.The museum stands as a profound tribute to the life, leadership, and legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.(Image source: EMSTEEL)

EMSTEEL has announced its pivotal contribution to the construction of the iconic Zayed National Museum—the newest cultural beacon in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District.

Officially inaugurated by the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and attended by Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, the opening formed part of the nation’s celebrations for the 54th Eid Al Etihad. The museum stands as a profound tribute to the life, leadership, and legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, embodying the UAE’s unity, heritage, and ambitious future.

Throughout the museum’s development, EMSTEEL played a central role by supplying the structural backbone of this architectural masterpiece. Across three years, the Group delivered approximately 24,000 tonnes of rebar, up to 25,000 direct block units, and around 100,000 tonnes of bulk cement. These critical materials underpinned the engineering integrity of the project, enabling the creation of a landmark that will serve as a cultural touchstone for generations to come.

Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, group CEO of EMSTEEL, said,“The opening of the Zayed National Museum on the 54th Eid Al Etihad is a defining moment for our nation. It reflects the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the unity that shaped the UAE’s extraordinary journey of progress. As a national industrial champion, we are honoured that our steel and building materials contributed to a landmark of such cultural and historic significance. This project reflects our role in supporting the UAE’s long-term development and our commitment to fostering an industrial sector that continues to strengthen the nation’s future.”

EMSTEEL’s involvement in the Zayed National Museum adds to its impressive legacy of supporting the UAE’s most celebrated cultural and architectural undertakings. From Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi to the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, along with national treasures such as Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Dubai’s Museum of the Future, the Group has become synonymous with high-impact, visionary development.

These landmark contributions underline EMSTEEL’s position as a trusted partner in national progress. With an unwavering focus on sustainability, low-carbon manufacturing, and resilient local supply chains, EMSTEEL continues to bolster the UAE’s industrial strength while helping shape its cultural and architectural legacy.

Mohamed Amer, managing director, ICC MENA. (Image source: ICC)

Mohamed Amer, managing director of ICC MENA, highlights how GCC nations are integrating transparency, verification, and sustainability across construction, materials, and urban development.

Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), from the dynamic skylines of Riyadh and Dubai to the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s ambitious net-zero strategies, the region is constructing a future-oriented built environment while setting global benchmarks

As governments, developers, and manufacturers embrace more responsible building practices, one principle is becoming increasingly critical: transparency is emerging as the cornerstone for credible sustainability initiatives.

In a region where development is rapid and ambitions are vast, this shift toward transparent sustainability is both timely and necessary.

From vision to verification

National strategies such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy place environmental stewardship at the centre of economic transformation. These are not mere symbolic gestures but structural commitments aimed at securing a sustainable future.

Governments and designated demand drivers are establishing measurable, time-bound targets. For instance, the UAE’s Federal Decree Law requires companies emitting 500,000 tons or more of carbon dioxide annually to monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions. These metrics ensure accountability through verified progress, with commitments being evidenced and enforced.

Construction firms and other stakeholders are expected to substantiate sustainability goals with certifications, lifecycle assessments, and emissions data. Authorities are increasingly mandating environmental product declarations and embodied carbon thresholds, aiming to confirm that buildings are efficient and resilient. Embedding transparency throughout the construction lifecycle—from design and procurement to operation and decommissioning, enhances accountability and ensures tangible results.

Sustainable construction requires measurable change

According to a PwC report, sustainable technologies in the built environment could reduce lifecycle emissions by more than 50% across the MENA region. Meeting this challenge demands a fundamental transformation in how buildings are designed, sourced, constructed, and operated.

Material selection is therefore crucial, and maintaining traceability throughout the supply chain is a top priority. While low-carbon concrete, recycled steel, and bio-based alternatives are increasingly accessible, independently verified data is essential to ensure that these choices achieve the intended outcomes.

The International Code Council (ICC) supports the creation of compliance ecosystems grounded in science, transparency, verifiability, and enforceability. The International Codes® (I-Codes) assist jurisdictions in adopting actionable sustainability frameworks that provide enforceable standards, clear guidance, and measurable results. The ICC’s solutions ranging from training and certification to product testing, accreditation services, and digital compliance tools offer a comprehensive pathway to help stakeholders implement sustainability objectives effectively. A robust compliance ecosystem ensures that materials, systems, and processes meet regulatory requirements while remaining safe, high-performing, and sustainable throughout their lifecycle.

Conformity assessment organisations, including the ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), play a key role by providing independent verification of product performance, structural integrity, fire ratings, and sustainability claims. ICC-ES enhances transparency and verifiability through Evaluation Reports (ESR), Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), and Verification of Attributes Reports (VAR).

An opportunity for the GCC to demonstrate regional leadership

The GCC is uniquely positioned to lead in transparent sustainability. Rapid urbanisation, iconic megaprojects, and growing international influence mean that today’s construction decisions will shape the region’s environmental legacy for generations.

The UAE has established energy efficiency standards for buildings, while Saudi Arabia invests in net-zero cities such as NEOM. Oman, collaborating with ICC, is developing national building codes aligned with global best practices and adapted to local requirements.

The I-Codes remain central, providing rigorous frameworks for material performance, energy conservation, water efficiency, and more. This integrated approach fosters a cohesive system that encourages the highest standards of safety, quality, and innovation across the construction industry.

As Mohamed Amer said, “The buildings we construct today will stand for decades. It is important that transparent sustainability is embedded in the entire regulatory ecosystem that governs construction.” Achieving this requires up-to-date building codes, certified product evaluations, inspections, training, and continuous professional development to ensure lasting impact.

ALEC Holdings positions itself as a hub for transformative construction solutions

At its latest annual Innovation Day, ALEC Holdings highlighted how its structured Innovation Roadmap has positioned the company as a “Platform for Global Innovation Solutions,” fostering the ideation, development, and scaling of transformative construction technologies across the industry

With the GCC construction market projected to reach US$2.7 trillion by 2033, the sector faces mounting pressure to deliver projects faster, safer, and more sustainably.

Imad Itani, head of innovation at ALEC, stated, “The region is a fertile ground for innovation, but this cannot thrive in isolation. It needs an ecosystem which allows promising technologies to be applied to the most ambitious undertakings, investors to access vetted solutions, and innovators to secure fast-track funding. At ALEC, we have made a clear and concerted effort to become that ecosystem. Today we are the epicentre of construction innovation, identifying, implementing, and scaling technologies that can transform how the region builds.”

ALEC’s innovation culture encourages experimentation across departments, with champions driving the testing, refinement, and commercialisation of new ideas. Many business units now regularly launch their own innovative products and services.

The event featured 15 external partners who showcased technologies developed in collaboration with ALEC. Notable examples include TENDERD, an AI-powered equipment management platform that recently secured US$30mn in Series A funding, and SOLUT, whose workforce productivity analytics have increased labor efficiency by approximately 30% across multiple pilot sites.

Aleksander Belousov, Founder of SOLUT, said, “Since collaborating with ALEC, we have seen increased engagement from developers and contractors, as well as from customers in other industries, who now have the confidence to adopt and support our solutions. It has significantly shortened our time to market and accelerated our ability to refine and scale our technology.”

ALEC also emphasised the growing role of subcontractors in driving sector innovation.

Itani added, “Subcontractors play a vital role in ALEC’s project delivery, which makes their involvement in our innovation journey essential. This year marks the first time we have expanded our innovation initiatives to include select subcontractors, and we intend to broaden this across the entire supply chain in the future. By creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration, we are building a collaboration framework that will enhance capabilities across the ecosystem and drive collective progress.”

In addition, ALEC introduced a new set of Collaboration Awards, recognising partners contributing to industry-wide innovation. Awards were presented in four categories: Innovative Subcontractor of the Year, Technology Collaboration of the Year, Start-up Engagement of the Year, and Client Collaboration of the Year, reflecting ALEC’s commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing the construction ecosystem.

Penta Global, a UAE-based EPC construction company, has released a new report titled Mind Matters in Construction: The State of Mental Health and Wellbeing in the UAE, highlighting the need for a more coordinated and standardised approach to worker wellbeing across the industry.

The construction sector contributes more than 9% of the UAE’s GDP and employs over 1.8mn workers, most of whom are expatriates. Despite its scale, Penta Global’s report finds that mental health remains an underaddressed area of worker welfare, even as awareness and initiatives continue to grow.

The report notes that untreated mental illness leads to at least 37.5mn lost productive days annually across the GCC, amounting to US$3.5bn in economic losses. It also references research showing that construction workers who work beyond eight-hour shifts are 2.7 times more likely to report symptoms of depression.

Sujay Nair, Executive Director at Penta Global, said: “This report takes an in-depth look at the mental health realities of the construction workforce. There is a clear growing recognition of employee mental wellness as a strategic priority in the UAE and globally. It highlights the progress made but also the need for change, shared accountability, and sustained attention to the wellbeing of the people building the UAE’s future. So, we are calling on the industry to come together and make the change together to foster a culture of care in construction.”

The study highlights uneven access to wellbeing programmes, with major contractors investing significantly in safety and mental health support, while smaller subcontractors often lack formal frameworks or dedicated budgets.

Government-led reforms, including the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, the 2024 Mental Health Law, and the Dubai Health Authority’s Mental Wealth Framework—are accelerating improvements. Abu Dhabi has reported a 30% rise in mental health treatment uptake since 2022.

Penta Global aims to shift the industry focus from awareness to action, urging the sector to increase wellbeing data and transparency, collaborate on unified standards, and prioritise prevention over reactive responses. By enhancing data, strengthening industry-wide collaboration, and addressing root causes of stress and fatigue, the UAE construction sector can set a global benchmark for sustainable and human-centric development.