< Previous UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com10 January 2021 Eltizam Asset Management Group and Al Ahly Sabbour Developments, Egypt's real estate developer, have signed two joint ventures with a combined value of $100m as part of the Group's game-changing expansion initiative in Egypt and the rest of the MENA region. The agreements will open a new chapter of success for Eltizam as it aggressively expands its footprint in one of the region's biggest markets. The JVs will focus on Eltizam providing the Egyptian market through its ties with Al Ahly Sabbour with integrated facilities management and community management services. The two contracts encompassing four projects, separately outlined the terms and services provided by the Group's subsidiaries, Tafawuq Facilities Management and Three60 Communities, to Al Ahly Sabbour's prime properties. Al Ahly Sabbour's sister company, Egyptian Company for Entertainment & Tourist Attractions (ECETA), will also be a part of both agreements. Under the terms of the JVs, Eltizam's services will initially deploy to four of Al Ahly Sabbour's portfolio of mega property projects. As the partnership's progress, all parties have agreed to expand the existing terms to cover other high-end real estate developments of Al Ahly Sabbour. Chris Roberts, CEO, Eltizam, said: "Expanding to a market as large as Egypt is a testament to our capability to provide value-added services that meet the highest standards in the area of long-term asset protection. It represents one of our major expansion drives in the region, paving the way for us to showcase our competitive edge and unparalleled technological advantages.” STAT ATTACK UPDATE PARTNERSHIP Eltizam Asset Management Group signs $100m JV with Al Ahly Sabbour to expand footprint in Egypt 27 million tonnes Masdar and Tribe to establish joint venture that will develop energy from waste projects in Australia to provide solutions for some of the 27 million tonnes of waste landfi lled each year. Each year approximately 27 million tonnes of waste is landfi lled in Australia, the equivalent of fi lling 75 Olympic swimming pools, yet there are currently no utility-scale energy from waste plants operating in the country. 40% In January 2020, Masdar and Tribe announced that they had acquired a 40% stake in the East Rockingham Waste to Energy project in Perth, Western Australia. A$511m Construction on the A$511m greenfi eld facility, which is located in the Rockingham Industry Zone, 40 kilometres south of Perth, is ongoing and the plant is expected to be operational in late 2022. 300,000 tonnes When completed, East Rockingham WTE will process 300,000 tonnes per year of non-recyclable residual municipal, commercial and industrial waste and up to 30,000 tonnes of biosolids per year. 10 January 2021NEWS www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 11 ENERGY SAVINGS Taka Solutions, the region’s Energy Services Company (ESCo), has confirmed that, in the year to date, over 1,000 buildings have joined the newly created energy data platform designed to help them to improve their energy efficiency, reduce wastage and save money. Taka Solutions’ Energy Data Platform enables users to monitor and control their building safely from afar without the need for human interaction. It pro- vides cloud-based analytics displayed on dashboards with real-time reporting. This news ties in with an announce- ment that Taka has signed an energy shared savings contract with Asteco Property Management, the region’s premier property, asset & building man- agement company for Swiss Tower, a 40 GREEN BUILDING Majid Al Fut- taim has received the highest ‘Green Star’ status from the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB). In its seventh year receiving the GRESB Green Star rating, the company earned an addi- tional star and scored 84 and 82 points for its standing investment and development portfolios respectively, despite the chal- lenges brought about by the pandemic. According to GRESB’s latest assess- ment, Majid Al Futtaim improved the performance of its standing investment portfolio, scoring 14 points above the GRESB average. The company performed particularly well in key areas such as ener- gy management, stakeholder engagement, and greenhouse gas emissions. Majid Al Futtaim’s score was bolstered by progress made against its 2040 Net Positive com- Taka Solutions’ Energy Data Platform enables users to monitor and control their building safely from afar without the need for human interaction The company improved its overall performance, scoring 84 points in its standing investment portfolio, 14 points above the GRESB average Savings Energy Performance Contract (SSEPC) companies can also benefit from reduced service charges in line with new RERA laws rolled out in March 2020. The average reduction of service charges delivered from energy and maintenance savings is AED 2.9 per sq ft. Taka Solu- tions has been leading the UAE’s drive to help organisations, save money, reduce their carbon impact and optimise their energy efficiency returns - all at zero CapEx to customers. Taka’s Energy Data Platform is an open-source energy efficiency operat- ing system that maximises the value of a building through interactive, fully managed technology-led environmental systems designed to mitigate an organisa- tion’s energy spend while optimising a building’s whole-of-life energy efficiency. mitment and the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings commitment, which challenges business, organisations, cities, states and regions to take action towards decarbonising the built environment. Majid Al Futtaim’s development portfo- lio outperformed the GRESB benchmark average by 8 points, and it was recognised as the best performing company in the retail shopping centre sector across Asia. The company’s strict Sustainable Building Policy and Net Positive Water commit- ment enabled its building materials and water use to achieve a high score in both categories, positioning the company’s per- formance considerably above its peers. Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, chief sustainability officer at Majid Al Futtaim said: “While Covid-19 has made it increasingly difficult for real estate developers to maintain high standards of sustainability, participation in this year’s GRESB increased by 22%, demonstrating the sector’s commitment to transparency and disclosure. Securing an additional star in 2020 is testament to Majid Al Futtaim’s long-term commit- ment to sustainability, best in class build- ing principles across our assets, and our sustainable investment model.” storey office building located in Dubai’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers district. The building, which covers a net gross area of over 43,500m2 is expected to save 13.8% of the building’s energy consumption. This is equivalent to AED380,000 per annum or AED1.9m over the five-year contract period. By successfully undertaking a Shared Taka Solutions leads UAE drive to improve buildings’ energy performance gains during pandemic Majid Al Futt aim receives highest ‘Green Star’ rating from Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark Charles Blaschke, director of development & innovation, at Taka Solutions. Majid Al Futt aim’s development portfolio outperformed the GRESB benchmark average by 8 points. NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com12 January 2021 CONSULTING AECOM has been se- lected to provide the airside construction supervision and quality control services for a new sustainable international airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Conforming with The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC)’s sustainability goals, the entire airport infrastructure will be completely powered by renewable energy, the first of its kind in the country. “AECOM is excited to partner with The Red Sea Development Company to bring this iconic project to life. This partnership is a testament to the resilience and adapt- ability of our business and teams across the region,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM’s president. “The airport will provide an SAFETY As businesses embark on the challenging mission to effectively and safely operate amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, DAMAC Properties is pleased to announce that it has logged more than 53 million safe man-hours across its ongo- ing projects in Dubai so far this year. In its AYKON City project on Sheikh Zayed Road/Dubai canal, it has logged over 7 million safe man-hours without LTI (Lost Time Injury), while in its mas- ter development in AKOYA has logged 36 million safe man-hours and 10 million in DAMAC Hills. “Because of our commitment to safe working practices, we have effectively managed to curb the spread of Covid-19 on our sites,” Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president of DAMAC has said. “While we are committed to staying on schedule for completion, we are operat- The groundbreaking airport will be powered entirely by renewable energy Government-mandated safety measures have helped position Dubai on the fastest track to economy recovery DAMAC Properties logs 53 million safe man-hours on construction sites Airport rendering. “This key award confirms The Red Sea Development Company’s trust in the depth of our resources both within the Kingdom and across the region and our ability to de- liver specialized aviation-related services for this strategic project,” said Ian Laski, chief executive and president of AECOM Arabia. ing in very precarious times. We need to balance our expectations for swift deliv- ery with our commitment to the health and safety of our workers. We believe that in the long run this bal- ance will help keep our projects on track,” McLoughlin added. The UAE government’s swift and smart measures to combat Covid-19 have been effective in curbing the spread of the pan- demic in the country. As a result, schools and businesses have been able to stay open and operate. This has helped posi- tion the economy on the fastest possible track to recovery. DAMAC has several measures in place on their construction sites to curb the spread of Covid-19 including daily tem- perature checks, 30% occupancy on bus transport, spreading out of worker shifts to ensure social distancing is maintained on sites and more rest areas on site to en- sure that mingling is reduced during work breaks. Worker living spaces and toilets are cleaned and sanitised on a daily basis, and hand sanitizer is widely available on construction sites. Additionally, any worker showing signs of sickness will be immediately tested, as well as up to 300 employees who have interacted with or shared resting quarters with the infected worker. Those who test positive are immediately quarantined, where they receive proper medical attention. unforgettable aviation experience for travelers through revolutionary design and cutting-edge technologies.” AECOM’s scope includes the oversight of the airside infrastructure construction, the design and building of a 3,700m ‘Code F’ runway, a ‘Code B’ seaplane runway, parallel and link taxiways and pavement works, aeronautical navigational aids, aero- drome ground lighting, airside utilities, helipads, roads and associated buildings. Designed by Foster + Partners, the air- port will be capable of serving one million domestic and international passengers per year when it opens in 2022. Work is set to commence next month, following the completion of essential groundwork. AECOM to provide supervision and quality control services for The Red Sea Development Company’s new international airport A DAMAC building.NEWS www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 13 OPERATIONS Dubai-based smart and green maintenance specialist Hitches & Glitches (H&G), part of the Farnek Group, is expanding the company footprint to the Northern Emirates, to address the growing demand for home maintenance services from residential landlords and tenants. The new H&G offices are centrally located in each of the Northern Emir- ates enabling the company to provide timely and convenient response times to owners and tenants of residential proper- ties located in and around these highly populated areas. Kelvin Vargheese, director, Hitches & Glitches, said: “Our expansion is a direct result of the increase in demand for qual- ity, reliable, smart and sustainable home maintenance solutions in the Northern WASTE MANAGEMENT Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), the NGO devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, action programmes and community involve- ment, has concluded one of its flagship events, the 19th annual Clean Up UAE drive, held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Organised in association with Dubai Municipality and Seih Al Salam Protected Area Management, the event drew the participation of HE Sultan Alwan, Acting Undersecretary of Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. A total of 5,254 participants joined the cleanup at Al Qudra, Dubai Industrial City and Ruwais, Khalifa Port, Industrial City in Abu Dhabi, UAE home maintenance company opens offi ces in RAK, Fujairah, Ajman & Sharjah to address increasing market demand for smart & green, quality solutions More than 5,000 participants across Dubai and Abu Dhabi joined to collect almost 13 tonnes of waste over a total area of 23 kms “We also provide deep cleaning and disinfection services which can be supplied from a residential and SME perspective,” added Vargheese. The company now has over 120 office- based staff and specialist technicians lo- cated throughout the Northern Emirates and has already secured over 80 clients. Customers in the Northern Emirates will also have access to the company’s Uber-style home maintenance tracking app, which was launched earlier this year. The app allows homeowners and ten- ants to track the entire journey of their service request from reporting the issue, live tracking of the technician on google maps, through to job completion. “This [app] has been extremely popular with our customers in the Northern Emirates,” added Vargheese. covering an area of more than 23 kilo- metres and collecting nearly 13 tonnes of waste across the two Emirates. EEG opened the event with a flag-hoist- ing ceremony and speeches on sustain- ability were given by MOCCAE and EEG. Shoemart, the main sponsor; McDon- ald’s UAE and Dabur, the co-sponsors; Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and Dubai Investments, the support sponsors also supported the event. HE Sultan Alwan said: “In line with the directives of the wise UAE leadership, we are keen to involve the community in en- vironmental protection efforts, therefore we are proud to support Clean Up UAE, and applaud the work of EEG.” EEG distributed various clean-up gear, biodegradable trash bags and accessories to the participants to ensure everyone’s safety. The NGO also adhered to all safety measures issued by the UAE health au- thorities, such as temperature checks, and provided PPE kits, including sanitisers provided by Dabur, masks and gloves, to all the participants. Established in 1991, EEG is a member of the UN Global Compact and the Interna- tional Union of Conservation for Nature. Emirates. In addition to our hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we are now set to become one of the only dedicated home maintenance companies with physical locations throughout the UAE. “Our highly skilled technicians offer expertise in sustainability, the latest home technology products, as well as providing a full suite of home mainte- nance packages. Hitches & Glitches expands its operations into the Northern Emirates Emirates Environmental Group concludes the 19th cycle of the annual Clean Up UAE drive Kelvin Vargheese, director, Hitches & Glitches. EEG distributed various clean-up gear, biodegradable trash bags and accessories to the participants. NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com14 January 2021 APPOINTMENTS International public service company, Serco Middle East, has appointed Kirsten O’Neill as Citizen Services Director and Nour Sab- bagh as Government Services Solutions Director. Both Sabbagh and O’Neil have been hired to support with strengthen- ing Serco Middle East’s Government Services division within the company’s core sector of Citizen Services across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As Citizen Services Director, O’Neil will lead on the expansion of the com- pany’s Government Services offering, which will focus on supporting the national vision of regional governments through the delivery of enhanced ser- vices to citizens. This includes complex case management, employment skills and transformational O&M (Operation and Maintenance) advice to govern- ment clients. To further support, Sab- bagh joins the Growth team as Govern- ment Services Solutions Director and will also be fundamental to growing the sector in both the UAE and Saudi. O’Neil joins Serco Middle East from the Abu Dhabi Airport Company, where she was Head of Passenger Experience, Customer Service and ORAT Opera- tional Planning and Process. Whilst in this role, she was responsible for the design and implementation of the future passenger experience strategy, experience product portfolio, and op- erational readiness requirements across all touchpoints for Abu Dhabi Interna- tional Airport. Commenting on her appointment, O’Neill, Citizen Services Director for Serco Middle East said; “Serco is committed to supporting our regional governments in delivering the best government services to citizens so it’s a great time to be joining the team as we embark on growing this sector across the Middle East, with a focus on the Both have been hired to support with strengthening Serco Middle East’s Government Services division Kirsten O’Neill, Citizen Services Director for Serco Middle East. Nour Sabbagh, Government Services Director for Serco Middle East. this sector and provide new services, skills and advice to our government clients to enable sustainable and cost- effective outcomes whilst keeping nationalisation front of mind.” Phil Malem, chief executive officer, Serco Middle East commented on the two new appointments: “The future of government services is in outsourcing, so having both Nour and Kirsten driv- ing our government services offering here in the UAE and in Saudi Arabia puts us in great stead to strengthen and grow this division, as well as the busi- ness as a whole. Both employees have a wealth of experience in this sector so we believe they will continue their excellent track record with Serco and help make a positive difference to the business. We look forward to welcom- ing Nour and Kirsten to the team and supporting them as they start this new chapter in their careers.” UAE and Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to roll out new strategies and portfolios, and de- liver improved experiences for all our citizens within the region.” Prior to joining Serco Middle East, Sabbagh worked for the UAE Prime Minister’s Office as part of the team that operates the government accelera- tors. Here she creatively and effectively applied her skills in designing and executing innovative programmes that delivered transformation at scale across the UAE as well as in governments across the globe. Sabbagh, Government Services Direc- tor for Serco Middle East commented on her appointment: “I’m proud to be joining Serco Middle East at a time where we have the opportunity to grow the business and strengthen the government services division. We have so many ideas on how we can establish Serco Middle East strengthens government services division with two new appointmentswww.fm-middleeast.com COMMENT January 2021 15 ith several vaccines now on the horizon, there is hope of a return to some semblance of normalcy this year in 2021. We must all brace to the possibility of a rapid growth ahead and be prepared to reap the benefits of our learnings from the pandemic. The FM industry has shown much courage and put its best foot forward in warding off the effects of Covid-19 to some extent. We have learned more from adopting technology and the pandemic has accelerated this adoption to a greater extent. Will this be a year to shine for FM tech providers and CAFM systems? Will there be a rise of smaller tech companies that might flood the market? This is one prediction. Another important thing to remember is that once this is all over, FM as a sector would have changed; it should not return to its traditional thought process. There has now been a change in mindset in perceiving the FM sector as an industry wielding a much greater responsibility in Want to enter the debate? If you have any comments to make on these issues, email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com. VIEWP INT As 2020 comes to an end, which has been a tumultuous year, we all should look forward to embrace aggressive growth. The only way forward is upward! RAJIV RAVINDRAN PILLAI Looking forward W About the author Rajiv Ravindran Pillai is the editor of Facilities Management Middle East. safeguarding our environment. According to PRNewswire, the future of FM will require stringent monitoring of visitors, workspace management, consistent cleanliness and hygiene, and holistic security to manage any future threats similar to Covid-19. Currently, the properties are managed by about 5 – 10% of the total resource personnel deployed which will add up the cost for facility management companies in the short-term, according to Beroe Inc, a procurement intelligence firm. In the long-run, these resources are critical for the normal working of different types of properties, due to which suppliers are incentivising blue-collar workers providing cleaning and sanitising services for commercial & real estate properties. In many locations around the world, social distancing, remote working, reduction of open public spaces with closure of schools and shopping malls are seriously impacting delivery of security services, yet the need to provide adequate security services continues. The FM fraternity is implementing novel approaches through technology and innovation in all its segments, be it soft services, hard services or security. The pandemic has pushed it to become more efficient and cautious. With that said, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year! COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com16 January 2021 IMDAAD’S ROBUST BUSINESS STRATEGY AND PREPAREDNESS MADE IT RESILIENT DURING THIS PANDEMIC, REVEALS JAMAL ABDULLA LOOTAH, GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PREPARED WELL Despite the impact of the global pandemic, UAE- based FM firm Imdaad was able to achieve strong performance and sustainable growth during 2020. Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive officer, elaborates: “This was especially true for our Facilities Management Services (FMS) division, which improved its profitability compared to the previous year and secured many new projects in a range of sectors. We also succeeded in renewing 97% of our existing contracts, which is especially gratifying. I consider this to be a vote of confidence in Imdaad’s outstanding levels of customer satisfaction.” Lootah claims that the firm’s remarkable performance has been largely due to its quick response and active efforts to ensure the continuity of its services, while at the same time, adopting effective steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees. In addition to mitigating the impacts of the pandemic, Imdaad was able to launch new services, roll out innovative technologies, and create customised solutions to cater to the changing needs of its customers. He adds: “All of this was made possible by Imdaad’s proactive and agile approach, together with the dedication and expertise of our team members.” OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Lootah says that Imdaad was able to overcome the challenges due to “its robust business strategy, unwavering commitment to its customers, and heightened ability to adapt and respond COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 17 COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 17 Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive offi cer, Imdaad. COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com18 January 2021 effectively to the evolving situation”. He says: “Our top priority was always to maintain the highest standards of service while ensuring the safety of our employees and the communities they serve. “We launched several new services and technologies to deal with additional challenges as the situation unfolded, including a range of cleaning and disinfection solutions launched by our Environmental Solutions division. The deployment of ultra-low volume cold fogging equipment considerably minimised the risks for our teams, while enabling them to disinfect large public spaces efficiently and effectively. Similarly, our Vision Safety subsidiary rolled-out a disinfection tunnel that sprays users with a fine mist. The tunnel was customised to cater to a wide range of use cases, benefiting public spaces such as malls, hospitals, construction sites, labour accommodation, and residential areas.” Isnaad, Imdaad’s soft FMS division, launched several customised disinfection packages for residential and commercial facilities, while the firm’s Waste Management division ensured timely and safe collection and disposal of wastes, especially medical wastes. Its efficient mechanism for collecting medical waste from healthcare facilities and transporting them to Dubai COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 19 Municipality’s incineration facility created an important contribution to the country’s efforts to contain the pandemic. Imdaad actively contributed to the UAE’s national disinfection program through its diverse services and resources. These contributions were crucial to the country’s efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19. Lootah adds: “Naturally, with the wellbeing of our team members at the top of our mind, we arranged comprehensive training for our employees on the enhanced safety and sanitisation protocols required. We were also able to manage our human capital efficiently by deploying and reallocating team members swiftly in line with the needs of clients. “Looking back, we realise that the pandemic period gave us an opportunity to demonstrate greater flexibility, dedication, and adaptability, as well as inspiring us to renew our commitment to our clients and enrich our overall approach.” Talking about the most important priority for customers when choosing an FM company in the wake of the pandemic, Lootah says that the FM sector has been growing in importance the world over. He adds: “We have witnessed an unprecedented increase in demand in some areas. In this new environment, customers are looking for affordable solutions. However, the most important priority during the pandemic remains the quality of service. “At Imdaad, this is one area we will never compromise on. Our focus has always been to offer cost-effective solutions to clients by reducing operational costs and enhancing operational efficiencies. We have always followed a flexible approach aimed at maximising and exceeding client expectations, which has helped us to evolve as a leading FMS provider in the country that enjoys unmatched customer loyalty. “The fact that we have not lost a single customer during the pandemic reflects both the quality of our services and our unchallenged position as the only fully-integrated facilities management company in the UAE.” IMDAAD’S FMS DIVISION AND ITS ACHIEVEMENT Imdaad’s FMS division was more profitable compared to the previous year, with several new projects signed and nearly all of its existing contracts renewed. The firm has also remained the preferred service provider for the nation’s leading banks and all the major seaports, as well as expanding its market presence in the Northern Emirates. In addition, it further strengthened its presence in the government sector with the award of contracts for two mosques by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs (MOPA). The opening of Farz, Imdaad’s full- fledged Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Jebel Ali, was among Imdaad’s key milestones during 2020. Farz operates around the clock and has the capacity to divert 1,200 tonnes of municipal, commercial, and industrial waste daily. However, for Lootah, the firm’s greatest achievement during 2020 was being able to tackle the challenges of Covid-19 and wining the trust and loyalty of its clients through safe and flawless services. “We are extremely proud of the impact of our contributions to the UAE’s national disinfection program and the role we have played in minimizing the impact of the pandemic. This was achieved through our broad spectrum of services ranging from hard and soft FM services and environmental solutions to waste management, fire prevention, and home maintenance. “We also succeeded in supporting the healthcare industry through our medical waste management services. Our dedicated teams and special The deployment of ultra-low volume cold fogging equipment considerably minimised the risks for Imdaad's teams, while enabling them to disinfect large public spaces effi ciently and eff ectively. LOOKING BACK, WE REALISE THAT THE PANDEMIC PERIOD GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE GREATER FLEXIBILITY, DEDICATION, AND ADAPTABILITY, AS WELL AS INSPIRING US TO RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CLIENTS AND ENRICH OUR OVERALL APPROACH. JAMAL ABDULLA LOOTAH, GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, IMDAADNext >