INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Lessons from Big 5 Construct Saudi 2026

By Eng. Javeria Asad

Saudi Arabia’s construction programme requires HVAC systems to perform after handover. This issue shaped the Big 5 Talks panel Bridging the Gap Between HVAC Design, Installation and FM Operations, which I moderated at Big 5 Construct Saudi 2026 on 2 September in Riyadh.

Big 5 Construct Saudi 2026

Held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center from 30 August to 2 September, Big 5 Construct Saudi gathered more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 50 countries. dmg events organized the exhibition under the patronage of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. It included HVACR Saudi Arabia, FM and Clean Saudi Arabia, Heavy Saudi Arabia, and Totally Concrete Saudi Arabia, connecting the disciplines that shape a building from construction through operation.

Panel expertise

The panel combined three perspectives. Dr. Carmen El-Chadaideh, Managing Partner at Klimacontra, brought a manufacturing and technical sales perspective covering air movement, filtration, fire and smoke systems, air distribution, and air handling units. Eng. Mohamed Abdelrahim contributed 24 years of work across ownership, consultancy, design, contracting, and district cooling. Eng. Mohammad Fayiz, HVAC Laboratory Manager at SKM Air Conditioning, added expertise in equipment testing, validation, certification, and AHRI committee work. I guided the discussion from my experience with consultants, contractors, and manufacturers.

Where the HVAC gap begins

The gap often starts before equipment selection. Architectural plans may leave limited space for plant rooms, shafts, duct routes, access panels, and maintenance clearances. Later changes to glazing, facade materials, insulation, occupancy, or room use can increase the cooling load and reduce the energy performance assumed during design. Consultants must then produce a compliant system within constraints they did not create. Manufacturers are expected to meet the consultant’s specifications and certification requirements, but certified equipment will still underperform when actual site conditions differ from the design basis.

Contractors receive the design after many decisions are fixed. Programme and cost pressures can limit their ability to resolve coordination problems. Substituting ductwork, insulation, dampers, filters, valves, diffusers, grilles, sensors, or controls may alter airflow, pressure, indoor air quality, and energy use. Every substitution should therefore receive technical review and appear in consultant-approved as-built drawings. Without accurate records, the FM team inherits a system that may differ from both the design documents and the operating manuals.

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Testing commissioning and handover

Factory certification confirms equipment performance under defined test conditions. Site testing and commissioning must verify the installed system as a whole. That process should check airflow and water balancing, sensor calibration, control sequences, safety interlocks, BMS integration, alarms, and operation under realistic loads. Commissioning cannot be reduced to confirming that equipment starts. It must demonstrate that components interact correctly and that the completed system delivers the required comfort, ventilation, safety, and efficiency.

Facility management should participate before handover because operators understand access, maintenance frequency, spare-part availability, recurring faults, and staff capability. A useful handover package should include approved as-built drawings, equipment schedules, control narratives, commissioning results, operating and maintenance manuals, warranties, spare-parts recommendations, and practical training. FM teams should also monitor energy use, temperature, humidity, runtime, alarms, setpoint changes, pressure, airflow, and repeated complaints. These indicators can expose sensor drift, manual overrides, control faults, and gradual performance loss.

Shared responsibility for Saudi projects

For Saudi Arabia, HVAC reliability directly affects occupant wellbeing, asset life, indoor environmental quality, and electricity demand. Vision 2030 projects, Expo 2030 Riyadh, and preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2034 make lifecycle performance especially important. The panel’s conclusion was practical. Architects must protect MEP space, consultants must communicate design intent, manufacturers must verify compliant performance, contractors must install and document accurately, and FM teams must operate against measured data. Closing the gap requires shared responsibility from concept design through operation, with real building results informing the next project.

About the author

Eng. Javeria Asad is a mechanical and HVAC engineer with experience across consulting, contracting, manufacturing, and project coordination. She chairs the Women in ASHRAE Committee, Saudi Arabia Chapter, and is an author, trainer, technical and motivational speaker, certified optimism coach, and Distinguished Toastmaster.

Event reference: www.big5constructsaudi.com

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