ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS DECEMBER 2021 • ISSUE 782 THE INDUSTRY IS ON THE PATH TO A GENDER DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT, OPENING UP NEW AVENUES FOR INNOVATIONCONTENTS DECEMBER 2021 • ISSUE 782 Construction Week wraps its inaugural Women in Construction Conference, highlighting the sector’s shift to create an equal, diverse, and inclusive workforce COVER S TORY 18 EDITOR’S LETTER Stakeholders are making strides by addressing issues around gender diversity, but it is a work in progress EXPO EXCLUSIVE Expo 2020’s Germany, Jamaica, and Netherlands pavilions tell stories of sustainability and re ect on the future LEADERS QATAR Construction Week outlines key takeaways from the Leaders in Construction Qatar Summit 2021 LEGACY GAJ’s Brian Johnson on Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse’s role in shaping the nation’s architectural landscape REVIEW WME’s Peyman Mohajer on UAE construction’s resilience to recover from the effects of the pandemic BUSINESS Construction Week learns from Umesh Punia, CEO, GLAZE GRANITE & MARBLE about the company’s journey to elevate the sale of marble and natural stones in the UAE 6 14 24 28 30 36 STAT OF THE MONTH $30BN INFRA INVESTMENT Bahrain supports its Economic Vision 2030 through the recently launched 22-project strategic plan QUOTE OF THE MONTH WHAT’S DRAWN IS DELIVERABLE Ramboll’s Liam Northam on the importance of early contractor involvement for project delivery 10 08 EVENTS CALENDAR We inch towards the close of our 2021 events season, gearing up to host the 17th iteration of Construction Week Awards in December at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel 42 DECEMBER 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 3WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM4 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM PUBLISHED BY AND © 2021 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC. 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The most important project, contract, and tender information, updated every month To have your copy of Construction Week delivered to your doorstep, subscribe by logging on to www.itp.com/subscriptionsMARBLE GRANITE QUARTZITE ONYX TRAVERTINE LIMESTONE PRECIOUS STONE Surface Solutions, Designed By Nature www.glaze.ae/ Staturio Marble6 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021 EDITOR’S LETTER WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Breaking new ground: Women in Construction Change is truly the only constant, and when we embrace change, we see more opportunities and more success Ranju Warrier Editor The truth is out. The construction industry is in a gurative race to achieve a diverse and inclusive future — one where organisations are steering ahead to ll the obvious gaps. Yes, we as an industry are determined to create gender equal workplace, but we have only just started from the base. From entry-level positions to C-suite opportunities, women are making waves in the sector. I turn to inspiring examples like Yannic Leveque, Design Manager at BESIX or Kim Heartwell, CEO of CallisonRTKL, among others. As well as leading a change in our industry, women are paving the road for themselves, their peers, and young girls who aspire to build a career in construction and engineering. There is more work to be done to attract, recruit, and retain talented women in a wide range of positions across the sector and at all levels. In today’s uncertain economic market, with high material costs and labour shortages, resourcefulness, ingenuity, and endurance are required to propel the construction industry. This has naturally necessitated a multi-generational, diverse workforce, with both men and women bringing fresh, distinctive ideas to the table in order to address the industry’s existing challenges. Unfortunately, construction will always be “a male-oriented industry”, according to Anita Nouri, CEO/ Business Development Director at Green Energy Solutions & Sustainability. “We will have to accept this but we should not accept this at all levels, for instance, pay. I don’t think a person’s salary should change because of one’s gender,” she said, addressing the issues surrounding pay disparity in the sector at the recently concluded Women in Construction Conference. Change is truly the only constant, and when we embrace change, we see more opportunities and more success. For businesses in the sector, this means increased productivity and pro tability. Construction Week, in partnership with UN Women, is initiating this change through our inaugural Women in Construction Conference, which comes at a time when our industry is making strides by addressing issues around diversity and inclusion, as well as nding solutions to inequality on the road to equal representation. Flip to page 18 to learn from the insights gathered at the conference. Another interesting change we observed this year was an increase in the number of nominations for women at the Construction Week Awards 2021. ‘Diversity’ was one of the key highlights of this year’s nominations, and judges emphasised it during the awards judging process. Since I joined Construction Week, I have been a witness to how the region’s construction stakeholders are cautiously taking steps to improve their approach to diversity and equality in the workplace, and how the pace of this movement has accelerated over time. While it is an ongoing process, signi cant progress is being made by many organisations, with many more joining the journey and realigning their hiring and workplace policies to strengthen women’s representation across the board and on the site. I believe that there is no such thing as a single day to create and provide equal opportunities for women in order to ensure the sector’s long-term growth. The time is now, and it is now that we must take the right actions. The rst step in this process is to have the right conversation and then turn it into action. I am ready to lead the conversation, are you ready to cause disruption by initiating change? Signing off! FOLLOW CONSTRUCTION WEEK @ CWMIDDLEEASTExplore Our New E-Commerce Website Order Online Now www.sanipexgroup.com Construction Week October 3.indd 120/09/2021 09:448 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021 QUOTE OF THE MONTH WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY ENSURE THAT “WHAT’S DRAWN IS ALSO DELIVERABLE”? Early contractor involvement, along with the optimal collaboration, is integral to the successful delivery of a project. It is important to consider that both of the aforementioned go hand-in-hand. Collaboration by itself does not suffice, as the coming together of all stakeholders could be a futile exercise if not initiated or undertaken early on. Construction Week recently spoke to Liam Northam, Façade Team Lead, Ramboll, about early engagement. He said: “The architect has the big job of trying to make it all come together in terms of the usable building the client wants. But I think we have a lot to offer very early on.” “When the architecture is locked, it is when a lot of the recommendations we can assist with cannot be used any longer. You then end up trying to fix a problem that is built into the façade because of how the building is oriented or space is used.” Detailing the nature of contracts and projects in the region, Northam pointed out that majority of the contracts are traditional in nature, but that works fine only for a “simpler kind of construction”. However, reiterating the need for early communication, Northam said: “If you discuss these prefabrication options with the developer or client, and include it in the façade design early on, it could be part of the package going out to the market.” Further, he said: “I’ve been engaged on projects where we have deviated from the façade engineer’s or the architect’s concept, and sometimes that has been to un-prefabricate things, and we have had to take that approach to meet budgets. “The idea is that if there is an earlier conversation which can be tied in with the budget that can be the project baseline.” Safety – more so in façade works – is an important consideration, with façades being a high-risk element in construction work, given that the work is mostly conducted at heights, and that is where most fatalities occur, Northam mentioned. This entire approach can be made more efficient if contractors are ensured access to the façade design early on, he suggested. “It is important that we do more in our designs to assess how a contractor would build something and then communicate that back to the contractor when they start work.” The industry follows a system of in- design risk assessments. “But, those are very generic and not detailed enough for the contractor,” suggesting that early communication or engagement is critical to ensure cost efficiencies in façade safety. For the more “complex kind of construction”, it is important to involve a specialist or contractor early on, as “That helps ensure what’s drawn is actually deliverable.” he concluded. Collaboration by itself does not suffice, as the coming together of all stakeholders could be a futile exercise if not initiated or undertaken early on Safety – more so in façade works – is an important consideration, with façades being a high-risk element in construction [Image: Representative | Pixabay]Next >