The next phase of The Red Sea Project’s Multimodal Operational Readiness Plan has been unveiled by WSP Middle East. The move comes as momentum shifts to embedding new mobility solutions within the Saudi tourism destination.

With a view to inspiring uptake from the worlds and the region’s top mobility operators, this phase involves expressions of interest from operators to supply and operate transportation modes across three modal packages throughout the project – in addition to one package for a Mobility Operations Manager – as it prepares to open to guests in early 2023, the statement from WSP said.

The consultancy said the latest step in the project’s sustainable mobility journey follows the creation of a blueprint for decarbonised future mobility to help enable sustainable, seamless journeys for guests, employees and logistics to the flagship tourism destination.

WSP pointed out that its advisory and mobility experts are currently engaged in helping The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) identify land, sea and air transport requirements for the development and its operations, underpinned by the latest advances in green mobility.

Andreas Flourou, Executive Director, Operations – Mobility at TRSDC

“The Red Sea is the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project. The destination is on track to be powered solely by 100% renewable solar energy, saving upwards of 500,000 tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere every year. As such, we’ve set out to be equally ambitious in our mobility operations and are seeking the very best industry partners to help us in realising this vision. Our portfolio of projects on the Red Sea coast is expanding, least of all with the equally ground-breaking AMAALA, and as such, the partnership opportunity could be extensive for first movers,” said Andreas Flourou, Executive Director, Operations – Mobility at TRSDC.

Kathleen McGrail, Managing Director – Advisory Services at WSP Middle East added, “As a regionally renowned trusted advisor with global scale, WSP Middle East is proud to be playing a pivotal role in empowering The Red Sea Project’s vision for smart and sustainable transportation. By successfully binding the worlds of technical and advisory together, our distinctive capabilities in the mobility arena are enabling us to assist TRSDC with the operationalisation of its mobility strategy, as well as help champion the step change required to bring world-class, Future Ready solutions to the fore in the Kingdom.”

“In line with TRSDC’s aspirations to be Net Zero, our goal is to set the benchmark for safe, smart, sustainable journeys which elevate The Red Sea Project as the world’s foremost regenerative tourism destination,” she said. Middle East Consultant recently spoke to McGrail about WSP’s advisory business, market trends and challenges.

The creation of a bespoke, first-of-a-kind mobility operating model for The Red Sea Project – which considers unique development and operational strategies for megaprojects in Saudi Arabia – will balance efficiency of operations and commercial viability, while attracting globally-renowned operators to ultimately provide a world-class service throughout The Red Sea Project, the statement said.

Kathleen McGrail, Managing Director – Advisory Services at WSP Middle East

Noor Hajir, Head of Transport Planning & Mobility at WSP Middle East remarked, “WSP is proud to be a trusted advisor assisting TRSDC to develop a resilient mobility implementation model that can be scaled to accommodate the phased approach of The Red Sea Project and used as a benchmark for future projects across the Kingdom.”

“As the first Private Investment Fund (PIF) project expected to open its doors to tourists, a project of this calibre requires regional and international mobility operators to come onboard and showcase their niche, innovative approaches towards facilitating clean mobility solutions and high calibre service that elevates the guest experience,” remarked Hajir.

Since The Red Sea and AMAALA are sustainable tourism projects, there is a high demand for electric vehicles at both destinations. Once complete, The Red Sea and AMAALA fleets will boast approximately 800 electric vehicles for guest transportation, a further 450 electric buses for staff, and more than 300 electric vehicles for logistics.

Going green in mobility will not only support The Red Sea and AMAALA with their carbon neutrality goals but will further support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the statement outlined.

Noor Hajir, Head of Transport Planning & Mobility at WSP Middle East

“With The Red Sea Development Company rapidly expanding its portfolio of projects along the Red Sea coast, coupled with the delivery of several other giga-projects in the Kingdom, there is a real first mover advantage for those willing to navigate the complexities of entering a new market and the associated challenges,” concluded Flourou.

In April, TRSDC and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority inked a deal focused on innovation in smart technology, and, in May, Marriott and TRSDC signed a deal to debut the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand in the region.

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Source: ME Construction News

Daikin Middle East and Africa has unveiled a solar plant at its headquarters in Dubai, in line with its push to achieve Net Zero by 2050. The project was delivered through a solar lease with UAE-based sustainable energy provider Yellow Door Energy.

The plant has a capacity of 515 kilowatt-peak (kWp) and is expected to generate 826,000kw-hours of clean electricity in the first year of operation. Close to 1,000 solar panels have been installed on the roof of Daikin’s facility, meeting more than 80% of the energy consumption needs, the firm said.

“Congratulations to Daikin on this milestone towards Net Zero emissions. Yellow Door Energy is honored to support your Environmental Vision 2050 and we look forward to operating and maintaining the solar plant for many years to come. As a UAE-based solar developer, it is our humble privilege to contribute towards the UAE’s Clean Energy Strategy and Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative,” said Rory McCarthy, Chief Commercial Officer of Yellow Door Energy.

With the company’s aim to reduce environmental impact across all business activities and contribute to alleviating climate change, the headquarter in Dubai’s JAFZA features the latest product solutions promoted across the region, including a chiller, smart VRV, AHU, FCU, and BMS systems, the firm pointed out.

The entire HVAC system is highly efficient, ecologically friendly, energy-saving, and comes with comprehensive energy control capabilities. Daikin’s partnership with Yellow Door Energy is the next step towards achieving the company regional sustainability goals, the release said.

Masaaki Miyatake, Chairman and President of Daikin Middle East and Africa remarked, “As a global leader in sustainable HVAC-R solutions, we at Daikin embed sustainability in all our business practices. We believe that it is our responsibility to promote efficient systems to save energy and provide high IAQ levels through our several products offerings and solutions. The solar plant at our Dubai facility will help support us in our sustainability journey by reducing carbon emissions by over 300 tonnes annually, which is in line with Dubai’s Carbon Abatement Strategy 2030. Furthermore, with the solar lease from Yellow Door Energy, we aim to reduce our electricity costs and advance towards our target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.”

As the solar lease provider, Yellow Door Energy is responsible for financing, designing, building, commissioning, operating, and maintaining the solar plant during the lease term. By working with solar developers, businesses can reduce their energy costs without any upfront investment or operational risk, while maintaining focus on their core business and enjoying the benefits of clean energy, the statement said. In May 2021, Yellow Door Energy was awarded a solar contract for The Box Self Storage facility.

The HQ facility in JAFZA was launched in H2 of 2019 as part of plans to boost business in the MEA region, and in an interview with MECN in January 2020, the firm said energy efficient technologies will lead the GCC HVAC-R industry.

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Source: ME Construction News

Chinese manufacturer XCMG has introduced a super-scale tower to meet increasing demand for large-scale modular bridge construction development. The XGT15000-600S, which was developed jointly by XCMG (SHE:000425) and China Major Bridge Engineering Co., Ltd. (MBEC) is the world’s largest tower crane, the manufacturer has claimed.

The super tower crane will be used for mega-scale bridge construction projects including heavy lifting components, high working heights and wide construction ranges. Examples of this work can be seen in the construction of Changtai Yangtze River Bridge (the world’s largest diamond-type cable-stayed bridge) and the Chao-Ma railway bridge of the Ma’anshan Yangtze River Bridge (for both railway and highway).

“Through a decade of continuous exploration and development, XCMG has successfully created the XGT15000-600S super-tower crane with over 60 core technology breakthroughs. We have achieved 10 world firsts and set 10 world records. The weight of the tower crane is 4,000 tonnes, and that’s the equivalent of 100 regular tower cranes,” said Wang Min, Chairman, and CEO of XCMG.

The XGT15000-600S was crafted based on the S-series tower crane and adopts the combined design of a flat head main tower, boom auxiliary tower and manned elevator. It can lift to a height of 93.5m independently and over 400m with an attachment.

In March 2019, the firm said the Middle East, Africa and SE Asian markets were targeted for new crane launches, while in June 2020, the firm partnered with Cummins to build an electric excavator prototype. Earlier this month, Manitowoc launched a new version of its Potain MCT 565 for short-jib applications.

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Source: ME Construction News

Komatsu has said it will deploy FrontRunner, its Autonomous Haulage System (AHS), on a total of 62 ultra-class haul trucks by 2024. The autonomous technology will be added to the 930E model and will be showcased at Los Bronces, a Chilean open-pit copper mine which is operated by Anglo American, a global mining company.

“FrontRunner AHS is designed to help mines increase production while promoting zero harm,” said Anthony Cook, Vice President for Autonomous Systems at Komatsu. “We’re pleased that Anglo American, a long-time partner, has chosen FrontRunner to help achieve their goals and we look forward to continuing to collaborate on future optimisation opportunities.”

FrontRunner has already been used on over 525 trucks since its first commercial deployment in 2008 at CODELCO’s Gabriela Mistral (Gaby) copper mine in Chile. Komatsu’s approach for FrontRunner AHS brings together ultra-class dump trucks with Modular Mining’s industry-leading DISPATCH® Fleet Management System.

“We are excited to participate in this initiative to implement autonomous technology and look forward to the opportunity to leverage FrontRunner AHS to help us optimise our mine operations at Los Bronces. We are convinced that technology is an enabler to improve the way we work and move toward a safer and more sustainable operation, where people are the protagonists of innovation and are at the center of everything we do,” added Cristobal Mimica, Mine Modernisation Manager Los Bronces, Anglo American.

In September 2021, the machinery giant outlined its steps for carbon neutrality by 2050. In January 2021, the firm rolled out its Intelligent Machine Control 2.0 to boost productivity on select dozer models.

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Source: ME Construction News

In architecture, adaptive reuse or repurposing takes an existing structure and transforms it, so it is suitable for an entirely different use than what it was originally designed for. Around the world this approach has seen old or even historic structures such as clocktowers, factories and even windmills being transformed into homes, offices, community centres etc.

Repurposing structures makes absolute sense in a world striving to lessen its impact on the planet and its natural resources, and the approach is starting to be deployed in the GCC, particularly in historical areas in key cities.

Perhaps the biggest example of this can be seen in Dubai, with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Municipality and Dubai Culture working together to transform parts of the city centered around Dubai Creek into the Dubai Historical District (opening picture).

Around the world as well, there are stunning examples of repurposed structures, the following of which are some of the best that Middle East Construction News has come across recently:

Repurposing structures is something that is bound to captivate more of the built environment’s attention in the coming months and years. In fact, Ahmed Khadier, Founder, Director at Pragma is scheduled to discuss the topic in detail at Middle East Consultant’s Future of Architecture Summit. The event will take place at the Oberoi Hotel in Business Bay, Dubai on 7 June and attendance is complimentary for construction professionals.

Is repurposing structures the future of sustainable development? Share your opinion, as well as examples of your favorite repurposed structures with MECN in the comments below.

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Source: ME Construction News

The American Institute of Architects has announced that it’s A’22 Conference will feature former US President Barack Obama as a speaker. The 44th President of the United States will be the headline speaker on Day 3 of the conference, which is scheduled to take place in Chicago from 22 to 25 June.

Although a topic has yet to be announced, the AIA website notes the moderated discussion will be the final session on 24 June (Friday). Obama follows in the footsteps of his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, who spoke at the A’17 conference on the topic of equity and diversity efforts in the world of design.

During his time in office, President Obama took a number of steps to stave off climate change and protect the future of the planet, including launching the Better Buildings Initiative, and ordering federal agencies to cut carbon emissions by 40% in the next 10 years.

The architecture conference is expected to feature a number of keynote addresses, seminars, networking sessions, material exhibits and more.

The AIA was formed in 1857 and, today, counts over 95,000 people as members. Its annual conference is said to draw the largest gathering of architects in the world.

Middle East Consultant will be hosting its own architecture and sustainability focused event in Dubai on 7 June 2022, at the Oberoi hotel in Business Bay, Dubai. The event is free to attend for construction professionals and requires quick registration here.

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Source: ME Construction News

Masdar has signed implementation agreements with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to develop clean and renewable energy projects in the country, with a combined confirmed capacity of 4,000 megawatts (MW) as an exclusive concession.

In a statement, Masdar said that the agreements also give it the right to develop an additional 6,000MW as a second phase, bringing the total production capacity of these projects to 10,000MW – the largest such signing in Azerbaijan’s history.

Masdar has signed two implementation agreements, one relating to the development of onshore wind projects with a capacity of 1,000MW, and 1,000MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The second agreement covers integrated offshore wind and green hydrogen projects with a capacity of 2,000MW. The implementation agreements were signed by HE Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy, with Fawaz Al Muharrami, Acting Executive Director of Masdar Clean Energy, signing on behalf of Masdar, at an event in Shusha, held as a special session of Baku Energy Week.

HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, said, “The 4,000MW of renewable energy projects reinforce the close relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan and are a testament to our shared commitment to progressive climate action.”

“These clean energy projects also demonstrate the valuable economic opportunities of the energy transition and will contribute to the energy diversification and energy security of Azerbaijan. The announcement also underscores the UAE and Masdar’s position as a global leader in renewable energy, as we progress our strategy toward a portfolio of at least 100 GW globally.”

HE Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy, added: “These 4,000MW solar, wind and green hydrogen projects, being the largest renewable energy production capacity in the region and in our energy history, provide ample opportunities for the development of Azerbaijan as a green growth country, green energy producer and exporter, as well as allow for involving multibillion-dollar green investment.”

The agreement for onshore wind and solar projects includes measures to study and strengthen the network and implement processes for the export of electricity. The second agreement includes measures to create wind power for production and export purposes, decarbonisation, hydrogen production and export.

At the same event, Masdar also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) for the joint development of renewable energy sources.

In March this year, Masdar’s CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi attended the ground-breaking ceremony for Masdar’s 230 MW Garadagh Solar PV Plant in Azerbaijan. The plant, expected to start commercial operation in 2023, will help to generate half a billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to meet the needs of more than 110,000 homes, and will reduce emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes a year, while also creating valuable jobs.

In January 2020, Masdar inked a deal to develop a 200MW solar project in Azerbaijan, and in January 2022, it formed a JVC with W Solar Investment for clean energy projects in the country. In November 2021, Masdar also signed an agreement to develop a 200MW solar PV project in Armenia.

Masdar is said to be one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in the world with the expectation of reaching well over 50GW total capacity by 2030 – and over 100GW in the following years. In December 2021, the UAE government announced Abu Dhabi energy champions TAQA, ADNOC, and Mubadala are to join forces as shareholders in Masdar, creating a truly global clean energy powerhouse that will be a major force in renewables and green hydrogen.

Last year alone, Masdar increased capacity on its worldwide clean energy portfolio by 40% and already in 2022, the company has signed agreements to explore and develop renewable energy and green hydrogen projects with a combined capacity of more than 10GW.

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Source: ME Construction News

Land Sterling has taken a stake in GeoDrones Aerial Services, said to be one of the UAE’s prime movers in the field of drone operations.

In a statement, Land Sterling said the stake in GeoDrones would help it to consolidate services in the specialised areas of property valuation, building & facilities consultancy, project management, strategic and industrial consultancy, asset management and international property sales. In August 2021, Land Sterling announced the acquisition of Aspect Project Management, which contributed to making it one of the largest multi-disciplinary project and building consultancies in the region.

According to Hamza Betraoui, MRICS, Managing Director of Land Sterling, providing detailed external building inspections services is crucial in ensuring client satisfaction. He stated, “Incorporating fully-licensed drone operations in our building surveying services is a natural progression in Land Sterling’s growth across the region. We are a tech-led organisation with highly developed technical expertise at our fingertips.”

“This allows us to empower our clients through expert knowledge-led analysis and a deep awareness of the global investment sector, applying practical solutions across the entire value chain and catering to exponential growth in investment trends. Partnering with GeoDrones gives us an edge in the real estate industry, enabling us to provide commercial and professional aerial services utilising cutting edge drones for relevant applications.”

GeoDrones Aerial Services is a Dubai-based commercial drone services provider. It was commissioned in 2020 to provide superior quality drone services to customers across the United Arab Emirates using high-end industrial drones, aerial imaging software and sophisticated analytics, the statement noted.

Mohamed Shawky, CEO of GeoDrones, remarked, “We are constantly keeping up with the advancements in drone technology, and to be able to provide Land Sterling with state-of-the-art drone services, delivered with high accuracy, economic cost and built-in safety standards in a time effective manner.”

He continued, “GeoDrones is cementing its position in the industry by applying drone technology’s potential and unmatched benefits over more traditional techniques of land surveying, mapping, monitoring and external building inspections. It is the ideal match, and we anticipate our partnership will blossom into a long-standing professional relationship that benefits our customers.”

Betraoui added that he was delighted to be able to incorporate such an extra dimension to the company’s building surveying services. Talking to Big Project Middle East in May 2021, FEDS CEO Rabih Bou Rached noted that drones can do much more than just surveying sites.

“GeoDrones are the market leaders in their industry, and this joint venture will leverage both the company’s assets and strengths to give customers increased accuracy and more detailed reporting on the data collected, adding tremendous value to all our services. Land Sterling is very much in tune with the need to adopt new technology to improve reliability. We are confident in GeoDrones’ capacity to incorporate innovations like this into our business environment,” he concluded.

Drones have proven to be an invaluable tool with a diverse mix of uses; in January 2022, more than 35,000 mangrove seeds were planted in the Mirfa Lagoon in Abu Dhabi using drone technology.

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Source: ME Construction News

Saudi mining company MA’ADEN has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Glasspoint, a leader in industrial solar steam, to facilitate a study to develop the world’s largest solar process heat plant at its alumina refinery in Ras Al Khair. Glasspoint said that once complete, the 1,500MW solar steam plant at MA’ADEN’s alumina refinery will help the Saudi mining company achieve sustainability goals by reducing carbon emissions by more than 60,000 tons annually. This represents a more than 50% reduction of carbon footprint in the refinery, and 4% of MA’ADEN’s overall carbon footprint.

The MOU was signed at MA’ADEN HQ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by Riyadh Al Nassar, senior vice president of MA’ADEN’s aluminum business and Rod MacGregor, CEO and founder of GlassPoint, witnessed by Robert Wilt, CEO of MA’ADEN and Jacob Drejer, CCO of GlassPoint, the firm said in a statement.

Robert Wilt, CEO of MA’ADEN stated: “As the third pillar of the Saudi economy, we aspire to be a role model in ESG in the Kingdom. This significant development will dramatically reduce our carbon footprint and bring us closer to our mandate of carbon neutrality by 2050. As the world moves towards green aluminum, MA’ADEN intends to help lead the way in this transition.”

Under the terms of the arrangement, MA’ADEN and GlassPoint will work together to develop a more sustainable way to produce aluminium, which is a crucial metal for many global industries and the energy transition. This MOU also represents GlassPoint’s re-emergence as a leader in solar process heat, the statement added.

Riyadh Al Nassar, SVP Aluminium SBU of MA’ADEN added, “The proposed new facility, a solar thermal plant known as MA’ADEN Solar 1, will be located in Ras al Khair, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and will harness the power of the sun to produce steam. The steam will be used to refine bauxite ore into alumina. Alumina is a critical feedstock to aluminium, which is one of the world’s most crucial metals for many global industries going into a future that is focused on environment and sustainability.”

“MA’ADEN is leading the way to reduce industrial carbon emissions at scale by replacing fossil fuels with solar power to create heat. This facility when built will be the largest industrial solar steam plant in the world and the first deployed in both Saudi Arabia and in the aluminum supply chain,” said Rod MacGregor, CEO and founder of GlassPoint.

“With this MOU, GlassPoint is entering a new phase of growth to help decarbonise a range of industries seeking to lower their carbon footprint,” he commented.

As a global energy producer, Saudi Arabia is committed to advancing the fight against climate change. The Kingdom has unveiled the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) to help the country become an international leader in sustainability. Last year, the SGI unveiled a first wave of more than 60 initiatives, amounting to a $186bn investment to accelerate the green economy across Saudi Arabia and beyond.

In recent years, countries across the GCC have sought to diversify their energy mix with clean energy sources. Late in 2018, GlassPoint signed a MoU with Occidental of Oman for a 2GW solar project, while in April 2021, a L&T business unit won an EPC contract for a 1.5GW solar PV plant in the Riyadh Province. Earlier this year, in May 2022, EWEC invited EOIs for a 1,500MW solar PV project in Abu Dhabi.

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Source: ME Construction News

Jubail Island Investment Company (JIIC) has awarded a $11mn contract to Al Dhafra Pipeline & Contracting Company (APCC) for a new 66-berth Marina in Marfa Al Jubail, with completion set for mid-2023. As ground engineering contractors in Abu Dhabi, APCC will be responsible for the construction of the quay wall and associated infrastructure along the marina’s edges and platforms.

According to a statement from JIIC, the marina is being built as part of the Marina District within Marfa Al Jubail, with the waterfront district’s concept and schematic design in progress with AE7, the design consultant. Once completed, the project will provide residents and visitors with a luxury waterfront destination built along a shoreline and overlooking the Abu Dhabi skyline. It is expected to be handed over in mid-2024.

On the new contract, Engineer Abdulla Saeed Al Shamsi, Operations Corporate Director for JIIC said, “We are thrilled to have officially signed the contract with APCC for Marfa Al Jubail. Set to be completed in mid-2023, the Marina will offer residents a holistic lifestyle within Jubail Island. Marfa Al Jubail will be part of the array of social attractions and amenities within the island, that is unlike anything else in the capital.”

He added, “The contract signing reinforces JIIC’s commitment to developing a landmark destination and a premier marine community that is synonymous with luxury living.”

The $2.72bn Jubail Island project is owned by JIIC and developed and managed by LEAD. It will consist of six residential village estates located between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. The district within Marfa Al Jubail, set to launch in October, will consist of 41 townhouses and 18 apartments, located in one building block and surrounded by mangroves and wildlife. The townhouses will feature two typologies including G+1 and G+2, with both the townhouses and apartments available with up to three bedrooms, offering up to 290sqm of space.

Marfa Al Jubail will also have a luxury Yacht Club complex and a boardwalk containing restaurants, alfresco cafés, and eateries.

Early in May 2022, JIIC announced the completion of the 140m main bridge to Jubail Island, while in April, JIIC awarded the contract for the first phase of villas to the Arabian Construction Company. In May, CBRE was appointed as the retail leasing advisor for the Jubail Island development.

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Source: ME Construction News