< Previous| CITY FOCUS | 10 JANUARY 2023 WILL DUBAI BECOME THE WORLD’S BEST CITY BY 2040? HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the second phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. The masterplan consists of several projects under ten key initiatives, including Enhancing Urban Centres, Dubai Real Estate Strategy, Urban Farming Plan, Preserving Urban Heritage Plan, Developing the 20-Minute City Policy, and the Pedestrian Network Master Plan. Sheikh Mohammed also reviewed the progress of 17 projects and initiatives that were part of the initial phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Following the announcement, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Today, we have a clear vision for the development of Dubai’s urban infrastructure and housing sector until 2040. Our goal is for Dubai to be an eco- and pedestrian- friendly city, and a city with a high yield from urban agriculture.” According to HE Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Well-Being Pillar, and Chair of the Supreme Committee of Urban Planning in Dubai, the key projects of Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan Phase 2 include, an integrated plan for developing five main urban centres (three existing and two new centres) in Dubai. The plan also covers a comprehensive strategy for Dubai’s real estate sector to align it with the requirements and strike a balance between supply and demand. It calls for proactive initiatives to manage opportunities and changes in the real estate market, achieve sustainable urban development, and boost investor confidence. The second phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan includes a framework for high-yield agriculture and farming by identifying suitable locations and developing the infrastructure and facilities. Phase 2 of Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan also outlines plans for preserving urban heritage to enhance the emirate’s identity, promote historical areas, landmarks and buildings, and improve the tourism experience at archaeological sites. The Supreme Committee of Urban Planning aims to conclude another five projects by the end of this year. The second phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan consists of several projects under ten key initiatives The plan covers a comprehensive strategy for Dubai’s real estate sector.| PROJECTS | JANUARY 2023 11 PROJECT LAUNCH Construction Week Middle East runs down the biggest, most innovative, and creative project launches in December, ranging from luxury residentials to agritourism destinations DAMAC Properties’ newest project, Cavalli Couture, is an ultra-luxury branded living experience overlooking Safa Park along the Dubai Canal. The exclusive project is a low-rise 14-storey building featuring 70 units comprising three, four, and five- bedroom duplex sky villas and duplex penthouses. Each unit will have a private infinity pool and terrace garden. CAVALLI COUTURE Dubai will soon be home to Agri Hub, the world’s largest agritourism destination developed by URB. The new hub will feature a nature and heritage conservation centre, an ecotourism centre, an agri-tech institute, and a restorative wellness centre. Once ready, the project will be 100% powered by renewable energy while also providing 100% water recycling facility. AGRI HUB DUBAI12 JANUARY 2023 | A DAY IN THE LIFE | A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SACHIN KERUR MANAGING PARTNER, REED SMITH MIDDLE EAST 5:15am: This is definitely the best time of day! The serenity is priceless. Straight into the gym for the one immutable in my day. I am told I am very grumpy if this is missed! Resilience is so key in leadership these days and this routine is essential for my physical and mental well-being. 7:00am: By now the dog is going loopy and my daughters are down for their breakfast. So then some very important family hugs and kisses and the children are off to enrich themselves and my wife and I take little Oscar for his morning walk by the beach. This is prime time for my wife to catch me with all those questions stored up the previous day! 8:00am: Like so much of my early mornings, I have a breakfast routine – porridge with mango and cashew nuts and a glass of lemon and ginger, every day other than weekends as it keeps me full until lunchtime and avoids the curse of snacking! 8:30pm: My EA is very diligent and by now has sent me a list of overnight emails received, my urgent tasks and my appointments for the day. I always check this before arriving at the office to avoid surprises and ensure I can prepare for the challenges of the day. 9:30am to 1:00pm: This is where the routine ends! My priority is always client requirements but in between all that, there will be internal catch- ups and plenty of business development meetings. In my role, I have the privilege of having overall responsibility for the strategic direction of Reed Smith in the Middle East. In that role I am assisted by amazingly talented colleagues in the region and beyond, and I need to allocate lots of time to spend with them in person or by video/call. 1:00pm: I am not a heavy lunch person and only rarely do a set piece lunch. A protein shake and/or a quick plate of sushi and vegetables does the trick. 2:00 to 6:00pm: By now Europe and the US are in full swing so sufficient time is allocated to intercontinental clients and colleagues. Clients in the region are also wrapping up their day and plenty of last-minute requests need to be dealt with. If I am leading a major dispute or transaction, I make sure I have met my respective teams towards the end of the day to plan the next day’s tasks. Whilst certainly not always possible, my EA has a standing request to avoid back-to-back meetings. 8:30pm: The greeting from the dog on arrival at home washes all stresses and strains of the day. I love my catch up with the children, though they are not always so talkative at this time of a school week! 10:00pm onwards: After dinner with my wife, I often nip out for some client development, taking advantage of the UAE’s climate and coffee culture! Otherwise, on goes the music and the books come out. | COMMENT | Despite the impacts of global inflation, supply chain disruption, and contractual and legal impediments, the UAE’s construction market is experiencing significant market activity with a raft of landmark projects to be delivered. In fact, the country is among few worldwide to report a rise in workload, and an increase in profit margin expectations over the last year. The UAE continues to see a significant investment in infrastructure developments, which are key to meeting the needs of the country’s ever-growing population. Yet, for the most part, it is the real estate sectors that continue to dominate the construction landscape with a raft of new projects announced over the course of 2022. Following a strong close to 2021, the industry has continued to see a significant increase in the number of projects being released to the market. Driven by strong growth and record sales levels in the residential market, we have also seen somewhat unexpected growth in sectors such as retail, which has remained flat for several years. The leisure and tourism sector, as always, remains strong and encouraged by the return of global air travel. Across the Middle East, the global pandemic already seems to be a distant memory. Economies rebounded during 2021 and into 2022, partly due to the rising cost of oil per barrel, which has helped create more liquidity for the sovereign wealth funds that continue to drive nation- building programmes. Though even with this show of resilience, the industry is showing early signs of a lack of confidence in the market for the next 12- 24 months. That is despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projection that the UAE’s growth will reach 5.1% this year. Rising construction costs, excessive lead times, and challenging contractual and legal conditions are among the major Alongside guidance around sustainability in new buildings, roads and housing, coupled with a National Guide for Building Sustainability in operation and maintenance, the mandate aims to cut energy in roads by 45%, reduce energy in buildings and housing by 25%, and reduce water consumption by 16%. Our market intelligence report pre-dates these regulations, and what was somewhat surprising from the survey responses was that neither net zero ambitions nor sustainability legislation were seen as potential market disruptors. What will become very apparent, as the road to COP28 shortens, and the spotlight on sustainability turns to the UAE, that sentiment may well change. Construction has to be part of the solution towards a greener, more inclusive, and productive society, but governments and industries across the board will all need to create a step-change if we are to mitigate the increasingly visible impacts of climate change. We don’t need to wait to make change happen, and at a time when we have a lack of capacity in the supply chain to deliver upon the UAE’s carbon reduction ambitions, the case for accelerating digitalisation gets even stronger. As the UAE prepares to host COP28 in November 2023, the built environment needs to recognise its role as a key enabler for a more sustainable future, while also recognising the significant contribution that the industry makes to carbon emissions. We need to be united in transforming our ways of working, and the outcomes of major projects and programmes. Put simply, driving efficiencies, and embedding a digital approach to delivery will build better resilience in our industry and build a better future for us all. Adam Ralph is the UAE country manager and regional Digital Transformation lead at Turner & Townsend. factors that are weighing on minds and may even put the effective delivery of in- country projects into question. All eyes will be on what happens across global markets throughout the course of 2023, although for now, it’s very much business as usual for the UAE. Digital technology continues to shape the landscape and, if wielded effectively, we know that these tools and processes can bring greater assurance, by reducing costs, mitigating risks, and certifying the on-time delivery of projects. We are seeing a greater desire, and need, for the adoption of digital solutions, and the industry is now beginning to invest a greater level of focus and investment in technology to help accelerate the digital transformation agenda. This outcome will ultimately help create smarter, more effective, and more efficient ways of working. Given the challenges ahead we need to rapidly accelerate this change. But this is about much more than delivering on a pipeline of construction projects. Our industry has a critical role to play in helping to reach net zero, and the recent approval by the UAE’s Cabinet of National Building Regulations and Standards, mandating a 5% reduction in carbon emissions from construction, is a most welcomed initiative. JANUARY 2023 13 BUILDING RESILIENCE TO REACH NET-ZERO Construction has to be part of the solution towards a greener, more inclusive, and productive society, but governments and industries across will all need to create a step-change | PARTNER CONTENT | 14 JANUARY 2023 Terraco discusses how its wide range of products and solutions help stadiums across the world overcome these challenges The 2022 FIFA World Cup is unique as the first FIFA tournament held in the Middle East. In another first, the FIFA World Cup, historically held between June and July, was moved to November and December, in view of Qatar’s 40+oC climate during the summer months. Even during the cooler months, Qatar’s average temperature reaches 26oC. Combining this with the heat emitted by tightly packed spectators would at times have made the experience uncomfortable. As a result, Qatar air-conditioned eight of the nine open-air football stadiums – a significant challenge which was overcome through innovative design, technology and architecture and by utilising spot cooling. A complex undertaking when it is also important to maintain sustainability credentials. To effectively cool the stadiums, the most crucial challenge was to prevent or at least reduce the hot air from outside coming into the stadium, which was achieved through the stadiums’ design and architecture. Al Janoub Stadium, for instance, through its design, was able to ensure that outside wind does not blow warm air into the stadium while carrying away the cold STADIUM DEVELOPMENT AND RENOVATIONS BRING NEW CHALLENGES TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY air that was produced by the stadium’s air- conditioning. Another example is the Al Bayt Stadium, which initially had a darker façade, which, when changed to a lighter colour, reduced the temperature by 5oC. Innovation was the need of the hour to overcome these challenges The breakthrough in stadium cooling came from Dr Saud Ghani, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at Qatar University. He introduced a technology that could cool the pitch and ensure ambient temperatures were maintained at least 2m above the highest seating areas, JANUARY 2023 15 | PARTNER CONTENT | and as a result, a controlled cooling system was created to specifically target the areas required. The cooling system blew air onto the field via diffusers the size of soccer balls, while smaller vents located under the seat blew air at spectator ankle level. Thermal insulation also played an important role in ensuring ambient temperatures within stadiums Thermal insulation systems such as EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) are essential to ensure external facades efficiently regulate the temperature within the internal air-conditioned rooms, such as press conference rooms, executive boxes, suites, dressing rooms, and training, medical and ancillary areas. This is because the insulation systems greatly reduces the rate of energy loss transfer from the rooms through the external walls. Using thermal insulation with the innovative design in Qatar’s stadiums ensured huge savings on energy running costs, and just as importantly, the knock-on effect is the consequential reduction in C02 emissions. EIFS is an ideal energy saving, external cladding solution for designers in the Middle East, according to Terraco Group, a global producer of environmentally friendly finishing materials and systems. The Terraco EIFS System is a certified, class-leading, sustainable system which allows for great flexibility in the design of the façade with a virtually limitless range of finishcoat options specifically tailored for the climate in the Middle East. Designers also have the option of Terraco’s Terralite range of stone coating finishes, often specified as a cost-effective, easy to install alternative to real stone. According to Terraco, its internationally certified and market-leading Terraco EIFS Perma system can provide up to 50% reductions in cooling energy demand in buildings. These reductions, which are effective over the lifetime of a building, make Terraco EIFS Perma an ideal choice for insulating structures like sports stadiums and other projects which need to be future-proofed as part of a long-term legacy plan. Stadium construction and renovation have become a focus area in many countries Across the Premier League, Spanish La Liga and Ligue 1, various football teams are pursuing new projects or renovations of old facilities for an estimated investment figure that is likely to exceed $2.6 billion. For example, Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium is currently undergoing a long- delayed $600 million revamp while Manchester United is considering options to revamp its Old Trafford football stadium. Previously, Terraco was involved with the iconic Anfield stadium in the UK, home of Liverpool FC, where Terraco Addagrip provided BBA-approved Terrabound resin bound porous surfacing system for 2,000m2 area of the project. Terraco is also a proud partner in the development of a new sports stadium in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, which will be hosting the upcoming African Championship in 2023 and will be one of the biggest stadiums in Africa, with a seating capacity of over 50,000. Terraco applied Handycoat Interior and Handycoat Exterior across 42,000m2 of the stadium. Terraco’s expertise in renovation and retrofit has made them a partner and supplier of choice for owners, designers and operators, the company affirms. It offers a wide range of products that are ideal for stadium renovation projects. Not only do they offer EIFS systems that are ideal for stadium renovation but also finishing systems, fillers and repair compounds that stand the test of time when applied for new as well as renovation projects. In summary, Terraco’s products and systems provide excellent solutions which address the increasing requirement for energy efficiency and exceptional aesthetics in both new build and existing sports infrastructure. Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium currently undergoing a long-delayed $600mn revamp. Terraco’s Handycoat range was used for the development of a new sports stadium in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria.| PARTNER CONTENT | 16 JANUARY 2023 HOW ENOC’S RFID TECHNOLOGY CAN BENEFIT BUSINESSES ENOC’s Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an integrated and dedicated solution, online fuel management system used by businesses in the UAE, including government entities and enterprises. The RFID technology allows fleet owners and operators to easily identify, authorise, and manage their vehicles and drives while providing other quantitative benefits. The successful integration of ENOC’s technology has enabled a more efficient process for fuel management by expediting the refuelling process by 50% for each vehicle. One of the reasons for this is that no additional paperwork is required from the driver. RFID also eliminated manual data entry for all fuel transactions by 90%, enhancing the operational efficiency of commercial fleets and minimising the chance of human error. The integration has also contributed to the improvement in monitoring and controlling costs as near real-time data and reports provide better visibility and cost analysis to predict expense patterns. Additionally, it makes the fuelling process more efficient for fleet owners by being able to monitor fuel consumption and fuel selection, facilitating a more streamlined process. Other benefits of the technology include automated fuel dispensing and data validations, which means authorised fuel dispensing for only registered vehicles, as well as benefitting from the personal tag fitted into each vehicle for additional security, where the RFID tag functions as a secure anti-theft system. Besides enhancing productivity and efficiency, the use of RFID technology has allowed clients to gather key data to help them optimise performance – such as distance driven, engine cycles, vehicle utilisation, fuel consumption and other operational statistics. For more information about ENOC’s RFID Technology and its benefits, reach out to enocipm@enoc.com. ENOC’s RFID technology allows eet owners and operators to identify, authorise, and manage their vehicles and drivers with ease RFID TECHNOLOGY HAS SPED UP THE REFUELLING PROCESS FOR EACH TRUCK BY 50% AND ELIMINATED MANUAL DATA ENTRY FOR ALL FUEL TRANSACTIONS BY 90%, ENHANCING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF COMMERCIAL FLEETS.FUTURE OF BIM & DIGITAL TWINS STARTS HERE! Event theme is Enabling Digital Transformation and includes a 2-day conference plus workshop on latest developments for BIM, Digital Twins, GIS, and related technology. Presentations focus on the role of digital construction from project concept and design, project management, to full lifecycle asset management. This is the Kingdom’s leading event for BIM & Digital Twins! Presentations are by government and private sector organizations at the forefront of the Kingdom’s construction industry, and mega projects. Plus, international organizations that are leaders in smart sustainable construction and built asset management. Event website with further details is: www.bimdtksa.com NETWORK, MEET YOUR TARGET MARKET, AND DO BUSINESS! Adjacent to the strategic level conference is the expo area where event sponsors and exhibitors showcase the latest digital construction and asset management technology and services to delegates during the conference breaks. If this is your target market, then book now as the 2022 event booked out. For further details including event sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities call: Anthony Sprange Director of Conferences at ITP Media Group +971 (0)58 598 9062 or email: anthony.sprange@itp.com 14 & 15 FEBRUARY 2023, RIYADH ASSOCIATE SPONSORLUNCH SPONSORPOWERED BYMEDIA PARTNER BIM & DIGITAL TWINS SAUDI ARABIA 2023 CONFERENCE & EXPO OPEN BIM & DIGITAL TWINS: THE KEY TO INDUSTRY 4.0 EVENT PARTNER: STR ATEGIC PARTNER: Scan the QR code to learn more about the event and register KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE: CASEY RUTLAND Vice Chair, UK BIM Alliance & Chair, buildingSMART UK & Ireland DAVID GLENNON Senior Digital Delivery Director, The Red Sea Development Company DR. ABDULLAH AL-HALAFI Digital Twin Consultant & VP, International Society of Automation WASSIM GHADBAN Vice President, Global Innovation & Digital Engineering, Kent MOSTAFA ELASHMAWY Senior BIM & GIS Manager Middle East, WSP BADR BURSHAID President, Project Management Institute KSA Chapter DR SALAH OMRAN Senior Projects BIM Manager, Turner International ABDELRAHMAN ABOUHADID BIM Manager, Mace| INTERVIEW | Rachel Clingman, executive vice president of Sustainability and Governance at McDermott International. 18 JANUARY 2023 In an exclusive interview with Construction Week Middle East, Rachel Clingman, executive vice president of Sustainability and Governance and Vaseem Khan, senior vice president of Global Operations and Onshore Business Line at McDermott International, explain how the Houston- based engineering and construction company is utilising technological innovation to execute sustainable offshore and onshore projects that are supporting its customers in achieving net- zero emissions. How is McDermott working towards achieving sustainability through its entire value chain? Rachel Clingman: In 2021, we established a series of sustainability objectives signaling our commitment to environmentally and socially responsible business operations, including several goals focused on reducing emissions across our entire value chain. As a large engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contractor, we are uniquely positioned to influence the complete value chain of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which for us, starts with our upstream suppliers through to our operating facilities and the operating emissions from the facilities we design and build for our customers. We also acknowledge the contribution of supply chain and scope 3 emissions to the project lifecycle footprint. For this, we work with suppliers within our “top 10 categories” to support the identification of opportunities to develop solutions to decarbonise hard- to-abate sectors, such as steel, at scale. How is McDermott ensuring that sustainability is embedded into its project flow? Rachel Clingman: Embedding sustainability into our projects requires consistency and standardisation of how we inform, arm, and empower our people to action sustainability on projects. We aim to create greater awareness for sustainable opportunities on projects by implementing mandatory training such as carbon footprint and human rights awareness. We have also developed a standard set of guidelines, processes and tools - such as ArborXD, an in-house developed carbon footprint calculation tool - to arm our people with the skills to implement sustainability within projects. We empower employees to champion sustainability through target setting and integrating it within all executive project reporting. HOW IS MCDERMOTT CONTRIBUTING MEANINGFULLY TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE AND CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE?Vaseem Khan, senior vice president of Global Operations and Onshore Business Line at McDermott International. JANUARY 2023 19 | INTERVIEW | How can technological innovation be a catalyst for sustainability in oil and gas (O&G) projects? Vaseem Khan: For McDermott, technology plays a pivotal role in influencing how we execute both onshore and offshore projects and, thereby, the overall carbon footprint for the EPC or installation scope of any project we engage in. We also foster a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange to ensure people feel empowered to identify and develop solutions that can address industry- wide challenges. We continually evaluate emerging technologies that can support more efficient and less carbon-intense operations and assess each potential solution based on key criteria, including accessibility, availability and maturity of the technology to support our projects. Within the O&G industry, the complexity and, therefore, high- risk profile of offshore installation operations requires solutions that are tried and tested prior to being implemented on a project. The O&G industry is responsible for a large percentage of greenhouse gases. As a global leader, how are you supporting the industry through your various initiatives? Vaseem Khan: McDermott’s energy transition offerings are designed to support the industry meet today’s demand for energy deployments in a net-zero scenario: energy has to be accessible, affordable, safe and sustainable. Meeting these challenging criteria requires flexibility, adaptability, innovation and collaboration. Our energy transition offerings include carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), renewable and low carbon hydrogen, offshore wind, low- carbon LNG, and renewable fuels. These offerings provide the necessary flexibility to decarbonise existing energy sources and support the scale-up of new energy sources as required for a stable transition. One of our initiatives to support oil and gas decarbonisation, is the development of various modularised solutions..Through standardisation and optimisation, these solutions can not only enable reductions in cost, schedule and risks but also provide a lower carbon execution pathway. McDermott has over 250,000 tonnes per year of in-house fabrication capacity and has made investments to reduce the carbon footprint at its yards. Depending on the project’s specifics, this could represent a lower carbon footprint for module fabrication versus stick-build execution, even after accounting for module-related transportation emissions. Our low-carbon EPCI capability, modularisation know-how, global asset base, and over a century of engineering and direct construction experience make McDermott a flexible end-to-end solutions partner to support decarbonisation. What are some of the factors McDermott ensures when pursuing net-zero? How do they align with the industry’s goal towards a carbon- neutral future? Vaseem Khan: We are committed to supporting our customers in achieving net-zero through their operations. Additionally, we see an increased focus within the industry to evaluate emissions across the value chain, which includes the EPC or project carbon footprint for our customers. Moreover, we recently launched an EPC module to our existing tool, ArborXD to standardise our approach to evaluating project lifecycle emissions. This EPC module creates a standardised approach to estimating the supply chain, logistics, fabrication, construction and marine execution phase emissions for any project. It thereby supports the decision-making and identification of low-emission pathways such as renewable power, low-carbon fuels, electrification of site equipment, and the use of low-carbon steel suppliers, among others. How is McDermott hitting its profit margins while driving sustainable practices? Rachel Clingman: We focus on integrating our sustainability ambition into operations and project delivery, and in doing so, we strive to create commercial value by positioning McDermott as the preferred EPC partner for our clients. Our sustainability programme strives to ensure we deliver projects with an environmentally and socially conscious approach whilst maintaining profitability. To do so, we apply a systematic approach towards evaluating proposed sustainability initiative, which includes performing a cost- benefit analysis. This enables early identification of opportunities for cost saving, which supports more efficient business operations and optimised resource usage. Next >