School Campus Constructed in Phases

The Swiss International Scientific School Dubai (SISD) occupies a campus of eight new concrete frame structures. The primary (first phases) and secondary school buildings were the first in the Middle East to be low-energy certified by the MINERGIE Association, Switzerland.

The MINERGIE certified buildings have benchmarked for a power consumption figure of 38 Watts per sq m for times of peak demand — something of an achievement considering the region’s conditions.

SISD caters for over 2,500 students and staff, and offers all levels of schooling, from kindergarten to high school. The design & build project delivered 55,000 sq m of teaching space, accommodation and support facilities. Notable components include a 700 seat auditorium, three residential blocks for boarding students and a sports block with an Olympic-size swimming pool.

WME provided a full range of engineering services, including structural, building services, fire, infrastructure and traffic engineering, plus sustainability consultancy. All eight buildings in the complex have been designed to be as energy efficient as possible.

Although MINERGIE compliance was not formally required, our client was keen that the primary and secondary schools meet the exacting Swiss low-energy use guidelines, as well as other relevant international and local standards. WME was the architect of record for this project.

The primary school was completed in 2015. The secondary school, auditorium and residential blocks will be completed in 2017 (phases 3 and 4).