Construction & Smart Buildings

The Sustainabilist ISSUE 29

Construction & Smart Buildings

TRADITIONAL HOMES TO MODERN SKYLINE

SNEAK PEAK INTO THE RED SEA PROJECT

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

Etihad ESCO provides an overview of the rise of smart buildings

An insight into design and sustainability targets of TRSDC

GOING MODULAR: FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AMANA Investments ellaborates on the future of sustainable construction

THE AGE OF BUILDING AUTOMATION

Armstrong Fluid Technology provides smart solutions to enhance building performance

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Eng Waleed Bin Salman

Editor in Chief The Sustainabilist

T

he impact of digital transformation is all around us, the benefits of which, are seen in buildings, cities, and organisations. As the region aims to deliver strategic and economic development plans, creating sustainable living environments and world-class infrastructure plays a crucial role in achieving these goals.

therefore, it attaches great importance to sustainability in all its operations and strategies. The UAE is currently witnessing the development of some of the world’s smartest buildings to reduce operating costs and improve the working environment. There is a huge demand for clean, green, and sustainable practices.

The industry is undergoing rapid transformation, hence, construction companies involved in executing projects are adopting technologies and tools that not only create a safe and secure working environment for their employees, but also ensure that infrastructure design is not compromised.

Smart buildings ultimately contribute to the wellbeing of their occupants.

The rise of smart buildings is set to be one of the most far-reaching transformations and we are lucky to be able to witness it. This edition covers topics such as sustainable architecture and design, green building standards, the future of sustainable construction, among many others.

The UAE Government believes in significant reduction of carbon footprint to ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come, and

Have a great read!

IN THIS ISSUE

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COVER STORY

The Sustainabilist in conversation with Brendan Jack about the future of sustainable construction and AMAALA’s efforts in promoting smart practices.

DEWA sets an example for sustainability through innovative world-class green buildings

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Jean Francois of Tabreed helps us understand the role of district cooling in recent sustainable developments

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Sneak Peak into The Red Sea Project

by Ian Williamson, Chief Project Delivery Officer, The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) 01

Letter from Editor in Chief

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Going Modular: The future of sustainable construction, Riad Bsaibes, AMANA Investments

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Cover Story by Brendan Jack, AMAALA

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An insight into design and sustainability targets, Ian Williamson, The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC)

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DEWA sets an example for sustainability through innovative world-class green buildings

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Smart Infrastructure Powered By The Sun, Urbanomy, EDF

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Our Buildings are the Key to Reducing Carbon Emissions , Marwan Zeidan, Schneider Electric

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An overview of the rise of smart buildings, Faisal Al Raisi, Etihad ESCO

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Interview with Jean Francois, Tabreed

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The Age of Building Automation, Kevin Laidler, Armstrong Fluid Technology

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Interview with Nada Taryam, Bee'ah

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Back to the Future, CallisonRTKL

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Amplifying the move to net zero carbon buildings, Dr Waleed Yagoub, Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC)

Sustainable Architecture in the UAE, Chandra Dake, Dake Rechsand

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Interview with Andrea Di Gregorio, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

Cognitive Smart Cities are the Future, Dr Harpreet Seth, Associate Professor, Heriot-Watt University Dubai

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10 of UAE's most Sustainable Buildings

Editor in Chief : Programme Director :

Solaiman Al-Rifai solaiman.alrifai@dcce.ae

Managing Editor :

Līga Līce da Costa ligal@dcce.ae

Associate Editor :

Nirel Ethel Titty nirelt@dcce.ae

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NEXT ISSUE The future awaits mind-blowing technological advancements and innovation, in the realm of sustainability, as the world moves towards a smarter and greener future. Individuals are looking to gain a competitive edge in the market by innovating products and services that increase efficiency and productivity, whilst protecting the environment.

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The Sustainabilist is published by Dubai Carbon. Articles reprinted in this issue are copyrighted 2021 by Dubai Carbon.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, without prior written permission of Dubai Carbon is expressively prohibited.

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The articles reflect the opinions of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the publishers or the editorial team. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

COVER STORY

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he Sustainabilist in conversation with Brendan Jack about the future of sustainable construction and AMAALA’s efforts in promoting smart practices.

The Sustainabilist

A recent report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted both the fragility of our environment and the dire need to protect it. Findings reveal that human activity is rapidly changing the climate in unprecedented ways. The biggest cause for concern is global surface temperatures. Since 1970, they have risen faster than any other 50-year period over the past 2,000 years, and it is estimated that parts of MENA will be completely unhabitable by 2100. The World Green Building Council echoes these concerns, reporting that the built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions and 50% of the world’s resource consumption.

What is the importance of incorporating smart and green practices in the construction sector? What drove AMAALA to invest time, money and effort into the concept of improved sustainable construction?

In the context of increasing construction that doesn’t pay enough regard to our surroundings, global populations are experiencing drastic impacts of climate change, loss of biodiversity and the depletion of natural resources.

Sustainability can no longer be an after-thought. It must live front-and-centre at the industry’s development. Only through a holistic view can we prioritise the restoration and protection of our environment. This is the thinking that continues to guide our efforts in ensuring sustainability is woven indelibly into the fabric of AMAALA. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its journey to a greener future, guided by the Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), we are inspired to drive a sustainable reboot of the sector. AMAALA’s commitment towards conserving and enhancing our environmental, social, and economic capital is guided by a green infrastructure approach – be it by enhancing key habitats that will enable biodiversity to flourish as well as providing significant carbon insetting; or achieving operational carbon neutrality by 2025 by powering the destination with 100% renewable energy. These efforts support the SGI in its bid for the Kingdom to reach 50% renewables by 2030 and reducing carbon emissions by 4% of global contributions.

In parallel, AMAALA is taking shape as a resilient smart destination. Through 52 smart services, we will ensure integrated, seamless and hyper-personalised experiences for our guests, staff and operators. To ensure a robust digital integration, our services will permeate through planning, construction and operation. Be it via Virtual Reality, the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, or Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, innovative technology will drive improvements in productivity, quality, reliability, cost-savings, waste-reduction and energy efficiency. The ultimate aim is to deliver sustainable operations while improving quality of life, efficiency of services, and destination competitiveness and appeal.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

AMAALA is heavily prioritising sustainability and conservation of natural assets within its operations.

How does AMAALA plan to conserve natural resources and promote smart and responsible practices? Can you elaborate on the certain intricacies of the innovation for green and clean construction?

Sustainable construction encompasses far more than just eco-friendly materials and the integration of energy efficiency frameworks; it requires masterplanning with a holistic sustainability focus, before moving on to designing and constructing buildings that embed green and smart technology within them. At AMAALA, this means considering the social, economic and environmental impacts that are created by the way we source our materials and the processes we use.

Consequently, we define our success not just in terms of the benefit to our business, but also in terms of the impact and benefit to the environment, community, and the world.

Before we completed the masterplans, we worked closely with our strategic partners on a thorough marine spatial research project, helping us identify four areas of priority: coral reef management; iconic species protection; Marine Protected Area (MPA) creation and management; and eliminating pollution (especially plastic).

This guided our efforts in key areas such as: developing a coral translocation programme for the limited areas where we cannot redesign our project to avoid construction impacts and to safely migrate these corals to suitable new reef locations; a vigorous wilderness area conservation and controlled access policy to help re-establish native flora and fauna; designing low-impact waste water treatment and re-use methods; identifying a dedicated and ongoing operational funding partnership opportunity for turtle and other wildlife conservation; implementing a “no take” policy to suspend

The Sustainabilist

fishing activities within AMAALA waters to enable the depleted fish stocks to recover and regenerate that will then support a future sustainable fishing programme; identifying sensitive marine environmental zones for the application of zero discharges, together with a smart observation and monitoring network to asses a range of ecosystem health indicators, including ambient pollution levels; a sustainability focussed yachting policy; and identifying construction and development exclusion zones for sensitive habitats, such as turtle nesting sites.

We constantly asked ourselves: how can we promote positive environmental impacts during construction and offset any negative impacts? Our green construction helps set an elevated standard of sustainability, with materials and methods that are low-carbon, less resource- and waste-intensive, and engage renewable energy sources. Our masterplans further minimise waste via biodegradable materials, green insulation, cool roofs, sustainable resource sourcing, electrochromatic smart glass and water efficiency technologies.

Would you say that AMAALA is setting a standard for construction in the region? In your opinion, will sustainable construction cease to be just a trend and start being the new normal in the near future?

AI, robotics, 3D printing, IoT and big data analytics have disrupted industries worldwide. AMAALA’s forward-looking sustainable approach empowers us to leverage such emerging technologies and set new industry benchmarks. New technologies in sensors and data management are currently being embedded across all AMAALA assets to help constantly monitor and drive substantial efficiency gains. These can also be used to monitor sensitive environments during construction close to shore or over water, to ensure that conditions remain optimum for the species inhabiting the area.

Looking ahead, we see the regional construction sector at the cusp of a technological transformation driven by sustainability. With 2021 being the year of COP26, construction has an unprecedented opportunity to build greener and opt for low-carbon measures that protect nature and biodiversity.

At AMAALA, this [sustainable construction] means considering the social, economic and environmental impacts that are created by the way we source our materials and the processes we use.

Brendan Jack CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, AMAALA With almost four decades of experience in sustainability, Brendan joins the AMAALA and The Red Sea Project teams as Chief Sustainability Officer. In his role, Brendan envisions and oversees these organisations’ ambitious sustainability goals, as well as providing wide ranging advice and technical expertise, across the design, construction & operational phases of both giga-projects.

Brendan served as Nakheel’s Head of Sustainability and Environment for the past 12 years in Dubai, where he was responsible for all social, economic & environmental sustainability functions for Nakheel. Prior to which he held a number of industry affiliations, spanning a range of companies, sectors, and countries. This includes Executive Committee member of the National Environmental Law Association in Australia; Board Member for the Emirates Green Building Council in the UAE; as well as serving as a founding member of the Environmental Management Industry Association of Australia (EMIAA).

Over the course of his tenure, Brendan has achieved incredible success as a strategic thinker and innovator, pioneering one of the largest coral relocations anywhere in the world. Brendan has also worked closely with the United Nations University International Network for Water, Environment & Health (UNU-INWEH) to develop monitoring programmes to guide the ongoing marine health of the major Dubai marine projects (including The Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands) – the first major programme of its type in the Arabian Gulf.

Brendan holds an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NSW Institute of Technology, Sydney, Australia and a Post-Graduate in Environmental Management from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, Australia.

Brendan is married, with two sons and six grandsons. All live close by the family home in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, Australia. In his spare time, Brendan enjoys art, culture, architecture, incredibly loud rock music concerts, health and fitness, being out in wild places, and he is an enthusiastic photographer (https://www.brendanjackphotography.com/).

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DEWA sets an example for sustainability through innovative world-class green buildings HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD&CEO, DEWA

The Sustainabilist

DEWA will establish a global benchmark for buildings that balance development with the environment, to protect the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment

A

n overview of some of DEWA’s sustainable building projects

Believing in the importance of reducing the carbon footprint to ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) attaches great importance to sustainability in all its operations and strategies.

Every year, DEWA launches several programmes and initiatives that consolidate its position at the forefront of sustainable utilities worldwide. DEWA’s buildings are no exception from that. It has a clear strategy for following the highest international standards for green buildings that are highly efficient in terms of cost and energy consumption. DEWA’s efforts in green buildings have been recognised by several prestigious organisations worldwide. Among these projects are: DEWA’s Sustainable Building in Al Quoz DEWA’s Sustainable Building is the first sustainable government building in the UAE and the largest government building in the world to receive a Platinum Rating for green buildings from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). It achieved 98 out of 110 points as per the rating criteria for the design set by the US Green Building Council. Recycled materials comprise 36% of the construction material used. The building uses 66% less energy thanks to the additional insulation in its walls and roof, and special glass to reduce heat transfer into the building, which helps reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. Highly efficient water-cooled chillers cut down energy use. The building uses low powered LED lights and automatic lighting control systems with occupancy sensors. In addition, renewable energy is available through an on-site 660 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic solar panel system. The Sustainable Building’s systems help reduce water consumption by 48%.

All sewage water is treated by a grey water treatment and sewage treatment plant.

Al Warsan Complex The Warsan Complex spreads over an area of 650,159 sq ft, and includes two transmission and distribution control centres, and a 430,630 sq ft administrative building capable of accommodating up to 2,350 employees, among other facilities. It is a significant addition to DEWA's facilities, which is line with the 'Green Economy for Sustainable Development' vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The complex’s Control Centre is equipped with the most advanced remote control and monitoring programmes using German technology including potential expansion opportunities. The latest programmes enable full control over the network in Dubai and its operations, in addition to monitoring generation process automatically in coordination with various stations to the highest international quality, efficiency, and sustainability standards.

The Control Centre's function is to ensure efficiency, safety, and sustainability of Dubai power supply, maintain the required electricity reserve for emergency cases, provide quick intervention to solve blackouts, and coordinate with various departments for swift power recovery, power exchange coordination with other emirates, as well as monitor quality indicators and network performance to achieve sustainability and reliability.

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The Sustainabilist

Al Shera’a Building Al-Shera’a, DEWA’s new headquarters, will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government net zero energy building in the world. Total energy used in the building during a year will be equal to or less than the clean energy produced onsite in a year. DEWA’s new headquarters has been designed to receive a platinum rating by LEED and a silver rating from the WELL Building Standard. DEWA will carry out two more phases to implement work on the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the photovoltaic solar systems for the building.

By building Al-Shera’a, DEWA will establish a global benchmark for buildings that balance development with the environment, to protect the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment. Al-Sheraa’s built-up area is over 2 million square feet. The building will have 15 floors, a basement, and 5 floors of car parking. The building can house 5,000 people.

Facilities in the building will include a 500-people auditorium, training halls, a creativity centre, an exhibition hall, a nursery for the children of female employees, and a gym, among others. The building will have over 20,000 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels rated to over 4,000 kilowatts. There will be 1,000 square metres of Building Integrated Photovoltaics. The building will generate over 6,500 megawatt hours (MWh) a year of renewable energy.

Al-Shera’a’s design was inspired by the UAE’s traditional houses, where enclosed spaces overlook an open courtyard. The courtyard will be the focal point and most prominent feature of the building. To reduce heat in the open courtyard, the sail design provides shade. Natural light during the day will stream through specific openings in the sail, giving sufficient light without the associated heat. The courtyard will have sustainable gardens. The courtyard will give occupants and visitors an outdoor feeling in an indoor setting. The building will use the latest technologies including the Internet of Things, Big Data and Open Data, Artificial Intelligence, and the latest smart-building management technologies. The building is intended to use 50% less water than regular buildings.

DEWA’s new headquarters will be directly linked to the Jadaf Metro Station by a bridge. This will encourage the use of public transport, to reduce traffic and carbon footprint.

Global recognition DEWA has received the 2021 USGBC Regional Leadership Award from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This was announced during the 3-day USGBC Live virtual conference. The awards recognise the exemplary leadership of organisations contributing to the creation of green and sustainable buildings that have contributed to improving the quality of life in societies worldwide.

DEWA currently has six green buildings with LEED ratings. These include: the Sustainable Building in Al Quoz, the first sustainable government building in the UAE and the largest government building in the world to receive the Platinum Rating for green buildings by the USGBC; the Innovation Centre and the R&D Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park; the Smart Grid Station; Data Hub Integrated Solutions (Moro); and the Distribution Power Division Complex in Al Ruwayyah.

In 2019, the parking structure of DEWA’s Sustainable Building in Al Quoz received the Parksmart certificate from the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) of the USGBC. DEWA’s Sustainable Building is the first building in the Middle East and North Africa to receive this certification in the Pioneer category, the highest class within this certificate. Parksmart is the world’s only certification system designed to assess smart and sustainable parking facilities, supervised by the GBCI, an independent organisation that recognises excellence in green business industry performance and practices globally, working in 160 countries.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer

COMMISSIONER GENERAL FOR THE HEALTH AND KNOWLEDGE TRACK DUBAI COUNCIL; MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO DUBAI ELECTRICITY & WATER AUTHORITY (DEWA) HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer has an overall experience of more than 35 years in the field of telecommunications, energy, water, infrastructure, oil, gas and industry.

Under his leadership since 1992, DEWA achieved unprecedented successes and has become one of the very best distinguished utilities in all aspects world-wide.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer is a Member of the Dubai Council as the “Commissioner General for the Health and Knowledge Track” which includes Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Member of the Dubai Executive Council and Strategic Affairs Council, Dubai Supreme Fiscal Committee, Chairman of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Chairman of Dubal Holding, Chairman of Dragon Oil Company, Vice Chairman of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Vice Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, among other representations.

As an initiative of his own, several successful companies were established, including Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER), Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), Mai Dubai and many other companies.

His Excellency received a number of prestigious awards such as the “Middle East Champion of Energy” award received at the World Green Economy Summit 2015 from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). On 18 May 2016, the UNDP appointed His Excellency as "UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals".

In addition, the Swiss Business Council, Dubai & Northern Emirates awarded His Excellency the prestigious “Lord of Matterhorn Award”. Moreover, His Excellency received an honorary doctorate from Amity University in Dubai in appreciation of his continuing innovative efforts to achieve excellence and enhance scientific knowledge and sustainability.

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Buildings are the Key to Reducing Carbon Emissions By: Marwan Zeidan, Real Estate and Healthcare Segment Director, Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric

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arwan Zeidan from Schneider Electric suggests that the approach needs to be different if we want to reduce carbon emissions by 2030.

We’re heading towards a climate disaster, and we have little time to reduce our carbon emissions. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the planet and to humanity. And we are headed in the wrong direction. The UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Emission Gap report, published in December 2020, showed that the world is heading for a temperature rise in excess of 3°C this century – far beyond the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. Going forward, our approach must be different if we are going to reduce our carbon emissions by 55% by 2030, which is the target we need to hit to achieve the Paris Agreement and minimise climate change.

Many cities have already made climate change commitments, and some have progressed towards reducing their carbon emissions. But we still have a long way to go. With climate change accelerating, we need faster action. Our end goal must be net zero carbon emissions; this will take time to achieve at a large scale. In the meantime, we need to set tangible steps to achieve positive outcomes on the path to net zero. We see two key trends that help us achieve efficient buildings: Digitisation and Electrification.

Digitisation leverages advancements in domains such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence, to make buildings more efficient. Electrification is driving a dramatic shift to more renewable sources for electrical generation, to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.

Buildings matter as they account for 40% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Our own research has found that approximately 80% of unnecessary energy consumption in buildings could be saved by using digital technologies. In addition to energy efficiency, comfort will be a deciding factor in a building’s value and attractiveness – and also the rentability – of real estate.

We need to be able to address both new greenfield buildings, as well as existing brownfield stock. For greenfield buildings, it’s vital that we don’t just reuse old, outdated designs. It will require more effort on the design side to produce new construction concepts to improve how buildings operate throughout the building’s lifecycle. The designs should avoid silo systems, allowing for a best of breed set of solutions that leverage the latest in information technologies, combined with advanced operational building technologies.

Renewable energy sources, active energy management, and energy storage should also be factored in from the onset. The designs should be adhered to throughout the construction cycle. We must ensure that any value engineering or optimisation efforts later on do not create a negative impact on sustainability.

Buildings matter as they account for 40% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions

The Sustainabilist

And, just as importantly, green buildings don’t need to be just new buildings; we can retrofit existing stock. The open question that keeps being asked is whether retrofitting will be made mandatory. Nevertheless, we are already seeing many operators opting for retrofits as they see the benefits in lowering their operating expenditures, while enhancing the attractiveness of their real estate. Governmental financial incentives are helping to boost these initiatives, as are the introduction of renewable energy sources, either onsite or through Power Purchase Agreements.

maintaining or even increasing the comfort for inhabitants, addressing issues before they occur, and delivering the right experiences by anticipating people’s needs.

So, let’s now ask how do we achieve greener buildings?

We can integrate renewable energy sources with a mix of storage. Active energy management plays a major role, by being able to anticipate energy loads and on-site generation capabilities by analysing impacting factors such as weather conditions, and then try to spread the energy consumption so the peaks remain low. At times, we will have “Positive Energy”, where buildings will generate additional power that can either be stored or even fed back to the main grid.

In new buildings, we need to use connected products to generate and share data. For existing buildings, we can deploy sensors and controllers. The large amount of data generated can be analysed through Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, resulting in actionable insights. And if we can connect the BIM (Building Information Modeling) solutions with the Building Management Systems, we can get a holistic view of the information, and translate that into action to reduce energy consumptions, while

There are many interconnected stakeholders involved, and to achieve efficiency, a collaborative process is crucial. We must start with a framework, whether governmental, or corporate, or both. This will drive design adoption on a number of levels, including building architecture

Throughout all this, it’s important to have a proper regulatory framework with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance metrics that can be monitored, and fine-tuned if required.

to building systems and technology.

These designs will drive the choice and deployments of systems, their connectivity, and the data solutions that result in actionable insight. Reporting can be aligned to ESG strategies and performance metrics.

Building operators should constantly fine tune and enhance these systems.

Let’s take a recent example. IntenCity in Grenoble is a 26,000 m² campus which is exemplary in many respects. Through active energy management, the site aims for a consumption of 37 kWh / m2 / year; the average for such a building is ten-fold this number. This consumption will be offset by more than 4,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels installed on the roof and two vertical wind turbines which will produce 970 MWh per year. We will also have 300kW of energy storage. If you do the math, you will see that the building will be energy autonomous.

Throw in how the building promotes employee performance, with comfortable workstations, the ease of booking spaces, and effective management of any issues. The building is targeting LEED platinum status.

This is an example of how our living spaces can help us promote our wellbeing and net zero. All we need is the will.

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As a pioneer in district cooling, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Proud as we are to power the world’s most recognisable landmarks, our real inspiration is rooted in the power to change life for the better. With reliable energy solutions, valuable partnerships and efficient options, we strive to be the cornerstone of progress for humanity and community, sustaining profits while making the world more sustainable. Join us as we enter a new era of energy, driving progress for people, places and environments around the world.

Tabreed.

Essential for Progress.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

Q&A

J

ean Francois of Tabreed helps us understand the role of district cooling in recent sustainable developments

With the rise of smart buildings over the past couple of years, what is the role of district cooling? How does Tabreed commit to quality, safety, sustainability and efficiency?

Tabreed recently signed an agreement with Miral for SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. How will this new development meet the needs of the present without compromising on the needs of future generations?

District cooling technology is inherently safer, more efficient and more sustainable than other methods of cooling. Everywhere in the region, and potentially in the rest of the world, we're seeing new master-planned cities emerge with scores of residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure facilities that all need cooling.

Our work with SeaWorld is an opportunity for Tabreed to showcase the diversity of its offerings and capabilities. We don’t just service the requirements of industrial or residential customers – on the contrary, we work closely with all kinds of clients to identify their specific requirements in order to provide bespoke solutions.

Conventional cooling in this context means that you will have to set up and maintain hundreds of thousands of conventional air conditioning systems, which come at varying degrees of quality, and this already presents a challenge of its own. The sheer number of these units similarly causes pressure on power grids, and this is further compounded by their environmental impact, maintenance and replacement costs, and certainly the safety issues all these factors pose.

This is a customer that utilises an enormous amount of water with many different temperature requirements when it comes to cooling. SeaWorld is being connected to Tabreed’s existing Yas Island district cooling scheme and will deliver a cooling capacity of 7,500 refrigeration tonnes with a total concession capacity of 15,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) along with an additional dedicated plant delivering reliable, technologically advanced and sustainable cooling.

District cooling, by design, readily addresses all these issues and creates a great margin for technology upgrades of the systems in use to further reduce their climate impact and contribute positively to the environment.

As for meeting the needs of future generations, Tabreed continues to play a critical role in supporting Abu Dhabi’s sustainability agenda through providing sustainable cooling solutions, maximising energy efficiency and reducing the emirate’s carbon footprint. We also share the sustainability vision with Miral for SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, which aims to provide impactful education and learning opportunities that inspire future generations to care for the oceans and support marine life.

Tabreed is notably active on the research and development front, pursuing the innovation and deployment of new greentech that would support the company’s growth and reduce both the electricity bills of our clients and eliminate any remaining impact of cooling on the environment. Tabreed is also a member of the United Nations’ Cool Coalition, which brings together the world’s leading developers of technology and district cooling service providers to explore new solutions and forge partnerships towards this end.

It is therefore through the Cool Coalition framework, and Tabreed’s domestic and international partnerships that the company works to bring the ensure the efficiency, reliability, quality and cost-effectiveness of its systems.

We view the rise of smart buildings as an opportunity to expand our network and production capacity. Our systems are built to integrate seamlessly with legacy infrastructure and third-party systems, and smart buildings are a step in the right direction that accelerates the deployment of our solutions to new markets.

The Sustainabilist

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By design, district cooling plants consume less energy than conventional cooling, not by 5%, or 10%, but by a whopping 50%.

The Sustainabilist

What are the infrastructurerelated challenges faced

by Tabreed when it comes to applying and integrating their services in the built environment?

I believe it’s important to point out that we are making rapid progress on all fronts, both operationally and procedurally. As you may be aware, Abu Dhabi’s district cooling regulation framework has gone into effect earlier this year, and this has genuinely simplified several aspects of our work, facilitating the deployment of district cooling services to all future projects at a lower cost and with the least necessary investment in infrastructure integration and retrofitting.

The challenge we had been facing up until the activation of the regulatory framework relates to the imperative of keeping up with the fast pace of construction and urban development in the UAE, which is never easy when you consider how rapidly the country is growing. This resulted in timing and master-planning constraints that are now beginning to lift as more progress is made on the regulatory front.

On the energy front, Tabreed has openly adopted a comprehensive sustainability and energy-efficiency agenda, and this necessitated the reliance on renewable sources of electricity to power our district cooling plants, but are yet to meet our goals on this front, and we therefore can’t offer a fully renewable cooling solution to our clients, though this may be well on the way as we explore opportunities for partnership in the UAE. How does Tabreed guarantee the reduction of energy consumption and prevent emissions in a sustainable manner?

By design, district cooling plants consume less energy than conventional cooling, not by 5% or 10%, but by a whopping 50%. This percentage of energy savings is subject to further increase as we develop new gear and upgrade the different components of our facilities to meet our sustainability and energy-consumption objectives.

We have also worked on developing a smart user interface that provides our clients with straightforward consumption data that enables them to monitor and control their consumption and cooling costs in real time.

Jean-Francois Chartrain

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, TABREED

Jean-Francois has over 18 years of experience in the field of Business Development, Engineering and Construction across various sectors such as utilities, energy and renewables, and environment industries across various geographies.

In his previous role as Technical Director with ENGIE ITALIA, he headed 3 separate departments; design, maintenance engineering, and energy efficiency. He was also responsible for leading the private development of the district heating scheme.

Jean-Francois holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Electricite et de Mecanique, France, and a Master of Business Administration from European School of Management, Paris, France.

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The Age of Building Automation By: Kevin Laidler, MEA Sales Director, Armstrong Fluid Technology

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mart solutions are key to enhancing performance, sustainability, and life cycle costing for your building project.

In an era dominated by smart objects – phones, cars, watches and more – a new type of smart advancement has emerged: the smart building.

A smart building essentially uses technology to enable the efficient and economical consumption of resources in a building, all while creating a safe and comfortable environment for occupants.

As we move towards the adoption of greener solutions, both in the regional and global Building Services industry, the age of smart buildings is only just beginning. Powered by

product innovation and intelligent automation, smart buildings can deliver a number of benefits ranging from superior system performance to reduced energy consumption and costs.

engineered services for automatic control, monitoring, operation and management of systems within a building. The goal of using BAS is to enhance overall energy management and performance of the building.

Let’s start by discussing exactly what makes a building ‘smart’. The cornerstone of a smart building is incorporating sensors to create automated systems with the capability to send, receive and respond to data. These automated systems, known as Building Automation Systems (BAS), consist of all the products and

Buildings are a significant contributor to energy consumption in our cities. In fact, they are responsible for about 40% of total energy usage, and a similar proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing energy consumption in our buildings presents a vital opportunity to support wide-scale sustainability in our

The Sustainabilist

Reducing energy consumption in our buildings presents a vital opportunity to support wide-scale sustainability in our cities cities. As we work towards creating more sustainable cities, the adoption of greener practices in the Building Services industry is quickly becoming a necessity for projects to gain acceptance and to succeed.

HVAC systems in particular, an important part of any building, can be automated to optimise energy consumption and performance.

Approximately 5% of their lifetime carbon footprint can be traced to the manufacturing of components. The other 95% comes from energy usage during the operating life of the equipment. Clearly, the greatest opportunity for carbon footprint reduction lies in improving performance deficiencies.

Furthermore, HVAC systems operate highly efficiently when first installed.

However, over time, system efficiency ‘drifts’ away from the original levels of performance. This is known as performance drift, which ultimately leads to energy waste, high operating costs and more greenhouse gas emissions.

As performance drift continues, system performance deteriorates, which may also result in more failures or reduced comfort for occupants.

The greatest opportunity to ‘smarten’ up our buildings lies in the automation of the HVAC systems within them. Manufacturers are increasingly producing intelligent products built specifically for smart integration. The key role of these systems is to collect, monitor and analyse data to provide learnings and opportunities for optimisation. With this data, the Building Services industry can transform the way we currently manage and operate HVAC systems to prevent, or even reverse, the loss of energy efficiency.

Forward-looking products are being created to support data collection trends in the BAS industry. One such trend is edge computing – where local data collection, combined with automated controls, are used to reduce latency and increase system efficiency.

Another trend is cloud-computing. Data transferred to the cloud can be analysed to provide real-time insights. Machine learning, and consequent trend analysis, is then enabled through these insights. Alerts about potential issues can be detected, such as a closed valve in the system, along with optimisation recommendations.

Moving beyond all of these innovations is digital twin technology, with which we can compare data with that from similar buildings and trial suggested actions for optimisation in an identical digital twin before implementing the changes on the live system itself.

In my experience with Armstrong Fluid Technology, choosing the right intelligent systems is key to creating a high-performing smart building.

In the last decade, technology for HVAC systems has been enhanced to deliver up to 70% energy efficiency savings compared to traditional systems. For example, demand-based control ensures energy is consumed only as needed. Active Performance Management systems, like our Pump Manager, enable pump performance to adjust automatically according to system load and run at lower speeds. Innovations such as these enable pumps to operate at optimum levels based on demand to consume as little energy as possible. They also help enable condition-based maintenance, providing real time alerts when they detect issues, allowing for early detection to prevent failures and service disruptions.

In the Middle East, cooling systems work particularly hard to counteract the warm climate. Upgrading cooling systems is another key opportunity to improve energy efficiency. Variable speed pumps, such as Armstrong Design Envelope Pumps, are an effective solution for upgrading cooling systems. These pumps optimise system performance and respond to realtime system conditions to dynamically adjust equipment operation and match system demand. The result is highly efficient cooling systems that deliver substantial energy savings and costs compared to conventional fixed speed pumps.

The benefits of creating smart buildings are significant for both building owners, operators and occupants. Our approach is a holistic one. The first step is selecting the right intelligent systems. The next is data collection, which allows for learnings and optimisation to enhance system performance. Higher performing systems not only lower energy consumption, therefore reducing carbon footprint, but they also require less maintenance and deliver a lower risk of failure. The overall result is a productive and comfortable indoor environment for occupants and an efficient, lower cost facility for operators.

As we look to the future, increased digitalisation is the new way of life, and its adoption has been amplified by the global pandemic. The choice for building owners is to adapt or fall behind. The era of automation is upon us and the time has come to ensure our buildings are smarter than ever to support this region’s vision for a greener future.

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Going Modular: The future of sustainable construction By: Riad Bsaibes, President and CEO of AMANA Investments

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iad Bsaibes, CEO of AMANA, emphasises that continued innovation and disruptive technologies can lead to a greener future.

In the wake of the pandemic, we have witnessed technology disrupting many industries – including construction. Smart machinery, the Internet of Things, 5G and robots are all a part of building technology today. Technologies such as AI, big data and analytics are helping to make the construction sector more reliable, efficient, and sustainable. In the future, building design and construction will be increasingly digitalised from concept to completion, and beyond – across design, construction, manufacturing and operations.

New methodologies and digital technologies are enabling faster, safer, greener and smarter construction. In fact, a new legislation in Dubai supports the emirate’s strategic target to ensure that 25% of its buildings are constructed using 3D printing technology by 2030. With this, Dubai could well become the regional and international hub for 3D printing technology; to improve efficiencies in construction, reduce waste and stimulate economic growth.

As we pivot away from traditional methods to build better and smarter, modular construction is being adapted by marquee projects across the GCC. It has a number of advantages over conventional construction.

For a number of reasons, I believe modular is the future of construction.

Building faster, smarter, greener But what is modular construction? We describe it as a shift from projects to productisation. AMANA has been at the forefront in manufacturing construction, to solve complex challenges, reduce environmental impact, streamline efficiencies and deliver results.

Modules are manufactured at an off-site location, and then shipped to the site where they are assembled into complete buildings.

They can even be disassembled, making this is a time-saving, no wastage, super safe and clean process that benefits all – developers, contractors, construction workers, end users and most importantly, the environment.

Moving the process to a factory reduces environmental impact, when compared to traditional construction. Open construction sites are notorious for material waste. But in modular construction, the assembly-line manufacturing process ensures quality and consistency, potentially reducing material waste by up to 30%.

The reduced carbon footprint of modular projects is also tied to reduced labour requirements. In traditional construction, labour crews are transported to the site or

in the case of remote sites, they are provided housing nearby. Modular construction factories can be located away from the site and closer to inhabited areas, reducing transport and accommodation requirements.

Safer working conditions are often facilitated by the repetitive, simplified and standardised factory operating process adopted in modular construction, improving work safety when compared to traditional on-site construction.

There is a sound business case for adapting modular methodologies in construction. For one, turnaround time on projects are shorter.

Unlike building on site, manufacturing can continue, whatever the weather conditions, and in parallel to other processes such as landscaping and infrastructure works.

Generally speaking, modular buildings can be built in half the time it takes for a traditional site-built project of similar scale.

Timelines can vary based on each unique project’s requirement. Cost overruns are avoided as material wastage and labour requirements are reduced.

Furthermore, various types of smart meters are installed in the modules at the factory.

End users of the building can thus monitor water and power consumption, among other parameters such as temperature, humidity and Co2 levels. Smart meters enable end

The Sustainabilist

users to measure, manage, and automate the pod’s energy consumption. Wireless Internet of Things (IOT) sensors push data to our secure cloud server allowing for data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based energy optimisation. AMANA’s smart metering solution has been deployed at our subsidiary DuPod, an innovative modular construction concept that manufactures utility, wellness, retail, and living pods.

Another AMANA subsidiary, DuBox used modular construction to provide quality housing to more than 1,500 staff in a 10-building residential complex for The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) in Saudi Arabia. Three quarters (75%) of this project is designed, manufactured and assembled offsite in a controlled environment at a DuBox factory in Saudi Arabia, before being transported by road to the Red Sea site. Offsite manufacturing on this project commenced before the site was ready, proceeding in parallel to site clearance and land filling works, thus saving time.

A quicker and more sustainable alternative to traditional models, modular construction also improves durability and build quality. It also offers a faster return on investment.

Technologies such as AI, big data and analytics are helping to make the construction sector more reliable, efficient, and sustainable

The final products are easy to assemble and disassemble, so developers or owners can shift and relocate in sync with market demands. A less wasteful society should be everyone’s goal and modular construction is helping bring much-needed circularity to the building sector.

As a regional leader in sustainable construction, AMANA is adopting digital tools, standardised manufacturing techniques and processes in construction across its green buildings and solar projects.

This includes rooftop solar power plants to help companies meet their net zero goals.

It is time for our industry to proactively adopt sustainable methodologies. The construction sector is a significant contributor to carbon emissions; responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world, with operational emissions [from energy used to heat, cool and light buildings] accounting for 28%. The balance of 11% comes from embodied carbon emissions – associated with construction as part of the whole building lifecycle. With continued innovation and disruptive technologies, we can build a greener future.

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An insight into design and sustainability targets of TRSDC

By: Ian Williamson, Chief Project Delivery Officer, The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC)

The Sustainabilist

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an Williamson of TRSDC tells The Sustainabilist about The Red Sea Project’s sustainable design and sustainability targets

The Red Sea Development Company’s (TRSDC) masterplan for The Red Sea Project includes some of the most prominent design concepts. How is the development and design meeting the needs of the present without compromising on the needs of future generations?

You have struck the very essence of what our company and projects are striving to attain with this question.

At TRSDC we aren't only aiming to meet the needs of future generations, we are striving to create better conditions for them. Coastal developments, by their very nature, have historically altered ecosystems for the worse, and created stress and negative effects on marine environments. The Red Sea Project is hugely different – it is unique and truly a world first in terms of its overarching regenerative approach.

Our coastal development will have the opposite of a detrimental effect and go further than simply maintaining the status quo. We are utilising the project as a means to improve the environment. As we aim to contribute a 30% net conservation benefit by 2040 in the project area, we are implementing a number of ambitious initiatives.

Our projects are a seed of life that will make the biodiversity of the destinations thrive. The net positive expansion of Saudi Arabia's green and blue habitats and their biodiversity is an essential contribution to the global fight against the climate and ecological crises and an invaluable legacy for current and future generations.

The ethos of our site is preparing Saudi Arabia for tomorrow's generations, we are already contributing to diversifying the Saudi economy and powering the development of its workforce, using the full force of tourism’s transformational potential to positively impact the social dimensions of sustainability and regeneration.

It is forecast that tourist arrivals worldwide will total 2.4 billion by 2027, generating an expenditure of USD 2.2 trillion. The Red Sea Project, one of the flagship Vision 2030 projects, will help attract a proportion of this spend to the country, creating significant employment and investment opportunities. The new destination will be instrumental in opening the Kingdom up to global visitors.

How is The Red Sea Project progressing and what have been the major developments of the past year?

How is sustainability being applied, incorporated and guaranteed?

We now have over 8,000 employees on site, working together with over 800 employees at TRSDC. Some of the employees on the ground are already living in our completed Base Camp and Construction Village. The Construction Village will eventually house some 10,000 workers and is setting new benchmarks in worker welfare standards.

The Coastal Village, the future home of the resort’s 14,000 employees, is well advanced with elements completing in the coming months. The Coastal Village includes homes, new offices and a 144-key three-star hotels. This residential community is being built using offsite manufacturing techniques, an example of TRSDC’s modular, low-impact approach to construction.

The project’s infrastructure is progressing well with the planned 80 km of roads already completed. These include the main artery to the new international airport. which is also under construction by the 1,150 workers supported by 345 pieces of heavy machinery operating on-site. The airside construction has completed 3,500 m3 of asphalt laid on the 3.7 km runway and taxiways.

The state-of-the-art waste management facility opened earlier this year to support TRSP’s circular waste management ambitions and deliver on the commitment to send zero waste to landfill even during construction.

The one million-square metre landscape nursery, the largest in the region, opened in Q1 2020. The facility will eventually provide the 15 million plants required to landscape the destination and is set to provide upwards of 25 million plants and trees for landscaping at our destinations. The asset is a key contributor to our ambition of increasing the destination’s net conservation value by 30% by 2040.

The Construction Village will eventually house some 10,000 workers and is setting new benchmarks in worker welfare standards.

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We recently awarded the contract to design and build the 1.2 km garden bridge connecting the mainland with Shurayrah our central hub island. Shurayrah will host our flagship concept, Coral Bloom.

In addition, we awarded a PPP contract to deliver 100% renewable energy 24/7, ensuring our destination becomes the world’s largest powered solely by clean energy. These are some of the notable developments issuing from the more than 600 contracts already awarded, worth over SAR 17 billion (USD 4.5bn).

What are the challenges faced by TRSDC because of their strict sustainability and environment preservation targets, considering the size and scale of the development work?

We at TRSDC see challenges as opportunities. The challenges of maintaining our commitment to being powered 100% through renewable energy, have become the chance to perform operations never attempted on this scale before.

We’re so confident of our ability to deliver this, the destination will have no connection to the national grid.

Through technology, we are also identifying new ways of doing things, helping meet our ambition of being a responsible developer. Often, the technology already exists but has never been implemented on this scale before.

We’re also safely incinerating waste that can’t be recycled, all to meet our commitment of ‘zero waste to landfill’ and are emerging as a leader in the use of modular and prefabricated building technologies.

This approach allows us to improve quality, while also incorporating sustainable materials and reducing our impact on the environment.

It’s our aim to set new benchmarks in urban and suburban developments, not just here in Saudi Arabia but for the rest of the world.

Part of our environmental enhancement aim will be achieved by deploying around 2,500 Internet of Things (IoT) sensors throughout the coral reefs, lagoons, and turtle nesting sites. These will measure our progress as we move towards achieving our 30% net enhancement goal. In addition, we are embedding a smart irrigation system and sensor networks at one of the largest plant nurseries in the Middle East, located at our site, to save 30% of water resources from freshwater production.

The Sustainabilist

The site is underpinned by a smart destination management system that will monitor the environmental impact of operations, how will this also ensure that the guests receive a seamless and personalised experience?

Embedding technology requires more than making the destinations’ resorts feel seamless and personalised, a trend we are seeing more of within hospitality. The huge challenge we face is scale - bringing different technologies together to provide this seamless and ultra-personalised experience across our vast development area – which is equivalent to the size of Belgium.

Technology will enhance visitor experience from the moment they arrive.

When visitors land at the Red Sea International Airport, intelligent resort management processes will mean zero-waiting time for passengers, as well as minimal human intervention, not to mention automated transfer of baggage to accommodation.

Technology will help to effectively limit over-tourism and preserve the environment. Measures will include personal carbon footprint trackers and sensors to monitor the environment, such as water salinity and tidal flows.

The visitor experience will be seamless, personalised and of the highest standard, using biometrics, virtual concierge services and centralised journey planning. The intention is to keep technology behind the scenes, almost invisible to the guest, to enable such an experience without losing the personal touch of face-to-face engagement and hospitality.

Ian Williamson

CHIEF PROJECT DELIVERY OFFICER AT THE RED SEA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (TRSDC)

Ian Williamson joined the organisation as Chief Development Officer in October 2017.

He is responsible for leading development and delivery of the planning, design and construction of the project. As an Executive and Board Director for over 25 years, Ian has undertaken both strategic and operational roles, developing a leadership style that enables his colleagues to reach their potential.

Earlier in his career, Williamson worked with Sainsbury’s for a decade, as a senior member of the development team, responsible for marketing, finance, store planning, and project management. He later acted as Senior Vice President between AECOM Europe and AECOM Middle East, where he directed projects on both continents for over 15 years.

Prior to joining TRSDC, Williamson served as Managing Director at Arcadis Middle East.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Cass Business School, London, UK, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with Mathematics from the University of Reading, UK.

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SMART INFRASTRUCTURE POWERED BY THE SUN By: URBANOMY, EDF

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df sheds light on smart infrastructure of the future and the role of the sun.

By 2050, urban areas will account for just 2% of the Earth’s surface. Yet these same areas will be responsible for 80% of global energy consumption and 90% of global CO2 emissions.

While there is consensus that cities need to become carbon neutral, to do that we have to rethink the way infrastructure is built, refurbished and managed.

Building smart infrastructure means leveraging the complete infrastructure system to make the best and efficient use of its component parts

A net zero challenge for all Achieving carbon neutrality at scale for urban areas or regions will likely require investment in new systems and infrastructure. Beyond this, it will also demand backing from public institutions and support from the population.

This is the reason why we communicate around this topic, in order to ensure people really understand the importance of net zero, what it entails, and how they can contribute to making it happen. Urbanomy, the EDF low-carbon real estate consultancy, led a survey titled “Reach Net Zero at individual scale”, that really highlighted the link between education on this topic and willingness to act for change.

A bidirectional shift for energy In order to change how we consume energy we also need to change the energy sources we use. The shift to electricity can help infrastructure emit less carbon, but only if it comes through decarbonised energy systems. Thankfully, decarbonised energy systems have become increasingly accessible and affordable, using the power of the sun to power our cities, particularly through solar arrays.

The UAE sits at a prime nexus to leverage solar energy to help the country reach carbon neutrality. The real estate dynamism of the country, combined with the potential to deliver flexible and local solar energy systems, makes it an optimal place to develop large-scale innovative energy infrastructure.

The Sustainabilist

However, carbon neutrality doesn’t just stop at the energy source. Building smart infrastructure means leveraging the complete infrastructure system to make the best and efficient use of its component parts. At a building, district or city-scale, we can devise innovative schemes, where we leverage components, such as electric vehicles, to use or store excess renewable energy generated (this is known as Vehicle to Grid or V2G).

This is where the sun makes it smart.

Further, new infrastructure will have to be built to accommodate and support the development of the digital economy (datacentres are an example) and its automation (e-logistic transport, warehouses, etc.), a growing population in some regions of the world (proliferating 5G and broadband networks), the development of new powerconsuming uses (e-mobility, connected homes, etc.). Powered by the sun, this new infrastructure can be better integrated in existing ecosystems and environments using sustainable models to achieve net-zero emissions. And, of course, giving a strong competitive advantage to regions of the world where the sun shines strongest.

Project DEWA III, in which EDF Renewables acquired a stake along with Masdar and the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). DEWA III is the third phase of one of the world’s most powerful solar projects – the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park. Amounting to a total investment of USD 14 billion (AED 50 billion), the solar park will have a total installed capacity of 5000 MW, creating more than 1000 jobs during its development phase and cutting down on CO2 emissions by up to 6.5 million tonnes a year once it is fully operational in 2030.

An integrated vision at planning stage “If sustainability and carbon neutrality are to work effectively in future schemes, urban planners must employ “an integrated vision” from the drawing board stage” declares Sandra Fives, CEO of Urbanomy.

Involved in developing one of the UK’s new garden villages, Salt Cross Garden Village, in Oxfordshire, Urbanomy advises the County Council on energy and mobility related decisions, where energy systems, quality of life, environment and mobility are not seen as separate entities, but are all linked and have an impact on each other. This is a systemic vision that will allow the County Council to integrate all systems from the beginning and enhance profitability in the end.

Make it shine The technology-agnostic recommendations delivered by Urbanomy allow local authorities, developers, and asset owners to reach carbon neutrality for their projects or portfolio, using powerful EDF R&D tools, based on a breadth of experience combined with operational knowledge and know-how.

EDF expertise for solar covers all aspects of the value chain, from pre-feasibility studies to power generation and supply. From defining net zero strategies to maximising a project’s solar potential project, we know how impactful the power of sun is to reach low-carbon objectives, and can help you make the sunshine work for your project.

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Etihad ESCO provides an overview of the rise of smart buildings By: Faisal Al Raisi, COO & Acting CEO, Etihad ESCO

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aisal Al Raisi, COO & Acting CEO of Etihad ESCO, gives The Sustainabilist readers an overview of the rise of smart buildings and its many benefits

The Sustainabilist

We have come a long way from building from sticks, stones, animal skins and other natural materials. As we move forward from those primitive homes to the modern skyline we see today with steel and glass, they still serve the same purpose – to provide a comfortable and healthy environment for the occupants.

Today buildings have become a complex amalgamation of system, structure and technology. Over time, each of the components inside a building has been improved to work coherently, allowing modernday building owners more peace of mind. They are able to select and control lighting, security, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in a way that works to meet the needs of its users.

However, building owners today are beginning to consider the influence of their structure on the electrical grid, the mission of their organisation, and the global environment beyond the four walls. To achieve these goals, it is not enough for a building to just contain the systems that provide comfort, light. Buildings of the future should be able connect the various components in a seamless manner, while simultaneously reducing energy costs, supporting a robust electric grid, and mitigating climate change.

Smart Buildings Smart buildings essentially offer sustainable solutions in lighting, heating, thermal comfort, air quality, security and other systems at a reduced cost and lower impact on the environment throughout the building’s lifecycle. This is being accomplished through an integrated process, where everyone is involved in the project, from the design to the construction phase. This upfront investment of time and resources from the design stage of the project creates a team of professionals who are able to collaboratively plan to encourage smart sustainable ideas for the entire building to work cohesively not only during the design stage but carry the same together through the life of the building.

Smart buildings use automation and information technology to control the building’s operation to connect a range of subsystems, which generally operate independently, so that these systems can share information to optimise building performance. Smart buildings are connected and responsive to the smart power grid, and they interact with building operators and occupants to assure efficiency, energy, comfort, access, and monitoring for the businesses that inhabit them. Smart buildings work efficiently and harmoniously with the environment and infrastructure they are placed in.

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To date, Etihad ESCO has retrofitted more than 7,700 buildings in Dubai, which has resulted in saving energy costs in excess of AED 250 million and contributed to an equivalent CO2 abatement of 220 kilotonnes.

Etihad ESCO is a DEWA venture that was established in 2013 to make Dubai built environment a leading example of energy efficiency for the region and the world. As a Super ESCO (Energy Service Company), it enables the energy performance contracting market in Dubai by developing energy efficiency projects targeting more than 30,000 buildings. Etihad ESCO aims to jumpstart the creation of viable performance contracting market for energy service companies by executing building retrofits, increasing penetration of district cooling, building capacity of local ESCOs for private sector and facilitating access to project finance.

The Dubai ESCOs market will provide new business opportunities for joint ventures, international partnerships as well as engage UAE national entrepreneurs through a diversified supply chain from financial institutions, technology providers and equipment manufacturers to service providers across the project development, management and reporting stages.

www.etihadesco.ae

BUILDING RETROFIT PROJECT FINANCING MAINTENANCE ENERGY AUDIT SOLAR PV FACILITY MANAGEMENT ELECTRO-MECHANICAL

The Sustainabilist

There are certainly many important economic and social reasons to make smart technology in the workplace our ultimate goal.

Components of a Smart Building Usually, there are three main types of hardware components in a building automation system. It start with sensors, they measure important values such as temperature, humidity, and occupancy, and monitor and register events (e.g., abnormal activity, security breaches, and fire outbreaks). The second component is the controllers which are specialised computers to process the collected data and initiate an appropriate response or follow-up action. The devices employed to carry out the commands issued by the controllers are known as output devices. The communication between these systems is pre-defined through protocols and may be interacted with and improved by the user through interfaces.

Faisal Al Raisi

COO AND ACTING CEO, ETIHAD ESCO

Benefits of Smart Buildings There are countless benefits to smart buildings. Some of them are increased productivity, reduced energy consumption and operating cost. A space that facilitates good indoor air quality, physical comfort, security, sanitation, lighting, efficient processes, will enable people to perform well. If people are satisfied with the lighting and air quality of their space, it can translate to a 2-16% increase in workers’ and students’ productivity. Hence, identifying and understanding how people use and move around within the building, is integral to improving the physical layout towards the optimisation of space.

Smart buildings also allow for the energy efficiency to be improved and, in turn, reduces the costs. In smart buildings the energy consumed per unit of floor space is 24% lower than in typical buildings. By connecting IoT sensors that monitor occupancy with the building management system, the automation of functions like lighting and HVAC systems in unoccupied spaces can be automated to reduce the need for unnecessary consumption of energy.

Building overheads are a significant cost for the building owner. By identifying patterns around underutilised spaces, the operating costs can be reduced. In fact, with innovation and IoT, the operating costs can be reduced by up to 30%.

Conclusion As IoT sensors and connected devices become more prevalent, smart buildings will become the norm. There are certainly many important economic and social reasons to make smart technology in the workplace our ultimate goal.

In the future, we may be able to arrive at work, check into our workspace and find that our desk automatically adjusts to our height, our light is just the way we want it, and our work area is at the exact temperature we prefer.

Faisal Al Raisi is the COO & Acting CEO of Etihad ESCO. He is leading Etihad – the super ESCO in the emirate of Dubai, which is thriving to make Dubai one of the most sustainable cities and a leading example of energy efficiency for the region and the world.

Mr Al Raisi is playing a key role in the expansion of Etihad ESCO portfolio. He is actively involved in the formation of two verticals under the Etihad umbrella – Etihad Facility Management (FM) and Etihad Electro-Mechanical (EM) over the past year, and is currently working to develop several other verticals.

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Sustainable Architecture in the UAE By: Chandra Dake, CEO, Dake Rechsand

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handra Dake, CEO of Dake Rechsand tells The Sustainabilist that innovative solutions, such as magic breathable sand and porous tiles for sustainable architecture in the UAE, can help solve its water scarcity problems.

The Sustainabilist

The UAE is considered the mecca of engineering for its smart infrastructure, urban design, energy efficiency and lauded for its architectural magnificence. It is one of the youngest countries built out in the sand amidst a dry weather just within a few decades, however, if you look at it from a bird’s eye every nation has its own challenges.

The Arabian Peninsula is over 87% desert, and even the UAE has its fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to easy access of renewable water. As a nation, it invests a lot to keep the rising temperatures under control and also executes artificial cloud seeding in order to increase its water supply.

Adoption of new age technology such as magic breathable sand - an innovative type of sand that can be used to collect rainwater that falls on any surface such as roads, streets, paved areas, offices, schools, parking and even playgrounds, can be a boon to this nation. This technology by Dake Rechsand is its patented ‘Honey Comb’ water harvesting system that allows water to be stored for up to seven years keeping it fresh, without developing algae, with zero chemicals and absolutely no energy input.

Landscaping with 80% less water is now possible!

Utilisation of this magic breathable sand in landscaping for residential and commercial projects in the UAE will further enable huge savings of water as the one-time application of this technology leads up to 80% water savings. This breathable sand has unique water retention properties combined with air permeability. It is a boon for architects designing a sustainable infrastructure for hotels as well as commercial projects, such as malls and private communities. Hoteliers can now easily adorn their lobbies with more natural plants with the help of this technology as it is now less water intensive for them than ever before. This also means a lot lower carbon footprint than usual.

Building resilient smart water networks, freshwater reservoirs and a city for tomorrow Apart from this, there are also innovative technologies that can be adopted for sustainable architecture. Such as the tiles known as the IDER products which can be used as pavers, tiles, and kerbstones.

Developed by Dake Rechsand, these can help to build a smart underground network of water reservoirs. It can help to store all the rainwater in exposed surfaces and lead to rainwater harvesting and water conservations to a huge extent. The water collected remains fresh for several years and doesn’t even need any electrical or chemical treatment at all. Use of such a smart network of freshwater reservoirs can help prepare ourselves ‘Towards the Next 50’ as directed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This freshwater can then be reused for general purpose. There is a strong need for us to conserve the natural resources for our forthcoming generations.

This mechanism has zero to little maintenance with a long lifecycle and gives a great return on investment as well. It will help the UAE to set up a strong example in front of the world when it comes to caring for its citizens and showcasing its innovation in sustainability and technological advancements.

It [breathable sand] is a boon for architects designing a sustainable infrastructure for hotels as well as commercial projects.

Are we far behind in water conservation and building smart infrastructure?

Not at all. In fact, the UAE is one of the countries that has ratified the Paris Agreement, which means commitment to enable all the existing buildings to operate at net zero carbon by 2050. Federal authorities in the various emirates of the UAE and local bodies such as the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and Silal have shown serious interest in the breathable sand technology.

Additionally, The Ministry of Education has also pioneered the use of this technology in a few schools, to plant trees in schools sustainably.

Further, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality will also plant 1,000 trees as the first phase of a strategy that results in the creation of urban forests.

Sustainable entities such as Jebel Ali Resorts and Nakheel, and several private villas have also implemented the use of this technology. The public and private sector need to collaborate further for the robust use of such innovations to build more efficient buildings around us.

We also need to ensure that we adopt the latest tools and technologies in order to build a smart infrastructure, a cleaner, brighter and more sustainable world for everyone around us. In order to showcase our strengths and take next giant leap, we need to step forward and think what we never thought and do what we never did.

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Cognitive Smart Cities are the Future By: Dr Harpreet Seth, Associate Professor, Head of Architecture and Director of Studies, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University Dubai

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ssociate Professor at Heriot-Watt University, Dr Harpreet Seth speaks about the characteristics of a cognitive city

A report by Research and Markets states that the global smart cities market size is expected to reach USD 820.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 14.8%. As governments continue to deploy advanced technology driven solutions to create a cyber-physical and connected world, smart city initiatives have seen a major uptick in the past decade. Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), FinTech (Financial Technology), Smart mobility continue to be in the foray to build advanced societies.

As technology takes over the urban landscape, we are becoming increasingly aware of the next steps to achieving even more fulfilling cities. Additionally, with more people moving to the cities, the need to expand is growing on a massive scale which also means the need for a more closely connected IT network to cater to the rising demands. A United Nations data report shows that urbanisation and the steady shift in residence of the human population from rural to urban areas, combined with the overall growth of the world’s population, could add another 2.5 billion people to urban areas by 2050.

Due to massive population shifts, modern-day technologies, and huge investments from governments, it is imperative to recognise the importance of cognitive quality of our smart cities. Cognitive capabilities can be the master game-changer for the future of smart cities and smart citizens. This cognitive quality allows the amassing of collective data, giving deeper insights into community behaviours, patterns, and systems that build on the collective pool of community intelligence. Human behaviours and interaction with technology are the superpower

to smart urban innovations both at macro and micro scales. These cognitive qualities of a smart city are evident and reflected in the citizens engagement and responsiveness, becoming co-creators in smart cities.

The continuous feedback loop allows active engagement and updating of systems that respond to shifting behavioural patterns and systems. Additionally, this encourages responsibility and responsiveness that is evolving and proactive to the specific needs of the user that are in constant flux. Cognitive smart cities thus allow these looped feedback mechanisms from the residents to inform the choices and decisions, enhancement of smart systems, and technologies that can be beneficial to the city's development.

The Sustainabilist

Cognitive smart cities are the future of the world; humanising smart elements to contribute to a healthier and growthdriven city is key to securing living spaces for future generations.

Characteristics of a Cognitive City ENCOMPASSING COMMUNICATION FABRIC: A cognitive city can only be formed through strong communications across every representation of a city. This involves electronic devices, vehicles, public systems, transport networks, and government functions. The communication fabric ensures that all components of a city are connected by electronic means, and computation is embedded wherever data is being collected and transmitted. Therefore, the city will need to have sensors embedded in vehicles, public spaces, bridges, gates, etc; and have computation devices embedded in surveillance cameras, sewage treatment plants, city water tanks, electricity poles etc. Having the entire city connected through these methods can help the city to recognise the needs of its residents on a real-time basis, support in providing personalised solutions, make communication between various factors that make a city function seamlessly. On a more practical scale, it can support city developers and managers by reporting disruptions in public services and make it easier to share information for collaboration.

HUMAN CENTRIC SOLUTIONS: Human elements are extremely crucial to smart cities. Without seamless interaction between human and technology a smart city cannot develop into a cognitive one. A smart city should reflect the needs and serve its citizens to improve their lifestyle. This can be achieved by being more inclusive and encouraging participation from residents in aspects that require a citizens voice.

Collaboration, and co-production with citizens taking on the roles of active contributors in building the civil and social framework of the city is important. While technology is the core of smart cities, it also creates a conflict as there is a fear of data breaches, health risks due to its excessive use, surveillance, and monitoring. Governments and city developers need to create solutions that drive smart solutions but by ensuring citizen

safety and privacy. Technologies need to be focussed on pre-identified and necessary purposes, and that the urban resident receives tangible benefits from them. This human centricity will ensure a successful transition towards cognitive cities of the future.

COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE: Data and analytics support smart city solutions and drive the betterment of society. The data is mostly the result of the collective intelligence of a city’s residents.

City occupants hold first-hand awareness of what works and what does not work for them. Collective intelligence is important to design and build more inclusive and liveable cities – and will be key to advancing sustainable goals across the globe. For example, cities can administer applications where in citizens can provide inputs on traffic conditions on a daily basis. Such an action can prove beneficial in easing traffic congestions during peak hours by providing real-time solutions to commuters to undertake alternative routes or to avoid being on the road during that time. Social media, too is a powerful tool. Engaging citizens through social media can be extremely beneficial to the development of a city. Brining the intelligence of its citizens together to build societies that are smart and intuitive is an important aspect of sustainable growth.

According to a recent McKinsey & Company report, about USD 10 trillion will be spent globally to create smart factories, buildings, and infrastructure each year. This expenditure will increase to USD 14 trillion by 2025. While smarter is better, it is more important to create livable and contextually driven smart cities. Cognitive smart cities are the future of the world; humanising smart elements to contribute to a healthier and growth-driven city is key to securing living spaces for future generations.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

Q&A

By: Nada Taryam, Managing Director, Civil & Architecture Projects, Bee’ah

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ada Taryam, Managing Director, Civil & Architecture Projects at Bee'ah, in conversation with The Sustainabilist about ensuring sustainability in design and architectural projects, whilst preventing wastage What are some of the efforts made by Bee’ah to ensure sustainability in design and architectural projects?

How does Bee’ah accomplish their project objectives whilst preventing wastage and protecting the natural resources?

Bee’ah’s new headquarters will be one of the most sustainable buildings in the region, achieving a LEED Platinum certification, considered one of the highest ratings for sustainable buildings.

Designed by the world-renowned architectural practice Zaha Hadid Architects, the headquarters redefines the benchmark for green buildings and right from the start it was conceived and designed with optimal sustainability in mind.

Bee’ah’s foundation is based on the concept of recycling and reusing prevent the disposal of valuable resources and to promote the idea of a circular economy.

Powered by renewable energy, the building will embody sustainability principles, utilising resources as effectively as possible, generating resources renewably, and reducing the site’s impact on the environment. Some of the building’s key sustainability features include passive design by employing good thermal mass to take advantage of the higher diurnal swing and careful sizing and positioning of glazing to reduce solar gain as well as use of natural daylight with lighting controls to monitor the higher daylight usage.

Our headquarters is also a manifestation of this. The building’s form takes inspiration from its surrounding desertscape, and seamlessly blends in with its surrounding environment but it goes beyond the visual by utilising recycled content within the materials used, that includes recycled concrete aggregate and recycled steel.

It will employ water-efficient strategies, with environmentally conscious landscaping that incorporates regional plants and would also makes use of grey water recycling and rainwater collection.

The HQ will also be the first fully artificial-intelligence integrated building in the region with digital workspaces, smart back-office integration, smart lobby-visitor management, smart security and intelligent concierge services. All of this will increase the efficiency of the building.

The Sustainabilist

Can you tell us about the Construction and Waste Demolition Facility and how it takes construction waste away from landfills?

What are the most pressing challenges faced by architects and designers to ensure sustainability within the region?

In Bee’ah’s Construction & Demolition Waste Recycling Facility, waste such as concrete, bricks, wood, insulation and asphalt are processed and reused as aggregate for roads, pavements and walkways. The facility is responsible for processing 500,000 tonnes of waste annually and is one of the busiest in the world. Not only does the facility help to divert these materials from landfill, it also enables us to turn them into new resources that can add value to a circular economy. Rubber products are typically recycled into jogging tracks, rubber tiles and other useful materials while tyres are converted to crumb rubber, which is used to create stadium playing areas, miniature golf courses and playgrounds, among other use cases.

There is still an ongoing lack of awareness on the subject matter in general. Clients tend to have expectations of quick turnaround of designs, which does not allow for a period of research to integrate sustainable measures within the proposals coupled with the aspiration for a certain visual look which doesn’t take sustainability into consideration.

The [Bee’ah] headquarters redefines the benchmark for green buildings and right from the start it was conceived and designed with optimal sustainability in mind.

Then you factor in the low price-point and easy availability of nonsustainable materials and a reluctance from clients to incur the costs of added investment to employ sustainable measures within their project. So, there’s challenge in getting people to see the potential rewards.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

Back to the Future By: CallisonRTKL

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allisonRTKL talks about the quintessential placemaking built on the foundations of the past with the help of a case study.

History and culture go hand in hand in the establishment of a dynamic society, the very essence of placemaking.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia’s visionary leadership set out a blueprint to create a thriving and vibrant society, leveraging key learnings of the past in a bid to transform the future of the nation.

From this, a number of giga-projects set to revolutionise the future of living in the country were conceived. The Red Sea Project, an unforgettable luxury tourism

experience, is one of three giga-projects announced to open new areas of economic activity, create jobs, cultivate entrepreneurial activity and drive economic development.

The Red Sea Coastal Village (CoV), home to the 14,000 strong working community of The Red Sea Project, reinvigorates the traditional planning approach and derives its principles from antecedents. The exquisite sanctuary has been designed as the best of the past, being compact, walkable, and people-centric, while futureproofing urban systems, mobility, and sustainability.

CallisonRTKL (CRTKL), in collaboration with Arcadis, designed and developed the master plan for the CoV, a community for future employees and staff of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC).

The Red Sea giga-project spans 28,000 km2 of immaculate Saudi Arabian coast and includes an archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands and lagoons, and the destination will be surrounded by coral reefs, desert canyons, dormant volcanoes, archaeological sites, and will feature luxury hotels, unique attractions and residential properties.

The community will be designed as virtually car-free with pedestrian movement being a priority… ”

The Sustainabilist

Matthew Tribe, Principal at CRTKL, said: “Delivering a destination as ambitious as The Red Sea Project requires a happy, healthy and fulfilled community of people enjoying a high standard of living and the amenities necessary to support a modern lifestyle. The Coastal Village will be a vibrant and engaging community combining the highest quality accommodation, environmentally sensitive corporate offices and a wide range of leisure and recreational facilities, all delivered in a way that is fully aligned with our commitment to sustainability.”

A home away from home The CoV has been designed to cater for all, with residential clusters set within a natural landscape that blends the physical with the social creating a strong sense of community, while meeting stringent environmental regulations. Taking advantage of its unique position along the waterfront, the entire master plan sits within a maximum walking distance of 600 m to the beach.

At the heart of CoV is the Village Centre, designed as the primary hub of activity and a lively urban centre with retail, F&B, entertainment, and religious amenities. Nurturing the concept of wellness and a healthy lifestyle for its residents, CoV presents an exhaustive list of recreational amenities such as bowling alleys, football and cricket fields, squash courts, climbing walls, kayaking and more.

Tribe commented: “We are delighted to be part of such a high profile and transformative giga-project in Saudi Arabia which will enlist a step change for the future of the country, and strengthen the country’s economy through an immersive tourism experience. To exponentially better and build stronger and more cohesive communities, you have to start with an all life centric approach. For The Red Sea Coastal Village we immersed into the ecology, history and culture of the Red Sea, to ensure that this commands an ever present role in the development and to create a unbreakable sense of community.”

Building a sustainable community Set at the shores of pristine Red Sea, flanking with rich marine life, The Red Sea Project has furthered the Saudi Vision 2030 by committing to deliver a net positive biodiversity conservation benefit of up to 30% within the next two decades. The CoV has embraced and followed the initiative by careful design of coastline, preservation of coral reefs and through the introduction of mangroves plantation.

The community will be designed as virtually car-free with pedestrian movement being a priority. CoV’s mobility strategy is consistent with the wider development vision for promoting autonomous, electric and non-fossil fuel vehicles, and thus offers a network of pedestrian and bicycle routes ensuring that sustainable means become the primary mobility choice.

In line with this way of life, CoV targets to achieve several international sustainability accreditations. The master plan layout, building clusters, architecture and landscape strategy has been developed based on the micro-climatic conditions offered by the site utilising natural primary wind direction and solar movement pattern to generate the proposed urban morphology. Photo-voltaic farms are developed at strategic locations around the development as primary source of power. The site is identified as an area with exceptional quality of starry nights and with a commitment to protect the nocturnal environment, CoV is developed with a dark-sky approach to prevent all and any light pollution to the sky and within the marine environment.

It is proven that being sustainable has a direct impact on quality of life of communities all around the world. Considering this, the development will provide residents with the opportunity to practice community farming, providing fresh, locally-grown food as well as a recreational “DIY” outlet that will contribute to the inhabitants’ sense of purpose and community.

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Amplifying the move to net zero carbon buildings By: Dr Waleed Yagoub, Director, Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC)

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aleed Yagoub tells The Sustainabilist about the role of retrofitting and the transition to net zero buildings

The UAE is among the first nations in the region and among oil-producing countries to outline its focus on achieving the net zero emissions by 2050, an ambition that builds on its continued commitment to promoting sustainable built environment and its ongoing focus to harness clean energy.

With buildings accounting for 36% of the carbon dioxide emissions, the construction sector can play a significant role in supporting the ‘green vision’ of the

nation. Globally, the construction sector is also responsible for 38% of energy related carbon emissions and 50% of resource consumption and is expected to double in total footprint by 2060. Addressing carbon dioxide emissions is particularly important as the increasing energy demand for air-conditioning in buildings account for nearly 70% of the nation’s total electricity consumption.

Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) has been at the forefront in driving industry dialogue – and positive action – to build momentum towards net zero carbon buildings. This is driven by the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, which “calls on the building and construction sector to take action to decarbonise the built environment, inspire others to take similar action, and to remove barriers to implementation.”

The Sustainabilist

With buildings accounting for 36% of the carbon dioxide emissions, the construction sector can play a significant role in supporting the ‘green vision’ of the nation.

Defining net zero energy building The transition to net zero energy and carbon dioxide emissions can only be achieved in stages and through a clear commitment from all stakeholders. To drive this forward, EmiratesGBC has initiated several measures, including defining a nearly net zero energy dwelling or a commercial office building in the context of the UAE. Accordingly, a Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) in the UAE is defined “as a highly energy efficient building with a site Energy Use Intensity less than 90 kWh/m2/year, which covers a significant portion of its annual energy use by renewable energy sources produced on-site or offsite.”

To support the transition, EmiratesGBC launched the Net Zero Centre of Excellence (CoE) in 2018 as a think tank and accelerator to advance net zero carbon buildings. The CoE aims to provide a platform for government, academia, civil society and the private sector to learn and share knowledge on net zero buildings; support future building regulations and the industry towards decarbonisation of the building sector by the global timeline of 2050; and offer tools and resources to advance the net zero movement in the UAE. Businesses and cities in the UAE are urged to sign the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, with several early adopters already setting a model for others to follow.

Our evaluation of the market is that this

decade, despite the challenges on the industry due to the pandemic, will mark a crucial period as more businesses shift to a net zero carbon dioxide emissions outlook.

This is further catalysed by the recent announcement by the UAE to cut its carbon emission by nearly a fourth by the turn of the decade.

The role of retrofitting To advance a sustainable built environment, the role of retrofitting the existing stock of buildings plays a central role. This is supported by the government, with several emirates having developed their own Retrofit programmes. The Dubai Demand Side Management (DSM) Retrofit Programme, for example, aims to retrofit 30,000 buildings by 2030. According to the EmiratesGBC 2020 UAE Green Building Market Brief, over 1,241 buildings and 6,658 villas have been retrofitted in Dubai, since the launching of the Programme in 2013.

Abu Dhabi is targeting the retrofitting of 3,000 government buildings by 2030 (through Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy 2030). Led by the Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Strategy 2040, the emirate plans to retrofit 3,000 buildings by 2040, while Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) has announced its programme is focusing to do the same for its top 100 consumers.

Advancing Deep Retrofits in the UAE is one of our key studies at EmiratesGBC. It reveals

that a majority (84%) of the deep retrofit survey respondents, including consultants, suppliers, manufacturers and ESCO experts, agree that over 50% energy savings are possible in the UAE through deep retrofit.

We see tremendous opportunity to further enhance resource/material efficiencies and reduce carbon emissions. Our Building Efficiency Accelerator Project Report highlights that the best performance level for hotel and hotel apartment buildings, is to consume 58% less energy and 65% less water per unit area than the worst performers in the category. We recorded similar reports with schools and malls too. This proves the strong need to take up energy audits, retrofits, develop energy management and to launch awareness campaigns to promote resource use efficiency.

Need for multi-stakeholder engagement The transition to reach more sustainable and efficient built environment level and eventually to achieve the net zero energy and carbon emissions goal, requires the close engagement of stakeholders across the supply chain. With the UAE leadership setting the direction for the industry and the community to embrace a culture of sustainability, the key is for construction sector stakeholders to ramp up their efforts to follow the targeted high energy efficiency and green building practices and integrate a net zero commitment across their operations.

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Construction & Smart Buildings

Interview with

Andrea Di Gregorio, Executive Director, Energy Efficiency and Renewables Office (Reem), Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

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as Al Khaimah Municipality has achieved success in integrating smart buildings and traditional architectural styles, to preserve their heritage and culture.

The emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has an impressive archeological heritage and rich cultural history. What are some of the challenges faced by Ras Al Khaimah Municipality when it comes to keeping up with the recent rise of smart buildings and sustainable construction?

The good thing about smart buildings is that their sustainability features are largely styleagnostic. You can therefore have green buildings that are well-integrated in a modern city and that also fit well with traditional architectural styles.

There are many notable successful cases of such integration, like the Taipei Public Library in Taiwan, which blends with the local historical architecture, the Vancouver Convention Center in Canada, CopenHill in Copenhagen and many others, where smart building features are accompanied by elements of local natural scenery. There are some in the UAE as well, like the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre in Al Ain. And some in Ras Al Khaimah in particular, such as the Ritz Carlton, Al Wadi, a hotel that is perfectly integrated with the desert environment and at the same time endowed with smart building features, and the new Ras Al Khaimah Municipality building, a smart building in line with the prevalent architecture of government buildings.

Integration can be a bit more challenging at community level, as there are certain inherent features of smart communities that may not fit automatically with the historical architecture of a city. For example, a sustainable community usually integrates features of efficient mobility. These features usually require a modern layout that may be challenging to implement in an existing city, where elements have been added, removed and modified over the course of centuries.

However, there are many ways to deal with this challenge, with success stories around the world. Cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Cape Town, Milan, were able to grow sustainably and accommodate larger populations without losing their traditional character.

Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has developed guidelines for sustainable communities last year, and the guidelines fit different types of communities – rural, sub-urban, urban.

This should allow successful integration of sustainability elements with the existing architectural styles and visual aspects of the city.

This [RAK Municipality guidelines] should allow successful integration of sustainability elements with the existing architectural styles and visual aspects of the city.

The Sustainabilist

How do the sustainability initiatives of RAK Municipality prevent wastage and protect natural resources in construction activities?

We deal with environmental impact and waste from construction activities at different levels. At the building level, Barjeel, the Green Building Regulations of Ras Al Khaimah, requires source segregation of construction and demolition waste, and a minimum share to be recycled or re-used for large buildings. Sophisticated buildings – hotels, malls and hospitals – are required to go further and manage their organic waste as well, by having techno-economic assessments of on-site composters, followed by installations if proven to be feasible.

At the community level, our guidelines require source segregation of construction and demolition waste, communal waste bins, and an environmental impact assessment of the development. Communities are also encouraged to go beyond this, by meeting certain recycling rates, reusing materials in roads and refills, and establishing recycling hubs.

What are some of the targets set by the Ras Al Khaimah Government to ensure sustainability and building retrofitting?

The Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040 sets overarching targets of 30% energy efficiency, 20% water efficiency and 20% share of renewable energy in the supply mix. A large part of this target comes from buildings.

For existing buildings, these translate into an operational target of comprehensive retrofits for at least 3,000 buildings by 2040. I say “comprehensive” retrofits to distinguish them from more focused measures, such as replacement programs of certain technologies like light bulbs. For example, in Ras Al Khaimah, Etihad Water and Electricity addressed 12,000 buildings with replacement of water fittings, in its programme called Llkhair Nurshed.

For new buildings, Barjeel already brings 30% electricity and water savings compared to pre-Barjeel building standards. We target to

gradually update the regulations and supporting mechanisms to, over the course of our 20-year strategy, double this level of efficiency in each new building.

Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040 recently completed its third year of implementation.

Can you highlight some of the most important updates and achievements related to the built environment?

After the first years of design and launch of the programs, we start seeing some tangible progress.

Over 3,000 Barjeel-compliant permits for new buildings have been issued, with no exceptions so far. For existing buildings, retrofit projects for almost 200 buildings were activated. There is also major progress in the Efficient Street Lighting Program led by the Public Services Department. Over 70% of streetlights have already been converted to LED, and we are expecting nearly full LED conversion by the end of 2021.

These achievements are the result of a strong collaboration among government and semi-government entities, and of the synergies achieved with the private sector, with a number of companies who are investing resources and expertise in Ras Al Khaimah and are now seeing a pipeline of projects coming up.

Beyond project-related achievements, there are also new concepts, methods and capabilities that we have been developing. For example, a new tendering process for building retrofits; methods of group financing to reduce the cost of capital for retrofits; mechanisms of joint procurement for solar projects, achieving scale by aggregated tendering; the first carbon inventory of Ras Al Khaimah, in line with international standards; and the development of methods to pursue energy efficiency in the industrial sector. We expect these new concepts to enable acceleration of our programs soon.

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10 of UAE’s most Sustainable Buildings

Lattice-Domed Parliament Building, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Sustainable City, Dubai, UAE

Pacific Controls Headquarters Building, Dubai, UAE

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Siemens Headquarters, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Irena building, Masdar, UAE

Midfield Terminal, Abu Dhabi International Airport

Twin Al Bahr Towers, Abu Dhabi

Masdar City, UAE

Source: Rethinking the Future

Aldar Market, Abu Dhabi

‫دﺑـــــــــﻲ اﻟﺮﻗﻤﻴـﺔ‬ ‫‪DIGITAL DUBAI‬‬