Wassim Daher, Director of Operations of Middle East at Ramboll highlights on sustainability in the contruction industry
In the dynamic construction industry, staying abreast of current trends is paramount for companies seeking to remain competitive and sustainable.
One prevailing trend is the growing emphasis on environmental responsibility, prompting firms to adopt innovative approaches to minimize their carbon footprint and repurpose existing assets. I don’t want to refer to sustainability as a trend as it’s no longer friendly – it’s a must. Indeed, the real estate sector is harnessing the whole breadth of the sustainability landscape, including CO2 benchmarking, to reshape the built environment and meet the demands of an increasingly eco-conscious world. We thankfully see ESG on the C-Suite agenda and work with our regional and international clients to support them in their sustainable finance frameworks and decarbonisation pathways.
CO2 Benchmarking
I mention the use of CO2 benchmarking tools to measure environmental impact, as it’s an area that Ramboll has placed increasing focus on. These tools provide companies with valuable data to quantify and mitigate their carbon emissions. Utilising CO2 benchmarking tools to measure the environmental impact of a structure or building is paramount in reducing a project’s carbon footprint and optimising sustainable design.
At Ramboll, we are at the forefront of sustainable design and advisory. For this, we have innovated collaborative tools that enable a systematic approach to quantifying and assessing the carbon footprint associated with every stage of a building’s lifecycle. We recently launched CO2mpare, a carbon analysis benchmark database with more than 130 building projects across six countries that enables building industry actors and governments to compare and benchmark their carbon reduction strategies. The benchmark tool, the first international open-access database of its kind, was launched in March 2024.
By employing CO2 benchmarking, architects, engineers, and developers gain valuable insights into their projects’ key drivers of carbon emissions. We can identify materials with high embodied carbon content, energy-intensive construction techniques, or inefficient operational systems contributing to elevated emissions. With this data, stakeholders can make informed decisions to optimise design choices, select low-carbon materials, integrate energy-efficient technologies, and implement sustainable building practices.
The trend is not so much sustainability, but buildings in the Middle East are evolving into greener, more environmentally friendly structures, minimising their carbon footprint through continuous refinement in the drive towards a net-zero and regenerative built environment.
Sustainability Dialogues
Fostering sustainability dialogues is crucial for guiding clients to make informed choices in building projects. These dialogues provide a platform for architects, engineers, and developers to discuss the environmental implications of design decisions and construction practices. By engaging in open conversations and sustainability dialogues, we gain a deeper understanding of how choices can influence a building’s carbon footprint and overall environmental performance.
Individuals spend 90% of their time in buildings. At Ramboll, we work closely with our clients to map the end-user journey and better understand the pain points. Our approach ranges from pioneering the façade to exploring MEP systems to designing 15-minute city master plans that improve the physical and mental well-being of occupants while aligning with the 1.5C climate science.
One of the dialogues that we need to encourage and that is becoming increasingly important in each building’s conversation is the implementation of transformational design principles. The transformational design offers a powerful approach to repurposing and reimagining existing assets, addressing the challenge of stranded assets in the built environment. By applying transformational design, architects and developers can breathe new life into underutilised or obsolete buildings, transforming them into vibrant, sustainable spaces that meet the evolving needs of communities and occupants.
Building Transformation
Prioritising building renovation and transformation now plays a vital role in decarbonising the construction sector. Renovating existing buildings not only reduces carbon emissions and waste compared to building new ones but can also be more cost-effective and attractive to tenants. In April this year, Ramboll launched our Renovation and Transformation Assessment Guide. The Guide provides practical advice to help assess the business case for renovation and insights on how to mitigate risk and maximise rewards.
Transformational design goes beyond traditional renovation or adaptive reuse by embracing innovative strategies to enhance environmental performance and social value. This approach prioritises principles such as circularity, resilience, and inclusivity, aiming to create spaces that are not only environmentally sustainable but also adaptable, equitable, and responsive to changing user needs.
6 Falak is an example of a new commercial development in Dubai Internet City that will deliver a cutting-edge class-A office building and enhance the local market offering. But in reality, it’s not entirely “new”. During the COVID-induced downturn in the Middle East real estate market, the construction of the existing project that began in 2016 was put on hold. It has been sitting half-complete until 2022, when the project was acquired by Sweid & Sweid, who engaged Ramboll as the sustainability consultant to ensure that, rather than demolishing the structure and starting again, the existing building would be given the chance to realise its potential. Knocking the structure down and starting again would have been the least carbon-efficient option.
By repurposing existing assets through transformational design, stakeholders can mitigate the environmental impact of new construction while unlocking the inherent value of underutilised resources. This approach not only reduces carbon emissions and waste but also contributes to the revitalisation of urban areas, fostering economic development and community engagement.
Call them ‘trends’ or, more accurately, ‘must-haves’, but these three elements—CO2 benchmarking, sustainability dialogues, and the implementation of transformational design principles—are reshaping our industry and allowing us to address the challenge of stranded assets while advancing the transition towards a more resilient, regenerative built environment. They are creating spaces that inspire, innovate, and endure for generations to come.