Promoting sustainability

Inayat-Ur-Rahman, Business Editor

Featuring ‘sustainability’ as a subtheme, the Expo Dubai is poised to set unprecedented standards.  The sustainability pavilion called Terra — meaning planet Earth — is the epitome of net-zero-energy infrastructure. Besides Terra, the Expo site has renewable energy systems with a combined capacity of 5.5 megawatts; and more than 120 permanent buildings on the site are to receive the acclaimed LEED certification. Lifecycle sustainability is further enhanced by the fact that embodied carbon has being reduced, because 90% of construction materials were procured in accordance with the Sustainable Materials Guidelines.

The Expo signals a broader shift in the growth strategies of regional nations. Many sustainability-related initiatives at the mega event are due to be scaled through larger programs like the Middle East Green Initiative, the Saudi Vision 2030, the UAE Vision 2021, the UAE Centennial 2071, and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050. Another notable development is that these policy-led initiatives are complemented by increasing awareness among end-users, and CSR initiatives from the private sector. Such concerted efforts are the reason behind Masdar City’s journey as the world’s most sustainable eco-city.

The urgency of addressing global warming and climate change has driven nations to put sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices at the core of growth strategies.

 At the time of writing, many regions across China are witnessing power outages as Beijing takes sweeping measures to meet its annual emission control targets. This, in turn, has led to supply-chain issues; as factories are unable to operate at optimal capacities and keep up with their delivery schedules.

This is the eventuality that many nations in the Middle East are trying to avoid, as they set out on new growth trajectories.

The leading Middle East economies understand that rapid development and increasing population have led to unsustainable reliance on non-renewable energy, like oil and natural gas. And there are systemic challenges, such as arid climate and water scarcity, to reckon with. At the same time, the Middle East countries together hold the world’s greatest potential (45%) for renewable energy production.

This capability, and its region-wide acknowledgement, is now translating to concrete sustainability efforts.

On September 20, Awards International hosted its annual Gulf Sustainability Awards ceremony in Dubai, to recognize the contributions of organizations promoting sustainability and green initiatives in the Middle East. The event saw Awards International felicitate winners across 14 categories; and the Gold award in the ‘Innovation in Sustainable Technologies’ category was won by Dake Rechsand, a Dubai-based company offering sustainable solutions in water conservation and desert farming.

“We are extremely proud to have won the Gold Award in the ‘Innovation in Sustainable Technologies’ category at the Gulf Sustainability Awards 2021,” said Chandra Dake, CEO and Founder of Dake Rechsand. “We want to thank Awards International for their efforts to celebrate and inspire organizations that are focusing on empowering long-term sustainability in the region. Our focus has been on solutions that promote scalable rainwater harvesting and water-wise farming and landscaping in the Middle East. And we believe our proprietary technology can play a huge role in creating a greener, water and food secure, and sustainable Middle East of the future.”

Dake Rechsand’s ‘Breathable Sand’ — an air-permeable but water-retentive medium made from low-cost aeolian sand — has found considerable application in desert farming. Breathable Sand enables optimal agricultural yield while simultaneously reducing the water needed for irrigation by 80%, compared to conventional practices. So, in a region plagued by arid climate, soil salinity, and water scarcity, Breathable Sand has had a demonstrable impact on food systems. The company also makes Breathable Sand-affiliated pavers, tiles, and kerbstones, which can be used to build scalable decentralized rainwater harvesting systems under ground, below any rain-exposed area. The structure can store the harvested rainwater and keep it fresh for extended periods, without requiring chemical or electricity based treatment, due to the built-in air-permeability function.

If Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City can do it, so can the other regional cities. Through scalable solutions that can be implemented as part of daily life - by individuals, institutions, and governments alike - it is possible to create large-scale, sustainable transformation. For example, a region-specific framework like ‘Estidama’ — Arabic for sustainability — which imposes green building codes under the pearl rating system, can lead to smart cities and expedite the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Concurrently, the private sector is rising to the occasion, offering sustainability solutions and creating a competitive ecosystem to encourage more innovations.

“Dake Rechsand would like to share our appreciation for all the organizations that were recognized at the awards. Creating a green and sustainable Middle East will take all our collective efforts. And the Gulf Sustainability Awards is an important platform that can help this ecosystem expand and thrive,” Chandra added. As Chandra rightfully notes, the presence of awarding bodies is vital for sustainability to generate greater consensus and multi-stakeholder participation.

This is to say, for sustainability to thrive, it needs an ecosystem of mutually complementary efforts; from public bodies, private entities, and individuals. And with the Expo kicking off, consumer awareness peaking, and initiatives such as the Gulf Sustainability Awards celebrating innovative contributors in the space, sustainability is truly coming of age in the Middle East.

Dake Rechsand’s innovative and transformative solutions are proactively contributing to the creation of a more sustainable and abundant world. The company’s breakthrough breathable sand technology utilizes low-value desert aeolian sand, to create a constantly evolving portfolio of high-value products. The solutions offered by Dake Rechsand include applications to convert desert sand into arable land, desert farming, water harvesting, sand casting, sand oil, and more.

With a global presence that currently extends to the USA, the UAE, India, China, and South Africa, the company is transforming food and water security in water-stressed regions.

It is currently engaged in an ambitious plan to enable farming and greenery, and plant at least 200,000 trees by year end 2021. Dake Rechsand was recognized at

The Gulf Sustainability Awards 2021, held in Dubai; with a Gold Award in the ‘Innovations in Sustainable Technologies’ category.