Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), has invited Dubai-based hotels, shopping malls and schools to take part in a ‘Benchmarking Project’ to assess their building efficiency.

The roll-out of the Benchmarking Project follows a partnership announced between EmiratesGBC and DSCE in 2016 to support the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA), an initiative under the ‘Sustainable Energy for All’ (SE4All) programme led by the United Nations Secretary-General, and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Led by World Resources Institute and in partnership with the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), Green Building Councils are engaging with leading cities to ramp up the energy efficiency of buildings under the BEA.

EmiratesGBC is one of four GBCs working with governmental authorities such as DSCE - a member of the BEA - which has strong expertise in the realm of energy intensity and demand side management.

EmiratesGBC is now piloting a ‘Benchmarking Project’ that aims to measure the energy performance of 100 buildings in Dubai in the three focus groups – hotels, malls and schools, said its top official.

"The Benchmarking Project is a major step towards mapping the energy use efficiency of existing buildings in Dubai. The findings will not only help in undertaking relevant retrofitting measures but will also support policy making in relation to sustainable buildings," remarked Saeed Al Abbar, the chairman of EmiratesGBC.

DSCE is reaching out to its partners to extend its support to the ‘Benchmarking Project’ and mark the first the BEA demonstration project in Dubai, which will serve as a referral point in driving forward the energy efficiency of buildings in the city, and double the rate of efficiency by 2030.

"For the project, we are drawing on our learning and experience of conducting the first similar benchmarking study in 2016 on energy efficiency in Dubai’s hospitality sector," stated Al Abbar.

"Our expert team of professionals will evaluate the data to present insightful findings that enable all stakeholders to work towards a greener future by enhancing energy efficiency in our buildings," he noted.

Ahmed Butti Mehairbi, the secretary-general of the DSCE, said as a member of the BEA programme, it is taking tangible action to promote energy efficiency in the urban built environments and contribute to achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.

"The Benchmarking Project that will be undertaken by EmiratesGBC is pioneering in the region, and will provide deep insights on the energy efficiency practices in our buildings," stated Mehairbi.

"The findings can be leveraged to promote sustainable built environments, promote energy management and suggest recommendations for the building industry to introduce initiatives that can help conserve energy," he added.-TradeArabia News Service