by Stuart Leslie, the International Sales and Marketing Director of Barratt London The UK has always been a popular destination for overseas investors. London has historically attracted a range of investors, particularly wealthy Middle Eastern individuals, for several reasons. Firstly, the capital has always been resilient to market conditions – we only have to look at the bounce back following the three-month COVID lockdown in the first half of 2020 to understand the market’s popularity. Recent reports have stated luxury homes in London are now 5% above their pre-pandemic levels in March 2020. Furthermore, looking at London real estate…
Author: Guest Columnist
By Keith Bentley, Founder and CTO, Bentley Systems A digital twin is a realistic and dynamic digital representation of a physical asset, process, or system in the built or natural environment. As was the case with BIM nearly 20 years ago, digital twins are now reshaping the built world in terms of how infrastructure is designed, constructed, and operated. The industry has always faced challenges managing the volume and variety of data, as well as the varied ways it changes over time. This can be overwhelming for infrastructure professionals, whether their specialty is in project delivery or in operations. The advent…
by Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO of EFS Facilities Services Group Undoubtedly, the Facilities Management Industry has its hands full with multiple business continuity challenges, and the continuing onslaught of trailing margins further aggravates the hardships. Modern-day FM has its battles to fight on numerous new fronts, and more so, the needed investment is not coming to fend off these challenges. Post pandemic, inspite of growth in the sector, there is no respite from the market as clients continue their push on low margins. Besides, FM has to deal with its legacy issues of manpower and service infrastructure. Moreover, it…
by: Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO of EFS Facilities Services Group For years, I have been advocating the case of a much more emphatic transformation of technology in the FM industry. In the wake of recent challenges faced by the industry such as a drop in gross margins due to client pressure, demand for a linear organization to cut overheads, rising skills gaps, workforce availability and productivity, ever-changing landscape of built environments, technology indeed has the solution for most of these issues. Technology in FM, commonly known as Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM), can address these challenges. However, the moot point is…
Written by Payal, Prasoon Design Studio Sustainability is an essential design philosophy that influences the construction sphere within the Middle East. The implementation of green energy, eco-friendly strategies, and sustainable rating measures have significantly affected the way that the region drives development long-term. In fact, sustainability and green strategies have the power to unlock close to US$3 trillion in economic development by 2030, which is why cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi are leading the way. With rising energy demand and increased urbanisation, developers are also focusing on sustainability from a strategic perspective. Along with green materials and natural…
by NATHAN DOUGHTY, ASITE CEO In every project, there are many moving parts and people to coordinate. The global construction industry is notoriously siloed and is often characterized by its fragmented nature. Digital technologies, including advancements in software, provide organizations with the solutions they need to overcome this fragmentation. In order for us to reach our full potential, the industry must utilize these technologies together. We need to optimize our digital processes and create a more integrated and collaborative industry. As our industry continues to recover and rebuild in the wake of COVID-19, now is the time to build…
by Najwa Makhlouf, General Manager – Centre of Cleaning Excellence, EFS Facilities Services Group Whilst the definition of “blended learning” is hard to establish; it has been described, briefly, as an educational approach that grants learners the flexibility of learning remotely while interacting with instructors on a face-to-face basis. It is a prevalent approach used for successful educational experiences forming the basis of organizational development programs. At EFS, we continually evolve through the passion for learning and development. We strive for excellence, and we make it happen. Our learning model is anchored around a 20:50:30 blended approach, where 20% is…
by: Mark Froggatt – Technical director at BASEC In a world reliant so heavily on data, poor quality and non-compliant data cables can have a catastrophic impact on the end user. It is crucial that structured cabling systems can accommodate data demand both now and, in the future. “Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies to create new- or modify existing- business processes, culture and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements.” Data cables – when quality matters It is becoming increasingly visible that the world is ever more reliant on digital technology. In fact, the…
WORDS ABY SAM THOMAS AL-NOURI COMPLEX IMAGES © UNESCO / MOAMIN AL-OBAID UNESCO launches an international competition to rebuild a global icon in Iraq—architects and designers invited to reimagine Mosul’s historic Al-Nouri Complex. It was once described by 10th century Arab geographer Al-Muqaddasi as “the metropolis of this region,” but that is almost certainly not the impression one may have of the city of Mosul in Iraq today. Given the troubles and turmoil it has faced over the last couple of years, Mosul’s history and heritage seem to have been relegated to the background on account of the damage and…
by Nay Riachy, Communication Consultant at Esrar Real Estate From the gaming to the entertainment industry, virtual reality is emerging expeditiously in every aspect of modern day life. But how effective can it be in the real estate sector? In this article we will tackle the advantages of virtual reality for real estate, and discuss some of the ways it is already being used, and ways that investors might be able to use this technology to their benefit. The recent Goldman and Sachs statistics claim – as much as 1.4 million real estate agents are using VR to showcase property…