Ohana Development

Foundations of Ohana Development

When tracing the journey of Ohana Development, the company’s identity is closely tied to its name—“Ohana,” meaning family. This is more than a brand label; it reflects a development philosophy shaped by decades of hands-on experience in construction, design, and project delivery. With its headquarters in Abu Dhabi’s Landmark Tower and an additional base in Beirut, the firm operates within strategic cultural and economic hubs of the Middle East.

Rather than chasing large-scale volume, Ohana has cultivated a reputation for creating spaces that evolve with their residents—prioritizing thoughtful layouts, flexible ownership models, and projects situated in carefully chosen coastal or resort-proximate locations. Its portfolio’s geographical spread, particularly along the Abu Dhabi–Dubai corridor and Lebanon’s Damour coastline, shows a deliberate focus on waterfront living. Each location choice appears calculated to blend accessibility with lifestyle value, appealing to buyers seeking both practicality and connection to place.

Core Commitments Highlighted by Ohana

• Designing homes for long-term living, with layouts shaped around everyday needs rather than purely aesthetic statements.
  
  

• Offering customization opportunities, allowing buyers to influence layouts, finishes, and material choices within select villa projects.
  
  

• Anchoring projects in prime coastal areas, such as Ghantoot and Damour, to combine residential appeal with distinctive location advantages.

Husein Salem’s Role in Shaping Ohana Development’s Direction

Since taking the helm in 2015, Husein Salem has overseen the evolution of Ohana Development from a family-operated real estate consultancy into a regional developer with projects in the UAE, Lebanon, and select international markets. A Civil Engineering graduate with honors from Beirut Arab University, Salem’s professional path builds on a family legacy in real estate that dates back to 1980. This foundation has given him both technical expertise and a long-term perspective on property development.

Under his leadership, the company has shifted toward a model that blends architectural identity with brand-led collaborations. Projects such as ELIE SAAB Waterfront and Jacob & Co. Beachfront Living highlight Salem’s focus on integrating internationally recognized design houses into the development process. His approach emphasizes operational durability, attention to detail in construction, and aligning each project’s character with its intended market segment. In public interviews, Salem often speaks about balancing contemporary design with enduring functionality—ensuring that developments remain relevant and valuable well beyond their initial launch.

Ohana Development’s Active and Completed Projects

A closer look at Ohana Development’s portfolio reveals a blend of coastal villas, branded residential towers, and mixed-use beachfront communities across the UAE and Lebanon. Each project reflects a distinct approach to site selection, architectural identity, and amenity integration. By reviewing their locations, typologies, and public status updates, prospective buyers and investors can better understand the company’s development pattern and delivery timelines.

The table below consolidates key project facts from multiple credible sources. It outlines where each development is located, the type of properties offered, distinctive public features, and current status cues. While these details provide a useful overview, final decisions should be based on direct consultation with the developer’s official sales documentation, as delivery schedules and specifications can evolve over time.

Ohana Development’s Approach to Green Design and Resource Efficiency

Publicly available information on Ohana Development indicates that its environmental strategy is woven into both planning and execution stages of select projects. In various interviews and listings, the company has referenced design elements such as energy-efficient cooling systems, provisions for EV charging, and the potential integration of solar power. For instance, the ELIE SAAB Waterfront program has been noted for its inclusion of solar-ready infrastructure and charging facilities, while Ohana by the Sea listings highlight green-space integration and energy-saving air-cooling technology.

However, translating these sustainability statements into measurable outcomes requires more than marketing language. Prospective buyers or investors should seek detailed specifications—such as U-values for insulation, shading coefficients for façades, PV system capacity, or the number of EV chargers per parking bay. For villa communities, it’s also worth confirming landscape strategies, including irrigation systems that use non-potable water to reduce consumption. These tangible details provide a clearer picture of environmental performance than broad claims.

Key Environmental Features to Verify in Ohana Projects

• Energy-efficient systems — Specify the type of cooling system used and check for target EER/COP values.

• EV charging readiness — Determine the number and capacity of chargers planned for each parking allocation.

• Solar integration — Clarify whether solar PV is fully installed or only provisioned for future setup.

• Green space and irrigation — Confirm landscape coverage ratios and water sourcing methods, especially in coastal climates.

Applying a Greenness Index to Evaluate Ohana’s Environmental Performance

A practical way to assess Ohana Development’s environmental footprint is through a Greenness Index—a scoring framework that evaluates core categories such as energy use, water efficiency, materials, mobility, indoor environment, and ecological integration. Using publicly available specifications, site visits, and operational documents, each project can be rated based on measurable factors rather than subjective impressions.

For example, the ELIE SAAB Waterfront includes references to solar technology, EV charging points, and energy-efficient systems, while Ohana by the Sea is noted for its air-cooling design and landscaped communal areas. Supplementing these with satellite-based vegetation indexes (NDVI) can provide insight into the ecological quality of surrounding spaces and the development’s impact on urban heat-island effects.

Ohana Development in the Context of UAE’s Real Estate Landscape

When viewed alongside other property developers in the UAE, Ohana Development shows a distinct project mix and operational focus. While major players such as Emaar, Aldar, and Nakheel often work on large-scale master-planned communities spanning thousands of units, Ohana’s portfolio leans toward highly curated, branded, and coastal developments. Its focus on collaborations—like those with ELIE SAAB and Jacob & Co.—places it in the same branded-residence segment that other developers also tap into, but with a stronger emphasis on integrating the brand identity into the architecture and interiors rather than using it solely for marketing.

In payment methods, Ohana is one of the developers in the UAE that publicly states acceptance of cryptocurrency, aligning it with certain innovators in the sector, yet still a smaller subset compared to the overall market. Location strategy also differs—while many developers concentrate within Dubai or Abu Dhabi city centers, Ohana often positions projects in in-between or waterfront settings, such as Ghantoot, to capture both commuter convenience and resort-style appeal.

Final Notes on Ohana

• Headquarters & Presence: Abu Dhabi-based developer with additional operations in Beirut, focusing on the UAE and Lebanon coastal markets.
  
  

• Experience: Publicly states more than 35 years of combined experience in construction, design, and project delivery.
  
  

• Project Portfolio: Includes branded and coastal developments such as Ohana by the Sea, ELIE SAAB Waterfront, Ohana Villas/Hills in Lebanon, and Jacob & Co. Beachfront Living.
  
  

• Brand Collaborations: Works with internationally recognized names (ELIE SAAB and Jacob & Co.) to integrate branded design into architecture and interiors.
  
  

• Location Strategy: Chooses waterfront and corridor sites between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as premium coastal areas in Lebanon.
  
  

• Customization: Offers personalization of layouts, finishes, and materials in selected villa projects.
  
  

• Payment Options: Accepts cryptocurrency alongside flexible payment plans, aligning with a niche group of UAE developers.
  
  

• Sustainability Mentions: References to energy-efficient cooling, EV charging, solar readiness, and landscaped green spaces; measurable performance depends on verified specifications.
  
  

• Greenness Index Potential: Projects can be assessed for environmental performance using metrics such as energy, water, mobility, materials, and ecology.
  
  

• Market Positioning: Compared to larger UAE developers, Ohana focuses on mid-sized, branded, and curated developments rather than large master-planned communities.