Emirates Green Building Council to host networking event

Emirates Green Building Council (Emirates GBC), an organisation aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices in the UAE, will host its monthly network event on Monday, May 30, 2011, from 7 to 8.30pm at the Metropolitan Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.

William Whistler, Managing Director of Green Building Solutions International will be the guest speaker at the event. In his speech titled, ‘We are building refrigerators inside ovens,’ Whistler will emphasise on the role of the building envelope in reducing energy demand.

Adnan Sharafi, Chairman, Emirates GBC, said: “The Emirates GBC networking events are today among the most-awaited platforms that highlight the concerns of the various stakeholders in promoting sustainable development initiatives. There are varied aspects to be considered in green building development, and continued dialogue and industry interaction are imperative to setting a common ground to accomplish the UAE’s vision for green building development.”

He added: “William Whistler is an expert in best practices for green building development, and his lecture will focus on one of the critical components in building sustainability – the components of the structural envelope. The external envelope of buildings can play a decisive role in driving energy use efficiency, and he will bring new insights on the topic at the networking session.”

New regional sustainability codes are increasingly underscoring the role of the building envelope in reducing energy demand. This is particularly relevant for the Middle East region with high ambient air temperatures. A quality design can be impaired by poor construction supervision or materials substitution, which adds to the thermodynamic stress on the building envelope system.

To attend the networking event, please email office@emiratesgbc.org. Admission fees are AED 50 for Emirates GBC members and AED 150 for non-members.

Emirates GBC, currently operating from its new office M-20 at Al Joud Center on Sheikh Zayed Road, has been hosting and participating in multinational events, conferences and forums since its inception in 2006. The Council has developed a suite of activities including technical workshops, focus days and training on specific issues related to the built-environment that meet the needs of its members, of the UAE community, and the wider Middle East.