JEDDAH – Business intelligence service MEED has named the Siemens Energy Hub Project by Siemens Energy as the GCC's Daman Industrial Project of the Year. MEED also selected the Jabal Omar Phase 1 Project by Jabal Omar Development Company as Building Project of the Year and the Qurayyah Independent Power Plant Project by Hajr Electricity Production Co. as the Power & Water Project of the Year.
The three projects were announced as winners at the prestigious MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2015, in association with Mashreq, at a gala awards ceremony held in Dubai at MEED's Construction Leadership Summit.
The Siemens Energy Hub Project, which was nominated by Hyder, an ARCADIS company, is the largest gas turbine manufacturing facility in the Middle East and one of the largest Siemens gas turbine plants in the world, was recognized for utilizing the latest gas turbine technologies at the new plant in Saudi Arabia. The highly efficient turbines produced at this site will provide energy to several sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, water and infrastructure and will support the positive impact they have on the lives of citizens in the Kingdom.
The Jabal Omar Phase 1 Project, nominated by Schneider Electric, impressed the judges with its scale and excellent execution. It is comprised of 40 towers ranging between 20 and 48 floors. The holding capacity of the residential towers is about 44,000 people (during normal seasons) and in excess of 100,000 people during Ramadan and Hajj seasons. The towers have been carefully located to take account of the sloping topography of the site and maximize views of the Grand Mosque and its Al Haram Piazza.
The Qurayyah Independent Power Plant Project is a landmark green field project in the energy sector. It generates approximately 8% of Saudi Arabia's total electricity without impacting the environment, provides power at the lowest tariff and is the largest IPP combined, cycle gas-fired power plant in the world.
John Iossifidis, Executive Vice President, Group Head – Corporate & Investment Banking, Mashreq Bank, psc., praised the winners for their unwavering commitment to the highest standards of quality. “Adherence to quality standards ensures optimum delivery of a project's intended benefits, and for this we congratulate the winners for their resolute commitment to project excellence that continues to set the benchmark not just for the region, but also for the rest of the world.”
The MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2015 in association with Mashreq is now in its 5th year and this year was the biggest year to date. “We received a record number of entries, marking yet another successful year for the awards,'' said Richard Thompson, Editorial Director, MEED. “The growing number of entrants is a reflection of the continuing strength of the projects sector in the region, with more projects being completed year-on-year. At the same time, the interest in the awards continues to reinforce their position as the benchmark for project excellence in this part of the world.” — SG
