Sharjah
Designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid, the new headquarters for Sharjah-based environment management company Bee’ah has made considerable headway in the construction of its new headquarters in Al Saj’ah area.
In a representation of sustainable aesthetics, the building has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to resemble a series of intersecting sand dunes, enabling it to blend into the desert landscape.
Bee’ah has commemorated the completion of the highest point of the structure, with a “topping out” ceremony held on Sunday at the location of the site.
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.
The steelwork for the structure has been completed, while the architectural concrete dome that forms the centrepiece of the project has been put in place. 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.
In a representation of sustainable aesthetics, the building has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to resemble a series of intersecting sand dunes, enabling it to blend into the desert landscape.
Salim Al Owais, chairman of Bee’ah; Patrik Schumacher, principal of Zaha Hadid Architects; and Edmund Mahabir, managing director of Al Futtaim Carillion, signed a special concrete panel at the topmost section of the building in recognition of the achievement.
A primary feature of the headquarters is that of its zero net energy consumption. The building will utilise 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.
Al Owais said, “I believe that we cannot envision the 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. 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.”
