The awarding of multi-million-dirham contracts for a number of vital projects in Dubai to reduce the burgeoning traffic conditions and ensure a smoother traffic flow has been approved by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Palm Water, a company-owned by Istithmar, today said it had been awarded an $400 million contract by Nakheel to design, build, own and operate (DBOO) a sewage treatment plant as well as sewage and irrigation networks that will cater to a number of high-profile property development in Dubai.

Tabreed, the Middle East’s district cooling pioneer, has signed a deal with Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company (Adnec) to provide 16,716 tonnes of refrigeration (TR) for its new developments.

With over 24 million square feet of commercial office space currently under development, Dubai has been ranked a close second in the world in terms of office real estate construction activity by Colliers International. Colliers International is one of the top three global property service consultants.

Aldar Properties has appointed renowned Paris-based design engineering firm RFR for the design of Al Raha Beach’s public realm structures in Abu Dhabi. RFR joins the impressive team of international and local architects and designers already appointed for the project.

Cummins Power Generation (CPG) has completed a prestigious contract to provide back-up power for the new Royal Air Wing of Dubai International Airport that is currently under construction. The new wing is being constructed as part of the airport’s $2.5 billion expansion and is dedicated to the Dubai Royal Family and their VIP visitors.

Cost-effective investment into Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) is as valuable as investment into any other business asset and can result in dramatic savings in your company’s bottom line, says EC Harris, a leading a professional services consultancy. Good health and safety can help reduce costs – a UK-based utilities company saved £2.

Construction work  has begun on the Dh500 million ($136 million) Hircon International’s 23 Marina, a 90-storey marvel that is rising at the skyscraper-dotted Dubai Marina. When completed, it will be one of the tallest residential buildings in the world, beating Australia’s Q1 which presently holds the record.

Sorouh Real Estate and Tameer Holding, two leading real estate companies of the UAE, have entered into a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture company to develop six towers of the Gate District and another company to build the Abu Dhabi Towers at Shams Abu Dhabi.

The construction teams working on UAE’s first ‘Express by Holiday Inn’ property at Knowledge Village in Dubai have broken ground at the site and building work is progressing at an impressive pace. The project manager for the development is Projacs International and the engineering works are being undertaken by National Engineering Bureau.

The global economic slowdown has started and is beginning to be felt but the UAE construction industry has no cause for worry, says Stephen Poloz, the senior vice-president corporate affair and chief economist of Export Development Canada (EDC).

The Great Dubai Wheel project has received the green signal from the Dubai Municipality. Work will begin shortly on the 185-m Observation Wheel, one of Dubailand’s key tourist attractions, which will welcome its first visitors in early 2009 and provide a panoramic view of Dubai.The master plan for the Dh250-million ($68.

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) has started selling plots on 147,582 sq m of prime land, collectively valued at more than $571 million, at the Capital Centre which will take shape next year. The Capital Centre, the new name and brand for the Dh8 billion ($2.

The construction of a new float glass facility in Ras Al Khaimah, to be known as Guardian RAK, is progressing according to schedule, according to the company.  The joint venture comprises Guardian Industries Corp, National Company for Glass Industries and Al Zamil Group.Production at the plant will begin in the third quarter of next year.

Amana Contracting and Steel Buildings, a regional leader in fast track, turnkey construction of commercial and industrial facilities, has been awarded the contract to design and build a new commercial complex at the Dubai Maritime City (DMC), by Nakheel, the master developer.

Palm District Cooling (PDC), the UAE-based district cooling utility company – with Istithmar as its majority stakeholder – has announced expansion plans that will propel its total installed capacity to 1.8 million tons of refrigeration (TR) over the next four years. The company will invest $3.