The Emirates Green Building Council held its 9th Annual Congress on 17-18 November 2020, under the theme ‘Building a Sustainable Future in Uncertain Times’. This year’s event was hosted as a hybrid online/in-person event. Day one of the event was hosted entirely on the Zoom Webinar platform, while the second day was hosted at the Pullman Dubai Creekside City Centre Hotel, United Arab Emirates. The event was held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment for the fourth consecutive year.
The Congress theme was created in response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting the global dialogue the pandemic has triggered about promoting sustainability and improving resiliency to environmental, economic and social variables. The Congress looked at the current market situation for green buildings in the region, and with a wide line up of international and national speakers, provided a platform for enriching discussion on building a sustainable future. The Congress explored the role of resiliency in the green building sector, which would increase the demand for innovation and solutions within the industry. It constituted presentations and panel discussions where the speakers and audience shared expertise on to continue building sustainability while considering the ongoing crisis.