< PreviousSTAT OF THE MONTH 10 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM UAE’S $13.6BN RAILWAYS PROGRAM SUPPORTS ‘PROJECTS OF THE 50’ The UAE government has launched the $13.6bn (AED50bn) UAE Railways Program, which is the largest integrated system for transporting goods and passengers across the country. The program was launched during a special event celebrating the ‘Projects of the 50’, held at Expo 2020 Dubai and in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The event highlighted the objectives of the program and the stages of the Etihad Rail project, which connects Ghuwaifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to the port of Fujairah on the Eastern Coast. The program constitutes an integrated strategy for the railway sector in the UAE for the coming decades, as it includes a national network of railway projects that link the emirates and the key cities of the country, and develop a sustainable road transport system. The UAE Railways Program falls under the ‘Projects of the 50’ which is a series of developmental and economic projects that aim to accelerate the UAE’s development, transform it into a comprehensive hub in all sectorsm and establish its status as an ideal destination for talents and investors. The program also aims to connect the emirates of the UAE and provide a reliable transportation system. From the investments coming into the UAE Railway Program, 70% targets the local market. The program contributes to providing more than 9,000 jobs in the railway sector and supporting sectors by 2030. By the same year, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually. Commenting on the program, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “The Etihad Rail is the largest project to consolidate the strength of the union for the next fifty years. It will connect 11 key cities and regions across the UAE.” He added: “The UAE’s infrastructure is among the best in the world, and the Etihad Rail will further enhance UAE excellence in the logistical field. “The project comes in line with the environmental policy of the UAE and it will reduce carbon emissions by 70-80%.” HH Sheikh Mohamwed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said: “The National Railways Program reflects the true meaning of integration into our national economic system, as we see the largest partnership between government entities at the federal and local levels in the region. It comes to support a national vision to connect the country’s key centres of industry and production, open new trade routes and facilitate population movement.” The program aims to connect the emirates of the UAE and provide a reliable transportation system while also creating more than 9,000 jobs in the railway sector Etihad Rail: CW ArchivesConstructive. Credible. Connected CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn WWeeeekk is the leading industry brand delivering exclusive multimedia content that matters to the Middle East. Site Visits Experience hands-on access to the region’s construction sites through our multimedia platforms. Exclusive columns Get daily insights from the industry experts shaping the cities of the Middle East. Lists Read our comprehensive annual ranking of the Middle East’s most powerful names from the built environment. Multimedia platforms Be the first to hear our weekly podcast series, world-renowned webinar series and thought-provoking range of videos. Events Get early bird access to be first in line for our industry-leading conferences and awards. Tenders Learn about the latest tenders from the most exciting projects and developments throughout the Middle East. Sign up today for unrestricted access to CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonnWWeeeekkOOnnlliinnee..ccoomm AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATIONWATERPROOFING WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM12 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022 PENETRON “CONCRETE DURABILITY SOLUTIONS” IN THE MIDDLE EAST PENETRON is charting expansion in the Middle East, supporting it strong continued growth across the GCC including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. As part of this move, the company appointed Sam Annous as the Managing Director of PENETRON Middle East DMCC UAE. PENETRON Middle East DMCC is DCL- certified in Dubai, as well as Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ajman. The company has also appointed Al Reem Building Material, a division of AL SINDBAD GROUP as the sole PENETRON distributor for the UAE market and established a GCC distribution centre to serve Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain markets. In addion to his role as the Managing Director, Annous has also been managing the responsibilities of Specifications & Technical Development Manager at PENETRON Middle East GCC. Under the additional role, Annous will manage the company’s technical specifications and build long-term relationships with key accounts, and also provide continuous education and technical support services to the PENETRON GCC sales team and PENETRON clients. “Sam Annous is a highly qualified industry professional who will guide our Middle East team and help expand the availability of PENETRON products across the GCC region,” Robert Revera, President and CEO of PENETRON Group said, commenting on Annous’ appointment. Revera added: “In addition to his expertise and commitment, Sam can rely on our global network of PENETRON companies to support our customers with PENETRON concrete durability solutions.” For PENETRON Middle East one of the major projects it is currently associated with includes the Arab Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Located in a 27-storey tower, construction of the hospital will commence in January 2022. The project will be completed by 2025. Engineers for the new medical center specified PENETRON crystalline technology over a competitive product as the concrete waterproofing solution for the below-grade structures. Talking about the project, Annous explains: “The new Arab Hospital is a landmark event for Jeddah City.” He adds: “The new medical center will give the region access to modern medical services – and provide much-needed additional healthcare capacity.” The tower is located on the waterfront on Abhur Bay. However, the seaside location presents notable challenges for the project engineers at Zawaya Construction, the project’s general contractor. “The combination of a high groundwater level at the construction site and the chloride-rich environment due to proximity to Red Sea requires a robust waterproofing solution to prevent concrete deterioration of the below- grade concrete foundation and basement structures,” Annous notes. PENETRON ADMIX SB will be used to treat all concrete for the tower’s 1.6-metre-thick slab foundation, elevators pits, and basement structures. PENETRON ADMIX SB is easily mixed in during batching. The active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX SB react in a catalytic reaction to the moisture in concrete to generate a non-soluble crystalline network One of the major projects PENETRON is associated with includes the Arab Hospital [Image: Supplied] throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. This network permanently seals the concrete against the penetration of water or liquids from any direction, even under the constant saltwater exposure prevalent at the Jeddah construction site. “Our crystalline waterproofing admixture protects concrete in critical saltwater environments like Abhur Bay and the Red Sea,” Annous explains. “The PENETRON System also provides an added self-healing capability that will automatically self-heal and seal any hairline cracks that appear during the lifespan of the concrete when exposed to water. This effectively eliminates the need for any future maintenance for waterproofing at the Arab Hospital.” The PENETRON Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. It operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels. Visit www.penetron.com to know more or contact Sam Annous at sannous@penetron.com or 00 971 544664101.ENERGY WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COMJANUARY 2022 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 13 MITSUBISHI POWER UPGRADES GAS TURBINES AT SENOKO ENERGY REDUCING 15,000 TONNES OF CARBON EMISSIONS Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has completed upgrade works for two GTCC power plants with M701F gas turbines at Senoko Energy in Singapore. This has helped to improve energy efficiency and reduce approximately 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing over 4,500 cars from the road a year. The upgrade is part of a long-term service agreement (LTSA) concluded under a consortium with Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Power applied its latest gas turbine technologies to the M701F gas turbine, achieving a heat rate improvement by reducing the volume of cooling air, which results in reduced carbon emissions. Work on the upgrade and LTSA began on 21 June 2019 as part of Senoko Energy’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise in line with Singapore’s Carbon Pricing Act, which saw subsidies for company efforts that led to reductions in carbon emissions. Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce a carbon price. The carbon tax, at $5 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions (tCO2e), was introduced in 2019 through the Carbon Pricing Act (CPA). Close collaboration between Senoko Energy, Mitsubishi Power and other contractors allowed upgrade works to be completed on schedule while ensuring workplace safety despite challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The successful upgrade led to Senoko Energy receiving Honorable Mention in the Best Practices category for the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) Award. Commenting on this, Tan Cheng Teck, Executive Vice President, Operations & Maintenance, Senoko Energy said: “This project validates the hard work of our engineers, technicians and workers, particularly as the upgrade occurred during a challenging time of the pandemic. “We are grateful to the project team for their meticulous planning and execution, the close collaboration with Mitsubishi Power and other contractors, as well as tremendous support from EMA in facilitating the entry of technical advisers from Japan to Singapore through the Green Lane arrangement. This was truly a team effort.” Congratulating Senoko Energy on the award, Osamu Ono, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific said: “Upgrading works, together with operations & maintenance (O&M), are not only essential for maximising the asset value of existing power plant infrastructure but can also help improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the path towards decarbonisation. “Mitsubishi Power commends Senoko Energy for the Energy Efficiency National Senoko Energy GTCC Power Plant [Image: Mitsubishi Power] Partnership (EENP) Award they received in recognition of this successful upgrade. We are honored to build upon our long- standing relationship with Senoko Energy to provide critical gas turbine upgrading that supports their push for cleaner power generation in Singapore.” The EENP Awards were set up in 2011 to recognise EENP Partners for their efforts and achievements in improving energy efficiency. Organised annually by the NEA, Energy Market Authority and the Singapore Economic Development Board, the EENP Awards aims to foster a culture of sustained energy efficiency improvement in the industry and public sectors; and encourage companies, organisations or individuals to adopt a proactive approach towards energy management by identifying and sharing best practices for all to emulate. COVER STORY 14 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM COVER STORY WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM14 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022 MAPPING EIGHT DECADES IN CONSTRUCTION INTERVIEW AND WORDS BY DISHA DADLANI | PHOTOGRAPHS BY CRC-DORRA CRC-DORRA, the construction arm of Egypt’s DORRA Group, is capitalising on the development of new cities, delivering on new opportunities in infrastructure within the nation, while also venturing beyond its homeground and into emerging marketsFOLLOW CONSTRUCTION WEEK @CWMIDDLEEAST COVER STORY JANUARY 2022 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 15WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM COVER STORY WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COMJANUARY 2022 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 15COVER STORY 16 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM One would think that 80 years of building experience across sectors including commercial, residential, industrial and hospitality is enough for a company to rest on its laurels. However, Egypt’s DORRA Group, which earned the Developer of the Year title for its construction arm CRC-DORRA at the Construction Week Egypt Awards, uses this experience in continuing to deliver to “the highest level of quality”. “We have been building iconic projects in Egypt such as First Residence and Four Seasons Hotel, Faisal Islamic Bank, Enppi headquarters, Alharam Hospital, Alhosary Mosque and more,” says Eng. Dorra, Chairman, DORRA Group. “And, in doing so, we have been collaborating with major developers operating in Egypt such as Emaar, New Giza, Al Futtaim Cairo Festival City, Palm Hills; all our clients have shown their trust in our capability, quality and experience by continually awarding us construction packages across their developments.” Targeting emerging markets Some may agree that growth lies in venturing into unexplored territories and avenues. DORRA Group has its base in Egypt and also boasts significant presence across the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. After capitalising on the markets in the aforementioned regions, DORRA Group is now eyeing newer markets in an attempt to extend its existing operations. Eng. Dorra says: “Azerbaijan caught our attention owing to its range of projects, particularly high-rise buildings that we have great experience in undertaking, and hence we are looking for opportunities in this market.” Furthermore, Libya, which is Egypt’s neighbouring country, is also on CRC- DORRA’s radar, and is currently the “most exciting market”, according to Eng. Dorra. He says: “The proximity of the Libyan coast to the new developments within Egypt’s New Alamein and Al Dabaa serve as an opportunity for us to consider this area as an extension to the existing projects in the Egyptian North Coast. “Needless to say, Egypt and Libya have been close partners throughout the years and we share many strong social and economic ties together which helps in excellent communication necessary for any partnership to thrive.” Eng. Dorra continues, citing benefits the contractor can reap from penetrating into this market: “We have the ability to expand there in a short period of time and have the necessary development and building experience to address the projects that the Libyan market might need in the near future. The challenges that we are facing now in this regard are logistics and security, which will have to be addressed before we can add Libya to our active operation locations.” Another potential growth market as identified by CRC-DORRA is Iraq. “Iraq has been witnessing a construction boom coupled by a strong need to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and housing, hence we are attracted to it. Also, the historical, language and religious ties between both nations will help in bridging CRC-DORRA has been engaged on Egypt’s 35,000m2 Capital Business Park. CRC-DORRA has offered its services on the Village West Zayed project, which is located ve minutes away from the Capital Business Park.COVER STORY JANUARY 2022 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 17WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM any gaps needed to rebuild and further develop Iraq,” he says. Additionally, Eng. Dorra perceives Sub-Saharan Africa as “the focus of many nations and a target for new projects”. While the company is venturing into newer areas geographically, it is also charting expansion within its existing markets. “We intend to intensify the active participation in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. These markets might have witnessed a slowdown in construction activities in the recent years, but are definitely showing signs of recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak and we are looking forward to increase our project portfolio for all these locations.” He says: “We are studying opportunities for expansion in various markets where our experience as builders can be utilised to provide added value to the client.” Diversifying away from convention CRC-DORRA has been heavily engaged in residential and commercial projects across markets and particularly in its homeground Egypt, owing to the nature of the construction market in the North African nation. Eng. Dorra explains the company’s focus on such projects: “This has been the case from 2000 until 2014, as both sectors formed the majority of the available projects. But as of 2015, the local development initiatives and construction activities were geared towards the creation of new cities, hence the new opportunity of infrastructure, roads and utility became the main focus in addition to residential and commercial developments.” The company is now looking into the wastewater treatment and water desalination sector in Egypt, Eng. Dorra indicates, adding that Egypt’s market offers significant scope across the sector, enabling contractors to align with and deliver on the national directive “by diversifying the sources of potable water and optimise the nationwide usage of water”. Any such uncharted territory calls for deep understanding and prior analysis. “We are teaming with international DORRA Group has employed a total of more than 6,000 quali ed persons across Egypt and the Gulf region. Eng. Hassan Dorra describes the Egypt market as one that has witnessed an “active decade of construction growth”.COVER STORY 18 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JANUARY 2022WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM companies in both fields to participate in the study and construction of the projects related to water treatment and water desalination,” he says. Eng. Dorra adds: “We have the experience of building utility stations as we have done numerous projects in Egypt and the UAE. We are now concentrating on utility plant projects, especially wastewater treatment plants.” Egypt’s current water needs, marked by an increasing depletion of natural water sources along with reducing ground- water level has prompted countries in the MENA region to adopt methods to diversify away from conventional water resources. Ramping its efforts in this regard, CRC- DORRA are “finalising a consortium to tap into the market of seawater desalination plants, which are expected to be available during the next period in order to address these water needs of the current and future developments in Egypt,” Eng. Dorra states. He further indicates that desalination has never been treated as a major component of Egypt’s overall project portfolio. This is because the nation’s water needs have thus far been fulfiled by the Nile River through the years. This changed with the development of new cities in the North African nation’s remote areas, leading the transfer of water from the Nile to be a challenge. As a result, it strengthened the need for water desalination projects as new sources of potable water for developments, thereby decreasing the dependency of the Nile’s water being the sole source of potable water in Egypt, Eng. Dorra says. The home of CRC-DORRA: Egypt CRC-DORRA boasts a multitude of projects in the North African nation. These include Al Maqsad in the New Administrative Capital and The Gate Tower in New Alamein city with Egypt’s New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) in addition to several projects with private sector developers such as New Giza University (NGU) extension buildings, Palm Hills New Cairo Buildings, Emaar MIVIDA Project in New Cairo, and Aura Residence in Cairo Festival City for Al-Futtaim. “We also have many packages under study for private sector developers across their various projects and locations,” says Eng. Dorra. Sharing insight into CRC-DORRA’s work and business in Egypt, he continues: “CRC-DORRA was among the first business partners of NUCA. The partnership commenced with Marina Al Alamein summer retreat in the 1980s, wherein the contractor built approximately 60% of the 12km mega development, and extended this partnership by being the main contractors for Al Maqsad, New Administrative Capital’s first villas; the contractor culminated the partnership by building The Gate in New Alamein City which is the highest and biggest tower in the city’s waterfront.” DORRA Group is maintaining its legacy of eight decades in construction within Egypt, while simultaneously adopting a forward-looking approach. “Our experience in the Gulf region provided us with early access to construction technologies where DORRA Group was diligent enough to transfer these to Egypt, being the first company “We are studying all opportunities for expansion in various markets where our experience as builders can be utilised to provide added value to the client.” ENG. HASSAN DORRA CHAIRMAN, DORRA GROUP CRC-DORRA’s team applies its expertise and knowhow across a variety of sectors including high-rise buildings, compounds, schools, hospitals, and more.COVER STORY JANUARY 2022 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 19WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM mall, with a total BUA of 1.2 million square metres. Furthermore, Eng. Dorra highlights the IBQ tower, Al-Rabban Suites, Al-Baker Executive Towers, Barwa Al Baraha labour accommodation complex as prominent projects for CRC-DORRA in the country. Almost a decade later and in 2009, CRC-DORRA set foot into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contractor picked up some significant projects in the kingdom at the time, including the central utility complex for King Abdullah Haram Extension in Makkah central utility complex, the tallest minarets in Holy Makkah with a height of 263 metres, and the extension work for Prophet Mohamed Holy mosque in Madinah. “Countering challenges” Emerging strong from the pandemic, CRC-DORRA witnessed an alteration in its supply chain model, while also seeing a change in market conditions as well as countries’ production and export capabilities. Elaborating on the challenges the company faced in the wake of COVID-19, the chairman says: “Material-wise, the rising production costs domestically resulted in volatility of prices, mainly to offer ready mix concrete in 1980s and the top manufacturers of GRC and GRP products. This has continued all over the years where now we have more than eight companies within DORRA Group that offer specialised services for CRC- DORRA and other contractors in the market in post tension and pre-stressed concrete, mechanical foundations, waterproofing, joinery works, MEP installations and more,” Eng. Dorra says. A key existing market for CRC-DORRA in addition to Egypt is the UAE, where it began operations in 1986. One of its stand- out projects amid its expansive portfolio in the region is the AMA Tower along the bustling and busy Sheikh Zayed Road. The project has earned two Guinness World Records for having the highest ‘A’ letter in the world as well as the biggest billboard on a tower. Additionally, CRC-DORRA has been engaged on several projects in the UAE including Westburry Towers in Business Bay, Dome Tower in Jumeirah, Stella Hotel, Women’s Union in Abu Dhabi and many more. After establishing a footprint in the UAE, CRC-DORRA ventured into the Qatar market in 2000. Among its key projects in Qatar is the multi-use complex Place Vendome Among the contractor’s key projects in Qatar is the multi-use complex Place Vendome mall, with a total BUA of 1.2 million square metres. an increase, which impacted our ability to accurately [and competitively] price new projects. On the global scale, due to scarcity of material, the export of key raw material such as cement and steel led to limiting the export capacity due to directing the available resources to respective local market.” “Our efforts to counter this challenge has been mainly by diversifying the sources of raw material and building components from the supply chain perspective. From the pricing perspective, we resorted to introduction of escalation formulas within our contracts to face the increasing prices and volatility of pricing of key components of building and energy,” he says. Commenting on the way forward, Eng. Dorra indicates a strengthened approach towards Egypt, a market that CRC- DORRA has identified as one which has seen an “active decade of construction growth,” through the development of new cities and upgrade of infrastructure. Eng. Dorra concludes: “We foresee that this will continue for the next five years at least, thereby enabling Egyptian contractors to hone their contracting abilities and experience and take it to newer markets.” Next >