Electrical contracting across the UAE 

Scope of work

• Load schedule review against the utility application, confirming connected load, diversity and future spare capacity before the main board is ordered.
• Installation of main and sub-main distribution boards, busbar risers or armoured cable risers, and final distribution boards per floor.
• Cable tray, trunking and conduit containment coordinated with ducts and pipes in combined services drawings.
• Lighting and small power circuits including emergency lighting and exit signage with battery or central system backup.
• Earthing and lightning protection systems tested to measured resistance values required by the utility and consultant.
• Power connections to HVAC plant, pumps, lifts, fire systems and kitchen equipment with correct isolation and protection.
• Insulation resistance, continuity, RCD and loop impedance testing, followed by utility inspection and energisation.
• Fire alarm, access control and data containment installed by the electrical team so low-current contractors can pull cables into ready routes.

Systems we install

• Main distribution boards and sub-main distribution boards
• Busbar trunking risers for high-rise buildings
• Emergency lighting and exit sign systems
• Earthing and lightning protection
• Power factor correction and metering
• Containment for low-current and data systems
• Lighting control with occupancy and daylight sensors

Codes, standards and approvals

• DEWA regulations in Dubai, SEWA in Sharjah, ADDC/AADC in Abu Dhabi and Etihad WE in the northern emirates for connection, metering and inspection.
• UAE Fire & Life Safety Code for emergency lighting, fire-rated cabling and fire system power supplies.
• Al Sa'fat and Estidama Pearl lighting efficiency and metering requirements depending on location.
• IEC-based equipment standards commonly referenced in UAE electrical specifications.
• Trakhees, DDA or DMCC electrical inspection routes for projects within their jurisdictions.

UAE site and climate challenges

• Cables in hot ceiling voids, roof routes and plant rooms lose current carrying capacity at high ambient temperatures, so derating factors are applied when sizing cables for UAE conditions.
• Outdoor panels and isolators on roofs face direct sun, dust and occasional rain, so enclosures with suitable ingress protection, shading canopies and sealed glands are specified.
• Coastal humidity accelerates corrosion of exposed containment and terminations, so galvanised or stainless supports, sealed glands and periodic inspection are used near the sea.
• Electrical rooms without adequate cooling overheat in summer and shorten equipment life, so room ventilation or dedicated cooling is coordinated with the HVAC design from the start.
• External lighting and landscape power in villas and podiums face irrigation water, heat and sand, so IP-rated fittings, sealed junction boxes and buried cable protection are specified to avoid tripping RCDs after the first watering cycles.

Decisions to make early

• Busbar versus cable risers in towers, trading faster installation and compact shafts against higher cost and the need for precise coordination of tap-off positions.
• Level of spare capacity in boards and risers, which supports future tenant changes and new loads but increases initial cost and panel size.
• Emergency lighting via self-contained fittings or a central battery system, balancing the effort of testing and replacing many individual batteries against higher installation cost of a central system.
• LED lighting controls with occupancy and daylight sensors, which reduce energy use and support green building requirements but need careful commissioning to avoid lights switching off on occupants.
• Separate tenant metering on each floor versus a single landlord meter: individual meters simplify billing in rented buildings but require meter rooms or cabinets coordinated with the utility.

What you receive at handover

• Approved electrical shop drawings and load schedule
• Test certificates for every circuit and board
• Utility inspection approval and energisation records
• As-built single line diagrams
• Panel schedules and O&M manuals
• Earthing and lightning protection test results

Relevant Manolia projects

Frequently asked questions