The oasis in the desert – how clever water management solutions help to turn impossible development visions into reality

Architects and contractors in the Gulf region know a thing or two about bringing ambitious design concepts to life.

After all, if there’s one thing that the UAE and Middle East is known for, it’s big, bold and brilliantly ambitious architecture and building projects.

From the towering Burj Khalifa (at 830m it’s the tallest building in the world), to the Cayan Tower and iconic Burj Al Arab, the region’s skyline is readily acknowledged as amongst the most creative and audacious on the planet.

But it’s not just the shape and structure of the skyline that’s impressive. The creative functionality, resilience and sustainability credentials of many construction projects in the Gulf region defy the perceived limitations and challenges of the hot and dry local desert environment.

What better example than the region’s beautiful landscaped gardens including the Dubai Miracle Garden (the world’s biggest natural flower garden) and the growing popularity of green spaces on high-rise roofs developments, such as Seventh Heaven – an oasis in the desert.

Not so long ago, vast landscaped gardens in the region would have been an impossible dream; a concept that is wholly contrary to the naturally arid environment. Now, however, when developed and managed appropriately, they can be part of the solution to problems associated with desert conditions.

Water is the problem – and water management is the solution

The combination of desert conditions, climate change, rapid mass urbanisation and growing populations mean that whilst water scarcity is a problem on one hand, the ever-growing expanse of impervious surfaces makes flood risk from storm water a challenge on the other.

Architects and contractors responsible for bringing the visions of the region’s ambitious and challenging developments to life have needed to find solutions to overcome the extremes of too much or too little water.

In the past, flood mitigation simply involved free discharge to pervious surfaces - wasting a precious and scarce resource. These days there are far more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable alternative solutions available using Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) principles.

By design and necessity, innovative water management systems, including roof gardens and podium landscaping, provide developers with innovative solutions to harness and reuse naturally occurring water, using landscaped areas to prevent flooding by holding water naturally, filtering out sediment and slowing down its progress to reduce stress on the drainage system. These green 'oases' can also have a cooling effect on the urban environment, reducing the Heat Island Effect.

Using SuDS to bring ambitious development plans to life

Clever water management systems, such as Polypipe’s Permavoid, can take storm/surface or condensate water from buildings and use it passively in the system to irrigate surrounding areas, whilst Polypipe’s Polystorm soakaways and attenuation tanks help collect stormwater runoff at source for filtration or reuse, removing the need for traditional long drainage networks.

Aside from the practical benefits of adopting such resilient and sustainable water management systems, they are also helping developers meet sustainability targets set by regional visions, plans and regulations (UAE Vision 2021,  UAE Centennial 2071,  Estidama, GSAS/QSAS and the Dubai Green Building Regulations).

Polypipe has an unrivalled reputation for supplying drainage and water sustainability solutions to the Middle East’s most prestigious developments, and when it comes to bringing to life visions of green in the sand, Seventh Heaven is one of Dubai's most significant developments.

Encompassing the region’s largest privately owned plant nursery, and 189 residences set in a landscape of sprawling themed gardens, waterways and lush pathways, Seventh Heaven is an oasis in the desert. The project required robust and reliable water management solutions from Polypipe.

Practical, reliable solutions and expertise from Polypipe

Having operated in the Middle East for over 50 years, Polypipe has built a solid reputation for helping contractors and developers find practical solutions to achieve seemingly impossible development visions.

Polypipe is well-versed in regional practices, requirements and regulations, as well as helping property developers identify innovative sustainable water management solutions to meet their regulatory and sustainability obligations whilst maximising profitability. Get in touch to find out how Polypipe can help your project.

Contact us today to discuss the transformative solutions for your project:

Tel: +971 (0) 4 518 3000

Email: middleeast@polypipe.com