BGreen June 2014 by BGreen

the BIG

EXPO Debate

Construction industry collaborates for the greenest EXPO ever

Sustainability in the Middle East Issue 46 | JUNE 2014

Inside

Saudiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heat wrap LEED goes global Sun-powered boats Green products

P u b l i c at i o n l i c e n s e d b y I M P Z

Please recycle after use

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CorporateSocial Social Responsibility Responsibility isisat Corporate atthe the heartofofeverything everything we do. heart do. We We share shareour our successwith with the the community community in success in which whichwe we serveand and with with the the people people in serve in it. it. EQUATE,we we create create partnerships AtAtEQUATE, partnerships that succeed. that succeed.

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EDITOR’S PAGE

GROUP GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713 EDITORIAL Editor EDITOR ASHISH SARAF ashish.saraf@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5495 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ANOOP K MENON anoop.menon@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5714 ASSISTANT EDITOR SHRUTHI SARAF shruthi.saraf@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5715 ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR JUDE SLANN jude.slann@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 433 2857 Senior Sales Manager Junaid Rafique junaid.rafique@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5716 Senior Sales Manager Nitesh Patel nitesh.patel@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5483 MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER LISA JUSTICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 MARKETING ASSISTANT BARBARA PANKASZ barbara.pankasz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5499 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON SENIOR DESIGNER MARLOU DELABEN CIRCULATION AND PRODUCTION CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ROCHELLE ALMEIDA rochelle.almeida@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 368 1670 DATABASE AND CIRCULATION MANAGER RAJEESH M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147 PRODUCTION MANAGER JAMES P THARIAN james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146

Regulations, Expo and beyond

ubai’s belief in sustainable construction has gained traction in recent months. With the emirate winning the bid to host the Expo 2020, the municipality’s announcement to make the new Green Building regulations mandatory could not have been staged at a better time. Both factors together are expected to serve as powerful catalysts that will propel the construction industry on an upward trajectory. One of the strongest assets during Dubai’s Expo bid was a robust and well progressed master plan with a clear focus on sustainability. At BGreen’s Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar last month, industry leaders agreed that to make the journey towards the Expo a hugely sustainable one, solid collaboration between all the stakeholders is a prerequisite. For Dubai to champion the spirit of sustainability, it’s important to strive towards making the emirate greener steadily over the next seven years in the run-up to the Expo and beyond. Dubai’s efforts in achieving this are genuinely reflected thorough various initiative such as the enforcement of the new Green Building regulation that aims at improving the performance of buildings by reducing the consumption of energy, water and materials. It’s amazing to see that the sustainability performance of the construction sector has already started to improve ever since the new codes came into effect. It would not be an exaggeration to say that by introducing the new mandatory regulations, Dubai is now showing direction to the developed world, which still relies on voluntary agreements. At the BGreen seminar, Eng Abdullah Rafia, Assistant Director General, Dubai Municipality, interestingly pointed out that 80-90% of energy usage in buildings can be reduced only by following the new regulations. Taking a leaf out of Dubai’s sustainability book, Saudi Arabia is now working towards stronger regulations as part of energy conservation measures in the building sector. For instance, the Kingdom recently made thermal insulation mandatory for all new buildings which can save up to 40% of energy in air-conditioning. In this issue, BGreen also brings you a list of the GCC’s frontrunners and gamechangers, who embarked on the journey of sustainability way ahead of the others and who have been slowly but surely bringing sustainability to the mainstream.

DIGITAL DIGITAL SERVICE MANAGER TRISTAN TROY MAAGMA Published by

REGISTERED AT IMPZ PO BOX 13700, DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 440 9100 FAX: +971 4 447 2409 WWW.CPIMEDIAGROUP.COM Printed by Printwell Printing press LLC Printed on wood-free paper © Copyright 2014 CPI. All rights reserved

Editor, Ashish Saraf bgreen

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

June 2014

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contents

Contents

June 2014

Cover story 16

The Big Expo Debate

BGreen’s Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar was a perfect stage to discuss how Dubai’s construction industry can produce impeccably sustainable buildings in the lead-up to Expo 2020 and beyond.

Top 15 23

Leading the bandwagon

BGreen brings you the most influential personalities driving sustainability in the Gulf countries.

Construction 34

Heat Wrap

News

Waste management 44

Green cleaners

Drive to make petrochemical supply chain efficient in GCC

Bee’ah’s new fleet of solar-powered cleaning boats remove debris from the middle of the lagoon and yet leave no emissions behind

Products

India plans to bring solar to 400m people 15

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‘LEED’ing the way

Canada ranks first on US Green Building Council List of Top 10 Countries for LEED; UAE secures 9th position.

Dubai to spend $1.6bn to become ‘green paradise’ FM Expo puts spotlight on sustainability

Saudi Arabia’s decision to make thermal insulation mandatory will boost businesses of suppliers in the Kingdom.

UK designers create butterflies from recycled phones

Sustainable products

Rockwell Automation’s energy efficient stub cleaning machine, Knauf’s ECOSE glasswool insulation and more.

June 2014

3 N OV E M B E R 2 014 | J U M E I R A H B E AC H H OT E L | D U BA I

CO M M EN D I N G E XCELLEN CE I N S U STAI NAB I LIT Y

Supported by

Gold sponsor

Silver sponsors

Awards partner

For nominations

For sponsorship

ASISH SARAF A S I S H . S A R A F @ C P I M E D I AG R O U P.C O M +971 4 375 5 49 5

JUNAID RAFIQUE J U N A I D. R A F I Q U E @ C P I M E D I AG R O U P.C O M +971 4 375 5716 SANDRA SPENCER S A N D R A . S P E N C E R @ C P I M E D I AG R O U P.C O M +971 4 375 5 473

contents

June 2014

Contents

Diary Dates

Water Management in Oil and Gas, Emirates Green Building Council Awards 2014 and other upcoming events in June.

Commentary

The ‘Green building’ concept is fast becoming the global norm today amidst the strong clamour for sustainable, healthy and resource-efficient structures, say Imdaad CEO Jamal Lootah.

People 48

Saudi Prince wins Conservation Award

Award recognises first-ever detailed maps of some of the world’s most remote coral reef systems.

Society 50

Green Personality

Actor Ian Somerhalder’s foundation is actively involved in clean energy projects and distributes funds towards renewable energy development.

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June 2014

We create chemistry that makes compost love plastic.

Most plastics don’t biodegrade, but ecovio® plastics from BASF disappear completely when composted in a controlled environment. Using compostable bags for collection of organic waste makes disposal more hygienic and convenient. Rather than ending up in landﬁlls, the waste is turned into valuable compost. When the plastic bag you use today can mean a cleaner future for the environment, it’s because at BASF, we create chemistry.

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expert panel His Highness Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi Environmental Advisor Ajman Government Chief Executive Officer Al Ihsan Charity Centre Chairman International Steering Committee for the Global Initiative Towards a Sustainable Iraq (GITSI), based in the UAE

The BGreen Expert Panel provides a platform for those who are active in encouraging sustainable practices across a wide sector of industries. real experts who can share their views, analyses, and research with our informed readers. Our panellists meet every few months to discuss news, strategies and solutions on focussed topics related to sustainability.

Saeed Alabbar LEED AP, Estidama PQP Chairman Emirates Green Building Council Director Alabaar Energy and Sustainability Group

Thomas Bohlen NCARB,LEED AP, BD+C, ESTIDAMA PQP Chief Technical Officer Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development

Abdulrahman Jawahery President Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company Chairman GPCA Responsible Care Initiative

Dr Michael Kr채mer Senior Associate Taylor Wessing (Middle East) LLP Legal Counsel Middle East Solar Industry Association

Dr Mutasim Nour Director of MSc Energy Heriot Watt University School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Ivano Iannelli Chief Executive Officer Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence

William Whistler Managing Director Green Building Solutions International

Roderick Wiles Director - Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania American Hardwood Export Council

Tanzeed Alam Policy Director EWS-WWF

Alan Millin LEED AP, Chartered Engineer consultant/trainer Middle East Facility Management Association

Jose Alberich Partner AT Kearney

Paolo Cervini Vice president & General manager Philips Lighting Middle East & Turkey Philips

Our panellists write for the magazine - opinions and analyses - as well as on our website in a portfolio format documenting their contributions. The panel is growing as we seek to form the ultimate taskforce of decision makers, academics, consultants and engineers that contribute and encourage a sustainable watershed across industries.

If you would like to nominate an expert to join our panel, please email ashish.saraf@cpimediagroup.com SUPPORTED BY:

www.bgreen.ae

June 2014

news REGION

Dubai to spend $1.6bn to become ‘green paradise’ The massive investment has been earmarked for soft landscaping and the irrigation network in Dubai

s part of Dubai Municipality’s efforts to make the emirate a “green paradise” by 2025, US $1.63bn has been earmarked for soft landscaping and the irrigation network in Dubai, according to senior officials at the Municipality. “We have plans for giant projects by 2025, which include the expansion of sewer lines and the irrigation network,” said Salah Abdul Rahman Amiri, assistant Director-General of the Municipality, was quoted as saying. “These are mainly concentrated on preparations for Expo 2020 as we want to make Dubai a green paradise,” Amiri told local media, adding, that new legislation is also being planned to ensure the private sector, mainly the big developers and private property owners, shares the onus of expanding the green belt in the city. Amiri, in charge of the Environment and Public Heath Services sectors, said over $816m would be spent on improving and expanding the irrigation network by 2025, which would bolster the landscaping projects. A stronger irrigation network is key to maintaining sustainable landscape projects, he said. “We are having problems with sustainable land-

scaping. The challenge is mainly with water.” Taleb Abdul Karim Julfar, Director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department at Dubai Municipality, said that along with improving the irrigation network, the civic body is also trying to reduce the demand on water for landscaping. “Since we are expanding (landscaped areas), we need to control water consumption as well. Otherwise, we will run short of water in the next two to three years. So we are redesigning and using a lot of materials like special sand and stones to reduce water consumption and prevent the ground water from coming up and spoiling the plants,” he said.

KSA to spend $3.7bn on energy efficiency projects The Kingdom aims to save 40% of the consumed energy

he demand for energy is at an alltime high in Saudi Arabia, as it experiences a rise in all forms of lighting – including lighting setups for factories, energy plants and airports, emergency lighting systems for office and residences and other innovative lighting solutions like the ones used in economic cities and universities. The Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity is currently seeking to adopt cutting edge lighting solutions to regulate the consumption of electricity and reduce its wastage. To this effect, the Ministry has awarded projects worth US $3.7bn, with an aim to save 40% of the consumed energy. “The Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity is on the look out for new technologies and in-

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novative lighting solutions which can tremendously decrease electricity consumption and its waste thereby reducing the burden on nonrenewable energy resources,” Fahad Al Athel, Deputy GM, Riyadh Exhibitions Company, said.

Kuwait eyes 2,000MW of renewables by 2030 plans to produce 15% of energy needs from renewables

s local demand for oil increased by 67% over the past decade, Kuwait has pushed to implement a strategic sustainability initiative that seeks to generate 2,000MW of renewable energy by 2030. With one of the highest energy consumption rates per capita in the world, an average Kuwaiti uses 22 times more resources than the country provides per person, according to the latest data from the Global Footprint Network, putting immense pressure on the country’s oil reserves. In response, Kuwait recently announced a plan to produce 15% of its total energy needs from renewable energy in the next decade and half, as part of a national sustainable strategy that will support its ongoing economic development initiatives. Kuwait’s unsustainable energy consumption practices, driven in large part by heavily subsidised electricity prices, an increase in local and expatriate population, a rise in economic activity largely generated around oil production and increased penetration of modern conveniences such as cars and electrical good has created a rising demand for energy which outstrips the oil rich country’s current capacity.

Building codes to cut energy use in Qatar Codes and standards that will help lessen energy and water use as well as carbon emissions of buildings, especially those in urban areas in the GCC region, are to be developed, according to an agreement signed in Doha recently. The agreement was signed by Qatarbased Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (Gord) and the Standardisation Organisation of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GSO). They also signed a memorandum of co-operation (MoU) related to this. “Green buildings maintain an economical and environmental balance while establishing an urban identity unique to the Gulf region,” Gord founding chairman Dr Yousef Mohamed al-Horr said.

June 2014

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news REGION

FM Expo puts spotlight on sustainability IN THE gcc

Bee’ah launches Recycling campaign

Industry leaders stress importance of aligning environmental and financial objectives for growth Responding to the needs of the region’s maturing facilities management industry, thought leaders in integrated facilities management shared global best practices and GCC-specific case studies at this year’s FM EXPO and the collocated inaugural Middle East Waste & Recycling Conference and Exhibition, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The events, including the inaugural Commercial Cleaning & Hygiene exhibition, bring together more than 100 exhibitors from these three niche industries. Recognising the integral role of sustainability and its applications to facilities management, Jamal Lootah, Imdaad CEO, said: “Better waste management leads to long-term concrete results that will benefit the current and future generations. To achieve this, we should maximise the value of resources and reduce the environmental effects associated with the disposal of waste.

With the region’s key cities investing heavily in infrastructure developments, central business districts in Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and other hubs are being developed at a rapid pace. Currently in the UAE investment levels into new energy management systems in 2013 is estimated at a little less than US $30m annually. For the GCC as a whole, this estimate stands at $63m.

Imdaad to set up $27m recycling unit in Jebel Ali

Waste management company Bee’ah has launched its ‘Recycling Just Got Easier’ campaign, designed to make green and blue waste disposal and recycling bags available to the public across Sharjah Cooperative Society outlets. In parallel, following an expansion of its residential recycling programme, recycling bins will be distributed across new, key locations in the emirate – including Al Juraina 1, Al Juraina 2, Al Garain and Al Noaf areas. The residential recycling programme is set to help educate the residents of Sharjah on effective waste management solutions, the importance of recycling and the adverse effects of improper disposal of waste.

averda retrieves over 1.2m recyclables

Plant will have an initial operating capacity of 1,000 tonnes a day Facilities management company Imdaad has signed a deal with the Economic Zones World (EZW), a developer and operator of economic zones, technology, logistics and industrial parks under the Dubai Property Group, for setting up of a US $27m material recovery facility at TechnoPark in Jebel Ali to recover the recyclables from solid waste collected by Imdaad. The agreement was signed by Jamal Abdullah Lootah, CEO of Imdaad, and Salma Ali Saif Bin Hareb, CEO of JAFZA and EZW.

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Constructed over an area of 60,000sqm, the plant will have the capability to recover maximum recyclables generated from the Jebel Ali area including the World Expo 2020 venue. The plant will have an initial operating capacity of 1,000 tonnes/day, with a possibility to double the operation in the future. The facility will also be open to other waste collection companies. Salma Ali Saif Bin Hareb, CEO Economic Zones World said: “The establishment of this facility will augment Economic Zones World’s own efforts in moving towards greater sustainability under the Green Economy initiative announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. By providing Jebel Ali-based companies access to waste recycling at their doorstep, we are ensuring a cleaner and greener economy for our future generations.”

Averda reverse vending machines retrieved over 1.2m recyclables across the region, and in the UAE alone, the machines collected 46,148 recyclables—89% of which were plastic bottles in 2013. In the first quarter of 2014, these machines in the UAE have already recorded over 17,000 containers. Abu Dhabi and Dubai alone generate close to 40,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, a rate which projects that most of the country’s landfills may reach their capacities within the next decade. averda launched standalone reverse vending machines in 2011 as part of its long-term plan to increase recycling rates.

June 2014

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news REGION

GPCA launches Gulf SQAS programme Programme to drive sustainability and efficiency in the petrochemical supply chain in the region

he Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA) has launched a threeyear assessment programme across the GCC region that will promote supply chain efficiency, flexibility and transparency in the petrochemical and chemical industry. The Gulf Sustainability and Quality Assessment System (SQAS) is a uniform, independent and standardised programme for petrochemical logistics service providers that will enable companies to track and monitor progress in their environment, health, safety, security and quality (EHSS&Q) processes, helping them to identify and improve weak areas in the supply chain and develop cost-efficient practices that shorten lead times and are environmentally sustainable. Reports generated from the assessment will assist petrochemical and chemical companies in evaluating their service providers. “The Gulf SQAS programme will measure the

EHSS&Q standards of all the logistics service providers in the six GCC countries,” said Alan Izzard, Director of GPCA’s SQAS programme. “Certified independent assessors will evaluate a variety of technical aspects related to chemical and petrochemical warehousing, road and future rail transport and associated chemical cleaning stations, which are crucial elements of a product supply chain.” The programme will essentially extend the chemical industry’s Responsible Care initiative beyond the fences of the petrochemical plants. Responsible Care is a comprehensive set of standards for environmental, health, safety and security for the chemical industry. The GPCA introduced region specific guidelines for Responsible Care in 2009, which are aligned with initiatives from United Nations Environment Program, United Nations Development Program and the International Council of Chemical Association (ICCA).

News briefs Morocco awards $2.3m to solar thermal, CSP R&D projects The Moroccan government has chosen six research and development projects involving novel solar thermal and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies to receive US $2.3m in funding under the InnoTherm III programme. The call for proposals included solar cooling technologies as well as CSP and solar thermal for steam and drying applications, and was open to projects to develop and improve components and storage as well as network integration.

Al Hosn launches $10m Oman greenhouse project Al Hosn Investment Co (HIC) has launched a greenhouse farming project in the Al Fulaij area of the wilayat of Barka, Oman, at an investment of over US $10m. The total area of the project is 33 hectares, with a total annual production capacity of about 3,000 tonnes. The project will involve the production of a variety of vegetables, including various kinds of tomatoes and coloured pepper. The project is characterised by its ability to produce vegetables throughout the year.

Yingli Solar eyes Middle East market Chinese photo-voltaic manufacturer Yingli Green Energy announced its plans to enter the Middle East and African markets. Yingli Green Energy, which manufactures its products under the brand name Yingli Solar, says that its decision to strengthen its presence in the MEA region has been driven by the increasing move among governments to deploy environmentally sustainable solutions to run businesses and households in their countries. Currently, Yingli commands more than 9% of

the global market share in solar panel sales, making it the world’s largest solar panel maker for the second consecutive year.

MaF Properties achieves Gold for sustainability Property company Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ head office in Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Tower 2, has achieved the Gold standard according to the requirements of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for the operation and maintenance of existing buildings (LEED EBOM). The Gold certification was awarded by the USGBC. MAF Tower 2 is the first building in the UAE to achieve a Gold rating for LEED EBOM.

EGBC signs deal for promoting green material testing Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) has signed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL), the integrated facility of Dubai Municipality that undertakes all testing and analyses of green materials and products. The SLA was signed by Eng Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EGBC, and Eng Salem Bin Mesmar, Asst Director General for Environment, Health & Safety Control Sector of Dubai Municipality during a tour of the Dubai Central Laboratory facilities conducted for EGBC members.

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As per the agreement, DCL will perform the required tests and certification of the products and materials of EGBC members as per international standards. The lab will also provide technical suggestions and recommendations relating to the testing specifications, participate in EGBC networking events and workshops, co-operate in developing future tours of the facility for the Council’s members and communicate new regulations by Dubai Municipality relating to green buildings.

DEWA signs deal to enhance Dubai’s electrical grid Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) recently signed an agreement with consulting and engineering company CESI Middle East FZE to provide consultancy services related to connecting Dubai’s renewable energy generators to the DEWA grid as part of one of three key initiatives by DEWA to transform the Emirate into the smartest city in the world to enhance quality of life and sustainable development.

June 2014

news world

Germany breaks solar power generation record Renewables surge to 74% of German Electricity demand

ermany’s remarkable streak of renewable energy milestones continues, with renewable energy generation surging to a record portion - nearly 74% - of the country’s overall electricity demand by midday. With wind and solar in particular filling such a huge portion of the country’s power demand, electricity prices actually dipped into the negative for much of the afternoon, according to Renewables International.

In the first quarter of 2014 renewable generators produced 40.2bn kilowatt-hours of electricity, up from 35.7bn kilowatt-hours in the same period last year. Much of the country’s renewable energy growth has occurred in the past decade. According to experts, the records will keep coming as Germany continues its Energiewende, or energy transformation, which aims to power the country almost entirely on renewable sources by 2050.

India plans to bring solar to 400m people The country’s National Solar Mission aims to install 20,000MW of grid-connect solar power capacity by 2022

ndia’s new government plans to use solar power to bring electricity to the homes of 400m people who currently do not have access to it.

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According to local media reports, the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would further enhance its commitment to aggressively implement the National Solar Mission that aims to install 20,000MW of gridconnect solar power capacity and 2,000MW of distributed solar power capacity by 2022. Distributed solar power could prove to be extremely crucial for India’s power sector and economic development. The country’s power transmission and distribution is plagued with serious infrastructural flaws which were comprehensively demonstrated by two of the largest power blackouts in world history in July 2012. “We look upon solar as having the potential to complete transform the way we look at the energy space,” Narendra Taneja, convener of energy division in Modi’s administration, said.

Philippines unveils 50-year eco-city master plan The city will be powered by renewable energy facilities and a waste-to-energy plant

The Philippines is set to build Clark Green City (CGC) which features a 50-year master plan that will help decongest Metro Manila, drive the economy and guide the country towards sustainable development. The Bases and Conversion Development Authority of the Philippines is leading the development of the country’s first sustainable city. The project is a 9,450-hectare master development plan located around the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, about 80km from Metro Manila. The CGC City will see five districts rise in three phases over the next five decades. The city’s districts will feature, among others, government centre, a central business district, an academic district, an agriforestry research and development area, and a wellness and eco-tourism district. It will also be powered by renewable energy facilities and a waste-to-energy plant, as well as enhanced by sustainable modes of public transport like a bus rapid transit system, urban farms, and the use of high-capacity connectivity to support e-governance platforms.

June 2014

news off beat

Butterflies from recycled phones The bugs have been built to promote recycling, and are constructed from old phones

group of designers has created a set of artificial butterflies made entirely from recycled mobile phones that interact differently when existing smartphones make contact with them. The robot beasts, which were unveiled recently at the Natural History Museum in London, each have their own mobile number which, when dialled, will trigger a burst of activity, including “extendable antennae, a head which moves on more than one axis of freedom and laser eyes.” The mechanical bugs were assembled by artist collective “is this good?”, and feature wings built out of phone screens that display constantly changing patterns. The project was commissioned by UK phone network O2, which will be moving the butterflies to its The O2 arena venue later this year, where they’ll be on public display. The butterflies have each been mounted on a plinth and connected to a tablet that displays a phone number. If users ring the number shown on the tablet screen, the butterfly in question comes to life, and the way they have been pro-

June 2014

grammed means that each robot reacts differently when called, using the digits in a number to prompt individual reactions. Chris Cairns, creative director at “is this good?”, said: “We wanted to give the ‘old and forgotten’ a new lease of life and showcase the fact that even the discarded can emerge as something new and beautiful, which is what upcycling and O2 Recycle is all about.” “We hoped that by creating ‘Social Butterflies’ we would raise a smile and remind people that we can create moments of recognition and happiness out of products we have previously loved and now overlook,” Cairns added. O2 hopes to place the butterflies in UK shop windows to promote their recycling campaign, as well as give consumers the chance to interact with the robotic insects. Bill Eyres, head of sustainability at O2, said: “We can see this project creating a type of ‘butterfly effect’. As people experience this amazing recycled technology, we hope they will be inspired to regularly recycle their old devices. Many people don’t realise that their old tech-

nology can have a second life. “There’s an environmental need to dig out old gadgets so they can be used again, rather than lying unused and unloved in a drawer. O2 Recycle offers a simple, sustainable way to recycle unused gadgets and receive a cash payment in return. We all have a role to play in making sure that old technology lives on even when we’ve finished with it.”

O2 hopes to place the butterflies in UK shop windows to promote their recycling campaign, as well as give consumers the chance to interact with the robotic insects www.bgreen.ae

Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

the BIG EXPO Debate

bgreenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar set the stage for the Industry to discuss how DUbai can produce impeccably sustainable buildings in the lead-up to Expo 2020

he year 2014 is crucial for Dubai, as it promises to create a strong foundation for the sustainable construction industry to flourish in the region. The new Green Building Regulations, which were made mandatory earlier this year and the winning of Expo 2020 late last year are together expected to serve as powerful catalysts that will propel the industry on an upward trajectory. Companies that have sustainable products will expand their offerings, new companies will join the bandwagon, more jobs will be created and a solid collaboration between all the stakeholders will be established. That was the key conclusion reached by

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June 2014

Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

panellists at BGreen’s Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar, which was held on May 21 at Grand Habtoor, Dubai. The panel of speakers comprised government officials, developers, suppliers and contractors who focussed on the new Green Building Regulations and construction opportunities in the lead up to Expo 2020. The opening keynote was delivered by Eng Abdullah Rafia, Assistant Director General and Chairman of Sustainability Committee at Dubai Municipality. Speaking about the formation of the Green Building Regulations, Eng Rafia said: “2014 is really a turning point for us as this year, the Green Building Regulations became mandatory. It is the first out of the eight programmes decided by the demand side management committee as per the energy usage reduction strategy in buildings, which aims to bring down the consumption by 30% by 2030.” He went on to add that 80% - 90% of that will be achieved by just following the Green Building Regulations. “Close to half a billion sqft of building area will be developed in the next five years, which will all adhere to the new regulation. We are expecting huge saving,” he said. Presently, about 70% of the total energy produced is consumed by buildings and out of that, 80-85% is consumed for air conditioning. Eng Rafia also shared that out of 130,000 existing buildings in Dubai, at least 50,000 will be retrofitted. He cited examples of government building such as Al Fahidi, which despite being built as per the green building regulations, did not increase construction costs. “As per the mandate, cost increase should be below 5% but in this case it was 0%. We should have been saving 50% and 20% of the water and energy consumption respectively. However 25% of water and 43% of the energy is saved,” he said. The first panel discussed the benefits and challenges of implementing

Eng Abdullah Rafia, Assistant Director General, Dubai Municipality delivers his opening keynote address

“Presently, about 70% of the total energy produced is consumed by buildings” Eng Abdullah Rafia

June 2014

the regulations and what should be done to make the construction process efficient and more profitable for the industry. The panellists including Eng Rafia, Amelie Zegmout, Head of Sales & Business Development, Legrand, Ibrahim Al Zubi, Head of Sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Properties, and Jani Huotari, Regional Manager, Technical Sales Support and Codes, KONE Middle East, kick-started the discussion by focusing on the challenges faced by the construction industry in building green. Jeff Willis, Associate Director, Arup, who moderated the first panel felt that the regulations are positive and that the proof provided by Eng Rafia further raised hope that they can be implemented successfully. “There is a lot to learn from Eng Rafia and his knowledge in applying the regulations as most of us haven’t worked on government buildings,” he added. One of the major steps taken by the government to mitigate challenges was to increase awareness about the subject to consultants, contractors and suppliers, according to Eng Rafia. But he added the major shortcomings here are the supplies.

“When you are supplying to the market, you want to produce something that is sold fast and doesn’t sit in your storage. However, now that the regulations are mandatory, a demand will be created and production will increase because there is confidence to sell,” he said. He supported this with the example of how the price of solar water heaters dropped from US $3,800 per unit to $800 once it was made mandatory by the municipality. “The good thing is that the manufacturers and the suppliers respond to the situation very fast and make their products available in record time,” he added. Zegmout of Legrand agreed with Eng Rafia that a lot of awareness was spread in the last few years, but pointed out that there were not many projects during that time. “We took advantage of this slow period to educate consultants about the green strategies. But the positive energy that we have been talking about is there since the beginning of 2013 as a lot of projects that were on hold are being redesigned,” she said. As a supplier, Zegmout also noted the need for collaborations beyond these awareness sessions. “Suppliers need to support the design of the

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Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

project because, for example, you can install as many sensors as you want to in the building but it is of no use if the design is inefficient. So it is all about working hand in hand with all the stakeholders so that everyone understands the requirements of the building.” During the panel discussion, Eng Rafia raised the point that suppliers who produce building materials would like to have a region-wide market rather than in just one city. This thought resonated among other members of the panel who also felt that the suppliers will be able to provide the goods at a cost effective pricing if there is regional demand for their goods. “That is why the specification should be for all of UAE, the GCC or the MENA region and this is exactly what we are trying to do,” said Eng Rafia. “We will try to get the GCC to come on board. Irrespective of whether they want to make it compulsory or not, at least the regulation should be implemented and standard should be the same. Next, we can take it to the MENA region,” he said. Al Zubi of MAF Properties seconded Eng Rafia’s opinions on the subject and said that regionalised green building standards can globalise Dubai’s strengths. “When it comes to green buildings in the MENA region, we have amazing opportunities to lead globally because we have huge developments and we make things happen. But most importantly, I raise a flag here that we should make sure that it makes sense to our region,” Al Zubi said. He explained that MAF Properties began with energy, water and waste efficiency and used the data to make its own regulations such as the internal green building policy, which is said to be at par with LEED or other international equivalents. According to Huotari of Kone, the new regulations are a great platform from where we all can start building a sustainable society and that in Dubai it is great to see the government’s efforts in creating awareness. “Through this awareness we can create demand. And this demand needs to be converted into reality. From a supplier point

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Ibrahim Al Zubi, Head of Sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Properties

90% of energy usage can be reduced only by following the new green building codes

50,000 existing buildings in Dubai will be retrofitted

of view, as elevators and escalators are part of the building, we have a great opportunity to provide eco-efficient services. We can assist people in refurbishing existing units with more green products. There are a lot of things we can do in this market,” he said. Like Zegmout, Huotari too believes that firstly all stakeholders must take responsibility and collaborate, as legislation alone cannot drive an industry. “We need to take responsibility in all areas and the developers, main contractors, consultants and suppliers must guide each other for the better future and a more eco-efficient world,” he said. This is however challenged due to lack of time, according to Zegmout. “Today, consultants clearly have no time for suppliers. A year ago, people could spend 2 to 3 hours with all the engineers at the table to make sure that everybody is trained and understands how to design the systems. Today, consultants can spare only half an hour. Everybody should understand that design is very important to the project and it takes time to understand,” she reiterated. Willis concluded the debate saying there should be proper coordination between the designers, contractors and the operators who maintain the building. “This whole process in the past has been segmented and one of the things that the regulations will help is in joining them all together,” he said. Ushering In Expo 2020 Many industries are expected to pros-

per in the run up to Expo 2020 and construction is definitely one of them. If 25m visitors are expected to arrive in Dubai as part of the Expo, an allround infrastructural development, from roads to hotels, will be required. Now that all buildings are supposed to be green as per the new regulations, it will be interesting to see how this next big sustainable infrastructure milestone will pan out for Dubai as well as the region. BGreen’s Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar intended to do just that as its second panel discussion which was titled ‘Construction Opportunities for 2020’ and discussed the burgeoning green market. Shaikha Ebrahim Al Mutawa, Director, Business Development, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM); Jane Boyle, Head of Sustainability & Energy, Middle East, WSP; Stuart Mee, Head of Sustainability, Al Futtaim Carillion; Lindsay Preston, Business Development Manager, BASF Construction and Ibrahim Al Zubi were part of the second panel. The discussion started with the topic of developing sustainable hotel establishments and according to Al Mutawa, DTCM started the journey in 2008. “We knew that sustainability comes as a priority agenda for the leadership here in Dubai and the UAE and since 2008 we have seen remarkable results and changes in all hotel establishments in Dubai. What we have noticed from our experience is that effort is needed in disseminating the right knowledge, guidance and legislation, to ensure that we are creating a sustainable system in the city,” she said. She went on to share recent statistics on how following workshops and training programmes conducted by DTCM, hotels were able to reduce the consumption of electricity by 20% and water by 27% in 2012. “Even though the management in most hotels have well outlined sustainable initiatives, we have helped to empower them, allowing them to frame their own codes and criteria with the help of our programmes,” Al Mutawa said. This clearly suggests that sustainability has been an ongoing process

June 2014

Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

which has been making rounds in Dubai for a while now and not initiated specially for the Expo 2020. Al Zubi explained, “When we did our business model in MAF Properties and our expansion, we did not necessarily take Expo 2020 into consideration. We did a holistic approach for the booming Dubai and other regional countries based on geopolitical conditions. But at the same time, we embedded this in the DNA of the business along with the sustainability policy.” However, ever since Dubai won the Expo bid, MAF Properties’ business development team has added a sustainability checklist as part of the due diligence and risk management. But it has definitely boosted investments in the construction field. “We have just launched a mall in the Tecom area. The Mall of the Emirates will be expanded soon and last week, we announced a five-star hotel in Al Barsha area. The money was there and the investments were waiting to happen. But will this bid impact sustainability? No. It won’t,” Al Zubi said. Al Futtaim Carillion has been implementing sustainability strategy which, according to Mee, has brought substantial financial savings through delivery of the projects. And if strategies are developed as part of the 2020 for the associated works that go with it then there will be benefits for the

June 2014

L-R: Ashish Saraf, Editor, bgreen; Jane Boyle, Head of Sustainability & Energy, WSP; Shaikha Ebrahim Al Mutawa, Director, Business Development, DTCM; Ibrahim Al Zubi, Head of Sustainability, MAF Properties; Stuart Mee, Head of Sustainability, Al Futtaim Carillion and Lindsay Preston, Business Development Manager, BASF Construction at the second panel discussion

developers and the end users, he said. Mee believes there should be more focus on reducing waste, energy, fuel and water use during the construction phase. “They are all a part of our business, they make us profitable and at the same time they help us protect the environment. One of the main things about the Expo 2020 is that it may not necessarily focus on the capital cost because a little upfront spending will get a potentially more energy and water efficient building during operating period and during the lifetime of the building.” However, Boyle felt that there is a lot more opportunity in this part of the world to become more cost effective, but agreed with Mee that strides towards sustainability should start early. “You read reports that sustainability does have a cost impact, but I think the best way to ensure that we have minimum cost impact is introducing it at as early a stage as possible. The Green Building Regulations is a driver that will ensure buildings reach a minimum level of sustainability,” she said. In the run up to the Expo, there will

“There should be more focus on reducing waste and usage of energy, fuel and water during the construction phase” Ibrahim Al Zubi

be a lot of attention from international designers in terms of the actual buildings, Boyle said. It will be interesting to watch how the international regulations can be applied in Dubai to future proof the development - so that it is not something that is built for just one occasion but for the whole community. A valid point raised by BASF’s Preston at the discussion was the lack of better means of interaction with potential customers. “One of the main concerns is how do we take our technology to the consultants because it is getting difficult to get time with people and it is an exhaustive issue. For example, we have a system called Senergy which may be very interesting for Expo 2020. It can offer significant energy reductions and savings for new building and for retrofit. There are no more than 50 buildings in Dubai or in fact in the UAE with this system on it. Now we need to get to architects and we need to get to consulting engineers organisations, but significantly we need to get to clients, because without them most of these projects will be much slower to roll out.” Another key issue that Dubai will look forward to tackling is how the Expo can create more jobs. “Today’s event is an excellent example of how sustainability is booming. More than 12 years ago, when we started talking about CSR and sustainability there were only three to four sustainability

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Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

Shaikha Al Mutawa during the second panel discussion

professionals and no clear mandates to follow. Today, we have the EGBC, Green Building Regulations and dedicated companies, which means green economy is booming. So is sustainability as a profession booming in the Middle East? Yes. Will the Expo 2020 support it? Absolutely,” concluded Al Zubi. Clearly, the entire industry is upbeat about the prospects of improved business and with the advent of the new Green Building Regulations, sustainability will not just keep up with the

burgeoning growth but will up to an extent drive it too. As Al Zubi put it, Dubai is a hub of many things but the Expo 2020 will make Dubai the hub of sustainability. Indeed a turning point for sustainability in the region. Before concluding the day’s events, Michael Nuyttens, CEO of ETAP UAE, which provides all-round lighting solutions, gave an interesting overview about sustainability in the country’s construction past. He explained how the Dubai World Trade Centre still remains to be one of the world’s first

Left: Panel of speakers during the first discussion on the Green Building Regulations; Below: Ashish Saraf delivers closing remarks

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examples for sustainable architecture. “Even today, after 35 years, it is one of the most sustainable architectural designs, thanks to its cultural inheritance. Its wide and deep Arabic arches serve as a concrete umbrella shielding direct sunlight from its glass windows and eliminating glare and hot spots. Still the building has plenty of views and comfortable natural lighting,” he said. The bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar was held in association with Dubai Municipality and sponsored by BASF, KONE, Thomas Bell-Wright and ASP Access Floors. Lunch was sponsored by ETAP. The seminar was supported by Dubai DTCM, Dubai Green Tourism and Clean Energy Business Council. The official BIM sponsor was Autodesk.

June 2014

Bgreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

Over

200

industry professionals attended the BGreen Sustainable Expo 2020 seminar

June 2014

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30 years in the business, an enduring commitment to consistently strive for optimum product quality, at a competitive price, and with impeccable customer service – These are the fundamentals of ASP. Today, ASP is a leading global company with expertise in the manufacture, distribution and installation of access floors across Australia, New Zealand, UK and the GCC. Our proprietary knowledge base and evaluation of current trends and problems have helped us in developing the most unique and effective products tailored to the needs of our clients. The long term vision of ASP has always been to serve as a “One-Stop Shop” for all types of Commercial Interior Solutions. This vision led us to the first stage of expansion and diversification of ASP’s Product Portfolio into a wide range of commercial flooring solutions in 2010. Over the years and with the support of our valuable clientele, we expanded further into the Walls & Ceilings segment. Today, ASP offers quality products under three divisions: Commercial Flooring •Raised Access Floors •Carpet Tiles •Broadloom/ Hand tufted carpets •Resilient Flooring •Entrance Matting Systems

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Leading the bandwagon Bgreen brings you the most influential personalities driving sustainability in the GCC

combination of business development programmes and policies are assisting the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC) in their efforts in becoming a global leaders in sustainability. Thought leaders from across business, government organisations and civil society are playing a major role in shaping the evolution of sustainable development in the Gulf countries. Sustainability has now become a key

June 2014

component in developing some of the regions most notable and recognisable projects as magnifies the image of the company and adds to the brand equity. BGreen lists some of the frontrunners and the gamechangers who embarked on the journey of sustainability a little ahead of the others and who have been slowly but surely bringing sustainability to the mainstream. (Listing in no particular order)

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Saeed Mohammed al Tayer MD and CEO, DEWA Safeguarding Dubai’s utilities The Dubai Water and Electricity Authority has a major role to play in the city’s goal to build a green economy and as its MD and CEO, Saeed Mohammed al Tayer has crucial responsibility to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to build a sustainable future for the Emirate of Dubai. Al Tayer has been heading DEWA since 1991 and has formulated and backed all the green initiatives be it by creating community awareness about water saving or by introducing smart metering or by laying the foundation for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is expected to provide up to 1,000 MW of renewable energy for the Emirate of Dubai. Setting standards for the rest to follow, DEWA under the aegis of Al Tayer commissioned to build the largest sustainable government building, which won the Platinum Award for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) achieving 98 points out of 110 as per US Green Building Council’s evaluation. Al Tayer is also the founder of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX), which is held annually. This year it was held along with the World Green Economy Summit, under the theme ‘At the forefront of sustainability’, making it one of the largest conferences to focus on green issues.

Eng Hussain Nasser Lootah Director General, Dubai Municipality Leading civic sustainability Eng Hussain Nasser Lootah has been the Director General of Dubai Municipality since January 2009. In the past he has been the assistant director general for environment and public health affairs and in 2004 was transferred to the post of the assistant director general for planning and building affairs. He also chaired a number of committees in the municipality such as those for strategic planning and e-government. He was instrumental in winning 30 local, regional and international awards for Dubai Municipality. Eng Lootah played a distinctive role in setting up the UAE Engineers Society and was its chairman from 1992 to 1996. Under his leadership, Dubai Municipality has been continuously undertaking sustainability initiatives in all its spheres of governance. The civic body is working hard to make Dubai one of the top 10 sustainable cities in the world by 2020 by implementing initiatives such as the green building regulation and related orders in line with the strategic vision and goals of the Dubai Government. Be it in promoting sustainable living or in passing the green building legislation, the municipality has not only been involved at all levels of decision making but has been actively pursuing the next big step in being green.

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June 2014

top 15 sustainability personalities

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber Chairman, Masdar Leading UAE globally In 2006, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber spearheaded the launch and establishment of Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s pioneering renewable energy initiative and now continues to drive the company’s strategic direction as it takes on an increasingly prominent role in global effort toward advancing renewable energy and clean technology. In 2009, Al Jaber was invited by the United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to serve as a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC). That year he also coordinated and led Masdar’s participation in the United Arab Emirate’s successful bid to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi and, eventually, in Masdar City. Al Jaber’s leadership in advancing the development and deployment of renewable energy and clean technology solutions led to his appointment in 2010 as UAE Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change. That year he was appointed Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the newly established UAE National Committee for Climate Change, a multi-departmental body set-up by the UAE government to coordinate and oversee the Federation’s climate change and renewable energy policies. Al Jaber holds a PhD in Business and Economics from the UK and an MBA and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the US.

Helal Saeed Al Marri CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre Managing holistic development Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is one of the frontrunners to begin green initiative in the city and Helal Saeed Al Marri has been leading them from the beginning. Founded in 1979, the DWTC has been instrumental in establishing Dubai as a global financial and commercial hub and Helal Saeed Al Marri was appointed its head in 2004. Launched in 2006, DWTC’s major urban development-Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD)- was among the first in the region to be designed according to the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Standards. This committed the organisation to sustainable design and architecture, while incorporating sustainability principles through the complete development life cycle of its properties, including operation and maintenance. Buildings within its development are environmentally sustainable and makes the best use of naturally-lit spaces and the DWTC also encouraged innovative use of energy-saving and carbon neutral technology throughout the construction process. According to Al Marri, DWTC has been a long-standing proponent of environmentally conscious development and design, to ensure that it is contributing to Dubai’s positioning as a healthy and environment friendly city. He also believes that enforcing green building standards makes sound economic sense, while producing energy savings and reducing utility costs.

June 2014

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Habiba Al Marashi

Adnan Sharafi

Campaigning for environment Under Habiba Al Marashiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guidance, Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) became the first environmental NGO in the world to receive an ISO 14001 certification in 2001. EEG is also the only organisation of its kind in the GCC, having been accredited by two highly esteemed UN bodies, namely the United Nations Convention to Combating Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Environmental Programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (UNEP) Governing Council. EEG is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2008. Through her leadership, she initiated the first corporate social responsibility (CSR) network in the country in 2004 as the only multi-stakeholder forum with local and multinational entities. The network has grown and evolved into an independent body known as the Arabia CSR Network. She is one of the founders of the Emirates Green Building Council, a board member of the UN Global Compact since 2006 and President of the UN Global Compact Local Network for the GCC States. Al Marashi is involved in many leading initiatives on environment, women and development at the national, regional and international levels. She is a recognized representative and spokesperson for West Asian Arab nations at high ranking international summits. She is a recipient of several awards for her contribution and achievements in environmental and social work.

Making global impact Adnan Sharafi, ex-Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC), is a civil engineer by profession and has over 30 years of experience in technical and management positions - both in the public and private sectors. He has been instrumental in setting the strategies and action plans for the council, complementing the sustainable development vision of the UAE. He is the first Emirati to serve on the Board of World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), a network of national green building councils in more than 90 countries. The appointment is said to underline the success of EGBC in promoting sustainable built environments in the region. During his tenure as the chairman of the EGBC, Sharafi worked with key agencies in the government and private sector to further enhance awareness on sustainable buildings. He also liaised with members and non-members in leading the council, and in establishing its thought-leadership in the field. Sharafi has been involved in condition surveys for government organisations as well as extended support on engineering investigations for Dubai Police. He has played a key role in developing the multidisciplinary Dubai Central Laboratories, the Dubai Municipality engineering laboratories and the Dubai Accreditation Centre. A certified lead auditor for the ISO 9000 Quality Management System, he is also a certified real estate management professional and certified OAM. His research works have been published in peer-reviewed journals, and he has presented conference papers at international events.

Co-founder & Chairperson, EEG

June 2014

Board member at EGBC and WorldGBC

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Ronald Diab Managing Director, Energy Efficiency Group Efficient energy services Ronald Diab is the co-founder and Managing Director of Energy Efficiency Group (EEG), one of the most experienced energy service providers in the region. With over 18 years of experience in the energy efficiency, energy services and sustainable consulting, Diab is one of the leading experts in the industry. He pioneered the ESCO concept in the region, establishing the first such operation in Lebanon in 1996. Since then, he has been involved in over 550 energy audits and 200 energy efficiency and renewable energy implementation projects across the world. He has also worked as a key energy expert in a variety of EU/UN funded projects covering topics from energy auditing to climate change and demand side management. He has expertise in energy auditing and energy services of luxury hotels and resorts and has worked on more than 150 properties. An energy services company, EEG deals with energy auditing, energy consulting, energy efficiency projects, enterprise energy management and remote energy management. The company has completed projects in more than 16 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East covering all vertical sectors from the hospitality to the healthcare, commercial, governmental and industrial sites.

Issa Bin Mohammad Al Mohannadi Founder & Chairperson, QGBC Extending scope of green Issa Bin Mohammad Al Mohannadi founded the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) to actively promote sustainability in the local construction industry, as the organisation works towards being an established member of the World Green Building Council. Aiming to increase awareness and knowledge of green building practices, he expects to build capacity of industry professionals through ongoing professional development and research. His efforts to build and engage an active membership body and network of stakeholders to champion the green building movement is also said to extend to support the adoption, legislation and implementation of green building practice and standards. Al Mohannadi has been the chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and prior to this he was the founder and chief executive officer of Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation, and one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most progressive real estate companies, promoting sustainability in visionary architecture and heritage preservation in Qatar. His project management and international business background serves QTA well as it embarks on rolling out the new tourism strategy for Qatar. He will be involved with planning, regulating, developing and promoting a sustainable tourism sector in Qatar. He is conscious of the importance of environmental sustainability and as the regulator of industry standards and codes, he is ensuring that the tourism board will take the lead in ensuring growth.

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June 2014

top 15 sustainability personalities

Khaled Al Huraimel Group CEO, Bee’ah

Gundeep Singh President & Founder, The Change Initiative Promoting green lifestyle Founded by Singh in 2008, The Change Initiative helps people to make responsible lifestyle choices, by offering thousands of innovative B2B and B2C solutions such as Fair Trade food, energy efficient light bulbs, ecological detergents, organic clothing, and locally made soaps, low emitting paints and solar tubes. Not only is it in a business of selling ecological friendly products but its 4,000sqm retail shop received the world’s highest LEED Platinum rating of 107 points. Singh said in a statement that, “Most people believe that Dubai cannot be sustainable or is less sustainable. But we’ve proven that if Dubai can build the tallest, the biggest, then it can also build the most sustainable building.” He began his career as an operations manager with ITC in India, before serving the Charanjit Singh Group as Senior Manager Operations from 1988-1994. He later became the youngest general manager of the Southern Pacific Corporation in South East Asia, working for the company between 1994 and 1997. A graduate of India’s University of Madras, Singh has master degrees from New York State’s Cornell University and the ESSEC Business School in Paris, and received a Fulbright Scholarship. The Change Initiative is planning to open 25 more stores around the globe.

June 2014

Better utilising waste As the Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah, the integrated environment and waste management company, Khaled Al Huraimel oversees the company’s day-to-day operations and maximises the efficiency of projects by ensuring cooperation and communication between different departments. He helps Bee’ah operate at the forefront of the environmental industry both regionally and internationally while his strategic planning helps strengthen the company’s environmental achievements, growth and profitability. Bee’ah works towards an environmentally sustainable future through international best industry practices, transforming attitudes and behaviours in individuals and communities. It enables them to lead by example of positive sustainable growth by providing the infrastructure, tools and support that they require to achieve their environmental goals. Through the use of international best practices, Bee’ah has successfully developed and built integrated infrastructure and implemented programmes within Sharjah relating directly to waste management. These include collection and storage, recycling, city beautification, landfill reengineering and policy development. Under Huraimel’s leadership, Bee’ah is committed to investing in innovative technology and ensuring that its expertise is utilized within the waste management industry. Therefore, Bee’ah’s long-term strategy for growth would position the company as the leader of environmental change not only in Sharjah, but beyond the emirate’s borders as well.

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Abdulrahman Jawahery President, GPIC Sustainability in petrochemicals Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co is one of those organisation that takes its sustainability seriously. GPIC, under the leadership of Abdulrahman Jawahery has taken every effort to promote green and is even considered a role model in the protection of the environment fighting rising challenges. The organisation also commissioned one of the world’s largest and the Middle East’s first carbon capture system at its Sitra petrochemical complex. GPIC has effective management systems and accreditations, Responsible Care Certification RC 14001 and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Certification ISO 31000, and has won the International Fertilizer Industry Association’s Sustainability and Protection Certification. GPIC has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s leading corporate citizenship initiative, and is committed to implementing its ten principles and the UN development goals for sustainability. It has also produced the GPIC Sustainability Report 2010-2011 in compliance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), for which it has been awarded application level “B”. GPIC has won many accolades, including the Sir George Earle Trophy from RoSPA in the

Eng Essa Mohammed Ali Kaldari CEO, LREDC Bettering community living Lusail Real Estate Development Company (LREDC) has been entrusted to deliver Lusail City as the ‘conscience of sustainable development’ and to set new standards for

June 2014

Dr Mohammed Shehadeh Senior Vice President, Unibeton Ready Mix UK and the R W Campbell Award from the US National Safety Council for excellence in HSE management systems.

community facilities and services. Eng Essa Mohammed Ali Kaldari, as the head of LREDC, is ensuring that the facilities that are built at Lusail are up to the standard of intelligent designs and creative engineering. LREDC, under the leadership of Kaldari was one of the first organisations in Qatar to adopt Gulf Organization for Research & Development’s Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS). This is serving as a national role model in sustainable development while striving to fulfil Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Kaldari supports sustainable and environmentally conscious initiatives in Qatar. The master plan for Lusail City has been developed with sustainability embedded in all aspects of the plan right from the land use, to urban design of various districts to the actual building design. As a result, Lusail is a community that provides sustainable living for its residents, workers and visitors, while the civic facilities and public buildings will also be designed and built to achieve high standards of sustainability with a minimum of 4 star QSAS rating.

Pioneer in concreting Dr Mohammed Shehadeh, a pioneer in Self Compacting Technology in GCC, is a civil engineer from Jordan. Highly acclaimed leader in the entire construction arena across the globe, Dr Shehadeh has been conferred with Doctor of Laws, honoris causa at the Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada. A prolific industrialist by nature, he wanted his organization to be the first choice for sustainable ready mix concrete solutions. During his early days, as an incumbent in the construction industry in UAE in 1989, Dr Shehadeh to his dismay found that the entire industry was in disarray and lacked innovative technological advances together with environment concerns. A firm believer in sustainability as a futuristic & achievable goal, his first task was to move away from the traditional methods of producing concrete by introducing innovative modern technologies in concrete production. By setting up state of the art batching plants with due considerations of the environmental impact including silo management, dust control and noise monitors in place, he was able to change the way people looked at the construction industry. These paid off when his company Unibeton became the first ready mix concrete company in the region to be certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

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top 15 sustainability personalities

Ibrahim Al Zubi Head of Sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Properties Raising green properties The head of Sustainability for Majid Al Futtaim Properties (MAFP), Ibrahim Al Zubi, has over fifteen years of experience in sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Al Zubi oversees the sustainability strategy and raising the company’s sustainability profile in the Middle East. Selected as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Europe and the Middle East in 2011 by Center for Sustainability and Excellence in the US, he has taken environmental and sustainability initiatives to another level in the Middle East and internationally through awareness campaigns for environmental issues, climate change and education programmes, as well as private sector engagement. As head of CSR at MAFP, Al Zu’bi oversaw the company’s strategy focusing on coordinating and driving MAFP approach consistently across the business, delivering CSR communication strategy and raising the profile of MAFP in the Middle East. He has coordinated and initiated numerous environmental projects/ campaigns in the MENA region as well as internationally, raising awareness for climate change and education programs. Al Zubi is also an official ambassador and education representative for the Al Gore Climate Project initiative and works closely with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Civil Society, Youth, Sports and Sustainable Development issues as the West Asia Coordinator of the UNEP UNESCO YouthXchange Project.

Mohammad Husain President & CEO, Equate Environmental consciousness Equate has ambitious plans to promote sustainability and Mohammad Husain, as its CEO, has been ensuring overall sustainability of the company by including partners, customers, suppliers, workforce, and surrounding communities. He aims to chase a combination of business growth, social responsibility and environmental excellence. With over 30 years of extensive professional service, Husain has held various leading posts at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) and at Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) and served on Equate board from 20042012. Hand in hand with being a leading industrial organization, Equate, under the leadership of Husain, takes overall sustainability with the utmost dedication. The company undertakes various professional development approaches such as, environmental initiatives, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, and educational development plans for employees and the greater community, which are making an impressive impact in Kuwait and beyond. He has also undertaken plant water recycle project, which is expected to recover 80% of process water and reuse the recovered water, and green carbon project for minimizing CO2 emissions. In recognition of its sustainability achievements, Equate has earned several prestigious honours, including His Highness the Amir Award for the Best Plant in Kuwait and the American Association for Safety Engineers (ASSE) Gold Award in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) for Gulf private sector companies.

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June 2014

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Construction Thermal insulation

Heat Wrap Saudi Arabia’s decision to make thermal insulation mandatory will boost businesses of suppliers in the Kingdom

he use of thermal insulation in buildings has increased significantly in recent years and has become mandatory in some countries. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, thermal insulation will soon be mandatory in 23 cities and towns including Riyadh, Al-Kharj,Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Madinah, Yanbu, Dhahran, AlKhobar, Dammam, Qatif, Al-Ahsa, Hafr Al-Batin, Buraidah, Unaizah, Hail, Sakaka, Ar’ar, Tabuk, Abha, Khamis Mushayt, Jazan and Al-Baha. The move is perhaps a result of higher demands on human thermal comfort inside residential, commer-

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cial, and governmental buildings, beside the ever increasing costs of energy production and its negative impact on the environment. Municipalities and engineering consultants will coordinate with Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to implement the policy. If any building fails to install insulation, it won’t be able to subscribe for power supply and the municipality will also not approve permanent permission. An exclusive integrated system will be developed between municipalities and SEC to verify the installation, Minister of Municipal and Rural Af-

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz

Thermal insulation reduces the pace of heat transfer inside the building through the walls and roof and as a result, saves about 40% of energy in air-conditioning June 2014

Construction | Thermal Insulation

fairs, Prince Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz, said recently. The minister instructed municipalities in the Kingdom that installation of thermal insulation was mandatory for all buildings irrespective of whether they were residential, commercial or any other facility like government projects Air-conditioners account for about 70% of electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia and with more than 1.5m new homes needed to keep pace with population growth, domestic energy demand is anticipated to double by 2030, according to the SEC. Thermal insulation reduces the pace of heat transfer inside the building through the walls and roof and as a result, saves about 40% of energy in air-conditioning. While the new regulation will reduce power consumption, it will most likely increase construction costs. However, the decision will boost businesses of thermal insulation suppliers in the Kingdom.

June 2014

“Thermal insulation becoming mandatory will have a significant and positive impact on the environment and improve energy efficiency in the Kingdom. We expect these new regulations to have a positive impact on our thermal insulation business in the Kingdom, and the region as a whole, in the coming years,” Eric Widström, CEO, Terraco told BGreen. Terraco is a specialist in Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS), an energy efficient thermal wrapping applied to the exterior surfaces of a building. The new announcement is likely to attract scores of thermal insulation companies in the region and abroad. “The highest levels of thermal insulation and energy efficiency are the most important requirements demanded by clients today. To meet this need, we have developed a range of thermally efficient and fire safety roof and façade solutions including Qbiss One metal modular façade solutions and Trimoterm sandwich

Exterior Insulation Finishing System is an energy efficient thermal wrapping applied to the exterior surfaces of a building

panels,” Trimo spokesperson said. Trimo is a provider of thermally insulated building envelope solutions and is represented by NAFFCO in the region. While most of the focus is towards insulating walls, experts believe thermal insulation of pipework has not been given enough attention by building owners and design engineers in Saudi Arabia. “Poor insulation value leads to high heat gain or heat loss which in turn leads to higher energy consumption and costs due to poor thermal efficiency. For example on a chilled water pipe (which is key for providing cool air to the building occupants) high heat gain would lead to the chilled water not being cold enough which in turn would mean the system consuming more energy,” said Bart Hinten, owner, Resolco Insulation, a company specializing in pipework insulation. Resolco developed their own resin manufacturing process used to

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Construction Thermal insulation

It may take some time for consultants and builders in Saudi Arabia to become accustomed to specifying and using an exterior insulation finishing systems

make Insulphen phenolic foam insulation, produced as a moulded bun or block of foam. “With Insulphen, building owners will save on energy costs. An example of this comparison between Insulphen and commonly used insulation materials shows that on a 0.05m (2inch) chilled water pipe insulated with 25mm thickness of Insulphen phenolic, expanded rubber would need to be 80mm thick to achieve the same thermal efficiency. Insulphen is a 100% zero ozone depletion material,” Hinten added. So is the industry prepared to em-

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brace the new regulations? Widström of Terraco believes that “while it may take some time for consultants and builders in Saudi Arabia to become accustomed to specifying and using an exterior insulation finishing systems, we notice that in most markets architects are quick to see the benefits that these sustainable building systems give. They not only allow designers a very large degree of design flexibility but also typically generate the best Return on Investment (ROI) and provide a compelling cost-tobenefit rationale.”

With regulations becoming stricter, thermal insulation is likely to be implemented effectively in the Kingdom at a faster pace now

Retrofitting existing buildings While most part of thermal insulation is carried during the construction phase, it is equally important to make sure the old and existing are retrofitted as part of energy conservation measures. “Our understanding is that the regulations, at this stage, are primarily targeted at new buildings, but with an estimated 70% of electricity consumption in the Kingdom being utilised for air-conditioning and an expectation that domestic electricity consumption will double by 2030 according to the Saudi Electricity Company – there is a compelling argument to make that the old building stock should also be renovated to improve thermal efficiency,” Widström said. “EIFS is ideal as it can be applied to both new and existing buildings. In fact, many older buildings are rejuvenated and given a facelift using Terraco EIFS, because as these systems are applied to the exterior of a building, not the interior. Importantly internal living space is not sacrificed - and critically there is no need for occupants to vacate the building while installing the Terraco EIFS which makes EIFS perfect for renovation work. EIFS is known to provide energy savings of up to 55%,” Widström added. Application of thermal insulation has been in existence in the Kingdom for the past three years, but building owners merely made promises to municipalities while obtaining permission for house without actually implementing it. But with regulations becoming stricter, thermal insulation is likely to be implemented effectively in the Kingdom at a faster pace now.

June 2014

Construction us leed ranking

LEED goes global Canada ranks first on US Green Building Council List of Top 10 Countries for LEED; UAE secures 9th position

he US Green Building Council (USGBC) released its ranking of the top ten countries for LEED outside of the United States, demonstrating the global reach of the movement that is transforming the built environment into healthy, highperforming structures that benefit the planet and all of its people. “The global community is increasingly recognising the imperative for action as we combat the extraordinary challenge of worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC.

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“LEED’s success across a wide variety of cultures, climates and communities represents not only a growing recognition of its demonstrated benefits for human health and operational cost savings, but also its potential to be part of the solution to a warming planet and rising sea levels.” The list of the top ten countries for LEED reflects the global adaptability of the world’s most widely used and recognised system guiding the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings. To date, project teams in more than 140 coun-

100 Wellington Street West Tower in Toronto, the first project in the city to achieve Platinum certification under LEED for Existing Buildings

tries and territories have implemented LEED in their building projects, taking advantage of its global, regional and local applicability to create structures that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions; create healthier indoor environments for workers, students and community members; and lower utility bills for building owners through reduced energy and water use. The ranking of the top ten countries for LEED outside of the US is based on cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space certified to LEED in each nation as of April 2014.

June 2014

Construction us leed ranking

The full ranking is as follows:

Rank

Nation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Canada China India South Korea Taiwan Germany Brazil Singapore United Arab Emirates Finland

GSM of LEED-certified space Total GSM of LEED-certified (million) and registered space (millions) 17.74 14.30 11.64 3.84 2.98 2.90 2.85 2.16 1.82 1.45

Total number of LEED-certified and registered projects

58.66 96.22 66.22 16.61 6.97 7.32 23.24 3.86 47.16 3.56

4,068 1,638 1,657 242 114 365 829 91 850 148

China and India took second and third place on the list, respectively boasting 14.30m and 11.64m GSM of LEED-certified space

Canada tops the list, with 17.74m GSM of LEED space. Collectively, Canada boasts 4,068 total LEED-registered and certified projects, representing 58.66m total GSM of LEED space. China and India, two of the world’s fastest growing economies and rapid adopters of sustainable building practices, took second and third place on the list, respectively boasting 14.30m and 11.64m GSM of LEED-certified space. Other Asian nations in the top ten include South Korea, at No 4 with 3.84m GSM of LEED-certified space; Taiwan, at No 5 with 2.98m GSM; and Singapore, at No 8 with 2.16m GSM. In Europe, Germany and Finland secured spots sixth and tenth, respectively - Germany with 2.90m GSM of LEEDcertified space and Finland with 1.45m. In South America, Brazil stood at No 7 on the list, with 2.85m GSM, while the United Arab Emirates represented green

June 2014

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Headquarters, LEED Platinum

building success in the Middle East, at No 9 with 1.82m GSM of LEED-certified space.

Notable certified projects in these nations include: 66 Canada: 100 Wellington Street West Tower at the Dominion Centre in Toronto, LEED Platinum, the first project in the city to achieve Platinum certification under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance 66 China: Haworth Showroom in the Parkview Green in Beijing, LEED Gold, the first project to certify under LEED v4, the latest version of LEED 66 India: ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance 66 South Korea: Samsung GREEN TOMORROW, the first LEED Platinum project in East Asia 66 Taiwan: Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world, LEED Platinum under LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance

Germany: MesseTurm in Frankfurt, an iconic 63-story skyscraper and one of the tallest in Europe, LEED Silver Brazil: Castelao Arena in Fortaleza, the first 2014 World Cup stadium to earn LEED certification Singapore: Asia Square Tower 1, a 43-story office building, LEED Platinum United Arab Emirates: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Headquarters, LEED Platinum Finland: Sello shopping center, the first European shopping mall to receive LEED Gold

Collectively, more than 59,000 commercial and institutional projects are participating in LEED, representing 967m GSM of construction space worldwide. In June 2013, USGBC launched the LEED Earth campaign, offering free certification to the first projects to certify in the more than 100 countries where LEED has yet to take root. Since then, 15 projects in various nations have earned free certification, including Venezuela and Kuwait.

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advertorial Delta faucet company

DELTA FAUCET ANNOUNCES 2014 SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE WINNERS Supported by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development in partnership with Alabbar Energy & Sustainability Group and the Association of Professional Interior Designers, this year’s competition saw 58 participants

elta Faucet Company, a worldwide leader in residential and commercial faucets, and originator of water conservation solutions, today announced the winners of its 2014 Sustainability Challenge. The initiative, now in its second year, engaged interior design and architecture students from the American University in Dubai (AUD) to encourage innovative and practical designs, in a bid to raise awareness of sustainability and water resources in the UAE

and the wider Middle East. Delta Faucet Company’s 2014 Sustainability Challenge, supported by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD), and in partnership with Alabbar Energy and Sustainability Group (AESG) and the Association of Professional Interior Designers (APID), focused specifically on water conservation within the hospitality sector. The competition required students to use mandatory design elements

that addressed water conservation, energy efficiency, water quality, and product durability in compliance with government design requirements. Submissions ranged from sustainable hotel rooms and spa facilities, to commercial kitchen design and pop-up café concepts, all of which utilised Delta Faucet Company’s innovative technologies and water-saving products. The winner of this year’s Sustainability Challenge was Zainab Al Swalhi, whose ‘Junkyard Café’ design focused on reusing and recycling material such

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June 2014

advertorial Delta faucet company

Trinsic™ Pull-Down

FIRST OF ITS KIND. WITH MORE CHOICES THAN EVER. Cassidy™ Pull-Down

Addison® Single-Hole

Pilar® Pull-Down

TOUCH2O® TECHNOLOGY. Five years ago, Delta® Faucet revolutionized the faucet industry with the introduction of Touch2O Technology, which allows you to start and stop the flow of water with a simple touch. Today, this smart, customer-preferred solution has grown to include nearly 50 styles and finishes.

See more innovations—from faucets to showers to accessories—at worldwide.deltafaucet.com/international Visit us at worldwide.deltafaucet.com/international/where-to-buy/index.html

June 2014

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advertorial Delta faucet company

About Delta Faucet Company: Founded by Masco Corporation in 1954 with the introduction of the single-handle faucet, Delta Faucet Company is proud to be America’s faucet innovation leader, featuring Delta, Brizo and Peerless products. A WaterSense partner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Delta Faucet is a global organization that offers kitchen faucets, bath faucets, shower heads, shower systems, toilets and related accessories, selling products in more than 53 countries. For more information, visit worldwide. deltafaucet.com.

About AUD: The American University in Dubai (AUD) is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1995. It serves UAE nationals and international students who seek world-class careeroriented education. AUD, as an international institution of higher education, encourages global understanding by providing an atmosphere of cultural diversity and opportunities for an international education. •

•

AUD is approved to operate by the State of Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC).

•

AUD has received specialized accreditation for its Bachelor’s of Business Administration (B.B.A.), and Master’s of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree programs in business through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The university’s undergraduate majors in Marketing Communications and Advertising have been accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA) in New York.

•

AUD is officially licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry has accredited the university’s programs in International Studies, Business Administration (both undergraduate and graduate), Communication and Information Studies, Engineering, Computer and Information Technology, Architecture, Visual Communication and Interior Design, Education (graduate), and Construction Management (graduate), in addition to a Certificate program in Middle Eastern Studies. AUD is accredited by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

The Civil, Computer, and Electrical Engineering Programs of AUD’s School of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Technology (B.S.C.I.T.) program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

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as aluminium cans to create a sustainable café concept. Nouran Kamel and Bahare Yaghar were awarded second and third place respectively. Nouran’s submission followed a futuristic, energy-saving theme with her ‘TeleFuture’ concept, in line with the Expo 2020 criteria, while Bahare’s ‘Pyrite’ hotel merged modern design with traditional features. Commenting on the competition, Ross Jackson, General Manager Delta Faucet Company, Middle East, said, “It is our firm belief that in order to impact change in people’s approach to water conservation tomorrow, we must raise awareness amongst the youth of today. These students are the future generation of architects and interior design professionals, and will undoubtedly retain and

apply their learnings for years to come.” “Following the success of last year’s event, we have already seen a marked increase in the level of participation in the 2014 Sustainability Challenge with 58 participants submitting their designs. We were highly impressed with the standard of projects shared during this year’s competition and, although selecting a winner was not an easy one, we congratulate Zainab on her well-deserved victory and wish her all the best in future endeavours.” Full information on the challenge criteria, entries and shortlisted designs are available, upon request, from Manal Shaikh at Capital MSL +971 55 109 2542 manal.shaikh@capitalmsl.com

June 2014

waste management Bee’ah

Green cleaners THE NEW FLEET OF SOLAR POWERED CLEANING BOATS FROM BEE’AH REMOVE DEBRIS FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE LAGOON AND YET LEAVE NO EMISSIONS BEHIND

he United Arab Emirates, which boasts sandy beaches and beautiful creeks, has been steadily fighting to keep waste out of its water bodies. In fact, the country now records one of the highest rates of waste generation per capita in the world, thanks to rapid industrial expansion, construction boom and population growth. A 2011 report by Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) observed that plastics make up approximately 19% of the municipal solid waste generated in the UAE. However, one emirate that has been taking waste seriously is Sharjah, where Bee’ah, the integrated envi-

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ronmental and waste management company, is spearheading holistic activities towards a greener and a cleaner environment. In what could be yet another step in Bee’ah’s goal to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2015, the company has introduced solar-powered cleaning boats to keep waste out of Sharjah’s waters. The new fleet includes ‘zero emission’ mobile equipment such as waste compactors, urban vacuum cleaners, automated sweepers and street vacuums. It will be the region’s first solar-powered water cleaning boats and will be able to collect up to 200kg

of floating debris each day from Sharjah’s lagoons. The fleet is being managed by Tandeef, the waste collection and street cleaning division of Bee’ah, which is dedicated to Sharjah’s waste management and is primarily responsible for the beautification of the city. In many ways, these ‘cleaning solar boats’ support and build upon Tandeef’s existing fleet that are not not only to be highly cost effective and easy to maintain, but also continuously help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. “Tandeef’s fleet of electric-powered vehicles has proven to be highly cost effective and easy-to-maintain,” confirmed Khaled Al Huraimel, Bee’ah’s Group CEO. “At Tandeef, we strive to significantly

The fleet is being managed by Tandeef, the waste collection and street cleaning division of Bee’ah, which is dedicated to Sharjah’s waste management June 2014

waste management Bee’ah

reduce carbon dioxide emissions stemming from our company’s equipment and vehicles. These new boats further accelerate our journey towards achieving zero-waste to landfill in the Emirate of Sharjah by 2015 – a goal established in accordance with the vision of HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and Ruler of Sharjah to ensure an environmentally sustainable future.” The advantages of the solar-powered boats are two-fold. They not only help to remove floating garbage from ports and swimming areas, thereby improving efficiency, but are also the first ‘zero emission’ boats in their class. Manufactured by Grove Boats SA, under a class name of Solar Sea Cleaner 400, the solar boat was launched in 2012. It has a length of 4m, a maximum speed of 4 knots, working speed of 1.5 knots, solar panels generating 600 W and a crew capacity of 1 to 2 personnel. The boat is capable of collecting floating waste such as plastics, polystyrene, algae, and wood, and storing it on board in a dedicated container. These boats are targeted for harbour areas and relatively calm waters as they aren’t yet adapted to heavy seas and large capacities. It is said to be easy-to-use, as the only caution the operator needs to exercise is to avoid the accumulation of weight on a single side of the boat. As a catamaran, the boat possesses a high degree of stability, but strong side winds and severe weather conditions might reduce the manoeuvrability of the craft, while sudden acceleration and course changes can reduce the stability of the boat significantly. The solar-powered boat has a clear advantage in tourist areas as it has a low speed, long autonomy and almost makes no noise. Presently, a fleet of five solar-powered boats are in use on the waterway along the corniche of the Al Khaled Lagoon as part of a pilot phase, which is expected to determine the most efficient area ratio. “The boats are being closely monitored by Tandeef’s team,” Bea’ah’s Huraimel said. The maintenance of these boats is also easy, according to Bee’ah. They are inspected regularly and taken out

June 2014

of water every month and cleaned using high pressure water jet or mild soap. Other parts that need to be regularly maintained include the electrical connections, such as the batteries, which need to be securely placed and protected against corrosion. The waste once collected is taken to Bee’ah’s Waste Management Centre in Al Saj’ah where it is sorted and sent to the different state-of-the-art facilities managed and operated by the company along high international standards of health and safety. For example, the centre consists of various facilities to treat municipal solid waste (MSW), discarded tyres, construction and demolition waste, electronic waste, wastewater and sludge, amongst others. The waste management centre also takes care of landfill reengineering, education and outreach, as well as policy development. As part of the company, Tandeef aims to clean up the waste in the emirate and reduce the actual volume of waste through community outreach activities based on the four environmental Rs —reducing, re-using, recycling and redeeming — to minimise waste quantities dramatically. Sharjah’s aim is to serve as one of the top environmentally responsible cities in the world and the region’s environmental capital.

Technical specifications

The Solar Sea Cleaner is a catamaran consisting of: Star side and port side hulls filled with closed-cell foam in inaccessible compartments. Electric motors are located under each hull and motor speed controllers are included in the boat. The craft is manoeuvred using two separate engines. Battery compartments: Each hull contains a pack of batteries, which power the electric motors. These batteries, of 24VDC voltages, are maintenance free. Collector basket forms a part of the collecting mechanism. The basket, located at the front of the vessel, is made of a steel grid. Using a simple mechanism, the operator can scoop it in and out of the water. Operator’s platform is located at the rear of the boat, a.k.a. port board. The operator can access the boat commands and manipulate the collecting mechanism from here. The operator can also freely move around the collecting basket. Solar roof consisting of solar panels is mounted on a laminated board which is supported by a tubular structure made of aluminium. The roof of the boat is covered by six 100W solar panels, adding up to a total installed power of 600W.

Tandeef aims to clean up the waste in the emirate and reduce the actual volume of waste through community outreach activities www.bgreen.ae

KONE Eco-efficient solutions ™

KONE Elevators

KONE is the pioneer of eco-efficiency in the elevator industry. For several decades, KONE has led the way in creating innovative solutions that help to significantly cut the energy consumption of buildings. Lifecycle assessments of KONE elevators show that the greatest environmental impact of an elevator stems from the electricity used in the operation of the equipment. Therefore, the key focus area for KONE is to systematically reduce the energy consumption of its elevators with each new product release. Elevators consist mostly of metals and over 90% of this material can be recycled. Supporting green building through energy measurements and calculations KONE MonoSpace elevators have achieved excellent A-class energy efficiency ratings in measurements performed by independent third parties. We offer VDI A-class energy efficiency for our entire elevator range. KONE is focusing on the ongoing development of standards such as ISO/DIS 25745, Energy Performance of Lifts and Escalators, which will define globally agreed criteria for measurement and comparison between different technologies and products in terms of energy consumption. KONE has developed tools to estimate the energy consumption of customer-specific solutions in the design phase of each project. These tools are especially helpful for customers working on green building certified (e.g. LEED, BREEAM) projects.

KONE eco-efficiency milestones • 1987: KONE introduces the V3F frequency converter, improving the energy efficiency of its hoisting machines. • 1991: KONE is the first elevator company to utilize regenerative drives in its elevators. • 1996: KONE invents and launches the first machine-room-less elevator, KONE MonoSpace® , providing up to 70% energy savings compared to conventional technology. • 2005: KONE MonoSpace is the first elevator to include LED lighting as a standard feature. • 2006: KONE unveils the concept of solar powered elevators. • 2009: KONE launches high-performance regenerative drives for a full range of applications. • 2010: KONE receives A-class energy efficiency ratings for its elevators (VDI standard 4707). • 2012: KONE launches completely renewed and more energy efficient KONE EcoDisc ® hoisting machine for the KONE elevators.

KONE follows the latest green building trends through its involvement in green building associations around the world.

KONE elevator energy efficiency performance according to VDI 4707*** KONE N MonoSpace ® KONE S MonoSpace ® KONE N MiniSpace ™ KONE S MiniSpace ™ KONE MiniSpace ™

Environmental impacts during the lifecycle stages of a typical KONE elevator * Raw material production Component manufacturing Use Delivery Maintenance End-of-life treatment

***Guideline issued by the Association of German Engineers

*The calculations are based on an elevator speed of 1,6 m/s, a load of 800 kg, 200,000 starts/year, an average travel height of 14 m, and 18 fl oors.

KONE Middle East LLC - P.O. Box 21474, Dubai, UAE - Tel. +971 4 2221393 Find out more info on products and local branch listings at www.kone.ae

products

Knauf ECOSE Technology ECOSE is a new formaldehyde–free binder technology based on renewable materials

nauf Insulation has launched a new generation of glasswool using patented ECOSE technology which reduces the product’s embodied energy and delivers environmental sustainability. With glasswool insulation made using recycled glass bottles and also being highly compression packed, it is already ranked in independent sustainability tables as the best performing insulation in terms of low environmental impact. ECOSE Technology extends the leading position of glasswool and as a result, Knauf Insulation’s EarthWool products claim to provide Australia with a new choice of highly sustainable insulation. EarthWool products made using ECOSE Technology benefit from a binder which has no added formaldehyde and is based on renewable bio-based materials. The technology has been developed for Knauf Insulation’s glasswool and rock mineral wool products, enhancing our environmental credentials whilst maintaining the thermal, acoustic and fire performance and mechanical properties.

Rockwell Stub Cleaning Machine

Panasonic air purifier

Rockwell Automation launches an energy saving technology for cleaning stubs on anode rods

F-VXK90M is tailor-made to suit the requirements of Mideast consumers

sustainable energy supply, the increasing costs of maintenance and the high cost of steel shots used in shot blasting machines are just a few of the concerns aluminium smelters are facing nowadays. With technical assistance from Rockwell Automation, a new Stub Cleaning Technology, developed by MetalTech Gulf and manufactured by Lefebvre Engineering in Sharjah, helps aluminium smelters solve one of their operational challenges, optimise power conservation and reduce investment costs. The new technology is based on a set of heavy duty rotary chain flails for coarse cleaning of the stubs and roller wire brushes for fine cleaning. The new technology claims to significantly reduces both capital and operational expenditures compared to conventional steel shot blasting machines. This new technology promises many benefits including: reduced cost of ownership; increased machine availability for production due to lower maintenance requirements; improved productivity because cleaning cycle times are reduced; increased quality of cleaned stubs on anode rods resulting in increased energy savings in the reduction cells; a safer working environment and a faster return on investment. Several aluminium smelters have already shown interest in this new stub cleaning technology.

June 2014

anasonic has launched the Middle East’s largest air-volume humidifying air purifier the FVXK90M – a nanoe powered model that is especially tailor-made to suit the requirements of the Middle Eastern consumers. The F-VXK90M has an inbuilt prefilter which is washable and fitted to protect against the sand storm. Every new model of this air purifier comes with an additional filter that can be changed later. The Panasonic patented nanoe technology embedded within the Air Purifier emits long-life micro particles wrapped in water molecules which can penetrate into fabrics thoroughly and reach in far corners to decompose viruses and allergens. OH radicals in nanoe particles inhibit odour by attracting hydrogen from odour particle. These nanoe particles are tiny enough to penetrate into clothes or any fabrics. Experiments have proven that the nanoe technology is effective in inhibiting mold and bringing a fresh living environment. The HEPA filters are randomly arranged fibers. Panasonic’s HEPA Filters equipped with Super Alleru Buster, Green Tea Catechin & Anti Bacteria Enzyme enhance the purifying function inhibiting 17 kinds of virus, bacteria and allergen up to 99%.

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PEOPLE

Saudi Prince wins Conservation Award Award recognises first-ever detailed maps of some of the world’s most remote coral reef systems

Prince Khaled bin Sultan

he Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation and its founder, Prince Khaled bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia, have been awarded a Peter Benchley award for Excellence in Ocean Exploration. The award recognizes their work exploring and creating first-ever detailed maps of some of the world’s most remote coral reef systems. The Peter Benchley Awards are billed as the worlds’ preeminent ocean conservation awards and other winners this year are EU commissioner Maria Damanaki, The Honorable Leon Panetta, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Casey Sokolovic, Captain Charles Moore and Dr Steve Gaines. Addressing the award ceremony by video from

Saudi Arabia, Prince Khaled said “When I started the Living Oceans Foundation almost fifteen years ago, it was with the idea that scientific knowledge could help us better protect our oceans.” He continued “I believe that ocean exploration today gathers critical information for making wise conservation decisions for the future.” The Living Oceans Foundation is in the middle of a five-year ocean research expedition called the Global Reef Expedition. Scientists on the expedition collect information about the health and status of remote coral reefs, including population and biodiversity assessments of important fish populations.

UAE Minister appoints ICBA’s new Board of Directors Abdulrahman Sultan Al Sharhan chairs new board

r Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, upholds ICBA’s (International Center for Biosaline Agriculture) tradition by appointing a new Board of Directors, who bring a wealth of regional and international experience to the table. The new Board of Directors includes leaders from international NGOs, government organisations, donors’ institutes, and research organisations. This reinforces ICBA’s new vision to be the global centre of excellence for innovative agriculture in saline and marginal environments. The new chair of the ICBA Board is Abdulrahman Sultan Al Sharhan, a former dean of the faculty of science at the UAE University and a current member of the Higher Committee for the Zayed International Prize for the Environment. Al Sharhan brings great experience in strategic management of research institutions. Joining Prof Al Sharhan on the Board is Saif Mohammed Al Shara (Assistant Undersecretary for Agricultural and Livestock Affairs - UAE Ministry of Environment and Water). Al Shara oversees the agricultural portfolio within the Ministry and represents the UAE at the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) level for agricultural files. The new Board will also include Jaber Eidha

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Ismahane Elouafi (left), DG, ICBA with Chairman of Board of Directors Abdulrahman Sultan Al Sharhan

Al Jaberi (Deputy Secretary-General - Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi). “These are very exciting times for ICBA; especially that the center has embarked on a new ambitious ten year strategy that looks at expanding the scope of ICBA’s mandate, building on past successes and adapting to current and future needs,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Director General of ICBA. “We look forward to working hand in hand with the new Board of Directors to continue the success story of ICBA in achieving our goals. On behalf of all ICBA employees and ICBA management; I would like to sincerely thank the previous board under the leadership of H.E. Fawzi Al Sultan for their tremendous contribution to ICBA,” Elouafi said.

ReneSola Appoints Jason Wu as VP of Marketing Chinese Solar photovoltaic manufacturer ReneSola has appointed Jason Wu as the company’s Vice President of Marketing. In this newly created position, Wu will oversee the company’s global marketing, new product management, as well as brand enhancement. Prior to joining ReneSola, Wu was Vice President of global solutions for Huawei Technologies, a telecommunications technology provider, where he was directly responsible for Huawei’s worldwide sales and marketing operations. Wu has held several leadership and international sales and marketing positions at Andrew Corp, Alcatel-Lucent, and TECOM CO. Wu received his MBA degree from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago in 1994. “We have already established 19 local offices and 29 logistic centres worldwide to provide local support and instant delivery to our customers. With Jason’s 23 years of experience in sales and marketing, and having specialised in global business development and management of large teams, we are confident he will help take our global network to the next level,” Xianshou Li, the company’s chief executive officer of Renesola said.

June 2014

GREEN personality Ian Somerhalder

the Green Campaigner Actor Ian Somerhalder’s foundation is actively involved in clean energy projects and distributes funds towards renewable energy development

tar of the ‘Vampire Diaries’ series, and winner of an Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award, and other accolades as a cast member of the hit show ‘Lost’, Ian Somerhalder is known as a prolific environmental campaigner.

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He set up the non-profit Ian Somerhalder Foundation in 2010, which, among other activities, aims to support renewable energy projects, raise awareness of the impacts of deforestation, and to engage young people in environmental issues. Somerhalder has also supported the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) by promoting World Environment Day– the biggest global day dedicated to positive action on the environment – which is organised every year by UNEP on 5 June. Sumerhalder joined UNEP Goodwill Ambassadors Gisele Bündchen, Don Cheadle and Rahul Bose to film video spots to advertise World Environment Day across the globe. The Ian Somerhalder Foundation is actively involved in clean energy projects and distributes funds towards renewable energy development, as well as supporting green technologies, green disaster relief and promoting environmentally responsible practices in the entertainment industry. According to the mission statement of the foundation, long-term goals will focus on: habitat and biodiversity, clean energy and animals, with specific projects in reforestation, biodiversity, extinction and species-specific sterilization methods of domestic pets. Short-term goals are inviting everyone to get involved, creating teams of passionate volunteers, and fund-raising. In 2010, Ian helped to clean up after the Deepwater Horizon drilling disaster. Through public service announcements, he helped galvanise efforts to clean up the oil spill which harmed wildlife and habitats along the Gulf coast where he grew up. Ian has said of his environmental work “I don’t know how to do anything else other than be an actor. If I wasn’t in this, I would be in alternative energy and conservation”. Ian Somerhalder is involved with Go Green Mobile Power, a maker of portable energy and illuminating devices. Somerhalder was the winner of the Most Responsible Celebrity Award 2012 at a International Green Awards ceremony in Battersea Power Station, London. Receiving over 50% of the public votes, he was heralded as the greenest international media luminary for 2012 at a glittering green gala dinner.

June 2014

society diary dates

This conference will bring together global experts and regional leaders in water management to come and share their expertise, challenges and solutions when it comes to the optimization of water consumption, conventional and non-conventional usage of water, best-in-class technologies that are being used for monitoring the quality and forecasting production and the most sustainable way to minimise discharge and finally environmentally sustainable disposal techniques.

Diary Dates Kuwait Energy and Water Efficiency Conference 2014 June 2-4, Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Kuwait City Kuwait Energy & Water Efficiency, organised at the request of the Ministry of Electricity and Water, the Ministry of Oil, KPC and the Environmental Public Authority, is the only conference to address the need for sustainable energy solutions in Kuwait. Be a part of discussions at the highest level for developing an energy efficiency strategy, and gain invaluable insight into the mindset of Government leaders and policy makers. Discover what sustainable energy solutions have a proven track record of not only reducing energy consumption but also reducing costs for you and your business, plus other opportunities on the horizon. 1st CSR Meetup in Dubai June 3, Burjuman Arjaan, Dubai, UAE The 1st CSR Meetup in Dubai is co-organised by Sustainability Knowledge Group and Dr Michael Hopkins Founder of CSR Meetup, Founder & CEO of MHCi and its subsidiary CSRFI. This event provides a

June 2014

unique opportunity to CSR & Sustainability advocates working in UAE to network, exchange ideas and best practices. CSR Meetup Dubai, is a platform that enables all professionals to discuss advanced CSR trends & Sustainability issues in order to gain greater insights. Water Management in Oil and Gas June 8-11, Abu Dhabi, UAE Water is scarce in the world with over 2.8bn people live in water stressed regions and 2bn lack access to safe drinking water. It is also an integral part of a wide range of operations in the oil business in the form of oilfield produced water and refinery wastewater. However the Oil and Gas industry faces several challenges such as reusing water, reducing water, minimising the environmental impacts of wastewater disposal as the water quality, treatment technologies and its reuse and recycle applications widely vary according to the type of water resources. IQPC has announced the upcoming Water Management in Oil and Gas conference due to take place from 8 – 11 June 2014 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Emirates Green Building Council Awards 2014 June 11, Grosvenor House, Dubai, UAE Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) will announce the winners of the EGBC Awards 2014 on June 11, 2014 at a gala event to be held at Grosvenor House, Dubai. EGBCAwards 2014,which honours the best practices in sustainability, has received strong response from across the Middle East. The awards will be presented in six key categories: Green Building of the Year, for a building finalised between 2012 and 2014 in the MENA region that employed the highest sustainability standards and included innovation in design and processes in its construction and completion; Green Facility Management Organisation of the Year for a UAE-based FM organisation for its commitments towards sustainability; Green Building Material/ Product Award for the successful introduction to the MENA region of a construction material or product/ component which addresses green building principles; Green Building

System Award for a building system that provides a more sustainable solution to green building construction than traditional construction methods; Green Building Research Award for research that establishes dependable data, in an area not previously available, related to green building performance; and Training Initiative of the Year for the best sustainability training initiative in the MENA region. Smart Living City Dubai 2014 September 15-16, Dubai, UAE Smart Living City is a biannual gathering that takes place in Dubai, San Francisco and Singapore. It displays the latest technologies and innovations related to smart cities and smart human capital. This year’s Dubai edition will gather high-profile representatives from startups, investors, foundations, researchers and cities – including delegates from, the Dubai Government, Stanford University, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cisco, and Microsoft. TASWEEK is partnering with Inside Investor on the event’s run from September 15 to 16, 2014. The event will highlight how government-led ‘smart’ initiatives and services powered by advanced technologies and supported by partnerships with the private sector are creating a sustainable ecosystem for Dubai. Smart Living City - Dubai is drawing strong global interest in the rapidly growing ‘smart city’ sector – an industry which a recent report from market research firm MarketsandMarkets forecasts will be worth around US $1tn by 2019.

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Commentary

Boosting profitability, saving the environment New practices and profitability are making green building the face of the future

he ‘Green building’ concept is fast becoming the global norm today amidst the strong clamour for sustainable, healthy and resource-efficient structures. The trend has become even more evident after studies warned that commercial and residential buildings will become the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases by 2025 if significant measures are not taken today. Sustainable buildings are then seen to reduce the impact of the mainstream building industry on the environment and human health. Discussions on green construction, however, have taken a new turn over the years, going beyond the many environment and social benefits of sustainable buildings. One of the debated topics touches on associated costs. Green structures are often perceived

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as more expensive to build and maintain than conventional buildings. But while it is true that going ‘green’ entails big investments, it is also possible that one can achieve a ‘green’ goal without exceeding the set budget. The financial returns are also enormous as green buildings have proven to have many financial benefits that are not often seen in conventional buildings. According to California Sustainable Building Task Force, an initial green design investment of just 2% will produce savings that are more than 10 times that of the initial investment based on a 20-year building lifespan. According to the task force’s findings, an initial investment of US $40,000 in green design for a project worth $2m will not only be repaid in just two years, but it will yield savings worth $400,000 in a span of 20 years.

Efficient use of resources such as energy and water – which can be attained in green buildings but could be difficult in conventional infrastructures – contributes to sizable savings in the long run. In the UAE, promoting sustainable practices is part of the government’s development agenda. UAE leaders envision the country to be a global leader in carbon footprint reduction in the built environment, among other sectors. The country is being lauded for implementing green building policies and regulations. In Dubai, for instance, green regulations implemented on government buildings resulted in 43% reduction in energy and 15% reduction in water. Every citizen, industry, and sector plays a crucial role in attaining the government’s goal of building sustainable infrastructures. Facilities management companies, in particular, must realign their objectives to make them more environmentally efficient. Their role is crucial in sustaining the environmental performance of the buildings as well as providing significant support to their clients’ efforts to minimize their impact on the environment. This is what we are doing at Imdaad. As a provider of integrated FM solutions in the GCC, we recognise the role of sustainability and its applications in FM such as waste management and water and energy management. We are always on the lookout for ways to improve out systems and processes to ensure that they are aligned with our environmental and societal objectives.

Jamal Lootah

[The author Jamal Lootah is the CEO of facilities management firm Imdaad]

June 2014