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Building and Environment 42 (2007) 1783–1794

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Architectural, construction and environmental matters of Bahrain’sInternational Formula 1 Circuit

N.W. Alnasera, R. Flanagana, S.E. Al-Khalifab, R. Mumtazc, S. El-Masrid, W.E. Alnaserd,�

aSchool of Construction Management and Engineering, University of Reading, Reading, UKbBahrain International Circuit, Kingdom of Bahrain

cTILKE & Partners W.L.L., Consulting Engineers & Architects, Kingdom of BahraindUniversity of Bahrain, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain

Received 30 June 2005; received in revised form 14 November 2005; accepted 20 January 2006

Abstract

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is considered as one of the best international racing car track in terms of technical aspects and

architectural quality. Two Formula 1 races have been hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in 2004 and 2005, at BIC. The BIC had recently

won the award of the best international racing car circuit.

This paper highlights on the elements that contributed to the success of such project starting from the architectural aspects,

construction, challenges, tendering process, risk management, the workforce, speed of the construction method, and future prospects for

harnessing solar and wind energy for sustainable electrification and production of water for the circuit, i.e. making BIC green and

environment-friendly international circuit.

r 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

1. Introduction

There is really nothing like Formula 1 racing circuit, i.e.Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). It is a sport thatexudes many strong attributes like speed, technology andprofessionalism. Only 18 countries around the world havethe privilege of hosting a Formula 1 race, among them nowis Bahrain. The circuit has put Bahrain on the world racingmap.

The US$150 million track had to be built for the FIA injust 16 months (485 days only)—from concept to race. Itwas a remarkable achievement and a showcase ofcollaboration, commitment and innovation that has putthe Kingdom of Bahrain in the international sport tourism.The BIC also offers a unique case study in co-coordinatinga complex, fast-track project successfully. It is a showcaseof good construction practices.

Starting from 17 November 2002, excavation work burstinto life on the BIC and after only 6 months the isolatedhot desert was turned into a piece of attraction not for

e front matter r 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

ildenv.2006.01.014

ing author.

ess: alnaserw@batelco.com.bh (W.E. Alnaser).

sport car event but also for tourists to witness the fabulousarchitects and perfect construction which were executed bya Bahraini construction company, i.e. Cebarco Bahrain byjoint venturing with WCT of Malaysia.

2. Location and architectural design

The Kingdom of Bahrain is well known as a location forbusiness, exhibitions, conferences and tourism. In thisregard, the BIC would boost Bahrain’s internationalimage. Located in the Shakier area (20 km south of thecapital Manama), the BIC built area occupies 170 ha setwithin the 300 ha site. It lies between the Al-Areen Wild-Life Park, the Shakier Race Course and the University ofBahrain, and is overlooked by Bahrain’s highest point,Jebel Al-Dukhan. The site is bordered to the east by a largemilitary camp—constructed by Cebarco Bahrain—and tothe west by settlement of Al-Zallaq. The main access to thesite is through the Bahrain Gulf Avenue via the ZallaqHighway—Fig. 1. Its state-of-the-art facilities provide avenue for car and motorcycle racing as well as animpressive venue for corporate events, conferences andexhibitions.

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The high-standard facilities include an 8-storey VIPtower with hospitality suites, a main grandstand for 10 500spectators and 35 hospitality suites and a technical resourcecentre dedicated to F1 Grand Prix and other internationalracing events. There are also dedicated buildings forinternational racing teams, administration and hospitalityfacilities as well as a multipurpose pit building withlounge and a grandstand for 3600 spectators. Medicaland media centres have been constructed and equipped tosatisfy international racing standards; see Fig. 2. BIC

Fig. 1. Location of the Bahrain International Circuit and the University

of Bahrain.

Fig. 2. Facilities of the Bahr

completion in 483 days, satisfying high constructionstandards, makes it an excellent example of constructionmanagement. From the official launch of the work on siteto completion, the project passed through six phases inwhich the organizational relationships between man,machines, materials and cash flow were fully coordinatedand synchronized in order to transform a visionary ideainto reality.Fig. 3 shows the master plan of the circuit while Figs.

4–8 show the plan of the different racing tracks whichdifferent geometry. This is what makes BIC very specialand appropriate for different car race functions andactivities.Fig. 9 shows the main grandstand in the BIC which can

hold 10 500 spectators. It is a 3-storey construction thatcovers an area of 20 000m2, while Fig. 10 shows the maingrandstand hospitality suites.Figs. 11–19 illustrate some of the outstanding construc-

tions (Pit Garages and Paddock club, Pit building and itsVIP suite, the team buildings, the multipurpose buildingand its hospitality suite, the medical centre and mediacentre as well as the 8-storey VIP tower).The roofing system of tents and construction details at

BIC show how modern materials have been moulded toachieve buildings with indigenous Bahraini characteristics.Employing tents above the stands and some buildingssatisfies not only functional and climatic requirements, butalso achieves a pleasing visual appearance (Fig. 20). Thecircular 8-storey VIP tower, with increasing floor area, thehigher the story, acts as a prominent landmark (Fig. 21).The inclinations of the walls of the media centre and racetower make them appear to grow elegantly out of theground, while the colours of their cladding ensures theyintegrate well with their surroundings. The variety ofshapes of the buildings, and especially of their roofs,provides an interesting skyline (Fig. 22).

ain International Circuit.

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Fig. 3. Architectural master plan of the Bahrain International Circuit.

Fig. 4. Plan of Formula 1 racing track (total length 5.411 km).

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Using a Teflon membrane to cover 10 800m2 of roofingprovides shading and hence decreases the insolation (theincident solar radiation) input, which otherwise could reach1100W/m2 on a horizontal surface in mid-June, with 80%direct and 20% diffuse solar radiation. This lowers theinterior-cooling load: such a design has been employedsuccessfully in the King Fahad Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

3. Construction

The construction of the circuit was made in time recordfor such a huge project. It was completed in just 485 days—from concept to race. It required 8 265 000 man hours, 2084workers, 400 000 litres of sweet water, 300 000 hollowblocks, 190 810 paving bricks (m3), 820 000m3 rock

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Fig. 5. Plan of the inner circuit of Formula 1 (total length 2.550 km).

Fig 6. Plan of the outer circuit of Formula 1 (total length 3.664 km).

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removing, 300 000m3 asphalt, 70 000m3 concrete,1000 tonne aluminium, 8500 tonne steel, 7750m2 glass,30 000m for electric wiring, 70 000 timing circuitry,

78 919m2 paint, 40 509m2 plaster, 10 800m2 membraneroofing and finally 600 palm trees. In creating one of theworld’s most advanced car racing and testing facilities,

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Fig 7. Plan of the Paddock circuit of Formula 1 (total length 3.596km).

Fig 8. Plan of the Dragstrip track in Formula 1 circuit (total length 1.2 km).

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500 000m3 of rocks were cleared. This was made only afterfull environmental impact assessment was done by PosfordHaskoning Environment Gulf which took into considera-tion the site, traffic, air quality, noise, ecology, water andwaste management and finally the archaeological artifacts.

4. The landmark design

The BIC was intended to be interpreted into a genuineregional landmark using strong Arabian architecturalstatements and reflecting the culture of the desert.

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Fig. 9. Main grandstand at the BIC.

Fig. 10. Main grandstand hospitality suites.

Fig. 11. Formula 1 Pit Garages and Paddock Club: 3/2 storey, 18 000m2.

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Fig. 12. PIT building/VIP suite.

Fig. 13. Team buildings, 18 units in six buildings, 1 storey, area of

5000m2.

Fig. 14. Lounge of one of the multipurpose building (three floors, area of

12 000m2).

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A dramatic, conical tower, standing 9-storey high andoffering a 3601 view is the focal point of a verdant oasisfrom which the drivers charge out into the desert andreturn (Fig. 21). In the atmosphere of one of the suites or

from the balmy heights of the roof gallery, the view is alldesert which reflects the signature of a truly Arabian GrandPrix. There were around 4000 drawings all produced andmanaged using CAD. The design of BIC was praised for itsArabic (Bedouin Tent) style of architecture.

5. The workforce and materials

Out of 3000 workers, around 2500 were expatriate andpredominantly from India, and split into 65% skilled and35% unskilled. Arranging work permits was organized byCebarco Bahrain in accordance with the local labour laws.

6. Project specifications

The project was made in six phases which are: (a)building commences, (b) laying of foundation, (c) shapetaking of the structure, (d) emergence of the oasis, (e) thedream within reach and (f) the vision that becomes real.Details of these phases as well as the BIC inventory arepublished elsewhere [1].

7. Toward sustainability

For such a large project, in a desert region, achievinggreater sustainability is an important aim. Hence, the desireto harness renewable energy resources may be necessary.Nevertheless, at this time, electricity, supplied by theBahraini Ministry of Electricity and Water (MOEW), iswidely used at the BIC for lighting, air conditioning andmany other purposes, but supplemented by hired stand-bydiesel generators during major events to provide emergencyback-up. Because of the nearly 10-h electricity blackout inAugust 2004, the acquisition of a subsidiary electricitysupply for the BIC is now regarded as essential. A maincandidate to satisfy the long-term future needs would be touse renewable energy resources. These would reduce theconsumption by conventional by polluting means.Photovoltaics (PV) can convert insolation to electricity

with an efficiency as high as 15% [2]. The large car-parkingzone at the BIC could be shaded by umbrellas. Thesepossess the double benefit of providing shading as well asgenerating electricity. Or, as a suggestion, the parking placeof the circuit could be shaded by solar umbrellas similar tothe prototype for a mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Thiswas designed in Germany: it integrates the photocells intothe shading umbrellas, so the mechanism of opening andclosing is performed without electricity [2]. For thewindows of the highly glazed VIP tower, which is veryexposed to the sun, there is the possibility of laminating PVcells between two panes of glass. The resulting windowscould provide shading, only letting light and insolationthrough the gaps between the cells. Hence, power tooperate the VIP’s tower could be generated so avoidingconsumption of electricity from fossil-fuelled power-stations [2]. Also, PV panels could be used on the externalwalls and roof of each building of the BIC for the same

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Fig. 15. Medical centre (top) and the media centre (bottom).

Fig. 16. VIP tower at BIC.

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benefit. However, this is only likely to be achieved in thenear future as a result of persuasive bargaining by themanagement of the BIC thereby reducing the present highcapital cost of purchasing and installing PV systems.

Furthermore, the wind energy conversion to electricitycan be achieved with an efficiency as high as 30% [3].Furthermore, one can also use two or more wind turbineswith hub height of at least 100m. The high height is

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Fig. 17. VIP tower reception.

Fig. 18. VIP tower restaurant.

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necessary to minimize the wind shear. In energy calcula-tion, the exponential wind shear profile-or exponent- (x) isconsidered [4]:

Vhub ¼ VoðZhub=ZoÞx, (1)

where Vo is the wind speed (m/s) at a standard height (Zo)of 10m.Such wind turbines can then produce a total of 4MW of

electricity. This can be used to operate RO; especially, theTDS of the underground water is only 12 555 gm/L. It has

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Fig. 19. VIP tower hospitality suites.

Fig. 20. Distinguished tents—roofing system provides shading, allowing

only diffused solar radiation, as well as preserving the tradition to be

incident on the buildings below, as well as continuing the use of a

traditional design in Bahrain.

Fig. 21. VIP Tower as a landmark at BIC. Note the benefit of the shade

below provided by the upper floors.

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to be noted that each m3 of desalinated water using solar orwind require 10 kWh while typical RO driven by conven-tional electricity require only 2 kWh. One should alwaysthink about sustainability and environmentally friendlyenergy sources as well as should use ultimately the

available sustainable resources (Solar and Wind). This isreally the concept of the sustainable buildings.

8. Future harnessing of solar and wind energy at the BIC

Numerous measurements of wind and solar energy havebeen taken in Bahrain [5–12]. The average annual

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Fig. 22. Example of the graceful inclined walls at the BIC.

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insolation on a horizontal surface is 473.3W/m2, of whichthe diffuse component comprises 172.5W/m2 [5]. Themaximum monthly average being 616W/m2 occurring inJune and July whereas the least 100W/m2 ensues in March.The annual average measured sunshine duration is 9.5 hper day.

At a height of 10m above the ground, the monthlyaverage wind speed in Bahrain is nearly 5m/s; the highestand the lowest monthly average being 11m/s and 3.6m/sfor June and September, respectively [9,11]. The morewidespread application of wind turbines would be particu-larly appropriate in Bahrain for generating electricity forlighting, air conditioning and water desalination.

The roof area of the BIC complex is approximately19 500m2 and the total window area is 12 000m2. Ifadhesive- or flexible-type PV cells were installed over allthe roofs and glazed areas, assuming each m2 of PV cellsproduce 50W, then the rate of harnessing of solar energywould amount to 1.2MW. Covering the car-parking areawith solar roofs would have the double benefit of shadingthe cars as well as generating electricity.

Over a major part of the unused area (130ha) of the BICcampus, trough concentrating solar-power collectors could beinstalled to harness heat for energizing the desalination plant.

The solar-electric generating system employs parabolictrough collector to focus the insolation on a pipe carrying aflow of high heat-transfer liquid, which is conveyed to aheat exchanger. This heat is used to evaporate water toform high-pressure steam, which drives turbine generatorsto produce electric power [1,13,14].

The ground beneath and around some solar concentra-tors and elsewhere on the BIC site could be used forplanting Jojoba trees. These need only �5 irrigationsannually in Bahrain. They grow to be �3m tall and aregreen throughout the year. Their seeds are used commer-

cially in cosmetic products, for cooking, as well as forhuman and vehicle lubricants. The presence of Jojoba treesreduces the local air pollution.Although the present capital costs of harnessing renew-

able energy resources for electricity generation or waterdesalination are generally higher than if fossil fuels are usedto stimulate these processes, future economics will increas-ingly be required to take into account sustainability andenvironmental protection.Further knowledge about the Energy and Environmental

Considerations of the BIC can be read by referring to Ref.[1] while knowledge on the architecture comfort and energyincluding thermal comfort, bioclimatic design, microcli-matic elements, day lighting and ventilation is wellillustrated in Ref. [15] which can be adopted in the furtherexpansion of the BIC.

9. Conclusions

The success of this major project increased the reputa-tion of the main contractor, who had grown in terms ofprofit, image and reputation. The logistics of importing90% of the materials represented a challenge that was metand overcome, providing good experience for futureprojects in the surrounding countries.Decision-making was prompt and decisive, important

when there are many different companies and culturesworking together on an huge international project in a timerecord. Setting a common goal and finishing the project ontime was one of the biggest factors contributing to thesuccess of the project.The Cebarco–WCT joint venture example had lead to

many mutual benefits. The partners learnt new systemsfrom each other for project implementation and developeda greater understanding of logistics.The circuit may add to its credibility and attraction by

making it sustainable. This can be made by utilizing theabundant solar energy in Bahrain to electrify the circuitand to produce water for landscaping.

References

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