Project Management Accolades
Aramco shines at Construction Innovation Awards
SPARK, Dubai EXPO, and Aramcon Mohammed S. Al-Mana are recognized for excellence.
Aramco’s Project Management team recently took home a total of three awards from the 2021 Construction Innovation Awards in Dubai.
Attended by some of the most prestigious organizations in the construction and project management industry, the event showcased the accomplishments and game changing ideas of the top players in the GCC region.
Innovation Project of the Year
The King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) was awarded the Innovative Project of the Year. The project implemented multiple construction innovations and technologies, which enabled SPARK to be the first silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified industrial city worldwide.
SPARK also achieved the first gold “Mostadam” certificate for industrial and infrastructure development in Saudi Arabia.
Innovations such as the podzolic-based green concrete, ConXtech steel modular buildings, glass fiber reinforced polymer rebars for concrete slabs, automated upstream/downstream power systems, including smart RMU, smart solar street lighting with CCTV cameras, and sand stabilization polymer were all utilized at SPARK.
The team is in the process of implementing several other innovations such as smart inbound screening facilities for smart dry ports, mobile workforce management, smart construction labor hard hats, and asphalt paving material with recycled plastic and shredded rubber.
Hospitality Project of the Year
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National Pavilion, Expo2020 Dubai, was awarded the Hospitality Project of the Year. This award is usually given to the hospitality/tourism-related project that makes an important contribution to its surroundings, demonstrates construction best practices, and can show how construction techniques and technology have contributed to its success.
The project was selected because of its accelerated delivery, cost-efficiency, content creativity, innovation, and sustainability. Saudi’s national pavilion is the second largest at Expo2020 Dubai, with a built-up area of 13,000 m² and a height of 27 m. The project’s extraordinary and innovative design led visitors through a captivating journey to explore Saudi Arabia’s rich heritage, diverse nature, transformation, and future ambitions.
The unique architectural design is in line with global standards of sustainable development. It has been awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Using the latest digital technology, the pavilion broke three Guinness World Records, including the most comprehensive interactive lighting floor, extended interactive water feature, and largest interactive LED mirror screen.
Engineer of the Year Award
In addition to winning awards for projects, Aramco won an individual award for one of its employee’s efforts. This award went to Mohammed S. Al-Mana, a senior project engineer who works with the company’s downstream project management team.
Al-Mana holds a chemical engineering degree from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and has technical experience in the refining and NGL industry. He is also a certified Project Management Professional by the Project Management Institute.
Al-Mana earned the award for his performance in the construction of the world’s largest naphtha processing facilities of its kind inside a refinery. He played a key role in optimizing the project’s scope resulting in significant CAPEX savings while achieving the project objectives. Al-Mana also led the campaigns for major equipment heavy haul and erection, which were executed safely.
During the pandemic, Al-Mana showed excellent leadership skills in managing materials and construction activities while keeping the work environment safe and received the company’s Project Management Admin Area Excellence Award for his performance.