Diamond Developers Extends its Relationship with University California Davis

Real estate developer behind The Sustainable City to fund further research into sustainability

Dubai, UAE, June 01, 2015: Diamond Developers the real estate organization behind The Sustainable City - Dubai’s first world-class sustainable community project – is extending its relationship with the University California Davis (UC Davis), United States, in a collaborative venture that will fund academic and applied research on sustainable development.

To cement the new expansion to their relationship, which was first established with an MoU in February 2014 , a senior delegation from Diamond Developers visited UC Davis May 12 - 14. A main item on the agenda was how the UC Davis could benefit from The Sustainable City’s Innovation Centre, a research institution that is being established to promote best practices in sustainability - – and how the Sustainable City could benefit from UC Davis' world-class research and scholarship.

Included in the Diamond Developers’ group visiting UC Davis were Faris Saeed, Diamond Developers CEO and co-Founder and Wassim Adlouni, Diamond Developers Vice President and Board Member. Among the UC Davis representatives receiving the party were Linda Katehi, Chancellor UC Davis; Ralph Hexter, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor; David Lawlor, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, Distinguished Professor Suad Joseph and Professor Bryan Jenkins.

“This was an important visit that enabled us to discuss how Diamond Developers is going to work in cooperation with UC Davis to fund further research into sustainable development. In particular, It gave us the opportunity to showcase the facilities of The Sustainable City’s Innovation Centre, which will set new standards for research and education relating to the conservation of resources and the environment. We were delighted to be able to use the opportunity to plan such initiatives as possible future visits for UC Davis’ students to the Innovation Centre, the sharing of knowledge and the comparing of best practice,” said Faris Saeed, Diamond Developers CEO and co-Founder.

The collaboration between Diamond Developers and UC Davis extends further, including the development of a professional training program in sustainability with an online curriculum; and the development of sustainability performance indicators which will be relevant to arid climates, such as the UAE and California and other areas of research cooperation. “The collaboration between UC Davis and Diamond Developers, especially around the twin Innovation Centers, promises to pioneer path-breaking research and train a new generation of scholars who will lead the UAE and the region towards the future of sustainable cities,” Distinguished Professor Suad Joseph observed.

Diamond Developers’ excursion to UC Davis also evaluated the ongoing Sustainability Research and Training Programme (SRTP). The five research projects currently underway under the scheme are funded by Diamond Developers and carried out by UC Davis and four leading Arab Universities; American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, American University in Cairo and Birzeit University in Palestine. Project topics are related to sustainability and the built environment and include waste management, solar energy and water treatment. Proposals for new projects, currently under consideration focus on social sustainability topics.

Diamond Developers established The Sustainable City to be a world-class project underpinned by the three key elements of sustainability; economic, environmental and social. When complete, it will have a residential area comprising 500 townhouses and courtyard villas, an ‘Eco-resort’ of 143 bungalows and individual units and a luxury sustainable hotel with a natural spa centre. Residents will enjoy a variety of sports and leisure facilities, such as a Community Centre and Equestrian Club, as well as biking and shaded jogging trails across the city. Natural ‘biodome’ greenhouses, an organic farm and individual garden farms will be in place for local food production. The city will produce much of its own electric power with onsite photovoltaic generation and will separate all waste water into grey and black water waste streams to be recycled and used for the landscape and urban farming. Convenient essential facilities will include clinics, banks a ‘Green School’ and a mosque, while tourist attractions will feature a Planetarium and a grass Amphitheatre for the hosting of events. The Sustainable City’s Innovation Centre, which was under discussion at the Diamond Developers’ meeting with UC Davis, is expected to become a major knowledge resource and educational centre on sustainable practices.

UC Davis is a premier public institution of higher education located in California, USA. From its founding a century ago as a pioneer in agriculture, it is also dedicated to seeking solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. In 2012-13, UC Davis was awarded over $700M in research funding from agencies and foundations outside the university. It operates numerous specialized research centres. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and 99 undergraduate majors in four colleges and six professional schools. UC Davis' commitment to the environment and sustainability is reflected in a number of national rankings. UC Davis has the number one ranked college of agriculture and environmental science in the world, and the number one ranked school of veterinary medicine in the world. UC Davis is one of the top green universities in the world.