• Congress to host expert speakers on three core sub-themes – Powering Smart Cities, Powering Efficient Cities and Powering Happy Cities
• Event to be held on October 17 & 18, 2017, at Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre

Dubai, UAE; March 21, 2017: Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, will host its 6th Annual EmiratesGBC Congress on October 17 & 18, 2017, at the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre hotel, under the theme ‘Urban Energy: Powering Smart, Happy & Efficient Cities.’

Sustainability experts from across the world will attend the Congress, one of the two flagship events of EmiratesGBC, to discuss, debate and identity actionable solutions to drive sustainable urban built environments that are aligned with the ‘Smart City’ vision being championed by governments today. The Congress is held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment.

Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: “The Annual EmiratesGBC Congress serves as one of the region’s key platforms for stakeholders in the built environment sector to meet and discuss the challenges and opportunities to secure a more sustainable future for our coming generations. This year, we are focusing on how energy-efficiency is integral in driving smart city development, a theme that resonates with the extraordinary work that we see in the region in creating smart, sustainable urban environment.

“There is a direct correlation between smart, intelligent cities and energy-efficiency that calls for the direct and active engagement of the sector. From retrofitting existing buildings to creating energy and water efficient new developments, the building industry can redefine the norms of smart city development, and in turn contribute to people’s well-being and happiness. This is central to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and we are confident that the Congress will set a new roadmap for the green building industry,” he added.

The overarching theme of the 6th Annual EmiratesGBC Congress reflects on the concepts of energy efficient and energy-centric green building design as a facilitator of smart technology, happiness and well-being. This is further discussed under three sub-themes – Powering Efficient Cities, Powering Smart Cities and Powering Happy Cities.

The discussions under Powering Efficient Cities would cover reviews of the energy strategies of the UAE as well as the region, and define its future outlook. It will deep-dive into the role of retrofitting and best practices application, such as through the Building Efficiency Accelerator programme supported by EmiratesGBC.

The session will also discuss the UAE Energy Plan 2050 and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 linking them to the goals of increasing clean energy usage by 50 per cent and improving energy efficiency by 40 per cent, as well as tangible initiatives in this direction such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

The session on Powering Smart Cities draws on how a systematic review of technologies will enable not just sustainable buildings but also smart urban environments. It will discuss smart green building design, construction, maintenance and operations, and focus on the Smart Dubai vision announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and its strategic initiatives.

Powering Smart Cities will be a review on how green buildings can make people healthy, happy and productive, and ties in with the UAE government’s vision to promote a community of happy people as well as draw on the ‘Year of Giving’ initiative to strengthen corporate social responsibility from an energy perspective.

The second day of the Congress will include field visits that touch upon the three key sub-themes. The venues for the tours will be finalised shortly.

With Majid Al Futtaim already on board as Venue Sponsor, EmiratesGBC now offers sponsorship opportunities for Principle, Platinum, Gold, Silver & Other Sponsors, who are assured of a multitude of benefits in brand reputation building. More details are available at: https://emiratesgbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-EmiratesGBC-Congress-Sponsorship-Packages.pdf

For more details on the event, contact events@emiratesgbc.org or call: 04 346 8244.

EmiratesGBC also organises the annual MENA Green Building Awards that recognises organisations in the region for their innovative and outstanding sustainable building principles and practices. Registration for the award ceremony and gala dinner on May 17, 2017, at Roda Al Murooj Hotel in Dubai is now open at: https://emiratesgbc.org/awards/2017awards/gala/

EmiratesGBC regularly hosts and participates in multinational events, conferences and forums. It has also developed a suite of activities, inclusive of networking events, technical workshops, focus days and facilitated training based around specific issues related to the built-environment that meet the needs of its members, of the UAE community, and the wider Middle East.

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