14th EmiratesGBC Annual Congress calls for bold collaborative approach to achieve 1.5C
The two-day event was held under the title 'Mission to 1.5C: Be Bold on Buildings'
Bearys Global was the Platinum Sponsor and Green Way Environmental Consultants was the Gold Sponsor of the 14th EmiratesGBC Congress
Dubai, UAE: In recognition of the urgency of the climate crisis, the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) hosted their 14th Annual Congress recently, bringing together regulators, industry and academia to accelerate actions towards achieving the 1.5C. The Congress' agenda was formulated in line with the release of the UAE Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) and the Global Green Building Council network's call on governments to be bold on buildings at COP29.
Held across two days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi under the title, 'Mission to 1.5C: Be Bold on Buildings ', the EmiratesGBC Annual Congress 2025 advocated for bold policy changes as well as a market shift toward sustainability aligning with the Net Zero by 2050 roadmap. Through in-depth discussions, the Congress assessed the current state of the built environment, set short-, medium- and long-term targets, in alignment with the UAE's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) that focuses on emissions reduction, energy efficiency, renewable energy integration and climate resilience. By showcasing data-driven insights and cutting-edge innovations needed for meaningful progress, the Congress was able to demonstrate that the built environment plays a key role in achieving national climate goals and enhancing resilience to climate impacts.
The event was structured around four key themes that reflect the UAE's advancing leadership in sustainable development: The UAE Commitment – Enhancing Ambitions through NDCs, Climate Finance as Enabler, Efficiency, Resilience, and Adaptation and The Building Breakthrough.
Participants shared case studies, products, and processes that accelerate this transition, ensuring a practical and results-oriented approach. The Congress advocated for actionable local initiatives including piloting sustainable programs, optimizing buildings with AI, aligning finance with carbon goals and measurable outcomes such as cutting emissions by almost 80% by 2035, ensuring global ambition is met with concrete local impact.
The welcome and keynote address by Khaled Bushnaq, Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council, set the tone for the event focused on advancing climate action through the built environment. Reaffirming EmiratesGBC's role as a catalyst for collaboration and a hub of excellence to drive sustainability in the UAE's built environment, he said; 'This Congress is not just another event on the calendar, it is the flagship platform where we pause, reflect, and challenge ourselves to go further. Fourteen years of convening leaders across government, business, academia, and civil society has taught us one thing: progress happens when we come together with purpose.'
During the event, Mohammad Jebreel, Vice-Chair of EmiratesGBC, officially announced the release of the EmiratesGBC Market Brief 2024 offering a comprehensive snapshot of the UAE's green building landscape.
Participants and speakers stressed the urgency of implementing actionable changes needed to align the local built environment with the UAE's climate commitment. The UAE's updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and upcoming reporting mandates for 2025, were highlighted to showcase how organizations can align with national net-zero targets while future-proofing their investments.
The presentation on ' UAE 3D Digital Twin to Improve Livability and Sustainability in Cities' highlighted how the UAE's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is utilizing its advanced 3D Digital Twin Platform for sustainable urban development and improved quality of life in cities.
The Dubai Land Department introduced the methodology behind the Smart Residential Rent Index and its growing alignment with sustainability considerations.
Syed Mohamed Beary, Chairman, Bearys Global (Platinum Sponsor), added: 'As global awareness around sustainability grows, Bearys Global stands at the forefront merging design excellence with environmental integrity. Our participation at EGBC reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering green buildings that aren't just future ready, but future defining.'
EmiratesGBC members also discussed how the Building Breakthrough initiative is driving global climate action, showcasing the pivotal role of leading industry players in accelerating sustainability efforts within the built environment. The Congress delved into the role of innovative technologies and key enablers to help new buildings achieve net zero operational emissions by 2030 and for existing buildings by 2050.
With 250+ attendees and 50+ speakers, the congress addressed key issues pertaining to achieving sustainability through the built environment. Offering exhibition space for stakeholders and university students, the Congress brought together the entire ecosystem to drive actionable change. During the two-day event they also announced the opening of applications for the MENA Green Building Awards and EmiratesGBC Membership Forum, encouraging members to join for collaboration and knowledge exchange in keeping with EmiratesGBC's call for a multi-sector approach to championing green building practices.
About Emirates Green Building Council:
The Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) was founded in June 2006, and became the 8th full member of the World Green Building Council in September 2006. EmiratesGBC promotes and educates on green issues in the built environment and is the official body for the UAE endorsed by the World Green Building Council. EmiratesGBC currently has around 170 members in the UAE which represents 1000s of individuals interested and involved in Green Building in the UAE and the region. In addition, EmiratesGBC members receive discounts on a number of programmes such as those related to conferences, seminars, training and green building events.
For more information:
Nivine William
Burson
Nivine.william@bursonglobal.com
bursonglobal.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
13 minutes ago
- Zawya
UAE employees outperform European peers in cyber readiness: Cohesity study
A new study on 'Employee readiness to confront Cyber threats' has revealed that the UAE workforce surpasses its European peers across several key cyber readiness indicators. This progress highlights the UAE's significant strides toward achieving its national vision for digital resilience and AI-powered cyber defence. The study reflects the active efforts and sustained investments by the UAE government to strengthen its national cybersecurity capabilities, including developing regulatory frameworks and infrastructure. Among the notable milestones is the implementation of advanced threat detection systems, under the supervision of the UAE Cyber Security Council, positioning the country as a regional model in cyber preparedness. Conducted by Cohesity, a leading AI-powered data security firm, the study assessed full-time employees in the UAE, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. It evaluated their confidence in detecting and responding to cyberattacks. The results showed that 86% of UAE employees expressed confidence in their ability to identify cyber threats, higher than the UK (81%), Germany (80%), and France (62%). Furthermore, nearly 89% of UAE respondents said they trust their organisations' ability to prevent and recover from cyberattacks. Encouraging behavioural indicators also emerged, with two-thirds of UAE employees stating they would report suspicious activity to their organisation's cybersecurity team. This compares to 61% in the UK, 53% in Germany, and 48% in France. Over half of the UAE respondents also said they would notify their IT department directly. This proactive approach is attributed to continuous awareness and training programmes, with 66% of UAE employees reporting they had received some form of cybersecurity training within the past year. Johnny Karam, Managing Director and Vice President, International Emerging Region at Cohesity, commented, 'The findings reflect the UAE's clear leadership in cybersecurity readiness across the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. With initiatives driven by the UAE Cybersecurity Council and a strong national focus on AI and digital transformation, it's no surprise that employee awareness is rising in step with enterprise investment.' Mark Molyneux, CTO, EMEA at Cohesity, added, 'These findings confirm what we're seeing across the region: employees are increasingly aware of cyber risks and are willing to step up, which is largely due to the UAE Cyber Security Council's approach to increasing security awareness across the UAE." 'In fast-moving threat environments, AI-powered data security is not a luxury, it's an operational necessity,' he said.
Khaleej Times
34 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Emirates says full shift from DXB to Al Maktoum Airport will take up to 3 days
Emirates will be migrating operations from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport in a maximum of three days after the latter is functional, said a senior official on Monday. 'There will be a short period of time where we're going to migrate from here (DXB) to there (Al Maktoum). The system and the part there will be completely independent of what we have here. The operation of it might be done overnight. I don't think it'll be a prolonged transition period between DXB and Al Maktoum Airport. Once we have everything functional there, it's just a matter of shutting down here and moving there. It might require, I think, a day or two, maximum, three days,' said Adel Al Redha, deputy president and chief operations officer of Emirates Airline. He was speaking during a fireside chat at the ForsaTEK 2025 – an annual event hosted by Emirates Group to showcase its innovation, proof of concepts, technology and start-up ecosystems. In April 2024, Dubai announced that all operations at Dubai International will relocate to Dh128-billion Al Maktoum Airport upon completion in 10 years. As reported by Khaleej Times earlier, Dubai has already started awarding contracts for the construction of the new airport which will have a capacity to handle 260 million passengers annually when it is fully operational. Al Redha also gave a peek into how passengers will seamlessly complete the immigration process.
Zawya
35 minutes ago
- Zawya
Deloitte study reveals Middle East youth are rewriting the rules of success, seeking money, meaning, and well-being
Gen Zs and millennials are focused on growth and learning, but they believe their managers are missing the mark on key areas of their development. Only 6% of Gen Zs say their primary career goal is to reach a senior leadership position. Middle East – As one of the world's youngest regions in terms of its demographics, the Middle East is at the forefront of a generational shift in workforce values. Young people in the region are prioritizing financial stability, personal purpose, and mental well-being over traditional markers of success such as climbing the corporate ladder, according to the 14th edition of Deloitte Global's Gen Z and Millennial Survey. The survey findings are particularly relevant for the Middle East, where over 60% of the population is under the age of 30: in Saudi Arabia alone, two-thirds of nationals fall within this age group, while nearly half of the UAE's population is between 15 and 35.[1] Mutasem Dajani, CEO of Deloitte Middle East, commented, 'As our region navigates the ongoing economic and social transformation, as well as the disruption caused by emerging technologies, it's imperative for organizations to recognize and adapt to the priorities of our youth. On top of financial stability our youth today are expressing a need for a sense of personal purpose, which is essential for their mental well-being and career satisfaction. At Deloitte, we are committed to supporting young talent by fostering an environment that empowers them to thrive and enjoy meaningful careers.' Deloitte's global study is based on responses from over 23,000 Gen Z and millennial participants across 44 countries. Three-quarters of respondents in these generations believe GenAI will transform their work in the coming year. Gen Zs and millennials are using GenAI more frequently, prioritizing training to boost their skills, and seeing improvements in their work quality. More than half already use GenAI in their day-to-day work, with 29% of Gen Zs and 30% of millennials using it all or most of the time. However, more than 60% of youth worry GenAI will eliminate jobs and are motivated to seek jobs that they perceive as safe from GenAI-driven disruption. Working alongside GenAI, more than eight in 10 Gen Zs and millennials say developing soft skills, like empathy and leadership, is even more important for career advancement than honing technical skills. Yet only 6% of Gen Zs say reaching senior leadership is their top career goal. Instead, they are gravitating toward roles that allow for learning, growth, and balanced living. Notably, these generations are questioning the value of higher education. Around one-quarter expressed concerns about the relevance of the curriculum to the job market, and the practical experience it offers. The pursuit of money, meaning, and well-being When asked about the factors that impact their career decisions, Gen Zs and millennials gave responses that fell into three categories: money, meaning, and well-being. The Deloitte survey underscores that these areas are tightly interconnected as respondents seek to find the right balance. Financial insecurity is on the rise: nearly half of Gen Zs (48%) and millennials (46%) do not feel financially secure, up from 30% of Gen Zs and 32% of millennials in last year's survey. The survey data also reinforces that without financial security, Gen Zs and millennials are less likely to have a positive sense of mental well-being and less likely to feel their work is meaningful. Moreover, purpose influences job satisfaction. Roughly nine in 10 Gen Zs (89%) and millennials (92%) consider a sense of purpose to be important to their job satisfaction and well-being. Among those who report positive mental well-being, 67% of Gen Zs and 72% of millennials feel their job allows them to make a meaningful contribution to society compared to 44% of Gen Zs and 46% of millennials who report poor mental well-being. Rana Salhab, People & Purpose Managing Partner at Deloitte Middle East said: 'Gen Zs and millennials are rebalancing priorities at work, amid a dynamic business landscape that is being constantly reshaped by technologies such as AI. What we're seeing in the Middle East is a redefinition of ambition, not a lack of it. Younger people want to build careers that are aligned with their aspirations. It's a powerful call for more human-centered leadership, one that is thoughtful about the impact of technology and supporting the workforce while advancing organizational goals.' To learn more, read the full report here: About Deloitte Global 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey Deloitte's 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reflects the responses of 14,751 Gen Zs (born between 1995 January and 2006 December*) and 8,731 millennials (born between 1983 January and 1994 December). In total, 23,482 respondents were surveyed from 44 countries across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The survey was conducted using an online, self-complete-style interview between 25 October and 24 December 2024. The report includes quotes from survey respondents, attributed by generation and gender, who answered open-ended questions, as well as from participants in one-on-one, ethnography style, qualitative interviews conducted separately from the online survey between 19 December 2024 and 10 January 2025. *Gen Zs are typically defined as being born between January 1995 and December 2010, but this study does not include respondents younger than 18, so each year the definition of Gen Zs in this survey shifts a year to include all adult Gen Zs © 2025 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.). All rights reserved. In this press release references to 'Deloitte' are references to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ('DTTL') a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see for a detailed description of the legal structure of DTTL and its member firms. The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press. About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) LLP: Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) LLP ('DME') is the affiliate for the territories of the Middle East and Cyprus of Deloitte NSE LLP ('NSE'), a UK limited liability partnership and member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'). DME is a leading professional services organization established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence since 1926. DME's presence in the Middle East region is established through its affiliated independent legal entities, which are licensed to operate and to provide services under the applicable laws and regulations of the relevant country. DME's affiliates and related entities cannot oblige each other and/or DME, and when providing services, each affiliate and related entity engages directly and independently with its own clients and shall only be liable for its own acts or omissions and not those of any other affiliate. DME provides services throughout 23 offices in 15 countries with more than 7,000 partners, directors and staff. About Deloitte: Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ('DTTL'), its global network of member firms, and their related entities (collectively, the 'Deloitte organization'). DTTL (also referred to as 'Deloitte Global') and each of its member firms and related entities are legally separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm sand related entity is liable only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of each other. DTTL, NSE and DME do not provide services to clients. Please see to learn more. Deloitte provides Audit & Assurance, Tax & Legal and Consulting and related services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500® and thousands of private companies. Our professionals deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable society and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 457,000 people worldwide make an impact that matters at Bassel Barakat External Communications |PR and Media Lead Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) bbarakat@ |
