INFRASTRUCTURE and utilities works worth nearly SR1 billion ($267 million) are currently being undertaken at the new 480-hectare campus for King Faisal University at Al Ahsa in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia by a consortium of Faisal Electro-Mechanical Company (Femco) and Yuksel Insaat Saudia Company.

The SR5-billion ($1.4 billion) campus will have all that can be expected of a state-of-the-art higher education institution in the region – including academic blocks for both boys and girls, medical facilities, a sports centre, dormitories for both genders, housing for staff, a sewage treatment plant, and a host of other amenities.

The consortium is currently handling two packages valued at SR267 million ($71.2 million) for the teaching hospital and SR650 million ($173.3 million) for the first stage of Phase Three of the massive development. Zuhair Fayez Partnership is the consultant.

Its contract for the teaching hospital entails site levelling works including 263,000 cu m of excavation, 220,000 cu m of backfilling, 8,000 cu m of concrete works, and 52,000 sq m of asphalt cover area. About 10,000 m of curbstone will also be laid. Also being carried out are civil and electro-mechanical works for the supply and installation of six chiller plants of 2,150 tonnes capacity, four boilers of 6,800 kg per hour capacity, 44 air cooler radiators of 946 kW (269 tonnes), expansion tanks; and air separator and chemical treatment equipment and accessories.

“Works on the project started in June last year and will be completed by December next year,” says Halit Mumcu, the consortium leader.

Other civil and electro-mechanical works included in the contract involve supply and installation of sewage treatment tank systems, a reverse osmosis (RO) plant and a generator building with five stand-by 2,500 kVA capacity generators, underground diesel tanks, three pump rooms – one each for raw water, irrigation and potable/fire water – and four main gates complete with all accessories and equipment.

The scope of the contract also involves the supply and installation of pipe systems for various networks. These include 4,500 m of piping for the chilled water system, 2,200 m for the sanitary sewer system, 2,200 m for the potable water system, 2,800 m for the raw water system, and 800 m for the storm water drainage system in addition to three well water systems, entailing deep well drilling with 500 m of piping works. The consortium’s scope of works also covers site grading and road works; civil and electro-mechanical works for four lift stations; all electrical works comprising supply and installation of 4,400 m of 15 kV medium-voltage and communication network cables, and 2,500 m of 15 kV Cu/XLPE cables.

In addition, Femco and Yuksel Insaat Saudia will carry out landscaping and hardscaping works, stamp pavement works, plantation, compact sub-stations, and external streetlighting electrical works.

Under the second contract awarded in August 2007, the consortium is engaged in the infrastructure and utilities work as part of Stage One of Phase Three of the KFU project.

The works, which are currently at an advanced stage, are expected to be completed by December this year.

According to Mumcu, works cover different buildings at the landmark development. Building 16 will have nine chiller units – eight plus one standby – with 3,150-tonne, 13,800-volt, three-phase, 60-hz capacity; and 18 chiller pumps (rated at 700 hp) and condensate pumps. In addition, Building 16 will also have eight cooling towers; and electrical equipment including generators, medium-voltage (MV) switchgear and panel boards.

Infrastructure and utilities work on Stage One, Phase Three ... at an advanced stage.