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‘Green’ lights, all along

DUBAI - It’s a light idea but with a heavy impact. One knows Dubai’s mega event, the Dubai Shopping Festival, is around the corner when one fine day the entire city is lit up like a Christmas tree.

Each year, the lighting is brighter and better than before — thanks to the ever-evolving technology and the minds that ensure that eye-pleasing and colourful designs are delivered well ahead of time.

But rest assured. The hundreds of thousands of blue and purple butterflies flitting on the city’s street poles or the unique multi-coloured lighting ropes twined around the trees are not eating into Dubai’s energy consumption. The lighting is ‘green’, safe and eco-saving.

“This is a special thought we have worked around,” says Maitha Ghubash, service events manager at Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) for DSF 2012.

“Care has been taken to use LED lights that do not consume too much electricity but give a result that is definitely much brighter and eye-catching,” she explains.

“We work with the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) and Dewa (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) to ensure the lighting systems consume less power, are safe and are much brighter.”

Though the lighting system is just a small part of the festivities, over the years, it has advanced remarkably just like the shopping and entertainment event itself. From the plain, lop-sided single-coloured ropes used when the event started in 1996 to the exquisitely designed street lighting systems today, much thought and effort have been put into the design process.

Millions of dirhams are spent each year in making the lighting designs into show-stoppers. Planning is done six months in advance when a DSF team decides that particular year’s concept. Tenders are floated and both local and international companies are allowed to bid.

The best among the eight that bid were selected this year, says Maitha.

“The companies have to match our concepts and design accordingly,” she says. “Some shapes are new but others are kept traditional such as the ‘Welcome to Dubai’ logo,” adds Maitha.

The focus is on the DSF’s three trademark colours — green, red and white.

Though not all of the previous year’s lighting systems can be re-used, there is no wastage, assures the official, since the lights are taken out on rent by the DSF.

For Jumana Datilov, a European tourist who is visiting Dubai for the first time, the street decorations mean festivity. “There is a glow to the city which is very eye-catching and pleasing,” she says.

Nadia Hallabi, a Dubai resident, feels that this year’s lighting is different. “I like the concept and my children loved it too, especially the varied colours and shapes.”

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com