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Exclusive Interview In Abu Dhabi, the Estidama Pearl Rating System (PRS) is currently mandatory for proposed villas, buildings and community projects that fall under the ownership of developers. (Photo: Zhukov Oleg/Shutterstock)
The Green Guidebooks Saeed Alabbar, chairman of Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), in talks with Technical Review Middle East about the UAE’s sustainable construction practices and the council’s role in fulfilling the criteria. Technical Review Midde East (TRME): In the decade since its inception, how has EmiratesGBC’s role as the UAE’s sustainability partner evolved? Saeed Alabbar (SA): The EmiratesGBC is an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices. Ever since our inception in 2006, we have focused on promoting dialogue and positive action in promoting green buildings. EmiratesGBC has played a central role in facilitating the Green Building agenda in the UAE, working as a catalyst between the public and the private sector. As an independent entity supporting the evolution of the UAE as a green economy, our role is to serve as a common platform for all stakeholders to meet, interact, discuss and exchange ideas for promoting sustainable built environments, support decision making and influence policymaking. We do this through our events and programmes that can help in affecting these changes in sustainable building developments.
We have partnered with several government departments over the years that have sustainability as their core agenda, such as the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, among others, to create opportunities that drive the nation’s vision on a green economy. We also encourage the private sector and the community to become active participants in
“We have seen a significant increase in the number of LEED certified buildings, placing Dubai third among global cities.”
Technical Review Middle East - Annual Construction Review 2017
driving sustainable built environments. We have served as a catalyst in energy efficiency in existing building stock through introducing technical programmes as well as facilitate the growth of the energy efficiency market, and work to increase awareness and capacity building. EmiratesGBC functions as a common platform for all stakeholders in the building industry supply chain, whereby they can meet, discuss, interact, and exchange ground-breaking ideas and help promote a sustainable built environment. Through the last 10 years, EmiratesGBC has launched several initiatives, which added tremendous value to the sector. We launched the EmiratesGBC ‘Energy Efficiency Programme’ (EEP) that consists of an online database that serves as a catalyst for all stakeholders to support the growing number of building retrofit projects. We are also committed to supporting the current focus of the UAE in retrofitting buildings to achieve the nation’s overarching sustainable development goals. For this, we launched the Technical www.technicalreview.me