Design before you buy

HVAC design in Al Samer

In Al Samer, east Jeddah, sound AC design begins with understanding each building's needs before unit purchase. We calculate heat load and air distribution, then draw the system matched to the site's specifications.

  • 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
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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.

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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 Samer is a mixed residential district with medium villas, mid-rise apartment blocks and some small commercial projects. The variety in building size and height means each project needs a unique assessment of heat load based on storey height and the ratio of external walls to windows, which drives the choice between central AC for blocks or distributed splits for villas.

Al Samer sits in the east, a balanced residential district mixing villas and apartment blocks in regular layout.

Buildings here need a mix of systems: villas typically use distributed splits, while blocks rely on central AC or ceiling-mounted units.

The AC setup in Al Samer

  1. 1

    Distributed split systems for medium villas

    Villas in Al Samer typically use separate split units per room or suite, allowing independent control and good energy efficiency.

  2. 2

    Central AC for residential blocks

    Mid-rise blocks need a unified central system distributing air through ducts evenly to all flats.

  3. 3

    Ceiling cassette units for commercial projects

    Small shops and offices in Al Samer may use ceiling cassette units connected to a compact central system for flexibility and aesthetic finish.

Before the visit

Before our visit in Al Samer

  1. 1

    Bring architectural drawings and floor areas

    Send us complete architectural drawings for each floor with areas and window and door positions for precise heat load calculation.

  2. 2

    Identify solar exposure and insulation

    Tell us the orientation of north, south, east and west facades, and describe the thermal insulation type and glazing used.

  3. 3

    Confirm outdoor installation space

    Check that roof or outer wall space is available for outdoor unit installation and water drainage systems.

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.

I own a villa in Al Samer, how many split units do I need?

It depends on the villa's size, number of rooms and thermal insulation. We calculate heat load for each zone and recommend the number and capacity of units before purchase.

I have a five-storey apartment block, is central AC better than splits?

For mid-rise blocks, central AC offers unified control and easier maintenance than separate splits for each flat. We assess both options based on cost and thermal scope.

Humidity in Al Samer is high in summer, does that affect the design?

Yes, high humidity increases dehumidification load, so we factor it into heat calculations and choose units with dehumidification capacity suited to the local climate.

New development project, how should we plan electrical runs for outdoor units?

We calculate total current for each unit by capacity and recommend separate electrical runs, wire gauges and circuit breakers sized to handle the load without interruption.

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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