Diriyah Company has been awarded two prestigious Mostadam (Ajwad) certifications for sustainability by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing in alignment with the Kingdom’s Quality of Life Programme, and a central aspect of Vision 2030.
The announcement was made during the first day of the Cityscape Global real estate event, ‘The Future of Living’ – the mixed-use developer was recognised for the Northern Diriyah Area and the Ritz-Carlton Residences development projects.
This certification is granted to residences and communities based on ratings that measure the sustainability of these projects, supporting them through the Ajwad initiative. The certification is achieved by applying sustainability and quality of life standards, such as increasing green spaces, providing safe paths for pedestrians and cyclists, and reducing water waste by reusing it for irrigating gardens and green areas.
The Ajwad initiative has registered 74 projects, with five Diriyah projects included under the programme to date, of which two have successfully been awarded the sought-after sustainability 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.
“The Diriyah project is fully committed to sustainability”, said Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Company. “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.”
Diriyah North achieved 86 points on the Mostadam certification scale for its Masterplan, achieving Diamond Level, the highest level of the certification. Additional Diriyah districts will apply for the certification in the coming months.
Diriyah North’s sustainability achievements include meeting 100 per cent of irrigation demand by Treated Sewage Effluent, providing 46 per cent shaded walkways for pedestrians, and dedicating 25 per cent of the area to parks and open space.
The latest recognition follows a series of sustainability accolades recently awarded to Diriyah – it 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, Bujairi Car Park and Samhan Car Park were awarded Parksmart GOLD pre-certification in 2022 and 2023 for best sustainability practices.