Bee’ah HQ wins Green Building Award at Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards

Bee’ah Headquarters in Sharjah, UAE has won the prestigious Green Building Award at the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards honouring Buro Happold’s work on the project.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, this 9,000m² building provides state of the art, fully integrated facilities for the environmental and waste management company.

Environmental design consultants Atelier Ten originally envisaged Bee’ah Headquarters as a LEED Gold building, but the Buro Happold sustainability team pushed the parameters of design even further to develop holistic strategies that realised a LEED Platinum project.

Our specialists undertook extensive energy and cost benefit analysis to devise a net zero energy strategy for the complex that championed the creation of an onsite solar plant, and used Tesla Power pack batteries as backup storage for the energy generated.

The photovoltaic system used in the solar plant has been designed to accommodate high summer loads, and the excess energy generated during these peak months is then fed back to the grid. The partial battery storage system is used to provide for base night-time loads, and can be supplemented by electricity from the grid on the rare occasions it is required – such as when evening events are held in the auditorium, or several electric cars are being charged overnight.

Additional passive design features include extensive use of exposed thermal mass, a low window to glazing ratio, careful sizing and positioning of windows to reduce solar gain, use of natural daylight and lighting controls to monitor effective usage, and well-insulated glazing panels.

Ninety percent of the materials used in Bee’ah Headquarters are regionally sourced and feature high recycled content – including concrete aggregate and steel. Grey water recycling, rain water collection and thoughtful, water efficient smart landscaping all add to the facility’s green credentials.

HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, said: “As a leading environmental management company, it was imperative that our new headquarters should epitomise sustainability through all aspects of its construction, and subsequent operations. Buro Happold has helped us to integrate this thought into the formation of the HQ, and this award certifies that we have been successful in our mutual efforts to create a green building that sets the benchmark for all others in the region. As a nation that is actively pursuing sustainable development, and accounting for a thriving construction industry, the UAE is increasingly adopting green construction practices. Through this recognition, we have demonstrated strategies for green building that will have a transformative impact on this sector.”

Farah Naz Sustainability Consultant, Buro Happold, said “Buro Happold is a global practice that places people at the heart of what we do. With a 40 year presence in the region, we have developed the unique expertise required to deliver world class engineering and sustainable design in the Gulf, and that is why we are seen as trusted advisors by our clients. It was an honour and a privilege to work with Bee’ah on this project, and establish a landmark of eco-conscious design within the UAE.”

About the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards:

The second edition of the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards celebrate and provide recognition for companies and individuals implementing outstanding Sustainability and CSR initiatives across the region. The Awards aim to support organisations and businesses as a vehicle for sharing best practice and for promoting continuous improvement, learning and personal development.

The winners of the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards were announced at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel on 20 February 2018, where the finals and awards ceremony took place.