Leading international experts in sustainable development for the built environment presented actionable insights for strengthening energy and water use efficiency and cutting the ecological footprint of buildings at the EmiratesGBC Congress in Dubai.

The fifth edition of the event was organised by the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) at Dusit Thani Hotel in Dubai.

Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the two-day event opened with keynote addresses by  Anwaar Al Shimmari, the director of design at Ministry of Infrastructure Development; and Ahmed Bukhash, the director of urban planning, Dubai Creative Clusters Authority, who presented compelling sketches on the UAE’s experience in driving built environment sustainability and the future vision of Dubai to build a smart and sustainable city.

Saeed Al Abbar, the chairman of EmiratesGBC, welcomed the audience comprising experts from across the construction industry supply chain, as well as government departments, non-government organisations, financial institutions and the academia.

Holley Chant, the executive director (Corporate Sustainability) at KEO, moderated the congress.

Regarded as the region’s largest-of-its-kind brainstorming in promoting sustainable built environments, the fifth EmiratesGBC Congress was held under the theme ‘UAE of the Future: Looking Backward as a Way Forward,’ said the organisers.

The theme and the discussions were specially curated to reflect the achievements of the UAE in greening urban environments and how the nation – and the region – can achieve transformational growth through a clear focus on embracing innovative green building practices, they added.

Al Abbar said the annual event brought together local and international experts in sustainable built environments to identify future trends and emerging challenges in its concerted efforts to create more sustainable urban environments.

The remarkable participation of industry stakeholders this year is a strong demonstration of the keen interest of the UAE and the wider region in promoting sustainable buildings, he noted.

With its focus on both theoretical discussions and visual presentations to emphasise the new technologies that can be used in future ‘green’ planning for the region, the congress discussed the opportunities and challenges from diverse industry perspectives – covering the financial, governance and material management aspects, among others.

A presentation on the ‘Buildings of the Future’ was addressed by Talik Chalabi, the partner, Chalabi Architect, who presented an overview of the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Center, and Matthew Utley, the associate principal, Grimshaw Architects, who underlined the features of the Expo 2020 Dubai Sustainability Pavilion.

With sustainability as a core theme of the global event, the insights offered served as a referral points for the audience in managing their projects for a greener future, said the organisers.

Fareed I. Bushehri, the regional resource efficiency officer, UN Environment, West Asia Office, discussed ‘Sustainable Buildings, Resilient Cities from the Global Context,’ followed by a talk by Shaima Sharif Abu Baker Al Aydarous of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, on ‘UAE’s Transition to a Green Economy.’

A panel discussion on ‘Targets & Regulations of the Future’ was addressed by Fareed I. Bushehri, the regional resource efficiency officer, UN Environment, West Asia Office; Faisal Ali Hassan Rashid, the director for demand side management at Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; and Chris Wan, the head of design management, Masdar City. The session was moderated by Al Abbar.  

Highlighting the innovations of the future was a presentation by Luciana Soledad Ledesma, the manager for innovation and creativity at Dewa, which was followed by a discussion on ‘Transport of the Future’ by Huda Shaka, Associate - Planning, Arup; and Keith Miller, the director of Atkins.

A session on ‘Materials of the Future’ was addressed by Hubert Thaler, the general manager, Fujairah Rockwool Factory; Eirini Matsouki, an associate for sustainability and energy at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; Rania Haddad, the business development manager at Caparol; and the company's product manager Sumeet Parkar.

The second day featured a guided tour of Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood (Bastakiya) in Bur Dubai, to put the spotlight on the architectural and cultural influence on the UAE’s built environment.

It was followed by a facilitated discussion on architecture heritage led by Scott Coombes, the director at AESG.-TradeArabia News Service