Powered by its solar arrange and equipped with next generation technologies for operations at LEED Platinum standards, the new BEEAH headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, has been designed by Haha Hadid Architects (ZHA) to achieve net-zero emissions and will be the group’s management and administrative centre that sets a new benchmark for future workplaces.
The new headquarters opened on March 30 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah is the latest milestone for BEEAH Group as it continues to pioneer innovations for Sharjah and across the globe.
Manifesting BEEAH’s twin pillars of sustainability and digitalisation, the new headquarters by ZHA is an important achievement for BEEAH Group, signalling its growth from a company founded to proactively tackle environmental issues in Sharjah, UAE, to an international group with businesses in industries that are critical to realising a sustainable future.
BEEAH Group works across six key industries that include waste management and recycling, clean energy, environmental consulting, education and green mobility.With their new headquarters, BEEAH demonstrates how technology can scale sustainably and ultimately serve as a blueprint for tomorrow’s smart, sustainable cities.
The design echoes the surrounding landscape, Sharjah’s Al Sajaa desert, shaped by prevailing winds into concave sand dunes and ridges that become convex when they intersect.
The design of the headquarters responds to its environment as a series of interconnecting ‘dunes’ orientated and shaped to optimize local climatic conditions. All internal spaces are provided with ample daylight and views while limiting the quantity of glazing exposed to the harsh sun.
Two primary ‘dunes’ house the public and management departments together with the administrative zone that interconnect via a central courtyard, defining an oasis within the building which is integral to its natural ventilation strategy.
The 9,000 sq. m BEEAH Headquarters has sustainability at its core with a high percentage of locally procured materials and is equipped with future-ready technologies to enable operations at LEED Platinum standards with net-zero emissions and minimal energy consumption.
Glass reinforced fibre panels reduce solar gain while slab and glass cooling regulate interior temperatures for optimum comfort. On-site water treatment filtrates waste water to minimise consumption and its solar farm charges Tesla battery packs to meet the building’s energy demand throughout each day and night.
The employee experience includes contactless pathways, a virtual concierge, smart meeting rooms and a companion app that automates day-to-day tasks. The building’s smart management system automatically adjusts lighting and temperature depending on occupancy and time of day. The rooms are also equipped for remote and hybrid work scenarios with powerful collaboration tools.
Following the 2013 international design competition, Zaha Hadid and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects were commissioned by BEEAH to design their new headquarters that would realise net-zero emissions and be integrated with next generation technologies to achieve a new standard for employee convenience and collaboration.
ZHA delivered the BEEAH Headquarters in collaboration with sustainability engineers and consultants Atelier Ten and Buro Happold, project managers Matthews Southwest, construction contractor Al Futtaim Construction, and MEP engineers Al Futtaim Engineering. Smart building technologies by Microsoft, Johnson Controls and EVOTEQ, a BEEAH Digital venture.