Makram Al Musharrafieh, Advisory Services Leader – Middle East at Mott MacDonald highlights on the current state of the construction industry in the Middle East
The pace and scale of construction in the Middle East are hugely impressive over the coming years. From an ambitious pipeline of giga projects to major infrastructure and housing schemes, these projects will create significant social, economic, and environmental benefits.
However, successful delivery puts pressure on resources, including highly skilled professionals from across the full spectrum of the construction industry. As a global engineering, management and development consultancy, being agile for our clients is critical to our success, which means bringing the right expertise together.
That’s happening successfully in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in response to the massive demand for talent there, but the pool of engineers available is limited. The talent coming from further afield does impact project costs.
With an intense focus on reducing capital expenditure during the construction phase of projects, this presents a real challenge. Fortunately, Mott MacDonald has invested heavily in digital innovation. Process automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and data management all have a significant role in optimising the design and planning of these complex projects.
Mott MacDonald has a long-term partnership with Microsoft to see how AI can best be used within our business. We already deliver many AI services to clients via our digital platform, Moata, and we are increasingly looking at Generative AI and its potential to free up our people’s time to focus on developing more creative and innovative solutions for our clients.
Part of maintaining and growing the pool of engineering talent is ensuring those at the early stages of their careers see the profession as an exciting long-term prospect. With so many opportunities open to people, our industry needs to keep showing the impact we are having and the part we play in shaping a better world. That’s why we pride ourselves on creating a nurturing work environment that attracts talent and allows it to thrive.
One of the other exciting trends we are seeing across the region is the ambition for countries to invest in high-quality, climate-resilient buildings and infrastructure. The big challenge is the speed at which our industry can embrace new processes, materials and ways of working.
The disruption and damage caused by extreme weather across the Middle East recently highlighted the pressing need to build smarter to protect critical transport, homes, and businesses from future climate risks. Climate targets, regulations, and new industry standards from governments play a key role in changing behaviour.
As a business, Mott MacDonald recognises the need to lead from the front on carbon management. PAS 2080, the world’s first standard on carbon management in infrastructure, was developed with the British Standards Institution by Mott MacDonald and Arup.
We have also pioneered prefabrication techniques, such as design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) and other modern construction methods. Projects such as the Musaimeer Pumping Station and Outfall Tunnel in Qatar demonstrate how adopting innovative construction techniques, such as DfMA, and a clear sustainability strategy can deliver critical infrastructure on time and on a budget that protects long-term urban development and economic growth.
Countries, including the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have made a clear shift in recent years towards broadening their economic base for lasting prosperity. The construction industry has a huge role to play, and by working closely together on these shared challenges, we are well-placed to realise this ambition.