Pearl Building Rating System - Estidama

components, as a minimum:
� Topography;
� Geology/ geomorphology;
� Soils and geotechnical attributes;
� Hydrology and groundwater;
� Waste and contamination;
� Coastal conditions;
� Microclimate (such as prevailing winds, solar orientation and solar shading;
� Priority species, habitats and ecosystems (both onsite and those influenced by the
site);
� Flora and fauna (including wildlife corridors, seasonal uses); and
� Archaeological features.
The Natural Systems Assessment must be undertaken in combination with LBo-R2 Urban
Systems Assessment.
The assessment must be based on a field survey and a desk top study using historical
and/or other data. As a minimum, a field survey must be carried out on the project site
and include a Phase I Habitat Survey, or similar. A desk top study is sufficient for the
area of probable impact, sub-regional and regional analysis.
The Natural Systems assessment must illustrate the inter-relationship between
environmental components and identify the carrying capacity of the site based on the
following:
� Significant Assets - Assets which are of significant importance (internationally,
nationally, regionally and/or locally), including:
o Priority Habitats - Habitats identified in Abu Dhabi Emirate which are of
exceptional value and are highly threatened, including Intertidal Mudflats,
Mangrove, Vegetated Sandy Beaches, Marine (seagrass, coral), Wadis, Sand
Sheets and Low Dunes, Interdunal Plains and High Dunes, Alluvial Plains
and Jebels (Reference is to be made to Brown and Boer, 2004 for detailed
habitat types);
o Any other habitat identified as significant through the Development Review
Process, the Coastal Development Guidelines, an Environmental Impact
Assessment, a Preliminary Environmental Review or a Strategic
Environmental Assessment; and
o Priority Species – A protected species (flora or fauna) or species
determined to be critically endangered, vulnerable, threatened, near
threatened or sensitive (as defined by the Union for Conservation of
Nature, IUCN, UAE Red Data List and / or EHSMS.)
� Valuable Assets - Any valuable assets, such as features of ecological value,
including healthy native trees or shrubs.
The assessment must identify and map areas to be:
� protected;
� used as mitigation areas;
� enhanced;
� remediated; and/or
� allocated for habitat creation or restoration beyond mitigation; and / or
compensation requirements.
The assessment must then clearly identify and justify the following, as applicable, in
addition to the above:
� developable land;
� buffer areas;
� reclaimed land;
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