Dubai unveils ambitious green plans for Expo 2020 site
Cost of irrigation and landscaping projects put at Dh277m
Dubai has revealed its plans for greenery and water features for Expo 2020 Dubai, which begins in October 2020.
The emirate is turning the desert into a green and sustainable oasis decorated with unique buildings, covering an area of 4.38 square kilometres.
While countries are announcing the designs for their pavilions, Dubai is turning the event’s location into an artistic scene full of greenery and water, to capture the attention of visitors and followers from around the world.
Expo organisers have cooperated with the Dubai Municipality in creating sustainable greenery and rationalising water consumption.
Reusing water
Expo 2020 Dubai has adopted water consumption systems and is reusing different water sources, such as wastewater, air conditioning water, groundwater discharge management and seasonal surface water flows.
The event’s location will feature large areas for openair celebrations, decorated by plants that rely on drip irrigation techniques, including the Al Fursan Park that accommodates 2,500 people, and the Jubilee Park that accommodates 15,000 people.
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, Ahmad Al Khateeb, CEO of Development and Real Estate, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The expo will not only feature buildings and pavilions that will impress visitors, but also trails, fountains and parks that will capture their attention, as well as the Al Wasl Dome, which will serve as a giant screen.”
Al Khateeb added that the expo allocated an area of 220,000 square metres to a nursery for plants and trees, which will cultivate 12,157 trees, including palm trees, over 256,000 shrubs, thousands of flowering plants and herbs, in cooperation with the Dubai Municipality.
He said the selected plants are either indigenous or are adaptable to Dubai’s environment, noting that expo has employed eco-friendly methods in the design and construction stages of the nursery. Solarpowered lights were installed along the main road and the nursery’s team relies exclusively on organic fertilisers and recycle the nursery’s waste.
Treated wastewater provided by the Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs and clean drinking water is only used for seed development during the first stages of plant development, he added.
Taleb Abdul Kareem Jilfar, executive director of the infrastructure services division at the Dubai Municipality, highlighted the cooperation between the municipality and the expo team in many areas, such as landscaping.
Jilfar estimates the cost of the expo’s irrigation and landscaping projects to be over Dh277 million, noting that an area of 3.57 square kilometres is expected to be ready before the official launch of the exhibition in October 2020. The municipality has delivered 863,117 plants, valued at more than Dh22.5 million.
Green barrier
Jilfar considers the project as a significant addition to the landscape of the area, where trees will serve as a green barrier and reduce the amount of sand and dust in the air while pointing out the municipality’s efforts to implement the “Integrated Dubai Strategy to Protect Water Resources 2030,” by utilising dripping and spray technologies in irrigation projects instead of traditional irrigation methods, as well as using suitable agricultural soils that help to conserve water and reduce evaporation.
Jilfar affirmed that the municipality is currently launching a range of strategic projects, intending to fulfil the future needs of Dubai, and in preparation for hosting the expo. These projects include a tunnel project for rainwater drainage, which is scheduled to be completed before the launch of the event in Dubai.
The expo office has received achievement certificates from the municipality confirming the completion of the opportunities area, the movement area and the sustainability area at the expo site, which includes 86 multi-purpose buildings.
Water is a rare natural resource in the UAE, and around 42 per cent of its drinking water is obtained through desalination.