Bee'ah, a leading UAE-based environmental management company, has achieved a major construction milestone with the topping out of its headquarters building in Sharjah, UAE.

The building, which has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), is due for completion by the end of 2018.

The company commemorated the completion of the highest point of the structure, with a topping out ceremony held recently at the site location in Al Saj’ah.

With 270 construction workers, engineers and managers on site, the steelwork for the massive structure has been completed, while the architectural concrete dome which forms the centrepiece of the project has been put in place, said the statement from the company.

Mechanical and electrical fixing work is progressing rapidly across the site, while internal work is also underway. Construction on external envelopes for the roof and walls is ongoing. This structure and façade work, with its complex 3D geometrical shapes made of glass reinforced concrete (GRC), is the responsibility of specialist engineering firm BuroHappold.

The main structure of the visitors’ centre and of the main dune is complete, while that of the standalone energy centre is 50 per cent complete. It is a measure of the care and precision with which the project is being executed, that one million man hours have elapsed without an incident or injury to any site workers," he added.

Salim Al Owais, the chairman of Bee'ah, Patrik Schumacher, the principal of ZHA and Edmund Mahabir, the managing director of Al Futtaim Carillion, signed a special concrete panel at the topmost section of the building, in recognition of the important achievement.

The event marked an important occasion for Bee’ah, and the project stakeholders, indicating that the headquarters is on schedule for completion, by the end of 2018, said Al Owais after the signing ceremony.

In line with Bee’ah’s growing ambition of improving the quality of life in the region, the company has created an environmentally sound structure, which will have minimal negative impact on the environment, across its lifetime, he noted.

In addition to being completely powered by renewable energy, the new headquarters uses products like recycled aggregate in construction, incorporates energy and water-saving fixtures, maximises the benefit of natural elements like sunlight and winds for heating and cooling, utilises native vegetation for landscaping, and ensures reuse of greywater, he added.

Al Owais said: "We cannot envision a future of being a sustainable city, without advancements in green architecture. At Bee’ah, as environmental pioneers, we have always driven ourselves to innovate and lead the UAE’s journey towards sustainability."

"Through our HQ project, we have formed partnerships with some of the world’s most renowned entities, to examine as to how we can maximise the potential for sustainability in the built environment," he explained.

With its ultra-low carbon footprint, minimal water and energy usage and the efficient recycling of construction materials, this project will set a benchmark for all future green construction projects in the Gulf region.

"It is also a model for a green building system that can be replicated across the UAE, as the nation seeks to transition into a green economy," he added.

According to him, a primary feature of the headquarters is that of its zero net energy consumption.

The building will be utilising photovoltaic cells to ensure complete reliance on renewable energy.

To facilitate efficient use of the cells, Bee’ah signed an agreement with Tesla to utilise their advanced Powerpack battery technology. The company has acquired nine storage packs, with a total capacity of 1,890 kWhs, which will store the energy from the cells, and keep the building operational in the absence of sunlight, stated Al Owais.

The building which is expected to receive a platinum certification, by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), under its Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design (LEED) programme, is making rapid progress towards the completion of construction, he added.-TradeArabia News Service