Hyder Consulting, the award-winning engineering, environmental, planning and management consultancy, today announced the launch of its Regional Sustainable Design Group in the Middle East.
The announcement was made following the international Cost Effective Sustainable Design and Construction Conference that was held recently in Abu Dhabi by Stephen Oehme, Regional Director Sustainable Design of Hyder Consulting Middle East, who explained how sustainability and value management can save investors small fortunes and significantly increase the value of assets.
At the presentation on “Sustainability and Value Management”, Oehme debated that methods and technologies for sustainable buildings is known worldwide, however the appropriate processes and full range of benefits of sustainability in the Middle East is not properly recognised or implemented.
“Sustainable market growth depends on investing, designing, developing, constructing and operating commercially-viable sustainable buildings. Sustainability and value management is about doing things differently and achieving the most cost effective result. It certainly doesn’t cost any extra,” said Oehme.
Hyder Consulting’s Sustainable Design Group comprises an integrated collaboration of staff from all disciplines including value management and economic analysis, LEED services and other green building rating systems, sustainable design and principal sustainability and environmental functions. The group will facilitate sustainable solutions that rely on a holistic, integrative process to truly maximise the benefits of sustainable design by infusing it through all facets of a project’s evolution.
Other specific areas of expertise in the group include high performance green building design analysis, extensive computational modelling and analysis, indoor environment quality assessments, energy analysis and optimisation, master planning / management, sustainable transport solutions, façade and building envelope optimisation, water conservation and optimisation, materials and resources assessments, land use and ecology, operational assessments, social assessments and sustainable infrastructure.
The value of buildings upon completion and beyond will be assessed and realised on a very different basis to the current norms, Oehme explained. A building designed today will not be completed before two to four years, meaning that the current focus on sustainability will create significant and clearly identifiable differences to buildings that are of the ‘new’ breed and the ones that are not.”
It was argued that sustainability is the biggest transformation factor in the property industry and will affect all involved and will significantly influence decisions made by investors, developers and tenants. The property industry is driven by changes in opportunities and risks; sustainability is directly changing opportunity and risk profiles and this will consequently raise the bar in the Gulf market for property investors and developers to compete and become the logical choice for the potential tenants and purchasers.
“Market transformation will be lead by the market itself. Developers are starting to realise that being left behind is potentially a very significant risk, others are realising that there is a terrific marketing advantage through sustainability. The developers not in touch with the risks and opportunities associated with sustainability are going to be hit hard by the direct financial consequences,” explained Oehme.
Sustainable development is a pillar of Hyder Consulting’s operations in the region and the launch of the Sustainable Design Group further strengthens Hyder Consulting’s position as a leader in the industry.
About Hyder Consulting Middle East
Hyder Consulting is a an award winning international engineering, planning, environmental and management consultancy employing almost 4,000 people worldwide, with offices in the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, China and the Middle East.
Hyder Consulting Middle East has been established in the region for the past 45 years, and is today at the forefront of regional growth, contributing to the engineering of prestigious developments such as the Burj Dubai and City of Arabia in Dubai; Shams Development on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi; Lusail and Education City in Qatar; and Al Areen Resort & Spa in Bahrain.
A regional team of 1,200 diverse and highly qualified staff operates from offices across the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Working closely with its international network of staff resources, and utilising the latest technology and systems, the company delivers world class solutions in the following disciplines on which clients and partners can build and grow.
- Masterplanning, Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture
- Environmental
- Structural and Civil Engineering
- Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP)
- Water, Wastewater Treatment and Networks
- Oil and Gas Engineering
- Telecommunications
- Transportation and Highways Engineering
- Bridges
- Facades
- Infrastructure
- Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)
- Light Rail Systems
For more information, visit www.hyderconsulting.com
