The purpose of Estidama is to create a new sustainability framework that will direct the current course of development while allowing adaptation as new understanding evolves. Its ultimate goal is to create an ever improving quality of life for the residents of the Emirate on four equal pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, social, and cultural.

Estidama arose from the need to properly plan, design, construct and operate sustainable developments with respect to the traditions embedded within the rich local culture on one hand and the harsh climatic nature of the region on the other. To this end, project owners, developers, design teams and even residents need to think differently about how they approach the design and planning process.