By Muhammad Rafiq
DUBAI: Diriyah Company has been simultaneously awarded two prestigious Mostadam (Ajwad) certifications for sustainability by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing in alignment with the Kingdom’s Quality of Life Program, and a central aspect of Vision 2030. The dynamic mixed-use developer was recognized for the Northern Diriyah Area and the Ritz-Carlton Residences development projects respectively. The announcement came as part of the first day of the Cityscape Global real estate event titled “The Future of Living”, held in Riyadh from 11 – 14 November.
The certification is granted to residential, and communities based on ratings that measure the sustainability of these projects, supporting them through the Ajwad initiative. This is achieved by applying sustainability and quality of life standards, such as increasing green spaces, providing safe pathways for pedestrians as well as cyclists, and reducing water waste by reusing it for irrigating the gardens and green areas of the project.
The Ajwad initiative has registered 74 projects, with five Diriyah projects included under the program to date, of which two have successfully attained this highly sought-after certification:
- Diriyah North (Masterplan certification – Diamond Level)
- The Ritz Carlton Residences (Asset certification- Gold Level)
The remaining three projects are scheduled for certification next year.
Diriyah North achieved 86 points on the Mostadam certification scale for its Masterplan, achieving Diamond level, the highest level of Mostadam certification. This accomplishment underscores Diriyah’s commitment to sustainability and enhancing the community’s quality of life. Additional Diriyah districts will apply for the Mostadam Diamond certification in the coming months.
Diriyah North’s sustainability achievements include meeting 100% of irrigation demand by Treated Sewage Effluent, providing 46% shaded walkways for pedestrians, and dedicating 25% of the area to parks and open space.
Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Company, said: “The Diriyah project is fully committed to sustainability. These latest accreditations are a significant endorsement of our dedication to employing the highest standards of environmental protection in construction and design, enabling us to deliver a brand-new concept in urban development with a unique people-first urban regeneration project for everyone to enjoy.”
The latest recognition follows a series of sustainability accolades recently awarded to Diriyah. Diriyah received LEED Platinum certification in 2023, for the first phase of the Diriyah Masterplan, becoming the first project in the Middle East to achieve the highest level of certification at masterplan level. Additionally, the Wadi Safar master plan received the region’s first SITES Gold precertification. Moreover, Bujairi Car Park and Samhan Car Park were also awarded Parksmart GOLD pre-certification in 2022 and 2023 respectively for sustainability best practices.
