< Previous| MIDDLE EAST AWARDS | 70 DECEMBER 2023 UAE-based Killa Design earned the prestigious title of Architecture Firm of the Year at the 19th annual Construction Week Middle East Awards. Killa Design emerged as the winner, distinguishing itself by adopting an “innovative” approach to address architectural challenges, all while demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, contextual sensitivity, and timeless design. According to its employees, the company maintains an offi ce environment that is open, diverse, collaborative, and highly creative. Additionally, the judges said that Killa Design stood out among the shortlisted companies for adopting “new methods” to resolve architectural problems. ARCHITECTURE FIRM OF THE YEAR CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR KILLA DESIGN AECOM AECOM secured the prestigious title of Consultancy of the Year at the 2023 Construction Week Middle East Awards, recognised for showcasing the most outstanding record in delivering innovative, original, and consistently expert services on projects throughout the region. The winning consultancy received acclaim from the awards jury panel for its commendable eff orts in advancing sustainability standards within the Middle East’s construction industry, all while fostering collaboration among project stakeholders. The judges highlighted AECOM’s notable impact, noting that in an era where the construction industry remains a signifi cant contributor to global carbon emissions, the company stands as an inspiration to others in the industry, encouraging them to embark on the journey towards zero carbon. Highly commended: Dewan Architects + Engineers Highly commended: AtkinsRéalis and MeinhardtDECEMBER 2023 71 | MIDDLE EAST AWARDS | CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR ALEC ENGINEERING & CONTRACTING RAK PROPERTIES The Construction Week Middle East Awards recognised outstanding individuals, initiatives, and businesses that have signifi cantly infl uenced the built environment in the Middle East. The 2023 CW Award for Contractor of the Year was given to ALEC Engineering & Contracting for showcasing an exemplary record of progress and delivery for its clients, coupled with an outstanding health, safety, and environment (HSE) track record. ALEC received praise for its commendable work on a diverse range of projects. The company was acknowledged for consistently meeting tight delivery schedules, prioritising health and safety, and effi ciently managing budgets while successfully executing highly complex projects. The 2023 CW Award for the Developer of the Year was won by Ras Al Khaimah-based developer, RAK Properties. The company was applauded for developing thriving residential and mixed-used projects across Ras Al Khaimah’s most sought-after locations. The jury praised the developers strategic combination of long-standing experience in shaping the residential landscape in its markets and expertise in creating popular lifestyle destinations. RAK Properties’ commitment to sustainability was also applauded. The highly commended award was won by two developers; Riyadh-based ROSHN Group and Abu Dhabi’s LEAD Real Estate Developer. Highly commended: Sobha Constructions and Orascom Construction Highly commended: ROSHN Group and LEAD Real Estate Developer| EVENT | 72 DECEMBER 2023 As we celebrate the monumental achievements of the industry’s leaders, let’s also take a moment to acknowledge and express our heartfelt gratitude to the organisations that have stood by our side, ensuring that the night was a resounding success. Their dedication to pushing the boundaries of possibility mirrors the spirit of the construction industry itself. MEET OUR SPONSORS GOLD SPONSOR CONSTRUCTION PARTNER SILVER SPONSOR CATEGORY SPONSOR SUPPORTING PARTNERDECEMBER 2023 73 | EVENT | MOHAMED AMER Mohamed Amer serves as the Regional Director of Operations for the MENA region at the International Code Council (ICC). Assuming leadership of the Dubai offi ce, he delivers crucial on-the-ground support to organisations involved in building safety in the region, engaging with key stakeholders such as AHJs, consultants, manufacturers, and architects. With a background spanning over a decade in the oil/gas, project management, and TIC industries, Amer spearheads ICC’s operations and business development in the MENA region. BILNA SANDEEP Bilna Sandeep is an accomplished entrepreneur and visionary leader dedicated to driving business growth in the Middle East’s construction space. Having leveraged over 12 years of senior commercial experience in the construction sector, Sandeep has a pool of knowledge about various stakeholders in the industry. She has worked with the likes of Arabtec, Dutco Group, and BK Gulf. LOUISE COLLINS Louise Collins leads both the Project & Development services business in the UAE and the Engineering & Energy business across MEA. With over 22 years of experience in the construction industry in Europe and the GCC, Collins has extensive design management and project delivery experience across various industry sectors, including sustainable projects. She is passionate about designing and delivering buildings that operate sustainably with low energy and water usage. CASEY RUTLAND Casey Rutland is the Director of digitalgreen.io and the Chair at buildingSMART UK & Ireland. With over 20 years of experience as an architect working in and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver sports stadiums, city centre developments, healthcare facilities, and heritage buildings, he brings a wealth of knowledge about the construction industry and its stakeholders. DR SREEJITH BALASUBRAMANIAN Dr Sreejith Balasubramanian is the Associate Professor, and the Head of the Centre for Supply Chain Excellence at Middlesex University, Dubai. He is also the Chair of the Offi ce of Research. He completed his PhD from Middlesex University Business School in London on ‘Green Supply Chain Management in the Construction Sector’. Balasubramanian’s main research areas are green supply chain management Industry 4.0 adoption in the construction sector. MEET THE JURY SELECTED FOR THEIR SEA OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, THIS YEAR’S PANEL OF JUDGES ARE DISTINGUISHED THOUGHT LEADERS AND INDUSTRY VETERANS, EACH BRINGING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE.74 DECEMBER 2023 | THE LAST WORD | CAN REPURPOSING EXISTING BUILDINGS SOLVE THE MIDDLE EAST’S SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES? Adaptive reuse has been gaining traction worldwide for the last several years, and it’s about time the Middle East followed suit. With Expo City Dubai, we’re seeing one of the most signifi cant adaptive reuse projects, and it’s exciting to see the potential it off ers for sustainable development in the region. In the context of the built environment, adaptive reuse is transforming an underused building or site into a more functional and practical setting. Repurposing old structures presents a unique opportunity for developers to re-engage with urban spaces that were once liabilities while also preserving their architectural features. Cities like New York and London have led the way in this trend, with some notable landmarks undergoing successful transformations. For example, One Wall Street, an art deco skyscraper in New York, was transformed from offi ces to residential use. Predictions estimate that by the end of the following decade, about 90% of all newly constructed buildings globally will be adaptively reused, and this global trend is increasing at an unprecedented rate. But what makes adaptive reuse such a signifi cant and game-changing trend? Fundamentally, Expo City Dubai is not the city’s fi rst adaptive reuse project. The UAE government has already demonstrated the benefi ts of repurposing old buildings by developing new places that meet the evolving requirements of the community, such as the Bastakiya neighbourhood and Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, which are prime examples of how this trend can transform forgotten areas into thriving cultural districts. Today, these stunning projects have become the city’s trendiest cultural hotspots, demonstrating how repurposing unused spaces into places that can be used helps preserve the neighbourhoods’ historical signifi cance while fostering a sense of culture and gathering among residents and visitors. By transforming old buildings and sites into functional and practical settings, they can provide aff ordable housing, community centres, and cultural spaces that benefi t the community while preserving the environment. Alternatively, sustainability has become increasingly important to people. The opportunity to live in a building that was not torn down and rebuilt, generating large amounts of waste and carbon emissions, is a critical consideration in our conversations with prospective buyers. With governments emphasising environmentally conscious living among businesses and residents, developers must be innovative in supplying new developments. Adaptive reuse is a feasible approach to reduce these impacts and advance sustainability by decreasing the energy needed to create and transport construction materials. Reusing existing structures rather than creating new ones lowers carbon emissions. What the developers of Expo City Dubai have done is an incredible example of how a built site can be transformed and deliver something new and cutting- edge while simultaneously advancing sustainability. The venue developed for the World Expo 2020 has been entirely reimagined to serve a diff erent purpose. In preserving some original structures, such as the iconic dome and the UAE pavilion, the developers pay homage to the area’s past while presenting a new residential neighbourhood. As more people from across the globe are choosing to make the UAE their home, there will be a greater need for housing and entertainment destinations. I believe repurposing older spaces is a much more effi cient and sustainable option than starting new developments. With sustainability as a top priority in the region, we are excited to see more developers consider repurposing properties and transforming existing structures into vibrant new spaces that benefi t both the environment and the community. And with Expo City Dubai leading the way, we look forward to seeing where this trend will take us in the following years. Sean McCauley is the CEO of DevmarkTECHNOLOGY LEADING FORWARD: DRIVING FUTURE-READY CONSTRUCTION Wednesday 28 February 2024 th Grosvenor House, Dubai, UAE The Construction Week Technol www.constructionweeklive.comwww.constructionwwweeklive.cccomoo GET IN TOUCH SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRES Moutaz Gadelhak Commercial Director D: +971 4 444 3177 M: +971 58 287 6309 E: moutaz.gadelhak@itp.com Daniel Fewtrell Director of Events & Marketing T: +971 4 444 3684 E: daniel.fewtrell@itp.com SCAN TO R E G I S T E RNext >