Dubai: In a place like Dubai, the announcement of plans to build more luxury developments isn't often greeted with bated breath. Dubai, after all is an architect's playground and home to some of the world's most experimental, yet luxurious designs.
One of the latest offerings in world cutting-edge technology and luxury living is Dubai Pearl. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the $4 billion (Dh14.6 billion) development at the base of the Palm Jumeirah promises a self-contained community for the super-wealthy - complete with luxury shopping mall, plush hotels, office space, swish residences complete with public transport links to the rest of Dubai.
Dubai Pearl's faith in their brand was displayed recently in a glitzy Paris hotel, where a roomful of wealthy investors, developers, architects and businessmen enjoyed a lavish meal while Elton John tickled the keys in the far corner. It was a celebration of their Baccarat Hotel and Residences.
But it's also part of a bigger picture - a growing trend in Dubai - where community meets sustainable planning.
"I've been looking at cities around the world whose downtown areas are dead," said Abdul Majeed Al Fahim, Chairman of Pearl Dubai LLC, the company responsible for developing Dubai Pearl. "That is because there is no sustainability in these communities. Dubai Pearl is all about sustainability. We are focused on people and communities."
Strategic plan
In October 2007, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a directive for builders and developers to comply with international green building standards, as part of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 to ensure Dubai remains a healthy and environment-friendly city.
Sadek Owainati, founder of the Emirates Green Building Council, is an advocate of this directive, and said the importance of sustainability for the UAE is undeniable.
"Sustainability is the core of living - to maintain resources for future generations. All beginnings are slow but in terms of government support, the UAE is leading the rest of the Middle East," he said.
Owainati cites three core elements that need to be brought into play when planning a sustainable development - the environment, community and the economy.
"It is essential to strike a balance between all three aspects," he said. "You need to consider the aspirations of the community. We live in a dynamic world that is constantly evolving... and will continue to do so.
"In the '60s and '70s, there was a massive push towards green ideals but it never really took off because too few factors were taken into account. Without the business element being added to the equation, a development cannot be fully sustainable," he said.
Key element
"A key element of sustainability for us is to ask how best to preserve a community - to generate jobs and create an environment where people will be happy... People won't need to drive around. Everything at Dubai Pearl will be a short walk away." said Fahim
The idea of creating a complete neighbourhood is always a healthy principle, according to Owainati.
"It's all about 'smart growth' - with the emphasis on creating healthy and liveable surroundings," he said.
What's more, creating self-contained communities is a great way for business-focused developments to earn all-important green building brownie points while keeping the luxury elements intact.
It's a principle that Fahim agrees with - and he is keen to stress the importance of Dubai Pearl's business hub to its growth as a sustainable development.
"This is the first important aspect of sustainability. The licensing laws and our flexibility as a free zone also make it sustainable for us, because we will able to attract so many different types of businesses."
In that way, the economy and community built around the business hub will remain intact and therefore retain an element of sustainability, Fahim said.
Although Dubai Pearl has not gone to the same extent as developments like the zero-carbon Masdar City in Abu Dhabi - widely acknowledged as the crème de la crème of sustainable developments - it is striking a complementary balance with the best of what's on offer.
Dubai Pearl is currently working with consultants to attain gold level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in sustainability.
It is a keen advocate of recycling and has designed the positioning of the building to make maximum use of sunlight in order to conserve more energy.
Challenges: Redefining luxury
In a country that places so much emphasis on luxury, the desire to become a nation of green developers would appear to be an ambitious one. But can the two ever really go hand in hand? Can luxury ever really be completely sustainable?
If Sadek Owainati's reference to the three pillars of sustainability - the environment, community and the economy - are anything to go by, the answer would appear to be yes. But despite a bright-looking future, Owainati also insists that the concept of luxury is one that needs to be redefined.
"Luxury shouldn't be about waste and squander - it should be about efficiency," he said. "Comfort should be thought of as the priority. You need to get a balance between function, image, resources and budget.
"The whole world globally is moving towards a better sustainable solution to the problems and challenges that they are facing. The UAE is part of this overall movement. Of course advanced countries have an edge. But when it comes to this region, the UAE is definitely leading," he said.
