Doha, Qatar; May 14, 2017: Advanced Construction Technology Services (ACTS), a leading consulting organisation in the field of construction materials and geotechnical engineering, is collaborating with ACI (American Concrete Institute) Qatar Chapter for this year’s staging of Future Concrete Conference, which kick-starts on Tuesday, May 16, at the Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel in Qatar. Billed as Middle East’s premier learning event for the construction industry, Future Concrete will gather once again some of the biggest names in the local and international construction scene to discuss the latest technology developments, create business opportunities and tackle industry issues and challenges. A highlight of the event will be a keynote address delivered by ACI President and ACTS Chairman and Founder Eng. Khaled Awad.
Gracing Future Concrete 2017 will be thought leaders from the government namely: Eng. Khalid Al Emadi, Quality and Safety Department Manager, Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Qatar and ACI Qatar Chapter Chairman, who will also be giving his keynote speech for the event; Dr. Mohammed Bin Saif Al-Kuwari, Head of the Environmental and Municipal Studies Institute, Qatari Ministry of Municipality and Environment; Dr. Khaled Hassan, Country Director and Head of Middle East Infrastructure, Qatar Transport Research Laboratory; Eng. Amir Saleh Mia, Quality Engineer, Ashghal-Qatar, and, Dr. Noureddin Issa Daas, Expert of Standards, Qatar Ministry of Environment.
Future Concrete 2017, which is also supported by the international parent organization of ACI, ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials), the Qatar Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal‘ and Qatar University, is set to be the most important conference of the year as it puts focus on in-depth discussions about construction economics, especially in the wake of the rise in the number of infrastructure projects in the region, among them billion-dollar megaprojects in the pipeline.
Eng. Khaled Awad, Chairman of ACTS and the newly-elected President of the American Concrete Institute, said, “Prudent management of infrastructure projects has never been more important than now, especially that we’re witnessing a very selective spending by governments and investors on strategic projects. The right project delivery strategy, the best possible quality resources, and appropriate policies and procedures to mitigate risks are just some of the crucial steps needed to ensure a project is successfully completed on time, on budget, and with high quality results. Over the years, Future Concrete has evolved to stay relevant alongside the developments in construction technology and in response to the most urgent needs of the industry. Our focus this year is Construction Economics and it is aligned with our continued emphasis on innovation to help sustain the industry’s growing trend.”
Presentations from local and international business and industry luminaries will be the highlight of the one-day conference. Among the much anticipated talks are discussions on Sustainable and Economic Concrete from Dr. Mohammed Bin Saif Al-Kuwari and Dr. Khaled Hassan, as well as a presentation on Concrete in Qatar Construction Specification (QCS); GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) from Eng. Amir Saleh Mia and Dr. Noureddin Issa Daas.
Also included in the roster of distinguished speakers and panelists are: Mr. Robert Lewis, Technical Marketing Manager, Elkem, UK (Optimizing Project Economics with High Performance Concrete); Eng. Robin Torres Heindrich, Lean Director, Jacobs Engineering, USA (Lean Production Management in Design); Eng. Julien Cohen, First Ever Lean Director, Bouygues, UK (Lean Management, Changing Construction Management to the Better); Dr.Luis Baquerizo, Country Technical Support Engineer, LafargeHolcim Research Centre (AIRIUM: A New Mineral Insulation Technology and LH Innovative/Sustainable Products); Engr. Ahmed Abdel Halim, Concrete Technologist, Qatar General Organization for Standardization (Robotic Concrete Sample Preparation); Dr. Bruno Pellerin, Research and Development Director, CHRYSO Group (Recent Innovation in Chemical Admixtures); Dr. Usama Ebead, Associate Professor of Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering Program Coordinator, Qatar University (Strengthening Techniques for Reinforced Concrete Structures); and, Dr. Wael Alnahhal, Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering, Qatar University (Behavior of Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams with Recycled Concrete Coarse Aggregates Produced in Qatar).
Besides expert presentations and panel discussion, Future Concrete will also feature the announcement of the winners of the 2017 ACI Concrete Cylinder Student Competition. Aimed at encouraging students to extend their knowledge by participating in interesting and educational concrete projects, the Concrete Cylinder Competition drew 20 students from Qatar University, with each team developing the best mixture design that demonstrates cementitious efficiency, i.e., maintaining the overall performance of the mixture with the lowest amount of cementitious material. Winner prize will be a trip to attend the ACI Convention in Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, California.
Other sponsors for Future Concrete 2017 are: United Readymix and CHRYSO as Partners; Weber Saint-Gobain as Platinum Sponsor; Unibeton Ready Mix, Al Falah Ready Mix and Readymix Qatar LLC as Gold Sponsors; and, Falcon Ready Mix as Silver Sponsor.