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Zawya
11-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
BEEAH's real estate debut aims to redefine sustainable, urban living in the UAE
UAE-based BEEAH, widely known for its leadership in environmental management in the region, is expanding into the real estate sector with the launch of Khalid Bin Sultan City — a climate-smart, net-zero-ready urban development located in the emirate of Sharjah. Unveiled last month, the mixed-use development — master planned by Zaha Hadid Architects — will offer 1,500 freehold residential units, and include commercial, cultural, and recreational spaces. 'BEEAH's entry into real estate marks a natural evolution in its transformation from an environmental management leader into a multi-sector innovator shaping future-ready cities,' Group CEO and Vice Chairman Khaled Al Huraimel told Zawya Projects. He highlighted Sharjah's real estate boom as a key driver, pointing to data from the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department showing 13.2 billion UAE dirhams ($48.5 billion) in transactions during the first quarter of 2025 alone — a 31.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year. 'This surge, alongside the growing need for climate-smart and sustainable cities, created a timely opportunity for us to introduce Khalid Bin Sultan City, shaped by our commitment to future-ready and environmentally responsible urban living,' Al Huraimel explained. He emphasised that the move into real estate is part of a broader, carefully considered vision, beginning with the development of BEEAH's headquarters, a LEED Platinum-certified landmark designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. 'Our headquarters not only reflects our dedication to sustainable building practices, but also acts as a living prototype for the future of urban design,' he said. 'As we shape resilient and sustainable spaces, we're embracing another opportunity to contribute to the emirate's evolving and diversified economy.' Nada Taryam, CEO - Real Estate at BEEAH told Zawya Projects that Khalid Bin Sultan City project leverages the company's extensive experience in environmental innovation and sustainable infrastructure, setting a new standard where "smart technology and sustainability aren't added features, but embedded essentials." 'Khalid Bin Sultan City is not just a real estate project; it is a systems-integrated, sustainability-first, community-driven ecosystem,' she explained. 'Our approach goes beyond design by embedding AI, digital twins, EV-ready mobility, waste-to-energy systems, and recycled water networks across the entire city.' Taryam disclosed that sales for Phase 1 are scheduled to launch in October 2025. "Contracts will be announced in the lead-up to that date, along with unit pricing and sales availability," she said. Al Huraimel added that the development of Khalid Bin Sultan City will be funded using the project finance approach. Excerpts from the interview: How does BEEAH's background or expertise uniquely position the company in the real estate industry? Who are the key partners supporting BEEAH's entry into real estate? Khaled Al Huraimel: BEEAH was founded in 2007 in Sharjah with a clear and urgent mission: to revolutionise environmental practices in the emirate, beginning with modernising waste management systems. Since then, we have evolved into a diversified group operating across five strategic verticals: Environment, Energy, Technology, Healthcare, and Real Estate, each reflecting our commitment to innovation, future readiness, and sustainable development. With over 13,000 employees across the UAE and the wider MENA region, BEEAH continues to pioneer integrated solutions that improve quality of life and deliver long-term resilience. Our real estate journey builds on this legacy, leveraging our proven experience in creating infrastructure and environments that are sustainable, smart, and people-first. From our award-winning headquarters to major projects like the Jawaher Boston Medical District and through managing the Sharjah Creative Quarter, we have demonstrated how form and function can coexist to deliver measurable environmental and social impact. Khalid Bin Sultan City, our first real estate development – a groundbreaking urban project that redefines sustainable living in the region brings these learnings together at an urban scale. Built on the main four pillars of sustainability, technology, culture and people, it integrates smart mobility, AI, zero-waste systems, and renewable energy across the entire development. What specific market needs or gaps is BEEAH aiming to address with the Khalid Bin Sultan City project? Who is the target resident? Khaled Al Huraimel: The UAE real estate industry is currently and constantly booming, but it is also highly competitive. While there are many premium developments in the market, there remains a significant gap in offerings that are not only sustainable and smart, but also designed to elevate quality of life in a meaningful way. At BEEAH, we are stepping in to fill this gap, creating a development where environmental performance, digital integration, and community wellbeing are central, not secondary. Khalid Bin Sultan City was designed to cater to a wide demographic, from young people and families to multi-generational households. It also caters for 'Active Optimists', dreamers and doers who want to live purposefully, in cities that are smart, sustainable, and community oriented. Our Real Estate division is also part of a broader, long-term strategy to diversify, invest in human capital, and help shape cities that are environmentally sound, economically vibrant, and socially inclusive. What are the financing mechanisms for Khalid Bin Sultan City? Khaled Al Huraimel: The construction and rollout of Khalid Bin Sultan City will be financed through project financing. This model aligns with the long-term, sustainable nature of development and allows for efficient capital structuring to support phased delivery. How does BEEAH plan to differentiate this development from those of established competitors in the market? Nada Taryam: People are at the heart of everything we do. Our work already contributes to shaping sustainable, future-ready cities through infrastructure, energy, and environmental systems. It was a natural next step to develop a city of our own, one that brings together all our verticals into a cohesive, people-centric ecosystem. Khalid Bin Sultan City is the embodiment of that vision. It features seven walkable residential neighbourhoods, each anchored by a public plaza that fosters community connection. Residents will enjoy seamless access to wellness clinics, schools, cultural venues, green spaces, and recreational areas, all within a five-minute walking distance. What are the unique sustainability features of Khalid Bin Sultan City? Nada Taryam: Khalid Bin Sultan City is designed from the ground up as a climate-smart, net-zero-ready urban development, master planned by Zaha Hadid Architects and located in Sharjah. Sustainability is not an add-on, it is the foundation of the entire masterplan, influencing every decision from infrastructure and mobility to materials and landscaping. The city is built on four key pillars: sustainability, technology, culture, and people. These are reflected in its integrated systems, from LEED-aligned construction and circular material flows to renewable energy generation through a combination of solar and waste-to-energy solutions. On-site water recycling, stormwater management, and resilient drainage infrastructure ensure resource efficiency and climate resilience. A city-wide digital twin platform enables real-time optimisation of energy, water, and mobility systems. Public lighting and cooling adapt based on weather, occupancy, and time of day. Smart waste infrastructure ensures zero landfill targets, and EV-ready networks reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based transport. At its heart, the city is designed to make environmental harmony the norm, not the exception. Why did BEEAH choose to locate Khalid Bin Sultan City adjacent to the company headquarters? What are the advantages of the location for project delivery, operations and maintenance after completion, etc.? Nada Taryam: Khalid Bin Sultan City has been strategically located adjacent to BEEAH's iconic headquarters in Sharjah. This positioning offers significant advantages, operationally, logistically, and symbolically. The site is directly connected to major highways, including Al Dhaid Road and Khorfakkan Road, ensuring accessibility to Dubai and the other emirates, and placing it within a rapidly developing urban corridor. The city spans 1.5-kilometre-long plot and encompasses BEEAH's headquarters, forming what can be considered both a physical and philosophical extension of BEEAH's core values. Just as our HQ is a global model for sustainability and innovation, the city applies these same principles at an urban scale — including decentralised digital identities, net-zero-ready systems, AI-powered infrastructure, and circular resource management. Proximity to our headquarters also enables efficient oversight, faster decision-making, and seamless integration with existing operational infrastructure. It ensures continuity in delivery and governance, allowing us to maintain the high standards that BEEAH is known for, across sectors. In terms of urban composition, the city ensures a balanced mix of residential, commercial, retails, and civic spaces that supports a 360-degree holistic environment. Ultimately, this location reinforces our commitment to sustainability not only in design, but in function, enabling Khalid Bin Sultan City to operate as a true extension of our mission and capabilities. What is the project status and timeline? What are the estimated start and completion dates for construction? Have contracts for the project been awarded? If so, who are the recipients? Nada Taryam: Khalid Bin Sultan City will be developed in phases. Phase 1 is set to launch by November 2029 with 400 units - a mix of 2 to 4-bedroom townhouses and 3 to 5-bedroom villas. This includes key community facilities and a portion of the middle park, representing around 27 percent of the total 1,500 residential units planned. Sales for Phase 1 are scheduled to launch in October 2025. Contracts will be announced in the lead-up to that date, along with unit pricing and sales availability. As a freehold development, the project will be open to both local and international buyers. Are there plans for future phases or additional projects tied to the Khalid Bin Sultan City development? Nada Taryam: Yes. Khalid Bin Sultan City is a multi-phase, long-term project with each phase adding layers of community life, cultural spaces, and civic services. BEEAH sees this as a scalable model for other developments in Sharjah and the region, blending infrastructure, sustainability, and cultural identity. What is BEEAH's long-term vision for its real estate business? Khaled Al Huraimel: BEEAH's Real Estate pillar is now one of our strategic verticals, alongside Environment, Energy, Technology, and Healthcare. Our long-term vision is to redefine urban living by creating communities that are environmentally sustainable, economically vibrant, and socially inclusive, built to serve both present and future generations. Our roots are in Sharjah, and we are proud to contribute to its continued growth through projects like Khalid Bin Sultan City. However, the vision we are building, for net-zero, smart and human-centric cities, is one with global relevance. Right now, our focus is on delivering Khalid Bin Sultan City to the highest standards, ensuring that it will create a real impact and will set a strong foundation for what is about to come. Looking ahead, we see this as just the beginning. Our long-term goal is to continue building communities across the UAE which people are proud to call home. BEEAH will continue reinforcing its mission – to create a sustainable and smart environment around the way people want to live, work, and connect. (Reporting by Dennis Daniel; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Gulf Business
24-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
BEEAH's Khaled Al Huraimel on its first major real estate project, Khalid Bin Sultan City
Images: Supplied As the UAE accelerates efforts to build smart, sustainable cities, In this interview, Khaled Al Huraimel, group CEO and vice chairman, discusses the company's move into real estate, the foundational values behind the project, and how it aligns with national and regional urban transformation agendas. What prompted BEEAH's move into real estate development at this point in its growth journey? At BEEAH, we've always pursued a clear mission: to shape a sustainable future and enhance quality of life for all people. Our journey began in waste management, but our evolution has been shaped by a deeper understanding of what communities need to thrive – clean energy, smart technologies, healthcare infrastructure, and ultimately, environments that enhance quality of life. Real estate became the natural next step. It's not just an expansion of our business – it's a platform that allows us to bring together everything we've built across sectors. From circular waste systems and renewable energy to AI–driven infrastructure and people–first urban design, real estate is where our ecosystem can be applied in the most tangible way. That's what led us to launch Khalid Bin Sultan City: a landmark project that exemplifies our commitment to building people-first, cities of the future. What is Khalid Bin Sultan City, and what foundational values does BEEAH offer its residents? Khalid Bin Sultan City is a climate–smart, net–zero ready urban development – master planned by Zaha Hadid Architects and located in Sharjah's Rodhat Al Sidir district. Envisioned as a city of the future, it will be shaped by four foundational pillars: sustainability, technology, culture, and people. It will offer 1,500 freehold residential units – villas, townhouses, and apartments – surrounded by green corridors, cultural landmarks, wellness spaces, and smart infrastructure. Anchoring the city is a 1.5–kilometre green spine — a central landscape corridor that supports biodiversity, encourages active living, and connects neighbourhoods through nature. At its heart is a landmark cultural centre that will host exhibitions, performances, and thought leadership events — creating a cultural anchor for the community. It's a place where environmental harmony is standard, not aspirational; where daily life is enhanced by technology; and where human connection and wellbeing are built into the design of the built environment. How will it redefine the real estate market in the region? Khalid Bin Sultan City is not a traditional real estate development. It's a blueprint for future cities – regenerative, resilient, and restorative in every sense. We're introducing net–zero–ready infrastructure and integrating renewable energy at the neighbourhood scale. Our waste management system is zero–landfill by design, supported by smart segregation infrastructure and integration with BEEAH's regional waste recovery network. We're embedding digital twin systems to optimise resource use in real time. And we're reimagining mobility with EV–ready networks, smart parking, and ride–sharing platforms. What this means for the market is a new standard – where developments are not only smart or sustainable, but also truly systemic in their thinking. We believe this project will challenge the current model and inspire others to raise their ambitions for what urban development can achieve. How does BEEAH plan to differentiate its real estate offerings in a competitive regional market? In a booming real estate market, differentiation must go deeper than architecture or amenities. What sets us apart is the integration of systems – systems that span energy, waste, water, logistics, culture, and community engagement. We're drawing on more than a decade of experience in designing and managing high–performance infrastructure. Our HQ in Sharjah, also designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, is already a benchmark for intelligent, low–emission buildings. The Sharjah Creative Quarter and the Jawaher Boston Medical District are further proof points of our ability to deliver visionary projects across different urban typologies. Khalid Bin Sultan City brings all of these learnings together. It's not just a city – it's a living, evolving model for how a city can function in service of its people and its environment. Sustainability, innovation, and quality of life are described as pillars of your projects. Can you elaborate on how these values will be embedded in upcoming developments? Sustainability is the foundation – from LEED–aligned construction to circular material flows. We're powering the city with a combination of solar and waste–to–energy solutions, and integrating on–site water recycling, stormwater management, and resilient drainage systems. Our aim is total landfill independence and a carbon–neutral trajectory. Innovation comes through our digital layer. Every building, transport node, and utility will feed into a central digital twin – enabling real–time optimisation of energy and resource use. For example, public lighting and cooling systems can adapt to weather, occupancy, and time of day. Residents will have decentralised digital identities, offering seamless access to homes, services, and mobility platforms. AI will enhance everything from logistics to public safety. Quality of life ties it all together. We're creating walkable neighbourhoods, shaded green paths, wellness zones, vibrant parks, and cultural venues. No home will be more than a five–minute walk from key services. The entire environment — from greenery to infrastructure — is designed to support physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. BEEAH has had success across sectors such as environment and healthcare. How will learnings from those industries inform your real estate strategy? Our expertise across sectors gives us a 360–degree view of how cities operate. In environment, our zero–waste systems — which have helped Sharjah achieve over 90 per cent landfill diversion — are embedded in the city's infrastructure, including smart bins, digital collection tracking, and decentralised composting hubs. In energy, we're applying waste–to–energy and solar innovation at the neighbourhood level, ensuring clean, reliable power with built–in resilience. From healthcare, particularly the Jawaher Boston Medical District, we've adopted a design philosophy that centres wellbeing, health access, and biophilic planning. In technology, ventures like EVOTEQ and have enabled us to build platforms for supply chain management, logistics, recycling, and EV infrastructure — all of which are being adapted to serve residents directly. With Sharjah as your base, will future projects be concentrated in the UAE or will we see BEEAH real estate ventures regionally and globally? Our roots are in Sharjah, and we're proud to contribute to its growth. But the vision we are developing — for net–zero, smart, and human–centric cities — is one that has global relevance. We see strong opportunities for regional expansion, especially in markets that are prioritising sustainability, infrastructure development, and climate adaptation. Our experience in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, through environmental partnerships, has shown us how our models can be adapted to different geographies. Real estate is a natural extension of this. That said, we remain focused on execution — ensuring that our first developments deliver both impact and insight. Once that foundation is solid, we will absolutely explore opportunities beyond the UAE. How do these efforts align with UAE and regional visions for smart and sustainable cities? Khalid Bin Sultan City is deeply aligned with the UAE's Net Zero 2050 strategy and Sharjah's broader urban and More importantly, it offers a live demonstration of how those goals can be achieved through integrated, people–first design. Our hope is that this city, and BEEAH's wider real estate platform, will serve as a model — not just for building sustainably, but for building meaningfully, with long–term impact and resilience.
Zawya
11-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
Empowering voices, cultivating resilience: Farmer Field Schools transform lives in Zimbabwe's Sebungwe Landscape
In Zimbabwe's Kariba District, a quiet transformation is taking place driven by knowledge, inclusion, and resilience. Supported by the Embassy of Ireland through UNDP and led by FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the ZRBF 2 bridging fund project 'Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape' is unlocking the potential of local communities to lead the way in climate-smart agriculture and natural resources management. Shifting mindsets: From command to collaboration Simbarashe Kashiri, a young extension officer in Ward 4, Kariba shared how the training changed his outlook. 'I initially thought extension work was all about giving orders to farmers,' Simbarashe reflects. 'But now I understand the power of facilitation. In the Kujatana FFS group I helped establish, farmers are making their own decisions, and they're thriving.' That group, aptly named Kujatana (which means 'working together' in the local language), has 88 percent women, and is already reaping the rewards of collaboration. They are cultivating tomatoes and producing organic compost from goat manure using the Bokashi method - a climate-smart practice that enhances soil fertility while promoting food security and sustainable farming. Simbarashe's experience is just one among many inspired by the project's holistic, community-driven approach. Across nine wards in Kariba, 13 AGRITEX officers have been trained in the FFS model, resulting in the establishment of 12 Farmer Field Schools. More than just learning hubs, these schools are becoming spaces of empowerment, experimentation, and collective problem-solving, particularly for women and youth, who are leading the way in building local resilience. Linking local knowledge with strategic objectives The FFS approach not only improves local agricultural practices but also aligns with national and global sustainability targets. It supports FAO's Strategic Framework (2022–2031), which seeks to promote Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind. 'This project contributes directly to FAO's Strategic Framework by promoting sustainable food systems and inclusive rural transformation through capacity building, climate-smart agriculture, and stakeholder engagement. The adoption of the Farmer Field School approach exemplifies how local innovation and empowerment are essential to achieving resilience and sustainable development,' said Alexander Carr the Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape, Project Coordinator. The project supports UN SDGs 1, 2, and 10, reinforcing the right to food, gender equality, and decent rural livelihoods. 'Particularly by advancing SDG Target 2.4 (sustainable food production systems) and promoting gender-sensitive value chains that create economic opportunities in rural areas,' asserted Obert Maminimini, FAO Crops and Extension Specialist. From chickens to chilies: Creating climate-smart livelihoods Through participatory processes involving over 240 farmers, seven climate-smart value chains were identified and analyzed: goats, cattle, indigenous chickens, sorghum, fish, sesame, and chilies. These value chains are being nurtured to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce environmental pressure, and increase household incomes. The promotion of these value chains reflects the project's broader vision: to create a landscape of resilience, where ecological conservation and human development go hand in hand. Alongside community empowerment, the project has laid a strong technical foundation for sustainable development. A high-resolution Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) map was developed using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and ecological connectivity for elephants was modelled to guide land planning. These tools are vital for aligning conservation priorities with local livelihoods. More than 20 institutional stakeholders, including local government, conservation agencies, traditional leaders, and NGOs were engaged in mapping and consultation processes. This level of participation is essential for ensuring community ownership and policy alignment. Collaboration for long-term impact The Sebungwe project is not a standalone effort. It builds upon previous work under the EU-funded SWM 2 initiative and integrates FAO's GEF-7 supported Integrated Landscape Planning Model. Together with partners such as Nyaminyami Rural District Council, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, African Parks, and Peace Parks, the project lays the groundwork for a comprehensive, coordinated resilience-building strategy in Zimbabwe. In addition, the project's success in integrating ecological and socio-economic priorities through land use planning, natural resources governance, and value chain development sets the stage for the larger European Union funded Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) Phase 2 implementation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
