Building contracting in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) 

Building contracting in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT): local context

Jumeirah Lakes Towers is a DMCC free-zone district of around 80 towers arranged in clusters around artificial lakes, opposite Dubai Marina along Sheikh Zayed Road. Built mostly in the late 2000s, it mixes office, residential and hotel towers with ground-level retail and clinics. Manolia completed the MEP works for the Armada hotel tower (G+50) and MEP for the Armada surgical centre here.

• Empower supplies district cooling to much of JLT, so tower scopes typically include energy transfer stations, secondary chilled-water pumping, and careful control of return temperature to keep tariffs and plant performance in check.
• Healthcare fit-outs, such as surgical centres, need dedicated fresh-air AHUs, pressure cascades between clean and dirty areas, medical gas coordination and essential power arrangements.
• Clusters share podiums and access roads, so loading bays, hoist time and crane positions are negotiated with neighbouring towers and cluster management.

Building types we serve in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)

For hotels and serviced apartments, the work concentrates on quiet guestroom fan coils, kitchen and laundry extract, hot-water generation at scale, BMS supervision and phased handover to the operator.

Scope of work

• Pre-construction review of IFC drawings, specifications and soil reports, flagging buildability issues, missing details and conflicts between structural, architectural and MEP drawings before mobilisation.
• Site mobilisation, hoarding, temporary power and water, site offices and HSE set-up under our HSEMS, with logistics planned around crane positions, deliveries and neighbouring plots.
• Reinforced concrete frame including columns, cores, slabs and transfer structures, with pour sequences and curing planned for UAE temperatures.
• Blockwork, plastering, waterproofing of basements, wet areas and roofs, and thermal insulation to meet the building's energy requirements.

Systems we install

• Roof build-ups with insulation, waterproofing and protective screed or pavers.
• Fire-rated walls, doors and penetration sealing for compartmentation.

UAE site and climate challenges

• Concrete poured in summer heat loses water fast, risking plastic shrinkage cracks and lower strength. We schedule large pours for night or early morning, use chilled water or ice in mixes as specified, and keep wet curing going on slabs and columns.
• Facades face extreme solar heat and thermal movement between day and night. Sealant joints, bracket fixings and glass selection follow the facade engineer's movement and performance criteria, and water tests are carried out on sample areas before full installation.
• Separate main contractor and MEP contractor versus a combined package: a combined package removes interface disputes and aligns programmes, while separate contracts give the client more direct control and visibility of each trade.

Relevant Manolia projects

G+6+Pent+Gym

G+6 residential building, Al Barsha

Al Barsha · HVAC · Completed

HVAC installation for a mid-rise building with penthouse and gym.

5-star hotel, Dubai

Dubai · Building · Completed

Hotel tower with podium parking, pool, health club and 23 typical floors.

Frequently asked questions