Yas Island Landscape Project

Epic Green Solutions was invited by Aldar and the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council to build a series of plots on Yas Island at the Yas Island Links demonstrating the capabilities of the Epic System as a water management and water conserving tool for future use on Yas Island and other places in the UAE and the Middle East. The site demonstrates the feasibility of the system to help the UPC and Aldar obtain significant water savings and still achieve the design and implementation of green spaces per their master plans and designs. As previously mentioned the system can use multiple sources of water, so this project will use a combination of TSE, Potable and Sea water. A further advantage to the Epic System due to its waterproof liner is that no sea water can permeate into the EPIC System a common problem for traditionally landscaped areas on Yas Island due to the high water table and proximity to the sea. The project is composed of five self-contained plots each measuring 83 square meters. Four of the plots have individual tanks and meters, so water consumption can be monitored for different types of plants and turf. Two of the plots are supplied with potable water and the other two plots are supplied with TSE (Treated Sewage Effluent). Four smaller plots were added for four trees. These trees also have their own tanks and meters for monitoring. Three of the four plots were planted with typical landscape plants used in the UAE. The fourth plot was planted with a Paspalum turf used on the adjoining golf course. The plots with plants were planted on the 26th of April, 2011. The turf plot was planted from seed on the 15th of May, 2011. Typical landscape areas of shrubbery or turf in this area require about 12-14 liters of water per square meter per day. Preliminary results from the first 5 months of this project indicate the following water use for the four plots.

Liters/Sq M/Day

Plot 1 3.63

Plot 2 1.80

Plot 3 1.99

Plot 4 2.44

The average consumption of the 4 plots was 2.46 liters/sq. M/ day yielding a savings of approximately 80% of typical irrigation systems. It is also interesting to note that the plants and turf in these plots were started just at the beginning of summer and became established in the Epic System during the most difficult time of the year to establish plants. The turf was grown from seed in the system which is rarely done in the UAE because of the difficulty of applying enough water to germinate seed without the plant drying up and dying before it establishes a self-sustaining root system. The fifth plot is near the sea and has a solar operated pump supplying the plot with sea water. The plot is built with two interlinked sub plots so we are able to run trials both for demonstrating the ability of plants to grow in the system only surviving on sea water and also to test for a desalinization effect as the sea water moves by capillary action from the one compartment to the other compartment. It was decided that the hot summer months were not the best time to establish the plants in the salt water plot as no plants were available that had gone through the hardening process to survive on sea water. This plot will be planted in early October of 2011 when conditions are appropriate. The results above indicate that the Epic System will allow municipalities and property owners to still gain the advantages of green space with much less water. This project will continued to be monitored for at least the next year and a half so a great deal more data will be collected on water savings, plant adaptability, and the use of sea water as an irrigation source. However, there have been extensive requests from the government, media and other private organizations to view the site due to the ground breaking results.
DUBAI: P.O BOX 47429 Tel: +9714 3388372 | USA: 8651 Naples St. Blaine MN 55449 Tel: +1 763 784 0614 Email: info@epic-green.com, Website: www.epic-green.com

 Yas Island Landscape Project A closer look at the installation and growth on Yas Island:

Placing of sand and gravel over the water proof EPDM liner and chambers

Plots ready for planting

Plot 1: Planting Day - April 26, 2011

Plot 1: September 21, 2011: This plot was planted with Pennisetum Green, Caesalpinnia Pulcherrima, Cuprus Alternifoliu and Sesuvium Portulcastrum

Plot 1: Bougainvillea after 5 months

Plot 4: Platnium TE Paspalum grass after 4 months

DUBAI: P.O BOX 47429 Tel: +9714 3388372 | USA: 8651 Naples St. Blaine MN 55449 Tel: +1 763 784 0614 Email: info@epic-green.com, Website: www.epic-green.com