Statistics Centre â" Abu Dhabi, or Scad, issued its latest bulletin on the buildings completed in the three regions of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Gharbia – during the second quarter of 2012. The report analyses data on the buildings completed in the period by region, type of usage and cost of construction, based on the administrative records of the Abu Dhabi Municipalities.
A total of 1,516 buildings were completed in the emirate during the second quarter of 2012, of which 68 per cent were in Abu Dhabi, nine per cent in Al Ain and 23 per cent in Al Gharbia
A total of 1,427 new buildings were completed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi during the second quarter of 2012. Furthermore, 89 were completed during the same period, including extensions on the same on the same parcel of land and additions of new units to existing buildings. Accordingly, the total number of buildings completed during the period was 1,516.
A total of 3,302 residential units were completed in the Abu Dhabi region during the second quarter of 2012, up 17.3 per cent from 2,816 units completed in the first quarter. The corresponding figure for Al Ain region was 145 units, marking a decrease of 44 units compared to the first quarter. By contrast, the number of residential units completed in Al Gharbia region advanced 42.2 per cent to 118 units, up from 83 units in the previous quarter.
Scad's report indicates that 1,144 of the buildings, or 75.5 per cent, completed during the second quarter of 2012 in Abu Dhabi Emirate are intended for residential usage. The report also reveals that most of the buildings completed in the Abu Dhabi region in were residential (921 buildings), compared with 44 completions of industrial buildings and 12 classified as commercial.
Compared with the first quarter, the second saw residential buildings completed in the Al Ain region retreat 23.6 per cent to 123 buildings. However, no significant change was observed in the completions of non-residential buildings there over the same comparison period
In the Al Gharbia region, the number of residential buildings completed during the second quarter grew to 100 buildings.
The estimated average construction cost per square metre in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi during the second quarter 2012 ranged between Dh3,013 and Dh3,382 per metre, depending on the total floor area, the interior finishes and intended type of use.
Construction data show that buildings used for residence by the landlord had a higher construction cost per unit area compared to buildings used for investment purposes. Buildings with a total construction area between 300-599 square metres had the highest construction cost at Dh3,382 per square metre and were mostly dedicated for residential use by the landlord. Buildings with a total floor space exceeding 1,200 square metres had the lowest construction cost per unit area at Dh3,013 per square metre.
The Scad reflects the huge importance of the real estate sector for the economy of Abu Dhabi as outlined in the emirate's strategic vision for 2030.
Khaleej Times
16 September
