Ventilation & smoke extraction in Al Majaz 

Ventilation & smoke extraction in Al Majaz: local context

Al Majaz surrounds Khalid Lagoon and Al Majaz Waterfront in central Sharjah, a district of high-rise residential towers, hotels, offices and retail that grew mostly from the 1990s to 2010s. Its lagoon-front towers are some of the city's most recognisable, and many are now in their second cycle of MEP upgrades. Streets are busy and plots are tightly packed.

• Lagoon proximity means humid, salt-bearing air, so cooling towers, condenser coils, roof pipework and steel supports need corrosion protection and regular inspection.
• Refurbishment of occupied towers involves replacing chillers, pumps and risers floor by floor, with coordinated shutdowns agreed with building management and SEWA where supplies are affected.
• Sharjah Civil Defence typically requires fire alarm, firefighting and emergency lighting upgrades to meet the current UAE Fire & Life Safety Code during major refurbishments.

Building types we serve in Al Majaz

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.

Scope of work

• Review of the approved fire strategy so smoke zones, fan duties and pressurisation targets are understood before equipment selection.
• Installation of car park ventilation with jet fans, main extract fans and CO or NO2 sensors controlling normal ventilation.
• Smoke exhaust fans, smoke dampers and make-up air paths for atria, malls and corridors as required by the strategy.
• Cause-and-effect testing, door opening force checks and Civil Defence witnessed tests.

Systems we install

• Smoke exhaust fans rated for high temperature
• Fire alarm interfaces and firefighters control panel

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.
• Basement car parks in coastal towers can see condensation on cold surfaces when hot humid air is pulled in at high rates, so supply air paths and ramp openings are reviewed to limit wet floors and corrosion of jet fans.
• Fan redundancy and secondary power arrangements, which add cost but determine how robust the smoke control system remains if one fan or one supply fails during a fire.

Relevant Manolia projects

Two Nahda residential towers, Sharjah

Al Nahda (Sharjah) · MEP · Completed

MEP for two towers of 23 and 24 typical floors over parking podiums.

Al Mazroaa Tower, Sharjah

Sharjah · HVAC · Completed

HVAC for a 43-typical-floor tower with health club.

Frequently asked questions