Abu Dhabi takes the lead in building sustainable, community-focused infrastructure, say experts
18 June 2025 00:37
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)The UAE capital has brought together over 2,000 global leaders in the construction industry for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit (ADIS), a two-day event that emphasises the role of human-centred sustainable infrastructure in developing liveable and resilient cities.Experts and thought leaders at the summit highlighted how Abu Dhabi takes the lead in redefining infrastructure to prioritise quality of life, sustainability, and wellbeing over traditional development models.Organised by the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre (ADPIC), ADIS 2025 kicked off on Tuesday under the banner 'Future Cities: Rethinking Infrastructure for Better Lifestyles'.The summit opens up opportunities for investments and partnerships to key industry players from around the world, said Eng. Maysarah Mahmoud Salim Eid, Director General of ADPIC.
In an interview with Aletihad , Eid emphasised the importance of fostering collaboration and innovation as part of Abu Dhabi's efforts toward realising its ambitious infrastructure agenda. "We are managing a massive portfolio of over 600 government-funded capital projects worth more than Dh200 billion. Delivering that alone is not easy — we need fresh partners and new blood to join us through investment or collaboration," he said.When it comes to infrastructure, Abu Dhabi is distinguished by its human-centred approach, Eid said."The uniqueness of our infrastructure lies in its focus on social impact-developing what the community needs to enhance lifestyles, health, and wellbeing. As 2025 is the Year of Community, everything we develop is meant to elevate citizens, residents, and even tourists," he added.Highlighting key projects, Eid noted: "We have a world-class housing programme, an upgraded transport network, and major tourism developments like Saadiyat Island, the Natural History Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the upcoming Disneyland."
Prioritising Quality of LifeAbu Dhabi has been redefining infrastructure to create "liveable - and even lovable-communities", said Mahmoud Dandashly, Chief Business Officer of Lead Development for Jubail Island, who was also present at the summit. "Infrastructure today is no longer just about engineering and utilities," he said. "It includes both hard and soft infrastructure, supporting not only growth and mobility but also environmental quality and social wellbeing."The high-end, nature-focused Jubail Island - with 40 million square meters of mangrove forests and coastal areas - is a living testament to this vision, he said."The integration of sustainability, wellness, and liveability into national planning shows how deeply the leadership values quality of life," Dandashly said.The emirate's sustainability vision extends across the construction sector. For example, Abu Dhabi-based Build Hub provides high-quality, sustainable building materials under one roof."Our goal is to make it easy for customers to find everything they need in one place," said Eng. Al Anood Al Ali, CEO of Build Hub, and Oday Al Ahmed, Project Engineer.Another summit participant, real estate developer Reportage Group, praised the emirate's focus on people over skyscrapers."What makes Abu Dhabi stand out is the quality of life it delivers," said Sara Satari, Senior Global Communications Lead at Reportage Group. "It is about cleaner air, better living, and holistic wellbeing."Developer Bloom Holding also aligns its strategies with the emirate's ambitions. "Successful master developments are about human connection - where people feel rooted, inspired, and empowered," said Carlos Wakim, CEO of Bloom Holding.
AI Platform for Construction IndustryAt the event, the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) showcased how its AI-powered 'BINAA' platform has been streamlining Abu Dhabi's construction journey. Eng. Maryam Almheiri, Acting Section Head of Business Systems Development at DMT, said BINAA allows developers, contractors and engineers to monitor the progress of their projects in real time. "It improves transparency, speeds up processes, and enhances communication among all stakeholders."
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