Construction works around mangroves on Abu Dhabi resort

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The offshore reclamation part of the project will include a five-star resort and private islands.

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According to Twal, a vacuum sewerage system will service the entire development. (Valeriano Handumon/ITP Images)

A further stipulation by Aldar is that contractors are not able to use certain solvents and chemicals during construction that may leak into the water and damage the environment.

In order for the mangrove to be further protected from construction activity, a silt screen has been placed around the entire perimeter to preserve the in-situ silt environment and prevent any migration of silt or nutrients. This is especially applicable when there may be strong currents being created due to dredging and changing environmental conditions in the surrounding channels. The screen, which is made from geotextile mesh, allows water to pass through but it will prevent silt and nutrients to migrate outwards.

"It's a safe separation of the two soil environments," says Twal.

But it's not just the construction phase that could affect the mangroves; once the development is fully operational, issues of pollution will be prevalent, and this has not escaped the architects at Aldar.

"We are adopting a vacuum sewerage system, which we used in Al Raha Gardens, because of the sensitivities of the surrounding areas and the topography," says Twal.

"We have quite a few islands and the systems will be quite spread out. Most of the system, specifically the sewage pipeline, will be housed in the deck of a bridge that will go through the mangroves and will connect all the residential developments."

While constructing a project in an environmentally sensitive area brings with it certain stipulations regarding protection and preservation, the nature of the Al Gurm development is also demanding in terms of the material supply chain. Even though the amount of steel and concrete needed for the project isn't going to break any records, the procurement of other key materials within the UAE can be a major challenge, even if the developer uses a central system.

"We have used the help of the Aldar network to procure rock for the dredging and rock walls," says Firas Dababneh, project manager, Aldar Properties.

"It is a very demanding market in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; the supply of rock across the Emirates is reducing all the time, so we got in touch with our colleagues on Al Raha Beach and they provided us with a good quantity of rock for this project."

Partial screening and sorting was done on the Al Raha Beach site and then brought to the Al Gurm site. Any shortfall in the supply of rock from Aldar's other projects is procured through the market by NMDC, but this has also proved a major challenge.

"Beach sand is also very difficult to get hold of - we are trying to find a source for it at the moment for the resort. It's not a problem but it's a challenge to find a resource with the right specifications," says Dababneh.

Although NMDC has completed its dredging package, the contractor is still working to locate viable beach sand for the development. According to Twal, it has recently produced some samples of sand that have been obtained from local sources. And these have been submitted to local laboratories for analysis for compliance with the required specification.

The team on Al Gurm Resort is working hard to ensure that the development preserves the ecological balance of the surrounding mangroves. And while the local environment agency are hot on their heels, strict attention is being paid to the management plan.

With tough regulations to follow and very specific development goals, there is a feeling that Aldar realises the significance of this project for the future of Abu Dhabi as a whole. Indeed, the carrying capacity of the emirate's outlying islands and mangroves is truly being put to the test. Only when projects like Al Gurm are complete, will the scope of Abu Dhabi's development opportunities become clearer.

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