Information Sheet 05 – V1.0 www.Diamond-Developers.ae

INFORMATION SHEET

REAL GRASS VERSUS FAKE GRASS

Information Sheet 05

Version 1.0

June 16, 2016

Information Sheet 05 – V1.0 www.Diamond-Developers.ae

The purpose of this information sheet is to explain the pros and cons of having real grass

versus fake grass in your garden in TSC.

Deciding between real grass and fake turf is a personal decision, based you your individual goal.

Let’s talk about fake grass

If maximizing water saving is your goal then fake grass is the most suitable choice. Here are some of

the benefits of fake grass:

No watering

No weeding

No fertilizing

No mowing and edge cutting

Lower water consumption means lower water bills

Additionally, some people believe that fake grass looks as good as real grass. Fake grass however

also has some drawbacks, in particular:

It’s synthetic and can’t be recycled

It’s not completely maintenance-free

It can’t absorb and break down pet urine

It heats up in direct sun

In Dubai, perhaps the greatest drawback to fake grass is heat

retention. Because fake grass is made of nylon, polyethylene, or

polypropylene it will radiate a lot of heat when exposed to extreme

temperatures. This may reduce the time spent outdoors, on the

deck or on the grass.

An alternative option to fake grass is to look into xerophytic gravel options.

Let’s talk about real grass

If however creating a patch of natural green is your goal, grass is a good option. The benefits of

natural grass include:

It is natural!

It is cooler

It sustains an ecosystem attracting birds, butterflies, and other insects

Stated differently, natural grass has social value for many that cannot be duplicated. But natural

grass requires significant maintenance including watering, fertilizing, and mowing. It is important to

remember that gardening is beneficial because it can improve health and reduce stress.

Temperature readings of

natural and fake grass in

TSC under similar

conditions show that fake

grass is about 2.5 times

warmer than natural grass

(Figure 1).

Information Sheet 05 – V1.0 www.Diamond-Developers.ae

Figure 1 Surface temperature of natural and fake grass under similar conditions

According to Dubai Municipality guidelines, natural grass requires 11 L/m2 daily in winter and 15

L/m2 daily in summer. Putting these numbers into perspective, the below table approximates total

water consumption and water expenditure in winter and summer:

Table 1 Approximate water consumption and associated cost for watering real grass in Dubai

Real Grass Summer Winter

m2 L/day L/month AED/month L/day L/month AED/month

10 150 4500 41 110 3300 30

20 300 9000 82 220 6600 59

30 450 13500 123 330 9900 89

40 600 18000 164 440 13200 119

50 750 22500 205 550 16500 149 Assumptions: data are based on DEWA’s lowest water tariff for residential (expatriates) at 4.1 fils per Imperial

Gallon (=4.55 liters) including fuel surcharge.

To grass or not to grass is a personal choice

There are many levels in between grass or no grass, but they all have maintenance and cleaning

demands. TSC chose to use real grass based on both social and environmental factors. When looking

at all the pros and cons listed above, real grass is as a starting point for residents to customize their

spaces and build on.

Information Sheet 05 – V1.0 www.Diamond-Developers.ae

The decisions residents make moving forward is a personal one, and should be based on how you

wish to use your space, your interest in gardening, your personal aesthetic, and your budget. If fake

grass becomes your preferred choice (Figure 2), then consider planting shade trees to prevent the

grass from getting too hot. Please seek homeowner consent to replacing natural grass with fake

grass (request a standard No Objection Certificate).

Figure 2 Fake grass installation in TSC villa

In case you decide to maintain and/or downsize your lawn area and eventually replace brown

patches with new real grass, please note that the price of grass carpet roll is about AED15-20/m2

plus installation costs. In Dubai, new grass does not anchor well during summer no matter how

much you water it, so it is advisable to install grass carpet rolls during the cooler months, from

September through April.

This Information Sheet was prepared by Diamond Innovation Center.

DISCLAIMER: Diamond Developers and its affiliates assume no liability resulting from information contained in this information sheet which is intended for general public use. Residents assume full

responsibility for any costs associated with the use of the information contained herein.