Engineering optimal underground car park ventilation in a UNESCO heritage site

Systemair supplied the ventilation products for the four-storey underground car park at Diriyah, the heart of Saudi Arabia’s historical district, supporting the design and overseeing manufacturing and handover within 14 months.

Bujairi Car Park, Saudi Arabia

four-storey underground car park

16,000 square metres per floor

14 months from design to handover

12 weeks manufacturing and delivery of fire-rated axial fans and jet fans

Technical expertise & exceptional support

Systemair proved to be a robust and reliable partner for the design, engineering and supply of materials for Nesma & Partners, considered one of the top 4 contractors in Saudi Arabia.

Comprehensive quality solutions

The requirement was for a complete ventilation system that ensures reliable operations within a four-storey underground car park, measuring 16,000 square metres on each floor. The solutions provided helped DGDA (Diriyah Gate Development Authority) secure a high score in their LEED application.

Quick delivery and installation

The project took 14 months from design to handover, and Systemair manufactured and delivered fire-rated axial and jet fans in 12 weeks.

: Asia
: 2023
: Hospitality
Main Contractor: Nesma & Partners
Main Consultant:: WSP
Developer: Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA)

Supporting a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Founded in the 15th century, Diriyah was the original home of the House of Saud. In 1745, the city was named the capital, laying the foundations for what would later become a unified Saudi Arabia. In 2010, the site of At-Turaif, the historical centre of Diriyah, was designated a UNESCO Heritage Site. Known for its traditional mud-brick architecture, Ad Diriyah is home to a revitalised Al Bujairi, a pedestrianised maze of winding alleyways with cafes and craft shops.

Cultural sites include Diriyah Museum, a former palace with exhibits on Saudi history, and the restored Al-Zawihra Mosque. A river lined with date palms runs through Wadi Hanifah Valley, a popular spot for waterside picnics, strolling, and cycling. Bujairi car park was made to serve the Bujairi Terrace area, one of Riyadh's newly developed areas.

Comprehensive ventilation support

The requirement was for a complete ventilation system that ensure reliable operations within a four-storey underground car park measuring 16,000 square metres on each floor. Nesma & Partners is considered one of the top 4 contractors in Saudi Arabia with more than 45,000 employees, and recently 30% of Nesma has been purchased by Public Investment Fund to execute several GIGA projects in Saudi Arabia.

Systemair started working with Nesma & Partners in June 2021 and helped redesign Bujairi Car Park to ensure significant savings for the contractor. Systemair proved to be a robust and reliable partner for the design, engineering and supply of materials and quickly became one of the biggest suppliers of Nesma projects.

The project timeline was 14 months from design to handover.

Systemair had to manufacture fire-rated axial and jet fans to meet and deliver the requirements in 12 weeks.

Certified and quality solutions

AXC medium-pressure axial fans
AXC(B) Efficient smoke extraction axial fan
AJR (B) Axial jet fan for various temperature ranges and car park applications

The configurable medium axial fans and the efficient smoke extraction axial fans were performance tested according to ISO 5801 and AMCA 210. The axial jet fan for car park applications comprises corrosion-proof aluminium impellers, performance-tested, EN 12101-3 Certified, and meets the required quality specifications.

Elias K. Karam, Senior Project Director, addressed Systemair Saudi Arabia in front of over 20 people from 11 different stakeholders and said:

“This is how professional work is done! Great job to Systemair. You will be our trusted partner in the next projects in Diriyah.”

"This project was a big challenge for me and Systemair Saudi Arabia, as it came at a time when we were strengthening our position in the market. The strict timeline of the project was not easy, but we were delighted at the speed of the project execution while ensuring the exceptional quality and safety of the products. My team and I were on site daily for 4-5 months and were happy to see its successful completion. We sincerely thank the Car Park Ventilation team from Systemair Germany for their unwavering support."

Khalil El Ghazzi
Managing Director, Systemair Saudi Arabia