The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Grantor), on behalf of their Executive Privatization Commission, selected Airport International Group P.S.C. (AIG or Investor) as the winning bidder for the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA).
The Investor and the EPC Contractor selected the Berger Group to serve as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Independent Engineer (EPC IE) for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Queen Alia International Airport, in order to monitor the EPC contract construction works progress and schedule compliance. The EPC IE role in construction is to provide quality oversight (QO) to ensure that the EPC Contractor’s QA/QC system is implemented and functioning adequately.
Fulfilling the role of EPC Independent Engineer, a multidisciplinary team has been deployed full-time on site during the entire construction period, tasked with the entire design review compliance and acceptance, certification of interim payments, daily construction supervision and quality oversight, procurement acceptance, certification of partial completions, construction schedule review and monitoring and other assignments included in the EPC IE scope. The Team also introduced a series of initiatives for the better management of responsibilities. One of these initiatives was the implementation of weekly QESH (Quality, Environment, Safety and Health) meetings, with the objectives of monitor, identify and propose/implement mitigation measure for issues affecting construction activities, following the guidelines dictated by the CEMP (Construction Environmental Management Plan), the HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Management Procedures and the QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) Manual, developed by the EPC Contractor and combined under the QESH Manual. Another initiative was the implementation of weekly WASP (Weekly Analysis of Site Progress) meetings, with the objectives of monitor/report of progress of activities vs. the project schedule, identify causes of delays, the effects of such delays on other activities, and propose/implement recovery/mitigation efforts to minimize delays.
The new passenger terminal building will be able to serve at least nine (9) million passengers annually. The new building will consist of a 3-level structure, with underground basement, that will house all of the passenger processing areas/functions and support areas, including two 2-level piers and 18 contact gates that will be completed by the end of Phase 1.The master plan also includes a Phase 2, which will add seven additional contact positions and facilities to support up to 12 million passengers annually.
The project is designed by the world-renowned signature architectural firm Foster & Partners, from UK and explores a vision of what the twenty-first century airport could be, offering an approach towards an ecologically sensitive architecture. It is designed to evoke a distinctive sense of place and to provide a greatly enhanced gateway to the region. Formally, the building draws from traditional Arabic architecture, with a variety of outdoor spaces and open-air gardens, provides passive air-cooling to pre-condition air prior to mechanical ventilation and form a natural focus that directs passenger movement. A broad canopy, its black external surface evocative of Bedouin tents – shelters the large external public area while maximum use is made of natural light and split beams at the column junctions in the roof, allowing daylight to flood deep into the building. The concrete roof structure acts as a thermal store to heat and cool the building; and a black metal roof covers the domes to act as a heat shield, with a naturally ventilated cavity to release heat buildup. Generous roof overhangs provide natural shading to full-height glazed facades against solar gain and mitigate glare issues. The first phase of the project is expected to be concluded by the fall of 2012, with the opening of the new passenger terminal building scheduled by early 2013, demolition works and subsequent construction of the second phase will continue until 2014.