As part of its efforts to promote sustainability in the hospitality industry, Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent forum aimed at conserving the environment by strengthening and promoting green building practices, hosted the seminar Green Hospitality in the UAE: Challenges, Trends and What the Future Holds, sponsored by Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel.

The EmiratesGBC Hospitality Programme Seminar addressed how current challenges and trends are shaping the approach to achieving sustainability within the hospitality industry and exploring what the future holds for the sector.

Amelie Zegmout, Board Member of EmiratesGBC, presented the keynote address with an update on the EmiratesGBC Hospitality Programme. The participants had the opportunity to listen to the views of tourism and green building professionals on the current situation and future expectations for green tourism.

Following the presentations, there were two panel discussions on green hospitality. The first panel addressed the market trends, as well as the challenges to make the sector greener. The second discussed the future holds regarding green practices in the hospitality industry and how all stakeholders can support the sustainable development goals announced by by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as part of the UAE Vision 2021.

Saeed Al Abbar, EmiratesGBC Chairman, said: With tourism departments, such as Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, promoting sustainable initiatives, we have developed our hospitality programme to engage our members and the hospitality industry to share knowledge and exchange best practices. By hosting this event, we aimed to bring together experts from across the sector to discuss the importance of a comprehensive strategy to work towards energy efficiency and sustainability in the regions hospitality industry, and contribute to the UAEs sustainable development.

The seminar observed that the support of owners is of critical importance to green hotels from the design phase, which is the easiest and most profitable way to implement sustainability measures, fulfil regulations requirements and achieve financial savings.

Attendees emphasized that an integrated design approach covering perspectives of all stakeholders (owners, designers, consultants, etc.) is key to achieving best results in green buildings. They said authorities can play a pivotal role in this by developing green building regulations to set up standards for new projects.

EmiratesGBC is the official operator of the Green Key eco-label programme in the UAE. Recognised by the World Tourism Organisation and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the non-profit and independent programme is the largest global eco-label relating to accommodation; which offers clear guidelines to hotels for ensuring that a certain level of sustainability is being met, and provides guests with the assurance that they are choosing an accommodation/venue that has a commitment to green practices.

EmiratesGBC regularly hosts and participates in multinational events, conferences and forums. The organisation has also developed a suite of activities, inclusive of networking events, technical workshops, focus days and facilitated training based around specific issues related to the built-environment that meet the needs of its members, of the UAE community, and the wider Middle East.