Estidama

A comprehensive guide of procedures

for implementing Estidama in the
Municipality of Abu Dhabi City

Introduction
Estidama, which means sustainability in Arabic,
is an initiative developed to achieve the late
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyans dream
of creating a more sustainable future for the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is an integral part of
Abu Dhabis Vision 2030.

Environment

Economic

Cultural

Social

Estidama Pearl
Rating System

Benefits of
Estidama

The Estidama Pearl Rating System is

Buildings that apply Estidama

a framework for sustainable design,

guidelines will:

construction and operation across the

Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi
Executive Council has mandated that all
new communities, buildings and villas
be required to achieve the minimum
1 Pearl rating. Government-owned

Save natural resources

Reduce impact on the environment
Increase quality of life of residents
Conserve energy and water
Enhance reputation and marketability

and operated buildings are required to

achieve at least a 2 Pearl rating.

For villas, the additional benefits

of Estidama include:

Lower villa operations and

maintenance costs

Greener, more livable villas

Improved integration of villa
within wider community

Better lifestyle for residents

ADMs Role
& Responsibilities

UPCs Role
& Responsibilities

1 Pearl (Mandatory) from

1 Pearl (Mandatory) from

15th Nov, 2010

15th Nov, 2010

Less than 10 Villas

Buildings < 75,000m

GFA

10 Villas and above

Building > 75,000m

GFA

2 Pearls and above

Mosque
Hotels
All other projects

For projects that are currently exempted from

Estidama, details will be provided soon.
MINIMIZE SOLAR GAIN
By increasing depth of recess
to windows or add louvers/
mushrabiya

W
NATURAL LIGHTING
By using light pipes to lit up
deep interior spaces

WEST FAADE
Minimizes opening
& glazing

USE COOL ROOF

External surfaces that
reflect solar gain back to
atmosphere

OUTDOOR SHADING
Provide comfortable
outdoor areas
WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE
Use indigenous planting that
creates shade and minimizes
water usage

LOW IMPACT
MATERIALS
Specify materials that
are non-toxic, local and
recycled

REDUCE ENERGY
By using efficient
systems and insulating
materials
ORIENTATION
Maximize daylight,
minimize solar gain

Note that this is only an example of strategies, not an example of how a sustainable villa must look.

ESTIDAMA
VILLA STRATEGIES

Estidama
Approval Process
Consultant:

Estidama 1 (Schematic Stage)

Conditional Approval

Architectural / Structural / Entrances / Parking

Conditional Approval

Estidama 2 (Detailed Stage)

Final Approval

Building Permit Issued

Contractor:

Estidama 3 (Pre-Construction Stage)

Process Under Development

Estidama 4 (Post-Construction)
Process Under Development

Certificate of Completion Issued

Estidama 1
Schematic Stage:
Compliance with Estidama
requirements at the schematic design
stage of the project

Estidama 3
Pre-Construction Stage:
Compliance with Estidama
requirements at the pre-construction
stage of the project

Estidama 2
Detailed Stage:
Compliance with Estidama
requirements at the detailed design
stage of the project

Estidama 4
Post-Construction Stage:
Compliance with Estidama
requirements at the post-construction
stage of the project, including
verification and on-site inspection

Online Application
Process

Consultant Phase
Step 1

Step 8

Register your project online with

the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City
Construction Permit Directorate (CPD)
application system
http://172.18.236.22/CDPAbuDhabiTest/
CDPPublicPortal

Fill in the forms and submit Estidama

2 requirements

Step 2

Step 9
Upload completed forms to the
attachments tab of the CPD
application system

Download the required Estidama forms

Step 10

Step 3

ll compliant submissions will receive

A
Estidama 2 approval

F ill in the forms and submit Estidama

1 requirements

Step 11

Step 4
pload completed forms to the
U
attachments tab of the CPD
application system

All submissions that receive Estidama 1

& 2 approvals and pass the architectural/
structural/parking/entrances review will
receive a building permit

Step 5
All compliant submissions will receive
Estidama 1 conditional approval

Step 6
Proceed with architectural/structural/
parking/entrances review

Step 7
All compliant submissions will receive
building permit conditional approval

ADM Technical
Support
The ADM Estidama team appreciates
your thoughts and feedback, which
will contribute to the continuous
improvement of our services, processes
and training workshops.
For any technical support,
comments or queries, please email
us at estidama@adm.abudhabi.ae,
or visit us at the ADM Estidama office.

ADMs Estidama
UPCs Estidama
Awareness Workshops Training Programmes
The Estidama awareness workshops
are specially designed for:

Consultants
Contractors
Suppliers
Owners
Developers

Applying the Pearl Villa Rating

System (PVRS): A programme for
architects, engineers, consultants
to understand and apply the Pearl
Villa Rating System to new villa projects
Applying the Pearl Building Rating
System (PBRS): A programme for
architects, engineers and consultants
to understand and apply the Pearl
Building Rating System to new
building projects

Information on these programmes,

including programme content, dates
and venues, is available online at
www.estidama.upc.gov.ae/cms/courses.php

Estidama
Resources
1 Estidama e-forms (coming soon)
2 Estidama PDF forms
3 Directions for completing
Estidama forms
4 Completed Estidama submission
5 Model of a villa project that
is compliant with Estidama
http://172.18.236.22/CDPAbuDhabiTest/
CDPPublicPortal

Estidama at ADM
What are the new Estidama
requirements?
The requirements to achieve the
minimum necessary 1 Pearl rating are
as follows:

water usage, such as the amount

used to water the garden.
7

Minimization of energy consumption:

Energy efficient air conditioning and
lighting systems, renewable energy
system for heating water, and energy
efficient domestic appliances must be
installed. In addition, effective use of
natural lighting, strategic design, and
insulating materials must be applied
to improving natural lighting, wind
cooling and energy absorption and,
in turn, reduce energy consumption
for cooling and lighting.

Reducing the impact of cooling

gases: Air pollution must be
minimised through the adoption of
air-conditioning systems that use
ozone-friendly refrigerants.

Avoidance of hazardous substances:

Hazardous substances, including
asbestos and chromated copper
arsenate, must not be used as
construction materials or as
components of any construction
materials.

Villas (11 conditions):

1

Integrated development process: An

integrated project team consisting
of complementary experts must be
formed to plan and hold regular
workshops, and put in place the
project implementation strategy.

Efficiency of building systems &

outer surface: Tests must be carried
out to assess the buildings systems,
as outlined by the consultant in the
technical specifications and then
implemented by the contractor.

Assessment & protection of natural

systems: The relationship of the
building site to the surrounding
natural systems must be considered,
including identifying the existence
of animal or plant species and
studying soil condition, as well as
assessing the sites topography,
waste, pollution, and climate.

4 Provision of natural ventilation:

Natural ventilation of buildings must
be made available, either naturally
or mechanically.

10

Reduction of water consumption:

Domestic fresh water consumption
must be minimised using proven
techniques, such as the installation of
highly efficient water-flow reduction
equipment and domestic appliances.

Control of water consumption: Water

consumption must be controlled by
installing metres to monitor outdoor

10 Management of construction waste:

There must be a plan to manage
construction and demolition waste
through a combination of waste
reduction, reuse and recycling.
11 Storage & recycling of domestic
waste: An internal area must be
assigned for the sorting of various
types of domestic waste (i.e. paper,
plastic, glass, etc.). In addition, an
external area must be assigned
for the storage of sorted domestic
waste, so that it can later be collected
and recycled.

The PRS 20 Mandatory Requirements:

Urban Systems Assessment To

ensure that, before the design
process begins, a thorough
understanding of the project site
is developed within its urban
context to better inform project
programming, connectivity and
built form.
Outdoor Thermal Comfort To
increase outdoor thermal comfort
during transition months and
reduce thermal discomfort during
summer months in public spaces
and walkways.

Integrated Development Strategy To

ensure new development adopts the
Integrated Development Process (IDP)
as a way of attaining greater synergy
between project systems, resulting in
high performance buildings.

Tenant
Fit-Out
Design
&
Construction Guide To ensure that
the design and construction of
interior space fit-out will contribute
to the overall projects sustainability
objectives and targets.

Basic Commissioning To ensure that

the building performs as designed
to protect occupant health and
provide comfort and ongoing
building efficiency.

10 Healthy Ventilation Delivery To

protect the quality of air drawn
into buildings for ventilation and
to ensure minimum delivery of
outdoor fresh air.

Natural Systems Assessment To

ensure that at the commencement
of the design process, the
environmental baseline conditions
surrounding, connected to and on
the site are considered and assessed.

11 Smoking Control To eliminate or

minimize exposure of building
occupants to the harmful effects of
tobacco smoke.

Natural Systems Protection To

protect significant and valuable
Natural Systems assets identified in
NS-R1 Natural Systems Assessment.
Natural
Systems
Design
&
Management Strategy To minimize
demand for resources, promote
soil protection and enhancement
and ensure the long term survival
and management of landscaped/
habitat areas.
Plan 2030 To ensure that all new
development supports the vision
for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as
defined by the applicable Plan
2030, and/or Development Code,
and/ or Area Plan.

12 Legionella Prevention To manage

the risk of Legionella in water based
building systems.
13 Minimum Interior Water Use
Reduction To develop and implement
a comprehensive water strategy
during the early stages of design as a
tool to minimize the projects interior
potable water consumption.
14 Exterior Water Monitoring To
encourage the provision of metering
facilities on all exterior water uses
enabling effective management of
outdoor water consumption and
prevention of leaks.
15 Minimum Energy Performance To
create a decision-support tool to
assist the project team in making

11

Estidama at ADM
informed decisions about the
options, implications and benefits
of various aspects of the building
design in order to achieve a
minimum level of energy efficiency
16 Ozone Impacts of Refrigerants & Fire
Suppression Systems To promote
the selection of refrigerants and fire
suppression systems that minimize
impacts on the environment
17 Hazardous Materials Elimination
To eliminate exposure of building
occupants to asbestos and minimize
toxic effects of chromated copper
arsenate (CCA) treated timber on
people and the environment.
18 Basic
Construction
Waste
Management To reduce the longterm
environmental
impacts
associated with construction waste
collection, transport and disposal.
19 Basic Operational Waste Management
To
reduce
the
long-term
environmental impacts associated
with operational waste collection,
transport and disposal.
20 Monitoring energy usage inside
buildings to promote the use of highly
efficient elements, equipment and
systems

What are the requirements and

correct process for obtaining
building permit approvals?

Dhabi City the authority to review and

approve the following projects types:
Villa compounds of ten villas or less
Buildings of 75,000 square metres
or less
The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council
is responsible for the review and
approval of all other projects, including
government buildings and mosques.
To comply with Estidama requirements,
a consultant must:
1

Book an appointment for Estidama

training through the Abu Dhabi
Urban Planning Council, in order to
learn about Estidama requirements
and the Pearl Rating System.

Obtain a certificate.

Apply Estidama standards and

requirements to all new building designs.

Fill in the Municipality of Abu Dhabi

City application form, providing all
required information to allow the
municipal engineers to efficiently
carry out the review process and
provide their report.

The design and building review

process consists of four distinct stages:
1

Estidama 1 Schematic Stage:

Preliminary submissions provided
by the consultant are reviewed
to make sure the consultant
is complying with all required
design standards. Conventional
architectural and structural reviews
are then conducted.

Estidama 2 Detailed Stage:

After completion of all design
requirements and submission of

The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council

has granted the Municipality of Abu

12

is responsible for the review and

approval of all other projects, including
government buildings and mosques.

written specifications, detailed

and final designs provided by the
consultant are reviewed to make
sure the consultant is complying
with all requirements. Upon
successful completion of this stage,

What tasks are the Estidama

team responsible for?

the building permit is issued.

Providing rapid and accessible

technical support on all matters
related to the Estidama programme.

Communicating
openly
and
efficiently with organisations and
individuals in the construction and
real estate sectors to facilitate the
registration and review process.

Developing an action plan to offer

free workshops at the Municipality
of Abu Dhabi City to introduce
stakeholders to the Estidama
programme, its requirements, and
the procedures for implementation.
These workshops target a number
of stakeholder groups, including
consultants, contractors, suppliers,
owners, real estate developers, and
relevant governmental employees.

Organising
free
introductory
workshops, in collaboration with the
Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council.
The first such workshop, organised
by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi
City, was attended by over 500
consultants
and
contractors
operating in the Emirate.

Estidama 3 Pre-Construction
Stage: Preliminary submissions
provided
by
the
contractor
are reviewed to make sure the
contractor is complying with all
required standards at the preconstruction stage.
Estidama 4 Post-Construction
Stage:
Completed
buildings
are reviewed to make sure the
contractor has complied with all
required standards during and
post-construction.
This stage
includes the final test results on
building systems, outer surface
efficiency, and waste management
plan implementation, etc. Upon
successful completion of this stage,
a certificate of completion is issued.

Do these requirements and

conditions only apply to
new building permits or
will old buildings also need
to comply?
For the time being, the above
requirements only apply to new
buildings. The projects to be reviewed
and approved by the Municipality of Abu
Dhabi City are limited to the following:
New villa compounds of ten villas or
less
New buildings of 75,000 square metres
or less
The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council

13

Estidama Submittal Credits Requirements 1

Pearl Villa rating projects
Demarcation for Estidama 1 (E1) & Estidama 2 (E2)

IDP-R1: Integrated Development Strategy

1
2


3

4

5

Team structure, listing team members, titles and relevant skills

Process (Bar) chart for the Integrated Development Process(IDP), developed at
project inception, detailing design milestones, planned workshops, participants,
goals, expected outcomes, and required actions with task assignments
Implementation strategy for smooth transition between project stages and
project packages
Meeting minutes, action items and team member responsibilities from key
workshops as part of the IDP
Description for any changes from the initial IDP process chart

IDP-R2: System & Performance Verification

1
2
3
4

Description of system (and associated control) requirements for the villa

Description of envelope verification requirements for the villa
CV of competent professional undertaking the system verification
CV of competent professional undertaking the envelope verification

NS-R1: Natural Systems Assessment & Protection

1

2

3

Natural systems assessment for flora and fauna, microclimate, soil

conditions and topography, waste and contamination (where applicable)
Time stamped photographs and referenced site location photographs of all
valuable assets base on the field survey
Site plans showing protected and enhanced features, areas allocated for habitat
creation or restoration, or connected areas and the relationship to adjoining
properties (where applicable)

E1
E1

E1
E2
E2

E2
E2
E2
E2

E1
E1
E2

LV-R1: Urban Systems Assessment

The Urban Systems Assessment Credit (LV-R1) was previously a mandatory UPC
requirement but has been revised and is now an optional credit

LV-R2: Outdoor Thermal Comfort Strategy

The Outdoor Thermal Comfort Strategy Credit was previously a mandatory UPC
requirement but has been revised and is now an optional credit

LV-R3: Minimum Ventilation

Natural Ventilation

1 Description of how the natural ventilation design requirements will be achieved

2 Plans, elevations and sections describing window and door positions, sizes and
maximum opening distances

14

E1
E2

3

4

Plans and sections describing opening areas between rooms ventilated through
adjoining spaces
Calculation schedule demonstrating compliance with minimum opening area
criteria for all spaces

Mechanical Ventilation
5

6

7

Description of how the mechanical ventilation design requirements

will be achieved
Spreadsheet calculations of fresh air ventilation rates, based on
the calculation procedure of Section 403 for all zones
Mechanical drawings, system specifications and manufacturers details

PW-R1: Minimum Interior Water Use Reduction

1
2


3

4

Description of all proposed water conservation strategies

Villa Water Calculator confirming that the villas predicted interior potable
water consumption will be no greater than the baseline villa interior potable
water consumption, using efficiency measures only
Specifications for all proposed fixtures and fittings, indicating flow rates and
flow regulation systems
Specifications for all proposed appliances, including information on their
water usage

PW-R2: Water Monitoring

1 Description of how water monitoring requirements will be achieved

2 Water distribution drawing and extracts from specifications, indicating
the type, extent and locations of sub-meters

RE-R1: Minimum Energy Performance

1
2

3


4

5

Description of how building envelope requirements will be achieved

Description of how efficient appliances and renewable energy
requirements will be achieved
Energy system schematics illustrating the proposed HWS generation strategy
and confirming that the required level of HWS generation by renewable sources
will be achieved
Specifications, calculations, and building services layout design drawings
indicating the type, extent and location of the HWS generation system
Manufacturers details of each installed appliance, light fixture, fan, A/C unit,
and other electrical item, detailing energy ratings/units efficiency/power ratings

E2
E1

E2
E2
E2

E2
E2

E2
E2

E2
E2

E1
E2
E2

E2
E2

15

6 Description of ability for renewable energy systems to be installed in the future,

along with any routing from the renewable energy equipment to the main
residential building
7 Sections and details for each building faade element utilised in the design,
detailing how envelope requirements will be achieved for each element
8 List of all appliances to be installed in the building, including numbers
and energy efficiency certifications
9 Detailed specifications of appliance energy usage or proof of certification
by Energy Star program, EU Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme, or equivalent
10 (Optional) Demonstrate that the proposed building model meets or exceeds
the energy performance requirements compared of the baseline building
11 (Optional) Provide an energy model template, summarising the dynamic energy
simulation and confirming the percentage reduction that will be achieved

E1

E2
E2
E2
E2
E2

RE-R2: Energy Monitoring for Villas

The Energy Monitoring Credit was previously a mandatory UPC requirement

but has been revised and is now an optional credit

RE-R3: Minimizing Ozone Impact of Refrigerants

Using refrigerants, confirming ODP of each refrigerant is zero

E2

SM-R1: Hazardous Materials Elimination

1


2
3

If parts of the project are reused from an existing building, provide the results
E2
of a hazardous materials survey, following internationally-recognised standards,
documenting the existence, if any, of ACMs in the building
Description of asbestos removal and disposal plans
E2
Confirmation that no ACMs and no CCA-treated timber will be used in the project E2

SM-R2: Basic Construction Waste Management

1

2
3

Construction & Demolition Waste Management Plan (CDWMP) conforming

to requirements
Villa Waste Calculator confirming compliance with requirements
Schedule of items to be recycled/salvaged from demolition and construction,
if any

SM-R3: Storage & Collection of Waste & Recyclables

Submitting designs of rooms for the storage and collection of waste

16

E2
E2
E2

E1