The Real Estate Future Forum 2024 discussed on Tuesday women's prominent societal role that is significantly impacting real estate through purposeful planning for the required change.
On its second day, the Forum reviewed the positive transformations in the Kingdom's housing sector and its plan within Saudi Vision 2030. It underlined the role of programs and financing solutions for housing support that have allowed more than 755,000 beneficiaries to sign financing contracts that have totaled more than $124 billion.
The Real Estate Future Forum 2024 kicked off in Riyadh on Monday under the auspices of the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing.
Held under the theme "The Power of Flexibility: Building a Sustainable and Flourishing Real Estate Future," the Forum features several strategic discussions about the real estate system on both local and global levels. Over 300 speakers representing over 85 countries worldwide are taking part in the event.
Executive Director of Urban Planning at Roshen Giovanna Carnevali stressed the importance of women's prominent role in society, which has significantly impacted real estate through purposeful planning.
Carnevali noted Roshen's participation in 100,000 housing units until 2030.
She said that 46 percent of the work in the facility depends on women, praising the Saudi opportunities available for women that are allowing them to develop in various fields.
Financing contracts
CEO of the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) Mansour bin Madi stated revealed that the Fund's share of the total real estate financing market reached 74 percent, out of a total of $166.6 billion recorded in the Kingdom between 2017 and 2023.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Housing Division of the Saudi Umran Society Abdulrahman al-Johani discussed the transformations of the housing sector in the Kingdom over the past years, reviewing the current reality of housing and its plan within Vision 2030.
Johani cited ten development plans in housing that began implementation in 1970 and until the launch of Vision 2030 programs. They all focused on providing suitable housing for citizens at economic costs.
Urban planning development
CEO of the Quality of Life Program Khaled al-Bakr confirmed that the program developed urban planning, addressed visual distortions, and developed public spaces and facilities through many initiatives that contribute to improving the urban landscape and the quality of services provided in cities.
Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization (SASO) Saad al-Qasabi indicated that the conformity index for construction products and building materials offered in the Kingdom's markets for 2022 increased by 84% compared to 60% in 2020.
Qasabi explained that this comes from the authority issuing several technical regulations to improve construction products.
On the sidelines of the Forum, the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing launched the professional volunteering initiative in real estate to support youth development and enhance the concept of volunteering in the commercial and non-profit sectors.
It aims to raise awareness among the real estate community on the goals and mission of professional volunteering and to empower pioneering and leading figures to transfer knowledge to beneficiaries and develop their capabilities economically and socially.
