MEP design and build in SAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone) 

MEP design and build in SAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone): local context

SAIF Zone sits beside Sharjah International Airport and hosts warehouses, light industrial units, logistics companies and offices in a free-zone setting. Building stock is mostly prefabricated warehouses and executive office blocks. Work here typically involves warehouse fit-outs, office conversions and industrial MEP. Being a long-established free zone, many of its units are being refitted for new tenants with different power, cooling and storage needs, so upgrade work is common alongside new construction on remaining plots.

• Construction approvals are typically handled through the SAIF Zone authority's own channel, with fire safety review and inspections; the requirements are confirmed per unit and use.
• Warehouse fit-outs add mezzanine offices, cold rooms or process areas, which need new electrical capacity, ventilation and sprinkler modifications.
• Warehouse roofs are lightweight, so rooftop packaged units, exhaust fans and solar water heaters need structural checks and proper support frames before installation.

Building types we serve in SAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone)

For factories and industrial plants, the work concentrates on process cooling and ventilation, heavy LV distribution, hazard-appropriate fire protection and plant that tolerates dust and high ambient temperatures.

Scope of work

• Concept review of the architectural design to locate plant rooms, risers, shafts and roof space early, before floor plates and ceiling heights are frozen.
• Cooling and heating load calculations, ventilation rates, electrical load schedules, water demand and drainage fixture-unit calculations for authority and utility submission.
• Selection of the HVAC approach, whether district cooling connection, central chilled water, VRF or packaged units, based on loads, plot constraints and lifecycle cost.
• Development of detailed design into coordinated shop drawings, with clash detection between ducts, pipes, cable trays and structure before procurement.

Systems we install

• HVAC plant: chillers, district cooling energy transfer stations, AHUs, FCUs and fresh-air units.
• Building management system, metering and controls integration across all mechanical and electrical plant.

UAE site and climate challenges

• Air-cooled equipment loses capacity as condenser inlet air gets hotter, and roof plant often sees air several degrees above ambient. We derate selections for real roof conditions and space units to avoid hot-air recirculation.
• Water supply in many areas relies on storage tanks that heat up in summer. We design tank locations, insulation and circulation to manage stored-water temperature and Legionella risk, and size cold-water storage to authority requirements.
• VRF versus chilled water for mid-rise buildings: VRF suits phased occupancy and individual billing with no central plant, while chilled water scales better, runs quieter indoors and centralises maintenance in one plant room.

Relevant Manolia projects

HVAC & BMS

AUS main & language buildings HVAC/BMS

University City (Sharjah) · HVAC & BMS · Completed

Design & build of HVAC and BMS renovation.

AUS Bowling City, Sharjah

University City (Sharjah) · MEP · Completed

MEP design & build plus decoration for a G+4 leisure building.

Frequently asked questions