Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council will showcase Estidama Villa experience centre at Cityscape

ABU DHABI-The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) will showcase some of the key features of an Estidama villa at Cityscape, enabling visitors to experience some of the energy-saving and resource efficiency benefits of new homes that comply with the Estidama Pearl Rating System.

The Estidama villa experience is one of several interactive components which are sure to make the UPC’s stand one of the highlights of this year’s Cityscape, which runs from April 22 to 24, 2014, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Cityscape is the Middle East’s largest annual real estate event.

Other unique offerings at the UPC stand this year will include an updated version of the impressive, scale model of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area that has proved a hit at past Cityscapes, and interactive kiosks where people can learn about the Emirate’s framework plans, as well as the UPC’s master plans, policies and initiatives.

HE Falah Al Ahbabi, the UPC’s General Manager, will deliver the opening address of this year’s Cityscape Abu Dhabi.

Mr Al Ahbabi said: “Cityscape will provide an excellent opportunity for delegates and exhibitors to look towards the creation of strategic public-private partnerships. Working collaboratively will support the achievement of Vision 2030, which is the ultimate goal of the Government of Abu Dhabi, by encouraging sustainable growth.”

The Estidama villa experience aims to show Cityscape delegates the different ways in which the requirements of the Pearl Rating System (PRS) can maximise resource efficiency and quality of life in urban developments. It emphasises how relatively small changes in residential design can play an important role in supporting Abu Dhabi’s sustainable future.

Visitors will be able to inspect several cross-sections of walls that illustrate the difference between non-Estidama and Estidama walls to show how there is minimal difference between them. Estidama walls are insulated to prevent 85% of the sun’s heat from coming in, and are coated with non-toxic paint, which benefits both occupant health and the environment. They will also get a chance to try out special, low-flow taps designed to cut water-consumption by 35% and an advanced AC unit which uses 37% less energy than a conventional cooling system.

A video explaining all the benefits of an Estidama villa, along with a scale-model, will provide further details of the Estidama Pearl Rating System (PRS), the mandatory rating system for the sustainable design, construction and operation of villas, buildings and communities, adapted to Abu Dhabi’s climate as well as its social and cultural traditions and values. The PRS ensures that new villas are designed to minimise water and energy consumption, and are built using healthy, locally sourced materials.

The UPC’s scale model of Abu Dhabi, measuring 23 metres by 17 metres, will once again be a cornerstone of the Cityscape exhibition. It shows the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area and includes new and existing projects as well as famous landmarks such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace.

The model has been updated this year to include renditions of projects such as South Hudariyat Island and Al Raha Beach East, a planned mixed-use development of more than 3,000 apartments and villas. Updates also include the latest progress on Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands.

There will be interactive kiosks at the stand, where visitors can find out more about the UPC’s development frameworks under Abu Dhabi Vision 2030; these are Plan Capital 2030, Plan Al Gharbia 2030, Plan Al Ain 2030 and Plan Maritime 2030.

Dedicated ‘Infopods’ will be available, explaining the guiding principles behind the UPC’s ‘Complete Sustainable Communities’ (CSC) initiative, including its latest addition – the Utility Corridors Design Manual. The UCDM provides a set of guidelines for the positioning of underground utilities such as power cables, gas pipes and drainage systems.

Visitors can find out how the UCDM, in tandem with the Urban Street Design Manual and Public Realm Design Manual, will support the creation of more pleasant, walkable streets as part of this mandate.

This year’s UPC stand will once again feature an interactive fly-through screen. Using a control pad, users can navigate their way around the virtual community, exploring the kinds of facilities that make up a Complete Sustainable Community.

The CSC initiative encompasses the UPC’s suite of policies, regulations and manuals and demonstrates how they combine to help planners create high-quality, safe and sustainable communities.