A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by carbon negative concrete pioneer Partanna with Saudi-based developer Red Sea Global. The MoU was signed at COP27 and, as part of the agreement, the parties are exploring an arrangement for Partanna to establish production facilities on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

The MoU comes just four days after Partanna announced a partnership with the Government of the Bahamas to build the world’s first carbon-negative housing development.

Partanna’s concrete technology is said to avoid carbon emissions, absorb carbon from the atmosphere and generates tradeable carbon credits. Partanna is as durable, versatile and scalable as traditional cement. Its use of brine as a core ingredient also brings unique benefits to the Middle East, where desalination plants can harvest more fresh water per litre processed and provide Partanna with the rest, the firm said in a statement.

“It’s time for action. Whilst others use COP27 to talk and promote themselves, we’re here to do business with developers who share our vision of changing how the world builds. We’re moving quick because humanity can’t afford to wait. Red Sea Global share our vision and wanted to move quickly to make it a reality. We’re delighted to strike up an agreement with one of the world’s most ambitious and innovative developers and see this as the start of our work in the Middle East,” said Rick Fox, former Los Angeles Lakers and actor, Co-Founder of Partanna Global.

Rick Fox, Founder of Partanna Bahamas

Concrete is one of the most destructive materials on earth, with 9% of worldwide man-made emissions associated with its production. It’s also the world’s most widely used building materials – with the Middle East and North Africa accounting for 21% of cement production in 2021, Partanna explained.

Commenting on the agreement, Carlos M. Duarte, Distinguished Professor at King Abdullah University and Technology stated, “I am delighted to see Partanna and Red Sea Global announce a collaborative program today. Partanna has developed ground-breaking technology to produce concrete that absorbs CO2 and is, therefore, climate positive. However, most importantly, they have developed a system that mimics how corals, the great cement producers of the biosphere, do it, as they incorporate brine as an essential feed stock of Partanna concrete.”

“This is a game changer, as the Arabian Peninsula produces about 60% of the world’s brine and we were lacking a solution to avoid delivering it to the ocean, where it may impact marine life. With Partanna and Red Sea Global working together, RSG buildings will be climate positive and embody brine, to make them more resistant, and conserve marine life. A win-win for the RSG, Partanna, the ocean and the planet. Most importantly, this is inspired by our beautiful corals!”

In October 2022, Red Sea Global confirmed its new brand identity and mandate.

John Pagano, Group Chief Executive Officer, Red Sea Global

RSG is the developer behind two giga regenerative tourism projects in Saudi Arabia – The Red Sea and AMAALA. Both will be completely off-grid and powered by 100% renewable solar energy. The Red Sea is set to welcome first guests early next year when the first three hotels and international airport open. A further 13 resorts will complete by early 2024. The first phase of AMAALA will comprise nine hotels, delivering 1,300 hotel rooms. It is on track for completion in 2024, the statement noted.

John Pagano, Group Chief Executive Officer of Red Sea Global commented, “Through this partnership with Partanna, RSG is continuing its efforts to accelerate green technologies that can lead the world to a more sustainable and even regenerative future. We are on track to be carbon neutral from day one of operations at The Red Sea when we welcome our first guests in early 2023. This material, which can be manufactured utilising recycled raw materials, and which can generate carbon credits, could be key to achieving our even more ambitious goal of creating carbon negative tourism destinations.”

RSG’s approach toward responsible development that prioritises people and planet, has seen the company explore and implement experimental technologies and pilot programmes to solve some of the world’s most complex and pressing challenges, such as off-site manufacturing and modular construction methods at scale, destination-wide clean mobility strategies, and sustainable food production through new farming approaches, the statement concluded.

In early November 2022, RSG appointed Reem Emirates Saudi for façade works on RSI Airport.

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Source: ME Construction News

Apartment prices in Dubai have hit a plateau after months of strong growth, according to a new report by ValuStrat.

The latest ValuStrat Price Index (VPI), which tracks the market performance of residential properties across the emirate, saw a moderate 0.9% monthly increase in October 2022, indicating a slow pace of price growth.

Apartments registered only a 0.6% monthly change, with prices now averaging $244 per sqft, while villa prices went up by 1.2%.

In October 2022, MCRE said it had achieved record Q3 results of over $136mn in sales in Abu Dhabi’s property market.

According to ValuStrat, apartments in several areas in Dubai, including International City, Business Bay, Jumeirah Village, Discovery Gardens, Dubai Sports City, Remraam and Dubai Production City, showed no monthly change in capital values.

Capital gains of apartments in most areas in Dubai have not seen any improvement since last year and have been stable on a monthly basis, according to Haider Tuaima, Director and Head of Real Estate Research at ValuStrat.

He commented, “This is mainly due to a fundamental market demand/supply dynamic. When we look at upcoming supply, Dubai Land and Jumeirah Village alone contribute 21% of overall new supply of mainly apartment buildings in the coming two to three years. That, in our opinion, is the main reason why we are not seeing capital growth in those areas, particularly within the E311 and E611 corridors.”

In early November 2022, Amira Sajwani launched PRYPTO to deliver a holistic real estate experience.

Property prices in Dubai have recently been rising on the back of strong demand from investors from the region and abroad, according to the report.

Yet, as of Q3 2022, average apartment sales prices rose by 3% compared to the previous quarter, and 17% compared to a year earlier, according to Asteco. Villa prices also registered a 3% quarterly and 19% annual increase.

Later in November 2022, CRC said that Dubai’s commercial market reached an all time high in Q3.

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Source: ME Construction News

LUXHABITAT Sotheby’s International Realty has completed the sale of an $39.5mn custom-built villa on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai – a transaction that places it amongst the top ten most expensive properties transacted in Q3 2022 in Dubai.

In a statement, the firm said the six-bedroom villa spans an overall area of 17,000sqft, with a total built-up area of 13,000sqft. The villa features a panoramic skyline view and luxury, high-end interiors from brands such as Minotti, Cassina, Baxter, Knoll, and Miele.

Sold by Executive Partner, Honey Deylami, the sale was handled by LUXHABITAT Sotheby’s International Realty end-to-end, with Olga Balashova, Senior Global Property Consultant as the buyer’s agent and Deylami the seller’s agent.

In October 2022, Mukesh Ambani purchased Dubai’s most expensive villa for $163mn and, later in the month, Majid Al Futtaim Communities launched its ultra-luxury concept in Tilal Al Ghaf.

Honey Deylami, Executive Partner, Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty

Commenting on the sale, Honey Deylami commented, “We are seeing increasing demand for bespoke or renovated luxury villas and mansions on beachfront locations such as Palm Jumeirah. The UHNW clientele who are usually buying their second or third home or relocating to Dubai are after turnkey solutions where they save time and effort to build a new home or go through renovation.”

“This category of buyers who are ready to pay over $27.2mn for their new home are expecting the best of the best in every aspect including furniture and fit out. We have witnessed up to 100% capital appreciation on custom-built villas comparing to early 2021, depending on build quality, design, fit out and of course location. This factor has increased the demand and the price for empty land plots as well as that of the original villas on the island where investors take on the design and build to create a turnkey solution to exit with a lucrative appreciation.”

The firm pointed out that Palm Jumeirah saw the largest sales volume in the prime segment overall at $1.39bn and accounted for the largest sales volume in both the prime apartment and villa categories, registering $1.06bn and $299.5mn respectively.

In early November 2022, Alpago Properties announced that its luxury Palm Jumeirah penthouse will cost $68.06mn.

Prices per square foot on the Palm for villas averaged $1,340 in Q3 2022, growing 36.85% quarter on quarter, with average prices growing by 7.62% and sales volume reaching $319mn.

With Palm Jumeirah leading on sales volume by a large margin, other popular residential areas for villas in Q3 2022 were Emirates Living, where villa sales volume reached $236mn and MBR City, where sales volumes was just shy of $191mn.

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Source: ME Construction News

Saudi Arabia’s State Properties General Authority (SPGA) has invited prequalification bids from leading project developers and investors for a major transit-oriented development (TOD) project, which is to be developed on a 167,000sqm area in Makkah city.

The project is to be developed in cooperation with the Royal Commission for Makkah and Al-Masha’ir Holy, the SPGA said, adding that the planned mixed-use project will feature a bus station, a range of retail outlets, and a 400-key four-star hotel property. The total built up area will be approximately 254,158sqm.

SPGA stated that the project is planned to be developed on a plot in the Al Hajlah district and will be located 300m from the Grand Mosque. It will also be adjacent to the Makkah Clock Tower, the statement confirmed.

In November 2021, it was announced that Makkah and Madinah real estate opens were open to foreign investment.

Furthermore, the land will be provided on a lease basis for a 25-year period, with the private sector responsible for the design, development, and operation of the project. The deadline for submitting bids of the project is 1 December 2022, the authority stated.

The project cost has been estimated at between $399mn to $532mn. PwC is the financial and lead advisor for the project, while SALFO Engineering and Management are the technical advisers.

The request for proposal is expected to be issued on 22 December 2022, with a submission deadline of 13 April 2023. The project is expected to achieve commercial close by June 2023, the SPGA stated.

In March 2022, Saudi’s NHC launched a new residential project in Makkah for citizens.

In September 2022, the SPGA signed an acquisition agreement with Um Al-Qura Development and Construction Company, owner and developer of the Masar Destination in Makkah, in exchange for their private real estate, which exceeds and area of 160,000sqm pursuant to Royal Decree No 44133, dated 5/8/1442 AH.

The Governor of SPGA said that the agreement came within the framework of the authority’s strategic work to raise its productive and economic efficiency through innovative solutions and that one of its most important goals is to use the state’s lands and real estate for development, as well as to provide financial solutions for fiscal positions of the economy.

In November 2022, JODC said it had registered a 407% increase in revenue in Q3 2022.

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Source: ME Construction News

A “fundamental shift in Abu Dhabi’s energy mix” is being spearheaded by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE). The initiative, which was unveiled at COP27 in Egypt, aims to achieve significantly lower carbon emissions in the emirate through a raft of new regulations aimed at generating a large proportion of Abu Dhabi’s electricity from clean and renewable sources by 2035.

The successful achievement of this goal will mark a significant milestone in the UAE’s journey to deliver carbon neutrality by 2050, the EAD pointed out.

The new regulations were drafted by the DoE and will see 60% of Abu Dhabi’s electricity being generated from clean and renewable sources by 2035, and up to 75% reduction in carbon emissions per MWh produced by the electricity sector. The DoE’s ‘Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi’ regulatory framework is the first legally binding clean and renewable energy target in the Middle East for the electricity sector. It forms part of an ongoing energy transition to accelerate the UAE’s decarbonisation and green growth efforts, the EAD said.

Speaking at COP27, Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, unveiled the new regulations with DoE Chairman, His Excellency Awaidha Murshed Al Marar. HE Al Dhaheri said the new regulations would promote economic diversification, attract domestic and foreign investment, and encourage technology development and innovations in the clean and renewable energy space.

“The target to produce 60% of all electricity using clean sources by 2035 is an important step towards meeting the UAE’s Net Zero aspirations by 2050. Planned investment of billions of dirhams in clean energy infrastructure will be transformative in helping us transition to a low carbon economy with positive environmental and social outcomes. We at EAD are working closely with 26 Abu Dhabi entities including the Department of Energy, as members of ‘The Abu Dhabi Climate Change Taskforce’ to develop climate change policy and related strategic plans to achieve this transformation,” she explained.

In January 2022, EAD and ENGIE announced the success of Phase II of their Mangrove Rehabilitation Project and, in July 2022, the Abu Dhabi DoE inked a deal to collaborate on energy opportunities with Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy.

HE Al Dhaheri indicated that the new regulations would contribute to enhancing the efforts made by EAD within the framework of its commitment to the UAE government’s sustainability vision. She stated that the EAD is leading a set of framework initiatives to reduce the impact of climate change, including the preparation of the climate change policy for Abu Dhabi, and a comprehensive strategy for the years 2023-2027.

She also announced that the EAD is developing a Nexus decision support system that would allow the emirate to achieve policy coherence between water, environment, energy and food. The project would be implemented with the participation of the key custodians of these sectors.

This pioneering initiative aims to support the Government of Abu Dhabi in achieving more sustainable utilisation of the natural resources of the Emirate, improved water, energy, and food security and more cost-effective projects and efficient management in the relevant sectors, the statement highlighted.

Al Dhaheri noted that in the same context, EAD was developing a scheme in which the emissions and trading ceilings would be determined. The feasibility of implementing the system at the state level is being studied to ensure competitiveness and sustainability. To complement this scheme, there would be existing voluntary programmes, such as the electronic platform for trading carbon credits on the Abu Dhabi Global Market.

She added, “We hope the emirate will be the first in the region to implement this initiative, which will further strengthen the UAE’s climate leadership role, and support its hosting COP28 next year,” said Al Dhaheri.

In September 2022, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment introduced the National Air Quality Agenda 2031 and, later in the month, the Abu Dhabi DoE revealed new policies to accelerate UAE’s move towards Net Zero.

HE Al Marar said the clean energy targets 2035 framework would have a deep impact on the Abu Dhabi energy structure, allowing the broader economy and industrial sector to quickly move in the sustainability direction.

He commented, “This will open the door to improved added value and increased productivity for local businesses. These decarbonisation policies will help operationalise the UAE Net Zero 2050 pathways from today. They represent real, live commitments for our people, planet.”

He added that the speed of transition and deployment of 60% clean and renewable electricity by 2035 would be among the most profound globally.

The DoE said that it expects the new regulatory framework to drive a 75% reduction in carbon emissions per MWh produced in Abu Dhabi by 2035, compared to 2016 levels. Abu Dhabi, therefore, will be a leading contributor to the UAE’s updated climate targets to achieve a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), relative to business as usual, in 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. The UAE’s new targets were published in its ‘Second Nationally Determined Contribution’ in September ahead of COP27 and as part of the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact commitments, the statement from EAD highlighted.

Abu Dhabi is said to already be making huge strides in the area. In 2021, the DoE introduced the complementary Abu Dhabi Clean Energy Certificates Scheme as an innovative measure to support carbon footprint reduction of power demand and meet the growing interest of corporate clients and households to contribute to the climate change fight, the statement said.

Late in September 2022, the EAD said it was awarded LEED certification for three of its facilities and, in October 2022, four cement factories said they would use alternative fuels following a deal with MOCCAE and Emirates RDF.

“We are very encouraged by the uptake of this scheme. Commercial entities are purchasing clean energy certificates in increasing numbers to claim the use of low or zero emissions electricity, thereby reducing their carbon footprint. Since electricity generated from clean energy sources is indistinguishable from that produced by any other source, some form of tracking is required. Once the power provider has injected the energy generated from identifiable clean resources into the grid, the Clean Energy Certificates act as a tracking mechanism for the source of clean energy. Entities can then claim the environmental benefits of low carbon energy production in enhancing the sustainable credentials of their product lines,” clarified Al Marar.

Outlining additional enablers that will help achieve the 2035 target, the EAD statement outlined:

• Solar power plant site map: Clarity on availability of land and appropriate sites for solar plants will help increase energy generation through clean sources
• Capacity requirements for energy storage: Accelerated growth in energy storage installations in the Abu Dhabi transmission and distribution grid is essential to store the energy produced through clean sources. Abu Dhabi has already introduced grid-scale advanced facilities in the electricity system as it installed 108MW of distributed sodium sulfur batteries with six hours of energy storage capacity
• Transmission and distribution grid enhancement: Major coordinated network infrastructure enhancements are required by key stakeholders for connection and operation of safe and secure system for clean energy
• Flexible natural gas system: Gas system upgrades and storage facilities are needed to provide flexibility for higher penetration of clean energy and support the intermittency of renewable solar PV through dispatchable high-efficiency gas plants. This will be essential until reliable storage systems are developed and become economically viable, robust solutions within the system
• Electric vehicle (EV) readiness & vehicle-to-grid technology: EVs can help make clean daytime energy available to the grid at night and reduce demand peaks during critical hours. Abu Dhabi recently released the regulatory policy for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the Emirate, which includes the criteria for establishing a network of EV charging stations across Abu Dhabi
• Hydrogen production: The DoE has drafted a new hydrogen policy and strategic regulatory framework that will position Abu Dhabi as a competitive hydrogen player globally and contribute to the clean energy targets

As the country prepares to host COP28 UAE in 2023 at Expo City Dubai, a focus will be on bringing together all stakeholders to deliver practical and actionable sustainable energy solutions that accelerate climate progress, energy security and energy transition, the EAD concluded.

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Source: ME Construction News

Abu Dhabi based Miral has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to bring a new attraction to Yas Island, within Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. The planned Harry Potter themed land is said to be the result of the joint creative vision of Miral and Warner Bros.

The addition of a Harry Potter themed land at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is said to expand upon a successful line-up of themed lands and experiences including Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch, Cartoon Junction, Gotham City and Metropolis, that have brought fun and unforgettable memories to Warner Bros. fans, a statement from Miral said.

Although a groundbreaking date has yet to be announced, Miral said the new launch further supports Miral’s vision to position the park as a top global destination, and a great addition to the island’s unique portfolio of attractions and experiences, while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s tourism ecosystem and growth.

In December 2021, Miral officially opened Yas Bay Waterfront and, in March 2022, Miral and DCT Abu Dhabi confirmed that work on the Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum will be complete by 2025.

“We are very proud of our continuous partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and excited to be bringing this spell binding first to the Middle East and the world in the future. This is yet another testament to our commitment to continue to position Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure, and a great addition to Abu Dhabi’s tourism offerings, contributing to the growth and economic diversification of the Emirate,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral.

The Harry Potter themed land will be significant in scale and join the existing six Immersive Lands in the award-winning theme park, bringing Harry Potter to fans like never before, Miral noted.

Pam Lifford, President, Global Brands and Experiences from Warner Bros. Discovery concluded, “The Wizarding World offers something for fans of every age to enjoy. The original Harry Potter stories and the blockbuster film series continue to captivate and inspire hundreds of millions of fans around the world, and our Global Themed Entertainment team together with our world-class partner Miral, will expand our successful Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi to bring this magical experience to life. Together with our lands at Universal Parks, this will add a wholly new and spectacular destination for fans to immerse themselves in.”

In September 2022, Miral announced that SeaWorld Abu Dhabi will open in 2023.

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Source: ME Construction News

Saudi-based developer Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC), the master developer of the massive Jabal Omar mixed-use project in Makkah, has announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2022.

Amongst the key highlights were an increase in revenue by 407% to $58.25mn during the quarter, off the back of high occupancy levels across its hotel and commercial portfolio. Gross profit also improved of the three-month period, coming in at $2.13mn versus a gross loss of $17.29mn in the same period a year ago. This was predominately driven by strong revenue recovery as well as effective cost containment measures implemented as part of the comprehensive transformation strategy, the developer said.

A notable development during the period was the company’s successful close of the Alinma Fund debt-to-equity transaction. The company increased its issued share capital to $3.07bn by creating 225,134,162 new ordinary shares, which were issued to the unitholder of the fund in return for settling $1.41bn in outstanding debt owed to the fund.

In July 2020, JODC issued the ownership deed for the Makkah project and, in December 2020, the developer agreed the $221mn sale of a plot of land at its Jabal Omar project in Makkah.

In doing so, the company has also freed up $143.63mn in cash that used to go as rent payments to the fund each year (of which JODC’s ownership previously stood at 16.42%), resulting in a $120mn cash saving, allocating it to more productive and value-enhancing use.

Financial costs for the three-month period were $3.99mn, a 92% decline from the year-ago period, driven by the positive realisation of initiatives within the capital structure optimisation strategy, part of the comprehensive transformation plan.

Net loss was $40.7mn, significantly narrowing from a net loss of $71.82mn in Q3 2021. This improvement was driven by the return in the Hajj and Umrah activity levels to almost pre-Covid levels, and was also attributed to the one-off gain from the completion of the Alinma Makkah Real Estate Fund (the “Alinma Fund”) debt-to-equity transaction.

In October 2021, the firm raised $138mn through the sale of land in Makkah city.

Khaled Al Amoudi, CEO of Jabal Omar Development Company said, “The revenue recovery we saw in the second quarter gathered pace in the third quarter. A return of visitors and pilgrims to Makkah and the removal of pandemic-related restrictions have driven occupancy levels higher at our hotels, and a recovery in business and consumer sentiment underpinned a strong improvement in our commercial portfolio’s performance.”

“On an operating level, we are performing more efficiently than ever and have a leaner cost structure, supporting significant operating margin improvement. This is owed to the successful rollout and implementation of the company-wide transformation strategy and our asset management teams’ proactive efforts. We will be focusing our efforts on completing the outstanding phases of the project and targeting the development and completion of a portion of the 2,613 new hotel rooms and adding more than 5,000sqm of gross leasable area in our commercial assets by Ramadan, which will support the growth of our operating portfolio,” he added.

For the first nine months of the year, revenue increased 330% year on year to $162.27mn on the back of a rebound in Hajj and Umrah activity and a return to life and business as usual in Makkah and across the Kingdom.

In October 2022, JODC said the completion of Phases Two and Three of the Makkah mega master development are on track for year-end.

Gross profit for the nine-month period came in at $21.01mn, a considerable improvement from the gross loss of $53.20mn in the same period a year ago, the developer said. Financial costs for the nine-month period were $79.27mn, down 46% versus nine-month 2021. This decrease is due to the completion of Alinma Fund transaction, which led to a reduction in liabilities owed to the fund’s unitholders.

Net loss during the same period was $42.03mn, a narrowing net loss of $91.77mn produced in nine-month 2021, the firm concluded.

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Source: ME Construction News

Caterpillar has launched five new nursery and landscape attachments for its Cat Skid Steer Loaders (SSL), Compact Track Loaders (CTL) and Compact Wheel Loaders (CWL).

The purpose-built attachments are said to be designed to cover multiple tasks including the handling and scooping of trees, shrubs and bushes, removing and carrying stumps, and loading mulch.

According to the manufacturer, the new Cat nursery fork, tree scoop bucket and 0.76m3 mulch bucket attachments improve machine utilisation for Cat SSL, CTL and CWL models, while the new Cat stump buckets and nursery grapples are specifically designed to efficiently work with Cat SSL and CTL machines.

In early September 2022, Caterpillar inked a deal to replace the haul truck fleet at a Chilean mine.

The full range of new attachments feature durable construction for reliability in the field, and deeply serrated steps integrated into attachment design, so operators have secure footing when entering and exiting the loaders.

Cat nursery forks come in manual and hydraulic designs. Both offer a hydraulic pivoting fork that allows the left fork to swing open to fit around multiple root balls. Similarly, the new Cat nursery grapple can wrap around root balls ranging in size from 711 to 1372mm without damaging the root system or tree, the company explained.

Meanwhile, the new mulch bucket, with its narrow 1421mm width, can load material “inside the bed of most pickup trucks without concern for contact or damage,” the company says, while the stump bucket for Cat SSL and CTL models has been purpose designed for removing and carrying tree stumps.

Late in September 2022, the company said it had surpassed five billion tonnes of material hauled autonomously.

The other new attachment, the Cat tree scoop is capable of digging and scooping up 901mm in diameter and can move shrubs and small trees at nursery sites and in landscaping applications, the company concluded.

In late October 2022, Caterpillar expanded its Tilt Rotate System range to work with mini excavators.

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Source: ME Construction News

Developer DAMAC Properties has announced the launch of a new luxury property, the 25-storey Elegance Tower in Downtown Dubai.

In a statement, the developer said the tower branded by Zuhair Murad, will feature one-bedroom apartments of up to 827.21sqft, and two-bedroom apartments of up to 1,379.61sqft. The tower will feature white and gold interiors, embodying the essence of the Zuhair Murad brand, it added.

Located in the Downtown Dubai area, Elegance Tower is a short walk away from The Dubai Mall, and will offer views of Za’abeel, Dubai Canal and Burj Khalifa, the developer stated.

In September 2022, DAMAC Properties’ GM said that Web3 is transforming the UAE real estate landscape and, in early October 2022, the developer awarded the contract for electrical substations to Danway EME.

“We continue to responsibly bring unique products to market, and Elegance Tower stands out with its beautiful design, luxury offerings and incomparable central location. The demand has already been massive, and we are overwhelmed by interest from customers — many of whom are repeat customers who trust our brand and love our products,” said Niall McLoughlin, Senior Vice President of DAMAC Properties.

Among the unique features of the tower is the ‘secret door’ in all units, which appears as a decorative shelf display in the living room but opens directly into the master bedroom, giving the homes a sense of privacy and singularity, the developer added.

The tower’s other amenities include a swimming pool overlooking the Dubai skyline, a pool bar, a sunbed zone, lagoons, a kid’s play area, and a fully equipped gym.

In mid-October 2022, the developer launched CHIC Tower in Business Bay, Dubai.

DAMAC has previously collaborated with brands such as Fendi, Versace, Cavalli, Paramount, and de GRISOGONO.

McLoughlin concluded, “It’s been an incredible year at DAMAC with our new launches such as SAFA ONE by de GRISOGNO and SAFA TWO by de GRISOGONO, Chic Tower in Business Bay and new cluster launches in our thriving DAMAC Hills community, as well as our new DAMAC Lagoons community in which we launched last year. The future looks bright for the Dubai property market, and we are so happy to be contributing to the city’s thriving development.”

In late October 2022, the developer said the main works package will be awarded soon for its Cavalli Tower project.

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Source: ME Construction News

Cat dealer Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar recently completed the commissioning of integrated power solutions for the first of the two new offshore jack-up rigs building projects executed by Lamprell, the UAE-based rig builder and provider of services to the international energy sector.

Lamprell turned to Al-Bahar for Cat generator sets after the company received a letter of intent from the International Maritime Industries (IMI) in December 2018 for the construction and delivery of two Jack Up drilling rigs, based on the proven LeTourneau Super 116E Self-elevating Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) design.

When the first order was formalised in January 2020, for Lamprell by IMI, Caterpillar and Al-Bahar were ready with the customised solution required for each rig. This included five Cat 3516C generator sets rated 1530ekw/2186kVA/60Hz/600V/0.7pf/3-phase/1200rpm, which will be used as a primary source of power. In addition to these five units, a single Cat 3512C generator set with a rating of 1310ekw/1637kVA/60Hz/480V/0.8pf/3-phase/1800rpm, was installed for emergency power.

In May 2020, Lamprell won an EPIC contract for a Sharjah gas and condensate field and, in February 2021, the firm won an EPCI contract for a project in the Marjan Field.

The primary challenge was the project timeline, which was demanding and coincided with the onset of the COVID pandemic, bringing in uncertainty and newer norms, the company said.

At present, the project status is said to be on the final lap. Installation, start-up, setting to work, and testing have already been completed on the first rig, and the second rig is being worked upon currently.

Commenting on the successful completion of the project, Mohamed El Kaddour, Vice President of Energy & Transportation – Al-Bahar, stated, “As one of the authorised Caterpillar dealers in the region, Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar is proud to be a trusted and valued partner to Lamprell in their rig building programs of offshore jack-up rigs. This mutually beneficial relationship has been nurtured ever since Lamprell built their first rig in 2008 and we hope will extend in the future.”

In June 2022, Zahid Tractor said it was delivering Cat power solutions for The Red Sea project.

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Source: ME Construction News