DAR Magazine 6

Transcription

DAR Magazine 6

contents
02 // dar amman’s debut 08 //
concourse d goes solar
14 //
redefining the s-word 16//
a cooler campus 20//
iraq roads 24//
value engineering
26//
call the e-con team
28//
reviving dar’s high voltage experience in angola
34//
al khor stadium
editors’ note
A World Cup stadium in Qatar. Wind-towers in Saudi Arabia. A new generation
of electrical power in Angola. Anyone tracking Dar’s projects is likely to
find it a dizzying experience! Here’s a look at the stories that make up
this issue of DarMagazine.
Sustainability/renewable energy is a major topic. We look at power-saving
wind-towers developed for Princess Nora University, then check out a new
concourse for Dubai International that raises the bar in solar power reliance.
Another article focuses on the changing definitions of sustainability.
Dar is always very active in different kinds of studies. We report on an audit
that our firm was privileged to perform in Iraq for the World Bank; re-examine
the growing field of Value Engineering; and lift the lid on a department that
performs a lot of studies, Economics.
Growth is another theme. This year witnessed the highly successful launch of
Dar Amman as a regional office, as well as our extremely effective expansion in
Angola’s electrical power sector - both of which are reported on.
Finally, football gets a big mention. The Al Khor Stadium in Qatar took a real
multidisciplinary effort. The result is a technical marvel and a wonder to behold.
01
feature stories | dar amman’s debut
02
dar amman’s debut | feature stories
DarMagazine met with Maroun Khoury, managing director of Dar’s new
Amman design office. In our interview, he shares with us the significance
of the new design office and its dynamic trajectory since the launch.
It was a typically sunny day in Amman
as department heads, close aides
and resident professionals gathered
in the new auditorium.
A palpable sense of motivation filled
the air. The date was September 1st,
2013. The occasion - the official
opening of Dar’s newest design office.
Maroun Khoury, partner at Dar
Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners)
and key figure in the expansion, took
the stage and expressed his pride
being there. He acknowledged all
the people who had poured their time,
labor and love into bringing about
a successful launch.
03
A few months later, we caught up with Khoury in his sunlit
office overlooking the Jordanian capital. Clearly, his delight
is undiminished: “The opening of our fifth design office marks
a new milestone for us. I’ve been with Dar for more than
36 years and still can’t express the pride I feel coming into this
building. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, that we are
extremely confident about our future, and that we are
positioned for growth and service excellence.” Khoury also
emphasized the fact that the Amman offices are part of Dar AlHandasah’s vision for growth.
“Board and management are
constantly working to position
the firm for continued
growth through sustainable
expansion and diversification.
Dar Amman is an essential
part of that plan.”
If beginnings are anything to go by, Dar Amman is set for
success. The new office has already achieved its initial targets,
hired more staff and consolidated its position as a delivery base
for Dar’s service. Dar Amman promptly achieved its design and
productivity targets for the first six months. As a result, according
to Khoury, “the office is now positioned to provide design
services equivalent to our established offices in addition
to the BIM-platform.”
Hiring is also growing. The office planned to open with
100 professionals. Today, Dar Amman counts more than
225 trained staff. All in all, the launch has confirmed
Dar Amman’s importance among the Dar network. “Over the
years, we have strengthened our delivery operation. Amman’s
central location with respect to our main areas of activity and
our four other principal design centers enhance the firm’s
production and time-delivery performance,” said Khoury.
Like its sister offices, the Amman office will service Dar’s global
business, but it is also important for strategic regional goals.
According to Khoury, “Amman is part of our diversification
strategy to weather instability, adapt to socio-political and
economic changes, and be ready for the new opportunities
they produce. We are very hopeful about the oil and gas sector
especially in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, and we believe it will
generate opportunities to our subsidiary Penspen as well.”
Khoury also sights opportunities in sustainability among various
sectors, especially in the infrastructure and building sectors,
which can drive demand for energy conservation services
like thermal storage, CHP, renewable energy sources,
and heat recovery.
Sustainable design has received
special attention.
The office is witnessing rapid growth in the number of LEEDaccredited architects and engineers. A second focal area has
been compliance standards and Design-Build (D-B). As Khoury
explains, “compliance is becoming a larger part of our industry.
Most governments in the region are issuing new construction
regulations which require greener and leaner design.
Also, international standards are becoming basic
requirements in the construction industry.”
Another innovative feature
of Dar Amman is its
structuring.
Resources and staff are restructured to respond more effectively
to D-B contracts for mega projects. Moreover, an array of
departments helps the office handle around 10% of Dar’s
total design workload.
04
These departments are: Architecture (including the new Interior
Design Unit), Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, and Project
Management & Contracts. Soon to follow will be Planning &
Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Transportation, and
Resources & Environment.
Dar Amman benefited from lessons learned during the setting up
of Dar Pune in India, the previous design office opened in 2008.
This is especially reflected in restructuring changes in Human
Resources, internal administrative procedure, medical insurance,
employee benefit policies, and career development planning.
The promising results are only the beginning, according to
Khoury. “At Dar, we have constantly supported a culture of
leadership and development through our training programs,
investment in systems, and implementation of changes for both
immediate impact and long-term sustainable results. That culture
is bearing full fruit in Amman. We have a great talent pool from
Jordan’s best architecture and engineering programs, and we’re
fast becoming the employer of choice for the local job market.
The future is bright.”
four office floors. The building currently houses 450 occupants,
but a planned expansion underway will raise office capacity
to 600 occupants.
Senior architect Khalil Fakhoury led the team who designed
the premises. According to Fakhoury, the goal was to create an
updated and contemporary office environment that maintained
the integrity of a Dar office. “We worked very closely with the
original architects and contractors to get the building greener and
more sustainable and raise it to Dar standards and specifications.”
Regarding the design of the new offices, he explains that
“the building’s interiors were divided into three distinct design
elements: the entrance and common areas, the office spaces,
and the upper scale operation and management floor.”
Designing the design office:
A snapshot
Dar Amman is Dar’s fifth principal design center. It joins the ranks
of Dar Beirut, Dar Cairo, Dar London, and Dar Pune as principal
design centers in the firm’s network, offering full design services.
Situated in Amman’s new commercial hub, Dar Amman’s
modern elongated building features a striking glazed blue
façade intersected with a copper-colored aluminum skin.
Counting 10,500 m2 of built-up area, the building includes
two basements, a print shop, an archiving facility, and
05
Special attention was given to the grand entrance, which has
strong echoes of the entrance in the Dar Beirut office. As in Beirut,
the Amman entrance is designed around the bronze bust of
Dar founder Dr. Kamal Shair. Warm wood cladding and striking
black marble were selected to complement the statue, and
they lend grandeur and depth to the space.
The concept of convivial and interactive environments permeates
the space. There is a 50-workstation Training Center, named after
Shair as tribute to his belief in the power of continuous learning.
A day-lit cafeteria located at first basement level opens up to an
inviting green terrace.
With its comfortable, laid back modern design, it provides a
welcoming place for employees to eat, relax and interact during
lunch break.
“We thought a lot about the work space, and this is where you
will find the most change,” explains Fakhoury. An open floor plan
with an interactive desk configuration of low partitions diffuses
a feeling of integration and collaboration for each department.
Original Dar-designed art work compositions adorn walls and
offices. “The projects we used for the artwork compositions
were handpicked for their innovative creations, engineering
“ Y ou will notice the monochromatic
color scheme in the office open
space . . . it’s because we wanted
to direct the main focal point
of interest on the people filling
the spaces.”
06
complexity, trade representation, green design, and
geographic spread - as well as some of our most iconic
projects over the years,” says Fakhoury.
The operations floor also offers great views of the city, is
beautifully furnished, and features upper management offices
and a grand, interactive boardroom. Currently, the new offices
are already being adapted. An expansion is taking place at the
cantilevered opening of the roof’s eastern corner to make room
for more office space.
Observers, Watch this space.
07
feature stories | concourse d goes solar
08
concourse d goes solar | feature stories
dubai international’s
concourse d
goes solar
a collaborative effort by electrical and mechanical departments, with
special thanks to Mohamad Dughman, Kapil Rai and Hadi Maamoun
Concerns over global warming and the future
depletion of natural oil reserves are driving the
rapid proliferation of renewable energy resources.
Today, most businesses and government-supported
programs and developments incorporate renewable
energy resources into their projects from the start.
Dubai International Airport’s (DIA) new Concourse
D aims to be as sustainable and energy efficient
as possible, by reducing its carbon footprint and
targeting LEED Certification.
09
Figure 1 Lifecycle CO2 emissions of electricity generation
methods “International Energy Agency - CO2 Emissions
From Fuel Combustion - Highlights (2012 Edition)”
Concourse D represents a milestone in green aviation industry
design. After exploring numerous green initiatives, we conceived
a final design which relies on solar energy to achieve DIA’s goal
and increase the efficiency of the new building’s lifecycle.
The design illuminates a new path for renewable energy and
sustainable design. Among the innovative features are:
• Solar photovoltaic and thermal roof systems
• Solar water heating system
• Green day-lighting.
Solar photovoltaic and thermal roof systems
The photovoltaic (PV) system consists of 2,592 PV modules with
a total capacity of 635 kWp and covers a total roof area of around
4,500 m2. It produces around 1,040 MWh of energy a year at the
level of the roof modules (incident energy). Of these, 650 MWh
are available at the consumer level after system losses.
We carried out in-depth software simulation on the entire system
in order to verify the required energy production and achieve
the targeted LEED credit requirements.
The PV panels are arranged into 18 typical blocks, each consisting
of 12 arrays. Twelve PV modules per array are mounted on the
pitched roof skylights with a southerly direction for prolonged
solar exposure.
The PV panels act as collectors and convert the incident solar
irradiance into electrical energy, which reaches the end
user as clean power through a network of batteries, converters
and inverters.
number of pv modules: 2,592
Total capacity: 635 KWp
Total roof area: 4,500 m2
located inside
core & shell areas
located in battery rooms
at arrival mezzanine level
total of
650 mWh
per year
for f&b and cip lounges
Figure 2 PV typical block diagram
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The 18 PV blocks feed different panelboards equally distributed
over arrival level. They supply the areas closest to the PV
distribution rooms, food and beverage areas, and CIP lounges,
resulting in the most efficient distribution.
In the absence of a feed-in tariff policy in the Emirates, Concourse
D’s PV system is an off-grid solution that guarantees continuous
power if failure happens or solar power is unavailable. The
system has an optional grid-interactivity feature, which makes
room for an on-grid solution in the future. This measure makes
the adopted system even more cost-effective and future-proof.
Figure 3 Location of PV modules on roof
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Figure 4 Pitched roof skylight
Figure 5 Glazed façade for daylight penetration
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roof holds 192 solar collectors
(total area of 450 m2)
controller
hot water supply
hot water
return
pressure
safety
valve
solar
storage
tank
back-up
heating
eleMents
hot water supply
hot water return from building
solar pump set
(in pump room)
cold water supply
solar storage tanks in pump
rooms at apron level
Figure 6 Solar water heating typical block diagram
pressure
vessel
Solar water heating system
The concourse’s solar water heating system consists of 192 solar
panels distributed symmetrically on both sides of the central
roof area (total area: 450 m2). The system generates all the daily
hot water usage in the concourse thanks to an installed capacity
of around 155 kWp and 400 MWh of energy a year. The generated
hot water is then stored in central hot water tanks equipped with
electric immersion heaters to compensate any shortage in solar
energy produced during cold and cloudy weather conditions.
Reduced carbon footprint
Besides energy returns, the installed PV system reduces the
building’s carbon footprint by more than 600 tonnes of CO2
a year, and saves around $70,000 annually from the utility bill
(or around 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and $110,000 in savings
for the PV and solar heating systems combined).
Green day-lighting
Another green initiative in the new concourse is day-lighting.
While one side of the roof is designed to accommodate the PV
modules, the other side uses glazed skylights for daylight offering.
These skylights (see Figure 4) are coupled with a vast, glazed
façade to offer two advantages:
• Aesthetics: A fluid environment is created for the passengers
between the interior and exterior spaces, providing a refreshing
and pleasant environment.
• Daylight: Intended daylight design is considered a “green”
accomplishment. In Concourse D, it offers a total of 950 MWh
in daylight energy savings (with a reduction of more than
900 tonnes of CO2 per year) and estimated annual cost
savings of $100,000.
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feature stories | redefining the s-word
When Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring kick-started the environmental
movement in 1962, no one dreamed it would take two and a half
decades for the world to realize we could not go on as we were.
1987 was the year Norway’s Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland
penned Our Common Future, forever remembered for its simple
yet effective, but oft-misquoted, definition of sustainability.
It was a seminal work; the global population had topped five billion,
up from four billion just thirteen years earlier, and despite predictions
of six billion by the end of the millennium being heavily criticized
as scare-mongering, people were concerned. They had a right to be.
The sixth billion was actually reached a year early.
Now at over seven billion and counting,
the intervening years have seen a
plethora of definitions for sustainability,
together with the creation of terms such
as “sustainable development, sustainable
living,” and even “sustainable warfare.”
The s-word is used by ardent left-wing
environmentalists predicting the end of
civilization as we know it, by right-wing
businessmen whose sole interest is profit
rather than planet or people, and perhaps,
most worryingly, by politicians of both
camps and neither unable to see beyond
the next election.
No one would argue a true definition
of sustainability should not encompass
the famous three pillars - environment,
society and economics.
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Traditionally, these followed Brundtland’s
concept, in which each is given equal
weight with no interaction (see Figure 1).
Sustainability
Economics
Environment
Society
Figure 1 The original three pillars
In reality, the pillars are inherently
interconnected, and sustainability is
only achieved through the harmonious
interaction of circles of influence
(see Figure 2).
Many interests require one or another
of the three to dominate. Most commonly,
it is economics that has dominated,
to the detriment of society and
environment (see Figure 3), rendering
such systems only weakly sustainable.
The three pillars may not always be equal,
but social inclusion and environmental
responsibility are the goals, with a healthy
economy the means to achieve and
sustain them (see Figure 4).
With the circles nested within one another
(see Figure 5), totally integrated and
interdependent on each other for success,
systems become strongly sustainable.
Thus, a successful and sustainable
economy requires both a healthy society
and a flourishing environment - the
most important element being the latter,
without which both society and economy
would quickly deteriorate.
But more than two decades after the
United Nations issued the Brundtland
Report, the economic gap between
developed and developing nations has
widened, global environmental conditions
have worsened, and global poverty has
increased. The three pillars have failed to
reflect the complexity and diversity
of society. A more modern approach adds
a fourth pillar - culture - that is
increasingly required to operate on
redefining the s-word | feature stories
Bearable
Environment
Viable
Environment
Society
Equitable
Society
Environment
Society
Sustainable
Economics
Economics
Figure 2 Harmonious interaction
Figure 3 Weak sustainability 1
an equal footing to environment, society
and economics (see Figure 6).
and resource depletion, future
generations will not be able to do so.
More and more, the arts are becoming
a tool for development, fostering cultural
diversity and rural revival, and promoting
social inclusion, public health and
ecological enhancement. Culture is the
prime mover in determining our attitudes,
values and behavior. A truly sustainable
community must fully integrate it.
Environmental time scales will be
dominated by the need to balance
resource consumption with the
earth’s ability to recharge, regenerate
and replenish.
But we need to go even further.
Brundtland’s definition focused on
the needs of the future generation,
but it did nothing to define how we
predict them and over what period.
Our enhanced four-pillar approach must
define timescales, be they generational,
environmental or politico-economic.
Just as our needs are not what our
forefathers needed, so our needs will
not be those of our children and our
children’s children. While we have
largely avoided the worst consequences
of climate change, population growth
Economics
Figure 4 Weak sustainability 2
Politicians of all hues have no reason to
look beyond the next election; and clean
air, clean water, forest protection, fishing
restrictions, and carbon accounting are
each targets for opposing groups and
future administrations.
Clearly, the true definition of the s-word
is a moving target. Long may it remain so.
The benefits of sustainability can only be
mainstreamed through good governance;
promoted through a strong, healthy
and just society; and realized by future
generations living within the limits
of their environment.
Questions will grow around the
availability of natural reserves.
What is the lifespan of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere? How much time
is needed for depleted fish stocks
to be restored?
After the failure to sustain hydrocarbons,
how long will it be before phosphorous,
for the fertilizers on which food security
depends; lithium, for energizing the
new technology on which we increasingly
depend; and other less-considered
reserves start to become a thing of
the past?
Culture
Political time scales are a different
matter. Politics has long been a barrier
to sustainability.
Environment
SUSTAINABLE
Environment
Economics
Society
Society
Economics
Figure 6 The integrated and truly sustainable community
Figure 5 Strong sustainability
15
feature stories | a cooler campus
16
a cooler campus | feature stories
Figure 3 Components of typical
cool-tower at PNU
Windcatchers are traditional and unique ventilation tools used
in buildings throughout the Arabian Gulf. Practical and simple
in structure, windcatchers “catch” wind from any direction,
dispersing indoor heat naturally.
The structure of a traditional windcatcher is a hollow square
tower with top-side openings and internal partitioning.
This tower generates an air stream in its shaft, which in turn
ventilates a building’s space. Sometimes, the air stream
is passed through wet clay or a decorative fountain
in order to add humidity and coolness to the induced breeze.
1. Merging tradition with technology
An overview of part of the campus (see Figure 2) shows
four of PNU’s courtyard cooling wind-towers. One of their
most noticeable features is their large size. Two wind-towers
(35 m3/s each) handle the air changes of each courtyard,
one at each end, separated by a distance of 30 m.
Figure 2 View of cool-towers over college building courtyards
Figure 1 Traditional bi-directional windcatcher basic principle
This article looks at a new breed of cooling wind-towers,
which artfully blend the traditional principles behind a
windcatcher with today’s technological advances. The result is
a cooler experience with plenty of power-saving potential.
We designed the towers to cool outdoor courtyards across
the Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) in Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia. A favorite hang-out zone for college students,
the outdoor courtyards are rectangular, open-to-the-sky spaces
surrounded by buildings. Measuring about 20 m in width,
60 m in length and 16.5 m in height, they are shaded by an open
array of wooden logs or ornaments crisscrossing the top.
Technical components:
The tower wind-catching mechanism consists of:
• Two intake openings on the upper north and south walls
of the tower
• Fixed vanes leading the wind from one of the two openings
to the vertical tower shaft
• A motorized rotating drum with vanes to receive the captured
air stream and direct it downwards into an air duct leading
to the bottom of the tower
• Fixed guide vanes streaming the air flow towards
the tower’s lower opening to the courtyard
• A control weather station to set the drum to north, south
or closed position depending on the wind direction and speed.
The main components of the cool-towers are shown
in Figure 3.
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feature stories | a cooler campus
Figure 5 Geometry and extents of the
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model
How they were designed:
The PNU towers rely on evaporative cooling, as well as an
auxiliary mechanical ventilation and automated control
system, to create a cool breeze under most conditions.
We designed the cool-tower in such a way that the desired
air-flow rate could be achieved when the wind velocity is
near its summer average in Saudi Arabia, which is about
16.2 km per hour. To determine the outdoor air volume rate,
we followed the recommended number of air changes per
hour. Six air changes were considered, based on the standard
requirement for assembly halls, yielding a total flow of
around 70 m3/s.
A smart evaporative cooling system:
Weather stations in each tower continuously sense the outdoor
air temperature and humidity, wind direction, and wind speed,
and send signals to the cool-tower mechanical components
controllers to regulate the cool-tower operation.
When the outdoor temperature is above 30 °C, an evaporative
cooling system cools down the supply air stream. The system
relies on fog nozzles, and a humidity and temperature control
system. An operation control system modulates the water flow
to maintain the RH and DB temperature of the delivered air within
the desired ranges (see Figure 4).
The tower dimensions are 5.45 m x 5.45 m x 32.8 m (W x L x H),
with two wind-catching openings measuring 4.1 m x 4.5 m
(W x H). One opening was placed on each of the north and south
upper walls (prevailing wind directions), and a similar discharge
opening at the lower wall facing the courtyard.
No-wind, low-wind and high-wind conditions:
The towers can handle a very wide range of wind conditions.
For no-wind conditions, an auxiliary inline axial fan generates
the required air flow. During low-wind conditions, the auxiliary
fan operates at a controlled speed to make up the difference.
Figure 4 shows the system schematic control diagram.
The VFD receives the control signal from a digital air flow
meter in the tower’s shaft.
For wind conditions resulting in a flow rate higher than
35 m3 /s, there is a digital flow meter to regulate the drum
position to maintain the design flow through the tower.
A digital anemometer was used to set the drum to the correct
position with respect to the wind direction. In addition, the
anemometer shuts off the drum and fan when the wind
speed reaches wind storm levels.
Figure 4 Schematic control diagram
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a cooler campus | feature stories
Figure 6a Temperature contours and velocity vectors across a vertical plane passing
through the towers
Figure 7a Temperature contours across a horizontal plane at 1.8 m elevation from
the ground level
Figure 6b Velocity contours and velocity vectors across a vertical plane passing
through the towers
Figure 7b Velocity contours and vectors across a horizontal plane at 1.8 m elevation
from the ground level
During wind storm conditions, the drum is set to the closed
position, and the fan and evaporative cooling system shut down.
Similarly, when the outdoor RH is above 60% , the evaporative
cooling system turns off, and the cool-tower operates under
ventilation-only mode.
3. Power Saving Potential
2. Computational fluid dynamics analysis
We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer
simulation to investigate the performance of the cool-towers.
CFD predicted the thermal and flow conditions generated by
these towers in peak outdoor summer conditions. Figure 5 depicts
the 3-D model of the cooling towers, along with the boundary
conditions showing the extents of the CFD model. The simulation
predicted the flow pattern as well as velocity and temperature
distributions around the model.
Temperature:
According to the simulation, the air flow rate in each tower
reaches 35 m3/s. Figures 6 and 7 show that the evaporative
system cools down air from 46 oC to 34-38 oC. Interestingly, the air
upstream of Tower A and downstream of Tower B is practically
unaffected by the tower cooling.
Velocity:
The air circulation in the courtyard space also generates air
currents. The currents, which reach a velocity of 1.5-3.5 m/s,
create air movement and enhance the comfort for the
courtyard occupants.
The campus cooling wind-towers display exceptional powersaving potential. If we consider that they can drop the outdoor
air temperature by up to 12 °C, and that the cooling capacity per
tower is 560 kW, then an equivalent refrigeration system would
require 235 kW of electrical power. In reality, the maximum power
needed by the cooling wind-towers is less than 5 kW.
The numbers mean that every tower saves a minimum of 230 kW
of power over a conventional refrigeration system, equivalent
to reducing carbon emission by around 37 metric tons (960
metric tons project-wide) per year (in the 6-month hot season
operation).
Dar’s cooling towers incorporate evaporative cooling, auxiliary
mechanical ventilation and an automated control system.
They remove the stagnant air from the university’s courtyard
space by introducing outdoor air, and passively cool the delivered
air when its temperature is too hot. Using CFD, we found that the
cool-towers are capable of generating a relatively comfortable
zone in the courtyard.
The result is an effective, power-efficient piece of technology that
transforms the campus environment and the outdoor experience
for students. The PNU cooling wind-towers are exceptional power
savers and demonstrate the power of tradition working in tandem
with engineering ingenuity.
19
feature stories | iraq’s emergency road building
In the aftermath of Iraq’s invasion and regime
change, the World Bank financed a range of
interventions in the country. One of these is the
Emergency Road Reconstruction Project (ERRP),
which rehabilitates major trunk roads
and reconstructs bridges spanning
the Euphrates River.
In emergency situations, the World Bank operates a relaxed
version of its normal screening and approval process but
nevertheless maintains fundamental operational procedure
requirements such as: environmental assessment, involuntary
resettlement, natural habitats, and cultural heritage.
Category A projects (classed as those expected to impart
severe environmental impact or require significant involuntary
resettlement) are excluded from this fast-track procedure.
Where environmental and social assessments and resettlement
plans are required, they are undertaken during the early
stages of implementation rather than prior to project approval.
Thanks in part to our growing reputation, our Beirutbased environmental team was privileged to undertake an
Environmental and Social Safeguards Audit (ESSA) for
the World Bank in Iraq.
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iraq’s emergency road building | feature stories
Figure 1 Al-Daraji Bridge in Al-Muthanna Governorate, where the old pontoon
crossing remains in use while the new crossing is constructed.
21
feature stories | iraq’s emergency road building
Figure 2 The Erbil to Altun Kopri Highway, Erbil Governorate
The ESSA comprised four components:
• Determining whether the fast-track procedures had been
properly executed and any conditions attached to approval
implemented
• Ascertaining if project reporting had been comprehensive,
and analysis and recommendations adequate
• Verifying by site visits if the outputs had been completed
and recommendations adequately addressed
• Recommending any remedial action needed to ensure
compliance with operational procedures.
The team traveled in a three-armored vehicle convoy. Whenever
out of the vehicle, our team wore body armor and was
surrounded by an armed Close Protection Team.
Such a high-profile presence, especially when accompanied
by the Ministry of Construction and Housing and local dignitaries,
made it almost impossible to elicit the true concerns of residents.
After the official visits had been completed, colleagues from
our Baghdad offices followed up with informal interviews
within the community.
The scope of our audit included:
• Erbil-Altun Kopri Highway
• Part of National Highway 2
• Karbala to Musayeb section of Highway 9 in Babil Governorate
• Umm Qasr Port to Al Zubair Road south-east of Basra
• Four crossings of the Euphrates or its tributaries
• Al-Ibrahimia Bridge in Babil
• Souq Shaalan Bridge in Al-Najaf
• Al-Majd and Al-Daraji bridges in Al-Muthanna.
Figure 3 Dualing the Umm Qasr to Al Zubair Road south-east of Basra
High risk conditions
Our work was undertaken in four separate field missions;
two to Erbil, a third to Basra and a fourth to Baghdad, each
subject to appropriate security provisions. Security provisions
were most relaxed in Erbil, where travel in normal softbodied vehicles is deemed safe. In Basra, the mission was
accommodated in a high-security compound and the team
traveled in a three-armored vehicle convoy with no show of
weapons. The Baghdad mission was accommodated by the
British Embassy within the International Zone.
22
At the time of the audit, only the Umm Qasr to Al Zubair Road
and Al-Daraji Bridge remained under construction;
all the others had been completed and in operation.
Our audit’s conclusions highlighted the benefits of the World
Bank’s intervention to both the local communities and the
regions. The projects have clearly increased pavement quality
and carrying capacity, and consequently shortened travel times
between major cities, while increasing opportunities for national
and international trade. The new bridges provide unimpeded
access for commercial traffic, whereas previous floating pontoon
crossings were only accessible to cars and lightly-laded pick-ups.
The new bridges have resulted in enhanced mobility and better
access to markets and employment opportunities for the rural
communities they serve.
iraq’s emergency road building | feature stories
Residents, traders and others were unanimous in their opinion
that the impacts suffered during construction, primarily noise and
dust, were more than offset by the benefits achieved.
The fast-tracked environmental assessments generally complied
with the World Bank’s environmental and social safeguards
policies, and were appropriate to the nature and scope of
construction. Social assessment fared less well, with the
resettlement documents varying in detail and accuracy.
The widening of the Erbil-Altun Kopri Highway was mostly
achieved on land donated for the public good, and when the
corner of an old cemetery was removed, the remains from three
graves were reinterred in accordance with Islamic tradition
elsewhere within the site. While the ESSA recommended minor
remedial works, the overall conclusion was that, given the
immediate post-conflict conditions - namely weak institutional
structure, resource availability and capacity - the project’s
implementation generally met the World Bank’s requirements.
To avoid resettlement, novel and traditional approaches have
been used. Roadside stallholders displaced by the Umm Qasr to
Al Zubair widening were accommodated within a new service
area that affords safer access and parking. For the Hussainiya
demolished to make way for Al-Majd Bridge, a local landowner
donated an alternative plot and the contractor constructed a new
larger mosque at no cost to the project.
Figure 4 Al-Majd Bridge, Al-Muthanna Governorate
23
feature stories | the pitfalls of value engineering
Value Engineering has been extensively promoted in the engineering and
construction industry for its promise of “best value for money.” With the rising
pressure to deliver projects in record times, Value Engineering is being pushed
from the design development stage where it originated to the phase when bids
are received and negotiations start. This last-minute push is meant to bring
down the retained bid so that it approaches the project budget. Contractors’
involvement in Value Engineering (when performed at this stage) cannot be
belittled, yet the pitfalls could be serious, if not properly addressed.
What is Value Engineering?
Value Engineering is a formal, step-by-step
process for creating optimized project
designs and execution by eliminating
unnecessary costs - but without sacrificing
total project performance, quality or
reliability. Value is defined as the lowest
cost of reliably performing a function
without any compromise in
performance requirements.
Normally, Value Engineering is conducted
twice during the design of the project.
The majority of the savings come from
improvements at the conceptual stage.
Pitfalls of deferred value
engineering
The outcome of Value Engineering is
a document of high priority amending
and superseding whatever featured in
the original bid documents and in the
submitted bids. This by itself puts us
on our mettle and makes us appreciate
the involvement, the diligence and the
24
proficiency needed in drafting and putting
together the Value Engineering outcome in
a very short lapse of time.
A Quantity Surveyor/Contract Specialist
acquainted with technical documents
would appreciate the implications of
various Value Engineering proposals,
yet oftentimes, his input is not sought.
The pitfalls of deferring Value
Engineering to the bidding
stage can be very serious.
Savings and tender prices
Value Engineering proposals come
with quantified savings amounts.
But, oftentimes, the savings figures
of late Value-Engineered proposals have
no breakdown of their constituting items
and are not correlated to the original
quoted tender prices. Worse, late Value
Engineering proposals can alter the
the pitfalls of value engineering | feature stories
original tender rates and, in their haste,
result in no revised tender rates before
the contract award. The result is new rates
which have not been diligently studied
and useless BOQ rates. This, in turn,
complicates the payment certification
process and variation quantification.
ALTERING THE ORIGINAL BASIS
OF MEASUREMENT
Value Engineering proposals could instill
re-measurement to items originally
quoted on a lump sum basis. But the
re-measured items do not come with any
method of measurement. As a result, the
Employer could get exposed to various
claims, and the budget ceiling that the
Employer normally seeks in lump sum
contracts could become invalid.
Conceptual Design
Value Engineering proposals explored on
a conceptual design might not be viable
when the design is developed further and
might seriously tax the Design Consultant.
The Consultant will be obliged to commit
to Value Engineering proposals made
and priced at the concept design stage
(typically in a fast-track approach where
the contract price is based on a concept
design), yet such proposals may no longer
be feasible when design is developed
further. Many Value Engineering ideas
should remain provisional until the final
design embraces them.
Conflicting Organization of
Value Engineering Documentation
Value Engineering often takes place through
workshops where various proposals/ideas
are investigated and only a few ideas and
proposals retained. Ideas are then pooled
and documented. But pooling all the
correspondences and inserting them in
contract documents creates ambiguities
and problems. The correspondences and
documents need to be properly organized
to retain only ideas that synthesize
and recollect the results.
Poor Language
Value Engineering proposals might be
drafted with a language and level of skills
that is not commensurate with the original
technical specifications and basis of design.
Ambiguities due to poor drafting can be
detrimental to a project.
Change in Type of
Specifications
Value Engineering could change the spirit
of the specifications for parts of the work,
from being performance-based to being
prescriptive specifications. Besides leading
to conflicts and discrepancies, the change
could discharge the contractor from some
obligations for some part of the works.
Value Engineering during bid negotiation
must be conducted with a high level of
expertise not inferior to that of the original
bid package. If not done properly, its
derivatives are high-impact, enough so that
a contractor could find it a fertile area
to claim additional money.
25
feature stories | call the e-con team
In an engineering/architecture (E/A) firm like Dar, complementary services, such
as those provided by the Economics Department, can get side-lined. Indeed, our
inter-departmental joke is that we’re the E/A version of covert agents working
on top-secret projects, where keeping our anonymity is of the utmost importance.
The reality is that Dar Economics was set
up to provide critical auxiliary services
to help all other Dar departments realize
their projects by testing those projects’
validity in the real world. Economics is
vital for ensuring that projects don’t just
end up as “white elephants.”
At Dar Economics, the team comes from
very diverse backgrounds. As such, we are
able to work on cross-departmental and
support projects from all sectors: regional
and urban, water and waste management,
renewable energies, health, education,
aviation, industry - the list goes on.
The idea of “build it and they will come”
can work sometimes - but do you really
want to take that risk? For example, think
of all the real-estate development in
Spain. In Benidorm, they wanted to build
Europe’s tallest apartment building.
Now, the incomplete building stands
as an eyesore and a constant reminder
of the economic crash.
And if you have a project in a sector
we know nothing about - well worry not we will quickly master the economics of it.
Sure, no one could see the recession
coming, but if a proper economic and
market assessment had been carried out,
maybe some red flags would have been
raised, and such a debacle would have
been avoided.
Furthermore, we can work with you from
the very start of a project to its very end.
In the early stages, we collect and
analyze economic data to understand
the socioeconomic context and
macroeconomic trends of the project’s
country of implementation. We follow
this with a study at the regional, local or
industry level to understand trends in
supply and demand, and forecast
Socioeconomic Context & Trends
Population & Demand Projections
Define a Strategy, Objectives & Scope
Develop a Cash Flow & Financial Model
Project Evaluation
26
call the e-con team | feature stories
What do you do at Dar?
Architect
Environmentalist
Do you need a
feasibility study for
your design?
Do you need a socioeconomic assessment
for your EIA?
Yes
Yes
Infrastructure
Engineer
Do you need a cost-benefit
analysis for a proposed
project?
Yes
Urban Planner/
Designer
Do you need population and
demand projections or a market
assessment for residential/offices/
hotels for a masterplan?
Yes
CALL DAR ECONOMICS!
future trends. We also assess the impact
a project will have on the locality.
On the basis of our study, we help define
a strategy, objectives and scope, and
propose the optimal process to meet
those objectives.
To test a project’s feasibility, we then
develop a cash flow model to calculate
all the revenues and costs, as well as
a financial model that summarizes
the investor’s financial and accounting
returns. Following implementation,
we also evaluate a project’s performance
to see whether it has achieved its
stated objectives.
As you can see, when it comes to the
financial and economic bits of a project,
there’s little we can’t do. Sure, we may
have to ask you a few (hundred) questions
here and there to get the information we
need (and we apologize in advance), but
really, it’s all quite necessary to ensure that
the project you have designed will be a
success. Additionally, including in an
offer that an in-house economics team
can do the necessary evaluations enriches
your proposal.
So, next time you have a project, why
not see how we can help? We’ve been
building links within our departments
as well as the extended Dar family and
have partnered with Dar Group members
on various projects, complementing
their expertise with ours. Dar is a wellrecognized leading player in the provision
of engineering services.
Our vision is that by developing and
focusing Dar and its subsidiaries’ core
competences, we can help extend Dar’s
standing as the ultimate one-stop shop:
moving an idea to a concept, providing
the detailed designs and ensuring
the idea’s sustainability, confirming
its financial and economic feasibility,
managing the construction, and delivering
the final product.
P.S. We hope you’ve enjoyed this piece
and look forward to you reading
our next one. Unfortunately, it might
be more technical, but we’ll try to
make it as interesting as possible!
27
feature stories | reviving dar’s high voltage expertise in angola
28
reviving dar’s high voltage expertise in angola | feature stories
29
The Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water is a busy place these days.
Commonly known as MINEA, the governmental body has been launching an
exceptional number of electrical power projects as it strives to meet growing
residential and industrial demand, improve the reliability of its services,
and expand Angola’s electrification coverage. Major new power plants and
transmission systems are underway, promising to increase the current power
capacity five-fold.
All in all, MINEA plans to invest over $17 billion in the next
few years. In response to the country’s bold initiative, Dar is
providing its expertise to MINEA. We recently landed major
projects such as the Soyo-Kapari, Lomaum-Biópio-Benguela
Sul and Camama-Morro Bento transmission systems; the
reactor banks project; and, most recently, the expansion of
the transmission system in Cabinda.
Dar Angola’s services: A range of expertise
Dar’s power services in Angola cover a lot of ground. Some of our
most important services are design review and site supervision.
We helped MINEA optimize the quality, cost and schedule of
each project, and ensure that the works follow internationallyrecognized norms.
A second part of our role is the review and approval of all
equipment, and the witness testing of critical equipment at
manufacturer sites. For example, we successfully witnessed the
destructive load test of a 400-kV suspension tower and 400-kV
tension tower in Beijing. Following our instructions, the towers
were strictly tested according to Energias de Portugal (EDP)
and EN 50341-3-17 requirements.
We also produced all tender documents for the Centro-Sul
interconnection project. Tendering is particularly important
because it builds a solid base for later contractor design
and execution activities, and it minimizes future claims
and ambiguities.
Last but not least, Dar and MINEA are pursuing a network
analysis study for the 400, 220 and 60-kV transmission networks.
The study will focus on load flow and short circuit analysis, with
optional sections on stability, power quality and voltage collapse
analysis. The results will determine future recommendations
for the expansion, rehabilitation, reinforcement and/or new
30
constructions of suitable power plants, and/or transmission
lines and substations. In this way, we are not just responding
to specific tenders requests but also proactively creating
avenues for advanced studies.
Dar’s services are not restricted to the transmission sector,
as our services for the distribution sector have already spanned
most of the country. We designed and implemented expansions
of medium and low-voltage distribution networks that are
integrated with other infrastructures, in various towns including:
Soyo, Cabinda, N’zeto, Malanje, Noqui, Tomboco, Cuimba,
Ondjiva, Lubango, M’banza Congo, and Namibe.
In the generation sector, we contributed to the heightening
of the Cambambe I dam project, and are now active in the
Camacupa hydroelectric plant.
What gives us the edge
Dar’s ability to offer all these services stems from one key asset:
our employees. We have a team of local and expatriate multidisciplinary engineers, including substation and transmission
lines specialists. They speak Portuguese fluently and know
the intricacies of the client’s needs in detail.
To enhance its output, Dar Electrical Department established
an agreement with Energoprojekt Kraków, a reputable power
transmission designer in Poland with extensive design experience
of high voltage lines and substations. They have designed over
30,000 km of transmission lines reaching 750 kV, several Gas
Insulated Switchgear (GIS) and Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS)
substations, and various power system studies.
Energoprojekt are already active with Dar in the Soyo-Kapari and
Camama-Morro Bento projects, and have also dispatched one of
their senior engineers to Angola for site supervision. They have an
instrumental role in the upcoming network analysis study.
Lomaum-Biópio-Benguela Sul
Soyo-Kapari
Reactor Banks Project Camama-Morro Bento Cabinda Expansion
220 kV transmission system
400 kV & 220 kV transmission system
31
One of the biggest reasons for our success is the continuous
support of the site staff in Angola from the Electrical Department
in Beirut. The department comes with a long experience sheet,
which includes:
• Transmission lines and substations in Azerbaijan
• GIS substation in Beirut
• Nine substations in Dubai
• Reinforcement of a medium-voltage distribution
system in Dushanbe
• Construction of various diesel power plants in Saudi Arabia.
32
Following Dar Cairo’s High Voltage Unit a few years ago,
Beirut’s office also recently established a new High Voltage
Unit within the Electrical Department. Composed of young and
ambitious engineers, the “HVUers” are managed by a senior
electrical engineer with a high-voltage engineering background
and guided by an advanced electrical engineer with a
background in power plant grid interactions. HVUers also
receive support from Energoprojekt, as needed.
Our edge extends to software mastery. The Electrical Department/
High Voltage Unit purchased two software programs which
facilitate the design of transmission lines project, PLS-CADD and
PLS-TOWER, and dispatched two electrical engineers and one
steel structural engineer for training.
We trust that new Angolan electrical power investment will
succeed in refining Dar’s high voltage expertise and creating
future venues for international projects. Thanks to the Angolan
gateway, we are laying a new stone for far greater achievement
in the sector.
The software - together with our thorough reviews of
transmission lines designs, familiarity with international codes,
and witness-testing of towers’ destructive load tests - has
sharpened the specialization of the Electrical and Structural
Departments.
33
feature stories | al khor stadium
34
al khor stadium | feature stories
al khor stadium
a world cup stadium with
world class design
a multi-departmental effort, with special thanks to
Shekhar Palshikar, Peter Wright, Ibrahim Haddad,
Jules Abouabdallah, Sharbel Haber, and Jayant Nehete
Al Khor is a 70,000-seat state-of-the-art football
stadium designed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Qatar™. Modeled on the theme of a Qatari
Bedouin tent, it is set to become one of the most
memorable football stadia in the world.
Some of the most remarkable features of the
resultant stadium are its tent structure, roof
opening, unique membrane properties,
cooling system, and lighting system.
35
Figure 1 Plan view of tent showing openable roof
Figure 3 3-D view of tent structure without membrane
36
al khor at a glance
Capacity: 70,000 seats
Location: Al Khor-Doha Highway,
35 km north of Doha
Built-up area: 326,000 m²:
stadium building + retail,
auxiliary + service buildings
Retractable roof: 120 m x 93 m
Figures 2 (a & b) Tent inner liner partial view
Design and skin
Local culture and technological innovation complement each
other in the stadium’s design, and nowhere more so than the tentlike skin. Made of PTFE membrane, the deep black membrane is
stretched over a network of structural steel and cables. It serves
a dual role: stadium skin and thermal barrier from the harsh
Qatar climate. The barrier ensures comfortable environmental
conditions for spectators and players during games. A retractable
roof system allows sunlight to filter through to the natural grass
on the playing field.
Tent structure
Composing a three-dimensional structure from three different
materials is no simple feat. Our structural models had to account
for membrane, cables and steel, and hold the elastic deformation
of all three different components in equilibrium. To solve the
issue, we used finite element analysis to make sure the individual
components were optimally sized to provide the most efficient
structure.
Deflection was another issue. Normal structural analysis software
theoretically considers the tent’s deflections small and will not
discern them. But practically, the deflections of the membrane
are large. That is why we included cables to limit the deflections
and ensure that the membrane stresses fall within the safe range.
Our design followed European TensiNet recommendations, the
only internationally-recognized design guide for membranes.
A primary design challenge with any membrane roof is the risk
of ponding under heavy rain or even under sand deposits
resulting from sand storms. Ponding may lead to collapse of
the membrane roof. Our shape for the tent has been conceived
with due consideration for this risk.
Retractable roof
The design of Al Khor incorporates a retractable roof
that can open to let in direct sunlight onto the natural
grass of the pitch. The roof’s design has two important
capabilities when open: it is designed to withstand
rain storms and a full wind load on the stadium’s
structural framing, and it does not inhibit outdoor
air conditioning. The size of the roof opening is
considerable: 93 m x 120 m (see Figure 1) with
a folding mechanism similar to the famous
Wimbledon tennis court.
Inner liner membrane
The stadium features an unusual concave redpatterned inner liner membrane supported
independently of the outer roof. The liner’s concave
shape is unusual because, normally, the tensile
forces in a membrane structure will always attempt
to straighten lines between supports. To impart the
curved shape, it was necessary for us to introduce
radial steel frame structures (see Figures 2).
Figure 3 shows a 3-D view of the tent’s framing. Cantilever trusses
on the masts and façade columns make up the high points of the
tent. Cantilever trusses also support the main rectangular trusses
that run the length of the building in the north-south direction.
37
Figure 4 Tent west side elevation
Treated membrane
A unique feature of the stadium is its deep black color, but it is
also a challenge. Black membrane’s translucency is 0% and its
heat absorption normally 98%. A black roof risks radiating a
lot of heat into the interior (see Figure 5). Because of this,
we introduced an additive into the membrane to reflect
the solar rays. Absorbed heat and internal radiated heat
diminish by about 20% as a result.
Cooling for a crowd of thousands
Cooling the stadium was the biggest challenge.
We had to ensure comfortable environmental
conditions for spectators and players during the
matches - no easy feat given that Qatar’s ambient
temperatures reach 47 °C in June and July.
Figure 5 Sun reflection on PTFE membrane
Using CFD analysis, we conducted tests on a
virtual model of the stadium (see Figure 7).
We were then able to develop an all-air
system that effectively cooled the open-roof
stadium. And, in fact, the stadium achieves an
acceptable thermal environment for players and
spectators despite the infiltration of hot winds.
The maximum temperature in the “field of play”
and bleachers areas does not exceed 23.5 and
25 °C, respectively, while the average temperature
at head level varies between 20 and 22 °C.
Figure 6 Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) wind flow analysis
38
Figure 9 Stadium lighting fixture locations
Lighting for an international audience
Figure 7 Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) - thermal analysis - stadium
cross section
Sports lighting is no simple task. FIFA sets guidelines on how an
event should be illuminated (see Figure 8). Basing ourselves on
FIFA, the following factors were also essential:
• Players and officials: The players and officials must be able
to perform to their fullest ability within an illuminated
environment that enhances play.
• Glaring and spill light: Special care has been taken to
limit the spill light and glare off the field, both inside
and outside the stadium.
• Spectators: The spectators must be able to view the
event, scoreboard, video, and all activities on the
field, free from glare and excessive spill light.
• Shadow control: the most critical task of the
stadium lighting. Hard-line shadowing on the
pitch is now one of the biggest problems facing
high-definition, digital video quality media.
We divided the pitch into three zones as per
FIFA’s guidelines: Zone 1 at both ends and Zone 2
at center of pitch. The aim for each zone was at
least four overlapping lighting arrays per side
for international events and three overlapping
lighting arrays per side for national televised
events (see Figure 8).
The verdict
Figure 8 Field aiming - light zones
Mega-stadiums are designed like no other structure,
and Al Khor was no exception. Dar’s team navigated
a complex set of factors, put different types of expertise
to the test, and eventually, yielded a landmark stadium
fit for entertaining a global audience.
39
darmagazine wants your
fresh and passionate ideas
for its next issue
Do you have an exciting Dar-related story or groundbreaking concept that you want to share? Did you work on a
life-changing Dar project that you want your colleagues to
know about? Any valuable tips you would like to communicate to other members of the Dar family?
DarMagazine is offering you the space to engineer your
thoughts, design your writing and make yourself heard.
Email us your quality photos and articles of any size and
on any topic to: darmagazine@dargroup.com
Do not wait! Unleash the writer in you!
40
dar magazine // issue 6, spring 2014
for further information, please visit us at dargroup.com
cairo // 34/36 Geziret Al-Arab Street, Mohandessin Giza 12411, P.O. Box: 895, Cairo 11511, Egypt // +20 (0)2 3301 9300
beirut // Verdun St., Dar Al-Handasah Bldg., P.O. Box: 11-7159, Beirut 1107 2230, Lebanon // +961 (0)1 790 002/3
london // 74 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2SQ, United Kingdom // +44 (0)20 7962 1333
pune // Tower 11 Cybercity, Level 2, Wing A & B, Magarpatta City, Hadapsar, Pune 411013, India // +91 (0)20 4109 0000
amman // Abdoun, Princess Basma Street Building No. 200 P.O. Box: 815550, Amman 11181, Jordan // +962 (0)6 590 3060
darmagazine@dargroup.com //
©2014
Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners)

DAR Magazine 6

Transcription

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