The GCC’s rapidly rising demand for sustainable building materials to meet green building regulations may outstrip supply, a new report says.
While green buildings have “witnessed a slow take off in the GCC,” a report by Ventures Middle East points out that governments have stepped up efforts over the last three years to incorporate sustainability via education and legislation.
Several opportunities now exist for suppliers of green products in the region including lighting and interior fittings, the report said.
The Ventures Middle East report has been prepared in the run-up to the two-day Sustainable Design & Construction Conference in Dubai, taking place next month at The Big 5 exhibition.
The UAE is currently a leader in green building practices, the report says. Out of 1,236 LEED-rated projects in the GCC last year, the country accounted for 67%. Qatar came next with 190 projects (16%), Saudi Arabia with 158 projects (13%), while Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman accounted for the remaining 4%.
Although most developers recognise the commercial benefits behind green buildings, the report says some contractors are slow to catch on, being “reluctant to procure technologies which are perceived to be more expensive and are unsure of any tangible benefit”.