Ministry of Climate Change and Environment Receives LEED Platinum Certification

Other News   Subscribe to newsletter

2 Sep 2018

The headquarters building of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai, has been awarded the Platinum Status, the highest ranking in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) System of the US Green Building Council. Earning 82 points, MOCCAE became the first new federal government building to receive the highest ranking in building design and energy efficiency in the region.

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: "In line with the directives of our wise leadership to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2021, and in keeping with the accelerated efforts of the country in implementing a green economy approach through the UAE's Green Development Strategy and Green Agenda, we were keen to adopt best practices for this project that will serve as a model for the future projects in the region.”

Dr Al Zeyoudi added that the Ministry's environment-friendly building was designed using sustainable materials and technologies that promote energy and water efficiency, and according to international standards that promote the preservation of the environment.

The Ministry succeeded in saving about 46 percent of the water used through leveraging water rationalization techniques, including double flow water tanks and low flow taps. In addition, the building contains a wastewater treatment plant, where this water is used to irrigate the green spaces and plants outside the building.

In terms of energy efficiency, the building relies on state-of-the-art technologies and environment-friendly practices to save around 41 percent of electricity consumed. In addition, the grid of solar panels installed on the roof of the building and the surfaces of parking spaces provide clean, carbon-free energy that covers a significant portion of the building’s requirements. Producing more than 323 MW/H of electricity annually, the grid helps to improve the internal environment and air quality. The building also contains charging stations for electric cars.

MOCCAE’s new headquarters, which was built in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Finance and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), which installed the solar panels, combines modern architecture with sustainability standards, with more than 75 percent of the construction completed with recycled or reused material. The project is committed to international standards and the requirements for green buildings and sustainability, making it compatible with today’s demands and able to provide an appropriate, comfortable and healthy working environment for employees and visitors.

LEED certification is awarded in accordance with standards that ensure that the building is designed and built to stringent construction regulations that aim at achieving the highest performance in the energy, environment and human aspects. This is achieved through the development of a sustainable building site, preservation of raw materials, water and resources, in addition to energy efficiency, design efficiency and internal environment. The building is given the LEED rating based on the number of points it accumulates in line with the requirements and points of each rating, with the platinum being the highest LEED rating.