The Green Building Certifications In The Middle East:
The construction sector in the Middle East is beginning to pay more attention to green building rating systems which offer green building certifications. The last 15 years have seen a rise in the creation and use of regional green building rating systems. Attempts to get on board with the global green movement have led to the creation of such systems in a number of countries. As well as helping to create a more environmentally friendly and resilient built environment, green buildings offer numerous advantages to their owners and occupants. One can easily identify a green building by its reduced initial investment, lower monthly operating costs, and decreased maintenance costs.
Green Building Certifications
The Pearl Rating System (PRS)
The Pearl Rating System is Abu Dhabi’s official green building rating system, and it’s meant to encourage sustainable practices across the board, from the planning stages to the building’s eventual occupancy. It specifies how one should evaluate a project on sustainability and what must be included in the evaluation. The Pearl Rating System is a government program in Abu Dhabi that focuses on cultural and social norms to improve the quality of life in the city. The rating system was made with Abu Dhabi’s climate in mind.
Global Sustainability Assessment System
Gulf Organization for Research and Development and the T.C. Chan Center at the University of Pennsylvania created the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) in 2010. It was previously known as the Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS). The goal of GSAS is to create a more sustainable urban environment by minimizing the negative effects of construction on the natural environment while still meeting the needs of the local population. The Green Building Assessment Tool is touted as the most thorough assessment globally because it was formulated after carefully considering 40 green building codes from different countries. The region’s unique social, economic, environmental, and cultural characteristics are recognized as the primary focus of GSAS.
ARZ Building Rating System
The Lebanon Green Building Council oversees the certification process for the ARZ Building Rating System, which is the first international-standard green building initiative in Lebanon. Specifically, it aims to promote the development of a commercial building environmental assessment and rating system in Lebanon. LGBC’s Lebanese professionals collaborated with the International Finance Corp. to create the ARZ Green Building Rating System. The goal of this system is to reduce waste while increasing productivity. Evidence-based assessment of a building’s greenness sets the ARZ rating system apart. The system entails LGBC’s requirements for the technologies, techniques, procedures, and energy consumption levels in green buildings.
Takeaways
The goal of Green Building certifications in the Middle East is to make buildings more efficient so that utilities, water, and building materials cost less and the public’s health, safety, and well-being are improved. This can be achieved by changing how buildings are planned, designed, built, and run.
