EYWA Way of Water brings low-EMF living to Dubai Water Canal

As wellness real estate evolves, architectural focus is shifting toward invisible environmental conditions that influence human biology.

Along the Dubai Water Canal in Business Bay, luxury residential development EYWA Way of Water is targeting EMFIS® Certification to deliver an independently verified low-electromagnetic living environment. Designed to filter out ambient electromagnetic frequencies, the waterfront project prioritises nervous system quiet and cellular recovery alongside LEED Platinum, WELL Platinum, and WiredScore Platinum benchmarks.

Modern homes generate constant electromagnetic fields from internal wiring, Wi-Fi networks, smart systems, and external 5G infrastructure. Although the World Health Organization classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic, electromagnetic hygiene remains largely unaddressed by conventional healthy-building frameworks. European regulators are responding: France has banned Wi-Fi in daycare centres, while Switzerland has legislated precautionary exposure limits for schools and hospitals.

Shielding Built Environments by Design

Building on its earlier certification of EYWA – Tree of Life, EMFIS® is expanding its methodology across EYWA Way of Water. Designed by OAD (Zane Tetere-Sulce) with consultant John R Harris, the scheme encompasses approximately 65 ultra-luxury residences—ranging from two- to five-bedroom apartments to duplexes and a penthouse—with delivery expected around 2028.

By incorporating shielding and infrastructure choices directly into foundational design, the project preserves aesthetics whilst dramatically reducing daily radiation:

• Low-Frequency Fields: Reductions of up to 98.7% in electric fields, verified via third-party testing.

• High-Frequency Fields: Reductions of up to 81.8% in electromagnetic fields from wireless sources.

• Restorative Focus: Dedicated bedroom shielding to facilitate nervous system recovery and long-term vitality.

• Scientific Rigour: Standards developed from EPFL research and recognised by Switzerland’s national standardisation body, an ISO member.

Surging Demand for Verified Wellness

The initiative aligns with rapid capital growth across wellness-centred developments. The Global Wellness Institute projects the global wellness real estate market will grow from $876 billion to $1.8 trillion by 2030. In the UAE, the sector expanded from $3.3 billion in 2017 to $14.6 billion in 2025, reflecting a 21% annual growth rate.

While wellness assets command standard price premiums of 10% to 25%, buyers increasingly distinguish verified scientific metrics from marketing claims. EMFIS® benchmark data indicates that verified low-EMF certification delivers an average added value of approximately 14%.

Industry Perspectives on Longevity

Federico Marangoni, Founder and CEO of EMFIS®, commented: “Green building told us how a building treats the world outside it. The next question - the one EYWA Way of Water is helping answer - is what a building does to the people inside it over the course of a lifetime. Electromagnetic pollution is the dimension of the indoor environment the industry has not yet had the tools to measure and certify. That is exactly the gap EMFIS® closes, and EYWA Way of Water is one of the clearest examples in the region of a developer addressing it at design phase, where it makes the most difference. EYWA Way of Water is pitched to offer the quietest square meters in Dubai.”

Mariska Stoffel, Director of Design & Development at R.Evolution, commented: “Architecture is becoming much more sophisticated in how it responds to human wellbeing. When people spend around 90% of their time indoors, we are shaping the environment where much of daily life happens. That means looking beyond aesthetics to the invisible conditions created by the building itself. Sleep and recovery are a key part of that, which is why EMFIS® provides an important benchmark for how we address electromagnetic exposure. At EYWA Way of Water, we are designing for people who take a long-term view of both capital and personal wellbeing, while creating healthier, more considered living environments in an increasingly connected world.”

Shailesh Bhandari, Director, John R Harris commented: “At John R Harris & Partners, sustainability is embedded in our thinking from the first line of a project. EYWA Way of Water extends that principle into territory the industry is only beginning to navigate seriously: the electromagnetic environment that residents live within every day. Partnering with EMFIS® reflects our belief that truly well-crafted spaces actively support the health and longevity of those who inhabit them.”

With a GCC showroom in the UAE and schemes across eight nations, EMFIS® positions the project within a regional movement embedding electromagnetic hygiene into architectural design.