The coastline is undeveloped and instead of construction cranes, you'll see the winged variety wading in a nearby mangrove swamp. But over the next decade, a bustling city home to 160,000 residents will emerge in the Ajman emirate north of Dubai.
The Al Zorah Development Company, which is a joint venture between the Ajman government and Lebanon-based Solidere International, conceived the city as an emirate showpiece.
They hope the city's pristine beaches, six marinas and world class golf course will provide a tempting alternative to Dubai's gridlock.
COWI's role has been prominent from the early stages of the USD 60 billion project. Among the completed assignments, engineering consultants have conducted an environmental Impact Assessment Study and modelled the community's many hydraulic systems. Edge treatment of the mangrove swamp and other marine areas has also been completed, reports Robert Uthwatt, COWI's project manager.
The COWI veteran considers Al Zorah a unique project in a region where 'higher, faster and farther' seems to be the construction industry's motto.
Rather than trying to be the biggest or fastest, Al Zorah and COWI have focused on finding smart solutions that reduce the impact on the environment, while still allowing people to live comfortably in a region where summer temperatures often round 50 C.
Buildings have heat-reflecting facades that reduce energy use for air conditioning units by 10 per cent. Canals flow through the community as well, creating a natural cooling effect.
The golf course meanwhile makes use of treatment sewage effluent (TSE) to conserve water, and an efficient and fast transport system and network of bike paths will encourage people to leave their cars at home.
"Living in the desert requires a lot of energy," says Robert Uthwatt. "But I think we've found some good solutions."
By Uzi Frank, uzif@cowi.dkPublished: 20.06.2008