Dubai, UAE; May 4, 2014: Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, joined hands with Middle East Facility Management Association (MEFMA), the dedicated platform for the Facility Management (FM) industry, to host a networking event focused on the newest trends in green community development and management.

The event, held in Abu Dhabi, discussed two key topics: Manufacturing a green community, presented in partnership with Musanada (Abu Dhabi General Services), which highlighted the ‘Green Mosque’ initiative. The discussion focused on the best practices in developing green communities, and how energy and water resources can be effectively managed for a sustainable future.

The second discussion was on how intelligence enabled by the Internet-of-Things (IoT) will prevent the leakage of revenue and profits for facility management customers. It put the spotlight on newest technologies and leveraging information technology to maximise FM efficiency for the long-term welfare of green community residents.

The presentations were made by representatives from Khidmah LLC and Intellisense. A panel session followed the presentations led by experts from Khidmah, Intellisense and Phillips Lighting.

Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: “The joint networking event with MEFMA highlighted our commitment to support the UAE’s emphasis on sustainable development by focusing on the newest trends in green community development. As green building development gains traction in the UAE, it is important to present compelling insights from the region on how technological advances can be leveraged to promote energy and water use efficiency. The innovative practices in green building will further accelerate the UAE’s green building sector.”

Ali Al Suwaidi, MEFMA Board of Director said: “Facilities management is one of the core sectors that play a critical role in the long-term sustainability of buildings. Through the joint networking event with EmiratesGBC, we highlighted how modern FM techniques and approaches can help building developers and home owners to make a difference for a greener UAE. The event is a strong example of industry collaborations to promote the UAE’s sustainable development.”

EmiratesGBC regularly hosts and participates in multinational events, conferences and forums. 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.

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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 organization 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. EmiratesGBC 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 those related to conferences, seminars, training and green building events.

For further information, please contact:

Kelly Home / Mohammed Al Tawil

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller

+9714 4507600

kelly.home@bm.com / mohammed.altawil@bm.com