Emaar Middle East has reported an eight-day cycle per floor in the construction of Abraj Al Hilal, the residential towers in Jeddah Gate.

At the current rate, one floor is added every eight days, marking the rapid progress in the construction of the residential tower, and recording one of the best construction progress reports in the Kingdom.

As of January 2009, more than 24 per cent work has been completed with over 800 professionals and skilled workers employed on site, and several Saudi Arabian contractors and consultants working on the project. On an average 7,000 man hours are being used daily on the construction of the prestigious project for on-schedule hand-over of homes in 2010. Infrastructure work is almost half-complete with storm water networks, roads, drinking and irrigation water lines, power network and telecom connectivity progressing. Studies for final connection to the sewage network are underway.

“The eight-day cycle achieved on the construction of Abraj Al Hilal is a landmark for Emaar Middle East and one of the best construction progress reports in the Kingdom,” said Alaa Abdullah Saed, chief executive officer, Emaar Middle East. “We are committed to develop Jeddah Gate to the highest standards, and are implementing world-best practices. This has helped us achieve time and resource use efficiency apart from enabling on-schedule delivery of homes.

“Abraj Al Hilal has gained strong investor response from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. As the first residential component of Jeddah Gate, it is setting the standards in construction and will offer modern homes with rich lifestyle amenities. It will also be a great value addition to the cosmopolitan population of Jeddah by introducing a truly integrated residential community.”

The eight-day cycle in developing a floor of the Abraj Al Hilal residential tower includes much coordination among various contractors and consultants. International Building Systems Company for Contracting is undertaking all civil and electromechanical works. The eight-day cycle is executed by sliding steel shuttering systems for the columns and core walls, and plywood formwork for the slabs. These two facilitate fast installation and dismantling after the concrete gains strength.

The work involved in completing each level includes casting the concrete slabs; routing the electrical, air-conditioning and plumping fittings; rendering of internal partitions; installation of doors and windows; and final touches such as flooring, wall & ceiling painting and installation of lights, kitchens and toilets. The finishing works are expected to be completed in nine months.

“At Abraj Al Hilal, we are also setting a new trend in energy and water use efficiency, which further highlights our commitment to sustainable development,” Saed added.

Abraj Al Hilal residential towers feature two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and penthouses. The three towers, ranging from 19 to 22 storeys, have an elegant architecture that blends contemporary and traditional styles. The apartments range in size from 124 to 600 sq mt. Amenities include two outdoor swimming pools located on a lushly landscaped podium, an indoor swimming pool for ladies, modern health & fitness facilities, squash court, a business center with meeting rooms and a children’s daycare centre.

The SR6 billion ($1.6 billion) Jeddah Gate project is spread over half a million sq mt, and will have 6,000 residential units, 230,000 sq mt of office space and 75,000 sq mt of gross leasable area for retailers. The project is positioned on two sites; the first is spread over 413,000 sq mt and is located along King Abdullah Street; and the second is spread over 140,000 sq mt along Abdullah Al Suleiman Street in close proximity to the main railroad linking the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madina, with the Holy City of Makkah being only 45 minutes away from Jeddah. –