AMAZON AWS DATA CENTER
Fireproofing - LEED Intumescent Coating
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
40,000 m² of structural steel protected protected to LEED standards
Main contractor: James L Williams Middle East — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — 2025.
Project Overview
The Amazon AWS Data Center in Riyadh is a mission-critical hyperscale facility developed to the highest international construction and sustainability standards, including LEED certification requirements.
The project was delivered by James L Williams Middle East as main contractor, with AECOM as the appointed consultant, and International Building Systems Factory (IBSF) as the structural steel fabricator. EJAD Gulf Technologies was appointed as the specialist fireproofing subcontractor responsible for the complete passive fire protection scope across the facility — one of the most technically demanding fireproofing assignments EJAD has undertaken in the Kingdom.
It stands among the largest data center fireproofing scopes completed in Saudi Arabia to date.
Project at a Glance
Client: AMAZON AWS
Main Consultant: AECOM
Fire Consultant: Tenable Dubai
Main Contractor: James L Williams Middle East
Steel Fabricator: International Building Systems Factory (IBSF)
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Project: Amazon AWS DATACENTER
EJAD’s scope covered the complete passive fire protection system from surface preparation through to final topcoat. Works included abrasive blasting and surface preparation of all structural steel members, primer touch-up to repaired and fabricated areas, application of Jotun SteelMaster 600WF and SteelMaster 1200WF intumescent coating systems as specified per steel section type, followed by Jotun Hardtop ECO as the decorative topcoat — a high-performance waterborne polyurethane topcoat specified to meet the project’s LEED environmental requirements. All heavy access equipment, airless spray machines, PPE, SSPC and AMPP certified applicators, and third-party inspection were included within EJAD’s scope of supply.
Fireproofing Area: 40,000 m²
Unique Steel Sections: 182+
Maximum Working Height: 26 metres
Safe Working Hours: 1,100+ with zero incidents
Paint System: Jotun SteelMaster 600WF and SteelMaster1200WF
Standards: EN 13381-8, BS 476 Part 20/21, Saudi Civil Defense
Inspection: Paint OEM, Consultant, Main Contractor, Independent 3rd Party
Project Challenges
The Amazon AWS Data Center represented one of the most demanding fireproofing scopes EJAD has executed. As a LEED-certified hyperscale data center for one of the world’s largest technology companies, every stage of the fireproofing works was subject to exceptionally stringent quality control, documentation, and environmental compliance requirements. The project specification called for Jotun Hardtop ECO as the finishing topcoat — a LEED-compliant waterborne polyurethane selected specifically for its low VOC emissions and environmental credentials, requiring EJAD’s teams to maintain strict application controls throughout. AECOM’s inspection regime was rigorous at every stage — covering surface preparation, dry film thickness verification, holiday testing, and full documentation of each steel member. With multiple unique steel section types each requiring individual DFT calculations based on their Hp/A ratio and the specified 60-minute fire resistance rating, Jotun’s fire engineering team produced and managed a comprehensive loading table to ensure every member was coated to the correct specification. Works were coordinated in parallel with multiple subcontractors across an active, fast-track construction programme.
Paint System
The intumescent coating system specified for this project combined Jotun SteelMaster 600WF and SteelMaster 1200WF — both independently certified waterborne thin-film intumescent coatings approved for cellulosic fire protection of structural steel to EN 13381-8 and BS 476 Part 20/21. The finishing system used Jotun Hardtop ECO, a two-component solvent-borne aliphatic polyurethane topcoat selected for its outstanding durability, colour retention, and chemical resistance — providing long-term protection to the underlying intumescent system in the demanding data center environment. All products were applied by airless spray by EJAD’s SSPC and AMPP certified applicators to the exact dry film thickness specified in the approved loading tables for each individual steel section.
Why EJAD
EJAD Gulf Technologies was selected for the Amazon AWS Data Center based on our proven capability in delivering high-specification fireproofing scopes for mission-critical facilities across Saudi Arabia. Our SSPC and AMPP certified applicators, combined with in-house fire engineering expertise and industrial-grade airless spray equipment from Graco, Titan, and Wagner, make EJAD uniquely equipped to handle the technical demands of LEED projects operating under rigorous consultant oversight. As approved applicators for Jotun’s intumescent and protective coating systems, EJAD provided the manufacturer-backed assurance required by AECOM and James L Williams throughout every stage of the project. The successful delivery of 40,000 m² of intumescent fireproofing at the Amazon AWS Data Center — under one of the most demanding quality regimes in the Kingdom — stands as one of EJAD’s most significant project references.