Al Salem Johnson Controls, a leading provider of integrated solutions in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), building management and smart energy solutions, says its cooling and security solutions have been installed at the new King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which last month marked its soft opening.

In terms of ventilation, air-conditioning and cooling, Al Salem Johnson Controls says it has set up three cooling stations that are located in different areas of the airport, with a total of 54 York chillers with overall cooling capacity of 135,000 TR.

Additionally, there are 21 York chillers with a cooling capacity of up to 7,000 TR, designed to cool critical facilities, such as data centres, the mosque and the air traffic control tower, one of the highest in the world, says the  company.

“One of the unique aspects of this mega project is that it leverages a wide range of integrated solutions offered by Al Salem Johnson Controls,” remarks CEO Dr Mohanad Al Shaikh.

The challenge was that this 105-sq-km airport had a requirement for customised ventilation, cooling and air-conditioning solutions to suit every use, while ensuring cooling efficiency under all operating and climatic conditions, particularly during peak times and seasons, he explains.

“The fact that the expected capacity of this new airport is 30 million passengers per year only highlights the magnitude of this challenge,” he adds.

According to him, the new airport has six York glycol chillers dedicated to supply aircraft with cooled air while refuelling and loading passengers and luggage.

Explaining the working of the chillers, Al Shaikh says: “To provide the most comfortable environment for passengers and employees, these York chillers cool water to 5-6 deg C and pump it through underground pipes to the air handling units. Cold water then passes through these units to release cold air throughout buildings and facilities.

“To cool the main terminal building, York air handling units were installed, including more than 1,000 Saudi-made units manufactured at the York Jeddah factory, designed and engineered to meet the special cooling requirements of some of the more complex systems at the airport, including the baggage handling systems which stretches to 34.6 km,” he adds.

According to him, the new airport has also been equipped with integrated control, security and safety systems to improve the energy efficiency.

Al Shaikh also highlights that the building management system (BMS) used is expected to enhance energy efficiency by 30 per cent, while contributing to the smooth operation of airport’s equipment and systems at all times, including seasons and peak hours.

The BMS controls all supporting facility buildings and covers the ventilation, air-conditioning, energy consumption and operation efficiency of a total of 40 buildings distributed around the airport. This is in addition to a total of 7 km of passenger traffic tunnels.

Further, Al Salem Johnson Controls has provided a total of 2,736 surveillance cameras, a central control room, supervising and controlling 3163 inspection gates, 46 passenger passageways and 94 boarding bridges, states Al Shaikh.

The air traffic control tower’s latest and most cutting-edge air traffic control technology is equipped with advanced security and safety systems, he adds.