Executive Director of ENPARK Stresses Returns Override Investments in Going Green at MEED Green Buildings and Sustainability Conference

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• Green Premium for DIAC LEED Silver Building is only 0.08%

 
Dubai – The recent green initiatives launched by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Division (SEED) of TECOM Investments have proven unequivocally that the costs of going green should not be considered a barrier to implementing the standards, according to Ali Bin Towaih, Executive Director of SEED, and ENPARK, the energy and environment park and a member of TECOM Investments.
 
Bin Towaih’s comments came during his keynote speech at the recently held MEED Green Building and Sustainability Conference in Dubai that investigated the latest regulatory developments as well as key projects in the region that conform to green building standards.
 
In attendance at the conference were representatives from various Dubai government departments, highlighting the important role played by government departments in creating a sustainable society.
 
As part of his presentation on TECOM’s sustainability initiatives, Bin Towaih, a leader in the sustainability industry in the MENA region, highlighted how in today’s economic environment, many companies assume that they cannot afford to go green. 
 
He said: “Contrary to the long held assumption that going green merely adds to your Capex, it is clear from the numerous projects successfully completed by TECOM that this is definitely not the case. In fact, going green has saved us money, and not merely in the long-term. We have, on the other hand, seen immediate returns on our environment-friendly initiatives.
 
“As a case in point is TECOM’s management office, which we have transformed into the greenest commercial interior in the Middle East by achieving the LEED platinum certification. The green premium of this project was an incredible 0.48 per cent. Another example is the DIAC LEED Silver a project which had a green premium of only 0.08%.”
 
Pointing out the lessons TECOM has learned in its various initiatives, Bin Towaih concluded: “The importance of early coordination through integrated project teams cannot be stressed enough. The successful LEED certification of these projects can be largely attributed to the integrated team work, starting at the very early stage of the project.
 
“Moreover, developing a set of green fit-out guidelines would be a great value to any organization, especially when a large number of offices are renovated every year. Standardizing the green features that are most important to an organization can achieve smoother certification.”
 
As part of its fit-out guidelines, TECOM ensured that no materials were sent to the landfill. In-fact, all of the materials that can be reused were donated to charities and put to other uses.
 
TECOM Investments’ Sustainable Development Report 2008, the first of its kind to be released by a company based in the Middle East, offers valuable case study and practical examples on how to implement a Sustainable Development Policy and is available for download from www.enpark.ae.
 

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