Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus achieves LEED Gold certification
Campus is said to be the only one in the UAE to achieve gold status to date
Heriot-Watt University’s (HWU) Dubai campus has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status. Gold certification is the second highest level of LEED certification, and the highest possible certification that can be achieved on a retrofit of an existing building, the university stated.
According to a statement, the campus is designed to serve nearly 4,000 students and is spread over 218,000sqft distributed over seven floors, with eight different types of teaching spaces. The campus is the only campus in the UAE to have achieved a gold certification. Additionally, it is also the only one of Heriot-Watt University’s five global campuses to have achieved this, HWU said.
“Our vision for the Dubai campus was to create a workplace that is safe and healthy and promotes improved health and productivity. Several studies have found that there is a clear link between the design of the building and employee health, and at the Dubai campus, we have done our best to undertake a holistic approach that takes into account efficient use of resources, good indoor environmental air quality, the use of non-toxic, sustainable, and ethical materials and more, all of which supports health and wellbeing. After all, we spend most of our waking hours at our workplaces, and we strongly believe that every single human being has the right to a workplace that has a positive effect on the occupants,” said Lynda Johnstone, global director for estates and facilities at Heriot-Watt University.
LEED uses a points system and projects pursuing certification earn points for green building strategies across several categories. Based on the number of points achieved, a project earns one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum, the statement explained.
Ross Trivett, general manager at Khansaheb added, “We are delighted that HWU has achieved LEED Gold. The project exemplifies what is possible when all stakeholders collaborate towards achieving sustainability goals and is testament to our commitment to creating places that balance our environmental obligations within the community and economy.’’
Several factors helped the campus qualify for gold status. Key metrics that were achieved: 46% reduction in water use compared to LEED’s baseline water consumption; 94% of all equipment and appliances in the new campus are Energy Star compliant and optimise energy performance; 34% reduction in lighting power consumption compared to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010’s baseline rates to optimise energy performance; 98% of the lighting load is connected to occupancy sensors in order to optimise energy performance; 63% of the lighting load is connected to daylight sensors in order to optimise energy performance, the statement added.
Paul Ludlam, director and head of fit out UAE at JLL concluded, “We are thrilled to have been part of this successful project and lead all phases from project inception through to project completion and occupation including LEED services. Obtaining the LEED Gold certificate was the culmination of the efforts of all the teams involved and it further demonstrates Heriot-Watt’s commitment to provide healthy and sustainable spaces for its students and employees. Now with the world emerging from the pandemic, it is even more important to prioritize occupant health and plan for a green and sustainable future for everyone.”
