Dubai firm to introduce sponge cities at Wetex 2022

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dake Rechsand, a Dubai-based company specialising in sustainability solutions for water conservation, rainwater harvesting and stormwater management, is exhibiting the Sponge City Initiative (SCI) at Wetex Dubai. The latest edition of WETEX, the region’s largest sustainability and clean energy technology exhibition, is scheduled for September 27–29 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The Dake Rechsand team, including CEO Chandra Dake, and Dr Yuming Su, PhD. P.E. D.WRE, who is actively involved in many Sponge City projects in China, will be helming the exhibition on the revolutionary concept. Titled ‘Sponge Cities: Circular Approach to Integrate Blue and Greenscapes for Smart Water Management’, the presentation will touch upon solutions to floods and related challenges in the context of the UAE and the larger MENA region.

 “The region’s long-standing water scarcity issues and the recurring floods find a sustainable solution in Sponge City — a concept in advanced implementation in China and one that holds great relevance within the regional context. We have been raising awareness of Sponge City in MENA, exploring partnerships for local implementations, and creating an ecosystem of impact-led stakeholders.” said Chandra Dake, CEO of Dake Rechsand.

Dr Su is the Vice Director of State Key Laboratory of Silica Sand Utilization and an advisory committee member in a couple of organizations involved in Sponge City projects across China. He boasts over 20 years of research and engineering experience in water resources and stormwater management, particularly the application of sand technology. Dake Rechsand has been actively promoting sand technology and associated solutions such as Breathable Sand and IDer in MENA and beyond.

IDer, which is the primary component of Sponge City, includes porous materials such as bricks, pavers, and kerbstones, which are paved on rain-exposed surfaces such as roads, playgrounds, parking lots, etc. During rains, the porous material absorbs runoffs and keeps the surface free of flooding, water logging, and skidding. The absorbed water can be redirected to appropriate drains as part of stormwater management or even stored in underground reservoirs. Due to surface “breathability”, the stored water can retain freshness for extended periods without any external treatment.

“In the UAE, where floods are becoming common, the Sponge City concept can be integrated into the existing blue and greenscape infrastructure for efficient stormwater drainage and rainwater harvesting, as per feasibility. By inducing seamless collection and reuse of water, we can create a circular economy, in line with the vision of DEWA and the UAE leadership. Sponge City is predicated on social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability — which is to say it involves eco-friendly processes, it is accessible and affordable for individuals and institutions across the socioeconomic spectrum, and it is intended to offer perennial value for a one-time investment,” explained Chandra Dake.