Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) launched the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) Project Report on January 10^th at an event in the Green Key certified Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai. EmiratesGBC in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy were joined by representatives from project partners and contributors to the event where an overview of the project and results were presented by EmiratesGBC Chairman Saeed Al Abbar and Technical Manager Majd Fayyad. A welcome address was delivered by HE Ahmad Muhairbi, Secretary General of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. We would like to thank Dubai Supreme Council of Energy for their support and partnership in this landmark project and to all those who attended the event to celebrate the publication of the report.

The study was carried out as the selected demonstration project, benchmarking the energy and water performance of Dubai hotels, schools and malls, as part of Dubai’s commitment to the BEA.

The results showed that:

• The best performing schools consume 61% less energy compared to the worst performers
• Lowest consuming malls use 35% less energy than the highest consumers
• Best performers in the hotel industry are 58% more energy efficient

EmiratesGBC’s BEA project team assessed the energy and water performance of existing buildings against similar buildings within the same typology as part of the study. A total of 121 properties, including 85 hotels, 27 schools and 9 malls, submitted data on their energy and water use.

The BEA project findings demonstrate performance disparity in all three groups. The study revealed that the best hotel and hotel apartment performers consume 58% less energy and 65% less water per unit area than the worst performers in the category. Older hotels are likely to consume more energy and water per unit area further highlighting the importance of retrofits. Higher star-rated hotel properties are also likely to consume slightly more energy and water per unit area with hotels and hotel apartments consuming 12% less energy and 36% less water, on average, per area than resorts.

As a next step, EmiratesGBC will provide the participating hotels, schools and malls with tailored scorecards to highlight the performance of the properties and to support them in deciding where urgent action is needed to increase efficiency and building performance.

Click here to read the BEA Benchmarking Report and download the fact sheets.

EmiratesGBC is pleased to announce our 2019 training schedule for the Building Retrofit Training Program. The training program teaches the fundamentals of Building Retrofit and offers the opportunity to become an EmiratesGBC certified Building Retrofit Specialist after successful completion of the Advanced course and examination. The first courses of 2019 will be held on 27^th February (Introductory) and 11^th & 12^th March (Advanced).

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

• 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 certifed 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 website.  We invite you to visit the Building Retrofit Training webpage to register. EmiratesGBC can also schedule in-house training for groups of 10 or more, please contact events@emiratesgbc.org to request a proposal.

Hear what some of our previous participants had to say about the course:

‘I took BRT because I am a non-technical professional entering the retrofit sector in Dubai, working on demand side management. This course gave me a solid overview and understanding of building/villa/structure from a retrofit perspective and the current legislation and trends in Dubai.’

On 10 December 2018 following the Annual General Meeting, the EmiratesGBC Board of Directors met and approved the Council’s Priority Areas for 2019.  The priority areas will build on the programs and projects of 2018 with increased industry engagement and growth in deliverables.  Like last year, the priority areas are linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to the global sustainability agenda as well as the UAE’s national priorities.

Strategic Priority Areas of Emirates Green Building Council for 2019 include the following, all of which members can participate and are encouraged to support:

• Net Zero Centre of Excellence – EmiratesGBC to be the focal point in UAE for the Net Zero Carbon Buildings movement
• Building Retrofit Training – Operate and expand professional training that provides capacity building for the industry and encourages retrofit of existing buildings
• Technical Publications – Serve as a hub for knowledge and information, producing technical papers and publications relevant to the green building industry
• Emirates Coalition for Green Schools – Facilitate a coalition of green schools stakeholders to encourage energy efficient operations and retrofits of existing school facilities
• Green Key – Operate and grow the Green Key eco-label in UAE, thus supporting sustainability of the hospitality sector
• MENA Green Building Awards – Operate the Annual MENA Green Building Awards program that honors companies who have demonstrated sustainable design, construction and/or operation of buildings in the region
• Education & Awareness – Host informative events, building tours and workshops to educate and build capacity on green building topics within the industry. Includes the flagship Annual Congress
• Membership – Engage the industry and support member companies committed to sustainable best practices
• Benchmarking – Provide important energy and water benchmarks in UAE for different building typologies

Earlier this month EmiratesGBC partnered with WFES (World Future Energy Summit) as the Knowledge Partner for the 2019 Green Buildings Exhibition and Forum. The event was hosted by Masdar as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability week, between  14 – 17 January 2019.

Thank you to all who visited us at our exhibition stand and joined us for the Green Building Forum on Tuesday 15^th January. We were pleased to be able to catch up with members, partners and meet new contacts and discuss the latest developments in the Green Building sector. For us, the Green Building Forum was the highlight of the WFES and it was great to see a large number of our members represented and showcasing the latest projects and activities underway in the UAE. Well done to all those who participated and we look forward to the green building discussion continuing throughout 2019.

During 2018, EmiratesGBC saw our flagship events continue to grow with the MENA Green Building Awards receiving its highest number of applications yet and the Annual EmiratesGBC Congress bringing together speakers and delegates from across the region and the world to discuss net zero cities. In 2019, we look forward to building on this success and delivering an even better programme of events.

This year the timing of our flagship events will change with the 8^th Annual EmiratesGBC Congress being held in Spring 2019 and the MENA Green Building Awards Ceremony moving to the Autumn. This is in direct response from feedback we have received from you, the members and participants of these pivotal events. The application window for the 2019 MENA Green Building Awards will open in Q2. Stay tuned for more announcements.

Details of the Congress program and the Awards application process will be announced as they become available via our website and newsletter.  If you are interested in getting involved in either of these events through sponsorship, then please get in contact via engagement@emiratesgbc.org

At the end of January, EmiratesGBC participated and exhibited in the Khalifa University Career Fair in Abu Dhabi. During the event, we met with young students and recent graduates from architecture and engineering disciplines hoping to build a career in sustainability. It was refreshing to see their enthusiasm and a strong understanding of the need to bring sustainability principles with them into their chosen career paths.

As the sustainability leaders of the future, we invite students to become members of the Council and taking the opportunity to participate in EmiratesGBC’s educational events and networking opportunities. If you are a student interested in joining the Council or know of a student who would be interested in joining, please visit our website to learn more.

The 2018 MENA Green Building Awards were held in May 2018 and celebrated achievements, success stories and best practices across the region.  Each month we since we have showcased the winner of one category, and this month we look at Green Residential Building of the Year, which recognized residential developments that have demonstrated a clear understanding of how to implement sustainable housing and community development

Winner: Masdar Neighbourhood One Residences Phase 1 by Multiplex Constructions LLC

Neighbourhood One Residences Phase 1 is a Grade A residential development located in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. The project has achieved LEED Platinum and Estidama 3-Pearl ratings; and has been designed & built to minimise energy output, minimise the embodied carbon emissions and maximise the building efficiency. The project implemented a number of innovative design and construction practices, in addition to the highest health & safety, quality and environmental standards onsite

Congratulations Multiplex!

To find out more about the 2018  awards and category winners, take a look at the awards brief and continue to support the MENA Green Building Awards through social media by using the hashtag #MENAGBAwards

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

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 certifed 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 website.  We invite you to visit the Building Retrofit Training webpage to register your interest in the 2019 courses which will be announced in January. EmiratesGBC can also schedule in-house training for groups of 10 or more, please contact events@emiratesgbc.org to request a proposal.

Hear what some of our previous participants had to say about the course:

‘I took BRT because I am a non-technical professional entering the retrofit sector in Dubai, working on demand-side management. This course gave me a solid overview and understanding of building/villa/structure from a retrofit perspective and the current legislation and trends in Dubai.’

We encourage you to improve your lifestyle, not just for today but for all of 2019, by adopting an EmiratesGBC Green Building Tooltip.  This month’s tip is focused on the use of fans in the home.  With temperatures hard to pinpoint this month, jumping from warm to cool,  indoor air temperature changes are noticeable.  We, therefore, invite you to consider ceiling and floor fans which can go a long way with providing good cooling and can reduce the frequent need to turn on air conditioners. Using ceiling fans solely or coupled with AC can allow indoor temperatures to rise up to 28 C yet still have an indoor environment within the comfort zone due to the increased air velocity. This is practical if there is no humidity. Fans also enable individual control of thermal comfort levels which studies show improve occupancy rates and satisfaction.

The EmiratesGBC Green Building Tooltips is a rich 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 Legrand, EmiratesGBC board members underlining their commitment to promoting sustainability, and is supported by Taqati whose mission is tied to achieving Dubai’s sustainability goals.

We urge you to visit the Green Building Tooltips on our website to test out this valuable tool and pursue a greener lifestyle whether it be at home, school or the office.

The 2018 Technical Workshops aligned with the principles of the global Net Zero buildings movement addressed the principles of reducing demand and increasing efficiency within buildings. The 2018 workshops also looked at other important global green building movements such as health and wellbeing and sustainable building practices in construction and building management.

For a full overview and technical briefs of the topics addressed in 2018, please click here.

We are looking forward to your participation in 2019 – our technical workshops are a fantastic platform for knowledge sharing, tackling the challenges faced by the industry and finding solutions through already existing technologies and innovations.

Are you an EmiratesGBC member or partner and would like to facilitate a technical workshop? Our calendar is open for 2019; we encourage you to bring your topic suggestions forth.

If you have any suggestions for topics you would like to address, we would like to hear from you.  Email us at technicalworkshops@emiratesgbc.org.

Following our successful launch of the Building Efficiency Accelerator Benchmarking Report, this month we look at the International Energy Agency’s Energy Efficiency Report 2018, which tracks global energy efficiency trends and indicators. The Report shows that despite progress on energy efficiency, growth in energy demand is accelerating. However, demand would be much higher if not for progress on energy efficiency, and energy efficiency alone can deliver substantial economic, environmental and social benefits. The Report also highlights that, in the buildings sector, the Efficiency World Scenario (EWS) highlights the opportunity to improve efficiency per unit of floor area by nearly 40% compared with current levels.

Click here to read more.

If you are interested in using EmiratesGBC office space for a workshop or meeting, please get in touch with us at 04-3468244 or send us an email to office@emiratesgbc.org. The room is fully equipped with AV and provides a nice environment for focused meetings or training workshops.

Click here to learn more about how the Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings can potentially save your facility and/or home millions in utility bills and reduced operational costs.  Copies are available in both English and Arabic for purchase at the EmiratesGBC office.

EmiratesGBC also offers a free copy of the Technical Guidelines, as part of your registration and participation in the Building Retrofit Training Workshop. For more details, please click here to complete registration.

The keynote address was delivered by Habiba Al Marashi, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC). With a special focus on EmiratesGBC’s contribution to leading transformation in the Green Building Industry, she said: “EmiratesGBC is a non-for profit established in the year 2006 and is a membership-based organisation. We do not work in isolation, instead we work in collaboration. Though the journey is young, the numbers are promising.” Al Marashi highlighted that there is a clear strategy of diversifying energy with regard to retrofits. “Today, we are talking about the business case and while we are very responsible, the customer is educated and respects the developer to be doing his work in a responsible manner,” she said. “The UAE government wants to ensure sustainable development, while preserving the environment and achieving the perfect balance between social and economic development,” she added.

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Dubai has achieved the majority of sustainable development goals that fall under SDG 11 of the UN’s 2030 agenda, said speakers at the third annual UAE Public Policy Forum (PPF) that commenced at the Intercontinental Hotel on Sunday.

In a panel discussion titled ‘Sustainable and resilient cities: opportunities and policy challenges to building smart cities,’ they explored Dubai’s achievements as a city in the fields of healthcare, transport and basic services, while discussing future development goals.

SDG 11, focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Meanwhile, looking at future goals, Saeed Al Abbar, managing director, chairman of the board at Emirates Green Building Council, referred to the Net Zero Carbon Building Commitment in the UAE, which signed on 22 cities during the Climate Action Summit in September.

“The agreement states that by 2030 every new building that we build has to be operating at net zero carbon, and by 2050 we have to make sure that all our buildings are operating on net zero carbon,” said Al Abbar.

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Dubai – MENA Herald:While several schools, malls and hotels in Dubai are way ahead in achieving high levels of energy and water use efficiency, others need to pace up their sustainability commitment to ensure they are aligned with the sustainable development vision of the nation.

This was revealed in the results of the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) Project Report, prepared by Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices.

The BEA project is led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) under the UN programme, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), which aims to accelerate implementation of building efficiency policies and programs, and double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.

Dubai is the first and only city in the Middle East committed to the BEA, and EmiratesGBC is serving as the BEA City Liaison in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) to evaluate the energy performance of hotels, schools and malls in the city.

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This was revealed in the results of the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) Project Report.

Newly-opened Dubai schools are likely to consume more energy and water than older schools while a mall in Dubai consumes 57 per cent more energy than a mall in the US.

This was revealed in the results of the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) Project Report, prepared by the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) and shared on Thursday.

The EmiratesGBC said there is a considerable gap in energy and water usage across hotels, schools and malls in Dubai.

“While some of these institutions are way ahead in achieving high levels of energy and water use efficiency, others need to pace up their sustainability commitment to ensure they are aligned with the UAE’s sustainable development vision,” the EmiratesGBC emphasised.

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The report included schools, malls and hotels in Dubai in a bid to aid the built sector to pace up their sustainability commitment

Emirates Green Building Council (Emirates GBC) released its latest findings on its Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA).

The report included schools, malls and hotels in Dubai in a bid to aid the built sector to pace up their sustainability commitment and ensure they are aligned with the sustainable development vision of the nation.

The BEA project is led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) under the UN programme, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), which aims to accelerate implementation of building efficiency policies and programs, and double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.

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