MEED Smart Cities conference told Silicon Park project to be completed in 2017

Dubai, 9 September 2014. Work on the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority’s (DSOA’s) AED 1.1bn ($270m) Silicon Park is now underway and the scheme will be completed in the final quarter of 2017, the MEED Smart Cities conference was told this morning.

DSOA executive vice president Muammar Al Katheeri said the project is part of a programme of initiatives that will establish Dubai Silicon Oasis as a Smart City leader in Dubai and the region.

“Silicon Park will cover an area of 150,000 square metres,” Al Katheeri said. “It’s a fully sustainable project with silver or gold LEED ratings and may some LEED platinium buildings.”

The Silicon Park project calls for 97,000 square metres of office space, 25,000 square metres of commercial space, 20,000 square metres of residential area, and a 115-room hotel.There will be a shopping centre and underground parking for more than 2,500 cars. Other Smart City projects being developed by the DSOA include providing free wi-fi in all open and public areas. Plans call for the development of smart waste management and car parking.

Al Katheeri said that the Dubai Silicon Oasis will have electric car charging centres.

“We have experimented with smart buses and taxis,” he said.

He said the Zero Bulb programme, which calls for the replacement of conventional light bulbs in Dubai Silicon Oasis, will be completed in 2014. Al Katheeri said the DSOA is setting up a centre of excellence in Smart Cities in partnership with the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Centre.

PWC is silver sponsor of the MEED Smart Cities Conference. Atkins is reception sponsor, IBM is conference sponsor and Veolia is networking sponsor.