Category Archives: Green Building

The Wall is the Green Building Decision Gulf Projects Overlook

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When people talk about green buildings in the Gulf, the conversation usually starts with solar panels, efficient chillers, smart controls or rating certificates. The external wall rarely makes the list. Yet in a climate where air conditioning runs for most of the year, the wall is one of the largest surfaces through which heat enters a building, and it is one of the few building elements that nobody replaces during the building’s life. I have spent more than 17 years supplying and installing autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) block in Qatar with ASLAN Contracting & Transportation, and my view is simple: … Continue reading →

The Window Problem: Why Gulf Buildings Lose the Cooling Battle Before the AC Switches On

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Almost every conversation about building energy in the Gulf starts with the air conditioning. Efficiency ratings, servicing schedules, district cooling, smart thermostats — all of it useful, all of it aimed at the same question: how do we cool this space using less electricity? It is the second question. The first one is quieter and rarely asked: how much heat are we letting in before the cooling system has to do anything at all? Across the region, the answer is usually “more than anyone budgeted for,” and the largest single reason is the glazing. Walls are insulated. Roofs are insulated. … Continue reading →

Eco-Friendly Additions You Can Make On Your House Before You Sell

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If there’s one thing 2020 has taught us, it’s that life is unpredictable. One would think that with the global pandemic, the real estate industry, like many others, would come to a grinding stop. But, according to HomeLight’s Q2 2020 survey, it took a dip in the spring and as of June, it rose back to pre-pandemic conditions! As this is a seller’s market, now would be the perfect time to sell your home. However, if you want to get the most you can for your home, you may want to consider doing some eco-friendly renovations and upgrades. Here are … Continue reading →

Green Building Rating Systems in the MENA Countries

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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 →

Are Green Roofs a Viable Option for the Middle East?

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Urban green roofs have long been promoted as an easy and effective strategy for beautifying the built environment and increasing investment opportunity. The building roof is very important because it has a direct impact on thermal comfort and energy conservation in and around buildings. Urban green roofs can help to address the lack of green spaces in many urban areas. Urban green roofs provides the city with open spaces that helps reduce urban heat island effect and provides the human population on the site with a connection to the outdoors. However, we must differentiate between two types of urban green … Continue reading →

Sustainability In Tourism: How To Choose Energy-Efficient Hotel Lighting

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With sustainability becoming today’s main concern, the tourism industry must learn to prioritize sustainable practices, including the thoughtful use of lighting solutions. Often overlooked, hotel lighting is a subtle source of unmanaged energy consumption and carbon emissions. As eco-consciousness increasingly influences travelers’ decision-making, balancing aesthetics, functionality, and consumption has never been more critical. This article explores the contribution power-saving lighting has to sustainability in the tourism sector. By carefully selecting lighting solutions, hotels can reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their overall sustainability profile. The article also highlights the multifaceted benefits of resource-efficient alternatives. You’ll find practical pointers for choosing … Continue reading →

Progress of Green Building Sector in Qatar

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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 →

Things You Should Know About Wood Wool Cement Board

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Wood Wool Cement Board (WWCB) is a versatile building material made from wood wool and cement where each fiber is coated with a thin film of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) that, when cured, partly petrifies the wood. In that way the fiber will last indefinitely as long as the cement film is not damaged. Environmentally speaking, cement has a negative CO2 signature and therefore both the wood and cement, when decomposed, are harmless to nature and as a result all homogeneous Wood wood cement board products have green labels in Europe. It combines the advantages of both wood and concrete … Continue reading →

The Benefits of Green Roofs in Urban Centers: Perspectives

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Green roofs has many positive aspects, ranging from physical health to mental well-being to recreation to reduction in energy bills. Research says that just having a view of trees and bushes from the house window contributes to overall well-being and work performance. Another study says that spending 120 minutes a week in nature contributes to well-being while also slowing down the progression of serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But not all city dwellers have the time or prioritize spending time in nature. The initial cost investment along with the annual maintenance costs of green roofs can discourage … Continue reading →

Going Green to Save Money: The ROI of Green Homes

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For many reasons, green homes are more and more popular, yet eco-friendliness can be a complex topic in the housing market. Of course, the reasons are simple enough: green homes have a smaller footprint through sustainable materials and energy efficiency, so are better for our damaged environment; going green lowers energy costs over time; and going green can increase a home’s market value, bringing Return on Investment to sellers. Yet achieving the ROI of an eco-friendly home can be complicated, because it depends on a number of factors, including location, the age of the home, and how soon the owner … Continue reading →

Trends in Sustainable Housing to Lookout For

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There has been large-scale proliferation in construction of buildings worldwide due to population growth, economic development, urbanization and migration. There has been a rapid migration of the world’s population from rural areas to cities or semi-urban areas. In fact, this trend is expected to continue and cities within the developed as well as developing nations are expected to grow in terms of population. As a result all forms of construction activities are expected to become more intense than ever in the years to come. Usually the development of urban areas suffers from weak process of planning and control which lead … Continue reading →

Build Your Tiny Home From Recycled Materials

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People are turning to tiny living in order to save money. Living simply is about getting back to the earth, leaving a smaller footprint on the planet, and also, for many people, about being frugal. Why create a mountain of debt when you can build a home from recycled materials that can be found for free? Building your tiny home from recycled materials is not as difficult as you may think. In fact, when you learn what to look for, it’s actually not hard to find the materials and put your imagination to work. Image Source: https://tinylivinglife.com/2019/05/how-much-do-tiny-houses-cost-are-they-worth-the-investment/ What Materials Do … Continue reading →