Traditional Construction for a Modern and Sustainable Future

Take Egypt for example which is also the oldest civilisation. Vernacular architecture picked up in more ways than one growing organically in keeping with the need of the people and this was also a time when identity was neglected, changed and stereotyped. Socio-economic and cultural problems emerged as the transition from the traditional to the modern period took place. Drastic changes in the urban settlement were seen with the advent of the colonial style when the traditional courtyard house disappeared and new constructions of single-family homes were erected. These dwellings proved to be completely unsuitable for the harsh climate. And this called for a serious re-think. Should we fast forward to the present century we see the use of traditional elements quite ably employed in modern architecture, the classic example being that of the American University of Cairo? Architect Abdel Halim Ibrahim designed the City of Learning to cater to 7000 students. The plan comprised elements of vernacular architecture which includes cooling elements like courtyards and wind catchers. They also provide cross ventilation.

Similarly in Yemen, in the city of Sana’a traditional architecture was considered unique from other cities because a traditional house in Sanaa was a multi-storeyed home consisting of 5 to 7 floors and constructed from stone or both stone and mud brick. It was considered a model of traditional architecture that was highlighted further by its coherent urban fabric which includes markets, mosques and hotels surrounded by fences. The house design was considered sustainable design has given that it was built of stone and mud and the facades were ornamental which overlooked a backyard with a small farm to work on a kitchen garden. The window openings were created in a way that the wood or stone used to cover it would block the extra heat and provide privacy.

The University of Qatar has employed a campus design that employed local architecture where covered courtyards and the malkaf is used for ventilation and cooling. So popular is the design that even the city of Masdar has employed the use of the Mashrabiya and the Malkaf rather extensively. It is no small feat then the incubator building of Abu Dhabi is also LEED certified.

“Despite Saudi Arabia’s extreme climate, KAUST has been able to achieve a LEED Platinum ranking. Not only will sustainable initiatives have an effect once the building has been finished, but also during the construction phase, with developers using 38% locally-sourced and 20% recycled materials. It’s basically a great project, and one that paves the way for many more in this part of the world – the fact that it has been built in Saudi Arabia is fantastic.”

Should we look at the modern environmentally sustainable design (also called environmentally conscious design, eco-design, etc.) we see it as the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of ecological sustainability and also aimed at improving the health and comfortability of occupants in a building.  Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative climate impact and has a two-fold objective, one to cater to the health and well-being of building occupants, and two to improve building performance. The primary objectives of sustainability include the need to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

If anything has enraptured the people of the 21st century, it is the growing need for a sound environmental consciousness. The understanding that the human race is under threat by virtue of its laxity towards the environment is a feeling that has grown at a pace like never before. The Middle East is no different. For decades they have lived off non-renewable sources.

Whole industries aim to convert their approach to protect the environment and future generations. The construction industry is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, representing 40% of the world's total. The built environment uses 40-50% of global energy and produces 50% of landfill waste with disruption of habitat by the loss of around 80% of the land. (Dixon, 2010.) As the pressure rises, leaders of the world have realised that transforming the way we build and live is mandatory to protect the world we live in. Sustainable construction is a new requirement all over the world.

There are six principles of sustainable design according to the National Institute of Building Sciences and each principle incorporates a unique set of strategies. The first principle is Energy conservation where energy consumption is improved and renewable energy resources like solar power, wind energy, etc, are used. The use of solar panels in UAE homes is rare, despite abundant sunshine. But with momentum building, the company behind Sustainable City, Dubai-based Diamond Developers, hopes it will become a blueprint for other residential ventures.

The second principle is indoor environment quality. Enhancing the quality of the interiors by designing the building in accordance with environment-controlled ventilation and humidity as well as improving the thermal and acoustic performance of the building and urban design makes it sustainable. Buildings rely on a properly designed ventilation system (passively/naturally or mechanically powered) to provide adequate ventilation of cleaner air from outdoors or recirculated, filtered air as well as isolated operations (kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other occupancies. In Greater Cairo, while assessing the housing interior sustainability it was concluded  that, In becoming familiar with new trends and technologies

supporting environmental protection, residents will adopt them; that should help them in their everyday

lives thus increasing their overall wellbeing. Therefore, it is a complete cycle, sustainable environments

(macro or micro) being a general demand, suppliers will provide proper materials and developers will

make sure they deliver the required housing.

Jesus Sancho told Construction Week, “To achieve this [Read: Sustainable Construction], it is essential to have stable regulatory environments that attract investment towards projects that foster sustainability, mitigation, adaption, resilience, and transformation – [in a nutshell,] smart projects. It is possible to have a business model that is environment-friendly, positive for society, and profitable at the same time.”

The third principle in sustainable design and construction is the use of environmentally friendly building materials. Conservation of materials through the reuse and recycling of natural resources used in the building. The Dubai Expo 2020 pavilion is said to produce up to 22,000 litres of water per day by using an atmospheric humidity harvesting system to suck moisture from the air and turn it into water. The use of recycled greywater will help meet the water production target.

 "Sustainability in the construction sector can be achieved not only through the use of sustainable materials and the integration of energy efficiency frameworks, but also by applying a lean construction culture from the bottom up," Monjid Othman Abdulmajeed, CEO of Qatari construction company RC Al-Mana, told OBG.

The fourth principle involves the people, the residents and their psychological and physiological needs by improving the environmental and social performance of the urban design. Salama states, “sustainability or sustainable design is simply a rephrasing of some of the forgotten values of traditional architecture and urbanism." In addition to offering low-emission transit options and its own renewable energy supply, the developers of Masdar City say that all of the city's buildings, which will house 50,000 people and 40,000 jobs and student placements, will be built with low-carbon concrete which caters to the fifth sustainable principle of space and 90% recycled aluminum and other sustainable materials. These new buildings will use 40 percent less water compared to standards set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

Through the integration of the site with the design of the building to achieve sustainability and harmony - the sixth principle: Generalization and inclusiveness. It is stated that when it comes to the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040, “Launched in March, the plan is a comprehensive blueprint for future sustainable urban development in the emirate. It aims to design Dubai in a way that will enable it to effectively accommodate its growing population, which is expected to increase from 3.3 million to 5.8 million over the next two decades. Dubai is placing a high value on leisure and recreation, with green and recreational areas set to double in size by 2040, and rural reserves and natural areas to account for 60% of the emirate's total area. According to Commercial Interior Design, “When Lulu Group, a UAE-headquartered retailer with operations across the Middle East, wanted to introduce a new shopping mall to Dubai’s Silicon Oasis neighborhood, London-based architecture firm Design International was chosen to translate its vision into the new ‘statement architecture’

The commitment to sustainable construction in the Middle East is very real. According to ASGC, With the world population set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, the growing number of people will place greater strain on resources and services. While the number of people living in the Gulf’s capital cities of Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Manama, and Muscat pale in comparison to the populations of megacities such as China, India, and Nigeria, the GCC will, as other regions, face the pressure of urbanisation. Its sustainable construction sector will be the key to building cities that can cope with the challenges of tomorrow.

No one could have put it better than Greg Fewer, chief financial and sustainability officer at Aldar Properties who said, "An effective sustainability policy requires the establishment of an accurate baseline based on properly captured, selected and analysed data. While this is a demanding process that requires considerable investment and time, it is vitally important in establishing measurable targets and key performance indicators designed to lead to tangible results. Without this, talk of sustainability falls into the realm of greenwashing."