With 2019 winding down and 2020 right around the corner, a massive thank you to all our colleagues, friends and clients around the globe, from everyone at Northcroft Middle East . We wish you all the success, prosperity and happiness for the New Year.
Year: 2019
Sharq Crossing re-launch affirms Qatar’s long-term growth
Qatar’s 2020 budget proposal to re-launch the multi-billion dollar Sharq Crossing project reflects the country’s confidence in its long-term growth. Qatar’s construction companies and private sector businesses believe this major project will continue to feed and address the concerns of local construction companies.
The estimated $12bn Sharq Crossing undertaking will involve three extensions interconnected by subsea tunnels. As per the original design, the intersection will incorporate three scaffolds spreading over between 600 meters and 1,310 meters, connecting Doha’s Hamad International Airport with the city’s social locale of Katara Cultural Village in the north and the focal business territory of West Bay.
“The implementation of massive infrastructure development projects in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA games has created and given birth to several big Qatari construction companies. These companies now have world-class expertise and capabilities to execute big projects. The Sharq Crossing project and similar other big ticket projects will continue to create job opportunities for such local companies” Mohamed bin Ahmed Mohamed Ali Al Obaidli, member of the Board of Director at Qatar Chamber, told The Peninsula.
Mohamed bin Ahmed Mohamed Ali Al Obaidli (pictured) added: “In addition to Sharq Crossing, which was put on hold to keep enough jobs for local companies, there are many other projects the government is expected to launch in the coming years as several big construction projects such as Doha Metro, highways and expressways, and stadiums are almost completed or at the verge completion. The idea is to keep the companies busy and fill the gaps as and when there is a lack of job in the market.”
Al Obaidli, who is also a prominent Qatari businessman, noted that government has many more development plans and projects, especially in regard to developing tourist attractions and beatification of the country, which will be very supportive to construction industry, stimulate growth, and keep the private sector engaged.
In addition, the government is also working to support and promote a vibrant private sector in Qatar through various engagements and programmes, including the public-private partnership initiative.
The Ministry of Finance, in the national budget 2020 on Monday, announced to re-launch the Sharq Crossing project, which will be completed over the next four years and expected to create thousands of new jobs directly and indirectly. The governed has allocated QR90bn for major projects to be spent during the year 2020.
Once completed, Sharq Crossing— the architectural iconic project— will redefine Doha’s skyline and enhance its beauty significantly. The project is expected to be capable of handling 6,000 vehicles an hour and offer big relief to commuters on the Corniche road, which is also being expanded and redeveloped.
The plan for the project, dubbed as one of the most ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken in the Middle East, was unveiled in December 2013.
As per the initial plan, the construction was supposed to commence in 2015 and scheduled to be completed by 2021. But now it is expected to be completed by 2023-24.
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has not disclosed the exact cost of the project; but MEED, the Middle East’s leading business intelligence firm, had previously estimated it would cost approximately $12bn, according to reports.
Source: The Peninsula
Photo source: The Peninsula
Qatar National Day 2019
For almost 44 years, Northcroft Middle East has proudly supported Qatar’s National Vision and participated with Qatar’s development and strategic growth. We are equally proud on the occasion of Qatar National Day, 18th December, and in remembrance of the historic day in 1878 when Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani, founder of the state of Qatar, established the pillars of the Modern State of Qatar, to extend our deepest gratitude and congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Emir and to all the noble and honourable citizens of Qatar on this memorable occasion.
Congratulations, peace and prosperity on Qatar National Day 2019 !
Lean Construction Institute Qatar (LCI-Q) to promote ‘lean culture’ in Qatar’s construction industry
The Lean Construction Institute Qatar (LCI-Q) was formally launched in Doha recently to promote ‘lean culture’ within the country’s construction industry.
The institute, which was registered with the Qatar Financial Centre, is the first of its kind in the MENA and Asian region. It now seeks to advance the adoption of lean construction methodology, which is embraced by a growing number of construction firms globally, for ensuring that a project is quickly done, lower costs are incurred during the building process, eliminating waste, and increasing value and efficiency in the construction sector.
“Construction projects are happening all over Qatar, whether it’s in infrastructure, building, rails, or services needed for the World Cup. Our target is to apply the lean construction in reducing waste and improving the efficiency of the construction industry. While doing that, this will also reduce the cost incurred in the construction sector,” said Dr Abdulla Yaqoub Al Sayed, President of LCI-Q, who is also the Chief Development & Project Delivery Officer for Asia & Africa at construction giant Qatari Diar, while talking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the institute’s launch event at W Doha.
With construction projects market currently valued at around $75bn, Qatar remains to be one of the leading countries with the highest construction costs in the world. The country has also been ranked 11th most expensive place to build construction projects in the world by Arcadis’ International Construction Costs report. Waste in Qatar’s construction sector could reach up to 54 percent, compared to only 11 percent in the manufacturing sector, said Dr Luai Sabek, Operations Director at LCI-Q and Head of Infrastructure and Landscaping at Qatari Diar.
He added: “Lean principles are a means to an end, and the end is the value we seek. This value is generated by many initiatives like sustainability, green building, smart solutions, artificial intelligence, and others. There are 13 contracts running at the moment from Ashghal with this requirement (lean model), so the institute will serve the current demand in the market. Also, because we’re the first lean construction institute in the region, we also hope to be a hub to serve the surrounding countries.”
Dr Alex Amato, Head of Sustainability at Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), added: “This is a very bold enterprise, and I think it is absolutely needed in Qatar. We face challenges as far as sustainability is concerned in this region. Lean construction and sustainability are inseparable.”
During the event, LCI-Q also signed partnership agreements with QGBC and the Qatar University’s (QU) College of Engineering. The institute has also previously signed a partnership agreement with the 100 year old Engineers Australia. Sponsors during the event which included Al Darwish Engineering, Protiviti, Al Jaber Engineering, and Redco Construction Al Mana also delivered presentations on their lean construction practices.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
Qatar’s climate-friendly plan for World Cup 2022 highlighted at COP25
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has presented an event, ‘Technology to meet climate change challenges and creating value from CO2’, on the sidelines of the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid, Spain.
At the event, speakers showcased innovative low-carbon technologies used in various industries, from sports and food to aviation and construction, discussing how the further deployment of these technologies could contribute to a climate-friendly future.
Mohamed Omar Al-Bader, from the MME’s Climate Change Department, moderated the event, highlighting Qatar’s national planning that balances environmental protection with development goals. Reminding participants that the country is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Shashi Prakash from the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) spoke about sustainable cooling technology at the Qatar 2022 stadiums.
He stressed that Qatar is committed to hosting a sustainable, secure event, and described the distances between the stadium sites as well as the transportation infrastructure in place to host the event. He spoke about the stadium re-purposing plans after the event and also drew attention to the SC’s sustainability plan, including a gender support network to promote the football skills of girls, a worker welfare programme and an innovation and entrepreneurship platform for economic and human development, among others.
Prakash highlighted that 2022 will see a carbon-neutral World Cup to be achieved in part through raising awareness in companies, schools and at the local level, and through rolling out a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. Stating that the design of the stadiums will reduce energy demand, he noted that cooling technologies will be targeted to individual seats and at the pitch, and not the entire space.
Mohamed Ibrahim al-Marzooqi from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) spoke about mitigating climate change in the aviation industry in Qatar, noting that the industry supports over 65mn jobs worldwide. He said Qatar’s aviation industry is set to grow, noting that it is the second-most competitive economy in the region.
He underlined the need for the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority to continue with its mitigation efforts, adding, however, that the global aviation industry and, in turn, carbon emissions, are expected to grow.
Al-Marzooqi also discussed climate-friendly technologies to decrease emissions, including the use of newer aircraft, and pointed to even more fuel-efficient aircraft designs in the pipeline. He outlined the roadmap for zero-carbon growth in aviation, including through retrofitting aircraft and improving airports, and informed participants that the QCAA has an action plan for reducing CO2 emissions.
In a discussion, the participants considered the “sun quality” during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022; the type of renewable energy used in the FIFA World Cup stadiums; the potential to use solar cookers to further lower carbon emissions; and the suitability of various solar cookers for different cooking needs.
Kolja Kuse, CleanCarbon Technology, spoke on environment-friendly solutions to carbon fibres. He noted that these fibres can be made using algal oil mixed with granite, and described a new material called CarbonFiberStone (CFS), a combination of carbon and granite, which could replace steel, aluminium and concrete.
He highlighted that this material is already being used to make, among other things, cooking hobs, pillars and beams, which have proven to be lighter and more durable than those made of concrete. Further, he noted that CFS could also be used in solar panels to replace aluminium, which is less durable.
He said the “answer to climate change” could be in using these disruptive technologies in the construction industry, noting that CFS can be deconstructed through carbon capture and storage.
Caitlyn Hughes (executive director) and Alan Bigelow of Solar Cookers International (SCI) presented on solar cookers, stressing that they do not manufacture these cookers, but provide support services to solar cooker manufacturers.
Bigelow described how solar cooking converts light to heat using a box oven, which harnesses energy from the sun, noting that the most common cookers use parabolic reflectors. He reported large-scale use of the cookers in India, using solar-to-steam cooking systems to make food for up to 50,000 people per day.
Hughes highlighted the benefits of solar cooking, including no GHG emissions, a reduction in respiratory illnesses that are caused by smoke inhalation, and a reduction in deforestation for household use. Hughes described the SCI’s work, noting that it manages the world’s largest online database on solar cooking and that solar cookers have reduced carbon emissions by 27mn tonnes. She also called on parties to include solar cookers in their nationally determined contributions.
Source: Gulf Times
KAHRAMAA completes Doha Metro Al Bidaa substation
Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation “KAHRAMAA” has completed the commissioning of Al Bidaa Metro substation, with the accomplished work, all five electricity substations of KAHRAMAA pertaining to Doha Metro project of Qatar Rail have come to an end with multi- story car parking, the total cost of the project is 300 Million Qatari Riyals.
KAHRAMAA President H.E. Eng. Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari said, “we are proud to complete all electricity substations KAHRAMAA implemented for Qatar Rail to provide Doha Metro Project will all electricity needs.”
Al Kuwari added that KAHRAMAA gives top priority to Doha Metro substations in project awarding where we manage to accomplish as per the approved timetable and as per highest standards, as the substations for Doha Metro are equipped with special technology to ensure uninterrupted power supply in emergency situations.
Al Bidaa 33/123 KV Electricity substation is a part of phase 12 of Qatar electricity transmission network expansion project. The substation is fed from Al Suwaidi super by 132 KV cable with the length of 5.4 km. The substation has 132/32 KV transformers, 132/33 KV GIS and other allied equipment. The substation capacity is 100 MVA.
KAHRAMAA in coordination with Qatar Rail seeks to provide the highest standards of reliability in its electricity networks at par with the global standards and regulations required for metro stations.
The substation building has sixth- story car parking which will be completed soon and will have the space for 625 cars. It is being equipped with the latest safety and security systems followed in Qatar, while the main entrance of building and floors entrances have been provided with electric display screens, displaying the number of vacant parking lots available at each floor.
KAHRAMAA considered the urban nature of the area, lack of car parking and the large number of daily visitors to the commercial and services authorities located in the vicinity. KAHRAMAA benefited from the location to construct the multi-story car parking. It also contributed in solving the car parking issue in such areas with high traffic movement.
This substation is one of kahramaa achievements as a key partner in the development of the projects witnessed by the State, which reflects KAHRAMAAs commitment in implementing the infrastructure projects in line with the pursued time schedule.
KAHRAMAA seeks to follow the highest standards of safety and security in all its operations and activities. It has achieved more than two million working hours lost time injuries or incidents in project of Al Bidaa Substation and associated car parking. It is also keen to apply the highest standards of living circumstances for workers, appreciating their role as partners in this successful project which will affect positively and increase the productivity.
KAHRAMAA has commissioned five electricity substations for Qatar Rail to provide Metro Station will all requirements of electricity with total cost of Qatari Riyal 900 Million. “Ras Abu Funtas metro substation” was commissioned in July 2017 and the second one “Lusail Metro electricity substation” in March 2018. Al-Waab metro substation was commissioned in June 2018, Doha West metro substation became operational in September 2018. The last substation “Al Bidaa Metro” got commissioned in November 2019.
Source: iLoveQatar
Photo credit: iLoveQatar
Al Thumama Stadium takes shape
Al Thumama Stadium, one of the stadiums to hold FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches, is fast taking shape. It will be hosting matches through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), posted some latest aerial views of the stadium under construction on their Twitter handle.
As per SC website the stadium’s concrete frame is now finished. Work on upper-tier stands is approaching an end and roof column installation is complete, making it easier to visualise what a magnificent venue this will be.
The 40,000-seat Al Thumama Stadium, inspired by the ‘gahfiya’ headpiece worn by men in Qatar and across the MENA region, is the first venue designed solely by a Qatari architect, Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah.
After Qatar 2022, Al Thumama Stadium’s seating capacity will be reduced to 20,000. The 20,000 seats to be removed from the stadium will be donated to countries in need of sporting infrastructure. In addition, a branch of the world-renowned Aspetar Sports Clinic will open on site. A boutique hotel will replace the stadium’s upper stands.
“Al Thumama Stadium is a nod to the past, while offering an exciting glimpse into Qatar’s tomorrow. In Arab culture, the gahfiya forms an important part of every young boy’s path to adulthood.
“Every family from the region recognises the gahfiya, as they will all recognise this magnificent stadium once it has brought the world together in 2022.
“It is an arena that symbolises Qatar’s youth, the country’s emergence as a major player on the global sporting scene and the shared Arab heritage that inspired its creation,” the SC website added.
The venue’s distinctive design, based on the traditional gahfiya cap, won the prestigious MIPIM / The Architectural Review Future Project Award in May 2018.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
Photo credit: The Peninsula Qatar
Qatar’s construction sector has an optimistic outlook, shows Pinsent Masons survey
Qatar’s construction sector has a bullish outlook for the next 12 months on account of many projects in the pipeline and also that Doha has now joined Singapore mediation convention, which encourages direct enforcement of cross-border settlement agreement between parties resulting from mediation, said a survey by a global law firm.
International law firm, Pinsent Masons, and Constructing Excellence Qatar have revealed the results of their 2019 Qatar Construction Improvement Survey – which is the first-of-its-kind ever produced for the country’s construction industry.
Eliciting the responses of 127 construction industry professionals, the survey found the majority of them expected an over 10% increase in workload in the next year, reaffirming Qatar’s 2030 vision and the projects that are expected to come to market in the next 12 months.
Additionally, transport was seen as a sector with the strongest opportunities, which correlates with Qatar’s ambition to expand not only its existing metro area coverage but also the Hamad International Airport (HIA), giving it the capacity to be the 13th largest airport in the world.
HIA recently unveiled its second massive expansion, which will see annual passenger capacity soar to 60mn. The expansion will also see the construction of a new cargo terminal that will increase capacity handled to an estimated 3.2mn tonnes per year and comes as part of Qatar’s well calibrated strategy to transform HIA into ‘destination in its own right, than just a gateway’.
“The results of the survey have been incredibly insightful and have provided us with a much deeper understanding in terms of what is working well in the sector and what still requires improvement,” said Pamela McDonald, senior associate, Pinsent Masons.
The survey also revealed that the vast majority of respondents agree that Qatar is a good place to do business in 2020. A large number of participants also expressed that they were considering PPP (public private partnership) opportunities being brought to market in Qatar under Ashghal.
As part of the presentation, specialists in Qatar’s construction sector offered some insights on key themes within the survey, especially the recent introduction of a unified form of demand guarantee letter announced by the ICC Qatar, which aims at attracting more foreign investment into Qatar.
McDonald also discussed changes in the dispute resolution landscape in Qatar including Qatar’s adoption of Singapore Mediation Convention on August 7, 2019, which provides robust enforceability confidence for users of mediation as an alternative to litigation and arbitration in Qatar.
The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation was signed by 46 nations in Singapore, which is intended to facilitate the enforcement of settlement agreements that have been entered into with the assistance of mediation.
The convention is likely to encourage parties involved in cross-border projects and deals to consider mediation as a time and cost efficient process as part of their dispute resolution mechanism.
Source: Gulf Times
Masterplan for 7.1mn sqm megaproject in Saudi Arabia revealed
Diriyah Gate Development Authority unveils masterplan for megaproject coming up on western side of the Saudi capital.
Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has unveiled the masterplan for its 7.1 million sqm megaproject coming up on the western side of the capital, Riyadh.
Speaking during an industry event, Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority, said that the key highlights of the project include the setting up of the world’s largest Islamic museum, the restoration of the historic Wadi Hanifa, which will include the planting more than one million indigenous Diriyah date trees, and the transformation of Wadi Safar into a residential and hospitality district.
In a statement, DGDA said that Inzerillo’s speech and presentation at the event focused on the link between entertainment and culture and the steps the authority is taking, in collaboration with the direct leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to open the doors of Diriyah to the rest of the world.
He also added that the Diriyah masterplan gives emphasis on the kingdom’s three goals – to preserve, develop and celebrate the much-loved home of Saudi culture.
Considered one of the kingdom’s most important historical sites and the capital of the first Saudi state, Diriyah is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of At Turaif, a mud-brick city that stands as the birthplace of the first Saudi state.
“With hospitality, leisure and entertainment assets in our development plans, we’re hoping to attract millions of tourists who will fall in love with Diriyah, as there is only one Diriyah,” Inzerillo added.
DGDA will start work on the mega development next month, following the approval of three detailed plans for the development of Diriyah by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It will oversee the restoration of Diriyah and develop a number of major new historical and tourism assets including museums, academic institutions and edutainment facilities, as well as resorts, restaurants, wellness facilities and high-end retail outlets, he concluded.
Source: ME Construction News
Kuwait will launch region’s first hybrid outlet mall
Tamdeen Group says project will benefit from the country’s stable economy with a GDP of $142 billion.
Kuwait-based Tamdeen Group has announced that one of its subsidiaries, Tamdeen Pearl has launched the region’s first hybrid outlet, leisure and lifestyle destination. The hybrid outlet concept comes as a response to shoppers’ demands for an all-inclusive experience, Tamdeen said.
The Al Khiran Hybrid Outlet Mall, as it is called, will combine dynamic experiences through a mix of premium outlet shopping, unique dining options, cutting-edge entertainment, large format events, exhibitions and recreational leisure experiences, according to Tamdeen.
Spread across 350,000 sqm. in the heart of Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City, the mall will have 70,000 sqm of GLA with several key features that will set the project apart and position it as the mall format of the future, it added.
It is further complimented with recreational components like Kuwait’s largest marina with 900 berths, 1.25 km of beautifully-landscaped park and boardwalk, the Water Gardens and an active amphitheatre holding year-long programme of events, Tamdeen stated.
Mohammad Jassim Al Marzouq, chairman, Tamdeen Group said: “Tamdeen Group is proud to be launching the first hybrid outlet concept in the region, which aims to satisfy a changing customer and growing demand for great value and heightened experiences.”
“Kuwait’s 2035 Vision and, as part of it, the rigorous development in its South have furthered our role in the private sector of strengthening the position of Kuwait as a regional destination for shopping, entertainment and leisure,” he added.
Moreover, the mall will serve a catchment area that services most of Kuwait, the Eastern Saudi provinces and a robust Saudi tourist market, said Al Marzouq. He added that the total population base in the catchment area is estimated to be 4 million, which is complimented by an additional inflow of 2.5 million Saudi tourists arriving by near road.
“Today, the group is managing and developing over 464515.2 sqm. of space across regional, community, lifestyle, neighbourhood and mixed-use centres. With its diverse range of projects and ongoing investments, it is continuously re-emphasizing its commitment to contribute to Kuwait’s economic development,” Al Marzouq concluded.
Source: ME Construction News
Photo copyright: ME Construction News
