Riyadh-Amlak
The real estate and construction sector in the Arab Gulf countries during the past year continued to oscillate between failures and successes, and a large number of workers in the construction and real estate sector emphasized that the year 2012 had a great impact and faced the challenges of the global financial crisis that burdened the majority of workers in this sector, although it began to recover little by little achieving some successes during the past two years, especially last year, where it began to reverse a large part of its losses, achieving some profits.

New projects

New projects
Some observers comment on 2012 as a year that saw contracting companies leave the bench and start warming up in preparation to enter the «stadiums» of new real estate projects, noting that 2012 witnessed their strong return to work sites in terms of resuming some postponed projects or to implement new projects and full readiness for an urban renaissance in a number of Arab Gulf countries.

Observers of the construction market say that contracting companies can return to growth and reap a minimum of 6 billion dirhams in annual profits over the next seven years until 2020, adding that dozens of activities related to building, construction and real estate are set to grow at rates ranging from 10% to 15%, especially in the work and activities of contractors for the management and maintenance of buildings and facilities, especially in the United Arab Emirates.

These activities are expected to grow at a rate between 10% and 15%, especially in the UAE.

Opportunities for growth and progress

A number of businessmen expressed that the future of the construction sector in all UAE cities is moving in the right direction, especially with the keenness of the federal and local governments to improve the services provided to citizens by launching a wide range of infrastructure projects worth billions of dirhams, as well as the launch of 33 real estate projects officially announced across the country, led by Mohammed bin Rashid City, with a total value of approximately 116 billion dirhams.

A number of businessmen expressed that the future of the construction sector in all UAE cities is moving in the right direction, especially with the federal government and local governments keen to improve the quality of services provided to citizens. <They added that (the building and construction sector ranks among the largest economic sectors in the country after the oil and trade sectors), and that (the UAE has established itself in 2012 as the largest market for construction and contracting services in the Gulf region, with a market size that is twice the size of neighboring markets.

The year of compensation and recovery

A major holding company said that Dubai 3 represents an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize construction companies and the skilled labor market in particular due to the availability of an ideal environment to attract and nurture talents on the one hand and provide employment opportunities in family numbers for construction workers to implement the required infrastructure on the other hand.

He emphasized that Dubai was ahead of others in formulating the idea, meaning and content in the architectural environment, but its investment vision did not stop, but continued to move in terms of formulating a strong economy based on diversity and capable of playing a prominent role globally, and it has made a great stride that cannot be overlooked or cancel its opportunities for future progress thanks to

He added that the success of the closure negotiations for the construction of the required infrastructure. He added that the success of debt closure negotiations between parties in the real estate market was an important factor in making 2012 the year of recovery, pointing out that many companies overcame the challenges of 2009 and have succeeded since 2011 in expanding and forming alliances in local and regional markets in search of projects in the private and government sectors.

Facility Management

<Supported by the resumption of dozens of real estate projects as well as the growing awareness of the importance of the functions and benefits of facilities and facilities management, the market continues to grow, but companies operating in it must maintain best practices and market high standards to developers, architects and owners. Lootah said that the market is currently on the cusp of a new phase that requires markets to adapt to the new economic realities, as real estate sectors become more aligned with legislative fluctuations, cost changes and buyer demands.

Lootah added Lootah added that the growth of the real estate facilities management industry is natural after every real estate boom that appears here and there, and this is what happened in the region after the UAE sparked a major urban renaissance and a huge real estate boom that put Dubai firmly on the map of the most powerful real estate markets.

Lootah said that the real estate industry is currently on the threshold of a new phase that requires markets to adapt to the new economic realities. Lootah noted that the facilities management sector is witnessing strong growth in the region and is expected to reach $8 billion in 2013 (equivalent to AED 29.5 billion), stressing the impact of facilities and facilities management on economic growth in the local real estate sector.

Lootah pointed out that the facilities and facilities management sector is witnessing strong growth in the region.

Returning growth

<According to Ibrahim Yousef Al Rahmani, who runs one of the most prominent building materials supply companies, the situation now is «very different from what it was in September 2008,« he said: »Construction materials reached the «bottom» last year, but they are starting to take off again, driven by the return of construction cranes and workers to work sites, especially after the state's tendency to continue implementing dozens of mega projects related to infrastructure.»

Rahmani added that: »The situation now is «completely different from September 2008. <He added that: The current price shifts are in favor of developers, which will reflect positively on real estate prices and rents, in addition to representing a golden opportunity for contractors, some of whom continue to implement mixed-use projects, the most prominent of which are currently infrastructure projects that the Dubai government insists on implementing most of them with billions of dirhams in the belief that the worst of the global crisis is already behind us.

High demand

<Rizwan Sajan, Chairman of Danube Building Materials, predicted that (the construction industry in the country will achieve a compound annual growth rate of about 20% from 2012 to 2020). At the same time, he denied the existence of conglomerates that control the prices of building materials in the market due to the expected demand for the implementation of huge projects for the private and government sectors, stressing that (determining the prices of materials depends on the principle of supply and demand as well as the price drivers at the global level).

Danube Building Materials Chairman Rizwan Sajan On the contrary, we believe that the prices will continue to rise due to the high cost of shipping and the continuous increase in fuel prices.

Sajan called on Sajan to support the reopening of these markets during the new season and the following one. Sajan called for the need to take advantage of the launch of new projects until 2016 to spread the culture of using environmentally friendly building materials and familiarize the parties involved in the building and construction process with their concepts and increase interest in them, adding: »The levels of acceptance of the use of these materials and standards are in their initial stages due to a number of factors, most importantly the high cost compared to traditional materials.«

Government spending

Government spending

Andy White, event director of the Big 5, noted that observing the construction sector during 2012 clearly showed the private sector trends and what kind of real estate we will receive in the coming years, as well as government spending on infrastructure projects that contribute to increasing the value of these real estate projects.

White noted that the government's spending on infrastructure projects will contribute to increasing the value of these real estate projects.

White believes that the real estate sector is throwing its weight on providing products that he described as creative to serve the region's trends in terms of implementing sustainable real estate projects. He said that spending on construction activities is expected to exceed 75 billion dollars (276 billion dirhams) over the next few years in the UAE, pointing out that Dubai's share of that construction cake exceeds half until 2020, equivalent to approximately 110 billion dirhams.

White believes that the real estate sector is putting its weight on providing innovative products that serve the region's trends in implementing sustainable real estate projects.

Center

Wouter Moolman, Director of Cityscape Global, described the local real estate market as a key pillar of the UAE economy, adding that the country has recovered from the economic crisis that affected the real estate market directly in 2008, and this is very clear through recent figures, stressing that construction and real estate are strong pillars of the economy in the country.

Wouter Moolman, Director of Cityscape Global, said that construction and real estate are one of the pillars of the strong economy in the UAE. <Moolman used the latest reports in the field of real estate, pointing out that contracts worth more than 57.8 billion dollars were signed in 2011 for residential, commercial and tourism projects. However, in light of the available data, it increased by 13 percent to reach the equivalent of 65.5 billion dollars by the end of 2012.

Sustainability

Sustainability

<Laura Farnham, Vice President of Technology and Services for the Building Efficiency Division of Johnson Controls, a $40 billion global building efficiency company and Fortune 100 company, said, »The UAE's leaders are committed to building a sustainable future: «UAE leaders are committed to building a more sustainable and energy-efficient future, and they recognize the importance of building management as one of the most important elements required to achieve these goals - optimizing the performance and energy efficiency of their buildings without compromising on comfort.» This in itself is a major advantage over the rest of the global real estate industry.

Positive outlook

Abdullah Mohammed Abdulkarim, Managing Director of Saudi Arabia's Alissa Industries, said, «We have a positive outlook for the construction sector in the UAE, both in the short and medium term, and we are very optimistic that the demand for electrical services supplies, both individual and commercial, will register a growth of at least 20% in 2013.»

Abdullah Mohammed Abdulkarim, Managing Director of Saudi Arabia's Alissa Industries, said, »We are very optimistic.

Profits

<Stefano Iannaccone, Managing Director of I. P. B.B. Stefano Iannaccone, Managing Director of IBS-Mabi, predicted »significant« growth opportunities for the UAE's construction sector as more and more tenders are awarded for mixed-use infrastructure and real estate projects for the private and government sectors, increasing the importance of the construction sector in the growth of the national economy.

Mechanisms

Mechanisms

<The real estate boom in the UAE has significantly increased the demand for heavy and light construction equipment, vehicles and machinery, which has led to a boom in the local market, said Engineer Mohammed Ahmed bin Kawer, production manager at Al Wasit Equipment Company, one of the largest suppliers in the local market. However, he said that the postponement by some owners and developers of some of their projects was not the only factor affecting the recovery of the construction equipment market, as the increase in the yen exchange rate against the dollar put great pressure on this market, which could not be absorbed without the return of movement to the market again, supported by the local economic growth in general.

Piles of machinery

Ninan M. George, director of marketing and public relations at Al Wasit, one of the largest suppliers of construction equipment, machinery and vehicles in the country, said that the number of active machinery on work sites across the UAE ranges between 40 to 50 thousand pieces, which is a good figure at the current stage that witnesses the return of recovery in the project sector, especially in 2012.

George added that the volume of machinery is between 40 and 50 thousand pieces, which is a good figure in the current stage that witnesses the return of recovery in the project sector, especially in 2012. George added that the size of the heavy equipment market in the local market reaches about one billion dirhams annually, a figure that inspires confidence and stimulates expectations that it will increase over the next few years, pointing out that the construction market in the country favors Japanese industries specialized in implementing projects because of their long history in this field and often owners require contractors to use modern Japanese equipment no more than 3 or 5 years old.

George added that the size of the heavy equipment market in the local market reaches about one billion dirhams annually, which is a figure that spreads confidence and stimulates expectations to increase over the next few years.

Growing industries

<Nathan Wagh, Events Manager at BMV Live 2012, said that the ready-mixed concrete industry is growing rapidly. He explained to Al Bayan that the UAE is leading the world in its adoption of ready-mixed concrete in construction, pointing out that ready-mixed concrete has become the preferred building material for major construction projects currently underway in the Middle East, which does not interfere with sustainability requirements, as the benefits of ready-mixed concrete are many, including its versatility and ability to withstand It is also easier to maintain, which means that any repairs required by the building later will be done in a more efficient and easy way, and it is an environmentally friendly material that promotes the use of sustainable buildings, as it is fully recyclable, in addition to reducing lighting costs due to its reflective property.

Quality Projects

Sandrine Le Piavant, Director of Technical Consultancy at Farnek Avrial, which holds the exclusive rights to award Green Globe certification to the hospitality sector in the region, said that the UAE is moving strongly towards sustainability at various levels, especially urban and construction, and 2012 was full of projects rich in trends in the application of solutions for sustainability standards and their benefits for the building sector in the region, including reducing carbon emissions and saving money.

Sandrine Le Piavant, Director of Technical Consultancy at Farnek Avrial, which holds the exclusive rights to grant international sustainability and clean environment standards (Green Globe) certification to the hospitality sector in the region, said that the UAE is moving strongly towards sustainability on all levels, especially urban and construction.

UAE succeeds with sustainability and energy laws and regulations

David Thoms said

David Thompson, Event Director at FM Expo 2012, said The UAE has succeeded in enacting sustainability and energy laws and regulations as well as quality initiatives on this front.

Energy management legislation is one of the most important challenges for facility management companies, and the UAE has not delayed in launching a sustainable development initiative, which is a welcome development that has helped turn 2012 into a springboard for construction companies to work hard to find new ways to implement future quality projects.

Thompson said. <In an interview with Al-Bayan, Thompson explained that facility managers face a real challenge in meeting the requirements of energy management legislation and complying with the schemes imposed by service providers, and this forces them to think deeply because it is very costly to develop and upgrade facility management systems in old buildings. Thompson pointed out that there are many challenges facing facility management in the region, and as the sector evolves, the old issue of payment remains the biggest challenge. There are delays in the commitment to pay costs by homeowners, and in some cases there is no commitment to pay at all, which restricts facility management service providers and prevents them from doing their work efficiently, which will lead to tarnishing their reputation in the market.

There are many more challenges facing facility management in the region.

2500 UAE standards apply to building materials factories and products

Abdullah Al-Muaini, Director of the Conformity Affairs Department at the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA), said that building materials products, whether manufactured inside the country or imported from abroad, receive great attention from the authority.

Abdullah Al-Muaini explained that the UAE's standards are applied to building materials factories and products. »About 2,500 of ESMA's 7,000 specifications are applied to those factories producing building materials that meet the highest international standards in environmental protection, safety, health and energy, pointing out that 95% of the UAE specifications set by the Authority and applied to products are formulated and derived from advanced international regulations, standards and specifications.«

Muaini emphasized that the Authority's commitment to the quality of building materials products, whether manufactured inside the country or imported from abroad, receives great attention from the Authority. Al Muaini emphasized the Authority's commitment to support the growth and development of the construction industry in the UAE by establishing high quality standards within the sector, which contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of companies and factories operating in this sector and their ability to enter foreign markets.

He pointed out that 95% is one of the UAE specifications developed by the Authority and applied to products. He pointed out that the UAE Quality Mark system is now widely recognized in many countries around the world, which will enhance the opportunities for companies operating in the country and compliant with these to access international markets.

Muaini pointed out that the UAE Quality Mark system is now widely recognized in many countries around the world. In addition to responding to inquiries and explaining the specifications, national cadres working in the Authority provide some of its services during the Big 5 exhibition, such as receiving applications for product registration and quality mark applications and selling impromptu specifications to manufacturers and traders participating in the exhibition.

Muaini pointed out that national cadres working in the Authority, in addition to responding to inquiries and explaining the specifications, provide some of its services during the Big 5 exhibition. ESMA will also present a workshop during the exhibition days to introduce international participants to national standards and mandatory conformity programs for products to be exported to the country and methods of obtaining certificates of conformity in order to facilitate trade with the country and remove technical barriers between countries.

Emirates Standardization Authority (ESMA) is one of the main stakeholders in the exhibition. The Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) is the authorized body in the UAE to grant the Emirates Quality Mark (EQM), which confirms that the products bearing this mark conform to the approved standards, which gives consumers confidence in these products and allows them to enter local markets and many export markets, because they comply with the approved standards and their production system complies with the various requirements specified by ESMA.

The certification is a quality assurance, which is vital in the construction industry, as engineering consultants can rest assured that products certified by the UAE Conformity Assessment System are trustworthy, thereby giving them an advantage over other products

Certification of the UAE Conformity Assessment System gives consumers confidence in these products and allows them to enter local markets and many export markets, as they conform to the approved standards and their production system complies with the various requirements set by the Authority.