Moussa Beidas’ Art Installation Powered By The Sun?
A young Dubai designer wants to install the world’s largest perpetual public art installation to send a message around the planet using the power of the sun.
Country: Dubai
MIT Fog Harvesting Material Yields 5x More H20
Gulf countries like Abu Dhabi may lack freshwater resources, but they also have a lot of humidity. MIT’s new super efficient fog harvesting material could help countries with climates like this capture that moisture for drinking water.
The “Arabian Canal” is a Defunct Water Conduit in Dubai
In my last post I featured a photograph of an unused structure out in the desert near Dubai, a concrete amphitheatre. It turns out there was more to explore.
Is There a “Forest” Under the Desert Outside of Dubai?
Agricultural scientist Tony Rinaudo is behind one of the world’s most successful reverse desertification projects – in Niger, and now he thinks a similar underground forest might exist in the Arabian desert outside of Dubai.
Dubai Developer Relocates Coral Reef that Thrives in New Home
A leading property developer in Dubai executed one of the world’s largest coral relocation projects in 2008, and now – five years later – the mammoth $9.8 million undertaking has shown itself to be a remarkable success.
Massive Concrete Amphitheater Lies Disused Outside Dubai
A friend tipped me off about this strange structure out in the desert a short drive from Dubai. I tried to figure out what it was on Google Earth before driving out to discover a mysterious, disused, concrete amphitheatre.
Reyoutilizer App Simplifies Dubai Recycling
Absurdly tall skyscrapers, overfishing and other environmental issues tarnish Dubai’s green image, but projects such as the new Reyoutilizer app at least makes recycling a bit easier.
New Rotating, Vertigo-Inducing Dubai Tower Back on Track
Dubai’s record-breaking skyline is the stuff of imagination bolstered by immense wealth, a powerful combination that mostly results in epic fail architecture. A new rotating skyscraper is in planning stage, an investment in gimmickry over game-changing sustainability, moving this city a step closer to its looming 22nd Century reality as the world’s best bad building […]
Middle East Shipping Lands Prince Charles in Hot Water
Britain’s Prince Charles lectures long on climate change and the local food movement, but a recent discovery about one of his businesses suggests the title “His Royal Highness” is just a nod to his carbon footprint.
Dubai’s Outdoor Workers Get Solar-Powered Cooling Hats!
Employers in Gulf countries often come under fire for making their employees work during hot summer days, when temperatures regularly hit the 40°C or 100°F mark, so the Dubai municipality came up with a curious solution.
Powering Buildings With Bioreactor Algae Skin Facades
A five-story apartment building in Hamburg, Germany gets its juice from its algae skin. It’s an example of the kind of architectural innovation that could readily transplant to the Middle East. So why is partnership between designers, investors and government largely absent in this region? The continuing drought of global investment requires innovative approaches to […]
Your Weight is Worth Gold in Dubai
The government of Dubai government will pay gold to health-conscious residents for dropping some weight over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It’s part of Dubai’s “Your Weight in Gold” initiative.
Europe Laps up Dubai’s Camel Milk Beauty Bars
Two years ago, the western world didn’t know much about camel milk, even though Bedouins across the Middle East have long understood its role in preserving good health. Now it’s the next best thing since Morocco’s Argan oil.
Dubai: World’s Largest Airport Greens Up its Act
Dubai International, soon to be the world’s largest airport, is focusing on sustainability with its newly proposed concourse D. The wing, which is the future home to 100 additional airlines, is scheduled to open in 2015.
Dubai 2021? Do’s and Don’ts for Foreign Travelers
Planning on a trip to Dubai before intense summer heat hits? Or maybe this coming summer to visit the World Expo 2020? Brush up on how to act to avoid holiday disasters far worse than sunburn and frizzy hair. Among the seven member states of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai – if it was a […]