The sustainability of new urban developments in Dubai

Abstract

Dubai, the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates, is a fast-growing hub with increasing need for infrastructure, housing and public facilities. Dubai is trying to market itself as an attractive holiday destination, and has seen the launching and building of large-scale planned communities, some of which are located on reclaimed land along the city’s coastline. This paper reviews Dubai’s green building agenda by examining the scale and typologies of new and planned low-carbon projects, and discusses the potential of renewable sources of energy that can reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and improve long-term sustainability. The potentials of solar energy, wind power and geo-thermal energy in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates in general are assessed.