Kitemark Quality License granted by BSI; For adoption of Building Information Modeling for digital project delivery.

The Red Sea Development Company, the developer of one of the world's most ambitious renewable tourism projects, has become the first global property owner to achieve the Kitemark license granted by the British Standards Institute (BSI), for its adoption of Building Information Modeling in digital project delivery, compliant with the ISO 19650 standard. .

ISO 19650 is a series of international standards for the effective management of data during the project development and operation phases. The Red Sea Development Company was granted this license for its excellence in data management, which will enable the company to adopt best practices across all its departments and divisions.

John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company, said: “This certification is a remarkable achievement as it highlights our quest to set new standards while working on the design, development and operation of our tourist destinations. Global interest in this work mechanism is increasing among workers in this sector, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge and experience gained with other projects around the world.” 

The British Standards Institute (BSI), the world's leading developer of technology standards covering a wide range of services including corporate standards and supply certificates, has conducted a comprehensive audit of the Red Sea Development Company's approach to digital project delivery.

Susan Taylor Martin, CEO of the British Standards Institute (BSI), commented: “We are pleased to work with The Red Sea Development Company in its adoption of global standards and in particular its adoption of globally specialized Building Information Modeling. Obtaining a Kitemark Building Information Modeling license granted by the British Standards Institution (BSI) by a real estate asset owner is an internationally unprecedented achievement. We are also pleased to congratulate the Red Sea Development Company on this achievement for its excellence in digital transformation and sustainability. We look forward to working with the company on future projects, and supporting it to achieve its world-leading goals.”

The Red Sea Development Company has implemented Building Information Modeling since its establishment in 2018, and since then it has been developing its services in digital project delivery. The adoption of BIM has also helped the company create a co-working environment that allows its global teams to continue working at a steady pace despite all the impacts of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technologies have made better decisions when getting data takes days instead of weeks.

Building Information Modeling is a central part of the Red Sea Development Company's “prototype” approach, and the company has worked closely with its partners to establish best practices in this area. In order to make a positive impact in the Saudi market to further digitally empower projects in the future. Other advantages include reducing waste by using design techniques for manufacturing and assembly and using modern construction methods (MMC), such as off-site construction, which has had a tremendous impact in reducing construction time and improving construction quality, reducing risks, and improving environmental performance.

It is noteworthy that the Red Sea project has reached important milestones in its development, and work is in full swing to receive guests by the end of 2022 with the opening of the international airport and the first group of hotels. All 16 hotels planned in the first phase will open by the end of 2023.

The Red Sea project, when completed in 2030, will consist of 50 hotels providing up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties spread over 22 islands and six inland locations. The destination will also include a luxury marina, and many recreational and leisure facilities.