United Arab Emirates Procurement News Notice - 34418


Procurement News Notice

PNN 34418
Work Detail The massive Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, a 29,159 square metres pavilion that acted as the primary anchor for the Sustainability Zone of Expo 2020 Dubai For any visitor to Expo 2020 Dubai, there were a handful of few key pavilions at the site that classify as ‘must visits.’ These pavilions are amongst the most iconic and eye-catching at the mega-event and often form the centre point around which certain themed districts are built. One such pavilion is the massive Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, a 29,159 square metres pavilion that acted as the primary anchor for the Sustainability Zone of Expo 2020 Dubai. Built across a broadly triangular plot that is 180 metres long by between 75 metres and 200 metres wide, the pavilion has been built to showcase the mutual co-existence of architecture alongside a sustainable future. Dynamic in its form, Terra has been built from the ground up with sustainability as its guiding principle, with the aim of not only educating and delighting visitors, but also serving as a demonstration building and a destination where science and the public intersect. The contractor tasked with delivering this iconic project was ASGC, and Bassem Ezzat Ayaad, the project director, says that the Dubai-based construction giant was responsible for carrying out all the works related to the Sustainability Pavilion, including concrete works, internal finishings, main canopy structural steel, solar photovoltaic panels, the Energy and Water Trees, and the exhibitions themselves. “The project was awarded to us on 28/02/20218 and we commenced construction on 14/04/20218,” he tells Big Project ME. “The tendering process was very challenging due to special and specific materials and the systems requirements for the project. A lot of coordination was required with the supply chain and with specialist subcontractors. “During this period, there was a Comprehensive Value Engineering exercise to achieve the client’s budget, while maintaining the same levels of technicality on the project. ASGC was chosen as the main contractor based on its proven history of delivering successful landmark projects that have enriched the social infrastructure of Dubai. Projects such as Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Etihad Museum and the Coca Cola Arena were delivered on time, achieving the desired level of satisfaction,” Ayaad explains. During this process, more than 270 changes were made to the project over the course of its lifecycle and cost savings of $16.8 million were achieved, he reveals, adding that these changes included the design of the canopy photovoltaic system being changed without affecting the power capacity; modifying the design of the E- and W-Trees without reducing their capacity; replacing the architectural concrete with Precast but still having the same finish; replacing blackened steel with aluminium; modifying the façade design; and many more. “Huge efforts were put into the engineering stage of the project to ensure the efficient and reliable implementation of this unique design,” Ayaad says. “Constructability in such projects is always a major concern, but with effective collaboration between stakeholders, such projects become a reality.” These other stakeholders were Expo 2020 Dubai – the Employer; Emaar – the Development Manager; Turner Construction International – the Project Manager; Grimshaw Architects – Main Consultant; Al Shafar United – the MEP Contractor; Buro Happold – the Structural and MEP Consultant; ACCIONA Cultural Engineering and Al Shafar Interiors – the Fit-Out Contractors; Rice Perry Ellis and Partners – the Architect of Record, he outlines. Furthermore, due to the complexity and scale of the project, a number of ASGC Group resources were deployed on the project, including Emirates Beaton – Ready Mix Concrete; ASU – MEP works; ASI – exhibition and auditorium works; Hard Block Factory – concrete blocks. Technology was used extensively to deliver the project and to ensure that all the stakeholders were kept informed and up to date about progress, ASGC says, adding that 4D BIM, drones and digital integration were cornerstones of the project. However, the team use of technology on Terra wasn’t limited to just the aforementioned, but also incorporated Augmented and Virtual Reality, which were deployed to make working on the complicated project much easier for the onsite team. “Once we receive any 3D model at any stage of the project, we review it using VR or AR headsets, where any visible discrepancies or clashes can be detected in advance, before developing the 3D model level of detail and alternatives can be explored in advance,” the contractor tells BPME. “Also, we send the updated 3D model to the site, so that they will always have a real glimpse of how the project will look like, understand the scale and better planning of the ahead tasks. In addition, we will create a virtual mock-up using Virtual Reality and replace the physical mock-ups in some projects, so that our clients have more flexibility to choose, edit and review. This saved a good amount of time and money for the project.” In addition, Operation Dashboards were used to help represent project information in an efficient manner, with the latest information accessible from any device and from any geographic location. GPS tags were used for all Operator Driven Assets to provide real-time tracking and records of all the assets for the ASGC Group. Keeping in line with Expo 2020 Dubai’s commitment to the health and safety of the workforce, ASGC deployed extensive measures to ensure that key targets were achieved on site. As a result, zero man-days were lost during the 34-month construction period, while 7.5 million safe manhours (in key features) were achieved, despite there being more than 50+ subcontractors working under ASGC on the project, totalling more than 11,000 different people across its entire delivery cycle. “One of the greatest achievements by the Sustainability Pavilion Team was to achieve 7,525,030 LTI-free safe man hours,” Ayaad asserts, highlighting the efforts taken by the team to deliver the project to the highest HSE standards. Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption to the construction schedule and delivery of Terra, but Ayaad points out that thanks to the planning and coordination systems already in place, the team was able to over this significant challenge. “ASGC, being a construction conglomerate, owns most of its supply chain, which in fact reduced the risks related to material delivery and possible delays. With respect to health, we enforced emergency policies and procedures for both the staff and the workforce. Strict thermal scanning on a daily basis, regular deep cleaning routines, face masks, hand washing stations and sanitisers are available all the time on site and in the office. A custom made remote working policy was also introduced, wherever possible, so as to provide flexibility and business continuity with minimal physical interaction. All of these examples, along with many other precautions, were taken in line with governmental regulations and protocols,” he explains. Other COVID-related challenges encountered were issues like travel from Abu Dhabi being restricted for up to three months, causing the suspension of work for several key trades. In addition, travel restrictions from European countries delayed the programming works by six months. Coupled with this were issues with several specialist subcontractors who refused to continue work citing the COVID-19 threat, while sustainability consultants were unable to review submittals and site inspections for as long as six months, he adds. As the name indicates, sustainability is the bedrock on which Terra is built, and as such it has achieved the highest available accreditation for sustainable construction – LEED Platinum. This rating has been granted due to the ingenious design and layout of the pavilion, which features a host of eco-friendly innovations designed to showcase the structure as the very peak of sustainable architecture and construction. One such innovation is to have most of the pavilion underground so that it utilises less energy and optimises the utilisation of air conditioning due to free airflow and natural cooling, the contractor says. “There is a very organic way in which the whole pavilion keeps changing its paths of walking around, and it is a 100% barrier free design. The overall circulation of paths keeps taking you inwards to showcase the core and direct you to an outer path where you zoom out to see the overall elevation of the structure,” it adds. Further strengthening Terra’s sustainability credentials is the fact that ASGC and the project team managed to recycle 93.3% of total waste generated during construction. With the Expo closing, the pavilion itself will be recycled and turned into a centre for science and for children. “The Sustainability Pavilion is not just a name – the project targeted a LEED Platinum certification, as well a Platinum Sa’fa certification from Dubai Municipality,” says Ayaad. “By default, the design of the project, the technologies used, as well as the materials selection, had to be in line with such targets. Terra’s 130-metre-wide main canopy is covered with more than 1,000sqm of photovoltaic panels capable of generating up to 4GWh of electricity yearly. It is coupled with 18 energy trees that surround it, which are capable of tracking the sun’s movement for maximum solar harvest.” “The Sustainability Pavilion has been built for years to come – not only as a remarkable landmark, but also as a cultural hub. This has been reflected on the size and complexity of the construction stage when compared to the other temporary pavilions which are not part of District 2020,” he concludes.
Country United Arab Emirates , Western Asia
Industry Construction
Entry Date 01 Apr 2022
Source https://meconstructionnews.com/51880/a-building-for-the-future-of-earth

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