Ventilation & smoke extraction in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) 

Ventilation & smoke extraction in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO): local context

Dubai Silicon Oasis is a free-zone technology park and residential community on the Dubai–Al Ain Road, mixing offices, residential towers, villas, schools and retail. It has grown steadily since the mid-2000s. Manolia completed MEP for a G+6 residential building with health club here and is currently delivering MEP for a G+3 parking building. Its mix of tenants means MEP packages range from residential and parking to technology offices.

• Approvals run through the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) building channel, with Civil Defence review of fire and life safety drawings; procedures follow DSOA's requirements.
• Parking structures need jet-fan or ducted ventilation, CO detection, smoke clearance and sprinkler coverage coordinated with structural beams and ramps.
• Mid-rise residential buildings with health clubs need pool dehumidification, separate ventilation for changing rooms and robust hot-water systems.

Building types we serve in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)

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

• 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.
• Fire-rated cabling and secondary power arrangements for smoke control fans so they operate during a fire.

Systems we install

• Car park jet fans and main extract fans
• Stair and lobby pressurisation fans

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.
• Strong winds and sand can jam relief dampers and louvres, so these are checked during commissioning and included in periodic maintenance to ensure they open and close freely on demand.
• 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