Latest news with #urbanplanning
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar: Affordable housing demand surges amid rising expat influx
Doha: Qatar is experiencing a surge in demand for affordable housing, driven largely by a growing influx of expatriates attracted to the country's robust economy, infrastructure expansion, and evolving labor policies. This rising demand is putting pressure on the real estate market, particularly in mid-income segments, as prices climb and supply struggles to keep pace. According to data from Qatar's Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, the expatriate population has increased by over 9 percent in the past year, fueled by ongoing developments in the energy sector, World Cup legacy projects, and new foreign investment initiatives. While luxury residential properties remain abundant in Doha and its suburbs, affordable units are becoming increasingly scarce. 'Qatar has made substantial progress in upgrading its housing stock, but the current influx is creating a demand-supply mismatch in the affordable housing sector,' said Ali Mansoor, a market expert and regional urban economist in Qatar. 'The lower-middle-income expatriates, particularly in services and retail, are being priced out of centrally located housing.' The Al Wakra and Al Rayyan municipalities have seen the steepest rental increases, with average rents for one-bedroom apartments rising by 14 percent since mid-2024. Meanwhile, developers are still focused on luxury and high-end residential projects, leaving a widening gap in the mid-market range. 'There is strong demand from skilled expatriates who earn moderate wages and want clean, safe, and affordable housing within commuting distance to Doha,' he said. However, the current supply pipeline is not adequately aligned with the needs. In response, the government initiated plans to revise zoning regulations to incentivise the development of mixed-income housing communities. Researchers say long-term solutions must focus on urban planning strategies that integrate transport, employment zones, and housing development. 'Rising costs are already affecting workforce stability in critical sectors like hospitality, logistics, and healthcare,' said Mansoor. 'Affordable housing is directly tied to economic resilience and social equity.' With Qatar positioning itself as a regional business and innovation hub, analysts warn that affordable housing will become an even more urgent issue unless addressed through proactive policies. Stakeholders across real estate, governance, and industry agree that balancing growth with inclusivity is now imperative. 'Qatar's future lies in attracting talent from across the world. Affordable housing is the foundation of a truly competitive and sustainable economy,' Mansoor added. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CBC
8 hours ago
- Climate
- CBC
Boston ditches roadside grass
Hello, Earthlings! This is our weekly newsletter on all things environmental, where we highlight trends and solutions that are moving us to a more sustainable world. Keep up with the latest news on our Climate and Environment page. This week: Boston ditches roadside grass The grand boulevards and parkways of cities are often divided by a grassy median — a long green mound, typically enclosed by a cement curb. That may add a bit of welcome green to a broad strip of asphalt. But some cities, such as Boston, say there's no place in their urban environments for roadside grass that, frankly, does so little useful work. "We're slowly trying to transition away from vegetation medians that are not managing stormwater," said Kate England, director of Boston's Office of Green Infrastructure, which works with all city departments including Transportation. The replacement seems similar, if less tidy: the grass appears unmowed and mixed with plants in varying shades of green and splashes of white, yellow and purple flowers. But look closer, and you'll notice it's a depression rather than a mound. And the curb has some odd breaks in it. Earlier this spring, our newsletter looked at how Vancouver has embraced "green infrastructure" such as rain gardens to absorb rainwater, preserve sewer capacity, filter pollutants and prevent flooding. That's what Boston is doing, too. The city's Office of Green Infrastructure is transforming strips of grass along its roadways — both the edges and in the middle — into a type of "green infrastructure" called a bioswale. That's a landscaped depression designed to capture and filter rainwater, while improving air quality, reducing urban heat islands and providing habitat for wildlife. England said the city is seeing more intense and frequent storms and flooding due to climate change. When that happens with traditional mounded medians and curb strips, water runs off them, adding to the water flooding onto streets and into drains (and making it harder to keep grass and trees on them alive). "We know that we need to do something more than just, you know, the standard storm drain infrastructure," she added. Turning those areas into bioswales means digging out soil until they're lower than the road, and making breaks in the curb so water will flow off the road into the garden, which is planted with native wildflowers and grasses. Boston now has a policy that requires green infrastructure in major roadwork projects. "So moving forward, all our street projects that do some kind of reconstruction … will all have green infrastructure in them," England said, "which is very cool." A big street project for 2025 is the reconstruction of Cummins Highway in southwest Boston that previously had one of the highest rates of traffic crashes in the city. It will include 32 gardens designed to capture rainwater and the addition of a porous asphalt bike lane on both sides of the roadway. Rain gardens are also included in about 20 Boston neighbourhood " slow streets" projects, which aim to calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety with features such as "bump-outs" – curb extensions that narrow the road at intersections, improving pedestrian safety, and can be used as planters. Boston created its Office of Green Infrastructure (OGI) in 2022 to build, install and maintain green infrastructure in roads, parks and other city property. "We are taking advantage of the fact that we have all this available land," England said. A recent audit that found the city owns more than 1,000 small parcels of underutilized land, or about 88 hectares. While many Boston city departments embraced the idea of green infrastructure on their property, their staff were also hesitant due to their lack of knowledge about keeping plants alive. So one of the OGI's key roles is maintaining all of it, England said. That's through a maintenance contractor, a group of local volunteers and through PowerCorpBOS, the city's 10-month green job skills training program for youth, in collaboration with city working groups with staff from different departments and local watershed associations and community groups. "Maintenance is a big deal for us," England said. "So we really went at it hard and came up with a way to make sure that these green infrastructure features are getting the attention they need." Christine Mettler, former director of Green Infrastructure at Green Communities Canada, said in Canada, Vancouver has done a good job of involving volunteers in maintenance, which not only keeps green infrastructure healthy, but helps with community engagement and support. England says community support is key to success. She said it's difficult for her office to say no if a group of community members such as a school ask to build a rain garden. "Your best and strongest advocates are going to come from your neighbourhoods and finding ways to actively engage them will make your life easier," she said. "We're all kind of in the same boat when it comes to climate resilience here. And this is a really easy kind of win-win for everybody." Check out our podcast and radio show. In our newest episode: Don't have a garden? Adopt a roundabout and plant things for the bees! We meet a TikToker who's done just that. And then we travel from coast to coast to hear about a push to let sections of city parks grow a little wild. We head to one of these meadows to hear how they attract pollinators, and hear why creating "pollinator pockets" for busy bees and "hairy" moths can be a climate solution across the country – and a patriotic one at that. What On Earth drops new podcast episodes every Wednesday and Saturday. You can find them on your favourite podcast app or on demand at CBC Listen. The radio show airs Sundays at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador. Reader Feedback Last week, Bridget Stringer-Holden looked at tips for making your garden more sustainable and eco-friendly to provide habitat for pollinators. Eric Gallienne wrote: "I live in a mature neighbourhood in north Burlington, [Ont.] I have two very large honey locust trees that are just finishing their flowering stage. In the past, you would have thought I lived next to an airport with the loud humming of bumble bees foraging on the locust flowers. There would typically be 2,000 to 3,000 bees on the trees for a week or so. This year, I counted five bumble bees in total. This would not seem to be a loss of habitat issue here as there is an abundance of woods along the escarpment, open fields and flowering gardens throughout the neighbourhood and that has not changed much in the past 30 years. The decline has been happening for a number of years. I would surmise that there must have been a change in the use of or in the type of insecticides being applied. Europe and the U.K. have banned many chemicals shown to kill bees. Canada has not followed suit and should do so. We cannot afford to lose our pollinators." Alison Rodrigues had a complaint about one of the photos in last week's story: "Why use a beautiful garden shot that is mainly non-native plants? Surely someone has a beautiful pollinator garden pic with loads of native plants?" So, readers, we'd love to see a photo of your native plant gardens — when you send them in, please include your location and what plants are included in the photo so other readers know what works in their region. The Big Picture: Where are all the EVs? A map of Vancouver-area municipalities shows the percentage of EVs among new vehicle sales is highest in a number of suburban communities. A similar trend, with higher EV adoption in a ring around dense urban centres, can be seen in a map of southern Ontario below showing the number of battery EV registrations per 100 people. Joanna Kyriazis, director of public affairs for Clean Energy Canada, says suburbs are "your best place to go electric" because they're dominated by single-family homes where it's easy to install home charging. Suburban dwellers tend to have long car commutes that make fuel savings add up more quickly when they buy an EV. To explore the interactive versions of these maps, check out this article on what groups of Canadians are buying EVs and where. — Emily Chung A battery that stores heat in sand has started working in the southern Finnish town of Pornainen. The town has a district heating system that can now stop burning oil with help from the battery. Here's how it works. About half the residents of Vienna live in social housing. Here's what changes the city is making to get social housing off natural gas by 2040 and reduce climate risks for residents. Toronto's bike sharing program is so popular that it runs out of bikes at many locations, frustrating riders. In this video, CBC's Chris Glover explains how the city plans to solve this problem — by learning from what New York City did. China is already the global leader in making lithium-ion batteries, and now it's working ahead on mass producing sodium-ion batteries. These salt batteries could reduce the need for certain raw materials, and are already being used for energy storage and in electric scooters. BBC takes a look at how China's salt battry industry is expanding. From 'greenwashing' to 'green hushing' — companies complain new law stifles environmental efforts Some corporate leaders say new anti-greenwashing legislation has had the unintended effect of dissuading companies from taking climate action. But environmental organizations and others say that's a cop out. Bill C-59's changes to the Competition Act were meant to prevent companies from misrepresenting the environmental benefits of their products or practices — known as "greenwashing." The bill also gave the Competition Bureau more power to penalize companies that can't back up their claims with detailed evidence. But critics say requiring all such claims conform to "internationally recognized methodology" leaves too much room for interpretation and makes companies vulnerable to legal action. Michael McCain, the executive chair and former CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, calls this "green hushing." It's "the opposite of encouragement for companies to do the right thing," McCain told Laura Lynch, host of CBC Radio's What on Earth. The changes create so many "obstacles and consequences" to touting a company's environmental efforts, that the companies stop doing them, he said. Royal Bank has "retired" its commitment to facilitate $500 billion in sustainable finance by this year, pointing to changes in the Competition Act. Likewise, the investment arm of the Canada Pension Plan dropped its promise to invest in line with Canada's target to reach net zero by 2050, because of "recent legal developments," said CEO John Graham. Tyson Dyck, a lawyer who consults on environmental and climate matters for corporate clients, including many in the energy sector, says clients across the country have been "very concerned" about the changes, which took effect last June. He says the business community expected clarity about how to make environmental or climate-related claims. Instead, they got "confusion," he said. "And I think they struggled interpreting the new provisions." But environmental groups say no one is forcing companies to talk about their climate efforts, and that corporations should behave sustainably because it's the right thing to do, not for the boost to public image. Matt Hulse, a lawyer with Ecojustice, an environmental law charity headquartered in Vancouver, says many companies complaining about the changes were previously alleged to be greenwashing. They "made ambitious claims around climate and environmental action and have been accused of not following through on those things," said Hulse. That suggests, to him, that the "legislation is actually working.' 'Unintended consequence' But McCain says businesses have a legitimate concern that the legislation isn't written effectively. "This is a case of very good intentions in the underlying policy with a very grossly negative unintended consequence, which by definition makes it bad policy." The problem, he said, is requiring a company's claims to be backed up by "internationally recognized methodologies." There aren't enough internationally recognized organizations or standards, he said, or they are not "scientifically credible, in our judgment." He says it's "patently unreasonable" to expect a company to spend tens of millions of dollars on environmental works "and not be able to shout from the mountaintop the good things that we're doing." Fair playing field Emilia Belliveau, energy transition program manager for the advocacy group Environmental Defence in Vancouver, says there was good reason for keeping the language in the act flexible — keeping the law itself flexible as best practices change across various industries. Also, holding companies to internationally recognized methodologies prevents them from doing their own analyses "that can skew the data," she said. "It creates a fair playing field across companies so that we're measuring the same things, and we're able to make sure that the quality of the data, the evidence that's being used as proof for these green claims, holds up to rigour." Former MP Charlie Angus worked on a number of green initiatives over the years, and voted in favour of the changes. He stands by them. "You can't sell a car and say it's the safest on the road when you know there's serious problems with it. You can't sell cigarettes and say, the way they used to, 'This is the lighter brand of cigarettes,' when all cigarettes make you sick," he said. The changes "make sure that when companies are talking about net zero and reducing emissions, that they actually were telling the truth and not lying." The Competition Bureau released its final guidance on the anti-greenwashing legislation on June 5, which both corporations and some environmental groups had hoped would provide more specifics. Hulse, at Ecojustice, said "there was room for improvement," but that overall, it's not that hard for a corporation to establish a basis for their claims, looking to other jurisdictions abroad, and applying well-established principles from accounting and the scientific method. They can also pay a $5,000 fee to seek an opinion from the bureau about any claim they intend to make — "a trivial amount" for a large corporation, he says.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Municipalities tap AI for permitting
This story was originally published on Construction Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Construction Dive newsletter. In order to cut down on long wait times for environmental and building permits, the cities of Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, and Honolulu have turned to artificial intelligence to give their planning departments a boost over the past year, according to the cities. Austin and Los Angeles are using Australia-based Archistar to help expedite permit review, according to official announcements. Austin officially adopted the technology in October 2024 following a three-month pilot, and the city and county of Los Angeles launched the service on April 30, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office, following wildfires that devastated the region. In addition, the city of Honolulu plans to speed up the permitting process with the help of these AI-based technical upgrades starting later this year, Mayor Rick Blangiardi told the Honolulu Civil Beat during a June 4 event. These changes come as the federal government, at the behest of President Donald Trump, seeks to change its environmental and federal permitting process with the help of technologies such as artificial intelligence. Austin has begun using Archistar for residential permits, with plans to expand into other areas. There haven't been critical errors or unexpected behaviors from Archistar, a common concern when adopting AI, Stephanie Sanchez, senior public information specialist for the city of Austin, told Construction Dive. At this time, it has only been tested within the residential building plan review permitting process, Sanchez said. In California, Archistar's technology uses computer vision, machine learning and automated rulesets to instantly check designs against local zoning and building codes in the assessment process for building permits, according to the Newsom's office. With it, property owners can pre-check plans before submission to ensure validity and prevent delays. 'We see AI as a powerful support tool that can improve both speed and customer service in our permitting process,' Sanchez wrote in an email to Construction Dive. Newsome signed an executive order on Jan. 12 to expedite the rebuilding process for homes and businesses destroyed by the fires. 'The current pace of issuing permits locally is not meeting the magnitude of the challenge we face,' Newsom said in the news release. Honolulu will use technology developed by Vancouver-based Clariti to guide owners through the permitting process and replace the city's 1990's-era software system, according to the Civil Beat, which pegged the median wait for a commercial job permit at 393 days during the first quarter. Honolulu is also using Chicago-based CivCheck, which will use AI to scan building plans and make sure they're code-compliant. Recommended Reading The time is now to protect your firm from ransomware attacks Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Arabian Business
a day ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE real estate: BEEAH announces new Khalid Bin Sultan City project in Sharjah
BEEAH has announced the launch of Khalid Bin Sultan City, its first real estate development in Sharjah. The project marks the organisation's expansion into the real estate sector, building on its expertise across the environment, energy, technology, real estate, and healthcare sectors. The project was unveiled under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and in the presence of Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. BEEAH reveals Sharjah's new freehold project Named after the late Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, the development is described by BEEAH as a continuation of his legacy in design and urban planning. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the master-planned, mixed-use project will span a 1.5-kilometre-long plot, including BEEAH's LEED Platinum-certified headquarters in Sharjah, and will offer 1,500 freehold residential units. The city includes residential, commercial, cultural, and recreational zones. It will be divided into seven neighbourhoods, each centred around a plaza designed to be accessible within a five-minute walking distance. The project includes children's hubs, wellness clinics, sports facilities, and outdoor cafés. The development also includes a two-kilometre shaded linear park. The central park features cycling and running tracks, sculpture gardens, wellness areas, and shaded courtyards. The layout incorporates native trees, colonnades, and recessed façades to reduce ground temperatures and improve pedestrian comfort. According to BEEAH, the project was designed following the directive of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council of Family Affairs and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of BEEAH. The city is built on four pillars – sustainability, technology, culture, and people. It will feature net-zero ready infrastructure, renewable energy systems, recycled water facilities, and sustainable mobility. It will also include AI-driven digital infrastructure and decentralised digital identities. Public art, a cultural centre, and architecture reflecting the local identity are also part of the plan. 'BEEAH's journey in real estate marks a transformative milestone with Khalid Bin Sultan City, a flagship real estate project that brings our principles of sustainability, technology, culture, and community to an urban scale. The city builds directly upon lessons learned from creating one of the world's most advanced office buildings – demonstrating how technology can scale sustainable impact across entire communities rather than just individual structures,' Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of BEEAH said. The city will also include a design and business district with incubator spaces for the creative economy and venues to support entrepreneurship and circular design. This district will be connected to residential, retail, and entertainment zones. 'Our experience as a world-class visionary developer of landmark projects has led to today's announcement of Khalid Bin Sultan City, and the formalisation of BEEAH's wider expansion into real estate. This is a natural progression of our determination to build tomorrow's smart and sustainable cities. Inspired by our earlier achievements, we are now applying these same principles on an urban scale – demonstrating how technology can scale sustainable impact across entire communities rather than just individual structures. This city is a testament to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, whose unwavering commitment to sustainable development has guided BEEAH's journey,' he added. BEEAH's move into real estate follows earlier infrastructure and development projects. These include the organisation's Sharjah headquarters, the Jawaher Boston Medical District – designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop – and the Sharjah Creative Quarter, designed by Taller de Arquitectura – Mauricio Rocha in collaboration with Daniel Rosselló. 'We have designed Khalid Bin Sultan City as a dynamic ecosystem where diverse perspectives and talents converge, sparking new ideas and solutions for a sustainable future. We believe that building a better future starts with how we live today. This is why the city's design goes beyond utility – celebrating heritage, art, and identity through vibrant public spaces and cultural landmarks. The master plan and signature architecture by Zaha Hadid Architects bring this vision to life, blending innovation and beauty to create an environment that inspires, invites, and endures. It is a city where people can thrive, connect, and experience the best of sustainable living – all within a walkable, vibrant, and culturally rich environment,' Nada Taryam, CEO of Real Estate at BEEAH added. Khalid Bin Sultan City will offer villas, townhouses, and apartments in phases. As a freehold development, it is open to buyers of all nationalities. More details about unit types and services will be shared in future announcements. The announcement comes as Sharjah's real estate sector continues to grow. Transactions reached AED 13.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025, up 31.9 per cent year-on-year, according to the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department. The sector's growth is attributed to investor confidence, infrastructure development, and government support.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Blue Line 'writing new chapter' in Dubai's real estate boom
Dubai Metro's Blue Line is having a profound positive impact on the emirate's real estate market, reshaping the real estate investments map and writing a new chapter in the city's real estate boom, said a leading Dubai-based real estate brokerage W Capital. In an in-depth analysis of the project, W Capital stated that the new Blue Line was in the heart of the Dubai Urban Plan 2040 framework, which aims to enhance urban sustainability, improve quality of life, and support transportation infrastructure. This will directly impact vital economic sectors, most notably the real estate sector, it stated. The project will cover areas of high strategic importance, including Al Warqaa, Mirdif and Dubai Academic City, and will reach Jebel Ali Port via Dubai International Airport. This extensive coverage will contribute to connecting new residential communities to existing economic centers, stimulating the growth of mid-market and emerging neighborhoods and transforming them into attractive investment destinations, said the statement. W Capital pointed out that the establishment of a metro station near any area often leads to an immediate increase in surrounding property prices by 15 to 25%, boosting rents and demand in the medium and long term. "The Dubai Metro Blue Line project is not just a new means of transportation; it is a true economic and development engine that will reshape the real estate investment map in the emirate," remarked its CEO Walid Al Zarooni. "We have already noticed early investor activities, especially in areas such as Al Warqa, Dubai Academic City, and the vicinity of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, where demand for land and residential units has increased by more than 30% compared to last year," he stated. "These areas, which were previously considered relatively remote suburbs, are now the focus of investors interest due to their proximity to major metro stations, giving them a significant competitive advantage," he added. Al Zarooni pointed out the importance of proactive thinking in real estate investment. "We at W Capital encourage investors to make decisions based on a future vision, not just current conditions. Investing in areas connected to metro stations now, before the project is completed, gives investors the opportunity to benefit from value growth over time," he noted. "Similar examples existed with the launch of the Red and Green Lines previously, where we witnessed significant price increases once the stations were operational," he added. Al Zarooni said one of the most important transformations to be witnessed in the next few years is the market's move toward real estate decentralisation. "Instead of being concentrated in specific areas such as the city center, real estate distribution will begin to spread towards new hubs created by infrastructure projects, most notably the Blue Line," he explained. "This shift will not only reduce pressure on overcrowded areas, but will also create real opportunities for developers of medium-cost projects and contribute to providing diverse housing solutions that meet the needs of a wider segment of the population," he added. According to him, the Blue Line project represents a new phase of Dubai's smart urban transformation whose impact will not only improve mobility but also transform investment patterns and population and real estate distribution. "Investors must take advantage of this pivotal phase and adopt long term plans in line with Dubai's future development trends," he added.
