Sustainable development is the future

Limitless' Downtown Jebel Ali project will incorporate several green initiatives.

Environmental vigilance and planning for the long-term effects of global climate change are vital, even during times of financial constraint, says Doug Kelbaugh, executive director of design and planning at Limitless.

“Those who stay eco-conscious now are more likely to emerge stronger than those who don’t because the new, post-oil-peak economy may expect — and may legally require — more energy efficiency and greater use of renewable energy resources,” said Kelbaugh in a prepared statement at Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2009.

Limitless’s Sanaya Amman in Jordan will be the country’s first Leed certified buildings and its Downtown Jebel Ali project in Dubai will incorporate several green initiatives, including green district cooling and eco-friendly public transportation.

As it turns out, Kelbaugh’s strategy of focusing on sustainability and eco-friendly building amidst the global recession was supported by developers and government entities throughout the industry.

Cityscape newcomer Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), the catalytic developer behind the massive Iskandar Malaysia project, has enjoyed Middle Eastern investment to the tune of US $1.2 billion.

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Located at the southernmost tip of the Malaysian peninsula, the development is situated at the crossroads of the Asean trade triangle and has direct access to East-West trade lanes and, along with them, approximately three billion people.

Once finished, the 2217km² Iskandar Malaysia will be three times the size of Singapore and because it’s backed by the Malaysian government will serve as a model of responsible economic growth and eco-friendly development.

“Despite the current economic downturn, there is still sound evidence of recent investor interest,” said Arlida Ariff, managing director of IIB. “Our view is bolstered by the confidence felt by our partners in the Middle East and their significant investment in IIB’s flagship mixed-use development.”

Considering 10% of the project’s US $13 billion investment has come from Mubadala, Millennium, Kuwait Finance House and Aldar, some of the region’s major players are clearly continuing to buy into the idea of financially and environmentally responsible development. 

Moreover, the Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM) used the Cityscape venue to launch its US $1.4 billion (AED5 billion) Al Salam Street project which will upgrade the capital’s busiest street to an urban expressway, easeing traffic and noise pollution. Alongside Al Salam, ADM showcased its Al Mafraq Bridge and the five million m² Mohammed bin Zayed City. 

All of this comes on the heels of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s (UPC) recent launch of Plan Al Ain 2030, which will ultimately cater to a million residents and promises to include groundbreaking methods of achieving environmental, economic, social and cultural sustainability.

“Plan Al Ain strikes a delicate and much-needed balance between conservation and development,” said HE Falah Al Ahbabi, general manager of UPC.

“Plan Al Ain 2030 offers a range of solutions to regulate the quality and quantity of new development projects, improve public transport, preserve the city’s unique character and create new open spaces and cool micro-climates for residents to share and enjoy.”

For an in-depth analysis of Plan Al Ain 2030 and a full post-show report on Cityscape Abu Dhabi check out the May issue of Middle East ARCHITECT.

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