HCO & ChapmanBDSP Project Collaboration

Posted on September 24th, 2019.

HCO are delighted to announce we have signed an agreement with chapmanbdsp for collaboration on projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The arrangement significantly increases both companies’ capacity to bid for, and deliver, projects in KSA by combining chapmanbdsp’s award-winning MEP engineering and environmental design team with HCO’s renowned engineering and project managing skills.

The companies have collaborated on projects in the region for many years and the new arrangement will see the 180 HCO engineers operating across the region complemented by chapmanbdsp designers operating from KSA, the UAE and London.

Together, the new partnership will be able to offer clients a full-suite of design solutions, from project concept to completion, delivered through one team that is fully compliant with regional laws.

HCO is already working on 12 live projects in KSA for a high-profile client in the leisure industry, providing full pre-and-post contract design, approvals and authorities liaison support and full site supervision.

Ray Upjohn, Chief Executive of chapmanbdsp, said: ‘After working together with HCO for seven years we are delighted to enter into this agreement. It means we now have a compelling offer for clients; a full range of design solutions delivered through one team.’

Simon Baines, General Manager of HCO, said: ‘HCO is delighted to have developed and formalized the already successful working partnership and delivery of projects in KSA with chapmanbdsp. Together, we provide a turn-key solution for total design and project delivery, international and local expertise interlinked. It’s an exciting chapter now for the continued workload expansion in KSA for HCO & chapmanbdsp.

Chapmanbdsp is an independent design consultancy specializing in building services engineering and environmental design. It has delivered world-class projects in 30 countries across a range of sectors.

Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) is a licensed engineering company, registered in KSA. It provides multi-disciplinary architectural, engineering and project management consultancy services to clients in the private, industrial and commercial sectors.

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Aramco Project in Jubail

Posted on August 1st, 2019.

HCO have been appointed by Aramco as the Project Management & Supervision Consultants for the Home Ownership Project in Jubail consisting of 344 villas and 2 mosque’s.

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New International School (ISG)

Posted on July 24th, 2019.

Fantastic progress made this week with Al Hamdan Consulting (HCO) in the Eastern Province of KSA, with the "Groundbreaking Ceremony" marking the commencement of construction of the new International School Group (ISG) Campus Project. The event was launched by Mr John Abizaid - US Ambassador & Ms Rachna Korhonen - US Consul General. The new ISG Campus will be a wonderful asset to the community of the Eastern Province Region of KSA.

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BBBF Projects & Construction Special Interest Group Meeting

Posted on March 6th, 2018.

Manama, Bahrain – 7th March 2018: The Bahrain British Business Forum (BBBF) hosted its Special Interest Group (SIG) for Projects & Construction at the Capital Club in Manama this week. The event organised by Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) brought Industry experts from Twintec Middle East to present a variety of cutting-edge solutions for modern day fibrous concrete construction with members of the forum and their guests.

Tom Menary, Technical & Commercial Director at Twintec Middle East, showcased the company’s concrete floor slab design and construction. The innovative solution demonstrates slab design without saw cut joints as well as provides the benefit of a longer life cycle which enables business efficiency for industrial application.

On this occasion, Simon Baines, General Manager of HCO, commented: “With Bahrain embarking on a number of new and innovative projects throughout the Kingdom, it’s important that industry peers are able to get together and discuss new technologies and developments in design, engineering and construction. This event gave us a great platform to share what we believe are some of the best practices in the industry based on a wealth of accumulated experience.”

The event was well attended by BBBF members and their guests who had the opportunity to learn about some of the applications and technologies of fibrous concrete.

The BBBF is a leading network of businessmen and women in Bahrain. The forum has nine Special Interest Groups (SIGs) covering: oil, gas & energy; hospitality leisure & tourism; construction; banking & financial services; ICT; legal; organisational effectiveness; young professionals and women in business. The SIGs offer members and guests a valuable medium for exchanging industry specific ideas and discussing issues relevant to a particular sector in a more informal setting.

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Sahara Housing Project - Celebration Ceremony

Posted on May 21st, 2017.

Construction works for the SAHARA housing project located in the Mutrafiah District of Jubail Industrial City residential area have been successfully completed on time and within budget, and handing over of the 280 villas to SAHARA employees has already started as part of their home ownership program.

To mark the occasion SAHARA management arranged a celebration ceremony followed by lunch to recognize and appreciate the valuable support received from HCO and other stakeholders such as Royal Commission (Mr. Mansour D. Al Ubaidi, Director Projects Department), Marafiq (Mr. Adullah Al Ghamdi, Manager Customer Services) and Khonaini (Mr. Abdul Aziz H. Al Khonaini, Executive Director).

HCO executed the detailed engineering and project management consultancy services, from concept design to final handover. They provided hands-on leadership and expertise, which ensured the successful and timely delivery of the project in a safe and efficient manner consistent with the Client’s objectives and exceeded their expectations.

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HCO General Manager, Mr. Simon Baines, accepting an award for outstanding efforts from SAHARA’s CEO, Mr. Saleh M. Bahamdan and Projects Manager, Mr. Majed Al-Shammari.

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HCO Project Manager, Mr. Subhan Siddiqui, with the construction management and site supervision team, alongside Mr. Simon Baines and Mr. Lee Hayes, HCO General Manager and Commercial Manager respective.

Greif Plant Inauguration, Saudi Arabia

Posted on 26th January 2017.

Greif, a world leader in industrial packaging products and services as part of their global expansion intended to construct a new facility to manufacture steel drums in Support Industries-2, Jubail to cater the needs of their customers within the Oil & Gas industry.

Greif appointed Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) to design and construct the facility over a lot area of 33,338 sqm. The state of the art facility consisting of production building, warehouse, logistic bay, paint store and administration building was designed within 8,542 sqm and the rest being allocated for storage and future expansion. The facility has over head cranes, compressed air lines, firefighting and fire alarm system, HVAC, CCTV, Access Control and IT systems.

The plant has been built with the latest machinery in steel drums manufacturing industry and can manufacture up to 740 steel drums per hour. With this new plant, Greif aims to add value to the local and regional industrial development by bringing its long time experience as packaging solution provider and demonstrating its excellent customer service culture. This new plant will meet the increased demand on steel drums in the eastern region and fill the gap for supply of high quality products with excellent service.

The plant was inaugurated on 26th January 2017 by Mr. Ziad Allaban, CEO of SADARA and Mr. Michael Cronin, President of Greif RIPS, EMEA Region in the presence of dignitaries including Mr. Samir Nawar, CEO of Petromin and Mr. Abdulelah Alanazi, Section Head of Industrial Investment Department, Royal Commission, Jubail.

Mr. Abdennour El Mosor, Regional Manager of Greif, MENA Region thanked Mr. Simon Baines, General Manager of HCO, Mr. Simon Jacob, Senior Project Manager and the HCO team for delivering this challenging project which required coordination with various specialist manufacturers, contractors and providing all required support with the design, approvals, project management and contract administration.

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Liebherr opens new office in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Posted on November, 2016.

Liebherr has built a new subsidiary in Dammam, the capital of the "Eastern Province" which was officially opened in November 2016 with a large number of customers and VIP’s in attendance. The newly erected buildings will be house sales and service staff from the Mobile and Crawler Cranes, Deep Foundation, Tower Cranes and Concrete Technology Product Divisions. Liebherr is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of constructions machines.

The new complex with around 35 staff also enables the company to deliver better after-sales and repair services for Liebherr customers. The fully equipped workshop area is big enough even for large cranes. Some areas are air-conditioned and a welding station rounds off the range of services. "Repairs, after-sales service using genuine parts, washing and testing – we can now provide our customers with a complete care-free package", says Markus Burgstall, Manager of the Mobile Cranes Division in Saudi Arabia.

HCO is very proud to have played such a major part in the design, integration and construction of such a significant project. Markus and the Liebherr family thanked the HCO team for their commitment and delivery of this show case project and look forward to working with HCO on the next project as part of their GCC expansion plans. Finding the right consultant partner who understood our needs and requirements was key for us and the successful, quality delivery was essential.

The project comprises of two buildings: a two-storey administration building which includes a customer sales area, a workshop and a repair warehouse where all maintenance and repair of cranes and vehicles takes place. The method of construction used for the workshop and warehouse is designed using a metal pre-engineered building (PEB). The design of the buildings and choice of materials reflects the corporate identity and standards of Liebherr.

HCO looking forward to undertaking many more high quality and prestigious projects within the Kingdom over the coming months.

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HCO Join BBBF

Posted on December 1st, 2015.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office has joined BBBF Forum, BBBF was formed in 1995 to promote trade and investment between Bahrain and Britain in a non-discriminatory, non-political and non-profit making manner.

The BBBF is widely recognized in Bahrain and the UK as a leading impartial business sector group.

The Forum works to create and sustain a favorable business environment. The BBBF strives to assist and introduce new trade and investment’s to both countries that can benefit and enhance the common economic interests of our member.

The BBBF has played an important role within Bahrain; highlighting key sectors, exploring new directions and providing an instant network platform for new arrivals.

Simon Baines & Lee Hayes are official members of BBBF Forum. It will help to promote HCO business within GCC and UK.

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Eng. Syed Mustafa Ali speaks at the CIBSE 6th annual Technical Symposium 2016 in Edinburgh.

Posted on April 14th, 2016.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) is proud to announce Eng. Syed Mustafa Ali, our resident Senior Mechanical Engineer was invited and specifically chosen to speak amongst 60 select speakers at the highly prestigious CIBSE 6th annual Technical Symposium 2016 which took place at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh on the 14th and 15th of April 2016.

The aim of the event was to encourage the participation of both young and experienced industry practitioners, universities, research organizations, industry, CIBSE groups/committees/societies and others to share experiences and develop networks.

Eng. Syed Mustafa Ali delivered a perspicuous and insightful speech, by demonstrating a comparative analysis of traditional vs sustainable chilled water plant design in Saudi Arabia. Following Mustafa’s presentation, overwhelming response was received from attendees and as well as from symposium chairs / volunteers for the quality of research and delivery of presentation. The countless attendees learned a considerable amount about the ever changing HVAC market in Saudi Arabia and the need for most companies and building owners to stay on top of the HVAC market trends in order to guarantee an efficient, energy saving, and environmentally friendly world in the years ahead.

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Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) to open Bahrain Office

Posted on April 21st, 2016.

The architectural and engineering consultancy specialist Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) will be opening a new office in Bahrain as part of a company strategy to strengthen its operations in the GCC.

The multi-disciplinary architectural and engineering consultancy which specialises in services to leading private, industrial and commercial sectors said its office will have capacity for several architects and engineers enabling it to expand its operations into the Bahrain construction market.

Al Hamdan said that it had identified Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as key areas of strategic focus through 2016 and beyond, with particular focus on growing its operations in Bahrain respectively.

The company, which employs over 200 people and already operates in Saudi Arabia through an office in Al Khobar is looking forward to growing its project scope through the office establishment in Bahrain.

HCO will be celebrating the fact that it has been operating in Saudi Arabia for 35 years this year, and is committed to sustaining an active presence in the region, where they have recently been successful in winning a number of contract awards.

These include the Sipchem Technology & Creativity Exchange –STCE, located in DTV, KFUPM, Al Khobar, GE Oil & Gas Pressure Control Facility, GE's largest advanced manufacturing facility in the region and Sahara.

The Middle East as a whole, is a growing part of HCO’s business with several new prestigious projects recently awarded throughout the region, HCO hope’s the new office in Bahrain will allow us to continue to grow and to serve the growing and evolving needs of our clients for many decades to come” said the General Manager, Simon Baines.

Certificate Of Appreciation

Posted on March 24th, 2016.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office is proud to illustrate yet another appreciation letter from our prestigious and highly valued client Sipchem.

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Wyvern Harlequins Invitation of Rugby

Posted on April 21st, 2016.

Wyvern Harlequins are an invitational Rugby 7's team based out of the UK and are very proud to be sponsored by Pan Gulf Holdings.

Wyvern Harlequins strives to combine the best of rugby on the pitch with a friendly, family-style camaraderie off it.

Off the back of a largely successful 2014/2015 tour both to Amsterdam and Dubai with both sides getting knocked out in the semi-finals of Amsterdam and winning both trophies in Dubai and the commitment and effort shown by every single player was undeniable.

The Harlequins are hoping to add to the trophy cabinet at the Ibiza 10’s this year and there won’t be much to choose between the two sides that have been selected, with nearly every player capable of playing in either level of the competition. The focus is on good, successful rugby and having a good time once the hard work is done.

Wyvern will be entering a side in to both the Elite and the Open levels of the competition and the standard promises to be extremely high with various high level teams on the circuit entering to compete. Al Hamdan is proud to announce that Mr. Simon Baines (General Manager of Al Hamdan Consulting Office) and Mr. Paul O’Meara (Bid Coordinator at Al Hamdan Consulting Office), will be representing us as they will be playing in the upcoming tournament and were, to their credit instrumental in the success of the teams victories in previous tournaments respectively.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office attend opening of new Center for Research and Development as ARGAS simultaneously celebrates its first 50 years of success, under the patronage of HRH Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Eastern Province.

Posted on March 2nd, 2016.

ARGAS, the Arabian Geophysical and Surveying Company, celebrated its first 50 years of success on the 2nd of March 2016, with an eye firmly on the future, as it laid the cornerstone of its new Center for Research and Development in the Dhahran Techno Valley, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony to mark this milestone was held under the patronage of HRH Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Eastern Province, and in the presence of dignitaries including HE Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, the Minster of Petroleum and Minerals; HE Eng. Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Health and Chairman of Saudi Aramco; HE Dr. Khalid bin Saleh Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM; HE Eng. Amin Al-Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco.

Also in attendance were senior representatives from TAQA (the Industrial and Energy Services Company) and French geophysical company CCG, the shareholders of ARGAS, as well as representatives from Saudi Aramco and other local petrochemical and minerals enterprises, and guests from some of the Kingdom’s leading universities, KAU, KAST, KACST and KFPM.

Speaking at the ceremony, ARGAS CEO HE Eng. Saad bin Saud Al-Akeel, said: “Our new Center for Research and Development is just one step towards the overall vision for our country set by our wise leadership, and a single brick in the building of a prosperous future for a country which is so rich not only in natural resources – but also in its technical prowess and human potential.”

Mr. Simon Baines, General Manager and Mr. Lee Hayes of Al Hamdan Consulting Office were also in attendance, following being recently awarded the contract on behalf of Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) undertaking the cost control, contract administration and construction supervision for the Research and Development Center at Dhahran Techno Valley respectively. It is a privilege for Al Hamdan to be playing such a major part in such a prestigious and notable project.

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The Conference of the Ministry of Labor

Posted on February 1st, 2016.

Mr Faisal Ali Ahmed our resident HR Manager represented Al Hamdan Consulting Office yesterday by attending the Ministry of Labour Conference which was held in the Eastern Chamber of Commerce. The insightful convention was headed by the current Minister of Labor Dr. Mofarrig Saad Al Haqbani who spoke eloquently about the partnership between the Ministry of Labor and the private sector within the eastern province itself as well as highlighting the main new regulations which will apply within the kingdom in the not so distant future.

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Certificate Of Appreciation

Posted on December 15th, 2015.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office recently received an appreciation letter on behalf of GE for the prestigious GE pressure control facility project appraising the good performance and cooperation of Mr. Simon Baines General Manager and the rest of the delivery team at HCO.

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Al Hamdan Consulting Office receive award from the president of Sahara for the Excellent performance and Achievement of 1.5 million safe man hours without L.T.I 2. Achieved 50 % construction progress with 4.8 % ahead of schedule.

Posted on December 2nd, 2015.

The construction activities at SAHARA Housing Project are moving at brisk pace. From when the project initially commenced, over 50% of the overall construction progress has been achieved to date, ( that’s +4.80% ahead of schedule, additionally over 1,500,000 Safe man hours without loss time or injury have been achieved.

In order to recognize the excellence and to mark this great achievement, Sahara invited Al Hamdan as a token extension of their appreciation to the HCO team (main office team / Site team) without whom these achievements would not have been possible.

On Wednesday , 02 December 2015. Mr. Lee Hayes, Commercial Manager at HCO and Mr. Barry Capocci, Projects Manager at HCO were both invited to attend and accept an award on behalf of HCO for the consistent hard work and timely achievement of the project. The Chairman and President of Sahara were also in attendance to visit the Sahara Housing Project and see the completion of the Type A & Type C mock up villas respectively.

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Accepting an award on behalf of HCO for the consistent hard work and timely achievement of the project.

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Accepting an award on behalf of HCO for the consistent hard work and timely achievement of the project.

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20th Annual Khobar Charity Run 2015

Posted on November 7th, 2015.

The 20th Annual Khobar Charity Run took place on Saturday last, November 7th at Al-Khobar Corniche.

We are very proud that Al Hamdan Consulting Office was one of the key participants with 17 of our employees taking part, as well as Pan Gulf Holding (PGH) our sister company, who coincidentally sponsored the event, encouraging employees to take part in the dreaded 5km run, (no effortless feat by any means).

Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) runners left an impeccable impact on this annual run showing great solidarity to take time out of their busy weekends in order to run for a noble cause and in doing so, promoting honorable charities.

This occasion also showcased multiculturalism, as the many runners that were present represented both Saudi nationals amongst other expatriate communities.

In total, over 6000 runners from various organizations and companies made it an enjoyable social, festive and more importantly, successful event. There were droves of sore bodies and faces fueled with exhaustion trudging into work the following Sunday morning, all indicative of the previous days’ efforts and promoting a worthy and charitable cause.

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Saudi Arabian MEP Conference & Exhibition 2015

Posted on November 11th, 2015.

We are delighted to announce that Mr. Syed Mustafa Ali, our resident senior mechanical engineer was invited to speak on behalf of Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) at the Saudi Arabian MEP Conference & Exhibition on the 10th of November 2015 where his chosen topic was to conduct a comparative analysis of traditional vs sustainable chilled water plant design in KSA.

The constant flow primary only system and constant-flow-primary/variable flow secondary chilled water systems are generally considered to be traditional design methodologies, whilst the variable primary flow chilled water system is considered a sustainable design methodology.

Al Hamdan are proud to have played such a major part in the construction of such a significant project and look forward to undertaking many more of such high quality and prestige within the Kingdom over the coming months.

Mr. Syed was then offered an award on from Saudi Arabian MEP for his articulate presentation and comparative analysis.

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Mr. Syed Mustafa Ali receiving his award for his insightful and articulate presentation comparing and analysing the traditional vs sustainable chilled water plant design in KSA.

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Mr Syed Mustafa Ali delivering his presentation on a comparative analysis of traditional vs sustainable chilled water plant design in KSA.

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Members of the audience proposing questions to Mr. Syed Mustafa Ali in relation to his presentation at the recent Saudi Arabian MEP Conference.

First Phase Expansion of GE Oil & Gas 2015

Posted on November 10th, 2015.

GE Oil & Gas completed the first phase expansion of what will be GE's largest advanced manufacturing facility in the region yesterday. This expands capacity of the current manufacture of advanced pressure control technology, testing and repair services, as well as promoting job creation for Saudi nationals through a three-fold increase in the workforce, which builds on 70% Saudization in Dammam. The expansion forms part of GE's commitment to achieve the goal of 70% localization in the Kingdom through strengthening local manufacturing, supply chain, service capabilities and talent development.

The significance of this expanded GE facility lies not only in the services it will provide Saudi Aramco and the Kingdom's wider energy sector, but also the degree to which the Kingdom appeals to its countless investors.

Al Hamdan are proud to have played such a major part in the construction of such a significant project and look forward to undertaking many more of such high quality and prestige within the Kingdom over the coming months.

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Saudi Arabian MEP & HVAC Conference & Exhibition 2015

Posted on November 9th, 2015.

Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO) is pleased to inform you that our very own resident mechanical engineer, Mr. Syed Mustafa Ali has been invited by the prestigious Saudi Aramco advisory committee in the forthcoming Saudi MEP Conference 2015 (5th Edition of MEP exhibition) as a guest speaker. Please see below link to see the conference agenda.

http://saudimep.com/seminar_registeration.php

His topic of presentation is “Comparative Analysis of Traditional Vs. Sustainable Chilled Water Plant Design in KSA”. Which promises to be an insightful talk on the industry.

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Qatar HVAC Conference

Posted on May 06th, 2015.

On May 6th 2015, HCO Team had the fortunate opportunity to attend the prestigious HVACTech Conference which appropriately took place in the Qatar National Convention Centre, in Doha, Qatar. Essentially a specialized conference designed to address the latest opportunities and challenges in the HVAC and cooling industries in Qatar it showcased the latest technology advancements, along with the very latest project case studies demonstrating how these advancements can best be applied to answer the specific requirements and challenges of the construction environment in Qatar.

Before We divulge and go into detail summarizing the outcomes of the HVACTech conference let’s take a brief glance at some of the latest macroeconomic information summarizing the air conditioning industry and market in Qatar itself.

As the large majority of us expats are very much aware, Qatar is clearly experiencing a period of extremely rapid growth as infrastructure is developed to meet the demands of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the sustainable goals mandated by the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Some facts for you: Currently air conditioning accounts for 70% of the total electricity consumption in Qatar, thus making sustainable cooling solutions a top priority for the nation. Research with industry professionals revealed that the HVAC industry in Qatar has untapped potential and can contribute significantly to achieving the nation’s sustainable goals.

According to (Deloitte), US$140 billion will be invested over the next five years in transport infrastructure including, Hamad International Airport and the Doha Metro.

According to (Deloitte) once again, over the next ten years, more than US$200 billion, will be spent on construction projects including hospitals, schools, industrial districts, residential complexes, sports complexes and 12 stadiums which will provide substantial opportunities for the HVAC industry.

Numerous mega-projects are already well underway including the US$494 million Lusail City Development Project, which will include long-stretch tunnels requiring extensive ventilation, the US$2.6 billion Qatar Energy City (Ministry of Business and Trade) and the US$40 billion metro and railway projects in Qatar, which require ventilation and complete integration of monitoring and control systems.

Anyway enough of the economics, in relation to the conference, what did I take from it and what can we learn from it going forward?

The seminar consisted of various eloquent speakers discussing a vast array of topics together encompassing the primary focal point of the future of HVAC in the region. It brought together some of the leading Contractors, MEP Managers, Sustainability Managers, Architects and Building Specialists from across the Qatar's construction industry, addressing the key issues affecting the country's Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Ventilation market and tackling the below areas:

• Energy Optimisation and Energy Conservation

• Issues relating to the HVAC and Civil Defense approval

• Moving from Building Management Systems (BMS) to Building Automation and Energy Management systems (BAEMS)

• The future of district cooling in Qatar (incl. challenges, opportunities and the new requirements for TSE usage)

• Alternative Technologies in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

• Facilities Management: Duct Maintenance

• Challenges with authority approval of Smoke Ventilation Systems

We are very proud that Al Hamdan Consulting Office (HCO)’s own Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Mr. Syed Mustafa Ali delivered a perspicuous and insightful speech, evaluating and discussing “the movement towards the sustainable chilled water plants in Qatar.

In conclusion the event offered a highly targeted networking platform to enable the development of existing relationships and the establishment of new lucrative business partnerships within the rapidly evolving Qatari market. Finally for me as perhaps an uninformed outsider I learned a considerable amount about the ever changing HVAC market in Qatar and the need for most companies and building owners to stay on top of the HVAC market trends in order to guarantee an efficient, energy saving, and environmentally friendly country in the years ahead.

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How is the Saudi construction market performing and what does it mean for you?

Posted on April 28th, 2015.

With an estimated $200 billion spend in construction planned over the next two years and much more in the pipeline, Saudi Arabia is likely to remain the dominant construction market in the GCC for the foreseeable future. According to the MENA Projects Tracker published by Citi there are currently over $2 trillion worth of projects in GCC countries, with 60% of those taking place in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In terms of country spend, Saudi Arabia leads the way with $784 billion worth of projects, followed by the UAE with $669 million.

Saudi Arabia’s commitment to investing in and building a sustainable nation will ultimately prove to be of great benefit to the economy.

With $3 trillion worth of development projects due to start in the Kingdom by 2020,we have to ask ourselves what does this mean and how does this impact the economic future?

Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the biggest construction booms in the world. With a number of multimillion dollar projects currently under construction and more in the pipeline, the Kingdom is set to continue to invest in major projects. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently projected the country’s economy to grow 4.5 percent this year and next.

Construction is a key economic driver in Saudi Arabia as a whole, providing a platform for almost every industry and strongly contributing towards the employment of Saudi nationals while providing growth potential to local businesses. The construction sector showed the highest non-oil GDP growth rate (6.7%) in 2014, and the 2015 budget demonstrates the continuation of the previous year’s diversification plan, which provides major construction spending in key government segments.

Saudi Arabia’s population is approximately 70% Saudi and 30% expatriate, with a total population of 28.8 million. The combined population of the rest of the GCC countries is 19.85 million. This positions Saudi Arabia as the single most important market in the region. Not to mention that Saudi remains one of the largest oil exporters in the world, ranking second in 2014, and is thus economically very stable. With the significant boost in development projects in Saudi Arabia over the last decade, the country’s growth has been steady in comparison to other GCC nations.

The GCC region has seen some of the world’s large construction projects, such as the GCC railway project, the FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium in Qatar, Makkah Grand Mosque expansion project in Saudi Arabia and the Palm Islands projects in Dubai. Despite the recent economic crisis that the world went through, the construction sector in the GCC remains promising.

Since 2006, over $500 billion worth of civil construction projects have been awarded in the six GCC nations. Additionally, the total of planned construction projects exceeds $1.09 trillion, which is approximately two-thirds of the GCC’s entire annual GDP.

In relation to the global construction sector, it continues to recover from the ramifications of several years of economic and financial crisis. The recent global drop in oil prices will have a positive impact on the industry as a whole. This is largely due to the lower manufacturing and logistic costs for most building materials, especially petroleum-based building materials, meaning that the cost of materials asphalt, roofing materials, insulation, plastic materials, steel and PVC piping will also drop. In addition to that, the Construction sector has seen very strong growth in the adoption of technology, such as smartphones and tablet devices, whether in design or in construction.

In conclusion, based on the above information and latest statistics we can expect the industry will continue to grow, especially in the Middle East over the next coming years and Saudi Arabia certainly seems like a safe bet to be working right now.

Government to pay SR 466 million for expropriated property

Posted on April 14th, 2015.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs plans to expropriate 749 properties around the country at a cost of SR 466.4 million, for flood projects, road works and regulating neighborhoods.

Abdul Lateef Al-Sheikh, municipal and rural affairs minister, has approved the expropriations, according to a report in a local publication recently.

In Makkah, the ministry will take over 10 properties at a cost of SR 36 million for flood projects between Ree Thakher and Al-Jazzaer roads. In Madinah, there will be over SR 2 million paid out for 41 properties, including along Nofa bin Abdullah and Saad bin Abdullah roads to regulate various neighborhoods.

In Riyadh, there will be four properties expropriated to expand Al-Suwaidi Road, and nine to regulate the governorates of Al-Kharj, Thadeq and Huraimilaa. There will also be 38 properties taken over along Omar bin Al-Khattab Road and four properties in Al-Zalafi. The government will pay out over SR 50.4 million to the owners.

In Asir, the government approved the expropriation of 84 properties costing over SR 221 million. In Al-Qassim, it will pay out over SR 12 million to take over 35 properties in Al-Bade governorate, 258 for the regulatory scheme in the central area in Unaiza, 25 for King Abdullah Road in Buraida, 33 for King Saud Road in Al-Muthanab, and 40 to expand Prince Faisal bin Bandar road.

In Al-Jouf, the ministry will take over 15 properties for SR 36.7 million for a scheme in Al-Zhour; and in Jazan 53 to expand King Fahd Road in Fifa governorate, and other projects. In the Northern Border Province, the government will take over seven, and in Hail four properties. In Najran, nine properties will be taken over for over SR 71 million.

In Tabuk, the ministry plans to expand the corniche by taking over six properties. Taif has already expropriated three properties for the Was Al-Naml, Odah and Salamah schemes, and approved compensation for five others at a total cost of SR 13.7 million.

In Dammam, one property will be taken over for SR 2.9 million to build a car park. In Al-Ahsa, the government has already started expropriating 10 properties for SR 10.8 million.

Shar Al-Shahri, director general of the expropriation department, said owners must present their title deeds and other documents to get paid out. Special committees are determining the compensation, he said.

Source: www.zawya.com

Arabian MEP Conference

Posted on April 9th, 2015.

The Arabian MEP Exhibition and Conference, 2015 is an initiative designed to create a unique platform to form a convergence of major M-E-P players under one roof to evaluate the scope of electro-mechanical technology & services in Middle East and work towards meeting the accelerated demand in the building as well as industrial segments.

The construction industry in Middle East has seen a major change in the recent years with players adapting to modern methods and fast track construction techniques to cope up with the huge demand that the real estate and infrastructure sector has created. The building services industry too is looking to catch up with the ongoing trend and bringing in the technological advancements in their production & services processes. Nonetheless, due to its prerequisites, the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing are the most in-demand services within the construction sector.

With rising energy costs and increasing environmental regulations, the focus on building infrastructure has amplified. Designs are becoming more complex and the value of experienced engineering can provide significant returns in energy savings. Sensing this importance of bringing together the various stakeholders of the MEP industry at a common platform to converge and address the current prevalent issues, We at Al Hamdan Consulting Office had the opportunity to attend the ARABIAN MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Conference and Exhibition) in Bahrain.

The conference itself covered all the core objectives and created an ideal environment to showcase, deliberate & disseminate the knowledge of MEP products, services & technology that will provide a one-stop solution for the end users & to devise a pragmatic plan to bring in the technological advancements to deliver world class services in a highly challenging environment.

The Arabian MEP conference provided the perfect platform to meet specialists in the trade so that we as a company are up to date on the current goings on and developments of innovations within the market place.

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