Sustainable Dubai - Fact or Fiction
Feb 15th 2014, 7:06 am
#16
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Sustainable Dubai - Fact or Fiction
Does it smell of shit? And if so, is it dangerous (eg rug rats playing with soil that's been watered by it)?
Feb 15th 2014, 4:51 pm
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 291
Re: Sustainable Dubai - Fact or Fiction
OK, here's my take on the whole 'sustainablilty' debate here in Dubai.
It's not.
Speaking with regards to new developments it is my experience that developers and constructors pay scant regard to sustainability issues, simply because there is no imperative for them to. Developers of villas and apartment buildings do not have pay the dewa bills for the properties once they sell them, so they don't care how efficient they are. You can offer them a construction system that will offer them a 50% reduction in A/C load, or smart water system that will vastly reduce water consumption, but they are not interested. Profit is their only motivation. Buyers of the properties get subsidised rates for the energy and water they use, with some sections of the community I believe paying little or nothing for their energy and water they consume, so why would they care how much it costs to water the gardens?
Estidama VS LEED. Estidama is basically a regionalised version of LEED, with a greater focus on water management and conservation, and a section looking at the wider 'fit' of a devlopment in the community. It's actually pretty good, and a lot of time and effort has gone into making it, and AFAIK it's pretty much the only green building code in the world that is mandatory (for some project types at least). That's not to say that buying a 2 pearl rated villa somewhere in Abu Dhabi will be the greenest in the world, but they are trying to make construction more sustainable, and forcing people to comply with their regulations, which ultimately is a good thing.
In conclusion if you want to see a vaguely sustainable development, it will be in Abu Dhabi. The only ones you will see in Dubai with any environmental credentials in Dubai are those driven by international clients who have global sustainability policies and objectives.
(Oh and interestingly, projects for the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi are exempt from Estidama regulations, nothing like leading by example eh?)
It's not.
Speaking with regards to new developments it is my experience that developers and constructors pay scant regard to sustainability issues, simply because there is no imperative for them to. Developers of villas and apartment buildings do not have pay the dewa bills for the properties once they sell them, so they don't care how efficient they are. You can offer them a construction system that will offer them a 50% reduction in A/C load, or smart water system that will vastly reduce water consumption, but they are not interested. Profit is their only motivation. Buyers of the properties get subsidised rates for the energy and water they use, with some sections of the community I believe paying little or nothing for their energy and water they consume, so why would they care how much it costs to water the gardens?
Estidama VS LEED. Estidama is basically a regionalised version of LEED, with a greater focus on water management and conservation, and a section looking at the wider 'fit' of a devlopment in the community. It's actually pretty good, and a lot of time and effort has gone into making it, and AFAIK it's pretty much the only green building code in the world that is mandatory (for some project types at least). That's not to say that buying a 2 pearl rated villa somewhere in Abu Dhabi will be the greenest in the world, but they are trying to make construction more sustainable, and forcing people to comply with their regulations, which ultimately is a good thing.
In conclusion if you want to see a vaguely sustainable development, it will be in Abu Dhabi. The only ones you will see in Dubai with any environmental credentials in Dubai are those driven by international clients who have global sustainability policies and objectives.
(Oh and interestingly, projects for the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi are exempt from Estidama regulations, nothing like leading by example eh?)
I'm throwing this question open to PMs of building projects. I throw the terms 'LEED certified' and 'Estidama pearl rating' around like I know what I'm talking about, trust me I don't!
AD currently requires new projects to be at least Estidama pearl rating, Dubai is stating projects must be LEED certified by 2020. From a brief scan of a google search there are specific measurable achievements that have to be met in order to achieve these ratings. For LEED:
"Sustainable sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.
Water efficiency credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption."
And so on, things I'm not convinced of in Dubai. As an example the amount of landscaping/trees in new projects which all requires watering. So how does that fit into being 'sustainable'?
Anyway my question is, are new projects actually really and truly being compliant or is there simply a box ticking exercise going on?
AD currently requires new projects to be at least Estidama pearl rating, Dubai is stating projects must be LEED certified by 2020. From a brief scan of a google search there are specific measurable achievements that have to be met in order to achieve these ratings. For LEED:
"Sustainable sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.
Water efficiency credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption."
And so on, things I'm not convinced of in Dubai. As an example the amount of landscaping/trees in new projects which all requires watering. So how does that fit into being 'sustainable'?
Anyway my question is, are new projects actually really and truly being compliant or is there simply a box ticking exercise going on?
Feb 16th 2014, 3:07 pm
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Sustainable Dubai - Fact or Fiction
There is a saying tho - "if it smells of shit and looks like shit, it generally is"
