Interview: Siemens Building Technologies talks construction in the Middle East

Construction is big business in the Middle East. According to a report by MENA Research Partners, the GCC construction market grew strongly in 2017, with $130bn of project work completed in the first 10 months of last year, some $30bn more than the whole of 2016.

Technology is increasingly having an impact on the bottom line profitability of projects, not just in the Gulf region but all over the world.

Beyond bricks and mortar, smaller, smarter details are playing a bigger part in client scrutiny of buildings.

This is where Siemens Building Technologies comes in.

Headquartered in Switzerland, the Siemens division has built up a strong portfolio of construction sector work and prides itself on the ability to make perfect places for people to spend their lives.

This is the motto of Ahmad Farrakh Manzoor, Head of Building Technologies in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

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In an exclusive interview with Construction Global, he reveals that the secret to the company’s success in the region so far is its people. “We have a very creative and talented team of people who can really explain to our customers how they can benefit from building technologies and how important it is to really manage buildings efficiently. This is the key to our success.”

Manzoor also outlines the unique position Siemens Building Technologies is in regarding its ability to cater to the smart cities segment.

“If you think about what constitutes a smart city, in addition to smart mobility, smart energy infrastructure e.g. smart grids, and other elements of a smart city, especially in the Middle East, smart buildings play an immense role with over 70% of energy being consumed by buildings for cooling in the hot summer months.

“Siemens is in a unique position as one of the only companies in the world that has all of these elements all in one company, and this is why we have a strong focus on smart cities.”

Other topics of discussion include artificial intelligence, the speed of disruption and how Siemens is leading the way with health and safety protocols.

Be sure to look out for the June edition of Construction Global magazine to read the full interview.