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 35th
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
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