The Dubai Municipality has confirmed that recent warnings issued to several engineering offices were prompted by excessive claims in structural designs for a number of citizens’ villas, lacking clear technical justifications, which have resulted in unjustified increases in construction costs.
The municipality identified that the primary violations attributed to consulting offices in the structural designs of citizens’ villas include: the submission of exaggerated structural designs, leading to excessive use of building materials such as reinforcing steel and concrete, which contradicts the requirements of the “Dubai Building Code” and drives up construction costs, as well as presenting designs that fail to meet necessary safety standards due to design errors.
In response, structural design engineers at various consulting firms have communicated to the press that the “Dubai Building Code” aligns globally with quality and safety factors. They emphasized that all consulting offices operate within these standards and regulations, but provided justifications for potential changes that may arise during the execution of villa projects and design adjustments, including:
Soil nature, groundwater levels, architectural design, the condition of neighboring land, and the experience level of the designing engineer, among other factors that need to be considered during structural design. They assured their commitment to adhering to the Dubai Building Code during execution while also meeting client requirements and budget allocations for the project.
Unified Requirements
Specifically, the Dubai Municipality clarified that it relies on the approved building code for citizens’ villa designs, established in 2021, noting that this code consolidates all technical and engineering standards necessary for building and villa designs.
The specifications and structural requirements are based on international standards and codes such as the American Concrete Institute (ACI), European Code, International Building Code (IBC), ASHRAE, NFPA, and others, while taking into account the local environment and climate conditions.
Causes
The municipality pointed out that possible reasons for the exaggerated designs from engineering and consulting offices may include the designer’s lack of technical expertise, negligence, and ignorance of code requirements. In some cases, consulting offices may deliberately make design alterations to increase construction costs and profit margins from clients. As such, strict measures have been implemented against violators, and if any amendments to the code are enacted, they will apply only to new projects submitted after the modifications are issued.
Furthermore, the municipality is continuously reviewing and developing the code’s clauses and specifications, with new versions released periodically through administrative decisions and notifications sent to all consulting offices and contracting companies, alongside updates available on the municipality’s official website.
It is noted that a revised edition of the code is issued every few years, and efforts are currently underway to develop a new version set to be released next year, taking into account all updates previously disseminated through circulars and decisions.
The Dubai Municipality also indicated that the total number of approved engineering consulting offices for various engineering activities stands at 1,000, categorized according to building heights into three tiers: Tier Three (Ground + 4 floors), Tier Two (Ground + 12 floors), and Tier One, which has no restrictions on height.
Each tier has specific technical criteria, including the number of engineers, their qualifications, and years of experience. If an office seeks to change to a higher tier, the number of completed projects must be increased, noting that the starting tier is Ground + 4 floors.
On the other hand, Nouri Al-Ali, head of the structural design department at Index Engineering Consultancy, commented that the Dubai Building Code’s requirements are globally recognized and are higher compared to those in other Arab countries, emphasizing quality and safety factors.
Any violations of these standards and the failure to comply with the approved regulatory and engineering criteria without established engineering needs will be rejected by the municipal engineer who oversees construction processes like foundations, columns, slabs, and their thickness according to the weights they must support. He pointed out that the consultant provides the structural study and specifies the amount of steel required, which must be adhered to without increase or decrease to ensure structural efficiency without exaggeration in designs.
He noted that some consultants inflate the steel quantities at the design stage to avoid rejection of their structural plans by municipal engineers, and exceeding the specified steel quantity in construction incurs additional costs for the client that should not be exaggerated, with the minimum required based on the approved building code.
Global Standards
Engineer Alaa Salman, director of Castle Architectural Consultancy, stated that the “Dubai Code” includes numerous technical specifications and engineering requirements that adhere to global building standards, and all consulting offices should operate within these guidelines.
He indicated that various factors impact structural design and its costs, including soil type, groundwater level, architectural form, neighborhood conditions, the designer’s experience, and other elements that must be considered during structural design.
He added: The consultant’s design must align with the Dubai Code’s regulations and the client’s requirements and budget assigned for the project. One cannot design a residence with elaborate specifications for architectural design and finishes within the same budget allocated for a simple design with medium finishes; this depends significantly on the owner’s vision for their future home.
Additionally, the nature of the soil can negatively affect the project costs, forcing the structural designer to increase foundation thickness or reinforcement levels. Here, the crucial role of urban planning companies and infrastructure contractors comes into play to ensure quality of backfill and soil used in land leveling before offering it to owners.
Moreover, architectural features, such as building height, spacing between columns, and large architectural projections, affect structural design by necessitating thicker structural elements or more reinforcement to align the design with building requirements.
The speaker remarked: In some instances, the oversight role of the reviewing engineer within the relevant authorities is critical in achieving a design that is compliant with regulations and creates the lowest possible cost for the client. Thus, selecting skilled personnel from the relevant agencies or consulting offices is essential to maintain low costs, ensure safety, and comply with global standards.
Responsibility
Furthermore, structural engineer Nader Shaaban mentioned that if the client raises objections regarding high costs stemming from the structural design, the evaluation of that concern varies with each project, its specifications, and requirements. Here, the justification from the consultant for any structural increases becomes paramount.
If those increases are deemed unjustified, they may be considered a violation of the code; however, if they prove necessary and contribute to the project’s safety factors, they should not be classified as violations.
He emphasized that each project is unique in terms of soil nature and client requirements, particularly regarding projections, columns, and their distribution while ensuring none are placed within architectural spaces, which may sometimes necessitate specific structural considerations that lead to increased costs.
Engineer Nader Shaaban underscored that consultants are committed to adhering to the standards and regulations established within the Dubai Building Code to reduce waste and unnecessary expenses, ultimately supporting a conducive business environment and achieving superior quality levels.
Dubai Municipality
The warnings issued to engineering offices came after identifying exaggerations in designs for citizens’ villas without valid justifications.
Submissions of exaggerated structural designs led to excessive use of building materials and violated the “Dubai Building Code.”
Design submissions that do not meet the requisite structural safety standards due to design errors were also noted.
Engineering Consulting Offices
The “Dubai Building Code” requirements align globally with quality and safety factors, and we operate within its standards.
Soil nature, groundwater levels, and architectural design are factors that must be considered during structural design.
We are dedicated to meeting both the Dubai Building Code requirements and the client’s expectations while aligning with the project budget.