Future Cities ME — Issue 11 by Future Cities ME

Volume 1 - NUMBER 11

CONTENTS The Sections

GOVERNMENT

smart technologies

Dubai’s Future Agenda: Recreating Wisdom p.12

LiFi technology comes to the UAE p.62

roundtable

transport

The Knock Test p.18

How Driverless Cars Will Kill the City and Save the Suburbs p.68

construction health & communities

Sustainable Flooring for a Healthier Tomorrow p.28

Dinosaurs and Super Heroes to debut in Dubai p.72

sustainability

food & agriculture

Masdar aims to ‘Seize the Next Decade’ p.48

Growing Food and Fuel in a Desert Ecosystem p.76

FUTURE CITIES ME

CONTENTS PAGE Volume 1 NUMBER 11

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Volume 1 - NUMBER 11

contents

FUTURE CITIES ME . VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

28 44

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

76 FUTURECITIESME.COM

Editor’s note

ubai is a city with an eye set on the future. Announcement of the Dubai Future Agenda this month along with an AED 1 billion Fund for the Future is yet another step by the Dubai Government in consolidated today’s gains to create a better tomorrow for the country and its residents. We bring you details on the Agenda and the significant global partnerships fostered by the Foundation.

With Value Added Tax or VAT being a near certainty we have experts from Deloitte provide us with a report on the how and when the new tax regime is likely to be implemented and implications for the economies of the region. In this edition of our Roundtable series this time we discussed the use of newer construction materials in projects across the region today and how to make everybody more aware of their benefits and encourage their use by all participants of the industry. In our construction section we take in depth look at the role of flooring in building sustainable and healthy hospitals. The Dubai Opera is set to open later this year and we provide you with a preview of events to come. The Dubai Creek Tower is another iconic building to grace the city’s skyline and we bring you the project’s details. Turning to more urgent matters we study the state of affordable housing projects in the UAE and what are the problems faced my mid- to low-income groups in “affording” such housing. Abu Dhabi’s Masdar has completed a decade passing a number of milestones in sustainable development with an agenda to “seize the next decade”. Drop It is a new campaign to reduce the use of disposable plastic water bottles in the UAE which has the highest per capita consumption of the same. Follow this campaign on social media, join in, and do your bit to save the environment. In this issue we bring you pictures of the Future Cities Golf Cup held at the Dubai Creek Golf course last month. In our Transport Section David Green of Perkins+Will gives us some interesting insights on driverless cars and their implications on our lifestyles in the future. All in all, there is something for everyone in this issue of Future Cities M.E. We hope you too find it an enjoyable read. Cheers!

FUTURE CITIES ME . VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Publisher & CEO Liam Williams liam@flipflopmedia.ae

Managing Director Harry Norman harry@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9062 Editorial editor sunil Thakur sunil@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9063 Katy Elliot info@flipflopmedia.ae

Advertising business development Director junaid rafique junaid@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9017 Design & Photography Head of Design Marlou Delaben design@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9063 circulation & Production Circulation & Distribution Manager Antonio de Marco circulationdm@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9063 Database and Circulation Manager Aaliya Khan databaseandcm@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9063 Production Manager Juan Vasquez productionmanager@flipflopmedia.ae +971 4 369 9063 Digital webmaster@flipflopmedia.ae Published by

Sunil Thakur

Editor

Registered at Fujairah Free Zone PO Box 26734 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 369 9063 Fax: +971 4 369 8989 www.flipflopmedia.ae

printed by Printwell © Copyright 2016 FlipFlop Media All rights reserved While the publisher has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

GOVERNMENT

‘When’ not ‘If’

VAT has been on the agenda in the GCC for a long time, recently however it has become increasingly obvious this is a question of “When, not if”, according to consulting and advisory firm deloitte.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

government

audi Arabia and Oman have both reported that they plan to introduce VAT very soon (2017 seems a likely date) and it has been reported that Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said that the UAE will implement Value Added Tax (VAT) from 1 January 2018 at the rate of 5% in co-ordination with the other GCC countries. This announcement followed a joint press conference in February 2016 with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Minister is also reported to have said that all GCC members will have from 1 January 2018 to 1 January 2019 to implement VAT, following the expected finalisation of a framework agreement between members in June 2016. This has been corroborated by reports that Darwish bin Ismail Al-Balushi, Oman’s Minister responsible for Financial Affairs, said in February 2016 that GCC members have agreed to introduce VAT in 2018 at a likely rate of 5%. The implementation of a VAT in the GCC follows a sharp decline of oil prices in 2015. This decrease represents a significant challenge to Gulf States, with the price plunge slashing government income and creating the need for long-term alternative and stable sources of government revenue. Taxation is one of the viable alternative sources of income available for GCC members. Deloitte research suggests that the GCC states need a substantial increase in oil prices before they would break even (Kuwait, for example, would need the price to be closer to $50 a barrel). Indirect taxes (such as VAT) are widely considered as cheaper to implement and operate, more efficient, and less open to fraud compared to direct taxes. Moreover, it is considered by most economic theories that VAT is less likely to distort investment decisions by businesses than any form of direct tax. This latter point is significant, as GCC members do not want to generate new revenue at the expense of investment by the private sector. Given the need to raise additional government revenues, the implementation

52.3 53.3

Oman

74.3 73.3

71.1 77.6

Kuwait 20

86.1 90.7

Bahrain

Fiscal break even 2014/2015 ($ barrel) 101.6 107.5

119.2 116.4

Central gov’t fiscal balance 2000 – 2016 (% GDP)

Non-oil funding need

FUTURECITIESME.COM

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia

Qatar

Price @ 19 February Oman

United Arab Emirates

Kuwait

Source: IMF, OPEC

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain

-20

2016

2000-2011

Qatar 0

$29.96

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

100 90 80 70

50 40 30 20 10 0

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Qatar Oil

Kuwait

Oman

Bahrain

Non-oil

Given all member states are required to draft their own legislation and implement VAT domestically, the implementation of VAT is not likely to be unilateral across GCC members. As such, it seems credible that all members would have a system of VAT by 2019 (or perhaps as late as 2020), but with some implementing VAT ahead of others.

Source: IMF, OPEC

of VAT would allow GCC members to diversify and strengthen income streams, allowing them to move away from dependence on oil. Moreover, it will enhance GCC members’ economic stability, helping to balance the national budgets. The IMF estimates suggest VAT could contribute up to 1.6% of GDP as revenue in Saudi Arabia for example. What will the tax system look like? VAT is a feature of tax systems in over 150 countries. It is a consumption tax which is ultimately borne by the final consumer. It is not a charge on business; rather it is paid by businesses on a net basis on the difference between tax on sales and purchases. It is generally understood that GCC members will each have their own VAT law and implement VAT regimes individually; however the VAT regimes will be guided by common agreed rules across the GCC. Harmonisation of the regimes will allow the GCC members to operate as a single market, increasing cross border activity and reducing compliance costs. It is also expected the VAT system will fit with international best practice and therefore will be familiar to many tax professionals (albeit with local differences). Given all member states are required to draft their own legislation and implement VAT domestically, the implementation of VAT is not likely to be unilateral across GCC members. As such, it seems credible that all members would have a system of VAT by 2019 (or perhaps as late as 2020), but with some implementing VAT ahead of others. Although the individual VAT regimes may differ slightly, it is likely that each will have the same VAT rates and the same (or similar) exemptions or reliefs. It has been widely reported that VAT will be introduced by GCC members at a rate of 5%. This was corroborated by Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, UAE Minister of State for Financial

1.5

1.6

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

0.8

Saudi Arabia

Qatar

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Source: IMF

Kuwait

0.5

0.9

1.4 0.9

0.8

0.9

1.4

1.6

VAT contribution (% GDP)

Bahrain

GOVERNMENT

GCC non-oil GDP share 2014/15

Affairs, having reportedly said that the UAE will introduce VAT at a rate of 5%. It has also been reported that a relief from VAT will be applied across GCC members VAT regimes to healthcare, education and certain food items. It is unclear if this will be a zero-rate or an exemption (and the difference is important – exemption means VAT on costs cannot be deducted). However, the underlying relief is consistent with other countries that have implemented a VAT system, with the respective governments addressing the regressive aspects of VAT (i.e. attempting to prevent VAT impacting those on lower incomes more in relative terms than those on higher incomes) by targeted welfare spending and/or by removing the tax from certain essential goods. The impact of VAT implementation on business Although some of the specifics in relation to the implementation of VAT in the GCC have not been confirmed, it is clear that VAT is coming. As such, businesses will need to consider a number of factors ahead of the impending implementation. Understanding the impact of VAT on demand for goods & services and reflecting this in business plans & budgets will be very important. This sounds obvious – but will prices be sufficiently elastic that they can be increased? Or will the business bear the cost? Can this cost be passed back down the supply chain or will it reduce margin? Another interesting point is that price increases (such as VAT) do tend to affect consumer behaviour – it is possible spikes in demand will occur in the lead up to VAT, which brings in questions about ensuring this demand can be fulfilled – if you sell cars, can you get enough stock? Will the banks be able to provide finance for a higher volume demand in a short period? VAT is designed to be a tax on consumers, but inevitably, because businesses collect it on behalf of the government it does place a burden on business. One dimension of this is cash flow – frequently the VAT must be accounted for before it has been collected from the customer – can your business manage this demand on working capital? As well as this dimension, the other significant facet is hiring and training staff to deal with the tax compliance – businesses will need to collect invoices, retain them and remit returns accounting for all transactions (including intercompany transactions). This is a significant administrative effort and requires advance planning. The financial discipline VAT places on a business may well be quite a shock! l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

GOVERNMENT

Dubai’s Future Agenda: Recreating Wisdom Science and technology are changing the world at an accelerating pace, and the choice is to either play the role of influencers or get confined to the position of followers, said Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“

Dubai has a modern infrastructure and the appropriate legislative structure, which can promote its position as a global hub for the making of the future in the region and the world. Shaping the future is not a new concept for Dubai. The city has achieved significant experience in aviation, trade, financial services and technology.” Sheikh Mohammed added: “Arabs and Muslims established the House of Wisdom in the 9th century as a global model for sciences and a platform for innovators from all over the world. Today we need this concept again in the 21st century to keep up with the changes and shape the future to serve humanity. After more than 1000 years we are recreating wisdom through Dubai Future Foundation.” Sheikh Mohammed stated this during an announcement of the Dubai Future Foundation and after approving the Dubai Future Agenda as a strategic framework for the Foundation. In this context, His Highness said: “We have launched Dubai Future Agenda as a roadmap for the Foundation to shape the future of the strategic sectors in the medium and long-term in cooperation with government and private sector entities.” Sheikh Mohammed added: “Dubai Future Agenda will focus on supporting and developing individuals, organizations and sectors, and include more than 20

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

initiatives to enhance the leadership of Dubai and the UAE.” His Highness also approved the establishment of Future Endowment Fund worth AED 1 billion to invest in innovation and shape the future of strategic sectors in the UAE. His Highness approved the Future Cities programme as a framework for the launch of strategies and research projects related to the future to achieve the global leadership of Dubai and the UAE and create a global model in the field of future cities with all its components such as energy, transportation and infrastructure. New Board of Trustees: The Dubai Future Foundation will have a new board of trustees headed by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi as the Vice Chairman and Managing Director. Saif Al Aleeli will be the Chief Executive Officer of the new Foundation. The Future Agenda includes three main pillars: Individuals, Organizations and Sectors. The Individuals Pillar aims to build the capacities of individuals in making the future. The Organizations Pillar will enable organizations to drive innovation within their sectors. The Sectors Pillar in the Agenda aims to support and strengthen the role of future sectors of the national economy.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

government

Individuals Pillar: The Pillar aims to build capacities, culture, knowledge and communities. During the coming period, a range of initiatives and training programmes will be launched targeting individuals in the government and the private sector within the UAE and abroad to prepare them for future leadership and explore the future of strategic sectors. Dubai Future Foundation will further develop initiatives launched during the past period such as ‘Mostaqbal Portal’, a scientific platform to publish reports and visual material about developments in future science and the latest innovations in strategic sectors, as well as the ‘Schools of the Future’ report which highlights the future of the educational system in the short and medium term. Organizations Pillar: The Future Agenda will focus on engaging various organizations from the public and private sectors by establishing ‘Future Teams’ to conduct research and apply the latest future technologies. The agenda also includes the establishment of ‘Future Laboratories’ specialized in the analysis of strategic challenges of the government sector and the development of innovative solutions to solve these challenges in partnership with international companies and research institutions.

modelling and future design in addition to the launch of joint initiatives with international companies and key players in the field of innovation research and development around the world. Future Cities programme will work in cooperation with government entities to launch specialized strategies and pilot projects to achieve global leadership for the UAE within the main innovation sectors. Future Making programme will establish value-added new sectors economically and socially, through initiatives such as: Future Incubators and Future Endowment Fund worth AED 1 billion.

Sectors Pillar: The third pillar of the agenda will enhance the role of the existing sectors of the future based on innovation, science and technology in the national economy through four main programmes: The first programme aims to organize interactive exhibitions inside and outside the UAE to explore of the future of sectors in the long term and develop the concepts that will re-invent these sectors such as the annual Museum of the Future during the World Government Summit. The second programme is Future Partners, which will be a network of global partners in the areas of innovation, research and development, and establishing specialized companies in consulting,

The Museum of the Future Under the new structure, the Museum of the Future, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum last year, will be a part of the Dubai Future Foundation. The Museum of the Future on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, which is one of the most important projects that will completed in the coming period, will include laboratories of innovation in health, education, energy, smart cities, transportation, and a Museum of Future Inventions.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

GOVERNMENT

Global Partnerships Since its establishment in August 2015, Dubai Future Foundation has signed several agreements with government entities, companies as well as academic and international organizations, including: Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, IEEE, Shenzhen Foundation for International Cooperation, UNESCO, IDA, General Electric, and others. The Foundation has also launched many successful initiatives at the international level, including the UAE Drones for Good, the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good, as well as the world’s first 3D printed office in Dubai. The Foundation has also established the World Federation of Future Sports as an organization to oversee the future sports sector and advance research and development in the field of future technologies. The Federation will organize the World Future Sports Games. The latest partnership is with Global Innovation Incubator 1776 and Airbus. An MoU was signed with the Innovation Incubator to advance technological transformation in crucial industries related to society’s most important needs. The agreement aims to activate the Future Partners Programme within the Dubai Future Agenda. The Programme will feature a network of global partners in the areas of innovation, research and development, and establish specialised companies in consulting, modelling and future design in addition to the launch of joint initiatives with international companies and key players in the field of innovation research and development around the world. The agreement will work on attracting leading education, energy, food, water, transportation and health startups from all parts of the world to Dubai to drive the UAE’s major initiatives to revitalize industries and sectors of the future.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

The Programme will feature a network of global partners in the areas of innovation, research and development, and establish specialised companies in consulting, modelling and future design in addition to the launch of joint initiatives with international companies and key players in the field of innovation research and development around the world.

This new partnership will launch a 1776 campus in Dubai to showcase the Foundation exhibitions, host events and cultivate the flourishing startups driving transformational change across these critical sectors. In another MoU with Airbus, Dubai Future Foundation will work together with Airbus on research and development projects in the field of aviation technologies, and make use of national competencies for the development of aviation technologies. The MoU will also create training opportunities for specialized personnel through workshops and research laboratories. Dubai Future Foundation has also founded the Global Blockchain Council, which includes 42 government entities and private companies to discuss the best applications in Blockchain technologies.l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

ARCHITECTS I MASTER PLANNERS I DESIGNERS Bogaรงay Creek Master Plan - Antalya, Turkey

perkinswill.com

GOVERNMENT

Solar Energy in Dubai: Sun is our Limit Following immense natural resources consumption on Earth, mankind has finally set a new ambitious goal to get his energy needs through renewable resources. This idea seemed difficult several decades ago, but it has formed a framework for an integrated industrial sector driven by the needs of survival and preserving a secure future for generations to come.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

he sun has stood out as an ideal replacement for fossil fuels resources. These two energy resources emerge in completely different directions, where the more demand for fossil fuels, the higher the price, whilst the more demand for solar energy the cheaper the cost. I believe this is will be visionary smart investment in the long run. Today, mankind has overcome the technical challenges to fulfill energy requirements through renewable energy resource. The emerging promising strategies now rely not on earth’s resources but on that of the sun. Once again, the Middle East stood out within the globe’s new energy district – The Sun. Despite the difficulty of shifting reliance from oil to solar energy, the region is still within the ‘belts’ of both oil and sun. The UAE, like it has always been, was one of the first to come up with initiatives thanks to the vision of its leaders. The country put huge investments in solar energy, and supported these investments with a series of fully-fledged initiatives. These efforts were crowned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai launch of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of the Emirate’s energy from clean energy by 2050. Dubai and the UAE’s location within the Sunbelt increases the success chances to have significant reliance on renewable energy in the UAE. The UAE, under the directives of our government, has taken an early start to bid farewell to the last drop of oil. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) took the responsibility to contribute to this promising goal by announcing The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site strategic renewable energy project of its kind in the world, is based on the IPP model. The 13MW first phase became operational in 2013. The 200MW second phase of the Solar Park will be operational by 2017, and its capacity will reach 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030. The project will help achieve a reduction of approximately 6.5 million tons of carbon emissions annually, supporting Dubai Government’s green initiatives and programmes. The Solar Park includes a Research and Development Centre to conduct studies on industrial and social needs, and scientific research in renewable energy. It also has two test technologies for photovoltaic panels and for concentrated solar power. Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, DEWA leads ambitious initiatives to increase dependability on solar power. These initiatives include Shams Dubai, to install solar panels in buildings, to produce power and connect it to DEWA’s grid. The generated electricity is used in the buildings and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network. Dubai aims to have solar panels installed on the roofs of all buildings by 2030. Installation of solar panels on rooftops of buildings and houses through Shams Dubai is a long term investment which can take 25 years or more. It will contribute to reducing electricity bills and increasing property values, decrease the carbon footprint and protect the environment and its resources for us and for generations to come. As the renewable energy industry continues to rapidly grow, DEWA is organising the first Dubai Solar Show, which will be the largest of its kind in the region. It will

FUTURECITIESME.COM

government

highlight the latest innovations in the solar energy field through offering a unique platform to forge partnerships between public and private sectors to develop innovative solutions. It will be held in conjunction with the 18th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2016 from 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;6 October 2016 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA. Dubai Solar Show will be a key platform for the public and private sectors to make deals, build partnerships, review the latest solar-energy technologies, learn about current and future projects in the region and market needs, and explore opportunities to take part in solar-energy projects and programmes. Organising the show in conjunction with WETEX and the World Green Economy Summit is a chance to reach thousands of exhibitors, participants, officials, and decision makers in the UAE, the Arabian Gulf, and the Middle East as a whole. Participants and visitors can avail of the busy agendas of the two events which feature conferences, workshops, and specialised activities. They can also meet experts and specialists from around the world to discuss developing solar energy and expanding its adoption in the region to achieve the sustainable development and ensure a sustainable future for us and for generations to come. I invite all companies and organisations working in solar technologies to take part in the Dubai Solar Show and explore the various investment opportunities offered by this promising sector. I also invite all segments of the society to visit the exhibitionw to learn more about the latest solar technologies which aim to achieve our objective of shifting consumers of energy to producers, and maintaining a fine balance between development and environment to preserve the rights of the generations to come to live in a clean, healthy, and safe environment, and to maintain a sustainable future for us, and for generations to come. l Written by: HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Roundtable

the knock test Leading names from the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction industry came together last month to discuss the alternatives to traditional building materials which have been favoured in the UAE. With region defying global trends of newer more innovative materials why there is still resistance to newer technologies and how to overcome the same. Perception came up as a primary issue followed by acoustics and lifecycle performance. Other factors that have been discouraging the use of alternative materials that are often less labour- and time-intensive to install, are the cheap labour available in the region vis-a-vis other parts of the world, and the lack of research data based on case studies in the region and its extreme climactic conditions. This roundtable was the first in a series of steps being taken by the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s construction community in bringing about a greater awareness for the use of more economical and environmentally sustainable materials for building the our future cities. What are the alternatives to concrete and cement in the construction process and how aware are we of this? Ahmed Mosa: If we look at cement and the production process we need to look at how to make it as green as possible. It is extremely energy intensive to process, so we evaluate the recyclable content and fly ash. We are beginning to get legislation on this, and when we are pitched a new product from a supplier with a higher recyclable content we push for it. If it is still in the R&D

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

stage it may be difficult to integrate into a major project, but we should look to involve these new products on a small scale at first to evaluate its performance. To be best informed of the alternatives, we need to be in contact with research institutes and have very good relationships with suppliers. Phillip Jones: Part of the issue is that the structures here are very heavy in comparison to what we see in North America. We are predominately concrete frame with block inflow, which is typically what we are seeing, a light-weight

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Roundtable

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Roundtable

The participants:

Bart Leclercq Senior Technical Director – Property & Buildings, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

We all need to be mindful of that, over the life cycle of a building, cradle to cradle, only 20% of the cost is at the actual construction of the building, the other 80% of costs are in the operation of the buildings life whilst its in commission. Phillip jones

Imen Saadi Architect, Knauf LLC

construction of the building, the other 80% of costs are in the operation of the buildings life whilst its in commission. What are we doing to increase the thermal performance of the wall or cladding? Because that is where huge savings, not only for the end user but for the planet, are going to occur. If Dubai is going to do this amount of work, they should encourage Corporate Social Responsibility and use these new projects to take thermal performance that much further.

Nishad Kuhni Resident Engineer, National Engineering Bureau

Ahmed Mosa – Senior Architect | Sustainability, P&T Architects

Rajesh Maheshwari Business Development Manager, Knauf llc

Phillip Jones MD, B+H Architects

block has an insulating property to it. The problem is the trowel applied plaster process in this region is adding incredible weight. Psychologically, this region is sensitive to the perception of acoustics and privacy when we look at the alternative to concrete. However, hotels have been using this process and never really had a problem with this. Overall there are ways of absolutely lightening our structures, if we went from block walls to dry walls, we would increase the construction speed and take weight off the building. We all need to be mindful of that, over the life cycle of a building, cradle to cradle, only 20% of the cost is at the actual

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Bart Leclercq: We have to keep in mind the work force that we have on site. They do not necessarily have the skills for these systems, which can be more complicated to put together. We need a highly skilled workforce, which is lacking in this region. So we end up sticking closely to the methods that we know, and that we are comfortable with and can build really quickly. We have a responsibility as WSP PB to help educate governments and the end user. Because we are worldwide, we get information from all the regions and the lessons that have been learnt, we can directly apply here. It can be a slow process, but it is about having a constant dialogue to make this change happen. Imen Saadi: There are many factors which are important when looking at the alternatives. If we look at the impact fly ash has had on cement and its ‘friendliness’, we do not look at the acoustic performance, the footprint, the space saving nature, the transportation. We can see that the transportation cost of drywall is 75% less than that of fly ash cement. The logistics, the usage of water, and many other items are reduced when using drywall partitions. We are trying to make it a habit to look at the alternatives, especially with the highrise buildings. Maybe sometimes in some situations, dry wall looks more expensive, but if you add all other elements you will see it is far more cost effective. Bart Leclercq: I agree, the structure and foundation becomes much lighter.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Roundtable

We have a responsibility as WSP PB to help educate governments and the end user. Because we are worldwide, we get the information from all the regions and the lessons that have been learnt, we can directly apply here. It can be a slow process, but it is about having a constant dialogue to make this change happen. Bart Leclercq Senior Technical Director â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Property & Buildings, WSP | Parson Brinckerhoff

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Roundtable

Rajesh Maheshwari: From what I have seen there is a major change in construction practices in the last 4 years. Inputs and expertise from other parts of the world are being brought here. There are a lot of projects now, which are being completed in Dubai exclusively with drywall, but there are certain cases where we get no movement because of the traditional mindset of concrete and cement. “It sounds Hollow”… but how many times do we need to knock on the wall? Does it really make sense? Nishad Kunhi: More than just the understanding from the Government, Developers, Consultants and Suppliers, there needs to be awareness with the end users. It is the end users, who are really not comfortable with these dry walls. There are projects that are completed and handed over when the clients finally say: “we didn’t expect it to be drywall” and they ask for it to be changed to block work. Even though we showed them all the tests and its acoustics performance, they were simply not accepting it.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

If initiatives can be led by authorities and drywall can be endorsed as high performance material then it will put the end users mind at ease. There is a need to educate the end user. There are still minor disadvantages to using drywall, if someone wants to hang a picture on the wall, they have to find specific parts of the wall and end users feel limited. Rajesh Maheshwari: We are all responsible to teach the community about this. We need to work collaboratively to raise the awareness of the alternatives. Ahmed Mosa: In term of the method of construction, we have two cases in Singapore and Hong Kong where the authorities are encouraging consultants to design based on a concept for simplification, standardisation and going for dry trades. One of the

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Roundtable

key reasons for this is the cost of labor, which is significant in these markets. It has been successful in these markets but it needs to be studied by authorities more closely to make sure that works in the markets here. Yes, this system is the future, but what are the fire safety performance features? How will they be affected by the heat? We need research to back up the use of alternatives. I think now that everyone is aware that we need to go easy on cement and look for alternatives, I am very optimistic with regard to material selection by the toplevel authorities. Bart Leclercq: Just in terms of the ‘knock test’, does KNAUF look at ways that you can stop drywall making that “hollow noise” when knocked?

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Roundtable

Harry Norman: Fill it with Concrete! (laughter all around) Bart Leclercq: Because it seems to me that what is holding back drywall in the region, is purely perception. Phillip Jones: If we look at some very rough estimates and if we could do power trowelling and remove block work walls, in a 20-storey building you would remove an entire floor in building envelope which is not just helping capital costs but massively reducing energy costs. By making these two strategic moves, we could save a huge amount in energy and building costs. Is it a challenge educating Developers on using alternatives to concrete and cement? Phillip Jones: Yes and No. For more sophisticated clients they understand the benefits of the alternatives. They have understood the perception factor and used block work for interiors, but have then used other materials elsewhere. Other clients have wanted things to be delivered faster, gypsum is a key driver of this, and the clients are more than happy to incorporate it to achieve their goals. Bart Leclercq: What we also see is that clients can have an ambition to use new technology, lead environmentally, be LEED Gold certified and take sustainability as the driver of the project. But once they

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

see the cost plan, and the material cost they find that it may be 15% higher. Then they say â&#x20AC;&#x153;lets do a value-engineering exerciseâ&#x20AC;? and look at immediate cost savings. Before you know it, we are left with only traditional alternatives that have no cost implications and everything else has gone out the window. If they look at the cost per square meter, they will go with block wall but what they do not see is the huge effect it has on the entire structure and the foundation. If you do the calculation and add all the variables, we realize that there is a cost saving in using the alternatives. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

THE MOST POWERFUL CLEANING AGENT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE TAP.

You expect a clean, healthy workspace. But can you get it without harsh chemicals, noisy scrubbers and high maintenance costs? We don’t think that‘s too much to ask. Next time you talk about long-term facility The floor is yours. Visit our website at www.nora.com/corp or talk to our Dubai office at +971 (4) 450 8175.

plans, meet these issues head-on and ask for unique materials like nora® flooring — which cleans up with little more than water. You deserve a clean environment without all the side effects.

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Sustainable Flooring for a Healthier Tomorrow

A common notion in the construction and interiors industry is that “flooring is boring”. nora Flooring is a company that is about to change all that. With more than 65 years of experience manufacturing flooring products based on the fundamentals of Innovative Technology, Durability and Sustainability, the Weinheim, Germany-based nora has entered the Middle East’s construction market with the aim to raise and redefine the standards for high quality flooring – even in the Healthcare sector. We had a very interesting discussion with Team nora to find out more about their products and future plans for projects related to the healthcare construction sector in the region. What are the special considerations and requirements for the flooring plans of hospitals and clinical facilities? In any kind of building, flooring is 25% of the visual area and 75% of the contact area. Flooring in a hospital or a clinic has to serve a number of functions. First there is the maintenance of the floor. This is extremely important within the scope of facilities management. Floors have to be easy to clean. They have to be able to repel a number of different chemicals that are used in the health care industry. The floor cleaning process has to be environmentally friendly by minimising the number of chemicals used. The next important consideration is to reduce slips, trips and falls by offering high levels of slip resistance. Falls in the fast-paced work environment of hospitals account for millions of dollars per year in lost revenue for the management because the injured staff, patients or visitors who have to be treated and rested in the

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

hospital, sometimes for a number of days. Then there is hygiene control. Everything in a hospital is disinfected several times a day. Floors also need to have bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties. A lot of the flooring products being used in hospitals have to be welded together because they are not “dimensionally stable”. That means they are not cut accurately enough to fit seamlessly together without the use of some joint welding process. This welding tends to come apart over a period of time giving rise to crevices in the floor. Once dirt particles and chemicals slip into these crevices they become impossible to remove fostering microorganism growth and giving rise to unhygienic flooring. Furthermore, once they come apart the joints have to rewelded causing downtime for that particular area, and hospitals do not like down time of any kind. Over the last decade alone there have been huge advances in the flooring industry that allow for more hygienic flooring but they have not been picked up by most flooring companies. For example, take the inside and outside corners of hospital rooms. Until recently they have

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

With its focus on continuous research and development along with a customer-centric approach to creating innovative products, nora Flooring assures its end users of genuine value for money and peace of mind for decades together.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

been very difficult to clean. But today, there are flooring products on the market – such as ours - that can facilitate easy cleaning of corners. Another important aspect of hospital flooring is good noise reduction. A hospital environment has to be calm and soothing for patients to recover quickly. Finally, we come to good ergonomics. Most of the hospital’s staff spend the majority of their time on their feet. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh to test the ground reaction forces of floors, there are huge differences in different types of flooring. Most of the off days taken by hospital staff in Europe and America are due to recurring lower back and knee problems. These problems are directly related to the ergonomics of a hospital. A nurse walks an average of 12 kms a day in an 8-hour shift. So the management has to make sure that she is walking on floors that are comfortable. How well do nora flooring products meet these requirements? The average life of a nora flooring product is 20 years. nora flooring is made from superior vulcanized rubber materials. Our primary aim in this market is to create innovative and safe products. We have a huge R&D team that is constantly striving to come up with products that perform even better than our existing range. One of the primary reasons for our superior quality is that we don’t have a top coating. You walk directly on the floor. Our type of flooring is completely unique in that way. When you buy another product it is superficially coated. It is coated because if you were to walk directly on flooring material it tends to develop microscopic cracks and breaks. These cracks make floors difficult to clean properly. They also give rise to uneven and irregular ground resistance forces that cause back problems, and reduce the overall slip resistance of the floor. The unique vulcanizing process used at nora’s factories creates a rubber that is highly resistant to surface cracking. It does not need any kind of coating. This helps to minimize maintenance while maximizing hygiene

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

The average life of a nora flooring product is 20 years. nora flooring is made from superior vulcanized rubber materials. Our primary aim in this market is to create innovative and safe products. and slip resistance. Thanks to this, injuries to patients and staff are minimized because slips and falls are greatly reduced. Furthermore, our flooring products are also dimensionally stable so no welding is required to lay them together. This eliminates any down time for the hospital on account of the flooring for the next 20 years, at least. Also, in terms of fire safety, nora products have certifications that other products can’t match. All these features combined make for a superior and safe product. Safety is a primary feature of our product. Safety for the architect who specifies the product because he knows it’s going to work. Safety for the contractor because he knows he’s getting a product that is durable. Safety for the patient and the hospital because they know they are getting a product that they are not going to slip on, is environmentally friendly and has very high noise cancellation properties. Then we come to safety in investment for the owner and facilities manager because we offer a product with proven track record for quick installation and low maintenance. Using our products can reduce overall costs associated with flooring by more than 50% over the life time of a project. So when we say “safety” it’s a complete experience that equates to peace of mind for all parties concerned with the design, construction, maintenance and end use of a hospital and its facilities.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

How important are low levels of VOC content in a hospital environment and how can good quality flooring products help to achieve the same? VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds are emitted by all kinds of materials. They not only contribute to respiratory disorders but also certain types of cancers and a host of other diseases. Other products flooring products such as PVC emit large quantities of these VOCs. PVC is solid and hard when manufactured. They have to be made mouldable with plasticizers. These plasticizers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t chemically bond with the PVC molecule so once the top coating is gone in about six months, they tend to be emitted by the floor. Our primary raw material is rubber, which is a naturally flexible material and has the least VOC emission. Further, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix it with too many chemical compounds that can have the potential to emit VOCs. The research and development efforts of the nora technical teams have created products that minimize emissions and they are far below competitive products. And we have third party certifications to prove that. What are the benefits offered by your products in terms of sustainable production and lower maintenance costs over the project lifecycle? And can you illustrate with some examples? nora is an ISO 140001 certified company. Our certifications cover the extraction and transportation of the raw materials, along with the

FUTURECITIESME.COM

production, storage and final delivery of the products. Our products are manufactured according to strict ENDIN and EU standards using every possible technique to make our production process as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible. With regard to life cycle costs our products deliver long-term value and cost savings to end users and developers unlike any other flooring product in the market today. Whenever we hold discussions with Consultants or Developers we highlight the benefits of using our products over a period of 10 to 15 years by combining the initial investment and the operational costs that are related to cleaning, maintenance, and hygiene. Our products greatly reduce these operational costs. That is what we try to communicate, and have been successfully doing so since the nora MENA office opened here. We are presently in discussions with a number of high profile hospital operators and they do appreciate and understand the long-term benefits in terms of cost and suitability of nora Flooring for a health care environment. Our flooring does not require any kind of coating or waxing and can be used as is. That is a major saving. Then there is cleaning, our flooring requires nothing more than water as they are highly resistant to scratching and staining. Thus saving on costs of chemical cleaning agents. The life cycle of a nora product is a minimum of 20 years. We have a number of installations around the world where the same flooring has been in place for over 40 years - Frankfurt Airport being one of them. We have had the same product installed there for 60 years now. With other products, over even a 15-year time period, we are looking at an average of two or minimum of one change during that time. So if you look at the cost of replacement and maintenance, even after 7 to 8 years, straightaway you are going to realize a huge cost benefit. That is the kind of product we offer here at nora and we always try to highlight the cost of the product over the entire project life cycle. Can you describe some of your past or on going installations in healthcare facilities in the Middle East region? The Arzana Medical Complex, which is at the Zyed Sports City in Abu Dhabi is an excellent example of nora Flooring installation at a healthcare facility in the UAE. They started operations last year. Our scope of work was about 12,000 square metres. The

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

The revolutionary NORA NTx flooring completely simplifies and fool proof’s the floor’s installation process by removing the need for levelling compounds, moisture barriers and wet adhesives.

zero requirement for coating and minimum maintenance was one of the reasons they chose nora. Further, for installation we had our technicians from Germany come over to not only train and supervise but also personally help with the installation of the flooring. The installation did not require any welding as our flooring mats simply fit together very well and they stay that way for the entire life of the product. Most healthcare facilities tend to go for the conventional welded flooring unaware of its drawbacks. The people at Arzana however, understood the unique benefits of our flooring and its long-term benefits. At the installation site we had certain problems with moisture and also time constraints. In this installation we used the nora nTx flooring system, which comes with an inbuilt adhesive system. In spite of ambient relative humidity of 99% at the time of installation, the flooring was laid perfectly with zero imperfections. Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi is another prestigious project we are proud to be a part of. At this state-of-the-art medical facility everything is of the highest quality and they only wanted the best of the best. And we are proud to say that nora was invited to do the flooring there. The award winning Skilled Nursing Facility in Qatar was another project where we provided the flooring. Apart from these we are participating or planning to be a part of a number of upcoming reputed healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. What more can nora as a company do to make developers and end users more aware of the benefits of better quality flooring? Do you have any programmes in place for this? We have on going Continuous Professional Development programmes or CPDs, in the region with Architects and Consultants.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

nora has a very strong end-user focus. We are always talking to end users about how they run their facilities while finding out and resolving any complications they have had over the years. We also discuss with them how the flooring impacts them financially, ergonomically and also how it affects them from a facilities management perspective. Then we participate in conferences. Ms Lama, our Key Account Manger for the Healthcare sector has just returned from a conference in Qatar where she spoke about innovations in flooring for the healthcare industry. We are also looking forward to the Building Healthcare Exhibition in Dubai. We will be at Stand G 24, where we will demonstrate the features and benefits of our latest offering, the game-changing nora nTx flooring. The revolutionary nTx flooring completely simplifies and fool proof’s the floor’s installation process by removing the need for levelling compounds, moisture barriers and wet adhesives. nora nTx with its self-adhesive coating on the underside is the result of many years of research and experimentation. It’s tried, tested and proven. This year we are going conduct two practical demonstrations per day at the exhibition. For an operating room replacement or a fresh installing of the flooring takes approximately 6 days. With nora nTx this time can be reduced to 2 days. So you can imagine the benefits to a hospital just in reduced down time, if nothing else. With its focus on continuous research and development along with a customer-centric approach to creating innovative products, nora Flooring assures its end users of genuine value for money and peace of mind for decades together. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Dubai Opera to open doors this year This ambitious architectural tribute to the city’s cultural and artistic heritage complements the goal of Dubai Plan 2021 to establish Dubai as a ‘City of Happy, Creative & Empowered People’. The multi-format performance venue will host opera, ballet, classical, musicals, theatre, comedy, family entertainment, rock, pop and jazz music.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

he grand inauguration of the iconic ‘Dubai Opera’ in Downtown Dubai will be marked by a spectacular line-up of world-class performances later this year. The city’s first purpose-built multi-format performing arts theatre, The Dubai Opera overlooks the Burj Khalifa and its Dubai Fountain. It offers the ultimate flexibility of a proscenium arch theatre, an acoustic concert hall and a 2,000 sq meter flat floor event space. A never-before destination in the city, it will welcome a varied programme of cultural and lifestyle events including operas, ballet, classical performances, musicals, Arab and World music, comedy, film, family entertainment, as well as rock, pop and jazz concerts. To seat up to 2,000 for a theatrical production and up to 1,000 for a gala dinner, Dubai Opera pays glorious tribute to the rich cultural heritage of Dubai taking design inspiration from the vintage dhows, which were integral to Dubai’s ancestors who took to the seas as part of their livelihood. A platform for performing arts, an entertainment destination and a stimulus for creativity, Dubai Opera serves as a constant reminder of Dubai’s history as a trading, fishing and pearl diving community, celebrating the unbreakable link to the sea, and its cultural richness defined by Nabati poetry, story-telling, plays, literature and folk dances. Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties, said: “Dubai Opera is our tribute to our city and the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a seat of arts, culture, performing arts and world-class events. An architectural masterpiece, it draws design inspiration from our own heritage, while the focus on bringing exclusive and accomplished performing arts places it on the league of the world’s finest theatres.” He added: “Dubai Opera adds a new dimension to cultural entertainment in the city, while adding value to the surrounding hospitality, retail, tourist and residential developments. With this sterling addition to the city, we are supporting our leadership’s focus on establishing Dubai as a ‘City of Happy, Creative and Empowered People.’” Dubai Opera's stage will host an incredible array of world-class talent and the 2016 Season Programme

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

is set to appeal to the incredibly cosmopolitan population who live, work in and visit Dubai. The Dubai Opera’s transparent all-glass foyer opens to the waterfront of Burj Lake, and serves as a transition between a plaza and theatre. Architecturewise this presents the identity of Dubai Opera serving as a ‘box-within-a-box’ with the theatre enveloped by a translucent foyer. Access to the venue will be effortless through the Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard. Dedicated parking spaces will add to the convenience of visitors. With the two main components – the theatre and support facilities, and a foyer and public spaces – Dubai Opera welcomes people to unwind and take in some of the most compelling performing arts events in the city in a world-class environment. With a built-up area of over 35,500 sq m, Dubai

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Opera is an integral part of The Opera District, a dedicated cultural and lifestyle hub. Jasper Hope, Chief Executive of Dubai Opera, said: “The Emiratis used to sing, as divers searched for pearls, and in 2016 visitors to Dubai will be able to seek out new cultural gems in a sensational home for the arts in the heart of Downtown Dubai. Dubai Opera will unquestionably help the city broaden its global appeal as a hub for culture and the arts, and when the curtain rises will help entice artists and audiences from across the world.” Dubai Opera will celebrate its first performance this Autumn with a concert by legendary Spanish tenor, conductor and art

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

The Pearl Fishers, which has enticed opera lovers the world over for its lyrical quality, will be performed by Fondazione Teatro Lirico "Giuseppe Verdi, Trieste.”

administrator Plácido Domingo. Described as the ‘King of Opera,’ and the ‘greatest operatic artist of modern times,’ Domingo has sung over 4,000 performances of 147 roles in addition to conducting more than 500 performances. The Domingo concert will be followed with Dubai Opera hosting the historic opera The Pearl Fishers. The three-act opera by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré, serves as an ode to the rich heritage of Dubai, with its history seeped in adventurous pearl-diving expeditions by its people. It also complements the architectural splendour of Dubai Opera, which derives its inspiration from the Arabian dhow. First performed in 1863, The Pearl Fishers narrates the story of two men’s promise of eternal friendship that is tested by their love for the same woman. The highlight of the opera, The Pearl Fishers Duet is among the bestknown in Western opera. The Pearl Fishers, which has enticed opera lovers the world over for its lyrical quality, will be performed by Fondazione Teatro Lirico "Giuseppe Verdi, Trieste.” The music festivities continue as Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi takes centrestage followed by the unmatched brilliance of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons featuring Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante. Spain’s foremost Flamenco superstar, Sara Baras, comes to Dubai Opera with Voces, Suite Flamenca, a show that pays tribute to six flamenco luminaries. Directed, staged and choreographed by the versatile artist Baras, it has gained international acclaim for its exhilarating music. Sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar who has five Grammy® Award nominations and is the youngest – and first female – recipient of a British House of Commons Shield, brings her 2016 work, Land of Gold, focusing on the refugee crisis in the world. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Dubai Creek TOWER: AIMING HIGHER Plans for “a new icon” on Dubai’s skyline have been unveiled by Emaar Properties. Dubbed simply ‘The Tower’, it is set to be the centrepiece of Dubai Creek Harbour.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

he exact height was not disclosed but Emaar’s Chairman, Mohamed Alabbar said it would be “a notch” taller than Emaar’s Burj Khalifa, which is currently the world’s tallest building. The Tower was designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Spanish-Swiss architect. Construction is set to begin soon and the building completed in time for the Expo 2020, according to reports. The Dubai Creek Harbour development is twice the size of Downtown Dubai and is slated to be the futuristic new smart city. The Tower aims to establish Dubai Creek Harbour as one of the most desired residential and leisure destinations in the city. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, chose the design by renowned Spanish/Swiss neo-futuristic architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter Calatrava from a competitive international design pitch for this new landmark. The Tower will serve as the vibrant core of Dubai Creek Harbour, a 6 sq km world-class masterplanned development that is twice the size of Downtown Dubai and located 10 minutes from the Dubai International Airport. The waterfront development is centred off the Dubai Creek, the cradle of Dubai’s history and culture, and in close proximity to the Ras Al Khor National Wildlife Sanctuary, protected under the UNESCO Ramsar Convention and home to over 67 species of water birds. Mohamed Alabbar said: “The Tower in Dubai Creek Harbour is our tribute to the positivity, energy and optimism that Dubai and the UAE celebrate, led by a leadership committed to all-round progress. A shining beacon of hope for the world, celebrating diversity and human achievements, this new iconic landmark further highlights the country’s ambition and futuristic vision and enhance our nation’s pride. It will be the destination for the world to visit, enjoy and celebrate life, as Dubai prepares to host the Expo 2020. He added: “The design by Santiago Calatrava, chosen after a competitive pitch from the world’s top architects, was a perfect fit to our requirement for a landmark that defined our urban core

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

for Dubai Creek Harbour. It integrates not just design excellence but also strong environmental and smart-tech considerations. With The Tower, we are delivering a compelling destination that will add long-term economic value to Dubai and the UAE. It will also position Dubai Creek Harbour as one of the most desired residential, leisure and touristic attractions, providing visitors and residents with a modern, luxurious and sustainable environment in which to live, work, learn and entertain.” Fadel Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding, said: “We are extremely proud that our joint venture partnership with Emaar will deliver a new landmark in Dubai; a distinctive addition to the city’s skyline and a symbol of architectural excellence. Unveiling The Tower design is an important step for the Dubai Creek Harbour project. This development will offer a lifestyle choice that is unprecedented in Dubai, in what will be one of the most sought after residential and tourist areas of the city. Our partnership with Emaar is progressing well and we are extremely excited by the way this project is coming to life.” Santiago Calatrava Valls said: “From the beginning, my team and I have tried to put the best of ourselves into this project, since it is very special and is a great honour to participate. The collaboration with such a prestigious firm as Emaar Properties makes it even more exciting and demanding. The design has clear reference to the classic art from the past and the culture of the place while serving as a great technological achievement. In

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

my whole career, I have perceived technology as a vehicle to beauty and to art. This project envisages an artistic achievement in itself, inspired by the idea of welcoming people, not only from Dubai and the UAE, but from the entire world. It is a symbol of an abiding belief in progress.” Calatrava’s accomplished works include the World Trade Centre Transportation Hub in New York, Calgary Peace Bridge, the Olympic Sports Complex in Athens and the Turning Torso Tower in Malmö, which was recently awarded with the Ten Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings & Urban Habitat (CTBUH), among others. His design philosophy is to fuse architectural expression, structural innovation, functional efficiency and environmental benefits into one single imaginatively bold gesture that responds to, and transcends, the challenges of each unique site. Each project therefore creates a sense of place that enhances the setting – functionally, environmentally and communally. Design Palette The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour draws design inspiration from the lily and evokes the image of a

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Fadel Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding, said: “We are extremely proud that our joint venture partnership with Emaar will deliver a new landmark in Dubai; a distinctive addition to the city’s skyline and a symbol of architectural excellence."

minaret, which is a common feature and distinctive aspect of Islamic culture. The elongated oval-shaped bud and geometric texture set the template for the observation decks. The slender stem serves as the analogy for the structure, which is engineered to its most efficient diameter. It is linked to the ground with sturdy cables, in turn, inspired by the delicate ribbing of the lily leaves. The cable array gives the structure its strength, anchoring the ‘bud’ securely to the ground with technical precision using modern engineering materials. The Experiences Offering unprecedented experiences for 360 degree views of the city and beyond, the crowning glory of The Tower will be The Pinnacle Room opening to grand views of the sky. The VIP Observation Garden Decks recreate the splendour of the ‘Hanging Gardens of Babylon,’ one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. An

FUTURECITIESME.COM

engineering marvel awaits visitors, the piece-de-resistance being the fully glazed rotating balconies that extend outward, rotating outside the skin of the tower. The tower will also have a worldclass boutique hotel for visitors. Precision Engineering The design will be finalised following elaborate wind tunnel testing and all mandatory seismic testing. Every aspect of The Tower is designed and being developed to the highest international standards of safety – from the choice of materials to the technology being used. All local government codes and regulations will be adhered to with close co-ordination and guidance from the concerned authorities. Green Features The Tower takes into consideration environmental and sustainability features that will serve as industry benchmarks. It starts with the thoughtful design with an environment-friendly tram service to be integrated for effortless access. On-foot visitors have a multitude of access points on to the plaza. A number of green corridors are envisaged for pedestrian access and effortless connectivity with Dubai Creek Harbour. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Affordable housing market slowly maturing in Dubai

At long last the region is seeing a slew of housing projects targeted towards the lower and middle-income groups. A number of developers have announced fresh projects in this segment. However, the segment and the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;affordableâ&#x20AC;? itself is still a little ambiguous.

ince it first entered the market in 2014 the Danube Group has sought to tap into the so far largely ignored affordable housing sector in Dubai. After a series of sold-out projects, the launch of an $81-million tower called Glamz Residence, is the latest step in the conglomerate's bid to more than double its turnover by the end of 2016. "We started the properties division with a clear focus on the affordable housing segment. We identified the gap that existed in the market, which was too focused on luxury and super-luxury segments, while the mid-income population was left untouched," says Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of Danube Group. "There is a huge population of expats in Dubai who have lived here for a decade or more and call Dubai their home but have not been able to own a property... They were waiting for the right opportunity to invest in real estate." The Glamz Residence, which has 418 units, will be located near Discovery Gardens in the Al Farzan area of Dubai. Danube 's first project Dreamz, launched in 2014, is well on schedule for delivery later this year, whereas the other projects - Glitz 1, Glitz 2, Glitz 3 and Starz - are all four to five months ahead of schedule, according to the company.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Danube's close contacts in the construction materials sector through its retail network, has supported its property sales by helping keep unit costs down. Sajan added that financing was a factor Danube took into account when it launched into the market and that one of the reasons it has managed to sell nearly 1,300 affordable housing units is its payment schemes. The terms are designed around its target demographic of low-income buyers, with monthly repayments starting from 4,100 dirhams for a studio unit. "The biggest advantage of our unique payment plan is that you only pay 52 per cent until handover and the remainder 48 percent is paid in 48 months spreads over four years post-handover," Sajan said. Another UAE-based developer Dubai Properties has also unveiled an 8.2 million sq ft residential development geared towards the affordable housing market. The company says its Serena project, located in the Dubailand district, will be developed in five phases with homes arranged in clusters of four to six units. The release of the first phase to the public at competitive prices, Bella Casa at Serena, was sold out on launch day. The flexible three-year payment plan, integrates easy installments, making the purchase accessible to families and investors wishing to own homes in Dubai, and offering them a vibrant lifestyle in a new community.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Marwan Al Kindi, executive director of sales and sales operations said: “The response to the launch of Serena is an indication of a positive and healthy real estate market in the UAE, and another testament to the robust demand on the affordable housing segment in the country." “We are proud that Dubai Properties is paving the way for the affordable housing segment in the UAE, as we play a key role in reinvigorating the real estate sector, while supporting economic diversification in the country,” he continued. The first phase, expected to be completed by the end of 2018, consists of two and three-bedroom townhouses and three-bedroom semi-detached villas. Amenities include three community centres, recreational facilities, swimming pools, gyms, play areas, and a healthcare facility. The development will also include leased retail spaces of approximately 100,000 sq ft. Meanwhile, private developer Nshama has launched a preview of two townhouses in its mid-income community, Town Square, on Al Qudra Road. The Town Square will also feature retail, hotel and dining facilities, alongside a cineplex and open-air cinema. The development is located in New Dubai near Al Barsha, close to the Arabian Ranches Golf Course and the Al Maktoum International Airport. It will feature over 3,000 townhouses and 18,000 apartments. Nshama has demonstrated how optimal utilisation of space can enable mid-income Dubai residents to maximise value for their money. “Quality in our units will be maintained. We use good materials and the workmanship is high quality. Quality for apartments will be comparable with these townhouses. We aim for a quality product at the right price," says Fred Durie, CEO of Nshama. Construction is currently in progress on 1,050 townhouses and 1,100 apartments, in addition to other infrastructure work. Nshama awarded the construction contract of the Zahra and Hayat townhouses to Beaver Gulf Group. United Engineering Construction are building the Zahra and Safi apartment blocks in Town Square and they are two months ahead of schedule, says Durie. The first phase covers around 40 per cent of the 750-acre development. Al Naboodah Contracting has completed the grading for the entire site. The apartments and townhouses in the Zahra and Hayat communities are being marketed as affordable by the developer. The Zahra Apartments start at AED 349,988 ($95,282), while the Zahra and Hayat Townhouses start at AED 999,988 ($272,242) for three-bedroom homes. LEGISLATIVE ACTION The Dubai Government may soon have a law to make 15-20% of all future residential developments comprise of affordable units. As things stand today, “affordable” housing in Dubai is still quite unaffordable to low and middle-income groups. One major factor is lack of mortgage options – with most

FUTURECITIESME.COM

One major factor is lack of mortgage options – with most banks looking for a minimum income of AED15,000-20,000 per month before granting finance – means that those on lower incomes are further restricted. banks looking for a minimum income of AED15,00020,000 per month before granting finance – means that those on lower incomes are further restricted. While Dubai is seeing the launch of a number of affordable housing projects, a research paper released in March by Core, the UAE associate of global real estate firm Savills, found more needs to be done to encourage more private sector firms to follow suit. Core CEO David Godchaux said a proposed law by Dubai Municipality for mandatory 15 to 20 per cent affordable housing in future residential developments, may see real growth in the sector. "The current new supply is catering largely to the middle income segment and affordable living is yet out of reach for the lower income members of society, thus pushing occupiers to rent at penalizing high yields instead of transitioning to their own," he said. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

basic space with minimum facilities and good quality building materials Future Cities spoke with Stephan Frantzen, architect and partner director at P&T Architects, who gave us some very interesting insights on affordable housing based on his experiences in the region.

In your view, how would you define an “affordable house”? In terms of living space and cost, for instance, in the city of “Dubai". When you talk about “affordable” the focus is on lower income earners. We have many who are in the AED 12-20,000 per month bracket and they are forced to share an apartment in Dubai or have their own apartment in Sharjah - particularly when couples have children. So affordable housing is in my mind for

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

income earners in the AED12-20,000 bracket: young professionals like architects, teachers, restaurant managers, medical staff etc. What these people need is basic space and minimum facilities provided with good quality materials. No fancy curved facades but straight forward windows in plane walls, maybe external circulation, really well-proportioned stairs and no lifts - if there are only 4 levels - small bedrooms, minimal baths with shower only, and a large living space.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

"It is important not to build a slum so good quality materials, good daylight, useful balconies and great common facilities including tennis, mini soccer, etc. under cover would be very attractive." even more affordable. I am still to find a developer for it. The special thing is the double height space with a terrace paving so that one can individualize the room: families with small children build a sand pit, others would rather have a Jacuzzi, which can be built into the floor, or could plant a big tree. Bedrooms on the upper level have sliding walls to the void so that the rooms get most of their daylight from the atrium, thus having small windows to the outside, which saves a lot of cooling energy. This also secures privacy. The double space gives a great relief after hours in a confined office or sitting in a confined car. You can really stretch out. This would be an affordable villa, since the materials would of good quality but as basic as possible.

A perspective section of an affordable town house.

It is important not to build a slum so good quality materials, good daylight, useful balconies and great common facilities including tennis, mini soccer, etc., under cover would be very attractive. Buildings could be built with concrete planks spanning between block walls, wet rooms and installations connected directly to shafts, etc. There is so much desert just behind the Meydan and that ‘belt’ along the power lines, but what is built there is unimaginative and just rational. Remember going from 1 floor to 2 floors gives a 50% area saving. Going to 3 floors you save 33.3%, and going to 4 floors, 25%. The curve is exponential, so the higher you go the less you save. 4 floors would be ideal and if the top floor had duplexes. The first floor should be at the ground level. This way you save one flight of stairs and have only 3 floors to go up. The disabled could have the ground floor units. I did a study of how to build a very economical town house with 2 parallel block walls and plank decking spanning across. The house can be a double house or townhouse to make it

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Has P&T designed any recent projects for affordable housing? P&T was engaged by Parsons to support the design of affordable apartments in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Each apartment was 250m2 with majlis, a dining room, a family room, 4 bedrooms, kitchen and a maid’s room. And in addition, a driver’s room! Ironically this is approximately double the size of the average family home in Denmark with no maids or drivers. As a long-time and prominent member of the construction community here what are your views on the future for affrodable housing projects in dubai? The famous architect, Daniel Libeskind says this about New York’s Manhattan: “When everything becomes so expensive in Manhattan, the artists and young people leave the city and it dies. Rich people from all over the USA have second homes, infrequently occupied, the rich permanent inhabitants have house in the Hamptons leaving Manhattan empty on the weekends.” A city needs a variety of income earners to live there and it is therefore important for Dubai’s overall development to make it possible for all income earners to live here. There is already much going on, I hear, but I haven’t seen it yet. What more can the Government and authorities do to encourage developers to undertake more projects of the “affordable" kind in order to meet this most pressing need of the hour? Yes, it is a pressing need. Authorities are making ‘zoning plans’ and they should indicate where there should be affordable housing and set some design guidelines in place. Authorities can set the cost of land so that it is possible for the developers to make a profit and for people eventually to be able to pay for the housing - whether buying or renting. Also, it would be brilliant if one of the universities gave Affordable Housing as a project for the students, possibly as a competition which could be about planning and designing apartments and a neighbourhood using a small master plan that would include parking, neighbourhood retail, nurseries and recreational spaces. A Government department could give out a small prize and media agency could arrange the publicity to create greater awareness around the topic. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

Future Cities Golf Cup: A day of supercars and super drives On the 14th of April, KNAUF LLC hosted the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading Architects and Developers for the first Future Cities Golf Cup. Held at the iconic and famously tricky Dubai Creek golf course, 72 leaders of the construction community competed for bragging rights in the friendly format of a Texas Scramble.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

he day was dominated by the presence of a Lamborghini Aventador, which was being offered as a prize for the longest drive on the Creek's flagship 18th Hole. Surrounded by water, the intimidating fairway offered the perfect backdrop for the KNAUF-branded Supercar. The Super experience was ultimately won by Roy Gums, a former British and World Champion boxer, who punched the golf ball well over 300 yards. The winning team was KNAUF LLC, who were 3 shots ahead of their nearest competitor SSH Architects. The evening concluded with dinner and an inspiring

FUTURECITIESME.COM

speech from Mr Amer Bin Ahmed, CEO of KNAUF LLC. Other prizes of artworks, fragrances and golf accessories were given out to the lucky winners. Although golf days are not new to Dubai, the first Future Cities Golf Cup stood out for its relaxed atmosphere, team format and most importantly, for bringing the most influential members of Dubai's design and development committee together for a day of sporting camaraderie. Next year, we just need to make sure we have at least two Lamborghini's!

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

The Art of Distribution Supply chain management has come a long way since the days of being a delivery service from factory gates to project site. Today, contractors and manufacturers alike demand much more. the UKheadquartered SIG is a distribution company that provides a number of unique value added services that meet and often exceed these demands. We sit down with SIG Middle East’s Strategic Accounts Director, Steve Day, to find out more about how his company does this.

s the region’s construction industry evolves, so does its material supply chain. No other company exemplifies this evolution like SIG Middle East. Moving away from the traditional practices, SIG is bringing change to the construction markets by providing valueadded product distribution services to contractors like justin-time deliveries, compliance consultancy and even cash flow management. SIG serves a number of different sectors like residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare and education with all kinds of fit out and engineering products for roofing, insulation,

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

insulated wall panels, dry lining systems, suspended ceilings, fire stopping materials, tunnel lining boards, flooring and waterproofing to name but a few. “Its more of an art of distribution”, says Steve Day. “Presently we have various supply chain agreements with a number of main contractors. And I have on going high-level discussions with a number of other major contractors to help them understand the value of what we are offering.” With a stable of manufacturers for each product, SIG can offer a number of technically and commercially viable options for any given project. However, SIG is more of a Systems Seller - rather than just a vendor of commodity products. They have strict compliance requirements and employ highly technical sales teams ensuring the added value to main contractors who engage. As an example SIG were asked to assist a Supply Chain Partner, one of Europe’s largest main contractors, to engage in the supply of materials for the New York University in Abu Dhabi. The clients and consultants being extremely high end. “This was a 20% Design & Build project. On the basis of that we were given a certain freehand on the original specifications by the main contractor. They said, please offer the specified products but wherever you can offer savings without compromising

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Construction, Development & Infrastructure

“Meraas’ Bluewaters Project, near Jumeirah Beach Residence, is being built according to UK building codes and we are ideally positioned to provide a large volume of the products for the project as per those codes.”

compliance please come forward. And for the interior fit outs for the project - which were substantial – we managed to save a considerable amount of materials whilst meeting compliance.” And how did they do it? “We went to all the relevant manufacturers in our stable and explained to them the significance of the project while stressing the importance of meeting all the KPIs of the project. In this particular instance we secured 100% of the supply and 100% of the sub-contractors we put forward were awarded packages. This project was a milestone moment for SIG in the region and further strengthened our relationship with the main contractor. Back in 2013-14 it was a breakthrough and now in 2016 we are seeing similar successes with other well-known main contractors such as Brookfield Multiplex, Khansaheb and ALEC, who have actually embraced the philosophy of our agreements to create a high quality and cost effective supply chain.” SIG’s offerings don’t just end at products, it can also provide engineering consulting services wherever required either through in-house technical expertise or directly from the manufacturer. “Our manufacturing base is global - from all parts of the

FUTURECITIESME.COM

world. We are very strong in Europe and but those brands too have regional manufacturing facilities so it’s easy for us to distribute here.” Optimum just-in-time delivery has become crucial to the success of many projects in the region and SIG have excelled at this. Supplying nearly three million square metres of dry lining installation in the NY University project took careful project planning with cyclic deliveries timed down to the last hour. “The 1 billion GBP Battersea Restructuring project in London is one of the biggest projects undertaken by us. Thanks to the location of the project we can only deliver at certain times of the day. In the Middle East also we are completing similar projects where space is a premium and we can supply a wide range of products timed to the completion of fit outs,” said Steve. SIG has a number of warehouses in Dubai that enable it to service customers on a as-and-when needed basis. The company’s warehousing principles are also quite different from those of a traditional warehousing environment. One of the Group’s directives is to churn their stocks by up to 92% every three months. This requires very clever handling of supply pipelines while still meeting customer expectations. Sustainability is another area that has come into sharp focus in the region in recent times. SIG has its own sustainability division in Europe. “We have access to a lot of proven sustainable solutions. And they are coming into the Middle East market via consultants and architects. Meraas’ Bluewaters Project, near Jumeirah Beach Residence, is being built according to UK building codes and we are ideally positioned to provide a large volume of the products for the project as per those codes.” Another USP for SIG is the transparency and confidentiality they provide with all their agreements. In fact Steve even invited me to peruse a recent contract to see for myself how all terms and rebates were clearly defined on paper and on the up-and-up. Another significant feature of the SIG service is the level of engagement of all their staff. There are daily interactions and site visits to contractors to discuss the packages as they are being implemented. “We have a very hands on and responsive environment. Because of this we inevitably become the first port of call for the main contractors and their sub-contractors in spite of the competitive market that’s out there.” Thanks to these qualities SIG has seen a steady and organic growth in the region since the start of its operations from Dubai in 2010. “Some of the customers that we are dealing with are new contractors in the region. So far, we have predominantly been dealing with top contractors on 4and 5-star projects. But now even the contractors on smaller projects are beginning to see the value in dealing with SIG. So, we continue to grow by 50% year over year and the future looks bright” concludes Steve. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

SUSTAINABILITY

Masdar aims to ‘Seize the next decade’

The UAE’s globally recognised icon of sustainable urbanization celebrates 10 years of innovations in clean energy and sustainable development.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

Last month Masdar employees and alumni gathered in Masdar City to mark ten years of achievement in advancing the clean energy industry in Abu Dhabi and around the world. Under the banner “Seizing the Next Decade,” participants were invited to reflect on Masdar’s significant and widespread impact to date and the promise of the next ten years, as part of an organisation defined by the spirit of partnership, collaboration and innovation. In his opening remarks, Mr Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, described the company’s impact over the last decade and outlined his vision

FUTURECITIESME.COM

sustainability

HONOR ROLL H.E Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar, and H.E Ahmed Al Sayegh, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market, were honoured for their contribution to Masdar’s success. H.E. Dr Ahmad Belhoul, Minister of Higher Education, members of Masdar’s board of directors, and associates from Mubadala Development Company also attended the breakfast gathering, including H.E Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala Petroleum, and Mr Carlos Obeid, Group Chief Financial Officer at Mubadala. Dr Nawal Al Hosany, Director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize and Director of Sustainability at Masdar was also commended for her outstanding contribution to advancing the role of women in education, renewable energy and sustainability. Masdar employees completing ten years of service were also recognised at the anniversary event.

for the company in the years ahead. “The last ten years of Masdar have truly been a decade of innovation. We have grown from a bold initiative into a global enterprise driving the adoption of clean energy and sustainable development. We are a major investor in renewable energy, deploying new capacity around the world and increasingly here in the region. “We are building the world’s most sustainable city, home to the world’s first graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. And we are the hub of the global sustainability debate, thanks to platforms such as Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.” Masdar begins its next decade having built a strong global brand and a robust financial and technical foundation. The company achieved sustained profitability across its business units in 2015. Its renewable energy arm has deployed 1 Giga Watts of clean energy and has another 0.7

FUTURECITIESME.COM

under development. Masdar City is set to expand to 35% of its planned built-up area in the next five years as part of its journey building a ‘greenprint’ for cities of the future. Masdar is also undertaking pioneering innovation in the critical fields of renewable powered desalination, carbon capture, utilisation and storage, and energy and battery storage. “Our goal over the next 10 years is to strengthen the position of clean energy in the global energy mix, and the international standing of the UAE as a responsible energy leader,” added Mr Al Ramahi.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

SUSTAINABILITY

Each design was evaluated against specific criteria, including how fully the design expressed the main theme of Expo 2020 “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and how well it captured a distinct Emirati feel and a balance between the UAE’s past and future.

EXPO 2020 PAVILLION The National Media Council has selected architect Santiago Calatrava’s design for the UAE Pavilion for Dubai World Expo 2020. Located facing the Al Wasl Plaza, which lies at the centre of the 200-hectare exhibition zone, the UAE Pavilion – whose design will be inspired by a falcon in flight – will represent the UAE to the 25 million visitors and participants from over 180 nations who are expected to visit the Expo from October 2020 to April 2021. The pavilion is expected to cover up to 15,000 square meters and will include numerous exhibition areas, an auditorium, food and beverage outlets and VIP lounges. It will be designed to embrace sustainable building principles. Masdar was appointed program manager by the National Media Council for the UAE Pavilion on the basis of the renewable energy company’s track record of successfully delivering highly innovative and sustainable projects, including the LEED Platinumcertified Siemens Middle East Headquarters. Masdar CEO Mohamed Al Ramahi said, “We will capitalise on our experience developing Masdar City, which is on a journey to being the most sustainable urban development in the world, to ensure the delivery of an innovative, high-performance pavilion and community space that embraces the Expo’s themes of mobility, opportunity and sustainability.” Santiago Calatrava’s proposal was formally selected following a 7-month design competition managed by Masdar, in its capacity as Program Manager. The contest saw 9 of the world’s most renowned architectural firms submit 11 concepts. Each design was evaluated against specific criteria, including how fully the design expressed the main theme of Expo 2020 “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and how well it captured a distinct Emirati feel and a balance between the UAE’s past and future. Speaking of his appointment, Santiago Calatrava said, “I am deeply honoured that our practice has been chosen to design the national pavilion for Dubai Expo 2020, a project of national and global significance. I am confident that the final design will be a symbol of the bold and daring spirit of the UAE, reflected in what is poised to be the most inclusive and global Expo in history.”

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

SHAMS 1 CSP PLANT In March, Masdar marked the third anniversary of the start of the Shams 1 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant’s operations. Shams 1, which occupies 2.5 square kilometres and has a power generating capacity of 100 megawatts, is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region. Shams 1, which takes its name from the Arabic word for ‘sun’, is a project majorityowned by Masdar in partnership with French oil and gas company, Total. Abdulaziz Alobaidli, General Manager of Shams Power Company, said: “After 3 years of successful operation the Shams 1 plant is playing a key role in the UAE’s quest to diversify its economy and increase the share of renewables in the national energy mix. The plant offers tangible evidence of Masdar’s commitment to advance sustainability and minimise environmental impacts through the use of clean energy. As a thriving CSP operation and one of the largest of its kind, Shams 1 will continue to provide a world-leading, technologically advanced template for the

FUTURECITIESME.COM

SUSTAINABILITY

“The official start of construction of Leonardo Residences is another milestone in the realisation of the world’s most sustainable urban development, and further evidence of the construction progress happening all around the City,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi. effective use of solar power.” The plant is based on concentrated solar power, which differs from solar photovoltaic technology in that it generates electricity from the heat of the sun rather than sunlight. Masdar has led the way in refining CSP technology at Shams 1, employing parabolic trough systems incorporating mirrors to concentrate the heat from direct solar irradiation on to a central tube. The heat gathered in the tube is used to heat water into steam, which is then used to drive a conventional turbine that can generate electricity. Shams 1 was the world’s largest CSP plant in the world when it was inaugurated in 2013. In 2015, the plant exported 216 GWh of clean electrical energy to the national grid, enough to provide 20,000 homes in the UAE with their total annual electricity consumption. Shams 1 is making a significant contribution toward Abu Dhabi’s quest to diversify its energy mix by securing 7 per cent of its powergeneration capacity through renewable energy by the year 2020. The plant is also helping the United Arab Emirates reduce the country’s carbon footprint by displacing about 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to planting 1.5 million trees or removing 15,000 cars from Abu Dhabi’s roads. LEONARDO RESIDENCES Residential apartments now under construction at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi will add to the thriving community taking shape at one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments. The senior management of Masdar along with Abu Dhabi-based property developer Reportage Real Estate marked the official ground-breaking of the 170-unit Leonardo

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

Residences at the City. The one-, two- and three-bedroom private apartments will go up within the existing footprint of Masdar City, walking distance from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the multinational companies anchoring the development. The development will achieve a minimum ‘3 Pearl’ Estidama rating, and each home buyer will receive a certificate when the apartments are handed over. Nearly all (over 90%) of the apartments have already been reserved. “The official start of construction of Leonardo Residences is another milestone in the realisation of the world’s most sustainable urban development, and further evidence of the construction progress happening all around the City,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi. MoU ON EDUCATION On the Education front Masdar signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) to provide streamlined procedures for the establishment of schools and institutes of higher education at Masdar City. Under the agreement, Masdar will work closely with ADEC and third-party partners to develop areas of Masdar City that have the potential to be turned into schools. Meanwhile, ADEC will advise companies registered at Masdar City on the requirements that need to be met under Abu Dhabi’s private schools regulations and policy manual, including

FUTURECITIESME.COM

sustainability

licensing requirements and conditions. During the signing agreement, His Excellency Dr. Ali Rashed Al Nuaimi, ADEC’s Director General, praised the initiative, which he said “comes in line with the Education Council’s aim to provide the support mechanisms necessary to build a modern and innovative education system in Abu Dhabi.” His Excellency added: “This MoU supports the establishment of educational institutions that meet the high standards set forth by our nation to graduate a competent, reliable, and competitive workforce of youth. Introducing new schools and higher education institutes represents the growing need for a diversified world class economy that encourages young

FUTURECITIESME.COM

people to experiment, create and lead.” The new MoU provides multiple advantages for all parties that are involved in the establishment of an educational institution. Under the agreement, ADEC representatives will visit the City and inspect institutions to ensure that they are in line with Abu Dhabi’s educational guidelines and policy. Moreover, it provides a platform whereby Masdar and ADEC representatives can engage in discussions around Masdar City’s master plan and future potential locations for knowledge centres. As part of its commitment to delivering a modern knowledge economy, Masdar City will host a new campus of Emirates College of Technology, the Abu Dhabi-based private higher education institution. A new GEMS Education school is also among the third-party projects planned, which will complement the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology located at the heart of the City. The Masdar Institute has graduated 447 students since 2011 and honoured its first PhD graduates last year. The Institute is undertaking industry- and government-sponsored research contracts and conducts its own community outreach programme, the Young Future Energy Leaders, engaging the brightest Arab youth in the subjects of alternative energy and clean technology. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

SUSTAINABILITY

Green Charger initiative contributes to sustainable transport The UAE has launched a group of initiatives and strategies to enhance sustainability locally and regionally, by creating mechanisms for sustainable development.

he UAE has become a role model by building an economy to facilitate a future that is less dependent on fossil fuels, and adopting a strategy to diversify energy resources. The UAE has made great and unprecedented achievements, which has made it one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most competitive countries. This prominent position is the culmination of the efforts of its leadership to create a stimulating business environment, characterised by a cutting-edge and robust infrastructure and world-class, efficient and reliable services. The UAE has made it a priority to diversify its energy mix, based on the long-term Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish the UAE as one of the global leaders in this area, and a global hub for exporting and re-exporting green products and technologies, while maintaining a sustainable environment that supports economic growth in the long term. The initiative includes a range of programmes and policies in energy, agriculture, investment, and sustainable transport, in addition to new environmental and construction policies to raise standards of living in the UAE. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasises that the UAE seeks to become a global hub and a successful model of the new green economy, to enhance the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitiveness, sustainable development,

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

FUTURECITIESME.COM

sustainability

The second stage will include installing more electric vehicle charging stations depending on customer intake, usage, and driving patterns.

and preserve its environment for future generations, under the leadership of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority is supporting all efforts to transform Dubai into a green economy, and in preparation for the World Expo 2020, being held under the 3 themes of Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability, by enhancing infrastructure and services, according to the highest international standards, while meeting the needs of residences and businesses. DEWA will increase its use of electric cars in the near future to support the transition towards green transportation and the move towards green solutions in Dubai. Furthermore, DEWA always keeps abreast of the latest updates in this field and conducts research and development to make Dubai a leader in electric vehicles. DEWA aims to implement the Dubai Green Transport initiative and encourage the use of sustainable transportation with hybrid and electric vehicles, which will cut total carbon emissions in Dubai by up to 19%. Through the Green Charger initiative, DEWA aims to install and manage the required infrastructure to supply cars with electric power, to decrease air pollution and preserve the environment. The Green Charger initiative supports the Smart Dubai initiative, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make Dubai the smartest city in the world. DEWA also launched 2 other promising initiatives, which are the Shams Dubai initiative, to connect solar energy, and Smart Applications through smart meters and grids. These initiatives will effectively contribute towards achieving the UAE Vision 2021 and the Dubai Plan 2021, which aims to make Dubai a smart, integrated and connected city, sustainable with its resources and where environmental components are clean, healthy and sustainable. DEWA’s smart initiatives help to create a smarter and better future for all residents of Dubai. The Green Charger supports the strategy to reduce carbon emissions in Dubai by 16% by 2020. “Our objective in the transition to become the smartest city in the world is to achieve the happiness of society and provide instant and seamless smart services, anytime, anywhere, supporting total sustainable transformation and the sustainability of energy resources. Dubai has all the elements to reach top positions globally and has become a leading global

FUTURECITIESME.COM

hub for competiveness, green economy and sustainability. The Green Charger initiative will substantially contribute to introducing electric vehicles to Dubai, boosting the use of energy resources and reducing the Emirate’s carbon footprint. DEWA is making steady progress towards achieving sustainability as envisioned by the wise leadership of Dubai and the UAE,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. DEWA Opens First Charging Station DEWA has already completed its first phase with the opening of the first charging station in February 2015, building 12 Green Charger stations that can charge 24 cars at once, at DEWA offices. Four charging stations have been installed at the Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Design District (D3). Electric cars is based on the use of electricity as an alternative to petrol, so this will achieve an important goal: to preserve the environment by using less energy and water. Stages of Green Charger Initiative Green Charger initiative features 3 stages, the first includes the installation of 100 charging stations in various areas of Dubai, such as malls, airports, commercial buildings, residential complexes, and petrol stations. This stage began during Q2 of 2014, and was successfully completed by the end of 2015, in coordination with the relevant parties. The second stage will include installing more electric vehicle charging stations depending on customer intake, usage, and driving patterns. Completion of this stage will be determined at a later time. The third stage includes adding final touches to the infrastructure and vehicle charging stations in several locations in Dubai. The timeframe for this stage will also be determined later. DEWA recognises that more and more people are attracted to the concept of using a cost-efficient, clean-energy car that preserves the environment. DEWA installs and manages the required infrastructure to supply cars with electric power, to decrease air pollution and preserve the environment. DEWA has added 8 electric cars to its fleet, becoming the first government organisation in Dubai to use electric cars. DEWA aims to implement the Dubai Green Transport initiative and encourage the use of sustainable transportation with hybrid and electric vehicles, which will

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

SUSTAINABILITY

centres. The stations feature two plugs, each with a capacity of 22kW. Wall charging stations will also be installed with a capacity of 22kW, and will take 2-4 hours to charge.

Charging stations have been installed at DEWA’s centres, including DEWA’s head office, the Sustainable Building, Al Wasl, Hudaiba, Burj Nahar, Umm Ramool, and Jebel Ali. These stations have been installed and are ready for use. cut total carbon emissions in Dubai. “In line with the strategy to reduce carbon emissions in Dubai by 16% by 2020, we take pride in being the first government organisation to add high-performance electric cars to its fleet. This move supports Dubai’s ambition to achieve a 10% increase in the total number of hybrid and electric cars in use by 2030. DEWA is the first public utility to make this ambition a reality,” said Al Tayer. Types of charging stations DEWA has invested in the latest technologies to stay up-to-date with global trends based on the development of electric car batteries, the reduction of the time to charge cars from hours to minutes, and the decrease in weight and cost. DEWA has also established a strong foundation to accelerate the use of electric cars across the Emirate, powered by a worldclass advanced infrastructure. DEWA is setting up different types of charging stations, including fast-charging stations that take 20-40 minutes, and are installed at petrol stations. These stations have 3 different plugs, one with a capacity of 48 kilowatts (kW) for Alternating Current (AC), CHAdeMO plugs, and Combo plugs with a capacity of 50kW of Direct Current (DC). Medium-charging stations take 2-4 hours and will be installed at shopping malls, parks, and Dubai Government customer service

Partnerships to achieve Green Charger initiative DEWA collaborates with its key stakeholders and signs Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with pioneering organisations to support the Green Charger initiative. These include car dealers, national airports, shopping malls, petrol stations, Dubai Municipality, RTA, hotels, and owners and operators of parking lots in Dubai. Electric vehicle owners can visit any of DEWA’s customer service centres to register and get the Green Charger card. The documents required for registration are the user’s Emirates ID card, driver’s licence and vehicle registration. Customers receive the Green Charger bills by email, which they can settle using any of DEWA’s payment channels. Charging stations have been installed at DEWA’s centres, including DEWA’s head office, the Sustainable Building, Al Wasl, Hudaiba, Burj Nahar, Umm Ramool, and Jebel Ali. These stations have been installed and are ready for use. DEWA is also working with the largest real estate developers and government organisations to provide charging stations, and to identify the most appropriate places to install these stations across the Emirate. The rate per kilowatt hour (kW/h) for charging an electric vehicle in public charging points is 29 fils per kW/h. If the vehicle is charged at home, the standard residential electricity rate will be applied. DEWA has registered the first individual user for the Green Charger stations. DEWA has installed many different kinds of charging stations with the help of its engineering staff, contributing to the initiative’s implementation by using the latest techniques from the international electric car industry. International Awards DEWA won three awards at the Smart Cities Summit and Awards 2016 during the World CSR Day activities in Mumbai, India. DEWA won the Best Smart City Initiative category for the Green Charger Initiative, in addition to winning the Configuration and Deployment of Smart City Infrastructure 2016 category for its Dubai Smart Soil Initiative. This award serves as proof that Dubai is on the right track to raise the quality of its services to international levels, and that it supports the vision of the Government of Dubai to achieve sustainable development, while reducing the Emirate’s carbon footprint. l

www.dewan-architects.com

Over 30 Years of Commitment to Excellence in Design and Engineering

For more than three decades Dewan Architects & Engineers has been one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading lights guiding, driving and catalysing the extraordinary evolution of the Middle Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architecture and engineering design industry.

P.O. Box 60990 Al Wasl Road Dubai, UAE Phone: +9714 395 6566 info@dewan-architects.com

SUSTAINABILITY

Drop It - Say ‘NO’ to plastic bottles

Nation-Wide Campaign launched to Minimize Plastic Bottled Water Consumption and Reduce Plastic Waste.

nder the patronage and attendance of H.H. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, UAE’s “Green Sheikh”, Goumbook has launched a nation-wide campaign to minimize plastic bottled water consumption and reduce plastic waste across the UAE. With the UAE having one of the highest consumption of bottled water per capita in the world, the aim of the campaign is

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

to raise awareness on the implications of consuming plastic bottled water on people’s health and the environment versus consuming filtered tap water, as well as tackling the plastic pollution issue in the UAE. H.H. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi commented: “The problem of plastic waste is becoming alarming not just locally but on a global scale. We truly believe we can minimize plastic bottle consumption by creating a change of mindset and making a huge positive impact just by dropping consumption of plastic bottles.” “Becoming a ‘Drop It’ member means joining a group of visionary leaders that are making a difference and taking actions that will decide what our tomorrow will look like for generations to come not only in the UAE but all over the world,” added H.H. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali, bin Rashid Al Nuaimi. By 2050, it is expected that there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish, as per a report released by The Ellen MacArthur Foundation during the World Economic Forum last January 2016.

FUTURECITIESME.COM

sustainability

“Becoming a ‘Drop It’ member means joining a group of visionary leaders that are making a difference and taking actions that will decide what our tomorrow will look like for generations to come not only in the UAE but all over the world.” - H.H. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali, bin Rashid Al Nuaimi.

Tatiana Antonelli, Managing Director of Goumbook commented: “Looking at International Initiatives, Goumbook realized there was little being done locally to tackle the “plastic issue” or raise awareness on the excessive use of plastic in people’s lives and its negative impact on the environment and health. Hence the Drop It campaign was designed to unite individuals and the local business community in saying NO to plastic bottles.” “Choosing to embrace the campaign means people will not use plastic bottled water but instead they will filter and bottle their own, which will be used at home, in offices or in public areas. This makes an immediate positive environmental impact of reducing plastic waste and reducing the supply-chain carbon footprint,” added Antonelli. In-house filtration meets the demand of today’s consumers for environmentally sound yet quality drinking water, while it helps save money by moving away from expensive bottled water to affordable tap water. It is ideal for all, including the hospitality

FUTURECITIESME.COM

sectors: hotels, restaurants, conference centers, offices and educational establishments. The “Drop It” Campaign will also donate 5% of all corporate memberships to funding a Water Project under the Charity Water umbrella to bring safe, drinking water to global communities in developing nations. The campaign is already supported by a number of organizations that are based and operate in the UAE like AccorHotels, Careem, Beco Capital and Fekra Communications, to name but a few. The AccorHotels have embraced the campaign in their endeavor to make a positive local impact, which is a key objective of their sustainable development program Planet21. Drop It is a Goumbook initiative. Goumbook is a Not for Profit Organization aiming at raising awareness on Sustainability and Green Living: Goumbook’s desire is to create a new global community focused on environmental responsibility, uniting environmental experts, organizations, businesses and consumers from the Middle East and North Africa. To find out more on the Drop It, visit the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ dropitsaynotoplasticbottles/?fref=ts. l Facts about Bottled Water Consumption & its Impact: • UAE has one of the highest consumption of bottled water per capita in the world. • It takes 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter plastic bottle. • It takes half a liter of oil to produce 1 liter plastic bottle. • Price of bottled water could be up to 1,000 times the cost of tap water. Waste and Environment • It can take up to 1,000 years for plastic bottles to degrade. • 80% of water bottles are not recycled. • Because they are made from a different type of plastic, almost all water bottle caps are not recycled. 92 % of the dead seabird had ingested plastic up to 5 % of their total body weight. • Plastic in the ocean breaks down into small particles that affect the marine environment . • In March 2016, 13 sperm whales were stranded on the coast with their stomachs full of plastic. • 54% of the 120 marine mammal species on the threatened list have been observed entangled in or ingesting plastic.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 10

smart technology

LiFi technology comes to the UAE Now Access the Internet at the Speed of Light LiFi is a new wireless technology that transmits high-speed data using light (i.e. Visible Light Communication or VLC) rather than radio bands. LiFi is on track to become a $113 bln industry by 2022 according to a recent article posted in Tweet Tech.

iFi will change the way we work, play and manage our daily lives. This technology brings Dubai’s ambition to be a ‘Smart City’ to life. It provides endless possibilities for the Internet of Things (IoT), the connection between people and things. UAE-based technology company Zero.1 has successfully launched this technology in Dubai. Zero.1’s research and development team have created a platform of LiFi enabled LED with their IOTA© (Intelligent Outdoor Tower Automation) product range which takes the traditional LED street light and adds layers of communications. IOTA changes the way public spaces and resources are managed. Together with the advanced City.1 software, it provides experiential and management solutions for public spaces, community places, industrial hubs and commercial plots.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Marc Fleschen, CEO of Zero.1 says: “We are proud to say that in conjunction with our project partner du, we have been able to initiate the first demonstration of its kind in the Middle East. Working with du we look forward to the roll-out of our LiFi applications in the Dubai ‘Smart City’ platform and the retail sector as the year unfolds.” Any private or public lighting including street lamps can be used to provide LiFi hotspots and the same communications and sensor infrastructure can be used to monitor and control lighting and data. iOS and Android Smartphones can be connected directly using LiFi. Short range links give very high data-speeds and best possible data security. LiFi driven geo-localisation services allow users to benefit from on-the-spot location and services

FUTURECITIESME.COM

smart technology

information. Zero.1 will demonstrate real-time LiFi conference hot spots and experiential activities in its Dubaitech offices. With its combination of IOTA© hardware, City.1© Software and Cloud services, Zero.1 will lead the commercialisation of LiFi technology in the UAE, with plans to also introduce it in other GCC countries shortly. LiFi applications that will impact multiple sectors such as street lighting, retail, healthcare, education, museums, and large public venues are in the development stage and are planned to be strategically launched this year. City.1© is a management software solution that works with IOTA©; an LED LiFi enabled product. The software bridges the gap between objects and people. With this communication tool, Smart City managers get more from their infrastructure to offer more services to citizens. The mobile application works on iOS and Android platforms. The IOTA© Street light is embedded with the Cyrus card. Merged with Zero.1’s cloud platform, the city’s streetlight network becomes the centre of communication, between the city and its people, businesses and services to people, and people to people. Benefits of LiFi A striking advantage of LiFi is that it can boost the network speeds about 100 times faster than the conventional WIFI system available. LiFi is the fastest and cheapest wireless communication system and is the optical version of WIFI. It is believed that the technology can yield speeds more than 10 Gbps,

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Any private or public lighting including street lamps can be used to provide LiFi hotspots and the same communications and sensor infrastructure can be used to monitor and control lighting and data. IoS and Android Smartphones can be connected directly using LiFi. allowing an HD film to be downloaded within 30 seconds. Every light source in homes and offices could potentially be a LiFi within 20 years. You can watch and download videos at super speed, and browse new websites in a blink. Another advantage is security, as LiFi does not travel between walls the data is more secure. LiFi does not interfere with radio signals and is safe to use in radio frequency sensitive environments such as aircraft, nuclear plants, and oil rigs. It is also safer for environments such as hospitals, medical centres, and schools. The beauty of this technology is its simplicity. Every LED light bulb could be converted into a wireless router with the addition of a small microchip. The conversion LED lights will also reduce carbon emissions and result in conservation of energy. Zero.1 has signed a partnership with UAE-based telecommunications service provider, du, recently and together they have demonstrated the capability of LiFi technology in Dubai. They will commercially launch applications in the UAE soon. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

smart technology

3D Printed Robird to make airports safer

The cost of bird control at airports worldwide is estimated in the billions, and does not consist only of material damage, as birds can also be the cause of fatal accidents. Birds worldwide also cause damage running into billions in the agrarian sector, the waste disposal sector, harbours, and the oil and gas industry. A common problem is that since birds are clever they quickly get used to existing bird control solutions, and simply fly around them. The high-tech Robird, however, closely mimics the flight of a real peregrine falcon. The flying behaviour of the Robird is so true to life that birds immediately believe that their natural enemy is present in the area.

obird, a robot designed to mimic the look and flight of an actual peregrine falcon so as to scare birds away from airports and waste processing plants, has made its maiden flight at Weeze Airport, in Germany. The bird is the flagship product of Enschede, Netherlands-based Clear Flight Solutions (CFS), a robotics and drone spin-off company of the University of Twente. In addition to testing the Robird, the company is also training the Robird’s “pilot” and “observer” (who watches other air traffic). “If you operate at an airport, there are a lot of protocols that you have to follow,” says Clear Flight Solutions CEO Nico Nijenhuis. “You’re working in a high-risk area and there are all kinds of things that you need to check. We use the latest technologies, but the human aspect also remains crucial.” These Robirds can be used at airports, orchards, fields, and waste sites to scare away the real and much peskier birds. One look at a Robird and you can see exactly why it would work so well. For this we thank 3D printing which facilitates an organic design authentic enough to look like a real bird in flight. “The flexibility afforded by Additive Manufacturing allowed the designers at CFS to produce the beautiful, organic shapes required to make the Robird as realistic as possible. It also gave the designers

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

the freedom to continuously make alterations to the design of their birds, and expand upon the different types of birds they produce,” says Robbert de Vries from Clear Flight Solutions. Robirds propel themselves by flapping their wings, with a flight performance comparable to real birds. They are laser sintered in glass-filled polyamide, with all necessary fixation points for mechanical components 3D printed directly inside the body. Eventually, the goal is to eliminate the need for humans to operate these birds at all. de Vries explains that not only does 3D printing allow for such customized and authentic design, but it also helps with expense, production time, and higher quality products: “By eliminating the manual assembly we did before and being able to perform rapid design changes, we save a great deal of time and money. Thanks to the expert advice from Materialise we are now creating better products.” According to the company, bird control at airports worldwide costs billions of dollars, the result of defacement of property by bird droppings and damage to aircraft equipment arising from bird strikes. Birds also cause significant damage in the agrarian and waste disposal sectors, as well as the oil and gas industry. A common problem faced in attempting to combat this problem is that birds quickly get used to many control solutions—such as sonic cannons and lasers—and simply learn to ignore them. On the contrary, Robird, according to Clear Flight Solutions, so convincingly mimics the flying behavior of a real peregrine falcon that birds immediately believe that their natural enemy is present in the area. Because this approach exploits birds’ instinctive fear of predators, habituation is not an issue, the company says. Nijenhuis’ goal is to expand use of Robird to additional airports. Currently, however, laws in the company’s Dutch homeland make it difficult to operate drones near airports. The Robird made its first flights at Weeze Airport in Germany, just across the Dutch border near Nijmegen, which served as the test site. “Finally, this is a historic step for the Robird and our company”, says Nico Nijenhuis, Master’s student at the University of Twente and the CEO of Clear Flight Solutions. “We already fly our Robirds and drones at many locations, and doing this at an airport for the first time is really significant. Schiphol Airport has been interested for many years now, but Dutch law makes it difficult to test there. The situation is easier in Germany, which is why we are going to Weeze.” Clear Flight Solutions is benefiting from the more relaxed rules at Weeze, as well as the relatively limited amount of air traffic there. The airport handles around 2.5 million passengers annually, most of whom come from the Netherlands. Schiphol Airport handles 55 million passengers annually. Nijenhuis thinks it is a shame that the situation at Schiphol Airport is so difficult, but

FUTURECITIESME.COM

smart technology

Clear Flight Solutions CEO Nico Nijenhuis holds a Robird. Image credit: Clear Flight Solutions.

he also says that a lot of work is currently being done to accommodate the drone sector in the Netherlands. ‘Airports are very important to us, however the law in the Netherlands means that this kind of testing is very sensitive. There are major differences with countries like Germany and France. It is unfortunate to see that so much activity in the drone sector is being drawn away from the Netherlands. Fortunately, our politicians are starting to understand this. Meetings between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and the drone sector are going well, so I’m very happy about that. Finally we are all talking about the rules together. At the moment, it is often the case that professionals are not allowed to do anything, while amateurs are can do whatever they want. Luckily, that situation is changing. The government has also launched an awareness and information campaign. That is another positive development.’ Clear Flight Solutions was recently the beneficiary

FUTURECITIESME.COM

At the moment, it is often the case that professionals are not allowed to do anything, while amateurs are can do whatever they want.

of an investment of €1.6 million from Cottonwood Euro Technology Fund. This investment has enabled Clear Flight Solutions to become a global leader in the field of bird management. “We have grown tremendously and we now employ 15 people”, says Nijenhuis. “We have also become much more multidisciplinary. We even have a retired 747 captain on our team now, especially to help us with the airport projects. He knows the rules, so his input is very valuable.” The link with research and teaching at the University of Twente is still strong – earlier this year, three new graduates started work at Clear Flight Solutions. The work of an earlier graduate, Berend van der Grinten, meant that an autonomous Robird was very close to being finished as early as last summer. “I recently gave a lunchtime lecture at the University of Twente and there were over a hundred students there. Eighteen of them were very interested in completing a final thesis project. That is wonderful - we need more of that. There has also been a lot of interest from Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Our work goes further than just electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. We are working on multidisciplinary solutions to social issues - that’s what makes this project so cool.” l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

smart technology

iGENIE: UAE’s first high-tech interactive guest experience iGENIE keeps visitors connected at all times through its fully automated features. The technology draws on guestcentric technology to provide effortless service including room service, housekeeping, and concierge services, among others.

he Address Hotels + Resorts hotel brand is redefining industry standards in assuring superior guest service by drawing on the power of advanced in-room automation services with the launch of iGENIE, available across all its properties. Assuring the full breadth of guest services at the tap of a finger, the new automated service will significantly enhance the guest experience providing them unbeatable convenience and value. From booking leisure and recreation appointments from the comfort of their rooms to ordering for any of the hotel services across concierge, housekeeping, engineering, to name a few, as well as exploring the internet for infotainment and entertainment, iGENIE is truly path-breaking for the region’s hospitality sector facilitated through in-room iPads provided to the guests. Assuring complete in-room control, the innovative iGENIE platform enables guests and residents of all hotels and serviced residences of the Group to access services such as navigating the entire network of The Address Hotels + Resorts to make informed decisions about restaurants, spas, business centres and other amenities.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Guests can learn all about the various aspects of Emaar’s leisure attractions in Dubai and make reservations conveniently. For example, they can make bookings at any of the spas within the hotel group; sign up for golf lessons and tee time at The Address Montgomerie Dubai; or purchase movie tickets from Reel Cinemas. They will also be able to experience tourist attractions by allowing them to take advantage of all that is being offered, through a simple touch or swipe of the screen. With iGENIE, guests can avail of an array of complimentary entertainment options, whether it is movies, music, radio or even YouTube channels. They can also enjoy their own media using Bluetooth connection and stream their own content to the in-room entertainment system. Guests will also have a dedicated in-room mailbox for communicating with the hotel management via iGENIE. iGENIE also aids in placing orders from restaurants. Furthermore, it offers internet browsing as well as serves as a newspaper reader. An interactive video wall is also a part of iGENIE that fosters stronger customer engagement. With iGENIE, guests will also receive real-time updates on the promotions that are available at all of The Address Hotels + Resorts, allowing them to make reservations at restaurants and lounges, from their own room. Each in-room iPad is registered to an individual room, allowing the operations teams to decipher which room and guest the automated request has come from. Apart from effortlessly ordering room service, other in-room systems that can be accessed through iGENIE at the tap of a finger also include temperature, lighting and television control. The total room automation services such as temperature, lighting and TV management are currently available at The Address Dubai Mall and The Address Dubai Marina, and are being readied for roll-out across other hotels. Complementing the ‘Smart Dubai’ initiative it also serves as a one-stop service for a range of e-Services that will add value and enhance the convenience of guests. Chris Newman, Corporate Director of Operations, Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “We are committed to providing exceptional experiences to our guests, who today are more connected than ever before and use technological advances to add to their convenience. With the addition of this new innovation, we are highlighting our commitment to enhancing guest experience and satisfaction.” “iGENIE sets a new standard in the hospitality industry by pushing the frontiers of how advanced information technology solutions are leveraged to benefit guests. We aspire to provide them with first-class service standards that ensure a comfortable and seamless stay. The launch of iGENIE is a testament to our efforts to remain at the forefront of the industry by leveraging the latest technologies that appeal to our guests.” Other utilities provided by iGENIE include real-time room folio information, international time display, alarm clock, weather details, location map, flight tracking, foreign exchange information and direction for prayer. The Address Hotels + Resorts caters to all travellers, whether for business, leisure or entertainment and now with the addition of iGENIE visitors can experience several many possibilities that enhance their lifestyle experience. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

TRANSPORT

David focuses on large-scale planning and urban design projects for the firm. He has been involved in hundreds of projects in the past twenty-five years, encompassing all scales of development from individual buildings to multi-thousand acre projects across the globe and is currently working on five continents. His work focuses on issues of broadly sustainable development, particularly the creation of health and research districts in urban areas and the design and metrics that facilitate the success of these districts. He further addresses the regulatory framework within which this development occurs, and provides innovative strategies for appropriate design and policy implementation that allows for the seamless incorporation of research and healthcare specific elements in new and existing districts. David received the AIA (American Institute of Architects) Atlanta Silver Medal in 2003 and the AIA Georgia Bronze Medal in 2008. David was a member of Georgia Tech College of Architecture Faculty from 1992-2013; appointed Professor of the Practice of Architecture, where he taught studios focused on research both at the building level and as urban design studios. He is currently located in the London offices of Perkins+Will, leading planning efforts globally for the Cities+Sites practice and he is the current CEO of AREA Research, the non-profit research arm of the company. He lectures and publishes widely on issues of urban design, planning and architecture.

How Driverless Cars Will Kill the City and Save the Suburbs By David Green, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Global Practice Leader, Perkins+Will

Driverless cars are going to radically transform the landscape of the city and suburb, but in exactly the opposite way most people believe. Instead of being the saviors of our cities, they will provide the justification for the retention and expansion of the 20th century suburban development model. They will do this because they will simultaneously solve the problem of modern road congestion while increasing the convenience with which we all move about in cars. In order to understand this, however, it helps to understand a very similar situation that unfolded almost a century ago when the new technology wasn’t driverless cars, but cars with drivers.

n the 1920’s the nascent planning profession was attempting to create a logical way to incorporate the automobile into growing cities. It’s hard to imagine but in a very early city planning report (Annual Report, City Planning Commission, 1922), issued in the City of Atlanta there were two central recommendations to do just this, transform the city to accommodate the car. The two recommendations were to widen and grade separate streets. The report states, ‘The 80-foot street with the 56-foot roadway is several times as efficient as a 60-foot street with a 40-foot roadway. A 56-foot roadway will take care of approximately twice the traffic at twice the speed as compared with the 40-foot roadway’. Further, in order to fully facilitate more and faster traffic, the report continues, ‘One of the principles of modern street planning is that where conditions are favorable there should be a separation

of grades for through traffic at the intersection of two heavy traffic routes’. For Atlanta, as it was growing in the first half of the twentieth century, this model was tied not only to efficiency, but also to economic growth. The central hypothesis in the Report explains that if, ‘the through traffic can pass without interruption the efficiency of both streets is enormously increased. They attract more traffic which naturally makes for an increase in business values along them.’ In the nearly 100 years since the Report was issued these quasi-scientific proclamations have become the defining principles for addressing development and transportation across the globe. In 1922 the authors of the Report weren’t alone in their assertions, they were simply following the cutting-edge planning strategy of the day. But these assertions had unintended consequences that weren’t foreseen at the time. In 1922, they were seen as the way to create more robust economies in central cities, but over the

Profit in Street Widening from the Annual Report, City Planning Commission, 1922.

Road Widening Diagram from the Annual Report, City Planning Commission, 1922.

VOLUME 1 Number 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

transport

In 1922, when the Report was written, the entire state of Georgia had just 22,000 cars (insert an example of 22000 cars), yet even then there was a fundamental obsession with efficiency and convenience. coming decades the full implementation of these principles had exactly the opposite effect. The goal was to support the growth of the city, but the consequence, unintended and unforeseen, was exactly the opposite. In 1922, when the Report was written, the entire state of Georgia had just 22,000 cars (insert an example of 22000 cars), yet even then there was a fundamental obsession with efficiency and convenience. As cars became more prevalent other modes of transportation receded. Streetcars were removed, subway construction all but stopped and bus service was significantly reduced. Every mode of transportation that required the inconvenience, or inefficiency, of walking through the city at either end of the trip was supplanted by trips in cars, reducing the need to walk to the bare minimum; walking being the least convenient way of getting around, of course. Again, using Atlanta as an example, a city that had hundreds of miles of streetcar routes in 1940 had none in 1960. Fast forward almost 100 years from that report in 1922, and we find ourselves at a time in which the roadway has become a conduit for automobiles

FUTURECITIESME.COM

to such an extent that they are classified as locals, collectors and arterials, depending on the capacity of the traffic they can carry, or highways, those completely separated, limited access, high volume trunk lines, the water mains of our transportation system. The pseudo-science of transportation engineering has completely transformed our understanding of streets and roads into something akin to pipes carrying water (bigger cross-section carries more water faster), but anyone who has been on any part of this system in any congested area knows that the ‘science’ of capacity doesn’t work. If our city water lines worked with the efficiency of our road systems we would be in serious trouble. Of course the reason for this is that water is made up of atoms and molecules and they act according to

Urban Roadway Definitions Under the Functional Classification System (Adapted from AASHTO, 2001).

VOLUME 1 Number 11

TRANSPORT

the laws of physics. Water molecules don’t have minds of their own, so engineers can very accurately predict how water will behave. Drivers on the other hand offer no such consistency. It is all but impossible to predict how all drivers will react in every possible situation. Yet we continue to design roadways as if water molecules are driving instead of newly licensed teenagers, barely mobile octogenarians and everything in between. This is where the future of driverless cars starts. They are an attractive, even inspirational, new technology. With them is the promise of extremely efficient, convenient transportation. They essentially solve all of the problems of modern transportation planning, leading the design and planning of streets and roads back to the realm of engineering, because at this point cars really will perform based on the laws of physics, or at least the laws that are programmed into every single car, whether occupied by teenager or octogenarian. The utopic vision will finally come to pass. But the unintended consequence of this, and it is staggering, is that the entire suburban system of development, the creation of new cities based on disconnected, un-walkable road layouts will get new life because of the consistency in the way driverless cars operate, and there will be little or no congestion, the original goal for those transportation planners back in the early 20th century. This will invariably come to pass because even now we are seeing the beginnings of the millennial exodus to the suburbs. Millennials are making this move even knowing they will have to sit in terrible traffic while commuting to and from work. Imagine the day when this single suburban inconvenience, traffic, is no longer a problem. There will be nothing stopping people from moving to the suburbs, living the dream. What will stop people from wanting to live in the suburbs? Once again it will be cool to be on the open road. Only this time it won’t be in a ’64 Mustang convertible but an electric hyper-efficient driverless car being powered by solar energy coming from the roadway itself. And when you want that cup of coffee on the way to work, no problem, you just order it on your iPhone, which of course will be

VOLUME 1 Number 11

Image: Eric Risenberg/Associated Press

The insidious thing about driverless cars is that they will make the suburban model work just well enough to relieve everyone of the grind of sitting in traffic, but driverless cars will do nothing to solve all of the other problems that the model brings with it. And in many cases it will exacerbate those other problems. easy since you won’t be driving, and it will be perfectly prepared and ready for you at the automated Starbuck’s drive-through, where instead of waiting, inconveniently, in line with your fellow citizens, you simply breeze through, the only human interaction the hand off of the coffee at the drive-thru window. And you will continue to get fatter, more diabetic, more prone to heart disease, less social, and generally cease to be part of a larger community. The insidious thing about driverless cars is that they will make the suburban model work just well enough to relieve everyone of the grind of sitting in traffic, but driverless cars will do nothing to solve all of the other problems that the model brings with it. And in many cases it will exacerbate those other problems. You will no longer have to even walk from the parking lot to the front of the building because a driverless car will drop you off right at the door of the shopping mall, or the suburban office building or, well, that’s really all there is out there. And yes, the parking can get much smaller because cars, driverless now, and needing much less storage

space, will free up all that parking for space to build new buildings, new buildings that are accessible only by car. But at least it will all be convenient. This may seem a vastly oversimplified and an over-reaction to something that has the power to transform our lives for the better. But 100 years ago, we also had a technology that was going to do exactly the same thing. As reactionary as this may seem, it does beg the question: shouldn’t these possible side-effects be contemplated? Cars are great things. In fact they should always be an integral part of any street and are part of what makes cities vibrant. Streets should only be devoid of cars when absolutely necessary and absolutely beneficial. But streets also need people on them, and buildings and parks and other things you can walk to on these streets that make great cities. Great cities are never made from roads. They are made from streets, but driverless cars have the very real potential to render the street obsolete, and that is the devastating unintended consequence of this fantastic new technology. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM

DESIGN REVOLUTION DESIGN TransformingREVOLUTION the future of learning

Transforming the future of learning

With more than 60 years of progressive design and architecture experience, B+H Architectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wide-ranging international work encompasses higher education, commercial, mixed-use, healthcare, hospitality, sports facilities, master planning & landscape architecture, corporate workplace and residential projects. Our clients like the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies understand that successful buildings are more than bricks and mortar, more than steel and glass. Well-designed buildings can elevate the lifestyle of people who choose to learn, live, work, stay, shop and socialize in these environments, and in the engaging outdoor spaces that connect them. DESIGN MATTERS.

bharchitects.com Americas

Asia

Middle East

Health & Community

Dinosaurs and Super Heroes to debut in Dubai

IMG Worlds of Adventure provides a sneak peek into Dubai’s first international mega-themed leisure and entertainment destination, announcing that it will open its doors to visitors in August this year.

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

ocated in the heart of new Dubai and stretching across 1.5 million square feet, IMG Worlds of Adventure will be the first multi-themed destination to open in the region, and will set Dubai on the map as an international family entertainment hotspot. Mr. Ilyas Galadari and Mr. Mustafa Galadari, Executive Co-Chairmen and Co-Owners of the developers, Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group, said, “We are very excited to announce our opening date and look forward to IMG Worlds of Adventure coming to life in August of this year. As the first international leisure and entertainment destination in Dubai, we have designed an entire world of entertainment for our guests. By offering a fully immersive indoor theme park experience in a temperature-controlled environment this enables IMG Worlds of Adventure to be open all year round. With the capacity to welcome more than 30,000 people a day we anticipate 4.5 million guests in our first full year of operation, contributing to Dubai’s position as a leading tourism hub.” This will pave the way for other complementary hospitality offers to re-engage with key tourist markets, providing them with yet another compelling reason to come to this amazing part of the world. IMG Worlds of Adventure will open in its entirety with the exception of the 12-screen Novo Cinema, which will open shortly thereafter. Tickets are available for online purchase on the website, www.IMGworlds. com, with adult ticket prices set at AED 300 and children at AED 250 for an all-day adventure offering access to over 20 signature rides and attractions, including live shows and a 5D cinema experience. It promises guests a remarkable immersive indoor theme park experience, bringing together the best international and local interactive entertainment and globally recognized characters and superheroes. There will be four unique worlds all under one roof, Cartoon Network and Marvel as well as the IMG Group original concept the Lost Valley-Dinosaur Adventure joined together by IMG Boulevard. This $1 billion project is fully indoors and comprises four zones including 25 original retail concept stores, 28 immersive F&B outlets, over 1,600 employees and 4,500 parking spaces. On their way to the park dinosaurs brought busy weekend traffic to a halt but thankfully avoided causing a tyrannosaurus wreck. Both residents and

FUTURECITIESME.COM

health & Community

The park is currently in the final stages of development and is gearing up for the grand opening. The main structure and civil works have been completed and the rides, F&B, and retail are currently in the testing, commissioning and fit-out phase. tourists of Dubai were stunned to see a convoy of ferocious dinosaurs making their way to their new home. The dinosaurs are a part of a collection of sixty-nine state-of-the-art animatronic creatures created by leading Japanese company Kokoro, which are now installed at IMG Worlds of Adventure, set to open early next year. IMG Worlds of Adventure is owned by IMG Theme Park L.L.C. and comprises four

zones: MARVEL, Lost Valley-Dinosaur Adventure, Cartoon Network and IMG Boulevard. IMG Worlds of Adventure will also feature a 12 screen state-of– the-art Novo cinema with 3 VIP theaters and a giant IMAX screen. The park is currently in the final stages of development and is gearing up for the grand opening. The main structure and civil works have been completed and the rides, F&B, and retail are currently in the testing, commissioning and fit-out phase. Lennard Otto concluded by saying, “The countdown to the opening has begun and we are very excited at the prospect of bringing to life such a diverse range of entertainment options, from MARVEL and Cartoon Network to our own Lost Valley – Dinosaur Adventure and IMG Boulevard.” “IMG Worlds of Adventure will be the first park to establish Dubai as a global competitor in the theme park industry

FUTURECITIESME.COM

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Health & Community

Catering for the millennial audience, one of the many highlights of the IMG Worlds of Adventure software system is its Wi-Fi network that can simultaneously host more than 25,000 mobile devices at one time. and the next few years will see the city begin to rival Orlando as the world’s leading entertainment destination.” The primary software partner selected to form the park’s end-to-end infrastructure is industry leader Avaya. Avaya’s electronic mainframe is what connects all systems, software and applications, powering the entire IMG Worlds of Adventure network, from operating the website to the power switches, from the ride turnstiles to the retail point of sale machines. As everything is linked, Avaya’s unified communication solution ensures a user-friendly experience, whilst simultaneously offering the most secure and reliable technology. This world-class system is the first to be used by a theme park in the GCC, when it comes to the Leisure industry. Catering for the millennial audience, one of the many highlights of the IMG Worlds of Adventure software system is its Wi-Fi network that can simultaneously host more than 25,000 mobile devices at one time. Customer satisfaction and safety is of paramount importance and so IMG Worlds of Adventure has installed the Schneider Electric Pelco VideoXpert system to deliver best-in-class video cameras. These cameras were chosen as they offer the most reliable round-the-clock surveillance with long range monitoring, detection and identification on the best HD quality images. “At IMG Worlds of Adventure, offering our visitors the most unforgettable, interactive and immersive experience possible is of utmost importance. We are proud to partner with both local and international technology leaders to deploy the latest state-of-theart telecommunications and Audio Video to ensure the effective and safe running of our theme park,” said Lennard Otto. l

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Food & Agriculture

Growing Food and Fuel in a Desert Ecosystem Research puts UAE at the center of a global movement to sustainably – and simultaneously – harvest both food and feedstock for bioenergy. The world’s first research facility to grow both food and fuel, using desert lands irrigated by seawater, began operations on a 2-hectare site in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. The facility, operated by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, is funded by the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a group advancing the aviation industry’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by developing a clean, sustainable and alternative fuel supply.

esearch and innovation underpin the UAE’s ability to overcome environmental and social wchange and environment. This project will not only sustainably produce bioenergy, but also offer a pathway to grow the aquaculture industry, which supports food independence. Today, the UAE imports roughly 90 per cent of its food – at a cost, that if left unchecked, is predicted to increase 300 per cent over the next decade. But the challenge of food security is also an unprecedented opportunity to advance ideas and innovations that are both sustainable and economically viable. The Masdar Institute, along with its partners, is doing just that. “Energy, water and food security are key, interlinked needs for the UAE. Masdar Institute is committed to supporting the

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

country’s strategic goals, and we are proud to be operating this research facility, which not only develops sustainable bioenergy and food to help fuel and diversify the UAE economy, but also serves as a training ground for a new generation of innovators,” said Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, interim provost of Masdar Institute, a graduate researchbased university in Abu Dhabi, and a founding member of the SBRC. “This project reinforces Masdar City’s burgeoning ecosystem of innovation and strengthens its collaborative links between industry, academia and government,” said Dr. Al Yousuf. “The cutting-edge

FUTURECITIESME.COM

Painted by Did you know that the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres high and was built to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution? The tower was completed for the 1889 World’s Fair and is still one of the world’s best known landmarks. It is no coincidence that Jotun supplied the paint. Did you know that Jotun has 9,500 employees in more than 90 countries? We supply paints and coatings that have been specially developed for unique conditions. The world of Jotun is diverse, but we have one common agenda: Jotun Protects Property

JOTUN DecOrATive PAiNTS

JOTUN PrOTecTive cOATiNgS

JOTUN MAriNe cOATiNgS

JOTUN POwDer cOATiNgS

Food & Agriculture

bioenergy facility also provides an example of how collaboration produces real and valuable outcomes, and will thus inspire and attract further research to Abu Dhabi.” Aquaculture – industrial fish or shellfish farming – is one of the world’s fastest expanding food sectors, with a current growth rate of about 6 per cent a year. While aquaculture systems can reduce a nation’s dependence on foreign food and improve security, they pose environmental challenges due to the impact of nutrient-rich effluents flowing into the ocean. The SBRC tackles these concerns and is seeking to minimize the footprint of commercial farming practices. “Aquaculture systems are here to stay,” said Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, professor of environmental science at the University of Arizona and a globally recognized expert on aquaculture systems. “As the planet’s population approaches 9 billion people, we must advance technologies that enable sustainable and manageable food production. The innovative facility in Abu Dhabi is a showcase of how cross-sector cooperation can lead to breakthrough research with the potential to deliver both food and aviation fuel – and do so in a sustainable, scalable way.” The research facility uses coastal seawater to raise fish and shrimp for food, whose nutrient-rich wastewater then fertilizes plants rich in oils that can be harvested for aviation biofuel production. The salt-tolerant halophyte plants – whose commercial potential is relatively unexplored – thrive in arid, desert conditions and don’t require fresh water or arable land to grow. In the last step of the system, wastewater is diverted into a cultivated mangrove forest, further removing nutrients and providing valuable carbon storage, before the naturally filtered and treated effluent is discharged back into the sea. “As the global community moves toward global targets to reduce emissions, aviation too is doing its part and making great progress. Sustainable aviation biofuel is poised to play an important role in meeting the aggressive emission reduction goals industry has set,” said Marc Allen, president, Boeing International. “We’re proud to be a part of the Abu Dhabi consortium establishing this new biofuel research facility. It shows real promise to transform coastal deserts into productive farmland supporting food security and cleaner skies.” Masdar Institute, together with Etihad Airways, Boeing and Honeywell UOP, were the founding members of SBRC. TAKREER, the Abu Dhabi oil refining company, along with Safran and GE Aviation, have since joined the research group. “The refinement and production of sustainable aviation biofuels complements our endeavors to meet the rapidly growing demand for jet fuels in the UAE. Under the guidance of the Abu Dhabi

VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11

Aquaculture – industrial fish or shellfish farming – is one of the world’s fastest expanding food sectors, with a current growth rate of about 6 per cent a year. While aquaculture systems can reduce a nation’s dependence on foreign food and improve security, they pose environmental challenges due to the impact of nutrient-rich effluents flowing into the ocean. National Oil Company (ADNOC), we are geared up to provide research and technological assistance to this ambitious project,” said Mr. Jasem Al Sayegh, CEO of TAKREER. More than 2,000 commercial flights have used sustainable aviation biofuel blended with conventional petroleum since renewable jet fuel was approved for commercial use in 2011. “This breakthrough research places the UAE at the center of a global movement to advance technology that supports the sustainable production of food and bioenergy,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive officer. “The commercialization of aviation fuels – cleaner, superiorperforming fuels – is a critical step toward balancing our industry’s dependency on fossil fuels, while also incubating innovation that may have profound global implications to address energy, water and food security.” The goal of the research facility is to demonstrate the viability of an integrated bioenergy production system with respect to essential food and fuel production, suitable land use, reduced carbon emissions and wastewater clean-up. If the technology proves viable at this smaller-scale, further expansion will continue with the ultimate ambition to scale up to a 200-hectare demonstration site. l

FUTURECITIESME.COM