“Sustainability trends, modular design, building information modeling, and the Internet of Things drive design decisions, as well as economic value engineering design, among others,” he says.
As for the practical aspects of the company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental practices in designs, is there a reduction in the use of glass in facades, for example, Ammar believes that: “Sustainability is an element of design and construction approved for thousands of years, and throughout the ages, builders and architects have not been limited to seeing buildings as a shelter.” Not only a place to rest, they also made their designs to withstand changing rituals and different weather conditions such as heat, wind and rain.
Today, the situation is not much different in this respect, but the difference lies in the amount of information and data, and the quality of advanced technologies that can be used to measure sustainability and evaluate and develop building performance. By designing buildings with more bearing capacity, or with lower operating costs, or by protecting users and residents from weather factors in more efficient ways, or by reducing dependence on building materials harmful to the environment. Today we are creating more sustainable buildings than ever before.
We at Dewan are a staunch supporter of sustainable design, and this is an integral part of our design policy and performance standards.
How do you see the aspects of Saudization in Saudi Arabia and the benefit of Saudi youth in your employment quotas?
It is the right of every state to support the growth of its citizens and to seek their empowerment and prosperity. In this respect, the Kingdom is no different from others. The Saudization campaign and initiatives represent a key element in its endeavors to enhance the well-being of its citizens and improve the quality of life. We at Dewan are working to train, nurture and develop our team of Saudi architects and administrators to become active leaders in their communities, as we continue Drive our growth and expansion in the Saudi market, and we believe that the presence of Saudi talents within our cadres enhances the capabilities and capabilities of the work team with their experience and knowledge of the local market, and the exchange of knowledge between cultures is pivotal in developing a sustainable strategy for the conduct of business in the Saudi market.
What are your plans in the Kingdom this year, and what are the most important projects you have there?
Dewan continues to expand its activity and presence in the Saudi market since it first entered it in 2008, and it is currently the largest market in which we are active, and we continue to work to accelerate our growth in the Kingdom, and within this framework, we have established an office in the capital, Riyadh, for project management in the Kingdom, We are also working to attract Saudi cadres and talents to advance our capabilities in the areas of design and supervision in the Kingdom. Diwan cadres are currently working in cooperation with partners and stakeholders to implement a set of Mabri projects in Amala, Qiddiya and the Red Sea Project with the highest international standards.
Do you have any details about your undertaking of Public Investment Fund initiatives projects, such as: The Red Sea Project, Amaala, Qiddiya and others?
The details of these projects fall under our clients' confidentiality protection clauses.
How do you face the consequences of the current conditions in the market?
As the effects of the pandemic fade, the sector is witnessing global growth, and the UAE has shown perseverance and pioneering vision during the past 18 months in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, and emerged stronger with a great appetite and great demand for real estate, and developers are now racing to submit projects to meet the increasing demand. Saudi Arabia continues to work towards achieving Vision 2030 with a massive push for social infrastructure development, tourism-driven development, and residential projects, and Diwan is very well positioned to cater to these key markets, and we have already begun significant developments in these areas.
Egypt is also experiencing unprecedented growth in its GDP, its real estate sector is booming, and Dewan is working to open an office in Egypt later this year, and we are currently cooperating with major clients such as SODIC and Emaar Misr.