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 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!

Buildings account for nearly 40% of energy related carbon emissions globally and it is vital to start decarbonisation to limit global warming to below 2°C. By using the International Living Future Institute’s Zero Carbon and Zero Energy, projects can show their commitment to decarbonisation by limiting both operational and embodied carbon emissions.

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.

World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment now has 110 signatories! We now have eight EmiratesGBC members, AESG, Buro Happold, Cundall, JLL, 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.

Registration is open! Purchase your delegate pass today for access to two days of expert presentations & panel discussions under the theme ‘Building a Sustainable Future in Uncertain Times’ on 17th & 18th November 2020.

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.

Our experts including the following speakers:

• Cristina Gamboa, CEO, WorldGBC
• Marc Weiss, Chairman & CEO, Global Urban Development
• Dr Navid Hanif, Director, UN Nations
• Christina Raab, Vice President, Cradle to Cradle Products
• Helen Burdett, Lead, Circular Economy and Innovation, World Economic Forum
• Ann Marie Aguilar, Senior Vice President; EMEA Region, International WELL Building Institute
• Emmanuel Normant, VP for Sustainable Development, Saint-Gobain
• Dr Nasser Saidi, Chairman, Clean Energy Business Council
• Ibrahim Al Zubi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Majid Al Futtaim
• Engineer Othaiba Al Qaydi, Ministry of Climate Change & Environment
• Yousuf Mohammed Ibrahim, Director of Environmental Safety & Health, Dubai Health Authority

Through dedicated panel discussion, they 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. Take a look and the agenda and meet the speakers.

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. With limited spaces available, don’t miss your opportunity to attend: Click here to register.

A big thank you to platinum partners Knauf and Majid Al Futtaim – we are grateful for their commitment to the EmiratesGBC flagship events which provide an important platform and forum for discussion and collaboration in the industry. We are also pleased to welcome Corporate Member, Cundall as a session sponsor for this year’s Congress and thank them for their ongoing support to EmiratesGBC. If you are interested in partnering with EmiratesGBC via our sponsorship opportunities please contact us by email.

We are getting ready to announce the shortlisted and winners of the MENA Green Building Awards at the prestigious Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on 18^th November in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

We are pleased to announce that Enova and Multiplex have confirmed their support for the awards as category sponsors, 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.

As the 9th Annual Congress and MENA Green Building Awards approach, we are proud once again to announce that this will be a carbon neutral event. We would like to thank EmiratesGBC Corporate Member Farnek, in helping us receive a Certified Emissions Reductions certificate Excellence confirming that our event will be carbon neutral. This year we are happy to support the DEWA Chiller Station L Project (CDM Project 7260) through adopting the clean development mechanism. By receiving this certificate we have prevented one tonne of CO2 emissions for the equivalent one tonne being emitted through a registered carbon project. The Chiller Station L Project has recorded high rates of reduction of around 27,000 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. This is one of the few CDM projects in the Gulf producing carbon credit units, where around 95,000 carbon credit units have been issued so far. We are proud to support the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and further enhance Dubai’s pathway to a green economy. In addition to offsetting the carbon emissions of the event, EmiratesGBC are working closely with the venue to reduce the environmental impact of both events and follow green hospitality best practice!

We’re happy to announce that on October 26th, we launched our latest publication, Advancing Deep Retrofits in the UAE. The study was conducted to understand the current UAE retrofit market awareness and capabilities, as well as the challenges and opportunities related to deep building retrofit projects. It aims to support the industry and government to explore solutions, approaches and incentives to retrofitting buildings that go beyond current renovation programmes to achieve greater energy and financial savings. It showcases the viewpoints of the key stakeholders in the UAE retrofit market to support in the development of national and emirate level roadmaps to deep retrofits and decarbonisation of the existing building stock.

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

Click here to read the report, or here to watch the recording of the webinar.

On October 6^th, EmiratesGBC Corporate Member, HAGER, facilitated a technical webinar on Flexibility to the grid: a consumer perspective. The webinar highlighted how buildings can contribute to bring flexibility to the grid and how consumers can adapt to help the grid to balance production and consumption. You can watch the webinar here.

On November 3^rd, EmiratesGBC Corporate Member, Siemens, will be facilitating a technical webinar on How to improve Delta T and save energy with Intelligent Valves. The webinar will highlight how controlling delta T is amongst the most critical aspects for buildings efficiency and will also showcase how intelligent valves can facilitate work, save time, ensure comfort in buildings and control Delta T with a higher energy efficiency. To register, click 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.

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.

Following the successful Q3 validation by the UAE Green Key National Jury, we would like to congratulate the Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel for their first Green Key certification. We would also like to congratulate Grand Millennium Al Wahda, Address Downtown, Address Montgomerie, Vida Downtown, Palace Downtown, Raffles Dubai, Address Boulevard, and Address Dubai Mall for their recertification!

We applaud these hotels for maintaining their commitment to sustainability.

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

There is still time to register for our final Building Retrofit Training Courses of 2020 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:

11^th & 12^nd November (Introductory course)
29^th & 30^th November and 6^th & 7^th December (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. The Building Retrofit Specialist certification is now also recognized by RSB Dubai as part of its ESCO accreditation scheme.

The program offers two levels:

• 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. EmiratesGBC are partnering with a global recognized organization to provide certification to the qualification. Contact us for more details on training@emiratesgbc.org.
• 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.

“Replace your existing light bulbs with LED lights.  They are 80% more efficient than incandescent or halogen light bulbs and can save you up to 1,000 AED per bulb over its lifetime.”

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 guidance document released by CIBSE, Design Guide for Dubai: Minimum design standards for mechanical services. The guidance document aims at establishing the minimum design standards for the design of HVAC and mechanical systems for buildings in Dubai. The design, specification and installation of mechanical services are given in accordance with good engineering practice and conform to local codes, standards and guidelines, and follow applicable international codes, standards and guidelines

To read the report, click here.

This month, World GreenBuilding Council (WorldGBC) will launch its Health & Wellbeing Framework — a comprehensive educational tool for a healthy and equitable built environment — after a multi-year global consultation. The Framework will first launch in a global, online summit on November 4th, followed by the MENA launch, which EmiratesGBC will be proudly taking part in, on November 5th.

With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the link between the built environment and human health into focus, the Framework’s six principles span indoor air quality, human rights in the supply chain, climate change resilience, and more.

Calling all engineering students! CIBSE UAE has invited students across UAE to participate in a multidisciplinary building design competition.

Students will be required to pitch their building design realizing the net-zero target. The competition aims to inculcate in students the idea of Integrated Sustainable Building Design (ISBD) and inspires them to come forth with fresh, creative, innovative, and technologically driven ideas. Check out the CIBSE UAE website for more details.

Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, today unveiled the results of its study ‘Advancing Deep Retrofits in the UAE’ at the virtual EmiratesGBC webinar. According to the study, a majority (84 per cent) of the respondents, including consultants, suppliers, manufacturers and ESCO experts, agree that more than 50 per cent energy savings are possible in the UAE through deep retrofit.

The study was conducted to understand the current UAE retrofit market awareness and capabilities, as well as the challenges and opportunities related to deep building retrofit projects. It aims to support the industry and government to explore solutions, approaches and incentives to retrofitting buildings that go beyond current renovation programmes to achieve greater energy and financial savings. It showcases the viewpoints of the key stakeholders in the UAE retrofit market to support in the development of national and emirate level roadmaps to deep retrofits and decarbonisation of the existing building stock. [read more…]

The UAE is firmly committed to become greener and sustainable, which will pave the way to nurture a healthy society with the wellness of residents being the prime focus. The leadership is investing aggressively on building a smart and sustainable nation and with the pandemic, restoring and nurturing good health is a top priority. [read more…]