Environmental Developments in Dubai heading towards 2015

Dubai, being the financial and business centre for both United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as the Gulf region, has always looked to the future.  Over the last 10 years there has been extremely fast growth, providing great appeal for property buyers and developers from overseas. This has mainly been in the form of luxury properties and spectacular man made islands, something for which Dubai has become famous.  Recently, Dubai has been looking to develop a sustainable method of progress and has been embracing the green building movement. Like its past growth, Dubai’s eco initiatives are uniquely modern and forward-thinking.

Sustainable building techniques and eco initiatives

Property designers and architects in Dubai have made attempts to make use of building methods which are environmentally friendly and use materials from sustainable sources, but at the same time are still aesthetically appealing.

For instance, current improvement initiatives have relied on using recycled products, giving these items new life and thus reducing waste in building construction. New skyscrapers have been constructed by green developers such as the 10MW tower from Studied Impact. This skyscraper is as much an aesthetic renewable energy power plant as it is a habitable skyscraper. It uses solar power (benefiting from the substantial daylight in Dubai) and wind power to lessen the area's dependence on non-renewable traditional energy sources.

More super-advanced building methods include buildings that will be located at sea, benefiting from wind, solar, and hydroelectric capacity to create a totally sustainable building, aiming for a Zero Carbon Footprint. Dubai is planning a sustainable future by using more natural practices in its development techniques. Nadeem from AAJ Property, a Dubai Property expert and real estate business owner, was asked why Dubai is embracing the change to eco-friendly building techniques Nadeem told us that “Dubai as a whole, is attempting to support a more sustainable future, as Dubai developers truly care about leaving a great planet for the future generations. The developers also strive to improve on techniques, and they feel that they have constructed some of the world’s best sustainable buildings. They are a great showcase for Dubai”.

Eco Urban Planning

The Dubai skyline, although visually impressive, does not blend as well as it could into the environment.

Buildings are spread-out, looking like pockets of habitability within an unforgiving desert area. To be able to make future development initiatives genuinely sustainable, urban planners and designers in Dubai have already been re-thinking ways of making Dubai's structures totally suitable for the desert scenery which is ubiquitous within the UAE.

For example, the Xeritown improvement in the region of Dubailand shows how designers are trying to mould the design into the environment. Structures in Xeritown increase street exposure to the cool north-westerly breeze. Buildings are being developed which enhance and offer super-shaded areas to ward off the intense sun. By orienting the town towards the northwest, structures are well-suited for solar power, which will result in longer-lasting buildings than skyscrapers reliant on fossil fuels.

Xeritown structures have substantial awnings, to provide retail places with great shelter from the harsh sunlight, and free-standing circular structures to enable shoppers to quickly duck out of the sun. This innovation will encourage people to shop more, and therefore increase trade in Dubai.

Dubai has powerfully started to create sustainable buildings, and aggressive efforts to be greener and move away from old practices and from being known as a power hungry drain on the world resources. The power hunger and work ethic is still there but now pushing towards a sustainable future for future generations.  Keep it Eco Dubai and that will see you in great stead.