Remember the falcon wing-shaped UAE Pavilion that wowed millions of visitors during Expo 2020 Dubai? The LEED Platinum-certified building has been repurposed and now launched as the UAE House of Sustainability.
According to the Year of Sustainability team, the UAE House of Sustainability, located in the Green Zone, will be open to visitors from December 3 to 12. The space will welcome both residents, and visitors who will be in the UAE as Expo City Dubai hosts the climate change conference COP28 from November 30 till December 12.
It will present a “multisensory guest experience that will showcase the breadth of the UAE’s journey towards a net zero future”.
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilions at COP28, said: “There is much we can learn for the future from the past and the natural world around us. The UAE House of Sustainability will be a space that celebrates these ideas and sparks conversations. When delegates and the public come to the UAE House of Sustainability at COP28 they will be inspired by the steps we have taken to date to tackle climate change and have a clear sense of our vision for the future.”
The space features three main areas: Sustainability Oasis, Our Journey of Collective Progress, and Our Future of Sustainable Flourishing.
It will host public activations during COP28, including PopCOP sessions that will be located in the Sustainability Oasis. This series of climate action workshops will allow registered participants to take part in immersive activities and meditative experiences, conduct a personal stocktake of their sustainable behaviours, and learn design principles and application methods to achieve climate impact.
Participants will be able to share their reflections, along with their hopes for the future with the climate leaders and negotiators at COP28.
The UAE Pavilion, which was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, is inspired by the UAE’s national bird, the falcon. It was the largest pavilion and shaped like the wings of a falcon in flight. It features 28 carbon fibre wings that can open and has built-in solar panels. The pavilion showcased real sand dunes and several interactive installations.
The UAE President had announced 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, a nationwide initiative encouraging residents to adopt sustainable practices at the individual and community level.