Muscat, The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) has announced the issuance of the Structural Guidelines and Regulations Manual of Buildings at Duqm, which consists of the minimum structural design requirements for projects within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) and its general provisions.
The Guidelines manual provides detailed technical guidance and guidelines for the structural design of buildings.
Eng. Abdullah Salim Al Hakmani, In Charge of Managing the Operations of the Building Permits Department in OPAZ, explained that the Guidelines comprise several key items. These include the general guidelines for building designs, structural submission procedures, and the best internationally applicable and approved codes and standards in the Sultanate of Oman, to comply with SEZD regulations, design programs, data analysis, structural design criteria, durability and performance criteria, geotechnical examination requirements (soil tests) and building supervision requirements, said Eng. Al Hakmani.
He pointed out that the Guidelines aim to provide instructions, needs, and the minimum requirements for building designs. These materials, Al Hakmani said, will give the engineers a general idea and appropriate guidance on the basic requirements of structural designs. It is hoped that the use of these guidelines will increase the quality of designs and construction, and provide information to architects, consultants, and engineering offices dealing with SEZD.
Al Hakmani added that the Structural Guidelines and Regulations of the Buildings at Duqm were prepared by a team of engineers from SEZD and were reviewed by several expert houses, including a team from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The Guidelines will be circulated to all investors, developers, engineering design companies, consultants, and contractors, for the Structural Guidelines to be applied in SEZD.
In the same context, Eng. Abdullah Al Hakmani confirmed that OPAZ is working on preparing an integrated Manual for the urban and architectural requirements at the special economic zones and free zones, which will serve as a reference for the urban and architectural requirements in the areas affiliated to OPAZ.
Source: Oman News Agency