Hoping to rekindle optimism after Dubai’s financial crisis, its glitzy emirate are preparing to open the world’s tallest building begun at the height of the economic boom Monday, and which has been built by some 12,000 labourers imported from several countries to work on it.

The opening of Burj Dubai has been delayed twice since construction on it began in 2004, marking another milestone for its emirate with its penchant for setting new records.

Dubai is one of seven members of the United Arab Emirates and with its man-made palm-shaped islands, including an indoor ski slope in the desert, has gained somewhat of a reputation for extreme excess.

After a bleak 2009 with investor confidence in Dubai receiving a bad bruising and the emirate seeking a debt standstill for its largest conglomerates, the completion and opening of the Burj Dubai is being viewed as a positive start to the year.

However, human rights groups and environmentalists scrutinizing the project have objected to the treatment of its labourers, including the fact that tower by acting as a power vacuum will increase carbon footprint of the city, already massively huge.

Criticism aside, the edifice that has taken $1.5 billion to build is being described as an architectural marvel, and even though its height is a closely guarded secret, it is believed to exceed 800- meters or 2,625-feet.

Approximately 1,100-residential units in the Burj i. e. Arabic for tower, have been sold.