The move towards sustainable built environment in Oman is timely and important. Given the weather conditions and the high demand on energy consumptions that is mostly depending on non-environmental friendly resources and the government policy towards adopting a sustainable development strategy, shifting to a sustainable built environment practices is crucial. However, there is a need for serious efforts to promote “sustainability culture” within the construction sector in Oman; and there is a need also for guidelines and regulations that one could rely on to initiate the transition to a more sustainable practices in the Omani construction sector.

The intimate link between the built environment and sustainable development agenda is widely acknowledged. In Oman, sustainable development lies at the heart of the National Strategic Development Plans and Oman Vision 2040. Oman as an Arabian country situated in the Gulf region has an extreme climate described as very hot, dry, and humid. In the summer season, from May to September, the temperature could reach as high as 49 °C in July, with humidity of 96%. The high temperature in the long summer season often cause a high energy peak demand, which may reach its highest in July due to the need for air-conditioning. In Oman and other GCC countries generally, air conditioning counts for more than high percentage of the total energy consumption  due to the fact that many young Omanis are spending more time inside buildings due to the modern life style, which suggest more energy use. The annual growth in peak energy demand in Oman is estimated to be as high as 11%. The growth in energy consumption has increased the emission of greenhouse gases since the main power generation in Oman is dependent on fossil fuel (mainly gas and diesel). Studies shows that the residential sector had consumed between 55% and 47% of the total electricity supplied between 2007 and 2015. These values were notably higher than the world’s average energy consumed by the residential sector.

Proper sustainable development efforts in the built environment should also consider the social aspects one of which is to provide opportunities for stakeholder participation and involvement in the design process. Sustainability is more than high-energy performance buildings. It is also about empowering people and getting their voice heard and incorporated in a fair and effective co-creation process. In fact, citizen participation is one of the pillars of Oman Vision 2040.

HOSN follows this direction by providing a local building sustainability rating system for Oman that is based on stakeholders’ perception and priorities. The development process of HOSN provides essential evidence-based findings for future research in the field of sustainable built environment in Oman; it also provides informative data for policy-makers when forming, implementing and monitoring policies related to sustainable built environment. Doing so helps to fine-tune policies to meet the actual needs of the Omani society while preserving their values and preferences.

For further information about energy consumption and saving potential in the Oman, please click here.