Panel discussion in progress at the Middle East Smart Landscape Summit 2014

Fashioning Dubai’s sustainable landscape at the 3rd Annual Middle East Smart Landscape Summit 2015

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 27, 2015 – The Middle East Smart Landscape Summit’s third edition returns to Dubai with renewed focus on smart landscaping technology, with special emphasis on the initiatives in place for turning Dubai into a Green Paradise in time for the World Expo 2020.

Held under the patronage of H.E. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General, Dubai Municipality, the summit will take place on April 28-29, 2015 at Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort and Spa in Dubai, UAE.

The summit is in line with the Dubai Municipality’s ‘Dubai 2020’ vision, which has projected 12,200 hectares of green space through landscaping and horticulture projects, amongst other initiatives. This directly leads to the region becoming a prime hub for sustainable and smart landscaping solutions. The event marries sustainability and visionary government leadership, with an engaging agenda that features an impressive lineup of renowned experts including Dr. Mario Rossi, Landscape Architecture Manager, The Office of H.H. The Crown Prince of Dubai; Barbara Wilks, Principal, W Architecture & Landscape Architecture – US; Damian Tang, President, The Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects; Kinder Baumgardner, President and Managing Principal, SWA, and many more.

Over 400 senior level landscape architects, government authorities, urban planners, developers, environmental specialists and contractors from across the GCC are expected to attend the summit. This year’s edition takes off seamlessly from the 2014 edition which attracted the crème de la crème from the world of landscaping. Attendees at last year’s edition, including senior government officials, were impressed with the quality of the summit. Commenting favorably on the event, Eng. Abdulla Rafia, Assistant Director General – Engineering and Planning Sector, Dubai Municipality, mentioned, “I think with the Summit today, I enjoyed it very much. I’ve seen the lectures all day today and they are very useful and actually we will use a lot of this information and knowledge in our business.” On the other hand, Saleh Mubarak Al Ameri, Head of Design Section, Parks & Recreational Facilities Division, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, felt, “It’s a great event and a great opportunity to meet with the landscape professionals and get benefit from all of these beneficial lectures. I think we are lucky to be here today, being in this profession and meeting all of these people I think it’s a great opportunity.”

The summit ties in perfectly with steps such as the Dubai Municipality’s decision to grant Dh 6 billion towards soft landscaping and expansion of the irrigation network, imperatives for the sustainable landscape projects that are critical pillars of Dubai’s vision of a sustainable future. Brad Hariharan, Regional Director, Expotrade Middle East, organizers of the conference, feels, “Dubai’s vision of a verdant and green city can be turned to reality only when smart landscaping projects are undertaken using the newest technology and incorporating global best practices. It is worthwhile to know what is happening around the world in order to adapt it to the very specific requirements of this region. We are very happy to present the premier platform to facilitate this sharing of knowledge to enable our delegates and sponsors to grow their businesses. ”

Smart and innovative landscaping is the need of the hour when it comes to creating urban spaces that are verdant and sustainable in the arid regions of the Middle East. With a major emphasis on the latest developments in landscaping technologies, the Middle East Smart Landscape Summit is the leading platform for business networking and knowledge sharing for the region’s landscape industry. To know more about the event, log on to www.landscapesummit.com.