ARACO to design Emirati housing project

DUBAI / Emirates Business

Abdul Rahim Architectural Consultants (ARACO), a leading engineering consultant in design and project management in the UAE, has been selected from more than 40 firms to provide design and consultancy services for Abu Dhabi Housing Authority’s (ADHA) Bayti initiative, which streamlines the process of building homes for Emirati nationals. Launched in late 2016, the Bayti initiative reduces the time taken for Emiratis to design and approve a house from 3 months to only three weeks. Houses are constructed in 58 architecturally and structurally pre-approved exteriors – of which ARACO designed 12 – with modular interiors adaptable to the needs and size of each individual family.
Full construction of each house can be completed within two years, with the process reducing consultant’s fees to 3%, instead of 4% or higher.
Commenting on the project, ARACO Abu Dhabi Branch Manager, Yousef Abu Shaaban, said: “In the past this process included searching for suitable consultants, preparing the design, assessing the presented blueprints before issuing a building permit and starting construction. That process could take as long as three months. Now, the clients can choose from pre-approved designs already licensed by the Department of Municipal Affairs. After that the presented blueprints will be assessed and a building permit will be issued, within two weeks, before the construction begins”
The designs are approved by authorities, including municipalities, to make the process of construction smoother and more convenient for Emiratis granted a loan for housing in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Up to 3,000 loans are approved each year and houses are permitted for construction in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and the Western Region. Designed in modern, Andalusian, Islamic and heritage styles, the homes range from four to eight bedrooms and homeowners can select wall colours, fittings and fixtures.