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Arab-German Yearbook 2011 • Construction and Consulting
Arab-German Yearbook 2011
Construction and Consulting
www.ghorfa.de

Arab-German Yearbook
2011
Construction and Consulting

SportS arena of the future
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Table of Contents
8 Preface
• Dr. Peter Ramsauer
• Dr. Thomas Bach/Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi
• Olaf Hoffmann
12 Projects
12 Algeria
• New Algiers Central Station Hamma
16 Bahrain
20 Egypt
28 Iraq
• National Master Plan for Sanitary Engineering in the Kingdom of Bahrain
• The New Naga Hammadi Barrage
• Restorative Cleaning of the Colossi of Memnon
32 Jordan
• Rebuilding Iraq
• Aviation Consulting in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
36 Kuwait
• Environmental Monitoring Information System of Kuwait (eMISK)
• New Grain and Flour Silo Complex in Kuwait
46 Lebanon
54 Libya
• Port of Beirut Development: Container Terminals
• Multiutility Metering Solution for the Souk of Beirut
• Oases Tourism Development in Libya
58 Morocco
• Wind Energy in Morocco – 50 MW at Haouma Site
Table of Contents 4/5

Table of Contents
62 Oman
• The Billion-Euro Project in Oman. Circular Girder and Custom Formwork for an Ore Processing Plant
66 Palestine
72 Qatar
• Building Learning-Friendly Schools in the Palestinian Territories
• 2022 FIFA World Cup TM Awarded to Qatar – The Concepts for It Were Developed in Frankfurt
• FIFA World Cup 2022 Application by Qatar. Exhibition and Media Pavilion
• Transport Master Plan for Qatar
• Qatar Airways – the Rise of one of the Fastest Growing Airlines in the World
88 Saudi Arabia
• State-of-the-Art Signaling and Telecommunications Technology for a Railway Line in Saudi Arabia
• Medina Airport
• King Road Tower in Jeddah
98 Sudan
102 Syria
• From Khartoum to Port Sudan: Construction of a New Railway Line
• Energy-Efficient Housing in Syria
108 Tunisia
• Utility Scale Solar Electricity Generation from CSP and PV in Tunisia – a Comprehensive Pre-Feasibility Study
114 United Arab Emirates
• Jebel Hafeet Glacier Development Al Ain. Emiratis Housing Development (EHD)
• Envelope of the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi
• Recycling: Sustainable Pay-off
126 Yemen
• Tourism Development Mukalla
130 Germany
• Phæno Science Center Wolfsburg
• BMW Central Building, Plant Leipzig
136 Special Topics
• The Master Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 – A Blueprint for a Modern Arab Society
• Legal Framework to Mitigate and Insure Risks in Construction and Infrastructure Projects in the Arab World.
The Law of the State of Qatar
• Solar Energy: The Future Has Begun. In Kuraymat, Egypt’s First Solar Energy Power Plant Is Working
• Wacker Academy Dubai
• A New Approach to Master Planning in the MENA Region – the Case of Greater Cairo
• Enhanced Design and Construction Technologies for a Sustainable Infrastructure and the Foundation of
High-Rise Buildings
156 List of Contributors
166 Imprint
Table of Contents 6/7

Preface
The Arab world is undergoing a radical change. Together
with its partners in Europe and in the world Germany is
promoting all efforts to make this a peaceful process. The
decisive factor hereby is that we continue our positive
economic cooperation. The German industry and especially
the construction industry can make a concrete contribution
to a positive restart.
In recent years major projects which created quite a stir
were realized especially in the Gulf states. And in other Arab
countries, too, the construction sector enjoyed a boom until
the time of unrest. The Arab countries should resume this
positive development in the upgrading of the infrastructure
as soon as possible. The reason is that investments in the
infrastructure are not least investments in the economic
prosperity of the entire population and thus also for a
peaceful development.
For German construction companies many countries
of the Arab region are of extraordinary importance. More
than ever German technical know-how, German investment
and strategic partnerships with the region are in demand
to be able to master the ambitious investment plans. And
here Germany as well as the Arab countries can build
on long years of trusting relations. With their advanced
technologies, comprehensive special know-how, experience
in the services sector and specific market knowledge German
companies are ideally suited to assist the Arab course of
change and modernization.
The present Ghorfa Yearbook 2011 ‘Construction and
Consulting’ is dedicated to interesting building projects in
the Arab world which are carried out by German construction
companies and consulting engineers. It is a welcome fact
that this year for the first time the yearbook also presents
projects which were realized by Arab architects, planners
or construction managers in Germany. The yearbook shows
impressively how successful the economic partnership
between Germany and the Arab states already is today.
In view of the alarming events in many countries of the
Arab world I would like to emphatically encourage all
the participants in the German-Arab Economic Forum to
do everything they can for a peaceful development. The
mutual economic relations can make a contribution to this
which should not be underestimated.
Dr. Peter ramsauer
Dr. Peter Ramsauer
Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban
Development
Preface 8/9

Preface
Based on the success of the ‘Arab-German Yearbook
Construction and Consulting 2010’, we are proud to present
an updated version of this publication.
Over the last decade, construction businesses developed
very positively in the Arab world. This is in particular true
for the United Arab Emirates as the home of the world’s
highest structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and of the
largest building in terms of total floor area, Terminal 3
of the Dubai International Airport. Due to this ongoing
boom in the Arab world, Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of
Commerce and Industry has decided to publish an annual
reference work. This publication aims to give an overview
on construction and consulting projects in the Arab world
which are already or will be realised by German companies
in cooperation with Arab and international partners.
During the process of preparing this book, we learnt
about increasing collaborations between Arab and German
companies in the different fields of the construction and
consulting businesses. These collaborations are characterised
by mutual understanding and high benefit for both partners.
Clearly, Arab countries are considering German companies
as credible partners and are inviting them to participate
in the continuing economic growth. German engineers,
architects and constructors are influencing the Arab way
of construction. At the same time, Arab engineers are also
making significant contributions to the development of
projects in Germany. Since the decision by FIFA to hold the
2022 World Cup in Qatar opens up a lot of new business
possibilities, we decided to put a special emphasis on ongoing
or planned projects in Qatar.
Dr. Thomas Bach
We would like to thank our member companies who are
deeply involved in the activities of our chamber for their
support and contribution to this yearbook. The Ghorfa
working group ‘Infrastructure, Construction and Transport’
is chaired by Olaf Hoffmann (CEO Dorsch Holding GmbH)
and is a great platform for our members to enter into
industry-specific networks. Therefore, each member of
Ghorfa can be a part of a dynamic network of professionals
in order to analyse, anticipate and discuss developments
in the Arab world. The last meeting of the working group
was held in Doha as part of the programme of the economic
delegation accompanying the President of the Federal
Republic of Germany, H.E. Christian Wulff, during his
official visit to Qatar and Kuwait in March 2011.
The Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and
Industry actively promotes and strengthens business
relations among its members and among the Arab and
German business community in general. We pave the way
for strengthening business cooperation in the fields of
trade, industry, finance and investment. We are convinced
that strategic partnerships, based on mutual benefit and
understanding, are creating new business opportunities for
both sides. This is why we are proud to present you successful
examples of collaboration in the field of infrastructure,
construction and transport and warmly invite you to
contribute to the next edition of our ‘Arab-German Yearbook
Construction and Consulting 2012’.
Dr. thomas Bach
President
Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi
aBDulaziz al-mikhlafi
Secretary General
Preface
We are very pleased to present the second edition of our
‘Arab-German Yearbook Consulting and Construction’.
At the beginning of our century, Arab markets just added
colourful detail to the media business coverage: Dubai for
instance was described as a firework with no long-term
impact. However, in the last two years, the Arab world has
shown a remarkable resilience in coping with the debilities
of globalisation: on the basis of oil and oil exports, the Arab
world has built up a stable, productive and growing economy.
Trends like sustainability are picked up immediately with
great enthusiasm like in Masdar City. The region with its
technically wise and ambitious projects is becoming more
and more a laboratory of the international construction
industry. The latest success, Qatar winning the hosting of
the FIFA World Cup 2022, is showing again the enormous
potential of the Arab world.
In times of challenging economies Arab countries
remain the biggest construction sites in the world: with a
great many major projects in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and
Kuwait our industry is satisfying the growing demands of
a continuously growing population. Without exception, the
less dynamic countries will in the future invest enormously
in their logistics, roads and railroads, ports, airports, energy,
communications and urban extension, too. Supported by the
desire for higher, ‘western’ standards, these Arab countries
will not only invest in new constructions but also in the
improvement of existing infrastructure as water supply and
sewerage.
Thus, it seemed to be the right time last year to keep
track of the development of Arab economies by starting
an annual publication. The successful first yearbook 2010
was out of stock after two months, so we asked to print
4,000 copies for this edition. But it is not our objective to
grow just in quantity. We want to advance the quality of
articles and contributions, too. Thus, we picture not only
major developments in our target markets, we also want
to mirror the ideas and visions of our Arab friends. The
yearbook will be a general indicator for future trends and a
transparent and independent basis for dynamic discussions.
To show the whole picture it would not be sufficient just to
put the focus on impressive architecture, big infrastructure
or renewable energy projects. Thus, this yearbook and its
sequels are again dedicated to describe the Arab world of
today and tomorrow.
This Arab-German Yearbook would not have been
possible without the contribution of companies considerably
engaged in the Arab world like Siemens, Lufthansa, KfW,
Ferrostaal, Wacker and many others. I therefore want
to very warmly thank all who contributed to the ‘Arab-
German Yearbook Consulting and Construction 2011’, we
really appreciate their readiness of sharing their insights.
Enjoy reading!
olaf hoffmann
Olaf Hoffmann
CEO and shareholder of Dorsch Holding GmbH
Chairman of the Working Group ‘Infrastructure,
Construction and Transport’
Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Preface 10/11

Algeria
Fact File
Country Name People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Population 34,586,184 (July 2010 est.)
Land Area 2,381,741 km²
Official Language Arabic
Commercial Language French, English
Currency 1 Algerian Dinar (AD) = 100 centimes
Main Cities Algiers (capital), Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Blida, Setif
Overview (visualisation).
Dieter Heigl, Annette Willige,
Obermeyer Planen + Beraten GmbH
In 2009, the team consisting of architects and engineers from the planning association Obermeyer together with engineers
from its subsidiary Obermeyer Bernard Sarl/Algeria won the open international competition for the new central station
Hamma in the Algerian capital Algiers. Although implementation of the result of the competition is still pending, the design
provides a forward-looking concept for the urban development of Algiers railway station which seeks to combine tradition
with modernity.
The Competition
In June 2008, ANESRIF and the Ministry of Transport
of the Democratic Republic of Algeria launched an open
international competition for the new construction of the
central station in Algiers. Among the participants was
the firm of architects and engineers Obermeyer, which
following the design of a railway line on the High Plateau
could already point to planning experience in the North
African country.
It was necessary to plan a complex comprising the
station with track installations and platforms as well as a
bus terminal. The brief also embraced an office building
and a shopping mall, which was connected with the urban
public transport network by means of an underground
sales floor. Altogether the gross built volume amounted to
about 90,000 m². In addition to the planning of buildings
the urbanistic concept, including infrastructure planning,
assumed particular importance. The new station Hamma is
New Algiers Central
Station Hamma, Algeria
supposed to relieve the downtown area, which is choking
in private transport, and replace the currently undersized
central railway station. As an overall planning consultancy
with its own architects and engineers as well as railway
planning experts from its Algerian subsidiary, Obermeyer
succeeded in finding a suitable solution to the complex
remit. The firm’s design was awarded the first prize in the
overall evaluation of the technical proposal.
Urban Development
The new station Hamma lies in the north of the city
directly adjacent to the port of Algiers, about 3 km from the
historic city centre, which can easily be reached on foot and
by public transport such as bus and the new metro. To the
north of the new complex is a motorway, thus permitting
an attractive link between rail and motorised private
transport. The station is connected with private transport
via the ‘Esplanade Nord’, a raised platform at a height of
Projects 12/13

View from the city (visualisation).
6.20 m. From the motorway it is possible to proceed directly
to the level of this platform via bridges, which facilitates
changing from car to train. Lined up at the rear of the
railway complex are a drop-off area, short-term parking
spaces and the approach to the multistorey car parks.
In the south the station is closely embedded in and
connected to the existing urban structures. It is intended
that the district will become Algier’s future business district,
the new station acting as a catalyst for this development, so
as to make it more attractive for investors.
On the south side the station receives its visitors with
open arms. Via the ‘Place Central’, which is located at the
hub of the radial street system, one arrives at the ‘Esplanade
Entrance Sud’, the station forecourt and lively centrepiece
of the new urban district. This is the pivotal area where
the visitors to the station can reach their public transport
connections. A promenade and shopping precinct in the
basement floor and on level 0 weaves the new station into
the urban space towards the southwest. Generous atriums,
air wells and planting create a maximum degree of comfort
for visitors on both levels. This high-grade urban open space
does not just provide a place for travellers to dwell, it is also
an important urban space for the district within the city.
The Station
The design for the new station building can basically be
divided into two parts. It consists of the light roof structure,
whose orientation makes reference to the surrounding
urban development, and a raised platform at a height of
6.20 m, which accommodates the station’s functional areas.
The tent-like roof construction, which is borrowed from the
cultural context of the country and refers to the nomad
tents in the desert, spans all of the eleven station platforms
at a height of up to 25 m. It consists of a steel substructure,
which is covered with textile membranes and affords
corresponding sun protection. It is opened by an irregular
pattern, thus allowing natural light to penetrate as far as
the interior of the concourse as though through a filter.
Thanks to the colossal roof the new station building will
become the city’s landmark. Beneath this it is possible to
open up, in a pleasant atmosphere, a public passageway
between the city and the sea. The raised platform, which
bridges the wide gap of the diverging siding junction,
connects the adjacent quarters as a publicly accessible area
and offers the city the chance to develop towards the
waterfront. On the platform are the station’s functional
areas such as ticket counters, waiting rooms as well as
catering and commercial areas on the mezzanine floor. They
are placed beneath the roof in the form of boxes and are
supposed to permit the travellers to linger and relax in a fully
air-conditioned environment, far from the bustle outside,
before continuing their journey. The concourse itself is
naturally ventilated. Aeration is facilitated by the way the
building is raised as well as by the passage-like shape of the
overall complex, through which the air can flow freely.
Interior of the station. Level +1.
Access to the station platforms is provided by glass
escalators and lifts, which permit a smooth transition
between the station concourse and the platforms. The
security checks are performed there and at the exits from
the waiting areas. In front of the platform structure the
shopping mall and office buildings are integrated into a
shaped, greened open landscape. Incised atriums and inner
courtyards interlock the roof landscape with the shopping
mall. The open space can be used by both travellers and those
employed in the office buildings. The roof terraces afford
views of the surroundings. Through its dual utilisation for
travellers and inhabitants the railway station becomes an
attractive public space and gives impulses for the further
urban development of Algiers.
The Rail Connection
Both main-line and commuter services flow together at
the new station in Hamma on a total of eleven tracks. It is
necessary to ensure that the passengers can change between
trains comfortably and quickly. Separate platforms for
arrivals and departures are therefore envisaged. At peak
times between 50,000 and 55,000 travellers per hour are
expected, so the arrivals zone with the adjacent functional
areas had to be dimensioned accordingly.
A total of six platforms has been determined for
arriving and departing trains providing commuter and
main-line services; two platforms serve to connect Zeralda,
one platform is for the airport connection and two further
platforms are planned for arriving and departing suburban
trains. The six main-line tracks and the two tracks for Zeralda
are configured as through tracks and join at a so-called
maintenance track, which connects the station in Hamma
with the main-line storage track at Agha station. Despite
the fact that Hamma is a through station – although it
constitutes the terminus of the new line –, this arrangement
ensures that there will be no conflicts between arriving and
departing main-line and commuter services. The provision
of through tracks avoids congestion; the connection with
the storage track in Agha completely uncouples the arriving
and departing movements of the trains from the shunting
movements on storage tracks.
Outlook
It is envisaged that Obermeyer will be responsible for
implementing the result of the competition. The building
can be constructed in four stages, without any interruption
to rail traffic. The construction costs will amount to roughly
e100 million, without transport infrastructure.
Master plan.
Projects 14/15

Bahrain
Fact File
Country Name Kingdom of Bahrain
Population 1.1 million (November 2010)
Land Area 741 km²
Official Language Arabic (official), English (commercial)
Currency 1 Bahraini Dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Main Cities Manama (capital), Muharraq, Isa Town, Riffa, Hamad Town
Aerial view of Tubli bay.
Sascha Wiegmann,
Hilmar Rave,
Hartmut Wesenfeld,
p2m berlin GmbH
p2m berlin GmbH together with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Dornier Consulting
GmbH carried out the consulting services for the development of a sanitary engineering master plan covering the whole
Kingdom of Bahrain (ca. 1 million inhabitants, served area 20,000 ha).
Introduction
In 2008, the Ministry of Works of the Kingdom of Bahrain
started the preparation of a comprehensive national master
plan for sanitary engineering services. Following several
plans and studies from the past, the German engineering
consulting company p2m berlin together with Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
and Dornier Consulting GmbH aimed to identify all
requirements to enhance the current sanitary situation of
the country, including the sewerage network and wastewater
treatment with treated sewage effluent production and
distribution. In order to accomplish this, the study covers
the following issues: sewerage, surface water drainage
(system), wastewater treatment, re-use of wastewater and
sludge treatment.
National Master Plan
for Sanitary Engineering in
the Kingdom of Bahrain
Sewerage Systems
By the design horizon of 2030, the population of Bahrain
is expected to be 2.5 million in total, of which almost
100% will then be connected to the sewerage network.
The connected population is made up for 1.5 million due to
the densification of existing area and 1 million due to new
developments.
The currently existing sewerage systems in Bahrain
comprise 120 km of trunk sewers, 881 km of main sewers
and 1,335 km of lateral sewers network. Approximately
470 pumping stations deliver the daily flow to eleven
sewage treatment plants (STP). The master plan identified
substantial problems such as groundwater infiltration,
storm water inflow and concrete distress among others.
These have to be resolved immediately. However, through
Projects 16/17

Bahraini farm with surface irrigation.
the implementation of short-term measures, the systems
will be kept operational, thus preventing sewage flooding
until 2013. Nonetheless, the sewers will become heavily
surcharged, and the projects presently executed to alleviate
the situation for the next two years (immediate measures)
are indeed significant but are not sufficient. Short- and
mid-term major developments have hence been proposed in
the master plan, too.
Sewage Treatment Plants
Population growth has been rapid in Bahrain over the
last years. This resulted in overloading of several existing
facilities. In order to cope with the growth and the projected
further population growth as well as sewage flow increases,
several measures are necessary. It is planned to upgrade
existing and construct new sewage treatment plants, while
smaller ones, which are uneconomic or located in unsuitable
places, will be closed down.
Regarding the emergency measures, p2m berlin
presented different strategies to solve the problem of sludge
carryover and thus improving, on a short-term basis, the
environmental conditions in the Tubli bay. In the long
term, it is planned to significantly increase the capacity of
Tubli Water Pollution Control Centre to ensure sufficient
wastewater treatment capacity until at least 2030.
Among the eleven sewage treatment plants currently in
operation, the Tubli Water Pollution Control Centre (WPCC),
with a design treatment capacity of 200,000 m³/d, is by far
the largest in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will be upgraded
and extended to 350,000 m³/d capacity in the future. The
Bahraini farm.
second largest treatment plant, which has recently been
expanded, is the North Sitra plant with a design capacity of
16,500 m³/d. A third large plant – Muharraq STP – is under
construction with a design capacity of 100,000 m³/d in the
first stage and extension to 160,000 m³/d in the second
stage. All other domestic sewerage treatment plants have
treatment capacities below 1,500 m³/d and are considered
minor sewage treatment plants. The total projected sewerage
flow to be treated in the year 2030 will be 563,500 m³/d.
Treated Sewage Effluent
In the Kingdom of Bahrain most of the groundwater
contains high concentrations of salt. Since this water is not
usable for agricultural purposes, the treated and therefore
disinfected sewage of the large sewerage treatment plants,
the treated sewage effluent (TSE), is used for unrestricted
irrigation purposes. There is currently a TSE-network in
Bahrain that extends over 56 km transmission lines and
186 km distribution lines with a number of 14 reservoirs
with total storage capacity of 133,000 m³. However, this
network is far from being sufficient. Consequently, the
system is leading to failures in the distribution of treated
sewage effluent and local farmers are using their own
groundwater wells for supplement. Another actual problem
is the uneven consumption between summer and winter
months – the need for treated sewage effluent for irrigation
is three times larger in summer than in winter.
To solve these problems, p2m berlin has developed
different strategies, taking into account the future
wastewater treatment plants as well as population and
tourism development. For example, to ensure the constant
supply of treated sewage effluent even in the event of a
failure of sections in the system the concept describes socalled
supply circles to cross-connect the network. This
results in the new construction of 83 km transmission
pipelines and 293 km distribution lines. Furthermore,
the storage capacity should be expanded to a total of over
250,000 m³ to store larger amounts of treated sewage
effluent. To counteract the uneven consumption, the
master plan also describes how the industries could use
treated sewage effluent in winter but switch to drinking
or tap water in summer. Thus, sufficient treated sewage
effluent would be available for agriculture purposes when
needed the most.
End of effluent channel of Tubli WPCC.
Results and Outlook
The elaborated master plan results in an action plan with
different groups of scheduled measures and time frame:
• Immediate/short-term actions (2011–2013)
• Mid-term actions (2013–2020)
• Long-term actions (2020–2030)
TSE pumping station at Tubli WPCC.
The identified measures will be a basis for future projects
with an overall investment in the next two decades of
approximately BHD310 million for the sewerage, drainage
and treated sewerage effluent network and approximately
BHD150 million for the wastewater treatment plants and
sludge treatment.
The master plan for sanitary engineering in the Kingdom
of Bahrain provides indeed a holistic view of the current
situation and ensures that the sanitary engineering sector
will meet current and projected loads until the year 2030.
TSE pumping station at Tubli WPCC.
Projects 18/19

Egypt
Fact File
Country Name Arab Republic of Egypt
Population 77.7 million (Jan 2010)
Land Area 1,001,450 km²
Official Language Arabic
Currency 1 Egyptian Pound = 100 piaster
Main Cities Cairo (capital), Giza, Tanta, Alexandria, Shubra el-Khema,
Port Said, Suez, Mahalla el-Kubra, Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh
The Nile at Naga Hammadi. The river is Egypt’s lifeblood. 97% of the
population live in the Nile valley.
Uwe Krenz, Bilfinger Berger Ingenieurbau GmbH
Photos: Bilfinger Berger/Barbara Breyer
Imhotep, master builder to the Pharaohs, had the idea for the first pyramid. A structure of similar dimensions has been erected
on the Nile by a joint venture comprising Vinci Grands Projets (France), Orascom Construction Industries (Egypt) and Bilfinger
Berger (Germany): 400,000 m 3 of concrete were used to build the Naga Hammadi dam which is providing more water for
irrigation and electricity to meet the increased demand of Egypt.
The experiment ended in disaster. Under the weight of the
mud bricks, the 8 m high wall collapsed. The new material
– a combination of mud, straw and strips of fabric – was
obviously not the right solution. Master builder Imhotep
was disappointed. This would not suffice for a 60 m high
structure designed to last for eternity. Imhotep developed a
new plan, envisaging a structure built of hewn stone blocks.
This marked the birth of building in stone, a method first
used 4,600 years ago for the pyramid of Sakkara. Imhotep
was a man of exceptional imagination. He improved the
system of irrigation along the Nile to such an extent that
the farmers could water their fields even when the river was
low. Imhotep’s achievements brought him immortal fame,
and the ancient Egyptians came to worship him as a god.
Much as today’s visitors gaze upon the pyramids with
amazement, Imhotep would himself catch his breath at
the sight of what his successors have achieved in Naga
Hammadi: together with French and Egyptian partners,
Bilfinger Berger constructed an imposing retaining weir,
Massive grills intercept the flotsam carried by the Nile before the water
gushes into the turbines.
The New Naga
Hammadi Barrage
340 m long at a cost of €300 million. It comprises a weir with
seven gates, each weighing 160 t, two locks for shipping
and a power station with a capacity of 64 MW – enough
to supply around 200,000 households with electricity. The
locks are 17 m wide and over 160 m in length, sufficient even
for the largest tourist vessels that are expected to shuttle
between the Temple of Abydos and Luxor. While work was
ongoing, the Nile had to be diverted into an artificial bed.
6.5 million m 3 of soil were excavated just for this channel.
By comparison, it took 5 million m 3 of stone to build the
pyramids of Cheops. The 400,000 m 3 of concrete poured
into the weir are enough to fill the Cologne cathedral.
Simply getting the construction materials to this
remote site some 600 km south of Cairo at the right time
represented a notable logistics achievement. The cement
was provided from Suez, the sand from Luxor and the
steel from Alexandria. Great balks of American pine were
being fitted to the lock entrances under the supervision of
a petite young woman. Civil engineer Nathalie Néron was
Projects 20/21

possibly the biggest sensation of all the Egyptian workmen.
A woman in charge? ‘It took a while for them to get used
to me,’ said the 25-year old with an air of confidence, ‘but
once they did, my crew worked all the better. I only had
to threaten to do a job myself, and three of them rushed
to do it at once to spare themselves the dishonor.’ Néron
came to the desert straight from the École Supérieure des
Travaux Publics in Paris, and she is proud of her job: ‘Even a
few years ago, I could never have dreamt of helping to build
such an important structure.’
The project is vital for the future of Egypt. The country’s
problems remain unchanged in principle since Imhotep’s
time: not even a blade of grass will grow without irrigation.
The fertile Nile valley and delta make up just 4% of the
land area, but they are home to 97% of Egypt’s almost
80 million inhabitants. The population is growing at the rate
of a million a year. The existing barrages in place between
the Aswan Dam and Cairo were not adequate to meet the
demand for water in the next 20 years.
So the engineers at the Ministry of Water Resources did
their sums: if the old weir at Naga Hammadi, built by the
British in 1930, could be raised by just 1 m, irrigation in the
hinterland would be vastly improved, creating 3,150 km 2 of
new arable land. After three quarters of a century, however,
the weir composed of a hundred brick arches was showing
its age. Therefore, the Egyptian government decided to
build a new barrage weir 3.5 km down river from the old
structure.
Civil engineer Nathalie Néron and her crew were responsible for work on the lock.
Workers stitch together a synthetic fleece to protect the canal bed. The excavator looks like a toy in the empty river bed.
Funding from Europe
When the first engineers arrived to begin a survey of Naga
Hammadi a short time later, the local residents gave them
an angry reception. It took police protection to persuade the
surveyors to venture into an area whose inhabitants have
long enjoyed a reputation as stubborn and vengeful. Why
should they give up their fertile sugar cane plantations
and in some cases even leave their houses, just to make
way for a weir? Only when word spread that the Egyptian
government would pay generous compensation for the loss
of their land the farmers began to warm to the plans. In the
long term, the retaining weir was helping to safeguard the
future existence of the population who derive their income
mainly from agriculture. In addition, the hydroelectric
plant was a source of environmentally friendly power. An
accompanying environmental programme, including the
renaturation of areas spoiled during construction, also
ensured that this major project financed by Germany’s
Reconstruction and Development Bank (KfW) and the
European Investment Bank (EIB) was an entire development
policy success.
Concreting at 50°C
Before work could begin on the weir, it was first necessary
to set about diverting the course of the Nile, which flows
through Naga Hammadi at an average rate of 45 billion m 3
per year. The plans called for a 1.3 km long diversionary
canal on the western side of the river, where the loamy
subsoil promised more stability than the sandy soil to the
east. In June 2002, the excavators moved in, and day and
night 350 trucks hauled the excavated material away to be
stockpiled. The 15-m deep canal had to withstand erosion,
even in flood conditions when the Nile carries up to a
1,000 m 3 of water per second. Egyptian workers stitched
a synthetic fiber fleece supplied from Germany into long
strips and spread it out in the bed of the canal. The Nile
was then let into the canal a little at a time to ensure that
the fleece did not tear. Finally, the old course of the river
was blocked with a dam that forced the Nile to abandon its
former bed and flow around the construction site.
But that was where the real challenge began. In the past
ten years it has rained once in Naga Hammadi. For all of a
quarter of an hour. The children ran out their houses and
screamed with delight at such a wonder. Then the sun came
out again. Outside temperatures in the summer months can
reach over 50°C. Laying even a bucketful of cement means
working fast. Concrete dries in no time, cracks, crumbles
and fails. Nevertheless, the concrete for the 4 m thick base
of the weir had to be perfect. So icemakers were installed
The scale is gigantic: lock (photo left), weir gate (center), lock gate hinge (right).
next to the mixing plant and chunks of ice were added to
the concrete, up to 120 t every day. Concrete specialists
constantly monitored the correct temperature, consistency
and composition of their recipes. The base slab, power
station building and lock walls all needed special mixtures
of cement, water and aggregate to suit their particular
function. This technical expertise was one of Bilfinger
Berger’s particular contributions to the joint venture, for
which the company sent its experts in concrete technology.
The joint venture completed work in time and to the
satisfaction of the client, the Ministry of Water Resources
and Irrigation and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
The lock gates and weirs were erected, the four turbines
installed in the power station, and the Nile was carefully
brought back to its original river bed. This vital and
prestigious project was inaugurated end of May 2008 in
the presence of the Egyptian government, the financing
institutions involved, the joint venture and consultants
representatives, high-ranking guests and many of the 3,000
men and women who worked on this project.
Projects 22/23

technical Data of the neW BarraGe
sluiceWay
Seven bays, each equipped with a 17 m wide and 13.5 m
high radial gate, dimensioned for the emergency discharge
of 7,000 m 3 /s. Flap gates on top of the radial gates control
outflows up to 650 m 3 /s simultaneous to power plant
releaseses.
hyDro PoWer Plant
Four Bulb turbine units with adjustable blades and a
maximum discharge of 460 m 3 /s each. The total generating
capacity of the plant is 64 MW, generating an average
460 GWh per annum.
naviGation locks
Structural length of 217 m with usable chamber length
of 170 m. 17 m in width. Minimum water depth
is 3 m, maximum lift height is 8 m. The minimum filling/
emptying time is approximately 11 min.
closure Dam
Sandfill between rockfill bunds, the total height above
foundation level is 17 m. Downstream slope is 1:3, with a
crest road width of 9 m.
Project costs
Total cost of the project is approximately 300 million
(US$421 million) distributed as: 54.1% for civil works,
9.8% for hydromechanical works, 28.2% for electric
equipment and works, and 7.9% for consulting services.
main quantities of the civil Works
Excavation above and under water (7,100,000 m 3 ); backfill
(7,100,000 m 3 ); filter, rockfill and riprap (730,000 m 3 ); plastic
concrete diaphragm walls (110,000 m 3 ); structural concrete
(380,000 m 3 ).
The site was in a remote location. The cement came from Suez, the sand from
Luxor and the steel from Alexandria.
Formwork for one of the four turbines. The power plant provides clean
electricity, another reason why the project was sponsored by Germany’s
Reconstruction and Development Bank (KfW).
comPanies involveD in the Project
civil Works contract
Consortium comprising Vinci (France), Bilfinger Berger
(Germany) and Orascom (Egypt) with a group of Egyptian
and European companies as subcontractors
hyDromechanical equiPment
DSD Noell (Germany)
turBines anD Generators
Consortium of VA Tech Escher Wyss and VA Tech Hydro
electric equiPment
VA Tech Hydro
Project suPervision
Consortium comprising of Lahmeyer (Germany),
Sogreah (France) and Electrowatt (Switzerland),
in association with Arab Consulting Engineers (Egypt)
and Electric Power Systems Engineer Company (Egypt)
Safety first!
The Colossi of Memnon have seen empires rise and fall.
Frank Schad,
Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
The Colossi of Memnon in west Thebes, close to the Valley of the Kings, are among the largest and most prominent structures
of ancient Egypt. These twin stone statues are 3,300 years old and once guarded the entrance to the mortuary temple of
Amenhotep III. Over the millennia a layer of grime had accumulated on the monolithic seated figures, damaging the stone. The
Egyptian Department of Antiquities therefore decided that they should undergo restorative cleaning. The aim of this work was
to clean the monuments gently without endangering the original fabric.
The Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon have seen empires rise and fall.
Being more than 14 m tall and weighing over 800 t each, the
stone giants have stood on the west bank of the Nile near
Luxor for 3,300 years as silent witnesses to world history.
The monuments of quartzite sandstone depict Pharaoh
Amenhotep III himself and once stood in front of the first
pylon, a twin-towered building with a connecting covered
gateway that formed the entrance to what was perhaps the
largest temple complex in Egypt. They are thought to have
been commissioned by Amenhotep, son of Hapu, who had
the Colossi transported by barge from the quarries of the
Red Mountain 700 km upstream northeast of Cairo. How
the technicalities of erecting them were managed is still
subject to scientific debate.
Restorative Cleaning
of the Colossi of Memnon
In ancient Rome the Colossi were a popular travel destination
because the northern statue was identified with Memnon, a
hero of Greek mythology. In the early morning hours this
figure appeared to emit plaintive sounds that were ascribed
to the hero who died outside the gates of Troy. However, they
are more likely to have been the result of a crack caused by
an earthquake in 27 BCE and of the expansion of the stone
in the morning sun. Among the numerous visitors who
recorded their presence in Greek or Latin inscriptions on the
legs of the Colossus was Emperor Hadrian. Around 200 CE
the ‘vocal Memnon’ must have suffered a partial collapse.
Emperor Septimius Severus ordered the reconstruction of
its upper part using sandstone blocks from the Gebel Gulab
quarries near Aswan. However, when the Emperor died
the work was stopped and the northern statue remained
unfinished.
Projects 24/25

Now, both monuments are badly damaged due to a variety
of causes. In the 16 th century, stones fired from catapults
shattered the face of the southern Colossus. The marked
fluctuations between daytime and night temperatures have
led to microfissures in the arm and leg sections. As years
went by, drifting sand, Nile mud, diesel fumes and soot
formed stable encrustations behind which salt wedging took
place. Had this contamination remained neglected, it would
have been only a matter of time before it completely ruined
the Colossi.
Restorative Cleaning – a Delicate Job
When cleaning historically significant buildings the most
important stage of the process is to specify the cleaning
objective. After all it is not just a matter of ‘before: dirty’ and
‘after: clean’. Above and beyond the objective scientific and
technical problems, there are widely varying philosophies
on the treatment of cultural monuments. Fundamentally,
monuments listed for conservation should not be damaged
in any way by cleaning. Traces of the original stone
working, for example, should be retained in full. Even with
the most careful treatment, this is not always possible, as for
example stable dirt encrustations have formed on crumbly
substrates. Sometimes, dirt particles have penetrated the
historic fabric and formed mixed areas beneath the surface
where it is no longer possible to distinguish between dirt
and original fabric.
Nonetheless, for reasons of conservation it is advisable
in most cases to remove layers of dirt from the surface of
the structure at an early stage. In time, deposits on natural
stone increase its resistance to vapour diffusion. This can
cause pollutant-containing solutions to accumulate and
ultimately loosen the material structure. Moreover, the
removal of dirt layers is often a prerequisite for further
restorative work: only when the foreign matter has been
removed from the original fabric it is possible to gain an
exact picture of its condition and plan further measures.
In many cases, a further goal of cleaning is to render the
monument accessible in its original form to researchers
and those interested in art and history, and enable them
to experience it as the architect or builder intended. The
goal of cleaning the Colossi of Memnon was to remove
the layer of grime that was damaging the stone, thereby
halting, or at least delaying, any further deterioration of
these monuments.
Restorative cleaning should never be undertaken
on one’s own account, but always in close cooperation
with monument owners, conservationists, restorers, art
historians and other specialists. First, preliminary tests are
carried out to determine the state of the surfaces and the
nature of the contamination. Often, this cannot be done
by sight inspection alone, so further scientific tests are
conducted on samples. The second step is to apply a range of
different cleaning techniques and parameters to test areas
so as to establish the best possible method.
The work on the Colossi of Memnon was commissioned
by the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, managed by
Professor Rainer Stadelmann, formerly director of the
German Archaeological Institute in Cairo, and carried
out by specialists from Kärcher. After conservation tests,
particle blasting was identified as the best possible cleaning
method. This involves adding a blasting agent to a current of
compressed air. With the right choice of jet nozzle, quantity
and type of blasting agent and air compression level, the
action of this method can be adapted to nearly all surfaces.
In this case, the blasting agent was an ultrafine calcium
carbonate powder (particle size 0.04 to 0.14 mm, Mohs
After conservation tests, particle blasting was identified as the best possible cleaning method. This involves adding a blasting agent to a current of compressed air.
The aim of this work was to clean the monuments gently without endangering
the original fabric.
hardness 2.5). The encrustation of dirt was removed layer
by layer using a Kärcher blasting gun with a control on the
handle for fine adjustment of air pressure and blasting agent
quantity. This enabled the operatives to react very flexibly to
the widely varying resilience of some sections of the stone
surface of the Colossi. Surprisingly, they even uncovered
some remains of the original colouring. These were exposed
carefully without damaging them. A subsequent analysis
established how they could be safeguarded in the long
term.
Dirt particles inside the stone pores were left there to
make it more difficult for particles laden with airborne
pollutants to accumulate anew. As a precaution, badly
crumbling parts, mainly in the head and back area of the
northern Colossus, were not treated. First, they have to
be prestabilised. The plinths of the twin statues were not
cleaned either, since they are the only ancient Egyptian
monuments still to bear the traces of earlier flooding of the
Nile.
The stone giants are more than 14 m tall and weigh over 800 t each.
For more than thirty years, under its cultural sponsorship
programme Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG has been
engaged in the preservation of historic monuments
and buildings. So far it has brought its experience and
competence to bear in around 90 restoration projects
worldwide. Among the best known are the cleaning of the
Brandenburg Gate (1990), of the colonnades on St Peter’s
Square in Rome (1998) and of the US Presidents’ heads on
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota (2005). Kärcher benefits
from these projects in two ways. First, it demonstrates to the
public the efficiency of its products and the experience of its
employees. Second, these highly complex tasks expand its
practical knowledge, which is then put to use for developing
new technical solutions.
Projects 26/27

Iraq
Fact File
Country Name Republic of Iraq
Population 29.6 million (2010 est.)
Land Area 437,072 km²
Official Language Arabic and Kurdish
Currency 1 Iraqi Dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils
Main Cities Baghdad (capital), Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, Najaf, Erbil
In Iraq, the demand for building materials such as bricks, brick blocks, roofing tiles and drainage pipes is very high, especially
for the new city projects Najaf and Karbala Pilgrim City and Baghdad Airport City as well as for the new housing programme
with its five million new living compartments. Soil and raw materials are available all over Iraq, especially around the historic
places of Babylon, Ur and near Samara. Thus, rebuilding Iraq essentially means to improve the volume and quantity of building
materials produced while at the same time reducing pollution.
Kiln Plants in Iraq
In his description of brick making in antiquity Herodotus
records that the Babylonians ‘made sufficient bricks for
their needs, which they fashioned from earth quarried from
a pit, and burned these in kilns’.
These Babylonian bricks (figure 1) were fired at a
temperature of 550 to 600°C, as was discovered 2,500 years
later by using a volumenometer. These bricks could be cut
with a knife, i.e. they were underfired. The form of those
ancient kilns is unknown. Probably, it was a sort of ‘Scotch’
or ‘clamp’ kiln.
Today, up to 400 kiln plants are existing in Iraq, who
are not fulfilling the high demand for building materials
in rebuilding the country after three wars. These plants
are mostly operated by either an annular or, usually, a
Hoffmann kiln. While tunnel kilns are topfired with a
fixed firing zone, Hoffmann kilns have a moving firing
zone. Mostly, their firing systems are operated with heavy
oil as fuel. Many kilns are out of order or working with
very low output due to lack of spare parts, maintenance and
insufficient burning with Iraqi heavy fuel oil by elder not
maintained burning equipment.
The Challenge
Rebuilding
Iraq
H. G. Friedrich,
TECPLAN Engineering & Services GmbH
Figure 1: Brick tile mosaic of the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.
Due to the heavy oil fuel combustion, brick factories in
Iraq are considered as a major source of environmental
pollution. Thus, the Ministry of Environment is putting
on many plants a stop on production as the heavy smokes
are polluting the air (see figure 3). However, as demand
of bricks and other building materials is high, the Iraqi
Ministry of Industry and Minerals as well as the private
sector asked Tecplan to participate in revamping existing
plants. The challenge was to develop an environmentally
friendly system – with running costs as low as possible.
At the joint request of an Iraqi investor and the
Ministries of Environment and of Industry and Minerals,
we studied the phenomena of environmental pollution and
the burning system with Iraqi heavy fuel oil especially
in Al-Nahrawan. Together with our manufacturer KWS
Strohmenger we developed sophisticated burning units to
be installed at Al-Sheikh brick factory (see figure 2) that
will improve the combustion quality while at the same time
facilitating operation.
Compressed air is utilised to atomise the heavy oil thus
preventing the overheating of oil and in consequence the
Projects 28/29

generating of soot. The firing unit consists of distribution
pipes, valves and tubes not only for heavy oil and combustion
air, but also for compressed air. Thereby providing heavy
oil and compressed air to the firing unit through circuit
pipelines with various connecting spots. Thus, we modified
the heating of heavy oil without using electric energy in
order to save running costs – a special design for Iraqi
needs.
Figure 4 shows one of the newly designed firing units
with heavy oil burners for Iraq. The firing unit can be
moved on the kiln roof with the help of wheels, and the fan
supplies the necessary combustion air for the burners. As
a side effect of this integrated burner system the quality
of bricks produced could also be improved, thus fulfilling
the demands of the Iraqi construction industry even better.
The first of these heavy-oil burning units has already been
supplied to Al-Sheikh brick factory in Al-Nahrawan.
Figure 2: Al-Sheikh brick factory.
Figure 3: Heavy smokes during operation.
Figure 4: New burner system with nine burners.
Design of Modular Brick Plant
Furthermore, Tecplan designed a new modular brick plant
(MBP) to further accomodate the demands of Iraq.
This brick plant with a production capacity of 15 to
20 million bricks per year, ‘small/medium size’, is semiautomatically
designed and working economically with
one ring kiln, new or existing, including the new burner
system.
The production process is simple, and no specialised
labour force is required. The investment costs are low while
bricks of high quality can be produced. Thus, guaranteeing
an economical operation of the plant and a fast return on
investment.
The concept provides also for peak times by extending
the production process easily by automatically operated
machines or for the enlargement of the production line for
other products such as roofing tiles, drain pipes etc.
main features of the mBP concePt
• Robust and simple plant engineering which allows
the equipment to be operated with fewer qualified staff.
• Reduced dependency on spare parts supply, in
particular relating to electronic components.
• Throughput rates similar to those of medium-sized
brick plants, depending on annual working hours.
• Designed to offer the possibility of step-by-step
subsequent automation.
Figure 5: Layout of modular brick plant (MBP).
• The use of locally available fuel such as wood, rice
husks, cocoa shells, heavy oil, coal, etc.
• The installation of modern Hoffmann kilns, which
can be compared to tunnel kilns in respect of
efficiency and quality.
• Short plant setting-up periods of only about six
months.
• High degree of local supplies and services.
• Autonomous plants featuring own power supply.
The advantages of this concept are obvious: by reducing the
complexity of the plant the learning curve for local staff
is shortened and offers them the chance to widen their
competence in operating simple plants rather than to ‘resign’
in view of highly complex equipment or to cannibalise these
by dismantling the automation components.
Furthermore, it is entirely up to the plant operator/owner
which individual steps towards automation he wants to take
and which automation grade should be used according to
technical and economical needs. Additionally, the capacity
of the plant can be increased easily and without doubling
the plant, thus evading suboptimal production processes
with gigantic plants to react on fluctuations in demand.
Moreover, supplementary equipment such as special cutters
or re-pressing machinery for the production of roofing tiles
to enlarge or complement the production range can be easily
installed.
Projects 30/31

Jordan
Fact File
Country Name Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Population 6.4 million (2010 est.)
Land Area 92,300 km²
Official Language Arabic, English widely spoken
Currency 1 Jordanian Dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils
Main Cities Amman (capital), Al Ramtha, Al Mafraq, Irbid, Ajloun, Jarash,
Salt, Zarqa, Aqaba
Jordan Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission CARC.
Since its foundation in 1988, Lufthansa Consulting has provided services and solutions to the air transport industry worldwide,
which has always included a strong presence in the Arab countries. In recent years, one of the most important assignments in
the region was the restructuring of the Jordan civil aviation sector and the strategic development for the Jordan Airports
Company (JAC).
Restructuring of the Jordan
Civil Aviation Sector
The government of Jordan decided, at a very early stage, to
establish a civil aviation sector according to EU regulations
to ensure a sustainable, safe and reliable aviation framework
for the growing air traffic and the opening of the Jordan
aviation market to other parties. This intention was
welcomed by the European Union which supported this
objective by tendering the project ‘EuropeAid/115325/D/
SV/JO – Support for Regulatory Reform and Privatization
in Infrastructure (SRRP Programme) – Technical Assistance
to the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission’, which was
incepted on the 23 June 2004.
The Jordan civil aviation sector was organised like many
others in the region. Before 2004, the country’s national
carrier Royal Jordanian Airlines had already been separated,
but the directorate of civil aviation was one single entity
responsible for the regulatory framework, the licensing,
Aviation Consulting
in the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan
Catrin Drawer, Lufthansa Consulting
Photos: Jordan Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission,
Jordan Airports Company plc, Lufthansa Consulting
the qualification, the operation of airports as well as for
providing air traffic control services.
This arrangement was a contradiction in itself, as
the regulatory body was also the service provider which
resulted in the negation of the regulator’s responsibility and
function as overseer. The target of the project, therefore,
was to transform the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) into a
regulatory commission and to separate the service providers
from the authority/regulator.
Lufthansa Consulting and their consortium partners
Irish Aviation Authority, EGIS AVIA and ECO Consult
were assigned to support the EU and the Ministry of
Transport of Jordan for the project duration of five and half
years, and the project was finalised in December 2009.
The consultant consortium completed 47 technical missions
and provided 24 technical in-country training courses, as
well as 13 overseas training courses for the successful
restructuring of the civil aviation sector according to EU
regulations.
Projects 32/33

Transformation of the Jordan civil aviation sector since 2004. Jordan’s Amman Marka International Airport operated by JAC.
Close communication and coordination had to be ensured
between the consortium, the Ministry of Transport, the
CAA and the EU representative body in Jordan, as well as
a permanent know-how transfer and the understanding of
local legislation and requirements. Therefore, the on-site
project team consisted of a Lufthansa Consulting project
manager as well as a Jordanian long-term local expert. In
addition, the team was supported by numerous consultants
and trainers, both in Jordan and overseas.
Numerous achievements were accomplished in the
five and a half year CAA restructuring project: besides
the introduction of a new aviation law the Civil Aviation
Authority was transformed into a Civil Aviation Regulatory
Commission (CARC). The airport services provider was
separated from the regulator, and subsequently the Jordan
Airports Company (JAC) was registered and established.
The personnel from the CARC were transferred to the
JAC. The existing civilian airports are now all operating
and are managed by individual companies registered under
Jordanian company law. Furthermore, the privatisation of the
training facilities and subsequent transfer of management
of the Queen Noor Civil Aviation Technical College to an
aviation technical training academy based at Amman Marka
Airport were achieved and are fully operational.
A National Accident and Incident Investigation Unit
was set up with the Ministry of Transport (although the
Aviation Accident and Incident Unit is still part of the
CARC). All Jordan Civil Aviation Regulations (JCARs)
were transformed from FAA-based to EASA- and EU-based
regulations. A Quality Assurance Department within the
CARC was established to carry out the quality management,
safety oversight and internal auditing responsibilities of the
CARC. Based on the acceptance of bi-laws, new pay scales
for all CARC employees were introduced.
The foundations have been laid for the establishment of an
independent, fully government-owned company responsible
for the air navigation services in Jordan and for a smooth
and expeditious transfer of these services from CARC to
the new company during 2011. In addition, the CARC has
been strengthened and equipped with relevant financial
and accounting procedures, practices with management
and information technology systems appropriate for a
fully functioning commission. The in-house technical,
management and general human resources capabilities of
the CARC and the Air Traffic Management (ATM)/Air
Navigation Services (ANS) have been noticeably enhanced.
Moreover, a large number of CARC and JAC employees
received specialised, technical and administrative training
thus ensuring capacity building.
The Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission is now, to
a very large extent, fully independent, transparent and
self-funding. It is also administratively and financially
autonomous and acts as a safety, security, economic and
environmental regulator. The commission will be 100%
independent when the Jordan Air Traffic Management
Company (JATMAN) activities are completed.
The restructuring of the Civil Aviation Administration
led to further developments within Jordan aviation:
2007
• Transfer of the management of King Hussein
International Airport to Aqaba Airports Company,
which is a branch of the Aqaba Development
Corporation.
• Open Skies Jordan Europe (limited by Royal Jordanian
Airlines route exclusivity and Queen Alia
International Airport (QAIA) Build-Operate-Transfer
(BOT) concession).
2008
• 25-year BOT concession for Airport International
Group (AIG) to develop the new QAIA terminal.
2009
• Preparation for comprehensive Single Sky Agreement
with the EU.
2010
• Acceptance and implementation of the agreement.
The establishment of the JATMAN remains a major
objective which, unfortunately, could not be achieved
during the assignment period. However, CARC has started
with the implementation of the separation plan provided by
the project team in December 2009, and the commission is
making great efforts to meet the target dates of the plan for
the new ANS company.
Technical Assistance for the Jordan
Airports Company JAC plc
The Jordan Airports Company (JAC) was registered on
28 December 2008 as a private shareholding company,
wholly owned by the government of Jordan. JAC operates
Amman Marka International Airport.
The following studies have been completed by Lufthansa
Consulting to establish JAC as the leading airport operator
and infrastructure provider for the Middle East in the
future:
• Strategic development plan for Amman Marka
International Airport and JAC
Amman Marka International Airport airside.
• Ground handling feasibility study
• Airport security assessment
• Process mapping and process re-design for the airport
operation
• Apron re-design for Amman Marka International
Airport
• Assessment of technical ability of the ground operation
department
• Evaluation for the investment and operation of
security equipment at Amman Marka International
Airport
• Passenger service and workflow evaluation
• Evaluation of the options for separating Air Navigation
Services
• Definition of the strategic marketing plan
• Dual-use airport study to support JAC in the
management of joint civil and military airport usage at
Amman Marka International and Mafraq Airport
• Terminal and runway capacity analysis
Supporting the government of Jordan and the Jordan
aviation sector in this challenging framework of fast
growing traffic and numerous market entries has been –
and still is – both a satisfying and stimulating experience.
The wide-ranging project was completely aided by the
Jordanian government to furthermore boost the development
of the country’s prosperous air transportation industry,
and there is also potential for a trustful cooperation in the
future.
Projects 34/35

Kuwait
Fact File
Country Name State of Kuwait
Population ca. 3.6 million (November 2010)
Land Area 17,820 km²
Language Arabic (official), English (commercial)
Currency 1 Kuwait Dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils
Main Cities Kuwait has six main provinces: Al-Kuwait City, Al-Farwaniyah,
Hawalli, Al-Ahmadi, Al-Jahrah, Mubarak Al-Kabir
Kuwait Towers – outstanding national landmark in Kuwait.
Environmental topics are becoming increasingly important in Kuwait – just as they do in other parts of the world. Issues range
from the limited availability of natural fresh water resources to air and water pollution, waste management, sustainable use
of resources, high population growth rates, nature protection areas, land degradation and desertification, and remediation of
remnants from oil spills and unexploded mines from the Iraqi invasion and the liberation of Kuwait in 1990/1991.
Sound planning and reliable geo-environmental data are required in order to tackle these environmental issues effectively.
In response to the above pressing environmental issues the Kuwait Environment Public Authority (KEPA) has recently taken a
very important initiative by establishing the ‘Environmental Monitoring Information System of Kuwait (eMISK)’, in order to
reform the situation around the existence and availability of geo-environmental data.
Environmental Monitoring Information
System of Kuwait (eMISK) at Kuwait EPA
‘Environmental Monitoring Information System of
Kuwait (eMISK)’ is the very ambitious project initiated and
implemented by the Environmental Inspection, Monitoring
and Emergencies Department at KEPA. The project is
Environmental
Monitoring
Information
System of
Kuwait (eMISK)
Mohammad Al-Ahmad, Director,
Environmental Inspection,
Monitoring and Emergencies Department
Kuwait Environment
Public Authority (KEPA)
Ahmed Talaat, GISCON Solutions
Kamen, Germany
Dr. Dirk Hermsmeyer,
Allsat GmbH network+services
Hannover, Germany
supported by various international consultants, among them
the German companies GISCON Solutions and ALLSAT.
eMISK’s vision is to be an internationally recognised
centre of excellence for analysis and dissemination of
environmental knowledge, providing authoritative strategic
and timely information for the government, organisations,
companies, researchers and the Kuwaiti public for the
Projects 36/37

development and implementation of policies and decisions
for a sustainable environment. The mission is to evaluate
and highlight the values of the environment and put
authoritative environmental knowledge at the centre of
decision-making in Kuwait.
eMISK objectives are to:
• Support KEPA in its duties and mandates for
environmental monitoring
• Support the development and adoption of policies and
practices contributing to conservation and sustainable
use of the environment
• Create credible knowledge on the state and value of the
environment in Kuwait through assessment, analysis
and reporting of environmental data
• Promote and disseminate environmental knowledge to
all levels of the Kuwaiti society through a web portal
• Be a trusted national repository, source and a
clearinghouse for geo-environmental data sets
• Be a centre of excellence for training in geoenvironmental
analysis in the region
In order to achieve its goals, eMISK’s approach towards an
efficient environmental information management is focused
on four levels (figure 1, left). In the first level, basic data is
collected from different sources, prepared and integrated
to create meaningful information, which is analysed to
establish knowledge about various environmental issues in
Kuwait. This in turn is deployed to support the decisionmaking
process of all Kuwaiti society.
eMISK Project Overview
Putting this into practice, eMISK was launched by the
KEPA at the end of 2009. GISCON Solutions supports KEPA
in strategic and detailed planning for the establishment
of eMISK and is responsible for quality management
throughout project implementation.
eMISK is composed of a comprehensive geoenvironmental
database for Kuwait, maintained and
updated by the eMISK team at the KEPA Environmental
Inspection, Monitoring and Emergencies Department. An
Intranet-based Enterprise GIS is developed on-top of such
geodatabase to allow KEPA staff to access, update and
analyse environmental data in an easy manner. eMISK
geo-environmental database will also be made available to
the public through a portal called Beatona.net (‘Beatona’ is
Arabic for ‘Our Environment’) – also developed in eMISK.
Priority goals of Beatona.net are to raise environmental
awareness at all levels of the Kuwaiti society, and to place
authorised scientific information at the centre of decisionmaking
for environmental policy in Kuwait.
Project Phases
eMISK is implemented in three phases, directly corresponding
to the environmental information management
(figure 1, right):
• In Phase 1 (October 2009 to the end of 2011) a complete
geo-environmental database for Kuwait is developed –
including setup of the respective hardware and soft-
Figure 1: eMISK’s approach to environmental information management (left) and corresponding eMISK implementation phases.
ware, design and development of user-friendly interfaces
for data entry, retrieval, updating, browsing,
reporting and analysis. Communication and promotion
of environmental awareness in the Kuwaiti society
through environmental maps, reports and the interactive
Beatona web portal are also covered. Phase 1 further
includes capacity building and training of KEPA
experts in order to attain required skills to operate and
maintain eMISK geo-environmental database, eMISK
GIS and Beatona.net. Special mechanisms are developed
for efficient monitoring of environmental parameters
and indicators.
• Phase 2 will aim at the development of specialised
models and applications for the various environmental
domains (eMISK water, eMISK soil, eMISK air, eMISK
marine). These shall facilitate work on specific environmental
topics, e.g. by prediction of future environmental
developments via scenarios.
• Phase 3 of eMISK will be focused on the development
of specialized Spatial Decision Support Systems
(SDSS) for the support of decision-making on all levels
consider-ing otherwise often ignored environmental
aspects.
eMISK is well into implementation of Phase 1. Project status
and progress are continuously updated and can be followed
on www.emisk.org.
eMISK Geodatabase
The infrastructure for the eMISK geodatabase has been put
in place, along with all hardware and software components.
Assessment of user needs and data modelling were
Figure 2: eMISK geodatabase domains.
implemented by a team of experts to come up with the
requirement analysis and recommendation for the design
of eMISK geodatabase and systems, which will form the
backbone of KEPA data repository. Eleven data domains
are identified to organise data within eMISK geodatabase;
each domain represents an environmental sector (figure 2).
Acquisition of Kuwait geo-environmental data is well
under way. eMISK gathers all relevant data from within
KEPA, from other pertinent organisations, and from recent
first-hand data sources including high-resolution satellite
imagery and field surveying. Key data input is from
LandSat-2006 and SPOT-2010 satellite imagery; the SPOT
imagery was freshly acquired for the project.
The distant view on the land from above using remote
sensing technologies on the computer screen ensures that
environmental facts are mapped across the entire area of
Kuwait within the project’s timeline. But satellite imagery
does by far not reveal to the human eye in sufficient detail all
relevant sewer outlets, landfills, sampling points, industrial
sites, oil- and gas production infrastructure, nature and
bird protected areas, or living resources. Data acquisition
is therefore complemented by GNSS 1 -based surveying on
ground.
eMISK has procured GNSS base-rover systems 2
specifically assigned to this task. ALLSAT provided training
to employees of all KEPA departments to make them
familiar with the new devices. In cooperation with GISCON
Solutions, ALLSAT provided consulting to the project for
the development of a feature code list for acquisition of geoenvironmental
data.
eMISK Enterprise GIS
eMISK Enterprise GIS is developed and hosted by the
Environmental Inspections, Monitoring and Emergencies
Department to enhance KEPA’s environmental monitoring
capabilities using GIS and other technologies such as GPS
and remote sensing. Phase 1 of this project is intended to
develop an easy-to-use set of GIS-based interfaces for data
update, retrieval, browsing, presentation and mapping.
This is complimented with tools and functions for geoenvironmental
data analysis, processing and modelling
to support KEPA staff in carrying out their monitoring
functions and mandates. eMISK will thoroughly act as the
KEPA-wide Enterprise GIS, making geo-environmental data
available to all KEPA departments and divisions, external
branches and organisations with different access rights via
Intranet and Internet.
Projects 38/39

Kuwait Official Environmental
Portal (Beatona.net)
When data acquisition, data processing and eMISK
geodatabase development are complete, the planned ‘Kuwait
Official Environmental Portal’ (Beatona.net) shares all
environmental information over the Internet to facilitate
easy access to Kuwaiti environmental information. The
portal shall be a one-stop shop for all environmental data and
information on Kuwait. It is expected to play a leading role
in raising awareness of the value of the environment among
Kuwait residents. A kids’ corner and public participation
activities are among the portal’s planned functions. The
design of Beatona.net and its components have been
developed (figure 3); the portal will soon be launched on
the Internet at www.beatona.net.
Figure 3: Preliminary design of the Beatona.net homepage.
Figure 4: SAG Award 2010 to eMISK by ESRI.
Special Achievement in GIS Award, 2010
For its vision and objectives, and the steps taken by Kuwait
EPA to disseminate environmental information transparently
to the public, eMISK was awarded the Special Achievement
in GIS Award (SAG) by the Environmental Systems
Research Institute (ESRI) during their annual conference
held in San Diego, California, July 2010.
1 Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS): generic term, including the American GPS,
Russian GLONASS and in the future the European Galileo systems.
2 GNSS base-rover systems allow for real-time positioning during field work with accuracy
in the range of several centimetres.
Overview flour silos and grain silos under construction.
Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Jäppelt,
Dipl.-Ing. Friedrich Hilgenstock,
WTM Engineers International GmbH
New Grain
and Flour Silo Complex
in Kuwait
Under very special and partly difficult conditions, a flour and grain silo complex was extended by demolishing part of the
1960s facilities and raising two new silo clusters in their stead – to accommodate 6,000 t of flour and approximately 100,000 t
of grain. Special challenges were posed to the design team and general construction planners WTM Engineers by spacial
constraints due to highly congested premises, a difficult demolition procedure and renunciation of slipform construction,
both necessitated by spacial factors, earthquake engineering requirements introduced after completion of the design, and
several other factors connected to the silos’ size in relation to economic and safety issues.
Projects 40/41

Introduction
Kuwait Flour Mills & Bakeries (KFM) is a company
controlled by the government of Kuwait with a monopoly
on the supply of grain, flour and other cereals as well as
additional victuals such as vegetable oil. Since Kuwait lacks
land that can be agriculturally utilised, any raw products
necessary for this area of supplies needs to be imported.
For this purpose KFM operates a plant of their own in
the Port of Shuwaikh area. This plant comprises among
other facilities:
• Ship unloaders
• Grain storage silos
• Flour mills
• Flour storage silos
• Packing areas
• Truck-loading facilities
• Pasta plant
• Bakery
• Vegetable oil plant
KFM’s duties have continuously increased as demand
escalated. However, today’s demands could not be met any
longer as a detailed inspection of the old buildings dating
back to the 1960s showed that they were either no longer
utilisable or were simply obsolete due to continous changes
in market requirements. Furthermore, the area bordering
the Port of Shuwaikh was very congested after years
of development, so space was lacking, too. Thus in 2006,
a contract was signed with KFM for the design of a new
flour and a new grain silo including tempering and bagging
facilities.
General set-uP of the consultancy team
WTM Engineers was responsible for the actual silo design
including the concomitant coordination with other partners,
elaboration of the structural calculations and drawings as
well as compiling the tender documents. For the countryspecific
application of the building permit, cooperation with
the local consultant KEG (later MAC) was established.
Providing Space for New Silos
In the first instance an obsolete ancillary building had to be
demolished to make room for the new flour silo, located next
to the pasta plant, with a storage capacity of approximately
6,000 t.
For the grain silo with a total capacity of 100,000 t an
existing silo (year of construction approximately 1964)
had to be demolished. This, however, was a demanding
task. Especially the height of the building (approximately
60 m) and the authorities’ refusal to allow blasting in the
port area made the demolition problematic, since equipment
appropriate for this type of work is not available in Kuwait.
After intensive investigation of possibilities and discussion
of various alternatives, a contractor had to be brought in
from the Netherlands who had at their disposal the so-called
long-fronts required and who finally completed the job in
six months (May through September 2007), demolishing a
gross volume of approximately 250,000 m³.
Design of the New Silos
During the demolition works, the design of the flour
silo was commenced, including a complex of a couple of
tempering bins adjacent to the existing mills and the
packing plant directly connected to the flour silo.
The contract for the mechanical equipment had already
been awarded when the agreement on the civil design
contract was reached. The mechanical supplier’s general
layout was the basis of the structural design. The building
permit was obtained in time, and the tender procedure
conducted well in time on the local market.
3-D model of flour silos and grain silos.
Tendering and Execution
Due to particular conditions on the construction market in
Kuwait, the construction works for each silo were divided
into two separate lots: pile foundations and all other
construction works.
Bin outlet grain silos.
The piling works for the flour silo commenced in September
2007 and were completed in December 2007. Those for the
grain silo started in February 2008 and were completed in
July 2008.
Silo Construction Method
There was an intensive discussion about the silo construction
method. Normally, for this type of structure slipform
construction is most adequate since it saves time and
provides more than sufficient quality. In Kuwait, however,
one particular circumstance prohibited using this method:
in the morning as well as for three hours at noon, trucks are
not allowed to use the roads in the city of Kuwait and
therefore around the KFM plant. As the congested plant
area did not allow for installation of a batching plant on
site, which would have avoided the interruptions entailed
by this prohibition, slipform construction had to be dropped,
so that in the end jump form construction was agreed
upon. This, however, substantially increased the total time
spent.
construction of the flour silo
Construction of the flour silo’s foundations started in
August 2008 and was taken over in July 2010.
For a flour silo, the requirements on the smoothness
of the internal bin wall surface are quite high: so-called
egg-shell quality is required. No recesses or minor holes in
the concrete surface, let alone honeycombs, are acceptable.
Therefore, a sample was produced which for the time of the
construction was the criterion for approval of the bin wall
surface.
Reinforcement of bin walls grain silos.
After installation of the mechanical equipment, which was
done by KFM’s own excellent staff, the silo has been in
operation since December 2010.
DesiGn anD construction of the Grain silo
For the grain silo the limitations on the silo’s dimensions,
particularly with regard to the height fixed by the authorizing
body, were fully exhausted. The head house has a total height
of 80 m, the highest possible figure in the Port of Shuwaikh.
The challenge here has been to meet the requirements
concerning the operational connection to the adjacent
existing silo as well as to the mill building on the opposite
side and the link to the ship-unloader facilities, which has
to some extent not been decided upon finally.
The area made available by demolishing the old silo was
fully utilised. The operational requirements due to the dense
traffic in the KFM plant (loading trucks with grain, flour,
pasta, animal food throughout the premises) also entailed
constraints on the maximum area covered by the silo.
shiP unloaDinG
The port authority intends to presently extend the seven
berths next to the KFM area. The existing draft is not
sufficient for berthing of the required grain ships at full
load. Since KFM plans to increase the ship unloading in the
near future, the new berths will have to accommodate the
corresponding type of ships.
silo Particularities
The total storage capacity of approximately 100,000 t as
well as the range of grain to be stored (wheat, barley, maize,
soy beans) made the design a challenging task.
Projects 42/43

Flour silos under construction.
The space constraints together with KFM’s request to
create the maximum possible storage capacity resulted in
the selected layout of clustered bins. Round single standing
bins, which have a much less challenging structural design,
were not reconcilable with these constraints.
A well-balanced design had to be elaborated in order
to accommodate the amount of reinforcement required in
concrete dimensions which were still economically viable.
The dimensions of the single bins are considered to be on
the maximum acceptable scale. Wall thickness resulting
from the loads due to overall load aspects had to be
minimised while yet leaving enough space for the required
reinforcement.
Due to various operational extras (additional tempering
bins, dust collection bins, truck unloading bins, buffer bins
for the supply to the mill building, landing points for the
conveyors connecting the ship unloader facilities with the
silo), the space in the head house was very congested, and in
many cases the structural system had to be adapted to fit in
with the mechanical equipment layout.
Earthquake
One especially critical issue was the earthquake risk.
Originally, earthquakes were not to be considered or taken
into account. The building permit was granted without any
comments on the issue. Neither did the checking of the
flour silo by KFM’s insurance address the topic. However, as
in August 2007 an earthquake took place and changes
of local requirements were expected, WTM Engineers
were asked to adapt the construction retroactively to
earthquake engineering considerations according to UBC,
IBC and related German codes, which was performed
successfully.
Dust Explosion
This topic was discussed in detail not only in connection
with the design of the concrete structures, but also with
regard to the layout of the mechanical equipment.
All measures related to this issue were taken in
compliance with the ATEX directive, a standard specifying
mechanical and electrical requirements. In addition the
structural design envisages, for example, roof slabs
constructed in such a way that easy release is provided in
case of an explosion, despite there being no plausible
probability of such an incident occurring in the grain
silo.
Significance of the Project
Especially the grain silo discussed here is outstanding in
terms of size and capacity. Furthermore, the local restraints
like availability of special material, construction under
operation of the plant and limited space constituted a
challenge which could only be mastered by the tight
cooperation with the client KFM and the mechanical
supplier Redler Ltd.
Projects 44/45

Lebanon
Fact File
Country Name Republic of Lebanon
Population 4.1 million (2010 est.)
Land Area 10,452 km²
Official Language Arabic with both English and French widely spoken
Currency Lebanese Pound = 100 Piaster
Main Cities Beirut (capital), Tripoli, Sidon, Zahle, Jbeil
Ongoing dredging and reclamation works
for Quay 16 container terminal extension
(Nov 2010).
Norbert Peetz,
Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft
The Republic of Lebanon can be considered as a very special place for various reasons, but mainly due to its unique mixture of
cultures, history, religions, and politics. Despite its history, and what Lebanon has gone through, the country is coming up. Not
only tourism is recovering and attracting more visitors, the economy is thriving – and with it the demand for import and
export of goods and cargos.
Some Facts and History
The main gateways to Lebanon are the capital’s two ports,
which are Beirut International Airport and the seaport,
Port of Beirut.
The history of Port of Beirut reaches back to the 15 th
century, and has seen many changes and expansions since
that time. In 1990, with the end of the Lebanese civil
war, a temporary committee was appointed to manage
the Port of Beirut. Since then the port has gone through
a major updating and expansion programme with the
rehabilitation of existing port facilities, the construction of
new administration buildings and the construction of a new
container terminal. Today’s key facts for Port of Beirut are
as follows:
Port of Beirut Development:
Container Terminals
• 16 berths with a total length of approximately 5,155 m
• Water depth at berth maximum: 15.5 m (Quay 16)
• 4 basins
• Main breakwater of 2,775 m length
• Detached breakwater of 550 m length
• Annual throughput: 5,769,000 t (2009)
• Container handling: 994,601 TEU (2009)
Ensuring the Country’s Future Demand
for Container Handling Facilities
In 2005, the Port of Beirut started operation at its new
modern container terminal at Quay 16, which was designed
to cope with an annual throughput of 750,000 TEUs
(Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). It is the port’s priority to
Projects 46/47

Overview of Port of Beirut with ongoing terminal extension (I) and future new container terminal (II).
ensure the country’s import demand which shows an average
annual growth of 5% during recent years. Furthermore,
Port of Beirut is also attracting major shipping lines and
serves as considerable container transshipment hub. With
such positive developments, it quickly became apparent that
the available capacity would not be sufficient to handle the
potential demand, and only by special arrangement to use
other areas within the port an annual throughput of nearly
1 million TEU could be achieved in 2009.
Being aware of the need for additional container
handling and storage capacity, the Port of Beirut – which is
represented by Gestion et d’Exploitation du Port de Beyrouth
(GEPB) – launched a tender for consultancy services in
2005 to investigate and prepare for the extension of a
short- and medium-term solution for extending container
terminal throughput capacities.
Cranes at work: floating crane, dynamic compaction, piling crane.
Study Phases
It was only in 2007 when Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft
mbH had been appointed as port and marine consultant
for GEPB. Those consultancy services where basically split
into three phases:
I. Layout alternatives and cost estimates
II. Optimisation of construction techniques and
construction cost
III. Design drawings, tender documents, B.O.Q., and cost
estimate
As many other projects, this study phase for the port
extension project was scheduled on a very ambitious time
scale of seven months only.
During the first study phase, four alternatives for
extending the Port of Beirut had been developed and
evaluated. Basic objectives were:
• Continuous quay for berthing of two mother vessels,
each of approximately 360 m length
• Maximising terminal areas
• Avoiding extension of existing breakwaters because of
subsoil conditions and related costs
Due to its central location in Beirut, the only possible
extension of the port is towards the east, which is limited
by the existing Beirut River. A seaward extension is not
feasible for the presence of the main breakwater as well
Impression reclamation area.
as for the rapid increase in water depth. Extension within
the port’s boundaries is also limited because of its already
constrained navigational situation. Therefore separate
comprehensive studies had to be conducted to derive an
appropriate and well-defined design basis; those were:
• Container Throughput Study to investigate market
potential and terminal requirements
• Wind and Wave Data Study to compile and analyse
available data
• Wave Modelling Study to investigate into sheltering
effects of existing breakwaters and resulting wave
agitation along existing and extended berths
• Nautical Study to analyse options and feasibility of
approach and turning for several layout alternatives
• Desk Study on Subsoil Conditions and Seismic Events
resulting in elaboration of a design criteria document
• Dredging and Reclamation Study since the availability
of reclamation material in Lebanon presents a
considerable issue as for many other places in the
Mediterranean, too
Based on the aforementioned studies, four alternatives for
extending the port’s container terminals were developed
and presented to GEPB. Beirut Port Authority decided on
the short-term extension alternative and on the mediumterm
alternative for extending the port.
Due to changeable subsoil conditions in the area of
the short-term extension and also because of considerable
seismic activities, particular consideration had been
given to the design of quay wall structures to cope with
those constraints. An in-house developed method for
analysing nonlinear behaviour of piled structures was
applied to design the quay wall structure accordingly.
Considerable alterations regarding extend and layout of
the short-term extension project were incorporated during
elaboration of tender design. The final configuration for the
so-called Quay 16 Container Terminal Extension project is:
• 500 m additional quay wall for 6 ship-to-shore postpanmax
gantry cranes
• 175,000 m² new terminal area
• 3,408 ground slots
• 850,000 TEU annual throughput capacity
Tender documents were produced, containing the
employer’s requirements, in the form of tender drawings
and specification of materials and workmanship. Beside the
bill of quantities and method of measurements, Sellhorn
elaborated the bidding procedure and particular conditions
of contract. The basis for the construction contract are
FIDIC’s ‘Conditions of Contract for Construction for
Building and Engineering Works Designed by the
Employer’.
The tender was launched by GEPB in April 2009 and,
due to the great efforts by all involved parties and their
commitment to the project, the construction contract for
implementation of Quay 16 Container Terminal Extension
project was awarded in July 2009.
Implementation Phase
Site mobilisation for execution of construction works for
the first phase of the port extension, Quay 16 Container
Terminal Extension, started in August 2009. An additional
major offshore soil investigation campaign by the contractor
took place during the first four months of construction
period. Because of alteration and variation in subsoil
conditions it proved to be necessary to extract undisturbed
soil samples, such as of rock, sand, clay, silt. Thus, some
34 boreholes and 54 cone penetration tests (CPT) had been
executed by using three bore ricks and two barges, reaching
from sea level down to –65 m.
Based on those results, it was finally determined
which areas had to be cleared from unsuitable soft soil.
Dredging works began in April 2010, removing mud
and soft clay of up to 11 m layer thickness, before major
reclamation works started shortly after. The terminal’s
eastern part will be founded on unfavourable soil layers,
such as unconsolidated cohesive strata, reaching down to
Projects 48/49

Installation of waling at retaining wall before
actual quay wall construction will start.
50 m below sea level, resulting in calculated settlements
of 1.5 m within eight years. Since it would not be feasible
to replace such quantities with appropriate material, it was
opted to accelerate settlements by means of vertical drains
and surcharge. Installation of vertical drains from the sea
requires special expertise and involves considerable costs.
Works are due to start in February 2011. Remaining areas
which are not prone for settlements are already reclaimed
and construction works for quay walls are ongoing.
The interface with the existing block wall construction
(a wing wall as block wall structure) is nearly completed
and piling works for the sheet pile retaining wall and anchor
wall are in progress, while piling works for the quay’s main
bearing members, tubular steel piles, are due to start shortly.
Again, because of variations in soil conditions, tubular steel
piles vary in length between 24 and 63 m, increasing from
west to east.
Remaining reclamation works, dynamic compaction
and surcharging is scheduled to be completed in 2011,
while infrastructure works for electrical network, power
transformer stations, storm water system, fire fighting
and potable water system, sewage network and concrete
pavement are still to come.
Offshore soil investigation works at night (Oct 2009).
Anchor wall and retaining wall with tie rods
before installation of main quay wall (Jan 2011).
Outlook
Impression anchor wall.
While Sellhorn is heavily involved in the site supervision of
ongoing construction works with a permanent team on site
and with the duties of the Engineer per FIDIC definition,
the next major phase of the port’s development is already
under preparation by its designers in Hamburg.
Completion and commencement of Quay 16 terminal
extension with a capacity of 850,000 TEU is expected for
2012, and only afterwards the tender documents for the
new container terminal at Quay 12/14 will be launched
to provide an additional capacity of approximately 1 to
1.25 million TEU. With this second terminal in place, Port
of Beirut will in the future be capable to handle approximately
2.6 to 3.2 million TEU per annum at its dedicated container
terminals, depending on final operation and equipment
setup.
Because Port of Beirut is deemed to serve as an import
and export gateway for Lebanon and/or surrounding
countries, the hinterland connection of the port remains for
the time being an issue which needs to be resolved in the
future.
An integrated solution for water, chilled water, heating, electricity and gas.
Torsten Hägele,
Diehl Middle East FZE
The growing ecological and economic challenges demand interoperability of intelligent, real-data metering solutions to
guarantee customers ultimate flexibility, long-term stability and compatibility with future requirements. However, when it
comes to a seamless integration of many resources in combination with frequent data readings, AMR solutions are very often
complex and difficult to implement on one platform.
Project Data
The Beirut Souks are located in the heart of downtown
Beirut, Lebanon, and comprise two parts: South Souks and
North Souks, accommodating some 500 jewellery shops,
galleries, malls, grocery shops, IMAX cinema complex, etc.
The Souk of Beirut with a built-over area of 120,000 m² is
one of the largest shopping malls in the MENA region and
managed by Solidere, the developer and owner of this project,
who is well-known in connection with the development and
reconstruction of Beirut Central District s.a.l.
Multiutility
Metering Solution
for the Souk of Beirut
Challenge and Approach
Especially in the MENA Region, where water resources are
extremely scarce and CO 2 emissions are rising year by year,
the overall metering solution must address more than
just the ordinary measurement of the individual resources.
The solution has to provide detailed information on the
consumption profile, network problems, leakages and
manipulation/frauds together with multitariff metering
and reporting systems. The aim is to provide adequate
measures for optimised operation, to rise awareness of
Projects 50/51

The Beirut Souks.
ultimately avoiding waste, and to enable the wise and
efficient use of resources in line with the requirements of
LEED and Green Building initiatives.
In order to understand all the project needs, Hydrometer
in cooperation with its local partner, Khater Engineering &
Trading s.a.l., carried out a thorough business study
incorporating best-practice models and its consultancy
know-how. The proposal covered
• Hardware management
• Data management
• Account management
• Revenue management
• Environmental considerations
Technologies Used
The MENA region has different environmental and
installation requirements than Western Europe and
therefore needs corresponding solutions. Based on longterm
analysis and subsequent large-scale deployments
in this region, the following technologies were
selected:
• Water metering: Ultrasonic water meter HYDRUS, a
class D meter with a dynamic of Q1 : Q3 = 1 : 400 and
integrated real-data M-BUS interface.
• Thermal energy metering: Ultrasonic energy meter
SHARKY, a class 2 meter with dynamic of qi : qp =
1 : 250 and integrated real-data M-BUS interface.
• Electricity metering: Digital electricity meter, a
class 1 meter with dual tariff system and integrated
real-data M-BUS interface.
• AMR hardware: IZAR-CENTER, an intelligent
M-BUS master of the latest generation, which not only
continuously analyses the system consistency but also
validates the meter readings and transfers the data
using all media available (LAN, WIFI, GPRS).
• AMR software: IZAR@NET, a powerful AMR and
AMM software solution, which ensures a seamless
integration of all resources and future expansion,
thanks to its modular structure.
Conclusion
Multiutility smart metering is very often regarded as an
isolated requirement for utilities. However, an increasing
number of projects and developments require independent
multiresource metering and AMR solutions for their
efficient and economical operation.
With the integrative solution deployed in the Souk of
Beirut, Solidere, the owner and operator of the project,
received a holistic turnkey solution that enables the seamless
measurement and monitoring of electricity, cooling, heating,
gas and water, thus, ensuring the correct measurement of
all media- and consumption-based billing for the tenants.
Furthermore, the implemented data management software
and the smart metering system optimises operation and
production costs and contributes to today’s requirements.
The open system architecture allows future expansion
using wire-based or wireless technologies.
Projects 52/53

Libya
Fact File
Country Name Great Socialist People’s
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Population 6,461,454 (July 2010 est.)
Land Area 1.8 million km²
Official Language Arabic
Currency 1 Libyan Dinar = 1,000 Dirhams
Main Cities Tripoli (capital), Benghazi, Misurata, Sabha, Tobruk
Map with proposed spot developments at Ghadames, Ghat, Ubari, Sebha and al-Kufrah.
Hannes Schied, Corinna Gundel,
TDO – Tourism Development Organisation
Oases
Tourism Development
in Libya
With the objective of diversifying the local economy and developing tourism as an important economic pillar in the future, the
Libyan government has accorded top priority to tourism infrastructure development. In this context, the five oases sites of
Ghadames, Sebha, Ghat, Ubari, and al-Kufrah are to be developed as tourism destinations. TDO – Tourism Development
Organisation, a subsidiary of Obermeyer Corporate Group, was commissioned to undertake market research consultancy
services for these oases destinations. The objective of the assignment was to obtain an overview of Libya’s present status and
future potential as a tourist destination and devise appropriate development concepts for the five oases sites.
Projects 54/55

Fascinating landscape close to Ubari.
Market Analysis
The data and findings were built up over a period of six
months; they covered desktop and primary research both
in the field in Libya and in major source markets in North
Africa and Europe. Primary data collection included expert
interviews with international tour operators and local
stakeholders as well as a comprehensive consumer survey
conducted at Libya’s major points of entry like airports
and border-crossings as well as at the oases destinations.
In recent years, Libya has been trying to expand tourism
as an important branch of economic activity. The official
policy of ‘tourism solely designed for the culture-minded’ is
accompanied by the rejection of Western-style mass tourism
as found in other major destinations in Northern Africa.
A standard type of tourism controlled by tour guides has
been developed, supported by the country’s world heritage
sites. Today, tourism in Libya is characterised by a clearly
established pattern of itineraries. Apart from ever-changing
entry regulations and the mandatory requirement of leisure
tourists’ supervision by a local guide, Libyan tourism has
been characterised by a lack of infrastructure. However, to
increase the supply, and adapt to the international standard
of accommodation, several projects are in the pipeline and
international hotel chains such as Radisson, Sheraton, and
Intercontinental are currently establishing their presence in
the Libyan market.
The analysis of the Libyan tourism market revealed a
distinctly inconsistent development of demand volume
and market segmentation over the past six years. Tourism
demand in Libya is characterised by strong regional source
markets with almost 90% of total tourist arrivals coming
from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. Due to repeatedly
changing visa regulations, demand from non-Arab source
markets was subject to considerable fluctuations. The tour
operator and consumer surveys revealed that tourists come
to Libya mainly for its cultural and historic attractions,
followed by its desert and landscape. It is remarkable that,
despite a lack of appropriate infrastructure and substandard
quality accommodation, the majority of tourists stated
positive perceptions in relation with Libya. The majority
of interviewed tourists were overwhelmed by the beauty of
the landscapes, the warm hospitality as well as the cultural
attractions.
Development Areas Analysis
Four of the five oases under evaluation, namely Ghadames,
Sebha, Ubari and Ghat, are located in the southwestern part
of Libya along the frontiers to Tunisia and Algeria. Only
al-Kufrah is located in the far east of the country about
180 km west of Egypt. All oases cities except for Ubari
feature airports that are served by domestic airlines from
Tripoli or Benghazi. Sebha has an international airport
that is mainly used for interregional flights. All oases sites
feature historic and natural attractions and their location in
the desert makes them very promising tourist destinations.
As the current tourism product in Libya is mainly based
on its cultural attractions along the Mediterranean coast,
the oases destinations with their beautiful desert landscapes
possesses significant tourism potential as they ideally
complement the existing tourism product offer.
Development Parameters
In order to prepare a development concept for the five oases
destinations that suits the quantitative requirements of future
guests, the medium- and long-term tourism demand for Libya
was projected in a tourism demand potential prognosis.
In the event of a fast recovery of the international tourism
demand and in conformance with crucial preconditions
such as entry facilitation, investment promotion, proactive
marketing/distribution, infrastructure improvements and
the launch of modern tourism facilities, Libya is expected to
experience a considerable and sustained growth of its tourism
industry. From 2008 to 2020, the country may expect an
incremental growth of 67% in terms of arrivals matching
a total of almost 1.8 million tourists per annum in 2020.
This development will again force the country to respond
accordingly with respect to infrastructure expansion,
provision of accommodation, restaurants and leisure
facilities as well as improved logistics. When it comes to the
development of projects in the accommodation industry,
Libya will require an additional 11,000 rooms by 2020.
Vision and Mission Statement
A thorough assessment of the existing conditions leads
to the conclusion that the tourism sector of Libya is still
in a very early phase of development. While a number of
weaknesses can be detected, the recent developments justify
considerable confidence in a sustainable qualitative and
quantitative progress for the future.
In order to reach this goal, the country needs to
position itself strongly in an increasingly challenging
competitive surrounding. The country itself, its oases and
all stakeholders in the tourism and related industries need
to follow one common vision. The vision is the guideline
and needs to be put into practice in order to succeed in the
development of tourism.
The oases in Libya need to be turned into unique
destinations – with their intact natural and cultural
resources creating an authentic link between past, present
and future. The residents and visitors shall enjoy authentic,
genuine, lively and attractive leisure and cultural tourism
products. Visitors shall experience high values, enhanced
quality and unforgettable impressions. Residents shall
recognise tourism as an important economic sector and be
encouraged by government incentives so that they in turn
can benefit from the business of tourism.
This overall vision can be outlined as follows and will
form an integral part of the unique selling proposition of
the Libyan oases in future:
• Traditional culture meets modern urbanity
• Adventure meets relaxation
• Rich past meets a lively present
• Challenging desert meets oases of refreshment
The overall mission for the oases is to implement the vision
with the aim of generating substantial benefits for the local
population. Thus, tourism development at the oases sites
should follow the following prime objectives:
• Improvement in quality of life of local population
• Consideration of cultural heritage
• Respect to social and islamic values
• Access – Accommodation – Attraction = Guiding
Principle
Development Approach 5 Oases Sites
In terms of spatial orientation, it is considered that the most
suitable approach for the oases destinations is to create spots
at which the tourism development should take place.
The strong position of Sebha as a transportation
and logistics centre calls for a so-called ‘hub and spoke’
concept, making Sebha a strong starting and ending point
where several spokes originate and hence leading to the
aforementioned spot developments. By means of these
spokes, the visitor flow can be directed to various points
of interest, thus creating a holistic and authentic tourism
product for Libya and the five oases destinations.
Oasis.
Conclusion
A clear vision, a sustained, coordinated effort; positive
socio-economic spin-offs for a supportive and hospitable
local population – these are some of the preconditions for
founding an efficient tourism offer. From this perspective,
any expectations for achieving immediate results should
be dampened, as the benefits from a sustainable tourism
activity are medium- and long-term. Financial feasibility
cannot therefore be expected in the short term. This fact
underlines the need for a policy of innovative, proactive
investment and private sector incentives and may best be
achieved through substantial initial government equity and
structures such as public-private partnerships and attractive
financial incentives.
Projects 56/57

Morocco
Fact File
Country Name Kingdom of Morocco
Population 31,627,428 (July 2010 est.)
Land Area 710,850 km²
Official Language Arabic
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD) = 100 centimes
Main Cities Rabat (capital), Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Oujda,
Agadir, Tangier, Tetouan, Laâyoune
Looking from the Haouma site towards the east, on the ridge the existing wind
farm Al Koudia Al Baida.
Patric Kleineidam und Frank Umbach,
Lahmeyer International
Introduction
The electrical energy production of Morocco amounts to
approximately 22 TWh with a yearly growth of about 6%.
The production is dominated by coal- and oil-fired power
plants, with 57% (coal) and 22% (oil) respectively.
Two aspects are important to cover the growing power
demand and at the same time create a more sustainable
power mix: on the one hand significant investments in the
power sector are required and on the other hand the usage
of renewable energy sources has to be increased. The latter
can also significantly increase the country’s independence
from oil price fluctuations.
Wind Energy
in Morocco – 50 MW
at Haouma Site
To meet Morocco’s development target, a political renewable
energy strategy was set up in order to increase the use of
wind energy in the electrical power sector. An intermediate
goal is to reach a level of 10% of the installed electrical
production capacity with the use of wind energy
applications.
Through several wind measurement campaigns conducted
by the Moroccan Centre for the Development of Renewable
Energy (CDER) and the electricity utility Office National
de l’Electricité (ONE), an excellent wind potential has been
identified mainly in the Atlantic coastal regions in the north
with annual average wind speeds between 8 m/s and 11 m/s
and in the south with 7 m/s to 8.5 m/s.
Projects 58/59

In order to meet this challenging goal, a 1,000 MW wind
energy programme has been set up by the government
relying on the renewable energy policy ‘energie pro’ and
promoting BOT projects. The principle of the programme
‘energie pro’ can be described as follows: the independent
power producer has to identify key recipients who commit
themselves via a power purchase agreement to buy the
amount of the estimated energy production. The transmission
system operator receives a fee for the transmission of
the power from the producer to the consumer.
The well-known DESERTEC concept intends to generate
electricity from the enormous solar and wind resources in
desert areas. With its resources Morocco plays a significant
role in this concept. This is driven forward by the
DESERTEC Industrial Initiative (DII) of which Lahmeyer
International is an Associated Partner. Furthermore,
Lahmeyer International plays an active role in the relevant
working groups of DII, for example by participating in the
wind working group which has a strong focus on Morocco
at this stage.
The Haouma Project
NAREVA Holding, a branch of the Moroccan industrial
company ONA (one of the largest industrial groups in
Morocco, recently merged with SNI) is aiming to construct
and operate several wind farms across the country. One of
these wind farms is foreseen to be realised at the Haouma
site. Lahmeyer International has been appointed as technical
advisor to perform a complete feasibility study, the review of
the project engineering as well as the wind energy resource
assessment for the Haouma wind farm.
Existing wind farm Koudia Al Baida.
The Haouma wind farm will be situated approximately
30 km east of the city of Tanger. It will stretch for about
10 km from north to south along a range of hills. The
turbines will be installed at ground heights of 300 to
400 m above sea level. The most northern turbine will be
installed only 3 km of the ocean shore south of the Port
Tanger Méditerranée. The Haouma site is in 5 km distance
to the existing wind farm Al Koudia Al Baida built in the
year 2000 (see picture). This existing wind farm consists
of 84 turbines with a total capacity of 50.4 MW. Already
this project was realised with the support of Lahmeyer
International.
The wind conditions on site can be considered as
extremely favourable with an annual wind mean speed
between 8 and 9 m/s at hub height. The ridge line on which
the wind farm will be built is nearly perfectly shaped
perpendicular to the main wind directions south-east and
north-west allowing a free flow towards the turbines. Three
on-site measurements have been carried out on 60 m high
towers, each measuring on three heights in order to predict
the wind shear over the whole area of the wind farm.
The Haouma wind farm will be constructed with a final
installed capacity of about 50 MW consisting of 22 wind
turbines. The area swept by each rotor will cover roughly
the area of a football field. The wind farm construction is
expected to start within 2011 and to be commissioned in
2012. The Haouma wind farm is expected to produce energy
at a capacity factor above 40%.
The electrical connection of the wind farm will be executed
directly into the 60 kV grid of ONE. This connection
will be based on a wind farm internal 22/60 kV substation.
The selected wind turbines are of highest electrical standard
and fulfil all of ONE’s grid requirements in terms of flicker,
harmonics and the supply and absorption of reactive power
as well as low voltage ride through ability in order to remain
online in case of short grid voltage drops.
The Haouma project is planned as a multicontracting
concept. The wind turbines will be supplied by a large
European supplier while the civil and electrical works will
be performed by local contractors achieving a local content
in this project.
Other Projects in Morocco
Besides the established and planned projects along the ridge
lines of northern Morocco a number of other projects are
planned, especially along the coast of southern Morocco
blessed with high permanent wind speeds (see map).
Extract from Moroccan wind map, published by CDER.
NAREVA is currently preparing the implementation of
three other wind farms situated just across the Canary
Islands. The three wind farms are currently planned to
reach a total installed capacity of 350 to 450 MW. In all
three wind farms Lahmeyer International was involved at
different stages of the development. The southern shore
lines of Morocco represent very favourable conditions for
large wind farms. The area is mostly flat, scarcely populated
and the wind is blowing stronger than in most regions of
Europe.
Another advantage for intermittent Moroccan renewable
energies is the potential of increasing the pump hydro
storage capacity in the Atlas Mountains to smooth the
fluctuating characteristics of wind energy. This smoothing
potential would allow the further extension of renewable
energy sources and especially wind energy in Morocco.
Projects 60/61

Oman
Fact File
Country Name Sultanate of Oman
Population 3.0 million (June 2010)
Land Area 309,500 km²
Official Language Arabic, with English widely spoken
Currency 1 Rial = 1,000 biaza (Fixed Peg with US Dollar)
Main Cities Muscat (capital), Salalah, Sohar, Sur, Nizwa, Duqm
Section: The conical inner form has been formed with a special formwork
(all dimensions in millimetres).
‘You know it was a good government when it leaves the
population in a better state’, were the logical words once
spoken by Bill Clinton. In saying this, the most expensive
speaker in the world created an inseparable bond between
the decision-makers and their responsibility for the welfare
of their people.
The Sultan of Oman has transformed his country, which
is located on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, into a
prosperous and well-regulated state with budget surpluses.
The income for this transformation predominantly
came from crude oil and natural gas. So how exactly
can an economy with limited resources be successfully
restructured? A diversification of various industrial sectors
is currently taking place in Oman. This is helping to create
as many suitable pillars of income as possible for the future
in order to give Oman further protection against possible
economic crises. One of these projects is the settlement of
the iron manufacturing industry close to Suhar on the Gulf
of Oman.
Suhar
The Billion-Euro
Project
in Oman.
Circular Girder
and Custom
Formwork
for an Ore
Processing Plant
Dipl.-Geol. Frank G. Gerigk,
PASCHAL-Werk G. Maier GmbH
Photos: Martin Ketterer
The construction site close to Suhar is several hundred
hectares large, making it as big as a small town. Work is
being carried out in dozens of areas and hundreds of people
are busy carrying out their tasks in their blue overalls. The
glistening daylight is often besmirched by haze, making the
surroundings very hot and humid. The sky is mostly clear,
and the sun burns relentlessly. The workers wear a scarf
between their helmet and their neck and look for shade, but
to no avail. Every vehicle and every step causes a cloud of
fine dust.
Projects 62/63

A view into the tower from above. The TTR formwork can be exactly adjusted
to fit the required radius to within a centimetre.
A large plant is being conjured up out of the desert. This
location, where maritime trade has a tradition dating back
centuries and energy is cheap – it costs w5 to fill up once the
SUV –, is now about to welcome a new iron ore processing
plant. Next to the site, which is not far from the sea, a new
harbour is also being built to accompany the plant.
Organisation
The costs of this major construction project are being
covered by the state and privately by the Sultan himself
in equal measure and are currently expected to add up to
the equivalent of €w2.6 billion, making it one of the largest
construction projects ever in Oman.
The main contractor is the company Galfar Engineering
& Contracting, which is the largest construction company
in Oman, operating main projects all over the Gulf region.
Oman and the Federal Republic of Germany traditionally
have extremely positive economic and political relations.
This is clearly also the case where this construction site is
concerned: all lorries, excavators and cranes are coming from
well-known German manufacturers. Many engineering
services are also being provided by German companies.
The work is increasingly measured according to its
efficiency and more and more pressure is being piled on
the workers to complete important buildings according
to schedule. This improves the prospects for high-quality
branded products which, despite requiring a rather high
Tower ore processing plant: Different wall thicknesses and a cone-shaped roof
inside construction and climbing with circular formwork are the features of
this structure.
initial investment, show a better profitability. The workers
themselves mostly come from India and Pakistan. Their
working hours are split into two shifts, each lasting twelve
hours.
The Special Feature
The core element of one work area of the plant is a 35 m
high round tower with an outer diameter of 16.35 m. At the
foot of the tower, its walls are up to 1 m thick and contain
external ribs that add to their stability, increasing the wall
thickness to 1.50 m. A steep cone construction with an open
peak has been installed inside the tower.
A maximum degree of precision was required to
construct the tower using high-quality cast-in-place
concrete. The cone construction placed heavy demands on
the field of formwork technology. Thus, the head of Galfar
Formwork Division, the German Oskar Harter, decided to
use TTR, the circular trapezoidal girder formwork with
adjustable radii by PASCHAL. This was coordinated by
PASCHAL Emirates Co. L.L.C. in Dubai.
Formwork Planning
The circular girder formwork was used as climbing
formwork. Twelve concreting cycles, each containing 3 m
high of formwork with a section height of 2.95 m, were
intended to produce the perfect result. After four climbing
The radius adjustable circular trapezoidal girder formwork (TTR) has been
proofed as adequate climbing formwork.
phases, the walls were still 60 cm thick. Custom formwork
was selected for the construction of the protrusions at the
tower foot and for the challenging production of the funnel
shape at the top.
The TTR formwork was transported from Germany to
Oman by sea. All of the engineering services required for
the formwork, including assembly fitters and banksmen,
came from Germany.
The universal formwork system MODULAR was used
for carrying out further concrete work. This formwork is
especially suited for the task at hand because of its strength,
manageability and versatility and is sti ll clearly superior to
the majority of comparable products – despite the fact that
it is not a new development. The formwork MODULAR,
which has been successfully used in over 60 countries and
is compatible with the TTR formwork system, was supplied
by PASCHAL Concrete Forms Co. in Bahrain.
Due to the high temperatures of over 40°C during the day,
concreting work was only carried out at night. The concrete
factory is located some distance away from the construction
site, meaning that a transporter requires approximately one
hour travelling between the two locations.
TTR Circular Trapezoidal Girder Formwork
The TTR circular trapezoidal girder formwork’s main
advantage is that it can be adjusted to fit the respective area
in the system to within a centimetre. This means that no
Fitting of inner formwork TTR: The formwork segments have been placed by
crane to their final position – here inner formwork. Even after multiple uses the
segments are not distorted but have kept their pre-adjusted radii.
adjustments whatsoever are required from the client to
compensate for any remaining space: thanks to its stability,
the formwork remains fixed at the desired radius, even if it
is repeatedly moved. No time-consuming readjustments or
even rear supports whatsoever are required. This does, of
course, apply to small radii of 2.50 m right through to huge
radii. Additionally, the formwork can withstand a fresh
concrete pressure of 60 kN/m² with flatness tolerances in
accordance with German standard DIN 18202, table 3, line 7.
Summary
The formwork and formwork planning were completely
successful. Workers at the construction site faultlessly
achieved the expected perfect results with less effort and
complexity than normally and within a quicker construction
period. Trusting in a branded product was certainly well
worth it.
Projects 64/65

Palestine
Fact File
Country Name Palestinian Territories
Population 4.4 million (2010 est.)
Land Area 6,220 km²
Official Language Arabic
Main Cities Ramallah and Gaza (current location of government institutions)
East Jerusalem (desired capital of a future independent Palestine)
Largest City Gaza
Old basic school in Bait Omar, near Hebron:
Many school buildings are damaged,
often classes must be held in unsuitable buildings.
Frank Determann, KfW Entwicklungsbank
Norbert Knaus, Rainer Mertes,
knaus mertes architekten GmbH
Karl Rechthaler, Architect
Diyar Consultants Co. and Madar
Consulting Engineers
Photos: Karl Rechthaler
Jobs for Some – the Joy of
Learning for Others
Years of conflict between Palestinians and Israelis had in
particular significant consequences for the Palestinian
children and youth. In school they can hardly concentrate.
However, school operations were able to continue despite
the damage to school infrastructure caused by the conflict
and the restrictions on mobility. However, in many cases
school buildings are damaged, old or strongly in need
of renovation. Often classes must be held in unsuitable
buildings (garages, former residential buildings and so
forth), or lessons must be given in two or even three shifts –
with negative consequences for the learning performance of
the children. The schools in the Gaza Strip with mostly very
poor school infrastructure are particularly affected. The
Building Learning-
Friendly Schools in the
Palestinian Territories
situation has significantly worsened since Israel imposed its
blockade several years ago: since material for building or
operating schools may not be imported, no new schools can
be constructed or existing schools renovated.
In addition, the passed-down knowledge on climateadapted
construction and the efficient use of resources has
often been forgotten, resulting in soulless concrete boxes on
formless concrete surfaces without any green. That such
surroundings will not create learning-friendly environments
and may promote aggressive behaviour is obvious.
KfW Entwicklungsbank, on behalf of the German federal
government, has been active in the Palestinian Territories
for almost 20 years. One focus of the cooperation in this
area is education. To this end the Employment Generation
Programme (EGP) for school construction offers workingage
people access to paid jobs, thereby improving their
Projects 66/67

income situation. In addition schools are renovated, extended
or newly built, while local companies supply furniture and
equipment for classrooms. This increases the quality and
number of available space in schools and improves the
development prospects of the children. Overall, 81 schools
have been built so far and a further 35 schools are currently
in the planning or implementation phase.
Local architects and civil engineers implement these
school construction and rehabilitation projects in close
cooperation with Palestinian decision-makers. Specially
selected and experienced International Architectural
Advisors (IAA) provide them with technical support 1 . This
increases the sustainability of the investments and keeps
maintenance costs at a minimum. Most important of all:
interior and exterior spaces are designed in such a way that
schoolchildren feel comfortable and enjoy learning. How
this looks in reality is shown below.
No More Bleak Barracks
Earlier, the building plans followed a uniform teaching
concept: the frontal teaching approach. Other educational
methods were not practiced – also due to a lack of available
space. Therefore, the construction or conversion of classrooms
for small group lessons or individual study was established
as a programme objective. In addition, all schools must
have appropriate specialised rooms, e.g. for chemistry or art
lessons. Classrooms were thus newly designed, but also
multipurpose halls and auditoriums now offer space for
playing and meetings as well as for cultural events and
parent-teacher conferences. Previously, some schools did
not have such rooms at all, and they have been added to the
existing buildings. Last but not least, the sanitary facilities
Basic girls school Al Yamoon, Jenin: Planning involves construction and
selection of the building materials and colours of the walls and furniture.
will be freed from their shadowy existence and attractively
designed.
As school life is not just limited to the buildings,
particularly important outdoor facilities will be redesigned
for sports and fun, but also for outdoor lessons and more.
Resorting to Local Traditions
The planning of a building involves construction and
selection of the building materials and colours of the walls
and furniture. The basic principle of the new planning
approach involves resorting to local building experiences
and proven traditions, primarily in terms of creating jobs
and using locally available materials as a visible and tangible
quality in construction, materials, workmanship and rooms
to promote a personal willingness for development as well
as positive behaviour, self-esteem and social integration.
Furthermore, teachers can implement appropriate and
modern educational concepts using good instructional
materials to increase the desire of learning successfully. In
such a school space becomes the ‘third educator’.
Sustainable Energy Construction
The existing local traditions for energy-efficient building
design have partly been forgotten. However, energy
efficiency mainly means consuming less energy. This
reduction is achieved primarily through buildingconstruction
measures. In practice, this means improving
the thermal insulation of the walls and roofs and replacing
leaky, single-glazed sliding windows with thick, insulated
glass tilt and turn windows. Along with these technical
improvements, measures for façade shading, the ability of
Secondary girls school in Jabal Al Rahmeh, Hebron: In such a school, space
becomes the ‘third educator’ along with the schoolchildren and the teachers.
construction designs to save energy and on gaining energy
in winter have to be implemented. In fact, historic Islamic
architecture serves as an exemplary model for applying
different handicraft techniques for sustainable energy
architecture – unfortunately, today such elements are often
mistakenly viewed as archaic and outdated. However, the
same basic principles hold true for current architecture –
and they must now penetrate current (school) architecture.
Taking Care of ‘Their’ Schools
A school building must be maintained and kept in good
condition. Previously, this awareness had been largely
missing in the region, and correspondingly, almost no
funding was available, resulting in a need to develop
appropriate concepts. The focus here is on promoting
responsibility and the appreciation of shared property. As
a result, not only caretakers and other technical personnel
are actively working in the schools, but also schoolchildren,
teachers and parents are being involved and given practical
instructions. They care for the outdoor facilities, plant
trees, do cleaning work and conduct repairs – in this way
the school becomes ‘their’ school.
Promoting School Partnerships
Besides the exchange and transfer of knowledge between
local and international architects and engineers, it is
still difficult to get schoolchildren and parents involved
in the planning and implementation phase. A trip to
Europe is illusory for most schoolchildren and teachers
from the Palestinian Territories. This means different
school ‘ideas’ – other than those that are ‘fed’ to them –
remain foreign and unknown. Not only are they unable
to experience other models of school construction,
organisation and teaching, they do not even hear anything
about it.
Against this background, the idea for school partnerships
between German and Palestinian schools was born in 2004.
Long-term relationships between schoolchildren, teachers
and parents allow ideas and experiences to be exchanged
while learning about an entirely different culture. The
hope is that the users in the Palestinian schools will come
to appreciate their new learning spaces and possibilities – as
is the case in Germany. This takes place in a very practical
way through an Internet platform (www.school-tp-ps.de)
with reciprocal visits, joint competitions and joint tasks and
projects, which are always actively supported.
New basic girls school in Bait Omar, near Hebron: The architecture of school
buildings has a proven influence on the learning ability of children.
New basic girls school in Bait Omar, near Hebron: School life is not just
limited to the buildings, outdoor facilities will be redesigned for sports, fun
and more.
Secondary school Al Jalazoon, near Ramallah: Schoolchildren, teachers
and parents care for the outdoor facilities, plant trees, do cleaning work and
conduct repairs – in this way the school becomes ‘their’ school.
Projects 68/69

Tubas basic school, north of Nablus: Multipurpose halls and auditoriums now offer space for playing and meetings as well as for cultural events and parent-teacher
conferences.
One example is a partnership existing since January 2005
between the Al-Zababdeh Girls High School 2 in the north of
the West Bank and the Erich Kästner Realschule (secondary
school) in Steinheim 3 (Baden-Württemberg). Here the
Internet proved to be the ideal platform for communication,
guaranteeing a sustained and stable relationship. The only
requirements were a functioning Internet connection, the
establishment of a school website and a computer with a
digicam. Small groups of schoolchildren and teachers were
thus able to communicate. The participants got to know
each other, shared experiences and formed friendships.
And of course, the children also learn something about
modern social media – the resulting possibilities, which
were vividly on display in the first weeks of the year, are
almost limitless.
Teachers benefit as well: they exchange educational
concepts, and particularly the Palestinian school directors
are keen to adopt ideas concerning school management
and maintenance. Hopefully, in the future contact will not
only take place via the World Wide Web but also through
reciprocal personal visits.
Outlook
Much has been achieved. This was made possible through
the willingness of the responsible parties in the Palestinian
administration to make use of international experiences
and reconsider previous approaches to planning and
implementation.
In the meantime the next phases of the project are being
implemented with EGP VIII and IX while the concepts
developed under EGP VII are adopted by other governmental
and nongovernmental organisations. Others are to follow.
The experiences again confirm that advising and support
can only be successful if based on trust. That requires time.
What was already possible in the West Bank must still be
developed in the Gaza Strip. Local standards for building
construction cannot simply be annulled, even if today
the usual support systems are substantially better and in
particular allow for more effective floor plan designs.
A 2008 study commissioned by KfW compared the
learning behaviour and learning success of schoolchildren
in the previous schools with those in the new schools. The
result was significant: the architecture of school buildings
had, in accordance with their quality, a clearly positive
influence on the learning ability of children. This proven
success justifies to continue on this path and to involve an
international architectural advisor to ensure the sustainable
transfer of knowledge in the future.
1 The authors, knaus mertes architekten gmbh with Karl Rechthaler, architect, have
responsibly undertaken this task in two of the implemented programmes.
2 http://www.zababdehschool.org/
3 http://www.ekrs-steinheim.de/
Projects 70/71

Qatar
Fact File
Country Name State of Qatar
Population 1.677 million (2010)
Land Area 11,586 km²
Official Language Arabic with English widely used
Currency 1 Qatari Riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams
Main Cities Doha (capital), Ras Laffan Industrial City, Al Khor, Dukhan,
Al Wakrah, Mesaieed
Visualisation of Al Garafa stadium.
Axel Bienhaus, AS&P –
Albert Speer & Partner GmbH
On 2 December 2010 in Zurich, FIFA awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. When FIFA President Sepp Blatter read the
announcement ‘And the winner to organise the 2022 World Cup is ... Qatar’, an entire country was bowled over. The success
was down to the German companies AS&P – Albert Speer & Partner GmbH, PROPROJEKT and Serviceplan – Agenturgruppe für
innovative Kommunikation GmbH, who jointly devised Qatar’s Bid Book for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The slogan invented for the application, ‘Expect Amazing’
also applied to the celebrations in Qatar following the award.
Qatar had outdone its rivals Japan, South Korea, Australia
and the USA.
The initial contact to the Qatar Football Association
(QFA) came about at the international SportAccord
2022 FIFA World Cup
Awarded to Qatar –
the Concepts for It Were
Developed in Frankfurt
sports fair in April 2009 in Denver, USA, which was
followed by two visits by the companies to Doha. In
May 2009, the consortium signed the contract, almost
30 pages long, to prepare and compile the Bid Book.
Immediately afterwards, an interdisciplinary team from
AS&P and PROPROJEKT and the Qatar 2022 bidding
Projects 72/73

Visualisation of Doha Port stadium.
committee began developing the extensive concepts
together in Doha. In addition to planning sports venues as
well as transport and accommodation infrastructures, the
bid also addressed, among other things, the questions of
environmental protection and the financing of social
development, even down to the potential for developing
football in Arab and Asian countries. The close collaboration
with the Qatar 2022 bidding committee was extremely
harmonious. There was intensive discussion of the various
possible ways of staging the event. Once the internal
discussion had been concluded the concepts had to be
coordinated with the relevant representatives from
municipal authorities, ministries and a significant
number of public and private bodies. This was a veritable
decision-making marathon, which kept the team of, at its
peak, some 30 engineers busy day and night.
Visualisation of Al Wakrah stadium.
The Hosting Concept
The tournament concept that emerged can be regarded as
totally innovative and unique in several respects:
• In 2022, the world of football will witness an extremely
compact concept for hosting the event in Qatar. As
all the stadiums can be reached within an hour, fans
will be able to watch more than one match a day.
A new, efficient metro network totalling 320 km in
length will be completed in 2021. Furthermore, all
stadiums can be reached via Qatar’s motorway system.
This means it is easy for spectators to reach them; it
is even possible to get to some of the stadiums by water
taxi. Traffic management measures will ensure freeflowing
traffic throughout the entire tournament.
• It is not just the fans but the teams as well who will
benefit from this compact concept. They will be able to
reside in the same team hotel for the duration of the
World Cup. In addition, exclusive quarters will be built,
in which individual villas for accommodating the
players and their entourage will be grouped around a
central building boasting swimming pool, lounge and
restaurant. The complex will also feature a training
ground that is cooled using solar energy, guaranteeing
perfect training conditions. Spacious areas of greenery
and open space shield the facilities. 16 of these team
quarters make up each of these small neighbourhoods,
enabling the teams to prepare for their matches
undisturbed.
• Nine of the twelve stadiums will be new. In terms of
architectural language, the eight stadiums designed by
AS&P, each with a capacity of some 45,000 spectators,
reference the regional culture, flora and fauna. The
designs fully meet or even exceed all FIFA requirements,
resulting in state-of-the-art arenas that leave
no spectator comfort whatever to be desired and provide
superb conditions for the teams and media
representatives.
• After the tournament, the spectator capacity in most of
the stadiums will be reduced, meaning that for league
games there will be room for approximately 22,000
spectators. This way the stadiums satisfy the needs of
the Qatar League. The seating that is removed will be
donated to developing countries to build up the sport
infrastructure there. Some 170,000 seats will be
reconfigured to create 22 complete stadiums with lower
capacities, thereby making a valuable contribution to
promoting football as a sport in these countries. This
idea strengthens the sustainability of the overall
concept. The relevant concepts were developed together
with the Swiss company Nüssli.
• The planners also felt committed to sustainability with
the concept for stadiums themselves as well, as Qatar
will build the first CO 2 -neutral stadiums in operation
on earth. An innovative climate concept by engineering
company ARUP, which sources a large part of the
energy required from solar technology, will ensure
that the maximum temperature in the stadiums does
not exceed 27°C. The free transfer of the technology
developed for his purpose is part of the bid’s
sustainability concept.
The Bid Book and its Promotion
In May 2010, the almost 750-page Bid Book, lavishly
designed and printed by Serviceplan, was submitted to FIFA
in Zurich. 35 copies of the book, which weighed more than
five kilos, were handed over to FIFA, including a decorative
edition in goatskin, which is reserved for FIFA President
Sepp Blatter. The Bid Book also incorporates a 6,000-page
annex, in which Qatar gave all the requisite guarantees for
ensuring the implementation of the overall concept and the
financing.
The submission of the Bid Book also marked the
beginning of the intense stage of the bid marathons, in
which the competitors vied for the votes of the 24-man FIFA
Executive Committee. With a view to help publicise the
bid concept, AS&P and PROPROJEKT attended trade fairs
such as the 2010 SportAccord in Dubai and the ‘Leaders in
Football’ conference in London. The 2010 FIFA World Cup
in South Africa, the Africa Cup of Nations, Soccerex Asia
and Soccerex Global Convention also provided the bidding
committee with an opportunity to familiarise the world of
football with Qatar’s tournament concept.
The FIFA evaluation team’s visit to Qatar from 14 to
16 September 2010 marked another milestone in the bid
race. Qatar was the last country the team visited. The
six-man FIFA delegation headed by Mayne-Nicholls was
able to gain an idea of the status of the bid there, as all
important elements of the World Cup concept were
explained. Focal points of the presentations included
Visualisation of Al Khor stadium.
transport infrastructure, accommodation, the stadiums and
sustainability. On the final day, the 30-minute concluding
presentation, for which a pavilion equipped with cutting-edge
multimedia technology was specially erected, summarised
the unique selling points of the Qatar hosting concept again
in a highly impressive way.
Following the decision on 2 December 2010 to award
the FIFA World Cup in 2022 to Qatar, in the coming
period of almost twelve years infrastructures worth several
billion euros will be planned and constructed in Qatar.
However, the World Cup is just one component in Qatar’s
vision for national development through 2030. Important
elements in this vision, such as the New Doha International
Airport, the 320 km long metro network, the relocation of
the industrial port from downtown Doha, the expansion of
the sport infrastructure at the country’s universities would
have gone ahead without the successful bid. The FIFA World
Cup will now make things happen even faster, though
without causing additional investment.
In early January 2011, PROPROJEKT and AS&P
conducted initial positive discussions regarding the
continued inclusion of the two partner companies in the
implementation of the bid concept. They both anticipate
a swift conclusion of the discussions in the first half of
this year.
Projects 74/75

The Welcome Tent.
Sven Woerner, Atkon AG
Diana Kaufmann,
dan pearlman Markenarchitektur GmbH
A small country and the world’s largest sporting event: in
early 2009, the Emirate of Qatar announced its bid to host
the FIFA World Cup 2022. It would be the first World Cup
in the Middle East region, where different cultures collide,
and where tradition meets modernity like nowhere else in
the world.
FIFA
World Cup 2022
Application by Qatar.
Exhibition
and Media Pavilion
Qatar is one of the hottest countries in the world and has
an abundance of other superlatives as well. Located on the
east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the country – with its
1.5 million residents – was by far the smallest World Cup
bidder. Vast natural gas reserves have made Qatar one of
the richest countries on earth, attracting people from all
over the globe. His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa
Al€Thani, Emir of Qatar, reigns the country as an absolute
monarch. One of the Sheikh’s sons, His Excellency Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al€Thani, is chairman of the Bid
Committee for the World Cup. The ambitious emirate
invested a high nine-figure sum in its bid. After its ambitions
to host the 2016 Olympic Games were passed over, it was
time to win a megaevent.
The major preconceptions expected at the international
level were: Qatar is too small to host the FIFA World Cup.
But Qatar is not too small; Qatar is so compact that you can
reach any of the event venues within 90 minutes. When
you arrive in Qatar – as a FIFA delegation member, spectator
or player – you check in at your hotel and can reach any
event location in less than an hour. The second preconception:
Qatar is too hot. Sure, it is hot in Qatar, but Qatar has the
potential to develop technologies – sustainable technologies –
to cool down the stadiums without increasing the CO 2
footprint, to serve as a laboratory for subtropical countries
who want to host major football events.
In January 2010, Atkon AG, the German crossmedia
agency, was commissioned to present this revolutionary
concept to FIFA, the world football federation. Together
Part of the Legacy Hall.
with its partner, the German strategic creative agency dan
pearlman, an outstanding live communication concept had
to be developed. Atkon as lead agency, dan pearlman and
further partners designed and implemented a closing event
that would take the FIFA committee’s breath away at the
crucial date: the FIFA inspectors’ visit to Qatar.
Creating E7
The hosting concept of Qatar for the Football World Cup
2022 is planned to change the game and to provide a new
way of doing the FIFA World Cup. Even though a small
country, Qatar has big ambitions to deliver a new type of
event. Some time between July and September 2010, the
FIFA delegation would put the country through its paces
three days long.
That is where Atkon and dan pearlman came in: after
three days full of speeches, workshops and site visits, the
FIFA delegation members surely needed to have a thrilling
finale. The working title for that finale: E7.
The basis for the E7 live communication event was
the Bid Book, so to speak, the application package that the
Qatar 2022 Bid Committee had to submit to FIFA. At some
Projects 76/77

750 pages in length, the Bid Book covered all the relevant
issues involving the World Cup bid.
The FIFA delegation, as a group of experts, was expected
to verify the specific claims from the Bid Book: the
infrastructure, the hotel situation, the climate situation –
and of course the delegation was expected to experience the
overall concept quickly, in as bite-sized portions as
possible.
In May 2010, construction work for E7 began. The
foundation was poured and the work containers for the
coming weeks and months reached the building site. The
plans made in Germany were built here over a very short
period of time. Atkon and dan pearlman were familiar with
the surroundings; Atkon even had a dedicated office in this
Arab metropolis, but at the same time, any project of this
size harboured imponderables.
Additionally challenging have been temperatures of
up to 50°C, alternating between dry heat and humidity.
Especially during the day, when the sun’s heat naturally
created a greater difference in temperature between inside
and out, humidity became a real issue.
Looking back, it was especially important to all
partners to have a well€practiced team from Germany at
the construction site in Qatar. Even though local resources
from Qatar particularly for the building shell were used,
the precision work and the technical activities were left to
be done by the German specialists. It was very important for
the team to be well practiced – the engineers, constructors
and architects – to make sure everything went smoothly. It
was a huge advantage, that Atkon and dan pearlman had a
The World of Football.
team whose members already knew each other from other
common projects.
Just a few days after the foundation was poured, the
steel work began for the pavilions. At the E7 event location
in Doha three pavilions with a total area of around 1,400 m 2
were built. Inside the pavilions different areas presented the
highlights of the concept.
Two weeks after pouring the foundations, the pavilions
slowly began to take shape: the World of Football, Welcome
Tent with Connecting Plaza and the Legacy Pavilion
exteriors were completed, one after the other.
Another four weeks later the interior construction
was nearly complete. Finally, after air conditioning began
cooling the interiors down to comfortable levels, the interior
construction of the event location could begin. Critical for
further work: the humidity could now be controlled.
Now it was time for the details to turn the Legacy
Pavilion into a true exhibition. The information, texts
and exhibits collected in the previous months were all put
together and the trip through 60 years of sports history in
Qatar was given a face. Display items and originals such as
the actual Emir of Qatar Cup, obtained from the football
association and from the museum authorities, were placed
in the individual honeycombs in the Legacy Pavilion.
At the next stage the sensitive HoloPro screens for
the World of Football, shipped in a special transport from
Germany, were carefully unpacked and inspected. Even
the smallest defect could have a major impact on the
functionality of this extremely sensitive high-tech glass,
completely negating the desired effects.
The Connecting Plaza.
The technical outfitting of the World of Football continued
with mounting the high€performance projectors. When
everything was completed, it was possible to start the entire
presentation simply by pressing a button on a touch display.
Within the 300 degree round projection surface, the visitors
were seated on swivel chairs inside a glass cube. The cube’s
front side consisted of HoloPro glass screens, which served
as an interactive projection screen for further technical
information.
Through clever 3-D animations and flythrough, the
spectators lost the feeling of the room dimensions and were
actually put on a rollercoaster ride through the world of
football in Qatar.
The full impact of the surround projection was not seen
until now, because a test setup in actual size was not possible
due to the tight schedule.
Just nine months after the initial planning, the nearly
1,000 m 2 of adventure area were ready for the high-ranking
visitors. But before the FIFA delegation visited the event
location, the client had to approve it. The chairman His
Excellency Sheikh Mohammed and members of the Qatar
2022 Bid Committee carefully inspected the results of
months of planning and six weeks of construction. After
all, E7 would be the last impression that the FIFA delegates
would get of the country and its World Cup ambitions before
they board their plane. Everything had to be perfect.
Finale
The decision was made at short notice: Qatar was the last
country on the FIFA inspection tour. On 16 September 2010,
the six€person delegation finally reached E7: the highlight
of their three€day stay in Doha. The FIFA delegation entered
the location through the Welcome Tent. From there, they
proceeded through the Connecting Plaza to the Legacy
Area. Here the sporting history of Qatar was presented,
with a special focus on football: founding of the first
football clubs in the early 1950s, development of the Qatar
Stars League and tournaments like the Emir of Qatar Cup
or the famous 15 th Asian Games in Doha 2006. From there
the delegation moved on to the World of Football to receive
a presentation of the half-hour content summary as a real
multimedia fireworks show: 35 projectors created the visible
surface of nearly 300°, while the FIFA delegation sat in the
glass cube made of HoloPro panels, which could also be used
as projecting surfaces.
The FIFA delegation was virtually transported to a
number of different locations and shown what the country
will look like in 2022. The attendees were taken to a metro
station that does not exist yet, went on a train journey,
glided through a stadium that has not been built yet, shown
how stadiums can be built and dismantled with modular
construction, and were taken up into the sky, where an
A380 flies past, to land at the purpose built New Doha
International Airport.
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed led the delegation
through the location, supported by several celebrity World
Cup ambassadors. And the surprise appearance of superstar
Zinedine Zidane worked out as well. The FIFA delegation
was impressed and the Bid Committee of Qatar extremely
satisfied.
Qatar has well proven the expertise, the resources and
the passion to make it happen. Qatar is ready to host the
FIFA World Cup 2022.
Projects 78/79

Large number of pedestrians in Souq area on a Friday.
Dr. Uwe Reiter, PTV AG
Qatar is a country with a rapidly growing economy and population resulting in a rapidely increasing demand on transport.
Against this background the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) commissioned PTV AG to develop a transport
master plan for the state of Qatar to meet this future demand while minimising negative impacts on natural, man-made and
social environment.
Introduction
In April 2006, the German company PTV AG was
commissioned by the Urban Planning and Development
Authority (UPDA, today the Ministry of Municipalities
and Urban Planning, MMUP) to carry out the Transport
Master Plan for the State of Qatar (TMPQ). As Qatar is a
country with a rapidly growing economy and population
and, consequently, with a fast development of employment
and also of transport demand, the challenge for the TMPQ
project consisted in analysing the historically grown
transport system and in redesigning it to accommodate
Transport Master Plan
for Qatar
future transport needs, to enable Qatar’s future development
while minimising negative impacts on natural, man-made
and social environment.
The aim of the TMPQ was to analyse the current
transport system, to forecast future transport conditions,
transport demand and traffic flows, to identify bottlenecks
and shortcomings, to develop visions, goals and strategies
for the development of the transport system, to analyse
impacts of different scenarios, to come up with
recommendations for actions and measures, and, finally,
with implementation plans for the recommended strategies
and measures.
Analysis
The analysis of the existing transport system, the current
mobility patterns, the driving behaviour and transport
demand, apart from a review of existing studies and data
sources, consisted in a number of measurements, surveys
and analyses, carried out by the project team: household
interview surveys with more than 5,800 households (more
than 30,000 persons), classified automatic traffic counts at
200 stations in the road network, turning movement counts
at 49 junctions, road-side interviews with 28,000 drivers
at 19 locations, travel time studies with 48 floating car
measurements, commercial vehicle survey, saturation flow
measurements and more.
The core of the project was the development of the
national transport model, using the software PTV Vision
with VISUM and VISEM, based on the collected data
mentioned above, on census data, land use data, other official
statistics and on own research about spatial distribution etc.
This national transport model was calibrated and validated
against empirical data. It was used to analyse and understand
current conditions and to identify short-term solutions.
These short-term solutions, e.g. changes in junction control,
lane allocation etc., were analysed using microscopic traffic
simulation with VISSIM (PTV Vision).
As a next step, information and data about future
developments, land use developments, plans for network
developments, official population and employment forecasts
and alike were collated from authorities, from official
institutions, from public and private developers and were
integrated in the transport model in order to develop forecast
models for different time horizons (2011, 2016, 2021, 2016
and ultimate capacity). These first forecasts contained only
transport measures already known or planned at the time – for
example by Ashghal, the Public Works Authority (PWA) –
but at this stage no additional plans or measures developed
by TMPQ. Consequently, these forecasts were called ‘donothing’
or ‘do-minimum’ scenarios.
Visions and Strategies for a
Comprehensive Transport System
The analyses of the current transport system and the
forecasts of future developments were used to develop
visions, goals, objectives, strategies and measures to alleviate
the previously identified shortcomings and bottlenecks and
to develop a transport system for Qatar accommodating
future demand and future needs. It consisted of a number of
recommendations and guidelines, the recommendation of
transport policies, different options for the development of
Qatar’s transport networks, particularly the road network, the
public transport network, including urban and regional rail.
Guidelines were developed for the design of parking
facilities taking into account the special requirements
in Qatar, particularly the vehicle fleet and the climate. A
pedestrian facility guideline was developed, focussing
on providing an attractive and safe environment for
pedestrians and encouraging more pedestrian trips even in
Qatar’s hostile climate. Similarly, a guideline was produced
for the development of bicycle facilities and for the design of
bicycle networks. As numerous sites are developed in Qatar,
a guideline of how to conduct traffic impact studies was yet
another important output of the project.
Policy documents and strategies were developed for the
general vision and transport policies, a road safety strategy,
for transport policies for major developments, transport
policies for freight transport, the movement of goods across
the country, truck route policies, parking policies, for the
development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), for
the development of transport demand measures and for
the development of coordination mechanisms between the
different authorities and institutions in Qatar.
A guideline was developed for planning roads and for a
functional road hierarchy.
A plan for Qatar’s future public transport system was
developed resulting in an integrated world-class public
transport system, including a metro system for Doha,
regional rail connecting major cities and settlements with
Doha, an international rail link across the causeway to
Bahrain, and a number of feeder buses and coach lines
throughout the country.
The different options for transport policies and network
developments were combined into three initial scenarios
for each time horizon, a road-transport-oriented scenario,
a public-transport-oriented scenario and a mixed-policy
scenario. These scenarios were analysed with the transport
model for all forecast time horizons. Impacts were
analysed on traffic flows, on travel times, on accessibility
and integration with land use, on economic efficiency, on
transport safety, on environmental and financial impacts.
As a result of the scenario analyses, two recommended
scenarios were developed, a progressive scenario and a
conservative scenario. The former, putting more emphasis
on public transport resulted in a modal split of 60:40 between
car and public transport, the latter with more emphasis on
road transport resulted in a split of 80:20.
Projects 80/81

The proposed hierarchical road network for Qatar. The proposed hierarchical road network in Greater Doha area.
National public transport system for Qatar.
Urban public transport system for the metropolitan area of Doha.
In a final step, implementation plans were developed for the
proposed scenario, ranking measures and actions by priority
and developing a time schedule for the implementation
of road and rail networks. These 5-year implementation
plans allowed optimising resources and minimising traffic
interruptions particularly in the urban area of Doha. These
implementation plans are currently revised in light of the
decision about the FIFA World Championship 2022 and new
priorities in accessing the sport events.
Outlook
In general, the TMPQ project with more than 60 reports,
guidelines, policy papers and recommendations has a major
influence on the development of Qatar’s transport system
over the next 20 years and beyond. The national transport
model in VISUM is the planning tool used for strategic
planning decisions as well as for day-to-day decisions by
the ministry, by public authorities, by developers and their
consultants.
The development of a transport system has strong
interactions with the development of the country as a
whole, particularly with the land use development, with
the economic development and with the environmental
footprint of human activities. Consequently, the National
R es idents and E mployees
4,000,000
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
Qatar’s rapid development: population and employment.
Vision of a world-class transport system for Qatar.
Transport Master Plan helps shaping Qatar’s future in
general.
And the development has already started. The public
works authority is currently implementing and constructing
the road network following the strategic plans developed
within the TMPQ. Qatari Diar and Deutsche Bahn
International use the TMPQ as basis to implement the
metro system in Doha starting with four metro lines, as
well as to implement the regional rail network starting with
the east coast rail link.
P opulation and Employment Forec as t Qatar
Pop. Qatar
Empl. Qatar
0
2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031
Ye ar
Projects 82/83

Qatar Airways’ flagship Boeing 777-300ER.
Qatar Airways
The Doha-based carrier is the national airline of the State of Qatar and one of the aviation industry’s big success stories.
Recognised as one of the few Five Star ranked airlines in the world with an award-winning product and state-of-the-art
facilities, it has established itself as one of the major gateways linking East and West, North and South. The airline flies to four
destinations in Germany: Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and Stuttgart.
Qatar Airways, the national airline of the State of Qatar,
is one of the fastest growing carriers in the world with
unprecedented expansion averaging double-digit growth
year-on-year.
From its hub in Doha, the airline has developed a global
network with over 100 destinations across Europe, South
Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and
South America. In 2010, the airline introduced services
Qatar Airways –
the Rise of one of the
Fastest Growing
Airlines in the World
to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Copenhagen, Ankara, Tokyo,
Barcelona, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Phuket, Hanoi and Nice.
On 17 January 2011, Budapest and Bucharest were added
to the network. On 6 April, the airline reached another
milestone in its history with the launch of its hundredth
destination Aleppo, following the launch of flights to
Brussels (31 January) and Stuttgart (6 March). On 5 June,
the Doha-based carrier will commence flights from Doha
to the Iranian city of Shiraz, followed by daily flights from
its hub to Venice on 15 June, the airline’s third destination
in Italy. On 29 June, Qatar Airways spreads its wings to
Canada for the first time with new services to Montreal. On
27 July, the airline starts new flights to Kolkata (Calcutta)
– its twelfth Indian gateway – followed by the Bulgarian
capital Sofia on 14 September and the Norwegian capital
Oslo on 5 October.
The company has grown under the leadership of Chief
Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, who was appointed CEO
in 1997. He has been instrumental in turning the airline
into an award-winning carrier, which is today among the
best in the world. Under his visionary leadership, the airline
has matured into a leading force in regional and global
aviation, earning many admirers around the world for its
excellent standards of service. From only four aircraft in
1997, the airline grew to a fleet size of 28 aircraft by the
end of 2003 and a milestone 50 by October 2006. As one of
the youngest fleets in the sky, the airline currently operates
over 95 Airbus and Boeing aircraft averaging just under
four years, a number set to rise to 120 by 2013.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker.
The carrier has aircraft orders for more than 200 jets
worth over US$40 billion pending delivery, including
80 Airbus A350s, 60 Boeing 787s and 32 Boeing 777s, with
deliveries of the latter having started in November 2007,
and is one of the customers of the twin-deck Airbus A380
‘super jumbos’ with five on order, scheduled for delivery
from 2012 on.
Besides offering a great variety of travel options to
passengers, the Five Star carrier is focused on delivering the
highest standards of quality and service to its customers,
making their stay on board an unforgettable experience.
The airline was voted third best airline in the world in the
annual 2010 Skytrax passenger survey, in which more than
18 million travellers were polled, and won several accolades
including being named Best Business Class in the World.
Already ranked Five Star for service excellence by
Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring
agency confirmed Qatar Airways has the World’s Best
Business Class catering, and is also overall Best Airline in
the Middle East for the fifth consecutive year. The airline
also became the first airline to receive the Staff Service
Projects 84/85

Excellence Award for the Middle East. The new award
replaces the Best Cabin Staff in the Middle East category,
which it has won for the past seven years.
Qatar Airways’ Premium Terminal
As one of the best airlines in the world delivering highest
standards and innovative services to its customers, the
airline operates the world’s only dedicated commercial
passenger terminal exclusively for its First and Business
Class passengers at Doha International Airport. The
US$100 million Premium Terminal built in just nine
months, was designed for passengers to unwind, dine and
shop prior to catching their flight. Open round the clock,
24 hours a day, seven days a week, the stand-alone facility
is seen as an industry benchmark in premium class travel
experience. Key highlights of the terminal include concierge
services, dedicated First and Business Class lounges, a dutyfree
shopping area of 500 m 2 , a spa with sauna and jacuzzi,
a business centre with secretarial services, prayer rooms,
and a 24 hour medical centre.
Qatar Airways’ Premium Terminal in Doha.
The New Doha International Airport
The airline is leading the race in redeveloping the region’s
future aviation hub, the New Doha International Airport.
When it opens in 2012, it will be one of the most advanced
airport facilities in the world. The state-of-the-art airport
will have a capacity for 24 million passengers and 1,300,000 t
of cargo processed annually, and will be able to handle 100
aircraft movements per hour on its two runways. Destined
to be one of the first airports to be designed specifically with
the new Airbus A380 in mind, it will be the airline’s new
home when it replaces the existing Doha International
Airport. Upon completion, the new airport will become an
important centrepiece in the infrastructural development of
Qatar’s capital city of Doha, with the aim of becoming a key
global transportation hub linking East and West.
Corporate Social Responsibility
While pursuing an aggressive growth strategy and
continuously setting new standards for service and quality,
the company does not lose sight of the environment.
As an industry leader, Qatar Airways and its group of
subsidiaries strive to lead the charge towards environmental
sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The
airline is one of the leaders in new-generation fuel research
and gives back to the communities in which it serves. The
Doha-based carrier goes beyond the current industry best
practices for fuel and environmental management and
is making a serious effort to ensure a sustainable future
for the airline, its staff and its neighbourhoods. The
airline administers an innovative ‘Five Pillar Corporate
Social Responsibility Strategy’ which embraces Change
Management, Communication, Environment, Integrated
Fuel Management and Sustainable Development.
The airline’s ‘Five Pillar’ strategy, called the ‘Oryx Flies
Green’, is designed to limit its impact on global climate
change, noise, local air quality, nonrenewable resources and
waste. The airline was acknowledged for its leadership in
pioneering the use of alternative jet fuel having operated
the world’s first commercial passenger flight powered by
a fuel made from natural gas. The milestone flight from
London Gatwick to Doha in October 2009 was also seen as
the first step in helping make the alternative synthetic fuel
available to all airlines in the future.
Boeing 777-300ER in flight.
Exclusive Five Star Service on board Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways in Germany
As the national carrier of the State of Qatar, the airline not
only facilitates leisure and business travel between Germany
and Qatar, but also helps to strengthen economic ties
between the two countries. The carrier is strongly committed
to Germany and recently increased frequencies to Frankfurt
and Munich. Frankfurt is served double-daily with 14
flights per week, Munich operations rose from daily to
eleven flights a week, and services to Germany’s capital city
Berlin remain at daily. On the Frankfurt – Doha route Qatar
Airways operates the airline’s flagship Boeing 777 longhaul
aircraft on selected flights. The aircraft features 42
Business Class seats with a pitch of 78 inches and convert to
lie-flat 180 degree beds. On 6 March, the carrier started
thrice-weekly flights to Stuttgart, its fourth destination in
Germany.
Projects 86/87

Saudi Arabia
Fact File
Country Name Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Population 25.4 million (6.8 million foreigners)
Land Area 2,149,690 km²
Official Language Arabic is the national language, but English is now widely spoken
in business and public life
Currency Saudi Arabian Rial (SAR) = 100 halalah
Main Cities Riyadh (capital), Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah, Medina
Julia Fischer, Siemens AG
History
State-of-the-Art Signalling and
Telecommunications
Technology for a Railway Line
in Saudi Arabia
As the largest economy in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia has been investing in ambitious infrastructure projects for some years
now. The overall investment volume totaling approximately US$624 billion primarily focuses on construction, education,
processing capacity in the petrochemicals industry, electricity, and water. In this connection, the approximately 1,000 km
railway line between Dammam and Riyadh is to be equipped by Siemens with state-of-the-art signalling and telecommunications
technology. As from November 2009 onwards, line operations management based on modern signalling and safety as well as
communications technology have been introduced step by step. The European Train Control System (ETCS) has been applied
for the first time in the Arab world. The extreme climatic conditions and the technological leap from a nonsignalled line to a
line equipped with state-of-the-art signalling have proved to be the major challenges of the project.
The starting shot for construction of the first railway line
between the port of Dammam and Riyadh, the capital of
Saudi Arabia, was fired in October 1947, and the line was
completed in 1951. At that time, the line was exclusively
used for transporting cargo. However, back in the 1960s,
the concept of a railway line running throughout the
kingdom was developed. Since the 1980s, a second line for
cargo and passenger traffic is running parallel to the original
line; however, its capacity has become perceptibly restricted
over the last few years. Hence in 2005, Saudi Railways
Organization (SRO) awarded a contract to a consortium
comprising Siemens and Saudi partner to equip the line
between Dammam and Riyadh with state-of-the-art
signalling, a GSM-R telecommunications network and a
closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system for
grade crossings. Saudi Railways carries about 850,000
passengers and 850 million tons of cargo annually, 80%
alone on the line between the two cities. Since modern
signalling was put into use for the first time in Saudi Arabia,
no empirical values, standards or specific requirements were
available. Hence, the operating rules and regulations as well
as the relevant standards have been developed together with
the customer.
Technical Solution
As a train protection system, Siemens uses its Trainguard
100 system for ETCS Level 1, the first ETCS project in an
Arab country ever. A standardised train protection system
was preferred, since the Gulf states intend to further expand
their rail network and, on this basis, straightforward
cross-border traffic should be possible. A total of ten Simis
IS electronic interlockings which control 19 stations have
been installed in order to ensure trans-Arab interoperability.
The control centre has been equipped with four Vicos
operator consoles. Furthermore, 15 Simis LC grade crossings
have been installed and fitted with a CCTV system. These
systems are modular in design and adjusted to the customer’s
specific requirements and individual line conditions.
Throughout the entire line network, the engine-drivers,
train attendants and stationmasters intercommunicate via
Global System for Mobile Communications – Railways
(GSM-R), a mobile radio system. The benefit of this system
is that for example conference calls are possible and that
stable communications are ensured irrespective of weather
conditions. Furthermore, the control centre of the nearest
station can be called via the GSM-R mobile telephone by
the engine-driver simply pressing a button. This perceptibly
simplifies contact set-up
Projects 88/89

Look into the operations control centre of the railway line between port Dammam and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Extreme Climatic Conditions
The climate in Saudi Arabia is extreme. At the peak of summer,
maximum daytime temperatures soar up to 50°C in
the shade; in the desert, nighttime minimum temperatures
drop to freezing point. In addition to the considerable
fluctuations in temperature, the technical systems have to
be capable of defying intense solar radiation, sandstorms
and salt mist as well as high levels of humidity in the
southwest of the kingdom. The hardware to be installed has
to be precisely tailored to these conditions. For example,
components such as the balises have been equipped with
additional protection against the sun. Hardware cabinets
have been examined during intensive temperature tests
and have been accordingly designed double-walled so as to
better protect the equipment against becoming overheated.
Point machines have been fitted with a special housing
which prevents any ingress of sand.
Installation and Testing
The outlay for system testing on site was to be minimised
as far as possible since all development work was performed
in Germany. Consequently, a complete test rig with the
full range of original hardware components and simulated
outdoor equipment was installed in Germany. Under real
conditions, it was thus possible to thoroughly test the
entire system. Finally, the electronic interlockings and
the telecommunications system were preassembled in an
assembly building specially constructed in Dammam for the
project. This meant that they could be directly connected
on site in accordance with the plug-and-play principle. The
installations comprising an interlocking, a GSM-R post
and a power supply unit are standardised. Thanks to this
standardisation principle, not only maintenance and the
stockage of spare parts are considerably simplified but short
installation periods are also possible.
Staff Training
So far, the customer’s staff have intercommunicated by
walkie-talkie, whereas today state-of-the-art GSM-R radio
technology is used. In the past, points were set by hand.
Along the modernised line, computer-controlled interlocking
systems with electrically operated points and ETCS
Level 1 are used. Clearly, such a leap in technology made
comprehensive training of the staff mandatory. Hence, the
project also included training for ten English-speaking
employees from all fields of operation who, as trainers, were
to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues. To date, more
than 260 signallers, maintenance staff and engine-drivers
have been familiarised with the innovative signalling
technology.
The hardware of the railway line has to resist extreme climatic conditions.
Components have to be precisely tailored to these conditions.
Conclusion and Outlook
Construction of the railway line between Dammam and
Riyadh has made a valuable contribution towards ensuring
Saudi Arabia’s mobility and acts as a signal for the
introduction of ETCS within the region. In the meantime,
ETCS and GSM-R technology have been defined by the
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)
as the standard for rail traffic. A north-south link within
Saudi Arabia with an interface to the Dammam–Riyadh
line is currently being built. Other forthcoming construction
projects in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait,
Qatar and Oman are also to be specified and implemented
with ETCS solutions.
Further construction projects are planned in different Arab states of the
Gulf region.
Projects 90/91

At night: Airport terminal and the Mosque of the Prophet, Medina.
Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Diplich,
Dorsch International Consultants GmbH
Background
Medina Airport, opened in 1392 Hegira (1972 Gregorian)
and since then expanded in stages, is one of Saudi Arabia’s
most important air gateways. This is mainly due to the
fact that it serves al-Medina/al-Monawarah region which
houses the Holy Mosque of the last of the Prophets and
Messengers. Today, its departure terminal can handle five
flights at a time.
In addition to being an integral part of the domestic
transport network, the airport handles a number of
international flights weekly. The airport’s largest foreign
influx comes during the Hajj season when pilgrims arrive
on charter flights especially from other Muslim countries.
Medina Airport is located in the northern part of a
valley; the surrounding terrain is mountainous. In summer
time lava ridge along the southern portion influences the
approach to both runways and limits the take-off capability
due to hot air movement caused by the black lava stone that
heats up very much.
contractual BackGrounD
Medina Airport
In Safar 1426 (March 2005) the Presidency of Civil Aviation
Authority (later GACA) engaged Dorsch with consultancy
services for design and development studies for Medina
Airport. In Rabi al-Awwal 1430 (March 2009) Dorsch
finalised successfully its services – to the utter satisfaction
of GACA.
The project was subdivided in three stages. Stage 1
analysed the site and assessed the existing airport. In a second
step expected traffic volume was forecasted and the demand
situation accordingly considered. For a further development
of the airport land-use options and a privatisation strategy
were elaborated. In stage 2 terminal options based on the
selected land-use option and a corresponding airport layout
were developed. This implied assessing of all facilities that
are part of the airport’s core business for the privatisation
process. Stage 3 detailed the preliminary design of the
new or extended airport’s core business facilities as needed
for the first development phase. Preliminary designs were
matured to such a level as required by an international
experienced EPC contractor (Engineering-Procurement-
Construction) and a financial feasibility report was drawn
up. Finally, draft and final tender documents as well as
animation movies were provided.
Solution of the Master Plan Design
Dorsch elaborated four extension phases for Medina Airport:
DeveloPment Phase 1/2014
Medina Airport will extend its airport area to the north and
to the east. Basic aims of this first development stage are:
• Definition of the future airside, consisting in an
extended runway 17/35 for code F aircrafts
• Second runway, also for code F aircrafts
(e.g. Airbus 380) and in the same orientation (17/35)
• All airside facilities like aprons and taxiways
• New terminal complex for pilgrims and domestic/
international passengers under one roof
• New landside access
• Commercial centre and hotel complex
• Cargo centre with adjacent commercial areas
• New aircraft maintenance and washing bays
• Further key airport and ancillary buildings
DeveloPment Phase 2/2024
The airport will extend mainly its terminal space and
required aircraft stands. This second phase opens the eastern
terminal and apron, which mirrors partly the terminal
building of development phase 1. Moreover, taxiways
covering the increasing taxiing traffic on the airside will
be added.
DeveloPment Phase 3/2034
During this phase central areas of the airport will be
finalised with the last part of the lens terminal. Minor
changes and extensions of the airside facilities coincide with
this last terminal extension.
vision Phase
Dorsch developed further extension possibilities in terms
of airside satellite facilities northwards of the new lens
terminals. Thus, giving GACA an idea of the possibilities
that the earlier development phases open up in terms of
future demand structures or passengers’ behaviour, thus
giving the airport owner a wide range of decision-taking
freedom.
Central airport area.
Terminal buildings, tower and commercial complex.
Passenger Terminals
architectural DesiGn
The basic architectural design for the passenger terminals
is informed by the curved form of the airside and landside
façade and the warped roofing construction which reflects
the form of an aircraft wing. The elegant round of the
building’s concaved footprint seen from airside gives the
impression of a building ending somewhere in the distance
whilst seen from landside giving the impression of an
enclosing building configuration as the terminals’ length
seems to be shortened. The whole architectural design –
covering buildings, their constructions and interior design
as well as finishes – is based on the same design elements
and colours thus incorporating architecture itself into the
corporate design of Medina Airport.
BuilDinG concePt of the Domestic/international terminal
The concept for the domestic/international terminal is
based on two storeys which are partitioned functionally:
passengers arriving at Medina Airport will do so at ground
level whilst those departing will do so on the first level, i.e.
at a height of 6.00 m. By dedicating two different storeys
to arrivals and departures, respectively, the terminal for
domestic and international flights can handle greater
capacities in passenger traffic.
Projects 92/93

Terminal: Hajj section. Terminal: Domestic and international section.
To further enhance the flexibility of the building with
regard to optimising the passenger processing capacity a
sterile airside corridor on departure level allows the mutual
use of contact positions for both domestic and international
aircrafts and, in conjunction with the planned Hajj terminal,
also between Hajj/Umrah traffic and international traffic. To
share shifted peak hours an additional swing gate between
domestic and international gates will be installed. All related
walls of passenger areas are glazed partition walls which
can be easily removed later on to adapt swing gate function
or to increase/extend various passenger functions.
Moreover, on landside each level has a separated access
road with an independent connection to public and private
transport systems.
BuilDinG concePt of the hajj terminal
Hajj operation is split in an arriving and a departure phase,
thus there is no mixing of arriving and departing passenger
processing. Consequently, there is no need for a landside/
airside separation of arriving and departing passengers.
The structure of the building is such that a redesign
from the planned 1.5-level system to a two-level building
is possible to flexibly accomodate future use and possible
variations in Hajj passengers’ behaviour.
Curbside: Domestic and international section.
Flight and Hajj functions are under one roof in one
building structure. Though most functions and arrangement
of areas are identical with the domestic/international
terminal – such as basement, the mezzanine floor as well as
the arrival and departure levels at airside – Hajj terminal
has one level only at landside. Also the commercial centre
is smaller due to restricted Hajj operation. The plaza area of
about 10,000 m 2 , separated in eight gates, has all functions
of airport operations which can serve departing and even
arriving flights
Conclusion
The present preliminary design fulfils two demands: first,
it ensures a highly effective airport operation; secondly,
the architectural design concept allows for adapting easily
and flexibly to future growth of traffic volumes. This
flexibility of the concept was paramount to Dorsch. Thus,
numerous studies (e.g. concerning the existing facilities,
traffic volume, passenger behaviour, topographical and
geotechnical surveys, etc.) have been carried out to define
technical and architectural concepts that will ensure
the efficient operation of the airport for the next
decades. A prime way to achieve flexibility is to ensure
that space is available for whatever may eventually be
required. However, having space available is more than
just having land available somewhere on the airfield.
Thus, Dorsch considered the layout of the site in general,
the type of traffic and the needs of all stakeholders
by paying particular attention to opening up space next
to and within existing facilities. Moreover, all new
facilities are designed in such a way that they can grow
with demand and needs. With this master plan and the
preliminary design Medina Airport is well prepared for
any future demand.
Introduction
Designed by German architects Kling Consult GmbH in
cooperation with ASD Architects, Saudi Arabia, King Road
Tower is not only an architectural milestone for the city of
Jeddah but also a new landmark on Jeddah’s seafront skyline.
It is easily accessible and effortlessly identifiable not just by its
impressive height of 135 m but also because of its distinctive
architectural design. The construction of this prestigious
building was carried out by Faden Contracting Co.
The tower is located to the west of King Road between
Sari Street in the north and Prince Mohammed bin Abdul
Aziz street (previously Tahlia street) in the south and the
Corniche Road on the western boundary.
King Road
Tower in Jeddah
Main Description
Kai Saloustros, Kling Consult Planungs-
und Ingenieurgesellschaft für Bauwesen mbH
The world’s largest LED screen.
The tower is a development for commercial and residential
use, expected to become the main and preferred business
and leisure address in the city. 27 floors comprise numerous
offices and luxury shops. The tower also features two
restaurants and a health club. King Road Tower will also
offer two parking basement floors which can accommodate
up to 850 vehicles.
The mezzanine floor consists of 2,144 m 2 of lettable
floor area, comprising eight boutiques ranging in size from
57 to 145 m 2 . The floor also includes two cafés totaling
491 m 2 and a further five retail units ranging between
227 and 436 m 2 .
Projects 94/95

Façade installation to the south.
The central tower is flanked on either side by parking
podiums covering the first to sixth floor. Within the central
tower, the lower floors are occupied by office suites ranging
from 425 to 489 m 2 , whilst the third and fourth floor house
the health club suite over a total area of 870 m 2 .
The next 22 levels from seventh to 23 rd floor are occupied
by office space and can accommodate up to 246 offices with
an average of nine to ten offices per floor. The office areas
can be customised to suit the tenant’s requirements by
adding rooms or floors. The areas of the individual offices
range from 66 to 240 m 2 , comprising a total area of 46,000 m 2
lettable office space.
The offices offer a variety of spectacular views: offices on
the western side overlook the Corniche and Red Sea, whilst
offices on the eastern façade view King Road and Saudia
City. Northern Jeddah and the Red Sea can be admired from
the north façade, whilst to the south the offices offer views
of the Jeddah fountain and the coastline.
Offices for senior executives are located on the 24 th
and 25 th floors, and enjoy spectacular views over the sea.
A heliport including a private reception hall comprising an
area of 230 m 2 is located on the 27 th floor of the tower.
King Road Tower offers various public facilities to cater
for the comfort and the safety of its visitors and tenants.
These public facilities are based on state-of-the-art engineering
and designed to meet even the highest expectations in terms
of luxury, sophistication and convenience. Thus, the tower
is also installed with the latest international safety and
security equipment, incorporating, amongst other things,
an integrated smart building system that controls lighting,
cooling, security, early warning, ventilation and air
purification. This is in addition to the computer technology
that assists with the early detection of breakdowns which
benefits from quick repairs and the reduction of operation
costs.
The Pearl
The Pearl, located at the pinnacle of the tower, is linked
to each floor by a panoramic, fully glazed elevator, which
terminates in the heart of the Pearl. The Pearl has already
become an integral part of the Jeddah nighttime skyline
and enjoys spectacular views from the restaurant areas.
The Pearl spans over three floors and includes a business
and conference centre of 490 m 2 on the 21 st floor. The two
premium restaurants are located on the 21 st and 22 nd floor,
comprising 1,000 and 900 m 2 respectively.
Further highlights of The Pearl are a coffee shop and
luxury offices on the 23 rd floor with a total area of 2,470 m 2 .
The total area at The Pearl available for rent is 5,400 m 2 .
Interior feature staircase.
The Pearl during construction.
LED Screen
Another feature that is unique to the King Road Tower is
an amazing technical novelty: the biggest LED screen in the
world, which is installed on three sides of the tower.
The screen measures almost 10,000 m 2 and was designed,
built and installed by the French company Citiled, a world
leader in custom-designed media façade projects, that are
integrated into the architectural facade.
21 floors on the north and south façades and 16 floors
on the west façade have been equipped with LED screens,
i.e. a total of more than five million LEDs, making this
structure the largest media façade in the world installed
on an occupied building. Thus placing Jeddah firmly in the
forefront of large-scale architectural innovation and giving
a dynamic image to this city, resolutely dedicated to the
future.
It took more than six months to produce the 10,000 m 2 of
media façade, occupying a team of around twenty engineers
and craftsmen for three months during the project design
phase, followed by another six months for installation and
testing. The ground floor also provides two large display
areas of 360 and 430 m 2 .
Geology
More than 50 m beneath ground surface level, the late
tertiary to recent coral sediments form the subsoil beneath
the King Road Tower. The coral sediments are varying
in the types between hard, high bearable coral limestone
layers and high compressible coral detritus layers. In this
heterogeneous subsoil the approximate 2.5 m thick ground
slabs of the tower are founded on 750 bored piles. The up
to 40 m long piles are constructed as friction piles with a
load transfer by surface friction. Since there are different
settlement characteristics between the tower building and
the annex buildings, the ground slabs of these buildings are
only linked by movement joints. During the construction
of the building the actual settlement values were measured:
the maximum settlement of the tower building amounted to
about 40 mm whilst the maximum settlement of the annex
buildings amounted to about 8 mm. After completion of the
construction of the building and having observed all actual
settlement, the movement joints were sealed.
Structrual System
The structural system consists of one tower building and
two annex buildings. These three buildings are completely
separated from each other by expansion joints. A core- and
shear-wall system guarantees the stability of the tower and
the annex buildings.
All slabs are post-tensioned, flat slabs (h = 250 mm). For
the transfer of horizontal forces from seismic, wind, earth
and water pressure to the bracing elements (core and shear
walls) the post-tensioned slabs act as rigid diaphragms.
Other horizontal members such as ramps, solid slabs,
staircases and landings were mainly executed as standard
conventional reinforced slabs.
The suspension of the cantilevered restaurant in the
23 rd storey (The Pearl) was designed as a steel structure and
included in the overall computer model.
The vertical loads are transmitted by reinforced concrete
columns and walls.
A foundation slab on piles was chosen to satisfy the
requirements of the low subsoil bearing capacity and
differential settlement in the tower and annex area and to
support the uplift forces from a highwater table. For the
base slab, only construction joints and not expansion joints
were designed in order to minimise the risk of ground water
ingression.
The tower and the two annex buildings were calculated
in three separate 3-D models with all design-relevant
parameters such as building materials, structural systems,
loads, load combinations and the design of structural
elements being considered. Additional, software was used
to design the slabs and all other structural elements.
Projects 96/97

Sudan
Fact File
Country Name The Republic of the Sudan
Population 43,939,598 (July 2010 est.)
Land Area 2,506,000 km²
Official Languages Arabic, also in use is English and about 115 tribal languages
Currency 1 Sudanese Pound = 100 piaster
Main Cities Khartoum (capital), Omdurman, Atbara, Port Sudan, El-Obeid,
El-Fasher, Juba
Passenger train from Khartoum, Port Sudan station.
Ralf Allrich,
Dornier Consulting GmbH
Introduction
Sudan possesses rich mineral resources such as precious
metals, oil and natural gas, but also uranium. Improved
exploitation of the Sudanese resources requires an
improved transport infrastructure, too. However, the
existing transport infrastructure is extremely insufficient
for a country approximately seven times the size of
Germany: there are only 3,500 km of asphalt roads but more
than 40,000 km of sand tracks. And the railway network
of about 5,000 km dating back to the colonial era is ailing
and urgently needs to be modernised.
From Khartoum to
Port Sudan: Construction
of a New Railway Line
For economic and financial support, an intergovernmental
agreement was concluded between Sudan and China,
envisaging the construction of a new railway line
between the capital of Khartoum via Atbara to Port Sudan
parallel to the existing line from colonial times. This
intergovernmental agreement provides for the planning
and implementation of this new line by Chinese companies
on behalf of the Sudan Railways Corporation. Due to its
high reputation in transport projects – which has been
decisive for receiving the order in Sudan – Sudan Railways
Corporation and the Sudanese Ministry of Finance jointly
commissioned Dornier Consulting with accompanying
Projects 98/99

project management for planning and implementation.
Prime contractor for planning and implementation is China
Railway Corporation.
Project’s Background
Sudan’s railway network was mainly built in the period
from 1897 to 1930. Today, it has a total length of 4,578 km
and was built by British companies on behalf of the British
colonial administration. The route Khartoum–Port Sudan
passes over 589 bridges which have an overall length of
8,780 m. Particularly important are the large bridges across
the Blue Nile in Khartoum (built from 1907 to 1909) and
across the Atbara river (built from 1910 to 1911). All other
bridges and culverts are mainly used for conveying water
through the track in the rainy season; during the rest of the
year they are dry.
Due to the development condition of the rail, maximum
speed on the route is 50 km/h, but is less most of the time.
Crossings are mainly unsecured; often the existing barriers
are not used.
Besides the main stations, i.e. Port Sudan, Atbara and
Khartoum, there are 53 intermediate stations, some of
which are no longer operated. In general, the only thing
left at the closed-down stations is the empty interlocking
building whilst station platforms have been removed to a
large extent. The single track sections between the stations
are up to 30 km long. Currently, the original mechanical
safety technology is still operational. The succession of
trains is thus regulated by means of a token system. If a
train enters a single-track section, it receives a token, i.e. a
key on a metal ring. Driving on the single-track line is only
permitted if this token has been delivered.
Desert sand making troubles.
Railway system in a sandstorm.
Unlike the infrastructure, the vehicle fleet has already been
largely modernised. Steam engines have been replaced
by diesel engines, most of which are from China. Freight
waggons have been modernised, too, by cars of different
origin or have been reconstructed. The route is almost
exclusively used for freight traffic. Only a few stations
are equipped with platforms; passenger trains do not run
daily.
Study and Consultancy Design
For planning transport and rail infrastructures which cater
for both current and future demand and their following
implementation a thorough initial data collection together
with the client and all stakeholders is paramount. This data
refers to the existing infrastructure and to the current
passenger and freight transport volume. In a next step
Dornier examines how this original volume will change
in the future. For this purpose future economic and
demographic impacts on the country will be assessed and
evaluated. Similarly, it shall be examined to which other
states the country has special economic relationships and
how these will evolve; another aspect investigated is the
development of neighbouring countries. In a further step, the
respective models will be simulated and necessary options
for action will be prepared. Finally, these findings will be
used as basis for preparing the final plan in coordination
with the client.
Mechanical interlocking block at Atbara, nearly 100 years old.
Technical Specifications for the Construction
of a New Line
These initial studies and evaluations led to the preparation of
adequate inventory documents as required for the planned
new railway line from Khartoum to Port Sudan. The
respective aerial photos were taken and digitally processed.
Accordingly, planning and implementation will be divided
in three route sections starting in Port Sudan:
1. Port Sudan–Haiya (203 km)
2. Haiya–Atbara (271 km)
3. Atbara–Khartoum (313 km)
The first section is the most demanding one because of its
topography and its great number of bridges. The two already
mentioned large bridges near Atbara and Khartoum will be
planned as separate sections and partially built in advance
of the third section.
The new single-track line with a length of 784 km will
be build southeast of the existing route. The old tracks will
still be used during construction period and beyond as it
is possible to convert the old tracks to standard gauge at
a later date in order to get a powerful double-track line.
The junctions shall, in future, be located at the currently
operated stations, some old tracks being removed in favour
of the new line. In order to shorten the length of the singletrack
sections to a maximum of 25 km, three additional
stations will presumably be put into operation again. After
completion of the project, the freight volume shall amount
to four million tons per year and shall increase up to about
ten million tons in the next years. As far as passenger
transport is concerned, initially five train pairs per day are
envisaged.
A construction time of two years for each of the three
sections is planned, i.e. an implementation time of about
four to five years can be expected due to possible overlaps.
Though the current political situation in Sudan (dividing
the country into two states) seems to be averse, no changes
to the current project schedule should occur as project as
well as additional routes will initially be run exclusively in
northern Sudan.
Projects 100/101

Syria
Fact File
Country Name Syrian Arab Republic
Population 20.19 million (2010 est.)
Land Area 185,170 km²
Official Language Arabic, both English and French are widely used
Currency Syrian Pound = 100 Piaster
Main Cities Damascus (capital), Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Idleb, al-Hasakeh,
Dayr al-Zur, Latakia, Dar’a, al-Raqqa and Tartous
Rising energy prices, also in the Middle East, create a growing interest in saving energy among the public and private sector.
The Youth Housing Project in Qudsia, Syria, is a successful example for energy-efficient building, selected by MED-ENEC as a
pilot project.
MED-ENEC Building Projects
The EU-funded MED-ENEC project promotes practical and
feasible use of energy-efficient features and renewableenergy
applications in the Mediterranean construction
sector. Initially, MED-ENEC pilot projects were selected
in each partner country to demonstrate the feasibility of
energy-efficient buildings. Now, in the second phase, the
focus lies on policy development and large-scale energyefficient
building projects to further promote these and to
support the development of the Mediterranean market for
energy efficiency and renewable energy
The Qudsia Pilot Project
The Syrian Ministry of Housing and Construction initiates
large-scale residential projects for low-income groups. The
New Youth Residential Complex in the Damascus’ suburb of
Qudsia improves the energy performance of the residential
units as the Syrian government understands the need of
reducing energy expenses. The complex consists of 18 fivestorey
buildings, each accommodating 29 residential units
Energy-Efficient
Housing in Syria
of 80 m 2 each and a technical room. A pilot building was
selected, assessed by the projects architects and engineers
on its feasible potential for energy savings, and the most
cost-efficient measures were included in the design and
executed.
Energy-Saving Measures
Florentine Visser,
giz International Services
Energy concept of the MED-ENEC I pilot project in Syria:
insulation, shading, energy-efficient lighting and solar hot water
supply for domestic use and reduced heating cost.
The thermal performance study by the General Company
for Engineering Studies and Consulting (GCEC) showed
that heating, domestic hot water and lighting were
responsible for most of the energy consumption. The old
building tradition of Damascus, passive-building design
measures and state-of-the-art technologies available on
the local market formed a balanced mix of energy-efficient
measures.
Maximising the potential of passive-design measures
is essential as this reduces the energy demand for heating/
cooling and lighting. The next priority is to minimise as
much as possible the conventional building systems and
installations. This can be done by selecting energy-efficient
equipment and by using renewable energies.
Projects 102/103

The Syrian pilot project is part of Qudsia, a new urban extension of Damascus:
the typical residential building is improving its energy performance by 65%.
enerGy efficiency
An important passive-building design measure is the
orientation of the building, to profit from maximum solar
energy when needed in winter. Thermal insulation for
exterior walls and roof, together with double glazing and
window shutters, reduce the energy transport in the building
envelope. Thus, keeping heat inside in winter and out in
the summer, avoiding the need for cooling installations.
Natural ventilation through the apartments was enhanced
by using the building’s common staircase for extra thermal
convection due to its south-facing glazing which contributes
to an airflow with cooling effect in the summer.
For the lighting, energy-efficient CFL lightbulbs were
introduced for the common space of the apartment building
and the flats.
reneWaBle enerGy
For the domestic hot water supply solar panels were installed
on the building’s roof. In winter, this system also provides
warm water for heating the apartments. Together with an
underfloor heating system, and energy-efficient gas boiler
the energy consumption for heating is reduced by 25%.
Significant Savings
The energy and economical performance of the Qudsia
project was assessed with support of the MED-ENEC project.
Compared to conventional buildings in the neighbourhood,
the implemented energy-efficient measures resulted in
significant energy-saving estimations:
• 80% for domestic hot water
• 50% for heating and cooling
Also the estimated savings on costs for diesel fuel are very
interesting:
• 50% due to thermal insulation and double glazing
• 25% for space heating
These reductions in energy consumption not only benefit
the residents. They also benefit the state as energy prices
are subsidised by the government.
The Qudsia project estimated an annual saving of
49,000 L diesel per year for the total building with 29
apartments. That is a reduction of 125 t per year CO 2
emissions to the atmosphere – thus, the environment
benefits, too.
An appropriate energy concept – as demonstrated in this
pilot project – will achieve potential savings of two thirds
on the overall energy bill. However, the selected energyefficient
measures also require an additional upfront
investment of around 35%. With current low energy prices
the economic feasibility is critical. Therefore, the question
arises: what is the most effective approach to enhance the
energy performance of buildings?
The Approach to Cost-Effective
Energy Savings
The Syrian Qudsia project, together with other pilot projects
of MED-ENEC, provided valuable lessons learned on the
most feasible and cost-effective energy-efficient measures
and applications for renewable energy in the Mediterranean
region.
Design elements like orientation, shading and natural
ventilation have the potential to reduce energy consumption
by ca. 20%. Residents’ behaviour (turn off the lights, lower
space temperature (18 to 21ºC), night ventilation) can
reduce energy consumption further by ca. 5%. These are
the most attractive energy-saving measures, since they do
not require additional upfront investments.
Another 20% of energy consumption savings are
gained by cost-effective measures like roof insulation and
external shading (blinds, overhangs, etc.). Efficient lighting,
lamps and lighting fixtures could reduce the energy used
for lighting purposes up to 70%. The application of
renewable energy for domestic solar hot water is especially
cost-effective.
Solar hot water, insulation, double glazing, window shutters and energy-efficient lighting are the energy-efficiency features of the Syrian project.
The following measures are ordered by their cost
effectiveness in the long run:
1. Energy-efficient appliances, a reduction of 30%
2. Airtight double glazing, a reduction of 20%
3. Wall insulation, a reduction of 15%
4. HVAC condensing boilers, a reduction of 10%
These measures do, however, require an additional upfront
investment for the building. So per project it should
be assessed which is the most cost-effective solution to
optimise the building’s overall energy performance. The
proven approach thus includes four steps with decreasing
cost effectiveness. This means, step one is most costeffective
while renewable energy applications are generally
cost-effective only in the long term (up to eight years).
However, if steps one and two are well implemented, this
can lead to cost savings for the next steps. Therefore, good
initial planning is crucial: planners, designers and engineers
should select those ‘passive’ ideas which will benefit the
energy performance of the building most.
1. Design: The first step of the approach implies an initial
integrated planning. Engineers should be aware of the
circumstances of the site, such as climate and topography
etc. Climatic conditions should be used by orientating
the building towards the sun (in colder regions) to
benefit from passive solar gains or with a good shading
to avoid overheating (in hotter regions).
2. Energy-saving measures: The insulation of the building
envelope (especially the roof), double glazing and
thermal mass reduce heating and cooling demands.
3. Installation systems: The main energy-consuming
systems are the HVAC systems. Design and equipment
selection has to consider the total energy consumption.
Smart zoning during installation design is an easy way
to reduce installed capacity, and thus allow investments
in more energy-efficient equipment like condensing
boilers. This approach is also valid for other electromechanical
and plumbing systems such as lighting,
pumping and elevators.
Projects 104/105

4. Renewable energy: The optimised end energy demand
can be supplied with economical feasible renewable
sources like solar hot water for domestic supply. Where
heating and cooling demand are in equal balance
application of geothermal-powered systems could be
economical, though only under the condition that
steps one to three are done right. This condition is also
required for feasible application of solar cooling for hot,
dry climates where energy demand for cooling is high.
5. Consumer behaviour: A perfect energy concept alone is
not sufficient. It even can become worthless if residents
do not understand the idea behind it. So residents need
to be informed on the introduced measures and be aware
of the most optimal use of their new home, workplace
etc.
Syrian Follow-up
The success of the Qudsia project resulted in a follow-up in
the residential suburb Al Wafa which allows for up-scaling
of energy-efficient measures to a larger building area and
takes advantage of the lessons learned of the first phase,
as it provides the opportunity to include urban planning
The application of exterior insulation, under construction. This energy-efficient
measure, together with double glazing, saves the resident 50% of
estimated fuel costs.
The central installation room in the basement: cost estimation for heating fuel
is reduced by 25% by using preheated water from the solar hot water system.
for further improvement of the energy performance of
residential building in Syria.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Construction
the practical experience gained will help to create codes
and standards that are applicable to all types of modern
residential complexes. Moreover, it will provide energy
consumption benchmark figures for future residential
complexes.
Preliminary energy savings are estimated at 65%, and
the pay-back period for energy-efficient measures are eight
and a half years, taking in account the current energy prices
which are subsidised by the state.
Outlook
In Syria the development of a Thermal Performance Building
Code and training programmes for building insulation are
ongoing. This will reinforce the market for cost-effective
energy-efficient measures and will bring a wider variety of
materials, products and skilled suppliers to the market. Thus,
wide application of these measures will further develop the
market and supply chains which will reduce upfront costs
and ultimately enhance the economic feasibility of energyefficient
buildings – also for the residential market.
The MED-ENEC support to the Qudsia project showed
that in case of unsubsidised energy prizes, the implemented
New construction skills for appropriate installation of insulation material.
energy efficiency could be indeed very cost-effective with a
pay-back period of only three and a half years.
The MED-ENEC pilot projects provided the following
conclusions for the construction sector of Middle Eastern
and North-African countries:
1. On a macro-economic level investments in energyefficient
and renewable energy measures result in
energy savings of 40 to 60%. The incremental costs of
10 to 115% have reasonable pay-back periods of five to
ten years.
2. An appropriate technology mix is key to cost-effective,
energy-efficient buildings.
3. To get to an acceptable pay-back of related incremental
investments on a micro-economic level, incentives are
needed to encourage the implementation of energyefficient
and renewable-energy measures in countries
with low energy prices.
4. Policy development, smart financing programmes,
large energy-efficient building projects and awareness
campaigns support the improvement of framework
conditions for energy-efficient buildings.
Project Data
DesiGn & enGineerinG:
General Company for Engineering
Studies and Consulting (GCEC)
oWner:
General Institute for Housing (GIH),
monitorinG:
National Energy Research Centre (NERC)
contractor:
LAMA
suPPort:
MED-ENEC, EU-funded
Projects 106/107

Tunesia
Fact File
Country Name Tunisian Republic
Population 10,589,025 (July 2010 est.)
Land Area 162,155 km²
Official Languages Arabic and French for business
Currency Tunisian Dinar
Main Cities Tunis (capital), Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, Kairoaun, El Kef, Gabes,
Hammamet, Tozeur, Gafsa and Monastir
Utility Scale Solar Electricity Generation
from CSP and PV in Tunisia –
A Comprehensive Pre-Feasibility Study
Integration of solar electricity generation technologies, namely Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaics (PV) in
the Tunisia electricity sector is one of the top priorities of the Tunisian Solar Plan. Initial project implementations have been
analysed during the course of the study. First findings about the combination with existing combined-cycle power plants are
presented in this article as well as possibilities for green field installations.
Introduction
North African countries attract international attention for
their huge energy reserves. Algeria and Libya hold huge
amounts of oil and gas resources and are important energy
exporters – mainly to Europe. That is the status quo. Recently,
renewable energy resources with even bigger potential are
being studied. Countries like Morocco and Tunisia with no
or little fossil energy resources are suddenly enjoying the
comfortable outlook for local wind and solar energy harvest
– free of CO 2 emissions – for electricity production. 1 Wind
farms are already in operation throughout North Africa
and utility scale solar power plants might follow. Political,
financial and industrial forces are joining up to pave the
way for clean energy generation: ‘Desertec’, ‘Mediterranean
Solar Plan’ and ‘Medring’ are visionary long-term concepts
that are just being shaped. These concepts are contributing
to improve conditions for investment. However, individual
projects need to be realised to start the new era.
Tunisia, located at the geostrategic forefront among
North African countries, plays a key role. The project ‘El
Med’ gives evidence to the country’s location. A 1,200-MW
power plant will be built in northeast Tunisia (El Haouaria)
in connection with a 1,000-MW (400 kV) submarine cable
to Italy. 400 MW are for the Tunisian market and 800 MW
are for the Italian market. 200 MW capacity in the cable
might be used primarily for the exportation of renewable
energy from Tunisia to Italy. Project completion is expected
to be in 2016. 2 The question is: ‘Which renewable power
plants might fill up the reserved capacity?’
Pre-Feasibility Study
Florian Remann, Lahmeyer International
In 2008, Lahmeyer International was contracted by the
German Technical Cooperation GTZ (now GIZ) to perform
a pre-feasibility study for concentrating solar power (CSP)
and photovoltaic (PV) pilot projects in Tunisia. Objective
of the study was a comprehensive view on solar electricity
generation technologies.
As a starting point, generation curves, electricity tariffs
and energy demand growth rates were analysed. From the
generation curve analysis of the year 2007 it became obvious,
that electricity generation in the summer months (June
to August) is above the yearly average, due to increasing
cooling requirements. Accordingly, electricity tariffs peaks
appear during summer at noon and throughout the year
at evening hours. The production curve of CSP and PV
power plants perfectly matches parts of these peak demand
periods: generation reaches its highest levels in summer at
noon. Additionally, CSP plants may cover the evening peak
with an integrated thermal storage system.
Optimal solar irradiation is one of the crucial criteria
for successful implementation of a CSP or PV project.
PV technology utilizes global solar irradiation through a
photoelectric process, while CSP concentrates the direct solar
irradiation in an optical/thermal process. Available solar
resource estimations from satellite data (remote sensing)
were studied to assess the feasibility of both technologies in
Tunisia. Satellite data may only serve for a first qualitative
assessment. For the final site evaluation, ground measured
campaigns need to be performed.
Projects 108/109

Other important criteria for site identification of largescale
solar electricity generation projects are electrical
infrastructure, geotechnical properties, land occupation and
general meteorological conditions. For CSP projects water
and gas availability are also important: water is needed for
the water/steam cycle and cleaning of the mirrors. Gas is
required for hybrid operation of the CSP plant and freeze
protection of the heat transfer fluid in the solar field.
Preferred regions were identified, based on the mentioned
criteria; afterwards the most promising sites within these
regions were visited and ranked according to their suitability.
Sites in three regions (see figure 1) close to Tozeur (circle 1),
Kebili (circle 2), Tataouine (circle 3) and Zarzis (circle 3)
were selected for further evaluation in a feasibility study.
Considering current technical conditions, it is estimated
that at least 1 GW could be built in the studied areas.
A general overview about available technologies for CSP
plants was also included in the study, analysing line focusing
systems like parabolic trough and linear Fresnel systems
and the possible addition of a thermal storage system. The
same was done for available PV technologies. As result,
standard proven technologies were selected for the concept
design phase: parabolic trough for CSP and fixed mounted
crystalline modules for PV.
In a subsequent step, concept designs were developed
for PV and CSP plants.
The CSP part distinguishes two different
configurations:
1. Integration into an existing thermal power plant
on the coast
2. Site selection and concept study for new plants in
desert areas
Suggested regions for CSP and PV projects, source: CIA. Principle configuration of a CSP plant with thermal storage, source: SENER.
Both options were studied with their technical and financial
feasibility. For the new sites, fixed and tracking designs of
PV plants were considered and compared on a technical and
financial level. Basic technical configurations of CSP and PV
plants are presented in the figures below.
Principally, three main technical configurations were
analysed in the study:
• CSP integrated in an existing CC plant (ISCC), 2 cases
(solar booster and fuel saver concept)
• CSP stand-alone, 5 cases (with storage; without
storage, but with 25% generation from natural gas,
wet and dry cooled at 25 MW, 50 MW and 100 MW
capacity)
• PV stand-alone, 3 cases (fixed and tracked at 25 MW
and 50 MW capacity)
In addition, a special feature was studied: solar cooling of a
gas turbine. In summer, the efficiency of gas turbines
suffers from high temperatures, whilst solar collectors
utilize solar energy. It was calculated how these systems
could be combined efficiently in a thermal absorption
process.
For the ISCC concept, power plants in Sousse and
in Ghannouch were analysed for eventual extension
Projects 110/111

String Module String inverter
Array
400 V-AC Bus
MV transformer
MV line
Simplified scheme for a fixed PV plant with string inverters (left) and a central inverter (right).
from a combined-cycle (CC) plant to an integrated solarcombined
cycle (ISCC) plant. At these plants such an
extension appeared to be suboptimal due to insufficient land
availability in direct vicinity to the power plants.
Finally, layout plans, energy yield calculations and time
schedules were developed for selected CSP and PV concepts.
Main technical and economical results are summarized in
table 1.
From the results presented in table 1, the following
major conclusions were obtained (valid for end of 2008,
when the study was conducted):
• Electricity generation costs from combined-cycle plants
are about three to four times lower, compared to electricity
generation costs from CSP or PV plants. This
situation of course changes constantly as gas becomes
more expensive and investment costs for CSP and PV
are falling.
• When integrating solar heat into the combined-cycle
process, solar cooling offers the best economic option.
Technically, solar cooling systems have not been
demonstrated at such capacities. 3
Array
String Module
DC Bus
Central inverter
MV transformer
MV line
• CSP with storage has slightly higher generation costs
than the other CSP cases. This is because the other CSP
cases profit from 25% generation with relatively inexpensive
natural gas (assumed: w35/MWh).
• CSP plants could produce power at lower generation
cost compared to PV plants. This situation has changed
in 2009 and 2010 due to rapid price reduction for PV
modules.
Finally, the calculated levelised cost of electricity was compared
to conventionally produced electricity and projected to a
horizon of 25 years. In the long-term projection, it is
estimated that the investment cost for PV will fall quicker
than for CSP. It is expected, that grid parity for PV and CSP
can be reached between 2025 and 2030, depending on the
price reduction of PV and CSP technology and on the price
increase for natural gas. Grid parity means that electricity
generation costs from CSP and PV will be equal to those
from conventional fossil-fired power plants.
The study was carried out in close interaction with the
Société Tunisienne d’Electricité et du Gaz (STEG) and the
Case Name Capacity
Main results of the studied cases, as per end of 2008. *) Discount factor: 8%
outcomes of the project were presented at two workshops at
the end of the project.
Outlook
Net
production
Combined Cycle (CC) 409 2,833
Integrated Solar CC (ISCC), solar booster 433 2,870
Integrated Solar CC (ISCC), fuel saver 409 2,833
Combined Cycle with solar cooling 404 2,856
CSP 25 25 66
CSP 50 50 132
CSP 50 sea 50 139
CSP 50 storage 50 172
CSP 100 100 264
PV 25 MW fixed 25 44
PV 50 MW fixed 50 88
PV 25 MW tracker 25 57
Currently, the subsequent feasibility study is in preparation,
first results are expected for the end of 2011. The aims of the
feasibility study are:
• Overview of the electricity sector in Tunisia
• Selection of a final location for a CSP plant and for a
PV plant
• Concept design for a CSP and for a PV plant, including
energy yield calculation
• Financial and economic analysis
• Analysis of local contribution to the projects
• Initiating of ground based solar resource measurement
campaigns
• Preparation of tender documents
Investment
absolute
specific Generation costs*)
MW el GWh el /a M TD M € Millime /kWh €ct./kWh
732.1 406.7
0.55 1.0
908.2 502.6
0.66 1.2
788.1 436.2
0.60 1.1
739.6 409.4
0.56 1.0
154.5 85.5
1.90 3.4
311.1 172.2
1.91 3.4
279.9 154.9
1.72 3.1
528.1 311.0
3.46 6.2
573.5 317.4
1.76 3.2
156.7 86.7
6.3 3.47
274.3 151.8
5.5 3.04
192.3 106.4
7.7 4.24
For the studied project, it was obtained that proven
technology is available for both CSP and PV projects.
Financial feasibility is achievable with monetary support
from governments, utilities or development banks. Such
a support has already been announced by the World Bank
Clean Technology Fund for a limited number of projects in
the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 4
After the feasibility study, Lahmeyer International will
continue with the tendering for the goods and services of
the finally selected project.
1 Florian Remann, W. Klaus, W. Lee, G. Reithe, T. Hoffmann, CSP market situation in
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in: Solar Paces Book of Abstracts 2010.
2 Projet El Med, The role of grid interconnection between Italy and Tunisia in the renewable
energies development, Workshop, Tunis March 27 th 2009.
3 Florian Remann, M. Edris, H. Kaschube, K. Schallenberg, Solar absorption cooling of the
inlet air for a gas turbine in: Solar Paces Book of Abstracts 2009.
4 CTF, Clean technology fund investment plan for concentrated solar power in the Middle
East and North Africa region, Washington D.C. 2009.
132 7.30
150 8.33
145 8.05
142 7.88
339 18.83
342 19.00
297 16.50
413 22.94
320 17.77
437 24.10
441 24.40
423 23.40
Projects 112/113

United Arab Emirates
Fact File
Country Name United Arab Emirates
Population 5.1 million (2010)
Land Area 83,600 km²
Official Language Arabic, English (business language)
Currency UAE Dirham Dh (AED) = 100 fils
Main Cities Abu Dhabi is the administrative centre of the federation, and
Dubai is the main commercial centre; Sharjah, Al Ain, Ajman,
Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Qawain
Villa design.
Jost Kreussler,
Dorsch Holding GmbH – DC Abu Dhabi
Dorsch Gruppe DC Abu Dhabi has been appointed for the design of a new Arabic community with 3,000 residential villas and
public buildings of 40,000 m 2 GFA at the bottom of the stunning Jebel Hafeet Mountain next to Al Ain.
Introduction
Due to population growth of the city of Al Ain and a
desire to keep residents in Al Ain rather than forcing them
to move to Abu Dhabi due to lack of housing and amenities
the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has
identified a need for the provision of more Emirati communities
and in particular Al Ain.
Al Ain has always been the cultural and historical heart
of the UAE. As a oasis city it was a refuge for travellers and
Jebel Hafeet Glacier
Development, Al Ain.
Emiratis Housing
Development (EHD)
became an agricultural and trade hub thousands of years
ago. The city is renowned for its high quality of life with its
green palm plantations and oasis, rich culture and heritage,
good traffic flow and access to facilities and parking sites.
Plan Al Ain 2030 recognises the special qualities of the
city and aims at reinforcing the unique character of Al Ain
through the design of particular elements. Thus, the plan
promises special treatment for the city’s oases, ensuring that
they remain at the heart of the community for generations
to come. It simultaneously supports traditional Bedouin
Projects 114/115

living based on the ‘Fareej’ groups of dwellings situated
around a shaded courtyard that allow extended Emirati
families to live together in close proximity.
The Jebel Hafeet development will provide clear and easy
access to each neighbourhood and villa as well as the main
community nodes where most amenities are located. Each
villa will have views of Jebel Hafeet and shaded courtyards
or private areas.
Traffic access and parking will be smooth and easily
available, continuing the tradition of minimal traffic. Traffic
management will be important in maintaining the perception
of its quality lifestyle.
The Jebel Hafeet neighbourhood infrastructure and
public parks and community nodes will enhance the Emirati
Arabic values, social arrangements and culture. The project
has reduced the size of the individual neighbourhoods down
to a more intimate neighbourhood with slightly different
character. Some are intermingled with community nodes,
some are adjacent to the mountain.
Al Ain, UAE.
Jebel Hafeet.
Project BackGrounD
The initial Emiratis Housing Development (EHD) Jebel Hafeet
Pre-Concept Master Plan was created in 2009 confirming
the required programme elements. Further planning efforts
were completed throughout 2010 and handed over to Dorsch
Gruppe DC Abu Dhabi in October 2010.
The current planning design process being undertaken
will incorporate directives given by UPC and Estidama with
the goal of complying with the spirit of Estidama and the
Al Ain 2030 plan. According to Pearl Community Rating
System (PCRS) it is required to achieve a 2 Pearls rating.
Project Description
context
EHD is predominantly a residential community for
Emirati’s with 3,000 villa units targeting a population of
24,000 people. Located 13 km south of Al Ain’s city centre,
the EHD is distinctively situated at the western foot of
Jebel Hafeet, Abu Dhabi’s only mountain. The EHD is the
southern component to a grander development named Jebel
Hafeet Glacier Community which is expected to become
a new destination and lifestyle experience consisting of
residential units, commercial and leisure uses.
Jebel Hafeet straddles the international border between
the UAE and Oman. The northern half of the Jebel is located
within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and has been graced with
visionary projects such as the establishment of the Green
Mubazzarah recreation area and lake at the northern end
of the Jebel; public bath houses built upon Mubazzarah’s
natural supply of hot springs; and the establishment of an
Arabian Wildlife Park and Breeding Centre to the north of
the Jebel and the Green Mubazzarah.
The EHD will occupy approximately 440 ha within the
Jebel Hafeet Glacier Community which is currently desert
and land previously used for date farming. It is specifically
bound by Jebel Hafeet and existing ‘bund’ storm water
structure to the east; Oman to the south; existing highvoltage
lines and associated setbacks to the west; and future
mixed-use developments to the north.
connectivity anD infrastructure
The EHD has been designed to ‘connect’ with the existing
Hazza Ibn Sultan Road network at two locations providing
ample ingress and egress capacity for the residents.
Additionally, a major connection point is provided to the
north to further relieve vehicular congestion and connect
Site location. Master Plan.
residents to the greater Jebel Hafeet Glacier Community
and its associated thoroughfares.
The internal street network for EHD was developed with
the overall goal of establishing a network of safe, legible and
efficient streets. Interconnected streets and small block lengths
are intended to encourage walking, bicycling, transit use
and efficient vehicular movements, thus reducing vehicle
trip generation. It is intended that a large portion of the
residents will utilise nonvehicular modes of transportation
when visiting mosques, attending school, going to the ‘market’
and for meeting at the ‘park’ for everyday enjoyment. Shaded
pedestrian connections will allow residents, especially children,
to move easily and safely from one destination to another.
The EHD utilises a road hierarchy that is not only
intuitive, but appropriately balanced between size of road,
accommodating traffic needs and being pedestrian-friendly.
Road corridors used are:
• 20 m (two auto lanes and on-street parking
on one side of street)
• 25 m (two auto lanes, two bicycle lanes and
no on-street parking)
• 25 m (two auto lanes, two bicycle lanes and
on-street parking both sides of street)
• 32.8 m (four auto lanes, no bicycle lanes and
no on-street parking)
The Master Plan will also correctly function technically
in terms of utilities both above and below ground. Utility
service corridors required by the utility providers were
designed during the development of these road corridors.
Services were concentrated beneath parking lanes where
applicable as well as in pedestrian realm areas for ease of
access by the providers. Where right-of-way widths were
minimised, certain utilities were located beneath asphalt
travel lanes. Above ground, infrastructure utility elements
although critical for the development to exist, are planned to
be incorporated into miscellaneous open spaces and blended
into the background of everyday life.
existinG environment anD toPoGraPhy
The EHD takes advantage of prevailing winds through the
deliberate orientation of the street network. The majority
of all access lanes are oriented north to south allowing for
natural cooling to take place.
Understanding and working with the natural
topography of the site which gently falls from the Jebel on
east side to the existing Hazza Ibn Sultan Road on the west
by approximately 20 m allows for a unique and exciting
‘terracing’ effect for the residential villas. Utilising this
precious and distinctive aspect of the land permits longer
views to the west and adds variety and ‘movement’ to the
architecture.
Project Programme
The goal of the EHD is to utilise the rich Emirati heritage
and recreate an environment that reflects the culture’s social
structure and responds appropriately to the surrounding
environmental conditions, for instance by orientating the
majority of the residential units intentionally at 15° from
north. This allows the villa architecture to minimise solar
exposure while at the same time maximising the natural
prevailing wind patterns passing through the development.
The EHD community will achieve a 2 Pearl rating
within the UPC’s Pearl Community Rating System while
at the same incorporating amenities and infrastructure
requirements.
The development will include necessary amenities
within its boundaries such as mosques, schools, local
retail, community centres, parks, and open space. Specific
community statistics are as follows:
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item lanD use total Gfa (m 2 )
resiDential
commercial
PuBlic amenity
Most public amenities are clustered within three strategically
located district centres that all residents can conveniently
walk or drive to. Each district centre includes mosques,
community and women’s centres, kindergartens, schools
and local commerce, thus becoming a place where residents
will be able to grow spiritually, mentally, physically and
socially. Additionally, the development incorporates public
open space strategically placed throughout for closer to
home access of these essential elements.
Scope of Works
Semi-detached –
Type A villa
(30 m x 30 m plot size) 1,116,00
Local community retail 5,000
Juma mosque 3,600
Local mosque 4,200
Boy’s school 4,000
Girl’s school 4,000
District kindergarten 1,800
Kindergarten 8,000
Women’s development centre 6,000
Community centre 2,800
The scope of the project undertaken by Dorsch Gruppe DC
Abu Dhabi comprises of the following:
• Comprehensive master plan design to client acceptance
with all necessary NOCs and approvals from concerned
authorities, including traffic and environmental
studies
• Comprehensive villa design to client acceptance with
all necessary NOCs and approvals from concerned
authorities
• Detailed design of public amenities to client acceptance
with all necessary NOCs and approvals from concerned
authorities
• Detailed design of open spaces including urban design
and landscaping design to client acceptance with all
necessary NOCs and approvals from concerned
authorities
• Detailed design of infrastructure and utilities including
grading; enabling works to client acceptance with all
necessary NOCs and approvals from concerned
authorities
• Final design drawings, tender documents with complete
contract documents, project specification, BOQs
(unpriced and priced), and tendering services
• During construction clarifications to contractor RFI
• Construction supervision
Figure 1.
Hans Schober, Stefan Justiz, Hiroki Tamai,
schlaich bergermann und partner (sbp)
Photos: Bjorn Moerman,
http://www.bjornmoerman.com/))
The Yas Hotel is a five star signature hotel located directly at the Formula 1 racetrack on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates. It features an iconic glazed grid shell with LED lighting at each node that allows for programmed lighting and image
sequences over the whole surface.
The new Yas Hotel is the centre piece of the Formula 1
racetrack on Yas Island. The client, Aldar Properties PJSC,
chose the designer, Asymptote Architecture, during a
limited selection process at the end of 2007. Asymptote
proposed two elliptical buildings, turned 90° towards each
other, to encompass the racing track, enclosed by a sweeping,
dynamically formed glazed grid shell. In January 2008, the
architect selected sbp as the structural engineer for the freeformed
grid shell, provided that the steel could be ordered
by the end of May 2008 and the detailed design would be
finished by the end of July 2008. The hotel opened on the
30 October 2009 just in time for the inaugural Grand
Prix race in Abu Dhabi, after a very brief planning and
construction phase.
Design
Envelope
of the Yas Hotel
in Abu Dhabi
Hani Rashid, the lead architect, described the building’s
design and its architecture (figure 2) as ‘a perfect union and
harmonious interplay between elegance and spectacle. The
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Figure 2.
search here was inspired by what one could call the “art”
and poetics of motor racing, specifically Formula 1, coupled
with the making of a place that celebrates Abu Dhabi as a
cultural and technological tour de force’.
Our task was to find a reasonable structure for the freeformed
‘atmospheric-like veil’ envisioned by the architect.
Geometric Optimisation of the Grid
Structure
The enclosure was described by the architect as a freeformed
surface containing a diagonally oriented
quadrangular grid. It was his vision that computercontrolled,
individually pivoting glass panels should be
installed on the quadrangular meshes, creating a
continuously changing appearance (figure 3). This led to
shingled and raised glass elements with open joints and
allowed the usage of a nonplanar structural mesh. In the
first mesh layouts, the beam lengths and mesh angles varied
Figure 3.
significantly and the grid contained noticeable singularities
where five or only three instead of four grid beams met,
resulting in an inhomogeneous mesh.
With the help of the University of Vienna (Prof. H.
Pottmann) the geometry of the mesh was much improved,
utilising subdivision techniques and optimisation algorithms
to vary the mesh angles and member lengths within
prescribed limits on the predefined surface. The final result
was a flowing, homogenous quadrangular mesh without
geometric discontinuities.
Structural Behaviour
The 220 m long, up to 45 m wide and 35 m high grid
shell is supported vertically by 10 V-shaped columns and
horizontally by hinged horizontal struts at floor level height
(figure 4).
Even though the grid shell envelopes two independent,
T-shaped structures it was conceived as a seamless building
component, since a joint would have dramatically altered the
loadbearing behaviour as well as the design appearance of
the shell. Therefore, the supports had to be carefully planned
to allow temperature-induced movements with minimal
constraints. As a result the spherical bearings at the base of
the V-shaped columns are able to slide in the longitudinal
direction. The hinged horizontal struts, designed to take
the wind loading, were installed perpendicular to the
sliding direction of the bearings. Two rods, which bear on
the hotel oriented in the lateral direction, form the fixed
points of the envelope over the longitudinal wing. In a first
approach, to optimise the efficiency and lightness of the
structure, it was tried to activate the favourable loadbearing
Figure 4.
characteristics of a shell by integrating x-bracing within the
quadrangular meshes, but this was found to be aesthetically
unsatisfactory and also hard to build. A structure entirely
without diagonals would have created exceedingly large
bending moments within the grid, which would have led
to heavy grid beams and, within proximity of the supports,
even put the feasibility of the structure in question. Close
collaboration between the architect and the engineer led
to an agreement for a structure free of diagonals, with a
diamond-shaped mesh and integral megatriangles. The
corners of these megatriangles rest on the V-shaped columns
(figure 2). The triangular megastructure stiffens the entire
grid and reduces the bending moments due to Vierendeel
action considerably, in particular within proximity to the
supports. The megatriangles were fabricated from hot-rolled
and welded box sections with a size of 200 x500 mm, while
the sections in the secondary quadrangular grid measure
100 x250 mm.
The free edges of the grid shell are formed by a curved
edge beam consisting of uniaxially curved hollow steel
sections measuring 559 mm in diameter. Within regions
of minimal curvature, straight segments were utilised. To
reduce the secondary bending moments within the grid, the
edge beam was reinforced with triangular plate box sections
at the supports.
The V-shaped columns consist of straight tubes with
tapered ends. Their sizes vary between 508 mm and 914 mm
depending on the buckling length. The easily visible node
where the V-shaped columns meet the sliding spherical
bearing was carried out as a free-formed cast steel element.
The surface area of the grid shell amounted to
approximately 17,000 m² with 5,096 diamond-shaped
meshes of different sizes. Including supports, approximately
2,000 t of grade 50 steel were used.
Glazing
Each diamond-shaped glass panel has its own frame made
of extruded aluminium. Because the glazing is not only
elevated, but also shingled with open joints (figure 5), four
attachments had to be developed at each support. They
needed to adapt to the varying positions of the glass frame
and be adjustable for tolerances. The design of the glass
panels was accomplished by Front Inc., New York. Initial
planning considered coloured, dichroic panels, which were
replaced by neutral-laminated heat-strengthened ones (10 +
8 mm) with screen printing after a mock-up.
In the original design proposal all glass panels would
have been able to pivot via electronic triggers. The idea of the
architect was to create a shiver across the surface. However,
prohibitive costs required the glazing to remain stationary,
Figure 5.
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ut each panel is unique in shape and angle of tilt. Thanks
to programmable LED luminaries at each vertex of the grid,
the grid shell lights up at night in different colours, making
it possibly the world’s largest LED screen (figure 1).
Fabrication and Erection
The 1,389 primary and 8,644 secondary beams with
individual lengths and beam ends were laser-cut in Europe
and delivered to the field factory on site after approximately
seven weeks of shipping. There, about 300 individual parts
were welded together for each of the 172 so-called ladders
with a unit weight of up to 25 t, measuring up to 24 x14 m.
These were lifted into their place along the building by a
mobile crane and placed on the scaffolding. After adjustment,
the beams along the seams between the segments were
added and welded on site. The ladders were then bolted
together with the horizontal struts. They needed to be
supported until a large enough segment of shell formed
a stable loadbearing structure, whereupon it could be depropped.
In day and night shifts up to three ladders were
erected on a daily basis. The tubes of the V-shaped columns
were lifted into place in sections of up to 38 m in length,
weighting up to 24 t. These were then welded together with
the up to 3 t heavy cast steel nodes.
Conclusion
Such complex free-formed structures are only feasible with
the help of the newest digital tools during planning and
production phase. A typical representation on drawings
is not possible and thereby makes a seamless digital flow
between the designers and the executing firms absolutely
necessary (Building Information Modelling – BIM).
The optimisation processes with regards to statics
and geometry are of great economic and architectural
importance.
These also require the application and mastery of
complex electronic tools, including the utilisation of
specialist knowledge at universities, as was the case in this
project.
client: alDar ProPerties Pjsc
architects:
Hani Rashid and Lise-Anne Couture, Asymptote
Architecture, New York
structural enGineers for the GriD shell:
schlaich bergermann und partner, Stuttgart
façaDe technoloGy:
Front Inc., New York
steel contractor:
Waagner-Biro, Vienna
Jan Secher, Ferrostaal AG
The market for environmental technologies is growing constantly. The subject is in the United Arab Emirates as well as in other
countries high on the agenda. Through more efficient processes and the increased application of recycling, in which raw
materials are recovered and used as so-called secondary raw materials, many millions of tonnes of primary raw materials and
CO 2 emissions can be saved. This also brings social and economic benefits. Environmental and recycling technologies create
new jobs, promoting small and medium-sized business structures. The dependency on primary raw materials is reduced.
Cable Recycling in Ajman
Last year, the sale and financing of a cable recycling plant to
Ajman marked the beginning of Ferrostaal’s environmental
activities in the United Arab Emirates. The plant is able
to process up to 2.5 t of cables per hour and enables the
separated materials to be recycled.
The composition of different types of cable has
continually changed over the years. Because of their nonferric
metal content, scrap cables are an important source of
raw materials. Copper, aluminium, lead, steel and precious
metals like gold, silver and platinum can go into new
products as raw materials without loss of quality.
Recycling:
Sustainable Pay-off
In addition, there are countless variations of insulating
material. These range from PE and rubber to various types
of PVC and cross-linked synthetic polymers which can
also be used for new products in the plastics industry. PVC
granulates from cable insulation, for example, can be used
to make PVC floor coverings for cafés and supermarkets and
guide barriers for road traffic.
Tyre Recycling in Abu Dhabi
Earlier this year, the contract for a tyre recycling plant
in Al Ain, the green lung of Abu Dhabi, came into effect.
Ferrostaal will supply the plant for the production of rubber
Projects 122/123

granulate from end-of-life tyres including a service package
with supervision of installation, training units for the
client’s personnel and the maintenance of the plant.
The tyre recycling plant is scheduled to be commissioned
and handed over to the client in summer 2011. The plant
can process up to 8,000 kg of end-of-life tyres per hour and
produces 99.9% pure rubber granulate ready for recycling.
When recycled, the tyre granulate is used, for example,
to create surfaces for sports fields, playgrounds and the socalled
silent asphalt, material for sound insulation as well
as irrigation pipes with special properties for use below
ground, directly by the plants’ roots. Apart from these
possibilities, even just shredding the tyres will reduce their
volume significantly.
Rising Demand for Consumer Goods
Recycling and environmental technologies do not only
make sense for developed countries like the United Arab
Emirates, but also for emerging markets. The rapid economic
upturn in several of these markets is leading to increasing
standards of living. The demand for consumer goods is
growing steadily – and, as a result, so is the refuse. It is
clear that this development is not only bringing a rise in
social and economic opportunity, but also rising ecological
and health risks.
In many countries, refuse disposal still is not
environmentally sound. Toxic substances from uncontrolled
refuse dumps contaminate the ground water. In addition,
the improper burning of refuse in the open air endangers
humans and the environment. So, in the medium term,
every country will have no alternative but to reduce its
refuse, incorporating ecological standards in its legislation
and monitoring their observance.
Cable recycling.
Recycling Is Economically Attractive
What is more, the economic development in these markets is
adding to the demand for resources. Even though technical
standards in production have been raised and resources are
being used more efficiently, the general trend of increasing
consumption cannot be halted. This means that recycling
will also become economically attractive if the processed
materials can be used directly in domestic industry.
Making use of resources that are available already saves
energy and CO 2 emissions, as the extraction of primary
raw materials consumes considerably more energy than the
production of secondary raw materials. Transport distances
and costs are reduced as well by recycling materials locally
instead of importing raw materials from other countries.
The recognition that valuable materials can be recovered
from waste or scrap and sold as secondary raw materials
for reasonable prices also makes the purchase of recycling
machines economically attractive. Feasibility studies prove
that the payback period of such a recycling plant could be
less than a year. The economic success of our clients who
purchased e.g. a cable or tyre recycling plant demonstrates
that their business is profitable.
The reutilisation of most metals pays for itself without
any state subsidy or special legal provisions. This includes
the recycling of aluminium, for example. Aluminium is a
metal whose properties are not adversely affected after use
in a product, so that it can be remelted any number of times
without loss of quality.
Tyre recycling.
Electronic Recycling Offers Lots of Metals
The recovery of metals in recycling of electronic scrap
is constantly gaining importance. The so called WEEE
(waste electrical and electronic equipment) comprises all
smaller electronic devices from the computer to the mobile
phone to kitchen appliances. This ‘waste’ contains several
potential recyclables: with 60 elements, a modern laptop
literally contains half the periodic table and the majority
of these are metals – apart from gold, silver and cobalt also
rare elements such as indium, tellurium and ruthenium,
whose significance in technology is rapidly growing. The
possibilities for reutilisation are still very cost-intensive,
but it is worthwhile attempting to recycle special metals as
fully as possible – sustainability will pay off in the long
run.
Projects 124/125

Yemen
Fact File
Country Name Republic of Yemen
Population 24 million (UN, 2010)
Land Area 555,000 km²
Official Language Arabic; English is spoken in some urban areas
Currency 1 Yemeni riyal = 100 fils
Main Cities Sana’a (capital), Aden, Taiz, Al Hudaydah, Mukalla
Housing along the shore (visualisation).
Hannes Schied, Annette Willige,
Obermeyer Corporate Group
In 2008, TDO – Tourism Development Organisation, specialised in the hotel and tourism industry, was commissioned with a
study for the development of tourism in the urban area of Mukalla, a city with 190,000 inhabitants in the eastern region of
Yemen. The project was financially secured by the government of Yemen in cooperation with the World Bank. For realising the
study, TDO cooperated with planning experts from its parent company Obermeyer.
Study
The study started with a demand assessment and concept
development. Having set out information on various
available sites, it recommended one site in particular and
gave an explanation for this choice. The study continued
with the master planning of the site as well as the definition
of the site’s required infrastructure and improvements.
Additionally, a financial and economic analysis was
performed. Furthermore, recommendations were made on
institutional strengthening and procedural streamlining.
The study concluded with the preparation of transaction
documentation. The following work process provides an
insight into the development study performed by TDO.
Tourism Development
Mukalla, Yemen
Work Process
Initially, the two potential development sites at Rowainat
and Sahat Al Aroodh were inspected and evaluated by TDO
together with architects from Obermeyer with regard to
location, infrastructure and special attractions.
Rowainat covers 110 ha and lies next to a beach, so it is
eminently suitable for a tourist village/beach resort. It is
favourably situated in relation to the city and to the airport.
The site offers a wide range of opportunities, especially
through the attractive wadis which delimit it on either side.
Sahat Al Aroodh covers approximately 12 ha and is situated
near the suburb of Fuwwah with approximately 25,000
residents. The site is surrounded by paved roads, parking
Projects 126/127

sites and a publicly owned and used parade ground with a
visitor’s stand.
Both sites are well connected with respect to their
infrastructure. Paved roads lead to and surround the sites
and all necessary utilities are close at hand. Furthermore,
it is possible to extend the water and electricity networks.
There are no social objections as the infrastructure will be
improved and not deteriorated in any case, and no ecological
objections to the two sites were discovered either. Ultimately,
this means that other factors, such as the size and shape of
the site as well as urban planning options, will decide the
preferred location rather than the infrastructure.
Market Analysis – Supply Situation
In a first step the accessibility by airport, seaport and traffic
was examined. The plans to refurbish and enhance Mukalla
Airport have to be put in place immediately in order to
guarantee future competitiveness. Air traffic needs to be
considered, and the exploitation of the competitive strategic
location (Gulf countries, East Africa and India) is of utmost
importance in promoting business.
A reconcentration on the fishing industry, with its
cultural significance and importance for the local population,
appears necessary as well as the revitalisation of the cruise
line business. Additionally, traffic planning needs to be
carried out according to demand predictions.
With regard to accommodation facilities it is evident
that there is no real tourism business at present. Minor
changes (new hotels and accommodation facilities) are
possible in the short run, but not warranted by current
demand. The accommodation sector will develop parallel to
the establishment of tourism.
City skyline.
Urban structure.
As far as attractions and services are concerned, all the
important modules for a tourism business district (TBD) are
given. The concentration on the establishment of authentic
products must be the aim, along with an integrated business
strategy which takes special account of the needs of the local
population.
Due to the current economic situation in Yemen and the
Hadhramaut it is essential to clearly define a measurable
objective concerning gross domestic product (GDP). An
increase can only be achieved within the framework of a
national integrated strategy focussing on authentic, reliable
and qualitative tourism products. An image campaign is
urgently needed. The state government must give visible
support to the regions. The prime aim is to improve the
quality of life of the local inhabitants.
Market Analysis – Demand Situation
The in-depth analysis of the demand situation revealed
several interesting facts. Almost 90% of tourism demand
comes from the domestic market (Yemeni expatriates and
their families). Further core markets are Saudi Arabia,
Germany, Italy, France and Asia. All these groups have
different motivations, making it necessary to significantly
diversify the product portfolio. The main target groups to be
defined are consequently Saudi families, European culture
tourists and Asian business people.
The analysis demonstrated the necessity for the
establishment of quality products and niche markets
supported by a clean environment and a sound tourism
infrastructure. Considerable potential for nature tourism
exists and needs to be tapped.
Urban section traditional (left) and new tower house (right).
It appears that an integrated strategy for quality management
and information in the hotel industry is necessary. The
domestic market is strong and needs to be bolstered with
the right qualitative products. Additionally, the quality of
gastronomy and shopping facilities needs to be improved
and the transportation sector should be supported by the
state through financial incentives.
In order to make a sound prediction of growth, reliable
statistical data is needed. The growth rates can be reached
when the aforementioned preconditions are met. An annual
growth rate of 2.2% appears most realistic.
Strategic Directions
In order to establish a sustainable tourism industry
in Mukalla, the following strategic directions were
identified. Authenticity is the basis for properly restoring
and preserving the old city. For sustainable growth the
development of niche markets such as nature tourism is
needed, but also the enhancement of the quality of life
and the market situation for the local people. The market
analysis also features benchmarking with neighbouring
countries, and comes to the main conclusion that an increase
of the tourism contribution by at least 2% of GDP has to be
Yemen’s overarching objective in order to stay competitive
in the region, and hence to improve its tourism growth rate
by a further 2%.
Master Plan
A conceptional master plan for the tourism destination
including road network, infrastructure measures and a
progressive development concept for an area of approximately
110 ha was elaborated by the planning experts from
Obermeyer. This plan also integrated urban development,
traffic and infrastructure planning on the one hand and the
design of hotels, apartment houses and villa districts on the
other. In addition, wellness and spa facilities as well as an
amusement park formed part of the concept.
Subsequently, the existing infrastructure capacities
were examined in order to establish whether they would
meet the expected demand as a consequence of the planned
project developments. Finally, the concept was subjected to
an economic feasibility study which was conducted with the
aid of financial and economic analyses.
Conclusion
The Mukalla project demonstrates a unique approach to
both the evaluation and the implementation of a tourism
development concept. TDO and Obermeyer proved to be
the ideal consulting tandem, which not only allows the
delivery of a high-quality report on development strategies,
but also guarantees the transformation of these strategies
into a master plan that holds out possibilities for future
development.
TDO was recently accepted as representative partner
for the Middle East by Horwath HTL (Hotel Tourism and
Leisure), one of the world’s leading consulting specialists in
the hotel, tourism and leisure industry.
Projects 128/129

Fact File
Country Name Federal Republic of Germany
Population 81.8 million
Land Area 357,104 km²
Official Language German
Currency Euro
Main Cities Berlin (capital), Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main
Ground level undercroft, phæno Science Center.
Zaha Hadid Architects
Photos: Werner Huthmacher, Berlin
Germany New Landmark
The Science Center, the first of its kind in Germany, appears
as a mysterious object, giving rise to curiosity and discovery.
The visitor is faced with a degree of complexity and
strangeness, which is ruled however by a very specific system
of structural organisation. Located on a very special site in
the city of Wolfsburg it is set both as the endpoint of a chain
of important cultural buildings (by Aalto, Scharoun and
Schweger) as well as being a connecting link to the north
bank of the Mittelland Kanal – Volkswagen’s Autostadt.
Multiple threads of pedestrian and vehicular movement
are pulled through the site both on an artificial ground
landscape and inside and through the building, effectively
composing an interface of movement paths.
phæno Science Center
Wolfsburg, Germany
The Magic Box
Volumetrically, the building is structured in such a way that
it maintains a large degree of transparency and porosity on
the ground since the main volume – the exhibition scape – is
raised, thus covering an outdoor public plaza with a variety
of commercial and cultural functions which reside in the
structural concrete cones.
An artificial crater-like landscape is developed inside
the open exhibition space allowing diagonal views to the
different levels of the exhibition scape, while volumes,
which protrude, accommodate other functions of the science
centre. A glazed, public, wormhole-like extension of the
existing bridge flows through the building allowing views
to and from the exhibition space.
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Close-up image of the south façade.
The phæno exhibition space, resting on conic supports and
sublimely illuminated, emerged clearly victorious from
an international competition in 2000. The London-based
architect Zaha Hadid has devised a truly impressive home
for phæno, enthroned high above street-level. It liberates
the area beneath it as a new kind of urban space in the form
of a covered artificial landscape with gently undulating
hills and valleys. Its interior, at a height of 7 m, opens up
an architectural adventure playground, a constructional
wonderland shaped by craters, caverns, terraces and plateaux,
the exciting location for 250 experimental stations on
thrilling themes from the world of science and technology.
Complexity of a Piece
The avant-garde architectural design entailed a constructional
realisation that has been unattainable in the conventional
terms of supports – girders and roofing – but has called
for a sculptural, plastic moulding that is ‘of a piece’. The
achievement of such a complex structure has been just
as much a feat of logistics as it represents a static and
constructional masterpiece. In contrast to the widely used,
standard method of building with concrete, mostly with the
help of flat formwork systems, phæno is distinguished by
the predominant use of individually fabricated formwork
elements and special cast-in-situ concrete. phæno is the
largest building constructed from ‘self-compacting concrete’
(SCC) to date in Europe and will therefore be significant as
a reference object. Without this new type of concrete, the
diverse forms of phæno – its jagged angles, looming curves,
fractured planes and daring protrusions – would have been
difficult to achieve. As a trailblazing work of architecture,
the project has written a chapter of technical history.
Formwork elements were necessary with which one could
have covered nine football fields – concrete that would have
filled a cube with 30-m sides and that has been reinforced
with iron as heavy as 5,000 small cars.
Curiosity Made Concrete
phæno, just as much a place of leisure and recreation as one
of informal learning, belongs to the international genre of
science centres. The municipal project opens its universe to
the public directly next to the ICE rail station in Wolfsburg,
opposite the Autostadt erected by Volkswagen. Its form is
programmatic: the world of phæno recognises no distinct
boundaries, its dynamic landscape awakens the sense of
wonder and kindles the zest for discovery. The dynamic
structure of this experimental environment is constructed
animation, curiosity made concrete. ‘The zest of discovery’ –
the innovative city of Wolfsburg has now been given a new
landmark.
Project facts
Gross areas:
Basement car park (417 car spaces) 16,000 m 2
Superstructure 12,000 m 2
net areas:
Envelope: 154 m x 130 m x 97 m
Height: 16 m
Construction costs: w40 million
Gross cost rate: w1,430/m 2
Start on-site: March 2001
Completion/Opening: November 2005
Projects 132/133

Entrance, BMW Central Building.
Zaha Hadid Architects
Photos: Werner Huthmacher, Berlin
In October 2004, BMW moved into the central building at the new plant Leipzig premises. The building’s design facilitates a
radical new interpretation of open office landscape, delivering an even more engaging experience of connectivity and
transparency within the demanding functionality.
Architectural Design and Client Brief
It was the client’s objective to translate industrial architecture
into an aesthetic concept that complies equally with
representational and functional requirements. In the
transition zones between manufacturing halls and public
space the central building acts as a ‘mediator’ impressing a
positive permanent impact upon the eye of the beholder in a
restrained semiotic way.
PlanninG constraints
When the central building was designed, the planning and
layout of the adjacent fabrication buildings had already been
finalised, leaving a narrow stretch of open land to be filled.
With a wide range of suppliers pre-appointed for the rest
of the factory many fit-out elements were selected from a
standard range of products, emphasising BMW’s industrial
approach to office spaces.
BMW Central Building,
Plant Leipzig
Concept/Programme – the Central Building
as Communication Knot
The central building is the nerve centre of the whole factory
complex with all the building’s activities gathering and
branching out again from here. The knot connects the three
main manufacturing departments of Body-in-White, Paint
Shop and Assembly while serving as the entrance to the
plant. The whole expanse of this side of the factory is oriented
and animated by a force field emanating from the central
building. All movement converging on the site is funnelled
through this compression chamber squeezed in between the
three main segments of production. Such planning strategy
applies not only to the cycles and trajectories of workers and
visitors but also the production line, which traverses this
central point. This dynamic focal point of the enterprise is
visually evident in the proposed dynamic spatial system that
encompasses the whole northern front of the factory and
articulates the central building as a point of confluence and
the culmination of various converging flows. The central area
as a ‘market place’ is intended to enhance communication by
providing staff with an area with which to avail themselves
of personal and administrative services. This organisation
of the building exploits the obvious sequence of front-toback
for the phasing of public to quiet activities.
The primary organising strategy is the scissor-section
connecting the ground floor and first floor in a continuous
field. Two sequences of terraced plates, like giant staircases,
step up from north to south and from south to north
capturing a long connective void between them. One cascade
commences close to the public lobby overlooking the forum
to reach the first floor in the middle of the building. The
other starts with offices at the south end moving up to
meet the first cascade then moving all the way up to the
space projecting over the entrance. At the bottom of this
void is the auditing area as a central focus of everybody’s
attention. Above the void, open to view, the half-finished
cars are moving along their tracks between the various
surrounding production units. The cascading floor plates
are large enough to allow for flexible occupation patterns.
The advantage here lies in the articulation of recognisable
domains within an overall field. With a global field, it opens
up to visual communication more possible than with a
single flat floor plate.
The integration of workers is facilitated by an overall
transparency of the internal organisation. The mixing of
functions avoid the traditional segregation of status groups.
A series of engineering and administrative functions are
Cars in various stages of construction travel through the office spaces.
located within the trajectory of the manual workforce’s
daily movements. White-collar functions are located both
on ground and first floor. Equally, blue-collar social spaces
are located on both floors thus preventing the establishment
of exclusive domains.
The intrinsic problems of a large car park in front
of a building were avoided by turning it into a dynamic
spectacle in its own right. The inherent dynamism of vehicle
movement and the ‘lively’ field of car bodies is revealed in
the arrangement of parking lots which let the whole field
move, colour and sparkle with swooping trajectories
culminating within the building. Here cars swoop
underneath, setting down visitors into the glazed public
lobby allowing views deep into the building.
Project facts
materials:
Self-compacting concrete with a roof structure assembled
with a series of H-steel beams
size/area:
25,000 m 2
time taBle:
Competition April 2002
Groundbreaking March 2003
Completion February 2005
Projects 134/135

Special Topics
The Master Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 –
A Blueprint for a Modern Arab Society
At the beginning of our century the Arab building industry
has been seen as technically backward and occasionally
even as dazzling. Particularly Dubai was decried as lacking
any sustainability or substantiality. However, in the recent
decade the building industry of some Arab countries has
become a stable driving force. Especially the last two years
of economic and financial crisis have proved its high degree
of capacity: it grew steadily. Trends such as ‘sustainability’
are taken up and are being implemented – which can be seen
in Masdar City. With its technically challenging projects
the region is becoming an international laboratory of the
building industry. From the building industry’s point of
view the hard cut in Dubai has been absorbed through the
booming neighbour countries to a great extent. Since 2009,
the so-called brain drain fertilises the entire region and
builds up an own network of former brain-workers from
Dubai.
In times of a challenging economic dynamic the Middle
East remains one of the world’s largest building sites: with
more than 2,100 projects in the United Arab Emirates and
Saudi Arabia, more than 500 projects in Qatar and Kuwait,
almost 200 major projects in Oman as well as 150 projects
in Bahrain the building industry meets the demands of a
growing population. More than 25% of the Middle East’s
population is younger than 25 years. Until the year 2020 an
average economic growth of 5% and a population growth
of 2% are forecasted. A very strong migration of the
rural population to the cities in combination with huge oil
resources ensure that large-scaled infrastructure and new
building projects will be developed within the next ten to
15 years.
In contrast to Dubai, which enormously depends on
foreign investments, Abu Dhabi is financed by oil and has
more than 90% of UAE’s oil resources. With 7% of global
oil production it is globally ranking on place six. In May
2008, the Urban Planning Council Abu Dhabi has presented
a master plan for the urban development until 2030, in
order to meet the demands of its growing population and
to face the needs to fight pollution. The scale of this 25-year
programme is epochal. Just a few examples: the strategic
programme envisions a density level which is aligned to
public-transport options to accommodate the demands of its
estimated three million inhabitants by 2030. Almost unique
in Arab countries where the gas price hardly plays a role. The
coast lines of Abu Dhabi’s natural island formation will be
thoughtfully exploited; any undifferentiated urban sprawl
has to be avoided, too. The city will have a strong pedestrian
focus; other useful environmental topics are getting more
and more attention. Since Abu Dhabi and its neighbour
countries are not very concerned by the world economic
crisis the projected developments are according to plan. Even
more: since 2009 ten major projects with an investment
volume of US$208 billion have been announced.
Abu Dhabi’s plans are not only ambitious but forwardlooking,
too. One of the keystones of this vision is the
economic diversification: although the oil sector will still
play a significant role in Abu Dhabi’s economy, economic
activities investments will turn to capital-intensive, exportorientated
and non-oil sectors who will ensure long-term
growth. The plan proves the strong intention to get ever
more independent from the oil and gas industry with
substantial investments in aviation, aerospace, defence,
tourism, education and financial services. Foreigners find a
very business-friendly environment with a high potential
and a wealthy market in Abu Dhabi. In the long run Abu
Dhabi has to be seen as a geographical hub for a huge region
– just to mention MENA, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
An increasing demand for western (German) technology
and know-how can be found in Abu Dhabi as well as the
financial potential to ensure a positive long-term outlook
for Abu Dhabi. We are looking forward to be a part of Abu
Dhabi 2030 by supporting this breathtaking vision for a
blueprint of a modern Arab society.
olaf hoffmann
CEO and shareholder of Dorsch Holding GmbH
Chairman of the Working Group ‘Infrastructure,
Construction and Transport’
Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and
Industry
Special Topics 136/137

Doha, Corniche.
Oliver Alexander,
Amereller Rechtsanwaelte
Introduction
Legal Framework to Mitigate
and Insure Risks in
Construction and Infrastructure
Projects in the Arab World.
The Arab world is witnessing ever more large-scale
construction and infrastructure projects which are being
executed by international contractors. It is therefore
increasingly important for international contractors to
know about legal frameworks for the construction sector in
the Arab world.
At the same time the Arab world is increasingly
politically volatile and international contractors must
be aware of inherent risks associated with projects to be
executed in the Arab world and how to mitigate and insure
those risks.
The Law of the State of Qatar
In the Arab world civil law is widely based on Egyptian
law as are the laws in the Gulf area. Judges are very often
Egyptian nationals, trained in Egypt. Hence, Egyptian law
plays a very important role with regards to the reading and
application of the law in the Arab world.
After the successful bid by the State of Qatar for the FIFA
2022 World Cup, Qatar is poised to be seen at the forefront
of new large-scale infrastructure and construction projects.
We shall therefore address in this text important matters
of Qatar law which we believe are relevant to identify,
mitigate and insure inherent risks, including political risks.
Force Majeure
Most important the international contractor needs to be
contractually protected in force majeure scenarios, i.e. the
impossibility of performance of contractual obligation due
to foreign causes beyond the control of the international
contractor, which include political unrest, war etc.
The general principle enunciated in the Qatar Civil Code
being Law No. 22 of the Year 2004 (hereinafter referred to as
‘the Civil Code’) is that the contract is the law of the contracting
parties and shall be performed in accordance with its contents
and in a manner consistent with the dictates of good faith,
this is subject to any mandatory provisions of the Qatar law
and to considerations of public order and morals.
For force majeure scenarios article 256 of the Civil Code
provides that:
‘ Should it become impossible for a contractor to perform
his obligation he shall be liable to compensate for
failure to fulfil his obligation, unless he proves that
the impossibility of performance arose from a foreign
cause beyond his control. The same judgment shall
apply if the party under an obligation delays in the
performance of his obligation.’
In this regard, however, the provisions of the first paragraph
of article 258 of the Civil Code will also be relevant, namely:
‘It may be agreed that the debtor shall assume the risk
of unexpected events and force majeure.’
Based on the provisions of article 258 of the Civil Code,
where any relevant document contains a force majeure
clause which specifies the exclusive events that constitute a
force majeure event, then such force majeure clause will be
valid, binding and enforceable between the parties to that
document and no such party will be entitled to seek relief
pursuant to article 256 of the Civil Code in respect of any
event that does not fall within the exclusive definition of
force majeure contained in that document.
Doha, West Bay.
It is therefore very important to indeed include force
majeure clauses in any contract carefully drafted to cover
all relevant scenarios in order to protect the international
contractor.
Exclusion of Liability
It might be advisable to exclude certain liability contractually.
With regards to the exclusions of liability, article 259 of
the Civil Code is stating that:
‘It may ... be agreed to exempt the debtor from any
responsibility arising from his failure to perform his
contractual obligation save what may arise from his
fraud or gross mistake [gross negligence].’
Therefore, any contractual exclusion of liability (whether
arising directly from failure or delay in performance or as a
consequence thereof) should be valid, binding and (subject
to the usual qualifications as to enforceability) enforceable
save that it will not operate to exclude liability for fraud or
gross negligence (other than, if expressly so stated, of the
relevant party’s employees) or for an unlawful act.
Doctrine of ‘Imprévision’
Some exceptional events, however, not qualified as force
majeure events, may threaten the international contractor
with heavy loss.
Article 171 of the Civil Code contains a mandatory
provision of Qatar law which, according to the translation
in our possession, reads:
‘... should any general exceptional events occur which
events could not be foreseen, and as a consequence of
which the performance of the contractual obligation,
though not impossible, has become a heavy burden to
the debtor threatening him with excessive loss, the
judge may, according to circumstances, and after comparison
between the interest of both parties, reduce the
onerous obligation to a reasonable extent. Any agreement
to the contrary shall be void.’
This rule has its roots in the civil law doctrine of ‘imprévision’
and similar rules will be found in the laws of various other
Arab countries. It should, however, be noted that the event
must be ‘general’, ‘exceptional’ and ‘could not be foreseen’.
The performance must have become a ‘heavy burden’
Special Topics 138/139

threatening ‘excessive loss’ and the judge must carry out a
‘comparison between the interests of both parties’ before he
‘may reduce the onerous obligation to a reasonable extent’.
Decennial Liability
Many international contractors are not aware of the fact
that main contractors and design consultants are liable,
without fault, for the cost of rectifying structural defects
that appear in a building or structure within ten years of
handover (‘decennial liability’). This is the effect of article
711 of the Qatari Civil Code.
Although contractual liability (e.g. for negligent design
or defective workmanship) continues under local law for a
period of 15 years, decennial liability pursuant to article
711 of the Civil Code is strict; it is not necessary to provide
any negligence or breach of contract.
The key points to note about decennial liability pursuant
to article 711 of the Civil Code are:
• No fault is necessary in order for liability to arise.
• Trigger events are total or partial collapse of the
building and/or a defect threatening the stability or
safety of the structure.
• Contractors and consultants are jointly and severally
liable.
• Liability attaches notwithstanding that the collapse of
defect is caused by subsurface conditions or that the
building owner approved the defective work.
• Claims for compensation must be commenced within
three years of the collapse or discovery of the defect
(article 714 of the Civil Code).
• Buildings or structures, the life cycle of which is less than
ten years, attract liability for the duration of that life cycle.
• Agreements purporting to exclude decennial liability
are void (article 715 of the Civil Code).
• Contractors/consultants are unable to pass the risk of
decennial liability down to subcontractors/subconsultants.
A consultant that has prepared designs but has not
administered the construction contract is liable only for
design errors, not for defective workmanship (article 712 of
the Civil Code). Overseeing the construction phase results
in the consultant being jointly and severally liable with the
contractor for design and workmanship.
Decennial liability falls outside the scope of the standard
cover provided by contractors’ all risks and professional
indemnity insurance and, therefore, is generally uninsured.
In some jurisdictions, notably France and Egypt, from which
the principle of decennial liability has found its way into the
Qatari Civil Code, specific insurance is mandatory.
Consultants carrying professional indemnity insurance
may be surprised to learn that this will often not be adequate
to cover the risk presented by decennial liability. First, the
level of indemnity must be sufficient to meet the losses
caused by a structural defect, including one caused, for
example, by subsurface conditions. It is not unheard of for
such defects to result in a structure having to be demolished
and rebuilt.
Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, many
professional indemnity policies provide cover against
negligent errors and omissions only. As decennial liability
arises without evidence of negligence, it is by no means
certain that such policies will respond to such claims. The
increasing value, complexity and speed of projects in Qatar
raises an ever greater chance that a contractor and consultant
will be unfortunate enough to accrue a liability pursuant to
article 711 of the Civil Code without fault. This prospect
should be sufficient to cause decennial liability to feature in
risk assessments and mitigation conducted by consultants
and contractors on such projects.
Insurance Law
Given the risks described above international contractors
may seek insurance.
It should be noted that article 44 of the Qatar Insurance
Law No. 1 of 1966 provides that:
‘No natural or juristic person shall directly insure
outside Qatar any real estate or personal property
which is situated in Qatar and it is obligatory for such
insurance to be placed with one of the national
insurance companies.’
It is, nevertheless, common practice and permitted by Qatar
law with regard to major risks, to require the relevant
national insurance company to reinsure the vast majority
(there being no stipulated maximum for this) of the risk in
an acceptable international market and, when appropriate,
to arrange for the reinsurances to be directly enforceable by
the insured or its assignee. Any so-called ‘cut-through’
clause endorsed on or contained in the reinsurance
documentation for this purpose will be legal, valid, binding
and enforceable in accordance with its terms.
Proven technology: parabolic troughs.
Jürgen Hogrefe, Advisor to the Executive
Board Solar Millennium AG
Photos: Langrock/Solar Millennium
Solar Energy: The Future
Has Begun. In Kuraymat, Egypt’s
A traveller heading south out of Cairo will pass hundreds of
tall flues pointing to the sky like warning index fingers,
spilling thick black smoke. This is where the bricks for the
relentlessly growing megacity on the Nile are baked. Nobody
is quite sure what kind of stuff they are burning here and
what exactly is blackening the air. A little farther down the
road, however, just over 90 km beyond the city limits, the
traveller can marvel at Egypt’s brilliant future of energy.
First Solar Energy Power
Plant Is Working
Brilliant Future of Energy
Giant mirror surfaces are forming a guard of honour,
aligned accurately to the tenth of a millimetre across
hundreds of metres. This is the first solar power plant of
modern Egypt. No less than 130,000 m² of mirror surface
have been mounted here, on an area of 600 by 900 m² – a
truly impressive industrial complex.
Special Topics 140/141

The Kuraymat power plant will use both solar energy and natural gas in hybrid.
The giant parabolic mirrors with a diameter of 7 m appear
to virtually invite the sun to provide Egypt with what it
needs most: energy. ‘It’s so beautiful to see the aesthetic
value energy production can also have,’ enthuses Salah
al-Din Abd el-Rahman in his office over a cup of tea. The
experienced engineer is the head of the Egyptian New and
Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), the owner of this
model power plant in the desert. The government agency
with headquarters in Cairo invited an international tender
in 2006. Now, just five years later, the NREA is able to
proudly present a model project.
‘ISCC Kuraymat’ is the power plant’s sober technical
name. The abbreviation stands for Integrated Solar
Combined-Cycle Power Plant. The complex combines a gas
and steam power plant that can deliver up to 150 MW with
a 20-MW solar field. The extreme solar radiation in
Kuraymat, amounting to about 2,400 kWh/m 2 per year,
allow the solar field to supply the national electricity grid
with about 55,000 MWh annually, equalling the demand of
approximately 15,000 households. The NREA is proud to
point out that as a side effect, about 20,000 t of CO 2 are
saved.
The Kuraymat plant uses parabolic trough technology.
Concave mirrors focus the solar radiation and direct it to
glass tubes called receivers or absorber tubes. At a diameter
of about 20 cm, they amount to a total length of about
20 km. They contain 400 m³ of a special synthetic fluid,
which is heated to approximately 400°C. Pumps convey the
hot fluid to a heat exchanger where the heat is converted
into steam. The steam, combined with the heat from the
gas burner, drives the turbine that generates the electricity.
This technique, called concentrating solar power or CSP,
is ideal for locations of intense solar radiation. The stronger
the solar radiation, the greater is the power plant’s efficiency.
Another advantage of this solar thermal technology lies in
the storability of this type of energy, as already successfully
practised in Spanish power plants. Instead of directly
generating electricity, the steam is used to heat a salty
substance called molten salt, which can retain the heat for
many hours. Thanks to these thermal storage devices, a
CSP power plant can produce electricity even at night and at
times when the sun is not shining or a sandstorm darkens
the sky. Electricity from CSP power plants is electricity that
is dispatchable
The solar field is truly high-tech. For optimal energy
recovery, the parabolic mirrors, mounted on huge steel
frames, follow the sun like sun worshippers made of glass.
Millimetre precision is key – the process is controlled by
high-performance computers. Should the bundled solar
radiation ever deviate from the ideal axis, the temperature
inside the tubes would drop dramatically, resulting in
significantly reduced electricity yield.
‘All test runs showed optimal results,’ project manager
Klaas Rühmann happily explains. The German engineer
has seen the power plant through its construction from
the very beginning. He praises the collaboration with the
Egyptian Orascom trust, which was in charge of the complex
structural and civil engineering works. The entire steel for
the giant facility was supplied by the Egyptian National
Steel Fabrication (NSF). Project manager Rühmann says,
he was impressed by book runner Orascom’s cooperative
work style and the high standards of the local engineers
and workers. The quality of the work, he says, was not just
comparable to similar facilities in Spain in many respects,
‘but even better in some aspects’.
Cooperating at Eye Level
This is indeed another benefit of the CSP technology: a large
portion of the plant construction works can be done by local
enterprises. This is all the more important for countries
in need of developing their national economies. CSP
technology allows for entirely new energy partnerships.
While Arab countries in the past had to import almost each
and every component of a new power plant from developed
countries – in the case of conventional power plants they
still have to – local and external partners are cooperating at
eye level when it comes to solar thermal plants.
In this way, the sun-rich countries of the MENA region
are empowered to gradually shed their traditional role in
the energy transfer. These countries, until recently reduced
to exporting oil and gas – in the best of cases – and having
to import the technology for their own energy production
from the industrial nations, are now beginning to participate
in technological terms. And once there is a surplus in solar
energy sometime in the future, the MENA countries will
be able to sell green electricity to Europe instead of oil and
gas.
This strategic consideration, by the way, is the foundation
of the Desertec concept, which assumes that Europe will
by 2050 import about 15% of its energy in the form of
green electricity from the MENA region. Some people still
consider Desertec but a future vision. Here in Kuraymat,
however, this future has already begun. Power plants such
as the one in Kuraymat will enable Egypt to not only cover
its own energy demand in the next decades but also supply
Europe with power from the desert in the farther future –
so earning money with clean and sustainable energy.
Nevertheless: even with this technology, some hightech
components still have to be supplied by the industrialised
countries. The turbine, for instance. The glass for the
mirrors in Kuraymat was contributed by the German
company Flabeg. All the same, such mirrors could also be
produced locally. Once a profitable market for solar mirrors
is established in the region, it will be economic to have
corresponding factories in the MENA countries themselves.
The absorber tubes are supplied by the German Schott
AG. Schott is one of the few companies worldwide that are
able to manufacture these high-tech tubes – the precision
devices made of glass and metal must withstand temperature
differences of several hundred degrees. Moreover, the
pumps and valves were imported from abroad. The bulk of
the power plant, however, is ‘local content’.
Local content up 60%.
Special Topics 142/143

The solar plant was designed and engineered by the Colognebased
company Flagsol. Flagsol is the technology subsidiary
of Solar Millennium, a German designer, manufacturer
and operator of solar power plants. Established in 1998,
this enterprise is one of the pioneers of the CSP industry
worldwide and, meanwhile, possibly one of its leading
players too.
In Spain, Solar Millennium has developed the three
Andasol 1–3 solar plants with a total output of 150 MW.
A fourth one is currently under construction. The Spanish
plants are ‘extremely successful’, says Dr. Christoph Wolff,
CEO at Solar Millennium. In Morocco, Solar Millennium
recently passed the prequalification for a 125 MW CSP
power plant. In the U.S.A., the German enterprise is looking
at another enormous project: in the Californian desert near
a place called Blythe, CSP plants with a total output of
approximately 1,000 MW are to be built, with an output
equalling that of a large nuclear power plant. This megaplant
will cost about $5.5 billon.
In comparison, the costs of the Egyptian Kuraymat
power plant are rather modest. They are estimated to total
about €250 million, 30% of which go into the solar field.
The World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has
contributed a grant of $49 million towards the incremental
cost of solar electricity generation. Obviously, the World
Special cleaning vehicles ensure that the mirrors collect the most positive amount of solar irradiation.
Bank understands the many benefits of the CSP technology
for the MENA countries, in particular the fact that a major
part of the works can be delivered by local enterprises,
thus allowing for a large proportion of the value added to
be retained in the country. Consequently, the World Bank
will promote similar projects in other countries in the
future. These subventions also make CSP plants attractive
in countries where the price of electricity is subsidised by
the government.
The Solar Millennium engineers are proud of their first
reference power plant in the Arab region. They are looking
forward to a run of visitors once the plant is online. All
technical questions have been answered. Even the dust issue
has been solved. Small vehicles can, on demand, clean the
mirrors over night whenever too much dust has collected
on them. One cleaning will require 40 m 3 of water – in
Kuraymat it will come from the river Nile nearby. In arid
regions, however, it will be possible to collect and recycle
the cleaning water. The future has begun.
For the next two years, five Solar Millennium employees
will stay in Kuraymat to supervise the operation and
maintenance of the plant. After that, the facility will be
completely handed over to the Egyptians. ‘I have no concerns
in that respect,’ says project manager Klaas Rühmann. ‘The
Egyptian colleagues are doing a terrific job even now.’
Wacker Academy seminar in Jordan with Dr. Mohammed Taleb Obaidat,
Minister of Public Works and Housing; and the Jordan Concrete Association.
Wacker’s academy concept dates back to early 2007, when the
company opened its first training centre for VINNAPAS ®
dispersions and dispersible polymer powders at its production
site in Burghausen, Germany. The Academy’s success
encouraged Wacker to broaden the centres’ curriculum to
include other areas of group expertise, and to open new
Academy sites in China, India, Russia, Singapore and in
the United States. The Wacker Academy in Dubai which
opened in 2010, is closely linked to the local technical centre
and makes use of the unique insights gained by Wacker
through its presence in the Middle East over the last ten
years.
Wacker Academy
Dubai
‘Learning from the past for the future’, is the Wacker
Academy’s motto as it integrates the group’s vast wealth
of knowledge and expertise into a unique concept for
specialised training courses. The emphasis is placed on
comprehensive construction-chemicals training which, in
addition to polymer chemistry, now also covers subjects
related to silicone applications. The expanded programme
has more interdisciplinary training such as seminars on
energy-efficient building and masonry protection.
As a market leader, Wacker set up the Wacker Academy
to convey its many years of knowledge and expertise
in research, development and product applications. The
Special Topics 144/145

Wacker Academy is also an ideal platform for sharing
expertise, cultivating contacts and creating new networks.
Seminars are held by in-house and external experts as well
as university lecturers.
All training and competence centres are directly
affiliated with a Wacker technical centre. The proximity
to development and test laboratories promotes the active
exchange of expertise and gives participants access to onsite
tours and testing. In addition, the collaboration with inhouse
research facilities, universities and institutes ensures
that the seminars always reflect the very latest scientific
findings.
The Wacker Academy in Dubai will continue its efforts
in 2011, to bring awareness on sustainable constructions
through joint tailor-made seminars with governmental
entities, influencer and decision-makers in the region.
For more information,
check out our website at www.wacker.com.
Wacker Academy Dubai hosts a customised training related to construction chemicals for engineering students of the American University of Sharjah College.
Bird´s eye view of Central Business Campus and the centred Cultural Forum
from north.
Joachim Schares,
AS&P – Albert Speer & Partner GmbH
Background
The Middle East and in particular Egypt have been
undergoing rapid urban transformation since the beginning
of the 90s and in particular after the millennium. As a
result of fast population growth and the highest urban
densities in the world many Middle Eastern cities have
become more and more attractive to speculators, encouraging
them to enter the regional real-estate market. The
subsequent liberalisation that has been put into place by
governments in the Middle East has accelerated the growth
A New Approach
to Master Planning
in the MENA Region – the
Case of Greater Cairo
of real-estate bubbles in many Arab cities, leading to a new
kind of urbanisation in the region. While in the past the
physical planning of new settlement areas was solely the
responsibility of the public sector, the exponential demand
for development sites has led to privatisation and thus the
decentralisation of urban governance.
Consequently, developers have become the driving
force shaping new city expansions and even entire cities
on vacant land. In this regard, accessibility has often been
the key factor defining the direction of urban growth. In
the case of Cairo, the private sector has focused on urban
Special Topics 146/147

expansion areas in the east due to the existing access to
the main business districts in central Cairo and to the
International Airport. In many places the common practice
of isolated decisions made case by case for individual
master plans of large-scale projects has led to a patchwork
structure with insufficient integration of mixed land uses,
public infrastructure and services. Moreover, the lack of
cohesion between developments has led to an inefficient
urban structure without any clear definition of centres and
subcentres. Thus, the disregard of central planning as the
basis for urban development has led to increasing deficits,
manifested in particular by growing traffic congestion.
Another development tendency is the growing social
segregation of income groups. Land prices have grown
exponentially in certain areas while other places have taken
on the status of neighbourhoods solely for lower income
groups. In the case of metro Cairo this segregation can be seen
in two satellite cities on each side of the river Nile – New
Cairo and 6th of October City. After their founding in the
70s, these cities developed in opposite directions. While in
the west New Cairo became the home of gated communities
for upper income groups, 6th of October City has developed
into a satellite city with a focus on industries but also with
a high percentage of social housing areas. Today, both cities
are undergoing major extensions, and it is expected that
their urban areas will have more than doubled by 2030.
Strategic Master Plan for
6th of October City
Due to the speed and size of recent developments the
establishment of an integrated and cohesive urban landscape
has become the major challenge for any physical planning
effort. As more and more threats to developments are
appearing the implementation of comprehensive plans and
strategies to guide future urban growth has become
increasingly necessary. In 2009, the General Organisation
of Physical Planning (GOPP) engaged the Egyptian
consultancy Archplan and AS&P to develop a new strategic
master plan for 6th of October City that will correct
undesired developments as well as guide future urban
growth within its extension areas. Subsequently, the new
development strategy was prepared over the course of two
distinct stages of planning, namely, a general zoning plan
covering around 100 km 2 and a master plan for the new
Central Business District covering around 500 ha.
In the case of the planning of new city extensions, one
major challenge is how the newly planned and already
existing urban areas should be linked in order that they
both benefit from new facilities and amenities. Thus, a
sustainable master planning approach cannot be reduced
to the preparation of road maps for new development sites.
Rather, it must react to and integrate the existing built
environment as well as parallel developments such as social
housing programmes in the case of 6th of October City.
Subsequently, the new strategic plan integrates concepts for
an overall transportation network and open space corridors
interlinking city districts in order to establish a cohesive
urban structure.
A further aspect of strategic planning in many Middle
Eastern metropolises is determining a main city centre and
subcentres. In the case of 6th of October City, new extension
areas in the south would make the business district in the
north lose its central location. Thus, a new regional business
centre has been introduced between the existing urban area
and the new city extension. The size of the new city centre
has to accommodate an expected population of more than
three million inhabitants by 2030, a significant increase
from the current population of 500,000. While the main
commercial, cultural and social services will be located in the
new city centre, each district will contain sufficient mixeduse
areas and integrated services within neighbourhoods.
The main strategic land-use concept consists of the
allocation of mixed-use areas along main roads within each
district in order to prevent monofunctional urban areas that
can lead to large distances between working places, services
and residences.
In order to allow a gradual and phased development a
network of connected but self-contained urban cells has
to be established by homogeneously distributing uses
and densities. Thus, the planning area of 6th of October
City has been zoned into seven distinct districts, in each
of which around 70,000 inhabitants will reside in nine
neighbourhoods. While areas along main roads within the
district centres have been designated for commercial use and
main services, most services for day-to-day demands have
been placed in the centre of each neighbourhood. In addition
to the allocation of land uses and services the distribution
of urban densities is another important tool in establishing
an efficient urban structure. Therefore, neighbourhoods
with medium to high urban densities are located in the
centre of each district where the best accessibility is provided
by main roads. This focus on the development of a clear
urban structure with mixed land uses and densities enables
the integration of an efficient public transport system and
thus reduces car dependency.
Planning for sustainable urban development in the Middle
East includes further important aspects such as promoting
gentrification. In the case of 6th of October City it is crucial
to integrate neighbourhoods for upper income groups in
order to support the development of a balanced socioeconomic
environment. This, however, will depend on the
successful economic diversification of the city so that in
addition to its current industrial capacity it can also act as a
service hub within Greater Cairo. Thus, the plan for a new
city centre is based on two major objectives, namely, the
provision of sufficient space for businesses and the
integration of a landmark urban design creating a new
identity. The landmark urban design consists of a central
park with integrated commercial and cultural facilities
surrounded by the main business spine. The main objective
of this design is to establish a public space that will become
a landmark and thus a main identification point of 6th of
October City. This way of placemaking addresses the
current lack of public leisure space and provides high
economic development potential through the business areas
placed close to the central park and its public attractions.
Outlook
The successful implementation of a new strategic master
plan such as the one for 6th of October City mainly depends
on the integration of the private sector and its interests.
Therefore, AS&P and its partners have designed a master
plan to be a foundation on which key guidelines aiming at
a more balanced urban growth and the creation of a new
identity to attract investment will be decided. This new
approach opposes the patchwork style of development in
which large-scale projects are built without following a
general framework of regulations causing an increasing
lack of cohesion and a subsequent loss of sustainability and
liveability. In recent years, the decentralisation of Cairo
within its metro area has reached new dimensions, leading
to a major challenge for urban governance of introducing
an efficient urban structure. Thus, alternative strategies
for development such as the enforcement of public-private
partnerships will be required to implement plans of this
scale successfully.
6th of October City has the chance to become a model of
how this decentralisation process within Greater Cairo can
be managed more successfully by implementing a clear
structure of centres and subcentres. Hence it could serve as
prototype for many urbanisation processes in the Middle
East. The integrated planning approach includes networks
of public transport and open spaces as well as mixed land
uses and balanced urban densities. In the future, the satellite
cities of Cairo will have to gain more independence in order to
establish a structure of self-contained urban cells, evading
the danger of becoming anonymous parts of a more and more
segregated urban landscape. This decentralised centralisation
however can only be achieved if local and regional decisionmakers
cooperate in all aspects of future urbanisation.
Today, the establishment of an integrated development
strategy in order to encourage balanced and consolidated
urban growth has become the biggest challenge of urbanism
in the Middle East. While restrictions on the private
sector would be necessary for this, the pressure to attract
investors forces decentralisation and liberalisation to
continue. Subsequently, a major challenge for urban
governance is to produce comprehensive plans that integrate
various development strategies in addition to a system of
implementation that provides flexibility and effectiveness.
Thus, urban governance is currently reaching a turning
point in which a laissez-faire attitude toward developers
must be replaced by central planning efforts based on
economic diversification strategies integrating the interests
of the private sector.
Conceptual master plan (new city centre and surrounding residential and mixeduse
areas).
Special Topics 148/149

The independent international experts
for all questions concerning high-rise
buildings, underground, soil and rock,
groundwater, geothermal energy and
tunnelling
Activities:
Peer Review Reports
Experts’ reports
Consulting · Design
Research · Development
Soil mechanics · Rock mechanics
Soil-Structure Interaction
Geothermics
Environmental geotechnics
Foundations’ Consulting
Foundation for high-rise buildings
Deep Excavations · Tunnelling
Historical buildings
Embankments · Dikes
Groundwater management
Landfills · Contaminations
Geotechnical monitoring
Analysis of structural damages
INGENIEURSOZIETÄT PROFESSOR DR.-ING. KATZENBACH GMBH
PUBLICLY CERTIFIED AND APPROVED EXPERTS FOR GEOTECHNICS ACCORDING TO BUILDING LAW
65931 Frankfurt am Main/Germany 64293 Darmstadt/Germany 69469 Weinheim/Germany 01021 Kiev / Ukraine
Pfaffenwiese 14A Robert-Bosch-Straße 9 Wachenbergstraße 13 Klovskiy spusk 3
Telefon:+49 69 / 9 36 22 30 Telefon: +49 6151 / 1 30 13 10 Telefon: +49 6201 / 25 83 36 Telefon +38 044 / 495 92 65
Head Quarter: Frankfurt am Main � Trade Register No HRB 51538 � USt-IDNr.: DE 213095261 � certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001
Internet: http://www.katzenbach-ingenieure.de � E-Mail: sekretariat@katzenbach-ingenieure.de
Figure 1: Types of bridge pier foundations.
Enhanced Design and
Construction Technologies
for a Sustainable Infrastructure
and the Foundation of
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Katzenbach,
Ingenieursozietät Professor Dr.-Ing. Katzenbach GmbH
High-Rise Buildings
Special Topics 150/151

Sustainable Infrastructure
For a sustainable infrastructure system an economic and
environment-friendly design is necessary. The World
Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
defined sustainability as follows: ‘Sustainable development
meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.’ Sustainability, thus, merges social, ecological and
economical aims.
By means of enhanced design and construction
technologies the construction material used, construction
time spend, energy consumed and ecological effects can be
reduced within the infrastructure’s construction and service
time. Infrastructure mainly covers the organisation of the
following four different aspects:
• Traffic
• Energy
• Water
• Waste
On the one hand sustainable traffic organisation is the
development of suitable public transportation like metros
and railways in concurrence to the individual motorised
traffic, on the other hand it also covers the organisation
of the goods traffic (railway, road and waterway systems,
harbours and airports).
The reduction of oil and gas resources and the urgent
need of reducing CO 2 emissions promotes the search for
Figure 2: European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main/Germany.
environmental-friendly and resource-friendly regenerative
energies as solar, wind and geothermal energy.
Enhanced Geotechnics in
Infrastructure Projects
In all infrastructure projects geotechnical engineering is
needed. For example, soil improvement and adequate bridge
foundations for long distance viaducts give possibilities to
minimise settlements of high-speed railway lines. One of
our numerous outstanding studies is the planned ‘Qatar–
Bahrain Friendship Causeway’. It is planned as a bridge
construction of 40 km length.
Three different types of bridge pier foundations are
currently considered: spread foundations, pile foundations
or Combined Pile Raft foundations (CPRF) (figure 1).
Our foundation design with the CPRF leads to an
enormous cost reduction combined with the guarantee that
no quality and safety reduction will occur.
Cost-Optimised Foundation
of High-Rise Buildings
The design concept of the CPRF is based on advanced
calculation methods and on the monitoring of the foundation
performance within the concept of the observational
method. The CPRF has been successfully used for many
high-rise building projects. Two outstanding case studies
are the Main Tower and the European Central Bank
(figure 2), both in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
There is a high potential in cost reduction compared to a
conventional pile foundation. For example, the costs for
the pile production of the Main Tower could be reduced
by US$3.9 million while those for the pile production for
the European Central Bank could be reduced by US$9.2
million.
The design of a CPRF takes into account the complex
soil-structure interaction effects. Piles are used up to a load
level which is much higher than conventional permissible
design values for bearing capacities of comparable single
piles because the performance of the entire structure is
evaluated.
Positive effects of the CPRF are:
• Reduction of settlements, differential settlements and tilts
• Increase of the overall stability of the foundation
• Reduction of the bending stress for the foundation raft
• Cost-optimisation of the whole foundation
Geothermal Energy
enerGy Piles
Temperature[°C Temperature[°C Temperature C ]
]
F F rankfurt rankfurt am am Main, Main, G G ermany ermany
Abu Abu Dhabi, Dhabi, U.A.E U.A.E .
.
J a n F eb Ma r Apr Ma i J un J ul Aug S ep Oct Nov Dec
MAX Ambie nt te mpe rature MIN Ambie nt te mpe rature
ME AN S oil te mpe rature
Figure 3: Comparison of geothermal potential in Germany and UAE.
Focused on near-surface geothermal energy, the main field
of application of geothermal facilities is the temperature
conditioning in buildings. For this, heat exchangers are
installed in the ground. Generally, all earth-touching parts
of the structure can act as heat exchangers. Deep foundation
structures, deep pit linings, but also tunnel linings may
be thermally activated. For this activation, temperature
Temperature[°C Temperature[°C Temperature C ]
]
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
J a n F eb Ma r Apr Ma i J un J ul Aug S ep Oct Nov Dec
absorber pipes are fastened to the reinforcement inside the
concrete structure before the concreting process.
The difference in temperature between the fluid and the
surrounding soil causes a temperature equalisation by which
the thermal energy is transferred into the soil respectively
out of it. By seasonally extracting and depositing energy the
subsoil can be used as a seasonal thermal storage, charged
respectively discharged similar to an accumulator.
An optimised process consists of two different services
for winter and summer (figure 3).
Figure 4: FE model of an energy pile.
Special Topics 152/153

The complex geothermal processes are simulated with
numerical models to prevent a change in thermal subsoil
conditions in the surrounding soil over the serviceability
time (figure 4).
enerGy Piles in enGineerinG Practice
In the centre of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, the highrise
building project ‘PalaisQuartier’ has been realised. The
construction was finished in 2009.
With regard to the cost efficiency a total of 392 foundation
and retaining wall piles were thermally activated. A total
heating and cooling power of nearly 1,000 kW is available
by the thermal usage of the subsoil via energy piles.
The annually moved energy quantity of the energy
pile system is 2,350 MWh/a for heating operation and
2,410 MWh/a for cooling operation. The seasonal thermal
P ower output of foundation- foundation and
retainigwall-piles
retainigwall piles [kW]
storage operation of the system is thus perfectly balanced
(figure 5). We have simulated the geothermal storage with
three-dimensional numerical calculations with coupled
groundwater flow and heat transport models based on the
Finite-Element Method (FEM).
Geotechnical Monitoring
oBservational methoD
The observational method is a combination of the common
geotechnical investigations together with the theoretical
modelling and a plan of contingency actions. Overall the
observational method is an institutionalised controlling
instrument to verify the soil mechanical modelling and a
well-established quality assurance procedure.
Winter operation: operation
2,350 MWh/a MWh/a
(heating ( heating)
S ummer operation: operation
2,410 MWh/a MWh/a
(cooling ( cooling)
Max. capacity: capacity : 913 kW
Figure 5: Power output for PalaisQuartier over one year.
Figure 6: TBM in the entrance area of the tunnel.
oBservational methoD in tunnellinG Practice
The successful application of the observational method was
realised for example for the 5.6 km long high-speed railway
tunnel in the city centre of Barcelona. The tunnel passes
directly next to the famous church of Sagrada Familia in a
horizontal distance of only 4 m in a depth of approximately
36 m.
The church belongs to the World Heritage Properties of
the UNESCO. It is still under construction.
To ensure the highest possible safety for this
extraordinary historical building we defined as UNESCO
experts special requirements in control and construction in
accordance to the observational method. The 11.55 m wide
tunnel was constructed with a German Herrenknecht TBM
with EPB-shield under our supervision on instruction of
the UNESCO (figure 6).
The maximum measured settlements of Sagrada Familia
induced by the tunnel construction are extremely small and
are less than 0.2 cm – a great success for the construction
and supervision concept.
Conclusions
The high demand of infrastructure in the fast growing
megacities enables large and ambitious infrastructure
projects in all sectors. To ensure the sustainability of
those infrastructure systems enhanced design and
construction technologies must be included in all project
phases. Concerning tunnelling for example, the consequent
application of the observational method minimises the
impact on the numerous high-rise buildings in the city
centres. The geothermal activation of structural elements
for heating and cooling purposes is a reliable way of
reducing the operation costs and the environmental impact
of the operation of buildings and infrastructure facilities.
Special Topics 154/155

List of Contributors
Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce
and Industry
Building Bridges between Germany and the Arab World
aBout us
The Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the
competence centre for business relations between Germany and the Arab
world. It was founded in 1976 on the initiative of Arab as well as German
decision-makers and since 1 August 2000, it is located in Berlin. The Board
of Directors and the Executive Board equally consist of German and Arab
members. This guarantees balance and mutual trust. Not only major
German and Arab enterprises are among our members, numerous small
and medium-sized enterprises complete our top-class network.
our netWork
The Ghorfa operates under the umbrella of the General Union of Chambers
of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries and acts as the
official representative of all Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry in
Germany. Our chamber works closely with the Arab embassies in
Germany, the Arab League and related governmental bodies in the Arab
states. It is part of the worldwide organisation of Arab foreign Chambers of
Commerce and Industry. The Ghorfa cooperates with German
governmental bodies on federal and regional level and the most important
German industrial associations.
What We Do
We actively promote and strengthen business relationships among our
members and within the wider Arab and German business community.
We pave the way for stronger business cooperation in the fields of trade,
industry, finance and investment between Arab and German business
partners. Strategic partnerships based on mutual benefit and understanding
create new business opportunities to facilitate economic benefits for both
sides. We therefore mainly focus on networking, communication and on
providing information about relevant economic and industrial
developments.
netWorkinG
• Quick access to decision-makers from industry and politics
• Organisation of delegation visits
• Organisation of events, conferences and further contact platforms
(e.g. German-Arab Business, Energy, Tourism, Health, Education and
Vocational Training)
• Ghorfa joint booths at major Arab and German trade fairs
• Promoting member services and products to a wider business community
consultinG
• Connecting with matching business partners
• General and business-related intercultural consulting
• Country and branch specific analysis
• Mediation and arbitration in cases of business disputes
• Advice and guidance through the multitude of offers and competing
products on the German and Arab market
• Comprehensive and detailed market information about Germany and
the 22 Arab states
• Visa support
information
• Early information about projects and tenders
• Monthly issued Arabic and German newsletters
• Quarterly bilingual business magazine SOUQ
• Arab-German Trade Directory providing over 6,000 yearly updated
company profiles
• Arab-German Yearbooks that focus on industry-sector specific topics
• Information on the latest economic developments, markets and sectors,
legal and political background
We welcome you to become part of the high-level network that we
provide for professionals and business leaders from the Arab world
and Germany.
Join us and share our vision of prospering Arab-German business
relations.
For further information concerning membership in our chamber please
contact us:
Ghorfa
Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry e.V.
Garnisonkirchplatz 1
D-10178 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 278907-0
Fax: +49 30 278907-49
E-mail: ghorfa@ghorfa.de
Internet: www.ghorfa.de
List of Contributors 156/157

ALLSAT
Project:
Environmental Monitoring Information System of Kuwait (eMISK)
Contact:
Siegfried Krüger, Managing Director
Am Hohen Ufer 3A
D-30159 Hannover
Tel: +49 511 30399-0
Fax: +49 511 30399-66
E-mail: siegfried.krueger@allsat.de
www.allsat.de
ALLSAT is a leading enterprise in GNSS applications, equipment and
consulting, distributing high-end surveying and navigation solutions by
LEICA and JAVAD and offering highly specialised surveying services, in
particular in the areas of GNSS and deformation monitoring.
Amereller Rechtsanwälte
Project:
Legal Framework to Mitigate and Insure Risks in Construction and
Infrastructure Projects in the Arab World. The Law of the State of Qatar
Contact:
Oliver Alexander
Maedler Haus
Friedrichstr. 58
D-10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 609 8956-60
Fax: +49 30 609 8956-69
E-mail: oa@amereller.com
www.amereller.com
Amereller – Rechtsanwälte is an international law firm with particular
focus on corporate and commercial law in the Middle East. The firm
represents more than half of the DAX 30 enterprises and advises on the
entire spectrum of business law relevant to foreign companies.
The firm maintains offices in Munich, Berlin, Cairo, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah,
Damascus, Baghdad, Basrah and Erbil.
AS&P – Albert Speer & Partner GmbH
architects, planners
Project:
2022 FIFA World Cup Awarded to Qatar – the Concepts for It Were
Developed in Frankfurt
A New Approach to Master Planning in the MENA Region –
the Case of Greater Cairo
Contact:
Vera Deus, Head of PR Department
AS&P – Albert Speer & Partner GmbH
Hedderichstr. 108–110
D-60596 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49 69 605011-0
Fax: +49 69 605011-500
E-mail: mail@as-p.de
www.as-p.de
AS&P combines innovative methods in architecture, urban design and
transportation planning to provide clients with holistic solutions. AS&P
can draw on many decades of experience in designing and managing
international planning projects. The company’s portfolio likewise includes
regional development and project management through to megaevent
planning and expert consultancy for politicians.
ATKON AG
Project:
FIFA World Cup 2022 Application by Qatar. Exhibition and Media
Pavilion
Contact:
Sven Woerner
Leipziger Platz 8
D-10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 347474-334
Fax: +49 30 347474-401
Cell: +49 163 5751334
E-mail: s.woerner@atkon.de
ATKON AG, as a communication company, is among the top 20
communication agencies in Germany. Moving-image communication,
public relations and live communication are intelligently combined, with
regard to technology, organisation and content. In this way, long-term,
efficient communication solutions are created with passion and commitment
for companies, brands and locations.
Bilfinger Berger Ingenieurbau GmbH
Project:
The New Naga Hammadi Barrage
Contact:
Mr Uwe Krenz, Tel: +49 172 6345870
Mr Henri Lyachenko, Tel: +49 611 708966
Bilfinger Berger Ingenieurbau GmbH
Gustav-Nachtigal-Str. 3
D-65189 Wiesbaden
Bilfinger Berger Ingenieurbau GmbH, as a group member of Bilfinger
Berger SE, is one of the world’s most renowned and reliable infrastructure
providers. With highly specialized units and leading technologies,
innovations and the necessary cultural and social expertise, Bilfinger
Berger provides interdisciplinary solutions from a single source.
dan pearlman Markenarchitektur GmbH
Project:
FIFA World Cup 2022 Application by Qatar. Exhibition and Media
Pavilion
Contact:
Diana Kaufmann | Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications
Kiefholzstr. 1
D-12435 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 530005-60
Fax: +49 30 530005-88
E-mail: office@danpearlman.com
www.danpearlman.com
dan pearlman is a strategic creative agency of 40 people, working
interdisciplinary across the areas of brand and leisure, strategy and
implementation. The agency differentiates itself through its holistic
approach, combining strengths from twelve different fields: Branding,
Research & Innovation, Internal Branding, Brand Experiences, Fairs &
Events, Retail, Visual Communication, Motion, Public Relations,
Hospitality, Leisure and Zoo.
Diehl Middle East FZE
Project:
Multiutility Metering Solution for the Souk of Beirut
Contact:
Mohamad Hoteit
P.O. Box 261507
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel: +97 14 8849-237
Fax: +97 14 8849-239
E-mail: service@diehl-middle-east.ae
www.diehl-middle-east.ae
DIEHL Metering Group with its subsidiaries Hydrometer, Hydrometer
Electronic, Diehl Middle East, EVB, Diehl Gas Metering, Sappel, MOM and
Mirometr designs, develops and produces metering solutions for water,
thermal energy, gas and electricity which cover the whole of today’s energy
spectrum – including integrated communications capability to meet the
high economic and ecological requirements of the third millennium.
Dornier Consulting GmbH
Project:
From Khartoum to Port Sudan: Construction of a New Railway Line
Contact:
Ralf Allrich, Director Railways
Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 2
D-10115 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 253991-91
Fax: +49 30 253991-99
Cell: +49 151 52630101
E-mail: ralf.allrich@dornier-consulting.com
www.dornier-consulting.com
Dornier Consulting is an internationally recognised consulting, engineering
and project management company for traffic, transportation, infrastructure
and the environment/water. Through innovative consulting, advanced
engineering and professional project management, Dornier Consulting
realises forward-looking solutions for sustainable mobility and the
environment.
Dorsch Holding GmbH
Project:
The Master Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 – a Blueprint for a Modern
Arab Society
Contact:
Kerstin Schneider, Head of Marketing and Public Relations
Berliner Str. 74–76
D-63065 Offenbach
List of Contributors 158/159

Dorsch Holding GmbH – DC Abu Dhabi
Project:
Jebel Hafeet Glacier Development Al Ain. Emiratis Housing
Development (EHD)
Contact:
Michael Kadow, General Manager
Salam Street
P.O. Box 26417
Abu Dhabi
U.A.E.
Tel: +971 26 72-1923
Fax: +971 26 72-0809
E-mail: info@dorsch.ae
Dorsch International Consultants GmbH
Project:
Medina Airport
Contact:
Johannes Diplich
Hansastr. 20
D-80686 Munich
Tel: +49 89 5797-611
Fax: +49 89 5797-811
Dorsch Gruppe with its 1,800 employees is the largest independent
planning and consulting company in Germany, working in more than 140
countries. Dorsch Gruppe was founded in 1951 and offers the entire
performance spectrum in the fields of project development, structural
engineering, industrial construction, urban planning, water, transport and
environment.
Kuwait Environment Public Authority
Project:
Environmental Monitoring Information System of Kuwait (eMISK)
Contact:
Mr. Mohammad Al-Ahmad, Director of Environmental Inspection,
Monitoring and Emergencies Department
P.O. Box 24395
13104 Safat
State of Kuwait
Tel: +965 24839972
Fax: +965 24820593
E-mail: alahmad@emisk.org
www.epa.org.kw, www.emisk.org
Kuwait EPA is the government body responsible for the protection and
sustainability of the environment in Kuwait. Its major mandate is to set
the policy and strategies for environmental protection in Kuwait and to
ensure and monitor the compliance with such policies.
GISCON Solutions
Project:
Environmental Monitoring Information System of Kuwait (eMISK)
Contact:
Ahmed Talaat, Managing Director
Danziger Str. 31a
D-59174 Kamen
Tel: + 49 2307 97079-0
Fax: +49 2307 97079-1
E-mail: ahmed.talaat@giscon.de
www.giscon.de
GISCON is a GIS consulting and services firm with the focus on consultation
and technical support to users of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Focus areas are GIS, consulting, technical support, and training. GISCON
offers all services related to introduction, utilization and application of
GIS.
Ferrostaal AG
Project:
Recycling: Sustainable Pay-off
Contact:
Dr. Thomas Kaup
Hohenzollernstr. 24
D-45128 Essen
Tel: +49 201 818-2162
Fax: +49 201 818-3970
E-mail thomas.kaup@ferrostaal.com
Ferrostaal is a global provider of industrial services in plant construction
and engineering. As a technology-independent system integrator, the
company offers development and management of projects, financial
planning and construction services for turnkey industrial plants. In
addition, Ferrostaal assembles complex modules for the automotive
industry, and trades with machines and installations.
giz International Services
Project:
Energy-Efficient Housing in Syria
Contact:
Florentine Visser
MED-ENEC II Project Office
7 Tag El-Din El-Soubky Street
11631 Heliopolis, Cairo
Tel: +20 (0)2 2418 1578/9 (Ext. 108)
E-mail: florentine.visser@giz.de
www.med-enec.eu
‘Energy Efficiency in the Construction Sector in the Mediterranean’
(MED-ENEC) promotes practical and feasible energy-efficiency measures
and use of renewable energy in the construction sector. The project is
funded by the EU and includes policy development, awareness and
knowledge development on energy-efficient design of buildings, new
construction techniques and installations.
Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
Project:
Restorative Cleaning of the Colossi of Memnon
Contact:
Frank Schad, Head of Marketing/Public Relations and Environmental
Management
Alfred-Kärcher-Str. 28–40
D-71364 Winnenden
Tel: +49 7195 14-2684
Fax: +49 7195 14-2193
www.kaercher.com
Kärcher FZE – Quality Cleaning Equipment
P.O. Box 17416
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel: +971 4 8861177
Fax: +971 4 8861575
www.kaercher.ae
Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Winnenden near
Stuttgart, Germany, is the world’s largest manufacturer of cleaning
equipment. The family-owned company has more than 7,500 employees in
49 countries. Since 1998, its subsidiary in Dubai has been the direct contact
partner for customers in the Arab world. It is responsible for product sales
and for product, service and user training.
Ingenieursozietät Professor Dr.-Ing. Katzenbach GmbH
Project:
Enhanced Design and Construction Technologies for a Sustainable
Infrastructure and the Foundation of High-Rise Buildings
Contact:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Katzenbach, Managing Director
Ingenieursozietät
Professor Katzenbach GmbH
Pfaffenwiese 14a
D-65931 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49 69 9362230
Fax: +49 69 361049
E-mail: sekretariat@katzenbach-ingenieure.de
The Ingenieursozietät Professor Katzenbach GmbH is an internationally
acting consulting firm specialised in the field of geotechnical and
geothermal engineering. It is acting as a highly qualified geotechnical
expert for the cost-optimized foundation of high-rise buildings, deep
excavations, tunnels, high-speed railway lines, airports, harbour
engineering, environmental geotechnics and geothermal energy.
KfW Entwicklungsbank
Project:
Building Learning-Friendly Schools in the Palestinian Territories
Contact:
Frank Determann
Palmengartenstr. 5–9
D-60325 Frankfurt am Main
frank.determann@kfw.de
KfW Entwicklungsbank carries out Germany’s Financial Cooperation (FC)
on behalf of the Federal Government. In this way, it contributes not only
to reducing poverty but also to shaping globalisation fairly as well as to
protecting the environment and thus ensuring peace. The goals of Financial
Cooperation are ultimately to permanently improve the living conditions
of the world’s poorest people.
Kling Consult Planungs- und Ingenieurgesellschaft für Bauwesen mbH
Project:
King Road Tower Jeddah
Contact:
Kai Saloustros
Burgauer Str. 30
D-86381 Krumbach
Tel: +49 8282 994-228
Fax: +49 8282 994-110
E-mail: kai.saloustros@klingconsult.de
Kling Consult GmbH, located in Europe and the Middle East, is an
independent professional design consultancy company founded in
Germany 1954. Our fields of expertise include architecture, town planning,
urban designs, traffic engineering, transportation planning, project
management, economic, infrastructure design, planning, civil engineering,
technical assistance, training, and supervision of construction.
List of Contributors 160/161

Lahmeyer International GmbH
Project:
Wind Energy in Morocco – 50 MW at Haouma Site
Utility Scale Solar Electricity Generation from CSP and PV in Tunisia –
a Comprehensive Pre-Feasibility Study
Contact:
Dr. Andreas Wiese (Energy Division)
Bernd Metzger (Hydropower and Water Resources Division)
Michael Witt (Transportation Infrastructure)
Friedberger Str. 173
D-61118 Bad Vilbel
Tel: +49 6101 55-0
Fax: +49 6101 55-2222
E-mail: info@lahmeyer.de
www.lahmeyer.de
Lahmeyer International, as independent consulting engineers, renders a
wide range of planning, management and consultancy services, primarily
for complex infrastructure projects in energy, hydropower and water
resources as well as transportation infrastructure. More than 40 years of
successful development of all sizes and types of projects worldwide are the
basis of our expertise and capability.
Lufthansa Consulting GmbH
Project:
Aviation Consulting in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Contact:
Marlene Hollwurtel, Manager Public Relations
Von-Gablenz-Str. 2–6
D-50679 Cologne
Tel: +49 221 826-8101
Fax: +49 221 826-8263
E-mail: marlene.hollwurtel@lhconsulting.com
www.lhconsulting.com
Lufthansa Consulting is an aviation and management consulting firm and
provides services and solutions to the air transport industry worldwide.
Lufthansa Consulting is offering comprehensive expertise to aviationspecific
client groups: airlines, airports and aviation authorities,
governments, investors, financial institutions, manufacturers and service
related entities.
OBERMEYER Planen + Beraten GmbH
Project:
New Algiers Central Station Hamma, Algeria
Contact:
Dipl.-Ing. Architect Burkhard Junker
Hansastr. 40
D-80686 Munich
Tel: +49 89 5799-0
Fax: +49 89 5799-910
info@opb.de
www.opb.de
OBERMEYER Corporate Group operates throughout the world and offers
qualified specialist planning and integrated overall planning with
interdisciplinary know-how. Through its corporate divisions Buildings,
Transport and Environment it renders planning and advisory services in
almost every sphere of construction engineering. Project management
and construction supervision complement this scope of services.
p2m berlin GmbH
Project:
National Master Plan for Sanitary Engineering in the Kingdom of
Bahrain
Contact:
Dr. Hartmut Wesenfeld
p2m berlin GmbH
Fasanenstr. 7–8
D-10623 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 74735-0
Fax: +49 30 74735-105
E-mail: info@p2mberlin.de
www.p2mberlin.de
p2m berlin GmbH is the consulting engineering company of Berlinwasser
which offers services in water supply and sanitation, covering all project
stages from feasibility studies over design to construction supervision. We
apply the latest know-how on all aspects of water supply and wastewater
disposal and have completed many large-scale projects, both in Germany
and abroad, especially in the Middle East.
PASCHAL-Werk G. Maier GmbH
Project:
The Billion-Euro Project in Oman. Circular Girder and Custom
Formwork for an Ore Processing Plant
Contact:
Dipl.-Geol. Frank G. Gerigk, Press and Public Relations
Kreuzbühlstr. 5
D-77790 Steinach
Tel: +49 7832 71-286
Fax: +49 7832 71-209
E-mail: frank.gerigk@paschal.de
www.paschal.de
The PASCHAL Group is an international specialist for concrete formwork,
shoring systems and formwork design software. Present in more than 60
countries and based on its 46 years of experience, the group provides
comprehensive services for the construction of concrete: from the
development and production of high-performance formwork and shoring
systems to global distribution through to reliable service.
PTV Planung Transport Verkehr AG
Project:
Transport Master Plan for Qatar
Contact:
Dr. Uwe Reiter, Director International Consulting
PTV Planung Transport Verkehr AG
Leipziger Platz 14
D-10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 89718710
Cell: +49 170 4590004
Fax: +49 30 89718724
E-mail: uwe.reiter@ptv.de
The PTV Group with over 700 employees worldwide provides software and
consulting in Transport & Logistics, e.g. software for transport planning
PTV Vision (VISUM, VISSIM). PTV provides transport consulting
ranging from national transport plans to local traffic impact studies, e.g.
the National Transport Master Plan for Qatar, including road and rail
network and the national transport model.
z
Qatar Airways plc.
Project:
Qatar Airways – World’s Five-Star Airline
Zweigniederlassung Frankfurt
Schillerstr. 20
D-60313 Frankfurt
Tel: +49 180 5 728271 (€0,12/min from land lines; max. €0,42/min from mobiles)
Qatar Airways is the national airline of the State of Qatar. From its Dohahub,
the airline has developed a global network with over 100 destinations
across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and South
America. The award-winning carrier has one of the industry’s youngest
fleets with an average aircraft age of just under four years old.
schlaich bergermann und partner-sbp gmbh
Project:
Envelope of the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi
Contact:
Knut Göppert
Hohenzollernstr. 1
D-70178 Stuttgart
Tel: +49 711 648710
E-mail: stuttgart@sbp.de
www.sbp.de
schlaich bergermann und partner are independent consulting civil and
structural engineers. We strive to design sophisticated engineering
structures ranging from wide-span light-weight roofs, a diversity of
bridges and slender towers to innovative solar energy power plants. Our
ambitions are efficiency, beauty and ecology.
Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
Project:
Port of Beirut Development: Container Terminals
Contact:
Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Peetz
Teilfeld 5
D-20459 Hamburg
Tel: +49 40 361201-0
www.sellhorn-hamburg.de
Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH is an engineering consultancy
practice specialised in design and supervision for sea ports, harbours, and
marine works. Established in 1963, Sellhorn’s services comprise project
definition and feasibility studies, engineering design, approval procedures,
detailed design, preparation of tender documents, and construction
supervision.
Siemens AG
Project:
State-of-the-Art Signalling and Telecommunications Technology for a
Railway Line in Saudi Arabia
Contact:
Hartmut Gückel
List of Contributors 162/163

Siemens AG
Industry Sector
Mobility Division
Rail Automation
I MO RA ML 1
Ackerstr. 22
D-38126 Braunschweig
The Mobility Division (Berlin, Germany) within the Industry Sector of
Siemens AG is the leading global provider of transport and logistic
solutions. With its ‘Complete mobility’ approach, the Division is focused
on networking the various modes of transportation in order to ensure the
efficient transport of people and goods. www.siemens.com/mobility
Solar Millennium AG
Project:
Solar Energy: The Future Has Begun. In Kuraymat, Egypt’s First Solar
Energy Power Plant Is Working
Contact:
Sven Moormann, Leiter Unternehmenskommunikation
Nägelsbachstr. 33
D-91052 Erlangen
Tel: +49 9131 9409-0
Fax: +49 9131 9409-111
E-mail: info@SolarMillennium.de
www.SolarMillennium.de
Solar Millennium AG, Erlangen, is an international company in the
renewable energy sector, focusing on solar-thermal power plants and
specialised in Parabolic Trough power plants. Together with its subsidiaries
and associates, the company is globally leading in this field. The company’s
services comprise: project development, financing to the technology,
turnkey construction and operation of power plants.
TDO – Tourism Development Organisation
Project:
Oases Tourism Development in Libya
Tourism Development Mukalla, Yemen
Contact:
Hannes Schied
Villa No. 4 – Muroor Road
P.O. Box 130 783
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Tel: +971 2 642-1669
Fax: +971 2 642-4877
E-mail: info@tourism-development.org
www.tourism-development.org
TDO – Tourism Development Organisation is an independent consulting
company focusing on three major lines of business: strategic destination
planning, project development for hotels and related infrastructure as well
as marketing and positioning of cities, regions and countries as tourism
destinations. TDO is a member of Obermeyer Corporate Group.
TECPLAN ENGINEERING & SERVICES GmbH
Project:
Rebuilding Iraq
Contact:
Hans-Georg Friedrich
Gerhard Paul
P.O. Box 21 70, D-63243 Neu-Isenburg
Friedhofstr. 72, D-63263 Neu-Isenburg
Tel: +49 (0)6102 38087
Fax: +49 (0)6102 329338
E-mail: info@tecplan-gmbh.de
www.tecplan-gmbh.de
TECPLAN Engineering and Services GmbH specialises in consulting,
planning and re-construction of industrial plants, supplying equipment,
machined parts, spare parts and components especially to building
materials plants as well as to fertilizer and petrochemical plants, steel mills
and aluminium factories.
Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE
Project:
Wacker Academy Dubai
Contact:
Aya Elamine, Communications & Events Manager
Wacker Chemicals Middle East FZE
Dubai Silicon Oasis
P.O. Box 341071
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel: +971 4 7099944
Fax: +971 4 7099911
E-mail: aya.elamine@wacker.com
www.wacker.com
WACKER is a globally active chemical company headquartered in Munich,
Germany, and has production sites and more than 100 sales offices
worldwide. The company specialises in fields such as silicone and polymer
chemistry, specialty and fine chemistry, polysilicon production and
semiconductor technologies.
WTM ENGINEERS International GmbH
Project:
New Grain and Flour Silo Complex in Kuwait
Contact:
Friedrich Hilgenstock
Ballindamm 17
D-20095 Hamburg
Tel: +49 40 35009-706
Fax: +49 40 35009-100
E-mail: f.hilgenstock@wtm-international.de
WTM ENGINEERS International GmbH is a company of consulting
engineers offering comprehensive civil and structural engineering
services. As part of the WTM group, founded in 1936 and comprising three
offices in Germany, they are in charge of the group’s international projects
and specialise on issues of country-specific particulars and requirements
in all stages of planning and construction.
Zaha Hadid Architects
Project:
phæno Science Center Wolfsburg, Germany
BMW Central Building, Plant Leipzig
Contact:
Press Dept
10 Bowling Green Lane
London EC1R 0BQ, UK
Architecture and design
List of Contributors 164/165

Imprint
Editor
Ghorfa
Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry e.V.
Garnisonkirchplatz 1
D-10178 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 278 907-0
Fax: +49 30 278 907-49
E-mail: ghorfa@ghorfa.de
www.ghorfa.de
Dr. Thomas Bach, President
Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi, Secretary General
Olaf Hoffmann, Chairman of the Working Group
‘Infrastructure, Construction and Transport’
Coordination
Rafaela Rahmig, Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
Kerstin Schneider, Dorsch Holding GmbH
Editorial Office
Tanja Reindel
Lektorat & Redaktion
Nordendstr. 19
D-60318 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49 69 449140
Cell:+49 173 3413118
E-mail: tanja.reindel@t-online.de
Photos
Cover picture: Werner Huthmacher – Photography
Oranienstr. 19 a
D-10999 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 61403-967
Fax: +49 30 61403-968
E-mail: huthmacher@werner-huthmacher.de
Other pictures: Kindly provided by the contributing
companies, if not otherwise stated
Layout and Typesetting
Carmen Städer
PRINT64 GmbH
Gutenbergring 75
D-22848 Norderstedt
Tel: +49 40 5288500-65
Fax: +49 40 5288500-1
www.print64.de
Print
DCM
Druck Center Meckenheim GmbH
Werner-von-Siemens-Str. 13
D-53340 Meckenheim
Tel: +49 2225 8893-550
Fax: +49 2225 8893-558
E-mail: dcm@druckcenter.de
ISBN 978-3-00-034544-9
© May 2011
Imprint 167/167