# BIM and MEP in Saudi Arabia > In Saudi Arabia the Building Permit is a single application, filed on the Balady platform of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH), that checks planning and the Saudi Building Code together; the code's 2024 edition is mandatory from 30 June 2025. For government projects, EXPRO's national manual includes a BEP template. BIMON has worked in Riyadh since 2019 as BIM and MEP consultant to lead design firms. Updated: 2026-11-07 · URL: https://bimon.it/en/middle-east/saudi-arabia ## Projects - [King Faisal Air Academy](https://bimon.it/en/projects/king-faisal-air-academy) — Riyadh, 2020, client One Works S.p.A.: The project covers the design and construction of a new military city of 109 buildings, including residences, mosques and barracks. BIMON delivered the MEP construction design for every building, multidisciplinary coordination at all design stages and the validation of the BIM models. - [MoMRA Headquarters](https://bimon.it/en/projects/momra-headquarters) — Riyadh, 2019, client Manens-Tifs S.p.A.: The new MoMRA office building in Riyadh combines the architectural tradition of the region with current technology and the latest thinking in office design. BIMON was contracted for the final design of the electrical and mechanical systems using BIM. ## Rules ### One Building Permit, on the Balady platform In Saudi Arabia planning and code compliance are bound into a single Building Permit application, filed digitally on the Balady platform. It is submitted by the local engineering practice acting as Architect of Record. That is why a foreign consultant works inside the design team, not in its place. [1] ### Saudi Building Code, 2024 edition The Saudi Building Code sets mandatory requirements for structural integrity, fire and life safety and energy efficiency. The 2024 edition has been mandatory since 30 June 2025, after a 180-day transition in which the 2018 edition still applied. Compliance reviews belong in design stages 2 and 3, before the Balady application. [3][1] ### Government projects: EXPRO's national manual For government projects the Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) publishes the National Manual of Project Management: 16 volumes and 88 chapters. Volume 6, Engineering, contains a BIM Execution Plan template that asks the team to define levels of development, BIM uses, clash checking and shop detailing. [6][2] ### A national BIM mandate? Some industry sources report a BIM mandate for major projects from January 2024. We have not found the official text, so we do not treat it as settled. What counts, project by project, are the owner's requirements: ask for the EIR before you price the work. [5] ### From MoMRA to MOMAH The ministry whose headquarters MEP we designed, founded in 1975 as the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, has been called the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) since July 2024. It is the ministry that regulates the Building Permit. [4][1] ## Services - **MEP Design**: MEP design in BIM, from final to construction design: electrical, special, mechanical and plumbing systems. - **BIM Validation**: Validation of models and shop drawings at every cycle, with filterable reports: we did it for more than 100 buildings. - **Project BIM Management**: Multidisciplinary coordination and a federated model for clash management at every stage. - **BIM Data Enrichment Automation**: BIM automation tools on the client's standards, to work across hundreds of models without repetitive manual steps. ## Before you start a BIM project in Saudi Arabia - [ ] Establish which BIM rules apply: the EXPRO manual (government projects), a Royal Commission or giga-project standard, or the owner's EIR. - [ ] Identify the local Architect of Record and who will file the Balady application. - [ ] Check that the design is developed to the 2024 edition of the Saudi Building Code. - [ ] Set levels of development per stage and BIM uses (coordination, quantities, 4D, operations) in the BEP. - [ ] Define the rules, frequency and format of model validation reports. - [ ] Agree the CDE, naming and the handover data format for operations (IFC, COBie). ## FAQ **Who issues building permits in Saudi Arabia?** The local municipality, through the Balady digital platform of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH). There is one application covering planning and the Saudi Building Code, submitted by the local practice acting as Architect of Record. **Is BIM mandatory in Saudi Arabia?** Industry sources report a mandate for major projects from January 2024, but we have not found the official text. For government projects EXPRO's national manual includes a BEP template; otherwise the owner's requirements in the EIR apply. **What did BIMON do on King Faisal Air Academy?** For One Works we delivered the MEP construction design of 109 buildings, multidisciplinary coordination at every stage and validation of BIM models and shop drawings at detailed, construction and as-built stages, with reports and dashboards updated at every cycle. **Can BIMON act as Architect of Record?** No. That role belongs to a local engineering practice. We work inside the design team, alongside the Architect of Record and the lead consultant, on BIM, MEP and model checks. ## Contact r.pagani@bimon.it ## Sources 1. [RIBA Plan of Work: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Overlay (sections 5–7: Building Permit, Saudi Building Code)](https://www.riba.org/media/4fvlc3ys/riba-plan-of-work-ksa-overlay-2026.pdf) — RIBA, 2026 (accessed 2026-11-07) 2. [Project Building Information Modeling Execution Plan (BEP) Template, Volume 6, Chapter 6 (EPM-KE0-TP-000025)](https://expro.gov.sa/en/knowledge/sections/methodologies-and-national-manuals) — Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) (accessed 2026-11-07) 3. [3 new construction codes added as part of the 2024 Saudi Building Code modernization](https://amlak.net.sa/en/73090/) — Amlak, 2025-01-08 (accessed 2026-11-07) 4. [Saudi Arabia updates Ministry name to reflect focus on municipalities and housing](https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/644367) — Saudi Gazette, 2024-07-21 (accessed 2026-11-07) 5. [New BIM mandates in Dubai and Saudi Arabia (industry summary, not the official text)](https://www.lrqa.com/en-ae/latest-news/new-bim-mandates-in-dubai-and-saudi-arabia/) — LRQA, 2024 (accessed 2026-11-07) 6. [National Manual of Project Management](https://www.expro.gov.sa/en/knowledge/sections/books/national-manual-for-project-management1) — Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) (accessed 2026-11-07)