Construction

Work on sustainable smart city commences in Dubai

By Neha Bhatia

Posted on March 12, 2014

$299.4mn-worth ‘Silicon Park’ project to feature environment-friendly smart technologies

‘Silicon Park’ is part of the government’s efforts to transform Dubai into a smart city

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) recently launched an integrated smart city project, called ‘Silicon Park’ worth $299.4mn (AED1.1bn).

Spanning an area of 150,000 sqm in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the emirate’s freezone technology park, the Silicon Park project is due for completion by Q4 of 2017.

“This project is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world over the course of the next three years,” said Sheikh Ahmed.

The project will include 97,000sqm of office space, 25,000sqm of commercial space, 20,000sqm of residential area and a business hotel (115 rooms), said a report by WAM. Value added facilities, such as restaurants, health centres, running tracks, cycling tracks, a shopping centre and underground parking (2,500 cars) will also be part of the project.

‘Silicon Park’ will comply with the UAE’s various green building regulations and specifications, besides international LEED standards. Environment-friendly building materials are expected to be used in the project, such as solar panels, double-glazed windows, green roofs and so on.

Smart lighting systems, motion sensor systems, sensor-equipped light poles and digital signboards will be incorporated into the project, besides water consumption controls such as recycling and irrigation.

“The project articulates Dubai’s Vision 2021 to transform the emirate into a smart city while ensuring that it remains on par with the latest global trends for smart cities,” he added.