Being a relatively young country which has seen massive development in recent years, the UAE is in the best position to become a regional and global leader in promoting ‘green' building.

Green building initiatives not only advance the protection of the environment, they also promote the efficient use of water and energy, longer lifespan for buildings, reduce pollution and waste; and, most importantly, improve the health of and increase productivity of occupants.

Let us enumerate the bene-fits of green building: Green buildings use only two-thirds of the energy and half of the water required for standard construction; 20 per cent of the materials are saved; as much as 40 per cent of the materials can be recycled; there is a reduction of 35 per cent in the amount of construction and demolition waste sent to the landfill; 30 per cent is also reduced in global warming emissions; and 40 per cent less ozone depleting refrigerants in the heating and cooling equipment are emitted.

Contrary to some claims that green building will turn account ledgers red, the market for green building materials is actually predicted to reach $406 billion worldwide by 2015 — with the Middle East projected to register one of the fastest growths. Part of this is the big challenge of making existing buildings compliant with green refurbishment solutions that will increase marketability and durability.

Green buildings, built with durability in mind, typically have lower maintenance requirements and a longer useful life. These benefits translate to a 10-15 per cent higher resale value. The benefits of green building are also not limited to energy savings.

Higher productivity

Research conducted in the US by the University of San Diego and CB Richard Ellis Group showed that tenants in green buildings were more productive than their counterparts in conventional spaces; and had fewer sick days, leading to a net impact of almost $25 per square foot and approximately $500 a year per person is saved by having better indoor air quality.

The study also revealed that green buildings experienced higher rental rates (13 per cent higher than average) and lower vacancy rates (3.5 per cent less than average).

In the UAE, it is imperative to provide region-specific incentives to developers who are applying green concepts to accelerate the change in market trends. The government can set up a funding facility that will give businesses the confidence to invest in a green infrastructure; improve human resources and develop skills and knowledge to promote new technologies in sustainable development; conduct a technical due diligence of existing buildings to create a database of structures that need renovation; and develop a firm regulatory framework that will set clear targets for existing buildings to comply with green construction.

Small building contractors are often unwilling to carry the cost — they say they can not oversell their services in a highly competitive market — while end-users are also unwilling to pay for innovations. But there has to be an increased willingness to change their mindset and go ‘green.'

Best practices

This can be done by advancing and promoting best-practice guides in delivering green solutions. A replicable and adaptable framework with a set of standards can also help the developers and end-users address the complexities associated with green projects. Green building should be propelled by a wide range of legislation, policies, programmes and initiatives.

All the stakeholders in the construction industry based in Dubai should assiduously build on the decree by the Dubai Government to make all the new buildings green; and those in Abu Dhabi should comply with the Estidama Pearl Rating System (‘Estidama' is the Arabic word for sustainability). These two measures are aimed at inspiring them to take proactive steps to incorporate ‘green design' principles right from selection of built site to planning, design, acquisition of materials, construction, and operational stage.

The continuous development of our built environment exerts great pressures not just on our natural resources but also on our economy, environment, health and well-being. However, it is apparent that the country is heading towards having more green buildings in order to conserve its resources and ensure its sustainable development.

 

Habiba Al Marashi is the chairperson of the Emirates Environmental Group, treasurer of the Emirates Green Building Council and President of UN Global Compact Network for GCC states.