared crane positions around the edge of the site to the centre of the canopy, and special crawler cranes, one of which has a lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes, are needed to complete the task.
ARC
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That gives us a great level of confidence, as we
complete the 360° dome, that all the pieces will
fit together. But we check that step by step so
that each piece is put in the precise location and
if there is any error, we correct it in that location,
so that the errors don’t magnify through the
process,” the project manager asserts.
“When it comes to the aluminium cladding, it
is highly repetitive and it’s much lighter to work
with. We don’t need the large crane to do the
cladding. So they’re pre-fabricating sections of
the cladding and then styling those sections. But
again, they need to fit up with that 1mm or less
than 1mm accuracy for the cladding because
we’re going to have a lot of gaps as well.”
Once all the work on the museum is
completed, there remains one considerable
engineering challenge remaining. Having
originally been envisioned as an island, the
Louvre Abu Dhabi is currently being constructed
on land reclaimed from the sea that surrounds
Saadiyat Island.
The final stage of construction will include
marine works and the removal of temporary
land platforms. That’s scheduled to take place in
2015, says TDIC.
Armstrong explains that this will entail quite
a bit of work: “I’ll put it this way, the architect’s
vision is for the museum to be floating over
water, but it’s the engineer’s job to make sure it
doesn’t float out to sea!”
“We have had to install tension piles that are
structured down below the sea level, because
there are basements under the ground.”
“Then there are perimeter walls which are
built deep below the sea level that create this
island that will remain in place for many years.
It is a significant engineering challenge and
there’s a lot of attention to detail to constructing
the concrete works, the foundations and the
waterproofing (works),” he explains as the site
tour draws to a close.
Once all this construction and engineering
work is done, and everything is in place, only
then will work start on bringing the artworks
and exhibitions to the museum itself. This in
itself represents a whole new set of logistical
challenges, but it’s safe to say that if the
construction of the building is any indication,
then the Louvre Abu Dhabi is in safe hands.
“It is not just the building of a museum that
we aspire to,” says Rita Aoun-Abdo, executive
director, Culture Sector, Tourism and Culture
Authority Abu Dhabi. “By reaching out to both
the local inhabitants of the emirates and an
international audience, by imparting to them
the universal philosophies at the heart of this
endeavour, Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision is not
just for the future of the Emirates and the Middle
East, but, in a very real sense, for the world.”
PROTECTIVE VEILLouvre Abu Dhabi’s canopy consists of three layers, an internal steel frame that is clad above and below in a complex lattice, eight layers thick.
As the sunlight passes through this, it will be reflected and refracted by the canopy’s steel and aluminium members, creating a dynamic “rain of light” as well as a shaded and sheltering micro-climate for visitors walking through the museum precincts below.
The jigsaw begins:super-sized elementsare pre-assembledon-site
The lift: cranes hoist super-sized elements onto temporary towers
The fit: crews joinsuper-sized elementstogether using steelconnecting pieces
Repeat: the 85-piece jigsaw is now installed in a counter-clockwisedirection
A giant steel bearing is installed at the topof each permanent tower
Completion: the temporary towers are removed and the canopy is lowered
A JIGSAW IN 3DTo allow the canopy’s internal structure to be built piece-by-piece, Louvre Abu Dhabi’s engineers have devised a giant, three-dimensional jigsaw of 85 super-sized structural steel pieces, each of which is five metres deep and weighs between 30 and 70 tonnes.
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Six months since Dubai won the World Expo 2020, developers are keen to keep the market feeling good for the next six years. Big Project ME’s Neha Bhatia finds out why
KEEPINGTHATPOSITIVEFEELING
Most large-scale events, in their victories,
evoke a sense of elation within their
followers and participants. In the
contemporary context, two events can be
credited for having grasped their audience through
their triumphs – Dubai’s winning bid (2013) for
hosting rights of the World Expo 2020, and the
Indian national cricket team’s World Cup in 2011.
While the Indian cricket team has, since its
unexpected victory in Mumbai, struggled to reach
those highs, Dubai has done a remarkable job of
setting tangible targets – and achieving them too.
An intelligent social media campaign, coupled
with promising theoretical plans and a history
of ambitious construction has helped Dubai’s
government to realise its vision.
While one can be almost certain that Dubai’s
delivery on its potential and reputation will
far exceed a champion cricket team’s follow-
up performances, it wouldn’t be unwise, six
months on, to review where Dubai and the UAE’s
construction and property markets will be headed
over the next six years.
“Expo 2020 (bid) has influenced changes in the
perception of developing properties,” says Miguel
Guadalupe, chief operating officer at Pacific
Ventures, a developer firm based out of Dubai.
“The (project) plans are more measured and there
is an awareness on phasing projects over years, in
line with the demand of end-users. Approaches
to funding real estate, price expectations and
excessive new supply will require careful
management (while moving) towards 2020.”
This is especially pertinent since Sheikh Ahmed
bin Saeed Al Maktoum, head of Dubai’s Supreme
Fiscal Committee has said that an infrastructural
investment of $8.1 billion would be made ahead of
the Expo.
Speaking to Big Project ME, Craig Plumb,
head of research for MENA at Jones Lang Lasalle,
advises that sentiments surrounding the expo bid
must be considered within timely parameters.
“The Expo’s impact in 2014 has been generally
overstated,” he says. “However, it will have a
major positive impact over the next six years. The
greatest benefit will be to infrastructure (metro and
airport developers), with the best impact on real
estate being for tourism, hospitality and logistics or
warehouse projects.”
The country’s leaders, pre-empting this trend,
have started focused on infrastructure projects.
The UAE’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)
has made several project announcements since
the Expo bid victory was announced, and major
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infrastructural undertakings, such as the Etihad
Rail development and Dubai Metro expansion
are on-track for completion. “Around $25 billion
will be invested (in rail transport) by the UAE,”
Dr Nadhem bin Tayer, executive director of the
National Transport Authority had told Big Project ME earlier this year. “In the rail industry, we have
two undertakings; light trains, which includes
metros, monorails, trains; and heavy rail, which
takes passengers and freight.
“Etihad Rail is around $11 billion of that
investment. We have an expansion which is worth
$2 billion in Dubai,” Dr Tayer had said, putting into
perspective how infrastructure demands are being
dealt with by the country.
As unquestionable as Dubai’s willingness and
passion to host a world-class event are, the city
will have to take quantifiable actions if it wishes
to attract and sustain foreign investors. Hossam
Al Rashoudi, CEO of Saudi Arabian developer
firm Maskan Arabia firmly believes infrastructure-
building should be the UAE’s top priority as it
readies itself for the Expo.
“The UAE’s main focus will be undertaking and
completing infrastructural projects,” he expresses.
“Preparations for the Expo mean the city will be
almost doubled to its current capacities, and will
need the backing of utilities such as road networks
and power and water supplies. Given the existing
population in the country – and further increases
expected – this may prove to be an interesting
challenge for the UAE.”
A parallel growth cycle is expected in
construction activity across the UAE, and
developers operating in the country have already
made budgetary allocations to build on the
anticipated trade influx due to the Expo 2020.
Mohammed Nimer, CEO of Moafaq al Gaddah
(MAG) Group, when asked about his company’s
plans for the Expo 2020, tells Big Project ME about
his diverse areas of focus for the near-future.
“Our portfolio is currently worth $1.36 billion.
We have residential developments planned
across Meydan, Business Bay (Burj Khalifa area),
Jumeirah Village and International City, amongst
many others.”
“We are trying to diversify our developments
across various price brackets, and not just focusing
on high-priced developments,” Nimer continues.
“THE NEGATIVE IMPACT FOR DEVELOPERS IS THAT THE WINNING OF EXPO 2020 HAS INCREASED LAND OWNERS EXPECTATIONS OF LAND VALUE – THIS WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE FINANCIAL RETURN FROM DEVELOPMENT”
“The idea is to attract as many investors as we can
in the pricing category that best suits them.”
MAG is only one of the many private developers
to have joined the bandwagon basing its activities
on expected Expo returns.
A recurring debate in the industry has been
regarding the need and demand for the many
planned construction projects, with some sections
questioning the economic sustainability of
these structures after the exhibition concludes.
Authorities in charge of the event have revealed that
construction of permanent structures for the expo
will be kept to a minimum.
“There will be very few permanent buildings
built as part of the Expo 2020 – the idea is to not
create white elephants,” Chris Scott, director of
investment and development management at
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the body in
charge of the Expo 2020 site recently said to media.
What, in that case, could be the agenda of private
developers looking to capitalise on the Expo?
“The question is asked a lot – ‘what happens
to the construction and developments after the
Expo?’” claims Nimer, a seasoned member of the
UAE’s construction industry.
“This was even asked earlier, when Dubai
initially began its development work in 1999-2000.
‘Who will use all these hotels?’ people asked, but
look at the demand for them now. Today, the
entire region recognises the importance of Dubai
in the construction segment.”
Too much construction is not the only worry
within the market – a supplier, one day before the
final bid announcement, had shared with
PRIORITY BUILDINGHossam Al Rashoudi says that the UAE should make infrastructure building a priority ahead of Expo 2020.
PRICE BRACKETSMohammed
Nimer says MAG is diversifying its
portfolio across various price
brackets.
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Big Project ME, his concerns about rising costs
in the wake of the win. Choosing to remain
anonymous, he went so far as to say material costs
could rise by “10%-15%” after the announcement.
Six months down the line, these concerns
persist in the market – Al Rashoudi offers a pan-
GCC perspective to explain how increasing costs
could affect the UAE.
“With an increase in the number of projects
to be completed on shorter deadlines, one can
definitely expect a change in industry dynamics.
Qualified contractors will be busy – not just with
the Expo in the UAE, but also the FIFA World
Cup 2022 in Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s consistent
construction boom.”
“The Kingdom is already restricted with its
manpower supplies, and a similar situation could
hurt the UAE – material costs can well be expected
to go up,” Al Rashoudi warns.
These construction costs, in their upward
movements, could adversely impact developers
through both – construction costs and end-user
responses. “The negative impact for developers is
that the winning of Expo 2020 has increased land
owners expectations of land value – this will have
a negative impact on the financial return from
development,” explains Plumb.
“This will also add further cost pressures and
contribute to the likely increase in construction
costs over the next five years.”
Furthering these concerns is the persistent
worry that Dubai’s property markets will head for
a repeat of the 2008 boom-bust cycle – it would
seem, however, that both, the local and national
governments are focusing on ensuring is no repeat.
Weeks before the largest announcement of
November 2013 – about Dubai’s Expo hosting
rights – came two significant others, each of which
were directed to the UAE’s construction markets.
Masood Ahmed, IMF’s director for the MENA
region had – ten days before the bid declaration –
warned Dubai’s investors against over-optimism
regarding its property market boom.
“When you begin to see very rapid increases in
any asset prices, then you just need to be prepared
to act,” he was quoted saying by Reuters. “The
government of Dubai is already beginning to act.
Going forward, just make sure that fundamentals
continue to drive it; do not let yourself be
overtaken by a degree of exuberance.”
The “act” that Ahmed attributed to the Dubai
government was, in fact, one taken collectively
by the UAE’s highest financial authority. The UAE
Central Bank has issued regulations restricting the
amount of cash homebuyers can borrow.
The mortgage caps, applied as a measure to
control rising property prices, restrict home loans
to expatriates at 75% and UAE nationals at 80% of
a property’s value for a first investment of less than
$1.36 million.
Additionally, the Dubai Land Department had,
in September 2013, doubled the registration fee
charged on real estate transactions to 4% as a move
to curb excessive speculation.
Hailed as welcome moves by some parts of the
construction industry, Big Project ME found some
developers and market experts are hoping for
more such measures to prevent another bubble.
Speaking about the mortgage caps, Craig
Plumb says: “These new laws are welcome in that
they attempt to reduce the level of debt and ensure
that purchasers have sufficient equity in their
own homes. However, given that only 20%-25%
of all residential sales in Dubai are financed using
mortgages, these regulations have had little or no
impact upon demand and therefore the operations
of developers. In some ways, these new regulations
are targeting the wrong sector of the market - end
users rather than speculators who are much less
likely to rely upon mortgages,” Plumb adds.
Quality concerns, one may predict, will play an
amplified role in construction processes, and it will
be integral that developers do not get swayed from
feasible completion rates to inflated unachievable
ones in pursuit of the ‘2020’ tag.
“Property developers are urged to maintain
standards and comply with regulations that are
laid out,” says Pacific Ventures’ Guadalupe.
“There is an increase in competition between
property developers and it has become difficult
for a few to keep pace. Project plan, project
completion, luxury elements and stakeholder
satisfaction is what property developers should be
striving to accomplish.”
FOUR QUESTIONS FOR ZIAD EL CHAAR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DAMAC PROPERTIESn On the effect of tourism
on construction: “There is substantial growth in tourists here Y-o-Y with or without the Expo and we’ve seen the number close to 11 million tourists – at the same pace, we’ll eventually achieve the target of 20 million tourists here.”
n On promising sectors for the future: “An influx of tourists will require that hospitality move from the current 85,000 hotel units to 145,000 in 2020. This can be easily accommodated two-three years after the Expo finishes, because tourism will continue to boom.”
n On market fundamentals for the industry: “There could be some inflation in cost of contractors and material prices, but there shouldn’t be an impact on the market as a whole. Rentals are rising, which means the demand for ready properties is increasing and it means people are actually occupying them. This is a healthy, real demand.”
n On the government’s role: “The government has already taken major steps in reducing speculation; increasing registration charges was a good move. Because there are no non-residential mortgages in the market, we hope the banks introduce an alternate mortgage to encourage the real buyers.”
“APPROACHES TO FUNDING REAL ESTATE, PRICE EXPECTATIONS AND EXCESSIVE NEW SUPPLY WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL MANAGEMENT (WHILE MOVING) TOWARDS 2020”
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Al Garawi GroupAl Garawi Galleria, Al Orouba-King Fahad Highway Junction OlayaP.O. Box 41122, Riyadh 11521, Saudi ArabiaTel.+966 1 4196096 / 4195058 Fax. +966 1 4196101 / 4196103email:[email protected] / www.algarawigroup.com
MedcoP.O. Box: 17301, Jebel Ali, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel.: +971 4 881 8821 Fax: +971 4 8818944,
Showroom: Al Kwakeb Building, (B-Block) Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box: 2904, Dubai, U.A.ETel.: +971 4 343 7400 / 343 7500 Fax: +971 4 3437600
email:[email protected]
Al Garawi Group an authorized distributor of the following licensee for Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and Yemen.
Wolverine World Wide, the global footwear licensee for Caterpillar Inc.
Untitled-2 1 4/2/14 2:48 PM
Al Garawi GroupAl Garawi Galleria, Al Orouba-King Fahad Highway Junction OlayaP.O. Box 41122, Riyadh 11521, Saudi ArabiaTel.+966 1 4196096 / 4195058 Fax. +966 1 4196101 / 4196103email:[email protected] / www.algarawigroup.com
MedcoP.O. Box: 17301, Jebel Ali, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel.: +971 4 881 8821 Fax: +971 4 8818944,
Showroom: Al Kwakeb Building, (B-Block) Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box: 2904, Dubai, U.A.ETel.: +971 4 343 7400 / 343 7500 Fax: +971 4 3437600
email:[email protected]
Al Garawi Group an authorized distributor of the following licensee for Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and Yemen.
Wolverine World Wide, the global footwear licensee for Caterpillar Inc.
Untitled-2 1 4/2/14 2:48 PM
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Big Project ME examines the Omani construction market and finds out why the Sultanate prefers to take things slow. Gavin Davids reports
WORTH THE WAIT
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Boasting a cultural history that is hundreds
of years old, the Sultanate of Oman has
always been regarded as a cradle of
Arabic civilisation. As early as the 19th
century, the Omani empire conducted trade
with places as far flung as Eastern Africa and
South-East Asia, while its influence was felt in
the royal courts of countries like Iran and Bali.
Despite this rich legacy, or perhaps because
of it, Oman has never quite captured the
imagination of the construction world like its
GCC neighbours. While contractors rushed to be
the first on the ground in the cities of Dubai, Doha
and Riyadh, Muscat continued serenely, content
to move at its own pace, secure in its ability to
develop according to its traditions and cultures.
However, the last half-decade has shown that
the ‘slow-and-steady’ approach favoured by the
Sultanate is no longer as feasible as it once was.
With large-scale infrastructure projects such as
the GCC railway well underway in Qatar, Saudi
Arabia and the UAE, Oman must now catch
up quickly if it doesn’t wish to be left behind.
Already, Dr Abdulla Behaif Al Nuaimi,
chairman of the National Transport Authority,
has warned the GCC states that he expects
there to be ‘significant delays’ in the completion
of the railway network due to the slow nature
of work in Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait.
While Oman’s Ministry of Transport and
Communications has responded by appointing
Italferr, the Italian State Railways Group’s
engineering firm as the consultant for the
preliminary design of the national railway
project, there remains much to be done.
At the moment, three international
engineering firms and consulting companies
have submitted their financial offers for the
project management consultancy contract.
No final decision has yet been made for
the awarding of the contract, though South
“THIS PLACE HAS HUGE POTENTIAL, BUT IT’S ALSO BALANCING BETWEEN GOING TOO FAR, TOO FAST AND MAKING SURE THAT LOCAL SOCIETY ADJUSTS TO THE NEW WORLD”
ANCIENT LEGACYOman has always
preferred to advance its development according to
its own schedule.
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fresh air that there’s a bit more personal type of
relationship. Of course, in today’s market and
with the size of the projects, everything has to
be contractual and things have to work in a
certain way,” Malpiedi tells Big Project ME.
He admits that going slow can be quite
frustrating sometimes, but is quick to point
out that having a relaxed way of going about
business ensures that the right decisions
are made and that trust is built up between
client, consultant and contractor.
It is estimated that Oman will be awarding as
much as $65 billion worth of projects between
2013 and 2017. This is double the combined value
of projects awarded over the previous five years,
so building up this trust should be considered
as one of the most vital functions a construction
company can undertake in the Sultanate.
Among the projects at the forefront of
Oman’s aggressive expansion programme
are BP’s $15 billion Khazzan tight gas
project, the development of a $10 billion
refinery and petrochemical complex at
Duqm and the previously mentioned
nationwide railway construction project.
“The construction and projects market in
Oman is in good health,” says a report by Dentons
& Co, Oman, a law firm that has published its
overview of Construction and Projects in Oman.
“Bearing in mind Oman’s relatively small
population of only 2.8 million people, the
scale of the construction and infrastructure
development projects that have already
been committed or are under construction
is impressive,” says David Courtney-
Hatcher, one of the authors of the report.
“The public sector is by far the largest procurer
of construction services in the Sultanate of Oman.
In the 2011 budget, the government announced
Oman’s eighth five-year plan, to run from 2011
to 2015. It envisages a total capital outlay of $79
billion, of which the bulk is to be invested in
large construction projects across the country.”
While this paints a rosy picture for the
future of Oman’s construction industry, there
remain issues that need to be addressed.
Chief amongst them is the issue of workforce.
Korea’s Dohwa Engineering is the front runner
thanks to its lowest bid of $277.4 million.
What’s illustrative about this announcement
is that in August of last year, five companies were
short-listed to submit their technical offers for
the PMC contract. Around 29 companies had
evidenced interest when the tender was floated
in June 2013. Once again, the Sultanate has
shown that it will not be rushed into a decision.
“This place has huge potential, but it’s
also balancing between going too far, too fast
and making sure that local society adjusts
to the new world,” says Marco Malpiedi,
managing director of Atkins Oman.
“When I came here, this place was very simple
in its approach,” he relates, drawing upon his
experience of the country, having worked in
Oman from 1988 to 1999. He returned to Oman in
September 2013 to take up his new role at Atkins.
“When I returned, what I found was that the
place has changed in that it’s gotten bigger, but
the Omanis have still got the same approach.
Some days, I find it a little bit difficult, because
there’s almost a naivety about some of the
business, but on other days, I find it a breath of
CEMENTING DEMANDOman’s cement demand is projected to
grow at an annual rate of 6% for the next
four years, thanks to a surge in demand,
driven by mega infrastructure projects and
tourism ventures.
A research report by Al Maha Financial
Services said that the Sultanate’s long-term
plans and initiatives to develop transport
infrastructure, tourism facilities and industrial
zones will provide the required stimulus for
the continuing growth of the cement industry.
The value of contracts awarded across
the sectors is expected to double from an
estimated $6.75 billion last year to about
$12.67 billion in 2014, according to industry
reports. With a rise in the number and scale
of construction projects in the Sultanate and
the region, demand for cement is expected to
grow at the same pace.
“IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO PERSUADE OMANIS TO COME AND WORK IN THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, TO GET LOWER SALARIES AND TAKE A LOT OF HASSLE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOOD ONES, THEY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE THEY REALISE THAT THIS IS SOMEWHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING”
AIRPORT EXPANSIONThe $1.8 billion expansion of the Muscat International Airport is one of the many infrastructure underway in the Sultanate.
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While the Omani government has followed the
GCC’s lead in pushing for localisation, there
are concerns over the viability of this push.
“There have been directives that have come
out in the press recently, about how the number
of expats will need to be reduced in Oman,” says
Peter Willmott, project director at Faithful +
Gould. “Really, if you’re increasing construction,
then that (number) needs to increase because
the Omani population, the national population,
isn’t very interested in construction.”
Malpeidi agrees with this, pointing out that
one of the biggest competitors with the private
construction industry is the Omani government.
“The construction industry is not so
comfortable. Contractors, in particular, work long
hours and the locations aren’t exactly the most
salubrious. Trying to attract them (the Omani
people) into the industry is a little bit difficult
then. At the same time, you’ve got expats working
here who are working on quite low salaries.
“So for contractors and consultants like
us, to take in someone who’s not necessarily
100% on board with putting in the extra hours
and who then sees people in the public sector
working fewer hours, earning more and getting
pension schemes after 15 years, it’s difficult.”
“It’s very difficult to persuade Omanis to
come and work in the private industry, to get
lower salaries and take a lot of hassle. But at
the same time, the good ones, they appreciate
it because they realise that this is somewhere
you can actually learn something,” he asserts.
However this doesn’t mean that there isn’t the
desire to hire Omanis, Malpeidi is quick to point
out. In fact, he insists it’s quite the opposite.
“We want to reflect the country, we want not
to just meet the 30% target (set by the Omani
government), but make it even as much as
70%. We don’t want to bring in talent from
the outside, we want to see what’s here.”
“The problem that we have is that we take
in graduates and undergraduates, they work
for us for three years and then they go because
they want a higher position and we say, ‘no,
if you want to build the muscles, it has to be
natural, otherwise it won’t happen.’ But that
just means that they can get a job elsewhere, or
they can start their own company or they can
go into the Ministry and get a high position,
because they’ve got the Atkins stamp.”
Despite these concerns, there remains
much to be positive about Oman’s
potential in the construction industry.
The vast expenditure in transportation
infrastructure, which includes the $1.8 billion
development of Muscat International Airport,
the $12 billion Port of Sohar investment (one
of the largest in the world) and the $12.9
billion being spent on the Oman National
Railway project, is going to fuel a surge in
construction throughout the country.
What will be certain though, is that
Oman won’t be rushed into making any
rash decisions. This is a country has been
around for centuries, and clearly intends
to be around for a while more.
HIRING DILEMMASThe construction industry in Oman finds it difficult to retain its local workforce due to government competition.
“BEARING IN MIND OMAN’S RELATIVELY SMALL POPULATION OF ONLY 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE, THE SCALE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED OR ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS IMPRESSIVE”
MAJOR PROJECTSMajor projects already under construction or in advanced stages of engineering, design and/or planning include:
n Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. This has a project cost of $1 billion, and an estimated completion date of 2016.
n Sohar Airport. This has a project cost of $500 million, and an estimated completion date of 2014.
n Salalah Port expansion. This has a project cost of $450 million.
n Oman’s national rail network. The project cost is not yet known, and the estimated completion date is 2018.
n Duqm city, drydocks and refinery. The project cost is a total of $20 billion.
n Ghubrah Independent Water Project. The project cost is $380 million, and the estimated completion date is 2014.
n Batinah Expressway. The project cost is $2.59 billion.
n Muscat & Salalah International Airport expansion. The project cost is $5.2 billion.
n Salalah Medical City. The project cost is $1 billion.
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Building a structure of any kind is a
complicated business. The slightest
miscalculation can lead to expensive
and time consuming delays.
Given that the majority of construction
projects in the region work to tight
schedules, this could be catastrophic.
As such, it makes sense for contractors to
get things right the first time around. Nowhere
is this more important than with groundwork.
It’s better to spend up front and do a careful
survey and analysis of the site than to start doing
ground work and find your initial estimates and
assumptions have been fatally flawed.
When it comes to piling, this is doubly
important, given that it costs valuable time to
install and operate piling machinery onsite.
Not only do contractors need to choose the
right technology, but they also need to take into
consideration what they’re building and the type
of land they’re building on. Therefore, choosing
the right piling technology can be considered as
the key to having a successful build.
Perhaps it is this need for caution and
conservatism that is stopping the adoption of
new piling technologies and methods. As Peter
Titus explains, there are fixed ideas in place in
the Middle East, ideas that have helped the piling
industry to achieve the levels it has today, but that
have also held it back from pushing forwards.
“There are a large number of companies
active in the sector,” says the managing director
of Total Foundation Solutions. “If we’re talking
about piling, I think you’ll find that the majority
of the companies working in the GCC use the
rotary bored-piling technique.”
“There’s very little of what is called CFA
(Continuous Flight Auger) and if there is, it’s
mainly used for small diameter, shallow piles
such as housing projects. Whereas in the West,
particularly in the UK, France and the US, CFA
has been the dominant piling technique for the
last 30 or 40 years. It’s much faster and lower
in cost because of its speed, especially when
compared to rotary bored-piling.”
“However, engineers in the Middle East, or
shall we say geo-technical consultants, are a
little bit behind the times on that. They’re not
aware, it seems, that in the West there are piling
machines that can drill down to 41m and are
about 1.5m in diameter. They can cover a huge
spectrum of the main piling requirements on
projects and therefore it’s an opportunity that’s
still being missed despite it not being a new
technique,” he asserts during a phone interview
with Big Project ME.
COMPLICATED BUSINESSPiling can be a complicated
and expensive business if it’s not done right the first time around, experts say.
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Usama Fawzy, branch manager for the Dubai
operations of Bauer Spezialtiefbau, points out
that it’s not as simple as saying that there is
a lack of awareness in the industry. He says
that for the most part, piling contractors and
consultants are constrained by the nature of the
soil that they have to deal with.
“The majority (of piling works) are common
bore piles. In some light structures or villas,
they’re going for steel plate, if the foundation
is okay to work with steel plate. There are no
driven piles here because of the rock formation.
You cannot drive piles here. There is some
sort of special projects offshore that uses steel
piles. But it’s still not driven, it has to be drilled
because of the rock base,” he insists.
“All piles serve the same function, but you
decide what type of pile to use according to the
soil formation. Here in the UAE, after 4m, you
find rock. Because of this, driven piles are not
the solution. Driven piles work on pure sand soil
formation where you can drive the piles in and
the piles can take the load. In our situation, we
can’t do this because you can’t drive it further,
because of the rock.”
While Titus concedes this point, agreeing
that there are situations where CFA might not
be applicable, he asserts that the reluctance
to try new methods is founded on a sense of
conservatism that is prevalent throughout the
construction industry.
“It’s really about traditions. The old criticisms
of CFA existed when I was in university, and I’m
in my fifties now!” he proclaims. “They’re still
being upheld by senior geotechnical engineers
as being the reason (why they’re not using the
technology.) Even if they’ve come from those
European countries (where it’s been in use for
years), they’re reluctant because it’s so well
established here.”
A QUICK GUIDE TO PILINGThe different types of piling can be differentiated from one another based on the choice of material used or the specific method/technique adopted for piling, etc.
n Driven Piles: This technique makes use of a Pile Driver which is used to drive in prefabricated piles into the ground. Most driven piles are made of wood, concrete, or steel and the driving technique leads to soil displacement.
n Drilled Piles: Drilled piles are also called Cast-in-drilled-hole piles (CIDH piles) and use extensive boring techniques to drill into hard earth. These include: Auger Cast Pile also called Continuous Flight Auger Piling (CFA), Under-reamed piles, Pier and grade beam foundation, Tripod Piling and Mini Piling.
Some of the most commonly used Piling Devices include:
n Pile Driver: A mechanical device used to insert or drive piles into the soil.
n Hydraulic Hammer: A modern and state-of-the-art piling hammer for inserting/driving timber piles and pipes, etc into the ground.
“IF WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PILING, I THINK YOU’LL FIND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPANIES WORKING IN THE GCC USE THE ROTARY BORED-PILING TECHNIQUE”
TRADITIONAL THINKINGGroundwork contractors are reluctant to embrace new methods of piling and foundation, Peter Titus says.
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“Very often, you’ll find a CFA specification
in the tender document but no one actually
addresses it because they don’t actually have the
big CFA machines here, because of the traditions
that they have,” Titus continues.
These aren’t the only issues that the
foundation and groundwork industry faces, he
says. There are issues concerning the uptake of
new technologies like jet grouting.
Jet grouting is when a micro-piling machine
is used to drill a micro pile, down to a certain
depth (usually 20m). A slotted tube is the
inserted into the hole and high-pressured grout
is fired through, often at pressures of as much as
250m per second.
“You’re using the grout to cut the soil, so it’s
a form of soil mixing. You then retract the pipe
out of the ground and you’ve created a mixed
soil-grouted column which is a pile. It’s called a
‘jet-grout column’. Typically it can be used as a
pile, although it’s unreinforced of course. So it
has limitations but you’re using the soil in place.
You can make that column into a wall by making
the columns adjacent to each other.
You can also make a jet-grout slab. So
if you imagine that you’ve got to create a
basement, without excavating from ground level
immediately, you can create your basement wall
using jet-grout columns. You can create your
bottom plug and then you can excavate with
minimum dewatering. It’s very widely used in
all forms, anything with metros, tunnel systems
– areas where you’re excavating below the water
table, and where you’re trying to keep water
away from your excavation or minimise the
influx of water,” he explains further.
What is also an issue for the industry is that
the government has tightened up regulations on
the insertion of pilings, says Fawzy. This in turn
has pushed contractors to be more conservative
when conducting their estimations and analysis
for groundwork.
While there have been advocates for the
greater adoption of micro-piling in the region,
he points out that there are some considerations
that have to be taken into account.
“They’ve changed the zoning criteria for
the UAE,” he tells Big Project ME. “The lateral
load has become a little high and we’ve started
analysing the main load on towers. When
it comes to micro-piles, it’s not easy to take
these kinds of loads because micro-piles are in
diameters of 100mm to 250mm and you cannot
get a proper sheer reinforcement to take the
lateral load. Micro-piling makes for an efficient
solution in case you’re making a remedial
solution for an existing building, like if you’re
adding an extra floor and the foundation is
enhanced by micro-piles. But for new projects,
you can’t use it,” he states emphatically.
Peter Titus is quick to disagree with this
viewpoint, stating that it has been used in many
forms, just under different names.
“Micro-piling is purely a description of the
size of the pile. It is a form of piling where you’re
literally coring. It tends to be under 300mm
in diameter. You might micro-pile into rock,
so you use a rotary core drill or you could use
percussion drilling, a down the hole hammer,
or an at-the-top hammer, where you’re literally
driving a hammer into the ground with brute
force. It’s fast. Micro-piling is used in the Middle
East,” he insists.
“You know, a micro-piling machine is the
same as you use for anchoring, there’s a lot of
anchoring machines in the Middle East. You
anchor retaining walls, you anchor slopes, but
when you use it vertically, it’s called a micro-
pile. Very often, you might use a micro-pile
for tension piles. You would put a vertical or
even inclined anchor into a hard strata. There
is micro-piling in the Middle East, I’m selling a
number of machines in Saudi Arabia!”
PILING THE LOUVREThe first package of enabling works,
executed by Bauer International,
was completed after 503,000 cubic
metres of earth had been excavated to
accommodate the museum basement.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi achieved major
developmental milestones with the finishing
of the building’s detailed design and the
completion of its infrastructure, which
encompassed marine, excavation, piling
and substructure works.
More than 4,000 steel and reinforced
concrete piles – a total volume of 21,000
cubic metres of concrete – were driven into
the ground to serve as a base for the Louvre
Abu Dhabi building.
“VERY OFTEN, YOU’LL FIND A CFA SPECIFICATION IN THE TENDER DOCUMENT BUT NO ONE ACTUALLY ADDRESSES IT BECAUSE THEY DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE THE BIG CFA MACHINES HERE, BECAUSE OF THE TRADITIONS THAT THEY HAVE”
NOT SUITABLESome groundwork experts believe that micro-piling is not suitable for new buildings under construction.
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GLAZED THINKINGFaçade design in the Middle East has moved towards glass curtain walls despite its environmental failings.
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Dr Philip Oldfield, course director for Masters in Sustainable Tall Buildings at the University of Nottingham, reveals a futuristic yet vernacular tower for the Middle East
SUN SCREEN
Rather than following the fully-glazed
international style pioneered by
Mies Van Der Rohe in the 1920s, the
first tall buildings in the Middle East
took inspiration from ideas of shade and
opacity in local vernacular architecture.
Buildings such as Dubai World Trade
Centre (Dubai, 1979), Deira Tower (Dubai,
1980) and National Commercial Bank (Jeddah,
1983) displayed façades of stone cladding with
smaller punched windows.
However, this phase of façade common
sense was short-lived, and today the glass
curtain wall is king in the Middle East and
other global cities. A skyline full of gleaming
crystalline towers is seen to reflect prosperity,
but what is the impact of this?
The environmental failings of the fully
glazed curtain wall are widely recognised; they
allow the transmission of unwanted solar gain
and external heat into the building, forcing the
air-conditioning system to work harder, using
more energy.
Visual glare can also be a problem, often
resulting in the drawing of blinds and in turn
negating any daylight and view benefits that
were there in the first place. A recent study
by the Urban Green Council in New York, for
example, found that in highly glazed buildings,
an average of 59% of the façade area had been
covered by blinds or shades by the occupants.
Naturally, these issues are exaggerated in the
harsh desert climate of the Middle East.
With increasing consideration of
sustainability, and building environmental
performance, it seems strange that a design idea
proposed for Europe almost 100 years ago is still
the primary influence for tall building façade
design today, even in some of the most extreme
climates in the world.
However, glass itself is not to blame and
there is clearly the need to balance the opposing
requirements of view, daylight and connection
to the outside world, with restricting unwanted
thermal transmissions. Instead, the finger has
to be pointed at a lack of innovation in high-
rise façade design and laziness on behalf of
architects, who seem to consider never-ending
glazing as the only option for high-rise cladding.
It is against this backdrop that the
Mashrabiya Tower design-research project was
initiated by Amna Shahid and Adriana Villegas,
graduates of the University of Nottingham’s
Masters in Sustainable Tall Buildings.
The brief called for the design of a residential
tall building on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche that takes
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inspiration from the region’s climate, culture
and context.
The challenge is that the tall building is
truly a global typology, perhaps more so than
any other form of architecture. How then can
we balance this global form with ideas of local
character and performance, in order to create
cities with identity rather than monotony? The
façade plays a key role in this, as it is the aspect
of the building that people first see and identify
with, while also controlling the experience,
comfort and atmosphere of internal spaces.
Shahid and Villegas’ starting point was
an examination of local Middle Eastern
architecture and in particular the role of the
mashrabiya. This traditional vernacular shading
system of Islamic patterns is used to provide
shade but also privacy with its dense patterning
allowing views out, but blocking views in. The
Mashrabiya Tower examines if this small-
scale vernacular concept can be reinvented to
provide environmental comfort and cultural
identity to a skyscraper in the Middle East.
The result is a simple rectangular form,
wrapped in an aluminium mashrabiya, acting
as an environmental veil to the internal
spaces. The geometry of the patterning at
first seems random, but is actually more
complex and considered, with the density
of patterns designed to open up towards key
views, but to become more solid in areas
that need additional privacy and shade, such
as bedrooms. The simple form also hides a
complex, fragmented interior with apartments
set around a central atrium.
Careful consideration is given to the design
and organisation of the apartments themselves,
with internal corridors minimised to reduce
overlooking of spaces and maintain privacy.
“THE FINGER HAS TO BE POINTED AT A LACK OF INNOVATION IN HIGH-RISE FAÇADE DESIGN AND LAZINESS ON BEHALF OF ARCHITECTS”
Apartments are larger than those typically
found in high-rise, accommodating extended
families, with planning also separating guest
areas from the more private family living spaces.
Each apartment also has a small courtyard
on the building’s perimeter, shaded by the
mashrabiya. At the tower’s apex sits a public
mosque, twisted off grid to face Mekkah. Here
the mashrabiya not only provides shade, but
the filtered light passing through contributes to
the spiritual quality of the spaces, reflecting the
atmosphere of local souks and mosques.
While these ideas may seem somewhat
radical, many built and proposed towers in
the region have begun embracing similar
philosophies. Jean Nouvel’s Doha Tower, for
example, is wrapped in a mashrabiya-like
screen of intricate geometric patterns that vary
in density depending on the sunpath. This, it is
estimated, reduces cooling loads by 20%. Aedas’
Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi goes one step
further, using a dynamic mashrabiya façade that
opens and closes in response to the sun-path.
The result is both environmentally responsive,
with a 50% reduction in solar gain and CO2
savings of 1,750 tonnes per year, but also surely
more visually striking than a fully glazed tower.
As the region continues to be a front-runner
in skyscraper construction, clearly there is an
opportunity to reinvent high-rise façade design
and move away from the all-glass approach to
one which embraces shade and privacy.
Reinventing vernacular concepts such as
the mashrabiya is just one possibility, with the
field clearly ripe for innovation. This result will
be skyscrapers that not only use less energy and
are more comfortable, but are truly rooted in
the region’s history, culture and lifestyle.
TALL CHALLENGEFaçade designers
in the region are tasked with
coming up with new ways of
thinking.
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GRACE® and PREPRUFE® are trademarks, registered in the United States and/or other countries, of W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. This is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, nor has it been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by The Big 5. This trademark list has been compiled using available published information as of the publication date of this brochure and may not accurately reflect current trademark ownership or status. Grace Construction Products is a product group of W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. © Copyright 2013 W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
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Big Project ME looks at quality control and the scope for formwork technology in the infrastructure construction market. Neha Bhatia reports
Anotable statement was handed out by
a Singaporean court early last month
for a workplace accident that occurred
nearly two years ago at the construction
site of a link-way roof, where sub-standard
installation and erection of formwork structures
on site saw two workers lose their lives.
The subcontractor for the project, Sin Herh
Construction, was held culpable by the Ministry
of Manpower as it was in charge of erecting the
formwork structure which was later discovered
to have had gaps that required plugging. Three
workers were fixing these gaps – through which
concrete had begun to leak – when the scaffolding
collapsed with tragic consequences.
“A holistic understanding of safety begins
right from when formwork systems are still under
development,” explains Peter Vogel, director of
Doka Group Middle East. “This begins with the
choice of materials for the system components,
and with the documentation on how the product
is used. The use of high-grade materials for all
formwork components not only makes them last
longer, it makes them safer too.
“In-depth analysis of the initial situation
provides the basis for individualised solutions, in
THEREFORMING
INDUSTRYwhich suitable products (such as ladder ways and
protection systems) are incorporated right from
the start.
“Efficient usage of formwork systems is achieved
not only by the features themselves, but even more
so by using their components correctly. This is why
high-quality documentation, such as formwork
utilisation plans, instruction manuals and safety
data sheets are such an important basis for a safe
site,” expands Vogel about the improved tools for the
creation, installation and use of formwork systems.
Technological and safety advancements in the
region’s formwork industry will attract increased
interest and investment in the upcoming years.
Massive infrastructural developments are due to
be completed – in less than a decade – for the two
landmark world events in the GCC.
As the UAE prepares for the Expo 2020 and
Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022, it will be critical
to not only avoid delays in completion, but also
enhance the pace of construction at every stage
of the building process. Additionally, extensive
road and rail networks have been planned in all
GCC countries, leading formwork manufacturers
to extend the utility of their product and service
offerings towards infrastructure building, such as
roads and bridges.
Ahmed Elhadidy, Gulf regional manager
for Acrow Co. Formwork Technology, provides
insights about the temporary structures market in
the growing construction hub of Qatar.
“The Qatari market is a big challenge for all
formwork companies, with an expected spending
“FORMWORKS HAVE TO BE USED REPETITIVELY, WHICH MAKES THEM AN INVESTMENT THAT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT. MOST FORMWORK SETUPS CAN BE REUSED UP TO 300 TIMES”
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of $150 billion on the infrastructure sector for the
next eight years before the kick-off of the World
cup 2022,” he says.
“One of the biggest hurdles in Qatar is the tight
deadline and the need to provide a cost-effective
formwork solution that will accommodate the
fast construction schedule. Since some of the
major (infrastructural) projects were announced,
a lot of formwork companies have been trying to
establish a strong presence in the country, and
existing companies are trying to strengthen their
presence to be ready for the incoming billions of
infrastructure projects which will shape Qatar’s
hosting capacities for the event.”
“Projects that have already been announced
include a $20 billion investment in roads and $25
billion in railways and light rail transit,” he adds.
Doka’s Vogel offers a unique perspective
on how technology can be combined with
formwork to make for their optimal utilisation for
infrastructure projects.
“Infrastructure and building projects are
becoming increasingly complex. Continual growth
in population and urbanisation have led to an
increased demand for residential units and social
infrastructure that challenges both, urban planners
and construction companies. Meeting the demand
for speed, dimension and safety is a responsibility
for formwork technology as well. At the same
time, investors are particularly interested in a
construction process that is efficient and safe.”
To Peter Vogel, it is crucial that both software
and hardware technology works in collaboration to
further the benefits offered to – and by – formwork
products and systems.
“The demands placed on formwork technology
lie in the ever-increasing speed of construction
accompanied by increased mechanisation of the
construction site. As a result, customers expect a
product range supplemented by a comprehensive
service portfolio.”
“During project and construction site planning,
everyone from architect to formwork supplier will
be part of an electronic network. Thus, a uniform
software standard is needed. Trends in BIM-5D-
Planning (Building Information Modelling) are
already in their prototype phase,” Vogel adds.
The application of BIM could, potentially, be an
added advantage to the sustainability-conscious
formwork industry. As the region broadens its
definition of ‘sustainability’ to include economic
and environmental savings, BIM will, while
primarily aiding the reduction of material wastage,
also ensure contemporary formwork models find
takers for their unconventional features.
Flying form systems have, of late, been
replaced by modular slab formwork types. Made
of prefabricated beams and modules, their
most-valued facet is the lack of crane machinery
requirement during their installation.
Traditionally made out of timber, these are
now being built using steel or aluminium for the
environmental savings and monetary advantages
– through increased reusability value – that they
offer to clients.
“The formwork market is quite cost-
competitive,” says Rajesh Baadkar, executive sales
director (MENA & East Africa) for MFE Formwork
Technology. “Formworks have to be used
repetitively, which makes them an investment that
requires considerable thought. Most formwork
setups can be reused up to 300 times,” he reveals.
The advantages of aluminium-based
formworks, Baadkar believes, are many – given
their low density, they eliminate the additional
crane costs that often accompany the installation
of steel- or timber-based systems.
“Most construction sites in the UAE have more
than one crane,” explains Baadkar. “If the need for
them can be reduced through the employment of
lightweight formwork that does not require crane-
handling, it can result in huge cost savings for the
client,” he asserts.
With traditional timber-based formwork
systems losing followers for their environmental
drawbacks and other construction site risks, it is
understandable if the formwork market looks to
move towards solutions that offer ancillary benefits
at a high pace and low price.
As a technique, formwork is evolving from
being a mere structural ingredient to one that can
advance infrastructural projects, and the GCC
construction market stands to greatly benefit from
this transition.
DOKA FORMWORK SYSTEMS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTSAustrian building firm Doka has extended
its formwork line to facilitate construction
for infrastructure projects.
The company’s Load-bearing Tower system SL-1
is suitable for demands presented by tunnels
built in accordance with mining practice,
the cut and cover method and especially for
underground railway stations and long caverns.
Notwithstanding form and load, the modular
configuration of SL-1 ensures speedy and
economic construction progress.
Similarly, the company’s new tunnel formwork,
DokaCC, allows for quick, efficient and
safe construction of various traffic tunnels,
in particular in the initial approach and
gathering area of the underground railway.
SUSTAINABILITY CONSCIOUS
Using BIM could add sustainability advantages to the
formwork industry.
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Construction and civil infrastructure
represent two of the biggest – and most
economically vital – sectors of the UAE
economy. Major projects throughout
Asia Pacific, such as the Shanghai Tower, Cyber
City Gurgaon in India, Kitasato University
Hospital in Japan and the Huangdeng Hy-
dropower Station in China, not only employ
thousands of people but they set the stage for
long-term economic recovery and growth.
What can we expect to see for construction
and infrastructure in 2014? Several transforma-
tive trends are already underway. Among many
Eight trends reshaping global construction and infrastructure in 2014 and beyondHassan Malki of Autodesk, outlines some of the major trends that are likely to impact the global construction and infrastructure industries over the coming years
HASSAN MALKI
considerations, two crucial keys to the success
of these industries in 2014 and beyond are ad-
vanced technologies and innovative financing.
For the construction industry, 2014 will be
characterized by the continued rapid adop-
tion of Building Information Modelling (BIM)
technologies to drive greater productivity.
With that starting point, here are four key
trends to watch develop in 2014 and beyond:
1. First, the breakthrough we witnessed in
2013 with cloud technology enabling the
virtual extension of the office into the
field will continue to gain traction in 2014.
CLOUD TECHNOLOGYThere has been a
fundamental shift in the industry's approach to BIM.
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Real-time access to data now allows project
managers to realise new efficiencies that
weren’t possible before. We’re witnessing a
fundamental shift in the industry’s approach
to BIM as our customers discover new ways
to positively impact processes in the field.
2. Mobile, cloud and BIM workflow-based
technologies and practices will continue to
enhance collaboration in the field across
AEC disciplines. Forward-thinking com-
panies will use the technology to further
validate design decisions and track issues
in the field. Utilising iPads and tablets in
the field will become the new standard.
3. In 2014, and for the next five years, we
predict a major expansion of BIM’s role
“BY 2020, WE EXPECT BIM WILL BE UBIQUITOUS AND A STANDARD PART OF THE WAY ALL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TASKS ARE CARRIED OUT IN A COORDINATED WAY WITHIN A SINGLE MODEL”
of helping AEC professionals collaborate
by sharing intelligent models, which will
transform how projects are designed and
managed. By 2020, for example, we expect
BIM will be ubiquitous and a standard part
of the way all design and construction tasks
are carried out in a coordinated way within
a single model. With the rapid adoption of
BIM across the entire project lifecycle, the
connection between design and construc-
tion will become even stronger, eliminat-
ing re-work and improving accuracy.
4. We believe that by 2020 rapid advance-
ments in file-to-fabrication may result in
the ability to produce building components
via off-site. Also, on-site digital fabrication
will become the norm for the industry.
With regard to civil infrastructure, BIM and
related technologies will continue to transform
the way it is built much like buildings. But
another key trend in infrastructure financing
will also continue to reshape the industry.
Throughout 2014 and beyond, watch the
global infrastructure industry continue to
address what can be called the “infrastruc-
ture gap” – the estimated $30 trillion gap that
needs to be closed between the worldwide
demand for new or retrofitted infrastructure
(eg: roads, bridges, rail systems, seaport im-
provements and water/wastewater facilities)
and available funding needed for projects.
We believe that innovative financ-
ing, such as the approach embodied in
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), is vi-
tal to solving the funding shortfall.
Here are four factors to watch in
2014 and beyond on the PPP front:
1. As government budgets shrink, PPPs will
continue to rise. PPPs are a contractual
arrangement whereby the resources, risks
and rewards of both the public agency and
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Hassan Malki is Major Accounts sales
manager, AEC at Autodesk
private company are combined to provide
greater efficiency, better access to capital
and improved compliance with a range
of government regulations. Shifting the
procurement off the public balance-sheet
through a partnership with the private
sector is an attractive alternative to rais-
ing taxes or further loading up on debt.
2. This increase in demand for PPPs is being
met by highly competitive funding pro-
grammes from around the world. It’s no
longer the case that private investments
are locally sourced. Instead, the compe-
tition for funding is now global, which
fundamentally changes how PPPs tradition-
ally operated a decade ago. For example,
increased competition for private capital will
result in a global move away from funding
projects based on a first-come-first-serve
basis and will award funding to projects
with the best business case. Today, PPPs
are being implemented in both developed
and developing countries including the US,
Australia, Canada, the UK, France, Germany,
Spain, Portugal, the UAE South Africa, India,
Brazil and Columbia, and new PPPs will
continue to emerge in other countries – with
the intent of sourcing capital globally.
3. Watch for PPP funding priorities to be as-
signed to projects that offer the greatest
"holistic return," accounting for not only the
financial, social and environmental aspects
of a specific project, but also, given recent
impacts of natural disasters, the resiliency of
that infrastructure while ensuring approach-
es are viable and equitable as well. Project
owners will take a full lifecycle approach
with projects, where they visualise and
simulate future conditions, not basing design
solely on today’s existing environment.
4. Modern planning, design and delivery tools
will significantly improve PPPs in 2014. The
coupling of private infrastructure invest-
ments with a strategic and innovative use of
3D technology will not only provide infra-
structure owners and investors with a better
understanding of the scope and complexity
of the investment, but can also help them
to route efficiency gains made from this
change toward financing future projects.
While the challenges that lie ahead for the
construction and civil infrastructure industries
are difficult, our customers are meeting these
head on with advanced technology and innova-
tive funding. Together, PPPs, cloud, mobile and
BIM technology will continue to displace outdat-
ed processes – and make way for a more efficient
path forward. 2014 will be a year of change and
we’re excited to watch these trends unfold. n
“WE BELIEVE THAT INNOVATIVE FINANCING, SUCH AS THE APPROACH EMBODIED IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (PPPS), IS VITAL TO SOLVING THE FUNDING SHORTFALL”
BIM EXPANSIONby 2020, BIM is expected to be ubiquitous in the region, experts say.
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HOW DOES COINS HELP ITS CUSTOMERS ACHIEVE OPTIMUM RESULTS ON THEIR PROJECTS?COINS OA is an ERP application that has been
developed specifically to support the processes
that occur within a construction business and
is staffed primarily by construction industry
professionals that understand those processes
and the terminology that the industry uses. This
means that there is not a protracted education
process that has to be gone through to explain how
a customer needs the software to operate nor is
there a need to make expensive software changes
to fit the process or, worse still, for a customer to
Helping you makethe smartest decisions
Big Project ME speaks to Construction Industry Solutions (COINS) to find out how its software solutions can benefit contractors looking to manage their projects
VALUEFOR MONEY
APRIL 2014
PROCESS SUPPORTCOINS OA has been
developed to support the processes within the
construction industry.
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change their process to fit the software!
COINS OA is involved at all stages of a
construction project from marketing, estimating
and tendering through budgeting, procurement,
project management, project cost control,
subcontractor management, application for
payment, finance, human resources, time and
attendance, payroll and facilities management.
Customers can start with a small part of the
system and build on it according to their priorities.
COINS work with their customers – it is one of the
reasons we have one of the lowest attrition rates in
the industry.
HOW DOES IT HELP REDUCE WORKLOADS AND CONTROL COSTS ONSITE?At the heart of COINS OA is our central repository.
This is where key data about projects, employees,
suppliers, subcontractors and clients is stored.
This data is then, subject to security controls,
available everywhere in the system. This is one
way that data rekeying is eliminated, saving time
and therefore money.
COINS is also designed around the need of the
project team to control budgets, costs and revenue
as well as the finance team to report financially.
This means that COINS has developed a very
flexible coding structure so that both teams get
data in the formats that they need. No longer do
the project team need to wait until after month end
to see their costs – the system is updated minute by
minute in a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) so
they can see true “through the gate” costing.
HOW ACCESSIBLE IS THE SOFTWARE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT? There are a number of technological
advancements that will change the way that
contractors use software in the future. Certainly
the cloud is one of those but there is also a demand
to make data available at anytime and anywhere so
“WITHIN COINS A MODEL CAN BE USED NOT ONLY TO TAKE-OFF QUANTITIES AT ESTIMATE STAGE BUT ALSO TO CHECK MODELS FOR ISSUES SUCH AS CLASHES AND THEN TO CREATE THOSE ISSUES WITH OUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT MODULE”
we have been working on both cloud offerings and
making more available to mobile devices. Within
COINS OA today, a project manager can login
and see what documents are awaiting approval
and they can approve online using a iPad or an
Android or Windows device. We also make our
Business Intelligence Dashboards and reports
available in this way so that Key Performance
Indicator (KPI) data is instantly available.
WHAT ADVANCEMENTS ARE YOU MAKING TO TAKE THE SOFTWARE FURTHER?The development of COINS OA never stops!
As a global business with customers in over
40 countries across the globe, we need to be
cognisant of the changing needs of the industry
in all of those locations. Certainly we will keep
increasing functionality in the core product but
will also add to the number of “apps” that are
available to the core product.
It is important to our customers that we
also continue our policy of making the system
interoperable with other systems – ERP is the
heartbeat of a construction company but it also
has to supply information to, and get information
from, other 3rd party applications. For example,
APRIL 2014
KEY DATACOINS OA has a central
repository that stores key data about employees,
suppliers, subcontractors and clients.
we have been working with Building Information
Modelling (BIM) for many years now including
3D models. Within COINS a model can be used
not only to take-off quantities at estimate stage
but also to check models for issues such as
clashes and then to create those issues with our
Project Management module. This allows the
Project Team to see what issues are outstanding,
when they are due for resolution, what risk
is attached to the issue and so on. It is also
possible to use that base data to potentially raise
variations or to manage an Extension Of Time
(EOT) claim.
WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DOES COINS FEEL IT HAS TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY IN THE GCC?Whilst COINS is successful commercial
organisation, we care deeply about the
communities we work in. We established
a Foundation many years ago because we
feel strongly that with any privilege comes
a responsibility. We are privileged to have
some great customers and we are a profitable
business, we should do something good for our
community. In Dubai we support the Widad
Centre which opened in October 2013. The
Widad Centre provides an alternative education
programme and offers inclusion for neurotypical
children and children with various cognitive,
learning and physical difficulties and exposes
them to functional education and life skills, while
focusing on their abilities and strengths.
Widad Centre has been very successful and we
will continue to support it while also looking for
other opportunities for similar initiatives. n
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DESCRIPTION Construction of 41 and 46-storey residential towers.PERIOD 31/12/2016 STATUS Current Project
PROJECT NAME DOHA WEST POWER PLANT UPGRADE PROJECT
BUDGET $265,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER MPR1457-KREGION Safat, KuwaitCLIENT Ministry of Electricity & Water (Kuwait)ADDRESS Ministry of Electricity & Water Bldg, South Al Surra Street, Ministries AreaPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 12PHONE (+965) 2537 1000FAX (+965) 2537 1420 / 1421 / 1422EMAIL [email protected] www.energy.gov.kwDESCRIPTION Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for upgrading an existing power plant.STATUS Current Project
PROJECT NAME THE ATRIA TOWER PROJECT - BUSINESS BAY
BUDGET $245,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER WPR112-UREGION Dubai, UAECLIENT Deyaar Development (Dubai)POSTAL/ZIP CODE 30833PHONE (+971-4) 395 7700FAX (+971-4) 395 7711WEBSITE www.deyaar.aeDESCRIPTION Construction of a twin tower comprising (350) serviced apartments and (219) residential units.PERIOD 2017 STATUS New Tender
www.ccsgulf.com | Tel: +971 4 346 6456 | [email protected]
INTEGRATED ESTIMATING, PROJECT CONTROL
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PROJECT NAME POWER PLANT PROJECT – YOUSIFIYA
BUDGET $820,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER ZPR1291-IQREGION Baghdad, IraqCLIENT Ministry of Electricity (Iraq)PHONE (+964-1) 719 0929 / 719 9007EMAIL [email protected] www.moelc.gov.iqDESCRIPTION Construction of a Power Plant with capacity of 230 megawatts (MW).STATUS Current Project
PROJECT NAME SHAYBAH ARABIAN LIGHT CRUDE INCREMENT PROJECT
BUDGET $410,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER MPP2871-SAREGION Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaCLIENT Saudi Arabian Oil CompanyPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 5000
PHONE (+966-3) 872 0115FAX (+966-3) 873 8190 / 874 1655WEBSITE www.saudiaramco.comDESCRIPTION Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for a light crude increment project.PERIOD 2016STATUS Current Project
PROJECT NAME MAYSAN TOWERS PROJECT - AL REEM ISLAND
BUDGET $110,000,000
PROJECT NUMBER WPR122-UREGION Abu Dhabi, UAECLIENT Aabar Properties L.L.C (Abu Dhabi)ADDRESS Abu Dhabi Trade Centre (Abu Dhabi Mall), East Tower, 4th FloorPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 37624PHONE (+971-2) 222 2233FAX (+971-2) 222 2333EMAIL [email protected] www.aabarproperties.com
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CONSTRUCTION
MIDDLE EAST48
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PROJECT NUMBER MPP2894-UTERRITORY Dubai, UAECLIENT Emaar Properties PJSC (Dubai)ADDRESS Emaar Business Park, Bldg No 3, Near Interchange No 5, Shaikh Zayed RoadPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 9440
PHONE (+971-4) 367 3333FAX (+971-4) 367 3000EMAIL [email protected] www.emaar.comDESCRIPTION Construction of two residential towers, one comprising (65) floors and the other (20) floors.CLOSING DATE March 25, 2014STATUS New TenderTENDER CATEGORIES Prestige BuildingsTENDER PRODUCTS High-rise Towers, Residential Buildings
DIALYSIS CENTRE PROJECT - SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY
PROJECT NUMBER WPR076-UTERRITORY Abu Dhabi, UAECLIENT Abu Dhabi General Services Company PJSC (Musanada)ADDRESS 3rd Floor, Bldg. C6, Al Bateen Towers, Bainuna StreetPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 33700PHONE (+971-2) 404 2222FAX (+971-2) 404 2221EMAIL [email protected]
WEBSITE www.musanada.comDESCRIPTION Construction of a new state-of-the-art Dialysis Centre at a Hospital.PERIOD 2016 STATUS Current ProjectMAIN ARCHITECT Leo A Daly (Abu Dhabi)DESIGN CONSULTANT Burt Hill (Abu Dhabi)PROJECT MANAGER Allen & Shariff International (Abu Dhabi)MAIN CONTRACTOR Al Faraa General Contracting Company (Abu Dhabi)SPECIALIST CONTRACTOR Pindi General Transport L.L.C (Abu Dhabi)TENDER CATEGORIES Medical & Healthcare, Construction & ContractingTENDER PRODUCTS Hospital Construction
CORP AL KHOORY HOTEL - AL BARSHA 1
PROJECT NUMBER WPR115-UTERRITORY Dubai, UAECLIENT Mohammed Tayyeb Khoory Real Estate L.L.C (Dubai)POSTAL/ZIP CODE 114555PHONE (+971-4) 314 6166FAX (+971-4) 340 0107DESCRIPTION Construction of three-
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star comprising 2 basement levels, a ground floor, (6) additional floors and a roof in a built-up area of about 19,000 square metres.BUDGET $25,000,000 PERIOD 31/08/2015 STATUS Current ProjectMAIN CONSULTANT Al Baha Engineering Consultants (Dubai)DESIGN CONSULTANT Al Baha Engineering Consultants (Dubai)MAIN CONTRACTOR Naresco Contracting (Dubai)TENDER CATEGORIES HotelsTENDER PRODUCTS Hotel Construction
SAUDI ARABIAHILTON GARDEN INN HOTEL PROJECT - AL JUBAIL
PROJECT NUMBER WPR124-SATERRITORY Saudi ArabiaCLIENT Hilton International (Dubai)ADDRESS Dubai Internet City, Bldg. 15, Office 101-111
POSTAL/ZIP CODE 500200PHONE (+971-4) 391 5100FAX (+971-4) 391 6790WEBSITE www.hiltonworldwide.com DESCRIPTION Construction of a five-star hotel comprising (125) rooms featuring a range of facilities, including a fitness centre and an outdoor poolPERIOD 2016
STATUS New TenderHOTEL CONSULTANT Faisal Al-Ansari Contracting (Saudi Arabia)TENDER CATEGORIES Construction & Contracting, HotelsTENDER PRODUCTS Hotel Construction
INTEGRATED INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER ZPR1301-SATERRITORY Saudi ArabiaCLIENT Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC)CITY Riyadh 11422 POSTAL/ZIP CODE 5101PHONE (+966-1) 225 8000/ 225 9701FAX (+966-1) 225 9000EMAIL [email protected] www.sabic.comDESCRIPTION Construction of an
integrated industrial complex for the production of petrochemicals from crude oilSTATUS New TenderTENDER CATEGORIES Industrial & Special ProjectsTENDER PRODUCTS Chemical Plants
OMANYANQUL COPPER MINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER NPR038-OTERRITORY OmanCLIENT Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C.ADDRESS Al-Harthy ComplexCITY Muscat PC 118 POSTAL/ZIP CODE 261PHONE (+968) 2457 3100FAX (+968) 2457 3101EMAIL [email protected] www.oman-oil.com
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DESCRIPTION Development of Yanqul copper mine.STATUS New TenderTENDER CATEGORIES Industrial & Special ProjectsTENDER PRODUCTS Mining & Metals
QATARFACILITY D IWPP & IWP PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER WTR3684-QTERRITORY QatarCLIENT Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa)ADDRESS Corniche Street, Number 61, Sheraton Roundabout, Dafna Area POSTAL/ZIP CODE 41PHONE (+974) 4484 5484FAX (+974) 4484 5496EMAIL [email protected] www.km.com.qaDESCRIPTION Construction of a new Independent Water & Power Plant (IWPP) with production capacity of 2,400 MW and 130
million imperial gallons a day (MIGD) along with a new Industrial Desalinated Water Facility (IDWF) Independent Water Plant (IWP) with production capacity of approximately 45 MIGD of desalinated water using Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology, including site infrastructure and layout designed for ultimate capacity of
95 MIGD.BUDGET $2,000,000,000CLOSING DATE April 3, 2014 PERIOD 2016TENDER CATEGORIES Power & Alternative Energy, Water WorksTENDER PRODUCTS Independent Water & Power Plants (IWPP), Independent Water Plants (IWP), Water Desalination PlantsSTATUS New TenderTENDER CATEGORIES Power & Alternative Energy, Water Works TENDER PRODUCTS Independent Water & Power Plants (IWPP), Independent Water Plants (IWP), Water Desalination Plants
KUWAITKUWAIT SCHOOLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER MPP2895-KTERRITORY Shuwaikh, KuwaitCLIENT Partnerships Technical Bureau (Kuwait)ADDRESS Touristic Enterprises Co. Bldg., 2nd Floor, Al-Jahra StreetPHONE (+965) 2496 5900 / 2496 5902FAX (+965) 2496 5901EMAIL [email protected] www.ptb.gov.kwDESCRIPTION Development of nine schools, including five kindergartens, three elementary and one middle school, a residential building for female teachers and an Olympic-size swimming poolSTATUS New TenderTENDER CATEGORIES Construction & Contracting, Education & TrainingTENDER PRODUCTS Educational Development
62-68_Tenders.indd 67 4/2/14 1:55 PM
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www.ccsgulf.com | Tel: +971 4 346 6456 | [email protected]
INTEGRATED ESTIMATING, PROJECT CONTROL
AND ERP SOLUTION FOR CONTRACTORS
BAHRAINYASMEENAT SAAR VILLAS PROJECT
PROJECT NUMBER WPR104-BTERRITORY Manama, BahrainCLIENT Naseej B.S.C (Bahrain)ADDRESS 46th Floor, East Tower, Bahrain Financial HarbourPOSTAL/ZIP CODE 1383PHONE (+973) 1655 7999FAX (+973) 1655 7990WEBSITE www.naseejproperties.com DESCRIPTION Construction of (32) villas on an overall plot size of 17,000 square metresSTATUS New TenderMAIN CONSULTANT Mohammed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Bureau - MSCEB (Bahrain)DESIGN CONSULTANT Mohammed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Bureau - MSCEB (Bahrain)TENDER CATEGORIES Construction & ContractingTENDER PRODUCTS Villas Construction
IRAQBAZIAN REFINERY EXPANSION PROJECT - PHASE 3
PROJECT NUMBER MPP2888-IQTERRITORY Erbil, IraqCLIENT Qaiwan Group (Iraq)ADDRESS 4th Floor, Sulaymaniyah Mall
PHONE (+964-53) 319 0248EMAIL [email protected] WEBSITE www.qaiwangroup.com DESCRIPTION Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the expansion of a Refinery to increase production capacity from 34,000 barrels a day (b/d) to 84,000 b/d.PERIOD 2017
STATUS New TenderFEED CONSULTANT Technip (France) TENDER CATEGORIES Gas Processing & Distribution, Oilfields & RefineriesTENDER PRODUCTS Offsites & Utilities, Oilfields Exploration & Development
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GO-KARTING RACE HELD FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AT DUBAI KARTDROME
SWEETT GROUP, MCLAREN and Brookfield Multiplex took the glory at the Sweett Karting Challenge last month as some of the region’s top construction and property firms engaged in friendly competition at the Dubai Kartdrome in Dubai Motor City.
The three firms took the podium positions, beating out a field of more than 15 teams.
Property and infrastructure consultancy Sweett Group hosted the go-karting competition at the Kartdrome, a popular race track in Dubai Motor City. More than 70 industry professionals gathered at the outdoor track and competed in the race to win the grand trophy.
“This is the second Sweett Karting Challenge we have organised,” said Dima Qumsieh, business development manager
SWEETT FINISHSweett Group took the honours at the Sweett
Karting Challenge held at Dubai Motor City.
for the company’s MENA operations. “To our pleasant surprise, the response has been fantastic and the interest keeps growing.
“It’s a great way to gather with our peers in the industry in a light-hearted, friendly race. That said, there were some keen racers and the competitive spirit on the night was electrifying,” she added.
The event commenced with a safety briefing session held by the Kartdrome management. This was followed by an initial practice race and a qualifying race.
The participants then lined up for the main event, a keenly contested group race that saw Sweett Group emerge as winners for the evening. The construction company, McLaren Group, come in a
INDUSTRY EVENTSWEETT KARTING CHALLENGE
close second while contractor, Brookfield Multiplex, completed the podium finishers.
“Go-karting is an exciting choice of activity for an industry event,” said Guy Source, a member of Macdonald & Company’s participating contingent. “The atmosphere is amazing with plenty of good drivers to compete with.”
On being asked about the relevance of such events, Source said: “The construction industry here (the UAE) is huge and constantly growing, so such events are always a welcome opportunity to meet new people.”
Sweett’s recent effort highlights the significance placed on informal networking meetings by the construction industry in the UAE, and specifically in Dubai.
70_Industry Event.indd 70 4/2/14 2:19 PM
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72 PARTICIPANTS TAKE PART IN THE CONTRACTORS CUP 2014 AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB
THE FIRST Big Project Middle East Golf Day of the year was held on April 2, 2014 as the leading contractors in the GCC returned to the Faldo Course, Emirates Golf Club – Dubai, to duke it out for the Contractors Cup 2014.
Representatives from some of the most prestigious construction contracting firms in the region took part in the day-long event, which featured intense, yet friendly, competition.
Companies that took part included ALEC, Arabtec, Al Jaber and BK Gulf, amongst many others. All told, 72 participants took to the Faldo course. Raz Islam, publishing director of
BIG DAY OUTParticpants gather for a
photoshoot before hitting the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club.
CPI Media Group, said that he was delighted with the industry’s turnout for the event.
“We hold these Golf Days to provide a relaxed, fun environment where the construction industry can network and indulge in a bit of friendly rivalry. We’ve had some excellent feedback from the participants and the event has been the success we hoped it would be.”
Drew Colford, Neil Davies, Andrew Harvey and Albert Quraismi were the team that took top spot, with an average net score of 55.5.
In second place was Alex McDonald, James Jackson, Ramnath Venrateswaran and Clevin
INDUSTRY EVENTBIG PROJECT ME GOLF DAY
Correya with 58.2. Third place was taken by Nico Van Niererk, Malcolm Hawksby and James Grisdale who had a net score of 58.7.
Additionally, there were individual prizes given out to participants with Jonathan Eveleigh taking the Nearest the Pin prize on the 8th Hole. Tyrone Evans hit the Longest Drive on the 16th hole.
Thank you to all our sponsors, Alubond (Lead Sponsor), Hyder Consulting, CCS Gulf, Coins, Famco, WSP, Autodesk, Aconex, Energy Advantage and First Gulf Company. The Consultants & Architects Cup will be held on October 30, 2014.
®™
middle east
CMYK - PRINTING PROCESS
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Project Qatar 2014 will be held from May 12 - May 15 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
It is the 11th International Construction Technology & Building Materials Exhibition. The event attracts key buyers and industry leaders looking for the most up-to-date technology and state-of-the art equipment available on the market.
Project Qatar 2014 will also feature the yearly concurrent events: “Qatar Stone-Tech” and “Heavy Max”. This year’s event will feature the Project Qatar Conference Series that will include “LightingTech Qatar” (12-13 May), “HVACTech Qatar” (14-15 May) and will be followed at a later stage by “Future Interiors Qatar” (8-9 September).
HAPPENING THIS MONTH
72-74_Industry Event GOLF DAY.indd 74 4/3/14 5:34 PM
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Al-Masjid al-Haram or the Grand Mosque surrounds one of Islam’s holiest places, the Kaaba. It is located in the city of Mecca and is the largest mosque in the world. In 2011 Saudi Authorities launched work on a new historic $10.6-billion expansion, increasing its capacity to more than 2.5 million worshippers. The total area of the existing Haram Mosque is 356,000 m2 accommodating 770,000 worshippers. Moreover, other plans were included to expand the mataf (the circumambulation areas around the Holy Kaaba) and provide air-conditioning for all parts of the Grand Mosque. In 2007, the entire mosque was fitted with air conditioning so that worshipers could perform their prayers in comfort. More than 100,000 m2 of the new extension will have FOAMGLAS® boards on the roof to ensure an efficient use of the energy. The high compressive strength of the thermal insulation FOAMGLAS® will enable the use of the roof for the pilgrims and is at the same time the most durable insulation with zero degradation of the thermal performance over generations. FOAMGLAS® can never get wet due to the homogenous and close cell structure which is produced with more than 60% recycling glass.
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Architect Dar al HandasahConstruction 2012, ongoingApplication FOAMGLAS® FLOOR BOARD T4+, 50 mm, about 125,000 m2, loose laid as inverted roofFinish Marble tiles
Build-up1 Corrugated steel decking2 Reinforced concrete3 Waterproofing membrane4 FOAMGLAS®
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5 Separating layer6 Cement-sand mortar
bedding7 Marble tiles, 40 mm. Flat
Roof, accessible to foot traffic
56
7
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EARLY LAST MONTH I had the opportunity to
travel to Oman for a couple of site visits. One
was the Kempinski Hotel, part of the Wave
development in Muscat. The other was a tour
of the Alila hotel in Jabal Akhdar, which we’ll be
covering in the coming months.
While I was utterly captivated by my time in
Jabal Akhdar (if you haven’t been, do go, it’s well
worth a visit), what really grabbed my attention
was the conversations I had with people
involved in the Omani construction industry.
Given how the UAE, Saudi Arabia and latterly
Qatar, have dominated the regional construction
landscape, it’s become an accepted fact that the
way they do business is the way things are done
in the GCC.
Not so in the Sultanate of Oman. Things tend
to move at their own pace there, with careful and
considered deliberation the rule of thumb. In
fact, almost everyone I spoke to during my trip
said that they preferred the way Oman operated
as opposed to the rest of the GCC.
Yes, things move a lot slower, and if you’re
looking to make a quick buck, this probably isn’t
the market for you.
But if you’re looking to establish yourself for
the long term and create a dynastic presence,
then Oman would be the place to be.
Everyone - from local contractors to
international consultants - working in the
market, have said the same thing.
As Marco Malpeidi, managing director for
Atkins Oman, points out in this month’s Market
Analysis, Oman has huge potential, but it’s also
wary of growing too far and too fast.
This is a country with an ancient history and
a keen sense of self, it has existed as a regional
hub for trading and commerce for centuries. It is
not about to sacrifice that for short-term gains,
no matter how lucrative they may be.
In my opinion, that’s an attitude that a lot of
economies in the region should emulate if they
want to continue to be relevant as the global
economy continues to shift and change.
A city that is certainly taking its time to
do things the right way is Abu Dhabi. As this
month’s Louvre site visit shows, the UAE capital
is determined to do things right. It may have
taken four years to get started on construction,
but they’ve certainly not wasted that time.
With just over a year to go before the
museum opens in the fourth quarter of 2015,
the extensive planning and design process that
took place before the start of construction has
helped ensure the smooth operation of a truly
mammoth construction site.
Furthermore, the continuing close
cooperation between consultant, contractor and
client ensures that there is a strong framework in
place to ensure minimal disruption to work.
With a slew of major projects set to begin
in Qatar and Dubai and the workload on
contractors set to increase, the examples set by
Abu Dhabi and Oman could be exactly what is
needed for the industry to learn from.
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GAVIN DAVIDS
Gavin Davids says that companies looking to create a dynastical presence in the region should be looking at the slowly awaking Omani construction market
Make Your Mark
“IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH YOURSELF FOR THE LONG TERM AND CREATE A DYNASTICAL PRESENCE, THEN OMAN WOULD BE THE PLACE TO BE”
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Big Project ME takes a closer look at the most vital of all construction materials
STEEL WORKS
ALSO INSIDE STEEL BENDING
CORROSION PROTECTIONSUSTAINABILITY AND STEEL
BIM AND STEEL STRUCTURES
STEEL SUPPLEMENT 2014
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EDITOR’S COMMENT
Gavin DavidsDeputy Editor
Heavy metal culture
MID
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GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA
GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD
GROUP C0O GINA O’HARA
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM [email protected] +971 4 375 5483
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GROUP EDITOR STEPHEN [email protected] +971 55 795 8740
DEPUTY EDITOR GAVIN [email protected] +971 4 375 5480
ASSISTANT EDITOR NEHA [email protected] ADVERTISING
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR MICHAEL [email protected] +971 4 375 5497
SENIOR SALES MANAGER YASIN [email protected] +971 4 375 5496
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MARKETING
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MARKETING ASSISTANT BARBARA [email protected] +971 4 375 5499 DESIGN
ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON
CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION
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WEB DEVELOPERJOEL AZCUNA PUBLISHED BY
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© Copyright 2014 CPIAll rights reserved
While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.
Having had limited exposure to the steel industry prior to the writing of this supplement, I confess that I would have been sceptical if I had been told that it could have a major impact on the sustainability of the project.
After all, given the massive amounts of energy expended in manufacturing the material, it’s hard to believe that this could in fact be something that would be considered sustainable.
How wrong I was, as this supplement shows. Not only is the manufacturing process a lot more streamlined than I thought, but the steel industry itself is taking its own steps to ensure that its products are carefully sourced and environmentally friendly.
This is achieved by promoting a culture of recycling, of adopting technology and of preventing problems before they occur, all of which are covered in this supplement.
I hope you learn as much as I did about this fascinating, and at times underappreciated, facet of the construction industry. Happy reading!
THE STELLAR STEELER
BENDINGTHE RULES
BIMSTEPS UP
COMBATTINGCORROSION
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SPONSOR COMMENT HADLEY GROUP BIGPROJECTME.COM
In construction we know cranes on the horizon
are a good indicator of growth. They herald
new building projects, but also point to the
need to develop communities in responsible
and sustainable ways. Central to the sustainability
of buildings is the need to consider each in terms
of its total lifecycle from its foundations to end
of life. It is an attempt to maximise its resource
efficiency, provide cost effectiveness in mainte-
nance, consider dismantling and recycling and
minimise carbon output, including embodied
carbon which is present within all raw materials.
To this end the total lifecycle cost and resource
efficiency of steel is proven. Steel is renewable.
Rolling out a sustainable lifecycle Merv Richards, managing director of Hadley Industries (Middle East) FZE, the Middle East’s largest cold rolled steel manufacturer, explains why the use of steel is both a logical and a sustainable choice for construction projects and how Hadley Group’s experience within the region suggests positive growth in both the application of steel and the construction sector in the short-and-medium term
MERV RICHARDS
Steel’s strength, durability and stability is espe-
cially well suited to construction and especially
relevant to the Middle East in comparison to
timber and concrete alternatives.
Less than 1% of steel ends up as waste com-
pared to 58% of timber and 5% of concrete. Steel
is both 100% recyclable and indefinitely recycla-
ble meaning you can recycle it time after time,
use after use. The steel frame and sections for one
building could ultimately be recycled and used
in as many as you need in the future. Embodied
carbon is also higher within concrete and timber
than in steel and given the recycling credentials
of steel, virtually all of its embodied carbon is
neutralised with future use.
Hadley Group’s structural steel framing solu-
tions are recognised as a logical and sustainable
way to build within the Middle East. Unlike
concrete structures, steel frame buildings are not
reliant on wet trades and in a geography where
access to water can present very challenging
logistical and carbon footprint obstacles.
The use of steel framing enables the weath-
ered envelope to be rapidly completed, reduc-
ing pollution, transportation impacts and on
saving labour costs and movement.
Equally, access to timber is problematic in
the region and, with typically only 13% of timber
recycled from a building’s structural frame com-
pared to 20% of concrete and a rewarding 99% of
steel sections. Overall, timber fails to deliver as ef-
fectively in total lifecycle terms compared to steel.
With Expo 2020 centred on Dubai, the Middle
East is once more a focal point with cumulative
growth in the construction industry in Middle
East and North Africa set to reach 80% over the
next decade surpassing global industry growth
DURABLE STRENGTHSteel's durability, strength and stability is well suited
to construction in the Middle East.
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SPONSOR COMMENT HADLEY GROUP
at 67%. In addition, both infrastructure and con-
struction projects in Qatar will be boosted by the
hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Our Estidama accreditation and the adoption
of Hadley cold rolled steel sections for use in the
Masdar City project in Abu Dhabi is a further
indication that steel and sustainability share a
common voice.
As the world’s first carbon neutral, zero-waste
city, Masdar City’s renewable buildings will estab-
lish principles that can be adopted by the world.
Hadley Group’s significant contribution
to Masdar City is in the use of our patented,
Queen’s Award winning, UltraSTEEL® process
for steel construction sections. UltraSTEEL is
a cold rolled pre-forming process that locally
work hardens the base metal, making it stronger.
Because the process is applied to the standard
base metal and in-line in the cold rolled forming
process, it is does not increase manufacturing
cost and is ideal for high volumes.
The simplicity and flexibility of the UltraS-
TEEL process make it suitable for an incredibly
wide range of applications, from construction
profiles, through to automotive and high toler-
ance bespoke components. The UltraSTEEL
products approved and supplied for Masdar City
include: Cable management steel profiles (cable
tray and cable trunking); ceiling furring sections
and UltraGRID profiles; dry wall framing profiles
(studs and tracks); Hi Strut support channels
and UltraSTRUT support channels, plus Hadley
Steel Framing.
This process alters the characteristics of
the raw material thus imparting a uniformed
strengthening across the metal which substan-
tially increases the load bearing capacity.
As such products manufactured using the
UltraSTEEL process will use less metal, which of
course reduces the impact the business has on
the environment. It also results in products that
are lighter so higher volumes can be shipped
on each load, thus lowering transport related
pollution.
Over 1 billion metres of UltraSTEEL product
are manufactured globally each year by Hadley
Group and its licensees for use in various con-
struction projects.
Merv Richards is managing director of Hadley
Industries (Middle East) FZE
“LESS THAN 1% OF STEEL ENDS UP AS WASTE COMPARED TO 58% OF TIMBER AND 5% OF CONCRETE. STEEL IS BOTH 100% RECYCLABLE AND INDEFINITELY RECYCLABLE"
UltraSTEEL is also an example of how steel
can be refined and developed as a raw material.
We have a dedicated technology centre aimed
solely at innovating new cold rolled form prod-
ucts that further reduce raw material use.
For instance, co-operation between Hadley
Group and one of the largest manufacturers of
cement roof tiles in South East Asia has resulted
in a range of innovative, ready-made steel roof-
ing products aimed at the dynamic Thai build-
ing market. The susceptibility of timber to fire in
South East Asia is a concern and our steel roof
truss range offers exceptional strength to weight
ratios and is pre-engineered for rapid installa-
tion and value for money.
Hadley Steel Framing in Dubai has complet-
ed a series of construction projects across the
Middle East using the lightweight steel framing
process. Hadley UltraSTEEL dry walling sections
have been specified on a number of prestige
projects in the Middle East including New York
University and Mafraq Hospital.
The award of Expo 2020 has given the region
fresh impetus and we are already experiencing a
confidence that has been lacking during the past
5 years with many projects already announced
and many more in the pipeline. Hadley Indus-
tries (Middle East) FZE looks forward to working
with our key partners in maximizing the tremen-
dous opportunities that lie ahead. n
FRESH IMPETUSThe award of Expo 2020 has given the construction industry a boost, Merv Richards says.
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Big Project ME speaks to Al Ghurair Iron & Steel’s Abu Bucker Husain, a grounded CEO with high-f lying plans for steel manufacturing in the UAE
THE STELLARSTEELER
Numerous steel and metal dealers dot the
Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD)’s
premises. Prominently located in one of
its many zones is the humble – yet striking
– warehouse where some of the region’s best
qualities of galvanised steel are rendered. The
massive blue-painted production facility belongs
to Al Ghurair Iron & Steel (AGIS), a steel cold-
rolling and galvanising specialist in the country.
At the crux of AGIS – through its early days of
filing paperwork for permits, to the rigmarole of
financial blockages during the market crash, and
the much-needed leaps the firm has taken since –
is the company’s grounded chief executive officer,
Abu Bucker Husain.
In his cozy office that silently flaunts his many
academic and entrepreneurial achievements,
Husain has grand, but realistic and achievable
plans for the firm he has built and weathered
through a storm.
“Nothing compares to that period,” he recalls,
“It doesn’t matter which industry you look at; steel,
construction, commodities – every company was
part of the hyperinflationary phase that 2007 was.
What you see today is the real market demand.”
“2007 was mostly built on speculation – we’re
happy with what we’re doing today and that’s why
we’re going for the expansion. There is obviously
sufficient demand in the market and capacities
are available too. However, numerically, it isn’t the
same as 2007,” he states.
Initially a family business, AGIS now operates
as ‘a professionally-managed entity’ – crucially
however, is that AGIS remains one of the few,
young survivors of the market crash in 2009, which
occurred in the same year as its commencement of
commercial production.
With a current capacity of 200,000 tons per
annum, Husain now has his eyes set on developing
a line expansion for AGIS. Presently in its
manufacturing stage, it is due to be completed by
next year.
“Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
(NSSMC), one of the world’s largest steel
producers – the best in terms of quality – owns 20%
of our operations, and the rest is controlled by Al
Ghurair Group,” Husain proudly reveals about his
company, asserting that AGIS is by no means a
negligible member in the country’s steel sector.
Nevertheless, Husain is realistic about the role
of AGIS in the backdrop of the larger UAE market
– notably, he understands that his is one of the few
companies in the UAE that actively deals with steel
in industrial capacities.
A student of economics, Husain quickly
comprehends the dynamics of a ticking
commercial city like Dubai and its capability – or
perceived lack of – to produce industrial capacities.
“The promotion of any industry is not a standalone
activity,” he says. “It requires relevant and
SURVIVAL PLANAGIS is one of the few
young survivors of the market crash in 2009.
04-06_Profile.indd 4 4/2/14 3:42 PM
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IN PROFILE ABU BUCKER HUSAIN
“WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN CHOOSING A VENDOR OR A CONTRACTOR. WE DON’T WANT ‘THE BEST IN THE MARKET’, WE WANT THE BEST THAT WORKS FOR US”
appropriate government policies that can facilitate
the right business environment and adequate local
market demand-capacity levels.”
“The UAE is often viewed as a ‘western country
in the Middle East’, and that has increased the
influx of international players into the local market.
This has begun to alter the business models in
the region, which were typically family-owned
local companies and had the comfort level of
functioning in their own country – to multi-
nationals like NSSMC coming into the region.”
Husain’s reading of the UAE market and its
industrial potential borrows greatly from what is
often viewed as a regional limitation in this part of
the world. With narrow steel production capacities
in the GCC, the UAE has ample scope to graduate
into a leading steel manufacturer for the region –
an opportunity Husain is eagerly anticipating.
“The region itself is a net importer of steel. The
UAE, especially Dubai, has always been a trading
04-06_Profile.indd 5 4/2/14 3:42 PM
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not only work towards delivering high-quality and
appropriately-priced products and services from
AGIS – he also demands the same.
“Quality depends on the purpose of the
product,” Husain says. “Our raw materials are
sourced from Nippon, Bluescope in Australia
and Hadeed (as our local producer). But because
we base our production on customer needs, we
buy the raw material at commercial grades – not
automotive or white-goods grade– and in relevant,
minimum-required quantities.
“We do have customers who say our services
are overpriced, but we don’t target them. The $20-
$30 premium on our products over the next best
in the market is because our customers value the
quality of products and services we offer them –
they understand that our standards reflect in their
operations,” he adds proudly.
Husain is, in all likelihood, one of the rare
breed who are inherently – without too many
consultants and calculations – watchful of their
company’s spending. In a buoyant market
expecting signficant activity from the Expo 2020,
Husain intends to – and can be safely assumed to,
with success – sustain his tried-and-tested modus
operandi of achieving realistic targets through
affordable budgets.
“My vision for AGIS is to get the second
production line completed by 2015. To produce
at full capacity from both lines is a definite aim.
Production to us doesn’t mean the stocking of
what we’re churning out. We produce against
specific orders, so we have to sell first and then
produce the materials. We’ll be busy with these
operations for the next few years, and may look
into a vertical or backward integration thereon,” he
says, confident about what lies ahead.
hub, and is most preferred by soft industries
such as tourism, banking, finance and insurance.
International players operating – or looking to
invest – in the UAE realise that capacities here are
short and cannot satisfy local demand (which
has further been boosted by the Expo win in
Dubai, Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup and other
infrastructural developments in countries like
KSA). There is definitely scope to develop the
country and the region into an industrial hub.”
A refreshing aspect of Husain’s business style is
his concise approach to cost concerns. A sprawling
production plant, with another underway, has not
swayed Husain’s take on value-for-money, as he
explains to Big Project ME.
“Steel production is a dirty industry,” he claims.
“It isn’t confined to an office environment – most
of our operations involve labourers operating
machines. Some amount of hard technology is
definitely required at every stage; however, I can’t
say processes revolving around steel production
or fabrication have changed much in, say, almost
100 years.”
Unsurprisingly – and keeping with Husain’s
personality – AGIS’ method of cost analyses and
computation is characteristically simple, and
marketing budgets are restricted to the least
required amounts. “Cost management is a very
company-specific concept – we always try to
ensure that we get two dollars if we’re spending
one. That is why we don’t mass advertise – our
clients already know us, and if there’s a particular
target market we have in mind, we approach them
directly,” he explains .
“We have to be very cautious when choosing a
vendor or a contractor. We don’t want ‘the best in
the market’, we want the best that works for us.”
His honest approach to cost-management
might well be a reflection of his experiences at
AGIS – as a firsthand witness to the 2009 crisis,
Husain is wary of overspending where not needed.
“For us, the initial part of 2006-2007 was a piece
of cake, mostly because banks were chasing us
to borrow and spend. It changed after the crisis
– it was very difficult, especially with our major
banking partner having insisted that they be the
sole source of working capital.
“It was a difficult time since we had to keep
juggling various financial decisions and factors.
We managed our stock and procedures in a way
to ensure we didn’t incur losses. Our policy was
to maintain the bare minimum stock required for
operations, which was contrary to what the market
was following at the time through their speculation
and inventory-reliant approach. Broadly speaking,
we always knew and prepared ourselves for the
worst case scenario, and hoped for the best.”
A natural extension of Husain’s cost-conscious
approach is the emphasis he places on the quality
of operations at AGIS. Significantly, Husain does
“EVERY COMPANY WAS PART OF THE HYPERINFLATIONARY PHASE THAT 2007 WAS. WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IS THE REAL DEMAND IN THE MARKET”
MADE TO ORDERAGIS tailors production
against specific orders from customers.
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www.kersten.aeStreet F7, Al Hamra Free ZoneP.O. Box 86416Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
T +971 (0)72437174 F +971 (0)72432524E [email protected]
Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminium
Heavy beamsup to 1000mmHollow sectionup to 500mm
The European standard produced in the Middle-East
PROFILE BENDING
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Big Project ME visits newly f lown-in bending specialists, Kersten Middle East, at their production plant in Ras Al Khaimah
BENDINGTHE RULES
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NEW MARKETKersten Middle East
aims to take advantage of a lack of competition
in the UAE market for its services.
To the naked eye, construction is a fairly
simple process – hand over the materials
needed for building a structure to a given
number of people who can best use
these products, and you’re most likely to end
up with a minimally inhabitable building.
Set in Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial zone,
however, Kersten Middle East provides valuable
insights into the intricate specialities that
construction operations have branched out as.
With an elaborate portfolio of European projects
and clientele, steel-bending specialist Kersten
Europe recently moved to the UAE to expand
its impressive Middle East project repertoire.
“We started operations in 1961, and the group
of companies is owned by the two brothers
Ron Puyn and Marc Puyn,” says Mike Minten,
general manager for the company’s Middle
East wing. “Kersten Middle East is the first
fully dedicated company in the GCC region for
bending of section and tubes in steel, stainless
steel and aluminium. A range of highly advanced
European bending machines were installed
in October 2013 at our brand new production
facility in Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Hamra Freezone.”
Kersten Group currently has 170 employees
across its production locations in The
Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the UAE.
“All of them (production plants) are equipped
to undertake different functions, and have
relevant specialised equipment for different
types of bending,” Minten proudly explains.
“In The Netherlands and Poland, we
can undertake plate, profile and aluminum
bending in addition to some added value
services like complex robotic 3D cutting,
qualified welding and surface treatments.
“The Germany operations are fully focused
on aluminum bending, with additional services
such as complex cutting, heat- and surface
treatment and machining of aluminum extrusion
parts offered,” Minten adds, before revealing
Kersten’s capacities from its UAE branch.
“Our machines in Ras Al Khaimah are cold
bending machines, which enable the bending
of small to large profiles such as tubes 60.3mm
to 508.0mm, square or rectangular sections up
to 500mm and beams 100mm to 1,000mm.”
Relatively new as it might be in the UAE
market, Minten insists Kersten Middle East
is in a good position to accept and adapt
to projects in the region, stating Kirsten’s
involvement in some of the GCC’s largest
developments as a measure of its potential.
“Kersten Europe has undertaken operations in
UAE before,” he stresses. “Since 2006, we have had
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a sales office in Jebel Ali Freezone. In the past, we
have delivered bent pieces for landmarks in the
GCC region, such as large profiles for the front
façades of Burj Al Arab, 273 mm bent tubes for the
Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi, and over 3,500
pieces of 273 x 2/5/10mm stainless steel tubes for
the building maintenance unit of the Burj Khalifa.
“These tubes were delivered as complete
ready to build in parts, cut to size, (with) a
weld in connectors and brackets for mounting
on the building. Even the complete polish
finishing of the tubes was part of the scope,”
continues Minten. Kersten has previously
worked on projects in the Middle East through its
production lines in The Netherlands, he adds.
He is, therefore understandably, watching all
sectors in the industry with keen interest.
“UAE’s construction is very adventurous
with its architecture and design. The Aldar
Headquarters Building in Abu Dhabi, popularly
known as the Coin Building, is an example
of how the country’s architecture is different
from what is typically found in Europe or
elsewhere. It is an exciting place for us to be in.”
Minten further elaborates on his plan for
Kersten Middle East: “We’re also looking for
projects in industrial sectors such as oil & gas,
storage tanks, pressure vessels, infrastructure
and landscaping jobs. We’re quoting for
several projects, and our portfolio will be a
combination of projects – we’re looking at
the complete market – not any one sector.
“The idea is – if someone needs a bent
piece of steel, stainless steel or aluminum,
they come to Kersten Middle East.”
Clearly, Minten is prepared to face the
challenging – yet rewarding – GCC markets
all guns blazing. His confidence to succeed
in the market arises largely from the quality
backing Kersten’s services have from the
company’s experiences in Europe.
“Our strategy (for the Middle East) is to
produce high quality products,” says Minten.
“Of course, the price levels are different
than what are found in Europe. Labour is
cheaper here, but the machines needed
for steel bending are still very advanced,
as are the tools and equipment required
for the activity. Bending knowhow and
experience is of great value in this region.
“The value of the materials we are given
to work with is usually much higher than
our services, so it is our responsibility to
ensure we keep up productivity and the
quality of our services,” Minten states.
He also stresses on the importance of
specialised bending units and operations in
the larger picture of structural construction.
“Bending is a substantial part of the total
scope and an important one too, especially when
you look at the architectural requirements and
the visibility of the bent parts in construction.
“Architects want to see smooth, nice
curved shapes, without any deformations,
damages or deflections,” Minten explains.
If Minten is to be believed, though, the journey
into the region was a long overdue one – Kersten
Europe’s earliest plans to enter the GCC emerged
shortly after completing projects in Kuwait, Qatar
and Saudi Arabia. However, these plans were
put on hold following the GCC market collapse.
FUTURE PLANNINGMike Minten says he
aims to target projects in the industrial, infra-
structure and construc-tion sectors.
“THE IDEA IS – IF SOMEONE NEEDS A BENT PIECE OF STEEL, STAINLESS STEEL OR ALUMINUM, THEY COME TO KERSTEN MIDDLE EAST”
Critical to Kersten’s aims in the region is the
company’s idea of service differentiation in the
market, and Minten is intent on ensuring the
group’s skillset is viewed and appropriated in
the industry as the highly precise function it is.
“Companies here in the Middle East mostly
handle fabrication, and few of them (even) have
bending machines within their facilities. But
the specialised technical knowhow, experience,
tools and equipment we’ve gathered in 53 years
is what we can offer to the market,” he states.
Buoyed by the construction activity of
late, Minten knows there will be plenty of
opportunities for Kersten to optimise its
resources and gather accolades in the market.
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services, and Minten realises the challenge
he is taking on as he works to make Kersten
an integral part of this competitive market.
“Besides a slight initial hesitation
as is with all new entities, I’m very
happy with the jobs and samples we’ve
churned out here so far,” he explains.
“Kersten’s facility in UAE includes
trainers who started it up nearly 15 years
ago from Europe – they’re now here
with their experience and training skills,
ensuring high quality is sustained here.
“There are the usual hurdles of doing
business, such as the high time consumption
legal processes and paperwork often take,
but that is something we have learnt to
accommodate and work our way around,” he
concludes, bullishly confident of the future.
equipment and staff from Europe. We began our
regional operations and were up-and-running
in the Middle East by late last year, and are now
looking to work with our existing clients while
finding new ones in the market,” Minten explains.
Nevertheless, Kersten’s establishment in the
Middle East has come at a fortuitous time, Minten
believes, with the Expo 2020 win granting the
company more opportunities in the market.
“We’ve obviously come at a good time
since the Expo win has boosted activity in
the country. However, we always had the
intention to move here, and the win is only
an added benefit for us,” Minten states.
Kersten Middle East is possibly the youngest
player in the UAE’s steel industry at the moment.
Typical steel players in the country – local and
international – provide an array of steel-driven
“We tried to enter the market in 2007,
but decided to wait after the crisis of 2008-
2009 hit the region,” reveals Minten.
“We were hoping the market would
develop and economy would grow;
unsurprisingly, it did recover.
“In 2011, we started negotiations with
one of our clients, Kelly Steel Engineering, a
fabrication company operating in the GCC
that focuses on complex constructions. With
them, we worked on ‘The Magic Carpet’ project
for the Bayt Abdullah Hospital in Kuwait,”
Minten continues, explaining how Kersten’s
inroads into the GCC were finally created.
“The project was the go-ahead for starting up
a joint venture between both companies.
“Currently, both companies hold 50% shares
in the company – Kersten provides knowhow,
“COMPANIES HERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST MOSTLY HANDLE FABRICATION, AND FEW OF THEM (EVEN) HAVE BENDING MACHINES WITHIN THEIR FACILITIES. BUT THE SPECIALISED TECHNICAL KNOWHOW, EXPERIENCE, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT WE’VE GATHERED IN 53 YEARS IS WHAT WE CAN OFFER TO THE MARKET”
OVERCOMING HURDLESWhile Kersten Middle East faces any hurdles
faced by a new business, Minten says he’s opti-
mistic about its success.
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As the market for technology integration expands in the UAE, Big Project ME examines the scope for BIM in the steel industry
BIM STEPS UP
When the Dubai Municipality
announcement mandating BIM on all
special projects was made in November
2013, the question that followed it was
an expected one – could the software one day
be made compulsory for projects in the private
sector, and encourage small and medium-
sized construction firms to adopt it too?
Taking deliberate and methodical steps
from hereon in would be understandable as, for
a considerable part of the UAE’s construction
industry, BIM remains a purchase of luxury
– optional and costly. While acclaimed for
facilitating and easing in multi-disciplinary
activities during the project process, BIM has
yet to fully penetrate the more intricate sectors
of the industry, most notably non-users who
claim the software’s high price and considerable
know-how requirements could be more trouble
than its worth.
Stakeholders and beneficiaries of Building
Information Model – BIM, as it has come
to be identified as over the years – include
development owners, project managers, multi-
disciplinary engineers, architects, contractors,
sustainability consultants and the like.
The most notable of the lot, however, are
those in the supply chain; fabricators, in their
crucial role as material manufacturers and
providers, are greatly impacted by the detailed
insights BIM allows for – more so than the
contemporary market would have one believe.
The conceptual origins of BIM are debated,
making it fairly uncertain as to what its original
intended application was. Some sections
“BIM CAN NOT ONLY MAKE FOR BETTER-PERFORMING ASSETS, BUT ALSO BETTER-PERFORMING PROJECTS. THERE IS MORE THAN JUST ‘BUILDING’ TO BIM”
of the industry also claim a widespread
misunderstanding of the complete benefits
offered by the software. According to the website
of National BIM Standard – United States,
a project committee of the buildingSMART
alliance, ‘early definitions which assert that BIM
is simply a 3D model of a facility are far from the
truth and do not adequately communicate the
potential of digital, object-based, interoperable
building information modelling processes and
tools and modern communications methods’.
Clearly, then, there must be aspects to
the program that the industry has failed
to capture. Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley
Systems, discussed this in detail during an
exclusive interview with Big Project ME.
“The traditional aim of BIM has been to
reduce project risk and accelerate project
benefit for owners,” explains Bentley.
Claiming a redefinition of the very
terminology, he continues: “BIM can not
only make for better-performing assets,
but also better-performing projects. There
is more than just ‘building’ to BIM.”
“Additionally, the information moving
through the project lifecycle can be advanced
from what it was during the software’s
initial conception – traditional information
modelling can evolve to provide more than
just 3D designs and visualisations.
“The Middle East has the potential for a
higher level of information modelling, which
can provide a greater depth of intelligence
and stimulation in terms of asset behaviour,
asset performance and so on,” Bentley adds.
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Bentley’s remarks highlight how the software
has the ability to transcend its known parameters
and extend its scope to the construction
industry in unprecedented ways. Thus, the
first step to enhancing BIM lies in gaining a
rounded understanding of its potential.
Paul Wallett, area business director for Tekla
Middle East firmly believes this is yet to happen.
“BIM is a generic software,” says Wallett.
“There is a market misconception about
BIM, in that most companies view it from
an eagle’s eye point of view, almost.”
“Holistically, BIM includes several advanced
elements and programmes for various
construction parties, such as designers, architects,
MEP and so on. The large domain that it is can
be broken down into numerous specialised
applications that provide in-depth, non-generic
solutions for each party in the project,” he adds.
To further probe the scope for BIM – in its
current capacities and potentially advanced
versions – in the steel industry, Big Project ME reached out to Djordje Grujic, design
manager for City Diamond Contracting,
and a self-confessed BIM enthusiast. With
over 15 years of experience in BIM handling,
Grujic has an insider’s perspective on how
BIM can enhance steel fabrication.
AUTODESK TO LAUNCH SPECIALISED STEEL SOFTWARE IN 2015In October 2013 Autodesk announced that it had acquired technologies from Graitec, a structural engineering design solutions group from France.
Recently, Autodesk announced the launch of the first product developed through this acquisition, called ‘Autodesk Advance Steel 2015’. The software is expected to benefit structural steel detailers, fabricators, engineers and contractors with 3D modeling tools that support BIM processes.
“The introduction of Advance Steel 2015,” revealed Joy Stark, Senior Industry Marketing Manager, Autodesk, “which will be available for purchase soon, is an example of Autodesk’s commitment to support the AEC industry with technology that provides end-to-end BIM workflows for building projects.”
Advance Steel, it is understood, will automatically generate shop and general arrangement drawings, create bills of materials and produce CNC files directly from designs, leading to quicker fabrication activities. Interoperability between other products from Autodesk, such as Autodesk Revit and Autodesk Navisworks, besides other BIM software products, is expected to further the software’s effectiveness during design and construction stages.
Other features of Advance Steel include model view enhancements, flexible main settings’ management and improved documentation processes.
EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATIONBIM ensures that draw-ings are implemented ac-cording to the structural steel design.
BIM FOR STEEL ARCHITECTS
“There has always been a small communication gap between architects and engineers which is now getting smaller thanks to BIM,” says Nabil Sherif, founder of Dubai-based NGS Architects.
“BIM ensures drawings are implemented efficiently after giving the engineers a detailed explanation about the structural steel’s design. This ultimately allows the architect to communicate his design idea across to the engineer in all ways possible. Architecture has evolved from the past in to more dense shape grammars, and these are best designed through a system that can produce different outcomes to be compared in a very small time frame – BIM caters to this need.”
“BIM’s most obvious advantage is during the
design stage,” he says. “If the steel components
are being designed and fabricated by two
separate companies, the drawings can be sent
over to fabricators for clarity in their operations.
“The steel layer in the model can be coupled
with various other corresponding layers,
such as architectural, MEP and so on – this
coordination facilitates a concise review of
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BIM FOR SUSTAINABILITYUnarguably, there are two aspects to sustainability in the modern construction industry – while processes have to be environment-friendly, they must also allow for greater economic sustenance.
In that regard, BIM is becoming widely popular for the recyclability calculations it facilitates through third-party programmes, which are increasingly relevant for the steel industry. “BIM allows the integration of third-party programmes, which often specialise in material analyses, energy modeling, LEED calculations and so on,” says William Bsaibes, green initiative manager at Amana Buildings (UAE). Furthermore, Djordje Grujic, design manager at City Diamond Contracting and a long-term BIM user points out the high recyclability of steel, making it essential that BIM be applied to fully optimise the material. “Steel is one of the most recyclable construction materials today, and BIM allows for not only accurate recyclable values of the material, but also provides accurate estimates of material requirements in the project to ensure minimal wastage.”
the structure, the exact materials needed,
error detection and correcting them before
fabrication or construction have even begun.
“Companies who undertake both, design
and fabrication, can link the designing software
directly to the fabricating machines, which
ensures a higher automated integration
in the entire process,” Grujic explains.
Automation, Wallett claims, provides
more than just high speed. “When we talk of
‘automation’, it is not an easier or faster way
to generate a 2D fabrication drawings, but the
ability to handle revisions changes, automate
the administrative tasks such as materials
and parts listing, integrate to the shop floor
machinery and manage the production lifecycle
through to execution on site,” he says.
Given its diverse advantages, one is
compelled to wonder why BIM has not
been accepted in a region as ambitious
with its construction as the UAE.
This is even more surprising given
the release a Dubai Municipality
mandate on the use of BIM across special
construction projects in the emirate.
Despite prominent government backing
for the technology, does the steel sector
not want to experiment with BIM? Or is it
convinced that there are little to no benefits
BIM can add to their operations?
Both sides of the debate are equally potent
– steel fabrication, although an extremely
detailed part of the larger steel industry and
even broader construction market, involves a
multitude of activities that are often exclusive to
the companies undertaking them. One instance
of this setup is Kersten Middle East, the local
subsidiary of a European firm that exclusively
handles steel bending. Could the elaborate steel
fabricating setup, therefore, possibly be justified
in its argument for the lack of a real need for BIM?
“When overseeing the design and
build operations for an architectural firm
earlier in this city,” Djordje recollects.
“I had exchanged our architectural BIM
drawings with the steel fabricators we were
working with at the time. This went a long
way in removing any glitches that could have
affected collaboration at a later stage.
“However, I agree that smaller companies
don’t necessarily require BIM if they are
subcontracting their operations. It would
be illogical for a bar-bender to invest in the
software and user-training, especially in a fluid
employee market where the BIM operator
could leave for a better job,” Djordje agrees.
Another aspect in the debate against BIM’s
utility is that limited budgets frequently take
the blame for a lack of substantial investment
in BIM. PS Manoj, managing director of ISCON,
a local steel engineering and fabricator, is
of many who believe that larger budgets are
OUTSOURCED BIMThe widespread presence of small-sized steel dealers has led to an increasingly popular trend in the local BIM market – specialised BIM experts have begun to setup independent design agencies, wherein they undertake solely BIM processes and activities.
“Many companies – specialised detailers – have sprung up in the region of late,” says Amr Atef, general sales manager for Kirby Building Systems – UAE. “It ensures that companies on a restricted budget do not have to incur the costs of finding an operator, buying software licenses and so on – the detailers can mostly be trusted to do a good job.”
“THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SMALL COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS WHICH IS NOW GETTING SMALLER THANKS TO BIM”
AUTOMATED INTEGRATIONCompanies can link both the design and fabrica-tion processes.
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required to accommodate for BIM purchases.
“Small companies cannot afford to buy the
required technology and hire relevant experts
to operate it,” he says. “For instance, one of our
international clients has an extensive research
and design department which creates all their
designs and collaborates with us based on those.
“Our company has an annual turnover
of $8.1 million - $10.8 million, but the cost
of the software could be as high as $13.9
million,” Manoj unhesitatingly calculates.
“Unless an independent body for the steel
industry – akin to the Emirates Green Building
Council for sustainability – is set up, or we have
some windfall gains, I don’t see us investing in
these technologies. I can’t predict BIM will get
any cheaper, but I certainly hope it does,” he adds.
Cost concerns are conceivably the leading
reason for the limited reach BIM has established
in the local steel market, and as the man behind
Tekla’s regional operations, Wallett is well-versed
with this situation. He further expands on the
need for BIM in the steel industry. “We have
consistently encountered questions regarding
the need for technology in steel,” he says.
“The initial cost of using the technology
may be termed as slightly high – however,
it is a long-term cost that can be written off
through the value it adds to the projects.”
BIM, adds Wallett, can offer more advantages
to the multiple disciplines that actively handle
steel, provided companies pick the right
software – or a combination of programme
elements – after due consideration is given to
their needs and what they want to achieve.
“The software being used differs based on
the kind and size of operations undertaken
by the company – if the company only works
according to simple repetitive designs and
construction methods, then the need for
a specialised tool is reduced as compared
to when handling diverse operations that
require system integration and automation
of an increased capacity,” he elucidates.
“Most companies view the ‘value’ of their
cost in a large machine that they can place
in their plant – essentially, the tangibility of a
product is what they are looking at. They need
to be reminded and educated that the real value
of a product or expense extends beyond the
tangibility of a product they spend on,” he adds.
The need – and applicability – for BIM in
the steel sector is a vastly multifaceted aspect
the local market continues to grapple with. The
seemingly-inexhaustible debate on whether
or not steel dealers need BIM can, indeed, be
resolved following a systematic strategy by both
BIM manufacturers and potential BIM users.
While manufacturers cannot ignore the
limitations of the highly specialised steel industry,
the time has come to agree to think innovatively.
“It is basic human instinct to resist
change,” says Gruijic. “But BIM is less
scary to use than people think.”
BIM FOR STANDARDISATION Following the release of a document in November 2013 by the Dubai Municipality, BIM tools have become mandatory for application on architectural and MEP operations in government projects and special structures.
“This mandate will force contractors to utilise BIM tools, who so far have not been using such packages,” says Nadia Wallett, business development manager at AceCad Software Middle East.
“Furthermore, there is a current drive in the region to review and move away from contracts that are based on FIDIC. Governments are currently working with independent organisations in the UAE and Qatar, in particular, to find ways of encouraging collaborative associations in construction projects,” she adds.
Nadia’s perspective makes a case for BIM expansion into the critical sub-contractors sector in the UAE, which, industry sources claim, is yet to fully embrace 3D BIM. At a time when the global industry is toying with a potential 6D BIM model, the traditional, 2D-compliant sub-contractor market – laggards, as a marketing expert might tag them – could jeopardise construction projects in the event of unambiguous drawing models, unclear liability-sharing and other such similar hurdles.
COST CONCERNS
Smaller compa-nies are wary of
investing in BIM due to the high
initial costs.
BIM FOR MEGAPROJECTSCEO of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCECME), Yu Tao explains how BIM technology aided operations on the Midfield Terminal project.
“In the UAE, every part of the construction process – such as design, approvals, tendering and so on – requires detailed planning and no part of the construction process can afford to slip. This is especially important in steel construction as the design and construction of steel structures are very complicated activities.
In our ongoing structural steel roof project for the new Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal Building (MTB) which involves 9000 metric tonnes of structural steel, a roof span of 180m, height of 50m and a profile of arches in three dimensions (3D), Tekla and Bentley were used to produce more than 10,000 drawings, without which it would be impossible to get timely approvals of the relevant authorities.
Additionally, BIM was used in the creation of a prototype that allowed us to check for accuracy and consistency pre-installation.”
14-18_BIM and Steel.indd 18 4/2/14 5:04 PM
For more information about how we can add value to your project, please contact: Gerry McFadden (Middle East BIM Lead) [email protected]
http://www.wspgroup.com/en/wsp-group-bim/BIM-home-wsp/
a brIef MethodologyGetting to grips with BIM has been a big job. We have reviewed all available data, and our methodology has combined both qualitative and quantitative research.
Our extensive qualitative research involved reading BIM-related news, blogs, lectures, reports and forums, and conducting detailed interviews with WSP’s own experts.
We undertook a meta-analysis of academic and technical journal articles, from which we extracted the major themes and drew a conceptual map of the discussion landscape, which covered both qualitative and quantitative terrain. Then we gathered 600,000 media articles relevant to the architecture, engineering and construction industries, and analysed them to reveal the issues that receive the greatest media coverage. The word clouds that appear throughout this report were derived from this material. The estimates in the report of the size of the construction industries of different countries were compiled from a variety of sources and are for illustrative purposes only.
WSP 10 truths about BIM
truth
taKIng desIgn to the next levelstar desIgners use the tools
TAKING DESIGN TO THE NEXT LEVELSTAR DESIGNERS USE THE TOOLS
truth
the colour of bIM Is greenbIM WIll use less, Waste less and pollute less
truth
5WaItIng for the tIppIng poIntgovernMents Must actIvely partIcIpate
truth
7a tale of tWo handshaKessoftWare and professIonals Must WorK together
truth9the dIgItal landscape taKes shapethe softWare platforM Is at a crossroads
truth
don’t forget the ‘I’bIM Is More than pretty pIctures
truth4brIngIng In a trojan horsebIM WIll destabIlIse the constructIon Industry
truth6no More lone runnerscoMpanIes Must WorK as one
truth8the oWnershIp spaghettIWe WIll need neW contracts
truth
the dna of future constructIonbIM WIll becoMe the platforM for the Whole Industry
DON’T FORGET THE ‘I’
BRINGING IN A TROJAN HORSE
NO MORE LONE RUNNERS
THE OWNERSHIP SPAGHETTI
THE DNA OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION
THE COLOUR OF BIM IS GREEN BIM WILL USE LESS, WASTE LESS AND POLLUTE LESS
GOVERNMENTS MUST ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE
SOFTWARE AND PROFESSIONALS MUST WORK TOGETHER
THE SOFTWARE PLATFORM IS AT A CROSSROADS
BIM IS MORE THAN PRETTY PICTURES
BIM WILL DESTABILISE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
COMPANIES MUST WORK AS ONE
WE WILL NEED NEW CONTRACTS
WAITING FOR THE TIPPING POINT
A TALE OF TWO HANDSHAKES
THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE TAKES SHAPE
For more information about how we can add value to your project, please contact: Gerry McFadden (Middle East BIM Lead) [email protected]
BIM WILL BECOME THE PLATFORM FOR THE WHOLE INDUSTRY
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20 STEEL SUPPLEMENT 2014MID
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ADVERTORIAL CONARES BIGPROJECTME.COM
the environmental performance of steel products
to designers, specifiers and clients. The envi-
ronmental criteria were developed by a group
of industry experts, and cover the entire supply
chain from the production of the steel through its
processing to the delivery of the finished product
to the construction site.
“The implications of this changing approach
to decision-making in construction procure-
ment are that the supply chain must be able to
clearly demonstrate it is managing these issues to
improve sustainability performance. The CARES
SCS scheme is formally set up to do this through its
scope, objectives, principles and the way it oper-
ates.” Mr. Bhatia adds.
“Focusing on sustainable infrastructure devel-
opment, we introduced Continuously Galvanized
Reinforcement, a first-of-its-kind sustainable
approach in the Middle East region towards the
infrastructure development,” Bhatia concluded. n
Buildings and infrastructure are responsible
for almost half of the carbon emissions in
the Middle East region. The efforts towards
developing buildings that are zero carbon in
operation are a huge challenge to the construction
industry at present. It’s highly important for the
construction steel sector, which plays a key role in
the infra-development, to adopt sufficient steps to
overcome this challenge.
Conares is the leading provider of downstream
steel products in the Gulf market and beyond,
adopts measures to focus on reducing the impact
on the environment, with its energy-efficient and
environment-friendly steel mills.
The Rebar Mill Division of Conares has recently
received Sustainable Constructional Steel Certifi-
cation by the UK Certification Authority for Rein-
forcing Steels (CARES) for operating in accordance
with the CARES product certification scheme, and
operating a documented environmental manage-
ment system that satisfies the requirements of ISO
14001. The Sustainable Reinforcing Steel Certifica-
tion scheme provides Conares an independent
certification of the environmental performance of
steel products.
Now constructional steel products made by
Conares are fully traceable, from production to
delivery. This will also allow Conares rebar to be
easily compliant to ESTIDAMA, BREEM, LEED
requirements.
Conares, operational in two major segments of
the steel industry, is the only private sector steel
manufacturer in the UAE.
“We are happy to receive the Sustainable Rein-
forcing Steel Certification by UK CARES. This is a
testimony on our commitment to adapt sustain-
able standards in manufacturing downstream
steel products that facilitate the region’s infra-
development sector, eventually contributing to the
economy and supporting the measures to reduce
eco-footprint.”
“Using products from CARES SCS approved
Conares focuses on sustainable measures in steel manufacturingBharat Bhatia, CEO of Conares, a major steel manufacturer based in the UAE, says that steel manufacturers can contribute towards promoting sustainability in the GCC region
BHARAT BHATIA
firms enables the industry to demonstrate the
responsible sourcing of construction products
and its commitment to sustainable development.
Reinforcing steel products produced by CARES-
approved firms are fully traceable and uniquely
identifiable, allowing a chain of custody through-
out the whole supply chain, from mill to site.
"This unbroken chain provides an assurance
that sustainability is being pursued in their sup-
ply chain, so allowing the end-user to know the
source and manufacturing processes used as well
as the post-industrial use, recovery and recycling
processes," Bhatia says.
When manufacturing constructional steels,
Conares uniquely marks the product. Providing
full product traceability saves money – it makes the
site manager’s job of checking provenance much
easier and it allows the use of the product without
the need for further testing. This will create advan-
tage for our sales team to market our products.
The dynamic framework of CARES’ SCS is
aimed at improving the energy and environmental
performance of products and providing a robust
and transparent mechanism for communicating
Dubai-based Conares is a premier provider
of steel products, with a total manufacturing
capacity of more than 700,000MT annually.
SUSTAINABLE ASSURANCEConares provides its
customers with the assurance that sustainability is being
pursued in their supply chain.
20_Conares Comment.indd 20 4/3/14 12:05 PM
Learn more: Call +971 50 451 79 43 (UAE) or +966 535 29 37 66 (KSA) or visit us at info.meridiansystems.com/owner-solutions-ME
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Untitled-8 1 4/3/14 3:36 PM
22 STEEL SUPPLEMENT 2014MID
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CORROSION PROTECTION BIGPROJECTME.COM
Big Project ME looks at how steel corrosion can beprevented to make for higher structural lifecycles
COMBATTINGCORROSION
22-24_Corrosion.indd 22 4/2/14 3:30 PM
23STEEL SUPPLEMENT 2014 MID
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CORROSION PROTECTION
Ask any steel structure specialist to list
his pet hates and the chances are that
corrosion will be high on his list. When
working with steel elements which
way several tonnes, or will be bearing loads
of several tonnes, the last thing you want
is it to be weakened, however marginally.
Given that corrosion is a natural process
caused by the reaction of metals to their
environment, this can be extremely tricky to
combat, especially in humid, highly saline
environments, such as found in the GCC.
In that regard, it is commendable to note
that Dubai and the UAE, while justifiably famed
for their architectural masterpieces, have
also admirably avoided – if not completely
eliminated – the corrosive consequences of their
geographic proximity to the Arabian Gulf and the
prevasiveness of saline groundwater over here.
Traditionally, coatings have been the rescuer
of global construction professionals dealing with
steel structures. Various factors determine the
appropriate type and relative effectiveness of the
coating employed – a smooth and clean base
surface is critical to ensure subsequent coating
layers do not penetrate through cracks, making
room for corrosion to occur. Creatively shaped
structures, such as welded bars or elaborate
designs, demand further attention to detail while
the surface is being prepared and during the
application of the coating.
Generally, paint coatings are applied in
multiple layers – each gradient carrying its own
corrosion-resistant or other utility properties
– to create a stacked barrier against aggressive
environments. Primer coats are the first layer to
be applied on the steel surface – these can also be
used in case metallic coating systems have been
used to cure the steel, such as through hot-dip
galvanising or thermal spraying. Intermediate
coatings are applied next, and the key factor
considered here is their thickness on the steel
surface – a thicker layer of intermediate coatings
is preferred for their decreased permeability and
porousness to external elements, such as water
and oxygen. Finishing coats are then applied
“FOR SOME COMPANIES, PAINTS ARE THE PREFERRED CHOICE OF COATING BECAUSE THEY ALLOW FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE BRAND IMAGE ONTO THEIR PRODUCTS”
for appearance purposes, and they are usually
prepared as the immediate guard for the structure
against climatic conditions, such as exposure to
sunlight, moisture and so on.
The quality and composition of the coatings,
however, is pivotal to ensuring corrosion is
warded off for the longest possible duration. Both,
metallic and paint coatings have sustained their
markets over time, each preferred over the other
for a specific purpose it fulfils – while metallic
coatings are frequently chosen for their adhesive
corrosion-resistant feature, paint coatings have
evolved to create a market for their aesthetic
value, provided through their pigments.
“For some companies,” explains Jan Weernink,
marketing director for Dow Coating Materials in
an interview with Big Project ME. “Paints are the preferred choice of coating
because they allow for an extension of the brand
image onto their products.
“All John Deere tractors, for instance, are
painted yellow and green. That has become their
global brand recall value, and as paints now
feature additional utilities – such as corrosion-
resistance – their application on steel structures
and products has risen,” he adds.
Epoxies are the typically predominant
ingredient in paint coatings for their ability to
provide a tough coating that dries quickly on
the surface. “In the past, solvent paints were
the preferred choice for the industry,” explains
Weernink, “but the drive towards sustainability
has led us toward seeking other environment-
friendly and less impactful technologies.
“For instance, the carbon emission from
acrylic technology is far lower than that from
epoxies. Eventually, creating coating solutions
depends on the region’s needs and priorities, and
tailoring products accordingly,” he adds.
Additionally, polyaspartic products are finding
their way into the highly advanced coatings
market due to the climate protection they offer
through reduced solvent emissions.
Dinesh Patel, regional technical manager
for coatings, adhesives and specialties at Bayer
Middle East explains how his company has
22-24_Corrosion.indd 23 4/2/14 3:30 PM
24 STEEL SUPPLEMENT 2014MID
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CORROSION PROTECTION BIGPROJECTME.COM
employed polyaspartics to further their protective
coatings line.
“Compared with conventional systems,” says
Patel, “formulations based on polyaspartic raw
materials contain roughly 40% fewer VOC. The
coatings can be applied to a thickness of as much
as 400 micrometers in a single step. This enables
one layer of the previous three-layer coating
structure to be eliminated, reducing application
costs and boosting efficiency.”
The advantages of polyaspartics, claims
Dinesh, extend beyond mere monetary gains,
and also result in additional critical savings,
such as those of time. “Furthermore, the
complete process – from application of the
primer until the topcoat is dry – takes just six
to eight hours at room temperature. This is a
clear productivity advantage over the use of
conventional coatings, for which the entire
process (including drying) takes 24 to 36 hours.
“This enables the coated parts to be used
without restriction much sooner. Reduced
downtimes increase the cost effectiveness,” Patel
explains further.
As an increasingly critical ingredient of most
contemporary structures, it has become essential
to reduce – if not completely avoid – the wastage
of steel during and after construction.
Corrosion, in its very nature, challenges
the lifecycle of steel, leading the industry to
seek out alternatives that can eliminate its
hazards. One such popularly-accepted option
by the construction industry, has, of late, been
stainless steel.
Shiv Mittal, president of business development
and marketing at Mittal Corp Limited, tells Big Project ME that there are advantages in using
stainless steel for construction.
“Stainless steel is recommended for
highly saline environments,” explains Kumar.
“Additionally, areas where the metal might be in
contact with acidic elements should also utilise
stainless steel.”
COST ISSUESCoating solutions are usually the most cost effective when protect-ing steel elements.
“COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS, FORMULATIONS BASED ON POLYASPARTIC RAW MATERIALS CONTAIN ROUGHLY 40% FEWER VOC”
Given his expertise from working with one
of India’s largest steel manufacturers, Kumar’s
suggestions regarding the employment of
stainless steel in structures is extremely holistic
and intelligently mapped out. Claiming stainless
steel can sustain a lifecycle almost five times
higher than that of carbon steel, Kumar makes the
case for using stainless steel in the construction
of bridges: “In stacked structures, such as decks
for parking lots or bridges, stainless steel may
be used on the outer surfaces of the deck, so as
to prevent the corrosive effects of the external
environment, whilst the rebars used in the decks
may be made from carbon steel.
“Since stainless steel does not corrode easily,
it saves the cost of repairs that usually accompany
carbon steel that has been coated – there are
costs of recoating a structure monetarily, but,
say for instance a bridge made out of carbon
steel needed repairs,” continues Kumar. “In that
scenario, the bridge would have to be shut down
for a period of at least one month, if not more.
“Meanwhile, additional costs – besides those
of structural repairs – would also need to be
incurred, such as the cost of traffic divergence,
alternate route-creation and so on. All of these
indirect costs affect the budget, and can be
averted if stainless steel is viewed as a one-time
investment in the construction of a structure,”
he adds.
However, it might be a while before the
industry embraces the idea of stainless steel.
Weernink, when probed, said the use of coatings
would continue, given the sustainability of costs
and utilities they offer.
“Stainless steel is a fantastic substrate, but it
won’t stand up to saline impacts unless you buy
extremely high-grade variants. It corrodes too,
but the difference is that corrosion on stainless
steel stops after a given point, but carbon steel
continues to be eaten away.”
“I understand the argument in favour, but
for me it’s a cost issue,” Weernink continues. “A
bridge made out of stainless steel will, no doubt,
look nice and shiny, but if the costs are too high,
you have to come back and look for appropriate
coatings solutions.”
22-24_Corrosion.indd 24 4/2/14 3:30 PM
NOVEMBER 18, 2014JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, DUBAIwww.bigprojectme.com/awards/2014
NOMINATION ENQUIRIESSTEPHEN WHITEGROUP EDITOR+971 4 375 [email protected]
CONSTRUCTION ANDSUSTAINABILITY AWARDSOF EXCELLENCE
THE INDUSTRY EVENT
THAT HAS THE WHOLE REGION
TALKINGRECOGNISING INDUSTRY
EXCELLENCE
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIESMICHAEL STANSFIELDCOMMERCIAL DIRECTOR+971 4 375 [email protected]
AWARDS 2014
GOLD SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR
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BPME AWARDS 2014_ADVERT.indd 1 4/3/14 4:44 PM
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Untitled-1 1 4/3/14 8:41 AM