Gulf Construction Online - Technal systems help Oman hotel score green points

Regional News

The Alila Jabal Al Akhdar resort hotel ... features Technal systems.

Technal systems help Oman hotel score green points

01 April 2015

A project which sports Technal’s thermal-break aluminium systems has become the first development in Oman to gain a coveted international green building certification, says the regional office of the France-based aluminium systems provider.

The Alila Jabal Al Akhdar resort hotel has won the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) Silver certification from the US Green Building Council.

“Technal’s thermal-break aluminium systems were approved for the windows, by project consultant W S Atkins and all the parties responsible for quality and Leed qualifications on the project, as a product that met the classifications of the green building certification programme,” said Hesham Kameshki, marketing and business development manager at Technal Middle East, the regional office of Technal.

The Technal products used at the five-star hotel include the Saphir FXi series for high-end thermal-break casement windows and the Saphir GXi series for high-end thermal-break sliding windows and patio-doors.

Both these series have been tested to perform according to the European standard A3 EE VE. They ensure low emissivity (0.20) with 4-mm-thick double glazing panes with a 12-mm air gap in between and provide thermal insulation in accordance with RT2000. The series is approved by the French building regulations authority Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB). In terms of acoustic performance, the Saphir FXi series provides soundproofing of up to 35 dB (RA, tr) while the GXi series provides a slightly lower soundproof value of up to 34 dB (A).

The Alila Jabal Al Akhdar resort is located on the Jabal Al Akhdar mountain which has an altitude of more than 2,400 m above sea level at some of its peaks, which means that the ambient temperature there is almost 20 to 25 deg C lower than what it is at the bottom of the mountain, Kameshki noted.

The Technal stand at The Big 5 in Dubai.

“In such a project, thermal insulation, acoustic attenuation and air/water permeability are key parameters when selecting the appropriate aluminium window and door system to deliver these criteria,” he said.

The luxurious resort in the Al Hajar mountain region of Oman opened for guests last May, marking Alila’s first foray into the Middle East. The development received recognition for its focused objective to maximise the use of local materials in the construction phase and minimise the ongoing energy usage footprint in the long term.

It has incorporated various ecofriendly elements such as innovative water treatment facilities for use in irrigation; solar panels that provides up to 60 per cent of the energy required for hot water supply; and energy-saving lighting and thermal control systems.

Technal, which has supplied to the region for a number of decades, recently marked 37 years of progressive prominence serving all the GCC markets from its Bahrain headquarters, and is continuing to expand its operations and growing its market share in every GCC state. It has also been investing in manpower and facilities to achieve greater heights and extend its services to a wider section of the population in all these markets.

To ensure its visibility and create product awareness in the region, the company continues to participate in major exhibitions, such as The Big 5 2014 that was held in Dubai last November.

The FXi series ... for thermal-break casement windows.

“At The Big 5 show last year, Technal Middle East promoted its diverse range of new category products with various motorisation features that promote comfort and ease of use. The show provided clients the opportunity to meet the company’s representatives face to face and witness its latest innovations in windows, doors and unitised façade products in a smart display on one of the biggest stands in the show,” said Kameshki.

Among the products showcased was the Opale range of internal office partitions, which offers a complete solution for today’s constantly evolving commercial environments that demand high flexibility and aesthetics.

“The Technal Opale partition system is not just a partition wall,” said Kameshki. “It is a versatile, high-quality and hi-tech product that offers comfort, convenience, design options, high performance, reliability and safety with security – while meeting the highest specifications and conforming to international standards, unlike the locally made commercial ones.”

Technal Middle East, which has utilised the partition system for its own head office and showroom in Bahrain, says Opale offers an extensive range of internal architectural solutions with aluminium frame or glazed panels fixed side by side, which can integrate solid or glazed infills, as well as hinged or sliding aluminium or glass doors. Offered in a choice of three assembly systems – standard partition, with a narrow rail or with recessed junctions – Opale provides vast scope for creative flexibility.

Kameshki said Technal Middle East acknowledges the potential of all GCC markets and in line with its commitment to the region, continues to invest tangibly in diversifying its product range and support services.