CRTKL, planner of Dubai Hills, Avenues Riyadh announces all projects climate positive by 2030

BT News Desk
June 21, 2022 6:49 am

CRTKL, a global cultural agency specialising in architecture, planning and design, has released an industry-leading annual sustainability report, pledging that all projects will answer the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

CRTKL is committed to the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs and recognises that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Sustainable development is summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The SDGs will be realised in Oman through:

  • Protecting and enhancing key environmental resources and addressing climate change
  • Efficient use and consumption of natural resources
  • Delivering sustainable patterns of development that minimise the need to travel and reliance on the car
  • Supporting high levels of economic growth in a way that can benefit all, building on the strengths of each region.

Preeti Mogali, Associate at CRTKL commented, “We are pleased to see the adoption of the SDG’s in Omani spatial policy and we are committed to collaboration with stakeholders to provide reliable and sustainable solutions to the biggest challenges facing the country today. The Oman National Spatial Strategy is bold and ambitious and the built environment will be significant in solving complex challenges as buildings are currently responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.”

Sustainability Mind-set

CRTKL is committed to efficiently using resources in projects, providing for both immediate needs as well as long-term benefits to support all life on this planet and contribute to safe and affordable access to varied human needs in the community. CRTKL has implemented climate neutral operations since 2020, building on successes each year, and has pledged that all projects will be climate positive for operation by 2030. CRTKL is mitigating the environmental impact of design projects as buildings consume 50% of global materials and contribute to approximately half of global solid waste.

SDGs in the Middle East

The upcoming major UN-led environmental events in the Arab World, COP 27 in Egypt and COP 28 in UAE, showcase the importance of SDGs for public and private stakeholders to build a healthy and prosperous future for the region. As momentum builds to build back better and support long-term growth, CRTKL is embedding sustainability in projects to protect the planet, improve health and increase resilience.

The annual sustainability report outlines the seven SDGs most applicable to CRTKL operations and the positive action taken in advance of the landmark UN events. These include good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities and a commitment to working in partnership for the goals.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

CRTKL will continue to take climate action, support the development of sustainable cities and responsible consumption. The company is transparently tracking carbon calculations using the GHG Protocol, developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and is the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard. Successes in 2021 for CRTKL includes a reduction of electricity footprint by more than 30%, largely based on right-sizing selected office spaces based on hybrid work models and a paper carbon footprint reduction by over 60% based on reduced paper usage as digital communication became fully embedded.

Climate Scout

To inform radical solutions to Oman’s most pressing challenges, CRTKL launched CLIMATESCOUT – a new, first-of-its-kind, opensource platform that helps its users design buildings that uniquely respond to a site by providing climate-specific design advice at the building scale. It pairs the Köppen-Geiger climate classification and building design strategies from Architecture 2030’s Palette with CLIMATESCOUT among Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas for 2022.

Leaders in Urban Design

CRTKL is leading in the sphere of urban design and complex mixed-use projects, contributing to the realisation of multiple large-scale projects across the region including within the UAE, KSA and Egypt. CRTKL is a boutique design office with an agile and focused team able to provide added value in every project to the client, the end user and the community at large.

Recent highlights include:

  • The Dubai Hills Estate masterplan, including the Dubai Hills Mall, which recently opened its doors. The commencement of construction of the Central Park project adjacent to Citywalk in Dubai. The Grove in Abu Dhabi which started construction and will form the connective tissue between the three world class museums on Saadiyat Island.
  • The Waldorf Astoria and the Grand Hyatt hotels, along with the Tennis Academy in Kuwait
  • The Avenues Riyadh, one of the largest retail mixed-use projects in the world. On the boards are several strategic masterplans in KSA including three key masterplans for new urban centers in Tabuk, Bahaa and Jazan for the Saudi Downtown Company and vast tracts of residential development in Hofuf and Al Kharj.

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