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Concept of green buildings gains momentum
The concept of green building gained momentum at the Cityscape Property show this week, but concerns over operating costs persist.
- By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:32 October 18, 2007
Dubai: The concept of green building gained momentum at the Cityscape Property show this week, but concerns over operating costs persist.
The number of seminars, presentations and companies focusing on sustainable design all grew, with "sustainable" an oft-heard phrase among delegates and exhibitors. But while end-users and building managers may desire energy efficient options, they are often left to the mercy of developers and their desire to minimise costs.
"When builders build buildings, they don't look at the operating costs," said Philip Barnett, the engineer and property manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai. "They go for the cheaper way."
Until recently, the Grand Hyatt's heated water came from three large oil-powered boilers. A gas-fired boiler would have because gas is cheaper and burns cleaner, but the developer put in an oil-powered system because it was cheaper, he said. But with a Dh65,000 a month energy bill, Barnett chose to install a solar-powered water heating system. It is so energy efficient it will pay for itself in three to four years, he said.
As an engineer with a focus on sustainable design, Heath Andersen often faces an uphill task convincing clients to go green. "Engineers are trained to design buildings for efficiency. But for a long time, it has been about the lowest cost. We get pushed down to the cheapest option," said Andersen, associate director at engineering firm Whitby & Bird.
Andersen, who will travel to the US this month to get accreditation by the US Green Building Council, said this has changed.
"Like many things in the UAE, this been moving very fast," he said. "Six months ago it was hard to get clients to talk about sustainability. Now three out of the four questions at Cityscape are about sustainability."
At a seminar yesterday on green buildings, Mario Seneviratne, director of Green Technologies Company and a founding member of the Emirates Green Building Council, said the costs of constructing green buildings are misunderstood. Any materials that cost more eventually pay for themselves over time, he said.
Sean Lenehan, senior manager of Nakheel environment department, said buyers are beginning to appreciate these longer-term benefits.
"Customers are realising the price of energy will rise, and developers have to respond to where the market is heading," he said.
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