Aurecon, a global engineering and infrastructure advisory company, said it has started offering unlimited Architect of Record (AOR) services in the key UAE markets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The new AOR service will allow Aurecon to take a lead consultant role in projects through integrating local code requirements with its engineering design solutions and facilitating a smooth approval process with the relevant authorities.

With a strong cloud-based foundation, the service will provide premium consultation to architects, developers and owners in a country which is increasingly recognised for its progressive and contemporary architecture, said the company in a statement.

As part of this service, Aurecon will act as a bridge between the design ideas of the architect and owner and the practical considerations for construction.

"The Middle East is a place where big dreams come to life; where projects are often described in terms of superlatives – biggest, tallest, latest, and fastest. To carry their weight, projects of this calibre require not only flawless design, but speedy and sound execution," remarked Ermis Marques, the regional director for the Middle East.

According to him, this new service is aimed at supporting clients in bringing their boldest and bravest visions to reality.

"It will harness digital solutions enabling the company to collaborate more effectively with multiple stakeholders in a typical mega project in both these emirates. By creating a virtual reality experience of the design during development, clients will have better visibility over timelines and costs over the course of their projects," he added.

In addition to launching the AOR service, Aurecon has also announced three major appointments to strengthen its regional team.

Rudi Rautenbach has been named the new risk advisory lead, David Moore the country manager of Qatar, and David Martin, the head of utilities and masterplanning.

Each of them will bring increased skill and experience to the growing Aurecon leadership team in the region, said the company in a statement.

Rautenbach is an experienced professional in the built environment segment with core skills in leading risk management as well as asset management on major projects.

Proficient in the 10 knowledge areas of the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK), he has a track record of developing new risk and asset management models, and risk management policy strategies.

His project portfolio includes a tall tower in Dubai and dozens of major energy, transport and infrastructure projects in Africa, said the statement.

Moore has been with Aurecon since 2001 and is particularly experienced in the design and construction of bridges and other transport infrastructure in the Middle East.

The industry veteran is currently leading Aurecon’s design verification engineering team on the Doha Metro project, directing and co-ordinating a large multidisciplinary engineering team. He replaces Roy Fullard who takes on a new role within Aurecon, managing a major project in Dubai, it stated.

Martin is a seasoned expert in environment and planning in infrastructure and utilities projects, and brings over 33 years’ experience to his new role.

He has overseen and managed multidisciplinary teams of transport planners and infrastructure engineers on a series of major development projects. His specialisations include delivering inputs for sustainable development and security, as well as fire and life safety for masterplanning projects, said the statement.

The new appointments and service will further strengthen Aurecon’s capabilities to add value to their clients’ businesses, remarked Marques.

“Our focus on bringing clients’ ideas to life means evolving our services and the talent we employ to ensure our team is ready to take on the biggest challenges our clients may face today and in future,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service