ISG completed the refurbishment works in the Zayed Sports City Stadium, which was built in 1979 and is one of the oldest sports facilities in the UAE.
The ISG work scope, which was completed over 30 weeks, included the renovation of staff administration offices, VIP lounge area, leasable Grade A offices, the public washrooms, and the entire flooring to the corridors in the upper concourse and ground floors. ISG also managed the upgrade of fire and life safety systems, including the addition of a fire fighting system, inclusive of pumps and tanks, which is compliant with local authority requirements and international standards. The refurbishment also involved essential upgrades to the existing electromechanical-systems including, replacement of four electrical substations.
Steve Ramsden, managing director, said: “ISG Middle East was appointed to undertake the Zayed Sports City Stadium refurbishment with the knowledge that it had to be completed ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE which took place recently. This is the second time that ISG is entrusted with a mission-critical project that is linked to the stadium and our team, once again, delivered brilliantly.
“Naturally, this could have only happened with the support of our client and experienced consultants, so we are thankful to all stakeholders, who ensured a seamless and successful delivery of these works.”
The stadium remained live throughout the refurbishment, as it was required to host several sports events. This posed several challenges, from logistical and operational perspectives, especially with the upgrade of the electrical substations and air handling units, which meant planning and scheduling shutdowns, while keeping the building fully operational.
The new fit-out boasts many sustainable features, including intelligent lighting to reduce energy consumption, new AC units, which are connected to the BMS system to monitor and control air flow and cooling and fire suppression systems, which have zero effect on ozone depletion.
Zayed Sports City Stadium is the largest stadium in the UAE with more than 43,000 seats. The building opened in 1979 and has undergone several refurbishments over the years, including 2009 fit-out upgrade, which ISG also delivered ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup that year.