bgreen magazine july 2012

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Contents JULY 2012

10

45

18 41

24energy and water

10

12

news

Rio+20 roundup

Really?! Truth can be stranger than fiction

38

15

18 Energy management and the buildings sector

sPeCIaL FeatUre

Case-in-point:At the apex of green business

24

green teChnoLogy

36 Smart and green

40

52

eCo-LeIsUre

Natural rehab:A look at bioremediation in Riyadh

green BUsIness

44 Towards a low-carbon economy

soCIety

Diary dates

The Green Spy on the 250 km/h superbus

3

July 2012www.buildgreen.ae

53

Comments

ConstrUCtIon

Christophe Campagne: Growing a green Corporation

19

Charles Blaschke IV:Enhancing Design and Construction

30

A concentrated vision:CSP technology and the UAE

14

Road to Doha: Climate Change Realities

50

48

oIL and gas

Transparency and sustainability reporting

22 Green gatekeepers

38 Nokia’s sustainable vision

Sustainable Past:Arabian arches

54

7

www.buildgreen.ae July 2012

We have arguably entered the golden age of sustainability. If the United Nation’s Millenium Development

Goals are anything to go by, the tenuous energy-water-food nexus can be addressed in the coming years

in a way where no one has to end up with the short end of the sustainability stick. Realists may contend

that as long as global leaders fail to concretise commitments and set deliverable goals towards the conservation of our

environment, sustainable socio-economic development may not be achievable. Following what is largely categorised as

a disappointing world summit, the Rio+20 conference’s drive for moving towards a low carbon economy goes under a

GCC-specific lens in this issue of BGreen. Branching away from climate change, we also look at how top businesses got

to where they are by using green strategies, and dissect the ubiquitous smartphone for green merit.

Praseeda NairEditor

[email protected] 2012 Issue

When good ideas are just that

© Copyright 2012 CPI.All rights reserved.While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

Editor’s letter

PublisherDominic De Sousa

COONadeem [email protected]

Associate PublisherLiam [email protected] +971 4 440 9158

Business DevelopmentHarry [email protected]+971 4 440 9142

Pankaj R [email protected]+971 4 440 9120

Marketing & AdministrationLeila El [email protected]+971 4 440 9151

EditorialPraseeda [email protected]

Design & PhotographyMarlou [email protected]

Cris [email protected]

Cris [email protected]

WebmastersTroy MaagmaFaisal Ahmad

Printed byPrintwell Printing Press LLC

Published by

Head OfficePO Box 13700 Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 Web: www.buildgreen.ae

8

www.buildgreen.ae

Expert Panel

July 2012

His HigHness sHeikH Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al nuAimiEnvironmEntal advisorajman GovernmentChiEf ExECutivE offiCEral ihsan Charity CentreChairmaninternational steering CommitteeGlobal initiative towards a sustainable iraq, uaE

dr micHAel krämersEnior assoCiatEtaylor Wessing (middle East) llPlEGal CounsElEmirates solar industry association

THomAs boHlen nCarB,lEEd aP, Bd +C, Estidama PQPChiEf tEChniCal offiCErmiddle East Centre for sustainable development

WissAm YAssineuaE national Coordinatorthe Carboun initiative

gokTug gurCountrY PrEsidEntuaE and oman schneider Electric

sAeed AlAbbArlEEd aP, Estidama PQPviCE Chairman Emirates Green Building CouncildirECtoralabaar Energy and sustainability Group

JourdAn YounislEEd aP, PQPmanaGinG dirECtoralpin limited (masdar City)

roderick WilesdirECtor - afriCa, middlE East, india and oCEaniaamerican hardwood Export Council

cHArles blAscHke iVmEP Bim manaGEritech holding

The concept behind the BGreen Expert Panel is to provide a platform for those who are active in encouraging sustainable practices and solutions across industries—the real experts—who can share their views, analyses, and research with our informed readers. We will also be organising quarterly events for the panellists to meet and mingle, while discussing the latest in news, strategies and solutions on focussed topics related to sustainability.

Panellists are encouraged to pen their comments, opinions and analyses that can be published in our magazine, as well

as on our website in a portfolio format documenting their contributions.

The Panel is constantly growing as we strive to form the ultimate taskforce of decision makers, academicians, consultants and engineers that can encourage a sustainable watershed across industries.

If you would like to nominate an expert to join our panel, please email our Editor, Praseeda Nair, at [email protected].

Jose AlbericHPartnErat Kearney

rAmon ArrATiAEuroPEan sustainaBilitY dirECtorinterface

AbdulrAHmAn JAWAHerYPrEsidEntGulf Petrochemical industries CompanyChairmanGPCa responsible Care initiative

Siemens. The future moving in.

www.siemens-home.com/ae

Introducing super efficient dishwashers from Siemens.

Germany's No.1

Dishwashers

Energyconsumption*

Waterconsumption*

Consumption per load/place setting1997: 12 place settings 2012: 13 place settings

*Based on a normal program setting in accordance with EU regulation 1059/2010 (guideline 2010/30/EU), comparison of consumption values for Siemens dishwasher SN 26U893EU/SN 56U593EU from 2012 with values for a comparable standard Siemens appliance from 1997 based on a standard economy 50°C cycle.

up to –60 %

1.33 Litres

1997 2012

up to –50 %

0.10 kWh

0.05 kWh

1997 2012

0.54 Litres

Energy efficiency is more than just a passing trend; it is critical to protecting our environment. Technical innovation allows Siemens to offer you the highest efficiency with continuously improving performance and maximum convenience. In the last 15 years we have been able to substantially decrease energy consumption in all categories, while continuing to be Germany’s number 1 choice.

Exclusive agents: UAE: Better Life (Dubai), Gulf Technical Company (Abu Dhabi). Kuwait: Ali Abdulwahab, Sons & Co. Qatar: Almana & Partners W.L.L. Bahrain: Khalaifat Co. W.L.L. Oman: Khimji Ramdas.

10

July 2012 www.buildgreen.ae

News | RIO+20 Special

Straying from original goals

U N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative came

into effect as of January 2012, aimed at providing every citizen on earth access to modern energy by 2030 by diversifying the global economy to make more room for renewable and energy efficient practices.

According to the draft at Rio+20, this goal has been “noted,” instead of being recognised as a signpost for worldwide regulations and mandates encouraging the same.

Preparatory talks were scheduled last week, and were expected to end last Friday, but by then only 37% of the UN’s proposed draft had been unanimously agreed upon, with contention rising between developed and developing economies. This uncertainty led Brazil to issue a new less litigious document ahead of the talks that are set to begin on Wednesday.

The leaked draft is a 50-page document that agrees to address the demands of developing nations in principle, without formalising methods of realising these goals, especially with regards to financial or technological assistance from the developed faction.

“Faced with the determined efforts by some developed countries, in particular the US, to rip up the Earth Summit agreement of 1992, the text seems to have stopped us moving backwards,” said Asad Rehman, Head of International Climate at Friends of the Earth, in reference to the draft’s strong affirmation to honour previously made commitments.

“But it certainly doesn’t get close to addressing the concerns of the people or our planet. Faced with a triple planetary crisis – climate catastrophe, deepening global inequity and unsustainable consumption driven by a broken economic system – the text is neither ambitious enough nor delivers the required political will needed,” he added.

Rio+20 has been that Canada and the UK have for the first time recognised the universal right to water and sanitation respectively – so where the Brazilians have lost this agreement is a mystery,” he added.

NGOs and campaign organisations committed to protecting the world’s oceans were satisfied with the inclusion of a clause that aims to end illegal fishing, while supporting the livelihood of local small-scale fishers.

Contentious issue 3: the eu emissions trading sChemeThere is implicit criticism of the EU’s emission trading scheme that charges airlines for their greenhouse gas emissions. The move had caused a global outrage from countries like the US and China retaliating. , with a clause saying that countries or regional blocs should not take “unilateral actions to deal with environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of the importing country”.

The new draft in brief• guarantees of gender equality in

employment and health care• disregards earlier recommendation

that corporations should measure and report on the sustainability of their operations

• pledges to tackle youth unemployment

The US, Canada and the powerful G77/China bloc of 131 developing countries have previously brought up many issues against the pledges in the new text.

The text also recognises that developed and developing countries have “common but differentiated responsibilities” in the global move towards sustainable development.

Contentious issue 1: FinanCing the green shiFtOn their part, developing countries have been demanding US$30-$100bn per year to aid in “greening” their economies, which the draft text fails to affirm or deny.

The text also does not indicate any explicit pledge to end or restrict fossil fuel subsidies, despite the push from some nations.

Regarding economic indicators, the draft “recognises the need for broader measures of progress to complement GDP in order to better inform policy decisions”, appealing to the UN to devise additional markers of growth. This aligns with UK Environment Secretary Caroline Spellman’s vision for a new marker of growth that audits natural resources as part of the GDP. “It’s becoming more and more apparent that GDP is not a perfect measure of progress, because it deals with solely economic output,” she said in a press statement in February.

Contentious issue 2: Food and water For allMany NGOs have urged the summit to acknowledge the basic right to food and water as a necessity for sustainable development. The right to food is touched upon in the text, despite vehement objections from the US.

“The right to water and sanitation is essential to the full enjoyment of life and other human rights,” Farooq Ullah, Executive Director-Designate of Stakeholder Forum, told BBC News. The Stakeholder Forum is a group working to involve all stakeholders in UN sustainable development processes.

“Previous UN resolutions have had hold-outs; and one of the successes of

11


Climate what?A mong the idealistic goals

on the agenda at Rio+20, combating poverty,

strengthening developing economies and addressing human rights for women and children have been identified as cornerstones to sustainable development, while climate change lags behind due to semantic disagreements between factions at the summit.

In a press statement earlier today, former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev expressed his concern regarding the flailing state of climate change discussions at what is supposed to be a watershed summit. “I am very concerned and worried because the draft final document of the Rio+20 conference does not give proper attention to climate change,” he said.

“It looks like there is backsliding on this issue and that is what worries me so much because without addressing climate change, all of the other problems and tasks that will be set by the final document (of the conference) will not be accomplished and will become meaningless.”

The CCTF has issued a 33 page report urging world leaders to actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and rally communities to adapt to the effects of climate change. The report, Action to

Face the Urgent Realities of Climate Change, highlights the major effects of global warming, such as “unprecedented temperatures, glacier melt, changing rainfall patterns, droughts, floods, storms, fires and widening desertification are degrading the fragile ecosystems of the planet”.

It suggests that governments need to up the ante when it comes to climate change mitigation, as we are experiencing huge changes in the natural world from a temperature increase of 0.8 degrees Celsius, saying that keeping temperatures under an increase of 2 degrees may not be sufficient. Projected figures from the International Energy Agency indicate that by 2100, we can expect a 6 degree rise in global average temperature, which translates to a cataclysmic shift in our known natural landscape.

Reports from the summit floor shows that key elements in the multilateral document titled “The Future We Want,” has seen massive last-minute changes, diluting many global environmental commitments on the grounds of ill-defined wording.

“We see a lopsided victory of weak words over action words—with the weak words winning out at 514 to 10,” Lasse Gustavsson, World Wide Fund for Wildlife

(WWF)’s Head of Delegation, said in a statement at the sidelines of the summit.

The CCTF sees this as a deliberate sidelining of climate change as an issue, going on to say that this move may weaken the rest of the commitments on the agenda, including poverty alleviation and building economies for sustainable development.

According to Alexander Likhotal, President of Green Cross International, of which the CCTF is a subsidiary, addressing climate change and pushing for global economic improvement are inexorably linked.

“Twenty years after the original Rio conference, there is overwhelming evidence that the state of the climate and the environment has been treated with a woefully insufficient business-as-usual approach. There has been a breakdown in the multilateral political system that has replaced global good with national greed, and given a free hand to unchecked use up of natural resources. These are the key causes of the climate crisis and the unsustainable system of development that is wracking the world and condemning people all over the world—especially in the poorest parts—to lives of vulnerability, desperation and suffering,” he explained.

RIO+20 Special | News

Delegates at the summit say that climate change mitigation took a backseat, despite the importance placed on poverty alleviation for sustainable development

12

www.buildgreen.aeJuly 2012

News | REALLY?!

Soak up solution BGreen presents some of the world’s most surprising green news

Joining the ranks of green technology, magnetic soap may be an ideal solution for environmental remediation

M ove aside, petroleum-eating microorganisms! a new clean-up agent for

environmental damage mitigation is on its way. united kingdom scientists have managed to harness the potential of magnetic force in fabric softener detergent that can soak up oil and other contaminants.

at present, the best means of tackling sites exposed to hazardous waste and other contaminants has been soil excavation and the use of permeable reactive barriers – which

ion. the resulting liquid surfactant was shown to be able to respond to a magnetic field. vertically suspended droplets can be moved by a small magnet and, more importantly, surfactant covered by a less dense organic solvent could be pulled through the upper layer of the solvent by a magnet, overcoming both gravity and the surface tension effects at the interface of the two liquids.

“What we have done is a proof of principle. We want to know if we can modify and improve chemicals so that they can perform different tricks and different tasks. We have shown that magnetic soaps and surfactants are a reality. it opens the way to being able to tell such solutions where to go, to target them or direct them to specific areas,” eastoe said in an interview with chemistry World.

in lay man’s terms, the resulting soap particles are attracted to a magnet when placed in solution, allowing for contaminants to be extracted through a layer of cleaner liquid. if it can be altered to handle all kinds of substances at a larger scale, this could be an ideal solution.

essentially change harmful chemicals into less harmful ones.

areas that have been affected by contaminants take years of restoration to reach its former glory, and at most times, it is at the expense of the area’s natural wildlife. this new finding could allow for efficient damage control, in theory.

the research team, led by Julian eastoe at the university of bristol in the uk, took conventional surfactants (detergent solution) and mixed them with an iron salt, resulting in the exchange of the original anion with the iron-containing

Energy & Water14


Recognising the need to diveRsify its economy while cutting down emissions, Abu dhAbi’s shAms 1 pRoject shifts the spotlight fRom photovoltAic solAR eneRgy to its lesseR-publicised but equAlly efficient AlteRnAtive—concentRAting solAR poweR (csp). bgReen weighs in on the impoRtAnce of csp technology in the Region

A concentrated vision

T he middle east has more than twice the amount of solar energy potential than

most other regions in the world, with more than 310 days of sun per year and solar irradiance of over 2,500kwh per square metre. the uAe continues to lead the way as part of the strategy to reduce its reliance on fossil fueled power generation, spearheaded by the $600m shams 1 in Abu dhabi, the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant that is expected to be completed by August 2012. According to a recent report by globaldata, the menA region is tipped as the upcoming solar power investment destination for major market players, with energy experts predicting the uAe, saudi Arabia, morocco, Algeria and jordan to be the key countries fueling further growth.

despite ideal conditions for csp technology, the region seems to be the last to get on the solar bandwagon when it comes to setting up focussed plants. the shams 1 project may change the region’s outlook on the often-overlooked technology, as bgreen has discovered in conversation with jose Alberich, partner at global consulting firm, At Kearney middle east. “csp plants have low operating costs mostly because of their energy generating capacity. of course, they are capital intensive, but up to 80 per cent of the investment cost is used in construction.”

csp technology has the potential to store heat to generate electricity even at night or when the sky is overcast, which gives it a major advantage over solar photovoltaics in terms of capacity, while

allowing for potentially distributable energy if grid integration is an option.

most csp projects currently under construction are based on parabolic trough technology, as it is the most mature technology and shows the lowest development risk. According to 2012 figures from the Abu dhabi-based international Renewable energy Association (iRenA), parabolic trough plants without thermal energy storage have capital costs as low as us$4,600/kw, but low capacity factors of between 0.2 and 0.25.

The invesTmenT-side pull of Cspin order for csp to emerge as a market leader, the biggest barrier to entry, the initial investment cost, needs to decrease. the components that make up the

Jose Alberich

Energy & Water 15


Table1: CurrenT r&D for paraboliC Trough CSp planTS

innovation current technology

R&d goals solutions

heat transfer fluids

synthetic oil higher temperatures, cost and environmental risk reduction

the use of molten salt will allow higher temperatures while direct steam generation (dsg) allows reduced water and no heat exchangers

storage molten salt cheaper storage materials, higher heat capacity, low freezing point, isothermal heat transfer (for evaporation)

latent heat storage (for dsg), thermocline storage, new storage materials, such as concrete, sand or others

mirrors curved glass cost reductions and high reflectivity

metallic reflectors, coated polymer film with integrated support

collectors ptc with 5-6 m apertures

cost reductions, higher efficiency, high optical accuracy

variety of collector substructures, different collector widths

source: At Kearney, 2010

technology (heat transfer fluid, mirrors, collectors) need to increase in their efficiency to make energy generation large enough to justify initial costs. if intrinsic costs of setting up csp plants are lowered, either through policy regulations

and subsidies, csp could look more attractive to investors. “the technology is now reliable. it’s tried and tested in spain and in nevada (usA), where conditions are similar to what we experience in the gcc,” Alberich says.

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Energy & Water16


solar irradiaTion in The regionwhat makes csp plants profitable is its capacity for electricity generation—a factor that is wholly dependent on direct normal irradiation (dni). these values in a particular location can indicate the plant’s potential for generating electricity all year round, while lowering the levelised cost of electricity (lcoe).

Alberich explains, “solar radiation levels are ideal in places like spain, south west usA and the gcc because of many factors. the topography of these locations is mostly flat and expansive, which makes it easier to install csp components.”

the gcc is also located squarely in the middle of the global ‘sun belt,’ the area along the earth’s surface that receives the most intense rays of light for relatively longer hours a day.

how iT worksin a nutshell, csp systems collect and concentrate solar energy in sunlight to generate electricity. in parabolic trough systems, curved, trough-like collectors reflect and focus sunlight onto a pipe running along the inside of the curved surface. the concentrated solar energy heats transfer fluid (usually synthetic oil) in the pipe; which is then used to run a conventional steam turbine for electricity production.

multiple troughs in rows make up a collector field, normally aligned along a north-south axis, allowing the mirrors to track the sun throughout the day. trough systems with thermal storage can also keep

this thermal energy for electricity generation at night. the largest trough systems operating today generate about 80 megawatts of electricity, similar to uAe’s shams 1 plant.

why paraboliC Trough TeChnologywhen it comes to csp plants, there are more parabolic trough systems in operation around the

Energy & Water 17


Projected figures state that shams 1 can generate around 175,000 carbon credits a year under cdm, which translates to disPlacing 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, or Planting 1.5 million trees, or removing 30,000 cars from the road, annually”

world than any other kind. parabolic trough technology is noted

for its reputation as commercially viable option, with an operational history spanning two decades. more than 12 billion kwh of electricity has been generated by this technology, with an annual plant efficiency of more than 14 per cent, measured as the net electrical output in comparison to solar radiation. proponents of this technology also argue that it allows for greater output.

shams 1: powering aheadAt present, several large-scale csp projects are under development in our region, including egypt’s 20 mw capacity iscc plant. uAe’s shams 1 is a shining example of parabolic trough technology and its potential, promising 100 mw of clean energy in the not-so-distant future. Recent reports suggest that the project will be completed by the end of 2012.

susTainabiliTy firsTin september 2009, shams 1 became the world’s first csp plant to be registered as a cdm project eligible for carbon credits in the un. projected figures state that shams 1 can generate around 175,000 carbon credits a year under cdm, which translates to displacing 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, or planting 1.5 million trees, or removing 30,000 cars from the road, annually.

18


Construction

In 2004, buIldIngs were responsIble for nearly one-thIrd of global energy related carbon emIssIons, mostly because of poor energy management In exIstIng buIldIngs, and IneffIcIent resource allocatIon In new projects

Energy management and the buildings sector

sustainable built environment is to offset rising consumption through significantly mitigating co2 emission. 50 per cent of the global emissions figure is caused by inefficient buildings. office buildings top the list, followed by hotels and hospitals that are energy intensive in principle.

Addressing the energy ChAllengebuilding efficiency is not only determined by the way it is designed and constructed, but also by its management. to maximise efficiency and minimise waste, all

buildings systems should be integrated to work seamlessly together.

green, heAlthy And profitAblereducing energy expenses reflects directly on profitability. by lowering operating cost, green buildings enjoy higher values and peak occupancy at attractive rents. hence, from the builder’s point of view, green buildings combine ethical business that generates more revenue, reduces operating expenses and offers the user a healthy, safe and relatively ambient space.

A ccording to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental panel

on climate change (Ipcc), globally approximately 30 per cent of all buildings-related carbon emissions can be avoided at a net benefit by 2020. new buildings can achieve the largest savings, with as much as 80 per cent of the operational costs being cut by using integrated design principles at little or no extra cost.

by 2040, electricity generation will account for more than 40 percent of global energy consumption. currently, buildings account for the use of nearly half of the world’s energy and more than 75 per cent of electricity, indicative of an unsustainable trajectory, if business-as-usual principles in design and construction push ahead.

the built environmentthe most crucial move in moulding a

19


CAMPAGNE | Comment

chrIstophe campagne, country presIdent at schneIder electrIc Ksa, outlInes the company’s strategIes for combatIng clImate change through energy management

Growing a green corporation

A t schneider electric, we focus on the three ps - people, plant and profit, while

providing pioneering solutions for critical technology and industrial applications that are well planned, flawlessly installed and maintained throughout their lifecycle.

In addition to expertise, we deliver comprehensive integrated building solutions through the ecostruxure system architecture, from enterprise level software down to hardware components across the five critical domains of an enterprise.

the offering encompasses solutions for hVac, access control, video security management, lighting control and energy efficiency. schneider electric solutions also integrate multiple systems in a building to achieve enterprise-wide facilities management. the approach

uses less energy, tightens security, speeds response times and maintains optimal environments for occupants, saving up to 36 per cent on operating costs over time.

positive energywe are also involved in ‘positive energy’ building projects that help buildings generate more energy than they consume. positive energy building projects primarily need to employ new processes that facilitate better control of the implementation system and understanding of the needs and behaviors of future users. the level of performance expected in these buildings requires the implementation of high technology systems to control energy usage while providing a satisfactory level of comfort. If applied properly, the right ecosystem

will support convergence of five key domains – power, It room, building, security, as well as process and machine management. schneider electric offers energy management and certification expertise at all phases of a building’s life cycle, from the integrative design/build process, to systems installation and commissioning, to ongoing energy management services.

integrAtionour ecostruxure architecture, which promises 30 per cent energy efficiency, integrates with Intelligent building management (Ibm) solution to facilitate high performance buildings. by uniting the expertise in power, data centres, process and machines, building control, and physical security of the solution, ecostruxure reduces operational costs related to video surveillance, utility metres, physical security, hVac, lighting, and power generation equipment.

the company is also focusing heavily on the ‘smartcity’ portfolio and its ‘smart building and homes’ solution in particular. the suite of solutions includes ‘smart grid’ for managing demand in electricity, ‘smart water’ for managing water hazards and growing water demand, and ‘smart building and homes’ which optimises resource consumption and comfort through green buildings including hospitals, residential complexes and commercial centres.

we are confident that the implementation of solutions such as ‘smartcity’ will make a significant contribution to reducing global co2 emissions and avoiding the dangers of climate change.

CAse studiesexamples of our successful case studies include the tnt centre netherlands

Comment | CAMPAGNE20


where schneider electric’s integrated approach helped the building achieve positive energy status and csr objectives. at the genzyme centre in america, the Ibm solution resulted in 42 per cent reduction in energy consumption, 34 per cent decrease in water usage and a drop in employee sick time by five per cent.

arabia. most importantly, we are mandated to meet the challenge of integrating a smart city design into the holy city of makkah. our participation in the saudi green buildings forum was directed towards encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices such as ecostruxure platform for buildings in saudi arabia.

In abu dhabi, we are involved in a significant partnership with masdar and the abu dhabi municipality. the 10-year programme is set to optimise efficiency by up to 30 per cent annually for the city, saving approximately 1,900 gwh of electricity that will amount to around 1.3 million tonnes of co2 annually.

heAlthCAreschneider electric’s integrated solutions covering the entire infrastructure of the hospital building can save up to 25 per cent of capital expenditure (capex) while remaining in full compliance with regulations. energy efficiency can release trapped capital that can then be reinvested or simply added to the bottom line. our solutions for reducing the consumption of energy has helped large hospitals cut operating expenses by up to us$1 million/year. In addition to delivering a positive public image and offering superior patient recovery and

staff productivity, the effort has resulted in the generation of less toxic waste and a healthier working environment while reducing carbon emissions.

looking AheAdwith the accelerating cost of energy, factors such as efficiency and proactivity towards installing an intelligent building management system are imperative for staying competitive and ahead of the curve. schneider electric works with customers on a local or global basis to plan and control energy use through ongoing, strategic energy management programmes. additionally, the energy management major seeks to innovate and lead the transformation to a sustainable future through delivering on the evolving promise of green buildings to help organisations ensure cost effectiveness and profitable operation.

Christophe Campagne is Country President of Schneider Electric KSA and Executive General Manager of EPS, subsidiary of Schneider Electric. During his 17 years with Schneider Electric, Christophe Campagne has served in a large variety of roles, including operations management positions in France, Egypt, China, and Saudi Arabia.

integrating multiple systems in a building can achieve enterprise-wide facilities management”

Source: 4th Assessment Report of the IPCC

Source: 4th IPCC assessment report

Schneider Electric’s Ecostruxure architecture

schneider electric’s own headquarters known as ‘the hive,’ a french acronym for “the hall of Innovation and energy showcase” has been certified as the first building in the world that complies with the new Iso 50001 standard for energy management systems. this standard defines the requirements for the development, implementation, maintenance and improvement of energy management systems. It is designed to help organisations continuously improve the energy performance of commercial and industrial buildings, optimise use and reduce operating costs.

Closer to homewe are also actively involved in some of the most ambitious projects in saudi

Construction22


Green gatekeepersIn conversatIon wIth Melanie Bensch, sustaInabIlIty Manager—group sales, at DorMa gerMany, bgreen exaMInes the potentIal green Doors May have In pushIng sustaInable constructIon forwarD

A s a major design element of a building, doors have a dual function of creating a seal between

indoors and outdoors, while remaining aesthetically pleasing. Doors that are part of a sustainably built projects can greatly improve energy efficiency by reducing heat exchange. sustainable buildings take the entire life cycle of each element into account, so a green door should ideally be manufactured to ecologically sound standards, while making provisions of the end-of-life phase.

BGreen: Can you hiGhliGht some of Dorma’s sustainaBility Goals? how Does Dorma reaCh these tarGets?Melanie Bensch: we are committed to sustainable development as one of our business maxims. DorMa’s aim is to ensure energy-

saving and resource-conserving production, a high recycling ratio and the longevity of our quality products. with comprehensive advice, innovative products and an international service capability, we are able to make a significant contribution to energy efficiency and to drive cost savings derived from sustainable building concepts. through our involvement in national organisations around the world, we at DorMa support the idea of the world green building council. we ensure compliance with our values, mission, vision and strategy through the implementation of corresponding management systems and associated processes.

BGreen: Can you outline strate-Gies employeD By Dorma at the enD of the proDuCt’s useful life? Bensch: DorMa architectural hardware

Construction 23


usa (Dah) recognises the importance of maintaining a policy which encourages environmentally responsible practices for the proper processing and disposal of products which have reached the end of their useful life.

under this program, Dah will manage the recycling and/or disposal of any Dah manufactured or branded products which have reached the end of their lifecycle and beyond the product’s

warranty period, should the owner be unable to perform this function. Dah provides this service free of charge.

BGreen: what are some ele-ments ContraCtors shoulD look out for when seleCtinG Doors?Bensch: apart from supply-side green ethics, in terms of sourcing environmentally sustainable materials for manufacturing, some things to look out for include the longevity of products, innovative products, an international service capability, contribution to energy efficiency, drive cost savings, comprehensive advice, high recycling ratio.

BGreen: how Can automateD Doors Be utiliseD without af-feCtinG the BuilDinG’s total enerGy Consumption, espe-Cially in CommerCial BuilD-inGs where Doors are useD almost every minute of the workinG Day? Bensch: revolving doors are sensible climate barriers. thanks to their construction, revolving door systems reduce the loss of heated and/or cooled air to the outside. brush seals from natural hair seal the entrance off on three sides; thus the door is never actually open although it rotates and is accessed by users.

revolving doors save energy and cut costs. the special climate barrier feature ensures that the energy loss in the entrance area is very low – which in turn cuts the cost for heating and/or air conditioning.

the Ktc 2 model, for example, uses modern drive technology, which means that requires 18% less energy than its predecessor, which saves energy costs – despite its bigger internal diameter.

BGreen: CoulD you tell us more aBout the status of various environmental Cer-tifiCations?bensch: a part of DorMa’s green commitment internationally, certification of all international sites to Iso 14001 and Iso 16001 standards are planned for the future. the certification of all german sites according to these standards is currently in preparation.

European Investment Bank

INFRAX WEST, BELGIUM

KTC 2 requires 18% less energy than its predecessor

CASE STUDIESINFRAX WESTBelgium, Crepain Binst Architecture

Winner of the 2020 challenge award, an offshoot of the Kyoto Protocol, as the most innovative building in 2009. Equipped with DORMA automatic door systems and glass solutions.

EURopEAN INvESTmENT BANk, Luxembourg, Ingenhoven Architects

With regard to energy efficiency, the EIB case study is considered a model project. Certified as BREEAM Excellent, it features automatic doors and glass solutions from DORMA.

AlDo lEopolD lEgACy CENTRE, USA USA, The Kubala Washatko Architects

This project has garnered numerous awards for its ecological and economic solutions: LEED top marks, 6 star rating with 61 out of 66 points. And door control products from DORMA have been extensively installed throughout.

Special Feature24


Based on a comprehensive report from gloBal auditing, assurance and Business advisory company, PricewaterhousecooPers, some of the greenest organisations in the region are those which emBrace sustainaBle operational strategies that are good for Both the environment and profits

T here is a rising impetus to abandon the paradigm where companies consider product and service

development from conception (the cradle) to end-of-life (the grave), and where product accountability, including end-of-life disposal, shifts from the manufacturer to the consumer at the point of sale. considering the lack of landfill capacity, repercussions of toxic materials leaking into water supplies, and stricter regulations mandating recycling and end-of-life product take-back programmes, companies with an environmental conscience are developing cradle-to-cradle solutions, looking at how they can design, source, manufacture, and deliver

Case in point: At the apex of sustainable business

environmentally conscious comPanies view stakeholders not as adversaries, but as Partners critical for fulfilling green goals”

products with less energy and greater efficiency. at the same time, they’re thinking about how these products can be transformed into different or new ones later in their lifecycle.

goodyear, for example, is using new technologies to design tires that have less of an impact on the environment. the company is also promoting the reuse of scrap tires for the construction of playgrounds, brake pedals, highway noise barriers, and more.

Product concePtion the initial design stage would be the ideal point at which green ideals can be

Special Feature 25


incorporated, as these decisions affect so many of the later product lifecycle phases, as well as the supply chain. hewlett-Packard printers are a prime example of how green designs can help the entire product cycle reduce consumption while increasing efficiencies. their deskjet d2545 model printers are made of 83% recycled plastics and are packaged in 100% recyclable materials. the printer also incorporates hp technology that allows the user, when printing from the internet, to combine portions of different web pages all on one page to cut down on paper use.

the conception stage is also an ideal time to consider not only how the product will be manufactured, distributed, and disposed, but also how the product can impact consumer behaviour and fill gaps in the market.

in tunisia, where semi-automatic washing machines account for about two thirds of the market, conventional detergents create high foam levels and require more water for rinsing, which is costly for consumers. henkel addressed this by developing a detergent formula that requires less water but is just as

effective in cleaning power.the product design phase is key to selecting raw materials that will make the product and its packaging as green as possible. designing products that support green manufacturing and transportation can also significantly impact a company’s environmental footprint. the design phase is also the time to be thinking about design for reuse. making these green decisions up front is far more efficient and cost-effective than making incremental improvements later.

Sourcing the greenest companies choose suppliers with a green mindset. they establish green criteria for the supplier selection process, asking questions such as: where are suppliers located? how far do materials need to be transported? what types of environmentally friendly practices have suppliers adopted? it’s also important to build partnerships with suppliers that share the same green philosophy, and to hold suppliers accountable for their green contributions.masdar city took steps to promote sustainability from the design

designing Products that suPPort green manufacturing and transPortation can significantly imPact a comPany’s environmental footPrint”

INTERFACE: gREEN CulTuRE

Interface is known as a global sustainability leader beyond their green carpet titling solutions. European

Sustainability Director Ramon Arratia spoke to BGreen about some of Interface’s strategies for adopting a holistic green approach within the private sector.

• Go all out – instead of aiming for marginal improvements, Interface’s tactic was to aim for ‘Mission Zero,’ meaning zero emissions by 2020. This ambitious goal sets the company a league apart from the rest.

• Product first - Complete product transparency can massively increase the company’s credibilty. “People buy products, not companies, so the products need to speak for themselves, and every employee plays a part in promoting that.”

• Life cycle – Manufacturing and logistics account for most of the carbon footprint of an organisatiion. Operational effficiencies within the office building is a start, but is not big enough to make a real difference.

• Every employee counts – “Our CEO, Ray Anderson, always encouraged every employee to keep their eyes on the big picture. Having a sustainability department who does all the work of greening practices cannot work in the long term unless every employee takes the initiative to be a part of something bigger than their job title or department.

• Ambassadors – Interface’s ‘Sustainability Ambassadors’ are regular employees who have a genuine interest in sustainability. These staff need to apply for the position, undergo training, and sustain their efforts to enjoy the elevated status that comes with the title.

• More than carpet tiles – “We have an extremely diverse and talented workforce at Interface, and the reason for this is because of our reputation in sustainability.” Sustainability for Interface is a major pull factor.

• The importance of sustainability – “‘Mission Zero’ has different meanings for diffefrent people, depending on their goals and role. It can mean R&D for engineers, or a competitive advantage for the marketing team.”

Special Feature26


stage, including investing in efficient and environmentally viable materials. the materials used to build the walls of the site had to comply with internal standards that calls for high recycled content, low waste generation, and little impact on indoor air quality and health. the aluminium on the inner facades is 90% recycled, for example. additionally, masdar city drove innovation by tying up with a local concrete producer to produce a new type of “green concrete,” that relies on industrial waste rather than cement as a key ingredient. this reduced the concrete carbon footprint by 30 to 40%.

Manufacturingthe supply chain and manufacturing network can also benefit from greener practices. the physical structure of the end-to-end supply chain needs to be reworked to locate suppliers, manufacturing, and customers in close proximity helps cut fuel consumption and other costs.

adopting “lean” principles is an effective way to improve efficiency and

ADNEC: ThE ImpoRTANCE oF INNoVATIoN

At present, ADNEC is testing new

technologies, including recycling kitchen oil as biofuel operating cherry-pickers around the centre. Solar panels have been laid across the roof of one their car parks to test the potential of on-site energy generation. The solar panels, which cover 1000 square metres on Car Park B, are currently used to power the elevators, although they have the capacity of 111 kilowatts, enough to light three floors of the car park.Future plans at the centre include acquiring a wood chipping machine, a food waste convertor, and even water-from-air technology. With many exhibitors using wood-based stands, a wood chipping machine could provide the centre with the means to curb post-event disposal, allowing ADNEC the option to shred the wood to be used as insulation material.In 2011, ADNEC focussed on translating its commitments into measurable actions—particularly in recycling. ADNEC saw a 124% year on year increase in the amount of waste recycled, totalling 282,094 kilogrammes by the end of 2011.

the greenest comPanies choose suPPliers with a green mindset”

reduce waste inside the factory. relatively simple things, like co-locating different processes, can have noticeable benefits outside the factory. sabic, the saudi arabian manufacturer of chemicals, fertilisers, plastics and metals, has taken steps to cut down on energy use during the manufacturing process of resins. the company’s innovative plastics strategic Business unit has developed resin products that contain up to 60% post-consumer content derived from discarded pet bottles. these products require less energy than traditional plastics to power the entire manufacturing process.

LogiSticSthe least expensive way to ship products to customers typically has the least environmental impact, despite the propagated myth that going green may be less cost-effective. companies can lower logistics costs by determining how many distribution facilities are needed and where they are best located. in addition, they can weigh the benefits and trade-offs of air, rail, and truck options. they can also increase the minimum loads of

carriers being used.aramex, the middle east-based logistics and transportation solutions provider, have introduced a new line of hybrid motorbikes for its couriers throughout lebanon. the bikes incorporate the latest technology, making them more fuel efficient, which contributes to the firm’s bottom line. the company’s chief sustainability officer raji hattar says, “the hybrid bikes enable us to not only lessen our carbon footprint, but also bring a more [fuel] efficient fleet of bikes into function within our lebanese operations.”lipton tea, a subsidiary of unilever, has made changes to their shipping operations in order to reduce transportation costs between its facilities in india and dubai.

Special Feature 27


the introduction of ‘slip sheets’ to replace traditional wooden pallets for transportation result in a greater load per container, as well as minimising wood usage. tim lever, vice president of supply chain for unilever north africa and middle east expects savings in ocean freight of approximately 10 to 20%.

end uSe and diSPoSaLwhile consumer awareness and lobbying efforts have pushed companies to think about product recycling and disposal, regulations across the globe are pushing the envelope even further, with the european-led restriction of hazardous substances (rohs) regulation, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (weee) directive forcing companies to limit use of certain raw materials in end products and to deploy after-life product recycling and take-back programmes.

global packaging firm tetra Pak manufactures recyclable packaging, having launched its us recycling programmes in 1999. today, the number of tetra pak packages recycled worldwide has surpassed 27 billion. in the gcc, recycling rates have lagged behind due to a lack of recycling infrastructure, but tetra pak have been working with ngos, paper traders, and paper mills in

egypt to improve recycling rates. over the past five years, the rate of collection has gone from zero to 13% of all cartons sold.

the easiest way to develop a solid end-of-life strategy is to tackle it during the design stage. although in some cases companies have less margin for redesigning a product, waste materials can be “upcycled” to create a useful input to a process. mcdonalds in the uae have piloted a process for converting waste vegetable oil into a biofuel for their delivery trucks. this innovation makes distribution more carbon-friendly while helping to close the loop on their lifecycle.Jumeirah group, a luxury hotel chain based in dubai, developed a real-time carbon emissions calculator for each of its properties. Knowing the base value of how much carbon is emitted helps the firm focus on the right areas for emissions reduction, allowing them to implement focussed solutions. realising that air conditioning loads affect their carbon footprint, their strategies include a computerised building management system that can adjust temperatures depending on room occupancy. these green initiatives have helped Jumeirah realise cost savings of us$3.8m annually.

in dubai’s media city, ibm launched an energy conservation programme in collaboration with tecom investments’ sustainable energy and environment division to significantly reduce iBm’s

how gREEN Is youR opERATIoNAl sTRATEgy?Ten key questions to ask• Do you understand customers’

environmental requirements?• Is “green” considered during

product conception, design, and development?

• Do you actively seek more environmentally friendly raw materials?

• Is environmental conscience a criterion for selecting suppliers?

• Is your carbon footprint a consideration for improving your manufacturing operations?

• Do customer and supplier agreements include green goals?

• Do you measure the environmental impact of your end-to-end supply chain operations?

• Have you optimized your distribution network to reduce environmental impact?

• Is your reverse supply chain as efficient as possible?

• How much of your product can be and is recycled?

Special Feature28


carbon emissions. the programme involved simple measures such as reducing lighting usage by keeping window blinds open during daylight hours, setting the air conditioning on a higher temperature after office hours, and switching off printers and fax machines during weekends and holidays. these straightforward strategies can lead to large savings in the longer term. in this particular case, iBm’s energy savings in dubai increased by approximately 9%.

executives can use the data from green performance tracking to create a portfolio of green projects that is the best mix of quick returns and longer-term results for the company’s unique investment and growth strategy. a portfolio approach can guide timing and resource allocations for the various green initiatives being pursued.

green on the inSidethe greenest organisations are green from top to bottom. senior management must create the momentum, but employees must be follow through for an all-rounded approach. establishing roles that signal the importance of going green is also critical. in 2010, aramex launched “green champions,” an environmental programme in their global support office in Jordan. they train employees on the basics of sustainability so that they can guide other employees in sustainability initiatives and make an

impact on business practices as well as day-to-day workplace activities.

green on the outSideenvironmentally conscious companies view themselves as part of the greater community. they view stakeholders—institutional investors, environmental groups, and non-governmental organisations—as partners critical for fulfilling green goals. green companies also make a point of staying attuned to what future supply chain requirements and regulatory measures are likely to be.

green reviewS By conducting a complete environmental assessment across the entire product lifecycle and supply chain, firms can identify where they are having the most negative impact on the environment and develop innovative solutions to power ahead beyond incremental improvements. many companies now regularly track energy usage, fuel and transportation costs, water consumption, and total carbon emissions.green performance assessment and tracking helps identify the best areas for improvement.regardless of whether a company is a small business or a fortune 500 giant, there are any number of ways to grow greener while improving revenues and profits. it’s clear that the greenest companies enjoy profits from increased savings while boasting competitive advantage. given the growing number of consumers who are putting their wallets where their environmental conscience is, it may not be long before sustainable business practices driven by green innovation becomes critical to staying in the game.

phIlIpsWhile Europe and many other nations worldwide have begun to phase out incandescent bulbs, the GCC regions still lack a policy for moving to energy efficient lighting. Philips has taken the lead on this issue, voluntarily phasing out the sale of home-use incandescent lamps in the GCC to reduce carbon emissions. Phillips announced the move to discontinue the sale of 75-watt incandescent lamps as of January 2012 the GCC, following an earlier phasing out of 100-watt and higher lamps in 2010. By removing the option of choosing inefficient lighting from their product line, Philips is effectively urging consumers to make the switch. Philips invented the energy saving light bulb in 1980, and has continued to develop energy efficient lighting solutions as a part of their commitment to sustainability.

FoRD moToRs: REAChINg ouTBacked by UNESCO Doha, the Middle East-specific Ford Conservation and Environmental grant is calling all green entrepreneurs to apply for their 2012 grant of US$100,000. The programme to date has awarded a total of $1.2 million to over 140 environmental projects from the GCC, Lebanon and Jordan since its inception. In recent years, recipients of the Grants included efforts of different groups to raise awareness on conservation through education. Majority of these projects involve engaging the youth to be environmental advocates at an early age. “Environmental problems can only be solved, if they are identified, studied, and discussed, and activities implemented. One of the essential contributions to improve the ecological foot-print is via public awareness and engagement. There are many unsung heroes of the environment here in our region and we are seeking to support them through the available funds provided by the Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants. Taking care of the environment is a huge task that requires technical, intellectual and financial resources. We hope that this programme will provide additional support to the ongoing projects being carried out by environmental groups and individuals,” Dr. Benno Boer, UNESCO’s Ecological Sciences Advisor in the Arab Region said. Submissions for this year’s cycle is open till 10 July.

designing Products that suPPort green manufacturing and transPortation can significantly imPact a comPany’s environmental footPrint”

This award could mean the world to your business.

The International Green Awards™ is the leading global platform for sustainability intelligence, leadership and innovation.

Great ideas, organisations and people deserve recognition. Recognition inspires change. It motivates and rewards people. It propagates and fertilises new thinking. Which is why, in a bid to recognise sustainability wherever it occurs, we comb the globe every year to find true influencers, leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. To discover and showcase the genuine game-changers in a way that will educate and inspire others. So make a real difference to your sustainability journey by entering the 7th International Green Awards™ which is now free to enter.

ENTER NOW

SUPPORTERS To enter visit www.greenawards.com to register and receive the entry details or e-mail info [email protected]

12GE003 BGreen240x325.indd 1 25/06/2012 12:28:33

ADVERT

This award could mean the world to your business.

The International Green Awards™ is the leading global platform for sustainability intelligence, leadership and innovation.

Great ideas, organisations and people deserve recognition. Recognition inspires change. It motivates and rewards people. It propagates and fertilises new thinking. Which is why, in a bid to recognise sustainability wherever it occurs, we comb the globe every year to find true influencers, leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. To discover and showcase the genuine game-changers in a way that will educate and inspire others. So make a real difference to your sustainability journey by entering the 7th International Green Awards™ which is now free to enter.

ENTER NOW

SUPPORTERS To enter visit www.greenawards.com to register and receive the entry details or e-mail info [email protected]

12GE003 BGreen240x325.indd 1 25/06/2012 12:28:33

30


Comment | Road to Doha

Climate change realities

With Rio+20 sustainability talks on the global agenda, the CaRboun initiative’s

Wissam yassine looks at the laRgeR-than-life foRCe that is Climate Change and

What it means foR ouR Region

Climate change refers to the current changes in the earth’s climate patterns due to the increase in greenhouse gases emitted by human activities. the driving force behind this pattern is an increase in the earth’s surface and water temperature. in fact, over the last 130 years, the global average temperature of the planet rose by 0.8 °C. however, the impacts of this temperature increase on climate patterns in different regions varied widely (figure 1).

national scientific bodies in all major countries agree that the cause behind global warming and climate change is the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and growing livestock. Climate models have been created to forecast the expected increase in the average global temperatures over the coming years based on current and expected emission levels. these models show that the global average temperatures are expected to rise by up to 6 °C by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise as they have in recent decades.

Figure 1: Global surface temperature change according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies data. Source: Dr. Peter Gleick, Forbes Blogs

Road to Doha | Comment 31


this increase in global temperature will have far-reaching impacts, including an increase in sea level which will threaten coastal and low lying areas, disruption of precipitation patterns around the world, and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events and heat waves. these impacts will lead to further downstream consequences including species extinction, loss of ecosystems, and the loss of small island states.

The science of climaTe changefollowing years of research, the entire body of climate scientists is almost in complete agreement that global climate change is happening, that it is caused by the increase concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and that human induced (or anthropogenic) emissions are the largest contributor to this phenomenon.

greenhouse gases (ghgs) are a group of gases that are characterised by their ability to trap radiation as it attempts to leave the earth’s atmosphere. the main ghgs in the earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. normally, these gases play a positive role in regulating the surface temperature of the planet and making it livable. it is estimated that without these gases our earth would, on average, be 33 °C cooler (figure 2). however, the increased concentration of these gases caused mainly by burning of fossil fuels is amplifying the natural warming effect and leading to an observed increase in global temperature.

Figure 2: The Greenhouse effect by the National Academy of Science. Source: the Pew Center on Global Climate Change

the iPCC models also predict an increase of global surface temperature between 2.4 and 6.4 °C (4.3 to 11.5 °f) for the highest emissions scenario (scenario a1f1 in figure 3) which assumes “a very rapid economic growth, low population growth and rapid introduction of new and more efficient technology. major underlying themes are economic and cultural convergence and capacity building, with a substantial reduction in regional differences in per capita income. in this world, people pursue personal wealth rather than environmental quality.”

With both the worst case and the best case scenarios forecasting a temperature increase, scientists have confirmed that some form of climate change is inevitable. they argued, however, that we need to limit the

increase in global surface temperature to 2°C to avoid the worst of climate change. to ensure this, the world needs to collectively halve its 1990 emissions levels by the year 2050. this target appears hard to achieve given that total ghgs emissions have continued to increase since 1990. in fact ghgs emissions have increased in 2010 by a record amount that they surpassed even the worst case scenario of the iPCC report. this trend is currently not showing any signs of a slowdown, let alone reversal. in addition, the cumulative impact of current national pledges to cut carbon emissions fall short of stopping an increase in ghg emissions by 2050, let alone cutting it by any factor (figure 4).

Figure 4: GHG emissions scenarios. Source: Climate Action Tracker

32


Comment | Road to Doha

furthermore, while climate change is a global challenge that requires a global response, total ghg emissions are not produced uniformly around the world, with 85% of emissions produced by the 20 largest emitting countries. this disparity in responsibility has inevitably led to friction between nations that are most responsible for climate change and those which are most affected by its impacts.

to complicate things further, nations also vary greatly in their per capita emissions. China, for example, is the world’s largest emitter in absolute terms since it overtook the united states in 2006. however, on a per capita basis, China ranks much lower than the us which has one of the highest per capita emissions rates. in the middle east, this variation is also evident. Qatar for

example leads the region -and the world- with 53.47 tonnes of Co2e per capita per year compared to a world’s average per capita emissions of just above 5 tonnes. morocco on the other hand emits a mere 1.5 tonnes Co2e per capita in the same period. halving the world’s ghg emissions requires achieving a world average per capita carbon footprint of approximately 2 tonnes Co2e.

impacTs of climaTe changefor one to develop a strategy for adapting to climate change, it’s important to understand the complex and intertwining impacts of global warming.

it is estimated that increases in sea temperature will cause thermal expansion of the world’s oceans and seas. this expansion, coupled with melted land-

based ice, will lead to a rise in sea levels. it is estimated that sea levels have already risen by 0.17 metres over the last century and are expected to rise further by 0.18 to 0.59 metres by the year 2100. a sea level rise of such magnitude is expected to put many cities and islands under water and to displace millions around the world.

Climate change is also expected to contribute to an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, flood, droughts and heavy participation events. many of these events are already being observed around the world. events such as the heat waves in Russia, extreme cooling in europe, hurricanes in the us, floods in Pakistan, and draught in the african horn have been linked to the impacts of climate change.

Climate change is also expected to lead to adverse ecological and socio-economic impacts such as reduced agricultural production and food security, risks to human health, and reduced biodiversity. Changes to participation patterns will lead to severe water shortage in some areas and heavy floods in others. Rising temperatures will also increase the risk of diseases such as malaria as more areas become prone to such diseases.

it must be said that the exact extent of these impacts cannot be accurately forecasted and will eventually depend on the actual level of warming, the interactions between the various climate systems, and the responsiveness of ecosystems to such relatively fast climate changes (figure 5). yet, even the currently observed impacts are serious enough to warrant a global action to mitigate climate change and avoid irreversible large scale disruptions to the earth’s natural systems.

Figure 5: Interconnection of climate system, human activities, and climate change impacts. Source: United Nations Environmental Program



The poliTics of climaTe changeinternational efforts to mitigate climate change started at the earth summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. the earth summit resulted in the signing of the united nations framework Convention on Climate Change (unfCCC), which now has 195 parties. the objective of the unfCCC is to “stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.”

since then, major breakthroughs in climate negotiations took place and major commitments were made, the most significant of which is the kyoto protocol which was negotiated in 1997 and entered into force in 2005 (figure 6). Recognising the wide difference in historical ghg emissions across countries, parties to the kyoto protocol agreed that they had “common but differentiated responsibilities” towards reducing their ghg emissions. in that spirit, developed countries agreed to reduce their emissions by an average of 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012, the first commitment period under the kyoto protocol.

Figure 6: Timeline showing major milestones in international climate change negotiations. Source: the Pew Center on Global Climate Change

greenhouse gases vary in their capacity to absorb energy in the atmosphere, also known as their global warming potential (gWP). While one molecule of carbon dioxide (Co2), the predominant of all ghgs, has a global warming potential of 1 gWP, other gases have a much higher global warming potential. a molecule of methane, example, has a gWP of 72 over 20 years, while a molecule of nitrous oxide has a gWP of 289 over the same period. yet given the enormous quantities of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, its overall warming contribution is far greater than any other ghg. as a result, most estimates of ghgs are aggregated and

expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (Co2e ) to ease comparisons and put numbers in perspective. it is estimated that the concentration of carbon dioxide equivalents in the atmosphere have increased from their pre-industrial average of 280 particles per million (ppm) to more than 390 ppm today.

based on this historic trend and on climate models, scientists have confirmed that the extent of future increases in earth’s surface temperature would be dependent on the rate of human-induced emissions, which, in turn, is dependent on the size of the global population and its carbon footprint. the most comprehensive forecast of climate change

and global warming to date is the 2007 fourth assessment Report by the un intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (iPCC). the iPCC models, based on various emissions scenarios and feedback mechanisms, predicts that in the lowest emissions scenario for 2100 (scenario b1 in figure 3) the global surface temperatures will rise between 1.1 to 2.9 °C (2 to 5.2 °f) this scenario assumes “a convergent world with the same global population as in the a1 storyline but with rapid changes in economic structures toward a service and information economy, with reductions in materials intensity, and the introduction of clean and resource-efficient technologies.”

Figure 3. Surface temperature increase scenarios. Source: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007 , Chapter 10,w Figure 10.26

Protect our natural heritage.With the help of your business, we can do ours.Make a change as corporate member with EWS-WWF and help us in our missionto conserve and protect our natural environment. Together, we can make a difference.www.ewswwf.ae

wwf corporate member_fullpage1_140311.indd 1 3/14/11 1:28 PM



the kyoto protocol was a major step forward; however, the 37 developed countries with binding reduction targets under the kyoto protocol represented only 25% of the world’s global emissions. it was clear that the world needed a new treaty that included developing countries such China, india, and brazil, whose shares of global emissions grew significantly since the kyoto Protocol was negotiated, as well as major players such as the united states which was not party to the kyoto Protocol.

in 2005, parties to the kyoto protocol together with the united states agreed in montreal to start negotiating a post-2012 emissions reduction commitment with the aim of reaching an agreement in Copenhagen in 2009. however, the outcome of Copenhagen was a true disappointment as the united states

succeeded in steering the negotiations away from a legally binding emissions reduction commitment. the alternative was the Copenhagen accord, which calls on developed countries to commit to “economy-wide emissions targets for 2020”. the targets were discretionary and non-binding, which is why the 15th Conference of Parties (CoP 15) in Copenhagen was largely seen as a step backwards in climate negotiations.

however, the notion of a binding emissions reduction treaty that covers all countries – developed and developing – was revived two years later in durban’s CoP 17. the 2011 conference ended a very intense and politically polarised round of negotiations with countries agreeing on reaching a legally binding agreement by 2015 which would take effect after 2020. the outcome of durban’s CoP 17

places great expectations on CoP 18 in doha which will host the first round of negotiations dedicated toward reaching the 2015 agreement.

With such high hopes for event, it is our hope that the Road to doha project by Carboun would help highlight the significance of hosting these negotiations in the region, in addition to helping build awareness of climate change impacts on the middle east and the challenges they pose.

Wissam Yassine is the UAE Coordinator for the Carboun Initiative, with a background in engineering and sustainability. He is currently a Masters in Sustainability candidate at Harvard University Extension School. Contact him at [email protected]

With both the Worst case and the best case scenarios

forecasting a temperature increase, scientists have confirmed

that some form of climate change is inevitable”

Protect our natural heritage.With the help of your business, we can do ours.Make a change as corporate member with EWS-WWF and help us in our missionto conserve and protect our natural environment. Together, we can make a difference.www.ewswwf.ae

wwf corporate member_fullpage1_140311.indd 1 3/14/11 1:28 PM

Green Technology 37


BGreen outlines must-have features for green smartphones, from design to end-of-useful life strategies

Smart and green

S martphones have been around in its rudimentary form since 1993, primarily targeting

high-end corporate consumers in terms of use and prohibitive cost. smartphones as we know them—with colour screens, interactive interface, multimedia, email, phone and texting capabilities—arguably entered the mainstream in 2006, but with technology marching forward in efficiency, speed and data storage, there is a rising need to assess the end-of-life scenario for older mobile phones. recent figures reveal that close to 32 mobile phones per second are discarded as e-waste, with less than 10 per cent of them being recycled annually. this translates to over 1 billion phones a year ending up in landfills. the onus of proper e-waste disposal may lie on consumers, but going green from the manufacturer’s side could add a level of security in terms of mitigating environmental damage from the models that do end up in the landfill.

Smartphone muSt-haveS

recycled packagingpackaging accounts for most of the bulk

of each unit. recycled cardboard that can be recycled after its second-life use would add green value to the product. removing the need for paper-printout manuals could additionally slim down the packaging size, while providing consumers the option to downloading the soft copy of their user manual if necessary.

recycled caSingall the plastic bottles and packaging that gets tossed into recycle bins across the world ideally can be taken, melted down, and reworked as phone (or even laptop) cases. in 2009, motorola experimented with this technology, introducing the renew phone.

Zero haZardouS materialSmost phones now take this into account, removing cadmium and lead as the primary problem metals in gadgets.

certifiedmanufacturers can choose to make their operations carbon neutral by registering on websites like carbonfund.org, or enlisting the help of a sustainability consultant who can guide them through the process.

Certification schemes lauding products that raise the bar for environmental stewardship can encourage competitors to follow suit, potentially inspiring industry-wide greening. in 2011, the samsung replenish was the first phone to receive the isr110 standard under ul platinum level Certification.

green add-onSto date, most solar phone experiments conclude that energy-heavy smartphones cannot be powered solely by the sun. relying on traditional batteries might be the only option for the time being, so green add-ons like solar chargers can be an ideal accessory included by

manufacturers to wean consumers off of wall sockets. all other accessories can be made from 100% recycled plastics, with environmental and carbon neutral certifications.

green appSphones could come bundled with a variety of energy monitoring apps that can provide consumers with detailed data on their energy and water consumption, their transportation emissions and so on.

end-of-life SolutionSmanufacturers may need to step in and take control of the disposal and recycling of their phones at the end of their life. they can encourage consumers to return or trade-in their phones at their local retail store for a newer product at a nominal price. an e-waste recycling programme can take the responsibility of recycling away from consumers who may think it easier to toss old phones into bins. the recycling process could include separating usable material (like plastic, gold, silver and so on), that can later be used in the production stage within the company.

Green Technology38


BGreen: how doeS nokia em-brace SuStainability?Ulrike Vött: our approach is that we continuously improve the environmental credentials of all our products, rather than introducing a one-off “green” phone. nokia thinks every device should be made with the environment in mind, because that makes a bigger difference for the environment and also gives greater variety of environmentally friendly phones for people to choose from.

over the years, we have been able to reduce the environmental impact of our products significantly. the greenhouse gas footprint of our phones has been reduced by up to 50% between 2000 and 2010, while introducing new features and capabilities that allow our devices to be used in various new ways.

We manage what materials and substances go into each and every device: nokia has been a leader in substance management for many years and phased out many substances of potential concern on a voluntary basis, so we have been going beyond legal requirements. since 2006, nokia’s new devices, chargers and headsets have been free of pvC and since 2009, nokia has been phasing out Bfr and rfr (brominated and chlorinated compounds and antimony trioxide) from the products. as defined in nokia substance list, all nokia phones have been free of mercury, lead and many other substances of concern for many years. all the handsets and accessories we produce fulfill our strict environmental criteria.

BGreen: what are Some of nokia’S StrategieS for energy efficiency?Vött: We continually improve the energy efficiency for all products. the total energy consumption for creating, using and recycling a typical nokia mobile device is 210mJ and the total emissions are 12kg. this equates to driving 71km in a typical family car.

We also develop smaller, lighter, recyclable packaging and provide user guides in the device itself to reduce the need for printed user manuals. plus, we offer a range of apps for sustainable lifestyles ranging from energy saving to cool games, such as the Climate mission 3d.

BGreen are there any eco-Specific productS in nokia’S portfolio?Vött: from time to time, we launch eco hero devices. they come with the widest range of environmental features as well as new innovations which are then gradually implemented across our product portfolio.

nokia has a long track record of introducing new environmentally friendly materials to our devices. in 2007 nokia introduced renewable materials with the nokia 3110 evolve, with 50% of its cover made from bio plastics. during 2010, we introduced the first device in the industry to use bio paints (nokia C7) and the first device in the

nokia PureView 808: a line of energy-efficient phones currently in the market

Nokia’s sustainable vision

a reCent report By Juniper researCh foreCasts that the smartphone industry has the opportunity to save 30 million tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years By targeting the largest sourCes Within its supply Chain aCtivities, notaBly Component manufaCturing. Bgreen speaks to teCh giant nokia’s sustainaBility manager for middle east and afriCa, ulrike vött, on What it takes to get on the sustainaBle path

Green Technology 39


industry to use recycled metals (nokia C6-01). a short time later, the nokia 700 combined these credentials, using bio paints, bio plastics and recycled materials in the inner parts. our latest eco hero devices include the nokia pureview 808 and nokia asha 311.

BGreen: what about green product recognition?there are organisations that rate products and companies as per the credibility of their engagement for sustainability. some of them aim to assist consumers for a “green” purchase decision. for example the good guide – a guide to healthy, green and socially responsible products

- ranks the greenest mobile

devices on the globe. out of the 30 best performers, more than two thirds are made by nokia.

nokia’s efforts for sustainability have been recognised by many organisations, such as the dow Jones sustainability index, the greenpeace guide to greener electronics and the good guide.

BGreen: in termS of end-of-life management, what are Some of the recycling or take-back programmeS nokia currently offerS?

Vött: nokia is one of the most active players creating solutions for recycling our products and even other brands. nokia has engaged in take back and

recycling since 1997, providing such services as part of the company’s objective to be a leader in terms of environmental performance. We operate the world’s largest voluntary mobile phone recycling scheme with collection points in nearly 100 countries. nokia does not run a recycling business, but supplies the collected material to recycling service providers that recover and recycle the material at international standards. nokia audits and approves the recycling service providers on a regular basis to assure they fulfill the nokia requirements for responsible and environmentally efficient recycling.

in addition, nokia runs local campaigns to raise awareness on the

importance of recycling,

the material content of products and what happens in nokia take back and recycling channel. one aim is to gradually activate more people to participate in the concept of recycling thus contributing to creating a recycling society.

in the uae, nokia launched the ‘take Back’ and recycling scheme at nokia Care in 2009, and has since been collaborating with emirates environmental group, an ngo devoted to protecting the environment through means of education, action programs and community involvement.

BGreen: what are Some of the key thingS conSumerS Should look out for when purchaSing Smart phoneS if their priority iS SuStainability?

Vött: it would be good to see what the

phone is made of and how well the environmental credentials have been taking into account in making the product. nokia provides eco profiles for every nokia product, which tell you about its materials, its energy efficiency, the packaging, the overall environmental impact and possibilities for recycling. in addition you could look for things such as power save mode and naturally the apps and services that help you live more sustainable live. for example nokia maps, nokia drive and nokia transport enables route optimisation and navigation for people to find the most efficient way of travelling thereby helping to reduce their own environmental footprint.

Nokia thiNks every device should be made with the eNviroNmeNt iN miNd

Nokia’s eco hero devices

• The Asha 311: It comes with preinstalled eco games, an unplug charger reminder, automatic screen brightness adjustment and a high efficiency charger with lowest stand-by power consumption. As the Asha 200 and Asha 201 it contains bio plastics that provide a sustainable alternative to crude oil based plastics and paints.

• The Nokia 808 PureView: It comes with a ‘Power Save’ mode in addition to the automatic screen brightness adjustment and the high efficiency charger. The ‘Power Save’ mode can help increase the energy efficiency of your device, and very practically save energy when no charging option is at hand. Nokia Maps enable route optimisation and navigation for people to find the most efficient way of travelling thereby helping to reduce their own environmental footprint.

Eco-leisure40


Natural rehab

S panning more than 120 kilometres from Al Hissiyah, Banu Hanifah connects more than 40 tributaries

to a 4,500 kilometre square catchment area. Rapid industrialisation keeping pace with urban expansion in the 1970s saw the blocking of the wadi by domestic and commercial waste, a problem that grew, unchecked by any regulatory body in the country until the early 1990s. The Arriyadh Development Authority’s (ADA) rehabilitation project wanted to

recapture the wadi’s natural beauty that was long stripped away as it spiraled into becoming the city’s unofficial landfill. The masTerplan

The ADA tied up with Canadian design and planning team, Moriyama & Teshima Planners, and UK-based Buro Happold, to develop the wadi into a recreational site, complete with cycling and hiking trails, as well as semi-private picnic areas for families to congregate over the weekends. The project

RiyADH’s Wadi HanifaH, one of THe MAjoR wADis RUnning THRoUgH THe sAUDi

CAPiTAl, HAs seen DeCADes of ConTAMinATion—fRoM DoMesTiC wAsTe To DAMAge

fRoM CoMMeRCiAl ACTiviTy. An AwARD-winning CleAnUP PRojeCT MAy offeR A

RegionAl MoDel in ReHABiliTATing nATURAl enviRonMenTs AT A fRACTion of THe

CosT, Using nATURAl AgenTs liKe fisH, inseCTs, MiCooRgAnisMs AnD PlAnTs

Left: The system of artificial wetlands relies organic purification

Eco-leisure 41


a bioremediation plant, WHicH uses natural processes to rectify environmental damage, produces clean Water for irrigation ”

became the recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2010, recognising the large-scale overhaul of the once-neglected site. “This project reverses the tide of rapid urban development, which has seen public space in many cities within the Muslim world fall victim to expropriation and other practices that deprive the population of its resources,” according to a spokesperson on the jury panel. “it shows how a major natural phenomenon which, through the course of urbanisation, became a litter-strewn and dangerous place - a scar on the face of the capital city - can be transformed by sensitive planning attentive to social values and imaginative infrastructure- driven landscape solutions.”

Using landscape as an ecological infrastructure, project works so far have included the introduction of

landscaping, conservation of the natural environment, development of recreational areas for the people of Riyadh, enhancement of agricultural land in the valley, and the creation of an environmentally sensitive wastewater treatment facility that provides additional water resources for the rural and urban inhabitants of the region.

BioremediaTion—a naTural soluTionA bioremediation plant, which uses natural processes to rectify environmental damage, produces clean water for irrigation through connected wetland areas housing a wide range of flora and fauna adept at ‘waste management.’

The artificially stimulated foodchain starts with microorganisms and carries on through birds, plants, insects, and fish to effectively remove

FACT FILE • The desert catchment area above the

wadi bed was re-established with the construction of check dams to prevent seasonal flooding affecting the city

• The flood performance of the channel is further improved by reprofiling and regrading

• Natural stone weirs were built so that when water passes over them, oxygen can be introduced into the streams, reducing the amount of pollution in the wadi

• Water treatment facilities allow for treated water to irrigate the soil beds

• The Bio-remediation Facility relies on natural waste management

• Trails marked through the wadi allows public access

• The parks provide semi-enclosed areas for families to picnic

CLIEnT

High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh/ Arriyadh Development Authority, Saudi Arabia:• HRH Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,

Chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh.

• HRH Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh.

• Abdullatif bin Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, Member of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh and President of the Arriyadh Development Authority.

LAndsCApE ArChITECTs

Moriyama & Teshima Planners Limited, Canada Consulting EngineersBuro HappoldCatchment Area4,000 km2CostUS$160 million

Eco-leisure42


tHe bioremediation plant cHannels over 600,000 cubic metres of urban WasteWater daily. by 2025, it is estimated tHat tHe facility Will Handle 1,200,000 m3 per day.”

organic contaminants from the water. The end of the food chain within this bioremediation system is the tilapia fish. The system could produce between 1.5 and 2 tonnes of fish per week through this closed loop food chain., potentially reviving fishing as a recreational activity for picnickers at the wadi.

seTTing The sceneBefore the system was put in place,

the site was cleared for 500,000 cubic metres of trash. The second step involved fortifying the site with flood-proofing measures, such as rerouting roadways. following that, the site was revegetated with the plants and trees indigenous to the wadi.

once the basic infrastructure for the wetlands were in place, the bioremediation facility was drawn up as a means of treating urban wastewater with the least amount of energy and manpower in its operations.

The restablishment of an extensive food web was at the crux of the project,

with further oxygenation catalysing the process. The ‘stage four’ water is collected in the third pool for an added aeration process. organic contaminants are exposed to more tilapia fish, where it degrades into the water, while inorganic contaminants settle to the bottom of the pool where it is flushed and dredged out of the system.

The bioremediation plant channels over 600,000 cubic metres of urban wastewater daily, over almost a kilometre-long path. By 2025, it is estimated that the facility will handle 1,200,000 m3 per day. The end result is clear, odourless water that is safe for human contact, but not for human consumption as of yet.

The concept may not be new, but this bioremediation plant is the first of its kind in the world, as a natural and mechanical hybrid, connected to Riyadh’s greywater recycling plant for large-scale treatments. The capital cost of the plant totals less than one-third that of mechanical wastewater treatments, while revitalising the biodiversity of the site.

with primary producers (algae, plants), and consumer organisms (fish, insects, birds, and so on).

The connected wetlands are made of three ponds with 134 biocells. The first pond receives untreated water over a stone weir, which ‘injects’ oxygen into the water system by its sheer movement over rocky substrates. The dissolved oxygen kills coliform bacteria, essentially ‘treating’ the water at stage one.

More oxygen is pumped into the water through the only non-natural step in the treatment process (an aeration device). As oxygen levels in the water increase, larger contaminants settle to the waterbed. The ‘stage two’ water is then channeled across another stone weir where microorganisms consume organic contaminates. Tilapia fish in the water system then consumes these microorganisms. The ‘stage three’ water is channeled into another wetland area, into cells 50 centimetres deep.

The wetlands host insects like dragonflies, as well as frogs, clams, snails and palm tree dwelling birds, in addition to the microorganisms and tilapia fish already present. The contaminants in the water are broken down through the natural food cycle,

Above: Wadi Hanifah as a picnic spot

Left: The wetlands employ stony weirs to introduce oxygen into the water

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Green Business44


Towards a low-carbon economyThe concepT of a green economy goes by many names: low-carbon, low fossil fuel, or The decarbonised economy. according To The uniTed naTions environmenT programme, This lofTy ideal can be reached when a naTion’s economy can yield “improved human well-being and social equiTy, while significanTly reducing environmenTal risks and ecological scarciTies.” in layman’s Terms: waTch ThaT carbon. bgreen looks aT how The uae is moving Towards This goal

T he focus of this year’s world environment day was on the green economy: does

it include you? after making headlines as the world’s most notorious emitter of carbon, the uae has made a rapid comeback, at least according to experts speaking about the nation’s potential for a low-carbon future.

possible long-term solutions for creating a carbon-aware business community.

The international green awards summit provided a platform for noted speakers from the public and private sector, from sustainable industry leaders like interface and henkel, to policy regulators and ngos like environment agency - abu dhabi and emirates

a low-carbon economy is one whose growth is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, with a focussed approach to energy efficiency, and a watchful eye on maintaining biodiversity despite robust expansion. These investments need to be nurtured and expedited by targeted policy and regulation reforms, and

Green Business 45


wildlife society - world wildlife fund (ews-wwf). The general consensus seems clear: the move towards a low carbon economy needs to mobilise both public and private sectors as an economic whole. looking at one single organisation to fit the model cannot be indicative of a regional trend, and without the proper incentives or regulations catalysing the process, change across the board may be sluggish.

The energy-WaTer nexus“power and water consumption here are the main drivers of emissions, and this is what we have to focus on. in abu dhabi, the tariffs (for utilities) are low, which means that companies and households don’t have the right incentives to start saving energy,” according to eva ramos, acting manager of environmental analytics, at the environment agency-abu dhabi’s integrated environment policy and planning sector. “recently, ead was working on a strategy on climate change and identify the drivers and pressures, and it revealed that a majority of emissions came from power and water consumption. These kinds of studies provide us with data that can set change in motion. The difficulty now is that we don’t have the mandate to act on an energy policy. we are trying to find the right incentives so that more companies start making changes,” she added at the sidelines of the summit.

ramos is currently in the process of “developing a new unit to help ead move from a research organisation to a regulator” as a way for the agency to adapt existing policies to incorporate

climate change mitigation. despite the discouraging emissions figures in black and white, ramos appears optimistic about the uae’s low-carbon trajectory.”i came to this country four years ago, and i never expected to have so many opportunities to work on issues related to sustainability. something is definitely happening, and perhaps this pace is slower than what we’d like, but from my own experience from working in europe and latin america, things are happening very fast here. people are increasingly starting to talk about issues and possible solutions. The first thing you have to do is talk, then comes the time to start acting. There are some companies here that are taking the right steps towards achieving lower carbon emissions, but again, this change appears slow because it’s not taking place across industries at the same time.”

Dubai—charging aheaDhis highness sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum, uae vice-president and prime minister and ruler of dubai, had launched “a green economy for sustainable development” in January 2012. according to his excellency sami al qamzi, director general of the dubai department of economic development (ded), this places the uae at the forefront regionally in adopting a long-term national initiative to build a green economy.

“The “dubai green economy partnership” aims are threefold: to support the long-term sustainable and green growth of dubai economy, strengthen dubai’s position in the

global green economy value chain and accelerating the adoption of green technologies, products and services that has proven economic and ecological feasibility in the region” says fahad al gergawi, ceo, dubai fdi, the foreign direct investment office of ded.

al gergawi adds that the next step is to set up “a number of mechanisms to realise the vision of his highness the crown prince of dubai through market leadership, innovation and investment in human capital.”

dubai fdi will act as a liaison between local, regional and international founding partners and companies interested in the programme’s local and international events. “Thanks to the increased awareness of the local and global environmental challenges among both public and private sectors in dubai, the transition to green economy has progressed with voluntarily adoption of green technologies and best practices in environment protection across key sectors from energy and transportation to buildings and resource management,” comments al gergawi.

“This drive, inspired by sustainable development as a core value, coupled with implementation of one of the best information and communication technology infrastructures in the world, has empowered dubai’s transition to a green economy that enjoys global recognition in energy efficiency, sustainable transport and a growing sustainable living movement.”

The plan includes transitioning dubai into a hub for sustainable business and a test bed for emerging green technologies. with the increased number of dubai’s green infrastructure projects yielding positive economic benefits, the programme also aims to strengthen sustainability guidelines that can reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and encourage water conservation. a hallmark of the transition to a green economy that will address regional development challenges with practical project management

Since the firSt rio Summit the uAe’S economy hAS grown by over 400 per cent”

Research and development in greener technologies can play a vital role in pushing greener practices

Green Business46


and financing models through collaboration with international investors, financial institutions and public-private partnerships.

On a feDeral leveluae minister of foreign Trade sheikha lubna bint khalid al qasimi noted the uae’s move in diversifying the base of economy, with oil and gas production, while still retaining its importance, accounting for only about a third of gdp.

reflecting on the uae’s progress in each of the pillars of sustainable development— economic, social and environmental—sheikha lubna summarised the changes that have taken place federally in the past 20 years.

“on economic development we have made great progress. since the first rio summit the uae’s economy has grown by over 400 per cent,” she says.

“clean energy is a central plank of our development strategy. and we are innovating solutions in energy efficiency, water efficiency, building standards, and sustainable cities that we hope will have

beneficial applications in our region and the world,” sheikha lubna adds, noting how the nation’s commitment to the environment is much further-reaching now than it was 20 years ago, owing to the expansion of research and development in green technology.

despite the uae’s commitment to sustainable development shaping both its domestic policy and views on international cooperation, sheikha lubna adds that much remains to be done. “for instance, the uae is working to reduce its’ greenhouse gas emissions. This is challenging due to our cooling needs - a basic necessity in a hot arid environment - the need to desalinate water, and an energy intensive industrial base.

“but we are committed to taking action to mitigate this effect, and the significant progress we have made in so many other areas of sustainable development gives me confidence that we can be an active contributor to the global solutions required here too.

The UAe’s wAy forwArdThe UAE has adopted the first mandatory building efficiency codes in the region, and mandatory efficiency standards for cooling.

- Abu Dhabi and Dubai have set the region’s first renewable energy targets, and this year we are opening a 100MW concentrating solar plant, one of the largest in the world.

- We are building Masdar City, a world-first low-carbon urban development powered by renewable energy and a test bed for cutting edge clean energy and efficiency technologies.

- The Masdar Institute, established together with the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, is the world’s first postgraduate university solely dedicated to clean energy technology.

- Dubai has implemented the first light rail system in the region, which now carries more than 40 million passengers per year.

cleAn energy iS A centrAl plAnk of our development StrAtegy. And we Are innovAting SolutionS in energy efficiency, wAter efficiency, building StAndArdS, And SuStAinAble citieS thAt we hope will hAve beneficiAl ApplicAtionS in our region And the world”

Sheikha Lubna

anoop

+971 4 440 9100 +971 4 440 9100

48


Oil and Gas

Transparency and sustainability reportingIn 2005, the global oIl and gas Industry assocIatIon for envIronmental and socIal Issues (IPIeca) released a revolutIonary guIdelIne for corPorate sustaInabIlIty rePortIng. a follow-uP guIdelIne calls for Increased transParency as a way to get varIous stakeholders Involved In key decIsIon-makIng and envIronmental Processes

DespiTe DecaDes Of beinG ThOrOuGhly maliGneD by mOsT Of The wOrlD, The Oil anD Gas secTOr sTill cOnTrOls The maJOriTy Of The planeT’s enerGy resOurces. in a cOncerTeD biD TO sTreTch The lifespan anD pOTenTial Of Oil anD naTural Gas siTes, many biG names in The inDusTry have been makinG markeD effOrTs TO Diversify Their enerGy sOurces anD

incOrpOraTe cleaner TechnOlOGies. mOvinG away frOm a black anD whiTe view Of susTainabiliTy, bGreen presenTs The symbiOTic relaTiOnship beTween renewable anD nOn-renewable resOurces as The cOnvenTiOnal enerGy secTOr TransiTiOns TOwarDs a Greener fuTure.

a little transparency can go a long way. sustainability reporting is

a key transparency and accountability mechanism that can drive ethically and environmentally sound decisions that affect the internal and external practices of companies. the reporting process is useful in identifying gaps in practices, allowing companies to spot areas for improvement. following a standard industry-wide report forms the cornerstone of sustainable practices, allowing companies to reach out to stakeholders and policy-makers by being accountable for their actions.

as a guideline to global best practices within the sector, the first edition of the “oil and gas industry guidance on voluntary sustainability reporting” document was released in 2005, and since then, it has been the principal industry-

49


Oil and Gas

specific framework for the industry on reporting their environmental, health and safety, and social and economic performance.

the latest guideline is a slight revision of the first, including detailed “how-to” steps for reporters, clearer focus on assessing “material” issues, and improved technical indicators for sustainability performance.

as part of this process, an IPIeca reporting task force brought together an Independent stakeholder Panel made up of representatives from business, environmental and community-based ngos, investors, and institutions.

SuStainability in thiS Sector directly tranSlateS to long term Survival, which can only be achieved if the iSSue of climate change, depleting natural reSourceS, and Spillage criSeS are addreSSed and cared for.”

The guidelinethe Independent stakeholder Panel comprised of representatives from living earth, f&c asset management, International finance corporation, world resources Institute and a former industry executive. consultants were encouraged to be open and frank, including unedited statements at the beginning of the document for complete transparency.

the front section of the guidance asks companies to state how they are addressing key sustainability challenges as part of their business strategy by describing new investments, initiatives and goals. the document also calls

in for The long haulsustainability in oil and gas sector may puzzle those external to the industry. despite the large number of cynics who are quick to dole out criticism, the truth remains that this sector is likely to remain in the energy limelight for a while. any means to help the industry ration limited resources, branch out in research and development to innovate greener technologies, reach out to mitigate its impact on climate change, can be a positive step forward.

looking beyond the ‘oil and gas’ title, the industry can follow an energy services business model, which can create opportunities add clean energy into the mix.

sustainability in this sector directly translates to long term survival, which can only be achieved if the issue of climate change, depleting natural resources, and spillage crises are addressed and cared for.

The drawbackswith this rubric in place, the oil and gas industry have the template for benchmarking sustainable practices. however, the guideline doesn’t stress on minimum reporting standards as a requirement across the board. It also doesn’t mandate the need for companies to report their targets, which is essentially the first phase when adopting sustainable practices. Instead of just reporting what has been done and what is being done, companies in the sector could benefit both internally in their practices, and externally in strengthening their credibility in the public eye, by publishing their targets and goals from the outset. targets encourage progress, and allow for setting yardsticks for future development across the entire industry. data that is measured is more likely to be curbed, especially if it is made available to the public in ways that rewards leaders and frown upon the rest. at its best, reporting still remains a means to an end, where the end is an economically and environmentally sustainable future.

for forceful management, focussed reporting indicators, such as oil spills, and emergency response systems. key sustainability challenges, such as climate change are brought up right at the beginning, so that stakeholders can see what has been done to mitigate industry impact on climate change and what remains to be done.

key indicaTorsnew indicators on ecosystem services, process safety and additional social and economic indicators focusing on local content, suppliers and business partners were added in the new document. new best practices involving community engagement and outreach programmes were introduced as case studies, analysing its success and potential.

Transparency in reporting is especially important when dealing with environmental crises

50


Comment | BLASCHKE

have minimal impact on the environment, reduce the amount of construction waste, and operate efficiently with minimal energy use over the life of the building. The open communication of the team and the added collaboration tools offered by BIM are only part of the solution. There must still be a shift in the mindset and understanding of how projects are delivered and what we want out of our buildings. With knowledge, experience and hard work, we can get there and make the cities we are building enjoyable and efficient.

Enhancing design and construction

ConsTruCTIon projeCTs loCally and Beyond are BegInnIng To reCognIse The BurgeonIng IMporTanCe of BuIldIng InforMaTIon ModelIng (BIM). Charles BlasChke IV, Mep BIM Manager aT ITeCh holdIng, explaIns hoW WorkIng In InTegraTed TeaMs ThroughouT The desIgn and ConsTruCTIon proCess WhIle CapITalIsIng on BIM as a Tool, Is vITal for esTaBlIshIng a susTaInaBle BuIlT envIronMenT

In order to design, construct, and operate today’s complicated buildings, a better way of delivering projects is

needed. no longer can the traditional approach of teams in isolated ‘silos’ satisfy the demands of complex buildings and owner requirements. To ensure that we as an industry are providing the required services, while also being stewards of the environment, we need to work collaboratively in integrated teams to produce efficient green assets for clients to own, end-users to enjoy and society as a whole to benefit from.

Collaboration, integration and green are the popular buzzwords in the industry today. This is because people are beginning to realise that this method can deliver a successful project that is completed on time, and within budgetary constraints. as more projects are delivered using design-build (dB), and eventually integrated project delivery (Ipd) methods, more professionals around the world and locally see the benefits and are making the necessary change to use these contractual, management and process methods.

one part of the equation that helps to promote and facilitate integrated design and construction is the use of building information modeling (BIM). BIM is not a requirement or necessity of integrated design, rather a tool that enables and facilitates the integrated, collaborative process. using BIM does not mean it is an integrated process, and integrated teams do not have to use BIM; it is just a piece of the puzzle that makes the

process easier. slowly but surely BIM is being adopted in the Mena region by all disciplines and stakeholders, but not without resistance.

There are many examples of how BIM and an integrated approach have been successfully applied to projects both locally and around the world with great success. In the past two years, the iTech team has been involved in numerous projects that employ varying degrees of integrated delivery processes centered on the use of BIM. These projects include, but are not limited to heavy infrastructure, airports, hospitals, stadium, and retail, commercial, residential properties, including a private villa. In every case, these projects have shown very good results, and clients quickly realise the added benefits of using BIM in practice.

Many aeCo professionals are weary of leaving their comfort zone by shifting to an unknown process or software. With a proper understanding of the abilities and limitations of the technology and processes involved you can easily use BIM as an addition to the suite of tools that the company traditionally uses. These new methods have the ability to allow firms to take control of their design and construction tasks while creating a higher quality product.

This BIM-driven, integrated approach helps to ensure that buildings are designed efficiently, optimised for construction, and easily maintained over the lifecycle. This helps to create buildings, projects, and cities that are

To advertise please contact:

www.buildgreen.ae

LIAM WILLIAMSAssociate publisherEmail: [email protected]: +971 4 440 9158

HARRY NORMANBusiness Development ManagerEmail: [email protected]: +971 4 440 9142

PANKAJ R. SHARMABusiness Development ManagerEmail: [email protected]: +971 4 440 9120

LEILA EL MADALLAMarketing and AdministrationEmail: [email protected]: +971 4 440 9151

52


A t 250 kilometres per hour, the world’s fastest bus can shorten what is the bane of

many a commuter’s existence by an hour. Thousands of people commute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi every day, taking 90 minutes one-way on average. Adding to the fact that Sheikh Zayed road is the only road that connects the two Emirates AND that it merges into a three-lane route at the longest stretch of the trip (between Jebel Ali and Corniche), makes congestion a daily reality. Throw cruise control and road rage into the mix, and we’re looking at some serious problems in the long haul.

Human health and quality of life figure prominently under the umbrella of sustainability. At this rate, people living in one Emirate and working in another will lose more than just the time spent commuting and dealing with traffic—the stress factor can knock years out of the average life expectancy of this sizeable demographic.

Having public transportation as a viable option could encourage a lot of car owners to leave their metal steeds at home

once in a while. For inter-Emirate buses

to seem appealing, especially to corporate drones, the fleets need to

include state-of-the-art facilities,

much like the luxury buses that criss-cross the United States. Think “Gold Class” like on the Dubai

Dreaming at 250 km/h THiS moNTH, oUr GrEEN Spy CHECkS oUT THE viAbiliTy oF AN ElECTriC powErED SUpErbUS THAT CAN mAkE iNTEr-EmirATE TrAvEl SHorT AND SwEET

Society | GREEN SPY

Here’s a handy table we’ve compiled to help you plan your trip across the Emirates:Route To From Fare

(AED)Parking fees

Metro access

E306 Al Jubail, Sharjah Al Ghubaiba 5 Standard Yes (Al Ghubaiba)

E304 Al Satwa 5 Standard No (closest: Al Jafiliya)

E303 Union Square 5 Standard Yes (Union)

E307 Deira City Centre 5 Premium Yes (City Centre)

111 Rashidiya, Dubai Sharjah Airport 5 N.A N.A

113 Al Qusais, Dubai Al Jubail, Sharjah 5 N.A N.A

E100 Abu Dhabi Al Ghubaiba 20 Standard Yes (Al Ghubaiba)

E101 Ibn Battuta 20 Free Yes (Ibn Battuta)

600 Musafah, Abu Dhabi Ibn Battuta 15 Free Yes (Ibn Battuta)

600 Al Ain Al Ghubaiba 20 Standard Yes (Al Ghubaiba)

E400 Ajman Union Square 7 Standard Yes (Union)

E700 Fujairah Union Square 25 Standard Yes (Union)

600 Ras Al Khaimah Deira 20 Standard No (closest: Al Rigga)

E16 Hatta, Oman Al Sabkha 7 Standard No (closest: Al Rigga; Naif)

metro, with perhaps a refreshment cart and toilet facilities on board non-stop shuttle buses.

while buses within Dubai tend to lose out to the efficiency of the metro, inter-Emirate buses reportedly commute 1,009,919 passengers every month, and operate between 6am and 12am, with a frequency of 20 minutes on average. These buses are the standard no-frills kind.what about the superbus? Authorities in the Netherlands approved the model as road-ready in mid-June, meaning that this AED 32 million project is finally ready for public road tests, just a step away from zipping across the UAE.

The superbus is being developed at the Delft University of Technology under the direction of a former astronaut who is no stranger to defying odds. At full capacity, the bus can carry 23 passengers at an optimum speed, especially if it is

provided a separate lane. Debuting at a trade fair in Dubai last year, the concept of the electric-powered superbus in the UAE cause quite a stir. The vehicle went through demonstration runs at masdar City, which my top secret sources see as a positive sign. we can dream, can’t we?

Till next month, go green and prosper.

53


DIARY DATES | Society

Save the dateBGreen HiGHliGHTS EvENTS AND CoNFErENCES TAkiNG plACE iN THE ComiNG moNTHS

SuStainable SolutionS iiThe second edition of the industry-specific roundtable, jointly organised by BGreen and Emirates Green building Council will be held on 11 July. topic: climate change and SuStainable development

aRchideX and eco-b4-7 July, Kuala LumpurArCHiDEX 2012, now in its 13th year, is South East Asia’s leading summit and exhibition platform for design and construction. This year, it is colocated with ECo-b, the first malaysian sustainable design and construction exhibition. with four conferences spanning the four-day event, the exchange of information will be led by industry experts from 11 different countries.

global confeRence on global waRming8-12 July, IstanbulGCGw-12 is a multidisciplinary international conference on the global warming, climate change issues and potential solutions

mena SolaR poweR foRum 17-19 September, Abu DhabiThe forum will be focussing on creating an investor-friendly policy and regulatory environment for solar power in the mENA region; identifying robust models for propping up project finance within the current market structures; supporting the establishment of grid connection between mENA and the European market; developing innovative technologies that can leverage the strengths and adapt to the unique challenges of the mENA region; uncovering developments on current projects including ouarzazate, Sahara Forest and Desertec initiative

54


Society | SUSTAINABLE PAST

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Build Green Magazine Ad_JamesFINAL.pdf 8/30/10 12:26:46 PM

I nheriting arches from Greeks and Roman structures, Islamic architecture

furthered this motif to include uniquely Arab shapes, such as the horseshoe, multi-foil, pointed and ogee arches. Historians and architects credit the heavy use of arches in Islamic design to the cultural appreciation of the palm tree in Arab nations of the past. Many scholars also cite mysticism and spiritual symbolism in this affinity to arches as well, referring to the geometry of curves and the importance of domes in this line of reasoning.

The first recorded Islamic adaptation of the arch is the horseshoe arch at the Umayyad mosque in Damascus, built between 706 and 715 AD.

Later in the 8th century, the transverse arch came to being on site at Ukhaidir Palace. In the 11th century, these designs made it to Europe, setting a global motif that has lasted for centuries as an icon of Islamic design.

TheArabianarch

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Build Green Magazine Ad_JamesFINAL.pdf 8/30/10 12:26:46 PM

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