Going green from ground up

Dubai: Sustainable building rules need to be fast tracked in Dubai otherwise hundreds of buildings will miss out on standards to make them ecologically-friendly structures, the founder of the World Green Building Council said recently in the UAE. The minimum rating in Dubai for all buildings should also be raised from certified level to Silver level immediately, added David Gottfried, founder of the World Green Building Council and creator of the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) rating system. He also believes solar power will only be successful here if residents are given the capacity to reroute energy to the national grid if they wish to integrate alternative energy sources into their homes. Gottfried is close to completing his own carbon-free home in Los Angeles. He is able to make money from the energy his home generates from solar panels on the roof by routing it back to the national grid, he said. "I want to educate people on how to green the economy," he told Gulf News. "Any buildings that do not apply themselves to the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design rating system will be devalued in the future," he said. "In fact they can use any ratings system but they should do it now." Gottfried believes that all buildings can aim to be ecologically friendly. Buildings that are not certified will be classified as 'B' buildings, not 'A' buildings, he said. "They will be a liability," he said. "It's negligence." Once a building is registered with an intent to become LEED certified, the process can take from two to six years before it is built. According to Gottfried, the ratings systems in Dubai should be raised so that the minimum rating is at Silver level. Point system LEED certification operates on a point system, rating buildings on their energy and water efficiency and indoor air quality, to name a few. The UAE Green Buildings Council is in the process of putting together a country-specific set of standards which offers more points for water conservation, for example. All buildings, old or new should be working to achieve a certain goal that limits their impact in the environment. "No matter how toxic you are, you are in the game and then you can improve," said Gottfried. "Buildings on reclaimed land could also qualify as green buildings. I am not happy with what has happened, but you can only look forward - there is no food growing on there, no solar power or water collection, but they can still get in the game." Currently no buildings in the UAE meet certified operating standards. Book exchange campaign in Turkey Dubai:  The Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman reported that a new book exchange campaign was to be launched by the Ministry of Education in Turkey. The purpose of this campaign is to save millions of trees, protect the environment, and contribute to the country's economy. The Ministry distributes over 155 million brand new books to students in Turkey annually. Most of these books are thrown out at the end of the academic year. With the new project, books will be given to students temporarily and they will be returned at the end of the educational term. The cost of these books to the Turkish public is more than $800 million (Dh 2.9 billion) per year. The Ministry expects to save more than 1.27 million trees every year with this project. It will contribute to Turkey's economy by saving $110 million annually. The project is also expected to save 307 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 29 million tons of water. - Compiled by Rabab Khan/Community Journalist Source: Gulfnews By Samir Salama