Dubai Municipality has launched a new green building rating system called Al SA'FAT to evaluate and classify new buildings as platinum, gold, silver, or bronze based on their sustainability. Al SA'FAT focuses on reducing energy, water, and carbon emissions through building efficiency and materials. It is applicable to all building types and aims to cut Dubai's water use by 15%, electricity by 20%, carbon emissions by 20%, and waste by 50% by 2021 to achieve sustainable city status. Over 90% of buildings constructed since 2001 already meet the bronze rating criteria under Al SA'FAT.

1. Dubai Municipality Green Building Initiatives

2. Al SA’ FAT - Dubai’s Green Building Evaluation System
1. General (Applicability / Docs / Calcs
2. Definitions
3. Ecology & Planning
4. Building Vitality
5. Resource Effectiveness – Conservation &
Efficiency (Fabric & Systems)
6. Resource Effectiveness – Conservation &
Efficiency (Water)
7. Resource Effectiveness – Materials & Waste
8. 5
%
5 Key Sustainability Focus Areas

3. Dubai Municipality Green Building App (Housing)

4. New Green Building Rating System launched in 2016
• Built of Arabic definition ‘Al-Safat’ meaning date
palm fronds refers to traditional ways of keeping
buildings interiors cool
• Four classifications
– Platinum
– Gold
– Silver
– Bronze
• New buildings must meet Bronze rating to receive
permit
Dubai Municipality and AL-SA’FAT

5. AL-SAFAT Applicability
• All types including
– Residential
– Commercial
– Industrial
– Other facilities
• Owners, Investors and Developers encouraged to apply
other additional qualifying standards to enhance rating
• Anticipated benefits to occupant and the environment
• Focus of AL-SAFAT is life cycle of the building in terms of
increased efficiency and reduced energy & water
consumption
• Up to 34%energy saving achieved through implementing
Dubai Municipality and AL-SA’FAT

6. AL-SAFAT Rating System reflects Dubai’s
Sustainability Goals
• Targeted Reductions
– Water 15%
– Electricity 20%
– C02 Emissions 20%
– Waste 50%
• System developed for Retro-fitting old buildings
– Sustainable materials & equipment
– Lighting & Air-conditioning focus
Dubai Municipality and AL-SA’FAT

7. AL-SAFAT Rating System reflects Dubai’s goals to
achieve sustainable city status by 2021
• DM’s Director of Buildings Dept.
– We anticipate C02 reductions of 7.3mt over next 5yrs
– Same effect as planting 36 million trees and/or 40
times size of Zabeel Park
– More than 90% of buildings constructed since 2001
already meet criteria to apply for bronze certification
– 1,433 Green Building Projects completed since 2010
– DM licensed 17,438 buildings with 187.7 billion sq. feet
from March 2014 to June 30th 2016.
Dubai Municipality and AL-SA’FAT