Water Worries
The third week in February this year brought on heavy rains--a rare occurance. The result was flooding in several parts of Dubai. That and a recent trip to Katrina-stricken New Orleans has got me wondering how well a completed MAG 218 tower would fare if the Marina were hit by floods.
In New Orleans you would have thought the towers--there are a good number in the central business district--would have been spared the great damage wrought by the flooding, but that has not been the case. Many towers had important mechanical and electrical equipment in their basements. The result even now, six-months post-Katrina, is that a number of downtown towers remain closed.
The design plans for the MAG 218 reveal that some mechanical equipment will be housed at level B3, the lowest (underground) level of the structure. If Dubai Marina were to experience major flooding at some point, wouldn't this be the most vulnarable part of the building? This merits looking into. Granted, there are three mechanical floors at higher levels in the tower, so potential damage might be limited.
Architectural detail revealing important equipment stored at basement level.
Still, the lessons from New Orleans are worrying. With critical elevator systems damaged in some towers, elevators become inoperable. This would result in considerable hardship for residents in high-rise towers. Furthermore, flooding on a large scale would mean that numerous towers might suffer similar damage. Under such circumstances getting repairs done could take days if not weeks.
Deep excavation pit of Mirana Pinnacle tower, near MAG 218 plot.
If anyone has seen any of the Discovery channel this month, they might have come across the compelling documentary on global warming. Some say that there is no longer any valid argument for dismissing global warming as speculative. It is a certainty and with it rising sea levels--by up to 3 feet over an extended period of time. That being said, the main water concern for Dubai Marina residents ought to be that rare occasion when the city and country are hit by unexpected downpours.
An interesting blog post describes some of the unpleasant effects of the inclement weather: Aftermath of Recent Rainfall Across UAE. Another turns raindrops into artful images at Two Hydrogen atoms plus a single Oxygen.
Go to MAG 218 Community homepage, Dubai Marina Communities or DM Blog.
In New Orleans you would have thought the towers--there are a good number in the central business district--would have been spared the great damage wrought by the flooding, but that has not been the case. Many towers had important mechanical and electrical equipment in their basements. The result even now, six-months post-Katrina, is that a number of downtown towers remain closed.
The design plans for the MAG 218 reveal that some mechanical equipment will be housed at level B3, the lowest (underground) level of the structure. If Dubai Marina were to experience major flooding at some point, wouldn't this be the most vulnarable part of the building? This merits looking into. Granted, there are three mechanical floors at higher levels in the tower, so potential damage might be limited.
Architectural detail revealing important equipment stored at basement level.
Still, the lessons from New Orleans are worrying. With critical elevator systems damaged in some towers, elevators become inoperable. This would result in considerable hardship for residents in high-rise towers. Furthermore, flooding on a large scale would mean that numerous towers might suffer similar damage. Under such circumstances getting repairs done could take days if not weeks.
Deep excavation pit of Mirana Pinnacle tower, near MAG 218 plot.
If anyone has seen any of the Discovery channel this month, they might have come across the compelling documentary on global warming. Some say that there is no longer any valid argument for dismissing global warming as speculative. It is a certainty and with it rising sea levels--by up to 3 feet over an extended period of time. That being said, the main water concern for Dubai Marina residents ought to be that rare occasion when the city and country are hit by unexpected downpours.
An interesting blog post describes some of the unpleasant effects of the inclement weather: Aftermath of Recent Rainfall Across UAE. Another turns raindrops into artful images at Two Hydrogen atoms plus a single Oxygen.
Go to MAG 218 Community homepage, Dubai Marina Communities or DM Blog.
posted by B.D. at
2:49 PM
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