As a reminder, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a collaborative effort where the private sector joins forces with the government to deliver essential projects. PPPs are commonly used for infrastructure initiatives, such as roads, bridges, and tunnels. And guess what? The Zayed City Schools project is setting a pioneering example, as it marks the first-ever PPP used for constructing school infrastructure in the UAE. And who's leading the charge? BESIX, of course!
In May 2022, the Zayed City Schools PPP project was awarded to BESIX and Australian partner Plenary. The venture includes three state-of-the-art school campuses in Zayed City, Abu Dhabi, with a combined capacity to educate over 5,000 students.
BESIX, renowned both for its position as an industrial equity provider and for its strong engineering, procurement, and construction experience, is overseeing all aspects of the project from financing, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, to 20-year operations and maintenance.
Simply put, the best of BESIX is brought together for educational excellence!
Currently, the team is making progress, with the roofing structure and MEP systems well underway. Safety remains a top priority, especially during the summer months, with specific health and safety protocols in place for the 1,200 workers on-site.
The project is set for a well-coordinated handover, targeting service availability by September 2024. And it's already received well-deserved recognition! The IJGlobal Awards honored it as the 'MENA Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year,' while the Partnerships Awards 2023 listed it as a finalist in the Best Education and Higher Education Project category.
Balancing contracts as EPC partner, contracts as investors, along with contracts handling O&M responsibilities, is a conscious strategy to diversify our services and ensure sustainable profitability through such concessions. BESIX's success in Concessions today is a testament to our brand reputation and robust expertise as a Tier-1 contractor. These two pillars go hand in hand!
Curious to learn more? Check out the full article in the 2022 Activity Report or read about it in INSIDE #117!
