Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, will be hosting the ninth edition of its Annual EmiratesGBC Congress on November 17 and 18.

 

In addition, it will be organising the flagship Mena Green Building Awards on November 18 in Dubai, said a statement from EmiratesGBC.

 

For the first time ever, EmiratesGBC will take a hybrid approach for its flagship conference by offering virtual and in-person participation, allowing for an extended audience across the region.

 

Held under the theme ‘Building a Sustainable Future in Uncertain Times,’ the opening day will be virtual, while the second day is to be held as an in-person event in Dubai. The winners of the Mena Green Building Awards will be honoured during a ceremony on the evening following the closing of the Congress, it stated.

 

Owing to the Covid-19 crisis, EmiratesGBC has announced the extension of entries for the awards to August 29 - open to public and private sector entities, associations, consultants and green building practitioners. Professional and Student Award applications can be submitted on the EmiratesGBC site.

 

Chairman Ali Al Jassim said: "The annual event and the Mena Green Building Awards are strong platforms that demonstrate the advancements the region has achieved in sustainable built environments. While the congress promotes dialogue and interaction on the latest trends, the awards recognise path-breaking work, and indicate the spirit of innovation that thrives across Mena."

 

"With the extension for award entries for the 9th Mena Green Building Awards, we are providing another opportunity for all stakeholders to showcase their work," he stated.

 

"The theme of our Congress reflects how we can work together to promote sustainable development despite the impact of Covid-19. In fact, the pandemic has accelerated the need to focus further on sustainability best practices. Through these events, we are further supporting the UAE and the region in transitioning to the green economy," he added.

 

The 9th Mena Green Building Awards have 17 categories: Net Zero Building Project of the Year; Green Building Project; Sustainable Design Project; Facility Management Organisation; Contractor; Developer; Consultancy; Green Building Product – Indoor Air Quality, Energy Management, Water Management, Green Building Material – Construction Material; Green Building Research Award; Training Initiative of the Year; Retrofit Project of the Year; Best Operations & Maintenance (existing building); Healthy Space Project of the Year and SME of the Year. KPMG is the official Auditor of the Awards to support a fair and transparent process of determining the short-listed and winning organisations.

 

To encourage academia engagement, the event also includes the Dr. Owainati Student Excellence Award sponsored by Dr. Sadek Owainati, a Co-Founder of EmiratesGBC. The winner is eligible for a cash prize and will be awarded to a student who showcases outstanding work in sustainability.-TradeArabia News Service