Design and Engineering
Concept, Pre-FEED, FEED, detailed design and IFC packages for ICT, ELV, data center, telecom and security systems.
Umair Shahid
Principal ICT, Data Center and Smart Infrastructure Consultant
BICSI RCDD BICSI DCDC 17+ Years
Design, technical assurance, construction supervision and PMC for mission critical digital infrastructure. One accountable technical position for ICT, ELV, data center, smart city and security scope, from design basis to as-built record.
Design GovernanceTechnical assurance and PMC across the full project lifecycle
17+
Years of Engineering Experience
65+
Projects Delivered and Governed
USD 800M+
Cumulative Project Exposure
10+
Tier III and Tier IV Data Centers
Services
Design, Assurance, Supervision and PMC in One Place
A single technical position covering the full delivery chain, so the client is not coordinating four separate specialists across one package.
Design Review and Technical Assurance
Independent review of consultant and contractor design against code, standard and design intent, issued as decision grade findings.
Construction Supervision
Site technical support, shop drawing and submittal review, method statement review, inspection and testing witness.
Project Management and PMC
Governance, stakeholder interfaces, risk control and delivery oversight across concurrent multidiscipline packages.
Smart City and Digital Infrastructure
Masterplanning, OSP and FTTx networks, ITS and IoT readiness, EV and public Wi-Fi provision, city scale connectivity.
Security and ELV Systems
CCTV and VMS, access control, intrusion detection, PA and VA, fire alarm interfaces and command and control integration.
Capability
Data Center, ICT, ELV, OSP and Smart Infrastructure Design
Data Centers and Mission Critical Facilities
Design and design governance for Tier III and Tier IV aligned facilities, from white space and rack planning through commissioning readiness.
White space layouts, rack arrangements, containment strategy, MMR, MER and MTR spaces, structured cabling and network risers, grounding and bonding, carrier connectivity, resilience and availability planning, and the MEP and ELV interfaces that decide whether a facility performs under load.
ICT, ELV and Integrated Building Technology
Full ICT and ELV scope for complex buildings, coordinated across architecture, MEP, civil and security disciplines.
Structured cabling, LAN, WAN and WLAN, IP telephony, IPTV and MATV, PA and VA, AV, nurse call, fire alarm and VESDA, BMS interfaces, CCTV and VMS, access control, intrusion detection, ANPR, and command and control integration.
Telecom, OSP and FTTx Networks
Outside and inside plant networks at campus, industrial and metropolitan scale, engineered for route diversity.
GPON and FTTH, FTTB and FTTO, optical distribution networks, duct banks, manholes and handholes, fiber backbones, telecom rooms, carrier integration and redundancy planning that removes external single points of failure.
Smart Cities and Smart Infrastructure
Digital infrastructure masterplanning for townships, industrial cities and giga project developments.
Citywide fiber and duct corridors, ITS ready and IoT ready infrastructure, EV charging and public Wi-Fi readiness, smart parking readiness, BMS and EMS interfaces, and command center integration planned in phases that match the construction programme.
Design Governance and Technical Assurance
The consultant side authority that keeps multidiscipline technology packages compliant, buildable and approvable.
Pre-FEED, FEED, detailed design and IFC governance, RFP and tender compliance, specifications, BOQs and MTOs, shop drawing and submittal review, method statement review, value engineering, authority coordination and construction stage technical support.
Industries
Sectors Served Across Saudi Arabia and the GCC
- Aviation and Airports
- Data Centers and Command Centers
- Government and Ministries
- Defense and Secure Facilities
- Healthcare
- Entertainment and Leisure
- Industrial and Manufacturing
- Residential and Urban Development
Client Experience
Delivered for Ministries, Royal Commissions, PIF Developers and National Operators
Design, design review, construction supervision and PMC across government, giga project, industrial, aviation, defense, entertainment and community programmes throughout the Kingdom.
Government and Public Sector
Headquarters ICT and ELV design, Tier rated data centers, command and control facilities, smart building systems and authority approval coordination for national ministries and regulators.
- Ministry of Commerce and Investment
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
- Ministry of Housing
- General Entertainment Authority
Giga Projects and Urban Development
Masterplanned digital infrastructure for PIF developments: primary duct corridors, backbone fiber, phased FTTx, city wide CCTV, command centers and smart services readiness.
- Diriyah Company
- ROSHN
- Misk Foundation
- Public Investment Fund Developments
Industrial Cities and Royal Commissions
City scale telecom and smart infrastructure: GPON and FTTx access networks, metropolitan backbones, outside plant and duct banks, ITS and surveillance networks, campus data centers and exchange upgrades.
- Royal Commission for Jubail
- Royal Commission for Yanbu
- Royal Commission for Jizan
Entertainment and Manufacturing
Multi year ICT, ELV, security, AV and data center design review frameworks across national portfolios, and plant wide command and control for greenfield manufacturing complexes.
- Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN)
- CEER National Automotive Company
Aviation and Defense
Terminal ICT, ELV and security systems for continuous airport operations, and military campus outside plant, FTTH, redundant data centers, surveillance and access control.
- King Khalid International Airport
- Royal Saudi Air Force
- General Authority of Civil Aviation
Healthcare and Education
ICT, ELV and security design for hospitals and medical cities: clinical network infrastructure, nurse call, structured cabling, IPTV, CCTV and access control, data center and telecom rooms, coordinated with medical planning and MEP. Campus networks and data centers for teaching facilities.
- Dallah Hospital
- King Salman Hospital
- King Abdullah Medical City
- Jubail University College
- Royal Commission Community Facilities
Delivered within Saudi Consulting Services as the ICT, ELV, data center and telecom scope lead. Project level detail and commercial terms stay confidential and are discussed directly.
Project Lifecycle
Strategy to As-Built, With One Technical Position Throughout
- 01StrategyRequirements, benchmarks and the technical brief
- 02ConceptOptions, feasibility and the design basis
- 03DesignFEED, detailed design and IFC packages
- 04TenderSpecifications, BOQs and technical evaluation
- 05ConstructionSubmittals, RFIs and site technical support
- 06CommissioningTest plans, witnessing and readiness review
- 07CloseoutAs built records, operation and maintenance input and handover
Scope of Authority
What the Position Decides on a Programme
Design Basis and Technical Direction
The technical position is set before drawings start, and every later decision is measured against it.
Approval of the Discipline Interfaces
Architecture, structure, MEP, civil, security, utilities and contractor interfaces reconciled into one package.
Acceptance of Contractor Submittals
Shop drawings, material submittals, method statements and RFIs assessed against code, standard and design intent.
Release to Construction and Closeout
IFC release, construction stage technical support, commissioning witnessing and as-built acceptance.
Risk Control
What the Review Is There to Stop
Single Points of Failure in External Routing
Carrier diversity, duct bank separation and telecom room redundancy resolved at design stage, not after handover.
Non Compliant Submittals Reaching Site
Contractor output stopped at review against ANSI/TIA, BICSI, NFPA, IEC and Saudi Building Code requirements.
Authority Rejection at First Submission
Packages made approval ready for the communications regulator, operators, civil defense and interior authorities.
Interface Gaps Discovered During Commissioning
ICT, ELV, security and MEP interfaces closed in coordinated review before test and commissioning begins.
Standards
Standards, Codes and Authority Frameworks Applied
- Data CenterANSI/TIA-942, ANSI/BICSI 002, EN 50600, ASHRAE TC 9.9, ASHRAE 90.4, Uptime Institute Tier principles, NFPA 75, NFPA 76
- ICT and CablingANSI/TIA-568, ANSI/TIA-569, ANSI/TIA-606, ANSI/TIA-607, ISO/IEC 11801, EN 50173, BICSI TDMM, BICSI OSPDRM
- ELV, Security and Life SafetyNFPA 70, NFPA 72, NFPA 70E, NFPA 2001, SBC 401, IBC, IEC 62676, IEC 60839, EN 54, EN 50132-7
- Saudi Authority FrameworksCommunications regulator requirements, telecom operator infrastructure standards, interior and defense security standards, Saudi Building Code, Civil Defense, royal commission specifications
Authority Interfaces
Approvals Coordinated With
- National Telecom OperatorsFiber, duct and last mile interface approvals
- Communications RegulatorLicensing and infrastructure compliance
- Power, Water and Rail UtilitiesCorridor, crossing and easement coordination
- Defense and Interior AuthoritiesSecurity system standards and clearances
- Municipal and Royal Commission EntitiesMasterplan and permit conformity
- Civil Defense and Building ControlLife safety and code approvals
Certifications
BICSI Designations, Industry Certifications and Continuing Development
RCDD
Registered Communications Distribution Designer
BICSI Registered since 2021
Current to December 2027DCDC
Data Center Design Consultant
BICSI Awarded 2025
Current to December 2028Industry Certifications
- CFHPCertified Fiber to the Home ProfessionalFiber Broadband Association, 2019
- FOISFiber Optic Infrastructure SpecialistCommScope, 2020
- CCNPCisco Certified Network Professional, Routing and SwitchingCisco, 2013
- CCNA SecurityCisco Certified Network Associate, SecurityCisco, 2013
- CCNACisco Certified Network Associate, Routing and SwitchingCisco, 2009
Continuing professional development across data center containment and power distribution, hyperscale and cloud facilities, smart cities and intelligent buildings, copper and fibre testing, cabling pathways and industrial Ethernet, with CommScope, Belden, Panduit, Siemens and Fluke Networks.
Engagement
How Organisations Bring This Position Onto a Programme
- Project ConsultationBring a second technical view onto a live package.
- Design Review and Technical AuditIndependent assessment with decision grade findings.
- Data Center AdvisoryResilience, availability and commissioning readiness.
- Smart Infrastructure AdvisoryMasterplanning and phased digital infrastructure.
- PMC and Delivery SupportGovernance, interfaces and construction stage assurance.
- Leadership AppointmentPrincipal or lead technical role on a major programme.
Complex Package? Let’s Make the Technology Infrastructure Work.
Data center design and review, ICT and ELV technical assurance, construction supervision, PMC or a principal technical appointment. Send the project stage, the scope in question and the decision you need to reach.
- umairshahidaziz@gmail.comEmail
- +966 56 503 8192Phone and WhatsApp
- linkedin.com/in/umair-shahid-rcddLinkedIn
- Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaBase, available across the GCC