• Four leading green building material providers to participate in EmiratesGBC pavilion
• Focus Day on March 30 to focus on application and implementation of ‘Regulations and Assessment Tools’ for green buildings in Abu Dhabi

Dubai, UAE; March 23 , 2011: Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an organisation aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices in the UAE, will host a dedicated pavilion at the Arabian Construction Week to be held from March 28 to 30, 2011 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Emirates GBC will also host its Focus Day on March 30, from 9.30am to 4pm, which will highlight the application and implementation of regulations and assessment tools for green buildings in Abu Dhabi. The event is open for developers, consultants, contractors and suppliers in the building industry. The objective of the Focus Day, a regular feature organised by EmiratesGBC, is to foster forward thinking and create robust action plans to strengthen the sustainable built environment of the UAE. Members of EmiratesGBC are being offered discounted rates and special group discounts for attending this Focus Day.

At the pavilion of EmiratesGBC at Arabian Construction Week, four key vendors who support green building development by providing sustainable building materials will showcase their product and service portfolio.

The participants at the EmiratesGBC pavilion include LATICRETE, a world-wide manufacturer of installation systems for ceramic tile and stone used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications; BASF, the world’s largest chemical company; Leviton Manufacturing, a leader in manufacturing electrical wiring devices, data centre connectivity solutions and lighting energy management solutions; and BARLUKS Middle East, manufacture of devices and equipment for lighting. All three are members of EmiratesGBC.

Adnan Sharafi, Chairman, EmiratesGBC, said: “Arabian Construction Week is one of the premier industry events that highlight the opportunities in the building and infrastructure development sector of the region. Through our participation and by showcasing leaders in the sustainable building development business, we are underscoring our commitment to promote the concept of sustainable built environments and promote the industry to adapt global green best practices.”

He added: “This will be further underscored at the Focus Day, EmiratesGBC’s unique initiative that will take a close look at the application and implementation of green building regulations, guidelines and assessment tools in Abu Dhabi.  The one-day conference will serve as a forum to discuss the course of action needed to successfully undertake the design of sustainable buildings and to meet the local green building requirements.”

Sujit Singh, General Manager of LATICRETE, said: “With over 50 years of industry experience, LATICRETE has provided the technology, products and experience to make innovative, permanent installations for tile and stone. Through our participation at the Arabian Construction Week, as part of the EmiratesGBC pavilion, we are highlighting our commitment to partner in the sustainable development initiatives of the region.”

Dr. Michael Schmidt, Regional Business Systems manager of BASF, added: “Through a diverse portfolio of high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. Our products and services have extensive application in promoting EmiratesGBC’s goal of developing sustainable built environments in the UAE.”

Ramzi Nassif, Managing Director – MEA, Leviton Middle East, explained: “Our product portfolio of lighting controls and energy management devices and systems has immense practical application in homes, businesses and industry. We are committed to supporting the green development initiatives of the region, and through our partnership with EmiratesGBC, we are confident of highlighting the importance of sustainable built environments, and how we can contribute to achieving them, at the Arabian Construction Week.”

Mitja Petric, CEO of BARLUKS Middle East said: “As a premier street LED supplier, providing sustainable solutions for our customers is one of our key priorities. By participating in Arabian Construction Week, we will highlight the key differentials in our sector, which will enable urban planners and developers, as well as the public, to undertake sustainable energy use measures.”

The Focus Day will be addressed by Abu Dhabi regulators who have developed the guidelines for green buildings, followed by discussions to be led by industry experts engaged in pilot projects and case studies in which local guidelines and assessment tools are being applied. The event is open for members and non-members of EmiratesGBC, and they can register at: http://www.worldregistrationsystems.com/MEFOR_egbcfd_visreg-2.htm

Aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices in the UAE, EmiratesGBC regularly hosts and participating in multinational events, conferences and forums. The EmiratesGBC 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.

Note to Editors

About Emirates Green Building Council:
The Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) was founded in June 2006, and became the 8th full member of the World Green Building Council in September 2006. EmiratesGBC is an industry body that promotes and educates on green issues in the built environment and is the official body for the UAE endorsed by the World Green Building Council.

The Emirates GBC currently has around 260 members in the UAE which represents 1000s of individuals interested and involved in Green Building in the UAE and the region. In addition EmiratesGBC members receive discounts on a number of programmes such as related conferences, seminars, training and green building events.

For further information, please contact:
Mohammed Al Tawil / Sheila Baldago
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +9714 3344550
m.altawil@asdaa.com /  s.baldago@asdaa.com