Estidama is an Arabic word meaning sustainability. It is an initiative developed by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council to achieve Sheikh Zayed's vision of sustainability. The ultimate goal is to preserve Abu Dhabi's physical and cultural identity while improving quality of life. The Pearl Rating System is a framework for sustainable design, construction, and operation of buildings tailored to Abu Dhabi's climate. It evaluates projects based on environmental, economic, social and cultural pillars.

1. ESTIDAMA
A R . & E N V. D E S I G N E R M . TA R I Q
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C E C O S U N I V E R S I T Y P E S H A W A R

2. DEFINITION
• Estidama is the Arabic word for sustainability and an initiative developed by the Abu
Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) to achieve the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan's dream.
• The ultimate goal of Estidama is to preserve and enrich Abu Dhabi's physical and
cultural identity, while creating an ever improved quality of life for its residents.
• The Pearl Rating System (PRS) is a framework for sustainable design, construction and
operation of communities, buildings and villas.

3. • The PRS is unique in the world as it is specifically tailored to the hot climate and arid
environment of Abu Dhabi.
• It is part of the Estidama program, a government wide collaborative initiative to
improve the lives of all citizens living in the Emirate.
• The UAE ranked 9th in 2014 among the top 10 nations in the world in adopting green
building practices.

4. • The most popular certification for the design and construction of green buildings
would have to be the US based LEED - The Leadership in Environment and Sustainable
Design.
• Not one to be left behind in the race to the most sustainable, in 2011 Abu Dhabi’s UPC
( Urban Planning Council ) launched an Estidama, a first of it’s kind program that’s
tailored to the middle east.
• It rates projects by the Pearl Rating System, which aims to address the sustainability of
a given development throughout its lifecycle from design through construction to
operation.

5. • Meaning ‘Sustainability’ in arabic, the system is based on 4 pillars - Environmental,
Economic, Social and Cultural. Estidama basis its rating system on a pearl rating (1
through 5).

6. THE PEARL RATING SYSTEM
• At its heart consists of 7 components :
• Integrated Development Process: Encouraging cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver
environmental and quality management throughout the life of the project.
• Natural Systems: Conserving, preserving and restoring the region’s critical natural
environments and habitats.
• Livable Buildings: Improving the quality and connectivity of outdoor and indoor
spaces.
• Precious Water: Reducing water demand and encouraging efficient distribution and
alternative water sources.

7. • Resourceful Energy: Targeting energy conservation through passive design measures,
reduced demand, energy efficiency and renewable sources.
• Stewarding Materials: Ensuring consideration of the ‘whole-of-life’ cycle when
selecting and specifying materials.
• Innovating Practice: encouraging innovation in building design and construction to
facilitate market and industry transformation.

10. HOW IS ESTIDAMA DIFFERENT FROM LEED
• It’s important that a Pearl Rating is only valid for 5 years, compared to a LEED’s 15
years.
• A key point to be noted here is that Estidama ensures that the performance of a
building or facility, post-completion and handover, is behaving as it was designed to.
LEED, on the other hand, does not account for this.