UAE | Environment
Green buildings in GCC herald healthy practice
The Emirates Green Building Council founder, Dr Sadek Owainati, said the UAE now had 517 such buildings awaiting registration with the US Green Buildings Council, followed by 42 in Qatar, 37 in Saudi Arabia, 13 in Oman, seven in Bahrain and three in Kuwait.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 July 31, 2010
Dubai: The growing number of registered green buildings in the GCC has helped transform the construction industry in the region and boosted the creation of healthy buildings, said an expert in energy efficient buildings.
The Emirates Green Building Council founder, Dr Sadek Owainati, said the UAE now had 517 such buildings awaiting registration with the US Green Buildings Council, followed by 42 in Qatar, 37 in Saudi Arabia, 13 in Oman, seven in Bahrain and three in Kuwait.
"Sustainability costs less if you know what you are doing from the beginning," Owainati said at the Emirates Environment Group's open lecture on Tuesday.
Owainati said there had been a major push towards environmentally friendly buildings in Dubai, however the creation of a rating system had taken longer than expected due to regulations that had to apply to all buildings.
"It's not easy to create a set of rules that will apply to hotels, hospitals or residential buildings," he said.
"They all have different needs, and it is the same in, for example, Saudi Arabia.
"Levels of humidity or access to water vary depending on where you are in the country," he said.
More from UAE Environment
More from UAE
Latest news
- Tracks to be laid on recycled material
- Golden Hour crucial to a patient's survival
- Opening show worthy of UAE
- Sun is shining on prospects for solar power
- Artists focus on craftsmanship
- World leaders committed to supporting civilians
- Schools open a new page in teaching English
- Special parking to help disabled tourists
- Helping hand surgeons have long sought
- Blind woman lights up corridors of power
- In Mind
- At times, I think of committing suicide
- Designer of a creative haven
- Fund to help Dubai taxi drivers' families
- New life-saving fleet of vehicles
Community Reports
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
-
Supporting the needy with food supplies
Group of families engaged in serving isolated labour community hopes to motivate more people to help underprivileged and hungry
-
Leukaemia boy granted wish to meet footballer
Emirati meets hero Al Qahtani, Al Ain team
