Towards the Second Sustainable City in the Middle East: Retransforming Ras El Khaimah Costal City with the Estidama First Model of the Abu Dhabi Master Plan 2030

Abstract

The new Pearl Rating System (PRS) consists of three rating stages—design, construction and, operation—and is the core of the UAE Estidama program that was introduced under the vision of the Abu Dhabi master plan 2030 "Towards the 1st Sustainable Capital in the Middle East". By monitoring every stage in a building life cycle, the system will guarantee applying all development aspects in a sustainable manner. As one of the fastest-developing countries in the Middle East, and rushing to be one of the best developed countries in the region, having one city as the first sustainable capital is not enough for conserving the heritage, culture, and the unique virgin environment of the Arabian Gulf western shore. A small city such as Ras El Khaimah, with its few resources and richness with desert-hidden treasures, is a good second candidate for the application of the vision of the Abu Dhabi 2030 Estidama program. This paper will present two detailed analytical studies regarding the Abu Dhabi master plan 2030 and Ras El Khaimah’s current situation in order to investigate the challenges facing the sustainable development in the city under the Estidama program. The aim is to generate a guideline and provide a set of recommendations that can take care of the development process while applying the Pearl Rating System and the UAE Estidama program. With a population somewhere between 250,000 and 300,000 (2010), Ras El Khaimah has maintained its original Emirati character in a unique manner that manages modern architectural style without distracting from the traditional image of the city. This small, coastal city has good potential along with many challenges due to the lack of natural resources and closed community. The UAE federal government system will face a challenge against the application of the Abu Dhabi Estidama model. However, such cases are proof that sustainability is the most efficient solution for developing traditional communities with their own empty hands.