On April 16 2024, an unprecedented rainstorm wreaked havoc across UAE and some other parts of the GCC region, highlighting areas for improvement in urban planning, infrastructure and emergency response.

In response to this, CPI industry organised The Rain Resilience Conference on February 19 at Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai, convening policymakers; urban planners; developers; and civil, structural and MEP engineers developers and climate experts with the objective of discussing strategies that need to be implemented for mitigating the impact of future extreme weather events through enhanced urban planning, upgrading drainage systems and, broadly speaking, resilient infrastructure and buildings. The conference underscored the virtue of proactive rain resilience approaches across multiple sectors.

George Berbari, CEO, DC PRO Engineering, and a leading advocate of climate change mitigation, donned the role of conference chair, lending stewardship to the cause of climate adaptation. In his remarks, he highlighted the stark contrast in expenditure between climate mitigation and adaptation. While the region has invested significantly in clean energy solutions, inadequate spending on rain resilience has led to costly disaster recovery efforts, he said. Highlighting the dynamic response of Dubai, he said the city is spending between AED 30 billion and AED 70 billion in reaction to the gap in climate action. Going into granular detail of climate adaptation, he spoke of initiatives like establishing infiltration well systems, already successful in Singapore and Australia, that could significantly mitigate flood risks at a fraction of traditional infrastructure costs.

Leading the Plenary Discussion of the conference, Berbari called to the stage Samiullah Khan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Fakhruddin Properties; James Marvin, CEO, PNC Architects of Sobha Group; and Balaskandan Raghunathan, Founder & Managing Director, Capital Engineering Consultancy to discuss preparedness of developers to avert another such event as the extreme rains of April 16. Responding to the discussion, Khan, spoke of how despite extensive experience, nothing could have prepared his organisation for the unexpected rain. Despite the weather notice, the suddenness of the event was unpredictable and served as a wake-up call to take necessary actions for Fakhruddin Properties’ buildings. Raghunathan, sharing his experience on the challenges his team and he encountered on the eventful day, spoke of major cracks in the expansion joints that led to water flowing into the building. Subsequent to the rains, he said, his organisation was flooded with a high volume of inquiries for structural repairs due to settlement cracks in villas, attributing the issue to the erosion of soil due to heavy water flow. He highlighted the importance of preventive measures in new project designs to avoid similar issues in the future. One such measure, he said, was to increase the entry and exit levels of buildings. The objective is to prevent water from going into the building from the infrastructure area, he said.

Equally riveting was the discussion on stormwater management, master-planning and the role of buildings, involving Azmi S Aboulhoda, CEO, EMergy Consultancy; Aakash Dave, Design Manager, Consistent Engineering Consultants; Shankar Prathap, Capital Engineering Consultancy; A R Suresh Kumar, Vice President & Head, IOBG, Voltas Limited; and Sekhar Reddy, MAG Property Development. The participants collectively emphasised the need for better design and workmanship. Reddy spoke on the importance of above-ground pumps for protection. He recommended placing pumps above ground to avoid water damage and ensure operational reliability. Reflecting on the April 16 rains, he said, “The pump set is supposed to supply water to the town houses, but it was submerged in water.”

The participants also advocated the need for bypass systems for better reliability. They called for the implementation of bypass lines as a fail-safe means to maintaining water supply during drainage failures. Prathap additionally suggested installing siphonic drainage systems, in order to improve water flow efficiency and reduce the risk of flooding.

The panellists suggested retrofitting existing buildings, wherein they stressed the necessity of upgrading older structures with advanced drainage and waterproofing measures.

Equally important, they said, was to establish infiltration wells, which they added was a cost-effective solution for flood mitigation. Infiltration wells, they said, can absorb excess rainwater, preventing urban flooding.

Further, they proposed creating MEP rooms in basements, which they said, was a challenge, however, owing to the high costs involved, they said.

A subsequent panel discussion shifted the focus to building façades and rain resilience. The discussion addressed the impact of water infiltration through building facades. The panellists were Philip Keil, Associate Director, AESG, and Dr Khan of Fakhruddin Properties. Addressing a fundamental issue, Keil said buildings in the Middle East are watertight, not waterproof.

The two panellists identified common vulnerabilities and proposed such measures as enhanced waterproofing, including upgrading building envelopes, especially at joints and interfaces; and integrating drainage in façades. Keil additionally proposed the need for redundancies in façade design to mitigate flood risks and the importance of rerouting water quickly.

The panellists also discussed the need for using high-quality and durable materials to minimise long-term maintenance costs and structural damage through meeting safety standards. Khan additionally spoke of the importance of incorporating safety protocols to check and clean façades every six months.

An equally critical topic of discussion was the need for overcoming challenges during rainstorms and in the aftermath, with a strong focus on electrical and communication systems. The participants – Aboulhoda and Chakkingal – spoke on the need for applying thought when it came to locating generator rooms and LV rooms on the ground floors and for implementing special drainage systems to prevent water ingress. They also spoke of the need for using sensors in basement pump rooms and lift-pits to detect water levels and trigger alarms.

The panellists also discussed the need for emergency power supplies and the potential of digital twins for predictive maintenance and improved building maintenance. They spoke of the need for reliable power backup, and for ensuring that emergency generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are in place to prevent service outages.

The two panellists also spoke of the need for effective communication strategies. They stressed the need for improving coordination among municipal authorities, developers and emergency services. Aboulhoda emphasised the importance of proper communication with residents during high rainfall events to reduce panic.

Chakkingal called for the use of digital twins, emphasising their role in building management systems to monitor and analyse live data. Berbari, though, expressed scepticism about the widespread adoption of digital twins, noting the lack of clear guidelines and standards. Responding to this, Chakkingal said the potential benefits of digital twins for life cycle cost analysis and improving building efficiency cannot be diluted. “In our case, at Sobha, even the owners’ association is there with us. We mostly don’t see the initial capital cost. We look into the life cycle cost of the whole thing, where, if we have to invest something more in the capital and that is going to benefit during the operation, we’ll definitely go for it, because the fund management by the owners’ association is also by us.”

In a subsequent discussion, on basement car parks and flood mitigation, panellists – Suresh Kumar of Voltas and Marvin of PNC Architects of SOBHA – focused on the challenges and solutions for basement car parks, emphasising the need for proactive measures to prevent water infiltration.

The panellists emphasised the importance of heavy-duty pump systems and emergency drainage paths. The conversation also covered the need for regular maintenance of basements, the use of pumps with crushers, and the role of property managers in ensuring proper upkeep. The panellists recommended the need for better standardisation and knowledge-sharing among developers and authorities.

Key points the panellists discussed included avoiding basements, where possible, using grating and proper slope maintenance, and avoiding critical electrical rooms in basements.

Elaborating on the call for avoiding basements, Marvin suggested that developers reconsider the necessity of basements in high-risk flood zones and emphasised the importance of grating and proper slope maintenance in basements. “We at Sobha, are trying our best to avoid basement parking,” he said. “Typically, most developers, when they are considering basement or no basement, the cost is always a factor. Sometimes, the extent of the basement gives you more parking.”

Suresh Kumar strongly advised against placing electrical and fire safety rooms in basements due to their high vulnerability during floods. The other are of concern, he said, is the sump pump locations. “Sometimes, you don’t get the right locations for the sump pump,” he said, “so invariably, you get pushed into some corner, because, you know, every developer wants to have maximum car parking. And some pumps actually effectively occupy one or two car park locations. As far as possible, avoid locating the electrical panel, fire pump room, FCC room and fire command room in the basement. At least 100% avoid having them in the fourth basement.”

The discussion highlighted the advantages of podium-level parking as an alternative to basement parking. Marvin said: “We try to find new design, new technology, new materials. So we’re looking at materials now, asphalt that absorbs water.”

When it comes to basements, implementing powerful pumps and creating dedicated floodwater exit paths are vital solutions, Suresh Kumar said. “Some pumps are with crushers, even for stormwater, to use pressure,” he said. This is safer. And yes, they are double the price but worth the investment.”

Equally, the panellists stressed the importance of consistent inspections and maintenance routines. Marvin said: “The key, though, regardless of whether you buy a cheap one or an expensive one, is just to maintain them. Make sure that regularly you’re testing them, you’re running them, because, you know, we get rain once a year here, but if you’re not checking it till you start seeing the rain come down, it’s too late.”

The discussion concluded with a call for better regulatory frameworks and collaboration among developers and municipal authorities to create standardised flood-protection measures. Suresh Kumar highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing and the role of committees like the Khalifa Committee in Abu Dhabi.

Berbari challenged the effectiveness of the current design standards and the need for continuous evolution. The panellists responded to this point by proposing the need for third-party advisors and external engineering reviews to bring fresh ideas and improve performance.