Sustainable solutions from design to construction paving way in Middle East sector

It is now commonly accepted that manmade carbon emissions are raising global temperatures, which in turn poses a serious threat to the planet's ecosystems and the survival of its inhabitants. That's why it's crucial to combat climate change now, before it leads to more severe droughts and water shortages.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to some of the world's most unique and recognisable architectural creations, including skyscrapers, palaces, and luxurious hotels. Although the building industry is a major source of global carbon emissions, how are UAE architects addressing the issue of changing weather patterns?

Climate change and its impact on building design

Engineers and architects usually take the weather conditions into account while designing a project. Their blueprints provide for the wide temperature, precipitation, and wind swings that might occur in various seasons, as well as the possibility of earthquakes and floods. However, the building's or infrastructure's design will no longer be functional if the projected levels significantly climb or decrease.

Increasingly extreme weather is expected as a result of climate change, and certain alterations, such as a rise in average air temperature, may become permanent. Buildings can collapse and roads can bleed if made of materials like metal or bitumen, which can melt, expand, or stretch beyond their tolerance range as temperatures rise. Buildings that are supported by clay soil are also at risk since the ground beneath them can fracture or collapse as a result of increasing rainfall leading to water absorption and subsequent hardening and shrinkage of the ground.

Middle East taking strides forward

To a significant degree, the environmental conditions under which buildings and infrastructure are built to function are shifting as a result of climate change. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a number of strategic plans, such as the Dubai 2040 Urban Master plan, which lays out a comprehensive plan for sustainable urban development in Dubai, to prevent additional damage and reduce the consequences of uncontrolled and extreme weather. Sustainable environment and infrastructure is one of the United Arab Emirates' Vision 21 national priorities. The goals of this programme are to enhance environmental quality by reducing pollution and conserving water supplies, boost the use of renewable energy in construction, and promote sustainable development. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) needs innovative architecture to develop ideas for buildings and infrastructure that can endure the changing environment.

Conventional dwellings and the future metropolis

This means that reducing energy use to the barest minimum is the primary objective, and that traditional homes may provide the key.

Many older homes in hot regions were built in a way that allowed for natural temperature regulation. Tiny paned windows, perforated metal mashrabiya screens, private courtyards, wind towers... All of these conventional building practises were effective at regulating temperature and light levels.

How, therefore, can techniques like these be used in today's more metropolitan settings?

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is a prime instance of this type of progressive metropolis. Built in the heart of the desert, this futuristic metropolis relies heavily on Saint-Gobain products and solutions and blends modern and traditional building practises by employing photovoltaic panels, a wind tower, and small streets to create a comfortable microclimate.

Saint-Gobain's first Multi Confort house in the Middle East is set to open in the near future in Masdar City. This 400 square metre building will serve as a showroom for Saint-Gobain products and a training facility for our staff and clients, and will be a true demonstration of the Group's expertise.

Saint-Gobain Weber's external thermal insulation system, tinted glass, and GLASROC X, the latest innovation from Saint-Gobain Gyproc, along with Ecobuild from Saint-Gobain Isover, all contribute to the MCH and help to further the Group's policy of inter-company cooperation.

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, a new architectural and energy challenge is rising in the form of the one-kilometer-high Jeddah Tower, which has surpassed Burj Khalifa in the race to create the highest structures in the world, and where, once again, Saint-Gobain solutions will make a difference.

Natural Possibilities and Open Doors

Natural potentials for sustainable development exist in the urban areas of the Middle East as well:

The region's growing cities and dense populations present a unique opportunity to install very cost-effective small-scale energy distribution networks;

Energy-efficient building designs can be informed by the region's rich history of traditional building styles;

It is possible that renewable energy systems could be successfully implemented and incorporated into the built environment due to the region's vast sun and wind resources.

In addition to these untapped possibilities, the renewed focus on sustainable development among regional governments, NGOs, and professional groups offers further avenues for growth. So far, this focus has manifested itself in initiatives to construct sustainable development organisations and legislation applicable to the built environment.

To give just one example, the government of Morocco has just announced the creation of a national charter for sustainable development and the environment, while the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Jordan have all begun implementing energy efficiency criteria for buildings. To advance sustainable design and create or import green building grading systems, NGOs and professional groups in Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have formed green building councils.

Other governments, such as those of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, have begun commissioning sustainable design pilot projects and are exploring offering financial incentives for energy-efficient buildings and modest renewable energy installations to make them commercially feasible.

These improvements and new possibilities suggest that the Middle East is slowly but surely moving in the direction of more sustainable growth. However, they need to make use of these strengths if they are to prevail over the difficulties we've just discussed. The region's problems call for a shared effort from governments, NGOs, professional groups, and the general public to address the urgent need for change and foster sustainable development. The region may gain much insight from the progress made by other emerging nations that have adopted sustainable development, but it will need to forge its own path if it is to provide a secure future for its people.