The Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company BFHHC),today unveiled the technology blueprint for its landmark US$ 1.4 billion Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH) waterfront development that is coming up on the Manama Corniche in Bahrain. The technology blueprint has been designed to incorporate the four key areas of prime importance to tenants namely; security systems, communication systems, building management systems and air-conditioning systems. In a local context the technology blue print ensures that BFH leads the field of stellar developments in Bahrain. The buildings are able to cater to the exhaustive needs of demanding local, regional, international businesses.
Conceived with the aim of further enhancing the reputation of Bahrain as the financial capital of the Middle East; and by providing a world-class technologically advanced integrated environment for the financial sector companies, BFH has already evoked significant interest from global audiences and is being dubbed the Canary Wharf of the Middle East. The technology blueprint unveiled further stands to vindicate this reputation.
Commenting on the technology blueprint, Mr. Stephen Rothel, Chief Executive Officer, BFH said: "The financial sector is one of the most competition intensive sectors, with Bahrain alone hosting over 365 financial sector companies. The importance of data security and confidentiality in this sector is one of the foremost criterion of risk management and also plays a key role in the decision making process for the location of a firm's Headquarters and its key R&D facilities.”
In explaining the advanced technological features included within the BFH buildings, Engineer Nawaf Sadeddin, Chief Development Officer, BFH, said: "Designing a contemporary state-of-the-art technological blueprint for any development of the magnitude of BFH is always a great challenge, Not only are the requirements of the financial sector companies being very diverse and advanced but the technology itself is evolving at a very rapid pace. It would be prudent to highlight here the fact that the fully converged Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems within BFH have been specifically customized to meet the requirements of our potential customers whether local or international."
Engineer Sadeddin added: “BFH has implemented a fully integrated security system based on Internet Protocol (IP) solutions having features for local/central/remote monitoring and controlling facilities. The security system mainly comprises of three elements namely, CCTV for surveillance, Access Control and Intercom. Access Control system engages the Smart Card technology which is programmed at various security levels. Through these smart cards, tenants would be allowed access to only certain pre-defined areas of the facility. Similarly, the established Visitors Management System will help control visitors movements within the building. Additionally, the entire facility is hooked up with CCTV facilities which are centrally monitored 24 hours a day from a single control room. While this facility covers all public areas of the buildings, tenants have the additional option of requesting for this system to be extended to cover their individual facilities also.”
BFH has implemented a fully functional and operational scalable converged ICT distribution network with all active and passive components based on CISCO Solutions in the project. ICT backbone network engages greater level of network security within BFH and BFH/Tenant network from outside world by enabling security features by deploying redundant fire walls on various network layers including access/distribution/core layers. BMS, Security and Tel / Data; Multi-cast systems are converged in a common fiber optic backbones system and connected to the central control system, which has the facility for management, accountability, monitoring etc of each service independently. The ICT network is designed to provide the tenant with services such as Voice (IP telephony), Internet VPN, Site to Site VPN, Multicast (TV Broadcast), Desk Top Video, Video Conferencing, and Provisions for connecting future tenants Security system (CCTV & Access control).
One of the key highlights of the technology blueprint of BFH is the implementation of a fully integrated building management solution which incorporates energy management system resulting in a considerable amount of energy saving during building operations. BFH’s energy conservation concept provides a state-of-art technology based lighting control system. The concept further utilises return air exhaust for air-conditioning the plant rooms and introducing variable frequency drives in the entire air & water distribution network
Another key highlight is the introduction of Wild Cooling concept for the first time in Bahrain. Wild Cooling concept provides the buildings and the Tenancies with a comfortable level of air conditioning in the case of a national or local power failure to enable tenants to continue their operations within the building and for unlimited durations. Besides receiving power from Governmental electric substations, Power distribution network of BFH project employs a highly reliable standby generator system which supports essential power requirements of the tenants and also operates the air conditioning equipment to achieve wild cooling throughout the project.
Through these various innovative and cutting edge systems BFH will not just be able to optimally satisfy the complex infrastructure needs of its tenants but would also be able to position itself as one of the safest and friendliest facilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain,
About BFH
A master-planned development, the US$ 1.4 billion Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH), is aimed at creating a complete financial city, a self contained community and reinforcing Bahrain's unsurpassed position as the financial capital of the Middle East. A first of its kind development in the region, BFH is a highly focused, committed and advanced financial environment spread over 380,000 square metres of prime seafront property in the centre of Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Furthermore, it comprises of 10 projects that uniquely combines business, leisure and residential components under one canopy. The BFH Client Relations Centre is located on-site at the 'Gateway to Bahrain' on the King Faisal Highway in Manama.
