Modular man camps are becoming the first choice for EPC contractors who need fast, safe and comfortable worker housing in remote desert locations.

In Al Khushaybi, northwest of Riyadh, Chengdong delivered a customized modular man camp for Larsen & Toubro’s 1.016 GW Al Kahfah solar project, from design to port delivery in just 35 days.

What Are Modular Man Camps?

Modular man camps are prefabricated, factory-built accommodation complexes designed to house construction workers, engineers, and management staff on remote project sites.

Compared with traditional brick-and-mortar buildings, modular man camps offer shorter construction time, better cost control, and flexible relocation after project completion.

For large-scale solar, oil and gas, mining and infrastructure projects in regions like the Middle East, modular man camps help international contractors reduce upfront investment and speed up project mobilization.

Project Overview: Modular Man Camp in Al Khushaybi, Saudi Arabia

• Location: Al Khushaybi, about 500 km northwest of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• Client: Larsen & Toubro Ltd, one of India’s largest engineering and construction companies.

• Application: Site office and worker accommodation camp for a utility-scale solar power plant.

• Total camp area: 3,548.25 m² of modular box houses.

The modular man camp supports the 1.016 GW Al Kahfah solar project, a key renewable energy project under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy.

The plant will generate more than 2 billion kWh of clean electricity per year, provide power for hundreds of thousands of households, and reduce CO₂ emissions by over 1.5 million tons annually.

Customized Housing Specifications for Modular Man Camps

To meet the client’s layout and capacity requirements, Chengdong provided customized modular housing dimensions and functional planning.

11.8 x 2 x 3 m Customized Units

Each modular unit in this man camp is customized to 11.8 x 2 x 3 meters (approx. 11800 x 2000 x 3000 mm) to maximize usable interior space while optimizing transport and onsite installation efficiency.

These modules are combined flexibly to form:

• 75 modular box houses in total.

• 15 rooms for the owner’s staff.

• 10 rooms for management personnel.

• 50 rooms for workers, each with private bathroom facilities.

• A large canteen, one warehouse, and a shared open-plan office space.

This layout ensures comfortable and efficient living and working conditions for all key personnel in the man camp

Fire Safety: 1-Hour Fire Resistance Certified by SGS

For international EPC contractors, fire safety is a non-negotiable requirement in modular man camps, especially when they accommodate hundreds of people in remote areas.

In this project, the client required strict fire protection performance for all modular buildings.

Chengdong provided:

• A 1-hour fire resistance test report issued by SGS for key components.

• Certification documents including CE certificates and SGS reports for modular box house steel and 100 mm wall panels tested by Intertek.

Although some certificates are marked as “steel structure”, they cover the steel used in modular box houses and are fully applicable to this man camp.

Meeting the 1-hour fire resistance requirement gives the client confidence in emergency response time and overall life-safety performance.

35-Day Delivery: From Design to Port

One of the most impressive highlights of this modular man camp project is speed.

From initial design proposal to manufacturing, quality inspection, packing, and delivery to the port in Saudi Arabia, the entire process took only 35 days.

This 35-day supply lead time (not including onsite installation) helped the EPC contractor:

• Accelerate project mobilization.

• Reduce idle time of manpower and equipment.

• Keep overall project schedule on track in a tight construction window.

For international engineering companies, such rapid response is a key competitive advantage of modular man camps compared with traditional construction.

Designed for Harsh Desert Climate

The Al Khushaybi modular man camp is located in a typical hot desert climate: hot and dry throughout the year, very little rainfall, and large temperature differences between day and night.

To ensure comfort and durability in this extreme environment, the modular camp integrates multiple climate-adaptive design features.

Thermal Insulation

• Building thermal transmittance coefficient U≤0.36W/(m2⋅K)U≤0.36W/(m2⋅K), effectively blocking external heat and improving indoor temperature stability.

This performance helps reduce HVAC energy consumption and maintain a comfortable indoor environment for workers and staff.

Wind and Sand Protection

Local surface conditions are dominated by gobi and sand dunes, with frequent strong winds and sandstorms.

The modular man camp is designed with:

• Wind resistance up to level 11.

• Enhanced dust protection at key joints and openings to resist sand intrusion.

These features ensure structural safety and minimize maintenance requirements during long-term operation in desert conditions.

ESG and Carbon Footprint Advantages of Modular Man Camps

For global clients who focus on ESG and sustainability, modular man camps offer clear environmental benefits compared with conventional concrete buildings.

Chengdong’s modular box camp in this project demonstrates:

• Each square meter of modular box house has around 60% lower carbon emissions than traditional brick-concrete structures over its life cycle.

• FLEX modular units can be reused for more than 10 cycles, with damage rates below 5%.

• For every leased modular unit, the client can achieve about 4.38 tons of carbon emission reduction.

Applied to a 1.016 GW solar project, these savings significantly enhance the overall ESG performance of the infrastructure, from construction to operation.

Why Choose Modular Man Camps for Utility-Scale Solar Projects?

For large solar power plants like the Al Kahfah 1.016 GW project in Saudi Arabia, modular man camps provide a highly efficient solution to on-site accommodation and office needs.

Key benefits include:

• Fast deployment: From design to shipment in 35 days, supporting tight project schedules.

• Safety and compliance: 1-hour fire resistance with third-party SGS certification, plus CE and Intertek-supported materials.

• Comfort and functionality: Customized 11.8 x 2 x 3 m units with private bathrooms, canteen, office, and storage functions.

• Climate resilience: Low U-value insulation and wind resistance to level 11, suitable for hot desert climates with frequent sandstorms.

• ESG performance: Lower carbon footprint, high reusability, and measurable CO₂ emission reduction per modular unit.

For EPC contractors and project owners delivering mega-scale solar plants in remote regions, choosing modular man camps means safer, faster, and greener project implementation.

Get Tailored Modular Man Camps for Your Next Project

If you are planning a utility-scale solar, oil and gas, mining, or infrastructure project in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America or other remote regions, Chengdong can provide customized modular man camps based on your capacity, safety, and schedule requirements.

Visit Chengdong Modular Man Camps to share your camp requirements and get a tailored modular man camp proposal for your next project.