DUBAI, U.A.E. — The U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates today helped Ellerbe Becket open its newest global location here. Ambassador Theodore Khattouf cut the ceremonial ribbon officially opening Ellerbe Becket for business in the Kendah House Building in Dubai.
Ellerbe Becket is one of a growing number of international companies opening regional locations here to serve client projects in the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere in the Middle East.
As one of the leading integrated architecture, engineering and construction firms, Ellerbe Becket brings broad resources to its Gulf location. The first project to be administered from Dubai is for Tabreed/National Central Cooling Company (PJSC), the first district cooling service provider in the Middle East.
The project for Tabreed includes design and construction administration for two 10,000-ton (10,160-tonne) chilled water plants for Zayed Military City, Suweihan, Abu Dhabi. The US $40-million project, with construction by a North American firm, is scheduled for completion in 2001. In district cooling, natural gas waste products are used as a fuel source to generate electricity and cooling energy is distributed underground in pipes.
“We are delighted to open an location in Dubai,” said Bob Degenhardt, PE, president of Ellerbe Becket. “We are very proud of our achievements in the Gulf region and beyond and see great potential for our broad variety of services as the region continues its dramatic growth.”
“We see this location as a threshold to launch business opportunities in the Gulf area and beyond,” said Sami Abourahme, representative for Ellerbe Becket in Dubai. The company has one other Middle East location, in Cairo, Egypt.
Elsewhere in the region, Ellerbe Becket, through the Ellerbe Becket/Omrania Consortium, designed Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for global businessman Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud. Currently under construction, Kingdom Centre is designed to be an international icon for Saudi Arabia.
In Jordan, Ellerbe Becket was selected to do a master plan for a large mixed-use project in Amman with a major developer from the United Arab Emirates. Other projects in Jordan are under consideration. The firm also is exploring opportunities in Qatar.
Ellerbe Becket’s experience spans virtually every building type, from planning through occupancy. The firm is one of the world’s premier designers of hospitals and clinics; sports stadiums and arenas; 24/7 mission-critical Ellerbe Becket facilities; and district heating and cooling systems.
The industry publication Building Design & Construction consistently ranks Ellerbe Becket among the world’s largest architecture and engineering firms. An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket provides integrated architecture, planning, interiors, engineering and construction services on a global basis.
