The post Komatsu WA470/480-6R wheel loader appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Developers, government departments and contractors now have until 15 November 2022 to submit nominations for the 2022 Big Project Middle East Awards (BPME Awards), the Big Project Middle East (BPME) editorial team has announced. Running for over 11 years, the annual event will recognise the region’s top developers, contractors and government departments at a gala event in Dubai, at the Ritz Carlton JBR on 15 December 2022.
Covering a range of sectors including contracting, project, individual and initiative focused awards, the Big Project ME Awards 2022 reflects the diversity and reach of the construction industry, the editorial team said.
This year, a total of 21 awards are up for grabs including: Contractor of the Year; Developer of the Year; Project of the Year; Infrastructure Project of the Year; Supplier of the Year; Sustainable Government Department of the Year; Big Project ME Executive of the Year and others. Read about all the categories by clicking here.
Read about all the winners at the 2021 Big Project ME Awards here.
Commenting on why the deadline for nominations was extended, Gavin Davids, Head of Editorial and Content at BPME states, “Given the high-volume of interest in this year’s Big Project ME Awards and how busy this period is for companies and individuals, we decided to extend the nomination deadline to 15 November, so as to give everyone the best chance to put forward quality nominations. We wish everyone the best and look forward to unveiling the shortlist and winners in due course.”
As before, there is no cost to submit nominations for the BPME Awards, and nominations will only be accepted via the event’s dedicated website. Once nominations close, they will be studied by an independent panel of judges comprising individuals from the consulting side of the construction industry, as well as academia. Read all the nomination guidelines here.
Sharing his thoughts on how companies can stand out with their nominations, Davids states, “It’s important to take time with your submissions – detail exactly what you’ve accomplished and delivered over the last year. The more data and information you can share, the more informed the judges will be about your suitability as a winner.”
He also warns, “One thing that will work against you is submitting a company brochure or marketing pack – your nomination should introduce your company, tell us what you’re all about and be clear and concise. Each year, we receive hundreds of nominations, so if you want to stand out from your competitors, make sure the nomination reflects your achievements clearly and authentically.”
“It’s critical to include signed and stamped testimonials and endorsements in your submissions, as it gives the judges an opportunity to see how your partners, clients and stakeholders value your company’s contribution to their projects and operations,” he concludes.
To learn more about the Big Project Middle East awards, click here.
The post Big Project ME extends deadline for 2022 BPME Awards nominations to 15 November appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Energy tech specialist Baker Hughes and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have signed a strategic technology collaboration. The deal, which was inked at ADIPEC 2022, will see the two firms explore opportunities around research and development (R&D) for technologies that can help drive a sustainable energy future in the UAE.
The agreement aims to support the development of technology proof of concepts, technology scale-ups and technology pilots, while exploring the feasibility of their deployment across key projects at ADNOC, a statement from Baker Hughes explained.
“ADNOC is accelerating the development and deployment of advanced technologies to provide smarter, lower carbon, energy to the world. Together with Baker Hughes, we will focus on finding innovations that help the UAE achieve its Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative, while also generating In-County Value,” said Sophie Hildebrand, ADNOC Group Chief Technology Officer.
In July 2019, Saudi Aramco and Baker Hughes signed a MoU to develop a manufacturing facility and, in October 2021, Baker Hughes said it had begun construction of the OFS regional hub at SPARK in Saudi Arabia.
In line with the objectives of the UAE’s In-Country Value program, the agreement supports the development of home-grown innovations, with an opportunity to leverage the ADNOC Research and Innovation Center to foster these R&D projects, the statement added.
“We are honored to be signing this agreement with ADNOC, which reinforces our commitment to supporting In-Country Value and innovation in the UAE. As an energy technology company, we are keen to work with ADNOC to locally develop technologies that can support a more sustainable energy future in the UAE and beyond,” said Zaher Ibrahim, Vice President, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Baker Hughes.
With more than 1,600 employee and 10 facilities in the country, Baker Hughes has been a committed partner to the UAE for more than 60 years, long supporting localisation and sustainability initiatives and programs in country, the statement concluded.
In October 2022, the RAK Energy Summit concluded after two days of dialogue.
The post Baker Hughes and ADNOC to develop sustainable energy solutions appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Developer Alpago Properties has unveiled another high-value penthouse on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, stating that it will come to market with a price tag of $68.06mn.
The firm said it is developing a project which will feature 10 units comprising floorplans of either 9,000sqft and 19,000sqft, which will cost between $25.86mn and $68.06mn. The most expensive unit receives two floors, while the other nine will each have one.
The developer recently sold a new mansion on the Palm for $82.36mn, surpassing the previous record of $76.23mn.
In September 2022, Alpago Properties launched ‘Dubai’s only’ double signature villa on the Palm Jumeirah.
A representative from Alpago said, “Prices have been set for the 10 units that make up the project’s 11 stories. Sales won’t begin until the project is finished, which is anticipated to be in 2024.”
On the Palm, Frond G – the setting for this latest development – is said to have more signature villas than the rest of Palm Jumeirah combined, and is popularly known as ‘Billionaires Row’. It’s home to the most expensive villa ever sold in Dubai, which again was courtesy of Alpago Properties.
Prathyusha Gurrapu, Head of Research and Advisory at real estate consultancy Core, said the prime and ultra-prime residential market has been relatively resilient compared to the affordable and mid-market segment during 2014-2020.
In October 2022, Signature Developers appointed the Devmark Group to launch a new mansion project.
He explained, “We have observed a marked increase in demand for prime residential properties since Q4 of 2020. In fact, 2021 saw the highest secondary market transactions above $2.72mn in the last decade, with Palm Jumeirah accounting for nearly 35% of these transactions.”
Prime residential values in Dubai, which include the neighbourhoods of the Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Bay Island, have risen by 88.8% in the last 12 months, according to Knight Frank.
“Prime residential values in Dubai continue to strengthen, growing by 29% in the third quarter alone, fuelled by a persistent deluge of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, who are zeroing in on Dubai’s premier districts, in search of second homes,” said Faisal Durrani, Partner – Head of Middle East Research.
Of Dubai’s three Prime residential districts, the Palm Jumeirah, with an average transacted price of $831.4psf, remains the most affordable, relative to Emirates Hills $1,421psf and Jumeirah Bay Island $1,727psf.
In late October 2022, Mukesh Ambani purchased Dubai’s most expensive villa for $163mn.
The post Alpago Properties announces luxury Palm Jumeirah penthouse will cost $68.06mn appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Dubai-based developer Ellington Properties has begun the handover of its Harrington House project in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC). Harrington House features 92 residential units comprising studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
According to Ellington, the development has been designed with resort-like amenities to enhance residents’ wellbeing and quality of life, with a swimming pool, outdoor greenspace, a fitness studio with precision equipment and views of the pool and courtyard, as well as spa-inspired changing rooms with steam showers. The project was topped out in December 2021.
“Residents will benefit from a two-story terraced courtyard with a stunning wooden-feature staircase, an outdoor barbeque and entertainment space, an indoor and outdoor kids’ play area with sustainable finishes and Montessori-inspired features, and a lobby and lounge area with hotel-style furnishing and a concierge,” said Ellington’s Co-Founder and CEO, Elie Naaman.
In June 2021, the developer unveiled a new wellness residential project in MBR City and, later in the month, said it had topped out Belgravia Heights I in JVC.
He added that Harrington House is “inspired by the beauty and serenity of the Arabian desert” and “embodies a holistic and balanced approach to urban living, through interwoven elements that cater to a happy and healthy lifestyle.”
Ellington Properties has commissioned artwork to be displayed throughout Harrington House, through the Ellington Art Foundation, which aims to promote Dubai-based artists. The residential project, which was launched last year, was completed ahead of schedule, it added.
The developer stated that it has a varied portfolio of projects including Belgravia and Belgravia II, Belgravia Square, Belgravia Heights I, Eaton Place, and Somerset Mews, as well as Wilton Terraces, and Wilton Park Residences.
In March 2022, the developer signed an agreement with entrepreneur Abdul Razeq Abdul Ahad to develop a residential project in Dubai Hills Estate.
The post Ellington starts handover of Harrington House residential project appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Manitou has launched its ‘Oxegyn’ low emissions platform range with four new electric platform models designed for greater maneuverability and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
The 200 ATJe rough-terrain platform with a working height of 20m comes with four-wheel steer and a basket that can now take 250kg of load – 30kg more than on the two-wheel drive version. According to the manufacturer, the TCO has been reduced with an almost 50% decrease in maintenance costs compared to the internal combustion version.
The range of rough-terrain electric telehandlers welcomes two models, the 160 ATJe and 180 ATJe. With a working height of 16m and 18m respectively, these platforms also see their capacity increased by 50kg allowing them to take a total weight of 250kg.
The 2023 Access & Handling Summit organised by Construction Machinery Middle East will examine smarter ways to work at height. Registration is complementary but mandatory for professionals from the access and handling, crane, construction, facilities management, oil and gas, power, transport, and equipment rental sectors.
There is also a second version named 160 ATJ+ e, with capacity significantly increased to 400kg. The 160, 180 and 200 ATJe models also come with a Safety Pack, protecting the operator and the site teams, as well as alerting fleet managers to any high-risk behavior, the company stated.
This includes forgotten harness detection and detection of obstacles around the machine’s chassis, while a ‘lighting’ pack consisting of several lights is positioned on the platform to help with safe loading and unloading.
“With all these new products, Manitou Group is the first manufacturer to have a range of 100% electric rough-terrain platforms from 16m to 20m. The acceleration of our electric development allows us to now offer low-emission solutions across our platform ranges, as well as on our telehandlers. We will continue to extend this energy to other ranges in accordance with the objectives of our CSR roadmap,” said Arnaud Boyer, VP of Marketing & Product Development.
In June 2022, AFI said it grew its material handling brand AFI Lifting with Manitou telehandlers and, in September 2022, Manitou acquired ATN Platforms to boost its product range.
The post Manitou launches electric platform range with four new models appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has announced its intention to continue the shift towards electric hauling solutions by investing approximately $32.7m into its production facility in Braås, Sweden between now and 2027.
The facility, which specialises in the design and manufacture of articulated haulers for the global market, produced the world’s first fossil-free construction machine, an A30G, which was delivered to Swedish construction company, NCC earlier this year.
As part of the investment the factory is expected to be adapted over the coming years to enable it to produce a larger range of articulated haulers with different types of powertrain to reflect the shift in demand towards equipment with more sustainable power sources.
In early September 2022, Volvo CE and Brio joined forces to inspire budding engineers.
The investment will also be used to extend production capacity at the 45,000m2 site in southern Sweden to broaden the product range going forwards, with the addition of new buildings and production equipment.
In addition, Volvo CE will invest in automation and ergonomics to both reduce the need for employees to engage in repetitive tasks and create a safer work environment.
“The transport and construction industry is undergoing a transformation with, among other things, an increasing number of electrified vehicles,” says Jonas Lakhall, Site Manager at Volvo CE in Braås.
Later in September 2022, Volvo CE said it had upgraded its L25 electric wheel loader.
“This investment will enable us to adapt and extend our production facility, so that we can offer a broader range of machines, with different powertrains, to our customers and help them meet their emission reduction ambitions. It is important for us to continue to be at the forefront and make clear decisions to meet our Science Based Target commitment to achieve Net Zero value chain emissions by 2040. By adapting our production for electric machines, we are progressing along our electrification roadmap.”
In late October 2022, the company said it would produce battery modules in Ghent by 2025.
The post Volvo CE to accelerate shift towards electric hauling with factory expansion appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
The groundbreaking ceremony for a new 500MW Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Wind Farm near Ras Ghareb, Egypt was held by Red Sea Wind Energy in-conjunction with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy.
Red Sea Wind Energy is a consortium comprising ENGIE (35%), Orascom Construction PLC (25%), Toyota Tsusho Corporation (20%), Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation (20%).
By leveraging the wind resources in the Gulf of Suez area, with 360 days of wind per year, the project will significantly support Egypt’s decarbonisation efforts, a statement from ENGIE explained.
In August 2022, South Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power won a $2.2bn contract from Russia’s Rosatom to build a nuclear energy plant in Egypt.
Overall, the Gulf of Suez 2 wind farm will contribute to Egypt’s renewable power generation goals of having 42% electricity produced from renewable sources by 2030, and will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 1,000,000 tons annually.
Located on the shores of the Gulf of Suez, 40km North-West of Ras Ghareb, the Gulf of Suez Project 2 will be the largest onshore wind power plant in ENGIE’s portfolio. The project meets strict environmental standards and supports Egypt’s transition to renewable energy, the company confirmed.
Once fully operational, the plant will be the largest privately developed utility-scale wind power plant in Egypt, capable of delivering clean power to more than 800,000 Egyptian homes, it stated.
Late in October 2022, Orascom Construction said it had added $670mn to its backlog in Q3 2022.
The 500MW wind farm project is said to build on the past success achieved by the consortium in developing Gulf of Suez 1 – Ras Ghareb Wind Farm (262.5MW). The project was Egypt’s first renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP) project, and tripled the developer consortium’s wind energy capacity in Egypt to 762.5MW. That project was said to have been completed ahead of schedule in October 2019).
The new 500MW project is said to have been negotiated on a bilateral basis with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) as the off taker, using the same consortium as in Gulf of Suez 1.
In November 2022, JLL issued a whitepaper that outlined ways to decarbonise Egypt’s built environment.
The post Red Sea Wind Energy breaks ground on new 500MW wind farm in Egypt appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Road transport accounts for more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions according to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) declarations and action plans called for a new normal by 2030 of making zero emissions vehicles “accessible, affordable and sustainable” globally.
GCC countries, in particular Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar have invested heavily in their transport networks in the past decade, but there can be no denying that for internal travel, all countries are still heavily reliant on fossil fuel-based car ownership and use, as well as road-based freight. Among other reasons, this is due to the rapid growth of cities and communities that have been designed around the car.
To help the region achieve its Net Zero targets, the SNC-Lavalin Group, including Atkins and Faithful+Gould, have published the ‘Engineering Net Zero in the GCC’ report that highlights challenges, opportunities, and recommendations to decarbonize the built environment, energy, and transport sectors.
Public transport
Dubai’s metro opened in 2009, Doha’s in 2019 and Riyadh’s will begin operating shortly. In addition, buses have seen improvements in scale and quality in recent years and may become more important for short distance journeys, supported by walking, cycling and micromobility.
In terms of rail, Saudi Arabia has the most extensive rail network in the GCC, offering freight and passenger services across three lines. The longest at 2,800km is the Northern Train Network, running from Riyadh to Jordan. Within the UAE, the Etihad Rail element of the GCC network will stretch across 1,200km and run to the borders of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Once construction has been completed, the GCC Rail Network will connect major cities across all six GCC countries and taking a large number of heavy goods vehicles off the roads.
More public transport is needed to meet decarbonisation plans within the various Net Zero national strategies. Significant investment is required to extend current lines, routes and interconnections that allow for longer journeys and residential communities need to be better served if car use and ownership is to be reduced.
First and last mile connectivity must also be improved to make it easier to access the public transport network. Plans for national passenger and freight rail need to be extended, whether conventional, high-speed or new technologies such as Hyperloop or Maglev; as long as they are electrified, and that power comes from clean energy sources.
Electric and hydrogen vehicles
Many GCC communities have developed or expanded around road infrastructure. Getting people to shift en-masse to public transport would be a significant task that is unlikely to be appropriate within the region, at least in the short term. If people will not abandon their cars, then the region needs a policy of electrification, be that Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) or hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs).
Electric Vehicles (EVs) use is increasing. In May 2021, 3,100 EVs and 9,300 hybrid cars were registered in Dubai alone and the UAE wants 42,000 EVs on its roads by 2030. Dubai’s commitment to electric cars has gained momentum through the recent opening of a EV manufacturing facility in Dubai Industrial City with manufacturing capacity of 10,000 cars annually and the government agencies having converted 20% of automobile fleet to EVs. 3% of car sales in Saudi Arabia were for hybrid and EVs in 2020, and the government has stated that by 2030, 30% of cars in Riyadh will be electric.
However, adoption of EVs alone will not decarbonise the region’s transport infrastructure. They take the same space as petrol and diesel cars and must be able to cope with the region’s high summer temperatures when car users are reliant on battery-draining air conditioning to cool their vehicles. To meaningfully decarbonise transport, charging points must be expanded and powered by renewable energy sources. This again, proves the critical link between energy and transportation.
Aviation
Around the Gulf, airports are being built, expanded or upgraded to attract more passengers or freight business. Dubai remains the busiest international airport in the world, having successfully built a world-leading aviation hub and air fleet in the past decade.
In 2019, it had more than 85m passengers through the airport and handled around 2.5m tonnes of freight. These major aviation hubs add pressure to government Net Zero strategies, as aviation levels return to pre-pandemic levels. For instance, Dubai’s 2021 passenger numbers were 29m, although freight was in line with previous years, at 2.3m tonnes. For 2022, Dubai estimates it will have 55m people travel through its airport.
Due to the complexity of the aviation sector, it will likely decarbonise later than other transport modes. Regulatory and policy frameworks at global and regional levels need to be established to drive the development of sustainable aviation fuels (including hydrogen), and this will require collaboration across the whole sector.
Key to minimising the carbon footprint for airports is to focus firstly on greater energy efficiency within buildings, followed by usage of low carbon/Net Zero energy. Through smart building technologies, airport operators can manage demand and optimise technical infrastructure to drive savings in energy usage. Decarbonising airport vehicle fleets, as well as making staff commuting and passenger access trips more sustainable, are other areas to be tackled.
In conclusion, changing long-held behavior towards land-based mobility will be challenging, and require a combination of awareness and policies. An appropriate future approach that can be taken is that of Avoid, Shift and Improve, which offers a useful way forward for key public agencies and private sector stakeholders to integrate planning and action across the value chain.
The first two options focus on behavioral change – getting people to think differently about how they travel or access transport services. A broader perspective is required that ensures the long-term planning of a functional, integrated transport strategy, including balancing supply-based approaches with the management of demand, as well as user attitudes and behavior.
Read more:
- SNC-Lavalin launches ‘Engineering Net Zero in the GCC’ report to help region achieve its net zero carbon targets
- The race to Net Zero in the GCC
- Surpassing Net Zero on the table for Sharjah Sustainable City
- “This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us, all year: we have to stop filling our atmosphere with GHGs”
The post Driving transportation to Net Zero in the GCC appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News
Middle East Consultant (MEC) has announced that it has extended the deadline for nominations for the 2022 Middle East Consultant Awards (MEC Awards) to 18 November 2022. While the nominations deadline has been extended, the awards gala will take place – as previously planned – on 7 December 2022 in Dubai at The Ritz-Carlton JBR, the editorial team confirmed.
The eight annual edition of the consultant focused awards event will again honor the region’s top firms, individuals and projects. 25 awards are up for grabs across diverse categories including: Architectural Company of the Year; Cost Consulting Company of the Year; Company of the Year; Dispute Resolution Champion of the Year; Gender & Ethical Employment Champion of the Year, and many others. See all the categories here.
Discussing the reasoning behind the date extension with Middle East Construction News (MECN), Paul Godfrey, Editor of Middle East Consultant stated, “There is no doubt that the MEC Awards gather momentum every year, and a key feature here is not only the sheer volume of entries, but the steadily increasing quality. In order to submit the best possible nominations, many leading companies asked for a little more time, and – in fairness to the sector – we decided to extend the deadline to 18 November. Please note, though, that there cannot be any further extensions beyond this point.”
As before, there is no cost to submit nominations for the 2022 Middle East Consultant Awards, however nominations must be made through the awards’ dedicated website. Companies whose nominations make the judges’ shortlist will be contacted by MEC’s commercial team to discuss attendance to the gala dinner.
Re-emphasising what companies should do to stand out during the judging process, Godfrey remarks, “Companies must follow the nomination instructions closely and beyond this, there are three factors that entrants should focus on to produce an effective nomination. First, they must focus on work that has been under way for at least six months, and they should try to include as many client testimonials as possible. Ideally, these should each be signed and stamped. Lastly, it’s vital to attach as much descriptive information as possible – conceptual drawings, a narrative clearly outlining the purpose and context of the project; and photographs of work to date.”
As far as what companies should avoid doing so their nomination is not immediately disqualified by the event’s panel of judges, Godfrey responds, “There are several key protocols; firstly, please don’t include an old project completed prior to one calendar year ago; don’t submit an incomplete project outline with only a few lines of explanation, and most importantly of all, truthfully describe the extent of the work you are responsible for – if you exaggerate, you can and will be found out.”
Read about who made the shortlist at the 2021 Middle East Consultant Awards here, whilst the victorious few can be read about here.
The post Nomination deadline for 2022 Middle East Consultant Awards extended to 18 November 2022 appeared first on Middle East Construction News.
Source: ME Construction News