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Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar Tourism has announced new tourism attractions, hotels and resorts that will be open to visitors.
The tourism body noted, this unprecedented year of development represents a major milestone in Qatar’s emergence as a tourist destination, with the country seeking to welcome six million visitors a year by 2030.
“2022 has been an extraordinary year in Qatar with so many major new hotel and tourism openings. From shopping malls to beach clubs, museums to theme parks, there are now activities and experiences in Qatar for every type of traveller, from every nation, and to suit every budget. With more than one million fans expected to visit for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we’re proud to be able to offer a true breadth of experiences and entertainment beyond our stadiums, fan festivals and matches,” said Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel.
In early October 2022, JLL signed an agreement with a Qatar real estate brokerage to boost property investments, while, a week later, Bevan Farmer was elevated to Head of Qatar at Addleshaw Goddard.
Highlighting the entertainment options, Qatar Tourism discussed: Al Maha Island; Lusail Winter Wonderland and Lusail Boulevard; Qetaifan Island North; Corinthia Yacht Club and West Walk.
Commenting on Lusail Bolevard, Qatar Tourism said the shopping, commercial and residential area is set to become the Champs-Élysées of the Middle East, with the open-air, climate-controlled boulevard offering a vast range of experiences. Lusail Boulevard is set to open in time for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – with three-day family friendly festival, which will run from 3-5 November 2022, featuring headline concerts, shows and DJs, the tourism body stated.
A number of new beaches & beach clubs will also open according to Qatar Tourism including: the West Bay North Beach Project; West Bay Beach; B12 Beach Club Doha; DOHASANDS Beach Club; 974 Beach Club; La Mar Beach Club and Makani Beach Club.
In mid-October 2022, Knight Frank predicted that Qatar’s hospitality sector would grow by 89% by 2025.
From an arts & culture standpoint, Qatar Tourism said the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) re-opend to the public on 5 October 2022, following a year-long facilities enhancement project. The re-imagination of its permanent collection of over 1,000 objects will create a new visitor-focused layout and storyline, allowing the museum to showcase its world-renowned exhibits as never before. Aimed at families with children, the new galleries at MIA include hands-on experiences and activities, it said.
With regards to shopping, Qatar Tourism shone a light on Printemps Doha and noted that the opening marked the first opening for the Parisian department store brand outside of France.
The tourism body also highlight the opening/imminent opening of no less than 13 hotel and resort facilities including: Fuwairit Kite Beach; The St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island; Rixos Gulf Hotel Doha; The Outpost Al Barari; Rixos Qetaifan Island North Doha; Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay; Waldorf Astoria Doha Lusail; The Ned Doha; The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort; Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha; the Rosewood Doha; Katara Hills LXR Hotels and the DoubleTree by Hilton Doha Downtown.
Late in October 2022, Dar Al Arkan began sales of apartments at its $275mn Les Vagues residences by ELIE SAAB in Qatar.
Qatar Tourism said the new offerings build on a wave of several other tourism related facilities for visitors throughout 2022.
March witnessed the opening of 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, the world’s most sophisticated modern museum dedicated to sport. The following month the extravagant shopping mall Place Vendôme opened its doors, featuring over 500 stores and an entertaining dancing fountain display. The Le Royal Méridien Doha hotel was then blended seamlessly into the new French-inspired mall this summer, it said.
This year also saw other hotel openings such as the region’s largest wellness resort: Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som and the Pullman Doha West Bay that opened in August, the tourism body pointed out.
In 2021 there were lots of other exciting openings, Qatar Tourism added. The theme park Quest Doha launched with over 30 rides including the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster, and the world’s tallest indoor shot & drop tower. The luxury five-star Banyan Tree Doha opened with five dining options and a Rainforest Hydrotherapy spa. The Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villas also opened its doors with 3.5km of private beaches, and the Desert Falls Water and Adventure Park, one of the largest theme parks in the Middle East, opened with 28 slides and rides, it concluded.
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Trackunit has connected more than 1.4m assets globally, almost tripling the number of assets it has linked in the last year, the company has announced.
According to the technology provider, connected assets have risen from less than 500,000 a year ago, setting a new milestone and representing a significant spike in the adoption of its software.
The growth follows Trackunit’s move to partner with the industrial IoT division of Canada’s ZTR in November 2021, but also as new business comes on board ahead of the return of Bauma, the company says.
In June 2020, Ahern partnered with Trackunit for telematics across the group.
The company will have several products on display at the world’s largest machinery trade fair including Trackunit Kin, Trackunit Raw, 5G-ready Spot 2, Trackunit Manager and the Trackunit Iris Platform.
“Trackunit is delighted to be back exhibiting at Bauma. Trackunit solutions offer connectivity designed for the construction industry that provides wide and highly secure access that our partners and users need to increase their optimisation.” said Trackunit SVP of Products Dave Swan.
Throughout the week, the company will also showcase its Product Portal unveiled at the Eliminate Downtime Festival in June 2022.
In October 2021, Snorkel launched its global telematics solution Snorkel OnSite and, in September 2022, Trackunit launched a 5G device for equipment tracking.
“The portal represents a construction industry first as the entry point for wide-scale, structured collaboration and provides direct access to the company’s innovation engine room with a transparent view of product roadmaps,” continued Swan.
He concluded, “Eliminating downtime continues to underpin everything we do. As long as that remains our foundation, I believe we can keep bringing products to the market that solve real industry problems.”
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A corporate carbon footprint assessment of Oriental Press has been completed by Farnek. According to the facilities management firm, measuring CO2e emissions at the printing company was the first phase of the project, which involved comprehensive data mapping and categorisation for all of its existing printing operations.
According to Farnek, this included energy and fuel consumption, purchased materials such as substrates, printing plates, ink, IPA, rubber blanket, packaging materials and auxiliary materials, upstream and downstream transportation, and other supply chain categories.
Through the use of third party software, Farnek said that it was able to calculate Oriental’s CO2e emissions using consumption data and recognised scientific databases for measuring emission factors, in accordance with Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) and ISO 14064 standards.
In August 2022, Farnek said it had been awarded $11.54mn in security contracts over the last 12 months.
“The highest source of emissions for Oriental Press was from their raw materials – paper substrates which resulted in 51.9% of their CO2e emissions, whereas electricity consumption accounted for just 12.2% of total carbon emissions. Upstream and downstream transportation for their purchased goods and product delivery to their customers, accounted for 8.73% of total carbon emissions, while refrigerant leaks accounted for 4.95% of overall carbon emissions,” said Nadia Ibrahim, Associate Director – Consultancy & Sustainability at Farnek.
Using an operational control approach, Farnek calculated the carbon footprint for all of Oriental’s business activities in Dubai, for the full year Jan 2021 to Dec 2021. That resulted in a total of 18,864 tonnes of CO2e, with Scope 1 (direct emissions) accounting for 5.3% of the total, Scope 2 (indirect emissions) – 12.2% and Scope 3 (all other emissions) – 82.5%, the firm said.
Ibrahim added, “Oriental Press was committed to reducing, reusing and recycling the waste it generates and over 92% of that waste is now recycled.”
In September 2022, Farnek said it had organised 4.6t of basic food and essentials for 131 Sri Lankan families.
As part of their sustainability commitment, Oriental Press is already using FSC and PEFC certified papers among other certificates, 100% recycled greyboard, vegetable-based ink, water-based glue and alcohol-free fountain solutions. The completion of their carbon footprint assessment is the first step towards achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. Through this comprehensive assessment, the major emission hotspots have been identified where Oriental Press will now drive their decarbonisation efforts, the statement from Farnek explained.
“Reducing emissions from our existing resources is our first and utmost priority for our net zero roadmap,” said Mohamed Al Zeera, Managing Director, Oriental Press.
In order to reduce carbon emissions associated with electricity consumption, Oriental Press plans to conduct an in-depth energy audit of their production facility to identify the major energy consuming assets and implement energy conservation measures to further reduce energy consumption, followed by a transition to renewable energy sources, the statement added.
In October 2022, Farnek signed the MOCCAE’s pledge to support the UAE’s decarbonisation drive.
“Our decarbonisation plan will be a continuous process and remain an integral part of our corporate strategy. Farnek has also recommended setting short-, medium- and long-term targets, principally because some measures can be implemented quickly whereas others can take time and require significant capital investment, which will need to be planned and budgeted for,” concluded Al Zeera.
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An initiative to renovate historic Islamic sites in Madinah has been launched by Prince Faisal bin Salman, Emir of Madinah and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regional Development Authority. The projects are being implemented in more than 100 sites linked to the Prophet’s biography and Islamic history.
The Tourist Destination Development Office under the Regional Development Authority is responsible for following up on the completion of these projects within the approved timeline of 2025, a statement said.
The launch ceremony was held in the presence of Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, and Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed Fayez. Prince Faisal also inaugurated eight sites whose development has already been completed including: Al-Ghamama Mosque, Al-Soqya Mosque, Al-Raya Mosque, Abu Bakr Siddiq Mosque, Omar bin Khattab Mosque, Bani Anif Mosque, Gharas well, and Fort of Urwa bin Al-Zubayr.
In April 2021, KEC signed an agreement to be the development manager for the Madinah Gate project and, in November 2021, it was announced that Makkah and Madinah real estate was open to foreign investment.
During the ceremony the Emir witnessed the signing of contracts, agreements and memoranda of understanding between the Regional Development Authority and a number of government and private agencies to develop and revive historical sites. These included the design and implementation of the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Square site, the Saqifa of Bani Saad (west of the Prophet’s Mosque), the Khandaq site, the development of Qiblatain Mosque and the surrounding area, and the Othman bin Affan well.
At the ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Salman praised the level of performance and coordination between government agencies, to realise the objectives of projects to develop historical sites.
According to the statement, the Mayor of Madinah Eng. Fahd Al-Bolaihashi was briefed on the plan to develop the historical sites, especially the historic Badr neighborhood. The plan is said to include the development of a path that covers more than 40 historical landmarks; it stretches for 175km, starting from Madinah, passing through the Al-Areesh Mosque and the Al-Rawhaa area and a number of sites linked to the most important events in the Prophet’s biography in Badr region.
In October 2022, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Downtown Company to develop key areas in 12 cities.
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Doosan has announced it will unveil its new generation XiteCloud ‘All-in-One Platform’ for smart construction at the company’s stand in Bauma, where it will have a dedicated innovation centre.
The digital platform, which expands Doosan‘s business portfolio into the field of construction site management, will be released under the theme ‘Powered by Innovation.’
XiteCloud is said to be the first stage in commercialising Concept-X, which Doosan introduced in 2019, as the world’s first unmanned automated and integrated control solution for construction, quarrying and mining sites.
In March 2022, Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction broke ground on a 400,000sqm forging and casting facility in Saudi Arabia and, in August 2022, Doosan Enerbility said it won an EPC contract for the $640mn Shuaibah 3 IWP in Saudi Arabia.
“With XiteCloud, a customer can manage multiple tasks such as surveys, terrain analysis, machine purchases, equipment operation and construction management on a single platform, thereby reducing construction costs and saving time, while increasing work accuracy, which in turn raises productivity,“ the company says.
The All-in-One Platform introduces a range of new solutions that form part of the XiteCloud system all of which will be demonstrated at Bauma, including: XiteCore, XiteFleet, XiteAnalyst, XiteSIM, XiteSafety and XiteAuto.
As suggested by its name, XiteCore is a cloud-based open integrated dashboard system that connects all of the XiteCloud solutions, providing the necessary information to carry out a construction project, enabling quick control and project management.
In late September 2022, Doosan said it would launch a new articulated dump truck at Bauma 2022.
Doosan adds, “This system provides opportunities for collaboration and communication among project participants with an open platform that adopts an applied card-type interface that allows the user to set the dashboard flexibly according to the particular characteristics of the project such as card type, location and size. It also incorporates real-time monitoring of weather, manpower, equipment, instruments, CCTV and other aspects, together with connection to the other solutions within XiteCloud.”
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Equal pay in the built environment has become a hot topic in the Middle East in recent years, with increasing focus being shone on the issue in a bid to ensure unfair practices are stamped out. Discussing whether the industry can self-correct or if governments will have to get more involved, Rachel Willacy, Regional Head of Procurement at Compass says that it is the responsibility of both government and companies to ensure pay parity.
Discussing the issue with Middle East Construction News (MECN) exclusively, Willacy shares, “Companies and governments should work together to ensure equal pay for equal work. In an ideal world, more companies would step forward and take on responsibility for ensuring equal pay and opportunities, but in reality, it is legislation that is needed in order to really accelerate progress towards equality.”
“The government, as a policy maker, source of finance, an employer, and a convener of stakeholders, holds significant accountability in addressing diversity gaps and creating an inclusive workplace,” she adds.
Willacy will be participating in Middle East Consultant’s 2022 Women in Construction Summit on 25 October in Dubai at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Sheikh Zayed Road. Registration is complementary but mandatory for industry professionals. The 2022 edition will be shining a light on a number of issues including equal pay, removing unconscious bias, C-Suite realities, and more. Read the full agenda by clicking here.
The movement to boost gender equality and pay parity in the Middle East was given significant support in 2020, when labor laws in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar were updated to bridge the pay gap between men and women. According to a Baker McKenzie, updates were issued in relation to: prohibiting discrimination, whether in pay or otherwise, between male and female employees who carry out the same job in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain; introducing paternity leave in the UAE, and granting female workers in Saudi Arabia further rights in the workplace (including working in hazardous workplaces and at night).
Despite this legislation being introduced in several countries in the region in 2020, gender and ethnic pay parity continues to be a challenge in the regional built environment, MECN can confirm.
In a pay disparity opinion piece shared exclusively with MECN in June 2022, HKA’s Nurul Sabri stated, “For women working in the industry, especially ethnic minority women, the challenges are even more acute. Not only is there a gender pay gap affecting women but in addition, ethnic minority women in the region are also subjected to alternate pay structures based on their ethnicity or race.”
Sabri continued, “The topic of pay disparity by ethnicity is not uncommon in the UK and US and has been widely discussed. It represents the unfair divergence between the pay of different groups of people by demographic characteristics. In my opinion, addressing not only the gender pay disparity, but also the ethnicity pay disparity, is key to fostering an equal and inclusive working environment.”
In its ‘Six surprising facts about the global gender pay gap’ report, which was released in March 2022, the World Economic Forum said: “In its index of 156 countries, the Forum finds progress on closing the gender gap is painfully slow. In fact, based on the current trajectory, women are 267.6 years away from gender parity in the area of economic participation and opportunity – which includes equal pay.”
The report did note however that “signs of progress on gender pay are emerging” and cited several positive examples.
Asked about what an individual can do if they discover they are being paid unfairly compared to a colleague at the same grade/level, Willacy comments, “There should be no place for wage discrepancies, through gender, nationality, or age discrimination. Salaries should be dependent on ability and the value one’s experiences bring to the table in adding overall benefit to the company.”
She advises, “When you are considering whether you’re being paid fairly, it’s important to take an objective look at your comparatives. Comparing your background to theirs and their experience, length of service and duties undertaken will help to understand where you stand. Researching market benchmarks will put the value of your role into perspective. Then, have a transparent conversation with your HR or line manager about how much you bring to the company demonstrating why your skills and hard work are worth rewarding.”
Shifting gears and discussing whether the built environment has made progress with regards to driving greater diversity and inclusion compared to pre-pandemic times, particularly at the C-suite level, she says, “Many countries within the GCC have been encouraging diversity and inclusion (D&I) for a while now, and I believe we have been and are experiencing positive shifts in reaching equality. While some companies have been creative in carving out new positions or offering flexible benefits that support a greater breadth of D&I, there is still a lot more than needs to be done, throughout the entirety of an organisation.”
“I’m glad to see how the conversation has shifted from gender balance to true diversity and inclusion, in order to create an all-embracing environment that welcomes everyone’s voice. It is so important to treat all people fairly and with respect. This being said, even though the Middle East has a rich cultural footprint, there is still a way to go in broad representation within c-suites and leadership.”
Discussing key D&I issues that construction companies have yet to tackle, Willacy states, “Mentorship and development initiatives should play an important role in supporting talented individuals through their career trajectory, creating the leaders of tomorrow, easing succession planning, and enabling those who want to and can do, to do.”
She concludes, “I look forward to the day – in our own industry, but all others too – where no inequality exists in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, or nationality.”
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Following the completion of enabling works at its Cavalli Tower residential project, developer DAMAC Properties said the main works package will kick-off, as it is in the process of awarding the contract.
According to the developer, enabling works are progressing on track by contractor National Piling Corporation (NPC), which has nearly completed shoring works. Piling and excavation works have been completed to 85%, and are expected to finish in October 2022. The firm began piling works for the project in July 2022.
The construction of site offices commenced prior to the appointment of the main contractor; the developer stated that it appointed KEO as the supervision consultant for the project.
In June 2022, DAMAC said that North America was a key target market.
“KEO has extensive experience of delivering projects of a similar nature here in Dubai and in the wider region, and DAMAC is excited to work with KEO again to bring the vision of this ultra-luxurious project into fruition,” said Mohammed Tahaineh, General Manager of Projects at DAMAC.
Launched in September 2021, the beach-facing skyscraper located in Dubai Marina will offer residents 71 floors of luxury, with interiors branded by Roberto Cavalli, the statement explained.
The tower is being developed at a cost of US $545mn and is billed as a unique project aimed at setting the highest levels of luxury living in Dubai. The glamour that is associated with the iconic Italian fashion house is matched by DAMAC’s standards for delivering luxury homes and lifestyle experiences, the developer stated.
In September 2022, DAMAC said it was adding ultra-luxurious mansions to its DAMAC Hills development and, later in the month, it said that Web3 is transforming the UAE’s real estate landscape.
Designed by architect Shaun Killa, the tower comprises 436 units and is divided into three sections.
DAMAC said that construction progress comes at a time when Dubai’s population is significantly rising, as more foreigners are coming to the city to work and live, due to successful government incentives to attract top talent. The UAE ranked number one across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and was among the top 10 countries around the world for expatriates to relocate to, a survey by health insurance company Cigna has found. As a result, demand for housing has surged, the developer explained.
The developer’s penchant for delivering luxury property offerings has been successful in attracting high-net worth buyers, and as such, Cavalli Tower has received enormous interest and has nearly sold out all units, the statement said.
In October 2022, DAMAC Properties said it had awarded a contract for electrical substations to Danway EME.
Tahaineh concluded, “Our customers are regularly updated on the progress of construction works and are very happy with the pace at which we are moving. Cavalli Tower will be among the most iconic skyscrapers that Dubai has ever seen, and I can’t wait to see the final product.”
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Tadano will debut a new 70t crane with increased lifting capacities at Bauma 2022 as part of its innovation campaign, the manufacturer has announced.
According to the firm, the new AC 4.070-2 All-Terrain Crane comes with enough power to transport its sizeable maximum counterweight of 11.9t by itself, while staying within an axle load limit of 12t. In addition, it can still manage 4.4t when the axle load is reduced to 10t instead.
With a main boom length of 50m, it comes with increased lifting capacities, up to 7.1t at a radius of 12m, and up to 7.3t at a radius of 10m.
In April 2022, Tadano said it was planning the launch of the world’s first electric rough-terrain crane by the end of 2023 and, in June 2022, it harmonised its telescopic boom crawler line.
The Tadano AC 4.070-2 can be used as an assist crane for erecting large lattice boom crawler cranes, as well as for residential and functional building construction projects, the firm noted.
“To put it simply, we wanted to bring to life a powerful and cutting-edge 70t crane that would deliver the best performance on the market in as many axle load configurations as possible,” says Project Manager Sascha Scholler, who was responsible for the development.
The crane has an extremely compact design with a total length of 11.7m and a width of 2.55m, making it “the most compact four-axle unit of its class on the market,” Tadano says.
In September 2022, Tadano said it delivered four rough-terrain cranes to Descon Engineering’s Dubai branch.
Other highlights include its IC-1 Plus control system, which determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the slewing angle, and Flex Base, an outrigger system that comes as standard and features outriggers that can be extended to any point within their available range, the firm concluded.
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