EmiratesGBC is pleased to announce that during the month of June we will be launching the MENA Green Building Awards in partnership with LebanonGBC, PalestineGBC, EgyptGBC, KuwaitGBC and JordanGBC. Endorsed by the World Green Building Council, the awards program is the flagship regional event recognizing and celebrating success in green building in the Middle East which concludes every year at the much-anticipated awards ceremony and gala dinner. Keep an eye out for further announcements this month on how your organization can apply and get involved.

Support the Council’s education and technical programs by partnering with us and coming on board as a sponsor to one of our knowledge-sharing initiatives. EmiratesGBC has an exciting calendar of events throughout 2020, from webinars and focus days on our priority areas such as Net Zero Carbon Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Health & Wellness and Building Retrofit to our flagship Annual Congress and Annual MENA Green Building Awards. Additionally, we have industry publications that will launch in the second half of 2020, which will provide an opportunity to brand yourself with recent technical studies we’ve been working on.
We have a range of partnership opportunities for members which is a great way to get involved and showcase your organization’s leadership and commitment to sustainability.
To find out more, please view our sponsorship packages or contact engagement@emiratesgbc.org.

Our Net Zero Centre of Excellence was launched in 2018 as a think tank and accelerator to advance net zero carbon buildings in the UAE as part of its commitment to World Green Building Council’s Advancing Net Zero Project. We invite you to explore our website to see the work we are doing. We have also summarized our objectives and actions in the EmiratesGBC Snapshot.

One Click LCA Planetary has been officially launched and is available in nine languages and covers the ten most carbon-intensive and significant materials categories in construction. It provides both materials efficiency and embodied carbon metrics at once. Through our partnership with Bionova Ltd, the One Click LCA Planetary is available for all UAE companies for free! Join an introductory webinar for users being hosted by Bionova Ltd’s CEO Panu Pasanen, at 8am CET, on 24 June. You can register here on the webinar page.

As part of our ongoing webinar series to support the Centre’s objectives as a knowledge sharing platform and forum, we are pleased to announce a webinar on June 8th with our new partner, Bionova Ltd, developer of One Click LCA Planetary. Invitations will be sent out shortly so be sure to register and attend early!

According to the 2019 Making the Case for Building to Zero Carbon report, Zero Carbon Buildings can be achieved with a positive financial return of 1% over a 25-year life-cycle and require a modest 8% capital cost premium. Building to Zero allows assets to remain resilient and increase in value over time. The International Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon and Zero Energy Certifications, can be used to verify the design of high performance, climate-positive buildings and help projects account for both operational and embodied carbon.
If you are working on a net-zero project and would like to learn more about the certification, email us at netzero@emiratesgbc.org and we will be happy to schedule a call to discuss the benefits and process of the certification. The first 10 pilot projects in the UAE that apply to ILFI’s ZE and ZC certifications receive a discounted rate.

WorldGBC’s Commitment to becoming operationally Net Zero, has grown to 82 signatories, and you can find the full list of current signatories here. The case study library also showcases industry leaders who have signed up for the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment: 48 businesses and organizations, 28 cities, and 6 states and regions.
EmiratesGBC is proud to announce that several members have signed on and we hosted a knowledge sharing webinar, where they shared their experiences. You can watch the webinar recording here.
If you would like to join the lines of these pioneering organizations, please contact us at netzero@emiratesgbc.org.

In partnership with GBCI and as part of an ongoing webinar series on the certification tools provided by USGBC, EmiratesGBC is pleased to announce this upcoming webinar on 1 June at 4pm GST.

Join us to learn more about TRUE Zero Waste rating system and how it can help your facility go beyond recycling.

Want to learn more about the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Zero Waste certification program? TRUE projects are changing the conversation about waste by re-thinking everything that comes in and out of a facility from an upstream approach and viewing every material as a resource. We are asking businesses, campuses, and communities to go beyond recycling by reducing, reusing, rethinking, and redesigning their processes.

We will cover how TRUE integrates with LEED certification to take LEED O+M to the next level and increase efficiency and savings in daily operations. We will also discuss opportunities with Arc, LEED Zero and the circular products LEED pilot credit.

This training will provide an in-depth understanding of effective zero waste strategies such as the difference between a waste audit and a zero waste audit, and give an overview of the TRUE Advisor professional credential.

This webinar is open to all industry professionals, click here to find out more and register to attend.
If you missed our May webinar in this series on the new LEED Zero certification you can access this at the following link.

Continuing the Net Zero Webinar Series, on June 8th, we will be hosting a webinar with our recent partners, Bionova Ltd, on Embodied Carbon and how calculating lifecycle emissions can be essential drivers for carbon reduction. The session will also give an overview of the global impact of embodied carbon and how the MENA region can start progressing towards a net zero carbon future. The webinar will also show some of the capabilities of the One Click LCA Planetary tool, which will be offered free-of-charge for UAE companies as part of the partnership with EmiratesGBC. The webinar is open to all and you can register to attend at the following link.

The Net Zero Centre of Excellence Live Webinar series is ongoing and is organized by EmiratesGBC to explore and educate on topics relating to Net Zero in the UAE and beyond. If you missed any of the previous webinars in the series then you can access and watch back on our youtube channel.

On 18th May, EmiratesGBC and WorldGBC co-hosted an educational webinar on air quality in the built environment in the MENA Region and the air quality monitoring campaign, Plant a Sensor. Expert speakers from EmiratesGBC member organizations, Saint Gobain and Siemens, shared presentations around air quality in the Middle East. The webinar concluded with a moderated panel discussion led by Catriona Brady, Head of the Better Places for People Campaign, WorldGBC. We received great questions from the audience highlighting the importance of the topic and the need for further monitoring, research and awareness in the UAE.
We look forward to exploring this topic further and learning more about the innovative work of our members striving to improve the indoor environmental quality of buildings in the UAE. If you were unable to attend then you can watch back the webinar on our YouTube channel here.

EmiratesGBC hosts multiple events throughout the year in a variety of formats and covering a wide breadth of topics. Drawing on our members’ expertise and knowledge, we curate panel discussions, webinars, presentations and conferences that go beyond the current conversation and discuss the latest innovations and issues in the sector. If you are a member with a story to tell or interested in getting involved through speaking opportunities or would like to share ideas, please contact us at events@emiratesgbc.org with details of the topic and nominated speaker.
EmiratesGBC corporate members can fill out the speakers form and submit to events@emiratesgbc.org

On May 5th, a webinar was facilitated by EmiratesGBC Corporate Members, Farah Naz and Mahavir Shah from Buro Happold under our Net Zero Webinar Series. The webinar focused on the Energy Modelling of Net Zero Buildings and shared industry best practices on energy modelling and discussed key lessons learnt to minimize the performance gaps between energy models and the real operation of buildings. To watch the webinar recording, click here.

On June 17th, EmiratesGBC Corporate Members, Sagar Kulkarni from Consistent Engineering Consultants, will be facilitating a technical webinar on Optimizing Load and Ventilation Rates for Office Buildings. The session will describe the energy consumption patterns in office buildings and discuss the advantages of lifecycle analysis. The webinar will share a case study of how air conditioning load was reduced by almost 20-25% by proper and detailed engineering.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will be providing technical webinars moving forward. If you are interested in facilitating a workshop/webinar in Q4 2020 please email us at technicalworkshops@emiratesgbc.org.

Despite the challenging market situation due to the coronavirus, the hospitality industry has shown its commitment to the green movement in the UAE, with properties still applying for Green Key certifications and recertifications. We applaud these hotels for maintaining their commitment and we look forward to supporting you through this process.

Given that physical visits are not permitted during this period, EmiratesGBC successfully conducted its first virtual Green Key audit, reinforcing the need for organizations and companies to acclimate to unforeseen stressors, causing as little disturbance to their operations as possible.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to announce for the first time we will be running the Building Retrofit Training online!

Join our virtual sessions in July to learn the fundamentals of Building Retrofit, Energy Efficiency, Indoor environmental quality and much more through the introductory course or learn how to undertake a retrofit and become a certified Specialist through the advanced course. Each course has been divided into 4-hour modules and will be led by our expert facilitators through an online platform that can be accessed from anywhere in the region.

The program is in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) and offers two levels of training:

• Advanced Building Retrofit Training Course: This two-day course is perfect for engineers and technical experts with prior experience or currently undertaking retrofit projects who wish to enhance and streamline their knowledge of retrofit principles and methods. Participants of the course will undertake an examination which will allow them to become an EmiratesGBC certified Building Retrofit Specialist.
• Introductory Building Retrofit Training: For non-technical professionals looking for an overview of Building Retrofit methods. Led by expert facilitators, this one-day course provides knowledge of sustainability to industry professionals looking to understand the fundamentals of building retrofit.

Further information about the courses and eligibility guidelines can be found on the Building Retrofit Training webpage. EmiratesGBC can also schedule in-house training for groups of 10 or more, please contact training@emiratesgbc.org to request a proposal. EmiratesGBC members and partners will receive a 20% discount off the registration fees.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to support the Virtual WorldGBC MENA Green Building Congress on 23-24 June.

Organized by World Green Building Council under the patronage of the Minister of Climate Change and the Environment H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and in partnership with Majid Al Futtaim Holding, the WorldGBC MENA Green Building Congress 2020 will discuss the latest trends across the industry internationally and regionally.

It will also be a chance to share success stories and discuss the ways we can collectively respond to challenges facing the region. Furthermore, it will highlight means to ensure that buildings provide a high quality of life for people, minimize negative impacts on the environment, and maximize economic benefits. The Congress will be held entirely online and EmiratesGBC members are eligible for a 50% discount. Please contact us to receive the exclusive discount code or contact MENA@worldgbc.org.

EmiratesGBC is very pleased to offer its members an exclusive 50% discount to attend the Global Green Building programme developed and offered by the UK Green Building Council – this online course is designed to connect built environment professionals virtually and globally to share examples, and best practices on green building. The focus that runs throughout the programme is ‘how to deliver net zero’ in your respective projects, buildings and businesses.
The programme runs throughout June on the Moodle Online Learning platform and entails guided learning throughout, facilitated by Green Building Council (UK, World and other European GBCs) experts.
A range of activities, seminars, readings and case examples are provided throughout with forum discussions and debates to explore the key challenges to achieving sustainable buildings and net zero. It has been specifically designed to run virtually at this time of remote working.
To find out more contact training@emiratesgbc.org

“IAQ Testing: We spend 90% of our time indoors, hence it is extremely important to test the quality of indoor air. Common contaminants that are typically found in indoor air include carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, aldehyde, hydrocarbons, mold, pesticides, asbestos, and several known allergens such as dust mints, pet dander and insect parts.”

The above is one of many useful tips available through the EmiratesGBC Green Building Tooltips. The Tooltips is an online platform serving to further educate the industry and community on simple green building practices. The interactive designs cover three different building typologies, showcasing home, school and office buildings.  The initiative is powered by BASF and Rain Bird and is supported by Taqati.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to be a supporting association for the 10^th edition of the upcoming MEFMA CONFEX which has been rescheduled to take place from November 8 – 11^th , 2020 in Dubai under the theme of ‘Facility Management Transformation towards Sustainable Development’. For further information visit the event website.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to support the 6th Annual Retrofit Tech MENA which will now take place from 7-8 September 2020 in Roda Al Bustan Hotel, Dubai, UAE, to address the latest retrofit innovations to accelerate the growth of the retrofit sector in the UAE and MENA region.

This prestigious annual gathering of high-level decision makers and industry trailblazers presents an ideal platform for energy efficiency management services companies and solution providers to showcase their innovative technologies and solutions, and learn more about the upcoming projects in the UAE and the MENA region as a whole.

EmiratesGBC will be participating in the conference and sharing insights around the energy efficiency and benchmarking in the UAE. EmiratesGBC members are eligible for a discount upon registering for more details contact opportunities@acm-events.com.

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/2VhOaFS.

1)This month we look at a report from RICS, Cities, health and well-being, which describes that there is an ‘urban health advantage’ in that the economic, social and governance opportunities of cities can promote healthier living. The report also highlights how built environment professionals working across the public and private sector can make use of this knowledge to integrate health-promoting policies and design into new developments and regeneration projects of all scales.
To read the report, click here.

2) Preparing an office for safe re-occupation: CIBSE launches guides on air-con & HVAC
CIBSE has launched a series of guides to help businesses understand more about air handling and HVAC in light of COVID. The Institution, whose membership includes the UK’s leading experts on ventilation and air quality in buildings, has produced a series of guides for businesses looking to understand how their workspaces can be re-populated while minimizing risk to their staff. To learn more and access the guides, click here.

Incense burning and hookah smoking is reducing air quality inside homes and malls in the Gulf, a study has found. The new research said pollution caused by construction was also penetrating buildings in the region. Experts noted indoor air quality was particularly important in the Middle East given high temperatures tended to mean people spent longer inside.
The study warned long-term exposure to poor air quality could result in respiratory disease and cancer. Farah Yassine, vice-chairperson of the Emirates Green Building Council, which promotes the development of more environmentally friendly buildings, said that incense burning was “deeply rooted” in UAE culture. [Read More].

Urban planners need to adapt more rapid and holistic approach for ‘city resilience’ strategies in the post COVID-19 world, according to the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC).

“The current pandemic, a major shock to the world, opened everyone’s eyes towards urban planning and resilience, [and] that deserves more weightage in the post pandemic world”, said Huda Shaka, Secretary to the Board, EGBC and Associate Director of Urban Planning at Arup, in an interview with Zawya Projects.

She said the post COVID-19 world will see a revival of interest in the idea of ‘city resilience’, that effectively responds to sudden shocks like economic crisis, infrastructure failure, droughts, heat waves, flash floods, pandemics and long-term stresses like depleting water resources, migration or employment opportunities. [Read More].