Sharjah: The Sharjah City Municipality has completed the first residential building within its flammable facades’ replacement project in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to enhance safety of buildings against fires.
The civic body said that the project to replace cladding building facades is progressing in line with approved implementation plans. The SCM is actively engaged in the replacement of facades for 40 residential towers located across various areas of Sharjah. Notably, this project, funded by the government, is the world’s first of its kind.
The SCM has successfully completed the replacement of aluminum facades with non-combustible materials, endorsed by the Sharjah Civil Defence, for the first building in its planned list. This significant accomplishment has fortified the building’s security and safety system while boosting residents’ feelings of safety. The SCM has also affirmed its commitment to continuing work on 39 additional towers in accordance with established engineering plans and standards.
Obaid Saeed Al Taniji, Director General of SCM. said that this project embodies the emirate’s keenness to provide a safe environment for residents by providing the highest rates of safety and security in residential and commercial buildings.
This project, which costs Dh100 million, is being implemented at the government’s expense, according to a timetable and joint plans with the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority and the Department of Planning and Survey, with the aim of raising the efficiency of buildings and replacing aluminium facades with non-combustible ones in accordance with the best specifications and standards.
Meanwhile, Engineer Khalifa bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, Acting Director of Technical Services at SCM, explained that the municipality completed the first residential building within this project by removing all aluminum panels.
Bin Hadda Al Suwaidi said work is progressing continuously on the towers and other buildings in four stages that have been identified to complete the entire project. Building owners have been duly notified, with the final designs for each building being presented before starting implementation.The municipality is aiming at completing the project during the second quarter of next year.
Al Suwaidi said the completion of the project depends on a set of engineering standards and considerations that are taken into account, including the height of the building, status of the roof and protrusions.
It was on April 24 this year that the Sharjah Ruler approved Dh100 million for replacing fire-risk cladding on 40 buildings. The move represents the first phase of the project, which was started on April. In the second phase, 163 more buildings, which are comparatively at low risk, will be covered. All these buildings are above seven floors high.
