Qatar’s next chapter of growth and resilience

Originally published in Construction Week online.

In an interview with Construction Week Middle East, Gary Dodds, Partner and Country Director – Qatar, discusses the evolution of the business, the trends shaping Qatar’s construction sector and what commercial resilience means as major infrastructure projects move into operation. He also explores the industry’s progress from sustainability ambitions towards more meaningful action.

Cundall has established a strong reputation in Qatar over many years, culminating in this year’s Consultancy of the Year award. What has underpinned that success, and how has the business evolved to meet the changing needs of the market?

Cundall has been in Qatar for over a decade, and throughout that time our philosophy has remained remarkably consistent: build long-term relationships, invest in exceptional people, and focus on delivering real value for our clients. I believe that’s what has underpinned our success.  We’ve never tried to be the biggest consultancy in Qatar; we’ve focused on being the consultancy clients trust with their most complex challenges.

As the market has evolved, so have we. In the early years, the focus was on supporting Qatar’s ambitious programme of major infrastructure and development projects. Today, our clients are increasingly looking beyond simply delivering buildings. They’re asking how those buildings will perform over the next 20 or 30 years, how they can reduce carbon, improve occupant wellbeing, and adapt to changing operational needs.

We’ve responded by broadening our expertise in areas such as decarbonisation, whole-life carbon assessment, healthy workplaces, retrofit and digital engineering, while continuing to strengthen our multi-disciplinary offering. That enables us to support clients throughout the full lifecycle of their assets, rather than simply delivering a design.

Winning Consultancy of the Year is something we’re incredibly proud of, but for us it’s really a recognition of our people, the trust our clients place in us, and the collaborative approach we’ve built over many years. It reflects not only what we’ve achieved together, but also our commitment to helping shape the next chapter of Qatar’s built environment.

Qatar’s construction sector has evolved significantly over the past few years. What trends are you seeing today that you think are shaping the market’s next chapter?

Qatar’s construction industry is entering a much more mature phase of development. The foundations have been established through decades of investment in world-class infrastructure, and we’re now seeing a shift towards maximising the performance, resilience and long-term value of those assets.

One of the biggest changes is that clients are no longer focused solely on delivering projects on time and on budget. Increasingly, they’re asking how buildings will perform throughout their lifecycle – how they can reduce operational costs, lower carbon emissions, improve occupant wellbeing and remain adaptable as technology and user needs evolve.

We’re also seeing continued investment in sectors that align with Qatar National Vision 2030, including healthcare, education, tourism, culture and advanced digital infrastructure such as data centres. At the same time, resilience, whether that’s climate resilience, energy security or digital resilience, is becoming a much more important consideration in project planning and design.

Ultimately, I think the next chapter will be defined by quality over quantity. The focus is shifting from building new assets to creating places that are smarter, more sustainable and better equipped to support Qatar’s long-term economic diversification and growth.

With major infrastructure projects now operational, what does “commercial resilience” mean in Qatar’s built environment, and how can developers and asset owners future-proof their investments?

Commercial resilience is about ensuring an asset continues to create value throughout its entire lifecycle. A building shouldn’t be judged solely on the day it’s handed over, but on how effectively it performs over the next 20, 30 or even 50 years.

For developers and asset owners, future-proofing means designing buildings that are adaptable, energy efficient and capable of responding to changing occupier expectations, technological advances and evolving regulations. Flexibility is becoming just as important as functionality, whether that’s accommodating different workplace models, integrating new digital technologies or improving operational efficiency over time.

We’re also seeing a much greater focus on the human experience.  Healthy, comfortable and high-performing buildings don’t just enhance occupant wellbeing – they improve productivity, attract tenants and strengthen the long-term commercial value of an asset.

Ultimately, resilience is about taking a long-term view. The most successful developments will be those that are designed not only to meet today’s requirements, but also to adapt to the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

The industry has spent years talking about sustainability. Are we finally moving beyond ambition and into meaningful action? Where are you seeing the biggest progress?

Absolutely. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a clear shift from setting sustainability ambitions to delivering measurable outcomes. Clients are no longer satisfied with high-level commitments or aspirational net zero targets, they want practical strategies backed by data, clear roadmaps and measurable results.

One of the biggest areas of progress is whole-life carbon assessment and portfolio decarbonisation. Rather than looking at individual buildings in isolation, organisations are taking a more strategic approach by assessing entire portfolios, identifying where investment will have the greatest impact and prioritising interventions that deliver both environmental and commercial value.

Our work with Msheireb Properties exemplifies this shift, delivering Qatar’s first large-scale, portfolio-wide decarbonisation strategy for Msheireb Downtown Doha. The focus wasn’t simply on defining sustainability objectives, but on developing an evidence-based decarbonisation strategy that enables informed investment decisions and supports long-term implementation across a diverse property portfolio.

I also think we’re seeing sustainability become far more integrated into mainstream design. It’s no longer viewed as a separate discipline or an additional requirement. Increasingly, it’s influencing every stage of the design process, from material selection and energy performance to operational efficiency, occupant wellbeing and long-term asset value. That’s where the real progress is being made.

New developments often grab the headlines, but existing buildings make up a huge part of the market. Why do you think retrofit and asset upgrades are becoming such an important conversation in Qatar?

New developments will always play an important role in Qatar’s growth, but the existing building stock represents one of the biggest opportunities to improve environmental performance, enhance occupier experience and protect long-term asset value.

A statistic I often come back to is that around 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built. If we’re serious about reducing carbon emissions and creating more sustainable cities, retrofit has to be part of the solution.

In Qatar, many buildings delivered over the past two decades remain structurally sound but were designed to different operational, technological and sustainability expectations. Through targeted upgrades – whether improving energy efficiency, modernising building services, enhancing digital connectivity or creating healthier workplace environments – asset owners can significantly extend the life of their buildings while improving both operational performance and commercial value.

I believe retrofit will become one of the defining growth areas for the industry over the coming decade. It’s not simply about upgrading ageing assets; it’s about ensuring existing buildings remain relevant, competitive and fit for purpose in a rapidly evolving market.

If you were advising a client planning a project today, what would you encourage them to prioritise from day one that perhaps wasn’t considered five or ten years ago?

The biggest piece of advice I would give is to focus on long-term performance from the very beginning. The decisions made during concept design have the greatest influence on how a building will operate for decades to come, yet they’re often made before significant costs have been committed.

Today, clients should be considering whole-life cost, operational energy performance, occupant wellbeing, digital readiness and future adaptability from day one, not as enhancements to be added later, but as fundamental design principles.

Equally important is bringing the right people together early. The best outcomes are achieved when architects, engineers, sustainability specialists and clients collaborate from the outset, allowing key decisions to be made holistically rather than in isolation.

Ultimately, the most successful projects are those that look beyond the construction phase and are designed to remain efficient, flexible and relevant throughout their entire lifecycle. Investing more thought at the beginning almost always delivers greater value in the long term.

Looking ahead, what do you think Qatar’s next phase of development will be defined by, and what opportunities should the industry be paying closer attention to?

I believe Qatar’s next phase of development will be defined by creating greater value from what has already been built, while continuing to invest in sectors that support the country’s long-term economic diversification. The focus is shifting from building more to building better, creating places that are more resilient, sustainable and capable of adapting to future needs.

We’ll continue to see opportunities in strategic sectors such as healthcare, education, tourism, culture and advanced digital infrastructure. At the same time, I believe there will be significant growth in retrofit, asset optimisation and decarbonisation as organisations seek to improve the performance and longevity of their existing portfolios.

Technology will also play an increasingly important role. Artificial intelligence, digital engineering and data-driven design are already transforming how projects are conceived, delivered and operated. The organisations that embrace these tools responsibly will be better placed to make faster, more informed decisions and deliver greater value for their clients.

Ultimately, I think the industry’s biggest opportunity is to combine technical excellence with innovation. Qatar has already demonstrated its ability to deliver world-class infrastructure. The next chapter is about ensuring those assets continue to perform, evolve and support the country’s ambitions for generations to come.