In the spirit of new year’s resolutions, ProTenders highlights three pitfalls for contractors to look out for in 2019.

Depending on who you speak to, 2018 was a mixed year for the GCC construction market. On one hand, the demand from regional events and government-led initiatives, in particular Dubai’s Expo 2020, Saudi’s Vision 2030 and Kuwait’s five-year development plan have helped to bring stability to the supply chain, however, the usual challenges of delayed payments, under capitalisation, inadequate planning and the rising costs of raw materials in combination with oil volatility will almost have certainly been front and centre issues for many construction stakeholders throughout much of last year.

A ProTenders guide to some of the most interesting projects from the GCC, currently in either design or under construction. 

The countries of the GCC have long had a reputation for building the most remarkable constructions. From high-end hotels to the tallest building in the world, the Arabian Peninsula is home to some of the world’s most famous buildings. What follows are some of the most exciting, ambitious projects underway in the region at present. From an incredible new children’s hospital to a public transport system and mixed-use residential and commercial properties, these projects represent the very best the GCC has to offer. Read on and discover how projects in the GCC are changing the face of design.

In case you missed connecting with us at the event, here are 4 key highlights of our participation at The Big 5.

Developers and investors within the residential development sector remain bullish despite the challenges faced by states across the GCC. Affordable housing tops the bill as residential and infrastructure projects improve quality of life.

Whether you’re in Sales, Marketing or Tendering, at ProTenders we’re always looking for ways to make your daily work lighter and more efficient. This was precisely the idea behind our latest Tag feature which was recently added due to popular demand.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: ProTenders, the leading construction intelligence and e-tendering company, announced today that they have been shortlisted for the Digital Business of the Year and Disruption of the Year categories for the Gulf Capital SME Awards 2018. The Awards, currently in its 7^th year, celebrate and recognize outstanding SMEs from the UAE that have shown promising growth and disruptive innovation in their industries.

The first quarter of 2018 has seen an upward trend when it comes to the construction industry in the GCC. Key investments are being made into the diversification of the oil economy across the region, primarily witnessed through the keen development of transport and social infrastructure projects that support the various GCC states’ visions. At the same time, the industry is also experiencing a number of challenges this 2018, and addressing these challenges will further open the doors of opportunity to industry players.

As history shows, its possible for sudden, disruptive and largely unpredictable technology shifts to occur. Renewable energy is one such technology shift that has in recent years been disrupting the oil economy to lead the charge when it comes to energy of the future. With plenty of sun to go around, solar has become one of the most viable energy sources evidenced by the recent spurt of multiple solar construction projects around the GCC region and the world.

Waste generated by construction does not just have a massively negative impact on the environment, it also comes with a huge economic price tag. According to a World Bank Report, construction waste from building materials accounts for half of the solid waste generated annually. Therefore, it pays for regional and global players in the construction industry to examine their waste disposal methods and make significant changes to create more sustainable ways of working.

Today, roughly half of the world’s population live in cities; over the next thirty years this figure is expected to increase to 66 percent and the Middle East is no exception. According to a report by PWC, the Middle East has played witness to one of the most rapidly advancing urban populations, with the GCC among the world’s highest urbanized regions where 85 percent of the population already live in cities. These trends have created increasing demands for sustainable construction with an emerging need to build upwards. As a result, players in the construction industry can no longer act in silos, and organizations throughout the region have a role in driving a sustainable agenda if we are to halt or slow the challenges of a growing population and changing environment.