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Overseer of Architecture

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Dubai has captured the attention of people around the world thanks to its innovative, large-scale construction projects. Iconic developments such as the Burj Al Arab, the Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Khalifa have made the city famous, and as the city gears up for Expo 2020, there’s no doubt that Dubai will continue to attract attention to itself.

What’s interesting is that much of what Dubai is today was designed and built in the last 30 years. Several companies have been instrumental in shaping the city’s landscape, and Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ)’s portfolio is among the most impressive. In its nearly 30-year history, the architecture and design firm has helped bring some of Dubai’s most iconic buildings and projects to fruition, including the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, the Arabian Court at The One & Only Royal Mirage, the Dubai Creek Yacht Club, the Bab Al Shams hotel, the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Hotel and, more recently, developments such as Marsa Al Seef.

GAJ was founded in London in 1989, and a year later the firm’s headquarters in Dubai was launched by co-founder Brian Johnson. Johnson first came to the UAE in 1975, and although he returned to the UK for a brief stint in the late ‘80s, he was soon back in Dubai to launch GAJ’s operations. With decades in the region under his belt, the British architect has seen the evolution of architecture and design in Dubai first-hand and continues to keep an eye on the city as GAJ’s managing partner.

“When I first started working in Dubai in 1975, I was doing a lot of schools and there was a desire for Dubai to show that it was part of the international world and keeping up with international standards. Around 1989, there was a slight change in the sense that Dubai became more of a tourist destination. Then you started getting people saying that they wanted to come and see, according to the manager of the Arabian Court which we designed, “the magic of Arabia”. So there was this desire to reflect the heritage of the region, and whether that was just the more traditional architecture of the interior or Islamic architecture from across the region, that changed the basis of what we were doing.”

According to Johnson the shift was perhaps a bit too dramatic, but he notes that maturity ultimately prevailed. “The pendulum swung arguably too far in the other direction in the early ‘90s, and you then had a lot of buildings built by the creek that seemed to have a traditional wind tower on top. So we went from extremely modern to extremely traditional, but thankfully the market went back to being more sensible. It matured and has stayed at that level – people are now choosing the architecture that suits the purpose, so if a project is tourism-related it’ll be designed in a certain way, and if it has a different purpose it will be designed to that specification.”

Johnson points out that Dubai’s leadership has always played an active role in the evolution of the city’s architecture and infrastructure and that each emir made his own unique contribution. “Under His Highness Sheikh Rashid, you had projects such as the drydocks come up, and even before His Highness Sheikh Mohammed became emir of Dubai, you could see he was a driving force for a different sort of project.”

Since those early days Dubai’s landscape has continued to evolve, and the result is a city that now caters to both indoor and outdoor tastes of both residents and tourists. Johnson explains, “Today, if you look at projects like La Mer and City Walk, they are enormous and you realise that there are suddenly a lot more outdoor places to visit and spend time. The city has moved beyond big shopping centres and I think that shows an interesting vision. With projects like this, the city is encouraging being outdoors rather than spending all your time indoors in a mall. There’s room for both, clearly, thanks to the weather, and as a result you can see the projects are busy at different times of the year.”

With regard to making decisions about the city and projects, Johnson explains that too has evolved as data and analytics are increasingly being relied on by decision-makers. “People are looking at data as a metric to make decisions – before, they might have used their gut feeling or turned to market sentiment to decide on how to proceed. Now they consult with the background data and look at factors such as visitor numbers, visitor breakdown, salary levels and expectations, etc. I think Dubai has become very data-centric, shall we say, and ultimately the more connected we get, the more data is collected and the more everything will fit together as a connected smart city.”

Tourism has been a significant contributor to Dubai’s economy for decades, and now the city is targeting other aspects of tourism and is also keen on adding educational institutions to its landscape, in a bid to attract families and cater to their children’s educational needs.

“When you talk about tourism, the primary focus is holidays but medical tourism is also growing in popularity. Here, it’s not only about attracting people from the surrounding region. If you consider the number of people who live here, there is a need for quality facilities that can offer extended/ongoing care in case people have accidents and need rehabilitation, for example. We’re involved with a project that is bringing that sort of rehabilitation facility to Dubai, which is something that hasn’t been done before. It’s not just about skills and competency, which Dubai already has, it’s about designing and building facilities that are equal to or better than the best the world has to offer.”

With regard to education, Johnson adds, “There are a lot of people with kids here, and if you looked at Dubai in the ‘80s, ‘90s and even early 2000s, there weren’t that many schools and universities. As a result, you’d see a lot of families migrating or sending their kids overseas for their education. That has reduced significantly in recent years, as families are taking advantage of the new educational facilities, which means they get to be close to their kids while enjoying the lifestyle that Dubai offers. We’ve already seen some beautifully designed schools and universities appear in the last couple of years’ and I think there’s still a bit of room to grow in that segment.”

Influences on Architecture

Speaking about what influences architecture and design in general, Johnson highlights materials as having the biggest impact.

“Modern materials give you the freedom to design things differently. In the past, if you consider a material such as stone (which was and still is popular), it could only span a certain distance so you had to design keeping that limitation in mind. With modern materials it’s quite different, so materials really do define what you can do from an architectural standpoint – there are now certain materials that can span 6m (for example), which means you can specify it and design the building accordingly.

“Older predominantly stone buildings might have been built with longer lifecycles in mind, but with new materials you can do more interesting things and perform maintenance and upgrades to keep them fresh. Developers such as Meraas and Emaar are using these materials to their advantage and are pushing the margin with regard to their projects.”

Technology such as BIM is also influencing the way buildings are designed and built. GAJ was an early adopter of BIM and is committed to training its staff so they can ‘speak the language’.

“BIM is a sort of language, and we have a training programme and some very talented people in the office to help other members of staff to get into it. The aim of BIM is to provide complete integration, which will have a positive impact on projects. There is a challenge, though, because as with all technology, the more you get into it, the more complex it becomes. The other danger is an over-reliance on it or indeed any technology. People might stop thinking for themselves as the technology gets smarter and start believing the machine or technology outright, so when mistakes are inevitably made, people may not be able to spot it before it’s too late. Using this technology is clearly the way forward, but I think it’s important for people to take a step back every now and then and exercise their own judgement and common sense,” concludes Johnson.


Middle East leads global construction’s digitisation drive

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“Digitisation is about businesses using connected systems at every stage of the projects. It is about working with tools and practices based on information and communication technology. They are no longer mere tools to help companies do the same things a bit better. Instead, they fundamentally change the way business is done”

In 2017, more than $85 billion of building contracts were handed out across the GCC, with a predicted yearly increase of 7% that should continue through 2018. The Middle East is witnessing a surge in investment and interest in business and leisure activities and infrastructure. High-profile international events such as Expo 2020 have added impetus to the dynamic landscape, with reports stating that the UAE alone is expected to account for $33 billion of Expo-related projects.

It’s well-known that the construction sector is one of the least digitised industries. Large projects across asset classes are typically 20% over schedule and up to 80% over budget. In some markets, construction productivity has actually declined.

Digitisation is about businesses using connected systems at every stage of the projects. It is about working with tools and practices based on information and communication technology. They are no longer mere tools to help companies do the same things a bit better. Instead, they fundamentally change the way business is done.

Computational design and generative tools are changing the way we design, allowing infrastructure we couldn’t even imagine. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and reality capture are changing the way we interact with the designs, and BIM is connecting entire teams to provide vital information for successful project delivery.

In a world where the next 20 years will see the largest global population boom in history, the pressure on the industry has never been higher. We can no longer use the same tools to meet increasing worldwide demand for construction output, as innovation is vital. The Middle East, particularly the GCC region, is ahead of the world in recognising that digitisation of the construction process can significantly reduce risks and enhance the viability of infrastructure projects, as well as improve asset lifecycle.

The UAE has already led the way with the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s creative use of iterative BIM. The BIM design model was used to create a scale model for physical wave testing that informed the geometry of the perimeter and the position of inlets and concrete breakwaters. Dubai’s Museum of the Future also employs BIM and generative design, especially for the complex steel diagrid geometry.

Such complex structures need an iterative analysis process such as generative design for teams to quickly manipulate and study numerous iterations, to accommodate architectural and structural requirements. Generative design uses algorithms to generate every possible permutation of a design solution and allows the user to select the design that best fits the end requirements. It offers an easy preview, to create optimised complex shapes and internal lattices that are impossible with traditional manufacturing methods.

This is where additive manufacturing (AM) comes in play. The uniqueness of AM lies in its ability to combine multiple materials to create a single material that meets the unique requirements of any project without compromising on its strength and structural integrity. The new materials are often stronger, lighter and more efficient than the traditional ones. Current AM products include aircraft parts, medical implants, automobile chassis and even entire buildings.

With the Dubai 3D Printing Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice-President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate is determined to ensure that every new building in Dubai in 2025 will have 25% of its structure 3D-printed. The mandate will begin in 2019, starting at 2%, with a gradual increase to achieve this strategic goal.

This strategy will reinforce the UAE’s commitment to support and facilitate innovation as it uses emerging and new technologies to reduce costs across sectors, and will ultimately restructure economies and labour markets, as well as redefine productivity.

BIM, additive manufacturing and generative design are changing the construction industry, disrupting the status quo and challenging the creativity and vision of AEC professionals. They provide AEC professionals with futuristic solutions to construct sustainable and memorable structures that go beyond function and serve a grander purpose that conveys history, culture, ambition and success.

The problem of existing building stock

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A noticeable shift in trend in the construction sector during 2017 has been a growing awareness among clients and consultants of the ageing building stock in the region. Words like refurbishment, retrofit and re-use have become commonplace in meetings, conferences and debates, and the existing building problem is the elephant in the room that is conveniently avoided when looking at the (over) supply of new builds. Whether you are involved in the operation and maintenance of an existing building, acquiring an asset as a form of investment or considering the purchase of a home, many properties are reaching the stage where an enhanced understanding of condition is critical to ensure lifespan is prolonged, investment is not wasted and the buildings that shape our region keep up with the demands of an aspiring smart city.

Let’s consider the most challenging requirement of a truly smart city: sustainability. The extreme environmental conditions in this region, coupled with the common type of construction used previously, resulted in the UAE ranked second highest in terms of CO2 emissions per capita and placed in the top 10 countries in terms of electrical and coolant use back in 2009. This prompted a series of government initiatives to improve matters, including considerable investment in renewables and mandating green building regulations.

These are great steps forward, and the new regulations and energy-saving technology are fairly easy to integrate into new buildings, through changing regulations, designs and specifications prior to construction. Some clients have sought to exceed regulations on their projects by implementing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standard, resulting in some very efficient and high-tech smart building designs.

However, we must appreciate that new buildings only account for around 2% of building stock, and as a relatively young country, compulsory green building regulations have been introduced at a late stage, with the vast majority of buildings constructed with little regard to energy efficiency. This means that even if all new buildings have a zero-carbon rating, the existing building stock will keep the carbon footprint unacceptably high and refurbishment and retrofitting options will most certainly be required.

This has been a common topic of discussion this year, with several debates with local and international experts on the challenges we face. While moderating some interesting panels at the October Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) event, the meaning of the term ‘smart city’ was an important subject on which the threats and benefits of globalisation were discussed, particularly UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’.

Other important topics included the issues of affordable housing, development financing and transition to new technology, addressed with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), which was keen to discuss how international standards and lessons can be applied locally. After all, a clear benefit of working in a relatively young country is the ability to take advantage of leapfrog technology, skipping over yesterday’s out-of-date technology and adopting the cutting-edge technology of the modern world.

Architectural conservation and the issue of reusing existing buildings versus demolition was also considered and discussed, with a lively panel organised by the local Institution of Structural Engineers and chaired by experienced local engineer Rashad Bukhash of the UAE Architectural Heritage Society. It became clear that architectural, engineering, building surveying and contracting disciplines all share common concerns and challenges with the existing stock, albeit from different perspectives.

Issues of health and safety in existing buildings (most notably fire safety) have also been debated many times, and interesting points were made at various panels and think-tanks throughout the year, with experts like Peter van Gorp of AESG and Andy Dean of WSP contributing. The challenges of safety, energy and services retrofitting were tackled with Saeed Al Abbar, chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council, and commissioning services in retrospect was discussed with Maen Nimrawi of Keo Consultants.

Alongside scholarly debates, there has also been significant maturity in the design of new buildings through involving property and facilities consultants in the concept design stages, using operational knowledge as a feedback loop rather than an afterthought. This is a great move from various design team leaders in understanding the issues of existing buildings for a new building design, a practice that has been rare and often only addressed far too late in the process to be truly effective.

Jointly-owned property and mixed-use communities where refurbishment, fire safety and energy-saving options require communal funding contributions also require a sound understanding of existing conditions, life-cycle and reserve funding. While there has been a visible improvement in awareness of these matters, enhanced greatly in the residential market by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), studies have often shown an existing deficit that can only be addressed through good property management and a practical forecast and programme of remedial works. Many properties in the region are nearing the end of their ten-year decennial liability term, and construction practice associated with the crash period has resulted in some premature ageing and a lack of accurate ‘as built’ data.

To assist clients in overcoming this problem, new drawings, schedules, asset lists and BIM models of existing buildings have been provided to allow accuracy in planned remedial and refurbishment construction works. Due to our relatively young building stock, there is a huge value in grasping the historic data generated through local building operation and management, and understanding statistics and trends in the data is key to understanding how buildings work in practice in this region.

For example, our survey technology is now powered by our data partner Property Monitor, in order to analyse the vast quantity of modelling data shared with our cost consultant and facility management partners. This allows bespoke lifecycle cost and community service charge models to be produced, taking into account modern hybrid methods of component subdivision that can be quite complex, rather than using outdated and inflexible strata models. To provide a pioneering building consultancy perspective fitting of a smart city, we must keep ahead of the curve and the fast pace of modern technology. Embracing empirical data and analytics is now just as important as core building pathology skills.

To conclude, 2017 saw growing awareness of the complexities of both our existing building problem and how we can overcome this through core building surveying skills in conjunction with the combination of new technology and historic data.

Craig Ross MRICS is a chartered building surveyor and partner/head of Project and Building Consultancy at Cavendish Maxwell.

Bentley acquires Plaxis and SoilVision

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Bentley Systems has acquired Plaxis, a developer of geotechnical software and soil engineering software provider SoilVision. The acquisitions are said to enable the firm to become a complete source for geotechnical professionals looking for a digital solution. Through the acquisitions, Bentley says BIM advancements can be extended to the essential subsurface engineering of every infrastructure project.

Describing workflows, Bentley points out that projects begin with geotechnical surveys and sampling, captured with gINT for documentation and reporting. From there, professionals perform engineering related to soil properties, soil behavior, and groundwater flow using SoilVision’s SVOFFICE applications, supplemented by Plaxis’ offerings. Then soil-structure interaction is then said to analysed through Plaxis’ design, simulation, and engineering software (e.g. PLAXIS 2D, PLAXIS 3D).

Bentley Systems CEO, Greg Bentley said, “My colleagues and I welcome our new teams from Plaxis and SoilVision, which have in common a zeal for applying science for better engineering practice. Dr Ronald Brinkgreve from Plaxis and Dr. Murray Fredlund, founder of SoilVision, exemplify this. I believe that every geotechnical engineer has benefitted from Plaxis’ continuous advancement, in scope and quality, of tools for their discipline to add value. With a professional and dedicated management team led by Jan-Willem Koutstaal, Plaxis has become one of the most successful software businesses I have ever seen.”

The firm says the new opportunity, through digital workflows enabled through its modeling environment, is for geotechnical applications to be integrated with Bentley’s structural applications (such as STAAD, RAM, and SACS) for in-depth geo-structural engineering performance.

Additionally, Bentley Systems highlights that because infrastructure assets are linked to subsurface environs, they are vulnerable to geo-environmental risks including seismic activity, subsidence, and weather impacts. The firm thus believes that by leveraging digital workflows which incorporate real-time monitoring and analytics during infrastructure operations, geotechnical professionals can play an increasingly valuable role in achieving geo-environmental resilience.

Bentley added, “While most infrastructure engineering disciplines converged around intuitive 3D models, geotechnical applications seem to have followed a less graphically intensive development path, and so have remained isolated from cross-discipline workflows. This ‘disconnected’ mindset prevailed even while Plaxis, SoilVision, and gINT mainstreamed 3D innovations. Our BIM platform’s comprehensive modeling environment will finally embrace the geotechnical profession in digital workflows for every infrastructure project and asset.”

FIFA World Cup 2018 stadiums built with Trimble technology

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Eight of the 12 stadiums hosting the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia that kicks off today have been constructed using Tekla Structures software, said construciton software heavyweight Trimble.

Acoording to a statement from the Sunnyvale, California-based company, Tekla Structures is an advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) tool, which allowed the designers, contractors and construction organisations behind the stadiums to complete high-quality work.

The stadiums built using Tekla Structures are in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Saransk, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Sochi, and Kazan – and each stadium has its own unique, spectacular structural details, said Trimble.

Moscow’s Spartak Stadium will seat up to 45,000 spectators during the tournament. Thick-walled pipes were used in the construction, which made it possible to reduce metal consumption. As a result, the roof weighs a relatively light 8,500t. With Tekla’s 3D model files working together with automated production, the project flowed smoothly from the drawing phase to the manufacture phase, said Trimble.

The Saint Petersburg Stadium is a 67,000-seater designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa and will host seven matches. The stadium’s structural features include a roll-out field and a 286m-wide retractable roof. After 10 years of construction, the project was taken over by Kurganstalmost. Trimble said that by using Tekla Structures, they were able to identify potential collisions and avoid unnecessary work at the construction site, resulting in quick compliance with FIFA requirements. According to Kurganstalmost, the use of BIM technology was critical, especially given the tight schedule.

The oval-shaped Mordovia Arena, located in Saransk, will host four matches and seat up to 44,000 spectators. The base of the stadium is composed of 88 interlinking consoles 40m high with a span of 49m. Belenergomash, Mordovia Arena’s steel fabricator, also produced complex 60m metal structures with an accuracy of up to 10mm, and a large number of welded joints. With BIM technology, Belenergomash’s specialists were able to streamline their workflow and ensure productive communication among different divisions, said Trimble.

The Volgograd Arena, which will host four matches, seats 45,000 people. Triimble said it features a unique cable-stayed roof and openwork wicker-themed façade, whose technical complexity made it necessary for supply and construction to work closely to ensure optimal accuracy in both manufacturing and assembly. To manage such a difficult task, Tekla’s BIM technology integrated all available information about the facility’s construction into one information-packed 3D model. Data could be transferred straight from the model to machine, allowing more flexibility and more accuracy, as well as significantly reducing production times.

Trimble added that its Tekla Structures was also used for the construction of the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, the Samara Arena, the Fisht Stadium, Sochi and the Kazan Arena, which will all host world cup matches.

Bentley Systems wins 2018 Microsoft CityNext Partner of the Year award

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Bentley Systems has won a 2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year award with the company among a global field of top Microsoft partners for “demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of user solutions based on Microsoft technology.”

Winners chosen across 39 categories were chosen from more than 2,600 entrants from 115 countries worldwide. Bentley Systems said it was recognised for providing outstanding solutions and services in the CityNext Partner of the Year category.

“We are honored to have received this prestigious award which recognises Bentley as a provider of cloud-based software solutions powered by Azure, for the advancement of infrastructure projects throughout the world, and specifically for Mass Rapid Transit Corporation’s [MRTC] outstanding Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya [SSP] line in Malaysia,” said Bentley Systems’ CEO Greg Bentley. “MRTC is going digital, harnessing Bentley and Microsoft technology to deliver one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Asia.”

With more than 1.7 million people residing in just 94 square miles, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has one of the highest population densities globally. As a result, it is estimated that residents living in the Greater Klang Valley region collectively spend 280 million hours per year stuck in traffic, said Bentley Systems in a statement.

The SSP line is the second line of MRTC’s Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit railway project, which will create better mobility for residents and make it possible to ease traffic by an estimated 160,000 cars daily. As Malaysia’s largest infrastructure project, the SSP line includes 11 interchange stations, making it easier for commuters to transfer to existing and future rail lines, while 16 stations will have park and ride facilities. In addition to creating an estimated 130,000 new employment opportunities, the line has the potential to generate $5 billion in cost savings per year as a result of reduced traffic congestion.

The MRTC project team uses Bentley OpenRail’s connected data environment comprising the shared services of ProjectWise and AssetWise, powered by Microsoft Azure to ensure seamless information exchange, real-time collaboration, and management of asset information across the lifecycle, among hundreds of team members.

Poh Seng Tiok, director of planning and design for MRTC, noted that on a project of this scale and complexity, it is essential to effectively manage and share the huge amount of data across the entire project—from design and construction, through to operation and asset management.

“We need to make sure that all the different [project] phases are well covered and information that we build up during design, and during construction are taken forward during the operation and maintenance stage for better understanding,” said Poh. “By turning to the Bentley/Microsoft cloud-based solution, we are able to streamline collaboration across all teams and identify and mitigate potential issues, before they impact cost, schedule, and safety. We expect to increase productivity by about 35 percent, through reducing design rework by providing real-time, accurate information.”

Bentley Systems introducing time dimension to BIM with new acquisition

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Bentley Systems has acquired London-based Synchro Software, a specialist in 4D construction modelling software, for scheduling and project management.

Synchro, “construction’s time machine,” has been globally adopted, in particular, for building and civil infrastructure projects, said Bentley in a statement announcing the news. According to the company, the acquisition “broadens Bentley’s ProjectWise construction offerings — which already include ConstructSim, the leader for 4D construction modelling in project delivery of industrial plants. With construction project management in 4D, benefits of BIM can extend throughout infrastructure project delivery and asset lifecycles, as traditionally disconnected workflows become digital workflows.”

Synchro’s strong growth, since the introduction of Synchro PRO in 2007, has coincided with the burgeoning adoption of BIM for design workflows — which, however, stop short of considering construction planning, scheduling, and project management strategies. For London’s Crossrail, Synchro digital construction innovatively applied Bentley Systems’ iModel work packaging to complete the reach of its BIM application portfolio and its CDE. Crossrail, the largest European construction project over this period, is now being completed on time and on budget. Synchro has increasingly become the standard for major constructors leveraging BIM through project delivery.

Synchro’s 2018 4D Digital Construction Conference in Amsterdam brought together infrastructure construction thought leaders from 18 countries, including presentationsby Royal BAM Group, Mortenson Construction, Robins & Morton, Shanghai Construction No. 4 Group, Skanska UK, and Larsen & Toubro, who shared their benefits achieved through applying 4D construction modelling with Synchro.

In industrial project delivery, characterized by EPC (engineer-procure-construct) contracting integrated processes are already the norm — leading to ConstructSim’s digital workflows for advanced work packaging. However, in vertical buildings and civil infrastructure projects, notwithstanding the advancement of BIM for design and engineering, prevalent design/bid/build contracting has institutionalised disconnected workflows isolating construction planning from BIM data and geometry, explained Bentley.

Within Synchro, 3D BIM deliverables are linked with the 4D time dimension to intrinsically and immersively synchronise, through digital workflows, the construction strategy, work breakdown structure, schedule, costs, resources, supply chain logistics, and progress. Synchro’s 4D construction modelling appropriately incorporates other construction variables (human, materials, equipment, falseworks, and space) for safe, reliable, and predictable project delivery performance. Synchro includes intrinsic CPM scheduling, or users can maintain external project schedules.  By synchronising changes from BIM, schedule and/or field conditions, Synchro provides clear visibility into both the project data and the design, making it quick and easy to communicate and analyze the impact of changes on the entire project delivery process. This also enables Synchro users to compare construction strategy alternatives — even in early stages of design and bid processes — and to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of different scenarios, deriving insights toward the best possible construction outcomes.

By incorporating Synchro 4D construction modelling through the ProjectWise CDE, infrastructure project delivery can now benefit from unprecedented digital workflow advancements. For the first time, change synchronization can assure that BIM deliverables are updated for changes which occur during construction, aligning the as-designed, as-constructed, and as-operated digital engineering models to improve both project performance and asset performance. And, in particular for civil infrastructure projects, constructioneering digital workflows can automate direct relationships between the project’s digital engineering models, the continuously-surveyed digital context of site conditions before and during construction, and positioning devices controlling construction equipment and feeding back as-built conditions.

“I’m very excited about what Synchro brings to Bentley’s capabilities for comprehensive project delivery, not only in terms of technology, but also by virtue of the proven construction expertise of the Synchro team, led by the vision and advocacy of Tom Dengenis,” said Stephen Jolley, vice president of construction for Bentley. “In construction modelling for industrial projects, the market is already converging around ConstructSim’s advanced work packaging and workface planning. In the advancement of going digital for civil and building construction, the needed impetus for these ‘industrialized’ advantages is precisely what we are now announcing. For infrastructure projects, integrating Synchro’s 4D construction modelling completes the reach of our ProjectWise CDE.”

Tom Dengenis, CEO of Synchro Software, added, “This combination reflects my conviction about what’s imperative for finally driving infrastructure construction substantially forward. At Synchro, we accomplished the breakthrough of 4D construction modelling software many years ago, but we have wanted to advance the market faster than our own continuous growth. With my 40+ Synchro colleagues in the UK, Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Moscow, I look forward to working more directly with our new Bentley colleagues, thanks to our now so much greater combined power and commitment, to accelerate the global industry in going digital.”

Malcolm Taylor, head of technical information, Crossrail, said using specialist software from Bentley Systems and Synchro, enabled the project schedule to be linked to the 3D information to produce 4D models that: “Could show the progress of design and installation at any particular point in time. Using 4D models to plan helped speed up the project teams’ understanding of what we needed to do and when. They could also tease out conflicts that were not normally apparent from regular Gantt charts and drawings. Using the 4D model for construction progress also manages payment expectations as it allows teams to readily agree on what’s completed and accepted — as well as producing an excellent as-built record for the future maintainer. For me, the news of Bentley Systems’ acquisition of Synchro Software is excellent, and will help reinforce how 4D can be used to improve construction management.”

“Synchro has already inflected upward the construction productivity curve, by leading the adoption of 4D construction modelling for significant projects worldwide. The opportunity to extend digital workflows from BIM to institutionalize 4D construction modelling across infrastructure project delivery, superseding disconnected planning and scheduling, is enormous and immediate; its magnitude is confirmed by the clamor of new startups,” said Bentley Systems’ CEO Greg Bentley. “Tom Dengenis’ informed enthusiasm and business foresight in anticipating and advancing the market’s potential—reflected in Synchro’s sustained and increasing growth from critical mass to escape velocity—assures me that we now, uniquely, have the right combined team and converged technologies. Every constructor and every infrastructure project can gain from going digital through our 4D construction modelling!”

 

 

JLG launches BIM-compatible product library

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Manned elevated work platform (MEWP) specialist JLG has launched a new library on its website for Building Information Modelling (BIM) compatible products.

Announcing the new BIM compatible model library, the Oshkosh Corporation company said the major benefit of JLG BIM models is that it lets architects anticipate challenges, manage risk and eliminate guesswork in the build environment. Relevant machine data can be accessed easily to make informed decisions. And there is insurance that all equipment meets the highest standards of safety and performance. Efficiency across teams is increased with streamlined communication.

BIM is an intelligent 3D model-based process that gives architecture and construction professionals the insight and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure.

“BIM is transforming the traditionally siloed architecture, engineering and construction disciplines to work and communicate together more efficiently with integrated workflows,” said Jonathan Dawson, JLG’s senior director sales, EMEA.

“BIM helps improve collaboration among teams and gives greater design insight through the entire building lifecycle from concept to demolition or renovation. JLG is making all of its models available in a data rich format, for free. Everyone in the construction value chain can now have access to this database of the highest quality, most reliable lift and access equipment directly from the largest manufacturer in the world.”

Neil Doherty, lead engineer at JLG, added: “JLG is at the forefront of innovation. In the very near future we will have all actual models of all products available, including regional standards (ANSI, CE). This means that all product characteristics – both physical and logical – of its real counterpart are available. We have two types of ISO compliant 3D BIM files available, meeting the requirement of the BIM artist to support the further advancement of project outcomes in a real-world context.”

JLG said that for rental companies a major advantage of BIM is that at a very early stage, equipment required at jobsites can be planned and transported. Also, the best machines for the job can be identified, enabling only the right product with the right specification to be delivered to a site at the right time.


QS and estimating software specialist Exactal inaugurates UAE office

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Australia-based Exactal says the opening of its new UAE office is a significant milestone its global expansion.

The company said the move into the UAR has come about due to a wish to provide improved customer service to a rapidly expanding customer base in the region. New and existing customers will be able to call upon local Exactal representatives for assistance as required, the company said in a statement.

“The UAE represents significant potential for development of the Exactal brand which is experiencing dynamic worldwide growth. Exactal has built a strong reputation as a global leader in BIM-enabled estimating and 3D takeoff for building and construction industries, and the company is committed to meeting ambitious growth projections moving forward,” said the company,

Exactal’s signature product CostX combines a range of estimating and takeoff features into one integrated package. The platform features world-leading BIM compatibility as well as 2D takeoff, live-linked workbooks and report customisation- all in the one system. The most recent release, CostX 6.7, introduces an Auto Count feature for bulk measurements, as well as native cloud storage support for drawing files through storage providers Amazon S3, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. As the construction industry evolves, Exactal is committed to supporting users as they adopt innovative processes to improve efficiency.

“Setting up a location in the United Arab Emirates will allow us to build the Exactal brand in the region and make a stronger impression in an important market,” commented Exactal’s EMEA managing director Steve Dousie, “We plan to quickly build our Dubai team, and are looking forward to establishing strong relationships with key local stakeholders. This is an important step in Exactal’s worldwide growth, and one that we’re confident will pay dividends in the long term.”

The new premises are located at: Level 44, Mazaya Business Avenue BB2, First Al Khail St, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai.
For further enquiries please contact Exactal Sales via e-mail at sales@exactal.com.

Why workflow and routing are so important in construction software

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The modern software market is extremely competitive, with multiple providers supplying what can appear to be very similar solutions. In that environment, how can you choose the right provider for you? Of all the whistles and bells that may appear attractive, a business owner or manager with a strategic outlook will know to look for a solution that offers routing and workflow.

A key challenge to adapting the right solution is that a considerable number of businesses view construction management systems as something they have to adopt, rather than understanding fully the benefits and ROI. This can often lead to a solution being selected on the basis of price rather than suitability.

Where businesses take the time to align the selection of their software solution to the tactical and strategic plans of their organisation, the benefits are amplified exponentially and drive effectiveness through ensuring the work they bid for is profitable, that the projects they carry out retain margin, manage or even reduce infrastructure and IT expenses, and minimise commercial and corporate risk.

Where consideration is given to these factors, selecting a software partner becomes more focused in ensuring they will deliver and implement the tools to handle these requirements at the same time as refining both internal and external process and procedures. In fact, the right software will in many respects automate the vast majority of these while identifying risks, challenges and issues requiring attention.

What should you be looking for in a construction software partner? You will be best served by a solution that has workflow and routing. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Bidding for Profitable Work – At the bidding stage of a potential project, stakeholders and actions can be pre-determined, ensuring all these elements can be managed and carried out effectively and consistently. Your construction software will ensure that all the internal and external partners who need to input elements to your bids will be provided with the right information at the right time through workflow and routing, allowing them to respond effectively.

Retaining Margin – Management of correspondence, RFIs, change orders and status (to name a few) are commonly identified challenges in the construction industry. Effective document routing and timely identification of approaching or missed due dates vastly mitigates risk and reduces the chance of error. Efficient management of change orders in itself has a visible and identifiable impact on the final margins.

Minimise Commercial and Corporate risk – Managing elements such as payment approvals and accounts payable should be routed within the software system. This routing function looks after these processes and allows for situations such as the primary signatory being absent, to ensure delays are not encountered. Delays in payments out (and of course invoices to payments in) are a core and common cause of delays and overruns that present significant commercial risk in the modern world, where margins are typically less than 10%. Corporate risk is further reduced when dealing with subcontractors, for example where elements of pre-qualification and progress tracking are used.

Management or Reduction of Infrastructure Costs – Having best practice automation embedded in your system and processes allows maximum efficiency. Removing manual processing and data collation frees up your personnel to carry out work that requires human interaction and attention, rather than tying up hours, days or weeks completing tasks that the systems can accurately complete in moments. This can lead to requiring fewer staff (and less cost) or ensuring you gain maximum productivity from those individuals in the core specialisations they cover.

As a construction professional, you apply fundamental principles to how you go about building a structure. You make a plan and consider contingencies and variations. Apply the same principle to choosing your software partner. Plan what you want to achieve from the system, to make sure you get the best fit for your business.

Interview: The next leap in construction

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Paul Wallett, regional director, Trimble Solutions Middle East & India, talks to MECN ahead of 4th Annual Construction Summit Middle East. The event takes place on Tuesday 18 September 2018 at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina. It’s theme will be Digital Transformation Powering Constructability. 

MECN: What are your aspirations for the Construction Summit?

Paul: Although it’s the fourth or fifth year of this event, it’s really only the second year where it has broadened from a more BIM-focused event to an industry-wide summit, discussing all of the particular advancements in the industry, across the different stakeholders of the full construction lifecycle. We are also introducing innovative technologies available today that people may be unaware of. Hence we’re combining the technology with an industry forum. People can ask questions and get a ‘hands-on’ feel, coupled with relevant discussions on the different forums and panels.

MECN: Give us some examples of recent projects where your software was used.

Paul Wallett: The recent FIFA Soccer World Cup in Russia is an example of where Tekla was deployed for modelling the structural solution of eight of the 12 stadia. The complexity of modern stadia requires an advanced solution such as Tekla to enable them to be created and then fabricated. Locally within the UAE there’s the Museum of the Future, Dubai Eye, the Opera House, and the Midfield Airport. Most of the complex and notable iconic buildings within the UAE typically end up being modelled using our solution. The reason for that really comes down to the complexity and level of detail that we are able to go into. In addition, it is an open solution.

Our philosophy has always been to understand the complexity of the industry and the needs of its many stakeholders, utilising many different applications from design and architecture, through to measuring and estimation solutions. What we try to bring to the table is the best solution that is fit-for-purpose at each particular point of the construction process.

When you look at these highly complex structures, the ability to model intricate details is really what differentiates these projects at the end of the day. There’s lots and lots of complexity in the connections, and attendant minor details, which requires a particular capability in manufacturing these structures. This has really been our major area of expertise over the last 20 to 30 years.

We have a solution that has become a de facto standard from a structural steel fabrication point of view. Ultimately, we’re in a good position in terms of providing a holistic solution. What we’re looking at is facilitating the capabilities higher up the value chain. Hence we have engineering solutions on the same platform for engineers to access as open architecture, linking with other modelling solutions in the market. This is in addition to solutions that sit on top of other common-use platforms. In terms of specialist MEP solutions, for example, it ranges from electrical design to plumbing and HVAC solutions.

MECN: Dennis McNelis from the Museum of the Future told me that Trimble Connect was instrumental for enabling the collaboration between the different stakeholders using different software.

Paul Wallett: Trimble Connect is derived from our G-Team solution, with Gehry Technologies as the originator of the platform as a cloud collaboration software. That project was taken forward to what we have today, and is called Trimble Connect, which is what we really refer to as our ecosystem. This means having a software solution that enables multiple platforms to link into it – not just the software itself, but also the ability to link for example data from hardware scanning devices with our field link software.

If we have a point cloud, for example, this means linking that up with our field technology through the connect platform, and then interfacing that with the physical model. Acting essentially as a conduit for all of the data hosted on the cloud from multiple disciplines, from heavy mining to industry, the built environment in terms of structures, and MEP or façade solutions. Anyone can access and upload the documentation, as well as have the ability to comment, and manage different stakeholders or groups in terms of the specific projects that they’re engaging with.

MECN: What are the main challenges in terms of technology ‘disruption’ when it comes to adopting new technologies?

Paul: The capabilities inherent in different technologies have been around for quite some time. Thus I think it’s more down to the individual companies themselves, as to whether they’re at the right point to adopt new technology, or simply remain reliant on traditional processes.

In this region, there isn’t a specific mandate to use any particular type of technology. There’s the government mandating BIM to a certain level, but that’s not enforced in terms of what level of detail that needs to be provided. And it’s targeted mainly at the architects and engineers, and not particularly at the contractors. Hence it is the NGOs that are the real innovators in terms of wanting to deliver projects faster and more economically, right from the tender stage.

There are a lot of larger contractors now deploying different specialised technologies to a certain degree. We are finding that the awareness of BIM is at a level where everybody knows what it’s about. However, to actually take BIM all the way from the engineering office to on-site execution is one area where it’s not yet had a full impact. The inherent issue in the industry seems to be that, unless it’s mandated, we’re still tied to the traditional 2D process via construction drawings that need to be signed off.

So, we’re talking about IFC in two senses in the industry. In terms of BIM it is ‘Industry Foundation Classes’. But then we have IFC, issued for construction, which essentially means you’re taking a 3D model and you are having to print out traditional 2D drawings to have these stamped by the engineer of record. So, until you take away the need for that 2D drawing, you will be unable to take a leap to that next level of BIM-enabled technology deployment.

MECN: How do you overcome this?

Paul: Mandating is one way, but it’s very challenging once you remove drawings out of the equation. That means every subcontractor has to gear up in terms of technology, and also upskill their entry-level workers. You’ve got to have user-friendly technology that is also adaptable to the environment, and technology that allows people to work across language barriers. So, it’s not as easy as simply stating ‘no more drawings’ and you have a paperless office. Getting to that point has to take into account the inherent complexity of the AEC industry at present, with its multiple contractors and sub-contractors. That’s the real challenge. It’s a slow-burn adoption process. When you look at the major projects, they’re far more on board in terms of adapting to different technologies. However, how many major projects are needed to have an impact on the industry as a whole?

MECN: In terms of companies that are forward-thinking and adopt new technologies out of their own volition, is there not an argument against being an early adopter, and letting others go through the trial-and-error process first?

Paul: I think a lot of companies will sit on the fence and wait to see others go through the teething process of new technology adoption such as BIM. Having said that, this technology is now so far advanced that if you don’t get onboard, you are likely to be left behind. It has become a competitive necessity.

If you look at the industry as a whole in terms of its drive to be cost-competitive, apart from the few mega projects, there is a lot of competition. Unless you take a different approach and stand out in adopting different technologies, in order to make yourself more efficient and cost-competitive, it ends up just being a bidding war for a particular project. Ultimately what is at risk at the end of the day is the successful execution of the project itself. If you don’t deploy new technology, all you have to fall back on is manpower, and you run the risk of winning the project based on insufficient information in the first place, and hoping that the change orders are where you can actually make ends meet.

MECN: Isn’t it about educating the developers as well about this constant price-cutting, and the impact it has on quality at the end of the day?

Paul: I hope that developers today are a bit more savvy than they have been in the past, and do not just reach out for the lowest bid. They are starting to look at a range of different bids, and don’t just opt for the cheapest one. They evaluate bids based on the criteria necessary to deliver projects successfully. On some projects, vendors or suppliers are rated in such a way that cost is obviously not the end goal. It’s based on whether or not you can deploy a certain skill set and use technology to deliver a project on time.

MECN: You arrived from the US, and have a lot of international experience, including East Asia, India, and Saudi Arabia. How do you compare the uptake between these diverse markets and their attitudes to technology?

Paul: Prior to the US, I had experience in Europe and, prior to that, in the Far East. I’ve experienced markets where technology adoption is really high, and that’s based purely on the fact that labour is so much more expensive. Other markets with cheaper labour and material costs also have a lot less building restrictions in terms of legislation, and hence the technology adoption is far less. If we take the US as an example, certain states mandate technology to be used on government projects over a certain value and size, which kick-started the uptake, and resulted in a snowball effect in other states.

MECN: Governments therefore play a leading role in advancing technology uptake?

Paul: Correct. If you look at the Far East and Singapore in particular, it is well ahead in terms of mandating different technology. I believe they even have incentives such as different tax breaks to encourage innovative solutions. Compared to the Middle East, where I have been for eight years now, when I first arrived there was a lot of talk at that time. Then it was more of an educational phase, whereby the industry was coming to grips with BIM and its implications and effective deployment. A lot of people got sucked into the idea that BIM is all-encompassing and pervasive. The complexity is daunting, especially having to go from a zero base to fully-fledged BIM, Contractors posed many fundamental questions at the outset. I think we’ve evolved from that early phase, to where people now have a better idea about what BIM means, and that its potential is much more than just as a modelling solution, but that sub-contractors can be integrated into the entire construction lifecycle.

So, the Middle East market has transformed, and is certainly positioning itself as the global ‘smart’ technology region. It has ambitious plans in terms of ‘smart’ integration. In certain areas we’re seeing success, but again, it’s a big step to go from nothing to a highly-integrated IoT industry whereby everything’s linked via smart devices. Certain advances in terms of information access via smart devices, and businesses devising special cloud-linked apps, may not be related to the construction industry per se, but it just goes to show we’re all heading in the right direction in terms of technology. I think that, from an overall construction industry viewpoint, we need to invest more in order for technology to have a bigger impact. We can probably take a much bigger leap forward as a result.

MECN: How do you address the challenge of low-skilled workers having to use technology on-site?

We have to develop solutions that cater for those skill subsets, ensuring our solutions are intuitive and easy-to-use. It means that the icons displayed on smart devices have to be understandable by all. We have to instead let the technology do the hard work, and make the interface as simple as possible. Smart device interfaces are moving away from a plethora of options to a much simpler and comprehendible interaction. It’s not easy to achieve, but we already have proven cases where technology has been able to overcome language barriers in terms of machine operation, for example.

MECN: In terms of Trimble’s R&D effort in the US, how does its experience in the Middle East market feed back into new product development?

Paul: Our products are really user-driven. Yes, we have a lot of patented ideas and solutions across the board. Essentially, products that we’ve had in the market for many years were developed with the customer in mind. Customers can give feedback about what they need in a product, and that goes to our development teams. Then later on you’ll see those different requirements built into the software in future versions. This is something that we have been doing for many years. If you look at our solutions like Tekla Structures, typically we have releases that come out each year. So, the innovation in terms of our strategy is knowing the direction the industry is going in, in parallel with features and enhancements requested by users.

About Paul Wallett, regional director, Trimble Solutions Middle East & India

Paul began his career in the construction industry 27 years ago. A 1992 civil and structural engineering graduate from Leeds Metropolitan University, he spent many years working as a structural draughtsman and project engineer. An industry expert with hands-on field knowledge, he was one of the early adopters of 3D structural modeling. Paul subsequently transitioned to the software construction business where he has remained since.

With his excellent knowledge of enterprise, ERP, and BIM technology solutions, Paul has spent the last 19 years in the UK, Far East, USA and now the Middle East providing support, training, consulting and management thus enabling commercial engineering, offshore EPC companies, fabricators, and contractors to successfully adopt BIM. Paul is based in Dubai and leads as the Area Business Director for UAE and India operations

 

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Trojan Holding’s Eng Hamad Al Ameri on its expansion – Interview

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In September this year, a survey conducted by Ventures Middle East Research Division, in association with Ventures ONSITE Project Intelligence Platform, found that suppliers, contractors and consultants in the UAE construction industry share a “generally positive” outlook for the next six months.

Using a specially created Construction Confidence Index (CCI) to examine the general sentiment of the construction sector in the UAE, the survey found that its respondents rated the CCI in the UAE as positive, with 65 points out of 100. Based on a sample of 300 respondents – 70% of which belong to senior management in suppliers, contractors and consultants – the report showed a generally positive sentiment about market conditions.

The overall positive UAE CCI is supported by data which shows that the value of projects awarded to contractors in the first half of 2018 stands at more than $31bn, slightly higher than during the same period in 2017. Furthermore, the improving oil price, and the recent announcements made by the Abu Dhabi and Dubai governments to help the business and real estate sectors, are expected to impact the economy, as well as the construction industry, in a positive manner, it said.

While the results of this survey may come as a bit of a surprise to some, given how the construction industry has struggled in recent years, they are as per the expectations of Eng Hamad Al Ameri, managing director of Trojan Holding.

Having long been a vocal advocate of the stability of the UAE’s construction market, he says that he is unsurprised by the shifting sentiments and asserts that cyclical ups and downs are to be expected and should be planned for.

“There are always going to be ups and downs, and we know that there’s a shorter period for our business cycles. Usually, in other markets, it’s seven to eight years, but here it’s maybe four years before the cycle starts to go up or down,” he says, speaking during an interview at his offices in Trojan Holding’s headquarters in the Al Mafraq Industrial Area of Abu Dhabi.

“I think when an opportunity closes, it offers the perfect opening to start over. I compare it to being on a treadmill, sometimes we have to run and sometimes we have to slow down and catch our breath. These cycles will never end, but our leaders in the UAE are always able to inject energy into the country and make it more attractive to investors and visitors, whether that’s the introduction of new laws, new rules and regulations, or new events.”

While he expresses satisfaction with how Trojan Holding has performed over the last year, with the company growing at a current rate of 8% year-on-year, Al Ameri asserts that there is plenty more work to be done by the construction group. This includes focusing on and developing the new branches and divisions recently opened to take advantage of gaps in the market.

“We know our market and we know what we have to do with regard to efficiency, expansion or even downsizing a little bit, and where to go and what opportunities are open to us when business goes down a little bit,” he says.

“We have opened a number of new branches and divisions. One such division is taking us into real estate development, while our other infrastructure divisions see us concentrating more closely on our water division and electrical division. We are also working diligently to explore hospitality projects further; so, yes, we are adapting and being flexible in response to market demands.”

This diversified approach is paying off for the construction group, with Al Ameri pointing out that several projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been delivered this year. Furthermore, he reveals that there is a pipeline of projects worth $816m in place in Abu Dhabi, including contracts with major developers like Nakheel, Emaar and Aldar Real Estate.

“These project wins are part of my strategy, my five-year plan for Trojan Holding. We are very flexible in our strategy, so that we can move if there’s increased demand in the market – we have to be,” he asserts.

“We’re looking at other regions to work in as well. We’ve just opened in Belarus, there are a few projects there. We’re also targeting KSA as well – there’s a booming real estate sector over there. We’re trying to approach new regions for more expansion.”

Given the opportunities available in the Saudi Arabian market, the immediate focus for the group will be there and he expects to be physically in the market and handling jobs within a year or two.

“If we want to make a meaningful impact in the Saudi market, then we need to start where our strengths lie – that is residential and commercial construction. Only after a successful move into a new market will we look at diversifying into other sectors; KSA is of a size that we will have time to approach new opportunities in due course.”

For now, however, the UAE remains the primary market, and Al Ameri has welcomed recent changes to residential laws by the country’s leaders. In September 2018, the UAE Cabinet announced that it would be introducing a new law that will allow non-Emiratis to retire for five years in the UAE, if they meet a series of requirements. These include having properties worth at least $554,514, savings of at least $272,257, or an active income of more than $5,445 per month.

Furthermore, similar changes were announced earlier in the year which will allow investors and key workers, such as doctors or engineers, access to a long-term residency visa.

With approximately eight million expatriates living and working in the UAE, including a growing number approaching retirement age, Al Ameri feels these changes will only benefit the UAE’s real estate and construction market.

“It is my belief that these changes will have a far-reaching positive impact. In the end, there is demand from the market, and it is clear that our leaders hear these demands and have taken steps to make investing in the UAE real estate market more attainable for expatriates.

“People who live and work here in the UAE, they’d love to stay on in the UAE. By giving them the opportunity to stay and own their own businesses, and expand their residence here, that’s going to create more business opportunities for them, which in turn is going to create more demand for the construction industry overall.”

Another avenue for growth and development is in the UAE’s ambitions of adopting smart technologies and systems. With the government backing companies that are investing in technology, he insists that firms operating in the construction industry must be at the vanguard of change.

“The industry has to focus on becoming more efficient and to deepen its investment in technology. To compete, you have to adopt new technology, it is the most effective way to remain in the game. You have to entrust a new generation to run the sector, and at times even the business itself. Traditional companies, especially here in our region, have to learn to adapt or they will quickly run out of opportunities.

“In other regions, the private sector is always trying to guide all those around them. However, in our region, I think it’s the government that is guiding everybody to jump onboard with new technology and smart communication. I think they’re at a very advanced stage, and we’re trying to catch up with them and to get prepared for the future, just as they’re prepared for it.”

To that end, he says Trojan has been very active in the technology sector. He reveals that the group has invested in developing its own project management and business model software that works at management level. In other sectors of the business, the company is using robotics, such as in its aluminium and woodwork factories, he adds.

“Any new technology that has proven effectiveness within the business will be considered. BIM is already 100% implemented within our company, and across our group. Now we are moving towards looking at what other technologies we can implement, other than what has already been adopted. By putting technology as a platform for our communication, it will ensure frugal spending and make processes faster and more accurate. Cumulatively, this will help us become leaner and more efficient.”

Two years ago, speaking to Big Project ME, Al Ameri spoke eloquently about the need to give young Emirati engineers the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience, if the industry was serious about Emiratisation and using local talent. Having launched an initiative that would see local universities recommend a select group of engineering students to spend time with Trojan’s team of in-house engineers and understand how a construction company works, he now reveals that the initiative has seen great success, with several Emirati engineers now working with the company across all its different divisions.

“We have a lot of success stories, we have a number of Emirati engineers working with us on-site, on the technical teams, in the procurement division and on the management team. I think it [the initiative] is going well. There’s a lot of acceptance from young Emiratis who work in the private sector, and they’re working very hard to try and compete with others.

“I think the locals here are being educated by very good universities and schools. When they graduate, they already are familiar with the latest technology in the market. I have a few engineers here, they’ve already studied Revit and BIM in their schools and universities. They are ready to adopt the latest technology, but you have to put them on the right track to continue – they are ready, prepared and within the standard. I think there’s a huge opportunity for them, the market needs a lot of hires,” he asserts.

With the local industry gearing up for Expo 2020, and several policies and plans in play across the region, Al Ameri reiterates that it is crucial for companies in the industry to continuously look to improve themselves if they are to survive in a rapidly evolving market.

“When business slows, I look to maximise efficiency and how that could improve our situation. When we experience periods of increased business, I encourage the team to continue to explore new sectors and different business opportunities. We are aware that our market is volatile at times, numerous jobs have disappeared recently, and this trend will continue in the future. The same is true for business, it will disappear in the future, so we have to look at where the new opportunities will come from, what is yet to come and what is the future of the industry,” he concludes.

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Middle East BIM Summit 2018 – Event Review

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Making a comeback for the third year, Big Project ME had its biggest ever Middle East BIM Summit on October 28th, at the Habtoor Grand Hotel in Dubai.

This year, the event focused on how new technology is being utilised in conjugation with BIM, and how it can be applied for sustainable construction.

With more than 300 delegates, panellists, and speakers encompassed of consultants, contractors, and government personalities, the event was a resounding success. Mediated by Farah Kurdi, AECOM, the event included three panel discussions and four presentations followed by a networking lunch.

Kurdi kicked off the first panel discussion on how the construction industry is utilising new technologies and how these advancements are making way for an integrated approach towards BIM.

Certain interesting topics were covered in the discussion where Djordje Grujic, Architectural Corner, mentioned that technology should be the base of our business and how Integrated Project Delivery helps everyone find information in one place. Carolina Fong Guzzy, Accienta, agreed with the sentiment and said that: “Integrated design delivery needs collaboration between all stakeholders.” The panel concluded with Marwan Abu Ebeid, Turner International ME, reiterating that, “IM should be part of the daily process within the team.”

To put the panel discussion in perspective, it was followed by a presentation on how BIM will evolve in the future by Prakash Senghani, AECOM, where he spoke how contractors have started to adopt BIM by their own choice since the last one year.

A panel discussion about Big Data for BIM was next on agenda, moderated by Craig Garrett, Bentley Systems. The panel discussed using the Internet of Things (IoT) on BIM projects and harvesting data and using it for the future. “With Big Data analytics, it’s possible to see the how the model compares and understand how it will develop further”, said Joylyn Dela Cruz, Aurecon while the panel discussion ended with Garrett asking an important question about who owns the data. This made way for a well-rounded discussion with some conflicting answers.

The second presentation of the day was from Raguram Jayaram, Bentley Systems who started the presentation with an interesting fact that ‘by 2020, it is estimated that there will be 50 billion connected devices in the world and this will evolve how smart environments function.’ And then he went on to talk about the role of drones in Digital Transformation.

The final panel discussion for the day was chaired by Phillipa Grant, AESG, and discussed the importance of BIM in sustainability. The major debate revolved around using BIM to create smarter buildings and cities, and for net-zero energy buildings. The takeaway from the panel was that ‘being sustainable had become easier now, but it’s a matter of clients wanting to do it.’ Sunderasan Krishnan, S&T Interiors and Contracting and Arsanious Abtnago, ASGC Construction LLC, both agreed with this.

The second to last presentation of the day was given by Clifford Kneale, Pace on Asset Information Model and why it’s important for organisations to adopt COBie. Earlier panellist Marwan Abu Ebeid returned to give the final presentation for the day and discussed BIM standards around the world.

 

 

 

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BIM Summit kicks off at The Big 5 in Dubai

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The RTA Innovation in BIM Summit has started alongside The Big 5 Heavy event at The Big 5.

Held in partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI), the free-to-attend, and CPD (continuing professional development)-certified summit has brought together industry decision makers to promote the adoption of BIM technologies in the UAE.

Speakers at the event include Andy Butterfield, director of Built Environment, BSI Standards, Anthony Burd, head of Built Environment, BSI Standards, Wajdi Mereb, BIM hanager, RTA, Abdulredha Abu Al Hassan, executive Director, Rail Planning and Projects Development Department, Rail Agency, RTA.

“As part of The Big 5 Heavy, this summit aims to assess the future trends of BIM technologies in the UAE, and to pave the way for Dubai to become the smartest city in the world by using state-of-the-art techniques from the ground up,” said Sam Patel, portfolio director for dmg events said in his opening remarks.

To celebrate achievements towards high-standard BIM implementation in the region, the British Standards Institution (BSI) presented certification to key clients at the summit. Organisations certified  included Atkins, Parsons, Mott MacDonald and Khatib & Alami.

“BIM technology is a hot topic in the construction industry to ensure efficiency across the entire supply chain. In this case it is important to for organisations to not only implement BIM technology, but to make sure that there is an external assessment to help implement it in the right way,” said Pietro Foschi, group assurance director, BSI Standards commented on the prestige of this certification.

“The BSI standards are consolidated best practice on what good looks like. The certification shows the world that these companies have adopted BIM best practice to the height of their capacity, and as a result they guarantee the trust of their suppliers, clients, and their colleague around the world.”

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The future of BIM will not be BIM

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A decade ago, talk about BIM was only found in very specific research and development groups, as well as some pioneer companies. However, now the term BIM has spread throughout the construction sector and the building information modelling concept has become essential. BIM manager, parametric objects, common data environment, 4D, 5D, asset lifecycle management, LOD (level of development) and LOI (level of information) are day-to-day terms in the AEC industry.

During these last years, we have witnessed how the BIM methodology has progressively been implemented in many countries. This demand, which was before the desire of a particular developer or a contractor enhancement, is now a requirement and a reality in most complex projects, in addition to being requested by public administrations and employees.

Developing a project with BIM has evident, well-known benefits. BIM provides an increase of the productivity and an improvement of a project´s workflow, a cost reduction in the construction process and a cut-down of execution times. Furthermore, BIM minimises human error and potential clashes, allows easy analysis of the different stages of the project and improves communication between the different stakeholders.

BIM is a reality today. The BIM market is forecast to grow from $3.58bn in 2017 to $7.64bn by 2022. In a short while, projects will be fully developed with the BIM methodology in a common and routine mode, in the same way that no one thinks of detailing drawings by hand – it is done with CAD software. This will take us to a point where, by default, projects can be analysed in advance, giving rise to an industrialisation of construction work.

What will be the next step once BIM methodology is fully implemented as a construction process?

From my point of view, once this is achieved, the B (building) and the M (modelling) will be dissolved, and the I (information) will be the great strength of this methodology. The idea of ​​modelling will be totally integrated in the construction process and the information will be the valuable point, already known as big data.

Nowadays, big data is developed in all the different business sectors. It is a key concept. As has been said, data is the new gold. And this is also true for the construction sector. We are all accustomed to industries such as banking or marketing using big data to set up their commercial strategies. For example, based on bank accounts and movements, financial companies offer specific banking packages. Depending on consumer choices, specific discounts are offered for different products for supermarket shoppers.

This connection between construction work and big data will be through the development of a digital twin model. This model will be conceived as the result of integrating 3D images, construction and design data, i-model, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, etc.

The digital twin provides the possibility of creating a virtual mock-up of the physical entity. Once this twin model is created, the amount of information linked will be enormous from the first establishment of the work and the early design. This data collection and its subsequent use will be of the utmost importance. The model will be developed in parallel to the building and will be fed by all agents throughout the construction of the building, as well as its subsequent use.

In addition, and at the same time, it will be updated by sensors in the buildings. The sensors will send information about work performance, for example based on monitoring how materials are affected by climate and the passage of time. They can provide information about changes in energy efficiency or a structure’s behaviour.

However, what is going to be the change in the AEC Industry? Based on the digital twin, simulations are carried out to make analyses and predictions. This will improve productivity, with a real impact on costs, and provide an opportunity to generate new business models.

In other words, big data will allow us to deal with a large volume of data, both structured and unstructured. With this information, we will perform predictive and advanced analysis, helping us to make strategic decisions based on a prediction of behaviour as well as real data. This will allow us to minimise the error threshold and allow the possibility of making crucial decisions in real time.

Furthermore, processing this huge volume of data will allow a more strategic view of construction projects and their status. The collection and analysis of this data will be really useful for construction companies to improve efficiency levels.

Last but not least, this huge knowledge will also be an opportunity to optimise processes and improve outcomes in the construction sector. For instance, AI-enabled processes could be used in planning and scheduling activities, since they have the potential to evaluate endless combinations and alternatives based on similar projects, optimising the best route and correcting themselves throughout the project stages.

So what will happen when we reach that point? At that moment, the model will not be the working model as we know it today. The construction project will be developed with massive data schedules from data management software such as Excel, SAP or Oracle.

The model will be just a photograph of that information, visual confirmation that the data makes sense and what we are creating is optimal. It will provide the proof that the data represents the desired viaduct, tunnel, complex structure or amoeba-shaped roof. It will be a digital pre-construction. The model will be the way to coordinate that huge amount of information between the different disciplines in the project.

To sum up, in future construction will be developed in BIM methodology, because it will be the only way to develop complex projects. However, nobody will talk about BIM itself anymore. Each one in his role will see the information identified as important for that defined role, so that they can identify the strengths and weaknesses and achieve their objectives.

It is important to emphasise at this point that training users for the tools and BIM methodology, along with its possibilities, is a key factor for the achievement of the project goals. The value of the user will be how he analyses and uses this information. As a result, HR will never again look for pure BIM profiles.

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The industrialisation of construction

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Take a moment and consider what is happening on our planet. There are global and industry issues creating human challenges that will be amplified in the future. There is also the opportunity of our industry benefiting from innovative ways in buildings being delivered. There is a pathway for our construction sector to make a difference to our future.

Global Perspective

Population growth
The UN predicts there will be over 10 billion people alive by 2050. In the next 30 years, we will grow our population by 30%, after being on Earth for thousands of years.

Urbanisation
Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion expected to increase to 70% by 2050. 3.85 billion people live in cities now. In 2050, 7 billion people will live in cities. Cities will need to double in size and many cities will need to be created.

Dubai has arguably been created over the last 20 years. Is this going to happen in other parts of the world with as much vision, vigour and commitment? If so, how? The same way we have delivered buildings historically?

These global occurrences will have vast impacts globally: on fiscal policies, foreign policies, agriculture, infrastructure, housing, hospitals, schools, transport systems, old age homes, food prices – in fact, on everything.

How people live
What about the millennials, going forward? The young people who do not want to own a car or own an oversized home with a garden, swimming pool and lawnmower? Are these going to become trophies of a past generation that prioritised different things? Perhaps renting an appropriately sized apartment will become the norm, mostly dictated by necessity and need rather than now antiquated motives.

Industry Perspective

Inefficiency: Our industry is still incredibly labour-intensive and notoriously inefficient. McKinsey and many other adept organisations and industry experts have succinctly highlighted how inefficient we are as an industry compared to others; we are often termed the laggard industry (Reinventing Construction: A Route to Higher Productivity, McKinsey).

Skills shortage: Younger people are looking for jobs that are less physical with more reasonable working hours. Our industry is known for being hard and intensive. Tradesman are becoming harder to find and more expensive to pay.

The industry bad habit – Get the design right upfront: This dog just will not hunt!

Probably the worst habit we have managed to incubate in our industry is starting a construction project when the information is not ready. Tender documents are issued but the drawings and specifications are not complete, and may be a hybrid of a few projects developed over time. The client may have pushed the consultant’s fees to the point of failure, whereby it doesn’t have the budget or time to produce an all-encompassing set of project documents; or a substandard design document may have been floated to the market. Contractors price the works off the tender documents issued, the prices are returned, and they are invariably too high.

We then begin the dreaded value engineering sortie. VE decisions are made, not really well documented, no revised IFCs (drawings Issued for Construction) are issued, and before we know it we have kicked off a multi-million (or billion) dollar venture with two left feet. The project starts its life in a world of grey with the wrong information at hand, and the unfortunate experience of a combat project kicks off (Raising the Bar in Construction Project Teamwork: Combat Project Teams, Jim Eisenhart).

A project of this nature goes against our very DNA: we contractors are delivery-based souls who want to deliver a project on time, on budget and at a profit. The most successful projects I have worked on over the past 25 years have been facilitated by delivery-focused teams. Projects succeed in an environment of timely good decision-making and leadership, coupled with an excellent design team.

The opportunity – What we can do

Complete the design in BIM: The project does not start until the design is complete and signed off.

Design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA): Use this as the basis for concurrent engineering input, to simplify the product, reduce manufacturing and assembly costs, and speed up the process. DFMA is applied in order to eliminate waste or inefficiency, and is a component of lean manufacturing.

Manufacture off-site: Execute a vast majority of the work in a factory. Productivity is increased and resource up-skilling is facilitated.

The design is 100% complete before manufacturing starts. This makes everyone do their job up front, and changing once manufacturing starts is not a simple instruction – it has a mission-critical impact and the factory process is critically affected. Would you start manufacturing the chassis for a car before you had designed the engine, doors, wheel sizes and hubs, fuel tank capacity, wiring, exhaust and safety features? In construction, we do this all the time.

Conclusion

Our buildings need to become more similar, and unfortunately the bespoke once-off iconic design so many clients want needs to become the exception, not the rule. We have a responsibility as an industry to become a lot better in how we deliver a product to the market. How and where people live in the future is going to come under more and more pressure. We need to be looking at the right products and construction delivery mechanisms to provide solutions.

Singapore has mandated modular construction methods and created standards for this sector in our industry, driving the industrialisation of construction. This method of construction is a solution that needs government support and commitment to succeed. There are most definitely firm barriers to entry and the risk profile is convoluted, but construction has never been easy and we are slow to adopt change.

We need to drive change! The naysayers may continue to be laggards, but we need to remain visionary and innovative, and navigate a path into the future that overcomes some of our global and industry challenges.

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On solid foundations: Reviewing the building industry in 2018 and predicting the year ahead

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2018 was a momentous year for the built environment sector with an unprecedented level of change sweeping through the industry.  At the end of the previous year, I set out my thoughts for 2018 and a key theme in that piece was in fact ‘Change’.  I predicted that firms that would measure 2018 as a success would be those that best adapt to the rapid evolution taking place not only in the sector but also the regional and global economy.  For us at AESG, 2018 was a milestone year.  Despite challenges in the market we managed to grow by over 60% through evolving our services to meet new market demands as well as diversifying our offerings in new verticals and geographies.  As we start the new year, I’ve taken the opportunity to revisit some of the sector predictions I made for 2018 and take stock of where we are and what we can expect in 2019.

Zero and Near-Zero Energy Buildings

The urgency of transitioning to near-zero or net-zero energy buildings has come to the fore in 2018 with the IPCC releasing a report in October seen as ‘’a final call to save the world from climate catastrophe’’.  This dramatic report on keeping global temperature rise under 1.5°C  says the world is now completely off track, heading instead towards a 3°C rise.

Adhering to the preferred target of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels will mean “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. This new study says that going past 1.5°C is dicing with the planet’s livability. And the 1.5°C temperature “guard rail” could be exceeded in just 12 years, which is a frighteningly short timescale.

On the positive side, 2018 saw the start of far reaching actions necessary to achieve the targets of the Paris agreement as leaders from some of the world’s biggest cities plus two major regions, have committed to enact regulations and/or planning policies that will require all new buildings within their jurisdiction to operate at net-zero carbon from 2030; and all buildings, including existing, to operate at net zero carbon by 2050, under the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.

We have already seen the first movers in this space and are working with some forward-thinking clients on net-zero and near-zero schemes.  We anticipate that in line with global trends, this will be an area that will continue to gain significant momentum in the Middle East in 2019.

Fire and Life Safety

Despite increased attention being drawn to the issue, the number of high-profile façade fires, both globally and regionally, highlights that there is yet large room for improvement. Façades remain a focal area and the UAE Fire Code and Saudi Building code have been updated recently with emphasis of the issue of facades, fire safety during construction and the introduction of specific super high-rise building rules.

Besides due attention being paid at the time of development, it is vital for building owners and facility management teams to manage their liability and safeguard their investments. With its new fire code, the UAE has taken a positive step in this direction by clearly defining the responsibilities of the various stakeholders in ensuring building fire and life safety. As a result, this year, we have started to see the positive effect as various stakeholders has begun to acknowledge the seriousness of their roles. Furthermore, with the consequences of failure or negligence including possible legal implications and more repressive action against violators, there has been clear reason for these stakeholders to ensure compliance.

Ultimately, I expect that this will lead to the stronger involvement of property insurers asking for stricter fire safety implementation. This will also result in greater involvement of fire consultants in more and more in fire safety reviews and in the assistance of fire safety upgrades.

Building Performance and Commissioning

I predicted that 2018 would see an acceleration in the demand and delivery of high-performance buildings, defined as buildings that integrate and optimise all major high-performance building attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant safety and productivity.  Whilst we have definitely seen more Clients demanding this at the design stage, unfortunately there is still a lot more to be done to ensure the realisation of these goals through construction and operation.

This can only be achieved through greater accountability for the performance objectives of the building and having a robust process to ensure that the design performance intent is achieved through operation.  I see the role of commissioning being vital for this and we have a lot to learn to catch up with other sectors.  For instance; in the automobile sector a new car will undergo extensive testing and fine tuning before being released to the market as quite simply customers will not accept a car that is designed excellently but does not perform on the road.  Consequently, when you purchase a new car you do so with a very high level of confidence that it will work as intended.  Unfortunately, this is seldom the case in the building sector and needs to be improved through greater attention and accountability in the commissioning and handover process.

In 2018, we definitely saw the demand for third party commissioning and handover services, from being almost negligible in previous years, experience encouraging increase. There still remains a lot of misunderstanding regarding the purpose and scope of this exercise however. The market is yet to reach the desired level of maturity to ensure a robust and independently verifiable handover regime is in place to ensure that all building assets begin their operational cycle in a state of high performance.

Value Engineering

Economic challenges in 2018 continued to drive the need for value engineering (VE) though all too often, clients opted to do so too late, resulting in the VE exercise being reduced to mere cost cutting at the expense of quality. Often, Clients wait until they finalize their building layouts with the architectural teams before engaging the rest of the team. However, having the engineers work closely with the architect to optimize the building design and distribution, and details such as the location of main plant rooms provides the greatest likelihood of ultimately achieving the best value. Or take for example MEP works wherein there is a lot of repetition and abortive works between the Consultant and Contractor. The current design process has to change to avoid this and the conflicts that arise from it.

To be truly effective, VE has to commence at the start of a project and involve close collaboration between teams and should be woven into the project development process rather than begin treated as a cost cutting exercise carried out only once designs have been completed.

Management of existing assets

With the current market conditions, it is inevitable that developers and building owners look more closely to their existing assets to maximise their value and revenue potential.  This is coupled with the market reaching a maturity level wherein there is an increasing number of aging assets that are in urgent need of refurbishment.

I predicted that this would be a growth area for the industry in 2018 as Clients looked to ensure that their assets meet modern standards and codes and also explore opportunities for renovation or change of use for older or distressed assets. We certainly saw this trend come to the fore in 2018 and we conducted a large number of projects to upgrade and recommission existing assets to ensure compliance with updated life safety codes, health and well being criteria, and energy efficiency goals.  We were also requested to conduct a number of building surveys for Clients that are looking at a major upgrade of existing assets or change of use to better suit changing market conditions.

I definitely see this being a continued growth area in the market as the regions property sector evolves to a more mature market status.

One challenge that has been evident in this process is the lack of accurate documentation and records for existing buildings, including those that have been recently handed over. A BIM model with asset data attached is the best method for managing data throughout the project, from concept to handover to the FM team. Unfortunately, the use of BIM is still concentrated on visual elements rather than information, so this needs a mindset change before it can work successfully. Logging and reporting on this information could be used to draw comparison with predictions from the design. This would then give building owners the ability to correct operating issues quickly and reduce their OpEx while also increasing the life of their investments.

Overall, through 2018, we saw the industry make strides in the right direction. Change will continue to be the only constant in 2019, which is why keeping a keen eye and reacting rapidly to evolving building trends will be essential to success. 2018, saw a solid foundation being set in place and I remain optimistic that this will be built upon in the year ahead.

The post On solid foundations: Reviewing the building industry in 2018 and predicting the year ahead appeared first on Middle East Construction News.

Dewan eyes growth in S.E. Asia

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Dewan Architects and Engineers says it is keen to expand into South East Asian countries. The firm plans to leverage its extensive knowledge to work closely with real estate developers in order to optimise the work being done in the region.

In line with its plan to enter the South East Asian market, the firm recently opened an office in Hong Kong and says that it plans to establish another office in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam in late 2019.

Additionally, the firm points out that it has operated a branch office in Manilla since 2007 and notes that it is staffed with over 60 BIM-qualified architects. Dewan says that design practices in the Philippines are similar to those in the UAE.

“Philippines is a steady growth market with a fast-developing design scene, a readily available source of skilled technicians, and a similar work structure to the UAE,” says Ammar Al Assam, executive director of Dewan Architects and Engineers.

According to a statement, Dewan has over 35 years of experience working across the Middle East in markets such as the UAE, KSA and Iraq. The firm says it is also known for its work in Europe, Africa and parts of Asia.

Commenting on the firm’s future expansion plans in Asia, Al Assam explains, “Our mid-term plan is to handle four to five projects a year from our existing design hubs, and at a later stage to establish a local office that would be self-sufficient in both Business Development and design, either organically or through acquisition of established local practices.”

Dewan’s directors say that every market the firm enters enriches its design ethos and that they focus on applying local culture and knowledge.

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Survey: Do you think Virtual Design Construction (VDC) can improve safety in the GCC?

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MECN is joining up with the UAE University to run a survey exploring the opportunity for Virtual Design Construction (VDC) technologies to improve job-site safety in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Set-up by Muneeb Afzal, a research assistant at UAE University, whose BIM4Safety research project aims to improve construction job site safety by using the latest digital tools and techniques.

“One of the ambitions of this research project is to determine the potential of using Virtual Design Construction (VDC) technologies to improve job-site safety in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). For that matter a research questionnaire has been designed as a method of data collection, which will then drive towards the research outcomes,” said Afzal.

The data is meant to aims to achieve following beneficial outcomes:

  1. Understanding from lexical point of view and determining the current scenario of construction jobsite safety in Gulf Cooperation Council.
  2. Determine the status of existing Virtual Design Construction (VDC) technology practices and their application to improve jobsite safety.
  3. Evaluate the awareness of the construction industry experts with respect to the Virtual Design Construction (VDC)
  4. Evaluate if Virtual Design Construction (VDC) technology can be of any help in regards to mitigating job-site construction safety incidents.
  5. Analyze the possible barriers that could hamper the adoption of VDC technology to improve job site safety.

The survey is live now until 1 August, 2019, if you would like to share your views, please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3XVQQYB

 

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A decade of success – Interview with Trojan Holding’s Eng Hamad Al Ameri

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Ten years seems like a long time in terms of a human lifespan – one goes from a child to an adult in a decade, while around us things can change quite drastically. A decade ago, in 2009, the world was a very different place – Barack Obama was the first African American US president, Avatar was set to become the biggest movie in history, and the world’s economies were still reeling from the effects of the global financial crisis.

However, for a company, 10 years is nothing more than the blink of an eye, especially in a setting as dynamic and shifting as the UAE construction market. In order to survive such an environment, it’s essential for a company to be proactive, adaptable and adhere to a core set of values that guide its course.

This is what Eng Hamad Al Ameri, managing director of Trojan Holding, tells Big Project ME during an interview that celebrates the company’s tenth anniversary. Having launched the company when the local construction landscape was at its lowest ebb, the challenge for him has always been about making sure that Trojan Holding and its subsidiaries stick to the values he espouses.

“The whole idea was to found a company that is really honest, that wants to just do the right thing. I was a government employee at the time who had nothing to do with business, but the need at the time was for someone honest and transparent,” he asserts, speaking in his office at the company’s headquarters in Mafraq Industrial Area, Abu Dhabi.

Having started the group with Trojan General Contracting in 2009, Ameri has overseen its growth into a major player in the UAE construction industry, with eight subsidiaries under its umbrella. These include National Projects and Construction LLC (NPC), Royal Advance Electromechanical Works. Reem Emirates Aluminium & Glass Factory, Hi-Tech Concrete Products, Al Maha Modular Industries, Phoenix Timber Factory and Reem Readymix.

“We started Trojan to see what the market reaction was, and it was great. People appreciated the close contact between the leadership of the companies and the customers, the fast action and the transparency. Problems and mistakes happen, regardless of all parties, but at the time we had an aim and a goal that we wanted to be honest and transparent so that we could get the best quality on time, and with the right value for our clients,” he says.

“Price is not the only thing that matters. The history of companies tells you about their capabilities. There are a lot of newcomers, and others going out fast as well [in this industry]. You have to be careful. Not everybody can do what they present. Our market is so open, everybody can work in it. You can come from anywhere, start your company and begin work directly. It always has to depend on how much your company has done, to see how much it can do in the future. More than presentations, or the technical capabilities of the people who present them, financial statements are one of the most important things for companies. I have learned that we have to look at financial statements more and more [closely].

“We created our own subsidiaries because we didn’t want to be let down again and again by companies when they have problems. That’s why we’ve created subsidiaries who work in construction, only to support us,” Ameri says, providing an illustrative insight into his philosophy.

Having been the first employee, Ameri has seen his staff grow to more than 25,000 employees across the group over the last decade. Despite the huge number of people working under him, he insists that he views everyone in the company as part of one big family, with systems in place across the board to keep everyone on the right track.

“We created our own processes and procedures which keep everyone on track, on the right career path, in the right positions, with the right communication with the right parties. When I started this company, I began by choosing people who were going to be focal points, the cornerstones [of the company]. Thanks to God, I have chosen correctly, and I have been successful and lucky with a lot of them.

“I don’t just appreciate one, I appreciate the whole team. I always work with teams. Trojan, in general, is a big family. This is what I depend on – everybody cares for the other, regardless if it’s his or her job or not. I think that’s what has kept us strong.”

As part of the company’s culture, Ameri explains that there is an open-door policy in place throughout the organisation, with all employees free to share their ideas or communicate their problems to management, whether to him directly or to other senior figures. This approach also extends to how clients are treated, he says.

“I communicate with clients myself. Even if the clients are communicating with the managers, they can come to me as well. It’s open communication for everybody, with no problems. If you have an idea, put it forward. We have systems in place for suggestions, regardless if they are workers, helpers or even the GMs. It’s all going to be evaluated, looked at and responded to with open communication. This is what we do.”

As part of his efforts to foster a collaborative culture throughout the organisation, Ameri says he and his senior management are looking to implement systems that will allow them to evaluate operations and productivity through tangible measures and numbers.

“We put in place measurable KPIs for every position in this organisation, and the system shows us every month what the results are. Without technology, we wouldn’t have all the reports needed to evaluate people, to evaluate jobs and to do all the things that need to be done,” he explains, adding that there has been considerable investment into a wide range of technology, from robotics to software, new manufacturing materials and even new techniques and methodologies, with the emphasis on improving performance and efficiencies across the board.

In 2018, Ameri told Big Project ME that he was keen for Trojan to expand into new territories and sectors, having successfully established itself as a major player in the UAE construction market. Having mentioned that Saudi Arabia was a major market for the company, he now provides updates on progress in the Kingdom.

“We started in Saudi Arabia with one of our subsidiaries – Hi-Tech Concrete Products, which delivers complete precast solutions and projects. We have got a project already and work has started. Recently, one of our other subsidiaries – Reem Emirates Glass & Aluminium Factory – has got two projects in KSA as well. So I think that it’s time for Trojan to jump in. We are targeting that market in 2020.”

He adds that the company is keeping its eye open for other potential markets as well – such as Belarus, where Trojan Holding has registered and set up shop with the target of going fully operational by the end of this year, or early next year.

Even though he is keen to take Trojan Holding to a truly international level, Ameri asserts that the company will not be deviating from the values and principles that have served it so well over the last decade.

“I’ll tell you something. I believe that what works in the UAE can work anywhere, because it’s such an open market and we face a lot of challenges. A lot of countries haven’t reached that level of systematic process yet. We know how things can run, from an asystematic system to a systematic system.

“The second thing is that when we expand, we depend on two things – UAE investors are investing all over the world and we know them, having worked with them in the UAE. So we can go and support them, we have the chemistry between us, and we can go together and invest and work together. From that unit, we can then expand into that country.

“Or with a new country like Saudi Arabia, for example, we start by putting our subsidiaries first. If that is successful, then we can go in ourselves and start investing in there,” he explains, adding that this process ensures that the transparency and honesty that he so values continue to be maintained.

“I hope that one day people are going to say that this company has been built on a very strong base, with a really loyal team that has built up the company and represented the industry and the UAE all over the world, with the right image that everybody can see. I hope that we have built the right basis for this company to continue in the future, with the right values of transparency and fairness to everybody who works in this organisation and who work with it,” he concludes.

The post A decade of success – Interview with Trojan Holding’s Eng Hamad Al Ameri appeared first on Middle East Construction News.

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