
Ecologic and energetic efficiency, i.e. sustainability — what does it mean in practice? Firstly, it is clean air we breathe, secondly, it is the numbers in our utility bills, while the third important thing about it is a significant cutdown in business spending. And if these concepts are important to you, then you may be interested in the research results the Center for Economic and Business Research has complied for Arcadis consultancy assigning Dubai one of the highest sustainability index points.
Dubai’s government has adopted a policy of energy and environmental security, sustainability and efficiency in its 2021 development strategy in line with the UAE’s Vision 2021. And, according to the above research results, the emirate has successfully managed to introduce the appropriate technologies in construction and many other fields.
The rating is based on three main parameters — sustainability for people (social sub-index), for planet (environmental sub-index), and for business (economic profits factor). Most points scored by Dubai are for the last criterion, the efficiency of implementation of energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies for business in terms of profit-gains. That is, according to economic parameters and investment prospects, Dubai was ranked fourth-highest globally, ahead of New York, Paris and Tokyo.
However, to become a world ranking leader, the emirate still lacks points by the other two criteria: rather high level of energy consumption (so far) and the lack of green spaces make it down. But when considering Dubai authorities’ plans for the nearest future, the Dubai will soon inevitably reach the top of the rating by all criteria, due to the construction of new mega-sized energy-efficient communities with spacious green and recreation zones.
"The focus on improving the energy efficiency of buildings through rating systems like Estidama will help, as will planned investment in upgrading the water and transport networks in Dubai," the report also noted.