Agenda

Registration and networking

Welcome Address

Eng. Thabet M. Al-Sawyeed, Governor, Saudi Contractors Authority (confirmed)

PANEL: Master planning low carbon communities

As governments set decarbonisation targets, how will future communities and cities be designed with low-carbon targets in mind? What role will digitalisation and construction technologies play in ensuring these targets are met? This panel will discuss ideas for future city planning, and how technologies will ensure efficiency.

Led by:

Nabyl Chenaf, Dean of the Architecture School, American University in Dubai (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Ian Williamson, Group Chief Projects Delivery Officer, The Red Sea Development Company (confirmed)

Riad Bsaibes, President and CEO, Amana Investments (confirmed)

Lukas Sokol, Head, City Design & Sustainable Planning, Masdar (confirmed)

Vasushree Mohta, Regional Director, Urban Design and Landscape, Middle East, Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group (confirmed)

Riyadh Derouiche, Partner, Kearney (confirmed)

Waleed AlGhamdi, Associate Director, Smart City & Sustainability, ROSHN (confirmed)

PANEL: What is stopping true digital transformation in AEC?

Unless the entire value chain embraces digitalisation, strategies will never reach their full potential. This panel looks at what is stopping true, widespread digital transformation in the AEC sector. The discussion will look at the challenges for an individual company, such as taking both ‘old’ and ‘new’ generations equally on the transformation journey as well as challenges involving the value chain, such as lack of trust and collaboration. What practical solutions and approaches can be put in place that enable greater digital transformation? How can a new value chain be imagined in support of digital transformation?

Led by:

Rob Jones, CPartner, b2b Connect Editorial Director, Digital Construction Hub

In conversation with:

Shawki Gholmie, Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development, Nesma & Partners (confirmed)

Najib Dalank, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, ALEC Engineering & Contracting (confirmed)

Wajdi Mereb, Senior BIM Manager, Miral Asset Management (confirmed)

Nour Kassassir, Vice President and CIO, Parsons MEA (confirmed)

PANEL: Rethinking industry processes to enable digital transformation

To really achieve digital transformation and ESG goals, the industry needs to address the way it works. Outdated processes required for procurement, permits, inspections and handovers hamper the industry’s digital adoption efforts. How does the industry overhaul its procedures to support digital transformation? What types of contracts and procurement approaches, such as Project 13 and the UK Construction Playbook, could support this? The playbook underscores in clear terms the fundamental role that digital processes and technologies will play in ensuring a construction sector fit for the future.

Led by:

Rob Jones, Partner, b2b Connect, Editorial Director, Digital Construction Hub

Presentation: Project 13

Melissa Zanocco, Head of Programmes, Infrastructure Client Group (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Sam Stacey, Challenge Director: Transforming Construction, UK Research & Innovation (confirmed)

Dr. Anas Bataw, Director, Centre of Excellence in Smart Construction, Heriot-Watt University (confirmed)

Melissa Zanocco, Head of Programmes, Infrastructure Client Group (confirmed)

Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (confirmed)

Jesus Sancho, Middle East Director General, ACCIONA (confirmed)

Morning networking break

Led by:

Dr. Anas Bataw, Director, Centre of Excellence in Smart Construction, Heriot-Watt University (confirmed)

Track keynote: Construction and the metaverse

The trending hype of the Metaverse has created immediate value for the industry - from converting digital designs into gaming engines to providing a slew of collaborative tools on them. CONSER has started MetaMeetn', a startup that will enable designers and clients to meet in a ‘streamable’, interactive and immersive 3D space and be able to view, annotate and approve design features. Couple with affordable reality capture tools, and the concept of remote progress supervision, MetaMeetn' can even provide for periodic updates of construction activities to stakeholders wherever they may be around the world.

Wassim Haroun, Re-founder and CEO, CONSER (confirmed)

Virtual construction – making better decisions through immersive experiences

Developing immersive virtual experiences throughout the design and build stages improves profitability, efficiency, safety and end-user experience. Gamification is becoming more important in design decisions, and work winning and virtually immersive rehearsals during the construction phase increase resource efficiency, safety and constructability as well as reduce carbon emissions.

Interdisciplinary design management through 4D digital visual interaction

Abdulmajid Karanouh, International Director and Head of Interdisciplinary Design and Innovation, Drees & Sommer (confirmed)/Greig Paterson, Interdisciplinary Design Manager, Drees& Sommer

Virtual constructability planning, productivity, and safety enhancements in energy projects

Badr Burshaid, Director, Saudi Aramco, President, Project Management Institute, Saudi Arabia (confirmed)

AI and VDC use-cases in construction

Jean Ghazal, Director of Preconstruction and VDC, Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. (confirmed)

Making better decisions through immersive experiences

Jason English, CEO, Al Laith (confirmed)

Q&A Session

Laying the foundations for digital transformation

Digital transformation' is the buzzword for many businesses today, but it is fundamental that the right foundations are in place to realise it. With reference to real-world examples, Procore will underline how, with the support of construction technology, you can become better positioned to keep up with the pace and complexity of MENA’s built environment.

Mohamed Alfaour, Solutions Consultant, Procore

Madeleine Skillen, MENA Campaign Manager, Procore

Networking lunch

Value of reality capture in the claims arena

Mahmoud El Charif, Head of Digital Construction, Urban Surveys (confirmed)

Success stories in fully integrated ERP transformation

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation should be approached as a business transformation, not an IT project. ERP implementations done badly will be costly white elephants. Done well, they can reduce the cost of an overall digital transformation, provide fresh business and data insights and work well with other next-generation technologies, such as artificial intelligence. This session will look at use of ERP software from different business disciplines and highlight how a successful implementation can help a company become a truly digitally transformed business.

Transforming a nation using single platform: Qatar’s Public Works Authority and its 900 projects infrastructure program

Joseph Khoury, Head of Global Accounts, Middle East, Oracle Construction and Engineering (confirmed)

Journey in cost optimization with ERP transformation

Wael Afify, Cost Control Director, Saudi Binladen Group (confirmed)

Cost – effective digital transformation journey of a subcontractor

Rajaikepin Rajamoni, Business Head, Sobha Realty Group of Companies

Q&A Session

Driving construction productivity, safety and efficiency through connected devices

Tight margins, deadlines, demands around sustainability, and the need for new skills are all placing pressure on the industry. Real-time surveillance, monitoring, and the tracking of assets and site information can all improve productivity. This set of presentations will look at different aspects of connected devices, focusing on the benefits these different technologies can bring.

IoT powered workforce management as a pilot to smart destination management

David Glennon, Senior Digital Delivery Director, The Red Sea Development Company (confirmed)

Connecting sites via control room to optimise resource utilisation

Tamer Elgohari, Digitisation Manager, ASGC Construction (confirmed)

Q&A Session

Reserved

Roman Ruksha, Product Manager, SIGNAX Software Design

PANEL: Construction in the cloud - the next digital revolution or not?

Cloud software allows the AEC industry to access live, reliable data from different devices, reducing the cause of costly errors and increasing productivity by working in real-time. Stringent security measures by providers also now far surpass the level that most contractors can provide and there can be significant cost savings for cloud-based subscription models compared to traditional IT infrastructure costs. Despite these obvious benefits of making projects quicker, cheaper, safer and more efficient, the industry is often so reluctant to migrate, leaving cumbersome paper, spreadsheets and on-premise solutions behind. This panel delves into whether this is in fact the case and why.

Led by:

Salim El Ferkh, Industry Territory Manager, Autodesk (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Ismail Polat, Chief Planning Officer, Istanbul Grand Airport (confirmed)

Badr Burshaid, Director Programme Management, Saudi Aramco, President, Project Management Institute, Saudi Arabia confirmed)

Dr Ahmad Faeq Salih, Senior Director, Khatib & Alami (confirmed)

Fady Kobersy, Head of Sales & Customer Success – MENA, RIB CCS (confirmed)

Gerry McFadden, Head of Digital Design and BIM, Ramboll (confirmed)

Afternoon networking and refreshments

Close of Track 1 Day 1

Led by:

Rob Jones, Partner, b2b Connect and Editorial Director, Digital Construction Hub

Track keynote: Net zero commitment of a major occupier

Setting the scene for the upcoming discussions, a major end-user outlines what they expect from the buildings they occupy going forward and how their sustainability strategy will influence the decisions around the facilities they use and expectations of the built environment to meet them.

Savas Cizmeci, Portfolio Manager – Middle East, Real Estate Operations, Microsoft (confirmed)

PANEL: Decarbonisation 101

An interview that will discuss what needs to be considered in a decarbonisation strategy, what scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 are, their importance and how to tackle each, and the simple starting steps a company in the built environment can take to begin their sustainability journey.

Led by:

Rob Jones, Partner, b2b Connect and Editorial Director Digital Construction Hub

In conversation with:

Mario Saab, Head of Sustainability MENA, Cundall (confirmed)

Hanife Ymer, Head of Sustainability Services MENA, JLL (confirmed)

Okan Kizilirmak, Regional Director, AKSA Power Generation (confirmed)

Net zero strategies across the property value chain

With 2021 being a serious turning point in the industry’s attitude to climate action and how end-users view built assets, most serious players in the market are embarking on a sustainability strategy. This session outlines different approaches to decarbonisation across the value chain regarding both green and brownfield assets. Including how the strategy was developed, how environmental footprints and credits are monitored and the challenges around implementation of these strategies in the region.

Led by:

Hani Abdel Razeq, Sustainability Principal Consultant, AESG (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Maged El Hawary, Chief Information Officer, ASGC Construction (confirmed)

Ioannis Spanos, Director Sustainability & Environmental Services, KEO International Consultants (confirmed)

Amer Bin Ahmed, Managing Director, Knauf Middle East (confirmed)

Praveen Sharma, Cluster Director of Engineering, Marriott International (confirmed)

Lina Abolail, Regional Director WMS, Polypipe (confirmed)

Pre-lunch speech:

Okan Kizilirmak, Regional Director, AKSA Power Generation (confirmed)

Networking lunch

Tech talks: Measuring & reducing carbon in construction

Sustainable construction practices aren’t just good for the planet - they’re also good for business. It begins in the project design phase, but general contractors can make a big change by choosing better materials and adopting leaner processes that are more responsible and efficient. We review some of the solutions powered by digital tools that can make a big difference.

Measuring embodied carbon and the tools for doing so

Matthew Anthony, Asset Advisory Lead, AECOM (confirmed)

Real application and impact of carbon calculators

Lindsey Malcolm, Associate Director, Sustainability, AESG (confirmed)

How structural engineers can help decarbonise the built environment

Iman Abi Saab, Technical Director, Middle East Technical Excellence Leader, Mott MacDonald (confirmed)

Circular construction

Jose Mikle Robin, Managing Director, Oasis Grace (confirmed)

Circular construction

José Francisco García, Senior Project Director, ACCIONA (confirmed)

Reducing onsite emissions: A real cost-benefit analysis of implementing electric machinery

Pierre Piniau, General Manager, Milwaukee Tool MEA (confirmed)

Q&A Session

Digitalisation frameworks for energy management of existing assets

This high-level session sets out the required digital infrastructure (hardware and software) and how they work together for a facility to start measuring, benchmarking and maintaining energy performance. The key platforms include Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) and AI enabled asset management and how they both connect with the BMS (PLC or Scada), IOT sensors and meter equipment. It also explores basic options where assets lack metering and a fully commissioned BMS.

Aref Abouzahr, CEO, Ark Energy (confirmed)

Retrofit tech talks: Measuring & reducing the carbon footprint of existing buildings

A snapshot of retrofit success stories across different asset types with a focus on innovation. This session explores the technological advancements such as paint, glass, lighting and digital applications were implemented across all stages of the project; energy assessment, audit, design, installation, assurance and verification.

Industrial building example

Rachid Hamida, Vice President - Energy & Technology, Enova (confirmed)

Commercial building example

Henrique Pereira, CEO, Taka Solutions (confirmed)

Net zero tech talks: A net zero warehouse

Maji Monday, Director of HSSEQ, Projects and Maintenance, RSA Global (confirmed)

Net zero tech talks: The world’s tallest, largest and smartest Net Zero Energy Building in Dubai

Mayuko Totsuka, Sustainability and Net Zero Carbon Lead, Strategic Advisory, Middle East, Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group (confirmed)

Q&A Session

Afternoon networking reception

End of Track 1 Day 1

Registration and networking

Rob Jones Partner, b2b Connect and Editorial Director,Digital Construction Hub

Transforming a nation’s construction sector

Sam Stacey, Challenge Director: Transforming Construction, UK Research & Innovation (confirmed)

RPA application and implementation for construction operations

Omar Mourad, Group Systems & Process Manager, Engineering Contracting Company

PANEL: Assuring data integrity

Data is the lifeblood of real-time decision-making. To provide accurate intelligence, it must be reliable, accurate, consistent and free from bias. Compromise these, and the information it provides becomes less effective. This panel will look at types of data, methods to ensure data is of high quality, and discuss real examples of the analytics that can be applied for better decision making.

Led by:

Rob Jones, Partner, b2b Connect and Editorial Director Digital Construction Hub

In conversation with:

Oliver Kallenborn, Global Digital Transformation Lead, Faithful+Gould (confirmed)

Arsen Safaryan, Director, Information & Data Management, SEVEN (confirmed)

Mohammad Al Ktaishat, Digital Project Delivery Lead for Civil Infrastructure, AECOM Middle East & Africa (confirmed)

Success stories in machine learning and artificial intelligence

Machine learning can improve the predictability of mega projects and help teams focus on high-risk areas of their schedule. The technology is also being used to visualise construction progress from anywhere in the world and will soon be able to determine the actual progress of the field conditions compared to project designs. Most importantly, it can capture higher volumes of on-site safety incidents which can then be analysed and anticipated to save lives.

Predictive data analysis and virtual construction in progress monitoring and scheduling

Kayhan Sen, Regional Project Controls Director Middle East, Faithful+Gould, a member of the SNC-Lavalin (confirmed)

LiDAR, drones and AI in the decision process for road maintenance

Daniel Llort, Projects Manager, Ministry of Infrastructure Development UAE (confirmed)

Design automation and construction risk management

Tony Abou Jawad, Industry Territory Manager, Autodesk (confirmed)

Q&A session

Morning networking break

DfMA: Optimising offsite manufacturing for engineers - low carbon high function

The built environment accounts for approximately 25% of global CO2 emissions. Reaching net zero by 2050 will require buildings and construction industry to decarbonise three times faster over the next 30 years versus the previous 30. As engineers, how we can contribute and collaborate to succeed? This session focuses on designing for offsite solutions to increase efficiency, save time and reduce carbon emissions and waste.

Aleksandra Popivoda, Building Structures Practice Leader and Technical Director, Mott MacDonald (confirmed)

Modular giants talk cost, time, safety and quality

Industry convergence with manufacturing is improving efficiency, speed and safety right across the industry. But there are risks and rewards to consider in making industrialised construction a reality. This session explores the ambitious investment and leadership required to create the pathway for project success (and approvals) and talks reveal terms in time, quality and safety gains.

Led by:

Riyadh Derouiche, Partner, Kearney

In conversation with:

Riad Bsaibes, President and CEO, Amana Investments (confirmed)

Mashael Bin Saedan, Chairman, Al Saedan for Building Technology Factory (confirmed)

Success stories in rapid construction – the roadmap to optimum efficiency

This session outlines the roadmap to achieving optimum efficiency in the industry through the deployment of rapid construction methodologies and technologies. It includes several success stories including the construction of a hospital in 10 days during the peak of COVID.

Mansour Faried, HQ Chief Engineer, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (confirmed)

BIM driven cost management in modular projects

Using BIM with modular for quantification and cost management purposes can further enhance the ROI in industralised construction. This session reviews a 5D+ offsite project and how it improved cost efficiency and speed to market.

Reine EL Hokayem, VDC Coordinator, Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. (confirmed)

Advancing 3D printing to mass use

3D printing will change construction. It will introduce new approaches to design, reduce construction times and minimise waste. But, as with many new technologies, it has obstacles to overcome in its route to mass use. Challenges include ensuring projects are designed with 3D printing from the get-go, working more closely with architects and designers, and how to make the software and hardware easier to use. This panel will investigate how those at the forefront of the technology are experimenting with its use, and taking those learnings to improve the technology.

Prakash Senghani, Director, Head of Digital Delivery, JLL (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Luai Kurdi, Founder & CEO, PRINT4D (confirmed)

Mashael Bin Saedan, Chairman, Al Saedan for Building Technology Factory (confirmed)

Benoit Meulewaeter, Engineering Director, BESIX Middle East, Co-Founder, BESIX3D (confirmed)

Rethinking building materials to reduce the industry’s footprint

The built environment is reliant on energy-hungry materials. Iron & steel, glass, plastics, concrete and cement all require huge amounts of energy and resources to manufacture, and without finding alternative materials or new approaches, the construction sector’s efforts to reduce its emissions and carbon footprint will fail. This panel will explore how materials can be used (or reused) more sustainably - what are they, are they fit for this region’s climate and are the regulations in place that allow for their use?

Led by:

Dr. Stephen Wilkinson, Acting Associate Dean for Research and Head of the Smart and Sustainable Cities Research Cluster, University of Wollongong in Dubai

In conversation with:

Jose Mikle Robin, Managing Director, Oasis Grace LLC (confirmed)

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, Technical Director, Bainona Engineering Consultancy (confirmed)

Karim El-Jisr, Chief Sustainability Officer, Diamond Developers (confirmed)

Close of CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AWARDS Reception

Close of CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL

Close of Construction Technology Festival

Registration and networking

Opening remarks

Damir Jaksic, Chief Information Officer, KEO (confirmed)

Brought to by:

Defining digital twins for the built environment

Based on the findings of Centre for Digital Built Britain and the Gemini Papers this session will present a useable definition of a digital twin and how it should work for the built environment. It will look at why was the work undertaken, what it set out to achieve and show how the industry can use the work done going forward.

Led by:

Rob Jones Partner, b2b Connect and Editorial Director,Digital Construction Hub

In conversation with:

Mark Coates, International Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Bentley (confirmed)

Alexandra Bolton, Former Executive Director, Centre Digital Built Britain (confirmed)

Paul El Hajj, InfraTech Advisor at KPMG, Former National Digital Twin Programme Lead, Centre Digital Built Britain (confirmed)

How to implement a greenfield digital twin

For greenfield projects, digital twin implementation is an on-going journey and a process of integration between engineering, fabrication, construction and O&M to create a workable end platform that can be operated. Without this fully integrated environment, you will not succeed. This session looks at the step-by-step process required for digital twin success, including the collection and modification of data throughout the entire project lifecycle from tender stage to handover.

Dr. Ozan Koseoglu, Head of BIM, SIEMENS ENERGY (confirmed)

How to implement a digital twin on existing assets

Implementing a digital twin on an existing building can provide detailed insights into how that structure and its assets function on a day-to-day basis. The digital view of the building can show owners and operators where inefficiencies may exist and arm them with the intelligence required to make real-time decisions that make the building operational better, reducing costs and down-time for assets.

Anthony Tuffour, Director, Global Lead GIS and Digital Twins, Buro Happold (confirmed)

Overall digital twin use-cases

A digital twin can be created at any project or asset life cycle stage. However, the creation of the digital twin, or detailed planning for its creation at an early stage of the life cycle and its use in the pre-project or project stage, is desirable. This session reveals how a clear business case and value proposition must determine when and how a digital twin should be used and what those uses are.

Cristina Savian, CEO and Founder, BeWise (confirmed)

Enhancing project control with IOT

Led by:

Phil Higgins, Director, Ventures Middle East, (confirmed)

In conversation with:

Miguel Monteiro, Senior Director – Development, Emaar

Daniel Nerron, Corporate, Director of Human Resources, ACC (confirmed)

Basel Eshtewy, Senior Business Consultant, Wakecap (confirmed)

Morning networking break

Success stories in digital twin journeys

The need to build new and modify existing assets into efficient, connected and sustainable facilities of the future is moving at a faster pace than ever before. In the push to net zero, it is imperative to design, build and operate more efficiently and cost-effectively is the new norm. Digital twins are a key enabler to achieve both and deliver plants, cities and buildings of the future. This session explores real digital twin journeys of different use-cases, varying assets and scale. How have these early adopters defined and implemented them and what have been the key challenges to resolve on the road to data integration.

Water industry

Daniel Tides, Digital Twin Implementation Lead, Sydney Water (confirmed)

Municipal digital twin project

Andrew Rippon, Smart City Director, Royal Commission for AlUla (confirmed)

Realisation of an operational open urban platform

Roland van der Heijden, Program Manager - Digital City, City of Rotterdam (confirmed)

Dubai digital twin project

Maitha Al Nuaimi, GIS Network Section Manager, Dubai Municipality (confirmed)

Oil & gas asset lifecycle development and operations in digital environment

Wassim Ghadban, Vice President, Global Innovation and Digital Engineering, Kent (confirmed)

Heavy infrastructure twin (gold mine)

Amit Swarnkar, Business Unit Head, MENA, M&M, Larsen & Toubro (confirmed)

Journey towards an airport digital twin

Ismail Polat, Chief Planning Officer, Istanbul Grand Airport (confirmed)

Building energy optimisation in commercial real estate

Krzysztof Wolnicki, Lead Fire Engineer, Arup (confirmed)

Commercial real estate – IPUT Plc Ireland

In conversation with:

Richard Latchford, Technical Solutions Manager, IPUT Real Estate Dublin (confirmed)

Marty Chobot, VP Enterprise Solutions, Invicara (confirmed)

Q&A Session

Future of Work

Abdullah Al Bash, Founder and CEO, CONSTAL

Close of CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL

Construction Technology Awards Reception

Close of CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL