The University of Birmingham Dubai Campus

By: Khansaheb Civil Engineering LLC

Planned as the world’s smartest global campus, the University of Birmingham Dubai is a ‘Living Lab’ where insightful data and connectivity are the epicentre of research, teaching, and learning. The lab design reflects real-world working practices and exceptional working spaces to carry out research in interdisciplinary teams.

The iconic new campus is important for positioning Dubai as a regional hub for world-class higher education and talent development. The Project’s completion provides a key contribution to UAE society through partnerships in education and areas of research that support the National Agenda.

Many engineering achievements marked the construction of the Campus. From modular MEP installations to “finished as cast” pre-cast external wall units to the smart sensors within the Campus that understand the way the building and people interact and adjust the internal environment accordingly. The construction of the “floating library” was unique which required that the library structure be hung from the Atrium roof trusses.

Khansaheb’s extensive off-site fabrication undertaking on this project enjoyed a tremendous benefit from the easily accessed and trustworthy design information, which significantly reduced expensive re-work situations by offering a higher degree of understanding and construction certainty.

The development of cloud-based collaboration solutions on UoB represented a major innovation for Khansaheb at each organizational and project level. In addition, several training sessions were conducted based on all possible sustainability aspects to create awareness and for improvement including workplace and office training for the 3R’s policy- reduce, reuse, and recycle; material management, segregation, and disposal of waste; reducing the use of plastic and electricity and water wastage prevention.

Without question, the biggest management achievement during the project was sending each person home safely after their working day. Throughout the duration of the contract, the Khansaheb team worked more than 7 million hours without recording a single Lost Time Injury (LTI). At peak, the manpower exceeded 2,200 operatives per day. This was achieved while working through two summertime restrictions and while the Covid-19 pandemic was at its most prevalent stage.

The project enabled Khansaheb to explore several innovative project management and delivery approaches that contrasted and improved on traditional methodologies. This project has played a key role in the development of the company's innovation, and strategy going forward.

The University of Birmingham Dubai Campus

The University of Birmingham Dubai Campus

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