Getting a 20-storey 228-room hotel to "come alive" in a setting as remote as Fujairah's Al Aqah beach, which has little infrastructure, was indeed a challenge, says Bilt Middle East.

The Dubai-based firm was responsible for the entire mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works for the Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort.

"We completed the MEP works successfully, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated project management team assisted by the respective electrical, plumbing and air-conditioning project engineers and through working in close co-ordination with the interior designers and hotel engineering staff," says a spokesman for Bilt.

It was all made possible with close co-operation and assistance from the main contractor Fujairah National Construction (FNC), architect and consultant Archon along with the client the Emirates Group, and hotel operator Le Meridien, he adds.

Bilt Middle East, an ISO 9001 company and a leader in the field of electro-mechanical contracting, provides complete design-and-build services for MEP works of residential and commercial high-rise buildings, five-star hotels, villa complexes, sports complexes and industrial plants.

The company says it endeavours continuously to carry out works of superior quality at competitive prices to build customer confidence and win customer loyalty.

Commenting on the scope of works at the hotel facility, the spokesman says: "This hotel is equipped with extensive and modern facilities for relaxation, comfort and entertainment befitting a luxury resort.

"All the works were carried out in compliance with international standards (IEC, NFPA and BS) as well as Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) regulations and Fujairah Civil Defence Authorities requirements and under the supervision of the main consultant Archon and MEP consultant Ian Banham and Associates.

"The entire electro-mechanical services for the main hotel building, staff accommodation building, all external facilities and miscellaneous buildings such as the Penguin Village, beach and pool bar, diving centre, stage, were completed with great attention to detail in about 18 months and the entire MEP services were commissioned well ahead to allow for interior furnishing to be completed in time.

"The works were closely monitored using Primavera software (reviewed and updated weekly) and the quality was continuously monitored by our QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) engineers."

The MEP statistics for the project are fairly impressive: 1,500 tonnes of air-conditioning, seven 1,500 KVA transformers, seven 2,500 amp low-voltage panels, and two 500 KVA standby gensets. The other special systems include smoke management, centralised hot water, fire alarm and integrated public address and TV interface and music systems. An integrated building management(BMS) for control and monitoring equipment for room comfort levels has also been provided.