Sustainability A Priority
Qatar unveiled plans to develop sustainable cities at the Middle East Arab Future City Summit, which opened in Doha yesterday. The summit will showcase sustainable technologies for urban development. Rashed Saed Al Naimi, Director, Al Rayyan Municipality inaugurated the event organized under the patronage of Municipality and Urban Planning at St Regis Doha.
Features of the Qatar National Master Plan which would be soon launched were discussed by Ali Al Khayat, Senior Urban Planning Researcher, Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. The plan outlines spatial development plan for the cities, town centers and urban settlements. Its planning policies enable sustainable planning decisions and development applications, said Al Khayat.
The conference is held to discover environmentally friendly technologies, where many companies are showcasing their smart city solutions.
Qatar’s future development is dependent on its effective embrace of sustainable technology driven development strategies, says Sean Patrick O’Brien, Vice President, Urban Matters and Public Security, SAP.
Many high profile city leaders, urban planners, developers, sustainability experts and investors, along with the world’s largest technology firms are participating at the summit.
The event is a platform for the public and private sector to discuss the strategies and challenges involved in developing smart grids, integrated transport systems, sustainable buildings and ICT infrastructure.
Cities are becoming larger and more complex than ever, yet future cities will be cleaner, more sustainable, and will offer an enhanced quality of life to their citizens, explained Lynn C Reyes, Services Lead, Smarter Cities – Middle East and Africa Region, IBM Global Business Services, in her presentation on Smarter Cities for Smarter Growth.
