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The Abu Dhabi Commercial Signage Regulations, which govern commercial signs on buildings, are about to become easier to implement thanks to a new interactive tool. Over 70,000 businesses have applied the regulations since their launch in 2011, which has greatly enhanced the Emirate’s urban streetscapes.
The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) today launched the new tool which it says will make it even simpler for business owners and signage manufacturers to adhere to guidelines designed to enhance the appearance of building fronts and minimise ‘visual clutter’.
The UPC says that since introducing the Commercial Signage Regulations in 2011 in partnership with the Department of Economic Development (DED), residents have seen a dramatic improvement in the visual appeal of public spaces. Building façades that used to be covered with unsightly signage are now more prominent and make a positive contribution to the architectural aesthetic of the Emirate.
In addition, badly positioned signs that once posed a hazard have been eradicated by applying the Regulations.
The Regulations cover the type, size and location of any sign advertising a business inside a building, be it a villa, a retail outlet or commercial tower.
The new tool enables users, such as business owners and signage design companies, to quickly and easily navigate the Commercial Signage Regulations in order to see what is applicable to their requirements, without having to go through the whole document.
It achieves this by prompting users to answer questions, and then guiding them to the relevant section. The Tool took six months to develop and there are now plans to convert it into a smartphone app.
The UPC collaborated very closely with the DED to produce the Tool and the Manual that contains the Commercial Signage Regulations.
Both organisations are confident the Tool will make the Regulations even more effective by saving building owners and sign makers time and effort in applying the standards.
Since the launch of the Commercial Signage Regulations, an annual average of 70,000 businesses renewing their licenses and 8,500 new businesses were required to apply the regulations. The impact of the regulations can clearly be seen in Al Zahiyah (Tourist Club Area), Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street and along Hamdan Street.
Abdulla Al Sahi, Executive Director, Corporate Services Sector, UPC, said: “Adherence to the Commercial Signage Regulations is important to the Emirate’s future vision and is in accord with the guiding principles of Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, which calls for more liveable, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing public spaces across the Emirate in line with the Estidama guiding principles.
“We’re very pleased that in just a few short years, so many commercial buildings have already either met or retrofitted the standards, and it’s fantastic that the Tool is available for anyone to use, making it quicker and easier to produce and fit commercial signage that meets the Regulations.
“The launch of the Tool is very much in line with the Government’s direction of moving toward an e-government model, and supports the UPC’s strategy of investing in tools and technologies that enhance the application of its regulations.”
The UPC has worked extensively with DED since 2011 to ensure that the Regulations are effective and easily implementable. This type of partnership reflects the joined-up approach of Abu Dhabi’s government agencies to ensure effective implementation.
Mohammed R. Al Romaithi, Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Business Centre of DED said: “We worked very closely with the UPC to produce the Tool, and we’re really excited about how much time it will save building owners and signage companies in implementing the Regulations, and the DED in monitoring implementation. Moving to e-solutions is a natural and viable path that benefits all involved.”
Under the DED’s direction, the licensing department no longer reviews signage applications, and it is now the responsibility of the building owner and the design company to comply with the Regulations. The inspection section of DED now oversees the approval of applications by site visit before issuing the license. This new system makes it easier for DED inspectors to check if the signage complies with the Regulations.
The Commercial Signage Regulations provide developers and commercial building owners with clear guidelines and standards for permitted signage typologies, the location and position of a sign on a building, as well as its specifications and dimensions.
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