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Green buildings can 
cut operating costs

MUSCAT — ‘Green’ buildings can reduce consumption of electricity and water by 40 per cent, besides cutting down CO2 emission by 33 per cent and solid waste by 70 per cent, according to experts attending an international conference here.

In the sultanate, they added, 14 buildings were already in the process of becoming certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green buildings.

Among these are the Oman Botanic Garden, Jebel Al Akhdar Hotel, Khasab Hotel, Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport.

“Green buildings generate more money and lower operating costs by around 30 per cent,” Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director of Green Technologies FZCO, LEED Faculty Member and Mentor of the US Green Building Council, said.

He was addressing a LEED workshop held as part of the Muscat Green Days Conference, a first event of its kind event in the country, organised by the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) in cooperation with Sesam Consultants. Globally more than 54,600 buildings, both commercial and residential,are pursuing LEED certification and over 13,000 buildings are already certified, thus making LEED one of the most widely used rating system, Seneviratne said, adding: “Zero consumption of energy is the main goal, however, this is a huge journey.”

LEED is an internationally recognised green building certification system. It is used in 115 countries and encompasses green building design and construction, operations and maintenance. “Green Buildings need to be considered in the context of the whole environment. Sometimes green buildings are just decorated with greenery,” Professor Nikolaus Knebel, Head of the Department of Urban Planning and Architectural Desing at GUtech, said.

The conference was inaugurated by Sayyid Salim Musallam Al Busaidi, Under-secretary for Administrative Development Affairs at the Ministry of Civil Services.

“Sustainable and green building practices go beyond energy and water conservation. They incorporate environmentally sensitive site planning, resource efficient building materials and superior indoor environmental quality,” said Richard Lisker, Architect Consultant at Hoehler and Partner and Project Director of the GUtech project in Halban, the first university campus in Oman with sustainable features.

· ravindranath@khaleejtimes.com