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by ArabianBusiness.com staff writer on Thursday, 04 October 2007
Cityscape Dubai only began in 2002, but has grown to become the world's largest B2B property exhibition. Does it also need its own retail show like GITEX Shopper?
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Reality Check, Honesty, Action..
Posted by Nick Beglinger, Zurich, Switzerland on Friday 19 October 2007 at 12:00 UAE time
Thank you for this article. Good to see sustainability, finally, on the agenda of Dubai and the region. Let's be honest, however. Yes, Dubai is leading in many ways. This, however, does NOT include sustainable development. First, there is the sheer fact that a large population is groomed in an area not suitable for large-scale human inhabitance in the first place. Then there is the reality that millions of square meters of BUA have already been built without any consideration of sustainability - so why not create standards ASAP, why not provide sustainable power and utilities today. Hundreds of five star hotels are announced, but not a single solar power plant. No it is NOT true that the US are leading the way in sustainable design - Europe is. In fact, much of Dubai's problems of soaring power and utility demand result from non-sustainable, US-led design - thin walls, thin windows, cooling by air and not by water, banking on gas and not on the sun, and a thinking of 25 rather than 250 years of project life. Let's be honest Ron and Chris. Let's recognize these factors as a first step to address a huge challenge. I applaud the effort of trying to address the challenge. But let's move fast, lets do it with the right strategy, and without any window dressing. Al Raha's gardens are not making that project sustainable. Recycling water on the Palms is great, but, literally, a drop in the ocean, dwarfed by the energy it takes/took to reclaim, and only to be mitigated with harsh, integrated sustainable power and utilities throughout the development. You guys need to do better than that. This is particularly important if Dubai continues to export its currently unsustainable ways across the globe, building hundreds of thousands of units - from Malaysia to Turkey. Buildings account approx. a third of all total world energy consumption. 'Seeding' thousands of unsustainable building units today across the globe creates 'energy burners' and 'carbon emitters' for decades to come. This is unsustainable for the international community, and you are directly responsible. So, start with a reality check at home, go full speed, at home and abroad, and do it now - please.
Posted by Nick Beglinger, Zurich, Switzerland on Friday 19 October 2007 at 12:00 UAE time
Thank you for this article. Good to see sustainability, finally, on the agenda of Dubai and the region. Let's be honest, however. Yes, Dubai is leading in many ways. This, however, does NOT include sustainable development. First, there is the sheer fact that a large population is groomed in an area not suitable for large-scale human inhabitance in the first place. Then there is the reality that millions of square meters of BUA have already been built without any consideration of sustainability - so why not create standards ASAP, why not provide sustainable power and utilities today. Hundreds of five star hotels are announced, but not a single solar power plant. No it is NOT true that the US are leading the way in sustainable design - Europe is. In fact, much of Dubai's problems of soaring power and utility demand result from non-sustainable, US-led design - thin walls, thin windows, cooling by air and not by water, banking on gas and not on the sun, and a thinking of 25 rather than 250 years of project life. Let's be honest Ron and Chris. Let's recognize these factors as a first step to address a huge challenge. I applaud the effort of trying to address the challenge. But let's move fast, lets do it with the right strategy, and without any window dressing. Al Raha's gardens are not making that project sustainable. Recycling water on the Palms is great, but, literally, a drop in the ocean, dwarfed by the energy it takes/took to reclaim, and only to be mitigated with harsh, integrated sustainable power and utilities throughout the development. You guys need to do better than that. This is particularly important if Dubai continues to export its currently unsustainable ways across the globe, building hundreds of thousands of units - from Malaysia to Turkey. Buildings account approx. a third of all total world energy consumption. 'Seeding' thousands of unsustainable building units today across the globe creates 'energy burners' and 'carbon emitters' for decades to come. This is unsustainable for the international community, and you are directly responsible. So, start with a reality check at home, go full speed, at home and abroad, and do it now - please.
Reality Check... Sustainability
Posted by T Crowe Semler, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday 18 October 2007 at 08:00 UAE time
"Sustainability" and "Green Design"...Buzz words with a mission. We have the technology to utilize Solar, Wind, and Geo thermal right now. The future possibilities of wave generators and undersea current generators are in development. If developers would apply "sight-force-evaluations" and truly design for living with the Earth not just on the Earth we might find that Allah's natural design is practical and very adaptable. Retro-fitting existing homes with solar panels. Incorporating Solar panels into the design of every building with in 3 years. Wind farms in the desert and out to sea. Reality Check... Utilizing Clean Green Energy will bring true sustainability for our future
Posted by T Crowe Semler, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday 18 October 2007 at 08:00 UAE time
"Sustainability" and "Green Design"...Buzz words with a mission. We have the technology to utilize Solar, Wind, and Geo thermal right now. The future possibilities of wave generators and undersea current generators are in development. If developers would apply "sight-force-evaluations" and truly design for living with the Earth not just on the Earth we might find that Allah's natural design is practical and very adaptable. Retro-fitting existing homes with solar panels. Incorporating Solar panels into the design of every building with in 3 years. Wind farms in the desert and out to sea. Reality Check... Utilizing Clean Green Energy will bring true sustainability for our future
Abdali to Take Wraps off Amman Redevelopment
Posted by Jihad Jaljouli, Jordan on Thursday 11 October 2007 at 14:00 UAE time
I am afraid the figures on the area of the project are not correct. I live next door to this place and its area does not even get close to 20 KM2.
Posted by Jihad Jaljouli, Jordan on Thursday 11 October 2007 at 14:00 UAE time
I am afraid the figures on the area of the project are not correct. I live next door to this place and its area does not even get close to 20 KM2.
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