LINQ Modular to increase manufacturing capacity

By the end of the decade, the GCC's hotel room stock is expected to have roughly doubled, putting pressure on the industry to adopt new and creative approaches to building hotels as quickly, effectively, and economically as possible.

In response to this potential, ALEC's modular construction division, LINQ, has made investments to increase its manufacturing capacity and can currently produce up to 1,900 completely furnished luxury rooms annually.

LINQ is positioned to become the premier modular construction partner for luxury serviced apartments, boutique hotels and regional resorts since it was the first firm to obtain a modular construction licence from the Dubai Municipality to pioneer G+6 structures.

Crucially, the company is able to achieve a remarkably low material waste rate—estimated by the Waste & Resources Action Program (WRAP) to be up to 90% less than traditional construction techniques—by producing its "plug-and-play" 3- to 5-star hotel rooms entirely offsite within the highly optimised and tightly controlled settings of its expansive production facility in Dubai.

Modular challenges

“When talking about 400,000 new hotel rooms being built over the next six years, every fraction counts. So, the efficiencies made possible by modular construction techniques quickly cascade to offer tremendous benefit. Paired with the potential for enhanced quality, and speed of delivery – made possible by factory-controlled production – this paradigm has the potential to play a significant role in meeting the GCC’s unprecedented demand for hotel room stock,” said Graham Petty, operations manager at LINQ.

Through the successful fabrication and installation of 218 serviced apartments at Sindalah, the region's most famous island resort, LINQ proved the viability and advantages of modular construction for the hotel industry through 2024. The company's efforts to develop sustainable materials that improve sustainability, durability, and efficiency were crucial to the project's success.

“We’re challenging misconceptions around build quality and acoustic performance that relate to dry walling and other traditional techniques. By introducing a lightweight cellular concrete infill to the regional market, we can offer rooms with industry-benchmarked acoustic, thermal and fire performance,” said Petty.

LINQ has created a demonstration unit for a five-star hotel room that will be on display at the next Project Control Expo in the United Arab Emirates in an effort to educate the market about this new building paradigm. This demo unit features a 50mm thick lightweight concrete floor, natural marble, and opulent craftsmanship. It also comes with the DigiValet independent guest room management system.

“We’re demonstrating that modular rooms can be every bit as high-quality, luxurious, and feature packed as their traditionally built counterparts. With global leading hospitality chains now signing on to adopt this approach for their properties in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, we’re at a critical inflection point. At LINQ, we’re primed for the opportunity and are excited to see this segment go from strength to strength,” concluded Petty.