The major MEP players

zoom

Gateway to success: construction on Al-Reem Island started in the summer, and the MEP for the development, named The Gate, is being provided by Arup, a company with an impressive and established pedigree, having been working in the Middle East region since the 1970s.

zoom

A runway success: with 28 years worth of experience of providing MEP services, Thermo are now working on the $463 million, Dubai International Airport Expansion for Dubai Civil Aviation.

zoom

High-profile work: Ian Barnham & Associates is working on The Emirates Headquarters building, which is costing $163 million.

There are many facets to the construction sector in the Middle East. Building sites do not start and end with the contractor. In between there are varying companies bringing specific skill sets and qualifications to a project before it can be considered complete. With an estimated value of a third of the total building, MEP is a key component of the construction boom and there are now serious players in the region who contribute to this sector. Construction Week casts an eye over some of the key companies in the MEP industry.

WSP

WSP Group was established in the UK in the 1970s and has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 1987. WSP operates as a specialist in the property, environmental, transportation and infrastructure sectors providing a full range of services from planning through to design, implementation and maintenance. The group has extensive international experience in America, UK, Europe, Africa and the Middle East and currently has permanent offices in 30 countries. Its revenue has doubled in the last six years.

The company was recently commissioned by architect Foster & Partners to develop the sustainable infrastructure strategies for a detailed masterplan for the Masdar initiative in Abu Dhabi. The development will be the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste city, setting new global standards in sustainable development. WSP is developing strategies for many aspects of the design to support the zero-carbon, zero-waste ambition of the project.

Arup

Arup is a global firm of designers, engineers, planners and business consultants providing a diverse range of professional services to clients around the world. In total, the firm has 9,000 staff working in 86 offices in more than 37 countries. At any one time it has over 10,000 projects running concurrently.

The company has been working in the Middle East since the early 1970s with registered offices in Doha and Dubai. It is involved in a number of key projects in the region; in particular its innovative designs have enabled the construction of a 2,300-space car park beneath Reem Island's landscaped park and canal development. A combination of cold sea water pumped in and channelled through heat exchangers to cool the air and generous shading, limiting the amount of heat reaching the car park, were used to ensure temperatures will remain at a comfortable level. Construction on Al-Reem Island started this summer.

Ian Barnham & associates

Established in 1976, Ian Barnham & Associates (IBA) provides professional mechanical and electrical engineering services throughout the Gulf, and now has offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Bangalore and an associated office in Oman.

Having worked on over 1,300 projects over the years, the company has been involved in high-profile projects such as the Sky Tower in Abu Dhabi (worth $354 million), The Towers in Business Bay (valued at $409 million), and the Emirates Headquarters building in Dubai worth $163 million.

Thermo

Thermo operates its head office in Dubai, with branches in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Doha. The company has 28 years of experience offering MEP contracting services as a single or multi-service engineering contractor for both small and large projects.

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

USER COMMENTS (0 COMMENTS)

POST A COMMENT

CLICK HERE TO POST A COMMENT

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.