At the end of 2012, a huge hotel complex was opened for the millions of visitors to Islam’s most important sacred site – the Haram Mosque in Mecca. With 600 m, the building complex is the third-highest building in the world. The clock tower is an outstanding feature and incorporates one of the largest tower clocks in the world.
Challenges
The greatest challenges were the height of the tower and the associated weight restrictions, as well as the variety of hazards that needed to be protected against fire. Due to the weight and hydrostatic pressure restrictions, a conventional sprinkler system could not be integrated in the top 210 m of the tower. FOGTEC water mist offers a particularly large cooling effect being beneficial for the numerous building elements made of steel and glass.
The FOGTEC water mist solution
The entire upper 210 m of the tower is protected with a FOGTEC water mist system. Automatic nozzles triggered by glass bulbs are used for all floors. Technical areas are protected with open nozzles. For areas that did not correspond with our standard design criteria, special fire tests were conducted.
