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Dubai building hailed for its sustainability
The eco-friendly headquarters of The Change Initiative – a UAE-based sustainability organisation – has broken a world record.Leaders of the US Green Building Council confirmed the property had posted an unrivalled score of 107 under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainability guidelines, beating the previous record of 104.The LEED Platinum index is used to monitor how environmentally-friendly buildings are and the maximum overall rating is 110.It should come as no surprise that The Change Initiative has landed the prestigious accreditation, as the business is centred around encouraging people to live more sustainably. The firm supplies household products, appliances and building solutions that are aimed at reducing harmful carbon emissions.Chief executive and founder of The Change Initative Gundeep Singh said achieving LEED Platinum certification is a proud moment for Dubai and the UAE as a whole.”We look forward to working closely with all of our stakeholders and together taking small steps on our journey towards responsible living across the UAE,” he remarked.Meanwhile, chairman of the enterprise Loek Malmberg thanked the UAE government for its policy of helping small and medium-sized businesses to flourish.”Dubai increasingly understands the importance of introducing more sustainable practices in order to safeguard its long-term prosperity,” he commented.There has been a concerted effort from the government and building developers in recent years to ensure Dubai becomes a more eco-friendly emirate.The city is renowned for its massive skyscrapers and record-breaking constructions – and with experts predicting a further 28,000 residential properties to be built this year – it is important the sheikhdom minimises its impact on the environment.Last month, AMEinfo reported that the Dubai Land Department had joined forces with the Arab League to stage the first ever Arab International Sustainable Real Estate Conference in the UAE.Organisers of the event said the fact it was being held in Dubai reflected the city's commitment to promoting sustainability throughout the construction industry.The First Group can help you find superb properties for sale in Dubai Continue reading
RAK International Airport attracts news airlines
Bosses at Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) International Airport are hoping to “significantly increase” the number of airlines operating from the facility in 2013.The northern emirate has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many tourists finding it to be a quieter alternative to Dubai and so the demand for flights has soared.RAK International has now signed up a number of European airlines, which will start providing services to the region later this year.The airport clearly sees Europe as a key market and it recently exhibited at the Routes Expo in Budapest. It is also planning to take part in the Routes Africa gathering and World Routes Forum in Las Vegas later this year.A statement from the airport read: “With a few airlines already committed to bringing in their tourists this year, the airport is expecting to significantly increase its passenger and airline numbers in 2013.”Meanwhile, chief executive officer at RAK International Airport Andrew Gower underlined the emirate's burgeoning status as a corporate and leisure hub.”RAK has a lot to offer both business and tourist. With 25 per cent year on year growth for the airport, we are gearing ourselves for further growth in coming years,” he commented.The airport was first inaugurated in 1976 and has registered steady growth in passenger and cargo volumes ever since.Plans have been drawn up to upgrade the main airport terminal and it is hoped that more travellers will head for RAK rather than Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the near future.Earlier this year, members of the RAK Tourism Development Authority (TDA) said they had been working hard to market the emirate as an exclusive adventure holiday destination and are hopeful that 1.2 million people will visit the city in 2013. Promotional campaigns in Germany and Russia have gone particularly well.Victor Louis, chief operating officer at RAK TDA, also set an ambitious target of having more than 10,000 hotel and resort rooms available by the end of the year. Continue reading
Emirates named World’s Best Airline
Dubai-based Emirates has received the World's Best Airline prize at the Skytrax 2013 World Airline Awards.The company is one of the fastest growing carriers on the planet and scooping this prestigious accolade will enhance its status even further.It also won the Best Middle East Airline gong for the ninth consecutive year, as well as the World's Best In-flight Entertainment award.This particular prize-giving is highly respected throughout the aviation industry, as the winners are voted for by more than 18 million business and leisure travellers from across 160 countries.Emirates has played a huge part in establishing Dubai International Airport as the second busiest on earth in terms of annual passenger numbers.The firm continues to add new services to far-flung destinations, ensuring the UAE is one of the most accessible countries in the world. Last year alone, 39 million people flew with Emirates and many of these passengers would have spent some time in Dubai.President of the organisation Tim Clark collected the awards at the recent Paris Airshow and he was delighted with the company's achievements.”These awards are widely regarded as the industry's benchmark for excellence. For us, the awards clearly reflect a vote of confidence from global travellers, who acknowledge and appreciate our continuous drive to deliver high-quality service,” he commented.”To be voted World's Best Airline by millions of discerning travellers really is something for our 60,000 strong workforce to be proud of.”Aviation experts predict that Emirates will go from strength to strength in the coming years and this is good news for Dubai's tourism sector, as 66 million air passengers are expected to land at the main airport throughout 2013. This figure is likely to rise annually for the foreseeable future.Not only is Dubai International expanding rapidly, but the city's second airport – Dubai World Central, otherwise known as Al Maktoum International Airport – is also set to launch passenger services for the first time in October 2013. Continue reading
