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AESG has appointed Kez Taylor and Roger Nickells as Non-Executive Directors to the business. The move is said to mark an important milestone with the company’s international growth strategy.

The establishment of the board marks a pivotal step in AESG’s global expansion, coinciding with the opening of its new office in Cape Town, following the recent launch of operations in Cairo and Melbourne earlier this year, the firm said in a statement.

According to the firm, its Board of Directors comprises Saeed Al Abbar (CEO of AESG), Scott Coombes (Managing Partner of AESG), Adam Muggleton (CTO of AESG), Kez Taylor (former CEO of ALEC Engineering & Contracting) and Roger Nickells (former Head of Design and Construction at Neom and CEO of Buro Happold).

Each member of the board brings unprecedented expertise, offering deep industry insight, strategic leadership, and a proven track record in guiding high-growth, global businesses through complex market expansions, the statement outlined.

“The appointment of the Non-Executive Directors reflects AESG’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and delivering meaningful impact as we grow our presence worldwide. The new members will provide independent oversight and strategic guidance, helping us navigate the complexities of rapid expansion while remaining true to our core purpose-driven mission. For our clients, this enhanced oversight means they can have even greater confidence in AESG’s ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable, and future-proof solutions. We believe in balancing bold ambition with a measured approach, and these seasoned leaders are perfectly placed to help us navigate that path,” said Al Abbar.

Taylor boasts more than thirty-five years of experience, including two decades leading ALEC Engineering & Contracting as Chief Executive Officer. Under his leadership, ALEC expanded beyond traditional contracting to establish new business lines such as ALEC Energy, ALEC Fitout and LINQ Modular, transforming the company into a diversified powerhouse delivering complex multi-billion-dollar projects across multiple sectors, the statement confirmed.

Sharing his thoughts on joining AESG’s board, Taylor stated, “I am honoured to join AESG’s inaugural board, especially at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey. AESG has established itself as a global leader in delivering innovative and sustainable solutions, and I look forward to supporting its continued growth and international expansion. Having worked closely with AESG over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the firm’s ability to deliver complex, high-impact projects, while maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. I am excited to contribute to its strategic vision as it enters new markets and scales globally,”

Nickells is a globally recognised leader in engineering and design, with over three decades of experience shaping some of the world’s most ambitious projects and giga-developments. As CEO of Buro Happold, he helped expand the firm into a global consultancy. At NEOM, he served as Sector Head of Design & Construction, leading one of the largest and most innovative professional teams in the world. Throughout his career, Nickells has been instrumental in delivering projects that transformed cities and societies, from the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and the London 2012 Olympic Park to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Battersea Power Station, Dubai Metro, The High Line in New York, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, according to AESG.

Nickells commented, “AESG’s ambition, expertise, and commitment to excellence are truly impressive. I’m excited to contribute to the board as the company scales new markets and drives impactful change across the built environment. With the increasing global demand for sustainable, future-ready solutions, AESG is uniquely positioned to lead the way. I look forward to working alongside such a dynamic leadership team to help shape the company’s continued success and long-term value creation.”

The board’s first initiative has been to inaugurate AESG’s new office in Cape Town, South Africa, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and networking event with local industry stakeholders, where the board also held their inaugural board meeting.

This comes just a few weeks after the opening of AESG’s Cairo and Melbourne offices, reflecting the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence in high-potential markets. These new locations not only position AESG closer to key clients but also provide access to exceptionally large and rich talent pools, the statement concluded.

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Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a historic infrastructure revolution, a cornerstone of its visionary journey toward Vision 2030. The Kingdom’s bold ambition is to build not just new cities and economic hubs, but to create truly future-ready, intelligent urban environments that will stand as global benchmarks. This monumental undertaking demands a fundamental shift away from traditional, fragmented construction methods toward an integrated, data-driven approach. It is not just about building smarter; it’s about building with foresight, efficiency, and sustainability.

For decades, the global architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AEC/O) industry has relied on static blueprints – two-dimensional plans that, while essential, offer a limited, siloed view of a project. They represent a single moment in time, a snapshot that quickly becomes outdated as changes, unforeseen challenges, and new data emerge. This traditional approach creates friction and inefficiencies across the project lifecycle, leading to costly delays, budget overruns, and a lack of transparency.

The future of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia cannot be constrained by these limitations. The scale and complexity of megaprojects like NEOM, The Red Sea, and Qiddiya require a dynamic, living model that reflects the asset’s reality in real time. This is where the concept of the digital twin becomes not just a buzzword, but an absolute necessity. They allow decision-makers to visualise outcomes before construction begins, anticipate challenges, and manage operations with unmatched precision.

The scale of transformation

The numbers tell a remarkable story. According to Knight Frank, the value of total contracts awarded for the construction, industrial, and transport sectors between 2020 and 2025 has reached a staggering $215.4bn.Riyadh alone accounted for $135.2bn of awarded contracts since 2020, representing 63% of the Kingdom’s total.

This phenomenal pace of development is being powered by Vision 2030, which is reshaping the Kingdom into a global hub for tourism, commerce, and trade.This transformation aims to deliver over one million homes, more than 362,000 hotel keys, over 7.4m sqm of retail space, and more than 7.7m sqm of new office space by the end of the decade. In total, more than $1.3tn is set to be invested in real estate and infrastructure projects.

These figures highlight the sheer scale of opportunity, as well as the pressing need for digital-first approaches that ensure efficiency, accountability, and long-term value creation.

Enter the AI-powered digital twin

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical asset, be it a building, a bridge, or an entire city. It is built upon a foundation of rich, multidisciplinary data from a Building Information Modeling (BIM) framework and is continuously fed with real-time data from sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This creates a live, interconnected ecosystem that provides a single source of truth for all stakeholders, from initial design and construction through to a project’s long-term operations and maintenance.

This isn’t just about visualisation; it’s about intelligence. By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into the digital twin, we can transform raw data into actionable insights. AI can analyse vast datasets to predict maintenance needs, optimise energy consumption, and simulate various scenarios to improve performance. Most importantly, it elevates operational excellence, allowing city managers and operators to make data-backed decisions that ensure the safety, security, and seamless functioning of a community.

For a project like The Line, which will rely on a seamless, interconnected system, AI-driven digital twins are the only way to ensure optimal operation and a world-class quality of life for its residents. This convergence of technologies allows us to build with a lifecycle approach, ensuring that decisions made in the design phase have positive, long-term impacts on a project’s efficiency and sustainability.

Embracing digital innovation to power the future

As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its ambitious megaprojects, it is clear that the blueprint for success lies in embracing digital innovation. The Kingdom is not just building infrastructure; it is crafting a new paradigm for urban living. It falls to digital transformation enablers to empower the industry to move from static blueprints to dynamic, intelligent, and sustainable digital twins. This isn’t just the future of infrastructure – it is the future of a smarter, more resilient Saudi Arabia.

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New regulations have been announced for Riyadh’s rental market, with rent increases being frozen for residential and commercial properties for the next five years. The move aims to stabilise housing costs and ensure fairness between landlords and tenants, said a report.

The measures were approved by the Council of Ministers and enacted through a royal decree, follow directives from Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who earlier ordered reforms to address sharp rent hikes in the capital.

As per the new rules which came into effect on 25 September, the total rental value of properties – whether in existing or new contracts – cannot be increased for five years within Riyadh’s urban boundary. The framework could be extended to other cities and governorates if deemed necessary by the Real Estate General Authority with the approval of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the report added.

The initiative will see vacant properties in Riyadh have their rent fixed at the value of the most recent registered contract. For units that have never been rented, landlords and tenants may agree on the initial rent freely. All contracts must be registered through the Ejar platform, either by landlords or tenants, with a 60-day window for objections. If no objection is raised, the contract data will be deemed valid.

Automatic renewals will also be regulated, the report added. Lease agreements nationwide will be renewed unless one party notifies the other at least 60 days before expiry. In Riyadh specifically, landlords cannot refuse renewal if tenants wish to extend, except in three cases: non-payment, structural defects affecting safety, or the landlord’s intent to use the property personally or for a first-degree relative.

The report also said that under the new regulations, landlords can appeal the fixed rents in limited circumstances, such as after significant renovations or if the last contract was signed before 2024.

Fines for violations can be up to the equivalent of 12 months’ rent, alongside compensation for affected tenants. Whistleblowers can receive up to 20% of the fine as a reward for reporting violations. The Real Estate General Authority will oversee enforcement in cooperation with other agencies, monitor rent levels, and submit regular reports to the Crown Prince, the report stated.

Officials said the measures mark a turning point in Riyadh’s rental market, aiming to restore balance, increase transparency, and provide a safe and fair environment that supports sustainable urban development and quality of life.

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Emirates District Cooling (Emicool) has signed a concession agreement with Al Reef Cooling Company, which holds the exclusive district cooling concession for Al Reef Downtown in Abu Dhabi. The agreement marks Emicool’s entry into the Abu Dhabi market and reinforces its strategy of expanding its presence across the UAE through long-term concessional models.

The Al Reef district cooling plant boasts installed capacity of 8,005 TR (tons of refrigeration) and a connected capacity of 9,629 TR. Currently, it serves a diverse clientele of 46 buildings, over 1,800 residential customers, and 36 retail units. Emicool assumed operational management of the plant in July 2025 and has set its sights on implementing efficiency upgrades in line with its Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) business model, said a statement.

Adib El Moubadder, CEO of Emicool said, “The concession agreement for Al Reef Cooling Company marks a defining milestone in Emicool’s growth journey. Securing the exclusive district cooling concession for Al Reef Downtown not only establishes Emicool’s presence in Abu Dhabi but also significantly strengthens the company’s national portfolio of district cooling assets. This breakthrough reflects Emicool’s strategic focus on long-term concessional models, operational excellence, and sustainable expansion, enabling it to deliver reliable, efficient, and scalable cooling solutions to a growing customer base across the UAE.”

Mohamed Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Manazel Real Estate added, “District cooling is a critical component of sustainable urban development, and Emicool has established itself as a leading provider in the region. This agreement ensures that the Al Reef community will continue to benefit from reliable and efficient cooling solutions. We are confident that Emicool’s expertise and operational excellence will support the long-term needs of residents and businesses at Al Reef Downtown while contributing to the growth and modernization of Abu Dhabi’s district cooling infrastructure.”

The Al Reef plant, primarily serving residential buildings with some retail clients, is a strategic addition to Emicool’s expanding portfolio of district cooling facilities across the UAE. This concession agreement reflects Emicool’s dedication to expanding its national presence, optimising operational efficiency, and providing scalable and reliable cooling solutions to key urban developments, the statement concluded.

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The Middle East Consultant (MEC) editorial team has unveiled the partial shortlist of categories and nominees for the 2025 Women in Construction ED&I Summit + Awards. The MEC team added that the full shortlist will only be disclosed during the awards ceremony and in the post event announcement and report.

Both the summit and awards will take place at the Habtoor Grand Resort JBR, Dubai on 1 October 2025. The day begins with in-depth panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations, following which the ceremonial component will take place. The summit segment is expected to conclude at 3.30pm, with the awards ceremony due to kick off at 4.30pm.

“The 2025 edition of the Women in Construction ED&I Summit + Awards is poised to be an incredible day of discussion and a celebration of vision, talent and impact. The MEC team has been hard at work on the award’s segment of the day and is pleased to announce the partial shortlist of categories and their respective nominees,” said Paul Godfrey, Head of Content at Middle East Consultant.

“Due to the diversity of the nominations we received and to ensure a balanced judging process where entries could be fairly judged, we made the decision to merge and split certain categories, which is reflected in the shortlist below. I look forward to celebrating all the nominees and winners on 1 October,” Godfrey added.

The partial shortlist for the Women in Construction ED&I Summit + Awards is as follows:

Women’s Team-Building Champion of the Year

• GHD UAE, Jincy Mariam Rinu
• Trowers & Hamlins, Cheryl Cairns

Women’s Executive Empowerment Champion

• Dubai Holding Entertainment
• Godwin Austen Johnson
• Serco

Enterprise Champion of the Year – Female Leadership

• 9E Global Engineering Consultants, Arshana Fathima
• Climatize, part of +impact, Engi Jaber
• SharpMinds Consulting Engineers, Katherine Borge

Women’s Lobbying Champion of the Year

• HKA, Iryna Akulenka
• GHD UAE, April Martinez

Woman Lifetime Achievement Award

• GHD UAE, Stephanie Kinnick
• KEO, Donna Sultan
• Valcarce Architects, Alina Valcarce

Gender Empowerment Champion of the Year

• Dubai Holding Entertainment
• GHD UAE
• McLaren Construction

Human Capital Manager of the Year

• AECOM
• McLaren Construction

Youth Mentoring Champion of the Year

• Godwin Austen Johnson, Esraa Abdellah
• KOJ INTERIORS, Amy Duck
• TBH, Emrah Uluverdi

Mentoring Champion of the Year

• AECOM, Asif Shafi
• Johnson Arabia, Ankita Rao
• Trowers & Hamlins, Cheryl Cairns

Workspace Inclusiveness Champion of the Year

• AECOM
• HKA
• McLaren Construction

ED&I Programme of the Year

• AECOM
• Godwin Austen Johnson
• LWK + Partners
• TBH

To learn more about the Women in Construction ED&I Summit + Awards, click here.

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Emaar said it is about to unveil its most exclusive residential address to date, Dubai Mansions. The ultra-luxury community is designed exclusively for an elite global clientele.

Located adjacent to Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Mansions boasts a limited collection of mansions. Each mansion offers spacious living areas ranging from 10,000 to 20,000sqft, embodying a blend of space and elegance. Inspired by sophistication and luxury benchmarks, the architecture and design of these mansions create an unparalleled living experience. Dubai Mansions is offering an unparalleled lifestyle experience tailored for those who appreciate the artistry of living well. This exclusive community is poised to become a new icon of living, built from the ground up for ultimate privacy, prestige, and perfection, said a statement.

“There’s a kind of luxury that isn’t loud. It doesn’t need validation or volume. It comes from authenticity, from knowing that what you’re creating is for people who understand value beyond price. That’s what this community represents,” says Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of Emaar.

Dubai Mansions, envisioned as a masterpiece in scale, craftsmanship, and experience, promises to redefine luxury living. From expansive plots and majestic façades to interiors and landscaping, each residence will embody Emaar’s commitment to creating spaces that harmonise legacy with innovation, the firm said.

Nestled within Dubai Hills Estate, the project offers proximity to a championship golf course, and healthcare, education, and retail destinations like Dubai Hills Mall. This prime location ensures residents have access to all the city’s essentials while providing the seclusion of a private sanctuary, Emaar stated.

Beyond being a residence, Dubai Mansions will emerge as a new destination that embodies the quality and emotional appeal of luxury brands. With attention to detail, the project will translate its architectural prowess, lighting, spatial arrangements, and proportions into a truly exceptional living experience.

While full details remain under wraps, Dubai Mansions has already generated hushed anticipation among those attuned to Dubai’s evolving luxury landscape. Its rare offering and exceptional location make it an ideal choice for experts of design-led living and those seeking the next landmark address in the city, the statement concluded.

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UAE-based Farnek has launched Emirates Carbon, which is billed as a a free, open-access platform that offers carbon footprint calculations, direct access to quality offset programs, certified carbon credits, and International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs).

Unlike complex enterprise systems, Emirates Carbon simplifies the process for individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and events by providing a straightforward way to calculate Scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as travel- and event-related footprints, the firm said in a statement.

For larger organisations, the platform integrates with CarbonTek, Farnek’s premium enterprise solution. CarbonTek tracks full Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across operations and supply chains, offering advanced dashboards, analytics, and compliance reporting. Additionally, the platform provides expert-backed carbon neutral pathways, guided by ESG and sustainability professionals, ensuring access to third-party verification and assurance for credibility and compliance, it added.

“Emirates Carbon empowers organisations to understand, manage and reduce their carbon emissions,” said Muna Al Nahdi, Director of Sustainability & Consultancy, Farnek. She added, “In partnership with Farnek, business leaders can make informed decisions that not only benefit their own companies, but also contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment. Moreover, Emirates Carbon can improve the efficiency of reporting emissions by up to 30%.”

“It supports carbon-neutral events, hotel stays, and travel, as well as hundreds of facilities, organisations, and individuals across the UAE and the wider Middle East. The platform scales across industries such as real estate, hospitality, aviation, and finance, accelerating corporate Net Zero pathways while underscoring the UAE’s reputation as a leader in sustainability and climate action,” she continued.

Emirates Carbon, delivered through a robust digital ecosystem, supports the UAE’s new Carbon Law and its upcoming national MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) framework. This platform empowers businesses to align with compliance requirements, while taking voluntary climate leadership steps. Emirates Carbon offers offsetting options that cover both internationally certified credits, such as Verra and Gold Standard, and, in the near future, locally generated credits once the UAE National Carbon Credit Registry is operational, the statement outlined.

Farnek said that it launched the platform to support the UAE government’s Net Zero 2050 strategy. By providing businesses and individuals with transparent tools to measure, manage, and offset their carbon footprint, Emirates Carbon helps corporations strengthen ESG performance and positions the UAE as a regional hub for certified carbon markets and sustainability innovation, it concluded.

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