Although modular construction is not new, it is no surprise that interest in this method is gaining traction. “How does modular construction compare to conventionally built structures?” is a question that is frequently asked.
AMANA Contracting Group, which has extensive expertise in this field, including the construction of a 150-room hotel for The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), offers a variety of superior solutions via its increasingly popular DUBOX Precast Products range. These solutions come with a long list of benefits, not least the ability to complete a building in 30% less time than more traditional construction methods.
The reason for this is simple: modular buildings are completed in manufacturing plants. Consequently, they are never delayed by weather conditions and are always completed within a set timeframe. Site preparation can take place while the modular building is being constructed and, because they are typically completed in shorter timeframes, costs can be less too. The material tolerances are also much better, since everything is done with the proper tools in a controlled environment.
Furthermore, modular buildings are environmentally-friendly, with components being manufactured and assembled in a factory. This delivers a number of benefits, not least the fact that the recycling and reduction of waste, along with energy efficiency measures, reduces operating costs in both the immediate and long-term.
With regards to the hospitality sector, the entire value chain and lifecycle of a building must be considered when identifying critical aspects that impact sustainability performance, starting with the initial design and onto construction activities. This all comes under ‘long-term environmental stewardship’, and adapting new methods, such as off-site modular construction, is helping the hospitality sector to reduce its carbon footprint considerably.
Put simply, flexibility, quality finishing and cost-effectiveness of modular construction often outweigh other options.
A controlled environment that shifts 85% of construction activities from the site to the factory
Investing in New Production Facilities
Therefore, it is no surprise that modular construction is really taking off in Saudi Arabia, underlined by AMANA’s decision to build a state-of-the-art, 94,000m2 factory in Rabigh. The decision to invest in a new production facility was in response to the changes being embraced by the Saudi construction industry, where technological advancements and innovation have driven growth throughout the sector. The new production facility also meets the demand for the sizeable projects the company has been awarded.
It has allowed AMANA to manufacture DUBOX modular precast products in a controlled environment that shifts 85% of construction activities from the site to the factory, minimising the impact on the environment. So successful has the factory been that AMANA is now looking to further expand its off-site manufacturing operations by establishing a second factory in the kingdom with a total area of 80,000m2. This will double the company’s production capacity.
The ability to complete a building in 30% less time than more traditional construction methods
A Full Design and Build Solution
With a comprehensive list of services, which includes all those you would expect from an established, all-inclusive building company, AMANA offers clients a full design and build solution. This is advantageous in several ways, including the overlap of design and construction, thereby reducing the overall project delivery time. The client is also able to engage with AMAMA early in the design process to ensure a more practical and buildable solution. The fact that there is a single point of responsibility for the client to deal with once the contract is awarded can also make things simpler and more straightforward.
A new state-of-the-art, 94,000m2 factory in Rabigh
With in-house capabilities to develop a project from conception through construction and onto completion, AMANA, which is currently working with leading blue-chip partners such as TRSDC and Qiddiya, is now the regional leader in the design-build of industrial and commercial facilities, with over 1,500 buildings constructed across the region. Indeed, having won the ‘BIG PROJECTS ME’ Award for Sustainable Project of the Year for the Coastal Village for TRCDC in January 2020, as well as being recognised among the winners of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Innovation Awards in 2018, the company’s ability to offer shortened construction times, an inherently green construction process, energy-efficient solutions and design flexibility, have made AMANA the ‘go-to’ contractor for discerning clients throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.