Muscat- At a time when global interest in sustainability and reducing carbon emissions is rising, the Sultanate of Oman seeks to consolidate its presence among countries that adopt an integrated approach to green construction and sustainable cities.
This trend is no longer just a development option, but has become an integral part of the “Oman 2040” vision, which aims to build a diversified economy capable of competing globally, and at the same time consistent with international commitments related to climate and sustainable development.
Towards sustainability
Green buildings in the Sultanate have become part of a comprehensive urban policy supported by government legislation and stimulated by the real estate market, with institutions and investors increasingly adopting sustainability as one of their priorities.
In a qualitative step towards unifying engineering practices, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, in the October Urban Event, a few days ago, launched a guide to building requirements and requirements in the Sultanate of Oman, which is the first national reference for construction that brings together 6 main guides covering various technical and environmental specializations in the construction sector.
Engineer Sarah Bint Saleh Al Hinai from the Ministry says – in her interview with Al Jazeera Net – that the guide is based on scientific foundations that take into account the natural and climatic characteristics of Oman, ensuring a safe and sustainable urban environment at lower costs, adding that it “contributes to raising the Sultanate’s classification among international indicators for sustainable cities.”
The guide was prepared in cooperation with the International Code Council (ICC), to suit the climatic conditions of Oman, and the pilot application is scheduled to begin during 2026/2027, in preparation for full compliance by 2030.
The guide includes a set of evidence, most notably:
- The Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Guide, which sets standards for energy-efficient buildings.
- Mechanical guide to ventilation, air conditioning and heating systems.
- A guide to sanitary installations and water networks, to ensure quality operation.
- Sanitation guide, for treating water in safe and sustainable ways.
Zero neutrality
The National Guide to Energy Efficiency and Sustainability is one of the important implementation tools of the National Zero Neutrality Strategy, and contributes to reducing emissions from the construction sector, the most energy-consuming sector.
It is also consistent with the objectives of “Oman Vision 2040” in the areas of sustainable environment and vibrant cities, by enhancing efficiency and innovation in construction and encouraging investment in green infrastructure, and represents an extension of the principles of the basic system of the state, which stipulates protecting the environment and preventing pollution.
This code sets minimum requirements for energy-efficient buildings through mandatory and performance-based provisions, is based on general principles that allow the use of new materials and innovative designs, and is applied to different categories of buildings.
The Omani Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Code, version 2025, was prepared based on the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for the year 2021, with some local amendments.
Energy conservation
The code is based on principles aimed at conserving energy without an unjustified increase in construction costs, not restricting the use of new materials or methods, and not giving preference to certain types of materials or construction methods. It is also keen to ensure the integrity and technical consistency of the Omani codes.
The code is a basic design document that is referred to before the construction phase to determine standards and technical requirements according to the type of building. It also covers all aspects of energy use in buildings.
It is also used in voluntary commitment programs in the fields of sustainability, energy efficiency, disaster resistance, the insurance sector, qualification of engineering competencies, evaluation of products and building materials, and in academic curricula, making it a national reference for spreading the culture of sustainable construction.
In the same context, the Environment Agency previously launched the national “Rozana” system for green buildings, which evaluates buildings according to 7 criteria including: energy, water, materials, indoor environmental quality, innovation, and facilities management, and grants certificates to encourage real estate institutions to adhere to sustainability standards.
Circular economy
The concept of green construction does not stop at reducing the environmental impact, but rather expands to feed the concept of the circular economy, which is based on reusing resources, reducing waste, and converting waste into productive materials, as Oman is moving towards incorporating recycled materials into infrastructure projects, especially in engineering landfills.
Bee’ah Company engineer Saad Al Hosani says that demolition and construction waste is transported to recycling sites, sorted to remove metal and wood, then mechanically crushed and sieved to extract recycled rubble, with metal residues removed using magnetic separators.
Al Hosani adds – in his speech to Al Jazeera Net – that these materials are subject to careful examinations to ensure their compliance with the specifications, indicating that they are less expensive by more than 80% compared to natural raw materials.
He explained that Bee’ah monitors the quality of recycled materials, noting that these materials have proven their efficiency in several projects, most notably the second cell in the Sohar Engineering Landfill, where they constituted 50% of the total materials used (about 65 thousand cubic meters) of recycled demolition and construction waste.
This project is the first of its kind in the Sultanate, as it used construction waste to construct dams, protection layers, and water drainage channels, which reduced costs by more than 80% compared to the option of purchasing natural soil. The step provided an innovative environmental solution that reduces the accumulation of waste in landfills, and reduces the carbon footprint resulting from transportation and extraction operations.
Al Hosani explained that the study that preceded implementation aimed to replace natural soil with construction waste, and engineering analyzes proved the stability of the dams using these materials.
Experience shows that recycling construction waste can become a strategic resource for infrastructure projects, especially with the presence of 11 engineering landfills in the Sultanate, and plans for annual expansion, which creates an increasing demand for sustainable backfill materials.
For his part, PDO engineer Fahd Al Mahrouqi points out that applying green building concepts brings direct benefits to individuals and institutions, “It stimulates the economy, adds value to the national industry, and preserves natural resources.”
He added to Al Jazeera Net that these technologies “improve indoor air quality, benefit from natural light and natural ventilation, and reduce energy consumption,” and that sustainable buildings have a higher market value and acceptance among consumers.
Green Building Forum
In this context, the National Forum for Green Building and Sustainable Cities, which Oman hosted last November, constitutes a milestone in the path of sustainable urban transformation, as it brought together an elite group of experts, decision-makers, real estate developers, and representatives of the public and private sectors to discuss the future of green construction in the country.
He focused on enhancing integration between government agencies and the private sector to accelerate the adoption of sustainable urban design techniques, develop environmentally friendly building materials, and adopt smart systems for managing facilities, energy and water.
The forum was accompanied by a specialized exhibition that displayed the latest solutions in the fields of thermal insulation, energy-efficient lighting systems, low-emission building technologies, and smart city solutions, and contributed to formulating practical recommendations that enhance the Sultanate’s ability to reach zero neutrality by 2050.
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