Renovation and retrofit MEP in Al Barsha 

Renovation and retrofit MEP in Al Barsha: local context

Al Barsha is an established residential and commercial district near Mall of the Emirates, mixing villa sectors, mid-rise apartment blocks, hotels and schools developed mainly from the 2000s. Its streets carry a steady mix of new mid-rise plots and refurbishment of older buildings. Manolia completed HVAC works for a G+6 residential building with penthouse and gym here.

• Mid-rise residential plots commonly use air-cooled chillers or ducted split and VRF systems; roof layouts must allow condenser airflow and maintenance access on tight footprints.
• Hotels and schools near Mall of the Emirates need fresh-air AHUs with dehumidification and energy recovery to control humidity without overcooling.
• Al Barsha is close to Sheikh Zayed Road, so deliveries are quick, but residential streets have limited parking and restricted working hours.

Building types we serve in Al Barsha

For malls and retail centres, the work concentrates on large-volume air handling, tenant-ready chilled water or refrigerant capacity, smoke extraction for atriums and car parks and food-court exhaust.

Scope of work

• Site survey of existing MEP systems, recording installed equipment, condition, nameplate capacities and every deviation from the old drawings, often with opening-up of ceilings at sample locations.
• Capacity checks on existing chilled water, electrical supply and water storage to confirm whether new tenants, kitchens or extra floors can be served without upgrades.
• Fit-out MEP for offices, shops, restaurants, clinics and apartments within existing buildings, connected to base-building systems according to landlord technical requirements.
• Testing, commissioning and as-built documentation of all new and modified systems, including re-balancing of the existing systems affected by the changes.

Systems we install

• Replacement air-cooled or water-cooled chillers and their pumps.
• New main panels, distribution boards and upgraded cabling for added loads.

UAE site and climate challenges

• Replacing cooling equipment during summer risks leaving occupants without AC when temperatures exceed 45°C. We schedule major plant changes for cooler months where possible, or install temporary chillers or packaged units to maintain cooling during the changeover.
• Corroded pipework and equipment in coastal buildings may leak when isolated and disturbed. Surveys identify high-risk areas, and replacement plans add new isolation valves, drain points and protection of finishes and tenants' goods below.
• Keeping the old refrigerant or converting: older systems on phased-out refrigerants become expensive to recharge and repair, so converting to current refrigerants during a renovation often saves money over the remaining building life.

Relevant Manolia projects

Armada Tower hotel, JLT

Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) · MEP · Completed

MEP for the hotel tower of the three-building Armada Towers cluster.

G+3

Multi-storey parking & retail centre, DSO

Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) · MEP · In progress

G+3 parking and retail centre — MEP works in progress.

Frequently asked questions