In an effort to promote environmentally friendly building practices, the UAE has initiated a program focused on establishing stringent standards for building classification. These standards encompass energy efficiency, water management, indoor air quality, and the utilization of sustainable building materials.

The National Green Certificates Programme, introduced by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), aligns closely with the objectives of the National Demand-side Management Programme and the National Green Building Regulation.

MoEI will provide technical support and consultations to participating businesses to ensure compliance with the established standards. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, emphasized that the program represents another significant stride towards fostering a green economy and promoting sustainable development.

“The Programme is a framework for classifications and requirements for enhancing sustainability and cutting down the carbon footprint of commercial buildings through identifying unified basics that ensure the latest world-class criteria for sustainable buildings are applied,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, highlighted that the program enables the ministry to advance its goals of promoting environmental sustainability and implementing decarbonization initiatives within the construction sector.

The program also aims to encourage reduced energy and water consumption and minimize the construction sector’s carbon footprint. This initiative aligns with the country’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

In addition, the ministry has signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to advance the program’s development. The first MoU, with First Abu Dhabi Bank, focuses on exploring potential collaborations in green finance solutions.

The second MoU, in partnership with Aldar Properties, aims to implement green finance solutions, with potential financing from the company for the program. They have also agreed to collaborate on initiatives promoting energy-efficient practices and technologies.

The third MoU was signed with Pact Carbon, where the company committed to participating in the program and assisting participants in accessing global markets to sell carbon credits.

Lastly, the fourth MoU, signed with Meagle Energy, aims to establish a framework of cooperation to provide energy auditing and Measurement and Verification (M&V) services for the Ministry’s National Green Certificates Programme.

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