Rethinking the Future of Dubai's Ageing Buildings

By Andrew Brenton, Senior Associate – Head of Building Surveying at CSQ

Over the last few decades, Dubai has experienced extraordinary growth, with a skyline now defined by a vast and diverse range of commercial towers, residential developments, and large scale industrial facilities.

Approximately 30% of Dubai’s rapid development took place during the major construction boom of the early 2000s,with another 20% of buildings constructed between 1980 and 1999. This means that around half of the city’s building stock is now between 25 and 40 years old.

These days, when I speak with investors and developers, the conversation has shifted. It's not about new build development but about what’s already here. As more of Dubai’s property stock hits the critical 20 to 25 year mark, managing and maintaining these ageing assets has become an increasing issue.

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A Unique Challenge for the UAE

In more mature markets like Europe, this conversation is nothing new. But what makes Dubai and the wider UAE unique is the speed and scale of its development in such a short time period. A significant portion of the city's property stock is now reaching a tipping  point where major systems and components are nearing the end of their useful life. This presents both risk and opportunity.

From New Build to Repositioning

As someone who regularly surveys and advises on buildings across the UAE, it’s clear that repositioning ageing assets is becoming essential. Not just to preserve value, but to meet evolving regulatory and performance benchmarks.

This shift is being driven, in part, by the UAE’s ambitious sustainability goals for 2030 and 2050. Achieving those targets means older buildings will need meaningful upgrades, particularly to mechanical, electrical, and façade systems to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Ageing Buildings: The Hidden Issues

When we think about older buildings, it’s easy to focus on faded interiors or outdated lobbies. But the real problems run much deeper. Hidden from view are challenges that can be far more serious and far more expensive to address:

• Inefficient or unreliable MEP systems nearing the end of their lifecycle
• Façades that underperform thermally, allow moisture ingress or fail to meet current fire safety standards
• Rising energy bills and maintenance costs due to fabric and plant failures
• Layouts and spaces that no longer meet modern occupier expectations

All of this has a knock-on effect. As newer, better performing buildings enter the market, older stock is at risk of being left behind. Demand shifts, rental income falls, and asset values come under pressure.

What Are Stranded Assets and Why Should You Care?

The term “stranded assets” is becoming more common in property conversations. But what does it really mean?

In simple terms, a stranded asset is a building that becomes uncompetitive, unlettable or even unsellable. This often results from physical obsolescence such as outdated systems or poor energy performance. But increasingly it is driven by:

• Stricter regulations around sustainability and fire safety
• Changing occupier expectations
• Institutional reluctance to invest in noncompliant or inefficient stock

The result? Lower income, higher costs, declining valuations, and increased difficulty in securing financing or selling the asset. And while Asset Stranding doesn’t happen overnight, it does happen. Especially without a proactive strategy in place.

Take Dubai’s commercial office market as an example. Currently, supply is relatively tight, and even older office stock can find tenants. But over the next few years, the pipeline of new, high-spec developments will transform the landscape. These upcoming projects will offer superior energy performance, cutting-edge smart building systems, and high-quality amenities, precisely what corporate occupiers are increasingly prioritising.

As this new supply comes online, older buildings without upgrades risk falling out of favour. Their lower efficiency, outdated layouts, and higher operating costs will make them less attractive compared to modern alternatives. Over time, these assets will become stranded without intervention, generating lower rents, facing longer vacancy periods, and losing value in a market where tenants have more choice.

How Chartered Building Surveyors Can Help

Strategic planning is key. It’s not just about conducting condition surveys, though those are essential. It’s about looking ahead 10, 20 or even 30 years and creating a roadmap for how a building can evolve to remain relevant and competitive.

Chartered Building Surveyors are qualified professionals accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). They specialise in the technical assessment, maintenance, refurbishment and strategic management of built assets across their lifecycle.

They bring clarity and foresight to complex questions:

What needs to be done

· When should it happen

· What will it cost

· How can risk be managed

· How can value be preserved or enhanced

Typical services include:

· Full technical assessments of building fabric and services

· Lifecycle planning and capital expenditure prioritisation

· Advice on MEP upgrades and system replacement

· Façade evaluations and recladding strategies

· Compliance reviews for fire safety, energy and planning

· Project management for refurbishments and repositioning

How CSQ Adds Value

At CSQ, we deliver this through a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together Building Surveying, Cost Consultancy, FM Consultancy, and Project Management.

This integrated model allows us to manage the full lifecycle of a refurbishment or repositioning project from early assessment and budgeting to design, procurement, and delivery.

Whether it’s a light refresh or a full repositioning, we help clients make the right decisions at the right time, ensuring clarity, control, and measurable results.

A Proactive Approach, Not a Reactive One

There is still time to act, but the window is narrowing.

As Dubai continues to deliver high-specification new builds, those that don’t will be left behind.

But for proactive owners and investors, this is where the opportunity lies. Repositioning can:

· Secure long-term tenants

· Improve operating performance

· Extend asset life

· Strengthen asset valuations

· Support ESG and regulatory goals

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In many cases, upgrading is far more cost-effective than redevelopment.

Dubai is entering a new chapter in its built environment. One where the focus is not just on new construction, but on protecting and enhancing what already exists.

For owners, developers and investors, the question is simple: How do you future-proof your asset before issues surface or opportunities pass you by?

Repositioning isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about unlocking long-term value, improving performance, and ensuring your assets remain competitive in a fast-evolving market. With the right strategy and the right partner, even the most dated buildings can be transformed into high performing, future ready spaces.

Let’s talk. If you’re ready to start the conversation, get in touch.

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