UAE: Abu Dhabi Construction

As industries around the world increasingly turn towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies to support their recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, focus is sharpening on sustainable construction in the Middle East.

Growing levels of international trade, both inbound and outbound, and a rising demand for trans-shipment services will drive expansion in Abu Dhabi’s logistics sector, with much of this activity taking place around its docks.

While the Strategic Tunnel Enhancement Programme (STEP) may not have grabbed as many headlines as some of Abu Dhabi’s larger infrastructure projects, the new wastewater network is crucial to the long-term health and welfare of the city.

Abu Dhabi’s construction sector appears set to return to near-full capacity, with the government announcing it is reactivating a number of major development projects and stepping up spending on infrastructure development. In late January, the government unveiled its revised construction programme, putting a number of formerly stalled projects on the top of its investment agenda.

Abu Dhabi’s construction industry is shifting its focus from residential and commercial development, which has long dominated the trade, to a rising number of infrastructure projects. However, supply pipeline bottlenecks could cause costs to rise and delay the rollout of some plans.