Farnek has broken ground on a new 800-room facility in Dubai South. The $41 million facility is designed to be intelligent and environmentally-friendly and will house 5,000 employees.
According to Farnek, the building will raise the bar for intelligent buildings and will employ the latest smart technology and will be the most energy, water and waste-efficient accommodation centre of its kind in the region.
The firm says it worked closely with an architectural team on the building design, to ensure it would operate as efficiently as possible rather than having to do that retroactively, the statement said.
“That is what typically happens when competent FM companies are not consulted about design. Through smart and sustainable design, we hope to save at least 20% more than a conventional staff accommodation centre, in energy and water savings. That could be worth up to $816,000 every year,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
Farnek notes that it paid extra attention to energy, water efficiency and waste management.
Oberlin added, “Designing a sustainable home for 5,000 people, will come with certain operational challenges, such as waste and sewage management. We have designed a unique solution that will reduce the volume of waste generated that would ordinarily go to landfill.”
The facility will include solar panels on its roof covering 150sqm which the firm says will meet all hot water requirements. Over 4,000 LED lights will also be installed, supplying 90% of the total amount of lighting required. The low energy lighting system will work with occupancy sensors and photocells installed in the common areas to optimise the structure’s energy-efficiency.
Additionally, the facility will boast reflective glazing which is designed to reflect and absorb the sun’s rays, as well as reflective exterior paint, wall and roof insulation, energy recovery ventilation and energy-efficient air-conditioning. The facility’s 800 rooms will be managed by a bespoke software solution, and the structure will include a prayer room, medical clinic, restaurant, library, gym, and a barber shop.
“Connectivity is essential for staff welfare today, so free Wi-Fi will be made available to all staff throughout the entire complex,” Oberlin pointed out.