DSE secures Dubai mall deal

UAE-based contractor Drake and Scull has won a Dh224-million ($61 million) project to deliver mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works for a hotel complex and expansion of a prominent retail mall in Dubai, UAE.

Drake and Scull says its engineering unit has started work on the site and will oversee the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of complete MEP works with a scheduled handover by 2018.

The project involves the development of an extension to a prominent retail destination in Dubai, whose expanded premises will include a new high-rise hotel tower and a low-rise podium that includes a hypermarket, cinemas, and additional retail space, all with a total built-up area of 192,000 sq m, it states.

Ahmad Al Naser, the managing director of Drake & Scull Engineering (DSE), says: “The hotel complex and mall expansion project award is the latest major retail development contract which sustains the momentum of our project wins demonstrated by securing prominent deals across the GCC region this year.”

“The hotel complex and mall expansion is a welcome addition to iconic projects we are delivering in  the UAE which includes the Habtoor City, the Jewel of the Creek and the Louvre Museum to name a few,” he notes.

The project win also reflects the company’s position in the engineering sector as the preferred partner for large-scale retail malls which is enhanced by its previous work on prestigious retail developments like Abu Dhabi’s Central Market and the Sahara Mall expansion, Al Naser adds.

DSE is currently involved in the development of prominent retail projects like the Souk Al Kuwait, Souk Al Kabeer and Mall of Qatar as well as the expansion of the Mall of the Emirates across the GCC. “We are confident about our prospects of securing more high-profile projects for the rest of the year,” he concludes.

Arabian Construction celebrates safety milestone

UAE-based Arabian Construction Company (ACC) has achieved a key safety milestone by clocking six million LTI (Lost Time to Injury) free hours at its prestigious Sky Views construction site in Dubai.

Celebrating the feat, Mohammad Bidad, Group Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) manager, says: “ACC’s reaching of six million LTI-free hours at our busy Sky Views construction site, which we broke ground on 14 months ago, is testament to the fact that we as an organisation attach the utmost priority to the health and safety of all our 3,300 on-site employees.”

ACC, he says, has a long and well-established track record in the field of safety and the company’s HSE department works closely with the site team to ensure that all projects are delivered safely and in line with the group’s standard operating procedures and stringent safety controls.

“We are particularly proud to have achieved this milestone considering the project’s challenging location and its proximity to the Burj Khalifa Metro Station, and the thousands of passengers who use this station daily. This award underlines our continued commitment to health, safety and environment management.”

Previously, the company had achieved a record of 36 million LTI free hours at its Gate Towers project in Abu Dhabi.

“Therefore, we know we have the processes and experience to build on the achievement at Sky Views and are looking forward to celebrating many more landmark figures in the future,” he adds.

In March this year, ACC was the recipient of the International Safety Award for its construction of the premium Fountain Views project in Downtown Dubai.

The honour took the form of a Merit Award from the esteemed British Safety Council; a non-profit organisation dedicated to ensuring best practice in health and safety in the workplace.

Dewa awards solar park building contract

Hadeed Emirates Contracting Company has won a major contract from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) for the construction of the solar innovation centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

The centre has been designed with sustainability in mind to support the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The facility, which will act as a museum and exhibition for solar and renewable energy, is set to attract tourists, universities, schools, companies, and partners.

According to a project spokesman: “The solar innovation centre will be open to solar energy manufacturers and developers as it has a specialised place and permanent convention centre for events and conferences, business meetings, training and meetings on subjects related to solar and renewable energy and other green initiatives. The centre is planned to be completed by the first quarter of 2017.”

He says the landmark design celebrates the unique identity of the energy park, reinforcing the image of green Dubai as a leading example of sustainable development, regionally and internationally, adding that the building will be a platform to showcase the latest solar and renewable energy technologies.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa, says: “The project will enable Dewa to demonstrate its own achievements in renewable energy and sustainability, and highlight the green strategies incorporated in the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 and the vision of a Future Dubai.”