Concrete is one of the world’s worst pollutants due in large part to its manufacturing process. Considering the Middle East is home to some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world—including the record-breaking 829.8-meter Burj Khalifa—and is bustling with construction activity, it’s no surprise that the region features the top three countries with the highest per capita level of carbon dioxide emissions. As of 2020, Qatar produced 37 metric tons per person annually, while Kuwait (20.83) and Saudi Arabia (17.97) ranked second and third, respectively.
One of the reasons the UAE isn’t in the top three is because of its commitment to green building, which involves incorporating eco-friendly structural elements, materials, and processes into construction projects. The country constructed 336 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings from 2010 to 2020, up from just 98 the decade prior. It also ranks 14th in the world for the highest concentration of sustainable buildings, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the consultancy firm Frank Knight.
In Dubai, the use of “green cement,” developed in Germany via recycled materials, has been mandatory since 2015. Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian contractor Aramco uses a carbon capture process to cure concrete, which rehydrates building slabs in three days rather than the typical 28. This expedited process reduces carbon emissions by 70 percent.
The following is a look at four of the most prominent green buildings in the Middle East.
1. Lattice-Domed Parliament Building (UAE)
Designed by Ehrlich Architecture to achieve a five-pearl rating by the Estidama Initiative, the Lattice-Domed Parliament Building in Abu Dhabi is a 100-meter dome structure with a white marble exterior. The main building beneath the dome is covered by a screen that filters light, thus increasing its energy efficiency by creating a micro-climate.
Other green elements in the building, which is billed as the “flower of the desert,” include thick, light-colored walls to collect heat when the sun is up and release it at night, Mashrabiya panels to shade windows, and recessed windows, lightwells, and skywells to limit the use of artificial lighting.
2. The Sustainable City (UAE)
A mixed-use community covering more than 46 hectares of land on Al Qudra Road, the Sustainable City in Dubai is an operational net-zero city composed of passionate environmentalists committed to advancing sustainable culture. It’s a modern-day green-energy marvel that includes 11 biodome greenhouses along the spine of the city, more than 3,000 square meters of urban farming space, 10,000 trees, and 10 MW/h/p of solar installation.
The community has close to 500 residential villas and 2,700 residents, most of whom get around by walking or cycling. More than 80 percent of the Sustainable City is vehicle-free, but it does have solar-shaded car parks. It was named “happiest community” in the Gulf Cooperation Council for the third consecutive year at the Gulf Real Estate Awards.
“In 2021, this community in Dubai avoided more than 8,000 tons of CO2e roughly equivalent to removing 853 cars from the roads for a year,” wrote Ismail Radwan in a blog post for the World Bank. “Average daily water consumption stands at 162 liters/capita compared to Dubai’s average of 278. And more than 80 percent of household waste is sorted and recycled.”
3. Kuwait International Airport (Kuwait)
Designed by Foster + Partners and constructed by Turkish company Limak, the passenger terminal at the Kuwait International Airport is one of the largest airports to receive LEED certification.
The passenger terminal employs an integrated water cycle that reuses gray water and utilizes low-flow taps to reduce water consumption by 45 percent. The roof of the building features a glazed façade covered by a 60-meter cantilever for shade and an air gap with high thermal inertia. Energy-efficient elements have also been included in the building’s mechanical systems. For instance, it has 8,000 skylights on the roof to maximize natural light. Landscaped areas have been designed to feature only native species, while exterior gathering spaces feature light and heat-rejecting materials.
4. Msheireb Downtown Doha (Qatar)
Msheireb Downtown Doha in Qatar has one of the largest concentrations of LEED-certified buildings in the world. Altogether, it has 32 Platinum and 42 Gold LEED certificates.
The buildings in the downtown core are situated so that they shade each other, and they are also light in color to mitigate the impact of the warm Qatar climate. Building rooftops feature solar panels to heat water and photovoltaic solar panels to capture and produce electricity; all in all, there are more than 7,800 rooftop panels in Msheireb.
Only native green species are planted to reduce water usage for landscape irrigation, and the main transport in the city is a tram powered exclusively by clean energy. There are also dedicated walking and cycling lanes.