Fila green products in spotlight

Fila Industria Chimica, a specialist in surface care solutions, showcased its latest solvent-free and eco-friendly products and solutions at an event in Dubai.

Developed in-house, Fila products are solvent-free and collectively provide a complete solution in eco-friendly surface care, said the eco-focused company, which offers solutions for protecting marble, natural stone, porcelain, terracotta and wood surfaces.

Fila solutions use high-end products to protect surfaces, which includes marble, porcelain, stoneware, terracotta and wood, said the company.

Fila’s diverse product range will suit the equally diverse upcoming projects, it said. The products also suit the region’s harsh environment that can easily damage surfaces, said Francesco Pettenon, group commercial director of the Italy-based company.

Jumeirah to operate luxury resort

Jumeirah Group, the global hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi government to operate a luxury Jumeirah resort on Sa’adiyat Island in the UAE capital.

Set in a prime location on the northeastern coast of Sa’adiyat Island, the luxurious five-star resort is expected to open in 2017.

The hotel will comprise 294 guest rooms, including spa suites, presidential suites and private high-end villas. Food and beverage outlets will include an all-day dining venue, two signature restaurants, a lobby lounge and bar, a pool and beach bars, retail shops and outdoor beach and pool areas. The architecture, interior design, landscape and master-planning will be completed by DBI Design Corporation, which also designed Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi.

Bridge opened at Qudra intersection

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai, has opened a new bridge at the intersection of Al Qudra Road and Lehbab Road, comprising three lanes in each direction, to help ease the traffic flow from the Emirates Road to Seih Assalam.

The opening of the bridge comes shortly after the opening of Al Qudra Road extending 12 km from Jebel Ali-Lehbab intersection to Bab Al Shams Roundabout.

Siemens achieves 63pc energy saving

Siemens Middle East’s award-winning headquarters at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi achieved a 63 per cent saving in energy consumption and a 52 per cent saving in water consumption.

Designed by UK architects Sheppard Robson, the building incorporates a range of innovative features, materials and technologies which significantly reduce the consumption of power and water. Inaugurated in January last year, it is the first Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified office building in the emirate.

Atkins clinches Mirfa IWPP deal

Atkins, a multinational engineering, design, planning and consulting services company, has been appointed by Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company to provide engineering design services for the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority’s Mirfa Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) in Abu Dhabi.

A consortium of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors headed by Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company will undertake the construction of the plant, which is due to be commissioned in phases during 2016 and 2017.

Located 120 km from Abu Dhabi city, the Mirfa plant project is the emirate’s 10th facility of its type. When completed, the Mirfa IWPP will have a total power generation capacity of approximately 1,600 MW.

Arabtec wins two Emaar contracts

Dubai builder Arabtec Holding said it had won two contracts worth Dh375 million ($102 million) from developer Emaar Properties. Both contracts are for construction of residential villas in Dubai to be delivered in 2016.

Harsco branding is SGB again in UAE

Harsco Infrastructure has announced that with effect from October 2014, it has changed its branding back to SGB in the UAE.

However, the trading name of the company, Quebeisi SGB LLC, remains the same, said the company.

The return of branding back to SGB, follows new ownership in November 2013.  Since then, the previous Harsco Infrastructure division has been a subsidiary of Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services (BEIS), headquartered in Kennesaw, US. BEIS comprises tradition-rich companies that rank among the market leaders in their respective business segments and regions.

The SGB offering includes industrial services incorporating: scaffolding, insulation and coating, refractory and fireproofing services, with a focus on the chemical and petrochemical sector to support customers with ongoing maintenance work as well as capital projects and shutdowns. The company also offers construction services in wall and slab formwork, shoring systems, scaffolding and safety equipment.

Construction sector pumps in $3.64bn

The construction sector contributed 7.89 per cent – or Dh13.4 billion ($3.64 billion) – to Dubai’s gross domestic product (GDP) of Dh170.7 billion ($46.4 billion) in the first half of 2014, according to figures.

The figures from the latest report from the Dubai Statistics Centre were brought into the spotlight ahead of the International Property Show to begin this month (March 30 to April 1) by Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions, the organiser.