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Amana Group company targets growth in home market of UAE, and on Saudis iconic hospitality and entertainment projects
The GCC’s construction industry has been embracing changes as technological advancements and innovation have driven growth in the global building sector.
One innovative construction method that has caught the attention of developers, contractors, and architects in the Gulf is modular construction, a methodology that can cut project costs and durations – and boost profitability – without compromising quality, if implemented correctly.
While offsite manufacturing of volumetric concrete modules might sound like a straightforward job, its disruptive processes require a superior degree of expertise and quality control than traditional building processes, such as in-situ construction. As such, not every company might be adequately equipped to deliver modular construction projects.
Naturally, then, raising market awareness about offsite manufacturing of concrete modular construction is among the top priorities for Dubox, a Dubai-based company that delivered projects exceeding AED1bn for esteemed organisations and clients such as Wasl Gate and Dunecrest International School – in addition to Emaar and Adnoc.
Chebel Bsaibes, chairman of Amana Group – of which Dubox is a part – says 2018 was a successful year for the modular construction specialist, which translated in [work for] the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment to Al Dhiyafa Village during the year. In 2018, the firm was recognised among the winners of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Innovation Awards, and Dubox also received innovation accolades from Dubai Industrial City and Dubai Chamber.
“We were successful in spreading awareness about offsite concrete modular construction [in 2018], and we have received inquiries from across the region to source modular solutions for projects,” Bsaibes tells Construction Week.
A testimonial to Dubox’s success story is last year’s magnitude of projects by the company. Dubox completed 257 villas for Wasl Gate; 26 homes for Al Dhiyafa Village; 1,400-student Dunecrest International School; and staff homes within Dubai Silicon Oasis. The clientele now also includes industry giants such as Adnoc, Emaar, Al Futtaim Real Estate, Wasl Real Estate, Esol Education, Emicool, Al Tayer Group, as well as Almarai in Saudi Arabia. Dubox’s projects in 2018 had a value of over AED450m during the year, spanning a built-up area of over 130,000sqm.
Dubox operates from a 62,000sqm factory in Dubai Industrial City, which delivers pre-finished concrete modules that are later transported to site. Company data shows that 85% of the concrete construction process is transformed into offsite manufacturing by working with Duboxs modular solution, making the construction process more effective for clients, contractors, and designers. Simultaneously, this approach also allows overall construction work to be 30-50% faster, with superior quality and minimal construction risks, and reduces the need for labour by 30%, improving the work safety environment by up to 70%.
Looking ahead, Dubox’s portfolio for 2019 includes Emaar Gate Houses and additional villas for Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment. Moreover, the company is tendering for “substantial and sizeable projects” across the hospitality, education, entertainment, and healthcare sectors in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
Offsite concrete modular construction is no longer an alien concept in the Gulf’s construction community, and it is likely that its future expansion will be supported by 3D printing, another emerging building technology that is quickly gaining adoption in the region. Dubox is part of a consortium that includes American University of Sharjah, alongside a global materials manufacturer and an international consultant, which is developing “the needed design formulae” to implement" 3D concrete construction printing (3DCP) within its modular construction processes, Bsaibes says.
“Fully 3D concrete printed building is still not possible due to many reasons related to structural codes and global regulations,” he explains.
“Based on the code restrictions for implementing 3DCP in full structures, we believe that the approach should be simpler and support the use of 3DCP to build parts of buildings, rather than the full structure. This is similar to other industries that also started by 3D printing components of their products before moving on to the full item. This was our approach when Dubox produced the first manhole as the example of 3DCP implementation within the construction industry.”
Dubox’s home market, the UAE, is globally known for its ability to engineer record-breaking skyscrapers. With modular construction finding higher adoption, can its next frontier be the sky?
Bsaibes notes that high-rise modular construction is “technically, not impossible”, but points out that it has not been implemented yet. Of course, in Dubai – the land of engineering exceptions – it may well be only a matter of time as companies such as Dubox drive greater modular construction research and development.
“We believe that modular construction up to 15 levels is practically possible,” Bsaibes says.
Modular construction provides a safer construction environment, reduces the need for manpower, and promises greater and higher returns on investment for clients and contractors alike. As changing liquidity dynamics compel architects, planners, contractors, and investors to seek increased project efficiencies, it is likely that companies such as Dubox will expand in 2019 and beyond. |
