Monday 06 / October / 2025
Muscat: The fifth edition of the “Home and Building Expo” focusing on Architecture and Urban Planning launched at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre today under the slogan "Sustainable Cities for People."
The inauguration ceremony featured the launch of Oman’s Building Requirements and Specifications Guide and witnessed the signing of development agreements for future city projects, the development of neighbourhoods under the Integrated Residential Neighbourhoods initiative, and the announcement of a new investment opportunity.
The exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in cooperation with Expo Muscat, was inaugurated under the patronage of Sheikh Al Fadhl bin Mohammed Al Harthy, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers.
The event serves as an exceptional platform bringing together elite experts, developers, investors, and decision-makers from various sectors, with wide participation from government and private institutions and international specialists in the fields of urban development, urban planning, architectural design, and sustainable construction.
The launch coincides with the global celebration of Urban October, reflecting Oman's commitment to enhancing its role in developing sustainable cities that achieve balanced urban development goals. It also contributes to promoting youth engagement, familiarising them with future urban projects, and encouraging them to innovate solutions for planning challenges, thereby helping to shape the future of cities with modern and sustainable methods.
The opening ceremony saw the signing of seven partnership and development agreements for future city projects, including Sultan Haitham City, Al Thuraya City in Muscat Governorate, and Al Jabal Al A'ali in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.
These agreements enhance Oman's urban growth map, open new investment horizons, and reflect a commitment to the "We Race With Time" principle in accelerating the implementation of these cities according to the highest modern standards, supporting quality of life in line with the economic and urban transformations witnessed in Oman.
During the event, the tender for implementing the sewage treatment plant in Sultan Haitham City was awarded to Al Sarooj Trading and Contracting, with an investment value exceeding OMR7 million, in collaboration with Nama Water Services. The tender for constructing the main sewage line from A’Seeb to Sultan Haitham City was awarded to ONEIC Company, with an investment value exceeding OMR8 million, also in collaboration with Nama Water Services.
A series of partnership and development agreements were also signed for Al Jabal Al A'ali in Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
These included an agreement to develop the health zone in the Western Village, spanning an area of 600,000 square metres. It will comprise up to 500 residential units and 120 hotel units, including a 5-star healthcare and wellness hotel, alongside fine-dining restaurants, green spaces, gardens, and public walkways, with an investment value exceeding OMR200 million, to be developed by Mister Company.
An agreement was also signed for Al Alalan Hills project and the establishment of a golf course on a 2.26 million square metre area. It will include 2,100 residential units, two 5-star hotels, an international-standard 18-hole golf course, an event and festival square, and commercial facilities and international restaurants, with an investment value exceeding OMR400 million, to be developed by the UAE's Kamcorp Investment.
In the environmental and tourism sector, an agreement was signed to develop a luxury eco-resort with an investment value of OMR3 million on an area exceeding 150,000 square metres. It will feature 15 luxury lodges designed in harmony with the mountain landscape, positioning it as a premier eco-tourism destination within the "Al Jabal Al A'ali" project, to be developed by Al Saraya Development Company.
An agreement was also signed to develop an eco-camp featuring 60 eco-lodges and various service facilities on a 12,000 square metre area with an investment value of OMR3 million, to be developed by Desert Palm Tourism Projects Company (Oman).
A partnership and development agreement was signed for a residential neighbourhood and community facilities on a 185,000 square metre area comprising 200 residential units, with an investment of OMR30 million, to be developed by Desert Palm Tourism Projects Company (Oman).
To provide an integrated living environment and enhance community partnership, an agreement was signed to develop a fully-serviced residential neighbourhood under the Sorouh initiative within "Al Jabal Al A'ali" project.
Spanning 200,000 square metres and comprising 200 residential units, it will be developed by a corporation established by the people of Al Jabal Al Akhdar. This represents one of the model community projects that enhances the concept of community partnership and provides integrated living environments for the local population.
An agreement was also signed to rehabilitate the heritage village located in Al Jabal Al A'ali Park, providing a distinctive tourism experience, adding commercial service facilities, and creating a unique heritage and historical tourism experience on a 10,000 square metre area, to be developed by Al Jurf Al Sharqi Company.
The event also witnessed the signing of a consultancy services agreement for the detailed design of the master plan for the Al Jabal Al A'ali project, with an investment value exceeding OMR3.6 million, in cooperation with "Nicholson Jones Partnership Oman."
Alongside these projects, the event featured community contributions from the developing companies. Both Mister Company and Kamcorp contributed OMR2 million each in support of community projects and services in Al Jabal Al A'ali.
In Al Thuraya City, an agreement was signed to develop Neighbourhood (8) on an area of 73,000 square metres. The project includes 28 residential units, a public park, and integrated community facilities, with an investment value exceeding RO 25 million, to be developed by Modon Development Company.
The tender for executing infrastructure and road works in Al Thuraya City was awarded to Target Company, with a total investment value of OMR38.2 million, in partnership with Muscat Municipality, Nama Water Services, Nama Electricity Distribution, and Oman Broadband Company, reflecting the integration of national efforts in providing advanced infrastructure.
The inauguration ceremony featured the launch of Oman’s Building Requirements and Specifications Guide, which serves as a comprehensive national reference consolidating safety and quality standards into a single framework. It represents a pivotal step towards unifying engineering and construction practices across all governorates.
The guide's issuance is part of the Ministry's efforts, in cooperation with partners in the Permanent Technical Committee for the Guide, to develop the building and construction system and enhance regulatory and technical infrastructure efficiency. This ensures minimum acceptable requirements for safety, public health, and quality of life, based on scientific foundations, natural conditions, and approved engineering standards, thereby promoting a safe, sustainable, and economically efficient urban environment.
The Building Requirements and Specifications Guide is part of an integrated technical framework comprising six specialized guides covering various structural, environmental, and technical aspects.
These include: the General Building Guide, the Guide for Existing and Historical Buildings, the Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Guide, the Mechanical Guide, the Guide for Plumbing Installations and Water Networks, and the Guide for Private Sewage Systems.
These guides contribute to enhancing design and implementation efficiency, achieving a balance between safety requirements, sustainability, and economic cost, thereby entrenching a culture of responsible construction and improving the quality of the urban environment in Oman.
The opening ceremony also included the signing of two agreements to develop integrated residential neighbourhoods in the South Al Batinah and South Al Sharqiyah governorates, with a total investment value exceeding OMR11 million. This falls within the "Surouh" initiative, which aims to create sustainable and diverse urban communities across Oman's governorates.
The first agreement involves developing Al Multaqa Neighbourhood in the Wilayat of A’Rustaq on an area exceeding 766,000 square metres. The project comprises 715 residential units, with a total estimated investment value of approximately OMR7 million, to be developed by Asawer Real Estate Development Company.
The second agreement entails developing Al Falah Neighbourhood in the Wilayat of Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali on an area exceeding 200,000 square metres. The project includes 188 residential units, with an investment value of OMR4 million, to be developed by Tanfeedh Real Estate Company.
Regarding investment opportunities, the event featured the announcement of eleven new investment opportunities under the same initiative for establishing integrated residential neighbourhoods and subdivisions in seven governorates, with a total area exceeding 2.9 million square metres distributed across selected strategic locations.
The targeted governorates include Muscat, North Al Sharqiyah, South Al Sharqiyah, Al Dakhiliyah, South Al Batinah, North Al Batinah, and Dhofar.
This reflects the balanced distribution of development projects across Oman and enhances partnership between the public and private sectors in developing the modern housing system.
To facilitate financing for beneficiaries in the integrated residential neighbourhood projects, the event will witness the signing of ten cooperation agreements between neighbourhood developers and financing institutions. This step aims to provide facilitated and flexible financing solutions that meet the needs of various groups and enhance ownership opportunities within modern, fully-serviced residential environments.
On the sidelines of the event, Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, met with Amna Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to discuss cooperation mechanisms and enhance relations contributing to the growth of the housing and urban planning sectors in both countries. This step strengthens bilateral relations and opens new investment horizons between the two countries.
The Home and Building Expo will witness the signing of over 32 usufruct agreements in the industrial, agricultural, and livestock production sectors, with a total investment value exceeding OMR 8.2 million and a total area exceeding 7 million square metres.
This includes 21 usufruct contracts for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and 11 agricultural usufruct contracts. This move reflects the direction towards maximising the use of government lands and enhancing partnership with the private sector, contributing to supporting the national economy, bolstering food security, encouraging agricultural investment, generating new job opportunities and stimulating the local investment environment.
An agreement will also be signed for installing street and building signage as part of the national addressing project in all governorates of Oman. The agreement involves installing unified street and building signs to enhance accessibility and location identification, supporting digital transformation and geographic information services (GIS) at the governorate level. The investment value of the agreement exceeds OMR 1.3 million.
The event will host evening sessions, most notably a dialogue session titled "Financing and Policies for the Future of Sustainable Cities." This session highlights the formulation of economic and incentive policies to attract investments, enhancing urban identity as a competitive element for cities, and the role of cities as key drivers of the national economy.
The session participants include Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning; Dr. Amna Mohammed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Eng. Khaled Abbas, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Administrative Capital for Urban Development Company of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The evening sessions also include dialogue presentations highlighting a group of pioneering national projects, including Al Khuwair Downtown and the Greater Salalah Structure Plan, aiming to provide the event’s visitors with the opportunity to learn about the key features of future projects and their role in enhancing urban development.
The Home and Building Expo offers a comprehensive interactive experience for visitors, featuring over 226 diverse pavilions. It allows visitors to closely explore the major future projects shaping urban development in Oman, most notably Sultan Haitham City, Al Thuraya City, the Al Jabal Al A'ali project and the Surouh initiative for integrated residential neighbourhoods.
The exhibition is a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about available housing options, including the "Your First Home" initiative, which allows citizens with housing applications the opportunity to own a subsidized apartment within fully-serviced neighbourhoods.
This is alongside the facilitated financing solutions offered by participating financial institutions to explore investment and ownership opportunities, enhancing integration between the public and private sectors in supporting the housing and real estate development system.
The exhibition features diverse pavilions displaying the latest smart home solutions, interior design and décor innovations, furniture and furnishings products, and modern building material technologies. It thus forms an integrated platform bringing all solutions under one roof and enriches the visitor experience through a blend of knowledge, innovation, and investment opportunities.
The exhibition also includes a series of diverse and innovative events, most notably the fifth edition of the Urban Planning Hackathon, "Makers of Tomorrow," which provides a stimulating environment for youth to transform their ideas into pioneering projects contributing to building more sustainable and innovative cities.
The events also include knowledge and educational initiatives such as the "Urban Riddle," which blends learning and entertainment to introduce visitors to the fundamentals of urban planning and smart cities, alongside urban planning debates that seek to raise community awareness and enhance youth participation in shaping the future of Omani cities.
