Ventilation & smoke extraction in Ajman 

Ventilation & smoke extraction in Ajman: local context

Ajman is the smallest emirate by area, with a compact city of mid- and high-rise residential towers along the corniche and Al Nuaimiya-type districts, plus the Al Jurf industrial zone towards the Emirates Road. Much of its residential stock is value-oriented housing for people commuting to Sharjah and Dubai, with hotels along the beachfront and workshops and warehouses inland. MEP budgets are often tighter than in Dubai, which puts the emphasis on robust, maintainable systems such as packaged and split units, VRF and straightforward chilled-water plants. Manolia has delivered HVAC and design work here.

MEP drawings are typically submitted to Ajman Municipality and Planning as part of the building permit, with Civil Defence (Ministry of Interior) approving fire and life safety drawings and inspecting before occupancy. Etihad WE handles electrical load approval and connections. Requirements vary between plots and zones, so the sequence is confirmed for each project.

• Fire and life safety approvals go through Civil Defence under the Ministry of Interior, applying the UAE Fire & Life Safety Code; early submission avoids delays on residential towers where fire pumps and tank volumes drive basement layouts.
• Beachfront towers face salt-laden air and high humidity, so outdoor units on balconies and roofs need coated coils and accessible maintenance positions, and drainage of condensate must be planned rather than left to discharge on facades.

Building types we serve in Ajman

For high-rise towers, the work concentrates on pressure-zoned water and drainage stacks, riser and plant-room coordination, stair pressurisation and a cooling source sized for diversity across dozens of typical floors.

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

• Review of the approved fire strategy so smoke zones, fan duties and pressurisation targets are understood before equipment selection.
• Stair and lift lobby pressurisation fans with relief dampers or variable speed control to maintain pressure without making doors hard to open.
• Smoke exhaust fans, smoke dampers and make-up air paths for atria, malls and corridors as required by the strategy.
• Interface wiring with the fire alarm system for zone-by-zone activation and fan status feedback.
• Natural ventilation openings, automatic smoke vents and their actuators where the fire strategy relies on them, tested to open on alarm.

Systems we install

• CO and NO2 gas detection for demand ventilation
• Stair and lobby pressurisation fans
• Motorised smoke dampers and relief dampers

UAE site and climate challenges

• Basement car parks in summer accumulate heat and vehicle exhaust, so normal ventilation rates are controlled by CO and NO2 sensors to save energy while keeping air quality safe for drivers and attendants.
• Pressurisation fans draw outdoor air that may be very hot and dusty, so intakes are positioned away from smoke exhaust discharges and fitted with sand louvres to keep fans and dampers working reliably.

Decisions to make early

• Pressurisation control method: barometric relief dampers are simpler, while variable speed control maintains more stable pressure as doors open and close during an evacuation.
• Integration with BMS for monitoring, which helps maintenance teams identify failed fans, dampers or sensors without taking life safety control away from the fire alarm system.

Relevant Manolia projects

Frequently asked questions