Kleindienst has awarded contracts worth Dh4.8 billion ($1.3 billion) for the development of The Heart of Europe, a cluster of six islands on The World located 4 km off the coast of Dubai.

JK Bauen Building Contracting, Wuchang Ship Building Industry Group and Sino Great Wall International Engineering have been signed up for the project which will integrate sustainability into various aspects, from the coral reef to the Floating Seahorse interiors.

The signing of the letter of award (LOA) will guarantee an immediate start of the resorts, hotels and infrastructure projects on the islands, chairman Josef Kleindienst said.

Under the deal, the firms will join forces to carry out the construction of all the hotels located on the Main Europe island, villas on Germany island, buildings and resort facilities on St Petersburg island, as well as the buildings and infrastructure on the other three islands in the project.

JK Bauen is the existing contractor for the Sweden Palaces on Sweden island, construction of which is well under way.

As per the deal, JK Bauen will focus on building The Heart of Europe in an environmentally sustainable fashion. The design will boast special insulation around the windows and doors, which will conserve up to 70 per cent of electricity output, largely exceeding current standards for sustainable building.

The project also features a coral nursery which will be home to 100,000 natural corals feeding a protected coral garden which, once completed, will cover a surface area of 5 million sq ft.