IT is the electromechanical systems and services that transform a structure into a habitable and sophisticated building equipped to optimally render the services that it has been designed for. Hence, the efficiency of these services is crucial to the operations of modern buildings and particularly those that house medical facilities.

Under a BD17.7-million ($45-million) contract awarded in October 2006, Bahrain-based Emco in joint venture with Nass Electrical was charged with the responsibility of providing its specialist electromechanical services to the King Hamad University Hospital. The project has involved a massive volume of services: a total of 32 systems have been installed by the company, which has practically completed its scope of works at the project, according to Kyriacos Yiacoumi, managing director, who has well over three decades of experience in the M&E (mechanical and electrical) building services sector.

The contract – which is Emco’s largest in terms of value – has grown to more than BD20 million ($53 million) with the variations, he adds.

Quality electro-mechanical works are crucial to the hospital’s operations.

The company’s scope of work included electrical (high and low voltage), mechanical, BMS (building management)/Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) system, chiller air-conditioning system, plumbing, drainage, fire alarm and fire-fighting, water services, medical gasses, a hydrotherapy pool, C-Bus intelligent lighting control for the auditorium, master clock, nurse call and baby tagging, patient queuing, emergency lighting, car-park ventilation, nurse call and bed head unit, LPG gas detection, FM200, kitchen hood, lighting control touch screen, audio visual system (lecture theatre), and UPS (uninterruptible power supply).

It also included a two-way radio system, computer-aided video information display (kiosk), video and audio intercom, public address, dynamic signage, audio visual, MATV (master antenna television), medical imaging, active data network and WLAN, san and servers, structured data cabling, VOIP and wireless IP handset, access control, and CCTV IP.
The main plant area is located at the eastern end of the hospital arranged around the Level One service yard. The chiller plant is located at the roof level on Level Four and the building is fully air-conditioned with nominated areas exhausted.
The BMS/Scada system installed at the healthcare facility ensures that its operations are kept green-friendly. Yiacoumi explains: “Through the BMS/Scada system, we will achieve environment-friendly solutions for all the systems. By installing such a system that monitors the building, you eliminate waste and optimise performance.”

On site ... Emco at work on the project.

Apart from the King Hamad University Hospital, Emco is also the M&E contractor for Tabreed’s district cooling plant in the Diplomatic Area, Amwaj Lagoon, Amwaj Gateway, Fontana Towers, a health centre, Crown Plaza Hotel’s multi-storey car-park, 66 kV substations and pumping stations.

In addition, the company has recently boosted its project portfolio with a BD2.9-million ($7.7 million) contract for the electromechanical works at the National Theatre.

Its list of landmark projects include the Bahrain World Trade Centre (BWTC), the Khalifa bin Salman Port and Industrial Area at Hidd, Meena Seven Towers at Amwaj Island, Royal University for Women, Sheraton Residence twin towers at Juffair, Toyota Plaza, Tabreed (heat exchangers and district cooling pipe work), stainless steel cold rolling mill and National Motor Company.

Other prominent projects include the Novotel Al Dana Beach Resort, Alba’s coke calcining and jetty facility, Sitra Mall, Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, the Movenpick Hotel and Business Centre, the open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) project for Phase One and Two of Bahrain Ferro Alloys at Hidd, Bahrain Mall, Lulu Shopping Centre, and a hangar for Sheikh Isa air base.

A recipient of two major international awards, Emco is renowned for its ability to deliver a variety of challenging projects, often of great complexity, on time, within budget and with close attention to quality, in terms of materials, construction and engineering techniques, says Yiacoumi.

The company secured the New Millennium International Construction Award from the Editorial Office and Trade Leaders Club, in Madrid, Spain, in recognition of its business excellence, and the World Quality Commitment International Award from Business Initiative Directions (BID) in Paris, France in 2005.

The international award is made to international companies in recognition of their commitment to leadership, technology and innovation. In addition, the company has also been recognised for maintaining high quality standards, having been accredited to BS EN ISO9001:2008 by Ukas certification.

Emco has two main business divisions – contracting and trading. The company, which has secured a position as an all-around, A-grade licensed electrical-mechanical contractor, has maintained its leadership position in the field of electrical, electronic, refrigeration, air-conditioning, plumbing, drainage fire-fighting, maintenance works and specialised projects.
The company has recently expanded its trading division’s range of products and services to include audio-visual system from the Swiss-Swedish ABB Group and water tanks from Malaysia, which have received wide acceptance in the market, according to Yiacoumi.

Emco is a solution partner with Honeywell for BMS, low-voltage systems, water and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) controls as well as with Dunham Bush for air-conditioning equipment.

“We are popular for our well-designed and competitively-priced products,” says Yiacoumi. “Our company’s interests extend into the field of contracting, trading and supply of the most comprehensive range of products and quality services.”

Emco is now looking at broadening its horizons beyond Bahrain and is seriously considering setting up operations in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are highly buoyant markets. “We are currently negotiating with potential partners in these countries,” Yiacoumi says.

Commenting on the company’s performance, he says: “Emco achieved reasonable growth despite the current economic climate. In fact, the company was very well poised to achieve outstanding results this year, given the fact that it had two major projects in hand. Unfortunately, delays and financial difficulties experience by the developers of these two real estate projects has had a detrimental effect on our overall performance.”

In Bahrain, the company is actively pursuing industrial projects such as the major ventures that are being developed in Hidd, Yiacoumi says.