Construction Week

SAUDI ARABIA BAHRAIN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES QATAR OMAN KUWAIT

ConstructionWEEK NEWS, ANALYSIS, PROJECTS,

TENDERS, CLASSIFIEDS, ANDJOBS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

OCTOBER 24–30, 2009 [293]An ITP Business Publication CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

INSIDEFACE TO FACEExperts discuss the challenges of setting up business in KSAPAGE 17

LEGALHow can contractors protect against PGBs in today’s climate?PAGE 23

INTERVIEWDMG’s Simon Mellor tells us what to expect from The Big 5.PAGE 32

CITY FOCUSThe latest news, projects and tenders in Al Ain, UAEPAGE 52

BRIDGING THE GAP

CW REVISITS THE NEW SHEIKH KHALIFA BRIDGE

IN ABU DHABI

THIS WEEK

+BIG 5SPECIAL

Alumil Gulf fzcsubsidiary of ALUMIL in the Middle East

Technology Park, RAK FTZ, RAKtel +971 7 2444106, fax +971 7 2444107email [email protected]

CONTENTS

17 FACE TO FACEIndustry experts discuss the perks of setting up business in Saudi Arabia.

19 NEWS IN PICSTopical images with the latest news.

21 COMMENTPhilip Adams explains why contractors should not be afraid of reporting delays to their employers.

23 LEGALHow contractors can protect against performance guarantee bonds.

REGULARS2 ONLINE4 MAIL

FRONT10 DIYAR AL MUHARRAQ TO TENDER HOUSINGThe fi rst construction tender for the Bahrain mega project will be open to bidders by the end of the year.

11 POOR MEP RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRES?Several MEP specialists have criticised the quality of work carried out by the GCC after electrical faults were blamed for recent fi re breakouts.

12 NEWS IN BRIEFHighlights of the week.

14 BIG 5 NEWSA look at what’s happening in the construction industry as exhibitors build up to The Big 5 exhibition.

FEATURES24 ON SITE CW discovers how the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge and Saadiyat-Shahama highway were delivered on time.

31 EVENTSIndustry dates for your diary.

32 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWCW chats to DMG’s Simon Mellor to fi nd out what’s in store for The Big 5 this year.

36 SPECIAL REPORTSome of The Big 5 2009 exhibitors speak to CW about their plans for the event.

DIRECTORY44 SHOWCASE46 TENDERS47 PROJECTS 48 SPECIALIST SERVICES

BACK52 CITY UPDATEThe latest news and projects from Al Ain, UAE.

54 CONSTRUCT SAFEThe industry’s very own comic strip on health and safety best practices.

56 DIALOGUEHabiba Al Marashi talks about the EEG’s aims to encourage green building.

OCTOBER 24-30, 2009 | ISSUE 293

1OCTOBER 24–30, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK

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CONSTRUCTION WEEK OCTOBER 24–30, 20092

FEATURES

Design

ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE SUPPLIERS YOU SHOULD KNOWThe nuts and bolts of design.

MEP

‘SMART’ SECURITYBMS systems is lending itself to security applications.

City of Arabia is self described as the ‘heart of Dubailand’. We take a closer look at what’s already going on, on-site.For more images visit www.ConstructionWeekOnline.com

IN PICTURES: SITE TOUR: CITY OF ARABIA

ONLINEwww.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

MOST POPULARSHEIKH KHALIFA BRIDGE TO SAADIYAT OPENSBAHRAIN WORKER SENT HOME WITH NO WAGESFIRE BREAKS OUT BESIDE JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATESCITIES IN THE SANDATKINS BAGS DURRAT AL BAHRAIN CONTRACT

TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK’S SPOT POLL GO TOwww.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

HAVE YOUR SAYWHAT CAN BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE BUILDING MORE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTS?What can be done to make construction more environment friendly?

JOBS OF THE WEEKSenior QA/QC Engineers, Doha, QatarConstruction Director, Dubai, UAEGeneral Manager, Kuwait

ONLINE POLLWHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST AREA OF CONSTRUCTION OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?

22.6%Residential, we need more homes for people

34.7%Industrial, more refi neries and factories will boost the economy

42.7%Infrastructure, transport, water and power will be crucial

Architect

Q&A: CAROLYN MCLEANJeff Roberts takes a look at sustainability, Sullivan and the cycle of inaction.

PMV

GOING UP DOWNTOWNCranes heed strict HSE rules at this Dubai mega-project.


MAIL

WRITE TO THE EDITOR Please address your letters to: Post, Construction Week, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE or email [email protected]. Please provide your full name and address, stating clearly if you do not wish us to print them. Alternatively log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com and air your views on any one of a number of the latest Middle East business articles.

RE: AC MAINTENANCE KEY TO GREEN BUILD-ING – EXPERTIn many commercial buildings, raising the cooling set-point has minimal impact on energy consumption. Cooling in these buildings is primarily used to reject the heat gains from lighting, equipment, and people. Those heat gains are not related to outdoor temperature and the amount of cooling energy needed does not change materially when temperatures are

insulated school classrooms do not require heating until the outdoor temperature goes below freezing, due to the heat gains from the lights.LARRY SPIELVOGEL

RE: NOT ALL LEED BUILDINGS SAVE ENERGYThis study is misleading. The Leed’s approach is holistic. It should also consider all of the places energy may have been saved during construction (locally sourced products, recycling construction materials). Granted, energy use is important, but a building’s energy use is more than the utility bill that shows up every month. I don’t think the Leed system is perfect, but only pointing out vague notions of a negative impact aren’t helpful.JOEL

Leed certifi cation means nothing in terms of energy conservation. It allows the building industry to continue doing pretty much what it always has been doing with a little fi g leaf to make it look ‘green’. It is time to grow up and replace Leed with real quantifi able standards of energy use.PETER KIND

RE: BAHRAIN WORKER SENT HOME WITH NO WAGESI have heard about how badly construction workers are treated in Bahrain. It is sad to hear about such unfairness,

raised. Some small part of the cooling energy use in these buildings is related to the walls, windows, and roofs. For those parts of the building, raising temperatures does reduce energy consumption. In larger commercial buildings, that energy is only a small fraction of the total cooling energy because the area without walls is usually much larger than the area with walls. For example, in a climate like New York, for these reasons, decently

especially to the workers whose wages are so low. The labourers are helpless and nobody seems to support them. What kind of human beings are living there?EVA

The report by CW about unpaid workers in Bahrain shall defi nitely encourage more workers to expose such companies. Believe me, this is only the tip of the iceberg.QASEEM

RE: ABU DHABI TO DEVELOP MOSQUE DEVELOPMENT GUIDE-LINESA move in the right direction. Uphold your history and religion as tourists are more interested in these than tall buildings. BILL

RE: GOLDEN MILE-STONE ON PALM JUMEIRAHI am glad to hear that DSI are enjoying such fantastic publicity for its Golden Mile project. I have been living there for over four months now and we still don’t have any swimming pools, gyms, shops, restaurants, outlets, or a completed building. Instead we have lifts that don’t work and toilets that have been blocked for more than a week. There hasn’t been a solution in sight or the offer to use other facilities in the meantime. The facilities management team is clearly incompetent.NINA

RE: A PERFECT STORM BOOSTS VALUE ENGINEERING IN DUBAIAs a structural engineer and avid reader of Construction Week, I am disappointed that this type of article would warrant publication. Siberman is merely stating the obvious and providing informa-tion that is well known to most people involved in the construction industry, in the Middle East. However, as a business development exercise (which is Siberman’s personal fi eld of expertise) he has succeeded in his objective.

PETER DE BRUIN

The opinions expressed in this section are of particular individuals and are in no way a refl ection of the publisher’s views.

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FOREWORD

WRITE TO THE EDITOR Please address your letters to: Construction Week, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE or email [email protected]. Please provide your full name and address, stating clearly if you do not wish us to print them. Alternatively log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com and air your views on any one of a number of the latest articles.

“THE DAMAGE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN CAUSED TO THE EARTH IS SIMPLY IRREVERSIBLE”

CONRAD EGBERT [email protected]

We’re seeing world leaders speak out about the disastrous effects climate change has brought to the planet.

Of course this isn’t the fi rst time the topic is being addressed by prime ministers and presidents of various nations, but it does seem to carry more desperate undertones this time round.

Without exaggerating, even if the powers-that-be decide to cut emissions at December’s UN-sponsored summit in Copenhagen, the damage that has already been caused to the earth is simply irreversible.

Talk of sustainability in the region has been doing the rounds forever, but is any of it really being put into action?

We hope to fi nd out this week (Sunday, Monday) at the Construction Week Building Sustainability into the Middle East Conference in Abu Dhabi.

Sustainability and preservation has to start at home and so instead of printing a separate agenda for our event, we decided to combine our Sustainability Supplement with the conference agenda and save a few glossy pages (you’ll fi nd the copy inside). It’s a small act, a token of commitment if you will, but if everyone begins to do their part, we’ll be well on our way to contributing to the real greening of Dubai.

Last week, representatives from the UAE ministry of environment and water, United Nations University, the Arab Media Group and LG Electronics Middle East signed the Greenomics 2009 protocol, pledging to nurture and develop a sustainable economy in the UAE through initiatives, incentives and encouragement of sustainable business models. Some write this off as yet another shameless green marketing gimmick, while calling for the enforcement of sustainable construction and the many green promises.

But why is it that we realise what should have been done when it’s too late? We need to be green and we need to be green now.

UK-prime minister Gordon Brown couldn’t have put it better in his speech, in London last week. In a nutshell - “there is no plan B.”

SUSTAINING OURSELVES

T 00 971 7 244 74 64 F 00 971 7 244 74 62 P 34132 R A K , U A E


The fi rst construction tender for Bahrain mega project Diyar Al Muharraq will be opened to bidders by the end of the year, according to Diyar’s development director Daniel Chatley.

The tender will involve the construction of 500 affordable houses and associated infrastructure.

It was expected to be opened in Septem-ber, but Chatley said they have been held up in the detailed design stage.

“We have value engineers working on the designs now to help make these houses as affordable as possible. By the end of the year it should at least be out to ten-der and sale,” he told Construction Week.

FRONT

DIYAR AL MUHARRAQ TO TENDER HOUSING THIS YEAR By Benjamin Millington

FIVE HUNDRED AFFORDABLE HOUSES WITH ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE ARE SET TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN BAHRAIN’S MEGA PROJECT DIYAR AL MUHARRAQ.

Construction on site is expected to start in February and fi nish by mid to late 2011. He said Diyar will most likely opt for a local contractor and a traditional method of construction.

“We’ve looked at alternative methods of construction which can be faster, but none of the companies are really set up in Bah-rain yet,” he said.

“The other thing is that we are in no great hurry to fi nish the houses because the public utilities are not going to be connected to the site until mid-2011.”

“Local contractors are probably going to be the most sensible sector of the market to compete for this tender.”

Chatley said construction of primary infra-structure on the project will start in mid-2010 with rolling handover from mid-2011.

Meanwhile, he said reclamation of the project’s 12km² is progressing well ahead of schedule as the economic downturn has provided more resources to the site.

A Great Lakes Nass joint venture is car-rying out the reclamation works. The fi rst 6km² is expected to be fi nished by March and the second 6km² is 60% complete, he said.

Diyar Al Muharraq will be a contained city off the northern coast of Bahrain with more than 30,000 dwellings and a popula-tion of more than 100,000.

>Poor MEP responsible for fi res? 11>Highlights of the week 12>Big 5 news 14>Face to Face 17>News in pictures 19

In the past few weeks, several large fi res have fl ared up at buildings and sites in the UAE, causing millions of dollars of damage, with electricals believed to have been at fault. Several MEP specialists have since criticised the quality of work carried out in the GCC, claiming that many installations are simply accidents waiting to happen.

“The standard of MEP work is generally very poor in the UAE – especially in com-mercial spaces and warehouses,” commented KMI International director Iain Fryer.

“I’ll not comment on the quality of materi-als as I don’t know what the job spec was, but things like insulation are very bad; that said, the situation was worse two years ago, as there simply wasn’t skilled labour available. Now, there’s more experience for fewer projects.”

MEP Consultancy’s Peter Mills agreed: “My experience is in the UK and the standard of workmanship here in the UAE is working up from a very low base. In the seven years I’ve been here, I’ve seen improvements in the qual-ity of new installations, but there’s still a long way to go

POOR MEP RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRES?By Matt Warnock

before work is generally to a good international standard.

“The largest single cause of fi re in buildings is electrical faults. One of the biggest problems with electrical systems is that, even if the building is built to a good stan-dard, modifi cations are frequently made by people who have little or no training in electrical work with dangerous results.”

But Drake and Scull International (DSI) general manager and director for MEP, Charles Lever, warned against painting all MEP contrac-tors with the same brush.

“You have to be careful when making generalisations – my back-ground is in the UK and I’ve seen

installations every bit as good here. Maybe there are some smaller contractors that don’t provide the same quality, but there are equally those of us, like DSI, that are actively driving the industry forward and raising the level internationally.”

LEVER BELIEVES THAT NOT ALL MEP WORK IN THE UAE IS OF POOR QUALITY.

FRONT

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FRONT

The US construction

industry is to see an11%

increase to

US $466billion

in new starts in

2010

Transguard Group acquired MEP contractor MACAir, after

recording a 57% increase in turnover, doubling profi t to US $20

million over the last fi nancial year

The proposed GCC rail network

will costUS $20-$25

billionand will stretch

1940km

HIGHLIGHTS

UAE

DULSCO INCREASES OUTSOURCE OFFERINGDulsco HR Solutions has increased its blue collar manpower pool, adding more than 1000 recruits from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and India in response to growing demand for outsourced manpower. “The outsourcing model has evolved from being mainly a cost-saving strategy to being a powerful tool for maximising operational effi ciency,” explained GM for manpower services Valerian D’Souza.

Egypt

AL FUTTAIM TO DEVELOP SECOND FESTIVAL CITYAl Futtaim is looking for a site to build a new project similar to Cairo Festival City, the Dubai-based developer has said. “We are actively looking for another site to do another Festival City,” said AFGRE’ director of commercial leasing and real estate Philip Evans. “If we found the right site tomorrow, we would buy the right site tomorrow. It is just a question of the right site becoming available.” Cairo

Festival City is expected to be completed by 2015.

Qatar

BARWA TO RECEIVE US $115M LOANBarwa Real Estate will be handed a US $115 million (QR420 million) Islamic loan to fund ongoing projects, the developer announced to the Qatar stock exchange. Over the next fi ve years, Barwa will execute projects worth $4 billion in total, including the $1.5 billion Barwa Village, which is currently under construction. The developer will also begin construction on a $9 billion mixed-use development in New Cairo City, Egypt, in Q4 2010.

UAE

GRAND PRIX HOTEL TO OPEN THIS WEEKThe Aloft Hotel in Abu Dhabi will offi cially open this week, 11 months after construction on the project began. Arabtec started construction on the development in November 2008 and guests will be welcomed into the hotel on October 25. Hotel owner, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions

Company confi rmed that the opening will help support the Formula One Grand Prix, due to take place on November 1.“We are extremely pleased with the fi nal results of this project. Its effi cient delivery can be put down to the planning implemented throughout all stages of the project development,” said RMJM Architects project director Yves Queromain.

Bahrain

ATKINS BAGS DURRAT CONTRACTAtkins has been awarded architectural and infrastructure design for the third phase of the Durrat al Bahrain project – 20km² of reclaimed islands at the southern tip of Bahrain. Atkins will design and document infrastructure works, landscaping and architectural engineering of villas and facility buildings for four of the 13 islands, having already worked on earlier phases of the development since 2004. “Our continued presence capitalises on the in-depth knowledge and close working client relationship

already established with Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain and the commission demonstrates Atkins’ commitment to the development of Bahrain,” said Atkins Middle East project director Andrew Lane. Construction is expected to commence next year.

UAE

DUCAB AWARDS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTKhansaheb Civil Engineering has been awarded the US $64 million (AED235 million) contract to build an industrial complex in Jebel Ali for Ducab HV – a JV between Dubai Cable Company, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority. Work on the complex will begin in November and is due to last around 12 months. The development is focused on the manufacture of electric cables for domestic and international markets and facilities will consist of offi ces, utility buildings, associated infrastructure and two cable-manufacturing towers.

NEWS IN NUMBERS

The core of Abu Dhabi’s Capital

gate tower,which leans

18° – 14°more than the leaning tower of Pisa – has reached its

fi nal height of

160m


BIG 5 NEWSAN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE IS COMING TO DUBAIOrganisers have claimed that visitors to The Big 5 can expect a real international fl avour, with 3000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries displaying their products and services at the show.

And they point to recent research showing that around US $3.1 trillion (AED11.38 trillion) worth of construction projects are currently scattered throughout the GCC as reason for the massive interest in the region’s largest construction exhibition.

“Against the background of a global economic recession, there is a general feeling from our clients that the Middle East is starting to stabilise,” explained The Big 5 show director Paula Al Chami.

“This has been refl ected in our previous clients returning tothe show, with several new entrants from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India and Egypt to name a few. The Big 5 is at a time when the industry will come together, network and put a considerable amount of the speculation to rest.”

Italian fi rm Breton will be bringing their state-of-the-art compound stone process to The Big 5.

Turning solid industrial waste such as glass, ceram-ic, mirrors, silica and terracotta into “high perfor-mance, aesthetic” products, less than 10% of Breton compound stone is composed of a binder, such as con-crete, and even that can be produced from renewable vegetable sources, like Biolenic Resin for example.

BRETON SHOWCASES ECO-STONE

Ninety-nine percent of all water used in the production of the stone comes from recycled sources, while even the energy employed manufacturing each piece is lower than that used in producing other compound stone products with comparable life cycles.

Being bacteriostatic, Breton claims it is ideal for worktops, industrial and domestic kitchen tops and food distribution platforms, such as those in restaurants or hotels.

This year, The Big 5 will again hold The GAIA Awards, aimed at honouring companies with products and services that seek to reduce construction’s impact on the environment.

In light of new building regulations in the UAE, for example, requiring all new buildings to meet international green building stan-dards, The Big 5 has made the environment a key priority for the 2009 exhibition.

“The Big 5 has the opportunity to help shape the environmental agenda for the construction industry in the region. Feedback from previous GAIA Award winners has been positive, and it is great to hear that the awards are having a positive impact on their business,” said DMG World Media vice president of construction Simon Mellor.

“The GAIA Awards, in addition to our moves this year to become carbon neutral, demonstrate that we are not just paying lip-service to these issues, we are actually leading by example, and we look forward to some innovative and ground-breaking environmentally-friendly products featur-ing in this year’s show.”

Launched in 2008, the awards are named after the Greek goddess of the earth and

ENVIRO PROGRESS TO BE HONOURED

have proven to be extremely successful. “Winning the Gold GAIA Award last year for Solasteel, as well as two Silvers for our Solacoat products was a signifi cant achieve-ment for the company and this year we hope to repeat our success as we launch a range of new ‘green’ products at The Big 5,” said Rosy Salameh, assistant executive director at GAIA Award 2008 winners Tiger.

“For clients, it is a sign of added value that we can say we are GAIA Award winners.”

The GAIA Awards are judged by a panel of industry experts who consider various criteria, including fundamental innovation criteria, world leading technology, innova-tive features, high-level benefi ts and energy effi ciency or fully recyclability.

Mayur Porecha of 2008 fi nalist Constro-mech FZCO: “Being named as a fi nalist at the GAIA Awards 2008 meant we were recog-nised for contributing towards a greener future. Since receiving this award we have been developing further ‘green’ products to provide alternative cooling products to the traditional air conditioning for the industrial sector, something which has in the past had a great negative impact on the environment.”

LEFT TO RIGHT: LEE CRAMPTON AND BERNARD NASR, WINNERS OF THE GAIA AWARDS 2008 AND SIMON MELLOR OF DMG WORLD MEDIA.

ONE PRODUCT SURE TO DRAW THE CROWDS WILL BE URIMAT’S WATERLESS URINAL – NOT ONLY BEING RECOGNISED FOR ITS RELIABILITY, DESIGN AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY – BUT ALSO ITS BUILT-IN TV SCREEN.


BIG 5 NEWS

OPT FOR WOOD ARCHITECTURE FROM CHILE WILL BE EXHIBITING THE COMPANY’S UNIQUE APPROACH TO BUILDING MATERIALS WITH PREFABRICATED WOODEN BUILDINGS AND A RANGE OF CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS – ALL CREATED OUT OF WOOD. COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS HAVE JUST AN EIGHT-WEEK CONSTRUCTION TIME WITH RESIDENTIAL COMPLETED IN THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AND ALL BUILDINGS CAN BE DISMANTLED AND REASSEMBLED.

ALTREX TO SHOWCASE NEW ACCESS EQUIPMENTDutch company Altrex aims to show visitors to The Big 5 why its products are so popular with rental companies all over the world, by demonstrating its range of access equipment, from DIY to professional.

And, the company will also launch new lines, including a new rolling/folding tower line, the Bisomac 210 hoist for the Modular Suspend Platform System and several new telescopic and folding ladders. Altrex also says it “is very interested in meeting future partners eager to join the growth of Altrex by selling the high quality products”.

THE BIG 5 TO KICKSTART UPTURN?While visitor numbers may have slumped for Cityscape Dubai 2009 and other industry shows, so far The Big 5 has faired well, with the show organisers, claiming a year-on-year increase in exhibitor space and a record number of pre-registrations.

Taking place between November 23 and 26 at Dubai World Trade Centre, visitors from more than 50 countries have signed up to attend.

“The Big 5 exhibition is somewhat of a barometer for the construction industry and seem to be bucking the trend of some other trade shows, which has been refl ected in the increased fl oor space,” said show director Paula Al Chami.

“Clearly, this has been a year of a slow down, but it seems that The Big 5 is coming at just the right time, as the industry is starting to look forwards again.”

In spite of a still fragile global economic outlook and boasting a domestic construction industry that has suffered greatly over the past 36 months, the United States’ Pavillion will actually increase 50% for 2009’s Big 5.

International business development special-ist Clarkesmith International has assembled more than 30 US companies who will be showcasing a wide range of products to the Middle East, from precast hollow core machinery and mixers to armoured doors, digital laser template systems and radiant barrier sheathing.

Last year marked the US Pavillion’s debut at The Big 5 and this year’s growth shows just how important the Gulf region is to American companies.

Half the companies exhibiting in 2009 were at The Big 5 in 2008, while half are visiting for the fi rst time, seeking new distribu-tors, partnerships and market knowledge.

US PAVILION GROWS BY 50%

Custom Building Products, for example, is hoping to turn its strong domestic record in installation solutions for tile and stone to its advantage in the Middle East, while The Engineered Wood Association has been at The Big 5 for many years.

MORE THAN 30 US COMPANIES ARE SET TO SHOWCASE PRODUCTS AT THE BIG 5 THIS YEAR.

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For Miele, The Big 5 is a platform for the family-owned company’s long-term approach to sustainability – something it hopes is highlighted by the fact that it runs its own biannual sustainability report.

“We view ourselves as having a responsi-bility to our customers and our employees, and see ourselves as responsible for the environment. In so doing we also have the responsibility to grow and economise wisely.

MIELE INTENDS TO REVEAL ITS “FOREVER BETTER” APPROACH

To us, the word sustainability encompasses all of these factors,” explained a company spokesperson.

Miele’s approach to sustainability is fairly sim-ple: the longer the operational life of a product, the less likely the need for new materials and the energy required in producing a replacement.Among products Miele will showcase at The Big 5, the insulation material and coolants used are CFC-free and HFC-free materials “long before guidelines came into force”. This ensures there is no further damage to the ozone layer or increase in green-house gases.

THE JCB DANCING DIGGERS, WILL PERFORM FOR CROWDS AS THEY MAKE THEIR DEBUT DUBAI PERFORMANCE AT THE BIG 5 PMV SHOW, WHICH RUNS ALONG SIDE THE BIG 5 SHOW.

DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS INTERESTED IN SAVING TIME AND MONEY SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR PLASTBAU’S STAND – THE UAE COMPANY MANUFACTURES A LIGHTWEIGHT CEMENT THAT CUTS CONSTRUCTION TIME BY 40% AND COSTS BY 30%.


FACE-TO-FACE

We agreed to enter the Saudi market about 18 months ago, but it

took some time to go through all the processes and we didn’t get

our commercial registration until July. Now we have set ourselves

up as a 100% foreign-owned company in Saudi Arabia.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO MOVE INTO THE SAUDI MARKET?

WHAT KIND OF MARKET SHARE DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ACHIEVE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COMPETITION IN SAUDI ARABIA?

HAVE YOU NOTICED OTHER INTERNATIONAL COMPETITORS MOVING TO THE KSA?

BRIAN STREETGeneral manager – RMD Kwikform Saudi Arabia

MARK HARDAKERGeneral manager – Sika Saudi Arabia

WHAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?

Sika actually started in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s and for various

reasons it left the Kingdom in 1984. Since then we have maintained

a presence through distributors, but as of the beginning of this

year we established Sika Saudi Arabia, which will be manufacturing

and selling all our products locally.

Saudi Arabia is a great opportunity for us and we want 30% of the

market within three years. The expectations are extremely high but

it’s a big market and hopefully we will achieve that.

We have an 8% to 9% market share at the moment which would

probably make us the number three construction chemicals

company in Saudi Arabia now. The goal is to be number one

within three years.

We see a huge gap in the market because, with the exception of

one Austrian-German company, the state of the competition is

very poor. There is very little product innovation and the level of

service that customers seem to accept is extremely low.

Our competitors have had a virtual monopoly on the market, since

Sika left in 1984, but have been sitting on their hands with no

service and old fashioned products. We will soon be offering full

technical support to our clients, as well as the latest in

innovative products.

There are certainly other people expressing some interest in

coming here, particularly a number of other companies with Dubai

operations, but it is an administrative nightmare and we were

probably just a couple of years ahead of them in that process.

Sika has a lot of smaller competitors in different markets, but there

are only a few large companies in the chemicals sector and they

are already in Saudi Arabia. Our main rival will be BASF, which like

Sika, is a quality company.

To be honest the main obstacle for us will be getting visas for our

employees. The company is established but we are operating on

skeleton staff which is pretty stretched, so visas will be the

main priority.

In Saudi Arabia it is very hard to fi nd quality people that are hard

working and willing to come and join a multinational company, both

locals and expatriates. This business cannot run without the right

people and getting them will be the biggest challenge.

WHAT BENEFITS WILL YOU BRING TO THE MARKET?

The market here is highly labour intensive and a big part of our

job is to educate these guys about the overall benefi ts of using an

engineered formwork system which will be more effi cient and cost

effective in the long run.

Our goal is to instill an idea of innovation that welcomes products

which might be more expensive, but are able to do the job more

effectively and effi ciently than the stuff currently in the market.

This will often save contractors money overall and improve quality.

SETTING UP IN SAUDI ARABIA

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Maximum customer orientation and multiple individual solutions.

Straightforward and easily accessible technology, made in Germany.

Powerful Machine.

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www.sennebogen.com

SENNEBOGEN Maschinenfabrik GmbH

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New

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SENNEBOGEN Maschinenfabrik GmbH

Germany


FRONT> For more pictures log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

LEFT: The iconic Capital Gate, being built adjacent to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, has reached its halfway mark. The tower now stands about 100m-high, with the central core at level 22 and the external diagrid at level 18. This milestone was reached when a gigantic internal atrium, including swimming pool and ‘tea lounge’, was suspended on the 17th and 18th fl oors, the halfway point of the 35-storey, 160m tower. When complete, Capital Gate will lean 18° westward, which is 14° more than the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Gifford, based in Dubai, was a specialist consultant on the fl agship project, tasked with advising on the construction so it achieves its intended position.

LEFT BOTTOM: Last week a fi re broke out at landscaping company Proscape’s labour camp in the International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) off Emirates Road. An IMPZ spokesperson said the fi re started at about 9pm on October 17 due to short circuit. The fi refi ghting squad managed to successfully put it out by around 1pm. Four port-a-cabins were lost in the blaze but no injuries were reported.

BELOW: Qatar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal, has signed 16 contracts worth a total of US $412 million (QR1.5 billion) for infrastructure projects. Ashghal acting general manager Nasser Ali Mawlawi signed deals for the construction of government schools, roads, plants and drainage networks. Schools are to be built at Mamoura, Al Amir, New Saleta, Al Sailiyyah and Najma. Meanwhile, a sewage main is to be built to Al Rakhiya Farm from Doha West. Earthworks for Barwa City and road improvement works in central Rayyan have also been awarded.

NEWS IN PICS

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> For the latest news and comments log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/comment

COMMENT

The opinions expressed in this column are of the author and not of the publisher.

Throughout my career I have encountered a general reluctance and even fear on the part of contractors when it comes to reporting delays and additional costs to the employer. To a certain extent this reticence is understandable. A contractor is no doubt trying to build a long term relationship with an employer and fears that such notices may attract an adverse reputation and jeopardise an amicable settlement and most importantly, future work.

If such a settlement is achievable on your project and future work is assured, read no further. But, if both these are a distant dream then consider this – the employer drafted the contract, you didn’t.

It is the employer who insists upon delay notices two days before the event occurs and details full particulars before the ink on the notice has dried. Therefore, the employer should not be aggrieved or surprised when he receives enough notices to wall paper the Burj Dubai and perhaps the contractor might consider gently reminding the employer of this, the next time he complains.

At this point I could discuss familiar terri-tory such as failure to give notice constituting a breach, condition precedent versus the prevention principle and/or unjust enrich-ment et al under the UAE Civil Code.

But it is more useful to view these issues from a practical perspective namely if a contractor does not tell the employer that he has been delayed or disrupted or that he has decided to accelerate; then at the very least he risks waiting a very long time for his money.

Alternatively, if a contractor does keep the employer informed of events that could genuinely give rise to additional costs includ-ing full particulars, then the employer might make some allowance in his budget, which could make life a lot easier when it comes to negotiating the fi nal account.

Detailed and timely notices will also enable the employer to identify the ‘genuine’ events,

which may have real impact and that other-wise might get ‘lost’ amongst the mountain of notices, which the contractor is forced to submit. Plus, contractors should not ignore the possibility that the employer may genu-inely be unaware of the full implications of a proposed variation and may fi nd some alternative action when notifi ed of its pos-sible consequences.

Fear may also emanate from a misunder-standing regarding the content and tone of notices. When I fi rst started work in the industry there were several publications which contained standard templates for contractual notices. These templates were littered with contract clauses and were also written in a tone that would guarantee an increase in blood pressure in the recipient.

It is possible for a notifi cation clause to include detailed procedures. And, in such circumstances contractors should ensure that they comply. However, generally there is no specifi c requirement to quote contract clauses. Also if a contractor feels words like ‘prolongation’ and ‘disruption’ might be provocative then he should consider alternative wording.

To enable this process to be managed effi ciently, it is very important to set up a dedicated team adequately resourced to implement a robust claims management system. Contractors should not risk rely-ing upon their existing commercial and planning resources to accommodate this process in conjunction with their exten-sive work load. Investment in such a team during the project has the potential to be much less than the money spent on sorting out the mess at the end.

Finally the above serves an equally important role as an internal claim verifi cation process to avoid ‘invalid claims’ being declared as sales and thereby managing the expectations of internal stakeholders. It may also avoid the risk of such claims being escalated to expensive dispute.

Delay notices – a declaration of war?PHILIP ADAMS EXPLAINS WHY CONTRACTORS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF REPORTING DELAYS TO THEIR EMPLOYERS

Adams is a senior consultant at Systech in Dubai. He has provided

commercial, contractual and dispute resolution advice on projects ranging

from high specification offices, data centres and long distance fibre optic networks to major civil engineering

projects, multi-storey offices and hotels. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

and a fellow at the Chartered Institute of Arbitration.

“IF SETTLEMENT IS A DISTANT DREAM THEN

CONSIDER THIS - THE EMPLOYER WROTE THE

CONTRACT, YOU DIDN’T”


LEGAL> For more legal advice log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/comment

The opinions expressed in this column are of the author and not of the publisher.

Andrew Gibson is a dispute resolution lawyer specialising

in construction, engineering and real estate matters. Prior to joining the DIFC office of

Bin Shabib & Associates (BSA) as an Associate in May 2008,

Andrew worked in the Property Litigation Department of

Michelmores in England where he also qualified as a Solicitor of

the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

How contractors can protect against performance guarantee bondsTHE RISK OF CALLING FOR PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE BONDS, ARE GREATLY ENHANCED DURING RECESSIONARY MARKETS. ANDREW GIBSON CONSIDERS THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS

During the peak of last year’s construction boom, the provision of a Performance Guarantee Bond (PGB) by a contractor was practically second nature, and was to some extent regarded as being merely an administrative prerequisite to securing the all important contract in question.

But with the local construction market now having taken a turn for the worse, the inevitable calling of PGBs is still raining in. The vast majority of such calls are of course genuine, and are often the result of contractors struggling to cope with the narrow schedule of works they were once only too eager to commit to. But a darker picture also exists whereby some developers now intent on seizing whatever remaining liquidity is within reach are calling upon such PGBs disingenuously.

Unfortunately, if a disingenuous call has already been made, there is very little an aggrieved contractor can do. After all, the very essence of a PGB is that it is an under-taking by the issuing bank to pay the cap-tioned amount upon the fi rst demand of the intended benefi ciary. Therefore, should the bank fail to comply with its undertaking in this regard, or otherwise seek to delay the inevitable, it could easily land itself in some very unwelcome hot water.

But if the contractor has clear reason to believe that a disingenuous call is about to be made, there are a few steps that it should consider taking to safeguard its position.

The fi rst is to contact the issuing bank in question. The contractor has no leverage over the bank in the sense that it is unable to prevent it from releasing the funds. But that is not to say that it cannot write to the bank to formally notify it of the possible demand and request the bank to notify it in the event that such a demand is made.

The contractor can then use this informa-tion to carry out the next important step,

which is to submit an application to court for a block to be placed upon any calling of the PGB. It is however crucial to recognise that the fi rst step is by no means condi-tional upon the fi ling of an application in this regard; indeed it would be reckless to rely upon a tipping off from the bank not only because it may refuse or simply forget to notify the contractor, but more importantly it may by that time be too late to carry out any preventative action.

In essence, if a contractor considers that a disingenuous call is imminent, it should proceed immediately with the fi ling of the court application. This will necessitate the preparation of a Statement of Claim setting out a brief summary of the factual back-ground and the remedy sought. Payment of the Court fee in the sum of [US $4083] AED15,000 will also be required, which is recoverable in the event that the applica-tion is successful.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that not all developers insist upon the provision of a PGB. Some favour the handing over of straight forward cheques, whether in the form of a singular lump sum or a multitude equivalent to the total amount (usually 10% of the contract price).

While this may appear at fi rst glance to be a less cumbersome and confrontational arrangement, the risks associated with the same are far greater to both parties. From the developer’s perspective, the obvious risk is that the cheques bounce resulting in non-payment, whereas the risk of the issu-ing bank being unable to honour payment is signifi cantly less. From the contractor’s perspective, the power it retains to unilat-erally withdraw the cheques in the event of a dispute may seem attractive, although clearly such action would then expose itself to both civil and criminal proceedings car-rying serious consequences indeed.

“IF A CONTRACTOR CONSIDERS THAT A

DISINGENUOUS CALL IS IMMINENT, IT SHOULD

PROCEED IMMEDIATELY WITH THE FILING OF THE

COURT APPLICATION”



Anyone who regularly travels down the UAE’s E11 highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi knows that the drive can be awful – in both senses of the word. While navigating among some of the more erratic drivers can be a

little nerve-racking, there is the sight of the Aldar HQ, Al Raha Beach, Yas and Saadiyat Islands, which inspire awe even if you’ve become jaded by the megaprojects in the Emirates.

However, the opening of the bridge at Saadiyat, and the Saadiyat-Shahama highway on October 14th, means the journey is now a little less stressful, and just as amazing.

Starting from Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi, the highway stretches over the now-named Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, before traversing 27km across Saadiyat Island and Yas Island and joining back up with E11 to Dubai.

The bridge marks the fi rst time Saadiyat Island has been joined to Abu Dhabi and provides a crucial con-nection for the Tourism Development and Investment Council (TDIC) and its plans for the islands. Saadiyat will provide a cultural destination for tourists and residents in Abu Dhabi, while Yas Island will provide leisure and entertainment, including the Ferrari World theme park and Formula One.

Construction on the bridge began in December 2006 and saw more than 7.5 million man hours put in to ensure the project was completed on schedule.

A joint venture between Zublin – Saif Bin Darwish used approximately 15,000 tonnes of asphalt and 15,500 tonnes

HIGHWAY TOHAPPINESSTHE SHEIKH KHALIFA BRIDGE AND ACCOMPANYING SAADIYAT-SHAHAMA HIGHWAY WERE DELIVERED AT THE START OF OCTOBER. CW TAKES A LOOK AT HOW THE PROJECT WAS DELIVERED ON TIME

By James Boley; Photos by Rajesh Raghav

“IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO DELIVER THE PROJECT ON TIME BECAUSE THE BRIDGE WAS NEEDED IN TIME FOR THE FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX”


of reinforcement steel to build the 1.4km bridge, which can hold 10 lanes of traffi c. Construction took 30 months.

Keeping to the schedule of the project was vital, explains Zublin project manager Holger Schmidt. “It was very important to deliver the project on time because the bridge was needed for the Formula One Grand Prix. Otherwise people coming to the event from Abu Dhabi would have to drive to the airport and back up to Yas Island.”

Meeting this challenge required careful preparation and the corralling of international expertise. “We prepared all our internal systems to make sure we could deliver on time,” says Schmidt. “Also we brought many experts from Germany to work hard on this project. We had around 25 to 30 people from Germany here at one stage.”

WORKING ON FORMAn important element in ensuring the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge was delivered on

time, was the formwork. RJR Formwork supplied a fl exible system that has been tried and tested elsewhere in the UAE and has proven particularly effective for bridge construction.

RJR provided a system that could be moved along the bridge without dismantling, cre-ating a considerable saving both in terms of time and manpower required.

“We were able to move the system three times without dismantling it, which offered considerable advantages over traditional systems. They’ve used the system very successfully,” says managing director Roger Ratcliffe.

He estimates that the RJR system greatly reduced the need for manpower on site and helped the project be delivered on time.

“If you’ve lots of repetition you don’t need to keep taking it up and down, you can move the whole system as a big chunk,” he says. “The fact is you’re saving time by moving the system. You’d need at least two or three times the volume of equipment just for moving a standard system. I’d say with our system they saved 30% of the time required. There’s also not the same high labour element required.”

“I’D SAY WITH OUR SYSTEM THEY SAVED 30% OF THE TIME REQUIRED”

THE 1.4KM BRIDGE CAN HOLD 10 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND TOOK 30 MONTHS TO CONSTRUCT.

THE HIGHWAY STRETCHES OVER THE SHEIKH KHALIFA BRIDGE, BEFORE TRAVERSING ACROSS SAADIYAT AND YAS ISLANDS AND JOINING UP WITH E11 TO DUBAI.


ROAD TO SUCCESSAccompanying the bridge is the Saadiyat-Shahama highway, which will provide the main artery for traffi c heading towards the two islands under development by the TDIC.

The highway provides an effective shortcut between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, allowing travellers to easily reach the corniche while avoiding the traffi c in downtown Abu Dhabi. An unoffi cial assessment by CW suggests that the new highway shaves a good 20 to 30 minutes off the journey time between the two cities.

Creating a new highway has been an important part of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, the strategic plan that provides a road map for development for the city and its envi-rons for the next 20 years. The plan was the key guideline framework for the devel-opment of the newly inaugurated Sheikh Khalifa Bridge.

“Projects such as this that address both the immediate and future needs of the people stand a better chance of being recognised as a valuable contribution to the nation build-ing process,” said Aldar chairman Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh at the inau-guration of Sheikh Khalifa Bridge.Part of this anticipation of “future

needs” was the provision for alternative transport systems. A light rail transit (LRT) bridge has also been constructed to allow a future railway to link Yas Island and Abu Dhabi.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITYAldar were responsible for 23m of the highway, plus a further 18km of interchange ramps and freeway improvements. As a result, 22 highway bridges, 17 exits and four underpasses came under the developer’s remit.

In addition, Aldar was responsible the main interchange and surrounding highway for Yas Island, Aldar’s leisure and entertain-ment destination development and location of Yas Marina Circuit, the venue for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Aldar’s portion of the project was split into a further two packages. Six Construct

handled the construction of the Yas Island section of the highway and the interchange with the Abu Dhabi-Dubai road, while Taisei Corporation handled the responsibilities for building the bridge and roads from Yas Island to Saadiyat Island.

Both sections were subcontracted to Al Jaber Construction, which appears to be doing well out of the building boom on Saadiyat. The fi rm also has won the con-tracts for the Saadiyat Beach Residences and Saadiyat Beach Hotel.

Meanwhile, the construction of the actual road on Saadiyat was covered by Gulf Leigh-ton Contracting Abu Dhabi, following the designs of US fi rm Parsons. As part of this construction, a 180m wide land bridge was built to link Saadiyat to Yas. In anticipation of future residents and out of respect for the natural landscape, the land bridge was built by using a trough contour, making it less visible and quieter.

Along the Saadiyat section, 650 palm trees have been planted, along with 500,000 other plants, 10,000m³ of stone and 26,000m³ of sand. Construction took 24 months to complete.

With the bridge and highway now offi cially open, a vital element of both the Saadiyat Island and Yas Island projects can now be crossed off the list. �

ALDAR PROPERTIES WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSTRUCTING 23M OF THE SAADIYAT-SHAHAMA HIGHWAY PLUS A FURTHER 18KM OF INTERCHANGE RAMPS.

“PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS THAT ADDRESS BOTH THE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE STAND A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING RECOGNISED AS A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATION BUILDING PROCESS”

14-17 NOVEMBER 2009 - DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Organised by

Co-located with

Official MagazineAwards Partner

National Media Partners


EVENTSEvent: CID Awards 2009Overview: This year’s CID Awards will celebrate the success of the Middle East design industry and demonstrate how the region’s sector can stand alongside its international peers. Date: November 15Venue: Park Hyatt, DubaiPhone: +971 4 435 6133Email: [email protected]: www.constructionweekonline.com/cidawards

Event: Build Smart 2009Overview: Build Smart 2009 will present solutions, new technologies and best practice for improving effi ciency and productivity during project development. But, the main focus at the event will be the offi cial launch of new association, Building Smart Middle East. It will demonstrate that by establishing standards for the construction industry, Building Smart can facilitate improvements in profi tability and sustainability in the region. Building Smart will eventually operate throughout the Middle East and North Africa, as a not-for-profi t organisation. Date: November 15-16Venue: Yas Hotel, Abu DhabiWebsite: www.itp.net/events/buildsmart

Event: MEP Awards Overview: The MEP Awards 2009 is a platform for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing sector in the Gulf to recognise its achievements and to acknowledge the latest innovations, technology and processes that have helped drive down costs and ensure adherence to best-practice standards.Date: December 9Venue: The Westin, DubaiPhone: +971 4 435 6133Email: [email protected]: www.constructionweekonline.com/mepawards

Event: Construction Week North Africa ConferenceOverview: This Construction Week conference will provide a fi rm basis for all interested parties to come together and share their experience of the economic renaissance in North Africa. Date: December 17Venue: Semiramis Intercontinental, CairoPhone: +971 4 435 6127Email: [email protected]: www.constructionweekonline.com/conferences

Event: International Symposium on Architectural MembranesOverview: The workshop will address the theoretical bases for structural analysis necessary for computer implementation. Date: October 14-15Venue: American University in DubaiPhone: +962 655 5981Website: http://isam-dubai.web.offi celive.com/about.aspx

Event: Index 2009 Overview: Index is the Middle East’s largest contemporary interiors trade show. Now in its 19th year Index is established as the must-attend annual event for buyers and suppliers of the world’s fi nest interiors.Date: 14-17 NovemberVenue: Dubai World Trade CentrePhone: +971 4 438 0355Website: www.indexexhibition.com

Event: The Big 5Overview: Big 5 is the annual meeting place for all industry professionals. Over 58,000 key buyers and decision makers from the public and private sectors attended the 2008 event.Date: November 23-26Venue: Dubai World Trade CentreWebsite: www.thebig5exhibition.com

Event: The Big 5 PMVOverview: International exhibition for plant, machinery and vehicles.Date: November 23-26Venue: Dubai International Exhibition CentrePhone: +971 4 332 9029Website: www.big5pmv.com

Event: Front Roof and Cladding 2010Date: March 8-10, 2010Venue: Expo Centre, SharjahWebsite: www.eventseye.com

Event: Saudi International Windows, Doors, Shutters, and Solar Protection Exhibition 2010Date: April 11-14, 2010Venue: Riyadh Exhibition CentrePhone: +966 1 454 1448Website: www.eventseye.com

Event: Project Qatar 2010Overview: International trade exhibition for construction technology, building materials, equipment and environmental technology.Date: April 12-15, 2010Venue: Qatar International Exhibition CentrePhone: +974 495 4888Website: www.eventseye.com

Event: Gulf Bid 2010Date: May 4-6, 2010Venue: Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention CentreWebsite: www.eventseye.com

Event: FM ExpoDate: May 18-20, 2010Venue: Dubai International Exhibition CentrePhone: +971 4 332 1000Website: www.eventseye.com

Event: Cityscape Saudi Arabia 2010Date: June 5-7, 2010Venue: Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention CentreWebsite: www.eventseye.com

A one day event with two streams running concurrently covering the vital aspects of construction and real estate. �

Event focusCONSTRUCTION WEEK DUBAI CONFERENCE

DATE: NOVEMBER 3VENUE: RAFFLES HOTEL, DUBAIPHONE: +971 4 435 6127EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM/CONFERENCES

Event: Construction Week Awards 2009Overview: In its 5th year, the Construction Week Awards 2009 will celebrate excellence in the construction industry and exceptional performance in 15 key areas of the sector, with nominations open to contractors, developers and

consultants working in the Middle East. Award categories include project manager of the year, construction manager of the year, sustainable project of the year and developer of the year among others. Date: November 4Location: Grand Hyatt, DubaiPhone: +971 4 435 6133Email: [email protected]: www.constructionweekonline.com/cwawards


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWSIMON MELLOR

In the construction industry, it pays to have a track record. Established credentials and proof of performance are bound to boost confi dence in your ability, especially as the little guys fall by the wayside in tough economic times.

Maybe that’s why sometimes big is better. The Big 5 International Building and Construction Show seems to be proving the point. In what has been a tough year for most contractors in the industry, The Big 5 has performed ‘quite surprisingly’, according to Simon Mellor, vice president of the construction division for DMG World Media.

“We’ve been a long established show here and in being long established, people inherently have confi dence in the products and services on offer within The Big 5 environment,” he said.

The result, the organiser promises, is a show that will be bigger than it has been before. Mellor feels there are a few important reasons why. One, there’s more space available this year, thanks to an extension of the facilities. Added to this is the fact that the show has a reputation for attracting buyers ready to give exhibitors an ‘instant response’.

“We’ve always attracted a broad audience from right across the Mena region and exhibitors have always been successful in promoting a strong community,” said Mellor. “It was a community, in a sense, restricted by the size of the facilities. The GCC and

the wider Mena region have been so positive and strong over the last fi ve to ten years that we have been struggling to meet demand with the size of the venue.

“This year the venue has extended facilities, which has allowed us, to some extent, to meet the true demand and against all expectations, we will put a bigger show on in 2009 than in 2008.”

One of the immediate benefi ts of the bigger facilities was that The Big 5 PMV show can come indoors for the fi rst time. The PMV exhibition space will have a 14m roof clearance, leaving plenty of room for some of the biggest

kit around to be on display.

Strong local demand is coupled with support from around the globe, particularly Asia. There is also

some emerging involvement from South America, Eastern Europe – partly a product of the growth of the European Union – and more interest from North Africa.

“Trade shows tend to fall into two distinct categories, those where people come and chat, and shows where they buy and specify. We are an excellent opportunity for companies to introduce products and test consumer reaction,” said Mellor. “We are very well known as a buying show.”

Acknowledging the vital role of the deal makers, The Big 5 has introduced a new component to the show with the creation of a key buyer’s programme.

“We’ve invested a lot of time and energy into creating a key buyer

Rapid responseIN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST YEARS THE REGION’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAS EVER FACED THE BIG 5 STILL LOOKS LIKELY TO BUST A FEW RECORDS. CW CHATS TO SIMON MELLOR, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FOR DMG WORLD MEDIA TO FIND OUT WHY

By Stuart Matthews

programme, actively looking to service upwards of 700 leading projects throughout the Middle East and Africa region,” said Mellor.

“In any typical year we’ll have upwards of 15,000 products or services on show. It’s a tough job for a key buyer to sift through them all. Instead we’re looking to give them a business class experience of the show, to help their needs be met as accurately, quickly and comfortably as possible.

“Our exhibitors want to see the key buyers and we’re excited to see what the results will be this year.”

There is an educational angle to the show, with a strong emphasis on boosting the level of awareness and knowledge of green issues. Experts will be on hand throughout the four days, in a dedicated area designed to act as an educational gallery, where people can browse and learn. Key topics covered will include renewable energy, solar power and water conservation issues.

“This ties in very nicely with the work we did on the GAIA awards last

“WE ARE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR

COMPANIES TO INTRODUCE PRODUCTS AND TEST

CONSUMER REACTION”

MELLOR BELIEVES THAT THE BIG 5 IS WELL KNOWN AS A BUYING SHOW.

year,” said Mellor. “Some of the 2008 winners will be highlighted in that community, which will also provide a platform to promote the 2009 winners.”

Environmental issues will also be addressed in a portion of the conference programme, which will run in parallel with the show.

“The most interesting area is the affordability of the technology,” said Mellor. “There is a general perception, wrongly in my view, that this is an expensive way to build. But there are ways of making this cost effective and affordable and in the current economic climate, we are all looking

for more affordable and effective solutions.”

As the single largest gathering of the construction industry in the Middle East, The Big 5 will be a chance for many to discuss the state of the industry with international peers. Mellor sees it as an important opportunity for the construction community to come together, share their experiences and look at how to deal with the year ahead.

“I think of all the years in past history, this is probably the one where the community needs to come together to discuss and understand what can be learned and how,” he said. �

> For more people interviews log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2009?

Key buyer’s

programme

A ‘business

class’ exhibition

experience for the

industry’s biggest

spenders

More space, more

people

Expanded facilities

mean there’s

room for more

of everything,

including exhibitors,

as the 2009 edition

looks to be the

biggest ever

All indoors

Bigger facilities mean the Big 5 PMV will also be completely

undercover on the same site

Easier access

1500 additional parking spaces in three new locations around the

Trade Centre and expanded transport options will making getting

in and out easier

Primarily used for roadconstruction purposes for motorist awareness, safety and advanced warning of road/traffic conditions, Bartco Full Matrix LED technology, means our VMS can also be used for advertising, event management or promotions.Environmentally friendlysolar power drives the VMS without the need for an external power supply and programming is done through our web based interface or via SMS. Live GPS tracking is also available.Graphics, animations, a variety of fonts and languages can be displayed on either an industry standard Amber display or our new unique to Bartco color VMS.Call or email for further information.

Ph. + 61 3 5352 2255 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bartco.com.au

Distributor enquiries most welcome.

BARTCO, Australia’s leading manufacturer and exporter of portable electronic traffic equipment is pleased to present our range of products to the UAE market including:

� Portable Variable Message Signs� Trailer Mounted Directional Arrow Boards� Portable Traffic Light Systems


BIG 5 HALL PLAN


GETTING THERE


When it comes to mar-kets and trade shows, the world has a whole host of stalls where you’ll fi nd the wheelers and dealers, as well as buy-ers with a keen eye for

good quality and value-added products. For London’s tourists there is the famous Portobello Road in Notting Hill, for lovers of arts and crafts there is Sydney’s Pad-dington Market and for the construction industry there is The Big 5 exhibition.

According to DMG, The Big 5 organiser, the event can expect some 3000 exhibitors from over 50 countries to provide a one-stop-shop for the construction sector this year by showcasing everything from asbestos-free cement, to fasteners and gaskets. But, will 2009’s prod-ucts, systems and technologies meet the changing needs of engineers, architects and contractors in the Middle East, as the downturn continues?

Kerim Caglar, marketing manager of Knauf, a dry wall systems provider, seems to think so: “The economic slow-down did affect everyone in every sector so I am expecting to see more economically feasible material and solution providers at this year’s exhibition,” he says.

“That is why we are displaying our drywall systems, which enable projects to be completed faster, on time and within budget.”

It’s no news to the construction industry that the demand for building materials and systems has dropped as projects

T O M A R K E T,T O M A R K E TCONSTRUCTION WEEK TAKES A LOOKAT WHAT EXHIBITORS WILL HAVE TO OFFER AT THE CONSTRUCTION EVENT OF THE YEAR, THAT IS THE BIG 5 2009

By Sarah Blackman; Photos by Nemanja Seslija

“I AM EXPECTING TO SEE MORE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE MATERIAL AND SOLUTION PROVIDERS AT THIS YEAR’S BIG 5 EXHIBITION”


> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

COMPANY NAME COUNTRY

VERSEIDAG INDUSTRIES MENA Jordan

ITANI TRADING & INDUSTRIAL COMPANY Lebanon

CINCA – COMPANHIA INDUSTRIAL DE CERÂMICA Portugal

GEONEXT - PRODUTOS ELÉCTRICOS Portugal

SPACE REFLEX – ISOLAMENTOS TERMO-ACÚSTICOS Portugal

SHENG TAI BRASSWARE COMPANY Taiwan

HCP PUMP MANUFACTURER COMPANY Taiwan

CARPETS INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA Malaysia

LB ALUMINIUM BERHAD Malaysia

REKA SETIA PLAYGROUND Malaysia

EUROSLOT France

CLIPPER France

LA ROCHERE SA France

DAMMAN CROES Belgium

ECHO ENGINEERING Belgium

KINGSPAN DOOR COMPONENTS Belgium

BUZON PEDESTAL INTERNATIONAL Belgium

CLIMATECH Belgium

DECTRON Canada

NATHAN ALLAN GLASS Canada

CYCLOVAC Canada

DIZAYN TEKNIK PLASTIK BORU VE ELEMANLARI SAN Turkey

ECE BANYO GERECLERI SAN. TIC. A.S. DIS TICARET A.S. Turkey

TEKMAR MARBLE INDUSTRY Turkey

NINGBO JINTIAN COPPER TUBE COMPANY China

SHENZHEN LITONG UNTIED IMPORTER AND EXPORTER COMPANY

China

TONGDY CONTROL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY China

PUTZMEISTER MÖRTELMASCHINEN Germany

HÖRMANN KG VKG Germany

LAPESA GRUPO EMPRESARIAL Spain

MAUCID TRADE/ FAKOLITH Spain

HIDRODEMOLICIONES, FRESADOS E INYECCIONES Spain

BIG 5 EXHIBITORS TO LOOK OUT FOR

are being put on hold or even cancelled. But, suppliers who will be present at The Big 5 see the event as a plat-form to attract new clients and bring back the interest of existing ones.

“The Big 5 show is a major event on our calendar,” insists Caglar. “We have been planning for it for the past six months by analysing market needs. And, we came up with a selection of systems and products that are currently in demand in the construction industry.”

Triplefast Middle East sales manager Shane Ander-son also reveals his company’s plans for the event: “We

hydrating screeds and Ultraplan high toler-ance self levelers, which all help in achieving project deadlines without compromising quality,” says Mapei business development manager Laith Haboubi.

“We will be presenting a variety of our most popular range of solutions through a series of sample slabs, which practically illustrate the build up of each material and layer to ensure the perfect job.”

Mapei’s stand will be manned by a team of professionals who will provide visitors with advice on correct material selection and specifi cation, as well as installation and fi nishing. The company will also be presenting two technical seminars dur-ing the show.

Triplefast Middle East, a supplier and manufacturer of fasteners will present its range of products and have timed the intro- KNAUF MARKETING MANAGER KERIM CAGLAR.

“THE BIG 5 SHOW IS A MAJOR EVENT ON OUR CALENDAR”

are focusing on educating our end users and distributors on the importance of pro-moting and procuring fully certifi ed, high quality fasteners.”

WHAT TO EXPECT VSL, a company that has been present at The Big 5 for several years will be displaying its range of technologies and capabilities in post-tensioning, heavy lifting, structural strengthening and repairs next month.

Italy-based Mapei, a leader in adhesives, sealants and chemical products for building will also be attending the fi ve-day exhibition, which will take place starting November 23. However, delegates can expect something different from the company this year.

Up until very recently, Mapei has been well known for its range of adhesives and grouts, which are used to install ceramic and natural stone. But now, the company wants to present adhesives for other fi nishes such as wood, PVC and sports fl ooring.

“We also have a unique range of substrate preparation products such as Topcem rapid


Pappert. “For the interest of our clients, we use solid and robust technology to achieve maximum value and service-life for our equipment.”

GREEN SOLUTIONSDuring the boom times, the main focus of contractors and developers was to fi nish a building and move on to the next and the next after that. Now, with new green building regulations, codes and standards coming into place in the Middle East, construction companies are on the prowl for products and technologies that will help them contribute to a sustainable environment. And, this demand is expected to be met at The Big 5, according to some exhibitors.

“Our metal profi les are produced locally, therefore projects in the UAE that use these products will, for logistical reasons, earn

> For more special reports visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

VSL DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER STEPHEN BURKE.

“SAFETY IS OF THE UPMOST IMPORTANCE IN THIS FIELD”

Leed points that will add to their overall score,” says Caglar.

VSL’s post tensioning technology also con-tributes to the environment by reducing CO² emissions in the construction process, according to the company’s deputy general manager Stephen Burke.

Overall post-tensioned structures have a reduced environ-mental impact when compared to more traditional construc-tion methods. For example, the CO² emission for rein-forced concrete is

129.9kg CO² per m² compared to 95.3kg CO² per m² for post tensioning. “By using post tensioning instead of reinforced concrete on a typical high rise tower, you save on structural concrete cross sections, allowing for thinner fl oors and slabs, thus giving rise to immediate reductions in concrete vol-umes and the related CO² from the cement production,” he says.

A RANGE OF EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS IS EXPECTED TO BE DISPLAYED AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT.

duction of its new line of gaskets, produced by its parent company, Lone Star Fasteners, with the exhibition. The company’s target markets include steel fabricators, desalination and water treatment plants, power stations and heavy engineering companies.

Meanwhile, German company Sennebogen, a manufacturer of cranes and other heavy equipment, will make its fi rst appearance at The Big 5 and will display two new prod-ucts, in addition to the range already on the market. “We are mainly striving for the right solutions for our customers,” reports Sennebogen managing director Khalid

3000EXHIBITORS FROM OVER

50COUNTRIES ARE EXPECTED

AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT

“SEVENTY PERCENT OF OUR GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENIDTURE GOES INTO SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN PRODUCTS”

And, Mapei, which has been providing the industry with sustainable products since the 1980s doesn’t intend on stop-ping now. “Seventy percent of our group research and development expenditure goes into sustainable and green products,” reports Haboubi.

“More than 150 Mapei products assist project designers and contractors in attain-ing Leed credits for projects where this is a requirement.”

contractors will start to become better educated on the importance of applying high quality materials (including fasteners) rather than opting for the cheapest prices available,” says Anderson.

Due to the current market situation, con-tractors aim to reduce the cost and as a result, lots of non-standard materials have been imported and distributed in the market.

SOME BIG 5 EXHIBITORS ARE EXPECTING AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR THEIR PRODUCTS AFTER THE SHOW.

IN A TYPICAL YEAR THE

BIG 5HAS AROUND

15,000PRODUCTS ON SHOW

SAFETY IS KEYBuilding failures in the Middle East, such as the car park collapse in Sharjah, UAE earlier this month has highlighted the fact that quality materials are not just in demand but are urgently needed. “We recently have seen buildings collapsing due to poor quality materials and I believe

December 14, 15 & 16, 2009 (Mon, Tue & Wed) 09:30 am

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It is therefore up to the contractor to choose the right suppliers, ask for load test certifi -cates for the systems they buy and also ask for production certifi cates.

German Formwork Technology has dif-ferent systems for safety of the workers in the job sites, which will be exhibited at The Big 5.

“Our safety systems are available to protect workers from falling down while they are near to the edge of a building or when they are pouring concrete for walls

or slabs,” says company general manager Adel Mir Riahi.

This year’s exhibition will also see the introduction of VSL’s carbon fi bre rods, which are being used for the structural strengthening of high rise building projects in the region.

“Safety is of the utmost importance in this fi eld,” says Burke. “Our equip-ment and processes incorporate the high-est safety features and we train our staff at our Dubai-based academy on the safety aspects that have to be main-tained on site.”

POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR DEMANDAs well as assisting the sector’s contractors, developers and architects in purchasing the

right products and systems for their needs, The Big 5 is expected to give subcontractors’ businesses a lift.

As German Formwork Technology makes its debut at the Big 5, Riahi is confi dent that his company will meet visitors that have not seen its systems before.

Caglar is also positive about what the event will lead to: “Once the local market sees the quality of the metal profi les pro-duced, they will

want to use these in their projects.”Haboubi agrees: “We believe that our

products provide exceptional value to our customers. If we are able to demonstrate these to visitors during the show then I believe it should increase both enquiries and demand for our products.” �

WORLD-WIDE EXHIBITORS

EUROPECinca from Portugal has a new range

of tiles which incorporates wood into

ceramics, and will also be announcing the

opening of a new regional facility, which will

specialise in manufacturing these tiles.

Sennebogen, a German supplier and

manufacturer of heavy machinery will

present two new products. For the

interest of its clients, the company uses

technology, which prolongs the service-life

of equipment.

ASIA Hume Cemboard Industries from

Malaysia will be launching a new type of

environmentally friendly cement, which is

100% asbestos free – particularly topical

given the recent debate in the UAE about

introducing asbestos-use regulations. The

product is also fi re resistant, moisture

resistant, thermal-insulated, weather

resistant and sound insulated.

MIDDLE EAST Plastbau from the UAE has light-

weight cement, which helps to reduce

construction time by around 40% and

costs by 30%.

Al Rajhi Holdings from Saudi Arabia will

be bringing a range of its brands to exhibit

including Cladtech, which will provide

aluminum, glass, doors and windows;

Romeo, an interior design specialist;

Pretech, a manufacturer of prefabricated

concrete; Madagypsum a fabricator of

plasterboards and plasters; and Technobit

which produces membranes.

NORTH AMERICA AND CANADA Unicel Architecture from Canada will

be showcasing its new product, Vision

Control Mini, which is an insulating glass

unit, ideal for door insertions. The unit is

environmentally friendly as it helps reduce

energy consumption, maximises natural

light, controls solar heat gain and reduces

maintenance requirements.

Laser Products Industries, a USA-

based company will be bringing its

T-55 XL Precision Laser Templator,

which is used for the marble, glass and

woodworking industries.

SOUTH AMERICA Opt for Wood Architecture from Chile

create prefabricated wooden buildings, and

will be showcasing a range of construction

systems, which are made out of wood.

“I BELIEVE CONTRACTORS WILL START TO BECOME BETTER EDUCATED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS”

Organised by

11.00 - 22.00 daily23-26 November 2009

Dubai World Trade Centre,Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.thebig5exhibition.com/visit

11.00 - 20.00 daily

AN EXPERIENCE WHICH IS TRULY...‘BEYOND EXCEPTIONAL’

www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/directory

��

DIR

ECTORY

To

advertise p

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ishir D

esai +9

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63

75, o

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[email protected]

m

SHOWCASE44 King Abdullah Financial District, Saudi Arabia

46 TENDERS47 PROJECTS

SPECIALIST SERVICES48 Building materials49 Construction chemicals/concrete50 Education & training/fl ooring51 Recruitment/steel

CITY UPDATE52 Al Ain, UAE

DIRECTORY

OCTOBER 24–30, 2009 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 43

SHOWCASE | TENDERS | PROJECTS | SUPPLIERS | CITY UPDATE

ABOVE: Construction of KAFD started in

November with the award of four parcels to

Saudi Binladin Group and two parcels each to

El Seif Engineering, Saudi Construction and

Saudi Oger. The design and build contracts

have a fast-tracked timeframe of 30 months

with completion of the fi rst stage expected to

be around mid-2011.

RIGHT: Contractors are currently doing

basement work on the fi rst stage of the

project which covers 10 parcels of land. Every

tower will have four levels of underground

parking and currently around 2000m3 of

concrete is being poured each day. It’s

expected 4 million t3 will have been poured at

the end of the second stage.

To b

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in t

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ple

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emai

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imag

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�SHOWCASEITP IMAGESTO BUY IMAGES WITHIN THESE PAGES PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] OR VISIT WWW.ITPIMAGES.COM

KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT, SAUDI ARABIAPhotos by George Dipin

The US $10 billion (SR37.5 billion) King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is one of the largest construction

projects in the Kingdom today. It involves the construction of more than 40 towers as well as all the facilities, amenities, utilities and

transport networks you would come to expect in a well-designed city of the 21st century. Centrally located on King Fahd Highway,

KAFD is destined to become the epicentre of the Kingdom’s burgeoning fi nancial services sector as well as a sleek new business

and entertainment hub for Riyadh. The development covers 1.6km2 and will have a total built up area of 5km2. Construction began in

November 2008 and 70% of the project is expected to be fi nished by mid-2012 under a fast-tracked programme.

To b

uy im

ages with

in th

ese pages p

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images@

itp.com

or visit itp

images.co

m

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Earlier this month Saudi Binladin Group was

awarded a US $3.73 billion (SR14 billion)

design and build contract for 30 parcels of

land which make up stage two of KAFD, 27

of the parcels are due to be completed by

March 2012 with the remaining three to be

delivered in November 2012; government

owned developers of the project Rayadah

Investment Company said they chose only

one contractor for the second stage to avoid

logistical problems between contractors

on site; Saudi Binladin’s fi rst four parcels

currently under construction are being

designed by FXFowle while the master plan

was designed by Denmark’s Henning Larsen.



�TENDERSFREE TENDERS AND SERVICES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRYTO INCLUDE YOUR TENDERS IN THIS SECTION EMAIL TENDER DETAILS TO [email protected]

To in

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you

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in t

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BAHRAIN

Issuer: Ministry of HealthTender No: MOH/155/09Description: Asphalting and landscaping for properties of the Bahrain Ministry of Health.Closes: November 4Fees: BD15Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.bh

EGYPT

Issuer: The Housing DirectorateDescription: Four tenders for the construction of 29 residential buildings in Badr City.Closes: October 27Fees: EP2000 eachContact: The General Secretariat, Abdeen, Cairo

OMAN

Issuer: Oman Tourism Development CompanyTender No: 281/2009Description: Consultancy services for the development of Khasab Hotel in Oman.Closes: October 26Fees: OR300Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

Issuer: Ministry of HealthTender No: 278/2009Description: Construction and maintenance of Sinaw Hospital extension.Closes: November 2Fees: OR250Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

QATAR

Issuer: Central Tenders CommitteeTender No: 77/2009/2010Description: Construction of plaza and play yard at Al Wakkrah.Closes: October 26Fees: QR300Contact: www.ctc.gov.qa

Issuer: Central Tenders CommitteeTender No: 78/2009-2010Description: Construction of public parks and plaza at Al Rayyan.Closes: October 26Fees: QR300Contact: www.ctc.gov.qa

Issuer: Public Works AuthorityTender No: PWA/GTC/010/09-10Description: Construction of trunk and internal sewers within Musaimeer – phase one. Closes: October 27Fees: QR6000Contact: Contract department, Public Works Authority

Issuer: Public Works AuthorityTender No: PWA/GTC/009/09-10Description: Construction of trunk and internal sewers within Ain Khalid Area – phase 2.Closes: November 10Fees: QR8000Contact: Contract department, Public Works Authority

SAUDI ARABIA

Issuer: Holy Makkah MunicipalityTender No: 4/00/00/296/1/2/19Description: Construction of pedestrian facilities in several areas of Makkah.Closes: October 24Fees: SR5000Contact: www.holymakkah.gov.sa

Issuer: Royal Commission for Jubail and YanbuTender No: 655-C13Description: Construction of sports centres at Al Ferdos and Jalmudah. Closes: October 25Fees: SR9000Contact: Contracts section, directorate general of Royal Commission in Jubail, PO Box 10001, Jubail Industrial City

Issuer: Ministry of FinanceTender No: 1193

Description: Expansion of the Ministry of Finance in Qassim.Closes: November 3Fees: SR1000Contact: www.mof.gov.sa

Issuer: Saline Water Conversion CorporationTender No: MT-384Description: Replacement of high voltage cables.Closes: November 7Fees: SR500Contact: www.swcc.gov.sa

Issuer: Royal Commission for Jubail and YanbuTender No: PIC G-1679BDescription: Procurement, testing, commissioning and construction of two mosques in Yanbu.Closes: November 15Fees: SR1000Contact: Director for Purchasing, Contracting Department, PO Box 30031, Madinat Yanbu Al Sinaiyah

UAE

Issuer: Dubai Electricity and Water AuthorityTender No: CNE/606/2007®Description: The construction of Hassyan Power and Desalination Station.Closes: November 8Fees: AED5000Contact: Head offi ce of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

One of the biggest projects the Department of Transport (DoT) is planning as part of Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 is the Abu Dhabi Metro. This development is set to be one of the largest construction projects in the world. In the fi rst quarter of this year the DoT issued tenders for the consultancy services for preparing a study on the metro.

The study will be carried out in three stages and will include the feasibility study, the preliminary design study and fi nal contract documentation. Last month, DoT senior transportation planning specialist Abdul Gader Al Shabani announced that the feasibility study would begin in November and will take 21 months to complete. The client is currently evaluating bids for the contract. The main construction contract is set to be tendered in 2011. �

Tender focus

ABU DHABI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

THE PINK LINE INDICATES THE ROUTES FOR THE NEW ABU DHABI METRO.

> For more tenders check online at www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/tenders

ONE TO WATCHIssuer:Issuer: Abu Dhabi Department of TransportAbu Dhabi Department of TransportDescription:Description: Feasibility study for the Abu Dhabi Metro Feasibility study for the Abu Dhabi MetroProject value:Project value: unknownunknownAward date:Award date: October/November 2009October/November 2009Contact:Contact: www.transportabudhabi.aewww.transportabudhabi.ae

� PR

OJECTS To

list you

r pro

jects in th

is section

email d

etails to ed

itor@

Co

nstru

ction

WeekO

nlin

e.com

�PROJECTSA UAE DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUSTO LIST YOUR PROJECTS IN THIS COLUMN EMAIL DETAILS TO [email protected]

The project calls for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company headquarters. The complex will be built on site of the current headquarters, which is based on Corniche Street. The US $250 million (AED918 million) development will include an offi ce tower, podium and atrium, as well as an underground parking block. Demolishing of the existing building is currently in progress and phase one of the development is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2012, with the fi nal phase to be completed in 2014. Arabian Foundation Engineering is the main contractor for the enabling works, while Hill International is the project manager. �

Project focus

ADNOC HEADQUARTERS

THE NEW HQ WILL REPLACE OLD OFFICES.

PROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAINCONTRACTOR

VALUE(US$MN)

STATUS

UAECITY OF LIGHTS - C10, C10A AND C11 Tamouh Investments Palm & Turner Architects China State Construction &

Engineering Corporation101 - 250 project under construction

ROYAL CITY SEASONS HOTEL IN ABU DHABI City Seasons Group James Cubitt & Partners Tae Young Contracting 101 - 250 project under construction

RITAJ MIXED-USE COMPLEX IN DIP Dubai Investments Real Estate Company

Al Jabal Consultants Robust Contracting 155 project under construction

NCC HARMONY TOWERS AT DUBIOTECH NCC Urban Islamic Architects Al Mubarakia Contracting 408 project under construction

AL FALAH DEVELOPMENT IN ABU DHABI - 2000 VILLAS

Aldar Properties Al Torath Engineering Consultants

El Seif Engineering & Contracting Comany

251 - 500 project under construction

SYNERGY TOWER IN SHAMS ON REEM ISLAND Sanaya Investment Adnan Saffarini Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design

UNION CO-OPERATIVE HYPERMARKET IN AL BARSHA Union Cooperative Archdome Consulting Engineers Bu Haleeba Contracting 33 project under construction

CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS CENTRE IN DUBAI SILICON OASIS

Memon Investments Adnan Saffarini Cairo Contracting 22 project under construction

ARJAAN HOTEL APARTMENTS IN ADNEC Bin Hamoodah Properties GA Architects & Engineers Not Appointed 31 - 100 award awaited for the construction contract

ICONIC RESTAURANT IN AL RAHA BEACH Aldar Properties KEO International Consultants Al Ahmadiah Cont./Global Timber Homes

4 project under construction

FRANKFURT SPORTS TOWER 1 IN DSC Memon Investments Al Hatmy Design & Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed 92 award awaited for the construction contract

THE VILLA IN DUBAILAND - PHASE 3 Dubai Properties Shadeed Engineering Al Shafar General Contracting 31 - 100 project under construction

LILIES TOWER IN EMIRATES CITY R Holdings Adnan Saffarini Abou Seif Building Contracting Company

87 project under construction

CHAMPIONS TOWER II IN DUBAI SPORTS CITY Memon Investments Adnan Saffarini Al Sarh Contracting 30 project under construction

CHAMPIONS TOWER III IN DUBAI SPORTS CITY Memon Investments Adnan Saffarini Al Sarh Contracting 40 project under construction

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT ON MARJAN ISLAND Solanki Holdings & Investments Kassian (Canada) Not Appointed 2450 project under design

SAMI BUSINESS TOWER IN BUSINESS BAY ACI Real Estate Dimensions Engineering Consultants

Saquer Engineering & Contract-ing Enterprise

31 - 100 project under construction

> For the latest projects information visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/projects


�SPECIALIST SERVICESCONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES MADE EASY IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK’S DIRECTORYTO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL +971 4 435 6375, OR EMAIL [email protected]

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VIC

ES �

BUILDING MATERIALS

New to the Middle East, Green Precast Systems and Technologies is introducing a technology to the market, which is aimed to be greener, stronger and safer to use than traditional precast systems.

Durable concrete, reinforced with steel is poured into a pre made mould and when set, contains the main com-ponents of a structure resembling a building block. These building blocks can then be arranged and stacked to create a self supporting building structure, up to 10 storeys high. The system has been on the market for over 50 years and the company is currently managing a global demand for this product and other technologies.

Green Precast Systems and Technologies also manu-facturers and supplies a thermal UV-IR refl ective paint solution, which has a solar refl ective index rating of 113%, refl ecting ultra violet and infra red light to provide sav-ings up to 50% on ongoing cooling costs. It also provides a water system, offering up to 90% saving on irrigation and fl ushing water; and a light solution, proposing a sav-ing on energy bills of up to 85%.

At this year’s Abu Dhabi Cityscape, the company announced that they will be creating 2000 jobs in the UAE to imple-ment the technologies into local projects.

Al Rayan Investment was the fi rst company to select this new technology and signed a contract worth

Supplier focus

GREEN PRECAST SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIESMANUFACTURER OF PRECAST SYSTEMS AND GREEN TECHNOLOGIES

GREEN PRECAST HAS BEEN BASED IN ABU DHABI FOR TWO YEARS.

US $122.5 million (AED450 million) to deliver the Modern Residential City, providing accommodation for 25,000 people by 2010. �


� SPECIA

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BUILDING MATERIALS HARD LANDSCAPING SUPPLIER

> For directory information visit www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com/directory

DEWATERING

Engineering Works Foundation Infrastructure (L.L.C.)

SPECIALIZED DEWATERING SERVICES:• Specialized in Deepwell, Wellpoint,

Open pumping techniques

• Professional Service

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CITY UPDATEAL AIN, UAE

As one of the smaller cities of the UAE, Al Ain doesn’t carry the same brash cachet as Abu Dhabi or Dubai. However, its status as a

‘garden city’, easy access to both of the UAE’s major hubs, and its historic status mean that while the rewards are smaller, there’s still potential for development.

Gains in Al AinTHE AL AIN MARKET HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL – BUT ALSO A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. CW FINDS OUT MORE

By James Boley

UNDER PLAN AL AIN 2030, VILLAS WILL BE DELIVERED TO SUIT THE LOCAL ARCHITECTURE.

Much like the UAE capital, which is being developed according to Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) has developed a Plan Al Ain 2030. This is designed to maintain the historic

character of the city, while also ensuring the city doesn’t get left behind the rest of the UAE.

“Through a balance of conservation and development, Plan Al Ain 2030 will fos-ter the authentic Arabic identity of Al Ain while supporting a continuously evolving modern culture,” explains Falah Al Ahbabi, general manager of UPC.

The plan particularly focuses on preserv-ing the oases that surround the city, and providing housing for UAE nationals in the area. Phase one has fi ve specifi c initiatives - using available land intelligently, increas-ing density within the buildings and city centre, preserving surrounding agricultural areas, creating a surface tram system, and

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“THE GOVERNMENT WILL FINANCE ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORK REQUIRED TO BUILD THE HOUSES & INFRASTRUCTURE”

protecting designated environ-mental zones.

Government funding will play a large role in providing infrastruc-ture and housing, according to Al Ain Municipality urban planning director Talal Al Salamani.

“The government will fi nance all of the construction work required to build the houses and the infrastructure,” he says. “The villa prototypes will be delivered in a way that will suit the Emirati family size and the architectural style will be blended into the architecture of the city of Al Ain.”

However, since the plan was unveiled in Q2 this year, the ongo-ing fi nancial crisis has meant many of the projects associated

with the plan have either been shelved or delayed. Aldar’s Noor Al Ain, a US $575 million (AED2 billion) mixed use freehold devel-opment is now ‘on hold’ until further notice.

Meanwhile, bidding for tenders on the $136 million Al Ain Oasis project by International Capital Trading (ICT) is due to start in Q4 this year. A spokesperson for ICT confi rmed the project is ongoing.

Al Ain is a city with a great deal of potential. However, until the uncertainty around the timing of contract awards is cleared up, it’s unlikely that the city will be able to provide oppor-tunities that will rival the other UAE urban centres. �

“PLAN AL AIN 2030 WILL FOSTER THE AUTHENTIC ARABIC IDENTITY WHILE SUPPORTING A CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING MODERN CULTURE”

AS PART OF PLAN AL AIN 2030, DEVELOPERS WILL NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AL AIN’S HISTORIC BACKGROUND WHEN PLANNING NEW PROJECTS.

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CONSTRUCTION WEEK APRIL 4–10, 20096


Construct SAFEEnvironment


experience. Poor health, safety & welfare knowledge

Farik: Apprentice labourer new to the industry with no experience. Poor health, safety & welfare knowledge

Illustrations by Jincom Publishing

Introducing the Construct Safe lead characters (from Left to Right)

Raoul: Senior Supervisor with 30 years experience and good health, safety & welfare knowledge

Achmat: Construction labourer with little

> For the ConstructSafe comic strip log on to www.ConstructionWEEKonline.com

If you have a health & safety or environment issue that you would like to see addressed through this comic strip email your ideas or comments to [email protected]. Alternatively, log onto www.ConstructionWeekOnline.com to see the comic strip.

SPONSORED BY: Musanada


DIALOGUEHABIBA AL MARASHI

How are you actively encouraging developers to go green?The Emirates Environmental Group’s (EEG) programmes and activities are designed to raise environmental awareness and encourage pro-action from different groups including developers, architects and product manufacturers. EEG’s major programmes i.e. waste management, environmental education and corporate social responsibility all serve as a baseline so builders can develop local green building programmes.

What should developers be focusing on in 2010 in terms of green building?Developers need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable development when planning and implementing buildings and they need be transparent in reporting their plans to their suppliers, workers and the community at large.

Was the Green Day Conference at Cityscape well received? It was very well received and is one of the value added events to Cityscape. The event was focused on sharing ideas and knowledge and not just having speeches and presentations. The concept of Green Day highlights the fact that the construction industry- known as one of the biggest polluters of the environment- is stepping up and taking charge of its social and environmental responsibilities. It was an event that not only spoke about green buildings, but also included illuminating talks, discussions and question and answer sessions on topics such as energy saving issues. I was invited to speak about encouraging the construction industry to adopt environmentally friendly building practices. This topic highlighted the fact that approximately 8000 buildings in the region are currently green but each and every piece of construction should look at changing their approach to achieve a sustainable environment.

How can green building benefi t businesses fi nancially?Green buildings provide fi nancial benefi ts that conventional buildings do

Green ambitionEmirates Environmental Group chairperson Habiba Al Marashi talks about the organisation’s aims to encourage green building and sustainable design

By Sarah Blackman

not. These benefi ts include energy and water savings, reduced waste, reduced absenteeism, reduced employee health costs and lower operations and maintenance costs. So really, the question is not how much more does green cost; but in fact how green can we be in our given budget

Why do you think some contractors and developers are discouraged from green building?The concept of ‘green buildings’ is still new in the region and there are no specifi c standards or rating systems to follow yet. When the mindset is to build very quickly and make a profi t then there is no consideration given to securing renewable energy. Furthermore, most people assume that responsibility should come from the government and that mindset will have to change.

What are the goals of your group? To contribute positively to the advancement of sustainable development in the UAE by acting as a focal point for people concerned with environment protection and sound waste management. We wish to assist concerned authorities,

where possible, to increase the level of public awareness on all local and global environmental issues. Further, we want to promote positive environmental action by individuals and encourage the public at large to accept that each individual has a responsibility to help preserve and protect the environment. Another one of our goals is to propagate community waste reduction and recycling both as a means of protecting the environment from the long-term burden of waste and also as a fl agship for improving the community’s environmental awareness. We aim to compile a database on various environmental issues and make it available to the public and institutions. Finally, we wish to encourage and invite active participation by individuals from the business community who are experts on various environmental issues including our areas of concentration.

Habiba Al Marashi is the co-founder and

chairperson of Emirates Environmental

Group, a non-government organisation

based in Dubai. Marashi is a UAE national

who began her professional career working

with the UAE’s Chambers of Commerce

and Industry and Dubai Development

Board. She played a key role in the growth

of the EEG, which is the only active, multi-

sectoral organisation in the UAE that has

successfully brought the government,

private sector and community under the

same banner. Through her leadership,

she initiated the fi rst corporate social

responsibility network in the country

in 2004 with local and multinational

companies. She has been a board member

of the UN Global Compact since 2006 and

president of the UN Global Compact GCC

States Local Network.

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