The International Real Estate Development and Engineering and Construction Companies Forum (IREX 2026) concluded its sessions today, Wednesday, by discussing ways to utilize artificial intelligence, Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies, and digital transformation in urban planning and smart buildings, improving infrastructure and asset management efficiency, and adopting sustainability and green building standards.
Participants in the forum's dialogue sessions, which began yesterday Tuesday under the patronage of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and in partnership with the Arab Union for Real Estate Development, explored the role of real estate data in market analysis and pricing, demand forecasting, enhancing transparency and investor confidence, and opportunities for utilizing digital solutions in reconstruction and residential community development.
Commitment to Plans and Technical Specifications
Maher Khalouf, Deputy Minister of Public Works and Housing for Technical Affairs, emphasized during his participation in the forum the importance of the state's role as a regulator and supervisor to ensure the quality and efficiency of real estate project implementation, and full commitment to approved plans and technical specifications. He clarified that integration between the ministry, professional syndicates, and contracting companies constitutes the fundamental pillar for developing the construction sector and regulating implementation standards at various stages.
Khalouf pointed out that the massive scale of destruction and urban needs in Syria imposes a significant challenge requiring the completion of projects within record timeframes without compromising production safety and quality. He stressed the importance of qualifying personnel and expanding the use of modern construction technologies and tools to enhance implementation efficiency and meet citizens' aspirations as quickly and with the highest quality as possible.
Providing Real Estate Finance
Entesar Yassin, Director General of the Real Estate Finance Supervision Authority, clarified during a session titled "Real Estate Finance - The Missing Element in the Syrian Real Estate Industry" that the poor conditions imposed by the former regime had an impact on the presence of specialized real estate finance, which is currently limited to some banks. She noted that the primary goal of establishing the authority was to secure long-term loans to finance individuals, entities, and real estate development companies to face high construction costs.
Yassin affirmed that the authority seeks to update its laws and develop the implementation system, guarantee tools, and refinancing guarantees to meet the requirements of the banking and real estate markets in the coming stage.
Transition Towards Smart Cities
Mareed Al-Atassi, Technology Sector Director at Digital Security Controls (DSC), explained during a session titled "PropTech - City of the Future" that the transition to smart cities has become an urgent necessity to improve citizens' quality of life and reduce future costs through proactive maintenance and efficient resource management, amid the accelerating pace of modern life.
For his part, lead architect and founding partner of "Siyam Architects" office in Jordan, Ahmad Siyam, highlighted the importance of relying on data and advance planning in reconstruction and smart city projects. He emphasized that determining precise needs for residential units and service facilities such as hospitals is a fundamental step to ensure the success of these projects.
For his part, Saher Hilal, Deputy General Manager of "Al-Awaid" company (Syria branch), considered that applying technology and Building Information Modeling (BIM) concepts must begin from the first steps of design. He pointed out that the basic standard for the success of smart cities and buildings does not depend solely on architectural appearance upon delivery, but lies in the ability to operate most efficiently, reduce operational costs, and lower energy consumption in the long term.
Adopting Modern Construction Technologies
For his part, Aymen Farstaki, General Manager of the Engineering Company for Thermal Technologies, affirmed during a session titled "Engineering Facing Challenges of the Syrian Real Estate Industry" that challenges in the Syrian real estate industry attract the attention of business and engineering circles, especially given the urgent need to adopt modern construction technologies that ensure project completion faster and more efficiently. He stressed the necessity of enhancing energy efficiency standards and reducing electricity consumption throughout the building's lifecycle to elevate the quality of real estate products.
Louna Rajab, Partner and CEO of "ACE" Engineering Consulting Company and International Expert in Cultural Heritage, emphasized the importance of achieving a balance between authenticity and modernity in preserving Syria's historic cities and buildings. She called for adopting sustainable developmental management that meets contemporary needs such as technology and renewable energy technologies without compromising the heritage and cultural value of these living buildings.
For his part, Engineer Mohammad Asaf, President of the Syrian Architects Association, viewed during his participation in the forum that achieving architectural identity in reconstruction is not by imitating heritage forms, but by utilizing their functional concepts through modern technologies and materials, thereby preserving the urban character and reducing energy consumption in buildings by approximately 50 percent.
Ensuring Quality in Projects
Nader Maqsoosa, Engineer and General Manager of "Omran Al-Sham and Arkam Al-Sham" Group, called for the necessity of limiting waste, stating that ensuring quality in real estate projects begins with a deep understanding of investor requirements in the early design stages, precise coordination among various engineering specialties, and efficient management of execution time and supply chains to avoid costly modifications and delays during work.
For his part, Amer Muradani, General Manager of Da'aim Engineering Consulting Company, explained during his participation in a session titled "Modern Construction Engineering - Quality, Technology, and Accelerating Completion" the importance of adopting modern technologies in design and execution to raise quality efficiency and accelerate the pace of completion in urban projects.
The forum, held at the Bab Al-Sabaa Hotel in Damascus for its second edition over two days, was attended by more than 200 local, Arab, and international companies from 11 countries, along with real estate experts.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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