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Dubai could become a new hub for sustainability and health, if developer URB can do that. The Dubai-based company has proposed a series of ambitious, environmentally-focused designs to transform the emirate – including an indoor climate-controlled “sustainable urban highway”. stretches over 93 kilometers (58 miles).
According to URB CEO Baharash Bagherian, if built, “The Loop” will be the “smartest” running and cycling infrastructure anywhere in the world. He added: “The project aims to make Dubai the most connected city on Earth by walking or cycling.
This massive structure is designed to surround Dubai, providing a car-free “green corridor” filled with trees and plants for residents to walk or cycle around the city.
URB has also devised a massive agri-tourism project for Dubai’s deserts that they say could become a new standard for sustainable agriculture, environmental education and green tourism in the region if it is established. build.
Separated from The Loop, the “Agri Hub” will cover approximately 40 hectares and will host spaces for education and research, as well as eco-lodges, farm shops, restaurants and bars. Coffee from farm to table.
Bagherian says a visit to the Agriculture Center will help guests understand and become more involved in sustainable practices. “It opens people’s minds,” he said. “People can misunderstand agritourism. They think it’s looking at the farm equipment, looking at the farm and going to pick the fruit. With this project, we are trying to disrupt the model of agritourism, so it benefits everyone. Whether you are a retailer, whether you are a farmer, especially if you are a consumer – there is a greener economy for everyone.”
Bagherian previously led the designs for Phase 2 of “Sustainable City” in Dubai and work on similar green communities currently under construction in Yiti, Oman and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
“The whole world is moving towards a greener economy,” says Bagherian. “The strongest economies will be those that are able to transition towards sustainability as soon as possible with projects like this.”
The Agri Hub’s snake-like structure will be formed from a giant steel dome and clad in prefabricated concrete, with a carbon cost offset by site operations.
URB said the project aims to be zero waste and on-site transportation will not use fossil fuels. It will have its own biogas plant to generate energy from organic waste, while parts of the development will be located partially underground, to keep buildings cool.
Due to the scarcity of freshwater in Dubai, the project is designed to highlight bio-saltwater farming, where crops are grown in saltwater and use gray water recycled from the site to irrigate areas. public. These areas will feature drought-tolerant plants as well as rain gardens and biological storage areas that do not require irrigation and provide habitat for birds and insects.
Like The Loop, the Agri Hub is designed to use 100% recycled water for irrigation and is powered entirely by kinetic energy.
URB says the projects will be funded by private investors and is currently conducting feasibility studies to establish the best site for Agri Hub development. Bagherian hopes construction of the Agri Hub will begin in 2024. The Loop, if put into operation, could be ready for cyclists and runners in Dubai by 2040.
