Site Visit: Back to school

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The AED85 million MEP works contract for general contractor Al Ahmadiah Aktor is being undertaken by Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI). The project manager is DG Jones & Partners, while the design was by RMJM, an architectural firm that specialises in school design.

The design of the new ASD campus has incorporated the latest sustainable trends, with wind patterns and orientation being considered carefully in terms of the direction and placement of structures. In order to conserve energy, the buildings have been designed so that windows are not in direct sunlight, while special shadings have been designed.

DSI Manager of Projects Ahmed Shaker explains that DSI’s works are progressing very well as per the MEP works schedule. The anticipated opening date of the new ASD campus is 14 September to coincide with the new academic year.

“The main challenges have been the timeframe and complexity of design,” says Shaker. “Schools and hospitals, for example, cannot be compared to commercial projects like apartment buildings. They are far more complex structures that require careful integration of multiple requirements.”

DSI is not unfamiliar with the rigours and exigencies of educational facilities, with Zayed University in Dubai and KAUST in Saudi Arabia already under its belt as top-notch achievements in this specialised field.

ASD superintendent Dr. Harold Fleetham says that, while there are 973 students at ASD’s existing campus, the new campus has been designed to cater for 1 600 students, with enrolment taking place in stages.

The first year will see approximately 1 400 students enrolled, with the balance to be introduced later. The new campus is divided into two separate schools, namely elementary (comprising kindergarten to Grade 5) and secondary (comprising middle school and high school).

Shaker says the project site is 92 903 square metres, which equates to a million square feet. The total gross internal floor area is 58 622 square metres. In comparison, the existing campus is 31 424 square metres. Designed to withstand the inclement UAE weather, the new ASD campus is also expected to set a benchmark for educational facilities in the region in terms of quality, aesthetics and technology.

Described as an ‘integrated, world-class facility’, it will feature an auditorium, black-box theatre, field house, running track, regulation soccer field, other large playing fields, separate elementary and secondary gyms, two swimming pools, elementary play areas, secondary school and elementary school libraries, two cafeterias, music rooms, meeting spaces, a wireless school environment and landscaped garden areas.

In addition, DSI was also responsible for the total security system, which has been designed to the highest international standards. This posed its own challenges to achieve within the larger civils framework, says Shaker.

DSI’s involvement focused on five sectors. Sector A is the plant room and chiller yard, Sector B is the admin building and theatre, while Sectors C to E comprise classrooms, laboratory facilities and playground areas. There are 11 rooftop Daikin-McQuay chillers, and 86 AHUs in total.

“At the end of the day we have opted for AHUs and a variable air volume (VAV) system as opposed to fan-coil units, as the former is far more flexible, as well as providing better environmental control.” The extensive cabling needed for the chillers was completed in a record two weeks, right down to fixing of the cable trays.

There are twelve primary chilled water pumps and eight secondary pumps. The air-con system is ducted, with preinsulation internally and GI sheeting externally. The total electrical load is 10MW, with two substations and nine transformers in total, says Shaker.

“A big challenge was that we passed the DEWA inspection with flying colours, and we received high praise for our high level of completion in terms of the substations. From the air-con point of view, we flushed ‘wild air’ through the system by the end of July, and delivered chilled water soon thereafter,” says Shaker.

“We proud ourselves on our professionalism, attention to detail and quality and our speed of delivery – all attributes that have stood us to good stead on this flagship project,” concludes Shaker.