Do you have electrical heater at home? there is new rule

Starting now, every new building in Kuwait has to follow a strict official rulebook for its water heater.

Dr. Sabih Al-Mukhizaim, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, announced that a decree on the technical code for water heaters in buildings was published in the official gazette, Kuwait Al-Youm, on Sunday. It’s a detailed set of design and installation rules, and it covers almost every building in the country.

If you’re planning to build, extend, or renovate a property in Kuwait, this is worth a read. It follows other recent changes affecting residents, like Kuwait’s digital salary system, that show the government tightening rules across daily life.

What does the new code actually say?

The decree has two main articles. Article One says the code sets out the requirements for designing and installing water heating systems in buildings across Kuwait. Article Two says it applies to all water heating systems, in both residential and non-residential buildings, with no exceptions by area or building type.

Beyond that, the code lays out technical specifications for what counts as efficient use of water heaters, including how much hot water a system should use. These apply to newly built structures and to any expansion of an existing building that needs extra electrical capacity.

So who does this affect?

In short: everyone building or expanding a property in Kuwait from now on, whether it’s a family home, an apartment block, a shop, or an office.

Non-residential buildings face the toughest standard. They must meet minimum energy efficiency rules for their water heating systems, and the system installed must reduce total water heating demand by at least 60 percent. That’s a significant cut, and it pushes commercial developers towards more efficient equipment from the design stage.

Residential buildings have more freedom. Homeowners and developers can still choose any water heating system they like, electric, gas, or otherwise. But if they want to use a high-efficiency system, such as solar water heating or a heat pump, that system must follow the energy efficiency standards written into the code. In other words, efficient systems aren’t mandatory for homes, but if you go that route, it has to be done properly.

What about the equipment itself?

Every water heating system and piece of equipment covered by the code must meet Kuwait Standard 1903/2025. This standard was issued by the Public Authority for Industry (PAI), or whatever its most recent update happens to be at the time of installation. This means manufacturers, suppliers and installers working in Kuwait will need to check their products against this standard before fitting them in any building covered by the code.

More local news from Kuwait often covers these kinds of technical rule changes that quietly affect construction and household costs here, so it’s worth keeping an eye on updates like this one.

What this means for people living in Kuwait

For most current residents, nothing changes overnight. This code applies to new construction and expansions that need extra electrical capacity, not to existing water heaters already running in your home or flat.

But if you’re a landlord, developer, or business owner planning a new building or a renovation that adds electrical load, you’ll need to factor this code into your plans from day one. Contractors and consultants working on permits will need to check compliance with Kuwait Standard 1903/2025 before installation.

For tenants and homeowners, the long-term upside could be lower water heating costs, especially in commercial buildings where the 60 percent efficiency cut should reduce electricity use tied to water heating. That’s relevant given how often water supply issues have made news in Kuwait recently, even if this particular code is about heating systems rather than supply.

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