BUILD_ME Final Regional Conference: A milestone in sustainablebuilding practices

The BUILD_ME Final Regional Conference marked a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainable building practices in the MENA region. The event commenced with Welcome Remarks from Prof. Dr. Mohamed Salheen, Owner and Chairperson of the Integrated Development Group (IDG), who expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts and underscored the importance of the work carried out within the project. BUILD_ME’s Project Manager, Eng. Riadh Bhar, Associate Director at Guidehouse, then highlighted the crucial role of teamwork across partners and sectors, emphasising that the project's success over the past nine years is a testament to the collective dedication to addressing the diverse needs of BUILD_ME partner countries. Dr. Ashraf Kamal, Prof. of Sustainable Architecture, Urban Planning & Economics and Prof. Dr. Mohamed Masoud, Chairman of the Board, both of Egypt’s Housing & Building National Research Center (HBRC) also welcomed the attendees and echoed that the collaboration that brought together key actors in the building sector from across the MENA region and finally stressed his gratitude to the German Government and IKI who offered that important support.

Riadh Bhar kicked off the agenda with a comprehensive overview of the Key Insights: BUILD_ME Main Achievements of the different phases of the BUILD_ME project. He detailed how the initial phases laid the groundwork for sustainable building practices and established a network of stakeholders committed to energy efficiency. Each subsequent phase expanded the project's scope and impact, and in Phase 3, significant progress was made, including increased investments in energy-efficient buildings by international banks in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Improved political frameworks in these countries now support more ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in the building sector. Eng. Riadh also highlighted the deep market analysis conducted during Phase 3, involving over 4,000 questionnaires, which provided valuable insights into market needs and opportunities. The project supported 22 pilot projects across all phases, demonstrating the practical application of energy-efficient technologies. Additionally, the BEP Tool, building typology, and best practice database were made available online, offering accessible resources for stakeholders. Policy recommendations were formulated for National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs), National Climate Action Plans (NCAPs), and Energy Efficiency Building Codes (EEBCs). Agreements with International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the training of over 880 experts further enhanced sector capacity. Notably, the first National Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were issued in Egypt and Jordan, with Lebanon discussing an Energy Efficiency (EE) law and issuing the first EPC certifiers.

Eng. Aly Badawy, Head of the Architecture Department at the Administrative Capital (ACUD), presented how ACUD as Implementation Case can serve Egypt's new capital as a pilot for energy efficiency projects, showcasing the potential for large-scale implementation, and endorsed the work that has already been carried out in Egypt. To complement this presentation, Dr. Karim Morsy, Senior Advisor, Overall Business Support and Partnerships at UN-HABITAT delivered the Keynote: Collaborative Ideas, highlighting the importance of working together to address energy efficiency in combination with affordable housing while planning new cities and districts.

Ms. Jessica Weir, Project Expert & Sr. Consultant at Guidehouse, opened a panel discussion on the topic of Demonstrating Impact by highlighting the lack of consolidated data and support for energy-efficient building projects in the MENA region before BUILD_ME. She emphasized the project's role in creating open dialogue among government stakeholders, national experts, universities, project developers, financial institutions, and international entities, and how the project facilitated multiple webinars, a regional workshop, and participation in global events like COP28, COP29, and WUF12. The panel discussion brought together Eng. Sawsan Bawaresh, Manager of Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Division at Royal Scientific Society الجمعيّة العلميّة الملكيّة (RSS) of Jordan, Eng. Fadi Saliba, Regional Director of Urban Planning  - Jbeil at Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Lebanon, and Dr. Ashraf Kamal, Prof. of Sustainable Architecture, Urban Planning & Economics at HBRC in conversation on the impact of the BUILD_ME project in the partner countries – highlighting the crucial support from IKI to take on such challenging topics.

Mr. Eslam Mahdy, Project Expert & Managing Consultant at Guidehouse moderated a lively discussion around the topic of Financial Perspectives. Ms. Henriette Zalzal, Senior Credit Manager at Banque de l’Habitat, Ms. Jude Dahdal, Sustainability Manager at Bank Al Etihad, Mr. Emad Hassan, Consulting Team Leader at the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), and Bijan Osburg, International Project Manager at the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) discussed the financial opportunities of energy-efficient buildings, emphasizing the importance of cost savings, government incentives, and the positive financial impact on banks. They highlighted the need for accessible certification processes and the promotion of macroeconomic benefits of energy efficiency to reduce the perception of risk when it comes to investing in energy efficient buildings.

Eng. Jince John, Project Expert & Consultant at Guidehouse, provided a detailed BEP Tool Walkthrough, explaining its logic and calculation methodology based on ISO 52016 standards. He introduced new features and conducted a live demonstration, showing how to generate an EPC. The session concluded with a Q&A segment, where participants discussed optimizing the tool for various applications. Eng. Jince and Eng. Nidal Abdalla, Manager of Bio-Energy Division at RSS, then presented the ZEB report, defining Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) in the MENA region and illustrating their feasibility with a case study from Jordan. The report outlined a three-step approach to ensure economic feasibility, balance energy efficiency with renewable energy, and define cost-effective, future-ready requirements. Jince concluded by urging stakeholders to act now to implement ZEBs in the MENA region.

Pilot projects from all three BUILD_ME countries were presented during a session on Energy Performance Certificates: Country Highlights & Ceremony, spotlighting the project's impact on increasing energy efficiency across the MENA region. BUILD_ME’s EPC pilot projects were presented by Mr. Pierre Damous of Pierre Dammous and Partners (PD&P) in Lebanon, Ms. Raneem Alhusban of Hussban Invest in Jordan, and Eng. Hatem Amin, Senior Architect for Badya Palm Hills at Palm Hills developments in Egypt. Certificates were awarded to Lebanese and Jordanian projects, celebrating their achievements.

Dr. Ashraf Kamal, Eng. Sawsan Bawaresh, and Ammar Fadlallah, Energy Engineer at the Lebanese Centre for Energy Conservation (LCEC), presented Policy Work: Examples from Countries supported by BUILD_ME, showcasing the project's contributions to national plans and macroeconomic benefits.

Overall, the BUILD_ME Final Regional Conference underscored the project's significant achievements and the collaborative efforts that have driven progress in sustainable building practices across the MENA region. The event concluded with a call to continue and further develop these impactful initiatives beyond the conclusion of the project.