Spanning a range from schools and community centres to sporting facilities and recreational parks, sustainable landscaping is fast becoming a major factor in improving quality, design and safety standards, according to experts.

Exploring these developing trends with particular focus on artificial turf, landscape lighting and water installations, will be one of the main themes at the Middle East Smart Landscape Summit 2015, which will take place on April 28 and 29 at the Sofitel The Palm Resort and Spa in Dubai. It is being organised by global conference organisers Expotrade.

The examples of schools and sports clubs trading in grass fields in favour of artificial playing surfaces can be found across the world, said a statement.

This trend of moving from homegrown surfaces to durable and synthetic ones is more than a passing fancy and can be traced to genuine reasons such as increased use, upgrade to modern styles of play, low maintenance and lesser cost per use, it said.

The artificial turf can be used for multiple sports as well, with the weather a minor or non-issue, thereby expanding scope of usage.

The UAE’s keen interest and focus on promoting sporting activities such as cricket - the recent IPL matches being an example – make it an ideal destination for innovative solutions in turf design.

However, simply installing artificial turf or a water feature may not be enough. Using innovative lighting techniques to improve the aesthetics of an installation, park or facility is one of the hallmarks of Dubai, which is renowned globally for world-class water installations such as the Dubai Fountain, which is not just spectacular but also impresses with its sense of balance and design.

Meanwhile, the 150-hectare Dubai Expo 2020 project site that incorporates urban design, landscaping, signage, facilities management, security and transportation, as part of the plan to transform Dubai in time for the event is the most high-profile project in the works and is further evidence of the grand vision of the Dubai government.

The standards of recreational facilities are high and are evidence of the government’s understanding of recreational needs of its citizens, said the statement.

The recent refurbishment of the JBR Walk in Dubai or its remarkable revamp of the Jumeirah Beach Corniche area, with jogging tracks, play areas, fitness equipment forming part of an impressive hard landscaping solution, it added. - TradeArabia News Service