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Developer Kooheji Development has begun the handover of all 420 apartments at Tower A of its luxury freehold project, Onyx Residences, in Bahrain Bay.
Billed as a premium development, the Onyx Residences comprises two interconnected towers – Tower A (Onyx Residences by Rotana) featuring luxury freehold apartments, designed to offer residents unparalleled living experiences with modern furnishings and top-tier amenities – and Tower B (Onyx Arjaan by Rotana), said the developer.
On the smooth handover, CEO Engineer Mohamed Abdulghaffar Al Kooheji said the handover follows the successful completion of the snagging phase, where apartment owners personally inspected their units with Kooheji’s client relations team and provided valuable feedback, ensuring the highest standards of luxury and comfort.
“Today we witness not only a significant milestone with the handover of units at Onyx Residences but also the realisation of overcoming challenges to deliver the largest freehold project in Bahrain,” stated Al Kooheji.
He added, “The development epitomises unparalleled luxury living, reflecting our unwavering commitment to investors and shareholders. We’re proud of our robust operations knowledge and hassle-free real estate services, which have solidified our position as a trusted partner in Bahrain’s real estate sector.”
According to Al Kooheji, the vision behind Onyx Residences was to offer an unmatched luxurious living and unparalleled lifestyle, setting a new benchmark for excellence and delivering high returns on investment and yield to our unit owners.
Lauding the Bahraini real estate watchdog RERA for its support, Al Kooheji noted, “This will mark a new era in Bahrain’s real estate industry, as we continue to thrive with unprecedented projects that keep our nation ahead of the game.”
The Onyx residences by Rotana, is located in the 1.45m sqm Bahrain Bay development, and promise an ideal blend of luxury and leisure, he stated. “This development is a gateway to Bahrain’s vibrant lifestyle, offering proximity to major landmarks, including Bahrain International Airport, The Avenues, The Park, The Wharf, and Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.”
Due for imminent launch, Onyx Arjaan by Rotana is a hotel-serviced apartment building, offering over 200 one-, two-, and three-bedroom hotel serviced apartments, aimed at redefining hospitality standards with expansive living spaces and bespoke services. It also boasts Bahrain’s largest infinity pool (standing at 50m), an indoor garden with a cafe, indoor pool, gym, ladies-only gym, cinema theatre, multipurpose events hall, VIP lounges, coworking spaces, and the exclusive ‘Onyx Club’ lounge, the developer concluded.
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Azizi Developments has signed an agreement with Austrian formwork solutions company, Doka, for the manufacture and supply of formwork systems for its skyscraper project on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
Azizi’s tower, which is being set up at an investment of US $1.5bn, will feature a vertical shopping mall, luxury residences and penthouses, in addition to a 7-star hotel, a one-of-its-kind observation deck, and numerous high-end F&B options. Once completed, it will become the world’s second tallest tower.
At the signing ceremony, CEO Farhad Azizi commented: “This is a testament to our commitment to procuring and partnering with only the very best, and aligns perfectly with our pursuit of delivering sustainable, innovative, high-quality, world-class developments that enrich lives for generations to come. Collaborating with Doka allows us to ensure premium construction quality for these unique developments.”
The ceremony was attended by Afzaal Hussein, the Chief Operating Officer of Azizi Developments, Robert Hauser, CEO of Doka and Ralf Buerger, Executive Vice President of Doka Middle East, Africa & Asia Pacific.
Established in Austria in 1958, Doka has a widespread global presence, offering a diverse range of high-quality formwork systems and related services for various construction projects globally. The company is said to be recognised for its commitment to innovation, continually developing advanced solutions to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability in construction.
Speaking about the partnership, CEO Robert Hauser said: “It’s a privilege to cast our partnership with one of the most prestigious developers, Azizi, on this outstanding project. We are delighted that Doka has once again the opportunity to demonstrate its broad experience in the high-rise sector. Only highly experienced formwork experts can provide the right answers to the challenges of this project, from planning and engineering to operational excellence in execution.”
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Source: MEConstructionNews
AVEVA and Work Packs Inc have announced a partnership with the aim of leveraging AVEVA’s expertise in digital transformation and Work Packs’ innovative solutions to support the delivery of capital projects.
The two firms are positioned to meet the distinctive challenges faced by engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies and owner-operators. By rolling out cohesive and data-centric solutions, the partnership will enable users to unlock wide-ranging benefits improving productivity, efficiency, and safety, and reducing costs, said a statement from the firm.
WorkPacks is said to be a leading software as a service (SaaS) platform, designed for capital project and construction management. Using unique techniques in virtual construction modelling, WorkPacks centralises the planning, sequencing, and automation of the path of construction.
The platform provides stakeholders with a comprehensive view of their work packages, complemented by in-depth analytics and essential project key performance indicators. Adaptable and scalable, it is designed to support both small-scale and large construction projects, the statement explained.
Greg Pada, Vice President, Head of Engineering Business, AVEVA
“We are delighted to partner with Work Packs Inc. to improve project outcomes for the construction sector. AVEVA has a track record of de-risking capital projects, enhancing cost and schedule predictability, and driving higher-value outcomes. This strategic partnership will further empower customers to use their project data more effectively by automating the creation and management of work packages, reducing idle time, minimising resource use, and improving the productivity and sustainability of their capital projects,” said Greg Pada, Vice President, Head of Engineering Business at AVEVA.
WorkPacks integrates with AVEVA Everything3D (E3D), AVEVA Enterprise Resource Management (ERM) and AVEVA Asset Information Management (AIM) solutions, which helps customers make data-driven decisions and fostering insights for successful project collaboration and execution, the statement added.
Robert Blackmon, Chief Executive Officer, Work Packs Inc. concluded, “We are excited to collaborate with AVEVA, a global leader in project execution solutions and digital transformation. This game-changing alliance complements our industry-leading work packaging solution leveraging AVEVA’s data-centric approach to capital project planning and construction – enabling customers to save on time and costs while delivering superior projects.”
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Source: MEConstructionNews
HKA has consolidated its long-term presence on the ground in Saudi Arabia with the official grant of its Regional Headquarters (RHQ) License. The risk mitigation, advisory and construction expert firm gained its license under the regional headquarters programme from the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) on January 11th.
The firm is believed to be one of the first major international consultancy firms in the construction claims and expert sector to gain regional HQ status under the programme. This became a prerequisite for conducting business with state bodies, and for special tax incentives, with effect from 1 January, 2024.
HKA, whose global headquarters is in London, has long-established offices both in Jeddah and Riyadh, supporting its work for Saudi clients and capital projects that stretches back more than two decades.
Making the announcement, Jad Chouman, HKA’s Partner and Head of Middle East, said it reflected the firm’s growth strategy for the buoyant Saudi market and the wider region. He commented: “The ambitious economic diversification underway in Saudi Arabia mirrors our own rapid growth, not only in construction claims and expert witness services, but also our wider offerings in forensic accounting and commercial damages, forensic technical services, and advisory services.”
Amanda Clack, HKA Partner and Regional CEO for EMEA added, “HKA’s long-term commitment to the Saudi market dates back some 40 years, with our Jeddah and Riyadh offices having operated for over 15 years. The confirmation of our RHQ License is an exciting and natural evolution of our continued commitment to the region.”
Husam Gawish, Partner and Head of Saudi Arabia Operations emphasised that HKA’s local operations met all the programme’s eligibility requirements. “We have a strong team in the country composed of senior managers, consultant experts, and administrative staff, and it’s expanding. We’re experiencing growth across all sectors. As with the national economy, oil and gas remains vibrant, but our workload in construction generally, including infrastructure, buildings and tourism development, is increasingly significant,” he stated.
The consultancy has steadily expanded its historically contractor-centred business over the years and now serves a wide client base spanning both private and public sectors. Recent commissions involve strategic advisory services for several Vision 2030 giga-projects.
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Joby Aviation, a company developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger services, has announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the emirate by early 2026. Initial operations are likely to start as early as 2025.
Joby’s aircraft, which was displayed in the region for the first time at the World Governments Summit, is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200mph; a journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to take just 10 minutes, compared with 45 minutes by car.
The agreement, signed at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, provides Joby with the exclusive right to operate air taxis in Dubai for six years, and will position Dubai as a world leader in delivering the fast, clean and quiet air travel enabled by Joby’s revolutionary technology.
The agreement secures a variety of support from the RTA, including financial mechanisms, for entry and maturing of service operations in Dubai.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO, Joby Aviation said, “It is an honour to partner with the Government of Dubai to demonstrate the value of sustainable air travel to the world. Today’s landmark agreement delivers on all three ingredients required to successfully launch an air taxi service – a definitive path to operations, well-placed infrastructure supported by dedicated partners, and an aircraft with the capacity and range to deliver meaningful journeys. We’re looking forward to delivering an incredible experience for residents and visitors to Dubai as early as 2025 and we’re excited to be laying the groundwork for the expansion of our service across the wider UAE.”
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors for RTA, commented, “The air taxi service is part of RTA’s efforts to embrace future transportation technologies and offers a novel and efficient mobility option for Dubai’s residents and visitors, enabling fast, safe, and convenient travel to key city spots. This service will also enhance seamless multi-modal transportation, improving citywide connectivity, and ensuring a smooth travel experience for passengers.”
Joby also additionally signed an agreement with Skyports, who will design, build and operate four initial vertiport sites across Dubai. These will be based in Dubai International Airport (DXB); Palm Jumeirah; Dubai Marina and Dubai Downtown.
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Arabian Drilling Company has announced long-term contracts worth US $226.5mn for the supply of three additional land rigs to Saudi oil giant Aramco.
Under this deal, Arabian Drilling will be supplying the land rigs along with full crews, and the entire contract will run for five years. With these new additions, the rig fleet strength has now risen to 48.
On the contract win, CEO Ghassan Mirdad said: “We are delighted with this new award as it further consolidates our footprint in the Unconventional Gas fields by bringing the total number of brand-new land rigs that Arabian Drilling will deploy to 13. This is another important step in the execution of our strategy. Our operations mix of conventional drilling in both land and offshore, and now in unconventional, is in line with our strategy execution and proves the resilience of our business model.
“The successful startup of the 10 new land rigs previously announced is a key priority in 2024. While we will deploy our new rigs, we always remain focused on achieving the highest Health, Safety and Environment standards across our operations.”
On the financial impact of the order, Arabian Drilling said the contribution to the company’s revenue is expected to start in Q1 2025.
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8,335 residential structures have been built in accordance with green building standards over the last five years, according to authorities in Ajman. The Ajman Municipality and Planning Department said this is in line with the state’s directives and embodies the methodologies adopted in the Year of Sustainability, which has been extended for a second consecutive year.
The municipality pointed out that the figure includes the buildings that have been completed since the beginning of the implementation of the first phase of the Green Building Decision issued in 2018 until December 31, 2023.
The Director of Buildings, Engineer Khalifa Abdullah Al Falasi, said the municipality had achieved the target number for last year related to green buildings due to its continuous efforts to boost energy efficiency, rationalise water consumption, and raise the vitality of buildings by applying the standards and needs of green buildings for new residential villas in the emirate.
He explained, “We aim to provide a developed and sustainable infrastructure in a way that ensures that residents and visitors reduce carbon emissions in the emirate’s atmosphere and raise it to be a healthy and attractive city.”
The department seeks to build a happy community that contributes to building a green economy, concluded Al Falasi.
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23 utility project developers have been prequalified for the fifth round of solar projects coming up across Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC).
The new projects, once complete, will add 3700MW of solar capacity to the Kingdom’s energy sector, including the 2000MWac capacity Al Sadawi IPP in the Eastern province; 1000MWac Al Masa’a IPP in Hail province; 400MWac Al Henakiyah 2 IPP in Madinah province, and 300MWac Rabigh 2 IPP in the Makkah Province.
According to a statement from the SPPC, the projects will be implemented under the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which is being led and supervised by the Ministry of Energy. The SPPC noted that under the NREP scheme, it will be responsible for the predevelopment, tendering and subsequent off-taking of the energy from the projects. To date, SPPC has awarded over 12.6GW of renewable energy capacity under NREP.
The list of the pre-qualified bidders comprises global firms including: EDF; Total Energies; Marubeni, Sumitomo, Itochu and Jera; Samsung C&T Corporation; Korea Electric Power Corporation; GEK Terna; B. Grimm Power; Gulf Energy Development Public Company; Power Construction Corporation of China; Spic Huanghe Hydropower Development, and Jinko Power.
Major regional firms which have now made it to the prequalified list include: Masdar; Kahrabel; BGL Renewable Energy Systems Installation, and Nebras Power.
The SPPC also said that of the 23 companies which had expressed interest in the Round 5 projects, five were Saudi firms: Al Jomaih Energy & Water Company; Alfanar; Saudi Electricity Company; FAS Energy and Nesma Renewable Energy.
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The detailed design for Dubai Square has been completed according to Emaar Properties. The project is billed as a ‘futuristic fusion of cutting-edge retail, entertainment and technology’ and is to be built within Dubai Creek Harbour.
According to Emaar, Dubai Square is characterised by its advanced technologies, and contemporary and innovative design and will be linked to the new Dubai Creek Tower, giving it a distinctive position in the heart of Dubai Creek Harbour. On completion, it is set to become the second-largest shopping and entertainment mall in Dubai Creek Harbour.
The simultaneous construction of the shopping centre and the tower incorporates the latest building and design innovations and technologies underpinned by Emaar’s rich experience and deep knowledge in the sector and aligning with the company’s vision for Dubai’s future, said the developer.
“After fifteen years of catering for a hundred million visitors on a yearly basis and over 1,500 retailers, Emaar has a great wealth of knowledge and experience and is perfectly capable of doing the same with the new project while still seeking retailers’ advice as we do this development. Despite the fact that AI is a new science in design, Emaar is implementing and deploying the most advanced AI systems to analyse and predict the needs of retailers and visitors in the future,” said Emaar Properties Founder Mohamed Alabbar.
The project is said to represent a significant step in establishing Dubai as a prime global destination for shopping and leisure.
Dubai Square will feature breakthrough technologies and innovative concepts in retail, dining, and entertainment, offering an unparalleled experience that goes beyond traditional shopping environments, Alabbar concluded.
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