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16 academic leaders pay visit to region's leading sustainable development
Dubai, UAE: The Sustainable City in Dubai recently welcomed local, regional and global delegates to view its latest progress and observe its achievements in spearheading the movement towards truly sustainable living. The delegation comprised of 16 academic leaders from six major Universities from the United States and the Middle East. The delegation included Chancellor Linda Katehi from UC Davis University, President Fadlo Khuri from the American University of Beirut, Provost Sherif Sedky from the American University in Cairo, President Abdul Latif Abu Hijleh from Birzeit University, President Joseph G. Jabbra from Lebanese American University and Chancellor Bjӧrn Kjerfve from the American University of Sharjah.
As part of the visit, Diamond Developers - the organisation behind The Sustainable City - organised a tour of the community for the delegation, showcasing the various phases of implementation and its innovative aspects, facilities and techniques, many of which are considered a world first.
Commenting on the occasion, Engineer Faris Saeed, CEO and co-founder of Diamond Developers said: "We are delighted and honoured to have hosted this visit, which has enabled The Sustainable City to present its developments relating to a sustainable future. We look forward to accommodating similar visits in the near future that will enable us to establish more in-depth relationships with international organisations concerned with academia and research. We aim to use such visits to exchange experiences and benefit other communities by expanding knowledge on sustainability."
Chancellor Linda Katehi from UC Davis University added: "This was my second visit to The Sustainable City and the trip allowed me to strengthen the existing relationship between UC Davis, the BCBCB consortium of universities and Diamond Developers. Since we signed our MoU last February, we have been working together to develop a vocational training programme and to conduct research and studies in a number of areas related to sustainability. Our ongoing partnership will allow us to take advantage of The Diamond Innovation Centre, a new research institution that seeks to apply the best sustainable practices and to establish a new standard for studies on the conservation of natural resources and environmental protection. We look forward with excitement to being able to continue to help The Sustainable City achieve its goals and to work collectively on more vital research designed to make our planet more sustainable. "
President Fadlo Khuri from The American University of Beirut commented: "Our aim throughout this joint visit was to explore the prospects of our future cooperation with The Sustainable City. We are truly impressed with the remarkable efforts made by Diamond Developers to adopt many variant levels of ground-breaking research. This has resulted in sustainable solutions that serve the local environment and enables the transfer of practical experience to other regions. There is no doubt, once completed, that this unique city will bring new standards to research in sustainability - we fully expect it to become a leading global destination for researchers and specialists in this field."
President Abdul Latif Abu Hijleh from University of Birzeit, said: "This visit has allowed us to discover the incredible components of The Sustainable City. It is clearly evident that there is immense expertise and specialised skills behind the project. During our tour, Diamond Developers made sure to take us through the project's facilities, which we believe will benefit the wider real estate sector in Dubai. There is no doubt that Diamond Developers has succeeded in providing an attractive environment that harmoniously blends sustainability and creativity through the implementation of an integrated community. We hope that by working together we can contribute to the academic objectives of The Sustainable City and we look forward to playing an essential role in helping it achieve its future ambitions."
President Joseph G. Jabbra from Lebanese American University added: "We have collaborated with The Sustainable City and as such proud to be seen as a pioneer for regional Arab projects. We appreciate the efforts made by Diamond Developers to support sustainability using the three key underlying elements; economic, environmental and social. Diamond Developers has a clear vision and specific pathways to overcome its obstacles and challenges. The organisation is committed to building cooperative relations with the world's foremost universities that specialise in research and development around sustainable solutions. We are very excited to participate and contribute to this special project."
Chancellor Bjӧrn Kjerfve from American University of Sharjah, said: "We are extremely pleased to be a part of this important project which seeks to translate sustainable concepts and apply them in a real, communal university setting. At AUS, we look forward to contributing further to the achievements of Sustainable City in the field of research and the provision of training, which aims to create a cadre of academics who are able to lead the UAE and the region in sustainable living and working environments."
In citing the great importance of establishing such initiatives and projects in the UAE, Provost Sherif Sedky from The American University of Cairo said: ""It's a great pleasure to be able to visit this integrated sustainable concept and to witness the features that we have been involved with. The Sustainable City is a leading model and one that should be followed by all real estate developers, not only in this part of the world but worldwide. I'm convinced that Diamond Developers will play a significant role in changing the building code in the region."
In the wake of the tour, the delegation discussed the ongoing prospects for sustainable cooperation between The Sustainable City and the visiting universities, particularly in relation to exchange visits, research, applied studies and internships.
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About Sustainable City:
Sustainable City offers the three pillars of sustainability; Environmental, Economic and Social, across one all-inclusive and comprehensive community landscape. The first Net Zero Energy city in Dubai, Sustainable City is being modelled with the support and direct supervision of the Dubai government to become an international showcase for high quality sustainable living. Providing a full array of luxury facilities and amenities that have no negative impact on the environment, Sustainable City is a unique concept that redefines sustainable living through its energy efficient housing, no service or maintenance fees, green education and health care, eco-attractions and a full range of indoor and outdoor leisure activities. Sustainable City is the latest advanced ecological community concept from Diamond Developers. Established in 2003 by a team of eco-minded entrepreneurs, architects and civil engineers, Diamond Developers' vision and mission is to be at the forefront of an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable property industry and to deliver premium quality properties and businesses for the Dubai market and beyond.
© Press Release 2015
