Getting smart

ABB MEA intelligent building technology manager Tarek Zakaria.

ABB MEA intelligent building technology manager Tarek Zakaria on the rise of green, and the possible contribution of building technologies to the green building regulations.

Has your business grown through increased awareness of green building issues? Are people more sensitive to the need to be energy efficient?
Absolutely. Just five or six years ago nobody was talking about efficiency and energy and green building and related building technologies. We had one person working on building technology then. Today we have 13 in Dubai alone. This is an indication of how we have been growing. In total, in the past five to six years we have grown from 300 people to around 750. In Dubai our building was made for 200 people, but we had 400 there. Now we have moved into a second building facing the Palm Jumeirah, because we were running out of space.

What kick-started this rise in awareness?
Green building was initiated in January 2008 when Sheikh Mohammed gave the instruction that all projects had to be green. The need for information from consultants and from investors then increased because everyone wanted to know more about green building. We have been giving them information. We are teaching the market. The green initiative has to be accepted.

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Has technology evolved in parallel with people’s general awareness?
Yes. Any technology that can contribute towards green building is welcomed by us. At ABB we started around 25 years ago with building technology which is now the backbone for the green building of today. For example, the car-parking here at the exhibition centre has been furbished with our technology. When the cars come in the lights go on. It’s about energy management.

Everything today has to be automated so that we can get the optimum from it. If you have a villa, next to the exit you can flip a switch if you are going shopping, or even on vacation.  Then your home will be put in automated mode. All lights will be switched off. The base for green building is to save energy and reduce operation cost.

Does more of your business come through new developments, or the refurbishing of existing building stock?
From my experience, in boom time, we almost always deal with new buildings, while in recessional times people are looking to save energy more, so we will do more refurbishment to reduce costs. In boom time everybody has money, and everybody is spending. In recessional times, everybody is looking to save money.

You mentioned the decree of 2008. What defines a “green building?”
There are many issues relating to green building. Some of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) ratings relates to the quality of the air, and to the landscaping. Some are related to water and energy. Reduction of water use is very important, which we can also contribute to. In fact, our technology can reach the highest point of this. We also have the products and the know-how to contribute to air quality to get the best possible air inside.

Are there any regulations in place to govern green building at present?
In all buildings common area control has to be automated. If you step out of the lift the light will be switched on, and as you move away from that area it will be switched off. This is being specified in all of the projects in the UAE.

Are there other areas of your business that we have not discussed?
We do smart homes and building technology, and we do guest room management for hotels. The majority of hotel developers are looking today at guest room management. So we are not seeing a single specification on the market.
 

Give us an example of what “guest room management” entails?
With our technology the room temperature can be controlled. Sometimes the cleaner may enter a guest room and turn everything on full because they need to cool down. Then, when they leave, it may be left on. But the room may not be occupied for a month or two, so when the guest arrives the room will be chilly. Technology can prevent this waste of energy. The automated system ensures that you use it when you are in need of it.

Has this technology been widely adopted elsewhere?
Dubai was the first emirate to adopt the green building concept, but look around; we now have Masdar which signals the government of Abu Dhabi’s wish to be number one in the world with the green initiative. It has also established Estidama to take care of the green building regulations. In Dubai there is the Emirates Green Building Council which I am a member of.

There’s no denying that times are tough. Have you had to make any changes to prepare the company for the next 12 months?
This year we are going to make double what we did last year, especially with our guest room management services. We have around 150 hotels in Dubai. This investment is not short term – it’s long term. I believe the market here in the region will be strong in the field of tourism.