Property prices in Dubai continued their expected downwards trend in August declining almost 1.4% on a monthly basis. Albeit this was at a slower pace compared to the earlier summer months where declines of 2.1% and 2.7% were recorded for June and July, respectively. At AED 807 per sq ft presently, property prices sit just below similar rates last recorded in May 2009. They are now 34.6% away from the market peak in September 2014, and only 2.8% from the previous market trough of April 2009. As previously forecast, it is highly probable that we will breach previous market lows…
Author: Kasun Illankoon
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) introduced today the KC N901 smart helmet, which will be worn by its security personnel across Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), in line with its commitment to the safety and well-being of its community, and testament to its position as a proof of concept for smart technologies. The new Smart Helmet is designed to conduct a contactless rapid screening of the temperatures of single-persons, or crowds, in real time. The KC N901’s top functions that are utilized at DSO include efficient contactless temperature recording, rapid screening for both indoors and outdoors. Engineer Muammar Al Katheeri, Executive…
ACCIONA has achieved a key milestone in the construction of the Al-Khobar 1 desalination plant on the east coast of Saudi Arabia with the production of the first cubic meter of water. This is equivalent to the consumption of a four-member family for one day. The plant, equipped with energy-efficient Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology, is a critical project in the modernisation of the water sector being undertaken by the kingdom’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC). ACCIONA is the EPC contractor for Al Khobar 1, which it expects to complete before the end of the year. The desalination plant…
Ajman Free Zone signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with noon.com, the region’s leading digital marketplace, as part of its move to further enhance the local e-commerce sector and attract new investors to Ajman. The MoU will strengthen the cooperation and coordination between both parties as they work towards boosting the sector’s performance and supporting its steady expansion. Under the MoU, existing Ajman Free Zone investors who hold e-commerce licenses can join Noon to utilize the homegrown platform’s extensive library of tools including a fully optimized platform, secure payment gateway, and established logistics and fulfillment network. Companies wanting to use…
The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has shared the new developments being witnessed across its portfolio of latest large-scale real estate, tourism, commercial and hospitality projects, in line with the gradual reopening of businesses across the UAE. Preventative measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus will be implemented effectively across all its sites to ensure the safety of Shurooq’s staff and workers. The move reinforces the criticality of business continuity and sustainability in the construction and infrastructure sectors to ensure the strength and resilience of Sharjah’s economy. Shurooq is developing an array of projects in strategic partnership with…
Abu Dhabi Ports announced today that Khalifa Port’s expansion is on pace for completion. The Khalifa Port expansion, announced in December 2019, aims to attract new business and significantly boost capacity in line with evolving customer expectations, and has progressed significantly since its inception despite the challenging economic conditions presented by the global pandemic. Upon completion, the project is expected to substantially increase handling volumes by providing additional deep-water access and enhanced infrastructure. To date, 200 metres of quay wall and almost 175,000 sqm of land within Khalifa Port Logistics (KPL) have been handed over ahead of the project’s full…
While the road to global recovery from the after-effects of Covid-19 is largely unknown, business solutions provider Transguard Group has revealed that the development of a number of new products and services has been fostered in the wake of the pandemic. “The world has changed, and now that masks are the ‘new normal,’ so has our uniform,” said Greg Ward, Managing Director, Transguard Group. “However, while more is being asked of us, Transguard has never stopped going above and beyond our clients’ expectations of service and safety.” Transguard’s specific Covid-driven initiatives have varied across the business and include the creation…
Construction Business News ME caught up with Trimble’s Scott Crozier, General Manager of the Civil Construction Field Systems Division, on how automation, technology, and software solutions are changing how construction sites operate in the aftermath of COVID-19 Automation reshaping the construction industry “Automation is reshaping the construction industry in many ways, including through improved safety, increased efficiency, and easing the challenges caused by a global workforce shortage. Grade control solutions have reduced or eliminated the need for a survey crew to work alongside machinery to verify progress, which is one sure way to improve jobsite safety. Equipment collision avoidance technology…
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, said the Dubai Metro represents one of the emirate’s many success stories made possible by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The project forms part of efforts to maintain Dubai’s position as one of the world’s fastest growing and most developed cities by implementing quality projects that cater to the mobility needs created by rapid urban expansion. Dubai’s transport infrastructure features the highest international safety standards and operational…
An environmentally-friendly water treatment plant that has created a wetland in Oman’s desert, a project from the UK building battery-powered underwater fishing lights to reduce unwanted catch, and a UAE-based educational platform that harnesses artificial intelligence to personalise learning experiences for students are among the second stream of projects in Expo 2020 Dubai’s Global Best Practice Programme. The 20 hand-picked initiatives, known as ‘Untold Stories’, have joined the Programme’s inaugural cohort of 25, whose simple, effective and locally-based solutions address some of the world’s biggest challenges, including those laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals – 17 global goals designed…