Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has replaced the recently-installed exterior cladding panels on its new headquarters tower amid growing scrutiny of tower facades across the globe, said a report.

The leading Emirati bank stripped the cladding even as companies across the country have started assessing the materials used on the outside of their offices, reported Arab News.

Thousands of building owners are conducting tests on their facades after a spate of blazes involving buildings covered with aluminium composite panels that are sometimes filled with highly flammable plastic material, said the report.

A massive fire in London last month, which claimed at least 80 lives, has refocused attention on the safety of towers covered with such panels, it added.

However, ADIB officials said the contractors had started to strip the exterior wall panels of the new Abu Dhabi building much before the Grenfell Tower blaze last month.

“As part of the process of finalising the building, (the) new cladding is being mounted that meets the highest local and international standards and requirements,” stated Sagheer Mufti, chief operations officer at ADIB.

The bank aims to complete the building located on Abu Dhabi’s Airport Road, by early next year, he added.

The new building will house ADIB’s flagship retail branch, its digital studio and training facilities, and will also serve as the bank’s head office.