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15 September 2008
International professional services company GHD has begun to
provide preliminary Estidama assessments for its clients in Abu
Dhabi, following the release of the Estidama Sustainability
Guidelines in May this year.
Estidama, meaning ‘sustainability’ in Arabic, are the
sustainability guidelines and green building rating tools initiated
by a group of government agencies and developers to align the
leadership’s vision in transforming Abu Dhabi to a sustainable Arab
Capital. The guidelines incorporate assessment of a building’s
environmental impact in the fields of water, energy use, ecology,
management, transport, pollution, materials, waste management and
land use. “Estidama Pearls” will be used to provide an overall
rating concerning the sustainable design of the building and its
ability to operate in a sustainable manner.
In servicing a group of proactive local clients, GHD is adopting
the principles of the guidelines and providing preliminary Estidama
assessments for schematic and detailed designs of new
buildings.
GHD’s principal environmental scientist Henrietta Jukes said:
"Whilst the Estidama guidelines currently relate to new buildings
only, it is expected that preliminary guidelines covering
retrofitting and renovations, as well as full scale developments
will be released in the coming months."
As a means of improving the practicality of the guidelines, GHD
has participated in the feedback process through the agencies who
play a significant part in aligning the guidelines to Plan Abu
Dhabi 2030, the urban development framework designed to govern the
growth of Abu Dhabi over the next 20 years.
"Adoption of a consultancy firm such as GHD, with dedicated
environmental and sustainability capability to perform Estidama
assessments will assist ongoing sustainable development within the
UAE, and in particular Abu Dhabi," Ms Jukes said.
For further information, contact:
Sonia Adams