Dubai – Sustainability is the trend and the future of civil construction in the United Arab Emirates. Architecture firms and construction companies are ready to meet that demand, which includes solar energy, water reuse and sustainable products. "The trend right now is green," says architect Amal Iharkachen, from the capital Abu Dhabi.
Amal, who has worked as an architect in the Emirates for five years, explains that the environmental concern of the Abu Dhabi government is such that last year saw the establishment of the Estidama community (which means sustainability in Arabic). The aim of the organization is to create a more sustainable community by means of its program for certifying building industry companies.
"Our objective now is to promote sustainable enterprises," said the architect, who visited the Brazilian stand at the Big 5 Show fair, in Dubai, seeking eco-friendly products and services. According to Amal, whenever someone is seeking a product for a client, such as a wood item, for instance, the first question that architects and interior designers ask is whether the wood is reforested, whether the product is recyclable.
Another architect who has worked for a large international firm and believes that sustainability is constantly under discussion in the country is the Brazilian Juliana Aires, who has been living in Dubai for two and a half years. "All of the projects arriving at the office had this concern with sustainable architecture," said she, who often reads articles on the matter in the country.
According to Juliana, many architecture firms in the Emirates require the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED AP) professional accreditation. The knowledge and quest for sustainable systems and products are part of daily life for architects in the Emirates.
Amal claims that in the last few months, the Emirates have been trying to change the mentality of people who believe that the country is wealthy and can do whatever it wants with no regard for the environment. There are various business opportunities in the Emirates for the use of solar panels to capture energy, water reuse, intelligent air conditioning systems, LED lamps, among other products.
Examples
Sustainability is also a highlight at the Big 5 Show, which ends on this Thursday (26th). Proof of it is that for the second time, organizers have promoted the Gaia Awards, which is granted to the products and services on display at the fair that contribute the most to reduce environmental impact. According to the fair’s organizers, the aim of the award is to boost the green, sustainable profile of the products and services offered in the Gulf region, and it reflects a desire to continue building in a sustainable manner.
One of the finalist companies for the award was the multinational Green Precast, which operates in construction and sustainable services. The company’s water reuse technology earned it the award. With the system developed by the company, water used in bathing, for instance, is filtered and reused for watering the garden, thus saving 90% of the water used outdoors.
Apart from the system, the multinational, which opened an office in Abu Dhabi one year ago, develops solutions in energy, such as the cooling of the walls or roof, and building of pre-fabricated houses. According to the CEO of Grenn Precast, Salvatore Saker, in the Arab countries, the United Arab Emirates are at the forefront in terms of sustainability. Presently, the company is developing a project for building a residential village for 26,000 people in Abu Dhabi.
According to the CEO, the buildings fabricated by the multinational are green as well. All of the casts are produced at the construction site, so spending on transportation is not required. "We use small amounts of power in order to produce, we do not pollute the air with gases emitted by transport lorries, and our buildings are water-, earthquake-, hurricane-, tornado-proof," said Saker, who believes that the durability of his concrete also counts as a sustainable feature, as it lengthens the period preceding demolition.
Green Precast’s engineering and technology have also arrived in other Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon and Iraq. "Next year we are going to go to Brazil," said Saker, who is keeping an eye out for the opportunities that will arise out of the 2016 Olympics.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
