Saudi Aircon, a member of Abdullatif Al Arfaj and Brothers Holding Company, is working with the BACS Consortium as the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractor on two separate contracts at the Riyadh Metro project.

The first deal involves work at the 1C1 and 1C2 stations, while the second is for work at the 1C3 and 1C4 stations.

Saudi Aircon’s CEO Waleed Mohammed Al Arfaj tells Gulf Construction that the contract for the first two stations was signed with Al Saad Contracting in March 2017; while the second contract for the other two stations was signed directly with the CWJV-BACS Consortium (Bechtel, Al Mabani, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and Siemens) in November 2017.

Al Arfaj ... the project will enhance Saudi Arabia’s image as an advanced country.

Saudi Aircon’s main scope of works on the metro project covers the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of MEP systems including the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, fire-protection, electrical and low-current systems. Its HVAC services involve the installation of duct works, chilled water pipes, air-conditioners (air-cooled screw chillers, air-handling units (AHU), fan-coil units (FCU), variable refrigerant flow (VRF) direct expansion (DX) units and precision units, fans, and chilled water pumps.

The plumbing systems comprise pumps (for sewerage and domestic water, etc), sanitary fixtures, and plumbing pipes; while fire protection systems include fire-fighting pipes, sprinklers and pumps (electrical, diesel and jockey), and fire extinguishers.

Also being installed by the company are electrical systems such as the low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) cables, LV panels, central battery system, power factor collection, lighting and lighting control system, and grounding and earthing. In addition, low current systems include access control and fire alarm systems.

Work on the first contract (1C1 and 1C2 stations) is slated for completion by August 2019 with about 80 per cent of it currently having been completed; while work on the second contract (1C3 and 1C4 stations) has commenced recently with five per cent done and will be completed by 2020.

Al Arfaj says the project entails major challenges especially since it involves working underground at depths of 30 m within a diameter of 10 m.

“The equipment has to be brought in and the tunnel has to be dug horizontally underground. Also, workers could be exposed to risk in the manhole if there are failures during construction,” he says. “However, Saudi Aircon has done the work without any human or commercial losses.”

Saudi Aircon is working with the BACS Consortium as the MEP contractor.

About the Riyadh Metro, Al Arfaj says it is a highly prestigious project that will enhance Saudi Arabia’s image as an advanced country and position it as one of the few countries that have succeeded in implementing this dream job.

“This project aims at providing people with suitable public transport services, diversifying the transportation means in the city, in addition to aiming to keep the use of private cars to a minimum. It will be of great benefit to Riyadh’s economy, society and environment. Moreover, it will provide the city with a giant public transport system to meet its existing and future needs,” he adds.

Established in 1981 as an HVAC contractor, Saudi Aircon has steadily developed into one of the region’s leading MEP contractors and is currently engaged on a number of major projects.

In addition to the Riyadh Metro, the company has just completed commissioning the MEP works at the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) headquarters in Riyadh, under a contract valued at SR500 million for the main contractor Shapoorji Pallonji. Work on the project started in January 2016 and was commissioned in January 2019.

Saudi Aircon’s scope of works on the project included design, value engineering, supply, installation testing and commissioning of the complete electromechanical systems for a total build-up area of 412,000 sq m.

Another major project is the Tadawul Tower in Riyadh, where Saudi Aircon started work in December 2018 under a SR200-million subcontract from Samsung and CCE, the main contractor. Saudi Aircon’s contract includes design, value engineering, supply, installation testing and commissioning of the complete mechanical systems for a total build-up area of 151,923 sq m.

Yet another key project is the Dr Suliman Al Habib Hospital in Al Khobar, which is currently in the commission stage. Saudi Aircon is providing design, value engineering, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the complete electromechanical system for the project which has a total build-up area of 290,000 sq m, under a MEP contract worth SR350 million. Work on the project started in July 2017.

Other projects it has secured over the past year include the Jubail University Project for the Royal Commission in Jubail; upgrading of a chiller plant for the King Faisal Specialist Hospital; and the central plant project at Umm Al Qura University.

Al Arfaj says the company is close to signing some other mega projects.

Headquartered in Al Hasa, Saudi Aircon offers comprehensive services covering the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of MEP systems such as HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, and low-voltage and medium-voltage systems.

It is also specialised in operations and maintenance of all MEP systems.

Saudi Aircon has five main offices in Riyadh, Al Khobar, Jubail, Al Hasa and Jeddah; and two duct factories in Jubail and Al Hasa.

Over the past year, Saudi Aircon has initiated several developments within the company including the development of an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system; updating of its ISO and OHSAS certificates; improving its QC/QA (quality control/quality assurance) and safety departments, and training centre to enable them to handle the high specifications of mega projects. It is also undertaking the registration process for Saudi Aramco’s IKTVA programme.

Other member companies of the Abdullatif Al Arfaj and Brothers Holding include Saudi Technic Energy (STE), an Aksa/Cummins generators agent; Saudi Technic Industries (STI), which serves the market trading business and technical services for oil, gas, petrochemical, power and water industries, and provides engineering support; Saudi Pultrusion Industries (SPI), the largest pultrusion/fiberglass factory in the region; Specialist Welding Services (SWS); ManorCare, which provides advanced car-care technology; and Agricultural  Catalyst Company (ACC) specialised in agricultural technologies and crops fumigation.