THE SECOND phase of Sandoval Gardens, Dubai’s first TUeV-certified residential project, is due for completion by the end of this month in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village, according to Bavaria Gulf.

The Dh260-million ($70.8 million) development, Dubai-based German boutique developer Bavaria Gulf’s flagship project, boasts high standards in construction quality while also claiming to incorporate features that reduce energy and water consumption by 33 per cent.

The project – which is aimed at the mid-market segment – has made significant progress over the past year with the first phase having been completed in the last quarter of 2010. Phase One consists of 36 townhouses with a total built-up area of 89,000 sq ft.

The second phase – Sandoval Apartments –  comprises two four-storey buildings, each having two basements, a ground level plus four floors. This phase offers a total of 165 apartments –  including 58 studio, 80 one-bedroom, 17 two-bedroom and 10 special duplex apartments – with a built-up area of more than 200,000 sq ft.  

“Finishing works are progressing on the second phase, with one of the buildings now having reached 95 per cent completion. We are installing kitchens, kitchen appliances and wardrobes, while some finishing works are under way in the main lobby and health club areas,” says Raymond Lefevre, director Bavaria Gulf.

“Since we are building the project as per TUeV specifications, every stage of the project demands minute attention to details to achieve the desired quality. Along with our focus on high quality, special attention is being paid to the finishing of the development, as we have envisaged a sophisticated five-star look and feel for the apartments,” he adds.

Designed by the German firm Planquadrat, the Sandoval Gardens project blends contemporary architectural style with an innovative open courtyard concept in line with the popular European concept of community living in privacy.

Among the highlights of the project is the variety of apartment configurations offered within the complex.  Lefevre elaborates:  “Very few apartments in the project are similar. Of the 165 units, 120 apartments offer different layouts and vary in sizes ranging from 680 sq ft to 2,700 sq ft, giving a wide range of options to customers.”

Finishing works progressing on Phase Two.

The basement levels comprise car-park and storage areas for apartments. Each building has a separate secure entry and exit from the parking.

“We have installed special roller shutters from Germany to ensure that no unauthorised person can enter the buildings. Storage rooms are also a good feature of the project,” he says.

The ground floor of the buildings will have the two entrance lobbies with 24-hour security and concierge, a community room, a health club, two gymnasiums with one exclusively for women, a swimming pool, a children’s pool, waterfalls and children’s playground.

“The initial design had two barbeque areas and two plazas but we revised it to one and included a small children’s playground. Changes were made after speaking to prospective buyers,” he explains.

Another attractive feature of the development is the extensive landscaping, which accounts for around 60 per cent of the site area.

The project offers a wide range of amenities.

All apartments and common areas have a very high standard of finishing. A majority of construction materials were imported from Europe, mainly Germany, to meet the TUeV specifications.

“TUeV is an independent quality management entity, whose signature can be found on some of the world’s highest quality products and services. A TUeV team has been monitoring the development right from the start including foundation and basement structure, waterproofing, shell construction, concrete and masonry works, plumbing, air-conditioning, insulation works, electrical works and fire protection. German engineers from TUeV will keep reviewing the development until the handover as part of its assessment schedules,” says Lefevre.

“On completion, every apartment will get a certificate which is an added value for the customer. It is like a service book of a car that shows that it has been well maintained,” he adds.

Ensuring that the project would meet the TUeV’s strict scrutiny posed a number of challenges, particularly in view of the resources available in the market. Lefevre explains: “There was lack of labour skilled enough to deliver on the TUeV specifications. Hence, we had to create a skill pool. Experts were flown down from Germany to train the workforce. The language barrier was also a major hurdle that had to be overcome.

Lefevre ... on track.

“Another major challenge was to source all the construction materials mainly from Germany.”

Apart from meeting TUeV specification, the project is also registered with US Green Building Council and the developer has appointed a special consultant for green building design to ensure its sustainability.

The project boasts several environment-friendly and energy-saving features like water-economising faucets, sensor-operated lights, motion detectors, thermal insulation technology and an anti-air-leakage design. 

“We have special insulated block walls, windows make use of high-specification glass that surpasses the standards set by Dubai. The building’s anti-air-leakage design will help reduce air-conditioning costs by 30 per cent. Corridors and basements are equipped with motion detectors. We also have a storm water tank to collect rain water – but the main savings come through the fittings we have selected for the bathrooms. While the faucets are from Germany, even these fittings were upgraded with an aerator that helps reduce water consumption from the taps by 50 per cent.

“The dishwashers are also highly energy efficient, consuming 50 per cent less water and energy consumption compared to other products in the market.

“All products related to electricity and water have been carefully selected. Additionally, there are fresh air-handling units on the roof. All apartments will be supplied with fresh air that has been pre-cooled and this will also help save air-conditioning costs.

“The energy and water-saving features we have will help reduce the energy and water consumption by 33 per cent.”
Other features include a special paint that allows for thermal stresses in the building in the desert climate, and special doors and windows that help keep the apartments soundproof and dust proof.

Around 16,826 cu m of concrete and 2,356 tonnes of steel was required in the construction of Sandoval Apartments.
The project sits on a 1-m-thick raft foundation with a retaining wall around. Al Sayegh Contracting Company is the main contractor. National Pipes did the shoring jobs. Swimming pools and water features were done by United Pools. Bathroom fitting are from Hansa, tiles from Marazzi, elevators from ThyssenKrupp and kitchen appliances are from Neff.

The project was launched in 2007 by the German developer, which has 15 years of experience in the field. “We focus only on low-rise community residential developments. It took us double the time generally required to finalise the design a project of this size. We wanted to ensure the project meets the market demands and at the same time gives a new dimension to the real estate market through a commitment to precision, technology and quality-driven end-user oriented home design,” Lefevre says.

“Few months back, we did a market survey which indicated that there is demand for community projects despite the downturn. With the growing population, we have a lot of young citizens preferring such projects. We have one more plot in Jumeirah Village designed for 60 apartments. We are looking forward to starting the project next year,” he adds.