RICS UAE Board Annual Magazine 2010-11

Construction Committee Update
By Daniel Alcon - Chair of Construction Committee
2010 was a year when construction activity in the UAE was significantly affected by the restriction of capital
following the global financial crisis. This impacted clients and contracting organisations and RICS members
working in the sector. Despite this turbulence the Construction Committee members delivered the following
NRM Review
The RICS “New Rules of Measurement (the NRM), Part 1 - Order for Cost Estimating and Elemental Cost
Planning” was issued by HQ last year. The Construction Committee was tasked by Michael Sullivan, then Chair
of the Global QS/Const. PG Board, with organising a UAE review of the publication to assess its relevance for
use in this country subsequently widened to the MENEA Region and it is hoped that a report will be issued in
the New Year. NRM Parts 2 and 3 are also to be to be reviewed in the same manner when they are published in
2011.
Black Book Review
It is intended that the Black Book will contain a collection of guidance and best practice notes prepared by
the Global QS/Const. PG Board much like the Red Book for valuation. Some chapters of the Black Book have
already been published, e.g., Valuing Change, which contains a section on FIDIC. Again the Construction
Committee was asked to review the guidance notes that will be issued periodically and the review will again be
widened to the MENEA region too under the MENEA Construction/QS Professional Group.
Construction Cost Index
A meeting was held with Proleads, a Dubai-based company which is producing very similar products to the
BCIS which is favoured by several major RICS stakeholders in the UAE. Proleads has been in the market
for about two years. Discussions with BCIS in the UK indicate that they would be interested in publishing a
RICS UAE index providing there was sufficient support from UAE stakeholders. After lengthy discussions with
BCIS the RICS Regional office in Dubai has arranged a WebEx demonstration for representatives of the major
consultants and contractors which will hopefully have been held by the time you read this.
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
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