Hochtief ViCon awarded metro deal

Hochtief ViCon, a leader in the field of virtual construction and building information modelling (BIM), has been awarded a contract involving work on the Doha Metro project in Qatar.

It will offer BIM services for the RLR JV – a consortium comprising Rizzani de Eccher of Italy, Korea’s Lotte Engineering and Construction, and Redco of Qatar for the Red Line North.

“ViCon’s scope of services on this project includes initial BIM implementation documents consisting of an implementation plan and the modelling guidelines,” said a spokesman for the Qatar-based company.

ViCon will coordinate the BIM introduction on the project and initiate collaboration between the various participants within the JV.

Coastal highway plans scrapped

Plans for a new 12-km coastal highway connecting Bahrain’s Seef District and a town being built on reclaimed land off the coast of Duraz have been scrapped.

The government planned to buy around 200 plots of private seafront land to pave the way for the traffic artery, which would have run parallel to the Budaiya Highway and Al Nakheel Highway.

Blueprints for the original project included public beaches as well as a marina for all fishermen in the area.

However, the Northern Municipal Council was informed that the BD100-million ($263.1 million) highway to the Northern Town, which is currently under construction, was axed and that a new 4-km route would be built instead.

The new highway is expected to ease traffic on the existing road network, which should reduce congestion on Budaiya Highway and improve access to the Northern Governorate. It will also provide a direct link to the new $450-million Northern Town.

Bahrain projects win Meed awards

Three major Bahrain infrastructure milestones have won the 2015 Meed Quality Awards for Projects.

Meed, a leading source of business intelligence, has announced the national winners in association with UAE’s Mashreq, a top financial institution.

The projects were assessed on engineering and construction challenges, as well as economic, social and environmental impact.

The Muharraq sewage treatment plant and sewerage conveyance project, completed last year, was awarded in the category of sustainable project of the year.

The headquarters of the Bahrain Survey Land Registration Bureau topped the list in the category of social infrastructure project of the year, while the landmark Mina Salman Interchange was declared winner in the transport project of the year category.

DSE wins key Oman contracts

Drake & Scull Engineering (DSE) Oman has been awarded a series of major contracts worth Dh350 million ($95.28 million) in Oman under which it will deliver MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) works for Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) in Seeb, two five-star hotels in Saraya Bandar Jissah near capital Muscat, and an airport hangar related facility.

The scope of MEP works for the OCEC spans a 3,100-seat central auditorium; a 455-seat secondary auditorium; the Grand Ballroom, a food court; 28 meeting rooms and administration offices. Work is expected to commence soon with a scheduled completion by 2017.

DSE Oman will also supply, install, test and commission core MEP systems for two five-star beachfront hotels at Saraya Bandar Jissah, which are set to be handed over by 2017 and 2016, respectively.

In addition, it will start work on the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing work for the airport hangar related facility, with completion expected by early next year.  

New mall set to open in Bahrain

Work on a new shopping complex in the Busaiteen district of Bahrain is scheduled for completion by early next year. The complex, named Al Nakheel Plaza, will be located on a 8,585-sq-m plot of land, which is owned by the Muharraq Municipality, and will include a car-park with 172 spaces and a new headquarters for the Muharraq Municipal Council. 

QS signs MoU with ASTM

Qatar General Organization for Standardization (QS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ASTM International, a leading US-based standards development organisation, that will boost standards and enhance awareness of international standards in the building and construction sector.

Under the latest agreement, Qatar Construction Standards (QCS 2014) will be linked to ASTM’s interactive database by establishing an online version, including direct links to the full text of ASTM Standards referenced in QCS 2014. This is to help speed up users’ access to all referenced ASTM Standards and make QCS accessible to building and construction experts, scientists and professionals worldwide, in a first step toward globalisation of QCS.

QS has developed a proposal to establish a high-level technical consultancy committee for the development of QCS 2018 Global in cooperation with ASTM International. QCS 2018 will undergo an international review with the purpose of recognising Qatar Construction Standards as an international reference for dry and humid areas worldwide.