Design before you buy

HVAC design in Al Bawadi

In Al Bawadi, central Jeddah, medium-sized residential buildings mix with commercial blocks and limited common space, needing careful HVAC design. We calculate each building's needs and unit placement before any purchase or installation.

  • Accurate heat loads
  • System selection
  • Duct drawings

Clients We're Proud to Serve

Organisations and companies that trusted Alrabih with their projects.

  • Saudi Aramco
  • Ministry of Energy
  • Royal Saudi Land Forces
  • Royal Saudi Naval Forces
  • Al Baik
  • Centro Hotels by Rotana
  • King Abdullah Economic City
  • First Mills
  • Juffali
  • eXtra
  • Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Medical Center
  • Alesayi Motors
  • Abu Zaid
  • Water Desalination
  • Attieh Steel
  • SSCO
  • Creet
  • Emad Rizq
  • Alfaneyah
  • Rawat Alam Al Tasmeem
  • IBI Magix Arabia — Construction Services
  • Midtown for Construction
  • Petra Engineering Industries Co.
  • Hyrmas
  • Batterjee Medical College
  • Advanced Horizons Contracting Company
  • D.Metals
  • Benchbox — Masters of Space
  • Sadafco
  • Umm Al-Qura University
  • Saudi Arabian Drug Store (SADS)
  • Foamco
  • Ahmad A. R. Bin Afif Industries Co. (Sandwich Panel Factory)
  • Namariq
  • ALS

Who needs a considered design?

  1. 1

    Owner planning a new build

    Before walls and ceilings are finished you still have the chance to route ducts and place units correctly. Early design prevents costly surprises during fit-out and delivers rooms that cool evenly from the first day of operation.

  2. 2

    Architect or contractor needing drawings

    The project needs mechanical drawings to co-ordinate with the structure, electrical and plumbing trades. We produce duct layout drawings, equipment positions and installation heights in a format the site can use directly.

  3. 3

    Existing building with uneven cooling

    Some rooms stay hot even with the AC running while others are over-cooled. The cause is usually wrong airflow distribution or uncalculated capacity. A redesign finds the fault and defines what needs changing before any new purchase.

Who it's for

  • Building a villa and want design before fit-out

    We calculate the heat load for every room in the villa and draw duct routes before ceilings are closed, so you avoid breaking the finished work later.

    Ask on WhatsApp
  • Running a commercial building with hot rooms

    We review the current airflow distribution and recalculate loads per space, then identify faults in the ducts or equipment and draw the required changes before any purchase.

    Ask on WhatsApp

What the design covers

  • Heat load per room
  • Right system type selected
  • Equipment from authorised brands
  • Duct distribution layout drawings
  • Equipment schedule for construction
Request a quote

How we work

How we work

  1. 1

    Gather building data

    We ask for the architectural drawings or visit the site to measure spaces and record glazing, orientation and internal loads from people, equipment and kitchens.

  2. 2

    Calculate heat loads

    We calculate the heat load for each space separately, accounting for Jeddah's intense sun, high humidity and exposed facades, so every unit is sized on real load not guesswork.

  3. 3

    Select system and equipment

    Based on loads and building type we choose between splits, ducted systems, central air and chiller, and specify equipment from Carrier, YORK, General, Midea, Gree and Smart Gold to suit the project.

  4. 4

    Draw and deliver

    We draw duct routes, unit positions, diffuser locations and installation heights, and deliver a complete equipment schedule ready for construction or tendering.

Calculated design or buying blind?

AlrabihThe usual way
Unit sizeBased on actual loadGuessed or oversized
Airflow distributionDrawing that achieves even flowDiffusers placed at random
Co-ordinationDrawings before fit-outCostly changes later
System typeSuited to building and budgetWhatever the shop suggests
Humidity and salt airAccounted for in equipment choiceDiscovered after installation

Some of our work

Ductwork, rooftop units and diffusers, from work we've completed in Jeddah.

  • Galvanized rectangular duct trunk with branch takeoffs and round diffusers, hung from a black ceiling, a Carrier unit visible behind — interior finishing stage.
  • Round diffusers and a spiral duct trunk in a tiled stairwell service shaft.
  • Rooftop ductwork and an exhaust fan, with Jeddah buildings in the background.
  • Rooftop packaged AC units with rectangular duct transitions, city buildings behind.
  • Insulated rooftop duct run beside a packaged unit, a warehouse roof in the background.
  • A grid of round diffusers in an open-plan office ceiling, mid-construction.
  • An insulated rooftop duct elbow, against a mountainous backdrop.
  • Large insulated ductwork running along a factory ceiling, with workers visible below.
  • A yellow round diffuser mid-installation, with spiral duct and a suspended ceiling grid.
  • Duct insulation wrap in progress on a construction site, bare duct still exposed.
  • A black-painted duct trunk with round diffusers and track lighting, in a finished retail interior.
  • An indoor AHU unit connected to round ductwork in a mechanical plant room, exposed concrete ceiling.
Similar project? Send us the details

Customer reviews

What our customers say

4.8

From 10 Google reviews

  • Muhammadramzan 2641

    “MashaaAllah. Services are so good. Behaviour and kindness 100/100. Prices are less then Market. Fully recommended”

  • shahzeb armani

    “Wow. Prices are so comfortable. Outstanding services. People are so talented and nice”

  • Tawfik AlyawerLocal Guide

    “U can find all u need for air conditioning”

Read every review on Google

Your satisfaction matters to us! If you had a great experience with us, we'd love a 5-star rating and a kind review.

Worked with us? Leave a review

Service areas

We come to you anywhere in Jeddah

From Al Shiraa and Al Yaqout in the north to Al Thaghr and Al Quraiyat in the south, with our base in Al Aziziyah.

Map of Jeddah by sector, with Alrabih's base in Al Aziziyah
Don't see your district?Message us. We most likely cover it.

What sets this district apart

Al Bawadi mixes medium-sized flats with mixed commercial blocks on limited plots, leaving narrow outdoor space for units. Each building is hemmed by others, and sun direction on many facades is irregular. This means design must precisely locate each outdoor unit and ensure pipes and ducts do not conflict between adjacent buildings. Proper design gives you an efficient system even in tight spaces, preventing costly installation errors.

Al Bawadi in central Jeddah is marked by medium-sized residential and commercial buildings with limited outdoor space.

Most blocks here choose one split per unit due to tight spaces and limited room for hidden duct work.

The AC setup in Al Bawadi

  1. 1

    One split per residential or commercial unit

    Flats and shops in Al Bawadi are space-limited, relying on one split covering the full space.

  2. 2

    Multiple split units across rooms in commercial blocks

    Larger commercial blocks may need more than one split if the big space is divided into separate rooms or sections.

  3. 3

    Outdoor units on balconies or side walls

    Outdoor units are carefully mounted on balconies or side walls to avoid conflicts with neighbouring units.

Before the visit

Before our visit in Al Bawadi

  1. 1

    Photos of available balconies and outdoor space

    Send photos of all possible outdoor spaces before the visit so we choose the best location.

  2. 2

    Info on neighbouring buildings and spacing

    Tell us where your building sits among the others and the spacing, as this affects outdoor unit placement.

  3. 3

    Check nearby water drainage points

    Ensure a safe drainage point near the balcony for condensate from the outdoor unit.

FAQ

Questions about HVAC design

When is a chiller more suitable than split units?

The decision depends on the building area, number of spaces and how it is used. In large commercial and hotel buildings a chiller gives flexible control and simplifies central maintenance. In apartments and smaller villas a split or ducted system usually fits better. The calculated heat load is what determines the right choice for your building.

How does a large glazed facade affect the design?

Large glazing exposed to Jeddah's sun raises the heat load noticeably, especially on west and north-west facades. We calculate solar gain through each facade separately, and this can change the unit type selected for that room or require extra diffusers to handle the higher load.

Can you design for an existing building with no architectural drawings?

Yes. When no drawings exist we visit the site and measure every space ourselves, recording facades, glazing and how each room is used. The survey takes longer than reviewing ready drawings, but the calculations still rest on real measurements rather than estimates, which is what makes the results reliable.

Does the design include diffuser types and dampers?

The drawings specify diffuser types, positions and sizes to match ceiling height and room shape, and show where dampers are needed to balance airflow to each zone. These details matter because a diffuser in the wrong place wastes a large part of the system capacity even when the units are correctly sized.

Does duct design differ between the ground floor and upper floors?

Yes. The top floor typically carries a higher heat load because the roof is directly exposed to the sun, which affects duct sizes and the number of diffusers needed on that level. We design each floor separately based on its own calculated load and show where dampers are needed to balance airflow between floors.

Our outdoor space is very tight, where do we put the outdoor unit?

We visit and explore all options: balcony, side wall, or a safe elevated spot. We choose a location that minimises pipe conflicts with neighbouring buildings.

The district has strong winds, does this affect the design?

Yes, exposed wind-blown areas need strong fastening and can affect unit efficiency. We position the outdoor unit to balance ventilation with protection from strong winds.

Central buildings, does sun hit from all sides?

Often, Al Bawadi buildings are hemmed in, but some sides get more direct sun than others. We calculate actual exposure for each facade based on the building's position among neighbours.

Do I need special drainage for the outdoor unit's water condensate?

Yes, the outdoor unit produces condensate needing safe drainage away from neighbours' walls. We design it to avoid damaging neighbouring buildings.

The Jeddah corniche in cool weather

Start with the right design

WhatsApp your building drawings or site photos, or call us to arrange a survey, Saturday to Thursday from eight in the morning to eight in the evening.

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