Dubai developer launches new happiness advisory

20 Mar 2017 Trade Arabia

Dubai’s United World Infrastructure (UWI), a global infrastructure investment and development company, has launched its new advisory offering that will allow it to work with cities across the Middle East and the world to measure and improve the happiness of residents.

UWI said it has significant experience in the conceptualisation, design, investment, development and management of next-generation urban environments, having delivered $600 million of infrastructure projects and developed the city of Medini in Malaysia, a 2,300-acre city adjacent to Singapore.

The company, which also has a strong presence in the US, said the move comes as part of the International Day of Happiness being celebrated on March 20.

UWI’s Happiness and Wellbeing Index measures happiness and well-being across nine domains, and is based on a review of several international indices including the World Happiness Report, Global Well-Being (Gallup Healthways), the Better Life Index (OECD), Gross National Happiness of Bhutan and Guidelines for Measuring Subjective Well-Being (OECD), said the company in its statement.

Including its proprietary ‘Happiness and Wellbeing Index’ the offering will empower city developers and municipalities with the information required to measurably improve the experience of its citizens and residents through infrastructure focused policies and development, it stated.

“There is growing recognition at a global level that, in addition to macro-economic measures like employment and GDP (gross domestic product), well-being and happiness are critical factors when considering the success of a city,” remarked Vafa Valapour, the principal at UWI.

“Over the course of 18 months, we have been developing robust methods to measure happiness and well-being which we can use to inform and prioritise policy and development decisions,” added Valapour.