Demand for sustainable developments rises

Emaar's Community Management programme will be at the forefront of sustainable developments on show at Cityscape Global next month, as U.A.E. residents reveal their desire to adopt a greener lifestyle, both at work and at home.
A recent poll conducted by Bayt.com showed that 72.5 percent of respondents considered going green as something very important to their lifestyle, with 80 percent also stating that environmental issues and conservation of natural resources concerned them "to a large extent".
Honoured with the first Green Facility Management Organisation of the Year award by The Emirates Green Building Council, Emaar Community Management will be echoing their sustainability working patterns at the three-day event, which takes place from 21 – 23 September at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Sameer Kulkarni, Director of Emaar Community Management said, "We are handling budgets of more than US$750 million and the numbers are only growing with the addition of new communities, such as the expansion of Arabian Ranches including Alma 2, La Avenida 2 to name a few, The Opera District, Reem, Dubai Hills Estate and many more.
Sustainable principles, strategies and practices are fundamental to how we maintain our communities. Some of our initiatives include a drive to remove invasive Damas trees, an edutainment event for younger residents, as well as campaigns and community projects to conserve water and energy. These efforts are complemented by our focus on renewable energy initiatives, recycling and waste management." Organised by Informa Exhibitions and supported by the Dubai Land Department, Cityscape Global is the annual meeting point for key real estate investors, developers, investment promotion authorities, architects, designers and real estate professionals, to drive growth in real estate investment and development across emerging markets globally.
Continuing the environmentally friendly theme at the 13th edition of Cityscape Global, Union Properties PJSC, the first company to introduce the concept of community into the U.A.E., will be launching an Dh 800 million high-rise residential development in Motor City.
Ahmad Khalaf Al Marri, General Manager of Union Properties PJSC, said, "We are constructing developments that are in line with people's demand for change. Residents are looking for a greener lifestyle, therefore we need to focus on sustainable retail and residential projects to ensure we generate investors and satisfy clients' needs, with a focused eye on quality.
"Sustainability is gaining momentum globally and areas such as the U.A.E. have the opportunity to be the flagship of sustainable development. The region is at the forefront of environmental policies, procedures and regulations and each developer has to now take responsibility of going that extra mile and pushing the boundaries of sustainable development," Al Marri added.
Damac Properties, Meydan Group, Nakheel, Dubai Properties Group and TDIC are among the 250 exhibitors at Cityscape Global this year, showcasing their latest developments and environmentally friendly concepts.
The Middle East's largest and most influential property show is co-located with three dedicated and expert-led conferences, the Global Real Estate Summit, Future Cities and the Real Estate Brokers Summit, which are expected to bring together more than 1000 senior real estate professionals.
Also featuring alongside the exhibition is the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets, which has attracted hundreds of entries from developers and architects across the world. A short list of nominees has now been drawn up and winners will announced at an elaborate ceremony taking place at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa on 22 September in Dubai.
Cityscape Global 2014 returns with support from Foundation Sponsors Emaar, Dubai Properties and Nakheel; International Strategic Partner, Property Solutions; Gold Sponsor Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC); Project Marketing Sponsor Aqua Properties; Official Architect Architecture & Planning Group (APG); Official Broker Trisl Real Estate; Official Mortgage Provider Abu Dhabi Finance; Silver Sponsors Apex Real Estate Development L.L.C. and Tecom Investments; and Property Registration Trustee Partner Tamleek Property Transfer.
Source: WAM