Burj Dubai, the iconic tower being built by Emaar Properties, has joined the league of only six super-tall buildings in the world that are 100 or more storeys high. On its way to becoming the world’s tallest tower, Burj Dubai is now 347.3 metres high.

Sears Tower in Chicago (110 floors), Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea (105), Empire State Building, New York (102), Taipei 101 (101) and John Hancock Centre, Chicago (100) are the only other structures in the world that are currently at 100 storeys or more.

“Emaar is starting the New Year with a new milestone,” said Mr Alabbar. “As one of only six super-tall structures in the world with 100 storeys or more, Burj Dubai is already an international landmark. The global attention on Burj Dubai is indeed a spotlight on Dubai. The tower is a symbol of the city’s pride and a statement of our arrival on the global scene as one of the world-class cities.”

At 347.3 metres, Burj Dubai is one of only 38 structures in the world that are 300 metres or more high. It is now higher than three other super-tall structures in the region – the Burj Al Arab (321 metres), Emirates Towers Hotel (309 metres) and Kingdom Centre, Saudi Arabia (302 metres). Currently, only Emirates Office Tower (355 metres) is taller than Burj Dubai in the Middle East region.

To date, 242,000 cubic metres of reinforced concrete and 46,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel have been used in the construction of Burj Dubai. The reinforced concrete needed to build Burj Dubai is estimated to be equivalent to a sidewalk 1,900 km long.

The construction of 100 levels was completed in 1,093 days since excavation work started in January, 2004. Work is on schedule with one new level added every three days. Over 3,000 workers are currently employed at the Burj Dubai site. Ten cranes and the world’s fastest high-capacity construction hoists – with a speed of up to 2 m/sec (120 m/min) - are used to move men and material.

Burj Dubai is a designated freehold area where investors from across the world can own a home or office in what will be ‘The Address’ in Dubai. Investor response from across the world to the sale of apartments and commercial spaces at Burj Dubai has been overwhelming.

Burj Dubai is part of the AED 73 billion (US$20 billion) Downtown Burj Dubai mixed-use project, and will have residences, commercial spaces and recreational facilities apart from the Armani Hotel Dubai, a luxury hotel developed by Emaar in association with haute couture major Giorgio Armani S.p.A.

When completed, Burj Dubai will be the tallest building in the world, fulfilling all the criteria of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), which compiles and ranks the world’s tallest buildings. CTBUH ranks buildings on the basis of spire height, the highest occupied floor, roof height and pinnacle height.

Designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Burj Dubai is constructed by high-rise experts South Korea’s Samsung Corporation. Turner Construction International is the project and construction manager.

About Emaar Properties PJSC:
Emaar Properties, the Dubai-based Public Joint Stock Company and one of the world's largest real estate companies, is listed on the Dubai Financial Market and is part of the Dow Jones Arabia Titans Index. The company recently announced that its net profits for the three quarters ended September 30, 2006 reached AED 4.658 billion (US$1.268 billion) – a significant gain of 26 per cent over the same period in 2005 - reflecting the remarkable growth the company has gained since its inception in 1997.

With more than 14,500 homes handed over to customers, Emaar has several major real estate projects under various stages of development in Dubai. An ISO9001:2000 quality certified company, Emaar is marching ahead with the construction of its AED 73 billion (US$20 billion) Downtown Burj Dubai mixed-use development that encompasses Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest tower when completed in 2008.

The company has joint ventures and projects across the region covering Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, Lebanon and Tunisia. In Saudi Arabia, Emaar is developing the US$26.6 billion (SR 100 billion) King Abdullah Economic City, the single largest private sector project in the Kingdom.

Emaar also entered the US market by acquiring John Laing Homes, the second largest privately held homebuilder in the US for AED 3.856 billion (US$1.050 billion). Emaar joined hands with The Turner Corporation, a leading international building services provider, to form a new entity, Turner International Middle East Ltd (Turner International ME) to jointly tap regional growth opportunities.

In a move that scaled up its core competency in product sales across the international arena, particularly the Western hemisphere, Emaar acquired Hamptons International, the UK-based subsidiary of premier property developer Wheelock Properties (Singapore) Ltd in a deal worth AED 562.45 million (US$153.05 million).

Last year the property developer announced plans to aggressively expand the retail sector with investments of over AED 15 billion (US$4 billion) to develop approximately 150 malls in the larger emerging markets of the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and the Indian subcontinent. In addition, Emaar has teamed up with Giorgio Armani S.p.A to build and manage 10 Armani hotels and resorts across the world; an Armani hotel will feature in Emaar's flagship Burj Dubai tower.

Emaar’s education initiative will involve the establishment of international schools in the MENA region and India, which will offer premium quality education and an integrated curriculum for students ranging from kindergarten to tertiary levels. Emaar's healthcare diversification will see the company invest around AED 18.35 billion (US$5 billion) over the next decade in the MENA and South Asia markets with the construction of hospitals, clinics and medical centres and the investment in the provision of world-class healthcare services.

Emaar has diversified into related business lines to further build value for its shareholders, which includes the Government of Dubai. Emaar owns and manages EMRILL, a joint venture with the UK-based Carillion which provides innovative property and facilities management services. Emaar also holds 30 per cent equity in Dubai Bank, focused on retail and commercial banking and is the majority shareholder in Amlak Finance, UAE's leading Islamic home financing company. For more information, visit www.emaar.com.

© 2007 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)