The Urban Land Institute (ULI), the international, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to responsible land use, will host a ground-breaking sustainable development conference in Abu Dhabi next year its first event in the UAE capital.
The one-day conference, at the seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel on 13 Feb 2008, will see world-renowned urban planners outline trends, opportunities and challenges in building sustainable developments.
"The incredible pace of development across the GCC presents a unique opportunity for officials and developers to create long-lasting sustainable growth," said Richard Rosan, President, ULI Worldwide. "This conference will bring together international experts and key regional leaders and decision makers to explore how global best practices and lessons learnt can be applied locally."
The conference will probe latest issues surrounding regional urban projects and provide valuable insights into the costs and benefits of developing more sustainably.
"Attendees will learn what sustainable development really is, how it differs from conventional development, and what makes it work," added Rosan. "Two interactive workshops will present examples of some of the world's most forward-thinking sustainable projects in commercial and resort development. Seasoned practitioners will discuss what makes these projects sustainable, how they were designed, financed, developed, and managed and the keys to their financial success."
Session speakers include, Chandran Nair, Founder and Chief Executive of Global Institute for Tomorrow, a private non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing understanding of globalisation challenges in Asia and Peter Calthrope, who was named one of 25 'innovators on the cutting edge' by Newsweek magazine for his work in redefining the models of urban and suburban growth models in America.
"Achieving a sustainable future in the GCC will require the leadership of the real estate development industry. Our distinguished panel of speakers will discuss strategies for integrating sustainable practices into the development business model and share their thoughts about the forces that will change the business-as-usual approach to real estate development," said Rosan.
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