600+ decision makers from 150+ companies explored approaches to successful construction project delivery in the region
Riyadh Region Municipality support as Diamond Partner
Riyadh- – The fifth MENA Construction Summit 2024, the region’s premier event bringing together key construction industry stakeholders, got underway this week at the Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences. The Summit, organized by MEED and Enso Events Solutions, focussed on the effective delivery of key regional construction projects on time, in budget and with elevated standards of sustainability and efficiency. Riyadh Region Municipality is the Diamond Partner for the MENA Construction Summit 2024.
Inspired by ambitious national visions, construction spending is surging across MENA, driven by huge masterplan developments and Saudi Arabia’s giga projects program. The convergence of a number of factors, however, including the need for intricate supply chain management, urgency due to time-sensitive roadmaps, simultaneous execution of multiple projects and funding complexities, has forced a rethink of the traditional approach to project delivery.
Under the theme “Reimagining Project Delivery,” over 600 attendees from over 150 companies gained actionable insights into the latest trends, research, innovations, opportunities, and challenges driving improvements in productivity, quality, reliability, cost-savings, waste reduction, and energy efficiency – and how these methods can be employed in ground-breaking projects across the region.
In the opening keynote fireside chat, Eng. Fahad AlSolaie, Deputy Mayor for Digital Transformation & Smart Cities, Riyadh Region Municipality, was interviewed by Dr. Abdulrahman Albawardi, Assistant Professor at King Saud University, in the session “The Transformation of Riyadh City under Saudi Vision 2030”. Eng. AlSolaie discussed innovative and sustainable urban planning strategies for the Riyadh Municipality, in line with the giga and mega projects, and the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Eng. AlSolaie commented “To support the city development, the municipality is planning to enable aerial management of construction projects using drones with AI capabilities which will enhance project delivery efficiency and assist in monitoring the project staff safety on the project site”.
Later in the morning, the keynote leaders panel session provided a deep dive on the opportunities and complexities of smart city development, and the need for a holistic approach that addresses social, economic and environmental sustainability, from panellists Hani Rizkallah, President – KSA Infrastructure at Bechtel; Dr Hossam Abdel Gawad, Vice President of Technology & Innovation at SETS; Dr. Mohammed Al-Surf, Founder and President of Sustainability Professionals of Saudi Arabia (SPSA); and Sherief Elabd, Director – Industry & Innovation Strategy at Oracle.
Sessions were delivered by over 30 speakers in a series of engaging formats, including insightful keynote presentations, interactive panel discussions, and networking sessions designed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange.
All parts of the broader construction ecosystem were represented at the Summit including government stakeholders, project owners and developers, contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, digital technology specialists, material suppliers, equipment and software service provider solution companies.
“We are excited to bring together construction industry leaders and experts at the MENA Construction Summit 2024 to change the way we look at project delivery of major construction projects across MENA,” said Ed James, Head of Content & Research MEA at MEED – GlobalData, from MEED. “By sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions, we aim to catalyse positive change.”
