10 June 2015
Dubai based contractor nears the completion of premium UK national curriculum Amity International school in Al Bahia

Shapoorji Pallonji has reached the final phase of construction for the Amity International School in Abu Dhabi.

Under the direction of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the Amity International School will soon be the seat of learning for over 800 students when it officially opens its doors this September.

Providing education from pre-kindergarten through to the twelfth grade, the school will accommodate classrooms, indoor sports hall, auditorium, library, music room, laboratory and marine centre for sailing and marine sciences. The marine centre will also provide a wide range of water sports including rowing, sailing, kayaking, diving and canoeing.

"We are committed to the timelines assigned to us, as we fully understand the responsibility of ADEC to commence school operations in September this year," commented Shapoorji Pallonji's chief executive officer and managing director, M.D Saini.

Saini explained; "This project has been a particularly special one for Shapoorji Pallonji. Since winning the contract in November 2014, the Amity International School serves as a culmination of our key corporate philosophies, namely education and sustainability. Not only are we delighted to be contributing in our own small way towards Abu Dhabi's educational targets, but furthermore, are doing so under the four pillars of Estidama; environmental, economic, social and cultural. Recognised as a Pearl one structure, we took great care to ensure the implementation of both reusable and locally sourced material, while safeguarding the environment by responsibly disposing our construction waste,"

He added, "The biggest challenge was to satisfy the demand of the international school for its high end finishes. Delivering items such as the swimming pool, 550 seats auditorium with the highest acoustic standards as well as an Olympic size running track, all required the highest attention to detail, while using high quality products, all of which I'm delighted to say, we've delivered on budget and on time."

Separated into four blocks labelled 'A' to 'D', each area will go on to provide a specific function for the school with 'A' becoming the administrative centre, 'B' providing classrooms and laboratories, 'C', a marine centre and sailing club and 'D', the MEP substation and chiller plant. With the overall project just over 90% complete, block 'C' is currently serving as a temporary marketing office to support the enrolment for the forthcoming term, until the school is officially handed over next month.

"From the very beginning of the project we faced various obstacles, starting with the piling. The land, we were building on, had lots of unforeseen cavities, thus, requiring careful driving of piles to seal the cavities with concrete. Despite being a challenging exercise, our team was able to ensure adherence to utmost quality resulting in successful compliance to the Load Test results." concluded Saini.

Supporting the UAE's health conscious objectives, the school also comes equipped with a 10,350sq/m football field, a 5000sq/m running track and basketball courts. A grandstand capable of seating 360 spectators will also overlook the outdoor sports area. A boathouse with access to the sea for water sports is also a major highlight of the school.

ABOUT SHAPOORJI PALLONJI
Shapoorji Pallonji is a highly diversified conglomerate whose heritage in India dates back to 1865. Today, headquartered between Mumbai and Dubai it employs over 35,000 staff including architects, engineers, managers and a skilled workforce with offices in 25 countries worldwide.

With its roots firmly planted in the construction sector, the company has successfully diversified into industries including real estate, agriculture, textiles and logistics and today turns over in excess of $5 billion per annum.

With education, innovation and sustainability at the core of its values, Shapoorji Pallonji continues to enhance and support India's ongoing infrastructure development as well as participating in numerous high profile projects in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Ghana and Nigeria.

© Press Release 2015