Inclusion and diversity starts at the very beginning with the hiring process: with adopting inclusive hiring practices and ensuring a comfortable working environment where everyone can thrive. Learn more about the benefits of inclusive hiring practices and listen to the experiences of HR professionals and women working in factory settings in this webinar with the EmiratesGBC Women’s Network and BMI Group.

The MENA Green Building Awards are returning for their 11th cycle, and applications will be opening in July!

The  Awards celebrate excellence and best practices in the built environment across the design, construction and operation of building projects in the MENA region covering 16 different categories.

In its 11th cycle, the Awards program strengthens the green building movement in the region by honouring the outstanding work of private and public sector entities, associations, consultants, as well as green building and sustainability practitioners.

The Awards are endorsed by the World Green Building Council and are organised in partnership with eight regional Green Building Councils, and are open to all organisations and projects demonstrating green building excellence in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Read about the highlights of the Congress here:

UAE explores sustainable city design at Green Building event ahead of COP28

EmiratesGBC Congress explores connectivity, liveability, and sustainability

“The 11th EmiratesGBC will provide an important platform for key players in the industry to explore the ideal path towards decarbonisation by sharing innovative solutions and demonstrating our commitment to tackling climate change ahead of our nation’s presidency of next year’s COP28.” – Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Honorary President of EmiratesGBC

As the UAE is going Net Zero in 2050, a lot of work is needed, and one of the most important ways to achieve this commitment is to look back at our old buildings and see how you can make them efficient.

We would like to invite you to register to our globally certified Building Retrofit Training.

The program was created to provided awareness and technical guidance to industry professionals on the the economically viable methods that can be implemented to improve a building’s environmental performance by reducing a building’s use of energy and water and improving the indoor environmental quality. The course provides knowledge and skills to deliver improved operational efficiency and achieve financial savings.

Emirates Green Building Council is taking part in the steering committee of Advancing Net zero team at WorldGBC’s global programme. It is working towards total sector decarbonisation by 2050.  The committee the collaboration among a number of Green Building Councils across the network to develop tools, programmes and resources to promote the urgency and achievability of net zero carbon buildings and build industry capacity to deliver them.

According to the latest Global Status Report 2021, CO2 emissions from the operation of buildings have increased to their highest level yet at around 10 GtCO2, or 28% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions. With the inclusion of emissions from the buildings construction industry, this share increases to 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions. The whole carbon lifecycle of a building should be addressed, including both operational and embodied carbon.

To overcome the market gaps identified above, EmiratesGBC created a Working Group (WG) under the Net Zero Centre for Excellence with direct attention/awareness of the industry towards embodied carbon (EC) in the UAE through publishing useful guidance. Guidelines consider the whole lifecycle, Region specific issues related to embodied carbon and importance for lowering EC, Basics of embodied carbon, regional targets set for lowering EC (if any), Overview Process for calculating EC (the detailed process would not be discussed as this is already well documented), Carbon data sources, EPDs, where carbon saving can be made, and regional case studies.

The Green Key programme is a leading standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. It is operated internationally under the management of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) with Head Offices in Copenhagen, Denmark. FEE has national member organisations in more than 70 countries worldwide where Emirates Green Building Council is the national operator in the United Arab Emirates.

Recently, the Green Key National Jury of United Arab Emirates awarded the internationally recognised Green Key certificate to the following hotels:

• Rove La Mer

Rove Hotels has become part of the Green Key Initiative, a standard of excellence for the tourism industry that aims to achieve a more sustainable and eco-friendly operation in hotels around the world. The hotel received their Green Key award in June 2022 which proves the hotel commitment to the preservation of the environment and consider these premises essential for 21^st century hospitality.

• Rove City Walk Hotel

Rove At The Park Hotel is standing out of their many positives in the following:

1. The hotel uses the latest technologies and solar power and re-use limited food waste for compost and AC drainage water for irrigation.
2. They have a GRMS that detects motion in guestrooms and controls the lights and AC.
3. Establishment’s policy is very passionate about hiring women, especially in managerial roles, and about providing them with a safe place to learn and grow.
4. Citizens can exchange their plastic bottles with discount in the hotel’s restaurant.
5. They replaced plastic straws with paper ones and single-use bottles with glass-filled filtered water.

• Fairmont The Palm

Fairmont The Palm became the first hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah to receive a Green Key Certification for its sustainability results, including a combined reduction of 40% for hotel and energy waste.

The establishment did a lot of retrofitting to reduce their costs such as installing flow restrictors, and most prominently, installing a heat pump for hot water production. They also have electronics recycling facility to recycle all old machines/equipment.

• Rove City Walk

The hotel met all criteria requirements set by Green Key standard and committee and was awarded the certificate in June 2022 for the following achievements:

1. Detailed action plan that includes targets such as reduction of energy, water, waste, harmful chemicals and increasing collection of recyclables, green purchasing practices, staff awareness.
2. The targets of the year are posted in each department office (in back of house) to ensure staff awareness.
3. Policy for Low Occupancy is exemplary as it encompasses all aspects required by Green Key.

Please consider supporting our education and technical programs in 2022 by partnering with us and coming on board as a sponsor to one of our knowledge-sharing initiatives. Opportunities range from webinars and workshops on our priority areas such as Net Zero Carbon Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Green Schools, The EmiratesGBC Women’s Network and Building Retrofit to our flagship Annual MENA Green Building Awards.

Partnership opportunities are a great way for members to get involved and showcase your organization’s leadership and commitment to sustainable development initiatives. We invite you to find out more – please view our sponsorship packages and contact us to learn more.