Sustainable forces
The sustainability of water and electricity is on everybody’s agenda – as highlighted by the enormous success of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, held around the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
At the event, DEWA revealed plans for its amazing example-setting new HQ, expected to be completed by 2019. The building, called Al Sheraa (sail), will have a total built-up area of 140,000 square metres, and will be the world’s tallest, largest and smartest government building with zero emissions. The ambitious project is expected to self-generate 7000 megawatt hours (Mwh) every year.
Growing environmental concerns and energy prices mean more property developers, operators and home-owners are considering retrofitting solar photovoltaic panels on their properties, as well as water purification and water-saving devices…
Even little dhows criss-crossing the back-in-vogue Dubai Creek are being fitted with solar panels….
As Emaar, Nakheel and Meydan Sobha roll-out their transformative Deira and Creekside projects, including Deira Boulevard, we are all finding ourselves drawn back to the Creek.
Further down the coastline the area around Union House in Jumeriah One is where it’s at: the Etihad Museum is now open and developments are taking shape on the nearby Pearl Jumeirah.
Centre-stage is the Nikki Beach Hotel and Beach Club; next month a joint celebration will be held to mark the first anniversary of the ultimate beach party venue and the recent opening of the 117-room, 15-villa Nikki Beach Hotel and Spa. The laid-back, stylish and sophisticated property is very much in keeping with the energetic and dynamic feel of other Meraas properties.
The newly-opened Jumeriah Al Naseem hotel is home to Italian luxury leather ware company Farrago’s contemporary Tuscan-style restaurant…
Jumeriah Group has also commissioned celebrity florist-to-the-stars Kally Ellis to create a signature floral look for their properties following her recent working visit here…
Italian designers Alessandro Forte and Stefano Ottone flew in recently for the formal opening of their luxury Glassing boutique in City Walk; their glasses are loved by the likes of Elton John and Kate Moss.
Expo 2002 organisers recently launched a US$100 million Expo Live programme to help fund and promote innovative creative projects that will improve lives while preserving the planet. Entrepreneurs from all walks of life are invited to participate in this pioneering initiative, via the Expo webpage.
Next month we will celebrate the sixth annual edition of the much-loved Design Days Dubai (14-17 March), which continues to be the Middle East and South East Asia’s only annual fair where you can buy collectible design. Highlights of the 2017 edition will include the regional debut of world-class galleries including Todd Merrill from New York and L’Eclaireur from Paris and Los Angeles.
Large-scale installations and sculptural pieces from UAE-based designers will also be on show.
id is a media partner for these events, who are much-appreciated by design-lovers, and so we look forward to meeting you there.
Don’t forget to enter this month’s competition to win Dhs20,000 worth of ergonomic Humanscale home office furniture and accessories. More details on page 62; visit our Facebook page to enter. Good luck!