An estimated $600 billion will be spent on infrastructure and construction in the Middle East over the next years, delegates attending this year’s Arabian Construction expo in Abu Dhabi have been told.
The massive three-pronged
construction event dedicated to sustainability and innovation incorporates three dedicated trade shows, including
Green Building Middle East for sustainable construction solutions;
Future Build Middle East for innovative construction products and
Civil Engineering Middle East, which aims at highlighting major infrastructural developments in the region.
Speaking to Alrroya.com in Abu Dhabi, Christopher Hudson, the Managing Director for
Clarion Events Middle East, the company that is organising the event, said; “We decided to have a one-stop platform for players and stakeholders in the construction industry, where they could get all the necessary information under one roof.”
A growing number of construction companies have adopted eco-conscious business models in the UAE, and
Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry says that the green market will double from $1.37 trillion a year at present to $2.74trn by 2020.
“There is no doubt that respective governments in the region have invested significant amounts of capital into the green building industry in recognition of future perils and also for sustainability purposes,” Hudson added.
Companies participating at the three-day expo, billed as the largest fair dedicated to building and construction, are showcasing cutting edge products, expertise, materials and equipment from some of the most renowned manufacturers from the region and around the world, while at the same time highlighting innovative solutions for sustainable techniques.
Participants get schooled on sustainable building
An organisation aimed at conserving the environment by promoting green building practices in the UAE,
Emirates Green Building Council (Emirates GBC), has erected a special pavilion at the exhibition grounds, where vendors are demonstrating and showcasing the agency’s new innovations that support green building development by providing sustainable building materials.
The vendors stationed at the Emirates GBC pavilion include
Laticrete, a world-wide manufacturer of installation systems for ceramic tile and stone used in residential, commercial, and industrial applications;
Basf, the world’s largest chemical company;
Leviton Manufacturing, a firm that deals in electrical wiring devices, data centre connectivity solutions and lighting energy management solutions and Barluks Middle East, a company that manufactures devices and equipment for lighting. All three are members of Emirates GBC.
Speaking during the first day of the expo, Adnan Sharafi, the Chairman of Emirates GBC, urged business stakeholders to promote the concept of sustainable-built environments and steer the industry to adapt global green best practices.
“We hope to go further and educate participants on the application and implementation of green building regulations, guidelines and assessment tools,” Sharafi added.
The Emirates GBC has also planned variety of activities to coincide with the expo, which include networking events, technical workshops, focus days and facilitated training based around specific issues related to the built-environment that meet the needs of its members.
The UAE has recently taken its green campaign a notch higher with the aim of minimising its carbon emissions. Last year, the government promised to deal with the country’s ecological footprint after the
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) cited the emirates as having the world’s highest per capita environmental footprint, higher than the US and Qatar.
While responding to the ranking, Majid al Mansouri, the Secretary General of Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi, said; “The ranking is not where we want to be, yet we are making real progress with our partners to encourage positive environmental change.”
‘Earth Hour’ saves 204,000 kilowatt per hour of electricity
On Saturday, the country joined the global community in switching off lights in an event dubbed
‘Earth Hour’. Dubai’s energy utility later announced that the campaign helped to save a record 204,000 kilowatt per hour of electricity and prevented 122,000 kg of Carbon Emission into the atmosphere. Earth Hour is a global sustainability movement that urges people to turn off lights in iconic landmarks across the world for about an hour, in a mark of solidarity against global warming.
Similarly, Dubai is set to host energy leaders next month during the Dubai Global Energy Forum 2011, in an event that aims to discuss the energy and environmental challenges facing regional and international community.
Financing green initiatives is a key issue on the agenda at the Arabian Construction event. In its newly released report, the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommended extensive investment in green sectors, saying the campaign requires an injection of $1.3trn each year in the sector in order to ensure long-term stability.
UNEP said that spending close to 2 per cent of global GDP in 10 key areas would “kick-start a low-carbon, resource-efficient green economy”.
“With 2.5 billion people living on less than $2-a-day and with more than two billion people being added to the global population by 2050, it is clear that we must continue to develop and grow our economies,” remarked UNEP executive director Achim Steiner.
“This development cannot come at the expense of the very life support systems on land, in the oceans or in the atmosphere that sustain our economies, and thus, the lives of each and every one of us,” added Steiner.
The construction expo, which ends on Wednesday, will see a selection of the world's leading sustainable building experts who will speak about green technologies, practices, materials and initiatives that can benefit construction sites across the Middle East. They will also discuss and update delegates about global perspectives on rating systems, power projects, educational development and carbon reductions.
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