Muscat – The fifth edition of the Home and Building Expo, themed ‘Sustainable Cities for People’, opened on Monday at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. Organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in cooperation with Expo Muscat, the three-day event was inaugurated under the patronage of Sheikh Al Fadhl bin Mohammed al Harthy, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers.

The event brought together developers, investors, and urban planners from Oman and abroad to discuss sustainable urban development and launch new investment projects. The opening ceremony also saw the release of Oman’s Building Requirements and Specifications Guide, aimed at standardising construction and safety standards across all governorates.

Agreements for future cities

During the event, the ministry signed seven major partnership and development agreements for new city projects, including Sultan Haitham City, Al Thuraya City in Muscat, and Al Jabal Al A’ali in Dakhliyah. These projects form part of Oman’s efforts to accelerate urban development and attract private investment.

In Sultan Haitham City, Al Sarooj Trading and Contracting secured a tender worth over RO7mn for a sewage treatment plant, while ONEIC Company was awarded a contract worth over RO8mn to construct the main sewage line from Seeb to the city.

In Al Jabal Al A’ali, several agreements were signed, including a RO200mn health and wellness zone featuring 500 residential units and a 120-room hotel by Mister Company, a RO400mn Al Alalan Hills project with 2,100 residential units, two 5-star hotels, an 18-hole golf course, an event and festival square among other facilities by UAE-based Kamcorp Investment, and two eco-tourism ventures valued at over RO3mn each. Other projects include a RO30mn residential neighbourhood and a community-led Sorouh initiative to build 200 homes for local residents.

The event also witnessed the signing of a consultancy services agreement for the master plan for the Al Jabal Al A’ali project, with an investment value exceeding RO3.6mn, in cooperation with Nicholson Jones Partnership Oman.

Al Thuraya City will see the development of Neighbourhood 8, worth over RO25mn, alongside a RO38.2mn infrastructure and road works package by Target Company.

Two new integrated residential neighbourhoods were also announced in South Batinah and South Sharqiyah governorates with a combined investment exceeding RO11mn. The Al Multaqa project in A’Rustaq and Al Falah project in Ja’alan Bani Bu Ali together will add over 900 housing units.

The ministry also announced 11 new investment opportunities across seven governorates for future residential and mixed-use developments covering more than 2.9mn sqm.

Building Guide

The newly launched Building Requirements and Specifications Guide consolidates safety, quality and environmental standards under one national framework. Developed with the Permanent Technical Committee for the Guide, it aims to enhance regulatory efficiency, ensure building safety, and promote sustainable and cost-effective construction practices. The guide is part of a broader framework of six specialised manuals, covering historical buildings, energy efficiency, mechanical and plumbing systems, and sustainability.

The expo also featured the signing of over 32 usufruct agreements across industrial, agricultural and livestock sectors, valued at more than RO8.2mn and covering over 7mn sqm. These include contracts for entrepreneurs and SMEs, underlining the government’s commitment to diversifying investment and supporting local enterprises.

An agreement worth RO1.3mn was also signed to implement a unified national addressing system to install street and building signage across all governorates.