JIANGMEN, China, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CIMC Modular Building Systems, the modular construction business of CIMC Group, has officially shipped the modular units for Earth Hotels Riyadh, marking its first hospitality project in the Middle East.
Manufactured at the company’s production facility in Jiangmen, China, the project comprises 104 fully finished volumetric modules, which will be transported to Riyadh and assembled on site into a permanent boutique lifestyle hotel.
Scheduled to open in early 2027, Earth Hotels Riyadh demonstrates how industrialized construction can help hospitality developers achieve greater delivery certainty, consistent quality and lower environmental impact.
Compared with conventional construction methods, the project is expected to reduce the overall construction schedule by more than 40%, cut on-site construction waste by 70% and lower lifecycle carbon emissions by 30%.
Delivering a Hotel Built in a Factory
Located in Riyadh’s Maathar District, Earth Hotels Riyadh will offer 96 guestrooms across three floors, with a gross floor area of approximately 11,000 square metres. More than 75% of the guestrooms will be delivered using modular construction.
Designed as a boutique lifestyle destination, the hotel will combine guestrooms and loft suites with vibrant food and beverage concepts, co-working areas, wellness amenities and a rooftop social terrace.
Much of the building is completed off-site in a controlled factory environment. Structural systems, MEP services, interior finishes, furniture and smart hotel technologies are integrated before shipment, significantly reducing the amount of work required on site.
The project has been designed and constructed in accordance with the Saudi Building Code, while benchmarking key performance criteria against U.S. standards, and meets Saudi requirements for permanent buildings.
To address Riyadh’s demanding climate, the hotel incorporates high-performance thermal insulation, sustainable building materials and intelligent room management systems designed to reduce cooling demand and improve operational energy efficiency.
CIMC Modular Building Systems has also implemented a digital quality management system covering design, manufacturing, logistics and on-site installation, enabling end-to-end quality traceability throughout the project lifecycle.
Paul Farrelly, Assistant General Manager of CIMC Modular Building Systems, said:
“Modular construction is not simply about building faster. It is about providing developers with greater certainty, consistent quality and more sustainable outcomes. Factory-controlled manufacturing allows us to combine design flexibility with scalable delivery for international hospitality projects.”
Rami Moukarzel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Earth Hotels, said:
“At Earth Hotels, sustainability is a design principle that shapes how we build and the experiences we create. Our partnership with CIMC Modular Building Systems allows us to bring that vision to life through an innovative construction approach that reduces waste, accelerates delivery and supports our commitment to responsible growth across the Middle East.”
Expanding Modular Construction in the Middle East
As investment in tourism, hospitality and urban development continues across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, demand is growing for construction solutions that can provide both quality and greater programme certainty.
Building on CIMC Group’s established regional presence and global supply-chain capabilities, CIMC Modular Building Systems plans to further expand its modular solutions across hospitality, residential, healthcare, education and other sectors.
Victor Zhu, Managing Director of CIMC Modular Building Systems, said:
“Earth Hotels Riyadh is an important milestone for our business in the Middle East. It demonstrates how modular construction can support high-quality hospitality development while giving developers greater confidence in programme, quality and sustainability. We look forward to working with more partners across the region as demand for industrialized construction continues to grow.”
The project represents a new application of advanced manufacturing in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector, showing how modular construction can combine speed, quality, sustainability and design without compromising the guest experience.
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