Advanced training and certification, guidelines for stronger building codes and a community of professionals dedicated to creating a safer, more sustainable built environment
More than half the world’s population (55 per cent) lives in cities and other urban centers, and the United Nations predicts that percentage will increase to 60 per cent by 2030 and 68 per cent by 2050. In the Middle East, this means an estimated influx of roughly 20 million additional people to urban areas by 2030 and another 79 million by 2050. The population growth will place extra demands on resources and services, including the need for safe, affordable housing and sustainable infrastructure.
Strong, resilient structures aren’t built in a day or by a single person. They’re the result of carefully honed skills and best practices developed over a lifetime of experience, education and cooperation. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) plays a key role in offering the individual training, knowledge-sharing and certifications professionals need to thrive in the concrete industry and construction at large. ACI believes the future of our industry is one where everyone is equipped with the knowledge necessary to use concrete effectively and meet the demands of our changing world. For 100 years, the nonprofit has been a leading authority and resource worldwide for consensus-based standards, technical resources, education and certification programmes.
ACI’s Middle East Regional Office and local ACI chapters throughout the region work with organisations and governing bodies to not only provide education and training, but also encourage adoption of ACI standards for high-quality concrete design and construction in building codes. This includes a partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standards Organization (GSO) to develop the Gulf Building Code – a code launched in 2022 and made specifically for the Middle East.
Additionally, ACI chose the United Nations’ COP28 (Conference of Parties) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to launch CODE-323-24, Low-Carbon Concrete – Code and Commentary in 2023. ACI CODE 323 is believed to be the first code on low-carbon concrete and a fundamental stepping stone towards helping the industry lower its environmental footprint.
The following are several benefits the organisation provides to those working in the concrete and construction industries.
Certification programmes
ACI chapters and their industry partners sponsor certification programmes to help individuals improve their knowledge and skills so they can advance their careers. For employers, having ACI-certified personnel is a great value proposition that can help win more work. Project owners can award jobs with confidence, knowing the work will be performed to the highest quality. Specifiers and others are assured that concrete testing, placing, handling and inspecting are performed correctly and in compliance with codes and standards.
Currently, seven chapters and three sponsoring groups in the Middle East – which are among the 13 chapters and sponsoring groups in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – offer nine certification exams, including for concrete construction special inspectors and concrete flatwork associates as well as testing technicians (for concrete quality, concrete strength, concrete field testing, self-consolidating concrete, and soils base and/or aggregate).
Design Professional certification
In 2024, the Saudi Building Code National Committee began offering a new certification programme for degreed civil engineers: ACI 318 Design Professional. This programme requires demonstration of specific points of knowledge – i.e. member design; loads; joints, connections and anchoring to concrete; seismic design; material properties and durability requirements; and construction requirements and strength evaluation – in compliance with ACI 318, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary, and SBC 304, Saudi Building Code. Applicants must pass a written exam and have earned a degree in a civil engineering, construction engineering or architectural engineering programme that includes coursework in concrete design.
An ACI 318-19 Design Professional is an individual who has demonstrated the knowledge and education necessary to properly apply provisions of ACI 318-19 when performing design activities. Developed by ACI Committee C 601-L, ACI 318 Design Professional, the certification programme measures the ability of a candidate to navigate and locate specific provisions of ACI 318.
In GCC countries, engineers come from diverse backgrounds, says Ahmad Mhanna, director of the ACI MENA Region. For these professionals, certifications like ACI Design Professional become incredibly important for validating their knowledge of local building codes.
“The need for this certification programme arose from discussions with authorities in Saudi Arabia. Its primary purpose is to provide building officials with assurance that design engineers understand and can competently apply the current code provisions,” says Mhanna.
The ACI 318 Design Professional exam was originally developed to address the 2014 and 2019 versions of ACI 318. Future exams will offer certification for subsequent code versions and will be titled to reflect the code version used as the source material. Each certification title (exam version) will be offered for a specified time period to align with code authorities’ regular review and adoption of updated codes. For example, the current ACI 318-14 and ACI 318-19 certifications are valid for 10 years. Similar programmes are being considered for other ACI codes, says Mhanna.
Chapters and membership benefits
ACI and its local chapters offer members opportunities to gain technical knowledge and develop leadership skills while expanding their personal and professional networks. Chapters can be found in Iraq and UAE as well as Kurdistan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and the Saudi Arabian Eastern Province. Membership includes architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, educators, material suppliers, equipment suppliers, owners and students. Any individual interested in concrete can become a member.
The intent of these chapters is to advance concrete knowledge and create a local concrete community. They aim to further education and technical practice, scientific investigation and research, and development of standards for design and construction incorporating concrete and related materials. Through member efforts to gather, correlate and disseminate information, ACI chapters provide a critical public service: to promote and improve technology, technical competence, design and construction for the benefit of society.
Chapters host ACI conventions, educational seminars, project award programmes and social activities, and members typically receive either discounts or free access for these events. Other benefits include access to:
- ACI publications. Members receive a complimentary digital subscription to Concrete International (ACI’s monthly magazine) and access to ACI’s hundreds of guides, reports and technical documents. ACI offers more than 300 publications with SI units and, with the help of local chapters and their partners, a number of documents in Arabic. For instance, the Iraq Chapter is currently translating the ACI 318 standard. The Jordan Concrete Association is translating ACI’s Concrete Fundamentals (CCS-0), which is an effective, affordable training tool for those new to the industry.
- Member directory. Members are listed in the ACI member directory, which can be used to find business contacts, partners and like-minded peers.
- ACI University (online learning). ACI members have free access to ACI University webinars and courses. The global learning resource provides on-demand learning on a wide range of topics in concrete materials, design, construction and repair. Currently, these online learning resources are available in English.
Student chapters and scholarships
Many ACI chapters also sponsor student chapters at universities, colleges, technical and trade schools, including at education institutions in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Students can participate in learning and networking activities as well as competitions to get the most out of their education and make valuable connections in the industry. Student membership is free.
Student chapters. ACI student chapters consist of a faculty advisor and elected student officers who serve various roles in the chapter. There are currently more than 30 student chapters in the MENA region. Interested parties should contact the closest ACI chapter or the Middle East Regional Office for information on establishing a student chapter.
Scholarships and fellowships. The ACI Foundation established the MENA Fellowship in 2018 as part of ACI’s efforts to increase knowledge-sharing in the region. No internship is required. First awarded for the 2019/20 academic year, past fellowship recipients include:
- 2019/20: Nancy Kachouh, United Arab Emirates University, UAE.
- 2020/21: Siham Al Shanti, United Arab Emirates University, UAE.
- 2021/22: Sarah Al Adgham, Balamand University, Beirut, Lebanon.
- 2022/23: Nouran Elmesalami, New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
- 2022/23: Habibelrahman Hassan, American University of Sharjah, UAE.
- 2023/24: Mahmoud Higazey, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
The 2024/25 recipient will be announced in April.
Starting with the 2025/26 academic year, the fellowship has been reconfigured into two Student Excellence Awards; one designated for MENA and one for Saudi Arabia. They will be awarded to graduate students enrolled in a concrete-related degree programme, such as construction, construction management, design, structures, architecture or materials, and interested in a career in practice or education. The next application cycle opens on 1 July 2025.
MENA Student Excellence Award applicants must attend a college or university in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia or the GCC region – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE.
Saudia Arabia Student Excellence Award applicants must be Saudi Arabia nationals attending a college or university in Saudi Arabia. All recipients receive an educational stipend of US$7,000 and paid travel to one ACI Middle East conference during their award year, as well as travel within the Middle East region to obtain ACI certification.
Applicants must be proficient in English, and those chosen as finalists must be available and have a visa to attend an interview at a North American ACI concrete convention (contingent on state and country laws). The ACI Foundation will pay for the flight, hotel, registration and provide a travel stipend.
An established Middle East presence
In 2019, ACI opened a regional office in Dubai, UAE. Located at the Dubai World Trade Center, the ACI Middle East Regional Office is headed by Ahmad Mhanna. Under his leadership, the office focuses on increasing access to ACI’s consensus-based technical and educational resources and raising awareness of regional concrete design and construction practices.
Since the regional office opened, ACI has cultivated strong relationships with governmental bodies, educational institutions, companies and construction industry organisations throughout the region and beyond. Partners include the Saudi Building Code National Committee, GCC Standards Organization (GSO), Ashghal Qatar and UAE’s Sharjah Municipality and Dubai Municipality.
Another critical alliance is ACI’s membership in the International Code Council’s (ICC) MENA Building Science Advisory Council, which was formed in 2023. The council provides a platform for its members to provide unbiased expertise to the market and regulators about emergent issues in building safety.
Conferences and workshops
The ACI Middle East Regional Office works with ACI chapters and other entities to organise events that introduce attendees to ACI and its standards. They host workshops and seminars and facilitate ACI participation in regional trade events.
- ACI Middle East Conference. This two-day conference travels to various locations, with its fifth installment – ACI Middle East Conference: the ACI Concrete Conference from Gray to Green (ACI-MEC 2025) – recently held on 12-13 February in Dubai.
- The Housing & Building National Research Center (HBRC) International Conference. Held on 14-17 December in Cairo, Egypt, the 2024 HBRC conference focused on “Future Vision & Challenges for Urban Development.” Then-ACI President Michael Paul and ACI Board Member Kamal Khayat served as keynote speakers.
- Big 5 Global. ACI presents code updates at this annual conference, which is the largest and most influential event for the construction industry that acts as the gateway between East and West. At the 2024 conference, held on 26-29 November in Dubai, ACI sponsored Concrete Talks, a series of sessions focused on concrete repair under the theme “From Diagnosis to Durability: Mastering Concrete Repair.”
- Morocco Workshop. In October 2024, Morocco’s Ministry of National Territory Planning, Construction, Housing and City Policy and Ministry of Equipment and Water hosted a workshop on ACI 318-19 in collaboration with ACI. The workshop took place at the National Institute of Planning and Urban Planning in Rabat and provided an overview of the code. It also highlighted ACI Morocco Chapter’s efforts in translating the code into French.
- Construct Talks. Hosted by Jeddah Construct, the annual conference is dedicated to addressing the pressing needs and emerging trends of the construction industry. ACI Distinguished Engineer Khaled Nahlawi led a session on concrete cracking, advanced diagnostics and management during the 2024 conference in October.
- ACI Chapter Talk at American University in Dubai. The ACI UAE Chapter presented an overview of concrete sustainability and resilience in September 2024.
- ACI Workshop at Dubai Municipality. The technical workshop, which took place in September 2024, provided updates to the ACI 318 Building Code in Dubai, which is used throughout UAE.
- ACI 24 Hours of Concrete Knowledge global conference. The UAE and Iraq chapters are among those that have presented the latest research, trends and studies in this free virtual conference, which takes place annually during July.
There are many benefits for organisations to work with the ACI Middle East Regional Office and for individuals to join local chapters. To find ACI-hosted education, training and other events near you, visit the ACI MENA web portal
