< PreviousQ&A 10 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Dr Mohamed Talaat, founder of Mohamed Talaat Architects (MTA), speaks with Disha Dadlani about the company’s portfolio, which is instrumental to shaping Egypt’s New Administrative Capital Cairo-based design and architectural firm Mohamed Talaat Architects (MTA or MT Architects), founded by Dr Mohamed Talaat, has been engaged in projects significant to shaping Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, which is being developed 35km east of Cairo, as a smart and sustainable city at its core. These include Egypt Mosque; the new government neighbourhood in the city; and the 22-floor Pyramids Tower, among others. The architectural design firm launched in 1996 has been offering interior design, engineering, construction, landscaping and urban planning services since its establishment. In his capacity, the founder of the firm, Dr Talaat has worked on an insurmountable number of projects, including within the residential, corporate, hospitality and administrative sectors. “Raising the level of architecture in Egypt” Speaking with Construction Week, Dr Talaat explains the firm’s mandate and efforts in shaping the architecture for the New Administrative Capital. “We have focused our efforts on curating works and designs that are aimed at raising the level of architecture in Egypt. Given the expansion the state is undergoing at present, we at MTA remain committed to the reconstruction of select areas in the country.” The new capital city is aimed at enhancing and diversifying Egypt’s economic potential by creating new places to live, work and visit. Aligned with this mandate, MTA is contributing towards a “civilizational transition” at a “remarkable speed” in the New Administrative Capital. “We are intensifying our efforts to build the New Administrative Capital, MT ARCHITECTS IS “RAISING THE LEVEL OF ARCHITECTURE IN EGYPT” Dr Mohamed Talaat, founder of Mohamed Talaat Architects, is recognised as one of the leading gures in Egyptian architectureQ&A WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COMJULY 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 11 alongwith notable local consultants in Egypt and internationally,” Dr Talaat says. Technology & sustainability-first Dr Talaat further states that projects operating within the New Administrative Capital are expected to reach the highest standards in terms of sustainability and technology. “The state supports this mandate with all its energy. “Developers operating within the New Administrative Capital are expected to achieve sustainability on 30% to 40% of their project. In addition, developers’ projects must fulfil all requirements to become a smart building or a smart project.” In general, Dr Talaat explains, cities that thrive on “culture and the will” to be smart and sustainable are fueled by architects, designers and consultants who are aware of the importance of technologies and sustainability elements associated with the project(s). While smart and sustainable solutions form the very core of a “city of the future”, human centricity is equally significant to the process. Dr Talaat reiterates: “The basis of design, art, and architecture is human life. Hence, all design and thinking must be centered around - and in the interest of - human life.” Egypt: A receptive market The Egyptian market is one that is “eager” to adapt to new ideas, Dr Talaat states, citing a case-in-point as Cairo’s Smart Village, which is the largest-gated business community in Egypt. Furthermore, he notes that MTA is aligned with Egypt’s emerging technologies. “We at MTA use the Building Information Modeling (BIM) system to coordinate internally and to facilitate architectural outputs.” Leveraging BIM enables the MTA team to accurately produce outputs as per the customers’ requirements, Dr Talaat explains. He adds: “Furthermore, we use parametric architecture in our design to ensure integration between design, construction and electromechanical processes.” MT Architects, which prides on its use of emerging technologies, relied on a parametric algorithmic process for its recently-concluded Pyramids Tower project, displaying the future of design. The benefit of leveraging such a solution was to allow the designers to test many iterations. Using this parametric technology provided better access to data for the project, and therefore, led to improved coordination, flexible modifications and better data extraction across multiple disciplines. The algorithmic modeling process enabled the team to make drastic changes to the project without hindering their execution deadline. The software updated the whole algorithm and cut down on repetitive tasks. Moreover, MTA used several tech solutions on the Pyramids Tower including CNC (computer numerical control), fabrication, 3D printing, and interoperability workflows, connecting Rhinoceros (an architecture software) with BIM, and other platforms. Growing within the New Administrative Capital While the company boasts a strong operational pipeline outside of their home base in Egypt in countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and Kuwait, the company has “concentrated” its business within the North African country, Dr Talaat says. MT Architects is growing exponentially and is continuing to work well despite the COVID-19 pandemic, he notes. “In terms of our engineering taskforce, we started with only 20 people, and increased it gradually to 40 and then 60; we are now at 100 people. These numbers are increasing as our project participation increases. We are now engaged in more than 30 projects just in the New Administrative Capital,” Dr Talaat adds. On a concluding note, he says: “One of our key projects is the Egypt Mosque, which lies within the Egypt Islamic Cultural Center, and is one of the largest mosques in the world. In addition, Mohamed Talaat Architects is engaged in some ministerial projects and is serving as the general consultant for the largest mall and the largest commercial tower within the New Administrative Capital.” The 22- oor 91,000m2 Pyramids Tower project forms part of Mohamed Talaat Architects’ portfolio within the New Administrative Capital 12 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM EXPO EXCLUSIVE THE WORLD’S FIRST LEED-PLATINUM CERTIFIED “SERVICE STATION OF THE FUTURE” The Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), which is the Official Integrated Energy Partner at Expo 2020 Dubai, has marked a true innovation in fuel retail construction by completing works on the first station in the region to incorporate an on-grid wind turbine for power generation, and incorporate carbon- fibre in the construction of its canopy. The 5,841.87m2 “Service Station of the Future” will harness renewable energy through 283 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels installed to generate 140MWh of solar power, in addition to a 25m wind turbine, which will generate 12.7MWh of wind energy annually, within the 4.38km2 World Expo site. In addition, more than 43,000m2 of carbon-fibre has been used to construct the canopy. Another 37 tonnes of carbon- fibre has been used to build the 133 multi-layer canopy frames, which house clear, innovative leaf shaped Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushion canopies, and are powered with more than 3,800 LED light modules. Even a cursory glance at the Service Station of the Future will showcase the intricacy of its design – which is inspired by the UAE’s rich heritage in the form of its national tree, the ghaf. In total, nine “ghaf trees” have been built with an additional 22,500m2 of carbon-fibre. Sharing exclusive details on the construction of the Service Station of the Future, the Group CEO of ENOC, His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, tells Construction Week: “We were deeply inspired by the ghaf – our national tree, which is known for its high sustainability and deep roots that make it resilient even in harsh weather conditions.” “The canopy concept includes 133 diamond shaped modules, which are 6.4m long, and span between the tips of the tree branches. There are 102 central modules and 31 edge modules that have The Group CEO of ENOC, His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, talks to Construction Week about the focus on solar and wind energy, the use of carbon-fibre, and the attention to sustainable methods of construction that have earned its Service Station of the Future global recognition from the USGBC Reporting by Saadiya Ahmad; Written by Anup Oommen JULY 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 13WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM EXPO EXCLUSIVE integrated around the perimeter for both aesthetic and drainage functions.” In addition, the structural mass of each central canopy element is an estimated 211kg, with total mass of 481kg including lighting, the ETFE bubble, PV, raised catwalk, as well as MEP cabling. The mass of the CFRP structure for the whole 1360m2 canopy is 32.5 tonnes and the total mass of the canopy, including all non-structural mass, is 70 tonnes. Commenting on the incorporation of carbon-fibre rather than steel on the project, HE Al Falasi says: “Carbon-fibre is an eco-friendly, light material, three times stronger and five times lighter than steel. A lightweight and strong canopy was critical to enable the trees to be slender by reducing imposed dead loads and seismic loads on the trees. “Also, lightweight elements would also be beneficial as they would allow quick installation on-site. Initial studies showed it was important to integrate the canopy and tree structures so that the canopy could act as a ‘membrane’ providing lateral support to the tips of the tree branches.” The use of moulded carbon-fibre shells in construction also enabled smooth curved shapes and resulted in a lightweight, stiff canopy. HE Al Falasi elucidates: “Moulding the canopy shells also allowed integration of the functional and aesthetic lighting and provision of an angled surface for mounting photovoltaic panels on the upper side, which was optimised to give an efficient orientation of the PV panels for electricity generation.” Due to its strong focus on renewable energy, water efficiency, energy savings, and reduction in CO2 emissions, ENOC’s Service Station of the Future was awarded the LEED Platinum certification – an internationally recognised building certification system from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). ENOC exceeded the requirements; securing 93 points, making it the first service station in the world to obtain a LEED platinum certification. Commenting on the achievement, HE Al Falasi adds: “Some of the key highlights that have contributed to securing the LEED certification is that we’ve utilised carbon fibre. The station is designed to generate the energy required to power its operations. “In addition to the grid PV solar system, and the on-grid wind turbine, we have also incorporated high energy- efficiency ratio (EER) – which is an intelligence (AI), and data analytics- based technologies that will help customise services and retail offerings for customers, including managing queues and waiting times at the forecourt. Commenting on the experience that Expo 2020 Dubai visitors will enjoy at the Service Station of the Future, HE Al Falasi concludes: “Vehicle mapping surface lighting will be deployed to mark traffic flow to direct vehicles to the fuelling area, as well as to the entry and exits of the station. “Occupation sensors and signals at fuelling positions will also manage traffic flow, redirecting vehicles to empty spaces at dispensers. The digital signage within the station consists of 12 million LED chips to illuminate the screens on-site. “Other prominent features include electric-vehicle chargers and multi- media interactive advanced dispensers. For enhanced safety, the station will use advanced fuel management and gauging systems that continuously monitor the integrity of the tanks, providing 24-hour leak detection coupled with turbine pump interface monitoring systems.” The Service Station of the Future is now officially operational for the Expo 2020 Dubai fleet, supporting the logistical needs of the World Expo. It will also serve the general public at District 2020 – a highly accessible, well- connected urban development as part of Expo 2020’s legacy phase. energy performance rating primarily for cooling devices – as well as Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) units with Fresh Air Handling Units (FAHUs) for the HVAC systems.” ENOC’s Service Station of the Future has installed low-flow water fixtures, navigation lighting system for vehicle mapping, Building Management Systems (BMS), Central Monitoring Systems (CMS), a vapour recovery system, an intelligent Lighting Control System, and a grey water system using carbon filtration technology for irrigation – all of which have contributed to its LEED Platinum certification. “The key considerations in designing this service station are sustainability, energy efficiency, operational efficiency, and cost efficiency. The station incorporates several sustainability features many of which are the first to be installed at any service station,” HE Al Falasi explains. “The service station’s systems have been deployed to enhance energy conservation, such as the use of carbon filtration technologies to convert wastewater for irrigation, significantly reducing outdoor water consumption. In addition, the station is equipped with systems that use ozonation techniques to convert water molecules from humidity in the air into drinkable water for the staff on-site.” The service station will also include several applications of advanced machine learning (ML), artificial INSIGHTS 14 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Netix Global BV, a leading smart building solutions provider, is set to launch its Netix Novus Partner Program, in September 2021, at the Burj Khalifa. The Program is designed to empower building owners, operators, and its network of certified partners, with cutting-edge building automation tools, training and support With a reputation for state- of-the-art expertise in the design, engineering, integration, connectivity, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of smart building eco-systems, and their components; Netix Global BV, a subsidiary of the SB Group International, now plans to lead the Brownfield Revolution in open protocol building automation solutions in the Middle East. We spoke with Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO Netix Global BV and Chairman of SB Group International, to know more about this initiative. What motivated your company to develop the Netix Novus Partner Program? What was the need you were trying to address? Nowadays, most properties still rely on expensive systems such as building automation/ building management systems, commonly known as BMS, life safety systems such as fire fighting, fire alarm and emergency lighting systems, security systems, lifts, lighting control, etc. Except BMS, all other systems can be serviced by any qualified service company, either by its Civil Defence Approved Service Provider for Life Safety Systems or by Police Approved Security Services maintenance companies. However, this has not been the case with Building Management Systems, because these are intrinsically complicated systems, programmed and locked by the OEMs or their agents, thus leaving no choice to the building owners but to pay a fortune for maintenance, upgrades and spare parts. The latest generation of building automation solutions has unlocked possibilities in energy efficiency, sustainability, and system integration, which are a marked enhancement over legacy solutions. At Netix Global BV, we are on a mission to enable a large scale shift to this model. As a leading OEM and solutions provider, our goal is to considerably increase the adoption of AI and IoT enabled, vendor-neutral, solutions. With this vision in mind, we realised that it would take the creation of an entire ecosystem of services and service providers, to achieve this transformation. Our network of partners are the ideal drivers of this Brownfield Revolution, and this is why we developed the Netix Novus Partner Program, to empower them as the agents of this transition. The program will be unveiled during a conference cum launch at Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa, in September 2021. This will be a first-of-its kind hybrid industry event for the region, featuring eminent experts and thought leaders in building automation and maintenance. The event will be live-streamed across 20 countries, with more than 1,000 attendees - both in person, as well as those joining the proceedings digitally, from across the globe. What initial response has Netix received from the industry, since the Netix Novus Partner Program was announced? ODS Global, a Dubai-based company that has successfully implemented Netix Solutions in several of their projects within the UAE, has signed up as the first Platinum Partner under the program. Netix’s IoT and AI- based open protocol solutions played a crucial role in ODS Global being awarded maintenance contracts for 19 vertical communities, by Emaar, across Downtown Dubai and Dubai Creek Harbour, and a three-year maintenance contract for the building automation Netix Global B.V. to drive Brownfield Revolution in Middle East Building Automation with Novus Partner Program Netix Global plans to lead the Brown eld Revolution in open protocol building automation solutions in the Middle East [Image: CW Archives]INSIGHTS WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COMJULY 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 15 systems of 24 DAMAC Properties towers. This is the first time a single company is taking on the maintenance of seven or eight different brands of BMS, which would be locked to the OEM or their agents in the past, as explained earlier. ODS Global also won the upgrade and maintenance of 3 Mazaya Towers’ buildings, where the client saved 75% of their costs since they didn’t have to replace the complete system, by upgrading to Netix Solutions instead. Other projects awarded to ODS Global include system integration at the Jafza Convention Centre, the BVLGARI Resort in Jumeirah Bay, the Pullman Hotel, and the Emirates Airlines Staff Accommodation in Dubai, to name a few. And to ensure ongoing real-time support to all their projects, ODS Global has a dedicated support team, on stand- by, which can be reached 24/7 via it’s own toll free number 800-ODSG. The Netix Novus Partner Program is designed to bring similar success to multiple regions, and benefit both partners and clients/building owners alike. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our other potential partners, since we shared the details of the Netix Novus Partner Program with them. Netix partners, across markets as varied as the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and India, have expressed interest. We are also currently in discussions with a very large partner in Oman, for the implementation of our solutions across 450 properties. The Netix Novus Partner Program will unlock additional revenue streams for our partners, through annual maintenance contracts, followed by upgrades, economical refurbishments, retrofits, spare parts, ultimately landing into cloud based energy management platforms, where our partners will be live monitoring their clients’ properties, from the recently-built Netix Konnect Intelligent Command & Control Center (iICCC). We have built two of these, so far, one in Dubai and the other one in India. We also have Netix Konnect iICCCs being built in Abu Dhabi, Singapore and the Netherlands. The partners will be able to share these solutions over Netix Cloud either through their own Netix Konnect iICCC or through a built-in, dedicated iICCC on client’s premises. The Middle East has emerged as one of the leaders in the tech-enabled enhancement of sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings, globally. The industry is looking for open- protocol, plug-and-play solutions, to integrate, upgrade, and maintain BMS and Automation, without adding complexity, or involving an exorbitant outlay. Not only is the industry itself highly receptive to breakthrough technologies in the region, but also high-profile government initiatives, such as the UAE Energy Roadmap, and the KSA’s Green Riyadh program, are setting benchmarks for others to follow. In the case of the UAE, the rescheduled Expo 2020, to be held later this year, has sustainability as one of its key pillars, as well. There’s a particularly strong industry-wide context for the program, in the region. Could you share some details of the Netix Novus Partner Program, with our readers? The Netix Novus Partner Program has been designed to enable our certified partners to implement open-protocol solutions; eliminate the need for annual renewal of vendor-specific licensing and contracts; provide specialised training and certified courses; create a network of on-site and remote support teams; and reward partners with discounts, incentives, and rebates. It features Platinum, Gold, and Silver membership tiers, in addition to existing approved memberships, so our certified partners can choose the benefits that best fit their business model and operations. The Netix Novus Partner Program will enable our partners to create additional revenue streams for their business, and offer annual maintenance contracts - including software upgrades, retrofits, etc – for the customers in their region, using Netix Solutions. The most important aspect of the program is Netix’s Intelligent Integrated Command and Control Center (iICCC), an Energy Management Platform, which Platinum Partners can leverage to control up to 84% of building energy consumption, and achieve savings up to 28% in energy costs. The benefits to our partners are manifold; we believe that the Netix Novus Partner Program will drive the Brownfield Revolution in facility management, across the globe, beginning with the Middle East and Asia. Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO, Netix Global BV and Chairman, SB Group International [Image: Supplied] “Netix’s IoT and AI-based open protocol solutions have played a crucial role in ODS Global being awarded contracts by several high-pro le clients and for notable projects, including 19 vertical communities, by Emaar; a three-year maintenance contract for the building automation systems of 24 DAMAC Properties towers; the upgrade and maintenance of 3 Mazaya Towers’ buildings; and system integration projects at the Jafza Convention Centre, the BVLGARI Resort in Jumeirah Bay, the Pullman Hotel, and the Emirates Airlines Staff Accommodation in Dubai “ Priyesh Bhatia, General Manager, ODS Global, rst Platinum Partner to sign up as part of the Netix Novus Partner Program [Image: Supplied]INFRASTRUCTURE 16 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Egypt’s leading construction firm, Hassan Allam Holding, speaks to Construction Week’s Editor Ashley Williams on how they can make a “huge contribution” to not just Egypt, but the MENA region While the global spotlight has been mainly shining on construction activities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE for many years, Egypt’s pipeline of world-class projects and its can- do attitude is beginning to become more noticed from a regional perspective. Regarded as the engineering hub for the Middle East, Egypt is vastly becoming more than just a tourist destination. As part of the country’s plans to grow and diversify its economy, infrastructure development is being placed at the forefront to cater to Egypt’s surging population and with the goal of ultimately resolving traffic congestion, a constant issue in the country’s capital city. Supporting the government’s movement for infrastructure development is leading construction firm, Hassan Allam Holding. Founded in 1936, Hassan Allam Holding is one of Egypt’s leading corporations and comprises engineering, construction, and infrastructure investment and development companies, operating in diverse sectors. With operations worldwide in Egypt, Algeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Morocco, Iraq, Gambia DRC, and Libya, the company has a huge focus on complex engineering and construction projects, building materials, electrical and mechanical turn-key solutions, building projects, and utility investment and development. Speaking exclusively to Construction Week, Hassan Allam’s Group CEO, Eng. Hassan Allam, shares his views on the Egyptian market and what to expect for the company. “Hassan Allam has historically been an infrastructure contractor. We’ve developed over the years, but infrastructure remains part of the company’s culture,” says Eng. Allam. “Egypt has recently launched an infrastructure development programme whereby construction stakeholders are building desalination plants to overcome water scarcity, reduce pollution and to help preserve the environment, while also allowing to better utilise the Nile water.” Elaborating on its plans for water infrastructure, Allam believed the firm are the “leaders” in this sector and its experience in water treatment, waste treatment and desalination is “second-to-none”. “We have a vast experience in this particular sector and therefore when the government has challenging large scale programmes that fall within the domain of our area of expertise, we are one of the leaders who participate in these programmes because we are entrusted with effective and efficient pricing, timely delivery and very high quality standards.” One of its key water projects driving Egypt’s infrastructure programme is the El-Hammam agricultural wastewater treatment plant – the largest of its kind in the world. The El-Hammam wastewater treatment plant was awarded to a consortium of four companies in March 2021, with Hassan Allam being one them. Eng. Allam told Construction Week that he expects the plant to be up and running by 2022. “It [El-Hammam] is the largest agricultural wastewater treatment plant in the world and it is expected to collect agricultural waste water from Alexandria and neighbouring cities into one treatment plant. It will then be used to provide water for agricultural reclamation in the western side of Egypt; helping the agri business grow; helping exports grow and serving the local market,” explains Eng. Allam. “The first 500,000 acres are planned to be harvested or developed from this plant with more to come. I think we are looking at significant agricultural investment from the government based on this plant.” He adds that Hassan Allam was awarded the project as they “INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS PART OF OUR CULTURE” Eng. Hassan Allam speaks with Construction Week in Cairo, Egypt [Image: Supplied]INFRASTRUCTURE JULY 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 17WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM previously worked on the Al Mahsama agricultural waste water treatment plant, which was delivered last year, alongside Metito and was the largest in the world at the time. “Based on this success, the government decided to move forward with El-Hammam, which is six times the size of Al Mahsama and we brought on board other partners to build this project in record time. We hope to see it up and running in 2022.” As well as the water sector, a large part of Hassan Allam’s backlog is focused on transport infrastructure, according to the Group CEO. “I would say that 30% of our business is focused on transport. We employ north of 15,000 people in this particular sector with a mix of engineers, qualified technicians and labour,” explains Eng. Allam. “Cairo Metro Line 4 is probably the biggest of these projects that we’re currently executing, which is followed by the LRT, which is a light rail transit system connecting the 10th Ramadan city to the new capital, and then the national road programme. “The Cairo Metro project is a new challenge for us and the LRT development is expected to be completed this year, but we are also operating on a challenging schedule.” He adds: “We expect soon to be working on Egypt’s high speed rail programme where we will be building turnkey stations in key locations plus relevant bridges and infrastructure associated with high speed trains.” As Hassan Allam Holding continues to grow its project pipeline, the firm also revealed plans to expand its business in the African market over the next five years. Eng. Allam revealed exclusively to Construction Week that there is a strategy to grow its business in Africa; not just as a general contractor but as a utilities solution provider, a water solution provider, and a building materials manufacturer. Hassan Allam Holding’s Group CEO also revealed that they have big plans to grow Hassan Allam’s subsidiary, PGESCo, who have delivered landmark projects for energy and industrial sectors in the Egypt and the MENA region for more than two decades. “We come with different roles. Within the group, we have one of the largest power and water engineering and project management players, which is PGESCo,” Eng. Allam tells Construction Week. “They have helped Egypt over the last 30 years to design, develop and build an unbelievably solid power infrastructure programme. Egypt produces close to 50,000 megawatts, which have been designed and project managed by PGESCo and has offered the same services in Libya and Iraq.” He adds: “We expect with the rebuilding efforts that will take place in Iraq and Libya that PGESCo will play an important role along Hassan Allam Construction, which is an engineering and construction giant, and other subsidiaries with it. We also want to do this in Africa.” Eng. Allam elaborates that the demand for infrastructure in Africa is “growing” across different sectors, power, energy and water, which PGESCo, Intech, Hassan Allam Utilities and BIOWORKS could make a huge contribution. Intech is one of the largest Egyptian EPC firms in the wastewater, water treatment and purification field. It specialises in the design and execution of waste water treatment plants, water treatment plants and desalination plants. BIOWORKS offers a whole variety of services and was established as a broadly based engineering company and having assembled a multidisciplinary team. BIOWORKS provides design & build of complete waste water treatment plants, equipment production and quality control, logistical support and services, commissioning, design and manufacturing of control and automation systems, training and support of operation and maintenance team, after sales service and research and development. Hassan Allam Utilities, is the group’s infrastructure investment and development platform. “Demand for power, and energy in particular, as well as water infrastructure is there and we believe that we have a significant competitive advantage; allowing us to bring our expertise into Africa,” adds Eng. Allam. Concluding the interview, Eng. Allam felt confident that despite a challenging schedule ahead for the business, it could thrive under the challenge. “For us, it’s not unusual, it’s our backyard. It is only normal for Egypt to lead such an initiative in a continent where we belong,” Eng. Allam concludes. The Cairo Metro Line 4 is one of Hassan Allam’s biggest projects for its transport backlog18 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JULY 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM THE BIG PICTURE FOLLOW CONSTRUCTION WEEK @CWMIDDLEEASTGERMANY-HEADQUARTERED LOSBERGER DE BOER COMPLETED SAUDI ARABIA’S JEDDAH SUPERDOME PROJECT ON TIME AND HANDED OVER THE DOME’S FRAME THREE DAYS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, AS THE FACILITY OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON 9 JUNE 2021. 9 JUNE 2021 JULY 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 19 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM THE BIG PICTURE A multi-purpose event space, which will play an integral role in the Jeddah Season events programme, the Jeddah Superdome has claimed the Guinness World Records™ titles for the world’s largest geodesic dome and largest dome with a continuous roof. The venue will host live shows, concerts and sporting events, brand activations and exhibitions, as well as some of the Kingdom’s stand-out events. [Image: Supplied]Next >