Leading construction experts and architects discussed key topics related to green infrastructure, and sustainable projects besides exploring new techniques in landscape architecture and design at a recent summit in Dubai, UAE.

The Middle East Smart Landscape Summit was organised by Expotrade under the patronage of Dubai Municipality from April 25 to 26.

The fourth edition of the annual summit put focus on how to transform Dubai through innovative sustainable landscape architecture, design and planning.

Essa Al Maidoor, the deputy director-general of the Dubai Municipality along with Mariam Mohammed Saeed Hareb, the assistant undersecretary, Ministry of Climate Change & Environment inaugurated the summit.

Fatma Al Sulaimani, the landscape designer, Dubai Municipality opened the event with a session on Sustainable Landscaping for Dubai. Emphasizing on the need for sustainability, her presentation stated, ”Dubai becoming a sustainable city is no longer a choice, it has become a necessity.”

Her session was followed by a presentation on Innovation in Landscape by Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, chief operating officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority.

The summit featured more than 25 leading speakers such as Leo Alvarez, the principal, Perkins+Will; Paul Reynolds, the urban designer & chartered landscape architect, Atkins; Eamonn Byrne, the principal landscape architect, Ebla and Jason Turner, the manager – Landscape Architect and Urban Design, GHD speaking on Landscape Architectural Strategies for improving Pedestrian Comfort in the Middle East; Digital Landscape Architecture; Planting Design for the Smart City in the 21st Century and Finding our place in the world respectively.

Elena Lazareva of Ithara Group delivered a session on Play4all, an urban planning concept that uses “destination parks” to engage young and old in outdoor activities, while Profile Products Joe Betulius spoke on How to turn Native Sands into Ideal Soils for Desert Plants.

The Opening day of the summit also witnessed Robert Rye of Marmara International Landscaping presenting a session on Bio-Filtration as a Sustainable Solution in Usage of Treated Water.

The panel discussion titled Bright Ideas for Smart & Sustainable Outdoor Landscape Lighting Systems saw experts Masato Kametani, lead landscape architect at Parsons; Saleh AlMakhdoum, the head of Parks Unit, Dubai Municipality; Soufyane Miloudi, the VP & managing director, Aubrilam Group; Steven Velegrinis, the director of Urban Design, Perkins+Will and Martin Valentine, lighting expert at Abu Dhabi City Municipality participated in an interactive discussion.

"Our summit provides an interactive forum to seek sustainable solutions, gain insights from the experts on new landscape design architecture techniques, technologies, processes and opportunities, remarked Brad Hariharan, the regional director of Expotrade Middle East.

"Our summit has been designed in line with Dubai Municipality’s vision to transform Dubai into a green city. We are grateful to Dubai Municipality for their continued support," he added.-TradeArabia News Service