EmiratesGBC Unveils World Green Building Week 2026 Programme to Accelerate Low-Carbon Construction
Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) has announced its programme for the 18th annual World Green Building Week, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, innovators and students across the UAE under the global #BuildItReady campaign from September 7 to 11, 2026.
The programme is designed to translate climate ambitions into practical action, with this year’s Dubai events focusing on female leadership, youth engagement, operational efficiency and the transition towards low-carbon construction materials.
Female Leadership Takes Centre Stage
The week will begin with “Women in Sustainability: Building It Ready,” highlighting the contribution of women to sustainable project delivery across design, engineering and construction.
The session will spotlight the role of female professionals in advancing sustainability within the built environment and supporting the implementation of practical climate solutions.
Student Design Challenge to Address Urban Issues
The programme will then turn its focus to youth empowerment through “Design for Practice: A Student Design Challenge” at the American University in Dubai.
As part of the initiative, architecture students will work alongside experienced industry professionals to develop solutions to real-world urban design challenges.
The initiative aims to connect academic learning with practical industry experience while encouraging students to explore sustainability-focused approaches to urban development.
EmiratesGBC to Launch Energy and Water Benchmark
EmiratesGBC will also mark an industry milestone with the launch of the “EmiratesGBC Energy and Water Benchmark”, in partnership with independent partner Meyaar.
The benchmark will provide performance reference data for key building sectors in the UAE, including hotels, malls, offices and schools.
The initiative is intended to support greater understanding of operational performance and help stakeholders identify opportunities to improve energy and water efficiency across the built environment.
Focus on Low-Carbon Construction Materials
The World Green Building Week programme will conclude with a joint session with Expo City Dubai titled “Build with Less Carbon: The UAE Materials Transition.”
The session will introduce a practical embodied carbon baseline aimed at accelerating the adoption of low-carbon construction materials across the UAE.
By focusing on embodied carbon and material choices, the initiative seeks to support a broader transition towards more sustainable construction practices.
Building Practical Climate Action
Through the World Green Building Week programme, EmiratesGBC is bringing together different elements of the built environment under the #BuildItReady campaign, linking leadership, education, operational performance and materials transition.
The programme reflects a focus on moving beyond sustainability commitments towards practical measures that can support lower-carbon and more resource-efficient development across the UAE.
Details of the sessions and registration are available through the official Emirates Green Building Council website.
