Tawazoun program in Riyadh wins World Smart City Awards — Asharq Al-Awsat
The Tawazoun real estate market balance program in Riyadh won the award in the Infrastructure & Building category of the World Smart City Awards 2026. The ceremony took place on November 4 in Barcelona, Spain. Two other projects from the Saudi capital also reached the competition’s finals, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
Riyadh’s Infrastructure Projects Center was among four finalists in the Governance & Economy category with its Infrastructure in One Source initiative. It provides for an integrated infrastructure coordination plan to improve planning and interaction among government bodies, private companies, and service providers.
Riyadh Metro also reached the finals in the Mobility category. It was recognized for developing an integrated public transport network intended to promote more efficient and sustainable mobility in the city.
An award for housing market balance
The Tawazoun program is aimed at addressing imbalances in the real estate market and making home purchases easier amid the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s capital. Maher Shira, director general of the Smart Cities Department at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said that the program’s approach is based on monitoring the real estate market, comparing housing supply with future demand, and analyzing differences among the city’s districts.
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According to him, data have practical value when they are used to make decisions on land development, infrastructure development, housing initiatives, and market monitoring. Tawazoun’s long-term impact will be assessed by housing affordability, service efficiency, the quality of management decisions, and residents’ experience.
533 applications from 68 countries
The Smart City Expo World Congress took place in Barcelona on November 3–5, while the World Smart City Awards ceremony was held on November 4. The competition received 533 applications from 68 countries. The awards are granted to cities, public institutions, and organizations for innovative solutions for sustainable development and improving the efficiency of urban services and infrastructure.
Riyadh’s Infrastructure Projects Center was already a finalist for this award in 2025: its road repair management initiative was then among the four finalists in the Governance & Economy category.
