The Sustainability pavilion, called Terra, an Enoc service station and the UAE and Saudi pavilions are among seven structures at Expo 2020 Dubai that earned the highest rating in a global green index.
The Rove hotel and two other buildings that encircle Al Wasl dome, the 360-degree projection screen, also gained the top rating under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or Leed, a widely recognised system that measures cost-saving sustainable architecture.
All of these things affect me as a person who will be in this building - the air I breathe, my comfort level, the light pollution
Dina Storey,
director of Expo’s sustainability operations
Dina Storey, director of Expo’s sustainability operations, said that as the UAE moves to achieve 2050 net zero goals, the ratings would boost people’s understanding of green energy targets.
“These seven buildings are 33 per cent more efficient in terms of energy and about 50 per cent more efficient in terms of water consumption,” she told The National.
“What we are doing at Expo is a pilot for what can be done around the Dubai and also around the UAE and the region.”
A total of 121 permanent buildings received the Leed certification from the US Green Building Council, the non-profit organisation that created and developed the rating.
The council gave 103 buildings a gold rating, nine were given silver and two others were certified, Expo officials said on Sunday.
The Mobility Pavilion is among the structures rated gold, with other top-scoring buildings in the thematic districts of sustainability, opportunity and in the Expo Village.
The ratings are important because 80 per cent of the site will become part of District 2020, a residential and business neighbourhood, once the Expo ends in March.
“The efficiency will be great value for tenants and can save a lot of money for the people who will be living and working here in the future,” Ms Storey said.
The goal extends beyond a certificate and centres on influencing attitudes to gauge a structure’s “sustainability value”.
“There is a social aspect to it as people will have the advantage of having better filtration systems, meaning the air inside the building is healthier,” she said.
“It will be cooler when everywhere outside is warm with not much energy usage. All of these things affect me as a person who will be in this building - the air I breathe, my comfort level, the light pollution. All these aspects are included in this holistic certification that puts the well-being of the person inhabiting it at the centre of the equation.”
Buildings are given points and the score increases based on several elements from materials used, architecture that provides for shade and cooling, low consumption of water and energy and indoor air quality.
Sourcing construction materials locally can reduce carbon emissions. UV-resistant window glass and shading structures built into the design reduce the heat generated by direct sunlight.
Water usage is lowered by reducing flow in the faucets and toilets. The wood used for construction is also certified to guarantee it does not come from an endangered area such as a rainforest.
Because Leed certifications are given only to permanent structures, dozens of country pavilions that use green technology are not covered by the rating.
Ahmed Al Khatib, chief development and delivery officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, said this was part of efforts to host one of the most sustainable world expos in history and tied into the legacy for District 2020 as a model smart city of the future.
“Moulding the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the places we live, sustainability at Expo represents our commitment to making a tangible, positive impact at a local, regional and global level throughout our 182-day run and beyond,” he said.
Mr Al Khatib said it honoured the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to position the country as a “green economy” hub.
Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, managing director, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Green Business Certification Inc, said it represented a commitment to making the world a better place.
“Given the extraordinary importance of climate protection in the Middle East and the central role buildings play in that effort, Expo 2020 Dubai is setting the intention for the entire region, and carving a path toward the sustainable future its citizens deserve,” he said.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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