Before the creation of the Dubai Building Code (DBC), the construction industry relied on different documents to ensure projects met local and international standards. In addition, approvals of operations and licenses had to be examined by various local authorities. Commissioned by the Dubai Government, the DBC unifies design requirements, making the design process simpler for developers, designers and other stakeholders.

The DBC is a result of a collaboration between Dubai Building Code Committee, Arup, Gensler, and the British Standards Institution (BSI). As lead consultant, our role was to manage the project, develop the code’s design and engineering content, agree the content with all local authorities and service providers and finally to illustrate, publish and translate the final code. We brought local knowledge and code development knowhow as well as international subject matter expertise in all aspects of engineering within buildings and the built environment.

First code of its kind in the country, the DBC provides a baseline for future regulation development as the city grows and responds to future change. Aiming to simplify building design and approvals, the code combines international best practise with regulations tailored to the local market.

It provides a holistic approach to sustainable design, describing the outcomes that buildings are expected to achieve while allowing alternative design solutions where requirements cannot be met. Recognising the vital role of the building envelope in energy performance, the code also features a dedicated section to this topic. 

Consolidating design standards into a single code

Our team assessed and tested Dubai’s array of building design requirements, advising on the regulations to be removed, as well as those to be retained or amended for safety, wellbeing and to improve the sustainability and performance of the city’s buildings. For example, wind and seismic loading requirements were optimised based on Dubai specific data and research to reduce construction materials and embodied carbon.  

The new DBC embeds sustainability requirements within each code part rather than having a standalone chapter with discrete sustainability requirements. This arrangement of the code requirements supports a coordinated and holistic approach to sustainable design. Benchmarking to international codes and engaging with Dubai’s authorities and service providers was essential to establishing a common vision for the code’s objectives, scope, and content. Aside from this, it ensured the code requirements benefited from international best practise while being specific and appropriate to the Dubai market.

Intended to be a prescriptive code, the DBC aims to simplify design and approvals for the most common building typologies. However, performance statements are provided at the start of each Part to describe the outcomes that the completed building is expected to achieve. The performance statements form a set of overarching regulations that convey the requirements of the DBC and allow alternative design solutions where a project cannot reasonably meet the prescribed requirements. 

Since launching in January 2022, it has already been applied to major projects across the city, such as the prestigious Palm Flower residential building.

Identifying gaps to meet the sustainability challenge

In addition to bringing together existing codes for building design, our team also identified gaps in the city’s existing regulations and offered guidance to fill these. For example, specific guidance for the design of building envelopes was limited. Recognising their vital role in energy performance, our team introduced a dedicated section for this topic in the new code and agreed enhanced performance criteria to reduce heat gain and energy loss.

Illustration of different elements of a building
Illustration of different elements of a building
The Dubai Building Code embeds sustainability requirements within each code part
Dubai marina

Launched in January 2022, the Dubai Building Code has already been applied to major projects across the city

Cover of Dubai Building Code
The Dubai Building Code is the first code of its kind in the country