Experts urge Lebanon to promote green buildings

Lebanon is well prepared for the launching of green building projects in the near future, experts said during a conference in Beirut late Thursday.“We really saw Lebanon as moving forward not only in construction but also when it comes to green buildings, and the interests that we found over here has been phenomenal compared to even just a few months ago, let alone years ago,” said Nanik Daswani, director and co-founder of EcoConsulting.

Daswani added that what is interesting in Lebanon is that there are very few mandatory requirements as to why you need to build green. “In the United Kingdom, you need them for planning and funding. There are institutional investors where if you don’t have it in your portfolio you are not going to be getting the funding,” he said. “Over here it is a lot more interesting because people have been interested in marketing.

“They are working at very small schemes and have decided to go with the certification because they are looking at the high end of the market,” he added. “They want to market to people who have certain affluence and who would be interested in sustainability as a part of what they buy.”

His remarks came during a conference held at Le Gabriel Hotel in Beirut to discuss the introduction of green projects around the world, with a focus on Lebanon. The meeting was organized by EcoConsulting, an environmental consultancy specialized in eco-building. They offer a complete range of eco-building, energy-efficiency, and renewable energy advice.

Green Building, also known as green construction or sustainable building, is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

– The Daily Star