AkzoNobel, a leading global paints company, has joined Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices.

As one of the global leaders in sustainability, AkzoNobel is committed to share its expertise and best practices with the construction industry.

The company has consistently been a part of Chemical World Index and the Europe Index of the influential Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI).

Rajiv Rajgopal, AkzoNobel regional director - Performance Coatings for Middle East & Africa, said: "We are honoured to join hands with EmiratesGBC to build a greener future for our coming generations by creating more livable and inspiring urban environments."

"Going green is a critical issue for the building industry everywhere in the world and especially UAE. Roughly one third of all greenhouse gasses come from buildings," observed Rajgopal.

"Buildings use about 40 per cent of the world’s energy, and a quarter of its water. In a world of limited resources, if we can do something about this particular industry, we will make a significant contribution to sustainability," he added.

Saeed Al Abbar, the chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: "We welcome AkzoNobel on board as a corporate member and hope to share their knowledge with our members and the community in driving the development of sustainable built environments."

"Through our year-round initiatives, we offer our corporate members strong platforms to work jointly for a greener future and to promote innovation in green buildings," he stated.

In addition to its focus on manufacturing environment-friendly coatings, AkzoNobel is a strong champion of socially responsible development. It has unveiled the ‘Human Cities’ initiative, which is led by sustainability as a key pillar.

Nearly 60 per cent of AkzoNobel’s products are used in buildings, infrastructure and transport.

Through its ‘Human Cities’ manifesto, AkzoNobel aims to create more “human” urban environments by making cities come alive, enabling people to make more of an emotional connection with where they live.-TradeArabia News Service