CONSTRUCTION & TECHNOLOGY

Launched two weeks ago, the service connects five destinations within the 500acre development that includes the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, but some bus drivers are struggling to navigate through tight spots designed for cars. The shuttle service is made up of three bright red 25-seater buses.

Around 204,000 kw/h of electricity and 122,000kg of carbon emissions were saved as Dubai residents paraded down Burj Plaza towards the Burj Khalifa and back for Earth Hour. Windy and hazy conditions failed to dampen the spirits of enthusiastic walkers as they marched together.

The lights of the Burj Khalifa will go out and cities across the nation will be plunged into darkness this evening as the UAE's landmark buildings join the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House and New York's Times Square in observing the biggest climate change awareness event in the world.

A seven-year-old boy who is dying from a brain tumour is set to fulfil his last wish by travelling from America to Dubai to visit the Burj Khalifa. Noah Larkin has been infatuated with the world’s tallest building since he can remember and is determined to go up the 828m structure so he can feel “on top of the world”.

Come Saturday (March 26) evening and every corner of the UAE including the glittering Burj Khalifa, which has peak electricity demand to light up about 500,000 bulbs of 100w each, will be shrouded in darkness except for a few essential lights as part of Earth Hour and the city’s bid against climate change.

The Tokyo Sky Tree, the world's second tallest man-made structure, reached its full height of 634 metres (2,080 feet) Friday, a week after withstanding a massive earthquake. On March 1, the Sky Tree eclipsed China's 600-metre Canton Tower, which opened in Guangzhou in September, to become the second tallest man-made structure on earth after Dubai's 828-metre Burj Khalifa skyscraper.

Using photos gathered from the Internet and scale models bought while on vacations, 59-year-old Noman has ‘built' many such wondrous structures. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Eiffel Tower are the latest additions to the collection, which includes a massive, currency-laden Taj Mahal that earned him an entry into the Limca Book of World Records.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority on Thursday announced that lights of Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, the Address Hotels and Dubai Festival City will be switched off as part of the city's participation in the international event.

Among the soaring Chinese edifices is the 128-story Shanghai Tower from Gensler, which is on track to be the world’s second-tallest building when completed in 2014. Only Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which has 163 stories, is taller.

The leased space will have a capacity for about 1,250 staff and will include a state-of-the-art trading floor. "The move to Downtown Dubai area will allow us to accommodate our growing workforce to support business growth across the UAE. The building is being developed by Gulf Resources Development and Investment LLC (GRDI).