WILL DIGITALISATION BECOME MORE PERVASIVE IN THE UAE?
In the third panel, the panellists engaged in discussions sharing the sector’s journey into digitalisation and what more needs to be done.
Over the last two decades, the construction industry has gradually incorporated digital technology as the push continues to overcome the sector’s customary and traditional methods.
The UAE maintains a robust digital infrastructure, accelerating its digital transformation. This structure has enabled the nation to ensure business continuity and development, enhance educational operations, while improving resident lives and wellbeing.
The panellists engaged in discussions to share the sector’s journey into digitalisation and what more needs to be done.
The featured speakers included Michael Rimmer, head of MEP, Middle East, Ramboll; Dr. Yasemin Nielsen, associate professor, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University Dubai.
Nielsen mentioned: “All construction stakeholders in the built environment are trying to adopt these changes, but of course, it’s about where they are positioning themselves in the market.”
Rimmer also added: “The whole industry now is in 3D environment. I don’t see any projects, or very little projects that are still in the 2D environment, which I think is positive.”
According to the UAE Digital Transformation Enablers Report 2021, the UAE has been ranked among the world’s best countries in government digital transformation. It is also the only Arab country in this category in the government digital maturity report issued by the World Bank.
In the UAE, it is anticipated that the building and construction sector could expand by 4.2% in 2022 due to Expo 2020 being a tremendously successful event, and resulted investments in tourism, hospitality and public infrastructure projects. Digitalisation has emerged as a key pillar to leverage future growth.
“ALL CONSTRUCTION STAKEHOLDERS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE TRYING TO ADOPT THESE CHANGES, BUT OF COURSE, IT’S ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE POSITIONING THEMSELVES IN THE MARKET.”
Dr. Yasemin Nielsen, associate professor, Heriot-Watt University Dubai