DUBAI MUNCIPALITY AREA DEFINITIONS

January 2008

Revision F

Prepared by P&T Architects and Engineers LTD Dubai Branch 1

1.0 Introduction
Dubai Municipality (DM) use the following term for
defining areas:

1. Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

2. Built-Up Area (BUA)

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2.0 Floor Area Ratio (Area) 3.0 Built-Up Area
The DM Submission definition of FAR is different from Built-Up Area (BUA) is the total constructed floor area of
the internationally accepted definition. The DM a building.
Submission definition is a measurement of area.
When providing BUA calculations to DM the BUA should
The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) includes the following: be described as the total of the following areas
A (Usable Areas) A (Usable Areas)
B (Circulation Areas) B (Circulation Areas)
C (Balcony Areas)
The FAR excludes of the following: D (Service Areas)
C (Balcony Areas) E (Roof Slab Area)1
D (Service Areas)
MEP Shafts BUA is exclusive of:
MEP Shafts
Exceptions to the above rule:
Lift shaft area is to be counted as B (Circulation
Area) for the Ground Floor only. On all other
floors, lift shafts shall be considered as MEP
Shafts.

BUA = A (Usable Areas) + B (Circulation Areas)

+ C (Balcony Areas) + D (Service Areas)
FAR = A (Usable Areas) + B (Circulation Areas) + (E) Roof Slab Areas

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Update Revision F

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4.0 Definition of Areas
4.1 (A) Usable Areas
(A) Usable Areas are all sellable areas within a building
enclosure.2 This includes, but is not exclusive of;
residential apartments, office tenancies, retail areas,
hospitality areas, building facilities, etc.

Refer to Figure 1 for Balcony Areas that are included as

(A) Usable Areas.

Refer to 4.4 (D) Service Areas for Storage Area

exclusion.

4.2 (B) Circulation Areas

(B) Circulation Areas are all public corridors, lobby
spaces and stair cases.

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Updated Revision D

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4.3 (C) Balcony Areas
(C) Balcony Areas are naturally ventilated, areas above
ground floor, which are accessible by one tenancy only,3
excluding:
Areas that run the entire length of a faade
Areas that are have two or more edge walls to a
height greater than the balustrade height (900 -
1200mm).4

Exceptions to the above rule:

Where an area comprises of more than one type
of the conditions noted above, each part shall be
defined separately.5
Full height glazed walls are not considered as
edge walls. Partial glazing to edge walls shall be
discussed with DM.
Areas that run the entire length of a faade
exception, does not apply to Roof Slab Areas.6
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Figure 1: Balcony Definition Diagram
Refer to Figure 1.

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4.4 (D) Service Areas
(D) Service Areas include:

Basement Areas. Storage Areas, within Basement Areas and

Podium Car Parking Areas.
If a whole floor is dedicated to car parking, all
areas shall be considered (D) Service Areas. This
includes areas that would normally be considered;
A (Usable Areas), B (Circulation Areas) and C
(Balcony Areas).
Podium Car Parking Areas, for use of tenets only.9
When providing these storage areas it must be
clearly evident that they are for tenant use only
though their accessibility and size of individual
storage compartments.

MEP Plant Areas, excluding risers.

If a whole floor is dedicated to MEP plant, all areas

shall be considered (D) Service Areas. This
includes areas that would normally be considered;
A (Usable Areas), B (Circulation Areas) and C
(Balcony Areas).

Common Facilities that occupy an entire floor.8

Common Facilities are (A) Usable Areas that are

have unrestricted access by more than one tenant
(e.g. Gymnasium, Swimming Pools, Childrens
Play Areas, etc).

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4.5 (E) Roof Slab Areas10
(E) Roof Slab Areas include all roof slabs that have not
been previously defined as:
A (Usable Areas)
B (Circulation Areas)
C (Balcony Areas)
D (Service Areas)

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5.0 Area Calculation Method
5.1 External Wall
All areas shall be measured to the external face of
external walls at the finished floor level.11

5.2 Internal Walls

All areas shall be measured to the centre line of internal
walls at the finished floor level.12

5.3 MEP Shafts

All areas shall be measured to the inside face of MEP
Shafts at the finished floor level.13

All voids shall be considered as MEP Shafts.14

Figure 2: Method of Calculating Areas Diagram

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6.0 Area for Garbage and Car Parking
Calculations
The Area used for Garbage and Car Parking calculations
is the (A) Usable Areas15 excluding the following:
Shared Toilet Areas with access only from (B)
Circulation Areas and (D) Service Areas.
Store Rooms with access only from (B) Circulation
Areas and (D) Service Areas.
8.0 Affection Plans
In incidences where there is a conflict between DM
regulations and the Affection Plan, the Affection Plan will
take precedence.
The FAR noted on DM Affection Plans is the ratio of the
FAR (DM Submission) over the Plot Area.

7.0 Submission to DM Requirements

When submitting to DM, a key plan is required showing
floor by floor areas of; (A) Usable Area, (B) Circulation
Areas, (C) Balcony Areas, and (D) Service Areas. The
different areas should be show in distinctly recognizable
hatches, not colours, as drawings are submitted in black
and white.

All areas units should be in both imperial and metric.

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9.0 Appendix
The following drawings are an example of area
calculation drawings for Dm Preliminary Submission.

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