A LETTER FROM EGBC FAMILY

EmiratesGBC NEWS AND UPDATES

Driving Sustainable Construction Dialogue: EmiratesGBC at International Concrete Technology Forum

Emirates Green Building Council CEO Abdullatif Al Bitawi recently participated in the International Concrete Technology Forum (ICTF 2025), a premier global platform that convenes leading voices in sustainability, innovation, and responsible concrete practices.

During the forum, he delivered a presentation titled “Construction Materials: UAE Developers Leaders Forum Sustainability Criteria,” highlighting the critical role of sustainable construction materials in advancing decarbonization, performance-based standards, and responsible development within the UAE’s built environment.

In addition, the CEO moderated a high-level panel discussion, “Sustainability Stakeholders: Let Us Talk Sustainable Concrete,” bringing together industry experts to explore challenges, opportunities, and best practices for accelerating the adoption of low-carbon and sustainable concrete solutions.

EmiratesGBC Launches Logo Redesign Competition for 20th Anniversary

As Emirates Green Building Council prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Council has launched a Logo Redesign Competition inviting young designers to create a refreshed visual identity that reflects EmiratesGBC’s mission and future direction. This milestone marks two decades of leadership in advancing sustainable development, promoting green building practices, and championing environmental stewardship across the UAE. The competition offers emerging talent a unique opportunity to shape the Council’s brand as it enters a new chapter of innovation and impact in the built environment. The winning designer will receive a 2,500 AED cash prize and the recognition of having their logo adopted as the new emblem of EmiratesGBC. Full competition details and submission guidelines are available here: EmiratesGBC Logo Competition – Submission Criteria

EmiratesGBC Contributes to Neo Wellbeing Center Design Workshop

EmiratesGBC, through the Emirates Coalition for Green Schools, participated in the Neo Wellbeing Center design-phase workshop . The discussions explored the ideal space and learning format for children and youth—how learning environments can better support wellbeing, flexibility, engagement, and a stronger connection between the physical setting and the way children learn.

PREVIOUS EMIRATESGBC EVENTS

Annual General Meeting 2025: A Full House of Engagement and Collaboration

As we conclude a successful year, Emirates Green Building Council was pleased to bring our members together for the 2025 Annual General Meeting, a well-attended gathering that reflected the strength and diversity of our growing community.

The AGM provided an opportunity to review the Council’s key milestones and achievements over the year, hear directly from members through an open dialogue session, and recognize outstanding contributions from both corporate and individual members.

EmiratesGBC Women Network Social Night

EmiratesGBC, through the Emirates Coalition for Green Schools, participated in the Neo Wellbeing Center design-phase workshop held on 22 December. The discussions explored the ideal space and learning format for children and youth—how learning environments can better support wellbeing, flexibility, engagement, and a stronger connection between the physical setting and the way children learn.

Industry Partner Events

World Future Energy Summit
13 to 15 January 2026
ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, UAE

The World Future Energy Summit is the region’s leading event for renewable energy and sustainability. Bringing together 50,000+ attendees, including 450+ exhibitors and 300+ speakers, it connects industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to accelerate the transition to net zero. Across three days, the Summit features a major international exhibition, high-level conferences, and dedicated networking programmes — all designed to showcase cutting-edge solutions across clean energy, water, circular economy, smart cities, e-mobility, AI, green finance, and pathways to 1.5°C, creating the blueprint for a sustainable future.

Join us this January in Abu Dhabi and be part of the future of energy.

Learn more: https://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/en-gb.html

EMIRATESGBC TECHNICAL WORKSHOP FOR MEMBERS BY MEMBERS

The EmiratesGBC 1st (2026) Technical Workshop

For members by members will be by Gf Corys on the 9th January 11:00 Am – 12:00 Pm, in the water management. The workshop will be held online format via Teams; invitation sent to all Members.

GREEN KEY

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 organizations in more than 70 countries worldwide where Emirates Green Building Council is the national operator in the United Arab Emirates.

New Green Key Hotel Certified:

• Delano Dubai
• JA the resort
• Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche

MEMBERS & PARTNERS

Case Study  (UAE): Heriot-Watt University Dubai 

Matthew Chew

Digital Twin System Architect

BeeCon LLC FZ

UAE campus decarbonization, powered by a Digital Twin: HY supported Heriot-Watt University Dubai on its journey toward net-zero by 2035 by building a high-fidelity Digital Twin and management dashboard.

Our approach:

• •            3-phase framework: scope + data checklist → modelling & calibration → actionable strategy
• •            Rules + analytics can flag inefficiencies in real time or via historical review, accelerating operational assessments
• •            Calibration against historical electricity data achieved 90.14% accuracy
• •            ECM study evaluated 9 measures and recommended 8, focusing on what the campus could actually control (airside + lighting in a district-cooling context)
• •            A forward-looking recommendation: run predictive analysis using future weather files to anticipate demand and plan decarbonization steps

Result: the recommended package delivered 14.69% energy-saving potential—even with limited access to waterside systems.

Key takeaway: when constraints exist, start where you have control, prove savings fast, and use the Digital Twin to justify deeper upgrades (BIPV, storage, and beyond).

MEMBERS OPPORTUNITES

We want to feature your success stories. Please share with us your accomplishments in relation to the green building industry and allow us to feature you in our newsletter.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

EmiratesGBC WOMEN NETWORK SPOTLIGHT!

Dr. Diedre Wolff

Emirates Green Building Council Individual Member

1. Who You Are:

• Beyond your professional role, tell us a bit about yourself. What drives and inspires you personally? Whether it’s hobbies, interests, or values, we’d love to learn more about the person behind the professional achievements

1. • I grew up in Canada and moved to Europe after the 2008 financial crisis. Since then, I have lived and worked in seven different countries. While not always the easiest path, living abroad has offered a lot of learning, personal growth and exposure to new languages. I am always amazed by those who can communicate in multiple languages, and as a new mom, am hopeful my son will also be able to.Apart from my enjoyment of travel, my hobbies include anything fitness related. From joining in on obstacle course races, practicing Olympic weightlifting or slowing down with yoga, I like to keep active.

  2. Career Journey and Achievements:

• • • Can you share a brief overview of your career journey in the field of sustainability? What achievements or projects are you most proud of in advancing sustainable practices?

1. • I studied Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) during my master’s degree in 2010. Being very interested in the methodological aspects, I focused my research on uncertainty management in LCA, successfully achieving my PhD.I have held multiple positions in LCA across Europe prior to relocating to the UAE in 2023. Having previously worked as a Carbon Specialist, I have now started my own business offering EPD verification and LCA consulting services. I am most proud when clients show interest in understanding their LCA results, the challenges and where to implement reduction efforts, because this interest is the first step towards active change beyond compliance.

1.  3. Challenges and Triumphs: 

• • • As a woman in the sustainability sector, have you faced any specific challenges, and how did you overcome them? On the flip side, what triumphs or successes have been particularly meaningful in your career? 

1. • As a woman in sustainability, I echo a lot of other women, where having my voice heard in a room where I am the only woman present has sometimes been a challenge. I have found that persistence is key to overcoming this as well as communicating through different channels and arranging follow-up meetings if necessary.Successes that have been particularly meaningful in my career include participation in technical/expert working groups and advisory boards. This has allowed me to be part of conversations that lead to recommendations for policy development or method harmonization and to learn from other experts.

However, as in anything in life, the main challenge remains lack of awareness. For Sustainability in specific it might be even more. Making the wider internal and external audience understand the importance of the social and economic value of achieving sustainable environments remains a challenge; and finding the right methodologies and tools to tackle this will also remain an ongoing journey.

  4. Impact and Advice:

• • • How do you see your role contributing to the broader goals of sustainability? Additionally, what advice would you offer to other women aspiring to make a difference in the field of sustainability? 
  • In my role as an EPD verifier and LCA consultant, I am contributing to improving the quality of LCA studies and EPDs. EPDs are increasingly becoming part of regulatory frameworks and procurement policies, therefore quality and compliance with standards are key aspects. A lot of work is ongoing to improve method harmonization and comparability across studies, and standards are currently being updated and aligned.My advice to other women aspiring to make a difference in sustainability is to join networking events and conferences, where you can meet other people working in the field and learn about the latest innovations and challenges.

REACH US

Members of the Emirates Green Building Council can join in any of our technical programs, to advance their knowledge on the program’s relevant topics, contribute to its growth, and sponsor its events. We are working on several ideas related to our programs: Coalition for Green Schools, Health and Wellbeing, Net Zero Center of Excellence, Energy Efficiency, Green Key and Benchmarking Program.

Kindly send us an email to [email protected] to inquire about any of the mentioned technical programs.

EmiratesGBC Sustainability Lounge is now available for meetings and workshops!

If you are interested in using the EmiratesGBC Sustainability Lounge for a workshop or a meeting, kindly get in touch with us at 04-3468244 or send us an email to [email protected]. The office room is fully equipped with AV and provides a pleasant environment for focused meetings or training workshops.