AN EXPO FOR THE AGES

That the 2020 World Expo is opening in 2021 marks something for the history books. Last year was Pandemic Year, the year that made it plain that we are interconnected, the year when lockdowns showed us how much our actions have had a negative impact on the planet. 

Expo 2020 Dubai, running from October 1st to March 31st, looks to a more sustainable future. Since the first expo in 1851, the focus has been on the future, celebrating industry and technology. With the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, Expo 2020 delves into mobility, opportunity and sustainability. Mobility isn’t limited to futuristic transport like hoverboards and jetpacks but also the use of robotics and artificial intelligence to create smart cities that are easier and less polluting to navigate. In very long-distance mobility, visitors will see images from the UAE’s Hope probe to Mars. 

Excitement about technological prowess is tempered with concern about the price the planet has paid for man’s progress. Expo 2020 looks holistically at sustainability, says Dina Storey, director of sustainability operations for the Expo. Organisers wanted the Expo to have sustainable and lasting infrastructure; to consider the impact on surrounding communities; to bring innovations that are scalable and tailored to the region; and to positively impact the economy beyond the six months the Expo is in operation.

The ephemeral nature of expos has been part of their allure. Past buildings were made to be temporary—the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be dismantled after 20 years. At Expo 2020, more than 80% of the site is made to last, starting a second life after April as Dubai’s new District 2020. “The first department at Expo 2020 was the legacy department,” Storey says.

Sustainability isn’t limited to its dedicated pavilion, Terra. It runs throughout the expo, starting at the entries. The monumental gates—30 metres long and 21 metres high—are a mashrabiya latticework of ultra-strong, ultra-light carbon fibre, made via 3D printing, a process that produces far less waste than traditional manufacturing.

Expo 2020 features architecture that is extraordinary even in Dubai. For the first time, every participating country and a number of partners has its own pavilion, each striving to outdo the other for visual and sustainable wonderment. All the buildings and infrastructure that will remain carry gold or platinum LEED certification.

Expo insists on sustainability at every touchpoint, from the materials used, to how design can reduce energy and water consumption, to what kind of packaging and waste will be generated by visitors. The permanent buildings have photovoltaic rooftop panels, and they also reduce energy needs through passive design, materials and technology, consuming 30% less energy than similar conventional buildings and 51% less water than local standards. Landscaping with native plants further minimises water needs; any irrigation is provided with treated sewage effluence rather than potable water. The native flora, free of pesticides and herbicides, also boosts biodiversity—more than 20 wild beehives have sprung up and other animals like hares have found homes on the Expo grounds. Materials are graded for their energy-saving properties.

Expo 2020 has an ambitious target of diverting 85% of its waste from landfill. In the construction phase, it achieved 91% by reusing everything. Concrete remnants were crushed and reused onsite. The asphalt parking lots are made with old tyres. 

“As we move towards the event, the waste mix will change,” Storey says. Organisers are looking at composters, waste-to-energy technology and educating the public. Food and retail goods will have to meet sustainability guidelines, not just for recycled and recyclable packaging but also whether the very food served is from sustainable sources.

“Whatever comes in, we know how it’s going to go out,” Storey says. She and her colleagues continually monitor and report on progress, discover problems and find solutions. The goal goes beyond making Expo 2020 the most sustainable one yet. It aims to be a proof of concept for how large institutions with lots of foot traffic—airports and shopping malls, for example—can achieve sustainability, throughout their life cycles. “You can look at business as usual and the way we work and see the difference, she says. “We are hoping these lessons learned will
be taken forward.”