A Comparative Analysis Of Old And New Sustainable Developments In Middle Eastern Countries

Abstract

Sustainable buildings depend on numerous aspects such as orientation, energy use, and materials. Appropriately oriented buildings can strongly reduce the amount of energy consumed by the building and the same is the case for proper utilization of materials. The aim of this study is to compare the orientations, energy use and building materials in the old town (Al-Fahidi) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the new sustainable city (Al-Masdar) in Abu Dhabi. It is shown in the results that both areas have implemented sustainable strategies, especially in terms of orientation and energy efficiency techniques. However, some new materials, as well as techniques for energy use, were applied in Al-masdar city. The study concluded that in Al-Fahidi district vernacular design techniques were applied with passive energy and local materials. On the other hand,  Al-Masdar city has developed advanced integrated design solutions using modern materials resulting in a contemporary sustainable community.