Webinar on Defining the Zero Emission Buildings Standard for the MENA Region

On September 18, 2024, BUILD_ME hosted a webinar titled “Defining the Zero Emission Buildings Standard for the MENA Region”, coinciding with Net Zero Buildings Week, an event by the New Buildings Institute that brings together climate leaders to advance emission-cutting initiatives in the built environment, aiming to provide healthier, safer, and more resilient buildings globally. Participants from the MENA region and worldwide gathered to discuss the feasibility and potential of Zero Emission Ready Buildings (ZERB) in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon.

The methodology used to define ZERBs in the MENA region was based on the cost-optimality approach, which considers the lifecycle costs of buildings, including construction, energy consumption, and maintenance. This method allows for the identification of building configurations that provide the highest energy efficiency at the lowest overall cost. The analysis integrated building envelope improvements, high-efficiency systems, and on-site renewable energy generation, making ZERBs both technically and economically feasible for the region.

The webinar highlighted that ZERBs are now both feasible and practical for the region, offering significant energy savings without requiring future costly retrofits.

The webinar also showcased initial findings from the study on ZERBs in the region, illustrating that these buildings are feasible and practical today.

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where participants discussed the current state of ZERBs, the necessary policy frameworks, possibility of pilot projects and mechanisms to support wider adoption, emphasizing ZERBs’ essential role in decarbonizing the built environment.