Mall of Egypt, the most recent project of UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim in the region, has set new standards for sustainable real estate development in Egypt with the application of cutting-edge construction techniques as well as incorporating international best practices in sustainability.

With the construction already underway, the E£4.9 billion ($643.6 million) Mall of Egypt is projected to open to the public in 2016.

To ensure the best results are achieved, Mall of Egypt is working with local partners to help develop, implement and eventually maintain the integrated sustainability strategy for the mall.

The strategy focuses on establishing an environmental data management system in order to effectively measure and monitor efficiency in managing energy, water and waste. This data collection will ultimately help Mall of Egypt better understand resource efficiency in construction, and serve as reference for future plans.

"As a leader in the real estate and retail sector across the Middle East, we believe leading by example is a key factor in our continued success," said Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, the head of sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Properties.
 
"We fundamentally believe that it is our duty to hold sustainability as a core philosophy. The region is lagging in the uptake of sustainable development, hindered by a lack of a ratings and measurement system that is tailored to local needs," stated Al Zu'bi.

"The development of our localized environmental sustainability plan is a groundbreaking step toward the widespread adoption of sustainability across the region," he added.

Supporting the local economy as well as the environment, Mall of Egypt is working to reduce its fuel footprint by procuring local materials from locations proximate to the construction site in Sixth of October City.

Al Zu'bi pointed out that of the materials used during the construction of Mall of Egypt, 50 per cent were procured locally.

"Mall of Egypt has also partnered with the Egyptian waste management company, Ertekaa, to ensure all waste generated during construction is tracked and documented," he stated.

In addition, site staff has been trained on how to separate waste effectively. As a result, as of December 2014, the recycling rate for the construction waste generated at Mall of Egypt since the construction started has reached over 90 per cent, with the recycling ratio standing at 92 per cent for the month of December 2014 alone.

"By embedding sustainability into our business, we aim at fulfilling our objective of achieving enhanced environmental efficiency while delivering benefits to communities, customers, staff and supply chains alike," said Al Zu'bi.

"From a business perspective, sustainability practices is expected to increase the value of our brand, boost long-term profitability, create new business opportunities and maintain our talented workforce. Through our construction work at Mall of Egypt we aim to achieve gold certification under the Leed green building standard when it’s completed in 2016, he added.-TradeArabia News Service