• Last date for submissions is February 19, 2015, 5pm (UAE time)
• Emirates Green Building Council Awards records strong response from the MENA region
• Awards to be presented in seven categories including special honour for exceptional student research work around green building

Dubai, UAE; February 4, 2015: Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, has recorded strong interest for its EGBC 2015 Awards that honour excellence in sustainability initiatives. Organisations and individuals from across the Middle East and North Africa region can submit their entries until February 19, 2015 at 5pm (UAE time).
Following the strong response to the first two editions of the Awards, this year’s EGBC Awards will include four new additional-subcategories within the Green Building of the Year Award, to highlight the efforts by the different types of buildings and sectors to green their facilities and operations.

Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: “The positive response received to the EGBC Awards demonstrates the increasing interest across the region in promoting green and sustainable building initiatives. The Awards represent a key programme by EmiratesGBC and play a pivotal role in our strategy to encourage the implementation of sustainable practices across the construction and building industry.”

The six main categories of the EGBC 2015 Awards are: Green Facility Management Organisation of the Year, Green Building Material/Product Award, Green Building System Award, Green Building Research Award, Training Initiative of the Year; and Green Building of the year. The honour of Green Building of the Year will be presented in four new sub-categories this year including Green hotel, Green School, Green Commercial Building and Green Residential Building.

A special Dr Owainati Award for Students, sponsored by EmiratesGBC co-founder Dr Sadek Owainati, will also be awarded to a UAE university student for exceptional research work on a subject related to green buildings in the Middle East. To qualify for the Dr Owainati Award for Students, the research topic must be directly applicable to green building design, technology, construction or operation with emphasis on its applicability in the MENA region.

More details on fees, application form and guidelines are available on the EmiratesGBC website (www.emiratesgbc.org/awards ). For details, email: egbcawards@emiratesgbc.org. The award winners will be announced at an Awards ceremony in May this year.

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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 / Sonia Blanco

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller

+9714 4507600

kelly.home@bm.com / sonia.blanco@bm.com