Scope of work
- Heat load verification against the consultant's calculation, checking glazing ratios, occupancy and fresh-air volumes before equipment orders are released.
- Installation of AHUs, fan coil units, VAV boxes and fresh air handling units with vibration isolation, condensate drainage and service access.
- Fabrication and erection of insulated supply, return and fresh-air ductwork including fire dampers at compartment walls and volume control dampers.
- Chilled-water or refrigerant pipework installation with pressure testing, flushing and insulation sealed against condensation in humid ceiling voids.
- Toilet extract, car park ventilation and general exhaust systems sized to keep negative pressure where odours and fumes are generated.
- Controls wiring of thermostats, sensors and actuators linked to the BMS so zones can be scheduled and monitored centrally.
- Air and water balancing to design flow rates, with measured readings recorded for every terminal and coil.
Systems we install
- Air handling units with heat recovery wheels on fresh air
- Ceiling-concealed and floor-standing fan coil units
- Variable air volume boxes for open-plan offices
- Dedicated outdoor air units for dehumidification
- Packaged rooftop and ducted split units for smaller buildings
- Exhaust and supply fans with variable speed drives
Codes, standards and approvals
- ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation rates as typically adopted by UAE consultants for occupied spaces and fresh-air design.
- ASHRAE 90.1 energy performance, with Al Sa'fat in Dubai and Estidama Pearl in Abu Dhabi setting local efficiency expectations.
- UAE Fire & Life Safety Code for fire dampers, smoke dampers and fan shutdown on alarm, inspected by Civil Defence.
- Municipality building regulations for duct insulation, noise and equipment placement on roofs and in plant rooms.
- Dubai Civil Defence, Sharjah Civil Defence or ADCDA witness tests of fan shutdown and damper closure on fire alarm before the building receives its completion certificate.
- ASHRAE standards (62.1, 90.1) (ASHRAE) — ventilation-rate and energy-efficiency basis referenced by UAE regulations
- UAE Fire & Life Safety Code of Practice (UAE FLSC) — national code governing fire-fighting, fire alarm, smoke control and egress
UAE site and climate challenges
- Outdoor air in summer is both very hot and very humid, so fresh air must be pre-treated by dedicated units or heat recovery before it reaches occupied spaces, otherwise rooms feel clammy even when the thermostat reads 23°C.
- Ceiling voids under roofs can exceed outdoor temperatures, so ducts and pipes in those zones receive thicker insulation and continuous vapour barriers to stop dripping and loss of cooling capacity.
- Sand-laden air quickly clogs filters on AHUs and fresh-air intakes, so intakes are placed away from roof edges where possible, fitted with sand louvres and given accessible pre-filters.
- Equipment on roofs faces direct sun and high ambient air, so condensing units are selected for high-ambient operation and spaced to avoid recirculating hot discharge air.
- Large glazed facades facing west take a heavy late-afternoon solar load, so perimeter zones are separated from interior zones and given their own coils and controls instead of sharing a thermostat with rooms that never see the sun.
Decisions to make early
- Fan coil units versus VAV systems: FCUs suit hotels and apartments with individual room control, while VAV suits open offices but needs more ceiling depth and careful minimum fresh-air settings.
- Heat recovery on fresh air adds capital cost and plant space but reduces cooling load significantly in buildings with high fresh-air demand such as hotels, gyms and clinics.
- Level of zoning: more zones improve comfort for perimeter rooms and allow tenant-level scheduling and billing, but each zone adds thermostats, valves or VAV boxes, wiring and commissioning effort.
- Whether to invest in EC fans and variable speed drives on AHUs and exhaust fans, which lower running costs and noise in exchange for higher equipment prices and slightly more complex controls.
What you receive at handover
- Approved HVAC shop drawings and equipment submittals
- Duct leakage and pipe pressure test certificates
- Testing, adjusting and balancing report with measured airflows
- Commissioning sheets for each AHU, FCU and fan
- O&M manuals with filter schedules and spare parts
How we deliver: 8 stages
- 01Appointment & review
- 02Mobilisation & approvals
- 03Planning
- 04Engineering & shop drawings
- 05Procurement & execution
- 06Monitoring & reporting
- 07Quality inspection
- 08Testing, commissioning & handover
Why clients appoint Manolia
Manolia Group has delivered MEP and building contracts in the UAE since 2001: more than 100 projects and over AED 1.1 billion of completed work, including towers above 50 floors. Delivery follows an 8-stage process under a QMS structured to ISO 9001 requirements, with HSE controls and in-house engineering for shop drawings, coordination and commissioning.
Relevant Manolia projects
Al Mawared Twin Tower, Sharjah
Sharjah · HVAC · Completed
HVAC for twin 32-typical-floor towers.
Al Mazroaa Tower, Sharjah
Sharjah · HVAC · Completed
HVAC for a 43-typical-floor tower with health club.
G+6 residential building, Al Barsha
Al Barsha · HVAC · Completed
HVAC installation for a mid-rise building with penthouse and gym.
G+14 building, Dubailand
Dubailand · HVAC · Completed
HVAC for a 14-storey residential building.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs HVAC
Dubai · HVAC · Completed
HVAC package for a federal government building.
Frequently asked questions
How long does HVAC installation take in a typical building?
Duration depends on building size, the cooling source and how early the HVAC contractor is appointed. Rough-in of ducts and pipes runs floor by floor behind the structure, while plant installation follows plant-room completion. Manolia plans HVAC within the main contractor's programme so balancing and commissioning are not squeezed at the end, which is the most common cause of comfort complaints.
Why do some new buildings in Dubai feel humid even with the AC on?
Usually the fresh air is not dehumidified properly. If untreated outdoor air is supplied directly, or fan coils are oversized and cycle off too quickly, moisture stays in the space. Correct fresh-air treatment, right-sized coils and balancing to design flows solve this, and these are checked during commissioning.
Do you install HVAC in occupied buildings for renovations?
Yes. Manolia renovated HVAC and BMS in American University of Sharjah buildings and carried out A/C renovation of an occupied G+11 twin tower in Sharjah. Such work is phased floor by floor with temporary cooling where needed, dust control, and night or weekend shutdowns agreed with the facility team.
What HVAC systems suit villas versus towers?
Villas commonly use ducted split or VRF systems because there is no central plant room and loads are modest. Towers typically use chilled water from a central plant or district cooling, distributed to fan coils and AHUs. Mixed-use and hotel buildings may combine both, with VRF serving retail units that need separate metering.
What is testing, adjusting and balancing and why does it matter?
Testing, adjusting and balancing measures actual airflows and water flows at every outlet and coil, then adjusts dampers and valves until they match the design. Without it, rooms near the AHU get too much air and far rooms too little. Manolia records the measured values in a balancing report that forms part of the handover file.