Burgan gets LEED Gold certification for HQ building
KUWAIT CITY, September 7, 2024
Burgan, a leading Kuwait-based conventional bank, has announced that it has been awarded the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED v4.1 O+M: EB (Operations and Maintenance - Existing Buildings) Gold Certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance at its head office building in Kuwait City.
The LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of excellence in green building design and architecture, awarded for projects that meet certain criteria for electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions, and building healthier living, working, and learning environments, and is valid for three years.
The key metrics that projects are evaluated on to receive the certification include energy and water use, waste management, air quality, user comfort, and staff commuting.
This notable achievement underscores Burgan’s commitment to sustainability, operational excellence, and environmental stewardship while adhering to the highest standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in banking.
“Obtaining the LEED Gold certification for our existing building is a testament to our rigorous efforts to retrofit and optimize the operational performance of our head office, improve our staff’s health, and protect the environment," remarked its CEO Fadel Abdullah.
This certification demonstrates that our building meets the highest standards for energy consumption, lighting, water and materials use, along with sustainable practices and strategies," he stated.
Stemming from our commitment to the welfare of our community and the health of our environment, we spare no effort to ensure that Burgan Bank reduces its carbon footprint and contributes effectively to the global movement for environmental preservation, which echoes our commitment and strategy for long term sustainability," he added.
Abdullah pointed out that the journey to receiving the LEED Gold certification for Burgan’s head office building was marked by meticulous planning and dedication.
"Retrofitting the head office to meet these stringent standards required a comprehensive approach that included several initiatives, such as implementing updated energy savings systems and water-saving fixtures and enhancing indoor air quality," he noted.
Other initiatives that focused on reducing the environmental footprint through optimizing energy efficiency include the installation of motion sensors for lighting, solar panels for external signages, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, in addition to minimizing the reliance on single-use plastics at the Bank", he added.-TradeArabia News Service
