Leading international design firm Dar Al Handasah Consultants Shair and Partners has launched a research-backed action plan that countries in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) can follow for decarbonising three key sectors – the built environment, transportation, and water and energy resources – in order to achieve net zero ambitions. 

 

Dar’s recommendations made at the recently-held United Nations’ Climate Change Conference 2022 (Cop27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, included: 

 

* In transportation: Accelerating transit investment and designing infrastructure for electrified transportation and equitable zero emissions mobility. 

* For the built environment: Promoting an integrated approach to buildings and infrastructure, delivering high-performing buildings, and prioritising existing building stock for retrofit. 

* In water and energy: Supporting the rollout of renewable microgrids, enabling integrated water cycle management with renewable energy strategy, exploring green hydrogen solutions, and creating an enabling policy and investment environment for the energy transition. 

 

Dar Group Chairman Talal Shair said: "As one of the world’s largest architecture, engineering, and consulting firms, Dar Group has a strong responsibility to empower stakeholders with implementable sustainability solutions, so we can all start to believe in a zero-carbon future."

 

"Our people are concerned about climate change, and we already have most of the technology and solutions we need to create a low-carbon future. Our mission is to deliver these ambitious climate solutions to our communities at scale, and that’s a job we know is possible, because we do it every day," he stated.

 

To drive the conversation on these solutions, Dar organided events in COP 27’s Blue and Green Zones, bringing together experts from the World Green Building Council, PwC, WEF, JLL, C40 Cities, and Dar Group companies Perkins&Will, Penspen, Introba, and Currie & Brown. 

 

Dar also joined the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Egypt Green Building Council, the World Economic Forum, the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, and other stakeholders to collectively promote solutions for sustainability, said the top design group.

 

Dar will continue to work with its global partners to deliver transformational sustainability solutions to our clients and communities and to advance research and thought leadership on sustainability across all sectors, in preparation for Dubai’s COP 28, it added.