Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, joined hands with Heriot-Watt University, Dubai, to host a ‘Student Forum’ that highlighted career opportunities in the green building industry.

Now in its second edition, the forum was open to all undergraduate and graduate students in the UAE, and provided valuable insights on the industry and potential career opportunities as well as how to manage their career progression.

The event also showcased the Dr Owainati Student Excellence Award, supported by EmiratesGBC co-founder Dr Sadek Owainati, given to a student from a recognised university in the UAE who has conducted exceptional research work in a subject related to green buildings in the Middle East.

The award is presented as part of the Annual MENA Green Building Awards presented by EmiratesGBC. At the Forum, students were encouraged to apply for the award.

Saeed Al Abbar, the chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: "Sustainable energy solutions and the advancement of green building practices is central to the new development narrative of the region. It is therefore important to nurture the next generation of talent in the green building industry, which was the key objective of the Student Forum."

"The collaboration with Heriot-Watt University and other universities in the UAE further strengthens our aim to create an ecosystem for advancing green building initiatives. Through the Forum and the Dr. Owainati Student Excellence Award, we are focused on creating a talent pool of young professionals who can partner in the nation’s sustainable development," he added.

The forum included a professional panel that was facilitated by EmiratesGBC and included representatives from CH2M Hill, Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES), EMergy LLC, Arup Gulf Limited and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhof.

With a presentation and a panel discussion, students learned about the panellists’ academic and professional journeys. They also had the opportunity to discuss further on their career aspirations and on the skills needed to best enter the job market in the green building industry.-TradeArabia News Service