All along the water table

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For example, this year we are hoping to reduce our water consumption from the common areas of our managed buildings by over 3.5 million gallons, and our water costs by approximately AED150,000 per year. Recent studies in the UAE have estimated that every 50,000 gallons of desalinated water leads to one ton of carbon emissions. Accordingly, by year-end we anticipate that our corporate carbon footprint will have reduced by more than 70 tons through water conservation alone.

fmME: Can you outline what your environmental association with the United Nations University means regarding your FM team and the Palm Jumeirah development?

AK: Nakheel’s four year partnership with United Nations University-International Network on Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) has three main objectives which directly support the day-to-day function of our FM team.

The first objective of the partnership is to develop a coastal monitoring and management plan for the Palm. As this plan matures, it will provide our FM team with scientific advice to enable them to pro-actively manage our waterways, utilities, beaches and marinas. Already their input is directing our beach maintenance programmes, the management of salt water utility intakes, and our swimmer water quality monitoring programme.

The second objective is the establishment of a state-of-the-art marine biology laboratory. This lab was opened in 2008 and has already proved extremely valuable in managing recent algal bloom events off the coast of Dubai and providing expert advice to our FMs.

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The final goal of the partnership is to impart the growing knowledge base and coastal management skills into the local and regional community. This will ensure the future of our coastal and marine ecosystems.

Through internships, seminars and workshops, the body of local expertise is increasing with obvious benefit for the future of the FM of our coastal communities.   

fmME: Can you outline the impact of the Palm on the marine environment, the monitoring of coral and marine life and the UNU’s findings?

AK: The UNU’s work to protect Dubai’s coastal waterways is ongoing. They are studying the ecology of the local coral reefs, the fish populations, the benthic (or seabed) communities, as well as the local plankton. In addition, the currents and waves along the coast of Dubai are also being investigated to understand their influence on the local ecology.

Their findings to date have revealed the establishment of ecosystems of marine life in, and around, Nakheel projects that are not dissimilar to the communities that are found in natural systems, illustrating how nature adapts. 

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