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The Pearl Rating System is central to Estidama's work and ultimate success. Originally drafted as a set of sustainability guidelines for new buildings in 2007, it was complemented in 2008 by the Interim Estidama Community Guidelines (IECG).
Both documents have been generally welcomed, with a widespread desire to accept and adopt them. But it has to be said that creating a list of core principles that are "set in stone", especially given this region’s unique needs and resources, is a considerable challenge. However, while it is still very much a work in progress, the programme is taking clearer shape, especially with these recent restructures:
1. The Pearl Rating system will be a voluntary programme, available to developers who want to achieve recognition for pursuing a higher level of green building and development.
2. Ratings will be based on a new, single Foundation Document which will include all criteria for a Pearl Rating and the reference standards, regardless of product type. This critically important document has benefited from lessons learned from other leading Green Rating tools. It is now clear that "multiple tool" documents lead to inefficiencies in the review and rating process and ultimately to redundancy. So a stripped down and simplified rating structure has been developed, with just five essential categories. These categories' working titles are:
• Living Systems
• Liveable City
• Precious Water
• Resourceful Energy
• Stewarding Materials
3. Prerequisites for Pearl Ratings will be embedded in development codes and regulations, as opposed to being isolated in the rating criteria, which effectively moves them towards becoming a requirement rather than an option.
This is an innovation that has not been achieved anywhere in the world today. It means that every project developed in Abu Dhabi will achieve a higher level of genuine sustainability by simply meeting the code. It will also provide greater support and encouragement for those developers who positively aim for a higher quality of sustainable development.
4. The "Alternate Compliance Path" is another useful innovation. It was recognised early on that significant industry knowledge and capability has already been created around widely adopted green building programmes such as BREEAM, LEED and Green Star. Rather than create yet another set, the Pearl Rating system endeavours to harmonise the criteria that currently exist within these programmes. So developers and consultants can work with a programme they are already comfortable and familiar with and still achieve a Pearl Rating.
It is not envisioned that a BREEAM or LEED rating would precisely equal a Pearl Rating, but many of the criteria and reference standards can be practically aligned. The remaining criteria would be unique to Estidama and hence the Middle East, making a Pearl Rating an even higher professional standard, more attuned to the cultural and resource issues of the Abu Dhabi Emirate.
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