Green buildings in the UAE: Two years away

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi

Constructing green buildings in the Middle East has always made sense; in a region of the world where construction is so prolific and attempts are being made to reduce resource usage, having a sustainable design when it comes to construction seems like a foregone conclusion.

Despite facts and figures released at last year's Doha Green 2009 Conference, where it was stated that green buildings could potentially reduce energy usage by 24 to 50 percent, carbon emission by 33 to 39 percent, water use by 40 percent and solid waste by 70 percent, a survey this week from the Landmark Advisory says that it will be two years at least before it becomes feasible for developers to build, sell or lease green buildings in the UAE.

The study that was carried out in conjunction with Cityscape Intelligence interviewed 241 decision makers working in the Abu Dhabi real estate industry about their feelings towards green buildings and the future of the construction industry.

Of those interviewed, 75 percent said they would be willing to establish or relocate their offices to a building if it was environmentally friendly with lower utility bills being a prime motivator for 70 percent. 55 percent said they would make the move if the building was healthier for employees.

Four percent didn't know what a green building was.

Sustainable real estate

Speaking to Arabian Business, Jesse Downs, director of research and advisory at Landmark Advisory said, "Through initiatives such as Estidama and Masdar City, it is clear that considerable progress is being made in sustainable real estate, particularly in Abu Dhabi."

Despite the massive construction efforts that are underway in the emirate, the report states that 25 percent of respondents said they believe it will be at least two-to-three years before it will be feasible for developers to make the move towards building green properties.

Some speculate it could even take longer; with the number of office markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai set to rise 96 percent and 91 percent respectively by 2014.

Cost is also a factor, with a fifth of respondents saying that they would be willing to pay at least five-to-six percent extra in construction costs in order to save up to 20 percent on annual utility bills. However, some favour retrofitting with 20 percent of those questioned, saying they would need a return on investment of a minimum of 16 to 20 percent before they would be motivated to retrofit their current building.

What was clear from the report was that those in the emirates' real estate sector believe government subsidies would be a much stronger motivator in encouraging developers to retrofit their buildings to green standards rather than introducing regulation or penalties for those who are reluctant to join the green revolution.

If the UAE is to make considerable in-roads into renewable and sustainable design, it is something to consider.

Relevant articles:

Green buildings in the Middle East |Sustainable construction projects | Straw as a building material | Construction industry dead for 2010

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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