Hala Al Khayyat (Abu Dhabi)
The UAE is one of the first countries in anticipating the importance of green building and its contribution to sustainable development strategies. Since 2010, it has adopted green building standards and sustainable construction, which began to be applied in government buildings in early 2011, and then began to be applied throughout the country. The project to transform government buildings into sustainable buildings will save about 10 billion dirhams by 2030, in addition to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30%.
While the world is gaining a comprehensive and clear understanding of the effects of climate change and the rate of sea level rise, the state is committed to continuous evaluation of the effects of its policies, to ensure that they are updated in a manner commensurate with urgent changes, and to protect coastal developments, to serve as a model for integrated sustainable planning, effective management of development and conservation of natural resources. For the next generations.
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has adopted the Estidama Pearl Rating System, which includes five levels of the Estidama Program, and all new buildings must obtain a one-pearl rating, while all government buildings and residential villas must obtain two pearls.
The Emirate of Dubai has adopted green building conditions and specifications, which contain 79 standard specifications that are now mandatory for all construction developments.
The Department of Municipalities and Transport has worked on designing building standards and rules to make cities more resilient to climate impacts, allow them to recover faster, and contribute to reducing the individual’s carbon footprint, by designing buildings to be energy-efficient, protected from excessive heat and other harsh weather conditions, and designed well according to the best sustainability standards.
In order to achieve the standards of sustainable buildings, the department launched the “Sustainability” program, which is the first initiative of its kind designed for the Middle East region, to plan, design, build and operate sustainable buildings that bear the authentic local character, taking into account the harsh climate and nature of the region, as part of the pearl rating system, which Promotes the reduction of water, energy and waste consumption, as well as the use of local materials, to improve supply chains for sustainable and recycled materials and products.
Ali Nasser Al-Shawoosh, Director of the Construction Regulatory Department at the Department of Municipalities and Transport, stressed that “sustainability” is an important part of the clear vision to develop and achieve the goals of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in preserving and enriching the physical and cultural identity of the emirate, while raising the quality of life for its residents, and one of the main components of empowerment. To achieve the vision of sustainability in the emirate.
Al-Shawoosh said: “Since 2010, the Estidama Pearl Rating System has become mandatory for all newly constructed housing units, buildings and community projects that are located within the developer’s projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Building permits in the municipalities of the emirate, to ensure that the project complies with the requirements of the pearl rating system.
Environmentally friendly building materials for the design, construction and maintenance of buildings
Dr. Ahmed Al-Taani, from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences at Zayed University, explained that the most important criteria for sustainable green buildings are reducing water and energy consumption, using environmentally friendly and sustainable building materials for building design, construction and maintenance, and reducing waste and pollution through recycling efforts and resource reuse. , reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance the natural environment through green roofs or clustered gardens.
Regarding their importance in reducing the effects of climate change, Al-Taani stated that green buildings slow down the effects of climate change, as they are more efficient in the use of fossil energy due to the introduction of retrofits, operation and the use of the Internet of Things, in addition to their reliance on renewable energy and benefit from existing landscape features such as shade, which leads to a reduction in fuel burning rates and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, the main cause of global warming and climate change. Reducing the amount of solid waste will also reduce the number of landfills, which are a source of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, which cause climate change.
Al-Taani pointed out that smart city agendas worldwide have attached great importance to sustainability and creating greener and healthier cities for its citizens. Green communities take into account the many aspects of the (non-natural) built environment and try to reduce its impact on the environment. This includes increasing access to cleaner transportation, walking or cycling, promoting green spaces, and careful planning of cities and communities to minimize disruptions to the environment.
He pointed out that green buildings, when located within green communities, can increase their impact and contribute to a comprehensive societal transformation towards a healthier tomorrow.
69% of total emissions along the construction process
On the importance of green communities worldwide, Dr. Anas Patao, Director of the Center of Excellence in Smart Building at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, explained that these communities are of great importance, and clearly show the ability to positively support the environment. They feature facilities made and insulated with recycled or biodegradable materials, community gardens, recycling plants and active composting options, vertical gardens when space is short, hydroponics, and an eco-conscious look through eco-friendly products.
Patau warned that the built environment which includes the construction industry is one of the key elements to achieving greener societies, however, the current carbon footprint of the sector is high, moreover, the main source of emissions comes from the operation and use of existing buildings rather than their construction.
He said: A report issued by McKinsey shows that the above contributes 69% of the total emissions along the construction process. In addition, the past few years have been exceptional for the construction industry, especially since the upward trend in growth means that the industry needs to keep up with the demands. According to the latest statistics, the size of the construction market in the UAE is expected to reach $133.53 billion by 2027, registering a compound annual growth rate of 4.69 percent during the forecast period (2022-2027). This has increased pressure on the industry to reconsider its sustainability agenda and incorporate aggressive solutions to support emissions control.
This raises the importance of green buildings and the impact of infrastructure on the environment if they are built sustainably, according to Patao. Green building involves various stages, including planning, followed by design, actual construction, operation and maintenance, and dealing with the end of the construction cycle. Similarly, it will also take into account key elements such as energy, water, indoor environmental quality, material selection and use, and location. Green buildings and green communities reduce landfill waste, facilitate the use of alternative transportation, and encourage the preservation and creation of plant and roof spaces. Moreover, the urban environment, whether it is in developed or developing countries, needs to conserve nature, including wildlife, and ensure that the quality of land is protected and enhanced.
A long way
Dr. Anas Batao concluded: While the world still has a long way to go in applying greener options, the way societies evolve will greatly increase the chances of adopting environmentally positive changes on a large scale and quickly, and these strategies can be understood and used in the long term The long term can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and their occupants beyond energy efficiency alone. Green buildings and extended green communities can also be an active part of the solution in combating climate change.
degrees of pearl
Al-Shawoosh confirmed that the Pearl Green Building Rating System is one of the first green building rating systems to be adopted in the Middle East, which has led to the advancement of sustainable building to exceptional levels compared to other systems. The successful implementation of this system has contributed to achieving a total area of more than 41 million square meters of floor space, and more than 3,175 projects within the “Sustainability” program. From the Global Sustainable Building Index. Regarding the outputs of adherence to the standards of the sustainability program, Al-Shawoosh explained that the Department of Municipalities and Transport plays a major role in supporting the continuous implementation of the energy management and energy efficiency 2030 strategy led by the Department of Energy – Abu Dhabi.
Demand affected
In order to reduce the expected impact on energy demand, the Department of Energy obtained the approval of the Executive Council for the “energy demand management” strategy in the emirate, and the energy rationalization strategy for the year 2030, which aims to reduce total electricity consumption by 22% by 2030. Therefore, the Department of Municipalities and Transport is keen On the continuous application of the pearl rating system, which falls under the regulation of the construction sector within the energy demand management strategy, it is the second largest contributor to achieving the goal of saving electric energy consumption, as it is responsible for approximately 5% of the total 22% targeted for reduction. The sustainability program is one of the main programs that contribute to the targeted reduction of 32% in water consumption within the emirate’s demand-side management and energy efficiency strategy for the year 2030.
Al-Shawoosh indicated that sustainable buildings have an effective role in reducing the amount of demolition and construction waste sent to landfills. Along with a set of intangible outputs that include more benefits from implementing a sustainability building assessment system such as: increased workplace productivity, improved health and well-being of residents, better indoor air quality for buildings, safer buildings, more livable spaces, and protecting the future of natural systems Raising Abu Dhabi’s status in the sustainable development community.
Financial savings
Al-Shawoosh pointed out that green buildings contribute to achieving financial savings mainly by reducing operational costs associated with reducing energy and water consumption, as well as lower maintenance expenses. Building development operations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, indeed in all regions of the world, are based on speculation for the individual owner of units and projects or their occupants. In either case, there is what is known as the “segmented incentive” barrier, whereby those responsible for paying the utility bills (such as the tenant or landlord) are not the same as those who make the capital investment decisions (such as the developer/recipient) to construct green buildings. In these circumstances, the developer is not incentivized to make the necessary capital investment in green buildings when the resulting operating savings accrue to the tenant, and this presents a major challenge, particularly for residential building stock which needs to be addressed through the development of appropriate incentives.
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