Witteveen+Bos Dubai

Witteveen+Bos has been active in the Middle East for over 25 years, and since 2014 we have had a permanent presence there.

From our office in Dubai, we focus on providing sustainable, innovative and cost-effective solutions for several of the regions' major challenges, such as rapid urbanisation, water scarcity, environmental stress and climate resilience.

We strive for long-term relationships with our valued clients, who range from local governments, water and energy companies and port authorities, to project developers and contractors. Our client base is growing rapidly and we are continuously working to expand our staff and fields of expertise throughout the region, in order to contribute to a more sustainable future together.

How can we help you?

Our office in Dubai provides talented and experienced engineers, CAD and BIM modellers, designers, architects and project managers able to provide support on projects within the Middle East region in the following fields of expertise:

  • Energy, Water and Environment
  • Marine, Coasts and Ports
  • Built Environment

The need for access to good-quality water is recognised as one of the major contemporary challenges in the Middle East. Stable and clean energy production, too, is crucial for development. We are committed to providing solutions that facilitate economic growth while achieving our goals of a healthy environment and sustainable development.

Sustainable design principles

Our professionals combine state-of-the-art technical skills and expertise with sustainable design principles that benefit asset owners and clients as well as society as a whole. Our capabilities are broad, requiring integration of a wide range of engineering, scientific and economic disciplines to address a diverse range of environmental challenges.

Our specialists provide a comprehensive range of services encompassing various studies, engineering services and environmental and social impact assessments, as well as site supervision, inspections and various forms of support.

Our areas of expertise

  • Sanitation and water supply
  • Water reuse and desalination
  • Water and waste water treatment
  • Renewable energy and energy efficiency
  • Bio-energy and resource recovery
  • Asset management
  • Hazardous waste and waste management
  • Soil and groundwater remediation
  • HSE, permitting and compliance
  • Environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs)

 

A decade of experience in the Middle East

Our client base in the region ranges from governments and water and energy companies to industrial clients and contractors. Across different areas of the Sultanate of Oman, for instance, we have been carrying out water supply and demand studies, as well as many concept, schematic, detailed and tender design projects, for the Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company (OWWSC).

In the United Arab Emirates, we have been awarded a geothermal market assessment for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi; and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we provide services to the National Water Company (NWC) in Riyadh for two large sewage treatment plants (STPs).

Relentlessly increasing global temperatures are changing weather patterns, causing sea levels to rise, increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts, influencing floods and other extreme weather events, and indirectly causing coastline retreat. Urban and economic developments are exacerbating these changes, which poses a threat to existing infrastructure as well as the built and natural environments. This is happening all over the Middle East.

Experience in major infrastructure projects

Adapting to climate change requires measures based on a sound adaptation strategy and an inclusive approach to problem assessment and planning and engineering. With our experience in major infrastructure projects in the Middle East, we are equipped to meet this challenge. We do not only address the technical and environmental aspects; we also handle finance, legislation and governance.

Innovation

Innovative solutions can benefit both humans and their environment. Examples include nature-based solutions in urban water management and ‘Building with Nature’. Our aim is to provide innovative solutions without losing sight of the context or sacrificing efficiency. Two innovations we currently employ enable the ‘greening’ of desert areas.

Our areas of expertise

  • Sustainable port development and management
  • Coastal engineering
  • Dredging technology
  • Land reclamation
  • Port structures and nautical safety
  • Hydraulic structures
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Geotechnics and seismic design
  • Numerical hydrodynamics and morphological modelling
  • Offshore subsea infrastructure (pipelines and cables)
  • Flood management and protection
  • Integrated water resources management
  • Urban water management and drainage
  • Nature conservation, mangrove restoration and marine ecology
  • Social-cost-benefit analysis
  • Fish-friendly pumps and tidal turbines

 

75 years of experience

Since the foundation of Witteveen+Bos in 1946, we have built up experience and expertise in these fields among our staff, for application along coasts throughout the entire region. In Dubai, we are a licensed and certified Environmental Consultant, authorised to carry out environmental services in the Emirate aimed at contributing to the maintenance of a safe and resilient coastline.

For several main port authorities in the region (i.e. Sohar Port, Abu Dhabi Ports, Port of Duqm), we currently provide design and engineering services for (new and existing) port infrastructure and developments.

Cities in the Middle East are facing major challenges, mostly related to the rapid urbanisation of fast-growing urban centres. Transformations in urban economies, as well as new technologies and responses to environmental change, are reshaping the distribution of power, resources and information in cities. These transformations are radically changing social relationships and the built environment.

Our mission in the Middle East

Our mission is to offer governments, project developers, industries and contractors added value by combining technical expertise with efficient management. In doing so, we integrate all facets of urban planning while focusing on each location’s unique character – all with the aim of developing sustainable urban areas that provide healthy, green and economically vibrant living environments.

Sustainable design principles

Our core area of expertise is the sustainable planning, design, development and use of urban areas. This includes buildings, public spaces and urban infrastructure. Besides engineering, our core business involves guiding our clients through decision-making and public participation processes, legal procedures and the conditioning of construction works.

We all share a passion for creating resilient, climate-adaptive cities that are safe and healthy places to live. We apply the renowned ‘Dutch approach’, which integrates civil engineering, landscape architecture and water management. We create solutions in close consultation with stakeholders, and we are familiar with local physical conditions, cultures and standards in the Middle East.

Our areas of expertise

  • Healthy and resilient cities
  • Sustainable buildings
  • Spatial planning and permitting
  • Landscape architecture
  • Area development and urban transformation
  • Public space design
  • Energy transition planning
  • Ecosystem-based planning and design (Building with Nature)
  • Building refurbishment and transitions
  • Architecture and urban planning
  • Digital construction
  • 3D concrete printing (3DCP)

 

Local know-how

Many challenging projects in these fields have been carried out from the Dubai office over the past few years, including the design of the Expo 2020 Netherlands Pavilion (Dubai), a 3D concrete printing market study and the provision of training and installation services (Dubai), landscape design and supervision for the Meydan Azizi Riviera (Dubai), and landscape design for the Rosewood Luxury Resort & Wadi Hanifa Hotel (Riyadh).

Job offers

With sustainability in our DNA and a desire to contribute to a better world, we are convinced of our ability to effect meaningful change. We work in multidisciplinary project teams on fascinating projects all over the world. Our work requires high-level expertise and an eye for quality. For this reason, we consider commitment and personal and professional development essential to the success of our company, and we facilitate this development.

We are constantly looking for talented professionals who are ready for a challenge! Are you the person we are looking for?

Open application

 

Certifications
ISO 9001 is the world's best known and most widely used certification scheme when it comes to quality management systems. ISO 27001 is the world-wide norm for information security. 

Our projects

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Middle East offices

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Witteveen+Bos medewerker Rob van den Boomen

Rob van den Boomen

Managing Director Witteveen+Bos Middle East

Alma Roque

Office Manager and Tender Coordinator