Category Archives: Green Building

Eco-friendly Things To Know Before Buying Your First Home

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As we humans continue to develop, we use more and more resources and put more and more toxins into the air. It’s our responsibility to do what we can help our earth. The first place to start is right at home. There are a number of things we can do in our households to make the world a little bit greener. Here are 10 eco-friendly things you can do at your house. 1. Use the right lights The light bulbs you use in your home can make a big difference on your carbon imprint (and your wallet). While incandescent light … Continue reading →

Advantages of Incorporating Solar Energy Technology In Construction

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The greenhouse gases (GHGs) generated by buildings alone accounted for 13% of all carbon emissions the past couple of years. In order to meet the new ambitious targets to halve the GHG levels recorded in early 2005, the implementation of sustainable and renewable energy sources has now become a crucial element of construction design and management. Whether they are integrated in new homes or retrofitted to older buildings, solar panels are an efficient and accessible source of energy that are becoming more and more common in both commercial and residential buildings (in the U.S., and worldwide). New building codes, incentives for … Continue reading →

Why Airports Are Perfect Places for Green Initiatives

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Can airports ever be green? This is an overwhelming concept in a carbon-driven, and carbon-intensive industry. The reality is that air travel is often the only realistic option for the movement of both people and cargo in the current lifestyle and demands encompassed with time constraints. This is especially critical for the island nation of Bahrain that is so heavily dependent on air travel in terms of food security. With over 90% of all goods: perishable and manufactured, imported into the nation, this carbon-intensive industry is not going to disappear. Airports themselves, may only contribute 5% to the carbon emissions … Continue reading →

Changes On Your Home For A More Sustainable Living

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Traditional houses were not built with the environment in mind. Most houses require a lot of energy for heating during cold seasons and cooling during hot seasons. A big percentage of houses are not oriented according to the direction of sunlight and wind to achieve better lighting and cooling. As the population continues to increase exponentially, some cities have started to experience the power and water shortage. This problem has led to frequent power and water rationing, especially during dry seasons. It is important for homeowners to renovate their houses so that they can reduce water and electricity consumption. Improve … Continue reading →

Eco-Friendly Ways of Fixing Damaged Roof

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If you run a small business, saving on your energy costs is among the best methods to keep the bottom line of your company as low as possible. Your roof is typically responsible for around 30% of the energy loss of your home or company. With time, this leads to an increase in your heating costs, energy bills, and the general comfort of your premises. New eco-friendly roofing elements can assist you to significantly improve the energy efficiency of your home or business premises while protecting the building from the roofing elements. That will mean less downtime due to water … Continue reading →

Energy Efficiency Implementation in GCC’s Residential Sector: Actions and Technical Requirements

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The huge existing stock of residential units in the GCC region, and the expected growth in residential construction projects, convey different challenges at the time of energy efficiency implementation. New developments require the definition and the enforcement of standards to be included at the design process; while owners and users of existing units require motivation and financial strategies to implement different levels of energy efficiency actions. A set of actions and requirements have been identified to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings, these include core management actions and specific technical requirements; and are defined for new developments and for already … Continue reading →

Ways to Make Your Business Eco-Friendly

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People are becoming more conscious of the effect of global warming and are thus finding ways to help in preserving the environment. Even companies in various fields do their share by going green. If your business has not adopted some measures or strategies to become more eco-friendly yet, it’s time that you consider this step. There are several benefits that you can get, including the following: Do your part in saving the environment. Improve your brand as more clients prefer businesses that support a good cause. Attract the right employees as they also tend to choose companies that care for … Continue reading →

6 Environmental Tips to Consider While Establishing Your Office

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As an entrepreneur, you need an effective operations center, perhaps one or a few that you can call your office/s. This is where you’ll handle most if not all the aspects of your business. However, an office is more than just furniture, computers, equipment, and stationery. The effective office setup may vary widely depending on the kind of business you own or are setting up. Additionally, there are quite a number of core considerations that are crucial when establishing your office. If you guessed right, environmental health and eco-friendliness are some of the most important factors to consider these days, … Continue reading →

Green Building Sector in the UAE: Perspectives

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The focus on sustainability is one of the biggest trends in the GCC’s building sector. This is underpinned by Dubai being ranked third in the list of global cities with the highest number of green certified buildings in the ‘Sustainability and Wellness in Dubai’ report by Core Savills with over 550 projects under LEED certification and the implementation of the Estidama framework in Abu Dhabi. Paving the Way In the UAE, the directives by the Federal and Local Government entities to establish a sustainable economy that advocates demand side-energy management, and water & energy use efficiency has encouraged real estate … Continue reading →

The Benefits of Green Buildings for the Middle East

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The Middle East region faces a unique set of challenges in terms of sustainable buildings and cities. For example, water shortage is mitigated by costly desalination and we are faced with high water consumption which leads to a higher carbon footprint and ultimately impacts climate change. Middle Eastern countries are at the top of the list of largest per capita ecological footprints. In 2020, Qatar has the highest per capita level of carbon dioxide emissions, at 37 metric tons per person annually. Kuwait is second with 20.83 tons, followed by Saudi Arabia with 17.97 metric tons. Therefore, integrating energy efficiency … Continue reading →

المبنى الأخضر في الأردن – نافذة جديدة على البيئة

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في  دول العالم المتقدم , أصبح الحوار الذي ينافس السياسة و القضايا المجتمعية هو البيئة . أصبحت البيئة محط أنظار الجميع الان بعد سنين طوال من السعي وراء التكنولوجيا و التطور و إهمالها بشكل ملحوظ . إن مفهوم البيئة لم يعد مقتصرا على النظافة و توفير المياه فحسب , بل أصبحت الدول و القارات تتنافس في مجال انتاج الطاقة النظيفة ( طاقة الرياح , الشمسية , الطاقة المائية , طاقة الحرارة الأرضية , طاقة المد و الجزر و طاقة الكتل الحرارية ) وذلك بعد الجزم بإمكانيتها في  تأمين طاقة يمكن الإعتماد عليها في شتى الميادين و بشكل رئيسي بدلا من … Continue reading →

Green Roofs in MENA – Prospects and Challenges

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Green roofs are emerging technologies that can provide a wide range of benefits to communities interested in enhancement and protection of their environment. The major benefits of green roofs are reducing energy use as well as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing stormwater management and water quality, decreasing heat island effect by regulating temperature for the roof and the surrounding areas and providing aesthetic value and habitats for many species.   According to a 2013 MENA renewable energy status report, the Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) in Middle East and North Africa has reached about 800 million tons of oil.  This … Continue reading →