Leading building and energy industry experts discussed ways to double the rate of energy efficiency in buildings by 2030 at an event organised by Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) and Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE).

The joint workshop was held to discuss the building efficiency accelerator (BEA), a public-private partnership of cities, businesses and organisations, which aims to improve energy efficiency in buildings.

The BEA is one of six accelerators under sustainable energy for all (SE4All), an initiative led by the United Nations Secretary General, and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).   

As one of the larger delivery partners under the BEA, EmiratesGBC and the DSCE’s joint efforts are part of the larger global efforts in turning climate finance into concrete, timely and measurable action in cities in the wake of COP21, said top industry experts at the event.

The workshop was attended by high-profile leaders from government and semi-government organisations, private developers, professional contractors and building design consultants who agreed on the priority to speed the development and implementation of building efficiency policies and practices.

The event also explored the creation of policy packages to address barriers, bridge efficiency gaps and avoid lock-in of inefficient building stock.

The initiative for policy dialogue hosted by EmiratesGBC and DSCE offered a platform to engage business and government industry stakeholders, identify policy focus areas and share strategic directions that align with the city’s sustainability vision in connection to buildings.

Saeed Al Abbar, the chairman of EmiratesGBC, said: "When Dubai joined the BEA programme earlier this year, we had begun the process of creating a tangible platform to further strengthen energy efficiency initiatives that are aligned with the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy and the Dubai Plan 2021."

"This workshop provided a platform for all delegates to share knowledge, evaluate challenges and learn more about the implementation of the BEA initiative that will undoubtedly contribute to meaningful impact globally through innovative strategies," noted Al Abbar.

According to him, energy efficiency within buildings is essential given the current scenario where buildings consume nearly one-third of energy demand and account for about one-third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally.

"The policy coupled with best sustainable practices will enable all stakeholders to be part of the efforts to tackle climate change," he stated.

Al Abbar pointed out that global building energy demand could be reduced by one-third by 2050, if known energy efficiency best practices are implemented on a large scale across regions.

Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, the secretary general of the DSCE, said: "We are looking at developing an integrated energy policy that can facilitate our need for creating green sustainable buildings which translates into reinforcement of our Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030."

"Our mission is to implement sustainable best practices and solutions that can transform the emirate into a global hub for clean energy and green economy," noted Al Muhairbi.

"In Dubai, such energy efficiency initiatives are aligned with the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy (DIES) and DSM strategy 2030 to reduce 30 per cent of the energy demand by 2030," he added.-TradeArabia News Service