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 summarised our objectives and actions in the EmiratesGBC Snapshot.

One Click LCA Planetary is available for all UAE companies for free through our partnership with Bionova Ltd. As part of supporting low embodied carbon practices in the industry, World Business Council for Sustainable Development is conducting a survey, Best Practices for decarbonising construction contracts, to increase the adoption of best practices in the industry.

Please visit this link to fill out the survey by October 9^th.

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 increases in asset value over time, rather decreasing. 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.

We are very pleased to announce ten new signatories to World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, bringing the total to 110! We now have seven EmiratesGBC members, AESG, Buro Happold, Cundall, Majid Al Futtaim, Mott MacDonald, Multiplex and Shaw Contract committed. You can find the full list of current signatories here. The case study library also showcases industry leaders who have signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment: 76 businesses and organisations, 28 cities, and 6 states and regions.

If you would like to join the lines of these pioneering organizations, please contact us at netzero@emiratesgbc.org.

Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, this year the Annual EmiratesGBC Congress will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction and building sector and reflect on the opportunities that arise in these uncertain times to build a sustainable and resilient future.

International and regional experts will discuss the role of sustainability in the transition from crisis to recovery and reflect on the trends that will shape the future of urban areas. Through a series of presentations and panel discussions, we will explore how commitments to climate action and achieving the SDG’s can support organisations in these uncertain times.

This year’s Congress will be a hybrid online and in-person event providing the opportunity for delegates from across the region to join the conversation.

The Congress is supported by platinum partners Knauf and Majid Al Futtaim Congress and we are grateful for their ongoing commitment to supporting EmiratesGBC flagship events which provide a platform and forum for discussion and collaboration in the industry. If you are interested in partnering with EmiratesGBC via our sponsorship opportunities please contact us by email.

Judging is ongoing for the MENA Green Building Awards. The award process is audited by KPMG to ensure the high standards of fairness and transparency are carried out during this assessment phase. We identify the shortlisted organizations at the end of October and the winners will be revealed at the prestigious MENA Green Building Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on 18^th November.

We are pleased to announce that Enova has confirmed their support for the awards as category sponors, joining Knauf and Majid Al Futtaim as Platinum Partner for the 2020 Awards. The support from our partners is invaluable in delivering this high quality regional program.

The awards are endorsed by World Green Building Council and held in partnership with regional Green Building Councils from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco and Palestine. To encourage academia engagement, the awards also includes the Dr. Owainati Student Excellence Award, an award eligible for students based in UAE who showcase outstanding work in sustainability. The Student Excellence Award is sponsored by Dr. Sadek Owainati, a Co-Founder of EmiratesGBC.

Before we announce and celebrate our 2020 applicants, check out the previous winners of the MENA Green Building Awards from across the region. To find out more, please visit the MENA Green Building Awards website.

We are excited to announce that we will be publishing findings from the Advancing Deep Retrofit in the UAE study this month. Initiated during the EmiratesGBC Deep Retrofit focus day in November 2019, the study was conducted to help explore region specific solutions and approaches to retrofitting buildings that go beyond current renovation programs, and which achieve greater energy and financial savings.

The published study results will support the industry by updating the potential of deep retrofits through an assessment of the associated market expectations, readiness, challenges, and opportunities.

Join us on the 26th September at this knowledge sharing webinar where we will present an overview of the study findings and be joined by industry & representatives to discuss the opportunities and challenges in delivering deep retrofits in the UAE. Click here to register to attend.

The publication has been developed with the support of Saint Gobain, Danfoss & Majid Al Futtaim.

As part of World Green Building Week, EmiratesGBC launched the 2020 UAE Green Building Market Brief. To celebrate the occasion we brought together industry representatives in a webinar to discuss the current status of green buildings in the UAE and discuss the opportunities and trends that will be shaping the built environment in the years to come. It was a lively discussion with the speakers reflecting on the achievements and progress to date in the UAE before calling on industry and government to keep up the momentum and support achievement of the UAE’s green economy goals. If you missed the webinar you can view again at the following link.

Thank you to our highlight sponsor’s KEO and supporting sponsor Majid Al Futtaim for supporting the publication of the brief and thank you to all the speakers who contributed to a lively discussion.

On September 15^th, EmiratesGBC Corporate Members, Grfn and Carrier, facilitated a joint technical webinar, A New Normal: A Healthier Indoor Environment, on how the indoor environment can be controlled to create a healthier indoor environment. The webinar also provided practical guidance on safe HVAC operation and procedures during COVID-19. You can watch the webinar here.

On October 6^th, we will have a technical webinar being facilitated by EmiratesGBC Corporate Member, HAGER. More information will be given in the upcoming invitations so, be sure to keep an eye out. You can check our upcoming webinars and events here.

We are happy to announce that our 2020 calendar is fully booked for workshops/webinars. If you are interested in facilitating a workshop/webinar in Q1 2021 please email us at technicalworkshops@emiratesgbc.org.

Tell us what is important to your organisation!

Emirates Green Building Council is requesting your professional input to help shape the future of EmiratesGBC’s programs and deliverables.

The following market survey is targeted at private sector organisations working in the building and construction industry and should take approximately 15 minutes of your time to complete. The results will feed into EmiratesGBC’s 3-year strategy.

We thank you in advance for supporting our efforts and commitment to furthering sustainable development. Please leave your contact details at the end of the survey should you wish to be contacted for an interview to share more feedback.

Please consider supporting our 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 the remainder of 2020, from webinars and workshops 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 September and October 2020, which will provide an opportunity to brand yourself with valuable 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. We invite you to find out more – please view our sponsorship packages or contact engagement@emiratesgbc.org.

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.

To further extend our support to the UAE hospitality sector, we are proud to announce that EmiratesGBC is offering Green Key certified properties a complimentary membership for the remainder of 2020. Please confirm your interest in membership by emailing greenkey@emiratesgbc.org. We are also happy to offer a 50% discounted corporate rate for 2021, should you wish to continue your membership.

Green Key International has entered an agreement with “Travel Without Plastic”, a social enterprise with a focus on how the use of plastic can be limited in the hospitality industry. See the announcement of the cooperation here. Travel Without Plastic has produced various resource material that the Green Key establishments can purchase with a 15% discount on www.travelwithoutplastic.com (using the code GreenKey15).

Visit the UAE Green Key webpage to see a list of the UAE’s Green Key certified hotels.

If you would like to find out more about the Green Key certification and how we can support you, please contact greenkey@emiratesgbc.org.

Register for the upcoming October and November Introductory and Advanced Building Retrofit Training courses and improve your skills, knowledge and employability. 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.

Upcoming Online Course Dates:

21^st & 22^nd October (Introductory course)
4^th, 5^th, 8^th 9^th November (Advanced course)

The program is in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) and is endorsed by Etihad ESCO.

New Update! RSB Dubai now recognizes the Building Retrofit Specialist certification as part of its ESCO accreditation scheme.

• 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 and provides knowledge of sustainability to industry professionals looking to understand the fundamentals of building retrofit.

Further information about the courses, dates 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.

“Buy grocery items packaged in glass instead of plastic. Or buy groceries packaged in larger containers instead of smaller containers, for example, when buying yogurt, milk, and any other product where the choice is available”

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.

This month, we look at the 2019 Annual Report of the Demand Side Management Strategy (DSM) 2030, published by Taqati. The Demand Side Management (DSM) programs and measures encourage and empower consumers to reduce their electricity and water consumption by 30% by 2030 using energy efficiency technologies and changing their consumption behaviour. The 2019 savings achieved 5.3 TWh of electricity, a reduction of 11.3% vs. business as usual and 9.6 BIG of water, a reduction of 7.7% vs. business as usual.

To read the report, click here.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to partner with DEWA as a knowledge partner for this year’s WETEX which will be held virtually between 26^th – 29^th October. Join us during the event where we will be sharing the results of our Advancing Deep Retrofit’s study.