The UAE’s construction industry is greening its processes and will reshape the country’s appearance once again

Dubai, UAE, 7th July, 2014: The UAE is changing its face once again, and this time around, it is going for green. The construction industry is undergoing an unprecedented push for sustainability. “Green Construction” as it is called, refers to a structure using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle. Green Construction is high on the agenda of the leadership of the Emirate of Dubai, and the UAE given the policies and guidelines that have been created to support the movement towards Green Buildings such as; the Dubai Green Building Codes and the Pearl Rating System in Abu Dhabi.

Green Construction is not just the creation of buildings in line with rating systems and guidelines; it is a holistic outlook on the full cycle of construction, including green procurement & waste management. With the win of Expo 2020 and more rigorous sustainability requirements for new buildings, a market has emerged for green materials and technologies given the demand for these products has increased.

Dubai Carbon partnered with BK Gulf earlier in June to help raise awareness within their organization during their ‘Sustainability Month’. BK Gulf is one of the leading construction entities within the Emirate who consider Sustainability throughout their operations and are leading by example in this field. Dubai Carbon transferred knowledge through the session on the basics of carbon footprinting and what is being done on the Emirate level to support the leadership’s vision.

Ivano Iannelli, “The public and private sector have always worked hand in hand in Dubai and low carbon development is no exception. Getting employees motivated by emission reduction initiatives can prove to be just as challenging as getting the boardroom to sign off on the strategy, hence the sustainability month BK Gulf exercised is a solid foundation for their upcoming sustainability programme.

This association is in line with Dubai Carbon’s endeavour to support private entities in raising awareness about sustainability within a number of industries. Activities such as, workshops, interactive sessions, community events and site visits were organized for the staff, where Dubai Carbon supported by providing an awareness talk on mapping emissions, and the frameworks which can be used. Additionally, Dubai Carbon focused upon the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the UAE Vision 2021.