the big project middle east

www.thebigprojectme.com | 1

New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

ARCHITECTURE n ENGINEERING n CONSTRUCTION n PMVPUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

JANUARy 2011 PLUSSTEEl TRENdS REVEAlEd

UNIQUE MOSQUE dESIGNINdUSTRy CAlENdAR 2011

QATAR 2022 PROJECT KICK-OFF

Top 25 steps to cost-effective sustainable design and construction

HOW TOBUILD GREENON A BUDGET


JANUARY

Contents

32

39

22

REGULARS

Editor’s letter 4

News bulletin 7

Event insider 12Plan the year ahead with this

month’s handy guide to the must-go

industry events in MENA, in 2011

Milestones 15 A look at The Buildings by Daman as

the project is prepared for handover

News analysis 16Industry calls for commitment-

free concrete as new green

alternatives hit the market

Project update 37A look at the UAE’s first

dedicated high-voltage factory, due to

open this year by Ducab-HV

Supplier hotseat 43IBS Mapei says a lack of industry

standards is undermining confidence

Supplier spotlight 44

Tenders 57

Diary 61

Tea break 62

FEATURES

20 TalkTabanlioğlu Architects managing

partner comments on the need for

community-built designs

22 On siteWe take a tour around Dubai

Marina’s record-breaking Infinity

Tower, with its 90° twist

26 How to build green on a budgetConstruction experts from around

the world reveal their top 25 cost-

effective sustainable design and

construction tips

32 Market explorerAll eyes are on Qatar as the

country prepares for the 2022

World Cup, with 200 new projects

expected to be announced in the

first quarter of 2011

39 Iconic structuresBritish designer Kevin Dean

discusses one of his biggest design

projects, the Sheikh Zayed Grand

Mosque Sahan, in Abu Dhabi

47 Trends Five steel buffs comment on

industry trends, demand and

prospects for the New Year

20

| www.thebigprojectme.com4

EDITO

R’S COM

MEN

T

PublisherDominic De Sousa

Chief operations officerNadeem Hood

Associate publisherLiam [email protected]: +971 (0)4 440 9158

Chief marketing officerKimon [email protected]: +971 (0)4 440 9149

Group advertising managerAlex [email protected]: +971 (0)4 440 9154GSM: +971 (0)50 458 9204

EditorLouise [email protected]: +971 (0)4 440 9118GSM: +971 (0)56 605 8091

Assistant editorMelanie [email protected]: +971 (0)4 440 9117 GSM: +971 (0)56 758 7834

DesignerMarlou DelabenWalter Denis Fuentes

PhotographersHelen RileyAbdel Kader

WebmastersTroy MaagmaElizabeth ReyesJerus King BationErik Briones

Printed byPrintwell Printing Press LLC

Published by

Head OfficePO Box 13700Dubai, UAETel: +971 (0)4 440 9100Fax: +971 (0)4 429 3654Web: www.thebigprojectme.com

© Copyright 2010 CPI.All rights reserved.While the publishers have madeevery effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine,they will not be held responsiblefor any errors therein.

Who would have thought around 10cm of snow, that had been forecasted, could

effectively isolate whole countries?Many blamed the cancellations

and delays of some of Europe’s land and air transport networks, in the lead up to the festive season last month, on poor infrastructure, plan-ning and communication.

In Poland, there were reports of calls for the resignation of the infra-structure minister following extensive problems with the country’s railways. Meanwhile, Britain’s busiest airport and international hub, London Heathrow, was severely disrupted, with many flights to and from London’s Gatwick International Airport also cancelled. Airport operator BAA chief executive Colin Matthews was unable to comment on how many of Heathrow’s 60 snow and ice-clearing machines were in use and the number of staff at work, according to reports.

Perhaps the affected countries could learn from operations at Helsinki Airport, which had 188cm of snow last winter, but hasn’t been forced to close due to the weather since 2003, and even that was only for 30 minutes, according to a report on BBC News.

The key is good preparation, airport spokesperson Anika Kala told media, including good equipment, extra win-ter staff and a choice of three runways.

“We have sweepers, snow ploughs, vehicles that blow snow from the run-ways, and friction testers that check the surface is fit for use.

“The snow is removed to a special storage area within the airport perime-ter. When that fills up, it is taken to other facilities outside.

“Last winter 7000 truckloads were carted off the runways, apron and taxi-ing areas,” she said.

There is also a dedicated ‘snow desk’ that keeps in contact with the airlines, ground-handling team and air-traffic control, and plans how many staff and vehicles are needed.

There may be a big difference between Helsinki, with 600 landings and departures per day on three run-ways, compared to twice as many on two runways at Heathrow, but Kala said the principles for dealing with snow and ice are probably the same.

The fact that developed nations can get it wrong only stresses the impor-tance of implementing substantial infrastructure to cope with challenges big or small in countries on the verge of growth, like Qatar, for example. Read about Qatar’s planned transfor-mation ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup on page 32.

The topic is particularly relevant as The Big Project team prepares for the GCC Infrastructure Summit sched-uled to take place in March at Arabian Construction Week.

The show will feature a line-up of high-profile industry experts com-menting on challenges and opportuni-ties in the development of the region’s roads and railways, schools and power projects. We hope to see you there.

Until next time,

Important infrastructure

Louise BirchallEditor


Work on Al Sufouh Tram project progressesViaduct placed for elevated tracks on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai

The contractor has commenced building of the viaduct for the elevated tracks on the Al Sufouh Tram project along Dubai Marina, on Sheikh Zayed Road.

“We are completely focused on the Al Sufouh Tram project because it will serve hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the new Dubai areas,” a senior official at the Roads

Abu Dhabi has imposed a waste manage-ment fee that will be levied from estab-lishments operating in the emirate that generate any kind of waste, including construction companies.

The decision announced by the Abu Dhabi Centre of Waste Management is aimed at reducing waste generation and regularising waste disposal, according to a report in Arabic language daily newspa-per Al Bayan.

The fee charged will be based on the amount of waste generated by each estab-lishment annually.

Besides reducing waste generation, the fee system is expected to encourage waste

recycling and re-usage of materials other-wise disposed.

Experts at the centre predicted the pro-gramme, called Nadhafa, would reduce waste, including construction waste, which is estimated to reach 13,000 tons per day in 2011.

The centre also confirmed its plans to encourage waste recycling at plants they can set up. A plant to recycle construction debris was recently installed in coopera-tion with a leading company.

The centre now runs a facility to recycle used engine oil and is currently engaged in a study that has set up plants to recycle all scrap materials.

Abu Dhabi introduces construction waste fee

Man cutting a steel beam at a demolition site.

Large-scale sporting facilities are planned for Qatar.

The tram network will include 19 passenger stations.

Construction industry among those affected by new waste-management charges

Orascom Construction Industries gained the most in more than six months on speculation the company may be awarded contracts in Qatar after the country won the rights to host FIFA’s 2022 World Cup.

The shares of Egypt’s biggest publicly-traded builder gained 3.2%, the biggest increase since May 26, to 266.75 Egyptian pounds at 2:30pm close on December 5, in Cairo. That valued the Cairo-based company at 55.2 bil-lion pounds (US $9.5 billion), according to reports on news portal Bloomberg.

“It is poised for more gains tomorrow as investors expect the company to be awarded more contracts in Qatar,” said Ashraf Akhnoukh, senior equity sales trader at Cairo-based Commercial International Brokerage Co.

Besix Group, a 50%-owned subsidiary of Orascom Construction, is part of a joint venture that won a $750 million contract to build the third phase of the passenger terminal at the New Doha International Airport in Qatar.

NEWSBULLETIN

NEW

S | REGIO

NAL

Orascom Construction gains on Qatar’s 2022 World Cup

Shares of Egypt’s biggest publicly-traded construction firm gained 3.2%

Shares in Orascom shot up by 3.2% last month.

and Transport Authority (RTA) said. The first phase of the Al Sufouh Tram is expected to open in 2012 and the project is scheduled to be fully completed in 2014.

Construction started in late 2008, but pro-gress was somewhat slow in the beginning due to the economic downturn and the delay in completion of development projects, according to reports in Gulf News.

Once completed, the tram will pass through Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Madinat Jumeirah, Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Al Arab. The trams will have drivers since they will run on normal roads in the traffic.

The project extends 14km along Al Sufouh Road, with 9.5km to be constructed in the initial stage starting from the Dubai Marina to the Mall of the Emirates Station.


A brawl on a construction site led to a worker dying after his head smashed into an iron bar.

Dubai Court of First Instance heard how the Indian labourer died following the fight on the site in Bur Dubai, according to reports in Dubai daily newspaper 7Days, last month.

A 21-year-old Indian man went on trial charged with assault leading to death.

The court heard how a fight broke out in July and the defendant allegedly pushed the victim who then hit his head on the bar.

A policeman who attended the scene said: “We found the victim on the ground bleeding from his mouth. We asked two workers what had happened.

They said they didn’t know and claimed they found him that way.

“After investigation we then discovered that one of the men at the scene had fought with the victim and then pushed him.”

Medical reports showed that the victim died from internal bleeding.

Two other Indian men also appeared in court in connection with the case. One man was charged with failing to inform police of the incident and the other for giving false information.

The defendants all pleaded not guilty and the trial was adjourned until later in December, according to the newspaper report.

NEW

S | REGIO

NAL

Two men die after fall from 27 storeys“Mechanical error” blamed for fatal failure of side winch of construction cradle

Dubai labourer dies in fightTrial adjourned as defendants plead not guilty

Picture for illustrative purposes only.

BaNI YaS CONTraCT

$55.8mA US $55.8 MILLION CONTRACT hAS bEEN AwARDED TO AL JAbER GROUP fOR INfRASTRUCTURE wORkS ON ThREE PhASES Of ThE bAwAbAT AL ShARQ MASTER COMMUNITy

Two construction workers died last month after falling from the 27th floor of a building situated next to the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai.

The Indian men, aged 24 and 27, were installing glass at about 4.30pm on Tuesday November 30 when their cradle encountered a “mechanical error”, said an official from the project site who declined to be named.

Another anonymous source said the side winch of the cradle had failed, and a statement issued by Dubai Police said the men’s cradle had “lost balance”, accord-ing to reports in The National.

The men were wearing safety harnesses and hard hats when they fell, as illustrated in a photograph of the accident scene provided by police. It was not clear whether the harnesses failed or were not correctly attached to secondary cables. Police said they are investigating the incident.

Both workers died on impact, and their families had been informed, the project official said.

In a statement released yesterday, area developer Emaar said: “We regret to report the death of two employees of a private company. We extend our sin-cere condolences to their families.”

The site, known as Plots 12 and 13 of the Burj Dubai Development, is run by Samsung-Baytur JV. It features two glass-panelled towers that are 30-plus storeys high,

and taper at the top. It is centrally located in the Emaar Downtown area, on Emaar Boulevard opposite the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa.

Construction of the building started in 2007 and is set to finish this month, according to a sign posted at the building site.

According to Baytur, 866 workers have been employed in the construction of the mixed-use com-mercial tower. Most are from South Asia, continued The National report.

Until November 30, the site maintained a relatively clean safety record — some workers had sustained minor injuries, like cuts or small particles stuck in the eye, said a Samsung-Baytur JV employee involved in the project.

Industry job opportunities increase in Middle EastUAE remains top destination for construction companies, according to surveyThe demand for asset, property and facilities managers has increased since last year, driven by a “continued confidence” in the regional industry.

The observations were made by recruitment agency MacDonald and Co in an interview with The Big Project.

The company also said online job postings had increased since 2009, noting a higher-than-average demand for employees with finan-cial skills. Director Ben Waddilove said he expected the trends to con-tinue as companies in Dubai bene-fitted from opportunities in Qatar.

“The World Cup has certainly helped and a lot of people in Qatar said it could be good for Dubai too,” he said.

According to the Qatari Embassy, 200 new construction projects will be announced during the first quarter of 2011.

Waddilove also credits “other fundamentals” for ensuring the UAE remained a top destination for construction companies and their expatriate workforce.

These include oil prices, political stability and favourable business conditions, in addition to improved utility services.

“People still have confidence in the region and that is for tax pur-poses, quality of life and different pushes and pulls from different regions, such as the UK and Europe,” he concluded.

MacDonald and Co’s ben waddilove.

SIx DAySSpEEDy coNSTrucTIoN

The amount of time it took to build the 16-floor New Ark Hotel in the Hunan province of China, breaking a construction speed record

AD

Discipline “crucial” to success of GCC projectsInternational conference concludes region must invest in strong project management skills

Industry analysts have named project management as “critically important” to the delivery of the GCC’s 100 largest projects.

The comments were made at the launch of the 13th International Conference, organised by Project Management Institute-Arabian Gulf Chapter (PMI-AGC), which took place in Dubai last month.

“It is critically important to remember that the success of any project being undertaken

is greatly influenced by the professional expertise of the project management team.

“Decisions involving risks, prioritising and selecting investments are among important areas of concern of the team and these decisions are usually critical to the success of the project,” said group president Mohammed Hammad, at the launch.

“The PMI-AGC International Conference has been organised specifically to cater to the otherwise under-served needs of project management professionals in terms of networking, benchmarking and sharing of best practices,” Hammad added.

The conference will be held from January 24 to 26, 2011 at the Gulf Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

NEW

S | REGIO

NAL

UAE-based firms closed US $27 million in export deals for delivery in 2011 at the recent SaudiBuild 2010 exhibition.

The firms, based in construction, building and real estate were supported by the Dubai Export Development Corporation (EDC), an agency of the Dubai Department of Economic Development. The corporation organised “matchmaking” events with 25 Saudi Arabian buyers, which resulted in 30 business leads, according to reports in The Khaleej Times.

“EDC’s participation at the show supports UAE companies in expanding their presence and increasing export opportunities in regional markets such as Saudi Arabia, which is one of the top destinations for Dubai exports,” said EDC CEO Saed Al Awadi.

“Through this exhibition, we are strengthen-ing our trade relations with Saudi Arabia.”

According to EDC’s Dubai Export Monitor, direct exports and re-exports to Saudi Arabia in 2009 posted AED 2.1 billion and AED 3.3 bil-lion respectively.

uAE firms make uS $27m in export dealsSaudibuild 2010 exhibition created a number of business opportunities

Speakers at the launch of the 13th International Conference.


Qatar demands “experienced contractors”Experts say infrastructure contracts should only be awarded to well-established firmsInfrastructure projects planned ahead of the World Cup in Qatar should only be completed by “experienced contractors” that are already established in the country, according to Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s Qatar general man-ager Tony Saadie.

“It is essential that only experienced contrac-tors already established in Qatar are appointed to construct the critical World Cup infrastruc-ture, as well as the supporting infrastructure,” Saadie told The Big Project.

“It will also be of critical importance that plant, material and staff resources are able to

enter Qatar easily to enable on-time construc-tion of the numerous projects that are required by 2022.”

Representatives from the country’s General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) discussed plans to launch 200 construction

projects in the first quarter of 2011. The projects form part of the National Development Strategy, which is also linked to the 2022 plans.

The projects will cover the key sectors of health and education, in addition to improving roads, transport and social security.

Some of the projects were already planned and others have been initiated following the successful World Cup bid for 2022.

“It takes time to set up business and to estab-lish supply chains. Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are inter-ested in short-term business opportunities will be disappointed as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful in Qatar,” Saadie added.

The Al Habtoor Leighton Group has been operating in the country since 2005.

“The most urgent projects are the Ashghal’s planned main highway projects and the Qatar Railway Development Company’s metro and high-speed rail systems, as well as the New Doha Port,” he added.

Read more about Qatar’s construction sector in this month’s Market Explorer on page 32.

Location and world-class business structure in Ras Al Khaimah have been cited as primary reasons for the award of a record number of investor licences.

Between January and November 2010, investor licences issued by RAKIA increased 28% compared to the same period in 2009. Totalling 1002, it is the highest number of licences ever issued within a year in the emirate.

“We believe that maintaining a high level of confidence and satis-faction among all investors has been a critical factor in the increas-ing number of companies that are now setting up business operations in Ras Al Khaimah,” said RAKIA CEO Dr Khater Massaad.

“Moreover, investors greatly appreciate the emirate’s centralised location and world-class business infrastructure, which are crucial in boosting investors’ competitive edge and giving them a significant

head start. Calling it a “phenome-nal year”, Massaad added that the trend had convinced “more and more global business enterprises of the excellent investment potential of Ras Al Khaimah.”

The news was announced at a business conference in Dubai, in collaboration with the Emirates CEO Club, last month.

Since it was established in 2006, RAKIA has issued 3573 licences and received business investments of more than US $3 billion.

In addition, there are 3960 off-shore companies registered under RAK Offshore, which operates under RAKIA, bringing the num-ber of companies now based in Ras Al Khaimah to more than 7300.

The investors primarily operate in the Free Zone and Industrial Park in Al Hamra and the Industrial Park in Al Ghayl, which are all investment zones developed by RAKIA.

Business booms in ras Al KhaimahRecord number of business licences issued in emirate in 2010

Delegates at the RAkIA conference, last month.

Al habtoor Leighton Group’s Qatar GM Tony Saadie.

NEW

S | REGIO

NAL

Number cruncher

Qatar project market breakdown by sector

Estimated construction industry growth in Qatar


EVENT INSIDER

calENDaR 2011Plan the New Year with The Big Project’s handy guide to the must-go industry events taking place in the Middle East and North Africa, in 2011

January: 8-11: Tube Arabia (tubes and pipes), Dubai, UAE

9-11: Arab Plast (plastic-related machinery and materials), Dubai, in the UAE

15-18: Interior Design and Construction Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

17-20: Steelfab, Sharjah, UAE

17-20: World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi, UAE

18-20: Gulf Industry Fair (metal production and works and power generation), Manama, in Bahrain

29-Feb 1: Saudi Urban Transport Conference 2011, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia

30-Feb 2: Piling & Deep Foundations Middle East 2011, Abu Dhabi, UAE

30-Feb 2: Cost-Effective Sustainable Design and Construction Egypt 2011, Cairo

30-Feb 2: Oman Construction Summit 2011, Muscat

30-Feb 3: RT Building, Security & Safety Expo, Mishref, Kuwait

February: 6-9: Facades Design and Engineering 2011, Dubai, UAE

20-23: Machinex Arabia (machinery and equipment exhibition), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

26-28: Metal & Steel Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt

27-Mar 1: Vertical Transportation Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

27-Mar 2: The Big 5 Saudi Arabia, Jeddah

27-Mar 3: Training Course: Master International Project Manager, Dubai, UAE

March: 1-3: Middle East Coatings Show, Cairo, Egypt

1-3: Buildex Dhahran, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

6-9: Road Planning, Design and Construction Middle East, Doha, in Qatar

7-10: Training Course: IOSH Managing Safely, Abu Dhabi, in the UAE

13-16: Architectural Lighting Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

13-16: 2nd Annual Cost-Effective Sustainable Design and Construction Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh

13-16: Education Design and Construction MENA, Doha, in Qatar

13-16: 2nd Annual Tunnels & Underground Construction Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE

21-23: Building Materials & Maintenance, Sharjah, UAE

21-23: Interiors & Buildex, Muscat, Oman

21-23: The Big Show (building materials, construction equipment and interiors), Muscat, Oman

21-25: Saudi Construction Show, Riyadh The Saudi Construction Show Exhibition will be the international gathering place in 2011 for the construction machinery industry. It will showcase the latest construction equipment, products, services and technologies. Bringing contractors and suppliers together it will also feature conferences and workshops, and is planned to be the largest construction machinery exhibition in KSA.

www.saudiconstructionshow.com

27-30: Bridges Saudi Arabia 2011, Jeddah

28-30: InterMat ME, Abu Dhabi

28-30: Futurebuild Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE

28-30: Green Building Middle East World Summit & Expo, Abu Dhabi, UAE


EVEN

T INSID

ER | CALEN

DAR 2011

28-30: Civil Engineering Middle East, Abu Dhabi, UAE

28-30: Arabian Construction Week This year’s event features three dedicated vertical trade exhibitions and three regional summits on the topics of sustainability, inno-vation and infrastructure. More than 1000 trade visi-tors, delegates and con-struction industry professionals are expected to attend providing a plat-form for networking and business sourcing within the construction industrywww.arabianconstructionweek.com

April: 3-6: Interior Design and Construction Egypt, Cairo

3-6: Fire Safety MENA 2011, Doha, Qatar

3-6: Facade Design and Engineering North Africa, Cairo

4-6: Hospital Build Europe Exhibition & Congress, Dubai, in the UAE

5-7: Woodshow, Dubai, UAE

10-13: Acoustics in Construction Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

10-13: 2nd Annual District Cooling Saudi Arabia Summit, in Jeddah

13-17: Climatech (HVAC and water technology), Damascus, in Syria

17-20: Cityscape and Citybuild Abu Dhabi

25-28: Saudi Building & Interiors Exhibition & Symposium (SBIE), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

26-28: GulfBID Manama, in Bahrain

May: 2-5: Project Qatar, Doha

9-11: Aluminium Dubai, UAE

9-12: Project Jordan, Amman

10-12: Hardware + Tools Middle East, Dubai, UAE

10-13: Wood World Egypt, in Cairo

12-16: Buildex Syria, Damascus

15-17: Future Makkah: International Urban & Infrastructure Development Event, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

15-19: Libya Build, Tripoli

17-19: FM Expo, Dubai, UAE

21-24: Facade Design and

Engineering Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh

22-28: Building & Construction Exhibition, Mishref, Kuwait

30-Jun 2: Saudi Luminex, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

31-Jun 2: China Sourcing Fair: Hardware & Building Materials Dubai, UAE

31-Jun 3: Project Lebanon

31-Jun 6: Hardware & Building Materials Dubai, UAE

June

23-27: ER Build – Egypt, Cairo

September: 18-21: Egyptian Infrastructure Summit 2011, Cairo

19-22: Inter-Build Jordan, in Amman

19-22: Project Iraq, Erbil

19-22: Recycling & Waste Management, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia

25-27: Materials Handling Middle East, Dubai, UAE

26-28: Clean Middle East Exhibition, Dubai, UAE

26-29: Cityscape Dubai, UAE

October: 10-13: Saudi Build, Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia

10-13: Saudi Stone, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

20-23: INDEX Interior Design Show 2011, Dubai, UAE

24-26: Power-Gen Middle East, Doha, Qatar

November: 20-23: Saudi Plas (plastics technology show), Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia

21-24: The Big 5 2011, Dubai, UAE Don’t miss The Big Project stand at The Big 5 2011 international building and construction show, where we will be distributing the GCC 100 Companies you need to know 2012, an essential reference guide to the region’s most reputable industry suppliers

28-30: Skyline Libya, Tripoli

December: 8-12: Sudan Build, Khartoum, in Sudan

New national exhibition projects have been planned across the MENA region, which hosts many international trade shows across all industries each year. The renderings pictured include projects in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and Qatar, however, the RAK centre is on hold.


MILESTO

NES | THE BUILDIN

GS

“The topping up of The Buildings by Daman took more than 448m3 of a specially-formulated concrete mix pumped up 224m above ground level and poured across a roof plate area of 1410m2”

UAE-based investment management com-pany Daman has topped up its AED 1.6 billion (US $450 million) The Buildings

by Daman property in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The 65-storey, mixed-use real estate project is

Mixed-used Dubai International Financial Centre property reaches topping point

now nearing a phased handover, due to start this month with the office tower.

“The development has continued steadily. This significant construction event simultane-ously marks two major milestones in the pro-ject: the completion of Tower B and the Office

Tower superstructures. This further demon-strates the company’s commitment to its inves-tors and stakeholders in bringing value to their equity and promoting mutual growth,” com-mented Daman managing director Shehab Gargash at a ceremony last month.

The topping up of The Buildings by Daman took more than 448m3 of a specially-formulated concrete mix pumped up 224m above ground level and poured across a roof plate area of 1410m2, bringing the overall concrete quantity poured into the building, inclusive of the roof slab, up to 20,527m3.

Additives were incorporated into the con-crete mix to facilitate vertical pumping of the material to such heights and required two plac-ing booms capable of delivering 40m³ of con-crete per hour.

The 224m high tower has been built on a 220,000ft² plot of land in the centre of DIFC, Dubai’s commercial business district. The land was acquired through a tender process in 2004.

A mixed-use residential and commercial complex, the project includes freehold apart-ments, offices, and a luxury hotel, as well as retail space, encompassing 3.3 million ft² of built-up area surrounded by sculptured gardens and water features.

The project was announced in May 2005, financed by a $100 million private equity real estate fund. The ownership structure, along with the overall project finance model, which included non-recourse debt and re-invested project revenue, provided investors with the opportunity to participate in a major develop-ment through a special purpose structure, the firm said upon the project launch.

“Real estate developments in Dubai have traditionally been funded by single owners that have invested a great deal of equity in a single project and secured financing by collateralising assets beyond the scope of the project. In this project, Daman is bringing a globally recog-nised methodology in project finance to Dubai,” Gargash said in a statement that was issued in 2005.

According to the firm, the $100 million investment was placed successfully with inves-tors in units of $5 million and was closed by December 30, 2004. Up to 40% of the capital was raised from international investors and Daman had a 5% stake in the project.

Daman Investments PSC is a private joint stock company based in Dubai and was founded in 1998.

The Buildings handover to start Q1, 2011

The 65-storey, mixed-use real estate project is now nearing a phased handover, according to the developer Daman Investments.


It is no secret the construction industry is responsible for more waste and pollution than any other sector in the world. Not only do poorly-designed buildings con-

tribute to 50% of the world’s carbon-dioxide (CO₂) emissions, some reports claim that con-crete alone is responsible for up to 10% of these emissions, due in part to energy-intensive pro-duction methods.

Of all the resources and materials in the world, the cement used to manufacture con-crete is the second most consumed substance after water. According to research by French manufacturer Lafarge, every year almost one ton of concrete is produced for every human on the planet, with each ton of concrete generating around a ton of CO₂.

Yet in the face of these statistics, technology analyst Lux Research claims the industry’s low CO₂ alternatives “have a poor shot at gaining support” in the region.

According to the firm’s recently-published paper ‘Paving the way to cost, energy and car-bon savings in the concrete industry’, the only alternatives which will gain industry support are those which require the least commitment from manufacturers and users.

“New technologies must be commercially viable,” remarks Oliver Tassinari, who is the author of the report.

“Low CO₂ alternative materials to Portland cement will have a poor shot at gaining support. They remain largely unproven at scale and carry substantial economic risks due to the capital cost requirements for production. Other barri-ers like demonstrating the new material’s per-formance within ASTM International guidelines remain as well,” he adds.

Yet in light of higher standards, which aim to reduce waste and pollution in the industry, more alternatives are entering the market to meet a variety of demands.

“The really important factors when specify-ing materials are the design itself, the awareness of the designers and the suitability of

For each ton of concrete produced, one ton of carbon dioxide is emitted; yet despite the race to provide alternatives, analysts say the Middle East industry is not ready for change — unless it is made easy

Industry calls for ‘commItment-free’ concrete

the material. Our company philosophy is to provide those involved in the design process with the information they need to specify the right, sustainable material for that project,” explains Pejman Norastehfar, head of the Middle East region for Bayer MaterialScience.

Lack of buy-inThe only alternatives advocated in the report are those which “require the least commitment from manufacturers”, including heat recovery during the manufacturing process and increas-ing the use of industrial wastes such as fly-ash, silica fume, rice hull ash and slag.

The environmental benefits are still signifi-cant; heat recovery allows captured energy to be used in other processes and the use and re-use of industrial wastes prevents such materials going to landfill. Measures like these can poten-tially reduce energy consumption by up to 65% and CO₂ emissions by 60%.

“Nowadays, there are many products under development such as geo-polymers with com-plete cement replacements.

“The common supplementary cementitious material such as GGBS, Silica Fume and Fly Ash remain the prominent materials at hand,” says Rabih Fakih, managing director of Dubai-based Grey Matters Group.

“However, cost feasibility and practicality of usage is still not being rationalised,” he adds.

But whether the chances of gaining support are poor or otherwise, a market for alternative products does exist and is beginning to gain credibility worldwide.

Manufacturer Al Falah has developed a sub-stitute, branded as Ready Mix, which reduces the CO₂ impact of cement by up to 30% com-pared to standard concrete. Currently under development at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, Ready Mix uses less cement, a component of concrete, while retaining its standard features,

Most concrete can be produced on site.

Producing one ton of concrete creates one ton of CO2 emissions.

neW

s an

alysIs | CO

nCrEtE


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

neW

s an

alysIs | CO

nCrEtE

about concrete z Concrete is an aggregate

material made with a combination of rocks, sand and gravel, held together with Portland cement glue

z the glue is produced by heating limestone and clay to temperatures of around 3000°F, a process which emits a ton of carbon per ton of concrete

z Worldwide, concrete is used twice as much as any other building material and the cement mix which forms it is the second most consumed substance on the planet after water

z While alternatives to concrete’s energy-intensive production methods do exist, adoption rates are low

co2 reductions

30%Al FAlAh sAys its rEAdy MiX substitutE CAn rEduCE thE lEvEl OF CO2 iMPACt by uP tO 30%

dangerous designs

50%rEPOrts ClAiMs POOrly-dEsignEd buildings COntributE tO 50% OF glObAl CO2 EMissiOns

Portland cement is produced by heating limestone and clay.

bayer Materialscience’s Pejman norastehfar.

“so far, green concrete has not been adopted generally by designers as they consider the premium cost compared to conventional concrete is still unjustified“

“low co2 alternatives remain largely unproven at scale and carry substantial economic risks”

such as durability and strength. It was announced in 2009 that two million m³ of Ready Mix will be used in the construction of the initial phases of Masdar City.

“Low-carbon concrete is a relatively new concept in the construction industry and it is vital that we continue to explore and invest in new technologies that will help minimise the industry's impact on the environment,” Al Falah chairman Zayed Falah Bin Jarra says.

Others such as foam concrete, which unlike Portland-based materials provides both strength and thermal insulation, reduce the carbon impact of production and increase the efficiency of the finished building.

Standard concrete is made from calcium-based chemical compounds, which require high

temperatures to bond; a number of companies are in the process of developing magnesium-based materials, which are twice as strong, therefore requiring lighter application. Some versions even claim to reduce the levels of CO₂ in their surrounding atmosphere.

Other alternatives use aluminium-based compounds, which can be produced at “ambient” temperatures, while another trend is seeing a return to natural lime-based cement, popular with the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, and only replaced when mass-manufactured alter-natives emerged in the mid-20th Century.

Where it is not possible to reduce the impact of the con-crete, it may be possible to offset the impact via carbon capture techniques. Developed by California-based scien-tific researcher Calera, the Calera Process uses the CO₂ emitted from power plants to manufacture the cement destined for use in concrete.

The process captures the carbon dioxide produced from flue gas and converts it into stable solid minerals; effec-tively recycling 90% of the CO₂ emitted by the plants.

According to Calera, use of the technology means that coal and natural gas plants can potentially have a lower carbon footprint than solar power. It’s a process the com-pany says has “huge potential”.

A testimonial from the US Green Building Council reads: “It's like planting forests of trees through the pour-ing of concrete or bricks. I have never seen anything with the potential that Calera has.”

Building on progressDespite the production process, of all the materials in the world, concrete is not the environment’s worst enemy and its properties have made it one of the world’s most highly-demanded construction materials.

It is durable, versatile, long lasting and can be easily broken down and reformed. It is produced on site, remov-ing the need for transport and the demand on natural resources such as wood.

Once manufactured, it produces no emissions, needs no toxic preservatives and is fire resistant.

Yet it is these very points which make the alternatives appear risky. In its report, Lux Research states that green materials are “largely unproven and require substantial capital investment”, factors which even a robust economy cannot ignore.

“So far, green concrete has not been adopted generally by designers as they consider the premium cost compared to conventional concrete is still unjustified.

“In addition, real estate developers see no high return on investment if additional capital is being invested on green concrete. All of these parameters are strengthened by a lack of legislation and incentives from the govern-ment,” comments Fakih.

Yet, he concludes that in time attitudes will change.“Once environmental awareness gains more support,

the popularity of green concrete will rapidly increase in the construction culture.”

grey Matters managing director rabih Fakih.


In 1990, a small architecture firm, Tabanlıoğlu Architects, was set up in Istanbul by an archi-tect called Murat Tabanlıoğlu. Today, the

practise employs a staff of 100. Operating pre-dominantly in Turkey, it recently announced plans to expand into the UAE.

Speaking to The Big Project, managing part-ner Melkan Tabanlıoğlu, who joined the firm in 1995 and is the daughter of its founder, says the move is not a result of the financial crisis impacting the firm’s home market.

“Turkey has faced the crisis, but not as bitter as it was felt in the United States or Europe. Construction is the leading sector in terms of growth data and, financially, we haven’t faced great difficulties.”

In December 2010, Brookings Institution and the London School of Economics prepared a report entitled The Global MetroMonitor, which ranked 150 world cities. The report stated that Istanbul is, in fact, the city perform-ing the strongest after recession, whereas Dubai, the second-best performing city between 1993 and 2007, was ranked among the most stagnant, cites Tabanlıoğlu.

“With Istanbul being the locomotive and indicator for Turkey, we have been lucky so far,” she says.

But it is not only luck that has helped the family-run company weather the storm, the firm has strived to maintain up to 20 projects of different scales on the go simultaneously, keep-ing the funds coming in.

Urban designAhead of Turkish firm Tabanlıoğlu Architects’ planned expansion into the UAE, managing partner Melkan Tabanlioğlu comments on the need for community-built designs that address unique urban requirements

“Sustainable patterns in the production of the man-made environment must rely on technology, while at the same time respecting heritage”

XX

XX

XX

XX

| XXXXXXXXXXTA

LK | TABAN

LIOğLU ARCHITECTS

According to Tabanlıoğlu, the company is entering the UAE, instead, in search of “new efficiencies in terms of global and environmen-tal needs and developments”.

“Dubai has been the showcase for world architecture and recently Abu Dhabi and other GCC cities have asserted great demand for the urban development. This creates a valuable medium for architecture and urban design.

“In addition, besides being a close neigh-bour, we are a part of the Muslim world and we know the culture, naturally. We are familiar, yet there is a great opportunity to learn and share.”

The firm has also been spurred on having received a string of awards in 2010, including recognition at Cityscape Global in Dubai last year in the ‘Architecture in the Emerging Market — Community Built’ category for its design of the Tripoli Congress Centre in Libya.

Commenting on community-built architec-ture; Tabanlıoğlu says it can lead to more chal-lenges than architecture on private investments as the client is often the local or central govern-ment, which involves extensive paperwork.

“Yet a building that serves the public is very exciting for an architect. It grants a better chance in creating social spaces that are the core urban functions,” she says.

“The construction sector highly depends on politics and economics in every case, such buildings have greater significance; they

Astana Arena, designed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects is the new national stadium for Kazakhstan.

The firm’s managing partner Melkan Tabanlıoğlu.


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

TALK

| TABANLIOğLU ARCHITECTS

“A building that serves the public is very exciting for an architect. It grants a better chance in creating social spaces that are the core urban functions”

become the symbols and prestige for the nations or cities that they belong to, your con-tribution becomes a part of the vision of the governance of the country.”

Encouraged by such accolades and its ongo-ing performance, Tabanlıoğlu says the com-pany is also “open to other new relations in the Middle East and North Africa”.

“We have the positive influence to convince the client what is good in terms of architecture and future planning of the new urban lifestyle.”

Defining design Tabanlıoğlu lists a number of aspects that make ‘good’ architecture, not least research and a team approach among engineers, consultants and the client.

“Respecting relations in the project environ-ment and being open to probabilities and possi-bilities, including technological innovations such as smart, local solutions, we bring ideas and manifest our architectural language.

“Architecture is a system and you have to collaborate and adapt to the situation for the best and most feasible result. If a building works and people who use it or pass by it are happy, it is a good building.”

However, designing landmark structures poses unique requirements, including exclusive expertise, visionary thinking, innovative approaches and collaboration of other engi-neering and planning disciplines.

A number of projects undertaken by Tabanlıoğlu Architects have been large, mixed-use developments.

“These projects require delicate solutions of multi-disciplinary collaborations; from traffic to landscape design and ground analysis to lighting solutions.”

Tabanlıoğlu says the key to making “better cities” is to overlay different activities in the same space.

“We need to repair the collectivity of space and re-build ceremonial and informal public spaces of our era. Mixed-use projects offer self-sufficient urban units. In terms of design and construction, there has to be more attention to infrastructure. You need to combine different functions and solve them all at once.”

Working with renowned engineering con-sultants has been crucial to the company’s suc-cess, she explains.

Examples of successful mixed-use projects completed by Tabanlıoğlu Architects date back to the 1980s, such as Ataköy Tourism Centre featuring a Marina, hotels, restaurants and entertainment centres.

A more recent example is Kanyon, an open-air shopping, leisure, entertainment, office and residential development completed in 2006.

Today, the complex defines the urban char-acter of Istanbul, according to Tabanlıoğlu.

The firm is also working on the 600,000m² Zorlu Centre, the main function of which is a performance hall, with a seating capacity of 2500. The centre is linked to the city terrace covering the sunken, semi-open shopping facil-ity spread over four high-rise towers and offer-ing residential and commercial accommodation, as well as leisure facilities.

Green by default When asked whether the industry is demand-ing sustainable design, Tabanlıoğlu says green is a given when practicing architecture in a city with a 10,000-year urban culture.

“Sustainable patterns in production of the man-made environment must rely on technol-ogy, while respecting heritage. This is essential.”

Tabanlıoğlu acknowledges that “in the long run”, green buildings are more cost effective despite initial investments.

“Applying renewable energy sources and other energy-efficient design considerations will result in lower costs during the whole lifecycle of the building.”

She also recognises that sustainability is not only about energy efficiency, but also

PRIZE WINNER Tabanlioğlu Architects won a number of high-

profile awards for its projects in in the MENA

region completed last year, including:

LEvENT LofT

Cityscape, Abu Dhabi –Real Estate, MENA 2010

Best Residential Built Development Award

LofT GARdENS

MIPIM AR Future Project Awards, received a Highly

Commended recognition

International Property Awards – for the Europe-

Africa Section

TRIPoLI CoNGRESS CENTRE

Cityscape Awards for Architecture in the Emerging

Market, Dubai Community Built Category

International Property Awards - International

Architecture Award Winner - Public Sector

International Property Awards – Arabia Section

encompasses the livability of a development — bringing us back to community builds.

“One of the big issues in urban life is to make the city interactive so that people become truly cosmopolitan, in that sense, environmental quality and user satisfaction is very important.”

Although LEED certification, for example, is not a national requirement in Turkey, the firm’s architectural discourse for projects incorpo-rates design and construction techniques meet-ing LEED standards.

“Of course sustainable design is very much about energy; about resources and using them carefully, but more than that, design needs to motivate an interactive, lively, social mood.

She suggests this can be achieved through architectural approaches defining new social routines towards an “extrovert urban lifestyle”.

“The transitivity born out of architecture will encourage the transformation. Mixed-use buildings, where diverse functions are addressed in one complex, will become the new community centres and extensions of public zones, Tabanlıoğlu concludes.

Istanbul Sapphire is the tallest tower in the business district.

The award-winning Tripoli Congress Centre in Libya.


Twisting 90 ,̊ the record-breaking Infinity Tower by Cayan Real Estate will be Dubai’s newest landmark when it opens later this year. The Big Project’s Melanie Mingas takes a sneak preview

RecoRd bReaking...with a twist

Cayan Real Estate’s CDO Ahmad Kasem.

when Cayan Real Estate announced it would build a tower with a 90˚ twist on Dubai Marina, the idea

was met with apprehension and cynicism.The situation worsened in 2007, when a

marina wall was breeched, flooding the newly-dug foundations.

However, the developer was determined to “get back out there and re-plan”, accord-ing to chief development officer (CDO) Ahmad Kasem.

“Sure enough everybody on site was laughing and they joked the site was just an extension of the marina,” he recalls.

Taking 14 months and costing around 30% of the original anticipated budget to restore the marina barrier and project foun-dations, it looked like Infinity Tower would not materialise, but now — only months from completion — the ambitious tower is almost ready to prove its critics wrong.

Calling it “the most challenging project I have ever worked on”, Kasem explains that construction, interior fit outs and even the facilities management of the tower posed major logistical hurdles for the team.

“The first complexity was creating the spiral around the core; each storey rotates by as much as 1.08˚ around a fixed core, which tapers to the top storey. The second chal-lenge was that, as a result, each of the 48 columns moves in different directions.

“Furthermore, the curtain wall made the surveying process very tedious because the surveyor had to shoot 48 individual col-umns. The building movement had to be closely monitored and we had to keep check-ing to make sure the movement was within the columns.”

Further issues were caused when lining up plumbing and AC vents, which had to be structured. Yet the fourth complexity Kasem names is as obscure as it is challenging;


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

on

site | INFIN

ITY TOW

ER

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Inside Infinity Tower; view of Infinity from Marina 101; view from a seventh-floor apartment.

1.2bbig bUdgetThe cost (AED) of Infinity.

the statistics Location: Dubai Marina

height: 307m

stoReys: 73

depth of eXcavation: 27m

site aRea: 3161m2

bUiLt-Up aRea: 92,000m2

constRUction peRiod: 2006-2011

bUdget: AED 1.2 billion

woRkeRs on site: 3500

Man hoURs: 7,964,896

pRoject paRtneRs: Cayan Real Estate

Investment and Development; Skidmore Owings

and Merrill, Khatib and Alami (K&A); Projacs,

Currie and Brown; STS Consultant, SSE; Arabtec

Construction LLC; Al Dhafra Piling Foundation

and Emaar

Upon coMpLetion: The building will

feature a range of one, two and three bedroom

apartments, suites and penthouses; a communal

outdoor pool, recreation centre and cigar lounge

window cleaning. Because the tower twists, the cleaning cradle cannot scale the building.

“We had the top window-cleaning compa-nies in the world presenting different systems for about three months. In the end we put anchor points on every floor for the cleaners to tie themselves to,” Kasem recalls.

Upon completion, the building will incor-porate 5800 tons of steel and 20,000m3 of concrete; materials which had to be com-pacted and strengthened to achieve the required elasticity.

In addition to the twist, on-site workers also experienced a learning curve; with the workforce receiving extra training to help them understand the intricacy of the materi-als and engineering.

Peri and Mivan formwork systems were specified and a two-storey mock-up was built onsite to assist the training programme.

Quality objectives While Infinity Tower is not the world’s first tower with a twist, it is the most extreme. Having opened in 2005, the Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden, was — upon completion — the tallest building in Scandinavia, at 190m. But its twist is a mere 52 ,̊ making Infinity a record breaker in terms of twist and height, asserts Kasem.

Yet for Kasem, the finished product is about more than record-breaking twists and engineering feats. Touring the fully fitted-out, mock-up apartments on the seventh floor, he draws attention to “high-quality finishes” including marble floors, York chillers and “matched-up” joints and walls lined with “razor-sharp precision”, despite leaning in

The Turning Torso in Sweden is 190m tall.


different directions within the same apartment. Even apartment door handles feature a signature twisting design.

“If you visit any of our buildings, we do not fol-low in other people’s steps; we use expensive materi-als and specific planning and our buildings are developed according to a commitment to quality which stems forth from day one,” Kasem says.

Today, Cayan Real Estate has eight developments in Dubai, five of which are in the Marina.

In terms of investors, when the Infinity project first began in 2006, interest came from far and wide, says Kasem. While the turbulent interim has led to a cautious investor approach, he hopes the opportu-nity “to be part of an iconic building”, in addition to attention to detail in the building fit-out, will be enough to see it fully-occupied upon opening.

“We will see people purchasing soon whether directly from Cayan or in secondary sales. Within the next six months the facade and tower will be finished and the luxury finishes inside will help the apartments and suites sell,” Kasem asserts.

ABOVE: The high quality of the apartment fit-outs will entice investors, according to Cayan Real Estate.

A completed kitchen fit-out in a seventh-floor unit.

on

site | INFIN

ITY TOW

ER

“we had the top window-cleaning companies in the world presenting different systems for about three months. in the end we put anchor points on every floor for the cleaners to tie themselves to”

workforce

3500AT ThE BuSIEST POINT OF CONSTRuCTION, MORE ThAN 3500 WORKERS WERE ON SITE

“the first complexity was creating the spiral around the core; each storey rotates by 1.08˚ around a fixed core which tapers to the top storey”

| www.thebigprojectme.com26 | www.thebigprojectme.com26

HOW TOBUILD GREENON A BUDGETConstruction experts from around the world reveal their top 25 cost-effective sustainable design and building tips, from procurement and planning to project maintenance and paints

Planning and procedures • Emissiontestingonconstructionvehiclesensures

theyaremeetingcurrentstandardsforminimalcarbonoutput.

• Monitoringandregularlyreviewingwasteoutputofsiteshelpstoidentifywastestreamsandareasthatcanbeimproved.

• Similarly,creatinga‘carbonmap’duringtheconstructionplanningstagesallowsfortheevaluationofpossiblecarbon-savingtechnologiesandidentifiesareasforcarbonsaving.

• Locally-producedbuildingmaterialswillhelpreducematerialstransportation.

• Ensuresustainabilityisakeyselectioncriteriaintheprocurementofmaterialsandsupplierscompleteaprocurementsustainabilityassessmentmatrix.

• Useonsitebatchingforplantconcreteconstructiontominimiseenergyuse.

• Providingafacilityfortheprojectwastetoberecycledwillencouragesustainableprocedures.Mark Schwedel, sustainability consultant, Sustainability ROI, US

Lighting and orientation • Choosealight-colourexternalpainttoincreaseheatreflection.• Takeintoconsiderationtheorientationofthebuildingin

relationtothesunlight. Ron Brinkman, technical manager, Murray & Roberts Contractors (Abu Dhabi)


COV

ER | G

REEN IN

CENTIVES

Making sustainable decisions early in the building process will save costs.

Efficient pumpsReplacementofpumpswithcorrectly-sizedalterna-tivesfeaturingfixed-speedmotorswillmakeaposi-tivechangetothecarbonfootprint.Muchoftheenergyconsumedbypumps,motorsinparticular,justgoestowaste.Researchshowsthattwothirdsofallpumpsuseupto60%toomuchenergybecausethepumpsinstalledarelargerthannecessary.Inaddition,manypumpscontinuouslyrunatthetopspeedregardlessofrequirements.Typically,mostpumpmotorsonlyhavetorunattheirfullspeed5%ofthetime,includingthoseincommercialbuildings,industrialapplications,pub-licbuildingsandwaterutilities.Furthermore,afrequencyconverterthatvariespumpmotorspeedinresponsetoworkloadcanbeaddedintwothirdsofallindustrialapplicationstominimisetheindustrialcarbonfootprint,increaseefficiencyandreduceelectricityandwaterbills.Mike Otten, general manager – Egypt, Grundfos Management, Egypt

Reduce transportationSourcedurablematerialsaslocallyaspossibleandapplyat,orabove,tradestandards.Furthermore,besureto‘right-size’theprojectsothatitdoesnotconsumemorematerialsandnaturalresourcesthannecessary. Mike Moore, Construction Business Owner Magazine, US

Buyproductsthataremanufacturedclosetoyourbuildingsitetoreducetruckingrequirements.Katherine Leavens, architectural representative at Daltile, Canada

Solar powerAstructure’ssolarorientationshouldbeconsideredforopti-malsolargaininthewintermonthsandshadinginsummer.Thermalmassisalsoaverybeneficialbuildingconcept,incaseswherethestructureispartofthesystem. Dave Frentress, marketing director — northwest divi-sion, Calportland, US

Budget basics Considerbudgetshedding.Lookatthebudgetandcon-sidertheareaswherefundsshouldbespentandthosewherebymoreappropriatefinishesorsystemscouldbeconsidered.Forexample,itispreferredtohaveahigh-performancefacadethanusingexpensivematerialsinlocationsthatarenotfunctionallyrequired. Daniel Hajjar, senior vice president — regional manager MEA — HOK

Local materials Usedurablematerialsthatsuitthebuilding’slocalenvironmentandthatallowforlowlifecyclecosts. Ted Matson, director of sales & marketing, Lafarge, Canada


HVAC and technology • Theoptimisationofchillercoolingplants

andassociatedequipmentcanprovideinvestmentsavingsintherangeof5-10%oftheoverallHVACcost.

• Considerationofefficientheat-recoverysystemsforfresh-airHVACapplication

duringdesignphasecanreducetheprojectcostbyupto5%.

• Efficientlightings,internallyandexternally,canreduceinvestmentcostsby20%.

Khaled Bushnaq, CEO, Energy Management Services Int.

“Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s richest countries in Pozzolan. It can be used as an additive instead of chemicals such as micro-silicon”

Pozzolan as a substitute Usegreenconcrete,inparticularproductsthatcontainPozzolan(avolcanicashthatcanbecombinedwithcal-ciumhydroxidetoexhibitcementitiousproperties).SaudiArabiaisoneoftheworld’srichestcountriesinPozzolan.Itcanbeusedasanadditiveinsteadofchemicalssuchasmicro-silicon.Thematerialstrengthensconcreteandhas

beensuggestedinSaudiArabia’sbuildingcodefor26years.Today,fouroutof17cementfactoriesintheKingdomusePozzolan,butitisutilisedinonlyonecon-cretefactory.Itcoststhesameasalternatives. Sultan Faden, head of founding group, Saudi Green Building Council

Reuse and recruit • Reuseexistingmaterials.Inourlineofworkwereuseeverythingfrom

oldkitchenstocabinetsandstoneworksurfaces.• Implementqualityworkmanshiptoavoidlossofenergythrough

leakingducts,I’dsuggestconductingablowertestonallductworks. David Popoff, realtor, William Raveis Real Estate, US

Quality assurance• Incorporategreenthinkingatthebeginningofthe

designprocess,oftenoptionsforgreensolutionscanbeaddedatnoadditionalcostifdonesoearly.

• Ensuretheconstructionmanagementteam,architectsandcommissioningagentsholdcontractorsfullyresponsiblefortheircontractualandqualityrequirementsthroughouttheconstructionprocess.

• Finally,thegreenestbuildingistheonealreadybuilt,lookintorenovatingasopposedtonewconstruction.

Steven Schoenknecht, construction manager, US

Shading Orientatingthebuildingsoitisintheshadowofadjacentbuildingscanhelpminimiseenergyconsumption.Ifthewholebuildingenergysimulationcandemonstratethatthereisasignificantimprovementasaresultoftheabove,thedesignshouldqualifytoobtaincreditsintheEnergy&AtmospheresectionoftheLEEDRatingsystem.Theorientationofthebuildingshouldhaveminimumornoadditionalimpactintermsofcostincurredinthedesign. David Chua Kiat, planning manager, Al Habtoor — Murray & Roberts JV

Recycling myths Becarefulusingrecycledmaterialsasthisisn’tnec-essarilymoresustainable,forexample,itwouldbecounterproductivetohaulrecycledaggregate200milesbyroadwhenthereisalocalprimaryaggre-gatesourcenearby.Whenitcomestoconcrete,thebesttipistomakesureyouuseslagorflyash-basedcement.TheseareindustrialbyproductsandwillsignificantlyreducetheembodiedCO₂ofconcrete,atthesametimeasenhancingitsdurabilitytotheaggressiveenviron-mentintheMiddleEast.

Ian Gibb, principal materials engineer, URS Scott Wilson, UK

COV

ER | G

REEN IN

CENTIVES

New

sN

ews

XX

XX

XX

XX

| XXXXXXXXXX


COV

ER | G

REEN IN

CENTIVESConcrete slabs

Replacingconcreteinslabswith‘Cobiax’air-filledplasticvoidformerscanreducetheCO₂contentslinkedtocementproduction.Researchshowsthatonem³ofconcretesavedby‘Cobiax’technologyequals210kgofCO₂savings.InbuildingswhereCobiaxisusedthecostbalanceisatleastneutral,sothecostoftheproductsareoffsetbythesavingsinconcreteandassociatedsavingsduetothesubsequentreductionindeadload(typicallyaconcreteflatslabfittedwithCobiaxis25%to30%

lighterthanaconventionalsolidslab).Theseassoci-atedsavingsincludethereductionofrebarvolumesfortheslabandthereductionofthenecessaryfoun-dationvolume.IntheMiddleEast,Cobiaxisstillanewproduct.However,itiscurrentlybeingappliedforoneofthefirsttimesintheconstructionoftheSheikhZayedDesertLearningCentreinAlAin,AbuDhabi. Michael Stuecklin, business development direc-tor, Cobiax Technologies AG

Consider coatings Keepingbuildingscoolinhotclimateswithoutcon-suminglargequantitiesofelectricitytopowerairconditioningunitshaslongbeenaheadacheforarchitectsandconsultants.However,thiscanbepartiallyachievedthroughpow-dercoatingswithheat-managementpropertiesthatreducesurfacetemperaturesbyupto15degrees.

Suchcoatingsreflectsunlightintheinfra-redspec-trum,whichmakesuparound45%ofallenergyradi-atedbythesun,thusreducingthetemperature.Furthermore,low-VOCcoatingsthatarealsolead-freeshouldbeoptedfor. Claudio Lurilli, divisional marketing director, Jotun Powder Coatings

“Be careful using recycled materials. It’s counterproductive to haul recycled aggregate 200 miles when there is a local primary aggregate source”

The production of concrete is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions.

On form Itiscriticaltogetthebuildingenvelopecorrect,afterthateverythingiseasier.EventhoughsomesayInsulatedConcreteForms(ICF)aremorecostly,whichIwoulddisagreewith,theywillstillgivethebiggestbangforyourbuck. Ron Ardres, technical representative, ReddiForm World Wide, Bahamas

Orientation and reuse• Everypieceoflandhasanorth,south,eastorwestexposure.Theeast

andwestarethemostintense.Nomatterwhereyouareintheworld,therisingsunandsettingsunneedstobecontrolled.Therearemanywaystodothat,someinvolveoverhangs,sunscreens,shadingdevicesorproperlandscaping,butorientinggivesyouthemostopportunity.

• Youcanalsoincreasegreencredentialsatnoadditionalcostbybalancingcutandfill.Donottruckinortruckouttopsoil.Excavatedsoilcanbeusedforgrading,landscapingandsoon.

Jim Del Grosso, president, Residential Energy Professionals, US

Insulation decisionsSomeinsulatedconcreteforms(ICFs)costlessthanthebareconcretefoundationswithoutanyinsulation(theinsulationisarequiredadditionalcostforbareconcrete),andsomeICFsareofcomparablecoststoawell-insulatedhome.Theydon’tquitecompetewitha2x4wallwithminimalinsulation.ICFsreduceenergyconsumptionbyasmuchas60%comparedtocon-ventionhome-buildingmethods. Rick Hansen, owner, ICF Supply, US


COV

ER | G

REEN IN

CENTIVES

“Research shows that two thirds of all pumps use up to 60% too much energy because the pumps installed are larger than necessary”

Intelligent interior • Uselightshadesinsteadofdarkshadesonexteriorfinishes,

includingpaint,stone,decorativeconcreteandsoon.• Reviewthelightingscheduleasdesignerstendtoover-illumi-

natespaces.• Designtheair-conditioningcontrolsystemtopreventitbeingset

below22°C.• Usedripirrigationinplaceofsprinklers.• Useplantsthatdemandlesswater.• Uselow-flowwaterfixturesandlow-flushwaterclosets.• Usemovementsensorswitchesincorridors,carparksandpublicareas.

• Uselocally-producedexposedaggregateconcrete,manufacturedstoneordecorativeconcrete(allincorporatingflyashorslagifcosteffective)toreplacestonefinishes,whichareusuallyimported.

Brian Davies, president, X-Calibur International, US

On your bike Addabikerackinfrontofyourbuilding.Itisworthapointanddoesnotcostsverymuch. Marty Downs, EWP engineering software manager, Boise Cascade, US

Paints and waste Low-VOCcoatingsandrecyclingconstructionwastehavebeenprovennottoaddcoststotheproject.However,thismaynotbethesameforallregionswherethematerialsandrecyclingfacilitiesarenotasaccessibleastheyareintheUS. Evan RosenBlatt, assistant development manager, Stiles, US

Fly ashUseacladdingproductthatcontainsflyash.Thiswouldusuallyonlycostthesameorlessthansimilarproductsoralternatives. Tim Seims, territory manager, Nichiha, US

Sustainable sub-basesIfthespecificationsallow(andmanydo)theuseofrecycledconcreteandasphaltinthesub-baseandbasecoursecancon-tributetoyour“greenscore”.Oftenthesematerialscostnomorethanvirgin. Brad Rucker, general manager, Sky Ute Sand & Gravel, US

Flyash,awastematerial,canbeamajorcomponentofyourstructure,includingfoundationconcrete,superstructurecon-crete,floorslab,screeds,lintols,pavingslabsandrooftiles.Twogoalsintheconstructionphaseshouldbetominimisepro-ductionofwasteandmaximisetheconsumptionofwaste. David Edwards, independent construction and waste-management professional, UK

Education firstTherealindustrychallengeishowtoovercomeyearsofslowly-changingcodesandrapidly-changinggreenandsustainabletechnologies.Unfortunately,mostofthesupportforchangecomesfromthetopofthefoodchain,whilemanyoftheideasandsolutionscomefromthebottom.Asanindustry,wemustworkonmiddlemanagement,contractors,engineersandarchitects.Weneedtooffermoreeducationandprovidemorefactstohelpthetopmanagementwiththedeci-sion-makingprocess. Richard Szecsy, president, Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association

Procurement planning • Planmorebeforeorderingmaterials.Ifyou

needseven-inchstuds(i.e.notstandardsize)order14inchstudsandcutinhalf.

• Amaterialusedforbracingintheearlypartoftheshellcanbeusedforblocking,dry-wallbacking,shortstudsandsoonlaterintheproject.

• Adopta‘thereisnosuchthingaswaste’philosophy.Thescrappileshouldbethefirstplacecheckedforanymaterialneeded.

• Whatremainswhenmaterialordersarecorrectandusedresponsiblywillnotfillasmalldumpster,andmostofthiswastecanberecycled.

Dale Horvey, construction services and building materials professional, US


All eyes are on Qatar following the country’s successful World Cup 2022 bid, the first such event to be hosted in the Middle East. With 200 new projects expected to be announced this quarter, one of the world’s most affluent countries is about to see a gold rush

Construction kick-offOver the next 11 years, Qatar will launch

hundreds of regeneration and develop-ment projects to modernise the small

gulf emirate in time to host one of the world’s most famous sporting tournaments.

Prior to FIFA’s announcement, Qatar held a 15% share of the regional construction indus-try, yet international consultant Deloitte names it a “key market”, predicting CAGR of 12% between 2010 and 2014.

Since 2004 the per capita income of Qataris has doubled and the country has achieved a consistently high GDP, which even defied world-wide recession.

Following FIFA’s decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup, last December, the General Secretariat for Development Planning (GSDP) stated that 200 new construction projects would be launched in the first quarter of 2011; esti-mated to cost between US $60-$80 billion.

Additionally, by 2022 Qatar will need to dou-ble the number of its hotel rooms, refurbish three stadiums and build nine more.

Referring to it as the country’s “war footing”,

GSDP general manager Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor Al Thani said the ventures also form part of the National Development Strategy (NDS) and will involve both the public and private sectors.

“Many of these projects were already planned and will now be prioritised and put out to tender. All the projects for 2022 can certainly be completed in time, providing the

BELOW: Qatar Promenade; RIGHT: The Pearl Qatar;

FAR RIGHT: Doha cityscape.

PEOPLE POWER

128%POPuLATIOn GROWTH In QATAR sInCE 2004

Ma

rket ex

plOrer

| QATAR


traditional tendering process is streamlined,” notes Tony Saadie, executive general manager of Al Habtoor Leighton Group in Qatar.

The group has been operating in Qatar since 2005, on projects such as Al Faisal Tower, Duhail and Umm Qarn Reservoirs and Al Shaqab Equestrian Academy.

The opportunities and benefits are not solely reserved for Qatar; the bid has provided a boost for construction and real estate companies GCC-wide. Shares in Emaar Properties, Arabtec, Drake & Scull and Aldar Properties all reportedly surged following the announcement and Doha’s index hit a 26-month high.

“The stadiums will stimulate a significant amount of planning and construction activity, especially in building and the related cooling and infrastructure.

“Other opportunities lie in retail branded merchandise, transport, and leisure and busi-ness tourism,” explains Grant Salter, executive director for Grant Thornton Middle East Advisory Services.

Predicting the “sheer volume” of construc-tion would see an influx of off-shore contrac-tors, including European and Asian stadium contractors, Salter adds that currently under-developed leisure and tourism industries will also provide significant opportunities.

Under constructionThe World Cup is only one element of Qatar’s development goals. Like its neighbours, future projected growth is outlined in a number of strategies and, as the GCC’s third largest infra-structure market, public-private partnership (PPP) funded projects (excluding oil, gas and petrochemicals) total more than $100 billion.

The long-term plan is the Qatar National Vision 2030. Designed around the four “pillars” of human, social, environmental and economic development, it was approved by Emiri decree in 2008 and aims to preserve traditions, pro-mote modernisation and manage economic growth in the country.

To concentrate development in the short

term, the National Development Strategy 2011-2016 prioritises the creation of a knowledge society, actual and abstract, overseen by the Qatar Foundation.

Among the major planned projects is Education City; a 2500-acre hub of seven “world-class” universities and the Qatar Science and Technology Park; the foundation’s “flag-ship” project. Qatar and its surrounding vil-lages will receive 12 new schools; with seven contracts already awarded.

Transport infrastructure will also receive upgrades, on both small and record-breaking scales. The “Friendship Bridge”, which is also known as Bahrain Causeway, is a 40km, $3 billion bridge linking Qatar to Bahrain and reducing travelling time between the two coun-tries to 30 minutes.

According to publically available tender information, contracts are being re-negotiated following a six-month delay.

Furthermore, a $25 billion investment will fund the railway network and metro system; linking the airport, Doha city and suburbs, as well as connecting Qatar to the wider GCC.

“It is essential that only experienced contrac-tors who are already established in Qatar are appointed to construct the critical and support-ing infrastructure,” Saadie advises, naming the highway, metro, high-speed rail network and Doha Port as urgent priorities.

A major element of the upgrades is the expansion of Doha International Airport; based 4km away from the existing airport, 40% of the site will be built on reclaimed land and feature

Medina Centrale Qatar, which forms part of the Qatar Pearl development.

ANNUAL GDP

8.2%GDP GROWTH PREDICTED BETWEEn 2010 AnD 2014


two of the longest commercial runways seen in the world.

The country is also benefitting from a num-ber of high-profile projects in the retail, real estate and tourism sectors, inspired by the country’s cultural heritage.

Mixed-use development The Pearl Qatar, a man-made island off the Arabian Peninsula, is described as a “unique living and cultural expe-rience”, incorporating the country’s “past and present”. Developed by Qatar’s largest private-sector shareholding company United Development Company (UDC) it is the coun-try’s first international luxury residential devel-opment offering international investors freehold title ownership.

The second lifestyle project is a 37km2 water-front city, Lusail, 15km north of Doha.Providing a “full array of community needs”, Lusail will also meet objectives from the Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS), the country’s green build code.

The key retail development is a QR 6 billion joint venture between Al Futtaim, Qatar Islamic Bank and Aqar Real Estate Investment. It will be the country’s largest multi-purpose

complex with a full retail centre, an entertain-ment park and two hotels.

Provisionally called Entertainment City, construction will begin this year, with the first phase due in 2012.

The regeneration of Doha city, a project for-merly known as the Heart of Doha, is a multi-billion dollar master-plan developed by Allies and Morrison with Arup and Edaw. Now known as ‘Musheireb’, the project will regener-ate more than 200 city-centre buildings. According to project updates, shortlisted con-tractors have been invited to submit bids.

Going greenLike the majority of new projects in the region, Qatar’s future vision is a green one, guided by the Qatar Green Building Council and QSAS.

Projects, particularly those related to 2022, promise “tradition and innovation”, with an agenda for solar-powered “eco-stadiums”, which can be dismantled for use in developing countries, low-carbon transport systems, high-quality building materials and an emphasis on reduced water consumption.

Referring to the system as “revolutionary”,

BELOW FROM TOP: Al Habtoor’s Tony saadie; Grant Thornton Middle East’s Grant salter;

Domopan’s Fouad Hamdan.

Ma

rket ex

plOrer

| QATAR

CITY LIFE

46%OF QATAR’s nATIOnAL POPuLATIOn Is COnCEnTRATED In DOHA

”Qatar presents one of the fastest-

moving economies. It provides very lucrative

opportunities and a promising future”


New

sx

xx

xx

xx

x | XXXXXXXXXX

Ma

rket ex

plOrer

| QATAR

Fouad Hamdan, managing director of green building material manufacturer Domopan, explains: “QSAS defines the way the construc-tion industry operates and the impact it will have on the country’s social, environmental and economical systems.

“QSAS guidelines improve the quality of construction, help regulate the materials and systems being used in real estate projects and consider the outcomes and results of such con-struction. By applying QSAS, construction will become a major driver in how the building will function and operate throughout its entire lifecycle,” he adds.

Easy moneyBusiness conditions in the country are widely regarded as favourable, with one of the lowest tax regimes in the world and a second-place ranking in the World Bank Group’s Ease of Doing Business report 2010.

Since October 2000, new sectors have been open to 100% foreign ownership; corporate taxes are set at a flat-rate of 10% and credit is widely available.

In its 2010 Country View Report, Real Estate analyst CB Richard Ellis claimed the political environment is one of the most stable in the region, ranking the country the least corrupt in the Middle East.

“Qatar presents one of the fastest-moving economies with the highest GDP. It provides very lucrative opportunities and a very promis-ing future,” says Hamdan.

Explaining how the company enjoys “con-siderable opportunities”, Hamdan adds:

“Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are interested in short-term business opportunities will be disappointed, as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful”

“When we invested in a factory in Doha in 2007, it was because we believed in its leader-ship, in its vision and in its rewarding cultural, social and economical values.”

But there can be draw backs.“Qatar is well ahead of its regional counter-

parts; we have found it a great country to oper-ate from and our staff find that it is a good country to live in,” says Saadie.

“However, it takes time to set up business and to establish supply chains. Businesses that are not already well established in Qatar and are interested in short-term business opportu-nities will be disappointed, as you must invest time, resources and capital to be successful.

“It will also be of critical importance that plant, material and staff resources are able to enter Qatar easily to enable on-time construc-tion of the numerous projects required by 2022,” he warns, predicting that rapid growth in global markets will increase the likelihood of resource price inflation.

Despite the prediction, the Qatari market is robust; wavering only in light of developer con-fidence and consistently producing a high GDP.

Commenting that there is high demand in real estate, driven in part by a growing expat population, Hamdan adds: “Qatar’s govern-ment has a clear vision that does not relate to any event that might take place till 2030, and which is becoming the basic foundation of how the country is developing.

He concludes: “With this clear vision and with a strong and decisive leadership capable of achieving what it aspires to, the opportunities in Qatar will never fade away.”

prOjeCted InfrastruCture spend 2010-2015 us $25 BIllIOn rail network

$20 BIllIOn on new roads, including $687 million on Lusail Expressway, Doha Expressway, Dukhan Freeway and the Doha Bay Crossing

$11 BIllIOn new airport expected to open in 2012, with capacity to handle around 50 million passengers a year

$5.5 BIllIOn new deep-water seaport

$1 BIllIOn crossing linking new airport with mega-projects in northern part of Doha

$3 BIllIOn Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, rumoured soon to be re-started after delays

$25 BIllIOn on an additional rail network linking the new Doha International airport, Doha city centre and the proposed Qatar-Bahrain Causeway and the wider GCC rail network

Qatar is the world’s primary producer of liquefied natural gas (LnG). The industry contributes 70% of the government’s revenues

3.6% Gdp Predicted inflation in Qatar between 2010 and 2014

Aerial view of the Pearl Qatar.


Ducab-HV to open the UAE’s first dedicated high-voltage factory this quarter

Industrial landmark“These types of high-voltage cables carry electricity loads great enough to power an entire downtown district”

The region’s first high-voltage factory is on track to open in Jebel Ali, Dubai, this quarter, according to owner Ducab-HV.

The joint-venture company between Dubai Cable Company (Ducab), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), claimed that the US $136 million, 148m high tower is the highest industrial structure in the emirates.

Reaching 44 storeys, the tower, which is the most noticeable feature of the new Ducab-HV factory, will house extrusion equipment for the manufactur-ing of high-voltage products. The tower will also contain a series of clean-room facilities in the top levels to eliminate any risk of contamination of the critical cable insulation.

Within one year of breaking ground, the vertical extrusion was completed in December 2010 by Khansaheb Civil Engineering firm.

“We are approaching the completion of the civil works and the first machines are already being installed. Commissioning will start in early 2011 followed by rigorous testing and then production of cables for the market later in the year,” Ducab-HV CEO Jon Vail said last month.

Ducab Chairman Ahmed Al Shaikh added that the project was on track for completion.

“These types of high-voltage cables carry electric-ity loads that are great enough to power an entire downtown district, and as such, we will ensure that the quality standards of our products surpass the highest international standards in the industry,” commented Al Shaikh.

The “speedy and efficient” construction of the factory was attributed to the combined efforts of the

LEFT: Ducab has a number of manufacturing plants in the UAE. BELOW: Aerial view of the facility.

The 148m tower is thought to be the UAE’s highest industrial structure.

FAsT FAcTs • Ducabistheonlypower

cablecompanythatoperatesacopper-rodfactoryintheUAE

• ItsUAEfactoriesmanufactureupto110,000tonsofhigh,mediumandlow-voltagecablesperyear

• Thisamountisequaltotheweightof120,000ToyotaLandCruisers,accordingtoDucab

• Thefirmhasashareof25%inIndia’simportedcoppermarket

achievements in the manufacturing sector.Speaking to The Big Project last year, Ducab marketing manager Ashish Chaturvedy estimated Ducab’s market share to be 50% in the emirates, with plans to reach a GCC market share of 20% in the “near future”.

project team: “We have enjoyed working closely and successfully with the Ducab-HV workforce to deliver a quality contract in a very challenging time frame,” said Richard Browne, the operations man-ager at Khansaheb.

The firm held a ceremony last month marking the completion of the tower, which was attended by Ducab-HV board members, including DEWA man-aging director and CEO HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Transco deputy manager Saeed Al Darmaki and Ducab’s Al Shaikh.

Ducab is jointly owned by the Governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Its current manufacturing facilities occupy an area of 590,000m² in Jebel Ali and nearly 330,000m² in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, among two factories.

Today, the firm produces more than 110,000 cop-per tons equivalent of low-voltage, medium and high-voltage cables.

The company recently received the Mohammed Bin Rashid Business Excellence Award for

New

sPRO

JEcT UPD

ATE | DUCAB


The jewel in Abu DhAbi’s crown

When artist Kevin Dean first arrived at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi in 2003, it was “just a dark, huge, concrete building”.

“It was difficult to imagine it beyond that. When I arrived, the courtyard was just sand,” Dean recalls.

However, in four years, a team of 38 companies and 3000 workers transformed the site into one of the most recognisable buildings in the world; featuring 80 domes, 1000 columns, 24-carat gold-plated chandeliers, a 35-ton

hand-woven carpet, and of course the 18,000m2 marble courtyard, known as the Sahan.

A “truly international project”, according to Dean, the mosque has a maximum capacity of 40,000 worshippers, making it the largest in the United Arab Emirates and the eighth largest in the world.

“The contractors only had about a year to build the Sahan; at one point there were 400 men involved in that one element,” he explains.

British designer Kevin Dean has illustrated books, walls and restaurants. Here he tells Melanie Mingas about one of his biggest design projects; the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque’s 18,000m2 Sahan

The 18,000m2 Sahan at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.


LEFT AND BELOW: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque under construction in Abu Dhabi. Upon completion, the mosque featured 1000 columns and 80 domes.

“The mosque opened in December 2007 and has since received a number of royal visitors; most recently Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth”

“I hadn’t worked on a development of this scale before; I had worked on ceramic projects involving murals, but not with marble.”

Dean was originally commissioned to design the Sahan, based on “a few scrib-bles on a piece of paper”, which had been given to him by Sheikh Sultan, the son of the late Sheikh Zayed.

He submitted his portfolio, which caught the client’s eye. After a phone call in 2003 from then architect Salma Damluji, he began liaising with HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to finalise his design.

“Sheikh Sultan had some ideas about what he would like the decoration to be like; it was fairly basic, but it did show that he wanted something that wasn’t traditionally Islamic in terms of geomet-rics, but more of a free flow in the design, which I was happy to do. It was very sim-ilar to the work I do in textiles.”

After completing the Sahan design, Dean began work on relief patterns for four external marble archways, which he describes only as “huge”.

Inside the mosque, Dean also designed the main entrance, floor, walls, side and north entrances.

“I thought I was just designing the Sahan, which was a big job, but to be asked to do the entrances as well was quite exciting.”

Drawing on a portfolio of illustration and floral textile designs, Dean also gained inspiration from previous designs he had created for ceramic murals.

“It was just a natural progression. I like illustration, but it’s very fashion-led; you either have a very strong style or you keep adopting new styles to get work.”

world-class designPraised in the media for its “blend of architectural cultures”, the Abu Dhabi

PRofilE Kevin Dean graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1982. After graduating he worked as a freelance artist in London before accepting a position with a textile studio. Following this job he began working on ceramic murals. Today, Dean also works as a lecturer.Pi

ctur

es co

urte

sy o

f Kev

in D

ean

and

Step

han

Tsch

irch.

Tourism Authority (ADTA) says the building is “a construc-tion to unite the world”, using designers, materials, architects and artists from Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, Turkey, Iran, China, Greece and the UAE.

Originally commissioned by Abu Dhabi’s then ruler Sheikh Zayed in the 1980s, the actual construction was led by


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

Dean: The Middle East allows for more creativity in design as people are prepared to take more risks and are very adventurous.

“The contractors only had about a year to build the Sahan; at one point there were 400 men involved in that one element”

iCoN

iC STRUCTU

RES | MO

SQUES

the Abu Dhabi Municipality and British con-sulting engineers Halcrow Group, along with Hill International.

Speirs and Major, who also worked on the Burj Khalifa, were responsible for the design of architectural lighting and the internal doors and walls were designed and engineered by Spatium Architects.

“It was a very international building team and there were a few individuals like me just doing part-based projects.”

Saying he had to be “practical as well as beautiful”, Dean’s greatest consideration was the scale of the project.

“The design process wasn’t too different to other designs I had created in the past, but for example, if I draw a flower that is two inches squared, that would become two metres. Some of the flowers are more than four metres in diameter, so I had to keep reminding myself of the proportions.”

Another consideration was working with and preserving the marble.

Supplied by the Abu Dhabi arm of Milan-based Fantini Mosaici, Dean was sent to Italy to source the stone for the Sahan, selecting the final material from a choice of 37 colours. His design was processed on CAD software, which

was then used to carefully cut the marble using a special water jet.

The next stage was to mount the different sized, cut pieces on a steel and concrete panel, which was shipped to Abu Dhabi for locally-based construction labourers to surround with white mosaic.

To create a cohesive, finished space, Dean says he “worked with the shapes that exist”, for example matching the centre of the designs with the centre of the building, particularly the main dome.

“All the designs for the internal floors ema-nate from the centre. It’s rather like a spider’s web where everything projects from one single flower in the middle.”

Design aside, the most pressing concern was how the marble would react once exposed to the desert sun. With temperatures frequently soaring above 40°C during the summer months and little shading around the Sahan, the stone had to be tested extensively to prove to the rest of the team, and Sheikh Sultan, that it could withstand the harsh conditions.

royal approvalThe mosque opened for worship for Eid-al-Adha in December 2007 and has since received

CoNSTRUCTioN TRiviA CAPACiTy: 40,000 worshippers

DomES: 80

ColUmNS: 1000

mARblE SAHAN: 18,000m²

A 35-ton, hand-woven carpet was made in Iran and shipped to Abu Dhabi in parts. Up to 38 companies were involved in the construction, design and delivery of the mosque. Furthermore, as many as 3000 workers were employed.Around 100,000 visited the mosque during Eid-al-Adha in 2010.

a number of royal visitors; most recently Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth. Since 2008, guided tours have enabled tourists of all faiths to follow in their footsteps and it was estimated that the mosque received 100,000 visitors dur-ing last year’s Eid-al-Adha.

Modestly, Dean admits the people he speaks to praise his work; as a result his profile is rising in tandem with that of the mosque.

“I have been selling some of my prints and artwork to galleries and a couple of them have said they would be interested in hosting an exhibition, which is something I am hoping to do in the New Year.”

He has also begun producing ‘digital printed murals’, for UK-based projects in restaurants and shops and has also privately commissioned work for a family in Dubai.

Calling the process “quite exciting”, he cre-ates the mural before it is wall mounted by blowing up small-scale drawings, using digital print methods to a point where they “take on another aspect”.

Not ruling out further religious projects, Dean names hotels and restaurants as his ideal drawing boards in the Middle East, saying that the city skylines and local flora and fauna are inspiring his next range of wallpaper and per-sonal watercolour paintings.

Speaking of the opportunities in the Middle East and his experience of working in the region, Dean comments: “People here are more willing to take risks and be adventurous and open to new ideas.

“It’s good for someone like me because I have had many years of experience and training in the UK and I can bring that here where there is a very exciting market emerging.”


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

“Traditionally the market in this region is not driven by quality and service; it is driven by price”

SUPPLIER H

OTSEAT | M

APEI

Italian manufacturer of sealants and adhesives, IBS-Mapei, says a lack of industry standards is undermining consumer confidence

to European and worldwide benchmarks, Mapei’s next objective is to raise the expecta-tions of its Middle East clients, in the hope competitors will follow.

“We are seeing a few companies now starting to produce products that comply with a few of those international standards, but they are an exception rather than the norm. You need to have some sort of legislation to drive standards, but in the meantime it falls to companies like ours to take the initiative.”

Commenting that the company has a reputa-tion to be the “number one or two player by value,” Haboubi concludes: “Where we go from here is trying to emulate the position and repu-tation in our other product lines; such as build-ing materials, which include repair materials and mortars.”

An ITALIAn jObSince establishing in the region three years

ago, IBS-Mapei has expanded production capacity fivefold to meet a demand for

“certified, quality products and services.”Now showcasing a catalogue of 15 adhesives

and sealants products, the company reports a strong market demand in tile fitting and instal-lation systems for ceramic tiles, marble, stone, glass and mosaics; with new requests for wooden, PVC and sports flooring, as well as sound-proofing installation.

Founded in Milan in 1937, Mapei began its international expansion in the 1960s. The group now incorporates 63 subsidiaries, with 57 pro-duction facilities in operation across 26 coun-tries and five continents.

Mapei’s UAE subsidiary trades as Innovative Building Solutions LLC (IBS-Mapei). As part of its long-term commitment to the Middle East, the company commenced production in February 2009 at a 40,000m² facility at Dubai Investments Park.

“The company has grown from strength to strength and we have only been here as an oper-ating company for three years. We have had a very ambitious expansion programme since we first started the business,” says business devel-opment director Laith Haboubi.

“There has been a shift in the market and finishes are being installed which are more con-sumer orientated. A few years ago developers weren’t so bothered about differentiating their products to the end user, where as now the peo-ple purchasing properties are end users rather than investors, so those finishes have really grown in importance,” he explains.

Around 80% of the products Mapei produces are manufactured in Dubai, and the company has supplied a number of high-profile projects in the emirate, including: the Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa, Emirates Palace Hotel, the Atlantis Hotel on Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab and Terminals 1,2, and 3 at Dubai

International Airport. In addition, 18 of the company’s products were specified for use at Abu Dhabi’s recently completed Ferrari World on Yas Island, including a number of water-proof cementitious coatings, an alkali-resistant fibre glass mesh, branded Mapenet 150, and a range of adhesives and grouts.

“Our concrete admixtures line is designed to improve the performance and characteristics of concrete,” explains Haboubi.

Such products are the result of a strong focus on research and development; 12% of the com-pany’s total work-force and 5% of its turnover are invested in such projects and 70% of these are developed to meet LEED requirements.

Conducting the research from three labora-tories, Mapei also operates the region’s only climatic-controlled facility, allowing research-ers to control temperature and humidity during testing; a point Haboubi says is “very signifi-cant” in this industry.

“We are one of the few companies that can comply with the latest international standards and test our products to those standards to prove it,” he explains.

However, Haboubi says that there is still a lack of industry-wide benchmarks and demand for quality.

“We are driven by quality and technology. We take a line of quality and service and the only way you can do that is to ensure you have the products and people who can deliver.

“Traditionally, the market in this region is not driven by quality and service; it is driven by price,” he observes.

It is this focus which, according to Haboubi, results in low customer expectations and few industry standards.

“The lack of standards and certification is one of the biggest problems as there are differ-ent perceptions of quality.

“Consumers know if they have a problem, but they don’t realise that the problems arise from a lack of standards.

“We have tried very hard to raise standards in the market; as a company and through asso-ciations such as MEDMA and governmental bodies like Dubai Municipality and Dubai Central Laboratories.”

Through a product catalogue that conforms

FAST FAcTS Staff: 6100

Subsidiaries: 63 subsidiaries, with 57 production

facilities in operation

Spanning: 26 countries and five continents

Research and development: Up to 12% of work-

force and 5% of turnover dedicated to R&D

Sustainability: Around 70% of R&D efforts to

develop products meeting LEED requirements

Business development director Laith Haboubi.


Suppliers in the spotlight

Dyson launches ‘Airblade’ hand dryerAward-winning dryer officially introduced to the Middle East market by Dyson

The first hand dryer to be recognised as a ‘hygienic hand-drying system’ has been launched in the region.

The Dyson Airblade creates a 400mph sheet of unheated air to “scrape water from hands, like a windscreen wiper”, according to the com-pany. The air passes through a 0.3mm HEPA filter, to remove bacteria and increase hygiene.

The Airblade is powered by a digital motor to save energy. Dyson claimed the machine is also a cheaper alternative to conventional dryers or the use of hand towels.

“The dryer is based on a Dyson patented digital motor, which is five times faster than a formula one engine,” said director of interna-tional markets Mike Saunders (pictured above).

It is the first hand dryer to be awarded the Carbon Reduction Label from the Carbon Trust and is already in use at the Sanctuary Discotheque in the Atlantis, The Palm and Le Méridien hotels in Dubai. The model, which is available in 34 countries, is also certified by the British Skin Foundation and the Royal Institute of Public Health.

“The feedback has been tremendous; people in this area love the technology and since the downturn have been more mindful of saving money and resources. We are bringing the best technology to the region and we hope people will recognise this so the future of the Dyson Airblade will be secure here,” Saunders added.

Low-carbon aluminium introduced to region Masdar and Gulf Extrusions team up to develop and supply a new ‘eco-metal’

An environmentally-friendly aluminium prod-uct, developed by Gulf Extrusions in conjunc-tion with the Masdar Institute, is being rolled out for wider use across the region.

The “green aluminium”, which produces 50% less carbon, was developed two years ago in conjunction with Masdar and manufacturer ALCAN, it received its first application 18 months ago and is now available to the wider GCC market through supplier Gulf Extrusions. Green aluminium contains 80% recycled mate-rials and can be recycled indefinitely.

“From an environmental point of view the energy consumed to recycle aluminium is only 5% of the energy required to smelt virgin alu-minium. To smelt one metric ton of aluminium you need 15,000 kilowatts of power, but second-ary production only requires 750 kilowatts,” said GM Modar Mohammed Al Mekdad.

In addition, the alternative material is pro-duced generating almost half the C0₂ of tradi-tional methods. Traditional materials produce 11kg of C0₂ per ton of aluminium; this product produces 5.7kg.

“The material is being specified gradually, but this is still the beginning and there are no rules to make its use mandatory. I believe in the coming years as awareness increases, demand will increase dramatically,” Al Mekdad added.

Gulf Extrusions has also recently launched a thermally broken windows and doors system.

‘Jotun Experience’ enhanced onlinePaint manufacturer becomes the first in region to use webcam gadget to demonstrate products

Paint manufacturer Jotun has increased interest in its products by showcasing real-life applica-tions via an online interactive programme.

Using a set of five picture cards depicting different types of buildings on a yellow back-ground, the ‘Jotun Experience’ allows clients to see applications of various paints and how each product’s features look upon application.

Users log onto the website and hold each card in front of a webcam for a real-time, live demonstration of the benefits and an explana-tion of each product in Jotun’s range.

Developed by the firm’s regional brand con-nection executive Gurpreet Kaur (pictured above), the web-based tool helps to demonstrate the “unique properties and applications” of the products, according to the company.

Jotun’s range of products includes anti-fun-gal and anti-bacterial lines; textured, gloss and sheen finishes, and thermal insulators and cor-rosion protectors. Many products are low- VOC, lead-free and odourless.

“Our products have these unique benefits you can only see live or in 3D, so I wanted to use a technology which could demonstrate that simply so clients can see the applications live in front of them,” said Kaur.

“This technology has been used successfully by companies in Europe and the US, but we are the first company in the Middle East to use this as a marketing message,” she added.

A round-up of the latest news and announcements from industry suppliers in the Middle East


SUPPLIER

| NEW

S

RWI reveals new lines and corporate imageRubber World Industries has launched a new branding campaign for the New Year

Shaikhani Group subsidiary, Rubber World Industries, has launched eight new products and a new brand image for 2011.

The company, which owns the Gulf-O-flex brand, has already reported a strong interest in the new range following previews at November’s The Big 5 exhibition.

The range includes insulation pipes, glue, tapes and adhesive insulation that have been used in several signature projects such as the Al Raha Beach development, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The company also produces the HFC and CFC-free, closed-cell rubber insulation, Gulf-O-Flex.

The company’s products have a 56% market share in the Middle East.

According to managing director Muzammil Shaikhani (pictured above), the new brand image depicts the “growth dynamism, diversity and values that RWI is known to represent”.

In October, the company set targets to deliver US $10.9 million worth of products to customers across the GCC by the end of 2010. Shaikhani predicts sales will grow a further 25% on the back of the new campaign.

“The reception of the new products has been good and we have taken many orders; it seems people have been waiting for products like these. We are also marketing exports and sales are strong with products going to all of the GCC and African markets,” Shaikhani said.

New JCB machines focus on HSE criteriaThree new machines launched by manufacturer following “huge” R&D project

The world’s third-largest heavy-equipment manufacturer, JCB, has launched three new machines to increase its share of the Middle East market.

The new JCB3CX Eco, 300TLT and Vibromax VMD70 are the result of a “huge” research and development project to set the agenda for the company’s future operations.

The research also included “extensive” cus-tomer input and market research and has increased the safety and efficiency of the machines, according to the firm. The machines will also help clients meet forthcoming world-wide emissions legislation.

“In these new developments we take a strong view to focus on our key customer attributes, which are productivity, efficiency, CO₂ reduc-tion and comfort,” explained Gulf district man-ager Edward Lovatt.

“The old models were the most efficient on the market, but now we have made them 60% better,” he added.

The VibromaxVMD70 has been re-designed to minimise the chance of accidents and now features a lever to protect the operator’s hand.

“We take health and safety very seriously and we recognise that accident rates need to be zero,” Lovatt added.

The machine will be available from January 2011 and orders have already been taken, claimed the company.

Work begins on UAE’s first dry-mortar plantWhen fully functional, the Al Mafraq facility will produce up to 1000 tons of dry mortar per day

Construction has begun on a new $27.2 million dry-mortar plant, according to Arkan Building Material Company.

The plant, called Arkan Dry Mortar, will be based in Al Mafraq and is scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2011.

With a production capacity of 1000 tons per day, the 57,000m² plant will be Arkan’s first dry-mortar plant in the UAE.

The company said it is a “commitment to innovation and leadership in the field of build-ing materials”.

“The new Arkan facility is a sound invest-ment that demonstrates how the company, with the support of its shareholders and the Abu Dhabi Government, continues to meet the evolving growth requirements of the regional construction industry by providing integrated solutions of the highest quality and at the most competitive prices,” said vice president of pro-jects Saeed Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri.

Arkan’s product range includes machine-applied plasters and renders, tile mortars, masonry mortars and floor screeds.

Facilities at the new plant will include silo or tanker filling, bag filling, palletising and auto-matic shrink wrapping.

“Arkan Dry Mortar will have the capability to produce a wide range of customised dry-mortar products to the building construction industry in the UAE and wider region,” he said.

$10.9mRWI SET TARGETS To DElIvER $10.9 MIllIoN WoRTh of PRoDucTS To cuSToMERS AcRoSS ThE Gcc bY ThE END of lAST YEAR

“The Vibromax VMD70 has been re-designed to minimise the chance of accidents occuring”


New

sX

XX

XX

XX

X | XXXXXXXXXX

TREND

S | STEEL

What are the main applications for your products?Hassan Samir: Attar Steel is focused on the business-to-business sector. We supply the con-struction and hardware industries, and general sheets and coils for various projects.

Mandeep Bhandari: Steel Masters International supplies the construction industry.

Our products are primarily used for roofing, cladding, fencing and air-conditioning (AC) ducting. Our prime customers include Zamil, Kirby and Mabani.

Nader Elhajj: Our main supply market is con-struction and our products are used mainly in labour residences, portable cabins and villas. Framecad doesn’t supply to the automotive or industrial sectors at the moment.

Globally we operate in 80 countries and in the Middle East, primarily in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. There are also high concentration mar-kets in Afghanistan, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and South America.

Raising the barMaged Mostafa: Genesis Manazil Steel Framing’s light-steel frame products are suita-ble for residential buildings up to eight storeys high, including schools, offices, small hotels and commercial plazas.

Muhammad Eissa: Our main applications are for industry, manufacturing and fabrication. Zamil Steel produces pre-engineered buildings, pre-fabricated housing and offers complete building systems.

We supply structural steel products and pro-cess equipment, power transmission and tele-communications towers, building components and open-web steel joists and decking.

Where is the highest demand? HS: The highest demand is in Saudi Arabia. The market requires galvanised sheets, stainless steel, perforated sheets and also decorative tubes and cable tubes.

MB: Our steel is being sold mostly to the UAE and Saudi Arabia; geographically we reach as

Few expected the steel industry to succumb to the price, demand and even political obstacles it has over the last 12 months. Despite the challenges, this month’s steel buffs say 2011 still looks hopeful

The Birds Nest stadium built for the Beijing Olympics used 45,000 tons of steel plate.

Zamil has supplied projects across the region.

ThE paNEl haSSaN SamiR

General manager, Attar Steel maNDEEp BhaNDaRi

Managing director, Steel Masters International Ltd NaDER Elhajj

Director Middle East and Africa, Framecad magED moSTafa

Chief executive officer, Genesis Manazil Steel Framing muhammaD EiSSa

General manager — steel devision, Zamil Group Holding


far as Egypt, with 40 to 50% of our business coming from KSA and Egypt.

MM: In addition to our presence in the UAE, we export to and have light-steel construction activities in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and KSA. We’re looking into modular solutions for applications such as temporary high-end offices and labour residences. On top of this, we’re negotiating with prospective partners to expand into Syria, Egypt and Morocco.

How have demands for steel changed recently?HS: Demand is increasing, slowly. There are many factors and these depend on the region. In the Middle East everything is affected by poli-tics, especially in Lebanon where we are based. We also have branches in Saudi Arabia, but it is politically stable there so we see that continuing to be a strong market in the future.

MB: The UAE was our primary market but has

“When the market slowed, we supplied to new types of developments such as office buildings, hospitals, schools and so forth”

Maged Mostafa.Mandeep Bhandari.

Muhammad Eissa.

5%-6% ThE avEragE STEEL DEMaND iNcrEaSE yEar-ON-yEar iN ThE araB cOuNTriES

XX

XX

XX

XX

| XXXXXXXXXXTREN

DS | STEEL

tapered off and now we are concentrating on Saudi Arabia and North Africa; mostly Egypt and Sudan. We are also looking beyond the Middle East and North Africa region; going towards Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Iraq has strong potential, but there are problems with payments.

NE: Demand over the last few years has changed drastically, with some products increasing 50% year-on-year. This has been driven by the speed of construction; what nor-mally takes a year and a half you can now do within months. When the market slowed, we supplied new types of developments, such as office buildings, hospitals, schools and so forth.

ME: The Middle East is considered our core market as we continue to cover all parts of the region. During the 1990s, we expanded further afield to establish production facilities in Vietnam, Egypt, the UAE and India. The high-est demand for our products lies in all fields of industry in the GCC, particularly Saudi Arabia.

What are the most significant factors that are affecting your current operations?HS: In Lebanon the market fluctuates and this is, again, linked to politics, where as operations in Saudi Arabia are strong and there are gov-ernment strategies for expansions such as King Abdullah Economic City and universities in Jeddah and Riyadh.

Profile cutting during steel production.


hassan Samir.

Nader Elhajj.

TREND

S | STEEL

MB: Since the financial crunch customers are becoming choosy because of immense competi-tion. As a result, our market share has fallen and we have worked very hard to give competi-tive rates. Customers still want good service which we are providing by reducing lead times.

NE: Advancements in technology have made life much easier, for example automated sys-tems. Our machines today are three times faster than our machines three years ago. This is not an industry-wide standard, but of course it typically translates into faster produc-tion times.

MM: We’re not prone to many market variables unlike traditional construction operations, as we follow the ‘lean’ manufacturing model. The only major factor that would affect our operation is steel price variations as a world-wide commodity.

3.8%chiNa iS ThE BiggEST STEEL PrODucEr iN ThE wOrLD, BuT Saw a DEcLiNE iN PrODucTiON OF 3.8% BETwEEN OcTOBEr 2009 aND 2010

$2.8bThE vaLuE OF ThE 45 wOrkiNg STEEL FacTOriES iN ThE MiDDLE EaST rEgiON


XX

XX

XX

XX

| XXXXXXXXXXTREN

DS | STEEL

How have fluctuations in prices and demand affected the business recently?HS: When the price increases, the market holds down and vice versa. To counter this we partici-pate in exhibitions, expand into new lines and increase our diversification in the business with new ideas. Last year we exported to Italy and the Far East for the first time.

MB: The effect can’t be quantified yet, but busi-ness has been very much affected, especially in terms of prices and competition.

NE: The effects in the region are minimal because of the dependence on steel; the market has no option.

If concrete is used, steel rebar is needed, so the impact is minimised.

MM: Fluctuations affect all businesses; how-ever, we try to mitigate that by diversifying our target vertical sectors including residential, commercial and institutional buildings alike, with regards to prices of commodities that we use as input to our production, including steel. As steel prices go up, it is a good indication that markets are recovering.

This means that, today, we have a better chance of winning more projects and enhanc-ing our economies of scale.

Currently, where are the major opportunities for 2011 in the market and wider industry?HS: The major opportunities are in Saudi Arabia, following up demand for new projects. I hope there will also be more opportunities coming up in the UAE.

MB: There is oversupply, which is clearly creat-ing problems and customers are now more price conscious than quality conscious. But there is strong growth in places like Saudi Arabia and we are concentrating more on the industrial sector, which is on the rise.

NE: The opportunities in this region are huge; our operations only just scratch the surface. In the future we are looking at putting satellite offices in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, these are growth areas for us.

There are always obstacles when doing this, such as people’s perceptions and gaining busi-ness approvals, but these exist in every market around the world.

MM: The year 2010 has not been an easy one, but the market shake-up has cleared the path for more serious developers, suppliers and con-tractors. Thanks to the wealth of natural resources and solid population growth, the region is in a relatively better position than

CoNSTRuCTioN TRivia • According to the World Steel

Association (WSA), Turkey and Iran

were the largest steel producers in

the Middle East in 2010

• Steel products can be recycled

repeatedly without loss of strength

• Recycling steel saves the equivalent

energy to power about 18 million

households for a year

• The amount of energy needed to

produce a ton of steel has been

reduced by 34% since 1972

• Global steel consumption is

estimated to have fallen by around

9% in 2009

• Steel was first used in skyscrapers

in 1883 and in cars in 1918

STEEl haS ThE highEST STRENgTh-To-WEighT RaTio, makiNg iT ThE STRoNgEST BuilDiNg maTERial availaBlE gloBally

“The year 2010 has not been an easy one, but the market shake-up has cleared the path for more serious developers, suppliers and contractors”

many other areas around the world. Demand is relatively stronger than other traditional mar-kets particularly for our light-steel and off-site construction system.

ME: Our major operations are within construc-tion, oil and gas and we are adopting a dynamic approach of moving swiftly in and out of mar-kets, depending on the risk or opportunities certain regions possess.

We are always looking to expand our pres-ence beyond the Middle East by supplying high-quality steel products and related services to an international client base.

67 ThE NuMBEr OF STEEL PLaNTS iN ThE araB rEgiON

Steel products exhibited on attar Steel’s stand at The Big 5 2010.

New

sN

ews

XX

XX

XX

XX

| XXXXXXXXXX


Saudi arabia

Project Number MPP2297-SA

� Project NameHeadquarterS buildiNg Project - KiNg abdullaH FiNaNcial diStrictTerritory Saudi ArabiaClient Samba Financial Group (Saudi Arabia)Website: http://www.samba.comDescriptionConstruction of headquarters building comprising a 39-storey office block with three levels of basement parking at King Abdullah Financial District.

budget $240 million

Period 2014 Status Current project Remarks This project will be located on the outskirts of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and cover a total built-up area of about 110,000 square metres. Local El-Seif Engineering & Contracting has been appointed as the main contractor. The contract involves building the structure and basic fit-out of the office building and a three-storey car park. It is understood that construction work is progressing and will be completed in 2014. Main Consultant Davis Langdon Arabian Gulf (Bahrain)Main Architect Foster & Partners (UK)Engineering Consultant Buro Happold (UK)Main Contractor El Seif Engineering Contracting Establishment (Saudi Arabia)

Project Number ZPR188-SA

� Project Namemixed-uSe buildiNgS develoPmeNt ProjectTerritory Saudi ArabiaClient International Investment Bank - IIB (Bahrain)Email: [email protected]

Web: http://www.iib-bahrain.comDescription Development of mixed-use buildings involving construction of (2,000 Nos.) residential units, schools, shops and mosques.

budget $1 billion

Status New tender Remarks This project will be located in Jeddah. It will be implemented in phases. It is understood that the scheme is in early stages of planning. Work is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2011.


� Project NameKiNg abdullaH SPortS city ProjectTerritory Saudi ArabiaClient Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco)Email: [email protected]: http://www.saudiaramco.comDescription Construction of King Abdullah Sports City covering an area of 9 square kilometres featuring a main stadium with capacity of 60,000, together with at least five other smaller sporting arenas, including a specialist hospital for sporting injuries, a number of indoor arenas and accommodation facilities.

budget $10 billion

Status New tender Remarks This project will be located around 60 kilometres north of Jeddah alongside the Mecca-Medina highway in Saudi Arabia. The scheme is still in design phase. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main contract is expected to be issued soon. UK-based Arup is acting as the consultant on this project. Main Consultant Arup (UK)


� Project NamemediNa airPort exPaNSioN Project -

PHaSe 1Territory Saudi ArabiaClient General Authority of Civil Aviation - GACA (Saudi Arabia)Description Expansion of Medina Airport to develop airside and landside facilities, including the construction of a new terminal with capacity of 14 million passengers a year, renovation of an existing runway and construction of a second runway.

budget $1.5 billion

Closing Date February 28, 2011 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Saudi Arabia. It will be developed in two phases on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis. The airport currently handles about 3.5 million passengers a year. Later expansion plans involve the construction of a new passenger terminal, the renovation of existing runway, the possible construction of a second runway. Client has pre-qualified eight consortiums to bid for the main contract. Main Consultant International Finance Corporation - IFC (Saudi Arabia)

iraq

Project Number ZPR196-IQ

� Project NameNajaF moNorail ProjectTerritory IraqClient Najaf Investment Commission (Iraq)Website: http://www.investnajaf.comDescription Design and Build contract for the construction of a 37-kilometre-long monorail in Najaf.

budget $600 million

Period 2014 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Iraq.

The monorail will be built to ease transport crisis and clogged streets in the province. The scheme will be developed in 2 phases. Phase 1 will link the 3 major mosques in Najaf: Imam Ali, Kufa and Sahla Shrines and will also link 2 main bus depots. Phase 2 will link the new Najaf Airport. Canada’s TransGlobim International has been awarded the design and build contract. Construction work is expected to commence in the second half of 2011. Main Contractor TransGlobim International (Canada)

qatar

Project Number ZPR191-Q

� Project NamemariNa mall ProjectTerritory QatarClient Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company (Qatar)Email: [email protected]: http://www.mazayaqatar.comDescription Build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract for the development of Marina Mall comprising two floors and ground floor, surrounded with a hotel as well as office and residential space.

budget $275 million

Status New tender Remarks This project will be facing the New Marina and Yacht Club at Lusail area in Doha. It will be spread over an area of 57,605 square metres. Dubai-based Gensler has been appointed as the architect. It is understood that the project is still under design. Detailed design is expected to be completed in the first half of 2011. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main construction contract is expected to be issued in fourth quarter of 2011. Main Architect Gensler Associates (Dubai)

TENDERS The latest tenders and project updates for developments in MENA

MEN

A PRO

JECTS | TENDERS


Syria

Project Number SPR2624-SY

� Project NameSHamS KHamat mixed-uSe develoPmeNt ProjectTerritory SyriaClient Majid Al-Futtaim Group (Dubai)Email: [email protected]: http://www.majidalfuttaim.comDescription Development of Shams Khamat mixed-use scheme comprising international hotels, a shopping mall, a town square, business districts and modern amenities.

budget $1 billion

Period 2014 Status New tender Remarks This project will be developed at Sabboura/Yafour district, 17 kilometres west of Damascus in Syria and cover an area of 1 million square metres. Ground works have commenced and are expected to be completed in 2011. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main construction contract is expected to be issued in February 2011. Construction is anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2011.

egyPt

Project Number OPR424-E

� Project Namemall oF egyPt ProjectTerritory EgyptClient Majid Al Futtaim Group (Egypt)Web: http://www.majidalfuttaimproperties.comDescription Construction of Mall of Egypt comprising (350) stores, a 17-screen cinema complex, Magic Planet, an outdoor plaza, dining, and skiing facility.

budget $772 million

Period 15/01/2012 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Cairo and will cover an area of 160,000 square metres. Ski Egypt, an indoor skiing facility similar to the one in Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, is planned in the mall. ITB for the main construction contract has been issued. The detailed design is ongoing and expected to be completed in December 2010 or in the first quarter of 2011. Award for the main construction contract is expected in the first quarter of 2011. Main Architect RTKL Associates Inc. (Dubai)

omaN

Project Number SPR194-O

� Project NamecoNveNtioN & exHibitioN ceNtre ProjectTerritory OmanClient Oman Tourism Development Company S.A.O.C (Omran)Email: [email protected]: http://www.omran.omDescription Design and construction of a convention centre with capacity of 6,000 seats, a 30,000 square metre exhibition centre/multi-user sports centre, including several hotels in five, four and three-star categories, 20 meeting rooms (each with 250 seating capacity), a business park covering approximately 70,000 square metres, restaurants, cafes, press centre, shopping mall (125,000 square metres) and recreation facilities.

budget $500 million

Period 2014 Status New tender Remarks This project is in Muscat and will be located 4 kilometres away from Muscat International Airport in Oman. US-based WATG has been appointed as master planner on this scheme. Local Al-Awazi International has been awarded an estimated $7.5 million

contract to carry out the site preparation and enabling works package. Client had invited firms to pre-qualify by November 30, 2010 for four packages worth a total of $260 million covering the construction of a convention centre and other buildings on the outskirts of Muscat. The first package involves construction of a 6,000 capacity convention centre, while the second package is for a 30,000-square-metre exhibition hall, car parking and energy centre. The third package is for construction of a five-star hotel and the fourth package is for infrastructure works. This will include construction of site roads and provision of utilities. Main Consultant RMJM (Dubai)Master Plan Consultant WATG (USA)Quantity Surveyor Hanscomb & Company L.L.C (Oman)Foundations, Enabling & Piling Contractor Al-Awazi International L.L.C (Oman)

baHraiN

Project Number ZPR160-B

� Project NamemiNa SalmaN Port coNStructioN ProjectTerritory BahrainClient Ministry of Works & Agriculture (Bahrain)Description Construction of three-level interchange at Mina Salman Port.

budget 585 million

Period 15/08/2013 Status New tender Remarks This project will be located at Manama in Bahrain. It includes construction of an overpass from Shaikh Isa bin Salman Highway to Al Fateh Street and a tunnel from Shaikh Isa bin Salman Bridge to Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Port. Evaluation of bids is currently underway for the main contract. A joint venture of Haji Hassan Group and Belhasa Six Construct has been submitted the lowest bid. An award is now anticipated in the first quarter

of 2011, with construction expected to commence in 2011.

uae

Project Number ZPR172-U

� Project NamegodolPHiN ParKS develoPmeNt Project — iN meydaN cityTerritory DubaiClient Meydan L.L.C (Dubai)Web: http://www.meydan.aeDescription Development of Godolphin Parks comprising a 40-storey Godolphin Gateway Tower and a signature mall that includes indoor and outdoor parks.Status New tender Remarks This project will be located in Meydan City at Ras Al Khor in Dubai. The scheme is still in early planning stage and no schedule has been revealed yet. Malaysia’s TAK Group has been appointed as the design consultant. Design Consultant TAK Group based in Dubai

Project Number OPR437-U

� Project NamePremier iNN Hotel Project - abu dHabi iNterNatioNal airPortTerritory Abu DhabiClient Premier Inn (Dubai)Email: [email protected]: http://www.premierinn.comDescription Construction of Premier Inn Hotel comprising 300 rooms, including an all-day restaurant and bar, a coffee outlet and several meeting rooms.

budget $33 million

Period 2012 Status New tender Remarks This hotel will be built at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Located opposite Terminal 3, it will conveniently link to Terminals 1 and 3 by a retail corridor, with several

MEN

A PRO

JECTS | TENDERS


MEN

A PRO

JECTS | TENDERS

stores and lounges to ensure that passengers have easy access to any of their shopping needs. Client has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) to implement this project. The hotel is designed to offer comfortable rooms, unrivalled customer service and reasonable pricing, even during periods of high demand.

Project Number SPR2146-U

� Project Nameal maSHtal mixed-uSe commuNity develoPmeNt ProjectTerritory Abu DhabiClient Sorouh Real Estate (Abu Dhabi)Web: http://www.sorouh.comDescription Development of Al Mashtal mixed-use community scheme comprising offices, residential, entertainment and retail areas, a hotel, serviced apartments, entertainment/sports arena, and a parking area.

budget $1.5 billion

Status New tender Remarks This project will be located near the business district in Abu Dhabi and spread over an area of 790,000 square metres. It will include 3 office towers, 7 residential towers, a hotel, a retail podium, serviced apartments, entertainment facilities and a parking area for 5,400 cars. The project is still in final stage of design. This is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011 and will be followed by release of invitation to bid (ITB) for the infrastructure package. Design Consultant Arquitectonica (Dubai)Project Manager KEO International Consultants (Abu Dhabi)Infrastructure Consultant Mouchel Parkman Middle East Ltd. (Abu Dhabi)

Project Number ZPR108-U

� Project NameHigH-voltage cableS PlaNt Project

Territory DubaiClient Dubai Cable Company Pvt. Ltd. (DUCAB)Email: [email protected]: http://www.ducab.co.aeDescription Construction of a high-voltage (HV) cables plant to cater for large power projects.

budget $150 million

Period 15/02/2011 Status Current project Remarks This plant will be located at Jebel Ali in Dubai and cover an area of 22,000 square metres. The 44-storey tower will house state-of-the-art extrusion equipment and be the most noticeable feature of the new HV factory. The 148-metre-high tower will be a new landmark in Jebel Ali and is believed to be the highest industrial tower in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region. It is designed to ensure that the very high voltage products are manufactured to the highest standards necessary to provide faultless service. The project will cater to large power projects being developed in UAE. 75% to 80% of the production will be exported to Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and North Africa. The remaining will be for the local market. The scheme is being implemented in joint venture with Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA) through its subsidiary Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company. Local Khansaheb Civil Engineering has been appointed as the main contractor. Construction of the 148cm vertical extrusion tower has been completed. Civil works are nearing completion and first machines are being installed. Main Contractor Khansaheb Civil Engineering (Dubai)

Project Number MPR1338-U

� Project NameiNFraStructure WorKS coNtract — KHaliFa Port & iNduStrial ZoNeTerritory Abu Dhabi

Client Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC)Email: [email protected]: http://www.portzayed.gov.aeDescription Implementation of infrastructure works involving construction of one road bridge, two rail bridges and other general infrastructure such as culverts, storm water drainage, sewerage, substations and pumping stations at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone (KPIZ).

budget $132 million

Period15/07/2012 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Abu Dhabi. The agreement is for construction, fit-out, testing and commissioning of civil and structural works for Industrial Zone Area ‘A’. The contract includes construction of a 4.5-kilometre, three-lane carriageway and a 1.5-kilometre, four-lane carriageway linking the onshore port to the industrial zone. It also features the construction of seven 11kV substations and pumping stations as well as the provision of site-wide utilities such as electricity, telecom, potable water, combined wastewater and irrigation. Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) has received a letter of intent to carry out the main contract. Works have already commenced. US-based Bechtel is acting as the project’s program manager. Project Manager Bechtel (International) Company Limited (Abu Dhabi)Main Contractor Consolidated Contractors International Co. Ltd. - CCC (Abu Dhabi)

Project Number OPR438-U

� Project NamedredgiNg WorKS Project — al ruWaiS PortTerritory Abu DhabiClient Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited (GASCO)Email: [email protected]: http://www.gasco.aeDescription Carrying out dredging works of a sulphur handling and export terminal at Al Ruwais Port.

budget $100 million

Status Current project Remarks This project is in Abu Dhabi. Local National Marine Dredging Company has been appointed as the main contractor. The con tract also involves expansion of polyvinyl chloride (PVS) export terminal. The scheme is aimed at deepening water basin at the sulphur export terminal, which lies on the eastern part of Al Ruwais Industrial Area, in order to raise the sulphur capacity of Ruwais Port and the sulphur production capacity. Main Contractor National Marine Dredging Company - NMDC (Abu Dhabi)Tender CategoriesMarine Engg. Works & Seaports

Project NumberMPP2276-U

� Project NametermiNal exPaNSioN Project — PHaSe 6Territory Northern EmiratesClient Vopak Horizon Fujairah Ltd.Email: [email protected]: http://www.vopakhorizonfujairah.comDescription Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for carrying out the sixth expansion of onshore bunkering and oil products terminal to add 600,000 cubic meters to the terminal’s current capacity.

budget $110 million

Period 20/03/2012 Status Current project Remarks This project is in Fujairah. The client had originally planned to add 1.2 million cubic metres and between four and six berths in this phase. However, the company decided to split the development into two phases following in-house front-end engineering and design studies. Italy’s Belleli Energy has been awarded the EPC contract to carry out this scheme. Construction work will be completed in Q1, 2012. FEED Consultant Emirates National Oil Company - ENOC (Dubai)Main Contractor Belleli Energy (Dubai)


Reality Expo Thane

India: January 7-9Hosted by Asian Business Exhibitions &

Conferences Ltd, the show offers opportunities for those in the building and construction industry.

The exhibition will be attended by property managers, architects and decision makers from a

number of sectors.

Portland Build Remodel & Landscape Expo US: January 7-9

Taking place in Oregan, the exhibition offers the latest products and services for the remodelling

of existing housing and the construction of new residential properties.

Minneapolis Home & Landscape Expo

US: January 7-9The show, which will be hosted in Minnesota, offers a variety of solutions for gardening and

landscaping in residential property developments.

Concrete Panorama & Deminar India: January 10-12

This international exhibition and conference for concrete products, machinery and technology

will be held in India, offering a platform for the members of the concrete industry to interact.

BUDMA-International Construction Fair

Poland: January 11-14The BUDMA show features a range of building

technology, equipment, materials, interior construction solutions and advisory services.

Among products exhibited will be glass, windows, doors, gates, information systems and much more.

International Builders Show

US: January 12-14Marketed as the only event of its kind focused

specifically on the needs, concerns and opportunities that face top-volume builders, the show is expected to attract a number of industry

professionals to Florida.

Louisville Build Renovate & Landscape Expo

US: January 14-16The exhibition combines trade and consumer markets to produce a show for the building and construction sector, to be held in Kentucky.

Contract World Expo

Germany: January 15-18 The show is intended to offer new perspectives to the participating companies for improved communication with architects and interior designers.

BAU Munich

Germany: January 17-22Organised by Messe Munchen GmBH, BAU Munich is a trade show bringing together the international building and construction industry.

India Stonemart

India: January 20-23Primarily a stone product fair, the event is intended to bring together those related to the stone industry under one roof.

SurfacesUS: January 25-27Taking place in Nevada, the Surfaces exhibition covers the flooring industry, featuring a wide range of products.

DIARYJANUARY

GLoBAL TREnDS

$9000/tThe copper selling price reached US $9000 per ton on the London Metal Exchange last month

115The number of Dubai projects cancelled by RERA since the onset of the financial downturn

$21.9bA Saudi official estimated the combined value of more than 360 Saudi-US joint ventures at $21.9 billion

$114mA $114 million contract for the construction of phase two of Al Duqm Airport in Oman has been awarded

DIA

RY | IN

DUSTRY EVENTSInternatIonal

Don’t mIss: ARAbIAn ConstRuCtIon Week 2011mARCh 28-30, ADneC

z More than 500 exhibiting companies

z Thousands of products showcased

z 10,000 trade visitors

z 20,000m2 of exhibition space

z Four global summits with 800 Delegates


MANAGEMENT FIRM Hadi Tahboub Senior vice president business development, DCK Middle East InternationalThe New Year is showing a very promising horizon of major oppor-tunities in various sectors, showing the world that this region is quite resilient and is emerging out of the dark fog of the global financial crisis. My construction group will certainly be looking forward to tapping into the construction and business opportunities behind the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the expanding infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi and the pockets of lucrative healthcare facilities and hospitals that have been put in perspective to be built in the last few months. All the best to all and good luck for 2011!

POWER COMPANY Christian BertrandVIce president Middle-East and Africa, APC by Schneider ElectricResolutions are not limited to a year or a quarter, they are a con-stant process. However, broadly speaking, our resolution for 2011 is to leverage Schneider Electric’s global portfolio of solutions and promote our common architec-ture, EcoStruXure, leading to global energy efficiency.

As a solution provider of hard-ware, software and services, we want to help customers get the most of the energy that they are using, wherever they are.

Bringing value, being close to our customers and committed to their satisfaction is a permanent resolution for us.

RENTALS BUSINESSPaul PrestonManaging director, ElysianWe are trying to plan for 2011 for our short-term rentals business.

We currently have a website which targets potential clients in Dubai, but the company is now looking to expand its reach to tap into other countries.

We’ve identified important mar-kets in Europe, including France, so we’ll be making lots of partnerships to penetrate these.

We expect to see a return on our efforts within four-to-five months.

To us, the New Year seems like a good time to expand out of Dubai as we emerge from the global reces-sion. Plus the company needs to find new ways to cover its costs and this seems to be the most natural expansion plan for 2011.

REAL ESTATE COMPANY Phil Sheridan Group chief executive, Fine & Country International RealityThe 2011 business resolution is to build upon Fine & Country’s grow-ing international network in estab-lishing the brand as the most dynamic realtor in the emirates. Our award-winning formula already sets us apart from the mainstream and we will be looking to consolidate through selective recruitment, to provide buyers and sellers a superior provider of choice.

TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATION Dave JellingsCommunications director, BuildingSmart ME We believe 2011 will be a bench-mark year for BuildingSmart Middle East. Having clearly estab-lished our identity in the region, we will be able to launch industry-defining standards to guide con-struction for optimum performance of Building Information Modelling (BIM).

Join us at the BuildingSmart Conference 2011 at Arabian Construction Week in March to find out more.

ARCHITECTURE FIRMSzilvia Viczian Managing director, Sustainable Creative ArchitectureThe team will be busy in 2011 work-ing on a labour camp, which is located on the Saudi Arabian bor-der, in Al Ruwais, and will accom-modate10,000 people.

We are designing the camp to be a sustainable solution that will be quite different to existing camps in the region. Rather than designing the camp in line with minimum municipality requirements, we’re trying to upgrade it so it will be a better environment for workers.

This will include making the rooms larger; there are a number of obstacles that stand in the way as often developers want to pay for the minimum requirements and cheap-est solutions.

However, we’re working with the developer Vorles Corp to imple-ment slightly better standards.

Excavation will start on January 1 and we hope the camp will be completed by next September.

Your Shout

With every New Year come resolutions and so this month The Big Project asked industry professionals to tell us about their business pledges for 2011

“We are designing a labour camp in Al Ruwais that will offer a more sustainable solution quite different to existing camps in the region”

TEA BREA

K | IN

DUSTRY COM

MEN

T

VitroGlaze TheBigProject.pdf 1 2/8/11 4:16 PM

AD

VitroGlaze TheBigProject.pdf 1 2/8/11 4:16 PM

ADC

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

JE_L_TBP_20.7X27_E.pdf 1/23/11 12:15:06 PM

the big project middle east

Documents

industry trends

new year

sustainable design

industry events

new projects

lack of industry standards

biggest design projects

new green alternatives