Construction sector challenges in focus at Lebanon event
Beirut, June 17, 2014
The latest developments and technological advancements in the construction industry are to be highlighted in a future concrete conference in Lebanon this week to address the challenges in the changing landscape of the industry.
The Future Concrete Lebanon 2014 will take place on June 19 at the Le Royal Hotel Dyabeh. It is being hosted by Advanced Construction and Technology Services (ACTS), a leading consulting organisation in the field of construction materials and geotechnical engineering, in collaboration with ACI Lebanon Chapter.
Lebanese construction statistics remain stable, and has in fact registered moderate growth in the first quarter of the year, despite continuing unrest in the region. Building permits and cement deliveries, both considered as leading indicators of construction activity, picked up from January to March, revealing the demand trends in the real estate sector.
Construction permits rose by 19 per cent compared to the same months last year, while cement deliveries, the coincident indicator of building activity, grew by 7.4 per cent from last year, or a total of 1,210 thousand tonnes in January-March 2014 as against last year’s 1,127 thousand tonnes.
Experts have predicted that potential developments and reconstruction in the region would provide viable opportunities in the construction, infrastructure and real estate industries in Lebanon and the neighboring countries.
Khaled Awad, chairman of ACTS, said: “Bringing the event to Lebanon is reaffirming our commitment in the Lebanese Concrete Society and ACTS to exert every effort in raising the expertise and professionalism in the local construction industry. Growth, new challenges and a host of other changes in the industry all reflect an increasingly dynamic scene.
“We believe that keeping up-to-date with construction trends and technologies will be a key competitive differentiator. This is what Future Concrete conference is all about and we hope our industry professionals will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to learn from the experts and network with their peers.”
The key topics to be discussed at the conference include seismic assessment of existing buildings; impact resistance of concrete; advanced materials for quality construction; and how to survive the construction economic downfall in Lebanon.
It will also feature the announcement of the winning team from the student competition called “ACI Egg Protection Device.” The competition, which aimed to engage students in educational field challenges and practical concrete projects, was held prior to the conference.
The winning team will be granted a trip to the US to attend the ACI 2014 Fall Convention. - TradeArabia News Service
