As green building standards and sustainable construction practices are being increasingly implemented across the Middle East, there is great interest in the region about upcoming new legislation and how it will affect the industry.

The Middle East Construction Forum taking place as part of Hardware+Tools Middle East, will spotlight the changes that have shaped the industry and will take a look ahead as to how the industry will be shaped into the future.

Presenting the inaugural address at the Forum, Essa Al Maidoor, Assistant Director for Engineering and Planning at Dubai Municipality, and President of the Society of Engineers – UAE, will provide an overview of the Dubai Municipality Code for Green Buildings and Sustainability, and pen a picture of what the future holds for the construction industry in the region.

“Sustainability regulations have been put in place over the years to minimize the negative effect on the envi-ronment,“ said Al Maidoor. “In Dubai we started with waste water treatment and domestic waste disposal. We then worked on minimizing the emission of CFCs, especially in terms of paint and paint products. These regulations were implemented in 2001.“

“We then worked at improving the cooling capacity and energy required to cool a building. These regulations were enforced in 2003. In 2008 things became more comprehensive with the introduction of the Green Building Regulation whereby new buildings had to start complying with all of the above regulations.“

“Today, after reviewing global best practices we are working in collaboration with DEWA and have developed further green regulations which will be fully implemented for new buildings by 2013,“ Al Maidoor added.

These new regulations will cover the following main focus areas: Building design – eg no. of windows installed, orientation of building to the sun etc; Vitality of internal conditions (lighting, air quality); Material used and recycling; Energy; and Water.

The two-day Middle East Construction Forum, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 8th and 9th is a popular complement to Hardware+Tools Middle East, the only decidated trade fair and conference for hardware, tools, materials and machinery in the Middle East. Organised jointly by the Society of Engineers – UAE and Epoc Messe Frankfurt, the Forum has drawn a great response from engineers, architects, project managers, contractors and consultants as well as government officials, designers and facility managers. The Forum features a panel of leading industry experts speaking about the latest trends and developments in the industry.

“As the only dedicated trade event for the hardware, tools and machinery industries, Hardware+Tools Middle East has a footprint covering the regional construction industry,” said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of organiser Epoc Messe Frankfurt. “The Middle East Construction Forum plays a vital role in the progress and development of the local industry by turning the spotlight on the key issues that impact the region and by enabling interaction between regional industry professionals and leading international experts,” he added.

ENDS

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