Larsen & Toubro has won the contract construct a 605-bedroom hospital and medical college in Rajarhat, Kolkata, India. According to the firm, the facility will be built across an area of 1.2m sqft.

In addition to the college, which will have an annual intake capacity of 150 students, the firm will also build a hostel for students, interns, nurses and residents, the company confirmed.

The contractor’s health business unit is said to have secured the deal from the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata, on a design and build basis.

The project will be executed in two phases over a period of 60 months. The scope of work involves civil structure, finishes, MEP, paramedical and external development works including landscaping, it added.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

AESG has announced that it has appointed Daniel King to lead its cost management division. The move is in response to significant growth of the firm’s cost management service.

In his role, King will spearhead the delivery of best-in-class cost management services for large, complex construction projects in a manner that optimises cost efficiency and minimises commercial risk for clients, the firm notes.

King, who has over two decades of cost consultancy experience, spanning multi-million-dollar projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and the United Kingdom, will report directly to AESG’s Partner and Global Head of Cost Management, Gary Tracey.

On the appointment, Tracey noted, “Daniel has been hired due to both his reputation and enormous value add he can bring to ensure cost certainty to meet our clients’ budgets. Far from being an inevitability, budget overruns can be avoided through skilful planning and sound strategy. This requires striking a precise balance between a myriad of factors including material costs, labour expenses, project timelines, and quality standards – which is what we at AESG have consistently achieved for our clients. Our cost management service works to assure our clients that their visions can be made a reality, unimpeded by the pitfalls that plague projects that skip this crucial consideration. With Daniel’s experience we can further enhance this service for our clients.”

Before joining AESG, King served as Director of Cost Management at Currie & Brown, leading a team of over 70+ cost consultants, and working on iconic projects. Prior to this, he was the Senior Commercial Manager for the UAE at EllisDon, and led commercial and cost management for multiple large-scale projects on Saadiyat Island.

Since its establishment, AESG’s Cost Management division has built up an impressive portfolio of successful projects. As part of its efforts to extend the benefits of its services to an increasing number of clients, this division last year invested to grow its team threefold, and today has its experts based out of its physical offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa and London, the statement said.

Tracey remarked, “We are confident that our excellence in cost management will be of immense value to the complex, large scale projects being executed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Daniel brings expertise in leading large teams to deliver impressive value for precisely such undertakings. He is the right person to help our clients achieve their ambitious goals.”

King concluded, “Through our multidisciplinary service offering, clients can get access to strategic, well-rounded, and integrated solutions across disciplines. The company’s cost management division is on an impressive upward trajectory. I am excited to help drive its ongoing success and be a part of the landmark projects that the company is working on.”

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Construction works on what is said to be China’s longest single-bore, double-track railway tunnel is complete according to China Railway No.2 Group. The firm notes that the 23km-long Desheng tunnel took 10 years to build and sits at 3,000m above sea level.

The tunnel is part of the Chengdu-Huangshengguan section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway. Passenger trains on the section are expected to travel at speeds of up to 200km/h and freight trains at up to 120km/h.

Designed with the assistance of China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group, the tunnel’s maximum buried depth is 750m. It is close to an active fault zone and passes through 17 parasitic folds and one fault, with the construction team dealing with earthquakes, landslides and debris flows during construction, the firm noted.

The Chengdu-Huangshengguan section of the railway is 276km long, while the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway is 836km long, and is one of eight high-speed lines connecting the north of the country to the south.

The Desheng tunnel is due to enter service later this year, the firm noted.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Sidem has been awarded a US $320mn contract to provide engineering services and supply key technologies for the Hassyan seawater desalination plant in Dubai. The Hassyan facility will be the second largest desalination plant based on reverse osmosis (RO) technology in the world, and the largest desalination plant powered by solar energy.

Located 55km southwest of the Dubai Creek, the plant will have a capacity of 180 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) – providing a safe and reliable source of drinking water to two million people. The project was commissioned by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi-based utility provider Acwa Power, said a statement.

According to Veolia – the parent company of Sidem – the project underlines its commitment to its GreenUp strategic plan, to provide sustainable, low-carbon and energy-efficient solutions, while guaranteeing the preservation of water resources in a context of adaptation to climate change.

“All over the world, people are looking for solutions to climate change. The watchword is adaptation: at Veolia, we have solutions to act as a catalyst for ecological transformation, which is the thrust of our GreenUp strategic plan. This latest achievement confirms our leading position in water technologies. Our commitment to high operational and environmental standards has been the driving force behind our leadership in desalination for over 50 years,” said Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff.

According to her, the DEWA project is part of a broader strategy to sustainably increase water desalination capacity to help support Dubai’s increasing demand for water in domestic and commercial settings. The plant will start operating in 2026, with a gradual ramp-up to full capacity in 2027.

This project is expected to feature exceptional energy efficiency performance with a low energy consumption rate of 2.9kWh/m3.

Sidem’s extensive expertise in large-scale desalination, including the critical pre-treatment and post-treatment stages, has helped maximise the potential of RO technology in terms of energy efficiency, reducing the energy consumption of RO desalination plants by a further 35% over the past 10 years, she concluded.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Shapoorji Pallonji has secured a design-and-build contract from Roshn for a major residential project in Riyadh. The scope of work includes development of 429 single-family residential units within Phase Two of Roshn’s flagship project – Sedra – in Riyadh.

The new Sedra community is slated to be one of the hallmark mixed-use hubs in this key location in the Saudi capital, said the firm.

These residential apartments are designed to provide a modern, integrated living experience that is pedestrian-friendly, and where a rich array of amenities supports the lifestyle-centred community.

A total of 2,171 units will come up within Phase Two of the Sedra project, where there is a strong focus on sustainability: the homes are highly efficient, providing an average 18% reduction in energy costs compared to comparable unit types, as well as a 17% reduction in the cost of water.

This phase will also reinforce Roshn’s guiding principle of sustainable landscaping, bringing nature to the heart of the community with pedestrian paths and slow mobility lanes on both sides.

There are extensive green areas, connected to a network of paths giving easy access to parkland and a raft of exercise facilities.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), the official regulator and enabler of Red Sea coastal tourism, has issued the first three licences for operators of tourist marinas. The marinas are: Al-Ahlam Marina in Jeddah and Jazan, and Red Sea Marina in Jeddah.

SRSA has been mandated to issue licences and permits for all navigational and marine tourism activities, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 to develop a thriving coastal hospitality sector.

Announcing the awarding of new licences, SRSA said this move was aimed at developing operational and technical procedures for marinas, enhancing the quality of services provided to tourists and visitors, preserving the marine environment, and helping ensure sustainability. Importantly, it will also regulate the marine watercraft operating model.

The Saudi regulator said the new licences were a significant step towards the development of coastal tourism in the kingdom, reflecting SRSA’s commitment to provide a suitable and safe environment for both local and international visitors, within the broader aim of making the Red Sea a leading global tourist destination.

This was achieved through field visits by SRSA to tourist marinas in Jeddah, Jazan, Al Laith and Yanbu as a proactive step to provide essential technical, administrative, and consultative support to marina operators, while at the same time ensuring compliance with international standards. The new protocols also ensure the readiness and suitability of these facilities to receive local and international visitors and tourists.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Dubai developer Emaar Properties showed consistent performance across its various businesses for the first quarter of 2024, recording revenues of US $1.8bn, and net profit before tax of $1.2bn, which grew by 16% compared to the same period last year.

Announcing its results for the three-month period ended 31 March 2024, Emaar said this growth was supported by incremental property sales; its revenue backlog from property sales reached $21.3bn as of March 2024, growing by 9% from December 2023. The backlog represents future revenue from property sales to be recognised over the next 4-5 years.

Emaar said it achieved its highest-ever quarterly group property sales in Q1, totalling $3.7bn, reflecting a robust 47% growth compared to Q1 2023.

On the solid performance, Founder Mohamed Alabbar said, “Emaar started the year with a strong performance, which reflects our focused approach towards sustainable growth and our commitment to customer satisfaction. Our investments have been strategic and result-oriented, leading to solid returns. We are driven by a clear strategy and a pragmatic approach to business, ensuring we add more value for our stakeholders.”

“Our confidence in executing our business plans remains high, and we continue to play a crucial role in the economic landscape of Dubai and beyond,” he concluded.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

Sustainable waste management specialist Tadweer has announced that bidding has now closed for the planned development of Abu Dhabi’s first greenfield Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

The state-of-the-art facility will recover recyclable materials derived from municipal solid waste, significantly maximising the diversion of waste from landfills through recycling and preparing feedstock for the Abu Dhabi Waste to Energy facility. This will help promote a ‘circular economy’ and supports Tadweer Group’s wider ambition of diverting 80% of Abu Dhabi’s waste away from landfill by 2030, the firm said.

The long-term objectives for the facility include providing feedstock for other waste conversion processes and products, such as waste to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Tadweer Group Managing Director and CEO, Ali Al Dhaheri noted, “As we continue to revolutionise waste management in Abu Dhabi, we’re delighted to share this important milestone. A key part of our circular cluster, the development of the greenfield Material Recovery Facility is clear progress for the emirate. This aligns with our strategic vision to harness technology to extend the lifetime of recyclable materials for a sustainable future. The facility will also directly contribute to our long-term ambitions of waste conversion, as we take steps forward to achieve a circular economy, echoing the pillars of the UAE’s Net Zero agenda.”

The facility will also serve to promote local and foreign private sector investment and create employment and training opportunities for UAE nationals.

The expected capacity will be 1.3m metric tonnes per year. Additionally, the facility will cover an area of over 90,000sqm, making it one of the largest MRFs in the region, and will be located within the Al Mafraq Industrial area, 36km from the centre of Abu Dhabi.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

KEO and Johnson Controls have entered into a strategic collaboration, which aims to deliver turnkey decarbonisation services in the region. As per the terms of the deal, the two companies will offer an end-to-end decarbonisation action plan, and a suite of engineered solutions to drive cost and carbon reductions. This will enable organisations to achieve their Net zero goals, including comprehensive target setting, providing a roadmap, to produce tangible outcomes.

Founded on a shared vision and complementary expertise, this unique collaboration draws on KEO’s 60 years of expertise in engineering, consultation, and advisory services, and Johnson Controls 140 years transforming the built environment to reduce energy consumption and emissions, improve building efficiency, increase productivity and wellbeing, and ultimately contribute to a greener and more sustainable future, said KEO in a statement.

“This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower organisations to achieve their sustainability goals. By combining KEO’s sustainability and engineering excellence with Johnson Controls cutting-edge technologies, we are uniquely positioned to deliver impactful solutions that drive real environmental change,” said Greg Karpinski, COO at KEO.

The World Green Building Council has gone on record noting that buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions and represent one of the fastest – if not the fastest – paths to meeting global climate targets. With the UAE and Saudi Arabia spearheading (one of) the world’s most ambitious decarbonisation programs, organisations in the region will benefit from such collaborations to more quickly and effectively meet the region’s goals, the statement noted.

Karpinski added, “We understand that managing the bidding for a complex scope decarbonisation project can be a challenging task for organisations, involving significant costs and efforts. Through our collaboration with Johnson Controls, we aim to alleviate these challenges, offering clients a hassle-free experience from start to finish.”

Devrim Tekeli, General Manager for Service GCC at Johnson Controls remarked, “We are delighted to initiate this collaboration with KEO, which will empower our mutual customers to achieve their Net Zero commitments. Our comprehensive capabilities across technology manufacturing, HVAC, fire, security, controls, and connectivity via our OpenBlue digital platform are setting a benchmark in the region. These capabilities are already demonstrating tangible environmental and financial benefits. Together with KEO, we aim to empower businesses with the tools and expertise needed to drive sustainability leadership in this region and beyond.”

The collaboration between KEO and Johnson Controls marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainability, ushering in a new era of innovation and collaboration in the fight against climate change, said KEO.

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Source: MEConstructionNews

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