Northcroft |

Stunning indoor tropical garden, water feature design revealed for HIA’s expansion

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Justin Murray

Hamad International Airport (HIA) has revealed on Tuesday plans for its second expansion phase to further enhance the airport’s capacity to more than 60 million passengers annually. The new expansions were announced at a press conference held by airport officials in front of real estate investors participating in Cityscape Qatar, reported Qatar News Agency (QNA).

According to the Doha International Hamad Airport website, the second phase of HIA’s expansion consists of Phase A and B. Phase A of the current expansion will comprise of the central concourse linking concourses D and E. Construction is to commence by early 2020 and will increase the airport’s capacity to more than 53 million passengers annually by 2022. Phase B, which will be completed after 2022, will extend concourses D and E to further enhance the airport’s capacity to more than 60 million passengers annually.

H.E. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “The expansion of Hamad International Airport is a vital part of the future success of the Qatar Airways Group, and of course of the countrys preparations to host the 2022 World Cup and beyond. It is also a strong sign that Qatar’s economy is robust and acts as a further economic stimulus, providing excellent opportunities for local and international contractors“, he added.

“Plans for the phase two expansion focuses on capacity and passenger experience – we want to provide even better airport journeys to more people around the world. The expansion will allow us to do this.”

Expansion include:

10,000 sqm indoor tropical garden
HIA’s expansion project will feature a spectacular 10,000 sqm indoor tropical garden in a central concourse as well as a 268 sqm water feature which will be the focal point of the expansion project.
World-class Al Mourjan lounge
HIA will also deliver 9,000 sqm of world-class Al Mourjan lounge located above the retail space with dramatic views looking towards the tropical garden. The lounge will include additional spas, gymnasiums, restaurants and business centres as well as other passenger facilities.
A new transfer area
Other significant features include a new transfer area which will help shorten passengers’ connection times and will improve their overall transfer experience at HIA as well as the central concourse that will accommodate nine additional wide-body aircraft stands.

Source: iLoveQatar

Photo © by Hamad International Airport

Sustainability facts about the National Museum of Qatar

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Justin Murray

Northcroft were privileged to have been involved with the National Museum of Qatar project.

Since its opening in March 2019, NMoQ has made headlines in national and international media. The project has been endorsed by Time Magazine among 2019’s 100 places to visit, and yet we know so little about its sustainability credentials. Did you know that 50% of the NMoQ’s building materials have been derived from recycled sources? Or that 98% of the waste generated during the museum’s construction had been diverted from landfills? The project has also received a 4-Star rating as per Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) – MENA’s first performance-based green certification system developed by Qatar-based Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD). And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as NMoQ boasts many more green features right from planning and design through to construction management and building operations.

Here are some key sustainability credentials achieved by the National Museum of Qatar:

Energy efficiency
NMoQ has benefitted from a smart low-carbon energy hierarchy to ensure energy efficiency in every step of its development. Starting from its passive design, the building’s façade is sufficiently insulated with high-performance glazing while the interiors are supplemented by thermal mass to minimize energy use for cooling purposes. The upper interlocking discs provide passive shade to protect a significant part of the façade from direct sunlight, which substantially reduces indoor cooling needs.

Low-carbon mobility
Providing multiple options for urban connectivity, the museum features bicycle tracks and pedestrian walkways. Encouraging mass transport as a low-carbon alternative to private vehicles, NMoQ’s precinct provides easy access to metro stations and bus stops. Furthermore, priority spaces are allocated to eco-friendly vehicles such as electric and hybrid cars. Owing to its significance in mitigating climate change, urban connectivity is one of the eight key categories of GSAS framework that investigates macro- and micro-level aspects for a multidimensional focus on sustainability.

Drip irrigation system
As opposed to conventional methods of watering, plants grown throughout the museum are supplied with drip irrigation system. By providing water directly to the roots, this sustainable watering method reduces the amount of water evaporated through the soil surface while also ruling out the possibility of water waste. Water supplied through drip irrigation system is retreated and reclaimed from other uses.

Urban heat island effect
Urban heat island effect is a term used to describe temperature differential of urban and rural areas. In contrast to the natural landscapes, cities are warmer due to modification of land surfaces and secondary heat produced from the built environment. One way to mitigate the heat island effect is introducing green roofs or light-colored facades that mimic the natural surfaces of the geographical context. This explains why NMoQ interlocking discs have been given a light color, which reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat. By default, this also means less energy consumption for indoor cooling.

Construction management
The construction of NMoQ has followed environmentally responsible practices. 98% of the waste, comprising approximately 58,350 tons, generated during the construction was diverted from landfills through recycling and reusing. Before the construction started, a site waste management plan was in place to segregate waste before sending them to material recovery facility. Another such program implemented during the project development stage was sedimentation and erosion control plan, which helped reduce pollution, soil erosion, waterway sedimentation, and airborne dust. To this end, some approaches included use of gravel to cover temporary pathways and prevent soil erosion and maintain dust control. Vehicles used on site were regularly washed before they left sites to enter the cities.

HIA will reveal next expansion phase plans at Cityscape Qatar

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Justin Murray

Hamad International Airport (HIA) will reveal its exciting plans for the second phase of the airport expansion to an international audience of real estate developers and investors at Cityscape Qatar, which takes place from 22 to 24 October at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, reports QNA.

At HIA’s exhibition booth at Cityscape Qatar, attendees will experience the awe-inspiring look and feel of the expanded airport building which will set a new standard in the traveller experience globally. The incredible new plans will propel HIA to become a destination in its own right once complete.

3D mockup designs of the much-anticipated expansion will be on display and the unique features of the plans will be available to visitors over the course of the exhibition. Once complete, the airports capacity will increase to accommodate more than 53 million passengers annually by 2022, an increase of almost 30% from its current passenger footfall.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, said:

“The expansion of HIA is a vital part of the continued success of the Qatar Airways Group, especially in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup as we prepare to welcome millions of football fans to Qatar.“

The airport will also see the construction of an Airport City, which will provide significant future investment opportunities, including a free trade zone, an office and business complex, landscape area and hotels among others. HIA will also see the construction of a new cargo terminal which will increase the capacity handled to 3 million tonnes per year and will help accommodate the expected surge in freight traffic. Expansion construction is set to commence in the first quarter of 2020, all contracts are to be awarded by the end of this year.

Cityscape Qatar showcases the most elite real estate developments in Qatar to an international audience of investors and other industry professionals. Aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, the exhibition aims to foster partnerships and create opportunities that drive development and investment in the country.

HIA was named “Best Airport in the Middle East” for the fifth consecutive year, Best Staff Service in the Middle East for the fourth year in a row and ranked as the “Fourth Best Airport” in the world at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019.

HIA is currently a candidate for the “Best Airport in the World” award by Skytrax 2020.

Source: iloveqatar.net

Slower growth expected for MENA region construction industry in 2019, says GlobalData

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Justin Murray

Construction in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is forecast to grow at 3.3% in 2019, with the pace of growth then accelerating throughout the forecast period to reach 4.9% by 2022-2023, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Global Construction Outlook to 2023 –Q3 2019 Update’, reveals that Saudi Arabia remains the largest regional construction market in the Middle East, despite a contraction in construction in the Kingdom in recent years. Construction output is forecast to recover in 2019, growing by 2.6%, before posting average growth of 3.8% in 2020-2023.

Yasmine Ghozzi, Economist at GlobalData, comments: “The construction market started on a positive note in Saudi Arabia in 2019, growing by 1.3% year-on-year in Q1 in real value-add terms, attributed to rising oil prices and a surge in the non-crude sector. The significance of construction in Saudi Arabia is accentuated by key transport and mobility schemes such as Riyadh Metro; social infrastructure developments such as the Ministry of Housing’s Sakani program; and energy megaprojects such as the state-owned Aramco’s Berri and Marjan oil fields.”

The construction boom in Qatar, which began almost a decade ago, has been showing signs of faltering over the past year, ending up in a sharp slowdown in the rest of the economy as large projects such as the metro and stadiums are largely completed. Construction output decreased by 1.2% year-on-year in Q1 2019, a sharp deceleration after years of rapid expansion.

Source: AMEinfo

Works in progress to increase green areas by over 10 million sqm by 2022

Posted on September 30, 2019 by Justin Murray

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) is progressing with implementing the first phase projects of the ‘Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads & Public Places in Qatar’ which targets to increase green areas in Qatar by 240 per cent by 2022 through cultivation of green grasses and plants over 10 million square metres area across the country.

The progress in this regard included some streets in the north of Doha such as Legtaifiya, Buhaira, Onaiza, Al Markhiya streets and parts of Al Waab Street. The beautification of streets such as Al Khafji, Al Jamiaa, Arab League, and others across the whole country is underway.

Details about the projects were given by Ashghal officials and members of the Committee at the opening ceremony of Al Abraj Park in West Bay Area, a project of the Supervisory Committee, yesterday.

The phase one project of beautification comprises the design and execution of a number of projects that include constructing pedestrian and cycle paths, construction and maintenance of green areas and planting trees, development of vital areas, adding artworks throughout the country.

Such works are done under the umbrella of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and in coordination with several ministries and governmental entities in the country including the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Sports and Culture, Qatar Museums, Qatar Railways Company, the Private Engineering Office and others.

President of Ashghal, Dr Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi, said: “The Supervisory Committee works in line with the initiative of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to plant trees. The Committee will coordinate with Ashghal Highway Project Department, Roads Projects Department and the Public Parks Department to plant 10 million square metres of green areas by 2022 through various projects.”

He said that collaboration with local and national tree nurseries such as the Qatar Foundation is also carried out to enable tree planting. “To date, 76km of pedestrian and cycle paths have been completed, and other works such as landscape, trees planting, street furniture, lighting, kiosks are still ongoing. Phase one is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2020,” said Al Mohannadi.

Eng. Mohammed Arqoub Al Khalidi, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee, said: “One of the most important objectives of the Committee is to rehabilitate many areas to be environmentally, pedestrians and cyclists friendly according to Qatar National Vision 2030, thus contributing to the creation of a vibrant and healthy culture that supports the use of bicycles and walking to workplaces, and to shopping and entertainment areas as well as contributing to the increase of a healthier lifestyle and exercise.”

The Committee has also signed a contract for the development of Central Doha, and the development of cycle and pedestrian paths along the Corniche road and Al Khor road. Also, a tender for the design and build of the landscape on Al Majd Road has been issued.

The Supervisory Committee in coordination with MME has also signed a contract for the design of some public parks in several areas in the country.

These parks are Rawdat Al Khail, Al Gharrafa, Um Al Saneem, Rawdat Al Hamama as well as the maintenance of some parks such as Ras Bu Abboud, Al Shamal and Al Wakra Park. The committee also signed a contract with five Contractors to implement some projects with a budget of QR700m. The scope of works includes the construction of pedestrian and cycle paths, landscape, trees, street furniture and lighting, to beautify main and local roads in various parts of the country.

Ashghal, through its Expressways and Local Roads projects as well as through the projects of the Supervisory Committee, will be implementing 2,650km of pedestrian and cycle paths by 2022.

Source: The Peninsula Qatar

Northcroft Middle East : “Back to Basics” Contract Administration Principles

Posted on September 24, 2019 by Justin Murray

Northcroft Middle East’s commitment to enhancing our client’s contract administration expertise and capabilities, is the first in a series of collaborative workshops focusing upon the specific issues and problems encountered whilst administering contracts during the lifecycle of a project.

Our unique training course brings together contemporary contract management theory and existing good practice in a logical and structured way. Our focused approach is clearly designed to provide engineers, of all grades, with the knowledge, understanding and practical skills necessary for managing construction contracts effectively.

It is essential for construction managers, site and project managers to understand the principles and practices of contract administration for construction projects. Northcroft Middle East’s “Back to Basic’s” workshops emphasise the role of the contract administrator in prevention of problems rather than fixing them. The ultimate objective is to assist our clients augment their skills to apply proven administrative principles and techniques to their construction projects.

We were honoured and privileged to be joined in our workshop yesterday by our friends and colleagues, the engineers of Bojamhoor Trading and Contracting. Bojamhoor was founded in 1978 to play a pioneering role in the development of the State of Qatar and has since grown to become one of the most successful and leading construction companies in the country. It is through their multi-disciplinary expertise and proven project delivery methods that Bojamhoor consistently achieves its promises on time and on budget, irrespective of the nature, size and complexity of their construction projects. We thank Engineer Isam Salem (Executive Manager) Bojamhoor for facilitating his team’s attendance, it was very much appreciated, and we wish you continued success.

Ashghal completes 72% construction of Umm Lekhba Interchange

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Justin Murray

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has completed 72 percent of the development works on Umm Lekhba Interchange, known as ‘Landmark Intersection’ within the work of Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor project.

The new free-flow interchange with a length of 11km, the largest in Qatar, will consist of nine bridges with the capacity to accommodate 20,000 vehicles in an hour. Parts of the interchange will be opened by the end of this year.

Once completed in 2021, Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor will significantly contribute to the relief of traffic congestion on Doha Expressway, in particular on 22 February Street. The new Corridor will be a vital alternative and parallel route that will serve thousands of daily commuters from the north to the south of Doha.

Details about the project were given by Ashghal officials during a media tour of the construction site of Umm Lekhba Interchange.

“The construction of the huge and vital interchange is underway, parts of the new interchange are scheduled to open by the end of 2019, followed by other openings until the end of 2020,” said project engineer, Ali Ibrahim.

Ibrahim said that the interchange accommodates over 20,000 vehicles per hour and five bridges consist of two lanes in one direction, while the other four bridges include one lane in one direction.

Above all, the interchange is located in a densely populated area and a vibrant commercial activity where there are many government entities, educational and health facilities as well as complexes and commercial markets.

Once completed in the fourth quarter of 2020, the new interchange will significantly improve traffic to shorten the travel time by more than 70 percent.

The bridges provide nine arteries that provide free traffic flow in nine directions, in addition to the free traffic on Al Shamal Road as well as the underpass of the old interchange linking Al Markhiya Street and Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor.

Commuters travelling from Hamad International Airport will be able to reach Umm Lekhba Interchange in approximately 18 minutes compared to the current 50 minutes via Doha Expressway and 22 February Street reducing traffic time by 70 minutes.

This significant improvement in traffic will occur due to increased road capacity to more than 20,000 vehicles per hour in both directions after the expansion of the corridor, which will be upgraded to four and five lanes in each direction instead of three lanes, Doha Expressway currently accommodates 12,000 vehicles per hour in both directions.

The project will convert all roundabouts to more efficient and safer signalised junctions as well as build and upgrade 17 interchanges.

These interchanges will deliver 32 bridges and 12 vehicular underpasses to enhance connectivity and provide smooth traffic movements in addition to 12 pedestrian bridges.

A total 12 pedestrian and cycle paths with a length of 65km along with 1.5 million square metre of landscaping will also be delivered as part of the project’s scope of works.

Source and Photo Copyright: The Peninsula Qatar

Hamad Port has set a new Guinness World Record as the deepest artificial basin ever made on Earth

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Justin Murray

The Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti received the Guinness World Records certificate from the organization’s representatives at a special event held at MOTC premises today.

Hamad Port’s basin is 4km long, 700 meters wide and 17 meters deep. Basin construction took about two and a half years of excavation, during which over 6900 tons of explosives were used to challenge the drafts – with full commitment to preserving wildlife and marine life – to extract more than 44.5 million cubic meters of dredged material, which was later used in other construction works at the project, resulting in huge savings.

“Hamad Port winning of such a universal certificate signals the importance and size of the project. Such an achievement is a new addition to a collection of world records the country set at Guinness World Records. It also emphasizes Qatar’s capability of developing innovative projects in line with highest global standards,” the Minister said.

“Hamad Port’s continuing achievements place us before a double responsibility toward our society so as to continue our performance according to world standards and our ambitious goals,” he added.

He also noted that since construction operations began at Hamad Port the latest technologies have been in use to ensure highly-efficient work progress in line with best global quality standards. The concerted efforts from both staff and partners have always been the key to the port’s milestones, he said.

This new Guinness World Records certificate is an addition to a collection of universal certificates and rankings the port has made recently as it was awarded high commendation in the Coastal Dredging Project of the year category at the inaugural IHS DPC Innovation Awards. The commendation was awarded to Hamad Port for the deployment of unique systems in the construction and excavation of the port basin, which was built on land in a rare operation of its kind in international ports in addition to its advanced infrastructure that supports the ecofriendly port technologies worldwide.

Hamad Port was also listed by the Lloyd’s List Global Awards 2018 among the top 8 international ports in the field of innovation and among the top 5 ports in terms of operations. The port was commended for deploying constructive initiatives and ideas, plus its efficient operational processes and overall unique performance.

In terms of operational processes, Hamad Port managed to set new records in August 2019, celebrating two key milestones; the handling of over 3 million TEUs and 7 million tons of general and bulk cargo since the commencement of operation of the facility.

Source and photo copyright: The Peninsula Qatar

The shifting sands of construction in the Middle East

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Justin Murray

“Northcroft Middle East’s proactive Dispute Avoidance Services are designed to ensure that the avoidance of construction and engineering disputes is the overriding objective of all parties. We continue to raise awareness, through the provision of our services, that communication, access to the relevant paperwork and records, coupled with the willingness of all parties to cooperate is absolutely vital to the successful delivery of any project and therefore maximises the opportunity to complete the project without the need for costly and potentially damaging disputes” Peter J. Locks (CEO)

Average value of disputes in the Middle East revealed two interesting finding that show a change taking place in the construction market in the region.

A recent report by Arcadis (Global Construction Disputes Report, 2019) examined the state of construction in the Middle East.

Two important findings it highlighted was that in 2018 the average value of disputes in the region dropped to $57 million from $91 million in 2017. It further found that the average length of time needed to resolve a dispute increased to 20 months, compared to 13.5 months in 2017. This is despite the fact that the total volume of construction disputes was about the same in 2018 and 2017.

These two findings are interesting to study further because they demonstrate the current shift taking place in the construction market in the region.

Drop in the average value of disputes
The most likely reason for the drop in value of construction disputes could relate to the increased use by construction parties of FIDIC form contracts in the region.

The FIDIC process supports the early resolution of claims through a dispute adjudication board and one particular feature of this is that it is a prerequisite to a party commencing arbitration.

The resulting effect is that some disagreements do not progress to full-blown disputes, reducing the overall value of disputes that do. The increased use of the FIDIC process is a welcome development illustrating the maturity of construction parties to resolve disputes promptly and efficiently, removing the need to commence either litigation or arbitration.

Factors affecting the time to resolve disputes
There are a number of factors affecting why disputes in the region are now taking longer to resolve.

The availability and increased workload of tribunals (of which there is a limited pool of experts in the construction field) is one factor. Other factors include the complexity of disputes and parties’ conduct during the proceedings. For instance, if there are increased applications for interim measures, this will draw out the process.

A number of parties are also known for deploying dilatory tactics to complicate and delay the resolution of disputes. While there are effective ways of dealing with such dilatory tactics, they require the involvement of sophisticated dispute resolution lawyers.

A party’s preference for a binding decision to resolve a dispute means it is more likely to refer claims to a formal dispute process such as arbitration proceedings, which will result in a binding award that is directly enforceable in the Middle East and in many jurisdictions around the globe. However, this may sometimes take 2 years (or more) to obtain.

We are expecting five malls to open in Doha before 2019 ends

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Justin Murray

With most of these malls still being under construction, 2019 will see the expected opening of five new malls in Qatar, and a number of other commercial enterprises. These include Katara Mall in Al Qassar, Doha Mall in Abu Hamour, Doha Souq in Al Mirqab, La Galleria in Msheireb and Northgate Mall (North Doha), reported the Qatar Peninsula.

In addition to these already opened malls, outdoor places in Doha like Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village, The Pearl Qatar, Porto Arabia and Medina Centrale, which are made up of a high number of food and beverage outlets are providing an additional 200,000 square metres of retail accommodation that is leasable.

DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield also mentioned in their review that ever since new retail commercial space, residential units and hotels have been added to the market combined with certain other factors, there has been a downward pressure in property rents and the revenues of the average room in the hotels in and around Doha. However, with time, these are now getting more and more stabilised.

It is expected that, with time, and as Doha’s main infrastructure projects near completion along with the Government’s programmes to accelerate the private sector, the economy will diversify and will not just be dependent on oil and gas, and the private sector will see a lot more growth and potential.

Source: IloveQatar