BGreen October 2014

Inside

Low-Voc materials Retrofitting hotels Automotive csR BGreen seminar series

THE BUSINESS OF SUSTAINABILITY Issue 50 | octoBeR 2014

Leading the Charge Masdar’s Dr Nawal Al Hosany redefines the role of Middle East women in the fight against climate change

EDITOR’S PAGE

GROUP GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA

Against climate change

GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713 EDITORIAL EDITOR ASHISH SARAF ashish.saraf@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5495 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ANOOP K MENON anoop.menon@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5714 ASSISTANT EDITOR SHRUTHI SARAF shruthi.saraf@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5715 SUB EDITOR AELRED DOYLE ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR JUDE SLANN jude.slann@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 433 2857 SENIOR SALES MANAGER JUNAID RAFIqUE junaid.rafique@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5716 MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER LISA JUSTICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON SENIOR DESIGNER ROY CRUZ CIRCULATION AND PRODUCTION DATABASE AND CIRCULATION MANAGER RAJEESH M

Climate change has a disproportional impact on women and girls.

According to a UN report, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men during natural disasters like heat waves, droughts, and hurricanes – all of which are exacerbated by climate change.

It is therefore only fitting that all concerned, adopt a gendered approach to climate change in all their decisions and actions without delay. Women and gender experts should be empowered to effectively participate in the international climate change negotiation process.

This would ensure an equitable and effective future climate change regime. Equally important is the effective participation of women in climate change planning and decision-making processes, as well as in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes at regional, national and local levels.

Masdar’s Director of Sustainability Dr Nawal Al Hosany is redefining the role of Middle East women in the fight against climate change. In our cover interview this issue, she tells BGreen that women have a social, economic and moral responsibility to be equal participants in the fight against climate change and one way we can immediately help is to encourage them to pursue careers in math and science, through which they can eventually advance in renewable and cleantech sectors.

At the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, 35% of the student body is female.

On a different note, the nominations submission deadline for the BGreen Awards 2014 has been moved to 12 October. The award aims to recognise and reward leadership in sustainability and celebrate the contribution businesses, institutions, communities and individuals make to a more liveable and sustainable Middle East.

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Ashish Saraf Editor, BGreen

Printed on wood-free paper © Copyright 2014 CPI. All rights reserved While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

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Contents October 2014

Contents 07 Update Regional news

30 ConstRUCtion gReen Cement

Solar Impulse 2 to take off from Abu Dhabi DEWA launches clean coal project

Dubai Municipality’s Eng Abdullah Rafia writes exclusively for BGreen

13 Update woRld news Leonardo DiCaprio appointed UN climate envoy Brazil to soon certify sustainable products 14 Update offbeat news Farmers in Central America generate energy from coffee wastewater 28 aUtomotive CsR

16 CoveR stoRy leading the ChaRge Masdar’s Dr nawal Al Hosany redefines the role of Middle east women in the fight against climate change

24 ConstRUCtion low-voC With the rising awareness on indoor air quality, the market for low-VOC products points to an upward trajectory

The global automotive industry faces heightened expectations from stakeholders on complex corporate responsibility issues

46 gReen peRsonality miChael bloombeRg Former NYC mayor Michael R Bloomberg is pushing for urban action to blunt climate impacts and greenhouse gas emissions 22 eCo leisURe RetRofitting hotels Hoteliers in Dubai are realising that green retrofits could prove to be the lowcost solution for improved environmental performance in the long run

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48 CommentaRy Jenny adams Natural near shore processes can create new land to reduce coastal flooding and erosion

EXPERT PANEL

Expert Panel His Highness Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi Environmental Advisor Ajman Government Chief Executive Officer Al Ihsan Charity Centre Chairman International Steering Committee for the Global Initiative Towards a Sustainable Iraq (GITSI), based in the UAE

The BGreen Expert Panel provides a platform for those who are active in encouraging sustainable practices across a wide sector of industries. real experts who can share their views, analyses, and research with our informed readers.

Our panellists meet every few months to discuss news, strategies and solutions on focussed topics related to sustainability.

Our panellists write for the magazine - opinions and analyses - as well as on our website in a portfolio format documenting their contributions.

Saeed Alabbar LEED AP, Estidama PQP Chairman Emirates Green Building Council Director Alabaar Energy and Sustainability Group

Thomas Bohlen NCARB,LEED AP, BD+C, ESTIDAMA PQP Chief Technical Officer Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development

Abdulrahman Jawahery President Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company Chairman GPCA Responsible Care Initiative

Dr Michael Kr채mer Senior Associate Taylor Wessing (Middle East) LLP Legal Counsel Middle East Solar Industry Association

Dr Mutasim Nour Director of MSc Energy Heriot Watt University School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Ivano Iannelli Chief Executive Officer Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence

Vahid Fotuhi President MESIA

Roderick Wiles Director - Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania American Hardwood Export Council

Tanzeed Alam Policy Director EWS-WWF

Alan Millin LEED AP, Chartered Engineer consultant/trainer Middle East Facility Management Association

Stephen Smith Sustainability Manager Brookfield Multiplex

Paolo Cervini Vice president & General manager Philips Lighting Middle East & Turkey

If you would like to nominate an expert to join our panel, please email: ashish.saraf@cpimediagroup.com Supported by:

Official Sustainable Contractor:

04

UPDATE Regional news

Solar Impulse 2 to take off from Abu Dhabi First round-the-world solar flight to start and finish in the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi will be the starting and finishing point of the first solar-powered flight journey around the world, as Solar Impulse 2 will be flown on this first-ofits-kind journey by co-founders and pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg in March 2015.

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, is the host partner of Solar Impulse. The team will be hosted

by Abu Dhabi for two months at the start of January for testing and training before the start of the flight.

The round-the-world tour is expected to take 25 flying days over four to five months. Solar Impulse is currently finalising the stages after Abu Dhabi, and looks to make stopovers in Asia, the United States and in southern Europe or North Africa, before returning to Abu Dhabi in July 2015.

Some flights over the Pacific and the Atlantic will last five to six days, a feat made possible by Solar Impulse 2’s ability to fly without fuel.

The plane will be delivered to Abu Dhabi from the Payerne aerodrome in Switzerland towards the end of the year and will be showcased during the World Future Energy Summit, which

is hosted by Masdar between 17 and 22 January 2015.

The aircraft’s wings are 72m wide and have been fitted with more than 17,000 solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity to power its four engines. The whole aeroplane weighs just 2,300kg, about the same as a family car.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Works to Jumeirah expand Tubli wastewater plant Zabeel Saray Bahrain’s Ministry of Works is upgrading a wastewater treatment facility in Manama and has signed a US $7.3m contract with Xylem for the project.

Under the contract, Xylem will design, install and commission an expansion and upgrade of the existing Wedeco ozone systems at the Tubli Water Pollution Control Centre. Once upgraded, the Tubli plant will be the largest ozone wastewater treatment plant in the Middle East.

The upgrade work will be completed within 16 months and will begin operations at the end of 2015. The capacity of the facility will increase from 200,000 to 240,000 m3 per day.

awarded Green Globe Jumeirah Zabeel Saray has been accredited with the internationally renowned Green Globe Certification (GGC) after achieving a score of 90% in the audit.

It was especially credited for paperless checkin, preventive maintenance plans, water and electricity saving measures, use of eco-wood and for the use of iPads at concierge to display information to guests.

Environmental management programme held in Sohar Sohar Port and Freezone recently held a fiveday environmental management programme in conjunction with Oman’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA).

Ten MECA employees took part in the programme to strengthen ties, and share knowledge and experiences to ensure ecological sustainability while achieving economic growth.

Despite having one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world – 0.17% – Oman has signalled its intention to ensure growth does not come at the expense of its rich natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

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UPDATE Regional news

DEWA launches clean coal project Hassyan project is expected to produce 1,200 MW of electricity Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) held a conference for qualifying international developers who intend to bid for the Hassyan project, which is expected to produce 1,200 MW of electricity using clean coal.

The project is said to be one of the most important initiatives for Dubai Government and for DEWA. Among 17 qualification documents received, eight developers were qualified to submit their bids.

The first phase of the project is expected to be operational by 2020.

It is being developed according to the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the sustainable development of Dubai.

The project also supports the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which was launched by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy to diversify the energy mix by 2030.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO

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of DEWA, said the project is the biggest and first of its kind to produce electricity in Dubai using clean coal.

“The Hassyan project will produce electricity using clean coal based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model and is one of the first projects to adopt IPP,” he said.

Al Tayer also noted that DEWA will not only buy the electricity produced by the station, but will also be the biggest partner in the project.

GPCA’s WFE campaign to be opened for global companies

K.A.CARE, Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University sign MoU Saudi Arabia’s K.A.CARE has joined hands with King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah to study and develop sustainable energy solutions.

K.A.CARE’s Vice President, Dr Waleed Hussein Abulfaraj recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the president of King Abdulaziz University, Dr Osamah Sadiq Tayyib..

K.A.CARE is said to be working towards improving local research and development in the field of power generation and water desalination through atomic and renewable energy. To achieve this it hopes to coordinate with scientific research institutions within the Kingdom, such as King Abdulaziz University, which specialise in topics related to sustainability.

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The Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA) has said that its third Waste Free Environment (WFE) campaign will no longer be limited to the region and will be opened up to other organisations across the world.

This will be done through the affiliate offices and subsidiaries of GPCA member companies.

The WFE campaign aims to educate the public about responsible waste disposal and addresses challenges associated with plastic litter. In total, more than 11.7 tonnes of waste was collected in a single day during this year’s WFE campaign. Additionally, over 500 tonnes of waste was collected over a week in Oman.

01 Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA (C), with other delegates

NewS briefS Jumeirah corniche’s jogging track to use sustainable lighting Bahri & Mazroei Group will provide sustainable lighting solutions to the Jumeirah Jogging Track Project in Dubai.

As part of the contract, the company will install solutions which integrate smart pole technology with multiple functions, aimed at reducing power consumption and operational costs.

Ge Lighting projects doubledigit growth With restrictions on the import of incandescent bulbs to the UAE and with their sales to be prohibited from 2015, LED lighting solutions in the country are expected to post significant growth.

This is expected to drive GE Lighting’s LED sales by double digits.

The company is upgrading their lighting products to meet the UAE’s Residential Lighting Regulation based on environmental, safety and efficiency criteria.

Sponsor

November 3, 2014 Jumeirah beach hotel, Dubai Dubai’s strong belief in sustainability is reflected thorough initiatives such as the enforcement of the new Green Building regulation that aims at improving the performance of buildings.

At Bgreen’s Green Building Codes and Beyond seminar a panel of speakers will be discussing; ImplementIng green BuIldIng regulatIons

Progress since the Green Building regulations came into effect

Positive response from the industry

Opportunities for suppliers, contactors and consultants

Challenges and solutions

Collaborations with global companies

BoostIng energy effIcIency

Waste management

Technological innovations

Developments in building automation

Initiatives and campaigns

Existing laws and scope for amendments

Role of renewables and clean energy

Changing public mindset on conservation

Where are we in comparison to the US and Europe with waste management?

What have we learned that we can use?

What new initiatives does this region offer the world?

Key thoughts on what may be in the future

confIrmed panelIsts

Aecom - Irene Montserrat, Building Physicist

Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC - Muhammad Ihsanullah Qamar, Cluster Director of Environment, Health & Safety

Bee’ah - Speaker TBC

Dewan Architects - Engi Jaber, Sustainability Manager

Emirates Green Building Council - Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman

Etihad ESCO - Hany Ayesh, Director

Imdaad LLC - Mark Siddorn, Senior Director – Environment

Lootah Biofuels - Yousif Lootah, CEO

MAF Dalkia - Francisco S. Marques, Director, Business Development & Marketing

Ramboll - Bill Jolly, Director, MEP & Sustainability

Aldar Properties PJSC - Antonio Ceci, Manager – Estidama, Architecture & Interior Design, Operations

for sponsorshIp opportunItIes, please contact Jude Slann, Commercial Director // jude.slann@cpimediagroup.com // +971 4 433 2857 Junaid Rafique, Senior Sales Manager // junaid.rafique@cpimediagroup.com // +971 4 375 5716

UPDATE Regional news

Morocco’s renewable energy QGbC e-survey project gets $2bn investment to help identify usage patterns

Shanghai Electric, a state-owned Chinese company, is planning to invest around US $2bn in solar power projects across Morocco over a period of five years, local media reported.

The investments are said to be a part of a $16.5bn commitment by the Chinese company in seven Arab countries.

According to the report, there are plans to construct five power solar stations, with a combined generation capacity of 3.5GW, in various parts of the country as part of a strategy to cut energy imports. The projects coincide with plans between the two countries to sign agreements on renewable energy and exploration for oil, gas and minerals in Morocco.

Qatar Green Building Council is launching an e-survey encouraging residents in Qatar to share insight into their energy and water usage at home in order to ensure a greener future.

The information from the e-survey will be analysed

by Qatar Green Building Council’s experts in the hope of identifying practical solutions to ease the country’s demand on the earth’s vital natural resources.

Jordan readies to build its largest rooftop solar project Jordan’s Kawar Energy has signed an agreement with Canadian Solar to provide 1.5MW of photovoltaic modules to what is touted to be Jordan’s largest rooftop solar power project.

Canadian Solar will supply its high efficiency 72-cell CS6X300P modules with a power output of 300Wp to this project, which is located in a university in Amman.

“We made the decision to work with Canadian Solar on the largest solar power rooftop project in Jordan as we trust the quality and performance of its solar modules, as well as its track record of success delivering modules to large-scale solar power projects worldwide,” said Hanna Zaghloul, CEO of Kawar Energy.

Saudi agri industry eyes solar-diesel hybrids Massive expansion in poultry industry to drive demand for diesel fuel Solar-diesel hybrid solutions may hold the answer to reducing fuel costs and increasing energy security for Saudi Arabia’s agricultural sector, according to participants at a roundtable organised by the Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association (SASIA) in Riyadh last month.

The poultry industry, in particular, could benefit from hybridising diesel generators with photovoltaic systems.

“Hybrid solar-diesel systems are a viable solution to provide power to Saudi Arabia’s poultry producers, many of which are not connected to the national electric grid. Such solutions can help reduce the industry’s heavy reliance on diesel fuel,” said Abdulmohsen Al Shoaibi, Managing Partner of DarSolar, at the roundtable titled ‘Sustainable Agriculture: A Solar Solution’.

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As a result of the heavy dependence on diesel fuel, Saudi poultry companies are incurring notably higher energy costs than Brazilian producers, who accounted for nearly 79% of Saudi’s poultry import in 2012.

“Hybrid solar-diesel systems can help local poultry producers remain competitive

against imports, by ensuring an affordable and reliable source of power to cool their poultry houses,” noted Browning Rockwell, executive director of SASIA. Dar Solar is currently examining a solar-hybrid solution for a hatchery that consumes 900,000l of diesel annually through four generators.

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UPDATE World news

Climate Change

green Business

DiCaprio appointed UN climate envoy

Brazil to soon certify sustainable products

In his new role, the actor addressed the opening of the UN Climate Summit in New York

The proposed scheme will involve footprinting, certification and labelling of products

Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has been appointed as a United Nations representative on climate change.

DiCaprio, 39, will have the official title of UN Messenger of Peace on Climate Change, and his first duty in his new role was to address the opening of the UN Climate Summit in New York on September 23.

“DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message. I am pleased he has chosen to add his voice to UN efforts to raise awareness of the urgency and benefits of acting now to combat climate change. His global stardom was the perfect match for the global challenge posed by climate change,” Ban said.

The Titanic and Wolf of Wall Street star has worked on a range of environmental issues and established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998, with the aim of protecting under-threat species and habitats.

“It’s an honour to accept the role of UN Messenger of Peace on Climate Change and to support the Secretary General in his efforts to address one of the most important issues we face as a global community,” DiCaprio said.

“I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history – it is a moment for action. How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet.”

He joins 11 other Messengers of Peace, individuals who possess widely recognised talents in the fields of art, film, literature, music and sports, who help raise worldwide awareness of the UN’s ideals and activities.

UK-based Carbon Trust is developing a new sustainable production certification scheme, which is expected to support international industrial competitiveness and low carbon growth in Brazil.

The scheme is being delivered in partnership with the Brazilian government’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), with funding from the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

The proposed scheme will involve the footprinting, certification and labelling of products, initially using pilot studies in four target subsectors with significant environmental impacts: aluminium, cement, chemicals, and pulp and paper.

Following the pilot phase, the intention is to roll the scheme out across all sectors.

Certification and labelling can improve access for Brazilian businesses to international export markets, where information on the environmental performance of products is either required or an advantage.

Domestically it will help businesses meet sustainable public procurement requirements, with legally-binding federal regulations and local government guidance.

“Creating a successful certification and labelling scheme to incentivise sustainable production and consumption can deliver a lot of value for both Brazilian businesses and the environment. Understanding the full lifecycle environmental impact of a product does a lot more than just provide competitive advantage – it helps to identify and target areas of inefficiency, unnecessary cost and environmental impact.”

Paul Taylor, Senior Consultant at the Carbon Trust, said.

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UPDATE Offbeat news

Towards brewing better coffee Farmers in Central America generate energy from coffee wastewater The Energy from Coffee Wastewater project by UTZ Certified has proven that it is possible to generate energy, tackle climate change and protect water resources by treating discharges from coffee mills. The project started in 2010 with the goal of addressing environmental and health problems caused by the wastewater produced in the coffee industry.

Tailor-made coffee wastewater treatment systems and solid-waste treatment mechanisms were installed in eight coffee farms in Nicaragua, ten in Honduras and one in Guatemala. The positive environmental and economic impact of the project on over 5,000 people in the region has inspired UTZ Certified to replicate the initiative in other countries.

Latin America produces around 70% of the world’s coffee and is the continent where 31% of the world’s freshwater resources are located. Yet coffee production generates a great amount of wastewater that is regularly released untreated into rivers, affecting aquatic fauna and flora as well as downstream communities. Additionally, coffee wastewater comes along with tons of organic waste and high toxicity which affects the soil and generates considerable amounts

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of greenhouse-gas emissions, particularly methane, heavily contributing to climate change.

Treatment of essentially all water used in coffee processing; over 50% less water used during coffee processing; generation of a significant amount of biogas, used to power households and coffee mills; and prevention of the release of greenhousegas emissions into the atmosphere are some of the outcomes achieved by the Energy from Coffee Wastewater project.

“Coffee production is only environmentally sustainable when water is used efficiently and polluted water from the wet-mill process is treated. Local ecosystems do not have the capacity to clean the large amounts of contaminated fluids,” said Han De Groot, executive director at UTZ Certified. “Rural communities and coffee production depend intrinsically on a ready supply of fresh water. So if we want to talk about coffee produced in a sustainable manner then wastewater must be treated when released into the environment,” he added.

UTZ Certified is currently introducing the technology in Peru and Brazil and hopes to get further funds and industry’s support to replicate the initiative in Africa and Asia.

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Cover Story Nawal Al Hosany

Leading the charge Masdar’s Dr Nawal Al Hosany is redefining the role of Middle East women in the fight against climate change

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Cover Story Nawal Al Hosany

“Abu Dhabi and the Middle East region face environmental challenges due to the extreme weather conditions; high temperature, high humidity and very low rainfall” In her role as the Director of Sustainability at Masdar, Dr Nawal Al Hosany leads a team responsible for developing Masdar’s sustainability standards and policies.

She is also mandated to oversee the processes of sustainability auditing, monitoring and reporting.

Throughout her career, Dr Al Hosany has been an active member of various boards in the UAE and around the world including the advisory panel for the Momentum for Change initiative of the UNFCCC, the Troika Plus of Women Leaders on Gender and Climate Change, and the Energy Efficiency Global Forum.

In her conversation with Ashish Saraf, she shares insights on the Middle East’s growing renewable energy market and the role of women in addressing climate change.

Women are severely affected by climate change and natural disasters, but they are also the most capable of creating change and adaptation within their communities.

Can the region set a benchmark for the role of women in combating climate change?

Women form the majority of the 1.3bn people living in poverty in the world. And it’s people in poverty that shoulder the brunt and burden of climate change. The rural poor – especially women – depend on the environment to provide basic needs, such as food, shelter and fuel.

The harsh impacts of climate change on these women are interlinked to social and cultural conditions. However, one may argue that women may be better equipped to understand the challenges faced by their rural underprivileged counterparts, and are therefore the best equipped to find effective grass root and long-term solutions to alleviate these challenges.

Women have a social, economic and moral responsibility to be equal participants in the fight against climate change.

And one way we can immediately help is to encourage them to pursue careers in mathematics and science, through which they can eventually advance in renewable, cleantech and sustainability sectors.

I believe we are making headway in the area of equality in the UAE. At the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, 35% of our student body is female. The Institute’s Young Future Energy leaders programme that mentors and trains future leaders in the fields of advanced energy and sustainability has 45% women.

It’s these kind of outlets in higher education that provide women with a vehicle to get involved and to be part of the climate change solution.

Tell us about Masdar’s vision of pushing sustainability agenda in the UAE. What are the main challenges?

The Abu Dhabi government has demonstrated true leadership, tasking Masdar to advance renewable energy and sustainable technologies through education, research and development, investment, commercialisation and adoption. In working to achieve this vision, it is important that Masdar work towards four main objectives: financial sustainability; enhancing the reputation of Abu Dhabi and Masdar as global players in renewable energy and sustainability; contributing to the development of a knowledge-based economy; and reducing the carbon footprint of Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), taking place from January 18-24, is a great platform through which the UAE promotes its sustainability agenda. At the event – which is the largest gathering on sustainability in the Middle East – the UAE brings together companies, academic institutions, policymakers and thought leaders in the clean energy sector from more than 150 countries to discuss the challenges and solutions related to energy, water, climate and other sustainability issues in the Emirate. Through a week long session of high-level panels, industry announcements and workshops hosted by the world’s foremost experts in clean energy, we offer the UAE and international community a powerful platform to exchange ideas and solutions to common challenges faced in the adoption of sustainability.

Abu Dhabi and the Middle East region face environmental challenges due to the extreme weather conditions. High temperature, high humidity and very low rainfall lead to severe water scarcity as the demand of water has been rising due to rapid growth in economy and population.

Although lack of awareness on sustainability can sometimes act as a barrier, we at Masdar view it as a great opportunity. There is a need to raise awareness on adopting and incorporating basic sustainability practices across the region and beyond – from domestic to corporate adoption.

Sustainability can be incorporated in organisations throughout the entire supply chain and it also adds significant cost savings through resource management.

Masdar City is perhaps world’s first entirely selfsustaining, low-carbon, reduced-waste city rising from the desert and has captured the world’s attention. Would you like to talk about the efforts that go into developing sustainability standards & policies and tracking the city’s carbon footprint and GHG emissions?

At Masdar, we lead by example as well as provide knowledge

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Cover Story Nawal Al Hosany

01

“Women have a social, economic and moral responsibility to be equal participants in the fight against climate change” and expertise to other government and commercial entities in the UAE, looking to incorporate or strengthen sustainability in different areas of their business.

To date, Masdar City is largely powered by renewable energy. Energy is generated by a 10MW photovoltaic solar farm located onsite as well as 1MW of photovoltaic solar panels on various building roof tops.

In terms of living, Masdar City combines passive and intelligent design. It has natural shade, narrow corridors and a giant wind tower in the centre that captures prevailing winds, funnelling cool air through the city. By incorporating green and recycled materials that reflect heat and sustainable design principles, Masdar City residents enjoy a noticeably cooler environment - up to 20 degrees cooler than in downtown Abu Dhabi. Our buildings are designed to reduce demand for energy and potable by 40%.

Masdar Energy Design Guideline (MEDG) has also been developed specifically for Masdar City to serve as a mandatory framework for designing energy efficient buildings. This is to ensure that residents of the city enjoy the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint.

Through MEDG, Masdar applies strict requirements to both the architectural and the environmental impact of building designs proposed for the city. The mandatory requirements cover important criteria like energy consumption, waste management and carbon content of building materials.

The guideline is based on the Estidama Pearl Rating System.

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Apart from the Masdar Institute, which today has over 300 students from 52 countries, the city also houses Masdar and its various business units onsite, along with Enviromena – a leading regional developer of solar projects.

The first quarter of 2013 saw significant growth in the city as organisations such as Siemens, S K Energy, General Electric and the Global Green Growth Institute made Masdar City their base. Furthermore, to create a vibrant community and contribute to the city’s appeal, a variety of hospitality, banking and retail outlets are already onsite, including an organic supermarket, coffee shops and restaurants.

Masdar also provide sustainability consultancy services such as building energy audits, product and organisational carbon foot printing studies and sustainability strategy development to public and private entities both locally and abroad.

We have also been instrumental in the development of the UAE’s current sustainability standards through the Estidama initiative that adapts international standards to our local harsh climate. Estidama was launched by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) in 2008 and today all government and commercial buildings comply with its green building standards.

We will also launch The Future Build portal in the coming month. The portal acts as a supply-chain tool for the construction industry that provides a comprehensive database of sustainable suppliers.

01 The wind tower in Masdar City

Cover Story Nawal Al Hosany

The website has existed since 2011, but the official launch at the Big 5 will include a host of new features and place us right at the heart of the industry.

How vital is economic feasibility towards adoption of meaningful sustainable technologies?

Adding economic value, whether costs savings or enhanced efficiency, is the major drive for introducing new technologies – not just to businesses, but for the community at large.

Therefore, in order for a technology or solution to be truly sustainable, it needs to address these points.

There is a common misconception that sustainable technologies are more expensive. This may be the case for the up-front costs but typically these technologies or solutions will witness savings against business. Some technologies will justify their usage over the life of the project.

Whenever we engage with our stakeholders, be it partners, consultancy clients or the general public, we always champion the notion of life cycle costing. This looks at the costs of a product, technology or solution over the period that it is used.

As per a recent report by REN21, UAE has been ranked third in the world in both CSP technology investment and capacity. Would you like to share with us Masdar’s vision on the UAE’s solar future?

The REN21 report demonstrates how, through its investment in CSP technology, the UAE is leading the region in renewable energy investment while strengthening its position as a responsible global energy leader.

Moving forward, we believe solar has an excellent future in the UAE, particularly given our 365 days of sunshine and the fact that the technology continues to fall in price. It is a natural extension to our energy sources and it remains a commercially viable technology in the UAE.

CSP’s growth in the country almost tripled in 2013. What are the factors that led to this?

The delivery of Shams 1, a 100MW CSP plant in Abu Dhabi’s western region, is a key reason for this growth. Although Spain and the US are still by far the market leaders in CSP, investment in this technology is accelerating most rapidly in regions that receive high amounts of daily sunshine – or in industry terminology, high direct normal irradiation (DNI).

Worldwide since 2004, global CSP capacity has increased ten-fold, and last year surged 36% to a total of 3.4GW of energy generated.

With the UAE highly upbeat on solar energy, what kind of investment opportunities will be created for local and international solar companies?

Solar power has played an increasingly important role for the UAE and the region. We have an abundant solar resource here, and prices are falling rapidly.

Since the launch of Shams 1, the largest renewable energy project in the Middle East and one of the largest CSP plants in the world, we have significantly increased the nation’s renewable energy investment portfolio with large utility scale solar projects overseas. Examples include: Dudgeon and London Array; the 117MW Tafila wind farm in Jordan; Gemasolar in Spain, a sophisticated 20 MW CSP plant, providing solar power 24-hours a day and Valle 1 & 2 - 100 MW CSP plants in Spain that provide solar storage. In relation to energy access, projects in Mauritania and Seychelles, Tonga and Samoa, prove that small-scale projects can deliver tremendous economic, social and environmental impact.

Of course, investment in Shams 1 has also had a wider impact on the community. Operating the plant alone has created 70 highly skilled jobs, in addition to the significant contribution to the economy.

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Cover Story Nawal Al Hosany

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Given the current significant gap between the potential and the actual built solar capacity in the GCC, what are the hurdles that have so far prevented foreign investors from buying into the region’s potentially lucrative solar market?

As a commercial renewable energy company, it is difficult for us to comment on the barriers other similar organisations may face in the development of solar in the GCC. However, from our perspective, the solar industry is still relatively new and it continues to evolve. As it does, we believe that the regulatory framework will make solar investment a more attractive one in the region.

The biggest challenge to outside investment has always been solar’s relatively high cost. But the good news is that prices have fallen fast – by 75% in the last two to three years – and we are able to make these plants more competitive.

For Masdar, the rationale behind choosing the Western Region for the deployment of Shams 1 wasn’t only because of the strong solar radiation in the area, but also because of ongoing efforts to develop the area by providing renewable power, new jobs and a strengthened economy. It is important for us, that we are able to catalyse the growth of the industry domestically by supporting human capital development and building local capabilities.

Would you like to talk about Masdar’s international collaborations?

In wind power Masdar has a 20% stake in London Array, the world’s largest offshore wind farm with our partners DONG Energy and E.ON controlling the remaining 80%.

Similarly, on solar projects we work closely with industry leaders. The US $600m Shams 1 project partners Total of France, and Abengoa of Spain.

Closer home, we are using our relationships and mutual goodwill with our partners to encourage them to increase their presence in Abu Dhabi with our support and commitment.

This way, we have been successful in encouraging leading global technology powerhouses such as Siemens, GE, Schneider Electric and others from the private sector to establish a presence at Masdar City. By doing this we are effectively

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creating a technology hub that will deliver closer partnering and lead to increased productivity and innovation.

Our collaborations don’t only extend to the private sector.

We are working closely with and even spearheading a number of global initiatives to support the promotion of clean energy.

These include our work with the UN, SE4All (Sustainable Energy for All) and various other government and nongovernment organisations. This is all underlined by the presence of the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA) being headquartered in Masdar City.

Abu Dhabi is also helping advance the aerospace industry by producing high-quality composite aerostructures – aerospace materials that are stronger, lighter and enable efficient flight.

Our leading research university, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, has embarked on a cutting-edge research project to investigate sustainable aviation biofuels.

At the recent United Nations Climate Summit in New York, Masdar recently announced that it acquired a 35%, US $847m, stake in the Dudgeon offshore wind farm in the UK. It is a 402MW project, with 67 separate turbines. On completion, the US $2.4bn scheme will be one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms. Covering an area of 35 km2, off the Norfolk coast in Eastern England, it will generate 1.75 TWh of clean electricity each year.

The project demonstrates the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy: It will generate clean power to meet the equivalent energy needs of over 410,000 UK homes, avoiding 893 thousand tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Masdar will work in close partnership with fellow stakeholders, Norwegian multinational oil and gas company Statoil, and Norway’s state owned electricity company Statkraft throughout delivery of the project.

The Dudgeon offshore wind farm further cements Masdar’s role as a key player in the UK offshore and global renewables sectors. Zayed Future Prize 2013 Large Corporations past winner, Siemens will supply the 6MW wind turbines used in the project.

02 The Shams 1 CSP plant in Abu Dhabi’s western region

The group that brought Africa’s Greenest Hotel to Cape Town Airport, now offers project management of design, construction, operation and implementation of world-class sustainable hotel developments globally. Hotel Verde, Africa’s Greenest Hotel & first hotel in Africa to offer carbon neutral accommodation to guests, currently runs at 70% higher energy efficiency than an average hotel. It is also the first hotel in Africa to receive Platinum LEED for New Construction by the United States Green Building Council. Verde Invest provides a one stop solution for investors, hotel owners and developers to capitalise on the rapidly growing industry of green building and sustainable tourism.

Visit verdeinvest.net to learn more & to view our flagship project : Hotel (www.hotelverde.co.za)

Cape Airport, Africa’s Greenest 01 Lootah Biofuels Hotel collectsVerde, waste oil from Town more than 250 outlets in the UAE

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Eco LEisurE Retrofitting Hotels Eco LEisurE Retrofitting Hotels

retrofit for the future Hoteliers in Dubai are realising that green retrofits could prove to be low-cost solution for improved environmental performance in the long run Given that the building sector accounts for 30%-40% of global energy use and with existing buildings contributing almost 80% to the total carbon emissions of some large cities, such as Dubai, consensus among scientists and regulators is that climate change cannot be addressed without extensive retrofit programmes.

And it is not only regulations that are bringing about this transformation. Pressure on the bottom line is also driving hoteliers to look at how they can upgrade their present buildings to cut operating costs in the long term.

Hoteliers in Dubai are realising that green retrofits – the addition of sustainable features and technologies to existing

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buildings – could prove to be low-cost solution for improved environmental performance in the long run.

“Dubai represents probably the most mature hospitality environment in the Middle East and many operators are either considering or committing to refresh or fully refurbish existing facilities, some of which have been operating for ten to fifteen years. The project outcomes are increasingly focused on sustainability both from a CSR perspective and also one of energy saving,” says Christopher Seymour, Head of Property, EC Harris.

There are many examples to show how retrofitting is benefiting the bottom line for hotels. In 2010, InterContinental

Eco LEisurE Retrofitting Hotels

“Pressure on the bottom line is driving hoteliers to look at how they can upgrade their present buildings to cut operating costs in the long term“

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and Crowne Plaza hotels in Dubai Festival City opted for sustainable retrofit solution from Philips Color Kinetics with the aim to reduce energy consumption, cut down on heat generated from inefficient lamps used in the hotel’s interior, and provide a reliable, low-maintenance alternative to the cold-cathode technology currently in use in the buildings’ exterior facade lights.

Energy-efficient Philips lighting products were used to retrofit more than 35,000 existing light points. Together with the new facade lighting, the retrofit is predicted to help save the hotels approximately 80% of their annual energy costs for lighting.

“Retrofitting is an emerging trend in the region offering a second life to hotels to maintain the necessary standards.

There are considerable environmental and financial benefits of upgrading buildings. However, it is definitely not an easy task and needs to be carried out by reputed companies having the right expertise and experience,” Laurent Voivenel, CEO, Hotel Management Holdings (HMH), Dubai says.

“Prior to any such decision, a detailed audit of the building is necessary to understand what sort of a retrofit must be done and how it would be installed. It is critical to do it at the end of equipment life cycle in order to get the payback.

The biggest challenge comes from engineering – how new bits would fit into an old building,” Voivenel adds.

The requirement to undertake refurbishment work brings with it unique risks and demands special expertise in order to reduce down time and maintain revenue. Operators are increasingly seeing the benefit of engaging with an experienced supply chain in order to optimise the outcome.

High quality experienced project management is being seen as the key enabler for a successful project as the complexity of delivering the schemes is very high and the requirement for timely completion paramount.

“Refurbishment programmes are targeted at quiet periods to reduce the revenue effect of taking rooms and facilities out of operation and intelligent procurement and programming reduces the effects even further. That quiet period is seen to be reducing as the appeal of Dubai as a destination increases,” Seymour of EC Harris adds.

Helping hotels become greener Building on from the success of Hotel Verde, Africa’s greenest hotel, and following their recent international LEED platinum green building certification from the US Green Building Council for new construction, Mario Delicio, owner of and the brains behind this sustainable venture, is challenging other like-minded people to follow suit, and with the launch of Verde Invest, is optimistic to have built another entirely green hotel by the end of 2015.

With the launch of Verde Invest, they are looking for opportunities to increase their carbon-friendly footprint in the international arena, the Middle East and Africa in particular, by facilitating and overseeing the building of green 02

01 Christopher Seymour, Head of Property, EC Harris 02 Mario Delicio, Owner, Verde Invest

hotels, applying sustainable building and operation practices and continuing their work as experts in green hotels. Delicio strongly believes that going green is the only way for companies to operate on a responsible basis.

“We owe it not only to our environment, but also to future generations who will inherit this planet from us,” Delicio says.

“It is the strong desire of the Verde Invest team and myself that Hotel Verde will be a benchmark for others to build from and that it will lead the way for other new or existing hotels to be constructed and operated in a more sustainable way, and make good on their investments and into the future of this planet,” Delicio adds.

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ConstruCtion Low VOC materials

Clean air counts With the rising awareness on indoor air quality and stringent regulation advocating the use of green materials, the market for low VOC products points to an upward trajectory

At a time when green buildings are popularised, it is becoming increasingly important to understand and tackle Volatile organic Compounds (VoCs). such hazardous chemicals are contained in many construction materials and furnishings, posing health risks to the general population, especially children.

Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times) than outdoors. They are emitted as gases from a wide array of products. Examples include paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

All of these products can release organic compounds while we use them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products and are also used to make fuels.

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A recent study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be two to five times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas.

The study indicated that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed.

Today a number of low-VOC building materials are available, including less polluting paints, adhesives, solvents, cleaning agents, caulks, wood products, carpets and sealants.

By employing advanced technologies and maintaining a stringent control over the formulations, companies are developing products that have low VOC content, aiming to provide a cleaner and healthier indoors environment within the confines of homes and offices.

Csr Low VOC materials

It is believed that by using these low VOC materials for new construction and remodelling projects one can significantly reduce the emission of various smog-forming compounds.

With the increasing construction activities in the Gulf countries rising awareness about indoor air quality and stringent regulation advocating the use of green materials, the market for low VOC materials points to upward trajectory.

Paints Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. The source of these toxins is a variety of VOCs which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint. New environmental regulations in the GCC and consumer demand have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Most paint manufacturers now produce one or more non-VOC variety of paint. These paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.

“VOCs present major health risks within paint applications.

By employing advanced technologies and maintaining a stringent control over the formulations, Hempel has developed products such as Topaz Zero, which has zero VOC content, yet it provides top-quality finishes with excellent texture. By using zero VOC products, Hempel aims to provide customers with a cleaner, healthier indoors environment within the confines of homes and offices,� says Laurence Brown, Country Manager, Hempel UAE.

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ConstruCtion Low VOC materials

“Hempel aims to provide our customers with a cleaner, healthier indoors environment within the confines of homes and offices“ Laurence Brown, country Manager, HeMpeL uae.

“Hazardous substances such as lead, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) and formaldehydes have long formed a major constituent of the paints used within homes. The refined formulation of Hempel’s Topaz Zero, however, is produced using the latest techniques and contains zero levels of lead, APEOs and formaldehydes. It is also free from any ozone-depleting contaminants, thereby helping to keep the environment healthy and green,” Brown adds.

Low VOC paints use water as a solvent instead of petroleum-based materials while bio-based paints use raw materials derived from natural sources such as plants and natural minerals which include plant oils, dyes, clay, beeswax, mineral dyes, and talcum among others.

Increased awareness among consumers about the health benefits of using bio-based and low-VOC products is one of the primary drivers of this market. adHEsiVE VOCs are crucial to the manufacturing of adhesives and sealants, as it makes them fluid and workable. Once an adhesive or sealant is applied, it hardens with the evaporation of the VOC, releasing substances into the air and giving out an pungent odour. Commonly used VOCs include mineral spirits, toluene and xylene, while gasoline and alcohol are also other varieties of VOCs. Many European countries have implemented laws that restrict the use of certain VOCs, which are believed to

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contribute to low-level smog and ozone depletion. Adhesives and sealants labelled VOC compliant are now been reformulated to comply with these laws.

Henkel, 3M, Dow Chemical, Bison International and Sika are among the major suppliers of low VOC adhesives. Bison International, for example, recently launched Poly Max Low VOC adhesive used for bonding and fixing various construction materials.

“Due to its solvent-free formula, Poly Max Low VOC is odourless and has low VOC emission. The product is water, weather and UV resistant, with a temperature resistance of -40°C to +100°C,” says Bas Zetteler, Area Manager ME, Bison International.

Indoor air quality has been identified in recent years as one of the most significant public health issues facing the region. The use of adhesives play a major role in increasing indoor air pollutants, especially in the weeks and months after construction. It is also an occupational hazard for construction workers, whose health conditions are severely deteriorated due to working in VOC-laden environments.

For example, carpet applications are a significant source of adhesive emissions, with standard practice in commercial applications being to spread adhesive over the entire floor area to be carpeted. Thus, the reasons to adopt low-VOC products are many and trends show that they are already being favoured. This leaves the market for low VOC products wide open, waiting to be capitalised on.

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01 Laurence Brown, Country Manager, Hempel UaE 02 Bison Poly Max Low VOC adhesive

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CSR Automotive CSR Automotive

A holistic approach The global automotive industry and its supply chain partners face heightened expectations from a range of stakeholders on complex corporate responsibility issues The automotive industry is one of the biggest economic sectors in the world, and with the impact it has on communities, the industry has a huge advantage when it comes to promoting corporate social responsibility.

The industry’s annual growth rate is expected to exceed 5.5% from 2010 to 2015, reaching a value of more than US$5,132bn by 2015, according to research from MarketLine. The industry is a leading employer throughout the world, with 9m people involved in making 60m vehicles, or 5% of global manufacturing jobs.

As an energy-intensive industry, car manufacturers have long been developing alternative production techniques to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Other

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than improving procedures and increasing use of renewable energies throughout the production process, the automotive industry has also developed innovative technologies, such as zero-emission electric or hybrid-driven cars, in order to become more environmentally friendly.

CSR in the automotive industry also involves education initiatives, programmes for disease prevention and a company’s interaction with socio-political issues. Ford Middle East, for instance, currently has three CSR initiatives running in the region: the Conservation & Environmental Grants, the Warriors in Pink breast cancer awareness campaign and the Driving Skills for Life safe driving awareness programme for young drivers and teens.

CSR Automotive

“The Ford grants make available a total of US$100,000 to help fund environmental and conservation projects in the Middle East” The grants make available a total of US$100,000 to help fund environmental and conservation projects in the Middle East region. The programme has been extended to Yemen for the first time this year, bringing the number of participating countries to ten. Non-profit and ongoing environmental initiatives from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen needing extra funds to expand the scope of their work, or ensure continuity, are qualified to apply.

The Grants programme (which is due to mark its fifteenth anniversary next year) has received over 300 entries in 2014, an all-time record number of projects. The overwhelming response came from individuals, community groups and NGOs, and from all participating countries.

“We are pleased with the number of applications received this year, which shows that more and more grassroots environmental projects are initiated by concerned citizens and community groups as they act to preserve the environment,” says Kalyana Sivagnanam, Director of Ford Middle East & North Africa.

The BMW Group Middle East launched its ‘Stay Alert Stay Alive’ road safety campaign in March 2010, promoting the use of safety belts and child-restraint systems in the Middle East, to prevent injuries caused by car accidents. In the UAE, less than one third of the population wear seat belts while driving, and only 2% of children are protected by child safety seats. A broad-based campaign – including commercials on radio and print advertisements, information campaigns in parks and in the showrooms of BMW dealers, and events staged in kindergartens – has helped to raise public awareness of the issue of road safety. The donation of 8,400 free children’s car seat cushions was aimed at further reducing the risk of injury caused by accidents.

“For most multinational companies, CSR campaigns are an integral part of their business, but in the Middle East there is a tendency among some companies to make a donation and think this is sufficient, simply ticking their CSR box,” says Leanne Blanckenberg, BMW Group’s Middle East Corporate Communications chief.

“Although making a donation is helpful, it’s an easy route.

But it doesn’t give a company control over influencing change,” she adds.

In 2010 and again in 2011, the BMW project was named the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign by the Middle East PR Association. The UAE government underlined the importance of the project during a ceremony and made a cash donation to the BMW Group Middle East to enable further activities to take place.

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As climate change concerns and fuel costs skyrocket, Toyota, the world’s second largest automotive manufacturer, hangs its corporate environmentalist image on its Prius hybrid, which emits less greenhouse gases than the standard car. The car features new generation of eco-innovations including using solar panels to run cooling fans. But the company’s commitment to preserving the environment doesn’t stop with its vehicles.

Two of the company’s manufacturing plants have been designated as zero landfill producing operations. Toyota’s ‘Green’ complex in California has one of the largest commercial solar panel systems in North America and conserves more than 11m gallons of drinking water annually through special pipelines that supply recycled water for cooling and landscaping.

French car-making giant Renault is involved in CSR initiatives covering a wide field of public interests. The company’s four major avenues of CSR endeavour are education, safety, sustainable mobility and diversity. Mindful of today’s major ecological challenges, the company says it is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its activities and products throughout their life cycle, from design to recycling.

There are various CSR ratings which measure companies’ CSR commitment, based on specific indicators. Some of the most prestigious sustainability rating indexes are the Global 500 Leadership Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI).

In the automotive industry, the DJSI includes industry-specific as well as general sustainability criteria. In the 2012 assessment, the BMW Group was named the world’s most sustainable car manufacturer for the eighth consecutive year.

01 Ford’s environmental grants programme received over 300 entries in 2014 02 Toyota Prius hybrid uses solar panels to run cooling fans

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ConstrUCtion Dubai Municipality

Ushering in eco cement The most important component of concrete is also the most hazardous one. Thankfully more sustainable options are making their way into the construction market

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ConstrUCtion Dubai Municipality

“Dubai Municipality will soon approve the use of the eco-friendly cementitious materials and an administrative circular will be issued to all stakeholders in construction sector to use the same” Abdull Ah RAfiA , AssisTAnT diRecToR GeneRAl of dubAi MunicipAliT y

Dubai Municipality is eager to implement the latest innovations from the construction sectors across the world, in order to upgrade the quality of buildings in Dubai.

According to our strategic plan to transform Dubai into a green city, we are always on the lookout for the best global practices and eco-friendly applications used in them. Cement is one of the major components of reinforced concrete, however it can be harmful to the environment due its high carbon dioxide (Co2) emissions and other toxic substances released during manufacturing.

Thus, Dubai Municipality will soon approve the use of the eco-friendly cementitious materials and an administrative circular will be issued to all stakeholders in construction sector to use the same. A guide book will also be published soon.

After extensive research on eco-friendly cement and its advantages and disadvantages, we concluded that it should replace ordinary cement that is widely used nowadays. It has been scientifically proven that manufacturing 1 tonne of typical cement produces 1.1 tonnes of CO2, about 164kg of dust and emits other poisonous substances which contributes to global warming, increases respiratory diseases such as asthma, pulmonary ossification and lung cancer, and causes kidney failure. Moreover, cement factories produce about 50% of all the CO2 released from factories.

Many internationally-used cement alternatives were reviewed and it turned out that many developed countries

have already began using it. This is because it helps not only in preserving the environment and reducing emissions, but also improves the durability of concrete. Several scientific research centers, after theoretical and practical deliberations, have recommended using eco-friendly cementitious materials.

Fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), silica fume and fiberglass are some of the approved ecofriendly cementitious materials.

Researchers who have studied the characteristics that distinguish these eco-friendly cements from Portland cement, say the most important advantages are: improved life of concrete structures, reduced CO2 emissions of up to 80%, reduced instances of cracked concrete during the process of hydrogenation (in the early hours of casting), and reduced moisture and water permeability in the concrete, thus reducing the probability of steel corrosion. The green cement also improves thermal insulation and fire resistance of the concrete, has better resistance to mineral deposit and maintains the concrete’s durability against pressure as effectively as Portland cement.

Moreover, the most popular cementitious materials, fly ash and GGBFS, cost the same as or sometimes lesser than Portland cement, and are also easily available in the market.

Using eco-friendly cementitious materials will support the Dubai Municipality’s sustainability plan, increase the lifecycle of concrete structures, and preserve the environment, health and safety dramatically.

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Bgreen Seminar SerieS Green Building Codes and Beyond

regulations and beyond At the Green Building Codes and Beyond seminar, industry experts and government authorities will discuss the improvement in sustainability performance of the building sector since the Green Building regulations were implemented earlier this year Sustainable construction has become an underlying principle in the Uae as vital economic plans include strong environmental platforms. Driving the low carbon future of the Uae is the commitment to green infrastructure and smart buildings, ensuring eco-friendly architecture that has energy efficient air conditioning units, recyclable construction materials, renewable energy systems for heating and cooling, and automated thermostats.

Eco-friendly construction was first embraced in the UAE by Abu Dhabi in 2010, with the creation of Estidama - a building and design methodology platform to promote the core sustainability principles of the Abu Dhabi 2030 master plan.

As Abu Dhabi continues to realise its sustainable urban development goals through these regulations, Dubai Municipality implemented its own Green Building legislation

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earlier this year. Experts believe that sustainability performance of the construction sector has started to improve ever since these regulations came into effect. “Developers are enthusiastic about the new green building legislations being introduced, as most of them are aware of the long-term value that it brings to them.

In fact, several developers have already made impressive strides in developing green buildings. The introduction of the legislation will encourage more fence-sitters to adopt green building practices and techniques, which is crucial to drive sustainable development,� Saeed Alabbar, Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) told BGreen magazine.

Al Abbar will speak at BGreen’s Green Building Codes and Beyond seminar on November 3 at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai. The seminar also features a panel of government authorities and industry experts including Engi Jaber,

Bgreen Seminar SerieS Green Building Codes and Beyond

“Developers are enthusiastic about the new green building legislations being introduced, as most of them are aware of the long-term value that it brings to them” Saeed al abbar, Chairman, eGbC

Sustainability Manager, Dewan Architects and Bill Jolly, Director of MEP and Sustainability at Ramboll.

The panel will discuss the improvement in sustainability performance of the building sector since the Green Building codes were implemented and the business opportunities that the new law has created for suppliers, contractors and consultants.

The new regulation is a key component of Dubai’s Integrated Energy Strategy 2030. Since 70% of the total energy consumed in Dubai is by buildings, and of that, up to 80% is used for cooling, the goal is to reduce energy consumption by 30% by 2030.

To mandate energy efficiency refurbishments of existing buildings, the Dubai Electricity and Water (DEWA) created Etihad ESCO, an energy service company which supports contract market across the sector through project development, financing facilitation, and assists in capacity building of local ESCOs. At the BGreen seminar, Hany Ayesh, Founding Director, Etihad ESCO will be speaking in a panel discussion on boosting energy efficiency in existing buildings. Other members in this panel include Irene Montserrat, Building

Physicist, Aecom and Francisco S Marques, Director, Business Development and Marketing, MAF Dalkia.

Waste management and recycling are also integral to Dubai’s new Green Building regulations. As per the new codes, for all new buildings except those in CBD, at least 50% by volume or weight of waste material generated during the construction and/or demolition of buildings must be diverted from disposal in landfills.

Diverted materials must be recycled or reused. The regulations also mention that for all new buildings other than villas, a sorting and storage facility for recyclable materials must be provided. This facility must be easily accessible and comply with the requirements of the location, access and specifications of general waste areas in accordance with Dubai Municipality Building Regulations.

In a panel discussion on waste management at the seminar, Mark Siddorn, Senior Director of Environment, Imdaad; Yousif Lootah, CEO, Lootah Biofuels and Muhammad Ihsanullah Qamar, Cluster Director of Environment, Health & Safety, Rotana Hotels will debate the future of waste management and recycling in the Emirate.

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EvEnT PrEviEw GPCA Conference

Spotlight on human resources Strengthened by a rapidly expanding petrochemical sector and multi-billion dollar investments, the GCC countries employed more than a hundred thousand people last year The petrochemical and chemical industry in the Gulf region employed 158,300 people in 2013, according to new data from the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA). Direct employment, along with services that support the petrochemicals industry, led to the creation of an additional 474,897 jobs, bringing the total number of jobs that rely on the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf to 633,197 in 2013.

The people aspect of sustainability will be a key focus during the upcoming GPCA Sustainability Conference. Now in its second edition, the annual event will be held from October 21-23, 2014 in Dubai.

Strengthened by a rapidly expanding petrochemical sector and multi-billion dollar investments, Saudi Arabia employed 83,000 people, accounting for over half of the Gulf ’s petrochemical workforce. The United Arab Emirates is the region’s second largest market in terms of people, employing 45,291 professionals, just over 28% of the region’s chemical employees.

Employment statistics in the region show that for the GCC petrochemical industry, the multiplier effect is estimated to be around 1:3, as every ten jobs directly created by the sector leads to an additional 30 indirect employment opportunities in the chemicals supply chain.

“In 2013, the development of petrochemicals created a ripple effect that was responsible for more than half a million jobs in the GCC, resulting in the manufacture of over US $97.3bn worth of products,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA. “Petrochemicals is evolving into an industry that touches nearly every sector of the GCC economy, from technology, equipment manufacturing, construction and agriculture to retail and trade.”

The GCC petrochemical industry’s capacity has grown consistently at 12.2% year-on-year since 2008 and currently

produces 129.2m tonnes of products. Similarly, employment in the sector has risen cumulatively by 13.5% in the same period. Petrochemicals are now the region’s second largest manufacturing sector in terms of contribution to GDP and the largest manufacturing employer, after metals, minerals and the food industry.

Furthermore, GCC nationals make up 56% of the industry’s workforce. Bahrain accounts for the highest number of nationals working in the industry, with 83% of the chemical workforce being Bahraini nationals, followed by Saudi Arabia, where 63% of the industry’s employees are Saudi nationals.

“Over the last few years, the Gulf ’s petrochemical industry has developed a solid base of skilled human capital, which is a crucial component in ensuring the long term development of the industry. While the sector is taking solid steps towards economic and environmental sustainability, these strides would have little effect if it were not for human resources.

After all, skilled talent is crucial for the industry’s growth and global competitiveness,” said Dr Al-Sadoun.

“While the sector is taking solid steps towards economic and environmental sustainability, these strides would have little effect if it were not for human resources” Dr AbDulwAhAb Al-SADoun, SecretAry GenerAl, GPcA

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ADVERTORIAL Delta Faucet Company

Delta Faucet launches first showroom in Abu Dhabi Delta Faucet Company, a leader in sustainable and innovative water solutions for residential and commercial buildings, is continuing to expand on its partnership with UAE building and construction group, Mac Al Gurg, with the opening of a state-of-the-art showroom in Abu Dhabi.

The event was attended by dignitaries, architects, designers and developers along with executives from Mac Al Gurg and Delta Faucet Company, including the newly appointed vice president, international, Ken Roberts.

Keeping up with the pace of growth in the UAE, Delta Faucet has shown tremendous success, which can be seen in a triple digit year-on-year growth rate since it was established in the region in 2011. The company’s two-year partnership with Mac Al Gurg has seen much success with the opening of a flagship regional store in Dubai in November last year and is now followed by the launch of a state-of-the-art showroom in Abu Dhabi. The partnership has also secured key projects in Abu Dhabi, including the five-star Women’s Hospital Danat Al Emarat and the Abu

Dhabi Future School, along with other projects in the pipeline.

“We’ve been growing very fast in the Middle East. It was only three years ago that we established a regional office in Dubai, and we have experienced exponential growth each year.

With the upcoming Expo 2020, there is great potential for Delta Faucet to get involved in the region’s hotel expansion plans which saw 20 hotels open since last year and 20,000-30,000 more hotel rooms to be added by the end of 2016. From a global perspective we see the Middle East as a key growth market and

are committed to offering water solutions to residential and commercial buildings in the area,” said Ken Roberts, vice president, international, Delta Faucet Company.

In line with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 to build a more sustainable future, Delta Faucet Company is a pioneer in the advancement of performance standards for watersaving products and has developed several groundbreaking technologies to help promote water conservation. These technologies have helped Delta products become a part of the Estidama Villa Product Database

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ADVERTORIAL Delta Faucet Company

(EVPD) which is compliant with the Pearl Villa Rating System (PVRS) requirements. Estidama is the sustainability initiative of the emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Pearl Rating System is a key component of Estidama that deals specifically with the builder environment and its performance in relation to economic, environmental, cultural and social standards.

“We are confident that our continued association with Mac Al Gurg will help us achieve our goal of becoming market leaders in the UAE kitchen and bathroom sphere.

Dubai’s hosting of the Expo 2020 has helped introduce the sheer number of upcoming development projects in the pipeline. We are excited to expand operations and

036

“We are confident that our continued association with Mac Al Gurg will help us achieve our goal of becoming market leaders in the UAE kitchen and bathroom sphere” ROSS jackSOn, delta faucet cOmpany

take part in an exciting era of the region’s development,” said Ross Jackson, general manager for GCC and North Africa, Delta Faucet Company.

Delta Faucet’s presence continues to grow within the

region and it is now featured in projects including the C19 Residential tower, the Abu Dhabi Courthouse, the Imperial Residence, the Rolex Towers (twin towers), the Casa Community and a number of

private villas around the UAE. The company is committed to providing smarter ways for people to experience water, and continues to develop new and innovative solutions that are sustainable, while also enhancing the user experience.

“We have worked closely with Delta Faucet Company to offer our clients a wide variety of residential and commercial faucets and are delighted to be part of Delta Faucet’s first showroom launch in Abu Dhabi.

As an established brand within the UAE, we at Mac Al Gurg believe that there is a gap in the market, which Delta Faucet Company’s innovative solutions can help fill,” said Raj Paryani, General Manager, Mac Al Gurg.

ConstruCtion Big 5 Preview

Accelerating growth Precast concrete market is set to grow in the GCC as infrastructure projects for global events take off Demand for precast concrete in the construction sector is increasing as developers realise how its use can speed up completion time in major projects. it is also forecast to be a major part of Dubai’s 2020 build programme for structures that can be disassembled afterwards and relocated, according to a new report.

Precast concrete contributes to green building practices in significant ways. The low water-cement ratios possible with this kind of concrete makes it more durable. The thermal mass of the concrete allows shifting of heating and cooling loads in a structure to help reduce mechanical-system requirements.

Because precast concrete is factory-made, there is little waste created in the plant (most plants employ exact-batching technologies) and it reduces construction waste and debris on site, reducing construction IAQ concerns.

The load-carrying capacities, optimised cross sections, and long spans possible with precast concrete members help eliminate redundant members, while the concrete readily accommodates recycled content.

According to a report by construction consultancy firm Ventures Onsite, precast concrete is becoming increasingly popular in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. The report is released in collaboration with the Middle East Concrete (MEC) and PMV Live exhibitions, which are co-located with Big 5, set to take place in November.

Bashar Abou Mayaleh, Managing Director at Middle East Concrete exhibitor Hard Precast Building Systems, said: “Developers are attracted to precast concrete as it can greatly reduce the duration of a project as well as the cost. It provides cost and time savings to developers and governments, as well as offering significant environmental benefits.”

In Dubai, demand for precast concrete is forecast to increase from next year as high-end architectural projects are beginning to be constructed for Expo 2020.

Precast developers are also likely to see opportunities for temporary products, which can be disassembled after the event and transported to other locations.

Qatar’s increased investment in infrastructure projects in the run-up to the World Cup 2022 has boosted demand for precast products and helped build low-cost housing in ‘Labour Cities’.

While in the UAE and Qatar precast concrete is being used to support large infrastructure projects, in Saudi Arabia it will be used to help meet government targets of 500,000 new homes.

The usage of precast concrete will be discussed at the Middle East Concrete exhibition, in two technical seminars addressing this construction method, as well as a panel session that analyses the latest innovations in precast concrete.

“The precast concrete market offers enormous opportunities to local producers and to developers here in the region,” said Nathan Waugh, Event Director for Middle East Concrete and PMV Live.

“We are keen to address this rising demand and offer our visitors access to high-level experts, international exhibitors and top-of-the-range products in line with their needs,” Waugh added.

Middle East Concrete and PMV Live will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre running from 17 - 20 November, and are open from 11am to 7pm daily.

01 Nathan Waugh, Event Director for Middle East Concrete and PMV Live

01

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ConstruCtion Sustainability Lecture Series

need of the hour The Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series, which brought together more than 200 thought leaders, played a crucial role in raising awareness on energy efficiency in buildings With the GCC’s commitment to advancing sustainable development plans, the Distinguished sustainability Lecture series, held in Jeddah, saudi Arabia last month, aimed to further the dialogue around sustainable building transformation, including energy conservation and efficiency improvement.

The event brought together more than 200 sustainability thought leaders, energy-efficiency experts and green building professionals from countries with emerging economies, and was convened by UTC Building & Industrial Systems brands Carrier, a global manufacturer of HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) systems, and Otis, a manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

BGreen talks to Rolando Furlong, Vice President, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, Middle East and Turkey and John Mandyck, the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer,

to get their perspective on the importance of sustainability awareness and education.

Is the region finally getting serious about sustainability?

Mandyck: This is a region where energy consumption is very high. Take Saudi Arabia, for example. The country’s total energy consumption per capita was more than three times the world average in 2011. If Saudi Arabia continues to develop the way it has, it will consume as much oil as it exports by 2030. Think about that – Saudi Arabia could exhaust its main natural and economic resource. That provides an incentive to become more sustainable. So far, the signs are positive.

In Saudi Arabia, a decree was issued so that all businesses will have five years to meet new air, water and noise pollution standards. At the fourth annual Saudi Green Building Forum, held in November 2013, executive president of the Royal Commission at Yanbu Alaa Nassif said that Yanbu Industrial City aims for 10% energy savings by 2020, despite the

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ConstruCtion Sustainability Lecture Series

“We believe that global dialogue can rebalance the built environment with the natural environment“ John Mandyck, chief SuStainability officer, utc building & induStrial SySteMS, Middle eaSt & turkey

expectation that the city will double in population. Of that, 7% will come through energy efficiency and 3% from renewables. Higher planning and architectural standards will support a long-term green economic plan for 2030. At the same forum, Ahmed al-Essa, Assistant Vice President for Licencing at the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities (SCTA), said that the commission had launched a programme to promote green hotels.

In Abu Dhabi, the government is aiming to establish a clear vision by 2030 to create a more sustainable foundation for any new development occurring in the Emirate. Estidama is the symbol of an inspired vision for governance and community development. Regionally, regulations are being introduced, raising the energy efficiency bar for residential products.

At UTC Building & Industrial Systems, we believe that global dialogue can rebalance the built environment with the natural environment. We also believe that building green will accelerate with education. That’s partly why we are proud to convene forums like the Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series Events in Jeddah and Istanbul. Our hope is that our discussions will help further drive advancements and shape the decisions made for years to come.

Furlong: Major players and key accounts in the region are modifying their product requirements to target sustainable solutions. These key accounts are focused on sustainability and even require products using non-ozone depleting refrigerants in advance of local regulations.

For larger commercial segments, green products are an important consideration. It’s important to note that Carrier introduced the first commercial and residential airconditioning systems using non-CFC ozone depleting refrigerants in 1994, two years ahead of US requirements and 16 years before mandates in developing countries.

After the introduction of the new Green Building Regulations in Dubai, is there an additional pressure on other GCC countries to implement a similar code?

Furlong: Sustainability is becoming a priority in the Middle East region. Qatar and the UAE have come up with their own green building programmes, to incorporate socioeconomic, environmental and cultural aspects in modern architecture. In addition, the King Abdullah Financial District in Saudi Arabia is one of the largest green building developments in the region.

The region’s green building segment has witnessed rapid expansion in recent years. According to a study by McGraw Hill, the Middle East region has one of the highest favourable trends in the world towards green buildings construction. Qatar’s Green Building Council is currently driving sustainable growth through education and networking programmes, demonstrating commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and environmentally responsible building practices.

Mandyck: One way government can help influence decisions is in energy labelling. For example, the European Union is adopting a policy that will provide energy labels in buildings

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ConstruCtion Sustainability Lecture Series

like the ones we use in the US on appliances. Building energy labels will improve transparency and make it possible for the energy conscious to make more educated decisions about where they want to live and work.

They will also clearly show the consumer demand for more energy-efficient homes and work environments, as well as help drive implementation.

By 2018, in the UK, if a commercial property receives the two lowest efficiency ratings, it can’t be leased – think how fast that will accelerate action.

Do you think Saudi Arabia can face major hurdles in achieving its recently announced green building goals?

Furlong: While the cost of energy is low in the region, a significant amount of headway can be made with awareness and training at the consumer level.

We have participated in awareness campaigns, working with governmental bodies and local authorities, as well as working directly with customers.

We also know that the GCC region is price-sensitive, but more and more customers here are starting to see the longterm value in sustainable products. They make good environmental and business sense, and a growing portion of the region understands this. There’s also a growing awareness of energy conservation in the region, with some countries placing a higher importance than others, both within government and in business.

“Major players and key accounts in the region are modifying their product requirements to target sustainable solutions” rol ando furlong, Vice PreSident, utc building & induStrial SySteMS, Middle eaSt & turkey

How efficiently is the region adopting high-COP HVAC systems?

Furlong: Clearly, given the climate, air conditioning is an important necessity for human health and productivity.

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning account for more than 50% of a building’s total energy use in this region.

Fortunately, there are environmentally responsible options for air-conditioning systems and indoor air-quality.

In addition to Carrier’s industry-leading offerings, regional governments are working to educate the public on the importance of energy efficiency, as well as implement new regulations to save energy. In Saudi Arabia, for example, regulations reflect a 40%-plus increase in the efficiency of the residential ACs in the segment over the last two years.

This is part of KSA’s contribution toward improving sustainability in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is expected to increase from 7.5 to 11.5 in a span of just a few years.

How important is an integrated approach to construction waste management in order to achieve sustainability goals?

Mandyck: Construction waste management is an important part of sustainable building. At the recently completed Otis factory in Chongqing, China, we recycled 90% of construction waste. The building earned LEED Gold certification, and it’s one of six LEED-certified factories and three LEED-certified buildings in the UTC Building & Industrial Systems portfolio.

In addition, we achieved a 49% reduction in industrial waste in 2013, compared to a 2006 baseline.

041

INNOVATION Product Update

Innovation

Light bulb recycling vending machines Bee’ah www.beeah-uae.com

GA 90+-160 energy efficient air compressor Atlas Copco www.atlascopco.com

Sun Buddy solar-powered water pumps NOV Mono www.monopumps.com.au

UAE-based waste management company, Bee’ah has installed the Middle East’s first reverse vending machines for domestic light bulbs and batteries. It has been supplied by UK-based firm reVend.

The introduction of these machines is expected to help Bee’ah further advance its goal of achieving zerowaste to landfill in Sharjah

Atlas Copco has unveiled the latest GA 90+-160 range of oil-injected rotary screw compressors, which is said to reduce operating costs.

These compressors can operate in various kinds of power plants, and are useful in industries such as mining, cement, glass and metal. With their high-cooling capacity, they can perform in operating conditions of up to 55°C.

NOV Mono has launched Sun-Buddy, which is a solar powered submersible water pumping system for small-scale farms and rural lifestyle properties.

Managing water movement on a small rural property can be a challenging task, as water has to be drawn from rivers, bores, tanks or stock dams for smallscale crop irrigation, stock and garden watering, and general household use.

Key features The machines accept all domestic light bulbs, including incandescent ones, CFLs, LEDs and any domestic batteries which contain scarce mineral resources or harmful ones such as lead and mercury.

Each light bulb is recognised by the machine’s Video Recognition Technology.

An easy-to-follow touch screen menu helps to guide the recycler through the procedure.

Once the user completes the recycling process they will receive a reward incentive voucher. They will also have the option of donating their loyalty points to charity organisations.

Key features The compressor includes energy savings features like the IE3 motor, no-loss water separator drain, an energy recovery module and in-built dryers.

The unique integrated dryer concept delivers clean, dry air to improve the process’ reliability and increases the energy savings.

The patented screw element improves the performance of the product by up to 5% compared to the previous generation, the company claims.

With the reduced floor space requirement, and the all-inclusive package, the installation costs are considerably reduced.

Key features Driven by solar energy, the pump requires no diesel, grid power, wind or batteries to run.

A solar power point tracker adjusts the voltage output of the 195W solar array to maximise power generation and increase or decrease voltage to suit the demands.

It uses a progressing cavity action with a helical rotor element which works even if the water contains silt or iron oxides.

A variable speed control allows the flow to be regulated to suit different conditions such as low yield bores.

A low speed operation capability provides extended rotor and stator life.

043

DIARY DATES Events & conferences

Diary dates Sustainable Design & Construction Middle East Summit Dubai, UAE October 19-22

Dubai’s successful bid for Expo 2020 has pushed the bar higher for green efficiency not only in the UAE, but across the Gulf.

At the Sustainable Design & Construction Middle East Summit, sustainability construction experts will discuss key trends and innovations taking place in the field, and how this will impact the future of construction.

The key topics to be discussed include: latest green materials and technologies to drive sustainability, different Middle Eastern codes impacting your projects and achieving true compliancy and reducing the carbon footprint during the construction phase.

044

EGBC Annual Congress Dubai, UAE October 20-21 The third Annual Congress of Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, will be held under the theme, ‘Sustainable Cities of the Future’.

It will be held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, the UAE Minister of Public Works.

Stakeholders representing the entire building industry supply chain including highranking government officials as well as educationalists and sustainability experts from across the region will attend the Congress.

Several eminent international subject experts will present technical papers.

GPCA Sustainability Conference Dubai, UAE October 21- 23 The GCC countries’ petrochemicals industry competes with multinational players worldwide as environmental and sustainability issues are poised to become important competitive differentiators.

All this will be discussed during the upcoming GPCA Sustainability Conference.

Now in its second edition, the annual event will be held from October 21- 23, 2014 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Saudi Build Seminars Riyadh, Saudi Arabia November 10-13 After 25 years of successfully hosting the Saudi Build exhibition, Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC) and Advanced Conferences and Meetings (ACM) are launching the Saudi Build Seminars. This unique two day series, held concurrently with the Saudi Build exhibition, will present a number of innovative, high-level sessions for all those involved in the Kingdom’s Design and Construction industries.

Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest-growing construction market in the Gulf and currently accounts for almost 40% of projects in the GCC. Fuelled by public sector funds and overseen by regional municipalities, the bulk of the Kingdom’s expenditure is being used to develop five key areas by 2020 - Healthcare, Hospitality, Education, Housing and Transport.

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technical risk and Safety manager From last September, Allen & York is the Knowledge Partner of the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence who launched the Green Jobs Programme.

This initiative, backed by most of the key stakeholders within the sustainability arena aims to mark a milestone in the efforts of the Dubai business community toward the establishment of a sustainable economy. The programme has three main objectives: to shed light on green jobs and education for sustainable development, to connect the relevant stakeholders for green employment and to create a data repository for green jobs. The kick off meeting and high level panel discussion will take place at the end of October 2014.

We look forward to meeting you at this occasion.

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Solar PV experts Allen and York are looking for a number of different profiles within the field of Solar photovoltaic- these include a lead photovoltaic engineer, a solar engineer, a project manager and a procurement manager.

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To apply to any of these vacancies visit www.bgreen.ae/

045

EnErgy and WatEr Leak detection and prevention GREEN PERSONALITY Michael Bloomberg

Pressing for urban action Former New York City mayor Michael R Bloomberg is pushing for urban action to blunt climate impacts and greenhouse gas emissions New York’s former mayor Michael R Bloomberg has been an active campaigner for environmental causes during his tenure at the office and beyond. He was named a UN special envoy for cities and climate change earlier this year and has been a vocal leader at its Climate Summit, which was hosted in New York last month, along with People’s Climate March and Climate Week.

In the role of a UN special envoy, Bloomberg is helping national governments set more ambitious climate targets by showing them how much cities can do to reduce emission and build resilience.

“To meet the biggest challenges of the 21st century, city leaders must think creatively and be unafraid to try new things,” he said.

Bloomberg also serves as the President of the Board of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, a network of large cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related actions.

In response to global warming and New York City’s role in it, Bloomberg enacted a plan called PlaNYC: A Greener, Greater New York to fight global warming and protect the environment.

In his keynote address at the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit, he said “We now know beyond a doubt that global warming is a reality. And the question we must all answer is, what are we going to do about it?”

Bloomberg has also proposed a number of initiatives to fight climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, using cleaner and more efficient fuels, and encouraging public transportation. In February 2013, Bloomberg and oil tycoon

T Boone Pickens launched a new eco-friendly food truck, which emits 75% less greenhouse gases than trucks running on gas or diesel.

He founded Bloomberg Philanthropies, which works to reduce carbon emissions, air and water pollution and other environmental threats. The organisation focuses on spurring change at the local level by supporting the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group to help cities around the globe reduce their carbon footprints, and partnering with the Sierra Club to retire one-third of the US coal fleet by 2020. Bloomberg Philanthropies also committed US $53m to help revitalise the world’s oceans.

Further with a $50m commitment over four years, Bloomberg, through this philanthropic organisation, is joining forces with the Sierra Club on the Beyond Coal campaign, an effort to effectively end America’s energy dependence on coal. This unique partnership’s goal is to shut down one-third of the nation’s aging coal plants by 2020 and move America toward cleaner, alternative energy sources.

Recently, Bloomberg also awarded a three-year, $6m grant to the US Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) for its work to minimise the environmental impacts of natural gas operations through hydraulic fracturing.

“Here’s the truth on natural gas. The environmentalists who oppose all fracking are wrong, and the drillers who claim that regulation will kill the industry are wrong. What we need to do is make sure that the gas is extracted carefully and in the right places, and that has to be done through strong, responsible regulations,” he said.

“To meet the biggest challenges of the 21st century, city leaders must think creatively and be unafraid to try new things”

046

EnErgy and WatEr Leak detection and prevention GREEN PERSONALITY Michael Bloomberg

047

COMMENTARY Jenny Adams

Coastal regeneration with sandscaping Natural near shore processes can be used to nourish beaches, creating new land to reduce coastal flooding and erosion Recent storms have focused attention on coastal management, raising questions about how we should protect our coasts. Should we build ever-stronger defences? Should we abandon coastal cities altogether?

I think there is another option – one that involves harnessing the power of nature.

Sandscaping uses natural near shore processes to nourish beaches, creating new land to reduce coastal flooding and erosion. In the Netherlands, 21.5m cubic metres of sand have been used to create a hook-shaped peninsula off the coast near Ter Hejide. Natural processes will distribute this sand, producing 35 hectares of new beaches and dunes along the coastline.

As well as dissipating wave energy, slowing coastal erosion and supporting coastal ecologies, sandscaping offers an opportunity to enhance the natural coastal environment, create new leisure opportunities and significantly improve the amenity and aesthetic value of coastal towns. This is especially the case where it means unattractive and less sustainable hard coastal defences such as groynes and concrete sea walls can be removed. What’s more, it could be very cost-effective compared to traditional hard engineering defences, as well as extending the recharge period of standard beach replenishment schemes because it does not disrupt vulnerable seabeds.

Sandscaping schemes enable coastal communities to optimise place-making opportunities, grow niche tourism industries and establish themselves as attractive locations for

048

leisure and recreation opportunities – thanks to new beaches.

The fact that this can be done by working with nature means that the holy grail of combining environmental, social and economic benefits just might be achieved.

Arup’s planners, working in partnership with The Crown Estate and Royal Haskoning DHV, are working together to propose sandscaping for the UK. The partnership believes that this could offer effective coastal management while unlocking multiple regeneration opportunities in our coastal communities.

These regeneration benefits are vital. In the UK, for example, isolated and poorly connected coastal areas with high seasonal employment are often disproportionately disadvantaged. A government study found that 26 of 37 principal seaside towns in England had greater overall deprivation than the English average – leading to them being branded the ‘Costa Del Dole’.

Sandscaping could offer a way to turn the tide on such trends while using natural processes to protect vulnerable coastlines.

Jenny Adams is a Chartered Planner at global engineering, design, planning and project management firm Arup’s Planning, Policy and Economics team in London. This article was originally published by Arup and has been reproduced with their permission.

onstruction Intelligence eport

An industry in words The construction Intelligence report will offer an in-depth analysis of the Middle east construction market, covering a broad range of topics from property development and megaprojects to infrastructure and finance. The report will feature an exclusive survey on regional salaries and industry trends, as well as interviews with key executives, sector updates and country reports. This annual report will serve as a one-stop guide for industry professionals, enabling them to make more informed business decisions.

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The right workflow and processes defined, BIM enables organisations to improve the quality of building design

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BIM – Business Enabler or Technology Red Herring?

Lorem Systems' Dolor Sitamet explains why it is so important for BIM providers to create systems that will push forward the concepts of simple and effective cooperation between all stakeholders involved in a project Luptas aut acil issus acea polvolorporro iliquibust re occae dimitis dolor?

The UK government’s decision to require that all suppliers involved in public sector construction projects use Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools and techniques by 2016 is to be applauded. The intention is to drive better value from capital investment and realise a 20% reduction in lifetime costs, whilst supporting environmental commitments by facilitating a more integrated approach to design. It is also about changing the culture between the client and the rest of the supply chain, replacing the traditional, rather adversarial business practices with a collaborative approach that should also drive innovation.

However, misinformation is rife. BIM is not just about 3D data but about creating a holistic information resource that also includes 2D data sources, documents, spreadsheets, and more.

I believe the key to realising the government’s BIM vision is to create simple, effective cooperation among the design, construction and operation aspects of the infrastructure lifecycle. Overcoming these traditional silos

provides a chance to reduce duplication, minimise errors, streamline processes and facilitate collaboration.

However, while the majority of new bids now demand some level of BIM compliance, requirements are often opaque at best. Let’s set the record straight: BIM, when done correctly, is about information sharing enabled by information mobility (across engineering disciplines and the infrastructure lifecycle).

It provides contractors and owner operators with access to key design data that can be used to transform effectiveness throughout the construction and operations processes. Yes, it drives better use of 3D across the industry, but not only 3D. 2D data remains important, as does information held in documents, spreadsheets, and other databases, all of which contribute to a holistic BIM approach.

Luptas aut acil issus acea polvolorporro iliquibust re occae dimitis dolor?

BIM is ultimately about creating an asset model from day one that can be used consistently throughout the project to drive efficiencies

and improve collaboration. Indeed, BIM also encompasses information management as much as information modelling. It enables a contractor to feed design information into project planning tools and resolve potential conflicts before arriving on site. It also empowers the sharing of space information with facilities management teams before the building goes live to drive effective up-front planning, as well as the sharing of other crucial design, engineering, and construction information that can later be used to help drive cost-effective operations decision making and renovations work.

Leveraging a collaborative platform and technology to share and integrate information, within an incremental approach that accommodates all of the specialised design simulation and analysis software best suited for each project role, will best enable the industry to achieve the desired widespread adoption of BIM. The government’s stance on BIM is to be commended. Demanding Level 2 compliance by 2016 is pragmatic and achievable and promotes the very real promise of intelligent infrastructure that is better performing in terms

of its energy efficiency, resilience to natural and man-made disasters, safety, and cost-efficiency.

However, while industry adoption and interest are positive, it is essential that organisations take a step back and truly assess information requirements.

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BIM is a business process not a technology.

With the right workflow and processes defined, BIM enables organisations to improve the quality of building design, reduce costs and achieve the collaborative workflows required to drive true innovation.

However, misinformation is rife. BIM is not just about 3D data but about creating a holistic information resource that also includes 2D data sources, documents, spreadsheets, and more.

I believe the key to realising the government’s BIM vision is to create simple, effective cooperation among the design, construction and operation aspects of the infrastructure lifecycle. Overcoming these traditional silos provides a chance to reduce duplication,

minimise errors, streamline processes and facilitate collaboration.

However, while the majority of new bids now demand some level of BIM compliance, requirements are often opaque at best. Let’s set the record straight: BIM, when done correctly, is about information sharing enabled by information mobility (across engineering disciplines and the infrastructure lifecycle).

It provides contractors and owner operators with access to key design data that can be used to transform effectiveness throughout the construction and operations processes. Yes, it drives better use of 3D across the industry, but not only 3D. 2D data remains important, as does information held in documents, spreadsheets, and other databases, all of which contribute to a holistic BIM approach.

BIM is ultimately about creating an asset model from day one that can be used consistently throughout the project to drive efficiencies and improve collaboration.

Indeed, BIM also encompasses information management as much as information modelling.

It enables a contractor to feed design

information into project planning tools and resolve potential conflicts before arriving on site. It also empowers the sharing of space information with facilities management teams before the building goes live to drive effective up-front planning, as well as the sharing of other crucial design, engineering, and construction information that can later be used to help drive cost-effective operations decision making and renovations work.

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Leveraging a collaborative platform and technology to share and integrate information, within an incremental approach that accommodates all of the specialised design simulation and analysis software best suited for each project role, will best enable the industry to achieve the desired widespread adoption of BIM. The government’s stance on BIM is to be commended. Demanding Level 2 compliance by 2016 is pragmatic and achievable and promotes the very real promise of intelligent infrastructure that is better performing.

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