Permits & NOCs · Sustainability
For owners, architects and developers whose building permit depends on meeting Dubai's green building system. We build Al Sa'fat requirements into the design and the submission, so energy, water and materials criteria are answered before the reviewer asks.
Al Sa'fat is the reason a Dubai building permit reviewer asks about wall insulation, glazing performance, roof reflectance and water fittings on a plain two-storey villa. It is Dubai's green building system, and meeting its baseline is a condition of building in the emirate.
Most compliance problems are not about ambition. They come from Al Sa'fat being treated as a form to fill in after the design is finished. By then, the window sizes, wall build-ups and MEP choices are fixed, and changing them means redrawing several disciplines.
This page explains what Al Sa'fat requires, who it applies to and how we work it into a project from the first sketch. Dubai Municipality assesses compliance and issues the certificates. We prepare and coordinate.
Dubai Municipality issued green building regulations in 2010, and they became mandatory for new buildings in March 2014. In 2016 they were upgraded into a rated system, and on 19 October 2020 the system known as Al Sa'fat replaced the earlier regulations. The legal basis is Administrative Resolution No. 154 of 2020, the bylaw on the Dubai Green Building System. DM's current guidance is the second edition, published in January 2023.
Al Sa'fat sets requirements for energy and water efficiency, materials, indoor environment and the wider site. It sits alongside the Dubai Building Code, which deals with the building design as a whole. In practice, both shape the same drawings.
The mandatory level for all new buildings. The bylaw allows some Silver requirements to be optional for private villas, investment villas and industrial buildings.
An optional higher level for owners who want better performance and recognition. It adds further requirements on top of Silver.
The highest optional level, for projects designed around demanding sustainability targets.
The bylaw covers a wide range of building types: private villas, investment villas, traditional Arab houses, and residential, commercial, public, industrial and mixed-use buildings. It applies to:
Temporary buildings intended to be removed within two years are excluded. Buildings permitted under the previous regulations can apply voluntarily for a Sa'fa certificate.
For most owners, that means Al Sa'fat matters when you build a new villa, put up a new commercial or industrial building, or extend or substantially modify one. If you are planning a new villa permit or a major villa extension, plan for it from the start.
The full requirement list is in DM's Al Sa'fat guidance and depends on building type. The areas that most often drive design decisions are:
| Area | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Building envelope | Thermal performance of walls and roofs, glazing performance and the proportion of glass on each façade. These decide insulation thickness, wall build-ups and window specifications. |
| Cooling and ventilation | Air-conditioning efficiency, controls, fresh-air provision and duct insulation, set out in the MEP design. |
| Lighting and metering | Efficient lighting and controls, and metering that lets energy and water use be monitored. |
| Water | Low-flow fittings, efficient irrigation and, where applicable, water reuse. |
| Materials | Reflective roof surfaces, low-emission paints, adhesives and sealants, and certified insulation and glazing products. |
| Renewables and hot water | Solar water heating has long been a design requirement for certain new buildings in Dubai, and space on the roof may also be planned for rooftop solar PV. |
For a plain-English introduction to insulation and U-values, see our guide to Al Sa'fat and U-value basics.
Al Sa'fat compliance is not only about drawings. Many requirements depend on the actual product used. Dubai Municipality's Central Laboratory issues conformity certificates for green building products, including roofing materials (solar reflectance), paints and coatings, glazed elements, thermal insulation, adhesives and sealants, solar water heating systems and paving blocks.
That has two consequences. The specification should name products that hold the relevant certificate, and the contractor should not substitute an uncertified "equivalent" during construction. Substitutions are a common reason for problems at the completion stage.
Confirm the building type, the authority and whether Silver is the goal or the owner wants Golden or Platinum. Identify which Silver items are optional for this building type.
Owner · consultant
Architectural and MEP design follow the requirements from concept: glazing ratios, insulation, shading, efficient systems and fittings. Our MEP design and building design teams work to the same checklist.
Architect · MEP engineer
Compliance details, calculations and specifications go with the building permit application, coordinated through a DM-registered consultant.
Registered consultant
Reviewer queries on Al Sa'fat items are answered with revised drawings or calculations.
Consultant · DM
The contractor installs the specified, certified products. Changes are approved before they are made.
Contractor · consultant
DM's Building Permit Department verifies compliance and issues the Sa'fa certificate at the achieved level, alongside completion.
Dubai Municipality
The bylaw sets how long each certificate lasts:
Owners aiming for Golden or Platinum should plan for renewal, because performance in operation matters, not only the design.
Buildings permitted under the earlier green building regulations are not forced into Al Sa'fat, but the bylaw lets their owners apply voluntarily. DM then evaluates the building and issues a certificate at the level it meets. Landlords sometimes consider this when repositioning an older commercial building, because a recognised rating can support leasing and sale discussions. It usually starts with a review of the existing envelope, systems and metering against the current requirements.
We don't publish fixed fees for Al Sa'fat work, because the effort depends on the project. The main factors are:
Al Sa'fat usually runs within a wider Dubai Municipality permit, so we manage both together.
Yes. New buildings, including private villas, must meet the Silver Sa'fa level. The bylaw allows some Silver requirements to be optional for private villas, investment villas and industrial buildings, so the checklist is lighter than for a commercial building.
The bylaw covers permitted additions and modifications as well as new buildings. How much applies depends on the scope, so we check it for each extension.
Silver is the mandatory baseline. Golden and Platinum are optional higher levels with additional requirements, and their certificates are valid for 5 years rather than the longer Silver validity.
Dubai Municipality's Building Permit Department evaluates the building and issues the certificate at the level achieved. We prepare and coordinate the submission; we do not issue certificates.
No. The Dubai Building Code sets design requirements for buildings generally, while Al Sa'fat is the green building system. They overlap in areas such as the building envelope, and a compliant design satisfies both.
On this page
Designing a new building?
Send the plot details and a concept or brief. We will tell you what Al Sa'fat means for your design before it is fixed.
Guide
A U-value describes thermal transmittance through a building element.
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Guide
The Dubai Building Code provides a framework for minimum building requirements.
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Guide
DM approval is often used as a catch-all phrase, but the first question is what you want to change.
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Service
Building a new villa on your Dubai plot? Plan the site plan, developer NOC, permit, Al Sa'fat compliance, inspections and completion certificate in order.
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Coordinate mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems around the proposed space and equipment. We help connect the architectural layout to practical service routes, demand information and technical submissions.
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Coordinate architectural planning and engineering for a building that works for its users and can be developed through the relevant review stages. We help turn operational needs into a structured design brief.
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Get support for Dubai Municipality approval: drawings, NOCs, permits, submissions and completion coordination. Check the approval route for your project.
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Rooftop solar on a Dubai villa, warehouse or building: DEWA Shams Dubai NOC, design approval, developer consent, structural checks and grid connection explained.
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Share a few details and we will tell you which approvals apply, what documents you need and how we can help. There is no obligation.