Special Features
Dubai Municipality to host Outdoor Design Build and Supply trade show 2014
Dubai Municipality will host the second edition of Outdoor Design Build and Supply trade show 2014, the only dedicated trade show for outdoor design and supply sector in the GCC. The positive outlook to the regional landscaping industry will come as good news to hundreds of landscape service providers who will gather at the 2014 Outdoor Design Build and Supply, taking place from March 31 to April 2, 2014 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.With the real estate sector witnessing renewed growth, and governments becoming increasingly focused on green space development, the GCC region’s landscaping industry will witness growing demand for energy and water-efficient technologies as well as qualified horticultural and agricultural engineering experts.
The UAE currently stipulates that nearly 25 per cent of the project development area must be set aside for landscaping, in addition to various emirates across the country focusing on building new parks and landscaped zones. Statistics from Dubai Municipality highlight this trend. Over the last 30 years in Dubai alone, the number of landscaping projects completed per year has risen by over 600%, reflecting the emirate’s dedication towards increasing urban green spaces.
Dubai Municipality also estimates that the total green space in the emirate has increased by over four million square meters in the last three years to 28 million square metres by 2012, and this is set to grow in line with the Government’s commitment to creating more sustainable outdoor environments.
With several real estate and infrastructure projects in the design and construction stage in Dubai, in addition to the Dubai Expo 2020 proposed site, as much as AED 235 million worth of landscaping projects are set to begin in the next six years. This is in addition to the already approved budget dedicated for a diversity of landscaping projects in Dubai.
Eng. Talib Julphar, Director of Public Parks and Irrigation at Dubai Municipality, said: "Dubai winning the right to host World Expo 2020 is a natural step in the UAE’s next stage of real estate and infrastructure growth, which will witness increasing demand for sustainable outdoor space in the coming years. At a time of renewed growth in the industry in the UAE, the Outdoor Design Build and Supply show will serve as a timely platform for industry participants who will showcase new innovation and sustainable ideas." Eng. Mohamed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing Relations, Dubai Municipality, said: "Unlike many developed nations who are in the process of shelving infrastructure plans, developments throughout the UAE are on the rise. This underlines the importance of further integrating green space and urban landscaping into infrastructure projects, not just in the UAE but across the region. We believe that the Outdoor Design Build ’&’ Supply show is a unique platform to further aligning best practice strategies for the future of the region’s landscape architecture industry." The industry’s growth is expected to spur further demand for landscape contractors, outdoor lighting, recreation and park equipment, water features, playground equipment, flooring solutions, irrigation and water management innovations, horticulture, planning and design services, among others.
The leading outdoor design and landscaping event in the region will showcase a wide range of hard and soft landscaping products and services. The event also serves as a unique platform to interact and network with important industry stakeholders.
