Dubai Municipality carried out more than 25,000 inspections in the first half of 2025 — a 36% rise year‑on‑year — issuing more completion certificates, enforcing suspensions of consultancies and boosting use of green concrete and soil recycling as it tightens oversight of a rapidly expanding construction pipeline.
Dubai Municipality says it stepped up oversight of the emirate’s building boom in the first half of 2025, carrying out more than 25,000 field inspections as it pushed to tighten quality, safety and environmental standards across a growing slate of projects.
According to the authority’s release, the inspections — up 36% from the same period in 2024 — covered work on over 18,800 buildings with a combined built‑up area exceeding 36 million square metres, while year‑on‑year totals rose by about 11%. The city reported a 96% compliance rate with construction standards and issued 1,669 building completion certificates, a roughly 30% increase from the first half of 2024; the certificates covered about 1,484 villas, 74 multi‑storey buildings and 60 industrial facilities, together adding around 2 million square metres of new space to the emirate.
Eng. Maryam Al Muhairi, CEO of the Buildings Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality, highlighted the emphasis on oversight and standards in the statement, saying: “We aim to provide a safe and sustainable construction environment.” The remark appeared in the municipality’s press release about the inspections and related sustainability measures.
Sustainability and resource management were foregrounded in the municipality’s account. Officials said more than 1.5 million cubic metres of so‑called green concrete were used in projects monitored during the period, and that 16.4 million cubic metres of soil were recycled and moved — a figure the authority likened to roughly 6,500 Olympic‑size swimming pools. The municipality also noted issuing 4,222 permits for sand transport and supply, and approving more than 1,100 requests for free sand to support Emirati citizens building private villas.
Independent reporting of the same figures echoed the municipality’s claims. Gulf News, for instance, summarised the inspection totals, compliance rate and the green‑concrete and soil‑recycling statistics as set out by Dubai Municipality. A separate industry summary noted a broader uptick in construction activity: a mid‑year report recorded about 30,000 building permit applications and the licensing of more than 5.5 million square metres of built‑up area for immediate execution, which it said represented roughly a 20% expansion in construction throughput for the period. The municipality has framed these trends as evidence of investor confidence and a resilient development pipeline.
The city’s tighter enforcement posture extended beyond site visits. In June it announced the suspension of two engineering consultancy firms for breaches of professional practice regulations and indicated that it is developing a new evaluation system for contractors and consultancies that should be introduced in 2026. The move, the municipality said on its website, is meant to reinforce governance and accountability across the supply chain and protect property owners and project quality.
Municipal activity during the same six‑month period also highlighted a broader push to improve urban liveability and environmental performance. The Dubai Media Office recorded AED190 million worth of landscaping projects, covering more than three million square metres and planting over 300,000 trees and seedlings, work presented as part of the emirate’s Green Dubai strategy and the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Separately, the authority reported an intensified inspection drive across other sectors, including about 34,700 food‑safety inspections in the first half of 2025, signalling a broader appetite for regulatory oversight across municipal services.
The municipality has in recent years attached additional conditions to completion approvals. Since 2023 it has applied a ‘Wosool’ seal on some building completion certificates to certify accessibility for people of determination; the measure requires developers to meet specified accessibility provisions before occupancy is cleared and reflects an effort to embed social inclusion into regulatory checks.
Taken together, the municipality’s statements paint a picture of a construction sector that is both growing and under closer regulatory scrutiny, with officials pointing to faster approvals, stricter audits and a rising use of environmentally oriented materials as evidence of progress. Critics and independent observers will be watching whether higher inspection numbers and the suspension of consultancies translate into sustained improvements in safety, workmanship and long‑term sustainability — and whether the promised contractor evaluation system, due in 2026, delivers more consistent quality across the industry.
For now, Dubai Municipality presents the first half of 2025 as a period of intensified governance and greener building practices amid continued development. The authority framed the work as part of a longer‑term plan to make Dubai’s construction sector “smarter and more sustainable,” while pursuing regulatory and operational changes to underpin investor confidence and the quality of the built environment.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/dubai-municipality-conducts-25-000-field-inspections-to-regulate-construction-activities-in-first-half-of-2025-p9oholk9 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://gulfnews.com/business/property/dubai-municipality-reports-36-surge-in-construction-field-inspections-in-h1-2025-1.500233653 – Dubai Municipality reported a 36 percent rise in construction field inspections during the first half of 2025, completing over 25,000 site visits that covered more than 18,800 buildings and in excess of 36 million square metres of built‑up area. The municipality recorded a 96 percent compliance rate with construction standards and issued 1,669 building completion certificates, a year‑on‑year increase of 30 percent. Officials highlighted sustainability efforts, including the use of more than 1.5 million cubic metres of green concrete, recycling 16.4 million cubic metres of soil, and issuing thousands of sand transport permits to manage resources effectively across the emirate.
- https://menafn.com/1109896356/Dubai-Municipality-Construction-sector-records-20-growth-with-over-30000-building-permit-applications-in-H1-2025 – Dubai Municipality announced a 20 percent expansion in construction activity during the first half of 2025, processing over 30,000 building permit applications and licensing more than 5.5 million square metres of built‑up area for immediate execution. Multi‑storey commercial and investment buildings represented roughly 45 percent of newly authorised space, while residential villas accounted for about 40 percent. The municipality emphasised investor confidence and economic resilience, noting accelerated approvals and streamlined procedures. Officials stressed this growth reflects Dubai’s strategic position as a global construction hub and supports ambitions to develop smarter, more sustainable urban infrastructure for residents, businesses and investors.
- https://www.dm.gov.ae/2025/06/29/two-engineering-firms-suspended-with-new-evaluation-system-in-development/ – Dubai Municipality announced the suspension of two engineering consultancy firms in June 2025 for contravening professional practice regulations, signalling a tougher regulatory stance to protect property owners and project quality. The release explained the municipality conducts regular field inspections of consultancy offices and is developing an updated evaluation system for contracting and engineering consultancies to be introduced in 2026. Eng. Maryam Al Muhairi underscored the need for enhanced oversight to elevate construction standards. The measures aim to strengthen governance, enforce licensing conditions, and encourage accountability among service providers, contributing to improved safety, quality assurance and confidence in Dubai’s construction sector.
- https://www.emirates247.com/uae/dubai-municipality-conducts-34700-food-inspections-in-the-first-half-of-2025-2025-07-31-1.740287 – Dubai Municipality reported conducting 34,700 food safety inspection visits across the emirate during the first half of 2025, reflecting intensified oversight of food establishments and supply chains. The authority said it cleared food shipments through Dubai ports and registered new food products while expanding digital inspection and registration systems. Officials highlighted the opening of over 2,300 new food outlets in the period and underlined the use of smart tools to enhance food integrity. These measures aim to protect public health, support quality assurance within the hospitality sector, and ensure the emirate’s food ecosystem remains resilient amid population and economic growth.
- https://cd1.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/july/14-07/dubai-municipality-completes-aed190-million-landscaping-projects – Dubai Municipality completed AED190 million of landscaping projects during the first half of 2025, covering more than three million square metres and planting over 300,000 trees and seedlings. The projects included planting ground covers and flowers across major intersections and implementing smart irrigation systems to improve water efficiency. The initiative supports the Green Dubai strategy and Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, enhancing urban greening and public spaces. Officials emphasised sustainable landscaping, biodiversity and improved quality of life for residents, while the works formed part of broader efforts to integrate environmental considerations within urban development and infrastructure programmes across the emirate.
- https://www.dm.gov.ae/2023/10/10/dubai-municipality-adds-wosool-seal-on-building-completion-certificates-to-certify-buildings-friendly-for-people-of-determination/ – Dubai Municipality introduced the ‘Wosool’ seal to building completion certificates to verify accessibility and facilities for people of determination, reinforcing inclusivity in new buildings. The measure requires developers and consultants to meet specified accessibility provisions before approval and issuance of completion certificates, with final audits and periodic field visits to confirm compliance. Eng. Mariam Al Muhairi highlighted the municipality’s role in ensuring building standards are met prior to occupancy. The policy aims to guarantee accessible entrances, ramps, parking and dedicated facilities, integrating social inclusion into construction approvals and raising accountability among designers, contractors and owners through robust compliance checks effectively.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative presents recent data from the first half of 2025, with no evidence of prior publication. The Dubai Municipality’s press release dated August 14, 2025, aligns with the reported figures. No signs of recycled content or clickbait republishing were found. The press release format typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier. The inclusion of updated data without recycling older material justifies a higher freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quote from Eng. Maryam Al Muhairi, CEO of the Buildings Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality, appears exclusively in this narrative. No identical quotes were found in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from Dubai Municipality’s official press release, a reputable and authoritative source. The press release is accessible on the Dubai Media Office website, confirming its authenticity. No unverifiable entities or fabricated information were identified.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The reported figures align with other reputable outlets. For instance, Gulf News reported a 36% surge in construction field inspections in H1 2025, matching the 25,000 inspections mentioned. The narrative includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with official communications from Dubai Municipality. No excessive or off-topic details were noted, and the tone is appropriately formal and informative.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reliable entity. All claims are plausible and corroborated by other reputable outlets. No signs of disinformation or credibility issues were identified.
