Control Room Design in the UAE
Control room design authority for Abu Dhabi and Dubai
We design control rooms for oil and gas, utilities and critical infrastructure in the UAE, working from our partner MCPM’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Design is our core work. Local contractors supply and install to our performance specification, so owners and EPCs can tender on equal terms. See how delivery works across the region on our GCC page.
Human factors and ergonomics
Task and link analysis comes first, so the room fits how operators actually work.
Layout and sight lines
Positions, overview displays and walkways tested in plan and section, seated and standing.
Consoles and video walls
Vendor-independent performance specifications for consoles, video walls and KVM.
Alarm and HMI review
Alarm load and screen hierarchy reviewed with the control system team, with reference to EEMUA 191 and ISA-101.
Live upgrades
Phased cutovers, so the plant keeps a working control position throughout.
Where We Work in the UAE
Oil and gas
Upstream, midstream and downstream control rooms, designed around the owner’s engineering standards and the DCS and SCADA in use.
Onshore, offshore, refineries
Utilities
Control and dispatch centres for power and water networks, designed for round-the-clock operation.
Power and water
Security and infrastructure
Command and emergency centres for transport, ports and public safety, where seconds matter.
Command and emergency
What We Bring to the UAE
2009
Designing control rooms since
100+
Control rooms designed
2
Crude oil refineries upgraded live
2
Partner offices in the UAE
Client and site names are not published. References on request.
Codes we check on every UAE project
We design with reference to ISO 11064 and the alarm and HMI guidance above. Fire and life safety requirements come from the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice and the civil defence authority of each emirate, which also sets the rules for fire command and emergency rooms. Information and OT security follow the UAE Information Assurance Standard, reissued in 2025 by the UAE Cyber Security Council, and the owner’s own standards.
Gulf codes change often, so we confirm the edition in force with the owner and the authority at the start of every project.
Standards Behind Every Design
We design with reference to the standards that matter for people in control rooms. Tap a card to see what each one covers.
ISO 11064Ergonomic design of control centresTap to read more
Layout, workstation, display and environmental requirements for control rooms, from concept to evaluation.
ISO 6385Ergonomics of work systemsTap to read more
The principles behind designing work around people: tasks, equipment and environment together.
EEMUA 201Control room design guidanceTap to read more
Practical guidance on human-centred control room and HMI design for process industries.
EEMUA 191Alarm systemsTap to read more
How to design, manage and measure alarm systems so operators are not flooded.
ISA-18.2 / IEC 62682Alarm management lifecycleTap to read more
The lifecycle for alarm philosophy, rationalisation and performance monitoring.
ISA-101HMI designTap to read more
How operator screens should be structured, from plant overview down to equipment detail.
IOGP 454Human factors in projectsTap to read more
Human factors engineering built into capital projects from the start.
Your site codesLocal and owner specificationsTap to read more
Your own specifications and the codes in force where you build always take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in the UAE?
We work from MCPM’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and travel for surveys, design workshops and site supervision.
Do you supply the consoles and video wall in the UAE?
In the GCC we design and specify. Approved local suppliers supply and install to our specification, and we supervise the build.
Can you work under an EPC?
Yes. We often join a project team as the control room design specialist, working to the EPC’s programme and document control.
Which standards do you design to?
ISO 11064 for the control centre, EEMUA 191 and ISA-18.2 for alarms, ISA-101 for screens, and the owner’s specifications, which take precedence. Local fire and security codes are confirmed per project.
When should we bring you in?
Before the control building layout and the console order are fixed. Changes cost least at that stage.