The iconic Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC), which will offer prime office and commercial space in the heart of Manama, marked a “world first” last month with the successful installation of its three wind turbine blades, ahead of initial testing.

The 50-storey sail-shaped twin-tower complex is the first commercial development worldwide that has integrated large-scale wind turbines within its design to harness the power of the wind to generate an alternative energy supply.
The initial testing and commissioning phase is now under way and is expected to last until the end of this year before the turbines become fully operational.
Comprehensive ground tests indicate that the wind turbines will generate 11 to 15 per cent of the energy requirements of the two towers, once operational, eliminating around 55,000 cu kgC of carbon emissions into the environment every year, according to Atkins, the designer and engineer of the project. This generation capacity is expected to initially cater to the requirements of the landlord areas.
“Incorporating the wind turbines as an alternative source of energy for the buildings will generate 1100 to 1300 MWh per year, which is equivalent to lighting 300 homes for more than a year and will create substantial annual savings,” says Shaun Killa, chief architect and design director of Atkins and designer of the BWTC.
The three wind turbines, measuring 29 m in diameter, are supported by bridges - each weighing 65-tonnes - that span between the two 240-m-high towers. The positioning and the unique aerodynamic design of the towers will funnel the prevailing onshore Gulf breeze into the path of the turbines from early morning till late at night, according to Killa.
The installation of the turbine blades represents a culmination of over three years of intensive research and development by Atkins in association with Danish partners Ramboll and Norwin, he adds.
Claire Hughes, associate director for DTZ Bahrain, says: “ We are extremely proud to be the first in the world to integrate wind turbines into a commercial development to create an alternative source of energy. What we have achieved here in Bahrain demonstrates to the world how we are actively playing our part in addressing the global issue of climate change.”
In addition to the installation of the wind turbines, the BWTC development continues to make good progress.
“All major structural works, such as concreting, foundation and steel works are now complete,” says Hughes. “External cladding is now 70 per cent complete, whilst internally, more than 20 lifts are operational, representing more than 80 per cent of the total, and all mechanical, electrical systems, service floors, chilled water pipe work, electrics and fire protection systems are 75 per cent finished.
“More than 40 per cent of the office floors are now ready for handover to tenants, with that percentage expected to increase rapidly as work is finished in the larger floor areas of the development. A significant number of tenants have made considerable progress with their fit-out design programmes, with some expected to begin site works in the next few weeks.”
Excellent progress has also been made on the Moda Mall, BWTC’s ultra high-end shopping complex, with 95 per cent of the units now ready for handover to tenants.