The urgency of addressing climate change has never been more pressing, with the built environment emerging as a pivotal battleground for reducing emissions. In the UAE, where visionary leadership is driving ambitious net zero targets for 2050 under the Paris Agreement, the imperative to transform the construction sector is clear.

One of Abu Dhabi’s first net-zero energy office buildings is expected to open this year in Masdar City, a world-class technology and innovation hub and a pioneering sustainable community in the UAE capital.

Dubai-based SEE Institute says its 2030 net zero emissions building, which opened at the end of last year, is generating a whopping 300 per cent of its energy requirements, while demonstrating the environmental benefits of utilising innovative design through a combination of passive and active elements.

Serco Middle East has launched an Urban Twin Solution to help governments and organisations to address critical environmental challenges using the latest space-enabled environmental data.

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is planning to announce the new LEED rating system – LEED v5 – this month and will open public comment for 60 days, according to the USGBC. The USGBC is seeking feedback from members of the built environment around the world, including in the Gulf, where there are many LEED projects, sources said.