Dubai Constructions Update by Imre Solt: October 2014

New report says GCC’s green construction programme is a great business opportunity

With governments fully behind sustainable building, a new report examines how developers and contractors can meet standards and how suppliers can benefit

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 27October 2014 – Demand may outstrip the supply of vital sustainable materials to meet green building regulations in the GCC, according to a new report.

There are enormous opportunities in the region for suppliers of energy saving and green products, including lighting, kitchen and bathroom fittings and natural stone fittings, says the report by Ventures Middle East commissioned by The Big 5 construction exhibition in Dubai.

“Green buildings witnessed a slow take off in the GCC,” it says but governments have acted swiftly in the past three years to embrace sustainability through education and legislation. Developers have also recognised that buildings have to demonstrate sustainability to be marketable.

The “GCC Focus on Sustainability in Construction” report says: “The rise in green buildings has resulted in an increased demand for green building materials. It has also resulted in the creation of new and unconventional building materials, which are in line with new building specifications.”

The report was prepared in the run up to the two-day Sustainable Design & Construction Conference in Dubai, which takes place during The Big 5 exhibition at the World Trade Centre in Dubai.

Green ratings systems have been introduced in all GCC countries: LEED, from the USA, and the UK’s BREEAM are used by many developers and each country is adopting its own standards.

There were 1,236 LEED-rated projects in the GCC in 2013 and the UAE accounts to 67% of them. Qatar has 190 projects (16 %), Saudi Arabia has 158 projects (13%), and Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have 51 LEED-rated projects between them accounting for around 4%.

“The UAE is considered a leader in green building practices,” says the report. In addition to being one of the LEED pioneers, Abu Dhabi has introduced its own system Estidama, a green building integrated program, which assesses sustainability across the life of the building. “In some requirements, Estidama is more stringent than LEED and other standards,” says the report.

While the new report establishes that most developers now recognise the commercial benefits of a sustainable building, it also points out that some contractors are “reluctant to procure technologies which are perceived to be more expensive and are unsure of any tangible benefit”.

Dubai Municipality’s Green Building Codes apply to all new construction in the emirate and they aim for one third of the buildings in the city to be green within 10 years. On the first day of The Big 5, Kamal Azayem, Mechanical Engineering Expert, Dubai Municipality will give an insight into the code and highlight updates since its implementation last year.

He said: “I will be giving an overview of the Dubai's initiatives toward sustainability and outlining the requirements for permitting, assessment and certification of Green Buildings.”

At the Sustainable Design & Construction Conference, YannPennes, Projects Director, Dewan Architects & Engineers, will talk about applying Dubai's Green Building Regulations to mixed-use, commercial and hospitality projects, including choosing the right materials and technology to reduce water and energy consumption.

The Sustainable Design & Construction Conference takes place on 18 – 19 November as part of The Big 5 from 17 – 20 November.

About The Big 5

Launched in 1979, The Big 5 International Building and Construction Show is the Middle East’s largest construction exhibition.

With the 35^th edition running from 17 - 20 November, 2014 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, The Big 5 in the UAE hosts more than 2,700 international exhibitors from nearly 60 countries, and welcomes more than 74,000 participants from 124 countries. The Big 5 also recently expanded to deliver three dedicated shows in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and India. For more information visit www.thebig5.ae

The Big 5 and co-located events PMV Live and Middle East Concrete offer a 360 degree platform to the building and construction industry, as the largest international building construction, concrete and heavy machinery gathering place in the region. The three shows provide unparalleled access to industry knowledge with 45 free to attend accredited seminars taking place, as well as key conferences and live demonstrations conducted on-site.

About PMV Live and Middle East Concrete

Co-located with The Big 5 International Building and Construction Show, niche construction events Middle East Concrete and PMV Live are the region’s most important meeting points for heavy construction machinery, plant equipment, commercial and construction vehicles, and concrete.

The pioneering shows bring together more than 355 exhibitors from over 32 countries with more than 20,000 international participants. For more information visit www.pmvlive.com and www.middleeastconcrete.com

About dmg events

An international exhibition and publishing company, dmg events produces market-leading B2B exhibitions and conferences across the Middle East, America, Europe and Asia.For more information visit www.dmgeventsme.com