The EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings is a comprehensive set of instructions intended to serve as a guide for UAE industry professionals and building end-users. The Technical Guidelines highlight how current processes, technologies, and local and regional standards can facilitate efficient retrofit projects in the UAE.

The Technical Guidelines have been finalized and are currently under technical review by EGBC Corporate Member Consultants, WSP ME. The scheduled printing date for this important publication is toward the end of Q2 2015. We are currently inviting industry members and energy efficiency stakeholders the opportunity to sponsor the Technical Guidelines and promote the energy efficiency market in the UAE. To view the sponsorship package, please click here and/or contact Hussam in the EmiratesGBC office at hussam.eddin@emiratesgbc.org.

A big thank you to EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines Sponsors – Griffin Project Development Consultants, MAPEI, Wacker Chemicals Middle East & WSP Middle East Ltd.

The awards submissions are in and our judges are now hard at work. We are looking forward to
announcing the winners of the 3^rd Annual EGBC Awards at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on 13 May at Al Murooj Rotana in Dubai!

Have you reserved your seat to attend yet? Registration for the 2015 EGBC Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner is now open and you’ll find all the necessary information to reserve a seat or a table on the Awards website. If you did not attend the event last year and need inspiration before joining us in 2015, you can catch up by checking out the 2014 video on the EGBC YouTube Channel!

A big thank you to the 2015 Awards sponsors – Platinum: Jotun Paints – Silver: Caparol, Brookfield Multiplex, BK Gulf. Should your company be interested in sponsoring the event please contact Hussam at hussam.eddin@emiratesgbc.org.

In March, the Green Key National Jury validated the certification renewal of 15 hotels, and the EmiratesGBC office has been working full speed to finalize the renewal of the other hotels and reach out to new properties.

Green Key is non-governmental, non-profit and independent program which underlines the environment-friendly energy, water and waste management commitment of hotels, serviced apartments and other accommodation facilities. If you would like to know more about Green Key or register as Green Key auditor, contact Marie at greenkey@emiratesgbc.org.

After a few months the EGBC Hospitality Program is moving again with the design of sustainability training directed to hotel staff and management. The training modules are expected to cover general information on sustainability and the incentives to operate “green”; they will also approach in more details technical topics on energy, waste and water management to provide ready-to-use solutions and allow properties to improve their performance easily and at low cost. EGBC members who want to contribute to the design and conduction of these training modules are welcome to join the task force. Please contact Marie at office@emiratesgbc.org to get more details.

EmiratesGBC has various events mapped out for the year for which we would like to invite our corporate members and other contributors from the industry to extend support through sponsorship opportunities. From the 2-hour Networking Events to half day Focus Days, these educational and informative events provide a platform for various stakeholders to share knowledge and contribute to positive change in the green building industry. Click here to view the 2015 EGBC events calendar.

A number of the upcoming events will closely support the objectives of the EmiratesGBC Energy Efficiency Program and Hospitality Program and will build important dialogue in these key sectors. Please contact us at events@emiratesgbc.org if you are interested to sponsor an upcoming EmiratesGBC event or if you would like to suggest event topics.

Does the Green Building Industry Suffer from a lack of FM? On Monday April 20^th EGBC and MEMFA will be hosting a joint networking event addressing this topic. Join us at Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. Participation for members is AED 50 and AED 150 for non-members. Please email events@emiratesgbc.org to register for the event.

Insulation products are widely used in conjunction with other components of building materials to provide thermal, acoustic, fire and impact resistant properties for buildings. The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) have commissioned a report on the local industry to evaluate the applicable local and international building insulation and compliance codes.

On April 14^th, industry representatives will gather at the EmiratesGBC headquarters to address the challenges in ensuring safety, quality, performance and uniformity in insulation materials used for construction projects. The discussion will be based on an ADQCC’s report which informs the development of a voluntary product certification program for specific insulation materials.

Mark your calendar to attend the session which starts at 2:30pm – 4:30pm, and register by emailing technicalworkshops@emiratesgbc.org. Seating is limited, so registration is a must. We look forward to your participation! Please note that participation is exclusive for EmiratesGBC members and partners.

EmiratesGBC offers a series of professional training programs in partnership with British University in Dubai (BUiD). Our two upcoming LEED trainings are ideal for professionals who will go on to take the credential exam.

On April 17-18, the two day LEED Green Associate course equips participants with an up-to-date understanding of the most current green building principles and practices. On May 8-9, the two day LEED Accredited Professional (Operations + Maintenance) course focuses on implementing sustainable practices, improving performance, heightening efficiency and reducing environmental impact in existing buildings through enhanced operations and maintenance.

Also on the calendar for this quarter is the Certified Energy Manager training, which will be held June 7-10 in Abu Dhabi. The CEM qualification is aimed toward engineers and architects working in the areas of energy engineering or energy management.

For more information and to register for upcoming courses, please contact BUiD.

There are a number of upcoming conferences and exhibitions in the UAE that offer an opportunity to create awareness on sustainable building practices, and EmiratesGBC is pleased to support them.

In April, EmiratesGBC is supporting the 3^rd Outdoor Design and Build Show in Dubai on the 13-15^th, an event for outdoor design, construction and landscaping, catering to the entire spectrum of hard and soft landscape products and services. To register for a free pass to the event, click here.

The World Green Economy Summit taking place in Dubai alongside WETEX on 22-23 April is also supported by EmiratesGBC. Under the patronage of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and in partnership with Dubai Energy and Water Authority, the summit is a defined platform for developing a green economy market place with a strategic influence on international, national and regional economic agendas as well as connecting global drivers for green trade and investment.

Looking onwards to May, EmiratesGBC will be supporting Smart Skyscrapers, taking place in Dubai from May 11-12^th.  Held under the patronage of the Dubai Municipality, the 2-day event is focused on building sustainable skyscrapers in Dubai and will showcase innovative sustainable building technologies, design principles and solutions for high-rise green buildings from around the world. EmiratesGBC members can avail a 15% discount by contacting the organizers.

As a member-driven organization, Emirates Green Building Council is proud of what its members achieve in the green building sector and sustainable development. We invite you to share with us your success stories, case studies, awards and prizes, and we’ll be happy to place a mention in our monthly newsletter or on our website. By sharing your achievements and best practices, you will be contributing to the industry’s knowledge pool and thereby helping further the green building concept. Contact office@emiratesgbc.org to share your successes.

Members of EmiratesGBC’s board were busy this month, proudly representing Emirates Green Building Council at various conferences and seminars across the UAE. Chairman Saeed Al Abbar delivered the keynote address during the Retrofit Tech Conference (March 16-17). Sarfraz Dairkee, EGBC’s Board Secretary, spoke at the District Cooling Stakeholders Summit (March 17-18), Building Future Learning Spaces (March 23-25), Dubai-Tomorrow Summit (March 25-26), and the Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference (March 30-31). Jane Boyle of WSP also spoke on behalf of EmiratesGBC at a Sustainable Building seminar hosted by the Belgium Economic Mission (March 26).