Emarat Al Youm, 15 September 2025: Dubai Municipality has introduced three key structural requirements for the design of nationals’ villas, whilst taking action against engineering firms found in violation of building codes.

The new standards mandate compliance with the Dubai Building Code and approved engineering standards, require a balance between structural safety and economic cost, and specify the use of building materials only as required without excess.

The municipality recently issued warnings to several engineering consultancy offices after detecting professional malpractices involving excessive structural designs for nationals’ villas. These practices were found to conflict with Dubai Building Code requirements and led to unjustified increases in construction costs.

The main violation involved over-engineering of structural designs, with excessive use of steel reinforcement and concrete without engineering justification. The municipality identified these violations through both design reviews and on-site inspections.

Officials noted that some designs included unnecessary reinforcement and oversized structural elements that increased costs for homeowners without technical necessity.

The municipality has warned consulting offices to avoid these practices to prevent negative annual evaluations and potential disciplinary measures under applicable regulations.

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