Qatar’s key plans to develop environment friendly cities were discussed at the Middle East Arab Future City Summit which opened in Doha yesterday. The summit will also discuss sustainable technologies for urban development. Rashed Saed Al Naimi, Director, Al Rayyan Municipality inaugurated the event organised under the patronage of Municipality and Urban Planning at St Regis Doha. Features of the Qatar National Master Plan which would be soon launched were discussed by Ali Al Khayat, Senior Urban Planning Researcher, Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. The plan outlines spatial development plan for the cities, town centres and urban settlements. Its planning policies enable sustainable planning decisions and development applications, said Al Khayat. The two-day conference is held to discover new environment friendly technologies, where many companies are showcasing their smart city solutions. Qatar’s future development is dependent on its effective embrace of sustainable technology driven development strategies, says Sean Patrick O’Brien, Vice President, Urban Matters and Public Security, SAP. Many high profile city leaders, urban planners, developers, sustainability experts and investors, along with the world’s largest technology firms are participating at the summit. The event is a platform for the public and private sector to discuss the strategies and challenges involved in developing smart grids, integrated transport systems, sustainable buildings and ICT infrastructure. Cities are becoming larger and more complex than ever, yet future cities will be cleaner, more sustainable, and will offer an enhanced quality of life to their citizens, explained Lynn C Reyes, Services Lead, Smarter Cities – Middle East and Africa Region, IBM Global Business Services, in her presentation on Smarter Cities for Smarter Growth. Participants are also showcasing their smart city solutions. The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé and video presentations featuring the ongoing development and breadth of BMW i8 attracted many participants at the conference, the fuel efficient plug-in Hybrid which is expected to hit the Middle East market in 2014. Source : Qatar Chronicle

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