AMCA InMotion - September 2019 - 36

By SAEED AL ABBAR

A M C A M I D D L E E A S T U P D AT E

Green Building Takes Root in the Desert
The last two decades

Estidama Pearl Design Rating as of

had been retroﬁtted-an impressive

has been a time of

February 2019.

feat highlighting the ﬁ rm commitment of the government to achieving

remarkable economic

Similarly, in 2011, Dubai launched a

and social change in

green-building rating system. Initially

the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With

mandatory for government build-

the country's transformation into one

ings, it became mandatory for all

of the world's tourism, investment,

new developments in 2014. In 2018,

The Move Toward Net-ZeroCarbon Buildings

and logistics hubs has come intensiﬁed

Dubai switched to a new rating system,

With buildings responsible for 35

interest in sustainable development.

Al Sa'fat; new buildings must meet

percent of global ﬁnal energy use and

tangible results.

In 2010, the UAE Cabinet

39 percent of energy-related

adopted green- and sustain-

carbon-dioxide emissions,

able-building standards that

the World Green Building

are expected to save AED 10

C ou nc i l ( WorldGB C) i s

billion ($2.72 billion) and

calling for all new buildings

reduce carbon emissions by

to be net-zero-carbon by 2030

about 30 percent by 2030.1

and every other building to

And in UAE Vision 2021, a

be net-zero-carbon by 2050.

roadmap to make the UAE

T h e E m i r at e s G r e e n

"among the best countries

Building Council (Emir-

in the world" by its 50th

atesGBC) established the Net

birthday in 2021, "sustain- Dubai Marina.

Ashraf Jandali/Shutterstock

a b l e e n v i r o n m e nt a n d

Zero Centre of Excellence as
a think tank and accelerator

infrastructure" is one of six national

requirements for the minimum Bronze

of net-zero-carbon buildings in the

priorities.

rating to receive a permit.

UAE. The center provides an important

A key focus of Dubai's efforts to

platform for government, academia,

A Regional Champion of
Green Buildings

achieve a 30-percent reduction in

and the private sector to learn and to

energy demand by 2030 is the retroﬁt

share knowledge and strategies.

At the core of the UAE's ambitions

of existing buildings, with 30,000

to promote "Estidama," the Arabic

structures having been identiﬁed as

Trends in the HVAC Industry

word for sustainability, is a robust and

in need of energy retroﬁts. According

According to the RSB, 18 percent of

comprehensive framework of policies

to Etihad Energy Services Co. (ESCO),

Dubai's cooling demand is met with

and systems.

this is expected to contribute 1.68 TWh

district cooling.2 Building-level water-

For example, the Emirate of Abu

in energy savings and 5.64 BIG (billion

cooled solutions account for 7 percent

Dhabi in 2010 launched the Estidama

imperial gallons) in water savings,

of the market, while central air-cooled

Pearl Rating System, which is manda-

which is equivalent to a 1-million-ton

systems account for 25 percent. Ducted

tory for all new villa, building, and

carbon reduction.

split and packaged units have the

community projects. According to

As of 2017, under Etihad ESCO

the Department of Urban Planning

and the Dubai Regulatory & Supervi-

The Dubai government is aiming to

and Municipalities, 18,767 villas and

sory Bureau's (RSB's) accredited ESCO

increase the share of district cooling

262 buildings had been awarded the

scheme, more than 2,450 buildings

to 40 percent by 2030 by regulating

36

20 19 A M CA i n m o t i o n

largest share, with 30 percent.

w w w. a m c a .o r g
http://www.amca.org
AMCA InMotion - September 2019

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