Living the Dream

Once a small fishing village in the Arabian Gulf, today Dubai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

One of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is home to nearly 200 nationalities and offers a truly memorable experience to all visitors. Whether by the banks of the Creek or at the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Dubai lives and breathes a sense of possibility and innovation.

Dubai has long been known for its futuristic inventions, and the city’s plans to become the world-leading smart and sustainable city are expanding. Under the Dubai Smart City and Dubai Plan 2021, the emirate aims to become the best-connected in terms of telecoms, tourism, utilities, education, real estate, public safety, healthcare and transportation. In addition, The Dubai Crown Prince has issued a Resolution to form a Supreme Committee for the Urban Planning of Dubai. The decision aims to regulate, ensure, and implement all the required deliverables of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan to make Dubai the «best city in the world to live in».

The Emirati city has become a staple of contemporary architecture in the Arab world, housing numerous landmarks designed by award-winning architects, such as the Opus by Zaha Hadid Architects and the upcoming Burj Jumeira by SOM. In addition, Dubai has launched a global initiative to make the city the world›s leader in 3D printing. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice

President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has created the plan for one quarter of new buildings to be 3D printed by 2025. The strategy hopes to utilize 3D printing to cut costs in the medical and construction sector and restructure economies and labor markets.

Accessibility and mobility are game-changers and the city aims to cut emissions and significantly reduce urban congestion. The Roads and Transport Authority have been working tirelessly to this end and it is expected that driverless transport will be a commonly used means of transport in 2020 and beyond. In addition, the launch of the Hyperloop, a train that can travel up to 1225kph, will significantly change the journey time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi – from 90 minutes to under 12. The fast speed results from magnetic levitation removing friction between the train and the rails.

City of the Future Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City has its eye on the prize as one of the world’s most sustainable urban communities. It is made up of a rapidly growing clean-tech cluster, business free zone and residential neighbourhood with restaurants, shops and public green spaces.

Masdar City is a pioneer in sustainability and a hub for research and development, spearheading innovation to realize greener, more sustainable urban living. Situated just 10 minutes drive from Abu Dhabi International airport and 40 minutes from Dubai, this ‘City of Future’ is built on the philosophy of economic, social and environmental sustainability. It aims to promote a greener lifestyle by applying realworld energy and water efficiency solutions, zero-carbon transport, and reduced waste generation.

Abdulla Balalaa, Executive Director, Masdar City, said, “Innovation has become the cornerstone of the world’s progression towards a sustainable future for everyone. At Masdar City, supporting the advancement of ground-breaking sustainable technologies is the foundation of what we do.”

It’s an ambitious project spearheaded by the UAE government in partnership with a subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company. While the completion date is not until 2030, a significant portion of the city, including residential complexes, offices, a convention centre, and a wind tower, are already open for business.

Renewal Energy Masdar City in the UAE is a ‘greenprint’ for sustainable urban development. A full-day tour of the city reveals its 500 eco-friendly residential units powered entirely by renewable energy. Electrical power is produced from the city’s on-site 10 megawatt (MW) solar energy panels. Spread across a 22-hectare site, it’s the largest grid connection solar facility in the Middle East. Visitors are also educated about the efficient water control system installed at all facilities in Masdar City, with every building equipped with extractors that take humidity from the air and convert it into water to be

Masdar City dwelling. The Buildings are Equipped with Solar Panels on the roof

One of the most prominent examples of sustainability is the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology campus where the entire complex is built on the principles of renewable energy.

Masdar City Square with Water Cooling Tower.

used throughout the city. Water-efficient sinks in all residential units also control water flow, preventing wastage. The Wind Tower takes inspiration from traditional natural cooling mechanisms used in Middle Eastern architecture, with tall cylinders that carry the air inside from the top to the central portion, where it cools down before being rereleased.

The city has gone all out when it comes to promoting green mobility. Cars are banned, with the exception of electric cars. Instead, Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) stations are used for transportation within Masdar. Visitors leave their vehicles in the parking lot at the entrance to the city and use sustainable transport to commute in and around. PRT stations have on-demand mini-pods with automated electrical single cabin vehicles that act as driverless taxis, featuring a touch screen to control the journey and running along PRT-only tunnels built beneath street level. Electric buggies and bicycles are also permitted with the city’s infrastructure having been designed to encourage walking with wellplanned and wide pavements throughout.

Science & Technology One of the most prominent examples of sustainability in Masdar City is the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology campus, where the entire complex is built on the principles of renewable energy. The most iconic building on campus is the oval-shaped Knowledge Centre building, designed to capitalize on photovoltaic energy harvesting (harvesting energy from light, in laymen’s terms). Meanwhile, the inclined PV panels on the roof help stop direct sunlight from causing the building to overheat. “At Masdar City, we have created a highly unique ecosystem of education, R&D, technology, and innovation, which is designed to bring companies together in a unique environment where they can build their networks, explore multiple investment opportunities, and test new technologies,” explains Balalaa.

The city is committed to advancing the sustainability agenda and spearheading innovation to realize greener, more sustainable urban living. It will be home to a wide variety of organizations - from multinationals and SMEs to homegrown startups including among others, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the UAE Space Agency, Siemens, the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and its two pillar entities, Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and ASPIRE, Tabreed, Honeywell, and the world’s first university dedicated to artificial intelligence, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

Masdar City is also home to leading HealthTech company, G42 Healthcare (G42), which is known for introducing one of the world’s largest Covid-19 testing and diagnostics laboratories, and establishing the Omics Center of Excellence, the region’s largest and most advanced Omics facility in terms of technology coverage, automation, computational capacity, and throughput.

Today visitors can only explore the city on a day trip from Sunday to Thursday, as no hotels have yet been constructed, but there are plenty of eateries and cafes to compliment a day of discovery. Marl’s Organic is a top spot, with its homegrown Middle Eastern and continental menus and Kababji Grill, one of the oldest Lebanese restaurants in the UAE, recently opened a branch here too.

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology.

LET THERE

BE LIGHT

NuLumenTek specialises in the design and supply of energy-efficient lighting solutions across a broad range of sectors growing significantly in Ireland and across the Middle East. The company has expert lighting teams operating throughout the Middle East supported by an engineering design hub in Cork.

Jim Healy, CEO, co-founded the company in Cork in 2012. Since then, NuLumenTek has expanded, opening offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh and London. Jim had over 25 years of experience delivering mechanical and electrical international projects in the UK, mainland Europe, Asia and the Middle East before setting up NuLumenTek. He brings a wealth of practical knowledge to the design and installation process on every project.

NuLumenTek focuses on the expert delivery of lighting design and supply for the new build and retrofit market, supporting clients in the end-to-end project life cycle and guaranteeing product reliability, low opex, superior energy performance, and best in class lighting efficacy.

NuLumenTek’s scale, global activity and local presence across Ireland, UK and the Middle East provide a dependable supply chain and direct access to a team of lighting experts.

NuLumenTek specialises in the supply of commercial and architectural lighting, both internal, external, urban and landscape lighting – supporting the ambition to get to net-zero carbon emissions by helping companies to transition to low energy lighting solutions. Key clients include Dublin Airport, Iarnrod Eireann, ESB, and pharma and bluechip companies, including GSK, Sanmina, IBM, Becton Dickenson & Co, Flex and Keuhne & Nagle.

NuLumenTek has delivered some of the largest lighting retrofit projects in the Middle East and many high-end premium lighting projects since 2012. Projects delivered include the Doha Metro, hyper-scale data centres in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi and class A Royal residences. The company also supported Almarai to deliver one of the largest lighting retrofit projects in the Middle East.

“Although we have expanded significantly in the last few years”, says Jim Healy, CEO, “at our core, we are a business that partners with people for the long term. We have deep and ongoing relationships with our customers and partners.

“In an era where minimising carbon footprint has become critical, our expertise in providing the most energy-efficient lighting solutions possible is what differentiates us, whether for the new build or retrofit market, across industrial, commercial or high-end premium settings.”

NuLumenTek has many projects in the pipeline. Continued growth in the Middle East, with the development of new cities and mega projects, has created a massive opportunity for the company in the region. Closing Jim says: “We are highly committed to the Middle East market. We have teams of lighting experts across the region – who work and collaborate closely with our engineering design hub in Cork.”

Contact NuLumenTek sales team Sales@NuLumenTek.com Website: www.NuLumenTek.com. Start the journey to becoming a Zero carbon business, switch to LED lighting