< Previous20 MEP Middle East | June 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 Buro Happold is a world-class, multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy that unites experts from across disciplines to solve some of the world’s most complex engineering challenges. Operating out of an international network of offi ces, the fi rm provides comprehensive, general, and specialist engineering services for complete developments, buildings, and their infrastructure. The fi rm currently employs more than 1,900 staff and has 60 partners in 25 locations across the globe. Buro Happold have delivered some of the most complex and challenging engineering projects ranging from high quality buildings with exceptional detailing to civil engineering megaprojects. They are leaders in the design and construction of iconic projects in the region, such as the Museum of the Future, Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Red Sea Project and Bee’ah Headquarters building project, among others. For every project, Buro Happold handpicks leading engineers and professionals from across their global practice to create a bespoke team that can respond to the unique challenges presented. The fi rm specialises in multidisciplinary engineering, acoustics, airport planning, asset management, BIM and data management, building services engineering (MEP) computational analysis, design project management, energy consulting, environmental consultancy, façade engineering, fi re engineering, ground engineering, inclusive design, lighting design, and people movement. Buro Happold also specialises in PMO and advisory services, risk and resilience, security and technology, SMART space, structural engineering, sustainability, transport and mobility, waste management, water engineering, among other key services. BURO HAPPOLD GARETH KIRKWOOD MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST British multinational engineering, design, planning, architectural design, project management and consulting services fi rm, Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been a giant in the MEP sector with more than 80 years of design and engineering expertise including 50 years of being active in the Middle East. Atkins main focus over the past year has been on client engagement, winning work, employee wellbeing and delivering consistently high-quality services. In 2021, Atkins won a contract from The Royal Commission for Riyadh City to provide program management offi ce (PMO) consultancy services for architectural, landscape and urban planning projects that will help position Riyadh as one of the top 100 cities in the world. The Diriyah Gate in Saudi Arabia was awarded silver accolade for Future Projects – Urban Design Category at The World Architecture News Awards. Atkin’s scope ATKINS MATTHEW TRIBE MANAGING DIRECTOR, PLANNING, DESIGN, AND ENGINEERING, MIDDLE EAST of work included developing project detailed master plan, urban design guidelines and plot regulations, concept landscape design, transport and infrastructure strategy. Atkins is one of the fi rst to be globally certifi ed by BSI for ISO 19650, indicating the high level of digital maturity they have managed to achieve. Atkins has delivered multiple LEED-certifi ed projects and has also initiated a new workstream in the area of sustainability with its ‘Decarbonomics’ initiative which looks into reducing the carbon footprint of buildings during the refurbishment of existing projects. The company’s collaborative approach to adopting digitalisation and sustainability in the delivery of some of the most prestigious and complex projects for its clients cements its position as a leader in the MEP industry. For 2022-2023, Atkins is looking to expand its operations and grow the team to meet the increased client and project needs in the Middle East.June 2022 | MEP Middle East 21 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 After more than a decade of engineering experience in India as well as the UAE, Sagar Kulkarni founded Consistent Engineering Consultants in Dubai in 2007, and has led the company to success, and even established a regional offi ce in Mumbai, India. Over the last 12 months, the fi rm notes that they focused on systems and improvised overall performances by implementing ISO9001 - Quality Management, ISO 14001-2018 - Environmental Management Systems, ISO 45001-2018 - Occupational Health and Safety & ISO50001-2018 - Energy Management Systems. Consistent has also registered itself as an ESCO with all major super ESCOs and authorities in the UAE. Looking ahead, Kulkarni says that Consistent aligns its vision and mission with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He explains: “We intend to provide solutions that can reduce the adverse impact on climate. Therefore, Consistent is open to exploring new concepts and technologies which can be CONSISTENT ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS SAGAR KULKARNI FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR implemented in its ongoing and forthcoming projects which will reduce green-house gas (GHG) emissions. Consistent is expanding its operations in India as well as in Saudi Arabia for MEP and sustainability segments. There is a need to re-engineer old buildings with minimal capital investments. Additionally, Consistent is evaluating multiple options, which will assist property owners to enhance the performance and life of the buildings.” The fi rm has recently shifted its offi ce to an environmentally friendly place where environmental quality, inclusive of daylight, external views, and ergonomic furniture, have been implemented according to WELL building standards. “The new premise also ensures a reduction in consumption of resources, i.e., water, power and fuel, with surrounding densities meeting the requirement of LEED Neighbourhood Development,” says Kulkarni, adding that Consistent’s offi ce has been designed in line with LEED ID+C. SUSTAINABILITY Elaborating on sustainability, Kulkarni points out that apart from MEP designs, Consistent is assisting its clients to obtain LEED Certifi cation and promoting environmentally friendly methods, and is registered with ESCO/DEWA to implement solar PV systems. “Consistent is probably the only consultancy fi rm registered as an ESCO. Apart from new projects, Consistent intends to focus on and assist in improving existing buildings’ performance and reducing GHG emissions,” he adds. The fi rm notes that it has successfully handed over the HVAC refurbishment for Anantara Hotels - Baniyas Island, P&G Headquarters, and Ship Queen Elizabeth (QE) II by improvising performance and energy consumption. Consistent intends to reduce its power and water consumption by 3% and 5% year-on-year, respectively. MESSAGE TO THE INDUSTRY Kulkarni says: “With changing trends in the construction industry and the introduction of BIM, the adaption of new technology/ digitalisation is mandatory. Stakeholders should be open and vigilant for evaluation of performance with benchmarking systems for both new and existing assets and implement corrective actions at early stages. In addition, awareness about sustainability needs to be enhanced as myths associated with energy effi ciency and costs are hampering stakeholders from taking proper decisions. “With challenging times, the developers tend to focus only on the initial cost and feasibility of the project and tend to compromise on operational as well as environmental aspects. Therefore, it would be prudent that owners/authorities ask for energy modelling of the assets before tendering.” “Furthermore, the existing asset owners with energy audits tend to focus on low-hanging fruits and avoid implementing major or deep retrofi ts probably due to lack of fi nancing models. Result-Based Aid (RBA) and Result- Based Financing (RBF) should be considered to improve the performance of the assets. A skilled workforce for the implementation of new concepts and technologies is lacking in the market. Therefore, it is imperative to upgrade the skill sets of the existing workforce to avoid them becoming obsolete due to technology,” he concludes.22 MEP Middle East | June 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 Dubai-headquartered multi- disciplinary architecture and interior design fi rm, Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ), which is known for its award-winning architecture, MEP, specialist lighting, and interior design practice across the Middle East and North Africa region, has been active in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. The MEP team is led by Partner – MEP at GAJ, Alaa Abdelmohsen Sayed, who has more than 20 years of experience in the leadership, design, and delivery of MEP services on a wide range of projects. The fi rm has a strength of 100 employees which includes 10 discipline heads, 48 specialist designers, 23 lead specialists, one executive, eight supervision staff, as well as seven draughtsmen. The fi rm has been continuously improving its BIM capability and is investing in thermal analysis capability and software. Some of the major projects that the fi rm has been involved with in the past year include Warner Bros Hotel Abu Dhabi, Buhais Geographica Park Sharjah, Miral HQ Abu Dhabi, Al Qurm Visitors Centre Sharjah and Arcadia High School - the fi rst school in the Middle East to be awarded the LEED V4 (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold certifi cation, among other projects. Alaa Abdelmohsen Sayed, said: “We have always been aware of the profound impact our surroundings have on our wellbeing but the current crisis has made us all re-evaluate what has been the normal for a very long time and how that is likely to change in the future. The health and safety of our team has now become a greater priority than ever before.” Talking about the future, he added that the next two years look promising for the company with a number of projects in the pipeline . GODWIN AUSTEN JOHNSON ALAA ABDELMOHSEN SAYED PARTNER - MEP Multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy Cundall – which has established its presence in the Middle East for more than 15 years – has been actively keeping MEP at the core of its global business for the past 46 years. Led by director, Scott McKeever, who has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, the fi rm’s regional division employs over 1000 engineers. Over the last 12 months, the company has seen a 15% increase in women in the workforce and doubled the number of women in leadership roles. In the last three years, the company has completed the designing of 180 projects, worked on 25 iconic projects, tendered for and implemented 496 projects and has 49 projects currently in the drawing board stage. Cundall continually invests in new platforms and initiatives to support the development and digital upskilling of its staff. The fi rm has implemented a fully integrated parametric modelling process incorporating CUNDALL SCOTT MCKEEVER DIRECTOR MENA REGIONAL HEAD OF BUILDING SERVICES several engineering disciplines across a range of project scales. This allows them to produce a full loop between parametric modelling, engineering analysis, optimisation and drawing production on a multidisciplinary basis which is faster, smarter and greener. Cundall is committed to Zero Carbon Design 2030 which means that by 2030 every project they design will be zero carbon – an ambitious yet essential goal. Sharing the company’s outlook McKeever said: “After a period of consolidation after the pandemic, we are poised for growth in 2022-23. We have established ourselves as the ‘go-to’ MEP consultant for several large developers within KSA and will look to expand upon our KSA exposure with the opening of our KSA design offi ce this year.” “As a business we focus on value not volume. We are constantly looking at how we can add the greatest value to our clients and the built environment rather than focusing on increasing our turnover.”June 2022 | MEP Middle East 23 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 Dubai-headquartered specialised building services (MEP) consulting fi rm, Ian Banham & Associates (IBA), has become a recognised name, operating within the MEP sector for more than 46 years. The fi rm has successfully delivered over 3500 projects for hundreds of returning clients in the MENA region. Their long history allows them to draw on a wealth of experience whilst adopting the latest technologies to deliver new and innovative design solutions. The core of IBA lies in its skilled management team consisting of some of the best engineers in the region and highly experienced professionals complemented by young dynamic minds. IBA’s services consist of the design and supervision of mechanical and electrical systems and installations for buildings and specialised facilities. This includes feasibility studies, investigative reports, conceptual designs, cost estimates and analysis, production of specifi cations and bills of quantities, bids evaluation and recommendation, contract negotiations, detailed designs, working drawings and 3D models, project management, supervision and site management. IBA has most notably worked on Ithra Dubai’s Deira Waterfront Development; the Crowne Plaza Redevelopment, the University of Birmingham, and the Four Seasons Residence in Dubai; the Traditional Souq in Abu Dhabi; as well as the Al Salam mixed-use development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The fi rm continually invests in training to keep its staff up to date with the latest in industry, as well as to further develop their BIM capability. In addition to being involved in a number of high-profi le projects across the region, IBA has also set ambitious sustainability targets. IAN BANHAM & ASSOCIATES MAHNAD KASHANI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Grfn is a progressive, independent, multi-disciplinary consultancy, delivering energy-effi cient and sustainable engineering, design solutions, and advisory services through its expert team of designers, engineers, and technical consultants. They have been active in the Middle East MEP market for nine years. grfn has been involved in managing the retrofi ts of some of the largest scale projects regionally as technical and project management advisors to developers. Their project with the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has won several regional and international awards. It involved the retrofi t of seven of the buildings owned and operated by the DoE in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The project won the 2020 Middle East Energy Retrofi t Project by the Association of Energy Engineers and the 2021 award by CIBSE Building Performance Awards Retrofi t Project of the Year. GRFN HASSAN YOUNES CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER As pioneers in this fi eld, grfn has established its authority working on key projects including TECOM on a portfolio-wide project retrofi tting around 160 buildings. “Currently, we are the consultants to Dar Properties on their energy retrofi t project that was announced during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The project spans their portfolio to reduce energy consumption by approximately 20% across 80 assets including hotels, schools, commercial, leisure, retail, and residential buildings,” says the fi rm. Apart from buildings, they are also consultants to Emicool in the retrofi t of some of their District Cooling Plants in Dubai. grfn is also managing the launch of a few other retrofi t projects with key clients that are soon to hit the market. This year, which also marks the fi rm’s 10-year anniversary, grfn plans to expand its geographical reach and presence across the region. 24 MEP Middle East | June 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 International multi-disciplinary design consultancy Khatib & Alami (K&A) – which operates across the Middle East and Africa, Levant, Central and South-East Asia, and Europe, among other geographies – has been active in the region’s MEP industry for more than 50 years. Led by the fi rm’s vice president for Energy, Roupen Sulahian, the fi rm employs more than 3,122 supervision staff, 1,069 specialist designers, 19 discipline heads, 661 lead specialists, and 232 draughtsmen, among other staff. In the past 12 months, their MEP team has worked on some of the most important, exciting and transformative projects in the region. In Iraq, K&A is helping to bring safe, clean water to the 4 million-strong population of Basra for the fi rst time in three decades. In Egypt, they completed the Bahr Al Baqar Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has the capacity to treat 1.25 million cubic meters of wastewater every day, enabling the irrigation of more than 1,400 km² of farmland along the Suez Canal. This will create jobs, drive prosperity, reduce pollution and signifi cantly support Egypt’s drive for greater self-suffi ciency. Showcasing its expertise across geographies on a variety of projects, K&A has revealed its work on Tatweer Schools (Wave1), Saudi Arabia; the Basra infrastructure project in Iraq and the Al Jahra Waterfront Development in Kuwait, among others. Sulahian, said: “The MENA region has demonstrated deep resilience against the various challenges of recent years. Our core markets are host to some of the most exciting and complex projects in the world, and this is presenting opportunities that every engi- neer, designer and project manager dreams of working on. We are committed to supporting our clients with exceptional standards of de- livery, and look forward to playing our part in bringing their visions to reality.” KHATIB & ALAMI ROUPEN SULAHIAN VICE PRESIDENT – ENERGY Since 1964, KEO International Consultants, the leading fi rm in planning, design, engineering, and project management, has contributed towards many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities. The fi rm currently employs more than 2000 staff with Mohamad Ballout leading the MEP team. During the past 12 months, KEO has been actively involved in a number of key projects including high-end luxury hotels, and residential mega projects. Some of the project requirements were to achieve dark sky sustainability credits, powered completely from Solar PV farm. The team also designed projects utilising renewable energy and off-site manufacturing to reduce the environment pollution in accordance with the local and international standards. KEO INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS MOHAMAD BALLOUT HEAD OF MEP Some of the projects the fi rm has been involved in include ADEC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, The Louvre, Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace hotel, Abu Dhabi, Al Mouj, Muscat, Recreation cub, Ras Al Hamra Oman, Sheikh Zayed bridge UAE, Kuwait international Airport, Dubai Hills Estate Central Park, Dubai, to name a few. The sustainability award-winning Dubai Expo Village project was also designed by KEO. The fi rm has been involved in the Aykon City Tower in Dubai; the Abraj Quartier Residential Towers in Doha; the Kuwait Business Town Tower 6 and the Sheraton façade unifi cation project in Kuwait; and the Mall of Qatar – Grand Zone project, among others. Over the past three years, KEO has designed over 100 mid-large sized projects, including six iconic projects. It has tendered and implemented more than 90 projects, and currently has 30 projects in the drawing board stage.June 2022 | MEP Middle East 25 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 P&T Architects and Engineers has been active in the Middle East region, specifi cally in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, for more than 17 years. Led by its director for the MEA region, Rehan Shahid, who touts over 30 years of experience in the industry, P&T Architects and Engineers currently employs more than 1,400 full-time staff, including 68 in its Dubai MEP team. The fi rm’s focus in the past 12 months was to diversify into the niche market of Data Centers, offering services under one roof that were not common such as MEP design, CFD analysis to optimise data hall conditions and LEED consultancy services in addition to its focus on hospitality, commercial and healthcare sectors. The fi rm has been involved in a number of iconic projects such as the Dubai CommerCity, Saudi Arabia’s Security Forces Medical City, Anantara Mina Al Arab and Intercontinental Hotel Resort in RAK, among others. They have been actively adopting several general and specialised software in its operations. For one of their recent projects, they successfully implemented AI and AR tools to optimise chiller plant effi ciencies. AR is being used by the operations team to read parameters such as fl ow, pressure, temperature, etc. and the state of the equipment in real-time on the plant fl oor using hand-held smart devices just by pointing at the object/equipment. The company takes extra effort in making its projects energy-effi cient and sustainable to recognised standards. Rehan Shahid said: “From water conservation to detailed daylight analysis, CFD modelling for optimum comfort analysis, and life cycle assessment, we consider a score of measures right from the design stages.” For the coming year, P&T Architects and Engineers aims to grow in the countries where it has gained a foothold. P&T ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS REHAN SHAHID DIRECTOR - MEA REGION UK-headquartered engineering, and development consultancy, Mott MacDonald, has been active in the Middle East for over 50 years. It is well- recognised for its expertise in planning, studies and design, project fi nance, technical advisory services, project and programme management, as well as management consultancy, among other key services. The company has a strength of 15,000 staff globally, with 781 in the Middle East. Last year, the company’s focus was to retain 100% of its staff, growth in project value, increase in number of complex design projects within the region (hospitality and healthcare) and involvement in some of the most sustainable projects in the region. Some of the major products that Mott MacDonald has been involved with in the past year include The Red Sea Hotels, EXPO 2020 - Opportunity Pavilion and New Zealand pavilion, Oman hospital, Dubai data centre, among many others. MOTT MACDONALD FERGUS DONAGHY TECHNICAL DIRECTOR The company’s outlook for 2022-2023 involves increasing design automation, focusing on the refurbishment market in the UAE where the biggest energy savings can be seen and a continued focus on advisory, healthcare, food security, sports, arts and culture and digital delivery. Mott MacDonald has been at the forefront of digital transformation and has adopted a number of specialised MEP software in its operations such as Ekahau (WIFI mapping), IP Video System Design tool, EASE address SPL simulation tool, etc. Their approach to environmental management is certifi ed to ISO 14001:2015 environmental management systems and is demonstrated by their environmental and sustainability policies. The company’s health and safety approach is certifi ed to ISO 45001:2019 Occupational Health and Safety Management and demonstrated by their health, safety and security policy.26 MEP Middle East | June 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 SSH is one of the leading master planning, infrastructure, building design and construction supervision fi rms in the Middle East, with a reputation for design integrity and a portfolio that includes landmark projects throughout the region. They have been active in the region for 61 years. The fi rm’s multi-faceted practices include architecture, urban design and planning, landscape architecture, structural and civil engineering, MEP/building services, interior design, highway and bridge engineering, storm-water drainage, utility design, sanitary engineering, marine engineering and district cooling, in addition to project management and construction supervision services. The fi rm has been involved in a number of projects including the Dubai Creek Harbour, the fi ve-star Sheraton hotel in Madinah, KSA, St. Regis Resort Hotel, Morocco, to name just a few. The technology strategy for SSH has always been cloud-fi rst. This culture has enabled SSH to be at the forefront of digital transformation, which made the transition to working from home during the pandemic seamless. Whether through investing in collaboration tools and cloud based analytical services, or through leveraging a global supply chain, SSH reinvented its workfl ows to be completely online, accessible from anywhere, and always available. The fi rm said: “To manage, mitigate, and eliminate project safety risks; to provide a safe work environment for our employees; and to deliver safe projects via our fi t-for- purpose design and engineering delivery, our attention remains focused on a vigorous risk and value-based assurance and certifi cation approach.” The company’s aim for the coming year is to strengthen its position and marketing in all areas where they operate right now, with a core focus on Saudi Arabia and Africa. SSH YASHIN MAHARAJ MEP TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Ramboll is a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company that has been active in the Middle East MEP industry for the past 17 years. The company’s Partner for Sustainable Change Strategy for 2022 to 2025 released earlier this year places heavy emphasis on four core themes: Decarbonise for Net Zero; Resilient societies and liveability; Resource management and circularity; Biodiversity and ecosystems. Over the last 12 months, Ramboll has successfully kept close to its strategic clients in a challenging market. The fi rm prioritised retaining its employees and avoiding signifi cant downsizing while bringing fresh leadership into its MEP department through strategic hires. In addition, Ramboll has also expanded its business in Saudi Arabia, placing a greater focus on technical excellence and sustainable MEP solutions to increase effi ciency and minimise costs while offering RAMBOLL MICHAEL RIMMER HEAD OF MEP value-added solutions to clients through innovation and technology. Over the coming years, Ramboll plans to leverage its strategy to grow as a company, particularly in the Middle East with the combined Middle East and Asia Pacifi c sectors expected to become a dominant multimarket stronghold in Ramboll’s portfolio. Head of MEP at Ramboll, Michael Rimmer, said: “Over the last 12 months, Ramboll has harnessed the knowledge of both our local and global experts, who apply the latest technology to drive down energy consumption in the pursuit of net zero and beyond.” Focus on health and safety within the workforce, he said: “We minimise the risk of harm by facilitating an ongoing dialogue about physical and mental well-being as well as providing our employees with the necessary tools and equipment to embody our zero-harm culture in their daily work.”June 2022 | MEP Middle East 27 www.mepmiddleeast.com TOP MEP CONSULTANTS 2022 One of the world’s leading engineering professional services and multidisciplinary consulting fi rms, WSP has not only established itself as one of the heavyweights in the Middle East’s MEP sector, but also within the construction industry as a whole. The fi rm’s origins date back to 1885 in the United States. From local beginnings over 137 years ago to the vast international presence today, WSP has enjoyed continuous growth and enrichment of its service offering. The company employs more than 37,000 people globally who are based in more than 500 offi ces, across 40 countries. The fi rm has etched a name for itself through its highly experienced and well- recognised team of technical experts and strategic advisors including engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, and environmental specialists, as well as other design, programme, and construction management professionals. WSP in the Middle East has been actively involved in a number of iconic projects, including the One Za’abeel project, the Hazza bin Zayed stadium, Abu Dhabi, the Polish Pavilion at Expo 2020, the record- breaking Ain Dubai project in the UAE, the Doha Metro project in Qatar and the Riyadh Metro project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. André-Martin Bouchard, global director, Earth & Environment, WSP, said: “For WSP, sustainability is both an opportunity and a responsibility, as we draw upon our expertise to keep improving our organisation.” “At WSP we strive to ensure that we make safety personal for our employees, as well as those affected by our activities – health, safety and wellbeing is a core value and our systems are designed to do all we can to deliver our zero harm vision,” says Renae Walter, global director of Health, Safety & Security at WSP. WSP IN THE ME MARK FARLEY MANAGING DIRECTOR- PROPERTY & BUILDINGS Multi-disciplinary engineering and construction consultancy WME Global provides engineering services for the built environment in the Middle East, South East Asia, and in the UK, and offers top quality integrated engineering solutions to architects and developers, focusing on performance, economics, and sustainability. The fi rm has been active in the region for 10 years. With a client-focused integrated service, WME’s engineers are specialised in lead design consultancy, MEP, structural engineering, master-planning, roads and infrastructure, building services, AOR services, AV/IT and security engineering, infrastructure, Building Information Modelling (BIM), civil engineering, and more. WME is committed to digitisation of MEP design with a dedicated Digital Delivery Team to develop and implement new workfl ows designed to streamline and improve the MEP team’s design. WME GLOBAL NICHOLAS BYCZYNSKI DIRECTOR OF MEP WME has been appointed to provide the lead consultancy design and site supervision for multiple projects within KSA. WME provided building services at Amaala Wellness Core Hotel and Amaala Beach Resort Hotel. They provided building services and AV/IT engineering support, including Sustainable Design on multiple pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai such as the UAE pavilion, Austria pavilion and Luxemburg pavilion. Moreover, WME has also provided MEP and structural engineering services on Four Seasons Hotel - Jeddah KSA, and more. Commenting on the organisation’s outlook for 2022-2023, Nicholas Byczynski, MEP director at WME, said: “After an extensive growth during 2021, we will consolidate our size with some targeted recruitment and a potential extension to our delivery capability via a new offi ce location in India. WME will continue to focus on the development of digitalisation of workfl ows to improve our quality and effi ciency.”28 MEP Middle East | June 2022 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORYCCOOVVEERR SSTTOORRYY Leading the way to a greener tomorrow New construction and major infrastructure projects continue to spring up all over the Middle East, and it’s both heartening and vital to see that many of them are designed with sustainability at their centre. The most recent generation of construction projects are increasingly integrating cutting-edge sustainability technologies from the ground up as cities and populations grow across the region. Equally important, however, is the work being done to cut energy consumption in the older existing buildings throughout the region. The Middle East retrofi tting industry is enjoying a boom as more governments recognise and emphasise the refurbishing of old buildings as a key element in their strategies to deal with waste and make major strides in improving energy consumption in the Middle East. Simply put, retrofi tting of buildings is the renovation or refurbishment of existing buildings to improve their energy and water performance and reduce operational costs. The modifi cations often involve improvements in system effi ciencies, reduction in demands, and, can include installing on-site renewable energy sources too. Successful retrofi ts result in an overall improvement in occupant’s comfort and the general indoor environmental quality of the space. A critical factor in the success and viability of retrofi ts is their fi nancial implications quantifi ed by payback periods and overall benefi ts to the owners and operators of the building. Omnia Halawani, co-founder and CEO of grfn, talks in detail about the retrofi tting market, its importance, the challenges it faces, the technologies put in use, the ROI and overall benefi ts to the building owners/ operators, and more. She considers retrofi tting of old buildings vital since buildings are one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide, representing ideal candidates for the implementation of nation-wide demand side management programmes for energy use reduction. In this region, the contribution of the building sector to the total national GHG emissions is even higher than the global average, partly due to the lower level of industrial activities, but also due to the ineffi ciency of envelopes and building systems in older buildings, and the need for intensive cooling. Halawani says that the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down the acceleration of retrofi ts with smaller-scale building owners and investors becoming reluctant to move forward. However, there has been an increased interest from large-scale developers to move ahead with retrofi ts eyeing reduction in operational costs. While the 2020 report by the Dubai Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau showed a slowdown in the increase of total energy and water savings per annum due to the pandemic, the report still displayed a 15% increase in the investments by private ESCOs (energy service companies); fortifying the strength of the market. Ras Al Khaimah’s Reem has also reported optimism with important milestones achieved in 2020 by the addition of signifi cant governmental, hospitality, and educational projects. grfn, which Halawani co-founded with Hassan Younes, is one of the leaders in the retrofi tting sector. They fi nd that occupant “experience” (comfort, controllability, space quality, etc.), fi nancial feasibility, and sound engineering are the three most crucial factors that one must consider when providing retrofi t solutions to a project. Talking about the regulatory compliances that must be adhered to, she says: “Various emirates in the UAE have taken steps to grfn CEO and cofounder Omnia Halawani shares an exclusive insight into the integration of energy effi ciency in the existing built environment and her take on the future of “retrofi tting” Omnia Halawani, co-CEO and founder, grfnJune 2022 | MEP Middle East 29 www.mepmiddleeast.com COVER STORY According to her, innovation in construction can benefi t the retrofi t industry. Cloud, big data, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems can and will change how energy retrofi ts are approached and implemented. For example, creating a 3D digital description of the building and its assets through BIM can increase the effi ciency of facility management by facilitating lifecycle data management. Challenges Despite real progress in the retrofi t market, the industry has its share of challenges. Regionally, the lack of benchmarks and ensure the quality of executed energy retrofi ts by developing accreditation schemes for energy auditors and ESCOs. While there are no clear routes for authority approvals for energy retrofi ts, the building codes and regulations apply to them as they apply to any major adjustments/changes generally applied in buildings.” Technology We’re witnessing technological advancement in building systems and components to facilitate retrofi ts. Examples include cloud and IoT enabled devices, compact systems, prefabricated elements, among others. accountable information restricts energy experts and consultants from creating a clear-cut fi nancial case to demonstrate that investing in energy-saving measures can lead to a profi table growth. Halawani explains: “There are real and perceived factors that hinder the development of energy retrofi t projects. The perceived factors are attributed to the lack of know-how causing mistrust in the ESCO model. Customers’ mistrust is fueled when they end up with fi nancial indicators that do not meet the initial study that was based on simplistic calculations. For performance guarantee, a retrofi t Next >