How Green Can A Condo Be?

Condo living is becoming a more popular and viable option with regard to residency as more and more people are now moving closer to cities for business and career opportunities. Condominiums offer sufficient space for living and close proximity to leisure establishments as well as the central business district. However, living in the city should not detach residents from the larger society and nature. How green can a condo be? Read ahead for tips to ensure greener living in a condo. 1. Gardening Gardens are serene and relaxing. They are also good for the environment. Many will say space in … Continue reading

Advantages of Engineered Wood Flooring Over Solid Wood Flooring

Engineered wood has swiftly emerged a preferred choice for flooring in homes and commercial buildings. It is manufactured from a wide range of wood products by binding or fixing the fibres or veneers or boards of wood to form composite materials. Due to its unique natural look and easy installation, engineered wood is getting increasing popularity worldwide as a sustainable flooring option. Engineered wood flooring is generally available in fixed lengths, but it comes in different thicknesses ranging from 12.5mm to 22mm. An important quality of engineered hardwood flooring is its dimensional stability which makes it possible to be glued … Continue reading

Top Eco-Friendly Roofing Options for Your House

Costs, performance, and design take priority when homeowners embark on a construction project. While these factors are important, it’s important to consider other underlying factors which are important as well. Sustainability is fast gaining traction in the construction industry due to unending advantages to the house owner and the environment. Below are top eco-friendly roofing solutions for your house: 1. Green Roof No, a green roof isn’t about the color of the roof. Instead, it’s about the vegetation and plants on it. Interesting, huh? Well, apart from the beauty it bestows upon the property it’s installed, another advantage is heat … Continue reading

Innovative Trends Increase Appeal Of Sustainable Housing

Over recent years, an increasing number of people have become interested in learning to live more sustainably. Although it is considerably more difficult for an individual to preserve the environment than it is for a large company, there are a number of ways in which a difference can be made. One of the most effective ways is through sustainable homeownership. While this most certainly does involve implementing sustainable practices on a daily basis, there are several sustainable home design trends that can boost the level of sustainability of a house even more. From implementing passive housing to sourcing building materials and … Continue reading

Environmental Factors to Consider While Investing in Real Estate

Many people are just concerned about location when it comes to buying real estate. You need to keep in mind that there are a variety of different factors which you need to consider. Only when you take into account these factors, it is easy for you to make the right buying decision. The most ignored element while investing in real estate are environmental factors. When you consider all these factors, it is easy to make the right decision. You cannot ignore these factors in the long term if you plan to become a good and successful real estate investor. 1. … Continue reading

قم ببناء منزلك الصغير من المواد المعاد تدويرها

بدا الناس بالعودة الى الحياة البسيطة من أجل توفير المال.  إن مفهوم الحياة البسيطة يكمن في العودة إلى الطبيعة، وترك بصمة ولو صغيرة على كوكب الأرض، وأيضاً في نظر العديد من الناس ان تكون مقتصدا∙ لماذا تخلق كما هائلاً من الديون عندما يكون بوسعك أن تبني بيتك من مواد معاد تدويرها يمكنك العثور عليها مجاناً?  إن بناء منزلك الصغير “Tiny Home ” من المواد المعاد تدويرها ليس بالأمر الصعب كما قد تظن.  في الواقع، عندما تعرف ما تبحث عنه، فليس من الصعب العثور على المواد اللازمة فقط اترك العنان لخيالك كي يفكر∙ ما المواد التي تحتاج إليها؟ إن أغلب المنازل الصغيرة … Continue reading

التنمية الحضرية منخفضة الكربون: قرارات مجدية لمدن الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا

تمثل المدن أرقى أشكال الحضارة الإنسانية التي طورت لتحقيق غاية أساسية هي تطوير الكفاءة الاقتصادية، إلا أنه وفي خِضَم التنافس الاقتصادي الشرس، خسرت المدن الكثير من العدالة وأضاعت بصمتها البيئية. بحلول عام 2050، من المتوقع أن يعيش 70% من سكان العالم في المدن التي ستكون وحدها مسؤولة عن ثلاثة أرباع إجمالي انبعاثات غازات الدفيئة في العالم، مما يعني أن بذل الجهود الواعية لتبني تدابير فعالة من شأنها أن تساعدنا في تحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة قد أصبح ضرورة ملحة نحتاجها ليس فقط من الحكومات و لكن أيضا من قبل مؤسسات القطاع الخاص والمنظمات غير الربحية والمجتمعات المحلية. مستقبل المدن على الصعيد … Continue reading

Green Building Rating Systems in MENA

Green buildings not only contribute towards a sustainable construction and environment but also bring lots of benefits and advantages to building owners and users. Lower development costs, lower operating costs, increased comforts, healthier indoor environment quality, and enhanced durability and less maintenance costs are hallmarks of a typical green building. A wide range of green building rating and assessment systems are used around the world, including LEED and BREEAM. Sustainability is now a top priority in MENA region and countries like Qatar and UAE have come up with their own green building rating system to incorporate socio-economic, environmental and cultural … Continue reading

Energy Efficiency in Saudi Cement Industry

Saudi Arabia is the largest construction market in the Middle East, with large development projects under way and many more in the planning stage. The cement industry in Saudi Arabia is evolving rapidly and annual clinker production was 75 million tonnes in 2018. The cement industry is one of the highest energy-intensive industries in the world, with fuel and energy costs typically representing 30-40% of total production costs. On an average, the specific electrical energy consumption typically ranges between 90 and 130 kWh per tonne of cement. Keeping in view the huge energy demand of the cement industry, the Saudi … Continue reading

Progress of Green Building Sector in Qatar

There has been rapid progress in green building sector in Qatar with the emergence of many world-class sustainable constructions in recent years. With the fifth-highest number of LEED-registered and certified buildings outside the U.S., Qatar has valuable experience and inputs to offer on the system’s local relevancy and application. Various countries in the Middle East have been accredited with regards to the LEED system. Of these buildings, 65 per cent (802) are located in the UAE. Qatar is ranked second on the list, with 173 green buildings, followed by Saudi Arabia (145), Lebanon (25) and Egypt (22). Qatar’s Green Building Rating … Continue reading